What We’re Reading

 

LUCY BURDETTE: I’ve been reading steadily this summer, not quickly, but still delighted to be reading lots of different books. HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD by Paulette Alden presents a slice of life in Greeneville, SC, with characters struggling with racial and family tensions. Next up, JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez, a cupcake baker turned romance writer. She’s gotten some amazing press and sales and so I wanted to try one of her books. I can see why readers love her (including me)--the characters are deeply drawn, not at all cardboard, with a most satisfying ending and enjoyable setting. Adriana Trigiani was also new to me. I loved THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO for its family drama, descriptions of both New Jersey and Italy, and her fabulous food writing. HEARTWOOD  by Amity Gauge was recommended by my friend Chris Falcone–the story of a missing hiker on the Appalachian Trail written from some very interesting points of view. I also loved WELCOME TO MURDER WEEK by Karen Dukess, in which a young woman is left an all-expense-paid trip to a murder mystery week in a small British town. Nicely done! Finally, I enjoyed debut writer Adam Roberts’ very foodie FOOD PERSON, in which a socially awkward writer takes a job as a ghostwriter for a Hollywood starlet’s cookbook. 

What are you reading, Reds?

HALLIE EPHRON: I am happily immersed in Rhys’s MRS. ENDICOTT’S SPLENDID ADVENTURE… which is completely splendid and I’m trying to *slow down* because I’m enjoying it so much. Queued up behind it is Gillian McAllister’s WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME which Hank recommended. Then I have a whole stack of books to come after including one that I missed, OLIVE AGAIN by Elizabeth Strout.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, yay, Hallie, I hope you love it. Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess, Lucy, highly recommended! I am reading Lisa Jewell’s DONT LET HIM IN (to interview her at Bouchercon, although I would read anything she writes, whenever she writes it.)  PLEASE DON’T LIE by Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt is on the pile as is Guilty By Definition by Susie Dent. And cannot forget KISS HER GOODBYE by Lisa Gardner! Oh, oh, and FULL BLOOM by Francesca Serritella. ANd oh, breaking news. Do not miss THE DEAD HUSBAND COOKBOOK. It is completely clever and ingenious and…. what if your favorite TV chef was accused of being, well, a fan of Sweeney Todd? That’s not a spoiler. And it’s terrific!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m not reading as much as I usually am this month, as I’m busy prepping for house full of guests for my daughter’s wedding at the end of August. (If you’re recalling that she married last fall and is now pregnant, dear readers, you’re right! This is the religious service and party side of the event.) However, I’ve got my usual trio of mystery, science fiction and other going.

Mystery: Shari Lapena’s SHE DIDN’T SEE IT COMING, which drew me in for the setting (a luxe condo building a la Only Murders in the Building) and the gender switch - it’s the wife who’s disappeared and the husband has to figure out what’s up.

SF: Also a mystery! The third of Mur Lafferty’s Midsolar Mysteries, INFINITE ARCHIVE. I love this space-station twist on the classical village cosy - and the current book throws in a mystery readers convention!

Other: I’m finally, finally reading Richard Russo’s acclaimed NOBODY’S FOOL (yes, it DID come out over 30 years ago!) It’s so much like being back in Argyle, NY - no wonder when you consider Russo’s home town is an hour away from mine. I’m so glad I didn’t read this earlier; I would have either felt like I was ripping him off, or I would have fallen into despair over how much my own writing fails to come up to his. Now, I can just enjoy it for the gem it is.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I seem to have been doing a lot of re-reading, mainly Deb Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy, although I am mainly (re) listening on Audible. But I have read the new Martin Walker Bruno novel, AN ENEMY IN THE VILLAGE, the new Damien Boyd, BLUE BLOOD (British procedural series, top notch!), the new Ben Aaronovitch Rivers of London novel, STONE AND SKY, all of Martha Wells Murderbot Diaries series, which I adored. But maybe the standout for me is a novel called SANDWICH by Catherine Newman that my daughter insisted I read because she loved it so much. I struggled a bit with the beginning, probably because of being more used to having plots set up clearly from the start, my failing) but by the time I was a third of the way through I couldn’t put it down. I loved it. It’s a joyous book, and is one that will stay with me for a long time.

RHYS BOWEN: I’ve just read two books I really enjoyed. One was THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY, by Matt Haig ( interesting it was written by a man as it is so sensitive to a woman’s point of view), and The House at Mermaid’s Cove by Lindsay Jane Ashford, set in the part of Cornwall where I spend time every summer. I’m now just starting The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiana as I’m a guest on her podcast next week, enjoying her writing style so far.

JENN McKINLAY: I've been maintaining my cozy fantasy bender. I just read Gate to Kagoshima by Poppy Kuroki and it was fascinating (last samurai history). I've also finished Julie Leong's The Teller of Small Fortunes and I really enjoyed it. Next up is The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst. I really enjoyed The Spell Shop by her so I have high hopes!

Okay Reds, phew! What are you reading?

What We’re Reading

LUCY BURDETTE: I’ve been all over the map with reading lately so here’s the run-down. I finally picked up ALL THE LIGHT YOU CANNOT SEE (very late to this party!) because John and I were going to St. Malo (more on that later this week.) Quite fascinating! Then I read CAT AND BIRD by Kyoko Mori–I’ve always been a fan of her books as she gives so much insight into the culture of Japan and her very difficult family. This was a beautiful, quiet book about the author’s intense relationship with her cats, as well as the birds in her life. Of course, much more is revealed about her family and her life along the way. I picked up THE PARIS WIDOW by Kimberly Belle because it won best paperback original at the Edgars. A fast moving story, plus Paris! Next up BACK AFTER THIS by Linda Holmes. Loved the characters, and also loved that the romance trope did not feel at all forced. My favorite of her books so far! On the way home from our trip I finished MRS. ENDICOTT’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE–another captivating standalone from Rhys Bowen! Although this book is less mystery/suspense and more historical fiction crossed with women's fiction, it's a wonderful read. The characters develop beautifully over the course of the story, the bad-ish guys get their comeuppance, the heroes emerge during the brutal years of WW2--all this is presented in an appealing small town coastal setting. Can’t wait for you all to read it in August.

How about you Reds, what are you reading?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Well, I am thrilled to be reading Ruth Ware’s upcoming THE WOMAN IN SUITE 11,  she’s such a genius! And the amazing Shari Lapena’s new one, SHE DIDN’T SEE IT COMING, and then my idol Lisa Jewell’s (I am interviewing her GOH at Bouchercon! Whoo!)  DON’T LET HER IN. And yes, of course Mrs. Endicott, a must read! I also just finished FROM THESE ROOTS by Tamara Lanier, about her quest to get her enslaved relative’s daguerreotypes back from  Harvard. It’s amazing. And I am longing to get to CUE THE SUN, about the history of reality TV. And CARELESS PEOPLE. Talk about scary, both of them!

Oh, and please please do not miss WELCOME TO MURDER WEEK by Karen Dukess. Truly. Trust me. It is a lovely and smart and perfect book. ALL the reds and readers will love it.

RHYS BOWEN: I finally got around to Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club while I was in England. A pleasant easy read so I’ll tackle the subsequent books. I’ve also got to read Louise Penny’s The Grey and Black Wolves as we are being interviewed together for the Book Passsge Mystery Conference in July. Right now I’m reading a non fiction book I have to blurb about a woman becoming a farmer in WWII. Ghosts of the Farm

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished Nita Prose’s THE MAID which I completely loved. What a great voice and boy howdy did the ending surprise me. And surprise me again. And what a great character, Molly Gray, even if she is yet another on-the-spectrum detective. There’s a reason why the trope works.

And I was riveted by Malcolm Gladwell’s TALKING TO STRANGERS. We’re so sure we understand one another, and yet all the science points otherwise. Got to be a must-read for anyone trying to write police procedure or courtroom drama. So many insights about how we get each other wrong. Counter-programming for the Karen Read trial.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: At a bookstore event for the wonderful Eliza Reid (former first lady of Iceland) and her debut DEATH ON THE ISLAND, I picked up EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS by John Green, author of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS and other YA best sellers. This book, however, is non-fiction, and is so fascinating I could hardly put it down. What an eye-opener!

Then, from another book event, THE DARK MAESTRO, the latest by Brendan Slocumb. Who else could combine a brilliant cellist, comic book heroes, and gangsters? What a fun read! Also, I’ve listened to the entire 15 hours of THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the book on which the Netflix series DEPT Q is based. I’m fascinated by how they adapted this long book, what they changed while keeping the bones of the characters and plot.

Now, I’m finally indulging in Natalie Jenner’s charming AUSTEN AT SEA, and I especially love her portrayal of Louisa May Alcott. This one is a much-anticipated gem that I’m stretching out in small doses because I hate for it to end. Coming up soon is the new Damien Boyd, BLUE BLOOD, for those of you who love British procedurals. THEN, in July, the very much anticipated new Ben Aaronovitch, STONE AND SKY. And one more, I just downloaded the Netgalley of THE MANGO MURDERS by our own dear Lucy Burdette and cannot wait to dive in!

JENN McKINLAY: I’ve just gotten back to reading as my deadlines were CRUSHING me. I’ve been on a fantasy bender and devoured EMILY WILDE’S COMPENDIUM OF LOST TALES by Heather Fawcett (you need to read the first two to fully appreciate it), THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES (delightful!) by Julie Leong, and on deck for when I head to Canada, I have an ARC of Rhys’s MRS ENDICOTT’S SPLENDID ADVENTURE, and Hub just handed me ASSASSINS ANONYMOUS by Rob Hart, which he highly recommends! 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I'm splitting my time between mystery, romance/womens fiction, and science fiction, as usual. For the first, I'm about to start THE BACHELORETTE PARTY by Camilla Sten. It's a combo girls-on-a-summer island luxe getaway and Swedish noir thriller. Talk about perfect for summer reading!

For the second, I'm loving Annabel Monaghan's latest, IT'S A LOVE STORY. Also a summer book, set on the beaches in Long Island. If you haven't read her NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT, you absolutely must.

Finally, I'm re-reading Martha Wells THE MURDERBOT DIARIES to go along with the Apple + show Murderbot. Read them! Watch the show! It's the perfect intro for the SF-curious - I promise you don't need a degree in physics to love Murderbot.

What are you reading Reds?

What We're Reading

 

 LUCY BURDETTE: it's that time again, the time we add to our stacks and piles of books by describing what we're reading! I've had some good ones lately, finally finished with the contest I was judging so I can choose exactly what I want. I certainly enjoyed the newest Ann Cleeves Vera book, THE DARK WIVES. (She was our Friends of the Library guest of honor so I had to be ready for my interview.) Today in fact, we have two speakers coming to our Key West Palm Garden to talk about their books, novelist and memoirist Ann Hood, and food writer Michael Ruhlman. I just finished Ann's latest novel, THE STOLEN CHILD. It has two intertwined timelines, one taking place during World War I, and the other in the 1970s. Lots of interesting detail about the characters’ lives in Italy and Paris. I also read Betsy Lerner’s THE SHRED SISTERS,  which had been on my list since I saw her speak in Connecticut this summer. This is a story about a family with one sister who struggles with mental illness and the effects that had on the point of view character and her family. Very highly recommended! Finally, I’ve just finished Michael Ruhlman’s YA debut, IF YOU CAN’T TAKE THE HEAT, about a high school kid whose injury keeps him from returning to the football team, his great love. Instead, he stumbles into a job in a restaurant kitchen, and finds his future and his people.

How about you Reds, what are you reading?

HALLIE EPHRON: A few years back, I liked reading Andy Weir’s THE MARTIAN. So I was happy when for Christmas, my son-in-law gave me Weir’s new book, PROJECT HAIL MARY. It’s another solo astronaut, lost in space. He’s a crew’s sole survivor who wakes up on a mission to save the planet. It’s a reminder how totally different sci-fi is from crime fiction. I’m in the middle of it and hoping that Ryland Grace (and the rest of us) survive. 

On another planet entirely I’m rereading MARY POPPINS. I’ve been revisiting my favorite children’s books. It is *so different* from the movie in so many ways, I’m sure P. L. Travers was turning over in her grave when Disney made it into such a saccharine movie. Each chapter is a little nugget of spookiness and imagination, and the language is glorious. Mary Poppins is anything but sweet. Highly recommended.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Thanks to Rhys’s recommendation, I read THE SALT PATH by Raynor Winn–I should say I devoured it, pretty much in one sitting! It is a memoir, but it is as gripping as any best novel. Then I read the second and third books, THE WILD SILENCE and LANDLINES, and highly recommend those, too, especially the latter. 

On the mystery front, I finally got to DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK by Kate Atkinson, the new Jackson Brodie novel, which I adored. 

And then another non-fiction read–I’m on a roll–STOLEN FOCUS: WHY YOU CAN’T PAY ATTENTION AND HOW TO THINK DEEPLY AGAIN by Johann Hari. This is not a self-help book (or only a little,) but a very thoroughly researched look at how the forces of modern society are eroding our ability to concentrate. This book was written during the pandemic lockdown of 2020 in the UK and published in 2022, and the issues it explores are even more critical now. I found it so fascinating that I immediately recommended it to the rest of the Reds–and anyone else I could buttonhole!

JENN McKINLAY: Hallie, I loved PROJECT HAIL MARY - so good! And I’m clearly going to have to read THE SALT PATH.

 I’ve been juggling revisions and deadlines so not much reading time. I’m still finishing my January nonfiction books ATOMIC HABITS and INNER EXCELLENCE. I’m also reading ONYX STORM by Rebecca Yarros. I absolutely love this series but I thought it was a trilogy and just found out there are five in the series. Eek! I have a towering TBR so we’ll just have to see what I choose when my deadline is met.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Get ready, you all–here comes THE WORLD'S GREATEST DETECTIVE AND HER JUST OK ASSISTANT by Liza Tully. It is  absolutely fantastic–voicy, funny, smart, witty, and everything we love about traditional mysteries but written in a very contemporary cutting-edge way. Preorder now, I am not exaggerating, it’s brilliant. If you love the feeling of Anthony Horowitz and Richard Osman? This is for you–but still, so different–do not miss this.

Also, FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Gillian McAllister. You know how her WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME changed my writing life–it did, if we haven’;t discussed this, but more on that later–and this is equally creative and riveting.

Oh, also, THE INHERITANCE  by Trisha Sakhlecha.  WHOA. Twists I have never seen–even though it’s Succession (with a wealthy family from India)  meets Agatha Christie on an isolated island, it is absolutely unique.

I am also reading MRS. DALLOWAY, since I am giving a presentation about it soon at the Boston Public LIbrary. Yeah, no pressure.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Another thumbs up for HAIL MARY - great science fiction that’s accessible to people who don’t usually describe themselves as SF readers. 

My non-fiction audiobook is also STOLEN FOCUS;  Jenn recommended this book to us all and she was so right to do so. I’m also echoing Hallie’s MARY POPPINS experience - I’m reading A SONG FOR SUMMER, a YA book by Eva Ibbotson, best known for her award-winning children’s novels. It’s a little bit like a fairy tale but also deals with the looming Anschluss in Austria, and is also a love song to the practice of the arts and how they can change people’s lives. 

My current mystery is YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED by Ande Pliego. You all know how I love locked room mysteries, and this presses so many buttons - a selected group of famous mystery writers at an exclusive retreat on an island in Maine… it’s delicious.

My SF read is ARTIFACT SPACE and DEEP BLACK by Miles Cameron. It’s a little bit like the Patrick O’Brien sailing novels, if you substitute a competent but traumatized heroine and an AI-enhanced xenolinguist for Aubrey and Maturin. I’m very much enjoying them.

RHYS BOWEN:  I have been reading lots of Scottish non-fiction for my new book, including rereading Lillian Beckwith’s delightful highland stories which give such a great feel for the critters and their personalities. I also reread Mary Stewart’s Wildfire at Midnight as my book is set on Skye. I did enjoy Colleen Cambridge’s The Art of French Murder , about Julia Child in Paris. Light and delicious. And I’m just starting The Beautiful Ruins about ten years after everyone else.

Your turn Reds, what are you reading?

What We're Reading!

 LUCY BURDETTE: I think we’re long past due a post on what we’re reading. For me, it might be better called ‘what’s been delivered for the contest I’m judging, and also what I’m buying, but don’t have time to read!’ I rushed over to the local bookstore the minute these two books were on the shelves, but I’m not sure when I’ll have time to get to them. I did read The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont on my way to and from Nashville— light reading, delicious food, Paris, romance, what could be better?

Honestly, I’d be so embarrassed to show you my stacks, and I definitely don’t need to add, but can’t resist: what are you reading?

HALLIE EPHRON: Lucy, I”m reading a wonderful book, your very own A POISONOUS PALATE, and having a blast spending time in Key west with Haley Snow and Miss Gloria. I just finished ROMANTIC COMEDY by Curtis Sittenfeld and heartily recommend it. She’s just brilliant and it’s really all about being a writer, so what’s not to like? Even if there’s a boatload of romance in it.

LUCY: Thanks so much Hallie! I'm looking forward to the Sittenfeld book!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Thanks for the rec, Hallie - I love Curtis Sittenfeld, and I didn’t even realize she had a new book out. (Honestly, I rely on Jungle Reds for 80% of my new-book awareness. Otherwise, I’m just wandering in a fog.)

While recovering from surgery, I’ve been slowly re-reading an old, old favorite, COMING HOME by Rosamond Pilcher. It’s absolutely enormous, and slow-paced, and filled with the most painterly and poetic descriptions of homes and landscapes. I find myself wishing someone still wrote books like hers (although with the rising price of printing paper, her hardcovers would have to go for something like $50 these days!)

I’m also very much enjoying Paula Munier’s sixth Mercy Carr mystery, THE NIGHT WOODS, coming out at the beginning of October. She’ll be our guest the first week in October, so one of you will have the chance to win a copy for yourselves!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, love this! And I am reading WE SOLVE MURDERS by Richard Osman, in preparation for interviewing him soon for Porter Square Books. Also the wonderful I NEED YOU TO READ THIS by Jessa Maxwell, a terrific novel about a woman who becomes an advice columnist. Oh, and if I have not raved on these pages about the incredible WORDHUNTER by Stella Sands, here’s the rave! Drop everything and read this–about a college student forensic linguist –sort of Lisbeth Salander meets Goth Nancy Drew–who helps police solve crimes by studying the word usage of suspects. When she gets upset, she calms herself by diagramming sentences.

You all will LOVE this!

JENN McKINLAY: Oh, Hank, WORDHUNTER sounds amazing!!! Putting it on my list.

My most recent read was ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig. Creepy, dark, romantic, but with some very deep feminist themes. Loved it! A super fun romcom by Jen DeLuca entitled HAUNTED EVER AFTER was a perfect seasonal read! And THE SPELL SHOP by Sarah Beth Durst a wonderful low stakes cozy fantasy that was delightful escapism. In case you can’t tell, I’m fully embracing the magic of the season. Come on cooler temps, pumpkins, apples, and Halloween – we’re dying here in AZ!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Of course I adored A POISONOUS PALATE! Also, as some of us mentioned on our REDS LIVE, Sarah Stewart Taylor's AGONY HILL, the first of a new series set in 1960s Vermont. Big thumbs up for this one! 

My big sweet treat was the new Jenny Colgan, CLOSE KNIT, set in the same fictional Scottish village as last year's book, THE SUMMER SKIES. So happy to see these characters and this fabulous setting return!  

(LUCY: I need that book, Debs, as I loved The Summer Skies!)

I listened to the new Ben Aaronovitch novella, THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING, which so far is only available on Audible and as a very expensive (looks like UK) hardcover. Usually I enjoy the novellas but really wish he'd spend more time on the full-length novels, but this one I loved! Think late 1920's New York with jazz and gangsters and Harlem, plus magic (with the incomparable Thomas Nightingale) and a narrator who is right out of PG Wodehouse! No one is as creative as Aaronovitch!

Also, Ann Cleeves new Vera, THE DARK WIVES, which I really enjoyed. (I like the books a lot better than the TV series.) And now I've finally got to Allison Montclair's MURDER AT THE WHITE PALACE, which is starting out to be grand!

RHYS BOWEN: This has not exactly been the week for reading. I was reading the Echo of Old Books and the Novice’s Tale but with John having a health emergency I found it impossible to concentrate and switched to old comfort read, Mary Stewart’s Madam Will You Talk, as it takes place where I hoped to be staying in France… fingers crossed I still can.

Reds, bring it on--what are you reading??

What We're Reading

 

LUCY BURDETTE: it’s that time of the month again…no, not that! It’s what we’re reading!! I have been all over the place, from dark to light and back. Of course, I am waiting anxiously for Hank’s new book, and Jenn and Rhys after that. But meanwhile, I am reading The Upstairs Delicatessen by Dwight Garner, a memoir of food and reading that is right up my alley. Also, just finished Ali Rosen‘s Recipe for Second Chances – you will meet her on tomorrow’s blog. And then I went dark and read The Girl by the Bridge by Arnaldar Indridason. Dark Iceland at its chilling best. Finally now I’m reading Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok–a story about two sisters raised by a single father in Chinatown, and the struggle between cultures.. She’s an excellent storyteller! How about you Reds? What are you reading or looking forward to reading?

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which Jenn recommended ages ago. I love old Hollywood and she totally captures 50s Los Angeles and the movie business. And it has a scene that takes place in my favorite Hollywood haunt, CC Browns (hot fudge sundaes!) And I’ve got Chuck Hogan’s “Gangland” queued up next. I’ve been a huge fan of Hogan ever since he blew me away with “Prince of Thieves.” And, on my bedside table is Phillip Lopate’s brilliant book on essay writing, “To Show and To Tell.” 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: You need to know about Cara Hunter. Cara Hunter is a massive bestseller in the UK, and is just coming to the United states. Her first US release was the incredible almost interactive standalone MURDER IN THE FAMILY,  a multimedia tour de force of a crime thriller – not to be missed. The structure alone is worthy of a standing ovation. I loved it so much I looked up her back list, and found that her mystery series set in Oxford and starring DI Adam Fawley  is about to be released in the US. I snapped up the first one, called CLOSE TO HOME. I devoured it, and then started book two, IN THE DARK. It's an ensemble cast, with terrific characters and a riveting mystery and gorgeously written. I have not been reading series very much–but this one–I am SO hooked! (If you've ever watched Line of Duty, this has the same vibes. I’m already on book four!

And: Elizabeth Gonzalez James’ THE BULLET SWALLOWER knocked my socks off–it's a magical realism western. Yes, you heard right.

JENN McKINLAY: Hallie, I love that you enjoyed Seven Husbands! Old Hollywood is the best Hollywood, IMHO. January has been home improvement/decluttering month at my house (new flooring - Yay!) so I have been too exhausted to read but two books I recently finished are THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES by Sangu Mandanna and it was just delightful - a cozy fantasy/romcom match up. And the other book I loved was Sarah Stewart Taylor’s THE MOUNTAINS WILD – at the recommendation of several of the Reds – and I just devoured it. A two timeline mystery set in Ireland - perfection!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I seem to be having a non-fiction moment–I think I have four books going at once! The first is Patrick Bringley’s ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD, which Hallie recommended a couple of weeks ago, a memoir from a young writer who left his snazzy publishing job after his older brother’s death from cancer, and went to work as a guard in the Metropolitan Museum for ten years. Beautifully written, fascinating, and so moving. I’m also rereading, in bits, THE BOYS IN THE BOAT, the Daniel James Brown book on which the film is based. (I had read it when it was first published.) Then one I won’t get through very fast–THE DINNER TABLE a compilation of food essays edited by Ella Risbridger and Kate Young. (Lucy, this one is for you!!) And, lastly, Bill Wyman’s CHELSEA. Yes, that Bill Wyman! It’s a wonderful and intimate look at his (and one of mine) favorite London neighborhood.

Not much fiction at the moment, because deadline, but I’ve just finished the ARC of Marcia Talley’s new Hannah Ives, CIRCLES OF DEATH, which is, as always, a treat, and I’m looking forward to starting the new Connie Berry (ARC again), A COLLECTION OF LIES. This new Kate Hamilton/DI Tom Mallory is set in Devon and I’m really looking forward to it! Also looking forward to the new Laurie King, THE LANTERN’S DANCE.

Oh, and Hank, I thought Cara Hunter’s CLOSE TO HOME sounded so good, so looked it up. Seems I already own it on Kindle…

RHYS BOWEN:  I’ve been having a hard time reading recently. What with worry about John’s radiation, my own knee surgery and then a sinus infection that has lingered and lingered I’ve found concentration is hard. Oh, and having my own deadline for the next Georgie book within in the month will do it too.

I am reading Kate Morton’s Homecoming, slowly, bit by bit, savoring the Australian setting which I still miss after all these years. My mom died at this time of year and I was with her in Australia so that setting is particularly raw and poignant right now.  But for lighter fare my next door neighbor recommended MISS CECILY’S RECIPES FOR EXCEPTIONAL LADIES. It’s lovely–a young woman whose own life is a mess volunteering at this home for elderly ladies and meeting feisty, crochety Miss Cecily who gives her menus for various occasions that are instructions how to live her life.

 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I've been craving an "And Then There Were None" mystery (Locked room mysteries? County house mysteries? We really need an accurate name.) I got loads of great suggestions from the gang at Reds & Readers. I got ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware and EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson, and I'm ready to dive in! 

I'm re-reading Mur Lafferty's SF mystery STATION ETERNITY before I start the sequel, CHAOS TERMINAL. You non-SF readers might find this a great series to dip your toe into the genre: the heroine is a young woman who has fled earth because murders keep happening around her and she inevitably winds up solving them. As you might imagine, the real-life consequences of being the main character in cozies is a LOT less fun than the way we write it!

Finally, my non-fiction read is CROSSING: HOW ROAD ECOLOGY IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUT PLANET by Ben Goldfarb. Don't be put off by the clunky title; this is a fascinating look at how our ubiquitious road-building has shattered the lives and migration patterns of hundreds of other species. It won practically every science-book award for 2023. Highly recommended.

LUCY: Rhys, I adored that Miss Cecily book! One of my favorites a couple of years ago. I bought it for everyone for Christmas.

Red readers, what are you reading?

What We're Reading

 LUCY BURDETTE: Just in time for stocking stuffers, it’s what we’re reading day! I have a few things to suggest. Of course, I picked up Rhys’s new Georgie Royal Spyness mystery right away. This one featured a very pregnant Georgie with a new French chef, and a nearby neighbor with a poison garden. It’s delightful, as always, and there is a cameo from none other than Agatha Christie.

Sometimes I read so many mysteries that I feel like I need to cleanse my palate with a non-mystery novel. This time I chose Love Marriage by Monica Ali. I absolutely loved this story of a pair of engaged English doctors of Indian descent, whose lives go off the rails once their quirky families meet. I’ve had this book on my stack for a year and I’m so glad I read it!

If you’re in the mood for a thriller with a suburban Connecticut setting, I can recommend Elise Hart Kipness's debut, Lights Out. I enjoyed the sports reporter character, Kate Green, and look forward to reading about her in action in the next book. The town of Greenwich, Connecticut was a strong character as well.

Now I have to ask: has anyone read The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese? John and I chose this to listen to on our week long voyage south. He’s an amazing writer, but the book is so long! He introduced so many different stories that I assume will come together in the end. We only made it through 15 hours of listening, with 15 more to go! So now John is tasked with finishing it and summarizing the high points for me. Some friends insisted it was their favorite book of the year with a magnificent ending, so I may pick up a paper copy to finish.

JENN McKINLAY: Per Julia’s recommendation, I am reading N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. Brilliant!!! I recently finished The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and I can see why it’s so popular - high stakes and action packed and steamy! I recently read the horror/thriller Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey. Very creepy! And for romance, I highly recommend The Christmas Wager by Holly Cassidy (aka Hannah McKinnon). So much fun!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m deep into my Christmas-themed reading already: I’m reading Kate Carlisle’s THE TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS, Janice Hallett’s epistolary novella THE CHRISTMAS APPEAL, and in the rom-com category, I’m about to start THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley, which takes place in a snow-bound small town in 2000, when Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan all intersected.

And in non-seasonal books, remember this when summer rolls around again: AGONY HILL by Sarah Stewart Taylor. I got to read it for blurbing purposes and it was SO good, even if I’m still blinking at a book set in 1965 as being “the first novel in a new historical series.” Yes, I was very small at the time and don’t remember it, but I’m pretty sure my lifetime isn’t historical. Right, guys? Right?

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished Christian Cooper’s memoir, BETTER LIVING THROUGH BIRDING: NOTES FROM A BLACK MAN IN THE NATURAL WORLD. Cooper is the Black birder who took the viral video of a woman who called the police on him in New York’s Central Park ramble… But the book is much more than that. It’s about growing up nerdy and waking up to the wide world of birds. And writing for Marvel. And traveling. And finding his voice as a Black author and a gay guy. 

RHYS BOWEN: Not too much time for reading recently but I just read a book I had to blurb called THE WARTIME BOOK CLUB by Kate Thompson. It was set on the island of Jersey and was harrowing, touching and very real. Since I’d been doing my own research on Jersey in the summer everything was very personal for me.

Now in the middle of THE ECHO OF OLD BOOKS by Barbara Davis.  Fascinating so far.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I haven't been reading as much as usual, because of my listening to my books on Audible project, but I've read–and loved–Rhys's PROOF OF THE PUDDING, and Paula Munier's HOME AT NIGHT, so good! I've also been reading my way through Alexia Gordon's Gethsemane Brown series, as I did a panel with Alexia at Crime Bake. I also loved S.J. Bennett's MURDER MOST ROYAL (I adore this series.)

Top of my to-read pile is Jenn's SUGAR PLUM POISONED, and the new Richard Osman.

LUCY: I started Paula's book last night--it's excellent! The other two are on my pile as well.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, oh, listen you all--do you know of Cara Hunter? I had not heard of her, and had to (got to!) interview her, and as a result, read her essentially interactive thriller MURDER IN THE FAMILY, which is brilliant and incredible!  Go look it up–it is a tour de force in structure, and I adored it, and I instantly ordered a whole pile of her other books, beginning with CLOSE TO HOME, which is also fabulous. Oh, I am so happy to have discovered her!

I loved Janice Hallett’s A CHRISTMAS APPEAL, all written in emails, but don't be put off, it’s so brilliant.  I am a massive fan of her other books, too. Tess Gerritsen’s new THE SPY COAST is fantastic–so well written, about a retired spy who uses her current “invisibility”--we’ve all felt that, right?--to her advantage. Highly highly recommended. Oh, one more–Sulari Gentill’s THE MYSTERY WRITER,  which is super-meta, and genius, and (underneath)  a terrifying and thought-provoking take on the publishing industry.

We're almost afraid to ask, but Reds, what are you reading??

What We're Reading

LUCY BURDETTE: I feel like I am still reading slowly, and my TBR pile is not going down. But perhaps that is because I keep adding to it? Anyway, here are some of the books I’ve read since we last had this discussion. I just finished reading Ragnar Jonasson's new book, Reykjavík, written with the Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrin Jakobsdottir. I am completely fascinated by this duo of authors, not the least, because Katrin has a masters degree in Icelandic literature, including a dissertation on the subject of the crime fiction of Arnaldur Indridason. I love his books, so how could I resist this one? Reykjavik has great pacing, plus a fascinating old case, and I love the setting of Iceland. It made me want to travel there immediately.

Before that, I read Ann Cleeves’ new book, The Raging Storm. This is the second third Detective Matthew Venn book, and he is growing on me. She is such a master at creating a crime story that reflects the cold and claustrophobic setting, this time a small town called Greystone in Devon. She also does an amazing job creating and filling out secondary characters. Now I am eagerly awaiting the next Vera book.

I also very much enjoyed Spencer Quinn’s (a.k.a., Peter Abrahams) new book, Mrs. Plansky‘s Revenge. Mrs. Plansky, a retired 70 something in Florida falls victim to a scam that cleans out her savings. She rises to the occasion in the most charming and wildly believable way. If you enjoy Richard Osman's books (or even Miss Gloria from the Key West mysteries), Mrs. Plansky is for you. Also on the cozier side of the spectrum, I finished Alicia Bessette’s Murder on Mustang Beach. The writing is lovely, the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a wonderful setting, and she writes appealing characters living in a small town.

Last night I started Barbara O'Neal's The Starfish Sisters. She's such an amazing writer--I can hardly wait to get back to it. How about you Reds, what are you reading?

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished reading an advance copy of Lori Rader-Day’s THE DEATH OF US. It’s a heartwarming/heartbreaking mother/son story. Gorgeously written. Reminded me of the way Megan Abbott brings the complicated teenage daughter/father relationship to the page… only Lori does it with mother/teenage son. The cover blurb from Ann Cleeves nails it: “So sharp, and tight and clear. And real.” It’ll be out in October.

Now I’m into Geraldine Brooks: HORSE. Historical fiction about an enslaved groom and a record-setting horse, set during the Civil War. Incandescent prose. Great storytelling. I’ll truly never look at a painting of a racehorse in the same way again.

A horse of a different color, I’m listening to: BECOMING DUCHESS GOLDBLATT. By Anonymous! It’s the hilarious and deeply moving the story of a woman who creates a Twitter alterego for herself (Duchess Goldbaltt: an 81-year old purveyor of wisdom) based on a portrait in a Frans Hals painting. It’s funny and surreal and breathtaking. I’m listening to the audio book in which Lyle Lovett narrates his own part. Thanks to my friend Patty Jo for recommending it.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I just finished Allen Eskens’ SAVING EMMA, a brilliant and thoughtful literary legal thriller–highly recommended. And whoa–Lisa Jewell’s None of This is True and Shari Lapena’s Everyone Here is Lying–such different books, amazing, but two absolutely breathtakingly wonderful authors.

Oh, have you read The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Pattii Callahan Henry? Drop everything, seriously, and get it.

On my pile, and cannot wait, Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAlllister, and Happiness Falls by Angie Kim! I have no doubt they will both be fabulous.

And back to TV? The oh so talented Alexis Gordon’s Gethsemane Brown mysteries are on Hallmark Mystery now! And they are SO perfect. YAY!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Representing science fiction here with two amazing and quite different novels that both have animals as main characters: John Scalzi’s STARTER VILLAIN and Paul McAuley’s BEYOND THE BURN LINE. The former is an homage/satire/updated twist of the Blofeld type of baddie, complete with volcano lair and fluffy cat; the latter… really, it’s best to go in not knowing much.

In our own genre, I absolutely loved Nina Simon’s MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT (and now I want to write a book where the Maine Millennial and I solve a mystery!) THE BONES OF THE STORY by Carol Goodman is a fantastic locked-room mystery set in her signature gothic-academic setting. I love Carol’s writing so much; her work perfectly balances literary and crime fiction.

Non-fiction read: THE HEAT WILL KILL YOU FIRST, by Jeff Goodell, a climate journalist who also write THE WATER WILL COME. If you like having the crap scared out of you, read these terrific books and start planning your escape route. I suggest Michigan.

JENN McKINLAY: Julia, I’ve heard amazing things about Simon’s MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT - adding it to my TBR!

I have been on a reading bender and it’s been glorious! As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m heading into a new genre (sort of) that’s a grown up Harry Potter meets Agatha Christie with some Edgar Allan Poe thrown in because why not? So my reading is joyfully all over the place.

Right now, I’m reading an epic fantasy THE KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames (middle-aged mercenaries on a rescue mission, it’s a blast). I’m also reading a romcom ARC by Nic DiDimizio called NEARLYWED (two gay men, who hit some relationship obstacles as they gear up for their wedding - poignant and hilarious). Nic’s writing is just so fun! And because it’s the season of all things scary (which I love), I just read T. Kingfisher’s A HOUSE WITH GOOD BONES (which our Hank rightly endorsed) and up next is Kingfisher’s THE TWISTED ONES. Oh, and I just finished THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden. I figured out the twist early on, but it was still excellent.

RHYS BOWEN: Julia, I can absolutely recommend writing a book with your daughter. Clare and I have so much joy writing together! I haven’t read much recently as I’ve been traveling and working on edits,but I did read The Marsh King’s Daughter that I picked up at Bouchercon–brilliant but darker than I usually read. I also dipped back to several old favorites, including a couple of Mary Stewarts. I wish there were more like her being written today. A recent favorite is THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA by Patti Callahan Henry. I love her work!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I want Jenn's list! The fantasy and the gay wedding book sound fabulous. I feel like a slacker compared to some of you. I know I mentioned it before Bouchercon, but I absolutely adored Allison Montclair's latest, THE LADY FROM BURMA. Since B'con I've read Jacqueline Winspear's THE WHITE LADY–so good. Also James Benn's latest Billy Boyle, PROUD SORROWS. I'm behind in the series but really enjoyed this regardless. Now I've just started the latest Richard Osman, THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE. And this week is a bonanza, with G.M. Malliet's new Max Tudor, THE WASHING AWAY OF WRONGS, the new Robert Galbraith Cormoran Strike novel, THE RUNNING GRAVE (at almost 1000 pages, that may take me a day or two…,) AND a book I have been looking forward to for ages, S.J. Bennett's 3rd Her Majesty the Queen Investigates novel, MURDER MOST ROYAL. If you've missed the first two books in this absolutely delightful series, I highly recommend them!

What are you reading Reds?

What We're Writing Week: Why Julia Writes

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I've been having difficulties getting back into writing regularly since taking most of June off to help with some family issues. It doesn't help that I'm super-distractable and am pretty sure I have adult ADD. (I asked my doctor about getting tested, and he said, "Well, were you ever diagnosed in childhood?" I'm thinking, Listen, 30-year-old dude, I grew up in the 60s and 70s. No one was getting diagnosed with ADD! No, I didn't say it out loud.)

Anyway, the best thing to do when you're struggling to get back into creative work and fighting off distractions is to read many articles about your issues, right? So I was reading one, which I unfortunately didn't bookmark, and have forgotten the name of, because, again, squirrel brain. But I do remember a part of the motivational exercise: Identify why you do the task you're having a hard time accomplishing.

In other words, why do I write? Since I also needed a blog for today, I decided to work the exercise right here, thus killing two birds with one stone.

I write because no one else is writing the particular stories I want to read. Honestly, I was thrilled when  saw there was some Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne fan fiction on Archive of Our Own. At last, I thought, someone else will write these people and I can just read it! But no, sadly, there's been no huge rush of amateur stories. And no one has copied me enough to scratch my itch. If I want to read about Russ and Clare and their friends, it's up to me. Sigh.

 

I write because I'm not really that good at anything else. I'm a decent mom, but I've happily aged out of that occupation. I was always a good student - again, lots of writing - but only so-so in the careers I studied for. I'm too lazy to start my own businesses (see below) like my sister, the Realtor/ Face Painter/ Acting Manager. And I can't think of anything interesting to podcast, so there goes that potential income stream.

 

I write because I do love being a part of the community. We all complain about the conferences and the bookstore appearances and the panels at libraries. But honesty, I love them. Not the travel so much - who loves travel these days? But hanging out with fellow writers, oh, that can keep me going for weeks afterwards.

 

I write because I get paid to do it. Authors tend to say, "Oh, I'd do it for free." But would we? Really? As one writer told me, "That check from my publishing company lets me know just how much they love me."

I write because I'm lazy. I've done other jobs. I've waitressed, I've worked in a fundraising office in a museum, I went to law school and practiced for a hot five minutes. Believe me, writing is easier than anything else. I get to sit in my comfy desk chair (with my Fit Bit reminding me to get up and walk every hour) and play with my imaginary friends. Four hours of writing? Ooo, time to crack my back and call it a day. Try that with an office job. 

I write because I'm egotistical. I confess to you, dear readers, that I love it when people tell me how much they like my book, and when they praise my talent, skill, etc. etc. It's like hearing people praise your children: it literally never gets old. 

 

Finally, I write because I've never found anything as personally fulfilling. No, not even motherhood - my kids are a reflection of me, but are also part of their dad, and their friends, their experiences, etc. Besides, the goal of parenting is to work your way out of the job. But writing - ah, that's a job you can go on and on with, digging in to get better as the years go by, exploring different places and plots and people. I, at the bottom, really love it. And I love what writing does for me.

Well, that turns out to have been a useful exercise! I'm actually feeling quite charged up right now. Maybe I'll try listing my reasons for writing at the start of each week, and see if it remains a motivating force.

Feel free to try it for yourselves, dear readers - why do you do that thing you're dragging your feet on?

What We're Reading

 LUCY BURDETTE: It's been a while since we’ve talked about what we’re reading and I miss it! I will describe a couple of the ones I’ve enjoyed recently. But first I must admit that I have stacks and stacks of books in my TBR file (see photo–it’s embarrassing.) I’m an addict. But I am always happy to hear your recommendations and add to the pile.

Laura Hankin’s THE DAYDREAMS: We’ve had Laura visit the Reds several times and I love all of her books. This one is about a teenage TV show that ended dramatically–the characters have been enticed to come back for a reunion ten years later. Lots of drama, revenge, old flames, and so on, plus a dose of understanding the damage that fame can do, especially for young people. I loved it!

J. Ryan Stradal’s SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE LAKESIDE SUPPER CLUB: Stradal writes beautifully about the Midwest, with quirky characters and food. If you enjoyed listening to Garrison Keillor's The Prairie Home Companion, this is a book for you. Great characters, delicious homemade food and restaurant life, and a solid Midwestern vibe.

Also I am listening to Julia Whelan read THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, which was recommended by Debs and Jenn. I am enjoying it very much (especially the discussion of the life of a narrator) but realizing I’m not really an audio book reader. For one, at night I fall asleep. And I think I must be a faster reader on the page. How about you Reds, anything to recommend?

JENN McKINLAY: Oh, I loved that audiobook, Lucy. I listen mostly while at the gym or walking the dogs. You can also speed up the audio if the narrator’s pace is too slow for you. Personally, I have been on a reading bender (I believe it is also known as deadline avoidance). 

I just finished the Mary Higgins Clark award winning A DREADFUL SPLENDOR by B.R. Myers. It was fantastic - all the Gothic spookiness my heart desired. I also read THE GAY BEST FRIEND by Nicolas Didomizio. For anyone who has suffered being in a wedding party (seven times for me), this book is for you! 

Next up on my TBR is THE LIBRARY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD by Felicity Hayes-McCoy. It’s set in Ireland. What more do I need to say about it? Nothing. Then, I have A NOVEL DISGUISE by Samantha Larsen on deck. The premise of this one has me so intrigued. Set in 1784, a spinster has to disguise herself as her late half-brother and assume his role as the personal librarian to a Duke while searching for a lost family heirloom or she loses her home. And then, even though I say I never read literature, I have R.F. Kuang’s YELLOWFACE in the queue because the premise of one author taking another author’s work upon her death and claiming it as her own – well, I’m all in!

HALLIE EPHRON: I’m reading a book I’ve been meaning to read forever: GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson. I loved her HOUSEKEEPING when I read it eons ago. Also reading Kwei Quartey’s first novel, WIFE OF THE GODS, a murder mystery set in Ghana. I was supposed to spend a summer working in Ghana when I was in college, but the trip never happened because the airline overbooked the plane. I’m visiting it now, virtually.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Ooh, you know how sometimes you get an especially lovely TRB? Welp. I have Ruth Ware’s upcoming ZERO DAYS (I’m interviewing her in person soon), JUST ANOTHER MISSING PERSON, which is the new Gillian McAllister (if you did not read her WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME, do that instantly!). And I am deeply in the midst of THE PUZZLE MASTER by Danielle Trussoni, which is so twisty and thought provoking! And so clever. Kind of... Dan Brown meets Tom Stoppard. Love it. And oh, do not miss BEWARE THE WOMAN by Megan Abbott. It is life changing and she is incredible.

And I have to add that I am always so enchanted by our different choices.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Of course I picked up books at the California Crime Writers Conference in LA weekend before last! I'm reading (my signed copy of) Jeri Westerson's Holmes pastiche, THE ISOLATED SEANCE, which is such a treat. I hope to see lots more of Badger and Watson! I also bought Adam Sikes' LANDSLIDE, an espionage thriller, as I really enjoyed Adam's panel. Going in a completely different direction, I couldn't resist Syrie James' THE MISSING MANUSCRIPT OF JANE AUSTEN. And then I heard Michelle Gagnon read from her new thriller, KILLING ME, at Noir at the Bar, and there was no way I could pass up the book after that excerpt. I predict big things for this one!

RHYS BOWEN: I am so envious of you ladies. How do you find time to read what you want to? Books you actually choose? Ah, maybe it’s because you are not crazy enough to write two and a half books a year, to agree to blurb every book that takes place in the first half of the twentieth century. I have brought my Kindle loaded with all kinds of juicy books, including Donna Leon’s and Kate Morton’s latest, but the day we arrived I was sent the Sisters in Crime anthology to which I’d agreed to write an introduction, a 1940s mystery novel going to be re-released, to which I’d agreed to write an introduction, and then the page proofs of my upcoming book. So no vacation reading for me yet. One day I’ll say no to everything and sit and read to my heart’s content! 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I wish I could send you a photo of my stack o' books, but I'm also away from home, and therefore relying on my trusty Kindle. Right before I left, I had the honor of interviewing Carla Neggers, so my reading that week was loads of her backlist, including the Sharp & Donovan novels and the Black Falls series. Also on the "just read" list, SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St. John Mandel, who continues to be THE most amazing and inventive novelist working today, and CITY UNDER ONE ROOF by Iris Yamashita, a mystery set in the real town of Point Mettier, AK, where everyone and everything is housed in one high rise building. Highly recommended.

Next up for me: ALL THE DAYS OF SUMMER by Nancy Thayer, because summer isn't summer without a Nantucket book. I'm continuing in that theme with BAD SUMMER PEOPLE by Emma Rosenblum, a mystery described as "The Real Housewives of Fire Island." Who could resist that?

 

What are you reading, Reds?

Jolabokaflod? AKA What to Read Next?

LUCY BURDETTE: did you have the pleasure of experiencing an Icelandic holiday book flood this year? (On Christmas Eve, they exchange books, in a tradition called Jolabokaflod.) I received an embarrassment of riches, leaving me with the enviable problem of what to read next. As my sister pointed out, I am pretty good at speaking out about what I’d love to see around the tree on Christmas morning lol. Plus I added the top two myself, including Maddie Dawson’s SNAP OUT OF IT and our own Jenn’s FATAL FASCINATOR. I decided yesterday to start THE BULLET THAT MISSED because I was in the mood for characters I already knew and enjoyed. 

How about you Reds, books for Christmas? What are you reading from your pile?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, drop everything and read THE MYSTERY OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS by Janice Hallett. So incredibly good, she’s the most brilliant person! Here’s the pitch:

Open the safe deposit box.

Inside you will find research material for a true crime book.

You must read the documents, then make a decision.

Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?

It’s great, truly.

Looking forward to Jordan Harper’s EVERYBODY KNOWS and Deepti Kapoor’s AGE OF VICE and Mary Kubica’s JUST THE NICEST COUPLE.

(And if you need a bargain, TRUST ME and THE MURDER LIST are each just $1.99 today!)

Oh, and so you can say you heard it here first, ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME by WIlliam Landay is gaspingly brilliant. Unforgettable.

HALLIE EPHRON: I finished THE BULLET THAT MISSED and loved it. Now I eagerly await the next in that series. And I’m in line for anything new from BIll Landay. His books are worth waiting for. Jenn’s FATAL FASCINATOR is on my TBR list. And I bought myself THE LAST CONFESSIONS OF SYLVIA P by Lee Kravetz… party truth, part fiction, totally fascinating, based on Sylvia Plath’s writings and her stay at McClean Hospital where she was treated for severe depression.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: For the first time ever I didn’t get a single book for Christmas! What?!? Everyone here should just send me books, that’s all I’m going to say. Grump Grump Grump.

LUCY: Wow Julia, that's shocking!!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I did give books, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY to my daughter and the Jim Kay illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to my granddaughter. Then my friend Gigi surprised me with not one, but two, of the Jim Kay books, Chamber of Secrets and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Have you seen any of the Jim Kay books? The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! They are absolute treasures and I can't wait to sit down and dip into my new copies. I do wonder, however, just how massive these books are going to be by the time Kay gets to the seven-hundred-some-odd page books towards the end of the series!

Also, I'm quite tickled that I've finally learned how to spell Jolabokaflod without double-checking it!

LUCY: Debs, our daughter asked for the first illustrated book for her family. It is gorgeous! I gave out Lessons in Chemistry too!

RHYS BOWEN: Count me as another fan of Lessons in Chemistry. Nobody gave me books for Christmas, which is fine as I always have a stack of upcoming books waiting to be blurbed. One of these I’ve just finished was Queen Wallis, a follow up to Widowland. Did anyone read that? So brilliant and chilling! The only books I gave were cookbooks. Are they still relevant,do you think, now all recipes can be found online?

JENN McKINLAY: We always give a book and a bookstore giftcard to each other for the holidays. This year’s selections for the fam were: Never Finished by David Goggins (Hooligan 2), Cheap Movie Tricks by Rickey Bird (Hooligan 1), Rory Galagher: His Life and Times by Marcus Connaughton (Hub), and Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan (me). We had a wedding in the family so I haven’t had a chance to read anything but I’m really looking forward to some downtime!

How about you Reds, did you experience the joy of Jolabokaflod??

When Writing Changes Your Perspective by Jenn McKinlay

Jenn McKinlay: As you probably know by now, because I’ve mentioned it a bajillion times, my next women’s fiction romcom SUMMER READING (June 2023) features a neurodivergent (dyslexic) heroine. This was quite an undertaking because getting it right matters and dyslexia is a tricky bugger manifesting differently in everyone who has it. Suffice to say, I did my homework and I learned a lot along the way. My biggest takeaway was a statistic that stopped me in my tracks – one in ten people have dyslexia. Huh. A little more research and I learned that there are dyslexic friendly fonts. Double huh. 

Naturally, when I turned in my manuscript, I made my pitch to have the book published in a dyslexic friendly font. I used all the buzzwords in my argument, you know, accessibility, inclusion, representation, etc. I waited and then I received my publisher’s response. Not only were they on board, the book designers WERE EXCITED to rise up and meet the challenge. Not gonna lie, it felt like a win. I mean, writing a novel about a dyslexic and not printing it in a dyslexic friendly font would have made me look like an a-hole. Seriously. 

You can see from the image below how the bottom of the letters are thicker, this is one of the ways to make the letters easier to interpret for dyslexic readers.

Here is a list of the most dyslexic friendly fonts: https://exceptionalindividuals.com/about-us/blog/our-top-10-dyslexia-friendly-fonts/

Of course, now I always notice when things aren’t printed in a dyslexic friendly font. It seems shocking to me, given the high number of people who struggle to decipher words. Now that I know this, I can never unknow it, which I think is terrific. 

Here's a short video from YouTube on what words look like to a dyslexic.

How about you, Reds? Have you learned something while writing a novel that changed your perspective?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Wait, I’ll offer my ignorance right up front. I had no idea about a dyslexic-friendly font. So I looked it right up, and now I am gasping. Jenn, you should explain it! But this is a life-changing post, thank you. And I am happy to join you in never unknowing it. 

And I do think I have learned things in novels that have changed my perspective. Once I typed that someone had gone off the reservation–and I sat there for a moment, the cursor blinking. Delete delete delete. It made me realized how blithely we type things without thinking about the origin or derivation. Or who we might hurt. I am much more careful now.  

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I also went to look up dyslexic-friendly fonts, and I’m down with using sans serif type but I draw the line at Comic Sans. No civilized person should be subjected to that.

I should mention here my younger brother was diagnosed with dyslexia in kindergarten, one of the first generations being taught by teachers exposed to concepts of neuro-atypical learning. The benefit of a whole school career working with and on his dyslexia? A Bachelors and an MBA.

Hank makes an excellent point about being aware of how the language changes in ways that make it more inclusive and user-friendly. As for what I’ve learned writing, I think I did it backwards… after getting to know a lovely young trans girl, I included a transgender woman in my last novel. I like being able to introduce readers to people they might not have met before, if that makes sense.

JENN: LOL. Sorry, Julia, despite the universal loathing for it, Comic Sans is actually the third most dyslexic friendly font. That may explain why it remains popular -- not with graphic designers, however.

HALLIE EPHRON: Dyslexic-friendly font! Who knew!? Thank you, Jenn. And Kudos to your publisher. (So forget my old standby, Times New Roman.)

One thing I’ve become more aware of is text size, trying to err on the larger side. But Blogger can be ridiculously obstinate when I try to change or enlarge the font. Fortunately online readers can usually enlarge, if they know how.

I am struggling with the boundaries between being “inclusive” vs. “appropriating.” Anyone have any light to shed there? Maybe it’s all about doing your homework when you write about someone who isn’t you.

JENN: Such a good question, Hallie. I think it comes down to context. Is the representation of an ethnicity, disability, or lifestyle meaningful or mercenary? Is the content creator out to make a buck or are they trying to raise awareness or show appreciation? I'm sure there are better ways to determine where the line is, but that's my metric.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Jenn, I was diagnosed as dyslexic when I was fourteen. 

The specialists who tested me said they didn't know how I'd learned to read. I still struggled, dropping out of high school at sixteen. I could not (and probably still can't!) take bubble-fill standardized tests. I did a couple of years of special ed training and was eventually able to not only get my GED but to graduate from a good college with honors, if a couple of years older than my classmates. It got easier, at least for me, as an adult. You learn coping strategies, and you also aren't constantly challenged to do things that are especially difficult for you (in my case, standardized tests and algebra!)

As to Hallie's question, I am wholly on the side of inclusive! I think it's terrific that Jenn's educated herself, and will educate her readers, about dyslexia.

LUCY BURDETTE: Count me in as one of the clueless. Debs, how in the world are you writing all these amazing novels with a learning disability? And also wondering, Julia, how did the dyslexia manifest itself in kindergarten?

JENN: Thank you so much for sharing that, Debs. I had no idea and now I am in awe of you. Of course, now I have to ask you to be a beta reader for Summer Reading :)

How about you, Readers? Has your perspective been changed by a story that you've read or written?