RECENT READING
Gripping Nonfiction
American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land by Monica Hesse
The Eastern Shore of Virginia is a forgotten land of lost hopes and limited opportunity. The small towns in Accomack County are off the beaten path and poverty and struggle are the norm for many. What brings people together and is the center for socializing is the firehouse. Dedicated volunteers leap to answer the call and in the long months from late 2013 into 2014, the calls to fires were numerous and almost always to abandoned buildings. Over about five months, more than 86 fires were started in and around Accomack and required volunteer firefighters from all the departments in the region.
After an initial article about the fires, Washington Post feature writer Monica Hesse went to Accomack to research and write about why and how the fires occurred and who was responsible. It’s a fact that arsonists are often volunteer firefighters, but this perpetrator, Charlie Smith, went undiscovered for a long time. And what was surprising was that he had an accomplice, a female. The resulting book is a captivating and vivid suspense story. You know who dun it early on but exploring how all the experts got there is fascinating. (~JWFarrington)
ON THE SMALL SCREEN
Inspector Vivaldi Mysteries (Amazon Prime)
Just when I was wondering what to watch next, my friend Patricia came to the rescue with a great recommendation. This Italian series from 2005 is marvelous. It’s set in Trieste and Frederico Vivaldi is a police detective whose son Stefano is also a policeman. When a young woman is found dead after a lively beach party, Vivaldi has his son re-assigned to the team working to solve the mystery. Vivaldi is estranged from his wife, Laura, and is unaware that his son is gay. How he learns about his son becomes tangled up with the murder case. Although the production quality is grainy by today’s standards, the characters are engaging and complex and, so far, the series is as much about their relationships as it is about the police work.
BREAKFAST OUT
Mocha Joe’s Cafe
If you’re looking for a casual place for breakfast in Bradenton, Mocha Joe’s could be your answer. A small café on Cortez Road West, Mocha Joe’s is popular, for sure with the breakfast crowd, and maybe later also. We met friends there and were pleased with the wide selection of eggs, pancakes, and omelets. Several of us ordered lightly, but one person sampled eggs and toast with sides and was most pleased. It’s tucked in a shopping mall, but definitely worth a try for either meal as the lunch menu of burgers and sandwiches also looks tempting.
Note: Header image of fire in eastern Virginia by Jay Diem, AP.
Also liked American Fire. I find nonfiction hard but this one was not.