VivienneR reads the Language of Flowers part 3

This will be my 9th year at the Category Challenge and where I feel most at home on LibraryThing. I’m retired and live with my husband in the south east corner of British Columbia where we enjoy hot summers and snowy winters. I’m fortunate that my son and daughter-in-law live nearby, our only family in Canada. As I’ve mentioned often, I am originally from Northern Ireland and like to keep up with Irish authors.

This year my categories come from the language of flowers. I’m also doing a Queen Elizabeth II challenge for the Platinum Jubilee celebrating her 70 year reign in 2022 where I aim to read one book by a British author published in each year of her reign. If I manage to get halfway this year I’ll be happy.

 

Planned reading:

            

Recently read:

                       

QEII Platinum Jubilee
Lily of the Valley is said to be Queen Elizabeth’s favourite flower - Up first is my plan to read a book by a British author published in each year of her reign, with a different author each year. I hope to get at least half read this year.

Double-dipping: Because this will probably be a high volume category, I will allow any of these titles to be used in CATs, KITs or Bingo if they happen to fit.

1952 Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
1953 Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham
1954 That Yew Tree's Shade by Cyril Hare
1955 A Dying Fall by Henry Wade
1956 Five on a Secret Trail by Enid Blyton
1957 Ten Pollitt Place by C. H. B. Kitchin
1958 Hide My Eyes by Margery Allingham
1959 My Friends the Miss Boyds by Jane Duncan
1960 Border Country by Raymond Williams
1961 Thunderball by Ian Fleming
1962 The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie
1963 Collected Short Stories Vol. 1 by W. Somerset Maugham
1964 Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken
1965 The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons
1966 Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
1967 Cheap Day Return by R.F. Delderfield
1968 The Private Wound by Nicholas Blake
1969 Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
1970 Wobble to Death by Peter Lovesey
1971 An Advancement of Learning by Reginald Hill
1972 Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin by P.G. Wodehouse
1973 Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
1974 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré
1975 Judas Country by Gavin Lyall
1976 So Much Blood by Simon Brett
1977 The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar and six more by Roald Dahl
1978
1979 A Small Country by Siân James
1980 Rumpole's Return by John Mortimer
1981 The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter
1982 Mr. Bliss by J.R.R Tolkien
1983
1984 Frost at Christmas by R.D. Wingfield
1985 The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
1986
1987 The Hermit of Eyton Forest by Ellis Peters
1988 Spy Hook by Len Deighton
1989 The Sirens Sang of Murder by Sarah Caudwell
1990 The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald
1991 Jericho by Dirk Bogarde
1992 A Dubious Legacy by Mary Wesley
1993 The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker
1994 Dead Lagoon: An Aurelio Zen mystery by Michael Dibdin
1995 Clean Break by Val McDermid
1996 Reality and Dreams by Muriel Spark
1997 Asylum by Patrick McGrath
1998 Rebuilding Coventry by Sue Townsend
1999 Chocolat by Joanne Harris
2000 Mauve: how one man invented a colour that changed the world by Simon Garfield
2001 Dying to Tell by Robert Goddard
2002 The Cutting Room by Louise Welsh
2003 The Runner by Peter May
2004 The Enemy by Lee Child
2005 Dead Simple by Peter James
2006 Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser
2007
2008 When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
2009 Still Midnight by Denise Mina
2010 The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart
2011
2012
2013 Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
2014 Tigerman by Nick Harkaway
2015 James II: the last Catholic king by David Womersley
2016 Real Tigers by Mick Herron
2017 Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
2018 Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
2019 The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths
2020 The Shadows by Alex North
2021
2022

Familiar faces
Blue Hyacinths mean constancy - I’ve always loved these little Grape Hyacinths that pop up every year no matter how much they are disrupted in the fall clean up. Some of my favourite authors will appear here.

All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews

Spring by Ali Smith

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The List by Mick Herron

Moonlight over Paris by Jennifer Robson

Nobody Walks by Mick Herron

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

Fresh faces
Daffodils say new beginnings - for new-to-me authors.

State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Louise Penny

Open Season by C.J. Box

A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol

The Hour of the Fox by Kurt Palka

Just haven't met you yet by Sophie Cousens

Arrivals
Bluebells mean kindness - be kind to new arrivals by not letting them languish on the shelf

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

It Had To Be You by Jill Churchill

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Cold Mourning by Brenda Chapman

Summerwater by Sarah Moss

Spook Street by Mick Herron

The Fell by Sarah Moss

Departures
Sweet Pea indicates departure - here I’ll be departing from UK, US, and Canadian settings for travel to other countries.

The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen

The Embroidered Towel by Mikhail Bulgakov

Descent Into Night by Edem Awumey translated by Phyllis Aronoff & Howard Scott

Black Lion: Alive in the Wilderness by Sicelo Mbatha

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

RandomKIT
Gerbera means cheerfulness - perfect for my favourite KIT.

January - Home sweet home: Ten Pollitt Place by C. H. B. Kitchin
February - Cats: Tigerman by Nick Harkaway
February - Cats: LT's Theory of Pets by Stephen King
March - Hobby Love: Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor
March - Hobby Love: So Much Blood by Simon Brett
April - April Showers: Snow by John Banville
May - Flowers on Cover: Martyr by Rory Clements
May - Flowers on Cover: The Happy Prince and other Tales by Oscar Wilde
June - Cookin' the books: French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Giuliano
June - Cookin' the books: Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
July - Dog Days of Summer: The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri
August - Canada: The Cunning Man by Robertson Davies
August - Canada: The Maid by Nita Prose

MysteryKIT
Daisy means innocence - and we know there is always an innocent party in a mystery.

January - Series: Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton
February - Cold Case: The Shadows by Alex North
March - Small Towns: Death of an Honest Man by M.C. Beaton
April - Noir: Exit Music by Ian Rankin
May - In Translation: Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö
June - History: Potsdam Station by David Downing
July - Golden Age: Postscript to Poison by Dorothy Bowers

AlphaKIT
Bouvardia indicates Zest for life - used to find all the letters especially the tricky X and Z. A tenuous link I know…

Year long Z: The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart
Year long Z: Dead Lagoon: An Aurelio Zen mystery by Michael Dibdin
Year long X: Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser
January R & H: Midnight Fugue by Reginald Hill
January R & H: Real Tigers by Mick Herron
February B: The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker
February A: Asylum by Patrick McGrath
March S: Reality and Dreams by Muriel Spark
March P & S: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella
March S: The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar and six more
March S: Spy Hook by Len Deighton
April J: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
April L: Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser
April L: A Dubious Legacy by Mary Wesley
May D: The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter
May O & D: One Bad Day After Another by Max Folsom
June C: The Enemy by Lee Child
June Q: The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton
July T: Rebuilding Coventry by Sue Townsend
July E: Every City is Every Other City by John McFetridge
July T: Dying to Tell by Robert Goddard
August M: Still Midnight by Denise Mina
August M: The Runner by Peter May
August F: Frames: a Valentino mystery by Loren D. Estleman

CATs
Forget-me-not is for remembrance - I will try to remember CATs here, maybe not every month, but the ones that catch my fancy.

ShakespeareCAT
April - Revenge: Rizzio by Denise Mina

CATwoman
May - Classic: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
June - In or about cities: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella (London)
July - Women in Science: The First Human: the race to discover our earliest ancestors by Ann Gibbons
August - Children: Outlaw Princess of Sherwood Forest: A Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

AuthorCAT
April - Debut: There There by Tommy Orange
May - Your Country: Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay
June - Non-fiction: Mauve: how one man invented a colour that changed the world by Simon Garfield
June - Non-fiction: All Together Now: A Newfoundlander's Light Tales for Heavy Times by Alan Doyle
August: Prize winning author: A Burning by Megha Majumdar

ScaredyKIT
April - Serial killers: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
May - Short stories: Road Rage by Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Joe Hill
June - Into the wild: Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum

BingoDOG
Gardenia for good luck - an absolute necessity for playing Bingo!



1. When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
2. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
3. Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
4. Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt
5. Border Country by Raymond Williams
6. The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons
7. Five on a Secret Trail by Enid Blyton
8. Chocolat by Joanne Harris
9. James II: the last Catholic king by David Womersley
10. Real Tigers by Mick Herron (Shirley)
11. Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin by P.G. Wodehouse
12.
13. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
14. The Holdout by Graham Moore
15. Collected Short Stories Vol. 1 by W. Somerset Maugham
16. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
17. Clean Break by Val McDermid
18. Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart
19. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
20. Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham
21. Jericho by Dirk Bogarde
22. Dead Lagoon: An Aurelio Zen mystery by Michael Dibdin
23.
24. Heart of the City by Robert Rotenberg
25. The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

My reading plans for the month of May. I rarely post this because I change my mind too often.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley

The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter

The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald

Familiar Faces - Blue Hyacinth:

Moonlight over Paris by Jennifer Robson

Fresh Faces - Daffodil:
The Hour of the Fox by Kurt Palka

RandomKIT - Gerbera: Flowers on cover

Martyr by Rory Clements

MysteryKIT - Daisy - Detectives in translation

The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

AlphaKIT - Bouvardia O & D

One Bad Day After Another by Max Folsom

CATs - Forget Me Not

CATwoman - Classics

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

AuthorCAT - From your country (Canada)

Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay

ScaredyKIT - Short stories

Road Rage by Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Joe Hill

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread, and good luck with sticking to the plans!

Happy New Thread! I always like a review of what's been read already.

Happy new thread!

>1 VivienneR: Thanks for including the cute botanical cartoons! Too funny. :-)

Thank you everyone!

I noticed that the QEII Platinum Jubilee category was missing. It's back now. I'm pleased with how well it's been going. I expected to get only half-way this year and have already passed that point.

>19 VivienneR: - I noticed that but was thinking that you were tinkering with it and it would show up soon. You've made great progress with it in only 4 months. Saw a couple of books I need to get to from my own TBR.

>20 dudes22: The only thing I can think of was that after fixing all the touchstones I forgot to hit "post message". I'm really enjoying the category, it's a challenge, which is after all what this is all about.

I enjoy new threads and the chance it gives for me to review your reads this year so far. I owe you a huge thank you as your review of A Town Called Solace encouraged me to order the book from the library to read this month. I love this author!

>22 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy. I'm so glad I was able to introduce you to a special new author.

RandomKIT - Gerbera: May - flowers on cover

Martyr by Rory Clements

As an historical mystery this looked promising but it didn't follow through. While credible, the details of corruption, brutality, and sexual encounters made this simply lurid. Disappointing.

Excellent progress on your QEII jubilee category. I may be nipping in here to steal some ideas.

Happy reading! Good to see you back in term 2.

Happy new thread, Vivienne. I love your flowers and the cartoons at the top are very good.

Happy new thread! Pretty pretty!

Happy new thread! The flowers made me smile :)

Thank you all. I believe this is the earliest I've ever posted a "part 3".

>25 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen. If you get some ideas here consider them payback for those I've picked up from your thread!

Familiar Faces - Blue Hyacinth

Moonlight over Paris by Jennifer Robson

In 1924, when Helena recovers from a lengthy illness she accepted an invitation to stay with her aunt in France. The era, location, and subject should have made this a perfect choice for me but the story is formulaic, the equivalent of painting by number. It would make a pleasant easy read for the right person and the right time.

I enjoyed revisiting all your lovely flowers!

>31 VivienneR: Too bad that one is formulaic.

>31 VivienneR: Sorry that one didn't work for you! I remember having a similar reaction to one of Robson's other novels...I think it was Somewhere in France.

>32 thornton37814: Hi Lori, glad you like the flowers.

>33 christina_reads: I didn't have great expectations for the book because Robson's books are usually predictable. I almost gave up when the protagonist, to prove what an ordinary person she is, says "I'm just an earl's daughter".

>34 VivienneR: I read one of Robson's early books and it was shallow and based on an unlikely romance. I've read a couple of her newer books and thought both were much better. She had another title published last year I haven't read, and I've decided to give it a try sometime. I know of several writers who became popular as romance writers but grew into writing more complex plots that didn't rely on romance alone for the plot. I always wonder why they don't publish under another name since they are known for something else. I'm not saying they become literary by any means, but they do become writers that appeal to me more. I'm curious about how the change comes about.

>35 clue: Yes, there have been some famous blunders made with authors writing different genres with the same name. Judy Blume comes to mind.

Romance is not what I generally read, but I tried Robson because she writes historical fiction although there is usually a romantic angle. In this one there was little history unless it can be called cultural history. But I chose her also because she is Canadian. Have to support the home team! I think my support has come to an end. :(

Fresh Faces - Daffodil

The Hour of the Fox by Kurt Palka

Set in 1970s Nova Scotia, this is a story about a mother grieving for her son who was lost on a peace-keeping mission. It's a quiet, tender story. However, my copy in audio format was disappointing because the narrator's humdrum voice lost my attention several times. To be honest, I don't see how she might have improved this subdued book that I believe would have been more enjoyable in print.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley - 1981

The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter

What I like most about Dexter's characters is that they are not perfect, especially Morse, who can be a bad-tempered misery when he doesn't get enough beer. He is also inclined to jump at solutions before carefully examining the information he possesses. I especially like the way Dexter writes and how he imparts Morse's elite intelligence. In this book, he misses a golden opportunity with a woman as well as a few clues about her death.

It's impossible for me to picture Morse as anyone other than John Thaw.

MysteryKIT - Daisy: May - In translation

Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö

A businessman is shot during an after dinner speaking engagement at the Savoy in Malmö. It was a mistake to read this alongside a Colin Dexter novel that was much superior. Not much in the way of character development here, made more noticeable by a flat audio narration.

>38 VivienneR: That was my first Morse, read after seeing the tv version. I agree, Thaw is Morse.

>40 mstrust: I've read most of the Morse novels but since reading this one I want to go back and read them all.

>38 VivienneR: I agree too - John Thaw *is* Morse.

>42 Jackie_K: Perfect casting! I can't imagine anyone else in the role.

CATwoman - May: Classic

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Definitely fits the category of classic! I've read this at least once before and recently saw the excellent Kenneth Branagh movie. I never tire of Christie.

>39 VivienneR: I'm struggling with my choice for "in translation" too. I picked the next Boris Akunin for me because it was available. I think I'll mark this series as "unnecessary to finish."

>45 thornton37814: This was one of my most difficult to fill too. I had planned a Montalbano story by Andrea Camilleri but couldn't get it to download so that left Sjöwall to fill the space. I didn't like it much.

ScaredyKIT May - Short stories

Road Rage by Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Joe Hill

Two thrilling short stories with fantastic narration by Stephen Lang.

>46 VivienneR: If I'm not mistaken, I read the first by Wahloo and didn't like it very much so I wasn't tempted to try another.

>48 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I seem to remember feeling the same way after my first one but somehow managed to acquire another one. Lesson learned.

>39 VivienneR: I read a lot of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö books when they first came out in the seventies and liked them, but perhaps they haven't held up too well over the last fifty years! Maybe they were innovative then, ushering in an era of Scandinavian bleakness.

>50 pamelad: That's a good summary, Pam. They must have been early Scandi crime. "Bleak" is right, and the characters are all so unpleasant.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1990

The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald

Set in 1912, Fred Fairly an academic of the fictional St Angelicus College in Cambridge is a confirmed bachelor in accordance with college rules that permit no female to enter their doors. Then Daisy arrived in dramatic fashion when he crashed his bicycle into hers. They were both knocked unconscious and wakened up in the same bed, Daisy's wedding ring intended to fend off unwelcome men causing the misunderstanding. Without providing him even with her name the endearing Daisy returned to London going on to become a probationer nursing student. All this time Fred has been unable to forget her.

Fitzgerald's books are little jewels and this one is exactly that, however, she also introduces questions about the nature of belief and of issues facing women and their need for solidarity. While it is a charming love story it's also beautifully written with wit and intelligence.

>52 VivienneR: Going on my WL!

>53 Tess_W: Glad to be of assistance, Tess! I think you'll like Fitzgerald.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 2005

Dead Simple by Peter James

A group of young men are out on a pub crawl stag-do. When the groom-to-be is sufficiently sozzled his four friends put him in a coffin and bury him with a breathing tube and a two-way radio. They intend to have more booze and return for him in a couple of hours but the drunken idiots get into a massive traffic accident where three are killed outright and the fourth is critically injured and died soon afterwards. After an opening like that I couldn't put it down and finished the hefty paperback in less than 24 hours.

It was a gripping story although I have a few quibbles with some details as well as the police investigation that was littered with missed opportunities. James' use of spiritualists was a bit over the top too. Even I was able to figure out the motive very early, no medium required. However, although not particularly well-written, it was a page-turner and the suspense was fierce. The first in what looks like a promising series featuring Roy James in Brighton. I will probably read more at sometime.

A 2005 book but curiously it just arrived on the new book shelf at the library.

AuthorCAT May: Your Country

Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay

Jeremy Pilford, a teenager who was charged with killing s girl while drunk was acquitted on the defense that his mother pampered him so much he wasn't able to tell right from wrong. He became known as the Big Baby in the news and social media, causing a humiliation as bad or worse than a guilty verdict. When he received death threats Cal Weaver was hired to protect him. This doesn't stop his assailant who mysteriously is able to stay close to Cal and Jeremy.

There are plenty of surprising twists in this one and as usual the bad guys are really bad.

This is the 4th episode in the excellent Promise Falls "trilogy" and I'm glad to see there are prequels available now.

BINGO - Gardenia - In Translation

The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

This was the first Camilleri that I read and I have to admit I didn't warm to Montalbano right away. I began to appreciate the humour in subsequent books but decided to revisit this one to see how it fares on a second reading. The incivility still jars but I can see the appeal too.

BINGO - Gardenia: Title contains a Z

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

I've only read a couple by Evanovich but this one didn't measure up to what I remember of them. Fortunately, it was short.

And a Bingo at last!

>58 VivienneR: - After a while, her books all seem somewhat the same - same jokes, same problems, just presented slightly differently.

ETA - I'm still waiting for my first Bingo.

Congrats on your bingo, Vivienne.

The Fitzgerald looks good. I'll look for that one.

Yes, Evanovich's books are pretty similar. They are entertaining audiobooks.

Bingo! Yeah!

Yes, in this Evanovich, Lula replaced Grandma. Same jokes. I thought I was never going to get a Bingo.

>60 BLBera: Beth, I always enjoy Fitzgerald's nice old-fashioned stories.

Fitzgerald is on my list of authors to read more of. Unfortunately, the library only has The Blue Flower which I suspect is not one of her best.

>63 Helenliz: I haven't read that one so can't comment. My favourite was The Golden Child a spoof of an exhibit at the a London museum. I used to work at a museum and the story was pretty accurate!

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1971

An Advancement of Learning by Reginald Hill

At a Yorkshire college that once only allowed women, a statue was raised in honour of an academic who died in an avalanche in Austria five years earlier. When the statue is removed in preparation for expansion the body of a woman is found under the concrete pedestal. Confirming first suspicions it is the body of the memorialized professor.

This is the second book in the Dalziel and Pascoe series and introduces Ellie who became Pascoe's wife. I have to admit that I've never really warmed to Ellie, either in print or in the TV series, she can be quite barbed. However, Andy Dalziel is happy because he can grumble about the privileged students. Trying to get them to cooperate tests his patience to the limit. I enjoyed going back in time for this one.

>65 VivienneR: I liked the earlier books because they were so much shorter!

>66 pamelad: I agree! They were not like the chunksters that came later. And the later ones sometimes tried to be too clever, as in Dialogues of the Dead. The early ones stuck to the investigation at hand.

BINGO - Gardenia - title contains a month

Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart

I suspect readers would benefit from earlier episodes in the series to envisage the backstory but I enjoyed this one as a standalone. In 1917 he Kopp sisters joined a National Service School said to train women how to serve in The Great War if the US should join the fight. Stewart has cleverly combined real events and real people in this story that made it both interesting and entertaining.

RandomKIT - Gerbera - May: Flowers on the cover

The Happy Prince and other Tales by Oscar Wilde

I've read all these stories a long time ago and recall enjoying them, but somehow this time I found them too spiritual, too devout and decidedly harrowing. It appears a young person can appreciate stories of sacrifice and pathos more than a pragmatic adult. I always found the story of the nightingale the most heartbreaking, even more so than the others. However, Wilde is without question a superb writer and while I recognize that, I would hesitate presenting these traumatic stories to a child.

May 23rd is my 15th Thingaversary. It's hard to believe I've been on this wonderful site for so long and (virtually) met so many friends. In the tradition of Thingaversaries I've added 16 books to my library, one for each year and one "to grow on". As I have no room for any more physical books, all were from my kindle wishlist.

Star Trap by Simon Brett
Death makes a Prophet by John Bude
Mr Finchley Discovers His England by Victor Canning
The Cartwright Gardens Murder by J.S. Fletcher
Murder of the Ninth Baronet by J.S. Fletcher
The Ginger Cat Mystery by Robin Forsythe
Murder in Piccadilly by Charles Kingston
Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac
Murder in Vienna by E.C.R. Lorac
Spy's Honour by Gavin Lyall
Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
Death is a Welcome Guest by Louise Welsh
No Dominion by Louise Welsh
The Second Cut by Louise Welsh
Poison in the Pen by Patricia Wentworth
Pilgrim's Rest by Patricia Wentworth

Happy Thingaversary! Enjoy your books!

Happy Thingaversary! What a great haul!

Happy thingaversary - excellent book list.

Happy Thingaversary! Looks like some great reading ahead.

Wow, 15 years! That's amazing! Happy Thingaversary :)

Happy Thingaversary! So many good mysteries on your list -- I loved Brat Farrar!

Happy Thingaversary, Vivienne. You've picked some great books. I also loved Brat Farrar, and I see you've picked up the rest of the Plague Times trilogy by Louise Welsh which I also loved.

>70 VivienneR: Ooooh, a whole stack of murders! Congrats on you Thingaversary!

Thank you all for the Thingaversary greetings! It feels like such a special day that I think I should be having cake - maybe one featuring red icing to go with all those murder mysteries!

Happy Thingaversary, Vivienne. Enjoy your British Library Crime Classics, and the rest!

Happy Thingaversary.

Happy Thingaversary! Two by Louise Welsh!

>80 pamelad: Thank you, I can't resist British Library Crime Classics and you were the source of the BB for Gavin Lyall.

>81 lowelibrary: Thank you, April.

>82 RidgewayGirl: You had me worried, surely I got three by Louise Welsh - my current Tartan Noir favourite!

I feel like a newcomer, I've just been here 13 years! My book club friends marvel at all the tidbits I can relate about book related topics due to LT. I'm so glad a friend recommended it!

>84 clue: I will be a 'mere' 10 years in August, if that makes you feel any better! I agree, I've learnt so much here, and especially learnt about so many books that otherwise would never have come across my radar.

>84 clue:, >85 Jackie_K: Isn't it amazing how time flies when you're having fun?

Looking back on some names and books from 2007 and 2008 has kept me entertained this morning.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1954

That Yew Tree's Shade by Cyril Hare

A woman is murdered in the woods near a quiet village. Because she was said to have "kept herself to herself", sharing no personal information, rumours are rife. The solution is in the alibis provided by those suspected. Although published in 1954, the writing style made this seem like it was written a couple of decades earlier in the heyday of the Golden Age. Still, not bad and I didn't guess the murderer although any guess would have had good odds with such a short list of potential perpetrators.

Departures - Sweet Pea

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

A fictionalized account of four sisters in the Dominican Republic in the 1940s to 1960s. They courageously opposed the leadership of the brutal dictator Trujillo. I found some early parts of the book slow, in contrast to the distressing later sections. This is an important story of four women who should be remembered for their sacrifice, made to protest political oppression.

AlphaKIT - Bouvardia May O & D

One Bad Day After Another by Max Folsom

Terrific debut from Folsom (aka mysterymax here at LT). The plot is complex enough to keep it interesting while staying coherent. And the characters are captivating, especially Baker Somerset, who is a strong, intelligent leading woman. Her background is that of a detective at Scotland Yard but she's now running a private detective agency in Ottawa. Folsom merged the cultures seamlessly. I'll be watching for more from this author.

>89 VivienneR: - I'm planning to read this for the Alpha Kit month "F". Looking forward to it.

>90 dudes22: I'm sure you will enjoy it!

>70 VivienneR: Happy Thingaversary! I recognize the Josephine Tey and hope I get to hear your thoughts. :)

>92 pammab: Thank you! I read Brat Farrar a long time ago and thought I'd do a reread to see if it's as good as I remember. It's certainly one of Tey's best.

Arrivals - Bluebells

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

When a list of books was found inside a library book, it sets off a couple of non-readers on a quest to read the books listed. Adams has demonstrated how people are affected by the same book and how we are brought together by reading. A book about books is always a prompt for me to pick it up. This one is a sweet story, but not life-changing as some readers have claimed.

May Summary

Books read this month: 19
Read to date 2022: 89

The Best: ❤️
The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald
The Dead of Jericho by Colin Dexter
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Dead Simple by Peter James
Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay
An Advancement of Learning by Reginald Hill
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
One Bad Day After Another by Max Folsom

The Rest:
That Yew Tree's Shade by Cyril Hare
The Hour of the Fox by Kurt Palka
Moonlight over Paris by Jennifer Robson
Road Rage by Richard Matheson, Stephen King, Joe Hill
The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri
Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart
The Happy Prince and other Tales by Oscar Wilde
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Also Ran
Martyr by Rory Clements
Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Good description of The Reading List. It was a good story, but not life changing. I love the Sjöwall and Wahlöö series. I read them in the 70s, I think.

>96 BLBera: I think I would have enjoyed a print copy of Murder at the Savoy more than the audiobook, which didn't have the best narration.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley - 1985

The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

Pullman's stories are regarded as young adult material because the main characters are teenagers, but they will appeal to anyone looking for a dark Victorian mystery. Sally's father died unexpectedly leaving her to fend for herself in grim surroundings. Like Dickens' stories, this one involves the seediest side of London and the smoke refers to opium. Although I enjoyed it I'm glad that Victorian life was not my experience.



CATs - Forget Me Not - CATwoman June - In or about cities

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella (London)

This is my favourite Kinsella book. I'm no connoisseur of ghost stories and if I'm honest, may not have picked this up if I'd known. What a loss that would have been because I loved the story, one that made me laugh out loud many times. When aunt Sadie died at 105 years old the family attended the funeral although they had neglected her for years, and in Lara's case they had never even met. Suddenly Sadie's ghost appears to Lara during the funeral demanding her dragonfly neckace be found before the final step is taken. Lara is shocked into taking drastic action to pause the procedure. The 1923 version of Sadie is utterly enchanting and she just wants to have fun dancing, dressing up, drinking cocktails. A warm fuzzy story that is perfect for lifting the spirits (pardon the pun). This is chick lit at its best.

>98 VivienneR: Will definitely try the Pullman book.

>99 Tess_W: I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I've read a few of Pullman's books and enjoyed them all.

Bad narration can really spoil a book, can't it?

>101 BLBera: Format can be limited for those older, hard to find books, meaning few options available. And when a print version is found, the text can be too small and close for reading comfort. Thankfully most audiobooks are done well.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1958

Hide My Eyes by Margery Allingham

A good suspense story but not the typical Golden Age whodunnit I expected. Campion has a less important role in this story, which was disappointing. It's a darker mystery but told with Allingham's familiar style.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 2004
AlphaKIT - Bouvardia - June C

The Enemy by Lee Child

This episode is from Reacher's service days and provides a fair amount of personal background as we are introduced to his brother and the death of his mother who lived in Paris. The military plot captured my attention from the beginning and held it throughout. Lee Child's Jack Reacher is a favourite of mine to begin with but this is one of the best.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley: 2000
AuthorCAT - Forget Me Not: June Non-fiction

Mauve: how one man invented a colour that changed the world by Simon Garfield

This tremendously interesting book demonstrates Garfield's extensive research covering every aspect of William Perkin's scientific achievements. The colour introduction itself may not have changed the world, although it certainly made a big enough splash, but the procedure set in motion a world of change. Garfield's book is so well-written that it might well be called a page turner. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Helenliz and Jackie_K for the recommendation.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1953
BINGO - Gardenia - award winner

Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham

I planned to read my used copy of The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley for this category but found after about 25 pages that it was heavily underlined and marked up, annoyingly more so as it progressed. A stroke of sheer luck brought this one to my attention.

Terrific story! A very clever psychological mystery with a difference. Ordinary characters but between villainous plans and commonplace deception Bingham leads the reader on a twisty rollercoaster ride. The story features Philip Bartels, his wife Beatrice, his lover Lorna, and his friend Peter. But who in the end is murdered? Who is guilty?

This was a fine entry in HRF Keating's Crime and Mystery 100 Best Books list. I will definitely be on the lookout for more by Bingham.

The introduction by John le Carré was tremendously interesting. They had been friends when they worked together at MI5 and although they'd had a falling out le Carré based his famous character George Smiley on Bingham.

"On the whole Bingham bypassed the usual crime-writing tricks of the trade to evoke surprise or mystery; instead he brought a new approach to crime fiction by emphasizing psychological realism."-- John le Carré

>106 VivienneR: Now that is definitely a BB!

>106 VivienneR:
>107 MissWatson: What she said!

I recently read Five Roundabouts to Heaven and also thought it was an excellent mystery. Very well thought out and executed!

I read My Name is Michael Sibley years ago, its still on my Kindle so I think I'll reread it and then read his others. I also have The Man Who Was George Smiley: The Life of John Bingham. So....gotta get to that too!

>107 MissWatson: Glad my aim was good!

>108 Tess_W: And another good aim!

>109 DeltaQueen50: I agree, I was so pleasantly surprised.

>110 clue: I just downloaded that one and now I'll be on the lookout for The Man Who Was George Smiley. Thank you for that BB. I'm a le Carré fan so this all fits.

Familiar Faces - Blue Hyacinth

Nobody Walks by Mick Herron

Tom Bettany, a former British spy has been informed of the death of his son. He begins an investigation to find out if it was really an accident or something else.

My copy was an audiobook spoiled by a lacklustre narration by Gerard Doyle that made it difficult to stay interested, and if Herron's typical witty moments were there, Doyle kept them hidden. I intend to revisit this title again soon in print that I believe will be much better.

Belated congratulations on your Thingaversary! Nice book haul. I too enjoy Patricia Wentworth's mysteries. I'm also glad to see that you liked The Ruby in the Smoke. I loved the entire Sally Lockhart series.

>106 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne, I also took a BB for this, and I was delighted to find it was available, it's on my Kindle now! It looks really good, thank you!

>44 VivienneR: I did a Nile cruise in January with my family. My granddaugther and i both have this book and took some pictures of us reading it while on the Nile. It was fun. I did not care for this last movie as much as the one with Angela Lansbury but I would re-watch it.

>113 mathgirl40: Thank you, Paulina! I've enjoyed the Sally Lockhart stories I've read, although this one seemed darker.

>114 lsh63: I hope you enjoy it. It reminded me of how much mystery novels have changed since the Golden Age. Contemporary novels are more inclined to focus on the private life of the detectives, where older books stay with the plot.

>115 mnleona: A Nile cruise must have been a real treat! And a perfect reading choice to accompany it. I haven't seen the Angela Lansbury movie, but I'm a big fan of Kenneth Branagh and enjoyed his version.

RandomKIT - Gerbera - June: Cookin' the books

French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Giuliano

This is an interesting comparison of the culture of eating between women in France and America. Giuliano offers the same good advice that my French friend has always followed. It makes sense.



QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1955

A Dying Fall by Henry Wade

Charles Rathlyn bet everything on his horse to win, but sadly the horse stumbled on the last jump and Charles lost it all. Another owner, the wealthy widow Kate Waygold offered him a job as her racing manager, which he gratefully accepted. Then she proposed marriage, an offer he couldn't refuse without losing the security and privileged lifestyle he had been enjoying. When Kate died after a fall over the balustrade the story became a "did he or didn't he?" conundrum, amplified when her secretary apparently committed suicide. The detective investigating the case would have been delighted to put the noose around Charles' neck himself. This mystery was very well done.

>105 VivienneR: Glad you enjoyed it. The title is possibly a little overstated, but can you imagine a world without synthetic colours? It certainly had a significant impact. (says she who currently has purple & blue hair!)

>118 Helenliz: I should have mentioned the book when I commented on your new hair colour! What a missed opportunity!

Not getting much reading done this week although I've already started 4 books. Then a treasure hunt to slow me down even more :)

RandomKIT - Gerbera - June: Cookin' the books

Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui

Hui and her husband travelled across Canada visiting "chop suey" style Chinese restaurants for a newspaper article she was writing for the Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper. Interspersed with the travel chapters she relates her family's history as immigrants and starting a business in Burnaby, BC.

The trip across Canada was as exciting as the restaurants they visited. So many were surprising and unique, more or less shapeshifting to fit the community they served - like the Chinese pierogis in Alberta or the Korean/Pizza and Donair restaurant in Moncton offering bulgogi pizza.

Arriving on the tiny Fogo Island, Newfoundland they discovered there was no taxi service. Asking a local for advice caused him to shout out the request to a crowd of men nearby. One offered the use of his car while he was in Gander. "Just drop off the keys at the desk when you're finished."

Reading this book was a real treat. Recommended.



MysteryKIT - Daisy - June: History

Potsdam Station by David Downing

Downing has a brilliant talent for portraying time and place as he does so well in this John Russell series set in wartime Berlin. In this novel, the fourth in the series, the Russians are advancing while the Wehrmacht retreat and Russell's wife hides with a young Jewish girl. Downing's writing has an authenticity which makes for a gripping story. I highly recommend this excellent series.

>122 Tess_W: Wow, Vivienne! You got me twice with BB's!

>122 Tess_W: Aha! Good aim! Hope you like them.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1960
BINGO - Gardenia - set in another country

Border Country by Raymond Williams

When his father becomes ill Matthew returns to his Welsh village to visit and repair the relationship between the working class father and the boy who left to become a university lecturer in London. There is no social ladder-climbing here, just the boy's choice.

As well as a moving story about love between father and son, this is a quiet tale of Welsh family and social history published in 1960. Williams evocatively describes the old way of life in the rural border country and the changes that are inevitable There is some Welsh dialect that serves to remind readers of where we are.

The Wales Arts Review gave this the Greatest Welsh Novel award, well deserved.

The foreword is by Dai Smith, who holds the Raymond Williams Chair at the University of Wales.

The delightful cover Little Train was painted in 1948 by Charles Burton, one of Wales' foremost artists.

AlphaKIT - Bouvardia - June Q

The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton

I read this, the first Agatha Raisin book, back in the 1990s and liked it well enough to read more, although I liked Beaton's Hamish Macbeth books much better. This was a re-read to find out if Agatha Raisin could still hold my interest. And yes, given the right time, Beaton is a bit of fun. Agatha's forthright attitude mixed with a liberal share of human kindness is delightful.

CATs - Forget Me Not - AuthorCAT June - Non-fiction

All Together Now: A Newfoundlander's Light Tales for Heavy Times by Alan Doyle

This was unbelievably entertaining, I laughed out loud many times. Doyle's intent was to brighten up the Covid lockdown for us and for him when he missed performing in the folk rock band Great Big Sea. He succeeded magnificently! Not only did he tell us funny and heartwarming stories about his life and profession but included a brief travelogue of Newfoundland. I listened to the audiobook read by Doyle and highly recommend it. Five stars!

This was a BB from mathgirl40. Thank you!

>112 VivienneR: There weren't any witty moments. Nobody Walks was dark, bleak and nasty. I didn't like it!

>127 pamelad: Now I'm kind of sorry that I blamed the narrator (who really was terrible, I can still hear his voice). I'll take your word for it and will jump to the next in the series without trying the print version of Nobody Walks. The series is quite dark but a little humour can lighten things.

CATs - Forget Me Not: June ScaredyKIT - Into the Wild

Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum

Born in Nova Scotia, Slocum was a naturalized American. He set off alone in 1895 and spent three years circumnavigaing the world in The Spray, a 37 foot sloop he mostly built himself. This is his personal account published in 1900. It was fun to read this with a map nearby to follow his route and the remote islands he visited. He didn't inflate his terrific achievement or what he endured apart from saying a couple of times that he felt a bit lonely. Curiously, the account had little about the actual sailing, but concentrated on places and people he met. The journey was not without events: he celebrated Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee while in Queensland, Australia and in Samoa met with Fanny, wife of Robert Louis Stevenson.

Off the coast of Australia he encountered a whaling ship, a trade new to the seas at the time. The captain assured the crew that to kill a whale was "no different than killing a rabbit". It's only to be expected that the writing is dated and definitely not PC, but it's still an interesting memoir and it set the bar high for the explorers that followed.

This is one of several books my son's friend John mailed to me as lockdown entertainment.

>129 VivienneR: I doubt I'll pick it up, but it does sound interesting!

>130 thornton37814: Same here! I wouldn't have picked it up except it was given to me. Interesting, but probably more so to sailors.

Happy Canada Day, Vivienne! I joined a local book group and was pleased to find a Canadian included in the group. She apparently always suggests novels by Canadians during the book selection process and I plan to back her up in that.

>132 RidgewayGirl: Thank you! I'll be looking forward to hearing about Canadian authors via your book club. It was a lovely sunny Canada Day but I fear we we have rain for our birthday on Monday! Maybe not in your area. Enjoy the celebrations.

>132 RidgewayGirl: >133 VivienneR: Canada related books is what I have planned for August Ramdom CAT! If you're in the group, be sure to make any recommendations you have on the thread once I set it up!

>134 clue: Wonderful! I'll be looking forward to August RandomCAT even more than usual! I'll get to work on recommendations but I'll be looking for new-to-me authors too.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1984

Frost at Christmas by R.D. Wingfield

This is a police procedural from 1984 when police attitudes and methods were very different to what we expect today, making it very dated and not in a good way. Annoyingly, the story was unsympathetic and sexist to all the female characters whether adult or child. The tv series starring David Jason as Frost was an accurate portrayal of him working in a general mess and with pockets stuffed with random bits of paper. Jason was able to pull off Wingfield's character who had a funny line for every situation but on the printed page he was less amusing, more smart-mouth.

June Summary ❤️

Books read this month: 16
Read to date 2022: 105

The Best: ❤️
Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham
Border Country by Raymond Williams
All Together Now: A Newfoundlander's Light Tales for Heavy Times by Alan Doyle

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Mauve: how one man invented a colour that changed the world by Simon Garfield
The Enemy by Lee Child
French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Giuliano
A Dying Fall by Henry Wade
Potsdam Station by David Downing
Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui

The Rest:
The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton
The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman
Hide My Eyes by Margery Allingham
Nobody Walks by Mick Herron (poor audio, will be revisited in print soon)
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum

Also Ran
Frost at Christmas by R.D. Wingfield

Happily, at the halfway mark of the year I've completed 52 of the 70 QEII Platinum Jubilee books that I planned.

This was an excellent reading month when I had three five-star books.

That's a great reading month. Just a note - The Lee Child link is to the wrong book. And great job on your QEII challenge.

Three five-star books! Congratulations.

>126 VivienneR: I'm so glad to hear that you loved All Together Now as much as I did! It's such a fun and uplifting book. I hope you had a good Canada Day and are enjoying the long weekend.

>138 dudes22: Thank you, it certainly was a good month. And thanks for the touchstone tip, it's fixed now.

>139 pamelad: Thank you.

>140 mathgirl40: Wasn't that a wonderful book? There was no doubt about how to rate it. Canada Day was beautiful, I hope it was for you too.

June was a great reading month for you. Sailing Alone Around the World sounds fascinating. I think it might go to a sailor in the family.

>142 BLBera: Hi Beth! Joshua Slocum made sailing around the world seem easy. It could be inspirational.

Familiar Faces - Blue Hyacinth

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

I didn't like the characters, the police investigation was deplorable, non-existent, and the plot had nothing new. Altogether unpleasant. I'll think twice about reading any more by Jewell.

>144 VivienneR: A useful review!

>145 pamelad: If I can save someone from reading this nonsense, good. OTOH we all have our own likes and dislikes, and some readers liked it.

>137 VivienneR: that's a great month's reading. I'm not yet at half way in my 50 years challenge. But am sneaking Agatha Raisin for the early 1990s, where i have a bit of a gap.

>137 VivienneR: Just noticed you are linked to the Elly Griffiths book rather than the Henry Wade A Dying Fall. But I agree with Helen, you did have a good reading month.

>147 Helenliz: You are doing really well. I found some of the 70s and 80s the most difficult to fill, probably because I was trying to fill my list from books I own.

>148 NinieB: Thank you, Ninie! Fixed now.

Fresh Faces - Daffodil

Just haven't met you yet by Sophie Cousens

A predictable romance novel. When Laura picked up the wrong suitcase at the baggage carousel she discovered the contents belonged to her ideal mate. She had hoped that her trip would find a partner who would bring about a repeat of her parent's perfect life together but along the way found out that it was not as perfect as she thought. Not much else in the story apart from romantic dreaming which meant a lot of "Am I in love with this guy or that one?" kind of thoughts.

>150 VivienneR: I found myself a little disappointed with that one too, though I did love the descriptions of Jersey!

A work colleague recently came back from holiday and picked up the wrong suitcase. I can assure you that true love was not the result!

>151 christina_reads: I agree, the descriptions of Jersey were the best part.

>152 Helenliz: That sounds more believable than Cousens' story!

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1998
AlphaKIT - Bouvardia: July T

Rebuilding Coventry by Sue Townsend

Well known as the creator of Adrian Mole, Townsend writes quirky books of comic satire, and although this one wasn't my favourite (that would be The Queen and I) there were many darkly funny moments in this entertaining novel. The story tells of Coventry Dakin a woman who believes she has killed her neighbour's abusive husband with an Action Man figure and goes on the run, finding herself homeless in London. No one else writes like Townsend who has a remarkably clever sense of humour and can imperceptibly weave political and social comment into the story.

I read this one years ago and remember enjoying it, but I agree with you that The Queen and I was my favorite.

>155 mstrust: Somehow it escaped my notice until recently but I was delighted to find it. The Queen and I made me look at royals differently.

RandomKIT - Gerbera - July: Dog Days of Summer

The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri

This was a reread because it was such a good fit for the category. This is my review from the first reading, which still holds.

Another great mystery from Camilleri featuring Commissario Montalbano who comes to an agreement with mafioso Tano the Greek. Their meeting precipitates a much bigger investigation than anyone could imagine. My only complaint about Camilleri's writing is that the profanities come across as even more crude than they are generally. I wonder if this is because of the translation or if his characters are just as vulgar in Italian. I'm inclined toward the fault lying with the translation, but that might be unfair.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1965
BINGO - Gardenia - About brothers

The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons

Although the plot of an heir returning after being considered dead has been done before, Symons adds his own mischievous humour and literary style to the mystery. And the conclusion was both unexpected and satisfying. I enjoyed this a lot.

Although the book was published in 1965 many regard it as a Golden Age mystery. There is no doubt that the setting of England mid-century as well as Symons' writing style certainly evokes the nostalgia of Golden Age atmosphere but it is also apparent that the permissive age is about to begin.

As usual, the British Library Crime Classics cover is beautiful.

>157 VivienneR: I've got this lined up in German translation, interesting point about the profanities. I'll try to report back.

>159 MissWatson: I'll watch for your comments, Birgit. It will be interesting to find if the translation has any impact. I'm not easily shocked but there is something about Camilleri's profanity that I find particularly offensive.

AlphaKIT - Bouvardia - July E

Every City is Every Other City by John McFetridge

Gordon Stewart is a location scout in the movie business and in his spare time a private detective for security company OBC. When he visits any location - the interior of a house, a city, a street - he imagines the movie where might be used. His boss asked him to investigate her missing uncle suspected of going off to commit suicide and he reluctantly accepted the assignment. He followed the man to various locations in Canada, which accommodated his other job nicely. I loved the descriptions of places, some familiar to me, as well as the entertainment and pop culture references, helped along by his girlfriend Ethel, a struggling actress. The profusion of quips could make this one of the most quotable novels I've read. The title is cleverly explained by the current movie, set in the US and filmed in Sudbury, Ontario. Gordon is a likeable guy and Ethel is a smart perceptive woman, a perfect pairing. The mystery part of the story was minor and only provided framework for the rest of the story, which was fine by me, I enjoyed it a lot and hope McFetridge writes more featuring Gordon Stewart.

>160 VivienneR: I have finished the German translation now, and while there is quite a bit of profanity, it did not strike me as excessive or offensive. I noticed that it occurs mostly when Montalbano is around his fellow policemen, his conversations with the elderly people are very polite and courteous. I wonder if it's an attempt to render the Sicilian dialect? Apparently Camilleri makes heavy use of the regional language (to the despair of translators, apparently). It may also reflect the fact that Sicilian society is very much a peasant and patriarchal society...

>162 MissWatson: Yes, the profanity occurs when the policemen are together. And I imagine this in common in any men-only groups, in any country. Montalbano is very polite with others.

"I wonder if it's an attempt to render the Sicilian dialect?" That's what I thought too although I don't know enough about languages to be able to say that for sure.

Whatever the reason I'll keep reading the occasional Camilleri whose books often fit a challenge here. Besides, I enjoy the humour.

Thank you, Birgit for remembering to let me know your thoughts.

CATs - Forget Me Not - CatWoman: Women in Science

The First Human: the race to discover our earliest ancestors by Ann Gibbons

As the subtitle indicates, this was indeed a race. One wonders what these men and women might have achieved if they had worked together instead of with intense rivalries. The search to solve the mystery of human evolution is a fascinating subject and science writer Gibbons' writing retains that engrossing quality while being easily understood. Although discoveries continue and the picture of human evolution is becoming clearer, there is still no definitive answer.

MysteryKIT - Daisy - Golden Age

Postscript to Poison by Dorothy Bowers

This was very good mystery even though I guessed the culprit very early. I'm taking off a half star for two reasons: the first half droned on a bit that made the book longer than it should have been, and secondly, I had trouble seeing a picture of the characters in my mind's eye. Otherwise it was well-written - Bowers is a good comparison with Christie. I particularly liked this description of a sudden storm.

"From the first sly breeze preceding the first impact of thunder and crazy leap of lightning, through the surge and riot of contending wind and flogging rain that washed gardens into paths and paths into a mess of pebbles and sandy slush, to the last reluctant grumble of the clouds and rush of astonished gutters, less than an hour elapsed."

>165 VivienneR: Glad you liked it. Postscript to Poison and Fear and Miss Betony were my favourites.

>166 pamelad: Thank you, Pam! I couldn't remember but now I believe you were the source of the BB. Fear and Miss Betony is another one of the titles I have. Looking forward to it.

Arrivals - Bluebells

Cold Mourning by Brenda Chapman

The brutal, disturbing opening almost had this one in the abandoned pile right away. I continued and it did get better although the audio narrator was very poor and didn't do the book any favours. This is one that would be better in print.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley : 1967

Cheap Day Return by R.F. Delderfield

A contemplative novel in which Kent Stuart, commonly known as Pip, returns after many years to the seaside town of his youth after a scandal forced him to leave in the 1930s. The characters were extremely well-drawn and Delderfield gives a believable view of small-town life in the years between the wars. It's been a very long time since I read a Delderfield novel and I enjoyed my return to his calm scrutiny of human emotion. Wonderful writing from an author who deserves to be remembered more.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley - 2001
AlphaKIT - Bouvardia - July T

Dying to Tell by Robert Goddard

Lance Bradley has been talked into beginning a search for his old friend Rupert Alder whose payments to his siblings has mysteriously stopped. He's not the only one searching for Rupe and things get complicated. His old employers believe him to be guilty of fraud. Clues point to events of 1963 including a mysterious death in Glastonbury, Lance's home town. But what could events of 1963 have to do with Rupe's disappearance?

I've always enjoyed Robert Goddard novels and I found this one to be an engrossing, entertaining mystery, with an excellent plot and brightened with some light humour.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 2009
AlphaKIT - Bouvardia - August M

Still Midnight by Denise Mina

A gang's attempt to snatch someone named Bob from his home goes spectacularly wrong: there is no Bob so the thugs seize the elderly father and in the mayhem accidentally shot the daughter's hand. The case was given to Bannerman, a male detective, over DI Alex Morrow, an example of the bureaucratic misogyny in the Glasgow police. Mina's story is aggressive but she skillfully portrays all the characters, even the crackpots, accurately and credibly. And she doesn't hold back on the Scottish patois in consideration of a non-Scottish audience, a style that conveys more credence. The pugnacious Morrow has suffered a heartbreaking recent loss and her background explains much of her attitude and understanding of the criminal community. Her knowledge of the seedier side of Glasgow is invaluable. Gritty, but highly entertaining.

>171 VivienneR: This series is one of my favorites -- Alex changes through the series, and in ways usually never seen in crime fiction.

>172 RidgewayGirl: Yes, it is one of my favourites too! I'll go back and read them all again, in sequence this time. I loved the Paddy Mehan series too but have yet to get to the Garnethill trilogy.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1964

Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken

This is a tremendously entertaining story beginning with Simon and his donkey arriving in London to look up his old friend. Everything starts to go confusingly awry and then just as they start to settle down the fantastic mystery and adventure takes off. I loved the language that appears to be a combination of historic dialect and possibly made up words, that even if not understood can be hilarious. The lavishly drawn characters are a reminder of Dickens' and just as entertaining. I look forward to the next book in the series to find out what happened to the loveable brat Dido Twite. Although it's a book for any age group, I just wish Aiken's books had been part of my childhood reading when I would have devoured them.

Still Midnight sounds great. I'm with you regarding the Aiken books; I wish I had read them growing up. I need to continue with them and urge Scout to pick them up.

>175 BLBera: Mina's book is the first in the series and although I've read them all in haphazard fashion I'll probably go back to re-read them - in order this time after what >172 RidgewayGirl: said.

The library has one more Joan Aiken book that I intend to read. I don't know how Aiken missed my attention before now.

I won't be able to finish any more in the month of July so I'm posting my summary now.

July Summary

Read to date this year: 118

Books read this month: 13 - in order of preference:

The Best: ❤️
The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons
Cheap Day Return by R.F. Delderfield
Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken

Rebuilding Coventry by Sue Townsend
Every City is Every Other City by John McFetridge
The First Humans: the race to discover our earliest ancestors by Ann Gibbons
Dying to Tell by Robert Goddard
Still Midnight by Denise Mina

The Rest: 😀
Postscript to Poison by Dorothy Bowers
The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri

Just haven't met you yet by Sophie Cousens
Cold Mourning by Brenda Chapman

Also Ran
Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

As well as this list, I started and abandoned four books, two of them around the halfway mark.

Arrivals - Bluebells

Summerwater by Sarah Moss

Set in the Scottish highlands on the longest day of the year, which in this case brings unrelenting rain. The summer inhabitants of a group of cabins provide the individual stories for what is becoming a difficult holiday for all of them. Moss has a magnificent ability to go inside a character's mind with the stream of thoughts from a woman out running alone very early in the morning to those of a teenage boy taking a kayak onto the loch out of boredom and discovering it to be more challenging than he thought. The only residents not included in the analysis are the group of noisy Eastern Europeans in one cabin whose nightly, noisy parties are adding to the building tension. And we know from the beginning that "there will be deaths before the day is over". The ending came suddenly but then, there was no need to say more. Moss' writing is lyrical, vivid, and powerful. Highly recommended.

RandomKIT - Gerbera - August - Canada

The Cunning Man by Robertson Davies

The entire story is framed as a newspaper interview that causes the elderly narrator, Dr. Jon Hullah, to remember his life through anecdotes and philosophical discussion much of it told in a gossipy tone. He delved into many topics: church, war, sex, family, medicine, even a joke told to him by an acquaintance that he recognized as a retelling of a Rabelais story. He lost my interest in a few spots, but was otherwise fascinating. This is a terrific accomplishment for Davies that came to be his unplanned last hurrah.

CATs - Forget Me Not - AuthorCAT August: Prizewinning author

A Burning by Megha Majumdar

Jivan, a Muslim is trying to make a living as an English tutor and after making a careless remark on Facebook is charged with terrorism. Her student, Lovely, could verify that she is innocent but the cost to her position is too high. PT Sir, Jivan's former gym teacher might also be a witness for her defence, but he is hoping for a political future and would be ill-advised to interfere. This is an Indian thriller that confronts moral questions of class, corruption, and justice - or the lack of it. Although an intriguing plot this scrutinizing look at dilemmas faced by the characters in their unique Indian society comes across as over-simplified and therefore diminished.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1970

Wobble to Death by Peter Lovesey

Lovesey has resurrected a popular sport of the Victorian era and created an entertaining mystery novel. Six day "Go As You Please" contests - or "Wobbles" were instituted by Sir John Astley in 1878 and became very popular on both sides of the Atlantic. The contestants may choose to walk or run with brief rests for six days on a track. Lovesey's race takes place in the vast Agricultural Hall in Islington in 1879 with a first prize of £500, lower amounts for second and third places. With so much money at stake, to say nothing of the bets placed with bookies, there are bound to be shenanigans. In this case one contestant died of a massive dose of strychnine, commonly administered in minute amounts by his trainer as a stimulant. Then the trainer died too. And that wasn’t the only strange method trainers used. Combining the mystery with a sport I've never heard of before was a lot of fun. Dashing around Victorian London in hansom cabs and thick fog was wonderful.

The Sgt Cribb books are quite fun! When I get home I’ll have to pull one out of the stockpile.

>182 rabbitprincess: I've only read a couple of Sgt Cribb books but I've enjoyed everything I've read by Peter Lovesey - especially Hen Mallin and The Last Detective. You're so lucky to have a stockpile!

CATs - Forget Me Not - CATwoman August: Children

Outlaw Princess of Sherwood Forest: a tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

It's always fun to spend time in Sherwood Forest, in this case with Rowan Hood, daughter of Robin, and her friends.

I've really enjoyed everything I have read by Peter Lovesey. I will have to look for more of his Sgt. Cribb books as I loved Wobble to Death

>185 DeltaQueen50: Sgt Cribb books are are not so easy to find. I'm still on the lookout for more. I loved the hilarious training methods in Wobble to Death.

>126 VivienneR: I love Great Big Sea -- I'll definitely take a book bullet for All Together Now: A Newfoundlander's Light Tales for Heavy Times given that strong recommendation!

>181 VivienneR: I've got that one on the shelf! Thanks for the review, I'm sure I'll like it as much as you did.

>187 pammab: Glad to oblige! I'm sure you will enjoy it! He seems like a really nice guy.

>188 mstrust: Not the usual type of mystery, but very entertaining - and interesting too! I'd never heard of 6 day races before.

QEII Platinum Jubilee - Lily of the Valley 1979

A Small Country by Siân James

The story of the well-to-do Evans family in Carmarthenshire, Wales begins in the summer of 1914 when son Tom returns from Oxford to find his father has gone to live with his pregnant lover. The wonderful writing is beautifully evocative of rural Wales and of the passion enveloping each character. Reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's stories. Highly recommended.

My favourite Sgt Cribb is Swing, Swing Together, which is about boating on the Thames in the wake of Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat.

>191 rabbitprincess: Thank you for that BB! Going on the wishlist right away!

Departures - Sweet Pea - much of this thriller takes place in Morocco

Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

At the beginning this looked like the plot would be predictable but in fact there were so many twists and turns that it was dizzying. Well done and hugely entertaining. This thriller is a debut but I'll watch for more from the author.

>169 VivienneR: He does atmosphere and place very well, on that I will agree with you.

>178 VivienneR: It becomes unputdownable, even if it becomes highly claustrophobic. You almost feel you're stuck in this cabin, unable to go out because of the rain.

>181 VivienneR: I've read at least one of hos more modern fictional detective, but not seen those before. Worth investigating, methinks.

>194 Helenliz: Yes, Summerwater is claustrophobic with no option but to stick it out to the end. I loved it.

Lovesey is so good at researching forgotten history. The Sgt Cribb series is fun.

Who Is Maud Dixon? sounds like a good one.

>196 BLBera: It was fun, and had some eyebrow-raising moments, but just took a while to get going.

>197 VivienneR: I liked how the author made clear very quickly that there were going to be no likable characters in the book.

>198 RidgewayGirl: Agree! I was prepared not to like the characters so there was no let down.

Lily of the valley - QEII Platinum Jubilee: 1995
Gardenia - BINGO: LGBTQ Author

Clean Break by Val McDermid

An engaging mystery with the exuberant Kate Brannigan, private detective, trying to find out how a Monet could have been stolen from right under the security system she developed. A second case keeps her busy trying to track down an industrial poisoner. Although peppered with wisecracks, the writing is unremarkable.

Bluebells - Arrivals

Spook Street by Mick Herron

When River Cartwright's grandfather shows signs of dementia River is not the only one worried. Grandfather David Cartwright was also a spook, First Desk in fact, and as a holder of secrets he could cause untold problems to current MI5 operations by accidentally spilling the beans. This was a fast moving, highly entertaining episode of Herron's Slough House series featuring terrific characters such as Jackson Lamb, said to be despicable but easily my favourite. This book had a Brave New World flavour, which nevertheless did not deviate from the special world of Herron's "slow horses", those spies relegated to the bottom of the heap that makes up Slough House. Brilliant, funny, clever; no one can write espionage like Herron.

Lily of the valley - QEII Platinum Jubilee 2003
Bouvardia - AlphaKIT August M

The Runner by Peter May

I have mixed feelings about May's books. While I really enjoyed the Lewis trilogy, the Enzo Files series had much less appeal and this book falls into the latter group. Some authors can write intimate scenes well, May can be cringeworthy.

This is the first I've read in this series and I found the story to be well written with likeable characters and it provided a good overview of China and Chinese culture as they prepared for the 2008 Olympics. Li Yan is investigating a series of deaths among China's top athletes. Margaret Campbell, who is only a month away from delivering their first child, is performing the autopsies. The investigation becomes a diplomatic minefield, not unlike the private lives of Margaret and Li.

>201 VivienneR: that is an interesting dilemma.

>203 Helenliz: It's one I haven't come across before in fiction.

I recently read The Blackhouse and enjoyed it. I think I'll stick with the Lewis trilogy. I read a pandemic novel by May that was just OK.

>205 BLBera: Yes, I enjoyed the Lewis trilogy too. I hope he adds more to the series.

Lily of the valley - QEII Platinum Jubilee: 2015
Gardenia - BINGO: non-fiction

James II: the last Catholic king by David Womersley

One of Penguin's biographies of British monarchs. Without overlooking the breadth of the subject this is merely a glimpse of James II's short turbulent reign from 1685-1688. As Duke of York (for which New York is named) James was influential before succeeding to the throne when his brother Charles II died without children. But the joy of the still fresh Restoration abated when The "Popish Plot" and James' secret conversion to Catholicism gave rise to the political Exclusion Crisis that, although it failed, ushered in new political tactics. When William, Prince of Orange, was invited by nobles to come to England with an army, prepared to invade, James II effectively abdicated when he declined to attack the invading army. Womersley's sources include historians of the period including some interesting comments by Samuel Pepys.

This is an excellent summary that would serve well as a starting point for further study of a fascinating era.

>207 VivienneR: In U.S. college textbooks this incident is called 'The Glorious Revolution.' I love teaching this time period!

>205 BLBera: >206 VivienneR: Earlier this year I read Hebrides, which is a book of stunning photographs from the Outer Hebrides, and commentary from May about his relationship to the islands (especially Lewis) and the development of the trilogy. I'd highly recommend that - I loved it even though I'd never read any of the Lewis books!

>208 Tess_W: James II's reign had a significant effect for Northern Ireland (my country of origin) so I am very familiar with the term "Glorious Revolution" although it is William of Orange who is remembered more (to the present day).

>209 Jackie_K: I've read a similar book by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland series but had not heard of May's book. Found it at the library and have already placed my hold on it. Thank you, Jackie!

Bluebells - Arrivals

The Fell by Sarah Moss

Set during the pandemic, Kate has been furloughed from her job and is in quarantine with her son Matt. She is finding it difficult because she is used to being outdoors a lot. As expected, her resolve cracks and she heads out for a quick hike up the Fell where no one will see her break the rules. Matt, not knowing where she is, waited a while then reluctantly contacted Alice, the neighbour next door who can only help via phone. Rob from Search and Rescue is called out during his alternate weekend with his daughter. As Moss demonstrated in Summerwater she writes stream of consciousness very well and in this short novel it is necessary because there is little dialogue among the four characters yet we get to know them intimately. Well written and intense.

>211 VivienneR: I liked that one pretty well.

>202 VivienneR: I read May's Blackhouse, the first in the Lewis trilogy. I didn't like it nearly as much as some. I keep meaning to go back and read later installments, but I keep remembering how I didn't like that first one as much as the hype on it. I did, however, give it 3 stars, so I really need to add the second one to a cue. (My problem is that I keep misplacing my cue lists after I work through a few books.)

>212 thornton37814: Hi Lori! I liked The Fell but not as much as Summerwater.

I loved Blackhouse and the Lewis trilogy but can understand why some didn't enjoy it as much. I keep series lists too but then forget to update them. My problem is when I read the first in a series I don't continue and by the time I come across the second I need a refresher on the first.

Bouvardia - AlphaKIT: F

Frames: a Valentino mystery by Loren D. Estleman

The first in the Valentino series when Valentino, a UCLA film archivist considers buying an old run down movie theatre where he discovered cans of film that appear to be valuable. A skeleton also showed up with the film so the theatre becomes a crime scene. Valentino investigates the mystery himself to avoid having to hand over the film to police who might mishandle it. Estleman includes a lot of witty lines and movie history in the series that makes it even more fun. Recommended for fans of old movies.

>211 VivienneR: That one's already on the list...

>214 VivienneR: That sounds fun. Our library has 6 of his works - but not that one. And starting a srries aywhere other than the first book is anathema to me!

>215 Helenliz: Sarah Moss has become one of my favourite authors. I just realized I have two of her books sitting on the shelf since 2017 - when I just had to have them!

Loren Estleman writes other series too, but I like this one best. My first one was the second in the Valentino series, Alone an Early Reviewer snag that I really enjoyed. Might be a good place to start.

I'm another Moss fan, Vivienne. She is so good at atmosphere. Great comments on The Fell; that is one I will probably go back to.

>217 BLBera: Summerwater is the one I am most likely to revisit. It's brimming with atmosphere. But because The Fell is so short it magically transports the reader to another place for a couple of hours.

I've stuck a couple of her back catalogue on reserve at the library.

>219 Helenliz: Good idea! I've exhausted her holdings at the library. I will have to try interlibrary loans for more.

Gerbera - RandomKIT: Canada - August

The Maid by Nita Prose

Molly Gray is a maid at the luxurious Regency Grand Hotel. Although it is not mentioned, she is obviously on the autism spectrum. When she finds one of the guests murdered her reaction complicates matters and the investigation goes off-track when Molly is charged with murder. This was a charming story that captured my attention from the first page. The ending was sweet but I wouldn't want any other way.

>221 VivienneR: I'm not going to peek at your spoiler as I just checked this out of the library.

>222 RidgewayGirl: That was the very reason I hid it with spoiler! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Kay.

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