Sunday 28 February 2021

My February Reading Update

I finished two books this weekend. I also picked up a couple of books at my local used book store on Friday. Today I'll focus on my end month review. Satisfied with my February reading although the majority were relatively short books. Without further ado, here is my summary for February 2021.

February
General Info            Feb            Total (Including my current read)
Books Read -              13                         22
Pages Read -            2650           5350 (Avg per book - 243)

Pages Breakdown
    < 250                      10                         13       
250 - 350                      1                           6
351 - 450                       
   > 450                         2                           3

Ratings
5 - star                          1                           1           
4 - star                          7                         13
3 - star                          4                           7
2 - star                              
No Rating (NR)            1                           1                                   

Gender
Female                          8                         12
Male                             5                         10
Not Stated                           

Genres
Horror                           
Fiction                          2                           3
Mystery                        8                         15
SciFi                             1                           1
Non-Fic                                                     1   
Classics                                        
Young Adult                 2                           2           
Poetry                            

Top 3 Books

1. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke (Inkworld #3) 5 stars
2. A Dram of Poison by Charlotte Armstrong 4.5 stars
3. Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #17) 4.5 stars

Challenges

12 + 4 (Finish off Some Series) (completed 4)
1. The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver (4.5 stars)
2. Wycliffe and the Beales by W.J. Burley (4.5 stars)
3. Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist by W.J. Burley (4.5 stars)

Individual Challenge - First Book in Series (completed 3)
1. Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll (DNF)
2. Undersea Quest by Jack Williamson & Frederick Pohl (4 stars)

Individual Challenge - Next Book in Series (completed 1)
1. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke (5 stars)

Individual Challenge - Non Series (completed 4)
1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (4 stars)
2. A Dram of Poison by Charlotte Armstrong (4.5 stars)

Monthly Challenge - January Focus Author - Simon Brett (completed 4) 

Monthly Challenge - February Focus Author - M.C. Beaton (completed 5)
1. Agatha Raisin and the Well-Spring of Death (3 stars)
2. Death of a Prankster (3.5 stars)
3. Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam (3 stars)
4. Death of an Addict (4 stars)
5. Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (3.5 stars)

Currently Reading

1. 12 + 4 Challenge - The Baron and the Arrogant Artist by John Creasey (aka Anthony Morton)
2. Individual Challenge (1st Book in Series) - The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill (Simon Serrailler #1)
3. Individual Challenge (Next Book in Series) - The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (Dark is Rising #2)
4. Individual Challenge (Non- Series) - Shirley by Charlotte Bronte
5. Monthly Challenge - March Focus Author (Agatha Christie) - The Moving Finger (Miss Marple #3)

Next Challenge Books in Line

1. 12 + 4 Challenge - The Hermit of Eyton Forest by Ellis Peters
2. Individual Challenge (1st Book in Series) - Every Dead Thing by John Connolly (Charlie Bird #1)
3. Individual Challenge (Next Book in Series) - The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Maj Sjowall (Martin Beck #1)
4. Individual Challenge (Non-Series) - The Miracle Strain by Michael Cordy
5. Monthly Challenge - March Focus Author (Agatha Christie) - The Murder on the Links (Hercule Poirot #2)

Wednesday 24 February 2021

New Books and My Favorite Authors

Jo and I ran some errands this morning and after a very satisfying lunch are now watching old Law & Orders. They are always great to watch. I've been enjoying a silly comedy sketch show that CBC is showing, just started the 2nd season. It's called Tall Boyz and reminds me of the humor of 4 on the Floor and Kids in the Hall.

I've received two books in the mail in the past couple of days; older mysteries by new authors for me. I'll provide the synopses for both and also continue with my ongoing and winding down look at my favorite authors. (NB. I've decided on my next 'book look'.. 😀)

New Books

1. Alibi for Murder by Charlotte Armstrong (1955). I've recently enjoyed A Dram of Poison by Armstrong and want to explore her work more.

"An unscrupulous actress is perpetrating a supernatural hoax that has stunned the country. She's the Dream Walker - a mysterious apparition who shows up in two different cities at the same time, then disappears, untraceable. Olivia Hudson, an acting teacher at a private Manhattan girls' school, considers this no more than a mean-spirited prank born of desperation and blind ambition. Until, that is, it tarnishes the deservedly spotless reputation of a beloved, but famous, family friend. Now, Olivia respects a good actress, but when this woman's antics begin to involve murder... someone has to intervene. Someone who can best an actress at her own game... to escape with her life!"

2. The Penguin Pool Murder by Stuart Palmer (Hildegarde Withers #1 / 1931). Jo and I started to watch the movie starring Edna May Oliver as Miss Withers. Both the books and movies were very popular at the time.






"For the third graders at Jefferson School, a field trip is always a treat. But one day at the New York Aquarium, they get much more excitement than they bargained for. A pickpocket sprints past, stolen purse in hand, and is making his way to the exit when their teacher, the prim Hildegarde Withers, knocks him down with her umbrella. By the time the police and the security guards finish arguing about what to do with Chicago Lew, he has escaped, and Miss Withers has found something far more interesting: a murdered stockbroker floating in the penguin tank.

With the help of Detective Oscar Piper, this no-nonsense spinster embarks on her first of many adventures. The mystery is baffling, the killer dangerous, but for a woman who can control a gaggle of noisy third graders, murder isn't frightening at all."

My Favorite Authors - Michelle Spring

Michelle Spring
Michelle Stanworth was born in Victoria, BC in 1947 and is both a sociologist and crime writer. Under Stanworth, she wrote sociology books. As Michelle Spring, and having moved to the UK, she wrote a number of books featuring British PI Laura Principal. I discovered the series in early 2000's and enjoyed each of the 5 books. I've also read her one standalone mystery. I'll highlight the 6 books for you here. Each of the Laura Principal book titles is from a song title. The neat titles and the cover photos both attracted me at first.

1. Every Breath You Take (Principal #1 / 1994).

"Wildfell Cottage is a serene weekend oasis for three career women whose lives have taken sudden turns. But they are barely acquainted before one of them is dead—and another is determined to find out why.

Between the worlds of academia, art, and politics, someone slipped into a woman's life and snuffed it out in a burst of rage, leaving Laura Principal to untangle a wicked web of secrets and hypocrisy. What Laura finds is the perfect suspect. Unfortunately, a better one has found her. . . ." (4 stars)

2. Running for Shelter (Principal #2 / 1995).







"When Laura Principal rings the bell at theatrical producer Thomas Butler's London mansion, a young maid opens the door. And suddenly, Laura is plunged into a mystery whose depths she fears to plumb.

The maid asks Laura to help her find some missing money, but overnight she disappears. Neighbors say she was abducted; the Butlers insist no such person ever existed. But beneath the vicious underpinnings of affluence—in clubs, country houses, and charming mews—Laura uncovers the unbelievable truth. Proving it, though, could be fatal." (4 stars)

3. Standing in the Shadows (#3 / 1998).







"The shocking murder lingered in the tabloids for weeks. A sweet elderly lady bludgeoned to death in a quiet corner of Cambridge by her eleven-year-old foster child, Daryll Flatt. Hideous as the crime was, the case was closed when the boy confessed to the murder. Now, two years later, Daryll's older brother hires private investigator Laura Principal to revisit the case—and to answer the baffling question: Why?

On the surface, Daryll fit the mold of a child murderer perfectly—a hopeless boy, abused and cast off by a wretched family. Yet as Laura Principal probes deeper, several curious facts reveal themselves. And with each step closer to the truth, Laura senses someone in the corner of her eye, a threatening presence . . . standing in the shadows . . . watching her every move." (4 stars)

4. Nights in White Satin (#4 / 1999).

"At the annual May Ball, a jubilant celebration marking the end of examinations at Cambridge, private investigator Laura Principal is hired to provide security. Then, somewhere between the dancing and the fireworks, a student disappears.

Katie Arkwright wore white, a vision of purity. But when Laura starts probing into the missing woman's life, she finds that Katie concealed a dark side. The deeper Laura searches into a tangled past, the more tension mounts in every corner of Cambridge—where someone waits, coiled to strike. And strike again." (4 stars)

5. In the Midnight Hour (#5 / 2001).

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Twelve years ago, four-year-old Timmy Cable vanished suddenly from a wild and lonely stretch of East Anglian beach. After a massive police search fails to find a body, the boy is presumed dead.

Now, on a quiet street in Cambridge, Timmy's mother, still wracked with grief, is drawn to a teenage street musician—and feels desperately certain that this tall, blond boy must be her son. Has the long nightmare of loss ended at last? If so, where has Timmy been all these years? And why, whenever the boy is questioned about his past, does he become strangely hostile?

It falls to private investigator Laura Principal to ferret out the truth. Is this young stranger with a badly bruised face truly Timmy Cable? Or is he merely a dangerous interloper, bent on taking the wealthy Cable family for a lucrative ride? And what can explain the trail of violence that begins with his arrival—and ends with murder?

As Laura Principal searches for answers, she confronts a loss that threatens to turn her own world upside down. For Laura, this is a haunting case that reaches its breathtaking climax . . . in the midnight hour." (4 stars)

6. The Night Lawyer (2006).

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I had previously read Michelle Spring's Laura Principal mysteries and enjoyed very much. The Night Lawyer is a standalone mystery and it didn't grab me as much. The main character, Eleanor Porter, is recently hired as the night lawyer for a London newspaper, meaning she works the night shift reviewing articles for possible legal issues. Sounds like an interesting job. Ellie has a past, a previous nervous breakdown, something from her childhood that is alluded to throughout the story and also a stalker. Ellie isn't a confident character; she's trying to rebuild her life, from a previous relationship breakup (the reason for her nervous breakdown) and also trying to build her body and character with a karate course. There are things I didn't like at all, her neediness to reconnect with her ex, her constant panic attacks. But I imagine these characteristics are realistic; but the extent of them kind of irritated me. However, the story moved along nicely and ultimately resolved itself to my satisfaction. Not my favourite of her, but nevertheless, a well-paced mystery. (3 stars)"

I do hope that Michelle Spring writes more books in the series. I'll keep looking. Check out the first book and enjoy your week. 


Your Midweek Music Medley - 24 Feb 2021

It's a frosty morning today so while Jo and one puppy are having a lie-in I'm in the family room having a reading morning with the other pup. 😁 But before that, here is your midweek music medley to help you get through the rest of the week.

Your Midweek Music Medley 24 Feb 2021

1. American disco / soul group Odyssey - Going Back to my Roots (1981).

2. American disco group Double Exposure - My Love is Free (1976).

3. American R&B / post-disco group The SOS Band - Weekend Girl (1985).

Enjoy the rest of your week. Stay safe. 😷

Sunday 21 February 2021

A Weekend Update and My Favorite Authors

Since your dumping of snow last weekend, it's been a lovely week. The yards are beginning to show green again and my snowman is just a shadow of his former self. Poor guy. Of course, the dogs haven't brought back his hat yet. I may have to go out and get it myself. There are a bit in the dumps at the moment because their toys are in the washing machine. Clyde always watches me closely when I move them from the washer to the dryer. So cute!

I've finished two books this weekend, one I've been working on since January and the other a quick little mystery from my February Focus author, M.C. Beaton. I'll provide the reviews of both and also the synopses of the next books in line. Then I'll continue with my ongoing look at favorite authors. 7 to go after this entry. What will I do next?

Just Finished

1. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke (Inkworld #3). This is the final book in this excellent fantasy trilogy. (Ed Note: It seems there might be a 4th book coming out in 2021, a German edition anyway. We'll see.)

"Inkdeath is the 3rd and final book in Cornelia Funke's Inkworld trilogy. It's an intimidating length but once you get going and back into the flow of Inkworld, it's a page turner that you'll find difficult to put down. I admit it took me a while to finish but then again I'm usually reading more than one book at a time. Today I sat down the final 200ish pages and just went at it. So good!

It's such a rich, fascinating series that it's difficult to describe the story in a few words, but let's see. Inkworld is a world in a book series created by Italian author, Fenoglio. Over the course of the 1st two books, characters from the books have been read into our world by Mo and Meggie. Mo is a bookbinder and has the ability to read characters from books out of those books, hence his nickname Silvertongue. There are other people who can do this, including Mo's son, Meggie, bad guy Orpheus and others. Mo's wife, Resa, spent the 1st book a prisoner in Inkworld. Mo and Meggie live with Mo's aunt, Elinor, a big-time book collector.

By the time we get to Book 3, pretty well the whole family, sans Elinor, as well as Orpheus, Fenoglio, Farid (a character read out of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves) find themselves transported to Inkworld, along with all of those characters who had originally come from Inkworld. (Confused yet?) Mo has now become the Blue Jay, a character created by Fenoglio to battle against the books' villains especially the evil King, the Adderhead. Inkdeath chronicles everybody's adventures until the final, fantastic ending.

So much goes on in this story and we meet so many fantastic characters and creatures. It's not a story for the faint of heart. It's gritty, depressing at times,  filled with action and many interacting story lines. The villains are really bad people, from the Adderhead, to the Piper of the silver nose and Thumbling (can you guess how he got his name?) Orpheus is really really bad, selfish, willing to do anything to gain riches etc. The good guys are out and out good guys and some are a bit more enigmatic. But there are so many great ones, Dustfinger of the fire creating hands, brothers Darius and the Strongman, the Black Prince and his bear, Minerva, the wonderful land lady of Fenoglio and Roxanne, Dustfinger's wife, etc. And there are so many others, tragic, like Violante, the Adderhead's daughter and her son, Jacopo... I could go on. I liked the creatures too, especially the Glass men, who work as scribes for Fenoglio and Orpheus and are great spies. It's so rich and wonderful.

There are ups and downs, surprises, both of the good kind and traumatic. It jumps from character to character and keeps you on your toes. As the story builds, it gets better and better. I loved the ending and was at the same time happy and sad; especially knowing it was the last of a wonderful trilogy. It left me choked up and feeling somewhat bereft that I won't get to spend time with these people anymore. So excellent. A must read series. (5 stars)"

2. Death of an Addict by M.C. Beaton (Hamish MacBeth #15).







"Death of an Addict is the 15th book in the Hamish MacBeth mystery series by M.C. Beaton. It's an interesting story, with Constable MacBeth of Lochdubb, Scotland, investigating the death of a young man and going under cover to infiltrate drug dealers in Strathbane.

I'm not reading these in order, just reading those I've got on my book shelf, so it's apparent that some things have gone on in Hamish's personal life that I've missed. Having said that, it doesn't take away from the story and you can get the gist of it.

Hamish goes to Drim, a village in his constabulary, to investigate reports of a sea monster in the Loch. While there he meets a young man renting a chalet from another local. Also there is a young lady, renting another of the chalets. This young man will turn up dead, presumed dead of an overdose. The boy's parents tell Hamish that the boy had once been addicted to heroin but had turned his life around. The whole thing seems to be questionable to Hamish, but his superiors in Strathbane feel it's an open and closed case.

Hamish takes time off from his work as local constable and begins an investigation on his own. His findings result in a bigger investigation of drug runners in the area. Det Inspector Olivia Chater is brought in from the Glasgow force to work with Hamish undercover to try and catch the local big guys in the drug enterprises.

This will involve pretending to be a big man in drugs as well and even mean a trip to Amsterdam. Hamish must learn to work with Olivia.. Hamish has trouble dealing with women, shyness and a habit of falling in love, and Olivia has felt the pressure of being a senior female police officer, which makes for a sometimes prickly relationship.

It's an entertaining story with sufficient action to hold your interest and some nice twists in the plot. It's all a new experience for Hamish, moving from his quiet rural constabulary to the high stakes drug trade. Most enjoyable. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (Dark is Rising #2). I enjoyed the first book in this YA fantasy series very much.






""When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back, three from the circle, three from the track; wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone; five will return, and one go alone.”

With these mysterious words, Will Stanton discovers on his 11th birthday that he is no mere boy. He is the Sign-Seeker, last of the immortal Old Ones, destined to battle the powers of evil that trouble the land. His task is monumental: he must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light, which, when joined, will create a force strong enough to match and perhaps overcome that of the Dark. Embarking on this endeavor is dangerous as well as deeply rewarding; Will must work within a continuum of time and space much broader than he ever imagined."


2. Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came by M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin #12).

"Marital bliss was short-lived for Agatha Raisin. Her marriage to James Lacey was a disaster from the beginning, and in the end, he left her-not for another woman, but for God. After having been miraculously cured of a brain tumor, James has decided to join a monastery in France. Agatha can usually depend on her old friend, Sir Charles Fraith, to be there when times are tough, but even Charles has abandoned her, dashing off to Paris to marry a young French tart.

Miserable and alone, Agatha hops on a plane and heads for a remote island in the South Pacific. To Agatha's surprise, she makes friends with her fellow travelers easily, and keeps herself out of mischief, despite the odd feeling she gets from one particularly attractive honeymooning couple. But when she later finds that the pretty bride has drowned under suspicious circumstances, Agatha wishes she had found a way to intervene.

Returning home to the Cotswolds, Agatha is grimly determined to move on with her life and to forget about James and Charles. They have, after all, forgotten about her. And what better way than to throw herself into another murder investigation? A woman, dressed in a wedding gown and still clutching her bouquet, has just been found floating in a river. The police say it's suicide, but Agatha suspects the girl's flashy young fiancé. With the help of her handsome, and single, new neighbor, Agatha sets off to prove the police wrong."

My Favorite Authors - Julie Smith

Julie Smith
Julie Smith was born in Annapolis Maryland in 1944 and is the author of novels, short stories and 4 mystery series. I've tried 3 of them so far and each is unique in its own way, one set in California and the others in New Orleans. I'll highlight the 6 books I've read so far.

1. New Orleans Mourning (Skip Langdon #1 / 1990).

"It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and civic leader and socialite Chauncy St. Amant has been crowned Rex, King of Carnival. But his day of glory comes to an abrupt and bloody end when a parade-goer dressed as Dolly Parton guns him down. Is the killer his aimless, promiscuous daughter Marcelle? Homosexual, mistreated son Henry? Helpless, alcoholic wife Bitty? Or some unknown player? Turns out the king had enemies...

Enter resourceful heroine Skip Langdon, a rookie police officer and former debutante turned cynic of the Uptown crowd. Scouring the streets for clues, interviewing revelers and street people with names like Jo Jo, Hinky, and Cookie, and using her white glove contacts, the post-deb rebel cop encounters a tangled web of brooding clues and ancient secrets that could mean danger for her—and doom for the St. Amants." (3 stars)

2. The Axeman's Jazz (Skip Langdon #2 / 1991).







"What’s the perfect killing field for a murderer?

A place where he (or maybe she) can learn your secrets from your own mouth and then make friends over coffee. A supposedly "safe" place where anonymity is the norm. The horror who calls himself The Axeman has figured it out and claimed his territory--he's cherry-picking his victims in the 12-Step programs of New Orleans.

And he's had the gall to name himself after a historical serial killer. He just needs to go down, and fast, because this is New Aw'lins, dawlin'--half the town is either alcoholic or co-dependent!

Who better to take him out than tall, funny, social-misfit Skip Langdon, now a homicide detective on the Axeman team, a gig that takes her into the 12-Step groups to meet the suspects (giving author Smith a chance for gentle satire). As Skip threads her fascinated way from one self-help group to another, she finds she has more in common with the twelve-steppers than just the murder—her mother, for one thing, whom she encounters at Over-eaters Anonymous! And she knows what they do not: that among their anonymous numbers is a murderous, and dangerously attractive psychopath." (3 stars)

3. The Sourdough Wars (Rebecca Schwartz #2 / 1984).







"The Sourdough Wars by Julie Smith is Smith's second book in her Rebecca Schwartz mystery series. She also writes the Skip Langdon and Tabitha Walls' series. Rebecca Schwarz is a lawyer based in San Francisco working in partnership with her friend, Chris Nicholson. This mystery finds them involved in the world of Sourdough bread and bakeries.

Both attend a play by acquaintance Peter Martinelli. Martinelli, it turns out, comes from a family that had been successful in the sourdough bread industry, supposedly very big in the San Francisco area. He inherited the 'starter' dough for their famous sourdough bread. Martinelli is persuaded to sell this starter dough off at an auction, which sparks interest from rival bakers, the brothers Tosi, Sally Devereaux (a smaller baker) and Clayton Thompson, rep for a major bread-making conglomerate. All the interested parties arrive for the auction but when Martinelli doesn't show up, Rebecca and her boy-friend Rob the reporter discover his dead body (murdered).

This begins an investigation by Rebecca, Rob and Chris into the world of sourdough bread and who might be guilty of the murder. It's a fun ride, in a similar vein as those of Lilian Jackson Braun's 'Cat who' mysteries, or Karen Kijewski's Kat Colorado mysteries. There are plenty of suspects, including all the competing parties and even Peter Martinelli's sister, who had also wanted the starter dough.

Combined a quick paced mystery / adventure with lots of action, you also have Rebecca's relationships, with her Jewish parents, her sister and boyfriend and all of the other's mentioned. It's not a complex mystery, just an entertaining one. Enjoy. (3 stars)"

4. New Orleans Beat (Skip Langdon #4 / 1994).

"While I won't say the Skip Langdon mystery series is one of my top ten mysteries, the stories by Julie Smith are always different and entertaining. New Orleans Beat is the 4th book in the series and maybe one of the best so far.

In this latest story, New Orleans police detective, Skip Langdon, is called to the scene of a death (murder?) of a young man, Geoff Kavanagh, who lived at the home of his mother. He is found at the bottom of a ladder, a death initially called an accident. As the story progresses, Skip begins to suspect that Geoff's death was, in fact, a murder.

The story will involve many people, many damaged people, as Skip gets more into the investigation. As well, Skip is dealing with the frustrations of a long-distance relationship and with helping her best friend Dee-Dee raise his 'adopted' children, a teenage girl and younger brother. It makes for a messy, packed story.

I admit that, mainly because I have 4 or 5 stories on the go at one time, I sometimes had a bit of trouble keeping track of who was who, but that is my issue, not yours. There is so much going on that it makes for a fascinating tale. Aspects that particularly interested me. The story was published in '94 and I liked reading about the online group, The Town. It reminded me of the impact of my first online communities. There is also 'witchcraft', a group of woman supporting each other. Is it a factor in the murder(s)?

Part of the story struck a chord with me as well, especially considering what is going on in America today. There is an ongoing theme about the appropriateness of blacks and whites dating. Skip, dealing with her relationship problems, finds herself attracted to a black man. I don't know if Smith is criticizing this issue (meaning she feels it's not an issue) or just commenting on it as a fact of American life at that particular time. As an aside I do recall being on course in Oakland in the '90s and finding it strange when one of my white American classmates said she thought it was disgusting when we saw a black man with a white woman (but if I recall, not if it were the other way). Anyway, not here to debate the issue, but just found it interesting and somewhat unsettling.

So, all in all, a rich, layered story with a somewhat untidy, but interesting, mystery and ending. Ultimately satisfying. (4 stars)"

5. Death Turns a Trick (Rebecca Schwartz #1 / 1982).







"A light, entertaining, well-paced mystery, the first Rebecca Schwartz mystery. A nice, spunky character, a lawyer in San Francisco who gets involved in a murder in her apartment and works to keep her boyfriend from being charged/ found guilty of the crime. It's not a deep crime mystery, just good fun. I like Rebecca and her sister Mickey and the other characters that were introduced. Entertaining and comforting. 3.5 stars. I'll read more of this series. (3 stars)"

6. Louisiana Lament (Talba Wallis #3 / 2004).







"Louisiana Lament by Julie Smith is the 3rd book in the Talba Wallis mystery series set in New Orleans. I've read books in Smith's other series, one featuring New Orleans cop Skip Langdon and the other San Francisco lawyer, Rebecca Schwarz. This was my first exposure to Talba Wallis.

Wallis is a PI who works for Eddie Valentino. In a previous book she had met her sister, Janessa (same father, different mother). Janessa had told Talba in no uncertain terms that she didn't want anything to do with her. Suddenly she gets a call from Janessa to come help her. On arrival, Talba discovers the dead body of Alyson Brown, Janessa's employee. We discover later that Alyson's daughter has also been murdered. Janessa and her friend, Nathan are both suspects.

Talba persuades her boss to take on the case and this begins the investigation into the murders or murder / suicide. One other aspect of Talba's character that needs to be highlighted is that she is a published poet, under the pseudonym of the Baroness of Pontalba. The story uses poetry at times provide clues to the mystery, an interesting aspect of the story.

There are no shortage of suspects' Alyson's son and other daughter, Janessa and Nathan, Alyson's business partner, etc. it's a meandering story that wanders between Talba and Eddie as they track down the suspects to gather clues. You get a nice picture of parts of New Orleans as the investigation is followed.

It's an interesting story. I found New Orleans interesting and also the main characters. I do find it interesting that Talba is black and the author is white and I wonder how accurate her portrayal of that culture is. At any rate, while not perfect, it is an interesting story and mystery. I will check out the other books in the series. (3 stars)"

I have three more of Smith's books on my shelves, two Skip Langdon and one Rebecca Schwartz. The complete listing of her works can be found at this link. Some reading ideas for you. Enjoy your upcoming week.

Friday 19 February 2021

A Friday Reading Update, a New Book and My Favorite Authors

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

1. Wycliffe and the Beales by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #11).

"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)

1. Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #17). As you can see, I'm not necessarily reading them in order. 😀






"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

1. Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal (Maggie Hope #1). This is a new series for me. It looks interesting.






"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."

2. Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks (2021). I enjoyed World War Z very much. This one also sounds interesting.

"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

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.

1. Morality for Beautiful Girls (#3 / 2001). Oh yes, I was very much attracted to the covers. Just beautiful.

"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)

2. The Kalahari Typing School for Men (#4 / 2002)







"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)

3. The Full Cupboard of Life (#5 / 2003).







"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)

4. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (#6 / 2004).

"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)

5. Blue Shoes and Happiness (#7 / 2006).







"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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