End October 2026 Reading Update

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming Reads

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

"An Inspector Mallett mystery.

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

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

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

"'It was the Blessed Virgin' she cried…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Time for a Reading Update

I've been focused on letting you know my 2027 Reading plans in my last few posts. Point of fact, I've already changed my plans somewhat. I'll get back to that in later posts, because I might change them even again. 😎😜

But now, it's time to update my reading, new books, etc.

Completed Books (4 books completed since my mid-month update, 3 of the 4 by Canadian authors)

1. Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (Classics / 1891)

"I've been reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy for about 5 months and I'm glad I stuck with it. It's not the first Hardy. I also enjoyed Far from the Madding Crowd and a collection of short stories, Life's Little Ironies. Tess was a hard one to read, not because it was written badly, but because of the hardships Tess had to endure.

I believe that all of her problems were caused by her somewhat shiftless father. Tess Durbeyfield was a field worker in the town of Marlott. Her father heard a story from a wandering minister who told him that the Durbeyfields were the last members of the Norman d'Urbervilles family, royalty basically. Tess's father talks her into going to work for the d'Urbervilles, an old woman and her son, who live on their estate. Tess takes care of the poultry and other farm work. But Alec d'Urbervilles is not a nice guy and he gradually bends Tess to his will and gets her pregnant. She runs home, not telling Alec, has the baby, which gets sick and tragically dies.

Tess leaves home for a new start and starts working at a dairy from in the Froom Valley. There she meets and falls in love with Angel Claire, the son of a Minister, who wants to avoid the religious life and instead, learn about farming so he can start up his own farm, either in England or maybe in America.

Over time, the two become friendly and Angel keeps trying to persuade Tess to marry him. She keeps saying no, as she has a 'secret', right. But Angel persuades her and they get married.

On their wedding night, at a farm house where they are about to start a new life, both of them tell each other their secrets; Angel that he'd had relations with a woman of the evening while in London. Tess forgives him and tells Angel her story. Well, let's just say that he's not as understanding. They split up and Angel heads off to Brazil to get his head straight and maybe get a farm for the two of them in Brazil.

Tess tries to go home, but can't live there now that her marriage appears to have broken up, maybe yes, maybe no. She gets work at a hard scrabble farm with one of the girls who worked with her at the dairy. It's not a great live, but Tess is surviving. She spends any money that Angel gave her to help her parents get a new roof for their house and at one point decides to go see Angel's parents. He has left money for her. Now for some reason, while she's on their doorstep,, she hears Angel's brothers talking about her, negatively, and she goes back to her farm work. On the way she hears a man preaching and lo and behold, it's Alec d'Urberville.

As you can guess, this is a mistake as now that he's back in her life, Alec won't leave her alone... Not good.

There will be hope and maybe also tragedy before this story ends. Tess is a wonderful character, strong, noble, intelligent, but that doesn't help her as her life is full of setbacks and tragedies. It's an excellent story. Hardy describes the Tess's life so very well. It's a thoughtful book, you can picture where Tess lives and works, feel the changing weather, see how hard but at times enjoyable her life can be. An excellent story by Hardy. I'm glad I stuck with it. (4.0 stars)"

2. We Speak Through the Mountain by Premee Mohamed (Annual Migration of Clouds #2 / Dystopia / 2024)

"I read the first book in the The Annual Migration of Clouds trilogy a couple of years ago. We Speak Through the Mountain by Premee Mohamed is the 2nd book and it was just as good as the 1st one. Even though it has been 2 years, it was still easy to get back into the flow of the story.

In a dystopic future set in Alberta, Canada, Reid Graham has been accepted for attendance at Howse University, in the Rocky Mountain. Reid suffers from an illness, CAD, that is one of the reasons for the dystopian setting. It's a virus of some sort that inhabits her body (and the majority of the people in her community of Edmonton... and all over Canada and presumably the world). The world is also suffering from a climate disaster. The hope for Reid is that by being accepted at Howse, she can help with the environmental disaster and also maybe in finding a cure for CAD.

The story starts with her on her journey, injured seriously. But she wakes up in Howse, in the infirmary. And this starts her first year at Howse. She receives injections that don't cure CAD but push it down so it kind of lies dormant.

Howse is a domed city and the students consist of young adults who have lived there all their lives and a select group of outsiders from university towns across Alberta and other locations. From her life in Edmonton, where everything is crowded and noisy, Howse is a shock; clean, quiet, sanitary. Reid persuades the university to allow her to room with Clementine, a girl from Calgary, as they both are having difficulty adjusting to the loneliness of living alone.

As Reid's year progresses, she finds many odd things about Howse. They don't talk about the past, only the future. The students from Howse seem to consider the outsiders as animals, maybe cavemen, although they tolerate them. It seems also that they have no plan to help the rest of the world outside; that they prefer the students from outside to just stay there after their 4 years study; as Reid thinks, to keep the blood supply fresh, so to speak.

Reid finds herself frustrated by this attitude. She begins to break rules; finding ways to leave the dome, even though she is punished. Clementine is a willing companion. One of the other students, St. Martin, befriends Reid, but finds it more difficult to see Reid's reasoning.

It's an excellent follow-on to The Annual Migration of Clouds. Mohamed writes clearly, developing her characters and the setting so you can really see it in your mind. The concept is fascinating and even with the ending a bit of a 'cliff hanger', leading you on to the 3rd books, it still is satisfying on its own. I've read one of Mohamed's standalones as well, The Butcher of the Forest and I have enjoyed everything. I look forward to reading Book 3 and also starting her Beneath the Rising trilogy. (4.0 stars)"

3. Driven by Mason Coile (Horror / 2026)

"Driven is a horrorish novel by Mason Coile, a pseudonym for Canadian horror author Andrew Pyper. I had previously enjoyed three of Pyper's stories; Lost Girls, The Killing Circle and The Guardians (I think that one was my favorite). I recently read an article about him, about establishing an award for speculative fiction / horror writers, upon his death in 2026. It was in that article that I discovered that he also wrote under his pseudonym and since Driven was the last book before his death, I thought I should check it out.

It's a surprising sort of story that takes you in all sorts of directions you don't expect. Jamie Newcross is wandering through life, after the death of his wife and infant daughter in a hit and run accident. He moves from apartment to apartment but has to keep moving, taking less and less with him. There is something haunting him; is in his mind or is some being? I mean, it seems to be the latter, especially when he sees fingers creeping around the shower curtain. But who knows?

Twist #1. Jamie sees an ad for a used car, a Lion, which happens to be the world's most advanced fully autonomous car. To Jamie, who is trying to bury himself away from the world and is constantly haunted, this might be perfect; maybe he can just live in the car and keep ahead of whatever is haunting him. The fellow he buys from, Quinn, is kind of shifty but Jamie buys it anyway. Re Quinn, there are some glitches with the computer system, mainly that the monitor screen doesn't seem to work, but otherwise, it's ok.

Turn #2. Jamie awakens in the car, bruised and shaken. What happened? There seems to be blood and hair on the hood of the car!! He doesn't remember anything but it seems as though, maybe the car has run over someone. It's not saying anything. Now what is Jamie to do? The car takes off on a long, meandering drive through Toronto and won't let Jamie out

Twist #3. Whatever is haunting Jamie, seems to now have inhabited the car. 

Turn #4. Jamie originally told the car to take him home, but where exactly is home? He's moved so much since the accident. Firstly it takes him to his last residence with wife and daughter, but Jamie persuades it to take him away. Next the car (Lion) takes him to his first home outside of Toronto, where his mother seems to haunt Jamie.

I'll stop the twists and turns, but they are all fascinating. The story shifts from horror to mystery, especially when Jamie takes the car to the Lion service center and discovers some things (I'm not going to ruin it by telling you what, of course). After that, Jamie is taken on a journey and the car begins to communicate more with him, or is it whatever / whomever is haunting the car.

The story moves along very nicely and could be read in a few hours and they will be hours well spent. It's a fascinating, rich story for its shortness. Jamie is in interesting character who we learn more about as the story progresses and ultimately the Lion is fascinating. It's an emotional journey with an excellent ending. The closer I got to the end, the more enjoyable and satisfying it became. It has its scary moments but nothing really terrifying, just tenseness and it's an interesting mystery as well. Fantastic (5.0 stars)"

4. Bunny, a Novel by Mona Awad (Horror / 2019)

"Bunny by Canadian author, Mona Awad was my first exposure to her work. She also wrote 12 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl and We Love You, Bunny. Having said this, I'm not quite sure what to say about Bunny. It's definitely different from anything else I've read in many a year. It's dark and disturbing and a fascinating read... but what the heck is going on?

Samantha is on a scholarship to Warren University. She is doing her thesis in English creative writing. She is part of a very small group, her teacher, Ursula, herself and the Bunnies. The Bunnies are at best a clique of 4 young ladies, who are sort of Heathers, but in spades. And there is something sort of supernatural about them, or witchy. Samantha hates them. 

Something happened to Samantha with one of her professors, Alan, after a party... or maybe nothing happened. But the Bunnies hold this over Samantha. Samantha's only real friend is Ava, a..... goth sort of girl. She also hates the Bunnies. Ava and Samantha, spend time at Ava's house, writing, dancing, being friends. 

There is also Joel, in the poetry program, a doped up guy, but all in all a very nice kid. He doesn't ask anything of Samantha, but he's just there, willing to help, to be a friend.

The Bunnies invite Samantha to the Smut Salon, where the four of them... do stuff. They drink weird drinks, eat weird food, read poetry, but there is definitely something off about them. What are they doing to the bunnies outside? This is the supernatural element to the story.

Samantha kind of walks her way through the story. She lets herself be pulled away from Ava by the Bunnies. She lets herself be redesigned by the Bunnies. But gradually something begins to sink in. What actually are they doing? 

Is what is happening real? Is it in her mind? Is it drugs that the Bunnies are feeding Samantha? 

The story teeters along... fascinatedly, but also confusingly. And then along comes Max! Who the, what the???

There will be a final crisis, tragedy and a climatic ending, that is quite interesting. The story is strange, fascinating, and will draw you in. But you tell me what it's about. It's definitely worth trying. I have We Love You, Bunny on my book shelf. I will try it. (3.0 stars)"

Currently Reading (started since mid month update)

1. The Trials of Rumpole by John Mortimer (Rumpole of the Bailey #2 / 1979)

"Horace Rumpole — a man who never prosecutes, whose fame rests on his knowledge, whose court scenes are proverbial and whose home is ruled by Mrs Rumpole is back in this collection of stories.

Contents: Rumpole and the man of God — Rumpole and the showfolk — Rumpole and the Fascist beast — Rumpole and the case of identity — Rumpole and the course of true love — Rumpole and the age for retirement"

2. Game Without Rules by Michael Gilbert (Calder & Behrens #1 / 1967).

"Two Englishmen, who quietly disappear from their abodes in order to solve mysteries, are the protagonists of eleven espionage tales"

3. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix (Horror / 2014)

"Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör is designed to retain its luster and natural appearance for a lifetime of use. Pleasingly proportioned with generous French flaps and a softcover binding, Horrorstör delivers the psychological terror you need in the elegant package you deserve."

Newest Arrivals (Quite a few actually because Jo has kindly bought me a number of books on our local Buy and Sell.)

1. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean #2 / 2023). I just recently completed the 1st book and enjoyed it very much.

"SECRETS. SACRIFICE. SURVIVAL.

Against all odds, Violet Sorrengail made it through her first year at Basgiath War College, but now, the real training begins. The stakes are higher than ever, and a determination to survive won''t be enough this time.

When a powerful new enemy threatens everything she cares about, including the man she loves, Violet must do whatever it takes to keep their secrets safe. One wrong move could have horrifying consequences - and as the web of lies spun by those in charge starts to unravel, nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

THE DEADLY SECOND YEAR AT BASGIATH AWAITS"

2. The Left Left Behind by Terry Bisson (Sci Fi / 2009). I read Bisson's Fire on the Mountain, just excellent. This is part of a series by publisher PM Authors. I've read a few so far and have others on my shelf to get to.

"Sardonic and merciless, this satire of the entire apocalyptic enterprise provides a humorous and timely interpretation of the bestselling Left Behind series—the adventures of those "left behind" to battle the Anti-Christ after all Born-Again Christians have ascended into heaven. From predatory preachers and goth lingerie to Indian casinos and “art cars” at Burning Man, this religious spoof deftly pairs the personal with the fictional. Featuring an extensive author interview and biography, this contemporary parody also includes the unique one-act drama, Special Relativity, which asks the question: When Paul Robeson, J. Edgar Hoover, and Albert Einstein are raised from the dead at an anti-Bush rally, which one wears the dress?"

3. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Horror / 2022).

"Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite."

4. Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs #9 / 2012). Jo also bought me A Lesson In Secrets (Maisie Dobbs #8) from the Buy & Sell.

"In this latest entry in Jacqueline Winspear’s acclaimed, bestselling mystery series―“less whodunits than why-dunits, more P.D. James than Agatha Christie” (USA Today)―private investigator Maisie Dobbs takes on her most personal case yet, a twisting investigation into the brutal killing of a street peddler that will take her from the working-class neighborhoods of her childhood into London’s highest circles of power. Perfect for fans of A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, or other Maisie Dobbs mysteries―and an ideal place for new readers to enter the series―Elegy for Eddie is an incomparable work of intrigue and ingenuity, full of intimate descriptions and beautifully painted scenes from between the World Wars, from one of the most highly acclaimed masters of historical mystery, Jacqueline Winspear."

5. Lost Empires by J.B. Priestley (Fiction / 1965).

"One of Priestley's best novels, "Lost Empires" is set in the last years before the Great War, an age that was considered innocent but probably was nothing of the sort. In turn funny, sad, tragic and nostalgic, it is the story of young Richard Herncastle, who travels the old-time music halls during its golden era with his Uncle Nick Ollanton, an illusionist. It is a novel that can be read on many levels, with a delightful parade of characters whose stories tell us much about how life was for a variety performer in those long-forgotten days...indeed, it is essentially an excellent slice of fiction that captures a particular time and place in history --just before the world changed for ever."

6. The Salzburg Connection by Helen MacInnes (Spy / Thriller / 1968). Jo also bought me a few other MacInnes books: Message from Malaga, Assignment in Brittany, The Double Image, Rest and Be Thankful. It was because of the Spy novels that I've recently received that I decided to add another 12 + 4 Reading Challenge for 2027, that being Spy / Thrillers, as I do have quite a collection. I'll provide that list in a future post.

"Twenty-one years ago, with the Allies on their heels, the Nazis hid a sealed chest in the dark, forbidding waters of the Finstersee - a lake surrounded by the brooding peaks of the Austrian Alps.

One of the few men who knows of its existence is Richard Bryant, a British agent. Very early one morning, half-hidden by the swirling mists, he sets out alone to discover the secret of the lake - and unleashes a series of violent reactions - and violent deaths ..."

7. The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot #13 / 1936). Jo also bought me Curtain, the last Hercule Poirot mystery. I've added these two books to my 12 + 4 Challenge dealing with British classic mysteries and removed two other books by different authors.

"There’s a serial killer on the loose, working his way through the alphabet and the whole country is in a state of panic.

A is for Mrs. Ascher in Andover, B is for Betty Barnard in Bexhill, C is for Sir Carmichael Clarke in Churston. With each murder, the killer is getting more confident—but leaving a trail of deliberate clues to taunt the proud Hercule Poirot might just prove to be the first, and fatal, mistake."

8. Wrong Norma by Anne Carson (Poetry / Essays / 2024). Carson won this year's Nobel Prize for Literature and is also Canadian, so, since I'd not heard of her, I thought I really should check out her work. I love the book cover for this latest book.

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

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

9. Yap! A Short History of Small Dogs by Stephanie Howard-Smith (Non Fic / History / 2026). I can't remember where I heard about this book, maybe someone highlighted it on one of the sites I check out. Anyway, it seemed fascinating.

"Yap! Whether that sound suggests an irritating little runt of a dog or a sweet huggable bundle of canine fluff, you need to curl up with this captivating, informative, anecdotal history of our most diminutive four-legged friends. Dogs have been valued members of our societies for tens of thousands of years. They’ve guarded our homes, herded our flocks, hunted our food, and rescued us when we’ve needed help. But since ancient times, little terriers and lapdogs have enriched human lives in a different way. For millennia we’ve bred and kept them, both because they work for us and they bring us joy.

Animal historian Dr. Stephanie Howard-Smith tells the story of our smallest working canines and our beloved companions in a series of fun, lapdog-sized chapters, each of which focuses on a famous historical pooch. From the convents of medieval Europe, where nuns hid small dogs to be their faithful friends (despite the disapproval of male church leaders) to King Charles’s Spaniels, Queen Victoria’s Pekingese, Paris Hilton’s Chihuahua, and the pet influencers of twenty-first-century social media, Yap! follows the pawprints of the pups who set the mold for the dogs we share our homes with today.

Celebrating the petite companions with whom we’ve had our longest and closest relationship, from the lean mean little terriers who’ve kept our homes vermin-free, to our precious French Bulldogs and Toy Poodles, Terriers and Dachshunds, Pomeranians and Pugs, Shih Tzus and Spaniels, Howard-Smith presents a heartfelt ode to the yapping little dogs that have shaped our lives as much as we have shaped how they've evolved from working dogs to couch companions, providing the blueprint for the modern canine, and offered us companionship when we’ve most needed it."

10. The Strode Venturer by Hammond Innes (Thriller / 1960). The last of the books that Jo got for me.

"THE STRODE VENTURER, ploughing distant seas, bridges two very different worlds--the island paradise of Addu Atoll and the commercial world of London.

Everything is very much business as usual, but at Strode House a coterie of directors plots against the family. Nowhere is disaster closer than in the Maldives, where the Adduans, an isolated seafaring people, have literally bet their future on the company.

Peter Strode, wanderer, the odd man out in a family interested only in power and money, makes the cause of the Adduans his own. Volatile, impulsive, full of driving enthusiasm, he sets out to save these people and restore his father's company. Only death can deflect him from his purpose."

So, there you go. A nice mix of books, I believe. See any that interest you? Enjoy the rest of October.

End August 2026 Reading Update

Another month is winding down so let's do a reading / new book update. 

Books Completed (since last update)

(4 books completed since last update)

1. The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny (Sci Fi / 1966) Back in the day, I quite enjoyed Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber series. This was an interesting concept but somewhat disappointing.

"The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny is one of those books I wanted to like more than I ultimately did. I remember enjoying Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber so very much a few years back. I saw The Dream Master listed in another book I'd read and it sounded very interesting.

It's a difficult plot to explain. Render is a psychology engineer, one of the best in fact, who has the ability, with the help of some technology, to enter a person's mind, and use their thoughts and dreams to cure their mental problems. He cures one man at the beginning and gets a request from a blind woman, also a psychiatrist, who wants to use his talents to help her see, even if just in her dreams.

That is the crux of the story, but also we have Render's issues being dealt with; his constant moving of his young son from school to school. Who has the issue? There is a relationship with Jill de Ville and where it might be going.

But it's difficult to follow the story, it jumps from scene to scene and leaves you unsure if it's reality (a futuristic reality) or dreams with Eileen (the blind woman). Bender's mentor seems to worry that Eileen might be taking over the psycho analysis from Bender.... 

There are fascinating moments and frustrating moments. The ending is interesting, but ... um, maybe vague or unclear are the correct words. Oh yes, there is Eileen's seeing eye dog, Sigmund, who is able to talk and is concerned that if Eileen gains a sort of sight from the treatment, he will no longer be needed. Sigmund is one of the more interesting characters.. Oh and who the heck is the man walking down the highway?

I think it's my confusion that left me not liking the book so very much. It's a fascinating concept and the book got better as it went along. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't a favorite. (2.0 stars)"

2. The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch (Sci Fi / 1965). I think I preferred Camp Concentration to The Genocides but it was still quite interesting.

"The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch is the 2nd book I've tried by Disch, the first was Camp Concentration. Both are Sci Fi stories but quite different. The Genocides is set in northern Minnesota in the aftermath of some sort of invasion (it's not clear and not that important to the story other than the setting) by 'plants'. And no, not Triffids. The plants are large trees that are absorbing the Great Lakes and other bodies of water. Mankind is dying off, all other plant life being overcome, and animal / insect life as well. This is from the perspective of the group of people we are following in this story.

A religious community run by Anderson, they are in a constant fight to burn back the plants and grow enough crops, mainly corn, to survive. Anderson has two sons, Buddy and Neil, as well as a teenage daughter, Blossom. Tragedy keep striking the group, their few cattle escape, and are destroyed by some flame throwing machines that appear to belong to the plants and are responsible for destroying Earth life forms. A group of marauders, people escaping the cities arrive and are dealt with.. yucchh... (Remember the famous line in Soylent Green?)

The story also follows Jeremiah Oliver, a mining engineer. He has his own ideas and with his girl friend, Judith and a few other city survivors, arrive at the Anderson's encampment. Only two are allowed to survive, Jeremiah and an elderly nurse, Alice. But the death of Judith, drives Jeremiah to plot his own vengeance.

The encampment is forced to move underground half way through the story when the flame machines attack and they are forced to try and survive in the darkness.

It's a dark, disturbing story.. take The Road and add some kinks to it. Is there hope for the survival of mankind? Can the group survive each other, their hatreds and differences? The story moves along at a steady pace, especially when everything moves underground. Claustrophobic, darkness, fear, infighting. It was an interesting concept and story. Enough to make me keep exploring Disch anyways. (3.5 stars)"

3. We Stand on Guard by Brian K. Vaughan (Graphic Novel / 2016). I've been enjoying Vaughan's other Sci Fi series. This one was interesting and kind of struck a chord, as a Canadian.

"I've been enjoying quite a few of Brian K. Vaughan's graphic novel series; Saga, Paper Girls and Y: The Last Man, so being a patriotic Canadian, I thought I'd try We Stand On Guard, a story about the US invasion of Canada. I thought it might be a merry, cheerful read. 😁😎

The story starts off in Ottawa, Ontario, 2112 with a family, mother, father and two children, watching the news. It appears the mother is a lawyer working for the Canadian military. As they watch, bombs begin to drop from the sky. Only the son and daughter, both quite young, survive. Skip to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, 2124, and the daughter, Amber is walking through the snow armed with a crossbow. She is attacked by a robot wolf, belonging the US invaders, and is saved ultimately by a group of freedom fighters, the Two-Fours, the remnants of Canada's freedom fighters as our military has been destroyed. (Ed Note. A Two-Four is what Canadians call a case of twenty - four beer. Now you know)

After Amber proves herself to the group, that she's not a spy, they take her to their hideout in caves under Yellowknife.. There is a lot of action. They capture one of the US giant robot machines. They are monitored by 'The American' one of the US's top 'spies?' who interrogates the group's boss when she is captured.

The story is what it is, a story about a resistance, about the fight for survival. It's not the greatest story ever written but it's interesting, action packed and kind of struck a chord with me at this moment in time. Thank you Mr. Vaughan (3.0 stars)"

4. Them Bones by Howard Waldrop (Alternate History / 1984). My 1st attempt at Waldrop's work.

"Them Bones is my first exposure to the work of Howard Waldrop. I also have a collection of his short stores as well and now that I've enjoyed this book, I look forward to reading this.

I had some doubts about the book when I read the foreword, as editor Terry Carr explained (and this was when the book was published in 1984) about the New Ace Science Fiction Specials. He talked about how they were trying to usher in the new writers that were expanding Sci Fi, etc. To me that puts a lot of pressure on a book and I have a tendency to ignore books that get a lot of praise (if that's the word I'm looking for).

Anyway, the book lived up to the pressure. It's a fascinating concept. It follows three groups. Bessie is an archeologist working with a team somewhere on the Mississippi in Louisiana. They are exploring a bunch of mounds that may have ancient artifacts. They are also at risk due to the severe flooding and heavy rainstorms that are expected. They have discovered things that make no sense in mounds and it galvanizes them to more action. These are things that shouldn't be together; bullets, native artifacts, etc.

The 2nd story line follows Yazoo Leake. He is an advance scout from some future time. The World is dying and the future hopes to send troops back into the past to maybe rectify what has caused this future disaster. Unfortunately for Leake, nobody has followed Leake through his portal and he is alone with his horse. He meets local natives. Neither can understand each other until he meets one of the tribal leaders, Took-his-Time, and discovers they can communicate in 'Greek'! Now this is in early Louisiana, or so it seems. But when?

The 3rd story follows the actual troop that was supposed to follow Leake but arrive sometime else. this storyline is called Box (which will become apparent as the story progresses) and sometimes deals with the story told by WO Smith and other times, just basic camp reports. They come under attack by the local natives for, it seems, bringing sickness to their land.

The story progresses in this fashion, following each group, building the story. It's quite fascinating and the more you get into the story, it becomes more interesting. What has Bessie and her fellow archeologist discovered? Is it related to either of the other groups? Leake's story is maybe the most interesting as he becomes more and more a member of his 'tribe' and tries to discover when he is is? Maybe even where he is? Is this some fold in time and space maybe?

Waldrop makes each story unique but at the same times manages to keep them linked together. I really enjoy his description and how he ramps up tension when necessary. The storm that hits the diggers is so perfectly described that you can feel it in your bones. The attack on Leake's tribe and the chase across the country both to save his friends and to escape the enemy tribe is breath-taking and so tense.

All in all, I enjoyed this book so very much. It grows and develops expertly and the ending was satisfying... well, depending on how you look at it, that is. But it tied up things pretty nicely. Excellent story. (4.5 stars)"

Currently Reading (started since last update)

1. The Rainbow and the Rose by Nevil Shute (Fic / 1958). Shute is one of my favorite authors and I hope to eventually read all of his works. This has started off really nicely.

"When seasoned pilot Johnny Pascoe tries to rescue a sick girl from the Tasmanian outback, his plane crashes and leaves him stranded and dangerously injured. Ronnie Clarke, who was trained by Pascoe, attempts to fly a doctor in to help, but rough weather makes his mission more difficult than he imagined. As he waits overnight at Pascoe’s house for a chance to try again the next day, Clarke revisits the past of this unusual man—and reveals the shocking and tragic secrets that have influenced his life."

2. The Humanoid Touch by Jack Williamson (Humanoids #2 / 1980). I can't say I've loved his work but they are part of the history of Sci Fi, especially space adventures.

""Humanoids: Self-directed robots invented to serve and guard mankind. Jack Williamson created one of the finest science fiction novels of all time - The Humanoids. In his second novel he returned to his classic subject: the final confrontation of man and machine."

3. Heart on my Sleeve: Stories from a Life Well-Worn by Jeanne Beker (Memoir / Can Lit / 2024). I've watched Jeanne Beker on TV for years. This book sounded very interesting and I hope to learn more about her life, ideas.

"Fashion and style icon Jeanne Beker delivers an uplifting and inspiring memoir that walks us through a wardrobe of memory, one article of clothing at a time. Jeanne Beker’s name is synonymous with style and grace in fashion. Recognized by many as the beloved host of Fashion Television and The New Music, Jeanne has spent an entire career interviewing celebrities and uncovering their most private selves. Now, in Heart on My Sleeve, Jeanne reveals who she is in an all-new way. This is not just a memoir but a wardrobe of memory. Jeanne walks us through her recollections of specific pieces of clothing and jewelry, precious items that have made an indelible impact on her. She invites readers to think more deeply about how what we wear—whether it’s a thrift-store find or high-end couture—acts as a touchstone to our most treasured recollections, reminding us of who we once were or of loved ones we hold dear. With Jeanne as our style guide, we get up-close and personal with a star-studded cast, including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Kate Moss, Oscar de la Renta, Beyoncé, and Keith Richards. But equally important, Jeanne introduces us to the family members and loved ones who form her closest entourage—including her wise Yiddish mother and her industrious father, both Holocaust survivors; her childhood neighbor Mrs. Jaskolka, a style maven ahead of her time; her two trailblazing daughters; and her many warm and exuberant friends who have seen her through the best and worst of times. Jeanne proves that a life lived with style and substance is always in fashion. Bold, colorful, and authentic, this is Jeanne Beker at her very best and brightest."

4. Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson (Alt Hist / 1988). A new author for me.

"Presenting an alternative version of African American history, this novel explores what might have happened if John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry had been successful. Chronicling life in a thriving black nation founded by Brown in the former southeastern United States, this dramatic story opens 100 years later, just as Nova Africa is poised to celebrate its first landing of a spacecraft on Mars. The prosperous black state will soon be tested when the granddaughter of John Brown returns from Africa to reunite with her daughter and share with her a secret that will alter their lives forever."

Newest Arrivals

1. The Eternal Moment and Other Stories by E.M. Forster (Short Stories / 1928). I've enjoyed 3 of Forster's novels but this collection of short stories sounded interesting.

"A collection that explores the human spirit through a series of fantasy vignettes, including "The Machine Stops," "The Point of It," "Mr. Andrews," "Co-ordination," "The Story of the Siren," and the title story."

2. Interlunar by Margaret Atwood (Poetry / 1984). One of two books by Atwood I found this month. It's a book of poetry. What can I say until I've read it.

3. The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine by Robert J. Sawyer Jr. (Downloaded #2 / 2025). The first book was excellent.

"It’s 2555 and the remaining members of the Phoenix colony, both convicts and astronauts, have fully integrated since they were originally downloaded from cryogenic suspension.

Now, as the countdown to Earth's final day approaches, two groups of colonists prepare to leave on separate missions.

One group, led by Captain Letitia Garvey, will re-upload to the quantum system as they head to Zeta Tucanae to complete the original astronaut mission, while the other, led by Mayor Roscoe Koudoulian, will begin a new colony on Mars, safely away from the asteroid about to hit Earth. But tragedy strikes on the day Roscoe is set to leave, forcing him to upload his consciousness as well. Back inside their virtual silos, the astronauts and convicts alike encounter mysterious digital duplicates that could destroy their stored consciousnesses forever. In a race against time, they are forced to make impossible choices in order to exist in a world where the line between human and digital reality has blurred."

4. The Dorians by Nick Cutter (Hor / 2026). The Troop was fantastic. The Deep was ok. Looking forward to exploring more of Cutter's work.

"On a remote island in the Canadian wilderness, five elderly volunteers from different walks of life are given a tantalizing offer: to stall their biological clocks or even reverse them, restoring their lost youth. The chance to put death on pause—forever, perhaps. The remarkable secret lies in the high-tech harnessing of an ancient and extraordinary biological agent…one with no conscience, yet possessed with a single-minded purpose that has helped it persist for eons: the will to survive. The dark heart of unbridled human ambition finds its apex in an unholy experiment that now tests the limits of both creator and subject, eclipsing all bounds of morality and sanity…."

5. A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao (Akal Singh #2 / 2025). A new author for me. I've both books in this series to enjoy.

"Fiji, 1915: when a purported sighting of Germans on the run from WWI turns deadly, Sergeant Akal Singh must (reluctantly) take up the investigation in this vibrant follow-up to A Disappearance in Fiji.

Sergeant Akal Singh, an unwilling transplant to Fiji, is just starting to settle into his life in the capital city of Suva when he is sent to the neighboring island of Ovalau on a series of fool’s errands. First: investigate strange reports of Germans, thousands of miles from the front of World War I. Second: chaperone two strong-willed European ladies, Mary and Katherine, on a sight-seeing tour. And third: supervise the only police officer currently on Ovalau, an eighteen-year-old constable with a penchant for hysterics.

Accompanied by his friend Taviti, who is visiting his uncle, the local chief, Akal sets off on these seemingly straightforward tasks. Instead, they become embroiled in a series of local issues: the gruesome death of an unpopular local and the imprisonment of a group of Norwegian sailors in Taviti’s uncle’s village. To add to Akal’s woes, Katherine, the charming aspiring journalist, harbors an agenda of her own. Will Akal be able to keep her—and himself—out of trouble before anybody else gets killed?"

6. The Dog Park Detectives by Blake Mara (Dog Park #1 / 2024). Another new authors for me. And hey, it's got dogs!

"Murder is never just a walk in the park . . .

When friends Louise and Irina find a dead body in the local park whilst walking their dogs, they are soon drawn into the mystery of who murdered local entrepreneur Phil Creasey.

Phil used to be a member of their dog walking community – nicknamed The Pack – until the death of his cockapoo, and The Pack feel they owe it to Phil to investigate his death. With Louise and Irina leading the charge, they soon come up against local drug dealers, stolen cars and a disturbing incident of poisoned dog biscuits. Have The Pack bitten off more than they can chew, or can they follow their noses and solve the crime?"

7. The Business Man by Thomas M. Disch (Hor / 1984). I've read Camp Concentration and The Genocides by Disch so far.

"Bob was the happiest man in the world. His wife was dead, and no one suspected him of the murder. His mother-in-law was dying, and would probably leave him an inheritance. And with both of them gone, he can wallow in all the beer, chips, and TV a man could ever want... Then Bob's wife came back from the grave. She brought her sadness, her rage, and something worse - her mother. Revenge is a gruesome business. And Bob has hell to pay..."

8. The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood (Fic / 2015) The 2nd book I bought by Atwood. I found it and The Business Man at one of our local Salvation Army Thrift Shops when I was out with Jo the other day.

"Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.

At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled."

So there you go folks. All caught up for now. I hope you get a few reading ideas from the books above. Enjoy your September.