Just a short distance, less than a fifteen minute drive, but my sister had snow on Tuesday evening, and fortunately, I didn’t have it here. That’s a four-letter word, in my opinion, and October 31 is way too soon for it here. Nope. I just don’t want it.
I am heading an hour north today to meet my Mom and youngest sister for lunch. When I was home to visit Mom last week, I left my winter coats in her closet. I never even thought to bring them back because it was sunny and 70 degrees the day I came back here. Now, that four-letter word! Bah, humbug.
At least my book is good. Thanks to Aubrey Hamilton’s suggestion, I”m reading the first Inspector Devlin mystery, Borderlands. Benedict Devlin is a police inspector in Ireland. It’s Christmas week, but that doesn’t stop murder. A teenager’s body is found on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Unfortunately, Devlin knows the family, so it’s in his jurisdiction. When a second teenager is killed, Devlin finds a link between the current investigation, and the disappearance of a prostitute twenty-five years earlier. This book isn’t as dark as Adrian McKinty’s Sean Duffy books, but it’s bleak enough.
What about you? Surprises in the weather this week? What about pleasant surprises in the books you read? What Are You Reading?
This week the weather in Northern California has had highs in the 70s, but the mornings are COLD! Walking with my group at 8:00 a.m. Thursday morning, it is supposed to be 48. I know those of you in colder climes are probably laughing at me for thinking that’s cold, but it’s definitely gloves and warm jacket for me.
I only got through 2 books and a short story this week:
Ana Brazil’s delightful new historical mystery, THE RED-HOT BLUES CHANTEUSE, introduced me to the fascinating world of vaudeville in 1919. Viola Vermillion is the sweet, sexy young songstress in a traveling troupe of 14 acts playing the Pantages Theatre in San Francisco. Viola is ambitious, determined to move her act to a higher spot in the troupe’s hierarchy and order of performance, but is shattered to find Stu, her beau, accompanist, and songwriter, fatally shot with her own gun in the balcony of the theatre. She is somehow able to find a new piano player quickly, but is Jimmy really who he claims to be? Or does he have an ulterior motive for his relationship with Viola? And how does a munitions tycoon figure in Viola’s history and her plans to unveil his secrets before he can stop her in her tracks? I especially enjoyed the diverse cast of characters in this book, including Viola’s fellow entertainers-everything from dog trainers and ballroom dancers to an accordion player and the headliner, a female impersonator– along with the peeks behind the curtains in the vaudeville world. I admired the way Viola’s story revealed itself gradually throughout the first half of the book, making the plot more suspenseful and interesting. I also liked the varying points of view–Viola’s first-person narration in alternating chapters, and the omniscient POV of the others. The author has an engaging writing style and moves the action along handily, skillfully maintaining the reader’s interest. I found it a delightful story and one that can easily be continued into a series, based on some unfinished business at the end of the book.
SUMMER ROMANCE by Annabel Monaghan is a beautiful love story and character study, set in small-town Beechwood, NY, involving two thoroughly engaging protagonists. Ali and her husband, after a year’s separation, are undergoing divorce proceedings and mediation. Between that and the death of her beloved mother two years earlier, Ali is floundering. She loves her work as a professional organizer and her three young children but can’t seem to organize her own life. Ethan, a lawyer who is still struggling with his childhood name, Scooter, and with a family that has convinced him he is unreliable based on long-ago misbehavior, can’t believe he is reunited with his unrequited high school crush, his sister’s best friend. There is an instant spark between the two, as they seem to understand each other as no one else does, and together they begin to develop into the people they were meant to be. The author’s lovely writing style, especially in the dialogue, is the star of the book. She makes Ali and Ethan come alive as real people, with real strengths, failings, and quirks. Their uniqueness shines through in the details. Ethan, in particular, is a delightful character, who has painstakingly fashioned a life that really works for him until Ali changes everything. The secondary characters are also authentic and memorable, including Ali’s ultra-positive late mother (in flashbacks and Ali’s thoughts), Ali’s tween soccer-playing daughters–one fraught, one not–and lovable 6-year-old son, an elderly neighbor who has formed a close bond with Ali, and Ethan’s lively, costume-loving parents, who own an inn and cafe in town but long for a change. Ali’s soon-to-be ex is expectedly clueless and careless. After reading three of her life-affirming books, I consider Annabel Monaghan a must-read author for the way she plays my emotions and makes me reconsider aspects of my own life. Highly recommended. (June)
If you are in the mood for something short and sweet that will ignite your Christmas spirit, you can’t go wrong with Leslie Budewitz’s short story, THE CHRISTMAS STRANGER, which was part of a previous volume of stories related to the author’s Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries cozy series and is being re-released for the holiday season. In a few chapters, it adroitly captures the sparkle of the season. And the cover is enchanting! Erin first encounters the septuagenarian stranger of the title shortly before Christmas at the post office, where she is mailing out several boxes of orders from her family’s grocery store. She helps him with a minor task, and he gives her something small in return. When the man’s gift turns out to be much more than she anticipated, Erin tries valiantly to find him, as he is one of the few people she doesn’t know in Jewel Bay. Through the magical realism plot, we learn more about the mysterious stranger and how he affects the lives of some of the town’s inhabitants. Happy Holidays! (November 14)
Although we do have cold weather, in the 20s, this morning, Margie, I do understand. 48 is cold when you’re used to warmer temperatures.
What an interesting selection of books this week. Thank you for sharing them!
Yes, your cold temperatures are WARM for us in Ottawa. Yesterday’s high was 34F and we had a dusting of snow on Halloween and yesterday.
I forgot to mention that I went to an author panel at the Folsom Library, about 20 minutes from where I live. Panel members were Catriona McPherson, Faye Snowden, James L’Etoile, Pat Canterbury, Claire Booth, and Eileen Rendahl. I know all but two of them from Sisters in Crime, and it was great to see them again. Wonderful panel! Catriona was her usual hilarious self.
Lucky you! I have enjoyed reading books by all these authors, except for Pat (new to me).
Oh, the panel sounds fun, Margie!
It’s upper 70’s here for the next couple of days, anyway. I got to go for a run at lunch time on Wednesday, and it was fabulous. Enjoying it while I can because winter is coming. We may not be getting snow, but it still cools off (despite what pop culture or even a book I read recently will tell you).
I’m about 70% into THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING by Rhys Bowen. It’s book seventeen in her Royal Spyness series. I’m enjoying it, although the first third is slow, as is always the case in her books. She really needs to find a way to trim the fat there. Not that I think she’ll listen to me since her books sell so well. Anyway, at this point in the book, I’m completely caught up in the story and very curious about what exactly is going on.
Oh, I believe you about the weather, Mark. Who knows better than those of us who are going about our day-to-day lives in the weather?
You’re right about Rhys Bowen’s books. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Have you read any of the Molly Murphy books since her daughter started writing with her? I just wondered how they were.
Yes, I’ve read both of the new Molly books. I’ve enjoyed them, but it’s the same thing, lots of set up before the plot really kicks in.
We had an unseasonably warm Saturday this past weekend and now it’s more seasonable – cold mornings and slightly warmer days! I live in New England and so snow is fair game at any time now.
I’m currently reading THE LEMON TREE by Sandy Toland now. It’s about, generally, the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians but also specifically about an Israeli woman and Palestinian man and their relationship with each other inside of that dynamic. It’s good so far. I picked it up because I wanted to get a better understanding of the ongoing issues in the Middle East.
Welcome, Melissa! I’m sure you’ll have winter at any point now if our temperatures are dropping here in Ohio, and snow was spotted.
I know. Do any of us truly understand the ongoing issues in the Middle East? My college roommate and I were talking about it on the phone the other day. Good for you for trying, though.
Good morning. It was almost 80 last Saturday and it’s around freezing right now. We saw a local production of Elf the Musical last weekend which was a lot of fun. This Saturday there’s a book fest about an hour from me and Laura Bradford is going to be one of the speakers so I want to try and make it.
This week neither of the books I read were earth shattering but I enjoyed both of them.
Cookin up Murder by D.. Adamson is the first in a new series – Davidson & Weld Investigations. A cozy mystery featuring a fairly new PI.
Realm of Ice and Snow by Lena Gregory writing as Leigh Stratton. It’s a fairly standard YA fantasy book with the ending left open for book two, but I liked the characters.
Sandy, I’m thinking about going to a book festival myself on Saturday. Linda Castillo will be there, and I’ve never met her. And, there are other authors I’d like to meet.
Laura Bradford is so nice. I hosted her once for the library. I hope you get to go..
I actually gave up on Borderlands last night, and moved on to something else. It just wasn’t working for me. So, I understand just so-so books.
I returned from my little road trip Sunday afternoon and found it has turned quite cold here, low of 17 that night. We did enjoy a day at Petrified Forest NP before we returned, seeing the Painted Desert, an original Crossing of Route 66 and an amazing amount of petrified wood. We routed the return trip along the east side of the Sierra for the last of the fall color, brilliant aspen & cottonwood.
Only a bit of reading completed:
A murder mystery with a dual setting (Scutari Turkey in 1854 and London of 1867), THE NIGHTINGALE AFFAIR by Tim Mason was captivating. The Nightingale of the title is Florence with her political connections and her belief that sanitation and nutrition were key elements in treating the war wounded. Other historical figures also appear in the story – Disraeli, Dickenson, Wilke Collins – to name a few. A consistent theme in the storyline examines the historical controversy of women as autonomous beings. A bit too long, but interesting if just for the historical insight.
A thirty-year old case of a missing teen changes to a murder investigation with the discovery of the remains. Gytha Lodge’s debut (2019) SHE LIES IN WAIT the setting based on Hampshire, England – rural enough to have woods close by, yet urban enough to have daily traffic slow downs.
A large cast of possible perpetrators and signs of guilt that point vaguely toward each of them makes for a captivating read. The author has several books released in the subsequent years, but this was my first.
What a nice trip to end the fall, MM. Sounds like a wonderful road trip.
I’ve never read any of Gytha Lodge’s books, but that one sounds interesting.
I’m currently rereading one of my own novels, TEA LEAVES AND TAROT CARDS, trying to decide whether or not to write the sequel several readers have asked for.
Oh, that’s interesting, Jacqueline. So many mysteries are written now with the intention of writing a sequel. It doesn’t sound as if you planned one.
I managed to listen to 3 audiobooks this past week, and am starting a fourth one.
TWAS THE KNIFE BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Jacqueline Frost is the second book in the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series, but the first one I read. I enjoy other series by Jacqueline (aka Bree Baker aka Julie Ann Lindsey) so I wasn’t surprised to like this one too.
DYING FOR A DIAMOND by Cindy Sample. I have read her humorous Laurel McKay books from the beginning. I won a free audiobook from Cindy last week via her newsletter so I jumped in to see how newlyweds Laurel & Tom’s honeymoon cruise goes so wrong. Laurel sees a body fall off the ship in the middle of the night but no one believes her. And a jewel thief has been targeting some wealthy passengers but Cindy’s cousin (who works on the ship) is the prime suspect.
MUGSHOTS OF MANHATTAN by Christin Brecher is book #2 in the Snapshots of NYC mystery series. I really liked the first book, this one was a bit less enjoyable.
And I am starting to listen to MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon. I met Nina at San Diego Bouchercon’s new authors event. There is big buzz about her debut mystery (it’s a Reese Witherspoon book club pick). Lana Rubicon is a high-powered L.A. real estate mogul who is forced to convalesce in a sleepy coastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack as she is recovering from brain cancer surgery. Jack finds a dead body while kayaking & becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation.
Also have been reading some cozy mystery ARCs on my Kindle but they are slow going. Not sure if it’s me or the books.
Oh, I didn’t know Jacqueline Frost was also Bree Baker, Grace. I may have to check out that series.
You’re right. There’s been a lot of buzz about Mother-Daughter Murder Night. I did watch a little of her interview at The Poisoned Pen. You’ll have to let us know what you. thought.
Sometimes, it’s just our mood, Grace.
Hi everyone, from a rain soaked Edinburgh, where I am at the bus station waiting to travel back up to Deeside.
Last night Anna and I attended a Young Fathers concert. It was one of the best things I’ve seen this year, absolutely amazing. These guys have so much energy and talent, so much passion and fury. They performed non stop for 90 minutes, one supercharged number after another.
We had seats upstairs – all of the downstairs of the usher hall was standing, and the whole place was packed out. In some ways I wanted to be down there dancing, but it was such a huge (though totally good natured) crowd that I was probably better off where I was. It was an exhilarating, unforgettable evening, I’m so glad I was fortunate enough to go (both nights were sold out.)
On Tuesday night my friend Heather and I attended the ballet in Aberdeen. It was Romeo and Juliet, reinterpreted by Matthew Bourne. I have seen his work before and loved it, but I’m afraid we found this one terribly confusing. It was set in ‘the Verona institute’, which appeared to be some sort of mental asylum for young people. We had a hard time working out who was who and what was going on, and many of the people sitting around us seemed to have similar problems.
The guardian gave it a five star review, and if I’d read the review before we went I’d at least have had a better idea of the concept, but I’m still not sure it would’ve worked for me. Oh well.
We’ve been to quite a few concerts over the past week, including Hidden Orchestra, which was very good, and its support, a guy calling himself Arms and Sleepers, who I think might be American? He was fantastic, electronic music accompanied by videos of 1960s American life (like mad men, but these were home videos). I thought it all worked very well.
Books – I finished TWELVE ANGRY LIBRARIANS by Miranda James, but I didn’t think it was quite as good as the one I read a few weeks ago. I felt there was too much description of the characters’ every move – ‘I poured my coffee, I drank it, I put my cup into the dishwasher’ – that sort of thing, which did feel a bit like padding.
I’m now reading DARLING by India Knight. It’s a modern update of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love, which has long been a favourite of mine, so I was a little worried that this might disappoint, but India K has done a great job and I’m really enjoying it.
Uncle Matthew is no longer a crusty old aristocrat but instead a retired rock star., who’s bought alconleigh to keep his children away from the evils of the world (about which he knows more than most.) His wife Sadie is a beautiful part-Malaysian woman, who is very posh and previously ran a cool restaurant in London, but now runs Alconleigh and home schools the children. Matthew adores her.
As before, the children – especially Linda – are desperate to join the modern world. Linda eventually achieves this via the radletts’ neighbour, Merlin, who’s now a famous, eccentric and daring fashion designer (a sort of mixture of a young Lagerfield and Alexander McQueen.) He arrives at Linda’s older sister’s 21st birthday party riding a black horse.
It’s all just as entertaining and easy to read as Mitford’s original, which is some achievement.
Not much TV time this week, but I’m hoping to go to the cinema to see a new film, TISH.
We’ve had just two rain free days since last Thursday. I did have some good walks on those two, mainly just around the fields and beside the very full river. The sunsets on the good days have been spectacular. I do hope the weather picks up before too much longer, although we’ve been very lucky not to have suffered the massive storm that has battered (and is still battering) northern France, the Channel Islands and the south of England.
On the bus now! So I will stop.
Have a great week all,
Rosemary
I do envy you and other places in Great Britain, Rosemary, having good transportation – buses, trains, between places, so you don’t have to drive all the time.
I agree with you. Twelve Angry Librarians was not my favorite in the series.
I love that you enjoy all those concerts. I’m afraid I tend to find one or two artists, and follow them all over the place. My taste in music isn’t very eclectic – Celtic music, Broadway music, Ramin Karimloo.
We all enjoy reading about your walks, so I’m sorry the weather hasn’t been conducive to interesting walks in the last week.
Thank you for keeping us posted!
Hey Lesa! I’m finally coming back around to comment on blogs and hopefully update mine in upcoming days. We’ve had a busy, busy few months recently. Yes, we have had some cold weather – a really cold Halloween! I can remember one like it in early ’90’s maybe. I just remember telling my elementary-school-age daughter (at that time) to put on a coat for Trick-or-Treating and she was upset because it would cover up her costume. I insisted and I think we made to just a few houses before we came home. Ha! Doesn’t get this cold here in Texas this early very often, but it does happen. I’m reading THE MAID by Nita Prose for a Mystery Book Group meeting next week. Enjoying it!
Hi Kay,
I made that comment to my Mom the other night, that it’s disappointing when the kids have to wear coats over their costumes. I was at her place for Halloween a couple times, and, fortunately, it was nice enough the kids could get out and enjoy it. We even sat on the porch and gave out candy.
I liked The Maid, and I liked the sequel even more.
Hi Kay, Good to hear you that you might be blogging sometime soon. Looking forward to hearing how you have been. I enjoyed THE MAID and hope to read the 2nd book soon. As always, I have too many books to read. And my reading has slowed down a bit.
TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery
Oh, that happens, Tracy. Mine slowed down when I moved, and I haven’t quite caught up yet.
THE MAID was one of my fave reads in 2022. The book has won several mystery conference awards (Anthony, Macavity, Lefty) for best debut mystery novel this year. Book #2, THE MYSTERY GUEST, is an anticipated read for me (I have an ARC). Release date is November 28.
30 degrees here this morning and the car windows were all frosted over. I first attempted to scrape them and then got back in and waited for the car to do it’s thing – too early to start scraping! So I waited a long time to get the current Ann Cleeves book The Raging Storm and am disappointed as it is just not as compelling as her other ones. Two people dead and they both were despicable so who cares – and at this point I don’t care who killed them! I’ll persevere and finish it today and then move on to something, I hope, better.
You’re right, Donna. Isn’t it sad when our attitude is who cares about the victims, and who cares who killed them? I agree. The Raging Storm was not my favorite.
Hi Lesa – I hope you do get to meet Linda Castillo. I have read all of her Kate Burkholder books and really enjoy them. Looking forward to the next one!
We had a chilly Halloween here in south Texas, but now it’s gradually warming back up to the 80s with lots of sunshine.
I recently finished “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano and am still thinking about it. It will be one of my favorites of the year. I’m now reading the new John Grisham with the new Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum book next. Lots of books on my list to read before the end of the year!
Hope you enjoy the book festival!
Thank you, Linda! I’ve always enjoyed Linda Castillo’s books, and I’m looking forward to meeting her, so I’m planning on going on Saturday. The Buckeye Book Fair is held in Wooster, Ohio, part of Amish country here, so it’s somewhat appropriate. Amanda Flower will be there, too, and she writes Amish cozies. I’ve read some of her other books.
Oh, I’d take 80s with lots of sunshine. Enjoy it!
We finally turned cold, 36 degrees right now! Currently I am reading Elly Robin, Bird in a Gilden Cage, won it from GoodReads. I wasn’t sure about the cover of Elly playing piano for a crowd of people with a pained look on her face and it is 404 pages and part of a very long series. But I love it. The author has a giant-sized imagination! A little like Forest Gump as a mulatto, a genius musician. She lost her parents in the San Francisco earthquake and had many adventures. She escaped from awful places like an institution for the mentally ill, lived in bordello, but never forgot her vaudeville days when she was a tot performing with her parents. Now living with a rich family, she stumbles on a way to educate about how the poor live who work in the sweatshops where the family’s wealth came from. If you want to go on a wild ride, this is the book for you!
It takes a lot for me to get through 400 pages, Carol. In fact, I have to really be interested to even pick up a book of that size. It’s a commitment. I hope you enjoy it!
Sounds as if many of us had similar weather this week.
Because I’ve been out of town and a very happy busy little bee, I have not been reading at my normal pace.
I was in Beaufort, SC having been awarded The Pat Conroy Literary Center Fall 2023 Visiting Writer. I’m still on Cloud Nine over this honor.
But now I’m back home and settling back into my routine of being a lazy person and diving back into Laurie R. King’s The Lantern’s Dance, and loving it.
Description from NetGalley:
Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, hoping for a respite in the French countryside, are instead caught up in a case that turns both bewildering and intensely personal.
After their recent adventures in Transylvania, Russell and Holmes look forward to spending time with Holmes’ son, the famous artist Damian Adler, and his family. But when they arrive at Damian’s house, they discover that the Adlers have fled from a mysterious threat.
Holmes rushes after Damian while Russell, slowed down by a recent injury, stays behind to search the empty house. In Damian’s studio, she discovers four crates packed with memorabilia related to Holmes’ granduncle, the artist Horace Vernet. It’s an odd mix of treasures and clutter, including a tarnished silver lamp with a rotating shade: an antique yet sophisticated form of zoetrope, fitted with strips of paper whose images dance with the lantern’s spin.
In the same crate is an old journal written in a nearly impenetrable code. Intrigued, Russell sets about deciphering the intricate cryptograph, slowly realizing that each entry is built around an image—the first of which is a child, bundled into a carriage by an abductor, watching her mother recede from view.
Russell is troubled, then entranced, but each entry she decodes brings more questions. Who is the young Indian woman who created this elaborate puzzle? What does she have to do with Damian, or the Vernets—or the threat hovering over the house?
The secrets of the past appear to be reaching into the present. And it seems increasingly urgent that Russell figure out how the journal and lantern are related to Damian—and possibly to Sherlock Holmes himself.
Could there be things about his own history that even the master detective does not perceive?
Congratulations Kaye! An honor to be chosen.
What an honor, Kaye–congratulations! I have The Lantern Dance from NetGalley but haven’t had time to start it yet. I haven’t been reading as much (or as fast?) lately–lots of other priorities.
Congratulations, Kaye! I enjoyed seeing your photos on FB.
Pafooey. I left out out an important word in my previous post. “I was in Beaufort, SC having been awarded The Pat Conroy Literary Center Fall 2023 Visiting Writer RESIDENCY.”
Weather here in the North Carolina mountains – a few scattered flurries. And being a winter girl, it makes me a happy girl. Hot weather makes me physically ill.
What a year 2023 has been for you, Kaye! I can’t wait to continue to read Meanderings and Muses about your experiences in Beaufort. I’ve checked out Facebook and your blog every day, eager to see the photos. Now, that was a writer’s residency, so I hope you take a little time to talk about that part of the experience. I’m so pleases for you.
And, then the Christmas cruise. Perfect for a winter girl! Sending love and hugs, Kaye!
Good Morning! It is brisk but sunny at my house in Cincinnati. No snow on Halloween but some parts of the city got a dusting.
Two books this week. I enjoyed Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay. Singing sensation Shelby Vaughn arrives in Arizona for a string of performances. Mel and Angie are catering the VIP room. When Shelby’s manager ends up dead holding a cupcake, the gang is on the case to find out the killer. On top of that Mel is hosting the family Christmas dinner with the ever-expanding guest list. I figured out who the killer was early on, but it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of this Christmas mystery. Tate took a back seat in this one, but Angie’s brothers were once again present which only makes it more enjoyable for me.
My second book was Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spenser Quinn. There was a lot to like in this book especially the main character Loretta Plansky. Unfortunately, I ended up not liking it very much. I found it sad in today’s world. Mrs. Plansky is a 71-year-old widow who becomes a victim of the grandparent scheme. After being contacted by her bank and financial planner that she’s been cheated of her wealth, she turns to the police and FBI. Unsatisfied she ends up in Romania tracking down the scammers herself. Despite colorful characters, being humorously written, and a happy ending I still found myself disturbed by the plot knowing this happens to so many other seniors without the good results. I know it appealed to lots of reviewers on Goodreads so I am sure it was just me.
Rosemary-we are watching Walking Through History with Tony Robinson on Acorn TV. Last night he took us through the Scottish Highlands. I thought of all your wonderful descriptions of the Scottish countryside while viewing.
Happy Reading!
I had doubts about Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge also. Lovely characters, but the plot stretched credibility. It would more likely end badly for the scammed.
Thank you for that. I saw all those 5 stars on Goodreads…. Glad to know it wasn’t just me.
Thank you Sharon – I’ve not seen Tony Robinson’s programme but the Highlands certainly are beautiful. I’m so glad you’re enjoying them
Oh, it wasn’t just you, Sharon. I wasn’t a fan of Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge, either. As a senior myself with a mother twenty years older, I found it disturbing, too. I didn’t give it five stars.
We agree on that four letter word – Yuck! We had 80 degrees here Saturday, and it was in the 30s when I woke up this morning. There was definitely snow upstate, but we’re supposed to go back to the 60s by tomorrow. Two more months before we leave for Florida.
Jackie finished the Thursday Murder Club book and is reading – and very much enjoying – the first of a two book (mini-) series by Cynthia Eden, STEP INTO MY WEB. She says it has a great sense of humor, lots of action, and great chemistry.
SCHOOL OF HARD KNOX had some good stories in it. Better is the latest Crippen & Landru collection of Ed Hoch stories, THE KILLER EVERYONE KNEW, police procedurals (with some impossible crimes) featuring his Captain Leopold. You can’t go wrong with Hoch’s short stories.
I also read Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest collection, ROMAN STORIES. Since 2015, she has been writing in Italian, and translating her books into English. Most of these are set in Rome, or otherwise in Italy.
In 2011, British expatriate author Jonathan Raban suffered a serious stroke in his home in Seattle, He spent much of the last dozen years of his life (he died in January) completing his last book, FATHER AND SON. It alternates between his rehab stint in the hospital and rehab center and his father’s story during World War II. It isn’t that the second part isn’t interesting, but I wish there was more of the current story and less of the other. Still, well worth reading, as have been the previous books of his that I’ve read.
Jeff, I checked out Step Into My Web. I like the sound of Jackie’s latest book.
You’re already planning for Florida! I guess I would too if I had a place to get away from the snow. But, I’m quite happy now that I’m near my family, and I don’t HAVE to go anyplace on snowy days.
Good Morning, Lesa. I finished Amy Schneider’s memoir, In the Form of a Question, part of which I enjoyed and other parts which disappointed me. Now I’m reading a new thriller by Linwood Barklay called The Lie Maker. I’m only a few chapter in but think I’ll like this one just fine. I was surprised to find an author with so many books published but I’d not discovered him before. Those are surprises I like a lot.
Thanks, Pat, for circling back to Amy Schneider’s memoir. I appreciate it. I think I’ll skip it with your comments.
I know a lot of people who are big Linwood Barclay fans. I know. That is a pleasant surprise to find a new author with a number of books, isn’t it?
I have been feeling sorry for myself with it being so cold at night and in the mornings in Santa Barbara, even though our high today is supposed to be 77. But the cold and snow in other areas remind me it is not so bad. Still the change from cold in the a.m. to hot in the afternoons makes it hard to decide how to dress.
The only book I read recently was THE 7 1/2 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton. It is longish and it took me a while to finish it. It is set in a decrepit old country house, where one of the children in the family was murdered 20 years before. The setting is roughly the 1930s. The premise is that a man is placed in eight host bodies over eight days to solve a crime, but that is a very simplified version of the plot. The author describes it as a “time travelling, body hopping murder mystery novel.” Very confusing. The time traveling part of it did not occur to me as it was happening, although I guess that was what it was. Anyway, my final opinion was that I liked reading it, it was a great experience, but the ending disappointed me. I still haven’t read many reviews of it … I will go do that later today. There are a zillion reviews out there.
I am now reading THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET by Becky Chambers. The first book in a science fiction series. It is a space opera, and I am enjoying even more than I anticipated. It is about 450 pages long and it is going to take me a while to get through it, but that is fine.
Glen finished reading CHEAP OLD HOUSES: An Unconventional Guide to Loving and Restoring a Forgotten Home which he liked a lot. Now he is reading SHADOWLANDS: A Journey Through Britain’s Lost Cities and Vanished Villages. He isn’t enjoying that one so much. It is a topic he is very interested in but the writing is too dry … so far.
Tracy, I’ve heard good things about The Lond Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I hope it holds up for you.
Darn. I’m sorry about Shadowlands. The topic sounded good, but not if the writing is too dry.
Lesa, I am jealous of you going to the Wooster book fair! When we lived in Mansfield I always wanted to go but it never worked out.
I am reading MAKING IT SO by Patrick Stewart. Very well written, very interesting, I think even someone who wasn’t a Star Trek fan would like it.
Cindy, I like memoirs. I may have to look for that one.
I’ve never been to the Buckeye Book Fair, so I’m looking forward to it.
Pretty typical fall weather here. Jacket weather in the morning, but in a shirt by the afternoon. Supposed to rain Saturday.
I watched Air Supply in concert at the Venue. Wilson Philips opened for them. WP talked an awful lot, but sometimes that’s okay. I forgot Air Supply was Australian.
I would have had a better time, but a 600 pound behemoth sat next to me, taking up half by seat. The seats at the Venue are pretty good sized, as these things go, too. Not like at Golden One, or an airplane. Tickets weren’t cheap. If someone is going to take up half my seat, they should be paying for half my ticket.
This week I read:
I Like It Cool by Lawrence Lariar; The book description makes a big deal about Johnny Amsterdam being a bearded detective, which might have meant something in the fifties, but it only gets mentioned once, and is otherwise completely standard.
Dragon Class by Melanie Ansley; Asian themed fantasy about a thief who bonds with a dragon, and gets put into the usual training, because she’s a girl, and so is the Empress.
Nothing Like It in the World by Stephen E. Ambrose; Popular history of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Killed by Clutter by Leslie Caine; An interior decorator with the last name of Gilbert (her arch-rival is Sullivan) is hired to help clean out a hoarder’s home. The hoarder thinks someone is out to kill her, and she may be right! An interesting death trap.
Condor’s Fury by Graham Brown and Clive Cussler; The book of the week for me. I think this book is probably the best in the Numa Files series. The characters seemed less like rip offs of Dirk Pitt and Company, and the plot was exciting. A bit of a surprise.
Well, that is a surprise, Glen, that a Clive Cussler/Graham Brown was your book of the week.
Sorry about the concert. It’s tough when you pay good money for seats, and are uncomfortable for the entire 2-3 hours.
Good afternoon Lesa,
I am currently listening to The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. In print, I am starting A Likeable Woman by May Cobb.
Have a great weekend.
Thank you, Katherine. I’ve heard good things about The Spectacular. I have a friend who is a big fan of Fiona Davis.
Thank you! You have a good weekend as well.