Weycombe: A Novel of Suspence (ARC) - (England)

Started: Aug 6, 2017

Finished: Aug 17, 2017

Setting: England

Publication Date: Oct 8, 2017

Pages: 360

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

G. M. Malliet was a name that was unfamiliar to me, but may not be to scores of readers of mysteries. She first came to critical acclaim in 2008, when she was awarded the Agatha Award for Best New Novel for the first book in her "St. Just" mystery series.

So, why have I not heard of her before? I have no idea. But, when her latest novel was available via Net Galley I knew I had to give her a try.

For me, reading the book brought back memories of the many Agatha Christie books I read as a teenager. I loved Agatha Christie books, even though I was never, ever able to figure out who committed the murder.

This book is about Jillian, an American married to Will, a member of the British aristocracy. They live in the quaint English village of Weycombe. Normally, Weycombe is a quiet village, where nothing of consequence happens. But, as the novel opens we learn that there has been a murder. Anna, the local real estate agent has been murder, and Jillian is the one who discovered her body. From that point on, the story unfolds as told by Jillian, and what a story it is!

We go along with Jillian as she tries to uncover who murdered Anna, and her investigation allows us to meet some of Weycombe's  many residents. And all play a role in the story unfolding until we finally find out who killed Anna, and why.

And can I just tell you that while I figured out by page 94 who killed Anna, I was still blown away by the big reveal! I did not see the twist coming.

I look forward to reading other books by G. M. Malliet, which may be more in the "cozy mystery" line of books. This book is definitely not in that genre, but is a good read all the same.

Not the Booker List

I subscribe to a number of blogs and newsletters that are book-related. Most blogs

Source: http://przmmedia.com/blogs/

 provide reviews of books and/or news about books and authors. In large part I subscribe to them to be up-to-date about books that might interest me.

Imagine my surprise when I got the latest email from The Guardian newspaper regarding the "Not the Booker List." What?!?!?! I mean, I know what the Booker List is, but the "Not the Book List?" Clueless.

It seems that each year the U.K. newspaper The Guardian, develops its own list of books based on public input, and issues it to coincide with the prestigious and better known Man Booker prize.  Here's the 2017 long list - and I do mean long... there are over 150 books on the list. And I have to confess that a great number of the names are unfamiliar to me. I suspect that many of them are authors from England, or perhaps Australia or Canada, or some other country with a  historical connection to the U.K.

And the 5 books that made the short list are completely unknown to me. I'm not sure if that means I need to expand my exposure to include more U.K-ish authors, or what.

Still, it's always nice to see these types of lists, even if its just to get a feel for the types of books that (in this case many U.K. ) readers are interested in. No commentary on the authors, or the books themselves, just an observation.

Check out the list for yourself and comment on any that pique your curiosity. Cheers!

The Late Show (ARC) - (United States)

Started: July 30, 2017

Finished: Aug 6, 2017

Country: United States

Publication Date: 07.18.2017

Pages: 303

Thank you to Net Gallery and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. This review is based on an ARC I received after the publication date.

I have been quite a fan of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series and now he has created a new series centered around L.A.P.D. detective Renee Ballard. She's a tough, kick-ass detective; someone who doesn't let go and continues to investigate a crime long after other cops give up. She doesn't take crap from people, even those within the L.A.P.D. who could cause her grief and make her professional life very difficult. She's got a back-story that I hope will unfold and be revealed in future books, but not too much and not too quickly.

In this first book, we learn that Renee is on the late shift - "the late show" - because of an incident that happened a few years earlier involving someone higher up in the L.A.P.D. command. But, because she is working the late shift, she gets embroiled in two crimes that she cannot, or will not, let go. She follows leads and re-examines evidence and ends up solving the cases, but not before her reputation and career (again) take a hit. She is like a bull dog, and does not give up until she has solved the cases and exposed those who believe their identities will remain hidden. If I was a cop I would want a partner like Renee. If I was a victim of a crime I would want Renee to be the detective handling my case. And if I needed a friend, I would want Renee to be that friend.

Another great detective character from a great writer. Well done, Michael Connelly; well done! I can't wait for Number 2 in this series!!

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - (Westeros)

Started: July 29, 2017

Finished: Aug 2, 2017

Country: Westeros

Publication Date: Oct 6, 2015

I forgot just how much I enjoy reading GRRM! It's been ages since I finished reading the latest book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" [ASOIAF] series, and this series of short stories reminded me how much I miss his writing and his ability to weave a storyline that is so complex, so detailed, contains so many characters and plots that at times I find myself wishing I could devote a room in my house to posting family genealogies and maps and histories and flow charts of who is related to whom, as well as the locales and events.

Or at least a notebook that might look something like this:

Source: Goodreads - posted by Jadranka - Sep 19, 2014

This book is a prequel to ASOIAF and revolves around the trials, tribulations, adventures and relationship between Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his squire Egg (Aegon Targaryen). It is set about 90 years before the events chronicled in ASOIAF. It is novella #1 in a 3 novella series - at least according to this GRRM blog post from 2014.

But almost as captivating as the story is the enchanting artwork of Gary Gianni. I love his artistic interpretations of Dunk and Egg. And if I ever re-read ASOIAF (which may actually happen - one day!) it will be very, very difficult for me to get those images out of my head, even though both Dunk and Egg will be much older in that series.

In a way, reading this book has made me (and all other ASOIAF fans) anxious as to when/if GRRM will finish the story line. With Book 5 having been completed and with the HBO Game of Thrones series already going well beyond the books to date, and at least 5 spinoffs in the works, I wonder (as have many others) if GRRM truly has any motivation to actually complete the series. He probably has more money then he needs from the books, his cut of the HBO series, his cut from any spinoffs, not to mention any cut of the profits from merchandising, etc., so money probably wouldn't be an incentive.  So we have to rely on his commitment to finishing the story for his legions of fans as the incentive. At least, I hope so!