Welcome to Thursday! The weather has been beautiful here this week, nice enough to walk in the morning. Even better, perfect weather to sit out on the screened in porch and watch lightning bugs and rabbits at twilight. I love lightning bugs, and missed them when I was in Florida and Arizona. I never even thought about that until I moved back to the Midwest. How about you? How’s your weather? What have you been doing and reading this week?
Have any of you read Ashley Ream’s The Peculiar Gift of July? I’ve never read her books before. I’ve read fifty pages of this one, and I have high hopes, if I don’t get bored. I like the atmosphere and setting in this one. Here’s the description.
With a dash of magic and a cast of oddball, small-town characters, this feel-good novel explores forgiveness, family, and the sense of humor it takes to live with the ones we love the most.
Ebey’s End is a small town on an island off the Pacific coast, reachable only by ferry (assuming the gods are with you and it’s not a Tuesday). It’s a comfortable, familiar (but okay, fine, sometimes lonely) life for its resident grocer Anita Odom. That is, until fourteen-year-old July shows up on her doorstep.
Taking in the recently orphaned daughter of an estranged cousin had not been on Anita’s to-do list. In fact, it’s a terrible idea. Anita is ill-suited, ill-prepared, and absolutely certain the entire enterprise will end in disaster—for both of them.
From the moment she arrives, July seems to “know” what each customer at the Island Grocery needs. They’re small things: a housekeeping magazine slipped into old Mr. Daly’s basket or a coconut cream pie pressed into the hands of Pastor Chet. But one by one, these gifts start to change the lives of nearly everyone in town in ways much larger than they—or July—could have imagined.
It’s not long before secrets are exposed and questions emerge, and everyone in Ebey’s End has to open their hearts a little wider to make room for it all.
Do you know how a book welcomes you in? The Peculiar Gift of July does that. I already have a book scheduled for tomorrow. We’ll see if I finish this one by Saturday.
What are you reading this week?
I have not read anything by Ashley Ream, but The Peculiar Gift of July’ sounds promising Lesa! It’s on my wish list now.
For the past three days I’ve been melting over here. Summer is hard for me (heat that saps all my energy, glaring sun, etc.) and it’s been ridiculously hot. 34C (just over 93F) and it’s just all too much for me. And I can’t even legitimately complain when France, for example, is at a dangerous 48C (118F)! I can’t even imagine how hot that must feel.
On Sunday David and I went to a play! This is the second of only two concerts/plays we’ve been to since Covid began. Not sure if I’ll feel comfortable in a crowd of people ever again. But ‘Come From Away’ tempted us, so off we went! We’d not seen it before and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. Very inventively done, touching but also very funny at times. I don’t know how the dozen or so actors could remember so many lines, not to mention taking on more than one role and seamlessly switching between roles and characters throughout the fast-paced production.
Books this week:
THE BINGO HALL DETECTIVES by Jonathan Whitelaw
An enjoyable cozy mystery, featuring an unlikely duo of amateur detectives.
Jason (married, with two children) is a journalist, out of work for the past few months since the local newspaper shut down. A bit depressed about it all he spends most days watching TV and – it has to be said – not putting in much effort to find a new job. His go-getter, 70-year-old mother-in-law Amita, who lives with Jason and his family, hasn’t got much patience with him and is forever urging him to go freelance with his journalism. The two bicker constantly and don’t see eye-to-eye on much at all. Still, every week Jason drives Amita to her weekly bingo game at the church hall.
At one of those games Amita discovers that one of her bingo club friends, Madeleine, has been found dead; fallen off a ladder in her back garden. A tragic accident they’re told. But Amita isn’t buying it and suspects foul play. No matter how often he says he wants nothing to do with this ‘investigation’, she ropes in Jason to help her follow up on her hunches in her search for any evidence that Madeleine’s death was not an accident. Despite Jason’s misgivings and Amita’s recklessness, and their opposite points of view on almost everything, they stumble and bumble their way through the case to the end.
The title of the book is a bit misleading. I expected that the elderly members of the bingo club would band together to solve the mystery but although a few of them did contribute in fairly minor ways, most of the ‘work ‘was done by Amita and Jason.
I found the second half of the book much better than the first. Up till then Jason’s feel-sorry-for-himself attitude was a bit annoying, and not much happened in the story. But then the pace picked up, there was more humour, more suspense, and the relationship between Jason and Amita slowly grew into something bigger and better and I wanted them to succeed and hopefully not die trying. I liked the book enough that I will try the next one in the series to see where the author goes with this sleuthing pair.
THE PRIMROSE MURDER SOCIETY by Stacy Hackney
Lesa talked about this book a few months ago. Another entertaining cozy mystery along with a more serious side that deals with a fraught mother-daughter relationship, and a little bit of found family.
Lila, husband Ryan, and 10-year-old Bea live a charmed life in ritzy Norfolk, Virginia – private schools, lavish lifestyle, glamorous home, posh friends. But all that is suddenly gone when Ryan is accused of stealing a lot of money from a lot of people. To avoid being investigated and jailed, he up and abandons Lila and Bea and goes into hiding. Their home is seized, what possessions haven’t been confiscated by the police have to be sold. With nowhere to go, Lila is forced to take up the offer from her mother’s latest boyfriend – to temporarily move into his deceased mother’s apartment at The Primrose, a retirement building for well-to-do older people. In exchange Lila will clear out the apartment of all the things the boyfriend’s mother hoarded for umpteen years, and get it ready for sale.
It’s definitely not a happy time; Lila is deeply upset about Ryan, and how he could have done something so reprehensible and Bea can’t understand why her father can’t be with them anymore, and consequently ‘handles’ her emotions by acting out; so much so that she ends up being expelled from school. Bea is also obsessed with all things murder-related and is delighted to discover that twenty years ago a 16-year-old girl was murdered in The Primrose and that the killer was never found.
Things get even more complicated when not long after they move in, another resident is killed. The detective on the case has focussed on Lila as his one and only suspect and she’s in serious danger of being arrested, jailed, and charged and then what would happen to Bea? To save herself and to keep Bea from losing her mother as well as her father, Lila determines to investigate and find out who was actually responsible for this latest death.
With a delightful cast of eccentric elderly residents, and a handsome yet irritating newspaper reporter, Lila (and Bea), Jasper (a quiet, retired ex-police detective) and 80-year-old Evelyn (a no-nonsense, not-terribly-nice, opinionated wealthy woman) set out to solve the murder.
I’m sorry summer is treating you and others so miserably, Lindy. those are terrible temperatures for where you live, and for France. I’m sorry.
Wasn’t Come From Away extraordinary? My sister and I have seen it multiple times, but I’d go again tonight if offered the chance.
From the two books you mentioned, I think you’ll like The Peculiar Gift of July.
We liked it right from the opening scene!
Terrific show, wasn’t it, Lindy? So much heart.
Like Lesa , w we loved COME FROM AWAY, and I’d see it again in a minute.
It was surprisingly touching as well, and they packed a lot of stories into that play!
Glad you are enjoying your book so much.
I’m 2/3 of the way through The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts, the newest Marlow Murder Club Mystery by Robert Thorogood. My preorder arrived early, so I dove right in. I’m loving it. The storylines have me hooked, and this is the funniest one in a while. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all wraps up.
I didn’t care much for the first book in the Marlow Club mysteries, Mark, so I never continued on. Good to hear this one is funny.
Me too! I like the TV show better because I like the cast, but the book bored me.
I’ve never heard of Ashley Ream but the book sounds interesting. We’ve had a lot of rain this week which we needed badly. We didn’t need the wind which came with it though. We had a cardinal nesting in a bush outside our porch and the nest didn’t survive the wind.
Roger’s daughter’s father-in-law died so we had to go to the viewing last night. It’s not my favorite thing to do anyway but there was a whole wall of flower arrangements and each of them contained star gazer lilies which I’m very allergic to. I’m not sure why florists insist on including them because the scent gets really overpowering after a while.
I finished two books this week and neither of them is worth talking about.
The Crypt of Dracula by Kane Gilmour
Barely Magical by Debra Castaneda
I know, Sandy! Those lilies have such a strong scent that I used to have to move flowers out of my office. Once, they made me sneeze horribly. Other times, the scent just became too much for me.
My mother thinks she may have lost a nest in high winds, too. Such a shame. When I was home the last time, I’d check on mom on the nest several times a day.
Lilies are definitely not my favourite flower either. I don’t understand why they’re so popular.
Pretty warm here for the most part. We had a busy week, with two concerts and a trip to the doctor in the city. Re the latter, Jackie has scheduled her second knee replacement surgery for September 15. She will go home the same day – so much better than last time, when she had to stay in the hospital for nearly a week, followed by two weeks in the (mostly worthless) rehab place across the street.
Concerts. First was the soon to be 87 year old Dion. Jackie thought it was time for him to retire, but I thought he was still sharp and still did it on “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer.”
We’d seen James Taylor in concert every two or three years (occasionally four) between 1990 and 2016. But in the last 10 years, I have to tell you, his voice is totally shot. There were no songs where he sounded even close to OK. Very not recommended that you spend your money. Listen to the records instead. It was very sad.
We stayed at a hotel for a mini-vacation both times.
Books up next.
Much better for Jackie that she gets to come home right away this time!
That’s sad about both performers that age has taken over.
Yes.
Jackie finished rereading the J.D. Robb book and said she didn’t remember it at all. She liked it the second time and now feels she can reread others in the series. She is reading Carley Fortune’s MEET ME AT THE LAKE, which she likes. She is also watching the Amazon Prime Video adaptation of Fortune’s EVERY SUMMER AFTER (now EVERY YEAR AFTER). She likes it, but can’t understand so many changes from the book, starting with moving it from Toronto to Seattle.
I finished three books this week. First was DUSK AND OTHER STORIES by James Salter. It was OK, bur I preferred his later collection, LAST NIGHT. I’m currently reading a new collection of stories by Edward D. Hoch and another by Andrew Sean Greer.
Caroline Bicks wrote MONSTERS IN THE ARCHIVES: MY YEAR OF FEAR WITH STEPHEN KING. It was fairly interesting, covering his early book and the first short story collection. Current non-fiction read is the very interesting I REGRET ALMOST EVERYTHING: A MEMOIR by British-born restaurateur Keith McNally. He starts with his serious stroke at 65, then goes back to his childhood in London.
I really liked Ann Patchett’s TOM LAKE a couple of years ago, and her new book sounded good. WHISTLER opens when Daphne Fuller’s husband notices an older man following her through the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She doesn’t recognize him, but he turns out to be Eddie Triplett, who was her stepfather for a couple of years until she was 9, now 44 years ago. She and Eddie loved each other, but she hasn’t thought of him in years. What happened back then, after the car crash with the two of them that seemed to precipitate the end of the marriage? Patchett does an exquisite job with the characters and their relationship, past and present, as well as Daphne’s mother and sister. I definitely recommend this one.
I need to read the Carley Fortune book I have before it’s due back at the library.
Thank you, Jeff, for the review of Whistler. I have that one on ebook so I can read it anytime.
Good morning, Lesa and gang! I like the sound of your current book – will look forward to the final review. It’s been pouring rain here since yesterday evening. The summer season is so short here, I am hoping that the weather improves for July and August! This past weekend I traveled home for family graduation parties. It was nice to see everyone. Both young men were extremely gracious greeting those who came to their parties – kudos to my nieces for raising them with manners!
I finished two books this past week:
Dolly All the Time by Annabelle Monaghan: This was a mixture of a Cinderella story and an Audrey Hepburn Sabrina story. Dolly is the daughter of a local fish shop owner in a small town called Whitfield. She is home for the summer, with her teenage son in tow, to help her dad put their semi-burnt porch back in order and to help out with the family seafood business. On her way home from a fish delivery, she runs into the handsome Stewart Whitfield, of the very wealthy family for whom the town is named, on the side of the road with a flat tire. He is helpless to repair it, so Dolly rescues him. Soon after, their photo appears in a local paper, with a tagline saying that Stewart was teaching Dolly how to change a tire. Stewart finds Dolly, confesses to making up the story for the paper, and asking her if she would agree to be his pretend girlfriend for the summer. HIs real girlfriend had dumped him, because he is a workaholic, and he wants to hire Dolly to fake a relationship, that his family would buy into, in order to obtain the reins of their dynasty (which would only happen if they were assured that he had work/life balance). Dolly negotiates enough money to fix the porch and reroof her dad’s house. What follows is the typical storyline of the couple truly falling in love, then a break-up, and then getting back together again. A very well written, totally relatable story with likable characters. Highly recommend. I hope the author writes a sequel!
Inside Man (Head Cases #2) by John McMahon: A fast paced sequel to Head Cases. Gardner Camden and his PAR crew get involved with solving a case that involves a stockpile of untraceable guns and ammunition, in DC, no less, near the White House. And he also catches a serial killer, who has ties to the munitions case, as he killed their confidential informant. Never a dull moment as they work to find the stockpile and the killer. Another satisfying installment.
I have Dolly All The Time in my Libby queue. Looks like a fun read.
And, I have Dolly All the Time from the library. I can’t keep up!
I hope you get nice summer weather in July and August, Mary.
Hello, Lesa and friends! My big news here is our move-from Providence to Bristol (Rhode Island). Our condo is near the bay, and I love how quiet and breezy it is. We are about half an hour from Newport on a normal day. I was supposed to go to the Newport Flower Show last week but bridge repair traffic ruined those plans.
Last week I enjoyed The Last Lady B, which Lesa recommended. It is a clever mashup of Bluebeard and historical romance with a satirical edge. Going through the boxes of boxes from kiddo’s childhood made me nostalgic, so I am reading the new Percy Jackson book from Rick Riordan. I am a little disappointed since Percy doesn’t seem to be learning anything new about himself or the world.
I hope now that we have moved I can settle into a schedule where I can regularly participate here on Thursdays!
Trisha, You’ll have to keep us posted about your adventures in your new home. It sounds lovely, except for bridge repairs.
I haven’t read a Percy Jackson book in years, but I used to love them. I bogged down with Riordan’s later series.
Moving is such a lot of work! but it sounds like you love your new home already. I’m happy for you.
I listened to a portion of The Peculiar Gift of July on Amazon and added it to my wishlist.
I am only two chapters into The Cantaloupe Thief by Deb Richardson-Moore and now want to read everything she has written. I love this book. Sometimes, I have to stop and savor the details about the characters.
Just added it to my TBR!
As someone born & raised in the Western US, I had never seen fireflies until I worked in the Midwest. The very first time was in the evening walking in a park with huge cottonwoods along the river. My first thought was those brief flashes were a vision problem!
I finally read Dana Stabenow’s THE HARVEY GIRL, which was reviewed here months ago. Set in 1890 New Mexico Territory, it features a young Pinkerton agent undercover on a case for Fred Harvey.
Years ago, I happened upon a display in Arizona that piqued my interest in this topic.The Harvey Girls were a legendary group of waitresses recruited by entrepreneur Fred Harvey starting in 1883. Intelligent, respectable single women between the ages of 18 and 30 from the East Coast and Midwest.
And isn’t it odd how a historical topic will have a moment in fiction? I enjoyed two books last year after the Stabenow book had been announced. FRIED CHICKEN CASTENADA, a debut by Suzanne Stauffer set in 1929, with a crime solving Harvey Girl in New Mexico. And THE HARVEY GIRLS, by Juliette Fay, a historical romance set partially in the Grand Canyon, 1926. Both feature the daily life of a Harvey Girl along with the Fred Harvey Courier tours. I enjoyed reading these unique interpretations of the same facts.
I also read MISSING, the debut novel by E.A. Jackson with London Detective Inspector Martha Allen. Positively reviewed here just this week. It’s definitely a twist on the police procedural with the emphasis on persistence.
Rounding off the week with Fergus Craig’s I’M NOT THE ONLY MURDERER IN MY RETIREMENT HOME.
It’s an entertaining bit of a humorous crime novel with some nice clues & red herrings. Not to be confused with the real world.
MM, as someone who grew up with fireflies, I find it funny you thought you were having vision problems.
It is interesting to see subjects repeat in books, especially when you know the publishing schedule was probably two years out.
Missing was an interesting twist.
MM, I had forgotten entirely about my childhood experiences with fireflies… in Birmingham, Alabama. We used to try to catch them in glass jars at night; I don’t remember how successful we were and I assume we let them go each night. Thanks for reminding me.
Have been struggling to read, no concentration. All efforts are to keep things healthy and happy for Luciano. We are at the hospital now, where he will have another round of chemo. He is doing pretty well with so much going on. The nausea has been much better managed.
I have picked up quite a few books. The one I was able to get through was Murder on the Rocks by T.E. Kinsey. I don’t usually read cosy mysteries, but this series makes me laugh. Set in Devon, Lady Hardcastle and her maid/friend Flo have to solve a series of murders set at an island resort. The banter between the two is fun. Hopefully, another book will be coming soon as it was just what I needed.
Oh, Jennifer. I can understand why it’s hard to concentrate. Luciano is much more important. I’m glad you found a book that was a distraction.
Sending hugs.
I cannot imagine how hard it must be to watch Luciano go through all this. I feel so sorry for you and all your family. (The book you found to read sounds perfect for right now. You made it sound interesting and I’ve now got the 1st in the series on order.)
I’ve never read anything by her. That one does sound interesting. I’m hoping to finish Road Trip today and then start on The Mountains Call us Home by Kim Michelle Richardson. It’s the 3rd in her Bookwoman saga. I love the characters and the rugged mountain setting. The weather in Florida right now can best be described as broiling. The feels like temperatures are close to 110. It’s been raining a lot around the state, but not where we live.
Mary Ann, My friend, Donna, will want to know about the Bookwoman book. I know she loved the two earlier ones.
I hope you like the ending of Road Trip.
Good morning, everyone! Lesa, the book you described sounds wonderful, so I put a hold on it at the library. Much as I am trying to concentrate on my NetGalley books, I couldn’t resist this one.’ And, if it turns out you didn’t much like it, I can always cancel my hold.
On Saturday I went with 8 or 9 other Drama Queens to see Working for Crumbs at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento. I absolutely loved the hilarious Dog Mom when I saw it there last year, and it’s a lovely theater, but I’m sad to say this one was not great. The person who sat next to me said, when the lights came up for the intermission, “I am SO disappointed.” So was I. It is a farce where the two main characters somehow think that delivering their lines at the top of their voices makes it funnier–sorry, no, just more irritating for me. Enough said. Some of the others in our group liked it, and there was a woman a couple of rows behind me who laughed loudly at every single line. (sigh) It’s always nice to go to the theatre with others in the group, though.
Anyway, I actually finished three books this week!
‘Rachel Linden is a comfort read author, many of whose more recent books focus on women in the culinary industry. In A SPRINKLE OF SWEET SERENDIPITY, Emmie has hoped for a career that includes opening her own artisanal chocolate shop, after studying and apprenticing in Paris. But six years earlier, she had returned to her home in Washington state when her father became ill and needed help with their family fudge shop. Emmie is also the single mom of precocious six-year-old Gus, her father has now died, and her mother’s health is not what it used to be. Emmie feels her dreams–both career and romantic–have stalled because she is about to be 34 years old and still waiting for the magical event that has informed all of the other women in the family of what to expect in their future. And when it finally happens on her birthday, she is somewhat puzzled but excited by what she sees. As time passes, Emmie wonders if that vision is really what she wants in her life. Of course, there are two men involved–one from the vision whom she hasn’t yet met and the other an old friend from her school years. The plot is predictable, as it is in most rom-coms, but there were enough interesting details and characters to keep me happily reading. My favorite part was the mouth-watering chocolates Emmie designs, featuring local ingredients from the Pacific Northwest. I wanted to taste them all! Sometimes it’s a relief to read a story that we know will turn out well–even one where the magical realism is a little hard to swallow–, and this one fulfills that promise.
I love a good show biz memoir, as you know, and James Hong’s You’VE SEEN ME BEFORE checks all of the boxes. I do remember seeing him in many movies and TV shows–both dramas and comedies–and always recognized him and knew his name. Because he frequently used an Asian accent, I assumed he came to the US from China. I didn’t realize that he was actually born in Minnesota, although he and his family spent a few years living in Hong Kong during his early childhood. Hong’s parents didn’t want James to have a career in show business, but after completing an engineering degree and working in the field for a brief time, he convinced them when he started having success in garnering performing roles. James Hong showed himself to be a thoughtful actor, coming up with different ways to deliver his dialogue and create a memorable character. He played opposite many of the great actors in movies such as Chinatown, Flower Drum Song, The Sand Pebbles, Blade Runner, and most recently, the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once He could often be seen as a guest star in such popular TV series as Friends, Seinfeld, and The Big BangTheory, and he has won awards for his voiceover acting, including the Kung Fu Panda series and Mulan. When Hong’s career began, white actors often played the leading roles of Asian characters, using prosthetics on their eyes. But over the years, James Hong was a part of changing the way Asian actors were regarded and appreciated. He co-founded an all-Asian acting troupe and served on the board of the Screen Actors’ Guild headed by Charlton Heston. In this book, Hong focuses mostly on his career,and what a career it has been! Recently he received a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, which was long overdue for this now-97-year-old actor with more than 700 roles to his credit. I found the book very entertaining and enjoyed every page. (September)
In the second book in Jean Grainger’s engaging Mags Munroe series, GROWING WILD IN THE SHADE, Mags continues to navigate her career as a sergeant in the police (Gardai) in the Irish town of Ballycarrick and her personal life as a wife. mother of two young girls, and daughter of a widowed mother. The main plot continues the story of the local Travellers caravan, a traditionally nomadic group that have their own community, which some locals think is too close to the rest of the town. Now there’s a push to relocate them farther away so that their current land can be purchased to add to the local private school’s sporting activities. It’s not technically a police issue, but Mags’s relationships with both the locals and with the head of the Travellers compels her to get involved. Supporting characters include the daughter of the Travellers’ leader and a fairly new Garda, who feels herself also being torn between the two sides of the issue. Then there’s Mags’s mother, who is flustered by the fact that there are now two men pursuing a romantic relationship with her–one an old friend and the other a newcomer in town. Mags’s husband, with whom she has a wonderful marriage, is struggling with his fear of what violence might occur in the process of Mags’s Garda responsibilities, especially since she has been injured before. And their children have the usual issues of daily life that need loving but firm direction. Mags, of course, is often caught in the middle of all of this, and we continue to root for her to succeed. This is a low-key series, with little violence, but enough intrigue to keep you reading . There are three more books in this series from an ultra-prolific writer, and I’m sure I will seek out more about Mags Munroe.
Well, darn, Margie. I’m sorry about Working for Crumbs. I walked out at intermission when I saw a production of Hamlet in which the lead shouted his part. Hard for you to do that since you were with a group.
I enjoy Linden’s books, too.
Your book sounds fun, Lesa! That’s a new to me author.
My book of the week is the very spicy THE MISSED CONNECTION By Tia Williams.
Sasha Cruz knows types. As a booked-and-busy casting agent, she’s always casting—at happy hour, the grocery store, everywhere. She’s all about finding the perfect person to slot into the perfect role. What she doesn’t do, however, is relationships. Too much energy, not enough time.
On a flight to Paris for work, a chance encounter with her type changes everything. Sasha’s seated next to a broodingly attractive mystery man, and sparks fly—but they never exchange contact information. Convinced she’s lost out on her soulmate, Sasha emails her work friend for help, but accidentally writes to the entire company worldwide! The international manhunt to find Seat F begins.
Meanwhile Sasha takes matters into her own hands. She hires a smoldering detective she knew in another lifetime—who complicates matters in unforeseen (and irresistible) ways.
With a worldwide search underway, will love take flight for Sasha?
I have The Missed Connection. Good to know it’s spicy, Kaye. It sounds good.
I read The Peculiar Gift of July. To be honest I don’t remember much of it so I am afraid I can’t be much help, Lesa.
I read two books this week.
Hold on to Your Heart by Malika Nekhla was about a whirlwind romance in Ireland between Olivia and Eammon that ended in heartbreak. Just as Olivia is getting ready to move to Canada with her new boyfriend 14 years later, she comes across Eammon at a book signing. He is reading from his novel that is essentially his and Olivia’ love story. Told in alternating chapters of the book and real life, does Olivia reconnect with Eammon or move to Canada with Graham? This was the author’s debut book, and I enjoyed it very much.
My second book was The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin about the power struggle between Wallis Simpson and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. I’ve read several books about Wallis Simpson so not much of the story was new to me, but I very much enjoyed the gossipy tone of the book and loved this one too.
Happy Reading!
Just curious, Sharon. I’m loving the atmosphere and feeling of this book.
You liked The Windsor Affair. I enjoy Melanie Benjamin on Facebook, but I’ve never connected with her voice in her novels. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I’m late today. I hit the ground running this morning because I had to head over to one of the schools to do an inventory and then move to another school. Shipments have been coming in left and right and all has to be done by July 23rd. Which seems like a while but really isn’t.
The weather here has been HOT! We’re supposed to get cooler weather this weekend which I’m looking forward to.
This week, I didn’t get anything read. I started several books and they just don’t strike my fancy. Here’s to better luck next week.
Good luck both with the school libraries and your reading, Bev!
It’s been a little cooler than usual. Quite nice!
This week I read:
Death Has Deep Roots by Michael Gilbert; A British major is killed in a hotel in England, and the primary suspect is a French woman he knew in the Underground during WWII. A lawyer guy goes to France to suss the background, and finds about what always gets found in these books written just after the war. A Scottish guy roams around and gets in a lot of fights. He seemed extraneous, but I learned he’s the guy who is supposed to be the spotlight of the series!
The Walton Boys and Gold in the Snow by Hal Burton; a Hardy Boys type deal where three brothers, all in their teens go to Utah to ski and find a lost mine. I can’t even imagine a parent letting kids go 2,000 miles away without supervision anymore. The youngest kid makes almost every poor decision he can, to further the narrative, but it’s still not bad.
When Falcons Fall by CS Harris; Sebastien St. Cyr is in the hinterlands, looking for his ancestry, when a female sketch artist is strangled. He goes on the hunt. Napoleon’s brother and nephew are in town, and everyone is paranoid about that. A lot of the book covers the many Enclosure Acts passed about 40 years earlier than the novel. Rich guys would get parliament to enclose vast swathes of land, stripping all the other citizens of ancient rights to the land, so the rich guys could raise sheep. It’s almost hard to believe the British cared so little about their own citizens, and then you read about the grooming gangs, and it all seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same.
At least someone other than me has likable weather, Glen.
Times have changed so much in the last fifty years. My sister and a couple friends took an RV to the Smoky Mountains when they were in high school. So, the Walton Boys isn’t really surprising. Those were days kids could be let alone. My husband and his parents went to Niagara Falls when he was about seven. He didn’t want to go on The Maid of the Mist with him, so they let him sit on a bench while they went.
I will have to check out that book by Ashley Ream. I don’t know if it is my kind of book but any book about books is worth looking into.
Today I am removing my cardiac ECG monitor that I have been wearing for a week, and we will return it to the clinic this afternoon. I will be glad to have that done with. It is very small but I kept worrying if it would come off. My digestion is much better, but I am eating a lot less, just experimenting with what works. My fatigue is not much better, I have had maybe one decent day in the last week and I have trouble with focusing. I have an appt with my primary care doctor next Monday.
Glen finished reading THE ANONYMOUS CLIENT, book 2 in the Steve Winslow series by Parnell Hall, writing as J.P. Hailey. He enjoyed this book a lot.
Now he is reading a book of short stories: CAT PICTURES PLEASE AND OTHER STORIES by Naomi Kritzer. He has read the first two stories and enjoyed both of them.
I have taken a break from reading MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot. Right now I am reading A GRAVEYARD FOR LUNATICS by Ray Bradbury, which is about as far as you can get from MIDDLEMARCH as possible. It is the second of three mystery novels that Bradbury wrote featuring Elmo Crumley as the “detective”, although he doesn’t show up very much. More fantasy than mystery, and set in Hollywood at a movie studio. And very weird. I have read about half of the book.
If I finish the Bradbury book by the end of the month, I will have read three books in June, not many for me. Plus 500 pages of MIDDLEMARCH.
Good luck, Tracy, with your heart and health.
I may have to check out Ray Bradbury’s mysteries.
It’s no fun at all to feel unwell, especially for as long as you have Tracy. I bet you feel quite free with that monitor being off now though! I hope your doctor will have something enlightening and positive to tell you next week.
While I’d rather wait until I finish a book to talk about it, I thought I’d make an exception. I know Lesa (like me) is a fan of K-9 mysteries, and I think several others here may be fans too. A first mystery by animal behavior expert and author Patricia B. McConnell came out in February. It’s AWAY TO ME. Maddie is a behavioral specialist, treating mostly dogs that bite people or other animals, usually (she says) because they are afraid themselves. She is also training her sheepdog Jack. Then, at a sheepdog trial, her friend and mentor George is shot dead in the middle of a field. Surely this couldn’t happen by accident, but no one has another explanation. Meanwhile, she keeps getting fascinating cases of troubled dogs that need her help, like the K-9 who is terrified of thunder.
So far (about 25% read), it’s very good. McConnell has published non-fiction books about dog training, among other things.
Jackie is going to read it next.
I put Away to Me on hold at the library, Jeff. It sounds good. And, just so you know, Jeff, Margaret Mizushima has a new Timber Creek K-9 mystery, Fighting Edge, coming out at the beginning of September.
‘Away To Me’ sounds great Jeff, and I’ve just put it in my online ‘cart’. I’m glad you mentioned it!
This morning I received from the publisher, Severn River, an ARC for DARK HARBOR. The next book in the Detective Justice series by Bruce Robert Coffin. Weekend plans locked.
Enjoy, Kevin!