Remembrance Day 2026

Cadets guarding the memorial

We've had some blustery (putting it mildly) and rainy (more mildly) weather on the Island for the past few days. The rain held off for most of the Remembrance Day ceremonies in downtown Comox but it was quite windy. It didn't start raining until just at the end. It was poignant for me as I found myself thinking of my dad who passed away in September at 101 years of age. He fought in WWII in the Royal Canadian Navy onboard the HMCS Iroquois and after the war, rejoined but this time in the Royal Canadian Air Force. All of his sons followed in his footsteps. I hope he was as proud of all of his kids; Rick, Christine, me and John and his grandkids as we were of him. RIP Dad.

Jo is watching 8 Out of 10 Cats, one of our favorite British game shows and I'm going to do a quick book update while she is. Oh, she bought me a nice, comfy white pullover for my birthday yesterday. It's nice and soft, very comfortable.

So, to books.

Books Completed (2 completed and one I gave up on)

1. Terminal by Brian Keene (Horror / 2004) This is the book I didn't finish.

"After reading half of Terminal by Brian Keene I had to give up. It just wasn't for me. I do have another of his books, Ghoul, that I will probably try but not for awhile.

The basic story features Tommy O'Brien, a young man with a wife and child who works in a steel foundry in Pennsylvania. He's been feeling poorly for a long time and finally is told that he has terminal cancer and will die soon. Added to that, the foundry is laying off employees and Tommy is one of them.

Tommy can't bear to tell his wife but he does let his two best friends, John and Sherm, know. Tommy is desperate. They live in a trailer and are smothering in debt; credit cards up to the limit, missing bills, etc. What is a man to do? So the 3 friends hatch a plot to rob a bank. They purchase guns from a drug dealer in a nearby town and then, finally, half way through the book, they rob the bank.

Of course, as you can imagine, things don't go too well. I'll leave it at that since this is where I stopped. Something will happen though. We meet Benjy, a 7 or 8 year old boy, and his mother during the bank robbery. It seems Benjy has some abilities. 

But like I said, by the time I got to this point, I didn't really like the characters and it just took much too long going through Tommy's trials and tribulations that I didn't really want to see how it all wrapped up. Such is life, eh? Check it out though, you might really enjoy it. (NR)"

2. Northern Nights by Michael Kelly (Short Stories / 2024).

"Northern Nights is a collection of horror / speculative fiction stories by a number of Canadian writers, collated by Michael Kelly. I was familiar with 3 of the authors which was part of the reason I bought the book when I saw it in my local bookstore, those being David Demchuk, Premee Mohamed and Silvia Morena-Garcia. I have yet to read any of Garcia's other work but have since added The Daughter of Doctor Moreau to my bookshelf.

The first thing I enjoyed about the stories was that they were set in Canada, many in areas I have lived or am currently living. Rory Say's The Key to Black Creek is set just up the road from my home on Vancouver Island. But besides that familiarity there was the quality of the writing of the stories.

I can't say that any of the stories were terrifying but they all portrayed an other worldliness, something else watching us. Do Not Open is the diary of a young man who is alone able to see man's predator and sets out to kill them. The Slow Moving of the Drums talks about opening doorways that could result in the end of mankind. There is a nebulous quality to the stories leaving you looking over your shoulder. Are there others who feed off you, haunt your lives.

They were a pleasure to read and I will continue to check out these Canadian authors. (4.0 stars)"

3. Wrong Norma by Anne Carson (Poetry / 2024).

"I only heard of Canadian poet Anne Carson when she won the Nobel Prize for Literature this year. I've been exploring poetry more in the past few years so thought I should try some of her work. Wrong Norma is her most recent work, published in 2024. 

Wrong Norma is one of the most unique, enthralling books I've read this year. Anne Carson describes it as 'a collection of writings about different things, like Joseph Conrad, Guantanamo, Flaubert, snow, poverty, Roget's Thesaurus, my Dad, Saturday night. The pieces are not linked. That's why I've called it Wrong Norma."

Everything about the book is fascinating. The layout which has, interspersed throughout what seem to be blurry pages from her notebook, "What is your philosophy of time... backwards in north". I found myself digging out my little magnifying glass so I could read these bits.

It's hard to describe it as poetry. There is verse, there is prose, there is biography. Carson writes so clearly and beautifully and emotionally. There are translations from Greek, a neat, humorous juxtaposition of the history of Skywriting with Waiting for Godot. In fact the narrator (God?) interviews Godot. (The History of Skywriting is told a the creation of Everything, taking 7 days). But also there is this interview which had me chuckling

"First things first, do I call you Godot or Godot?

Why not use my first name?

Okay, what's that?

Rusty" and so it goes

There is a sad, touching story of Faisal bin Alli Jaber, a Yemeni engineer who tried to sue the US Government, asking for an apology for the drone attack that killed his brother-in-law and nephew - Fate, Federal Court and Moon (but it's more than that)

There is the 3-part Thret, which quite scared me.

It's very difficult to describe but I was drawn into it, by Carson's various styles of writing and the stories she presented. 

I have ordered another of her works, Men in the Off Hours, as I have to continue exploring. Please check her out. I don't think you'll be disappointed. (4.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Heavenly Pleasures by Kerry Greenwood (Corinna Chapman #2 / 2005) I've enjoyed a few of Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mysteries and also the 1st book in this series.

"No one has less interest in mysteries than Corinna Chapman, who has bread to bake, but they seem to be arising spontaneously in the vicinity of her bakery, Earthly Delights. Between the mouthwatering distractions of loaves and muffins, of Jason her apprentice and Horatio the cat, she's keeping an eye on the door as she waits for the exciting Daniel, her recently acquired lover, to walk back into her life.

After a week of no communication Daniel finally returns, bruised and battered from a run-in with a so-called messiah. But disturbing things are also happening close to home. Juliette Lefebvre, the owner of Heavenly Pleasures and maker of the most gorgeous chocolates in town, is distraught. Someone is spiking her very expensive chocolates. Is it an elaborate and horrible joke, or is it a warning that worse may yet happen?"

2. The Family Vault by Charlotte MacLeod (Kelling & Bittersohn #1 / 1979).

"She has rubies in her teeth, a crimson skirt, and not a shred of skin on her bones. She’s burlesque queen Ruby Redd, missing these past thirty years, and Sarah Kelling has just discovered her sprawled grotesquely in the family vault.

Sarah’s nightmare has just begun. As her dear, rich relations hover menacingly close by, she will watch in horror as more skeletons tumble out of the Kelling closet in a macabre montage of murder, greed, and blackmail."

3. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James (Mystery / 2020).

"Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…"

New Arrivals (Everything is in threes this time as there were 3 new arrivals since my last update)

1. Hold on to Tomorrow by M.B. Henry (Historical Fiction /  2026).

"November 22, 1963. As Jolene Johnson prepares to watch President John F. Kennedy’s parade drive by the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, she remembers the start of the decade, when the future seemed full of promise and hope.

America was on the brink of change when JFK entered the White House, and Jolene was in college with ambitions of her own. But she had no idea of the struggles that were to come . . .

As Jolene witnesses the country’s deep political divisions take the darkest of turns on that tragic day, can she somehow find the courage to keep her own dreams alive and follow her heart?"

2. Full Immersion by Gemma Amor (Sci Fi / 2022).

"A traumatised woman with amnesia finds her own dead body and sets out to uncover the truth of her demise in a race against time, sanity, crumbling realities and the ever-present threat of the Silhouette.

When Magpie discovers her own dead body one misty morning in Bristol, it prompts her to uncover the truth of her untimely demise. Her investigations take her on a terrifying journey through multiple realities, experimental treatments, technological innovations and half-memories in a race against time and sanity. Accompanied by a new friend who is both familiar and strange, and constantly on the run from the terrifying, relentless presence of the mysterious predator known only as Silhouette, Magpie must piece together the parts of her life previously hidden. In doing so, she will discover the truth about her past, her potential, and her future."

3. The Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed (Fantasy / 2024).

"The Empires of Varkal and Med’ariz have always been at war.

Alefret, the founder of Varkal’s pacifist resistance, was bombed and maimed by his own government, locked up in a secret prison and tortured by a ‘visionary’ scientist. But now they’re offering him a chance of freedom.

Ordered to infiltrate one of Med’ariz’s flying cities, obeying the bloodthirsty zealot Qhudur, he must find fellow anti-war activists in the enemy’s population and provoke them into an uprising against their rulers.

He should refuse to serve the warmongers, but what if he could end this pointless war once and for all? Is that worth compromising his own morals and the principles of his fellow resistance members?

A stunning meditation on war, nationalism, violence and courage by a rising star of the genre."

There you go folks. See anything that interests you?

It's November and it's Raining

Just north of us in Campbell River yesterday

High winds and lots of rain early yesterday. We were without power from about 8 a.m. to 11:30 in the morning. Quite mild after that. Not too bad today until just the last little while. the wind has picked up again and it's raining too. Yikes! Fall is here.

So let's update books, eh? A week into November and I've read 3 books so far.

Completed Books (3 books completed)

1. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix (Horror / 2014). A new author for me and a most enjoyable first book.

"Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix was published in 2014 and is my first attempt at his work. I was attracted to the book by the cover, a play on an IKEA catalogue and, as it turns out, is a theme at the beginning of each chapter. Each chapter portrays an item of furniture that you can get at this IKEA competitor, ORSK (well, some of the later items are actually a bit bizarre).

The story takes place in the Orsk superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. The main focus is Amy, who isn't really happy working there and wants to get back to the store she originally worked in. She has troubles with her boss, Basil, and is having difficulties making ends meet.

As Amy arrives at work, she wants to avoid Basil, so takes a back route. She thinks she sees someone, a man, who runs away. Basil does catch up with her and tells her to give some new recruits a tour of the facilities so they can get familiar with their new workplace.

Another strange incident occurs at the beginning of this day. The set up crew has found a disgusting deposit on one of the beds in the bedroom section. It seems that these types of events have been taking place for a few days now... broken items, items being shifted, etc.

Basil tells Amy and another employee, Ruth Anne, a more elderly woman, that he needs them to stay after work with him so they can discover who has been causing the disruption. The two were actually a last choice for Basil, as everyone else had 'something else planned'. He offers them extra money, which will help Amy pay her overdue rent to her roommates.

Of course, since this is a horror story, things will get stranger and stranger over the course of the evening. They discover two other employees hiding out because they believe the store is haunted and want to film it so they can become famous ghost hunters. We'll discover secrets about the Orsk location. 

It's an interesting story, not particularly scary, but there is a constant creepiness to it. The various characters are all interesting and over the course of the evening, they grow in stature. The mystery about the site is also quite neat. All in all, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's well - written and developed and it keeps you turning pages to see how everything will be resolved. Kind of satisfactorily actually (4.0 stars)"

2. The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes (Mystery / 1913).

"The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes was originally published in 1913. It's been translated into a few movies, the earliest being by Alfred Hitchcock in 1923 (I believe as a silent movie). It's an interesting psychological movie focused on the Buntings. They are an elderly London couple who used to work as servants and now have their own house. The two are struggling financially and can't believe their fortune when a seemingly wealthy man comes to the door to rent the upstairs rooms. The man is Mr. Sleuth.

At the same time, in London a serial killer is on the loose and the police can't solve the cases. He leaves a calling card on each victim, all women, a slip of paper with the words, The Avenger.

The Buntings new boarder is quiet and wants to be left alone. As the story progresses, Ellen Bunting begins to worry about the man. He conducts some sort of experiments in the upper floor. He spends his time sitting in his cold room, reading the Bible and another book. He goes out in the early hours and returns quietly, creeping up to his room. Ellen lies in bed listening for his movements. What can she do? They need the money and he always seems so polite to her? Is he the Avenger?

Two other people play roles in the story. There is Daisy, Roger Bunting's daughter from his first marriage. The marriage ended with is wife's death. She stays with an elderly aunt but has come to spend time with the Buntings.

There is also Joe Chandler, a young policeman, who visits regularly as he has feelings for Daisy. 

But the main focus of the story is really Ellen Bunting. There isn't a lot of action. The tales of the ongoing murders are reported by the newspapers. Roger is fascinated with the case and can't stop talking about it with Ellen and with Joe when he visits. Joe provides what information he can on the ongoing investigations.

But the story plays mainly through Ellen's mind. She can't believe that Mr. Sleuth is the Avenger but she finds herself searching his room when he's out. She listens constantly for his footsteps. She makes herself quite ill with worry. it's all played out quite nicely throughout the story. 

It's an interesting story for an early mystery, I think. It's an easy read and flows nicely. If you're looking for action, it might not be for you. But if you like steadily rising tension, give it a try. (3.25 stars)" (Note. Goodreads now lets us rate book by .25's. I don't know it that will make my reviews and scores more accurate, but I'll give it a go)

3. Game without Rules by Michael Gilbert (Spy / Calder & Behrens #1 / 1967). One of my favorite mystery / spy writers)

"I've read six other books by Michael Gilbert, mostly mysteries but one also set in a prison camp during WWII. Of those, two were 5 star reads. Gilbert has a way of telling a story that draws you in and just hold your interest. Game Without Rules is a collection of short stories featuring retired MI-5 operatives Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens. Both now work for DI-5, a special division of the British government that takes on the messy cases that the other departments can't handle. The division is run by a 'banker', Mr. Fortescue, who calls them in when he needs their expertise.

Each and every story is fascinating and different. Grant and Behrens live in a small village so they can remain in contact. The other main character is Rasselas, a Persian deerhound who lives with Mr. Calder. They share a close bond and seem to even talk with each other.

The book contains 11 stories and each is different and interesting. Some feature just one of the team but for the most part they are both involved. It's hard to describe them individually. There are some Cold War stories, a la John le Carre. Heilige Nacht is set in Bonn, Germany over Christmas. A Polish spy working for the UK has stolen crucial info but due to an accident is turned away from the British embassy. While he is chased by the Soviets, Calder and Behrens have to find him. It's a methodical investigation but at the same taut with tension. In Cross-over, the two men are trying to break down a Russian spy ring that moves people and documents from the UK to Russia. They need to find out how and break it down. Both follow a volunteer as he 'pretends' to defect (or is he pretending) across France and Germany. Once again, the tension builds steadily. It's a combination of technology (a new electronic tracking system) and pure gut instinct by the two men.

Rasselas plays his part in many of the stories. In Prometheus Unbound, Calder seems to be having a breakdown when he is desperately needed for a mission in Albania. Calder disappears but Behrens and Rasselas track him down but can Calder be saved? Each story has twists and turns and build quickly, methodically and come to satisfying conclusions. Calder and Behrens are excellent characters and each story was excellent. I'd give this book 5-stars but for the final chapter!!!! So sad... But well worth reading if you like excellent spy / thrillers. (4.75 stars) (Note. If you are interested in checking out Michael Gilbert, these were my 5-star reads so far - Smallbone Deceased (Inspector Hazelrigg #4 / 1950) and Petrella at Q (Patrick Petrella #3 / 1977).

Currently Reading (started since my last update).

1. Suicide Excepted by Cyril Hare (Inspector Mallett #3 / 1939).

"Suicide Expected, first published in 1939, is the third book in the series featuring Scotland Yard's Inspector Mallett. From the first edition “Mr. Hare settles into his stride. His third novel confirms the hopes aroused by his first and second. Unquestionably he joins the select few who can 'keep it up'; and in Suicide Expected he shows himself master of one of the most difficult arts in detective fiction—the art of surprise. As the title shows, the story turns upon the 'suicide clause' in a life insurance policy. Did Mr. Dickinson put an end to himself or was he the victim of foul play? The police were satisfied with the verdict of suicide. The dead man's children were not—family pride apart, they stood to lose heavily if their father took his own life, since the insurance company would not pay up. Inspector Mallett was sufficiently impressed by Stephen's argument to open a special file. But if it hadn't been for Stephen's determined pursuit of the unknown murderer, the file would have remained empty."

2. Gently Between Tides by Alan Hunter (Chief Superintendent George Gently #29 / 1982). It'll be nice to get back to this series.

"She seemed to care only for music and poetry. Why would anyone want to murder the quiet Czech violinist?

Superintendent Gently, temporarily at loose ends while his wife is away, cannot rest from his Yard duties. It falls on him to find the killer of the solitary young woman who seemed to have no ties in the village, but whose social life turns out to have been more active than any but the discreet participants were aware of. Certainly there was one lover--but how many more."

3. Catalina by W. Somerset Maugham (Fiction / 1948).

"'It was the Blessed Virgin' she cried…

Spain at the time of the dreaded Inquisition. Catalina, a destitute cripple, has been promised a miraculous cure but she becomes the centre of a storm of religious and political intrigue…

Maugham is, as always, a master story-teller and here he brings a terrible and troubled time vividly to life."

Newest Arrivals

1. Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu (Iron Kiss #1 / 2008). I've been enjoying her Monstress graphic novel series.

"Silver smoke winds around my torso, peeling away from my ribs and back, stealing the dark mist covering my hands and lower extremities...tattoos dissolving into demon flesh, coalescing into small dark bodies. My boys. The only friends I have in this world. Demons.

I am a demon hunter. I am a demon. I am Hunter Kiss.

By day, her tattoos are her armor. By night, they unwind from her body to take on forms of their own--demons of the flesh, turned into flesh. This is the only family demon hunter Maxine Kiss has ever known. It's the only way to live, and the very way she'll die. For one day her demons will abandon her for her daughter to assure their own survival--leaving Maxine helpless against her enemies.

But such is the way of Earth's last protector--the only one standing between humanity and the demons breaking out from behind the prison veil. It is a life lacking in love, reveling in death, until one moment--and one man-- changes everything..."

2. The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Set 1 by Bill Watterson (2023). I read all of the Calvin and Hobbes books many moons ago but when I saw this and I've been laughing at their cartoons online, I had to get it. Just seeing the cover cheers me up.

"A compact set perfect for introducing the timeless adventures of Calvin and Hobbes to a new generation of readers. Portable new format fits easily into backpacks as well as on the collector's shelf. Composed of two 144-page paperback books, including nearly 500 comics from the strip's debut in Nov. 1985 through March 1987.

Featuring archival slipcase and cover art selected by the author, The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium pays tribute to the strip's origin in newspapers while appealing to both new and existing fans of Calvin and Hobbes. Take Calvin and Hobbes along wherever you go, or share them with a reader who appreciates exhilarating adventures and profound wisdom in a classic comic strip!"

3. Warriors Graphic Novel: The New Prophecy #1 by Erin Hunter (1 of 3 / 2026). Hey! It's got cats and I enjoyed the 1st series.

"The wild cats of the forest have lived in peace for many moons—but when Brambleclaw, a warrior of Thunder Clan, receives an ominous prophecy from Star Clan that speaks of a mysterious danger, he must rally the fiercest warriors from all the Clans to seek answers in the mountains.

But the journey is long and hard, and tensions rise back in the forest as Firestar and Leafpaw watch Thunder Clan’s world crumbling around them. As the questing cats struggle to uncover the meaning of the prophecy, turmoil threatens to overtake the Clans."

4. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (Mystery / 2025).

"Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea—or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying.

Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller—Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades.

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest—the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic.

So Mabel does what she’s always done best—she takes matters into her own hands.

Is she a cantankerous old lady with a shady past? A cold-blooded killer with arthritis? Or just someone who’s finally ready to tell her side of the story?"

There you go, folks. Some books to either start off November or to finish off 2026 maybe. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

End October 2026 Reading Update

It's the end of another month, as 2026 winds down. Let's just get right into my reading update.

Books Completed (One book completed since my last update, a total of 11 for the month. That'll probably be my last book for October, although you never know)

1. The Motive (also published as Death of a Nymph) by Evelyn Piper (Mystery / 1950).

"I've read other books by Evelyn Piper, Bunny Lake is Missing and The Nanny, both because I'd seen the movies and realized that they were books as well. I've searched for others of her books and finally found The Motive, also published as Death of a Nymph. It was originally published in 1950.

I liked it and I didn't like it. I'll start there.

Joseph (Joey) Anton, a writer, currently working in LA, hears that Shirly, who he rooms with back in New York, has been found murdered in a park near her apartment building. John decides to go back to see what happened. He inherits her dog, Stinky as he calls it. Shirley was taking Stinky out for his nightly walk when she was killed.

The story jumps from one character to another and is quite a psychological mystery. We tend to see more of what they are thinking than actual action.

Tidbits - We see Shirley before her murder, walking in the park. A man is sitting on the park bench she uses. She recognizes actor, Gavin More, and invites him to stay in her spare room (John's actually) rather than on the park bench. It's after this that she is murdered.

There is Leo, a Jewish poet, married to Mary Day, his one time nurse. Leo survived the concentration camps and believes that Mary Day, murdered Shirley. Mary Day has disappeared. Leo is desperate. Gavin tells Leo that he will find Mary Day. Leo gives Gavin a doll of Mary Day's to prove to her that Gavin is helping him.

There is Jane Greer, a friend from their school days of Shirley, who persuades Joey to read her manuscript, a biography. Is it related to the murder?

It's a rambling story that exists mainly in people's thoughts, which makes it both interesting and frustrating. For a short book, it was a relatively slow read. But as the story gets into the crucial moments, the pace picks up and all these loosely related (seemingly) events start to tie together in a neat way. 

It's an interesting story. Joey is a smart man who is reluctant to get involved but finds himself almost inexorably drawn more and more into the mystery. How everything ties together seems far fetched but also leaves you, thinking, yeah, that was neat. One of those books I'm unsure how to rate. (2.5 stars) "

Currently Reading (one of my new arrivals made it as my next read)

1. Wrong Norma by Anne Carson (CanLit / Poetry / Essays / 2024). I'm enjoying very much so far.

"As with her most recent publications, Wrong Norma is a facsimile edition of the original hand-designed book, drawn and annotated by the author. Several of the twenty-five startling poetic prose pieces have appeared in magazines and journals like The New Yorker and The Paris Review.

Anne Carson is probably our most celebrated living poet, winner of countless awards and routinely tipped for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Famously reticent, asking that her books be published without cover copy, she has agreed to say this: "Wrong Norma is a collection of writings about different things, like Joseph Conrad, Guantánamo, Flaubert, snow, poverty, Roget's Thesaurus, my Dad, Saturday night, Sokrates, writing sonnets, forensics, encounters with lovers, the word 'idea', the feet of Jesus, and Russian thugs. The pieces are not linked. That's why I've called them 'wrong'."

Upcoming Reads

1. Suicide Excepted by Cyril Hare (Mys / Inspector Mallet #3 / 1939).

"An Inspector Mallett mystery.

Inspector Mallett's stay at the country house hotel of Pendlebury Old Hall has been a disappointment. Room, food and service have been a letdown and he eagerly anticipates the end of his holiday.

His last trial is to sit and listen as the hotel boor, whose family once owned the house, sits down at his table. The next day the man is dead and Mallett unwittingly finds himself investigating the suspicious 'suicide'."

2. Catalina by W. Somerset Maugham (Fiction / 1948).

"'It was the Blessed Virgin' she cried…

Spain at the time of the dreaded Inquisition. Catalina, a destitute cripple, has been promised a miraculous cure but she becomes the centre of a storm of religious and political intrigue…

Maugham is, as always, a master story-teller and here he brings a terrible and troubled time vividly to life."

3. Heavenly Pleasures by Kerry Greenwood (Corinna Chapman #2 / 2005).

"No one has less interest in mysteries than Corinna Chapman, who has bread to bake, but they seem to be arising spontaneously in the vicinity of her bakery, Earthly Delights. Between the mouthwatering distractions of loaves and muffins, of Jason her apprentice and Horatio the cat, she's keeping an eye on the door as she waits for the exciting Daniel, her recently acquired lover, to walk back into her life.

After a week of no communication Daniel finally returns, bruised and battered from a run-in with a so-called messiah. But disturbing things are also happening close to home. Juliette Lefebvre, the owner of Heavenly Pleasures and maker of the most gorgeous chocolates in town, is distraught. Someone is spiking her very expensive chocolates. Is it an elaborate and horrible joke, or is it a warning that worse may yet happen?"

Newest Arrivals (purchased one book and also got 4 from the local Facebook Marketplace).

1. We Were Forbidden by Jacqueline Harpman (Short Stories / 2026)

"In the wake of some unfathomable war, a woman wanders the forest. She and her fellow survivors are forbidden from leaving its boundaries or pausing in their eternal march through its strange depths.

Attending a rigid French school in 1940s Casablanca, a teenage girl is barred from ever questioning the dogma she is taught to believe—her punishment for doing so will be as swift as it is shocking.

Locked in a loveless marriage in the Belgian bourgeoisie, a young woman satisfies her husband's desires, twice weekly, as required. She has not yet thought to pursue her own.

These novellas—the first works by Jacqueline Harpman to arrive in English in decades—reveal her incredible stylistic range and demonstrate once more her penetrating psychological insight. Here we find the origins of a singular, relentless voice."

2. Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls (Fiction / 2023)

"Most folk thought Sallie Kincaid was a nobody who’d amount to nothing. Sallie had other plans.

Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the biggest man in a small town, the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born at the turn of the 20th century into a life of comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is her father’s daughter, sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is his mother’s son, timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out.

Nine years later, she returns, determined to reclaim her place in the family. That’s a lot more complicated than Sallie expected, and she enters a world of conflict and lawlessness. Sallie confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger."

3. One By One by Ruth Ware (Mys / 2020)

"Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them?

When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?"

3. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean (Hor / Fan / 2022)

"Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries.

Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairy tales and cautionary stories.

But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds."

4. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley (Mys / 2022).

"Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling."

There you go. Enjoy your Hallowe'en if you celebrate. And also the last two months of 2026

2027 Reading Challenges - Addendum

Spies, spies, everywhere

In the past few posts I highlighted some planned 2027 Reading Challenges. I've adjusted them a bit due my wife, Jo, buying me a number of Helen MacInnes spy novels on our local Buy and Sell. It made think about all of the various spy novels I've got on my bookshelves, so I decided to remove a couple of Individual challenges and add one more 12 + 4 Challenge. These are the books I'm tentatively thinking of putting in that challenge.

2027 12 + 4 Reading Challenge - Spy / Thriller

1. David Baldacci - Simple Genius (King & Maxwell #3 /  2007). I've read two of the books and it's been quite awhile since I got back to this series. It was a very entertaining TV series too.

"Near Washington, D.C., there are two clandestine the world's most unusual laboratory and a secret CIA training camp. Drawn to these sites by a murder, ex-Secret Service agent Sean King encounters a dark world of mathematicians, codes, and spies. His search for answers soon leads him to more shocking violence-and an autistic girl with an extraordinary genius.

Now, only by working with his partner, Michelle Maxwell, who is battling her own personal demons, can he catch a killer ... and stop a national threat."

2. David Downing - Stettin Station (John Russell #3 / 2009). The first two books were excellent.

"In the fall of 1941, Anglo-American journalist John Russell is still living in Berlin, tied to the increasingly alien city by his love for two Berliners: his fourteen-year-old son, Paul, and his longtime girlfriend, Effi. Forced to work for both German and American Intelligence, he's searching for a way out of Germany. Can he escape and take Effi with him?"

3. Joseph Kanon - Leaving Berlin (2014). Istanbul Passage was excellent.

"Berlin, 1948. Almost four years after the war’s end, the city is still in ruins, a physical wasteland and a political symbol about to rupture. In the West, a defiant, blockaded city is barely surviving on airlifted supplies; in the East, the heady early days of political reconstruction are being undermined by the murky compromises of the Cold War. Espionage, like the black market, is a fact of life. Even culture has become a battleground, with German intellectuals being lured back from exile to add credibility to the competing sectors.

Alex Meier, a young Jewish writer, fled the Nazis for America before the war. But the politics of his youth have now put him in the cross-hairs of the McCarthy witch-hunts. Faced with deportation and the loss of his family, he makes a desperate bargain with the fledgling CIA: he will earn his way back to America by acting as their agent in his native Berlin. But almost from the start things go fatally wrong. A kidnapping misfires, an East German agent is killed, and Alex finds himself a wanted man. Worse, he discovers his real assignment — to spy on the woman he left behind, the only woman he has ever loved. Changing sides in Berlin is as easy as crossing a sector border. But where do we draw the lines of our moral boundaries? At betrayal? Survival? Murder?"

4. One Man's Flag by David Downing (Jack McColl #2 / 2015). I didn't like this series as much as Downing's John Russell books, but I've only read one so far.

"Spring 1915: World War One rages across Europe, and the British Empire is assailed on all fronts—domestic and abroad. Amidst this bloodbath of nations, where one man’s flag is another man’s shroud, a British spy is asked to do the impossible: seduce and betray the woman he loves, again. Only this time betrayal is a two-way street.

Jack McColl, a spy for His Majesty’s Secret Service, is stationed in India, charged with defending the Empire against Bengali terrorists and their German allies. Belgium, he finds, is not the only country seeking to expel an invader.

In England, meanwhile, suffragette journalist Caitlin Hanley begins the business of rebuilding her life after the execution of her brother—an IRA sympathizer whose terrorist plot was foiled by Caitlin’s own ex-lover, the very same Jack McColl. The war is changing everything and giving fresh impulse to those causes—feminism, socialism and Irish independence—which she as a journalist has long supported.

The threat of a Rising in Dublin alarms McColl’s bosses as much as it dazzles Caitlin. If another Irish plot brings them back together, will it be as enemies or lovers?"

5. Sgt. Death by James Mayo (Charles Hood #4 / 1969)

It says only that this is Charles Hood's fourth assignment. I've read two others thus far.

6. The Devil's Cocktail by Alexander Wilson (Wallace of the Secret Service #2 / 1928)

"An intrigue against Britain by Bolshevik agents is strongly suspected at MI6. Sir Leonard Wallace sends Captain Hugh Shannon, disguised as a professor of English Literature, to India to get to the bottom of it."

7. The Whip Hand by Victor Canning (Rex Carver #1 / 1965).

"A 1960s London PI’s search for a missing au pair leads to sinister evil in this classic spy series opener by the author of The Rainbird Pattern . Meet Rex Carver, the suave and laconic private investigator. His job is to track down a German au pair , Katerina Saxmann, who has gone missing in Brighton. But when the security services show up at his apartment within hours of him accepting the assignment, he realizes there is far more going on. As the search leads Carver around the pleasure spots of Europe, the investigation, and his feelings for Katerina, get more complicated. But when a specter from the continent’s past rears its head, Rex discovers he might be in too deep "

8. Prelude to Terror by Helen MacInnes (Robert Renwick #1 / 1978). I really enjoy her spy stories.

"Colin Grant, New York art expert, suddenly finds himself on a secret mission for a mysterious millionaire--to acquire a famous painting being smuggled out of Hungary. What he does not know is that he is about to become the key piece in a sinister puzzle--a conspiracy to unleash a war of bloody international terrorism. From inside front Grant glanced sideways and saw a woman, beautiful enough to change his glance into a stare. Something stirred in a deep memory, couldn't come to the surface. Amber earrings emphasized the strange color of her eyes, almost a golden brown. Her lips smiled. Softly she said as she turned back to admire the painting, "You don't remember me, Mr. Grant?" Grant looked at her, puzzled. "I must talk to you," she said urgently. "It is too important for a telephone--it's about a job a friend of mine thinks you could carry out for him. Could you meet me at my hotel tonight? We can have supper in my room." Colin Grant did not know until it was too late that his whole life began to change in that moment--and that he would be lucky even to stay alive for the next few weeks."

9. Slow Burner by William Haggard (Colonel Russell #1 / 1965). Haggard is a new author for me.

"For British spymaster, Colonel Russell, the Cold War is about to get hotter.

When plans for a new and highly-innovative form of nuclear energy are stolen it falls to Russell’s Security Executive to retrieve them before the secrets of Slow Burner are leaked to Britain’s enemies.

But as Russell discovers, the enemy within can be more dangerous than any foreign adversary."

10. Old Flames by John Lawton (Inspector Troy #2 / 1996). The first book was interesting.

"At the height of the Cold War, Chief Inspector Troy of Scotland Yard, assigned to both protect and spy on Khrushchev, infiltrates the M16 to investigate the brutal killing of a Royal Navy diver and begins to suspect that one of his own colleagues may be responsible."

11. Agent in Place by Helen MacInnes (1976).

"This sophisticated narrative of spy/counterspy is set in Washington, where the Russians have planted an "agent in place." For nine years he has worked himself quietly into the fabric of government and society. Dedicated and patient, he has everyone's respect. It is a plot where amateurs are the villains and professionals are the heroes -- particularly a team of British and French agents whose job is to foil further Russian intervention. The story moves from Washington to New York to Menton on the French Riviera, where it concludes in a series of stunning revelations, dismaying setbacks and breathless discoveries."

12. A Plague of Dragons by John Michael Brett (Hugo Baron #2 / 1965).

"Baron is sent to Africa where he joins from Egypt to Kenya in search of a Chinese scientist with a plan to develop a horrific germ capable of killing thousands. He also has a unique gift at brainwashing, making everyone Baron comes into contact with a potential adversary."

Alternates

Alt 1. Source*Forged Armor by Paul J. Bartusiak (John Angstrom #1 / 2013). The author sent me this book and I have to apologize for not reading it sooner

"John Angstrom is a decommissioned CIA field operative, damaged goods from a mission gone awry. He is "placed" into DARPA, a branch of the Pentagon charged with maintaining the technological superiority of the U.S. military. It's a landing spot for Angstrom—a career transition—someplace safe for a man who can no longer do what he loves, and what he is trained to do.

His placement coincides with a groundbreaking event in DARPA's history: the crowdsourced design of a next generation Marine Amphibious Vehicle, or MAV. Massive in scale, the effort pulls together top experts in the field and submissions from the largest defense contractors around the world. The placement also pairs Angstrom with Dr. Susan Rand, a beautiful and driven woman working as a consultant on the project. Rand is a force like no other, and Angstrom must quickly figure out her motives, because her agenda is not clear, and she wields power and influence within DARPA in a most unorthodox manner.

Among all of the MAV submissions, there is something significant—something that no one can see for what it truly is—at least, not until Angstrom discovers it. His new role takes him in an unexpected"

Alt 2. Passport for a Pilgrim by James Leasor (Dr. Jason Love #4 / 1968)

"Dr Love's fourth supersonic adventure. Dr Jason Love is going to attend a medical conference in Damascus and one of his patients asks him to find out how his daughter died in a car accident on the outskirts of Syria's capital. But all is not as it seems. Fulfilling a simple favour turns into a nightmare for the Somerset doctor, turned part-time secret agent..."

Alt 3. The Sleeper by Holly Roth (1954).

"They keep teasing you with it... Hollister tells you a little, mostly about how it began with the woman, and then Hollister dies because of it... he FBI tells you a little more, again about the woman, and then they also stop talking...

So you go to the woman. And she is beautiful. Too beautiful.

Because after a little while you forget that she may very well be the instrument of your death..."

Alt 4. Gemini Trip by Janice Law (Anna Peters #2 / 1977).

"Anna Peters, the unorthodox New World Oil Company researcher, learns the price of the good research job she obtained after her successful adventures in The Big Payoff. The Chairman of the Board wants her to do a little track down Crystal Blythe, a feckless young woman soon to inherit the lion's share of New World stock. Crystal and her twin brother Edward have been living in France, and Anna is dispatched on a working holiday to locate the missing girl. Paris, art, culture, great food-the trip sounds terrific. Unfortunately for Anna and her artist lover Harry Radford, the young Blythes have gotten themselves into bad company, including gun runners and espionage agents from two countries. Anna learns she can't trust the charming and talented Blythes, and wonders if they can even trust each other."

Quite a variety in the genre. Maybe you'll see some authors with whom you're unfamiliar.