Before I start in, I just wanted to ask if anyone wants to do a Favorite Books of 2023 list to run here on the blog? Glen already mentioned that he’s going to start working on his list. Of course, I’ll have a list. I’d love to have posts from others if you’d like to contribute. You don’t have to send book jackets. I’ll take care of that. If anyone would like to contribute, I know we all like to see others’ lists, and see suggestions as to what we might want to read.
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I’m reading a May release right now, a debut. Although the publisher’s blurb for Nolan Chase’s A Lonesome Place for Dying says, “Perfect for fans of C.J. Box and William Kent Krueger”, I disagree. This seems much more like a book for fans of Craig Johnson’s Longmire or Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder.
Ethan Brand is the new police chief in Blaine, Washington, a town of 6,000 on the Canadian border. He’s a veteran of Afghanistan, and he’s worked for the department for fifteen years. In that time, there have been two murders in the town. On his first day, he receives a threatening letter, and a body is found at the railroad tracks in town. Brand is not a political animal, and he’s still finding his way as the new police chief, checking his relations with others on his team.
I like the voice. And, I like that this a police procedural, at least in the first third of the book. It really is a team effort, although Brand doesn’t know if he has the support of his whole team.
What about you? How are you this week? What are you reading? And, feel free to drop me a note or comment here saying you’d like to post a Favorite Books of 2023 list. (Lesa.Holstine@gmail.com)
I’m currently working on SPOON TO BE DEAD, the third Shake Shop Mystery from Dana Mentink. I am reading it now since it’s a Christmas book, but I’m not feeling much of the Christmas spirit. However, I’m very intrigued by what is happening and hope to get more reading time in on Thursday. I didn’t get quite as much as I would have liked today.
Mark, I hope you’re not feeling much of the Christmas spirit with the book, not in person. Good luck with both!
Yes, it’s the book that is missing the Christmas spirit. Again, it’s not bad. Just not as festive as I was expecting.
Good morning from a dark, wet Scotland.
You will all think I am mad, but I’m really glad to see this rain. We’ve had four days of sub zero temperatures and ice everywhere. The ice is so frightening that I’ve hardly been outside the house, except into the garden to feed the birds several times a day – they are starving, and grass is OK to walk on if you’re careful, but the pavements and the road surfaces have been treacherous. There have been lots of accidents, so I decided to stay safe.
I had walk dates arranged for Monday and Tuesday, both of which had to be cancelled – fortunately each of my friends felt much as I did about the ice. Yesterday my lovely – and intrepid – friend Karen drove down from her rather remote house to pick me up and we went for lunch in the café in the village. It was so nice to see someone and have a chat!
But I’ve actually enjoyed being home more than I thought I would. It’s been cosy, I am lucky to have a warm house, and by chance we had done a big grocery shop last Saturday, just before the temperatures really plummeted. I’ve been reading, writing, catching up on admin tasks, doing a jigsaw that I need to complete before Anna arrives with Charlie (aka jigsaw destruction unit…) tomorrow, and sorting out art gallery things.
David went off to Paris for work on Tuesday morning at 4am. I don’t know how he even got to the airport, but luckily he did and his journey went remarkably smoothly.
So now the ice has melted, everywhere is dark and soggy, but at least I can go out.
This week I finished reading THE DEAD OF WINTER by Nicola Upson, which I enjoyed. The setting of St Michael’s Mount, off the Cornish coast, worked well, and the characters were nuanced and interesting. I suppose the plot was a bit unlikely really, but aren’t most murder mysteries? The part about Archie Penrose (the police detective) and three local men roping themselves together to cross the causeway to the mainland in terrible weather reminded me of a friend in Newfoundland, who told us that when he worked in Labrador people had to tie themselves on with ropes just to walk to their neighbour’s house in a blizzard.
Now I’m trying to finish the last two stories in Sylvia Plath’s JOHHNY PANIC AND THE BIBLE OF DREAMS. This collection shows how Plath’s style was developing, and her key themes starting to emerge. The sea and the beach feature frequently, as do mental institutions, fathers, mothers, motherhood, and also, for some reason, bees and beekeeping.
I especially enjoyed THAT WIDOW MANGADA, about a young American couple, Sally and Mark, both writers, who are in Spain and looking for a cheap apartment to rent. They encounter the Widow on a bus, and she persuades them to stay in her house in Villaviento. She’s a proud woman who talks the accommodation up no end, but soon shows her real colours – her house is falling apart, she is short of money, and she manipulates her tenants – but Sally soon gets the measure of her and plays her at her own game.
Plath’s descriptive skills are already well honed in this book. I usually get bored with too much description and not enough action, but her writing is so sharp and innovative that she holds your attention completely. What a genius she was.
I’m also reading CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY by Somerset Maugham. It was written in 1939, and is about a young man, Charley Mason, taking a trip to Paris. So far he’s only just arrived, and he’s looking forward to a fun time – but from what I’ve read on the cover things are not going to stay jolly for long. I’ve not read any other Maugham, though I’ve had CAKES AND ALE on my shelf for years.
Lesa, I will email you re a Favourite Books post – by coincidence, I last night made a list of the books I’ve read this year. I’m already up to 52, which is something of a feat for me, though not for many of you I imagine! I was interested to see the spread of my star ratings. I seem to give out an awful lot of 3-4*, but I suppose that’s the nature of it, most books are good but few are perfect. I only had four 5* books all year, and one 1* (though I’m not sure that Daisy Jones and the Six even deserved that.)
On TV I am watching the new series of THE CROWN, and so far I am enjoying it, despite all the negative reviews. I have one more episode to go, as they have only released half of the series – the remaining four episodes will appear next year. Diana has just died, so I imagine the next episode will look at the extraordinary aftermath of her death, and the impact it had on the rest of the royal family.
I’m also still watching LONDON KILLS, and the Dublin-based crime drama KIN. The last episode of the new series of SHETLAND aired last night but I didn’t watch it- I should really save it till David comes back, but I may weaken! I probably need to watch it twice anyway, this series seems to me to have been far more complicated than previous ones – though it’s good.
Last Friday Heather and I went to a craft fair at Fyvie Castle, a National Trust property north of Aberdeen. The stalls were set out throughout the castle, so we were able to see many of the beautiful rooms and the paintings by Gainsborough, Raeburn and many others . The castle is 800 years old., an example of Scottish baronial architecture.
We weren’t too impressed with the crafts themselves, but I think we’ve maybe just seen too much of this stuff. And neither I nor any of my friends needs anything, we have far too much already. I did see my jeweller friend Drew, and his rings, earrings and necklaces are beautiful, but until I get my ears re-pierced I have more than enough jewellery. It was good to catch up though.
Tomorrow we are going to see TALISK at the Lemon Tree, here in Aberdeen. We saw them earlier this year, they are a trad music band but quite different from the usual – they incorporate many genres and perform with amazing energy and skill. It’s certainly not quiet, reflective folk music!
Now I need to do some serious cleaning and tidying before Anna’s visit. I’m also going to make an orange marmalade cake (from Nigel Slater’s KITCHEN DIARIES.) Yesterday Karen and I were discussing Christmas food – her sister still makes everything from scratch, even the mincemeat, the mince pies and the Christmas pudding and cake. Karen and I buy it all ready made, we don’t want all that stress!
We were talking about the brochures that shops like M & S and Aldi put out around now – they always show photos of huge family gatherings with the table absolutely groaning with food. Who eats all this stuff? These advertising campaigns must put so much pressure on families with limited resources – ‘you need to buy all of this to be a Good Mother/Father/Grandparent.’ It’s so wrong.
And on that Scrooge-like note I will stop and get cleaning/baking.
Have a great week all! I’m going to Edinburgh next Thursday for the dentist so I may not have time to participate, but I’ll try.
Rosemary
Good morning, Rosemary!
So happy to hear you’re not coping with ice any longer. That sounds treacherous just going out to feed the the birds. I’m glad you’ve been tucked in and cozy at home most of the time.
Great! I’m glad you’re going to participate in the Favorites list again this year. I’ll admit, I submitted a list to a friend, and I didn’t come up with ten favorites this year. I had a few outstanding books, and other than that, not much that rated a 5.
That’s funny that you mentioned getting your ears re-pierced. I let mine go during COVID, and I should get them re-pierced, and just haven’t done it. Earrings would really be the only jewelry I’d wear anymore, and I don’t miss them.
Sending hugs! And, we’ll miss you next week if you don’t make it. Good luck at the dentist!
ROSEMARY: I understand you preferring rain over ice. We had 11 hours of freezing rain on Sunday followed by 15 cm of snow on Monday & Tuesday in Ottawa. It’s currently -12C feeling like -18C. But the white stuff is going to melt this coming weekend with rain expected on Sunday and a high of +5C.
Good morning, all. I figured I’d get this done early this week.
1. I will definitely do a Favorite Books of the Year list, Lesa, though it might take a little while.
2. We spent 2 1/2 days in the city last weekend, so no reading then. By coincidence, we had two concerts – both at Town Hall on 43rd Street off Broadway – on Saturday and Sunday. The first was the 43rd Annual (but the first I’d ever heard of!) John Lennon Memorial Tribute: A Benefit for Theatre Within. The honoree was Graham Nash, and other performers – each did two songs written by Lennon – included Judy Collins, Rosanne Cash, Israeli performer David Broza, Lisa Fischer, and Bettye LaVette. Good show. The Sunday night show was Steve Earle’s 9th Annual Benefit for The Keswell School, where his non-verbal autistic son John Henry goes. The big name guest was John Mellencamp (in past years we’ve seen Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris, among others), with Amy Helm and David Bromberg also performing.
Because the last express bus on the weekend is earlier, we stayed two nights at a Marriott on 37th Street. It was good, other than fighting the hordes of tourists in the area. Since we were going to be there already, Jackie suggested getting tickets for a show for the Sunday matinee, so we saw the first revival in 60+ years of Ossie Davis’s PURLIE VICTORIOUS, which was very good. It starred Leslie Odom, Jr. but the show was stolen by co-star Kara Young.
3. Welcome back, Rosemary. We’ve had the first two episodes of SHETLAND so far – they run a new one each Tuesday – and it is better than I’d expected. I’m guessing that in the end, she will stay in Shetland. Also, is there a single Scottish show that Jamie Sives is not in? We’ve also gotten the newest series of MIDSOMER MURDERS, which we will start on Saturday. We did finish the nasty PAYBACK, and I was glad they wrapped it up without a cliffhanger. STarted series 4 of SUSPECTS last night. But most of all, in the last week we watched all 5 book adaptations of Robert Galbraith/J. K. Rowling’s C. B. STRIKE (or just STRIKE). Oh, and we’re watching the second series of the Aussie RFDS (ROyal Flying Doctor Service).
4. Books. Jackie is halfway through the Paula Munier, HOME AT NIGHT I have way too many books on hand from the library – 4 ‘real’ books (3 of them short story collections), plus 4 or 5 ebooks. The only books I’ve finished this week were short story collections, starting with THE CARNIVAL & Other Stories by Charles Beaumont, which I mentioned the last couple of weeks. Lore Segal is 95, she was sent from Vienna on the Kindertransport of Jewish children when she was 10, and she arrived here after WWII. She has been writing for The New Yorker for decades, and she is still writing. Her latest book of stories is LADIES’ LUNCH & Other Stories, mostly about a group of nonagenerians who meet for lunch monthly. I also read her earlier collection, THE JOURNAL I DID NOT KEEP, and I have a third collection.
I’m reading and enjoying the seventh Insp. Karen Pirie book by Val McDermid, PAST LYING. This one is set in the heart of the pandemic, when Edinburgh was on total lockdown, and people were only allowed outside one hour a day. Pirie is the head of the small Historic Cases Unit, investigating past unsolved crimes, and she gets a new case involving an author who died, leaving behind a manuscript that seems to point to a missing persons case. I like this series a lot, and I like the books a lot more than I liked the first television series.
I did have to return some of the other books I had, like the Julia Child letters, but I have a real book of that coming soon. I have Donna Leon’s memoir, but don’t know if I will have time to get to it. Mostly, other than the books mentioned, I’ve been reading SURELY YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS: The True Story of AIRPLANE! by writer-directors David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. It’s a lot of fun revisiting a favorite movie. And don’t call me Shirley.
Good morning, Jeff! No hurry on the book list. I think last year I posted them into February. So, whenever you get around to it.
Your post makes me miss the Broadway area. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. I haven’t seen a listing that excites me.
I really need to read the Karen Pirie series. I know you like it, and it always sounds good. Don’t hurry with the Donna Leon when you’re overloaded. It’s really nothing special.
I meant to say, the Nolan Chase book does sound like Longmire to me, and that’s why it interests me.
I finished it this morning, Jeff. It felt like Longmire more than anything else.
This week I caught up with BORDERLANDS by Brian McGilloway. From 2008, the first of the Inspector Benedict Devlin series. A dark mystery set in Ireland during the winter of 2002 at the Tyrone-Donegal Crossing.
Staying with the Irish murder theme, next up was SOME OF US ARE LOOKING. This is the second County Kerry Novel by Carlene O’Connor featuring murder and the diminutive veterinarian Dimpna Wilde.
Then to British colonial Fiji circa 1914. The debut novel, A DISAPPEARANCE IN FIJI by Nilima Rao, was quite interesting. From the review posted here in June, “Rao successfully combines the beauty of Fiji with the brutality of the plantation system of using indentured laborers, and the abuse of women. It’s an excellent mystery, and a lesson in history.” I’m not sure why it took me so long to pick this up, but I’m glad I did.
Lastly, to small town Kentucky. The story starts with a book received as a gift and a protagonist that calls attention to horror cliches as they appear…STARLING HOUSE by Alix E. Harrow. A beautifully written and delightfully creepy tale of a haunting house in small town Kentucky. Magical, mystical story of good & evil.
I second a recommendation for A DISAPPEARANCE IN FIJI. Interesting to learn about the workers, ? indentured servants, brought from India to work the sugar plantations in Fiji.
I just couldn’t get into Borderlands, MM. I don’t know why it didn’t work for me.
I’m glad you liked A Disappearance in Fiji. It was a little different for me.
Happy reading in the next week!
I got through a couple of short reads this week.
SPIRIT OF THE WOOD by Kristen Britain is a novella length prequel to her green riders fantasy series.
NEEDLE YOU MIND by ACF Bookens features Paisley Sutton who runs an architectural salvage business. Of course she finds a body on every job. Since she works in a small southern town I have to wonder why people keep hiring her when they know there’s going to be a body in their house.
Sandy, I love your conclusion about ACF Bookens’ series. Why do people keep hiring her? That’s funny.
Thanks to a recommendation from someone on this blog I just read the 3 mysteries by Claire Kells that take place in several lesser known national parks. The first book, Vanishing Edge, introduces us to a former FBI agent who is now working for the Investigative Services Branch and tasked with solving crimes in our national parks. I enjoyed the plots and characters but particularly enjoyed reading about three parks I have not visited. Who knows..maybe I’ll get there someday and I’ll be ready!
So thank you to the poster who recommended them. Now that I think about it maybe it was a review by you Lesa?
No, Susan. Kevin Tipple is a big fan of that series by Claire Kells, and he’s reviewed several of them here. He’ll be happy to know you enjoyed his recommendations!
That I am!
Trying to snatch moments to read between packing and purging of stuff. I feel like a juggler!
I am reading Hot Pot Murder by Jennifer J. Chow, much more for the wonderful food and customs than for the mystery. We had a Hot Pot party one time with friends and I loved it. There was a big boiling pot on the table and we fed it with tofu and lots of vegetables and many treasures. Then we pulled them out with our chopsticks, and dipped them in sauce. We had a lot of laughter and sharing of stories. This book brings back the memories.
I’m looking at the long list of 2024 books on my Kindle and wondering why I downloaded so many. I’ll read them in the order they will be published, January books first. I’m starting with The Son’s Secret by Daryl Wood Gerber, a story about a mother trying to find her college senior son, who has suddenly dropped out of sight and become unreachable. After that, The Heiress, about the mess left behind after a fabulously wealthy NC woman dies. We’re watching Slow Horses and Fargo on TV, wishing we could binge watch both but stuck with one episode a week. This is the best season of Slow Horses by far, and the best Fargo we’ve seen in years.
Good morning, all! I haven’t yet decided whether to go out walking this morning–We had rain yesterday, and more called for this afternoon, so it will depend on whether it feels too damp (and cold).
And yes, Lesa, I would love to do a “favorites of the year” blogpost again this year. Here’s what I read this week:
HOME AT NIGHT, the fifth in Paula Munier’s excellent Mercy Mystery series, continues the story of the just-married Mercy and Troy and their two search and rescue dogs, Elvis and Susie Bear. They’re looking for a bigger home for their extended family when they learn that the haunted house that scared Mercy during her school days is for sale. It’s the old family home of a famed female poet whose death was ruled a suicide, and it needs a lot of renovation. But when a dead body is found in the house before they can even make an offer and some letters that may be valuable are found on the premises, both Mercy and Troy, along with law enforcement colleagues, get involved in the investigation that sometimes puts them in dangerous situations. A group of poets and a group of druids both claim they are entitled to information about the letters, and the list of suspects involved in the death and additional violent encounters seems to grow exponentially. I admire the author’s elegant writing style and memorable characters. I enjoy the young couple at the center of the plot, their intrepid and lovable dogs, and their families, as well as a few new characters introduced in this book. And I relish the setting of a Vermont town and woods during the Halloween season. I have to admit being somewhat confused by the many secondary characters–some of whom are not who, or what, they seem–but I’ll take responsibility for that. I probably wasn’t paying enough attention. But my favorite part of the book was a detailed flashback to a wedding that occurred late in the previous series entry, and that was not described in that book. It was worth waiting for!
THE TROUBLE WITH YOU by Ellen Feldman is primarily a portrait of one woman, Fanny, whose doctor husband returns from service in World War II to her and their almost-6-year-old daughter, Chloe, but whose life ends unexpectedly very shortly thereafter. Through the author’s depiction of Fanny’s life, we learn about the status of women in the post-war days. Many had been hired into a job with the understanding that they would give it up when the man who previously held the job returned. After all, a man needed to provide for himself and his family, while a woman–even a college-educated one such as Fanny–might be permitted to take on a low-level job, but was expected to stop working after marriage and devote herself to the home and children. Fanny had secured a job as a secretary for a woman who wrote scripts for radio serials, but over time she was courageous enough to ask for a chance to write her own scripts from treatments provided by her boss. A major plot line is the McCarthy investigation, which looked for Communists and sympathizers and forced their employers to blackball them. For one of the victims working in Fanny’s office, that meant finding someone to “front” him, to submit his scripts under their name and share the resulting income. For another coworker, an actress about to get her big break, it meant . . . something else. Later on in the story, we witness the rise of women’s lib and the infamous “bra burning.” Fanny is a relatable character, struggling with her own identity, her romantic relationships, and her quest to support Chloe and ensure she grows up to be a happy, successful woman. The characters of Fanny, Chloe, Fanny’s Aunt Rose, coworkers Charlie and Ava, and pediatrician Ezra are well drawn, and the panoply of a women’s life over the years flows beautifully and provides a deeply-felt picture of life in the late forties and early fifties in the US. I was not familiar with the author but will definitely look for more from her. I still don’t understand the title, though! (March)
Hank Phillippi Ryan’s latest psychological thriller, ONE WRONG WORD, is focused on the dilemma of crisis management specialist Arden Ward. Unfairly accused of workplace impropriety, Arden is given one last assignment and the opportunity to repair her reputation. But this assignment borders on the impossible. Ned Bannister, a prominent real estate entrepreneur, has received an unexpected not-guilty verdict in his deadly drunk driving case, but his and his family’s lives are still reeling, as public opinion seems to feel that he got away with murder. Ned’s wife, Cordelia, begs Arden to help Ned clear up his public image and, in so doing, bring his family back to some sort of pre-trial normalcy. To add to the suspense, Arden’s boss has given her only two weeks to resolve the situation, in return for big bucks and a sterling reference. Throughout the book, we can’t help but empathize with Arden as she tries to determine just what happened that fateful night in a parking garage, while never being quite sure who is telling the truth and who is manipulating the situation for their own sordid advantage. While the beleaguered Arden is center stage, I particularly enjoyed the characters of the two opposing attorneys in Ned’s case–defense attorney Nyomi, who finds herself in a life-threatening situation, and (sometimes hilariously) outspoken prosecutor Monelle, whose tenacity and character development throughout the story make her a standout. Most importantly, the atmosphere feels deeply claustrophobic, not to mention creepy and disturbing, hallmarks of bestselling author Ryan’s recent work. (February)
Great, Margie! Thank you. I think this is a fun feature, and I hope readers enjoy the “Favorites” list as much as I do.
I agree with you about Home at Night. And, I’m glad she brought up the wedding again.
Hey Lesa, I am currently listening to an e-audio of The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins through netgalley which comes out 1/29/24. I am enjoying it a lot, almost finished. Will be starting to read The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan in print on my lunch hour. Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner is on my kindle.
You read more psychological suspense and thrillers than I do, Katherine. It’s good to know you’re enjoying The Heiress!
Katherine — The Heiress is next up for me. Glad to see your recommendation.
I finished Lisa Towle’s TERROR BAY yesterday, treating myself to a morning in bed because the weather was so dreary. Boy, was that the right decision!
TERROR BAY is a contemporary psychological thriller–might be the first one I’ve ever read?–and I really loved it. Twists, turns, trauma…very satisfying and recommended.
Ana, I don’t often treat myself to a morning in bed. Good for you! I’m glad it was the perfect place, and perfect day, to finish Terror Bay.
Lesa, 2023 was a more normal reading year for me so I would be happy to submit a “favourites of the year” blogpost.
HOP SCOT by Catriona MacPherson is a hoot of a read. Lexy & the Last Ditch motel gang have accompanied her back to visit her parents in Scotland. But instead of nostalgic memories of home, Lexy gets a shock when she learns her parents have bought a huge stone mansion at Mistletoe Hall in Yule & are converting it in a B&B. They have to deal with holly thieves & then find a skeleton behind a bricked up section of the basement. Oh boy!
And I am at the 70% mark of MAKING IT SO: A MEMOIR by Patrick Stewart. It is a long audiobook (19 hours) but I finally am at the section where he wins the role of Capt Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: TNG. A truly long journey from his impoverished Yorkshire childhood to Hollywood stardom at the age of 47.
Thank you, Grace! I’ll look forward to your list. I appreciate it!
I’m on the waiting list at the library for Making It So, but I’m going to read the book. I’m sure it’s even better to hear Patrick Stewart read it, but I don’t have the patiences for audiobooks. And, it’s so long! Good for you.
Good morning!
I read Snowed In by Catherine Walsh. A cute Christmas story in Ireland. Both Megan and Christian are dreading the holidays in their small Irish village. Megan because she was a runaway bride 5 years ago and hasn’t been back. Christian because of his disapproving father who is unhappy he chose another career path rather than running the family farm. The two meet up accidentally bump into each other in a pub in Ireland and decide to pretend to be in a relationship over Christmas with each other families. I know it is an overdone storyline, but I really liked this one especially because Megan is able to confront her past without Christian stepping in and saving the day.
Next, I finished The Last Love Note by Emma Grey. I didn’t find it to be the 5-star read most people did on Goodreads, but it was very good. Kate Whittaker loses her husband to early onset Alzheimer’s at age 38. She is left with a 2-year-old and grieving the love of her life. Because the author also lost her husband at the same age to a heart attack, she knew how to convey the messiness and endlessness of grief. I loved Kate and how she was able to move on beyond her life with Cameron. I seemed a little choppy to me with the writing the way she went from past to present day. My biggest problem with how contrived it was the character of Nick who was her husband’s friend and her boss.
Sunshine and warm for us today. Happy Reading!
Good morning, Sharon.
Of course, I like the sound of Snowed In – Christmas and Ireland. It doesn’t get any better for me.
Oh, sunshine and warm. Enjoy it!
I have fallen behind in my reading, but am now reading Elaine Sciolino’s The Seine: The River That Made Paris.
December is going to be busy for you, Kaye. I can see why you’re reading The Seine! Paris during the Christmas season!
Yes, I will probably do a favorites list as well.
For those interested, today on the blog I review the police procedural, A Nice Place To Die: A DS Ryan McBride Novel by J. Woollcott. https://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2023/12/review-nice-place-to-die-ds-ryan.html
My current read is Blood Relations, which is the second in the series, and recently reviewed by Aubrey on my blog. It is because of her review, I got both books.
Thank you, Kevin!
I was interested, and read your review of A Nice Place to Die. Interesting in that I just finished A Lonesome Place for Dying. Hmmm. I see a pattern here. I think you’d like this one. It’s on NetGalley under Crooked Lane Books, if I can tempt you to request it.
And, I’ll be running one of your reviews tomorrow. Thank you, again. Nice to see some of the readers appreciate your recommendations!
I did put in for A Lonesome Place To Die earlier and am awaiting approval. Should have been instantaneous. Do they NOT KNOW WHO I AM????
Thank you for again letting me be a part of things here with my guest reviews. Glad I did not drive everyone away.
This has been an unusual week where we went out a good bit. Glen and I had doctor’s appointments, and I had a haircut, which I had been putting off since the woman who cut my hair previously left the area. I am happy to have bit less hair and more shape to it.
This week I read THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE by Richard Osman. I always love reading about the characters in this series. Not just the four main characters but the other regulars that show up. I had heard rumors that maybe the series was ending but in the Acknowledgments section he says that this book will not be the last one.
I am now reading MISSIONARY STEW by Ross Thomas. I have previously only read two books by this author, and they were from a short espionage series about Mac McCorkle and Mike Padillo. This one is a political thriller, published in 1983. I am enjoying it immensely.
Glen is reading THE BORDER by Erika Fatland. The subtitle of the book is “A Journey Around Russia Through North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, and the Northeast Passage” and he is enjoying it a lot. I think I would enjoy reading it myself. it is long, 584 pages.
When Glen is done with that one, he is going to read SUNLESS SOLSTICE: Strange Christmas Tales for the Longest Nights.
It’s been raining here and there, but nothing too bad.
I went and saw my niece in her school’s production of Willy Wonka. It was actually pretty good. I see the story much differently now than I did when I was little, though.
This week I read:
Paws to Remember by Sofie Kelly; A mummified body is found behind some drywall. It may be that of a girl who disappeared 40 years ago, and may well have been pregnant. A well constructed mystery, but it seemed to me like the author was trying too hard. I hope we’re not headed to Joanne Fluke territory.
A Man Called Paladin by Frank Chester Robertson; The origin of the thinking man’s cowboy hero. I was expected something with a little rougher edges, but I was always a Wild Wild West guy, myself.
The Last Monument by Michael C. Grumley; After some elderly WWII veterans die in a plane crash, after escaping from an old folks home, the federal investigator finds it all goes back to The Big One, and the Monuments Men. That unit sure gets a lot of favorable publicity, I think because a lot of writers joined it back in the day.