John's 2016 page challenge, 36,000 or bust

This year I WILL attain this ridiculous target I have set myself.

Good Luck!! Will be posting my thread!

Yay Monica, welcome to the ride my dear.

I finished my first book of 2016 this morning, once again Mma Ramotswe has cases to tackle and needs to help out her assistant Mma Makutsi and gets a new employee. Things are changing for her and Mr J.L.B. Matekoni and for Botswana in general. A lovely read from Mr Smith once again and I just love his books.

Just finished my second book of 2016, Mistletoe and Murder by Carola Dunn and once again Daisy Dalrymple is involved in a murder investigation. I love these Daisy Dalrymple mysteries, they are a light read set in the early Twenties and give a flavour of the class system at that time when change was just starting to happen after the end of the First World War.

What a huge number of pages! Good luck with that! I have to revise my number downward from 2015. I'm going to try again in 2016, though.

>7 SqueakyChu:, Welcome back to page challenge Madeline.

>8 johnsimpson: Thanks. I'm sure I'll do much better this year.

I finished my third book of the year mid morning, in this autobiography Geoffrey Boycott opens up as never before. Following his diagnosis of throat cancer in 2002 and his subsequent treatment and recovery he changed as a person, husband and father. In the book he goes into detail the whole horrific saga of the throat cancer to help people who are going through the disease or those who have friends or relatives suffering from cancer. He describes his early career and that he should not have accepted the captaincy of his beloved Yorkshire. He is still a forthright and blunt Yorkshireman but says he does not intentionally go out to upset anyone.

In 1971 a friend of my dad took my Slazenger bat for him to sign and from then on I watched my first Test match on television and have been an avid cricket fan ever since. Geoffrey Boycott or as he is known in Yorkshire Sir Geoffrey has been a cricketing hero of mine ever since.

Fourth book of the year finished just after lunch, this was a nice light read for me and I do enjoy books by this author. I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment without a specific challenge to follow.

Book Five finished mid morning, once again PC Hamish Macbeth is mooching about the cold police station in Lochdubh when he gets a phone call from Arrat House to say Andrew Trent has been murdered. Normally Hamish would get in touch with headquarters at Strathbane to get CID involved but as Mr Trent is a well known prankster and having been caught out before he decides to go along himself. Driving conditions are treacherous as heavy snow has fallen and slowly he makes his way to the house. When Hamish gets there he finds that it is not a prank but the old man has been murdered, the question is by whom as all the guests could have had a motive. Strathbane is called and Detective Inspector Blair arrives, Blair and Hamish do not get on as Hamish invariably solves the crime much to Blair's disgust.

An enjoyable read about local crime in the Highlands and just what I like, am now starting another.

Book Six finished just after tea yesterday, another crime in sleepy Lochdubh involving a dating agency and a rather large gluttonous lady who part owns the agency. Once again Detective Inspector Blair does not want Hamish to be involved but if it was left to Blair the wrong person would be charged and the murderer would getaway scot free.

Book seven finished mid afternoon, this is the tale of India's greatest cricketer who's Test career began at the age of sixteen and he retired after playing 200 Test matches at the age of forty. During his international career he hit 100 international centuries, 51 in Tests and 49 in One Day Internationals. During his career he along with teammates carried the hopes of a billion people in major Test series and Cricket World Cups, he capped his career by being a part of a World Cup winning team that did it on home soil. For the majority of his career the population of India wanted him to do well and make big scores, I love my cricket but in India it is not just a love for the game but cricket is a religion.

Sachin tells how he started playing cricket, how he developed and then how his international career progressed, his marriage to Anjali and the birth of his two children right up to his retirement from ODI's and then Test Cricket and all cricket. I have followed this little mans career and have seen him playing live and there may not be another like him. A very interesting read if you love cricket.

Book Eight finished mid morning, this is the seventh in the Detective Michael Bennett series. Detective Bennett finally leaves California and gets back to New York but is in for a surprise, whilst he has been away a lot of changes have happened in the police department. He has to report to One Police Plaza but is in for a shock and comes out wondering whether it is time to give up the job but pride fights back and he vows to not let this jerk Starkie get him down. The crimes he has to deal with get worse and he soon finds he has his work cut out to solve the crimes and get back to the division he loves.

Book nine finished this morning, I love cycling and this book is the autobiography of one of my cycling heroes. It tells the full story of his career and how he was picked up by a legendary directeur sportif and set on his way to a fantastic career in pro cycling for the next seventeen seasons. It tells of the ups and downs of professional cycling and how the sport changed from the late seventies when Kelly started to the mid nineties when he brought his career to an end.

Tenth book of the year finished at 00:06 this morning, I just love the Theodore Boone books and this was really good. John Grisham has really hit the mark for a YA audience and adults alike in the same way as James Patterson and a number of other authors. I look forward to another Boone novel but I have a few other Grisham's on the shelf that I need to get to at some point this year.

I finished my Eleventh book of the year late last night and must say that I really enjoyed it. The book follows Barbara who must say goodbye to those you love most in the world and she writes a journal of her life after cancer diagnosis and writes each daughter a letter to be read after she has gone. It is a lovely book that pulls at the heartstrings and is also funny. Hopefully all that Barbara writes will help her girls and things will turn out ok for them and her beloved husband. I would definitely recommend this as a must read.

Finished book Twelve just before I picked Karen up from work, Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris. This is the second in the Lily Bard series and this finds Lily in the Gym. The following day she has a key from the gym owner who has flu and needs Lily to open it up. When she gets there the door is open which starts alarm bells in Lily's head and shortly afterwards she finds the body of Del Packard, he has a very heavy dumbbell on his throat and he is very dead. Suddenly other things start to happen in Shakespeare that shouldn't be happening and Lily is drawn into finding out what is going on. This has been a good read and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Finished book Thirteen whilst monitoring Hannah who was not a well bunny. Born to Ride by Stephen Roche tells his story of being a professional cyclist, he starts the book in 1987 when he won the Giro D'Italia, Tour De France and the World Championship road race in Austria becoming the second cyclist after Eddy Merckx to win the triple crown in the same season. The story then follows how his career started and then the downfall after becoming World Champion due to a serious knee injury to then come back and win major races before it is time to call it a day. Roche goes into detail about his family and his marriage breakup and what happened after being a pro cyclist. It was a really enjoyable read and brings back memories to me of following his career as I did with his fellow Irishman Sean Kelly through the late seventies to the early nineties.

Finished my Fourteenth book of the year, A French Affair by Katie Fforde. It was a nice relaxing read and I do enjoy reading books predominately for Karen. This tells the tale of two sisters, Gina and Sally who have inherited a stall in the French House - an antiques centre in a Cotswolds town. When they arrive Gina takes one look and thinks her skills as a freelance PR worker could transform the centre both for their stall and those of the other dealers. After meeting the owner Matthew Ballinger who she describes as a modern day Mr Rochester she wonders whether it is working with old things or just his manner that Matthew appears to be a grumpy man.

Gina has a lot to learn about antiques and Matthew tells her he will teach her, her sister Sally thinks he would be an ideal boyfriend as Gina has recently broken up with one but Gina wants to learn about antiques and not get involved romantically. As the story unfolds things change but will she learn enough about antiques to make a few pounds and will Matthew become boyfriend material. Read and find out, I look forward to another by Ms Fforde.

Finished book Fifteen a short while ago, Die Laughing by Carola Dunn. This is the twelfth in the Daisy Dalrymple mystery series and does not fail to deliver, Daisy is on her way to the dentist but he doesn't seem to be at the surgery, the nurse and dentist's wife appear and she lets them into the house. Once in she goes to the door from the house to the surgery and finds it locked so uses her key to open it, as she and Daisy enter they find the body of the dentist in the chair with a big smile on his face and a mask, he has been partaking of nitrous oxide and gone a bit too far and paid the ultimate price. Did he commit suicide, was it an accident or was it murder?

Once more Daisy stumbles upon a crime and fears what Scotland Yard will think not to mention Detective Chief Inspector Fletcher. A gentle mystery to warm the heart and I look forward to the next one in the series.

Finished book Sixteen this morning, Fred Trueman: The Authorised Biography by Chris Waters. Ever since I got an interest in Cricket back in 1971 I have been I awe of the exploits of "Fiery Fred" as Trueman was affectionately known. This book shows how Fred could be insecure away from cricket and explodes some of the myths that seemed to follow Fred, from humble beginnings to a life in the Yorkshire Dales. Fred came into the Yorkshire team as professionalism was starting out and the hierarchy of the game were public school educted snobs. The author brings to light this snobbery which affected Freds' career and cost him test appearances and wickets which in later life seemed to grate with him, once his career came to an end he went into broadcasting on Test Match Special but his curmudgeonly way about how the game had moved on and his lack of insight led to him being dropped for younger commentators, this led Fred to watch cricket on television with the sound turned down. Towards the end of his life he did a lot for charities and became more involved with the church and in 1989 he received a OBE for his services to cricket and charities although he thought he should have had a knighthood, he was the first man to 300 test wickets and got nothing, when the New Zealand cricketer Richard Hadlee reached 400 wickets first he retired not long after and got a knighthood. Fred died on the 1st July 2006 and England were playing Sri Lanka at his beloved Headingley and it was announced at the ground on the big screen shortly after his old press colleague Ted Corbett had received the fateful telephone call. Fred was Buried in the grounds of Bolton Abbey not far from his home in the Dales. This was an interesting read about a true character of the game of cricket.

Finished book Seventeen this morning, NYPD Red 2 by James Patterson. This is the second in the NYPD Red series and sees Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald drafted in to track down the Hazmat killer now that he has killed a high profile name in New York City. While investigating the crime that they think has been done by cops they draft in two cops who want to be a part of the elite Red crew but are they foxes in the coop and been given permission to be there. As things progress will they find the fifth Hazmat victim before the worst happens and before the mayoral election or will the killings go on, read and find out. Looking forward to the next in the series.

I finished my Eighteenth book of 2016 just after lunch, Mightier Than the Sword by Jeffrey Archer, this is the fifth in the Clifton Chronicles series. Jeffrey Archer has created an absolutely wonderful series that is gripping with all the machinations that take place it should be turned into a Television series that will have the public wanting more. Once again Archer leaves the reader hanging at the end of the book wanting more and I cannot wait for the next, this come out in Hardback on the 25th of February and I have read all these in paperback so unless I succumb I will have to wait until at least October or November. I will wait as the seventh and last will not be published until 2017 and if I read within the next week I will have a longer wait.

Whatever people may think of Jeffrey Archer he is a fantastic storyteller and at the top of his game, I heartily recommend this series and know you will enjoy it as much as I have.

Yesterday I finished book Nineteen, Death of a Travelling Man by M.C.Beaton. This is the ninth in the Hamish MacBeth series, a battered but roadworthy bus arrives in Lochdubh and sensing that gypsies have arrived Hamish tells them to move on. They move to the manse behind the church with the permission of the vicar but soon things start to go missing, the vicar starts preaching hellfire and bluster and other bizarre events take place. Hamish needs to get to the bottom of this and uncovers a story so bizarre that he wonders if he will be believed. A light enjoyable read.

Today I finished book Twenty, Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal by Daniel Friebe. This is the second book about the greatest cyclist of all time, unlike the other book this looks at his time as a cyclist and the races and teams he was in. The author has interviewed many cyclist who raced at the same time as Merckx and the people behind the man. Merckx had an insatiable appetite for racing and winning, between 1965 and 1978 he won 525 races and felt wronged if he lost but he possibly raced too much because he could never say no when asked to ride. Today's riders cherry pick which races they ride, some concentrate on the Grand Tours whereas Merckx began racing in February and finished at the end of October on the main circuit and then spent the winter months with good friend Patrick Sercu on the six-day circuit on the indoor velodromes. This is a very good read about the Man everyone refers to "The Cannibal", but I would suggest reading this as well as Half-Man, Half-Bike by William Fotheringham

I finished book Twenty-One this morning, Magnificent Seven: Yorkshire's Championship Years by Andrew Collomosse. This is a lovely book that tells of Yorkshire's Seven Championship wins and Two Gillette Cup wins between 1959 and 1969 with contributions from 15 of the players involved. Yorkshire had not won the Championship for 13 years and in 1958 they had a very poor season, in 1959 they appointed Ronnie Burnet as captain and although he wasn't very good as a cricketer he had run a good second eleven and galvanised the players into a TEAM. They worked for each other and set the platform for unequalled success for the county, after the last Championship pennant in 68 it would be 33 years before it was won again. This is a must read for cricket lovers and for any team in any sport who are struggling as it shows that you need a team to win not one individual.

I finished book Twenty-Two this morning, The Afghan by Frederick Forsyth. This was an interesting thriller set after 9/11, Al Qaeda are up to something but how can the west find out, it would not be easy to plant someone in their ranks or would it. A twenty-five year British war veteran has a lot in common with a captured Taliban commander who languishes in Guantanamo Bay, can he be fully trained to imitate him and get in with them and help find out what the next terror target is. A well written book that kept me wanting to read by a well renowned author.

Finished book Twenty-Three this morning, Head of State by Andrew Marr, this is his first non-fiction novel and a good one. It does seem the right time to read this as it is about the trials and tribulations of the Prime minister and politicians in the last week of electioneering for the EU referendum, as we are currently in the process of electioneering for the EU referendum for real. Our referendum is on 23rd June 2016 and in the book it is late September 2017, I just hope what happens in the book is not replicated in real life. That last comment must be a nice taster to make you want to read it.

Finished book Twenty-Four this morning, The Eagle of Toledo: The Life and Times of Federico Bahamontes by Alasdair Fotheringham. This is the story of one of cycling's greatest climbers but also tells of the tantrums he had if he thought things were not going his way. On another side it tells of his growing up in a Franco led Spain where it was a hand to mouth existence and cycling was a way out of poverty and good give him a life and living. It also tells of how Spanish cycling was run during the late 1940's through to the late 1960's and how things were passed onto the Spanish public via state media during this time. An excellent book for cycling enthusiasts.

Book Twenty-Five finished just before lunch, Agatha Raisin and The Blood of an Englishman by M.C.Beaton. This is the 26th Agatha Raisin mystery and finds Agatha up to her neck in murders in the Cotswolds, Agatha goes to see an amateur pantomime and one of the leading members is gruesomely murdered, this leads Agatha's detective agency asked to find out who did it. Once on the case she finds that a number of people had a motive but finding the right person is going to be a hard task, add into this that Agatha is still looking for love but always gets it wrong, you have the recipe for a good crime romp.

Finished book Twenty-Six late last night, Nadia Knows Best by Jill Mansell. This has been on my shelf for quite a while along with a few others by this author but that is because when I added more bookshelves in the loft I transferred a lot of books that were in the bedroom onto the shelves and have then purchased more and more books. This book is a light-hearted romance book but has a good story and I do like these books.

Finished book Twenty-Seven late on Thursday night, Last in the Tin Bath by David 'Bumble' Lloyd. This was a very interesting read for a cricket fan, David Lloyd played cricket for Lancashire and England and went onto be an umpire, coach of both Lancashire and England before going into broadcasting, first with TMS and then with Sky. Born in 1947 to parents both aged 37 in Accrington, he had a hard early life mainly at the hands of his mother but they encouraged him in sport. Although he was only born 16 years before myself it is an early life that thankfully I cannot relate to and so this made for a good read, as his life progresses I can recall his sporting incidents and watched him on television and listened to him on radio. A good read for a cricket fan and another to add to my cricketing library.

Finished book Twenty-Eight this afternoon, A Cotswold Mystery by Rebecca Tope. This is the fourth in the Thea Osborne series, Thea is a widow who decides to do house sitting with her spaniel Hepzie, short for Hepzibah. What seems like a pleasant, safe thing to do to earn a bit of money has somehow escalated when Thea becomes entangled in murder and mystery. The Cotswolds are a lovely place to be, it is full of quaint old villages along with gorgeous market towns but underneath the veneer of gentility lies murder and mystery. This time it would appear to be the usual assignment with the added bit of Granny watching but within 24 hours a body appears and is Granny really as old and gentle as she first appeared. Thea's daughter joins her and they uncover secrets and an air of it's nothing to do with me from the villages. Has Granny done the deed or is it a stranger that has caused mayhem in the village?

Finished book Twenty-Nine late last night, Bring Me Home by Alan Titchmarsh. This tells the story of Charles Stuart and his Highland Castle and estate and the machinations of his late Father's second wife and the potential repercussions that could ruin him. The book begins with the annual summer drinks party for the estate staff and friends and family and then goes back to just before Charles was born and brings the story back to the drinks party. It is a well written and enjoyable tale told by one of the UK's national treasures.

Finished book Thirty early this morning, The Haunting by Alan Titchmarsh. This tells the tale of the disappearance of Anne Flint in 1816 but what significance can it have on Harry Flint. Harry is a teacher whose marriage has failed, he decides to move his life forward (hard for a history teacher) by retiring, moving house and looking at his ancestry. The story moves in chapters between 1816 and 2010 and as things progress Harry finds love but is he ready. This is a lovely story that kept me reading and I really didn't want to put it down each night.

Book Thirty-One finished just before lunch, Second Honeymoon by James Patterson. Another fast paced crime thriller, a couple are murdered on their honeymoon in the Caribbean and the father of the groom wants to know who did it. FBI Agent John O'Hara gets a phone call and is asked to investigate and offered a large sum of money plus a bonus to do this, there is only one problem, O'Hara is suspended and can he do this while suspended. A phone call to the FBI from the groom's father and that is solved, he can investigate but what he uncovers brings back things that he thought were dead and buried a long time ago. As things move along, not only does he have a honeymoon serial killer to chase but also a serial killer who is killing John O'Hara's and the FBI O'Hara is on this list, but why. A fast paced read and I just love Patterson.

Finished book Thirty-Two just before midnight yesterday, Death of a Charming Man by M.C.Beaton. This is the tenth in the Hamish Macbeth series, Macbeth hears that a good looking Englishman has bought a cottage in the backwater village of Drim and as it is a part of his patch he decides to pay him a call and introduce himself. When he arrives he sees that the middle aged women of Drim have gone from looking their age to being all dolled up, new hair styles, lots of make-up and tottering on impossible high heels. The ladies have all taken up Edie Aubrey's exercise class and are paying the newcomer lots of attention. It seems that the new chap has the ladies eating out of his hand and has enticed some of them into his bed which is causing the husbands to take against him. Hamish thinks that trouble will soon appear and decides to keep an eye out, all the while this is going on he is having trouble of his own with Priscilla as she wants them to look at houses in Strathbane and for Hamish to get another promotion.

After a bit of a scuffle in Drim the Englishman disappears, the locals say he got fed up and left early one morning with no one seeing him go and then one of the ladies dies, the locals say it was an accident but Hamish thinks she was murdered and that was the fate of the Englishman but how can he prove it. This is a likeable story and Hamish gets up to various scrapes and upsets the CID in Strathbane but will he solve the case.

Finished book Thirty-Three just before midnight last night, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer. This is the sixth in the Artemis Fowl series and sees Artemis facing his deadliest enemy yet, HIMSELF. Artemis's mother is gravely ill and the only way of saving her is to go back in time and steal the cure from his younger self. He needs the help of his fairy ally Captain Holly Short but he must lie to her to get her on his side, he hates himself for doing this but it is the only way. Captain Short agrees and the misadventure begins.

I finished book Thirty-Four yesterday afternoon, Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham. This is the first in the Tom Thorne series and was really good, a woman is unlucky to be alive as she has survived a stroke that was deliberately induced. She can see, hear and feel but cannot communicate or move and the police think the killer has made his first mistake but then DI Thorne discovers the truth, it is not Alison that is the mistake it is the three women already dead, it appears that the perpetrator wants to get his victims in the same state as Alison but she was his first success, one out of four. Thorne must try and find the killer before more end up dead or like Alison and she is the key to who he is but she is unable to say anything. An extremely good read and I look forward to more of DI Thorne soon.

Book Thirty-Five finished this morning, Glorious Summers & Discontents by Mike Atherton. This is a really good read by an accomplished cricket writer who was an ex-England captain and a veteran of 115 Test matches. He looks at the first decade of cricket in the 21st century with articles from his writing with the Daily Telegraph and now with The Times, it covers match fixing, a forfeited Test, Terrorist attacks and the rise of superb cricketers and the new Twenty 20 phenomenon with its mountains of cash. A very good read for Cricket lovers.

Finished book Thirty-Six this morning, The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith, this is the 16th in the No1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series. Mma Ramotswe seems to be being coerced into having a holiday even though she doesn't really want one, after talking to Mr J.L.B.Matekoni she decides to take a few days off reluctantly. She is not used to not doing anything and decides to go into town, a little boy wants paying to protect her car from damage, she refuses and when she gets back the car is damaged, she catches the little boy and an unfortunate story emerges. Mma Ramotswe resolves the story to her satisfaction but then Mr Polopetsi asks for a quiet word with her, in her absence from the agency Mma Makutsi is in charge and she asks Mr Polopetsi to investigate a sensitive matter but he doesn't think he can do it and would like Mma Ramotswe to help. Mma Ramotswe tells him that she is on holiday and doesn't want to undermine Mma Makutsi but decides if her acting deputy won't do anything to resolve the case then she must. This is an amusing story and well worth a read.

Book Thirty-Seven finished this morning, The Maiden by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, this is the eighth in the Morland series. It is 1720 and political intrigue troubles the kingdom as the Stuarts try to claim the throne from the incumbent Hanoverians and the Morlands have to keep their wits about them to keep their fortunes intact.
Jemmy has to marry the cold-hearted Lady Mary to secure Hanoverian protection and secure the inheritance but then the rising of 1745 and the massacre at Culloden thrusts his daughter Jemima into the limelight.

I am looking forward to the next in the saga and the next and the next etc.

Book Thirty-Eight finished just after lunch, Witch & Wizard: The Gift by James Patterson. This is the second in the Witch & Wizard series and follows the trials and tribulations of Whit and Wisty Allgood in the era of the New Order. This an excellent YA book and I look forward to the next in the series.

Book Thirty-Nine finished late last night, Slipless in Settle by Harry Pearson. This book tells the tale of the author travelling around the Northern cricket leagues in the summer of 2009. From his home base in the North-East of England around the Middlesbrough area, Harry used the train to get to grounds in Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire. Some days his journey was to no avail as the weather put a stop to any play and on good days unless there was an early finish he would have to leave before the match was done to get his train connections. It is a good read for cricket enthusiasts to examine the amateur leagues, he delves into the history of the clubs involved and the league they are in and the professionals that they were able to play, the number of Test cricketers from around the world who have played in these leagues are a joy to behold.

Book Forty finished this morning, The Good Life by Martina Cole, this is another gritty crime drama revolving around crime lords in London. Cain Moran is living the good life, his businesses are raking the money in and other 'Faces' know which is his territory and leave him alone. Cain is always aware that someone will try to take what he has but by having the right staff and paying them well he hopes to keep any young pretender at bay but then he and his number two are asked to intervene and help two young girls out who are in the clutches of a known pimp. They relieve the pimp of the girls and give him a lesson for being on their turf but young Jenny takes the eye of Cain, this he should knock on the head. Jenny is Seventeen and although from a rough background she is a good girl, she likes Cain but knows he is married, Cain cannot resist Jenny and knows that his wife will do untold damage to him if she finds out.

Eventually Cain realises that he wants Jenny, not just for sex but for life, she has a hold on him that he loves, she asks for nothing but likes being with him. Loving Jenny is easy, telling his wife that he wants a divorce is the hard part. Things don't go well when she finds out and she warns him he will never be free to marry Jenny, when Caroline said until death do us part, she meant it. Things get worse when Cain is framed for a number of murders and is sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years, it seems Caroline got her hearts desire but there are greater trials to come and they will all learn a valuable lesson. Live the good life, pay the price.

Another great read from Martina Cole, looking forward to the next one to read.

Finished book Forty-One this morning, Takin' the Mick by Mick Grant, this takes me back to the 1970's and early 80's when I was really into Motorcycle racing. My two heroes were Barry Sheene on the Suzuki and Mick Grant on the Kawasaki, Mick was born in Wakefield only a few miles from me. From 1973 through to 1984 I used to get Motor Cycle News paper and Bike mag to get the news on all types of Motorcycle racing, at that time quite a bit was on terrestrial TV and so I would be able to watch Grand Prix racing, the Transatlantic Series held over the Easter weekend and the Isle of Man TT races. Although Sheene became 500cc world Champion in 1976 and 77 I was always attracted to Grant on the Green Meanie Kawasaki, I saw the tail end of Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read but besides Sheene and Grant there were the Americans, Kenny Roberts and Randy Mamola. Sheene's major crash at Daytona 75 at 175mph was a real shocker but he was back racing in eight weeks. Takin' the Mick was a really interesting read as it went from birth to 2011 covering his early upbringing and how he got into Motorcycling and then his time as a privateer to getting a contract with Kawasaki and then Honda and Suzuki before going onto being a team manager. Approaching his 72nd birthday he still rides bikes and makes celebratory appearances on anniversaries at the Isle of Man, sadly Sheene succumbed to cancer a few years ago.

Finished book Forty-Two this morning, A Highland Christmas by M.C.Beaton. This is a short novella in the Hamish Macbeth series and finds Hamish with his toughest case yet, to bring festive cheer to Lochdubh. The Calvinist element in Lochdubh has always resisted what they view as the secular trimmings of the festive holidays so for most townsfolk there are no cards, feasting, gifts or even whisky.

Hamish finds himself looking for a lost cat belonging to a lonely spinster who believes it has been stolen, her house is as secure as Fort Knox but Hamish can see she lives in great fear but of what or who he does not know. Add to this thieves have stolen Christmas lights and a tree from nearby Cnothan and so Hamish has that to investigate. On the Eve of Christmas Hamish decides to make things right and unlock the old lady's fear, retrieve the stolen goods and get everyone enjoying the festive period. A lovely light-hearted read to warm the cockles of your heart.

Finished book Forty-three this afternoon, Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell. This is the third in the Dr Kay Scarpetta series and finds Scarpetta investigating the death of a reclusive writer and what has her missing final manuscript got to do with it. As the investigation progresses more deaths occur, some murder some suicide, all seemingly related and then the writer's stalker starts to stalk Scarpetta. As she gets nearer to the truth will she live to get to the bottom of the writers death. An enjoyable thriller with Scarpetta as feisty as ever, determined to do things her way.

Finished book Forty-Four last night, The Seafront Tea Rooms by Vanessa Greene. This tells the tale of three young women who meet at the Seafront Tea Room in Scarborough and embark on a mission to find Britain's best tea rooms. On the way each discovers that they have had a trying time with family or love or both and feel a bit apprehensive before finding love in unexpected places. The base is the tea room in Scarborough but they travel up and down the country and even one of them comes from France but it is Scarborough that holds the key for the three of them. I just loved this book and didn't want to put it down in the same way with the author's first book The Vintage Teacup Club, I would heartily recommend these books to all.

Finished book Forty-five this morning, Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear. This is the third in the Maisie Dobbs series and sees Maisie having taken on a case with her own money as she believes a young girl is innocent of the charge of murder before taking on a case for a leading barrister to find out his son died in the war rather than what his late wife believed. This leads to her friend asking her to find out about her brother while she is in France.

Soon Maisie believes she is being followed and then that attempts on her life are happening, it would appear that some things are linked and she needs to find out what they are and if they will help her solve the case but also she needs the help of her assistant Billy to find out information to help the young girl at trial. It is a very good read and I would recommend this book but first the first two books in the series need to be read to get to know Maisie and find out why she does what she does. Looking forward to the next in the series.

You are making good progress John. I see some interesting books to add to my TBR boxes. I can see you making your goal this year. Not sure I will though. Have a great day!!

>53 crazy4reading:, Hi Monica I do seem to be on a roll this year. After my reading challenge last year which involved a cycle with five books 600 pages and above it slowed down the number of books I could read although my page count was good. This year I wanted to concentrate on books of 500 pages and below and read books from the vast number of series I seem to have, 221 series at last count. You are doing well my dear and at the end of the day it is not a race just a little challenge for us. Hope you are having a good day my dear.

Finished my Forty Sixth book of the year last night, The Road to Gandolfo by Robert Ludlum. This is also my 900th book I've read since I started logging my reading on July 1st 1995 and means I am nearer to my original target of wanting to read 1,000 books.

Finished book Forty-Seven last night, A Mourning Wedding by Carola Dunn. This is the Thirteenth in the Daisy Dalrymple series and finds Daisy at Haverhill Manor preparing for her best friend Lucy's wedding but the nuptials take a sombre turn when Great-Aunt Lady Eva Devenish is found murdered. It appears that Lady Eva collected scurrilous gossip about her relatives including those that would benefit on her death so there are no shortage of suspects who all happen to be in the house for the wedding. When another wedding guest dies in suspicious circumstances it seems that one of the branches of the Fotheringay family tree has turned poisonous or is there a murderous stranger at the wedding and more to the point will another take place.

As Daisy is there and Alec is due to arrive later for the wedding, Lord Haverhill decides that DCI Fletcher (Alec) should be called in soonest to investigate. What will Alec think as Daisy is at the source of murders yet again and how much help will she be?

Another good read in this series yet again.

Finished book Forty-Eight yesterday evening, Ruling Passion by Reginald Hill. This is the third in the Dalziel & Pascoe series, this find the duo investigating a spate of burglaries that seem to be never ending. Pascoe is due to go away for the weekend but has to delay leaving until Saturday morning. His companion is girlfriend Ellie Soper and she is not happy that they couldn't leave the previous evening but they make good time down to Thornton Lacey to have breakfast with their friends. They arrive to find the curtains closed and wonder if they are a bit early, Pascoe takes the lead and tries the door and enters only to find two bodies with shotgun wounds and tries to stop Ellie in her tracks. Ellie ignores Pascoe and as they check around Pascoe finds the owners wife in the back garden draped over the sundial with shotgun wounds, he checks but it is too late, they wonder where Colin is who is the owner. They cannot believe that Colin could have done this and soon both Pascoe and Ellie are helping with enquiries.

Meanwhile the burglaries in Yorkshire are continuing but they take a turn for the worse when a burglary goes wrong and the owner is murdered, Pascoe is now involved in two investigations, one as an officer and the other as a helper. Things seem to lead to the fact that there are links but can Pascoe find that link while dealing with his immediate boss, Dalziel or with Backhouse who is dealing with the murders in Thornton Lacey?

This is a really good read with events taking place 200 miles apart yet links do exist.

Finished book Forty-Nine last night, Black Powder War by Naomi Novik. This is the third in the Temeraire series and is fantastic, Captain Will Lawrence and his dragon Temeraire are preparing to leave China on a long voyage home when new orders arrive. They must fly home immediately only stopping in Istanbul to collect three priceless dragon eggs that have been purchased by the British government from the Ottoman Empire. The journey is fraught with danger and a rogue dragon named Lien who blames Temeraire for the death of her Princely companion.

Meanwhile Napoleon is waging war across Europe on his way to his final destination, Russia. Will this cause problems getting the eggs home or will they have to fight and will Lien be around to cause problems? Read the series and find out, these books are fiction but all historical detail happened.

Finished book Fifty earlier this evening, The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah. This is the first Hercule Poirot Mystery sanctioned by Agatha Christie Ltd and it is very good. Hercule Poirot's supper is interrupted when a young woman confesses that she is about to be murdered, although terrified she begs Poirot not to find and punish the killer and that justice will have been done. Later that evening Poirot finds out that three guests at the Bloxham Hotel have been murdered and a cufflink placed in each victims mouth. While Poirot struggles to connect the pieces the murderer is preparing a Hotel bedroom for the fourth victim. This is in the famous style of Agatha Christie and keeps the reader guessing.

I have found out that Sophie Hannah is bringing out a second Hercule Poirot Mystery and I look forward to it.

Book Fifty-One finished last night, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. I finally got around to this and wondered why I had taken so long, it made me laugh from start to finish with the antics of Don and his friend Gene. I look forward to the follow up when I get it.

I have just finished book Fifty-Two, Cross my Heart by James Patterson. This is the 21st in the Alex Cross series and finds Detective Cross being hunted and stalked, also his family and house is being stalked and Cross is helping to deal with a rising crime wave in the city. Soon Cross is called about a mass shooting at a massage parlor and then his wife Bree asks for his help on a child kidnapping, before long it appears that the shooting and kidnapping are linked and further information comes through that similar shootings and child kidnappings took place in Albuquerque and Tampa four and two years ago. Whilst all this is going on Cross receives a crank letter and wonders what it all means. As things move along strange things seem to be happening to his family and during the Easter holidays all the members of the Cross family are abducted apart from Cross himself and he gets pictures sent to his phone and a message, do not call the police or colleagues or deaths will occur. How is Cross going to sort this out? Read and find out.

Finished book Fifty-Three late last night, Starry Night by Debbie Macomber. Carrie Slayton is the society page writer on the newspaper but wants to write more interesting stories than who is attending what socialite party or is in the limelight at the time. Carrie asks the editor for a move to something better or she will quit, the editor gives her a chance to write in any department if she can get an interview with the reclusive Finn Dalton, Dalton has written a bestseller that everyone is talking about but refuses to do any publicity or interviews for the book. Everything he has done is by e-mail and there is not even a photo of him on the dustcover of the book, all that is known is that he lives in Alaska where the book is set. Carrie believes she can unearth this man and sets off to do just that and then get to write pieces with gravitas.

By hook or by crook she gets to Alaska and persuades a friend of Dalton's to deliver her to his cabin, what she doesn't expect is to like the man to the extent that she falls in love with him, on Dalton's part he wants nothing to do with this reporter but she gets under his skin. Will Carrie get her interview and will she print it and is this just a game that is being played out to give him even more publicity? Read on and find out.

A nice gentle read and I have to say I did enjoy the lightness and joy it gave me.

Finished book Fifty-Four last night, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I can see why everyone is talking about this book, I absolutely loved it and what a debut book it is. The way the book is structured and moves from Rachel to Anna to Megan back and forward is really good. I cannot say more without giving things away but I will say READ IT, it is worth it.

Finished book Fifty-Five this morning, The Cat Who Turned On and Off by Lilian Jackson Braun. This is the third in the series and find Qwill doing a piece on Junktown, not a drugs area but a ghetto of antique dealers and collectors living in genteel decay. Qwill encounters a collection of bohemian characters and finds digs for himself and his sleuthing Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. He really doesn't expect to find much to write about but when he hears about a dealer having an unfortunate "accident" and then his landlord falling mysteriously to his death, his famous whiskers begin to twitch. When Koko develops a passion for tape recorders that vital clues drop into place. A delightful read that jogs along, just right for me and I just love the cats. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

Finished book Fifty-Six a short while ago, Death in Ecstasy by Ngaio Marsh, this is the fourth in the Inspector Alleyn series. A young woman has died in suspicious circumstances in the House of the Sacred Flame temple, Nigel Bathgate, a Journalist, was in the temple at the time and contacts Alleyn as he believes that the young woman was poisoned.

The young woman was a religious initiate and very beautiful but the other initiates and the High Priest claim they were above earthly passions. The victim provoked lust, jealousy and murder and Alleyn suspects that more evil lurked behind the Sign of the Sacred Flame and he intends to find out what. A lovely read from an author who ranks with Christie and Sayers.

Finished book Fifty-Seven last night, Target by Simon Kernick. This is one of the Tina Boyd series and is a really good read.

Book Fifty-Eight finished this morning, Fall of a Philanderer by Carola Dunn. This is Book 14 in the Daisy Dalrymple series and finds Daisy, Belinda and Deva, Belinda's friend on holiday in the coastal town of Westcombe, DCI Alec Fletcher will join them in a few days. After joining his family they take a picnic and wander down the cliffs that the girls having been waiting to do, the girls are playing in the rock pools when Alec turns around and finds the body of local ladies' man George Enderby. It would seem that Fletcher may not get the holiday he wants if he is put in charge.

Unfortunately for Fletcher he is put in charge of the inquiry and is hard put to find someone who wouldn't have wanted the Casanova dead. Will Daisy be able to help solve the crime and rescue the holiday? Read on and find out.

Finished book Fifty-Nine a couple of hours ago, An April Shroud by Reginald Hill. This is the fourth in the Dalziel and Pascoe series and finds Pascoe getting married and Dalziel making a speech before he takes his first holiday in years. Pascoe goes off on honeymoon and Dalziel soon runs into trouble and water and is rescued by a bunch of somewhat cheerful mourners and he accompanies them to dry off.

The owner of Lake House seems less troubled by the tragic loss of her husband than by trying to save the family's fortunes, prompted by professional curiosity and the ample charms of Mrs Fielding he stays on for a few days. By the time Pascoe reappears there have been more deaths and Dalziel may have compromised himself beyond redemption. A great read from the author and you have to love or hate Dalziel.

Finished book Sixty just before midnight, Death of a Nag by M.C.Beaton. This is the 11th in the Hamish Macbeth series and finds Hamish with a broken heart and as far as he is concerned the cure is a week's break at the charming coastal village of Skag. Unfortunately for Hamish when he arrives at the "Friendly House" B&B he finds a chilling atmosphere, the food is appalling and his fellow guests are an unappealing lot.

The guests include the annoying Miss Gunnery, a moaning family from London and Bob Harris who so nags his poor wife Doris that everyone wants to kill him. And then somebody does. Poor Hamish finds the body and is involved in the case and has to put aside his long awaited holiday to find the culprit.

Book Sixty-One finished last night, Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh. This is the fifth in the Roderick Alleyn series and finds Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn in New Zealand taking a well earned break. Alleyn finds himself on a train with a theatrical company from Britain and is invited to the opening performance in the town of Middleton and the party afterwards for the manager's wife's birthday. The performance is excellent but the party provides a shock when a surprise goes wrong and the manager is murdered. Alleyn sees everything but is the death the product of Maori superstitions or something more mundane? Although Alleyn wants to remain anonymous he has to declare who he is to the New Zealand police and they are enamoured by him and his book on Detective techniques and would like him to assist. Will he be able to unmask the murderer? read and find out.

Finished book Sixty-Two last night, The Magic of Christmas by Trisha Ashley. This is the first in the Lancashire series.

Book Sixty-Three finished late last night, The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall. This debut novel was a really good read once I had got into it. Beth (Erzsi) has been sent a parcel, inside is a letter telling her that Marika her long-estranged mother has died, with the letter is a scrapbook that she has never seen before. At first she wants nothing to do with it but later she decides to go to the park and takes the scrapbook with her and starts to look through it. The book is entitled The Book of Summers and is stuffed with photographs and memories compiled by her mother to record the seven glorious childhood summers Beth (Erzsi) spent in rural Hungary. It was a time when she trod a tightrope between separated parents and two different countries and it was a time that came to a brutal end the year she turned sixteen.

Beth hasn't allowed herself to think of that time for years but the book brings her past tumbling back into the present, vivid, painful and vital as ever. Well worth a read.

Finished book Sixty-Four late last night, Her Giant Octopus Moment by Kay Langdale. This is my book of the year so far, it was a really great read and gets a bit emotional. Scout loves her mum and Joanie is optimistic and fun. Scout wishes that they could have a more conventional life, scout prefers books and they have to be in neat piles and her crayons lined up in rows and this doesn't fit Joanie's erratic lifestyle. When Joanie's deception over Scout's birth comes to light they go on the run.

Scout is clever and vulnerable, resourceful and anxious and seeks order among Joanie's chaos. But where and to whom does a child belong? I would definitely recommend this as a really good read.

Finished book Sixty-Five this morning, Hope to Die by James Patterson. This is the carry on from Cross my Heart which finds Alex Cross at the mercy of Thierry Mulch who has kidnapped his family. Cross knows that he needs to do whatever it takes to get his family back even if it destroys him but Mulch is a tricky customer who seems to show no mercy. Will this be one case where Cross is defeated and his family pay the ultimate price or will he manage to get them released at his own demise, read on and find out. Another classic from Patterson.

Finished book Sixty-Six this afternoon, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. This was an interesting read although I did struggle at certain points to follow the story. What if you bit into homemade Lemon cake and discovered that you could taste the emotions of who made it in every slice?

On the eve of her ninth birthday, Rose Edelstein bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother's emotions in her slice. All at once her cheerful, can-do mother tastes of despair and desperation. Suddenly, and for the rest of her life, food becomes perilous. Anything can be revealed at any meal.

Rose's gift forces her to confront the truth behind her family's emotions, Mum's sadness, dad's detachment and her brother's clash with the world. As Rose grows up she learns that there are some secrets even her taste buds cannot discern.

This is a funny, profound, wise and sad novel to savour.

Finished book Sixty-Seven last night, Blood in the Cotswolds by Rebecca Tope. This is the fifth in the Thea Osborne series and finds Thea and her faithful spaniel, Hepzie on another house-sitting assignment in the charming Cotswold village of Temple Guiting. Thea is hoping it will be a quiet run of the mill job and she will have her partner DS Phil Hollis staying for a few days. Unfortunately for Thea a skeleton is discovered at the roots of an old beech tree and Phil Hollis is there at the discovery. Although Phil is a Detective Sergeant he has put his back out and is in no fit state to investigate and so this falls to relative newcomer DS Gladwin. There is no concrete evidence as to who the bones belong to but soon rumours and theories abound and Thea soon finds herself drawn into the investigation and finds that the countryside isn't all that quiet after all.

I really enjoy these mysteries as we have stayed in and around the villages and small towns where they are set and am looking forward to the next one.

Finished book Sixty-Eight just before 6pm, Angels by Marian Keyes. This is the third in the Walsh family saga. Unlike the rest of her family, Maggie Walsh/Garvan has always done everything right and by the book. At Thirty-Three she has a proper job and is happily married to Garv and generally never puts a foot wrong until she leaves her husband and runs away to Hollywood.

In LA she finds life couldn't be more different and soon begins to wonder why she is there. Maggie is on a journey of discovery, from the plain in Ireland to the weird and wacky of LA she takes in some heartache and lots of martinis as she discovers what she really wants in life and why she walked out on Garv. This is a funny heartwarming read from a lovely author.

Book Sixty-Nine finished just after noon, The Flood-Tide by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. This is the ninth in the Morland Saga and finds the lovely Jemima Morland and her beloved husband Allen working very hard to bring Morland Place back to its former glory, along the way seven children appear giving heartache and joy in equal amounts.

Charles, the Morland adventurer and botanist has visited America on his travels and eventually emigrates to Maryland in pursuit of Eugenie, the heiress he had met on his previous visit. Charles soon finds himself at the heart of the American uprising against the Mother Country.

Meanwhile, Henri, the family's bastard offshoot pursues his pleasures relentlessly while making a name for himself as a designer. Although he is penniless he finds his niche in the saloons of beautiful Parisien women and meets hot-headed radicals to discuss the new philosophy of freedom.

All this is taking place while revolution creeps closer and closer.

Another enjoyable read in the saga and I have the next 26 and that only takes us up to 1925 and I believe the author is taking it up to the present day.

Book Seventy finished just before noon, Gunpowder Plot by Carola Dunn. This is the Fifteenth in the Daisy Dalrymple series and finds Daisy accepting an invitation from an old school friend and it coincides with their annual fireworks display on November 5th. But this year amid the festivities her friend's father and a female are found dead, it would appear that Sir Harold has shot himself after killing the female guest.

Could this apparent suicide be murder as Sir Harold was notoriously bad tempered and there was no love lost between him and his children. Things soon change when Daisy and Chief Detective Inspector Alec Fletcher discover an explosive secret and it becomes clear that a trigger happy killer will go to any length to keep it hidden.

Another lovely read with Daisy at the forefront when murder takes place in setting of the aristocracy in the 1920's.

Finished book Seventy-One, Invisible by James Patterson. Another enjoyable thriller from Mr P, Emmy Dockery has a nightmare every night, she is trapped in her bedroom with an inferno blazing all around her. The nightmare started eight months ago when her sister was killed in a hose fire and it was written off as an accident but Emmy knows she was murdered. Emmy has no proof but there have been dozens of "accidental" fires across the US over the past year that all seem to be coincidental. Emmy believes that a serial killer is a loose and is being ignored and It is up to her to stop him.

Emmy is an analyst for the FBI but due to her sister's death she is on suspension but that is not the real reason and so she gets no help at work, she goes to the one person who she hopes will help but that is if he will talk to her. The person she goes to is the person she was going to marry until she called it off three months before the wedding. Will her ex help her and can they find proof that the fires are not "accidental"?

An exciting read with a real twist at the end.

Finished book Seventy-Two a short while ago, Wedding Tiers by Trisha Ashley. This is the third in the Lancashire series and sees Josie Gray and Ben Richards growing up in the beautiful village of Neatslake dreaming of a life of rural bliss. When Josie inherits her beloved Grandmother's cottage it seems like all their dreams are coming true.

The village turns into a hive of activity with the return of Josie's childhood friend, Libby Martin, now a wealthy widow. Before long Josie and Libby are hard at work on their fledgling wedding business and Josie is dreaming up all manner of weird and wonderful cake creations. But amidst all this romance Josie's relationship with Ben turns into a nightmare and Josie suddenly becomes love's number one cynic until suave wedding photographer Noah Sephton arrives in Neatslake.

Can hopeless romantic Noah persuade pessimistic Josie to give romance one more go? A lovely lighthearted novel set in a beautiful part of Lancashire, give this series a go and you will get a nice surprise.

Finished book Seventy-Three and hour or so ago, Vanish by Tess Gerritsen. This is the fifth in the Rizzoli and Isles series and finds Dr Maura Isles the chief medical examiner in Boston examining the corpse of a beautiful woman who was brought in earlier in the day and put in the frozen lockers until it could be looked at. Dr Isles unzips the body bag and looks down at the body and gets the fright of her life, the corpse opens its eyes. Dr Isles calls 911 and the EMT's arrive and take the now alive corpse across the road to the ER department.

Shortly before the corpse was found to be alive Detective Jane Rizzoli is rushed to the same hospital after her waters break in court where she is giving evidence in a trial. While Detective Rizzoli is waiting for her consultant to get back to her all hell breaks loose and the now alive corpse murders a security guard and seizes hostages including Rizzoli.

Who is this woman and what does she want? Only Rizzoli can solve the mystery if she survives the hostage situation.

This is a superb thriller which is a horrifying tangle of rape, murder and blackmail and brings to the fore the tale of the "Vanished" and who they are. This is one you will not want to put down if you can help it.

Book Seventy-Four finished this morning, Dishing the Dirt by M.C.Beaton. this is the 27th in the Agatha Raisin series and finds Agatha having to prove her innocence when a love rival turns up dead.

When therapist Jill Davent arrives in the village of Carsley, Agatha is not a fan. Jill is romancing Agatha's ex-husband and finds out somehow of her humble beginnings and is sharing these with villagers. Added to this, Jill is also counselling a woman who Agatha believes is a murderess.

Agatha is not one to keep her feelings to herself and tells all and sundry that Jill is a charlatan who is better off dead but two days later Jill is found dead and Agatha is the prime suspect as she was heard saying she would kill Jill if she persisted in airing her dirty linen. Together with her agency detectives she must prove her innocence to ensure it is not Agatha who is pushing up daisies.

A delightful light murder mystery with Agatha Raisin at the fore.

Yay, I've finally read my Seventy-Fifth book of the year.



I finished my 75th book late last night, The Bloody Tower by Carola Dunn. This is the 15th in the Daisy Dalrymple series and finds Daisy writing an article about the Tower of London for a new magazine. On her first visit she is not only given a tour of the Crown Jewels but also introduced to the Raven Master and the Yeoman Warders and then is invited to attend the Ceremony of the Keys ritual which involves spending the night in the haunted Bloody Tower.

Having survived the night Daisy can't wait to get home and in her eagerness she trips over the body of a Yeoman Warder. Daisy realises that this is murder most foul on account of the Halberd sticking out of his back and Alec is assigned to investigate and so once again Daisy finds herself enmeshed in a murder case.

Who did it and why? As usual it becomes complicated and Daisy finds herself visiting the Tower on more than one occasion to members of the militaries families, could they be involved and if so who.

Finished book Seventy -Six earlier today, Loving by Danielle Steel. Bettina Daniels is pampered, adored and adorable, a golden girl with the world at her feet. She lived for the gilded world of her father's dreams and has his love, fame and wealth but when he suddenly dies despite the millions he has earned from his books he leaves her with a mountain of debt. Now she has no family, her mother died when she was four and although she has helped make sure that all the parties her father held were stupendous and talked about by everyone and everyone coveted an invite he has left her nothing but debts even his future earnings were borrowed against.

At nineteen she has to clear his debts and find her own way in life, she has one friend in Ivo Stewart who she has known all her life but will he be able to help her find her niche in life or is she doomed to failure.

I have to say that I enjoyed the book and all the machinations going on in Bettina's life, six books by Ms Steel and god knows how many more to go.

Finished book Seventy-Seven a short while ago, The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly. In this one Harry Bosch is suspended from the LAPD pending psychiatric treatment, his house is condemned following an earthquake and his girlfriend is long gone. With nothing to do until the evaluation is complete he opens an old file on his prostitute mother's murder and is drawn into the shadowy past. He realises that his mantra that every case counts doesn't seem to have applied in this case and determines to find out what happened and who was responsible. Harry discovers a trail leading to the high ups in the Hollywood Hills and that the flames of old passion don't die, they merely kindle fresh fires.

Another interesting read from one of the best writer's of American crime and I look forward to the next one.

Finished Seventy-Eighth book a short while ago, 14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson. This latest Women's Murder Club book finds Detective Lindsay Boxer having to investigate the possibility that SFPD cops are turning rogue and taking out drug dealers and stealing their money and drugs as well as attacking pay day loan outlets and robbing them and in some cases shooting the owners. Alongside this she is the first officer at the scene of a fatal stabbing in broad daylight with people around yet no positive ID of the assailant from the numerable witnesses.

As the investigation into possible rogue cops Boxer gets messages not to cross the thin blue line and snitch but these crimes are causing hell for the SFPD, San Francisco mayor and the Governor of California and she alongside partner Conklin need to nail them and will she be able to find the murderer involved in the fatal stabbing which appears to be part of a pattern, five murders on the 12th May over the last five years and all Stabbings. Read on and find out, I enjoyed this as usual and look forward to book 15.

Me, too, I just finished my first novel, The Autumn Things Went Crazy. It's now available on Amazon

Finished book Seventy-Nine, A Vicky Hill Exclusive! by Hannah Dennison. Vicky Hill is a cub reporter on the Gipping Gazette and desperately wants a scoop but all she does is cover Funerals, make the tea in the office and other menial tasks. Added to this there is another girl who started a few months after Vicky who treats Vicky with disdain and thinks she is superior in every way. Annabel uses her jutting bosom to get attention and appears to be trying to sleep her way to the top.

Suddenly a tip leads to what might be the scoop of a lifetime for Vicky, it involves three grisly chicken corpses and the unusual death of local hedge-jumping enthusiast Sir Hugh Trewallyn. Vicky gets to the local refuse site to see the corpses when rival Annabel turns up and tries to scupper poor Vicky's plans. Soon the market town of Gipping-on-Plym is rife with rumours but when Vicky opens its Pandora's Box, her own secrets come back to haunt her.

Add to this Topaz who runs the Copper Kettle who appears to want a lesbian tryst as it sounds fun, Mrs Poultry who runs Cradle to Grave catering and rents a room to Vicky, Chester the strange American, the local police and a number of other weird and wacky characters and you have a light-hearted novel to warm your cockles. Already looking forward to what Vicky gets up to next.

Finished book Eighty this morning, Love Rules by Freya North. Best friends Thea Luckmore and Alice Heggarty have differing ideas about love, Thea loves romance and lives for the magic of true love. She is determined only ever to fall head over heels or rather heart over head. Alice on the other hand has always loved lust but now she's fed up with dashing rogues. She has set her sights on good, sensible husband material. And with her good, sensible husband she's found him.

Thea has a chance encounter on Primrose Hill that ignites the elusive spark. Saul Mundy appears to be the perfect fit and Thea's heart is snapped up fast.

Newly-wed Alice finds that she's not as keen as she thought on playing by the rules with her good, sensible husband and she starts to break them left, right and centre. At the same time, a shocking discovery shatters Thea's belief in everlasting love.

When it comes to love, should you listen to your head, your heart or your best friend.

A really good read from an author I like, glad I picked this up from the TBR pile.

Finished book Eighty-One last night, The Magician's Nephew by C.S.Lewis, this is the first in the Chronicles of Narnia in reading order. The book sets the scene of how Narnia came into creation and follows the story of Digory and Polly. Digory and his mother live with Uncle Andrew and Aunt Letty, a bachelor and old maid while Digory's father is out in India. While out playing in the back garden he meets Polly and a friendship is made, one day they decide to explore the attic of the house to the side of Digory's by going through the attic of Polly's and Digory's but fail to count correctly and they come down into Uncle Andrew's secret workroom.

Uncle Andrew believes he is a magician of sorts and experiments in making things vanish and hopefully they come back. As they stumble into this room Uncle Andrew is there and tricks them into vanishing out of this world, they see a beautiful sight but explore and come across a desolate land. Unfortunately Digory awakens a queen and as they try to escape back to the beautiful sight the queen hangs onto Digory and then when they try to get back to the attic she hangs on again, coming into our world. Mayhem ensues but they manage to get back to the beautiful sight and hear a lion singing and the land changes as do their lives.

This is a beautiful tale that introduces the reader to Narnia and sets the scene for the future books in a lovely way. Although I was read the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Horse and his Boy, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by junior school teachers over forty years ago, I have never until now read them myself and it is going to be a real pleasure reading them as my bedtime reads.

Book Eighty-two finished this morning, Moon over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch. This is the second in the Peter Grant series and finds our trainee Metropolitan Police Wizard visiting Lesley, a friend and colleague but when on his way home he gets a call to look at a body. The body is of a part-time jazz saxophonist who dropped dead just after a gig. It turns out that this is not the first musician to drop dead of a heart attack after a gig, obviously Peter cannot start examining corpses and so it is back to Police legwork to look for similarities.

It doesn't take him long to realise that monsters are stalking Soho, feeding off the gift that separates great musicians from those who can raise a tune. Alongside this another story emerges, that of Richard "Lord" Grant, his father who was a brilliant trumpet player who managed to destroy his career not once but twice. Can Peter and his mentor find who is killing jazz musicians or will they come to harm.

This series makes you wonder what would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Police. A great read and a wonderful series, looking forward to the next one.

Finished book Eighty-Three last night, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis, This is the second in the Narnia series and finds Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensey evacuated to the country because of WWII. The house belongs to an old professor and he has a housekeeper, the children are bored and don't know what to do apart from keeping out of the way of Mrs Macready the housekeeper. One day while playing hide and seek Lucy goes into a room where the only furniture is an old wardrobe, she hides in it and finds herself in a land of snow, she happens upon a faun who takes her back to his house for tea. When Lucy gets back she tells her siblings of her adventure but they don't believe her as she has only been gone a matter of minutes. Edmund teases Lucy but when on another occasion of hide and seek they both enter the wardrobe, Edmund finds himself in the land of snow, he loses Lucy but meets the White Queen who encourages him to brings his siblings. When Lucy and Edmund get back Lucy is excited and has Edmund to qualify her tale but Edmund plays a nasty trick on his sister and denies her story. Later they are trying to keep out of Mrs Macready's way when she is showing visitors around the house and the only way to avoid her is to all enter the wardrobe, in this way they all believe Lucy when they find the land of snow.

From here they begin an adventure to dislodge the White Witch (Queen) and meet Aslan, Edmund disappears to find his Friend the White Witch and then things take a turn for the worse. Can Narnia be free of the White Witch and the constant winter and can Edmund be saved, read and find out.

I then began book three, The Horse and his Boy.

Book Eighty-Four finished this afternoon, Private Games by James Patterson. The 2012 Olympic Games are under threat and only Private, the world's most exclusive detective agency can save them. Sir Denton Marshall a key member of the organising committee is found brutally murdered, Peter Knight, head of Private London is called in as Marshall was an important client and he was also the fiancé of Knight's mother. Is this a random murder or is it the prelude to more? A letter is sent to say Marshall is one of the corrupt involved in the modern Olympic Games and others will also be dealt with and it is signed Cronus.

The Olympics are under threat and no one knows who may be next to be murdered, the race is on to find Cronus before the world's greatest sporting event is brought to its knees.

A fast paced thriller from Patterson once again.

Finished book Eighty-Five last night in bed, The Horse and His Boy by C.S.Lewis. This is the third in the Chronicles of Narnia series and finds young boy Shasta learning that he is not the son of Arsheesh the fisherman. It would appear he was found on the beach and Arsheesh took him in to help him with the fishing but he is to be sold into slavery, Shasta hears of this and decides to run away. Shasta along with Bree, a talking horse decides to make his way to Narnia where he would be free. Along the way he meets up with Aravis and her horse and she goes along with Shasta, they have a number of adventures and scrapes and hope they find freedom, safety and happiness in Narnia.

As soon as I finished this book I began book four in the series, Prince Caspian.

Finished book Eighty-Six last night, Prince Caspian by C.S.Lewis. This is the fourth in the Narnia series and finds that troubled times have come again to Narnia. The Telmarines have conquered Narnia and are persecuting true Narnians. Prince Caspian is seeing all the evil done by his Uncle Miraz and is helped to escape by his tutor. He has the Great Horn of Narnia and has to blow it, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy hear it while sat on the platform of a railway station and find themselves drawn back to Narnia. Can they help save Narnia and restore Prince Caspian to his throne when of age.

I am really enjoying the series and began book five immediately.

Finished book Eighty-Seven just before teatime, Killing Floor by Lee Child. This is the first in the Jack Reacher series and finds Jack jumping off a bus and walking fourteen miles into Margrave, a no-account town in Georgia. He only got off to find out about a guitar player his brother had talked about.

Just as Jack is arriving in Margrave it has had its first homicide in thirty years and Jack is the only stranger in town. So the murder is pinned on him. Nasty secrets start to leak out and the body count rises and only one thing is for sure, they picked on the wrong guy.

A really good read and what a debut book, a superb thriller and a fantastic character to follow.

Finished book Eighty-Eight late last night, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S.Lewis. This is the fifth in the Narnia series and finds Edmund, Lucy and cousin Eustace dragged into a picture of a gallant ship. The ship belongs to Prince Caspian and is on a journey to find the seven lost friends of King Caspian the Ninth. On this extraordinary voyage they encounter a Dragon, a Sea Serpent, a band of invisible people, a Magician and the great Aslan himself. Will they find the seven friends and get back to Narnia or is this a journey too far? Already started book Six.

Finished book Eighty-nine at bedtime, The Silver Chair by C.S.Lewis. This is the sixth in the Narnia series and finds Eustace and Jill wishing themselves in Narnia to escape their school, The Experiment House. They climb an old wall to escape bullies and find themselves in what Eustace thinks is Narnia. They wander around and come to the edge of a cliff and as Jill warns Eustace to be careful he falls, Jill is beside herself and shouts that she never did anything but then looks to see Eustace floating away. She turns around hoping to find some help and sees Aslan who give her a message that is in four parts, she must constantly memorise them as they are part of a task he is setting them both. Aslan blows a breath and Jill floats away following Eustace. When they are rejoined she tells him what Aslan told her and that they must find Prince Rilian who disappeared mysteriously ten years ago.

They begin their adventure and come across Marsh-Wiggle, Puddleglum who guides them but as they journey Jill gets the message mixed up and all seems lost when they are directed to the castle of the Giants. They think they will be fed and made warm but realise they are to be part of the Giants Autumn Feast and not as guests. They escape and end up deep underground and as they find the Prince they become in thrall to the powerful Lady of the Green Kirtle. Will they escape this dangerous lady and restore Rilian to his homeland or will they become a pawn in the lady's game? Read on and find out.

I am really enjoying this series and will start the final book tonight.

Finished book Ninety late last night, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I have had this for quite a while and ignored all the hype surrounding it and decided to read it a few days ago. At first I was struggling to get into it but thought I would persevere and in one way I am glad. I forget what page I got to before it started to get me and I then started to romp through it. I did enjoy it in some ways but not in others and to be perfectly honest I don't know what all the fuss was about. The only use it is to me is that when I see a how many of these books have you read booklists on Facebook I will be able to tick it off as it will be on these lists.

So now I am into the not so nervous nineties and it is onwards and upwards to my century.

Finished book Ninety-One at bedtime on Friday, The Last Battle by C.S.Lewis. This the seventh and final part of The Chronicles of Narnia and finds King Tirian facing the fiercest of challenges that any Narnian king has had to face. A false Aslan is roaming the land and is persuading through falsehoods the Narnians to work for the Calormenes. Narnia's only hope is that Eustace and Jill will be able to return to Narnia and find the real Aslan.

The last battle is going to be the greatest of all and will determine whether Narnia survives. An excellent series and I am so glad that I have finally read them all.

Finished book Ninety-Two a short while ago, The Last 10 Seconds by Simon Kernick. This is another in the Tina Boyd series and finds Tina working for Camden Murder Investigation Team (CMIT). A brutal serial Killer is on the loose and DI Tina Boyd has a lead and an arrest is likely, the CMIT squad are waiting near a block of flats to arrest Andrew Kent known as the Night Creeper for the deaths of five women.

Elsewhere undercover cop Sean Egan has infiltrated a notorious criminal gang, he has to prove himself and to do this he has to pick up some guns for a planned kidnap.

The two do not know each other but what they are doing is soon going to be linked when Andrew Kent is sprung by the gang Egan has infiltrated, soon both Boyd and Egan are going to be fighting for their lives to secure convictions. A fast paced crime thriller from a very good writer, it has more twists and turns than a motor racing circuit. Will Boyd and Egan survive and if so can they bring the respective criminals to justice.

Finished book Ninety-Three this morning, Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Cornwell. Dr Kay Scarpetta is waiting at the morgue in Richmond, Virginia waiting to perform a post mortem on Ronnie Joe Waddell who is due to be executed in the electric chair. At the same time as the execution takes place a body of a young boy is found propped up against a rubbish skip, the deaths seem unrelated until Scarpetta remembers that the victim of Waddell and the young boy are arranged in a strikingly similar position.

A third murder is discovered, the most puzzling of them all. The crime scene reveals few clues apart from a fingerprint that points to a suspect who couldn't possibly have committed the crime. Things begin to develop and it starts to become a problem for Scarpetta as she is being touted as a scapegoat and someone with help is trying to make sure Scarpetta and anyone else who helps her does not get to the truth.

I really emjoyed this chilling thriller and cannot wait to begin the next one.

Finished book Ninety-Four this morning, When The Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman. This is the first in the Alex Delaware series and I must say that I really enjoyed it and is a brilliant debut novel. I look forward to reading more in the series over the next few years.

Finished book Ninety-Five just before 6pm, Die Trying by Lee Child. In this, the second Jack Reacher novel we find an attractive female FBI agent collecting her dry cleaning and exiting the shop, she has nine garments, a handbag and is using a crutch due to knee surgery so closing the door is a bit of a problem. Just as she is trying to shut the door Jack Reacher is passing and being a gentleman takes her dry cleaning off her to help, as soon as she turns back to Reacher to get her dry cleaning three men approach and two of them stick a gun in Reacher and the FBI lady's stomach and order them to get in the car that is at the curb outside the dry cleaners.
Why is the FBI lady being kidnapped and also the passing gentleman, Reacher? Reacher is just in the wrong place at the wrong time but whatever may happen he could be invaluable.

This is a rip roaring thriller and Reacher is a memorable tough guy, read on and enjoy. Looking forward to the next one.

Finished book Ninety-Six in the early afternoon, The Black Ship by Carola Dunn. This is the seventeenth in the Daisy Dalrymple series and finds Daisy and Alec moving house. This seems to be an occasion where Daisy cannot stumble upon a body or get involved in anything nefarious. As was the case she is invited to meet the neighbours and as she is leaving she has to wait in the hall as a fellow is ejected from the house with a flea in his ear, following this an acquaintance from America turns up on her door seeking temporary sanctuary as he has lost his money and passport. The American passes on why he is over here to Daisy and Alec, as they get to know the neighbours they find that they are in the wine and spirits business and their son is overseas to oversee a delivery. As rumours float around about bootleggers, gangsters and liquor smuggling, Daisy's new dog escapes his lead and starts barking frantically, Daisy goes out to investigate and a body is found under a bush in the communal gardens. At this Alec tries to get out of investigating as it is not his patch but his reputation precedes and he gets assigned to it. He really doesn't want to upset neighbours and cannot believe it would be someone on his doorstep but as things move along he seems to be dashing hither and thither and it is up to Daisy to ferret out the identity of the deceased and his relationship to the neighbours and why he was murdered and could she find the murderer. A very interesting read and slightly different from previous books. Looking forward to the next one.

Finished book Ninety-Seven Mistress by James Patterson late this afternoon. This is a standalone thriller from Mr P and it is non stop action all the way. James Patterson never lets me down.

Finished book Ninety-Eight last night in bed. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh. This is the sixth in the Inspector Alleyn series and finds Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn on a ship on his way home from New Zealand. Whilst aboard the ship he meets artist Agatha Troy, they get off on the wrong foot but while he is smitten with her she just wants to paint a headshot of him.

On reaching England, Alleyn has some time off before resuming his duties with Scotland Yard and visits his mother before having other plans. Whilst with his mother he tells her about Miss Troy and it turns out she lives a short distance away at the end of the village in which Lady Alleyn lives. While chatting with his mother the parlourmaid interrupts to say there is a phone call for the Chief Inspector, Alleyn answers and finds that the Assistant Commissioner wants a word with him. It turns out that there has been a murder at the house of Miss Troy and that as the local constabulary is rather stretched and as he is in the vicinity he should investigate. Alleyn pops along to see what has appertained and then gets his team together to carry out the investigation.

What started out as a student exercise organised by Miss Troy with a knife placed under a drape and the model's pose chalked in place has been re-enacted in earnest and the model is dead. It proves a difficult case for Alleyn, can he believe that the woman he loves is a murderess and yet no one can be above suspicion.

Another really good whodunit from one of the pre-eminent crime queens, I look forward to the next in the series.

Finished book Ninety-Nine just before I set off to pick Karen up from work, Scaredy Cat by Mark Billingham. This is the second in the DI Tom Thorne series and begins with a vicious, calculated murder where the killer selected his victim at Euston station, followed her onto the tube and then attacked her as she put the key in her front door. The murder is made worse in the fact that she was killed in front of her child. At the same time and killed in the same way a second body is discovered at the back of King's Cross station. Two murders on the same day and at the same time seem to echo a coincidence of the murder of two women, stabbed to death on the same day a few months earlier.

DI Thorne is handed the case and he sees the link and that it is not a serial killer at work but two killers working in tandem. Thorne used to think that finding a body was the worst part but now when a body is found he expects another one and the longer it goes on Thorne must live with the fact then when a body turns up another is waiting to be found.

This is a taut crime thriller with Thorne at his most irascible and taking risks to get results but these tend to get him in trouble with those higher up the food chain.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

One Hundredth book finished last night, The Forever Girl by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the first time I have reached this mark my previous best being 80. This is a standalone book from the author of The No1 Ladies Detective agency books and begins in the Cayman Islands.

Clover has loved James for as long as she can remember, before she knew what love was. But fate seems determined to keep them apart. As children they played together under cloudless skies with turquoise sea nearby without a care in the world on an island that caters for pleasure and privilege. As they grow up they go to separate schools on the island but at Thirteen they have to go to boarding schools and they are apart for the first time until they go back for the holidays.

Due to adults being adults, Clover's mother decides to move to Edinburgh so she is nearby to her daughters school and so Clover does not go back to Cayman until she is sixteen. She meets James at a party but because they have known each other since they were six he treats her as a sister not knowing that she loves him with all her heart. Clover decides to go to university in Edinburgh and finds out that James is also at university in the city, she arranges to meet him and they enjoy talking about life now and their past but Clover finds it hard to tell him how she feels and then James changes course and goes to Glasgow. Life seems to want them apart and then she finds out that his parents have moved to Australia and James heads there after university. Clover decides to take a gap year and asks her father if it is alright to use some of the money she has been given to go there, he acquiesces and she goes there to stay with an actress she has met at the Fringe. A meeting is arranged to meet James and finally tell him hoe she feels but it goes wrong and he is off to Adelaide with work for a month. Has this trip been wasted? she extends her stay to wait for him to come back to Melbourne but will she tell him hoe she feels or will he just think of her as a sister. Read and find out in this tender and true book of love's unpredictable path.

Book Hundred and one finished early afternoon, Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear, this is the fourth in the Maisie Dobbs series. Controversial artist Nick Bassington-Hope is found dead and the police believe it to be accidental and therefore an open and shut case, his twin sister Georgina does not think so. Georgina visits Dame Constance at the Camden Abbey to seek some clarification, Dame Constance was a professor at Girton college which both Georgina and Maisie attended but at slightly different times. Dame Constance suggests she contact Maisie as she is highly recommended and has sought out Dame Constance in the past.

After a couple of false starts Georgina enters Maisie's office and explains that she has no proof of murder but feels in her heart that Nick was murdered and it was not an accident, as twins she says she always could tell things with Nick and vice versa. Maisie takes on the case and finds herself learning about art and has to travel to the desolate beaches of Kent and to the dark underbelly of post-war London. There seems to be many twists to the case and she becomes involved in more than investigating a suspected murder.

This book entertains and enthralls in equal measure and is a very good read, looking forward to the next in the series.

Finished book One hundred and two just after lunch, One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson. This is the second in the Jackson Brodie series and although I enjoyed it, it was a bit disjointed moving all over the place.

Book One Hundred and three finished last night, Star Teacher by Jack Sheffield. This is the ninth in the Ragley-on-the-Forest series and finds Jack returning for another year as head teacher at Ragley Village Schoo in September 1985. The 85/86 school year would see Halley's Comet, Trivial Pursuit and Microsoft Windows among other things.
It would be a school year of mixed emotions for some, new beginnings for others and towards the end of the school year it would see Jack having a battle with some rising stars of the teaching profession to save his job and his school.

In between all this the life of a village school would provide a lot of laughs with all the seasons having different events that would be school based or involve the whole village.

These books are light hearted written by a man who was a head teacher in two North Yorkshire schools before he became senior lecturer in Primary Education at Bretton Hall College at the University of Leeds and are well worth a read.

Finished book One Hundred and Four last night, Tripwire by Lee Child. This is the third in the Jack Reacher series and finds Jack digging out swimming pools in the Florida Keys by day and as a bouncer in a local strip club by night. Jack being invisible has become a habit and he doesn't want to be found but someone wants to find him and to that end has sent a Private Detective. After a brief chat where he denies he is Reacher he finds the Detective beaten to death with his fingertips sliced off. Jack feels responsible and so now knows he needs to head north and work out who is trying to find him and why.

This is a classic Reacher and well worth a read.

Finished book One Hundred and Five just before midnight last night, Cometh the Man by Jeffrey Archer. This is the sixth in the Clifton Chronicles and finds Harry and Emma Clifton, Giles Barrington and Sebastian Clifton once more fighting battles against those who have taken against the family. This is a fantastic family saga that began just after the first World War and has followed the fortunes of the Wealthy Barrington family and the working class Clifton's until a marriage brought them together. Along the way some people have been spiteful against them and how they have progressed in the world and this has led to a brilliant series of books by a great author. I am looking forward albeit with sadness to the last in the series, although it is out in Hardback I will wait for the paperback edition to go alongside the first six and I haven't been tempted to look at the dust jacket to find out what lies next. I do know from a television interview that there is a twist at the end that readers will not have expected.

Finished book One Hundred and Six this afternoon, Confessions-The Private School Murders by James Patterson. This is the second in the Confessions series and finds Tandy Angel catapulted into the detective business. The Angel children's lives were thrown into turmoil with the loss of their parents and then they found out how they were controlled by drugs by those so-called loving parents. Add to this Tandy's elder brother is in jail awaiting trial for murder and then girls from Private school's are being shot in the park, poisonous snakes and insects are running loose in the apartment building.

Can Tandy sort out who is murdering young girls, who is releasing poisonous animals in the building and can she get herself and siblings on the straight and narrow after lives controlled by drugs and manipulative parents?
Read and find out.

I really enjoyed this and look forward to book three.

Wow so many great books this year!! I will be adding a few of these to my TBR stacks!! Happy Holidays John!

>117 crazy4reading:, Thanks Monica.

I'm curious to see what your goal for next year is going to be

>119 OMBWarrior47:, Hi Mikail, I managed to exceed my total so I may attempt to read 40,000 pages next year my dear.

Finished my One Hundred and Seventh and last book of 2016, To Love Again by Danielle Steel. Isabella and Amadeo are the toast of international society and the undisputed leaders of Rome couture. Together they run the House of San Gregorio, a monument to Isabella's designs and Amadeo's flair for Florentine elegance. All this and their boundless undying love for each other.

Suddenly the dream is shattered when Amadeo was gone forever, Isabella struggles to cope without her soulmate and the haunting memories and flees Rome for the safety of New York and her friend Natasha's apartment. She re-builds her courage and zest for life and can she say goodbye to the past and dare To Love Again.