‘The Tutor’ by Courtney Psak; Hodder & Stoughton; 304 pages; $17.99
Normally, a mystery that appears to be filled with stereotypical characters and a predictable plot isn’t off to a good start. But, as mystery readers know, looks can be deceiving.
Or in the case of Courtney Psak’s “The Tutor,” the anticipated can quickly spin into the unexpected.
Psak delivers a surprising plot filled with characters who emerge as believable set against the background of Palm Beach.
Rose Grant is the unassuming young widow with a smart 15-year-old son, James. They both miss Ian, who was a good husband and caring father. His death left them both adrift, with Rose losing herself in her artwork. Enter Grant Caldwell, the rich, pampered scion of a family with deep roots in Palm Beach and New York City. Grant and Rose marry quickly, and he seems to be a good fit for Rose and James. Isabel, the titular tutor, is hired to help James and quickly bonds with the teenager.
But Grant’s mother, Evelyn, is against the marriage and appears to hate Rose, though she’s nice to James. Evelyn seems to make it her mission to make Rose uncomfortable enough to want to divorce Grant. In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, Evelyn convinces Grant, Rose and James to move from their Central Park apartment to her large home in Palm Beach. When the plot takes a fatal twist, it is surprising but not unexpected.
Psak, who lives in Palm Beach, shows characters who would be at ease shopping on Worth Avenue and would disapprove of Rose and her background. Each of the characters have deep secrets, and Psak keeps their twists fueling “The Tutor.”
Readers will find many teachable moments in “The Tutor.”
Meet the author
Courtney Psak will discuss her novel “The Tutor” with Asha Elias at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables. The event is free, but reservations are requested. For more information, visit booksandbooks.com or call 305-442-4408.
‘Hollywood Kills: An Anthology,’ edited by Adam Meyer & Alan Orloff; Level Short; 270 pages; $18.95
Themed short story anthologies continue to be the trend — collections based on the works of playwrights, musicians’ specific albums, films, holidays, the weather, even menu offerings and customers at the Waffle House.
The result: some outstanding short story collections.
“Hollywood Kills” has a double theme. Each author has worked in the entertainment business in some aspect — as a performer, producer, writer, or even in catering. The second theme is that each contributor’s proceeds is being donated to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund.
Adam Meyer and Alan Orloff have assembled a terrific group of writers, many of whose link to the entertainment business will be surprising. “Hollywood Kills” also includes a mixture of styles, from the hard-boiled to the cozy. Many stories feature well-known landmarks and favorite sites such as the Larry Edmunds Bookshop.
Ellen Byron, whose TV credits include “Wings” and “Just Shoot Me,” offers “Billy Wilder’s Ghost,” a darkly humorous look at the director’s influence over writers that has much in common with her light, funny mysteries. Scriptwriter Gary Phillips, whose recent novels have centered on Black history in Los Angeles, offers a look at production values in the noirish “What Ned Said.”
Shawn Reilly Simmons, president of Level Best Books, uses her background as a movie set caterer, to bring the right ingredients to the filming of a horror movie in “Craft and Consequences.” Alan Orloff, who lives in Boca Raton, and his actor son, Stuart Orloff, team up to explore family issues and misplaced ambition in “A Role to Kill For.”
Leave a Reply