Books with author Jayne Anne Phillips

A rich, many-layered novel from one of our major writers, her first in nine years.Set in the 1950s in West Virginia and Korea, it is a story of the power of loss and love, the echoing ramifications of war, family secrets, dreams and ghosts, and the unseen, almost magical bonds that unite and sustain us.At its center: Lark and her brother, Termite, a child unable to walk and talk but full of radiance; their mother, Lola; their aunt, Nonie, who raises them; and Termite’s father, Corporal Robert Leavitt, who finds himself caught up in the chaotic early months of the Korean War. Told with enormous imagination and deep feeling, the novel invites us into the hearts and thoughts of each of the leading characters; even into Termite’s intricate, shuttered consciousness. We are with Leavitt, trapped by friendly fire. We see Lark’s hopes for herself and Termite, and how she makes them happen. We learn of Lola’s love for her soldier husband and children, and unravel the mystery of her relationship with Nonie. We discover the lasting connections between past and future on the night the town experiences an overwhelming flood, and we follow Lark and Termite as their lives are changed forever.

National Bestseller New York Times Notable Book Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times Best Book of the YearLark and Termite is a rich, wonderfully alive novel about seventeen year old Lark and her brother, Termite, living in West Virginia in the 1950s. Their mother, Lola, is absent, while their aunt, Nonie, raises them as her own, and Termite’s father, Corporal Robert Leavitt, is caught up in the early days of the Korean War. Award-winning author Jayne Anne Phillips intertwines family secrets, dreams, and ghosts in a story about the love that unites us all.

A rich, wonderfully alive novel from one of our most admired and best-loved writers, her first book in nine years. Lark and Termite is set during the 1950s in West Virginia and Korea. It is a story of the power of loss and love, the echoing ramifications of war, family secrets, dreams and ghosts, and the unseen, almost magical bonds that unite and sustain us.At its center, two children: Lark, on the verge of adulthood, and her brother, Termite, a child unable to walk and talk but filled with radiance. Around them, their mother, Lola, a haunting but absent presence; their aunt Nonie, a matronly, vibrant woman in her fifties, who raises them; and Termite’s father, Corporal Robert Leavitt, who finds himself caught up in the chaotic early months of the Korean War.Told with deep feeling, the novel invites us to enter into the hearts and thoughts of the leading characters, even into Termite’s intricate, shuttered consciousness. We are with Leavitt, trapped by friendly fire alongside the Korean children he tries to rescue. We see Lark’s dreams for Termite and her own future, and how, with the aid of a childhood love and a spectral social worker, she makes them happen. We learn of Lola’s love for her soldier husband and her children, and unravel the mystery of her relationship with Nonie. We discover the lasting connections between past and future on the night the town experiences an overwhelming flood, and we follow Lark and Termite as their lives are changed forever.

Meet feisty new amateur sleuth Flora Lively in the first of her cozy mystery adventures ...When twenty-nine-year-old Flora Lively loses both of her parents and inherits the family business, she tries hard to make a success of her father’s dream – even at the expense of her own dreams. Burdened with Marshall, her father’s handpicked American manager, Flora finds solace in her friendship with Joy, an elderly client she helped move into the Maples, the local retirement community. But when strange and dangerous things begin to happen at the Maples, Flora finds herself plunged headfirst into a web of betrayal, intrigue and deceit. Convinced a murderer is preying on helpless residents, Flora is forced to conduct a private murder investigation. But can she solve the puzzle in time, or will the murderer strike again?Murder at the Maples is a cozy English village mystery, ideal for readers who love cozy reads with romance and humor, and British mysteries on Kindle.(Book #1 in the Flora Lively British cosy mysteries series)Praise for Murder at the Maples:“A gripping tale filled with humanity and humor. Don’t miss this one!” Found Between The Covers “An excellent start to a new cozy mystery series and a brand new amateur sleuth for readers to fall in love with.” Socrates Book Reviews “The characters are lovely, and the mystery is top notch. Murder at the Maples is a wonderful start to a cozy series.” Brooke Blogs

Set in the 1950s in West Virginia and Korea, "Lark and Termite" is a story of the power of loss and love, the echoing ramifications of war, family secrets, dreams and ghosts, and the unseen, almost magical bonds that unite and sustain us. At its centre are: Lark and her brother, Termite, a child unable to walk and talk but full of radiance; their mother, Lola; their aunt, Nonie, who raises them; and Termite's father, Corporal Robert Leavitt, who finds himself caught up in the early chaotic months of the Korean War.Told with enormous imagination and deep feeling, the novel invites us into the hearts and thoughts of each of the leading characters; even into Termite's intricate, shuttered consciousness. We are with Leavitt, trapped by friendly fire. We see Lark's hopes for herself and Termite, and how she makes them happen. We learn of Lola's love for her soldier husband and children, and unravel the mystery of her relationship with Nonie. We discover the lasting connections between past and future on the night the town experiences an overwhelming flood, and we follow Lark and Termite as their lives are changed for ever. This is the first novel for nine years by one of America's greatest writers, "Lark and Termite" is rich, rewarding and unforgettable.

A rich, wonderfully alive novel from one of our most admired and best-loved writers, her first book in nine years. Lark and Termite is set during the 1950s in West Virginia and Korea. It is a story of the power of loss and love, the echoing ramifications of war, family secrets, dreams and ghosts, and the unseen, almost magical bonds that unite and sustain us.At its center, two children: Lark, on the verge of adulthood, and her brother, Termite, a child unable to walk and talk but filled with radiance. Around them, their mother, Lola, a haunting but absent presence; their aunt Nonie, a matronly, vibrant woman in her fifties, who raises them; and Termite’s father, Corporal Robert Leavitt, who finds himself caught up in the chaotic early months of the Korean War.Told with deep feeling, the novel invites us to enter into the hearts and thoughts of the leading characters, even into Termite’s intricate, shuttered consciousness. We are with Leavitt, trapped by friendly fire alongside the Korean children he tries to rescue. We see Lark’s dreams for Termite and her own future, and how, with the aid of a childhood love and a spectral social worker, she makes them happen. We learn of Lola’s love for her soldier husband and her children, and unravel the mystery of her relationship with Nonie. We discover the lasting connections between past and future on the night the town experiences an overwhelming flood, and we follow Lark and Termite as their lives are changed forever.

Rise of the Alien Queen is the story of Susan Allen, a foul mouthed, about to be divorced housewife, and mother of two grown children. She is suffering from depression and grappling with what to do next after the failure of her marriage. Her philandering husband has hidden all of their assets and she can’t even get a job at the local DollarLand. While attempting to rescue the pilot of a crashed alien spacecraft, Susan inadvertently gets caught up in an off-world adventure filled with romance, politics, deceit and murder. Rise of the Alien Queen is a riff on the current crop of romance and paranormal literature with humorous and often biting commentary on our current politics, racism, and the mistreatment of women. Religion, misogyny, ageism, rape culture, fat shaming, and an evil ambassador are ever present as the heroine navigates her way through yet another hostile and unforgiving world. It’s time for Susan to decide; will she give up on everything and wallow in her depression and self-pity? Or will she rise up and become the woman she was always meant to be?

Time is running out! When outspoken, marathon-running Grandma Sybil invites thirteen-year-old Charlotte and her other grandchildren to join her on a trip to Italy for one last chance to find the family treasure, they learn she holds other, bigger family secrets. The search for Great-Grandpa Sam’s final, extravagant gift takes them to a mountaintop, an island palace, and even the belly of a giant, cast-iron statue. But when Grandma Sybil inexplicably wants to quit just as they’re about to succeed, the children must find out why, and work together to complete their quest.

More than anything, twelve-year-old Charlotte wants to live in one place and settle down forever, preferably in the small Missouri town where her entire extended family lives. Due to her father's work, Charlotte, her older brother Milo, and little sister Alice have already lived in a new place for every year of their lives.When their plans for a peaceful summer in the Netherlands end with bad news from the family in Missouri, Charlotte suddenly has a lot more to worry about than shopping in another language, getting along with Milo and Alice, or moving to a new city in a few months.Why is the couple living at the other end of the canal so secretive? What was really going on in two of the four-hundred-year-old paintings in Amsterdam's most famous gallery? And most importantly, what can Charlotte take with her from all the places she must leave behind?