Telling the Bees

by Peggy Hesketh

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A lifelong beekeeper, Albert Honig is deeply acquainted with the ways and workings of the hives. He knows that bees dislike wool clothing and foul language; that the sweetest honey is made from the blooms of eucalyptus; and that bees are at their gentlest in a swarm. But Albert is less versed in the ways of people, especially his beautiful, courageous, and secretive friend Claire.

A friend and neighbor since childhood, Claire was a hovering presence—and then a glaring absence—in Albert’s life, a change that has never been reconciled. When she is killed in a seemingly senseless accident during a burglary gone wrong, Albert is haunted by the loss. In the aftermath of this tragedy, he is left to piece together the events of their lives to attempt to make sense of their shared past and the silence that persisted between them for a decade before her death. What Albert comes to learn is that Claire’s secrets were far darker than anything he could have imagined...

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Book Club, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult Fiction

321 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Peggy Hesketh is a journalist and author and currently teaches writing and rhetoric at the University of California. Her short story ‘A Madness of Two’ was selected by Elizabeth George for inclusion in her anthology Two of the Deadliest. Telling the Bees is her first novel.

Reviews

[BlackOxford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Futile Wisdom

Quite a read, right to the final paragraph. Combining a sensitive story with some classical philosophy and a compelling metaphor of honey bees and the mores of their hive, this is a masterpiece in a first novel. Hesketh, who I imagine is in her fifties, has captured what I think is a central aspect of what might be called the wisdom of age in someone considerably older than herself. The essence of this wisdom is that life is inherently chaotic. Even apparently insignificant actions, discoveries, mistakes, and omissions can have profound secondary effects which cannot be anticipated or mitigated. Our very striving for order creates complexity in our lives that is only revealed to the old. But this revelation is essentially tragic: there is nothing that can be done, no remedy offered, no amends possible. One's past is not only past, it is also only populated by the dead, the forgotten, the no longer extant. It is only with age that we can realise the complete lack of control that we have had over our lives. This realisation has meaning but not implication. There is nothing we can do with it. And this makes it all the more valuable.

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty)]

Bee-fore you bee-gin this novel, it would bee-hoove you to bee sure you find bees sufficiently bee-guiling. I gave it a try, just to see what all the buzz was about, but I bee-lieve I'm going to arc-hive it for now. There is some bee-utiful writing, but it could have bee-n a honey of a story without so much bee lore.

Exhibit Bee
Sample dialogue (yes, dialogue) from page 43:

"Requeening the cross hive," I said. "Requeening is never my first choice. I usually try to hang a wave cloth near the flyway of a particularly testy hive. The constant flapping of the cloth in the breeze helps the bees to become accustomed to motion. This discourages them from rising forth to defend their hive from the occasional passerby. I have also found that several good puffs from a smoker can do much to calm an agitated hive when working in close quarters. But when all else fails, a cantankerous queen must be replaced."

Intere-sting material for a work of nonfiction perhaps, but it bee-comes burdensome as part of a murder mystery. That's just my hum-ble opinion.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, thoughtful book to read slowly and to savor the metaphor of the bees compared to our human world. I was puzzled by the reviewers who complained that the author went into too much detail about the bees and beekeeping, because that was essential to the story. Each chapter begins with a little explanation about the bees, and it often parallels the development of the plot in that chapter, or foreshadows an event that will soon unfold. Albert Honig is a life-long beekeeper, living in isolation as the world changes around him, and he doesn't notice, or have feelings for, much of that world. But he loves his bees. And his philosophy books. It will take him a lifetime of over 80 years to see how the pieces fit together, and how he could have engaged in life to feel passion and prevent pain. I enjoyed the way a modern murder mystery was entwined with the description of the progress of the 20th century and the internal life of a solitary man.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bees for Beginners

This is a stunning book. It’s literary fiction that veers into murder mystery territory…and does both very well. Albert has lived next to Claire almost his entire life. They’ve lived in Orange County California from the time when it was mostly orange groves. Now it’s fraught with drug addicts and strip malls and outbursts of meaningless violence. Though the two are very different in their outlooks on life they bond in childhood over their love for beekeeping. Albert’s father patiently teaches both of them not only how to care for the bees but the almost magical lore that surrounds them.

Somewhere, in adulthood, the two old friends become estranged and stop talking. When Claire and her sister are attacked he works closely with the investigating detective to try and find justice…and a motive. In the process he learns some long concealed mysteries about Claire’s life. He learns even more about himself. Outwardly the two couldn’t be more different. Albert is a homebody whereas in Claire dreams of seeing the world. Each chapter begins with bee lore which is interwoven into the story. The metaphors are poignant. The suspense is real. I loved how Hesketh slowly unfolds Albert’s inner life and relates it to what is happening around him. “Telling the Bees” is one of my favorite books of 2013. I bet I’ll be saying the same thing at the end of the year as well.

This review is based on an advanced reading copy received from the publisher.

(Disclaimer added as required by the FTC.)

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

I really wanted to love this book. I typically enjoy wandering through books about old people, complete with their memories, wounds and nostalgia. I don't mind a slower pace or diversion from the main topic as I know life - and the telling of stories- is rarely straightforward. And books about bees fascinate me.

So, why didn't this book enthrall me? There is some beautiful writing and an opportunity to learn about beekeeping, and even about human nature. But still, I am not sure I would have finished if I were not an early reviewer and wanted to keep my promise.

After a day's thought, I think it was this: I just couldn't fall in love with the main character. Maybe his emotional distance and solitary life where too much to ovcome. Because I didn't connect to him, I didn't fully connect to the story. Yet, it is worthy of consideration for others' TBR lists.

Thank you for the opportunity to receive and review this novel.

[Randy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was won in a First Reads contest at Goodreads.
I was immediately drawn into this book by the courtly formality of the language used by the narrator. Albert inadvertently discovers a crime perpetrated upon his neighbors and friends. What follows is a slowly unfolding and mesmerizing tale of secrets. Beautifully written, this novel was also full of philosophy and fascinating bee facts. The action builds in increments, with the slightest whiff of something amiss. It climbs quietly to a satisfying conclusion. Especially poignant is the story of the genesis of the title. I'm not ashamed to admit that the last chapter caused me to weep.

[Jim Mcfarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't describe this book better than NY Times best-selling author Elizabeth George did: “Telling the Bees is a marvel. With infinite compassion and perfect pitch, Peggy Hesketh has written an American classic: the inadvertent examination of a life unlived, told by the 80-year-old beekeeper who didn't live it. It's a wonderful read for anyone who loves a great and unforgettable story told well.”

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first sentence, which I can’t quote because this is an advanced readers copy, I fell in love with this story. Like the perfect pitch of humming bees in an old California Orange grove at sunset after a long summer day, the main character Albert Honig, recalls the tragic deaths of his two neighbors, the Bee Ladies. Albert remembers how his family had introduced them to beekeeping when they were all children, and how the women were nicknamed the Bee Ladies because they sold honey and wax candles and other products from their bee hives. His voice brought back memories of grandparents and parents telling family folklore, imparting wisdom if you cared to listen long enough, and later feeling sad that you didn’t after they passed. It’s a story of missed chances, miscommunication and the ever constant change that people and places go through in a lifetime. A book to be savored over a hot cup of tea sweetened with honey, on a day when you want to take a break and get away from it all and enjoy a slowly unfolding mystery that touches the heart. Peggy Hesketh’s novel Telling the Bees is a definite 5 star favorite.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This is a novel that will not appeal to everyone, as it is an in depth character study of three elderly people, who have many secrets. There is also an awful lot of information on beekeeping and though I realize the author is using the activity of the hive as a metaphor for the actions and relationships adherent in a family, I still found this to be a bit excessive. The character of Arthur, an old fashioned man, actually reminded me a little of Major Pettigrew for those who have read that novel. This is also a very slow paced novel, meant to be slow paced with much information and slow reveals. The mystery at its core is not the focus, instead it is the impetus for revealing the truth that what one thinks and sees in a relationship, no matter how close one is, is not always the real truth. I liked it, it was different and I also liked how the author tied everything up at the end, making sure to answer all the questions a reader might have. Recommended for those who love character studies and have the patience to read this quiet ,but quite different novel.

[Agatha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very beautiful, unassuming, quietly interesting little book. Albert Honig is an 80-something beekeeper who reflects back upon his life and the changes he has seen in his once-rural neighborhood in Orange County, CA. Albert grew up in a loving family next door to the Straussman sisters, whose upbringing always appeared to be a bit stranger, though Albert’s father always urged his mother (and the rest of them) to mind their own business and just leave well enough alone. Years later, after his neighbors Claire and Hilda Straussman are killed in what is apparently a robbery gone wrong, Albert quietly looks over his years of friendship with his neighbors and, gradually, more and more is revealed about the mystery of their deaths. Beautifully written. Recommended. Pay attention to the descriptions of the bees and their habits which reflect the ongoing actions of the humans in the story. This is one of those books where I was truly sad to reach the end; I had grown to love Albert and his quiet life that much.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want truth or do you want facts? Can one live in a honorable and honest and orderly way? These questions, along with issues of family and failures and forgiveness, are at the heart of this beautifully composed novel. August Honig is a man who has lived a very tightly controlled life, tending to his bees and reading philosophy. When a random act of violence occurs right next door, he cannot avoid telling the truth; but August cannot always reconcile the difference between "not lying" and truth telling. Soon the story of Claire Straussman and her family demands to be recollected and told. Because August has lived his whole life with bees and philosophers, never straying far from his childhood home, his stories are full of apiary and philosophical facts, which August believes will help illustrate the truth. This simple man looms large as a character in this novel; he is unforgettable. Read this story carefully, savoring the slower cadence and rich language. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albert Honig is a beekeeper, he learned about bees from his father who was also a beekeeper, as was Albert’s grandfather. Albert has known how bees behave since he was a child growing up in the house he shared with his parents in Orange County, California. For over eighty years he has lived in the same house tending his bees, learning their language, how to care for them and how to protect them. His neighbors, Claire and Hilda – known to everyone as “the Bee Ladies”, have lived next door for most of his life and most of theirs, as well. His days are full, even though he never married, never had children, he is content to spend his days with the bees and with his philosophy books and with an occasional trip to the market.

As a young boy Albert helped the young Claire learn the basics of beekeeping, and Claire and Hilda sell their honey, beeswax and candles from their front porch. Their two homes stand out as relics from another time among the newer tract homes built nearby.

As a young man, Albert’s nights were occasionally filled with music filled Saturday nights but he is no longer a young man, and most of his nights are spent in solitude with his books, preparing for the next day. Perhaps if Albert’s life had been filled with more noise, he wouldn’t have noticed the difference in the bees’ humming coming through the utility wires, or how the hum grew louder the closer he came to the home of the Bee Ladies. As it was, the hum was too insistent for him to ignore, which leads him to the discovery.

Detective Grayson becomes a somewhat regular fixture in Albert’s life as he tries to find any reason for the deaths of the Bee Ladies. Quiet, contemplative, obsessed-with-bees Albert bee-lore filled replies grate at Detective Grayson and his no nonsense, get-to-the-point communication style. Grayson lacks tolerance for Albert’s apparent lack of direction in responding, but as Grayson tries to wear down Albert, Grayson slowly finds that patience – at least with Albert – might just be its own reward.

While others (many others) have complained about the slowness of the story, the meandering thoughts of Albert, or the many details of beekeeping, bees, honey I found it somewhat reminiscent of listening to my grandfather’s stories as a child, there’s a calm, gentle rhythm that I found to be an honest voice for a man who had lived most of his life alone. Telling the Bees is a lovely ode to a life lived in appreciation of the beauty of the simpler graces life has to offer.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an odd mixture of murder mystery, quiet ruminations on a personal history and arcana on beekeeping. The problem is that the last part overwhelms the first two, detracting from what could at times be a Marilynne Robinson-esque book.

The mystery is essentially obscured by the author; Claire and Hilda, aka "The Bee Ladies" are found by Albert, their neighbor, bound, gagged and asphyxiated in their home. While close at one time, there was a falling out and haven't spoken in over 15 years. The detective in charge of the inquiry asks Albert for his help, but this taciturn man spends more time talking about the bees than about his neighbors. There are trips down memory lane, recounting the history of the neighbor's relationship, that could be promising and yet, because of all the bee talk are too obscured. The big twist over who the killer was is telegraphed if readers can separate story from bees.

In her forward, the author mentions becoming interesting in the topic of bees when she "borrows" a book from her local library (she never returns the book) and Telling the Bees is clearly an excuse to share that interest. Less would have been more.

ARC provided by publisher.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. The narrative voice here is so well done and definitely the main strength of the novel. But also amazing is how little pieces of information throughout the book all come together perfectly at the end. Very beautiful writing.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book the story of albert honning and Claire straussman and the hives in their properties and friendship over the years and also the life of bees too. felt this book has many levels and quite simple in its plot and outline and how in life we read messages wrong and miss things

[SundayAtDusk · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of this book's description said it echoes The Remains of the Day. I think it was more like The Remains of the Day meets Beekeeping For Dummies meets Murder, She Wrote: Coffee, Tea, or Murder? The whole time I was reading Telling the Bees, I was telling myself I was definitely going to give it either four or five stars. But after thinking about it for a week, I think three stars is all I can give. I liked the main character, Albert Hoing. He was an interesting introvert who had always been content with his lot and location in life. I also liked the way the story was connected to the life of bees, and could see how caring for the bees kept Mr. Hoing at his childhood home and gave his life meaning. That was The Remains Of The Day part of the book. Unfortunately, there was a double murder in the beginning of the story of two elderly sisters who lived next door to Albert Hoing; and that double murder caused too much of a contrast in the tone of the book, in my opinion.

The way everyone was reacting to the murders was strange, too. Neither Albert Hoing nor the police detective expressed any concern about a killer loose in the neighborhood, until Mr. Hoing makes one statement many, many pages after the murder about changing his ways due to it. It was like a Murder, She Wrote episode, especially at the end when someone figures it all out. Yet, you have the graphic description of how the sisters died, as well as the exposure of what went on during their childhood, that turns the book into something much darker. Also, there is the idea at the end of the story that a family is doomed if bad things happen in the family; there's no hope for future generations. Come again? Was the author suggesting a man who had lived like Mr. Hoing had lived would think like that? Or was she suggesting that is truly how it is with families? I couldn't tell.

Finally, there was the poem in the beginning of the book, and a couple of times throughout the book when someone told the bees their owner had died . . . Little brownies, little brownies, your mistress is dead. That may have seemed touching to some readers, but I found it a bit spooky. Truly, I'm afraid Telling the Bees was just too much of a strange combination for me, to give it the four or five stars I so often thought it deserved while reading it. The prettiness and light of the story was too badly dimmed by the ugliness and darkness in it. Mr. Hoing could have ended up being an American Mr. Stevens of sorts, but instead he just ended up being a pretty good Jessica Fletcher.

(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)

[DeB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Telling the Bees is a beautifully written first book by Peggy Hesketh. It is one to savour patiently, and once finished, take some time digesting in its completeness. It is a literary novel, one which meanders gently in the memories of an old man who decorously avoids divulging that which his generation believed impolite or unsavoury to a kind detective yet a tale which eventually gets there, more fulsome from its patchwork presentation.

The main narrator is Albert Honig (Honig = Honey), an elderly bee keeper who lives next door to two women when a shocking act of violence occurs. Albert's world is as ordered and precise as the hives he has inherited from generations of bee keepers, one steeped in bee lore, facts, the protection of their productivity and his income and intense observation. He has remained in the home he inherited from his parents, and after years of being socially awkward at school and immersed in esoteric home study, has become a rather reclusive and philosophical gentleman.

Claire Straussman lives next door, in a repressively eccentric family, as a child. Her time tightly managed by her parents, Claire manages to slip out and befriend the Honigs, the hives and become quietly loved by Albert, her age mate.

The story unfolds around them, with each chapter headed by an offering in the wealth of information about bees. These are deliciously provocative, as the passages hint at the lives within the hives of Albert, Claire the obvious Queen Bee, along with others significant to their well being. What causes bees to swarm? Why does the Queen leave the hive? What do we discover about the restless woman, constrained, that will solve the mystery?

A lovely, well written and almost poetic take.

This is Peggy's first novel, so I am looking forward to her next creations eagerly.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 - Writing Style (The writing was engaging at times, but by the end I skimmed a lot just to get through it. The bee information just got way too long.)
2 - Kept me Awake at Night Reading (So slow to get anywhere. The story is told from the perspective of an old man and the entire time it drove me crazy because I felt the same way I feel when stuck behind an old person in line or on the road. Just. Go. Somewhere! Took me forever to make myself finish it.)
3 - Good Discussion Book (Maybe.)
4 - Violence (Nothing terribly disturbing.)
4 - Sex (Referred to stuff. Not descriptive.)
3 - Language (Some here and there.)
2 - Unique (This book was more weird to me than unique. The explanation of bees was a different twist, but strange and too much. The story told from an old man who was so cut off from the world was odd. The only character I could attempt to connect with was Claire and she seemed to always be a mystery to Albert and in return to the reader. I just had a hard time connecting with any of the characters.)

[Adri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply loved this book. The narrator's gentle voice, his deep thinking about events, his love of reading and for bees is beguiling. He believes in telling the truth, but learns that truth depends on the perspective from which one looks at it. Thoughtful, wise, intelligent - a book to treasure.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's time for a different rating system: I keep running into books that aren't "I really liked" but are memorable and well-written. . . Well, maybe that's why we write the reviews! Anyway: Telling the Bees is a carefully crafted, well written, devastatingly sad book. I read it VERY fast, skipping a lot of the details of philosophy and bee lore to get to the heart of the story and to realize that yes, it is very sad: two families end, essentially, in the course of it. There are no pretty little resolutions. But the bees go on.

Once again, as Elisabeth Von Armin did in Enchanted April, which I just reviewed, Hesketh takes a risk by having a challenging narrator: he's Albert Honig, an old bachelor who talks and thinks like a 17th century scholar--people are always telling him to keep to the point, to answer just their questions, and I felt exactly the same way, but since I could skip or skim, I did. As an audiobook, Telling the Bees might have enchanted me by its deliberate pace, or it might've driven me around the bend. As a "real book," it was haunting, memorable, informative, and very sad. I wish Hesketh could've seen her way towards changing the story's arc--but even though she didn't, she wrote a powerful book.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that will require patience from the reader. It reveals its secrets, but it does so at a very leisurely pace.

I've been afraid of bees my entire life. And not just bees---wasps, yellowjackets...if it flies and can sting you, I'm afraid of it. But this book made me very curious about the bees. (Almost fond of them, but I don't really want to go that far. I still don't want them as roommates.)

And this book is full of facts about bees. Beekeeping has been Albert's life for...well, his entire life, and so basically every single thing there is to know about bees, he knows. And he's not afraid to tell you, even if it doesn't seem to be germane to the conversation you were having or trying to have.

So yes, there is a mystery here, but it's got much more to do with the bees than you'd expect.

Highly recommended.

[Debdanz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this book 70 pages and that was at least 50 more than it deserved. I read numerous 4 and 5 star reviews, and I can only wonder, "was I reading the same book??" I felt someone needed to remind this English teacher 1) write what you know and 2) don't use 25 words when 10 will do. Her protagonist was completely unbelievable as an 80 year old man- I might have believed her voice as a fussy 80 year old woman, but "he" was ridiculously unrealistic. Few if any of the conversations felt natural, and the bee stuff droned on and on. Given that I picked the book up bc I found the bee aspect intriguing, it's amazing that the author could make it so tedious. Life's too short to spend on an unfulfilling book. I would recommend giving this one a pass.

[Jon Hainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Released only on March 7th, I'm still just shaking my head at what a good read this book is. Great writing, can't put down pacing, terrific characters, deep emotional life, these are just some of the reasons you need to go out a buy a dozen copies and give them (all but one) to your loved ones so that you can share the experience. NOT TO BE MISSED!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dearly loved this book. It's a complex tale, but, juxtaposed against the mystery, is the grand mystery of nature and beekeeping. It was a great read in many different senses of the word. The murder mystery is wrapped up in a historical narrative and a story about love lost. Then, throughout the story, there are analogies to bees and their way of life. So good.

[Amber Stumpf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written.

[Kathe Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my life, whenever I see a book with the word Bee in it, I immediately am attracted to it like bees to honey.

As I got further and further into the book, I was surprised at how much I learned about bees. I mean, I know the basics of beekeeping, and in fact I took a course, hoping to have hives one day, but this was different.

The author begins each chapter with a paragraph of information – it could be the definition of apitherapy or info on the queen bee or something called a skep-an old-fashioned hive made from straw.
It is told from the viewpoint of a person in his 80s looking back on his life as connected to one of the two daughters next-door.
The first chapter takes place in the present and a discovery that he makes of the two sisters.
And then it then it rotates to his childhood and centers around beekeeping that he learns from his father

The author, writes with philosopher’s and philosophy in mind from Aristotle to a Dutch Savant named Swammerdam & Kant. These musings she relates to the happenings in the story.

I enjoyed it because it is a bit of a mystery and as we get older and approach our 80s these types of stories find us thinking about our own lives.

[Tegwyth Alderson-Taber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not the book I was expecting to read when I picked it up. This book was beautifully written but it was one of the sadder things I’ve read - I don’t typically enjoy reading sad books. But I learned a lot about bees and beekeeping and like i said. A really beautifully told story.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars ⭐️

[Jane]

At the centre of this story is Albert Honig, an octogenarian bee-keeper. He lives in the same house he has lived all his life, and where as a young boy he learned the art and science of bee-keeping from his father, who had learned the same things from his own father.

Albert lives quietly, just tending his hives and reading the works of ancient philosophers, quite out of touch with the world around him.

Telling the Bees

But one day he realises that he hasn’t seen his neighbours, two elderly ladies, for quite some time. That was unusual, they didn’t speak but they were as much creatures of habit as he was, and so he walked over to their house. He found that they were both dead, seemingly the victims of a burglary that had gone horribly wrong.

Detective Grayson questioned Albert, trying to find out what he knew of his neighbours, what he saw. But Albert couches his answers in bee-keeping lore, in philosophy, circling the questions and rarely lighting on a specific answer. It was maddening for Detective Grayson and at times it was maddening to read, but Albert’s love of bees shone and it began to intrigue the detective. And I warmed to a fellow obsessive, though his obsession is quite different from mine.

Albert had known his neighbours – Claire and Hilda – since they were children. His mother was concerned that their family was troubled, that there were things wrong in their home, and so she encouraged them to visit. And in time they would learn the art of bee-keeping too. Albert had been close to Claire, the more confident of the two sisters, but she would never let him too close. There were parts of her life he knew nothing about, and there were things that she did that he could never understand. In the end they were estranged, and they hadn’t spoken in twenty years.

Albert thought on all of this as he tended his hives.

Peggy Hesketh writes beautifully and intelligently, and I was drawn in by lovely prose, vivid descriptions, and a rich vein of thoughts that was threaded through the story. All of that made the movement between the different aspects of the story feels completely natural.

Albert’s voice rings true. There were times when he was infuriating, but I’m glad that I held on. I was torn between thinking it was wonderful that he had such passions in his life, and between thinking that they were obsessions that meant that his was a life only – no less – than half lived.

The central story had many familiar elements, and when the ending came I thought that I really should have worked it out. But I didn’t because I was caught up, with the story, with the writing, with the ideas.

I just wish there had been fewer passages about bees and bee-keeping. Many of them were interesting – and more interesting than I had expected – and many of them shed light on the story and the characters – but sometimes they overwhelmed everything else.

And that everything else was intriguing, and very well done.

[Sarah Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance reader's copy of this book from Putnam Books.

Telling the Bees is the story of Albert Honig and his lifelong interest in beekeeping and friendship with his neighbor, Claire. When Claire and her sister are found senselessly murdered, Albert reflects back on his life and years spent living next door to Claire, and ultimately helps the investigator uncover the truth of Claire's death.

Both Albert's life and the narrative are centered around bees and beekeeping. Bee analogies are made throughout the novel. Each chapter begins with a definition related to beekeeping, which also illuminates the plot of the chapter. Claire and Albert initially bond over beekeeping as children. However, Claire and Albert have a strained relationship and although I assumed that they would be romantically linked, Albert never has a love interest apart from his bees. And in fact, Claire and Albert have a falling out and do not speak for years before her murder. I wasn't convinced that Claire meant enough to Albert for her to be a focal point of the novel. At the same time, I felt her sister was neglected in the story and murder investigation, even though she was also a victim.

I found the beekeeping focus a bit forced in this novel. I felt it ultimately detracted from the central conflict of who murdered Claire and her sister. Additionally, I think this novel and Albert as a character would have been much more effective had the novel been told from the third person rather than the first person perspective. Albert tries to convey that he is obsessed with bees to the point where he ignores people's questions, but I doubt he would notice or realize he was disregarding other people's inquiries if he was that truly obsessed. His all-consuming obsession with his bees would have been grasped more easily from an outside perspective. Also, Albert appears completely unperturbed by Claire's death. Perhaps his emotions were omitted from the narration by Albert himself, but I think especially the scene where the two women are found dead would have been more powerful from a third person perspective. Finally, I constantly had to keep reminding myself that the narrator was male, not female. Perhaps that is because the author is a woman and her voice is rubbing off on Albert, or Albert's spinster-like behavior influencing my opinion, but either way I was not convinced that his was a masculine perspective.

I enjoyed learning more about beekeeping from this novel. Additionally, the meandering narrative of this novel that jumps backwards and forwards in time was enjoyable and a happy departure from the typical chronological story telling. However, I would have liked to see more character development for Claire and a more convincing explanation for her murder.