It was a good week here. Last Friday, I moderated a Mystery Panel for Library Journal’s Day of Dialog. The authors on the panel were Sara Paretsky, Lisa Gardner, Kellye Garrett, Kemper Donovan and Francis Spufford. Terrific panelists. We taped the panel, and it will be broadcast today. Fifteen minutes after it was over, I was on the road to visit Mom. I’m about two and a half hours from her, now. It’s so nice to be able to just shut the door behind me, go visit, and, if I wanted to stay longer, I could. But, I came back Tuesday afternoon. As we all said last week, I’m so glad I’m back close to family. We went to family dinner at my niece’s on Sunday night, and my sister came to visit on Monday. I got trounced at a couple games of pinochle.
I’m currently reading a book for me, the first book I reserved from Columbus Metropolitan Library’s system. It’s Donna Leon’s memoir, Wandering through Life. I have not read her Guido Brunetti mysteries featuring a police commissario in Venice, Italy. But, I’m enjoying this slight book of anecdotes. Leon is eighty-one. Despite her enormous output of books, she refers to herself and her brother as shiftless, with no grand plans for life. I’m only up to the 1970s when she taught English in Iran before the revolution. Actually, it seems as if she played tennis most of the day when she was supposedly working. I haven’t reached her move to Italy yet. The book is broken into sections: America, On the Road, Italy, and In the Mountains. She now lives in Switzerland.
As I said, it’s a small book, 193 pages. But, the stories are interesting. When I review it, I”ll mention her family of readers and a little more about her “shiftless” life.
What about you? What did you do this week? And, what are you reading, which is the most important question.
Hello, all. The highlight of the past week was a visit to the local elementary school to see my granddaughter and her T-K class perform a dance to a Disney tune. Autumn is quite the little diva, blowing kisses to the audience at the end of the number! Unfortunately, I missed my grandson’s dance, which was on a day when I couldn’t attend. I was out of town last Wednesday evening and most of Thursday with my son’s medical appointments at UCSF, so I didn’t get to post my book reviews, but I’m making up for it now.
Reading THE POSSIBLE WORLD by Liese O’Halloran Schwartz for a book club whose October 2023 theme is “Undiscovered Treasures on my Book Shelf,” I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful writing. It is one of the books where I consciously slowed my reading to fully appreciate the author’s style. The novel focuses on three people in Rhode Island living troubled lives, telling their own stories in alternating chapters. Six-year-old Ben is the sole survivor of a brutal murder spree. He can’t remember what happened and doesn’t know why he is in the hospital, but he insists he is really Leo, age 11 and small for his age. Lucy is chief resident of the hospital emergency room, working too many long shifts and trying to deal with a crumbling marriage. Clare is close to 100 years old, living in a home for seniors and suddenly eager to record her life history. How these three strangers’ lives intersect makes for an intriguing, intricate story. Honestly, I almost stopped reading when something in Clare’s earlier life seemed just too much to bear. I also struggled with Leo’s story, suspecting but uncertain about exactly what the author seemed to be implying. Gauging by the many glorious accolades from readers and reviewers, it was my failure, but it ended up being a slightly less than satisfying read for that reason.
I have enjoyed spending time with Detective Lt. Milo Sturgis and psychologist Alex Delaware through the author’s long-running series. And even though THE GHOST ORCHID is #39 in the Alex Delaware Novels, I still found the story fresh and fascinating. A man and a woman are found slain by the pool of a Bel Air mansion. But which one was the primary target? Gio has a history of financial mishaps and a wealthy family who continues to support him. Meagin has an almost untraceable past and a husband who travels continuously for his job. This is the type of case where Alex is especially helpful to Milo, so although the detective still feels guilty four months after their last case together resulted in serious injury to Alex, he knows his friend is more than ready to get involved once more. Alex narrates the detailed story of how the colleagues sift through the clues together and apply their skill and insight to solve an impossible crime with multiple suspects. The meaning of the book’s title doesn’t become evident until more than halfway through the story, but that worked for me. In a secondary plot, Alex tackles a difficult custody battle where neither spouse seems to want to continue to parent their adopted 15-year-old son, and which results in an unexpected conclusion. The characters are well drawn, the protagonists have a convincing partnership, and I appreciate the mature, long-term relationship between Alex and Robin. I’d like to see this series continue to run indefinitely! (February)
THE !2 BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS, the 19th entry in Kate Carlisle’s Bibliophile Mystery series, is her first Christmas novel, and it’s a terrific one. It’s really Christmas-adjacent, occurring between Christmas and New Year’s, but it’s definitely the holiday season, complete with beautifully lit trees, other gorgeous decorations, and gifts. Brooklyn, who restores rare books, and her dashing security master husband Derek are in Scotland for the wedding of their friends Claire and Cameron, taking along Brooklyn’s parents to stay with them in the laird’s castle. Claire also hopes Brooklyn can investigate the loss of 12 Christmas-themed books–some very valuable–from the castle library. It’s immediately obvious that the librarian in charge of the books has some hostility against Claire, and it seems that she isn’t the only woman in town who would like to see Cameron stay single. As the days lead up to the planned New Year’s Day wedding, events conspire to threaten not only the wedding but the happy couple themselves. Carlisle is an expert at writing sharp stories that fill the reader’s need for cozy comfort while presenting a mystery to solve. Brooklyn and Derek, Claire and Cameron are both couples with believable committed relationships. Brooklyn’s parents are very supportive and often hilarious (her mother styles herself as a Wiccan), and the settings are lavish and beautiful. I find it interesting that nearly everyone in the cast of characters is described as extremely good-looking and admirable, while the villains are thoroughly dastardly, but it’s a lot of fun. Lesa posted a more detailed review of this book during the past week.
If you are looking for something different in your reading life, you can’t go wrong with Lee Goldberg’s new standalone, CALICO. I love being surprised by a book, and this one astonished and delighted me at every turn. It’s an exceedingly clever mashup of police procedural and historical Western adventure, with a strong component of science fiction. You’ll find out about the latter very early in the book, so I won’t spoil it here. The police procedural stars disgraced homicide detective Beth McDade in the Mojave desert town of Barstow, CA, the only place that would hire her. She’s investigating two recent, unexplainable deaths–an old man, killed in a motor home accident, whose bones and clothing prove to be over 100 years old, and a local chef and influencer who abruptly disappeared the same day, but whose soon-discovered skeleton is also 100+ years old. Beth suspects it might not be a coincidence that there were explosions at two nearby military bases on that very same day. The other half of the plot focuses on Owen, the man who disappeared, and what really happened to him. More details about the story would be spoilers, and you owe it to yourself to read this book to find out for yourself. I grew to appreciate Beth more and more as the story progressed, for her dogged pursuit of answers in the face of growing resistance from the authorities, even when the answers seemed impossible. Her friendship with her coroner colleague, the pregnant Amanda, is an important and welcome respite from the often-grim occurrences. The author’s research makes one of the venues, a real-life silver mining town in the late 1880s, come to life. Now a ghost town and tourist attraction, Calico as depicted by Goldberg is full of authentic Wild West atmosphere, sights, and particularly smells. I was enthralled by both Owen’s fascinating life, as it is revealed, and by Beth’s determination to work her way through a uber-difficult situation and bring closure that will benefit all of the parties involved. The chases are exciting and the science fiction portion, while requiring at least some suspension of disbelief, is compelling. This book has it all.
There’s something magical about the seaside village of Starshine Cove in Cornwall. Characters in the first book in the Starshine Cove series–Ella, Jake, and Connie-are again part of the plot. But in the second novel, SECRETS OF STARSHINE COVE by Debbie Johnson, the focus is on Cally, who is at loose ends when her mother, for whom she has cared ever since her father died many years ago, has suddenly decided to move to Scotland to be with her new love. At the same time, the salon where Cally works as a hair stylist experiences a fire and shuts down for more than a month. But it’s Christmas time (even though the title doesn’t hint at it), so Cally makes an abrupt decision to go on a road trip to the place where she has fond memories of her father–Starshine Cove (but first she has to find it!). And although the Starshine Inn is full, she is welcomed by the town’s residents and lodging is found for her and her 18-year-old son. While Cally comes to enjoy the time she spends in the lovely town with her new friends, she has to come to terms with whether her memories are accurate or whether there are things about her parents that she has never suspected, not to mention what she wants going forward in her life. I was easily engaged with Cally and equally so with her clothes-obsessed son Sam, currently on a gap year between high school and university and still reeling from a breakup with his ex. I also loved Archie, a former attorney and single parent who is now the town’s lead gardener and crafter of the figures of fairies and elves that are scattered all across the town. This is a cozy series, and although it is unfair to call it a palate cleanser after a more serious book because it has plenty of merit on its own, it is definitely something to pick up when you are looking for a heart-warming, uplifting story. I can’t wait for the next installment. (November)
Margie, I’m a big fan of Lee Goldberg’s and CALICO sounds great. Thanks for reviewing it.
You did a better job reviewing Calico than I did, Margie. It’s not an easy book to discuss.
I liked the holiday atmosphere in Kate Carlisle’s new book. And, of course, I liked the book connection.
You’ve known it for a few years now. It’s great to be near family again.
It is wonderful to just go whenever one wants.
I gave up after a hundred pages in Zadie Smith’s THE FRAUD. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but I only had time to finish one long book. GAUDY NIGHT by Dorothy L. Sayers won out. I thought both books too long, shining examples of authors loving their own writing.
Saturday we met my sister in Truckee, CA to try out the new Truckee River Legacy Trail. The signage was very nice, highlighting nature and historic events. The weather was beautiful, but the almost ten mile total for the day was more than I anticipated.
Now I’m enjoying a few days vacation at the historic La Posada hotel in Winslow, AZ. It’s been called the last great train hotel. I saw the public rooms and gardens a few times in years past during the reconstruction phase and imagined what it would become. The hotel was designed by Mary Coulter in 1929, when train travel was popular, as an imagined hacienda experience. Beautiful and peaceful. Meanwhile the first winter storm of the season hit in Reno – not sorry to miss that.
And thanks to Kevin’s review earlier this month of SHOTS FIRED: STORIES FROM JOE PICKETT COUNTRY I brought the ebook along for the roadtrip. Definitely held my interest.
MM, I could skip a 10 mile trail. But, the La Posada hotel sounds wonderful! And, I”m glad you missed the first winter storm. I’d always be happy to miss a winter storm!
I went to a walking book club this weekend. It was hosted by a nearby library, and we walked in the neighborhood and talked about books. It was fun.
I’m currently reading TULLE DEATH DO US PART by Diane Vallere. She’s reviving her Material Witness series with this book. It’s been years since the previous book came out, but I am slipping right back into the world of these characters quite easily. I know I talk about Diane’s books a lot here since I am trying to catch up on her two longest running series, but this series has a special place in my heart since it’s the first of her series I read.
What a brilliant idea for a book club – I’ve never heard of anything like that here.
I agree with Rosemary. I love that idea for a book club. Of course, I’d find myself walking slower and slower as I get interested in a book and want to hear what others have to say. Interesting idea, Mark!
What fun, Lesa. I just started Donna Leon’s memoir as well, and I’m also enjoying it. At the same time, I’m reading Elly Griffiths The Stranger Diaries–so far, excellent!
I didn’t enjoy the chapters about China and Saudi Arabia, Kim. I worried about her, although, logically, I knew I shouldn’t.
Good morning Lesa and everyone,
Isn’t it great to have all your time to call your own Lesa? You are making the most of it and doing so many interesting and fun things.
I have read quite a few Donna Leon books but not the memoir, I will look out for it. I wonder why she moved from Venice to Switzerland?
This past week was a tad stressful for me, as we had such a big storm and so much rain that the burn at the end of our garden just rose and rose. By Saturday it was only six inches underneath the wall. The entire problem is caused by a small road bridge that leads into another part of the development. It can only take so much water at a time, and by the afternoon the burn had overtopped the bridge and was flooding back into the gardens of houses lower down the road. Thank goodness we are relatively high, but it was getting a bit worrying. Eventually the council came round with sandbags and the fire service came with a pump for people whose front gardens were already underwater. These gardens slope downwards towards the house and garage. Fortunately there are steps up to the front doors, so the worst of the damage was ‘only’ in people’s garages, but still, no flooding is nice.
By Saturday evening the rain had stopped and the burn – which had turned into a raging torrent – started to subside. So I was very lucky and had no flooding even in the garden, let alone the house. I was home alone as David was in Edinburgh, but my newish neighbours were really lovely, and helped sort the sandbags out for me. It’s at these times that I am confirmed in my view that we should never move back out into more remote countryside – imagine having to deal with that when you have no one else close by?
After Saturday we had three days of beautiful weather, but now the rain is again set in for days – but it’s not a storm, and is only light rain, so we should all be OK. The burn had three days to drop back down, and is a lot lower than it was.
We have been looking after our son’s spaniel while he and his wife are down in Edinburgh. Billy is quite small, and well behaved, but I must say I had forgotten what it’s like to have to walk a dog in the rain then come back to a house that instantly smells of wet dog. Today we are taking him back to them, as we are going to Edinburgh ourselves for a Hidden Orchestra concert tonight.
My reading has been pretty limited over the week – I was too obsessed with the storm, and then had to deal with the dog! I am reading another Miranda James book TWELVE ANGRY LIBRARIANS, and am still finishing off Sylvia Plath’s JOHNNY PANIC AND THE BIBLE OF DREAMS – I have to read that in fairly short bursts.
On TV I am still watching THE LONG SHADOW about the Peter Sutcliffe murders – I haven’t had too much time for that either this week. A fellow blogger has also just recommended ONCE UPON A TIME IN NORTHERN IRELAND, which looks at what happened in the ‘Troubles’ and talks to people who were involved in the conflict on both sides, Catholic and Protestant. I will look for this on i-player.
My walks have been solitary and local, and of course stopped altogether when the storm was at its height. My son said he’d thought that when you had a dog you’d be going for long carefree walks with it, but in fact you’re having to remain super alert at all times to check where the dog is and what he is up to. I don’t know why it came as such a shock to him, as we had two retrievers when he was still at home!
One thing I did do when I was stuck indoors was to turn out my study (ie a bedroom). I got rid of so much paperwork, found some books to take to Oxfam, took some clothes that I knew I’d never wear again to the Cancer Research shop, and found all sorts of things that I’d forgotten I had – including numerous brand new notebooks, so I really must not buy any more. I started this project in an attempt to find my passport. Did I find it? What do you think? Now I’m hoping it’s in our house in Edinburgh, otherwise I have no idea where else to look. Luckily I’m not planning any overseas trips!
I’ve got to pack and do lots of other things before we leave, so I’ll stop now.
Have a good week all,
Rosemary
Rosemary, we’re watching a few new (or, in one case, new to us) British shows this week – the second series of ANNIKA (PBS Masterpiece), for one, where the characters are definitely more interesting than the mysteries so far. Another is BODIES (Netflix). In this one (for those who might be interested), you really need to pay attention. The same naked dead body appears in the same London alley, in four completely different timelines – 1890, 1941, 2023, and…2053! And Derek Riddell is in this one too, as he was in HAPPY VALLEY and IRVINE WELSH’S CRIME. The third show is SUSPECTS (which ran from 2014 to 2016 in Britain), with Fay Ripley the lead detective in this police show.
I’ve heard a lot about BODIES Jeff, it seems people either love it or they don’t. I must give it a try.
Thanks for the heads up re SUSPECTS too, I like Fay ripley and i don’t recall having seen this one.
Apparently, they gave the characters a certain amount of the plot, but they improvised the actual lines. It rain for several series until Ripley went back to COLD FEET and it ended,
Rosemary, When I was at home this past week, my sister came to spend one of the days. She said she changes her reading time on Thursdays so she can read the posts from everyone, and she loves to read your posts about your walks, and travels, and everything you do. Just thought I’d mention that.
You’re right. I’d worry if I was stuck alone in the country with floods and high waters. Stay where you are!
You’re also right about a dog. I like dogs, but I don’t love them enough to want to walk one in all kinds of weather. We have a lot of dogs in my new neighborhood, and I see people picking up after them. Not for me. Someday, I’ll get another cat. No walking cats in nasty weather.
What a good idea to have a reading time, lesa. When does your sister normally read? And do thank her for her very kind comments, much appreciated.
My sister normally reads my blog within a half hour or so of getting up in the morning. She’s saved the blog several times by letting me know it didn’t publish or I had a mistake. I always appreciate it!
But, she said she reads it later on Thursdays.
It’s so weird – I am receiving all of your daily blogs, except for Thursday’s! Both last week and this week it was not in my inbox! I checked spam and it’s not there either. Oh well, I always remember on Friday to go back and catch you with it! My fav post of the week!
I have several friends who are fans of Donna Leon’s books, but I’ve never been able to get into them. The memoir sounds more to my taste, and I put it on hold.
We went to the theater on Saturday – Shaw’s early play, ARMS AND THE MAN, which was his fourth play after MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION. Frankly, the first act put me to sleep at times, but it got better. Who knew there was a Bulgarian War in 1885? Shaw used it for the background here, and there is some amusement to be had, though as usual, I found the ingenue daughter character almost unbearable. This week we have a concert tomorrow night, Lucinda Williams. I really liked her memoir, DON’T TELL ANYONE THE SECRETS I TOLD YOU. We saw her last year opening for Bonnie Raitt, and even though she couldn’t yet play the guitar after her 2020 stroke, she sounded great.
And we’re supposed to hit 80 degrees this Saturday!
I did finish a couple of the books I was reading last week, first the moving THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, with their triumphant Gold Medal-winning performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Then was Cynthia Harrod-Eagles’s KILL YOUR DARLING, which I really enjoyed as well. There was an excellent twist towards the end that I didn’t see coming (until I did). Very good book.
I’m reading two short story collection: ROMAN STORIES by Jhumpa Lahiri, an author I really like is one. In 2015, she started writing her books and stories in Italian, and translating them herself into English. The second is a Crippen & Landru Books collection or new, original stories, SCHOOL OF HARD KNOX. For those of you (many, I’m sure) who don’t know the history, about 100 years ago mystery author (Monsignor) Ronald A. Knox proposed his “Ten Commandments for Detective Novelists” – a set of rules of what NOT to do to play fair with your readers, including one I’ve always agreed with, no late book appearance of a previously unmentioned, long-lost twin. Others include not having the narrator be the murderer (but Agatha Christie destroyed that), nothing supernatural, etc. This collection has stories by Martin Edwards, Naomi Hirahara, S. J. Rozan, Donna Andrews and Daniel Stashower, among others.
I did start a couple of new mystery novels (which will remain nameless here) but quickly returened them, as neither appealed to me at the moment. Not sure what I will read next.
I am also reading a new memoir, FATHER AND SON by the late Jonathan Raban, a writer I really like. In 2011, Raban had a serious stroke, and half the book is about how he coped and worked 12 years on this, his final book. The other half, in alternating chapters, is about his father, his marriage to his mother, etc. The personal story works a lot better, but it is all worth reading.
Jackie loved the J. D. Robb and is reading THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE, latest in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series.
Sometimes, Jeff, a memoir is just relaxing compared to a not so good mystery.
I totally agree – no late appearance of a twin. In fact, I’m just not happy with twins in a mystery at all. I actually agree that the narrator shouldn’t be the killer, no matter what Agatha Christie did.
Loved the Osman book!
Jeff, Did you see Marv Lachman died? I’m sure you knew him. He’s going to be missed.
Yes, of course. I first met Marv in 1977, and knew him and his wife Carol very well.
We saw Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced last Saturday. A local theater company puts on a few plays each October in an old barn. There’s no heat but we wore layers and it wasn’t too cold that night. We saw Dracula there several years ago and were freezing by the time it was over.
I read the latest Andy Carpenter book, TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS by David Rosenfelt. These are somewhat predictable but I enjoy seeing how Andy’s team finds evidence to prove that his client isn’t guilty.
MURDER MOST ROYAL by S.J. Bennett. Queen Elizabeth II gets involved in the murder investigation of a member of a neighboring family- very behind the scenes of course.
Sandy, Thank you for reminding me about Murder Most Royal. I’m behind in that series.
I hope you enjoyed Agatha Christie’s play. I love live theatre, as you know.
The show was a lot of fun. We were able to get there early and sit in the front row so my boyfriend could hear since they don’t have much of a sound system. Oddly enough, the couple sitting next to us did the same thing and we wound up chatting before the show.
I love Donna Leon and have read all of her books. Unfortunately, my library hasn’t gotten her memoir so next time I go there I have to ask if they can order it. I read What We Kept to Ourselves by N. Kim which was a mystery but also very interesting details about what it is like to be a Korean immigrant here in the U.S. The author is American/Korean but I assume she got a lot of background from her parents and relatives. Makes you think a lot about the trials of people leaving where they were born – leaving all of their relatives – and coming to a new country. Had to laugh about the comments re a dog – I really love dogs as well as cats but the commitment to walking outside in all kinds of weather -not sure about that.
I get my dog fix when I walk with my sister, Donna. She takes her dog with us. That’s fine, and I like Ginger. But, walking the dog in rain or winter isn’t for me.
Oh, Donna. I hope your library gets Wandering through Life since you’ve read all her books.
Two books this week.
The Road Towards Home by Corinne Demas. The story of two retirees who give up their houses to move into a retirement home. Cassandra is free spirited while Noah is having difficulty with the adjustment. When they meet at dinner, Noah realizes he met Cassandra years ago in college. He invites her to his Cape Cod cottage while the retirement home is undergoing renovation. They then have to decide what their next step will be. This was quirky and enjoyable. I seem to remember I got it through Kindle First Reads over the summer.
Next, I read The Royal Windsor Secret by Christine Wells. The story of orphan Cleo raised in Cairo with rumors that she is the child of the Prince of Wales and a high-class courtesan. I found the segments about jewelry making and the prince’s stance on WWII interesting. I enjoyed it for the most part, but the ending fell flat and Cleo was the least interesting character.
Have a good week and Happy Reading!
Sharon, The Road Towards Home sounds the better of the two.
Enjoy your week as well, and Happy Reading!
Finishes Anne Tyler’s Morgan Passing. Quirky and good. I had bought from a used book store previously. I did not pay attention to the condition of the book. As I read it, the pages crumbled and I had coughing fits as a smoker had read it before me. Tossed it into the waste basket and bought another used one. No coughing fits and enjoyed the story finally.
Also finally won a book from GoodReads, Humanize: A Maker’s Guide to Designing Our Cities by Thomas Heatherwick. It is in a very comfortable size of print, loaded with pictures and is a wonderful tirade against boring buildings. Ironic in a way because on our way back from Round Rock, TX, I sat in the passenger seat and had a game of judging the tall buildings of downtown Dallas. Some were great some I never want to see again. Enjoying the book a lot.
Two enjoyable books this week for you, Carol. Ouch on the first used book.
Good morning, Lesa. It’s foggy here in Northern Colorado today, feeling damp and chilly as the weather moves into winter mode. We might have a little snow this weekend.
I picked a book off the library shelf that’s proving to be a Stephen King level of creepy. The Nightmare Man by J. H. Markert is about a horror writer who has a very suspicious connection to real-life (in the story) murders.
Not for me, Pat. I’m not a horror reader. I used to read Stephen King, but I quit when he got to Misery. Nope.
It has been a quiet week here, cool and enjoyable. Both Glen and I suffer from allergies and it seems to be worse lately. Santa Barbara is known as an “allergy all year round” city. I have had allergies since my late teens (living in Birmingham, AL) but Glen just developed allergies in the last ten years.
Last week, I read VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and I loved it. Not my usual type of mystery at all. Things I liked: a cheerful, older female protagonist (she is only 60, that is not that old); the diversity of the characters; the writing style; the description of food and the wonderful teas that Vera Wong made. The mystery was secondary to the characters for me but I did not guess who done it, although many readers said they did.
Now I am reading THE 7 1/2 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton. I have only read 150 pages out of 450 and I am enjoying it. It is a country house mystery, and it has elements of fantasy or the supernatural. It is so complicated it is taking me a long time to read it, but I picked a long book for that very reason, so it works for me.
I did a short story post on some stories from a book that Glen was reading. (See next paragraph.) They are appropriate to the season and all from the Victorian period, so not the type of stories I usually read.
Glen finished reading THREE MEN IN THE DARK by Jerome K. Jerome, Barry Pain and Robert Barr, a collection of horror and/or ghost stories. It has a gorgeous skeleton cover and now that he has finished the book, he gave it to me. He marked a lot of the stories he liked but overall it was a medium read for him. I am keeping the book for the skeleton cover and I am going to read more of the stories.
He is now reading CHEAP OLD HOUSES: An Unconventional Guide to Loving and Restoring a Forgotten Home by Elizabeth Finkelstein, which he discovered when we visited our local independent book store this weekend. He enjoys reading about that kind of thing, people working on restoring old buildings and the unusual buildings that they find.
Indiana has that same reputation, Tracy. Known for its allergies. I’m sorry for both of you.
I’m going to have to try the Vera Wong book soon. It does sound good. Thank you!
Having finished yesterday afternoon an ARC of DREAM TOWN by Lee Goldberg (Eve Ronin series due out in January), I have moved on to KISS AND KILL IN TEXAS by Russ Hall. This is the eighth book in the Al Quinn series. I very much recommend the series.
I’m not familiar with the Russ Hall series, Kevin. Never heard of him. I did like Dream Town, though.
I think you would like them. I think you have run some of my reviews on Mr. Hall’s books in the series.
We got two surprisingly strong rains this week. Nobody was even expecting the one yesterday. Seems like we might be in another wet year. That’s nice, but we’re still not storing any more water than before.
This week I read:
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate; A kid’s imaginary friend reappears as his family goes through hard time. A bit dismal, I thought, but then I remembered all the post-nuclear war books that were out when I was a kid.
License to Drive by AL Singer; Another movie adaptation, about the teen comedy starring the two Coreys back in the 1980’s. I was never really a fan of the Coreys, but I remember seeing this movie in a double feature with Arthur 2. I rode my bicycle because I wasn’t old enough to drive. I wanted a drivers’ license more than anything back then. These days, kids don’t seem to want to learn how to drive, and get out of the house.
Trigger Warning by William W. Johnstone; A veteran tries out college, and finds himself in trouble with the wokesters. When terrorists take over the campus, half the students side with their own captors. Luckily, The Rig Warrior is in town to take out the trash.
Double Shot by Lolli Powell; After somebody is shot right outside her bar, our amateur sleuth goes to work, and every single man in the small town goes to work on her, if you know what I mean. By the numbers.
The Diva Wraps it Up by Krista Davis; Christmas is here, and everyone is going wild decorating for the contest. Sophie finds a gift wrapped body. Should have taken it to the white elephant game, but she calls the police. A better than average cozy series.
The Llano Kid: Double Cross by Paul K Brown; The Kid goes to Frisco, and gets a Mickey Finn. Then he gets hired to guard a train line, and finds himself in the middle of trouble. A good old fashioned western.
The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman; Too much Chee, not enough Leaphorn.
Knee Deep by Mac Fortner; The usual Florida PI gets a case looking for a missing person. Of course, his new girlfriend is involved. Not all that hard boiled, nor crazy enough for a really good Florida novel.
I agree, Glen. The Krista Davis’ Diva series is better than average.
The memoir was okay, but it didn’t make me want to look for Donna Leon’s mysteries. Your comments and Jeff’s don’t make me want to search for them either.
I’ve read some Donna Leon. They’re okay, but not something I really seek out.
Like Sandy, I read MURDER MOST ROYAL this week and enjoyed it. I am impressed by the way the author manages to write an interesting and believable piece of historical fiction (with a body and a mystery!) about the fairly recent past (2016) and historical figures we know quite a bit about (Queen Elizabeth and her family). I also like the character of the assistant private secretary.
I started SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St John Mandel, but it is a little heavy for reading just before bed. I loved Station Eleven and like this one so far but might need to save it for when I have a couple days off.
Two votes for Murder Most Royal, Trisha. Now, I do have to get around to it.
And votes for Vera Wong. Just ignore her saying 60 is old 😊
Hi Lesa, I started reading Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates (lighthouse library mystery) and Mayhem in Circulation by Leah Dobrinska. On audio, I am listening to The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
You’ll have to let us know, Katherine, what you thought of the novel by Patti Callahan Henry.
I loved it Lesa! It was a beautiful story and I’ll read most things that have a bookish theme.