A Quick Sunday Post

Team Homan

Hey there. Happy Sunday. Brighton had a great Saturday in the Premier League, winning 4-0. Go Seagulls! And even though I'm not getting any hopes up for the season, the Blue Jays won their first Spring Training game yesterday too. But.... the best sports news yesterday was the amazing shot that Rachel Homan made in the Scotties Curling play-offs. I hope this link works because it was truly amazing. Check it out.

So this will be quick today as I've only completed one book since my last Blog. I'll provide my review of it, plus what books I've started and any new books I've received since I last updated this,

Just Completed

1. When the Tripods Came by John Christopher (Tripods #0.5 / 1988). This completes this series for me It was excellent, an entertaining YA / Sci Fi series. I've enjoyed John Christopher's work and have since ordered his Prince in Waiting trilogy.

"I had read the Tripod trilogy, a YA / Sci Fi series a couple of years ago when I discovered the three books in a used book store I frequent. After I had completed the trilogy I decided to check out other books by British author John Christopher and discovered that he had written a prequel to the series in 1988, entitled When the Tripods Came, a prequel to the trilogy.

In the first 3 books, the premise is that the Tripods have taken over the Earth many years ago and mankind has reverted to a more primitive time, no tv, no radio, no cars, etc. Each year any children reaching the age of 13 lose their free will when they receive the helmet that will link them forever with the Tripods. Of course there is an underground movement to grab these children and turn them into rebels instead. This guerrilla movement is the crux of the 1st three books, the battle to return the Earth to mankind.

In the prequel, we find out how the Tripods take over Earth and it's fascinating. 3 Tripods land on Earth, one in England, one in the US and one in Russia. They are ultimately destroyed. The books focus is on the one that lands in England and is seen by two young boys out on an orienteering adventure, Laurie and Andy. 

After this first encounter, life goes on as normal but gradually things begin to change. Firstly there is a television program, called the Trippy Show to which people begin to get quite addicted, including Andy's step-sister, Angela. She must watch it and throws a terrible tantrum once when she misses an episode. Laurie's dad finally agrees to have the local doctor look at her. Oddly he tries hypnotism on Angela to remove this addiction to the show and it works. (Oh, Angela's mom Ilse, who of course is also Laurie's stepmom, has had to go to Switzerland to look after her sick father). 

But this addiction to the Trippy show grows and becomes quite threatening. When more Tripods land, masses of people head to their locations as a sort of cult. This includes Laurie's friend, Andy's mom. Andy moves in with Laurie and his family. The situation continues to worsen. Laurie's uncle and cousin show up one day and try to put a 'cap' on Laurie (this will link him to the Tripods). They have enough caps for the whole family. But Laurie's great aunt, Martha, intercedes and saves Laurie. The family now decides they need to leave England because it has now become to dangerous. And thus begins a journey to Switzerland for the whole gang.

For a very short story, 150ish pages long, there is a lot packed into it. It's a fascinating Sci Fi novel and a great adventure. I like how it explains the beginnings of the Tripod invasion and also provides an inkling to the future underground revolution. Scary and tense and with excellent characters. It's a series that both adults and kids could enjoy equally. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie (Tommy and Tuppence #5 / 1973). This will complete this series.

"Tommy and Tuppence Beresford have just become the proud owners of an old house in an English village. Along with the property, they have inherited some worthless bric-a-brac, including a collection of antique books. While rustling through a copy of The Black Arrow, Tuppence comes upon a series of apparently random underlinings.

However, when she writes down the letters, they spell out a very disturbing message: "Mary Jordan did not die naturally." And sixty years after their first murder, Mary Jordan's enemies are still ready to kill. . . ."

(I've broken my promise to stick to no more than 5 books at once by adding two short ones that I had to start)

2. A Field of Vision by Charles Causley (1988). It's February and I thought a book of poetry was appropriate. His work was recommended by Susan Hill in one of her books. I thought I should try it. 

"This latest collection of poems from Charles Causley includes thirty-eight poems and a translation from the German Des Knaben Wunderhorn, 'A Song of Truth'. His travels are reflected in many of the poems, 'In Malacca', 'At the Chateau Lake Louise' and 'I believe you were born in Odessa', but he comes home again and again to Cornwall, where his house, names after a Saxon spring, is celebrated in the lines of 'Sibard's Well'.

Travel and homecoming, reflection and recollection fill these pages. More than once, Charles Causley is drawn back to his childhood in the still dark shadow of the First World War. The spirit of storytellers and ballad-spinners of ancient Cornwall haunts many of these poems. Some like 'Legend of the Raven', are newly written yet might have been old when the standing stones were raised in the far west of these islands."

I'm getting into it and he paints such beautiful pictures. This is Kelly Wood, a short one -

"Walking in Kelly Wood, gathering words

Frail as split leaves, fine sticks of sentences,

Spirals of bracken from the fallen ground,

I listen for the silences of stone,

The stream's white voice, the indifference of birds,

Safe in my quiet house I lay them out

- Leaf, stick and bracken - in the hearth's cold

   frame,

Strike steel on flint against the page of dark,

Wait patiently for the first spark. A flame."

3. On Book Banning by Ira Wells (2025). I saw this in my local and it looked interesting.

"A lively, accessible survey of literary censorship through the ages.

The freedom to read is under attack. There are, today, more efforts to ban books from libraries than ever before. The supposed "dangers" posed by books including The Handmaid's Tale, Gender Queer, Huckleberry Finn, and the works of Dr. Seuss—leading children down a path of sexual deviance, or harming them with racist language or non-inclusive narratives—fuel the puritanical zeal of De Santis Republicans and progressive educators alike. On Book Banning argues that today's culture warriors proceed from a misunderstanding of literature as instrumental to the pursuit of their ideological agendas. In treating libraries as sites of contagion and exposure, censors are warping our children's relationship with literature and teaching them that the solution to opposing viewpoints is cancellation or outright expurgation.

On Book Banning provides a lively, accessible survey of literary censorship through the ages—from the destruction of libraries in ancient Rome, to the Catholic Church's attempts to tamp down religious dissent and scientific innovation, to state-sponsored efforts to suppress LGBTQ literature in the 1980s and beyond. Throughout, Ira Wells demonstrates how today's book bans stem from the ineradicable human impulse toward social control. In a whistle-stop tour of landmark legal cases, literary controversies, and philosophical arguments, we discover that the freedom to read and publish is the aberration in human history, and that censorship and restriction have been the rule. At a moment in which our democratic institutions are buckling under the stress of polarization, On Book Banning is both rallying cry and guide to resistance for those who reject the conflation of art and propaganda, for whom books remain sacred vessels of our shared humanity, and who will always insist upon reading for ourselves."

New Books

(The two I just started reading both arrived this past week)

1. A Writer's Diary by Virginia Woolf (1953). This was another of the books recommended by Susan Hill.

"An invaluable guide to the art and mind of Virginia Woolf, drawn from the personal record she kept over a period of twenty-seven years.

Included are entries that refer to her own writing, and those that are relevant to the raw material of her work, and, finally, comments on the books she was reading. The first entry included here is dated 1918 and the last, three weeks before her death in 1941. Between these points of time unfolds the private world—the anguish, the triumph, the creative vision—of one of the great writers of the twentieth century."

2. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (We Solve #1 / 2024).

"A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve...

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job...

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?"

3. Ms. Tree; Fallen Tree by Max Allan Collins (Ms. Tree #6 / 2024). This has been an enjoyable crime series.

"The sixth sensational instalment in the Hard Case Crime books of Ms. Tree, private detective, from famed Hard Case Crime author Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition).

Fans of pulp noir and hard-boiled detective crime fiction will love this seminal collection of classic comics.

From the minds of award-winning author Max Allan Collins and artist Terry Beatty, comes the sixth collection of classic Ms. Tree stories, collected together for the first time!

Join Michael Tree, the 6ft, 9mm carrying private detective on her thrilling adventures. No case is too small, no violence too extreme, just as long as it gets the job done.

Fans of hard-boiled detective and crime fiction will get a thrill from these “Fallen Tree!”; “Like Father”; “Murder Cruise”; “New Years Evil”; “Coming of Rage”; and more!"

4. The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Oz #6 / 1910). I've been enjoying my journey through the world of Oz.

"The Emerald City is built all of beautiful marbles in which are set a profusion of emeralds, every one exquisitely cut and of very great size. There are other jewels used in the decorations inside the houses and palaces, such as rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and turquoises. But in the streets and upon the outside of the buildings only emeralds appear, from which circumstance the place is named the Emerald City of Oz."

Horror!

I've been thinking about what theme I could follow since I've finally completed my look at Women Author's Whose Work I've Been Enjoying. It took me a couple of years but was most enjoyable. Of course, it's not an all - inclusive look as there are so many others I've enjoyed. I tried to focus on those where I've read more than just a book. If you're interested in checking those threads out, you can find individual authors in the Focus threads along the right side of the Blog, e.g. for Becky Chambers, check this thread.

Well. I had a great plan to focus on Horror books next but as I checked through my previous Blog entries, I've discovered that last year I did about 5 or six posts on the topic, including favorite books and graphics. So instead of re-inventing the wheel, if you are interested, please go to this thread. It was in September. Just scroll through. Now to think of something else???? War books maybe? I'll keep you posted.

A Rainy Wednesday Post

Hi there. It's been a rainy, windy day here in the Valley. Tomorrow Jo and I head up to Campbell River,  for some appointments. We'll have to take Clyde with us because he really hasn't been alone for a few months and we don't know how he would cope. 

I find myself getting more involved in the Canadian political situation, joining my neighbours and many other Canadians this past weekend by proudly hanging out my Canadian flag. Donald J. Trump might think we all want to be Americans, but you know what? He's wrong! Our next election will be very important, I believe. I have put my hopes in the new leader of the Liberal Party, hoping it's Mark Carney. I think any of the Liberal hopefuls would be much better than the American wannabe, Pierre Poilievre. We'll see what happens.

Anyway, on to books. I've received a few new ones since my last update. I've also completed 3 books and started a couple. Let's take a look.

Completed

1. Speak: the Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, artwork by Emily Carroll (2018).

"(Warning: Without trying to ruin the story, it does deal with sexual assault and rape and its after effects)

Speak: The Graphic Novel is the graphic novelization of Laurie Halse Anderson's 1999 Young Adult fiction novel. I bought the novel because I had been searching for books / graphics that Emily Carroll had either written or inked. Speak was one such novel. In her foreword, Anderson states -

'The story and form seemed to be a natural fit, but only in the hands of the right artist. Emily Carroll is that artist. Her artwork combined with my story have created a new expression of what it feels like to have your voice stolen from you...'

This is a powerful, distressing story. Melinda Sordino is starting high school. Something happened over the summer and she finds herself shunned. The story tells of her trials and tribulations of her life. Melinda has no friends, previous friends now shun her. Only Heather, another new girl, tries to be her friend. But Melinda is shrunk into herself. She doesn't speak. She hates her classes, won't talk to her parents, who are also constantly arguing.

The only class she seems to like is art class, even though she's not enamored with the topic. Her teacher has given each student an item that they must draw, design, etc throughout the year, Melinda's being a tree. This is a constant theme throughout the story.

We learn that Melinda is shunned because of an instant that occurred during the summer, where she called the police while attending a party. They don't know the reason but it does come out as the story progresses.

Melinda's marks are awful, her parents are stressed, she is placed in after school detention, but even with all of that, she does begin to make some contact with some students. She also finds herself a hidey hole in an old janitor's closet where she spends her peaceful time alone. But she meets 'IT', the cause of all of her troubles and spirals downward.

IT is a senior whose actions have caused Melinda to lose her speech and when she discovers that IT is pressing his attentions on her 'ex' friend Rachel. Should she finally 'speak out'? I don't want to tell much more about this story, suffice it to say it's a powerful, disturbing story about abuse and its effect. 

The story is stark and the artwork powerfully reflects the story's impact on Melinda. The story has been banned. Professor Wesley Scroggins said the novel was 'filthy and lacked morality'. I shake my head when I read this. Another decried the sexualization of teenagers. Another has also 'challenged it due to a political viewpoint claimed to biased against male students.' *shakes head*

It's a story that should be read and discussed. Life for teenagers can be difficult enough. School should be a sanctuary, not a place filled with threats. (4.5 stars)"

2. Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon (Inspector Maigret #71 / 1970).

"I always enjoy a Maigret mystery and Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon was no exception. This was the 71st book in the series and by now, as you'd expect, Simenon is quite comfortable getting into Maigret's mind and skin. The story flows nicely and smoothly, draws you in and ultimately comes to a satisfying conclusion. (Maybe I should just stop there, eh?) Oh well, let's talk about the story a bit.

Inspector Maigret is cleaning up a case involving the murder of a grandmother by her grandson when he's called away to investigate another murder. Oscar Charbut, a wealthy wine merchant, has just been murdered, shot 4 times, as he left a house of ill repute. Maigret and his capable assistant, Lapointe head to the site. 

The house is operated by Mme Blanche, who has had dealings with Maigret previously. It seems that Charbut frequents the place quite regularly. On Wednesdays he tends to bring his secretary, nicknamed the Grasshopper, for their regular dalliance. But as Maigret discovers, Charbut has affairs with many women and his wife knows about it and accepts it. Charbut is an aggressive businessman, rubbing many people the wrong way, and also an aggressive womanizer, having affairs with the wives of many of his social acquaintances. So there appear to be a number of suspects.

Poor old Maigret is suffering from a very bad cold / flu and his ever-patient wife, Mrs. Maigret takes excellent care of him. Maigret's temperature keeps spiking but he continues to work the case, taking many breaks to sleep at home.  The investigations takes in family, friends and his office staff. Everybody seems so reasonable and accepting of Charbut's attitudes and actions. Mrs. Charbut is a common sense woman and plans to take over the wine business. The Grasshopper is outgoing and also very common sensical and provides much info to Maigret.

Even through his sickness, Maigret makes progress. He begins to get phone calls at his office from someone who seems to know a lot about the investigation (a witness or maybe the murderer himself?) and sees a man watching him at various locations.

It's an entertaining story and moves along at a nice pace and keeps your attention. Maigret, as always, is a grumpy investigator, made more so with his flulike illness. But he's also a likable character and surrounded by good people. Especially his lovely wife. Entertaining, an excellent story. (3.5 stars)"

3. Crime Machine by Giles Blunt (John Cardinal #5 / 2010).

"Crime Machine by Giles Blunt is the fifth book in the John Cardinal mystery series set in Algonquin Bay (in reality, North Bay) Ontario and because I never read them in exact order, my final read of this excellent series. It was also turned into an excellent TV series, Cardinal. Oddly enough this was the last episode that I watched in the series and I never saw the end so this closes both out nicely for me.

So.... it's been a year or so since the death of Cardinal's wife. He's moved out of his house on Trout Lake and into an apartment that looks out on Lake Nipissing and is just down the road from his partner, Lise Delorme. The Algonquin Bay crime squad has been tasked with cleaning up old cold cases and they are thrilled with it. 

In a separate story, young native girl, Sam Doucette is meeting with her boyfriend, married realtor Randall Wishart, at one of his 'for sale' properties on Trout Lake. After their evening of love making, Randall leaves first and while Sam is getting dressed, she hears someone else in the house. It seems like 3 people and she hides under the bed hoping to leave once they have left. Suddenly she hears gun shots and panicking, she breaks the bedroom window, jumps out and run through the snow covered woods to her car while the killer chases her, trying to kill her.

Cardinal and Delorme are called to the house the next day to investigate the murder and find a disturbing scene, two headless bodies, seated at the dining room table.. and we're off and running.

The story now moves between the killers, a sort of family... in the vein of Charles Manson and the investigation, which will also involve an FBI agent, Mendelssohn and a nosey reporter from New York, Donna, with whom Cardinal will develop a bit of a relationship. And don't forget Sam Doucette who fears she is being stalked by the killer (she's very good with a cross bow, he says as an aside) and the fur trade and even Russians. 

It's an excellent story with neat twists and turns. The villains, Pop and his gang of three, are creepy and dangerous. They hold an old man captive in his isolated house in the woods and continue their actions in Algonquin Bay. There are other murders, but who is committing them? Some excellent surprises there too. For all the impending threat that flows through the story, there is also a nice humour, between the cops, especially. Blunt knows how to spin a yarn. Cardinal is an excellent cop and has been well - fleshed out by this 5th story. Lise Delorme is a favorite of mine, as Cardinal says at one point, 'she doesn't realize how beautiful she is'. 

The tension ramps up, the weather gets worse (a snowstorm hits Algonquin Bay) just as Cardinal and Delorme are heading into a crisis situation and the ending is exciting and ultimately satisfying. Great relationships, great characters and great mystery with twists and turns... (4.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Wycliffe and the Winsor Blue by W.J. Burley (Inspector Wycliffe #14 / 1987).

"When Edwin Garland died of a heart attack, no one outside the expectant circle of his relatives was concerned. But when, on the evening of his funeral, his son was shot dead, the situation changed dramatically and Superintendent Wycliffe was called in to investigate the seemingly motiveless murder. The disappearance of another relative and a further death occur before Wycliffe manages to unravel a story that had begun several years before, with the death of a famous Cornish artist. Only then is he able to identify the killer."

2. When the Tripods Came by John Christopher (Tripods #.5 / 1988).

"When it comes to alien invasions, bad things come in threes. Three landings. One in England, one in Russia, and one in the United States. Three long legs, crushing everything in their paths, with three metallic arms, snaking out to embrace -- and then discard -- their helpless victims. Three evil beings, called Tripods, which will change life on this planet forever."

New Books

1. Where I Was From by Joan Didion (2003). I've enjoyed a couple of Joan Didion's excellent books and want to continue reading her work.

"In her moving and insightful new book, Joan Didion reassesses parts of her life, her work, her history and ours. A native Californian, Didion applies her scalpel-like intelligence to the state’s ethic of ruthless self-sufficiency in order to examine that ethic’s often tenuous relationship to reality.

Combining history and reportage, memoir and literary criticism, Where I Was From explores California’s romances with land and water; its unacknowledged debts to railroads, aerospace, and big government; the disjunction between its code of individualism and its fetish for prisons. Whether she is writing about her pioneer ancestors or privileged sexual predators, robber barons or writers (not excluding herself), Didion is an unparalleled observer, and her book is at once intellectually provocative and deeply personal."

2. Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 4 by James Tynion IV (2022).

"The origin of Erica Slaughter, monster hunter, is revealed in this volume of the Eisner Award-nominated horror series.

Erica Slaughter went to hell and back in Archer’s Peak, but that may be nothing compared to the events that forged her at the House of Slaughter. What events brought Erica to the House of Slaughter? And what did she have to do to join the Order of St. George? Erica Slaughter’s origins are finally revealed in this volume of the Eisner Award-nominated series from GLAAD Award-winning author James Tynion IV (The Woods, Batman) and artist Werther Dell’Edera (Razorblades)."

3. Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 5 by James Tynion IV (2022).

"Erica Slaughter strikes out on her own in the bestselling, award-winning series!

After a year since we last saw her in Archer’s Peak, Erica Slaughter resurfaces to take on the case of a girl who’s seen a new kind of monster, one with terrifying implications. But Erica’s broken ties with the House of Slaughter and that can have deadly consequences. The Order of St. George does not forget nor do they forgive. Even as Erica goes on the hunt, she must keep an eye out for the mysterious figure on her trail in order to survive the coming storm. Erica Slaughter returns after the Archer’s Peak Saga in this volume of the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated series from GLAAD Award-winning author James Tynion IV (The Woods, Batman), artist Werther Dell’Edera (Razorblades), colorist Miquel Muerto (Bleed Them Dry), and letterer AndWorld Design (Nightwing).

Collecting Something is Killing the Children #21-25."

4. The Headmasters by Mark Morton (2024).

"How do you learn from the past if there isn't one? Sixty years ago, something awful happened. Something that killed everyone except the people at Blue Ring. Something that caused the Headmasters to appear. But Maple doesn't know what is was. Because talking about the past is forbidden. Everyone at Blue Ring has a Headmaster. They sink their sinewy coils into your skull and control you, using your body for backbreaking toil and your mind communicate with each other. When someone dies, their Headmaster transfers to someone new. But so do the dead person's memories, and if one of those memories surfaces in the new host's mind, their brain breaks. That's why talking about the past is forbidden. Maple hates this world where the past can't exist and the future promises only more suffering. And she hates the Headmasters for making it that way. But she doesn't know how to fight them - until memories start to surface in her mind from someone who long ago came close to defeating the Headmasters. But whose memories are they? Why aren't they harming her? And how can she use them to defeat the Headmasters? Maple has to find the answers herself, unable to tell anyone what she's experiencing or planning--not even Thorn, the young man she's falling in love with. Thorn, who has some forbidden secrets of his own . . ."

I was going to do what I thought was my last post on what I thought was my last look at Women Authors whose work I've been enjoying. Too my surprise, I discovered that I'd already done a post on Rachel Smythe's work. So now I've got to look at a new topic. I'm leaning towards Horror novels and graphics. We'll see. For now, stay dry, stay warm, stay safe and when all else fails, read a good book.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone celebrating! My wife wants Mary Brown's chicken for lunch so that will be my treat to her. 💝♥️

I managed to squeeze in a quick run this morning. Clyde didn't even know I was gone, I was that quick. Pooped now. 

Let's see. What about books, you say? well, I've completed one more since my last update. I'll provide my review of that for you. Also the synopsis of the next book started and the synopses of a couple of books that arrived the past few days. 

Just Completed

1. Calling Out for You by Karin Fossum (Inspector Sejer #5 / 2000). This was from my dusty book shelf. It'd been hiding there since 2012.

"Calling Out for You is the 5th book in the Inspector Sejer mystery series by Norwegian author, Karin Fossum. It's the 2nd book I've read in this interesting series.

Gunder Jomann is an elderly bachelor who works as a salesman in a hardware / agriculture type shop. His main friend is his married sister, Marie, who gives him a book about the world. Gunder decides to travel to India in the hopes he will meet a woman he can marry. On his vacation to India, he meets a waitress, Poona. They fall in love and marry. Gunder makes arrangements for Poona to travel to Norway where he will pick her up at the airport and take her back to Elvestad where they would make a life together.

The day Gunder was to go to the airport to meet Poona, his sister Marie is in a car collision and taken to the hospital in a coma. Since her husband is out of town, Gunder makes arrangements with the local taxi driver to go pick Poona up. Kalle arrive at the airport but Poona isn't there. Later that same night, a body is discovered in a field just a few miles from Gunder's home, dead with her face terribly beaten. 

Inspector Sejer and his assistant Skarre arrive in Elvestad to conduct the investigation into her murder. It makes for a fascinating story, moving between, Sejer, Skarre and the various suspects and witnesses. Each and every character is interesting and well developed. The little town holds its secrets and gossips. You've got the young woman who witnesses the car near the murder site and develops strange feelings for Skarre. There is the pub owner who has Poona's suitcase. Or the old man who lives next to the field and is afraid to speak out about what he's seen.

It's an excellent personal study as well as an interesting mystery. The ending wasn't totally satisfactory but that's probably because I do prefer my mysteries cut and dried whereas this leaves things a bit open. But still an entertaining read. (3.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. The Snowman by Jo Nesbo (Harry Hole #7 / 2007). Another neglected series, which is unfortunate because I enjoyed the others I've read very much.

"SOON THE FIRST SNOW WILL COME.

A young boy wakes to find his mother missing. Their house is empty but outside in the garden he sees his mother's favourite scarf - wrapped around the neck of a snowman.

AND THEN HE WILL APPEAR AGAIN.

As Harry Hole and his team begin their investigation they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years.

AND WHEN THE SNOW IS GONE...

When a second woman disappears it seems that Harry's worst suspicions are confirmed: for the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his home turf.

...HE WILL HAVE TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE."

New Books

(I have been getting a bit disillusioned. Books I ordered just around Xmas have not been arriving as I'd hoped. I'm sure part of it has to do with the sorting and cleaning up of backlogged mail that affected postal service during their strike. Still, it has been disappointing. Not that I lack enough books to read...) OK, enough rambling. New books!

1. Gideon's River by John Creasey (aka JJ Marric) (Commander Gideon #14 / 1968). One of my favorite police procedural series. I'm also enjoying watching the TV series it spawned.

"A band of dangerous jewel thieves plans to raid a posh riverboat. A teenage girl is snatched by a murderous kidnapper, right out from her mother's nose. A young man is beaten, tortured and drowned in the dark river. Commander Georges Gideon, Scotland Yard's genius at detection, wades through a swamp of baffling clues only to discover., with alarm, that he may, already, be in well over his head... Gideon at his best and the Thames at its most diversified."

2. Speak, the Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, artwork by Emily Carroll (2018). I found this when I was searching for other work by Emily Carroll whose gothic horror graphic novels I've been enjoying.

"The modern classic Speak is now a graphic novel.

"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say."

From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless—an outcast—because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. Through her work on an art project, she is finally able to face what really happened that night: She was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her."

Women Authors Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker (nee Rothschild)

Dorothy Parker was an American poet, screenwriter, fiction author and essayist, etc. who lived from 1893 - 1967. She was born in New Jersey and died in New York.

I'm not sure how I discovered her, possibly when I was looking for some poetry to satisfy a poetry challenge. (Maybe when I highlight some of her works here I'll discover that I mentioned it then. 😎😉) She was unique talent, a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table, a newspaper columnist, an Academy Award winning screenwriter (unfortunately placed on the Hollywood blacklist for her leftist leanings). I've only tried her poetry so far and actually find it quite enjoyable, sarcastic, funny and also touching. I'll highlight the 3 books of poetry I've enjoyed and one other book of hers currently sitting on my book shelf but to be read this year. 🤞

1. Not Much Fun: The Lost Poems of Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker (1996).

"Not Much Fun: The Lost Poems of Dorothy Parker is my first experience with the 'verses' of Dorothy Parker. I readily admit that poetry is one of my least favorite genres; I just don't get it. I also readily admit that I have enjoyed some authors' poetry. Dorothy Parker's book was one such.

The book includes an excellent introduction about Parker's life. A fascinating, irascible, hard living, witty woman. She preferred to call her poems 'verses' as she had an inferiority complex when it came to her work. Stuart Silverstein, who wrote the intro, compared some of her work to that of short story writer, H.H. Munro AKA Saki. Having read a collection of Saki's work, I can see the comparison. Saki's stories often started in one direction but the final outcome / ending often came out of the blue, somewhere out in left field and left you shaking your head. Parker's poems have that effect as well. A romantic work will start out in one direction but you always find yourself wondering if there will be a witty punchline.

A poem about Myrtilla, on Easter Day, starts off

"Myrtilla's tripping down the street

In Easter finery.

The Easter blooms are not more sweet

And radiant hued than she....."

It continues with lovely descriptions of Myrtilla, how she makes the mens' hearts flutter.. and then ends thusly

"As down the street Myrtilla trips,

I hope she breaks her neck!"

Not all of the works are in this vein, but there were many that make me chuckle at the end. What I especially liked about her work was how accessible it was. I think that is my normal issue with poetry; I just find it difficult to get in to a flow. But not with this collection. I have to say that I found myself reciting some of them to my wife to gauge her reaction. And even reading them was 'easy'. I just found myself able to see them, to get into them.

I enjoyed this collection. The first section The Poems, was excellent. The second section, The Hate Verses, was not quite so enjoyable. In them she writes a number of selections; Women, Men, Actors, etc. and highlights different types of personas within each grouping and why she dislikes them. It's all in good fun, I imagine, they didn't grab my attention quite so well.

All in all, I enjoyed the collection very much. I may look for more of her works. (4 stars)"

2. Enough Rope (1926).

"Enough Rope is the second book of poetry that I've read of Dorothy Parker. Whenever I read a book of poetry I usually have to qualify it by saying poetry and I don't generally work. Well, the poetry of Dorothy Parker I do get for the most part. At least in my poetry analyzing brain.

Dorothy Parker writes off beat, sarcastic, sly poetry. She starts off on a subject... let's see...

Verse for a Certain Dog

"Such glorious faith as fills your limpid eyes,

Dear little friend of mine, I never knew.

All - innocent are you, and yet all - wise..." (and then throws a curve)

"For heaven's sake, stop worrying that shoe"

See what I mean.

The majority of the poems in this collection deal with relationships, women, men... and even here, Dorothy keeps you on your toes...

Indian Summer

"In youth, it was way I had

To do my best to please,

And change, with every passing lad,

To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know,

And do the things I do;

And if you do not like me so,

To hell, my love, with you!"

It's a style that I enjoy. Lovely verse, flowing lines, then a punch in the gut. I have to say, Dorothy does like to kick a man a bit lower at times. 

Men

"They hail you as their morning star

Because you are the way you are.

If you return the sentiment,

They'll try to make you different;

And once they have you, safe and sound,

They want to change you all around.

Your moods and ways they put a curse on;

They'd make of you another person.

They cannot let you go your gait;

They influence and educate.

They'd alter all that they admired.

(... wait for it)

They make me sick, they make me tired."

Ok, now you need to check out Dorothy Parker's poetry. Even though I'm now a shrunken shadow of my self after reading this book (I am a man after all), I highly recommend. (4.0 stars)"

3. Sunset Gun: Poems (1928).

"Sunset Gun: Poems by Dorothy Parker is my 3rd collection of poetry by American poet, screen writer, movie critic Parker. I say this every time, but here goes again as an intro to my review of a book of poetry. I don't always get poetry but I keep trying. I have enjoyed Parker's work, her humor, her take on life. This collection was no exception.

There is much about love and life in this collection, sometimes what seems a very negative view of both.

"Rhyme against Living

If wild my breast and sore my pride,

I bask in dreams of suicide;

If cool my heart and high my head,

I think, 'How lucky are the dead!"

But as you read through the collection, I think you find that when it comes to life, Dorothy prefers a wild, tempestuous life or love, rather than a calm, mild one. She loves adding a twist or an unsuspected ending to a train of thought. That makes you go... Oh yeah!

"Surprise

My heart went fluttering with fear

Lest you should go, and leave me here

To beat my breast and rock my head

And stretch me sleepless on my bed, 

Ah, clear they see and true they say

that one shall weep, and one shall stray

For such is Love's unvarying law....

I never thought, I never saw

That I should be the first to go;

How pleasant that it happened so!"

I don't always get her thoughts, but it's fun trying to. She's definitely worth trying if you want to explore the world of poetry. (3.5 stars)"

4. Complete Broadway, 1918 - 1923 (2014). The next Parker book on my list, and not a book of poetry.

"Dorothy Parker holds a place in history as one of New York's most beloved writers. Now, for the first time in nearly a century, the public is invited to enjoy Mrs. Parker's sharp wit and biting commentary on the Jazz Age hits and flops in this first-ever published collection of her groundbreaking Broadway reviews. Starting when she was twenty-four at Vanity Fair as New York's only female theatre critic, Mrs. Parker reviewed some of the biggest names of the time Barrymores, George M. Cohan, W.C. Fields, Helen Hayes, Al Jolson, Eugene O'Neil, Will Rogers, and the Ziegfeld Follies. Her words of praise-and contempt-for the dramas, comedies, musicals, and revues are just as fresh and funny today as they were in the age of speakeasies and bathtub gin. Annotated with a notes section by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick, president of the Dorothy Parker Society, the volume shares Parker's outspoken opinions of a great era of live theatre in America, from a time before radio, talking pictures, and television decimated attendance. Dorothy Complete Broadway, 1918-1923 provides a fascinating glimpse of Broadway in its Golden Era and literary life in New York through the eyes of a renowned theatre critic."

Piqued your interest at all? Dorothy Parker is worth checking out. More info on her life and works can be found at her Wikipedia page. Enjoy your Valentine's Day and your upcoming weekend.

A Sunday Update

Yay Plymouth Argyle!

It's a lovely, sunny day today. Still some snow around but it's mostly dregs. Before I get into books, I just have to congratulate Brighton Seagulls for their victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup, which means they move on to the 5th round. Not sure against whom yet, but that will be revealed on Monday night. Even more amazing, congrats to Plymouth Argyle for their victory over Liverpool FC today. Liverpool are top of the Premiership table while Plymouth are in the division below and anchored on the bottom. What a brave team. They move on and Liverpool are out of the FA Cup. Truly amazing!

So, now, books. I've completed two books since my last update. I'll provide my reviews and also the synopses of the next book(s) I've started. No new books since my last update. 😟☹️

Just Completed

1. Alabaster, the good, the bad and the bird by Caitlin R. Kiernan (2016). I just picked this up at the book store but couldn't wait to check  it out.

"I've been reading and enjoying The Tinfoil Dossier trilogy by Caitlín R. Kiernan, having completed the 1st two books. I decided to check out some of her other work and glommed onto her Alabaster graphic novels. I have to say I've kind of found it difficult to know what order to read them in or even to find copies but I did get Alabaster: The Good, the Bad, and the Bird. 

There is a bit of a back story. The main character, an albino girl, Darcy Flammarion (Dancy) finds herself dead in 'hell', a white maze of sorts. She recalls how she died, at the hands of Maisie. It appears Dancy is some sort of demon fighter? That's not clear. There are five interlinked stories in this particular book. Maisie is recovering from her actions against Dancy and has a companion, a talking black bird. She's trying to make ends meet by pretending to commune with spirits to get money from the grieving.

There are two twins who want to bring Dancy back from the Dead to help them get a key. This key was acquired by the Ghul (werewolves?) in their ancient battles with the Djin. (Got it?). They do manage to bring Dancy back. Dancy reunites with Maisie and the blackbird, but during the night the twins kidnap Maisie and use her as bait to get what they need with the assistance of Dancy.

I mean, that's the story at its simplest. Consider it fantastical horror. The drawing is graphic, dark, gritty. Even without a back story telling more about Darcy Flammarion, it still draws you in and leaves you wanting to find out more. It has made me try to find more of the series. I'll keep you posted about it as well as about the final Tinfoil Dossier book.  😎👍 (3.5 stars)"

2. The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton (Lara McClintoch #11 / 2007). This is the 3rd book in my dusty book challenge.

"The Chinese Alchemist by Canadian author Lyn Hamilton is the 11th and final book in her Lara McClintoch, Archaeological mystery series. Luckily for me, I haven't been reading in order so I still have four books in this entertaining and always convoluted mystery series to read.

For those who haven't yet tried this series, Lara is an antiques dealer with a shop in downtown Toronto, Canada, in partnership with her ex-husband. She is in an ongoing relationship with her next door neighbour, an RCMP Sgt. As this story starts, she's received threats from a local Chinese gang, mainly because her beau, Rob, has been involved in investigating the gang. She and Rob are moved into a hotel room to keep them from the gang. 

Lara is going to get an opportunity to forget the threat for awhile as an old acquaintance, Dory, to go to New York to bid on a silver box from the T'ang Dynasty. While there, the box is mysteriously removed from the auction. While there she meets other interested bidders who will play important roles as the story moves from New York to China. Dory passes away and her husband asks Lara to go to Beijing as the box is now being auctioned there.

The mysteries continue as during the auction, the box is stolen from the auction house. Now the mystery really gets going. But as I mentioned earlier, it's very convoluted as the best mysteries are so I won't  into too much detail. Lara tries to find who stole the box, tries to ascertain who might be involved in the theft. She travels through Beijing and also within China, following another of the bidders, a certain Burton Haldimand, as she suspects he's also trying to find the box.

Interspersed with this mystery is the story of a young man living in the T'ang Dynasty, who is sold to become a eunuch in the emperor's palace and becomes involved with one of the emperor's wives, the subject of the box(es). It's an interesting story of life that explains the boxes. The mystery involves possible gangs, stolen antiquities and lots more. Lara, as always, finds herself in the middle of a complex story with her life at risk. The stories are always entertaining and also provide a historical peak at the time of the particular antiquities. Lyn Hamilton unfortunately died much to early and was only able to complete 11 books in this series. Lucky for me that I have the remaining five on my book shelf to enjoy. (3.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

(I've only started one book, my next dusty book. Alabaster was just a quick throw-in)

1. Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon (Inspector Maigret #71 / 1970). I haven't been reading this in any particular order, although I have started to work up from the beginning. I read this because it was one of the dusty books that had been on my book shelves the longest, as part of my dusty book challenge)

"The richest wine merchant in Paris is found dead—killed by a bullet in front of an elegant house where discreet clients are in the habit of renting rooms for discreet purposes. Everything seems to point to a crime sparked by jealousy.

But Maigret is surprised to find a curious absence of shock or grief in the victim's family and colleagues, and further investigation into the life and habits of the murdered man reveals some singularly unlovable traits.

Simenon has created another superb and subtle exposition of one of Maigret's chief preoccupations: the idea of guilt."

(Editor's note. As mentioned I have not obtained / received in the mail / or in any other manner any new books since my last update. I do have some on order so hope to provide updates in future posts.)

In one of my last Blog posts, I provided my review of Susan Hill's - Howards End is on the Landing. I mentioned that, in the book, she talked about a scenario where... what if you could only read 40 books for the rest of your life. Now these wouldn't be new books, but rather, books you've previously read and wouldn't mind reading over and over. She put her list at the end of the book. As I said, I have ordered a couple of them. But it also got me thinking... what would be my list. Well, I'm working on it and start a new thread in the near future where I highlight them. Oh these were her basic rules (for herself). Try to pick only one book per author and mix up the genres) Anyway... Wait for mine.

Women Authors Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Molly Knox Ostertag

Molly Knox Ostertag

I started reading Molly Knox Ostertag's young adult books back in 2023 with her Witch Boy trilogy. Molly grew up in upstate New York, having been born in 1991. Since I read the first Witch Boy book, I've enjoyed the complete trilogy as well as her Deep Dark graphic novel. Molly also illustrates other author's works, Shattered Warrior was an excellent story by Sharon Shinn which she illustrated. But I'll focus on her own work.

1. The Deep Dark (2024).

"I have previously enjoyed the Witch Boy trilogy by Molly Knox Ostertag. It was an enjoyable YA fantasy trilogy. So I figured that The Deep Dark would probably be a similar type story. I was wrong.

The Deep Dark is a more adult fantasy story although I think it could also be read by teens and Young adults, but it is a darker story indeed. Magdalena Herrera lives with her grandmother, her abuela, in a desert community in California. Grannie has cancer so Mags' life revolves around caring for her. There is a mystery to their lives. The story does move between the past and present as the story develops. What is the mystery? Something in the cellar. 

Mags has a difficult relationship with one of the girls in school. Ava loves Mags but also has a boyfriend so their get togethers are necessarily clandestine. Mags has difficulty having a personal life because of her family issues. Compounding Mags' situation, an old friend, Nessa turns up for a visit. Mags hasn't seen her since a childhood incident. Nessa has now transitioned from a boy to a her / she. 

So besides the personal issues in Mags' life, there is this mystery... what is in the basement? What happened to another youngster back when Mags and Nessa were kids? What killed Emil? Why does Mags go down into the cellar every night and why is her hand always bandaged? 

It's a fascinating, twisty story filled with guilt, love, friendship. And when Nessa's ex-boyfriend, Aaron shows up, there are even more twists. Lots of surprises, great relationship development and interesting characters. And great artwork. All in all, an interesting graphic novel that will have you turning page to page to see what is going to happen next. I may have to check out The Girl from the Sea or Darkest Night. (4.0 stars)"

2. The Witch Boy (#1 / 2017).

"The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag is the first graphic YA Fantasy in her Witch Boy trilogy. It's entertaining, well-drawn and satisfying.

Basically you've got a clan of witches (the women) and shapeshifters (the men) who live in the woods. The daughters are taught to be witches and learn witching and the boys are taught to be shapeshifters and never the twain shall meet.

Of course, there is a twist. Young Aster is supposed to be learning to shapeshift but he lacks the talent and / or the desire. Instead he spies on the girls as they are taught to be witches, taking notes, trying out spells. He is regularly told off about this past time. It's forbidden after all. At some point the small community is placed under attack by a demon; one of the boys disappears, then others. 

Aster and a human friend, Charlie, decide they are the only ones who can defeat the demon and that's the story. It's a neat little story. It gets going right away, has a good pace and is a fun, entertaining read. It's not earth shattering by any means but it will keep you involved until the satisfying ending. Try it. (4.0 stars)"

2. The Hidden Witch (#2 / 2018).

"The Hidden Witch is the 2nd book in the Witch Boy YA graphic novel trilogy by Molly Knox Ostertag. What a wonderful series for pre-teens and young adults getting into reading. Bright, colorful artwork and a great story.

In Book 2, Aster, the Witch Boy, is now learning witchcraft at his home. In the initial story, we learned that boys in the family are learn to become shapeshifters while only the girls learn witchcraft. But Aster listened in to lessons and by the end his family agreed that they needed to change the rules.

In this second story, Aster continues his lessons and also helps Grandmother with a special project, trying to heal her brother, Mikasi, who also learned magic but let it get an evil hold on him. At the same time, Aster's non-witch friend, Charlie, is back in high school and meets a new girl, Ariel, who has her own troubled past.

Ariel is a foster child and has moved from school to school. She is also a witch and her dark side, a Fetch, is gaining control. Charlie, Aster and his cousin, Sedge all work to help Ariel escape from this dark magic that is growing inside her.

It's a fascinating story, more polished maybe than the first. It flows nicely and draws you in right from the get - go. Great characters, a story of friendship and its power to heal. Loved it and now will move on to the final story in the trilogy. (4.0 stars)"

3. The Midwinter Witch (#3 / 2019).

"The Midwinter Witch is the third and final (hoping there might eventually be more) book in author Molly Knox Ostertag's Witch Boy YA fantasy graphic novel trilogy. It was a joy to read.

In this final instalment, Aster, his family and new friends, Charlie and Ariel head off to his extended family's midwinter celebration. It's a chance for the family to reunite and there are competitions for the best shapeshifter and best witch.

Ariel, who is learning to harness her witchy powers with the family, has doubts about going as she is a foster child and feels somewhat not a part of everything. She also begins having dreams where she meets her mother's sister and this causes confusion for Ariel. Aster is determined to compete in the Witch competition even though he is the first boy to take part (witching had traditionally been practiced only by the women of the family) even though his mother asks him not to.

So there is tension amidst the family celebrations. Other distant relatives try to make Aster uncomfortable. Ariel's aunt wants her to leave the family and come with her even though she isn't a particularly nice witch. It makes for an entertaining, exciting story. Once again the characters are wonderful and engaging. The artwork in this graphic novel series has always been bright, clearly drawn and so colorful. I enjoyed all of them immensely. If you've got young children interested in reading, you can't go wrong with this series. Heck, it's just a fun, entertaining read for adults. That's what I tell myself anyway. (4.0 stars)"

Some examples of Molly Knox Ostertag's work for you to consider. Great for young adults / middle school kids. You can find out more about Molly and her work at this link or at her own webpage.

Have a great week!