Back to Basics - New Books, Just Finished and Started and Author A - Z

My chatting on and on yesterday about the Toronto Blue Jays and baseball didn't help them win their home opener yesterday. They had a grand total of 2 hits, even though one was a home run. Hoping with that out of the way, they'll be a bit more productive with Aaron Sanchez on the mound today... Go Jays???

New Book

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan (Non - Fiction). A friend left this in my Little Free Library outside the house. I switched it for one I'd read. This sounds very interesting.









"When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she’d gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened?
In a swift and breathtaking narrative, Cahalan tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family’s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn’t happen."

Just Finished
I've finished 2 books since my last update. They will most likely be my final 2 books of March as I'm not far enough along with any others to finish before April.

1. Murder at Madingley Grange by Caroline Graham (Mystery / Decades Challenge).











"Caroline Graham is best known as the creator of the Midsomer Murders / Inspector Barnaby books. She also has written 3 standalone books, of which Murder At Madingley Grange was one.
Simon Hannaford and sister, Laurie are asked by their aunt to look after Madingley Grange during her annual month long vacation cruise. Simon, always looking to make money, has the great idea of using the estate to host a murder mystery weekend and persuades Laurie to help him organize and run it. An eclectic group of people show up for the weekend. He as well hires a brother and 'sister', Gaunt and Bennett, as butler and maid. They also have an interesting back story.
Adding spice to the story, a dead body is discovered the next morning and all are suspects. So there you go, the basic story. I like the way the story is laid out; 4 chapters, Simon Says Do This, The Set-up, Fun and Games and Murder. Each person plays a role and each chapter deals with each person's actions and story.
It's hard not to get involved in each character's story. They are quirky and interesting. There is romance, jealousy, suspense, everything you like. The story moves along nicely, then there is a twist to the left, then another twist to the right, then another little jig and a satisfying ending. I thought I had an idea of what was going on, but then there was a nice surprise and a final satisfying ending.
The setting is lovely and I found myself very engaged with both the story and characters. It's a  an excellent story and will keep me reading Graham's other books. It's unfortunate that she has a relatively small catalogue as she is an excellent story-teller. (4 stars)"

2. The Beggar King by Oliver Pötzsch (Historical Mystery / Ongoing Series).











"The Beggar King is the 3rd book in the Hangman's Daughter series by German author Oliver Pötzsch. It's an excellent historical mystery series and I've enjoyed every book so far.
Jacob Kuisl is the Hangman for the town of Shongau. He also provides medicines for the people of the town. Has daughter Magdalena is a fiery, outspoken person who works with the local midwife (some call her a witch) learning about herbs and medicines. Her boyfriend, Simon, is the son of the local doctor and he has taken medical training but never obtained his license. Magdalena is perceived to be unsuitable for Simon as she is of a lower class.
Jacob is called to Regensburg by his sister, who moved there many years before and operates a bathhouse with her husband. Jacob finds them murdered and is arrested on suspicion of committing the murder. He is tortured by the Regensburg hangman, but there is more to this story than we know. Magdalena and Simon go to Regensburg, partly because of difficulties they are having with local people in Shongau and partly to find her father.
There are many mysterious people operating in this story; the Beggar King, Nathan, the Italian representative to the city, Silvano and even the monk who meets Simon. While Jacob tries to remember what in his past has caused his problems, Magdalena and Simon race against time to find out what is going on and to try and save Jacob.
A fast paced story with many twists and turns and also an interesting look at Regensburg during the 1600's. Not a perfect story but totally entertaining. (4 stars)"

Just Started

The books I started to replace those just finished are from my 12 + 4 challenge and my New Series challenge.

1. Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer (Mystery / 12 + 4 Challenge).

"Guests spending the summer at an ancient priory mansion find it has a charm all its own--no modern conveniences, but it does have a resident ghost. In this case, however, the things that go bump in the night are flesh and blood . . . and deadly!"

2. Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist (Fantasy / New Series). This is the 1st book in the Riftwar Saga.










"To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan Pug came to study with the master magician Kulgan. His courage won him a place at court and the heart of a lovely Princess, but he was ill at ease with normal wizardry. Yet his strange magic may save two worlds from dark beings who opened space-time to renew the age-old battle between Order and Chaos."

Bill's Author A - Z
  

Belinda Bauer

Belinda Bauer. Bauer is a British mystery writer. Her first novel, Blacklands came out in 2009. Since that time she has published 7 novels. I've read the first and have two more waiting on my bookshelf.

a. Blacklands (2009).  








" I finished Blacklands by Belinda Bauer this morning. Stephen Lamb, a 12 year old boy, from a damaged family wants to put it back together. Many years ago, his uncle was murdered when he was a young boy and his body never found. Stephen's Nan sits at the window every day hoping her son, Peter will come home. Stephen's mom, Lettie, realizing she will always be 2nd place in her mother's heart, wanders from relationship to relationship. Stephen fells that if he can find the body, believed to be buried somewhere on the Moors, he can bring the family back together and he spends his days digging on the Moors. At some point, he realizes/ thinks that the person who can help him find the remains is the man in prison for the murders, so Stephen begins a secret correspondence with him. And from there the story takes off. Very dark but engrossing. Stephen is a quiet but smart boy, picked on by the hoodies in his school. Avery, the child killer, is a sociopath who has spent 18 years in prison and has his killing instincts aroused by Stephen's letters. Well worth reading. Belinda Bauer has written other stories set in the town of Shipcott, UK. I'll have to find them as I enjoyed this very much."

b. Darkside (2011).








"It is freezing mid-winter on Exmoor, and in a close-knit community where no stranger goes unnoticed, a local woman has been found murdered in her bed. This is local policeman Jonas Holly's first murder investigation. But he is distracted by anonymous letters, accusing him of failing to do his job.
Taunted by the killer and sidelined by his abrasive senior detective, Jonas has no choice but to strike out alone on a terrifying hunt . . . but who is hunting who?"

c. Rubbernecker (2013). 








"Winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, an Amazon Best Book of the Month, and one of the Guardian’s Best Crime and Thrillers of the Year, Rubbernecker is a can’t-put-it-down page-turner from one of the finest voices in UK crime, about a medical student who begins to suspect that something strange is going on in his cadaver lab. “The dead can’t speak to us,” Professor Madoc had said. But that was a lie. The body Patrick Fort is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things. But no one hears what he does, and no one understand when Patrick tries to tell them. Life is already strange enough for Patrick - being a medical student with Asperger’s syndrome doesn’t come without its challenges. And that’s before he is faced with solving a possible murder, especially when no one believes a crime has even taken place. As his determination to uncover the truth grows, so do the suspicions of his classmates, teachers - even his mother wonders if Patrick is all right. Now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery. But as Patrick learns one truth from a dead man, he discovers there have been many other lies closer to home."

Peter S. Beagle

Peter S. Beagle. Beagle is an American writer who was best known for his Fantasy novel, The Last Unicorn. I took this in university but honestly can't remember if I ever read it. I found a copy recently and have added it to my bookshelf.

The Last Unicorn (1968). 








"The unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world, and sets off to find the others. She meets Schmendrick the Magician--whose magic seldom works, and never as he intended--when he rescues her from Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival, where only some of the mythical beasts displayed are illusions. They are joined by Molly Grue, who believes in legends despite her experiences with a Robin Hood wannabe and his unmerry men. Ahead wait King Haggard and his Red Bull, who banished unicorns from the land."

MC Beaton

MC Beaton. British writer Beaton also writes historic romance novels under a form of her maiden name, Marion Chesney. She is also the prolific writer of two mystery series that I have enjoyed so far very much; Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. She has also written under various other names.

 There are currently 33 books in the Hamish Macbeth series. It started in 1985. There are 28 books in the Agatha Raisin books. It started in 1992. I've highlighted the first two books in each series for your info. These are 'cozy' reads.

a. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death.











"When Mrs. Agatha Raisin decides to retire early to the English Cotswolds, she envisions herself enjoying all that country life has to offer: garden parties, tea at the vicarage, and a cozy home far from the noise and smell of London. Life in the village of Carsley is not as Agatha anticipated, however. Much to her surprise, she doesn't attract much interest among the villagers. No one comes to call; there are no invitations to tennis or tea. A miserable Agatha is forced to acknowledge that she is but another newcomer to the well-established Carsley society. Agatha didn't succeed in business by being a shrinking violet, though, so she shakes off her doubts and resolves to make her mark on the village: She will enter Carsley's Great Quiche Competition and win! The fact that Agatha has never baked so much as a potato in her life doesn't stop her; she submits a delectable store-bought quiche as her own. Having dusted off her mantle-piece to accommodate her silver cup, Agatha is stunned to see the award go to another entry. Her surprise turns to horror, however, when the contest judge drops dead - from poison the police trace to Agatha's "homemade" spinach pie. Agatha is now the talk of the town - though not exactly in the manner she had hoped. In an effort to clear her name, she turns amateur sleuth - as Beaton introduces a witty and well-crafted new mystery series peopled with quirky characters and all endearingly eccentric sleuth."

b. The Vicious Vet. 

"Feisty Agatha Raisin, former London PR exec, retired to quiet Cotswold village. Handsome vet Paul Bladen accidentally kills himself while attending Lord Pendlebury's horse. Agatha and attractive neighbor James Lacey investigate the curious lack of sorrow shown by his divorced wife while a killer plans another "accident".

c. Death of a Gossip. 

"When society widow & gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters joins the local fishing class she wastes no time in ruffling the feathers of those around her. Among the victims of her sharp tongue is PC Hamish Macbeth, yet not even Hamish thinks someone would seriously want to silence her - until her strangled body is fished out of the river."

d. Death of a Cad. 

"When Priscilla Halburton-Smythe brings her London playwright fiancé home to Lochdubh, everybody in town is delighted . . . except for love-smitten Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet his affairs of the heart will have to wait. Vile, boorish Captain Bartlett, one of the guests at Priscilla's engagement party, has just been found murdered-shot while on a grouse hunt. Now with many titled party guests as the prime suspects, each with a reason for snuffing out the despicable captain, Hamish must smooth ruffled feathers as he investigates the case. When the hidden culprit strikes again, Hamish will find himself trying to save Priscilla from a miserable marriage-and catch a killer before he flies the coop."

I've read the first two books in the Hamish MacBeth series so far and have read three or four of the Agatha Raisin books as well. I've been collecting them slowly and enjoy trying to read at least one of each per year. 

There you go. Some reading material ideas to start your Easter weekend. In my next entry, I'll do my monthly reading summary. 

HAPPY EASTER!!