I hope everyone is doing okay this week – that tornadoes and volcanoes have avoided you. It’s been a quiet week here, and I’ll take that. We’re supposed to have 50s through the weekend. That makes me happy because it means one more week without snow.
This week, library staff had our monthly book chat for a genre study. The subject was romance. I had a hard time finding the right book. I do read romances, but I’m picky. If it’s a contemporary one, I want it to be witty. If it’s a historical one, I expect good sex. And, I’m always a fan of the Beauty and the Beast trope. We discussed that as well. One of the librarians mentioned she enjoys the Groundhog Day trope in romances. Another one likes Cinderella. I wasn’t too far into Jenny Holiday’s Duke, Actually when I realized I read it last year when it came out. That’s okay. It meets more than one criteria for me. It’s a witty contemporary romance with sex. Part of the book is set in New York City at Christmas. It’s sort of a fairy tale because Max von Hansburg is a baron in the imaginary kingdom of Eldovia. Duke, Actually is the second in a trilogy set in Eldovia, following A Princess for Christmas. In the discussion yesterday, I referred to it as a Hallmark movie with sex.
Anyways, although I’m still reading Steeped in Secrets from last week, I had to set that one aside to read for the genre study. What about you? What are you reading this week?
We’re expecting a storm, but nothing too major. Last week was pretty nice, but we need rain.
This week I read: Backyard Starship by JN Chaney; A guy inherits his grandfather’s farm with, you guessed it, a starship in the barn. It’s no Princess of mars or Flash Gordon, but pretty good. The hero is a little more morally flexible than many.
The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston; Preston goes on an expedition to find a fabled lost city. He does find it. Then he comes back home with a parasite that wrecks the health of everyone on the expedition. It’s like a disease of the week movie from the 80’s tacked on the end of a National Geographic special.
Triple play by Max Allan Collins; Three novellas with Nate Heller. I guess I just buy into the Marilyn Monroe myth as much as Mr. Collins. I’m more of an Audrey Hepburn fan, myself.
Bigfoot: The Vietnam Defensive Declassified by Gayne C. Young; A lot like predator, as a squad of GI’s in Vietnam go on a retrieval mission. They find a whole colony of Bangutut, the Vietnamese Bigfoot, who like to bite off people’s faces. I’ve been a Bigfoot fan for my whole life, but I’d never heard of this Vietnamese Bigfoot until a couple of years ago.
Glen, I’ll have to send the information about Bangutut to a friend of mine who even wrote an article about Bigfoot for a magazine.
We should be getting some rain on Thursday, although they’ve downgraded how much rain we will get and how long it will last. I’ll still probably skip my run today as a result. I’m debating about making it up on Friday. But we’ll see. I don’t have to decide yet, right?
I’m between books again at the moment – reading some Christmas books. Tonight, I finished a non-fiction book – CHRISTMAS PAST by Brian Earl. Brian hosts a podcast that I haven’t actually listened to, and this book is a written form of some of the episodes. It goes into Christmas traditions, past and present, and explains where they come from and when they died out, if they did. It was pretty interesting, and as a Christmas lover, I enjoyed it.
Next up will be COZY UP TO CHRISTMAS by Colin Conway. The series is rather ridiculous, but I do want to know what is going to happen to the main character, who is in witness protection, but still on the run from his old life. I get the ebooks on sale, so I don’t feel too badly about buying and reading them since I’m not spending that much on them.
You’re right,, Mark. You don’t have to make that Friday decision yet today.
I always love Christmas, but some years I have a harder time getting into the spirit of decorating and Christmas cards than I do other years. I like the looks and feeling afterwards, but this year is just one of those years.
Mark, I so want to get in a Christmas read. Actually I’d like to get in more than one, but I am desperately trying to finish up some reading I need to review before the end of the year. The non-fiction book sounds like my cup of tea. I’ll be looking it up.
Good morning. We had rain yesterday and we’re supposed to get high winds afterward. The wind wasn’t too bad last night so hopefully it’ll be about the same today until the front finishes moving through.
I read Wrapped Up In Christmas by Kristen Painter. A paranormal mystery set in the fictional town of Nocturne Falls, where everyday is Halloween, in which someone is unwrapping people’s presents, leaving them but taking the paper. It’s a fun read with winter elves, werewolves and talking cats.
The Seventh Key by Michelle M Pillow. An entertaining paranormal romance about a woman who escaped from a serial killer and finds help recovering from her ordeal from a group of women with psychic powers. It’s an ongoing series, each book featuring a different woman who needs help and becomes part of the group
Sounds as if it’s been a rainy week for people. Wrapped Up in Christmas sounds fun, Sandy. I’m reading a new one with paranormal elements right now, Steeped in Secrets. Review on Saturday, I’m thinking.
Another one here awaiting the storm. Forecast was for rain & snow to start during the wee hours of the morning, but just wind so far. I’m on the east side of the Sierra so typically less precipitation.
I’ve been reading some of the books I missed in the Cork O’Connor series. Just finished NORTHWEST ANGLE from 2011 (#11 and might be my favorite in the series), but while checking the library shelf, I came across a paperback with an unfamiliar title. From 2003, THE DEVIL’S BED
Seems William Kent Krueger wrote a political thriller!(published after the third Cork O’Connor book). With her husband up for re-election, First Lady Kate Dixon returns home to care for her father. Secret Service agent Bo Thorsen, suspects that Kate has been targeted by escaped mental patient David Moses and by “dark forces”. Krueger is such a good writer and it was an engaging story, but I’m glad he decided to continue with the O’Connor series if just for the setting. He did bring back Agent Bo Thorsen in Desolation Mountain, but I haven’t read that yet.
Another series I’m reading through, BLACK DIAMOND by Martin Walker, the third book in the Bruno Chief of Police series in the French countryside. Attacks on local Vietnamese vendors and an increase in black-market ingredients that threaten the lucrative truffle trade, the case takes a more personal turn when one of Bruno’s hunting partners, a former high-profile intelligence agent, is murdered. The author tells such an interesting story, the murder seemed almost incidental. Delightful series.
Someday, MM, I need to get around to the Bruno Chief of Police series. I think I’d like it.
Good luck with the storm! I hope you get whatever precipitation you need!
Read a good English mystery – The Couple at Number 9 by C. Douglas – highly recommend – I did figure out what was going on towards the end but it was definitely a good read. We had our rain/wind yesterday so we are clear for the rest of the weekend.
I love a good English mystery, Donna. Thank you!
By the way what happened to Rosemary as I always like to hear about things in Scotland?
I do, too, Donna. I’m sure she’ll be back. She told me there were some family issues right now.
Thanks Donna, I just put it on hold at the library.
Thanks Donna. I enjoy a good English mystery and while the actual book at the library had a holds list, the ebook was available immediately. Good way to spend a cold snowy day
Good morning! I’ve just started another Karen Cleveland thriller, Keep You Close. I like her stories for the twists and turns to the plot involving FBI or CIA and spies. Years (many years) ago I was hooked on spy novels and didn’t read anything else. Maybe I’m going there again. 😀
Isn’t it interesting, Patricia, how our reading tastes change over the years? And, many of us seem to end up where we were at an earlier time of life. I’ve never been into spy novels, but give me a good police procedural any day.
It looks like a lot of people are reading Christmas-related books this week. I’ve read some over the years (REST YOU MERRY by Charlotte MacLeod was a good one), but not this year. We did have a warm rainy day yesterday but today is dry and sunny and much colder. As long as it doesn’t snow before January 5 (when we leave for Florida), I’m happy.
Books. Jackie read Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz)’s SWEETWATER AND THE WITCH, which she enjoyed a lot, particularly for the humor. She is reading a Chloe Neill book now and J. D. Robb is next.
WAITING FOR NOTHING. I discussed this last time. Finished it last Friday If you want a downbeat short novel of what it was really like for a guy out of work and down on his luck during the Depression, this is it.
BABE IN PARADISE by Marisa Silver. Her first collection of stories, set in Southern California. Three of them feature the eponymous Babe. I did like it well enough to read her second collection.
AMONG THE MISSING by Dan Chaon. His second collection is, to me, much better than his first. Most of the stories are set in his native Nebraska.
PAY DIRT Road. Samantha Jayne Allen. This first novel won the Tony Hillerman Prize, and I’ve been giving it a lot of thought as to why I didn’t like it better than I did. I thought the beginning was very strong, excellent sense of place, very FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS in small town Texas. The protagonist, ANnie McIntyre, is a recent college graduate who moved back to her home town (where her grandfather is a former Sheriff). While she decides what to do with her life she is a waitress at the cafe, and when her friend and fellow waitress goes missing, she wants to find out what happened to her. (Her grandfather and his partner are now private detectives.) But…for me something went wrong along the way. Too many poorly delineated characters it was hard to keep apart, too mcuh “had I but known” behavior, just maybe a loss of focus. There was no doubt she would guess the wrong killer and be in jeopardy, just as there was no doubt she would escape with her life. As a friend often says about a book, good but not great. I hope the next one will be better, and maybe you’ll like it better than I did. Three out of five stars on AMazon.
Up next, the new Michael Connelly.
I think you’re right about Pay Dirt Road, Jeff. It seemed to go off the tracks partway through the book. And, I liked the beginning much more than the rest of the book, but, by then, I was hooked.
I’ll be interested to see what you think of the new Michael Connelly. A couple people, including Kevin Tipple, had problems with that one.
Oh, I loved Rest You Merry! One of the best Christmas mysteries I ever read. In fact, I read it several times.
Jackie said she had a long conversation with the late Charlotte MacLeod about teaching grammar and punctuation in schools. Needless to say (probably), both were in favor of it.
I would hope so!
Well, I just started the Connelly, but so far, so good. I love Michael Connelly’s writing (only two of his books have disappointed me) and I am not expecting this one to be an exception.
The sun is shining at my house after a cold Wednesday.
This week I read Partners in Lime by Bree Baker. It was not my favorite of the series. Everly is trying to clear the name of the EMT she briefly dated while on a break from Grady. The whole plot seemed rather weak and forced, but I am looking forward to my final visit to Charm with the next book.
I loved Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath, the second in the Merriwell Sisters trilogy. Diana and Giles Sinclair usually barely tolerate each other but when Giles’ father ends up dead, he is concerned the truth about his parentage will come out. He enlists Diana to help him find out the truth as their true feeling for each come to fruition. I found this funny and smart and sexy. I loved the fact that Diana was not this vapid helpless heroine.
My favorite book of the week was How to Marry the Ketchups by Jennifer Close. It was the story of the Sullivans running the family restaurant in Chicago. They are loud and messy with lots of drama and love. The title is taken from how restaurants used to combine partially empty ketchup bottles. And despite it taking place when the Cubs won the World Series over my beloved Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), I pretty much read this quickly as I was so invested in the characters.
Happy Reading!
Sharon, I really like the sound of How to Marry the Ketchups. And, although I know where the Guardians got their name, I still don’t like it. And, I like the sound of Never Rescue a Rogue.
I didn’t read Partners in Lime. I liked all the earlier books in the series, but I may just skip that one so I can read the final book and find closure.
Happy Reading to you, too!
I’m just opening one of my favorite Christmas books for a re-read.
Perfect for Eloise fans like me.
A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes.
“There’s plenty to love in this sparkling Christmas rom-com.”—Publishers Weekly
A magical holiday love story set at the glamorous Plaza Hotel in New York City.
It’s Christmas week when 26-year-old Sabrina Post knocks on the door of the Vanderbilt suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, ready to accept the ghostwriting position for the memoir of Grayson Westcott—a famous art dealer.
A struggling journalist, Sabrina can’t believe her luck: a paycheck and six nights in her own suite at the Plaza. She feels like Eloise, the heroine from her favorite children’s books. To make the job even more exciting, Grayson recounts how he worked as a butler at the Plaza sixty years ago for none other than the author of the Eloise books, Kay Thompson.
What promises to be a perfect week is complicated when Sabrina meets Ian Wentworth, a handsome British visitor, at the hotel bar. When Ian assumes Sabrina is another wealthy guest at the hotel, she doesn’t correct him —a decision she doesn’t regret after learning that Ian is a member of the British aristocracy. But, things are not what they seem. The truth is: Ian is not a wealthy lord; he’s actually the personal secretary of Lord Spencer Braxton.
As the week unfolds, will Sabrina and Ian learn the truth about one another?
Filled with the magic that can only be found at the Plaza Hotel during the holidays, and revealing facts about the author of the Eloise books, Anita Hughes’s A Magical New York Christmas is both a holiday treat and a heartwarming story that reminds us that falling in love is the greatest miracle of all.”
Oh, I remember that book, Kaye! I agree with you. It’s delightful. And, I can certainly see why it’s one of your favorite Christmas books!
Hello, everyone! Along with Glen, our part of California is getting strong winds and rain today, so no walking for me. In fact, I plan to stay indoors all day. We should have a respite from rain tomorrow, then more in the following days. As Glen said, we always need it! It’s been a pretty quiet week. My son had outpatient surgery yesterday related to his dialysis, and it went fine. I’m getting ready for our second Thanksgiving dinner with immediate family on Sunday, as I didn’t get to use my turkey breast when we went elsewhere for Thanksgiving. I did read one book that was somewhat Christmas-adjacent, and I have another one on my shelf, but right now I’m reading the second in Nora Roberts’ dragon trilogy to prepare for whenever I get the third and last from the library (I’m in the queue).
My first read of the week was an ARC of NO LIFE FOR A LADY by debut author Hannah Dolby, and it was a winner! Violet Hamilton, a 28-year-old “spinster” living in a seaside town in England during the late Victorian era, is one of the most delightful characters I have encountered in a long time. Keeping house for her stolid banker father and unwilling to accept any man as a potential husband, Violet looks for something to make her life meaningful. Obsessed with finding out what happened to her beautiful mother, who disappeared 10 years ago, she decides to engage a local private detective, Frank Knight, to find her. But when Knight uncovers some unsavory details and is not as discreet as she demands, Violet approaches another detective who seems more suitable. Unfortunately, Benjamin Blackthorn has decided to become a furniture salesman rather than follow in his late father’s detective footsteps and is reluctant to help Violet. But he hasn’t reckoned with her determination and persistence–no shrinking Violet here! Narrating her own story, Violet reveals in the most entertaining (often hilarious) fashion her unshakeable character, her desires and eccentricities, and her shocking lack of knowledge about certain things. Supporting characters are also well drawn and memorable. This is a fun, charming book, and there is certainly enough going on in Violet’s tumultuous life by the end of the story to fuel a sequel. Here’s hoping! (March)
LOYALTY, Lisa Scottoline’s standalone, is full of memorable Sicilian characters: the power-hungry identical twins who will go to any lengths to be the “top boss” of Palermo; the kidnapped little boy who grows up in a madhouse and the lawyer who forfeits everything to identify and find him; the girl whose light skin causes everyone in Palermo to shun her; and the humble man who, with the help of his four goat “daughters,” produces cheese that is widely reputed to cure all ills. Scottoline has done her research and, in this book, fictionalizes the birth of the Mafia in Sicily. She also writes legal thrillers and, with her daughter, books of witty essays on everyday life, all of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, the subject matter, the brutality, the melodrama, and the straightforward narration made Loyalty the wrong book at the wrong time for me. However, it may be just the right book for aficionados of historical fiction. (March)
Although there are some romantic elements, Viola Shipman’s A WISH FOR WINTER is more about one 40-year-old woman’s attempts to come to terms with loss, grief, and forgiveness. Susan was named for the little girl in Miracle on 34th Street, and both her mother and grandmother had met their perfect match in men wearing Santa suits. The whole family kept up extended Christmas traditions, both at home and at their family bookshop. But Susan’s parents were killed by a drunk driver when she was 14, and although her grandparents have been just as loving and supportive, she has shied away from lasting romantic relationships out of fear of losing someone else important in her life. I loved Susan’s cadre of wonderful, whimsical friends and their attempts to help her break out of her loneliness. The book is also filled with flashes of humor, descriptions of local color and history related to Chicago and a resort town in Michigan, musings on how authors operate, and occasional references to spirituality and religion. My only reservation is that the first (more than) one-half of the book is repetitive and slow, making the book longer than it needed to be. Things don’t really get moving until well into the last half of the book. Nevertheless, I found it worth my reading time.
I think my mother picked up A Wish for Winter just recently at the library, Margie. I’ll have to ask her what she thought of the book. I don’t appreciate repetitive and slow. I’m reading a book for review right now that is repetitive and slow. The author said she was ill when she wrote it, and so it’s just not up to standards.
No Life for a Library sounds interesting, though.
And, Happy Thanksgiving a second time around!
I have given up on decorating. And now with postage going up, I am not sure about sending out but two or three cards, only to the people who send them each year,
Oh, Carolee. Sometimes, it just isn’t the right year for decorations. Take care of yourself.
I’m finishing The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin. Then I’ll start on Christmas books including Mary Kay Andrews, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Elin Hildebrand.
A friend of mine read The Librarian Spy, and liked it. I hope you’re enjoying it, Mary Ann.
Almost finished with Anne Taylor’s A Spool of Blue Thread. I love her family stories, O always think of my own when I read them.
Started a long book, Walking With The Wind, Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis. I am savoring his book, I have found many things in common with him that have surprised me like his love for chickens when he raised them, love of books, sadly he wanted a library card but was denied it because he was black. I never had that bad experience and I am truly grateful.
It is surprising, sometimes, what we learn from books about other people.
Hi Lesa!
I am currently reading Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz and the Book Haters’ Book Club by Gretchen Anthony. I am listening to the audiobook of The Family by Naomi Krupitsky.
Hi Katherine! I have Twist of a Knife on a pile, but I’m not sure when I’ll get to it. I hope you’re enjoying it!
I recently read three very good mysteries. The first was Wrong Place, Wrong Time, by Gillian McAllister, with a sort of time travel element to it. I wasn’t too sure about it but once started could not put it down.
Next up was the newest Elly Griffiths mystery, Bleeding Heart Yard. This book features a young Muslim DI Harbinder Kaur. It’s the third book in the series and I feels it’s the best yet.
The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh was another great read for me. It’s a mystery with a twist of psychological suspense. It takes place on the border of England and Wales creating some interesting tension between two police forces.
And…with good reading often comes so so reading. I am currently listening to Remarkable Creatures and while the reviews for this book are great I am just not feeling it. I am struggling to care about the characters. Since I’ve downloaded it from the library I may as well finish it. Who knows, maybe I’ll like it by the end.
Finishing up my so so was Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I finally stopped about a third of the way through. For a book that my friends swore was not really about gaming I found the whole thing to be about gaming which holds no interest for me. I’m glad so many others liked it though.
Lots of interesting suggestions today to add to my TBR pile. Right in time for the holidays. Sigh.
I know, Susan! So many good books when we all have so many other things going on.
I have a copy of Remarkable Creatures, and I’ve seen all kinds of positive reviews, but I just haven’t read it yet. I did read The Last Party, and enjoyed it, though.
Susan, I loved Bleeding Heart Yard, the third novel of Elly Griffiths’ featuring Harbinder Kaur. Of course, Lesa can tell you that I love everything Elly Griffiths writes, including her Justice Jones children’s series. I met Elly, who is actually Dominica de Rosa, ten years ago, and she is just as wonderful as her books. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I haven’t read it yet, but I love Gabrielle Zevin’s books. This book is on quite a few Favorite Reads lists I’ve seen, so I was hoping it was more than about gaming, too. Oh, and I’m a fan of Clare MacKintosh, too. I’m hoping to get The Last Party read before the end of the year. Have you read I Let You Go by MacKintosh? It’s my favorite big twist read.
I literally gasped at the twist midway through I Let You Go. I think that was her debut novel. Hope you like Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I have enjoyed several other books by the author but just couldn’t get into this one. I too love all of Elly Griffith’s books. Thanks to your positive reviews I ordered the Justice Jones books and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Susan, you have made my day by telling me you ordered the Justice Jones books because of my reviews. I’m so glad you enjoyed them, too.
My only excuse for being late today is that I had a hard time getting started. No trip out today for a walk or groceries, etc. My husband and I both went to the doctor yesterday for our Annual Wellness visits, and we are mostly healthy, for our advancing age. My husband’s blood pressure measurement is not what it should be and we are watching that. My blood pressure and cholesterol is always very good. We have had a bit of rain here today in Santa Barbara. And are expecting more later. If we get it, it will be welcome.
That was an interesting discussion of romance novels. I have never been able to truly get into romances. I don’t know why that is, because I love a happy ending. I have read a few Georgette Heyer Regency romances (and some of her mysteries) and enjoyed them. Some classics that are romances, I guess. (No sex though.) I read CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan which I enjoyed, but never read the sequels.
I finished two books in the last week. The first was SOME TAME GAZELLE by Barbara Pym. My first experience with Barbara Pym and it was very interesting. The book is about two sisters, never married, living together in a small town in the UK. Totally outside of my normal reading, but I have been doing a lot of that lately.
I just finished SAFE HOUSES by Dan Fesperman last night. I love espionage fiction so this one was like comfort reading for me. The story is told in two time lines, and the action goes back and forth between the two time lines every three chapters (roughly). One timeline for Berlin, 1979, and one is set in 2014, in Maryland. I especially enjoyed the part set in 1979 because 1979 was a very big year for me, and I was close to the age of the female protagonist in that timeline. It is the first of a trilogy about Claire Sayers, who doesn’t even show up until nearly the end. I loved it.
I’ve heard good things about Safe Houses, Tracy. I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
Oh, I know what it’s like to have one of those days when you can get started. Thanks for stopping by anyways!
I seem to be in more of a fantasy mystery mood these days and was thrilled when the 17th Cast in —- book by Michelle Segara was released earlier this week. This one had an interesting mystery at its core and some interesting connections with the other books. In line with my tastes lately I was super-excited to see on your list the other day, Lesa, that the next Alex Stern Leigh Bardugo book is set for January.
I was pretty excited for decorating but now find I am just not doing it. I think I am still adjusting to my new house and new town. Fortunately I am having a party next week so I’ll have to get myself going!
If anything pushes decorations, it’s a party.
I enjoy a good fantasy mystery, Trisha, and the one I just finished, Steeped in Secrets, was very good. Review up on Saturday.
Lesa, I’m so glad I saw your post on FB, as I was having one of those “What day is it?” days. At least I’ve gotten here before nighttime. I have to laugh when I read about your happiness concerning the 50s temps that we are expecting. You know I’m sitting here wishing for snow. Hahaha!
Well, I missed last week, not because it was on a Friday last week, but I was just snowed (had to use that word, Lesa) under with Thanksgiving. My son didn’t leave until Friday afternoon. Of course, I wish he could have stayed even longer, as it’s the first time he’s been home in over two years. Anyway, I’ll report on my last two weeks of reading today. It’s been slower than I’d like because of the interruption of house cleaning and meal preparation.
I think I already had finished Still Waters by Sara Driscoll two weeks ago, which really shows how far behind I’ve fallen since then. I did get my review of it posted. I’ve finished only two books since Still Waters, which, by the way, I loved. I read and enjoyed Rhys Bowen’s 16th Lady Georgie book, entitled Peril in Paris. It takes place in the spring of 1936 in Paris, a time when Nazi Germany was beginning to have plans of its own for France. The murder mystery takes place around the salon of Coco Chanel. Georgie’s friend Belinda is interning with Coco at her fashion house, and they are preparing for a big show when Georgie comes to visit Belinda. A murder happens at that fashion show, and Georgie and her husband Darcy are knee-deep into it. The indications are, and really were, that there’s lots going on underground to thwart the Nazi’s plans. The book is another excellent one in a series I always enjoy. I just finished Catriona McPherson’s latest Last Ditch Motel book, Scot in a Trap. I love this series with all its wit and quirkiness. The main character, Lexie Campbell is a mental health counselor who has come to live a motel where there are other full-time “different” characters. In this story, Lexie’s first true love from Scotland shows up at the motel, all the way from Scotland, but, unfortunately, he’s dead when Lexie and he meet up again. Lexie must uncover why this old boyfriend wanted to see her again and why someone would kill him, someone who wasn’t her. Lots of laughs in this series, and who doesn’t need that these days.
Tonight I’m starting Martin Edwards’ Blackstone Fell, the third Rachel Savernake book, set in the fall of 1930 in England. Martin is a well-known expert of the Golden Age period of mystery writing, so he knows the time period of which he’s writing very well. I’m looking forward to this new book in the series. The rest of my year-end reading that I’m trying so hard to finish will be Bombay Monsoon by James Ziskin, Winter’s End by Paige Shelton, The Last Party by Clare MacKintosh, Murder in All Fury by Anne Cleeland, The Buried by Sharon Bolton, and Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal. Of course, there are others, and if I learn how to read in my sleep, I’ll get to those, too.
Kathy, I sometimes think you push yourself too much to meet a self-imposed deadline. I hope you have the chance to enjoy those year-end books, as well as some quiet in the next month.
I did like that comment about Scot in a Trap, “why someone would kill him, someone who wasn’t her”. Very good. That is a fun series.
Nope. Hate snow. Always have, always will. Even as a kid, I thought the only good thing about snow was the hot cocoa I got afterwards.