My Father's Secret War

My Father's Secret War (2007) by Lucinda Franks. Journalist Franks discovers that the remote, troubled father she grew up with was in fact a spy -- a secret agent who worked behind enemy lines during World War II. Her search for the details of his service and for the horrible secrets he holds led to the writing of this memoir. Grade: B+

Murder of a Medici Princess

Murder of a Medici Princess (2008) by Caroline P. Murphy. Isabella De Medici was the daughter of Cosimo I, who rose to power in Florence during the mid-16th century. She lived a slightly more liberated life than most of the women of her time, because her husband was dependent on her father. This is an excellent book to read if you are interested in the Italian language or wish to learn about it. It also paints a colorful portrait of life in Florence during the Renaissance. Grade: A-

The Calling

The Calling (2008) by Inger Ash Wolfe. I found this thriller compelling for about the first half, but it went downhill from there. A lot of interesting points are left unexplained, and the ending just comes out of the blue. I'm only writing this review to chronicle the fact that I read this book. Grade: C-