Editor’s note: The opinions of the smart, well-read women in my Denver book club mean a lot, and often determine what the rest of us choose to pile onto our bedside tables. So we asked them, and all Denver Post readers, to share their mini-reviews with you. Have any to offer? Email bellis@denverpost.com. – Barbara Ellis
‘In Ascension,’ by Martin MacInnes (Black Cat, 2023)
This literary sci-fi book takes place in the not-too-distant future and tells the story of Leigh, growing up in the Netherlands, who does not feel at home in her home, due in part to a violent father. In fact, she feels she does not belong in the “reasonable world” at all. Then one day, she opens her eyes underwater and discovers she is not alone. She finds another world, first under the water and then on the lens of a microscope. Learning becomes everything to her. She immerses herself in study and excels, eventually becoming a marine biologist. Her early career leads her to deep ocean vents where scientists believe they might find life’s beginnings; what they find there is more astounding. Then, in an astonishing reversal, her career takes her to the furthest reaches of the solar system. MacInnes’ descriptions of the natural world, from the microscopic to the cosmic, are superb. Leigh and her world came alive for me, and this book continues to haunt me. (Longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2023.) — 4 stars (out of 4), Michelle Nelson, Littleton
‘The Insomniacs,’ by Allison Winn Scotch (Berkley, 2026)
An injured ace baseball pitcher, a would-be brilliant surgeon and now empty-nester housewife, and a retired FBI agent meet in an online chatroom for – you guessed it – insomniacs. But no one is entirely who they seem to be. When they decide to meet in person at an all-night New York City diner, where they meet another insomniac (their waitress), the plot is off and running. While this novel is at times engaging and even includes one surprising turn, much is uneven – either predictable or requiring a huge suspension of disbelief. A pleasant read, if you can find its groove. — 2 1/2 stars (out of 4); Kathleen Lance, Denver
‘The Elements,’ by John Boyne (Henry Holt, 2025)
(Warning: The subject matter of this novel may be disturbing to some readers.) The four elements — water, earth, fire and air — are presented as four loosely connected stories featuring sexual assault and its aftermath from different perspectives: the enabler, accomplice, perpetrator and victim. The first segment examines a woman who flees her home, escaping to a remote island in Ireland after her husband’s criminal trial. Was she aware of his actions against children and, if not, might there have been clues she missed? In the second, two professional athletes become involved in some non-consensual behavior, and the fallout from a long trial and verdict weighs heavily on the conscience of one if not the other. The third and fourth sections are, respectively, a somewhat non-traditional perpetrator and a man who seeks out his abuser many years later. Originally published as separate novellas, each masterfully written story brings the reader out of their comfort zone to discover that often, the perpetrators may have been victims themselves at some point, and the trauma they inflict on others can last a lifetime. — 4 stars (out of 4); Karen Goldie Hartman, Westminster
‘The Book of I,’ by David Greig (Europa Editions, 2025)
This novel is set in the year 826 on an island named “I” (an early name for the island Iona) off the coast of Scotland. A monastery is attacked by a roving Viking band seeking plunder and riches. The only survivors are a young monk, a woman beekeeper (and mead-maker) and a Viking, buried in a shallow grave by his compatriots who mistook his mead-induced drunken slumber for death. These three struggle to rebuild their lives, as they rebuild the demolished structures on I. Both violence and silly humor punctuate this fictional meditation on the power of faith and love. — 3 stars (out of 4); Kathleen Lance, Denver
‘Guilty by Definition,’ by Susie Dent (Sourcebooks Landmark, 2024)
A debut novel that is an homage to language. A team of lexicographers (dictionary makers) led by Martha Thornhill is toiling over entries to the fictional Clarendon English Dictionary when they begin to receive anonymous, cryptic notes signed by “Chorus.” These word puzzles all covertly reference the years-old disappearance of Charlie, Martha’s brilliant older sister. The chase is on to solve the mystery of Charlie’s disappearance. Lots of history to unravel, lots of great characters to suspect. And woven into every page and at each chapter heading are gorgeous language derivations. The book requires slow, careful reading; there’s not a stray word in it. A worthy read for language lovers and mystery fans, including all those who loved Pip Williams’ “The Dictionary of Lost Words” from 2021. — 4 stars (out of 4); Jo Calhoun, Denver
