December Reading

79. Keeper of the Keys - book 6 in the Charlie Chan series

by Earl Derr Biggers

mystery, 1932

Kindle book

finished 12/27/13

So sadly, Earl Derr Biggers died the year after this was published so there are only six in the series. I have loved every book, and though he may not have planned it to be the last one, it is really quite a fitting end. We learn about the history of the Chinese people in the western United States which of course relates to Charlie Chan himself. Wonderful books.

78. Provence, 1970

by Luke Barr

nonfiction, 2013

finished 12/26/13

As stated in my post, this is one of my ten favorites of the year. And maybe of my reading life. There will be a book report in the new year.

77. Nipped in the Bud - book 14 in the Hildegarde Withers series

by Stuart Palmer

mystery, 1951

Kindle book

finished 12/22/13

When I finish each book in this series, I think, oh that was my favorite. Palmer is a master at locale descriptions, which is one of the many reasons I love these books. This time the reader travels to Tijuana, Mexico. Great characters, and excellent mystery.

76. The Great Cake Mystery - book 3 in the Precious Ramotswe series

by Alexander McCall Smith

middle grade fiction, 2012

Kindle book

library book

finished 12/15/13

Sweet, adorable book about Mma Ramotswe as a child. Just wonderful.

75. The Green Ace - book 13 in the Hildegarde Withers series

by Stuart Palmer

mystery, 1950

Kindle book

finished 12/15/13

Although I enjoy Hildegarde's traveling mysteries, it is fun when she's at home in New York City. I love reading about the city in those times. 

74. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost - 1922

illustrated by Susan Jeffers - 1978, 2001

children's book

finished 12/14/13

I wrote about this here.

73. The Luck Runs Out - book 2 in the Professor Peter Shandy series

by Charlotte MacLeod

mystery, 1979

Kindle book

finished 12/9/13

I enjoyed the second even more than the first in the series, and have bought the third. This is a cozy series that I really enjoy. It is very intelligently written, and is fun at the same time. 

72. Stuck

by Stacey D. Atkinson

fiction, 2013

Kindle book

finished 12/6/13

As I stated in my favorites of the year post, a full book report will appear after the new year. For now, I’ll just say that I loved this book. It is wonderfully written, with a main character this reader was so fond of. 

71. Rest You Merry - book 1 in the Professor Peter Shandy series

by Charlotte MacLeod

mystery, 1978

Kindle book

second reading

finished 12/5/13

I read this many years ago, and had a fond feeling about it. I wondered if I would still enjoy it, and I did. I like the main character and his wife. I like the idea of an agricultural college where young people are really interested in caring for the land and its bounty. The reader is made aware of the claustrophobia that can come from an insular society such as a college community. In this book there is a lot of peer pressure for Peter Shandy to decorate his house and show a little Christmas spirit. He finally over-decorates in spite. There is soon a murder. I really like the way the case was solved, and I like a lot of the other characters in the book, which bodes well for future books in the series. There are two very fine reviews of Rest You Merry here and here.