Well, with my ginger boy still in the vet hospital and my habit of reading to him every night for 2 hours, I continue to get a lot of reading done this summer.
The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett Carol and Jude get involved in another murder mystery in Fetherington, but this time, Jude is the last person known to have been with the victim and thus is the police's main suspect. As number one suspect, Jude is warned off investigating by the police, so Carol swings into action on her own. Like the other Fetherington mysteries, this is a solid English cosy mystery. Jude and Carol are caricatures of middle aged women--one uptight, one free-spirited--but their friendship rings true, with respect for each others's quirks tinged by occasional jealousy and impatience. Well written, as all Brett's mysteries are, and while I figured out the whodunnit, an enjoyable summer read. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Man That Got Away by Lynne Truss The second in the fast-paced Constable Twitten mystery series opens a month after the first book, with Twitten still reeling from the revelation not just of the presence of a Master Criminal in Brighton, but who that Master Criminal is. In this book, Sgt. Brunswick gets to go undercover in a seedy nightclub, while Inspector Steine confronts his past in his inimitable bumbling way, and Mrs. Groynes has a romance. I learned what a humbug was, and it was not what I expected. This is a charming series, well written and engaging, with a lively 1957 English setting. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves The book begins with Matthew Venn attending his father's funeral, and this mystery revolves around themes of family and betrayal and loss. Matthew's husband runs an adult care center, and when several young women with Down's Syndrome are kidnapped, his mother, after not speaking to him for many years, asks for his help. At the same time, the adult care center is involved in the murder of a recovering alcoholic who was volunteering as a chef. Venn's loyalties and conflicts are front and center in this well-written but somewhat grim mystery. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Remembering the Dead by Elizabeth J. Duncan Penny Brannigan and her friends and colleagues in North Wales are attending a fancy dinner at the local mansion to celebrate the exhibition of the Black Chair, a specially crafted wooden chair that was awarded to Wales' most illustrious poet in 1917. The chair, unbelievably for its large size, is stolen and a murder is committed during the dinner. Penny is drawn into the mystery, but her friendship with Inspector Bethan Morgan makes her involvement in the investigation less overtly contentious and she is not dismissive of police skill, as many amateur detectives are. Penny's nascent romance with Michael Quinn from the last title in series is part of the story, and I have to admit I felt very superior when Gareth was revealed as the better man, the one she should have chosen over Michael (even if Penny continues to insist that he's not the man for her). I hope Gareth hasn't permanently moved to Scotland (is it mean of me to hope his new romance fails?). Recommended. (NetGalley)
Read and Buried by Eva Gates A library in a lighthouse? I'm there! Lucy works in a small yet vibrant library in Nags Head, North Carolina, and renovations to shore up the foundation of the lighthouse reveal a tin box with a mysterious notebook. The notebook's content are written in code, so Lucy and just about everyone else in her circle try their hand at decoding it. When someone breaks into the library and then is murdered, Lucy sets out to solve both the cryptographic mystery and the murder. Populated with several eccentrics who've known each other their whole lives and who squabble and interrupt each other like people who've known each other their whole lives, I enjoyed them in all their quirkiness and the setting is a great summer vacation destination, even fictionally. Recommended. (NetGalley)
A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry Kate Hamilton is in England to visit her daughter, who has an internship at a large country house, as well as to buy some antiques for her shop in Ohio. It also gives her the opportunity to resume in person her romance with police inspector Tom. When a body is discovered during her tour of the country house, Kate stays to comfort her daughter and assumes the work of the murder victim in order for the special exhibit she was planning to be held. Luckily, the country house is located within the bailiwick of Tom, the inspector she met in Scotland in the first book in the series. But their romance can only proceed fitfully given the murder investigation and the presence of his late wife's mother. I wanted to warm up to Kate a little more than I did, as she is a contemporary age-wise, but there was something about her that prevented my identifying with her. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book, and since it took place at Christmas, it provided a cool escape from the hot desert summer. Recommended. (NetGalley)
The Dog Who Took Me Up a Mountain by Rick Crandall and Joseph Cosgriff Delightful memoir of a man and his Australian terrier and their love of hiking Colorado's high peaks. This book hit several high notes for me--a great location, a pastime I love, and a dog with personality. Highly enjoyable for dog lovers. My only complaint is that I read the advanced reader's copy on my Kindle, and the photos were not included. Recommended. (NetGalley)
Showing posts with label Lynne Truss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lynne Truss. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Monday, December 31, 2018
Middle Sister's December Reads
December was a good month for reading, with a variety of material and subject matter. A god way to end the year. An unconscious theme--mysteries set in the past.
The Coloring Crook by Krista Davis Silly premise to me, a bookstore with a coloring group that meets regularly like the archetypal book group. It seems to me a blatant attempt to cash in on the current rage for adult coloring books. And the cosy genre has its fill of niche groups-book groups, knitting groups, cooking groups, traveling groups, so why not a group of coloring book aficionados? The mystery was okay, a little too easy for me to figure out too early in the novel, but the characters were likable (hooray for a sisterly relationship where the sisters love each other but can also annoy each other), both main characters and secondary characters. And hooray for a nice, adult, romantic relationship proceeding at a normal pace. The setting--Georgetown--is great: urban, old, yet full of history and quirky. The resolution was bit too pat, but I enjoyed the book and it was a fast read. A pleasant diversion the reader doesn't have to invest too much in to enjoy. (Net Galley)
A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss Delightful, funny mystery set in 1950s England by a fine writer. I would have liked to have had a better sense of Brighton, but the pace of the novel was fast. Every character was clearly and deftly defined, in just a few brief words, so that even the unlikable ones were interesting and one felt a little sad at their comeuppance. The twists and turns of the book are rapid; it's been a long time since I was surprised in a mystery novel, but this one got me. Well written, with a surprising ending, funny characters, and funny situations. I will definitely keep my eye out for future mysteries by Ms. Truss. (Net Galley)
They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer The only period mystery actually written in the past, a reissue of a novel by the romance author originally published in 1937. An English country house murder after a gala birthday party, with suspects abounding, young love, an irrepressible boy who complicates the romance, complicates the mystery, and helps bring the murderer to justice, quirky characters, sympathetic characters, and an escape to the genteel past where murderers were polite if diabolical. I love reading the Heyer Hannasyde mysteries, and am happy to have all them in reissued versions, both paper and digital. Perfect escapism. (Net Galley)
The Lacemaker's Secret by Kathleen Ernst Set in the 1980s, before cell phones and Netflix and Greek yogurt, Ernst's series revolves around Chloe, an historian who works in the upper midwest, and travels to different museums and locations for research or to help set exhibits. I like the unusual setting of the series, and its time frame means that some aspects can be simpler (people did seem nicer and less harried in the 1980s, which I remember well), and the lack of modern technology means that suspense can be ratcheted up in little ways that cell phones and the Internet would not allow. The simultaneous story lines can be a bit much, and I found myself starting to dislike the constant flipping back and forth between the stories, but it is handled deftly overall. (Net Galley)
Delicate Crochet by Sharon Silverman Lacy crochet patterns, nicely illustrated, but no charts were included in the advanced reader's copy I reviewed, despite the inclusion of a section on how to read charts. I would have liked to see more daring patterns, rather than the standard crochet pattern types, but the inclusion of Tunisian crochet makes the book stand out. (Net Galley)
On Thomas Merton by Mary Gordon I remember selling Thomas Merton books regularly when I worked in the bookstore, so thought that int his holiday season, some religious reading might not be amiss. Merton is a fascinating man who has been the subject of much research. For newcomers to his faith and philosophy, like me, I cannot recommend this book. There are extensive quotations from his journals that allow the reader to get a sense of his writing style and thoughts, but the author's interpretations were lacking and presumed the reader came with an introduction to Merton already to hand.
The Coloring Crook by Krista Davis Silly premise to me, a bookstore with a coloring group that meets regularly like the archetypal book group. It seems to me a blatant attempt to cash in on the current rage for adult coloring books. And the cosy genre has its fill of niche groups-book groups, knitting groups, cooking groups, traveling groups, so why not a group of coloring book aficionados? The mystery was okay, a little too easy for me to figure out too early in the novel, but the characters were likable (hooray for a sisterly relationship where the sisters love each other but can also annoy each other), both main characters and secondary characters. And hooray for a nice, adult, romantic relationship proceeding at a normal pace. The setting--Georgetown--is great: urban, old, yet full of history and quirky. The resolution was bit too pat, but I enjoyed the book and it was a fast read. A pleasant diversion the reader doesn't have to invest too much in to enjoy. (Net Galley)
A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss Delightful, funny mystery set in 1950s England by a fine writer. I would have liked to have had a better sense of Brighton, but the pace of the novel was fast. Every character was clearly and deftly defined, in just a few brief words, so that even the unlikable ones were interesting and one felt a little sad at their comeuppance. The twists and turns of the book are rapid; it's been a long time since I was surprised in a mystery novel, but this one got me. Well written, with a surprising ending, funny characters, and funny situations. I will definitely keep my eye out for future mysteries by Ms. Truss. (Net Galley)
They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer The only period mystery actually written in the past, a reissue of a novel by the romance author originally published in 1937. An English country house murder after a gala birthday party, with suspects abounding, young love, an irrepressible boy who complicates the romance, complicates the mystery, and helps bring the murderer to justice, quirky characters, sympathetic characters, and an escape to the genteel past where murderers were polite if diabolical. I love reading the Heyer Hannasyde mysteries, and am happy to have all them in reissued versions, both paper and digital. Perfect escapism. (Net Galley)
The Lacemaker's Secret by Kathleen Ernst Set in the 1980s, before cell phones and Netflix and Greek yogurt, Ernst's series revolves around Chloe, an historian who works in the upper midwest, and travels to different museums and locations for research or to help set exhibits. I like the unusual setting of the series, and its time frame means that some aspects can be simpler (people did seem nicer and less harried in the 1980s, which I remember well), and the lack of modern technology means that suspense can be ratcheted up in little ways that cell phones and the Internet would not allow. The simultaneous story lines can be a bit much, and I found myself starting to dislike the constant flipping back and forth between the stories, but it is handled deftly overall. (Net Galley)
Delicate Crochet by Sharon Silverman Lacy crochet patterns, nicely illustrated, but no charts were included in the advanced reader's copy I reviewed, despite the inclusion of a section on how to read charts. I would have liked to see more daring patterns, rather than the standard crochet pattern types, but the inclusion of Tunisian crochet makes the book stand out. (Net Galley)
On Thomas Merton by Mary Gordon I remember selling Thomas Merton books regularly when I worked in the bookstore, so thought that int his holiday season, some religious reading might not be amiss. Merton is a fascinating man who has been the subject of much research. For newcomers to his faith and philosophy, like me, I cannot recommend this book. There are extensive quotations from his journals that allow the reader to get a sense of his writing style and thoughts, but the author's interpretations were lacking and presumed the reader came with an introduction to Merton already to hand.
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