It's been a beautiful day. I had my annual eye check up today and tried on some glasses. I might go to another glasses store and compare prices. I finished my ninth book of 2021 yesterday so I'll provide my review below and also the synopsis of the next book on my list. I have also received two new books so I'll provide the synopses of them. Then I'll finish with my ongoing look at favorite authors.
Just Finished
"I've enjoyed the Chief Superintendent Wycliffe mystery series by W.J. Burley. Wycliffe and the Beales is the 11th book in the series. Like the others I've read, this story was an entertaining, satisfying mystery and story.
In the small town of Washford, layabout Bunny Newcombe is murdered, shot in the head with a Beretta. Wycliffe, who finds the town in his area of responsibility is bored sitting in the office so he heads off to Washford to help with the investigation. This will become an interesting investigation and case. Who would want to murder Bunny? Everything seems to revolve around the wealthy Beales family, owners of a chain of shops in the area.
The Beales all live in Ashill House and they are an interesting group of characters, from elder Simon, the family leader, to Esther and Edward, the younger family members. Bunny's mother, long dead, used to work at Ashill, so there is a connection between the families. Did one of the Beales kill Bunny or someone from the town?
I liked how Burley presented the story. There are meandering threads that may or may not be clues. Wycliffe is a taciturn man who organizes and utilizes his investigators effectively and we do get to see everybody involved in the investigation. The story revolves around Wycliffe's activities but it's more than just about him.
I enjoyed how Burley painted the story, how the characters interacted, how the mystery progressed. The area is nicely described, the mystery is interesting and the story flows nicely. Excellent story. (4.5 stars)"
Currently Reading
(Continuing with the next book from my 12 + 4 challenge; the books the longest on my book-list)
"On the peaceful and secluded estate of Lord and Lady Bottrel, the body of amateur flautist Tony Mills has been found, shot by his own gun. It appears to be suicide—but a closer inspection reveals some sinister inconsistencies, and Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is called in to investigate. As Wycliffe begins to unravel the last days of the dead man, another mystery is revealed: the disappearance of Lizzie Biddick, a pretty young girl who worked for the Bottrell family as a maid. Gradually, bitter family feuds and illicit relationships are uncovered—and then another body shatters the pastoral serenity of the Cornish estate for ever..."
New Books
"London, 1940. Winston
Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the
threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters
Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her college class and possesses
all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her
gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing
Street. Her indefatigable spirit and remarkable gifts for code-breaking,
though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie
finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of
clearance she could never have imagined—and opportunities she will not
let pass. In troubled, deadly times, with air-raid sirens sending
multitudes underground, access to the War Rooms also exposes Maggie to
the machinations of a menacing faction determined to do whatever it
takes to change the course of history.
Ensnared in a web of
spies, murder, and intrigue, Maggie must work quickly to balance her
duty to King and Country with her chances for survival. And when she
unravels a mystery that points toward her own family’s hidden secrets,
she’ll discover that her quick wits are all that stand between an
assassin’s murderous plan and Churchill himself."
"As the ash and chaos from
Mount Rainier's eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the
Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . . until now.
But
the journals of resident Kate Holland, recovered from the town's bloody
wreckage, capture a tale too harrowing--and too earth-shattering in its
implications--to be forgotten.
In these pages, Max Brooks brings
Kate's extraordinary account to light for the first time, faithfully
reproducing her words alongside his own extensive investigations into
the massacre and the legendary beasts behind it.
Kate's is a tale
of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity's defiance in the
face of a terrible predator's gaze, and inevitably, of savagery and
death.
Yet it is also far more than that.
Because if what
Kate Holland saw in those days is real, then we must accept the
impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks
among us--and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.
Part
survival narrative, part bloody horror tale, part scientific journey
into the boundaries between truth and fiction, this is a Bigfoot story
as only Max Brooks could chronicle it--and like none you've ever read
before."
My Favorite Authors - Alexander McCall Smith
British / Zimbabwean writer Alexander McCall Smith was born in South Rhodesia in 1948 and writes one of my favorite series, the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I have to admit that I originally thought (for the longest time) that the author was a woman, 'Alexandra'. I used to look for the books in the series but could never seem to find them until I discovered my error. Smith also has written the 44 Scotland series, the Sunday Philosopher series, etc. Yes he is prolific. Since 1998, he has written 21 books in the Ladies Detective Agency series. It was also turned into an excellent TV series. Unfortunately they only made 1 season. Jo and I loved it. So far I've read 7 of the books. I'll highlight the last 5 that I've read.
Alexander McCall Smith
"Botswana PI Precious Ramotswe investigates the alleged poisoning of the brother of an important government official, and the moral character of four beauty contestants. When her business has money trouble, and problems arise at at her reliable fiance Mr J.L.B. Matekoni's Speedy Motors, she finds he is more complicated then he seems." (4 stars)
"Now that The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (the only detective agency for ladies and others in Botswana) is established, its founder, Precious Ramotswe, can look upon her life with pride: she’s reached her late thirties ("the finest age to be"), has a house, two children, a good fiancé -- Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni -- and many satisfied customers. But life is never without its problems. It turns out that her adopted son is responsible for the dead hoopoe bird in the garden; her assistant, Mma Makutsi, wants a husband and needs help with her idea to open the Kalahari Typing School for Men; yet Mma Ramotswe’s sexist rival has no trouble opening his Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency across town. Will Precious Ramotswe’s delightfully cunning and profoundly moral methods save the day? Follow the continuing story of Botswana’s first lady detective in the irresistible The Kalahari Typing School for Men." (4 stars)
"Mma Ramotswe, who
became engaged to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni at the end of the first book,
is still engaged. She wonders when a day for the wedding will be named,
but she is anxious to avoid putting too much pressure on her fiancé. For
indeed he has other things on his mind, notably a frightening request
made of him by Mma Potokwani, pushy matron of the Orphan Farm.
Mma
Ramotswe herself has weighty matters on her mind. She has been
approached by a wealthy lady, whose fortune comes from successful
hair-braiding salons, and has been asked to check up on several suitors.
Are these men just interested in her money? This may be difficult to
find out, but Mma Ramotswe is, of course, a very intuitive lady." (4 stars)
"Precious is busier than usual at the detective agency when she discovers an intruder in her house on Zebra Drive—and perhaps even more baffling—a pumpkin on her porch. Her associate, Mma Makutsi, also has a full plate. She's taken up dance lessons, only to be partnered with a man with two left feet. And at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, where Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is already overburdened with work, one of his apprentices has run off with a wealthy older woman. But what finally rattles Mma Ramotswe’s normally unshakable composure is a visitor who forces her to confront a difficult secret from her past." (4 stars)
"It's been a long time since I last enjoyed the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith is the 7th book in this entertaining series, featuring the wonderful Botswana detective Precious Ramotswe.
Precocious operates her detective agency with her capable assistant Grace Makutsi out of her husband's garage Tlokweng Road. In this book, they work on a number of cases, with the assistance of one of the employees in Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Precious's hubby. Let's see what she's involved with in this story; a cook is being threatened with being fired by her boss who is stealing food from the cooking school, something mysterious is going on at the Game reserve that is putting the employees on edge, a doctor is falsifying blood pressure readings of his patients. On the back burner, Grace Makutsi's wedding with her fiance is threatened from some remarks she has made. And who is the advice columnist who works at the local paper, Auntie Emang?
With her usual intrepid, logical, thoughtful approach, Precious works through these cases, provides thoughtful discussion on her homeland, lovely Botswana and also on life, all free of charge. Well, you do have to buy the book, of course. It's a gentle, enjoyable adventure in what seems to be a lovely country, one that Precious loves dearly. Little incidents add to the richness of the story and the characters are lovingly portrayed. I will say that the incident with the cobra must have had a bigger impact on me than I realized because I dreamed about finding a cobra in my yard this morning.. lol Anyway, I'm glad to have rekindled my interest in this series, most enjoyable. (4 stars)"
I have #'s 8 & 9 sitting on my bookshelf awaiting my attention. The complete list of Smith's works can be found at this link. I hope you get some ideas from these. Have a great safe weekend. 😷
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