Summer Reading!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: How did it get to be midsummer already??? But here we are full on in the season of beach reads, so I thought it was time for a "What We're Reading" check in. 

I have not been the reading poster girl lately–although, come to think of it, maybe I have, because my two favorite recent reads have been the advanced copy of Rhys's THE CASTLE IN THE GLEN (out 8/4) and Jenn's A SUMMER SHARE (which is THE perfect beach read, trust me on this,) both of which I adored.  Another recent favorite (in an absolutely wonderful audio edition) was YOU ARE HERE by David Nicholls, about two lonely people being thrown together in a coast-to-coast walk across England. Nicholls writes the best dialogue, and the narrators were Lee Ingleby and Lydia Leonard so this was perfect for listening.

I'm a huge fan of the English crime writer Peter Grainger and his D.C. Smith/King's Lake books set in Norfolk, and the new one, SOME SORT OF JUSTICE, was terrific. (This was audio, too. His narrator, Gildart Jackson, is one of the best.) There is also a new Jenny Colgan, MEET ME AT THE SEASIDE COTTAGES also in audio. I love these Colgan books set in the very far north of Scotland, but I'm not a big fan of the narrator, so maybe better in print.

I read the new Matt Haig, THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN after seeing him in person in Dallas. I know this book is a world-wide best seller, but I have to say I found this one a bit of a slog. I was disappointed that it wasn't as original as his last book, THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE, which was one of my tops reads this last year.

And one more, for those of you who love food writing and just wonderful writing, there's a new cookbook from Ella Risbridger, THE KITCHEN BOOK, which I ordered from the UK as it's not available here until next year. (Shipped free from Blackwell's!) This is a gorgeous book! Now, if I could just manage to actually try the recipes…

And this week I'm looking forward to Lucy's A DELICOUS DECEPTION arriving on my doorstep tomorrow!

How about it dear fellow REDs? What's on your nightstand this summer?

JENN McKINLAY: Thanks, Debs! I’m in the thick of a non-fiction bender. I have Lucy’s A DELICIOUS DECEPTION on pre-order (coming tomorrow) as well as Rhys’s THE CASTLE IN THE GLEN (Aug) and Hank’s MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER (Sept), but while I impatiently wait for those gems, I am listening to non-fiction, specifically THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield and WELL ENDOWED by Vivian Tu (don’t get excited it’s about finances not boobs). LOL. I’m also reading cookbooks–why? No idea. But I’m enjoying the old/weird recipes in B. Dylan Hollis’s BAKING YESTERYEAR. Clearly, the AZ heat has gotten to me. 

LUCY BURDETTE: We sound like a Greek chorus, but I too loved loved loved THE CASTLE IN THE GLEN and THE SUMMER SHARE! The bad thing about getting an advance copy is that you’ve already read it when the book comes out! I’m about two-thirds through MISSED CONNECTIONS by Aimee K. Runyan, a story about a woman chef who desperately wants to become a Michelin reviewer. She’s made some mistakes in her life, and for reasons unknown is able to time travel back to those moments, relive them, and figure out what she might have changed. It’s very very food-oriented, which I of course am enjoying a lot! I also read MORE THAN ENOUGH by Anna Quinlan and UNLIKELY ANIMALS by Annie Hartnett. Liked them both very much, though not my favorites of either author. Next I have waiting for me WHISTLER by Ann Patchett and PIGLET by Lottie Hazel. It’s been a good reading summer.

Ps Jenn, B. Dylan Hollis has a cameo in the Paris book I’m almost done writing. My French chef character is not impressed with his shenanigans…

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh my goodness, we are just smart readers who know what we love! Castle in the Glen and The Summer Share, those can carry anyone through any rainy weekend with much delight! And thank you for the kind words about MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER–so excited about it. 

What I’m reading. I just interviewed the marvelous John Searles, who wrote SINGLE GIRLS, a fictionalized biography of Helen Gurley Brown and how she made Cosmopolitan what it was.. He worked at Cosmopolitan for many years, and completely knows the scoop, and knew her well. And loved her. And that comes through in the book. 

(Such a pivotal moment in time, and it’s a fun frothy book with a deeply meaningful undercurrent. Helen Gurley Brown changed our lives in so many ways, and as controversial as she was, she was a brave and groundbreaking character.)

What else? Several of my local author friends may be new to you, and I am delighted to introduce you to Kimberly Hensel Lowrance, whose compelling and relatable new WHAT REMAINS OF YOU is an Amazon chart topper right now. It’s about a widow who finds a letter from her husband left behind wherein he confesses to a terrible crime. But doesn't say what it was.  Will she go try to find out the truth? (Of course she will, or there wouldn’t be a book, right?)

And Joseph Moldover has a new book called TO THE END OF RECKONING where a son comes home to take care of his brilliant but recently brain -injured father, and together they are a touching and wonderful Holmes and Watson as they solve a murder that happened nearby. Such good writing! 

I am delighted to introduce you to them. Absolutely standing ovations, both.

And lucky me :-) I have advanced copies of Lisa Gardner‘s new YOU’LL BE SORRY, Tess Gerritsen‘s new THE SHADOW FRIENDS,  Lisa Scottoline’s THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, and  Robyn Gigl’s ALL WE HIDE.

Oh, and did I ever tell you about Nicole Blades’  WOULD I LIE TO YOU?  Imagine a wife and mom in the suburbs–who, in her secret  parallel life, would give Jason Bourne a run for his money.  So fun.

It strikes me, in these what are we reading posts that my reading lists are much different from many of yours. So interesting.

DEBS: That's what makes it fun, Hank!

RHYS BOWEN: I’ve been on vacation in Canada and brought my Kindle to do lots of reading. However the day I arrived so did the page proofs for my next Royal Spyness.  I worked through them, then the page proofs for the next Molly came. Grrr. Now I’m starting to read my summer beach read choices. I’ll be on a beach in San Diego and hope to read them in peace.

I realize I can’t take anything too tense, dark or dramatic at the moment so I’m going with whimsy. I have the MUSEUM OF SECOND CHANCES by Jo Leevers…about a woman who has a museum of found objects on a beach. And Kate Quinn’s THE ASTRAL LIBRARY, and then CALL OF THE CAMINO, as I’d always wanted to do that walk.  

HALLIE EPHRON: I’ve been rereading some old favorites. A wonderful collection of short stories by Tobias Wolff (OUR STORY BEGINS). “A Bullet in the Brain” is one of my favorites, about a dyspeptic fellow who gets antsy waiting on line at the bank. It’s a tour de force of viewpoint.

And just cracked open Caitlin Mullen’s PLEASE SEE US. Her new book, HEATHER, just got a rave review from Sarah Weinman in the New York Times, so I wanted to see what the fuss is about. So far I’m impressed… a poetic page turner. 

And waiting in the wings, I picked up a copy of Richard Osman’s WE SOLVE MYSTERIES. Comic relief. I’ve enjoyed all of his novels (THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB, etc.) that I’ve read so far. 

DEBS: I've heard so much about HEATHER, Hallie. Can't wait to see what you think when you've finished it.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Add me to the chorus enjoying Rhys and Jenn’s upcoming books - and a reminder to readers that pre-orders make a huge difference to authors!

One of my pre-orders is Carol Goodman’s OUR MARRIAGE IS MURDER, coming out on July 21. I adore Carol’s writing, and this looks like another  fun “murders and mystery writers” tale, after last year’s WRITERS AND LIARS.

After reading many glowing reviews, I got THE PARADISE PROBLEM by Christina Lauren. Years old marriage of convenience that has to pass for the real thing in order for the hero to inherit millions? Sign me up.

My SF read right now is THE REPUBLIC OF MEMORY by Mahmud El Sayed, about the dawning rebellion of the crew of a century ship as they question why they’re in service to their cryosleeping masters. SF fans, don’t confuse it with Arkady Martine’s excellent A MEMORY CALLED EMPRIRE (which I did, to my embarrassment, when asking about it in a bookstore!)

DEBS: Readers, we can't wait to hear your suggestion, so we can make even longer to-read lists! I've already added half a dozen books to mine!

 

What We're Reading

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Lucy was kind enough to hand off one of our favorite regular chats to me, and I am particularly appreciative because I seem to have been reading a lot lately!

First off, our wonderful Jenn McKinlay's latest (and maybe last?) entry in her Library Lovers series, BOOKING FOR TROUBLE, When I finished it I had to seriously resist going back and rereading the whole series. I'm glad Jenn has said "never say never" on future installments, as I do love the setting and the delightful characters.

Then my daughter gave me her copy of Niall Williams' TIME OF THE CHILD, because she couldn't get past twenty pages. Most of the time we like or dislike the same books, but I have to differ on this one. I will agree that this look at Irish village life in the early 1960s is a bit slow in the beginning, but it reads like poetry, and once I got into it, I could NOT put it down. I adored this book. I sobbed my way through the ending (in a good way) then read the last few chapters again. Twice. I also listened to Williams' THIS IS HAPPINESS, his previous book, which is also set in the small Irish village of Faha. I would recommend reading Williams' books in the order in which they were written, as they feature many of the same characters. Lovely books, exquisite writing. You can see why Williams' THE HISTORY OF RAIN (now on my TBR) was longlisted for the Booker Prize.

Here's one Kayti and I did agree on: She thrust Matt Haig's THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE into my hands with a must read directive. I liked it so much I dug out my unread copies of Haig's THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY and HOW TO STOP TIME which I really enjoyed, but THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE was definitely my fave. We have tickets to see Haig here in Dallas when he is touring for his upcoming book, THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN, and I'm very excited about that. On my birthday, no less!

From our local bookstore, I picked up a copy of Fredrik Backman's MY FRIENDS. I did like this, but what an odd book it is. I think it would make a great book club selection, because when I finished it I was dying to discuss it with someone! I can't say more because spoilers!

Except for Jenn's book, you will have noticed there are no mysteries in my little list, but never fear. I read Rhys and Clare's new Molly Murphy, VANISHED IN THE CROWD, and I enjoyed it so much! Such wonderful historical detail, and I especially liked this one as it dealt with early women in science, as well as women's suffrage, which felt very timely.

One more, and a mystery, Andrea Penrose's latest in her Wrexford and Sloan Regency series, MURDER AT SOMERSET HOUSE. These are fun, and usually deal with early 18th century science and economics. Some of this one, which centered on the development of the London Stock Exchange, went a bit over my head, but I loved the adventures of "the Weasels," the young wards of the main characters, and the introduction of a new young person to the family. I think these books would be great YA reads.

How about it, dear REDS? What's been on your nightstand since last we checked in?

LUCY BURDETTE: I was asked to read POPPY MONTGOMERY GETS EVEN, a new book coming out from Mysterious Press in June. Poppy is a woman of a certain age who becomes suspicious of two deaths in a retirement community where her dear friend lives. They decide to investigate, and she enlists her computer hacker grandson to assist with developing false profiles for older women on a dating site. The book is delightful, with wonderful character development and a good mystery too. Reminds me of Richard Osmond‘s murder club characters and Spencer Quinn‘s Mrs. Plansky.

I also read an old favorite Arnaldur Indridason’s The Quiet Mother, a story about a murder in Reykjavík. I love this description from the back cover: a masterful blend of human tragedy and relentless suspense, where every discovery comes at a cost. So dark and so well written.

And finally, I was encouraged by many readers to catch up with those who have read and adored Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt. Loved, loved, loved this book! Wonderful characters from the grandmother to a lost teenage boy to a small town in Washington to the octopus himself. I raved so much that John immediately read it too, and loved it just as much.

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished two terrific mystery novels. First, RAVEN BLACK by Ann Cleeves. She is so great at creating a sense of place the Shetland Islands), complicated victims, and interesting suspects. And of course her detective Inspector Jimmy Perez is so humane.

After that I chomped through Anthony Horowitz’s doorstop of a book, MARBLE HALL MURDERS. With his usual high wire act of metafiction (a novel within the novel, several casts of characters from present/past in the novel and the meta-novel). Not a book you’d ever fall asleep reading (it’s nearly 600 pages long). 

I’m looking forward to the dramatization (this is the third book, after MAGPIE MURDERS and MOONFLOWER MURDERS in a series) with Lesley Manville returning as editor Susan Ryeland. Again, she’s editing a novel within the novel and trying to figure out who the fictional characters (villain, victims, …) in a murder mystery and who they map to in real life.

And I’ve just dipped my toe into THE CORRESPONDENT. A break from crime fiction, it’s written in letters. Absolutely fascinating just figuring out how the author Virginia Evans pulls it off. So far it reminds me (character-wise) of OLIVE KITTERIDGE and has me queuing up OLIVE AGAIN to read next.

DEBS: Hallie, Kayti just read THE CORRESSPONDENT and loved it! She's loaned it to a friend but I am getting it next!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Are they doing the third book, Hallie? I’m so excited! I loved the two seasons of MAGPIE and MOONFLOWER.

I just finished (and blurbed) Dick Cass’s HARDER THAN A HEADSTONE, a deeply-Maine mystery starring a “I amd NOT a PI” hero. I love Dick’s spare, evocotive prose; he reminds me of Steve Hamilton.

I’m currently enjoying FAMILY DRAMA by Rebecca Fallon, a tale of “love, grief, motherhood and the different versions of ourselves we share with the world and with each other,” to quote the flap copy. It ranges from 1986 to 2012, and it’s beautifully written. PS, is anyone else freaked out by the fact the late 80s and early 90s are now historical fiction?!?

Next up, THE FOUND OBJECT SOCIETY by Michelle Maryk. I picked it up after reading the dynamite first chapter and the premise: an ultra-secret society of, yes, found objects that enable anyone holding one to experience the moment of the last owner’s death - and come back safe. 

Finally, non-fiction: PLANET MONEY, A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life. I’m a HUGE Planet Money podcast nerd, and if you are too, the book is coming out on April 7. 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Well, I say drop everything and read YESTERYEAR by Caro Claire Burke. It is truly amazing, and it’s about a trad-wife influencer who has a much better life than you, just ask her, and she advocates churning her own butter and oh, I just realized I wrote a whole JRW blog about this. So you already know.  It’s fantastic. (I almost gave up after page one. But  I persevered. ANd SO happy I did!)

And I just finished THE ENIGMA CHALLENGE  by S.C. Godfrey,  which I know sounds like one thing but it isn’t that–it’s truly a contemporary  Romancing the Stone with codes and puzzles, and I adored it. (The heroine is even named Zoe Wilder, who knows the author meant it to be an updated Joan.)

And I am in the midst of two books: Anthony Horowitz’s new  A DEADLY EPISODE, his latest Horowitz and Hawthorne mystery, which is of course hilarious and meta and clever and perfect, and THE MORTONS by Justine Larbalestier and Scottt Westerfeld,  which, hold on to your hats, is the wildest most unhinged family drama thriller mystery thing you can imagine.  I dare you, look at the cover. YIKES.

RHYS BOWEN:  I love it when books I’ve enjoyed are mentioned. Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Midnight Library were both favorites of mine. I’ve had so little time for reading, what with all the doctor appointments, books I have to blurb, and my own writing. But when I do read it has to be calming. I just re-read Rosamund Pilcher’s The Shell Seekers. Nothing dramatic, just family dynamics, and now I’ve just started on Lucy Foley’s Book of Lost and Found which looks delicious. I’m also reading, and really enjoying a book that’s coming out later this year called The Pilgrimage of Primrose Honeychurch, by Laura Walker. Watch out for it, it has a really interestingly different main character.

JENN McKINLAY: I have been reading mostly for endorsements as I have no time (deadline 4/1!!!), but I have IN THE MIDNIGHT RAIN by Barbara O’Neal, which Lucy gave me when I visited her in Key West and BECOMING DUCHESS GOLDBLATT by Anonymous on audio which Pat Kennedy recommended while I visited her. Come on 4/1 so I can read again! 

DEBS: I forgot to mention my current read, THE LIBRARY BOOK by Susan Orlean. This is non-fiction, about the disasterous fire in the Los Angelos central library in 1986, and it is fascinating, as well as a love letter to books and libraries everywhere.

Now, what's in your stacks, dear Reddies?

AND... the Reds are Reading!

 

LUCY BURDETTE: Hurray, it’s what we’re reading day so I’ll dive right in! Apostle’s Cove is another great entry in Kent Krueger's long-running Cork O'Connor series. The characters are deeply drawn, the family bonds realistic, and the action nonstop. This entry was a little different, reaching back into a murder case that Cork prosecuted when he was sheriff. Twenty-five years later, questions have arisen about whether the jailed murderer really committed the crime. Start from the beginning and read the entire series! I also adored Sarah Stewart Taylor’s second in her Vermont series,  Hunter’s Heart Ridge. You’ll feel cold and claustrophobic in this book, locked into a hunting lodge during a blizzard with a group of people, one of whom is a murderer.

While on vacation in Ireland last week, I discovered the new Jimmy Perez novel, The Killing Stones at the Dobray Books in Galway. Even though I had no room for it in my suitcase and also had a copy on order from RJ Julia at home in Connecticut. I could not resist getting an early look. It’s wonderful, of course bringing back Jimmy and his wife Willow, and the scenery on the Orkney Islands. Highly recommend!

Lucy with pal Pat Kennedy

Another book I read in preparation for the trip to Ireland was my first Clair Keegan, which Ann Cleeves had recommended to me last February. Small Things Like These is a small book, but every word is gorgeous, and brings to life a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic church on a cold and dark Christmas. I will read it again to savor the words, the mood, the characters.

Finally, The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett is such an astonishing book, one that I was so sad to finish, even though I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happened. It’s a wacky story about family tragedies, a road trip, a yellow tiger cat that can predict who will die next, and more! It’s funny and silly and touching and I just loved it. 

(As you can see on the pile, I haven't gotten to everything yet!)

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Cannot wait to read the Sarah StewartTaylor–she is always so wonderful! I just finished DEAD HUSBAND COOKBOOK by Danielle Valentine it is hilarious! Next up is GUILTY BY DEFINITION  by Susie Dent, which looks amazing, and THE MAD WIFE by Megan Church. You all did read the new Lisa Jewell, right? DON’T LET HIM IN? So good! Oh, and I am about to interview Walter Mosley, so I am reading GRAY DAWN. (Lucky me!)

HALLIE EPHRON: I’m reading Lori Rader-Day’s The Death of Us. I love her books and this new one is  all about families and guilt and buried secrets. In this one, she’s especially good at writing about a mother/son relationship and small town. I’m looking forward to seeing her at the New England Crime Bake.

JENN McKINLAY: I’m in a read for possible endorsement cycle. I just finished Libby Page’s THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU (a woman’s recently deceased husband has gifted her with one book per month to help her get through her first year without him). It comes out in February - HIGHLY recommend! Next up are GALENTINE’S DAY by Rebecca Anderson and DARLING DAFFODILS FARM by Britanee Nicole. I’ll keep you posted!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I just read Brad Park’s upcoming thriller, THE FLACK (out this February) and it is SO good. The story speed along bullet-fast and even though I had way too much to do to prep for Maine Crme Wave, I couldn’t stop turning pages.

I’m also loving an opposite-style book, one that rambles along slowly and has me rereading parts just for the joy of it: NOBODY’S FOOL by Richard Russo. Yes, despite the fact we’re from the same area and his famous North Bath trilogy is set less than 50 miles from Millers Kill, I’ve never read the books before. 

What I’m reading as soon as they land tomorrow: my absolute fave author Martha Wells (Murderbot)’s DEMON QUEEN, the sequel to WITCH KING. Last year, Wells was battling cancer and obviously not working, so it’s great to see her have a new book out. And, ALL THAT WE SEE OR SEEM by Ken Liu, the award-winning writer (and translator of THREE BODY PROBLEM.) His new book is a departure from the “silkpunk fantasy” he’s been doing recently; this instead is  cyberthriller/mystery SF. Looking forward to both of these!

RHYS BOWEN:  I haven’t had much time for reading recently with deadline, edits, proposal and injured arms from a fall making typing hard. But I did real my pal Jane Healey’s Women of Arlington Hall.  Intriguing! And now I’m absolutely loving Barbara O’Neal’s THE LAST LETTER OF RACHEL ELLSWORTH.  Great character studies, travel settings and peeling back layers of secrets.  It’s about a young woman, wanting to finish her dead mother’s cook book, who hires a companion to go from England to Paris to India with her and the stories/relationship of the two women. So far it’s brilliant!

I’m also just starting a book of non fiction called BEST FOOT FORWARD about a women who decides to walk across France. I love books where people do things I’d like to in theory but never would!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Julia, I haven’t read Martha Well’s WITCH KING, but have bought it on your recommendation, and because I adore the MURDERBOT books. I was going to get the audio version but I listened to the sample and decided I’d never be able to figure out the names!

Lucy, I also loved Sarah Stewart Taylor’s HUNTER’S HEART RIDGE. This series is right on the mark with the 60s setting and the interesting characters. A lot of my “reads” are actually “listens”, including the new Robert Galbraith Cormoran Strike novel, THE HALLMARKED MAN, which is thirty-something hours. (This I didn’t mind as Robert Glennister does such a fabulous job narrating.) Also, THE FROZEN PEOPLE, the debut of a new series by Elly Griffiths. This is a departure for her, with a time-travel element, so part of the book is set in present day London and part in Victorian London. I loved it, and the new cast of characters.

I just finished listening to Ann Cleeves’ new Jimmy Perez novel, THE KILLING STONES, and was so sorry for this one to end. I love Jimmy and Willow, and the new setting in the Orkneys, and hope she writes more of these.

Last but certainly not least, I LOVED our Hank’s ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS!! If you haven’t bought this one, do it now!

Oh, one more–thoroughly enjoying an ARC of Paula Munier’s new Mercy Carr, coming in December, I think, called THE SNOW LIES DEEP, set at Christmas and just in time for the Christmas season.

LUCY AGAIN: So jealous about Paula Munier’s arc Debs! Reds, what are you reading??

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: You know I adore this topic (and I know many of you do too) even though I honestly have more books in my multiple piles than I could finish in a lifetime. But new sparkly titles are constantly getting published, along with favorites from my most favorite authors, and reminders about older books that I’ve overlooked. Aside from all that, I’m judging a contest that I am forbidden to discuss. So I’m accumulating a teetering stack of books that might be right up your alley that I can’t mention!  I’m trying the technique of alternating the books I’m dying to read with the ones that are part of my contest obligations.

Most enjoyable books of the spring so far? Kristin Hannah’s THE WOMEN, Rhys Bowen’s THE ROSE ARBOR (one of her very best!), Kent Krueger’s THE RIVER WE REMEMBER…and I’m so looking forward to Barb Ross’s TORN ASUNDER and Jenn’s LOVE AT FIRST BOOK, and so many more—just look at my recent pile—wahhh! Reds, what are you reading?

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished reading a book that Sarah Weinman suggested in a roundup of recommendations. It’s an oldie and now I’m wondering how I missed the series. I read DEATH AND THE PENGUIN by Andre Kurkov. Wonderful dark humor in a book with a detective/aspiring writer who’s in a dead end job writing obituaries and, oh by the way, he has a pet penguin. Highly recommend. 

And fascinated as I am by the movie business and alcoholic mega-stars, I’m reading COCKTAILS WITH GEORGE AND MARTHA, and nonfiction by Philip Gefter. It’s about the genesis and filming of WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF. From Edward Albee to Mike Nichols to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton: utterly fascinating. Also an excellent doorstop.

I also loved Rhys’s THE ROSE ARBOR which I tore into the minute I got my hands on an advance copy.

JENN McKINLAY: Count me in for Rhys’s THE ROSE ARBOR! Such a fascinating story. I loved it. Also, I’m reading YOU’D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST by Joanna Wallace. Very original! I can’t even describe how different it is but I’m enjoying it tremendously. Recently, I read WEYWARD by Emilia Hart and could not put it down. It was excellent.

RHYS BOWEN: Aw, I’m blushing because you all said nice things about The Rose Arbor! Thank you. It was a complicated book and I was relieved that it worked out so well in the end. What am I reading? I’m returning the compliment… Jenn’s LOVE AT FIRST BOOK.  It was exactly what I needed right now having had a stressful first half of the year with radiation for John, lots of strange doctor visits (the symptoms were strange, not the doctors). So I’m savoring Ireland and Jenn’s snappy dialog. Always so good. I’ve reread the Paris book at least twice.  

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I just read two absolutely fabulous books, completely fabulous! By two of my favorite authors, and was so honored to interview them afterward. The first is CLOSE TO DEATH— and I know I go on and on and on about how much I adore Anthony Horowitz and his brilliant meta-fiction, and they just get better and better. This book is absolutely terrific in every way, and sometimes I just had to stop reading and applaud. You know, this is the series where I Anthony Horowitz the author is a character in the book. I don’t know how he managed to do it so beautifully.

And the other book I just read, and adore is THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Stuart Turton—- it’s sort of a dystopian utopia, yes, truly, or Agatha Christie meets the apocalypse on an isolated island. The world has ended, and there are only 121 people left, and they live this idyllic life – – although the reader is aware, something is not quite idyllic :-) – – until someone is murdered. And that’s like, chapter 1. This is an absolute tour de force in genre bending, with a solid mystery underneath.

It strikes me in discussing these—that both authors have written an intriguing, unique complex, unusual, pushing-the- envelope novel, but underneath both still depend on a satisfying, believable, and fair traditional mystery .

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Joining the dittos on Rhys’s THE ROSE ARBOR! I loved it! So well plotted, and I particularly loved the characters and the details of the late sixties setting.

Also, I’ve listened to the audiobook of THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, narrated by Julia Whelan, my absolute favorite female narrator, and was blown away. It’s one of those books that makes you feel desperate for someone to talk to about it when you’ve finished it. AND I finally, finally (I think I’m the last person in the world!) read LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus, and of course it is just brilliant. It was nice to read these one right after the other–similar themes, similar time period (LESSONS is a bit more than a decade earlier,) and then Rhys’s book also is set in the same time period as THE WOMEN. I listened to the audio of Marion McNabb’s SOME DOUBT ABOUT IT, which I really enjoyed. And now I’ve started Elly Griffith’s THE LAST WORD, but i picked up Jenn’s LOVE AT FIRST BOOK and will not be putting this one down until I finish it. So good!!!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Hank, I saw THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD and thought it was calling my name, but you've sold me - it definitely sounds like my kind of read. 

Loved THE ROSE ARBOR and LOVE AT FIRST BOOK (don't hate us because we get advanced copies, dear readers!) and I also recently read Tessa Wegert's next Shana Marchant mystery, THE COLDEST CASE. It's a little Agatha Christie combined with frigid weather and a great detecting couple, so if that appeals, pre-order it now!

Catching up with what everyone else raved about, I tore through Benjamin Stevenson's EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE and EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN IS A SUSPECT. I can see why HBO has picked this up. 

Next up, VILLAGE IN THE DARK, Iris Yamashita's follow-up to one of the most original mysteries of  '23, VILLAGE UNDER ONE ROOF. No science fiction! That's a first for me.

LUCY AGAIN: That's enough from us, but we'd love to hear what you're 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?

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??

It's Time For a What We're Reading Check-in!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: It's been awhile since we've checked in on our favorite things–books!--and I have a surfeit of riches to share! Here's just a glimpse.

I started the month with Robert Galbraith's (aka JK Rowling) massive (1000 pages!) new Cormoran Strike novel, THE INK BLACK HEART. I love this series, and have them all in hardcover, but because of the length I bought it on Kindle. This did not turn out to be the best idea–as you can see, I ended up buying the hardcover, too. Sections of the book consist of two or three simultaneous online chats, and it was hard to follow in the digital format. On the plus side, I really enjoyed the book and once I had the hardcover I went back and worked my way through parts of the plot again, just to make sure I'd followed it all.

Then I dived into the new Ann Cleeves Vera novel, THE RISING TIDE, which I'd ordered from the UK, and it was as good as you would expect. I won't say anymore because, spoilers. Now I've started the new Richard Osman, THE BULLET THAT MISSED, which I'd been looking forward to for ages.

Waiting for me I have Laurie King's BACK TO THE GARDEN, Blair Fell's THE SIGN FOR HOME, an ARC of Francine Mathew's new Merry Folger Nantucket mystery, DEATH ON A WINTER STROLL, Ruby Tandoh's essays, EAT UP (fans of The Great British Baker will remember her as a finalist a few years ago,) and an ARC of Margaret Mizushima's new Timber Creek mystery, STANDING DEAD.

And as soon as I get to London, I'm buying the new Elly Griffiths Harbinder Kaur novel, BLEEDING HEART YARD, and Alan Rickman's diaries, MADLY, DEEPLY. I adored Rickman so this read will be bittersweet.

Now all I need is more time to read! What's on your have read/coming up list, fellow REDs?

LUCY BURDETTE: I just finished THE LAST DRESS FROM PARIS by Jade Beer. If you love reading about high fashion and Paris and a thwarted love story, this is for you! I also loved the new Ann Cleeves. I was looking at it this morning and thinking how sad I was that I’d have to wait another year for the next one! Very much enjoyed Kent Krueger’s newest Cork O’Connor book. Ditto on having to wait! And I am super excited about Ann Mah’s new book coming out Tuesday, JACQUELINE IN PARIS. You’ll hear more about that one next week…

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I adored BACK TO THE GARDEN! Not to be missed! And STANDING DEAD  is on the way. But you all,  I have also been absolutely blown away by three other books, too,  books recently. I mean, they are intimidatingly good. One is  MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER N-KNOW  by Katie Gutierrez. And WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME by Gillian McAllister. And ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME by William Landay. Reds and readers, these are the books of the year.  Truly. Life-changing, writing-changing –and explosively, rule-breakingly great. 

HALLIE EPHRON: I’m in the middle of BONES UNDER THE ICE, a debut novel from Mary Ann Miller, with a rookie female sheriff in Indiana.

And slowly reading THE LAST CONFESSIONS OF SYLVIA P. by Lee Kravetz. I met Lee when I was at Book Passage’s mystery writing conference - he’s one of their local writers and the book is a knockout–a “literary mystery.” The eponymous “Sylvia P.” is of course poet Sylvia Plath. So far the story is set at the McLean psychiatric hospital where she spent a lot of time as a patient, and which was the setting for my “Dr. Peter Zak” series mystery novels.

JENN McKINLAY: LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus is my fave book of 2022…so far. I even mentioned this book in our upcoming convo about characters. I also recently read NOSY PARKER by Lesley Crew and adored it - a coming of age story set in the late sixties Montreal. Wickedly funny. And I am currently reading an ARC of  Annabel Monaghan’s SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER and absolutely loving it!

 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I wish I could show you a stack of books, but I'm at a conference and everything I brought with me to read is virtual - and also not yet out! I'm loving SONS AND BROTHERS by Kim Hays, the next Linder and Donatelli mystery set in Bern, Switzerland. (Kim has been a guest here, so you may recognize her name.) Next up: UNDER A VEILED MOON, the second in Karen Odden's new Inspector Corravan series, set in 1870s London. It's not out until October, but you can read the first in the series, DOWN A DARK RIVER, right now. 

 

About to check out from the library: LUCY BY THE SEA, by Maine's own Elizabeth Strout. I'm not even sure what it's about; I read her based on her reputation alone. I've never been disappointed in one of her books.

DEBS: I've been really looking forward to the Ann Mah book, too, and I'm so intrigued by all the other suggestions. So interesting where we overlap and where we don't, and I love that these suggestions push me in new directions!

READERS, what's standing out for you at the moment? And what are you especially looking forward to?