Thursday, Thursday! I look forward to Thursday all week. I love to see what you’re all reading.
I’m playing catch-up. I’m reading Juliet Blackwell’s A Toxic Trousseau because A Magical Match, the next one in her Witchcraft Mystery series, is out on April 3. Somehow I missed A Toxic Trousseau. It’s a cozy mystery series featuring a witch who runs a vintage clothing shop in San Francisco. As much as I like Lily Ivory, I love her familiar, Oscar. When he’s around other people, he takes the form of a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.
What are you reading or listening to this week? We’re interested!
I just finished The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen. Again, another wonderful book from her. I highly recommend it. The descriptions of scenery and food make you want to travel to Tuscany. The characters are compelling and as in every one of her books, a history lesson I enjoy.
All of my reading this week was cozy mysteries and I enjoyed all of them.
CLAIREVOYANT AND PRESENT DANGER by Lena Gregory
LETHAL LICORICE by Amanda Flower
DEATH BY A WHISKER by TC LoTempio
PLAIN AS DAY by Laura Bradford which was only about 100 pages
Christie, I'll go to Tuscany any time! I can be packed & ready to go as soon as I line up a cat sitter (grin). I'm glad you enjoyed The Tuscan Child.
Sandy,
That Laura Bradford is in her Amish series, isn't it? I really like that series.
Lessa,
Yes. It’s a short story between books 5 and 6 in her Amish series. It’s one of my favorite series.
I finished Death of an Honest Man by M.C. Beaton. The best way for me to sum it up is just oh dear. Hamish went through 3 different deputies and Blair was just off the rails. And the total disregard for the law even by Hamish. I have enjoyed my visits to Lochdubh but the last two I have not found very good at all. First Agatha Raisin and now Hamish Macbeth. Sigh.
Now I am reading The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin. It is good but I do not think I will find it better than The Aviator's Wife which is my favorite of hers.
Enjoy your week!
These are the books I finished:
Shotgun Saturday Night by Bill Crider
In Deep Water (book 3) by Barbara Ccol Lee
Little Fox Cottage (book 4) by Barbara Cool Lee
Dashing Through the Surf (book 5) by Barbara Cool Lee
Songbird Cottage (book 6) by Barbara Cool Lee
I am now waiting for book 7 to be released
I enjoyed this series.
I am now reading:
Brewing Up Murder (coffee cup mysteries book 1) by Neil’s Young
Murder is an Art by Bill Crider
Enjoy your reading time.
📕📕📕📕📕📕📕
Just recently I discovered mystery writer Donna Leon. She's wonderful. Her police commissioner Guido Brunetti solves crimes in Venice. The writing is so evocative. You feel you are in Venice. And Brunetti is such a likable commissioner. Poetic, philosophical. I've only read two of her books in the series, but want to read as many as I can. Among other things, it's a free trip to Venice.
I also love the Hamish McBeth series by M. C. Beaton, mentioned above by Sharon. Hamish is a very endearing policeman. I would like him personally — as i would Guido Brunetti.
I've read a few of the Hamish Macbeth series. Also enjoyed the TV series with Robert Carlyle. The best episode was when they put on a show – WEST SIDE STORY in Lochdubh. The episode was called "West Coast Story."
I am reading :
Patricia Abbott, I BRING SORROW & OTHER STORIES OF TRANSGRESSION
V. L. Whitechurch, THRILLING STORIES OF THE RAILWAY
Kristine Kathryn Rusch, BURIED DEEP (sf)
Also started another collection – George Saunders, CIVIL WAR LAND IN BAD DECLINE: Six Stories and a novella. I've been meaning to try him for a while.
I keep meaning to start Donna Leon's series. I will one day. Agatha Raisin and I came to a parting of the ways and I never started the Hamish books. Likely won't now.
I'm reading To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey right now for a book group next week. Told through diaries and letters and detailing a historical journey to Alaska, I'm really liking it. And I'm listening to Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye, Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Our mystery group theme for April is Sherlock. I've got several I'll be listening to in order to fulfill that theme.
Still working on ALAMW ARCs. I finished "I Was Anastasia," by Ariel Lawhon. It kept me in suspense, even though I (sort of) knew the outcome. Now: "Go Ask Fannie," by Elisabeth Hyde. (Publication date 4/10.) Three adult children visit their father and play out all the squabbles/feuds/one-upsmanship. The hook is the copy of Fannie Farmer's cookbook that their mother (who died many years before) relied upon and annotated heavily. The handwritten notes are as close to a journal as she left.
Donna Leon. Yes, she's one I need to start, especially with the comments that it's a free trip to Venice.
Not a big M.C. Beaton fan. I did like some of the romances she wrote as Marion Chesney, though.
Charlotte, I'm so glad you're enjoying Bill Crider's books.
Jeff, The Whitechurch book about the railway is the one that sounds interesting to me.
Dust and Shadow, Kay. I saw it in NYC with Bryce Pinkham as Sherlock, but the actor who played Watson stole the show.
Go Ask Fannie is the one that sounds interesting, Nann.
Elizabeth, I have read a lot of Donna Leon books and really enjoyed them all. Really like Guido Brunetti.
I read quite a bit this week:
Factfulness by Hans Rosling, which tires to show how the world is better than you would think from the news.
To Right The Wrongs by Sheryl Scarborough, a teen sleuth type book.
The A-List by DP Lyle, Second book in the JakeLongly series sends the PI to NOLA.
Support Your Local Wizard by Diane Duane. Lots of people like this, but I found it a typical YA fantasy.
Drone Warrior, an autobiography of a a guy that flew drones in war.
Ghost Force by Patrick Robinson, an espionage novel about another Falklands War.
Sorry for the late post–I'm in CA and I just got back from a Toastmasters meeting, my husband's blood test, and picking up our tax returns!
I mentioned last week I was reading the latest Alexander McCall Smith Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book, and I enjoyed it. You always know what you're getting with those quiet, folksy books–they are like comfort food.
I also read Bury the Past by James L'Etoile, second in a series. Detective John Penley and his partner, Paula Newberry, are working on a case of the trafficking of stolen street drugs. It seems that Paula, who used to work in Internal Affairs (and we already know how much cops hate IA), is being set up as deeply involved in drug dealing and even murder. A bit boring in the middle, but the ending was interesting. Not sure whether I will look for L'Etoile's further entries in this series.
I'm close to finishing Marisa de los Santos's "I'll Be Your Blue Sky." This is the third in the series. For my money, she writes about loving relationships better than most authors I have read, but her books cannot be classified as romances–they are so much more.
You did get through quite a few this week, Glen. I like the variety of your books.
Margie, You're never too late. It sounds as if you had a busy day, and, I'm glad you're reading and talking books with us from California. I had about the same reaction as you to L'Etoile's book. Someday, I'll have to read Marisa de los Santos. You like her so much.
So many good books. I chuckled at someone's comment about parting ways with Agatha Raisin. I guess we have all had to 'break up' with characters, it is not just me! I just finished The Other Alcott, a very good historical fiction work about Louisa's younger sister May. Between the afterword and Google, I learned the framework of the book was very true to life.
Still reading Star of the North by D.B, John. Despite the small print, I am really enjoying it. The author has visited North Korean and woven into his story some of the horrible deeds of the past like kidnapping people from the beaches of South Korea,and even Japan and putting them into their terrible prison camps. Also finishing March Forward by Melba Pattillo Beals. Another great book that needs to be in all public and school libraries.
Oh, yes, Holdenj. I've parted ways with a few characters. What a nice way of putting it!
Now, I'm going to have to look up March Forward, Carol, to see what it's about.
Just finished Poison by John Lescroart – a new Dismas Hardy book. Very entertaining, started the new Walter Mosley Down the River Unto the Sea with a new character John Oliver a former NYPD inspector who ended up in Rikers for 3 months, next up will be a reunion with Jake and Ellie in Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves. Apparently no longer fixing up houses but baking.