Max's 14 Memorable Lines 2

Movies are one of the favorite things in our house - besides books and board games - and no matter what happens someone always has a movie quote to fit the occasion.

*Change of plan*
I am hoping to read at least 140 books in total - no category minimums. And, I am going to try to have 60% (85), at least, from off my own shelves.




I am hoping that all my reads for the CAT challenges will fit into my 14 sections (my catch-all should make sure of that.)

AARGH!
When moving over my categories I missed the ladies. How could I have done that???? Instead of putting them down in the thread, I will place them here.

6. Ladies

Never underestimate a man's ability to underestimate a woman.


1. Jan 04 - Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich - OMS
First 2 weeks in Feb - OMS:
2. Murder in the Sentier by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT (Series)
3. Murder in the Bastille by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
4. Murder in Clichy by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
5. Murder in Montmartre by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
6. Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
7. Murder in the Rue de Paradis by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
8. Murder in the Latin Quarter by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
9. Murder in the Palais Royal by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
10. Murder in Passy by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
11. Murder at the Lanterne Rouge by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
12. Murder Below Montparnasse by Cara Black - Feb. MysteryCAT
13. Dakota by Gwen Florio - OMS Feb. MysteryCAT
14. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith - OMS - Feb. MysteryCAT (Series)
15. Mar 17 - The London Blitz Murders by Max Allan Collins - OMS (Agatha Christie)
16. Apr 21 - Dorothy and Agatha by Gaylord Larsen
17. Apr 29 - Indian Pipes by Cynthia Riggs - OMS, Apr Unofficial AlphaCAT (I & P)
18. May 27 - Plum Lovin by Janet Evanovich
19. May 27 - Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
20. June 04 - Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
21. June 22 - Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich - OMS

1. Hard Case Crime Books & Other Pulp Fiction

You know how to whistle don't you, Steve?


1. Jan 15 - The Corpse Wore Pasties by Jonny Porkpie - OMS
2. Jan 17 - Grifter's Game by Lawrence Block - OMS - Really bad ending!
3. Feb 25 - Blood on the Mink by Robert Silverberg - OMS
4. Mar 29 - Survival...Zero by Mickey Spillane - OMS
5. June 28 - The Last Cop Out by Mickey Spillane - OMS

2. Police Procedurals

Sandwiches for us, for the guests in the front room, but not for the police. The police shall receive no sandwiches.


1. Jan 01 - Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming - OMS
2. Feb 21 - A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson- OMS - Feb. MysteryCAT (Series)
3. Feb 22 - The Excursion Train by Edward Marston - OMS - Feb. MysteryCAT (Series)
4. Apr 01 - Police by Jo Nesbo - OMS - Apr. MysteryCAT (Nordic - Norway)
5. Apr 02 - Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten - Apr. MysteryCAT (Nordic - Sweden)
6. Apr 97 - A Blind Goddess by James R. Benn - OMS
7. Apr 25 - Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason - Apr. MysteryCAT (Nordic - Iceland)
8. May 28 - The Chinese Parrot by Earl Derr Biggers - OMS
9. June 02 - Maigret and the Bum by Georges Simonon - ONS June MysteryCAT
10. June 06 - Maigret and the Nahour Case by Georges Siminon - OMS - June MysteryCAT
11. JULY (Ottawa) - Towards Zero by Agatha Christie - OMS

3. Disasters - Real, or imagined; Man-made, or natural.

I had. A bad. Experience.


1. Jan 25 - Dark Tide by Stephen Puleo - Jan. GeoCAT - (US and immigrants)
2. Feb 23 - Ten Hours Until Dawn by Michael Touglas
3. Mar 1 - The Titanic Murders by Max Allan Collins - OMS

4. The Big Con, The Amazing Heist, Thieves to Cheer For

Ten oughta do it, don't you think? You think we need one more? You think we need one more. All right, we'll get one more."


1. Jan 27 - The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam by Chris Ewan - OMS
2. Mar 04 - The Good Thief's Guide to Berlin by Chris Ewan - OMS
3. Mar 14 - Old Dogs by Donna Moore - OMS
4. June 03 - The Heist by Janet Evanovich
5. June 26 - The Corsican Caper by Peter Mayle - OMS

5. Private Eyes

What do you do this crummy job for, anyway?


1. Dec 31 - Three Doors to Death by Rex Stout - library read. Enjoyed the first story the most. January CATtrick (Detective, US/Immigrant, Door)
2. Dec 31/Jan 01 - Fer de Lance by Rex Stout - OMS (off my shelf) Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
3. Jan 02 - Archie Meets Nero Wolfe by Robert Goldsborough - OMS - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
4. Jan 04 - The Trojan Colt by Mike Resnick - OMS, Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
5. Jan 06/07 - The Black Mountain by Rex Stout - OMS, Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
6. Jan 08/09 - The Rubber Band by Rex Stout - OMS, Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
7. Jan 12 - The Silk Train Murder by Sharon Rowse - Jan. MysteryCAT(Detective), GeoCAT (Canada)
8. Jan 16 - The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
9. Jan 18 - The Red Box by Rex Stout - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective)
10. Jan 21 - The Lost Mine Murders by Sharon Rowse - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective), GeoCAT (Canada)
11. Jan 22 - Murder in Belleville by Cara Black - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective) - OMS
12. Jan 28 - The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective) - OMS
13. Mar 18 - Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-Fifth Street by William S. Baring-Gould - OMS
14. Apr 11 - The Broken Vase by Rex Stout - OMS
15. Apr 24 - Dog On It by Spencer Quinn -
16. May 15 - The Topless Tulip Caper by Lawrence Block - OMS
17, May 20 - Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie - MysteryCAT (Classic), AlphaCAT (E & U)
18 JUNE (Otttawa) - The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen - OMS

7. Foreign Lands

Moldova? Can we go?


1. Jan 28 - The Last Hand by Eric Wright - GeoCat (Canada) - OMS
2. Mar 22 - The Sands of Windee by Arthur William Upfield - Australia - OMS
3. Mar 23 - The Lure of the Bush by Arthur William Upfield - OMS - Australia
4. Apr 15 - Maigret Afraid by Georges Siminon - OMS - France
5. Apri 17 - By its Cover by Donna Leon - Italy
6. May 02 - Tainted Blood by Arnaldur Indridason - Iceland
7. May 04 - Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason - OMS Iceland
8. May 24 - A Very Private Enterprise by Elizabeth Ironside - OMS India - GeoCAT (May)
9. June 11 - The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama - OMS GeoCAT - Japan

8. JP, JF, & YA

He's only a kid, Harry, we can take him.


1. Dec 31 - The Yggyssey by Daniel Pinkwater - OMS
2. Jan 01 - In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lond - GeoCAT (US/focus on immigrants)
3. Jan 21 - Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
4. Feb 16 - The Adventures of Robin Hood by Paul Creswick - Feb. RandomCAT (Children's Lit) and unofficial AlphaCAT (R & H) - OMS
5. Feb 16 - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - Feb. RandomCAT (Children's Lit) - OMS
6. Feb 17 - The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum - Feb. RandomCAT (Children's Lit) - OMS
7. Feb 18 - Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum - OMS - Feb. RandomCAT (Children's Lit)
8. Feb 19 - Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - OMS - Feb. RandomCAT (Children's Lit)
9. Mar 02 - The Magician's Tower by Shawn Thomas Odyssey - Mar. MysteryCAT (Children/YA)
10. Mar 15/16 - Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Berry
11. Mar 16 - Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Berry
12. Mar 25 - Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Berry

9. Spies, Thrillers, Adventures

Whose gonna save the world, Marty? Greenpeace?


1. Jan 05/06 - Ice Cold Kill by Dana Haynes - great read! - OMS
2. Mar 06 - Rogue by Mark Sullivan - OMS - excellent!
3. Mar 24 - Spies, Patriots, and Traitors by kenneth A. Daigler - ER, OMS
4. Apr 09 - Apple Spy in the Sky by Marc Lovell - OMS
5. Apr 10 - Apple to the Core by Marc Lovell - OMS
6. Apr 14 - White Fire by Douglas Preston
7. May 31 - Two Graves by Douglas Preston

10. Amateur Detectives - the non-professionals, the 'in it by accident' types

Damn, We're in a tight spot.


1. Jan 26 - The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley - OMS
2. Feb 18 - It Was a Very Bad Year by Robert Randisi - OMS - Feb. MysteryCAT (Series)
3. Feb 18 - You Make Me Feel So Dead by Robert Randisi - OMS - Feb. MysteryCAT (Series)
4. Apr 04 - The Way You Die Tonight by Robert Randisi - OMS
5. May 05 - Face to Face by Ellery Queen - May MysteryCAT (Classic)
6. May 16 - N or M? by Agatha Christie - May MysteryCAT (classics) - OMS
7. May 18 - The Window at the White Cat by Mary Roberts Rinehart

11. Steampunk, Fantasy & Sci-fi

How many dragons do you know?


1. Jan 03 - In the Cube by David Alexander Smith - Jan. MysteryCAT (Detective) -
2. Jan 14 - Old Man's War by John Scalzi
3. Jan 20 - To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
4. Jan 24 - The Doctor and the Dinosaurs by Mike Resnick - OMS
5. Jan 30 - The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi by Mark Hodder - OMS
6. Mar 28 - Dawn's Early Light by Pip Ballantine - OMS
7. May 10 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
8. June 16 - Skin Game by Jim Butcher
9. June 21 - The Midnight Mayor by Kate Griffin - OMS
10. June 24 - The Neon Court by Kate Griffin - OMS
11. JULY (Ottawa) - The Minority Council by Kate Griffin - OMS

12. New Releases - books by authors I'm already reading

I'm the player to be named later.


1. Jan 13 - Blind Justice by Anne Perry
2. Mar 05 - Thankless in Death by J. D. Robb
3. Mar 20 - Hunting Shadows by Charles Todd - OMS
4. Mar 27 - Concealed in Death by J. D. Robb
5. Apr 22 - The Axe Factor by Colin Cotterill
6. June 16 - Any Other Name by Craig Johnson -OMS June MysteryCAT police procedurals

13. Unread Authors on the Library shelves - All those mystery authors I haven't even sampled yet!

I think it only fair to warn you. I am a librarian.


1. Jan 05 - Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson - Jan. GeoCAT (US/Immagrants)
2. Apr 25 - Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason - Apr. MysteryCAT (Nordic - Sweden)
3. June 25 - Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams

14. The Miscellaneous Catch-All Basket

You're gonna need a bigger boat.


1. Jan 10 - Diary of a Village Library by Caroline M. Lord - January Unofficial ALPHACAT (D & V) - OMS
2. Jan 31 - The Old Man Mad About Drawing by Francois Place - OMS
3. Feb 28 - Measuring Eternity by Martin Gorst - OMS
4. Mar 03 - The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe - OMS
5. Mar 12 - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas - OMS - Group Read, March
6. Apr 27 - The Tigers of '68: Baseball's Last Real Champions by George Cantor - ER - OMS
7. Apr 28 - Summer Meditations by Vaclav Havel - OMS Apr. GeoCAT (E. Europe/Czechoslavakia)
8. May 29 - The Cartographer of No Man's Land by P. S. Duffy

The Titanic Murders is the second of Collins' disaster series that I have read. He is a master and blending factual history and entertaining fiction. This involves two murders on the Titanic and blackmail. It has wonderful descriptions of the Titanic and the activities and people on board. Good plotting. Very enjoyable.

Happy new thread! :)

Thanks!



The Magician's Tower is supposed to be a mystery, and it is, sort of. This sequel to The Wizard of Dark Street has Oona searching for a magic bowl. Her detective agency is a little slow at the moment and she has a personal interest in the bowl.

I enjoyed the book, but felt that the first book was better. I will read the next one to see how the series is going before deciding whether or not to continue.

Just commenting on the message from your last thread about reading your own books. That can be a very good thing from time to time! I go through spurts where I'm not in the mood to read anything in my own TBR pile at home. I'll check out lots from the library then. I'm learning to try to balance the amount I check out from the library with the other things I want to read.

I pretty much want to read almost all my books, but those shiny new covers at the library keep tempting me, and unlike a lot of LT'ers I can only read one book at a time!

Happy new thread!!

Nice to see the a new thread up!

*stretching*
Aaaah, lots more room for lots more books!

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe was an interesting look at the Salem Witch Trials. Written with some chapters sent in 17c Salem and some set in the present day, the chapters of old Salem were the stronger. However, the present day chapters presented an interesting balance and story.

For me an interesting moment was when Connie, our present day heroine, is holding a mandrake plant and thinking about its properties. Somehow the scene in Harry Potter came to mind.

The Good Thief's Guide to Berlin has Charlie in a bit more trouble than he usually is. Great series.

Thankless in Death is the latest Eve Dallas installment. Good as always.

Mark Sullivan's book Rogue is a top notch thriller. Robin Monarch is better than Bourne. I read the second in the series first and then this one, which is the first. Now I want to go back and reread the second. I thought it was great when I read it the first time, but I think I will like it even more having this background to Monarch.

I keep meaning to try the "Good Thief" series.

I love the series!

Since I had The Three Musketeers on my TBR list for some time I decided that since there was a Group Read going on there was no better time. Glad I did. It was enjoyable.

> That's an interesting cover on your copy of the Three Musketeers. Which edition is that?

It's the Modern Library 2001 paperback edition. I love the cover. The translation was by Jacques le Clercq.

Thanks, I checked them out and will definitely bear them in mind for future purchases!

I wish their site had a bit more information. I would like to have seen the illustrations in their Wind In The Willows book. After all, the story doesn't change, but the illustrations make the difference.

Old Dogs was a reread. I first read it in 2012 and my over-whelming reaction was "someone please make a movie of this". It has been sitting on one of my 'favorites' bookshelf and I thought I would see if it was still as good as I thought it was.

The answer was yes! This is a fun book. Lettie and Dora are a pair of 70 yr-old ex-hookers and con artists. They are about to add 'thieves' to their resume because the perfect heist has come along - two gold and jewel laden Chinese dogs being displayed in a museum. Of course everyone else with a criminal bent has the same idea.

It's all the crooks can do to keep from falling over each other during the night they have all decided to rob the museum. There are bodies, people in trunks of cars, real Chinese treasurers, fake Chinese treasures and a lot of other fun stuff.

That does sound like fun.

I pictured Maggie Smith and Meryl Streep as Dora and Lettie!

I would definitely watch a movie of that, especially if Maggie and Meryl were involved! :)

Old Dogs is on my Mt. TBR, but I haven't got around to it yet, unfortunately. So many books, so little time...

It's a fairly quick read and you'll love it.

I saw Peter and the Starcatchers on the ER list and realized that our library has the series so I brought home the first two and I will pick up more when I make my next trip. This series concerns Peter Pan before we meet him in Barrie's story. It's an entertaining read, excellent illustrations. Both books are in the neighborhood of 550 - 600 pages.

The London Blitz Murders by Max Allan Collins has Agatha Christie helping to solve the London Blackout Ripper murders. It was more about Christie and her relationship with Sir Spilsbury as the mystery itself wasn't very complicated. Not as satisfactory as some of the others I have read in this series.

>34 mysterymax: I think you may have already recommended Old Dogs to me, so I've been wounded by this BB twice!

That sounds like a 'hint' :) to me!

Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-Fifth Street is a must have book for all Nero Wolfe fans. All the information you need about all the characters and the brownstone itself.

Hunting Shadows by Charles Todd is another Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery. It is now 1920 and Rutledge is sent on a case where two murders have been committed and the local police have been unable to make progress and they have requested Scotland Yard's help.

I have found every one of these books exceptional. The sense of England after WWI and the physical and mental pain of the men who fought in the war is very real. Over the series Rutledge has made a great deal of progress dealing with his issues about the war, but this case brings some of them back to him.

The Sands of Windee by Arthur Upfield is one of my favorite mysteries. Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte of the Quuensland police is a half-caste. He is an exceptional policeman when in comes to cases in the Australian bush; in fact he has never failed to solve his case.

Here a man is missing. It is presumed that he left his car and wandered off, but all searches have failed to find him. 'Bony' seeing a picture of the abandoned car sees a sign that the missing man was murdered.

I love the feeling that these books give you of life in the Australian outback. This book was written in 1931 and is still highly enjoyable.

Old Dogs sounds like a lot of fun! Maggie Smith would be a hoot to watch - I love her cutting wit in Downton Abbey - and now that you mention it, Meryl Streep can pull of a comedy quite well. Yup, I would watch that movie, but I will settle for reading the book. ;-)

Looks like I have a new author to follow: Charles Todd is now on my library/bookstore list, thanks to your review of Hunting Shadows.

I'm glad, the Todd series are good historicals. I really liked them when I first began reading them especially because it seemed as if there is so much about the WWII era and there was so little about the WWI time period. That seems to be changing. Hope you enjoy the series.

The Lure of the Bush was the first in the 'Bony' series, but I couldn't find it on my shelves when I started reading.One must be willing to accept that the attitudes shown by the characters are a reflection of the time period. If you can do that it is a wonderful series. "Bony' is also much more developed in the second book. Overall though a wonderful start to one of my favorite series.

This book is extremely well researched and compiled. Written in a very readable style, it would be of interest to anyone interested in the American Revolutionary War period, in military history and, or, spies and spy tradecraft in general. It's value as a history is furthered by an extensive bibliography, appendix, chapter notes and index.

Peter and the Secret of Rundoon is the third in the original trilogy. It neatly wraps everything up with a lot of adventure. The next book in the series takes place 23 years later and I will be eager to see what happens. One of the things I like about this is how all the parts of Peter Pan are brought into the story. I like the series far more than I had anticipated.

Has anyone read (or are you reading) the J. D. Robb book Concealed in Death?

I am in Chapter 7 and all I can think about is 'did Robb write this???" So much, so far, seems so totally out of character...dialogue between Eve and Roarke for example. Has anyone else felt this?

I like the Starcatchers series too :) I read the first one because of Dave Barry's involvement and liked it enough to continue with the rest.

Concealed in Death is probably my least favorite in the Eve Dallas series. I felt that there were some places that just weren't right... Roarke patting Eve's rear end as they enter an elevator? That would not happen in a million years... The great characters were mostly in bit roles. The dialogue between Peabody and Dallas was lacking its personal touches and was almost just at the 'necessary for business' level. Jokes between Roarke and Dallas about their "next" spouses???? Never! the relationship is way too important for them to even joke about such a thing. Perhaps the new forensic lady is brought in to provide conflict in future books, but I was surprised that Eve didn't come on quite a bit stronger with her, establishing the pecking order as it was. Eve should not be one to be intimidated by someone's clothes and status, so it didn't feel right. The geek crew was missing... There has always been closeness with Morris, here they barely spoke? On one page Eve and Roarke's conversation is all about a guy's 'dick' (5 times).. their conversations usually aren't quite so low in tone. Eve is sarcastic, but not crude. I could go on.

The mystery itself was okay, but it truly felt to me that someone had written the book that barely knew the people involved, or some editor was feeling that things should be going in a different direction, but whatever the reason the book just didn't work for me. This is the 38th book in the series and I have to say that it has kept fresh for a long time by the characters growing over time. I will read the next one to see how it goes, but if it's like this one it will probably be the end of the series for me.

Talk about wonderful timing. Just finished the above book, went to the post office and there was my copy of Dawn's Early Light the latest Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences saga featuring Braun and Brooks. My other half is gone, so this evening... guess what I'm doing.

Whoa, Concealed in Death is the 38th book?! That is a LOT of books.

It is, and I can imagine it is hard work to keep your characters fresh for that long. This was the first really weak one.

Dawn's Early Light is the latest escapade in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Braun and Books have gone to the United States to help the US agents. Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Lord Sussex and Bertie - the Prince of Wales all have their important parts to play in this latest fun, adventurous romp.

Mike Hammer is determined to find the killer of a man he was with when the man died. At the same time the police and federal agents are looking for caches of a biological weapon. Naked ladies, gunfire, fist fights, the usual.

At some point I need to read the Harry Hole series in order. In this one, someone is killing policemen at the scene of a crime they investigated in the past. It seemed to me that several characters that must have been regulars in the earlier books get killed and too many nasty types are left alive at the end to bother Harry in the future.

It's a very well written series. My first of two for the April MysteryCAT (Norway).

Hi Max - I'm planning to read the first one in the Harry Hole series this month for the mystery Cat. I'm one of those people who like to read series in order just in case it makes a difference.

I'm with you. I sort of fell into Harry. A friend gave me one of the books, but not the first, then the library got one, but out of order as well.

March In Review

Books Read: 21 (The Three Musketeers took awhile!)
Reviews Written: 3
Categories Read: 11
Off My Shelves: 16
New Authors: 5

Book That Left Me Breathless: Rogue by Mark Sullivan
Mystery I Enjoyed the Most: The Sands of Windee by Arthur Upfield
Biggest Disappointment: Concealed in Death by J. D. Robb
Honorable Mention: Dawn's Early Light by Pip Ballantine - a fun read

MysteryCAT reads: 1
GeoCAT reads:
RandomCAT reads:
CATtrick:
Unofficial AlphaCAT:
Group Read: 1

I really enjoyed this first book in the Detective Huss series. It was very much a police procedural. A few times I wasn't sure if what was happening was relevant to the murder, but then I realized that the police wouldn't know either.

Detective Irene Huss is an excellent character. She's middle-aged, married, teenage daughters. She's an experienced police detective. I'll be looking for more in this series.

The PawSox schedule for this year came in the paper this am and their first game is tonight. They're supposed to have a very good team this year.

>64 mysterymax: I've never heard of that series before. I can see though that it is recommended by LibraryThing for me.

>65 dudes22: WOw, we will be thinking of you! We were hoping to get there this summer but right now it doesn't look too great for that to happen.

I think I am now up to date with the Rat Pack series. The Way You Die Tonight has Eddie G. helping Edward G Robinson prepare for his role as a poker player, trying to find the killer of his boss's secretary and fending off Howard Hughes who wants Eddie to help him take over some of the Vegas casinos. He has his hands full but his friends Jerry and Danny are there to help out. Another fun episode.

Justice is the blind goddess and it is what Billy must try to obtain for a young black soldier accused of murder. As well there is a serial killer on the loose and a missing girl.

Apple Spy in the Sky by Marc Lovell is one of my favorite Appleton Porter books. Appleton is an unlikely spy and in this episode he is up against a KGB agent as unlikely as he is.

His boss describes him as "six feet seven inches tall...How could he ever blend into the background?...He is kind to the aged and small creatures...and falls in love at the traditional drop of a lace handkerchief...training scores were pretty dismal...It makes me sigh myself to wonder why Porter didn't have the cunning to try and fake his ratings. Is there no guile in the man at all? Finally, Porter blushes."

Apple to the Core has Appleton ordered to kidnap a Russian musician. Of course, Porter is too sentimental to kidnap an elderly man that doesn't want to leave his home.

The Broken Vase is not a Nero Wolfe mystery. Instead it is the third book in the Tecumseh Fox series and the first one I have read. It is a very good mystery, but it doesn't have the same joie de vivre of the Wolfe books. In this one a concert violinist commits suicide after his performance is unusually terrible. Fox realizes that it is really murder.

White Fire was the first Preston & Child book for me. I'm not one for "Relic" type books, but this one sounded different so I gave it a try. I would have to classify it as a 'thriller' because I was quite sure who all the guilty parties were quite early on, making it not much of a 'mystery'. I enjoyed the Wilde/Conan Doyle participation.

I don't know if Pendergast's protegee, Carrie, has a very big role in other books (it doesn't sound like it from other reviews I read) but I don't see her as having the maturity to become an FBI agent (or other law enforcement officer). Enjoyable, but not exceptional.

>64 mysterymax:
I've seen the TV series and enjoyed that immensely, so the books are on the wishlist - good to hear they're a good read.

TV series? Didn't know! Thanks! What's the name of the series????

It's a Swedish one, but available in the US with subtitles - Amazon lists it as Irene Huss but I think PBS called it Detective Inspector Irene Huss. Highly recommended!!

Checking out Netflix.....

I'm still not sure what Maigret was afraid of. In this one, Maigret is returning from a police conference and stops off to visit an old friend, not realizing that his friend is investigating a triple murder. It's a case of a wealthy family vs the poorer villagers. Maigret does some investigating but he really isn't in an official capacity. It wasn't my favorite.

>78 mysterymax: I'm pretty sure I read that one years ago, Max. I never bothered with the rest of the series.

You should give some of the others a try. That one was not typical.

This one involved the theft of rare books from a museum and other books with maps and illustrations removed. Of course, it all leads to murder.

An unidentified man is found, shot, in the home of Dorothy Sayers. Agatha Christie and other members of the Detective Club organize to help identify the man. Originally made to look like a suicide, it soon becomes apparent that it was murder. Even though seasoned mystery readers will suspect the guilty party quite early on, Dorothy and Agatha is still an enjoyable read.

I really feel like I've read that book - the premise sounds so familiar. Wouldn't that have been a fun club to be a part of?

Yes, and I feel the same way about the Round Table at the Algonquin. Maybe it's the name Dorothy, but I think both Dorothy Sayers and Dorothy Parker sounds like real go-getters. I enjoyed Dorothy and Agatha. I am sure that it is very fictionalized, but somehow it made them seem more human and real to me.

My favorite Jimm is still Killed at the Whim of a Hat. There were funny moments here, but it isn't my favorite of the three.

I missed that a third one was out. I'm disappointed you didn't enjoy it.

A couple of things bothered me. The 'crime' was particularly gruesome and it centered around an issue that was very much a 'hot potato' when I was in Africa, and I felt that the book was being used a 'platform' which is okay when you know you are picking up such a book, but I don't care for it much when you just want a escape mystery! The same thing made me give up on Susan Hill.

Dog On It was a surprise. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but Chet and Bernie grew on me as the book went along. Well done. Chet never acts or think like a human, he's all dog, and that's what makes it work. I will be continuing this series.

Max- I've read the pre-quel which was about 40 pages and am planning of reading Dog on It sometime this year.

I love the quiet communication between the two. They work so well together.

And the more I think about the book, the more I like it!

Silence of the Grave was the first book I have read by Arnaldur Indridason and I think of all the Icelandic mysteries I have read so far I like it the most. The crime isn't a current one, but one committed 70 years earlier. While the book is a police procedural it goes far beyond that and makes all the characters, both past and present, both major and secondary, alive and dealing with their own deep problems and lives. Very deserving of it's CWA Gold Dagger Award.

Most reviews of Dog On It have been very favorable and I can no longer resist adding it to my library list.

Woof! Woof!

Arctic Chill is the second of Indridason's Reykjavik mysteries I have read. In fact, the second one I read today. After finishing Silence of the Grave I was debating which of the many library books should I read next and decided to sample the first page of each before deciding. ~ I was on page 80 before I came up for air. And I spent the rest of the day buried in the book.

I really like this series. Everyone of the characters in the two books I have read has become real. The plot flows effortlessly. In this book a young Thai boy is killed and it seems that there is no reason anyone would have to kill him, so the police suspect it is a racial crime. Finding the guilty party in a motiveless crime is one of the most difficult things a policeman faces and it is only by the sheer determination of the detectives that the truth is found out.

As well, each of the detectives has their own personal issues that they are dealing with. I'm glad I checked out four of these (in case I liked them).

Wow! That is quite the endorsement for Indridason, reading two in one day. Fortunately, I've already read those two ;) Black Skies is up next for me, for the April MysteryCAT.

The Tigers of '68 was informative and entertaining but unfortunately unemotional. Better than many of the baseball books I have read, not as good as Bottom of the 33rd

Summer Meditations by Vaclav Havel is enough to make you weep that such thoughts don't govern the actions of all who "rule".

He wrote this in 1992 but it could have been written today, and he wrote it in, and about, Czechoslovakia but it could have been written in, and about, anywhere - our own country included.

"...Mutual accusations, denunciations, and slander among political opponents know no bounds. One politician will undermine another's work only because they belong to different political parties..."

I think it is written for those who still dream, and hope, that one day politicians will care more for their country than for their own vested interests or party.

In Indian Pipes, by Cynthia Riggs Victoria Trumbell is a 92 year old living on Martha's Vineyard. She also happens to be a Deputy Police Chief. Her granddaughter, Elizabeth lives with her. Elizabeth and Victoria discover a body one night and this leads to more murders, a case of arson, a motorcycle rally, bribery, embezzlement, kidnapping, and finally Victoria being made an honorary member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head/Azuinnah.

Victoria is a little slower physically than she was in her younger days, but she hasn't slowed down mentally at all. She sounds like a fun lady. It's a good series that I have been meaning to get to and I am glad that I did

April in Review
This month I spent several days covering at the library while one of our staff was gone, so didn't have as much time to read.

Highlight of the month, for me, new authors! Arnaldur Indridason, Helene Tursten, Cynthia Riggs, and Spencer Quinn are all writers I will try to keep up with.

Books Read: 18
Reviews Written: 3
Categories Read: 9
Off My Shelves: 10
New Authors: 7

Book That Left Me Breathless: Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason
Mystery I Enjoyed the Most: Dorothy and Agatha by Gaylord Larsen
Biggest Disappointment: The Axe Factor by Colin Cotterill
Honorable Mention: Apple to the Core by Marc Lovell - my 'cozy spy', love this series.

MysteryCAT reads: 4
GeoCAT reads: 1
RandomCAT reads:
CATtrick:
Unofficial AlphaCAT: 1
Group Read:

Tainted Blood by Arnaldur Indridason is my third book in this series. The series could fit in either police procedurals, new authors, or foreign, so I think I would up putting one ie each, lol.

This is actually the first of the series and it's original title was Jar City. Detective Erlendur (Erlendur is his first name as in Iceland that is how people are referred to) is a burdened man, much like Harry Hole and Harry Bosch, but it doesn't take away from his police work.

In Tainted Blood a man is found murdered with a note pinned to his chest and the only odd thing the police find in his room is a photograph of a grave. The story shows how an act of violence changes the lives of more people than just the initial victim

I need to get back to Harry Bosch. I always enjoyed those books. I'd probably need to start over as I don't remember where I left off.

I feel that way about 99% of the series I have on my shelf!

I wonder if I'd get bored if I just had author categories next year and concentrated on catching up with a few series? I think I'll put that on my list of ideas for the 15 challenge.

If you did that, Betty, you'd have to commit to not taking any book bullets. Not even one.

I was thinking maybe three categories: mysteries, non-mysteries and book bullets. I keep having a bokk that fits in three or four categories... I usually put it in the one that has the least books.

Kay - I hardly ever read a BB in the year I take it. I usually just put it on a "sometime in the future" list. Maybe I can figure out a way to make some of the categories based on authors and others not. Need to start thinking of how.

Are we challenge addicts or what? Here it is only the beginning of May and we're already planning our 2015 !?!

I know! I know! Sad really. Something that was said in one of the threads when they were being set up gave me an idea for 15 that I've been toying with off and on since I read what they wrote. Takes me a while to come up with an idea that will fit in with the books I want to read. I think the issue is there's SO much I want to read.

I've been toying with ideas for 2015 as well. One thing I do know is that I am going to cut the amount of books needed to complete the challenge. This year I need to read fourteen books every month for this challenge and I always seem to have to add a few more that I am committed to. Trying to read 16 - 18 books a month is wearing me down!

I think I've figured out what I am going to do - but we really need to rethink the 12 in 12, 13 in 13, 14 in 14, trend - what will we do in 2020? ;)

Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason is the fourth one I've read in the series and it was quite different. Erlendur solves a murder he can't prove and two cold cases that turn out to be not what was expected.

There are several people here who could do a 20 in 20 challenge without breaking a sweat. It's when we get to the 39 in 39, etc, that things get interesting. I've done ten categories of ten books for a few years now, since that works for me. I suspect that instead of 39 in 39, we'll call it the 2039 Category Challenge. How many of us will still be participating, I wonder?

I might still be here, but will my eyesight still handle it!

I kept reading this thinking it was very familiar... and, of course, when I went to put the 2014CC tag in - there was 13 in 13. No wonder! Well, it was good in 2013 and it was still good in 2014.

Haha, love the discussion about future challenges! I'm right there with you guys -- I've got 2015 pretty much planned out, and I've even got a solid idea for structuring 2016!

I have lots of themes in mind, so whichever one I feel like doing by the time the 2015 group is created will be the one I choose.

Edit to remove extra line break. Typing on an iPad is hard.

I've had thoughts on 2015, but I'm going to hold off a bit before deciding. If my reading pace doesn't pick up, I'll never make it this year! I've usually read my first 75 by this time, but I'm still a good ways off from it.

I spent the weekend at the annual convention of the Association of Game & Puzzle Collectors (AGPC) playing games and attending very interesting sessions, so I didn't get as much reading time as I had thought I would, but I did finish Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. Since I enjoyed To Say Nothing of the Dog, I thought I would give this a try.



Once again Willis takes her readers from the future back into time. Here, a young historian, Kivrin, travels back in time to the Middle Ages. She was supposed to go to 1320, but due to 'slippage' ~ a possible time alteration due to the nature of the 'net' which makes time travel possible ~ she winds up in 1348, when the 'Black Death' reaches England. While her mentor tries to find a way to get her back, an epidemic is raging in his time.

I enjoyed it.

Sounds like a good time, both in books and in games! Doomsday Book is on my "eventually" list. What games did you play?

>119 mysterymax: I also read Doomsday Book after reading (and loving!) To Say Nothing of the Dog...but I was NOT expecting such a huge tonal difference! I just assumed that all of Willis' books would be sort of light and clever, which Doomsday Book definitely is not!

>119 mysterymax: Sounds like an interesting event.

Now you have to read Blackout and All Clear - more really good time travel books by Connie Willis.

Glad you liked Doomsday Book. It's high on my TBR pile, although I'm conflicted about reading it for the Female sci-fi and fantasy month (this June) or wait until December for the group read.

>120 rabbitprincess: & >122 thornton37814: It was a good weekend. We played Snake Oil, the new game from Out of the Box people who made Apples to Apples, Wits & Wagers, and Anomia. Snake Oil is much funnier than Apples and we played it two nights. The more serious side was good too.

We had two speakers from the Strong Museum of Play and one of them talked about conservation of materials (keeping your games 'alive' and in 'good health' for as long as possible. Very informative and helpful. Also had Phil Orbanes (Mr. Monopoly & founder of the game company Winning Moves) talk about the history of Parker Brothers and some of their games. He is considered the world expert on Monopoly and if you have seen the new Monopoly it contains his invention, the speed die, which moves the game along very quickly.

Of course, you always come home from a vacation needing a rest!

>123 LittleTaiko: I do want to read the others by Willis but I have to get them through ILL as our library only has the two.

I don't know what to think of The Topless Tulip Caper by Lawrence Block. I think, it was a case of missed expectations.

First: the title of the book leads one to think that it will involve a con in some way, or a heist. Neither of which was the case. It was a straight forward case of murder.

Second: the person who had written up the back of my issue had certainly not read the book. Everything was wrong. Even the cover art had almost nothing to do with the story. So again, expectations were wrong.

For these two points I would have to lay the blame on the editor or publisher.

Third: some reviews have called this a spoof of Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. I must admit I was confused as to why a writer like Block would write such an obvious knock-off. (The names are changed and Haig collects fish instead of orchids.) It did have the sarcastic humor of a hard-boiled detective but the humor seemed too subtle for it to be a spoof.

So, I was left with a Nero Wolfe book that wasn't a Nero Wolfe book. If I could judge it apart from that then it was good. But, because of these three things - it only gets three stars from me.

N or M? is almost more of a spy story than a mystery as such. Tommy and Tuppence are at a seaside inn trying to find a Fifth Column leader.

>120 rabbitprincess: & >122 thornton37814: Here's my write-up on Snake Oil
http://booksmoviesandgames.wordpress.com/

>129 mysterymax: I don't like the name of the game, but it does sound like it could provide some entertainment for large groups.

I think it's the perfect name! The old 'snake oil' medicine sellers claimed it was the remedy for everything! Good grief we laughed.

Time is everything. Thought I was picking up a "classic" to fit with the MysteryCAT for May (Classic) and then realized that I was about 20 years off. The Window at the White Cat was originally published in 1940. It held up very well The White Cat is a men's club. There is murder, theft and a young lawyer whom a pretty young lady appeals to for help. I will probably pick up another of hers at some point.

So I managed to get a "classic" to fulfill this month's MysteryCAT and it also fills the Unofficial AlphaCat. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie.
I felt upset that Piorot had information that wasn't shared with the reader until the end. That is cheating.

>134 rabbitprincess: My BF feels like that when we watch the TV adaptations of Poirot. I can never remember whether the information is actually there in the story or if they take it out and expect people who've read the book already to be able to follow along.

>132 mysterymax: Oh, does a mystery from the 1940s not count as a "classic" for the CAT? The one I'm reading was published in 1936...

Hmm, I am not sure how the person who set it up is considering it - but normally the "Classic" era was around the 30's (Agatha Christie time) but I would think you are fine. I probably was as well.

>136 mysterymax: Phew, looks like my choice will fit after all! And I'm sure The Window at the White Cat is fine too, but this way you got to read two classic mysteries! I do remember being really creeped out by Evil Under the Sun, though -- definitely not one of my favorite Christies.

No it wasn't my favorite either.

A Very Private Enterprise by Elizabeth Ironside is 'bang-on'. A murder mystery involving love, gold, smuggling and a terrifying car chase through the Kashmir mountains. Excellent portrayal of the people of India and of the country.

The books serves as my GeoCAT for the month.

Finally I'm back from Virginia where I was visiting my youngest daughter and her family. I had a great time - with a ballet recital being the highlight. She took me to the local used bookstore (Reston Used Book Store) and I brought home a bag of books that includes some Walter Mosley, Georges Simenon, Dashell Hammett, Mickey Spillane and finally a copy of Coal Black Horse which I read a while ago and thought it was fantastic.

Reading wise, I listened to three books in the car on the way down and back - Plum Lovin, Plum Lucky and Plum Spooky all by Janet Evanovich. (and part of The Shape Shifter by Hillerman. We also went to the Reston Library and I got, and read, The Heist by Janet Evanovich, Two Graves by Douglas Preston, and The Cartographer of No Man's Land by P. S. Duffy. I really missed the welcome, homey atmosphere of our local library, but I guess that is to be expected in a larger library. I must say that the person in the children's department should not be a children's librarian. Perhaps she wasn't, perhaps she was 'filling in'.

All the reads were great. The Cartographer of No Man's Land was exceptional. It revolves around a grandfather, father and son in Nova Scotia. The grandfather is against war. The father joins a Canadian regiment and goes off to fight in France in WWI. The son is left to become a man and understand both his father and grandfather. The story goes back and forth between Nova Scotia and France.

Yay, used book store shopping! Sounds like a successful trip.

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip!

Ahh, I forgot. I also finished Maigret and the Bum by Georges Simenon.

The Reston Used Book Store was packed with books and I did get the feeling that the owner wasn't quite sure what he had, lol. I'd mention a book I was looking for and he'd go off to look for it, come back and say he didn't think he had it and then later I would find it. He would seem quite surprised. It was fun. He was very helpful and I would have stayed much longer, but the grandkids had finished looking in the nearby toy store and were more than ready to go home. It was too bad that the book store isn't in a better location. The small mall is rather a sad place, but I am sure the rent is much better than other places and probably anyone interested in books will find him.

I didn't realize Reston had a used bookstore! I'll have to make my way over there one of these days!

May in Review
Funny how some months are basically good reads and other months are not. This was an enjoyable month.

New authors! Elizabeth Ironside, Mary Roberts Rhinehart, and P. S. Duffy all gave strong entries.

Books Read: 14
Reviews Written: 1
Categories Read: 8
Off My Shelves: 5
New Authors: 3

Book That Left Me Breathless: Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason
Mystery I Enjoyed the Most: A Very Private Enterprise by Elizabeth Ironside
Biggest Disappointment: The Topless Tulip Caper by Lawrence Block
Honorable Mention: Cartographer of No Man's Land by P. S. Duffy

MysteryCAT reads: 3
GeoCAT reads: 1
RandomCAT reads:
CATtrick:
Unofficial AlphaCAT: 1
Group Read:

>143 mysterymax: I've read one or two of Simenon's Maigret novels, but not many of them. Maybe I'll get around to another one eventually.

I enjoy them. I would compare them to some British mysteries. A quieter solving of the crime than most American police procedurals. Maigret is patient, he will not be rushed in his investigation, His investigation is mostly by interrogation and putting himself in other peoples shoes, so to speak. He has a good understanding of what makes people tick. I like his team as well. Plus they give a wonderful feeling of Paris. At least the Paris we would like to remember. My latest was written in the 60s.



Maigret and the Nahour Case involves Maigret's friend and neighbor, Dr. Parbon, who calls Maigret late at night because a woman was brought to his surgery with a gunshot wound in her back. The woman, and her male friend, leave the office before Parbon can get their names. The next day a man is found shot to death in his home. Everyone Maigret interviews is lying and he must discover the truth. Very enjoyable.

I was very happy to see you list Cartographer of No Man's Land as exceptional, I just picked up a copy while I was home visiting my family. Another coincidence is that I also picked up a 3 book omnibus of Mickey Spillane - looking forward to delving into that one!

>148 DeltaQueen50: Great minds, and all that stuff! I won't get to the Spillane book right away. I am not a person that enjoys reading more than one book at a time, but due to strange circumstances - such as needing to read and my book wasn't handy - I found myself inside of THREE books all at once.

I finished The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama in tears. Stephen, a young Chinese, is at college when he contracts TB and his family sends him to their summer home in Japan to get well. He will be in the care of Matsu, an older man whom Stephen always felt was very remote. Away from the hectic, frenzied world of China Stephen finds himself in the quiet remote village. This book is not for anyone that demands action or conflict or high drama but it will be one of the treasures on my bookshelves.

>150 mysterymax: I already write on the GeoCAT thread but I loved her writing when reading The Street of a Thousand Blossoms. It was slow-pacing but with a kind of poetry that I found soothing.

I can't wait to read more of her stuff.

>152 mysterymax: Neither do I :)

I have one other of hers - Night of Many Dreams. Have you read that one yet?

>154 mysterymax: No but looking forward you review. I'll probably read The Samourai's Garden first.

Yahoo, my new Craig Johnson came today!

So, is it great?

YES!!! I have two 'can't put down' books going at the same time, it's hell! I must remember not to peek in a book until the last one is finished.

Skin Game by Jim Butcher came while I was reading two other books but I couldn't wait, so I finished one of the others quickly - and started in with good ole Harry Dresden and then the new Walt Longmire came. It feels like Christmas.

Happily they both met and exceeded expectations. In fact, Skin Game was better than the last two episodes in Harry's saga. Non-stop, with some of the old Harry showing through. He is tasked by Mab to help a really nasty guy steal the Holy Grail. Michael comes out of retirement to help him, Butters becomes a hero and lots of other good stuff. Fun read, start to finish.

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson was sooo good. Once again it is winter in Wyoming. (Johnson promises a book that takes place in spring or summer - someday.) Walt is supposed to be heading to Philly where his daughter, Ca, is about to have Walt's first grandchild. Needless to say, Walt gets derailed helping his old boss find the reason for another lawman's suicide.

If you haven't read other Longmire books I wouldn't suggest starting with this one. Most of the books in the series can be read out of order, but I think this one should be read after the preceding A Serpent's Tooth as the back story to Vic's leave of absence isn't filled out.

This is a wonderful series. I think I have said that about everyone of the books. Wonderful characters, great dialogue, - everything.

Now I can go back and finish The Midnight Mayor which I had started when all these books came in. Hopefully I will also get to finish The Neon Court as well before getting sidetracked again.

That was a short lived thought - Top Secret Twenty-One just arrived!

The Midnight Mayor by Kate Griffin was the second in the Matthew Swift series that started with The Madness of Angels. I fell in love with this authors writing when I read the YA trilogy that began with The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle under her real name Catherine Webb. The plot, the characters are great, the writing brilliant. It is not a quick read, but it is enjoyable every single minute.

Fun as always. Ranger actually said the "M" word. One can only hope it's a clue about what will be happening in the future.

Finished The Neon Court by Kate Griffin. Wow.

Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams was a charming cozy. I liked it enough to continue the series. Good, good characters.

The Corsican Caper by Peter Mayle was lighter than the two previous caper books, more like a visit with old friends. Peter and his friends do manage to put away a very nasty Russian. Always a joy to read one of Mayle's books.

Oh, you lucky Londoners!

http://madeinshoreditch.co.uk/2014/05/30/benches-shaped-like-open-books-will-pop...

I agree MM. What a great idea.

That is a great idea. It would be fun to hunt around to see how many of the book benches you could find.

I went to the link at the bottom of the article and it looked like there was a map of where they are. Alas, most of the benches didn't have a picture yet. I'll have to go back later and see them when they are posted.

What an incredibly cool idea! Someone needs to copy this idea in the United States!

I'd love one in my yard!

Oooo - me too! I wonder if I can get my husband to make me one?

>171 dudes22: There are several now on their facebook page (Books About Town) I love the Wind in the Willows one but they are all fantastic. If your husband can make them he may have his retirement plans revoked!

The Last Cop Out by Mickey Spillane was excellent. I'd classify it as hard-boiled as Gill had been thrown off the police force due to a frame-up, but he is brought back to handle an apparent mob war so in the truest sense it isn't.

I suspected from the start who was responsible for the mayhem and was concerned how it would play out. Excellent ending. A totally satisfactory read.

June in Review
This month two of my reads got rated five stars, four were 4.5 and none were below 3.5. A very good month I would say.

Books Read: 14
Reviews Written: 3
Categories Read: 8
Off My Shelves: 10
New Authors: 2

Book That Left Me Breathless:Midnight Mayor by Kate Griffin
Mystery I Enjoyed the Most: The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen
Biggest Disappointment: NONE!!!
Honorable Mention: The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama

MysteryCAT reads: 3
GeoCAT reads: 2
RandomCAT reads:
CATtrick:
Unofficial AlphaCAT: 2
Group Read:

Happy Canada Day!

Thanks to rabbitprincess for introducing me to the used book store on Bank Street. My choices this trip were one of Earl Derr Biggers Charlie Chan mysteries , 1929 First Edition, and another Arthur Upfield that I didn't have.

Yaaaaay! I love that bookstore. Haven't been out to visit it in a while. Hope you had a good Canada Day and that you were able to stay cool! I did not move from the air conditioner all day.

I just wish they would find places to shelve all those piles of books on the floor. I have the feeling that I am missing THE book because it is hidden in one of the stacks somewhere. Looking foward to tomorrow!

It was wonderful to see you and paruline today! Thank you so much for the Doctor Who book. It even has a section for quotes about tea! Love it. :)

I had fun! Wish we didn't have to hit the road, would have loved to check out Chapters with you. Start scouting now for the tea venue for same time next year. Any book stores with a good tea shop? That would be perfect.

Glad you like the book and as I said, I expect to see some "quotes of the day" - or perhaps they will assist in themes for future challenges.

I did manage to get some reading done while in Ottawa. The Minority Council by Kate Griffin was excellent. Matthew Swift is a bit like Harry Dresden, one crisis and battle after another. I love Griffin's descriptions of London. I don't think London could have a better biographer! This was a JULY read.

Ooh, a Doctor Who quotes challenge! I'll add it to the roster of theme ideas for 2016 ;)

Hope the trip back went well!

My other Ottawa read was Towards Zero by Agatha Christie and of all the Christie books I have read so far it was the most enjoyable. Perhaps because it was an Inspector Battle book. I admit that while the other mysteries are good, I find her two more famous sleuths a bit hard to take and Battle was quite refreshing. This was a JULY read.

>185 rabbitprincess: Yes, the trip back was fine. No deer running across the road or anything. I tried to convince him to stop in one place to watch 4th of July fireworks, but was unsuccessful.

How could I forget that I also read The Roman Hat Mystery in the car on the way up north. It would up being my best mystery of the month (June)! It was the first Ellery Queen. This was a JUNE read.