books

A capital crime, Laura Wilson, is the third in the DI Stratton series, set in London in 1950. They are good books, good characters, good plots.


Silesian Station by David Downing, 2008. The second in a series, set in Germany as WWII is about to start. Hero is an English journalist who ends up working undercover for the Russians, the British, the Americans and feigns to be working for the Germans too. Interesting perspective on the war, good mystery, good characters.

Craig Johnson Another Man's Moccasins: A Walt Longmire Mystery. 2009. Second one I read and they are very enjoyable. Different from Longmire on TV but well written.

Barbara Pym The Sweet Dove Died, published long after she wrote it. Ruthless author! She has no mercy and writes so well. Very interesting characters, and none that one would like very much at all.


Struggling with Joseph Boyden's new book, the Orenda, 2014. I liked his other two books very much, but this one seems to not be going anywhere. Half way through, not sure if I will finish it.

good mystery, so-so mystery,

Half of a Yellow Sun, by Chimamanda Ngoi Adichie, 2007. A great novel, really interesting. She is such a good writer. I knew nothing about the Biafra war, and this book tells the story of two twin sisters and the people in their lives. Excellent book.

So-so mystery, wish I had not finished it, by Laura Lippman. 2012 And When She Was Good. Story tedious, characters insipid. Sigh

But, Robert Harris' new mystery was very good; An Officer and a Spy, 2012. Wry sense of humour, the story of the Dreyfus Affair, about which I knew nothing. Set in 1895 in Paris, it is a good spy novel and his hero, Picquart, is thoroughly likable.

Half way through my first Craig Johnson book, The Dark Horse, 2009 and am enjoying it a lot. Like his humour and story telling.

good books

Skippy Dies by Paul Murray, 2011. Young Irish writer, tells a sad and funny story about how Skippy dies, at his boarding school near Dublin. Good writer. Even though Skippy dies right at the beginning of the book, you want to read to the very end. Last part is the best.

The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch, 2006. Interesting book, not the greatest novel but the main character, Miles O'Malley is full of interesting facts about the inter-tidal zone where he lives: on Puget Sound. Entertaining and worth reading.

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison, 2013 is pretty spooky. She may be silent but I bet she is going to be deadly, this wife. Almost finished it so am not sure what is going to happen but something is. This is a pychological thiller about a marriage falling apart and it's well done.

Old Filth by Jane Gardam, 2005. Very good book, Old Filth is quite a character. It jumps around in time a lot, as we get to know him. It is the story of Sir Edward Feathers, a noted jurist based in Hong Kong. His nickname - "Old Filth" "Filth" stands for "Failed In London, Try HongKong". He retired to Sussex, and builds to the end, which was unexpected.

Gold Digger by Frances Fyfield, 2012. A child/thief marries up to a dieing art collector. A mystery unfolds, as the family tries to get the valuables. interesting characters.

Elizabeth Jane Howard. The Light Years, 1960s sometime.... set in 1937 the three Cazelet brothers gather their respective families and head for the family manse in the heart of Sussex for their annual summer holiday. The first of her Cazalet books. Good reading.


The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony, 2012. Just started but it's going to be an interesting read about a group of wayward and badly behaved elephants who are getting their last chance on this author's reserve in South Africa.

good books

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 2013 is a really good book. Interesting to hear a Nigerian person's perspective on the US, and the UK and on Nigeria. Two main characters are really convincing. Really liked this book and want to read more by her. Liked the blog posts that were part of the story.

Am half way through The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and am enjoying it a lot. Interesting story about Theo, lost boy, with his stolen painting. It's long but it does not feel too long. Well written, interesting characters. The painting is by Dutch master Carel Fabritius, and Theo's traumatic life begins on the day he acquires it.

Listened to about a third of Elizabeth George's new mystery and gave up; Just One Evil Act, 2013. Way too long and not interesting enough to keep going. Why doesn't she get an editor?

Also quit half way through Devoured by D E Meredith, although I may go back to it. Just not interested in histroical mystery right now.

Am nearly finished The Lost Carving by David Esterly, 2013. Very well written book about carving, about Gibbons, about working on the restoration after the disastrous fire at Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace which burnt some of the Gibbon's carving. The book meanders off into philisphical and literary and artistic thoughts (Esterley's area of study) but it is good.

mysteries

The Expats by Chris Pavone, 2012. Had listened to it before but it was good light entertainment, like a spy movie. Not very challenging but engaging.


Finished Engleby, 2007, Sebastian Faulks and it was great. The reader, UK actor, Michael Maloney,

was such a good reader. Seen him in lots of UK dramas but never heard him read a book before. He was very good and the book is very good.






Peter Robinson Children of the Revolution. 2013. Good mystery, interesting plot. The murdered person and the investigator - Inspector Banks, are the same age, and also my age. We all get older.

Benjamin Black, Holy Orders, 2013. Another good Quirke mystery. The 6th, for pathologist and amateur detective Quirke. His drinking is a bit much though, and it's all a bit dark but he writes good mysteries. A good writer.

Just started to listen to Solo by William Boyd, 2013. It's James Bond, so pretty light. But it's read by Dominic West! What a treat. Don't have very high expectations for it.


Also just started Ian Rankin's latest book, 2013, and it's good. Saints of the Shadow Bible. Like his characters - have high expectations for this book and am sure he'll come through.

great audiobook

Engleby by Sebastion Faulks, read by Michael Maloney, a UK actor. He's a great reader and it's a good book. Mike Engleby is an intriguing but scary character.

two really good novels and one awful mystery

Really liked All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki, 2004. A novel that takes over, the characters are believable. Interesting plot too. A potato farm in Iowa is the main location, and the people living and not living there deal with everything that is wrong with global farming. She writes really well, this is a very good book.

I listened to half of Night Film, 2013, by Marisha Pessl. Sigh, Hate occult stuff, satan and all that. Very long and very tedious book going nowhere. I am not going to listen to the rest.

Really enjoyed Barbara Pym's Excellent Women. Very incisive, witty, good writing. Not sure when she wrote it, in the 50's I think. She's a very good writer.