Sunday, July 11, 2010

Mailbox Monday-- Slowed Down, Waiting for the Monsoon


Mailbox Monday is my favorite weekly meme. It's hosted by Marcia on her blog, The Printed Page. Being an MM devotee can lead to multiple open browser windows, melted credit cards, towering stacks of books to be read, and a picket line of UPS, FedEx and USPS workers outside your door. If that sounds like your cup of tea, click on that redhead to the left. She'll take you right to the heart of the action!

This past week netted me the last of my Paperback Swap (PBS) bingeing, so things should slow down for a while. I'm running out of room on my designated TBR shelves, and I refuse to have stacks and piles. (My toes and I came to an understanding a few years ago.) I sent 3 books to new PBS foster homes and received 6. Here's the rundown:

  1. Slicky Boys by Martin Limón (PBS). "In Seoul, U.S. Army criminal investigation division agents George Sueño and Ernie Bascom work and carouse in the bar and brothel district called Itaewon. When a beautiful, mysterious Korean woman asks them to deliver a note to the British soldier who jilted her, they agree. Then the man is found murdered in an alley, and George and Ernie realize that they were used to lure the man to his death. Their investigation becomes a personal vendetta, and their own lives are imperiled as they are drawn into the world of the "slicky boys"-- a highly organized band of black marketeers operating (literally) underground in Seoul since the Korean War."
  2. Gallows Lane by Brian McGilloway (PBS). "Taking its title from the name of the road down which condemned Donegal criminals were once led, Gallows Lane follows Inspector Benedict Devlin as he investigates a series of gruesome murders in and around the Irish borderlands. When a young woman is found beaten to death on a building site, in what appears to be a sexually motivated killing, Devlin's enquiries soon point to a local body builder and steroid addict. But days later, born-again ex-con James Kerr is found nailed to a tree. Increasingly torn between his young family and his job, Devlin is determined to apprehend those responsible for the murders before they strike again, even as the carnage begins to jeopardise those he cares about most."
  3. Beat Not the Bones by Charlotte Jay (PBS). "In this novel, a naive young girl travels to Papua New Guinea from Australia, determined to discover the truth about her late husband's death: Was it suicide or murder? The story fleshes out its characters: a sheltered girl on the verge of womanhood, father figures with unfatherly intentions, and men and women on the brink of nervous breakdowns. Geraldine Halls, writing here as Jay, has fused these elements into a suspenseful tale of terror. A world-traveling native of Australia, she spent several years working in Papua New Guinea, an experience that enabled her to landscape her story with an authentic tropical background and to create convincing anti-colonial literature through her sensitive characterization of both the white administration and the native population. Originally published in 1952, this mystery won the very first Edgar Award."
  4. I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (PBS). "I, Coriander is Sally Gardner's first venture into YA fiction. Written in the first person, Coriander Hobie describes both the ordinary and extraordinary events that occur in her life in 17th-century London. The unexplained appearance of a beautiful pair of silver shoes that fit Coriander perfectly set into motion an inexorable chain of events. Traveling via her silver shoes between the puritanical time of Oliver Cromwell and her mother's mystical fairy kingdom, Coriander's voice is strong and true. The juxtaposition of Puritan and fairy, fear and fantasy, make this detailed tale come to life. A strong sense of setting pervades the novel; London Bridge and the Thames River are lovingly described, as is the Summer Palace of the fairy king."
  5. Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (PBS). "According to Per Wahlöö, the ten books he wrote with his wife, Maj Sjöwall, about Inspector Martin Beck were intended to be a left-wing assault on the sacred cows of Swedish society. They are also, however, entertaining tales of mystery that allow non-Swedes to slip under the skin of another culture while having a frighteningly good time. In this first book of the series, the body of a young woman is discovered as a dredger digs a canal. There seems to be little chance of Beck identifying the woman, let alone discovering who killed her. But by combining time-honored methods of police procedure with a few local twists, Beck manages to do just that."
  6. Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride (PBS). "Richard Knox has served his time, so why shouldn't he be allowed to live wherever he wants? Yes, in the past he was a violent rapist, but he's seen the error of his ways. Found God. Wants to leave his dark past in Newcastle behind him and make a new start. Or so he says. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae isn't exactly thrilled to be part of the team helping Knox settle into his new Aberdeen home. He's even less thrilled to be stuck with DSI Danby from Northumbria Police -- the man who put Knox behind bars for ten years -- supposedly here to 'keep an eye on things'. Only things are about to go very, very wrong."
That's what was discovered in my mailbox this past week. Have you read any of these titles? Would you recommend them? Did you add any of them to your own wish lists? Which ones? Do tell!

Now... pardon me while I open a few browser windows and go see what everyone else found in their mailboxes!

20 comments:

  1. Cathy - Looks like you've got some good reads there! Roseanna is, in my opinion, a classic that I truly hope you'll enjoy. I haven't read Dark Blood, but I've liked the MacBride stuff I have read. Hope you'll like all of these : ).

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  2. Margot-- I'm looking forward to Roseanna. I just finished MacBride's Halfhead, which was actually his first novel. I had a problem with it here and there, but it shows the talent that led to Logan McRae.

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  3. Wow, that sounds like an interesting (possibly quite intense) set of books. I haven't read any of those authors, but Roseanna in particular grabbed my attention.

    Enjoy your reading!

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  4. I haven't read a lot of YA so I'll be interested in your thoughts on I, Coriander. Have a great week!

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  5. I haven't read any of those but Beat Not the Bones sounds interesting from the synopsis. Have a great week, happy reading and enjoy all your new books!

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  6. Agreed that Roseanna is great, and the first in the 10 book classic series so if you like it, plenty more to go. Warning about Gallows Lane - it is very good but second in a series. I think for some mad reason the second is being published first in the US? The first is called Borderlands and is, I think, even better, as well as explaining quite a bit of the background to Gallows Lane. I Coriander was not enjoyed by the daughter who started it, when aged about 12. But others of her schoolmates liked it a lot.

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  7. Dark Blood sounds good! Never read Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's books, or watched it from tv. Guess I should try someday. Enjoy your books!

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  8. Nice mailbox! Thanks for stopping by mine. Happy reading!

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  9. Another great week in books for you! I need to get rid of my stacks and piles!

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  10. I have mailbox envy once again. It always happens when I stop by and look at yours. Have a great week of reading.

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  11. I Coriander sounds rather interesting. It a new to me title. Looking forward to your review of it.

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  12. I haven't read or heard of any of these books. Thanks for visiting my blog and enjoy your books!

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  13. As Maxine and Margot say, Roseanna is a terrific classic - a must on a Scandinavian crime curriculum :D

    Gallows Lane is on my TBR, but I am considering buying the first before I read it.

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  14. I think I have I, Coriander somewhere here. I should dig it out!

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  15. They all sound so good! I look forward to your reviews. Thank you for stopping by. Pussreboots.

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  16. Looks like lots of good thrillers in that stack; enjoy.

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  17. Haven't heard of these, but I, Coriander sounds really good. Enjoy!

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  18. Looks like a great thriller/mystery week for you! I haven't heard of any of these titles (crawling out from under my rock), but they ALL look interesting! I look forward to your reviews! Thanks for stopping by!

    Julie @ Knitting and Sundries

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  19. Oh I am intrigued by I, Coriander. Great stack this week!

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  20. "blog"-- Thanks for stopping by!

    Mary-- I have to admit that I, Coriander really intrigues me.

    Kaye-- Beat Not the Bones really really interests me but it was written in the 50s, so I'm a bit leary of it. My track record isn't that great with older mysteries.

    Maxine-- I've already read Borderlands, so I'm safe. Thanks for stopping by!

    Elysium-- I'm really looking forward to reading Dark Blood. I love Stuart MacBride's writing!

    LadyQ-- You're welcome!

    Kathy-- I get really cranky when stacks and piles begin to appear.

    Ryan-- I will. Thanks!

    Beth-- Hopefully it won't take me long to get to the book!

    Serena-- Same to you!

    Laura-- I will. Thanks!

    Dorte-- I've already read Borderlands, so I'm good to go.

    Beth-- Shoulda, woulda, coulda. That's my theme song. ;)

    Puss-- You're welcome!

    Diane-- I will. Thanks!

    Anna-- I, Coriander certainly sounds less dangerous than many of the others! LOL

    Julie-- You're welcome. I'm glad you came to visit my humble abode. :)

    Leah-- I, Coriander seems to be the winner this week! :)

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!