I have to admit I haven’t read much this week, and I might not even have much time to catch up here today. My Mom and sister, Christie, came in yesterday. They’re leaving on Friday, but that means I’m spending Thursday enjoying their company.
That doesn’t mean I don’t want to know what you’re reading! Hopefully, some of you had more time than I did this week, and you’re willing to talk about books. I can do better next week!
In the meantime, I hope you have books to share and discuss!
Happy Thursday, and I hope you have a good weekend!
Lesa, I hope you are having / have had a great time with your mother and sister. How wonderful for you.
I will come back to talk about reading tomorrow, it is too late tonight.
Thanks, Tracy. I am enjoying it.
How nice to have your family visiting, Lesa–enjoy! Here’s what I’ve been reading:
BELLE GREENE by Alexandra Lapierre reads like an extensive biography of an extraordinary woman who loved books as a child and worked her way up to a senior position at magnate J.P. Morgan’s personal library, eventually earning more money than any other woman in the United States. Belle’s estranged father was a black activist, but his wife and children bore no visible signs of their African American heritage. Since the kind of job she dreamed of wouldn’t have been possible for a black woman in early 1900s America, Belle and her siblings agreed to live their lives in the white community, vowing never to have children who might reveal their racial background and always fearing how their father might react. The author has obviously done extensive research to portray Belle Greene as the remarkably ambitious and intelligent woman she was, and hers is quite a story. It’s a long book (480 pages)–too long, I felt. Although the details were often fascinating, I would have preferred fewer minutiae about each auction where Belle represented the Morgan Library, less detail about clothing, building design, and European travel, less melodrama, and more focus on what made Belle great. However, the book is definitely an admirable accomplishment by the French author and her able translator.
One of my favorite writers, Jenny Colgan, promises that WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL BY THE SEA will be the first in a series of six! She says she always wanted to write a boarding school mystery for adults, having years ago enjoyed the many similarly-themed books for children. Maggie is a teacher in small-town Scotland who wants to broaden her experience by accepting a position at a well-regarded boarding school, though it takes her away from her boyfriend of seven years. Simone is a bright 13-year-old who has always been ignored because of her size and her seeming lack of social skills. One of her roommates is Fliss, who doesn’t want any part of boarding school and acts out to prove it. All of the main characters have depth and are developed as the story progresses. Even the school’s headmistress is often conflicted and hides a secret that could ruin her career. Note: Colgan published this book under the title Class and under a pseudonym (and the second in the series, titled Rules), so they may not be new to all. This one may not be my favorite Colgan book, but I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next, which will be released in August.
Queen Elizabeth II as sleuth? If you’ve read the first in the series, The Windsor Knot, you know that it’s not such a crazy idea. Having herself once interviewed for the position of the Queen’s Assistant Private Secretary (APS) and as a royal watcher for years, the author has demonstrated a flair for convincingly portraying many of the details of the Queen’s personal and professional life, including an extensive knowledge that would certainly help her notice and identify things within and outside of the “Household” that just don’t seem right. In the second in the series, ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN, the Queen–aided by the book’s APS character, intrepid military veteran Rozie–quietly uses all of her resources to find out what led to the death of Buckingham Palace’s chief housekeeper in what looks like a freak accident, as well as what happened to the Queen’s favorite painting of the family’s former yacht, which long ago disappeared without a trace. Are the two events somehow connected? I thoroughly enjoyed the intricately plotted but credible mystery and, even more so, the “inside story”–both real and imagined–of the day-to-day life of the UK royals and their employees. Phillip, Charles, Anne, Camilla, William and Harry, among others, all make appearances or are mentioned. I am confident there will be more, equally fascinating, books in this outstanding series.
Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed All the Queen’s Men, Margie. I enjoyed the inside story, too, even more in this one than the earlier one.
Thank you! Time to read the blog while my sister is on the treadmill, and Mom’s in the shower.
Margie, I read this Jenny Colgan book and enjoyed it very much. It was indeed called CLASS then, but was published under Colgan’s own name, so maybe that was an intermediary period between her using the pen name and then the title being changed?
I didn’t know there was a new one coming, I’ll look out for that, thanks.
I’m glad you get to enjoy some time with family!
I’ll be starting UNEASY PREY by Annette Dashofy today. Although it looks like I’m going to have a busier than normal day, so I’m not sure how far into it I will get.
It is really nice to have time with family, Mark. Thanks!
I am still reading the Kat Martin’s Last Mile. They did not find the gold treasure that they were looking for in the Superstition mountains in Arizona, but the next step is Mexico, I don’t care if they find the gold! I am glad that the book is geting close to the end. After that I will reward myself by starting an audio book!
Beginning the 2nd book of the 4 book Amsih Mystery series, The Plan Scandal by Amanda Flower. I bought the 3th book at more than half off but the last of the series is full price, so I may let it “age” before I buy i.
Getting nervous about the upcoming eye surgery. I prefer surgeries where I am knocked! Have to be awake, it is supposed to take two hours, then I will have black eyes, very blurry vision in my right eye and it will itch like crazy but cannot rub it. It is not until April 18th but I seem to be starting early on the dread. One good thing is that I am to receive something in my IV that will calm me down.
I get it, Carolee. I’d be worried about my eyes, too. Good luck!
I’m glad you’re enjoying Amanda’s series!
Sending good thoughts Gretchen. Hope all goes well.
Very best of luck Carole. I’m sure it will be worth it, but I’m also sure we can all understand how nervous you must feel. Are you allowed to listen to an audio book or something while they do it?
Good morning Lesa. Enjoy the visit with your family.
I read ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN by SJ Bennett. It wasn’t a bad book but I couldn’t really relate to any of the characters.
AN ARC of FATAL FLOSS by ACF Bookens. A skeleton turns up under an old chicken coop that’s being demolished. Identifying the remains requires digging into the areas historical records.
An ARC of DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES by Claire Booth. Her latest Hank Worth book had a lot going on and enough suspects that it kept me guessing
Sandy, oh, good! I’m glad you enjoyed Dangerous Consequences.
I just finished THE SECOND MRS ASTOR by Shana Abe and enjoyed it. Now I’m reading GROUNDSKEEPING by Lee Cole, and it’s keeping my interest so far. Hope you enjoy the weekend with your family. I’m from Evansville and have seen that your weather has been chilly and rainy.
Thank you, Linda! You’re right. Our weather has been dreary.But, we do have sunshine today even though it’s still cool.
It’s probably needless to say, but not much reading here this week. FIrst it was packing up the apartment in Florida after three months, and packing the car. Then there were four days on the road, followed by unpacking and putting everything away (and throwing out stuff to make room for the new stuff), then going through three months of junk mail (mostly), and then getting all our tax stuff together. So, it has been mostly another week of short stories for the most part. I did finally finish the JOhn Lutz collection, UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD, which I liked a lot. I’ve started Roddy Doyle’s new post-pandemic collection of stories, LIFE WITHOUT CHILDREN. I also got the Amish story collection by Linda Castillo (though I’ve read many of them before), A SIMPLE MURDER. IT’s good to have them all in one place. And when we were away, I got THE MAN WHO SOLVED MYSTERIES, a Mr. Strang collection by William Brittain.
I am nearly done (at least) with Jeffrey Siger’s A DEADLY TWIST. Sorry I haven’t had time to give it the attention it deserves. ANd this morning I downloaded John Scalzi’s THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY from the library. I’ve already read the first five chapters in a free preview from Tor.com. ANd the new Ken Bruen book about Jack Taylor is in transit to the library.
Let’s hope things are back to normal by next Thursday.
Jeff – I’m amazed you’ve got anything read at all! When we move house I doubt if I open a book for weeks. Anyway, I’m so glad you’re back safely – four days is such along time to be travelling; we are just not used to that kind of thing here.
And your being back in Brooklyn feels like a sign, like the return of the swallows, or the first cuckoo, that spring is here!
Barbara liked the Siger, Jeff, and I liked the Scalzi. Good stuff.
Only one book this week. THE DIAMOND Eye by Kate Quinn. The story of Lyudmila Pavlichenco aka Lady Death, a Russian sniper during WWII with 309 kills to her name. She also developed a friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt while on a tour of the US to drum up support for the Russian military. I loved how each chapter stared with “My memoir :the official version” and the next sentence “My memoitr:the unofficial version”. I haven’t read anything by Kate Quinn I didn’t love and this was no exception.
Enjoy your visit with your family, Lesa.
Happy Reading!
Read Mercy Creek by Browning – the book I won – and I really liked it – so thanks again Lesa. Yesterday when I went to the library I got her other book with the same character and am looking forward to reading it too.
Hope your family isn’t too tired from the drive and you’re having a great time.
The weather forecast promised all four seasons here this week. Definitely been windy, but in the midst of a sunny few days. I managed a few books this week.
WHEN YOU ARE MINE (2022) by Michael Robotham
Suspenseful and filled with complex characters that could be heroes or villains.
“Why is it that men have pride but women have shame?”
Philomena (Phil) McCarthy is a young, dedicated police officer with the elite Metropolitan Police in London. Complicating matters is Philomena’s estranged father Edward, once a powerful criminal. Toxic friendships, domestic abuse, the family clan and an upcoming wedding power the plot.
I received an ARC from Rootstock Publishing of ALL MEN GLAD AND WISE. It’s an interesting and enjoyable historical mystery by Laura C. Stevenson. Taking place in 1919, a time of social change, the story is set at Willingford Hall in Oxfordshire, England. Skillfully includes war, murder, field telephones, horses and the flu Epidemic. But I don’t think the title is going to grab attention here.
THE END OF GETTING LOST 2022 Robin Kirman
A darkly sinister, but beautifully written love story. The year is 1996 before electronics made us all instantly available. The story follows a young married couple, a composer and a dancer, traveling in Europe. Gina thinks it’s her honeymoon–that’s what Duncan has told her. But she’s having memory problems while recovering from a head injury. Intriguing
Enjoy your family time, Lesa! And “Hey!” to Elizabeth and Christie.
I’ve read some good stuff this week, but the one book I want to share is MEMPHIS by Tara Stringfellow.
it is an amazing novel. Elegantly written. It hit every human emotion and as hard as it was to read at times, I did not want it to end. I’m so glad I didn’t let all the hype turn me away.
Description –
READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • A spellbinding debut novel tracing three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter’s discovery that she has the power to change her family’s legacy.
“I fell in love with this family, from Joan’s fierce heart to her grandmother Hazel’s determined resilience. Tara Stringfellow will be an author to watch for years to come.”—Jacqueline Woodson, New York Times bestselling author of Red at the Bone
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—Oprah Daily, Essence, Glamour, Business Insider, Marie Claire, The Millions, She Reads, Book Riot, Bad Form
Summer 1995: Ten-year-old Joan, her mother, and her younger sister flee her father’s explosive temper and seek refuge at her mother’s ancestral home in Memphis. This is not the first time violence has altered the course of the family’s trajectory. Half a century earlier, Joan’s grandfather built this majestic house in the historic Black neighborhood of Douglass—only to be lynched days after becoming the first Black detective in the city. Joan tries to settle into her new life, but family secrets cast a longer shadow than any of them expected.
As she grows up, Joan finds relief in her artwork, painting portraits of the community in Memphis. One of her subjects is their enigmatic neighbor Miss Dawn, who claims to know something about curses, and whose stories about the past help Joan see how her passion, imagination, and relentless hope are, in fact, the continuation of a long matrilineal tradition. Joan begins to understand that her mother, her mother’s mother, and the mothers before them persevered, made impossible choices, and put their dreams on hold so that her life would not have to be defined by loss and anger—that the sole instrument she needs for healing is her paintbrush.
Unfolding over seventy years through a chorus of unforgettable voices that move back and forth in time, Memphis paints an indelible portrait of inheritance, celebrating the full complexity of what we pass down, in a family and as a country: brutality and justice, faith and forgiveness, sacrifice and love.
Hi Lesa — Enjoy your family visit! This week I’m reading Chasing Justice by Kathleen Donnelly. This is the debut from a new author of a new series featuring ex-marine Maya Thompson and her new K-9 partner Juniper. Maya is now a U.S Forest Service Law Enforcement employee. I picked up this advance copy from Net Galley as the author is from here in Northern Colorado, I love K-9 mystery series with female protagonists, and I love dogs. Donnelly is a dog handler in real life, and it’s clear from the story so far that she knows what she’s talking about.
It’s so great to have time with family, Lesa! Enjoy.
This week I read:
Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen – After receiving a concerning letter from her brother’s housekeeper, Rebecca Lane is returning to her childhood home. She has been traveling for over a year as a lady’s companion to Lady Fitzhoward. The Lady has asked to accompany her as she prefers to keep traveling. Rebecca’s brother, John, is obsessed with getting his manuscript published and begs Rebecca to help him. In order to do so, she must spend a few nights at Swanford Abbey Hotel. The Abbey has been rumored to be haunted and the idea frightens Rebecca.
She reluctantly agrees to help her brother. A famous author is staying at the Abbey and John believes if he can just get his manuscript into his hands, he will agree to publish it. During her stay at the Abbey, Rebecca begins to notice strange things and is especially bothered by a figure in a black hooded cloak she sees gliding through the hallway. On top of the strange things, she encounters Sir Frederick, currently a magistrate, previously a man who broke her heart. When the author is found dead, Sir Frederick begins to question everyone at the hotel. As much as he wants to believe Rebecca’s story, things don’t add up. This had a bit of a gothic feel to it. I enjoyed it.
Clause & Effect by Kaitlyn Dunnett – This is the second book in the Deadly Edits series. Mikki Lincoln is settling into her life in Lenape Hollow. She has a few clients, she has connected with old friends and she is getting to know her neighbors. The board of directors of the historical society are planning a quasquibicentennial celebration including the reenactment of a historical pageant that was written and performed for the town’s bicentennial. The board would like Mikki to take a look at the script and update it. She is reluctant because of the time it would take away from her own work, but finally agrees.
The only copy of the pageant is kept at the historical society, so Mikki must do her work on it there. The historical society building is having some construction work done which makes it difficult to concentrate. Part of a wall collapses and out rolls what appears to be human remains. Since Mikki was an eyewitness to the accident, she is questioned by Detective Hazlett. She also feels a connection to the unknown person who ended up in the wall. Her work on the pageant gives her an excuse to begin asking some questions. I really like Kaitlyn Dunnett’s writing style – it’s clever and crisp. The characters are also great.
We are getting some spring snow showers today. No accumulation, just sloppy. Hope you all have a great week!
Hi Lesa,
I hope you are having a great day with your family – what do you have planned for them?
After the fabulous weather we had a couple of weeks ago, things have gone downhill – we have had a few sunny days, but on Tuesday we had heavy snow all day. I shouldn’t have been surprised, it is far from unusual here at this time, but I think we were all fooled by that ‘false spring’. Today my friend Ann and I walked on the Finzean estate, which is lovely. There was no snow lying on the ground, but we could still see on the tops of the hills. The estate is a working one and very well looked after; there are some beautiful old stables, now restored and used for accommodation, and a ‘big house’ that had to be rebuilt when the original burned down (a not infrequent occurrence this far from Aberdeen, as the fire provisions in those days were very local and limited, and the roads were so narrow and poorly maintained that travel was slow.) After our walk we went into the farm shop, which is very smart (it’s that kind of area!) and had our coffee. They sell very enticing groceries, books, gifts, etc, but the prices can be eye-watering.
I have been investigating getting a harness of some kind for my cat Charlie so that we can take him for walks. The one we had for Gracie came from a pet shop and was awful – lots of different straps and fiddly clips, and I was never sure we had it on properly. A twitter friend told me about Olivia Cat Jackets, so I found their website and they look great. They are more like coats than harnesses, and simply wrap round the body and clip together. They come in an amazing range of fabrics so I just need to choose. (If anyone wants to take a look, this is the website:
https://www.oliviacatjackets.co.uk/)
This morning I finished reading THE OTTERBURY INCIDENT by C Day Lewis. It is a children’s book published in 1948, with illustrations by the inimitable Edward Ardizzone, who illustrated so many of the Puffin chidlren’s books of that time (eg The Railway Children). While the story is of course old-fashioned, it is such fun – it moves along at a cracking pace, there’s a page turning plot and some great characters, and as George (the narrator, and one of the schoolboys involved, says “I always skip the bits in novels where they describe people: you know – ‘he had a strong, sensitive face and finely chiselled nostrils” or “her eyes were like pools of dewy radiance, her lips were redder than pomegranates” – that sort of thing doesn’t get one anywhere, I mean it doesn’t help you to *see* the person, does it?’
So George cuts all the waffle and instead tells us what happens when, putting aside their usual differences, Toppy’s gang and Ted’s gang join forces to try to make enough money to pay for a window that their friend Nick has kicked a football through. They are all sorry for him as his parents have been killed by a bomb (the crater of which is the HQ of their gangs) and he lives with a horrible uncle and aunt. The uncle will beat Nick if he finds out about the window. How the boys raise the money, and what happens when the cash is stolen from under their noses and Ted is wrongly accused of the theft, form the rest of the story, which ends in a uncovering of a much worse crime, a nail-biting climax, and, of course, a happy and victorious conclusion.
Children’s authors could so often teach the writers of ‘adult’ books a thing or two, especially about plotting, and keeping the reader’s interest. I read that children’s authors have to work far harder at this, as if a children get bored they will simply stop reading.
I also finished ERRANT BLOOD by CF Peterson, which I mentioned last week. It did not get better! It ended with a huge and unrealistic shoot-out in the middle of the Highlands, plus fist fights on a boat, the lobbing of a grenade or two, and a lot of other nonsense. Plus, the ‘heroine’ had at first been portrayed as ‘feisty’ (and need I tell you, slim, slight, pretty, etc but driving around on a quad bike managing the farm) but of course she was only allowed to be so up to a very limited point, whereupon the ‘hero’ (the estate owner) had to dive in (literally in this case as she was drowning in a loch) to save her. Hmm. It wasn’t badly written, but I think the author should maybe read C Day Lewis to see how an adventure story can be made to work.
I was very restrained at the library this week; all I borrowed was a book about gardening (BIG IDEAS: SMALL SPACES). This is because I already have at least 12 books out and waiting to be read. But that’s good and I am looking forward to them.
On the radio I have been listening to a little series about DI GWEN DANBURY, a police inspector played by the wonderful, and extremely versatile, Annette Badland. Each episode is a complete story. Inspector Danbury works with her colleague Sergeant Henry Jacobs. She lives with her mother, Joan, who used to get herself involved in Gwen’s policeman father’s investigations, and now can’t keep her nose out of Gwen’s – when she’s not interfering with Gwen’s work she is trying to matchmake between Gwen and henry, or going on to Gwen about her weight. The mysteries are quite cosy, and I really enjoy the relationship between the three main characters. The series is written by Sue Rodwell.
Since finishing the excellent IPCRESS FILE we haven’t yet found a new series to get into – this is a particular problem as my husband is away next week, and will be away on and off for a lot of the spring and summer, so he doesn’t want to start watching anything he’s not going to be able to see through to the end. So really I am waiting till next week to find something, and in the meantime I have been enjoying SCHITT’S CREEK and QUEER EYE.
The latest episode of QE that I saw was about a 30+ rancher in Texas who wanted to clean up his act. This was an absolutely fascinating episode for me as I knew nothing about the rancher lifestyle. The man was actually very open to learning to cook (I don’t think he had ever eaten a vegetable before), getting his hair restyled, etc, but the sticking point was clothes – no matter how cautious Tan France was with his selections, the guy was horrified; he was so worried (maybe with justification) about what his fellow ranchers would say if he changed even a small aspect of his wardrobe. They did find something in the end, of course. It was one of the most interesting episodes I had seen.
It’s dinner time here (8pm) so I need to stop.
I hope everyone has an excellent week.
Rosemary
In April so far I have read GO, LOVELY ROSE by Jean Potts and DOG ON IT by Spencer Quinn. Two very different books. I have been alternating lighter books with darker, heavier books.
GO, LOVELY ROSE was much darker, an example of domestic suspense similar to the novels of Margaret Millar. I read it in a Stark House edition, which also included THE EVIL WISH and had an introduction by John Norris. Rachel returns to her small midwestern hometown, Coreyville, from Chicago when her brother calls to tell her that the housekeeper who had lived with her family for decades has died. They both hated the housekeeper and their father had insisted that she could live in their house until she died. The death is initially considered an accident, but the housekeeper’s sister won’t accept this. The relationships in the small town are very complex and there are lots characters. Not for everyone but I enjoyed it very much. It was Jean Potts first novel and she won the Best First Novel Edgar for it.
DOG ON IT was the first adventure of Chet and Bernie. Bernie is a private eye and Chet is his dog; Chet narrates the story. I found this a little unsettling at first. I have read a couple of the Mrs. Murphy books by Rita Mae Brown where a cat and a dog help out with the story telling, but otherwise nothing that has talking animals. But it was a unique point of view, a good story, and entertaining. I am sure a lot of people here have read more of those stories. Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of Madison, a teenage girl. Her mother calls them in, but her ex-husband and Madison’s father thinks that she has just run away and will be back soon.
Migraines, back pain, etc. have limited my reading to a handful of short stories, some science fiction, some golden age mysteries edited by Penzler. The “etc.” in the previous sentence also resulted in losing 8 lbs. this week, which I need, but not the happiest way. It’s 75f. now (2:20), was 41 at 8am, so quite a swing, sunny and bright.
I hope your family time is swell, Lesa!
I read Nine Women, One Dress (Jane Rosen) for an upcoming online book club. I had not expected it to be so charming, which is was indeed. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd was a terrific mystery/fantasy. Now I’m luxuriating in French Braid, the new Anne Tyler.
I’m picking up The Cartographers at the library tomorrow, encouraging to see you thought terrific.
Enjoy your family, Lesa!
I’ve been at a conference,which is why I’m so late.
Still, got some reading done:
A Whisker of Trouble by Sofie Ryan; Elvis the Cat discovers a body at a home to be cleared for an estate sale. The Angels take the case. The premise of wine forgery is interesting, but the book doesn’t delve into it enough to really make it seem real.
Pains and Penalties by Sarah Biglow; There’s pain, but not really any penalties in this “nerd sleuth” mystery novel. Not a lot of nerdliness either.
Caramel Pecan Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke; Hannah bakes for a fishing contest on a lake. The host is a jerk, and is offed soon enough. Less genuflecting to Hannah than usual. Some illusion of change. Almost half the book is recpies. I can’t say Fluke’s got her mojo back, but this short story is definitely an improvement from the nadir of the last several (many?) books.
Drinking with George by George Wendt; The guy who played Norm on Cheers likes beer a lot. Who knew? A funny and informative memoir of the Wendt’s relationship with beer.
The Death Wish Game by Jonathan Chateau; Passengers on a bus to Florida wake up duct taped to their seats. When they get loose, they are pursued by a tribe of undead Indians. Not bad, but not quite as over the top as its premise would lead you to expect.
Red Handed by Peter Schweitzer; Fact filled tome of how China has bribed and co-opted politicians and institutions. I wasn’t surprised or even disappointed. I guess I’m in the cynicism sweet spot.
I am currently reading The Nowhere Man by Catherine Ryan Howard and listening to the audio of The Replacement Wife by Darby Kane
Been doing amazing well with NetGalley. Got to read THE LOCKED ROOM by Elly Griffiths and now reading the new Eve Ronin book, MOVIELAND by Leonard Goldberg.