50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Six

I need some nice, light, dare I say, 'fluffy' reads. Too many detective books of late. I'd like a good old-fashioned doorstep of a beach read.

37. Christine Falls by Benjamin Black First mystery featuring 1950s Dublin pathologist Quirke (just Quirke, no first name, very...quirky). Apparently these have been made into a TV series but that completely passed me by, so entered this with no preconceptions. It was just OK. Lots of telling not showing; lots of laboured hinting at terrible dark secrets that were a bit obvious. The best written characters and story were going on in a subplot, but, maybe on realising that the whole book was chugging to an end, the author just killed that off in a most unsatisfactory manner. The second of these is on my dad's kindle, and I'll read it because it's there, in the hope that the writting is more in the style of the 'good' subplot, but I wouldn't buy it if I didn't already have it.

38. No Wonder I Take a Drink by Laura Marney Been saving this on my kindle for my West Highland holiday, as it's about a Glasgow woman who has lost her way in life a bit, who unexpectedly inherits a house in the West Highlands and goes to live there. It's funny, well observed, touching and engaging. I'd say if you liked the Bernadette book you'd probably like this. I liked this better because I could relate (all too well) to the places and the characters. Recommended. And there's a sequel. Relevant to recent discussion, I was extremely surprised to find a list of book group questions at the end. Odd.

39. The Commando Pocket Manual 1940-1945 edited and intro by Christopher Westhorp Planned West Highland holiday reading part two. This was on my dad's kindle, there is a family connection, and we were (not coincidentally) in the area where commando training took place during WW2. This is a selection of contemporary documents and extracts which cover the rationale for the founding of the commandos, instructions for all kinds of situations, e.g. use of weapons, making shelters, movements at night, scaling a cliff, nutrition, keeping your feet dry, disabling an enemy soldier with your bare hands...and much more. Fascinating. I wouldn't recommend this to just anyone as 'great summer reading' but - Remus ?

Started My Ántonia on the train back - so lovely.

Just had a catch-up of the thread - Nods enthusiastically to those recommending Sally Lockhart and Digging to America, which is my favourite Anne Tyler. And a wistful sigh for the days when I was a young English student and could sit in a chair all summer and read Middlemarch and call it work. Blimming marvelous book.

Sidelong glance at Five Red Herrings though, which is the only Sayers I found actively boring. Too many railways, not enough unresolved sexual tension.

27. The Summer Book Tove Janssen
    A little girl and her grandmother spend a summer pottering about on a small Finnish island. Funny, sweet, thoughtful, wistful, very well written. I didn't love it, but I did like it.

28. All Change Elizabeth Jane Howard
    Fifth Cazalet book, set in the fifties. I liked this better than I expected, given the reviews on here, and it's just as absorbing as the others. I also liked how sympathetically she manages to portray people like Edward who in many other books would be a simple villain, and how honest she is about the effects of Hugh's traditionalism on his business and sons, despite Hugh being generally pretty sympathetic.
    Agree it's less good though - she seemed to have lost a handle on how everyone is related - several characters call their mothers aunts and sisters cousins. And the nine years are related at breakneck speed. And I didn't believe Louise would just forgive her father like that. And she seems to just make everyone breed and breed so she can write more children. And the Neville storyline was bonkers.

I definitely need a break from historical thrillers, war zones and the like, I think.

I recall you enjoyed Fatherland remus do you fancy any more Robert Harris - Conclave was quite good had a touch of the Shardlake's about it, in definitely going to seek out some others.

The new book by the guy who wrote HHhH is out but dear on kindle atm. Also I'm quite tempted by a Gentleman in Moscow but same problem.

My summer books recommendation would be the Europe in Autumn trilogy, really good fast paced thrillers set in a near-future Europe fragmented into mini-states. I'm going to take all three on holiday for a re-read, the first time through I read them too fast wanting to find out the ending
In the meantime I've just started Rethinking the Economics of Land and Housing, which looks very good (but possibly something of a minority interest! though having said that obviously it's rather important to most of us . . .)

Glad to hear it, Sadik. I think the third is also v good and then the 4th reverts back to a bit of a romp (bit I rather like the romping!).

Currently reading a book for work and not enjoying it much. I won't count it, but am very much in need of some great books for the summer. But WHAT?!

Remus I've been listening to the 2nd Sally Lockhart book today, and liking it much more. The characters just feel a bit more developed, (and the melodrama a bit toned down).

@LadydeppI like the sound of that. Am a regular train commuter on a Manchester bound train

Yes I know what you mean. I think they improve as they go on.

Thanks, best. I found the first one for a couple of quid on kindle so thought it was worth a punt. I don't mind them being a bit dated when it is true to the era of that makes sense?

passme Wexford starts in the sixties so the early ones are a bit dated, just to warn you. I love them though.

29. The Silence Between Breaths by Cath Staincliffe - this was recommended in some crime/thriller section of a newspaper that I can't remember and is currently cheap on Kindle. This novel is a proper page turner about a train journey from Manchester to London which may or may not have a suicide bomber aboard. I read this in a day which is super quick for me. The story follows 8 people's experience of the day, and I thought the characters were drawn really well. I recommend it if you want a quick page turner, but the subject matter is obviously harrowing and very topical so it's not for anyone looking for something light and frothy.

49. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch

The latest in the Rivers of London series sees PC Peter Grant investigating a suspicious death at a party in one of the most expensive apartment blocks in London. It's not usually his concern, but Lady Tyburn's daughter was present and Peter owes Lady Ty a favour. While investigating he stumbles upon sales of dangerous arcane items and also finds addition information about the Faceless Man. It pushes the overall story arc on a bit but does feel a little like a placeholder in the series.

42. The Wicked Girls - Alex Marwood

They were jailed as child killers when only children themselves. But when they find themselves in the midst of a serial killer can Amber and Kirsty manage to keep their true identities secret to those around them?

This book had a lot more promise but I found the outcomes lacking a little. Ultimately I enjoyed it enough to get into it but was left a little deflated. Good choice for reserving in the library rather than buying.

@BestisWest If you've not loved it on the previous tries I'm not sure the end will justify renewed effort! I found myself skim reading a lot towards the end - especially the bets that went

• person letter or thing - hey Phil, here are some things that are definitely very shady, this is absolutely what is happening
• Narrator- lalala that obviously isn't true everything is wonderful lalala

I guess the ending was fairly satisfying but ymmv

I was thinking 12 plus for HDM to really get the most of out of then, wasn't sure if Ruby etc might squeeze in before that or about the same. When she finished book 7 of HP she started right back at book one

The thing about the questions in the book is that it is furthering marketing so people choose it for their club and they ultimately sell more copies and it just feels like everyone gets channeled into reading the same stuff and it's a bit depressing. But I'm just grumpy and I'm sure some people have found them helpful.

RMC you are quite right really. I just find them a bit irritating. I don't need to read them though!

I am a bit tempted by the Wexford series now actually. I have never read any but they sound like it might be my cup of tea. While I still love a good detective / police procedural I am still a bit hormonal and would struggle to cope with anything too gory or intense

The questions in the back don't really bother me at all. In fact if they help some people think further about what they have read then they might actually be a good thing. I started a book group and quite a few people who joined were people who read very few books but wanted to read more and different books. On several occasions they have said the questions made them think about the book in a different way. I rarely look at them but they certainly wouldn't put me off a book.

I think the Sally L books are much more accessible than the Dark Materials series.

My niece is 10 and has ploughed through the Harry Potters and I was wondering when the best age is for the Pullman trilogies? Would Dark Materials be better first than the Victorian ones? Quite tempted to read those myself now, sadik.

I really like the Pullman series, Sadik. I think they strike a good balance of darkness and good humour. I challenge you to read The Shadow in the North without a tear or three.

And I agree, questions at the back of the book are definitely a major turn off for me - would tend to put back something I picked up if I saw them.

62 The Ruby in the Smoke by Phillip Pullman, listened to on audio.
Pastiche Victorian melodrama. Fine for an easy listen while working (especially as I got it from the library audio selection), but I didn't think this was anything special.

I'm not entirely sure of the intended audience. Really it feels like a children's book, with pantomime villains, good hearted messenger boys and a riproaring yarn type plot. The amount of violence and the fact that the plot centres around opium smoking would make it pretty unsuitable for primary age kids though, so I imagine it's meant to be a YA novel.

I'll probably listen to the sequel, but only because it's also available free from the library and I haven't decided on my next Audible purchase.

74. Wexford Short Stories
75. From Doon With Death - Ruth Rendell

Finally finished the Inspector Wexford series of detective novels. I've loved almost every word. You have to suspend belief towards the end as Wexford would have been 114 by the time of his last case but Rendell herself said that she never realised there would be more than one book when she wrote the first about a 55 year old detective. I love the way she entwines literature and social history with psychology and good old fashioned murder. George Baker who played Wexford on TV looks very much like my Dad so I've always had a soft spot for him for that reason alone. Lovely Wexford. I shall miss him.

76. Sunday Morning Coming Down - Nicci French

Last ( I hope) in the 7 book series about psychoanalyst Frieda Klein. there's an overarching storyline across the series which I felt didn't conclude properly and by the end I'd come to really dislike Klein. Disappointing.