As I mentioned yesterday, I haven’t read anything online except for stories about the Tartan Army invading Boston. Those have been fun, but they required no effort on my part. That flu knocked me out, but I’m finally leaving the house today to pick up groceries. I haven’t been this sick in forever. I hope no one here succumbs to the flu. So, I’ve been sleeping for the last week. I hope you had a better week than I did.
I did start a book yesterday, and read fifty pages. The Pie & Mash Detective Agency is J.D. Brinkworth’s debut mystery. Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a young couple with extra time on their hands. She’s out of work, and he’s bored with his job. So, she signs both of them up for a private detective class. Everyone is assigned a case that the instructor once worked, except for Jane and Simon. Their assignment is a combination of a current and cold case. A woman named Nellie Thorne has recently been reported as missing. However, does Nellie Thorne actually exist? She’s an urban legend in Kent. Every decade or so since the 1970s, a Nellie Thorne has been reported as missing. Now Jane and Simon are working this odd case.
I’m not sure I’ll finish this. It’s what I needed right now to throw me back into reading, something light and cozy. But, I’m not sure the humor will work in the long run.
What about you? I lost a week of my life. What have you been doing in that week? What are you reading?
I had the flu once, so I know how you feel Lesa. I think I also know how exhausted you must have felt after going for groceries! A simple thing, but it feels huge if that’s the first time in a week you went out.
The book you started this week is one I bought just a few days ago. It will be interesting to see what I think of it, whenever I get round to reading it.
It’s been a fairly quiet week over here. Three quite hot days for me to get through, 32 -33C (91 F). There was no cooking happening in our house that’s for sure. A lot of sitting in front of a fan though; not sure I would have made it without the fan.
Our son is so busy at work these days! He works at City Hall and was seconded I suppose you could call it, by Fifa to oversee planning for the seven World Cup soccer games that will take place here. He’s had to arrange things like ordering grass for the playing fields, deciding how many road barriers to order and where to place them, liaise with the police, and make sure each venue was ready, etc. A thousand and one decisions to make. He’s currently working
15-hour days, no days off, at the E-Comm 911 emergency centre for fire, police, and medical emergencies. Any problems arising at any of the games or venues will be routed through him. It’s all a lot of work, quite stressful, and an enormous amount of responsibility- and yet he thrives under pressure. His major concern at the moment is that once the games are done and the World Cup is over, his usual work will seem quite dull.
Books this week:
NIGHTSHADE by Michael Connelly
I know many of you have read this one already but it was new to me.
After an incident with fellow detectives on the California mainland, Detective Stilwell is transferred /demoted to Catalina Island where he’ll now be dealing with low-stakes cases – drunks, thefts, and general smalltown hooliganism.
Unexpectedly, two important cases come up at the same time. In one a body is discovered at the bottom of the harbour, wrapped in black, weighed down, and encircle by a heavy chain. All avenues of inquiry lead to the Black Marlin Club, for the exclusive use of well-heeled fishing and boating gentlemen. The second case brings a report of the deliberate killing of a buffalo in a protected conservancy area, which will in turn will unearth local secrets and violence.
Stilwell determinedly works both cases even though aspects will take him – not necessarily legally – back to the mainland where he no longer has jurisdiction. Rightly or wrongly, he doesn’t let that stop him in his quest for justice for the dead woman or getting to the bottom of some very shady dealings amongst the more powerful citizens of Catalina Island.
I enjoyed the book. Nuanced it isn’t, and there isn’t much in the way of characterization, but it definitely kept me avidly reading like I was possessed. I wanted to know how the very capable Stilwell would manage all the people, roadblocks and obstructions, and dangerous situations as he pursued each case to the end – sometimes putting his fledgling love relationship in jeopardy. This is the first book by Michael Connelly I’ve ever read and I can see why he’s such a popular writer.
THE HOPEFUL HEARTS BOOKSHOP by Debbie Johnson
Margie reviewed this one a few months ago and made it sound like something I’d enjoy. I had a heck of a time finding a copy but was finally successful, and I did indeed enjoy the book.
There are two main characters – Kate lives in London, she’s 40 years old, finally divorced after years of mental abuse and put-downs by her ex-husband, but still feeling worthless and invisible. Brody lives in Chicago, he’s 52 years old, a widower for the past five years, an ex-cop, father of a 22-year-old daughter, and feeling aimless and sad. Both Kate and Brody need a fresh start and a new perspective on life.
In a small village in northern Scotland lives Moira – 80-something years old, widowed, and owner of the village bookstore (once her whole life but now closed) which she has let fall into complete disrepair since a devastating accident which has left her wheelchair-bound. Four years ago, she followed through on her late husband’s idea of sending invitations out into the world, each one tucked into the pages of a book, inviting the finder of the card to come stay in Bonnie Bay. Until now there have been no takers.
But fate ensures that not only do Kate and Brody both find one of these invitations, they each end up deciding to take the leap of faith and head to Scotland. They meet on a train and it does not go well. Entertaining for us, but definitely not for them. The story proper begins at this point and it’s a fun ride seeing what happens to Kate, Brody, the bookstore, and the inhabitants of Bonnie Bay.
It’s a warm, good-hearted story, a bit predictable but that’s not a criticism, full of interesting characters, drama, angst, beautiful scenery, a sprinkling of amusing Scottish expressions, and birds. A gentle escapist read that makes you feel good about life and the possibilities of second chances.