Chapter 37 - Travel the World Without Worries

I have truly been traveling the world this summer. My books have taken me to Copenhagen, Paris, Switzerland, Cuba, Florida and throughout the 1920's south. I don't know about you but I am a little tired of staying home so the only way I can really travel is through books.

Oddly enough, it seems I spend a lot of time in England reading psychological thrillers, spy mysteries, or World War II stories. As I mentioned in my Low Country Summer blog a few weeks back, atmosphere is definitely part of a good book and place is very important in creating a story.

Here are the books I've read this summer which have taken me to England, a country I love. While reading them I can imagine myself walking through London again or traveling to one of the small towns England is so famous for.

The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva - In this episode Gabriel Allon is called upon to track down the American ambassador's daughter who has been kidnapped by terrorists. While the story flits through Europe, it takes place primarily in England.

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney - Another psychological thriller by Feeney, this one was released last summer and somehow I missed it. It is about an up and coming actress who is being framed for her husband's murder. I can honestly tell you I didn't see it coming!

Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook by Celia Rees - The story starts out in London as Miss Graham works for a British spy agency while helping to rebuild post-war Germany. I have never really considered this side of the end of the war and this was definitely a thought provoking novel.

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley - A notebook left on a table in a London neighborhood cafe' by septuagenarian Julian Jessop sets out an experiment for people to be honest. The result is lots of stories and some serendipity as the characters find out the good and bad of each other.

The Suspect by Fiona Barton - Two 18 year old girls go missing in Thailand during their gap year which pushes their families into an international spotlight. Kate Waters, the journalist in Barton's two previous novels, knows she will scoop the case especially as she hasn't heard from her own son who went traveling two years ago. The scenes in Thailand are rich with sensory descriptions as the novel goes back and forth between there and England.

Where have you been (virtually) this summer?