It’s been a warmer week here, but still a rainy one. Thunderstorms one night, heavy rain off and on yesterday. It didn’t stop me from running errands, but did give me reading time. It was a good week of reading with books by Craig Johnson, Nora Roberts, Eloisa James, James Byrne. I hope you had a good week with good books, and good weather. What have you been doing this week?
I still have a number of galleys of books that are due out in the next week. While reading one of those, I’m also reading an author who has become a favorite. The Reluctant Matador is the fifth in Mark Pryor’s Hugo Marston series. Hugo was checking on the teenage daughter of an old friend when the girl disappeared. He and his friend, Tom, follow her to Barcelona, only to find her father standing over a dead body. Kaye Barley was right, and I’m loving this series.
What about you? What have you been reading in the last week?
The best thing about the past week is that the countdown is on for the people who live in the unit above ours to finally move out. For the whole two years we’ve lived here, every day has been extremely annoying due to these people. Stomping around so hard our ceiling lights rattle in their frames; throwing open their balcony door and throwing out heavy bags filled with who knows what, making me leap in alarm at the sudden loud noise; but the worst is that there’s yelling every single day and we can hear every word and I find it upsetting that both parents yell and swear at their five-year-old child, “You’re f—ing 5 years old now; what is your f—ing problem?” or “What are you doing?! F—ing get out of there.” And being regularly woken at 4:30 a.m. with yelling or closet doors slamming. Anyway, a year ago they had another child and they’ve run out of room and have sold their place! If all goes well it’s three days till moving day. Hallelujah!
Books read this week:
WEST WITH GIRAFFES by Lynda Rutledge
Quite some time ago someone here, I don’t remember who (I’m sorry) mentioned this book. Based on what they said I bought the book but have only now read it. A huge thank you to whoever it was, as I absolutely loved the book.
It’s a novel based on a true event – that of two giraffes having survived their journey on a merchant marine ship at sea in the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, and their subsequent transportation from New York Harbor to the San Diego Zoo at the behest of Belle Benchley, the world’s first female zoo director.
The main characters are Woody, Red, the Old Man, and of course the two giraffes – Boy and Girl.
Woody, not yet 18 years old, is the only one of his entire family to survive the Dust Bowl. He makes his way from the Texas Panhandle to the east to find a cousin he’s never met, and yet his suffering isn’t over when he finds him, as the cousin is not a good man. One day he overhears someone (the Old Man) talking about having to get two giraffes to California. Sure that that’s where he’ll finally find his good luck, Woody is determined to get there too. The story of how he eventually gets the Old Man to agree – albeit very reluctantly – to take him on as a driver is a story in itself. Also in the mix is Red, a young woman determined to make a name for herself as a photo journalist for Life Magazine, who keeps turning up. All three of these people are harbouring personal secrets. The giraffes come across as characters in their own right, with their own personalities.
The story moves between Woody’s time on the road with the giraffes and that of him now as a 105-year-old man in a nursing home, where he has just realized with a sense of urgency that he must write down the whole story of that 12-day road trip and what it meant to all of them before the story dies with him. He knows he doesn’t have much time left to get it all down.
The story has characters that will live on in my memory, including some quite villainous ones. The book was utterly absorbing, it brought out so many emotions in me, I felt deeply for the characters, and there were many scenes of heart-stopping suspense. At 350 pages it wasn’t a short book, but I didn’t feel there was even one page too many, and I devoured them all in short order. It’s that rare book that I will keep on my shelves.
As it says on the book jacket ‘Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.’
ALL RISE FOR MURDER by Roz Nay
This is the author’s fifth book, (although the first of hers I’ve read) and apparently a departure from her usual dark thrillers.
This was such a fun book to read. The mystery was good, the family drama/secrets were believable, the small town setting was perfect, the characters were captivating, and it had one of the best and most amusing first chapters I’ve read, which immediately set the tone for the story.
After her marriage ends in spectacular fashion, Maude and her prickly fifteen-year-old daughter Rhette move from Brazil back to the tiny town where Maude grew up in British Columbia; and back into her mother Val’s house. Secretly Val isn’t unhappy to have them back but things do get a lot more complicated with them there, and all three have personal secrets that weigh on them.
Maude ends up working as a clerk in the court house. One day a case comes before the judge – an 18-year-old young man has just been convicted of the murder of the owner of the local gym. It seems like an open-and-shut case since Levi has pleaded guilty, but Maude doesn’t for one minute believe Levi is guilty of the murder. She takes it upon herself to try to find out what really happened. She receives unexpected help in her quest from both her mother and her daughter.
So now we have three generations of (very) amateur sleuths, each approaching the ‘case’ from a different angle; none of them have any idea what they’re doing; and each of them is dancing around the other two with no one willing to rock the precarious boat by bringing up things about the past.
But this book is so entertaining, with humour and heartfelt family drama, that you can’t help but cheer on these three inept yet intelligent sleuths as they bumble their way from one clue or red herring to another, with suspicion falling on a whole host of side characters until a very satisfactory ending is reached. And I was happy to read that there are more books planned for the series. Can’t wait.
Lindy, I hope your new neighbors are more considerate.
Thanks Sandy. Me too!
Good luck with your new neighbors Lindy. Your current ones sound worse than any I ever had. Although there was one that lifted – and occasionally dropped – heavy weights.
West with Giraffes is a popular well-loved book, but does seem to spread via word of mouth recommendations. I’m glad you enjoyed. I probably picked it up from the same recommendation you did here.
Oh goodness yes MM. Who knows? The new neighbours could be worse!
Lindy, I hope your new neighbors are much better than the ones who are departing!
That’s certainly my hope Margie. Just yesterday the mother was yelling “If you don’t stop that I’m going to pull all your teeth out!” I shudder to think what that poor child will grow up to be like.
Lindy, Thank heavens your neighbors are moving. I’ve had a couple who were not great, but nothing that bad nor for that long. I hope you get good ones.
I enjoyed reading about both books. I’ll have to look for that second one since you said the opening was so good. Thank you!
Lindy,
West with the Giraffes is one of my favorite books. I think it was me that recommended it.
I am very sorry about your neighbors. It must have been hard to hear your neighbors berate an innocent child like that. Fingers crossed your new neighbors are better.
Lindy, I was horrified and sad to read about your neighbors upstairs and their treatment of their child. I am glad you will not have to live with that much longer.
Both of the books you talked about today sound good. I will look into getting a copy of both of them, and especially the one by Roz Nay, since she is a Canadia author and the book is set in Canada. I won’t be buying book until September but that gives me time to find out more about both of them.
You stole our warm weather, I guess. We’ve been mid-60’s the last two days, with that the prediction again for Thursday before it starts to warm up, fortunately.
I’m working my way through CROWN OF CHAOS by Sarah E. Burr. It’s in her Court of Mysteries series, set in a fictional realm. There’s lots of political intrigue along with murder, but this time, the intrigue kept me engaged until the murder happened. I’ve had issues with the pacing in the last couple of books.
We must have stolen it, Mark. Beautiful day today, and looks like it might be for the foreseeable future.
Sorry about your last few books.
That cover is absolutely beautiful! I’m finishing up reading The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers, then I am going to read The Book Club For Troublesome Women. I’m currently listening to The French Winemaker’s Daughter.
Melissa, You do know you send me to check on the books you’re reading, don’t you. Interesting titles!
I like that cover, too.
We finally got some warm dry weather after four days straight of rain. We did need the rain badly though.
Last weekend we met friends at the theater and saw a musical, Disaster. It’s a spoof of all of the disaster movies from the 1970s with songs from the same period. I can’t remember the last time I laughed that much.
And yesterday we went to visit my mom at her assisted living and surprised her by setting up a FaceTime session with my niece who lives in California.
I only finished one book this week, BARN IDENTITY by Diane Kelly. House flippers Whitney and her cousin Buck are hired to renovate a historic livery stable. Unfortunately, the reporter who’s supposed to write an article about the renovation turns up dead.
We’ve had a lot of rain, too, Sandy. I was talking with a construction worker in the parking lot this morning. He said yesterday was like working in a hurricane. I’m sure they didn’t do paving, but, because they’re working in a hospital parking lot, they had to be here.
Do you like that series by Diane Kelly?
Lesa, I liked the earlier books in the series better.
Sandy, We saw Disaster at our local community theater last month too! It was hilarious.
No books this week, just a terrible, awful cancer diagnosis for our 2 year old grandson. Trying to grapple with the complexities of a rare, aggressive tumor, treatment plans, second and third opinions. Tomorrow, Luciano will have a lumbar puncture, bone marrow test, have a port installed. Chemo will also start tomorrow. It is a hellish week, but we so far, feel in good hands with the medical care.
I am truly sorry for putting this on the blog, but have come to consider this a place of friendship and caring and needed to share.
Oh Jennifer, I’m so sorry for your news. But I’m glad you posted so we can all be sending hope to Luciano and your entire family.
Jennifer, I’m sorry you and your family are going through that.
Terrible, terrible news for you and your family to face. Im sending invisible hugs to you, Luciano, and his parents. Please keep us informed.
Oh Jennifer! So sorry that you are having to go through that. Many thoughts and prayers for you and your family.
Jennifer, I am praying for your grandson and your family. Of course, we are all friends here, so you can certainly share anything with us.
How awful. Poor little guy. Prayers for all.
Jennifer, how awful for everyone! I can’t even imagine. Poor little Luciano; he won’t have any idea what’s going on and why he has to endure all these horrible procedures and treatment. the little mite will not be feeling well either. I am so sorry for him and his parents and for you.
May I ask what symptoms Luciano had that led the doctors to this most awful diagnosis? Please don’t feel you need to answer. I’m just finding it hard to come to terms with and feel deeply for you.
I wish your whole family the best in this horrible situation. But children are very strong and Luciano has so many people on his side. I so hope he does well and recovers fully by the end of all the treatment.
Thank you, everyone, for the caring thoughts and prayers. All are very much appreciated.
Our first indication that something was off was that his eyes weren’t tracking together. We noticed this late Friday night and the doctor told us that if things weren’t improved on Saturday, to come in to the office. Late Saturday, after a ct scan, we were told about the tumor. 42 weeks of chemo coming up with a 70 to 80% cure rate.
42 weeks of chemo! How completely awful. I am so sorry to read this. Poor little thing. And his parents; impossibly difficult to have to endure something like this. And I feel for you too, having to bear witness to it all. I wish each one in your family the strength to make it through the next ten months or so.
Thank you, Lindy.
Oh, Jennifer, That poor little boy. I feel for his parents, you as grandparents, and everyone that loves him. But, he’s only two, and he won’t understand at all. Even with those good odds, it’s a horrible experience for all of you. I’m sorry.
Oh, Jennifer. I agree with Lindy that he won’t understand.I’m so sorry for Luciano and all of you in his family. I can’t even imagine how hard it’s going to be for all of you. I’ll keep him in my prayers.
Feel free to share at anytime. We are here to listen and offer support.
Take care of yourself, and Luciano’s parents. I hope they’re close enough that you can help them at times.
We live 15 minutes away. This is the grandson we babysit everyday, so we will be able to help. Thanks for the prayers. Much appreciated.
Jennifer, I am so very sorry. How frightening for your family. Prayers for your grandson.
I’m so sorry. This is devastating news.
Jennifer, the most important thing to do right now is for you and your family to take care of yourselves. There will be many important decisions that are best made when all of you are in the best place possible, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Luciano deserves nothing less from you. Also, have faith in your doctors; pediatric cancer physicians are among the most caring and knowledgeable medical professionals kin the world. Do not be afraid to ask questions of them; they want you to know their procedures and any accompanying risks. Informed loved ones are an important weapon in this fight. It is also important to treat Luciano in as normal as possible a way. Kids — even two-year-olds — are resilient, but if you remain calm and loving it will go a long way to easing whatever fears he may have. The path ahead will not be easy, but it is possible to walk it and to come on the other side with a ;positive outcome. It will help all of you to share love and laughter and stories with him. No one can guarantee what will happen, but the odds are greatly in his favor. Hope on to that thought as you go through this ordeal with him. Also understand that there is a large community of people who love you and him — many of whom you have never met and do not not know — but they are here to share their strength and their love with you and your family. No child, no parent, and no grandparent is alone in this battle.
Jerry, I really appreciate you taking the time to reassure a stranger . It means a lot. No choice but to walk this path. It is so hard to see Luciano suffering and having to go through so much. You are right that there is much to be thankful for. The nurses and doctors are straight shooters, yet so compassionate. I will try to focus more on the positive aspects. One good thing is that for the first time in a week, Luciano has felt well enough to be read to. We had a nice hour and a half time of books and snuggles.
Again, heartfelt thanks.
Oh Jennifer what terrible news. I am so very sorry for you and your family. Sending positive thoughts that Luciano will get wonderful medical care.
Another winter storm is passing through. Monday was in the eighties, the wind & clouds appeared, and temperatures dropped to the sixties. More rain is forecast for today. Driving home yesterday, we were on the last bit, a mile or so of windy two lane road that drops from the highway to the valley. We caught a glimpse of what we thought was a large tumbleweed ahead, no, a large boulder, partially blocking one lane. Fortunately, it was early afternoon and the CA highway department was able get equipment there before dark.
I agree, Lesa, with your review of THE SILENT HOUSE OF SLEEP by Allan Gaw earlier this month. I found it strangely addictive even though some of the forensic details were, indeed, gruesome. The main character, John Cuthbert, is the senior pathologist at St Thomas’s Hospital and senior police surgeon with the Metropolitan Police.
The second book in the series is already scheduled for next year, The Moon’s More Feeble Fire.
I lucked into a library copy of Michael Connelly’s IRONWOOD (also reviewed here this month). The Catalina series is new and fresh, but with the familiar feel of his Bosch series. Connelly excels in knowing what to leave out to maintain the pacing.
For fans of psychological suspense, THE WASP TRAP by Mark Edwards. A fast-paced thriller, full of twists & tension. A dinner party in a beautiful Notting Hill townhouse turns into a sinister game.
And I listened to HEARTWOOD by Amity Gaige with a multi-narrator cast. (The book was on Jeff’s list of Favorite Books read during 2025.) It tells the story of an Appalachian Trail hiker lost in Maine. A nurse, the protagonist, felt her ability to care for others was depleted post-Covid. The wonderfully told story presented an aspect of the pandemic I hadn’t really considered. I’m not a big fan of multi-tasking, but a good audio, good weather & a large yard sure makes the time fly.
MM! I’m so glad you weren’t in the path of that boulder!
I don’t know where they come up with the titles for Gaw’s books. I really liked that first one, but odd titles.
I really liked that first those Catalina books and Stil.
Good morning – it’s been awhile since I read a Mark Pryor book. The series that you are reading sounds interesting, Lesa. Weather wise, unlike you, we have had wonderful weather – today it is in the 70’s and very little humidity. Bliss!
This week I read “Dear Monica Lewinski” by Julie Langbeing. The book title and description intrigued me, the actual book left me feeling meh. Jean Dornan is a 40 something married adult who has done precious little with her life and is married to a husband that she doesn’t really care a lick about. She blames her shallow life on a study abroad experience when she was in college. The 15 years older married instructor was dreamy and all of the girls had a crush on him. Jean set her sites on having him for her own and after numerous attempts to seduce him, she finally succeeds. He then spurns her, recognizing that he succumbed during a moment of weakness, and gives her an average grade on her final paper. She ruminates about this for 20 years, and when receiving an invite to his retirement party, she decides to attend so that she can give him a piece of her mind. She calls on St. Monica Lewinsky to help her with her feelings, and although Monica is still alive, she appears in ghostly form to help her. An odd book and it was hard to feel sorry for Jean when she got what she was asking for, just not with the story book ending.
I’m hoping that my last line doesn’t come off as unsympathetic to young girls who are taken advantage of. In this particular story, Jean pursues her instructor for the entire book.
Mary, Actually, I agree with you. She set out to seduce him. I am unsympathetic, and feel she’s the one to blame for allowing it to wreck her life. I haven’t read it, and she doesn’t interest me at all. From what you said, I don’t think I’d like her.
I am so happy you’re enjoying Mark Pryor’s series, Lesa.
I’ve been enjoying escape books this week thanks to NetGalley.
The Valencia Expat Club by June Patrick has me dreaming of hightailing it to Spain.
Description from NetGalley
One Italian Summer meets Eat, Pray, Love in this heartwarming novel following a recent divorcee’s escape to Spain where delicious food, romantic adventures, and the transformative magic of starting over leads her to reconnect with family, forge new friendships, and rediscover herself.
Dahlia Delaney’s marriage just imploded, her friend group picked a side (not hers), and her fancy San Francisco life now fits into a single suitcase. Armed with a broken heart, a freelance marketing gig, and one blurry childhood memory of her abuela’s garden, she impulsively hops on a flight to Valencia, Spain, to reconnect with distant family—and maybe herself.
But Valencia isn’t just sunny plazas and sangria. There’s her chaotic new job at a quirky expat bar, a family she barely knows but who embrace her like she’s always belonged, and a brooding American bar owner who’s frustratingly attractive and entirely too familiar.
As Dahlia stumbles through language mishaps, clashing cultures, and late-night paella with new friends, she begins to realize that the fresh start she came for might turn into something even better—if she can let go of the life she planned and embrace the one unfolding around her.
Perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed of starting over somewhere with better wine, The Valencia Expat Club is a sparkling, laugh-out-loud romantic escape about second chances, delicious detours, and finding home where you least expect it.
Kaye, I have a copy of The Valencia Expat Club, and I’ll go with you to Spain! I was only there for a week, but loved it!
It’s been cold and rainy here, so I got lots of reading time in. Plus, it was a three-day weekend. Yay! Today is the last day of school for our district.
I finally finished reading Red Verdict by James Comey. This is the 4th book in the Nora Carleton series. I read his first book and really liked it, but this one was so heavy with acronyms that my head was spinning from trying to remember what they stood for. This one dealt heavily with Russian espionage. Not my cup of tea.
From there, I got sucked into the Gretchen Archer’s Bellissimo casino mysteries. There are 13 books in the series and by Tuesday, I had already read five of them. Davis Way is hired to work in the Bellissimo casino as a security expert. While she used to be a cop, she doesn’t have any experience working in a casino. She’s smart, an expert computer hacker and is saddled with an ex-ex-husband who makes her life miserable. I find them to be hilarious, and in many ways, Davis is like Stephanie Plum. Mishaps always seem to find them. Oh, and they are on Kindle Unlimited.
Bev, it’s so much fun to get sucked into a series! I read another series set in a casino hotel, and really enjoyed it. Now, I’m going to have to remember who the author is. I even met her, and can’t think of the name.
Was it Deborah Coonts? Wanna Get Lucky, set in Las Vegas?
Oops! i wasn’t quite finished.
The second escape book I read has me wanting to escape to Greece.
Between Greek Balconies by Francesca Catlow
Description
Let Francesca Catlow transport you to the Greek island of Nisyros, where sea, sun and romance offer a chance at a new beginning—perfect for fans of Karen Swan, Kate Frost and Paige Toon.
When burnt-out human rights barrister Alisha Harding is forced to take a sabbatical, she heads for the one place she’s dreamt of since childhood: a small, sun-drenched island in Greece.
In her new home by the sea, the volcanic landscape, the warmth of island life and the unhurried pace slowly begin to do what London couldn’t. She’s here to heal—not to be distracted by her brooding next-door neighbour, Helios, who seems determined to keep the world at arm’s length.
But night after night, sharing wine on their adjoining balconies, the intimacy between them grows. And Helios, it seems, is hiding his own painful past.
When duty calls Alisha back to London, the fragile peace she’s found on the island is abruptly shattered. Pulled between the life she’s always known and the one she’s only just begun to imagine, she must decide what truly matters. Can love bridge the gaps between language, loss and two very different worlds, or is the distance between them too great to overcome?
Both your books sound good this week Kaye. The one set in Spain is due out in a matter of days, but I’ll have to wait till mid-August for the other one.
(apologies if this ends up posting several times, as I keep trying because I’m told something went wrong, and to try again)
Stay in Greece! It sounds like a much nicer life. Sitting on a balcony, drinking wine. Not a big wine drinker, Kaye, but I’m willing to try in that setting.
Good morning, all. It was a quite eventful week for me since we last posted. I think I mentioned I would be meeting in person a friend from Toastmasters whom I’d only met on Zoom for three or more years, and it was lovely. This is the friend who suffered a broken neck in a mountain bike accident in November and is recuperating well. His wife kept me informed throughout the process in the hospital, the rehab facility, and afterwards, and it was my first time meeting her as well. With the Drama Queens, I saw Broadway musical tours on both Saturday and Sunday in two venues. My favorite was Mrs. Doubtfire, whose star (it was his first Broadway tour) was absolutely awesome. He could do all of the funny voices that Robin Williams could do, his singing and speaking voices were amazing, and I can’t imagine how he changed clothes (and undergarments) that many times in one production. You could tell he was sweating profusely (I was in the second row) but it didn’t affect his performance. On Sunday I saw Back to the Future. The visual effects were spectacular–the videos, the lights, the car–but what it lacked for me was the heart, although it wasn’t that kind of musical. On Sunday I joined the family at the theater to see the new movie The Mandalorian and Grogu. Although I wouldn’t seek out this movie myself, I went to be with the family. And I am proud to say I didn’t fall asleep and, of course, Baby Yoda is adorable. But I had to tell my sons, snarkily, that my favorite thing was the “sparkling dialogue” (pretty much absent in this movie, which is mostly fight scenes). I did spend some time wondering just how much time Pedro Pascal actually spent in the costume, since his helmet/mask came off only once. He probably had an easy time recording his lines while stunt men sweated in the costume. On Monday night (Memorial Day) we enjoyed a barbecued dinner at Zach and Melany’s house. And after a card game on Tuesday where my partner and I demolished our opponents, I got to spend my birthday gift card on my first massage since my car accident, and it was wonderful. And now, for the books I read:
In Carmela Dutra’s debut cozy mystery, A MURDER MOST FOWL, Beth and Seth are twins who are co-owners of the Kluckin’ Good food truck they inherited from their Aunt Dolly. Based in the SF Bay Area, Beth is always looking for promotional opportunities for their business–in addition to the giant chicken suit that her best friend and employee Rylie often wears. So she signs the team up for The Food Truck Showdown, with a grand prize of $50,000. The only problem is that the twins’ nemesis, who often hogs their selling spot, is also a contestant. So when he turns up dead before the show even begins, there are murmurs of murder, and Beth finds herself one of the suspects. It takes one more death among the employees of the food network producing the TV show, along with a series of threatening letters to each contestant, to really heat things up and make the contestants wonder whether it’s safe to continue in the competition. Beth wants to help so she does some investigating on her own, which doesn’t endear her to the police detective in charge of the case . . . although there is definitely a personal spark between the two of them. Beth is the outgoing twin, sometimes to a fault, while Seth, hoping to pass the bar, is the more cautious, more serious, more nervous twin about the chances Beth takes and the things she says to what might be the wrong people (TSTL, anyone?). In future series entries ( Hot Wings and Homicide was published this month), I’m hoping his character has a bit more development. I found the first book to be a fun cozy, with lots of humor and an interesting mystery. If you would like to read an article by the author about writing her Food Truck Mystery series in the May issue of the quarterly newsletter I edit for Sisters in Crime NorCal, you can read it here: “Kluckin’ Good Mysteries,” page 22): https://www.sincnorcal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/May-2026-Stiletta.pdf
‘Sarah Addison Allen books can always be relied upon to deliver memorable characters, beautiful writing, unique details, stories that feature family dynamics, and magical realism. Her new book is PAPER GHOSTS, with the title referring to old photographs. In small-town North Carolina, everyone knows–and most fear–the Wester family, especially the women. Willamina Wester has grown up with her grandmother, who dictates both the rules of her house and every aspect of Willamena’s future. Somehow she knows the secrets of the town’s residents and is not afraid to use them for her own purposes, while never allowing anyone outside of the family in her house. As an adult, “Wills” marries the man her grandmother has chosen and ultimately has a granddaughter of her own, vowing not to continue her grandmother’s behavior . . . with mixed results. Bailey has decided to choose her own future and wants to erase some disturbing experiences from her memory, but there comes a day when she and her father will return to the family home. It is only then that she starts to understand her family, including why and how certain events have taken place. This is not among my favorites of the author’s books, as I found it bleaker than most of the eight other books or hers that I have read. But it is always a pleasure to have a Sarah Addison Allen book to read, and I hope there will be more from this very talented author in the near future. (September).
Disappointing about Paper Ghosts, Margie. I am still looking forward to reading it. I think she is a wonderful writer.
Interesting comments about Paper Ghosts, Margie. Kaye told me it wasn’t one of her favorites either. Darn. We’ve been waiting a few years for anew one from her.
Two plays in one weekend! I love it. Liked your comment about the sparkling dialogue!
I read three books this week.
Cassie Linden Finds Her Sweet Spot by Linda Avellar was about a 50-year-old woman going home to Connecticut to take care of her 84-year-old father who is dealing with dementia. She also has to deal with her college age son who is involved with a fraternity hazing accident. In between she meets a handsome beekeeper who helps her dad with his hives. Despite the serious themes, I enjoyed this a learned a lot about beekeeping which was interesting.
My second book was Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham. This was about an investigative reporter who quits her job because she lost out on a promotion and moves back to South Carolina to help her mother recuperate. When she overhears her mother saying she did not want her there, she ends up getting a job at Galloway Farm which is the last place her sister was seen 18 years ago. I thought this was more creepy than suspenseful, but I should have figured that out when the epigraph was quote from one of the Charles Manson women. At times Claire seemed really dense, but I ended up enjoying this more than I originally thought I would.
My last book was from the Kindle First Reads program. The Quitter’s Club by Jessica Strawser was about 4 college friends turning 40 making life changing decisions. I was not the target audience but there were some good things in about women and the ability to say no as well as how they are perceived. This best part was that the story takes place between Ohio University in Athens and Columbus, Ohio. It’s always fun to read books about places you know.
Happy Reading!
I agree, Sharon. I like to read books about places I know. I haven’t read it, but The Quitter’s Club was the one I picked for this month, too.
Definitely NOT the Stacy Willingham.
Hello friends! Peter and I are spending two weeks in Sardinia—beaches, hills, fascinating ruins, walled cities, and great seafood. I am typing with my finger. So far I’ve read Ironwood, the new Micael Connelly, which is excellent, and Stillwater, by Tanya Scott, starting a series with a hero named Luke Harris and set in Australia, which I couldn’t put down and highly recommend. Now I am starting Belinda Bauer’s The Impossible Thing. I already know from a previous book that she’s an excellent writer. Peter and I are listening in the car to an audiobook of John Scalzi’s When the Moon Hits Your Eye and giggling. I can’t get over how clever he is, imagining all the silly things that could happen if the moon suddenly turned to cheese. More books and typos next week!
Kim! I admire you for taking time from your trip to participate on Thursday. Thank you!
I bet John Scalzi is even funnier when you listen to his books, as you are. I appreciate his books. He makes them light, but there’s always a point there.
Enjoy that trip! It sounds wonderful.
Once again, my blog isn’t letting Jeff in. I’m so sorry. I love his posts, and I know he likes to “talk” with everyone here. I’m glad he’s still trying. Here’s his post for today.
I had a very good reading week but it was mostly non-fiction, with a couple of exceptions. The weather has improved, though it’s still up and down. Jackie has been stimulating the economy (so to speak), with a new air conditioner for the living room last week (the old one was dead when I plugged it in) and a new microwave (the old one gave us 10 good years) arriving Saturday.
Books. Jackie read the latest Haven’s Rock book – FIRST SIGN OF DANGER – a spinoff of the Rockton series by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong, set in the Yukon. There will be a fifth and final book in the series next year. She’s now back to the Dark series of her favorite Christine Feehan, with DARK JOY.
I’ve been reading the Ray Bradbury collection of mystery stories and will talk about them when I finish it next week. No other short stories at the moment.
Recent reading:
Jill Lepore, THE DEADLINE: ESSAYS. I talked about this last time. Well written if somewhat depressing, especially where the country is today.
Becky Holmes, THE FUTURE OF FRAUD. Think you’re too smart to get caught by scammers and fraudsters? Holmes begs to differ, and her short, fast book gives you a picture of where we are now and new things to watch out for. Not perfect by any means – she is way too sanguine about AI, in my opinion – but useful. Her field of expertise is “relationship fraud,” as covered in her previous book, KEANU REEVES IS NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU.
Can’t remember if I read about it here or elsewhere, but I definitely recommend the still infuriating KENT STATE: FOUR DEAD IN OHIO, a “graphic novel” by Derf (Fred?) Backderf. I remember every bit of that awful day in 1970 – Hunter College basically closed down for the semester after May 4, and I dropped out of college for a year. We even went to a memorial service for one of the victims. The book gives a timeline of the entire weekend, and is well worth looking for.
Ray Bradbury’s ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING is a short book of essays that aspiring writers might find helpful, and – frankly – of more interest than it was to me. A friend recommended it, but…I just didn’t get too much out of it.
Elizabeth Strout, THE THINGS WE NEVER SAY, moves on from Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton, as the book is set not in Maine, but in Massachusetts, and the protagonist is beloved high school history teacher Artie Dam. If you’ve read Strout before (and if not, why not?), you don’t need me to tell you to read this. It’s similar to her other books in some ways, but otherwise, different. Artie is a genuinely nice man, with a wife he gets along with and a son he loves, yet he has suicidal feelings. Then, halfway through the book, he gets some shocking news that really lives up to the cliche that it turns his world upside down. This colors everything that follows. (Note: for the record, the way he handles the news is NOT the way I’d have handled it). The one thing that I think throws the book off is her decision to add the Presidential election and the feelings of various characters to Trump. It doesn’t really work all the well, for me at least. But it is another short, fast, absorbing book and fans will definitely want to read it.
It’s rained three days in a row, in May, which almost never happens.
Last weekend, I went to see Paul Anka in concert. I’m not the biggest fan, but he’s 85, and this might be the last chance to see him. I expected him to just sit in front of a piano and sing. But NO! He entered through the audience, sang, danced, ran, jumped, kicked, played the piano, played the guitar, told stories, went back into the audience, danced with some women, two of whom fainted! Two hours with no breaks. What a show!
This week I read:
Where There’s Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams; When a body is found in a rendering plant, our divorcee medical examiner investigates. I think someone was trying to recruit for the vegetarians.
Toonerville Folks: 1935 by Fontaine Fox; A collection of comic strips from the early days. This strip originated in the 1910’s, I believe. A lot different than the pablum we get now. I’m sure this strip would trigger a whole bunch of people today.
Frankenstein Meets Santa by MJ McDermott: After the end of Mary Shelly’s novel, left to his own devices in the Arctic, The Monster finds Santa’s workshop. He’s accepted and become a good monster. For the Book Club.
The Dating Game Killer; During the 1970’s golden age of serial killers, one of the species, rather than staying under the radar, went on national TV, and actually won a game show. Eventually, he got caught, but that’s just the middle of the story.
Clive Cussler’s Quantum Tempets by Mike Maden; There’s a lot going on here, as a cocaine kingpin tries to take over the world, and a Chinese spy gets on The Oregon. Seemed like the author wrote by the seat of his pants, and didn’t quite stick the landing.
Glen, I saw Paul Anka in Vegas (ahem) forty-eight years ago. I felt the same way, not a big fan, but he put on a heck of a show.
This week, I pick The Dating Game Killer and Frankenstein Meets Santa. Put them together, and there’s a concept for you!
Hello from North East Scotland, where we had one baking hot day (by our rather low standards anyway) at the start of the week, and that is clearly going to be our lot for a while. Today it’s cool and cloudy, but as the British always say ‘At least it’s not raining…’
I finally finished Maeve Binchy’s CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, which I enjoyed though I don’t think it was her best book. As always with Maeve, everything more or less works out in the end, and before that you get a great slice of country and city life in 1950s Ireland.
The thing that struck me about that was that the rural Ireland I used to visit in the 1980s had not changed one bit from Maeve’s depiction of the fictional Knockglen, even though over 30 years separated them. Claire Keegan’s SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE further confirms this; she’s writing about 1980s New Ross (a real place), yet you’d be forgiven for thinking the story was set in the 1950s.
I think shortly after this a lot of change did come to Ireland, especially in the cities, but out in the country things move slowly – sometimes this is a good thing, but sometimes it is not, especially (in my opinion) regarding the RC Church’s stranglehold on rural life and the terrible position of many women.
I have learned from my Northern Irish daughter-in-law that things are often not much better up there; we think of it as part of the UK, but really it is a world apart in its thinking.
So now I am reading THE PRIVATE SIDE OF FRIENDSHIP by Alexander McCall Smith, which I think I mentioned last week. I have a kind of love-hate relationship with this author’s work; he has a writing style which I find increasingly smug, he drags philosophical questions into conversations that characters would, in my opinion, be highly unlikely to have, and he name drops shamelessly (as he knows all the good and great of Edinburgh) BUT his plots, such as they are, are engaging, and I do enjoy reading books set in places with which I am very familiar.
This one takes place largely in Marchmont, the area of Edinburgh just south of the Meadows. It’s highly desirable and only the wealthiest of students would be able to live there, so the chances of five students of varying backgrounds being able to afford the rent of a near-perfect flat are somewhat low – but if you can suspend disbelief, you do get sucked into each character’s story. I’m now about a third of the way through, and I can foresee (it’s not difficult!) all sorts of relationships on the horizon, and the revelation of some secrets too (eg one of the girls has just admitted that Anthony Blunt [the former Surveyor of the Queen’s pictures and the director of the Courtauld Institute, who was eventually exposed as a spy for the USSR and the fourth man in the Burgess, MacLean and Philby Cambridge group] is a distant cousin – cue the author giving the recipient of this information a long opportunity to theorise about whether people should put country before family or vice versa.)
I’ve also borrowed three books from the library (which is not the most sensible move when the 20 Books of Summer challenge begins on Monday…) They are;
THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU by LIBBY PAGE (was it someone on here who recommended it?)
BAKE: MY BEST EVER RECIPES FOR THE CLASSICS by Paul Hollywood (I’ve borrowed this book before and really only wanted it for the recipe for Sticky Ginger Loaf, which I failed to copy before returning the book.) Fans of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF will of course know Paul Hollywood, but we’ve enjoyed his standalone programmes more. He did an excellent series, PAUL HOLLYWOOD EATS JAPAN, and later another one, PAUL HOLLYWOOD EATS MEXICO, in both of which he came over as much more human and interesting than he generally does on GBBO.
THE LITTLE LIBRARY YEAR by Kate Young. Young is an Australian food writer and cook who has lived in the UK for some years. We attended the launch of her first book THE LITTLE LIBRARY COOKBOOK, at Golden Hare Books in Edinburgh in 2017 and enjoyed the event so much that I actually forked out £25 for the book. Young creates recipes based on the books she loves to read, so you can imagine the attraction of a book like this for me.
The Little Library Cookbook was published two years later; its subtitle is ‘Recipes and reading to suit each season.’ I’ll read it as much for the book recommendations as the recipes – a quick flick through the pages already highlights Elizabeth von Armin’s wonderful 1922 novel THE ENCHANTED APRIL (about a group of women, each of whom has responded to an advertisement in the newspaper, spending April in a beautiful house in Italy;
‘She jumped up, pulled on her slippers, for there was nothing on the stone floor but one small rug, ran to the window and threw open the shutters. ‘Oh!’ cried Mrs Wilkins. All the radiance of April in Italy gathered together at her feet. The sun poured in on her.’)
Other authors mentioned include Laurie Colwin, Douglas Adams, Mary Stewart, Gillian Flynn, Shirley Jackson, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen and Helene Hanff (and many, many more.) The photography, by Leann Timms, is stunning.
I’ve had quite a cultural week; last Saturday I attended a poetry reading in the old Bon Accord Baths (where I used to swim.) It was put on by the Grampian Hospitals Art Trust, who had invited various NE poets to compose something inspired by a work in the GHAT collection. The results were very varied and often surprising, and I enjoyed the morning far more than I had expected to.
That same day the Friends of Aberdeen Art Gallery hosted a presentation of a new work by Claire Roberts, an acclaimed NE printmaker. Claire was the recipient of a Friends-funded micro residency at Peacock Printmakers, and the huge print she created during that time was based on a portrait in the gallery’s collection, DOLLY CROMBIE. Purely by coincidence, Claire discovered that Brough had in fact been her great great grandfather, and that they even shared the same birthday. She had not previously known that there were any artists in her family. Claire gave a talk about Brough and the inspiration for her new work, and the afternoon went very well.
On Sunday I went on a tour of the Commonwealth War Graves in one of the city’s largest cemeteries. During the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s annual ‘week’, their volunteers lead tours like this all over the UK. I knew absolutely nothing about the work of the Commission, and our guide had some very interesting stories to tell us about some of the people commemorated in this particular cemetery, and the wider work of the Commission itself. I also hadn’t known that during the Blitz, London was the only city hit by more German bombs than Aberdeen – it being a big target because of its docks and its proximity to Norway.
More graves on Monday! Nancy and I had a day out, and one of the places we went to was the tiny village of Cuminestown. Nancy was researching the family tree of a friend of hers, many of whose ancestors had come from this little place, so we spent some time walking up and down the lines of tombstones, trying to decipher lettering worn away by the elements or covered in lichen. Just about everyone buried there was a farmer (but Nancy pointed out that only the actual farmers would have had enough money to pay for proper memorial stones – farm labourers and itinerant workers would have been buried in unmarked graves.
It was so sad to see how many families lost young children in those days (1800s) – five children of one family had died within one week, presumably of some awful disease. Another family had lost three children within days of one another ‘In Peterhead Hospital, of diphtheria.’ I do wish some of the anti-vaxers and conspiracy theorists could realise how lucky we are to be able to prevent these terrible diseases that took so many young lives.
It wasn’t gloom and doom all day, as we also visited Dalgetie Castle, an eccentric 11th century fortress that has been added to numerous times over the years. It belongs to a private trust, so is nothing like the carefully curated buildings run by the National Trust. Also, unlike places such as Crathes, it is run by just a very few staff – you are quite likely to walk through the door and find one of them vacuuming the floor, then five minutes later that same person will be serving you in the wonderful little café (a ‘downstairs’ room with a remarkable collection of antique teapots.)
And of course the very best bit – the scones and cakes are all baked in the castle kitchen and they are absolutely delicious. Coffee is served in huge cafetieres, a request for hot milk brings a big jug of it, not the tight-fisted, grudgingly provided, measures found in some town cafes (who charge twice as much), and the whole experience is just perfect. On Tuesday we were the only visitors (although the trust also rents out holiday apartments on the upper floors) and we had a lovely time.
I really will stop now. Apologies for wittering on!
I hope everyone has a good week. We will be away from next Thursday, as we are attending David’s nephew’s wedding at Fulham Palace in London, so I probably won’t manage to participate next time. I hope to be back the week after!
I looked up Fulham Palace, Rosemary, and it looks fascinating. I think it’s wonderful that David’s nephew is getting married there.
I enjoyed all your stories of cemeteries and history. It’s so fascinating to read your accounts because there is so much we don’t know here in the U.S. So much of it is right that at your feet. I’m glad you take advantage of it.
Yes, I suggested This Book Made Me Think of You, so I’ll be interested to read what you have to say. We’ll see.
Congratulations to the bride and groom!
Our week has been coolish, and we are supposed to have some rain this afternoon, but I don’t think it will have much impact. I have the first book in the Hugo Marston series, I need to get to it. It has been on my shelves for over 10 years.
Glen finished reading MURDER AND OTHER ACTS OF LITERATURE, last night. It is a short story book, published in 1997, ed. by Michelle Slung. Out of the 24 stories, he liked 13 of them. It had a wide range of authors, from T. H. White to Isabel Allende.
Today he started reading HEYDAY: THE 1850S AND THE DAWN OF THE GLOBAL AGE, by Ben Wilson. This is the title of the American edition. The title and subtitle of the British edition is HEYDAY: BRITAIN AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN WORLD. Sounds interesting and informative to me, but Glen has not read enough to have an opinion on the subject matter or the readability.
I finished two books in the last week, both relatively short. First was DEPT. OF SPECULATION by Jenny Offill. Offill is a new author for me; the book is very short, about 170 pages, in a small format, and told in brief anecdotes, in sections with a lot of spacing between, so it was easy to read in a couple of days, which is unusual for me. It is about a couple in their thirties with a young daughter. It goes back to when they got married and their daughter’s birth, then moves on to when they begin to have problems in their marriage. The best part is the daughter. I did like it, but can’t explain why.
The second book was a manga, a graphic nonfiction book about a couple with two rescue cats. The title is MY CAT IS SUCH A WEIRDO, VOL. 1, and the author is Tamako Tamagoyama. I am enjoying it because our cat, London, is a weirdo and we are still adjusting to him after nearly 10 months.
I am now reading THE MAN WHO DIED SEVEN TIMES by Yasuhiko Nishizawa. It is a time loop novel, a subgenre of travel travel; I am not too far into it, but I am pretty sure I will like it. So far, it is not as confusing as many books of that type.
I will be starting reading books for 20 Books of Summer on June 1 or thereabouts. I don’t want to list all of the books on my list here, but here are the first eight:
The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and his Mother) by Rabih Alameddine. Won the National Book Award for Fiction (2025).
The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz. Mystery. 2018. 2nd book in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series.
Mortmain Hall by Martin Edwards. Mystery. 2019. 2nd book in the Rachel Savernake series.
The Customer is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond. Graphic Novel. 2017.
Wednesday’s Child by Yiyun Li. Short Stories. 2023.
Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir or Autobiography 2025.
Count Them One by One: Black Mississippians Fighting for the Right to Vote by Gordon A. Martin, Jr. Nonfiction. 2010.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum, translated by Shanna Tan. Fiction. 2022.
You have some interesting books listed for 20 books of Summer. Enjoy!
It breaks my heart that people in this country are still fighting for the right to vote, Tracy. This is so wrong.
As MM says, that’s an interesting list.
I think it’s funny you have a weird cat.