The Seaboard Review of Books: Monday Edition
March 9, 2026
In this issue:
The Sapling by Marc Bendavid (Fiction)
All Kidding Aside by Jean-Christophe Rehel (Fiction)
Shipwrecked Souls: An Inspector Green Mystery by Barbara Fradkin (Fiction)
We Are All Of Us Left Behind by Bradley Somer (Fiction)
A Mystery Writer’s Guide to Getting Published by Peggy Blair (Non-Fiction)
Thanks for reading this issue of The Seaboard Review of Books!
James M. Fisher, editor-in-chief
Fiction
All Kidding Aside by Jean-Christophe Rehel
Like in Rehel’s previous novel, Tatouine, All Kidding Aside is written in first person with a distinctive voice that grips you right away. From the very first sentence, the reader is plunged into Louis’ head, causing some disorientation at first, but soon the rhythm sets in, and the short vignette-style chapters keep the story rolling at a quick pace; t…
Shipwrecked Souls: An Inspector Green Mystery by Barbara Fradkin
To what lengths would you go to protect your family? What memories would you be willing to bury and how many secrets could you keep? With mysterious murders, hidden identities, and a connection to World War II and the Holocaust, Shipwrecked Souls will take you on an emotional journey into Inspector Green’s past as he unearths long-hidden secrets his fat…
Non-Fiction
A Mystery Writer’s Guide to Getting Published by Peggy Blair
In A Mystery Writer’s Guide to Getting Published, Peggy Blair shares information, backed up by experience, about the writing, publishing, and marketing process.
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The Factory Voice by Jeanette Lynes (2009, Coteau Books)
Now out of print, The Factory Voice by Jeanette Lynes was on the longlist for the 2009 Giller’s prize, and it is easy to see why it was so popular. The setting is Fort William (now part of Thunder Bay) during WWII in a factory that manufactures Mosquito bombers. It is almost entirely staffed by women, right from Audrey the diminutive snack cart girl to Muriel MacGregor, the Chief Engineer. It is written in an easy to read, keep-the-pages-turning style with a certain “Corner Gas” style humour; the type that makes you smile or chuckle at different antics or occurrences that pop up or transpire over the length of the book.
There are ‘red’ spies (thought to be employed on the factory floor), escapees from a detainee camp near the factory, love interests, sabotage, and a factory talent show to top it all off. All of it written without profanity or gratuitous sex scenes, staying true to the mores of the time.
The author has thoroughly researched factory life in Canada during the war, and her acknowledgments at the back of the book point to many sources, thus adding authenticity to the story. A highly recommended ‘fun’ read, but it has its serious moments too, keeping the ‘fluff’ factor well in check. If you see a used copy, pick it up!(Contributed by James M. Fisher)
Contributor News
Lisa Timpf’s article “When the Scariest Stories are Penned by Real Life” appeared in Interstellar Flight Magazine, March 6. Timpf discusses five books she’s read lately, as well as musing about topics like AI and climate change.
The Seaboard Review of Books is proud to be a sponsor of The New Brunswick Book Awards!
Thanks for the re-stack!