A little cold here, but we made it through the rain and winds. So, I can handle cold for a few days before heading up to my Mom’s, where it will be even colder! On Saturday, I’m leaving for a week, so it might be a mix of my reviews and Kevin Tipple’s to see you through while I visit. We all know I don’t read much while I’m at Mom’s.
I just finished Tess Gerritsen’s wonderful book, The Summer Guests. It’s the second in her Martini Club series. The review will be up tomorrow.
So, instead of talking about The Summer Guests, I’ll mention the book I’m just starting, A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J. Penner.
She doesn’t need to have magic in order to be magic…
In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she’ll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.
Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning…
What about you? What are you doing and reading this week? Let’s catch up!
Lesa, I hope you have a great time at your mom’s!
It’s been a busy week with two family birthdays: grandson’s who is majoring in History at university and was happy with his book gift from us – The Flags of Canada, written by a former Canadian prime minister, and our daughter-in-law’s who was happy with her Recipetin Cookbook as she enjoys cooking and making bread and all that kind of thing. The novelty of cooking has long worn off for me, but I (mostly from the library) still read cookbooks in hopes that I will be inspired.
Only one book read this week.
THE LONELY HEARTS BOOK CLUB by Lucy Gilmore
This is a sweet and entertaining read. It’s about books yes, but a whole lot more than that. It’s about ordinary people living their lives but for various reasons they are lonely, whether they realize it or not – and about how what people say and do can have far-reaching consequences, and how together people can begin to heal.
Sloane is a librarian and even though her boss shoots down her ideas for the library, she loves her job. One day she sees an old man browsing the shelves and offers to help him find what he’s looking for. Turns out Arthur is the grumpiest, downright rudest person ever, but she perseveres and slowly he deigns to tolerate her. She begins to genuinely look forward to their daily talks/insults/arguments. But then he stops coming to the library and she can’t help but be worried about him. The rest of the book is the story of what happens to her and to Arthur and a few other people collected along the way, and I loved every page.
This was a lovely, heartwarming book. The core group of five or six characters each get their turn to continue telling the story as it progresses, thereby giving us firsthand insight into them. I think I’ve made it seem like it’s all doom and gloom but it absolutely isn’t. It’s written using lots of humour and just enough angst to make us care, and to wish that we too could be part of this caring, supportive book club. I enjoyed this book very much.
Lindy, Don’t you love to give the right book to the right person? It just makes me happy.
I really should read that book someday. It sounds so good! You don’t make it sound all doom and gloom!
Lindy, I know exactly what you mean about cooking!
I used to cook all the time, and now I look back and think ‘what on earth was I doing taking the time to make things like filo pastry Christmas crackers (thank you Jane Asher) when I had three young children, a dog, a largely absent workaholic husband and a job to manage?’ These days David does most of the cooking (because he enjoys it) and if he’s away I live on eggs and toast.
Now it’s my daughters who are into cooking – Anna actually does it for a living, and she’s very good at it. She even cooks proper meals for herself if she’s alone.
But I still enjoy reading cook books with narrative – Nigel Slater, Nigella Lawson, Elizabeth David, etc, and the Alice B Toklas Cook Book is one of my favourite books, though I’d never dream of making a single one of her recipes (all of which require copious amounts of butter, cream and/or alcohol.) Alice ate very little herself – she cooked for Gertrude, and outlived her by many years, which is perhaps unsurprising, given the richness of her cooking.
Rosemary, I too had three children, a dog, and a (part-time) job, and although my husband was not largely absent, I would never even have contemplated making filo pastry. The very idea! But kudos to you for sure!
Lindy, THE LONELY HEARTS BOOK CLUB was one of my favorite books in 2024. In addition to the story and the characters, I enjoyed the books that were discussed in some detail, and it was the book that convinced me to read ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (which I haven’t done yet, but this year I hope).
I am another one who no longer gets any joy in cooking. The real negative in this is that I don’t eat enough vegetables, but we eat lots of fruit, every day.
I’m the same as you with the vegetables and fruits Tracy. It’s the same over here, even though I obviously know that vegetables are the most important of all. Sigh. Perhaps I will try harder.
The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos.
Looking forward to that one, Kevin.
It is a good one. I am just past the halfway point.
We had what might have been the last rain until October this week. That’s a Mediterranean Climate for you. Now my allergies are completely out of whack.
This week I read:
Open House by William Katz; A serial killer novel that was written in the 1980’s, but could just as well have been written in the 1950’s, except they were more literate in the 1950’s.
Tiger Reef by John McKinna; A couple sail across the Pacific, and encounter pirates in Indonesia. There’s a gun battle, a sunk ship, and Cussler-esque adventure. Remember, not that long ago, when piracy seemed quaint?
A Man With One Of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell; A sap goes around talking to people with alzheimer’s, all of who think he is some kind of relative. Then he talks to an old man who tries to kill him, and he goes on the run from cops, crooks, and others. Very Irish.
The Tell-Tale Homicide by Daphne Silver; The first day of her new job, the curator of the collection of the local billionaire family is met by protesters, one of whom is found dead. There’s books missing, and a bunch of Poe references. I pined for Dupin.
Bronco Buster by AJ Devlin; This series seems to have fallen off the radar after the successful first entry, Cobra Clutch. This one leans into the humor, possibly as a reaction to the last entry. We’re in Shell Scott territory here. In this one, Jed wrestles at a rodeo, learns about lumberjack sports, and assorted other niche sports (is cow flop bingo a sport? I’d put it more as a game, but I digress) while his cousin acts like a drunken maniac. I think this is a series that needs some sort of rediscovery before it goes away.
I hope your dry season doesn’t lead to fires, Glen.
I have a copy of AJ Devlin’s Bronco Buster on my table. You’re right. It’s a series that does need to be rediscovered. Too much time between books? A Canadian author who doesn’t get a lot of attention here?
Lesa, I think he’s been writing a book a year, which is about right. It very well may be the author is Canadian,
Cow flop bingo?!!!!
It’s a game where a field is laid out in a grid. A cow wanders around the field, and where it defecates marks the number. It isn’t something I play, but I know it exists.
Hello, Lesa and fellow book lovers! Bern is having another week of warm, sunny spring weather, and I saw a lilac tree blooming in my neighborhood, although the little one on my balcony is still all buds. I’m sorry you’re having such cold weather, Lesa, and I hope you have a great time visiting your mother.
Last week, I had just started reading another Peter Grainger book with David Smith; this one is called THE TRUTH. There are seven books in which Smith is a detective with the police in a Norfolk town called King’s Lake (which is based on the real city of King’s Lynn). Then he retires, but he decides to do private investigations with a King’s Lake firm, and there are three more books (so far) in which he’s a private detective. THE TRUTH is the first of those, and although I enjoyed it, it wasn’t as good as some of the others.
Then I read a debut mystery by an American who lives in Ireland and is married to an Irishman whom I’ve corresponded with because we have the same publisher. Besides, our lives have a similar theme: Americans living abroad in their husbands’ countries. Jenny Wilson O’Raghallaigh (how’s that for an Irish name?) has written MANDATORY REPORTING, and I thought it was excellent. In the first half, we meet the “I” character telling the story, a 20-something-year-old man who has had a traumatic childhood but doesn’t want to talk about it and is very flippant, hiding his emotions and even making fun of people who reveal theirs. But we readers see enough of his inner self to become fond of him–or at least, I did. The book doesn’t become a mystery until someone is murdered over halfway through, and then we see the investigation from the young man’s point of view. This is as much a novel as a mystery, so don’t expect a fast pace, but I still recommend it.
I finished listening to Kwei Quartey’s THE MISSING AMERICAN, and I think you’d enjoy it. The detective who investigates the missing person is Emma Djan, and this book is the first in his series about her. (It turns out he has a previous five-book series with another protagonist that I didn’t know about. Lesa, you mentioned a friend who really likes his books; I imagine she’s read both series!) Emma is a realistic and likable character; many other interesting people are involved in the story, and I learned a lot about Ghanaian internet scams and how prevalent they are. Most of all, the book put me squarely in Accra and the neighborhoods around it, and that was a great treat. I thought the audiobook reader did an excellent job, as well.
Now I’ve started listening to a fantasy by Callie Hart called QUICKSILVER, and, so far, after only a few chapters, I’d say it has employed almost every overused fantasy motif I can think of, just not portrayed as believably as many other writers have used them. Have any of you read it? Should I carry on? I want to give this book a fair chance. I love stories that build a realistic, cleverly imagined fantasy or sci-fi world and people it with appealing characters, but it’s been a while since I read a truly good one. Any suggestions?
Hi Kim,
Well, weather at my Mom’s is going to be just as miserable next week, but I go to spend time with her. We just won’t be able to spend it on the porch as we like to do.
Yes, I imagine David has read both series by Kwei Quartey. He really likes him.
Enjoy your beautiful weather and the flowering trees!
The Missing American sounds great Kim – I really do need to start reading more books set outwith the UK/US, so i will look for this one. Thank you for telling us about it.
Kim, suggestions for you of fantasy and/or sci-fi books I’ve enjoyed have been:
– THE ROOK by Daniel O’Malley (urban fantasy)
– GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (sort of a fantasy fairy tale in the Mayan underworld)
– THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES by Alix E Harrow
– WEYWARD by Emilia Hart.
All of them great stories. In my opinion, of course ha ha.
Sounds like card playing is on your agenda, Lesa! Have fun at mom’s.
This week I too read “The Summer Guests”. Thank you to NetGalley for the audio version of this book. The narrator did a fabulous job. I was so excited to have access to the 2nd in this Martini Club series as I absolutely loved the first book. I didn’t feel that this book was as well developed around the characters in the Martini Club, and since that was what I loved the most about the first book, this wasn’t as enjoyable for me. Also, this centered around another child abduction. I would have liked to have seen a different type of mystery. I do still enjoy that characters. Hopefully if there is a third book, they can take a more central role again.
Hi Mary. I was happy with The Summer Guests, and tore through it. But, I always like a little cold case thrown in, and there was that. You’re right, though. A little more Martini Club!
Enjoy your trip, Lesa. We went to a One Act Festival last weekend at a playhouse out in PA. They put on five one act plays. The first play was so-so but the other four were funny and we enjoyed them. The playhouse was interesting, it’s in a converted 250 year old barn and you have to walk across the stage to get to your seats.
I only finished one book, a cozy mystery, The Stuff of Murder by Kathleen Kalb.
Oh, Sandy. The one-act festival sounds as if it was fun.
I hope you enjoyed your cozy! Happy reading!
Good morning. The Tess Gerritsen is waiting to be picked up at the library. Somehow, perhaps in Florida (though why I would have had it there, I can’t answer) I lost my library card, so I went yesterday to get a replacement. Of course, the book came in after I went home. The weather here has been very cold this week (33 yesterday morning), also windy, though at least the last few days have been sunnier. We have to get through Saturday until the cold and (more) rain leave and we get back to real Spring weather. Tonight is our first mini-vacation of the season, as we’re going to see The Mavericks at the Beacon, and will stay at a Marriott near 34th Street.
But I digress. Books, then. Jackie is reading another Emily Henry book, BEACH READ, which she is enjoying as much as her previous books.
I feel like I’ve bought more books Than I’ve read this week. First, I had two new Crippen & Landru short story collections waiting for me (subscribers get a 20% discount on all new books) when we got home. One was by Ethel Lina White, best known for writing THR WHEEL TURNS, which was filmed as THE LADY VANISHES, and THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE. The other, which I am reading first, is With Love, Marjorie Ann by Marcia Talley. I don’t remember reading any of her stories previously, and I haven’t read her novels, but this is fun so far. Crippen & Landru also prints special individual chapbooks for Christmas (and sometimes for Malice Domestic) for subscribers, and the latest was Happy Death Day by Toni L. P. Kelner, which is a Christmas story. Before this, I finished the Charles Dickinson collection, With Or Without.
Lastly, I read The Reluctant Sheriff, the fourth Mick Hardin book by Chris Offutt. The first book in the series, The Killing Hills, was one of the best books I’ve read in ages, and the second was very good too. But he seems to have run out of steam somewhat, and I’m wondering if he is going to continue with it. Mick was back from the Army, on leave, when he helped out his sister Linda, newly elected as Sheriff. But when Linda got shot, he took over as Acting Sheriff during her recovery. He knows eastern Kentucky really well, but the whole “Johnny Boy in Corsica” subplot seems like another book entirely, and really doesn’t go anywhere. Whatever he does next, I’ll be reading.
That makes me think. I’m sure most of you here, like me, have been asked how you decide what to read next. I have a long list of authors (Offutt is one, also Michael Connelly, Archer Mayor, Allen Eskens, Ken Bruen, Steven F. Havill, etc.), mostly mystery writers, whose books I always read. Beyond that, I do look at reviews in newspapers, on blogs, in Deadly Pleasures, etc. plus things recommended by people, here and elsewhere. But what about first books by new authors? Well, in my case, I look at the basic plot, the setting, the characters, maybe the time period if it is historical. I think we each have things that appeal to us. This is leading up to this:
John McMahon, Head Cases. FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He also has a blind spot on the human side of investigations, a blindness that sometimes even includes people in his own life, like his beloved seven year old daughter Camila. Gardner and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve. When DNA links a murder victim to a serial killer long presumed dead, the team springs into action. A second victim establishes a pattern, and the murderer begins leaving a trail of clues and riddles especially for Gardner.
Now there is no way I couldn’t try this, and I’m glad I did. I raced though most of it yesterday and will finish it today – they know who the killer is and just (just!) need to catch him. Terrific, fast moving action, highly recommended if this sounds like something you’d like.
Tracy mentioned a book that Glen read last week, Jim DeFede’s The Day The World Cam To Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland. I was almost sure I had read this, but I hadn’t. I saw Come From Away on Broadway and watched the documentary about that day, but now I’m reading the book too. Thanks, Tracy.
Up next: the Tess Gerritsen, the Steven Havill, Johnny Careless.
Jeff, Did you see Peter Lovesey died? I’m so sorry for that. We lost a great one.
I totally agree with you about The Reluctant Sheriff. This one didn’t do it for me, especially the part in Corsica.
I did enjoy Head Cases, though.
Enjoy your show and weekend!
No, I saw his last book a little while ago. I’ve been reading him since WOBBLE TO DEATH in 1970.
RIP
I suspect the next book has Mick and Johnny Boy doing things in Corsica and then coming back home to Kentucky. I suspect that whole secondary storyline was a setup for the primary storyline of the next book.
Jeff, I am glad to hear that you are reading Jim DeFede’s book about Gander and 9/11 and I hope you are enjoying it. I will reading it in the next month or two.
I am always interested in the Crippen & Landru books you are reading; I should get a subscription to their books. And I am envious at how many books you read.
I am reading the 2nd in the Mick Hardin series right now because I saw that Chris Offutt had a new book out and wanted to catch up before reading it!
The book Head Cases sounds great – going on my TBR list!
Correction: Jackie is reading FUNNY STORY. BEACH READ is up next.
I thought that too, Kevin, when he went to Corsica.
I finished HEAD CASES, by the way. He is going to continue it as a series.
Now Reading Jane Kirkpatrick’s All Together In One Place about settlers headed for Oregon and California. The main character is very unhappy but her mother is enjoying meeting Native Americas and now they are having an epidemic, six died so far. I am not sure if they will ever get there!
You never know, Carol. They might not get there!
Beautiful spring weather here in the high desert. Temperatures were in the mid-70’s, just perfect for working in the yard. Mostly just cutting back & cleaning up. It won’t be planting season for a few weeks. At ten acres, it’s really a wee bit bigger than a yard.
I’ve been reading, but so many choices that nothing is captivating me at the moment. I have six or seven books in progress on various media and a stack of library books waiting.
But off to Lake Tahoe today to enjoy between ski season and the summer crush.
Enjoy your trip to Lake Tahoe, and the gorgeous weather, MM.
I know that feeling when no book seems to suit. I usually don’t finish any of them when I finally find something interesting.
Good morning! It was 80+ yesterday, and I don’t see anything but highs in at least the 70s for the next 10 days. Still delaying getting out my short-sleeved clothes and packing away my sweaters, though. We’ll see . . . At least, I have been able to resume my outdoor walks. Yesterday I had 11,000 steps for the first time in quite a while. This week I learned there is a new local group forming for those who enjoy musical theater. They’re calling it the Drama Queens, and the organizer lives just 2=two miles away from me. Looks like I will have more company going to a variety of local events.. As for books read this week:
Read for my book club, The Briar Club is another of Kate Quinn’s excellent historical fiction standalones. The time period is the early 1950s, when Senator Joseph McCarthy is savagely ruining the lives of those he accuses of being Communists. At the same time, several very different women are getting to know each other as boarders in a rundown DC rooming house owned by a landlady who offers the bare minimum and rails against those who break her rigid rules. She expects her teenaged son to quit school and work full-time to support her and barely has any time at all for his younger sister, who yearns to be a successful baker since she doesn’t seem to have anything else that could make her special. As the story progresses, we get an in-depth look at each of the women–her present situation and her often-hidden background–and we learn how they come together to become a supportive family. Interspersed with these chapters are short ones foreshadowing a looming disaster, but it is only in the final chapters that we finally learn each of the women’s fate and her deepest secrets, as well as who is affected most by the disastrous event. Each of the women is memorable and sensitively portrayed. I also greatly enjoyed the characters of the landlady’s son and daughter. The absorbing plot kept me reading intently until the last word. Kate Quinn is a very talented writer, who has combined meticulous research and creativity to fashion a truly admirable achievement in The Briar Club.
What a treat! DOGGED PURSUIT, book #31 of David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter Mystery series, is a prequel! For the first time, readers of the beloved series can see how 30-year-old Andy handles his first case as a defense attorney, after spending a few years as a prosecutor. Andy has been married to Nicole for a year, but she is having a hard time dealing with the potential danger of Andy’s profession and a much different lifestyle than she had enjoyed as the daughter of wealthy parents. Obviously, it will be a long time until Andy becomes wealthy enough to be able to take on–or not–only those cases that pique his interest or are presented by his friends. It’s fun to see how former police officer Laurie and Andy meet, and how Marcus joins the team. (We don’t actually see or hear Marcus in this book, but his indomitable presence and unmatched skills as a bodyguard are well in evidence.) Sam, the accountant who is also an expert at obtaining needed information and evidence in not-so-legal ways, figures prominently in this story, as he does in the entire series. When Andy wants to hire an office administrator, he is told a woman named Edna is a dynamo, and I couldn’t help but yell, “Nooooo, don’t do it!” The book contains everything we love about an Andy Carpenter legal mystery, including an impossible challenge, the step-by-step procedure to exonerate his client, fascinating courtroom scenes, lovable dogs and, of course, Andy’s signature snark and humor. If you haven’t read the series yet, this is a good place to start. And if you are a devoted Andy Carpenter fan, you will appreciate this look into Andy’s origin story. It’s a quick read and a highly satisfying one. (July)
I have mixed feelings about Abby Jimenez’s latest book, SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME. On one hand, the popular author paints a vivid picture of the two memorable protagonists. Samantha cleverly promotes a brand of mustard on social media and has a mostly supportive family who lives 2,000 miles away from her home in Minnesota. Xavier has a successful veterinary business in spite of his parents’ extreme abuse during his childhood. When the two meet, it’s magic. Although their personalities are quite different, they fall into an immediate relationship that feels too good to be true. And soon, it proves to be just that. The day after their first amazing night together, Sam has to move to California to help her family care for her mother, who was struck with early dementia in her mid-fifties. The couple has to try to hang on to their spark with lots of phone time and occasional visits, which become more difficult as each has financial issues. I enjoyed both of these characters, but I have several problems with the book. The biggest one is that I was miserable reading it. I couldn’t avoid sharing the desperation of two people who constantly agonize about how they can never be together, and how they will never be happy without the other person. Cutting 50 pages or so of these depressing ruminations and conversation would have helped to make it more palatable to me. To add to the desperation, there are family problems on both sides. Samantha has a loving family, but her mother’s situation has made their dynamics problematic. Xavier’s parents are so awful that they have no redeeming qualities. There is a welcome epilogue, but it was too late for me. I much prefer Jimenez’s most recent book, Just for the Summer.
Oooh, i loved The Briar Club, Margie.
As Kaye said, I loved The Briar Club, Margie. I’m glad you liked it.
Oh, the Drama Queens! That sounds like a fun group. I’m glad you’re able to get out and walk again.
I’ll skip the Abby Jimenez if it made you miserable while you read it. Nope.
Happy reading, and enjoy your week!
What a great review of The Briar Club Margie. You said it all so well! If I hadn’t already read the book, your review would make me want to read it for sure.
Have a fun visit with your mom!!
I’ve decided to spend some time revisiting some authors whose past books I enjoyed enough that they have stayed in my mind, even though particular series they wrote came to an end. They’re filed in my mind under “series i wish had never ended.”
I’m starting with Deborah Morgan’s Jeff Talbot series – a series with a cast of fascinating characters.
{ WHO’S JEFF TALBOT? }
He’s our protagonist, our hero, our knight in shining armor. He’s a former FBI agent who drives a ’48 Chevy woodie and collects antiques. Now, he’s making a living as an antiques picker–someone who hunts down and purchases antiques at a bargain, then resells them for profit. The Chevy woodie is perfect for hauling loot.
Jeff Talbot was the first fictional character to become a member of the
National Woodie Club.
{ WHO ELSE IS IN THE SERIES? }
SHEILA
Jeff’s wife, Sheila, is young and beautiful–but don’t hold that against her. She’s also likeable, intriguing, and fighting an illness – agoraphobia -that is sometimes hard for Jeff to understand. Sheila is a gourmet chef and a collector of antique inkwells, hotel stationery, and Victoriana. She says the Internet is her best friend. Find out why in DEATH IS A CABARET.
GREER
Greer is Jeff and Sheila Talbot’s new-age butler.
He’s young, gay, and fiercely loyal to his employers. Greer collects movies and art depicting his profession.
For web site purposes, Greer delivers the mail.
BLANCHE APPLEBY
Blanche Appleby is a friend of the Talbots and owns
All Things Old, Seattle’s largest antiques mecca.
GORDY EASTHOPE
Gordon (Gordy) Easthope is an FBI agent and a former co-worker of Jeff’s. Now, they’re fishing buddies. It’s no surprise that Jeff’s always on the lookout for angler collectibles on behalf of his friend.
i’m enjoying Jeff Talbot’s world.
Thank you, Kaye!
I love that idea. You know who I’d go back and read? Dorothy Simpson. I don’t know if her Luke Thanet series would hold up, but I loved it, and hated to see it end.
Well now I want to read the series too! All the characters sound like they’re worth reading about!
Safe travels for a wonderful week with your mom, Lesa.
Only one book for me this week. VERA WONG’S GUIDE TO SNOOPING (ON A DEAD MAN) by Jesse Q. Sutanta. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first one. Vera pretty much stayed to character which I found a little tiresome. And I am having a hard time with the Instagrammer influencer storylines. I know pretty hard to avoid with new releases today. Also, I found the secondary storyline upsetting and wish I would have read the author’s notes first where she explained her reasoning. Ordinarily it probably wouldn’t have bothered be but in light of all that is going on in the world, not the right book at this time.
I am 2/3 finished with THE KING’S MESSENGER by Susanna Kearsley and loving it.
Happy reading!
Thank you, Sharon! I’m glad you’re enjoying The King’s Messenger after being disappointed with the Vera Wong.
Today is supposed to be 81 in Idaho. Whew! Rather early to be this warm. We get two days of warm weather than the bottom falls out for the weekend. I’ll take what I can get so that I can get the weeds in my flower beds under control before it gets too warm.
This week, I read The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao. Three girls find out they are dating the same guy and conspire to make his life miserable. While sabotaging his apartment, they find he’s been murdered. They decide to solve the murder themselves. Err. The blunders they made definitely put them in the too stupid to live category.
Now, I’m reading Savvy Summers and Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. It’s been slow going. I’m not sure if it’s because The Mailman spoiled me or if I just haven’t been in the reading mood lately. Hopefully, something will catch my attention soon.
Get out there and enjoy that weather, Bev! 80! That’s my favorite temperature – just warm enough for me without being too hot.
I can’t stand characters who are Too Stupid To Live.
I’m glad you enjoyed The Mailman, but sorry nothing seems to fit now. I hope you find a good book soon.
I so agree Lesa – characters (and why is it almost always women?) who are Too Stupid to Live are so annoying, and are, to me, a sign of lazy writing.
Rosemary,
Lately I’ve been wondering about TSTL moments. In the last few years, almost all the people writing such things are women. This baffles me. Is it just lazy writing? Do they think a part of their audience enjoys the trope? Where are the editors? Is there something deeper going on that we’re not seeing, but will seem elementary to future readers? Am I thinking about this too much? That last one, I think I know the answer)
As always, you made me laugh, Glen.
So sad to hear Peter Lovesey died. I have really enjoyed his books. I had saved his last one for a special day and am glad I did.
I woke up to an inch of snow here in Michigan and it is cold and gray outside. Where is spring?
Am currently reading The Noble Outlaw by Bernard Knight. This is another entry in the Sir John de Wolfe series set in medieval Exeter and is quite good so far.
Have a safe trip, Lesa and hope that everyone will have a terrific weekend.
I read his Sergeant Cribb books, Jennifer, but for some reason never moved on to his other ones.
Lesa, I look forward to your review of Tess Gerritsen’s book tomorrow. Even though I have not read the first one yet.
I mentioned last week that I had to go to Urgent Care due to extreme fatigue and weakness. On Tuesday, I had an appointment with my Primary Care doctor, and we discussed what had happened. She was not at all concerned about the results of the tests and she and I both felt like it was an isolated event. She did agree that I should be watchful for anything further like that and gave me advice on how to handle it if it did happen again. So all is fine.
Then the same day Glen had one of his crowns fall off the tooth. He went to the dentist and the result was that the tooth has more decay and can’t be saved. He has no pain but sometime soonish he will have to have the tooth extracted. None of these are horrible events but it seems like everything happens at once.
Maybe because of all of this Glen and I seemed to be at a standstill in our reading. Glen is still reading A COLD WELCOME by Sam White, about the Little Ice Age. Last night I just finished ROYAL ASSASSIN by Robin Hobb. It took me nearly two weeks to finish. I gave it five stars and I will read the next book in the trilogy, but it was a harrowing book to read. It was like reading about the treachery and deceit in the royal court in the UK during the Tudor years.
I’m so glad you’re OK Tracy, but I’m sorry to hear about Glen’s tooth. I have been chaperoning my mother to numerous dental appointments lately, and it does seem like every time they fix something, another thing happens. I do hope the extraction goes smoothly – I must say when I have had a tooth out in the past I have hardly noticed it. Good luck to Glen!
Tracy, Yes. So many times my health affects my reading. Take care of each other!
Tracy, I’m quite relieved that your doctor isn’t concerned. That’s great news!
My husband very recently had to have a new dental bridge made, a tooth extracted, a root canal for a decayed tooth, and a crown for that tooth which was a relief as the temporary ones kept coming off. Total cost was over $9000 (CDN) which is around $6500 in U.S. funds I think. Not an enjoyable use of lots of money at all.
Hi all, from a beautifully sunny Aberdeenshire.
I hope you have a fabulous week with your mother Lesa, good weather or not. Staying in can be very cosy if you are with someone whose company you enjoy.
Our current temperatures would seem low to some of you, but to us 60F is wonderful! Quite a few Aberdonians, who often really shouldn’t, have been wearing their shorts. Not always a pleasant sight…. But when we get good weather here we tend to overreact.
On Monday Nancy and I had a really lovely walk on the Skene estate. It has great views of the hills, easy paths, a few sensitively restored houses and some beehives. It’s never busy, and this time we only met three people the whole time we were there. We both said we felt so lucky to live here, especially as this area is so little known compared to the Highlands and the Central Belt.
Today I met a friend in town and we had coffee on the roof terrace of one of the oldest pubs in the city, Ma Cameron’s. It was so sunny and warm, and we had such an excellent catch up, that I hadn’t realised almost three hours had passed. Martin is an artist, and we talked about the lack of affordable studio space in Aberdeen, and the way that, as with everything else, it is becoming harder and harder for people without money to sustain careers in the arts.
BOOKS – I’ve only read one this week, Rosamund Pilcher’s VOICES IN SUMMER, which I probably mentioned last time. It’s about the second (& much younger) wife of a very successful businessman, They live in London (with a housekeeper, of course) but Alec spends all year looking forward to his annual fishing holiday in Scotland. This is always taken with two other couples, friends of his who have known him throughout his first marriage (his wife left him and moved to Virginia with a very wealthy man, taking their daughter Gabriel with her.)
Laura has to go into hospital (Harley Street, obviously…) for two days for some minor ‘women’s surgery’ (never explained) and is told by her doctor that she mustn’t travel to Scotland. She is distraught because she thinks Alec will therefore refuse to go, as he couldn’t countenance leaving her with a (private!) nurse. Goodness only knows why she needs a nurse at all, but these are rich people – nevertheless, you would think this book was written in the 1950s, not 1984.
In the end Alec drives her to western Cornwall to stay with his uncle, a retired Admiral, and his wife in their huge country manor house. There she is to have breakfast in bed every day and not lift a finger. Much is made about how hard Eve (admiral’s wife) has to work to run the house, when in fact she has ‘a woman from the village’ in every single day to help, plus a full time gardener. Laura is soon swimming in the sea, going for hikes with Eve’s handsome son Ivan, and generally having a high old time – so much so that it really is unclear why she couldn’t have gone to Scotland in the first place.
Various things happen, other people come in and out of the story, but Pilcher excels at desciption, and was born in Cornwall herself, so she really does convey a wonderful sense of place – the heat of the summer, the scents of the gardens, the colours of the sea. And she’s a good writer, her prose is very smooth and readable, so although I almost lost patience, as I always do with her novels, over the sheer entitlement of these characters (almost all of whom are decent, kind people – there are rarely any real ‘baddies’, though there is a subplot in this one that goes well beyond Pilcher’s usual comfort zone) I stayed with it because I was enjoying the writing and the story.
If you have read and liked THE SHELL SEEKERS or WINTER SOLSTICE, you might well enjoy this one – it’s definitely one of Pilcher’s better efforts.
Now I have several books from the library to read, including MRS SIDHU’S DEAD AND SCONE by Suk Pannu. I heard another book in this series (of which Dead and Scone was the first) read on BBC Sounds and it was fun – particularly the interaction between the Mrs Sidhu and her wayward son, born in the UK and keen to abandon the traditions his mother seeks to uphold. Suk Pannu has written for television (Goodness Gracious Me, The Kumars at No. 42, My Family) and radio, so he’s an experienced hand.
I’ve also borrowed MRS PARGETER’s PATIO by Simon Brett (I’ve never read a book by Brett that I haven’t enjoyed), MOVING by Jenny Éclair, THE PARTY by Tessa Hadley, THESE PRECIOUS DAYS by Ann Patchett, and ONE NIGHT AT THE CHATEAU by Veronica Henry – it’s a long time since I’ve read any of Henry’s books, but I seem to remember enjoying them.
On TV I have just finished RIVALS, the series based on Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name. I loved it. It ended on a bit of a cliffhanger – which I presume the book doesn’t, but I haven’t yet read it – so I suppose Disney Plus must be hoping to get a second series out of it. It must have been expensive to make, not only because it stars David Tennant, Aiden Turner, Katherine Parkinson and Danny Dyer but also because it uses such stunning locations, including some huge mansions in the Cotswolds, but I imagine it’s more than paid for itself.
Have a good week everyone, and I hope the weather improves for those who need it. I bought masses of plants yesterday, so I need to get them into the ground soon – luckily it looks like our good weather is set to last for a little while yet.
Rosemary, thanks for your comments re Glen’s planned tooth extraction. He was mainly concerned that the procedure be done with a local anesthetic, and it seems that is how it is done.
Also, thanks for your thoughts on VOICES IN SUMMER by Pilcher. I have only read WINTER SOLSTICE, which I enjoyed, and I have a copy of THE SHELL SEEKERS. I will look next for that VOICES IN SUMMER.
Rosemary, I can picture you planting your plants, especially since you enjoy the outdoors so much.
I read a few of Pilcher’s books, but it’s been a long time.
And, I enjoyed reading about the books you borrowed.
Enjoy your weather!
Enjoy your trip! It’s been rainy and cold here in New Hampshire. I’m gearing up for oral surgery tomorrow, but tonight I’m reading Shadow of Night so that I can begin to watch the Netflix series!
Melissa, I hope the oral surgery went well today, and you’re home relaxing now.
Chiming in late (forgot to come in last night). I’m reading MURDER RUNS IN THE FAMILY, the first in a new series from Tamara Berry. I’m enjoying it, but the pacing is a bit off.
Well, darn, Mark. I’m sorry the pacing is off. It’s in my NetGalley stack.
Hi Lesa, I’m in the middle of moving so not as much reading as I would hope. I am listening to Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson (netgalley audio) on my commute to work. My kindle book is also from netgalley and it’s Death and the Librarian (the latest Blue Ridge Library mystery) by Victoria Gilbert.
Katherine, I hope your move goes well, and it doesn’t take too long to settle in. Good luck!
I’ll have to look for Victoria Gilbert’s new book. Thank you!