Well, there you go, everyone. My apologies. I meant to take the moderation off for today because I want you all to be able to see each others’ comments, but I forgot until this morning, and some of you had already commented. Sorry about that!
As long as I’m adding a new note, just to let you know, the Edgars were announced today. A lot of us don’t read those books, but I did did a post for Poisoned Pen’s blog. If you’re interested, they are listed here. https://bit.ly/3bN2dZk
Ready to talk about what you’ve been reading in the last week? I can tell you I’m on page 59 (at the time I’m writing this) of my current book, and I have no idea what’s going on. Normally, I would quit a book by page fifty if I’m not into it, but this is the eighth book in Ben Aaronovitch’s urban fantasy Rivers of London series. That doesn’t mean I understand False Value. It has something to do with Peter Grant, the police character in the series, taking a security job with a computer company, and Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage who were involved with early computers and programming.
But, I will tell you what I liked in the book. Peter asked another practitioner of magic who trained him. “The Librarians,” he said. “Librarians?” “Not librarians,” he said. “The Librarians.” “Because in New York there was only one library with a capital L, and that was the Main Branch on Fifth Avenue…Given that libraries were the repositories of knowledge it made sense that they were also the home of secret wisdom.” Now, THAT, I understand.
So, I’m reading False Value. If it doesn’t pick up, though, I have half a dozen other books calling me now that I’m back into reading. What about you? What are you reading this week?
I hope it gets better!
Good morning Lesa. I’ve never been able to get into Ben Aaronovitch’s books. This week I read a mix of mystery and paranormal.
SEMI-PSYCHIC LIFE by Elizabeth Hunter. Can Val’s newly developed psychic powers help her locate her ex-husband when he goes missing after being accused of theft? This is the second in a series.
ROSEMARY LAMB MURDER by Patti Benning is a short mystery set at a spa that’s holding a women’s retreat. It wasn’t very long but it kept me interested.
CHARLOTTE REDBIRD, GHOST COACH by Sharon Buchbinder. A short paranormal romance, part of a series of books by different authors that are all set in the town of Cat’s Paw Cove. Most of them feature magical cats as well as other paranormal characters.
I’m currently reading an ARC of FOR WHOM THE BOOK TOLLS by Laura Gail Black. So far I’m enjoying it.
Hi Lesa
Not sure I could cope with that book you're attempting to read, but I liked the bit about Librarians!
I have finished The Battle of the Villa Fiorita, which I grew to like in the end. It is well written, and it does raise questions about whether a mother should always put her children first and sacrifice her own life for their needs. I think 99% of mothers, including me, would say they should, and what's more would not be able to stop themselves from doing so, but Rumer Godden does make you think about whether this is always right – is it always the best use of a woman's life to put everyone else first?
The woman in the novel, Fanny, is irritating for sure – I discussed her with my husband and he said 'are you just jealous of someone who could run away to an opulent villa on Lake Garda with a film director?'!! I suppose there might be some element of that, but I think it was more the way she was 'so exhausted' because life at home – with a daily help, a gardener three times a week, a rich husband and the children away at boarding school – had apparently been 'so hard'! It was another world I suppose, but even in 1963 I doubt many women's lives were like that.
My husband also asked why I was so cross with Fanny when i had so much enjoyed Angela Brazil's book about very wealthy boarding school girls – maybe it was because there was no adult woman to compare with my own life, but I think it was also because the girls, though living very comfortable lives, were full of energy and so positive, whereas the very comfortable Fanny hardly ever stopped complaining!
So now I have moved on to a British Library Crime Classic – as you probably know, the BL has republished many novels from the so-called Golden Age of Crime (between the wars), They all have beautiful covers and are almost exclusively puzzles rather than gory graphic horrors. This one is called The Sussex Downs Murder, written by John Bude. It is about a farmer who disappears on his way to his holiday in Wales. His car is found just a few miles from his home, with bloodstains. Superintendent Meredith is called in, and soon finds out that there had been many differences between the man and his brother, who farms with him – they, along with the brother's new wife, lived together in the farmhouse. Their other business is making lime from the chalk of the Downs. Two workmen building a house extension in nearby Worthing have just found a human femur in their new sack of lime. (They know it's human because the house owner is luckily a retired professor of anatomy!) And that's as far as I have read.
My other excitement for today is the predicted arrival of my new bird bath!
Best wishes,
Rosemary
I think the last Aaronovitch book I read was the fourth (or maybe the fifth). One of these days I'll get back to them.
After loving the miniseries, I read Deborah Feldman's Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, a fascinating story of growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in the Satmar Hasidic community, and never really feeling like you belong. The television series starts with her running away and has flashbacks to the earlier parts of her life. The book is more her adolescence leading up to her marriage and eventual departure. I plan to read her sequel.
Currently reading three books:
Marcia Muller & Bill Pronzini, eds., Lady on the Case: 22 Female Detective Stories. Women investigators, in stories by Agatha Christie, Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Marcia Muller, Gladys Mitchell, Susan Dunlap, Edward D. Hoch, among others.
Peter Robinson, Many Rivers to Cross, the latest in his Supt. Alan Banks series. I've liked this Yorkshire series from the beginning, but I have been finding this one a slog from the start, as none of the stories make me care about what happened or who the murderer is. I'll finish it, but I hope it picks up soon.
Noah Isenberg, We'll Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywood's Most Beloved Movie. The title pretty much says it all. CASABLANCA is right up there at the top for me, so reading this was a no brainer.
The first in the Domestic Diva cozy series, THE DIVA RUNS OUT OF THYME by Krista Davis, introduces Sophie Winston, who excels at entertaining but is constantly challenged by her childhood rival, Natasha, who is Sophie's ex-husband's new love, and who is angling for a national advice show and column. It's Thanksgiving time, and both are competing in a stuffing contest, which is interrupted when the celebrity host is found dead. Sophie comes across another dead body (who has her contact information on his person) and suddenly becomes a suspect in multiple murders. The setting and story are fun, although in these troubled times I sometimes struggled to keep track of what I consider too many characters. I'm sure subsequent entries in the series resolve this situation. Thanks for the recommendation, Lesa.
In Beth Morrey's THE LOVE STORY OF MISSY CARMICHAEL, Millicent (Missy) is a 79-year-old retired librarian who has lost her husband and lives alone in a large house in London. Her son and precious grandson live in Australia, where her daughter-in-law's family resides, and she doesn't seem them nearly enough. Her daughter is estranged after a brutal argument. Missy has pretty much given up on life until she inadvertently meets a variety of neighbors at a park one day, ends up taking care of a dog for the first time (temporarily, she thinks), and takes on a part-time job. With her newly-gained "family" and attitude, things are looking up for Missy. This is a low-key, heart-warming story except for one unnecessary tragedy near the end, and I enjoyed it.
HID FROM OUR EYES is the latest in Julia Spencer-Fleming's series (after a gap of 6 years). Russ is the police chief for tiny Millers Kill in New England, and he is stymied when a young woman is found dead in the road of no apparent cause. He can't help but compare it to an identical occurrence in the 1950s and again in the 1970s, with similarities among the victims (or were they natural deaths?). Russ had been a suspect in the latter, but never charged. At the same time, the town is facing a referendum to decide whether to dissolve their police force (a financial issue) and rely on the state police. Russ's wife, Clare, is struggling to balance her career and a newborn she fears she may have harmed by drinking before she knew she was pregnant. I have enjoyed following the lives and adventures of this couple.
I was surprised to discover that I could finish Anne Tyler's REDHEAD BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD in one evening. And you may be surprised (and delighted) to discover what the title of the book means. This is the tale of Micah, who has a one-man company called Tech Hermit (think Geek Squad without the squad) and also serves as handyman for his apartment building. He was the first in his family to attend college, though he quit in his senior year. His four older sisters are all waitresses and have families. Micah has been seeing Cass for three years and finds her "restful," although that might not be the relationship Cass was hoping for. I was thoroughly engrossed by the deceptively simple plot and in Micah's character development, although I found the ending a bit abrupt.
Just finished Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier. After the first few chapters I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it turned out to be a very good book. Well-written with good characterizations and it kept up a good pace. There were just enough twists to keep it interesting.
Now I'm reading Eliza Starts a Rumor by Jane L. Rosen. It's a completely different type of story that is character-driven. There areaa number of personalities all bound together by a neighborhood facebook page. It seems like this is how my reading has been during the last couple of months. I'm reading a lot more non-mysteries and thrillers and I'm enjoying the variety.
Stay safe everyone!
Recently finished the newest Walter Mosley's Leonid McGill book – Trouble Is What I Do. Love Leonid – former crook and now a PI with a lot of interesting connections in NYC.
Then onto the second Sophie Winston by Krista Davis – The Dive Takes the Cake. You got me started on this series and I absolutely enjoy the characters, especially the true Dive Natasha.
Next up with be the newest 2019 new Ace Atkins Quinn Colson book Shameless. There is so much corruption in his county and he keeps trying to get it cleaned up. My guess Ace Atkins will never let it get cleaned up.
I read:
Masquerade For Murder; The new Mike Hammer mystery. Very 80's, in a good way.
The Cats Came Back by Sofie Kelly; I didn't know the cats ever left, but a decent cozy.
Murder LLC; A conspiracy thriller about the Mexican Cartels and the 25 Amendment.
Home Fires by WL Ripley; First in the Jake Morgan series about a Texas Ranger who returns to his small hometown and finds a hotbed of crime and intrigue.
Tokyo Green; Dystopia about AI, Japan, and a plot to kill off all the old people. That last part is more relevant than ever.
Pablo Fandango; An art con that doesn't completely go bad.
Dead Man's Gold: The Llano Kid is trying to get to California, but gets involved with a dead man's gold mine, and his beautiful daughter.
The Watanabe Name; Historical fictions set in 1960's Japan for the most part, about some guy having a midlife crisis.
K-9 Cop; An obnoxious police officer is reincarnated into the body of his K-9 Partner. Occasionally amusing.
Argh – Lesa I thought I posted a comment, have you got it? It said it was waiting for moderation and now it's disappeared?
Not that it was that important!
Rosemary
On audio, I am listening to Pretty Things by Janelle Brown. In print, Writers & Lovers by Lily King.
Still reading The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson. It has been a hard week to settle down and read. It feels more like winter than spring today in Central Ohio.
Just got notification that Columbus Metropolitan Library is going to start slowly re-opening some of their 23 branches. That's news to be hopeful about.
Happy Reading!
I haven't had a chance to continue it, Shelleyrae, so we'll see.
Sandy, It's the Ghost Coach and For Whom the Book Tolls that sound interesting to me.
Rosemary, I don't even know Fanny, and I totally agree with you. She doesn't sound very likable. I do like that you were telling your husband how you felt about the character and the book.
Ah, Rosemary. I could see where The Sussex Down Murders were going even before you said they found a femur in the bag of lime. Lime and death seem to go hand in hand. I think Martin Edwards edits the books in that series. Poisoned Pen publishes them here in the U.S.
Sorry that I hadn't looked for the moderated posts! I was so busy trying to cover the Edgar Awards this morning that I forgot. Thanks for the note!
I'm reading LEAVE NO FOOTPRINTS this week. I know you reviewed it last week. I am not enjoying it quite as much as you. I want to learn more about the parks, but some of them get all but ignored for his themes of each chapter, and I'm finding that frustrating.
Jeff, We'll see how much longer I stick with the Aaronovitch. It needs to pick up for me. Loved the libraries quote, but if that's all that I like, I'm moving on.
The Muller and Pronzini book sounds good. I don't read anywhere near as many anthologies as you do, but I like a good story collection.
Margie, I have the Missy Carmichael book. Good to hear that you liked it. Thank you.
Yes, it does get easier with the characters in the later books in the Diva mysteries. And, I don't remember about the early ones, but the last couple I read had a cast of characters, which really helps.
I agree. I didn't expect to get through the Anne Tyler as quickly as I did.
Jane, I think a lot of us have found our reading changed in the last couple months. At least you found books that you're enjoying, and you're still reading.
Netteanne, I'm glad you're enjoying the Diva mysteries. There's one set at Halloween that I just loved.
As to Shameless, that was a terrific book. I can't wait to read the next one in the series. And, I'm not going to say one more word about Shameless because I don't want to spoil it for you.
Glen, I put off reading Sofie Kelly's books for a while because I'm not a fan of magical cats. But, these are well-written, interesting cozies.
You're right. Tokyo Green does sound relevant right now.
Katstev, How are you liking Writers & Lovers? My best friend is a fan of the author, but I don't know if she's read that one yet.
Happy library reopening, Sharon. When they do start reopening, I hope there's one near you that opens early.
I'm sorry, Mark. I just let his writing sweep me away. I like this voice. And, I've been to a number of national parks, so that helped me.
I just finished reading "Educated" and still shaking my head on how it ended up on the NY Times Bestseller list for so long. I'm probably one of those who are skeptical of some parts of the story. I live in Idaho and yes, we do have a lot of fundamentalists here. They are causing all kinds of havoc while we are dealing with the virus. I just thought parts of it reminded me of James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" too much.
Haven't started anything new yet. One of my friends loaned me "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" but it might be a little too heavy for right now.
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