Six Degrees of Separation - From Lincoln in the Bardo to Desert Noir

I'm here with Six Degrees of Separation, a monthly link-up hosted by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. She chooses a book as a starting point and then links to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the other books on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain.

The starting book of this month's chain is by George Saunders, a story that has been getting lots of press in the last year - Lincoln in the Bardo.

I have not read this book and have heard mixed reactions to it.  Will I read it?  Perhaps, but no plans to do so right now.  Lincoln in the Bardo takes place in the year 1862 and concerns the death of Lincoln's son, Willie, and some odd things that happen after his death.

We'll remain in the year 1862 and note that the American Civil War is still part of our next book.  My next link is to The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini.  This is the 17th book in this author's loosely connected series set mostly in Pennsylvania and featuring women who quilt and their stories woven through historical events.  I have read all the books in this series and enjoyed them very much.  This author has done a lot of research and included great stories, as well as quilting lore.

For the next link, I'm going to stay with quilting.  Arlene Sachitano writes a series about the Loose Threads, a quilting group that solves mysteries.  Harriet Truman is the main character and she lives in Foggy Point, Washington.  Quilt As You Go is the 3rd book in the series that now has 10 entries.  It concerns a mystery at a Civil War reenactment.  One of the participants goes down in 'battle' and doesn't get up.   I've read several books in this series, including this one.

I've selected the Pacific Northwest as the next link in our chain.  The book is Slayed on the Slopes and the author is Kate Dyer-Seeley.  Her mystery series concerns Meg Reed who writes for an extreme sports magazine - though Meg herself is not at all an athlete or a fan of extreme sports.  She needed a job though and Northwest Extreme needed a writer who would also try out the sport of the month.  In this 2nd book, Meg is at the top of Mount Hood, high in the Cascade Mountains.  Her assignment is to write about the Ridge Rangers, Oregon's elite high-altitude rescue team and their winter training.  And, of course, there is a body.  I've only read the 1st book in the series, which now has 5 total.

Kate Dyer-Seeley lives and works in the Portland area.  She also writes another mystery series under the name Ellie Alexander.  Therefore, the next link is same author/different series.  In these books, Juliet Capshaw returns to her hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to help out at the family bakery - Torte.  These are the Bakeshop mysteries.  Till Death Do Us Tart is the 8th book and it will be published this summer.  It concerns a surprise Elizabethan-themed wedding, a poisoned cup of wine, and a body, of course.  I have not yet read any of these books, but look forward to some 'tasty' crimes.

I have, on the other hand, read several of Jenn McKinlay's delectable Cupcake Bakery mysteries.  The link here is another baking mystery series, this one also concerns a wedding.  Did you know that cupcakes are very popular at weddings these days - in the place of big wedding cakes?  My daughter makes cupcakes and has provided them for several of her friends at their weddings.    Yummy!  Wedding Cake Crumble is the 10th book in this series, coming out in April.  Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura own Fairy Tale Cupcakes in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona.  Angie is about to be married, but several of the people she has hired to help out have turned up dead.  Bodies, again!  And cupcakes!

 
The last link I have is a series also set in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona.  Betty Webb is a former journalist who writes the Lena Jones mysteries.  Lena owns Desert Investigations with her partner, Jimmy Sisiwan, a member of the Pima tribe.  Lena's growing up years were quite grim and she has a personal mystery to solve as well.  Desert Noir is the 1st book in this series, which is up to 9 books now.  A very interesting protagonist and some great stories.  Definitely not a cozy mystery series - be warned.  Ha!

We're at the end of this month's chain - from Lincoln and the year 1862 to Quilting to the Pacific Northwest to same author/different series to bakery cozy mysteries to Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona.  We've run the gamut from gentle books to not-so-gentle tales.  This was again fun for me and I enjoy highlighting some great series.  I'll look forward to next month's Six Degrees (March 3rd), when our starting place is The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf.

Truly Devious - Maureen Johnson

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Dedication (love this!):

For anyone who has ever dreamed of finding a body in the library.  (Raising my hand - me, me, me!)

First Paragraph(s):

April 13, 1936, 6:00 p.m.
You know I can't let you leave...

Fate came for Dottie Epstein a year earlier, in the form of a call to the principal's office.
     It was not her first time there.

My Thoughts:

I liked Maureen Johnson's new book, Truly Devious, very much.  It's the first in a planned mystery trilogy and is a fun YA crime novel.  In the past, I read this author's 'Shades of London' series, which begins with The Name of the Star - based on the Jack the Ripper killings.  Loved it!  Truly Devious is even more fun as it is set on an isolated boarding school campus in Vermont, the Ellingham Academy.  The story contains an unsolved mystery from the 1930's and the Academy has one of the most intriguing curriculums I've ever heard of for the students.  Each person is allowed to study whatever is their passion - art, music, engineering, writing, or, in the case of Stevie Bell, crime solving.  Stevie proposes to solve the Ellingham kidnapping crime.  Maureen Johnson peppers the book with references to classic sleuths and mystery books, which were great to recognize.  The pace is a tiny bit slow in some places, but a first book is often one where we spend time getting to know the characters and set the scene.  One student dies and Stevie is sure that she can use her skills to help solve the case.  So, now that book #1 is completed, I'll definitely be watching for #2.  There's more to find out and time might be running short!  Definitely recommended! 


Blurb:

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Day of the Dead

I'm posting a 'soon to be released' book on Wednesdays.  These will always be books that I am particularly looking forward to.  I'll be linking up to 'Can't-Wait Wednesday' hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and plan to take part in this each week.

I am beyond excited about the book I'm featuring this week.  I love the Frieda Klein mystery series, written by husband/wife writing team calling themselves Nicci French.  Each of the previous books had a day of the week in the title - Monday-Sunday.  Many thought that the Sunday book would be the last.  No, this 8th book is supposed to be the last and it will conclude the story of Frieda and her nemesis/stalker.  This week I can't wait for:

The Day of the Dead

by Nicci French

Publication Date:  July 24th

A decade ago, psychologist Frieda Klein was sucked into the orbit of Dean Reeve -- a killer able to impersonate almost anyone, a man who can disappear without a trace, a psychopath obsessed with Frieda herself.

In the years since, Frieda has worked with -- and sometimes against -- the London police in solving their most baffling cases. But now she's in hiding, driven to isolation by Reeve. When a series of murders announces his return, Frieda must emerge from the shadows to confront her nemesis. And it's a showdown she might not survive.

This gripping cat-and-mouse thriller pits one of the most fascinating characters in contemporary fiction against an enemy like none other. Smart, sophisticated, and spellbinding, it's a novel to leave you breathless.

Top 10 Tuesday - Books I can't believe I read...or occasionally Kay reads out of her 'normal' mystery/thriller genre...

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly event that is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is 'Books I can't believe I read'.    I've talked before about my 'rule' that 'if you're not enjoying a book, stop reading it'.  It works for me and our reading lives are too short.  So, thinking about this prompt was a bit hard and I had to consider 'out of the box' pathways.  This is what I came up with:

I love mysteries and thrillers and suspense books, crime novels and detective fiction, and occasionally, in my long reading life, I've taken side paths into other genres.  Occasionally.  Here are some that I can think of.  As a young girl, I read a lot of Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden and other 'kid' mysteries.  When I was about 12 or 13, there were a few books that were meant for teenagers, but not very many.  My parents did not pay attention to what I read or rarely did.  We went to the library and I checked out my stack of books.  If I got it past the librarian, it was all good.

One book I brought home was about teen pregnancy, Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones.  I can recall my Dad picking it up, reading the cover above, and then asking my Mom if she knew what I was reading.  Ha!  Not too long later, he passed a book to me and said I should read it.  My Dad rarely read books, but he read this one.  It was The Godfather!  Yes, teen pregnancy was 'bad', but the 'Mafia' was OK for my tender reading eyes.  I read both of them, by the way, before I was 15.

When I was in college, in the mid-to-late '70's, I got a bit hooked on horror.  That started with Stephen King and his delightful 'Salem's Lot.  I went on to read many, many of his scary stories.  I also added John Saul and Dean Koontz to my list.  And loved them.

After my husband and I got married in 1980, I decided that I would try some of the books that he liked - fantasy.  Now, not all of them appealed to me, but I read quite a few in Piers Anthony's Xanth series, which begins with A Spell For Chameleon.  I also picked up more than few of Anne McCaffrey's Tower and Hive series.  The first book is The Rowan. 

The '80's were the decade of the 'big' books - the long sagas about families and places.  I read many family sagas by authors such as Susan Howatch, but I also read books by James Clavell and James Michener.  And others.  Noble House by Clavell was set in Hong Kong and was over 1,000 pages.  Michener did huge amounts of research for his very, very long books.  I read several of them and probably remember Texas (1,400 pages), Chesapeake (1,000 pages), and Centennial (1,100 pages) the best.

In the mid-'90's, we moved from Texas to Oregon for a few years.  I knew no one up there and also knew very little about the Oregon Trail and Pacific Northwest history.  I read a number of non-fiction books about women and the westward expansion.  One of these was Women's Voices From the Oregon Trail.  I also discovered one of the best bookstores ever - Powell's.  If you have a chance to visit Powell's in Portland, take it.  Amazing!

I worked for the Austin Public Library for a few years between 2000-2010.  One of the things I was lucky enough to do as part of my job - processing the new books and I got first pick - most of the time.  It was a lot of fun.  I worked with a couple of staff members who were getting their MLS degrees and they encouraged me to expand my Young Adult and Juvenile fiction reading.  I tried Michelle Paver's Wolf Brother, Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief and Cinda Williams Chima's The Warrior Heir, among other books.  I've never lost my love for YA fiction after that time.

Lastly, a couple of years ago, I decided to expand my reading into graphic novels.  It was quite an experience and one that I mostly tried after reading about these books on blogs.  I read books like Anya's Ghost, This One Summer, and Blankets.  Books by Raina Telgemeier, Roz Chast and many more.  One of my favorites was Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

Yes, blogs have been a big part of my reading journey these last few years.  Recommendations from friends here have expanded and broadened and enriched my reading immeasurably.  So, before this post becomes so long that it's ridiculous, let me say - THANK YOU!  Thanks for your suggestions and comments and recommendations.  I do read outside my 'comfort zone' on occasion.  And, I still maintain that there's a reader for every book and a book for every reader.  You just have to find it!

Crime on the Fens - Joy Ellis

Crime on the Fens by Joy Ellis

First Paragraph(s):

A night wind blew along the narrow alleyway, bringing with it the smell of ozone and red diesel.  Nikki Galena leaned back against the rough brickwork of the derelict warehouse and wondered how many other women of thirty-six would feel quite so comfortable in such unpleasant surroundings.  The backstreets that skirted the docks were no place for a lone female at any time of day, but after midnight they were a definite no-go area.  Nikki smiled in the darkness.  Right now there was nowhere else she would rather be.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in a series featuring DI Nikki Galena, DS Joseph Easter, and a team of 'misfits'.  Their location is the Fens of Lincolnshire.  I listened to this book on audio and the narrator (great job!) was Henrietta Meire.  I remember reading some reviews of this series on one of my blogging friends' sites, but cannot recall who enjoyed the books.  Is it you?  Let me know.  I liked this story very much.  Nikki is a complicated person who is waging a war on drugs - not alone, but with the reluctant cooperation for her methods from some of her colleagues.  She's gotten to the point where no one wants to work with her.  Enter Joseph Easter - 'Holy Joe' - or maybe not so holy.  These two characters really click - with each other and with this reader.  And each brings out the best in the other one, in a manner of speaking.  The crimes presented are varied and the pace is relentless.  I'm all set to move on to #2 very soon.  Happily, there are at least 8 books in the series so far! 

Blurb:

THE DETECTIVE DI Nikki Galena: A police detective with nothing left to lose, she’s seen a girl die in her arms, and her daughter will never leave the hospital again. She’s got tough on the criminals she believes did this to her. Too tough. And now she’s been given one final warning: make it work with her new sergeant, DS Joseph Easter, or she’s out.

HER PARTNER DS Joseph Easter is the handsome squeaky-clean new member of the team. But his nickname “Holy Joe” belies his former life as a soldier. He has an estranged daughter who blames him for everything that went wrong with their family.

THEIR ADVERSARY is a ruthless man who holds DI Galena responsible for his terrible disfigurement.

The town is being terrorised by gangs of violent thugs, all wearing identical hideous masks. Then a talented young female student goes missing on the marsh and Nikki and Joseph find themselves joining forces with a master criminal in their efforts to save her. They need to look behind the masks, but when they do, they find something more sinister and deadly than they ever expected . . .

THE SETTING The Lincolnshire Fens: great open skies brood over marshes, farmland, and nature reserves. It is not easy terrain for the Fenland Constabulary to police, due to the distances between some of the remote Fen villages, the dangerous and often misty lanes, and the poor telephone coverage. There are still villages where the oldest residents have never set foot outside their own farmland and a visit to the nearest town is a major event. But it has a strange airy beauty to it, and above it all are the biggest skies you’ve ever seen.

Wildfire at Midnight - Mary Stewart - My 1st Classics Club Selection

Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart

First Paragraph(s):

In the first place, I suppose, it was my parents' fault for giving me a silly name like Gianetta.  It is a pretty enough name in itself, but it conjures up pictures of delectable and slightly overblown ladies in Titian's less respectable canvases, and, though I admit I have the sort of colouring that might have interested that Venetian master, I happen to be the rather inhibited product of an English country rectory.  And if there is anything further removed than that from the bagnio Venuses of Titian's middle period, I don't know what it is.

My Thoughts:

I've tried to remember when it was that I first read a book written by Mary Stewart.  I'm pretty sure it was in my high school days - probably early 1970's.  I'm not sure this one was my first - think that goes to NINE COACHES WAITING.  However, I do now realize that my fascination with Scotland and especially the Hebrides likely comes from my first reading of WILDFIRE AT MIDNIGHT - set on the Isle of Skye.  The descriptions of the mountains are beautiful, painting a stunning picture.  The story itself is a sort of 'locked room' mystery - a hotel with a limited number of people - a murder and then another and another.  I had forgotten how spare many of the books were, written over 60 years ago.  Most of our novels now top 300 pages or more.  This one was only 224 pages.  And yet, there was enough to take the reader deep into the Scottish mountains and into the mind of a mad person.  A few things were a bit dated - everyone smoked - a lot.  The book takes place in 1953, right at the time of Queen Elizabeth's coronation (June 2nd) and also the first successful climb of Mt. Everest (May 29th).  Raise your hand if you knew those two things happened within 4 days of each other.  All in all, this was a great book to begin my Classics Club challenge.  I enjoyed it thoroughly again.  I have another of this author's books on that Classics list - THIS ROUGH MAGIC.  I'll save it for later.     

Blurb:

First published in 1956, this haunting novel of suspense and romance set in the Scottish Hebrides blends pungent description with sheer terror as only Mary Stewart can. Most visitors to the Isle of Skye are there to climb the jagged peaks of Blaven or fish the many sparkling streams, but Gianetta Brooke came to forget Nicholas Drury—the husband she had painfully divorced. Upon arrival, however, Gianetta realizes that this won’t be a typical vacation when she discovers that Nicholas is numbered among the guests at the small inn. Then, upon the treacherous slopes of Blaven, a murder is committed, and although Gianetta missed the first act of an eerie, unearthly crime, the murderer is set to strike again and again before a thrilling finale that pits Gianetta face-to-face with a madman.

The Author:

Mary, Lady Stewart was born in 1916 and died in 2014 at the age of 97.  She lived in Scotland with her husband, Sir Frederick Stewart, a geologist.  They had met at a VE Day Dance in 1945 and married 3 months later.  Mary Stewart was a born storyteller and her romantic suspense books were set in some very vivid and exotic locations - Scotland, France, Damascus, Austria, and the Greek Isles.  THE MOON-SPINNERS, one of her books, was made into a film by Disney.  She also wrote a series of books about Merlin, the first of which was, THE CRYSTAL CAVE.  Perhaps some of you have read it.  I was delighted to find this interview with Mary Stewart and share it below.  It runs over 20 minutes, but I thought it was interesting and informative.  And fun to hear this favorite author in her own words.  Enjoy!   

The Darkest Thread - Jen Blood

The Darkest Thread by Jen Blood

First Paragraph(s):

The brush was thick and the air cool, and the rain pelted my chilled skin.  My shirt was drenched, and my ponytail had gotten snagged so many times I was debating cutting the damned thing off.  Up ahead I caught sight of a flash of dark fur and cursed under my breath.
     Phantom is my lead dog, a German shepherd who was closer to death than life when I rescued her from the needle at an animal shelter in my hometown back in Georgia five years ago.  She's one of the best search dogs I've ever had, but she can also be a willful old goat--particularly when she sets her mind to something.  This morning, that was exactly what she'd done.

My Thoughts:

I read this book as part of our mystery group's theme for February - 'Working Dogs' - which would include service dogs, search-and-rescue dogs and dogs trained for combat situations.  This is Jen Blood's first Jamie Flint and Phantom book.  She has written another series, where Jamie and Phantom appear briefly, but I've not read any of those books.  In an interview, she shared that each of the books in this S&R series will be a standalone type story.  I listened to THE DARKEST THREAD on audio and it was narrated by Elise Arsenault.  She did a good job.

I liked this one well enough, though there were times that I had to suspend my disbelief of certain situations.  There is a bit of paranormal activity.  Jamie and her son, Bear, can both sense certain presences - what's left behind when people die.  Ghosts sort of, but not exactly.  Bear is able to sense more than his mother.  The dogs in the story are sensitive as well.  The FBI team and their handling of the missing girls is where I was a bit skeptical.  However, there were extenuating circumstances that explained some of the problems.  If I had one issue, I'd say the book was a little long.  At one point, a couple of the primary characters are held hostage by someone and that seemed to go on forever.  My final assessment is that I would read another book in the series.  I do understand that a '1st series book' needs space to set up the characters, etc.  Liked the part the dogs played.  THE DARKEST THREAD gets a 'mostly' good from me.

Blurb:

Meet Jamie Flint -- a no-nonsense veteran K-9 trainer and handler with a 'gift' she'd be happy to return: like her dogs, Jamie can sense things the rest of the world is blind to.

When teenage sisters go missing in the mysterious 'Bennington Triangle' of Vermont, an area renowned for its disappearances and strange occurrences over the past hundred years, FBI agent Jack Juarez brings Jamie and her dog Phantom in to assist with the search. When Jack learns that the case shares haunting similarities with the murders of the missing girls' aunts ten years before, he realizes they're dealing with much more than two girls who simply wandered off the beaten path. And when a young girl appears in the shadows, visible to Jamie alone, it becomes clear that something is desperately wrong here.

Waiting on Wednesday - Whispers of the Dead

I'm posting a 'soon to be released' book on Wednesdays.  These will always be books that I am particularly looking forward to.  I'll be linking up to 'Can't-Wait Wednesday' hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and plan to take part in this each week. 

This week's book is the second in a new series written by Spencer Kope.  I read the first book, COLLECTING THE DEAD last summer and then listened to it on audio with my husband as we traveled to New Mexico for a vacation.  I liked the protagonist, Magnus 'Steps' Craig, and his whole FBI Special Tracking Unit.  So excited to anticipate the next 'Steps' and Jimmy (his partner) adventure.  Here's the details:

Whispers of the Dead

by Spencer Kope

Publication Date:  April 17th

There has been a murder, but not only is the identity of the victim unknown, most of the body itself is missing. All that’s been found is a pair of feet, stored in a portable cooler, and left in the house of a Federal judge in El Paso, Texas. The killer apparently broke into the judge’s house, left his grizzly message, and disappeared without a trace. With no clues as to the killer, the person killed, or the intent behind the cooler, all the authorities really know is that this likely isn’t the killer’s first—or his last—victim.

Magnus “Steps” Craig is an FBI agent and an elite tracker, easily the best in the world. Steps is renowned for his incredible ability to find and follow trails over any surface. As part of the three-man special team, FBI’s Special Tracking Unit (STU), he is called in on cases where his skills are indispensable. But there’s a secret to his skill. Steps has a kind of synesthesia, an ability that allows him to see whatever each particular person has touched in a unique color—what Steps calls ‘shine.’ His ability is known to only a few people—his father, the director of the FBI, and his partner, Special Agent Jimmy Donovan.

While the Special Tracking Unit tries to grapple with the gruesome scene in El Paso, they soon discover another, earlier victim. Once again, only the feet—in a disposable icebox—were left behind. With almost no clues besides the body parts, Steps and his team find themselves enmeshed in the most difficult case of their careers. And The Icebox Killer has only just begun.

Top 10 Tuesday - Books I really liked at the time, but can't remember much about now...

Top Ten Tuesday was hosted for years and years by The Broke and the Bookish.  It has recently been moved to That Artsy Reader Girl.  I enjoy coming up with '10 items' for this weekly meme.  Today's topic is 'Books I Really Liked but Can't Remember Anything/Much About'.  Here's my take on that topic:

I've mentioned many times that I've kept track of what I read (for the most part) since 1993.  Therefore, if I can take the time to peruse my journals, I can usually come up with books to fit almost any topic - in some measure anyway.  The books I've listed here are ones that I remember really liking when I read them.  Some were read many years ago, some more recently.  I remember liking them and may recall the broad storyline, but specifics are vague.  Should I reread them all or just remember them vaguely?  Have you read any of these? (They are in no particular order at all.)

1. The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell - I read this one with my mystery book group 3 years ago.  Think I liked it better than the group as a whole.  I noticed that Suzanne Rindell has a new book coming out this summer - Eagle & Crane.  Looks good.  Would likely read the new book instead of the older one again.

2.  The Liars' Club by Mary Karr - I read this one with a book group too, several years ago.  Mary Karr is a Texas author and I liked this memoir of her childhood, tough as it was.  Probably won't reread it.

3.  The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - I liked this first book in Kagawa's series when I read it in 2011 - can't really remember why - I know I don't really like books about the faeries.  Didn't continue reading the series.  Should I?

4.  Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides -  I remember being fascinated with Middlesex while reading it.  I had never read anything about this topic and I think this was one of the first books I heard of that dealt with a  hermaphrodite.  It was about a Greek family and was quite absorbing.  I think I definitely need to reread this one to sharpen my memories.  It won a Pulitzer in 2003.

5.  The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver - I think I read this one with an online group maybe in the late '90's.  It's this author's first book and was very different than books I normally read at that time.  The story of Taylor and Turtle and Arizona...and that's about all I remember.  Might reread it.

6.  I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb - This was one of those big, big books that we all read in the late '90's - an Oprah pick.  Over 900 pages.  The first cover was a little creepy to me with the two babies - twins - this one's OK.  I remember it was sad and poignant and about twins.  That's about it.  Will be unlikely to reread, but one never knows.

7.  The Cape Ann by Faith Sullivan -  This was another book that I read with online group way, way back.  One of the group members loved it and got several of us to pick it up.  I remember liking it very much and...almost nothing else.  I do plan to read this one again.

8.  The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie - I recently read a review of this one on FictionFan's Book Reviews.  It is a Poirot book and I've definitely read it, but....I cannot remember the solution.  So, yes, I'm planning to read or perhaps listen to this one again.  Because, I gotta know, you know?

9.  Sahara by Clive Cussler - I used to read some of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt series and Sahara is one of them.  I recall that I was reading this one when I had some surgery in 1994 - took it to the hospital with me, in fact.  It was about the desert and adventure and they made a movie of it with Matthew McConaughey (which wasn't as good as the book - naturally).  That's all I've got.  Ha!  Will not plan to reread. 

10. Birdman by Mo Hayder - This is the first book in Mo Hayder's mystery series featuring Jack Caffery.  I read it not that many years ago and meant to go on with the series.  I'm not sure why I didn't and really can't recall much about this book.  In any case, this one is definitely going on my reread list - likely will do audio.  

That's all, folks!  Join me next week for another 'Top Ten Tuesday'!

Glass Houses - Louise Penny

Glass Houses by Louise Penny

First Paragraph:

'State your name, please.'
     'Armand Gamache.'
     'And you are the head of the Sûreté du Québec?'
     'The Chief Superintendent, oui."
     Gamache sat upright on the wooden chair.  It was hot.  Sweltering, really, on this July morning.  He could taste perspiration from his upper lip and it was only just ten o'clock.  It was only just starting.

My Thoughts:

Every time I come to the end of one of Louise Penny's books, I sit filled with amazement.  This woman has such a gift.  To me, her books are some of the best and deepest character studies I've ever read.  Yes, they are mysteries - crime novels - whatever your term is for that genre.  They are also filled with imagination and beautiful descriptions and pathos and terror.  I always learn something.  I'm always delighted that I visited again with these beloved characters.  I always dread the day that this book - whichever one I'm reading - will be our last time in Three Pines.

If you notice below, there are two photographs that I took of Louise Penny when she came to Austin for a book event soon after GLASS HOUSES was published.  There were so many people that attended, it was not held in a bookstore, but in a church.  You had to have a ticket, which you purchased, and which entitled you to a copy of the book.  It was a wonderful evening.  I was brave and trekked up the aisle during the question and answer section at the end to tell her how much our mystery group had enjoyed her books.  I had no question - just wanted her to know that she had true fans in our group.  I reminded her that she had participated in a phone interview with our group in the spring of 2008, one of our first meetings.  We all huddled around a phone - a landline desk phone - on speaker and talked with her.  I told her that several members of our group were in the audience and most of us were there that night when she so graciously talked with us about STILL LIFE - us in the meeting room of the library and her at her home in Canada.  It was perfect. 

I've also included a couple of quotes below the photos - both famous quotes by famous people.  They appear in this book.  I'll also leave you here with a quote from the Author's Note at the end of the book.  It is this author's description of the small village she created for her series, Three Pines.  I warn you - it's deep. 

'Three Pines is a state of mind.  When we choose tolerance over hate.  Kindness over cruelty.  Goodness over bullying.  When we choose to be hopeful, not cynical.  Then we live in Three Pines.'  

It's my aim in life to 'live in Three Pines'.

Blurb:

When a mysterious figure appears in Three Pines one cold November day, Armand Gamache and the rest of the villagers are at first curious. Then wary. Through rain and sleet, the figure stands unmoving, staring ahead.

From the moment its shadow falls over the village, Gamache, now Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, suspects the creature has deep roots and a dark purpose. Yet he does nothing. What can he do? Only watch and wait. And hope his mounting fears are not realized.

But when the figure vanishes overnight and a body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or levied.

Months later, on a steamy July day as the trial for the accused begins in Montréal, Chief Superintendent Gamache continues to struggle with actions he set in motion that bitter November, from which there is no going back. More than the accused is on trial. Gamache’s own conscience is standing in judgment.

'There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience.  It supersedes all other courts.'                                      ~~~Mahatma Gandhi~~~

'All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.'
                               ~~~Julian of Norwich~~~