Happy Thursday! I needed today because yesterday was a lousy day. Well, not THAT bad, but lousy in my world which is usually really good. Don’t worry about it. First world problems. Nothing major.
Instead of me, let’s talk about books.
I’m about to start Jeffrey Archer’s Over My Dead Body. This is the fourth William Warwick novel. I read the first two. But Archer said you can read this one even if you haven’t read previous ones, and I’m interested because it involves cold cases. Here’s the blurb, since I am about to start it.
“In London, the Metropolitan Police set up a new Unsolved Murders Unit―a cold case squad―to catch the criminals nobody else can.
In Geneva, millionaire art collector Miles Faulkner―convicted of forgery and theft―was pronounced dead two months ago. So why is his unscrupulous lawyer still representing a dead client?
On a luxury liner en route to New York, the battle for power within a wealthy dynasty is about to turn to murder.
And at the heart of all three investigations are Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick, rising star of the department, and ex-undercover agent Ross Hogan, brought in from the cold.
But can they catch the killers before it’s too late?”
I did finish Sofie Kelly’s latest Magical Cats mystery, Hooked on a Feline, but I’m reviewing it on Saturday, so I won’t make you read about it twice. Very good book, and I cried at the victim’s funeral. That doesn’t usually happen with a cozy mystery.
So, what about you? What have you been doing or reading this week? Please share. I could use some good book conversation.
I read Hooked on a Feline this week myself, and a lot of people read it last week. It’s almost like being in a book club!
Usually in cozies, the obnoxious jerk is killed, but every so often, the super nice person is killed, for a change of pace. This is one of those books.
I”ll say my say when you review the book to avoid spoilers.
I also read:
The Gladstone Bag by Charlotte Macleod; A book written in 1989, but seemed like it was set in 1954.
Kathmandu by Luke Richardson; A former journalist travels to Kathmandu to find the daughter of a rich dude, or so he thinks. Another book featuring a Brit with crippling anxiety.Is this really some kind of epidemic across the pond? Whate ver happened to that stiff upper lip I used to read about all the time?
Beauty and the Deceased by Debra Sennefelder; The consignment shop owner detective is back at it when her cousin, who started a makeup company is found dead on a beach. Despite the cops, she investigates. The obvious red herring done it! What a twist!
In other news, it’s really cooling down here, and we finally got some much needed rain. The fire season might finally be over.
Oh, that will be fun, Glen. I’m looking forward to your reaction to Hooked on a Feline. I did have a couple issues with it, but I liked the victim so much.
Now that you say that, Charlotte MacLeod’s books did seem to belong to an earlier time period. I never thought of it.
I really hope your fire season is over.
I have long been a fan of David Handler’s Stewart Hoag mystery series, which returned after a 20-year absence a few years back. Hoagy narrates the series with dry wit and a foppish persona, always accompanied by his trusty basset hound, Lulu. A writer, he has recently ghost-written some celebrity memoirs but hopes to return to his once-successful novelist career. He is also making progress in reuniting with his ex-wife, a gorgeous movie star. But Hoagy always seems to find himself involved in a murder investigation, now in collaboration with NYPD lieutenant Romaine Very. In THE LADY IN THE SILVER CLOUD, the victim is an older woman, a longtime resident of a luxury high-rise apartment building who appears to have been shoved down a flight of steps to her death. Suspects abound, so Hoagy and Very have their work cut out for them. I enjoy Hoagy’s voice and the other carefully drawn characters in these typically light-hearted romps. However, the mystery here fell flat for me–too easily solved without any interesting twists. And at one point, Lulu does something so outrageous that it took me right out of the story, “jumping the shark” so to speak. But I’ll give Handler and Hoagy another chance if there is another in the series. (Feb)
After hearing the first chapter of THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood read on the First Chapter Fun Facebook page, I knew I had to read it. It’s a contemporary romance with a nod to STEM education, and the trope here is “fake romance.” Olive is a third-year Ph.D. candidate at Stanford with a special interest in pancreatic cancer research. She has just broken up with Jeremy, and she can see that Jeremy and Anh, her best friend, have a mutual interest, but Anh would never betray her by acting on it. So Olive grabs the nearest guy for a kiss when Anh is watching, and it works–Anh now feels free to date Jeremy. Of course, the “nearest guy” turns out to be Adam, a brilliant but brutal biology professor who has crushed the hopes of many doctoral students. However, he agrees to a fake romantic relationship with Olive for his own job-related reasons. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters of Olive and Adam, and although romances are typically predictable, getting there was more than half the fun!
The prolific Sarah Strohmeyer is well known for her women’s fiction standalones, light-hearted cozy mysteries, and YA novels. DO I KNOW YOU? is her first psychological thriller, and I think she has hit it out of the park. In first-person chapters, Jane introduces herself as a Homeland Security employee, using her “super recognizer” and forensic facial analysis skills to identify even disguised criminals so they can be apprehended by law enforcement. But she loses her job in an instant at an airport when she loudly confronts a woman she is certain is responsible for the disappearance of her own older sister one fateful summer years ago. The woman is an adopted daughter in the prominent but dysfunctional Pease family, known for their wellness and lifestyle empire, Love & Pease. Jane’s live-in lover, as well as her father and her late mother’s boyfriend, a police chief, all implore her to give up on her quest to find out what happened to her sister and who was responsible–they are afraid Jane will again have a mental breakdown and will be victimized by the vindictive Pease family. As the story of that family is told in alternating chapters, along with Jane’s relentless efforts to find the truth, the tension continues to ratchet up to a fever pitch. Kudos to the author for successfully delivering a convoluted and compelling plot. This may be a standalone, but I wanted to know more about Jane’s unusual skills and would love to see her apply them to solve another mystery in the future.(Nov)
Years ago, I watched Valerie Bertinelli grow up on One Day at a Time, and more recently I’ve enjoyed her as the winsome co-host of the Kids’ Baking Championship. ENOUGH ALREADY is not so much a memoir (no photos), but what she calls “a collection of thoughts, essays, and stories.” As Valerie approached age 60, she reflected that she was weary of agonizing over the need to lose the same 10 (or 40) pounds one more time and decided it was “enough already” (hence the book title). She vowed to start learning to love herself as she is–her age, weight, relationships, passions, and backstory–and to focus instead on compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, kindness and love–not to mention, cooking. Along the way, she talks about her continuing love story with Eddie van Halen, with whom she had split 20 years earlier, who was her soulmate until his death in 2020. Their only child, Wolfie, now a musician in his own right, was one of the ties that bound them together. Valerie’s journey is one to which many of us can relate, and I found it uplifting. Her writing feels as if it is an authentic conversation with her readers. And there are a few recipes! (Jan)
There are so many characters to root for in THE FASHION ORPHANS by Randy Susan Meyers and MJ Rose that it was a true pleasure to read! Neither Gabrielle nor younger sister Lulu is particularly happy with her life. Gabrielle’s ex-husband cheated on her, then flaunted his new wife. She responds by connecting with the wrong kind of men at upscale bars and working for a pittance at her elderly friend’s book store. Lulu’s beloved husband has died suddenly of a heart attack. Her in-laws are still close–Lulu works as a pastry chef in their bakery–but she doesn’t know how she will ever pay off her sons’ college tuition, her mortgage, and her credit cards. The sisters get together for the reading of their mother’s will and learn that she has left them little money but wants them to handle her “collection” together in a respectful way. The problem is that neither has any idea what the collection might be. Hint: it has something to do with a Coco Chanel obsession). What they discover astounds them, as do the cards they find that feature Chanel quotations that connect them to their late mother–and to each other–in a new way and almost magically lead them in the right direction. Leading and supporting characters are beautifully drawn and memorable, and I found the plot and its resolution highly satisfying. I’d like to see these two authors collaborate on another book in the near future. (Feb)
Margie, I’ve just never been able to get into the later Stewart Hoag Mysteries. I know people like them, but they’re not for me.
Valerie Bertinelli’s Enough Already really sounds like something I’d like. I sometimes watch her cooking show on the weekends. She’s just sort of a comfort watch, and I’m thinking the book sounds about the same.
Ditto, Lesa, on the Hoags. I know people who love them, but every time I’ve tried one, they just leave me cold.
Margie, wasn’t The Fashion Orphans fun? And I agree, another collaboration would be most welcome.
For sure, Kaye! I was so glad to see you liked it, so that moved it up on my list.
Reporting in from last week – I enjoyed IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE MURDER by Maria DiRico. I did feel the solution was a stretch, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
Since then, I’ve read KILLER RESEARCH by Jenn McKinlay. Finished it yesterday, actually, and I loved it!
Now I’m working on DEBONAIR IN DEATH, the newest Murder, She Wrote mystery. It feels a bit slow to me, but I am enjoying it. The characters feel spot on, which wasn’t the case with the previous author in the series.
Oh, good, Mark! I did an interview with Terrie Farley Moran, the new author of the Jessica Fletcher books. It runs next Wednesday. I’m happy to hear the characters feel spot on.
I love that series by Jenn McKinlay. Looking forward to Killer Research.
Good morning from North East Scotland, which five minutes ago was enjoying sunshine, and – now that I am about to have to go to the garage – is being pelted with sheeting rain… autumn in all her glory..
This week I have still been reading the new Barbara Pym biography, which I must say is full of revelations. However, although it has had 5* reviews from just about everybody, I do feel it could have been better edited. It is 600+ pages long, and you start to feel that Paula Byrne simply could not bring herself to leave ANYTHING out. Every detail of Pym’s life is dutifully recorded, and some seem to me to have no particular bearing on anything. Having said that, it’s still a good and easy read.
On the radio I am up to chapter 26 of JANE EYRE, so we are at the fateful wedding day. I will be so glad when she finally *does* marry him, but I know that is still at least 7 miserable chapters away (and one of them lasts 71 minutes…)
BBC Sounds have just added a new reading of Muriel Spark’s THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE. I’ve read the book several times over the years, and also seen the film more than once, but I am still very much enjoying this. The reader, Gerda Stevenson, is a well known Scottish writer, poet and performer, and for me she is pitching this perfectly. As is so often the case with an audiobook, I notice things I had missed when I read the printed pages; I had forgotten how soon Spark tells us the ultimate fate of poor Mary, and Miss B informing the girls that ‘the best Italian painter of them all is NOT Leonardo da Vinci but Giotto.’ What a woman.
Our ‘1976 Club’ was a great success – people reviewed a very wide range of books, and this time there were far fewer duplicates (not that that matters, as everyone has a different opinion of the same book). I suppose 1976 must just have been a good year for books! I was especially pleased to ‘meet’ two other Amanda Cross enthusiasts. Our next read in April will be books of 1954. People are already saying what a great choice there is, but so far the only ones I have found are Pamela Hansford Johnson’s AN IMPOSSIBLE MARRIAGE and Noel Streatfeild’s THE BELL FAMILY. Someone else has mentioned BONJOUR TRISTESSE, and I do think I have my old copy of that somewhere. I first read Sagan when i was a teenager, so it will be interesting to revisit her most famous work at such a different stage in my life.
My best discovery, though, was that THE ALICE B TOKLAS COOKBOOK also dates from 1954. I was enjoying this so much in the first months of this year, then something must’ve interrupted my reading and I never finished the last few chapters. Now I can go back to it and write the review I always intended to write. Hoorah!
And on television last night we were treated to the first episode in a new series of SHETLAND. It was excellent – even my husband, who had never seen any of the series before and looked decidedly sceptical at the outset, enjoyed it – especially because it involves, at one point, a diving vessel. He was impressed at how accurate all the details about depressurisation, etc were . Of course I was more interested in lovely Douglas Henshall. The episode opens with him attending a family funeral on Fair Isle, which is obvioulsy (very) substantially smaller, more remote and undeveloped than Shetland. Wonderful scenery. There are several plot lines, all of them engaging. I’m looking forward to the next episode. (And there is another Ann Cleeves series starting next week too – THE LONG CALL.)
I also started watching THE MADAM BLANC MYSTERIES. I found this on catch-up one night and had no idea what it was, but it seems it actually started last Saturday evening, as prime time viewing. To be honest it’s quite hammy, but it’s a good way to pass an hour if you don’t want to have to concentrate too hard. It’s about an English antiques expert whose husband makes frequent trips to the south of France to find items for their UK business. He apparently knows nothing about antiques, so he takes photos of things on his phone and sends them back to her for a decision. Why on earth she doesn’t go to France herself (especially as they have a holiday home there) and how on earth she is supposed to decide if something is real and valuable or not via a phone photo, we probably shouldn’t ask.
On one of his buying trips, the husband is killed in a car crash. Wife therefore has to travel to France to sort everything out. Needless to say she soon discovers that her husband’s death was no accident. The story will play out over the next 5 episodes, with mini stories also in each one. There is some beautiful scenery. The cast consists mainly of British actors playing various expats – the local taxi driver, who immediately turns into her right hand man, a wealthy couple who may or may not have secrets, etc. Some of these actors are well past their sell-by date, but if you can suspend critical faculty, it’s quite good fun.
Our ‘6 Degrees of Separation’ for October was really hard – you had to start with Shirley Jackson’s THE LOTTERY (which most of us hadn’t read, and I really didn’t want to read.) I did eventually manage a chain; most of the other people who participated ended up with six pretty grim books, but the chain I liked best somehow managed to weave in Donna Leon’s DEATH AT LA FENICE, an Inspector Montalbano mystery, and three others that I thought sounded interesting:
TURNSTONE by Graham Hurley
THE JUDAS SHEEP by Stuart Pawson
A DEATH IN VALENCIA by Jason Webster
I’d never heard of any of these authors before. Has anyone read any of them?
Our November chain has to start with Sigrid Nunez’s WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH? which sounds so depressing to me that I am either going to have to go off at a complete tangent or skip a month altogether. I wish they’d choose a cheerful book!
Finally, in cat news, I am covered in scratches from Mr C, who likes little better than to climb up my shoulders, sit on my head, then slide down my back (or front) with his razor sharp claws out for safety..(his). This morning he has been ‘helping’ me bake scones. At one point I removed him from the counter (again) with flour-covered hands. My last two Siamese (girls) would have been outraged, not only about their displacement but also re being covered in baking ingredients, and would have stomped off , much affronted, for a very ostentatious wash. Charlie however is a true boy – it didn’t bother him one bit, and he was straight back up to continue his essential work as kitchen assistant…. It’s a good thing those scones were then baked at 210C! One of my daughters is visiting next week, which should at least entertain him. But he is continuing to amuse us, and he is very loving (and forgiving).
The rain has stopped, the garage beckons – I hope you all have a great weekend,
Rosemary
New SHETLAND? Yay! Looking forward to that. We’ve been watching the latest (series 22) MIDSOMER MURDERS as well as series 2 of McDONALD & DODDS, which definitely benefits from its gorgeous setting – Bath.
I do have one Stuart Pawson book (LAUGHING BOY, 2002) that I bought years ago but haven’t read. I have read a couple of his short stories in BEST EATEN COLD, the anthology edited by Martin Edwards. I don’t know the other two.
When Jeff doesn’t know the authors, you can bet many of the rest of us don’t either.
I’m just fascinated by the book chains you read. So interesting, Rosemary!
But, this week, I have to admit, I found Mr. C’s adventures to be the most interesting. Thank you for sharing the stories of your new kitchen apprentice. I’m guessing Mr. C hasn’t met your family yet. He sounds like a “people cat”, so he should enjoy the visit.
Hugs, Rosemary!
Well if the first episode of Shetland 6 is anything to go by Jeff, it’s going to be a great series.
I still have the second series of McDonald and Dodds recorded and waiting to be watched – I think the reasons I haven’t seen it are (i) the length of the episodes, as we so often sit down only quite late in the evening and (ii) I’m sure my husband wouldn’t like it. But (unless restrictions are reintroduced yet again…) husband is off to France (for work that is!) next month, so I will be able to eat earlier and watch things he can’t stand. It’s not all one way, as he has a backlog of things like Abandoned Engineering and some other series about deep sea explorations by a bunch of baseball cap wearing men who all think they’re Red Adair…. And also a lot of music programmes.
Rosemary, I loved Noel Streatfield’s “shoes” children’s books and had many of them in paperback.
Rosemary, I have read the first three books by Stuart Pawson: THE PICASSO SCAM, THE MUSHROOM MAN, and THE JUDAS SHEEP. Those were all from one series about D.I. Charlie Priest. I loved the first two, especially THE PICASSO SCAM, but was less impressed with THE JUDAS SHEEP, which I read in 2012. I have at least 6 more in the series in my TBR so I should get back to it and see what I think now.
I will come by and check out your 1976 post about THE QUESTION OF MAX. I got behind on checking out those posts while trying to keep up with my own reviews for 1976.
A cousin I haven’t seen for about 8 years flew in to see my mom and stayed for a few days so .I didn’t get much reading done. It was a nice visit though since I’ve never really spent time with her as an adult and we only saw each other about twice a year as kids.
I read The Serpent Mage by Greg Bear. A young man has to accept that he’s a mage and figure out how to make humans and Faerie coexist in order to save the world.
I just started reading an ARC of Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly. Her series are hit or miss for me but I’m enjoying this one.
I always find that’s it worth giving up the reading time, Sandy, to spend time with family. Sounds as if you feel the same way. I’m glad she came to see your mother.
Good morning, all. Things are good here. Since we had to cancel plans for our 50th Anniversary (yes, I’m old) last year, we are having a sort of belated celebration this weekend. We’ll be staying in a hotel in Midtown and we have a concert (The Mavericks) on Saturday night and a show for the first time in nearly two years (TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD) for the Sunday matinee. Everyone has to be fully vaccinated and masked for both and tI hope everyone follows instructions.
Books. Once again I find myself reading (I was going to say juggling, but I can’t juggle) FIVE books at once. Why do I do these things to myself? That’s obvious. There are so many books I want to read! As long as I read one mystery and the rest are either non-fiction or short stories I don’t get too confused, the Kindle makes it easy to switch back and forth from one to another (4 of the 5 are ebooks), and that’s how I often end up with no books finished for several days and then two finished in one day, two days in a row.
So this week I read TROUBLED DAUGHTERS, TWISTED WIVES, edited by Sarah Weinman, with older stories by such luminaries as Margaret Millar, Dorothy B. Hughes, Dorothy Salisbury Davis, and Patricia Highsmith. Pretty good book. I also read Darynda Jones’s very entertaining first book in the Sheriff Sunshine Vicram series, A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE, mentioned last time. Thanks again to Kevin for his review. Jackie is reading this now (even faster than I read it) and I am reading the sequel, A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY. Really fun and entertaining.
The next book would not ever be called “fun” by anyone. It was Spencer Kope’s fourth Magnus “Steps” Craig book, ECHOES OF THE DEAD. This time steps and his partner Jimmy Donovan have to find how four prominent men (including a Congressman) disappeared while on their annual fishing trip in central California. Some of the previous books had at least a few light episodes, as well as more of the tracking Steps does, but this is unrelentingly grim, as one body after another turns up, tortured and killed in the most horrendous ways. If you can’t take scenes of torture, maybe you should skip this one. Otherwise, it was a very quick read, but boy, was it dark.
Lastly, I finished THE 9.50 UP EXPRESS and Other Stories by Freeman Wills Crofts, a “lost Classics” book from small publisher Crippen & Landru. Most of the stories feature his series character Insp. French. They are short and fun reading, but you need to space them out as they are very similar. A man needs money, often because he has lost it on the stock market or gambling, or he is being blackmailed. If only this one person were to die, his problems would be solved, but when he kills him in what he believes to be a clever, foolproof way, here comes French to see through him in short order. There is one full-length play based on a French novel, but it is deadly dull stuff.
Current reading (besides the Darynda Jones book):
Tessa Hadley, BAD DREAMS and Other Stories. Third collection by British author. NEarly finished with this one.
Patricia Highsmith, ELEVEN. After reading the disturbing “The Herroine” in the Weinman anthology, I got a volume with several of her short story collections (I’d read one of them previously), but this early one wasn’t included, so I got it too. The first story was the original title story, “The Snail-Watcher,” and it is pretty creepy.
Non fiction:
Mark Rubinstein, ed. THE STORYTELLERS, subtitled Straight Talk From the World’s Most Acclaimed Suspense and Thriller Authors. This was a cheap Kindle purchase so you might want to check it out, interviews with Lee Child, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, the late Sue Grafton John Sandford, Sara Paretsky etc. They discuss writing, reading, their childhoods, etc. Definitely worth reading.
Lastly, and a book I am enjoying tremendously, is the memoir by Ron and Clint Howard (in alternating chapters, though Ron cerrtainly has the lion’s share so far), THE BOYS: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family. They started it after their father died a few years ago and it covers his parernts’ own acting careers (and life), how they got into television, Ron’s precocious introduction to acting, how their father guided them, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, and so much more. If you have any interest in Hollywood or behind the scenes stuff, I heartily recommend this. It is just so much fun to read.
Jeff, I hope you enjoy the show. A local playhouse here in NJ is doing Harvey which I would like to see but it’s a small place and I just don’t feel comfortable going yet.
I picked up The Boys yesterday at the library, Jeff. I need to get to it soon because there are people on the waiting list. But, now that I’m reading the Jeffrey Archer, I’m sailing through it. I want to finish, and then move on to Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Come for a discussion of horror next week.
I’m with Sandy. I haven’t gone back to the theater yet, and our local playhouse is small. I can’t wait to hear about To Kill a Mockingbird. I know what great reviews it had before Broadway closed down.
Jeff, I’m really looking forward to The Boys. I heard Ron Howard talking about it on Dax Shepard’s podcast this week, and I admire him so much. No luck from NetGalley or the library yet, but i’ll keep trying.
Jeff, I saw To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway with Jeff Daniels before the world shut down. I loved it!! It was adapted by Aaron Sorkin who’s work I have always enjoyed (West Wing, Newsroom). The book has been among my all time favorites. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend Jeff, it sounds great.
I’m another one who hasn’t yet ventured into a theatre or cinema. (My daughters have been to see films and seem to have emerged unscathed.) We did stay in two hotels on our way to Islay in September though, and we seem to have survived. It just takes a while for me to get my head round these things.
Last Sunday I also attended an Evensong service at St Mary’s Church here in Aberdeen – at the moment is it also what is called ‘the pro-cathedral’ as the actual cathedral was closed (allegedly temporarily) last year when they couldn’t afford to fix the heating. Luckily this church is cosy and warm. It was the evening of harvest festival, and the decorations were lovely – both donated groceries and knitted fruits and vegetables, everything from a carrot to a pineapple. The weather was awful so the congregation was sparse and Nancy and I felt well spaced out from other people. It was so good to hear some choral singing again.
And books – I like the sound of The Storytellers – I can never resist a book about writers. I also have several books on the go at once, though usually only one of fiction. I often think ‘why don’t I just finish something for once?’ But they all look so interesting….
Wishing you both a Happy Anniversary, Jeff!
The Jeffrey Archer books sounds good, Lesa!
This week I read:
‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost – This is the second book in the Christmas Tree Farm series. As with the first book, it was a lot of fun and can’t help but get you in the Christmas spirit. At first, the Christmas content seems a little over the top, but once you get used to that, it’s a great story with likeable characters. To top it off, the mystery kept me guessing.
Then I started Christmas By the Book by Anne Marie Ryan. It just wasn’t grabbing me, so I put it aside for now.
I moved on to Unleashed by Eileen Brady. This is the second book in the Kate Turner, D.V.M. series. I am flying through this one. Kate Turner is filling in for a vet who is on an around the world trip. The author is a veterinarian herself, so I learn a lot about animals and their illnesses by reading this series. This one involves a murder made to look like a suicide. The victim’s dog is one of Kate’s patients. In fact, the dog is at the vet when the murder occurs.
On TV, we have been watching our regular NYPD Blue, but the other evening we watched the first two episodes of La Brea. It was pretty intense, but hooked us right away,
Have a great weekend everyone!
Well, darn, Gretchen. I’m looking forward to Christmas By the Book. Whenever I get around to it, we’ll see. I hope it grabs me.
You have a great weekend as well!
I just started reading Dissolution by W, Michael Gear, called a contemporary apocalyptic Western. Just as a group of college students arrive in Wyoming for anthropological research and archaeological study, the U.S. banking system is hit by a cyberattack. The premise is intriguing, but the college students might be just too irritating to keep me reading. We’ll see what happens. 😀 In life beyond books, the weather has been just beautiful here in Northern Colorado. Walks outside have been so nice.
Patricia, Your “life beyond books” sounds better than irritating college students. Enjoy the weather while you can!
Patricia, I loved your comment about irritating students. One of the presenters of a book podcast I follow said the other day that she does’t read Young Adult fiction because ‘there’s just too much angsty angst about stuff that seemed important when you were 17 but looks quite different when you’re 47’. So true!
Lesa, I must confess I don’t think I’ve ever read a Jeffrey Archer book. But after the delightful interview you linked earlier this week, that one is on my list.
I started this week with nonfiction,
Brothers On Three: A True Story of Family, Resistance, and Hope on a Reservation in Montana (2021)
This reflection on community spirit, loyalty and love originated as an article for the New York Times Magazine then expanded to book length. Topics include subtle forms of institutionalized discrimination and suicide prevention. And basketball, lots of basketball.
Then two very different books located in Savannah, GA. I am casually familiar with Savannah from a few trips there, enough to enjoy the setting without noticing any errors.
The first, Preston & Child’s latest installment in the FBI Agent Pendergast series, Bloodless, investigates several murders in modern day touristy Savannah. It nicely incorporates architecture and legend, but veers too heavily into sci-fi for my tastes.
The other, Patti Callahan’s, Surviving Savannah, which alternates between the sinking of the steamship Pulaski in 1893 and historical research for a museum exhibit in the present. The steamship was transporting a number of local elite north for the summer season. The story incorporates present day Savannah while reflecting on how the devastation changed Savannah history.
Note: the author uses Patti Callahan Henry for copyright purposes, but omits the final name on the cover of her historical fiction books.
I enjoyed Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, Elle Cosimano (2021). This was a suggestion from your interview with M.E. Hilliard way back in April of this year. Fun read. An author under deadline, money troubles and mistaken identity. Reminiscent of those 1950 romantic comedy movies.
I just placed a hold for the sequel coming next spring.
And I finished a 1995 reissued Rex Stout novel, The Second Confession. The book was written in 1949. The Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin series was an early favorite of mine. This outing features a millionaire client, the American Communist Party, the powerful manipulator Zeck along with a murder to create an almost unsolvable case. To top it off, the top floor orchid room is destroyed by machine gun fire from the roof across the street. A bit dated, but I’ve always enjoyed the Stout denouement.
I’m hoping for some much needed rain this weekend, although the term “atmospheric river” sounds foreboding. Even more time to read!
MM, May I suggest Jeffrey Archer’s Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less? It was his first book. It’s been a number of years since I read it, but my husband and I both loved it. You might want to give it a try.
Oh, I’m with you. I always enjoyed the Rex Stout books, too. and, the denouement was always so much fun.
I am about 1/3 of the way through Sonia Sotomayor’s autobiography My Beloved World. She is transparent about her childhood with her alcoholic father and her mother who was a nurse. Family life was like living in a war zone, but she found solace in books. Her writing is very intense and inspiring. I put off reading it because of the small print..Todays ago, a book I won from Goodreads arrived Dear Barack about Obama and Angela Merkle’s correspondence. I really want to read it. But it is in miniature print!!!! My eyes are weary so, I decided to start an audio book, The Plot to Destroy Democracy by Malcolm Nance. Most of my books left in my recent pile of books are in small print, so I will be doing audiobooks more often from now on.
Alas, months after I had bought the Sotomayor book, it came out in large print!
I’m sorry, Carol Lee, that you’re having problems with the print in those books.
‘Tis a very good day indeed when a note pops into email saying “We invite you to read . . .”.
And this happened last week inviting me to read an advance copy of Nora Roberts’ THE BECOMING through NetGalley.
Five Gold Stars is not enough.
“Breen Siobhan Kelly. She has just returned to Talamh, with her friend, Marco, who’s dazzled and disoriented by this realm—a place filled with dragons and faeries and mermaids (but no WiFi, to his chagrin). ”
Talamh is magical in all ways you expect, but also in the ways we all would wish “home” to be.
The second in the trilogy gives us more, explains a little more, introduces us to more. It gives us laughter and tears and pride and sweetness and hard things.
And dragons – we have dragons.
Anyone who loved the first in the series can rest assured they will not be disappointed.
Now we have the long wait for Book #3. Knowing that it will be worth the wait.
Best Nora Roberts trilogy ever.
Kaye, I can’t believe my county library doesn’t even have this one in the catalog yet, although I check frequently. I may have to break down and buy it! Also, I may have to reread the last book since it’s been a while.
Good idea, I think to re-read the first one before reading this one.
Oh, Kaye! That’s high praise, “Best Nora Roberts trilogy ever.” I love her trilogies. I can’t wait to read this one. Marco and dragons. And, so much else. But, I love Marco. And, Talamh. It’s Ireland plus. Just can’t wait!
In my apparent ignorance, I thought Nora Roberts wrote potboiler romance novels.
Rick, she did write those kinds of romances early on, but has moved on somewhat to some romantic suspense and straight suspense, as well as the futuristic police procedurals written as J, D. Robb. There are also some trilogies that are more to the fantasy side.
This week I read my first V C Andrews book Silhouette Girl – I bought it when the library was shut down and just got around to reading it. I ‘m always a little leery of authors that crank out so many books but I was pleasantly surprised by this one and it was quite good. I also read Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena -not her best but still good. I’m getting my booster shot tomorrow so will be glad when that’s done.
Oh, I hope to get my booster shot this week or next, Donna!
Like you, I’ve never read one of V.C. Andrews’ books, but I’m still unlikely to read one.
This week I finished A Good Day for Chardonnay. I really liked it and look forward to Book 3 coming out in June. I especially like the chapter headings. Quite original and humorous. There are a couple of plot lines that I am a little unclear about. I am not sure if they were addressed in the first book and I don’t remember it (that was so 100 books ago) or if it will be revealed in future books. I suspect the latter (it certainly can’t be my memory).
I am listening to The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman. I so enjoy these quirky characters and their adventures! When I am in my 80’s, I will have to find a Murder Club to join!
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Ooohh! I love that idea, Kathleen, of joining a Murder Club when in my 80s. Great idea! I really enjoy the characters, too.
Kathleen, I am reading that now (CHARDONNAY) and no, she does not answer the questions in the first or second book. Jackie agrees with you about the chapter headings. They are fun books.
This week I finished THE BREAK UP BOOK CLUB by Wendy Wax which was highly recommended by Lesa. I enjoyed it very much. I especially liked reading Jazmine’s storyline about being a woman sports agent. My favorite characters though were Sara and her mother-in-law Dorothy. I liked the diverse group of women coming together at the book club.
Next I finished THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY by Freya Sampson. Another good one. At first I wasn’t too thrilled with the main character of June. She allowed herself to be bullied and let her shyness overcome her while still grieving for her mother. But all the secondary characters were terrific. A story about the closing of libraries and what a small group of people can do to make a difference. The character of Stanley was especially poignant.
And thanks to Margie, I am now reading the Connie Berry Kate Hamilton series. It is very good.
Happy Anniversary to you and your wife, Jeff. We were sad to finish the last of Midsomer Murders Season 22 on Monday but we are knee deep in the Sunday PBS offerings of Call the Midwife, Grantchester and Baptiste. We are hoping there are more MacDonald and Dobbs.
Happy Reading!
THanks, Sharon and Kaye and everyone. We have one last Midsomer (we save them for Saturday nights) and one McDonald & Dodds, but since we will be in the hotel this weekend, we’ll finish next Saturday. We are also watching the original Uptairs, Downstairs and are near the end of WWI.
Sharon, I just enjoyed The Break Up Book Club. As you said, a nice diverse group of women.
I read THE QUICKENING by Rhiannon Ward, which is a pseudonym for Sarah Ward, who wrote four British police procedural mysteries. THE QUICKENING is a suspense novel with gothic elements, spooky and creepy. I don’t usually like creepy. It is set in 1925 and highlights how many families lost sons and fathers to World War I. The main character is a female photographer who is documenting the contents of an estate that is in disrepair and being sold. So, an interesting setting and story.
A few days ago, I started reading SKELETON KEY by Jane Haddam. This is a reread and I am reading it because it is set at Halloween. It was published in 2000 and I read it in 2005. I have read 24 of her 30 Gregor Demarkian books. Initially the books were set around holidays, but maybe the last 10 did not have that focus? Not sure about that. They are sort of cozy, but got less cozy as the series went on, I think.
The condominium driveway paving project, which started at the driveway for our set of 16 condos, was supposed to be completed by now, but is still ongoing. The main problem is getting trash out to the street and getting groceries back to the house from the street. But only minor problems in the grand scheme of things.
Glen’s eyes are still blurry after surgery although he sees some improvement, and doctor prescribed additional drops to see if that helps with the swelling. He can sort of read but not much at a time. He is currently reading TALKING PICTURES: With the People Who Made Them, by Sylvia Shorris, published in 1994.
I just don’t have time to get to The Quickening, Tracy, but it does sound interesting.
I’m sorry Glen’s still having problems with his eyes. I hope they’re better soon.
Sorry you had that bad day yesterday, Lesa. Today it’s my turn. I really despise doctor visits, and rarely sleep the night before. So, tired, masked and anticipating the worst, because doctors never have good news, even in routine physical exams like today, I showed up at 8:50 as instructed for my 9:15 appointment. I’d done on-line pre-check in, there was only one other person in the large waiting area. Checked in, I waited until 9:45 before being called. Then I was handed a hospital gown and told to strip and put it on. WHAT??? This is my biannual regular checkup, also the annual MediCare check, but they never, ever asked me to don a gown. BAH! Then, once the doctor came in and bawled me out for not losing weight, and getting my flu shot too early (“Always wait until November!”), he did his thumping and poking before telling me I have an irregular heartbeat and calling for an EKG, or EEG or whatever. That done I was told to wait, and did, for 40 minutes! Finally I was prescribed a blood thinner (expensive, even after insurance), and sent to the lab for several tests.
I left the house at 8:35 and got home at 2:30. But what can you do? I take some necessary maintenance meds, and the doctors hold the patient hostage. I HATE THE WHOLE SYSTEM!
Reading? Hahahahaha. We’ll, I did read MERCY CREEK, which you featured in one of your closet treasures posts, and found it to be…pretty good. The protagonist cop had what I consider over-the-top cop attitude, suspicious of everyone and mostly certain of guilt, instead of assuming innocence. I figured out who did what by midpoint.
Now I’m reading THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT, finally, and enjoying it in spite of mounting fears that something awful is going to happen. I have played chess but am not great at it, but I am enjoying the detailed descriptions of the games. I’ll probably finish it tonight, unless I decide to see if the Dodgers can salvage a great season and lousy playoff with a win tonight.
Next up is THE DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey, a classic I’ve been intending to read for ages. Then? I’m in the mood for short stories, and I have a lot of collections and anthologies on hand.
Oh, my gosh, Rick. You’re right. You had a lousy day. I’m with you. I hate all those appointments, and this one sounds especially bad.
My Health Risk Assessment for work was Monday, one of my peeves, so I get it. It was supposed to last 10 minutes, but they had to take extra blood, and then my blood pressure 3 times because it was so high. Well, is there any reason why it SHOULDN’T be? So, I went to get my eyes checked yesterday, and the tech at my eye doctor’s took my blood pressure. 30 points less than at the HRA. I totally get it, Rick.
I’ll be waiting to see what you think of Daughter of Time.
Your day at the doctor’s office does sound horrible. I am sure the doctor was trying to do the best thing for you, but it seems like it just piled stress on stress.
Why did he want you to wait until November? Everything I have read has pushed people to get one as soon as possible. At our clinic they are offering the flu shot at regular doctor visits routinely. So Glen got his at a pre-operative appointment in late September.
Tracy, he says protection from flu shots wanes at three months and getting the shot later gives best protection through Dec-Feb, which he thinks is the important time.
OK, Rick, that makes sense, I will store that away for the future.
BTW, books from 1954 was mentioned earlier. A few to consider:
T Pierre Boulle – The Bridge over the River Kwai
John Dickson Carr – The Third Bullet and Other Stories
Agatha Christie – Destination Unknown
Ian Fleming – Live and Let Die
James Hadley Chase – The Sucker Punch
Ira Levin – A Kiss Before Dying
James A. Michener – Sayonara
William Golding – Lord of the Flies
Françoise Sagan – Bonjour Tristesse
Julian Symons – The Narrowing Circle
Thornton Wilder – The Matchmaker
There ought to be something there for the group.
Oh, there are some good books on that list, Rick! I’d go for the Carr or Christie. I don’t think I’ve read either of them, but some of the other titles sound good, too.
Rick, those are some good suggestions. I have read both the Ian Fleming book and the one by Ira Levin and liked both. I had not head of the Agatha Christie book, I will have to look into that one. The Bridge Over the River Kwai sounds like it would be a good choice.
Sorry for the rant earlier, medical stuff drives me nuts and waiting about for hours doesn’t please either.
I get it, Rick, as I said. Rant allowed!
I can always join you in rants about doctor’s appointments and our so called health care system! Grrrrrr!!!!!
Kaye, I think once we get to 60, there’s a lot to rant about.
Thank you, Lesa. I’ll do better in future.
Started BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King this afternoon after writing three reviews.
A full day, Kevin!