It’s Thursday! Let’s talk about what we’re reading. I’m reading Dorothea Benton Frank’s latest novel, By Invitation Only. It’s about a wedding between a young couple whose parents couldn’t be more different. Her parents are well-to-do city people in Chicago, social climbers. His family is a farm family in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. I need good luck wishes as much as the young couple. We’re hosting the author at the library on Saturday, and I’m hoping an audience shows up. It turns out some of our patrons think the event is “By Invitation Only”, and didn’t catch that’s the title of the book. Wish me luck, please.
What are you reading or listening to this week?
Just finished A Perfect Armenian by Keri Topouzian and started Time's Betrayal by David Adams Cleveland. Don't know whether I will make it through the 1100 plus pages, as two typos and two internal inconsistencies in first 52 pages.
UH oh. I hope your patrons realize they are all invited.
I'm still reading mostly short stories, as more books have come in. Robert Sheckley and Edward D. Hoch, as mentioned last week, are coming closer to the end, and I did finish the Elaine Viets collection, which I thought was just OK rather than anything special. I much preferred her Angela Richman book, BRAINSTORM. I've added another Crippen & Landru collection – this one in their Lost Classics Series – James Holding's THE ZANZIBAR SHIRT MYSTERY. The conceit is, Ellery Queen-like mystery writing partners, King Danforth and Martin Leroy (who write about "Leroy King") are on a round-the-world cruise with their wives, and most solve mysteries along the way, first on the ship itself. These are light and fun.
Foolishly, perhaps, I've added another collection to the rotation, Allen Steele,s science fiction collection, RUDE ASTRONAUTS.
I'm still reading David Sedaris's diary and just started Sarah Gailey's wild RIVER OF TEETH. See, 100 or so years ago, they brought in hippopotamuses to take care of vegetation in Lousiana, as well as provide a food source. But this wasn't a great idea, as hippos are fast and savage, and their jaws can snap a man in two.
I finished Beach House Reunion by Mary Alice Monroe. Aside from the turtles, this one was not my favorite.
Now I am reading The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan. The reviews are either up or down on Goodreads so we'll see.
A busy week with not much time for reading.
I finished THE SOUND OF A WILD SNAIL EATING. I now know more about snails than I ever thought I would. I also finished COLOR ME MURDER by Krista Davis which was a quick read. Now I’m reading BUTTERMILK GRAFFITI by a chef, Edward Lee which is about his travels around the country trying different ethnic foods and the people he meets along the way.
Just finished After Anna by Lisa Scottoline – excellent – couldn't put it down – highly recommend.
Another Thursday to share our love for reading with each other.
I finished The Llama of Death ( book 3) by Betty Webb.
I am reading Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes by Karen Rose Smith
The Puffin of Death (book4) by Betty Webb
Lesa, may you be surprised with a huge turn out of people on Saturday for the author that you have invited.
Have a great week everyone.
Reading is such fun.
📚📚📚📚☕️
It's not easy, Liz, when formatting and editing problems throw you out of the book. Good luck!
Thanks for the good wishes, Jeff. I kind of like the sound of that book with the Ellery Queen-type partners. I always always fond of those books, except for that one off-shoot that went off to one town, and there was never a satisfying ending. The bad guys always got away with murder.
I'm sorry, Sharon, that Beach House Reunion didn't do it for you. Good luck with this week's reading!
Sandy, I hope the snail book was enjoyable since you finished it!
Great, Donna! It's always wonderful to hear someone couldn't put a book down.
Charlotte, I love Thursdays just for that reason – sharing the love of books. Thank you! I'm hoping the audience shows up, too.
I'm not a horror fan, but I read Stephen King's latest, The Outsider, because I really admired his 11/22/63. I loved the first half of this 550+-page tome, where detectives tried to unravel how a beloved school sports coach could have been in two places at the same time–performing a gruesome killing on a young boy (supported by DNA and fingerprint evidence) and attending an event with fellow teachers in another town (also supported by DNA and even some video). I liked it less when it veered into supernatural territory, but that's what we expect of King, after all. It was a relatively quick read, with an intriguing story, fleshed out characters, fascinating detail, and breathless suspense.
After that I needed a comfort read, so thanks to Sharon, I looked for Mary Alice Monroe's first in her series, The Beach House, and totally enjoyed it. The beach setting was idyllic, and the details about a main character's work helping loggerhead turtles break out of their eggs and safely find their way to the welcoming ocean were fascinating.
Jane K. Cleland's Antiques to Die For was third in her series (I've read nine) and was just as satisfying (maybe even more so) as the others–their quality never wanes. I've written about Cleland before. If you like traditional mysteries (I can't really bring myself to call these cozies), she is well worth a try. Always a pleasure to read.
Sophia of Silicon Valley was my "find" of the week. Sophia has learned to be loud and frank from her loving but fearsome mother, and her initial goal is to garner a rich husband until she finds out she can handle ever more responsible upper-level jobs (investor relations and more) in Silicon Valley tech companies. One one hand, this is a roman a clef–you'll find a thinly disguised Steve Jobs, Apple (here, Quince), Pixar, Elon Musk, Tesla–but it is really a story of one determined young woman who brushes off health and personal issues to carve out a place for herself in Silicon Valley. Author and insider Anna Wen has been there, and she makes it all seem authentic. As a longtime Silicon Valley resident and employee of high-tech companies, I loved every minute of this fast, insanely entertaining read.
In Nancy Thayer's Nantucket Wedding, 55-year-old Alison is marrying David at his beautiful home on Nantucket. In the summer leading up to the wedding, family members–including Alison's two married daughters with husband issues and David's playboy son and married daughter who is in line to take over his business, along with assorted children–visit them frequently and deal with their personal issues. A gorgeous setting and interesting characters and situations make this latest installment from Thayer an enjoyable, satisfying story.
Margie, It sounds as if you had a satisfying book week, despite the supernatural elements in Stephen King's book. I totally agree with you about Jane K. Cleland. I've read all 9 books, and she just continues to get better.
I'm reading With a Little Bit of Blood, the newest Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins mystery by D. E. Ireland. I don't think I will finish it today, but I plan to come close.
I will also be starting the audio version of "K" is for Killer today. Probably finish it this weekend with all the driving I will be done.
I'm actually kind of between books right now. I have started listening to Maureen Johnson's YA trilogy – the Shades of London. I like the way she tells a story and it's good on audio. I'm thinking about starting the new Stephen King book. Had my mystery book group meeting last night and it was our 'Award' month – everyone reads books from mystery award nominated or winning lists for 2017-18. Anyway, one of the members was reading the King book and liking it. It's been a while since I've read a book by Mr. King, but he and I have had a nice 'relationship' since my college days. LOL
I read In Her Bones by Kate Moretti; where a woman stalks the relatives of her serial killer mother's victims.
Death of a Bachelorette by Laura Levine; a Christie-esque mystery set on an island, only with a reality show as a backdrop.
Aikido Carumba by Daniel Linden; Some actual Aikido in this one!
Cold in the Grave by Stephen Mertz; Thrilling throwback PI novel set ini 1975 Denver.
Deadly Flare Up by LR (Linda) Pendleton; I hoped for a sort of undiscovered classic from the wife of Don Pendleton and friend of Richard Prather. I got an average PI novel.
The Lies of Spies by Tim Tigner, The US president, and Russian dictator try to assassinate one another. Kyle Achilles is one of the pawns.
A Thick Crimson Line by Simon Gervais; Fourth book in the Mike Walton series. Starts with the assassination of the Canadian PM by his own bodyguard, and keeps accelerating.
I'm behind with the Eliza Doolittle series, Mark. Are you still happy with it?
Kay, Margie's review above may encourage you to read it as well.
Glen, It sounds as if you had a little better luck with this week's books!
I am currently reading several. At work, I am reading "Shelter in Place" by Nora Roberts. At home it is "The Summer I Met Jack" by Michelle Gable and "Let Me Lie" by Claire Mackintosh. In the car, I am listening to "The Death of Mrs Westaway" by Ruth Ware. Hope you enjoy By Invitation Only. I really liked it.
I think I'll enjoy By Invitation Only. And, Shelter in Place is on one of my piles. I hope to get to that one.
I just started Meg Macy's Bearly Departed and love it so far. Also Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett, The One Man by Andrew Gross and If Looks Could Kill by Heather Graham.
Lesa, I meant to mention this yesterday. Since the Holding book interested you, I'm sure another of his will do so as well. One of his series characters was Hal Johnson, called The Library Fuzz, who spent his time hunting down overdue and stolen library books. They are light but very entertaining stories, first published in EQMM and ALfred Hitchcock MM between 1972 and 1984. There is a complete collection available for only 55 cents on Kindle, THE LIBRARY FUZZ MEGAPACK. There is a paperback edition for $11.99.
I look forward to this post every week. I have one of Stephen King's books sitting on my TBR shelf. I finished the Confusion is Nothing Book, reading the Murder that Never Was by Andrea Kane and will be starting From You To Me by K. A. Holt. Hoping to get some time this weekend to dig into the murder mystery.
Got behind this due to so many medical tests. Next week, go back to the doctors for discussion of the results. Even though I am retired, it is hard to carve out time for reading. After the murder mystery, I have a book to read and review requested by the author. I am hoping that we get to go on a road trip to Tucson, AZ. Looking forward to reading on the way!
I liked Bearly Departed, too, Gram. I need to find time for Kellye Garrett's book.
Jeff! Thank you! I have to go look for The Library Fuzz Megapack. Sounds fun!
Sorry about all the medical tests and lack of reading time, Carol. Road trip to Tucson! It sounds wonderful to me – both for reading time and Tucson itself.
Jeff! You didn't tell me Holding wrote the Ellery Queen Jr. mysteries. I read those as a kid.