It was quite a week, wasn’t it? My Mom, my sister, Linda, and I went on vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia. We had a wonderful trip, easy drive and good weather. But, while we were there, Hurricane Ian hit Florida. The hardest hit areas were Lee and Charlotte Counties in Florida. I spent eighteen years living and working there, first in Charlotte County and then Lee County. I worked on Captiva Island, now completely cut off, for two years. I still have friends in both counties. My husband and I never had to deal with a hurricane while we lived on the Gulf Coast, and we moved to Arizona the week before Hurricane Charlie hit the coast. Ian hit the exact same spot. I’m waiting to hear from friends and the library director in Lee County as to how the libraries did. It’s obvious that even if the Captiva Library survived, it will be cut off from the mainland for at least a year. The Lee County Library System has libraries on Pine Island and Boca Grande. Some of the other libraries might have been hit hard. I really don’t know. I only know the county changed after Charlie, and, now, almost twenty years later, it’s never going to look as it did when I was there. People, including one of my high school classmates, have lost everything. Houses and possessions and jobs are gone. In a county so dependent on tourism, it’s hard to imagine how people will go on.
Our trip to Colonial Williamsburg was wonderful, almost perfect for people who love history. And, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is unbelievable. But, you don’t really come here to see photos of colonial buildings and art. Instead, I’ll share one of family at a local diner, Shorty’s. I love a good diner, don’t you? And, the people who ate here were locals. One of my friends from the mystery community, Aubrey Hamilton, drove down for lunch. Thanks to Aubrey for the friendship, and for taking the picture.
So, on to the real reason we’re all here – books. I’m reading a book that came out in the U.K. in 2021, and will be released next year
in the United States. It’s Death and Croissants by Ian Moore about an Englishman who owns a bed and breakfast in the Loire Valley. “Nothing ever happens to Richard, and really that’s the way he likes it. One day, however, one of his older guests disappears, leaving behind a bloody handprint on the wallpaper. Another guest, the enigmatic Valérie, persuades a reluctant Richard to join her in investigating the disappearance. Richard remains a dazed passenger in the case until things become really serious and someone murders Ava Gardner, one of his beloved hens … and you don’t mess with a fellow’s hens!” So far, it’s a light, humorous mystery, and I suspect it’s going to get funnier as I go along.
What about you? I know the weather hasn’t been the best on the East Coast. Sandie Herron, who reviews here, lives in Sarasota, and they just got their power back. Otherwise, she’s okay. I hope the rest of you are doing well. So, how are you? And, what are you reading?
Glad you had a great trip! No hurricanes here, thank goodness. The weather was cool last week, but suddenly is back up to the mid nineties. Just when we thought summer was finally over. Hoping for no major wildfires.
This week I read:
Dark Justice by Jack HIggins; It’s 2004, and there is a plot to kill The President. Sean Dillon walks around, talks about being Irish and occasionally kills people.
The Reverend Goes Home by Paul F. Winskye; A sort of cozy morphs into a novel featuring tracking. What a nice surprise!
Kill Me If You Can by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan collins; Right after Velda disappears, Mike is looking for her while descending into alcoholism. Also includes four short stories, including the origin of the MIke/Velda relationship. This is finally the last book in the series, I believe.
Bark of the Night by David Rosenfelt; His vet calls in Andy Carpenter when someone leaves a dog to be euthanized, but it doesn’t belong to him. The man who brought it in is a murder victim soon after. It’s all a conspiracy. That seems to be the trope for the series.
Lights, Camera, Murder by Nikki Haverstock; A hot mess female writer gets on a housewives style reality show. She begins to fall for the producer and there’s a murder. Told in she said/he said. I like her shooting range series a lot better.When did being a hot mess become “cool?”
Finally,
Five Moves of Doom by AJ Devlin; Devlin apparently doesn’t understand that the term Five Moves of Doom is a pejorative for cookie cutter matches. Jed is in a good place in his life with a nice girlfriend and discovering a sauce for his favorite banana milk shakes.Then he gets a case trying to recover a stolen championship belt for an MMA fighter. Jed gets bashed and goes down a spiral because he’s never lost a fight before. Who knew getting beaten up by 8 graders when I was in 4 grade was good for me? I felt bad for the girlfriend, but at least she wasn’t horribly killed like in a lot these sorts of novels. Never, ever try a Superman punch in real life. It looks good in movies, but in a real fight, it’s a good way to get yourself hurt.
I felt bad for the girlfriend, too, Glen, in Five Moves of Doom. Actually, I felt bad for many of the character sin this one, except Declan. Declan’s actually my favorite.
Glad you had such a fabulous trip.
It’s been close at work during the last week, so it’s been busy. But we closed the books today, and I think we’ve survived. We’ll see if there are any crises when I log in tomorrow.
I’m currently reading Tall Tales by James Riley. This is the second in his Once Upon Another Time series. Yes, it’s a middle grade fairy tale adjacent fantasy book. I’m about a third of the way through it, and so far, it’s lots of fun.
There’s nothing wrong with reading what you enjoy, Mark.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you at work!
I missed posting last week because I got my brother to stay with my mom so my boyfriend and I could spend a week driving around upstate New York and I just didn’t read anything while we were away. We did visit the library in Hyde Park so my boyfriend could read the paper. It was an interesting building. The front is an old house with a fireplace and lots of wood but the back half is block walls that are painted tan.
This week I read Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue. Another cozy mystery where someone inherits a relative’s shop and finds out that they have powers. But I liked the characters enough that I’d read the next book when it comes out.
The Accidental Queen by Kristen Painter is a variant of the sword in the stone tale. Instead of becoming the head of Camelot, whoever pulls the sword free becomes ruler of a Fae kingdom. Of course the person who frees the sword doesn’t even know the Fae exist.
And I’m currently reading Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep. It’s sort of. a sci-fi romance except I’m not sure that the main characters are ever going to fall in love even though they have a psychic bond.
Sandy, I never read anything either when I’m on vacation.
I really liked Steeped in Death. It’s one of my favorite beginnings to a new series recently.
Sounds like a great trip and yes, I love the diner. Most of our local diners have closed but we do still have one close to us. I knew you were in Florida for a long time but didn’t realize it was in that area. Yes, Lee County got crushed, and Pine Island is in bad shape too. They just reopened the bridge so people can get their stuff and evacuate. It;s bad. The first hurricane I remember in Florida was Andrew in 1992. We visited my in laws a few months later and the devastation was still apparent.
Books. I finished 93 short stories and TEN collections in September, the last being McSWEENEY’S MAMMOTH TREASURY OF THRILLING TALES. Currently reading three more short story collections, including Dan Chaon’s first collection, FITTING ENDS. Then there is Eric Ambler’s WAITING FOR ORDERS, mostly stories about Czech emigre Dr. Jan Czissar, who comes to England when WWII breaks out and “helps” Scotland Yard (much against their wishes) solve six murders. Ambler says he wrote these while waiting to be called up, as he didn’t think he’d have time to write another novel.
Lastly is the latest British Library Crime Classic edited by the indefatigable Martin Edwards, MURDER BY THE BOOK: Mystery for Bibliophiles, which certain includes everyone here. Ngaio Marsh, Michael Innes, John Creasey, Edmund Crispin and Christianna Brand are some of the authors he includes this time.
Mostly I have been busy reading Edwards’ mammoth 700 page THE LIFE OF CRIME: DETECTING THE HISTORY OF MYSTERIES AND THEIR CREATORS. I’ve been reading about mysteries nearly as long as I’ve been reading the mysteries themselves – since the mid-1970s at least – and I know a lot of the history of the field, and a lot of the books and authors he writes about so interestingly. By my count, I have read close to 100 of the books listed in his Bibliography. Yet I still learned plenty and added a number of books to my “want to read” list. What’s great about recent years is how a number of small publishers (mostly) have reprinted (mostly in trade paperback or e-book format) books that were previously unavailable for the most part. Highly recommended, though holding it to read is a problem!
Jackie finished her second Susan Kearney SF book, SOLAR HEAT, and is now reading a Patricia Briggs. I really hope I will have time now to get back to the mysteries since I finally got the Edwards book finished. I have TEN library books on the shelf now!
Yes, I lived on the Gulf Coast for that long, Jeff. We saw Homestead after Andrew hit, but we moved & didn’t even have television yet after Charlie, so I never saw all the devastation from that. This one hit me hard emotionally since I know that area so well.
I want to read The Life of Crime, but need to make it through October 20 first. I have 3 different deadlines on October 20!
You certainly have your reading cut out for you, Jeff, with ten library books waiting!
Yes, I toyed with asking for suggestions but everyone has such different tastes. I do have the new Thursday Murder Club book, the new Archer Mayor, Kate Atkinson’s new book, a Chris Offutt memoir, the new Allen Eskens, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE (which several people here didn’t like), the well reviewed Aussie first novel, DIRT CREEK, Tom Mead’s DEATH AND THE CONJUROR, and the two short story collections already mentioned.
Oh, and I have two library books (including the AMbler) on my Kindle!
Jeff, I am very interested in Eric Ambler’s WAITING FOR ORDERS. I may wait a while to get a copy since I already have too many short story books, but I had not heard about it until you mentioned it, so I am glad you did.
That is a very nice family photo! It has been a strange week, reading-wise. After a spell where all of my holds came in at once I didn’t have much teed up. The third Scholomance book (not a mystery) was very satisfying, and then the Mrs Claus recommendation came just in time. I just finished the third one yesterday. I haven’t decided what I’ll read next. Thanks, everyone, for all of the great suggestions!
Good luck on your next book, Trisha!
Thank you. I think it’s a nice family photo, too.
I think you’ll like it, Tracy. The first story is a standalone about anti-Nazi Germans, then he goes into the six stories about the doctor. I think (haven’t read them all yet) there are later stories too. I discovered the book through the Martin Edwards history of the genre.
I have enjoyed reading about your vacation and seeing the photos on Facebook, Lesa. So glad you had such a good trip.
One book to mention. Lost in Paris by Betty Webb which i was able to read thanks to NetGalley.
This from NetGalley:
“PARIS, 1922: Zoe Barlow knows the pain of loss. By the age of eighteen, she’d already lost her father to suicide, and her reputation to an ill-fated love affair—not to mention other losses, too devastating for words. Exiled from her home and her beloved younger sister by their stepmother, she was unceremoniously dumped in Paris without a friend to help her find her way.
Four years later, Zoe has forged a new life as a painter amidst fellow artists, expats, and revolutionary thinkers struggling to make sense of the world in the aftermath of war. She’s adopted this Lost Generation as her new family, so when her dear friend Hadley Hemingway loses a valise containing all of her husband Ernest’s writings, Zoe happily volunteers to track it down. But her search for the bag keeps leading to murder victims, and Zoe must again face hard losses—this time among her adopted tribe. If she persists in her reckless quest to find the killer, the next life lost may be her own.
Pulsing with the glamour and excitement of the Jazz Age, Lost in Paris explores a young woman’s journey to redeem herself from the heartaches of her past, while finding her way forward in tumultuous, unprecedented times.”
I enjoyed it and look forward to more in the series.
Zoe is an interesting, likeable protag. The storyline filled with names of interesting characters, both real and fictional.
Sounds very interesting, Kaye. Of course (and for those who don’t know), Hadley did leave her husband’s stories (his fault for having no copies, I’ve always thought) on a train, and they were never recovered.
Paula McLain also covered this event in her THE PARIS WIFE which was excellent. Betty’s book has a different, and quite interesting, theory about Hadley’s loss of the manuscripts.
I’m looking forward to reading this one, Kaye. I’m glad you liked the protagonist. That makes such a difference!
Honestly, i wasn’t too sure in the beginning. It felt like too many names being tossed at me within a very few paragraphs. I am glad i stuck with it.
Thank you for that, Kaye.
Good morning! It’s been a quiet week here, unfortunately capped by the passing yesterday of my younger son’s family’s cat Amos at age 17 of kidney and liver failure. He’s been declining for the past year or so but could still jump up on your lap and voice his cranky-sounding (but affectionate) growl/meow while pushing his head into your hand. The children have never known a life without Amos, so it will be an adjustment for them. And Amos was Zach and Melany’s first cat together, several years before they were married. Rest in peace, Amos. Here’s what I have been reading.
IN THE MIDDLE OF HICKORY LANE, the fourth of Heather Webber’s small-town standalones–all of which I have greatly enjoyed–features flawed but easy to-root-for characters and a modicum of magical realism. Emme and Cora Bee are young women who have moved to Sweetwater, Alabama separately to be near elderly Glory, who becomes an important grandmotherly figure in their lives. Emme left her mother as soon as she turned 18, trying to put the memory of an extremely difficult childhood behind her but not really succeeding. She’s agreed to assist Glory with her booth at a weekly open-air market and to help out in the town’s impressive neighborhood garden. Cora Bee is reeling from personal drama in her past as well, working as a designer and taking on other projects that present themselves. Both she and Emme have tragic secrets they would rather not share but, of course, all will be revealed. This is a story about learning to trust and letting others into your life. There’s a bit of a mystery when a body is found in the neighborhood garden and a little romance as well. All three women have their own paranormal skills–accurately assessing people they are meeting for the first time, seeing colors related to mood drifting around those in their vicinity, and seeing occasional visions in the garden’s gazing pool–but they don’t seem overdone. One thing that IS overdone, in my opinion, is the frequency and amount of tears shed by the two young women. But that doesn’t stop the story from being affecting and life-affirming, and the descriptions are wonderful.
If you’ve read any books in Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, you know that it is unlike any other detective series. It’s what you grab when the real world is overwhelming and you just want to sit down and have a cup of red bush tea with two ladies in Botswana who love to philosophize about anything and everything: the importance of courtesy, loving one’s neighbor, and brushing one’s teeth regularly; the price of ambition; longtime nemesis Violet Sephotho; and intelligent chairs vs. comfortable chairs (hence the title). Occasionally the women also quietly and creatively solve clients’ problems. In A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS, they help an old friend of Mma Makutsi’s with a difficult past when the woman’s teenaged son’s actions alienate her beau and threaten to leave them both homeless. Mma Ramotswe also tries to come up with a way to save Mma Makutsi’s husband’s furniture store in the face of some new competition. If all of this sounds not exactly exciting, it’s not meant to be. But it is utterly charming.
While I can’t say I related to any of the protagonists of Deanna Raybourn’s KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE (they are trained assassins and I’m . . . not), I CAN report that I found their story quite entertaining. Four young women were recruited to a (fictional) clandestine organization and trained together in the all-female Phoenix Project, with the main objective of “neutralizing” World War II Nazis and returning the artwork they stole to their rightful owners. Billie, who was recruited after being arrested during a protest, narrates the book, with the action occurring mostly after all four retire from their 40-year career. A few chapters, however, look back at some of the team’s adventures in the late 1970s/early 1980s. What I found most interesting is the creativity and skillfulness of each of the women, who somehow function in an impossible job with determination and, yes, humor. But I don’t want to leave out their tech expert, Minka (think: Q in the Bond movies), who is always ready with any equipment they need. My absolute favorite is the program she writes to connect them with each other on their burner cell phones. I don’t want to spoil it, but it involves cats and female health issues. Hilarious and so unexpected! I also enjoyed reading about Akiko, wife of one of the women, who has to cope with learning that her wife isn’t a spy, but a killer. As for the other characters, it’s excruciating to try to figure out who is on the women’s side when they learn that there is a contract out on them for spurious reasons. It’s very well written, and it couldn’t be more different from Raybourn’s excellent Veronica Speedwell Mysteries. If there’s a sequel, I would like to read more about the other three women–Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie–how each was recruited and what they add to the team.
I also re-read Rhys Bowen’s ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS for a book club, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time. Yesterday I started wading through Robert Galbraith’s THE INK BLACK HEART. When I say wading . . . it’s 1,000+ pages! Wish me luck.
How do you recruit people to be assassins? It would be interesting if Raybourn continues the series, but I’m just as content if she doesn’t.
Margie, I’m so sorry about the loss of Amos. It’s so hard to lose a beloved cat, but one that has been such an essential part of life is even more difficult. I’m sorry.
I am reading “Round Up The Usual Peacocks” a Meg Langslow mystery. Meg is trying to get ready for her brother’s wedding as the reception is at her farm. Her nephew asks her to help find the person who tried to run down his fellow podcaster. They have a podcast about cold cases. Very funny and a delightful cast of characters.
Lynn, I’m glad you enjoyed the Meg Langslow mystery. My youngest sister loves that series.
Glad you had a good vacation, Lesa. Nice to have a photo memory with your family of it.
Only two books this week. A Call for Kelp by Bree Baker involves making a documentary of honeybees. The retired actress hired to do the narration is found murdered. I figured this out early, but I read them for the setting and the characters.
Next, I read The Magic of the Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Larsen. Lolly has put her life on hold to help raise her much younger sister and run the family diner. Her eccentric Aunt Gertrude gives her the gift of 3 lemon drops with magical powers that enables her to relive one thing in her life over. I thought this one was good too. It reminded me of reading Debbie Macomber with a touch of magical realism.
Happy Reading!
Two good books, Sharon. And, I agree with you. I guessed A Call for Kelp as well.
Glad your trip was fun. Love diners and their comfort food. Your mom used to take me to little places like cozy’s too. Thinking of Milan, Ohio for one. Reading The Guilty Mother. Pretty good. Recently read Lessons in Chemistry. Loved that for all it wasn’t! It was not full of sex or soppy romance, no mystery either..relief read😂
Linda and Kelly loved Lessons in Chemistry, too, Carol Jeanne. I have to get around to it eventually.
Those little places are fun, aren’t they?
Hi Lesa and everyone,
Apologies for my absence last week – we didn’t have internet in our house in Edinburgh for several days, owing to miscommunication between my daughter and my son as to when the old provider was to be switched off and the new one started. I used up the allowance on my phone on day one! It’s sorted now.
So I was in Edinburgh last week, and went to see The Book of Mormon at the Playhouse Theatre. Unfortunately we didn’t have very good seats – it was packed, and we were way back in the stalls, underneath the floor of the Dress Circle. It’s a very old building, and the acoustics are dreadful, so I think I missed quite a few of the jokes (as did many people around me, but the people nearer the front were laughing!) – it was also too far away for me to pick up on some of the visual jokes too – but what I did see was good! I felt the show was well done, and the story good, I just wish I’d been able to hear/see more of it.
The rest of the week was taken up with seeing friends, the dentist, etc.
On Friday, back up here, my friend Nancy and I went to see the Scottish Ballet’s new production of Coppelia. It is a very modern interpretation of the story, all about artificial intelligence, androids, and whether a robot can be made human. And if they can – just what is a human? The lead male dancer was chaneling either Ellon Musk or Steve Jobs, I’m not sure which; he was fantastic, so much energy and such amazing dancing. In fact every single member of the cast was exceptional. The dance combined classical ballet, disco and even a TikTok reel; the set was minimalist and very well designed, and they also used live stream video to great effect. Coincidentally I bumped into a friend there who is the owner of a local dance school, and she said it was the best thing she had seen from Scottish Ballet for years.
On Saturday David and I went for a walk at Balmedie beach, north of Aberdeen. It is a very long stretch of yellow sands, with great views of the city, the sea, and those wind farms that upset Donald Trump so much. We glimpsed views of his golf course through the dunes, and have to admit we were pleased to see absolutely nobody playing on it. The development of that course destroyed so much valuable habitat, and forced people who had lived there for decades to move. It was a very bitter fight, and Aberdonians have not forgotten it. Anyway, it was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the walk.
On Tuesday I had a meeting with the marketing manager and the shop manager at the Aberdeen Art Gallery. I am going to start writing for their website and/or their blog, mostly about the books they are now stocking – they have recently created a lovely little bookshop area on the top floor, beside one of the cafes. I thought when I first saw it that it was just like the one in the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh – and now I know that Matthew, the manager, previously worked at the Fruitmarket for seven years. He has done a good job, Aberdeen is lucky to have him.
Books – I finished Lynn Gardner’s A CURIOUS CAREER – it was great. She talks about how she first started writing ‘celebrity’ interviews for the Sunday supplements, how she tries to draw people out with unusual questions, and which interviewees she likes (pop stars and artists) and doesn’t like (actors and sports people.) She also gives some very entertaining examples – eg Marianne Faithful (completely bonkers), Tracey Emin (fiercely intelligent and actually very nice), Rafa Nadal (awful), Shane McGowan (surprisingly sane), Martin Clunes (horrible). As you might expect, she’s a very good writer, so the book is easy to read, and I found it compulsive. I’ve now bought another of her books, DEMON BARBER, which is a collection of some of her interviews.
I also read DEAD DROP, Claire MacLeary’s latest Harcus & Laird detective novel, set in Aberdeen. I enjoyed it well enough, but felt she gave us far too much information about the city – these things should be worked lightly into the plot (Ian Rankin does this so well) and not just served up in big chunks of tourist board spiel. I found myself saying ‘enough! Get on with the story!’ The story itself involves a missing 9 year old, the suicide of a cross dresser, and the body of a Vietnamese girl washed up on the shore. I felt that the author was trying to shoehorn too many ‘issues’ into this one.
Our twice yearly online ‘book club’ read starts on 24th October – this time the year that has been chosen is 1929. I have unearthed a stack of books published that year, but I think I am going to have to stick to the short ones as I am just too busy to get through any huge tomes. So I will probably read MORE OF MILLY-MOLLY-MANDY by Joyce Lankester, EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES by Eric Kastner, and A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN by Virginia Woolf, which I almost finished last year and then must have been distracted by something or other and did not finish. I did read it originally as a teenager – I think my reaction to it will be very different after all these years. Some people seem to fly through 6 or 7 books for these reading weeks – I don’t know how they do it.
On television I want to start the second series of THE CAPTURE but I’m still waiting for David to find the time to join me. I haven’t found much else to watch lately – I’m still following the new series of the GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF but I do think it’s more fun if you can watch it with someone else. On which point, it seems that the next EUROVISION SONG CONTEST will be held either in Liverpool or Glasgow – and Glasgow is the likely choice. My younger daughter, who lives there, absolutely loves this event (it has cult status amongst students and The Young) but she said she would not try to get a ticket to see it live, and thinks they will have much more fun going to a local pub and watching it on television. Either way, if Glasgow is the location, it will be a big night out for many.
I had to stop writing this to meet another friend for a walk. We climbed Scolty, a hill just on the outskirts of Banchory (a large village further along Deeside) – the wind at the top was ferocious, but the views were fabulous – hills, farmland, rivers, all looking spectacular in autumn. Then we went to a café for tea and Dundee slice – lovely.
So I will stop for now. Have a great week everyone!
Welcome back, Rosemary! I wasn’t here last week, either. Off with my Mom and one of my sisters. I know everyone missed you, though.
I agree with your daughter. She’d probably have more fun at a pub watching the Eurovision Song Contest.
I laughed when I read your comment about Trump’s golf course. Happy to hear there was no one on it. He doesn’t care one bit about people or the environment.
Have fun with your new promotion gig for the Aberdeen Art Gallery. Sounds as if it’s right up your alley.
Hugs, and welcome back!
Lesa – sorry, I posted this without reading your message at the top – I am so sorry to hear of all the devastation in Florida, it’s hard for us to imagine the force of these storms. I do hope all of your friends are safe.
That’s okay, Rosemary. As far as I know, everyone is safe. I haven’t heard otherwise. Thank you.
Your trip last week sounds very good, and I am glad you are back. That is a great photo. Let us know what you find out about the library system in Lee County. All of my family that live in Florida or did in the past are near Panama City or Pensacola, so not affected that much by this hurricane but have been affected by previous ones.
I saw that Glen mentioned A. J. Devlin’s FIVE MOVES OF DOOM, and that you had reviewed it also. I just recently read a review of that book at Mysteries and More in Saskatchewan, a blog I have been following since I started blogging in 2012. I guess I am going to have to get a copy of the first book, since it is set in Canada.
The first book I finished in October was THE SOUVENIR MUSEUM, a short story book by Elizabeth McCracken. I had very mixed reactions to the stories in that book. I loved the first two stories in the book, but of the remaining ten stories I only really liked one of them, although a few of the stories were linked, about the same two characters at different time in their life together, and that was interesting. This was my first time reading this author, I will try more books by her.
I finished SENSE AND SENSIBILITY last night. As far as I know this is the first time I read it, although it is always possible I read it when I was very young and don’t remember it. I haven’t decided exactly what I think of it, but for sure it is not my favorite by Jane Austen. I read all of the other books by Jane Austen in 2017, and I think my conclusion was that PERSUASION and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE were my favorites at that time.
I started reading ANNA KARENINA in mid-September and am maybe 40% of the way into it. Reading it very slowly, so don’t know if I will even finish it in October.
And that is about it.
Thank you, Tracy. It was a wonderful family trip. I love that we do that every year that we can.
I’m going to admit that I tried one Elizabeth McCracken because it featured a librarian. I think it went on to win awards, but it just wasn’t for me.
I do love Pride and Prejudice, though!
I am currently reading All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers on audio. In print it’s Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette. Glad you had a great trip with mom!
Thanks, Katherine. I have a friend who read All Good People Here, and wants to talk about the ending. I haven’t read it yet.
Lesa, one of the big reasons we were happy to retire out of Florida and move to Colorado was hurricanes. We were there during Andrew and a couple of others. I hated hurricane season. Looks like you had a lovely trip! Aren’t you glad you weren’t headed to Florida?
Anyway, I’ve too many books in my library stack and my new purchases and wins so each selection is now a big production. However, I’ve settled on The Match by Harlan Coben and it’s off to a great start.
Oh, I don’t read much Harlan Coben, Patricia, but I like that series. Love the judge!
Yes, glad we weren’t heading to Florida, and glad I’m not there any longer. I never went through an actual hurricane, but dreaded the season every year.
Lesa, I’m so glad that you and your sisters and your mother had such a lovely trip. Williamsburg is such a peaceful spot. I went out of town overnight for the first time in three years this past week. Husband and I visited his sister in Louisville and saw her new grandson. Then we went to Lexington the next day and took our son Kevin to lunch. Two of my best friends live at Fort Myers Beach, about 200 ft. from the ocean. I wasn’t worried about them because I knew it was there time to be in Kentucky. Well, my friend Barbie called me Thursday night and she was on her way to Florida. Bob had gone down to their place at Fort Myers Beach with his sister to secure their properties. Bob wanted to leave, but his sister Marti didn’t, so he stayed and helped her. He ended up jumping from his house that was collapsing in the 16-18 ft. surges and 150+ winds into the water. He was slammed into a tree which he clung to for four hours, and then he was able to wade through waist-high water looking for his sister, who lived across the street and whose house he had watched come apart while he clung to the tree. He made his way to a house that was still standing and spent the night in a garage, then made his way to medical help the next day. He was okay, scratches and bruises, but his sister has still not been found. It doesn’t look good for her.
Now, reading is going well. I finished and reviewed Terry Shames’ new Samuel Craddock mystery, Murder at the Jubilee Rally. Thanks to The Rap Sheet for including my review in their Revue of Reviewers, and congratulations to you, Lesa, for making it in their list, too. I do love the Samuel Craddock series and was so happy there was a new one to read after an absence of three years. I’m now reading an advanced copy of Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths, a new Harbinder Kaur book, and it is, of course, wonderful. Elly is putting her Ruth Galloway series on hiatus (hopefully not a permanent goodbye) after the next book that comes out in 2023. I hate to see this happen, but I do understand that it might be time and that Elly has lots of other projects to keep her busy. I’m also reading Marple: Twelve New Mysteries a chapter every couple of days. Twelve authors, such as Elly Griffiths and Val McDermid, give readers a new Miss Marple story. I’ve read three so far and enjoyed each one. I have so many books I need to fit into the rest of the year, I think I’ll have to go hide somewhere and do nothing but read.
Oh, my gosh, Kathy! Your poor friend, Bob. That’s going to haunt him forever. I can’t even imagine that tragedy. I’m so sorry.
I loved Terry Shames’ Murder at the Jubilee Rally. Terrific, wasn’t it? And, congratulations on The Rap Sheet picking up your review!
I need to hide out and read for the next couple weeks. I need some time!
Lesa, I don’t know how you live through something so horrific and it doesn’t change you, so I expect it will have quite a lasting effect. I’m like a little kid when I get in The Rap Sheet; it tickles me pink. Oh, and I was telling someone earlier today that I need to take to my bed for month and just read. Hahaha!
Kathy, what a chilling story about your friends in Florida! What a horrible disaster, so sorry to hear that. I am looking forward to Bleeding Heart Yard, although NetGalley/Mariner Books declined my request pretty quickly. I haven’t found it in the library catalog yet, but I’ll keep looking. I really enjoy that series.
I’m so late today, but our internet service was out again today. I just wanted to let everyone know that we are ok following loads of wind and rain, no power for six days, no internet for four. I’ve been listening to theJulie Hyzy White House chef series, which I’ve already read twice. But now I understand the concept of comfort reads, and I’m in book 3 already.
I’m sorry that so much of what you loved in Lee county is changed, sometimes obliterated, Lesa. It’s such a sad sight, the photos and stories coming from south Florida.
I’m getting more and more concerned about nuclear news out of Russia-Ukraine, but trying to focus on work and reading while having my bag packed. I’m reading Vintage Murder, a Ngaio Marsh, for the Sheddunit book club and I hope to start Light on Bone this weekend: been looking forward to this one since your review!