Apr 2020
General Info Apr Total (Including my current read)
Books Read - 10 43
Pages Read - 2700 11900 (Avg per book - 277)
Pages Breakdown
< 250 6 21
250 - 350 1 11
351 - 450 2 9
> 450 1 2
Ratings
5 - star 2 5
4 - star 7 23
3 - star 1 14
2 - star
No Rating (NR) 1
Gender
Female 7 22
Male 3 21
Genres
Horror 1 2
Fiction 1 11
Mystery 7 27
SciFi 1
Non-Fic 1 1
Classics
Young Adult 1
Top 3 Books
"I've enjoyed the Richard Jury mystery series by Martha Grimes very much. The first three or four books were read out of sequence but I've recently begun to read them in order. The Anodyne Necklace is the third book in the series and definitely one of my favorites. While it might not be overly deep and provocative, there is something about the story that draws you in and emotionally attaches you to the characters, whether Jury, his ever-present Sgt Wiggins and best friend Lord Ardry, AKA Melrose Plant, or the suspects and people involved in the case.
Jury is just setting out for a weekend vacation time with his friend Melrose when he receives a call from his boss and bane of Jury's existence, DCI Racer. Jury has been tasked to assist a local police force investigate a murdered body found in the woods near the tiny village of Littlebourne, a town near London. Bringing Wiggins along and asking Plant to come as well, to do some 'undercover' investigating, Jury heads to the town. What an interesting place and such interesting people. We soon discover that a crime, possibly related to the murder, has also taken place in London. Katie O'Brien, a young lady from Littlebourne, who traveled to London for violin lessons, had been struck on the head and is in hospital in a coma. (This is how the story opens). As well, there have been other incidents that make for both a fascinating town and that might also be related.
Thus begins Jury's investigation. And it will involve so many fascinating characters, Polly Praed, the local mystery writer, the Bodenheims (Sir Miles and family) who are the subject of Praed's murder plots, the Ashe family in London, a more rascally but lovable bunch you will never meet, the local Bobby, Peter Gere, but especially young Emily Louise Perk, an independent, stubborn, wonderful girl who will so influence both Melrose and Jury in this story.
The mystery is the crux of the story but it's the interrelationships and the characters that make it such a joy to read. I found myself becoming invested in so many of them and turning pages to find out how they would further develop. The story was such a pleasure to read, bringing out many emotions, sadness, happiness, anger... I so enjoyed the story, a lovely little gem. Oh and a nicely satisfying mystery as well, with an excellent ending. (5 stars)"
"Lynn S. Hightower is one of those gems I discovered a few years back. I first read The Debt Collector, the last book in her Sonora Blair series and I've also enjoyed No Good Deed, the 3rd book in the series. She hasn't published a whole heck of a lot of books, 14 books since 1986. I've had considerable difficulty finding them. Anyway, I finally managed to get the first book in her Lena Padget mystery series, Satan's Lambs. All I can say is Wow!
Lena Padget is a PI who works in Kentucky. She became a PI when her sister and young nephew were murdered by her sister's husband Jeff Hayes. She takes on special cases, helping women escape from abusive marriages. These women return the favor by feeding Lena, helping her with information, etc.
Lena finds out from cop, Detective Mendez, that Jeff has been released from prison. At the same time, Jeff's partner-in-crime, Archie Valletta, has also been released. Archie has threatened his ex-wife Eloise and she hires Lena to protect her and her son, Charlie. Jeff starts intimidating Lena with phone calls, secret visits. Archie kidnaps Charlie and Lena now must try to find him before something worse happens. It turns out that both Jeff and Archie had been part of a group of Satan worshipers.
So that is the gist of the story, a tense, at times disturbing, thriller. Lena uses every resource possible to find Charlie and to stop Archie and Jeff. These include her ex-husband Rick and his wife, the various people who she's helped in the past and also Detective Mendez with whom she has conflicting feelings. It's a scary story that will keep you turning pages to find out what happens but it's also filled with such fascinating characters, bad ones but at the same time, wonderful characters and friends who you will find yourself becoming invested in. There is so much about this story that I loved. Hightower spins a wonderful yarn and will draw you in. I'm so glad that I discovered her and I will read her other stories if I can find them. (5 stars)"
"The Con Man by Ed McBain is the 4th book in his 87th Precinct cop series. It's a simple cop story relatively but at the same time for all of its simplicity, also very rich.
Two crimes are being investigated by the detectives of the 87th Precinct. Arthur Brown, Det 2nd Grade, is looking into a pair of con men who are ripping off people. Det Steve Carella is investigating the discovery of a 'floater', the body of a woman found in the river, apparently murdered.
I enjoy the process of the various investigations, the methodical nature and introduction to the other departments, Missing Persons bureau, the daily Line-up where detectives from the various divisions come together to review the line-up of people arrested. I enjoyed that section very much.
I also enjoyed the meeting of the various detectives' spouses and girl friends as they also added to the story, especially Carella wife, Teddy, deaf and mute but still a force to be reckoned with. The story is so well paced and in the one case McBain ramps up the tension until the final outcome. The story is so fascinating and it draws you in immediately. I liked the detectives, their family and the tattoo artist, Mr. Chen. Just a great, enjoyable crime story and a most satisfying ending (4.5 stars)"
Reading Challenges
12 + 4 (Finish off Some Series) (completed 6)
1. Open Secret by Deryn Collier (3 stars)
2. Fly Away Jill by Max Byrd (4 stars)
Individual Challenge - First Book in Series (completed 6)
1. Satan's Lambs by Lynn S. Hightower (5 stars)
Individual Challenge - Next Book in Series (completed 11)
1. The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes (5 stars)
2. The Con Man by Ed McBain (4.5 stars)
3. Death at Victoria Dock by Kerry Greenwood (4 stars)
Individual Challenge - Non Series (completed 10)
1. Return to Lesbos by Valerie Taylor (4 stars)
2. Women's Barracks by Tereska Torres (4 stars)
Monthly Challenge - January (CanCon) (completed 1)
Monthly Challenge - February (Margaret Millar) (completed 4)
Monthly Challenge - March (C.S. Forester) (completed 3)
Monthly Challenge - April (Minette Walters)
1. The Sculptress (4 stars)
Currently Reading
2. First in Series - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (All Souls Trilogy #1)
3. Next in Series - A New Lease Of Death by Ruth Rendell (Chief Inspector Wexford #2)
4. Non-Series - Killing the Shadows by Val McDermid (2000)
5. April Challenge (Minette Walters) - The Echo (1997)
Next In Line (Possibles)
2. First in Series - The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri (Inspector Montalbano #1)
3. Next in Series - Daughter of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (Fu Manchu #3)
4. Non-Series - Laura by Vera Caspari (1942)
5. May Focus Challenge (Dennis Wheatley) - The Devil Rides Out (1934)
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