It’s time! Line up those books from the last week, or pick up the one book you read or finished, and tell us what you’ve been reading. I’m reading the sixth Bill Slider mystery by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, Killing Time. I just finished the fifth one (they’re part of The Second Bill Slider Omnibus), Blood Lines. My, that one ended on a shocking note. I love these British police procedurals.
So, what are you reading this week now that Easter is over?
I finished THE FIFTEEN WONDERS OF DANIEL GREEN by Erica Boyce. It was good. I liked the ending a lot.
Now I am reading LOST ROSES by Martha Hall Kelly and THE ATLAS OF HAPPINESS by Helen Russell.
Happy Reading!
I love Cynthia Harrod Eagles's Bill Slider books, too. She's such a witty writer. Another good one is Ruth Dudley Edwards.
I did finish RESURRECTION BAY by Emma Viskic, as mentioned last time. It's set mostly in the Melbourne area. Also read a disappointing book (to me, your mileage may vary), the Edgar winning (in 1986) THE SUSPECT by L. R. Wright, the first in her series about Vancouver-area RCMP Staff Sgt. Karl Alberg. There basically is no mystery. In Chapter 1, we saw one old man kill another old man and basically, that's the plot, other than the beginning of Alberg's romance with Cassandra, the local librarian. The latter subplot is much more interesting than the mystery, and library fans (Hi, Lesa!) might want to read it for the several library scenes. Otherwise, disappointing.
I'm nearly done with Peter Lovesey's short story collection, THE CRIME OF MISS OYSTER BROWN, all non-series stories and quite good. I'm a third of the way through Anne Hillerman's latest continuation of her father's Navajo series, THE TALE TELLER, and this is the first where retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn has a role commensurate with those of Sgt. Jim Chee and Officer Bernie Manuelito. Good so far.
Lastly, I downloaded from the library a book I've been wanting to read for many years, at least since I saw the television adaptation, Olivia Manning's THE GREAT FORTUNE, first in The Balkans Trilogy, which was the first half of her FORTUNES OF WAR series. Young newlywed couple Harriet and Guy Pringle travel to Bucharest, where he is a teacher of English, just as World War II is breaking out. This was semi-autobiographical, based on the author and her husband. I find the period and setting fascinating, and we'll see how much of it I get through. The television series starred Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, who went on to marry (and, later, divorce) after meeting on the show.
Sharon, I've been wondering about The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green. I'm happy to learn it has a good ending. Lost Roses is popular here.
I haven't read Ruth Dudley Edwards, Geraldine, but I could just go right through the Bill Slider books.
Probably won't read the L.R. Wright book just for a couple library scenes, Jeff. I saw something just the other day about Peter Lovesey. I need to read a little more of him before Bouchercon.
I finished A YEAR WITHOUT “MADE IN CHINA” by Sara Bongiorni. It was about a family who was trying to live for a year without buying anything made in China. They didn’t know that both Hong Kong and Macau are part of China so they were buying things made there. They also had an exemption for gifts or things they found. So when they really wanted something they had a family member give it to them as a gift so the whole story was kind of pointless.
TRICKY TWENTY-TWO by Janet Evanovich. Because my boyfriend got the audio book.
I’m about a third of the way through the first book in Ann Cleeves’ new British police procedural series THE LONG CALL. so far I’m I’m enjoying it even though the beginning is a bit slow since she’s got to introduce a whole new setting and cast of characters
Oh, I'm looking forward to trying The Long Call, Sandy. A new police procedural series! And, by Ann Cleeves! Yay!
You're right, Sandy. That sounds pointless with A Year Without "Made in China".
I agree with Sharon about THE FIFTEEN WONDERS OF DANIEL GREEN, which inspired me to make crop circles my theme at my Toastmasters meeting today. Daniel is part of an organization that creates crop circles on demand but maintains its anonymity at all costs. Daniel is trying to achieve 15 successful projects. This time he was hired to create a crop circle on Sam's farm that will hopefully save his dying town. But everyone in the story is dealing with some type of adversity. Sam is fighting cancer for the fourth time, while his wife struggles to save him. Their daughter, Nessa, loves farming but has to deal with OCD. Son Charlie came out as gay to his parents years ago, then left home and the family farm forever to become a physician. Daniel himself has family issues. While much of the book has a melancholy air, it all comes together into a satisfying conclusion and includes a fascinating look into how and why crop circles are created and how they are considered by some to be a supernatural event.
In Tina Kashian's latest, ONE FETA IN THE GRAVE, the setting in the fictional NJ shore town of Ocean Crest evokes my summer visits to Ocean City, NJ when I lived in PA–and makes me long to return there for another visit. The town's summer festival is cut short by the murder of store owner Archie Kincaid, who has alienated many of the townspeople. Former attorney Lucy Berberian, who has returned home to manage her family's Mediterranean restaurant, again gets involved in the murder investigation–some (including me) might say recklessly–to prove her best friend innocent. She also deals with two would-be suitors–Azad, her high school ex and now head chef of the restaurant, and Michael, son of a shadowy mob figure. It's clear which one she should choose (and it isn't the gorgeous but petty Azad).
I loved Elizabeth Letts' FINDING DOROTHY. Maud Baum, in her late 70s, wants to make sure MGM sticks close to her husband's book when making their movie "The Wizard of Oz," so she offers her services to Louis B. Mayer as a consultant. When when she sees how the movie's Dorothy, Judy Garland, is exploited and abused, she does everything she can to protect and inspire the fledgling star. But the main story is about Maud herself, the daughter of a famed feminist, who chooses a life with L. Frank Baum, a free spirit who is originally the creator and a performer in his own traveling theater company. Although this is a fictionalized account, it is fun to imagine how Frank's and Maud's lives inspired his ultimate masterpiece and its many sequels. I finished it in a day.
Sharon, I bought LOST ROSES so I can participate in the Barnes & Noble Book Club in May. I hope I like it better than their last selection, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN. Jeff, I got RESURRECTION BAY out of the library but will probably have to renew it a couple of times because I have 6 books on hold waiting for me (yikes!).
Yesterday, I finished THE SCENT OF MURDER, the first in a new series from Kylie Logan. Absolutely loved it! It’s on sale 5/7.
Then I started DYING FOR DEVIL’S FOOD, the newest Cupcake Bakery Mystery from Jenn McKinlay. It’s also on sale 5/7. I’m almost a third of the way into the book and am having a hard time putting it down. These characters are always so much fun to spend time with.
Mark, I read an ARC of DYING FOR DEVIL’S FOOD. I couldn’t put it down either.
Lesa, I am sure you and your fur babies had a great weekend.
I had to have one of my cats put to sleep this morning. Never a easy thing to face. Better for them, not us. You know the feeling.
I am reading a lot on Andrew Wommack books at this time.
Have a fabulous time week.
Hugs~~~~~
Mark, I have The Scent of Murder on my list so it's great to hear you enjoyed it.
I read:
Six Billion Dollar Man; an update of the old TV Show Six Million Dollar Man. Not bad, but no Bigfoot.
Yeager's Getaway; Men's Adventure about a marine fighting Hawaiian separatists on Molokai. Better than I expected.
The Regulators: Justice Before Law; Vigilantes in England, acting rather like a traditional NGO, which made it somewhat interesting.
The Mystery of the American Yeti by Darryle Purcell; Silver Screen cowboys Hoot Gibson and William S. Hart hunt Bigfoot and saboteurs in 1938 Redding, CA.
The Most Fun We Ever Had, by Claire Lombardo, will be published June 27. I reviewed it for United for Libraries. It's long (532 pages) but it's a wonderfully complicated story, so well-told. Four daughters, all now grown and all with very different personalities, are inextricably tied to their parents and to one another.
My current to-review is Normal People by Sally Rooney. It's been long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Two young adults become lovers but do not fall in love — trying to keep the attraction physical but not emotional. It doesn't seem to be working!
P.S. My husband raced through the newest C. J. Box mystery. One of his favorite writers!
I'm reading the fifth entry in the White House Chef mysteries by Julie Hyzy. Found the first one – State of the Onion – in my library and decided to finally read it. I loved it. I could care less about the menus altho they're attached to the audio file I got for the audiobook. Loved the first and the next three, so am now half way thru #5. Can't put them down!
Thank you, everyone! I didn't have a chance to catch up with you during the day. I'm trying to get a book order ready by tomorrow because I have a couple days off next week. So many of you read books that are on some of my TBR piles! I'm looking forward to them even more after reading your notes.
I do have to address Charlotte, though. I'm so sorry you had to put your cat to sleep. You're right. It's for them, no matter how hard it is on us. Sending love and sympathy. I know how hard it is.
I'm really enjoying all the comments!
I have an audio book to start. But it is in the living room! It's-BY Erik Larsen and Grave on Grand Avenue by Naomi Hirahara. My grandchildren from China here! Ayla is 8 years old and Carl is 6. We have been getting together to talk, eat out and the park. I have not met them before and Ayla is very much like me at that age? How is that possible. Carl is cute and a bundle of energy. They speak Mandarin, French and English. I cannot remember ever being this happy!
Therefore, the books are on my desk until they leave. I gave them some children's books and they read to me