The Waiting by Michael Connelly

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

First Paragraph(s):

She liked waiting for the wave more than riding the wave.  Facing the cliffs, straddling the board, her hips finding the up-and-down rhythm of the surface.  Riding it like a horse, making her think about Kaupo Boy when she was a child.  There was a reverence to the movement before the next set came in and it was time to dig down and paddle.  

My Thoughts:

The Waiting is #6 in Michael Connelly's Renee Ballard/Harry Bosch series and I enjoyed it a lot.  I've read all the books in this series and I like how Connelly has managed to keep Bosch involved in police work even though he's retired.  Plus his daughter, Maddie, is now a cop and she comes into the story as a volunteer for Ballard's unit.  Bosch himself has also worked with the 'cold case' unit in another book.  

I've also watched all the TV adaptations of the Bosch storyline and enjoyed those as well.  What I wanted to share is that I understand there will be a new 'Ballard' TV adaptation with Maggie Q playing Renee Ballard and Titus Welliver continuing his role as Harry Bosch.  Filming started last summer - not sure when it will be available for viewing.  Here's a link to some info from the author's website.

Have you read any of the Bosch books or the Ballard/Bosch books?  I've enjoyed them and hope they continue for quite a while.  Also will be interested in knowing how Maddie Bosch will fare in the LAPD as she follows in her father's footsteps.

Blurb:

LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a serial rapist whose trail has gone cold, and enlists a new volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Unit: patrol officer Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter.

Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet two decades ago. The arrested man is only twenty-four, so the genetic link must be familial: His father was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the City of Angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun, and ID are stolen—a theft she can’t report without giving her enemies in the department ammunition to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her mission draws her into unexpected danger. With no choice but to go outside the department for help, she knocks on the door of Harry Bosch.

At the same time, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit: Bosch’s daughter Maddie, now a patrol officer. But Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city’s library of lost souls—a case that may be the most iconic in the city’s history.

Waiting on Wednesday - Holmes Is Missing

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

This week I'm highlighting the second book in the 'Holmes, Marple, & Poe' series.  I read the first book in the series last year and talked about it here.  I shared that while I thought the book was fast paced and interesting, I had a bit of hard time with the 'update' of the three famous characters.  Wasn't sure if my love for the original 'Marple' had affected my thoughts (note: likely, yes, likely).  Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I learned that 'Holmes, Marple & Poe' would be our mystery book group's selection for this coming April.  I then determined that I would reread the first book and also noticed that the sequel would be published in January.  Seemed like a good sign.  Here's the scoop on the new book:

Holmes Is Missing

by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Publication Date:  January 6th

Success has come quickly to Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. The New York City agency led by three detectives—Brendan Holmes, “the brain,” Margaret Marple, “the eyes,” and Auguste Poe, the “muscle”—with famous names and mysterious pasts is one major case away from cementing its professional reputation. 

But as a series of child abductions tests the PIs’ legendary skills, the cerebral Holmes’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the agency roster.

Only by closing ranks and solving the mystery within can they recover all that’s been lost.

The Black Loch by Peter May

The Black Loch by Peter May

First Paragraph(s):

     The sun set some time ago.  Although it is not yet dark enough, somehow, for murder.

     The east side of the island lies in dusky purple shadow, with the rising of the moon still hours away.  But what little light remains in the sky is reflected pale and pink upon the unusually still water of An Loch Dubh, making silhouettes of the man and woman as they run from the house.  For more than an hour, only the single lit pane of a downstairs window has broken the twilight, seeming to flicker feebly, like a candle, in its fight against the smothering half-light.

My Thoughts:

I was extremely surprised to learn earlier this year that Peter May was returning to the Isle of Lewis for another book to add to his 'Lewis Trilogy'.  It's been over 10 years since the last of that trilogy was published.  In any case, I was interested to hear what this author would add to his stories of Lewis and also Fin Macleod.  And this book, I think it ties things up nicely in the end, but it's quite a bleak journey through the storyline to get there.

If you haven't read this particular set of books, I suggest that you begin at the beginning with The Blackhouse.  My thoughts on that book here.  The second book continues Fin's story and it's The Lewis Man - my thoughts here.  Last of the trilogy is The Chessmen - again, my thoughts here.  I have read the trilogy more than once, but only revisited The Blackhouse for a quick skim before starting The Black Loch.  

I honestly don't want to share too much about this book because of spoilers, but I enjoyed it and 'catching up' with Fin and his family and friends.  That being said, these stories set in the Outer Hebrides do reflect the setting, the cold wind, the people who live in a place that is a bit harsh, but also beautiful.  I always feel a bit shivery while reading them.  Have you tried any of Peter May's work?  I'd love to hear.    

Blurb:

THE RETURN OF FIN MACLEOD, PETER MAY'S MUCH-LOVED HERO OF THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING LEWIS TRILOGY.

A MURDER

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A SECRET

Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A RECKONING

But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

The Black Loch takes us on a journey through family ties, hidden relationships and unforgiving landscapes, where suspense, violent revenge and revelation converge in the shadow of the Black Loch.

Waiting on Wednesday - Cold As Hell

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

This week's 'Waiting on...' book is the third in Kelley Armstrong's Haven's Rock series.  This series is a spin-off  or a continuation of her 'Rockton' series.  I love both of them and have read all the books so far.  I will say that things are changing in this new one, so be aware with the blurb.  Me, I can't wait until February.  Have you read any of the Rockton or Haven's Rock books?  Or tried anything else by Kelley Armstrong?  Do tell!

Cold As Hell

by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date:  February 18th

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Haven’s Rock in Cold as Hell as Casey Duncan hunts down a dangerous killer during a deadly blizzard.

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family now that they’ve settled into their life here. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing, including her worried husband, stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven’s Rock.

When one of the town's residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she’s dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven’s Rock, covering the forest. It’s there they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman's last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust—and who they can't—in their seemingly safe haven.

A new library in my area...love it!

I mentioned in a post the other day that one of our local libraries had completed a new building and that I had visited and taken a few pictures.  I used to volunteer at this library a few years back and helped out with processing new materials.  I did enjoy that work.  Anyway, this library had outgrown their facility and struggled to have enough room for not only materials, but also for study areas, meeting spaces, and new programs they wanted to implement.  On November 1st, they opened their new space.  Here is the new Cedar Park Public Library.  I loved it!

This sign lights up at night.

The front entrance.  They now have two stories, two screened porches, and a bunch of other fun spaces.  Just a lot more room for everything.

 This 'wall of wood' adjoins the staircase to the second floor.  It was created with wood from trees that were cut down as construction of the new facility progressed.  I think it's composed of oak, pecan, and other types of trees.  There is a plaque by it explaining how the wood was 'harvested' and the wall designed.  

I said above that there were a bunch of special spaces.  One of these is an adult 'reading room' where patrons can sit in comfort and quiet and read.  I couldn't take a shot of the whole room because someone was using the room just as it was meant.  

This sculpture was near the front entrance at the previous library and had been there for 20 years or so.  I had shown a picture of it before here on the blog and mentioned how kids really enjoyed playing around it and climbing over it.  I was so happy to see it had been moved to the new library and it now resides in the outside children's area that is located behind the kids area of the library.  Again, I had to wait until one little boy was through climbing in order to take the picture.  He was having a fun, fun time!

-------------------------------------------------------

Libraries have changed a lot over the years.  Remember when one was 'shushed' and had to be very, very quiet?  These days, libraries not only have computers that can be used by patrons, there are what's called 'makerspace' rooms where craft events are held and people are invited to come and 'create'.  Book discussions still occur, though I have noticed that more libraries are having sort of 'generic' book groups.  Some libraries even just invite people to come read together - silently.  Interesting.  There are knitting groups and crochet groups, movies to be watched, special speakers and, yes, storytimes.  Library staff helps patrons a lot with all kinds of information.  

I don't think the time of 'Public Libraries' is even close to coming to an end.  I certainly hope not.  Hope you enjoyed this little tour.  Do you visit your area libraries still?  Do you love them? 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

First Paragraph(s):

     Later, not a single person will recall seeing the lady board the flight at Hobart Airport.

     Nothing about her appearance or demeanor raises a red flag or even an eyebrow.

     She is not drunk or belligerent or famous.   

My Thoughts:

Have you read books by Liane Moriarty?  I have and liked most of the ones I've tried.  Some I've really, really liked (Big Little Lies, The Husband's Secret).  I will admit that her last one, Apples Never Fall, didn't thrill me as much.  However, this new one was quite different, interesting, a little weird, and I could not put it down.  I did a read/listen and enjoyed the audio portion very much.  One of the narrators, Caroline Lee, has done several of this author's works and I always enjoy her voice, tone, etc.

The whole idea of psychics, fortunetellers, etc. is not something I believe in.  On the other hand, the way the author presents her story of a lady predicting when and how each person on a flight would leave this earth was curious.  And the way several characters reacted to the prediction was curious as well.  We're all different - anxious, calm, overthinker, easygoing, etc.  I will tell you that the narrative switches back and forth from the 'lady' to other characters with each chapter.  I got used to it.  Some may find that a bit harder.  I liked how the book 'resolved' the storyline.  And I wonder if anyone else has tried this book and what you thought.  Let me know!     

Blurb:

Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did? 

The plane is jam-packed. Every seat is taken. So of course the flight is delayed! Flight attendant Allegra Patel likes her job—she’s generally happy with her life, even if she can’t figure out why she hooks up with a man she barely speaks to—but today is her twenty-eighth birthday. She can think of plenty of things she’d rather be doing than placating a bunch of grumpy passengers. 

There’s the well-dressed man in seat 4C who is compulsively checking his watch, desperate not to miss his eleven-year-old daughter’s musical. Further back, a mother of two is frantically trying to keep her toddler entertained and her infant son quiet. How did she ever think being a stay-at-home mom would be easier than being a lawyer? Ethan is lost in thought; he’s flying back from his first funeral. A young couple has just gotten married; she’s still wearing her wedding dress. An emergency room nurse is looking forward to traveling the world once she retires in a few years, it’s going to be so much fun! If they ever get off the tarmac. . . . 

Suddenly a woman none of them know stands up. She makes predictions about how and when everyone on board will die. Some dismiss her. Others will do everything they can to make sure her prophecies do not come to pass. All of them will be forever changed. 

How would you live your life if you thought you knew how it would end? Would you love who you love or try to love someone else? Would you stay married? Would you stop drinking? Would you call up your ex-best friend you haven’t spoken to in years? Would you quit your job? 

Intricately plotted, with the wonderful wit Liane Moriarty has become famous for, Here One Moment brilliantly looks at friends, lovers, and family and how we manage to hold onto them in our harried modern lives.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Frozen People

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

I'm excited to get back to posting a 'waiting on...' book a few times a month!  I'm constantly curious about what is coming out next and I was excited, intrigued, delighted, going 'yay!!' about a new series from one of my favorite authors, Elly Griffiths.  I know that you guys are aware that I love series and Elly Griffiths is the author of one of my favorites - the Ruth Galloway books.  Now that it seems that series is completed (or maybe is what I've heard), I'm looking forward to seeing what will be next for this talented author.  I'm very curious whether the 'back in time' aspect of investigation will be anything like Kelley Armstrong's 'Rip Through Time' books.  I haven't read any of those as yet, but I have 3 of them on my Kindle to try in 2025.  See what you think about this one...

The Frozen People

by Elly Griffiths

Publication Date:  July 8, 2025

Cold cases are a lot easier to solve when you can travel back in time to find new evidence. Unless, that is, you get stuck in the nineteenth century…

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they're frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Ali’s work seems like a safe desk job, but what her friends—and even her beloved son—don’t know is that her team has a secret: they can travel back in time to look for evidence.

So far, Ali has only made short trips to the recent past, so she’s surprised when she’s asked to investigate a murder in 1850. The killing has been pinned on an aristocratic patron of the arts and antiquities, and member of a sinister group called The Collectors. She arrives in the Victorian era during a mini ice age to find another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions.

But when her son is arrested, Ali attempts to return home only to find herself trapped in 1850. In a race through and against time, can Ali prove her son’s innocence and discover the link between the nineteenth-century Collectors and a twenty-first century killing in time to prevent another death?

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

I'm going to repeat the image and wish that I shared last year for Thanksgiving.  This is truly my hope for each of you, even if you're not having an 'official' holiday this year.  Take care, dear friends!  And know that I am grateful for each of you.

Here's an update (finally, right?)...and there will be more to come in upcoming days...I promise!!

Hi there, book friends!  Hope you are doing well and enjoying whatever fall looks like in your area.  We are doing well here and looking forward to hosting all our family for Thanksgiving this Thursday.  It will be a fun day.  Not all will be able to attend, but we'll welcome those that can come.

I know it's been a bit of time since I updated my blog here.  I go through these periods where I mean to share things and then something else comes along and updates get pushed aside.

Let's see, it was midsummer when I took a break and we've been busy.  I have a couple of specific posts that I will share in the next couple of weeks.  One of our area libraries where I used to volunteer has a new building and it is truly lovely.  I went there recently and took a few pictures and will share those.  We also took a vacation in August to Colorado - drove to Colorado Springs and then to Durango and I have a few pictures of that trip.  Plus I was able to visit several independent bookstores that I also want to tell you guys about.  Lots of fun!

In September we had a big 90th birthday party for my mother-in-law.  She wasn't sure she wanted everyone to do that, but she ended up having a really good time and a bunch of relatives from out of town were able to attend, as well as friends and family here.  So glad we were able celebrate that big milestone with her.  

September and October also seemed to be the time when both my husband and I had a bunch of our annual or semiannual doctor/dentist visits.  Always fun!  I especially 'like' some of the older adult questions that they seem to have to ask like 'when was the last time you fell?' - ha!  I mean, I know people do fall and medical people have to check these things, but my aim is not to fall if possible.  Reminding myself that continuing to work on my health journey through good eating and movement helps, right?  I do enjoy my 'walks' at the rec center on the indoor track and continue to do those.  Plus stretching, yoga, a bit of strength training - it's all good.

Reading life - oh, yes, this is a book blog - ha!  I haven't had much to share in that regard because I have been making my way through J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas and Roarke mystery series this year.  I love rereading favorite series and this is one that I decided I'd do again in 2024.  Well, there are 59 books in this series - #60 will be published in February, 2025 - and I'm currently reading #58 - Random In Death.  Only one more and then we'll see what else catches my eye.  No, I haven't just been reading these, but they have taken up a lot of time.  I have still been attending two book groups that I have been part of for many years.  I'll talk about what those groups are reading for the first half of 2025 and also what we've been reading this fall soon.  See, I do have some ideas for posts to share - ha!  I also have a few books that I'm 'waiting on' and will let you guys know about those as well.  

Mostly, I want to say that I've missed writing these posts, so here I am again.  I love hearing about what you've been reading and what's been going on in your lives.  I know that several of our blogging friends are no longer posting.  We all have to do what works for us, but I hope they know they are missed.  Take care all!  Hope you have a good week!  I have a little Thanksgiving Day post and then I'll be back with more 'talk' after that.            

And I'll take an 'official' late summer break...back in late August or early September...

 

Hey book friends!  Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer.  I've been doing fine and reading and walking and getting new landscaping and going to book groups.  As I often do at this time of year, I'm going to take an 'official' summer break for a few weeks.  We've got some travel planned and some family stuff going on.  I'll see you all in late August or early September.  Take care and read some good books please.  I'll try to do the same.

An early July update...

Hello there, book friends!  Hope you are having a good start to July and enjoying whatever weather you are experiencing.  We have been having the hot, hots, but Texas has also had the visit from Hurricane Beryl.  The forecast went back and forth as to what impacts Central Texas might have, but our area was on the 'dry' side and so not much here.  The Gulf Coast however was inundated with rain, flooding, wind, etc., and this was a storm that arrived as a Level 1.  Kind of gives you a sense of what a Level 5 might bring.  Certainly not the first time for this, nor will it be the last.  However, I hope that all get the help they need and can recover soon.  I do know that there are several of our blogging friends that live in that area and I am thinking about them.

Another area to be thinking about is pictured above.  Ruidoso, New Mexico has been a favorite vacation spot of ours for many years.  I used a Ruidoso area picture as my header photo for a long time.  Anyway, they have experienced wildfires in the last few weeks.  Two fires started on June 17th and the whole area was under mandatory evacuation.  Tens of thousands of acres were burned and the fire came very, very close to the town itself including the central part.  Then there were heavy thunderstorms that dropped a lot of rain very quickly.  This helped the fires, but there was a lot of flash flooding and that was in the central part of town.  We have friends who live there and they evacuated to Roswell for over a week.  Their house was not burned, but many, many more were.  I know there are other parts of the country that experience these fires, people in California especially.  So, so sad.  The whole region is quite popular with tourists in the summer, but it's been complicated whether this is the best time for people to visit or not.  We have chosen 'not' for this year.

We had a quiet July 4th.  My husband played golf and I just enjoyed a 'reading day'.  Other family were on trips and so we didn't get together with anyone.  We'll be taking a vacation later in the summer hopefully and possibly also in late fall.  We shall see.  Reading is good.  I had a great time talking mysteries with my favorite Mystery Book Group and hearing what everyone had been reading as well as discussing Fiona Barton's Local Gone Missing.  There will be another book featuring the protagonist of this one coming out in late August.  I'll probably share that one next week for my 'Waiting On Wednesday' post.  One of the group members was telling me that she had recently read Ruth Ware's first book, In A Dark, Dark Wood, and enjoyed it very much.  She knew that I liked Ruth Ware's writing.  Made me think I might want to reread it and so I've been doing that.  Yes, it's a good one.  Have you tried it?  And Linda Castillo's new Kate Burkholder book, The Burning, came out today.  I shared about anticipating this one here.  Am I excited to try it?  Yes, yes, I am!  Ha!  

Think that's about all I have to share.  I think I mentioned that we would be having some new landscaping done on our yard and that got started last week.  Hopefully, I'll have some finished pictures to share in a few weeks.  What have you been reading lately?  I'd love to hear.  Take care!     

Waiting On Wednesday - The Wilds

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

This week's book I want to mention is the third in Sarah Pearse's series featuring Detective Elin Warner.  I have read the previous two books and enjoyed both.  The first one, The Sanatorium, is set in the Swiss Alps at a hotel that was once a sanatorium.  The second book, The Retreat, takes place on an island off the coast of England and involves a wellness retreat.  The new book, which will be out next month, takes place at a Portuguese national park.  As you can probably surmise, setting plays a big part in these books.  Have you tried this series or might this encourage you to look for these books?  Do tell!

The Wilds

by Sarah Pearse

Publication Date:  July 16th

Detective Elin Warner unravels the mystery behind the disappearance of a young woman in a propulsive new thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium

Since the dark events that scarred her childhood, Kier Templer escaped her hometown to live life on the road. She and her twin have never lost contact until, on a trip to a Portuguese national park, Kier vanishes without a trace.

Detective Elin Warner arrives in the same park ready to immerse herself in its vast wilderness – only to hear about Kier’s disappearance, and discover a disturbing map she left behind. The few strangers at an isolated campsite close ranks against Elin’s questions, and the park’s wild beauty starts to turn sinister.

Elin must untangle the clues to find out what really happened to Kier. But when you follow a trail, you have to be careful to watch your back...

Sarah Pearse brilliantly introduced readers to Elin Warner in The Sanatorium, with her exploits continuing in The Retreat; here, the series concludes with The Wilds, where the unanswered questions plaguing Elin are finally resolved.

Waiting On Wednesday - The Dark Wives

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

The book I'm extra excited about this week will be the latest in Ann Cleeves' series featuring DI Vera Stanhope.  It's #11 and I'm really looking forward to reading it.  I've enjoyed not only the book series starring DI Stanhope but have also watched all the seasons of the TV adaptation - which is called 'Vera', of course.  Ha!  There are 13 seasons and I'm fairly certain the show is finished.  Brenda Blethyn announced that she is retiring from the role and honestly, no one else could play 'Vera'.  The book series will continue though.  And 'yay' for that.  

I have met Ann Cleeves at more than one book conference and talked with her a bit.  She's very friendly and is a big supporter of libraries.  When I met her the first time and she found that I had worked in that environment, she asked a lot of questions and it was very apparent that she loves libraries.  Have you read any of Ann's books or watched 'Vera' or 'Shetland'?  I recommend her works highly.

The Dark Wives

by Ann Cleeves

Publication Date:  August 27th

As New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves's beloved Vera series explodes in popularity in print and on TV, this stunning eleventh book explores the web of secrets surrounding a young man's death.

The man’s body is found in the early morning light by a local dog walker in the park outside Rosebank, a home for troubled teens in the coastal village of Longwater. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who was due to work the previous night but never showed up.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate the death, with her only clue being the disappearance of one of the home’s residents, fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie Bell, are soon embroiled in the case, and when a second connected body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in the wilds of the Northumberland countryside, superstition and folklore begin to collide with fact. Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, and the dark secrets in their community that may be far more dangerous than she could have ever believed possible.

Waiting On Wednesday - This Is Why We Lied

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.

I have enjoyed Karin Slaughter's Will Trent books for many years.  This newest one will be #12 in the series.  I'm a bit behind in my reading here so the August publication will hopefully let me catch up on the ones I haven't read as yet.  Some of you may know that there is an ABC series entitled 'Will Trent' and it is indeed based on the protagonist here.  I like it well enough.  I will warn you that the book 'Will Trent' and the TV 'Will Trent' are very different in many ways and yet, the adaptation has included a lot of characteristics that make Will himself.  Other characters from the TV series are extremely different from the books, but not all.  I'm probably confusing you.  I've read that Karin Slaughter herself is satisfied with the adaptation.  Me - well, I honestly just have to kind of think of them as different characters completely.  I don't say this to discourage you from trying the series if you haven't read it or visa versa.  In any case, I'm going to be looking forward to the new addition.  Have you read any of these or watched the TV show? 

This Is Why We Lied

by Karin Slaughter

Publication Date:  August 20th

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer…

A secluded cabin retreat

For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-the-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night.

A murderer in their midst

Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying….Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.

Who killed Mercy McAlpine?

It soon becomes clear that normal rules don’t apply at McAlpine Lodge, and Will and Sara are going to have to watch their step at every turn. Trapped on the resort, they must untangle a decades-old web of secrets to discover what happened to Mercy. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…

A beginning of summer reading update...

Hello and Happy Saturday to all!  Hope this is a good weekend for everyone and includes fun things.  I've been up early and made my bigger grocery shop already and am now washing clothes.  Decided it's a good time to share a bit about what I've been reading lately.  I'm going to try to get back to sharing my 'Waiting For' posts on Wednesdays.  I like to do that so you all know what's coming (if you're interested) and also to remind myself as well.  

OK, my reading has been going well.  I've been making my way through a reread of J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas series on audio for my walks and times alone in the car.  I've read them all before, but I do enjoy visiting with Eve and Roarke.  If you can believe it, #59 in the series will be published in September.  And I still like these.  Go figure!  LOL

I attended my two book groups recently and enjoyed a nice discussion of Circling The Sun by Paula McLain at the 'Afternoon Book Group'.  This is a historical fiction book that tells of Beryl Markham's life and includes other characters from the Out Of Africa movie as well.  We also talked quite a bit about other historical fiction authors and those who had read Kristin Hannah's new book, The Women, shared some of their experiences.  My come-away with that part was that The Women seems to inspire quite varied opinions.  Have you read it?  I have not as yet.

I also got to take part in the June meeting of the 'Mystery Book Group'.  This month has traditionally been the one that we read 'Books that won or were nominated for Mystery Awards in the previous year'.  It's always a fun one because everyone reads different things and then comes and shares what they thought.  Plus, we get a list of the books talked about and that's helpful for summer reading in the mystery realm.

I read Carol Goodman's The Bones of the Story and enjoyed it.  It was nominated for the 'Mary Higgins Clark' Award for this year.  Carol Goodman's books are most often standalones and are usually set in upstate New York or the New England area.  She also uses a school or university setting a lot of the time.  They are almost always a bit spooky and I guess would fall into the new-ish theme of 'dark academia'.

Next month, we will be reading Fiona Barton's book, Local Gone Missing.  I have read it before a while back, but will probably do a reread to refresh my memory.

In other reading, I decided that I might do a bit of 'Summer Reading' before a couple of my favorite mystery series authors have their next book published.  Then I'll be diving into a new 'Lady Sherlock' book (by Sherry Thomas) and also visiting 'Kate Burkholder' (by Linda Castillo).

Since this post is getting quite long, I'll just share the two summer-ish books I've finished and also the one I'm currently reading.  All fall into the rom-com or family life area.

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren - I've only read one other book by this author (who are actually two friends) and liked it.  This one was fun.

Look On The Bright Side by Kristan Higgins - I read several of this author's books a few years ago and enjoyed them.  This one is sweet and poignant and has a woman who is trying to get past a loss and deal with things as best she can.  She's stronger than she knows though and all is good in the end.

Right now, I'm reading The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts. - I think I've only read one other book by her and it was a Christmas-themed book a long while back.  Anyway, the 'book club' angle caught my eye and the setting is the Pacific Northwest.  So far, so good.  A woman with a young daughter moves to a new town after a divorce and she meets a couple of neighbors and the sister of one of the neighbors.  They all could use a 'refresh' and so start a book club to help them with that.  As I said, I'm liking it so far (19% in).

Think that's about it for now.  What are you reading these days?  Have you picked up any good 'Summer Books' or what else do you recommend?  I always love to hear.  Take care!      

Hey, it's June!!

Hello book friends.  I'm glad to say 'welcome to summer' to all of you.  Hope you are doing well and enjoying the seasonal things in your part of the world.  Here at my house - well, it's June - it's hot and muggy.  No surprise there.  However, our part of Texas has had a lot more rain this year than in recent years and so the grass and wildflowers and especially the lakes are in better shape.  Our lakes have been way, way down for several years and so even though the rain can bring thunderstorms and wind and hail at times, the downpours are very welcome.

We've been a bit busy with some things and though I've been reading (and will update with some book thoughts later this week), I just haven't felt the blog post writing vibe for a bit.  That happens with me, but I do so much enjoy reading what all of you have been up to.  As I said, I'm planning on doing another post later this week and will share some book stuff.  I recently attended an author event in our area and will also tell about our mystery book group meeting tonight.  The June meeting is always a fun one as everyone reads 'Mystery Award-winning or nominated' books and one always comes away with a great list of books to try. 

I am going to share a few pictures today of the bluebonnets we had in our yard earlier in the spring.  I had promised to do that and I also have a couple of shots of cactus blooms.  And I have a sweet picture that I took today of a couple of fawn twins that were in the area behind us.  There were actually three fawns out there, but I could only get two in the shot without actually going outside and startling them.

Here are the lovely bluebonnets.  Two pictures below.  We have been working on getting a new plan for some updated landscaping at our house, so this will be the only year we'll have these exactly like this.

  

  

This has been a banner year for flowers in Texas this year.  Even the cactus have been blooming profusely.  Love this!

Lastly, here are the cute and precious little fawns.  Don't you love them?  Not everyone understands about letting the deer (and their fawns) be wild.  Many people worry when the mother deer tuck their babies away and go forage for food.  People think that the mothers have abandoned them.  Don't think that ever happens.  We always tell people to leave the fawns alone.  The moms will come back for them.

  I'll post again soon.  Enjoy your reading!!

Just a little break....back in a few weeks...

 

Hey everyone!  Hope all is well with my reader friends.  I haven't disappeared, but have been busy with some things.  And I've been walking and yoga-ing and admiring the wildflowers and planning a bit for what we might do in our back yard area.  Oh, yes - I've been reading - ha!  I have some flower pictures to share with you and will report on my books and book group attendance, etc.  See you in a while!

Waiting on Wednesday - Think Twice

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy. 

The book I'm featuring this week is another series book that has been a long time in coming.  It's kind of interesting that several books that are grabbing my attention are ones where authors are adding to mystery series after a long gap.  I have truly missed a bunch of the characters that populate these featured books.  You're probably thinking - well, Kay, what's the book?  Ha!  OK, I'll tell you.  It's the 12th book in Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series and it's called Think Twice.  The last Myron book was written by Coben in 2016.  So, an eight-year gap.  Whew!  Myron is a sports agent that also is a retired pro basketball player.  And he tends to get into the middle of murder situations.  I have read most of this series and am delighted to see Myron and his friend, Win, sleuthing again.  By the way, the first book in the series was Deal Breaker and it came out in 1995.  

Think Twice

by Harlan Coben

Publication Date:  May 14th

A man presumed dead is suddenly wanted for murder in this thriller of secrets, lies, and dangerous conspiracies that threaten to cover up the truth.

 Three years ago, sports agent Myron Bolitar gave a eulogy at the funeral of his client, renowned basketball coach Greg Downing. Myron and Greg had history: initially as deeply personal rivals, and later as unexpected business associates. Myron made peace and moved on – until now, when twofederal agents walked into his office, demanding to know where Greg Downing is.

According to the agents, Greg is still alive—and has been placed at the scene of a double homicide, making him their main suspect. Shocked, Myron needs answers.

Myron and Win, longtime friends and colleagues, set out to find the truth, but the more they discover about Greg, the more dangerous their world becomes. Secrets, lies, and a murderous conspiracy that stretches back into the past churn at the heart of Harlan Coben's blistering new novel.

The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White

The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White

First Paragraph(s):

A steady rain falls as Benjamin and Raphael Duvalier work their excavator alongside a dark lake on the misted flanks of Hemlock Mountain.  The brothers are digging up the concrete foundation of an old and tiny wooden A-frame chapel.  The chapel is located at the Hemlock Ski Resort area base and is being moved higher into the alpine to make way for an expansion.  It's barely dawn, and the temperature hovers around freezing.  Behind them the forest creeps down the mountain and wraiths of mist finger between the trees.  Empty lift chairs hang motionless on cables that disappear into the low clouds.  

My Thoughts:

The Unquiet Bones is the first book I've read by Loreth Anne White.  I have been aware of her books, but just never sampled one.  I got a nudge to try this one from the review that Lesa Holstine published on her blog here.  By the way, if you've not checked out Lesa's blog, Lesa's Book Critiques, I highly recommend it.  She's a now-retired librarian and she write a bunch of reviews for various places, including Library Journal.

This is the story of the discovery of bones buried beneath a structure in the woods and they have been there for a long time.  The investigator, Jane Munro, is at a complicated place in life.  She's recently been assigned to a cold case squad because of difficulties personally.  What was supposed to be a more 'quiet' job very quickly ramps up because of this case.  Two missing teens from long ago, families that have never had answers, and a group of friends that were also teens at the time and who are now well-known older adults complicate the investigation.  The author tells things from various points of view and I followed along guessing all the way.  Was I correct in my guesses?  Partly, but not completely.  I did enjoy this one and will plan to try others by this author.  Have you read any of her books?   

Blurb:

When human bones are found beneath an old chapel in the woods, evidence suggests the remains could be linked to the decades-old case of missing teen Annalise Jansen.

Homicide detective Jane Munro—pregnant and acutely attuned to the preciousness of life—hopes the grim discovery will finally bring closure to the girl’s family. But for a group of Annalise’s old friends, once dubbed the Shoreview Six by the media, it threatens to expose a terrible pledge made on an autumn night forty-seven years ago.

The friends are now highly respected, affluent members of their communities, and none of them ever expected the dark chapter in their past to resurface. But as Jane and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ella Quinn peel back the layers of secrets, the group begins to fracture. Will one cave? Will they turn on each other?

The investigation takes a sharp turn when Jane discovers a second body—that of the boy long blamed for Annalise’s disappearance. As the bones tell their story, the group learns just how far each will go to guard their own truth.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Black Loch

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy. 

The book I'm featuring this week is one that I am mega excited about.  It is the 4th book in a trilogy - yes, I said trilogy and 4th book - that I read several years ago and loved.  In fact, I've read the first three books more than once.  I was so surprised to find that Peter May, author of The Lewis Trilogy, is returning to the Isle of Lewis and to Fin Macleod.  Starting with The Blackhouse and continuing with The Lewis Man and then The Chessmen, we have visited the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and learned about Fin, a Detective Inspector, who grew up on the island.  I have shared my thoughts about each of the books on this blog.  Have you read any of this trilogy?  Do you enjoy mystery fiction set in wild and amazing places?  The new book will be published in September and so there is time to play 'catch-up'.  I can't wait because it has been 12 years since the last book was published.  I'm ready to return again...  

The Black Loch

by Peter May

Publication Date:  September 12th  

THE RETURN OF FIN MACLEOD, PETER MAY'S MUCH-LOVED HERO OF THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING LEWIS TRILOGY.

A MURDER

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A SECRET

Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A RECKONING

But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

The Black Loch takes us on a journey through family ties, hidden relationships and unforgiving landscapes, where suspense, violent revenge and revelation converge in the shadow of the Black Loch.

Waiting on Wednesday - A Ruse Of Shadows

 

'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event where I feature an upcoming book that I am extra excited about.  I used to do this in the past and am making it a priority to do again.  Seriously, who among us doesn't have a book or two or twenty that we are excited about reading?  Plus, it lets us 'spread the word' about authors and series that we personally enjoy.  

For this week's highlight, I was bit torn.  I have several I want to feature, but I'll get to all of them as the weeks pass.  Anyway, Sherry Thomas writes a series that is a favorite of mine - the Lady Sherlock books.  I have enjoyed all of these and this week's book is the 8th.  And, yes, I am currently caught up on the previous books and majorly looking forward to how the story of Charlotte Holmes (aka Lady Sherlock) and the other characters plays out.  Have you read any of these books?  You could try them before June.  The first book is A Study In Scarlet Women. 

 

A Ruse Of Shadows

by Sherry Thomas

Publication Date:  June 25th

Charlotte Holmes is accustomed to solving crimes, not being accused of them, but she finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position as the bestselling Lady Sherlock series continues.

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?