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Seaside Mysteries: An Island of Suspects and Beyond Paradise Season 2

26 Feb

An Island of Suspects
by Jean-Luc Bannalec
Originally from Paris, Georges Dupin has begun to embrace his new home along the northern coast of France in Brittany. In An Island of Suspects, he heads to the nearby island of Belle-Ile after the body of Patric Provost turns up in the harbor. Provost was universally disliked so there are plenty of suspects despite the small size of the island. Having visited the area of Brittany myself, spending an August there as a teen in Dinard, I found it interesting that Bannalec included unique details about the area such as Dupin enjoying salt marsh lamb, where the lamb is said to be pre-seasoned from eating pastures with high salinity. It gave me lots of moments of nostalgia. Besides background research, Bannalec brings alive the look of the area describing the unique colors and vistas. There is no slow build like some mystery novels where the characters are first introduced before the action; the book thrusts into the case immediately and picks up speed to the dramatic end. Although there are several prior books in the series it is easy to jump in without having read past entries. It reminded me of a classic Agatha Christie novel. Hoboken resident cardholders can stream the 2014 German television adaptation of Bannalec’s Inspector Dupin series from Hoopla.

Beyond Paradise Season 2
I had written previously about Beyond Paradise and the show it spun off from Death in Paradise. In season 2 Humphrey a detective that had been previously stationed on a small French island is now settling in to life on the equal beautiful and prone to quirky crimes, Devon town of Shipton Abbott with his fiancee, cafe owner, Martha. Last season dealt with the stress of infertility possibly causing the end of their relationship, while this season has the couple eagerly looking into the possibility of becoming foster parents. You can stream the 6 episodes of Season 2 along with the the 2023 Christmas Special with your Hoboken Library Card from Kanopy. Episodes include a Murder Mystery Play on a train that becomes the real thing, a psychic whose predictions seem to be coming true, and a case of a disappearing priest. The season finale ends with Humphrey and Martha’s wedding day which of course has some bumps along the road to wedded bliss. The show is if anything even more charming then the first season as it more deeply develops the various characters and their relationships. If you love cozy dramadies than this will be your cup of tea.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Americana Explored: Man vs History and The Great American Recipe

29 Jan

Man vs. History
Man vs History was a show that originally debuted on the History channel that aired in 2021. Master storyteller and historian Bil Lepp looks at a variety of American historical legends from Houdini’s ability to get out of a straight jacket by supposedly dislocating his shoulder to Ben Franklin supposedly inventing the first swim fins. The episodes all have loose themes such as being centered on iconic stunts or folk tale legends. Lepp interviews experts and even recreates some of the events himself to determine how true the legends are. You can stream all eight episodes using only 4 of your monthly 60 Kanopy tickets. It is rated PG so may not be appropriate for some younger children, but older kids and teens may enjoy watching it along with their parents. I especially enjoyed hearing about some stories based locally such as the Hamilton/Burr duel that took place in nearby Weehawken.

The Great American Recipe
The Great American Recipe returned to PBS for season 3 last year. You can have 5 days to binge the 8 episodes for 5 of your Kanopy monthly tickets. This season Alejandra Ramos returns as host but Tiffany Derry is now joined by Francis Lam, host of public radio’s “The Splendid Table,” and Timothy Hollingsworth, an award winning chef, as judges. The show highlights the regional and ethnic diversity of the American culinary scene with this season’s contestants including those who have Italian, Mexican, Chinese and West African heritage. One contestant from Alaska discusses foraging for ingredients during one of the challenges. This is definitely a program for those who prefer their reality shows low stakes and friendly such as The Great British Baking Show. No one is voted off, though there are constructive critiques of some recipes that were less successful. The show ends with a top 3 and one winner declared, but unlike previous seasons there is no mention of a cookbook; never fear though if you want to create any of the dishes you can find the recipes online. The previous two seasons are also available to borrow from Kanopy and the show has been renewed for a fourth season on PBS.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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