Clue Picks Up Steam in 2020!

My name is Luanne and this is my 7th Category Challenge. This year I'll have the same simple categories as the last couple of years. My major goal for 2020 is to pick up steam and read more! I retired six years ago and I know it seems like I should have all the time to read there is. Well, not so much, I stay pretty busy with family, volunteering and travel but the TBR always beckons.

My KITS/CATS for this year are a little fewer than last:

Alpha
Random CAT
Reading Through Time
Mystery CAT
BINGO Dog

Can't wait to start!

FICTION

JANUARY

1. The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard
2. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
3. Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore
4. Leaving Ireland by Ann Moore

FEBRUARY

5. Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson
6. The Little French Bistro by Nina George
7. The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith

MARCH

8. The African Queen by C. S. Forester
9. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
10. The House at the Edge of Night by Catherine Banner
11. Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

APRIL

12. A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install
13. The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner
14. The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

MAY

15. The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain
16. The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
17. The Cuban Affair by Nelson DeMille
18. One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker

JUNE

19. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
20. Ice Brothers by Sloan Wilson
21. Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
22. Demelza by Winston Graham

JULY

23. Doc by Mary Doria Russell
24. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

AUGUST

25. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maughm

SEPTEMBER

26. My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
27. Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham
28. Coventry by Helen Humphreys

MYSTERY & THRILLERS

JANUARY

1. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
2. Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley
3. Force of Nature by Jane Harper

FEBRUARY
4. The Case of the Caretaker's Cat by Earle Stanley Gardner
5. The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
6. A Killer Collection by Ellery Adams
7. A Soupcon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley

MARCH
8. Death Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley
9. The Norths Meet Murder by Frances Lockridge

APRIL
10. Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams
11. Poet in the Gutter by John Baker
12. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
13. A Death in Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley

MAY
14. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
15. Midsummer Mayhem by Marty Wingate

JUNE
16. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker
17. One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters

JULY
18. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie
19. A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey
20. Camino Winds by John Grisham

AUGUST
21. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
22. In the Market for Murder by T E Kinsey
23. The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker
24. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

SEPTEMBER
25. Black Diamond by Martin Walker
26. A Double Death on the Black Isle by A.D. Scott

OCTOBER

27. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
28. A Legacy of Spies by John Le Carre
29. A Crowded Grave by Martin Walker
30. Maigret Hesitates by Georges Simenon
31. All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

NOVEMBER

32. The Cold Ground by Martin Walker
33. The Quiet Game by Greg Iles

DECEMBER

34. The Mistletoe Murder by P. D. James

BIOGRAPHY AND MEMOIRS

MARCH

1. Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
2. The Cat Who Went to Paris by Peter Gethers

July

3. Rosa Bonheur, Her Life by Catherine O. Peare

NONFICTION

JULY

1. Tales From the Edge of the Woods by Willem Lange
2. Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland
Island by Will Harlan

AUGUST

3. Making Masterpiece by Rebecca Eaton

OCTOBER

4. After Hannibal by Barry Unsworth

NOVEMBER

5. We Band of Angels by Elizabeth M. Norman
6. The Residence by Kate Anderson Brower

ALPHAKIT

A & U January
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

F & B February
The Little French Bistro by Nina George

G & C March
The African Queen by C. S. Forester
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

S & T April
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

L & P May
The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurent
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

K & Y June
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

J & R July
Doc by Mary Doria Russell
Camino Winds by John Grisham

O & H August
The Lost Man by Jane Harper


M & E September
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

D & V October

I & Q November

W & N December

READING THROUGH TIME

January: 19th Century Ireland

Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore, BINGO (Proper Name)

February: Crime & Mystery

The Wife, The Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

March: Mothers and Daughters

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

April: Off With Her Head

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner

May: Explorers

June: Get thee to a nunnery (or a monastery)!

One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters

July:

Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for
Cumberland Island by Will Hardin

August: Epidemics, Famine and Other Health Disasters

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

September: Economics in a Broad Sense

Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham

October: Deception: All Is Not As It Seems

After Hannibal by Barry Unsworth

November: Author Biographies

December:

BingoDOG


*POSSIBILITIES

1. Title contains a pun

Planned - Moby Duck

2. "Library" or "thing" in title

* >Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams

3. Pen name/anon author

*A Soupcon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley (Ashley Gardner)
* A Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley (Ashley Gardner)

4. Books. bookstores, libraries

*The Secret We Kept by Lara Prescott

5. Non-UK/US female author

* Force of Nature by Jane Harper

6. Epistolary or letters

Planned - What There is to Say We Have Said

7. Periodic Table element in title

8. From a Legacy Library

* Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

9. Mystery or True Crime

*The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

10. 3 letters of BINGO

*The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

11. Mythology or folklore

12. Set in Asia

Planned - Pachinko

13. Read A CAT

*The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah

14. Published in your birth year

Planned - Cry the Beloved Country

15. Red cover

*An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

16. Published in 1820 or 1920

Planned - Dr. Dootlittle

17. Not set on earth

Planned - Billy Higgins book

18. Published in 2020

*Camino Winds by John Grisham

19. About birth or death

* One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker

20. Proper name in title

*Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore

21. Weird book title

22. Small press or self published

*Tales From the Edge of the Woods by Willem Lange

23. Involves historical event

*The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

24. LT author

* The Confessions of Catherine of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner

25. By journalist or about journalism

*Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson

Love the pics - very steampunk!

>8 clue: I also have Gracelin O'Malley down for January.

Happy reading in 2020!

Love your images, they are gorgeous. Happy reading!

Looking forward to following along - I love the pictures. I’m going to have to make my thread brighter now.

My favourite is the owl -- she seems to be saying "Whooooodunit?" :)

Have an excellent reading year!

Great pictures.

Happy reading!

Love the owl! Happy reading!

I am looking forward to following your reading once again.

Cool challenge! I wish you good luck with your goals. Happy reading!

The cat picture for Biography & Memoirs is wonderful! Happy reading!

Love the Biography cat! Looking forward to following along.

Steampunk! Good luck with your challenge. I read Iron House earlier this year. Quite the book.

Have a great year of reading!

>10 JayneCM:, >11 Tess_W:, >12 MissWatson:, >13 klarusu:, >14 rabbitprincess:, >15 hailelib:, >16 Jackie_K:, >17 dudes22:, >18 DeltaQueen50:, >19 mstrust:, >20 LittleTaiko:, >21 VivienneR:, >22 majkia:, >23 thornton37814:

Thanks! And now...it's time to begin!

JANUARY

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Random CAT
TBR - 2009
My Rating - 4.0



The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard

The Cazalet Chronicles is a series of five novels that follow the lives of an affluent English family from 1937 through 1947.
The series was dramatized on the BBC and PBS in 2001.

The Light Years, the first in the series, takes place in 1937 and 1938. The Cazalet family includes Hugh and Kitty and their four grown children and young grandchildren. Most of the book takes place on the family estate although three of the adult children live in London. The three sons are all married with children and the one daughter is single and lives with her parents. As time has gone by she has assumed more and more responsibility for running the home and farm. Unknown to the family, she is having an affair with another woman.

Howard captures the time leading up to WWII through conversations among the family members. At first there is little concern but by 1938 most of the family is beginning to realize England could be invaded. Plans are hurriedly being made to provide additional living quarters so the children, their tutor and a few other relatives could live on the estate if London comes under siege.

Some members of the Cazalet family are thought to be based on Howard's own family and difficult childhood. She touches on several serious issues including parental jealousy and what may be the start of an incestuous relationship. I'm interested in following the family at least through the next book so I can see what happens as war begins.

>25 clue: And there's my first BB for 2020! I love English family sagas through wartime.

>25 clue: Only Jan 1 and already a BB for me!

>25 clue: BB for me too - I’m always intrigued by family sagas.

Love your category pictures!

I loved all the Cazalet books when I read them quite some time ago. 10 years after writing the first four, she published All Change, the fifth and final volume which is sitting on my shelf. Perhaps I will finally get to it this year.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Red Cover
CAT - Alpha U and A
TBR - 2016
My Rating - 4.0



An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

At seventy-two Aaliya speaks to us in a strong and engaging voice. She is divorced and childless and tells us that she has had only one close friend during her lifetime. Oddly for such a reclusive person, she loves Beirut for its turmoil and gossip.

During her working life Aaliya ran a bookstore. As she ruminates on her life she includes quotations from a wide range of books and her own comments on literature, philosophy and art. She knows several languages and has translated 37 books, though she has never tried to publish any of them.

Alameddine has created an amazing character in Aalyia. The book rests solely on her thoughtful, sometimes humorous comments about herself and the world, but there wasn’t a page where I wanted to stop reading.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - 'Library' in title
CAT - Mystery CAT
TBR - 2011
My Rating - 3



The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

Mr. and Mrs. Bantry have a surprise one morning, a body in their library. If that isn't enough, the dead person is not known to them. They do however know Miss Marple, a good friend to have when someone with extraordinary skills of detection are needed.

An enjoyable though not particularly memorable read.

>31 clue: - I'm so glad that I already have this in my recommended collection from a friend. But she just gave me the title. Your review has made me glad it's on my list.

>31 clue: Taking a BB on this one - thanks!

>31 clue: A BB for me!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Proper Name in Title
CAT - Reading Through Time
TBR - 2016
My Rating - 4



Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore

The novel, the first in a trilogy, follows young Gracelin O'Malley during the time of The Great Famine, a period (1845-1849) of mass starvation and disease in Ireland. During this period of hopelessness, mass emigration to America began, and uprisings against British rule became increasingly brutal for both sides. One of the leaders of the revolutionary movement was Gracelin's brother, though fragile physically, a brilliant strategist. To save Gracelin from starvation her father accepts an offer of marriage for her to an older wealthy man whose stability is questionable. Realistic characters combined with careful historical research gives the novel an emotional impact and social understanding unlike any other novel I've read about Ireland during this horrific period.

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Alpha A
TBR - No
My Rating - 3.5



Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

The first in a new series, Death Below Stairs is well written with better developed characters than often seen in a new series. It takes place in London in 1881. Kat (Katherine) Holloway, an accomplished and experienced cook, has been forced to look for a new job because her previous employer moved from London. Because Kat's references are excellent she becomes the cook in the home of Lord and Lady Rankin. It isn't long before Kat realizes all isn't as it should be in the Rankin household and when the body of her assistant is found in the larder, Kat takes part in untangling the mystery.

I've discovered there is a prequel to the series and it will probably fill in some blanks in Kat's history. The second book in the series is available and I will definitely read it, I think this is a series I'll enjoy. Love the cover art too!

>37 clue: - I just read the second book in the series and enjoyed it immensely and have the third book on hold at the library. I will definitely seek out the prequel to get some of these details in Kat’s life.

>38 LittleTaiko: I had a BB on this one and it may have come from you. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

>37 clue: I will take a BB on that one!

>37 clue: I've heard many good things about this series! I'll have to get to it sooner rather than later.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - 2018
My Rating - 4.0



Force of Nature by Jane Harper

BaileyTennants sends two teams of employees, one of women and one of men, on a team building activity. The teams are to navigate their way through an Australian wilderness area using a map and a compass, arriving back at the starting point on day three. They carry the only supplies they will have in their backpacks.

The book follows the women's team, one with unusual dynamics. Two of the women are twins, two knew and disliked each other in school and the other is the daughter of the company founder. Unknown to anyone, one of the five has been feeding information on illegal company activity to Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper.

The weather is against the women from the start, raining and cold. The paths are hard to see and on the second day the group becomes lost. They eventually stumble upon a decrepit cabin and prepare to stay for the night. It's creepy, in previous years a women went missing in that area and was never found. And then, during the night, one of them does.

Harper creates an atmosphere and lets tension build until it's hard to take a break from reading. The team building activity that anchors the plot is laughingly real (guess how I know).

>42 clue: I really should get to this one! It has been on my list since I read The Dry. I have never done any of those team building activities but my hubby has. He always has funny stories when he gets home (luckily not scary ones though!)

>42 clue: That one is already on my radar. I don't see a prominent "psychological thriller" tag so I guess it doesn't fit that for the February ScaredyKIT.

>44 thornton37814: No, it's not a psychological thriller but I think you'll enjoy it when you get to it. I picked up her only standalone book from BAM's sale shelves yesterday and look forward to seeing how I like it.

Origin - Library (ILL)
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR -No
My Rating - 4



Leaving Ireland by Ann Moore

After reading the first in the Gracelin O'Malley trilogy earlier this month I decided to continue on with the second. It comes to the point that for her own safety, as well as for the safety of her daughter, Grace must leave Ireland. With help from her friend Julia, passage is booked on a ship to America where she will join her brother Sean.

For many Irish, life in America is little better than the one they left behind, but for Grace there is a home again with friends of Sean, and a job in their pub. Sean is still involved in Irish politics and drama remains in their lives but they are both sheltered and have food and friends. This book isn't as intense or captivating as the first, but I liked following Grace in her new life. Though there are challenges and danger throughout, the book ends on an upbeat note and now I'm interested in how the future plays out for Grace and I'll soon read Till Morning Light.

JANUARY RECAP

Read 7
TBR 5
Library 2
BINGO 4

>46 clue: Good to hear that this was a 4 star read for you. I am looking forward to my books arriving in the mail.

FEBRUARY

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes
My Rating - 3.5



The Case of the Caretaker's Cat by Erle Stanley Gardner

Peter Laxter intended for his caretaker to continue working and living at the Laxter home after his death. Unfortunately, he didn't specify that the caretaker's beloved cat could stay as well. When Laxter's grandson Sam inherits the house he insists the cat go. That's when trouble, including death, began. Luckily, Perry Mason became involved and untangled a web that lead to the killer.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes (Journalist)
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2019)
My Rating - 3.5



Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson

This is an historical novel that takes place from 1940 to 1945. Ruby has been a staff writer for just six months at a weekly newsmagazine in New York when she is given the opportunity to transfer to London. The assignment means splitting her work time between the American publication and one in London. It's not so much that London needs another journalist the English editor writes his friend in America, but "If you have a girl to spare...home-front news is our bread and butter right now. Someone smart and independent and not overly fussy about niceties". What he means is that he needs someone to write stories about people and their experiences rather than politics, and Ruby becomes his "girl". Soon she is on a ship traveling in a convoy to England where she will work throughout the coming war.

While the cover implies the book is a romance, it isn't, although there is a romance for Ruby running through it. Robson is a historian (PhD in British economic and social history) and her grandmother was a journalist. The book isn't about her grandmother but was inspired by her, and certainly Robson's studies at Oxford contribute to the characters and story line. The notes section is as interesting as the book and a glossary of war terms and places is appreciated.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes (Based on true crime)
CAT - Yes - (Reading Through Time)
TBR - Yes (2014)
My Rating - 2.5



The Wife, The Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

Lawhon based this novel on the actual unsolved disappearance of New York Judge Joseph Crater in the 1930s. It was assumed by many that the judge was murdered but who the murderer was and why Crater was killed remains a mystery. Using both characters who were living at the time and creating some of her own, the author gives her take on the judge's disappearance. Jazz Age characters; organized crime bosses, corrupt government officials, police on the take, and showgirls and prostitutes all take their place.

While entertaining, the book has it's problems. The characters are not much more than a stereotype with little actual character development. One of the irritating practices the writer employed was beginning each chapter with a date and then within the chapter paragraphs sometimes moving forward in time, sometimes to the past. It happens so often I'm claiming reader whiplash! Neither of these complaints were as serious though as the summation where the author reveals relationships among major characters that are surprises to the reader. I suppose this tactic was meant to bring drama to the end. Instead it brought silliness.

>51 clue: I have her books I Was Anastasia and Flight of Dreams on my TBR. Love anything about the Romanovs and anything about the Hindenburg.
I hadn't heard of this one though.

>51 clue: I have this one on my pile of next reads and I think I need to lower my expectations a little - sounds like it's more for entertainment than for actual information.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes - Consecutive letters in BINGO (ing)
CAT - Yes Random (Leap Year)
TBR - Yes (2016)
My Rating - 3.5



The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith

The book begins in 17th century Amsterdam where painter Sara de Vos paints a landscape she titles At the Edge of the Wood. Centuries later the painting will greatly affect the lives of the wealthy collector who owns it and of the student who is asked to "copy" the painting although she knows she is painting a forgery.

Although well written I was disappointed that I didn't find the contemporary characters very believable. Even so, I liked the book though not to the extent I expected.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2017)
My Rating - 3.0



The Little French Bistro by Nina George

Shame on me! I've had this ER sitting on the shelf since 2017. When I received it I realized it was by a different author than I thought, in fact by one whose first book I hadn't liked, so it sat on the shelf. Now that I've read it I am glad to say I liked it better than the previous book. It reminds me a bit of Chocolat, the theme is similar.

Marianne and her difficult husband have travelled from their home in Germany to Paris. She is so unhappy she attempts suicide but is rescued by a stranger. Since she has no id her husband isn't notified and by twists and turns she eventually finds a place for herself in a small seaside village in Brittany where likeable quirky characters abound.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2020)
My Rating - 3.5



A Killer Collection by Ellery Adams

Molly is a staff writer for a local weekly antiques publication. When she gets the opportunity to write about the kiln opening of a highly collectible potter her mother, a collector, goes along to help...and buy. When one of the most well heeled, well known and well disliked collectors winds up dead, Molly get an even better story than she hoped for.

The mystery is just so-so but the topic of pottery as an art, North Carolina family tradition and business kept me interested.

February RECAP

Read 6
TBR 6
Library 0
BINGO 3

MARCH

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha CAT (C)
TBR - No
My Rating - 4.5



The African Queen by C. S. Forester

Sixteen years before there was a move titled The African Queen, there was a book, a classic story of adventure and love. Set in German Southwest Africa at the beginning of WWI, it brings together Rose, a middle-class missionary's sister, and a cockney mechanic who works at a nearby mine.

Rose is a strong, patriotic woman and convinces the weaker Charlie that they should attack a German gunboat in his small and ailing steamboat. Against all odds she sways our hero to attempt the journey down a dangerous river full of fast rapids, thick vegetation, leeches and rocks to get to the lake where the German boat is on patrol.

Mismatched lovers, a wacky adventure, and an unlikely hero pulled me in quickly and gave me a day of pure reading pleasure. It's no wonder to me that The African Queen has become a classic.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes Reading Through Time, BFB
TBR - Yes (2020 for Book Club)
My Rating - 4.0



In 1974 Ernt Allbright is suffering the effects of being a POW in Viet Nam. His wife Cora and his thirteen year old daughter Leni have become accustomed to both Ernt's erratic behavior and frequent job losses. Leni has attended 5 schools, never had a friend and always feels like an outsider. When Ernt receives word that a friend in his POW camp has left him a piece of land in a remote area of Alaska, he is overjoyed and sure it's the place his family should be.

Living off the grid in Alaska doesn't turn out to be Ernt's salvation, his mental state and violent acts escalate. Cora bears the brunt of his uncontrollable anger though after each beating he assures her of his love. Leni has a clearer vision of her Dad and becomes increasingly afraid for herself and her mother. When Ernt starts building a wall around their home, she knows she and her mother must plan an escape even though winter will make survival outside the wall questionable. They have friends in the small community they live near, but she recognizes that enlisting their help will be a great risk for them.

This is a 545 page book and I loved about 500 of them. Hannah created very believable characters, not just in the Allbright family, but among the members of the community as well. Some fan the flame of discontent in Ernt, anti government, anti American society, and dwelling on the nuclear war they see coming. Others, like Large Marge, have left seemingly successful lives behind to get away from the pressures of work, city living, and the effects of personal tragedy. They, and some of the Alaska natives, are the glue that holds the community together. The authors descriptions of Alaska, the beautiful landscape and the harsh conditions are captivating. Unfortunately, the last 40 to 50 pages seem written by a different author. A true love conquers all ending that is shallow and trite feels tacked on as if it was left over from another book. How I wish the end had the same power the first 500 pages did! Still, to me it was great read.

>59 clue: So far I've had a hit - The Nightingale, and a miss - Winter Garden from this author although The Great Alone is on my list for future reading.

>60 DeltaQueen50: I'll be interested to see what you think of it. I've always been fascinated with people who live off the grid in such remote, and in this case severe weather areas. I think I'm much too spoiled to be able to do it. One of the characters says that quite often people think they want to be away from society and expect it to be a cure for them, but instead they come apart when they are living through darkness 18 hours a day for months. Yes, that would be me.

I've had The Nightingale on my shelf for a long time, I plan to get to it soon.

>61 clue: I love books about surviving or living off the grid - funny since I would be terrible at this as well.

<62 I'm exactly the same...adventure is primarily an armchair activity for me.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes (Pen Name)
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2020)
My Rating - 4.0

Soupcon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley



In January I read Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley, the first in the Death Below Stairs mysteries. Afterwards I realized there was this prequel, a novella, and I've just finished it and liked it even more.

Ashley's characters are very good, well developed and believable although we know there is more to one of them than we've been shown. I just ordered the next two, there are only the three in the series now but another is coming later in the year. I'll need some airplane reading soon and this is likely to be it.

Lots of great reads here and I'll take BBs for The Cazalet Chronicles and Force of Nature and I might take a chance on The Great Alone.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Random Cat
TBR - Yes (2018)
My Rating - 3.5



The Norths Meet Murder by Francis Lockridge

Published in 1940 and set in 1930s New York this is a look at what life was like for an upper class couple between the wars. I assume finding a nude body in an empty apartment wasn't commonplace but the North's managed that experience with the tool their social set seemed to rely on then, cocktails and more cocktails! Lieutenant Weigand of New York's Homicide Bureau was also helpful. In fact, although it was possible they might have committed the murder the Norths and the Lieutenant became very friendly and on occasion discussed the case...over cocktails, even when the Lieutenant was on duty! Lieutenant Weigand was competent, thoughtful and considerate when Mrs. North, a rather ditzy woman, gave him a couple of ideas which worked to his benefit. Well, all of their benefit, once the murderer was arrested they celebrated...with cocktails!

This was the first in the Mr. and Mrs. North series. Wildly popular, the series was written between the mid-thirties and 1963. In addition, the Norths inspired a play, movie, and a radio and TV series. I bought this and a couple of others at a library book sale and I think it will be fun to see how the Norths changed over time. Oh, and the police as well. Weigand's partner is continually wanting to work over a suspect to get a confession. And then there's that business about drinking on duty.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha C
TBR - Yes (2017)
My Rating - 4.0



The House at the Edge of Night by Catherine Banner

I find this book hard to explain. If little action and a languid pace are not your cup of tea it's not for you, but you'll pass up dreamy writing and memorable characters. The feeling reminds me of Beautiful Ruins though I liked this more.

Amedeo Esposito, a young doctor needing a job in the early 20th century, leaves his home in northern Italy for a remote island off the coast of Sicily. So begins a saga that will cover almost 100 years because although Amedeo will live a long life, he will never leave Castellamare. He is so taken by the people and their history he begins to carry a red journal with him to record the stories he's told, so not only does he become the island's doctor, he also becomes its storyteller.

After a few years Amedeo marries the island's feisty teacher, Pina. They will encounter all the difficulties of life during that time. Recession, the threat of fascism, the loss of children, but they also experience the deep bonds of family and life long friendships. The later part of their lives will be spent at The House at the Edge of Night. Amedeo was enchanted by the bougainvillea covered home that also served as a café, bar and island gathering place when he first arrived. So when he retires after decades of being the island's doctor and secret keeper, he and Pina restore the abandoned building and The House at the Edge of Night welcomes the islanders once again.

>67 clue: Sounds lovely. On my wish list it goes.

>67 clue: - Well that's a BB for sure!

>65 LisaMorr: I hope you like them all Lisa, I got the 2nd in the Cazalet Chronicles when I made my first curb side pick-up at the library earlier this week. This seems like a good time for it.

>68 Tess_W:,>69 dudes22: I love a book that puts me into someone else's story and this one did that for me. I was disappointed to see Banner hasn't written any other adult books, she has a YA trilogy that looks like fantasy, but I'm going to keep checking to see what she does next. I hope you enjoy The House at the Edge of Night, engaging title isn't it?

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Random CAT - Season
TBR - Yes (2010 Reread)
My rating - 4.0


Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart

This is the second, maybe even the third time, I've read this memoir. In 1945, two college roommates at Iowa State University decide to spend the summer in New York City. When they leave Iowa they have very little money over the cost of a train ticket and no job waiting for them. Devotes of Vogue, they assume they will take a job in a classy department store, Lord & Taylor being the first they try but certainly not the last.

Riding on a bus down Fifth Avenue after being tuned down for an interview once again, they see the glittering windows of Tiffany and decide they might as well give it a try. Even they are surprised when they are hired as couriers and become the first women on the Tiffany sales floor.

This is a bittersweet recount of the experiences Marjorie Hart shared with Marty Garret that long ago summer; seeing celebrities come and go from Tiffany's, attending popular Broadway plays, dancing the night away with handsome midshipmen. The two were even in Times Square on VJ Day. An easy and quick read, it gives us a chance to be young and adventuresome during that time and place.

That sounds like a lot of fun- BB!

I have taken a BB for Summer at Tiffany as well.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Group Read
TBR - Yes
My rating - 4.0



Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

I had tried this, the first in the Poldark series, last year and just couldn't get into it. Now I can't think why that would be, I raced through it this time and look forward to the next one.

The series opens with Ross Poldark returning to England from fighting in the American Revolution. His homecoming isn't as he thought it would be, he finds his father has died, the ancestral home has fallen into poor condition, and the woman he intended to marry has instead married his cousin. This volume follows Ross four years, 1783 - 1787.

Ross Poldark was originally published in 1945, the twelve book series continues to be popular and has been developed into two television series most recently on PBS. The last book in the series was published in 2002, a year before the author's death.

APRIL

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes, Library in title
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 3.5



The Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams

The fourth in the Book Retreat Mystery Series, a very old grave is uncovered on Storyton Hall grounds while a rare book conference is taking place there. Amazingly a book is found in a metal box along with the human remains. Is there a tie between that book and the murder of one of the rare book experts that examined the book?

The books in this series grow stronger as the series progresses and the author's book knowledge makes pleasurable reading for likeminded readers.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT -
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.0



Poet in the Gutter by John Baker

Sam Turner is a recovering alcoholic who keeps himself busy going to whatever meeting he can get into in the evenings. At a meeting for substance abusers the leader goes around the circle asking what each person does. Sam isn't doing anything but he doesn't want to look like a loser so he says he's a P.I. Later he gets a phone call from Terry Deacon, another man attending the class, and Terry wants Sam to do a job for him. Deacon thinks his wife is having an affair and wants proof. At that moment the Sam Turner detective agency is born.

The job tailing Deacon's wife becomes considerably more difficult when Deacon is murdered. Turner, trained by his favorite living writer Elmore Leonard (he only reads class stuff), gets a murder investigation and antagonizes the police that fast. It won't be long before Turner realizes a serial killer is on his inexperienced hands but that doesn't stop him.

This is the first book in the Sam Turner Mystery series but he's already at the top of my favorite P.I. list. When he hires
help one of them is a "Hameless and Hungry" teen he's keeps seeing on the streets and can't forget. His office manager is an older woman he meets during his investigative interviews and she also takes on tutoring the homeless teen, so that he can write his own reports. There are others, and if this was a movie the reviews would say it has a great ensemble cast.

I finished this last night and ordered a the second in the series this morning!

>76 clue: I stumbled onto the Sam Turner detective books a few years ago and I gobbled up the whole series. It was excellent. I'm happy to see that your have discovered this one.

>76 clue: - Ok - you got me - BB.

>75 clue: I own the first one in that series but still haven't read it. I'll eventually get to it, but I need to prioritize the ARC cozies at the moment along with challenge reads.

>79 thornton37814: Not surprisingly it's the book angle that I especially like but the setting is unique if completely unlikely. Hope you enjoy it when you get to it!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha (T)
TBR - Yes (2016)
My rating - 3.0



A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

This is the first of twelve books in the Bess Crawford Mystery Series. Bess is a nurse working on a hospital ship during WWI when it hits a mine and sinks. After recuperating from injuries at her parents home in London, Bess honors her promise to a dying soldier and delivers a message to his brother at the family home. By doing so Bess becomes involved with a family embroiled in secrets and a shameful past.

This wasn't a book I could really like, the plot was too convoluted and there were too many unlikely events. I have the next in the series on the shelf and I'll read it, hopefully I'll like it better.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2018)
My rating - 3.5



A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install

With the death of Ben's parents his life went on hold. After failing at becoming a veterinarian no amount of pushing and prodding from his driven wife caused him to find a new interest. It's not until a broken robot (Tang) shows up in their garden that Ben finds anything he wants to do except lounge. Actually all he wanted to do then was just get Tang repaired. He didn't intend to travel around the world looking for Tang's manufacturer, he didn't mean to "adopt" a stubborn robot, and he certainly didn't foresee a change in his own life.

Install clearly set out to write a warm and fuzzy book when she wrote A Robot in the Garden and that's exactly what she did. It's a clever new take on an old theme and completely enjoyable reading.

>82 clue: I really enjoyed A Robot in the Garden too.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes Real Historical Event
CAT - Yes Reading Through Time
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.0



The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C. W. Gortner

Catherine de Medici is known as the most powerful woman of the 16th century and one of the most ruthless women in history. Here Gortner gives this complex woman a chance to explain her actions during a period of history that was marked with constant civil and religious wars. Told in the first person, she begins with her childhood in a monastery in Italy and continues through an arranged marriage to Henry II of France at fourteen, through birthing and burying children, and serving as Regent to two of her sons who became King after their father's death. A third son became King of France as well, but eschews his mother's advice until she is near death. In the end Gortner's novel handles a complicated historical period in an interesting way. His writing is good and the structure makes reading and understanding tumultuous times and events easy on the reader.

This is the third book I've read by Gortner and I always admire his Afterward. His remarks included why he decided to write about her, what her letters revealed to him, and where the novel is not historically accurate and why he made the decisions he did. He also includes a bibliography of 10 books, both biography and books on the period. To this I can say no thanks for now, I've had enough of the 16th century for awhile.

>84 clue: I've got this on my -ereader. I really need to make time for it. Thanks for reminding me!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2020)
My rating - 3.5



A Death in Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley

Uh-oh, I meant to read the 2nd in the Below Stairs Mystery series and read the 3rd by mistake! Oh well, the second waits on my Kindle.

The setting is Victorian London and the protagonist a young woman working as the cook in a Mayfair mansion. A murder takes place next-door. The neighbor maintains a garden of exotic plants he has brought back from China where he once lived. A second murder takes place in Kew Gardens one night and its unclear whether the two murders are related. A horticulturist at Kew is a consultant on the Chinese garden.

Kat (is this a Victorian name?) and her secretive love interest investigate. The two of them and the supporting characters are fun to know.

MAY

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha L
TBR - Yes (2020)
My rating - 4.0



The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain

I like reading lists of recommended books, especially when they have been compiled by a person rather than a publication. So naturally I have avidly read lists of books recommended for respite from the world's most recent trouble. To paraphrase someone writing in the NY Times, I've had plenty of time to read but my bandwidth has been too short.

What I have been looking for are short books that have an uncomplicated plot, are entertaining but also well-written. I found a few and this is one of them. I can't remember the first list I saw this on, there were two, but the second time it was on a list by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. She had another book on her list I have read and it met my requirements so I thought she understood the need.

This is a novella, the Kindle edition is 240 pages. The author is French and the story takes place in Paris. The protagonist was a lawyer/financial executive when he decided the work didn't suit him and opened a bookstore instead. He is just not a bookstore owner, he is a bibliophile and oh so likeable. Leaving the bookstore early one morning to go to his favorite breakfast café, he sees a purse on top of a trash can. It's an expensive purse and when he looks inside there are contents but no money or ID. He naturally surmises it's stolen. Being the good person he is, he takes it to the neighborhood police station, but they are backed up and disinterested. Obviously if the owner is found it's up to him. Fortunately he is a divorced father of a pushy teen who involves herself in the search. To cut to the chase, this is a romance although the parties don't meet until the end. A very enjoyable quick read that could have been an Audrey Hepburn movie.

Translated by Jane Aitlan and Emily Boyce.

>86 clue: - I really have enjoyed that series too. Like you, I was struck at how modern her name sounded though. Oh well, she's a good character to spend time with so I don't dwell on it too much.

>87 clue: I've had The Red Notebook on my "maybe I'll check this out someday" list for a while...your review is definitely convincing me to move it up the list!

I had a great time today with my book club at our first ever book swap! Since the library is closed we met in the city park across the street which is still open. We went to the middle of the park so we were in a quiet spot under a big tree. We each brought a folding chair, a picnic lunch and books to swap! We were able to easily maintain a "social distance" by putting our chairs in a circle. I took five books to swap and brought home six. It was so much fun seeing each other, to talk about what we've read, and to just enjoy being outside on a beautiful day. Here's what I brought home:

The Cuban Affair by Nelson DeMille
The Colour by Rose Tremain
Tidelands by Philippa Gregory
Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer
Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict
The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar

>90 clue: That sounds like a fun way to meet with your book club. Great haul, I've read The Colour and thought it was very good. I expect I may be hit with a few book bullets for some of these when you get to them.

Making note of the Below Stairs Mystery series. Not that I need a new series right now, but lists full of future book reads are comforting.

Uh-oh my mistake!

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha P, Mystery CAT (espionage)
TBR - No
My rating - 4.0



The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

There are two story lines in this novel. There are groups of EAST chapters that follow Boris Pasternak and his mistress during the writing and release to the world of Doctor Zhivago and groups of WEST chapters that follow two typists working at the CIA, one of them is an experienced operative and the other will become one. There are many issues interwoven within the lives of the characters particularly the limitations placed on working women and sexuality.

Pasternak, even while writing, knows that Zhivago will never be published in Russia because of it's anti-socialist ideals. What he could never have guessed is the CIA will plan a mission to distribute it around the world, though he could guess the response in Russia.

This is Prescott's first novel and I wasn't really hooked until I was at the halfway mark and by the end I was so glad to have read it. The beginning is awkward, I reread the first 50 pages but with a second reading got a handle on the way the book is organized. What a story!

>94 clue: a BB for me for sure!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2020)
My rating - 3.0



The Cuban Affair by Nelson Demille

Dan MacCormick served five years in the army as an infantry officer during two tours of Afghanistan. Trying Wall Street and deciding it wasn't for him, he moved to Key West where he skippers his own charter fishing boat. Carlos, a Miami lawyer involved with anti-Castro groups, asks Dan to consider joining a covert mission some of his clients are planning. The clients include an older man, Eduardo, and a young Cuban-American woman named Sara. The mission is to recover sixty million dollars hidden in Cuba by Sara's grandfather when he fled Castro's revolution. With an agreement that he and his boat will take part in the mission and a payout of three million dollars, Dan decides to take the chance. His boat payment is due.

So begins an escapade that includes romance, gunfire, Cuban-American politics and the CIA. Contemporary Cuba is a great setting for a thriller and DeMille does a good job with the descriptions of Havana and the welfare and attitudes of the Cuban people.

DeMille's many fans rate this as a 4 or even 5 star read, so if this is a genre you enjoy you would probably find it a better read than my 3 star rating implies. It's a bit over the top for me.

>95 Tess_W: I hope you like it as much as I did Tess. It's not perfect but the story is so interesting it carries any shortcomings.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes (Legacy Library)
CAT - Yes (Mystery CAT, Random CAT)
TBR - Yes (2014)
My rating - 4.0



Jamica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

Jamaica Inn sits alone on the Cornish moors, no longer the comfortable inn it once was but instead the home of an evil man. Not knowing the circumstances, Mary Yellan goes there after the death of her mother because her aunt is married to Joss Merlyn, the owner of the inn. Mary will learn the inn harbors men unlike any she has ever known; smugglers, thieves, even murderers. How can she protect herself and her Aunt Patience, a battered and haunted captive. A dark, suspenseful and atmospheric read.

The 1939 Alfred Hitchcock movie starred Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara in her first major screen role.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes (Birth or Death)
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.5



One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker

In the 1870s in Wyoming Territory two families lived a large pasture apart. They were friendly but not friends though no other people lived within twenty miles. Nettie Mae and Substance Webber had a 15 year old son. Cora and Earnest Bemis had three small children and a daughter 13, Beulah.

When Earnest was out looking for a missing calf late one summer day he was stunned to find his wife and Substance in a compromising position. Beulah: I was leading the cows to the milking shed when my pa shot Mr. Webber. With Substance dead, and Earnest serving a prison sentence, the women are faced with preparing for and getting through the upcoming long and brutal winter with no help other than their children. Not only does Cora know very little about farming, she grew up in a city and has never done the farm work, she has no money to hire help even if she could find it. Nettie Mae, a bitter and hard woman even before her husband's death, is a little better prepared with a son old enough and willing enough to become "the man".

Hawker lets each character tell their own story about the murder and the new life they were forced to live in alternate chapters. While I don't always like this method it works very well here with each character having a unique voice and perspective. Beulah would be a particularly difficult character to write, she is a strange girl, knowing the future before it comes and loving all natural creatures regardless of the harm they might bring, but in Hawker's hands she is believable. In the author's notes she tells us the story is loosely based on family history. I'm sold on Olivia Hawker and will probably need to order another book this very night!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (about 2000)
My rating - 3.0

The Cat Who Went to Paris by Peter Gethers



The cat in this short novel is named Norton and that may ring a bell as the book was later published under that name. Two additional books followed. Gethers, who works in the entertainment business, didn't like cats until his girlfriend actually gave him one. It didn't take him long to fall in love with the sweet kitten and decided to treat Norton as he would a dog, taking him everywhere he went including business trips outside the U. S., on dates, and to the world's best restaurants.

I liked Norton and his adventures but I didn't care much for Gethers himself. Originally published in 1992, I'm not sure it would be as popular today as it was thirty years ago.

>100 clue: I read that one or one of the other books. I liked the Scottish Fold as did you, but Gethers was unmemorable. I only envision his role in wearing the sling or whatever it was he wore to carry the Scottish Fold with him. For me, the cat was where it was at!

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - No
My rating - 3.0

Midsummer Mayhem by Marty Wingate



An outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream is held on a private estate. The director wants the set to be primarily live plants. Our protagonist, Pru, a professional gardener, is called in to create the design.

I read this at the end of last month and maybe if I had read it at a different time I would have liked it better. There really isn't any gardening and that caused my interest in the series, and when a murder takes place Pru does more investigating than DC Pearce, her husband! I wish I could find a series like the one I thought this was. Since this is the second in a row I haven't liked, I'll probably forgo reading the next one when it comes out.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes (Asia)
CAT - Yes, Alpha K
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.0

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan



Rachel Chu and Nicholas Young teach at the same university in New York. After dating a couple of years Nicholas, who is besotted by Rachel, asks her to go to his home country of Singapore when he is best man at a childhood friend's wedding.

She eventually accepts but Nicholas seriously flubs up when he fails to tell Rachel before the trip that his family is ultra rich. She is quickly stunned by the excesses of Nicholas's friends and family. She learns frequent trips to Paris to buy dresses that cost thousands, chauffeured custom limos and huge mansions are the hallmark of the world Nicholas' family is very much a part of.

The concern of Nicholas' family and friends is Rachel. It doesn't take them long to realize Rachel's family isn't found on an acceptable family tree and she is absolutely unsuitable for pretty much anything. Competitors who have fallen from the right tree are determined to replace Rachel in the heart of Singapore's most desirable bachelor.

A romcom with plenty of satire mixed in, most readers will be transported to an unknown world for a few hours with Rachel and Nicholas' story. Kwan can go a bit overboard with the excesses of his characters but who cares, it's all just fun.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Mystery CAT
TBR - Yes (2013)
My rating - 3.5



Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker

I can't believe this has been on my shelf for 7 years!

Bruno Courreges is the only policeman in the fictional French village of St. Denis, population 2900. Raised as an orphan and a former soldier, Bruno loves being part of village life. When an elderly North African man is murdered and his body shows signs of political reprisal, everything changes. Bruno is no longer in control when police from the outside are brought in because of potential political ramifications. The outsiders recognize that Bruno's knowledge of the citizens of the area may be useful so he is able to continue investigating, eventually learning the perfect place for him isn't so perfect after all.

I liked everything about this first book in a series with the exception of a thrown in romance that didn't feel part of the story. I look forward to reading the 12 remaining books in the series!

>104 clue: I have had Bruno, Chief of Police sitting on my shelves almost as long. Perhaps this summer will be the time I finally get around to it!

>103 clue: - I just took this off my shelf to read. But the boyfriend's name is Nicholas Young - Kevin Kwan is the author of the book :)

>106 dudes22: Thanks, I can't believe I did that! I hope you like it, obviously I did, although as I said in my post, sometimes I thought he went a little far.

>105 DeltaQueen50: I think you'll like Bruno. I didn't need another series but you know how that goes!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No, Group Read
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.0



Demelza by Winston Graham

The second book in the Poldark series focuses on Ross' wife, Demelza, during the years of 1788-1790. There's lots of drama related to Ross' mining operations, a murder committed by a good friend, the demise of Ross' cousin Francis, and the birth of their first child. Book 3 will move through the years of 1790-1791 and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Random CAT
TBR - Yes (2018)
My rating - 4.0



Ice Brothers by Sloan Wilson

After graduating from college in 1942 Sloan Wilson served in World War II as an officer of the United States Coast Guard. At the age of 22 he was commanding a naval trawler for the Greenland Patrol.

Ice Brothers is the third novel Wilson wrote based on his wartime experiences. His ship's mission was to pursue heavily armed German weather ships in dangerous weather and seas.

Most of the WWII books I've read have been about fighting at the front. Wilson's book gives us a completely different but important wartime perspective. One that includes Eskimos and icebergs.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Reading Through Time
TBR - Yes (2020)
My rating - 4.0



One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters

I'm so glad I finally got around to this series!

In 1838 Shrewsbury castle, not far from the abbey, is under siege by King Stephen. When the castle falls, 94 loyal to Empress Maud are executed by hanging. The good Brother Cadfael agrees to bury the dead but quickly learns he has 95 bodies rather than 94 and after examining each body he's certain one was strangled, not hanged. The former Crusader is the only one that finds a murder among 95 dead important but he's determined to find the murderer.

I really like the new Series feature on LT where you can see your series and where you are on each one. It's under stats/memes. I've found I have some cleanup to do, several I've read but haven't updated my LT library.

>111 clue: going to have to try that new feature~

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - Yes, Small Press
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (About 2006)
My rating - 4.5



Tales From the Edge of the Woods by Willem Lange

This was given to me by the author's son close to 20 years ago. I've enjoyed rereading it so much I'll put it back on the shelf and enjoy it again in the future.

In a small book of 18 sketches, Lange reminds us how rich a simple life can be. A long time resident of New England, he reflects on the people living in and near him and on the beautiful natural world that surrounds them. A quiet book that brings some calm to our tumultuous world is a gift indeed.

Lange wrote a weekly column that appeared in several New England newspapers for over twenty years and was a regular commentator on Vermont Public Radio.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.0

Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin



Another book of tales, though fictional, and very different than the book above. This too is a reread but after about 35 years! When I came across it in a bookstore last year it was like running into someone I had known in a different life. First published in 1978, Tales eventually would become a series of 9 books, the first 4 were originally written as part of a newspaper series and the last 5 written as novels.

The city is San Francisco and the time the 1970s. When a young woman comes for vacation from Cleveland and decides to stay, she winds up in an apartment house at 28 Barbary Lane. Other tenants include a sweet gay man, a secretive man living in a very small apartment on the rooftop, a pot growing landlord who seems to have special powers, as well others, all searching for love and acceptance. Issues of the time swirl though the short chapters including abortion, sexual orientation and the poor treatment of women in the workplace. One review said that opening this book is like opening a time capsule and for those of us that were young adults during that time I think it's true, but I also think it's relevant today.

The Tales series have had several movies and TV series made from them over the years, including adaptations by PBS and Netflix.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2018)
My rating - 3.0

A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie



This is the first book in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James mystery series, originally published in 1993. It's an average beginning to a new series which now numbers 18.

A murder takes place in an upscale country inn where Kincaid has gone for a break from his stressful life as a Detective Superintendent at Scotland Yard. Although he shouldn't get involved he does of course though the local law enforcement doesn't welcome his "interference". Well enough plotted but not an exciting read.

I'll continue with a few more, the big question is which to read first because I have number 16 in TBR.

>116 clue: I usually tell people to read the 3rd one first because the first is definitely the weakest. They improve after that one. Usually if they read the 3rd one first, they are hooked and can go back and pick up the earlier installments later.

>110 clue: Taking a BB for this one.

>117 thornton37814: Thanks Lori, I'll do that.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Random CAT
TBR - Yes (2013)
My rating - 4.0

Rosa Bonheur, A Life by Catherine O. Peare, illustrations are by by Margaret Ayer.



This is a children's biography of French painter and sculptor Rosa Bonheur (1822 - 1899). Bonheur became part of the Realism movement in France in the mid 19th century and was one of the most famous painters of that time. A nature lover, she was best known for her paintings of animals.

Bonheur was unconventional, independent, and determined at an early age to become an artist. This book, published in 1956, is a good introduction for children to this artist's life and work.

The picture below is of one of Bonheur's most famous paintings, The Horse Fair, originally exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1853. Although most of her paintings are in Europe, her home in France is a museum, this beautiful painting which I have loved for many years and have been fortunate to see, is in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Random CAT
TBR - Yes (2016)
My rating - 4.5

Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island by Will Harlan



This is the story of Carol Ruckdeschel who has lived her adult life on Cumberland Island, Georgia the United States' most biologically diverse barrier island. As an unconventional and sometimes contentious preservationist, she has had many battles to fight, including those with lawmakers, the National Park Service and descendants of the rich families, particularly the Carnegies, who considered the island theirs. Ruckdeschel had no formal scientific training when she came to the island but through careful research and data collecting spearheaded the preservation of many of the island's endangered species, particularly the loggerhead sea turtle.

In telling Carol's story the author includes the history of Cumberland Island, the impact of the rich and famous who frolicked there, and the political machinations that surround preservation.

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha
TBR - No
My rating - 4.0

Doc by Mary Doria Russell



Among the many romantic characters of the Old West, John Henry Holliday is one of the most popular. Born into a distinguished Southern family in 1851, he received a formal classical education and in 1870 began studying dentistry. Around 1875 he was diagnosed with consumption (TB), the disease he had watched his mother die from in 1864.

In this novel the author aptly covers Doc's early adult years through 1879, prior to the OK Corral episode. Most of those years were spent in Dodge City, Kansas, a "cow town" where Texas drovers brought their stock for sale. In Dodge, Holliday became friends with the Earp brothers, worked as both a dentist and a gambler, and lived in a stormy relationship with his paramour Katherine Harony, who had been born into an aristocratic Hungarian family. By the time she met Doc, she was making her way as a prostitute, one that spoke 5 languages.

Because Doc Holliday became a legend in his own time its difficult to write about him with accuracy more than 150 years later but Russell has probably written as accurate a portrait of this handsome, kindly, intelligent character as could be done. It's a fine read.

>122 clue: - I heard her on NPR way back when this book came out and she talked about how much research she did before writing the book. And I just finished her latest book The Women of the Copper Country and that took a lot of research also. And it's good. I still need to read the follow-on to Doc - it's on the list.

>123 dudes22: I glanced through Epitaph, the continuing story, and she says in the afterword that she has 19 linear feet of books she used as research. I'm looking forward to reading it too.

>122 clue: Yay, I'm so glad you enjoyed Doc! I really loved it, and the sequel, Epitaph, is also very good.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha
TBR - Yes
My rating - 3.0

Camino Winds by John Grisham



Grisham's beach read for 2020 continues with the island characters introduced in Camino Island. The protagonist is Bruce Cable, the owner of Bay Books and a rare book dealer.

After a devastating hurricane hits the island the suspense writer Nelson Kerr is initially included as one of the fatalities. On closer inspection the head wounds he received appear to be suspicious. Knowing the island police are overwhelmed and under experienced, Bruce suspects they won't do a through investigation and he's right. He begins his own and discovers Kerr's latest manuscript is a novel based on actual, unknown and very large nursing home fraud. The trail Bruce follows leads him to informants, the highest levels of the FBI and contract murderers.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes (2018)
My rating - 2.5

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict



To be blunt, I didn't like much of anything about this book. I do appreciate the author bringing the life of physicist Mileva Maric, the wife of Albert Einstein from 1903 to 1919, to light.

Unfortunately the characters, all of them, are poorly developed and I didn't connect with any of them, even Mileva. I couldn't understand why Mileva, a brilliant student determined to take her place in science, married Einstein when most of the descriptions of him were negative. Advertising for the book describes Einstein as "charismatic" but as he's written in this book, no one liked him. After graduating from Zurich's Polytechnic where both he and Mileva studied physics, he couldn't get a job because his professors wouldn't recommend him.

This is my last book for July and I'm not sure how active I'll be next month. My sister has had a couple of mild strokes, has fallen and cracked her pelvis in two places and may be in the early stages of dementia. She's staying with me for at least a month while she has home therapy and I don't know if I'll have much time to myself. Her routine is to read in the evenings as I do so hopefully that part of my day won't change.

I'm really sorry to see what a difficult time you and your sister are having. I wish you both the best and I hope you find some time for yourself.

I, too, am very sorry to hear about your sister's difficulties. Hopefully you will find some time for yourself as it's important to be able to step away at times. Take care of yourself.

Wishing you and your sister all the best, I hope that the home therapy is helpful, and it's not too much of a strain for you.

I'm also sorry to hear about your sister and hope she will recover from her injuries soon. Take care!

What a terrible time for all this to be happening. Hope she recovers quickly and you can manage to find some time for yourself too.

So sorry for your sister's stroke and fall. She is very fortunate to have you! I pray for health and vigor for you as you care for her.

All my best wishes for the tough times ahead and a full recovery for your sister.

Wishing your sister all the best in her recovery and hoping you will be able to take time to care for yourself, too.

>128 mstrust: >129 DeltaQueen50: >130 Jackie_K: >131 christina_reads: >132 dudes22: >133 Tess_W:, >134 MissWatson: >136 rabbitprincess:

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. Finally got therapy started last week and the physical therapist was very impressed we had not waited for him to begin, we had been doing walking exercise every day and she is already showing improvement. This is her sixth time to have therapy so we know the drill, she's had a hip broken twice and both knees replaced. She's small and has been on psychotropic drugs forty years and although they given her better life quality they have also destroyed her bones so we have to be very careful.

Her speech has improved too so I'm optimistic about her recovery. She has met with both of the therapists once and we think we will like them. They are young men but seem quite experienced and interested in her.

The memory issue remains about the same but there will be more attention to that later. We're reading every night and I've finished two books!

I'm glad to hear the news is good.

>137 clue: That's good news. I'm glad you're hopeful and it sounds like she's getting good care.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Mystery CAT
TBR - Yes (2019)
My rating - 4.0

The Lost Man by Jane Harper



Brothers Cameron and Bub Bright were to meet and repair a piece of equipment a few hours drive from their home in the Australian outback. Cameron never arrives and his body is found lying near a lonely road far from where he was meant to be. It's summer and so close to the desert a man can die within 24 hours of exposure but Cameron knew that and when his car is found it's still loaded with water and other supplies. There are no clues to his death and before the mystery is unraveled everyone in and around the family is suspect.

I liked this standalone as much as Harper's two Aaron Falk mysteries. She is so adept describing the outback it's worth the read for that alone.

There is good news for Harper's fans, another standalone will be released in February.

Very sorry to learn about your sister's strokes and fall. Glad to see the positive physiotherapy uptake and your sister's improvements!

>140 clue: I will take a BB for that one! Hope your sister continues to improve.

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Reading Through Time
TBR - No
My rating - 4.0

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham



Kitty Fane was exactly what her mother wanted. She was beautiful, shallow, and knew her purpose was to attract a certain kind of man and make a certain kind of marriage. Unfortunately Kitty enjoyed attention and parties so much she turned down several suitable offers of marriage. It wasn't until she was twenty-five that she realized the men that deserved her were all married and she had to settle for a quiet, boorish, though well respected doctor.

Although her husband loved her deeply she was bored and soon began an affair. When he realized what she had done he issued an ultimatum. Accompany him to China where he would treat cholera patients or divorce. In the 1920s divorce wasn't a true option and Kitty decided the best thing to do would be to go to China for a short time and then return to the life she was meant for. The largest portion of the book recounts Kitty's life in China which was beyond anything she could have expected.

Published originally as a serial in Cosmopolitan in five parts (1924-1925) and then published as a novel in 1925. Two movies have been made from the book, one in 1934 with Greta Garbo and one in 2006 with Naomi Watts.

>143 clue: I loved The Painted Veil! I really need to read some more Maugham.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes, (2014)
My rating - 3.5

Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes at Masterpiece by Rebecca Eaton



Eaton was the third and longest serving Executive Director of Masterpiece (formerly Masterpiece Theatre) accumulating 35 years as Executive Producer until stepping down to Executive-Producer-At-Large in 2019. This book, a mixture of Masterpiece history and memoir, was published in 2013 and covers the first 25 years. Kenneth Branagh wrote the Prologue.

This is the third attempt I've made to read the book that I thought as a dedicated Masterpiece fan I would love. I realized as I tried it this time that the mix of Masterpiece history and memoir is awkward and offsetting to me and tries to cover too much in detail.

Having said that, I learned a lot about how Masterpiece came about, Masterpiece as a business, how dramas have been selected and how Masterpiece has changed with the times. Downtown Abbey fans will enjoy it's 50 plus pages from concept to influence. I particularly enjoyed the snippets and sometimes more she gave on my favorite actors who have been part of Masterpiece over the years.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes, (2020)
My rating - 4.0

The Dark Vineyard: A Novel of the French Countryside by Martin Walker



This is the second book in a most enjoyable series. A quote on the cover by Independent Weekly describes it well: "A beguiling tale set expertly in rural France." The author was born in Scotland, but because he has worked for both The Guardian and United Press International, has lived in England, the U.S. and Russia. He spent summers in rural France for years before buying a home where the series takes place and where he now lives full time.

It appears a fire at the Agricultural Research Station was arson. Why would someone want to burn down a greenhouse and fields where agricultural research is taking place? That's the first mystery. The second is why the young man Bruno (Chief of Police) thinks set the fire, was killed? And then there's a third. An old man, a valued and loved citizen and a mentor of the young man, is found dead as well. What darkness has come to the small town of Saint-Denis?

A good mystery, a little romance, another broken heart and a visit to rural France all rolled into one. And there are 15 more in the series!

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - No
TBR - Yes, (2020)
My rating - 3.0 and 3.5

A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey
In the Market for Murder by by T E Kinsey

I read the first book in July but failed to post it and the 2nd in August. They take place just after the beginning of the 20th century. The primary character is the eccentric Lady Emily Hardcastle, her maid and friend is the banjo playing Florence Armstrong whose parents were in the circus.

The two have done and still do some outrageous things. After the death of Lady Hardcastle's husband in China the two traveled alone in what were considered unsuitable countries for unaccompanied women, and after settling in England Lady Hardcastle buys a car and actually drives it herself!

There is of course a mysterious death in both books. The pair have a reputation as successful crime solvers due to the publicity they received after solving an unsolvable crime. While they don't plan on becoming involved in crime in their new location it becomes a necessity.

Like cozies in general, the characters are the interest and in this series they are unique and good for a day's break from other reading.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Random CAT
TBR - Yes, (2013)
My rating - 4.5

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveria



At nineteen Mary Sutter, the daughter of a midwife, is a knowledgeable midwife herself. She wants to become a surgeon but living in the mid 19th century no medical school will accept her nor can she find a surgeon who will train her. The best she can do to further her medical education is to acquire and study all of the most recent medical publications including Grey's Anatomy.

When her brother and brother-in-law enlist in the Union Army in 1861, she goes to Washington City to offer her services as a nurse. Sutter is thrown into the most grossly overcrowded, understaffed and least equipped hospital in the city, initially doing the most menial work. She eventually catches the attention of two doctors who recognize her ability and out of desperation begin to train her. Strong will and more knowledge will lead Mary to carnage on the battlefields, personal heartbreak, and deep friendships.

In Mary, Oliveira has created a strong character who recognizes and stoically faces all of the prejudices against women at the time. She has also written a realistic history of Civil War battles and the experiences of those involved.

>148 clue: I have My Name is Mary Sutter patiently waiting for me on my Kindle. Good to know it's a good one. :)

>148 clue: looks like a good one! On my wish list it goes.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes Mystery CAT
TBR - Yes, (2020)
My rating - 4

Black Diamond: A Mystery of the French Countryside by Martin Walker



This is the third book in the Bruno Courreges mystery series and my favorite so far though I have liked them all. As with the other two books, it takes place in Dordogne where the coveted black diamond truffles are grown . One of the mysteries is how substandard truffles from China are being mixed into sales packets of local truffles in the St. Denis market.

A second mystery revolves around the death of Bruno's close friend and mentor, a truffle expert and former high-profile intelligence agent. Bruno uses contacts established in the previous two books to help reveal the reason for his death.

I look forward to seeing what the recurring characters are caught up in next. And of course I look forward to mingling again with the citizens of St Denis and seeing what they have to sell at the market. I wonder what Bruno will be buying to cook up in his small kitchen. How I wish I could be on his guest list!

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes Reading Through Time
TBR - No
My rating - 4

Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham



This is my least favorite of the first three in the Poldark saga but that dosen't mean I did't like it. In this volume Ross and his cousin come to a truce and they enter into a mining venture together again. George Warlaggan gets increasinly disguting, Caroline continues to befriend Demelza and a new baby is born. Basically this book is about life and family moving on to new experiences. I'm looking forward to seeing where they take Ross and Demelza.

Origin - Library
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Mystery CAT
TBR - Yes (2018)
My rating - 3.0

A Double Death on the Black Isle by A.D. Scott



Joanne Ross works in the office of a small town newspaper in the Highlands of Scotland. In the mid 1950's good jobs for women are hard to find. A single mother seperated from her abusive husband, when given the opprtunity to help with the investigation of 2 murders, Joanne decides to give it a try, even though she has a friend close to the murders.

Overall this is an average book but the setting is great and the descriptions of the culture in this remote area of Scotland in th 1950s is as well. I also liked the men characters and the atmosphere at the newspaper but the women were too sterotypcal. I would read the next in the series if I ran across it (this is the second and I haven't read the first). I don't think I've read another series with a woman reporter as the protagonist. That I like.

Origin - Shelf
Bingo - No
CAT - Yes, Alpha E and M
TBR - Yes (2013)
My rating - 3.0

A Barn in New England by Joseph Monninger



This book wasn't what I expected it to be so I was disappointed. I have several friends who have converted barns into houses and I thought this would be similiar to their experiences. But this barn, though extremely large, had already been converted and used as a summer house, it needed further work to make it a year round home. The author is pretty darn smiley faced throughout, rarely a problem, so it was a pretty boring book to me.

Spell check isn't working...don't know if it's me or LT.

>153 clue: I started the first book in that series because I too thought the protagonist and setting were a great concept. Couldn't finish it though. I didn't get that sense of place that the second book seems to have, based on your review. I also felt like the first book was too long at 400 pages. Not that 400 pages is too long for a book, but for this type of book I'd expect closer to 300, at most. So I don't think you're missing much by not reading the first one. If you read more, read forward rather than backward :)

BIOGRAPHY AND MEMOIRS

MARCH

1. Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
2. The Cat Who Went to Paris by Peter Gethers

July

3. Rosa Bonheur, Her Life by Catherine O. Peare