October 2017 Reading Summary

I made an effort to finish one more book this morning after my early run but I kept dozing off. I'm sure that I won't complete anymore in October. So here you go then, here is my October 2017 Reading Summary.

October 2017 Reading Summary

General Summary

                                                            October           Total
Books Read                                            11                   100
Pages Read                                           3,400              38,300

Pages Breakdown
      < 250                                                  3                     45
250 - 350                                                  5                     33
351 - 450                                                  2                     14
      > 450                                                  1                       8

Ratings
5 - star                                                      0                      10
4 - star                                                      5                      50
3 - star                                                      6                      37
2 - star                                                      0                       3

Gender
Female                                                     2                       25
Male                                                        9                       75

Genres
Fiction                                                     5                       26
Mystery                                                   4                       46
SciFi                                                        1                       24
Non-Fiction                                             1                        2
Classics                                                   0                        2

2017 Reading Challenges
I won't mention my 12 + 4 challenges anymore as I completed the last one in September. I'll just go on with my Individual Goals

Canadian Literature (4 of 5)
Nights Below Station Street by David Adams Richard (3 stars)

The Classics (Pre-1900) (2 of 4)
None read in October.

Mysteries (Cops) (18 of 25)
The Man With a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes (4 stars)

Mysteries (Sleuths) (18 of 25)
The Crossword Murder by Nero Blanc (3 stars)
The Blue Edge of Midnight (4 stars)

Fantasy (4 of 5)
None read in October.

Horror (5 of 5)
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz (3 stars)
The Bad Seed by William March (4 stars)

Fiction (6 of 10)
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (4 stars)

SciFi (2 of 5)
None read in October.

Spies / Thrillers / Adventures (7 of 10)
A Taste for Death by Peter O'Donnell (3.5 stars)
The Car Bomb by T.V. LoCicero (4 stars)
The Wrecker by Clive Cussler (3.5 stars)

Non-Fiction (2 of 4)
Dear Fatty by Dawn French (3.5 stars)

Top Three Books in October
There were no 5-star reads in October. These were my 3 favourite. (Reviews follow the photo)

1. The Man With a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes.












"The Man With a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes is the first book in the Inspector Richard Jury mystery series. I've previously read 5 other books in the series but that was 3 or 4 years ago. I was glad to finally read the first book, especially glad as it introduced the core of characters who appear in many of the other books in the series (at least those that I've read)
Chief Inspector Jury of Scotland Yard has been assigned to a case in the town of Long Piddleton, where  two murders are being investigated. Both bodies have been discovered in local pubs, The Man with a Load of Mischief and The Jack and Hammer. During the course of his investigation, Jury is accompanied by his hypochondriac Sgt. Wiggins, more bodies are discovered. Jury's investigation introduces an intriguing cast of witnesses / suspects; from wealthy Melrose Plant, his precocious aunt Lady Agatha, antique dealer Marshall Trueblood, lovely poetess Vivian Rivington, and many others. I particularly enjoyed Jury's interactions with the Double children; they added a nice gentle touch to this murder mystery.
Set during the Xmas period, we get a nice feel for Jury's nature, personality and his manner of investigation. The case was intriguing and we continue to be fed new clues and information. Was the murder perpetrated by a stranger or someone local? The journey makes the solution even more enjoyable and satisfying. Having read some of the other books previously, but still many years ago, it was nice to meet those characters who appear in future books and often assist Jury with his investigations. Excellent story and mystery. Now to find book 2. The Old Fox Deceiv'd. (As an aside, if you are not aware of this, the titles of each book refer to pubs in the area of the particular mystery.) (4 stars)"

2. Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.













"I've never seen either of the movies based on The Phantom of the Opera by French writer, Gaston Leroux. Well, in fact, I guess I've seen one, a very loose remake starring Paul Williams, The Phantom of the Paradise, but I don't know if that counts. I've once seen the musical and enjoyed it immensely.
Having said all that, I was interested in finally trying to read the book. I had found an interesting edition published in 1985 by the Dorset Press and decided to buy it.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the story when I started it. It was a bit of a slow burn at first, with a mite of difficulty getting into the flow of the translation. But once I got going and more in depth into the story, I found the story increasingly interesting. The last half moved along at breakneck pace and there was considerable tension and excitement.
The narrator of the story is researching the stories of the 'Opera Ghost' who had haunted the Paris Opera House. He persuaded the managers to maintain Box 5 for him, demanded a payment of 20,000 francs a month for his use. (why would a ghost need money, you ask? Good question). Deaths are attributed to him, an soprano in the opera loses her voice during a show and is replaced by Christine Daae, who the 'ghost' fancies. The owners sell the opera to two new managers and ensure they are aware of the conditions of keeping the 'ghost' happy. Of course, they don't believe the stories, with consequences.
Christine has another admirer, Viscount de Changy, who tries to save her from the ghost, Erik. Along with the Persian, an old acquaintance of Erik, they two must make a mad race through the cellars of the Opera in a last ditch attempt to save Christine from the ghost / Phantom of the opera. I enjoyed the story more and more as it moved along and as we discovered more about Erik and where he came from. All in all, after a bit of a slow start, it was a most enjoyable story. (4 stars)"

3. The Bad Seed by William March. "I've been reading The Bad Seed by William March as part of my October Hallowe'en horror selections. It's a book I'd not heard of. There was a movie based on the book and when I read the intro, I discovered that there was also a play. The Bad Seed was March's most well-known book and he died shortly after its publication.
Basically the story is about Rhoda Penmark and her mother Christine. They live in a town in Alabama while Richard, Christine's husband, is away in South America on business. Rhoda is a strange girl, acquisitive, seemingly without emotion. One of her schoolmates, a young boy, who won a penmanship pin that Rhoda felt she should have received, dies while the class is on a school picnic. This is the incident that starts Christine on a journey of doubt and suspicion towards her daughter. Did Rhoda kill the boy?
We also meet Christine's friends her landlady, Mrs. Breedlove, and Leroy, the irritating janitor / handyman, who has an ongoing battle of wills with Rhoda. The people surrounding Christine are all somewhat strange in their own right. Christine's voyage of discovery includes research into serial killers and she finds out things about her own past that further disturb her.
While the story is not terrifying in any right, it still has an overriding creepiness and uneasiness. It is difficult to put down as you want to discover further about Rhoda and Christine and also to find out how the story will be resolved. Very interesting and spooky. Appropriate for Hallowe'en month. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

I'm finishing October and coincidentally starting November with the following books.

1. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
2. A Dedicated Man by Peter Robinson.
3. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson.
4. Royal Flash by George MacDonald Fraser.

It's just about the start of November but one of my Goodread's groups has already started to look at the 2018 Reading Challenges. I've made some tentative lists and will do a BLog entry in the next couple of weeks probably looking at my possible challenges.

For now, enjoy the rest of your week and for those that take part, Happy Halloween!!

September 2017 Reading summary and a Couple of Other Things

It's been a beautiful Fall day today, sunny and fresh. Really quite perfect. I was so tired this morning, mind you. I don't know if you've experienced this, but I was in bed after walking the dogs, reading a bit and trying to watch footie. This is the thing. I'd be reading a page then my eyes would close and I would still think I was reading but the story would change. Kind of strange, I think. Anyway.....

I managed to finish two books before the end of the month, both quite good.

Just Finished

1. American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Excellent story. My review is below.
















"American Gods is the 2nd book by Neil Gaiman that I've read and enjoyed. I wanted to read this especially because I wanted to start watching the TV series based on the book.
I have to say that this was so very interesting. I can see similar themes between American Gods and the other book I've read, Neverwhere, but on a bigger scale. You have this blending of the 'real' world with the world of gods and demons, the breaking down of barriers between the two and you have these supernatural beings that wander between both worlds.
American Gods is basically about Shadow, who has just been released from prison and discovers that not only was his wife, Laura, unfaithful to him, but was also killed. Shadow meets Mr. Wednesday who hires him as a chauffeur, and since he has nothing to go home to, he agrees. Wednesday is an 'old' god who is trying to unite the varied old gods who live in the US to battle against the new gods; god of internet, god of airwaves, etc. who are out to destroy them. That is the story on its most basic level, but there are so many questions to be answered as the story develops.
Who is Shadow really? Who is Wednesday? Which is the good side? Why is his dead wife following him around? It's a fascinating, interesting concept and a well-developed story that gets more and more interesting as the story moves along. I loved it, found it to be a page-turner and most enjoyable story. I will continue to check out Gaiman's stories; Stardust awaits me on my bookshelf. (4 stars)"

2. The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny.













"The Cruellest Month is the third book in the Chief Inspector Gamache mystery series by Canadian writer, Louise Penny and like the first two, I enjoyed it very much. Once again we find Gamache assigned to investigate a murder in the small town of Three Pines in Quebec. He brings along his team; 2nd in command Beauvoir, trouble - making Investigator Nicholl, new man Lemieux and Lacoste.
They are investigating the death of a woman who seems to have died of fright during a seance at the Hadley Estate, the place that played such an integral role in the first book in the series. The usual cast appear, Peter and Clara, Olivier and Gabri, Myrna, Ruth, etc to add colour and keep the story moving.
Was it murder? That's to be determined. Complicating the matters is the continuing troubles being caused by Gamache's old enemy, Arnot another Sureté commander who Gamache brought charges of murder against many years ago. People are now rehashing this case, making life dangerous for Gamache and his family. Does he have spies in his team?
It's a wonderfully rich story, with many subplots, many suspects and a fascinating resolution. I like Gamache, he's a class guy and I like his team for the most part. I kind of wish that Clara would divorce Peter, but that's just a personal wish; he's holding her back! Great story and I look forward to moving on to the fourth book, The Murder Stone. (4 stars)"

I've started the following books in their place.

Currently Reading

1. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

The synopsis is below.










"The story of the Phantom of he Opera, a half-crazed musician hiding in the labyrinth of the famous Paris Opera House and creating a number of strange and mysterious events to further the career of a beautiful young singer, is today regarded as one of the most famous of all horror stories: widely mentioned in the same breath as Frankenstein and Dracula. Yet the fame of this novel, first written by the French journalist turned novelist Gaston Leroux, in 1911, ,is based almost entirely on the various film versions which have been made over the years. Remarkable performances by two actors, Lon Chaney and Claude Rains, helped to make the Phantom an immortal figure" 

2. The Crossword Murder by Nero Blanc. This is a new series for me.
















"Playboy Thompson C. Briephs has just been found strangled in his bed. The police believe the Newcastle Herald crossword editor, a scion of a blue-blooded New England family, died from kinky sex gone wrong. But cop-turned–private investigator Rosco Polycrates thinks there’s a six-letter word for what happened. Enlisting the help of Annabelle Graham, the crossword editor for a rival paper, Rosco unearths a crazy quilt of suspects who had it in for the victim - and one of them was blackmailing him. Belle is certain the answers lie in Briephs’ twisty puzzlers. Now she and Rosco will have to employ some dazzling wordplay of their own to stop a cunning killer from crossing paths with another victim."

September 2017 Reading Summary

General Info

                                         September               2017 Total
Books Read                           9                               89
Pages Read                        3,300                         24,900

Pages Breakdown
      < 250                               3                               42
250 - 350                               3                               28
351 - 450                               0                               12
      > 450                               3                                7

Ratings
5 - star                                  3                                10
4 - star                                  3                                45
3 - star                                  3                                31
2 - star                                                                     3

Author Gender
Female                                3                                 23
Male                                   6                                  66

Genre
Fiction                                4                                 21
Mystery                              3                                 42
SciFi                                   1                                 23
Non-Fic                                                                   1
Classics                              1                                   2

2017 Reading Challenges

12 + 4 Challenge (1900 - 1950) (completed)
1. C.S. Forester - The African Queen (5 stars)

Canadian Literature (3 of 5)
Technically I've read 4 as The Cruellest Month was by Canadian author Louise Penny but I've included it in the Mystery genre. None read in September.

The Classics (pre-1900) (2 of 4)
2. Charles Dickens - Nicholas Nickleby (5 stars)

Mysteries (Cops) (17 of 25)
3. Louise Penny - The Cruellest Month (4 stars)

Mysteries (Sleuths) (16 of 25)
4. Jacqueline Winspear - Birds of a Feather (4 stars)

Fantasy (4 of 5)
5. Neil Gaiman - American Gods (4 stars)

Horror (3 of 5)
(None finished in September)

Fiction (Post 1900) (5 of 10)
6. Mai Zetterling - Night Games (3 stars)
7. Nevil Shute - A Town Like Alice (5 stars)

SciFi (2 of 5)
None completed in September.

Spies / Thriller / War (4 of 10)
8. John P. Marquand - Last Laugh, Mr. Moto (3 stars)
9. Sax Rohmer - The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu (3 stars) 

Non-Fiction (1 of 5)
None completed in September.

Top Three books of September

1. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens.

















"Back during my high school days, and I shudder to think it was 50 years ago, I read The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens and I recall enjoying it very much. However such is my memory I may be wrong. ;0) Anyway, it took me that long to try another book by Dickens. Over the past couple of years I've been exploring the Classics more and in July, decided to try Nicholas Nickleby. I had an old book of this story. Not sure when it was published but the illustrations by W.H.C. Groome lead me to believe it was published in 1907.
Anyway, enough administrative details, what about the story? Simply put, I loved it. Dickens' writing style is so accessible and entertaining. He creates wonderful characters who you find yourself becoming very invested in. The story starts off with Nicholas and his mother and sister, Kate, being placed in dire circumstances. Their father has died recently, leaving the family without income. Uncle Ralph, not a nice man, sends Nicholas off to be a teacher at a boys school in Yorkshire and then provides poor lodgings for Kate and her mother, also getting Kate a job as a dressmaker. In both instances, both Nicholas and Kate are treated horribly. Things look so very grim. Nicholas finds the treatment of the boys at the school to be abominable, especially that of Smike, a boy or more rather a young man, who has been at the school for years and is the special punching bag of Squeers and his wife. Nicholas finally can take it anymore and after thrashing Squeers leaves with Smike to return to London.
This is the barest introduction to Nicholas Nickleby, so much more is to happen. You meet such wonderful characters as Newman Noggs, hard worked clerk for Ralph Nickleby, who does everything in his power to help the family, Vincent Crummles, leader of a roving band of actors, who takes in Nicholas and Smike, the Cheeryble brothers who provide so much generous assistance to the Nickleby family, even Miss La Creevy, the lovely lady who is such a good friend. And then the villains, the Squeers, Ralph Nickleby, Mulberry Hawk, who wants to abuse Kate, etc.
Getting to know these characters as the story develops makes it such fascinating reading. Wanting to find out how everything will resolve makes you turn page after page. It's a very long story but it doesn't seem so. I won't say how everything turns out. There are so many varied possibilities. Ultimately I was so satisfied. Dickens is a great writer and story teller. I will have to now try another of his books, and I'll ensure it doesn't take me 50 years to try another. (5 stars)"

2. Nevil Shute by A Town Like Alice.













"As Joe says and most Queenslanders say throughout this book, 'Oh my word!'. What a great book A Town Like Alice by English author Nevil Shute is. Shute is one of my favourite authors. I've enjoyed so many of his books and I will keep searching for others of his stories.
A Town Like Alice (which I've always wanted to name A Town Called Alice; I know now why the title as it is) is the story of Jean Paget, a young English woman, whose journey carries her from Malaysia in WWII, back to England and on to Australia. She is a normal girl, who finds herself in unique situations and finds a strength of character common to the heroes and heroines who people Shute's novels. Shute has said this story is based on a true story of a Dutch woman who kept many women prisoners of the Japanese alive with her efforts. In Shute's story, the Japanese invade Malaysia and capture a group of English women and their children. Not wanting to have anything to do with them, the women begin a march around Malaysia, from Japanese camp to camp, suffering privations. Jean, unmarried, becomes a rational, smart leader of the group.
They are helped by an Australian prisoner, Joe, who risks his life to provide food and medicine to the women. After the war, Jean returns to England and discovers she has inherited a fair bit of money. The story teller, her solicitor Noel, helps her sort out this inheritance, which Jean wants to use to help the Malaysian village that kept the women safe.
She also decides to go to Australia to find out more about Joe, where he was from and when she arrives decides to use her money once again to help the town he was from, to make it 'a town like Alice'.
I don't want to discuss the plot much more as it is a book that needs to be enjoyed and savoured. I love the characters, I love the spirit of nation building, the positiveness of the people. There are outstanding events that take place in this story, but they are told in such a gentle, matter of fact way that it makes them even more impressive. There are many highlights for me. I especially enjoyed discovering how the Australian outback radio communication system worked and how much of a key it was to saving a lost man. The story reminds me of The Far Country, another story that features Australia. Shute is a great author that should be explored. (5 stars)"

3. C.S. Forester by The African Queen.

















"The African Queen by C.S. Forester might be better known for the movie based on this excellent book. I've seen this movie, starring Kate Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart many times and I'm glad to finally have finally sat down to enjoy the book.
The book was originally published in 1935 and is set during the First World War in Central Africa. I've read a fair bit about WWI but generally it's been focused on the European theater. It was interesting to read a book set in this location. Rose Sayer and her brother Samuel have been many years in Tanzania, her brother a missionary and she his assistant and house keeper. The war has come to home as they are located in German South Africa and their workers and their goods have been taken by the German Army. This has broken her brother and Kate is now on her own. She joins Charlie Allnutt, a Cockney sailor who plies the Ulanga river for a Belgian mine. Allnutt is also on his own and he allows Kate to take control and agrees to head downriver to try and sink a German cruiser that plies the Lake, hindering British efforts to push the Germans out of Africa.
There are many excellent features to this story; the journey and all its trials and tribulations, the growing of Kate as a person, one who had been under the thumb of her family and brother for the first 30+ years of her life; the budding relationship between Allnutt and Kate, etc. It's a fascinating story, made more interesting because it basically features two people in close quarters. The adventure is tense, their ingenuity at solving their issues as the sail downriver.
There are key differences to the movie, especially the ending, but the book is every bit as interesting and entertaining. The development of the characters and the challenges they face and work together to resolve make it all the more interesting. I've enjoyed so many of Forester's books; he writes such varied stories, the Hornblower tales, interesting mysteries, excellent war stories and of course, this. (5 stars)"

So there you go. Three months to go now. I'll continue with my future reading threads in the next couple of days and then get back to my other ideas that have been neglected a bit in the past couple of weeks. Have a great week!

All About Books Today

As the BLog title and the subject bar say today, it's all about books today. :)

New Books

I received an order the other day from Better World Books out of the UK. In one of my recent reads, there was a list of other books published by the particular publishing company, Soho Crime, at the back. Some looked like they might be worth trying so I ordered a few. These are the three I got.

1. Billy Boyle by James R. Benn. This is a World War II mystery series created by American writer Benn. It's the first of  12 books as of 2017.










"Billy Boyle, a young Irish-American cop from Boston, has just made detective when the United States joins World War II. His 'Uncle Ike' - Dwight D. Eisenhower - has been chosen to command Army forces in Europe, and he wants Billy to be his personal investigator. Billy, who had never left Boston before enlisting, is not so sure about his ability as a detective. But he dutifully sets off for London, where he'll be working with British Allies to catch a spy who threatens Operation Jupiter, the impending invasion of Norway."

2. Jade Lady Burning by Martin Limon. Martin Limon served 10 years in the US Army in Korea. His eleven book mystery series, starring Military Police investigators Sueno and Bascom, is set in Korea.









"Almost twenty years after the end of the Korean War, the US Military is still present throughout South Korea, and tensions run high. Koreans look for any opportunity to hate the soldiers who drink at their bars and carouse with their women. When Pak Ok-Suk, a young Korean woman, is found brutally murdered in a torched apartment in the Itaewon red-light district of Seoul, it looks like it might be the work of her American soldier boyfriend. Sergeants George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, Military Police for the US 8th Army, are assigned to the case, but they nothing to go on other than a tenuous connection to an infamous prostitute. As repressed resentments erupt around them, the pair sets out on an increasingly dangerous quest to find evidence that will exonerate their countryman."

3. The Woman Who Married a Bear by John Straley. Alaskan writer Straley has written 6 books in his Cecil Younger mystery series set in Alaska.










"Murder is uncommon in the Alaskan port of Sitka, and this was an uncommon murder. For a start, the case has long been closed. The killer of a Tlingit hunting guide has confessed and is behind bars. But the victim's elderly mother wants to know why her son was killed, and she asks down-at-heel PI Cecil Younger to find out.
His quest takes him through Alaska's wildest landscapes - from the dark hidden world of city nights to the haunting world of the bush country and mountain forests.
The truth hinges on the meaning of a Tlingit myth. And the danger lies in finding it..."

Just Finished

I've finished 2 books since my last post here, both enjoyable.

1. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear. This is the 2nd book in Winspear's Maisie Dobbs, PI mystery series, set between the two World Wars. My review is below.










"Birds of a Feather is the 2nd Maisie Dobbs mystery by Jacqueline Winspear. I've enjoyed the first two books so far. Winspear is a meticulous story teller, providing a lot of particular details while developing her characters and plot. Details about exactly what Maisie is wearing, etc seem irrelevant but they help provide a picture.
It's been hard to warm to Maisie as she is quite buttoned-up and does have personal issues from her time serving as a nurse during WWI and also between her and her father (guilt on both sides from her mother's death), but I'm getting to like her more. She is more than just a private detective. From her training with her old mentor, Maurice, she is more of a psychologist / private detective who provides both investigative assistance and then psychological assistance, whether the client wants it or no.
So, on to this story. Maisie is hired by a rich owner of a major grocery chain, Joseph Waite, to find his daughter. This is not the first time she has gone missing so he doesn't want the police involved. Maisie and her assistant, Billy Beale, agree to find her. They quickly realize that murders being worked on by Scotland Yard, especially Inspector Stratton, may be related to their case. As well, Maisie is concerned about Billy, an ex - soldier who had been severely wounded during the war. He is acting strangely and Maisie is concerned. Also simmering is her relationship with her father.
It all makes for an interesting story and mystery. I will admit that I had a pretty good idea of what might be involved and ultimately also a pretty good idea of who might be the murderer, but the story is very well-written and crafted and was well worth reading. I am warming more to Maisie and look forward to reading the third instalment. (4 stars)"

2. A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. I've probably said this a few times in my BLog but it bears repeating. Shute is one of the all-time best writers ever. He is definitely one of my favourites and I'm enjoying exploring his extensive catalogue of books.








"As Joe says and most Queenslanders say throughout this book, 'Oh my word!'. What a great book A Town Like Alice by English author Nevil Shute is! Shute is one of my favourite authors. I've enjoyed so many of his books and I will keep searching for others of his stories.
A Town Like Alice (which I've always wanted to name A Town Called Alice; I know now why the title is as it is) is the story of Jean Paget, a young English woman, whose journey carries her from Malaysia in WWII, back to England and on to Australia. She is a normal girl, who finds herself in unique situations and finds a strength of character common to the heroes and heroines who people Shute's novels. Shute has said this story is based on a true story of a Dutch woman who kept many women prisoners of the Japanese alive with her efforts. In Shute's story, the Japanese invade Malaysia and capture a group of English women and their children. Not wanting to have anything to do with them, the women are forced to march around Malaysia, from Japanese camp to camp, suffering privations. Jean, unmarried, becomes a rational, smart leader of the group.
They are helped by an Australian prisoner, Joe, who risks his life to provide food and medicine to the women. After the war, Jean returns to England and discovers she has inherited a fair bit of money. The story teller, her solicitor Noel, helps her sort out this inheritance, which Jean wants to use to help the Malaysian village that kept the women safe.
She also decides to go to Australia to find out more about Joe, where he was from and when she arrives decides to use her money once again to help the town he was from, to make it 'a town like Alice'.
I don't want to discuss the plot much more as it is a book that needs to be enjoyed and savoured. I love the characters, I love the spirit of nation building, the positive qualities of the people. There are outstanding events that take place in this story, but they are told in such a gentle, matter of fact way that it makes them even more impressive. There are many highlights for me. I especially enjoyed discovering how the Australian outback radio communication system worked and how much of a key it was to saving a lost man. The story reminds me of The Far Country, another story that features Australia. Shute is a great author that should be explored. (5 stars)"

Currently Reading

I've added the two books below to my currently reading pile to replace the two I just finished.

1. The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny. This is the third book in an excellent mystery series by Canadian writer, Louise Penny, featuring Chief Inspector Gamache of the Quebec Provincial Police.









"A vast abandoned house. A chilling séance. A sudden death. To Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, it's the stuff of an old novel - but when he discovers the victim was murdered, a sinister shadow falls over the town of Three Pines ... and an old secret, buried deeper than the dead, returns once more to haunt the living."

2. The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer. Call it what you will; pulp fiction, B-movie fodder, tense thriller, the Fu Manchu series is an entertaining action-filled ride. The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu is the 2nd book in Rohmer's series. It was first published in 1916.








"Here is the second of the fabulous adventures of Nayland Smith and his trusted companion, Dr. Petrie - another complete thriller that again invokes the diabolical dreams and implacable will of the fabled Dr. Fu Manchu. For the Orient's most sinister emissary as returned. His goal is as monstrous as his ruthless cunning mind..."

Whew. That sounds exciting, eh? It's a page turner so far.

So there you go, all updated for a few days. Almost the weekend. Enjoy!

Best wishes to those people in the Caribbean and in Mexico who have suffered such tremendous tragedy recently.

August 2017 Reading Summary

Another month has gone by and we're 2/3rds of the way through 2017. Jo and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on the 30th. We spent a nice relaxing day at home. We may go out for dinner today or tomorrow to further celebrate. I bought her the book above as an anniversary prezzies. Jo does like pop culture.. well, we both do and we enjoy watching the classics on TCM. We used to enjoy the show hosted by Robert Osborne, the author of the Oscar books, so I thought this was an appropriate gift. :)

Now on to the August Reading summary.

I'm happy with my progress to-date. I'm on schedule to read 120 books this year, I guess it depends mostly on how challenging the books are that I choose for the remaining 4 months. At any rate, my main aim is to catch up on series and also try books out of my normal genres.

Now for the General info..

General Stats

                                         Aug                          2017 Total
Books Read                        9                                  80
Pages Read                      2,650                           21,600

Pages Breakdown
       <   250                         5                                 39
250  -   350                         2                                 25
351  -   450                         2                                 12
       >   450                                                              4

Ratings
5 - star                                0                                   7
4 - star                                3                                 42
3 - star                                6                                 28
2 - star                                                                     3

Author Gender
Female                               3                                  20
Male                                  6                                  60

Genres
Fiction                               5                                  17
Mystery                             3                                  39
SciFi                                  1                                  22
Non-Fic                                                                   1
Classics                                                                   1

2017 Reading Challenges

12 + 4 Part Deux (1900 - 1950) - I have one book left to finish in this challenge
C.S. Forester - The Happy Return (4 stars)
Chic Young - Blondie & Dagwood's Secret Service (3 stars)
John Buchan - The Island of Sheep (3.5 stars)
Graham Greene - A Gun for Sale (4 stars)

Canadian Literature (completed 3 of 5)
The Classics (pre - 1900) (completed 1 or 4)

Mysteries (The Cops) (completed 16 or 25)
Julia Keller - A Killing in the Hills (4 stars)
Donna Leon - Fatal Remedies (3.5 stars)

Mysteries (The Sleuths) (completed 15 of 25)
Laurie R. King - A Letter of Mary (3 stars)

Fantasy (completed 4 of 10)
Edgar Rice Burroughs - Tarzan of the Apes (3.5 stars)

Horror (completed 3 of 5)
Jonathan Maberry - Patient Zero (3.5 stars)

Science Fiction (completed 2 of 5)
Fiction (completed 3 of 10)
Spies / Thrillers / War (completed 2 of 10)
Non - Fiction (1 of 5)

Top Three Books of August (no 5-star reads in August)

1. Graham Greene - A Gun for Sale (4 stars)

"A Gun for Sale|2497518] was Graham Greene's 7th novel, published originally in 1936. I've been slowly going through his books, especially his earlier works and he's become a favourite of mine. I can see inspirations for books like Brighton Rock in this book. In fact, it was his next published work.
The story is about Raven, a gun for hire, is sent to kill a foreign war minister. He is paid with stolen money, which makes him the subject of a police investigation by Scotland Yard (who don't know about his assassination). The officer in charge, Inspector Mather, is engaged to Anne, an aspiring actress about to go to Nottwich for a job in a panto show. Coincidentally, the man, Davis / Cholomondeley (he does go by various names) who paid Raven is on the train and being followed by Raven who wants to exact revenge for how he was tricked.
An undercurrent throughout the story is the ominous threat of war, partly due to the assassination, which is causing stress and mistrust within Europe.
The story is a string of coincidences; Anne is kidnapped by Raven as he tries to avoid the police; Anne goes to dinner with Davis and has her life threatened; Mather is assigned the case of trying to track down Raven; etc. It sounds convoluted but the story is presented in a straight-forward manner, tying up many aspects of the coincidences and making for an entertaining, interesting, tense story. The characters are well-crafted and you do get a good sense of who they are and why they are. All in all, a most enjoyable story. (4 stars)"

2. Julia Keller - A Killing in the Hills.

"[book:A Killing in the Hills|18917365] is the first Bell Elkins mystery by [author:Julia Keller|1245113]. The story is set in rural West Virginia and Elkins is the local District Attorney. Something happened to Bell during her childhood in the town of Acker's Gap, which becomes apparent as you progress through the story. She married at a later date and moved to Washington DC with her husband, a new lawyer. Bell also got her law degree but wanted to return to Acker's Gap to help the people of that community; ending up with her going alone with her daughter, Carla.
The story starts with a triple murder in the town, 3 old men sitting having coffee at the local restaurant. Carla is one of the people who sees the shooting. Bell is also working on a case in which a mentally handicapped boy is charged with the murder of his friend. As well, Carla, a typical teenager?, is rebelling, anger issues, suspended driver's license. Bell's best friend, Ruthie, is suffering with cancer, and, oh yes, Bell's sister is coming up for a parole hearing for the murder of their father, many years ago. So, yes a lot is going on.
But Keller is able to tie this all together to make an interesting, tense story. It flows very nicely and there are characters, especially Bell (Belfa) and the sheriff, Nick Fogelsong, with long ties to Bell, who are developed nicely. The past and the present are tied together, the murderer is well-described and interesting/ somewhat scary, and the mysteries are nicely tied up. There are enough loose ends at the end of the book; especially re. Bell's daughter and Bell's sister, to make you want to find out more about this series. I enjoyed very much and look forward to trying the next, Bitter River. (4 stars)"

3. C.S. Forester - The Happy Return.

"Chronologically, [book:The Happy Return|84753] is the sixth book of the adventures of Horatio Hornblower by [author:C.S. Forester|932179]. It was the first book of Hornblower adventures written by Forester, published in 1937. It's the eighth book I've read so far, so as you can see, I've not been following either sequence. lol
With all that preamble, The Happy Return, like most of the Hornblower stories, was an excellent adventure. In this story, we find Horatio in a new location, in the Pacific, off the coast of Nicaragua. His secret mission is to provide arms and assistance to a colonial revolutionary, El Supremo, in his battle against the Spanish colonisers. It turns out that El Supremo is quite mad. Hornblower captures a Spanish two-decker and is ordered to turn it over to El Supremo and his crew. Hornblower then escorts El Supremo's army to Managua, or nearby, and then continues to Panama.
His orders are there changed as England and Spain are now allies in the war against Napoleon. Hornblower with a passenger on board, Lady Barbara Wellesley, must now go and try to keep El Natividad, the Spanish ship from capturing Spanish cargo ships headed to Panama. The battle with El Natividad is a fascinating story in its own right and so well described.
All in all it's a great adventure tale. You still have to deal with Hornblower's many moods; especially his self-criticism. This is compounded with the presence of Lady Barbara. However, his crew loves Hornblower, for his tactical flair and his sailing skills and his fairness (for the most part) to them. You take the good with the bad in a Hornblower tale. Well worth reading if you want to get a feel for the time period and also like a rollicking good adventure. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

As we end August, I'm currently reading -

1. Charles Dickens - Nicholas Nickleby. I'm over half way through so hope to finish in September.
2. Jacqueline Winspear - Birds of a Feather. This is the second Maisie Dobbs mystery.
3. John P. Marquand - Last Laugh, Mr. Moto. I've enjoyed the other Mr. Moto spy thrillers I've read so far.
4. C.S. Forester - The African Queen. This is my last book in the 12 + 4 challenge.

The Pop Culture Challenge and my July 2017 Reading Summary

There was a bit of excitement around the old homestead last night as a little sparrow decided to fly into the family room to see what we were watching on TV. Bonnie and Clyde who spend half the day trying to chase any bird that dares settle on our backyard didn't even notice the fellow in the house. In fact it was on the shelf just above Bonnie's head at one point. We managed to get it out with not too much fuss and without hurting it. I did manage to break a few of Jo's fingernails as we were trying to remove the screen from the study window so the bird could fly out. Yes, I admit, I'm pretty clumsy at times.

The breeze is coming more from the mainland the past couple of days and it's gotten very hazy here. I think it's blowing some of the smoke from the forest fires across the Straits. More sunny, hot weather in the forecast for the next couple of weeks. It does cool down a reasonable amount overnight, but it's quite stuffy during the days. Ah well, that's summer for you.

The Missus's Pop Culture Challenge

The Challenge is going strong. Yesterday I looked at some of the inputs for Days 5 - 7. Today, let's explore Days 8 - 10.

Day 8 - Name your favourite ever soap character (Day or night time soap). Back in the days when I was stationed in Cold Lake, Alberta and watching TV on the little portable TV my brother gave me as a present, I remember following Dallas. I mean, who didn't want to know who shot JR. Well, Victoria Principal was also quite pleasing to the eye, hence my favourite soap character. Jo chose Donna Mills from Knot's Landing. Other choices included Hilda Ogden from Coronation Street, Joan Collins from Dynasty, etc.

Day 9 - Best Scary Movie. (Or more accurately, the scary movie that scared the pants off you). Most scary movies did that to me, but I chose the first movie in the Halloween franchise. Not too gory like most movies these days, just keeping you on the edge of your seat for the whole darn film.. Jo chose Aliens 2. I think they were all scary but this was probably the best of the franchise. Other selections included The Omen, Jaws, The Exorcist, etc. If you're interested, back in Nov 2010, I made a list of 10 horror movies that scared me a lot, my top ten list, if you will. Click on List if you would like to check it out.

Day 10 - First ever date movie. A difficult one for me as I don't recall ever going on too many date movies. Back in Grade 5, I invited a girl from my class, who I had a bit of a crush on, to go to a movie with me, but, heck, that was over 50 years ago. I don't remember at all what the movie was. I ended up picking Phantom of the Paradise from when I was at university. It was sort of a date. Can I pick them or what? Jo chose Quadrophenia for her first date movie. Other choices included Love Story (now that's more appropriate, I guess), Casino Royale (the David Niven version), Tess, etc.

Today we're on to Day 11.. More about that next entry.

July 2017 Reading Summary

OK, now we move on to my July 2017 Reading summary. Overall, a very successful month of reading and mostly an enjoyable selection of books. So here we go..

                                     July                Overall
Books Read                   10                      71       (I'm supposedly 3 books ahead of my planned total)
Pages Read                  3,250              18,950    (I do round this somewhat)

Pages Breakdown
       < 250                        2                      34
250 - 350                         5                      23
351 - 450                         2                      10
      > 450                         1                        4

Ratings
5 - star                             1                        7
4 - star                             7                      39
3 - star                             2                      22
2 - star                             0                       3

Author Gender
Female                            1                       17
Male                                9                       54

Genres
Fiction                            3                       12
Mystery                          5                       36
SciFi                               2                       21
Non-Fic                          0                         1
Classics                          0                         1

Reading Group Challenges

12 + 4 (Books from 1900 - 1950)
I've completed 11 so far.

1. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (4 stars)
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (5 stars)
3. The Commodore by C.S. Forester (4 stars)

Canadian Literature
I've completed 3 of an anticipated 5

4. The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe (4 stars)

The Classics (Pre-1900)
(I've completed 1 of an anticipated 4)

None read in July

Mysteries (The Cops)
I've completed 14 of 25

5. Last Seen Wearing by Colin Dexter (4 stars)

Mysteries (The Sleuths)
I've completed 14 of 25.

6. The Archer Files by Ross MacDonald (4 stars)
7. The Guards by Ken Bruen

Fantasy
I've completed 2 of 5

8. Midnight Crossing by Charlaine Harris (4 stars)

Horror
I've completed 2 of 5

None read in July

Fiction
I've completed 3 of 10

9. The Anti-Death League by Kingsley Amis (3.5 stars)

Science Fiction
I've completed 2 of 5

10. Cemetery World by Clifford D. Simak (3 stars)

Spies/ Thriller / War
I've completed 2 of 10

None read in July

Non-Fiction
I've completed 1 of 5

None read in July

Top Three of July

1. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

"The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle is one of those classic mysteries that should be on everybody's 'must-read' list. It's been made into many TV and movies, all of which have kept the story alive and fresh.
I don't know that I've read it previously; it's one of those books that I think I probably have, but maybe it's just that I've seen one or two of the adaptations. However, with all of that preamble, I'm pleased to say that I have now read and enjoyed immensely.
The story is familiar to so many people that I won't go into it in detail. Suffice it to say a family legend draws Holmes and Watson to the Dartmoor moors to try and help the heir to a family estate, one that might have been cursed by a supernatural hound. They work diligently to keep the heir alive as they try to solve the murder of the previous heir.
The nice thing about this particular Holmes' mystery is that the focus is Watson for a nice change. Holmes sends Watson ahead with Henry Baskerville, both to keep him safe and to investigate the neighbours and to try and find out more about the death / murder of Sir Charles Baskerville, Henry's uncle. Holmes stays behind to work on other cases.
It's a different way of telling a Holmes mystery, relying on Watson's correspondence to Holmes and also Watson's diary entries. But don't let that mean that there isn't lots of action because for a Holmes' mystery, there is a fair bit and the story moves along nicely and tensely. It's an interesting mystery with nice twists and turns and the ending is exciting and satisfying. One of the best Holmes' mysteries I've read so far. (5 stars)"

2. The Archer Files by Ross MacDonald.

"The Archer Files: The Complete Short Stories of Lew Archer, Private Investigator by Ross MacDonald is my first exposure to MacDonald's writing. I have enjoyed quite a few books by his wife, fellow mystery writer, Margaret Millar and have wanted to explore the world of Lew Archer, as created by MacDonald.
The book is a series of short stories featuring PI Archer and also a number of unfinished stories showing some of the other cases that Archer might have been involved in.
I enjoyed MacDonald's writing, in the style of Dashiell Hammett and John D. MacDonald and enjoyed PI Archer. Archer takes on cases where he feels a responsibility to the person hiring him or the person being investigated. In a number of cases, he just falls into by accident and wants to correct a wrong or just help a person in need. He never overcharges; $50 a day plus expenses and he doesn't like helping the Mob or being bought. He's an ex-boxer and officer from WWII and knows how to handle himself in a bad situation. He works in California with a small office on Sunset Boulevard. The book starts off with a nice biography of Lew Archer, his past and what makes him tick.
People get killed in his cases, sometimes by him, sometimes by someone else. There are nice little twists in each one, some not complex. You can figure out who is responsible, but the explanations are always interesting. MacDonald's description of the people and the surroundings are always on point and he has a nice, tidy way of getting out the facts and the stories. I enjoyed very much and now look forward to trying one of Lew Archer's cases in novel format. (4 stars)"

3. Midnight Crossing by Charlaine Harris.

"Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris is the first book in a new trilogy. The other books are Day Shift and Night Shift. It will soon be a TV series. From what I read it will start Jul 24th.
I loved the story. There were so many neat things about it. What I especially liked was that it featured characters from other series by Harris. We are introduced to Manfred Bernardo, who has appeared in a couple of the Harper Connelly books. We meet Bobo Winthrop who appeared in one of the Lily Bard, Shakespeare series. In fact, he refers to his friend, Lily.
Besides that, the remaining characters are all interesting and all have their secrets. Will their characters become clearer in the next two books? I hope so. Fiji Cavanaugh is a witch with a crush on Bobo and her cat is interesting. Lemuel, who works evenings in Bobo's pawn shop, is a vampire. What is Olivia? How about Joe or the Rev? What about them? Yup still lots to find out.
The story itself was interesting too. We have white nationalists stirring up trouble because of Bobo's past, his grandfather is supposed to have had a secret cache of weapons that they think Bobo now possesses and they seem desperate to find them.
There is murder, a bit of mayhem and just downright neighbourliness between the folks of Midnight, Texas. They stand by each other help each other. The story moves along nicely, some mysteries are solved and we get to know the characters better. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to getting into the other two books. (4 stars)" (Update - Jo and I have enjoyed the first two episodes of Midnight, Texas very much. It's been excellent)

Currently Reading

I'm starting off August (IT'S ALREADY AUGUST????) with the following books.

1. The Happy Return by C.S. Forester
2. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
3. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4. A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller

There you go, folks. I'm hoping August is as successful a month as the past 7. Have a great August!