Tuesday, February 6, 2024

BOOK REVIEW - GOING THERE: TALES FROM THE RIVIERA AND BEYOND BY DONNA FLETCHER CROW

 


Is this book a non-fiction description of a trip to the Riviera in post-pandemic times? Does it contain fictional stories including favorite characters from her novels? The answer is yes.

"Going There: Tales from the Riviera and Beyond" is a travelogue of a 2021 trip author Donna Fletcher Crow took with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter as they were returning the latter to her ballerina school in Monaco. Yes, this was at the time where COVID-19 was still a major concern at a point when people were ready for normalcy. She does a good job of reminding us of what mask mandates felt like and the concern of passing a COVID test so she could return home to the States rather than being stuck in her hotel for over a week away from her family at her own expense.

But this book is also a short story collection including some of my favorite characters from her novels. Charles and Antonia from the Victorian True Crimes Lord Danvers Investigates series. Richard and Elizabeth who host a Literary Murder collection. And especially my hero Father Antony and Felicity of the Monastery Murders.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It helped me know the author better. (Coincidentally, I just started another, unrelated book, where the author mentioned too often you read books knowing nothing about the author.) The short stories were entertaining and allowed me to hang out with several of my fictional friends (and the Dowager Duchess as well). Additionally, both the fiction and the non-fiction give you an introduction to the Riviera and what the people there are like.

I highly enjoyed this book and recommend it.

I received a copy of this book for my unbiased review.


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