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Readers ready to meet the author
5 winners in review contest
Monday, March 9, 2009
By Ben Beagle bbeagle@batavianews.com
Joyce Thompson-Hovey of Pavilion loves history. She loves to read mystery.
And she's a longtime teacher. This year's "A Tale for Three Counties"
book selection, Separate From the World, combined all of her interests.
"This book rolled all that into one," said Thompson-Hovey, one of five winners in this year's Tale book review contest.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: More stories about "A Tale for Three Counties."
On Friday, the winners will gather for an invitation-only lunch discussion with author Paul L. Gaus at the D & R Depot in Le Roy.
Other winners are Julie Caton of Oakfield, Linda Daviau of Batavia, Meghan Hauser of Perry and Frances McNulty of Batavia.
The contest, sponsored by The Daily News, asks readers to react to the overall book, a theme or characters. Winners were chosen from 11 entries judged by the Tale for Three Counties Council, the non-profit group of librarians that organizes the Tale community reading project.
Separate From the World, the sixth book in Gaus' Ohio Amish mystery series, finds college professor Michael Branden investigating the suspicious deaths of an Amish dwarf and a female student and a kidnapping. The book frequently depicts the differences between the lifestyles of the Amish and "English," what the Amish call outsiders.
"There were a lot of subplots," Thompson-Hovey said in an interview. "In the beginning, I kind of wondered how they were related, but then it all came together. And it happened very fast."
In her review, Thompson-Hovey wrote that Gaus "goes about masterfully interweaving several subplots and smoothly transitioning from one event to another, making for a very fast-paced, page-turning story."
Hauser also noted the rapid-fire series of murders, kidnappings and intrigue, in her review. She wrote: "The author's layering and eventual collision of the frenetic mayhem of the 'English' world (on steroids) with the simple life of the Ohio Amish made for a startling and successful contrast."
Other reviewers focused on Caroline Branden, wife of the story's main sleuth, Michael Branden.
"I liked Caroline immediately upon meeting her," McNulty wrote in her review. "The author portrayed her as an understanding, intelligent and supportive partner ... Caroline's insightfulness in dealing with the Amish families during their time of crisis provided evidence of her compassionate character and her sensitivity."
Caton praised the author for "including three empowered women as heroines in his story."
When Daviau finished reading Separate From the World she went back and read all of the other books in the series.
"When you get done with each one you learn a little bit more" about Amish culture, Daviau said. "It's been very interesting."
Daviau said you can see the development of Gaus -- a retired college chemistry professor -- as a writer through each book.
"His first book (Blood of the Prodigal) was good, but the description was plain. The story was plain. With this one, I never expected the ending," Daviau said, noting she enjoyed the tougher side of professor Branden's wife that was revealed in the story's climactic scene.
"He really stepped out of his comfort zone," Daviau said of the author. "Oh my, of all the books, I enjoyed this one the most."
Gaus will be visiting Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties this week for talks and book signings in each county. His schedule: 1 p.m. Thursday at Genesee Community College, 1 College Rd., Batavia; 7 p.m. Thursday at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia; 7 p.m. Friday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, 620 West Ave., Medina; and 2 p.m. Saturday at Perry Elementary/Middle School, 50 Olin Ave., Perry, a program hosted by Perry Public Library.
Several book discussions for Separate From the World are also scheduled this week. All are in Batavia. They are: 7 tonight at Genesee Community College, 1 College Rd., in the library periodical lounge; 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at GCC, Room S103; 7:45 a.m. Wednesday at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St.; and noon Wednesday at Present Tense, 101 Washington Ave.
Read all the entries for this year's "A Tale for Three Counties" book review contest online at www.thedailynewsonline.com
Tale Web site: www.taleforthreecounties.org
Courtesy of Batavia Newspapers Corporation