Vee, I did read a lot of Agatha in a row and got a bit tired of her 'beary little eyes!' so gave them a rest.
Friedag, please don't give up! Do you need a really big hint or shall I tell you? But then it will spoil the hunt :-(
If you are reading them in order, you are getting warm. Skip Pascoe's Ghost, it is short stories.
Speaking of ghosts, I have had to buy 'Merry Merry Ghost' as I could not get it from any library. But I just got a 'request available' email about 'Koala of Death" which I asked for but gave up on and finished up buying months ago!

Liz, our library had a moth-eaten copy of Stone Angel and sent it out on the Mobile van; usually it takes weeks to get a book. As soon as I started it I thought "Can I have read this before?" the feel of the story was so familiar, but it wasn't until the final words (which had always stuck in my mind) that I remembered it had been a BBC 'Book at Bedtime' probably in about 1975/6.
Thanks for reminding me of it and giving me such a 'true' and thoughtful read.

Hello all,

I have also been missing a bit due to my crazy hectic schedule these days. As a result, I have had little time for reading. One day it dawned on me... I am allowed to do something I want to do, too. Wow. So now I MAKE time for reading. So far, it is working.

Most recent books read:
To Kingdom Come, Will Thomas: The second in the series of murder mysteries. Nicely done, I never guess the outcome because I can barely guess what will happen on the next page.

The Selected Works of TS Spivet, Reif Larson: Very different. The main character is a 12-year-old map drawing prodigy from Montana. He somehow gets a coveted year-long post at the Smithsonian and no, they did not know his age, just judged him on his work. So begins a trek cross-country, by himself, to get to DC for the big dinner banquet announcing his appointment. My own opinion is that it was very good in the beginning, the middle held my interest but I petered out by the end and had to force myself to finish.

This Body of Death, Elizabeth George: Inspector Lynley... nothing more needs to be said.

Winter's Bone, Daniel Woodrell: Set in the Ozarks, the main character is a 16-year-old who is caring for her brothers and ill mother. I guess it is supposed to be some sort of "hillbilly fiction" but I thought the whole book was just a waste of ink and paper. Some in my book club were quite moved by the prose, others amazed by the strength of the main character. I am not a fan.

Someone Knows My Name, Lawrence Hill: This is fiction, it is the story of Aminata Diallo. She was captured in Africa as a 12-year-old and sold into slavery in the USA. I was riveted to this book. The main character is full of strength and spunk and intelligence. The author's turn of words was fantastic. From first page to last, I was in that book.

Now reading The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs. He is the agnostic son of Jewish parents living in New York. He decided, as a writing project first and foremost, to live a year folowing the rules of the Bible literally. Funny and interesting, only halfway through. He also wrote The Know-It-All; he's the guy who read the Encyclopedia Brittanica from beginning to end. (This is a quest I secretly long to attempt.)

I am on my way to the bookstore to look for A Discovery of Witches. I should stay home and fold laundry, but...

PAM

I just got lucky, as I picked up 2 desireable reads from the public library: I look forward to Harkness' "A Discovery of Witches", as well as have just begun Kate Mosse's " Winter Ghosts." I have long had an interest in the Cathars of France, the Albigensian Crusade/ Heresy, etc. so am expecting to become easily immersed in this novel, with its setting in the Pyranees.

Vee - Glad I could remind you of Stone Angel and glad that you could get a copy and it was still a good read. I don't know where I found the title, but perhaps it was a Canadian reading blog... Not sure.

Reading Juniper Tree Burning by Goldberry Long. It's a novel with a plot about an woman who was given the name in childhood (by hippie parents) of Juniper Tree Burning. As the book progresses, she is driving back to New Mexico from somewhere like Oregon and as she drives, she reflects on her upbringing and how she really really just wanted to be "normal" and couldn't understand why her parents couldn't give her that.

It's well done so far, and I am enjoying the read.

At the same time, I am also reading For Her Own Good, the NF book about the history of women being given advice (most of it wrong) through the years. This is a strongly slanted feminist book (not surprising), and so it's interesting to compare what these two authors say with what the author of that Art of Domesticity was advocating... I think, for me, my place is somewhere between the two, although my husband may argue that I am not domestic in the least. (I like to pretend I am, every now and then.)

I'd be interested in a panel presentation between the authors of these two books.... I wish !

Vee, I don't care for the Agatha Raisin books either. It's the Hamish McBeth series that I like. He is a lazy policeman in the Scottish Highlands but solves all the murders that his overbearing bosses can't. They are very light reading. I finished the current one this afternoon and am now ready to start Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd, the author of Any Human Heart recently shown here on Masterpiece Theater.

Finished Falling by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Her books have a sense of familiarity that pulls you in. The characters chop vegetables, mow the lawn, and have ordinary lives. Or seem to.

I finished Minding Frankie which was a fun book, not deep but definitely fun and predictable.

Now back to my Shakespeare biography which I intend to finish before starting anything else. Lots of history intertwined with the biographical.

Running short of books for the weekend, I decided to check out a second-hand bookshop I have been noticing for years on a bus route I sometimes take. Left it too late. It had gone! It is now a very busy upmarket cafe with waist-coated waiters in long aprons.
So I tried another second-hand bookshop, again one I have been meaning to look at. I phoned ahead this time as it often has a "Closed" sign on the door. It was very narrow and deep with ceiling high shelves and such tight spaces to manoever around that I got worried one of the many stacks of loosely piled books would topple over onto me. I had to leave empty-handed.
So much for being adventurous! Back to the library!

carolyn ky - Yes, I too am entranced w/stories in which London is "one of the characters", whether the book is fiction or non-fiction.

Am still reading "Ordinary Thunderstorms." It's entertaining in a suspenseful way ... has depth, too, which you'd expect w/ a Wm. Boyd novel.

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Rouan - What is "The Weird Sisters" about? You have me intrigued w/ that title.
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kathy t. -- Thank you for the "extension"! Sorry, I don't know how to attach links here.

This is the best I can do --

(1) GO TO - Amazon.com

(2) In "search" box --
TYPE - Barbara Vine

(3) Screen w/ her books appears -
SCROLL DOWN TO - "King Solomon's Carpet"

(4) Below title is - "4 Customer Reviews" -
(there's an older listing of "KSC" w/ more reviews - mine isn't there)
CLICK - that phrase
My review is on the right-hand side -- "Mystery Man Unsolved".

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Lemonhead - Barbara Ehrenreich has written some awfully good non-fic. books -- "Nickel & Dimed"; "Bright Sided". I haven't heard of the one you read. I, too, think that I fall somewhere between the two extremes: "Hard-line Feminista" + "Hannah Hausfrau".

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Weird Coincidence -- Only two days ago I bought my first MC Beaton mystery -- "Death of a Gentle Lady". Today -- for first time in quite a few days -- I came to this site and ... discover a lot of posts about her. There must be an MC Beaton zeitgeist around !

I am reading "The Sunlight on the Garden" by Fanny Frewen, this is the second of her novels that I have read, I have loved them both and I am waiting for my third to arrive from the UK. Fanny did not start writing until she was in her mid seventies!!

Lauramarie -- To post a link: Under the box where you type your message is a box titled Optional Link URL. Copy the address for the link you want to share and paste it into that box. Then below that is a box titled Name of the Link. You can call your link whatever you like, i.e. My Amazon review.

Hope that helps.

Not reading, but listening to an absolutely terrifying ghost story by Dan Chaon on the radio. I love listening to NPR's program "Story Shorts" when I can. Usually they present two stories, but this one was longer and so good they gave the whole program over to it. And he has a book coming out, it will be just as scary...can't wait.

The story is called "The Bees." A young man with a destructive past begins to have some odd experiences...as does his young son. Very, very creepy. Not gory in the slightest. Chaon is a respected literary author, so tightly written and compelling. Not a wasted word.

I love ghost stories, so I will definitely look into the Dan Chaon story. Thanks for the recommendation, Siobhan.

On a related note, has anyone read Susan Hill's short novel, The Little Hand? I wonder if it will be as spine-tingling as The Woman in Black.

Mostly I have been reading local histories. Next year will be the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, an event which transformed the area where I live (Niagara region of Ontario). There will be many reenactments and other related events, exhibitions, etc. In order to not make a complete idiot of myself, I have to do a lot of reading (and rereading) on the topic. The topic of ghosts is not unrelated to the War of 1812 as several local houses, farms, and cemeteries are reputed to be haunted by the spirits of dying soldiers or the terrified populace whose homes were burned by the retreating U.S. army.

(I took me four attempts to log into this thread. Also, RP will not let me update my personal profile. I guess the technical glitches have not been fixed.)

Well, finally gave up on the miserable novel, Juniper Tree Burning, and rather wish the book had been burning instead of the juniper tree. The main character is entirely humorless, continually in a bad mood and taking it out on innocent people, and seems to be an utterly horrible person. I had reached 300 pages of this misery and there seemed to be stopping it, so I stopped it myself. Bah.

After that experience, I decided to pick up a nearly guaranteed good book: Spook by Mary Roach. Astro - at the beginning of the thread, you mentioned you were listening to Stiff... Do you like Roach's stuff? I have read all of them, and find them all very irreverant and funny, but also serious at the same time. My hub is reading her Packing for Mars which is her newest one, I think.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mary Roach website

I should take notes as I read a thread as by the time I get to the bottom I have forgotten who said what. I am another one who hasn't posted much in many months. I am still reading but "real" life intrudes more often.
I am persuaded to try A Discovery of Witches even though I normally wouldn't pick it up-but The Historian is one of my favorite books.
On the other hand, I have never been able to get into Water For Elephants and everyone else seems to love it.
I am currently reading Gone by Mo Hayder and Jodi Picoult's latest (which is readable but in my opinion, not one of her better books).
I recently finished and enjoyed The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown and Night Season by Chelsea Cain which is good, but not gory like her other books.

Tim, I think you will like Chaon's stories and maybe his novels. He is a very gifted writer. I will warn you - very creepy. I got the name of the radio program wrong - it is Selected Shorts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Selected Shorts Podcast

I've been reading a ton this month. My favorites so far were The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen which is a great story mixing light magical realism with reconciling yourself with who you were in high school and who you are now, Julie James' A Lot Like Love and very fun contemporary romance about an undercover federal agent and an heiress to billions who also happens to run a wine store in Chicago, and Inez Kelley's Sweet as Sin which is a very intense contemporary romance about an author of young adult novels with a tragic past and his neighbor, a pastry chef, who breaks through the walls around his heart.

Liz, I didn't read further than the first chapter out loud of the Roach book, but I will be back as I enjoyed that much.

I finished the Clive James book, and enjoyed it, although not one of his best.

Now reading Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. I didn't read her first book (Still Alice) but I am enjoying this one very much. A workaholic mother has a car accident that means she doesn't recognise the left side of her body, and her life changes in huge ways. Well written and fascinating.

A few of you seem to be reading the Lisa Genova ouevre which is curious. Did you all have a secret meeting and decide to read them at the same time? And how come I wasn't invited?.... :-) I have read the Still Alice and found it very moving and poignant, but can understand if it's also too close to the bone for some. Am in line for her other one (Left Neglected)...

Astro - If you like Roach's Stiff, then I can nearly guarantee that you will enjoy any of the others. And if you ever get the chance to hear her speak, she is absolutely hilarious.... She would be fabulous to have at a dinner party - she would have you/me rolling in the aisles (supposing you had aisles in your dining room)...

Welcome, CopiaRomance!
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Sarah Canary - Thanks for the advice. When I copied the link title into box (below), it was soooo long that I cut off a big end of it. ... Hope this works.

Kathy T. - Here's the link. Am not sure how it'll work, as I cut part of it off -- was very long.

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Have finished "Ordinary Thunderstorms" - Wm. Boyd's new novel. It was good all the way through -- although, I would've liked a more finished ending. Won't say more, because I don't want to spoil the plot for the people here who are reading it now.

Am enjoying the M.C. Beaton mystery -- "Death of a Gentle Lady". Didn't know Beaton was such a funny writer. By page 9 she had me laughing out loud -- twice! The lead character -- Hamish MacBeth -- is so likable -- easy-going; smart (and doesn't show off about it); has such affection for his rustic highland village ... and those two crazy pet animals of his!

Here is a link that might be useful: King Sol Book Review

Pam, I, too, found it difficult to get into "Water for Elephants" at first. It took several tries, but once I went past the beginning, I could not put it down. It's a really great story! If you loved "The Historian" as much as I did, then I definitely recommend that you give "A Discovery of Witches" a try. I am currently engrossed in the plot and am reading into the wee hours of the morning....

Lauramarie, I also enjoy the Hamish character in the M.C. Beaton mysteries. I only discovered this series a few months ago.

Welcome, Copia.

I have started And Furthermore, the story of Dame Judi Dench's life as told to John Miller who wrote an earlier biography of her. She said she has neither the time nor the skill to write an autobiography but that this fills in some blanks. It has a number of photos. She was gorgeous as a young woman and is still quite attractive, of course.

I'm having a good time reading it. I just love her--much to my regret, I missed the chance to see her and Maggie Smith perform on stage in London several years ago because it was sold out the whole time I was there.

I finally finished listening to Bill Bryson's At Home: a Short History of Private Life. I was getting very tired of listening to it; not that it wasn't interesting, it was, very much so, but it was about 17-18 hours long and I could have read it so much faster. I stuck with it however, and was glad I did so. I think I will stick to fiction for my audio books in the future.

Lauriemarie - The Weird Sisters is the story of 3 sisters who come from a literary family. (Their parents named them after characters from Shakespear's works.) They come home, ostensibly because their mother has been diagnosed with cancer, but each really has her own agenda and comes home more or less to take stock of her life and decide where to go from this point. Their interactions with each other, their parents and people in the community were what I found so interesting.

Reading now The Tenth Muse by Judith Jones, a "food" memoir by an Alfred Knopf editor. She was editor to Julia Child and Marcella Hazan, among others. And had it not been for her, The Diary of Anne Frank would not had been published in English (or at least not by Alfred Knopf). Interesting and easy to read.

"Mma Ramotswe's Cookbook." This is a delightful book of recipes, subtitled 'Nourishment for the traditionally built' collated by Stuart Brown with a foreword by Alexander McCall Smith.
It has snippets from "The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency" stories, pictures and background for the recipes.
I quote from the Introduction.
"It seeks to offer a flavour of the foods dear to Mma Ramotswe as well as an approving appraisal of the traditional build, the larger-sized figure that signifies prosperity and the enlightened state of being at ease in one's own skin."
As one who has a larger-size figure and prefers to buy larger-sized clothes rather than diet, thanks for that!

It has been a long time since I've read a book in a single sitting, and a very long time since I've stayed up until 2 AM to finish it, but I did so last night with Dan Chaon's Await Your Reply, a complicated thriller that weaves the stories of three people in surprising ways. His writing is clear and tight and he tells the many faceted story perfectly in 320 pages.

I also have The Stone Angel and a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, an embarrassment of riches.

Rouan -- thank you for the detailed description (w/out spoilers) of "The Weird Sisters." I might give it a try.

Has anyone tried a book nominated for The Edgar Prize this year as best paperback mystery? -- "Expiration Date" - Duane Swierczynski The reviews are ecstatic. It's part fantasy/part realistic mystery. About an unemployed journalist who goes to his grandfather's house for a stay. He swallows "aspirin" for a hangover, not knowing they are left over from an old U.S. government experiment on time travel. He's taken back to 1972, tries to solve his grandfather's murder. Hmmm... that going back to early-1970s reminds me of the UK mystery series "Life on Mars", which I loved.

Siobhan, thank you for recommending Dan Chaon's story "Bees". The story is really terrifying in an understated way. Also, no gore, which I appreciate.

I am not far into, and enjoying "A Long Long Way" by Irish writer Sebastian Barry.

As several mentions here reminded me of M.C.Beaton's Hamish McBeth series, I grabbed a couple for the weekend and "Sick of Shadows", one of her Edwardian series.
It was fairly interesting but had too much "Look at the research we did." about it. Explanations of customs and dress etc.
Georgette Heyer did meticulous research but it was never made obvious. One felt 'there' in Regency England.

I'm supposed to be reading The Professor and the Housekeeper for my book group, but I'm finding it a slow go. It's got too much math in the story.

I made the mistake of downloading a sample on Kindle of A Discovery of Witches and I am totally hooked. So I guess the book group book will have to wait. :)

I also read a free KIndle book last week titled Enchanting the Lady -- quite spicy, but a fun read.

I've started Paolo Bacigalupi's Ship Breaker; it seems to be set in the same extrapolated near-future as The Windup Girl, so grim that sometimes it's hard to keep going. When I finish this, I'll have read 3 of the 5 nominees for the Andre Norton YA SF&F award (the other 2 being Pratchett's I Shall Wear Midnight, and Whalen Turner's A Conspiracy of Kings). Three very different books.

I'm reading Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport. It's a story of four granddaughters being called to their rather strange grandmother's house on the Big Island in Hawaii, and then it skips back to establish the back story of the grandmother who is a kahuna. I thought only men were kahunas? At any rate, it's quite good but mystical.

I have waiting The Fallen Kings now out in paperback by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles and received from Book Depository as well as two by Susanna Kearsley, The Shadowy Horses and Every Secret Thing. My daughter was in Seattle this week on a business trip, stayed over for the weekend, and went to Victoria Island, so she brought me back these from a Canadian bookstore. She also brought me a small box of See's chocolates from the West Coast. Life is good.

I finished The Man in the Wooden Hat by Jane Gardem, and have immediately started in on Old Filth to jog my memory. I enjoyed it very much, but for those who have read it (Vee, I'm sure you have), can someone explain the significance of the statue of the man in the wooden hat? It didn't seem to be an incident important enough to be the title of the book, and I think that, as seems to be common with me, I have read too fast, in order to get the story, and I have missed something subtle.

Kath, it was only when reading an article in The Oldie mag that I came upon an explanation by Jane Gardam as to why the book got its title (and I must confess I hadn't given any thought as to why/how it got its name).
I can't find a link to the Oldie information but the one below will get you there, just scroll down to 'A Coda' and the picture of the Mauritshuis Museum.
btw I still think I preferred Old Filth.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Man With the Wooden Hat

I am just finishing up "A Discovery of Witches." This one will be a hard act to follow. I've not been as engaged in a novel since reading "Shadow of the Wind" or "The Historian."

I can scarcely believe that April is just around the corner....

Astro - Sorry I can't help you with the puzzle of the title of that Gardam book you are reading. I also happen to have started a Jane Gardam book, this one of short stories called The People of Privilege Hill, which has some overlap as it features Feathers and co as well. I am finding this to be an absolute joy to be reading - she is such a good writer, and there seems to be something very English about it, although can't seem to put my finger on it. Perhaps it's the dialogue.

Still, reading Mary Roach's Spook which is good, but not riveting like her other work.

Regarding The Man in the Wooden Hat and how it got its unusual title -

Here is a link that might be useful: Jane Gardam interview

Thanks Vee and Siobhan for the link, that does help me out :-)

I forgot to mention that I also read Breaking the Silenceby Linda Castillo, a crime novel set in Amish country. I thought it a good standard police procedural, with added interest of the Amish way of life.

Just finished "Death of a Gentle Lady" (Hamish mystery) - M.C. Beaton. It was fun and charming. I liked her descriptions of the Scottish highlands -- even told what the smells are like. Made me feel almost as if I were there. The plot had some twists to it; so it wasn't the simple, cutesy kind of book I would've thought it was -- going by the cover art. ... Although, even the cover art had some sophistication about it, which made me think when I saw it at the store, maybe the story would, too. ... And I was right. This is a series I'll go to a couple times a year, or so.

Am just about done with the James Herriot book - "All Things Wise & Wonderful." It still captivates me. It may not be literary-level writing, but the descriptions of people are both charming and to-the-point, ... the stories roll right along -- sometimes exciting, sometimes, funny, other times poignant. Somehow, Herriot can convey depth in these sweet books. But then I'm a sucker for animal stories!

I haven't posted a single thing on this tread this month, but have read 15 books.

The last was The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, a wonderfully entertaining romp of a Gothic novel that has almost all of the elements of that genre in place despite being the very first novel to be called Gothic. Enjoyed it very much, but more on a humorous level than as a suspense story.

Finished The Book Thief, bounced Stranger Here Below. Half way thru, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time. Lovin it.

Vee, I just got my summer electricity account, so much better than I had estimated. Hottest, driest March on record kept my air-con working all day and sometimes during the night. Hence my concern!
To celebrate, I have ordered all six of Kate Fenton's novels. They are OOP and had to be ordered from Abebooks which has been recommended here by a RPer. They are comimg by row-boat from the UK judging by the delivery dates but in time for winter! A couple of them are new for me and I can happily reread the others. Charming and funny but she has not written anything for a while. Such a pity.
I have just collected "Past Tense" by Catherine Aird to take me into April...

Ann, I hope the Fenton books are worth the wait. I sent an air-mail parcel to a US cousin on Feb Ist which arrived March 19. It either went the long way round the globe or was carried by the Wright brothers.
UK electricity bills are sent quarterly so the next one will be really high. Also noted that the cost of propane gas (for cooking) has had a price-hike to �35 a cylinder (which lasts a couple of months) because of the 'situation' in Libya. Of course whatever happens in the Middle East the price will never come down.

Have been trying to insert a 'pound' sign but this site now only accepts dollars. ;-(

Vee: I am hoping that the Fenton books delivery date is the maximum waiting time but as I have read four already, I know I liked them and just want to have them on hand for rereading in the future as well as enjoying the two I have not read yet, only in synopsis.
I don't even have a pound sign on my laptop! My computer guru said he could insert the symbol which I could type instead of the dollar but I really don't need it that often so I declined his offer.
I picked up a book "Big and Beautiful" on the local book exchange throw-out table which chimed in with the book on Botswana cooking and appreciation of larger ladies which I have just finished. With an old Jennifer Crusie reprint that just arrived from Book Depository, that should give me a good selection for this weekend.

I finished Shark Dialogues and am reading Snake Eater by William G. Tapply. I have been rereading his older books since I found out he died. I hardly remember them at all and like the old ones that deal with his legal assistance in crimes better than the later ones that have too much of his love life in them.

I just saw this week that Jean Auel has a new book out and requested it from the library. I am WAY down the list--how do all these people find out about new books before I do?

I read Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones and am half way through House of Many Ways, the 3rd Wizard Howl book by Diana Wynne Jones.

I also read Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. I found this to be very interesting. The whole book is a collection of letters written by the author to a friend. It's not dry and dusty reading but very engaging.

Carolyn, there are many websites that give release dates for books, including my favourite, www.fantasticfiction.co.uk.
Most authors also have a website of their own these days with that kind of information.

Finished up Spook by Mary Roach, an in-depth and irreverant look at the world of mediums, ghosts etc. Very funny (as she always is) and interesting, but more of a pick-up and put-down book really so it took a while to finish.

Finished The People of Privilege Hill by Jane Gardam, a book of short stories (one or two featuring old characters like Old FILTH etc.). Most of the stories were very well written, but there were a few slightly odd ones in there. I think it was a bit of a vanity project for the author...

Then an ILL came in: Fire on the Mountain by Anita Desai, a novel with absolutely beautiful descriptions in it of the hill station in North India where the book is located. There is a crusty grumpy old lady who lives there, glad to be alone when suddenly one of her daughters dumps her own daughter (the protag's great granddaughter) there all summer. It's how the relationship develops (or dosen't) between the two generations. Really enjoying this one bc the writing is just so good.

Then, as a NF read, I have another book by Sue Hubbell, a series of essays (I think) about her country living and keeping bees. I really enjoyed her other book, so am hoping this will be similar.

I also need to switch off One-Click on ama. It is absolutely far too easy to buy a book right now when I have a slow mo at work...