Not an exciting week here. I hope all of you in California are safe from the tsunami. Check in if you get a chance!
I really want to thank Lynn for her suggestion of Tim Sullivan’s DS Cross series. I loved the first one, The Dentist, and we all talked about it yesterday here on the blog. Police procedurals have become my favorite mysteries, and George Cross caught my attention immediately in that book. That led me to pick up the book I’m currently reading.
I was still in Arizona when I fell in love with Kate Ellis’ Wesley Peterson mysteries, so I’ve been reading them for over fifteen years. But, after I read the first ten or so, it wasn’t as easy to find them in the U.S. I started to buy them in paperback as I saw them come out, and I have quite a collection that I haven’t yet read. And, there are currently twenty-nine in the series, so I can certainly pick one up when I want to go back. These are police procedurals with a parallel track of history and archaeology. However, the books also mix in the personal lives of Wesley, his wife, his college friend, Neil, and, occasionally, others on the police force
Wesley Peterson is a police Detective Inspector in Devon, England. He studied archaeology in college, where he met Neil Watson, who is now an archaeologist, and Wesley’s wife, Pam, a teacher. Neil’s digs often run parallel to Peterson’s cases, and the history behind those digs lead to the solution of a current crime.
Marcus Fallbrook was kidnapped in 1976. Now, thirty years later, he’s back, with little memory of his kidnappers. However, the kidnapping of a teen singing sensation leads Wesley to suspect the same kidnapper has returned. At the same time, Neil is supervising the removal of the dead at a churchyard when one coffin is found to contain a second corpse. Letters from 1815 may lead to answers and stories behind a cult.
I like the combination of history and police procedural in the Wesley Peterson mysteries. Ellis has also written five books in the DI Joe Plantagenet series, three books featuring DI Albert Lincoln, and a standalone. As I said, fifteen years ago these were not easy to come by, but now in the days of Kindle and other devices, along with Hoopla and Libby, it might be easier to find the books. But, I’d recommend you read them in order, starting with The Merchant’s House.
What about you? What have you been doing this week? What are you reading?
And, don’t forget to stop by tomorrow for September Treasures in My Closet.
We’ve had several downpours this week which is quite unusual for July. But being the desert, totalling less than an inch.
One of my current reading pleasures is listening to Dermot Crowley narrate a Niall Williams book. THIS IS HAPPINESS is my second in the Faja, Ireland series with the coming of E-lec-tric-ity.
“Nobody in Faha could remember when it started. Rain there on the western seaboard was a condition of living… dressed as drizzle, as mizzle, as mist, as showers frequent and widespread, as a wet fog, a damp day, a drop, or an out & out downpour”
THE FIREGROUND, a novella by Irish/Australian writer Dervla McTiernan, started life as an exclusive Amazon Audible. Now it’s out of Amazon jail, so the author is giving it away to her newsletter readers.
It’s different from other mysteries by the way much of the novella is devoted to setting up the characters, only coming to the crime in the final third. But a short read, so well worth the adventure.
THE RETIREMENT PLAN by Sue Hincenbergs
Entertaining, but with eight main characters, it was confusing to keep track of who was who. Four couple, less one down via an accident. The three remaining wives plot to kill their uncaring husbands for the insurance money. Aiming for the screwball comedy genre with all the signs of “buy the movie rights.”
And just finished THE WOMAN ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS an older book by Lindsay Jayne Ashford. Historical fiction that intertwove actual events from Agatha Christie’s life into an entertaining read.
Since it’s the desert, you probably could use the rain, MM. When I was in Arizona, though, this often led to flash floods. Stay safe.
I should really try Niall Williams. I wonder, though, if it’s more fun to listen than to read. And, I’m not good at listening to books.
I think Niall Williams is great either way, Lesa. I read This is Happiness and loved it, and now I am listening to Time of the Child because I had a long drive. Thanks, MM, for suggesting the audio a couple of weeks back! The hardest part is not listening all day, which would be a little distracting for everyone around me.
Thank you, Trisha!
I just started The Time of the Child, too. Will report in when I’m done.
I used to think the same about listening to books, typically my attention would wander. But with digital I can adjust to exactly the best listening speed. And I typically listen when I’m walking or working in the yard.
They do worry about flash flooding in the burned areas. But it was actually one of the casinos in Reno that flooded Sunday. Some malfuntion on the roof brought the rain pouring onto the main floor.
I’m just not doing anything for a long enough period of time, MM. I do spend a lot of time on the couch, but I’d probably fall asleep!
A busy week for us. Granddaughter’s birthday and also David’s birthday. We had a family lunch gathering at our house on the weekend for the two occasions, with twelve of us gathered. It was a bit chaotic but it’s always fun when everyone can be there – lots of laughter and it all felt like one big warm hug. I managed to prepare enough food although I’m certainly not used to cooking for a crowd anymore. The worst part was all the dishes afterwards as we have no dishwasher. And I was lucky with the weather that day! Only 23C (73.5F). So glad it wasn’t the temperature we had today – 33C (91.5F). I don’t think I would have coped well at all.
I only managed to read one book:
TWO PARTS SUGAR, ONE PART MURDER by Valerie Burns
A culinary cozy mystery. First in the Baker Street Mystery series.
We meet Maddy – a ‘spoiled military brat’ and savvy social media influencer- as she’s boarding a plane on her way from Chicago (where she was just jilted at the alter) to New Bison, Michigan, home of her recently deceased great-aunt Octavia. Although Maddy seldom saw her, Octavia left her lakefront home, a successful bakery, and a rather large English Mastiff named Baby to Maddy.
Maddy intends to sell it all but discovers that the will stipulates that she live in the house, and that she run the bakery, and that she look after Baby for one full year before she can sell up. Maddy decides to sick it out and try to make a go of it despite the fact that she can’t cook to save her life, never mind bake anything. And maybe, just maybe, prove to her father that yes, she can stand on her own two feet and doesn’t need to be told what to do all the time.
Things get off to a very rocky start when mere hours after her arrival, the town’s mayor is found dead in the bakery and it’s Maddy’s fingerprints that are on the murder weapon. Not only that, but there are indications that great-aunt Octavia’s death might not have been an accident. Not to mention that something odd is going on in the town and Octavia has left hints about her suspicions for Maddy to find.
Maddy and her new-found friends (also inherited from her great-aunt) work together to find out what’s really going on in town, who murdered the mayor, and how did Octavia die?
I enjoyed this light mystery and I liked that Maddy went from being a pretty inept, somewhat shallow, person to someone who could persevere and give it her all. The author did a good job of making most of the characters seem to be likely suspects, and for a cozy mystery it was surprisingly difficult to trust any of them. When I feel like reading another light mystery sometime, I’ll be happy to try the next one in the series.
WHERE THE RIVERS MERGE by Mary Alice Monroe
I was going to read this book. I’d been looking forward to it, and I know that Kaye (I think it was Kaye) who said she liked it. But it wasn’t till I read the inside cover blurb that I discovered this was the first of two books. The second book (not out yet) is not going to be a sequel, but rather a straight continuation of the first book. That just annoyed me. I don’t want to have to buy another book just to be able to finish the story. Write the whole story and I’ll buy the book, but don’t make me buy two books to read one story. It might just be me, but it feels like a money grab and I’m much less inclined to want to read either of the books now.
Lindy, I’m glad you were able to get together with family and celebrate. We switched to paper and plastic for large family parties years ago. I know it’s not environmentally friendly but by the end of the day it was easier on me.
Oh, my gosh, Lindy. Dishes for twelve! I hate doing dishes. It’s one of those chores that I just don’t like. I’m glad, though, that your family was able to get together. I love your description saying it felt like a warm hug.
I’ve read some of Valerie Burns’ books in other series, and I really like her characters and writing.
It’s funny, Lesa, but I’ve always done the dishes, much as my father used to. We don’t have a dishwasher either, and it doesn’t bother me at all.
It’s just one of those tasks that I hate, Jeff.
You and Jackie both.
It was me, yes, who recommended the Mary Alice Monroe book which is a beautiful celebration of the coastal south, and a warning about how it’s disappearing. I’m sorry, Lindy, you feel somewhat cheated by it. i should have said that it was the first of two. I did not feel as though it ended as a cliff hanger, but rather a point that makes sense, and at which some books would come to a natural end without question. The second book, for me, will simply be a lovel bonus.
For others who might be interested, here’s the description of Where the Rivers Merge.
“From New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe, comes her highly anticipated epic and triumphant new novel—a celebration of the land and spirit of the early twentieth-century Lowcountry.
1908: The Lowcountry of South Carolina is at the cusp of change. Mayfield, the grand estate held for generations by the Rivers family, is the treasured home of young Eliza. Free spirited, she refuses to be confined by societal norms. Instead, Eliza revels in exploring the golden fields and sparkling ponds of Mayfield, observing wildlife, and riding horses.
But her halcyon days are cut short by the Great War, coastal storms, and unexpected challenges to Mayfield. As Eliza battles personal pains and the ravages of family turmoil over the years, her love and devotion for the natural world puts her on a collision course with the patriarchal traditions of a bygone era.
1988: At 88, Eliza is the scion of the Rivers/DeLancey family. She’s fought a lifetime to save her beloved Mayfield and is too independent and committed to quietly retire and leave the fate of the estate to her greedy son. She must make decisions that will assure the future of the land and her family—or watch them both be split apart.
Set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century American South, Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.”
I’ve often known, Kaye, that Mary Alice Monroe’s family stories would continue in another book. However, like you, I always felt as if they ended on an appropriate note, not just a cliffhanger.
I’m far enough from the coast that there was no danger for my area of CA.
Last week, I was in Northern CA camping with my family in the redwoods. It was so beautiful! This week, I’m sadly back at work and back in Southern CA.
I just finished THE CARDINAL’S CURSE, the second Turner and Mosley Files book from LynDee Walker and Bruce Robert Coffin. It had some serious pacing issues, but I enjoyed it overall.
Up next for me will be A TRACE OF POISONS, the second Phyllida Bright Mystery from Colleen Cambridge. Phyllida is the fictional housekeeper to Agatha Christie. I enjoyed the first, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for the characters.
Thanks for letting us know, Mark, that your okay. With tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, mudslides, fires, I worry about you people in California.
I’m not sure I’d care for the Phyllida Bright mysteries. I didn’t care for her first American in Paris book, so I’ve never continued reading that series. I know. I’m probably one of the few that didn’t like that book.
We took a quick trip to PA last weekend for lunch and ice cream at Peddler’s Village which is an area of little shops across the border from NJ. I forgot they were doing Christmas in July. They were playing Christmas music and had Santa and his wife wandering around in their summer vacation outfits. On the way home we stopped at an orchard for a basket of peaches. They’re the best ones I’ve had all summer. The rest of the week has been to hot and humid to do much.
This week I read A PLATTERING OF MURDER by J.C. Eaton. A cozy mystery set around a shop that sells charcuterie boards. It’s a good thing the main character has a competent staff because she spends most of the book trying to prove her aunt was framed.
COLD SNAP by Lindy Ryan. A short horror story that made me wonder why they wasted paper publishing it.
An ARC of THE TATTERED COVER by Ellery Adams. The newest book in her Mystic Springs bookstore series brings back Nora and her friends to solve another murder. This one ran out of pages way to quickly.
There’s nothing like good summer fruits and vegetables, is there, Sandy? Peaches and sweet corn and tomatoes. Strawberries if you count them as summer, although they’re usually early June. Mmmmm.
Some of you have such beautiful comments. “This one ran out of pages way too quickly.” I love that.
Sandy, I just got approved for The Tattered Cover by NetGalley, and I’m looking forward to reading it. It’s one of my favorite series.
Good morning Lesa – the Kate Ellis books do sound interesting! Thanks for sharing!
The weekend with the grandkids went well. Oh to have that much energy – they are non-stop. But so fun to see the joy of discovery on their faces as they encounter new things. More company coming this weekend.
I finished two good books this past week. The previously reviewed here “Eddie Winston is Looking for Love” and the second “Miss Austen Investigates”.
The Eddie Winston book was the audio version. Kim Durham should win an award for his representation of Eddie!! His voice reminded me a lot of the Mitford books audio narrator. So comforting and expressive at the same time.
The Fortune Most Fatal (Jane Austen Investigates) book was enjoyable because I love getting to know the Austen family members and their extended family members. In this book, Jane has gone to temporarily live with her brother Neddy and his wife Elisabeth to assist with the children, as Elisabeth is ready to give birth to their next child. Neddy was adopted by the wealthy, childless Knight’s as a young boy and the Austen’s are depending on him to become heir to the Knight’s fortune and sustain them in their dotage. Mr. Knight is recently deceased, and Mrs. Knight has taken in a supposedly shipwrecked Spanish princess whose presence may put Neddy’s fortune in jeopardy. Jane soon gets involved to try to unmask the fraudulent princess and save the family’s fortune. Filled with misunderstandings, romantic interests, multiple personality phenomena, and pirates, there is never a dull moment in this latest installment.
You’re welcome, Mary. As you can tell, I’m hooked on the Kate Ellis books.
I understand being in the awe of the energy of your grandchildren. I think the same thing when I spend any time whatsoever with my sister’s grandchildren. I always enjoy seeing them, and I’m always glad to go home afterwards.
Eddie Winston sounds as if it’s a hit, whether in print or in audio form.
As to Jane Austen Investigates, don’t you love to have a series to enjoy?
Lesa, I want to second everything you said about the Kate Ellis series. I also bought a bunch of the paperbacks in England the last time we were there because they were hard to come by here, and I still have a number of them on the shelf (including this one), yet to be read. The only thing I would add is that I like that, unlike so many of the procedural series one reads, Wesley and his boss like and respect each other and get along well.
Back in a short while.
I’m glad you added that, Jeff. I even thought that as I was reading The Shining Skull. It’s nice to see Wesley and his boss working together.
I’m sorry these are hard to come by in the U.S. I love the combination of history and police procedural. “Talk” later!
I’m back. We had an early breakfast as we’re going out for an early brunch today, so we can get back here before it starts raining at 1:00.
Jackie read the Christine Feehan THUNDER GAME, and is now reading Darynda Jones’s second Charley Davidson book, SECOND GRAVE ON THE LEFT. Charley is a Grim Reaper – the dead come to her and she helps them on their way – and her love interest is…wait for it…the son of Satan. She says that, knowing your taste, she thinks you’d prefer her mystery series about southwestern Sheriff Sunshine Vicram, though both have humor.
I know I talked about Linda Castillo’s Rage last week. All I can say is, Kate Burkholder must be a cat with nine lives, the reckless way she tries to squander them in book after book. Not vicious like the last one, but she annoys me.
After Lesa’s review of the first book in the series last week, I went back and read the fourth book in Msrtin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police series, The Crowded Grave. Bruno is still helping keep his village in southwestern France safe, cooking for his friends, juggling his love life, using his best judgment on who to arrest or otherwise, as well as dealing with a new, young (and foolish) magistrate. This time, as the title indicates, a local dig looking for Neanderthal bones finds a skeleton with sneakers and a Swatch watch, so not that old. Also, they have to coordinate with their Spanish counterparts for an upcoming meeting on ministerial level, with the possible threat of Basques terrorists. This all goes down very easily, the descriptions of the food will make you hungry, and I am looking forward to the next in the series. Meanwhile, I discovered there is a collection of Bruno short stories, BRUNO’S CHALLENGE, so picked up a Kindle edition from the library.
Speaking of short stories… author Keith Miles has written contemporary mysteries under his own name, but he’s most well known for the 70+ historical mysteries he has written as by Edward Marston. (He also writes under other names.) Inspector Robert Colebeck is known as The Railway Detective (the title of the first book), in a series se in the 1850s. After reading a friend’s review, I bought the Kindle edition of Inspector Colebeck’s Casebook, a very entertaining series of short stories.
I read several good reviews of a first novel by Chris Chibnall, the creator of BROADCHURCH and writer of several years of DOCTOR WHO, so I got Death At the White Hart and read a quarter of it yesterday. (I like a book with short chapters, just as an aside.) Sgt. Nicola Bridge is back in her native West Dorset after many years working in Liverpool (which she loved), for personal (but not happy) reasons. The conditions are not what she was promised, it will take two more years until the new police station is ready, she is working – basically – with one rookie detective under her, and her marriage is shaky. It’s not where she wanted to be at 38. Now the dead body of the local publican turns up, naked and tied to a chair in the middle of the A35, a stag’s horns tied to his head. Is that a great way to start a book, or what? So far, I’m racing through it quickly. The chapters are told from various points of view, though you always want to get back to Nicola’s POV. Good so far.
Oh, I liked Death at the White Hart, Jeff. I love a good police procedural with an interesting protagonist.
And, I totally agree with you about Kate Burkholder. If I didn’t like the setting and other characters, I might have given up on the series by now.
I’m happy to know that Martin Walker’s series is holding up. I have the second in the series, and I’ll read that after I get through a couple books that are demanding my attention.
Brunch sounds good. I think I better take a break and eat some breakfast myself.
Just finished an ARC of Murder at Somerset House by Andrea Penrose. It is set in Regency London with two main characters Lord Wexford and his wife Charlotte.
They have three orphans they took in to raise. Their charges are Raven, Hawk and Peregrine, I love their names, the couple affectionally call them the Weasels. Raven is constantly saying, “Oiy”
There is a mystery, Wexford’s brother-in-law has been accused of murder and the Lord and Lady set about to solve it. The boys have decided to find an escaped monkey that had been a gift to the King from an Indian sultan.
The mystery is very difficult to follow, the best parts to me are what Lady Charlotte says and does. She is a political satirist who draws cartoons under her deceased first husband’s name, They are extremely popular and it would be a scandal if it got out that a woman was drawong them! And I love the weasels, they are very helpful in pushing the solution of the mystery forward.
Also, months ago, I received another Arc by accident, I was sent Brady v. Belchick, the Dynasty Debate by Gary Myers. I have decided to read even though I am not a football fan!
I read some of the earlier books in that series, Carol, and liked them.
As for the football book, I hope you enjoy it. I’ve read mysteries about hockey and wrestling, with no interest in either one.
i have a Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb addiction and make no apologies. She makes life better.
The second book I mention here is a book that was a happy surprise with two strong characters that will stay with me for a long time. Finn is a young autistic who is not to be underestimated. i fell head over heels in love with Finn, and this book.
The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts –
Description from NetGalley
“Long ago, Arthur Poole built a grand house overlooking the turbulent ocean, in a Maine village that bore his name. Today, Sonya MacTavish lives in that house—a manor that has been cursed for generations. Within its walls, she has witnessed the deaths of seven brides and the thefts of seven wedding rings. And now, to break the curse and banish a malevolent spirit once and for all, a difficult task must be completed.
After Sonya, her boyfriend, Trey, and their friends are forced to hear, see—and feel—the suffering of the house’s many ghosts as their torment is reenacted by the evil presence, their bond only strengthens and their anger is renewed. Refusing to let her spirit be broken, Sonya searches each room for clues to her ancestors’ hidden story, putting the picture together, unearthing small treasures, and uncovering the moments of joy that existed among the sorrows. She’s determined to bring light to this haunted place—to fill it with people, with life and hope, once again.
But the enemy in the black dress continues to hover, to come at her in frightening forms. They may be illusions—but illusions can be powerful enough to wound and kill. She feeds on fear, and lies are her weapon. This dark-hearted witch wants to be mistress of Poole Manor, at any cost. And Sonya will need to fight a battle across two realms to finally take possession of the house on the clifftop—and of her own future…”
The Dark of the Moon by Fiona Valpy –
Description from NetGalley
” Philly Delaney risked everything during the war. From flying planes for the Air Transport Auxiliary corps, aka the ‘Attagirls’, to working with the Bletchley Park codebreakers, and life-or-death missions as an SOE agent in France, she and her colleagues pushed their courage—and their luck—to the limits.
Joining biographer Kendra and her family on the stunning, sun-drenched Île de Ré, Philly is ready to reveal her extraordinary life story. But she has another reason for being there: she’s never given up searching for her beloved pilot husband, Ben. Shot down during a dangerous mission, this is the only place left where she might discover what happened to him.
Listening to Philly’s war stories, Kendra’s young son Finn decides to use his own unique skills in maths, logic and persistence to track down Ben’s final resting place—and the answers that Philly longs for. Can they solve the decades-long mystery of Ben’s disappearance together? Because sometimes, lost people are still out there, just waiting to be found…”
A wonderfully immersive, atmospheric and moving story of wartime resilience, hope, loss—and the enduring power of love.
Right there with you, Kaye, with the Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb addiction. Have you read Framed in Death yet? I have it, but haven’t read it yet. I also have The Seven Rings. I’m looking forward to the conclusion.
I think it’s wonderful that you fell in love with Finn.
Have you read The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden? It comes out in September. It’s on NetGalley. It has potential to be our type of book.
Berkeley never grants my wishes. 😪
Good morning! Yesterday I finally put the August issue of the quarterly Sisters in Crime NorCal chapter newsletter (26 pages) to bed, and that means I can take the month of August off before starting on the November issue. My goal is to make a comprehensive list of everything I want to accomplish in August, so good luck to me. Today I have two responsibilities at my Toastmasters meeting–Sergeant at Arms, my regular weekly role, where I kick off the meeting and give a mini speech about whatever I want, and Table Topics Master, proposing impromptu questions regarding the theme of the day (today it’s aha moments). Responses are 1-2 minutes long, and we vote on our favorite response. Also, I have a new protege/mentee–a new member to Toastmasters and to our club named Chandu, and we had our first Zoom one-om-one yesterday. I really enjoy mentoring, and I always learn things from my mentee.
As for the books I finished:
I’ve been following Clare Mackintosh’s DC Morgan series through the first two books, and now I’ve had the pleasure of devouring the third. The heroes are an offbeat couple who came together in a one-night stand, then found out they would occasionally be working on the same cases. DC Fionn Morgan operates in Wales, while DS Leo Brady works just over the border in England. Both are divorced, and both are relentless in pursuing suspects in their own way. Leo is investigating a spate of burglaries in the tony development called The Hill. It appears the burglar is looking for something specific and not finding it, until one of the break-ins results in violence. On the Welsh side, a real estate agent is found dead in a kayak during a recreational trip with her boss and two male team members. And everyone in the UK seems obsessed with a true crime podcast featuring a murderous cold case. It is ingenious how, step by step, the author reveals how all three seemingly disparate cases overlap, ramping up the suspense as things progress. I loved the way that, toward the end of the book, the action reverts to the time just before the book starts, showing (rather than telling) how things really happened. I also enjoyed the characters of quirky Feonn and more traditional Leo in their advancing romantic relationship. And another character is a standout–Allie, Leo’s ex-wife, who wants desperately to be accepted and embraced by the women of The Hill, although she doesn’t exactly live there herself. As a side note, there is a Welsh language glossary at the beginning of the book, but honestly I didn’t take the time (or feel the need) to consult it as I was reading. This is an excellent series, with an intricate plot, loads of well-described suspects, accessible writing style, and protagonists to root for. (September)
In book #4 of Ellen Byron’s lively Vintage Cookbook Mystery series, CRESCENT CITY CHRISTMAS CHAOS (how’s that for an alliterative title?), the holidays are looming and 28-year-old Miracle (“Ricki”) James-Diaz is looking forward to a visit to New Orleans from her adoptive parents. But soon after their arrival, a much-disliked woman who knew Ricki’s mother, Josepha, back in the day, is found dead, and Josepha becomes a suspect because of an irregularity with Ricki’s adoption. The suspicion that surrounds the family may also negatively affect Ricki’s boyfriend, chef Virgil, who is hoping for great reviews for his debut TV special, for which Ricki’s father has been enlisted as the show’s camera operator. Ricki, who manages Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware for the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, corrals her staff and friends to investigate, and the local police detectives reluctantly accept their assistance. Subplots involve questionable skin care products at Crescent City Concierge Care, where ex-nurse Josepha is filling in part-time, and someone masquerading as a beloved holiday snowman character and taking an advantage of the opportunity to steal a few things. In addition, locals are submitting recipes for an upcoming cookbook, and Ricki’s young cousin has been chosen a krewe queen for the next Mardi Gras celebrations. New Orleans at Christmas time is beautifully portrayed by the author, and the characters–both those with which readers of the series are familiar and new supporting characters–are interesting and diverse. My favorites are a group of Christmas carolers hired by the museum who may be more annoying than festive.This is a fun cozy mystery series that makes the most of holidays, delicious-sounding recipes, and local color to charm the reader. (November)
AND TO ALL A GOOD BITE isn’t really a Christmas book, and it really isn’t a dog-centric book, but who can resist the adorable dog-with-ornament on the cover? And, honestly, the latest in the Andy Carpenter Mysteries by David Rosenfelt continues to deliver the highest quality and exactly what I want in a mystery series. Defense attorney Andy Carpenter–self-deprecating, sarcastic, clever, brilliant, and a dedicated family man–remains one of my favorite lawyers to visit with every new book (this is book #32, and I’ve read and enjoyed them all!). The cases Andy (usually reluctantly) takes are always fascinatingly convoluted and peppered with interesting characters, including his usual colleagues and friends, not to mention the new victims, villains, and accused. My favorite scenes are almost always the suspenseful courtroom scenes, where Andy often tries the patience of the judge, and what follows after the verdict. The dogs, of course, are always present-Andy’s three and, in this book, a golden retriever that is rescued at the site of an explosion. And his clients always seem to have the deck stacked against them.WIth Andy’s confrontational methods, he often needs the protection of his bodyguard and investigator, Marcus, who has, over the years, become almost supernaturally powerful, although Andy usually can’t understand if he is grunting or saying something coherent. Rosenfelt has hit upon a formula that consistently works for him, although it doesn’t seem at all formulaic, thanks to the relatable characters and the well-thought-out mysteries. In this book I also learned something , but saying more would be a spoiler. If you haven’t read this series and would enjoy an easy, thought-provoking, compelling read from a master of the genre, I would recommend giving this one a try, and if you like it, lucky you–there are 31 more to enjoy! (October)
Margie, I think I read the first in Clare Mackintosh’s series, and never read the second one. I sometimes forget about the sequel if I read a book when it first appears. Thanks for the reminder!
Enjoy Toastmasters today.
After reading Ellery Adams’ review of BLACK WOODS, BLUE SKY by Eowyn Ivey, I picked it up. Like she said, it was very different, but I really enjoyed it. I was reminded of our three years in living in Fairbanks, Alaska with the description of the midnight sun and terrain. Birdie is young single mother of six-year-old Emaleen and barely keeping it together waiting tables at a rural Alaskan bar. Arthur Nielson is a scarred recluse who comes into town at the change of the seasons. When Emaleen goes missing in the woods, it is Arthur who finds her and brings her back. That sets the course of action for Birdie to decide Arthur and his subsistence lifestyle in the mountains is the happily ever after she craves. Despite the warnings from the town, she and Emaleen follow Arthur to his cabin where Arthur’s secret becomes apparent. This isn’t for everyone, but I loved it.
My second book was a nonfiction book about Maurice and Maralyn Bailey. A MARRIAGE AT SEA: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck Sophie Elmhirst was a page turner that I inhaled in little over a day. In 1972, Maurice and Maralyn decide to run away from it all to set sail from England to New Zealand but do not bring any communication devices. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean their boat is hit by a whale and sinks. They spend the next 118 days at sea on their raft until rescued by a South Korean fishing boat. I totally lost myself in this story of survival and then went down the rabbit of hole of Arthur’s diaries and interviews afterwards. I thought it was terrific.
Finally, a cold front passing through for a respite from the extreme heat! We got some rain this morning, but weather forecasters say by next week it will be hot again. I will take the cooler weather while we have it.
Happy Reading!
Have you read Eowyn Ivey’s The Snow Child? I’ve heard great reviews on that book also.
No I haven’t. I will check it out. Thank you!
So, this week was about people trying to escape from civilization, Sharon? I found it interesting that you read these back-to-back.
Enjoy the short break in the weather!
I love it that you end your posts with “Happy Reading!”
Not much is going on here either. It has been too sunny and when it is sunny we still have low temperatures but the “feels like” temperature can be 10-15 degrees higher. I start losing sun in the back patio area in August due to the orientation of our two story condo. Usually that makes me sad but this year it will be good to have shade to do weeding and yard cleanup in.
Glen is reading two books now. He finished reading PACKING FOR MARS: THE CURIOUS SCIENCE OF LIFE IN THE VOID by Mary Roach, about space travel. He liked it very much and encouraged me to read it too. He is also liking THE ROOM OPPOSITE: AND OTHER TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION by F.M. Mayor. He has enjoyed most of the stories. Most of the stories are strange stories, but not all. He is still reading BORN TO BE POSTHUMOUS, a biography of Edward Gorey, by Mark Dery. He is not liking that book so much; he is hoping to like some of the later chapters. He always finishes a book, no matter how long.
The only book I read this week was NINEFOX GAMBIT by Yoon Ha Lee. It is military science fiction; the writing was very dense and for at least the first third of the book I did not know what was going on and did not get invested in any of the characters. But I saw a review that said the novel was “brain-breaking” but worth it, so I persevered. In its favor, the book is only 315 pages long. I liked the ending, so I will get the second book in the trilogy. I think I will be choosing a nonfiction book to read next.
I think I mentioned it last week, but you and Glen read such dense books, Tracy. I’m always interested in what the two of you are reading.
At least the weather provides reading time!
Lesa, police procedurals are my favorites, too, which is why I write them! I haven’t read one recently, but lots of good tips here. I read a book you recommended recently, Lesa, called Throwing Shade (about a woman who re-discovers her magic powers after having suppressed them, and it was both fast-paced and funny. Now I’m listening to a book I’ve had on my list for a long time, THE CONVENANT OF WATER (2023), by Indian writer (and physician) Abraham Verghese. I’m less than a fourth into the book, and I’m enjoying it immensely. It takes place in different parts of India between 1900 and 1977, with Indian and European characters at its center. Beautiful descriptions, interesting people, fascinating information about India (and Indian medicine in the early 1900s), and lots going on. Hope I’m done by next Thursday, but you may have to wait a while for my final verdict–it has 736 pages!
Kim, I probably would give up before even starting a book with over 700 pages. I long for the days when a mystery was 192-195 pages. Just the right length to read in one sitting. And, they always seemed wrapped up as well. Good luck with your book. I enjoy reading about unfamiliar settings, but I’ll admit I’m most comfortable with a British police procedural. I’ve never been to England, but it feels comfortable when I read books set there.
The weather here is pretty nice. Luckily, there’s a whole mountain range between me and the ocean, so no Tsunami for me.
I read a bunch of kids books for the book club.
American Tall Tales by Adrien Stoutenberg is an okay collection, but leaves out Febold Feboldsen.
The only adult book I managed to read was Jungle Justice, from the Mack Bolan series. This book doesn’t actually feature Mack Bolan, and seems like it was a book written in the 1960’s and slightly updated. It’s about a jungle bandit in India with a sideline of poaching tigers.
Glen, I’m happy to hear no tsunami for you!
I’m just as happy, though, to know the kids’ book club is still going strong.
It has been a week so not a lot of reading. Won’t bore everyone with all of it, but I spent three hours plus yesterday morning at a local place having a tire dealt with as I could see something metal embedded into it. I was sure it was a bolt. It was. Damn thing was six inches long. Getting it out was one problem and then the glue they use to seal the hole was hard so they had to order replacement glue. Took multiple tries and a lot of waiting to finally get the right stuff.
While I was there I got an alert that my NetGalley request I had made Wednesday for THE DENTIST was approved. Still waiting for approval on FRAMED TO DEATH. St. Martin’s Press tends to just ignore my requests, so I probably will have to wait months via the library.
So, HOOPLA has turned into a cyber mess. I was trying to read SPLINTERED JUSTICE by Kim Hays. I’d get a couple of chapters in, come back to it the next day, and the book was not there, reset to the beginning, jumbled text, all sorts of weird crap. Scott went and deleted the app a couple of times and then reinstalled it. That would work for awhile and then stop again. Then Dallas Library shutdown everything to do a software upgrade.
They actually are forcing everyone to start using a totally new library site that is tacky as hell and full of pop up and slide show crap. Libby and Hoopla still are not working right, they admit, and it make take another week to get that up and running. I found this out yesterday when I stopped by on the way home from the tire fiasco.
So, I am saying to one of the librarians who knows me for years now, after she shows me on their screen how the new system works, that somebody went flashy and should have just left it alone. This new young thing on staff drifts over and in a very perky voice goes on about how some of the older patrons have expressed concerns, but they are there to help teach you how to use it and old dogs can learn new tricks. I’m masked, as always, so all she can see is my eyes as I stare at her. After a few seconds, Miss Young Thing backs up and walks off.
She goes far away and the librarian I was talking to starts laughing about how she just saw my Dad face when kids act up. She suggests that we delete the apps and reinstall and then says it might be best to wait till the weekend as they think things should be normal by tomorrow. Of course, they had said they would have it all working by Monday at 5 and that so did not happen.
I reached out to Kim Hay’s most excellent publicist last night and asked if I could go ahead and take him up on his recent offer to send me Splintered Justice. I explained some of what had been going on. He very quickly agreed.
The tech stuff is great–when it works.
So, in the meantime, in print the current read is AT WHAT COST by James L’etoile. This is a police procedural series set in Sacramento. This is book one that came out around a decade ago and they are chasing what appears to be a serial killer.
Via NetGalley, I am working on the BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY AND SUSPENCE 2025 deal that comes out this fall. I am 5 reads into the book where they reprint stories from a variety of places. I have liked ONE so far. Does not bode well.
I have not read much of either one as I spent part pf last weekend and Monday and Tuesday working on revising and submitting to a crime story market that opened briefly to submissions. I got that out late Tuesday and am awaiting judgement. By sometime yesterday afternoon they announce they already had 54 stories and were closing early at 5. Three slots are available so my odds are not good. But, at least I got something in and took a shot.
So, right now, I have three stories out awaiting judgment for three different anthologies. A fourth story, has pretty much been accepted, for a project that was supposed to be out already. There have been problems so everything has been delayed. The publisher has it, and is reviewing things, and the theory of that in the next week we will have contracts to sign. Fall release.
And that is more than enough of my babble….
You never babble Kevin. And although I sympathize greatly with all the tech issues going on in your life, I did thoroughly enjoy your Miss Young Thing anecdote. Thank you for making me laugh today.
Good luck with the three story submissions and congratulations on the one that’s been accepted!
Not babble at all, Kevin. I’m sorry about the tire. A six-inch bolt! Geez.
I think you’ll enjoy The Dentist. I’m glad you got it.
I don’t know how you and Berkley get along. Kaye and Margie both said Berkley turns them down. But, there’s a galley there that you might be interested in reading. Innocence Road by Laura Griffin is set in Texas. “Detective Leanne Everhart swore she’d never go back to her hometown near Marfa, Texas—but she returns when her brother needs her, only to find a town in need too, still torn apart by a decades-old crime.:
It’s due out in November. Maybe the library will get it, and, maybe there tech will be working by then. Miss Young thing. Made me laugh.