So many tornadoes, and more predicted for Thursday as I write this. I hope you’re all okay.
Such a good weekend. My sister, Linda and I went to visit my Mom for a long weekend. We stopped first at my sister, Christie’s who was babysitting for her grandson. Of course, the other grandmother, Linda, had to hold him for a couple hours. Nice visit with her. He was baptized on Sunday and there was a small celebration afterwards. We also did a little running, and played pinocle two different nights. Just a nice weekend.
Then, as I mentioned to Carol, when she brought it up, I read Paranoia, but also took some much needed time to nap and regroup. It was fun to see myself as a character in the book, though. I never bought naming rights at an auction for mystery conferences. But, Jim Born, James Patterson’s co-author, knows me well enough to tell a story that he and I shared over ten years ago. It was fun to see it in the book.
Tomorrow is the last Friday for Favorites of 2024. Check in to see what David Chaudoir read.
I’ll be watching basketball with March Madness for the next few weeks, but I’m just starting Gigi Pandian’s The Library Game. It’s the fourth in her Secret Staircase mystery series. I haven’t read this series, but I read many of her Jaya Jones Treasure Hunter books.
In The Library Game, Tempest Raj and Secret Staircase Construction are renovating a classic detective fiction library that just got its first real-life mystery.
Tempest Raj couldn’t be happier that the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Known for enchanting architectural features like sliding bookshelves and secret passageways, the company is now taking on a dream project: transforming a home into a public library that celebrates history’s greatest fictional detectives.
Though the work is far from done, Gray House Library’s new owner is eager to host a murder mystery dinner and literary themed escape room. But when a rehearsal ends with an actor murdered and the body vanishes, Tempest is witness to a seemingly impossible crime. Fueled by her grandfather’s Scottish and Indian meals, Tempest and the rest of the crew must figure out who is making beloved classic mystery plots come to life in a deadly game.
So, what about you? What have you been doing this past week? And, what are you reading?
I hope you’re okay! I’ve been through earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires, but nothing terrifies me more than tornadoes.
I finished a debut mystery, THE VOICES OF THE ELYSIAN FIELDS, by Michael Rigg. You know how connected I feel to New Orleans, and I loved Michael’s book. I
I’m okay, Ellen. Thanks for asking. We’ve been lucky so far this year, and haven’t had any warnings.
I love debut mysteries, Ellen!
Last Saturday’s planned visit with 7-year-old Evelyn and our son and daughter-in-law didn’t happen in the end because Evelyn was sick with a horrid cough/cold thing. So we had a quiet week. Other than the very worrying light flashes and zooming small black dots in my eye, that is. I was worried about retinal detachment since I’ve been warned I’m at high risk for that, but the optometrist said that was not what I had thank goodness. Instead it turned out to be a posterior vitreous detachment, which was the jelly-like substance in the eye shrinking and pulling away from the optic nerve. Not entirely uncommon he said. But the zooming black dots are here to stay. Sigh.
Two books this week:
THE LAMPLIGHTER’S BOOKSHOP by Sophie Austin
This book appealed to me from the get-go with its beautiful cover (I do love a great cover) and with its premise, and I was not disappointed.
Set in England in the late 1800s, Evelyn and her mother Cecilia have been turned out of their mansion with little more than some clothes. Evelyn’s father abandoned the two of them years ago and his debts have finally caught up with him; their home and all their possessions have been seized to help pay off the debts. Now homeless, Evelyn and her mother seek refuge with Aunt Clara.
In Victorian times options for women are limited but Evelyn knows that nothing about their current situation will change unless she tries to do something about it herself. To that end she answers a help-wanted advertisement for the bookshop of the title. She keeps this information secret from her mother since working in a shop is far beneath their status in society.
Then there’s William, aspiring writer and nephew of the bookshop owner. William has been away in London attempting to secure a publishing deal for the novel he’s written. He’s back now but with secrets of his own, and he’s not best pleased to see Evelyn working at ‘his’ job at his uncle’s bookshop.
Throw in some great side characters – Aunt Clara, the evil, conniving lady Violet, and others and all the ingredients for a good story are in place. Everyone is keeping secrets of one sort or another and lying about them but the book is about finding redemption, forgiveness, learning to trust, honesty – both with others and with oneself, love, and dealing with adversity.
The debut author provides a vivid sense of time and place, and I liked that we saw things equally from both of the main character’s viewpoints. We saw why secrets were being kept and hoped whole-heartedly that the characters would find their complicated way to the truth and perhaps to a happy ending.
A quick, thoroughly engaging read with a mix of historical fiction, social commentary, and romance.
THE PARIS EXPRESS by Emma Donoghue
What a fascinating book. I’m so glad I read it. In 1895 there was a railway disaster in France and this book is a fictional retelling of that event. But it’s so much more than that. The story is about people foremost – the train company employees, and the passengers on this express train, whether travelling first class, second, or third class. We become enthralled with them and their lives are revealed to us little by little with great skill and superb dialogue and the story becomes more and more personal as we become ever more invested. All of humanity is laid before us; class, colour, the rich, the poor, good, bad, and in-between, illness, depravity, fear, courage, hope. The political climate of Victorian France is also at play. By the end, the suspense is such that we feel we’re moving at breakneck speed just like the train itself.
The author’s notes at the end are wonderful. In them she tells us about what happened to various people afterwards (many of the novel’s characters were real people) and it just brought everything full circle. Extensively researched and a gripping historical novel.
Lindy, I’m sorry to hear about your eyes and those black dots. I’m sure it’s bothersone, and especially when you’re trying to read.
Victorian times for both books! They both sound good.
I hope you get time with your granddaughtter soon.
Wow, Lindy, I am glad that it was a retinal detachment. I have PVD too. I found a very informative article on it. https://www.rnib.org.uk/your-eyes/eye-conditions-az/posterior-vitreous-detachment/#what-causes-pvd I didn’t know that the black dots were a part of it. Hope neither one of us ever have a retinal detachment!!!
Thank you for the link to the article Carol! So nice of you.
You are very welcome!
I also have the PVD annoyance. In my case, part of the time it is like looking through tissue paper in the left eye. Other times, it is like having a bunch of eyelashes or a horse tail running from top to bottom. It annoys me a lot. Like you, once this happens, you are at a huge risk of retinal detachment, though the risk falls slowly from the point it started.
For me, that was last December. My eye doc said it can take six months to over a year before it gets better. But, a number of folks told me on Facebook when I was talking about my diagnosis last year that they had dealt with it for years. They thought this was permanent.
I have noticed the next day after I have been outside a lot that the eye is always way worse. Does not bode well for the coming months, for me.
Meant to mention– white surfaces are way worse for me to see them. Interestingly enough, I have less trouble on my kindle or iPad reading a book than on a regular print book.
Hmmm. Interesting. Things stand out more against a light colour background, so that makes sense.
The black dots I have are troublesome – they move fast and I always think I’m seeing a bug, so I’m often to be found smacking the kitchen counter to kill a bug that doesn’t even exist.
Dear me! None of this is terribly reassuring. The eye doctor told me I could experience more flashes and things for up to three weeks but you’re saying it will likely be much longer than that. Sigh.
Your analogy about the tissue paper is spot on. That’s exactly what it’s like! I hope to be spared your eyelash/horsetail symptoms. Sounds awful.
Well, thanks for commenting. Much appreciated.
I had just one flash. It was blinding like a windshield reflection deal. He told me I could see more flashes, but I have not.
Try to land on an evil witch, Lesa!
This week has mostly been windy and rainy, which is okay, because the rainy season will end all too soon for us.
This week I went to a kite fair, which was interesting. There was this kite the size of a house shaped like a giant octopus.
I also went to an kimono expo. Well, they called it an expo, but there was really only one seller in a small room, so maybe it was a pop up shop? I mean, an expo is supposed to have several booths, at least, right? I was reminded of Lincoln’s metaphor about the lamb. How many legs does a lamb have if you count the tail as a leg? Four, because even if you call a tail a leg, it’s a tail. Still, there were some high quality robes.
This week I read:
Ms. Tree Vol. 6: Fallen Tree by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty; A collection of one of the best comics of the 1980’s, before the manga influence took over all the art.
Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin; Rebus is in anger management class to bust some crooked cops. Good a place as any, I suppose.
The Messy First Christmas by Frank Gary Pierce; An Inspirational history about the birth of Jesus Christ. Goes into some of the social mores of the time, but doesn’t get to the magi.
Syndrome E by Frack Thilliez; A silent film makes viewer go blind. It’s a French take on a Japanese horror movie like The Ring. Very interesting seeing the cultural cross currents.
Sea of Gray by Tom Chaffin; It’s like the premise of several westerns. A military operation takes place, only for the soldier to learn too late that the war is over. In this case, transfer that over to a ship of privateers who find out they’re pirates. There is some question as to when they learned the war was over. With the Trump administration talking about reviving Letter of Manque (contained in the Constitution), to take on the Cartels, this is book is more relevant than ever.
That’s funny about the evil witch, Glen. I’ll try.
Interesting collection this week. Sounds as if most of them were good.
I hope that the weather isn’t so, so, so bad. Tornadoes sound terrifying. I am currently reading 5 days at Memorial – it’s about Memorial Hospital during Katrina. Not light that’s for sure. My next read (or reads!) will have to be a bit lighter to make up for it!
5 Days at Memorial certainly isn’t light reading, Melissa. You’re right. You’ll need something lighter afterward.
May the tornados stay away from you, Lesa, and the rest of you. Switzerland has blizzards and avalanches but NO tornados. Today I’m off to Zürich on the train (one hour) to have lunch with my son, who lives there. I’m looking forward to it a lot!
I finished listening to HANG ON ST CHRISTOPHER, Adrian McKinty’s latest Sean Duffy book, and from the way it was written, I got a strong feeling that he was setting it up to be his last in the series. We’ll see. Quite honestly, it drags a bit, but I still enjoyed it. Now I’m listening to THE TOMB OF DRAGONS, the third in a series by the author of THE GOBLIN EMPEROR, Katherine Addison, which was one of my bests of 2024. This series is about a character in the same world of goblins and elves who can communicate with the newly dead to find out what happened to them or what they want to tell others. I’ve like the series very much so far.
I mentioned last week that I was reading SHY CREATURES by Clare Chambers, and I finished it. Excellent story about an art therapist in a mental hospital in the 1960s who works with a man in his 40s who has been kept inside his aunts’ house for decades. The detailed explanation for his “imprisonment” comes out slowly in flashbacks, which works very well. Now starting a new book by another of 2024 favorite authors, Natasha Pulley, who wrote THE MARS HOUSE. Not science fiction this time, but history/myth: a tale of the birth of the god Dionysus. The hero is a soldier of Thebes who rescues him as a baby and is fascinated by him. Can’t say more yet, but I’m enjoying it.
Oh yes. Last week Rosemary wrote how much she enjoyed another book by Clare Chambers called SMALL PLEASURES. I’ve bought it! Thanks, Rosemary.
Oh! I forgot to mention the title of the Dionysus book. It’s called THE HYMN TO DIONYSUS.
Thank you, Kim! It’s just the beginning of tornado season, so I hope we avoid them. Enjoy your lunch with your son!
I haven’t read as much since I moved here. I hope I’m back to reading in quantities again soon. Not that I’m looking for numbers. I’m really looking for variety.
I do hope you enjoy Small Pleasures Kim.
Thanks, Rosemary! I’ll be reporting on it one of these Thursdays.
I’m spending the week in Virginia. We are currently at Cape Charles which is on the Chesapeake Bay.The weather is beautiful. My brother and sister-in-law who live in Georgia are here working at the state park. They belong to a group of RV ers who volunteer their time doing different projects throughout the country. It’s pretty cool. From here, we will go to see my friends who live on the west side of the state. I love coming here. There’s so much to see and do.
I’m now caught up on the Riley Thorn books. This week, I read THE CORPSE IN THE CLOSET by Lucy Score. A social media influencer is murdered in her closet and Riley and Nick are hired to look into it. Then a loser ex-husband is murdered and Riley makes a connection between the two murders with a glitter bomb. While all the murders are taking place, Riley’s disapproving grandmother shows up to make life miserable for everyone. Another fun read.
Then it was on to THE CORPSE FROM THE PAST by Lucy Score. Riley and Nick move into the house next to the octogenarians. Finally,they can get some peace and quiet. Nope, those oldsters come and go as they please. Nick is consumed by finding Weber’s long lost sister and forgetting about everything else including Riley which is not settling well. While Riley is out and about, she notices a white limo following her, she approaches it to find Weber’s sister. And that’s when the fun begins. This is the last of the series for me and I am sad. Doesn’t look like she has a Riley Thorn book coming out in 2025.
I haven’t read much this week yet but we have some down time tomorrow. The first couple of days were spend catching up on sleep. I have to remember not to take 5:00 a.m. flights in the future.
Between catching up with sleep and spending time with family, it’s no wonder you haven’t read much this week, Bev. I never read when I’m spending time with famiy. I hope those RV’ers don’t have to take on the national parks soon, if the national parks even exist.
I’m sorry you’re finished with a series you really enjoy.
Good morning, all. Lesa, that’s one of the better things about New York (along with our water, for another), that we rarely get any extreme weather, and never tornadoes. Glad it passed you by. In South Florida, it’s been a mostly warm and sunny, if occasionally very windy, week, and most of the rain has been elsewhere. We are in for one change, as they are predicting a very warm 86 today and a very cool (for March) 70 and windy tomorrow.
If there are any other fans of Jimmy Buffett here, let me say that we went to see The Coral Reefer Band in concert at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood on Florida, and they really did a nice show, as well as talking about Jimmy and showing pictures and videos. The band will be opening for The Doobie Brothers this summer in 19 concerts, in case you’re interested.
Books. Jackie has been reading more than usual lately. After BOOK LOVERS, she read another Emily Henry book, PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION, which she liked too. Now she has gone back to an old favorite, Linda Lael Miller, and is reading her Montana-set CHRISTMAS IN PAINTED PONY CREEK, part of a series about various members of the McKettrick family. I think she has another one to read after this one, which she is enjoying too.
Last Thursday, I finished the short, fast moving, Jack Taylor book by Ken Bruen, Galway’s Edge, which is perhaps not quite as dark as recent books in the series about former Garda turned PI Taylor. Fans of Galway like Lesa will find much to enjoy, though it is also darker than most of the books she usually reads.
I’m still reading the mostly very short short stories by James Sallis, Bright Schemes – I’ve read 28 stories so far – but I might be ready to move on to something else.
What is your definition of a thriller? It certainly involves non-stop action and movement, probably a certain amount of violence, and generally a tough central protagonist who can take a beating, dish out one of his own, and keep the reader’s sympathy. Think Jack Reacher. Or Nick Petrie’s Peter Ash. Or James Byrne’s Dez Limerick. Now one thing all these books have in common is, despite the often frantic pace, there are generally at least some slower periods where they regroup, give the reader exposition, plan the next move, etc. There is no such thing as start to finish non-stop action, right? Or is there? In the last Dez Limerick book, Chain Reaction, the author throws you into the action almost immediately, and the first 100 pages race by like a whirlwind, but after that there is a plateau, where Dez and his helper regroup, and, frankly, as good as the rest of the book was, it never (to my mind) quite regains the excitement of the first section of the book. This is all prologue to talking about a book that is basically 287 pages of non-stop action, from the opening home invasion to the conclusion, Andrew Welsh-Huggins’s The Mailman. Is it believable? Well, +perhaps not so much, but you shouldn’t let that stop you enjoying it. Mercury (Merc) Carter is a former US Postal Inspector, injured in the past – this is a perfect example of how to put necessary exposition into a book while continuing the action – who is now what he describes as kind of a freelance courier. He delivers packages, up to and including people (like a woman and child escaping a violent spouse). He has never failed to complete his delivery. Thus, when he turns up at the right place at the right time, just after a vicious gang of four is about to torture lawyer Rachel Stanfield (the parcel’s recipient) and her husband Glenn for some unknown information, he doesn’t just let it go. Using previously acquired skills, he disables most of the gang, though they manage to escape with Rachel. Thus starts the non-stop chase and several violent set pieces. You may find some of the lengths Merc goes to to complete his mission as unbelievable as the bad guys do – if only the real Postal Service was this determined to do the job perfectly! – but you won’t be bored. Highly recommended, given the previous caveats.
Adrian McKinty has been a favorite of mine since I read his first Sean Duffy book, The Cold Cold Ground (2012). One of the books, Gun Street Girl, won an Edgar Award. Yet, after book 6, 2017’s Police At the Station And They Don’t Look Friendly, McKinty quit writing after losing his rental apartment because his books weren’t selling. He was driving an Uber! But fellow mystery writer Don Winslow hooked him up with hos own agent (and a screenwriter), who convinced him to write a standalone thriller, and even fronted him $10,000 to live on while he was writing it. This was the enormously successful The Chain, a nasty little book published in 37 languages and selling millions. Frankly, I prefer Duffy, but you can’t argue with success, I guess. This was followed by a really nasty book I quit reading, The Island. Then, finally, McKinty got back to what he does best, a new Duffy book after 6 years, 2023’s The Detective Up Late. Duffy and his girlfriend and their daughter have moved across to Scotland, a two hour ferry ride from Belfast, and Duffy, now 40 and an Inspector as 1990 begins, will be working part-time, 7 days a month, for the next three years to get his lifetime pension. But first, there is One. Last. Case. 15 year old Traveler girl Kat has disappeared. Has she run off to France, where she once lived? Was she really an “escort” as she was seen with several older men? Did she kill herself or was she murdered, or…? Then her car is found in the river, empty, with the doors open. Everyone pretty much assumes it was suicide, except Duffy. He is not giving up Duffy’s Last Case without an answer. This is the usual mix of an excellent series, with Duffy discussing music – when he moves to Scotland he leaves a third of his record collection behind to listen to, 15,000 LPs! – and politics and throwing in the odd line that lets us know he is in the future looking back on his life. I will be reading the new one as soon as it comes in (I see Kim was lukewarm about it), but I definitely recommend you start with book one, as long as you don’t mind reading about some very violent times in Northern Ireland.
I didn’t read The Detective Up Late, Jeff, but that one sounds good. I may have to go back and pick that one up.
I’m glad you liked The Mailman! You’re right, but then I can’t think of any thrillers that I find realistic.
Your weather sounds wonderful to me!
I’ve read some of Linda Lael Miller’s books, and enjoyed them. I like her characters.
I quite enjoyed your chatty, interesting, informative post Jeff! All the books you talk about sound too gruesomely violent for me, but I did like reading about your take on them. I’ve read a couple of the books Jackie read though. Entertaining and didn’t give me nightmares.
Please don’t think I was lukewarm about the latest Sean Duffy book, Jeff. It has lots of humor, some great new characters, and an interesting plot. I just didn’t find it as fast-paced as some of the previous books in the series. I still recommend it, if only for the fun of being with Sean again.
Glad you had a nice visit Lesa. It’s been a quiet week here, just getting the garden cleaned up for spring planting.
I read an ARC of MURDER ON THE STEEL PIER by Rosie Genova. After a night out in Atlantic City celebrating her birthday Tess wakes up in a strange room. She soon figures out that she’s somehow gone back in time to 1955 and is inhabiting the body of an aunt who disappeared before she was born. When Tess’ future grandfather is arrested for murder Tess realizes that she needs to clear his name or her father won’t be born.
THE BLANKET CATS by Kyoshi Shigematsu. Seven short stories all connected by a store that rents cats for exactly three days.
Well, that’s an interesting premise with Murder on the Steel Pier. It sounds good. Enjoy working in your garden, Sandy. I hope you have good gardening weather.
I lived in the Midwest for several years and hated those tornado warnings and the storms have increased in ferocity. Nerve-wracking!
I read two selections from my holds list at the library:
Tess Gerritsen’s THE SPY COAST from 2023. Lesa, you mentioned it here earlier this year in anticipation of the second book in her Martini Club series (The Summer Guests). She’s a new-to-me author and I really enjoyed the story and the writing style. But why, oh why, didn’t I put my hold on the sequel in then? I’m #30 – fortunately five copies ordered.
And a nonfiction selection, HURRICANE LIZARDS AND PLASTIC SQUID: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change. Thor Hanson has a wonderful approach to science writing and also has a new book out this year – Close to Home : The Wonders of Nature Just Outside Your Door.
Something else I can’t believe – why I procrastinated on Peter Grainger’s DC Smith series. Kim Hays – Thanks for being persistent in recommending!
I listened to the first in the series last week (An Accidental Death) and have already finished the second, BUT FOR THE GRACE. This one has DC Smith assigned a suspicious death at Rosemary House Care Home. Interesting characters and a plot with underlying moral uncertainty.
Next week, I’m venturing down to the largest national park in the lower 48 – Death Valley (temperature shock, forecast to be in the high nineties). I’ve been to the Park several times in the past, but it’s my first time staying at the Historic Inn. I’ve packed my sunscreen & extra water.
MM, Have a wonderful time next week. You’ll have to let us know about your trip.
You’re right. Our weather and winds have just gotten worse, but, with climate change, I think everyone’s has.
You’ll probably get the sequel to The Spy Coast before I do. There’s a long list here.
Sounds like wonderful family time, Lesa! And pinochle – super fun!
We had rain and snow and wind last night – carrying over into the morning. A nasty surprise for the Spring Equinox ! Everything is closed and internet is down. I blame it on our snowplow guy who removed the driveway stakes earlier this week! Looking forward to a relaxing day now that my plans have been canceled.
This past week I read “How to Read a Book” by Monica Wood. Such a good book, I didn’t want it to end. Told in alternating chapters by the three main characters Harriet Larson, Violet Powell, and Frank Daigle. Harriet runs a once-a-week book club in a women’s prison, Violet Powell is a soon to be released 22 year old prisoner who is serving a 3 year sentence for involuntary manslaughter, Frank Daigle is a widower, whose wife Lorraine was the victim of Violet’s accident. Frank is working in a bookshop as a maintenance man. Harriet frequents this bookshop and Frank has a crush on her from afar (they are both in their 60’s). When Violet is released, she ends up in the bookstore and inadvertently meets up with Frank and Harriett. Their lives become entwined and a love story of friendship and forgiveness unfolds between these three beautiful characters. Highly recommend.
Happy Spring!
Well, Mary, I’d blame it all on your snowplow driver, too. My Mom and sister both have their snow shovels on their porches yet. I joked they’d leave them there until mid-April to make sure there was no more storms. Happy spring, though! Enjoy your relaxing day!
Others have mentioned How to Read a Book, too. Maybe someday.
How to Read a Book. Another one I already own but have not yet read. Based on your review Mary, I shall locate it and move it somewhere closer to the top of one of my to-read stacks.
Good morning! As Glen mentioned, we’ve been having some rain in Northern California and variable temps (high of 62 today), but I think we’re about to have at least a few days without rain and temps getting higher–but 81 next Tuesday?–I think that’s a bit premature. I’m not ready to pack away my sweaters just yet. This week I’ve had three game mornings–two card games and Rummikub–and I enjoy spending time and having fun with like-minded women. Now I’m working on my next Sisters in Crime newsletter. And I’m having trouble not requesting new ARCs from NetGalley, as it seems like my go-to authors are all suddenly making the next in their series available. Not too worried, though, as publishing dates are spread out from April to September so I will have time to review them. But I have more on my NetGalley “Shelf” than usual, and I’m still placing some holds at the library. I’m also getting tons of “widgets” now–publisher emails inviting me to read a book they are pushing without having to request on NetGalley. I’m not accepting most of them, and some of them are for books I’ve already read and reviewed, but it’s fun to receive them anyway. Here’s what I finished this week.
MURDER ON A SCOTTISH TRAIN, the fourth in Lucy Connelly’s Scottish Isle Mysteries, is a pleasant cozy mystery with a straightforward plot and not too many twists or surprises. Dr. Emilia, who moved to this small Scottish town after leaving her hospital ER lead physician role in Seattle and a previous abusive relationship, is loving her newfound community and friends, and it is easy to understand why she finds her current situation both refreshing and stimulating. The author makes Sea Isle sound like a wonderful place to live, and the fact that Emilia’s working and living spaces are in an charming old church is an added benefit. As Emilia is also the town’s first coroner, she finds herself involved in murder investigations, along with Ewan, the local constable and town mayor. There is clearly a spark between the two, although at first they were frequently at odds, but after four books their relationship has barely advanced. Emilia also gets herself into perilous situations by largely ignoring Ewan’s warnings, but any resulting mayhem is underplayed and not graphic. Some of the dialogue is a bit +stereotypical: “You’ll never get away with this!” This book focuses on the death of a local businessman who has angered many of his clients and who disappears just before he is scheduled to be a storyteller on the town’s new Storyteller’s Train. My favorites in this series are the first and third entries. (October)
Elinor Lipman is the prolific author of 15+ books that that are unique and characters who are entertainingly quirky. Consider–in her latest, EVERY TOM, DICK & HARRY–a thirtyish woman who has taken over her parents’ estate sale business, changing its name from Finders ,Keepers to Estate of Mind. She sees an opportunity to score big with the remains of a mansion that formerly operated as both a house of ill repute and a bed and breakfast–at the same time, on different floors. Consulting with the dashing chief of police, Emma is assured there is nothing illegal with such a sale, but she draws the line at destroying the brothel’s file cabinet, with its records that could be embarrassing (to say the least) to the previous customers and to sex workers who have gone on to bigger and better things. Emma is also adjusting to life with a new boarder–Frank, a former teacher from her high school and a widower whose ex-wife recently succumbed to a lightning strike. Her house and its contents are also up for grabs, further complicating Emma’s life. I’m not sure I ever clicked with Emma enough to be interested in her quest to find out what she really wanted to do with her life, but there were plenty of other characters–perhaps too many– with whom to engage. Frank is a very relatable character, as is Emma’s new beau (yes, it’s the police chief), Frank’s new girlfriend (the police chief’s mother), and many more. Of course, there are also characters that are fun to hate. Put it all together with the author’s signature sly wit, and you have a satisfying read.
Sarah Penner’s third book, THE AMALFI CURSE, is a breathtaking tale that is told in two time periods. In 1821, the streghe (sea witches) of Positano, Italy, women who can control the tides, find themselves and Positano in danger from crooked seafaring traders.The women’s leader, 21-year-old Mari, puts her own life in danger to find the village’s women who have been kidnapped by the marauders, while secretly planning to leave Positano to be with her sailor lover. In current times, nautical archaeologist Haven is about to lead a team to investigate shipwrecks along the Amalfi coast, hoping to find a hidden treasure viewed by her diver father before his unexpected death. After the project is unjustly assigned to someone else, Haven stays in Positano, determined to carry on her own research, and aided by Enzo, an attractive dive shop owner, Enzo’s mother is able to provide Haven with some information about the history of stregheria in the area. I found the story less interesting than those told in the author’s first two books, The Lost Apothecary and The London Seance Society, as adventure and treachery take center stage, to the detriment of character development and relationships. The two romances get short shrift, and Haven’s part of the story is not as fleshed out as it could have been. However, Penner’s signature writing style and expressive language, especially in the description of Positano, make the book solidly entertaining and ensure that it will inevitably be appreciated by the author’s legions of fans. (April)
I know what you mean, Margie, about favorite authors all having new books on NetGalley. Kevin told me just yesterday that Linda Castillo’s forthcoming book, Rage, is up.
I do want to read Murder on a Scottish Train.
I know it’s been a while since you moved down to be near your son, but I’m really happy you’ve found your people.
We are going to the Taft Museum of Art to see the Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art exhibit today.
I read three excellent books this week.
In WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy, the Salt family are the last caretakers of Shearwater Island off the coast of Antarctica because it is eroding from climate change. It is also the home to the world’s largest seed bank. One day a woman washes ashore. As the Salts start to take care of her suspicion turns to affection and they begin to feel like a family again. But then a recently dug grave is uncovered, and secrets are revealed. This was a terrific read that I found hard to put down and will definitely be one of my favorite reads of the year.
My second book was wonderful as well. The ARRANGEMENTS by Orly Konig was about Nate and Callie. Born on the same day in the same hospital to mothers who are best friends. They become best friends and make a pact that if neither is married by age 33, they will just marry each other. Callie works in a flower shop owned by Nate’s mother and Nate is a rocket scientist. Each chapter started with a quote about flowers. I enjoyed reading about the flower arrangements Callie put together using the symbolism of flowers. I loved the mothers too. This was another book that I nearly read in one sitting.
Lastly, I read FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Gillian McAllister. Camilla is book agent, and her husband Luke is a ghost writer. They’ve been married 4 years with a nine-month-old baby. On the first day of Camilla returning to work a hostage situation involving Luke occurs which makes Camilla question how much she really knew the man she married. Another really good one. I figured out some of the story and my only quibble was it bogged down a little in the middle. It was interesting to learn about hostage situations and negotiations.
Happy Reading!
Great to hear such a rave review for Wild Dark Shore. I’m looking forward to reading it.
I hope you like it!
Both ‘The Wild Dark Shore’ and ‘The Arrangements’ sound terrific and have now been added to my list. Thanks!
You are welcome!
Sharon, I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Taft Museum!
Your last book didn’t interest me as much as the first two. They sounded interesting.
Weather is weird.
We’re have 50 degree days followed by snow days.
With occasional tornado warnings which never used to happen here.
Stay safe!!
Continuing my hunt for “gentle reads” I was very, very happy with a NetGalley choice.
i loved this book.
Mrs Endicott’ Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen
Description:
Blindsided by betrayal in pre-WWII England, a woman charts a daring new course in this captivating tale of resilience, friendship, and new love by the bestselling author of The Rose Arbor and The Venice Sketchbook.
Surrey, England, 1938. After thirty devoted years of marriage, Ellie Endicott is blindsided by her husband’s appeal for divorce. It’s Ellie’s opportunity for change too. The unfaithful cad can have the house. She’s taking the Bentley. Ellie, her housekeeper Mavis, and her elderly friend Dora—each needing escape—impulsively head for parts unknown in the South of France.
With the Rhône surging beside them, they have nowhere to be and everywhere to go. Until the Bentley breaks down in the inviting fishing hamlet of Saint Benet. Here, Ellie rents an abandoned villa in the hills, makes wonderful friends among the villagers, and finds herself drawn to Nico, a handsome and enigmatic fisherman. As for unexpected destinations, the simple paradis of Saint Benet is perfect. But fates soon change when the threat of war encroaches.
Ellie’s second act in life is just beginning—and becoming an adventure she never expected.
This book sounds wonderful Kaye. It’s on my list now. Hooray!
That’s not your weather at all, Kaye!
I hope you find more gentle reads to take your mind off politics. It just surprises me that this was by Rhys Bowen.
I’m glad you liked it, Kaye, because I have it as well. haven’t gotten to it yet.
I am late in posting, I forgot that it is Thursday!!! I started Julia Spencer-Fleming, Hid From Our Eyes. Now Clair is married to Russ and has a baby! I missed one book in the series because the price refused to come down! Now there is book 10 to come out soon! Will have to wait for it. This one has a great start. Even thought the print is on the small size it is a darker shade so no trouble in reading it. I only have two books and 3 audio books after that left to read. I started to panic so I order 4 that were 8 and 7 dollars a piece. I won three from GoodReads but they are taking forever to come. Next month when most of my appointments are over, I will celebrate but searching in the Half Price Bookstore. =Will find out if my new prescription eyeglasses allow me to read the titles on the higher shelves.
Reading is my solace from the destruction now.
Oh, Carol. I hope your new eyeglasses help, and that you’re able to escape from the world. Sending hugs.
I haven’t read the last Julia Spencer-Fleming books, and I don’t know why. I was a big fan of all the earlier books.
I found out the reading part of my new glasses are useless but I can see farther, will try them out next month when I go to Half Price.com again.. The latest book is too expensive, I checked on Amazon.. Will need to wait,
Good afternoon everyone, from a sunny and bright Aberdeenshire. I am just back from having coffee with someone I had not seen in at least 20 years – the mother of a schoolfriend of Madeleine’s when she was 5 years old. We had such a nice catch up – which only happened because Olwynn recognised me when I was walking along the street a few weeks ago.
This week David and I attended another of the library service’s Memories of Scotland sessions. This one was about Aberdeen Parks & Gardens – whcih may not sound too interesting, but it was! It wasn’t about plants, but about the verious parks in the city/suburbs, their origins, their subsequent history, and some of the events that have taken place in them, from concerts to fairs and even the annual Aberdeen Highland Games. Scott, the libraries’ Health & Wellbeing Officer, is so good at his job that I doubt anyone could fail to be entertained. He does lots of research into photographic archives, then presents the results in a really fun and interesting way, encouraging people to chat and to contribute their own memories.
We were in Glasgow last Friday for the Tindersticks concert, which was held in a beautiful old theatre. It was a brilliant night. Tonight we are going to see the poet Lemn Sissay at the Music Hall here in Aberdeen, then next week we have three concerts in Edinburgh – including one by Public Service Broadcasting, who are always excellent.
Yesterday I had my shingles and pneumonacocal (?) vaccinations. I feel we are so fortunate to be offered all these things, but the nurse told me that the take-up for this campaign has been dreadful. So many people don’t even bother to cancel the appointments they are given – all it takes is a phone call or a visit to the NHS website, and failure to cancel means that the health authority has to provide (and, of course, pay) far more vaccinators than are needed. Grr.
After that I attended two previews at the art gallery – the first was inside the Travelling Gallery, which tours Scotland to bring art to remote areas and also to communities who might not feel comfortable in a traditional gallery. This week it is visiting some of the more disadvantaged schools in the city, but yesterday it was at the Art Gallery for staff visits, and we (the Friends of the gallery) were invited along. The exhibition focuses on the dismantling of the glasshouses at the St Andrew’s botanic gardens in Fife, and looks at the colonial attitudes that gave rise to the collecting of plants from other countries (like, I suppiose, some museums – especially the British Museum – and also, some would say, zoos. )
The second exhibition was called Works on Paper, and has been curated by my friend Jess, who gave us a very interesting guided tour. She had researched the gallery’s collections (many of which we never see as they are in storage) and decided to focus on female artists, most of them Scottish, from various decades.
Tomorrow I am walking with my friend Karen at Aberdeen beach – if the weather stays as it is today it should be perfect. After that I will have two weeks in Edinburgh – which, to be honest, I could do without as I would like to get stuck in to work (reviews/reading/writing) up here, but it’s unavoidable (the second week I will be cat-sitting Charlie and Herbie) and there are worse places!
BOOKS:
I finally finished Jenny Eclair’s memoir JOKES, JOKES, JOKES. I enjoyed it very much, and would have given it 5 stars, but took half a star off for overuse of exclamation marks (!)
Although Jenny is primarily a stand up comedian, she is also a novelist – one of the few (semi) celebrities who can actually write. I have read LISTENING IN, a collection of short stories based on monologues she wrote for Radio 4 (these were performed by some of our most famous actors), and now I have borrowed MOVING from the library. It is about an older woman who is selling her family home after 50 years – ‘Moving house can stir up old memories. What hapened to Edwina’s family? And why can’t she bring herself to say her stepson’s name?…A story full of love and tragedy.’ Jenny says in her memoir that her novels always start with the idea of a house, and that she has great fun investigating decorating websites, creating her idea of the domestic settings her characters inhabit.
I am now reading THE KING’S WITCHES by Kate Foster, which was sent to me by the publisher for review. I thought I had already read quite enough about James VI and his obsession with witches, but in fact this book is proving very readable and interesting.
It begins as Princess Anna of Denmark is about to set off to sail the ‘German Sea’ (North Sea) for Edinburgh, where she will marry King James. As was the way back then, the parties have not met, and because it is too dangerous for James to travel, a ‘handfasting’ ceremony is first held in Denmark, with the Lord Marischal standing in for the king. He and Anna must lie down on the same bed for 5 minutes, watched by her Lady of the Bedchamber and also by one of the king’s lords, who has travelled with the Scottish party to Denmark to bring Anna back to the Palace of Holyrood. But before the Scots arrive, Anna is obliged to watch the burning of a ‘witch’ – something that the Danish court wants over and done with before the Scots can see it, so scared are they of ‘the infection’ of witchcraft, which is alleged to be sweeping Europe, and the distinct possibility that it will endanger the marriage.
Meanwhile, Jura, a servant girl in North Berwick (near Edinburgh, and soon to be the location for some of the worst witch trials and executions in Scotland) is practising the harmless/helpful spells taught to her by her late mother – spells intended to protect Anna on her journey, or to help others. But a young farmer who had been seeing Jura has dropped her because he fears she is ‘cavorting with the devil.’
I have seen Fringe Festival plays about the witch trials. The level of paranoia that existed throughout Scotland, but especially in the Central Belt, in the 18th century was quite appalling. Hundreds of women were accused, and inevitably found guilty – it was a way of controlling any woman who refused to tow the line, and also a convenient way to place the blame for bad weather, crop failure, disease. etc on such women, to give the poor a target for the anger that might otherwise be directed towards the king and his politicians.
Anna’s ship has almost been sunk by a massive storm – sailed into owing to the incompetence of the captain, but she is terrified that the ‘witch’ she saw burned before she left Denmark has cursed her and her journey.
Yesterday, while I was in the Central Library, I came across a little display of books about libraries (it was part of a thing they are doing at the moment, asking people to write a few words about why they love their library, and to post these notes on a pillar beside the book shelves.) Of course I couldn’t resist borrowing some of the books, so I currently have;
VOICES OF SCOTTISH LIBRARIANS
THE LITTLE LIBRARY YEAR: RECIPES AND READING TO SUIT EACH SEASON by Kate Young
UNPACKING MY LIBRARY: ARTISTS AND THEIR BOOKS (edited by Jo Steffens and Matthias Neumann)
all looking at me enticingly, but first I must finish Princess Anna’s story.
I also borrowed another of Simon Brett’s series about Mrs Pargeter – this one is MRS PARGETER’S PATIO. I always enjoy Simon’s books – these are such well written cosies.
On TV, having at last finished Hilary Mantel’s THE MIRROR AND THE LIGHT, we are watching FISK (for me this is a re-watch), which I love, and I am also watching a thriller THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY (BBC), in which as nurse is found murdered in woods (why on earth do women ever agree to meet people in woods?) in what looks suspiciously like a copycat killing – two nurses having been murdered in the same place many years ago. But that murderer is still in prison – though only now has his ex-wife come forward to admit that he was with her on the night of one of those two murders (she denied this at the time as he was so abusive that she just wanted to get rid of him.) It’s all quite creepy (I am easily scared!)
And now I must pack for Edinburgh. I hope everyone has a good week, preferably with no tornadoes.
Rosemary, I hope other readers come back and catch up with your post because it’s always so interesting to see what programs and exhibits you go to. Thank you for sharing!
I’m sorry you’re away to Edinburgh for a couple weeks – three concerts and an extended visit with Charlie and Herbie. I hope the three of you have a good visit together. I doubt if they’ll bother you too much if you want to read or write.
Such delightful posts! You do so many interesting things, and make them all sound perfect. I love reading all about your adventures Rosemary.
Thank you Lindy, you are so kind. It’s fun for me to record my week.
Our cat is not well and we have had to go into the vet twice this week and are going back this afternoon. She has had thyroid problems for a few years and recently she began losing weight and has been less active. One of her problems is dehydration and she is being hydrated at the vet’s.
Glen is reading a mystery set in Tokyo. THE LAST TRAIN by Michael Pronko has been on his TBR pile for seven years, and now there are six books in the series. It is a police procedural and he is enjoying it very much.
I just finished reading THE MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley. It is a time travel story, and quite a bit different from other time travel books I have read. Some summaries mention romance and espionage, and there are those elements. I enjoyed it and I was amazed that it is a debut novel.
I’ve read several books in Michael Pronko’s mystery series. They’re pretty good, even if there aren’t many martial arts battles in the streets. (jk) He also writes essays on what life is like in Japan.
Glen, I will have to look into the essays. They would be very interesting, I am sure. I will be reading THE LAST TRAIN myself later this year.
I believe the book comprise the Tokyo Moments series. I think the first one is called Beauty and Chaos: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life. So far, there are four books, I think.
Oh I do hope your cat rallies soon Tracy – it is always such a worry. isn’t it?
Thinking of you.
I’m sorry, Tracy. Since I never had kids, my worry over my cats was always sad, and there wasn’t nothing sadder than when I had to let them go. I hope your cat improves with care at the vet’s.
I am sorry to read about your poor cat. Worrisome. How old is she? I hope she’ll be OK again very soon Tracy.
Thanks, everyone, for your kind thoughts. Our cat, Rosie, is 15 (or thereabouts). When we got her, the vet thought she was about three years old. I hope she improves soon too.
I’m keeping this short and sweet as I have already said too much here— My current read is Black Cat Mystery Magazine #15 in eBook form.
Enjoy the stories in the magazine, Kevin!