Lisa's 2023 Retro Reading Challenge

I’m Lisa. I’m an accountant/auditor by day, married with one son and three grandchildren, residing in Pennsylvania. I’m closing in on my last few years of working (I think). In addition to reading, I also enjoy crossword puzzles, movies, and cooking. I’ve been doing the Category Challenge is some form since 2008 and this year I decided to use the months of the year as my categories.

I’m also turning 60 in July, and I thought it would be interesting to feature items from the decade for each month not necessarily related to what I decide to read. I’m a moody reader so what I plan and what I finally decide to read are always subject to change, so I think this will be a good format for me.



Currently Reading:

January- Toys I remember going back to school after the Christmas holiday worried that my younger sister and brother who were not in school then, would break my brand-new toys. One of my favorites, pictured here, was my Show and Tell, I was also very fond of my Etch a- Sketch, and Shrinking Violet doll.

January Books Read (13)
1 The Frozen Thames Bingo #4
2 Ordinary Life
3 Cold Earth MysteryKIT
4 Wild Fire MysteryKIT
5 A Trick of the Light Bingo#9,MysteryKIT
6 The Pull of the Moon
7The Real Minerva
8 The Patron Saint of Liars Bingo #2
9 Blanche on the Lam SeriesCAT, Bingo #13
10 Gun Street Girl
11 Three Act Tragedy RandomKIT
12The Last to Disappear
13 Secrets of Happiness

Best of the month The Frozen Thames, The Patron Saint of Liars.

February- Civil Right Movement and the birth of Black History Month
The 1960’s saw a dramatic rise in civil right movements. Black Americans used sit-ins and protest marches to fight rampant segregation poverty and unemployment. Black History Month was first celebrated in 1970, however it was first proposed by educators and students at Kent State University in February 1969.

February Books Read (9)
14 The Beautiful Mystery
15 A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You
16 Crochet for Beginners Bingo#1
17 The Shadow Murders SeriesKIT, AlphaKIT
18 Cat Among the Pigeons MysteryKIT
19 The Facts of Life and Death
20 Encore in Death
21 Family Album
22 Shadows of Pecan Hollow

Best of the month The Facts of Life and Death

March- Music There were many musicians who took the world by storm in the 1960’s. The Beatles made their US debut on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964. There were also great artists from Motown, such as the Supremes and the Temptations. Also, in August 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair drew more than 450,000 people to Bethel NY.

March Books Read (14)
23 Mercury Pictures PresentsAlphaKIT
24 I Have Some Questions for You
25 Rain Dogs RandomKIT
26 A Spell of Good Things
27 The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up BINGO #3
28 Queen of Bebop BINGO #12
29 Falling BINGO
30 How The Light Gets In
31 The Good House
32 The Long Way Home
33 The Book of Goose
34 Earth’s the Right Place for Love
35 Trespasses
36 The White Lady

Best of the month Mercury Pictures Presents, I Have Some Questions for You, Trespasses and
How the Light Gets In.

April- TV shows As a child, my absolute favorite TV show was Bewitched, because I really wanted to twitch my nose. It aired from 1964 to 1972.

April Books Read (16)
37 A Killing of Innocents AlphaKIT
38 Exiles
39 Easter Bonnet Murder
40 We Were The Lucky Ones
41 Heavy BINGO#17
42 Hang the Moon
43 Dance of the Happy Shades
44 Homecoming
45 The Soulmate
46 Wandering Souls
47 Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
48 Innocent Victims
49 The Last Thing He Told Me Alpha KIT
50 Lemon Curd Killer
51 The Queen of Dirt Island
52 After Anna

Best of the month We Were the Lucky Ones

May- Movies Of course these movies were not geared toward children, but some of the popular movies of the decade include Psycho, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Graduate, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

May Books Read (16)
53 Small Mercies
54 Broken Promise
55 The Last Remains
56 The Half Moon
57 Standing in the Shadows
58 September Song
59 Home Safe
60 The Midnight News
61 A Death at the Party
62 A Flaw in the Design
63 Where It Hurts
64 No Safe House
65 If You Want to Make God Laugh
66 The Guest
67 Maame
68 With My Little Eye

June- Firsts The first televised debate between Nixon and Kennedy took place in 1960. Also in 1960, after months of sit ins, the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina became desegregated.
Neil Armstrong took the first step on the moon in 1969.

69 The Nature of the Beast
70 A Great Reckoning
71 Beware the Woman
72 Babysitter
73 Love and Saffron
74 Sing Her Down
75 Pineapple Street
76 Newcomer
77 The Untelling
78 The Maid’s Diary
79 Police at the Station and they Don’t Look Friendly
80 All the Sinners Bleed
81 Little Secrets
82 Killers of a Certain Age
83 Literary Noir
84 Mothers Tell Your Daughters
85 The Only One Left

Reread: A is for Alibi

July- Also Turning 60 this year Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Helen Hunt, Lisa Kudrow, John Stamos, Michael Jordan, Vanessa Williams, Quentin Tarantino, Phoebe Cates (same day as me) Brian Boitano, Tracy Nelson, Zina Garrison Ann Patchett, and Donna Tartt all turn 60 this year.

August- Miscellaneous Facts Construction on the Berlin Wall begins in 1961. Also in 1961, The Bay of Pigs invasion is an unsuccessful operation to overthrow Fidel Castro. Yale becomes coed in 1968.

September It happened in 1963 Medgar Evers and JFK are assassinated, Martin Luther King gives his “I Have a Dream” speech. Alcatraz Prison closed in March of 1963. The United States begins to use zip codes, and BBC broadcasts the very first episode of Doctor Who.

October – Books Released The Feminine Mystique (1963), The Valley of the Dolls (1966), To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), In Cold Blood (1966), The Bell Jar (1963), and The Fire Next Time (1963).

November- Significant Legislation The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, prohibiting discrimination in public facilities and employment. In addition, the 24th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, were enacted guaranteeing the right to vote.

December Fashion Miniskirts, pillbox hats, skinny pants, fringe and go-go boots were all popular items during the decade.

BINGO



1. Crochet for Beginners
2. The Patron Saint of Liars
3. The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up
4. The Frozen Thames
8. Three Act Tragedy
9. A Trick of the Light July 1
10 Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
11 Encore in Death
12 Queen of Bebop
13.Blanche on the Lam SeriesCAT
14.Exiles
16 Falling
17 Heavy
19 The Pull of the Moon
20 The Untelling
22 Trespasses
23 Homecoming
24 After Anna

I'll be back next year, which will be here soon!

Love your categories! Have a great reading year.

>16 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit!

I love this! We are close to the same age and that Show and Tell sent me down memory lane! :-)

Really interesting categories. Happy July sixtieth!

Groovy! Have a great reading year :)

>5 lsh63: l loved Bewitched. I have the nose twinkle as my text message notification. Good luck with your reading this year.

Love a retro theme!
Happy reading in 2023.

What a great idea for your special birthday year!. Hope you have great reading in 2023.

>18 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Thanks Tanya! I wish I still had some of my toys to show the grandchildren.
>19 pamelad: Thank you Pam!
>20 rabbitprincess: Thank you, RP!
>21 lowelibrary: Thank you April! I love that you have the nose twinkle for your texts.
>22 JayneCM: Hi Betty, thank you!

Great retro theme. Happy reading in 2023!

Wow. Great theme and I love the commentary.

The '60s were a memorable decade. Thanks for your terrific review of them. Happy 60th birthday (in advance). Hope you have an enjoyable reading year.

I enjoyed reading these snippets of the 60s! Great idea!

What a great walk down memory lane!

>12 lsh63: Also, July 30, 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson signs Medicare and Medicaid into existence with Harry S. Truman at Truman's Presidental library.

States with hospitals who want access to reimbursment must change laws & practices to allow the integration of hospitals, both staff and patients.

I wished my mother (a nurse) was still around to talk with in 2015 when these programs turned 50 and I realized they were created in my lifetime. She spent part of her career in nursing homes, and they arose as an industry in the 1960s. The first one I remember her working at was privately owned by a local family.

>23 dudes22: Thanks Betty!
>25 Tess_W: Thank you Tess!
>26 majkia: Thank you Jean!
>27 sallylou61: Thank you Mirjam!
>28 MissBrangwen: Thank you!
>29 markon: Thank you Ardene. Your comment above made me realize how lucky we are to still have my mother with us at 92, who has an amazing memory of events going back to the late 1930’s.

I'm looking forward as always to following your reading. But what!! Brad Pitt turning 60! I find that hard to believe.

>31 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy! Thank you. I know it's hard to fathom about Brad Pitt isn't it?

Wonderful theme, Lisa! My memories of the 1960s are mostly different because I grew up in the UK and for me, there was no introduction, JFK just popped up in the White House. Happy reading in 2023.

>33 VivienneR: Thank you Vivienne!

Hope you enjoy your 2023 reading!

>35 thornton37814: Thanks Lori, you also!

1. The Frozen Thames I enjoyed this short book of various vignettes over a span of different time periods, (from 1142 to 1885), when the Thames River was frozen solid. It was a very interesting read.

2. Ordinary Life: Stories This author was new to me last year, and I was pleased to see that she had many novels as well as a few short story collections for me to try. Ordinary Life is a collection of short stories that deal with relationships, mainly marital, but also mother and daughter. My favorite story was "Martin's Letter to Nan", about a man's response to his wife when she leaves for a trip and doesn't know when she will be back. I also loved "Caretaking" about a mother fading away due to Alzheimer's. I will be reading more of this author's work in the near future. As a matter of fact, I am waiting for "The Pull of the Moon", from the library.

Just stopping by to say Happy New Year.

>39 hailelib: Hi Tricia, Happy New Year to you also and I hope you have a good reading year!

3. Cold Earth I'm almost to the end of the Shetland series, as I am in the last few pages of Wild Fire. In this 7th installment, Perez becomes slightly obsessed with the death of a dark haired woman wearing a red dress found in a landslide that took place during a funeral. Perez is still struggling with past grief, parenting a young child, and trying to maintain his objectivity when he knows most of the people of interest that need to be questioned. I'm hoping that the next book resolves a few things that I'm hoping will take place.

>38 lsh63: - Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite authors although I have not read Ordinary Life yet (it is on my TBR pile).

>37 lsh63: I read that last year for some challenge and I really enjoyed it. Being from the US this was almost unthinkable!

>41 lsh63: Read my first Ann Cleeves book last week and enjoyed it!

>42 dudes22: Hi Betty, I'm glad that I stumbled upon her work.
>43 Tess_W: Hi Tess, it was very interesting. I really enjoy Ann Cleeves, I'm finishing up the Shetland series now, I'm not sure about starting the Vera Stanhope yet.

I've read the George & Molly Palmer-Jones series by Ann Cleeves and keep meaning to try one of her others. I did enjoy the Shetland TV episodes.

4 Wild Fire This book is the last in the Shetland series, which was a little slow to start. I think I was expecting a bit more from the ending of a series, because I was left wanting a bit more. I especially wanted to know more about Willow and Jimmy. When Jimmy is called on to investigate the death of a nanny hanging in the same barn as a man who recently committed suicide, the suspects include the family who employed her, the owners of the property, and a man who was seen with her. I love that Sandy played a significant role in this one, and I wouldn't mind a spin off featuring his character. I did not guess the murderer!

5. A Trick of the Light I became slightly obsessed with this series while on vacation during the holidays. I had previously read the first three books years ago and never continued with them. Fast forward about 12 years, while reading about the Three Pines Series, I decided to go back and reread the first three books and continue onward. I have to say I am enjoying them immensely and trying to pace myself with them. In this installment, Clara finally has her solo show, which is ruined when a dead body is found in her garden. Clara is well acquainted with the victim, as are most of the artists and art critics who have gathered together to celebrate Clara's success. Gamache and Beauvoir are still healing from recent events, and Gamache and Olivier are still awkward with each other. As soon as I finished this book, I immediately wanted to start the next one, but between finishing the Shetland series and reading so many of this series, I might need to take a short break.

>45 hailelib: Hi Tricia, that's a series I hadn't heard of before. I'm still on the fence about starting the Vera Stanhope.

6. The Pull of the Moon I recently read a short story by this author featuring the characters in this book, Nan and her husband Martin. Nan is 50 and has trouble dealing with aging and her perceived boring life and decides to take a road trip by herself. Even though the main character could be perceived as selfish and whiny, it was very well written.

7. The Real Minerva Set in the 1920's in Minerva Minnesota, this is the story of three women: Penny and her mother Barbara, and Cora Egan, who Penny goes to work for after a terrible fight with her mother. I love the theme about the strength of these women, and the sometimes-strained relationships between mothers and daughters.

>37 lsh63: ohh, that looks interesting.

>51 Helenliz: Hi Helen, it really was and a change of pace from my usual reads.

8. The Patron Saint of Liars I have enjoyed every single thing I've read by Ann Patchett. This book is her debut work, about married woman Rose Clinton who leaves her husband and hides out at St. Elizabeth's, a home for unwed mothers in Kentucky. Rose's original plan is to give up her baby and move on. I did not care for Rose's character, but the book was beautifully written.

9 Blanche on the Lam Over the Thanksgiving holiday I decided to subscribe again to Kindle Unlimited, and this series was one of those "recommended to me" based on my buying habits and browsing. This first book features, Blanche, housekeeper in North Carolina, who finds herself on the run after an employer doesn't pay her, and she starts bouncing checks. Being threatened with jail time, she finds a way to escape the courthouse and takes refuge as the housekeeper for a dysfunctional family. The murdered bodies begin to pile up and Blanche knows that she has to find out what happened before she gets blamed for everything. I enjoyed the character well enough to read the next book at some point.

Lots of nice reading, Lisa! It looks like you have had a great start to the reading year. I just started the Three Pines series and have read the first two books so far.

>55 MissBrangwen: Thank you Mirjam. It's so funny about the Three Pines series, years ago I wasn't sure that I wanted to continue with them, now I want to know what happens next after reading each book.

>50 lsh63: going to take a BB for that one!

I started the Vera series, only read book one, but I liked it. After finishing Vera, if in fact I do, I would like to begin the Shetland series.

>41 lsh63: >46 lsh63: Her Shetland series is still my favorite.

10 Gun Street Girl It's 1985 in Belfast, and Detective Sean Duffy, a Catholic cop working in a Protestant police station, investigates a double murder and suicide, that isn't all that it appears to be. Duffy is burnt out from the job, the way his life is going, and is seriously considering another job offer. I found this entry to be a little more complex than the previous books in the series, but I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to Rain Dogs.

>57 Tess_W: Hi Tess, I still plan to try the first Vera book at some point.
>58 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I think I will probably agree with you about the Shetland series. I will try the first book in the Vera Stanhope series soon.

>59 lsh63: Taking a BB for that series.

11 Three Act Tragedy This was my RandomKIT "hidden gem" that I added sometime in 2010 and never got around to reading. This was a good read. I really like how the story was laid out; first Reverend Babbington falls over dead at a dinner party hosted by actor Charles Cartwright. Second, another guest who was at the first party, Dr. Bartholomew Strange also dies at yet another dinner party. There's not much Poirot in this one, but he joins forces with Mr. Satterthwaite, a young woman named Egg, and Sir Charles to solve the case. The ending was great!

12 The Last to Disappear For a thriller, this book took just a bit too long to reach the conclusion. When his sister's body turns up in a frozen lake right before Christmas in Lapland, Alex Evans travels from London to get answers about his sister's death. When he finds out that she didn't fall, and that someone killed her, he teams up with Agatha, the detective who's working the case. After doing some digging, he also learns that other women have also dissapeared from the town and he wonders if it's the work of a serial killer or all the cases different? It was a good read, I just thought it was a tad too long.

>61 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy it when you get to it Mirjam. I think you will, I haven't read anywhere that anyone disliked the series.

13 Secrets of Happiness A man discovers that his father has another secret family with a wife and two kids. I thought the layout of the book was interesting; the first chapter is about Ethan, the son, then the rest of the chapters are about his two half brothers, his sister, and various other characters who are all connected in some way.

Good Morning All,

I swear I blinked and it's the end of the month already! I've been enjoying my reading, but I also started crocheting. I'm finding it very relaxing, and a good way to destress from work, which unfortunately has turned into a circus. There are definite advantages to a hybrid work schedule.

I remember my sister and I being taught to knit during our lunch periods by one of our teachers, but I don't remember crocheting at all. I must have picked up something years ago, because I remember learning to make the chain stitch and the single, double and half double stitches. I eventually want to learn some of the many other stitches also. The scarf I'm making doesn't look great, but I'm getting good practice in. I have to learn how to make the edges straight. You Tube videos are very helpful.

I won't finish any books today, so here is my recap of the month:

13 books read

4 library books
8 Kindle books
1 from my shelf

Reading highlights of the month for me were The Frozen Thames, The Patron Saint of Liars, and Gun Street Girl. I finished the Shetland series, and discovered that I would like to read more Elizabeth Berg.

>66 lsh63: Here's to the things that relax us during stressful times!

>66 lsh63: Excellent! I knit as well and am thinking of learning to crochet, because a lot of cute stuffed-animal patterns are crochet.

Just catching up on your thread.
Are you watching the Will Trent series on ABC / Hulu?

>67 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, I agree! Whatever keeps me from yelling at people. Just kidding........
>68 rabbitprincess: Hi RP, yes I see so many things that I eventually want to try.
>69 VictoriaPL: Hi Victoria! No I didn't know anything about this! I must remedy this soon.

>66 lsh63: Glad to hear you're taking up crocheting. It is indeed relaxing, and I agree with >68 rabbitprincess: that it's fun to make stuffed animals. I've made a bunch of projects from this book: Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet.

>71 mathgirl40: I see so many different things I want to try. I'm still working on my scarf, it 's not great looking, but I like the look of using the back loops, it creates a knitted look.

Mid month check in. I've been working weekends and have been tired during the week so I haven't read much at all. Only two books finished, and I'm working on The Shadow Murders. I started feeling a little odd on Monday while sitting at my desk, I had chills, a slightly scratchy throat, and just generally feeling blah with little energy. I'll finish out the week and then I will take some time off next week and a few days into the following week to read, rest, get my house in order etc. Now I'm going to catch up on threads and see what everyone is reading.

>73 lsh63: oh no! I do hope that you get to feeling better. Take care of yourself!

>73 lsh63: I hope you will be feeling better soon. A few days off will help.

I'll watch out for your opinion of The Shadow Murders. I've read all I own of Adler-Olson, so I think I'm done unless he writes something I cannot resist.

Congratulations on finishing Cleeves' Shetland series. I put it off because I watched the tv series (twice) but I've since heard they are different enough that I can read with no fear of knowing the ending.

Crochet is fun! I do sudoku while listening to audiobooks but crochet would be a good alternate.

Take care of yourself.
I can't knit or do crochet and admire anyone who can make anything other than a mess with yarn & sticks. I stab things to relax - cross stitch. >;-)

>74 VictoriaPL: Thanks Victoria, I haven't had a cold in years, so I'm hoping that it's not more than that.
>75 VivienneR: Thank you. I'm getting close to the end of The Shadow Murders. I still need to watch the Shetland series.
>76 Helenliz: Thank you. That made me laugh. I remember my sister and I cross stitching tea towels and aprons,and of course we scoffed at the time. Especially at the aprons, I still don't wear them, although I probably should.

14. The Beautiful Mystery I've committed myself to this series, and I enjoyed rereading the first few books in the series and moving forward. I struggled with this book for many reasons. Although I enjoy the books set in Three Pines the most, I realize that a different setting is not necessarily a bad thing. This books is set in a monastery, where Gamache and Beauvoir are called upon to investigate the murder of a monk. A certain character is just popped into the storyline to wreak havoc and cause dissension between Gamache and his protege. Then another character just appears out of nowhere. I found most of the storyline pretty frustrating. I'm looking forward to being back in Three Pines with the crazy foul mouthed Ruth and her duck.

15. A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You This was a great short story collection with stories that will tear at your heart strings. In " Hold Tight" Delia deals with her mother dying of cancer while her silly friends argue with their mothers about clothes, curfews, and boys, and she wants to "stab them to death". I enjoyed the stories featuring the characters Lionel and Julia, who also appeared in Where the God of Love Hangs Out.

16 Crochet for Beginners I've been reading a lot of crochet books recently, I'm counting this one only because I haven't read much this month. I've been practicing single, double, and half double stitches. Obviously I have been missing or adding stitches where they shouldn't be so I hope to get better at it. I'm finding it to be a good way to destress.

>73 lsh63: Rest up and take care of yourself! I hope you're feeling better soon.

17 The Shadow Murders This is the 9th book in the Department Q series. It was good to revisit Rose, Assad and Carl investigating a cold case, while also having to deal with a new case at the same time. A new plotline develops from a case in Carl's past, which popped up out of the blue. I enjoyed the book, however Assad's uses of idioms seemed a bit forced. I thought I read that the next book will be the last one.

18 Cat Among the Pigeons I enjoyed this one even though Poirot doesn't appear for a long time in the story. The story takes place at an exclusive school for girls where murders take place, and one of the students may be in danger.

19 The Facts of Life and Death This was a very good thriller narrated by 10-year-old Ruby, who lives with her parents in a run-down part of town. When young women are abducted and murdered in her small town, Ruby's father and his group of friends decide to hunt the killer. As the truth slowly comes to light, the suspense builds to a satisfying conclusion.

20 Encore in Death It's always a treat to sit down with the latest Eve Dallas book, and as usual, I wasn't disappointed. Eve and Peabody investigate the cyanide poisoning of a Broadway star's husband, which took place at a party with many guests. The husband took a sip of a champagne cocktail intended for his wife, which leads everyone to believe that she was the intended target. The suspects include a recently fired assistant, a bitter rival and an obsessed fan. After 56 books in the series, the plotlines and the characters are still interesting.

21 Family Album I enjoyed this story about the messy family life of two parents, six children, and an au pair who stays with the family long after the children are grown. The family grew up in the old-fashioned mansion named Allersmead, with a seriously detached father who writes for a living, and a mother who lives to cook and take care of her family. A family secret is slowly revealed, which sheds light on how each child interpreted what happened.

22 Shadows of Pecan Hollow In 1970, 13-year-old Kit meets 20 something Manny Romero who gives her what she thinks is the love and family security that she never had growing up in the foster care system. Before long, Manny allows Kit to become his partner in crime, starting out with theft and graduating to more sinister acts. Kit discovers that she is pregnant and vows to give her child a better life and protect the child from its psychopath father. With nowhere else to go, Kit finds herself at the home of her aunt Eleanor, in Pecan Hollow Texas. All goes well until Manny is released from prison and vows to find Kit at any cost.

Good Morning everyone,

It's back to work for me today (wfh), so I can't complain too much. I enjoyed my days off and I was able to shake off my lethargy and achiness and I was able to read and take care of a few things around the house. The lethargy was weird, and of course my mind went to all kinds of crazy places that it shouldn't have.

February recap:

9 books read
8 female authors
1 male author
3 library books
5 Kindle books
1 book from my shelf

The best book of the month for me was The Facts of Life and Death. I'm looking forward to getting my reading concentration back and hope to get some good reading in this month. I'm off to a good start as I am greatly enjoying Mercury Pictures Presents.

Hope getting back to work goes well and I'm glad you're feeling better. I really enjoyed Mercury Pictures Presents.

Eight days into the month and so far I've absolutely loved both of the books that I've read.

23 Mercury Pictures Presents This was a very good, character driven novel full of the day-to-day life behind the scenes at a struggling movie studio, the effect of World War II, and a woman's quest to rise from assistance to associate producer. Even with the seriousness of the era, there were many humorous moments as well.

24 I Have Some Questions For You I absolutely loved this book, as it was quite the page turner. I was very intrigued with the storyline of film professor and podcaster Bodie, who returns to her former boarding school to teach a class. She is haunted by the years ago murder of her former roommate, Thalia, which occurred in their senior year. Although the school's athletic trainer ultimately confessed to the crime and is in prison, she and her students remain vigilant in finding evidence that may have been missed in order to clear his name.

>85 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, I'm easing back into things, and enjoying my reading. I'll have to visit your thread to see what you've been up to book wise.

>86 lsh63: Mercury Pictures Presents is already on my list, but you've definitely nudged it closer to the top!

>81 rabbitprincess: I didn't mean to skip you RP, thank you!
>88 christina_reads: It's a good read Christina, I hope you can get to it soon.

25 Rain Dogs It's not a surprise that I enjoyed the 5th book in the Detective Sean Duffy series. In this installment, Duffy faces a murder mysteryof a young journalist that's puzzling and very similar to another locked room case he encountred earlier in his career. I found this book to be a bit more focused on the criminal investigation and less about the "Troubles", than in the previous books. I have one more book left in this series and I'm trying to control myself from diving right in as I often do.

>80 lsh63: I watch You Tube (no charge) and the crochet shows all the time. Some good ideas and some show how to do the stitches.

>91 mnleona: Hi Leona, yes I am discovering that You Tube has just about everything! I'm enjoying learning the various stitches.

26 A Spell of Good Things I greatly enjoyed this author's novel Stay With Me, and I was eager to read her latest book as well. A Spell of Good Things is also set in Nigeria, and tells the story of the vast differences in the two primary characters, privileged Wuraola, who is also a doctor and who seems to have it all. In contrast, Eniola is a teenage boy who comes from a struggling family where his father has lost his job and can no longer pay his children's school fees or keep enough food on the table. Tired of struglling Eniola makes a choice to obtain what he thinks is easy money until he realizes that of course, there is a catch. It was an interesting read to see just how their two worlds would eventually collide. The ending was simply heart wrenching.

27 The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up I was in one of my moods looking around at the various items that my husband has accumulated around the house, garage, basement, two storage sheds, etc., and thought I would read this book to see if I could learn anything that might help my frustration. Our house is not large, so sometimes it is a constant battle to keep order, although sometimes I just go into another room so I don't have to look at it. I remember when people started talking about Marie Kondo with her comments about getting rid of things that do not "spark joy', and I remember the outrage about books in particular. She recommends tidying by category of items, not by room, which is probably a good idea so that you can see everything at one time. I'm not sure that would help me as a certain someone would say that they need all 25 jackets for example, even though some of them have not been worn. Another thing that she recommends is getting rid of things like old checkbook registers, old credit card statement and putting loose change in your wallet right away. Oddly enough we just had a discussion about change the other day, as I tried to move a water cooler jug that contains quarters that I wouldn't be able to lift in a million years. I suggest taking the change to the bank, as I do with mine about three times a year. The response was " I want to see how much accumulates" *blinks*. I really don't want someone to have to go through and sort all of our stuff one day, so I'll keep trying.

28 Queen of Bebop Sarah Vaughan, nicknamed "Sassy" and "The Divine One" is known as one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. Her more popular or most requested songs were "Tenderly", "Misty" and "Broken Hearted Melody". She toured non-stop with most of all the greats of the era: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Count Basie, and Billy Eckstine, and many more. Miss Vaughan wanted to sing her songs her way and although she got her start during the bebop jazz era, she wanted to be known as just a singer, and not a specific type of singer. She was constantly compared to Ella Fitzgerald, who was also wonderful, but their singing styles were very different. The book was a good read, with a lot of detail about her grueling tour schedules, her marriages, and her wanting to do things her way even if it meant going without a recording contract for years at a time.

I am definitely going to be on the lookout for Queen of Bebop as even though Ella Fitzgerald is my all time favorite female singer, I also love Sarah Vaughan's voice as well.

>95 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I hope that you can track the book down. Now you have me thinking about all time favorite female singers, I'm not sure that I could pick a favorite, but I could probably narrow it down to favorite five.

29 Falling I had forgotten that I had this book, and I realized that it fit the Bingo square for a book set on a plane, train or ship. This was a pretty good thriller about a pilot who's forced with crashing his plane full of passengers or his wife and children will be killed.

30 How the Light Gets In I am enjoying this series, and this book in particular, was an excellent read. It's almost Christmas in Three Pines, and Gamache is still trying to help Beauvoir, who doesn't want to be helped. His enemies are everywhere in his police station, and his unfinished business with Francouer is about to be resolved one way or the other. As if he didn't have enough on his plate, Myrna also asks him to look into the disappearance of her friend.

>93 lsh63: Yeah, the Kondo books are useful for oneself, but it's not something you can impose on someone else. Still, I really enjoyed going through my tbr with the whole "spark joy" idea in mind as I did so. It's been a few years, so I should do that again.

>98 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, you're right. I am taking great satisfaction that my dresser drawers are neat and in order!

>97 lsh63: I'm glad you liked How the Light Gets In!

Also speaking of dresser drawers, I went through one of mine today after doing the laundry. I have rather a lot of shirts and they were just kind of shoved in the drawer, so I took them all out, threw out a few that I should have thrown out ages ago, and ironed the rest. It reminded me I had some really nice shirts that I haven't worn in a while!

>100 rabbitprincess: Hi RP, yes it was much better than the last one! It's amazing what you can find in the drawers and closets isn't it?

31The Good House I finished this book early this morning. It's a decent read about Hildy Good, realtor, an alcoholic who doesn't think she's an alcoholic. There wasn't really a plot, rather the book is heavy on characterization, sad but entertaining at the same time.

32 The Long Way Home After finishing How The Light Gets In, I immediately deived into The Long Way Home. In this one, Gamache and Beauvoir help their friend try to find a missing person. There wasn't much mystery here, and even though I didn't like the missing character much, I was hoping for a different outcome.

33 The Book of Goose Let me just say the mind of the characters in this book Fabienne and Agnes scare me a little. The book begin with Agnes receiving the news that Fabienne is dead. Agnes reflects back on their friendship in the small French countryside village where they were raised. Devious Fabienne hatched a plan that took Agnes away ten years ago. This was an excellent read about the power of friendship and was beautifully written.

34 Earth’s the Right Place for Love I didn't realize that this book was a prequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv, which I think I will read at some point. This book tells Arthur's story as a teenager when he is hopelessly in love with Nola McCollum who is only interested in his older brother Frank. Arthur tries to be content with just being Nola's friend, but then a tragedy occurs which greatly changes their dynamic. I loved the relationship between the two brothers, and the character development was just right.

35 Trespasses I enjoyed this book set in Ireland during the Troubles. It's about a young woman named Cushla, who faces conflict between her Catholic upbrining and her relationship with a Protestant married lawyer named Michael, who defends IRA members. Her actions impact not only her family but also her entire community. This was a very good read.

36 The White Lady I was hoping that the author would be releasing another Maisie Dobbs book, but maybe Maisie has run her course. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book with a different character, but it was pretty good. This story features a wartime operative named Elinor White half Belgian and half British, who has been through two wars and is haunted by memories of her past life. The book moves back and forth between the present day and her experiences in both wars. She's someone I would not want to mess with!

>105 lsh63: - Thanks for telling me this. I like Elizabeth Berg a lot and just read Arthur Trulove while we were on vacation. I'll have to see if the library has this.

ETA: There's a wait list but it's not too bad.

>108 dudes22: Your welcome Betty! Is there a book of hers that you enjoyed more than others?

March reading recap: I'm not going to finish anything else today, I'm in the middle of A Killing of Innocents and I've missed Gemma and Duncan. I think it's been three years since the last book.

14 books read
2 male authors
12 female authors
8 Kindle Books
6 library books

My reading highlights for the month were Mercury Pictures Presents, I Have Some Questions for You How the Light Gets in, and Trespasses. Also good were A Spell of Good Things and The Book of Goose.

>109 lsh63: - Gosh - that's hard. In looking at the ones I've read, I see that I rated Tapestry of Fortunes and The Pull of the Moon the highest. I always think of The Pull of the Moon when someone asks me about her. Open House got a lot of buzz as I remember, but I haven't read it yet. I still have a bunch on my TBR pile.

>111 dudes22: Thanks Betty, I think I'll work Open House into the rotation soon.

37 A Killing of Innocents This is book #19 in the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series which has been consistently good. The story is well plotted with just the right combination of police procedural, interesting characters, and historical tidbits. When a young female doctor is stabbed, all of the detectives are working the case with various leads and a few red herrings, but not working together as a unit. There were quite a few subplots that took the reader in various directions, but it all came together in the end. I am eagerly waiting for the next one!

Thanks for mentioning Earth's the Right Place to Love. I enjoyed reading the backstory of Truluv.

>114 dudes22: You're welcome Betty. Now I want to read Truluv.

38 Exiles A year after the fact, Aaron Falk helps his friend Greg Raco investigate the disappearance of Kim Gillespie, who supposedly left her baby behind and vanished into thin air. Falk, who is godfather to the baby is back in town to attend the christening which was cancelled the prior year due to the tragic event. Kim used to be married to Greg's brother, and all of the individuals are all part of a tight knit group, one of whom might be keeping a secret.

39 Easter Bonnet Murder I was in the mood for a slightly cozy read, and I decided to revisit the Lucy Stone series. This book is the 28th in the series, and focuses on a murder which takes place in an elder care facility where Lucy's friend, Miss Tilley, is sent to the home's rehab wing to recover from a bout of pneumonia. I found it to be an entertaining read overall, who knew there could be mean girls in an elder care facility?

I saw on the "what we're reading" thread that you've started We Were the Lucky Ones. That was a 5* read for me when we read it for book club a few years ago.

>117 dudes22: Hi Betty, I am loving it so far. I’m supposed to be spring cleaning but I keep taking breaks to read 😀

40 We Were the Lucky Ones This was a five-star read for me. It tells the compelling story of the experiences of a family during the Holocaust. In the spring of 1939, the reader is introduced to the various members of the Kruc family, who are enjoying their Passover seder, but can't help but realize that the threat to Jews in Poland by the Nazi regime is very real. The parents and all five children find various ways to try to remain safe, even as they know that they may never see each other again. It is a heartbreaking read, but also filled with family love and their sheer will and determination to survive.

41 Heavy This was another heartbreaking yet compelling read. It's a powerful memoir by Kiese Laymon about his difficult relationship with his mother which affected his body. The author recounts his experiences growing up in Jackson Mississippi, with physical and sexual abuse, racism, poverty, being overweight, and addiction. Written in the second person, it's a combination love/hate letter to his mother, the most important person in his life.

42 Hang the Moon This was a pretty good read about the main character, Sallie Kincaid's adventures in Virginia during the Prohibition era. Sallie is the daughter of the most powerful and revered man in town, known as "the Duke". All her father wants her to do is settle down with a husband and provide him with grandchildren. When circumstances force Sallie to take over her father's business, she shows the whole town that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Your thread is a dangerous place! >104 lsh63: I've added The book of goose to my list. And the Crombie and Winspear books are series I enjoy. Is Elinor the character from Maisie Dobbs that Maisie runs into a couple of times?

>121 markon: Hi Ardene! I hope you enjoy The Book of Goose when you get around to it. You raise a good question about the character Elinor from The White Lady. I thought that she was an entirely new character, and I don't remember enough detail about the Maisie series to remember. You've got me curious.

43 Dance of the Happy Shades I was in the mood for short stories, and Alice Munro has never disappointed me. This collection is her first short story compilation, and I think I remembered reading one or two of the stories before, but I'm happy to reread them. As is the case with most short story collections sometimes, the ending is abrupt or the reader is unable to connect with the characters, and some stories are better than others. I particularly enjoyed the title story, which I had read before, about an elderly piano teacher who insists on giving recitals that no one really wants to attend. There was a moment of poetic justice when a few meanie moms wondered why a group of developmentally challenged children were invited to play, and played every note beautifully. Another good story was Postcard, where a woman receives a postcard from her boyfriend and believes their relationship is going well until he comes back to town married to someone else.

44 Homecoming It's been about five years or so since this author's last book, and I have enjoyed everything she's written. She excels in dual storylines, past and presentgenerational mysteries complete with family secrets and betrayal. This latest book finds Jessica (Jess), living in London, travelling back to Australia to see her 90 year old grandmother Nora, who has taken a fall and is not doing well. When Jess finds out that her grandmother fell because she was using steep steps to go to the attic, she starts to wonder what her grandmother was looking for that was so important. As Jess investigates more, she finds a true crime novel about the Turner family, when a tragedy took place that affected the entire family on New Year's Eve 1959. This was a deeply engrossing read for me.

>124 lsh63: - I saw this .....somewhere recently and made a note to add it to my library list. I see that there is already a huge hold list, and there are a few of hers I haven't read yet, so I may wait a while. I think I'll put it down as a BB from you so I don't lose track of it.

>125 dudes22: Hi Betty! Well you are in a for a treat if you still have unread books of hers. I think my favorites were The House at Riverton and The Secret Keeper.

>126 lsh63: - I have The Secret Keeper somewhere in my TBR pile. I'll have to see if I can fit it in sooner rather than later. I think I keep skipping over it because of the length.

45 The Soulmate Somehow or another I usually succumb to the newest thrillers that are released. This book is about Pippa and Gabe Gerard, who move to a town on the outskirts of Melbourne with their two daughters in an attempt to start over with their marriage. The new house is close to the edge of a cliff, frequented by those who seek to end their lives. One night Pippa's thinks that she sees a different version of what happened than what her husband told her and the police. Did the victim really jump or did Gabe push her? It was an addictive read, something that was just right for me at the time.

I hope everyone had a good weekend! We had a lovely brunch yesterday for my just turned 93 year old mom. I wasn't feeling great, as the tree pollen is showing me who's boss and appears to be impervious to any medication, but she was happy and that was all that mattered. Since I did a lot of my chores and prepping for work in the office today, I was able to do nothing but read yesterday afternoon and evening, and it was great!

46 Wandering Souls This is a heartbreaking story of three Vietnamese siblings who seek refuge in the United Kingdom, after their plans to reunite with their parents and siblings in Hong Kong are tragically thwarted. This debut novel is on the Bailey's Women's Prize longlist.

47 Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone I have to admit that I was intrigued by the title of this book. The setting is a family reunion at a snowed in resort, where it's not too long before a murder is committed. There are many suspects, and the premise of the book that each of the narrator's family members had killed someone, kept me intrigued. I found the mystery to be a bit complicated, or maybe my brain was fuzzy at the time, I'm not sure. All in all it was a fun read.

48 Innocent Victims This book is a collection of two novellas by Minette Walters. The first story, Chickenfeed, is supposedly based on the true story of a chicken farm murder which took place is East Sussex in 1924. Norman and Elsie meet, Norman decides he is tired of Elsie after he meets someone else, then Norman goes on trial for murder four years later.

49 The Last Thing He Told Me This book was a gift from my daughter in law that I finally got around to reading. It was a good read, but nothing special. When Owen Michaels disappears, his wife Hannah and his daughter Bailey are left behind wondering if they will ever see him again. Things escalate when Owen's boss is arrested by the FBI, and as federal agents infiltrate their home, Hannah realizes that the key to what is happening lies in Owen's past, and 16 year old Bailey may be able to provide the answers that they are looking for.

50 Lemon Curd Killer Theo, Drayton and Haley have their hands full with Charleston Fashion Week, featuring the Lemon Squeeze Couture event. When the creative director of the brand is found dead in the walk in cooler, her face submerged in lemon curd, the victim's daughter asks Theo to investigate. Even though this is the 25th book in the series, I still enjoy reading them and also looking over the various recipes and tea descriptions.

51 The Queen of Dirt Island I enjoyed this story about four generations of strong women living together in rural Ireland. There's Nana Mary, the grandmother, her widowed daughter in law Eileen, Eileen's daughter Saoirse, and Saoirse's daughter Pearl. The book begins on the day Saoirse is born and the death of her father and grandfather a few days after. The book excels at the relationships between them, and is often the case with family members, you can be angryand disappointed in them while also loving them. I think I will try to read Strange Flowers soon.

52 After Anna This was a mystery/thriller that was just right for a rainy afternoon read. The story begins in reverse chronological order when Dr. Noah Alderman is facing a long prison term for the murder of his stepdaughter Anna. Noah, who is newly married to Maggie after the death of his first wife, doesn't think twice when his Maggie's daughter Anna comes to live with them after the death of her father. Flashbacks indicate the events leading up to his trial, and we don't know whether he will be found guilty or innocent until almost the end, and even up to that point, we don't know for sure if he is guilty of other crimes in addition to the murder.

April recap

16 books read
11 library books
4 Kindle books
1 book off the shelf

3 male authors
13 female authors

In a departure from my usual rating of my reads at 4 stars, for some reason this month most of my reads were average. The best book of the month was We Were the Lucky Ones, and the memoir Heavy. I also enjoyed the latest installment in Deborah Crombie's Duncan and Gemma series, A Killing of Innocents. I was also happy to see a new book from Kate Morton, Homecoming.

53 Small Mercies It's the summer of 1974 in Boston, and tempers flare as a result of the mandatory desegregation legislation of certain neighborhood high schools. Mary Pat Fennessy has always lived in the "Southie" housing projects, and in this world, blacks and whites do not mix. Mary Pat worries about her 17 years old daughter Jules, even more so since losing her son Noel to drugs after his stint in Vietnam. When Jules doesn't come home one night, Mary Pat goes on a desperate search for her, which leads her to suspect that the people she has known all her life may have played some part in her daughter's disappearance. At the same time that Jules doesn't come home, a black co-worker's son is killed under mysterious circumstances. Are the two events related? Mary Pat will not stop until she finds out what happened to her daughter, and will fight and stop anyone who gets in her way. This is a story about real people with real predjudices, who often don't know why they hate, it's just been taught and tolerated throughout their lives.

54 Broken Promise I enjoyed this first book in the Promise Falls trilogy. David Harwood, a character from Never Look Away, has returned to his parents home in Promise Falls New York. The poor guy finds out that the newspaper job that he moved back for, was only his for a day. When David's mother asks him to go check on his cousin Marla, he is shocked at what he finds. In addition, weird things are happening in the town such as animal slaughter, and a message on an abandoned ferrish wheel. The book was pretty action packed and I'll read the next book very soon.

55 The Last Remains I thought that this installment of the Ruth Galloway series was a great way to end it. Ruth is on edge with the threatened closure of her department, and her frustration with what her future may hold with or without Nelson. When a skeleton is found during the renovation of an antique store, Cathbad appears nervous and then disappears. Judy is not allowed to officially work the case, and worries about Cathbad's potential involvement. There were a few references to previous cases that I couldn't remember, but all in all, this was a very satisfying end to the series.

56 The Half Moon This is the sad story of Malcolm, and his wife Jess, as they navigate the disapointments of infertility, depleted savings and their struggling marriage. The Half Moon refers to the bar that Malcolm owns, that he is trying to keep afloat. The characterization was good, however I was slightly unsatisfied with the ending.

57 Standing in the Shadows This is the 28th and unfortunately the last of the DCI Alan Banks series. Banks and his team investigate the link between skeletal remains found in 2019 on an old farm, and an unsolved murder of young Alice Poole in 1980. The link between the two cases slowly evolves, and reaches a sastisfying conclusion. I was sad that this was the last book and that I really missed the character, Annie who was not present in the story at all, due to the events in the previous installment.

>138 lsh63: I still have a few Alan Banks books left to read. I am dreading the day when I finish this excellent series!

>138 lsh63: Like >139 DeltaQueen50: I still have a few Inspector Banks books by Robinson on the shelves. I'll be sorry when I finish the series.

The same goes for the Ruth Galloway series at >136 lsh63:, although the series end has been looking inevitable.

>139 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy! I'm wondering if you got to the point in the series with the character that I found annoying in the last few books.

>140 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne, now I'm curious as to where you are in the Bank series also. I love both series, but as you said, the ending of the Ruth Galloway has seemed inevitable.

58 September Song This is a collection of short stories where most of the characters are in the "autumn" of their lives. My favorite was the title story where 76 year old Virginia Tyler, who has previously had an affair that fizzled out, has decided that she wants to leave her husband when her former love is now available. She finally figures out that there is more than one way to love someone. My heart ached when reading " A Heart in Hiding", where a husband finds his wife dead afte going downstairs to make breakfast. He never thought about the end of their marriage, and he can't seem to grieve in the traditional manner until he saw an item that reminded him of his late wife. I also enjoyed " An Eye for an Eye", featuring a love triangle between James, is wife Irene, and Irene's caretaker Ursula. Irene exacts revenge against Ursula for her betrayal, and they all become stuck with one another.

59 Home Safe The story of mother Helen and daughter Tessa, who love each other, but also grate on one another's nerves. Helen, recently widowed, tries to cope with her grief, but depends a little too much on her daughter , and often meddles in her life . Helen finds out that her husband withdrew most of their retirement nest egg ($850,000) before he died. I was prepared to read that he had done something bad with the funds, but what he actually used the money for was a sweet and beautiful gesture. Helen takes a job in an effort to make a little money, but she finds the work far more rewarding than she imagined.

>142 lsh63: I've been reading Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series out of order depending on what was available at the library. I still have six to read. Next up will be All the Colours of Darkness then a jump to Abattoir Blues.

>141 lsh63: My last Allan Banks was #23 When the Music's Over so I believe I have 5 more to go. I don't recall an annoying character - yet - so I probably have that ahead of me.

>145 VivienneR:, >146 DeltaQueen50: Hi Vivienne and Judy, I think when you get to book #25 Careless Love, you'll be introduced to the character that I'm referring to. You both reminded me to look at some of my series and decide which ones I want to get caught up on. Some of them I haven't read in many years, which could be a problem, as sometimes I'm not good with remembering background detail.

>147 lsh63: I am hoping to pick up a few neglected series this year as well. I will either continue on with the series or finally decide to just let it go.

60 The Midnight News This was an excellent book about 20 year old Charlotte Richmond's mental state after the death of her brother, and several other people in her life. Set in World War II London, the characterization was great, and setting was very well detailed. While heartbreaking, it was also very an interesting and enjoyable read. Thank you Kay and Victoria for putting this book on my radar!

61 A Death at the Party This book takes place over the course of a single day when Nadine Walsh throws a birthday party for her mother. The story begins with a dead body in the basement and the sequence of events that led to the person's death.

62 A Flaw in the Design This was a pretty good suspenseful thriller. A Vermont professor, Gil, becomes the guardian of his newly orphaned 17 year old nephew, Matthew whose parents died under mysterious circumstances. Matthew is a very sophisticated teen, wealthy, used to getting his own way, and There was an incident 7 years prior involving Matthew and Gil's daughter Ingrid which tore the family apart and caused them to become estranged.
Gil is apprehensive about taking in his nephew, but it's only supposed to be short-term, until he enters college. When Matthew signs up for Gil's creative writing course, Gil's life is turned upside down and he begins to realize that Matthew is pure evil, but can't get his wife and older daughter Chloe, to see how dangerous he really is.

The ending is surprising and left a few loose ends that could possibly work for a sequel.

>151 lsh63: That sounds like fun!

63 Where It Hurts I'm pretty sure that I recommended that my library purchase this book in 2017 or 2018, and I didn't think any more about it. Then last week, I got an email that it was available to me for download. It's the first book that appears to be a start of a series featuring the main character Gus Murphy. This book is hardboiled and gritty, and exactly what I was in the mood for at the time. Gus is a retired police officer, who is struggling after the sudden death of his son, and his relationships with his wife and daughter are not going well. Now working as a courtesy van driver in a run down motel where he resides, his life takes a turn when an ex con named Tommy Delcamino asks for his help in solving the murder of his son which occurred a few months earlier. Gus wants no part of the man, but finds himself drawn into the investigation anyway. The plotline of an ex-cop drawn into an investigation is hardly new, but the author made it very worthwhile reading.

>153 lsh63: Your thread is certainly expanding my wishlist!

>154 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, I'm glad to return the favor !

64 No Safe House This book is the sequel to No Time For Goodbye which I read over 10 years ago and have only a faint recollection of the previous storyline. It was a suspenseful read about a family who endured a horrible ordeal 7 years ago and are now deelply involved in criminal activity due to the foolish actions of their teenage daughter. I thought the book went on just a little bit too long, but all in all, it was a very good thriller.

65 If You Want To Make God Laugh I read the author's Hum If You Don't Know the Words and knew that I would want to read more of her work. I was captivated by this story of three women in post-Apatheid South Africa who are brought together under awful circumstances. Seventeen year old Zodwa lives in poverty with her mother who is seriously ill with TB, and is also 8 months pregnant. Wealthy Ruth, and her disgraced former nun sister Delilah, both return to their rural hometown to their family farmhouse, but for different reasons. Ruth is running away from her husband Vince, who wants to divorce her, and Delilah has returned to see her son Daniel who is gravely ill before it's too late. Ruth and Delilah wind up with Zodwa's baby boy, who Ruth wants to adopt, while Zodwa goes to orphanage after orphanage looking for her son. The story is heartbreaking, and moved me to tears by the end.

66 The Guest I was a little perplexed by this book about a 22-year-old woman who survives by manipulating, stealing and taking advantage of people, especially men sometimes younger, but usually older, in order to get by. One imagines that she believes she is justified in her actions since the people she preys upon are privileged and not in touch with the problems of everyday people. When her latest boyfriend kicks her out, she spends days preying upon others hoping to get back in his good graces by the time of his annual Labor Day party. I was perplexed because it was never explained to the reader why Alex did the things she did. Was it her background, her family, a bad experience? We never really find out.

67 Maame I enjoyed this story about a 25 year old woman (Maddie), living in London, who cares for her father who has Parkinsons, and who is also very depressed. The care of her father falls on her shoulders alone as her mother spends a lot of time in Ghana, and her brother is not dependable. Maddie yearns to start living her own life, and when her mother returns from Ghana, Maddie moves into a flat share and begins a new job, as well as a new relationship. When tragedy strikes, Maddie has to deal with her guilt and loss and learn that it's ok to look out for yourself.

68 With My Little Eye A mother moves across the country with her almost teenage daughter to escape her stalker, only to find out that her stalker has tracked her to her new location. Some of the book was a little silly to me, and didn't really work as a thriller, but it was an ok read.

May recap:

16 books read
13 library books
3 Kindle books
7 male authors
9 female authors

My favorite books for the month were The Midnight News, and If You Want to Make God Laugh. I also read the last two books of two series that I enjoy: The Last Remains and Standing in the Shadows. I was able to really enjoy my reading this month and my crochet is looking better than it was. Just dishcloths for now, but I am enjoying trying different patterns to see how they come out.

69 The Nature of the Beast I'm finding that I am really enjoying this series, and I expect I will be caught up before a new book is released. Gamache is now retired and as unbelievable as it sounds, becomes involved in the mystery of a big gun in the forest, which somehow may be related to a play written by a notorious killer.

70 A Great Reckoning Gamache has a new job as the head of the police academy, coming face to face with old enemies, one of whom is found murdered. At times, it appears as though Gamache is considered a suspect, and also that he has some sort of secret relationship to one of the cadets that he has taken under his wing.

I just finished All the Devils Are Here (#16) and they just get better and better. I'm not sure I want to get caught up and have to wait for the next book. It's somewhat comforting to know that I have at least one on my shelves unread.

>160 dudes22: Hi Betty, you do make a good point, it's so funny when I started this series, years ago, I didn't read the next book I think I stopped at number 4. I didn't think anymore about it until last year, then I plowed through the first six, and wanted more.

>157 lsh63: I far preferred Joshilyn Jackson's earlier, quirkier novels before she pivoted to writing thrillers, but I suspect she makes far more money with them.

71 Beware the Woman The same way that I believe that Meryl Streep can play any role, Megan Abbott can probably write a book in any genre. Admittedly I wasn't sure what to think when the author veered from the hardboiled style of Queenpin, Die a Little and Bury Me Deep to young adult thrillers such as Dare Me, The Fever and The End of Everything, but of course she pulled it off successfully. Beware the Woman is a psychological thriller with serious Rosemary's Baby and Rebecca vibes. Jacy is about 4 months pregnant, married to Jed after only knowing him for a few months. The story takes place over a week before the Fourth of July at her father in law's home at Iron Mountain, a secluded area where there's no wifi or cell phone reception. Jacy also meets the creepy Mrs. Brandt who is the caretaker of the house and lives in a smaller house on the property, and can't figure out if she's trying to help or undermine her. Her father in law, Dr. Ash, is seemingly charming and charismatic and welcomes Jacy into the family with open arms. When Jacy experiences a medical emergency with the baby, everything in the house changes. I love the way the author takes the reader from "isn't Dr. Ash the greatest" to uh oh something's off. I was just slightly annoyed with the abrupt ending.

>162 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, I still have a few of her earlier quirkier novels to read, I think I did enjoy those more than her recent thrillers.

>163 lsh63: I'll come back and see what you thought of Beware the Woman after I've read it.

I know that I will read Beware the Woman at some point because it's written by Megan Abbott but I really do miss her earlier hard-boiled style!

72 Babysitter
Set in 1970's Detroit, this was a pretty long novel mainly about wealthy, narcissistic Hannah, the wife of a prominent businessman who begins an affair with a stranger, also featuring Mikey a street hustler, and a serial killer known as the Babysitter, who after terrifying inner city residents, infiltrates the Detroit elite. Hannah is a complex character, insufferable, whiny, self absorbed, yet also at times she is sympathetic. I haven't read many books by the author, but I'm going to make it a point to try more of them soon.



73 Love and Saffron
I enjoyed this simple yet wonderful story of two women in the 1960s who forge a lasting friendship as a result of a fan letter. Twenty seven year old Joan sends a letter to fifty-nine year old Imogen who write a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine. Told in epistolary style, Joan and Imogen write to each other about food. Joan urges Imogen to try saffron and fresh garlic. Imogen's husband Francis, becomes more adventurous with his food choices and pitches in with the cooking of their meals. Joan falls in love while significant events of the decade play out; Julia Child's debut tv show, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the assassination of JFK. This book was a heartwarming read which also made me think about the last time I wrote a letter.



74 Sing Her Down I enjoyed this story of Flo and Dios, who are both released from prison a little early due to COVID. Flo is portrayed as someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, while Dios is portrayed as a ruthless criminal. When they are released, Flo wants to be as far away from Dios as she can get, but no such luck. Dios stalks and follows Flo. all the way to the deserted streets of LA, just to prove her point to Flo, that just because Dios doesn't come from a wealthy background, deep down they are the same. The pacing and suspense of this novel, were just right, all the way to the High Noon showdown that was bound to take place.

75 Pineapple Street I've come to realize that I enjoy messy family stories, maybe a little less so when the characters are extremely wealthy and just a bit whiny. Darcey, Cord, and their younger sister Georgiana are members of the wealthy Stockton family. Darcey, the eldest, signed over her inheritance upon her marriage to Malcolm rather than asking to sign a prenup, while Sasha signed a prenup upon her marriage to Cord. The novel is character rather than plot driven, as Cord and Sasha move into the family home on Pineapple Street which houses all the clutter from Cord's childhood, and Darcey and Georgiana take turns being mean girls to Sasha. Nothing much happens, although I did feel slightly sorry for Georgiana as she was in a relationship that she couldn't be open about.

76 Newcomer Detective Kaga has been transferred to a new precinct and is assigned to the case of a murdered woman who has ties to the business district. I enjoyed the slow burn feel of this book, while Kaga takes his time interviewing the many suspects, sometimes more than once, and his attention to little details with his power of observation, just like an old school detective. I hope that more of the books in this series are translated, I enjoy the writing style.

77 The Untelling Ariadne (Aria) has struggled after the deaths of her father and baby sister in a car accident when she was 10. Aria has lingering guilt due to the fact that the family was on their way to her dance recital at the time. Fifteen years later she works in a non-profit agency, has a promising relationship, and lives in a rundown apartment in a not so great part of town. Aria and her sister have a strained relationship with their mother, who became a little strange after the deaths of her husband and baby daughter. Aria later finds herself derailed by the diagnosis of a serious medical condition which will affect her relationship and her future. My takeaway from the story is that everyone handles grief differently, and of course life isn't easy. The book's title is explained at the end, and makes perfect sense.

78 The Maid’s Diary Kit Darling is a maid who violates her employer's privacy by snooping into their private lives. The premise makes sense, because most people would not want to be around when their house is being cleaned. One day Kit comes across something that she thought was in her traumatic past, which makes her dangerous to the couple who hired her. Kit keeps a diary, or does she? Through various timelines, the diary, two homicide detectives, and Kit herself, it was very interesting to see where the story was going.

79 Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly I thought that this sixth book in the Detective Sean Duffy series was the last, but I thought I read there was a seventh book coming soon. Duffy and his team investigate a the death of a drug dealer killed with a crossbow in front of his own house. Duffy has to tangle with criminals, Internal Affairs and his relationship all at the same time. The story begins in a rather chilling manner which made me a little afraid about what would happen since it was supposed to be the last book in the series. I'm eagerly looking forward to book #7.

80 All the Sinners Bleed I think I read this book in about a day and half it was that good. Titus Crowne is the first black sheriff of Charon County Virginia and tries his best to uphold the law while also fighting the rampant racism that exists. A former FBI agent, he returned to his hometown to help take care of his father while also keeping an eye on his troubled younger brother. A year after his election a school shooting occurs, where the son of one his friends has killed a well-liked teacher and is also killed by two of his deputies. During the investigation, secrets come to light, and Titus and his team realize that there is still a killer at large.

81 Little Secrets This author showed up in one of my "if you like this author, you'll like...." emails, so I decided to try one of her books. Marin in married to her college sweetheart Derek, and seemingly lives a perfect life until the day her four-year-old son Sebastian disappears. Marin hires a private detective to find her son since the police and the FBI have indicated that there are no new leads. When the private detective requests to see Marin, she realizes that the detective isn't about to tell her anything about her son, but rather her husband. Marin decides to take matters into her own hands, and then all heck breaks loose.

82 Killers of a Certain Age This was a very good and also fun read. A group of soon to be retired elite assassins, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie are about to retire from their employer the Museum after being employed for forty years. They receive invitations to a cruise vacation in order to commemorate their retirement, where they quickly determine that they are all targets, and their employer is trying to kill them all. The storyline mainly features Billie's point of view, I would have liked a little more background of the others, but all in all I enjoyed the book.

83 Literary Noir: A Series of Suspense I was in the mood for short story reading and stumbled upon this Cornell Woolrich collection. Apparently, there are three volumes of his short stories. Many of the stories weren't published in traditional book format, rather in monthly detective and mystery magazines. Volume One is titled Solve the Crime/Whodunit? featuring short stories written in the 1930's and 1940's. "Murder Obliquely" is narrated from a female protagonist point of view, tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a millionaire who does not reciprocate her feelings. The beginning sentence is chilling in itself "The other night at a party I met my last love again. By last, I don't mean latest, I mean my first and yet my final one. Another story I enjoyed was "Silent as the Grave", which tells the story of Frances and Ken marry after knowing each other only a few weeks. Ken tells Frances his secret, and years later, she divulges his secret, with the intention of saving someone else.

>176 lsh63: I found all three volumes of Literary Noir available in the Kindle Unlimited program so I will soon have them on my Kindle!

>177 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, that’s exactly where I found them. I love Kindle Unlimited! Now I’m reading what I think was a BB from you, Mothers Tell Your Daughters.

>178 lsh63: Bonnie Jo Campbell is another favorite of mine - but her stories are so dark that I like to follow her up with a happy read!

>179 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, you're right about that, those stories were pretty grim. I don't know how many "happy books" I read, lol, but my library hold came in for The Only One Left, a slightly Gothic thriller, so I'm reading that.

84 Mothers Tell Your Daughters I enjoyed this short story collection that was a book bullet from Judy(DeltaQueen50). This book, described as rural noir, features sixteen stories set in Michigan about women who live difficult lives. The title story I found especially heartwarming, as a dying mother ruminates on her life and her regrets involving the men in her life and how she raised her children. I also enjoyed "A Multitude of Sins" where an abused woman takes revenge on her bedridden husband.

85 The Only One Left This was a thriller with a slightly Gothic undertone, told in alternating timelines, which I enjoy. In 1929, Lenora Hope allegedly stabbed her parents and hung her sister with a rope. Since it was 1929, there was so substantial evidence to warrant a murder conviction, so Lenora has spent the rest of her life in her family home, Hope's End, a decaying cliffside mansion. Now in her 70's in 1983, Lenora is confined to a wheelchair and only has the use of her left hand. Kit McDeere is hired to be Lenora's home health aide after her previous aide suddenly disappears one night.

Lenora indicates that she wants to communicate with Kit, to tell her side of the story, that she wasn't responsible for the murder of her family members. Kit begins to realize that there's more to the story and her quest for the truth leads to a shocking revelation.

June recap

I was able to read 17 books this month, thanks to a few use it or lose it days to give myself long weekends for most of the month.

4 library books
13 Kindle books

5 male authors
12 female authors

My best books of the month were All the Sinners Bleed, A Great Reckoning and Police at the Station and they Don't Look Friendly. I also enjoyed Sing Her Down and Love and Saffron. I also realized how much I love Kindle Unlimited, where I found a few volumes of short story collection by Cornell Woolrich, and a few other gems.