Book Review: A Hamptons Christmas

Reviewed By: Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

A Hamptons Christmas     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
James Brady
Class/Genre:   Fiction
2000, 276 pages

I tripped over this little gem and bought it purely on the recommendation of the blurbs on the back cover which promised an "irreverant "breach read" about a warm and loving Christmas. It was stashed in the mystery section, but why is about the only mystery in the book which is apparantly part of a large series set on Long Island, featuring a middleaged correspondent named Will Stowe, his retired CIA connected father, and Lady Alix as a love interest.

Despite the first paragraph which begins, with credit to Mr. Dickens" "Marley was dead." the book is not about Marley who died of natural causes, nor about any of the other dead and possibly dead characters that move through the book. There is a thread about rights to be buried in a certain cemetery, and a stronger thread about a poor little rich girl who shows up in town on the assumption she can spend the holidays with Martha Stewart as shown in a magazine. Naturally Martha is not in town and Will takes her under his wing since the convent school where the girl is boarding is closed for the holidays, and her parents are disinterested when found. I suppose this would be the primary plot.

I did not find the story particularly irreverant but then I have no interest in the supposedly famous but unknown to me real life people scattered liberally through the book. I'm not sure I would call it a "beach read" but light reading it certainly was. And there was a charming New England small town Christmas ambiance which saved the thing from having no point. In fact, I think this book may have provided the most Christmas spirit of any book I read this holiday season. I would recommend it for getting into the holiday spirit.

Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM