I’ve been in Evansville, Indiana this week, spending time with my best friend, Donna, and her husband, Terry. Terry’s a cook, like my brother-in-law, so we’ve enjoyed homemade meals at their house every night. I drove in on Monday, had dinner with them that evening, and then back to my hotel. On Tuesday, Donna and I ran around most of the day, visiting the four libraries that have been renovated since I retired three years ago. On Wednesday, we went to lunch with the former HR Director at the library (Donna’s former boss), who is a friend. A nice leisurely two-hour lunch before she and I went to see the movie Practical Magic 2. That’s one thing she and I always did together, go to movies, and enjoy the analysis afterwards. This one was fun with a terrific cast. Then, one last dinner there before I left today.
So, I’m on the road today, and won’t catch up with you until late this afternoon. Weather has been great, and I have no book to talk about today.
What about you? I want to hear about your week, so I can look forward to reading about it when I get home. What are you reading?
I hope you spent a little time with friends or family this week.
Your time in Evansville sounds perfect Lesa; I would have enjoyed doing all the things you talked about.
This was a more social week than is usual for me. David and visited two former neighbours one afternoon, where the four of us nattered away for almost four hours(!) while our friend plied us with tea and homemade goodies. Then later in the week we visited our delightful new upstairs neighbour twice. Well, one time she and I chatted while David hung more of her artwork, and the other time she had another neighbour and me come over and she taught us how to play Mahjong. It might take me some time to remember all the little rules. And the beginning setup with the making of walls is somewhat confusing, but it was all fun.
Books:
DEATH AT THE WHITE HART by Chris Chibnall
I liked this book (reviewed by Lesa more than a year ago). It’s the debut novel by the creator of the TV show Broadchurch, which I know about but have never watched.
Detective Nicola Bridge, her husband, and son Ethan have just moved from Liverpool to the village of Fleetcombe, where she grew up. It’s an attempt to repair her marriage. The hope is that the slower pace of village life will allow her to devote more time to the family. Unfortunately, no sooner has she arrived than there is a murder, theatrically staged – dead man tied to a chair in the middle of a road with a set of antlers glued to his head. He is quickly identified as Jim Tiernan, publican of the White Hart pub in town.
Used to having access to endless resources in Liverpool, Nicola now has only her DC Harry Ward, younger than her by a decade, and also Mel whose job seems to be that of data analyst. They have their work cut out for them as it seems several people in Fleetcombe are plausible suspects, and it’s proving difficult to ferret out the truth when the statements given are eventually shown to be either incomplete, misleading, or just untrue altogether. Complicating everything is the fact that in 1925 crimes with similar aspects occurred, with ties to the family of a local farmer, but is it even possible that this murder many decades later can be connected to those?
I liked how each of the first few chapters focussed on one of the characters so we learned a bit about them and got a feel for kind of people they were. And by the time they became part of the story we ‘knew’ them already and the story flowed naturally.
I also liked that this is not just the story of Detective Nicola solving a case, it’s also a story of Nicola herself – her life and her family and more about why she’s now in Fleetcombe, all of which adds another level of interest.
The story is good, reads easily, has great dialogue, and it was fun seeing how Nicola and Harry find their way to a pretty good working relationship, considering it got off to an inauspicious and rocky start.
I discovered there’s a second book in the series coming out in December, called The Parkwood Murders.
WHEN LEMONS GIVE YOU LIFE by Anna Johnston
This story covers a multitude of issues including death of a loved one, ADHD, the lengths one is prepared to go to for those we love, family, forgiveness, second chances, and lies – none of which the author shies away from, and she makes them feel completely authentic and believable.
Famous chef Griff Barlow, once the owner of a Michelin-star restaurant is now a resident on the dementia ward at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility. This particular facility is not the best of places, and the food may be the worst Griff has ever eaten. He is also grieving the loss of the love of his life, his husband Beau. Add to that a broken relationship with his half-sister Lisa, and lingering family trauma from decades ago which has affected his entire life – how he interacts with others, and how he views himself.
After the death of his husband, Griff decides to end his life; there’s nothing left for him now. Wanting one ‘last meal’ he sneaks into the nursing home’s kitchen late one night and bakes himself a lemon tart. That one act will have wide repercussions, and sets the story on a whole new trajectory.
Told by Griff and Lisa in alternating chapters, plus flashback chapters which give us all the background to their lives, the book is nevertheless easy to read and not at all confusing.
I found it a bit frustrating that the reason for the rift between Griff and Lisa went on so long. It made sense at the time it started but I thought that decades later these now-adults might have sorted it out and saved themselves a lot of heartache. Still, that’s just a quibble – this is a very moving story, and yet often humorous and uplifting at the same time. It feels like a hopeful book even as it’s busy making you think about what’s important in life, and what it takes to keep going when the situation seems impossible; and that kindness and honesty are always the right ways forward.
I have time for just a comment or two before I hit the road, Lindy. I’m glad you liked Death at the White Hart as much as I did. And, thank you! I didn’t know about The Parkwood Murders. I hope I can get a copy.
I’ve always wanted to learn to play Mahjong. It seems to be hot at libraries right now.
Sounds like you had a great visit. My parents were in town for a few hours on Sunday. We found a park to hang out in and played some games, which was fun.
Reading wise, I had a busy day, so I only got two chapters into ESSENTIALS OF HOMICIDE by Kim Davis. It’s the third book in her Aromatherapy Apothecary series. So far, I’m enjoying it, but I have a long ways to go.
Thanks, Mark. I did have a great visit. It sounds as if you enjoyed yours with your parents as well.
And, I hope the book holds up!
I am reading The Seven Daughters of Duprey. I just finished Sisters of the Midnight Sun which was sooooo good. I’m listening to Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane – I love how he writes Boston (it’s very accurate)
Oh, I loved Small Mercies, Melissa. It was on my Favorites of 2023 list. I’ve never been to Boston, but I hosted Dennis Lehane once, and I heard him speak another time. He writes so well.
I had a great weekend with my niece. She would visit frequently when she was single, but then married life and a baby slowed that down. It was wonderful having time with her. It’s definitely feeling like Fall these days. I’m enjoying the less humid weather. Next week I will be in Denver visiting a girlfriend – looking forward to that. We’ve been changing software systems for our database at work and it has required hours of manual data input to migrate the information – my eyes are looking forward to the break!
This week I read:
– The Shadow Friends (Martini Club #3) by Tess Gerritsen. A very readable addition to the Martini Club series. A dead body of one of the speakers at a global catastrophes conference in Maine, leads to the death of a hotel waitress, killed by a stiletto through the eye. Reminiscent of a case that Ingrid was involved in 28 years earlier, has her returning to Spain with a former lover to track down the possible killer. Her husband Lloyd, and best friend Maggie, soon follow, trying to find Ingrid and rescue her from harm. Almost getting Ingrid killed, the three of them return to Maine, where the killer has always resided. Finding the killer, saving her marriage, and keeping her friends alive has Ingrid hopping, and feeling very much alive. A fun romp, looking forward to the next book in the series!
Those short visits are great, aren’t they, Mary? Enjoy your own visit with your Denver friend.
I liked #3 in The Martini Club series better than #2. I thought it was fun, too.
Safe trip back, Lesa,that trip sounds like a lot of driving to me. My week has involved a lot of talking with a tech from Cannon and then their tech service. Someone from a different country put a bad malware on my new laptop and prevented me from connecting my computer. The tech said this has happened a lot since the Iran War started. I have developed a new medical complaint, the left side of my back itches and feels like it is on fire. It isfrom damage to two thoraic nerves.
Meanwhile, I finished reading My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family’s Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege.Jennifer Teege tells her own story about finding out that she is the granddaughter of Amon Goeth, the ruthless Nazi commandant portrayed in Schindler’s List. She was in her local library and saw a red book with the title, The Life Story of Monika Goeth, Daughter of the Commandant from Schindler’s List. She was shocked. It was written by her mother who gave her up for adoption. She had been looking for a book on depression. She had been suffering from that. Imagine the shock of seeing a book by your parent on a library shelf telling about her grandfather who is infamous. She checked the book out and read all night until she finished it. She struggled with it and book concentrates on what she found out and how she dealt with it. It is a book well worth reading.
Also started The Best Short Stories of 2026, edited by Tommy Orange. So far the only parts that I have liked was the introduction by the editor, the first story and a strange Russian story about a bear who kidnaps a teenager. I am having trouble with the others so far.
,
Carol, I’m sorry to read of more troubles in your life. First the laptop and now another medical complaint. You don’t need more things to deal with, you need far fewer bad things! I wish you well.
Thank you ! I do need a break from troubles.
Just one of those issues is enough to deal with! Hoping for better days ahead!
Oh, I like to drive, Carol, and I like to be in the car by myself. I play my music, and enjoy my trip.
Yes, that book does sound shocking. I can’t even imagine her feelings.
The nights are getting cooler and longer, the end of another summer. We were perhaps a week or two early on our leaf viewing trip. But I don’t miss the crowds that appear when the word gets out on peak viewing. The best showing was at the higher elevations. We did venture up to Rock Creek Lake at almost 10,000 ft.
Earlier this year, Lesa, you mentioned the first of David Housewright’s Rushmore McKenzie novels, A HARD TICKET HOME. My library had a copy, so I decided to have a look-see at the twenty-some book series. The characters in this first book are quite memorable. I’m looking forward to the next few in the series which my library has available. It is interesting to measure my current expectations in crime solving against what was standard a quarter century ago when this was written.
A SCANDAL IN MAYFAIR by Katharine Schellman
I enjoy the Lily Adler series, a Regency-era historical mystery set in England. A missing will, a dead body or two and the threat of blackmail make this, the fifth in the series, an interesting read. I did find the author’s heavy-hand in revealing clues in this story rather odd.
I introduced my brother-in-law to the David Housewright books, too, MM. I’v read two, and have the third here. That’s interesting that you say that. Now, I’ll have to pay more attention with the third book. Maybe I just don’t have expectations. I’ll have to see.
The next Lily Adler, Peril in the Night, is due out in March. Still a while to wait. I appreciate it that some of you tend to notice things in mysteries that I don’t, or at least don’t remember later. I think that’s great.
Thanks Lesa – I was able to put a “notify me” in for the Peril in the Night ebook.
Safe travels.
It’s been a very busy week here, and pretty much the only reading I’ve finished was a bunch of short stories. So if you’ll indulge me:
Friday was the 25th Anniversary of 9/11/2001, a bigger deal in New York than anywhere else, in all likelihood. You really do relive that day. I won’t bore you with “where were you when…?” The only people we knew who died were a local waitress from a restaurant e eat at and the firefighter husband of one of Jackie’s fellow teachers.
That night we watched COME FROM AWAY on Apple+, the live recording of the Broadway musical we saw in 2018. It’s as moving now as it was the first time, and Jackie (like Lesa) cried all over again.
Saturday was our last concert of the summer at Jones Beach – John Fogerty and Steve Winwood- and it was one of the best. Fogerty is 81, but still sings and runs around the stage like someone a lot younger, and Winwood did a nice hour-long set, ending with “Higher Love” and “Gimme Some Lovin’.” We stayed at the Marriott as usual.
Thirteen plus years ago, Jackie had a knee replacement. It was not fun, particularly as they kept her in the hospital for 5 days, then transferred her across the street to a crappy rehab place for another TWO WEEKS, during which time they did little rehab. She swore she’d never go through that again.
But time passes, and the left leg got worse, and we’ve heard from relatives and friends how much better it is now, so she scheduled surgery for Tuesday. It went well, but she had trouble balancing after the surgery, so we were in the hospital from 6 am to 5:30 pm, when they let her go home. She is improving but had a lot of pain last night. Like my two cousins who had the surgery earlier this year, she found sitting up eased the pain more than lying down. I keep reminding her, last time it was nearly three weeks before she came home. This takes time.
Sorry for going on so long, but this is where my reading time has gone this week.
One last thing: today is Jackie’s birthday!
Books. She finished book two of the Rebecca Yarros Empyrean series, IRON FLAME. She liked it but said it was “very dark” and reminded her of Hunger Games.
One last comment. When we moved to this building many years ago, there were a lot of older women living here. One day, one of them gave me words of advice:
Don’t get old.
Considering the alternative, I’ll take getting old, as long as you can have good health.
Happy Birthday to Jackie! I’m sorry she’ll have to spend it in pain though. Please give her a hug from me. I’m sending all my good thoughts her way today.
Thanks a lot, Lindy. She is feeling a lot better this morning, and she spoke to a nurse on the phone who was very reassuring.
Happy birthday to Jackie and best wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope the pain subsides quickly.
Happy Birthday to Jackie!
I hope her knee continues to recover quickly.
Happy Birthday! Your knee pain WILL get better! Wishing you a quick recovery.
Thanks for all the good wishes. She is feeling much better today – and it’s not just the strawberry shortcake for her birthday, or the chocolate-dipped strawberries my sister sent – and is walking better (small steps).
Happy birthday to Jackie! I’ve been thinking about her and her knee operation a lot over the past few weeks. The procedure has been greatly simplified over the past few years and has helped countless people. I refused to mention my wife’s horrifying experience with her second knee replacement to you because I did not want Jackie to worry or obsess needlessly. I know Jackie’s pain will soon be gone and she will be moving with great ease. She deserves all the strawberries in the world!
an up-and-down week, Jeff, at least for Jackie. I just love Come From Away, and that cast of the original play was fantastic. I had never heard of any of them, and they stayed with that show, and had rousing ovations every night. Of course, now, I’ve heard of Jen Carella. But I loved that cast. And, I’ve enjoyed every version I’ve seen, but that one was special.
Tell Jackie I said Happy Birthday. I’m sorry she’s in pain, and probably will be for a while. People used to say the third day after the surgery is the most painful. I hope not!
I enjoy hearing about your concerts. I’m glad it was last week instead of this one so you two could go and enjoy it.
I’m home safely, although it took much longer coming home than going. Twice, the interstate was down to one lane, and I think every semi in the state of Kentucky had to move over, first to the right lane, and half an hour later to the left. Lost a half an hour to traffic.
Last weekend I decided to take an up-for grabs ticket to Come From Away at almost the last minute–someone was unable to go–with the Drama Queens. I had already seen the show twice and watched the filmed Broadway show on Apple TV. But I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see it at the Sacramento Music Circus, which is “in the round” (audience 360 degrees around the stage). And I’m so glad I did. That was the perfect venue for this show, which doesn’t need much for staging. To boot, it was the day after 9/11, which is the inspiration for the show that tells the real-life story of Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 airplanes diverted from the closed US airspace landed in this small town and had to depend on the residents for their needs for five days. It was the seventh time seeing it for the leader of the Drama Queens! Highly recommended. As for the rest of the week, I had an unprecedented four games and did no better than mediocre for any of them (lost my table at Rummikub and lost every hand with my partner at Samba). But still fun! Here’s what I finished reading this week:
I didn’t notice when I requested MINGLE ALL THE WAY by Susan Mallery that it consisted of a book I had already read under another title and a novella. Here’s the review I wrote in 2021 of The Christmas Wedding Guest: “If you like the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from a Hallmark Christmas movie, you will probably get the same feeling from this first book in a new series by the prolific Susan Mallery. Two sisters with romantic relationship issues, their mother who wants the big wedding she and their father never had, a rock star, two ex-boyfriends, two special dogs, an elementary school class, a pregnancy, and a Christmas-loving small town named Wishing Tree–they’re all there. And while it’s predictable, it’s also a pleasant and undemanding way to spend some time. I enjoyed it.” As for the Wishing Tree prequel novella, Say You’ll Stay, I didn’t feel it had the length required to focus on the details that make for memorable characters and a writing style that is more nuanced. It didn’t work for me, but others may appreciate the simplistic love story. (October)
If you were a devoted fan of Young Sheldon, a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory, you will be delighted by YOUNG SHELDON: the (Juicier-than-Meemaw’s Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy, written by Jessica Radloff, who also authored the inside story of The Big Bang Theory so beautifully. I am a big fan of both shows, so I thoroughly enjoyed this lengthy book, which spills all the details I was hoping for. From Chuck Lorre’s initial idea for the spinoff series to the emotional final episode after seven years as the top TV comedy, it is a rewarding and immersive book about a unique success story.The first two years were especially challenging, as The Big Bang Theory was still on the air, requiring much of the creative team to do double duty. Later they had to contend with delays caused by the pandemic, then the writer/actor strikes. My favorite parts include a deep dive into each major character and actor, from casting to adjusting to a one-camera (no studio audience) format to dealing with an adoring public, developing friendships, and revealing highlights of their personal lives. Supporting characters are also well explored, along with the actors who played them. And for each of the seven seasons, selected episodes are highlighted and thoroughly explored. There is so much more that I haven’t mentioned that you should consider reading it yourself if you are more than a bit curious about the inner workings of a hit show and an atmosphere that respected and celebrated both the writers and the cast. (October)
Margie, Did you see that Chuck Lorre has a memoir out next month? It’s called Sitcom: A Memoir. Just thought you might be interested. I know you read The Big Bang Theory Book, and now Young Sheldon.
Oh, I bet it was fun to see Come From Away in the round. It’s just a marvelous show.
Lesa, I am aware of the CHuck Lorre memoir, but so far it hasn’t hit NetGalley. I think I will have to look for it at the library, but I definitely will!
What am I reading when I have time?
Short stories:
First is an entertaining collection of locked rooms and other impossible crimes from around the world, ALL THE CRIME IN THE WORLD, edited by Gigi Pandian and Tom Mead.
Second is DADDY by Emma Cline. She has been highly praised for her new book, but if this is an example…she’s not for me. Unpleasant, unlikable characters I don’t care about. My time is too precious for this.
Non fiction:
ARE THEY DEAD YET?: The Art of the Obit by Sam Roberts. Interesting subject, some good stories, but…I’ve always found him a little dry on television and he is here too.
Mystery:
THE MIDNIGHT TAXI by Yosha Gunasekera. This is the book that has suffered most from my lack of reading time. Siriwathi Perera is a Sri Lankan American taxi driver in New York City who prides herself in her knowledge of the city. Then one night, she gets to JFK Airport to drop off a late fare, only to find him stabbed to death in the back seat, and herself arrested for murder. But how was he killed in a locked cab? She does have one person on her side, Legal Aid lawyer – also Sri Lankan – Amaya Fernando. And they have five days to find the real killer before the Grand Jury indicted her and she goes to Rikers.
All the Crime in the World sounds good. I love locked room murders.
I’m sorry for The Midnight Taxi.
Today is hopefully the last day of the summer that will not end with feel temperatures of over 100 degrees.
We traveled over the weekend to visit our daughter and her family and to see Come from Away. The production at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort exceeded expectations. It was just fabulous. We laughed and cried and seriously considered getting tickets to the evening show, but we watched it on Apple TV when we got home. Great play, terrific food and the visit with our daughter, her husband and sons was priceless.
I read Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen this week. It has been reviewed here several times, I think. I enjoyed the story of the Wester family and their secrets. I did find the book atmospheric but rather melancholy. Willamena’s son Tug was my favorite character. I enjoy this author’s writing and hope her next book won’t take as long to publish.
My second book was The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff. Another good one. The story begins with Leo and April’s house burning down right after Leo asks for a divorce. Leo, April, and their children move in with April’s parents. Deb and Billy are also dealing with their own tragedy as Billy has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. This was told in retrospect as well as present day from Leo’s, April’s and Deb’s point of view. I nearly read it in one sitting.
Safe travels home, Lesa.
Happy Reading!
I couldn’t be happier than everyone is watching Come From Away.
I waited and waited for Paper Ghosts. And, then Kaye said it wasn’t as good as she hoped. And, you didn’t seem excited about it, Sharon. I think I’m just going to skip it and wait for the next one. I don’t need melancholy.
Safe travels home, Lesa!
i am a bit of an Alice Hoffman fanatic, especially the Practical Magic series. Of the four books (Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, The Book of Magic) the Book of Magic is probably my fave.
For anyone who might prefer to follow the story from the earliest events to the present, the chronological order is:
Magic Lessons – Begins with Maria Owens and the origins of the family curse
The Rules of Magic – Covers Franny, Jet, and Vincent’s experiences in the 1960s
Practical Magic – Focuses on Sally and Gillian as adults, continuing the family saga
The Book of Magic – Concludes the story in the present day, tying together the family’s magical journey
This order provides a linear narrative of the Owens family across generations, making it easier to follow the family history and magical lineage.
I haven’t seen the new movie yet, and cannot wait! SO happy the Sally and Gillian characters retained the same casting – no one else could possibly step into those roles.
I never read the entire Practical Magic series, Kaye. I read Practical Magic, loved it and the movie, but I don’t think I read any of the others.
I think you’re going to love the movie!
What I’m reading –
i finished and enjoyed Sara Paretsky’s BAD COMPANY, which is not part of her V I Warshawski series.
Description from NetGalley –
International bestseller and groundbreaking icon Sara Paretsky returns with a brand new novel and character – proving once again that she’s one of the pre-eminent authors in crime fiction and beyond.
To all appearances, Lily Sedako is an unexceptional retiree – a seventy-something single woman living in Chicago, her days filled with the routine tasks of normal life. But underneath that exterior, lies a remarkable past. A former CIA field agent, she spent her career in various Central Asian countries, but most notably in Hayalistan, a former USSR territory. But everything went sideways when Lily’s connections to the mountain tribes resulted in her being moved to a new post and Rani, the tribal leader and first democratically elected President was removed, presumed killed, in a coup back in 2002.
All of this is long behind her when she receives an anonymous package containing a magazine with an article about Hayalistan – an article with a previously unknown photo showing Lily in the background. This was no mistake – someone out there is trying to expose Lily, after more than two decades, for reasons unknown.
Lily, however, is no one’s pawn even now. Determined to find out who is behind this, how they obtained these forbidden photos, and what their goal is before she is a casualty in someone else’s scheme.
Using hard won skills and personal connections from her former life, Lily is determined to unravel the machinations going on now and what really happened back in Hayalstan more than twenty years ago.
In a powerful novel about love, power, corruption, aging, trust…and revenge, Bad Company reaffirms Sara Paretsky place as one of the pre-eminent crime writers of our time.
Oh, I have Bad Company! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kaye.
We got home earlier than I expected since we both wound up with a cold and didn’t feel like staying an extra day. Last Saturday we saw the Cher Show which was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, Roger said the man sitting next to him kept coughing during the show. Roger got sick first and gave it to me.
But we had a good time anyway. We went to the National Iron and Iron & Steel Museum in Coatsville, PA and wound up getting a private tour. The museum is still a working mill and progress but it was really interesting. It’s mainly focused on the history of Lukens Steel which at one point in its history was run by one of the first female industrialists. Most of the plant is still operating under a different name.
And we spent a day at Longwood Gardens which we always enjoy. We were there for over three hours and still didn’t do the entire garden. Fortunately we’ve been there a number of times so we’ve seen the parts we didn’t get to. And we stopped at one of my favorite book stores in the area – an old 4 story barn where they give you a map so you can find your way around.
I started reading an ARC of Bark Humbug by David Rosenfelt but I haven’t gotten very far.
It’s hard to get into a book, Sandy, when you’re not feeling tip top. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip, even though it didn’t end on a strong note. I hope you’re both feeling better!
Safe travels, Lesa!
It’s still rather warm here, but you can feel the seasons changing.
This week I read:
Tortuga by by Anthony Draw; It’s kind of an Inspirational horror novel that doesn’t quite hang together, because someone doesn’t know his dogma as well as he thinks. The protagonist sees a giant turtle destroy a whole village. This is interesting, as current sea monster research is really leaning into giant turtles. However, the execution is just not good.
Restless Bones by Gillian French; Won this one in a goodreads drawing. A fingerprint expert in Maine dusts a car found underwater. There’s also a serial killer who wants to do a Hannibal Lecter/Clarice thing with her, and her son’s being bullied. It hangs together, even though I thought the Silence of the Lambs thing maybe could have been its own story. Don’t get me started on the bullying angle.
By Myself by Lauren Bacall; Bacall’s autobiography. You know, growing up, she seemed mostly famous for being famous, as she hadn’t done anything in years, but eventually, I went back and watched the old movies. Actually, mostly about Bogie.
Fixit by Joe Ide; A Blaxploitation novel for the 2020’s. Unfortunately, this guy is no Jim Brown of Fred Williamson.
Hijack by Ben Coes; For a while, it seemed like Coes was going to take over from Brad Thor as the leader of the Technothriller type subgenre. Then he disappeared. Seems he was having health problems, including a stroke. He wrote this while still ailing, then revoked it from publication, saying it was too early, and not good enough. He is right. This is okay for a 99 cent kindle novella, but not for a Dewey Andreas book.
Home safe, Glen! Thank you.
I didn’t know Ben Coes had health problems. That’s so sad.
I don’t know anything about current trends in sea monster research. I had no idea giant turtles were a trend.
I don’t think I ever read one of Gillian French’s novels.
Lesa,
I had no idea that Ben Coes was having health problems until he revoked the book. I just thought he had writer’s block or something.
I’ve always kept track of paranormal type stuff ever since I was a child, reading books by Daniel Cohen about Bigfoot and other cryptids.
This is the first Gillian French book I’ve read. It was okay, but I’m not going to seek them out.
I am glad you had a nice visit with your friend Donna and her husband. It sounds wonderful, including all the home cooked meals.
Our week has been very busy … going to the Planned Parenthood Booksale. We went to the first two days of the sale, on Friday Sept 11 and 12th, and the temperatures were excessively hot for Santa Barbara. The building the sale was in was hot and crowded and definitely not cool, and we probably did not stay as long as usual, either day. We went again on Wednesday, and by then the weather had cooled off a good bit and the cooling was working well and there were many less people there, so that was the most enjoyable visit. I have already bought way too many books but I am sure I will enjoy them all. My husband and my son kept themselves under control and bought a reasonable number of books.
Glen is currently reading THE LOST PIANOS OF SIBERIA by Sophy Roberts. It is about the author’s journey through Siberia looking for a piano whose history is definitively Siberian. It is a travelogue with a good bit of the history of Siberia. He is enjoying it, and since I want to know more about Siberia, I will read it too.
I just started reading WIVES LIKE US by Plum Sykes. I thought I had heard good things about the book, but after only reading 35 pages, I am not so sure. One review on Goodreads said that it was “like Crazy Rich Asians but with rich Brits in the English countryside.” I enjoyed CRAZY RICH ASIANS, but I only read the first book in the series. I like to read about country houses, but… We will see what I think of WIVES LIKE US when I have read more.
Well, that’s disappointing, Tracy, that the weather was so hot for the boo sale. I know how much you and Glen enjoy it.It sounds, though, as if you found a good number of books. There are probably tons of interesting nonfiction for Glen to examine.
Thank you! It was a wonderful visit with special friends.
Tracy, I really liked Wives Like Us. Thought it was funny, great dialogue, but with some substance too. If you keep reading, I hope you end up enjoying it.
Hi everyone! Sorry to chime in so late in the day–and with so little to report! I have been keeping on with, and enjoying, the Gilded Newport mysteries. I pay so much attention to the characters and the description of the town and the ocean I can barely remember the murders and murderers afterwards.
I also read Murder at the Spirit Lounge, featuring ex-nun Nora Breen. Lesa and others have mentioned it so I don’t need to summarize it. Nora’s early morning walks by the ocean got me to take one near the bay the other day, something I should do more often.
Thanks, Jeff, for your comment about Heather by Caitlin Mullen last week. It ended up being too grim for me, and I didn’t finish it. Glad I am not the only one who didn’t love it!
Oh, that’s really great, Tracy, that you were inspired to get out and walk by the bay. My hometown has a pier and lighthouse on Lake Erie, and my mother walks the pier every day. I think that’s what is keeping her young!
Hi Lesa,
I just came back from vacation, visiting a fort from the French-Indian War in NC and a MLB game in Atlanta (GO BRAVES!). Not much reading while gone. Currently reading The Numbers of Love by Roseanna White for library book club and my audiobook is a netgalley It’s Not What you think by Claire Mackintosh.
I have a terrible time concentrating on books when I’m away from home, Katherine, even when I’m in my hotel for a couple hours in the evening. Just terrible.