It’s been a busy week. I drove back on Sunday. I had a dentist appointment Monday. This morning is my annual eye exam. I went to lunch with Linda yesterday, and we caught up after a couple weeks. I don’t have anything on the agenda for next week. Yay! Reading time! I did stay up way too late Tuesday night. Duke kicked off their basketball season. I’ve been a Duke fan for twenty-five years although I never went there. I respected Coach K, and now Jon Scheyer. Of course, I’m an Ohio State football fan, although I never went there either. Mom and I counted, though, and seventeen members of our family went there, beginning with my grandfather.
I have had some reading time this week.
I’m about halfway through Charles Todd’s A Christmas Witness. It’s the first Inspector Ian Rutledge story he’s written since his mother, Caroline, died. Because he’s unmarried with no children, Rutledge is assigned a case during the Christmas holidays in 1921. Colonel Braxton was struck in the head by a horse’s hoof, and he’s convinced someone will kill him by Christmas. Because of his connections, Scotland Yard gives the case to a Chief Inspector.
I do have one quibble, though, and this is just me. The book is 212 pages, and is called a novella. I remember in the 1970s when a mystery novel topped out at 192 pages. Granted, this only has one plotline, which is a definition of a novella, but, personally, I tend to think of it as a shorter length. Just me, I know.
What about you? What are you doing this week? What are you reading?
That was a busy week Lesa; those appointments didn’t help. The rest sounds like fun though!
Yesterday David and I went to Victoria for the day. Up at 4:00 a.m., then an hour’s drive to the ferry terminal, then an hour and a half ferry ride. Then a delicious breakfast at the Five and Dime diner (classic benny, terrific shredded potatoes, and a milkshake to go). Next up, Ivy’s Books, a favourite small store with a carefully curated selection of books with something for everyone. I can spend a long time in a bookstore but David was there longer than I was – talking with another customer about the state of politics in Canada; the two of them were happy as clams for well over an hour. This was followed by a trip to The Papery on the hunt for advent calendars; just the paper kind with pictures behind each door. They get harder to find every year, and I need four every year (our three kids and their families, and ourselves). Then a yummy lunch at the Dutch Bakery and Cafe (two croquettes – veal filling in a crumb coating perfectly fried, and meatball/noodle/vegetable soup). I did manage to knock over my cup of tea though. Tea everywhere; shirt, pants, table, floor, seat. Sigh. Clearly I needed to recover from the trauma so of course went to another bookstore, after which I felt much better. A busy, but wonderful day.
Books read this week:
AND THEN THERE WAS THE ONE by Martha Waters
Was this a mystery with a healthy dose of romance, or was it a romance with a healthy dose of mystery? It doesn’t matter because this entertaining book does both of them convincingly well.
Set in 1930 in the village of Buncombe-upon-Woolly, where 25-year-old Georgie Radcliffe resides in Radcliffe Hall with her father, younger sister Abigail, cook/housekeeper Mrs. Fawcett, and her much adored beagle, Egg.
There’s been a spate of murders in the village recently – four in the past year, all of which Georgie has been instrumental in solving; not that the local police are acknowledging her contributions. But now there’s a fifth murder, of the village chairman no less. Georgie finds it highly suspicious and writes to a famous London detective asking for his assistance. He turns out to be too busy with other cases, so sends his secretary instead; a certain Sebastian Fletcher-Ford.
Practical, level-headed Georgie and the flirty, nattily dressed Sebastian are polar opposites and clash from the get-go, but they make an honest attempt to work together to solve this mystery. But ‘investigating crimes in small villages was not for the faint-hearted – there was a lot of tea to drink, and scones to consume, and sheep to visit’. They are helped by a local reporter, and by a policeman who shouldn’t really be helping them, and even by some ‘murder tourists’ the village has attracted.
I loved this light, funny, entertaining tale.
A KILLING AT COTTON HILL by Terry Shames
So many of you have talked about this series of books set in Jarrett Creek, Texas featuring former police chief Samuel Craddock that I knew I needed to give it a try. I finally managed to locate a copy of the book, the first in the series.
I liked it! Samuel Craddock is just the man you’d want on your side, whether there was a mystery to solve, or not. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, he’s smart, and he’s kind to others in a variety of ways both large and small – and he’s just naturally kind because it doesn’t take much to make things easier or better for people, but he doesn’t do it in a prideful way; just quietly sets about to make things better in his small corner of the world.
Getting to the who and why of the killing of his friend Dora Lee made for a good story. There were a lot of characters and complicated goings-on, including the problem of the current police chief being a drunkard and not in any way competent or even interested in solving Dora Lee’s murder. He’s very quick to pin the blame on the first person who ‘looks good for it’, just so he can close the case. But Samuel quietly and doggedly works his way through, trying to get justice for Dora Lee. There were no flowery descriptions of people or places, but the excellent writing made me picture all of them so vividly I felt I was right there.
Now to seek out Book 2 in the series!
Lindy, lunch out and two bookstores is my kind of day.
Lindy, Your day in Victoria sounds wonderful. I’d go for every bit of it, except spilling the tea. It seems to have been a delightful, relaxing day. And, two bookstores!
I put a hold on And Then There Was One. There are eleven people ahead of me on the list at the library. It will probably come in when I’m back at Mom’s for Christmas. I’m looking forward to reading it, though.
It sounds like you had a wonderful day out with David – bliss! And Then There Was One sounds great too. I wanted to tell you about the Jacquie Lawson digital advent calendar. I made the switch about five years ago and it is so much fun! You can gift it to others via email (the cost comes down the more that you buy). It has fun games to play each day, as well as the fun of looking for the daily hidden elf. It’s a beginning of the holiday gift that my nieces look forward to and we typically text daily as to who found the elf first! Here’s the link: https://www.jacquielawson.com/advent/christmas-village
Mary! Thank you for the idea of this digital advent calendar. It looks so interesting! I think I’ll try one for ourselves this year and see what I think. I had no idea such a thing existed.
Lesa, calling books over 200 pages a novella is one of my pet peeves. I think of a novella as being somewhere between 80 pages and 150 pages at the most. But nowadays, so many books run so much longer. A lot of the Rex Stout novels are under 200 pages but often they also have only one plotline.
We are going out to get flu shots and other errands Thursday morning so I will put this up early.
Glen is continuing to read the short stories in A SUNNY PLACE FOR SHADY PEOPLE by Marian Enriquez but he has started a new nonfiction book: THE DEAD BEAT: LOST SOULS, LUCKY STIFFS, AND THE PERVERSE PLEASURES OF OBITUARIES by Marilyn Johnson. He is very definitely enjoying reading that one.
I finished a nonfiction book last night: EIGHT DAYS IN MAY: THE FINAL COLLAPSE OF THE THIRD REICH. It covers the events that took place in Germany in the eight days following Hitler’s death by suicide on April 30, 1945. May 8th 1945 was the day when Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces. It was a very interesting book though not a fun read at all.
Thank you, Tracy! I agree with you about the length of novellas.
I put a hold on The Dead Beat. I may have read it when it first came out, but I’ll check. It sounds familiar. I love books about obituaries.
I agree with both of you about novella length. I’d put the upper limit at about 120 pages.
I agree, Jeff. 125 tops.
I think I’m seeing a light at the end of the latest tunnel at work. Hopefully, everything will be resolved by tomorrow afternoon.
I went paddle boarding for the first time in months on Saturday. Weather was perfect for it.
I’ve started my Christmas decorating. I know, it’s early November (and I still have my Halloween decorations up, too. I need to take them down at some point). But I’m out of town for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the time in between is just too short if I wait to decorate until after Thanksgiving. Especially since work in very busy, and I have the rest of Christmas stuff to take care of. Last year was the first year I was completely decorated before Thanksgiving, and it was wonderful. I’m hoping to duplicate that this year. To make up for decorating so early, I don’t undecorate until mid-January at the earliest. 🙂
On the reading front, I’m currently working on Catering to the Dead, the newest Cupcake Caterer Mystery from Kim Davis. It’s got a Day of the Dead theme, and so far, I’m enjoying it.
I get the decorating, Mark. I love Christmas decorations, but, like you, I’m out of town for Christmas, so I never know exactly what to do. I have a few that I put up early, and leave up so I can enjoy them when I get home.
Good luck with work!
I wrote a post last Thursday that I lost, and I was too angry with myself to rewrite it, so I have two weeks of books to cover today. Since there aren’t many mysteries, I’ll describe those first. One is Louise Penny’s THE BLACK WOLF, which I’m almost finished listening to. Sadly, it has disappointed me. I’ll come back to it again once I’m finished, but I can say now without spoilers that I miss the older books, in which Gamache and his crew solved a murder or two, instead of trying to prevent the destruction of Québec, Canada, or the world! However, if you’re looking for a thriller with a puzzling, complex plot and little emphasis on getting to know the characters better, this is for you.
I thought I’d be long finished with Connelly’s THE LINCOLN LAWYER, but I’m barely into it. This is because I’m distracted by a busy week, not because of the book, but I’ll let you know.
Thanks to your recommendation, Lesa, I read Carley Fortune’s ONE GOLDEN SUMMER; it was a lot of fun! In addition, after you praised a Jan Karon Mitford novel, I found the first in the series, AT HOME IN MITFORD, and started to read it in bed at night. What a perfect book to fall asleep to, full of happy events, kind people, and descriptions of natural beauty.
I also read two fantasies, although one, Christopher Moore’s SHAKESPEARE FOR SQUIRRELS, should be called a comedy, even though it’s full of fairies. That’s because it’s a silly parody of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, full of Shakespearean-sounding language (a lot of it obscene), puns, and chaos (although all is resolved in the end). If you like Pocket, Moore’s Fool, whom he has used in two previous parodies of Shakespeare plays (King Lear in FOOL and The Merchant of Venice in THE SERPENT OF VENICE), you’ll enjoy this.
A writer I love and have followed for years, Lois McMaster Bujold, is the author of the other fantasy I read, which is called TESTIMONY OF MUTE THINGS. It is the 15th book in a series of adventures featuring a young man named Penric, who is possessed (in a non-destructive way) by a demon with a female personality, because it had previously inhabited the bodies of many women before entering Penric’s body. While this sounds ludicrous, you accept the premise once you read the first book. As a result, the short novels (I won’t say novellas!) aren’t comedies. Instead, while they have serious plots with an underlying examination of what it’s like for a (heterosexual) man to have to share his body with many different female personalities! Odd, but fun.
Kim, I haven’t started Louise Penny’s book, although I should. The Grey Wolf wasn’t my favorite. Like you, I prefer the smaller world of Three Pines rather than a thriller about the destruction of the world. That’s why I’ve hesitated to enter that book. We’ll see.
Thank you for taking time to write this week’s post. I’m glad you’re enjoying Jan Karon’s Mitford series. It’s just as you described it. And, One Golden Summer was just fun, wasn’t it?
Kim, thank you for your comments about The Black Wolf. I did not enjoy the previous book, THe Gray Wolf and promised myself I would stop reading this previously-wonderful series, buat i was starting to waver. I’ll definitely pass on this one.
We went to an apple festival last Saturday. We got there about a half hour before it started so we could find a place to park. Once all of the buses showed up it got too crowded for us so we drove to a nearby town for lunch and a used bookstore that I like.
This week I read an ARC of TREASURES IN TIME by Susan Reiss. A dual timeline mystery featuring a revolutionary war era ghost. I’ve enjoyed this series but this one wasn’t ready for reviewers. There were way too many plot issues. It became more of a beta read. Hopefully she’ll fix them before it releases.
A BODY AT THE FARMHOUSE by P.F. Ford. Set in Wales, the police are called out when a local woman appears to have committed suicide on her wedding day.
A small town cozy, CHAPTER AND CHURNED by ACF Bookens. A body turns up in the freezer of the newly opened ice cream parlor.
Sandy, I agree with you about the crowds. My sister hates crowds, and there are a few festivals she won’t return to because of the crowed conditions. Funny, one of the festivals is enormous, but they handle people beautifully, and you don’t notice it there. Some of the smaller festivals are too packed together for us.
That series by PF Ford sounds interesting Sandy. I’ll have to try and find the first one.
Athena! I accidentally deleted a long post before posting it. I hate when that happens.
Anyway, we’re in Nee Orleans, have been since Saturday for our belated 55th Anniversary celebration, and we’re going home today. So, very little reading time this week. The TSA at JFK was a nightmare, to the extent I was afraid of missing the flight, but otherwise it has been great. The weather was beautiful – sunny and mild, cool mornings and never too hot.
We always stay in Marriotts but the Sheraton on Canal Street (which is now a Marriott), directly across from the big Marriott, was $100 cheaper PRR NIGHT! Jackie thought it was just as nice or better in some ways. Our room on the 47th floor has an amazing view of the Mississippi, and the concierge lounge on 42 is nice.
Let me post this before I screw it up again. I’ll be back.
I hope you’ve had a wonderful anniversary trip, Jeff! Hugs to both you and Jackie. I’ll look forward to your post later today.
Don’t ask me why they changed my expletive to “Athena'”
I thought it was pretty funny, Jeff. Goddess of wisdom works for me!
We got early on Saturday, before noon. giving us most of the day to walk around (and have beignets at Cafe du Monde).
Sunday, our friends in Slidell made a Greek feast for our Anniversary. They picked us up at the hotel at 7 am, and we spent the next 12 hours with them. Very nice.
We walked the French Quarter and Garden District, rode the streetcars – not only the St. Charles Avenue but the Riverfront and Canal Street ones – and ate at some favorite restaurants (Deanie’s, Mother’s, Port of Call).
It’s been a terrific trip, but Jackie came around to my way of thinking in the end – at this stage of our lives, we probably won’t be doing it again. We’re going to Arizona to visit my sister next month (depending, of course, on the shutdown), but otherwise we’ll stick to Florida in the winter and Connecticut in July. It’s too much these days and we’ve done more than our share of traveling over the years. Jackie has trouble walking long distances.
I’m so glad you and Jackie were able to take such a special trip for your anniversary. I would love to ride the streetcars!
One last hurrah in a favorite city, Jeff. I’m happy you two were able to enjoy so much of it, including favorite restaurants and beignets! And, you did so much traveling. You’re lucky to have those memories.
Happy Thursday – the sun is shining here and the yellow leaves are glowing – magnificent! I’m looking forward to the weekend because I am traveling to be with my family. We will have dinner out and then a local community play that will star my great nephew. Should be fun. Unfortunately, the kitchen project continues to drag on – not a lot of progress with finishing up the cabinetry. I’m hoping that a Christmas miracle will occur and that it will be done by then!
Here’s what I read this week:
The Cyclist by Tim Sullivan. DS Cross is back, this time solving the murder of a cyclist. His assistants from the first book are back as well. The start of the book tended to over explain Cross’s eccentricities, but this settled down toward the end. I enjoyed seeing Cross grow socially based on Ottey’s coaching. I enjoyed this 2nd book in the series.
Murder at Donwell Abbey by Vanessa Kelly the 2nd in the Emma Knightly Investigates series sees Emma and George returning to Donwell Abbey, as her father has announced that he will be marrying Miss Hetty Bates and she will become mistress of their Highbury manor. Emma is thrilled to be back at Donwell, that is until mysterious happenings begin to happen. First one of their maids falls out of window at the end of the betrothal celebration ball that Emma hosts, and then mysterious lights are seen around the perimeter of their estate, typically on nights when George is out and Emma is alone. Are these lights and the maid’s death (which was ruled accidental, but Emma thinks otherwise) somehow related? Obviously Emma must investigate! I liked this 2nd in the series much better than the 1st entry. I am hoping for another in the near future! Thank you @kensingtonbooks for this ARC. (Publication date end of November)
Thanks for mentioning ‘Murder at Donwell Abbey’. I read the first book (Murder in Highbury) and now that I know you liked the second book more, I will definitely read it too.
Enjoy your visit with your family, Mary, and the play starring your great nephew. That’s wonderful!
You’ll be pleased to know there’s not much explanatory background in book 3. I do like these DS Cross books!
Good morning, all! It’s not as hectic a week as last week, so I’m enjoying the calm. Last weekend’s Halloween and grandson’s birthday was a lot of fun, although I had to return his fancy football because it wouldn’t hold the air–it should have been a clue when it came slightly deflated–but Amazon replaced it in two days. Now I’m ordering my granddaughter’s birthday presents–it’s coming up on November 20. I still have my indoor Halloween decorations up, but I’m looking forward to Christmas decorations. This year I ordered a quilted Christmas tree skirt with adorable black cats all over it, and I hope it meets my expectations.
I’ve decided not to push to finish three books each week and pledge to be satisfied if I finish two. I’ll never stop reading, and I have a full shelf (15) at NetGalley and several books from the library, but I am neglecting other things I need or want to do. Let’s see how this works out! Here’s what I finished this week:
Susan Mallery’s standalone OTHERWISE ENGAGED is about two mothers and two adult daughters whose lives unexpectedly become intertwined. Stuntwoman Victoria has been sidelined with an occupational injury, so while she recuperates, she starts questioning whether she wants to find another career. Victoria has a fraught relationship with her elegant, wealthy mother, Ava, who adopted her as a baby but never really clicked with her as a maternal figure. She didn’t know that her mother and father had initially planned to adopt the baby of another pregnant woman, 18-year-old Cindy, or that after months of preparation, Cindy had changed her mind at the last minute. Shannon was Cindy’s baby, and the two have a very close relationship–maybe too close. Shannon’s boyfriend has proposed, and she has accepted, but she finds she is hesitant to share her good news with her mother. Cindy is happily planning her own first wedding, and she keeps dropping hints about a double wedding, which Shannon doesn’t want at all. When both sets of mothers and daughters visit a possible banquet venue for Cindy’s wedding and Victoria’s father’s birthday party, the truth that emerges is difficult for everyone concerned–especially Victoria and Ava. Victoria can see that both Shannon and Cindy share more with Ava than their looks, and she begins to understand why her relationship with Ava has been difficult for so long. None of this is a spoiler–it’s laid out in the book description. But the heart of the book begins with the agonizing journey of both mothers and both daughters as they try to come to terms with their family situations and what they really want their lives to be. I felt the agonizing went on a bit too long and was repetitive, but I did feel their heartbreak deeply as the author described it. And I congratulate the characters for finally being willing to work things out, despite the long-seated roadblocks they had created.
I love a good celebrity memoir, so Marc Shaiman’s NEVER MIND THE HAPPY: SHOWBIZ STORIES FROM A SORE WINNER was firmly in my reading wheelhouse. Shaiman is the musical genius responsible for composing award-winning scores and songs for many notable movies and for co-creating successful Broadway shows, a multitalent who has also arranged and orchestrated musical numbers and accompanied a panoply of famous singers on the piano. From a recent tour of his Some Like It Hot musical to the most touching song in the movie Mary Poppins Returns to the excitement of “Let Me Be Your Star” on the TV show Smash, his music has definitely been part of my life. He has also been a collaborator and friend of many celebrities, with long-term working relationships with Bette Midler, Martin Shore, Billy Crystal, and many more. For his first Broadway show, Hairspray, he takes us through the entire process, step by step, with all of the highs and lows, giving us the behind-the-scenes details we love. And his section on losing many of his friends during the AIDS epidemic is touching and memorable. Sprinkled throughout the book are lyrics that he wrote, co-wrote, or adapted which made him especially proud. It’s a very entertaining read for those who enjoy musical theater and films and want to learn more about them from an insider. Note: There is no Kindle version for this one on NetGalley right now so I had to choose one of their less-than-satisfactory format. (January)
I get it, Margie. That’s why I quit reviewing for Library Journal. I was pushing myself to read too many books, and I wasn’t enjoying it as much. Two a week is still admirable! Most people don’t read as much as we do.
Oh, a musical theater memoir! I’m not familiar with Shaiman’s name, but I’m sure I know some of his work.
It’s fun to pick up a few Christmas decorations, isn’t it?
I read, and enjoyed, Louise Penny’s THE BLACK WOLF.
Although this book takes us away from Three Pines to fight bad guys, we do go back to the village often to find the solace and sanctuary always on offer.
To visit with the neighbors. To be reminded that there is good in a world gone bat s–t crazy. To find humor even in darkness.
It’s a book written about topics that are sadly very timely, topics that make us uncomfortable and fighting mad.
But, for me, Louise Penny’s writing is to experience beautiful writing that s filled with surprises. Little nuggets of unexpected gentle humor that cause me to chuckle, and scenes of depth and feeling that bring tears, and passages written SO beautifully that I have go go back to reread them.
I do understand that this is a Louise Penny novel that will not be everyone’s up of espresso.
Oh, that’s so good to know, Kaye. I was leery. I think I’ll start it on Sunday. Thank you!
It may not be a Louise Penny you’ll love. i’ll be interested in hearing. ❤
Needless to say, I haven’t had much time to read this week. I did finish the Patrick Ryan collection last Friday, SAVE ME. I prefer his later collection. Currently reading MACHINE LEARNING by Hugh Howey. If you want a preview of how AI dooms us all, this collection is for you.
Jackie is reading the latest Honey Badger shifter book by Shelley Laurenston, TO KILL A BADGER.
I’m also reading (when I have a few extra minutes), the Teddy Roosevelt biography and a few of the John Updike letters. But mostly, I’ve been reading (more than halfway done) the latest Lincoln Lawyer book by Michael Connelly, THE PROVING GROUND. Mickey Haller has left criminal practice and is dealing with civil cases. More next time.
We both have downloaded library books piling up.
PS – We’re checked in, at the airport gate. Of course, this time we’re an hour early, but better than late.
Safe travels, Jeff. There are too many incidents lately for my comfort. Get home safely!
Of course, you haven’t had much time to read. You’re enjoying your time with Jackie and friends.
I am reading Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land
Ross Halperin, there is so much violence that I am going to try to skim the rest of the book. It is about the most violent part of Honduras, and the two friends who created an organization to fight it. I admire their strength, but the violence is overwhelming. It is almost impossible to protect the witnesses at a trial. They are trying to protect them but it seems like an impossible battle.
Carol, I’m always impressed with the depth of your reading. I don’t usually read books about contemporary issues, especially violent ones.
Contemporary OK, but violent is painful!
Good morning!
Two books for me this week. I loved The Forager Chef’s Club by Rita Mace Walston. Five chefs were invited to prepare a meal at The Forager Club in a competition worth $15,000. All of their ingredients had to be foraged and found in Michigan. They were allowed 3 exceptions. Each chef was from a different region of Michigan. I enjoyed reading about their cooking process and menus.
My second book was The Tattered Cover by Ellery Adams. The mystery plot wasn’t my favorite. It involved a psychic being murdered during a book signing. It was not hard to figure out who the murderer was. I read these because I love the setting of Miracle Springs, Nora, and her group of friends.
Tomorrow brings rain. And Monday brings a chance of flurries.
Happy Reading!
Sharon, I am certainly not ready for flurries. Everyone knows how I feel about winter weather – bah, humbug.
I really need to read that series by Ellery Adams. I read the first book, and then it escaped from me.
Not that long ago, Novellas were considered as being from 80 to 120 pages.
I was very busy this week. Between a mess of Halloween parties, and the special election this week, I didn’t have a whole lot of reading time. I managed to get through a few, though.
Footprints on a Ceiling by Clayton Rawson: Nothng to do with Lionel Richie, this book puts Magician/Sleuth Merlini in almost every mystery cliche imaginable, and keeps things moving so fast, you can’t really keep track of anything, but still manages to be an entertaining mystery.
Red Notice by Bill Browder; Biography of a man who went to Russia right after the end of the Cold War to make his fortune. Then Putin takes over…Remember those halcyon days when people would complain that Yeltsin was “embarrassing?”
Best of Bloopers by Kermit Schafer; A very early bloopers book, before Dick Clark and Ed McMahon even thought of starting a TV Show based on the concept.
Dying to Fly Fish by David Leitz; Second book in the series. Our protagonist’s mayor girlfriend is running for Governor of Vermont, and doesn’t have time for him. Luckily, a grup that wants to make advertisements for a beer company want to use his place for their commercial, and there just happen to be beautiful models along! Very 90’s. There’s the usual murder of an obnoxious person, but most of the book is really concerned with having us think that sleeping around on your significant other is perfectly fine. Does the 100 mile rule really apply in Vermont?
Thank you, Glen. I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks a book that’s 212 pages is NOT a novella. I like the length you mentioned.
I pick Footprints on the Ceiling this week.
Hello! I haven’t been able to read as much lately. My husband and I are still babysitting our 2 year old grandson. He is at the age where he is climbing and swinging from anything he can find, always with a big grin. He is also giving up naptime.
I have been reading The Last Vigilant by Mark A Latham for the past two months. This in not indicative of how much I have enjoyed the book, but more lack of time to read. It is a very good fantasy/mystery. The Last Vigilant is also an elderly woman, not the typical hero. I am very much enjoying the book and will read the second one as soon as it is available
My 12 year old granddaughter, who recently announced she no longer likes to read, is currently reading and loving (yeay!) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. This is a required read for school that she has been dreading. Think I will re-read that next so we can chat about it.
It is cooling down in Metor-Detroit this weekend, with the possibility of snow flakes. UGH! Take care, everyone!
I totally agree about the snowflakes, Jennifer. Ugh is right.
Ah, two years old. We have a 2 year old and a one year old in our family – great-nephews. And, I’m not around the 2 year old, but that 1 year old is learning to climb and get into everything. Fortunately, they both like to be read to, so parents and grandparents do get a quiet break. But, they’re cuter than heck.
I’m happy to hear your granddaughter has found one book she likes, even if it was assigned reading!
The Feb 2026 release of this Police Procedural by way of NetGalley. The Patient
A DS George Cross Mystery by Tim Sullivan.
I’m glad you’re liking the DS Cross series, Kevin, enough to move on to the third book. I have some reading to get through this weekend, and then I think I”m going to read the fourth one, The Politician.
I have The Politician here by way of NetGalley.
I should be writing the review for The Patient as I finished that yesterday.
Instead, I am reading Inside Man: A Head Cases Novel by John McMahon which is the second in the series following HEAD CASES released back in January. Early on and good stuff.