I finished all the books I was reading for deadline this week, and then I moved on to working on my taxes. So, I don’t have much to discuss this week. I hope you can all pick up the slack.
I won’t be running a contest tomorrow since I don’t have any more January or February books to give away. Here are the winners of the last contest. Pattie T. from Saint Charles, MO won Murder on the Orient Express. Robert R. from San Antonio, TX will receive Dead of Night. I’ll run another contest whenever I have books to give away.
In between mysteries for review, I picked up Sarah Morgan’s The Book Club Hotel. I think Kaye Wilkinson Barley is the one who recommended it a couple weeks ago. I’m going to second that recommendation. I’ve only read a third of the book so far, but I like the story of three women who take a week at Christmas at the Maple Sugar Inn in Vermont. They’re all about forty, and they have issues right now in their lives. They may find solutions, and offer a few ideas to the widow and single mother who runs the inn. And, if this book interests you, for a change, it isn’t a galley. I picked this up at my local public library, so it’s already out.
What about you? What are you doing this week? And, the important question is, “What are you reading?”
I did my taxes on Monday. I was off for President’s Day. Do I know how to celebrate a day off or what? Seriously, it was raining, and it is so nice to have them behind me.
On the reading front, I’m in the in between phase again. I just finished TAKE THE HONEY AND RUN by Jennie Marts, the first Bee Keeping Mystery. It was a lot of fun if a bit over the top at times. Not sure you would like it, Lesa, since the main character does some stupid stuff in the pursuit of figuring things out. I wouldn’t say TSTL moments, but definitely stupid. Debating about getting a galley for the second in the series (coming in June) or seeing if a library gets it after it comes out.
I’m back to dive into BLACK LIST, WHITE DEATH by Steve Hockensmith. This features his Holmes on the Range characters. It’s two novellas and a short story all under one cover. That’s the extent of my knowledge so far so I’ve just barely cracked the cover.
I’ll finish today, Mark. Just need to run to my sister’s and use her printer. You’re right. It will be nice to have them out of the way.
Thanks for the info about Take the Honey and Run. I think I’ll pass.
Hi Lesa and everyone,
I looked for the Sarah Morgan book, Lesa, but could not find it anywhere – then I realised that I think it’s been published under a different title here – THE CHRISTMAS BOOK CLUB. Found it on Amazon, though (predictably) not in my library system. It looks interesting and has a lot of 5* reviews.
We have had very mixed weather this past week. On Saturday David suggested a walk through some local woods. It was already very cloudy and damp, and by the time we arrived at the woods (we walked there from home) the rain had started. At the entrance was a Forestry Commission sign ‘Keep Out! Danger! Do not proceed! – as they were clearly carrying out work, though nothing was happening that day.
‘Oh’ said my husband’ ‘we don’t need to bother about that, there’s nobody here.’
So of course we proceeded. We then found that the path that David was sure was there was in fact no longer there at all, and the alternative one was obstructed in numerous places by fallen trees. You can imagine how happy I was once we had twice retraced our steps, with the rain getting worse and night starting to fall….
We eventually staggered back down to the road. Oh good, I thought, now we can go home. Not so! David had planned an extension of the walk on the other side of the main road. So that is what we did. At least it was not through woods…
Then on Sunday the weather changed completely – blue skies and sunshine, and really quite warm. So in the late afternoon we went to Dunecht; this huge estate is one of my favourite walks in summer, and although it is of course still only February, the weather was so mild that we had a wonderful walk, with fabulous views of the Loch of Skene, and all the birds singing in the woodlands.
As they say up here: ‘Scottish weather – four seasons in one day.’
Books!
I finished Harry Windsor’s SPARE and was glad to return it to the library. I posted it on the Facebook page for the 52 Book Club 2024 Challenge, but I decided not to comment as I knew people would have very strong opinions one way or another.
They certainly did! Some, like me, thought it was self-indulgent whining. Many, though, loved it, and had huge sympathy for Harry. I’m glad I read it but I am even more glad that I don’t have to read any more of it (it’s long.)
I also finished Simon Brett’s THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY, which I enjoyed, though perhaps not quite as much as I had his THE KILLER IN THE CHOIR.
In this one an author who gives a very self-important talk at Fethering’s library is found dead In his car the next morning. It appears he has somehow been exposed to walnut oil, to which he had a very well publicised (by him) allergy. One of our two amateur sleuths, Jude, was the last person to see him alive, as he had offered her a lift home – she got into his car, but got out again when he started coming on to her. The police therefore seem to think she must have done the deed. Of course she didn’t, so her friend Carole is soon on the case, investigating everyone else who was at the event, plus the victim’s former and current wives. And of course practically everyone has secrets they’re trying to hide.
I also read SO SHALL YOU REAP, the 32nd book in Donna Leon’s long running Inspector Brunetti series. I know we’ve talked about these books several times – I still enjoy them, and am pleased that Leon Is keeping them contemporary; this one is set, I think, towards the end of the pandemic, so there are references to masks, and to the closure of some well loved shops (even in Venice!), but the story is not about Covid, that’s just part of the background.
The main part of the plot concerns the murder of a Sinhalese refugee, who was working for a Venetian couple living in one of the city’s palazzos. The man, a Buddhist, was universally known to be gentle, kind and helpful, so why was he knifed to death and thrown into the canal? Brunetti starts to investigate the owner of the property, a mediaeval historian, and gradually to make connections with events that happened 40-50 years before (Italy’s so-called ‘Years of Lead’), when terrorism was at its height in Italy, kidnappings were common, and a bomb exploded at Bologna railway station killing 85 people.
Meanwhile daily life continues in Venice, and Brunetti’s family is a part of that. It’s good to catch up with Brunetti’s highly accomplished wife Paola and their children – now teenagers – Raffaele and Chiara. I always enjoy this aspect of Leon’s novels.
Next month a themed reading event called Dewithon takes place;
‘Throughout March 2024 the international book blogging community will be invited to write about the literature of Wales. This will include reviews and articles about novels, non-fiction publications, short story anthologies, biographical works (by or about Welsh writers), travelogues, volumes of poetry (or single poems), essay collections, or indeed any texts with a meaningful connection to Wales.’
I’ve never participated in this before, and I am woefully ignorant about Wales, so I thought I would have a go. I’ve so far dug out four books that qualify;
CARRIE’S WAR by Nina Bawden – I’ve read this before, it’s a wonderful children’s novel about two London evacuees who are posted onto a reluctant brother and sister in a small Welsh village, how they cope with this drastic change in their lives, how the village copes with them, and the colourful characters they meet during their stay there.
FRAMED by Frank Cottrell Boyce – again this is a children’s novel that I have read before, though a long time ago. It’s about a boy living in a run down slate mining village, where he helps his Dad run the local petrol station. His mother has left the family, and he is desperately trying to keep his depressive Dad on the rails. And despite the decay all around him, he loves his home and wants everybody else to appreciate it.
It’s actually a very funny book, with a great plot involving the National Gallery’s decision to move their collection to the inside of a Welsh mountain when London is flooded. The local characters are so well drawn, and the story so well paced, that I’ll be more than happy to reread Framed.
BRING ME SUNSHINE by Laura Kemp – I’ve just started this one, which is about Charlotte, who works for a London radio station. When she is forced either to accept redundancy or go to work for a Sunshine Radio in Swansea, she very reluctantly opts for the latter. At least she hasn’t inherited a tea shop/book shop/cottage by the sea.
IN MY MIND’S EYE by Jan Morris, is a collection of this acclaimed travel writer’s diary entries. She lived in the village of Llanystumdwy in North Wales for over 50 years, until her death in 2020.
I’m enjoying the challenges I’ve started so far.
On Netflix I watched LADIES IN BLACK, in which 16 year old Lesley takes a Christmas job in the ladies’ fashion department of a prestigious store in 1950s Sydney. The film follows her gradual coming of age, her well meaning parents’ struggles to come to terms with her impending adulthood, and also the lives of three of the other women who work in the store, including Magda, a glamorous Slovenian refugee, who takes Lesley under her wing.
It’s a lovely, gentle story, but not saccharine or silly. Beautiful shots of Sydney and the surrounding countryside, and of course some fabulous frocks! I believe the film is based on a book, THE WOMEN IN BLACK, by Madeleine St John.
Have a good week all!
Rosemary, You made me laugh with your comment about Bring Me Sunshine, that at least she hadn’t inherited a tea shop, book shop, cottage by the sea. I know how much you dislike that in novels, so I found it funny.
Oh, dear. Your Saturday walk does not sound at all pleasant. I’m glad your weather was so much better the next day.
I don’t know anything about Wales, either. I don’t even know what I’d pick for that challenge.
Rosemary, we watched the first series of NO OFFENCE. Worth a look. We have currently added a second viewing of SCOTT & BAILEY to our Saturday night Brit Night lineup. Most excited, though, about the return of VERA next month. Joe returns!
I just finished S. A. Cosby’s mystery ALL THE SINNERS BLEED. Like the two previous books of his that I’ve read, it’s gripping, very well-written, and introduces appealing characters. In this one, the Black small-town sheriff, Titus Crown, is a terrific hero, and the book has quite a bit of humor, especially when Titus interacts with his brother and father. I would recommend it wholeheartedly, but I can’t because the subject matter is very disturbing. To say more would introduce spoilers, and I don’t want to put anyone off the book, just tell anyone who picks it up to know that they may find themselves putting it down along the way. I almost did, but I kept going, and I’m glad I did, but it’s an individual choice.
Now I’m taking a break from mysteries and reading an English novel, TALKING AT NIGHT, by Claire Daverley, that a friend strong recommended. On the cover, Jojo Moyes is quoted saying, “A beautifully observed, tender love story. I devoured it.” We’ll see if I like it.
Kim, All the Sinners Bleed is one of the finalists for the LA Times Mystery/Thriller Award, very nice award to get. I agree with you, though. It’s not for everyone. It was one of my favorites of 2023.
No, it’s not for everyone – but what is? – but it is a great book. I’m hoping Cosby gets a well deserved Edgar for it.
Good morning. I decided to reread a couple of books this week
KALE TO THE QUEEN by Nell Hampton. An American chef is hired to be a private chef in Kensington Palace. Her first week there she stumbles on the body of one of her assistants.
HOSPITAL STATION by James White is one of his Sector General books, set in a multi species hospital in outer space. I haven’t read this one since the 70s and had forgotten most of it.
Good morning, Sandy. Sometimes, rereads are the best comfort reads.
This morning broight temperatures in the low twenties here in Northern Nevada. The week of clouds and precipitation has moved on.
A single question has haunted them for a decade: why did it take Phoebe Dean’s brother, Grant, so long to call for help? TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES is the debut novel by Canadian author, Ashley Tate. After her own mother died suddenly, the author wanted to write about how dark and transforming grief can be. She used an event set in a small town to share that feeling of fear that comes when everything changes in an instant.
NO WAY OUT by Cara Hunter, the third in the DI Adam Hawley series. Reviewed here in December, I’ll just add the cover blurb… “A gripping and provocative tale of arson, murder and family intrigue… everything you’d expect from one of Britain’s Queen’s of crime.” There are five books in this series now.
A very funny sequel if one is allowed a sequel to a novelty. Or as one jacket blurb states “gloriously inventive”. A cross between a mystery novel and a roaring game of Clue, EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN IS A SUSPECT is the second novel in the Ernest Cunningham series by Benjamin Stevenson.
Seven writers board a trans-Australian train. At the end of the line, five will leave it alive.
Not a typical foodie book, THE BEST AMERICAN FOOD WRITING 2023 is made up of fascinating articles that touch on all types of subjects: history, borders, foraging, politics, sex, conspiracy theories…
With food at the center of each.
Lastly, a title too good to pass by – GARDENING CAN BE MURDER: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers by Marta McDowell (2023)
A beautifully arranged collection of facts and trivia that join garden and mystery starting with Sargeant Cuff in The Moonstone who vows to retire from catching thieves and grow rose (1868).
And a decided danger to my TBR list!
What a terrific list this week, MM. Sounds as if there was some good reading there. I really need to get around to reading Everyone on this Train is a Suspect.
Thursdays are always a danger to my TBR list!
MM, I think we must share similar tastes, as I have just added every book you’ve mentioned this week to my library or Amazon wish lists. Unfortunately the chances of my library system having THE BEST AMERICAN FOOD WRITING 2023 are nil, but it sounds so interesting that I may be obliged to look for it on eBay – and ditto GARDENING CAN BE MURDER.
Thanks for all these great suggestions!
I was not as enamored with Shark Heart by Emily Habeck as most other reviewers. It is the story of a woman who discovers her husband will mutate into a great white shark shortly after their marriage. I wish there had been more time devoted to Wren and Lewis before the mutation began. Overall, I thought it was just okay but I am in awe that the author could come up with such an original storyline.
I really liked Life and Other Otter Miracles by Hazel Prior. Phoebe and her Dad move to rural England where they discover an abandoned otter cub. They return it to the local sanctuary where Phoebe helps rehab it for release. Nice heartwarming story about a small village. It was the right book at the right time for me. I loved it.
Rainy day on tap in Cincinnati. The Connie Berry novella came in at my library so my day will be spent reading.
Happy Reading!
Oh, enjoy the Connie Berry novella, Sharon! Nothing better than a rainy day for reading.
Life and Other Otter Miracles sounds good Sharon, and our library system has it on order, so I have bookmarked it.
In the process of doing so I noticed that the author also wrote CALL OF THE PENGUINS, which I have not read but know received a lot of positive attention when it was published a couple of years ago.
Good morning, everyone! I was hoping to join my friends for a walk this morning, but it’s still too cold for me. Hopefully, I will get out and walk in my neighborhood later on, as I think we will have a break in the rain. A few nights ago, they were predicting “severe” weather for my county, but it never materialized. We did have some hail and wind, along with the rain. After my colonoscopy week last week, we had fun taking my daughter-in-law out for her birthday and had a rousing, cutthroat game of cards afterward. This week it’s pretty much back to normal.
My reading week was a decidedly mixed bag. Here’s what I finished:
The story of a young woman, from theater camp to pop stardom to potential Broadway debut, sounded like it was right up my alley. Unfortunately, ONCE MORE WITH FEELING by Elissa Sussman didn’t deliver for me. It was entertaining enough for me to read to the end, but I found it ultimately unsatisfying. The main reason is that Kathleen Rosenberg (aka Katee Rose) comes off as a superficial character who doesn’t undergo much (if any) development as the story progresses. We don’t learn much about her family background, her ill-fated relationship with her early boyfriend (popular boy band member Ryan), her self-destruction as a pop goddess after she cheated on and humiliated Ryan, or her on-again, off-again almost-romance with Cal, another member of Ryan’s boy band (no spoilers–all of this is in the book description). Cal seems a bit more sympathetic, but we know very little about him. The same holds true for Kathleen’s long-term best friend, Harriet, who is a talented but unheralded songwriter. The chapters alternate between “Then” and “Now,” which was sometimes confusing to me. “Now” chapters are in the present, of course, but “Then” chapters could be about theater camp or anything during Kathleen/Katee’s life as a popular singer. Altogether, I feel the book lacks depth and purpose, but it may fill the bill for those who are looking for a contemporary second chance romance. I much prefer Sussman’s previous book, Funny You Should Ask.
Elizabeth Everett’s THE LOVE REMEDY, a historical romance, is not at all what I was expecting, and I was excited about it all through the first half of the book. The characters are unique and interesting. Lucy is the rare female apothecary in Victorian England, who diagnoses maladies, creates curative compounds, and even performs dental surgery. But the business her father left her is in financial dire straits, and her ex-lover has deprived her of needed funds by stealing her formula for tastier and more effective throat lozenges. Now she can’t find her newest formula, intended to relieve tired mothers by reducing the symptoms of their babies’ croup. When she can’t find proof that her ex is to blame, Lucy seeks the services of a private investigation firm masquerading as a bookkeeping service. The agent assigned to her case is the brawny and imposing Jonathan Thorne. He used to be a champion prizefighter who lived high and partied hard, while collecting a multitude of injuries that changed the beauty of his face and the tenor of his voice. But he left all of that behind when his lover died, leaving him with a 2-year-old biracial daughter. In the second half of the book, however, it becomes clear that the initial spark between Lucy and Thorne is sexual in nature, and that the restrictions both parties have imposed on themselves–for different reasons–and their lack of meaningful communication will make it almost impossible for them to connect in a romantic way. That’s when I found it less entertaining. Thorne does solve the case, but it seems like an afterthought. Lucy’s siblings, especially her physician sister, are part of the plot but underused. And the ending is abrupt and unconvincing. Having said that, I really enjoyed Thorne’s relationship with his precocious 9-year-old daughter, as well as the emphasis on feminism and women involved in STEM occupations in Victorian times. And the book cover is to die for. This book is the first in a series and includes some characters from a previous series (which I didn’t realize). If you enjoy a period romance/mystery with an emphasis on character rather than mystery or romance, along with steamy sex scenes, this one may be for you. (March)
The Wishing Game was one of my favorite reads of 2023, so I was excited to grab an ARC of THE LOST STORY as soon as it became available. The plot involves two young men who were teenagers when they disappeared 15 years earlier into a forest and didn’t emerge for six months. Rafe doesn’t remember anything about their time away from home, and Jeremy–who was carrying an ailing Rafe when they were discovered–can’t or won’t tell him. Rafe becomes a loner and puts his artistic talent to use, while Jeremy forges a career using his uncanny ability to find lost persons, and even lost objects. They have almost lost touch with each other until Emilie appears and pleads with Jeremy to find the big sister she never knew she had. And when it seems that her sister disappeared in the same forest that claimed Rafe and Jeremy, all three–with varying degrees of excitement or reluctance–agree to venture back on a rescue mission. I particularly enjoyed the first 40% or so of the book, as the three main characters come together and reveal their fraught family history, their personalities, and their skills and abilities. The rest of the book, however, feels like a familiar, fantastical adventure in a magical realm, which is reminiscent (perhaps too much) of the Narnia books. There are unicorns, of course, and mermaids, members of royalty and their would-be assailants, enchanted animals, and the like. But where the depiction of Clock Island in The Wishing Game is creative and unpredictable, the trio’s quest and the magical land of Shanandoah don’t feel as special, and even their dialogue fell somewhat flat for me. I also found Emilie to be an underdeveloped and unrealistic character. Meg Shaffer is undeniably a wonderful storyteller, and her handling of family relationships is deeply emotional and resonant. So perhaps my expectations were too high. It is an entertaining book, but I wanted it to feel unique. That doesn’t mean I won’t seek out the author’s next book–please keep writing, Meg! I’ll be first in line! (July)
I read EXPLORING THE WHITE HOUSE: INSIDE AMERICA’S FAVORITE HOME for the February meeting of one of my book clubs, where the theme is US Presidents, First Ladies, and/or the White House. I found the perfect book to learn more about the White House, written by Kate Anderson Brower, a reporter and TV producer who traveled with the Obama family and wrote about it for Bloomberg News. This 2020 book is a quick and engrossing read, covering topics including the building’s history since John Adams and his family first lived there in 1800 and how it is laid out, and what it’s like to work, grow up, dine, celebrate holidays, have pets, and even see ghosts in this 55,000-square foot building. The author also writes about many of the First Ladies and how they made the White House work for their families’ needs and tastes, and about the ever-present Secret Service. I relished all of the fun facts I learned and anecdotes I read about, which humanized our country’s most famous residence for me. I especially appreciated the fact that the regular staff often serves many administrations and is expected to be discreet and nonpartisan, refraining from support of any political party. Often the bond between the staff and the President’s family is close and lasting. I highly recommend the book for those who would enjoy an inside look at the White House.
Once More with Feeling wasn’t on my radar, Margie, but I won’t be adding it to my TBR pile, thanks to you. Appreciate it! And, I think I’ll skip The Lost Story. Exploring the White House sounds good though.
I hope the weather warms up for you soon!
ONCE MORE WITH FEELING sounds far too much like DAISY JONES AND THE SIX for me to go anywhere near it, Margie! But maybe I am jumping to the wrong conclusion?
Good morning, all. We’re about to head out for our weekly Thursday brunch – today it is Suzy Q’s Hometown Diner – but wanted to check in and say hi and let you know I’ll be back with reading a little later on. With the morning newspapers and all the online games I play, it takes quite a while in the morning to get through everything,
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Good morning, Jeff! Isn’t retirement grand? We’ll “talk” later.
Yikes! I forgot it was Thursday. Reading Wild by Kristin Hannah . Hard to out down!!
Thanks for stopping by, Carol. Now, back to your book!
Just finished “The Wheel of Doll,” Jonathan Ames’ second in a series about LA private eye Happy Doll, an unorthodox combination of Doll’s Buddhist outlook and the violence he must unleash to achieve justice. Very well written.
Now reading Patrick Stewart’s autobiography “Making It So,” a must-read for me since, as a Star Trek fan, I’ve long enjoyed his portrayal of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.
Do you like the Doll books, Andrew? I read the first one for review, and just didn’t care for the character. Just me, I’m sure.
I get so excited when a favorite author has a new book.
David Housewright’s Rushmore McKenzie series is one I follow and the latest, Man in the Water, is the 21st entry. (June pub date).
I read until I couldn’t hold my eyes open any longer about 2 this morning and now jumping right back into it.
Description
When his wife finds the body of an Army veteran in the lake, it is inevitable that former cop, now unofficial P.I. Rushmore McKenzie will get enmeshed in a complicated case of possible murder.
It all starts with the body in the water—on what should be the first boat day of the season, McKenzie’s wife Nina finds a dead Army vet. As the dock owner and the insurance companies claim that it was suicide, despite the deceased, E.J. Woods, having no obvious reason to kill himself, his widow starts acting suspiciously. McKenzie finds himself pulled into the fight when Naveah, the victim’s daughter, convinced her father was murdered, asks him to investigate.
Further complicating the situation are uncooperative boaters, allegations of PTSD, and the simple fact that there was no reason for E.J. to be in the water. McKenzie’s investigation unearths not only the petty squabbles surrounding the lake and its dock, but details of her father’s past that Naveah is perhaps better off not knowing. With Nina haunted by dreams of the body and the legal fight over cause of death becoming increasingly nasty, McKenzie may be the only one interested in finding justice for E.J.— and uncovering the truth before another person dies.
Aubrey Hamilton raves about that series, too, Kaye, and I’ve never read any of them.Someday!
Enjoy your book! Hugs!
We had a good bit of rain off and on starting last Saturday. The flooding did not seem as bad in the area except that the Santa Barbara airport shut down on Monday and was still partially closed on Tuesday due to flooding of the runways. As far as I know, that hasn’t happened before. By the time we drove by on Wednesday all looked fine but they were dredging some parts of a nearby creek.
We did our taxes a couple of weeks ago. Years back, we used to wait until the last minute to file, now we like to get it done as soon as possible. Glen does all the hard work and I cheer him on.
I think we are watching ROPE, a movie by Hitchcock, sometime today but right now we are dealing with plumbing problems so who knows?
I finished A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman. I had resisted it and his other books when they first came out, but I really enjoyed reading it, although for me it was an emotional read. I will read more of his books. Any suggestions are welcome.
Now I have started reading two spy fiction books. For my Classics Club list, I am reading THE QUIET AMERICAN by Graham Greene. I am reading that one the Kindle.
The other book is JUDAS 62 by Charles Cumming , the second book in the BOX 88 series. Cumming is a younger spy fiction author that is high on my list of authors of espionage fiction.
Glen is reading about espionage also but his book is nonfiction: AGENT ZIGZAG by Ben Macintyre. It is about about a British double agent during World War II. This is the fourth book he has read by Macintyre, and he has four more of his books on his shelves. He has been telling me some interesting things he has read in the book, and I am eager to read it also.
I’m glad you’re okay, Tracy, but sorry about the plumbing problems.
I think it’s great that you and Glen share some of the same reading tastes. My late husband and I seldom read the same books or subjects.
I’m afraid I haven’t read Backman, so I really can’t suggest any other titles. Although friends always liked My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry.
Had another big storm this weekend, but the wind wasn’t as bad.
This week I read:
Vodou Child by Wayne Stinnett; another spin off of the Jesse McDermott series. For a series most people have never heard of, it sure has a lot of stuff published. In this one, squabbling detectives go to an island where voodoo is blamed for a death. Calling Greg Brady!
Patricia Fisher: Ship’s Detective by Steve Higgs; Even though it’s called the first in the series, the book makes mention of previous books. Very strange. There’s a mysterious death, a thief, and monkeys on the ship! I never wanted a pet monkey, that’s for sure.
Death of a Knitwit by Peggy Erhart; Our amateur detective gets on the case when the pompous professor speaking at a knitting convention is poisoned. The detective seems awful brittle for this subgenre.
The Corsican Shadow by Dirk Cussler; Dirk Pitt is on the case. Napoleon’s Bones are found…again ( I think this is the fourth time in the Cussler-verse) and there’s lots of derring-do, but I found the villain underwhelming.
Death in the Glow of Kilauea by Julien Rapp; Dreadlow gets richer, gets engaged, and gets some more classic cars while he solves a mystery at a vulcanologist conference. Ingenious murder method.
Fortune Reigns by J. Clifton Slater; Sisera is still in Sicily, where he almost dies on the punishment post. Then we get a war novel, while Sisera disappears for 75% of the book.
Well, Glen, at least one of your books had an ingenious murder method. Other than that, they sound a little disappointing.
See, that’s our life in Florida. Go out for brunch, run a few errands and…voila! Four hours later…we had brunch, then stopped at Publix for a few things. Then it was The Fresh Market for a few more. Then Joseph’s Classic Market for something for dinner. Then Costco (etc.). And here we are.
Anyway, books. Jackie finished the Iris Yamashita (we’re waiting on the second one) and is reading a Chloe Neill book, Cold Curses, a Chicagoland vampire book.
I read Total Immersion, a collection of stories written by Allegra Goodman and published when she was only 21. They are set in Hawaii, where she grew up after being born in The Borough of Churches, Brooklyn, NY. I liked it.
Next it was the latest Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis book (#13, I think) by Jeffrey Siger, At Any Cost. This one is set mostly on Syros, with some parts in Athens. Kaldis’s 18 year old niece, a college student in New York (NYU, where else?) is coming home to Greece with her newly acquired fiance, and her mother, Kaldis’s sister, is very much less than pleased. Meanwhile, a series of wildfires that devastated Greece the previous summer is on his plate, and rumors have it that arson was involved, and a possible big deal involving the internet is a rason. And who is the computer genius who can – possibly – helped Kaldis to get to the bottom of this? You guessed it, the fiance, Jack. This all takes a bit of time to get going , but once you get to the last 100 pages, they fairly fly by. Good book.
Now I’m up to the latest in Lee Goldberg’s Eve Ronin series Dream Town. Eve needs the money, so she finally agreed to let her odious director father help turn her life story into a television series, and the series has stasrted shooting. (Amusingly, but unsurprisingly, they have made her near retirement partner Duncan 20 years younger and 150 pounds thinner.) Then human bones are discovered, and … that’s as far as I’ve gotten so far. I’m sure I’ll be done well before next Thursday.
I’m also read Otessa Moshfegh’s short story collection, Homesick for Another World. I also have the first Quentin Bates/Iceland book from the library, for when I finish the Goldberg.
You’re right, Jeff. I thought it took a while for At Any Cost to get going, too.
It sounds as if you’re shopping in open air markets in Europe!
Checking in a bit late today. This week I read the 7th installment in the Lady Sherlock series (A Tempest at Sea, by Sherry Thomas), which had been on my bucket list. It was not my most favorite in the series. It seemed overly long and the mystery to be solved just wasn’t that interesting. That said, it’s always good to spend time with Charlotte, Lord Ingram, Mrs. Watson and Olivia.
I also read an ARC from NetGalley that I devoured. “How to Solve your Own Murder” by Kristen Perrin (March 26, 2024). The story switches between 1965 when Frances Adams was a teenager, hanging out with her besties (Emily and Rose) and present day wherein Frances has been murdered, and her English country estate will be left to her great-niece (Annie Adams), her nephew, or a local land developer, depending upon who solves the murder first. As a teenager, Frances had received a cryptic message from a fortune teller, foretelling her death. Frances spends a lifetime trying to avoid anything that has to do with the message’s clues. Simultaneously she also has tried to solve the mysterious disappearance of her friend Emily, gone some 60 years. Through the use of France’s diary, Annie learns the secrets of Frances, Emily and Rose to assist her with solving her great-aunt’s death, and in the process also solving the Emily mystery. Many interesting characters, plot twists, and adventure.
Thank you, Mary! I might have How to Solve Your Own Murder in NetGalley myself. It sounds good!
Overly long, and the mystery isn’t worth reading. But, like you, I read some mysteries because I like the characters.
Good afternoon, Lesa. I just finished a delightful cozy mystery by Kirsten Weiss. Steeped in Murder is the first book in the Tea and Tarot series. I might never have found it if it hadn’t been selected as the February book for our Sisters in Crime – Colorado book club. Fun reading, even with murder.
Patricia, I love it that you found a delightful cozy through your Sisters in Crime book club. That’s great!
Hi Lesa, It’s been a busy week at the public library I work in. Rainy and cool today. Great day for reading! My current reads are “Anna O” by Matthew Blake in print. On audio, it’s “End of Story” by A. J. Finn (don’t think it needs to be 13hrs). On kindle I am reading an e-arc from netgalley “More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” by Satoshi Yagisawa which releases in July. I just checked out Book Club Hotel at the my library.
Hi Katherine, I always preferred busy weeks at the library. You’re right, rainy and cool is perfect for reading. I hope you like Book Club Hotel!