June 2023 Additions to My Digital Security Blanket

 

I fell off my Austerity Wagon a bit last month, but I'm not particularly worried. For the past week and a half, I've been deleting my "special price eBooks" emails without even looking at them. Something must be wrong because I don't even blink at the thought of the wonderful bargains I may be missing. It probably has something to do with all the medical scheduling I have to keep track of. Hopefully, I won't have to install a revolving front door to take care of all the traffic!

 

I've grouped last month's purchases according to their genre/subgenre, and if you click on the link in the book title, you'll be taken to Amazon US where you can learn more about the book. (Just in case I tempt you...)

 

Let's see what I couldn't keep my hands off, shall we?

 

 

=== Police Procedural ===

 

 

Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri. Set in Sicily.

 

Synopsis:

 

"At eighty, I foresaw Montalbano's departure from the scene, I got the idea and I didn't let it slip away. So I found myself writing this novel which is the final chapter; the last book in the series. And I sent it to my publisher saying to keep it in a drawer and to publish it only when I am gone." –Andrea Camilleri
 
Montalbano receives an early-morning phone call, but this time it's not Catarella announcing a murder, but a man called Riccardino who's dialed a wrong number and asks him when he'll be arriving at the meeting. Montalbano, in irritation, says: "In ten minutes." Shortly after, he gets another call, this one announcing the customary murder. A man has been shot and killed outside a bar in front of his three friends. It turns out to be the same man who called him.
 
Thus begins an intricate investigation further complicated by phone calls from "the Author" in tour de force of metafiction and Montalbano’s last case.

 

♦ I've been a fan of this series since the very first book, and Riccardino is the 28th and last book in the series. I have five books left to read, including this one, and I doubt that I will read them quickly. I don't want to face the fact that my time with Montalbano will soon come to an end. 

 

 

Gone for Good by Joanna Schaffhausen. Set in Illinois.

 

Synopsis:

 

The Lovelorn Killer murdered seven women, ritually binding them and leaving them for dead before penning them gruesome love letters in the local papers. Then he disappeared, and after twenty years with no trace of him, many believe that he’s gone for good.

Not Grace Harper. A grocery store manager by day, at night Grace uses her snooping skills as part of an amateur sleuth group. She believes the Lovelorn Killer is still living in the same neighborhoods that he hunted in, and if she can figure out how he selected his victims, she will have the key to his identity.

Detective Annalisa Vega lost someone she loved to the killer. Now she’s at a murder scene with the worst kind of déjà vu: Grace Harper lies bound and dead on the floor, surrounded by clues to the biggest murder case that Chicago homicide never solved. Annalisa has the chance to make it right and to heal her family, but first, she has to figure out what Grace knew—how to see a killer who may be standing right in front of you. This means tracing his steps back to her childhood, peering into dark corners she hadn’t acknowledged before, and learning that despite everything the killer took, she has still so much more to lose.

♦ I read and enjoyed the first book in Schaffhausen's Ellery Hathaway series and had heard lots of good things about this first book in the Annalisa Vega series, so I decided to take advantage of its bargain price. Of all the books I purchased last month, this is the one from which I suffer a bit of buyer's remorse. My feelings have absolutely nothing to do with the author; I'm just trying to break the habit of stockpiling large numbers of books when I have no earthly clue when I'll get around to actually reading them. 

Red, Green or Murder by Steven F. Havill. Set in southern New Mexico.

 

Synopsis:

Former Posadas County Sheriff Bill Gastner, now a New Mexico Livestock Inspector, is enjoying a day on Herb Torrance's ranch - soaking in the sun, counting a small herd of cattle, and thinking about meeting an old friend back in town for lunch. But suddenly a light breeze stirs the dust, a horse spooks, and Bill finds himself ferrying a broken cowpuncher in the back of his SUV, headed out to meet an ambulance.

Moments later, Bill's day goes from bad to worse. He is summoned by undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman to investigate an unattended death. Too impatient to wait for Bill, his friend George Payton decided to eat lunch on his own. A couple of bites later, he collapsed - dead of an apparent heart attack. But something isn't right.

Then the small herd of cattle Bill had just counted is found wandering down a county highway. But there's no sign of cowpuncher Pat Gabaldon or his boss' $40,000 truck and livestock trailer. Forced into two tangled investigations, Bill faces one of the most complex cases in his 35-year career.

 

♦ This is next up in another favorite series of mine. (#11 of 25 so far.) Havill writes an excellent mystery, and the ensemble cast is one of the very best in crime fiction. 

===Short Story===

Hallowed Ground by Linda Castillo. Set in the Amish country of Ohio.

 

Synopsis:

 

When a family dog brings home a human bone, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder finds herself on a desperate search for answers. Where did the bone come from? Who does it belong to? And perhaps most importantly, are the bones a result of foul play? With Halloween approaching, the unsettling questions garner uneasiness, rumors, and macabre theories among the residents of Painters Mill. Determined to get to the bottom of the case—and stop the ghost stories upsetting the town—Kate and her soon-to-be husband John Tomasetti embark on a sweeping investigation. Will their search for the source of the human remains uncover the truth? Or will it lead them to an even darker discovery buried on hallowed ground?

 

♦ I can't resist Linda Castillo's short stories featuring vignettes from the life of Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. For me, they're the literary version of a tasty snack. I rated this four stars on Goodreads.

 

 

Snakebit by Paul Doiron. Set in Maine.

 

Synopsis:

 

When a teenager arrives at a Maine hospital with a rattlesnake bite, warden Mike Bowditch is baffled. Rattlesnakes have been extinct in the region for over a hundred years—so where did this one come from? Bowditch’s investigation leads him to a pair of eccentric married scientists who have a vested interest in rattlesnakes and their venom. Even more suspicious, their estranged daughter has accused them of carrying out grotesque experiments on her. As more rattlesnakes appear in the woods—and the case becomes increasingly mystifying—Bowditch finds himself running out of time to catch his exotic foe.

♦ Like Linda Castillo's short stories featuring Kate Burkholder, I can't resist Paul Doiron's about Game Warden Mike Bowditch. They are very tasty snacks. I rated this short story four stars on Goodreads.

 

 

=== Cozy Mystery ===

 

 

Please Don't Push Up the Daisies by Diane Vallere. Set in Texas.

 

Synopsis: 

 

When interior decorator Madison Night finally meets the family of boyfriend and police captain Tex Allen, the circumstances are less than joyful. His sister’s broody botanist husband left Lily to raise their four rambunctious boys on her own, and she’s at wit’s end. The only bright spot is the mid-century ranch he gave her in their divorce settlement.

The soon-to-be-ex has one request: a face to face with Lily before he says goodbye. Madison offers to go along for moral support, but in lieu of signed settlement papers, she finds the ex’s body crumpled in the corner of the arboretum where he works. When swarm of angry bees sideline Tex, it’s Madison’s job to dig up the secrets that led to the murder — but if she’s not careful, the dirt she uncovers could fill her grave instead.

♦ If you ever wonder what books are on my Pre-Order List, Diane Vallere's Madison Night series is one of them. The mysteries are good ones, but Madison herself is the lure that keeps me coming back for more.

Will I be back on the Austerity Wagon next month? Only time will tell!

May 2023 Additions to My Digital Security Blanket

 

My recent restraint in buying eBooks and audiobooks slipped slightly in May, but that's only because I did find a couple of can't-resist sale prices AND I used several "coupons" that I'd been squirreling away. I'm still scrolling past many books that I would've snapped up last year, so my newfound fiscal responsibility hasn't disappeared completely!

Last month, I mentioned my monthly "reading map" in which I plug in any Advance Reading Copies (ARCs) that I have and then add gems that have fallen down the rabbit hole of my Kindle. So far, it's been going well, aided in large part to the fact that I've had fewer ARCs to read the past two or three months. See? My restraint has also included ARCs-- which is a good thing because I have hundreds of books, not only on my Kindle, but on my physical bookshelves as well.

 

What books proved to be irresistible last month? Let me show you! I've got them grouped by genre/subgenre, and if you click on the link in the book title, you'll be taken to Amazon US where you can learn more about the book.

 

 

=== Non-Fiction ===

 

 

A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan. Set mainly in Indiana.

 

Synopsis: "The Roaring Twenties--the Jazz Age--has been characterized as a time of Gatsby frivolity. But it was also the height of the uniquely American hate group, the Ku Klux Klan. Their domain was not the old Confederacy, but the Heartland and the West. They hated Blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants in equal measure, and took radical steps to keep these people from the American promise. And the man who set in motion their takeover of great swaths of America was a charismatic charlatan named D.C. Stephenson.

Stephenson was a magnetic presence whose life story changed with every telling. Within two years of his arrival in Indiana, he’d become the Grand Dragon of the state and the architect of the strategy that brought the group out of the shadows – their message endorsed from the pulpits of local churches, spread at family picnics and town celebrations. Judges, prosecutors, ministers, governors and senators across the country all proudly proclaimed their membership. But at the peak of his influence, it was a seemingly powerless woman – Madge Oberholtzer – who would reveal his secret cruelties, and whose deathbed testimony finally brought the Klan to their knees.

A FEVER IN THE HEARTLAND marries a propulsive drama to a powerful and page-turning reckoning with one of the darkest threads in American history." 

▲ Timothy Egan wrote one of my all-time favorite books, The Worst Hard Time about the Depression and the Dust Bowl. He has a brilliant talent for turning all his hard-earned research into a riveting story that rivals the best fiction. After reading one of Jess Montgomery's Kinship mysteries that featured the Klan and after learning that the little Illinois farm town (population 1700) in which I grew up had its own chapter of the KKK in the 1920s, there was no way I wasn't going to get my hands on this book and read it.

The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts.

 

Synopsis: "In 1954, sixty-three-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins embarked on an impossible journey. She had no money and no family, she had just lost her farm, and her doctor had given her only two years to live. But Annie wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. She ignored her doctor’s advice to move into the county charity home. Instead, she bought a cast-off brown gelding named Tarzan, donned men’s dungarees, and headed south in mid-November, hoping to beat the snow. Annie had little idea what to expect beyond her rural crossroads; she didn’t even have a map. But she did have her ex-racehorse, her faithful mutt, and her own unfailing belief that Americans would treat a stranger with kindness.

Annie, Tarzan, and her dog, Depeche Toi, rode straight into a world transformed by the rapid construction of modern highways. Between 1954 and 1956, the three travelers pushed through blizzards, forded rivers, climbed mountains, and clung to the narrow shoulder as cars whipped by them at terrifying speeds. Annie rode more than four thousand miles, through America’s big cities and small towns. Along the way, she met ordinary people and celebrities—from Andrew Wyeth (who sketched Tarzan) to Art Linkletter and Groucho Marx. She received many offers—a permanent home at a riding stable in New Jersey, a job at a gas station in rural Kentucky, even a marriage proposal from a Wyoming rancher. In a decade when car ownership nearly tripled, when television’s influence was expanding fast, when homeowners began locking their doors, Annie and her four-footed companions inspired an outpouring of neighborliness in a rapidly changing world."

▲ I love horses. I've read and enjoyed other books by Elizabeth Letts. When I saw the title of this book, I had to read the synopsis, and once I'd done that, I was hooked and had to buy it.

 

 

Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain by Margaret Willson.

 

Synopsis: "History would have us believe the sea has always been a male realm, the idea of female captains almost unthinkable. But there is one exception, so notable she defies any expectation.

This is her remarkable story.

Captain Thurídur, born in Iceland in 1777, lived a life that was both controversial and unconventional. Her first time fishing, on the open unprotected rowboats of her time, was at age 11. Soon after, she audaciously began wearing trousers. She later became an acclaimed fishing captain brilliant at weather-reading and seacraft and consistently brought in the largest catches. In the Arctic seas where drownings occurred with terrifying regularity, she never lost a single crewmember. Renowned for her acute powers of observation, she also solved a notorious crime. In this extremely unequal society, she used the courts to fight for justice for the abused, and in her sixties, embarked on perilous journeys over trackless mountains.

Weaving together fastidious research and captivating prose, Margaret Willson reveals Captain Thurídur's fascinating story, her extraordinary courage, intelligence, and personal integrity.

Through adventure, oppression, joy, betrayal, and grief, Captain Thurídur speaks a universal voice. Here is a woman so ahead of her times she remains modern and inspirational today. Her story can now finally be told." 

▲ Book titles catch my eye more than covers do. I grew up in a village library and finally got paid for the work I did when I turned sixteen. One of my jobs was to choose books for housebound patrons, and my eye quickly became trained to look for those all-important titles on the spines. Once this particular title caught my eye, my love of maritime as well as women's history took over.

 

 

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

 

Synopsis: "In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched, and beautifully written narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.
 
Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their outcasting of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.

Original and revealing, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is an eye-opening story of people and history, and a reexamination of what lies under the surface of ordinary lives and of American life today."

 

▲ The title grabbed me, and the synopsis made it a done deal. I like the fact that I'm getting back to reading more non-fiction. 

=== Thriller ===

AUDIO: The Last Word by Taylor Adams. Set in Washington state.

 

Synopsis: "Emma Carpenter lives in isolation with her golden retriever Laika, house-sitting an old beachfront home on the rainy Washington coast. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deek, and (via text) the house’s owner, Jules.

One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too?

As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of?

Displaying his trademark command of rapid-fire pacing, unnerving atmosphere, and razor-sharp characterization, Taylor Adams once again delivers a diabolically disturbing—and deadly—game of cat and mouse." 

▲ I came across this book while doing some work on The Poisoned Pen Bookstore's Pinterest page. Once I read the synopsis, I decided I had to use an Audible credit to get it. I think it's something few book bloggers/reviewers could resist taking a peek at!

Loot by Aaron Elkins. Set in Europe.

 

Synopsis: "In April 1945, the Nazis, reeling and near defeat, frantically work to hide the huge store of art treasures that Hitler has looted from Europe. Truck convoys loaded with the cultural wealth of the Western world pour in an unending stream into the compound of the vast Altaussee salt mine high in the Austrian Alps. But with the Allies closing in, the vaunted efficiency of the Nazis has broken down. At Altaussee, all is tumult and confusion. In the commotion, a single truck, its driver, and its priceless load of masterpieces vanish into a mountain snowstorm.

Half a century later, in a seedy Boston pawnshop, ex‑curator Ben Revere makes a stunning discovery among the piles of junk: a Velazquez from the legendary Lost Truck. But with it come decades of secrets, rancor, and lies, and the few who know of the painting’s existence have their lives snuffed out one by one by an unknown assassin. Revere must travel back to the grand cities of Europe to unravel the tangled history of the lost truck and its treasures before fifty years of hatred, greed, and retribution catch up with him." 

▲ I've always been interested in art history and art theft, and articles about found art that was looted by the Nazis are guaranteed to capture my attention, so... Loot was right down my alley.

What do you think of last month's purchases? Have you read any of them? Did you add any of them to your own wish lists? Do tell! Inquiring minds would love to know! 

August 2022 Additions to My Digital Security Blanket

 

No one really went out of their way to tempt me, so I didn't splurge very much during the month of August. (Of course, that can be a good thing!) I spent more time working on house projects and keeping an eye on J.R. the raccoon than I actually did reading. Why? Because it seemed that every time I cracked open a book, I was asleep in under five minutes. That annoys the stuffin' outta me, but I think it has a lot to do with the weather; it's really been enervating these past few weeks.

Since I didn't buy very much, it shouldn't take me very long to tell you about my purchases. Let me get started, and we'll see what happens! I've grouped the books by genre/subgenre, and if you click on the link in the book title, you'll be taken to Amazon US where you can learn more about the book.

 

 

===Police Procedural===

 

Serpent's Point by Kate Ellis. Set in Devon, England.

 

 ██ I am a long-time devoted fan of this series, so there's no way I'd miss the latest installment! I love Ellis's skill at blending character, setting, history, and mystery.

===Historical Mystery===

The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khan. Set in 1950s India.

██ I've really been enjoying Khan's series featuring Inspector Persis Wadia, so this purchase was a no-brainer!

 

 

===Thriller===

 

City on the Edge by David Swinson. Set in Lebanon.

 

██ The Lebanese setting and a story from the point of view of an American teen living there in 1972 piqued my interest, and when the price was right...

 

 

===Amateur Sleuth ===

 

The Shadows We Hide by Allen Eskens. Set in Minnesota.

 

██ I'm currently listening to a book written by Eskens, and it reminded me of the fact that I've never ever been disappointed by any book of his that I've read, so I went searching to see if I'd missed any. I had. Shame on me!

 

 

===Short Story===

 

Dead Man's Mirror by Agatha Christie. Set in England.

Double Sin by Agatha Christie. Set in England.

The Adventure of the Clapham Cook by Agatha Christie. Set in England.

The King of Clubs by Agatha Christie. Set in England.

How Does Your Garden Grow? by Agatha Christie. Set in England.

Problem at Sea by Agatha Christie. Set at sea.

 

██ Lately, I've been bingeing on Britbox's Poirot mysteries starring David Suchet. It occurred to me that, although I'd read Christie's short stories featuring Miss Marple, I had yet to sample any with Poirot. As you can see, I've set out to rectify that oversight!

In Dark Company by Linda Castillo. Set in Ohio.

██ I've mentioned in the past that I really enjoy Castillo's Kate Burkholder short stories, and I came across this one that I hadn't read yet, so...

So... how did I do? Have you read any of these already? Care to share your opinions? (I hope so!) Did I intrigue you with any of my purchases? Which ones? Inquiring minds would love to know!

July 2022 Additions to My Digital Security Blanket

 

Although I wasn't necessarily looking for additions to my digital security blanket--  being more focused on getting everything ready for Denis's return-- I still managed to find a few titles that I just couldn't resist. (I know-- what a shocker.)

 

I've grouped my acquisitions by genre/subgenre, and if you click on the book titles, you will be taken to Amazon US where you can learn more about it. You know, just in case I tempted you or something...

 

Let's see this list of mine!

 

 

===Short Story===

 

 

The Woman on the Island by Ann Cleeves. Set in England.

 

  ▲ This short story is a little teaser for Cleeves' new Vera Stanhope mystery that will be released in September. I am really looking forward to The Rising Tide, probably because of the day I spent on Lindisfarne Island where the book is set. When we were leaving, the rising tide was beginning to lap at the edges of the causeway. I rated this story four stars on Goodreads.

 

In Plain Sight by Linda Castillo. Set in the Amish country of Ohio.

▲ I rated this story four stars on Goodreads, and may I just say that I think Linda Castillo's books have some of the best covers in the business. They always grab my attention.

===Amateur Sleuth===

The Cactus Plot: Murder in the High Desert by Vicky Ramakka. Set in New Mexico.

▲ A botanist researching rare plants in the high country of New Mexico piqued my interest, and the price was right, so you know what happened (because I'm such a predictable creature when it comes to books).

 

===Historical Fiction===

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn. Set in Ukraine and Washington, DC.

▲ This "unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper" based on a true story had been on my radar for quite some time. Although it hadn't been long since its release, it went on sale at a drastically reduced price, and I snatched this baby up in a heartbeat.

 

 

===Non-Fiction===

 

 

A House in the Mountains: The Women Who Liberated Italy from Fascism by Caroline Moorehead. Set in Italy.

 

 ▲ With a title like that, how could I resist? (Especially when TPWR... The Price Was Right.)

Jackie as Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by Greg Lawrence. Set in New York City. 

▲ This is the one part of Jackie's life that I'm interested in. I can't remember where I learned about this book, but when I went to Amazon, added it to my wish list, and then a few weeks later, TPWR, you know what happened. 

===Essays===

Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

 

 ▲ What knitter worth her salt could resist a collection of essays with a title like that? Plus... I like reading things like this to see how many other knitters experience the same emotions while their needles are clicking away.

===Noir===

The Killing Hills by Chris Offutt. Set in Kentucky.

▲ I remember watching The Poisoned Pen's virtual event when Offutt talked about his book. I was intrigued... and then recently Amazon let me know that TPWR. 

===Historical Mystery===

Blood Tango by Annamaria Alfieri. Set in the Argentina of Juan and Eva Peron.

▲ Alfieri wrote one of the best historical mysteries I've ever read, City of Silver, set in seventeenth-century Bolivia. I keep telling myself that I need to read more books set in South America, so when TPWR on this one, you know what happened.

===Fiction===

AUDIO: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Set in Washington State.

▲ A burgeoning friendship between a lonely woman and an octopus? Count me in, especially after reading the review in Dorothy's The Nature of Things.

Well, that's the sum and total of my July acquisitions. Have you read any of these? Did you add any of them to your own wish lists? Inquiring minds would love to know!

 

 

June 2022 Additions to My Digital Security Blanket

 

While May showed a reduction in the titles I added to my digital security blanket, June saw the levels rise back up to something more normal. I will have to say that it's not quite as bad as it may look, since four of the additions are short stories.

 

Speaking of short stories, I've noticed something a bit strange. There are a few authors whose writing I really enjoy but-- for some unknown reason-- I find it more convenient to keep up with them through their short stories than through their novels. It doesn't really make sense to me, and I'm going to have to ponder the conundrum awhile longer. 

 

It's a good thing I can ponder and list at the same time, isn't it? Let me give you the rundown on what I just had to acquire last month. I've grouped them by genre/subgenre, and if you click on the link in the book's title, you'll be taken to Amazon US where you can learn more about it.

 

 

===Historical Fiction===

 

The White Girl by Tony Birch. 19th-century Australia.

 

▲ I've been wanting to read more Australian fiction, and I really liked the synopsis of this one, so... when the price was right...

 

Horse by Geraldine Brooks. 19th-century Kentucky.

 

▲ Combine one of my favorite authors with horse racing history, and this turned into a must-buy for me. How good do I think Brooks' writing is? Her People of the Book is one of my all-time favorites, and her Year of Wonders inspired me to visit the plague village of Eyam in England's Peak District, that's how good.

 

The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart. Depression-Era North Carolina.

 

▲ I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to fiction set during the Depression, and it all started with Timothy Egan's The Worst Hard Time (another of my all-time favorite books). I'm glad to see that more authors are using the time period as the setting for their writing.

 

 

===Police Procedural===

 

Murder of Angels by Jack Gatland. England.

 

 ▲ I enjoyed the first DI Declan Walsh mystery, Letter from the Dead and intended to continue reading in the series, so when I discovered that the second book was FREE, you know what happened. (I'm so predictable.)

 

AUDIO: The Victoria Vanishes by Christopher Fowler. England.

 

▲ This is a series I want to spend more time with, and when this title came up on sale, I had a hankering to listen to Bryant and May while working on my latest knitting project. (As Jean-Luc Picard would say: Make it so.)

 

 

===Historical Mystery===

 

AUDIO: The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra. 1920s India.

 

▲ I've had my eye on this since its publication date, and after listening to a sample, I decided to spend an Audible credit to get it. I'm listening to it now... and loving it. I'm really enjoying the story, and the narrator is perfect.

 

 

===Non-Fiction===

 

AUDIO: Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill by Candice Millard. South Africa.

 

▲ I've been mesmerized by every book Candice Millard has written. She's a must-buy author for me. (I won't even check to see what the book is about before buying it.) Winston Churchill has always been fascinating to me. I decided to buy the audio version so I could hear how those South African place names are pronounced. (One of the best things about audiobooks, eh?)

 

Edward II's Nieces, The Clare Sisters: Powerful Pawns of the Crown by Kathryn Warner. England.

 

▲ I've long found British history to be fascinating, and I actually know more about it than my English husband-- possibly because all those shadowy figures lurking behind the arras plant such vivid pictures in my mind, and I always want to know what they're up to. So much skullduggery!

 

 

===Short Story===

 

Skin and Bones by Paul Doiron. Part of the Mike Bowditch series. Maine. 

The Caretaker by Paul Doiron. Part of the Mike Bowditch series. Maine.

Blood Moon by Linda Castillo. Part of the Kate Burkholder series. Ohio.

The Pact  by Linda Castillo. Part of the Kate Burkholder series. Ohio.

 

Have you read any of these already? Care to share your opinions, please? Or... did you add a title or two to your wish lists? Which ones? You know inquiring minds want to know!