If you like first person accounts and have an interest in the life of a wet nurse (if you read any historical novels you've seen these women mentioned but probably never thought about the actual life of a servant when she takes another woman's child to her breast. Where do families find such women? What of her own child?) The Wet Nurse's Tale, by Erica Eisdorfer introduces Susan Rose a spirited, buxom farm girl, whose indiscretion with the son of the manor laves her with child. Soon she is able to follow the occupation of her mother - wet nurse. The main character with her sense of curiosity and penchant for seeing life a bit differently than most, has several interesting experiences among the gentry as she breast feeds their offspring and manages to expand her world view on each new posting. A fascinating book and a look at a woman's role that is now almost forgotten.
Daniel Silva's The Defector is another thriller featuring Gabriel Allon (the art restorer whose first life is a spy/assassin for Israel). The book picks up almost where Moscow Rules ended as Allon and his team take on old enemy Ivan Kharkov as they try to save the life of a Russian defector/former intelligence officer (and friend of Allon). When Allon's wife is also taken by Kharkov, the Israeli team's work takes on added pressure. A top notch thriller from a master of the genre.
