Thank heavens that Kevin Tipple reminded me that about Thursday. I’ve been reading two books for Library Journal, and one book for myself, and I totally forgot to write the post for “What Are You Reading?” So, all I’ve really been doing this week is reading. My TV didn’t work over the weekend, so I spent several days and one evening of lightning and thunder curled up on the couch with books and my cat, Josh. We had thunder and some of the most dramatic lightning I’ve ever seen all night on Monday night, even into the drive to work on Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 9 is release date for the 13th Chet and Bernie mystery by Spencer Quinn, Bark to the Future. I’m about eighty pages into it. I still love the dog, Chet, who narrates the story. And, the books are set in Arizona, which I like. Bernie pulled over to give money to a homeless man begging at the interstate off-ramp, and the man recognized Bernie. They’d played baseball together at Chisholm High, including one memorable game. Bernie would like to help Rocket Saluka, but Rocket disappeared. And, the investigation continues to lead back to the high school.
What about you? What have you been doing and reading this week? We’d all like to know.
Hello, everyone! I’m posting before I go to bed Wednesday night. This week I managed to finish the newsletter I coordinate and edit for the NorCal chapter of Sisters in Crime. It’s quarterly, so I can relax for a month before I have to start on the next one. If you’re ever interested in looking at our newsletter, here’s the link: https://www.sincnorcal.org/newsletter/ It hasn’t been an eventful week, so I got more reading done. It was a mixed bag, as you will see below.
With VINYL RESTING PLACE, Olivia Blacker embarks on a new series, set in small-town Texas. Juniper (Juni) has returned home from an IT job in Oregon to join her two older sisters in ownership of a record/coffee shop on the site of their grandparents old store. Juni enjoys being with her family again and is excited about their new venture, but the grand opening of Sip & Spin Records is soured by her discovery of a dead body in the supply closet. There’s enough of a connection between the deceased and the sisters’ Uncle Calvin for the police to arrest Calvin. But after they bail him out using the store as collateral, he disappears, jeopardizing the financial future of Sip & Spin. Juni gets involved in the investigation a little too deeply, with the detective who broke her heart in high school waiting until late in the game to warn her she might be in danger. Her childhood best friend, now the local mailman, becomes a presence in her life again as well. If you enjoy a breezy cozy mystery with a little romance, this may be the perfect escapist read for you. I personally enjoyed reading about a store that sells only vinyl records and punny coffee drinks, as well as the detailed physical descriptions of each of the characters and the settings. And that cover! I prefer the author’s previous Brooklyn Murder Mystery series but look forward to seeing how this series matures. (December)
OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY is only the second or third book I have read by Kristan Higgins, but I am inspired to read more of her work. What ties this book to Pack Up the Moon is the depth of feeling the author is able to accomplish. The theme of the newer book is lighter than the last, but no less affecting. What I particularly admired in this book is the way she portrays unsympathetic characters–nurse/midwife Lillie’s ex-husband and an OB/GYN at the hospital where Lillie practices. Both are so clueless and self-centered that I felt visceral rage (and outrage) every time they were front and center. Lillie herself is a fascinating, multi-faceted, imperfect character that easily drives the entire plot in often-unexpected ways. Another main character, the woman who broke up Lillie’s marriage, is beautifully developed throughout the book. An adolescent character is wounded, confused, loyal, and ultimately heart-warming. It’s a long book that I sped through in 2 days–it was that good.
While the mystery is interesting, I never really engaged with the protagonist of HER DYING DAY by Mindy Carlson. June is a film school student working on a documentary as her senior project. Always a fan of Greer Larkin’s books (the first published when Greer was only 14), June’s goal is not just to chronicle the author’s mysterious disappearance (murder?) 20 years ago but to actually bring the guilty person to justice. A bit too much for a fledging documentarian to tackle? June is somehow able to convince the various suspects to be filmed and isn’t deterred by the anonymous warnings she receives. I was also mystified by a couple of the subplots. June’s affair with her married advisor–neither is a bit remorseful–seems out of place and unnecessary, and her estrangement from the parents who raised her in a restricted sort of commune doesn’t make sense until the very end of the book. There wasn’t enough nuance to June’s character to make me like her or care about whether she succeeds. But the debut author shows some promise so I’m interested to see where she goes next.
Talk about comfort food–CHRISTMAS ON THE RIVIERA is a book (author Jennifer Bohnert calls it a novella at 216 pages) that is the perfect, undemanding, happy-ending story to pick you up when you’re feeling low. Gabriella will soon have her 70th birthday, and she wants to spend it in her hometown in the South of France. She doesn’t have to work hard to convince her 24-year-old granddaughter, Elodie, to come along on a 2-week trip encompassing Christmas and New Year’s, as Elodie is in a rut at work and wondering what to do next. Her mother abandoned her when she was very young, so “Gabby” has been the only maternal figure in her life. Elodie isn’t aware of the reasons Gabriella felt she had to leave France for England many years ago, nor that her grandmother hopes to resolve past issues with this trip. The town of Juan-les-Pins is full of Christmas decorations and holiday spirit that refresh and inspire both women. There are also a couple of men who find them attractive and a figure from their past who may not be welcome in their lives. Parts of the story are predictable, but I so enjoyed the depiction of the lovely town and savored the experiences of both women. I may have to look for more by this author to keep for the moments when I need to feel that there is good in the world and dreams can come true. (August)
Gabrielle Zevin is a self-professed lifelong gamer, but you don’t have to be a gamer yourself (I’m not) to enjoy the immersive TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW. Sam and Sadie meet as children in the hospital where Sam is being treated for serious injuries from the car accident that killed his mother. They eventually lose touch, but years later they meet again in a subway station when Sam is a Harvard student and Sadie is going to MIT. Thus begins a collaboration which rockets them to renown in the gaming world and a relationship that is deeply felt but often fraught. Sam’s wealthy, good-looking college roommate, Marx, is also a major player, acting as their producer and sometimes mediator, and cheering them on even when hope seems lost. The prose is dense and can sometimes be difficult, but it is often deeply profound and moving. The three characters change and develop over 30 or so years, which keeps them fresh, even when they are not particularly sympathetic. After what seemed like a slow start, I quickly learned that this is a story that needs to be read slowly, savoring each thought and turn of phrase. The author says it’s about work and about love, and I think that says it all. Thematically, this book is nothing like Zevin’s two terrific previous novels, but it stands on its own as an astonishing achievement.
THE HERON’S CRY, the second in Ann Cleeves’ Two Rivers mystery series, is a quiet but compelling police procedural that takes place in coastal North Devon, England. Detective Matthew Venn and his staff (single mum Jen and ambitious Ross) are called to investigate the murder of a doctor who has been protesting the National Health Service’s failure to prevent the suicide of a local teenager. It seems the doctor was stabbed by a shard of glass from one of his glassblower daughter’s creations. More deaths follow, and along the way we are treated to revealing portrayals of not only Matthew, Jen, and Ross, but of the victims and their families, as well as some of the locals working at artist communities in and around the town of Barnstable. In this book, the character of straitlaced, rule-following Matthew is further developed as he tries to be kinder to his much friendlier and more effusive husband and to his previously estranged mother, and to distance himself from past traumas at the commune where his childhood family lived. The book grew on me as I read it for a book club.
Correction: author of Vinyl Resting Place is Olivia Blacke, not Blacker.
Since when is a novella over 200 pages? I like the sound of Jennifer Bohnert’s book, and I did look it up, and novellas can be 100-200 pages. I just disagree as to the length. Oh, well. Just me.
Matthew Venn hasn’t grown on me like Vera has. I’ve read both the Two Rivers mysteries, and I like them because I like Ann Cleeves’ writing, but they aren’t Vera.
Thank you, Margie!
I appreciate your review of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I feel that I have a more balanced look at a possible winner for me too. Thanks!
Thanks so much for your take on Gabrielle Zevin’s newest, Margie. I love her work, but the gaming thing was standing in my way. You may have changed my mind, thanks! And i too enjoyed Christmas on the Riviera.
Thanks for the link Margie. Very interesting!
It’s been a fairly normal week for me despite having Covid. I work from home, still, so I was able to work, which is a good thing since it has been month end. I’m about 98% back to normal. It’s been kind of like a cold for me, with a fever the first two days.
Early in the week, I was working on MURDER ON TRINITY PLACE by Victoria Thompson. I’m so close to catching up on this series I can feel it. I really enjoyed this one, set around New Years 1900. Better than the last couple in the series, which were good. This one is great.
Now I’m working on GONE BUT NOT FURGOTTEN by Cate Conte. I hope the mystery kicks into high gear soon. While we’ve found the dead body, that seems to have been furgotten (sorry, I couldn’t resist) in favor of rescuing the cats the victim had. The victim was a cat hoarder.
Mark, I liked your “furgotten” comment. We all need a little humor right now. I hope the book gets better for you!
And, I’m glad COVID didn’t hit you too bad!
Good morning everyone,
We have just had a night of rain, which was wonderfully refreshing. In a minute I am heading into Aberdeen city to attend a talk at the library about the archives of the Press & Journal, which has been the local newspaper for the North East for many years. The P & J covers all the farming communities of Aberdeenshire and Moray, as well as the city, and the (mainly agricultural/fishing) towns. It probably isn’t read quite so avidly today, but even when we first moved up here everyone had their daily copy. The farming pages were especially important.
Yesterday I attended another talk at the Aberdeen Art Gallery about the city’s mediaeval archives – very interesting, and much more colourful than the title maybe makes it sound. A lot of the archive has been transcribed into modern English (some of the records date back to the 1100s, and are written mostly in Scots with some Latin). They cover all sorts of things – such as a law requiring the town burgesses to take it in turns to accommodate the town minstrels (who were presumably a bit of a burden), and another about stray pigs – anyone who caught one could either claim a reward or keep the pig, butcher it and consume it themselves.
We are so lucky to have all these talks available to us (all free too.)
Books:
I finished Penelope Mortimer’s THE PUMPKIN EATER and loved it. Such a brilliant picture of a woman falling apart, and written with such economy and such wonderful prose. The narrator, Mrs Armitage, is married to Jake, a successful screenwriter. She has numerous children, some from previous marriages, and wants another. Jake is adamant that he doesn’t want another, and persuades her to have a termination and sterilisation. Mrs A says that she agrees to this, but is patently just trying to hang on to Jake. During her recovery in a nursing home she discovers that Jake has in fact been having an affair with one of ‘his’ actresses and that this woman is pregnant. I found this a coruscating study of an upper middle class woman’s life in 1960s England, and I know that it is seen as autobiographical – but while I’m sure Mortimer did take out a lot of her fury with John M in this book, the parallels are not exact, as Mortimer did have a career as a novelist, journalist and film critic, so, unlike Mrs Armitage, she did have her own life.
I’m now reading THE SHAPE OF WATER by Andrea Camilleri – the first Inspector Montalbano book. It took me a little while to get a grip on who was who and what their role was, but now I am enjoying it. There are some very useful notes in the back of my copy, explaining the structure of the Italian police force, the (doomed) attempts to fight corruption in Sicilian life, the value of lire (pre Euro currency) and so on.
On TV I keep starting things and giving up. I was really disappointed by the first episode of UNCOUPLED – I like Neil Patrick Harris a lot, but in this there was simply no chemistry between his character and his so-called long term partner, and all of the other characters seems to be caricatures. Such a waste of such a good actor.
So i end up returning to my boxed set of MONARCH OF THE GLEN – which is really lazy viewing, I know!
On the radio I’ve been listening to an adaptation of WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, which I’ve never read. I’ve enjoyed it but wasn’t ready for what happens towards the end – I was walking along the river path at the time and found myself saying ‘OH NO!’
Yesterday I went with a friend, who is moving house, to the city dump. When we had offloaded all of her old paint pots, we noticed that the council has opened a ‘re-use, recycle’ shop right there in the compound. The proceeds go to some of the council’s social enterprise schemes. So of course we had to stop and browse – it was great, with lots of bric-a-brac, some books, clothes, and outside lots of cycles, garden equipment and furniture. They are also making a ‘living wall’ out of palettes turned side on and converted into little planters. I came away with a teapot for £3 and a lovely John Lewis bag that looked like it had never been used, for £4.
The dump is at the side of one of the city parks (it is Hazlehead, which is also home to the Piper Alpha memorial) so we finished our little outing with coffee outside one of the park cafes. Ann said perhaps we’d better not tell our children that we’d had great fun at the city dump – they might have us certified…
And on Monday I met a friend at Aberdeen beach and we had a great walk – the weather was fabulous, hardly anyone around, the tide way out so the sands were vast. At the end of the walk we visited the old fishing community of Footdee, whose tiny cottages have now been turned into artists’ studios and holiday homes, all very colourfully painted and with very unusual gardens.
My car’s exhaust has unfortunately fallen to bits, and the garage can’t weld it till next Thursday, so I am sticking to places i can reach by bus or on foot. I’m finding this surprisingly peaceful, though I expect in the end I’d get frustrated by it. Not being able to go to the big supermarkets really does cut your grocery bills – our local co-op has everything you need, but not everything you might WANT, so it’s good discipline!
Have a good week everyone – we are off back down to Edinburgh tomorrow evening for my mother’s 95th birthday on Saturday.
Rosemary
Rosemary, I hope your mother has a wonderful birthday celebration. 95 is certainly a reason to celebrate, as long as your health is fairly good.
I think that’s funny that you and Ann went to the city dump, and ended up coming back with stuff. I suspect that might have been you more than her since she is moving!
There’s no such thing as lazy viewing – it’s comfort viewing!
Thank you for the account of your week – that’s comfort reading for me. Sending hugs!
Thanks Lesa 😀
Rosemary, thanks again for mentioning IT’S A SIN last week. We’ve watched the first three episodes and will get to the last two soon. Great show, really well done. Neil Patrick Harris was very good in his short appearance, and reviews here have compared it to UNCOUPLED, with the latter coming out on the short end. Finished series two of LONDON KILLS with the revelation about David Bradford’s wife.
I’m so glad you like It’s a Sin, Jeff. It has received a lot of very justified praise here. I don’t think there’s a single weak performance in the entire series.
I agree, Neil Patrick Harris was excellent as Henry. I didn’t think his acting was poor in Uncoupled, more that the script was disappointing.
I initially read that your friend was moving her house to the dump. I had to reread it for the commas. LOL.
😂
Going to the dump is a totally different experience here. Smells terrible & very noisy. I can’t imagine spending an extra minute.
Good morning. Other than going to an outdoor concert in our town’s park we haven’t been doing much. We’re back into another spell of hot humid weather so we’ve been taking care of the garden first thing in the morning and then staying inside.
I only finished one book this week but I enjoyed it. IN THE MIDDLE OF HICKORY LANE by Heather Webber is magical realism and the focus of the book is on two young women who’ve both gone through rough patches and whether they can heal and learn to trust again so there isn’t a lot of action but I liked the characters.
Best thing to do, Sandy, enjoy the garden first thing in the morning. Sounds as if it was a puttering sort of week for you, and we all need those now and then.
I’m reading the most recent Pushkin Vertigo Honkaku murder mystery release, Death on Gokumon Island. It’s not my favorite of the series, but I love these classic Japanese mysteries. Also just started Death and the Conjuror.
I’m interested to see what you think of Death and the Conjuror, Becky.
Lightning here too, although the rain didn’t extend this far north as the storm stalled south of Lake Tahoe. Temperatures have cooled off a bit, but still uncomfortable to be out in the heat of the day, so I got quite a bit of reading in.
Ruth Ware’s latest, THE IT GIRL. April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. By the end of the year, April was dead. Now, a decade later, the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. The story unfolds in alternating chapters of Before and After as Hannah re-examines what really happened that night.
As I’ve read all Ruth Ware’s best-sellers, the publicity must work on me. Not just on me though, the county library has fifty holds for the book.
I enjoyed the second in Anne Cleeves Shetland Island series WHITE NIGHTS (2010).
An exhibition at the Herring House art gallery is disturbed by a stranger who bursts into tears, then claims not to remember who he is or where he comes from. The next day he’s found dead.
So much scene blocking is included in the prose, very visual. I was totally surprised by the reveal, although in retrospect the clues are there.
The newest anthology from Mystery Writers of America, CRIME HITS HOME, is a collection of twenty short stories that explore what happens when crime hits home. Some better than others, but all interesting to see how ‘crime’ and ‘home’ interpreted.
And I finally was able to finish Richard Powers THE ECHO MAKER I was reading last week. I was using the library’s Libby app and got a message about it being due in one more day. Unfortunately that means the current day. And I couldn’t place a hold as the library no longer had that book on Libby. Fortunately they did have a print edition which I picked up on Tuesday.
Just starting the third book in Sarah Stewart Taylor’s Maggie D’Arcy series, THE DROWNING SEA.
Oh, I think the publicity for Ruth Ware’s books do work on a number of people, MM. Although I’m not a big fan, I thought her story in the forthcoming Marple collection was the best in the book. It’s set at Christmas, and I think she did a great job with it.
Anthologies are like that, aren’t they – some better than others, but I usually enjoy reading them. I can pick those up and put them down, and feel as if I still accomplished something.
Good morning, all/ Th weather is hot and we could really use more rain, but things are good. We did see THE MUSIC MAN on Broadway yesterday, which was fun. The full house for the Wednesday matinee was certainly enthusiastic.
Books. First, I want to thank Gaye for recommending Kathrine Kressmann Taylor’s short but powerful ADDRESS UNKNOWN here last Thursday. This short book was originally published in Story magazine in 1938, and was so successful it was reprinted many times. Two friends in 1932 San Francisco in 1932, with the non-Jewish one returning to Germany, where – like so many – he falls under Hitler’s spell, destroying their friendship and leading to devastating consequences. It is very short and a fast read. Check your library.
I finished Emma Straub’s THIS TIME TOMORROW, which I enjoyed more and more as it went along. It is as much about fasther-daughter love as it is a time travel story. Definitely recommended. I went back and am reading her short story collection, OTHER PEOPLE WE MARRIED, now. Straub is the daughter of Peter (GHOST STORY) traub, for those who don’t know, and she opened a successful bookstore in Brooklyn a few years ago.
I know I mentioned COLD FEAR, which I did finish last Thursday. As I said, highly recommended thriller, but read thee authors’ (,Brandon Webb and John David Mann) first Finn book (STEEL FEAR) first.
Besides the Straub, I am reading the British Library anthology GUILTY CREATURES, edited by Martin Edwards (as so many are). As the title indicates, all the stories are animal-related, starting with a Sherlock Holmes story. Not sure what I am going to read next, though I have books by Martin Edwards (Kindle) and Paula Munier (hardback) waiting.
Yes, Jeff. I agree. Fun is the best way to describe The Music Man. And, I love an enthusiastic audience, except for the strange one when I saw Frozen. Not a fan of that, anyways.
I didn’t know Emma Straub was Peter Straub’s daughter or that she opened a bookstore in Brooklyn. I’m always glad to hear, though, that a bookstore is successful!
Jeff, I am so glad that you enjoyed ADDRESS UNKNOWN. I found it packed such a punch and I have literally pressed it into several friends hands as well. Thanks for sharing and spreading the book love for this story.
Mornin’, all!
Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge is the first in a new series. I enjoyed it immensely.
From NetGalley:
“Set in the City of Light and starring Julia Child’s (fictional) best friend, confidant, and fellow American, this magnifique new historical mystery series from the acclaimed author of Murder at Mallowan Hall combines a fresh perspective on the iconic chef’s years in post-WWII Paris with a delicious mystery and a unique culinary twist. Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Marie Benedict, and of course, Julia Child alike!
As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.
Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.
Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse.”
Kaye, I can see why you enjoyed Mastering the Art of French Murder. The setting! It sounds as if Tabitha was all over Paris. And, Julia Child! I’m looking forward to this one! I always picture you whenever I read something set in Paris.
Glad to hear it, Kaye. I requested it from NetGalley last evening–let’s see if I get it!
Fingers Crossed! There are two characters in particular, Tabitha’s grandfather and uncle (not really her uncle) who she lives with – i adore them. Can’t wait to hear what you both think.
Lesa, I have somehow missed this series! Does the series need to be read in order or could I just start with this one?
What a spectacular thunder and lightning show – my favorite! I was awoken at 3:45 AM this morning to a pretty impressive one as well (my husband slept right through it which gives one cause to worry as it shook the whole house.) It is still rainy 2 hours later! I love monsoon season here in the desert southwest. We have always needed the rain but this drought is so severe that water rationing is imminent very shortly.
This week I have been all about the audio and finished CAPTIVE KINGDOM by Jennifer A Nielsen (a buddy read with a certain pre-teen) and THE JOY OF READING by Donalyn Miller and Teri Lesense ( an educational book about the relationship between language and reading pedagogy that I loved.) .
I am almost done with THE FINDERS by Jeffrey R Burton. I love Mace’s snark and love for his dogs I just have just not had lots of time to sit and read so audios were the best work around.
Finally, all of my holds at the library came in at once so I am like a kid in a candy shop. I am tasting a little of each and trying to see which one will catch me first. This morning I have been captivated by ROGUES: TRUE STORIES OF GRIFTERS, KILLERS, REBELS AND CROOKS by Patrick Radden Keefe. Oh, I love this author’s longform magazine writing style and this book appears to follow form. It may move right to the top of my stack.
Happy Reading.
Gaye, I’ve read a couple Jennifer A. Nielson along with my grandsons. They are very good.
Sharon, like you I have really enjoyed her work. When I was in the classroom I found her books easy to recommend to young readers and her WW2 books are fantastic. I read Rescue this spring and when we visited France and Switzerland in June I had no problem picturing her story again in my mind! I love that young readers can dip into such great writing. Thanks for sharing with me.
Gaye,
The series doesn’t really need to be read in order, but I’d recommend it. For instance, this one refers quite frequently to “the aquifer” case which was Of Mutts and Men three books ago. That one was a major one in the series, and the next two were skippable. I would at least read the first one, Dog On It, because it introduces Chet, Bernie, the detective agency, and the important people in the series – Bernie’s ex-wife and son. In the course of the series, Bernie dates different women. But, you could read the first one and skip to Of Mutts and Men if you choose. And, since you’re in the desert, you definitely want to read the aquifer one. When I read the first books, I was guessing they were set in Arizona. The author says yes, although I don’t think it’s really said in the books because Chet’s the narrator, and what would he know about Arizona as a state? It takes a little time to getting used to Chet’s narration since he goes off-track, but that’s because he’s a dog.
Well, sounds as if your husband has a clear conscience, or at least that’s what they say. (smile)
Thanks for the perfect build up for the series. I smiled at the notion that Chet does not know anything about “Arizona as a state”, because he’s a dog! Good point. Heck, when it rained and blew this morning I think our dogs were convinced that we were in a carwash.
Good Morning! The exciting news is Cincinnati is Fiona the Hippo is a big sister. Fiona was the miracle hippo born prematurely who was not supposed to survive. She is a rockstar at the zoo. I’ve wasted too much time today watching the live stream of the new addition.
This has been an up and down reading week for me.
I gave up on The Treehouse on Dog River Road by Catherine Drake. I could not suspend believability that anyone would leave their 2 small children in the care of their aunt who had never babysat them for more than an hour or so for an entire summer.
My favorite book of the week was A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman. I think this is one of the best in the series. Frances and George Hazelton are finally married only to the husband of one of their guests murdered. Frances’ brother is accused which causes a delay in their wedding trip so they can exonerate Alonzo. This was just great.
Next, I read No Parm No Foul by Linda Reilly. I enjoyed the first of this series about a grilled cheese shop in Vermont. I didn’t think this one was quite as good, but I did enjoy the character of Evelyn, retired English teacher. Not sure if I will move onto book three.
Jeff, we enjoyed London Kills. We were disappointed to learn there will be no season three due to Hugo Speers firing for misbehaving while filming another show for Disney Plus. We’ve started watching Blood on Acorn TV.
I know, Sharon! Isn’t it great that Fiona’s a big sister? I went on hippo watch yesterday, and was so excited to see the news this morning. One of my sisters just thinks it’s funny that I was so excited. If I wasn’t at work, I’d be watching the live stream, too. I hope Fiona isn’t a jealous big sister. I love Fiona anyways, and someday I have to get over to the zoo.
I agree with you. I really enjoyed A Bride’s Guide, and thought it was one of the best, too.
Sharon, series 3 of LONDON KILLS was released in June, so it must be series 4 that was canceled. The “misconduct” Speer was accused of was on a television version of his breakthrough movie, THE FULL MONTY on Disney +, which he denied. We’ve watched both series of BLOOD (which, for those who havent watched it, stars Adrian Dunbar of LINE OF DUTY, set in Ireland. (He is from Northern Ireland.)
You are right, Jeff. I was mistaken. We did watch all three series of London Kills. We weren’t too happy with the final scene. I am struggling with Blood. Not sure if we will continue on.
You are right, Jeff. We watched all 3 seasons and were disappointed with the final season. Having a hard with Blood-it’s rather dark
Apologies for commenting twice.
Agree on BLOOD. It’s pretty dark and nasty. If my wife didn’t want to watch it, I would have turned it off.
Good afternoon all.
This week I am reading The King’s Justice (#9 in the Maggie Hope series). I very much like this series. Maggie’s character has changed very much since book 1. She is showing the stress of wartime, drinking, smoking, driving too fast anything to keep the nightmares away. I love learning about how life was in England during WWII.
I am listening to The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. I always enjoy this author’s books. They are sweet and uplifting.
Wishing you all a great week with wonderful books to fill your time.
Thank you, Kathleen. You have a great week as well!
My sister reads the Maggie Hope books. Well, actually, I should check to see if she still reads them. I’m glad you enjoy them!
Hey Lesa,
I am currently listening to the audio of Black Dog by Stuart Woods and reading in print Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover and the Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Katherine, I know Colleen Hoover’s books are all over the bestseller lists, but I’ve never talked to anyone who read them. What do you like about her books? I’m just curious.
Quinn in the past, To Fetch A Thief and I loved it. Will try to find more!!!
I have been hunting for another medical specilst on-line in Planlo. filled an appointment request. Please wish me luck on getting an appointment. I can’t do televists on my phone or laptop, they are both too old. I checked for one who takes and got the message that most do televists. Gulp!!!
I won and read a PDF of a book from LibraryThing, which has a name that I didn’t like.
Reading A Brush WIth Love by Mazie Reddings- great Rom-Com , I loved her second book and now reading her first one. The author is an oral surgeon with ADHD, anxiety and panic attacks. I have been learning about oral surgery and I know she is passionate about it.
And I finished French Braid by Anne Tyler this morning, My favorite book this year. At first it seemed like there were too many characters but then I started to love the ones that I am most like. The last CD disc had me in tears and wishing there amore. Anne Tyler captured the feeling of gried and sorrow of Co-vid 19! The one character the housewife/artist died on a train ride returning with her granddaughter who “got” her and the author handled it with such skill. The brother of the large family who must have been on the autism spectrum had married the woman could not been better for him (Greta). They were both feeling lost and lonely during Co-vid. David, the brother got a call from his son about visiting them with his toddler son, Benny. Wonderful visit and they had to part. David starting to have Mild Dementia like his mother and thank goodness that Greta is there with him to end of the story.
Wishing you all kinds of luck, Carolee. That’s rough, and I’m sure you’re not the only one who doesn’t have easy access for Televisits.
Oh, French Braid does sound good, sad but good.
I am glad you are still enjoying the Chet and Bernie series. I only recently (in April) read the first book in the series, so I am very far behind. I liked the book, but I agree that it takes a while to get used to Chet’s narration.
I finished reading THE MAN FROM BERLIN by Luke McCallin this week. It is a historical mystery, set during World War II, in Sarajevo. The protagonist is a German officer in counter-intelligence, whose job is questioning prisoners. Formerly he was a homicide detective, and he is temporarily assigned to a murder investigation. I usually find books like this, with German protagonists during the war, somewhat depressing, but this one ended on a better note than it begins. And I learned a good bit about what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina. That area has always been a mystery to me. I am curious to see what happens in book 2.
The other book I finished was an autobiography that I had been reading since mid-June. It is AGATHA CHRISTIE, A MYSTERIOUS LIFE by Laura Thompson. I had some quibbles with this book, but most of it was interesting, informative, and worth reading.
Otherwise, not much going on here. We took one of our cars into the dealer this morning for a check up, and are waiting to hear that they are done with it. The joys of waiting. It is Fiesta week in Santa Barbara, which we did not realize had started yet, and we ended up downtown in a loud restaurant for breakfast this morning. But at least we are getting out a bit more.
Tracy, I haven’t read all the Chet & Bernie books. I bogged down with several in the middle, which is why I said you could skip some. But, I do enjoy one now and then.
It finally feels as if life moved on a little, doesn’t it, when you can get out again?
We had a day in the 70s, with sprinkiling,with triple digits the next day.
This week I read:
Damned in Paradise by Max Allan Collins; Nate Heller goes to Hawaii to help Clarence Darrow with a famous murder I’d never heard of. Sic Transit Gloria, I guess.
The Mark by Ino Lee; A boy, who is The Chosen One is marked for death by demons, and a not so ragtag group of martial artists are protecting him. Like a Shaw Brothers film.
Blood on the Blade by Cliff Biggers; Anthology of sword and sorcery tales. The best was one set in Polynesia, even though they didn’t surf.
Tarzan and the Forest of Stone by James J. Mariotte; Novella of Tarzan on the trail of gangsters and outlaws in 30’s Arizona. No vines to swing, but Tarzan Bundolos some owlhoots.
Kijo: by Tara M. Meyeres; True crime about Japan’s deadly ladies. Strange stuff.
I also watched some television, well streaming.
Alias: Smith and Jones; I’m usually a Wild, Wild West guy, but this series based on the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Having the guy in the Butch role look like Robert Redford while the guy playing Sundance looks like Paul Newman was a nice touch. Made while Washington was on an anti-violence kick, which defeats the purpose of the genre. Still, a very clever show, with a lot more singing than I expected.
Hardcastle and McKormick; a buddy action comedy centered around a cool car. I remember there used to be a lot of guys like Hardcastle around in real life, but they’ve faded away into history, I guess.
Blue Thunder; TV series based on the 80’s movie. A high tech helicopter, now lower tech than my lawn mower, is the crime fighting instrument. It was fun watching Dick Butkus and Bubba Smith act like they were in a beer commercial, and seeing a pre-SNL Dana Carvey.
Oh, I vaguely remember Hardcastle and McCormick. I always liked Brian Keith. Some of those older TV shows are so much better than today’s. I remember the title Alias Smith and Jones, but I must not have seen it because I don’t remember singing.
Fun collection this week, Glen. Thank you!
I read The Appeal by Janice Halley this week. It is an epistolary novel set in the world of an amateur dramatic society where a murder is committed. I really liked it. The book is all texts and emails with no actual dialog and yet you come to know the characters very well. Really well done and lots of fun to read.
I was curious as to whether or not you liked The Appeal when I saw you had read it, Eileen. I liked it, but I know another reader here just couldn’t get into it. It was well done, wasn’t it?