5 Murder Mysteries by Ann Cleeves Set in Northumberland England Featuring Inspector Ramsay

February 2015

The Pearl that Broke Its Shell: A Novel by Nadia Hashimi – a truly terrific read that moves between present day Kabul and the main character’s great grandmother. Treatment of women is so upsetting. Lots of real thugs in Kabul. Feel like there is no hope for Afghanistan.
5 murder mysteries by Ann Cleeves – Set in Northumberland England featuring Inspector Ramsay. The main character, Ramsay, is not well developed but the stories are all very good. The Baby Snatcher; Killjoy, A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy, A Lesson in Dying, and Murder in My Backyard. Super easy reads – short and engaging.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. How did this win the Booker prize? The writing was truly terribly – starting paragraphs with He. Cannot figure out who is talking. Shifts between first and third person. So sloppy I was shocked. Do NOT recommend it.
The King’s Curse by Phillipa Gregory – this is the book that started my interest in the Tudors. Interesting perspective on Henry VIII. Historical fiction. Learned some. Not too deep but interesting.
Growing Up Amish: A Memoir by Ira Wagler – Interesting read. Definitely am not becoming Amish – learned about different branches of the Amish, some of their practices. Book should have continued for the rest of the author’s life. Felt incomplete.
Without You There is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea’s Elite – By Suki Kim – I totally loved this book. The author was masquerading as a missionary with a group of missionaries who were masquerading as teachers. It tells about her time teaching in North Korea. Totally fascinating. It really shows how the government totally controls all info and the minds of the population. And people are so poor. Written recently. Author is a journalist originally from South Korea.
Adult Onset by Ann Marie Macdonald – I think this author only has one good book in her and she has written it. I read ½ the book and said that’s enough. Silly, silly, silly characters.
books by Thrity Umrigar: The Space Between Us; The Story Hour;

- The Space Between Us – set in contemporary Bombay, story of 2 women – 1 rich and 1 poor (her servant) – really shows how the caste system is still in place – so many twists and turns in the book – really interesting

The Story Hour – set in New England – story of a poor Indian woman (new immigrant) who tries to commit suicide and her friendship with her psychiatrist – black woman – parts of it were very good – a bit frustrating and implausible. I got very cross with the psychiatrist because she knows better.

The Unknown Bridesmaid by Margaret Forster – seems like I am only person who does not know about Foster. This is her 26th novel. Good psychological thriller. A psychiatrist is haunted by what she did as a child. Really good read. Lots of twists and turns. Characters well developed.
Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming – Yes that Alan Cumming – actor from The Good Wife, Cabaret … Book is totally awesome. His childhood was sooo grim. Tells story of his abusive father and how he survived. This is a must read. Well written, a bit of mystery, engaging.
The Monogram Murders: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah – I love Poirot and I was reluctant to read this book. I felt that no one but Agatha Christie could write a Poirot murder mystery. I was wrong. Book was terrific. Great story. Perfectly captured Poirot. Cannot wait for the next book by Hannah.
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League by Jeff Hobbs. This is the most, most, most gripping book. Robert Peace, dirt poor in Newark – totally brilliant, gets a scholarship to Yale, gets high marks and ends up back on the streets of the projects in Newark. And he dies tragically. The author was Peace’s room mate at Yale. As a white woman, I know I do not get it (about race) but this book gave me an insight into poverty. Peace “got out” in one way but psychologically could not. One of the best books ever – but sad!! And you will be perplexed by the bad choices Peace keeps making.
Hardball: A V.I. Warshawki Novel by Sara Peretsky – To think this series is going strong Not worth the effort to even describe how bad this book is – writing poor, character ridiculous, plot painful – read ½ and thought Huh! Who would read this shlop?
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (A.K.A. J. K Rowling) – totally loved it. Just as good as her first as Galbraith – loved the characters, loved the story …. Hope the third one is coming soon.
Reykjavik Nights by Arnaldur Indridason – so bad not worth the time to describe how bad it is.
The Marco Effect” A Department Q Novel – Jussi Adler-Olsen – I love, love, love this series. Truly fab murder mysteries. Set in Copenhagen. Totally love the characters and the stories are great. Read them in order of publication.
The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook – Not my usual read. Set in postwar East Germany. I could only get through ½ of it. Characters were not plausible. Story and history interesting but the characters were just not real.
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell – Typical Gladwell. If you like Gladwell you will love this one. I did.
The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. I truly love these murder mysteries. Have to ration them out.
A Traitor to Memory by Elizabeth George- For those who like Inspector Lynley murder mysteries.
The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud – not nearly as good as her early writings. Not worth it.
3 books by Sarah Addison Allen – The Sugar Queen, Lost Lake, Garden Spells – normally I do not like novels with fantasy elements but these 3 are soooo good. Allen is a great writer and the fantasy elements work. Stories are all good.
The Goldfinch by Donna Taft – how did this win the Pulitzer Prize? Totally dreadful book. Wordy, plot does not make sense, implausible … Absolutely painful. Read ¾ of it and then my friend told me that the last ¼ is even more ridiculous so I stopped. (He was so frustrated with the book, he threw it across the room. And he is not prone to violence – a total sweetie.)

July 26, 2014

In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner – Vintage Elizabeth George. Very long but very good if you like Inspector Lynley murder mysteries. Deception on His Mind also by George. Very good.
Kwei Quartey murder mysteries – Set in Ghana. So interesting because I learned so much about Ghana – oil reserves, religion, corruption … Three books with the same detective, Darko Dawson, (who I love): Wife of the Gods, Murder at Cape Three Points, and Children of the Street. Read them in order of publication. Death at the Voyager Hotel is a one-off without Inspector Darko. Quartey is a doctor in the US who comes Ghana so he knows the country.
The Fashion in the Shrouds by Margery Allingham – J.K. Rowling said Allingham is her favourite murder mystery writer but I found it dated and tedious. (Detective Campion)
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – this is not my usual thing but I loved it. A blind French girl and a German soldier during WWII. VERY interesting and well written.
A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks. About corruption and the collapse of the banking system in 2008. Very interesting following about 12 characters. I could not follow all of the stuff on hedge funds but the ending is a true humdinger. Definitely worth the read.
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd – contrived and painful murder mystery. Characters were silly and implausible. Not worth it.
Buried Angles by Hannah Kent another murder mystery set in the Scandinavian countries. Not worth the read. Painful. No where near the caliber of Jussi Adler-Olsen.
How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny – Usual excellent stuff following the murders in Three Pines. I am reading the Inspector Gamache in order and loving every word of every book.
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan. I was looking forward to this because I LOVED Loving Frank (Lloyd Wright) by Horan. This one was so painful and embarrassing I could not get through it.
The Lemon Grove by Ali Hosseini set in Iraq during US invasion. Really glad I read it because I learned so much. Writing is not top drawer but very informative.
Honey Dew by Louise Doughty was a total disappointment. I loved her other books which were taunt and well written. This one was garbage.
Hour of the Red God by Richard Crompton is set in Kenya prior to the 2007 elections. Nowhere near the caliber of Quartey novels but I learned a lot about Kenya
Buried Rites by Hannah Kent – an absolute MUST read. Tells the story of the last women executed for murder in Iceland in the early 19th century. HUH you are saying. Trust me it is gripping and you will learn so much about Iceland. I could not put it down
Jhumpa Lahiri – Three novels which were all excellent. The Namesake; Interpreter of Maladies; and the Lowland. ALL were superb. The last one did not win the Booker (but should have). All dealing with identity Indo/American. Beautifully written even if the style is unconventional at times. Informative – gets you thinking about issues of identity.
The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon – Hyped like crazy on Amazon but it was terrible, trite, not interesting
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch. Translated from Dutch. I loved his previous novel, The Dinner which was a real psychological thriller. Summer House is not in that league. Almost all of the characters are despicable and so many loose ends it feels sloppy and I felt used as a reader.
Meet me in Malmo by Torquil MacLeod. Sort of a good/interesting murder mystery. Good story. The ending is such a shocker it is worth the read. Not particularly well written- another set in the Scandinavian countries – but fairly interesting.

February 16, 2014

Department Q Murder Mysteries by Jussi Adler-Olsen. These murder mysteries are fantastic – a bit grim in places but the stories are gripping and the team of detectives so endearing. They are translated from Danish – so far only 4 in English. Highly recommend you read them in order: The Keeper of Lost Causes, The Absent One, A Conspiracy of Faith, and The Purity of Vengeance. Warning – you will not be able to put them down. Each book weaves together many stories but Adler-Olsen is a real storyteller who can handle the complex structure.
Alice Munro’s Best Selected Stories – What can I say about our Canadian treasure. I found the themes a bit repetitive but …
The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro – She is a fantastic writer and it is great to read books set in Ontario. (not sure though if she is a nice person)
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden. I have read and enjoyed 2 others books by Boyden and this one is even more amazing than the others. The research must have been painstaking. It is the story of French Canadian missionaries trying to convert the Hurons – 1700’s. Very violent in parts but the story is amazing. At first I kept getting the characters (Bird, Snowfall) confused but eventually I got them sorted out. Be prepared to weep the last 50 pages.
One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson. This book was so informative. Although it is supposed to be just about the year 1927, there is lots of info about the decade – I learned so much about Henry Ford, manipulating the stock market, deregulated banks, movies, impact of prohibition …
Road Ends by Mary Lawson. This is the third book in the series which are all set in Northern Ontario. It is not as good as the first, Crow Lake, but much better than the second one. Lawson is a good writer who really gives you a sense of life in northern mining towns.
The Massey Murder: A Maid, Her Master and the Trial that Shocked. This is an excellent book for those who like reading about early Canada (turn of the century), especially Toronto . The Masseys were/are a prominent family in the history of Toronto and a maid murders one of them. The research must have been painstaking with Gray reconstructing events based on newspaper reports, court files ….
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. This is a classic and glad that I finally read it. Carol Milford, a liberal, free-spirited young woman from Minneapolis, Minnesota marries Will Kennicott, a doctor who convinces her to move back to his small hometown of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota. While there, Carol finds the smug conservatism of the town objectionable and sets out to try and make the town a little more progressive, with little effectiveness. A satirical gem, "Main Street" is Sinclair Lewis' classic portrait of small town midwestern American life.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. It was shortlisted for the Booker and I cannot believe it did not win. It moves back and forth between Calcutta and East Coast US. The story of two brothers – one who is a scientist and one who was an activist. I learned lots about Indian history. The writing is gorgeous – not always in conventional narrative but easy to follow.
Longbourn by Jo Baker. This is the story of the downstairs staff from Pride and Prejudice. Nothing like Downton Abbey. The book really gives a good sense of what it was like to be a servant – not fun. It was nice to have the characters from Pride and Prejudice “wander through” the story
Accusation by Catherine Bush. This is the story of a journalist who seems to “uncover” an abuse case while in Copenhagen. It raises lots of issues of what happens when someone is accused. It moves back and forth between Denmark and Toronto. Some of the events are very implausible – how could the journalist be that clueless!
Peking Story: The Last Days of Old China by David Kidd. This is the story of a young fellow in Peking between 1948-1950 who marries into one of the leading families. The family’s life/downfall is a microcosm of what is happening as the Communists assume power. I loved, loved, loved this book. It is beautifully written (non-fiction) and very informative.
The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. This is a bit of fluff that is not worth the effort. Story set in Australia about a missing baby ….
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes. Set in the 1960s, when the main character wakes from a coma (after a car accident) she has lost her memory. When she returns home, to her wealthy husband, she finds a love letter but cannot recall her lover. The story moves to present day with a journalist who is in a mess with her life and gets caught up in the love letters.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty. Now this is a humdinger of a suspense novel (not like The Last Anniversary). A man writes a letter to his wife to be opened on his death. Long story why the wife opens it prior to his death and discovers his deepest, darkest secret. The book raises lots of questions – what would you do if you found out something dreadful about your spouse.

October 5, 2013

After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell – Great story of a woman on a train from Scotland to London and ends up dead. Interesting family. Well written. Not just a mystery but a good story of families.

Instructions for a Heat Wave by Maggie O’Farrell – EXCELLENT book. The father in a family disappears on his way to get the newspaper. The mother calls together the 3 grown children to help find him. Truly excellent story on family dynamics, family secrets – it unfolds beautifully. I highly recommend it but you will not be able to put it down.

A Trick of Light by Louise Penny – Part of the series about Inspector Gamache from the Quebec police force who investigates murders many of which happen in the idyllic village of Three Pines. Excellent. But be sure to read the books in sequence that they were written.

Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay – I read about 1/3 and it was terrible – trite, formulaic .. I thought that I should read something by him because he is Canadian but it was so disappointing.

The Burgess Boys: A Novel by Elizabeth Strout – This was excellent. Story of a family 2 brothers and 1 sister. The sister’s son commits a crime (hate crime) and the 2 brothers return to the family home in Maine to help out. One brother is a highly successful lawyer while the other is not so successful. The plot construction and ending are so much better than her last book. The only problem is that the character of the one brother who is less successful is not really logical. She talks about him being so social and charming but his actions do not show this. I would recommend reading it because there are lots of interesting twists and turns in the plot.

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews – This is a spy thriller which is not my thing but my dentist recommended it. The author is a 30+ veteran spy from the CIA so he knows about spies … But I only read ½ because I am so not into spy stories. Well written and some interesting perspective on post Soviet Russia.

The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison – This was a terrific book. It is told in two voices – husband and wife. Each chapter alternate the voice. The story of a marriage breakdown. It was really interesting and the ending is quite a shocker. Definitely recommend it.

Whatever You Love by Louise Doughty – This is a good story of a woman (divorced) whose daughter dies. There is a Before (the daughter dies) and After sections. It was good but not nearly as good as the Apple Tree Yard. I did not really like any of the characters and felt that they were all very foolish. But it was a good read.

The Last Letter from Your Lover: A Novel – This was terrific. A woman has an accident and loses her memory. When she comes home (she is married with a daughter) she finds a love letter that she received. She cannot recall her lover. She searches the house for other letters … In the meantime a journalist is looking into a story (journalist is on a downward spiral because her lover broke up with her). Their paths cross. The ending is very good.

Some Day I’ll find You by Richard Madeley – I did not know until after finishing the book that Madeley is a big TV presenter in the UK. Premise is excellent – a woman marries during WWII, husband (a pilot) killed in, she remarries …. Many years later in France she sees her 1st husband – he is alive. The ending of the book was so disappointing. Such a waste of a good premise.

Death of an Expert Witness by P. D. James – excellent Inspector Dagliesh murder mystery

July 27, 2013