For Janice - Books Part 20 (The Final Post and then we get back to regularly scheduled posting)

The bottom left shelves to finish off

It's a rainy Saturday so while Jo watches episodes of Chicago PD, it's the perfect time to finish off this thread. For the final post, I'll check out the shelves at the bottom left, just behind the desk drawers. 

Close up of the very bottom shelf

Working alphabetically from bottom to top.

1. Left side, bottom row, back. Mostly mysteries here. Starting with a bit of classical fiction from Somerset Maugham. I have liked his story telling in other books. Then one by Archer Mayor (a crime series set in Vermont). Then 4 or 5 by Ed McBain. I like his police procedurals, featuring the 87th Precinct in a fictional city. I have read Robert McCammon's A Boy's Life, an excellent coming of age kind of horror story. Mine looked interesting. Val McDermid writes the Tony Hill psychological crime series and also a few others. Always good value for money. Julie McElwain is a new author for me. This is the first book in a time travel mystery series. James Melville is another new author, who writes the Inspector Otani mystery series. I've talked about Margaret Millar before, a Canadian mystery writer who has to be one of my all time favorite author in the genre. I keep finding more of her books. I eventually hope to read all of her books. I have read one of Magdalen Nabb's Inspector Guarnaccia's mystery series. It was ok. I hope to explore the series more. I thought I'd read one of Lillian O'Donnell's Norah Mulcahaney mystery series, but I guessed wrong. She is another new author for me. I bought the first two Emily Kenyon books by Gregg Olsen but have yet to try them. One day I'll either do so or just give up. Baroness Orczy wrote the Scarlet Pimpernel books. I've read one so far and also her Man in the Corner mystery series. Most enjoyable. Robert B. Parker wrote both the Spencer books and the Jesse Stone series. I've enjoyed a couple of the Spenser books very much, but still have to try Jesse Stone. I have watched the TV series starring Tom Selleck. Both Jo and I enjoyed that very much. The final two books in this row are a new author, Barbara Paul, author of both series and standalones. Kill Fee is one of her standalones. Finally there is Matthew Pearl, with historical mysteries. I've read The Dante Club and now have The Poe Shadow to try.

2. Left side, bottom row, front. Once again, mostly mysteries with a few Sci Fi thrown in. Starting with a few of Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield thrillers. Jane helps people in trouble disappear. Very interesting. I've read two of Jean Potts' spy mysteries and enjoyed very much. She wrote mainly in the 50's and 60's. Next is Preston & Child who write the Agent Prendergast horror thriller series, e.g. Relic. I've not read any of the Ellery Queen mysteries but saw this book and thought it might worth a try. I discovered Kathy Reichs after reading some of Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta and Karin Slaughter's Grant County forensic mysteries. Reichs created the Temperance Brennan series, set in South Carolina and Montreal. Very good series. Ruth Rendell writes the Inspector Wexford English mysteries and I'm just beginning to explore it. Now on to some Sci Fi with Mack Reynolds, a new author for me. Time Gladiator is part of his Joe Mauser series. Another new series next with J.D. Robb's (aka Norah Roberts) in Death series, a crime series set in the future. Sci Fi once again with one by Keith Roberts (new) and Kim Stanley Robinson (also new, but I will be reading another book by Robinson in my Tome challenge). Peter Robinson writes the DCI Banks mystery series, another excellent British series that was turned into a TV show. And then you've got to Holly Roth spy stories (just as good as Helen MacInnes and who I plan to continue to explore) and a fantasy by Patrick Rothfuss. I liked the first book in the Kingkiller series, even though I began it being somewhat intimidated by the number of pages.

3. Left side, 2nd bottom. There is more Sci Fi / Fantasy in this grouping, starting with a new author Brandon Sanderson and his Mistborn series. After that, back to mystery / thrillers with John Sanford's Prey series. I've enjoyed them so far and have a few on my shelf as you can see. After that with more Sci Fi and another new author, John Scalzi and the Old Man's War (I've heard great things about the series). Dell Shannon writes the Lt Mendoza police procedural. I've read one and it was so good. Somewhat like the 87th Precinct books. Next is another of my favorite all - time authors, Nevil Shute. He was such a wonderful story teller putting normal people in settings that make them shine. Pied Piper, The Far Country, On the Beach. I hope to read all of his books some day. Sci Fi next with Robert Silverberg (I'm not all that familiar with him) and Clifford Simak (I like him, although some of his books have been silly). My Simenon books are scattered throughout the house, depending on which publisher. The Maigret series is always excellent. Another new Sci fi author in Dan Simmons with the first book in his Hyperion series. A Martin Beck mystery by Maj Sjowall and the previously mentioned Karin Slaughter with some of her thrillers are next. Julie Smith writes two series that I've enjoyed, the Skip Langdon mysteries set in New Orleans and the Rebecca Schwartz series set in California. I didn't warm to her Talba Wallis series. The row finishes with another new Sci Fi author, Neal Stephenson. 

4. Left side, 3rd bottom, back. (The 2nd last row of books!) As I look at this 2nd last row, I think all but two books are mysteries. We'll see if I'm correct. The first ten are by Rex Stout, author of the Nero Wolfe mysteries. I think he is one of my focus authors in 2024 so I can make a dent in my collection. After that is John Straley with a PI series set in Alaska. I've read one and it's sort of mystical. Julian Symons wrote mystery series and standalones. I've enjoyed a couple of his books thus far. I've mentioned Peter Temple before. He is author of the Jack Irish, Australian mystery series, as well as standalone thrillers. Sheri S. Tepper is my one Sci Fi entry on this shelf. I found her Shadow's End to be such a unique story and I'm looking forward to exploring her work more. I've read a few of Josephine Tey's Inspector Grant mysteries. She wasn't prolific but they were interesting. Victoria Thompson writes the Gaslight mysteries set in early 1900's New York featuring mid-wife, Sarah Brandt. I'm working my way through the series and enjoying very much. Charles Todd writes the historical mystery series featuring Inspector Rutledge. I've enjoyed the first two so far. They are set after WWI. Arthur Upfield wrote his mystery series in Australia, featuring Aborigine Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. I enjoyed my first exposure to the series and look forward to reading a few more. Janwillem van de Wetering writes a series with the Amsterdam cops, Grijpstra and de Gier that I've started. And finally is a new author for me, S.S. van Dine, a screenwriter and author of the Philo Vance murder mysteries, which you can regularly watch on TCM.

5. Left side, 3rd bottom, front. After I took this photo, I filed the last three books correctly. LOL. So let's see. Joan D, Vinge and Vernor Vinge are both Sci Fi authors, both new to me. In case you were wondering how I pick some books, quite often they are listed in the back of other books I'm enjoying. If they sound interesting as well, I'll try to find the books. Some favorite mystery writers next with Martin Walker, creator of the Bruno series set in France, Ruth Ware, who I'm just starting to get into (not sure how much I like her yet) and Minette Walters, whose standalones have always been unique. I hope to read all of her work some day as well. I've read two mysteries by Hillary Waugh, Last Seen Wearing and A Death in Town and they were both excellent, super character studies of people coping in crisis and during a police investigation. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work. I've only read one Charles Willeford mystery so far and it was kind of different. I'm looking forward to trying his Hoke Moseley series. Timothy Williams is another author whose work were listed in the back of a book, from the Soho Crime publications. He writes the Inspector Trotti series. I've been exploring Jack Williamson's Sci Fi books. He was one of the early writers in the genre. I've read some Sci Fi by Colin Wilson, The Space Vampires and The Mind Parasites and am looking forward to seeing what kind of mysteries he writes. Connie Willis writes the Oxford Time Travel series and I enjoyed the first book. Gene Wolfe is kind of different. I didn't enjoy his Shadow & Claw series but I liked a book of his short stories so I'm going to give him another try with Castleview. Cornel Woolrich was one of the first 'noir' mystery writers. He wrote the short story on which Alfred Hitchcock presented Rear Window. I like his style of writing. Two final books / authors. John Wyndham wrote so many of my favorite Sci Fi stories (I mentioned in an earlier post.). This collection of short stories might be interesting. And finally I've read one of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen mysteries. Number 2 awaits.

So there you go. I hope you didn't mind my self - indulgence too much? Back to normal posts for the next while. Enjoy your weekend.