I was looking forward to today. I want to hear how Lindy and Mark are doing, and anyone else who wants to talk about it. The weather hasn’t been quite as bad here, and I ran all kinds of errands yesterday, including to the library, of course. I picked up Vivien Chien’s Death by Dumpling because Glen and several others praise that series.
And, I forgot to mention in my first edition of this, Jeff is up on the blog tomorrow with his Favorites of 2024. I hope you stop by!
I’m already reading Kathryn Lasky’s A Slant of Light. It’s the third book in the series that features Georgia O’Keeffe in her Santa Fe years. It’s set pre-World War II when there was so much anti-immigrant and anti-Semitism in this country, some led by the Catholic Church. (Sound familiar?) In addition, it deals with the schools where Native children were sent to beat the Indian out of them. O’Keeffe finds a way to work herself into one of the schools after she befriends a boy whose sister was killed there.
While I enjoy the historical aspects of the mysteries, it’s Georgia O’Keeffe’s viewpoint as an artist that I really appreciate. Lasky does a wonderful job playing with the light and what an artist would see. Usually, I gravitate toward the characters in any mystery. But, the viewpoint of an artist is just wonderful in these books.
What about you? What are you doing this week? And, what are you reading?
Hello Lesa and everyone, thanks for caring how I am! Saw the cardiologist on Friday; waited an hour past my appointment time but he was such a nice man, and he spent a full half hour with me. I’m very lucky. He was concerned, but not overly. The heart fibrillation has happened four times but may not happen again, or it may start happening frequently. At some point they may decide to go in and ‘disable’ the part that’s not working properly. In the meantime, carry on normally and go to the hospital if the episodes are making me feel particularly nauseous, dizzy, unwell, etc., otherwise try to wait it out. Will be on blood thinners forever to stop clots from forming (and serious strokes) but to watch for signs of internal bleeding, and be aware that any cut or anything will now bleed a lot, and to be careful not to hit my head lest it cause bleeding on the brain. Yikes! And despite being told at the hospital to have zero caffeine (I actually shed tears at the thought of not being able to have a cup of tea) he said not to worry about that and to go ahead and have tea. Best news ever ha ha. I felt heaps better after talking to him even though he laughed at me. He wanted to take my blood pressure so asked me to lie down for a few minutes in a little room on one of those regular medical office bed/table things. So I lay down on my side, which is how I would lie in order to relax, but when he came in he laughed uproariously and said in all his years of taking patients’ blood pressure, no one else had ever lain on their side; they’ve all lain on their backs. There – more than you wanted to know, I’m sure.
Two books read this week:
THE LIBRARY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
Hanna is married to a barrister and has a daughter and a lovely house in London. One day she finds her husband in bed with another woman and worse, she finds the affair has been going on for years; from before their daughter was born. She packs up herself and her teenaged daughter and moves back to her mother’s house in the small village in Ireland where she was raised. Not that that’s going to be easy because she and her mother don’t see eye to eye at the best of times.
Her great-aunt has left a run-down, not habitable cottage to Hanna in her will, and Hanna has plans to restore it and move in. She’s the librarian in the next small village over but when the library’s very existence is put in jeopardy by the council’s newly proposed budget, all Hanna’s carefully made plans are in danger.
For much of the book I didn’t like Hanna very much – she’s standoffish, rigid in her thinking of what a library should be like, and very good at keeping people at arm’s length. Despite everything, the threatened library closure manages to bring the community, including Hanna, together.
This is a lightly written drama of the people of a small Irish village. In a way it reminded me of a TV Hallmark movie – nothing too deep, but you kind of like it anyway, and are rooting for things to turn out well for everyone. It’s the first in the Finfarran series and was a sweet distraction of a novel.
THE SERIAL KILLER GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO by Michelle Chouinard
Capri and her friend operate a tour company in San Francisco, giving tours of sites in the city where famous murders once took place. Capri loves her city, the tours are popular, and she makes just enough money to support herself and her daughter Morgan.
Capri also happens to be the granddaughter of ‘Overkill Bill’ – dead now, but had been imprisoned for life after having been found guilty of killing three women. Capri’s father refuses to let anyone even speak about it in his presence and everyone tiptoes around the subject, although she has always thought her grandfather was innocent. When a woman is murdered in an eerily similar way to Overkill Bill’s victims it appears there’s a copycat killer out there. Then Capri’s mother-in-law (the two never got on well) is discovered murdered in the same way, and now both Capri and her daughter are suspects. Not convinced the police will even look for other suspects, Capri sets out to solve the murders herself, and maybe find out more about her grandfather’s case while she’s at it.
I liked the premise, but for me the book wasn’t as engaging as I’d hoped it would be. For one thing, there was very little forward momentum till the final fifth or so of the book and up till that point it was verging on being downright lacklustre, with surprisingly uninteresting ‘flat’ characters. Still, the last thirty pages or so were much better by comparison with the rest of the book and I wished the rest had been the same.
Lindy, I am glad to hear the good news about your doctor visit. At least it mostly sounded good to me. And I am glad that you can have tea. Tea is my drink of choice, and I would hate to give it up also.
Lindy, it’s good that you found a doctor you like and got some answers.
Thank you for the update Lindy – I too was hoping to hear from you! I am so glad you have such a good cardiologist. An Edinburgh friend has been having what sounds like exactly the same symptoms, with similat advice, though she didn’t ever mention the caffeine – maybe they don’t say that here, or maybe she just couldn’t bear the thought (she’s a big coffee drinker.) Anyway, I am so glad you are feeling better about it all – a resassuring doctor is so important, and not all of them are so good at the ‘bedside manner’.
Hi Lindy! I’m so glad you were willing to share your experiences at the cardiologist. Thank you. And, I’m glad you’re still able to drink tea! It does sound as if you found a doctor with a sense of humor. I’m so glad.
And, thank you for eliminating both of those books from my TBR pile. I don’t think I’d care for either main character.
Lindy, yikes indeed! I especially love when they tell you not to worry. Gee, thanks, Doc! Why would I worry? My sister is going through a bunch of serious stuff with cancer at the moment, and there is no way she can “not” worry. Good luck.
PS – I lie on my side too! I only slept on my back when I had to when I had a broken shoulder and couldn’t sleep on my right side.
Hi Lindy – My husband has been dealing with Afib since 2010 and only just last year did he require the cardio ablation. He resisted going on blood thinners but he finally has agreed to do it. I’m glad to hear that you have gone on it – very wise. Know that you should also let your dentist know the next time you see him/her that you are on it. I’m glad that you had a positive outcome with your doctor!
Lindy, I’m so glad to hear your cardiologist was able to relieve your stress a bit. I had an episode of Afib in the hospital right after having my car accident, and since then I’ve been on a blood thinner. I haven’t had any more symptoms, but to be safe, I have seen a cardiologist and worn a Zio monitor for 2 weeks, and I will have an echocardiogram. I’m hoping I can go off the blood thinner, but who knows? Aside from the EKG I had in the doctor’s office, I haven’t had my heart checked for years (they no longer do EKGs in physicals). Better to know, I think. As for the Michelle Chouinard book, I know her through Sisters in Crime, and that book was just nominated for an Edgar award this week. I have it on hold but haven’t gotten it yet. I’m interested to see if I share your opinions on it.
So glad you got good-ish news from your cardiologist, Lindy.
I’ve read all the Felicity Hayes-McCoy books. They were up and down reads for me. Some better than other.
I read THE SERIAL KILLER GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO this week also and totally agree with your summation. Disappointing, although I did enjoy the trips around SF.
I’m glad you were able to meet with a cardiologist. My MIL went through a similar series of events. Some years later she needed to have a pacemaker, but mid-eighties and she’s still zipping around.
I was happy to read that you ad such a pleasant experience with your cardiologist! Now, go enjoy a nice cup of tea. ❤
Last week we went out to dinner to celebrate our 45th anniversary. We ate at a place that we always enjoy (and isn’t too expensive). It is always hard to believe that we have been married so long.
I am currently reading THREE ASSASSINS by Kōtarō Isaka. I had previously read BULLET TRAIN by the same author. THREE ASSASSINS is the first book in the series but BULLET TRAIN was published a year earlier. In the past I have had some problems with reading fiction about professional assassins but I wanted to give this one I try because I liked Bullet Train. (We also enjoyed the movie and have watched it several times.) I am reading THREE ASSASSINS for the Japanese Literature Challenge that runs in January and February.
Glen is reading WESTSIDE by W.M. Akers. It is a historical fantasy / mystery set in an alternate New York, in 1921 , featuring a young female detective. I read it a few years ago and liked it. He is enjoying reading it also.
Belated happy anniversary Tracy! I know, where do all those years go? There is a line in one of Paul Heaton’s songs that goes ‘You only get one life, it should be two or three’ – and the older I get the more I agree with him.
Happy Anniversary Tracy!
My husband and I have been married 47 years. Wishing you many more happy years together.
As Rosemary said, Happy Belated Anniversary, Tracy. It’s nice to have a favorite restaurant for special occasions.
You’ll have to let us know about Three Assassins. Like you, I don’t usually read books about professional assassins. I’m more likely to read about an alternate New York.
Tracy, Happy Anniversary. I know what you mean. When we tell people we are married over 50 years, they don’t believe it. Sometimes I have a hard time believing it too. Where did all those years go?
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Successful marriage stories always make me smile! We are celebrating my husband’s aunt’s and uncle’s 65th this weekend! Wishing you many more happy years together!
Happy anniversary, Tracy! I lost my husband to cancer five years ago, but on February 22 we would have been married for 50 years. Hard to believe.
This made me sad Margie. I know it was five years ago but I’m very sorry. I don’t know how people cope. My husband was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and I worry about him every single day. I don’t know what I’d do without him.
Happy Anniversary Tracy and Glen! We hardly ever go out to a restaurant for dinner. I’m glad you did something special to celebrate.
Happy Anniversary!
45 years is something to be quite proud of.
Happy Anniversary!
We actually got some rain this weekend! Only about half an inch, but it has helped with the fires. They are pretty much out at this point. The one I was posting about last Wednesday was large, but I believe they kept it away from structures, which is a miracle.
On the reading front, I’m working on The Lies We Live by Liz Milliron. It’s the sixth in her Homefront Mysteries set in Buffalo during World War II. The main character has become a PI, and in addition to her latest case, her fiance has come home injured from the war. I’m enjoying it so far.
Thank you, Mark. It’s good to hear the fires near you are almost out. I’m glad you had the much needed rain.
I thought maybe I had read the first in Liz Milliron’s series, but I guess not. At least, I couldn’t find it anyplace.
I’m so glad you are safe and well Mark – it must have been such a worry. Thank goodness for rain (and you won’t often hear me saying that in Northern Scotland…)
Good morning. Our weather here in NJ has been odd. It’ll be in the 30s one day, in the 50s the next day, and then back in the 30s again.
My local library seems to have decided that I should read food themed books this week since those are the holds that came in.
I read BE READY WHEN LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten. It’s been reviewed a few times on here so I’ll just say that I enjoyed it.
GETTING SAUCED: HOW I LEARNED EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT FOOD FROM WORKING IN TV by Karen S Katz. She was the executive producer of Emeril Live during the early days of The Food Network. My mom and I used to watch his show so it was interesting to get a glimpse behind the scenes.
I’m currently reading a cozy mystery, DAIRY, DAIRY, QUITE CONTRARY by Amy Lillard. After a bad breakup, a woman travels to Yoder, Kansas to help out at her aunt’s cafe. On her third day there she finds the milkman’s body and of course as a stranger in town she’s a suspect.
Good morning, Sandy. Good for your local public library. I like food-themed books. They even gave you a food-themed mystery. Nice combination.
I’ll be curious to see what my favorite books of the year were. Just kidding! One thing is, I like to mix in some non-fiction with the fiction too, but so far this year I don’t have any non-fiction books with me, so I better check my Kindle and pick one out. I have 35 on there, mostly unread, but nothing has grabbed me lately.
The weather in South Florida is finally the way it should be, mid-70s (getting warmer) and mostly sunny. It’s beautiful. I hope your weather has improved too.
Books. Jackie read the first in a series by Cynthia Eden, ANGEL OF DARKNESS, first of 4 in The Fallen series, which seems to involve an Angel of Death and New Orleans. She liked it and is now reading Christine Feehan’s latest in one of her many series. More details next week.
Reading this week: I talked about Liz Moore’s The God Of the Woods last time, and I raced through the 475 pages, reading the last half in a day. Beautifully written, engrossing book. The problem for me was the family of the missing kids. One boy, Peter (Bear) Van Laar IV, went missing 14 years earlier, in 1961, and was never found. It seems likely he is dead. His sister, Barbara, born the year after he died, has disappeared in August of 1975 from the camp in the Adirondacks owned by her family. The problem is, for me, that the father and grandfather, Peter III and II, are these awful people. The mother, Alice, is a pathetic doormat. The chapters written from her point of view were hard for me to read. Frankly, despite all she’s been through, I had little sympathy. Overall, however, the rest of the book is excellent and really does a great job with time and place. Recommended.
Cindy Dees wrote a lot of romance novels and what seems to be romantic suspense before she wrote her first Helen Warwick thriller, Second Shot in 2023, and now Double Tap in 2024. Helen is a 55 year old woman (there is definitely trend here, with the Tess Gerritsen book Lesa reviewed recently being another) who was forced to retire from the CIA in the first book. She was a top assassin, sent around the world on his import kills. Now she has to make up to her children for being a neglectful mother all those years. Of course, they have no clue what she did, thinking she was a trade representative. It’s tough to keep up the innocent pose when a Russian hit squad shoots up her son’s house when she is dog sitting, and she kills three men. (It’s also tough to keep quiet when the son blames her!) Scorpius is a very high level Russian mole inside the CIA. He is out to kill Helen, and vice versa. (Minor SPOILER ALERT) You think she has killed him in the first book, only to discover that it wasn’t him, but one of his minions. (END SPOILER) Now, in book two, the Director of the CIA who forced her retirement, almost blackmails her to come back and get Scorpius. As Al Pacino so memorably said in the otherwise disappointing GODFATHER Part 3, “Every time I think I’m out, they pull me back in!>” This time it is her older son in danger, as he is an Assistant DA in Washington, D. C. running for the big job after his boss’s murder in book one. Helen has to protect him and his family while pretending to be just another middled aged retiree – hard when she kills another Russian hit squad, this time in her mother’s house – while also hunting Scorpius. Meanwhile, Scorpius has sent a hit team to kill her, plus there is a high ranking CIA official desperate to cover up an op gone bad 15 years earlier, plus another death that may or may not be tied to her son’s fraternity when he was at college. Is all of this believable? Not remotely, but it is a fast, exciting read, and it’s easy to get into Helen’s story, while again having little sympathy for her selfish children. I think I’ll read the Tess Gerritsen book next.
Also read the Graham Swift short stories mentioned last time.
Thanks for using my favorite books list, Lesa.
Really looking forward to seeing your list Jeff!
And I forgot to say, I am now on the second series of SLOW HORSES and still absolutely loving it. I am watching it every lunchtime, but also snuck in an extra half an hour this morning when David was at the pool – it’s so addictive.
We’re also rewatching WOLF HALL; it’s so long since I saw it the first time that it all seems new to me, though every so often I remember what’s coming, eg the tragic scenes in Cromwell’s house in the first episode. Hilary Mantel must have had so much intricate knowledge of the history of this period. And Clare Foy – what an actress! Though of course Mark Rylance is equally as good.
Enjoy that weather – it’s been around 35F here…..
Jeff, the name Cindy Dees and Second Shot sounded very familiar to me and I’ve just checked my many shelves and bookcases of books and I actually own it, although I’ve not yet read it. Another one I should maybe move closer to the top of one of my TBR piles.
Definitely my pleasure, Jeff. I just posted it for tomorrow, so had the pleasure of rereading your summaries. Thank you!
I think I’ll pass on Double Tap. It does sound a little out there.
Finally Florida weather! It’s about time you had a chance to enjoy some. I wasn’t jealous until now.
Jackie said the Cynthia Eden is about Death Angels/Fallen Angels.
The Christine Feehan is DARK HOPE in the Carpathians series.
Hello Lesa and everyone
I was so sorry to read about the terrible plane crash in Washington this morning, what an awful thing to happen. We are seeing a lot of details on our BBC news – the emergency services are working in such challenging conditions.
It’s once again absolutely freezing here, with an ice warning, so the friend I was meeting for a walk at the beach and I have rescheduled – it’s just too cold for that to be fun. I do have to go into town later though, as the Friends of the Art Gallery are holding our first quiz night and I am helping with that.
My new resolution to keep my phone out of the bedroom is still working really well for my 2025 reading – I’ve read thirteen books already this month, which is amazing for me (I know it’s normal for some of you!)
I read THE STEPFORD WIVES in just a few hours – I hadn’t realised how short it was – and I thought it was brilliant. Although it was published in 1972 it didn’t seem in the least dated to me, in fact it felt extremely relevant to our frightening present. I told a friend about it, and she said that just that very morning she had remarked to her husband that ‘Trump wants to turn us all into Stepford Wives.’ And although things aren’t (yet) that extreme here, it’s a slippery slope. The story references Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan. Steinem is, I think, still alive, and I wonder what she thinks about the current state of the world, and especially the US?
I was particularly surprised to note that this book was written by a man – I don’t know anything about Levin, but he must’ve been some writer. The Stepford Wives is such a gripping story – it’s fortunate that it was short, as I couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed until I’d found out what happened.
I’ve also just finished DELIGHTS AND PREJUDICES by James Beard. This is Beard’s account (published in the early 1960s) of his childhood, interspersed with stories from later parts of his life, and of course the main ingredient is food. (He includes recipes.)
I think I first read this book when, as a bored child during the summer holidays, I found it in my (then) local library. I remember being fascinated by Beard’s upbringing in turn of the century Portland, and reading it now, so many years later, I find myself just as interested in his stories of life with his eccentric, dominating, but clearly much loved mother, his somewhat absent father, and his mother’s many friends. The amount of food in that household was phenomenal. Mrs Beard was forever cooking, marketing, eating, taking her son out to restaurants, and generally educating him in her own (somewhat prejudiced…) way.
Beard, of course, went on to become a famous food writer, cook, TV personality, teacher and part of the circle encompassing Julia & Paul Child, MFK Fisher, Richard Olney and co. He travelled the world, and includes tales of his travels here, always focusing on the fabulous markets he finds and the wonderful meals he eats, from Paris to Mexico City, London, San Francisco, New York, Spain and Peru. But the best parts of the book are still, for me, the descriptions of his childhood summers at the beach (his mother took a house there for several months), his mother’s altercations with their Chinese chef, Let, and the Saturday night visits to restaurants that he and Elizabeth Beard enjoyed every week for many years.
The recipes in Delights and Prejudices remind me of those in Alice B Toklas’s Cook Book, in that the quantities of cream, butter and alcohol required are, at least by modern standards, prodigious. I probably liked Alice’s cook book best of the two, because she and Gertrude Stein mixed in such artistic circles in Paris, and their excursions into wartime rural France were so bizarre, but Delights & Prejudices is still well worth reading, and I am now ordering a copy of John Birdsall’s s biography of Beard to find out more.
Now I am reading another of the books that have been on my ‘currently reading’ list on Goodreads for far too long, as I had started them then, for no reason other than time, never finished them. THE BACHELOR BROTHERS’ BED & BREAKFAST PILLOW BOOK is Bill Richardson’s follow up to THE BACHELOR BROTHERS’ BED & BREAKFAST. It’s more whimsical than the first, which I think I did prefer, but it’s still enjoyable and has some laugh-out-loud moments.
Virgil and Hector are twins who have lived on a small island in Vancouver Bay all their lives. When their mother passed away they decided to create a retreat for book lovers in need of some peace and quiet. The first book was mainly about various guests and their stories, this second one focuses more on Hector and Virgil themselves, their opinionated parrot Mrs Rochester (who has a scathing Biblical quote for every occasion), their disdainful cat Waffle, Hector’s journalist and beautician girlfriend Altona, the new hired help Caedmon (with whom arrives a pet rooster and a lizard), their friends Rae and June, and various other local residents.
These books are perfect if you need something soothing and sometimes funny, but you do have to suspend quite a lot of disbelief at times. You may be fooled into thinking they are just cosy nonsense, but every so often Richardson throws in something completely outrageous (about, for example, Hector and Altona’s sex life) and you stop short and think ‘Wait? What? Did he really just write that?!’
I’m also reading another SLIGHTLY FOXED collection of essays. I so like the way that you never know what you’re going to find in these beautifully produced quarterly editions – and I’m always so surprised when an article turns out to be very relevant to something I’m reviewing or trying to write about.
Having benefited from Christopher Rush’s contribution on Miss Jean Brodie in volume 75, #84 has offered me insights into EM Delafield and her Provincial Lady, John Updike’s COUPLES and even Delia Smith’s iconic COOKERY COURSE – but the most interesting essay to me this time is by Alex Woodcock, about Seamus Murphy (1907-75), a celebrated Irish sculptor, and his seminal work STONE MAD. The book is apparently full of delightful details like the ones Woodcock quotes – eg that the Guilds preserved the right of skilled workers to have beer brought to them at 11am each morning – young Murphy started his working life as ‘Number One Beer-Carrier’,
‘(this) was no straightforward task, and…plunged the young Murphy into a complex world of relationships necessitating deception (avoiding the foreman), knowledge (each man had a special hiding place for his gallon jug, which had to be regularly changed to avoid discovery), mental arithmetic (it was not uncommon for a mason to be ‘short’ in his payment) and physical fitness (sometimes masons would only drink beer from particular pubs, sometimes at a distance, having been barred from others….. It is this ducking and delving of daily life, the workshop folklore, that forms the backbone of the book…..really it is about stories and how stories are wrested from the air, the earth, and of course from the stone, but sometimes out of nothing at all.’
Last night we went to Banchory to see the film THE OUTRUN. I have the book but haven’t yet steeled myself to read it – it’s Amy Liptrot’s autobiographical story of her descent into alcoholism, her retreat back from London to her childhood home (and her dysfunctional family) on Orkney, and her eventual and ongoing recovery.
Many people love this film, and Sorcha Ronan’s acting could not be faulted – she is fantastic, as she is in anything she touches. However, both David and I found the film overlong and at times confusing. David used to work on Orkney when he was involved in wave energy (Orkney is famous for its huge seas) – he was there in winter and absolutely hated it.
Liptrot goes initially to Stromness (one of the larger towns), where she stays with her long-suffering mother, who is separated from Liptrot’s farmer father as she could no longer cope with his bipolar episodes, which caused him to become violent. Liptrot helps her father with the lambing – when he is not ill, he is a loving and appreciative parent – but then, when her attempts to stay sober fail, she moves to an isolated cottage on the tiny, remote island of Papa (population about 60), off Papa Westray, and lives there through one wild and brutal winter.
Her time on the island is cut through with flashbacks to her previous life in London, where she was almost permanently drunk, lost her job, lost her boyfriend, and was seriously assaulted by a man who offered her a lift when she was too inebriated to realise the danger of accepting.
I don’t know why the film didn’t quite work for me. All of the acting is excellent, the scenery is spectacular (though definitely not a tourist board advert! – as the lady who rents the cottage to Liptrot says – ‘are you sure you want to be here in winter? Wouldn’t you rather go somewhere nice and warm like Lanzarote?’) and the effects of alcoholism, both on Liptrot and her parents, her friends and her boyfriend, truly shocking. I don’t know if I felt slightly manipulated by it, or what. Has anyone else seen it?
Next week a friend and I are going to the Barn to see the film of the recent and much celebrated production of MACBETH, with David Tennant and Cush Jumbo. The reviews have been 5* and tickets for the London theatre run were almost unobtainable – and of course very expensive – so we’re looking forward to the film as the next best thing.
More than enough from me for one week! Have a good week all; keep warm!
Rosemary, Stay warm! I’m sorry you have to go out tonight, but at least the quiz sounds like fun.
Ira Levin. I read The Stepford Wives years ago, and then I read The Boys from Brazil. Another short book, but frightening.
Oh, Macbeth with David Tennant! I can see why tickets were so hard to get. I love David Tennant.
When Ira Levin was 25, his first book was published – A KISS BEFORE DYING. It deservedly won an Edgar Award as Best First Novel. The shocking surprise twists takes place halfway through the book and turns everything upside down. It was filmed in 1956 with Robert Wagner and Joanne Woodward. The book is HIGHLY recommended.
Rosemary, we tried THE JETTY (with Jenna Coleman) but didn’t like it much (she seemed way too young to play the lead character, even though she was the right age in real life, if that isn’t too confusing). We skipped it after one episode. Still watching PROTECTION (Siobhan Finneran). Also watched the second series DARBY AND JOAN, set in Queensland, Australia, with Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi. Now watching the Irish-Kiwi co-production of THE GONE, set on the Northern Island of New Zealand.
Jeff, after denying all knowledge of The Gone last week, I looked it up and realised I have in fact seen the entire series! Honestly, sometimes my brain is like a sieve.
Anyway I enjoyed it!
Jeff, We gave up on Darby and Joan after episode 3 as did our nexr door neighbors. We couldn’t believe a show we loved became such a disappointment. We enjoyed Protection and are loving The Gone.
Rosemary, I read both Bachelor Brothers books years ago; so good.
And as for James Beard, to this day I bake his ‘James Beard squares’, although that’s what we call them; I don’t know what they’re actually called. Great recipe, with three variations to the original recipe provided, and all are delicious. Cinnamon version, or almond, or vanilla with raisins, or one with an apple topping – all have been baked many times in my house over the years, and very quick to put together.
Oh that is fascinating Lindy – I’ll see if I can identify the recipe anywhere in this book (though I know he wrote many.)
It’s so nice to hear from someone who’s even *heard* of James Beard – no one here has a clue what I’m talking about!
Rosemary – I was curious if you’re familiar with The Hebridean Baker books (Recipes and Wee Stories)? A friend recommended.
Thanks
I’ve seen them in bookshops MM but I’ve not read any of them. I’m actually in the library right now so I’m going to have a look to see if they have any. Thanks for reminding me!
My favorite Levin book is Rosemary’s Baby.
A blessed break in the incessantly cold and snowy weather – above freezing this weekend – imagine!
This week I read “The Shallows” by Matt Goldman (2019). One of those books that I didn’t want to end. Nils Shapiro is back in this 3rd book in the series. A lawyer is found dead in the lake, tied to the dock via fishing line that goes through a hook that is in the dead’s man lip. The soon to be ex-wife of the corpse hires Nils to prove her innocence, assuming that the police would try to pin the blame on her. Soon Nils has too many clients – the widow, the lawyer’s law firm, and a shady lady politician, who all have ties to the dead man. With his usual sarcastic wit, Nils juggles all of these clients (who care s about whether it’s ethical or not to work for them all) to eventually unveil whodunnit.
Have a great weekend!
Mary, I love Matt Goldman’s books–I’ve read 5 of them, including The Shallows. He’s definitely one of my go-to mystery authors.
And there’s only one more left in the Nils Shapiro series – darn it! I’ll wait a bit before I read it – want to save a good book for when I’ve hit a dry spell!
Good morning, friends! My son and I saw Dear Evan Hansen (the play, not the movie) at the Harris Center on Tuesday and enjoyed it very much. It’s so different from a lot of Broadway musicals, as the themes are dark, but there is still some welcome humor. The cast (of only eight) was wonderful, and their singing voices were topnotch. For the actor playing the main character, it was his first Broadway tour, as he is just out of school. Very impressive, as it’s a very demanding part. As usual, our seats were in Row D, which for this production was the front row–nice not to have any heads in the way, and we could see into the orchestra pit when we stood up during the intermission and after the show was over. This week I managed to finish 3 books, but just by the skin of my teeth.
Former cop Kurt Argento, who helped others survive a disastrous prison break in The Ascent, is back in Adam Plantinga’s HARD TOWN. His reputation precedes him, and his desire to help others in dire straits runs parallel with his almost super-human skills. So when a woman with a toddler disappears after asking Argento to help find her missing husband, he can’t help but look into to what has happened to this family. But his quest again leads to his involvement with the most dangerous of criminals, not to mention a mysterious psychopath with a huge intellect who is working on a secret project for the government. Argento’s skills and determination will be tested over and over, as will his moral compass. There are some hard, violent things to read in this book, as in the previous one, but it is the fascinating portrait police sergeant Plantinga paints of Kurt that is the star of the show. With his beloved wife dead of cancer and little to live for, he flies by the seat of his pants and never looks back. But he never stops being human, and that’s his saving grace. Kudos to Adam Plantinga on his second action thriller, which is sure to be another hit. It isn’t necessary to read The Ascent to appreciate this book, but why not start with that one for a wild ride that makes you want to find out more about Argento and his exploits. (April)
Katherine Center’s new book, THE LOVE HATERS, is a a rom-com–a little light on the romance part. Katie is a video producer who faces a possible layoff if she doesn’t prove herself, so she agrees to take on a special project in Key West featuring “Hutch” Hutchinson, a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard. Her lead producer has turned down the assignment himself because the subject is his brother, and they have a very strained relationship. Katie and Hutch are not really “love haters,” but both have reasons for being reluctant to open themselves up to a romantic relationship. Katie has suffered from nasty online comments about her appearance after her musician boyfriend (now her ex) became a media phenomenon. She keeps attention away from herself by shunning bright colors and being her own worst critic. And she doesn’t even swim, which may cause problems with the assignment. Hutch doesn’t like attention either, although he is handsome (of course) and super-athletic, and often makes heroic rescues. The setup feels pretty contrived, some plot elements are silly, and there is not much of a romantic payoff, but the main characters are easy to like, and supporting characters such as Hutch’s aunt (and the brothers’ foster parent after their parents died in an accident), Katie’s encouraging best friend, and a humongous Great Dane named George Bailey are charming. It’s not my favorite Katherine Center book, but it gave me a few hours of pleasant reading. (May)
I had my doubts about THE INCREDIBLE KINDNESS OF PAPER by Evelyn Skye because it seemed to have a theme too similar to others I have read. However, as I progressed with this quick read, I began to lose those doubts and settled in to enjoy the story. Chloe and Oliver were childhood best friends whose relationship was about to blossom when they were 16 years old, until Oliver suddenly left town with his family and without any communication with Chloe. Another 16 years have passed, and Chloe has just lost a job she loved as a high school guidance counselor for being “too soft” on students. Working part-time jobs to pay her rent, she initiates an unexpected sensation by fashioning yellow origami roses with random encouraging messages inside, which she and her new friends begin leaving all over the town. Soon it is apparent that, in many cases, those finding the roses have received just the message they didn’t know they needed. And, as you may have guessed, there is a magical realism element to the story. Oliver has had a traumatic life since his mother’s plight caused the family to always be on the move and in hiding. He landed on his feet as a mathematical expert for a financial company, but his demeanor is gruff and antisocial. Whether the two childhood friends can overcome the years-long rift in their relationship and discover their real purpose in life is what the plot is all about. I found Chloe too naive and Oliver too stiff, but it was fun seeing them navigate what life had in store for each. (August)
We woke up to the news of the plane crash like everyone else. My husband who is retired Army was confused why there was a helicopter so close to an airport during a training exercise.
It has pretty uninspiring reading week for me. I only finished one book. The Story Collector by Evie Woods was a dual storyline from 1911 and 2011. Sarah, a soon to be divorcée, ends up drunk on a flight to Ireland instead of home to her family at Christmas. in Massachusetts. She winds up staying in Butler Cottage and finds the diary of Anna Buter from 1911. Anna is helping Californian Harold Griffin-Krauss (based on real life Walter Evans- Wentz) collect stories about fairies in Ireland.
I definitely enjoyed the older storyline more and learned more about Evans-Wentz and the book he wrote The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. I didn’t care much for the Sarah storyline at all.
Today I should finish up The Antiques Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller. I am enjoying it but finding it slow going. We’ve had lots going on this week so there hasn’t been much time for reading.
On TV we finished up the first season of Fat Friends (thanks Jeff and Rosemary for the recommendation) and we are savoring All Creatures Great and Small on PBS.
Happy Reading!
Oh, Lesa, I love this Kathryn Laskey series about Georgia O’Keeffe.
And I enjoyed, at your recommendation, Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson, who is actually an author I am very fond of – Philip DePoy.
Hi everyone! This last week was a slow reading week.
I finished CONCLAVE by Robert Harris. Even though, I seen the movie I was having a hard time keeping the characters straight. It started out slow but finally got interesting. I will say I liked the movie better.
Right now, I’m reading A DEATH IN DIAMONDS by SJ Bennett. I like this series, but I don’t think it is one of the strongest ones. I’m about ½ way through it so we’ll see how it goes.
For my book club in February, we’re supposed to read romantic suspense. Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m not a JD Robb fan so I’m stumped.
They are predicting snow for us this weekend. Yay! Fingers crossed it happens.
Maybe a Robert Crais novel? Such as: The Last Detective: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. This is #8 in the series but does involve a romantic relationship and suspense!