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.
'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!
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' 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.
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' 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?
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…
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.
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).
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!
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!!
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' 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.
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.
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' 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 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' 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.
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?
'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 highlight is by an author that has been writing for a long time. Jennifer Chiaverini started her 'Elm Creek Quilt' series back in 1999 and her latest book in the series, featured here, is the 22nd. I've read all the previous books, but it has been 5 years since the previous book was published and the one before that one was 7 years before that. She's been writing standalone historical fiction novels that are about women and those have been very successful. I loved the whole 'Elm Creek' series and so I'm delighted to see a new entry. Will it be the last? Perhaps, but a visit with the 'Elm Creek' gang will be so welcome. Have you read any books by this author?
Publication Date: April 30th
Jennifer Chiaverini’s beloved and bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series returns with the first Elm Creek Quilts novel since 2019’s The Christmas Boutique.
Summer Sullivan, the youngest founding member of Elm Creek Quilts, has spent the last two years pursuing a master’s degree in history at the University of Chicago. Her unexpected return home to the celebrated quilter’s retreat is met with delight but also concern from her mother, Gwen; her best friend, Sarah; master quilter Sylvia; and her other colleagues—and rightly so. Stymied by writer’s block, Summer hasn’t finished her thesis, and she can’t graduate until she does.
Elm Creek Manor offers respite while Summer struggles to meet her extended deadline. She finds welcome distraction in organizing an exhibit of antique quilts as a fundraiser to renovate Union Hall, the 1863 Greek Revival headquarters of the Waterford Historical Society. But Summer’s research uncovers startling facts about Waterford’s past, prompting unsettling questions about racism, economic injustice, and political corruption within their community, past and present.
As Summer’s work progresses, quilt lovers and history buffs praise the growing collection, but affronted local leaders demand that she remove all references to Waterford’s troubled history. As controversy threatens the exhibit’s success, Summer fears that her pursuit of the truth might cost the Waterford Historical Society their last chance to save Union Hall. Her only hope is to rally the quilting community to her cause.
The Museum of Lost Quilts is a warm and deeply moving story about the power of collective memory. With every fascinating quilt she studies, Summer finds her passion for history renewed—and discovers a promising new future for herself.
'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 highlight is by an author who has written some books that I really have liked - Kate Quinn. She writes historical fiction and her latest books are standalones. Let me know if this one sounds as good to you as it does to me. This week I'm waiting on:
by Kate Quinn
Publication Date: July 9th
The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.
Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.
Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?
Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.
'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event that I used to take part in weekly. I'm going to try to do this again in upcoming days and will highlight books that I'm extra excited about. I was highlighting four books at a time monthly, but I think a weekly event will work better for me.
This week's highlight is the 16th in one of my favorite series. Set in Amish country, it features Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. I have managed to keep up with this series and am delighted that usually each July bring a new book. This week I'm waiting on:
Publication Date: July 9th
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a gruesome murder that reveals a little-known chapter of early Amish history in this next riveting installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.
Newlywed Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is awakened by an urgent midnight call summoning her to a suspicious fire in the woods. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers a charred body. According to the coroner, the deceased, an Amish man named Milan Swanz, was chained to a stake and burned alive. It is an appalling and eerily symbolic crime against an upstanding husband and father.
Kate knows all too well that the Amish prefer to handle their problems without interference from the outside world, and no one will speak about the murdered man. From what she’s able to piece together, Swanz led a deeply troubled life and had recently been excommunicated. But if that’s the case, why are the Amish so reluctant to talk about him? Are they protecting the memory of one of their own? Or are they afraid of something they dare not share?
When her own brother is implicated in the case, Kate finds herself not only at odds with the Amish, the world of which she was once a part, but also the English community and her counterparts in law enforcement. The investigation takes a violent turn when Kate’s life is threatened by a mysterious stranger.
To uncover the truth about the death of Milan Swanz, Kate must dive deep into the Anabaptist culture, peering into all the dark corners of its history, only to uncover a secret legacy that shatters everything she thought she knew about the Amish themselves—and her own roots.
Hello book friends! I know I wrote a few weeks ago how ready I was for spring and wildflowers to come in our area. And, yes, I still am so ready! The shot above is from a section of our front yard and the greenery around the rock is mostly bluebonnet plants. One of the things that drew us to this house when we were house-hunting was a shot of the front and a 'sea of bluebonnets'. I'm really, really hoping that they will appear again this year. We shall see. When (and if) they do, I'll share another shot. It probably won't be for a few more weeks.
This week was busy, but had some fun things. I was able to attend what I used to call the 'Afternoon Book Group' at the library where I worked years ago. It was a group that I attended off and on in past years and the very nice lady that took it over as a volunteer is still leading that group. They had read Kate Quinn's book, The Alice Network, and I had read that one and discussed it with the 'Mystery Group' a few years ago. I had also talked about it with the 'Historical Fiction' Book Group I attended in Kerrville. Anyway, it was nice to see old friends in the group and talk about Kate Quinn's writing with them. I also recommended Quinn's book, The Rose Code, to the group and others recommended additional books by her. Have you read any of this author's works? She has a new one coming out in the summer that I will highlight soon on a 'Waiting on..' post.
I also went to the eye doctor for a check-up and got a thumbs-up report there. My prescription has changed very little, so I think I'll wait a bit before thinking about replacing my glasses. I like all the 'bells and whistles' on them (progressive lens, anti-glare, etc.) and so they tend to be a little pricey. I have some other annual checks coming in upcoming weeks and I'm finally going to get to visit my new primary care doctor. Changing doctors is just a major pain in my book. Sigh.
Reading is going well, but I've been doing some re-reading and so don't really have a lot to share at this point. Hope all have a good weekend and a nice end to February next week. Talk soon.
'Waiting on Wednesday' is an event that I used to take part in weekly. I'm going to try to do this again in upcoming days and will highlight books that I'm extra excited about. I was highlighting four books at a time monthly, but I think a weekly event will work better for me. The first book I'll mention will not be published until October, but I always get excited for a new Louise Penny book featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I will say that a couple of the later books in this series have not been my favorites. Here's hoping that this one will hit just the right spot with me because I don't plan to ever stop reading this series. This week I'm waiting on:
by Louise Penny
Publication Date: October 29th
Relentless phone calls interrupt the peace of a warm August morning in Three Pines. Though the tiny Québec village is impossible to find on any map, someone has managed to track down Armand Gamache, head of homicide at the Sûreté, as he sits with his wife in their back garden. Reine-Marie watches with increasing unease as her husband refuses to pick up, though he clearly knows who is on the other end. When he finally answers, his rage shatters the calm of their quiet Sunday morning.
That's only the first in a sequence of strange events that begin THE GREY WOLF, the nineteenth novel in Louise Penny's #1 New York Times-bestselling series. A missing coat, an intruder alarm, a note for Gamache reading "this might interest you", a puzzling scrap of paper with a mysterious list—and then a murder. All propel Chief Inspector Gamache and his team toward a terrible realization. Something much more sinister than any one murder or any one case is fast approaching.
Armand Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, his son-in-law and second in command, and Inspector Isabelle Lacoste can only trust each other, as old friends begin to act like enemies, and long-time enemies appear to be friends. Determined to track down the threat before it becomes a reality, their pursuit takes them across Québec and across borders. Their hunt grows increasingly desperate, even frantic, as the enormity of the creature they’re chasing becomes clear. If they fail the devastating consequences would reach into the largest of cities and the smallest of villages.
Including Three Pines.
First Paragraph(s):
I watch as he scampers down the gangway, his fists clenched by his side. He avoids catching the eye of the distracted officer at the door to the ship, racing past the long line of passengers waiting to check in for their voyage of a lifetime.
He looks so small through my binoculars. A tiny slip of a man. I wait, but the woman doesn't come after him. No matter. I had planned for that. Besides, this way is easier.
I've been watching them, waiting, biding my time. Every moment confirms what I already knew: these two deserve everything that's coming at them.
My Thoughts:
I love books set in unusual locations, especially places that I know I'll likely not ever visit. Antarctica is one of these and I've read several books set there. I think this might be the first one I've read that uses a voyage to Antarctica in the storyline though. Wow! I'm not a cruise-taking person and won't ever be. I have bad motion sickness tendencies and, in order to not have that, I would have to be drugged to the point of sleeping all the time. Doesn't sound fun. I do like to read about ocean voyages and, as I said, Antarctica.
I've read the previous book by Amy McCulloch, Breathless, and it was set in the Himalayas and dealt with mountain climbing and murder. Same goes here. The murder part. Olivia was raised by a father who was a gifted sailor and learned how to take care of herself on the water. Her father died accidentally when she was in her teens and now Olivia is an almost-actuary who gets a chance to accompany her boyfriend, an art dealer, on a trip to Antarctica. The setting will be key to showing and selling the art of a man who used this continent for inspiration in creating his pieces. They get on the ship and then things start happening - bad things. Olivia feels like she's being watched. And she is. There are a lot of descriptions of the environment and what is happening to the icebergs. Very interesting indeed. The thrills were many, though I did get a little irritated with some of Olivia's decisions (or non-decisions). An enjoyable book. I'll be watching for Amy McCulloch's next book and curious about where she will take us.
Blurb:
THE SUN NEVER SETS AND THIS KILLER NEVER SLEEPS
Olivia Campbell has always dreamed of spending a sunlit night on the frigid Antarctic continent. But as an actuary who assesses risk for a living, she never imagined she would have the chance. So when her career takes an unexpected detour, and her boyfriend—a high-powered art dealer with a taste for the finer things in life—decides to stage an ostentatious, career-making auction on a luxury liner to Antarctica, Olivia is thrilled. That is, until things start to feel a bit strange. In addition to the scores of wealthy patrons and potential buyers, they'll also be traveling alongside a small group of beleaguered employees of Pioneer Adventures—the company responsible for managing the ship—and their charismatic, divisive CEO.
When the first bodies are discovered, it's easy enough for Olivia to write it off as a terrible accident. But as the situation heats up and the temperatures continue to plummet, she begins to wonder whether she might have booked a one-way ticket to her own demise.
Hey book friends! Thought I would stop by and greet everyone - also saying that I am ready for spring. I know that some really like the winter weather and I appreciate that. However, our area of Central Texas does not have 'great' winter weather. If there is significant weather, it's usually windy, extra cold, or even challenging us with snow or worse, ice! Hate that. We're just not suited for those things. And I have winter allergies (cedar) and the wind will insist on stirring up the pollen and even making it look like trees are 'smoking'. We've had some high winds in the last week and, as I said, ready for spring.
Sharing a bluebonnet picture above from a few years back. No, the bluebonnets are not here yet, nor are the other wildflowers that we enjoy in the spring months. I'm ready for them though and will be excited to share pictures of them when they arrive. Watch for that in coming weeks or months.
Life is going well. We've had a couple of things updated at our 'new-to-us' house and have gotten delivery of some chairs and window shades that we ordered. Still a few things on back order, but that seems to be the way these days. They will eventually arrive and we're not desperate for them. I've turned in my paperwork to become a volunteer at my new library and hope to hear from them before long. We'll see what they possibly need help with.
Reading is going OK enough. I wasn't able to attend our recent mystery book group meeting, but I had not been a big fan of the book selected. That's how it goes though and I decided to put it aside and read something else. Right now, as opposed to my usual 'read cold books in summer', I'm in the middle of Amy McCulloch's new book, Midnight. I enjoyed her first book, Breathless, a while back and was eager to try this one. Where is this new one set? Antarctica. Yep, cold indeed. I'll share my thoughts when I finish with it. Some really good books on my upcoming list to read as well. Guess I can keep myself busy while I'm waiting on those spring wildflowers. Hope you have a good week! And what have you been reading or looking forward to?
First Paragraph(s):
Last year
The vacant industrial space that Realtor Gretchen Wik was trying to unload was located in a recently gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood called Bushwick. The area was becoming trendier by the month, but this particular building was cold and dead--and apparently unsellable.
Gretchen had been sitting at her sales table on the first floor since noon, tapping her nails while she stared out through a grime-coated window. In five hours, she had not been visited by a single prospect.
The property consisted of nine thousand square feet on two levels. But it was run-down and needed a lot of work. At this point Gretchen felt like the worn wood floors and flaking brick walls were mocking her. She checked her watch. In exactly two minutes, her open house would officially be a bust.
Then she heard the front door open.
My Thoughts:
I think I mentioned when I included this book in a recent 'waiting on' post that it had been a long time since I've read a Patterson book. And I've not ever read anything by his co-writer, Brian Sitts. Once upon a time, there were several Patterson series that I sort of kept up with, but time passed and other series took their places. I did enjoy reading The Women's Murder Club and Alex Cross and Michael Bennett books. I was curious about this one mostly because of the title, which mentions three of the protagonists - Holmes, Marple, and Poe. So, how did I fare?
It was a quick read. The story was fast paced. The three, Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe are private detectives and work together. The fourth main character is Helene Grey and she's a NYPD detective. She comes across them during an investigation and then our story progresses. Each of the detectives has a bit of their namesake sleuth about them, but we honestly don't find out too much about any of them. There are several cases in the story, but not much character development or not yet maybe. This is the first book in what I imagine might be a series. Don't know.
I thought the whole book was OK-ish. I wasn't overwhelmed with love though. Short chapters. Quickly moving from place to place. I didn't completely approve of the update to our sleuths. Honestly, I just think I wasn't a good match for the book. I finished it and thought - well, what next? Will I read another book if this is a series? Probably not. If you've tried this one, let me know what you thought. Many others are writing glowing reviews, so this was just my experience. Yours could be completely different.
Blurb:
Crime! Murder! Who are you going to call?
In New York City, three intriguing, smart, and stylish private investigators open Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. Who are these detectives with famous names and mysterious, untraceable pasts?
Brendan Holmes—The Brain: Identifies suspects via deduction and logic.
Margaret Marple—The Eyes: Possesses powers of observation too often underestimated.
Auguste Poe—The Muscle: Chases down every lead no matter how dangerous or dark.
The agency’s daring methodology and headline-making solves attract the attention of NYPD Detective Helene Grey. Her solo investigation into her three unknowable competitors will delight mystery fans.
The Goddess of Shipwrecked Sailors by Skye Alexander
After driving for seven hours, the four musicians arrived at Matthew Gardner's home on the most fashionable street in Salem, Massachusetts, a three-hundred-year-old town known for its seafaring history, Nathanial Hawthorne, and hanging women suspected of witchcraft. Lizzie eyed the grand boulevard and the elegant eighteenth-and nineteenth-century mansions that lined both sides of it.
'How very pretty,' she said.
Candles burned in the windows of the Gardners' handsome three-story Georgian house. An electrified Moravian star illuminated the front portico. In the yard, an evergreen tree strung with chains of popcorn and cranberries offered food for the birds. Despite temperatures in the low teens, a group of carolers, bundled up against the cold, strolled from house to house, celebrating the holiday with joyful voices.
My Thoughts:
I loved this 3rd entry into the Lizzie Crane mystery series, written by Skye Alexander. The timeframe is again the mid-1920's and Lizzie and her friends, Melody, Sidney, and Bert (also known as The Troubadours) are hired to provide entertainment during the '12 Days of Christmas' for the Gardner family and their guests. The setting is Salem, Massachusetts in this book and I really enjoyed all the information about this famous Massachusetts area. All begins well, but soon there is a dead body and a cousin that Lizzie didn't know she had who might or might not be someone she'd like to know. The body is found near her 'new' cousin's tavern and you can add theft, a missing goddess, and secret tunnels under the streets of Salem. These were used long ago in Salem's shipping days to smuggle goods. Could they still be in use? Hmmm....it's possible.
Salem's history has been well researched by the author and she includes lots of things you might have known, but there are likely more that will be new to you. As I said, I loved it and am happy to report that #4 in the series is in the works. The author shared a guest post with me last week here. My conclusion - try this series, bet you'll like it!
Blurb:
December 1925: Salem, Massachusetts
When Matthew Gardner, the heir to a shipping fortune, hires New York jazz singer Lizzie Crane and her band to perform during the Christmas holidays, she has high hopes that this prestigious event will foster their career and bring them riches and recognition. She’s also eager to reconnect with a handsome man from one of Boston’s most esteemed families, whom she met at an earlier visit to Massachusetts.
But the evening the musicians arrive in historic Salem to begin their engagement, police discover the body of a man near a tavern owned by Lizzie’s cousin––a cousin she even didn’t know she had until Christmas Eve. In the dead man’s pocket is a cryptic letter addressed to Gardner. To compound her dismay, she also learns that her host plans to marry his daughter to the man Lizzie wants for herself.
Soon Lizzie’s caught in the middle of a high-stakes feud between her cousin and her employer over a mysterious lady. When she digs deeper into their conflict, she discovers its roots are deep and bitter: her cousin’s father crewed on one of Gardner’s grandfather’s ships that sunk during a storm in 1868. As she struggles to piece together the puzzle and find the lady at its center, Lizzie becomes a pawn in each man’s deadly game for money and revenge.
