A Nurse, A Teacher and A Con Artist - 3 Books You'll Want To Read

Contributed by Kathleen Rumple, Hive Overland Park

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Kathleen Rumple is a Hive member, avid reader and former school teacher. She has written several book reviews for The Hive in the past and we always love to hear what her newest favs are. Here are three of her picks with amazing women characters - a nurse, a teacher and a con artist.

The Women- Kristin Hannah  

I was a child when the Vietnam War began and really wasn’t aware of too many details at the time, however, when I was a little older, I did proudly wear my POW bracelet. Reading this book brought back memories from that time and I found it very eye opening. This is a poignant, multi-faceted story as Kristin Hannah writes so well. The Women grabs your heart and attention right from the start. This story brings you a real life view of the war from a female nurse’s perspective. The struggles all service men and women faced during this time period when they came home and the lack of respect for all, especially the nurses, were sadly made very clear.  

The story starts with Frances “Frankie” McGrath’s brother Fin enlisting in the Navy to serve in Vietnam.  At a going away party for him, Fin’s best friend, Rye, tells Frankie that “women can be heroes too”. This sticks with Frankie and she eventually ends up enlisting too, much to her parents' dislike.  Kristin Hannah brings you right along as you follow Frankie on her time in Vietnam in a MASH unit, her friendships, love, loss and coming to terms with all she has experienced.  The story then brings you home with Frankie and the struggles she faces there are almost more difficult than the war.  You will cry and cheer for Frankie and the others as this up close and personal story grabs you and defines the heroes of that time.

This story has a little bit of everything, and if you are a fan of Kristin Hannah this is definitely another winner.  

The Teacher - Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden is the Queen of Twists! I listened to this book in the car on a long road trip and it was the perfect audio book as I didn’t want to stop listening.  Freida McFadden has become a favorite author and I love the surprising turns her stories take. This story is no exception.  Addie is a high school student with a bad reputation due to something that happened with a teacher the previous school year.  Eve and Nate are a married couple that teach at the same High School, both with their own secrets.  The chapters are first person narratives from all the characters’ points of view. This moves the story along as well as makes the characters “real”.  McFadden takes you on a wild ride as these characters' lives and lies create a gripping story.  The most surprising twist comes at the very end in the epilogue.  It’s one of those books that when you finish, you want to go back and read it again to reread and catch all the things you missed. 

If you are a fan of Freida McFadden, the Johnson County Library has Online Author Talks and on Thursday, June 13 at 7 pm, 2024 Freida McFadden will be the featured author.  You can register at jocolibrary.org/events.  

First Lie Wins - Ashley Elston

First Lie Wins is a cat and mouse suspense thriller with a cleverly written plot.  It is not your typical mystery yet still has suspense, intrigue, and many exciting twists to keep you turning the pages. 

The story follows Evie Porter, which we learn is not her real name, as she is sent to do various  jobs by her boss, only known as Mr. Smith, whom Evie has never met in person. Mr. Smith has clients that need a “job done” and Evie is given a new identity for each job and instructions on what she needs to accomplish, often infiltrating the lives of her marks. Evie proves to be a great con-artist and Mr. Smith values her skills, until she botches a job.  To put her in her place and punish her, Mr. Smith gives her a job unlike any of the others.  Can she pull off this new job? Who is Mr. Smith?  Who is this woman that has Evie’s “real name”?  So many questions, so much intrigue.  If you like a thriller, with some mystery and a little romance thrown in then this would be a great choice for you. 

Let us know your favorite read in the comments.