What are you reading this week?
I’ve just started the 27th Krewe of Hunters book by Heather Graham. The Summoning is set in Savannah where Kristi Stewart opens a bed-and-breakfast although the building is supposed to be haunted. But, she doesn’t believe in ghosts. FBI agent Dallas Wicker does. The agent is undercover for the Krewe of Hunters, investigating a suspicious death. But, Dallas has seen and talked to ghosts since he was a boy. Now, he has to find a link between a living killer and the dead.
As I said, I’ve just started the book. Once I have time to read it, it won’t take long. You all know I love this series.
What are you reading this week? I hope you found something you love as much as I enjoy this series. If you didn’t, I’m still interested.
That's funny, as Jackie just read a non-series hardback by Heather Graham. Of course, she is still several trilogies behind you in the Krewe of Hunters series. Right now (well, when she's awake) she is reading the latest in what could be her favorite series (certainly top three), J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood. The book is THE SAVIOR. She is also reading Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk series.
As for me, I put aside the first Sheriff Hank Worth book by Claire Booth (THE BRANSON BEAUTY) to race through the first of Mark Greaney's Gray Man thrillers, THE GRAY MAN. Court Gentry was formerly CIA and then a covert killer for a private agency. His saving grace is that he will only take a contract if the target is really evil and deserving of death. But now his own handler has turned on him under pressure (his grandchildren's lives are threatened), with a dozen teams of assassins on his trail. But The Gray Man is the best and not that easy to kill, or stop. It's easy to see why there is a blurb from Lee Child on this one, and I will finish it this morning. Oh, the reason I picked it up is that someone left paperbacks of the whole series in our basement laundry room's library.
Besides this and the Booth, I am reading short stories (of course), collections by Mollie Panter-Downes (her WWII-era stories published in The New Yorker, GOOD EVENING, MRS. CRAVEN) and Robert Silverberg (THE SCIENCE FICTION MEGAPACK – two dozen of his earliest stories, starting when he was a teenager in college).
Of course, I have many other library books on the shelf. This week I also read LINES OF DEPARTURE, second in the futuristic military SF series about Andrew Grayson by Marko Kloos. Earth is overcrowded and one of the few ways out is to get accepted to the military, but be careful what you wish for. TERMS OF ENLISTMENT was the first in the series.
The other book read (yesterday) was a fun collection of cartoons written by Patricia Marx and illustrated by Roz Chast, WHY DON'T YOU WRITE MY EULOGY NOW SO I CAN CORRECT IT?: A Mother's Suggestions. Marx's mother seems like quite a character. Fun book.
The Greaney is a trade paperback, the Booth a library download, the Panter-Downes an ex-lib trade paperback I bought online, the Silverberg a Kindle 99 cent purchase, and the Marx/Chast a small library hardback.
This week I finished READ HERRING Hunt by V. M. Burns. I guessed the killer early but I enjoy Sam and friends. I liked the mystery Sam was writing with Wallis Simpson over the main plot better in this one.
Now I am reading THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS by Camille DiMaio. My daughter loved it and loaned me her copy to read when I saw her in May.
Happy Reading!
We were driving a lot this past weekend so I listened to two audiobooks. SWITCHBLADE is a short story in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series. And DOUBLE INDEMNITY by James M. Cain. An insurance salesman gets involved in murder. I’ll have to get the movie out and see how closely it follows the book.
I also read A WITH TO REMEMBER by Heather Blake. This is supposed to be the last book in her wishcraft series which is sort of sad because I really like these.
Currently my boyfriend and I are most of the way through the audiobook of TURBO TWENTY-THREE BY Janet Evanovich which we started on our trip. That’s the only time we read them – when we want something that doesn’t require a lot of concentration and that we can stop and go back to without losing track of the story.
I'm reading an ARC of Ella Carey's next book. "Beyond the Horizon." About WWII women fighter pilots. Excellent~
Nice of that person to leave the entire set for you, Jeff!
That collection of cartoons sounds great. I'll have to look for it. I know I've seen it here at the library.
Sharon, I totally agree with you about the mystery Sam is writing. I haven't read the latest in the series, but someone else mentioned that as well. We all prefer the historical mystery.
Sandy, I feel that same way when I know an author is ending a series I like. It's just not fair!
Kaye, There are so many WWII novels that focus on women. My mother and I were discussing it the other day. It seems most of what she picks up at the library has to do with the war.
I recently finished the first Bill Slider mystery, Orchestred Death by Cynthia Harrod Eagles. I really enjoyed it. Fascinating characters and a clever mystery. Thanks for the recommendation plan to read more. I am now reading Widows of Malabar Hill by Sumatra Massey. The main character is quite interesting. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are interested in how woman were/are regarded in different cultures and in the 1920’s.
In THE UNLIKELY ADVENTURES OF THE SHERGILL SISTERS, three British-born sisters take an unwanted trip to India as mandated by their recently-deceased mother. Shirina has an arranged marriage and lives in Australia, dealing with a difficult mother-in-law. Jezmeen is struggling with her acting career, having made some very public and embarrassing mistakes. And their much older sister. Rajmi, just found out that her 18-year-old son has a 36-year-old pregnant girlfriend. All three have secrets from each other as well. Will this trip have their mother's desired outcome–to bring them closer together as sisters? I found it entertaining, but I'm not sure I was ever engaged enough to root for any of the sisters.
The eighth in Terry Shames' outstanding Samuel Craddock Mysteries, A RISKY UNDERTAKING FOR LORETTA SINGLETARY, focuses on Loretta, Samuel's lifelong friend, frequent provider of home-baked goods, and woman "of a certain age." Loretta has suddenly changed her hair and wardrobe and is rumored to have tried online dating. More importantly, no one has seen her for days. Chief of Police Samuel starts investigating and is worried to hear that another woman of a similar age in a neighboring town has also disappeared. Is there a connection? On a less worrisome but still-annoying level, the new Baptist minister thinks the Catholic priest is getting all the glory for sponsoring the popular annual goat rodeo and wants in on the action. This series is short on high-energy action, but that's just the point. It is a masterfully written portrait of small-=town Texas life through the eyes of an admirable man who has returned to the police after retirement because he was the best person for the job.
I was disappointed in Tracey Garvis Graves' THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW, having read some great reviews. I usually like this kind of story, featuring a high-functioning autistic young woman whose college roommate helps her navigate social situations and who eventually finds her first love through the chess club. Chapter timelines alternate between Annika's college days and ten years later, after she has broken up with her boyfriend. Yes, they find each other again and start up as if nothing has happened (really?). I felt this story lacked depth and ended in an unfulfilling (though ultimately "happy") way that seemed to come out of nowhere. Too many plot holes as well.
In DEATH IN THE DARK, Julia Buckley's latest Writer's Apprentice Mystery, Lena's boss, acclaimed mystery writer Camilla Graham, is stunned by a visit from an agitated woman who claims Camilla's late husband's family has ruined her life and threatens to reveal why. The problem is that Camilla has no idea what she is talking about. When the visitor is ultimately murdered, not long after her beloved younger sister dies in another town, "accidents" start happening to Lena and Camilla. The town's small police force rallies to unravel the case before more mayhem occurs, which requires a hard look into some of the townspeople's activities 40 years earlier, aided by Camilla's old letters from her husband. I am a big fan of both of Buckley's aeries and recommend them to those who like their cozies "a cut above."
Thank you, DJ. I'm happy you enjoyed the Bill Slider book. I have both of Sujata Massey's on a TBR pile. I really need to get to them. Thanks!
Margie, I love your reviews with the astute summaries. I have DEATH IN THE DARK on a soon-to-be-read TBR pile. Now, I'm even more intrigued. I read Terry Shames' latest. The other two, after your summaries, are definitely no goes for me. Thanks!
I’ve just started A Baker Street Wedding, the newest Baker Street Letters Mystery by Michael Robertson. I’m only 40 pages in, but I usually enjoy this series. The last one was disappointing, but this one looks promising so far.
Oh, good, Mark. That's a series I quit reading. Just didn't hold my interest. Good to know the new one is promising.
I have alnost halfway through THE STONE CIRLCE by Elly Griffiths. Love this series and am enjoying it.
A banner week for me – the newest Cynthia Harrod Eagles book Headlong and it was a sure winner for the series. Sadly I now have to wait for the next one to be published. All of the important characters were present and accounted for. Will Atherton marry Emily. How will George like the new baby that will be coming at some point.
The last Dan Rhodes book by Bill Crider – That Old Scoundrel Death which was as always a fun and entertaining book. I do have a few older ones that I have not read. So I look forward to reading them.
David Rosenfelt and his spring book featuring Doug Brock – in a very
good entry Black & Blue and how clever the bad guy was in plotting and planning his kills. And how Doug and Nate caught him before a more tragic killing took place.
Kevin, Aubrey Hamilton tells me I'd like that series, but I just haven't been able to get into it.
Netteanne! Isn't a great week when you have three books in series that you enjoy, and the books live up to your expectations? Great!
Lesa, late checking in today. That you had a nice weekend and trust this weekend will be fabulous also.
Muffus saw the surgeon on Tuesday. He is fine and will not need to visit them again. Outstanding Vet. Great surgeon. Now he will see his Vet in June for his yearly check up. I am so thankful that is behind us. It will be a month ago tomorrow since my cat had to be put asleep and we found out about Muffus.
Everyone has been reading some interesting books this week.
Hugs ~~~
Jeff, I like the Gray Man series. I've read all but the last, Mission Critical.
This week I read:
Hammer of the Emperor, military sci fi with tanks.
The Boneshaker; Steampunk apocalyptica.
Stage to Hell Junction: Newest in the Caleb York series. A hostage western.
Straining Forward, an immigration and a conversion autobiography.
The Targeter; A former CIA agent tells about her time fighting terror.
Left Fur Dead; A cozy featuring a telepathic rabbit.
Camp Strange; Harry Potter rip off, about a kid who goes to camp instead of boarding school to learn about his powers.
Listening to My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. engrossed in the story. The oldest daughter has leukemia, to survive she needed a match to her genes, her older brother did not match so her attorney mom got the idea of genetically matching an embryo. Now her older daughter needs a kidney transplant to continue living. It seems like the mother ignores the son but he truly needs help and she just assumes the younger daughter will give up a kidney. A really messed up family, The father is a firefighter who never went to college.
Also reading Home is a roof Over a Pig. That is the Chinese character for home. I am really enjoying that and it has been sitting on my shelf for years@
The Krewe of Hunters is one of my favorite seeries and I always put a hold on a new one as soon as it appears on the library listing. This one is there now. I'm still reading The Scent of Murder by Kylie Logan a cadaver dog finds a dead body where there shouldn't have been one…and Tightrope by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Amanda Quick..the story reminds me of one I read long ago in EQMM, but I am still enjoying it.
Hugs, Charlotte! I'm happy to hear Muffus is doing well. All of my cats made their annual vet visit in the last week. Three trips with 3 cats, but everyone is doing okay.
Glen, I just have to ask about Left Fur Dead, the cozy featuring the telepathic rabbit. How as it?
Carol, That does sound like a messed up family. Oh, I read A Home is a Roof Over a Pig years ago! I enjoyed it.
Gram, Krentz is a good storyteller, even if the story seems familiar. I guess that's what happens when we read so much. We tend to recognize story ideas.
So true. She is one of my favorite authors.
It was a bit odd.
She owns a rabbit shelter, and the rabbit is the one that wants to investigate crimes, and thinks it can protect her, but needs to be carried in a sling when they go anywhere.
Oh, Glen. I think I'm going to pass on that one. It does sound odd.