Mary E. Trimble

Painted Skies by Barbara Marshak, a moving and inspirational novel, takes place in modern day Wyoming ranch country.

Vonnie Daniels, 58, takes a vacation from her job as a law firm receptionist in Indiana to volunteer for ten days at the Sage Creek Guest Ranch in Wyoming. Her job will be to greet guests as they arrive, and manage the front desk. Her mornings are busy but she has the afternoons to ride horseback and enjoy the country life-style. She’s never lived in the country and she’s taken by the raw beauty of her surroundings.

Eleven years before, Vonnie lost her husband to a heart attack. Other heartbreaks have also taken their toll, namely the three miscarriages she suffered before finally giving birth to their only child, a daughter, Jacqui, who is now married and has a daughter of her own. Jacqui was against Vonnie taking this trip, thinking it frivolous and risky.

While at the ranch Vonnie finds peace and friendship. She loves her little cabin, the magnificent view, and enjoys the companionship of Gertie, the ranch’s baker. Gertie invites Vonnie to go horseback riding, a scary but exhilarating experience. Gertie’s a down-to-earth woman and her friendship is a balm to Vonnie’s anxiety.

But all is not well on the ranch. Mysterious, dangerous instances mar the tranquility of the Sage Creek Guest Ranch, vandalism that not only causes damage to ranch property, but also involves danger to Vonnie.

Toward the end of her stay at the ranch, Vonnie meets a charismatic cowboy. A promising new future presents itself, but will practical, common sense prevail, or can Vonnie let go of old fears and let her future blossom into a new, vibrant lifestyle?

I found Painted Skies not only a fun read, but an inspirational story. The author vividly paints the rugged Wyoming landscape, its wide-open skies, jagged mountains, and vast stretches of land. The main character is deeply spiritual and I appreciated the scripture quotations as she discovers truth among the healing words.

Book Review: The Clovis Dig

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Mary

The Clovis Dig, a novel by Teri Fink and Robb Grindstaff, is both entertaining and educational. The contemporary story takes place in Eastern Washington.

Orchardist Claire Courtney is shocked when a chiseled, three-dimensional arrow-shaped rock, about ten inches long, is found while digging a new irrigation trench in her East Wenatchee, Washington orchard. Believing it must be ancient, Claire feels obligated to call her alma mater, Washington State University, and report the finding to their archaeology department.

When Native American Joe Running, Associate Professor of Archaeology at WSU learns about the find, his interest is piqued. After he visits the site, an official dig is organized, initially with Joe together with two students.

Once word spreads about the find, the Courtney Orchard is inundated with archaeologists, students, the press and onlookers. Claire’s once peaceful life is shattered. You can’t run an orchard with people milling about. In addition to the confusion, local tribal leaders come to the site, fearful that an ancient burial site will be disturbed.

But then a body is found. Not an ancient body, a relatively recent one. So now law enforcement people are swarming the area and an investigation of a different kind begins.

The Clovis Dig characters ring true and the situation believable with elements of mystery, suspense, and romance. The novel was inspired by a true archaeological find. The word “Clovis” is what archaeologists call the oldest widespread archaeological complex in North America.

Book Review: Notorious RBG

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Mary

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik is a remarkably frank biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933 – 2020), her time as an attorney for the ACLU, as a federal judge, and finally her service on the U. S. Supreme Court.

RBG’s high energy level and extreme intellect allowed her to manage raising a family while excelling first as a law student, then as a self-described “flaming feminist litigator.” Although throughout her career she fought for women’s equality, her main objective was to make the laws of the country work for everyone.

Like many women of the era, RBG was paid less than her male counterparts for the same work done. In one case she was actually told her pay was modest because her husband had a good job! RBG worked all her life to defy gender stereotypes. At one point she fought for a widower and his right to compensation for child care, the same as would be awarded a widow. She didn’t want to be called a “women’s judge, nor a political judge, but a judge’s judge.”

I was inspired by this biography. In my working career as Admissions Director at a well-known deep-sea diving school in the late 1970s, I received less pay than a man in my position would have been paid. When I brought this to my boss’s attention he actually said, “Oh, Mary, we couldn’t afford to pay you what we would pay a man in your position!” RBG fought for equality for pay, for benefits, and for equal recognition for a job well done.

RBG was an amazingly energetic woman. In addition to her many responsibilities, she maintained a work-out schedule and, in fact, had a personal trainer. Her regular exercise routine consisted of squats, curls, planks and 20 full push-ups. RBG’s one regret when reaching her seventies was that she had to give up water skiing.

Notorious RBG is a fast-paced biography with quotations from family members, close friends, United States’ presidents, colleagues, and clerks, as well as quotations from RBG herself. I appreciated learning more about how the courts, especially the U.S. Supreme Court works. RBG was an inspiration, an intergenerational icon, and Notorious RBG does her justice.

New Release: My Brother Eric

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Mary

I am so pleased to announce the release of my latest novel, My Brother Eric. The story is actually a continuation of my last novel, Maureen, but the story stands alone.

When the Cahills learn that a boy from the local high school is homeless and living out of his car, they feel the need to help. But they have a big cattle ranch to run. Will this city kid fit in?

Eric, 16, is living on the edge, and he knows it. He doesn’t know how much longer he can go on like this. Winter is coming on, and nights are already getting cold. The law is bound to find him and report him to Child Services. But Eric is determined not to move again, to finish high school in Chewack.

My Brother Eric is my fifth novel. In addition to my novels, I have written two memoirs, Tubob: Two Years in West Africa with the Peace Corps and Sailing with Impunity: Adventure in the South Pacific.

The book is available in paper or e-book format through your favorite bookstore or Amazon.

Book Review: Moon Bones

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Mary

Moon Bones, is the fifth book in the “A Nellie Burns and Moonshine Mystery” series by Julie Weston. The intriguing mysteries take place in the 1920s central Idaho’s rugged mining country.

When photographer Nellie Burns’ Chinese friend, Sammy Ah Kee, leads Nellie and her Basque fiancé Sheriff Charlie Asteguigoiri to a body Sammy has found, they find more than just the body, they discover a conspiracy to enslave Chinese immigrants. As they delve further, the mystery becomes more complex with murder and greed.

Of special interest to me in Moon Bones, was the deplorable way Chinese people were treated in this time period. In the late 1800s Idaho’s population included about 30% Chinese, most of whom were from the Guangdong area of China. They originally migrated to America to work on the railroad, though some came to prospect for gold. They were not treated well, were restricted from working the mines other than as laborers for white people, nor could they own land. The author does a good job of showing the plight of the Chinese, while also showing their loyalty to those white people they considered friends.

“A Nellie Burns and Moonshine Mystery” is an engaging series about the life and times in central Idaho in the 1920s. If you like a good mystery, I would recommend reading these novels in the order written: Moonshadows, Basque Moon, Moonscape, Miners’ Moon, and Moon Bones. The author has done a good job developing Nellie Burns’ character and her relationship with Sheriff Asteguigoiri, as well as with friends she has made along the way. Weston’s research of the area is impressive as her stories delve into the old mines, ghost towns, landscapes, and attitudes of the times.

Book Review: Beneath the Bending Skies

Posted on October 3, 2022 by Mary

Beneath the Bending Skies, an uplifting historical novel by Jane Kirkpatrick, is the story of Mary Catherine “Mollie” Sheehan Ronan (1852-1940) that takes place in the mid-to- late 1800s, mostly in Montana.

Mollie is only six years old when her mother passes away. Her father moves the family to Colorado and eventually remarries Anne, whom Mollie learns to love. The family moves to Montana as her father dabbles into several businesses, many involving different aspects of gold mining. Mollie strives to be a dutiful daughter, following his often quoted command to “honor thy father.”

When Mollie is 14 she meets her father’s best friend, Peter Ronan, 24 a journalist for a Helena, Montana newspaper. They fall in love and plan to marry. When her father learns of their relationship he is furious and feels deceived by both his daughter and friend. To thwart their relationship, he sends Mollie to a school in California. But being a dutiful daughter has its limits and even though separated, her love for Peter Ronan grows. They eventually reunite and when Mollie turns nineteen they marry, though her father strongly disapproves, causing a rift between them.

After some disasters with a fire at the newspaper building and a major theft in his mining claim, Peter accepts a job as supervisor at the Jocko Agency in Montana serving the Confederated Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai tribes. Mollie strives to be a gracious hostess to government dignitaries and tribal chiefs alike, to be a gracious wife and loving mother, and to keep a cheerful attitude. Above all, she aspires to be agile, to accept whatever comes her way and maintain a willingness to change.

I have read and enjoyed many books by Jane Kirkpatrick and this is one of my favorites. The author’s ability to capture the essence of time and place in this historical read is engaging, informative and told with dependable accuracy. Beneath the Bending Skies is an unforgettable journey of love, respect and duty.

Book Review: Bitterroot Lake

Posted on September 26, 2022 by Mary

Bitterroot Lake by Alicia Beckman, is a highly suspenseful contemporary novel with a strong sense of place.

Sarah McCaskill, newly widowed, hopes to find healing at her extended family’s historic Whitetail Lodge along the shore of Montana’s Bitterroot Lake. Upon arriving, she’s surprised to find an old friend, Janine, occupying one of the lodge’s cabins. There’s been a murder in town—Lucas Erickson, a lawyer who, twenty-five years before, attempted to rape Janine. Janine is afraid that she will be accused of the murder, that she sought revenge for that long-ago attack.

Two more friends join Sarah and Janine, and together they try to solve the mystery of the real killer. While staying in the lodge, property that has belonged to the McCaskills since 1922, the women recall their shared tragedy, a fatal automobile accident that happened at the time and was connected to Janine’s near rape.

While attempting to solve the murder mystery, the women discover a legacy of incidents that occurred in the lodge’s early years. Truths surface that link present-day occurrences to the past.

I enjoyed Bitterroot Lake and became immersed in the mystery that brought these women together. I especially enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the Montana landscape, particularly around Bitterroot Lake, and also the depiction and flavor Beckman creates of a closely knit small town.

Book Review: A River for Gemma

Posted on September 12, 2022 by Mary

A River for Gemma, by Debra Whiting Alexander, a novel that touched my heart, takes place in Oregon’s rural and rugged Willamette Valley, 2018.

Gemma Porter, 26, is considered “intellectually disabled” by many, but her grandmother sees a beautiful soul, a special person capable of great love. Gemma longs to have a baby, but there are those, including her mother, who feel she is not capable of handling such a responsibility. Although Gemma has her own apartment, a job, and can drive a car, she sometimes has trouble thinking things through.

When Gemma announces she is pregnant, and that she and her boyfriend intend to raise the child, many are outspoken about the couple’s ability to give the child adequate care.

Along with the turmoil of Gemma’s pregnancy, there’s a sinister, underlying threat that apparently involves Gemma’s grandmother’s hidden past. Threats of the family’s safety become more frequent and dangerous as they occur closer to home.

A River for Gemma is a story of limitless love, of overcoming restraints dictated by naysayers. It’s about possibilities, about hope. I enjoyed this novel and appreciated another way of looking at “disabilities” as “special abilities.”

Book Review: All That Is Secret

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Mary

All That Is Secret (An Annalee Spain Mystery Book 1) by Patricia Raybon is an absorbing novel that takes place in Denver, Colorado, 1923.

Annalee Spain leaves her teaching position as a theologian at a Bible college in Chicago to solve her father’s murder in Denver. As a “colored” woman, the venture is dangerous with the KKK wielding influence and terror, and corruption running rampant.

Annalee is a smart woman, and an avid amateur sleuth. Each chapter heading provides an apt quotation from her hero, Sherlock Holmes. Even though she held an impressive position as a professor, Annalee doesn’t have money. The clothes she wears are second-hand—she barely scrapes enough money together for her train fare.

The mystery she intends to solve begins on the train when she is confronted with threats. For protection, she hides in the train’s baggage car and encounters a stow-away, Eddie Brown, a twelve year-old orphan, a white boy in search of his missing father. They join forces, each with their own desperate missions.

When they arrive in Denver, they’re given shelter by handsome Jack Blake, a black minister, a well-respected man with a loyal congregation.

As the mystery unfolds, the reader gets a glimpse of Denver in the 1920s with its secrets of class, race, family and love. The author paints well-drawn, realistic personalities and situations. The story is not only a good mystery, but a realistic view of Denver in that time period, especially for a black person.

Book Review: The Rise of Light

Posted on August 29, 2022 by Mary

The Rise of Light by Olivia Hawker is a powerful novel that takes place in Rexburg, Idaho, 1975. The story is based on real events that occurred within the author’s family.

Tamsin, 17, is the youngest child and only daughter of the Rigby family. Her twin brothers, Ondi and Brig,19, are preparing to serve their mission, expected of young men of the Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) faith. Aran, the oldest child at 23, is Tamsin’s favorite brother. His great love is art, though his talent is frowned upon by his father.

Gad, the patriarch of the Rigby family, is a tyrant, an emotionally abusive father who uses the Church doctrines to mold his family into what he feels is righteous behavior. Even though Aran is an exceptional artist, Gad scorns his son’s talent, expecting him to carry on the family business of sign making. His wife, the mother of their four children, is meek, obedient, and long-since stripped of any individuality or joy.

When Linda Duff moves from Seattle to Rexburg, she’s considered an outsider, even though she is a baptized Mormon. She simply isn’t “one of them.” Linda craves normalcy, a way of life different from her bitter childhood. She becomes friends with both Tamsin and Aran, friendships that their father disapproves. Linda encourages Aran with his artistic talent, can see a future for him in the art world. With Linda, Tamsin can share her real feelings, can see that there is life beyond the restrictions of her overbearing father who won’t even discuss her foolish desire to attend university, but rather insists she marry by age 19 and become a good wife and mother.

When a violent catastrophe occurs affecting the whole town, the ensuing floodwaters create a flood of emotions with no hope of turning back, of returning to what they once had.

The Rise of Light is a masterpiece of family dynamics, of the art world, and of the courage it takes to follow one’s heart. I appreciate the author’s ability to capture landscape, to include the tiniest details, making the scenes come to life. She vividly describes Aran’s art and how he sees light and interprets it on canvas. This is a worthy novel, a captivating read that I highly recommend.