April - 5
19. Sable Messenger - book 2 in the Inspector Knollis series
by Francis Vivian
mystery 1947
Kindle
finished 4/2/21
20. The Threefold Cord - book 3 in the Inspector Knollis series
by Francis Vivian
mystery 1947
Kindle
finished 4/8/21
I like these Vivian mysteries. I'm not wild about them, but find them pleasant enough old mysteries.
21. Something in the Water
by Catherine Steadman
mystery/thriller 2018
Kindle
library book
finished 4/10/21
This book is completely out of character for me! It is a thriller, an edge-of-your-seat kind of book which I rarely read. My daughter actually quit because it was scary! I stayed with it just because I had to know how it turned out. Whew! I don't think I'll read any more of her work, but the book was very good.
22. The Swiss Summer
by Stella Gibbons
fiction 1951
Kindle
finished 4/20/21
It is probably obvious that I read mostly English authors of books set in England. I do occasionally take a different road, and that's what happened this month. Although Stella Gibbons was an English woman, this book is set in Switzerland. Other than Heidi, I don't think I have ever read a book set there. Swiss Summer is one of the re-issued publications by Dean Street Press. The characters were new and interesting. Their personality quirks were quite different than I've read before. And Switzerland sounded just divine - a perfect place to spend a summer. I highly recommend it.
23. Convenience Store Woman
by Sayaka Murata
translated from the Japanese by Ginny Tapley Takemori
fiction 2018
Kindle
library book
finished 4/22/21
This was a recommendation from Sam at Book Chase. It was unlike any book I've ever read, and I loved that. The characters, the setting, the idea were new and so interesting to me. I am very happy I read it, and it has led me to other Japanese writers.
I loved Convenience Store Woman as well and also Something in the Water! Both great stories for me.
ReplyDeleteI've gone on to read more Japanese fiction, and I'm really loving it.
DeleteI read Convenience Store Woman. It was very good I thought too. Currently reading Miss Austen and just finished The Color of Air. The latter was so so. Last third better than first 2/3.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed because I was just looking at Gail Tsukiyama's work, and realized I haven't read anything since The Samurai's Garden in 2002! I plan to remedy that soon!
DeleteA very interesting mix, with some surprise finds for you, with some old, some new - I like that!
ReplyDeleteI can confirm that Switzerland is beautiful (but VERY expensive) :-)
A book so scary your daughter stopped reading it? Wow!
I probably will never get there, but I do plan to look into more books (and movies) set there!
DeleteI know - it is pretty funny about Margaret! She usually can handle things I can't at all, like Harlan Coben!
Nan, I'm chuckling over the fact that Margaret stopped reading a scary book and you continued! Funny! Glad you enjoyed it. I've had it on my list for quite a while. And since scary doesn't usually bother me, I'll try to make a point to try it before long. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMe, too!! We are usually just the opposite!
DeleteAnd yes, you are very, very good at scary!
I reviewed Something in the Water pre-Pandemic and that may be when I decided that I don't like psychological suspense very much - let alone the scary part, I spend the whole book saying, "Don't do that!" It's exhausting! For what it was, however, I thought it was well done. And it is set in England so fits your and my usual read. By the way, have you ever read Sabrina by Madeleine Polland? I think you would enjoy if your library has it (Irish setting, early 20th century).
ReplyDeleteThanks for this - yes, it is exhausting! Fun for the duration of the read (way faster than I usually read), but I couldn't take it very often! And I agree that it was well done. I didn't have a clue most of the time! I'll look into Sabrina. Thanks.
DeleteHappy to see your book post - Convenience Store WOman will go on my list. I love Gail Tsukiyama's books - they have such serenity about them. And I could suggest The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng.
ReplyDeleteMary
I just ILLed a GT book, Night of Many Dreams. I'm excited to read it. I will look into The Gift of Rain. Thank you.
DeleteI really enjoyed Convenience Store Woman, though I don't fancy her new one. You might like Banana Yoshimoto if you liked this one.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I will look into her work. I've already read a couple authors I will mention in the May books.
DeleteI just found this blog yesterday, and I am enjoying it very much. You say you like English stories. Have you read Helen Forrester's memoirs of Liverpool in the 30's and 40's? There are four starting with Twopence to Cross the Mersey. She also wrote several novels I have yet to read.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteI haven't read the Forrester book but will look it up. Thank you for the suggestion. I recently rewatched A Family at War, and that is set in Liverpool.