Dear Great Book Guru, Last weekend, I was at a great Easter party here in Sea Cliff and a fellow partygoer asked what I was reading. Well, when I answered " nothing", he suggested I go to you for advice. I do love mysteries- any recommendations?
Bookless in Sea Cliff

Dear Bookless, I too was at a wonderful party this weekend- the Dohertys, the Calzonettis, the DiPietros, and a new friend- Matteo Gallo- all gathered for a festive afternoon of fabulous food and conversation, and, yes, there was much talk of good books. LEARNING TO SWIM by first time novelist Sara Henry was mentioned as a must-read mystery. I enjoyed it, but I will confess I didn't love it. The story has a great opening line: "If I blinked, I would have missed it." The" it" is a six-year old boy who has been tossed from a ferry into the icy waters of Lake Champlain. Troy Chance, the narrator, dives into the water and into a darkly menacing mystery. Why does no one report the child missing, who are his parents, where did he come from? The answers to these questions unfold in an unpredictable and unbelievable fashion. At its best, this novel is an interesting character study of Troy and how she had blinked her way through life - neither seeing nor taking action- until this chance encounter causes her to rethink many of her past decisions. I read without stopping- about two hours; it was a very compelling story . I was surprised at the mystery's resolution although looking back, I realize the clues were all neatly laid out. Still, while it was well crafted, there was something unsatisfying about this book, so I recommend it with some reservation