SomeGuyinVirginia and the Haunted Hotel: A reading challenge mystery

Books read in 2017

January
1) The Darkest Secret, by Alex Marwood (14 January)
2) The Glow, by Brooks Stanwood (28 January)
3) Twenty Five Mystery Science Theater 3000 Films That Changed My Life in No Way Whatsoever, by Frank Conniff ( January 30)

February
4) Speaking From Among the Bones, by Alan Bradley (February 23)
5) Evil Under the Sun, by Agatha Christie (February 28)

March
6) The Wicked Girls, by Alex Marwood (March 14)
7) Heads in Beds, by Jacob Tomsky (March 22)
8) Straight to Hell, by John LeFevre (March 26)
9) One For the Books, by Joe Queenan (March 26)

April
10) Dracula's Children, by Richard Lortz (April 9)
11) Edgar Allan Poe: The Fever Called Living, by Paul Collins (April 12)
12) The Thirty-First of June, by J.B. Priestly (April 13)
13) The Big Clock, by Kenneth Fearing (April 23)
14) The Lenient Beast, by Fredric Brown (April 29)
15) Black Butterfly, by Mark Gatiss (April 30)
16) The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, by various (April 30)

May
17) A Scent of New-Mown Hay, by John Blackburn (May 5)
18) The Bad Penny, by John Blackburn (May 9)
19) The Box in the Attic & Other Stories, by A.M. Burrage (May 10)
20) Mr. Monster, by Dan Wells (May 14)
21) The Scarecrow, by Michael Connelly (May 20)
22) I Don't Want To Kill You, by Dan Wells (May 20)
23) The Killing Kind, by John Connolly (May 25)
24) The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King (May 27)
25) Deeply Odd, by Dean Koontz (May 28)
26) After Dark, My Sweet, by Jim Thompson (May 29)
27) The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett (May 30)

June
28) The Bedlam Detective, by Stephen Gallagher (June 3)
29) Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (June 9)
30) Field of Prey, by John Sandford (June 18)
31) Planet of the Apes, by Pierre Boulle (June 21)

July
32) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley (July 3)
33) The Emperor's Tomb, by Steve Berry (July 15)
34) Think of a Number, by John Verdon (July 21)
35) The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague, by Dorsey Armstrong
36) Mommy, by Max Allan Collins (July 29)

August
37) Gwendy's Button Box, by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar (August 3)
38) Deadline, by Tim Heald (August 13)
39) The Golden Spiders, by Rex Stout (August 18)
40) Bryant & May and the Burning Man, by Christopher Fowler (August 23)
41) Stories Not for the Nervous, by Alfred Hitchcock, ed. (August 23)
42) The Priest: A Gothic Romance, by Thomas M. Disch (August 26)
43) The Midwich Cuckoos, by John Wyndham (August 31)

September
44) Dr. Cook's Garden, by Ira Levin (September 3)
45) The Pan Book of Horror Stories, by Herbert van Thal (September 9)
46) The Swap, by Antony Moore (September 27)

October
47) The Stand, by Stephen King (October 2)
48) Paperbacks From Hell, by Grady Hendrix (October 4)
49) The Devil's Own Work, by Alan Judd (October 6)
50) Little Star, by John Ajvide Lindqvist (October 7)
51) The Dark, by Max Franklin (October 10)
52) Skeleton Crew, by Stephen King (October 18)
53) The Little People, by John Christopher (October 22)
54) Dead Calm, by Charles Williams (October 23)
55) You Play the Red and the Black Comes Up, by Richard Hallas (October 31, 2017 - Halloween)

November
56) The Innocent, by Evelyn Piper (November 4)
57) Swan Song, by Edmund Crispin (November 9)
58) Psycho House, by Robert Bloch (November 18)
59) The Child, by Sebastian Fitzek (November 22)
60) Money Management Skills, by Professor Michael Finke (November 29)

December
61) Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers (December 4)
62) The Happy Man: A tale of horror, by Eric C. Higgs (December 6)
63) Plague Pit, by Mark Ronson (December 9)
64) The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson (December 10)
65) Loose Diamonds: ...and other things I've lost (and found) along the way, by Amy Ephron (December 10)
66) The Little Nugget, by P.G. Wodehouse (December 14)
67) Grifter's Game, by Lawrence Block (December 16)
68) Childgrave, by Ken Greenhall (December 19)
69) A Swell-Looking Babe, by Jim Thompson (December 22)
70) Rest in Agony, by Paul W. Fairman (December 22)
71) Ghost Gleams: Tales of the Uncanny, by W.J. Wintle (December 23)
72) Stories in the Dark, by Barry Pain (December 25)
73) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll (December 26)
74) More Peers: Verses, by Hilaire Belloc (December 27)
75) Cautionary Tales For Children, by Hilaire Belloc (December 27)
76) The Holy Bible King James version. 'natch. (December 29)
77) Ghastle and Yule, by Josh Malerman (December 29)
78) A Book of Bargains, by Vincent O'Sullivan (December 30)

Although I didn't record it, I also read Final Girls by Riley Sager. So the total for 2017 now stands at 79.

The Darkest Secret, by Alex Marwood (14 January)

My second Marwood and both have been fun reads. A toddler goes missing during her father's drug-fueled 50th birthday party. The book opens 12 years later with his death, and a daughter of his first wife agreeing to give the eulogy and to take her 15 year old stepsister, the missing child's twin sister, to the funeral. The subject matter is dark indeed, but Marwood is able to give her characters an engaging sense of life and movement.

I knew I'd find you eventually! The Darkest Secret sounds good too.

I bought The Wicked Girls and may take it with me to CA. Of course I may take Full Dark House or End of Watch or just say to hell with it and take my Kindle and not bother with the weight.

Oohh, Full Dark House and End of Watch are both fun reads. Take all three!

If I can get them all in daughter's high school book bag - a really nice one from LL Bean, but we had it monogrammed with "Snoopy" for her and I've gotten a few quirky looks the last two trips to CA. Although frankly, I'm not sure how much reading I'll get done, except for the plane trips.

"Shelter in place" thingy. Yeesh.

Larry,

I am part of the group.
I love being part of the group.
I love the friendships bestowed upon my by dint of my membership of this wonderful fellowship.
I love that race and creed and gender and age and sexuality and nationality make absolutely no difference to our being a valued member of the group.

Thank you for also being part of the group.

The Glow, by Brooks Stanwood (28 January)

My library has got a copy of The Darkest Secret. It goes stright to my library list.

>7 SomeGuyInVirginia: BTW the touchstone leads to another book.

Happy Sunday.

Blackhawk books just published a Kindle version of Matthew Head's The Accomplice, one of the great golden-age grotesques. $2.99 US; that's a deal!

Hi Larry! I hope you and Parker had a great weekend. Give him a skritch for me!

Twenty Five Mystery Science Theater 3000 Films That Changed My Life in No Way Whatsoever, by Frank Conniff ( January 30)

TV's Frank! Meta-riffing on the movies that made MST3K one of the greats. And it was a great show, if something of a niche entertainment. Conniff has a wide-ranging pop culture vocabulary and a brilliant mind, and constructs a masterly sarcastic narrative that progresses with the build up and release of a musical score. It's a pleasure to watch the man work. Here he gives us an idea of what the show could have been like if it hadn't been so relentlessly G-rated.

Now, as I have done since internet time immemorial, I post my Annual Valentine's Day Screed. Let the healing begin.

I would rather that my lover
hid beneath the stair
than sighing over breakfast cups
ask me if I care.

Or paused to give a thought to what
'Stop, you'll muss my hair!'
does for me when table hopping.
Ask me if I care.

I do not think it cute when she
dons my underwear
then says that I'm her tchotchke and not
ask me if I care.

Hi Larry!

Vivid, in a disturbing way....

Welcome to my world.

LOL.

4) Speaking From Among the Bones, by Alan Bradley (February 23)

Great fun.

You do realize that mentioning Shakespeare on my thread may just get something going? And that you will have to lead it like I had to lead Great Expectations and Bleak House?

Is your baby kitty home yet?

No! Parker's still at Dad's. It's taken a $#$##@$%%@@%^%$# MONTH to replace the windows, and they're still only SCHEDULED to be finished by Friday. I think about it and I want to escape the anger by passing out.

Dad has completely spoiled Parker. As he should. I won't be able to get that cat out of his place with a crowbar. Poor little guy, he's so people oriented that he hates it when I go to work and will attack my shoes as I'm putting them on. Dad is home all day and Parker must be in kitty bliss. God I miss that furball.

You know, I'd lead a Shakespeare read. It will have to be the third week in March because our CEO will be in our office next week and the week after and everyone's running around in a tizzy. Do you want to participate? I think it should start with just a single play, see how it goes?

Lucky Parker to be so spoiled. It's going to be hard on both of you when you bring him home. Give him extra treats and/or toys. I've had my cats bat at me as I pass by on the way to work, but none of them has ever attacked my shoes. One of them, Inara, likes to play with them, but never damages them.

A month. I would hate my house to be so out of control for a month, too.

I would definitely participate. I think it's rather exciting, to tell the truth. One play, don't lay out a schedule for all 38. Everybody would get scared off. Which one might you have in mind?

Evil Under the Sun, by Agatha Christie (February 28)

Yay Agatha Christie! And I'm glad Parker's coming home Sunday.

Yes, I will be glad to have the little guy back home.

We'll need a new picture of him, of course.

Of course! I just hope that with the 6 or 7 bushings he's been getting a day, he won't hiss at me when I walk through Dad's front door.

I'm reading Alex Marwood's The Wicked Girls. It's great, and I'm really glad I found her. I'd had an audio version of her The Killer Next Door since it was published, but only bought it because it was on sale, knew nothing about it, and hadn't listened to it.

I bought The Wicked Girls based on your Alex Marwood recommendation, but haven't read it yet. I'll be interested in hearing what you think.

So Da Floof is back home. Has he settled back in nicely or has he been glaring at you for not being your Dad?

Looks like winter is going to smack you again. We had our - oh, let's say .2 inches to be generous - snow storm yesterday. It was all melted by noon.

Da Floof! is back safe and sound. I think he's glad to be back, but he's still sniffing everything to make sure it's all the same stuff he remembers. He was glad to see me yesterday, because he did that roll around on his back thing and started chewing on my fingers. Poor little guy, he was in foster care as a kitten and they had to give him up. I worry that he thinks he's been sent back again.

Yeah, we're going to get a snow event starting tonight, with flurries through Wednesday. Alexandria is supposed to get up to five inches, but the other side of DC could get a foot. That I'll believe when I see it. God I'd love to sit in my chair tomorrow and read.

I'm glad that P-Bitty is settling back in.

Stay safe in the "snow event".

The Wicked Girls , by Alex Marwood (March 14)

Human and gripping.

Hey Guy! * kicking on front door* Here you are!
I've brought you a re-housewarming gift, and I know you'll be able to use it.


Yep, it's a tiki mug.

Oh thank God, now I don't have to drink from the bottle. Pull up a Japanese garden stool and lets have a toot.

Well, rats. My local library does not have any of Alex Marwood's books.

Happy weekend to both you and Parker, Larry :)

Well, rats. My local library does not have any of Alex Marwood's books.

Happy weekend to both you and Parker, Larry :)

Thanks alcottacre! We had a good weekend, Da Peep and I. I hope you did, too. And Marwood is worth searching out. Can you request your lie-berry order a copy?

Heads in Beds, by Jacob Tomsky (March 22)

Light read, more interesting for what he inadvertently reveals about himself than what he details. Lovely descriptions of New Orleans.

Heads in Beds has been on my WL for a very long time, since it came out, in fact. I guess I haven't been motivated enough to get it so far : D
I hope this weekend finds you with a full tiki mug and some nice weather.

Straight to Hell, by John LeFevre (March 26)

One For the Books, by Joe Queenan (March 26)

Hi Larry! Hope you and Parker are doing well. Is Parker all settled back in after his Being Spoiled Adventure?

Parker, AKA Good Boy Yes-in-deed! I spent almost the entire weekend with Da Floof! and he rewarded me by waking me up at 4am this morning. Because it was going to be a beautiful day.

God I'm tired.

Awwww, isn't that sweet! He wanted to spend early morning quality time with you and share the 'going to be a beautiful day.'

I bet you're tired. I can sympathize. This morning when it was still dark I could hear rain on the skylight and later, when it was just getting light, Inara Starbuck came in soaking wet. She, unlike most felines, likes to go outside in the rain. She crawled up on the bed and plopped herself down near me.

Dracula's Children, by Richard Lortz (April 9)

Hi Larry! Give Parker a skritch from me.

Hope your week is starting out well.
Dracula's Children is coming up as Frankenstein, so I can't see your review. I suppose I could go to the search box, but that would take effort. ; )

Edgar Allan Poe: The Fever Called Living, by Paul Collins (April 12)

>43 karenmarie: Skritch done!

>44 mstrust: Don't do it, it's a pervy book.

>46 SomeGuyInVirginia: I'm so hoping that's your official review. ; )

The Thirty-First of June, by J.B. Priestly (April 13)

Have a Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, Larry and Parker!

>49 mstrust:. Thanks kiddo! Is that a not-so-subtle hint that I'm wearing too much makeup?

>50 karenmarie: much thanks, Karen. I'm at Dad's, we had a wonderful seafood dinner and now I'm on the balcony with my feet propped up and a glass of wine, and scratching Notorious Peeb's back.

Happy Easter to both!

The Big Clock, by Kenneth Fearing (April 23)

>51 SomeGuyInVirginia: Not at all. I think you wear exactly the right amount.

Thank you. One wants to make an effort without appearing to make an effort.

The Lenient Beast, by Fredric Brown (April 29)

Hi Larry! I hope you and Parker D are having a great weekend.

Heya kid! A very lazy weekend, thanks!

Black Butterfly, by Mark Gatiss (April 30)

The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, by various (April 30)

>58 SomeGuyInVirginia: I didn't know Mark Gatiss was writing novels too! Is there anything he can't do?

He's British. They're damnably adept.

A Scent of New-Mown Hay, by John Blackburn (May 5)

I hope last night's fiesta went well.

>61 SomeGuyInVirginia: I'll take that, Larry.

Wishing you a great weekend.

I hope you and Parker are having a very good weekend.

>63 mstrust: Gracias!

>64 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, good to hear from you.

>65 karenmarie: Parker tried to tackle me this morning when I left, which means he wants me to stay, which means he had a good weekend.

I don't know what it is, but I can hardly keep my eyes open this morning. Going to be an early night, tonight.

My sister said the same thing. She was half an hour late to work!

Go Parker!

We had a cat (don't remember which one) when I was growing up who used to hide in the bushes, and when Dad came home from work he/she/it would attack his ankles.

The joys of being owned by a cat.

The Bad Penny, by John Blackburn (May 9)

Not bad, not good, and not his best.

Parker must view me as the 'food and scritches chump'. Bless his leetle haid.

The Box in the Attic & Other Stories, by A.M. Burrage (May 10)

Well, you have to leave a review for that one, as there's virtually no info on the book or the author. Now where are you finding these very obscure titles? Do you visit a bookstore that only appears to those who are worthy?

Nothing so cool. I'm finding obscure titles because I'm cheap and don't like to spend more than $6 for a eBook. Fortunately, there are lots of resurrection houses out there who are bring back titles that have been out of print for years, and a lot of these eBooks only cost $2-3.

Burrage wrote a couple of my favorite scary stories (The Waxwork, and Playmates), so when I saw that he'd been re-published I bought a few of the books. Unfortunately, they are so badly formatted that I can only read one; the other has a space between every line and it drives me bananas. I'm going to try and return the other, but it's been a year since I bought them so I dunno.

Yay! Amazon accepted the return on Burrage's Warning Whispers, although I bought it two years ago. $8.79? Yes, please!

Good! Maybe the editor will be more attentive if people want their money back. Hooray for being cheap!

Mr. Monster, by Dan Wells (May 14)

The Scarecrow, by Michael Connelly (May 20)

I Don't Want To Kill You, by Dan Wells (May 20)

The Killing Kind, by John Connolly (May 25)

The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King (May 27)

Deeply Odd, by Dean Koontz (May 28)

After Dark, My Sweet, by Jim Thompson (May 29)

The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett (May 30)

And did you enjoy the Thompson?

I liked it but I enjoy his mean stuff better. This was practically a romance novel for Thompson.

I read 11 books this month! Whoo-hoo! It's been years since I've done that.

Wow, that's a lot, so congrats!
I love Thompson's twisted idea of romance. His couples were so "off".

The Bedlam Detective, by Stephen Gallagher (June 3)

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (June 9)

Hi Larry! Wow! So many books. Congratulations. Some of my favorite authors, too - Connelly, Koontz, King, and Bennett. Did you like The Uncommon Reader? The touchstone doesn't seem to be working.....

Say hi to my third favorite kitty in the world (after Inara and K.W., of course!).

I loved The Uncommon Reader, but I didn't think the ending was what the Queen would do. This was an audiobook for me, and Alan Bennett was the narrator. He did a perfect job. The Brits have writing and acting NAILED DOWN.

Field of Prey, by John Sandford (June 18)

I like this series, in part because Sandford keeps the back story to a minimum. It was an audiobook for me, and narrator Richard Ferrone is perfect for the job.

Do you read them in order and have you read all the ones before #24?

I hope you had a wonderful weekend with your Dad, notwithstanding the Bird Talk from your brother. What a hoot (yikes - owl reference!)

Not in order and I've probably only read about half of the series. I liked the first few best, and the Virgil Flowers spin-off is OK. I've only listened to audio versions of his books, so I'm not sure if I'd like them as much without the added dimension of an actor doing his or her thing.

Have you read anything by Mo Hayder? Did we already talk about her? She has a series that I loved, that really got bogged down and almost unreadable in back story, but the last one ('Wolf' something) got back to straight story-telling. Still, Birdman, The Devil of Nanking, and (especially) Pig Island are fun reads, if pretty gross. Pig Island is also a stand-alone work and not part of any series.

Hi Larry!

I have read Gone by Mo Hayder and gave it 4.5 stars. I loved it but wasn't paying attention, obviously, and didn't follow up on the series. I didn't realize that she'd written so many books. Just added Birdman to my wishlist.

Planet of the Apes, by Pierre Boulle (June 21)

I didn't even know Planet of the Apes had been a book. But then I didn't know The Poseidon Adventure had been either until I read it recently.

It's a world of wonders, I tell you!

It's rightfully a classic although the book is very different from the movie, the book is not political at all.

Next I'll find out that Jaws was a book. Ha, like that would ever happen!

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley (July 3)

Hi Larry! Happy 4th of July to you and Da Floof.

Thanks Karen, you too.

Happy Fourth!

The Emperor's Tomb, by Steve Berry (July 15)

>101 mstrust: Sorry, I just saw that, I was on the road that holiday. Thanks!

I'm going to imagine you were on a mission from God. Glad you made it back.

Think of a Number, by John Verdon (July 21)

Mommy, by Max Allan Collins (July 29)

Hi Larry! Happy Saturday evening to you and Parker D. Cat!

Heya kiddo, ultra lazy Saturday for me and Da Floof! I needed the rest, but today is beautius and I'm going on a long road trip.

The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague, by Dorsey Armstrong

This was a lecture series from the Great Courses. Doesn't break any new ground but it is informative and Armstong is a compelling lecturer.

Gwendy's Button Box, by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar (August 3)

Hi Larry and Happy Friday to you and Parker!

Black Death, eh? I've read several books about it and it's endlessly fascinating.

Thanks Karen! P-Bitty and I are heading to Dad's this weekend. They have a mutual admiration society thing going on, and I'll get a nice dinner out of it Saturday night.

Have a fun weekend!
>110 SomeGuyInVirginia: What did you think? I haven't picked this one up yet.

It's a super quick read but not really satisfying. It's also a Castle Rock story, and I'm glad because I tend to like his books set there and thought he'd stopped writing about it. Worth a read.

Jeannie Too's maiden voyage? Have fun, y'all, and I want a detailed report on the 'nice dinner'.

Hey! Anybody home?

Love the nails! Very Fu Manchu meets Dallas!

Sorry, I've been on the road for about a week. I did manage to finish Deadline, by Tim Heald. You may like his stuff, the mystery isn't really at the fore and the strong point is his character development. Very British, and available on Kindle for either $1.99 or $7.99, depending on the publisher.

I thought it more lady-like than kicking on the door.
Glad you're home and I'm sure kitty is happy to have you back. Tim Heald is a new name to me, thanks.

The Golden Spiders, by Rex Stout (August 18)

Hi Larry!

I love Nero Wolf and Archie, Theodore and Fritz.

I hope you're hanging in there with Da Floof keeping your dad company.

Da Floof! It's strange how much I miss that cat.

Bryant & May and the Burning Man, by Christopher Fowler (August 23)

Stories Not for the Nervous, by Alfred Hitchcock, ed. (August 23)

Well look who is reading the Hitchcock books too. I have four more on my TBR pile.

I know! I really like those collections. They tend to have a pretty good hit/dud ratio. This one also had Sorry, Wrong Number, which was pretty groovy.

The Priest: A Gothic Romance, by Thomas M. Disch (August 26)

>126 SomeGuyInVirginia: Kinda felt awkward carrying on a sidebar on Karen's thread (I'm not well-versed yet on the etiquette here), so I thought I'd continue on yours.

I started re-reading The M.D. after Disch came up, and am enjoying it all over again. I didn't realize until checking on Amazon that there were four "Supernatural Minnesota" novels - the last was The Sub: A Study in Witchcraft. I figured I might put that on my Kindle for airplane reading this weekend. Do you know it?

Hey maj, good to hear from you. Karen's a great friend and fine with sidebars, but I understand not wanting to highjack someone's thread.

I read and reviewed The Sub, and thought it was very dark. I was expecting a cross between the movie The Substitute and Death Wish, with a little whimsey thrown in but I guess not. Disch's style would be perfect for plane reading; agreeable, plain, and fast. Ditto Stephen King and Nora Ephron.

Thanks, man. I'll put The Sub on the Kindle. I've already got some good non-fiction on there, but my flight out is a red eye so I'll need something potent.

Stephen King, huh? I've just started dipping back into him. I began following him about when he published his 3rd or 4th novel, and followed for many years, but he wore me out (exact same thing happened with Joyce Carol Oates, another one-time love). Tried his Kennedy assassination novel when it came out, but it didn't sustain my interest. A coupla months ago, though, End of Watch caught my eye, so I picked up Mr. Mercedes and really enjoyed it, so sooner or later I'll get Finders, Keepers and End of Watch.

Ugh, the red eye. Did you lose a bet?

Potent fiction that is entirely agreeable and highly seasoned is 'a thing'. A thing I tell you! I've even created a couple of lists devoted to the very idea- Exceptional thirllers that deserve a wider audience, and Cheesy pleasures and odd lots.

Great lists. I've read about a dozen of the Cheesy pleasures - but that period of my life was so long ago (lates 60s to mid 70s mostly) that I'm not entirely certain. Conjure Wife, for instance: I know the title, and know that I read a lot of Lieber, but that one?

I've cast my mind over the past (but that's a lot of books under the bridge) and my current shelves to see if I have anything to add to the second list. Do you know The Moon Lamp by Mark Smith? Maybe the best ghost story I ever read. And two things on my shelf that I loved when they came out (1995 and 1997): All the Bells on Earth by James P. Blaylock, and Zod Wallop by William Browning Spencer. Don't recall much, though, except that they were creepy and compelling (but both 100 or so pages longer that you like on Cheesy).

I never thought about it, but most of those books were published a while ago. I do try and read older books, but that might be because the years have separated the wheat from the cream and what's good is widely known and easily identifiable.

I tried to read The Moon Lamp but wound up giving up on it. I'll try the other two, they look interesting.

I think I need to go through your "cheesy pleasures" list with a highlighter to mark all the books with really weird titles that I want to find.

The Midwich Cuckoos, by John Wyndham (August 31)

Hi Larry!

>134 SomeGuyInVirginia: I knew that name was familiar - I never read the book but saw and was terrified by the movie version The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham.

Dr. Cook's Garden, by Ira Levin (September 3)

The Pan Book of Horror Stories, by Herbert van Thal (September 9)

The Swap, by Antony Moore (September 27)

The Stand, by Stephen King

Yes, that 'The Stand'. The is the second time around for me, and I don't know why, either. I started listening to the audiobook version and just kept on listening.

I know why - it's a damned fine book. I've read it twice - the 'cut' version and then 'uncut' version. Very good stuff!

I have to say, though, that I'm glad Sir Steve had an editor. The uncut version was good, but man it needed paring down! 😀

>138 SomeGuyInVirginia: I read The Swap years ago when it first came out. Gave it three stars. What'd you think?

I liked it, too, and three stars is a solid response. I collected comics as a kid, so was drawn to this. The ending was a little muddy for me, but it was a quick, fun read.

Hello SomeGuyInVirginia! I hope all is well with you.

>139 SomeGuyInVirginia: I read the cut version many years ago and loved it. I imagine that if I ever revisited it, it would be on audio. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>144 brodiew2: Thanks man. I don't think I could have read it again,either, but listening to the audio version is smoooth.

Paperbacks From Hell, by Grady Hendrix (October 4)

>145 SomeGuyInVirginia: A narrator named Frank Muller read quite of few of King's works, including Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. I really enjoyed that one as well.

The Devil's Own Work, by Alan Judd (October 6)

An astonishing book, written with great technical virtuosity and having Hidden Depths. A promising young writer makes a Faustian bargain, whereby he is able to write astonishing books of great technical virtuosity, but that lack any sort of depth nor portray the world in any real way. Bad things happen to him. A mordant look at English letters.

I recognize the name Frank Muller, he must be good to stand out. Thanks Brodie!

>146 SomeGuyInVirginia: So can I take credit for hitting you with a book bullet for a book I haven't even read yet? ;-D

>150 mstrust: 10 points to Gryffindor!

Little Star, by John Ajvide Lindqvist (October 7)

Hi Larry! I hope you and Parker D. Cat are having a good weekend!

Thanks Karen. It's really nice to lay about and catch up on sleeping and reading.

The Dark, by Max Franklin (October 10)

Pppbbxt! Last time I rely on glowing blog reviews.

Skeleton Crew, by Stephen King (October 18)

The Little People, by John Christopher (October 22)

Hi Larry! Long time no talk. I hope you and Parker D. are having a good October so far. Are you a Halloween fan or a Halloween avoider?

Fan! Hooge fan! Although this year I'm not dressing up. I can remember when it didn't matter if Halloween was on a Tuesday, I'd be out there in the thick of it. Halloween's a big deal in DC.

And do you get trick-or-treaters or just eat all the candy yourself? *smile*

No trick-or-treaters allowed in my building. Of COURSE I eat all the candy myself! I can't let that go to waste!

We get some really high end chocolate here because of our Belgian office and it is that much better than most of what I buy locally. But it's not that much better than Ghiradelli. Or, at least, I'm not enough of a gourmand to notice the difference. Plus, PLUS, our VP is out of the country for two weeks, so it's guilt-free snack time! Whoo-hoo! Imma go to Costco and buy a beeg bag!

No trick 'r' treaters allowed? I admit that I'd be a bit content knowing that it was all for me, but that sucks for the kids.
I like Belgian and Swiss chocolates too (any really), but around Halloween those little Hershey bars taste extra good.

I think I am the only human alive who doesn't care if he ever has a piece of chocolate again.

Of course you have to eat the chocolate, Larry! So far we've avoided Halloween candy.....

The best chocolate, IMO, is See's Dark Chocolate - Dark Chocolate California Toffee, Dark Chocolate Raspberry Creams, Dark Chocolate Scotchmallows, Dark Chocolate Nougat, or Dark Chocolate Molasses Chips. Not to say I won't eat a Butterfinger when given the opportunity, but See's is pretty damned fine chocolate.

>162 mstrust: They used to throw a Halloween party for kids but stopped that. I remember one Halloween standing on the balcony and seeing a dad with a little tyke dressed like a bumblebee. There really aren't a lot of kids where I live. Way, WAY more dogs than kids.

>163 richardderus: I hear you. Really, the only time I look for chocolate is around Christmas, and then there's candy all over the freakin' house.

>164 karenmarie: See's is THE BOMB! My parents get a box every year and it's awesome. I'm partial to the Lindt truffles, even though Ghirardelli's is better chocolate. I like their peppermint Christmas candy.

Dead Calm, by Charles Williams (October 23)

More gothic than noir. Ends by a large body of water, as all good gothics must. Williams has a knack for giving his characters strong, individualized voices that help to firmly etch them in the reader's imagination. Strong beginning.

You Play the Red and the Black Comes Up, by Richard Hallas (October 31, 2017 - Halloween)

One of the great noir novels, it's the Grapes of Wrath of pulp and a keen indictment of California. There is everything to love about this book.

Oooh, such high praise! That's going on my list.

>167 SomeGuyInVirginia: Who knew that Lassie's book-daddy had noir in him?

You're very quiet. It's a little unnerving.

Snort! I just got back from watching you sleep.

>171 SomeGuyInVirginia: ...so THAT was the stifled scream of terror last night...

The Innocent, by Evelyn Piper (November 4)

Piper is a master at edge-of-your-seat thrillers. This must have been a salacious shocker when it was published in 1949, and some images are still really appalling.

Swan Song, by Edmund Crispin (November 9)

Sheer, unadulterated joy.

>174 SomeGuyInVirginia: Really! Gervase Fen is unadulterated joy! I wouldn't've guessed.

Crispin is my favorite.

I've taken Dad to New York to catch some shows and we're flying back this morning. Mom loved this town and I've always liked New York, but I'm exhausted.

Safe trip, Larry. Sorry about the exhaustion, but so glad you and your Dad could do this.

^^^What she said.

Psycho House, by Robert Bloch (November 18)

Ugh. No.

Amazing how little Bloch had to say and how far he went to say it, hmm?

The Child, by Sebastian Fitzek (November 22)

I'm glad I found out about this German thriller writer, I'll look for more of his work. Glenister, the narrator, made the story sing.

This is a time of year when I as a non-American ponder over what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for this group and its ability to keep me sane during topsy-turvy times.

I am thankful that you are part of this group.

I am thankful for this opportunity to say thank you.

>179 SomeGuyInVirginia: Uh-oh, I didn't know that Bloch could hit a sour note.
I hope your Thanksgiving was special, Larry!

Thanks Jennifer, and you too! It was special, and Dad rallied because he could play with Parker, who both he and I know is his only grandchild. Parker! AKA The Peeb! AKA Da Floof! AKA Notorious Peeb! AKA P Bitty! AKA Big Tiny!

What did you guys do? Did you cook for a lot of people, or job your selves out with promises of dessert and booze?

I'm so glad your dad was feeling well. And that Parker sounds like he got a lot of attention. I cooked the Thanksgiving meal for three of us and two frantic dogs. Mike's mom rolled in a little suitcase that had a big bowl of mac and cheese for Mike and gluten free stuffing and I don't know what else for herself. She kept those things next to her. She's been on a diet for the twenty-five years I've known her, and she's gotten Mike sick with her cooking, so I steer clear of her stuff. : D
Because we'd just gotten back from our trip, we missed out on the big family Thanksgiving in Vegas.

Money Management Skills, by Professor Michael Finke (November 29)

The Happy Man: A tale of horror, by Eric C. Higgs

Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers (December 4)

Hi Larry!

I've always wanted to read Mary Poppins, have it on my shelves, even started it at one point, but put it down. Is it worth reading?

Worth reading, yes, and it's pretty short. In the book, Mary Poppins comes across as a martinet. Maybe it was different back in the 30s. The book's charm comes from the descriptions of the characters she and the children meet on their adventures. This was an audiobook for me, and narrator Sophie Thompson probably increased my enjoyment of it three fold.

Plague Pit, by Mark Ronson (December 9)

Why is it that so much apocalyptic fiction involves a scary escape through a long, dark, tunnel and the terrible things found therein? The Stand, 28 Days Later, Plague Pit.

Plague Pit is a boy's thrilling adventure padded with facts meted out in an authoritative, brisk style. More a medical thriller than a horror book. Nice read for a snowy, wet day and night. This and his horror books are available on Kindle under the name Marc Alexander. They all relate an ancient evil lying dormant until inadvertently disturbed.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson (December 10)

Loose Diamonds: ...and other things I've lost (and found) along the way, by Amy Ephron (December 10)

Busy reading day!

Hi Larry!

What Richard said. Good for you. Give Da Floof some skritches from me.

Did you get any/much snow? So many people have mentioned snow that I'm not sure if you were one of them!

Hey y'all! Yes, we had snow on Saturday, I'd guestimate around 2 inches. Not bad during the day but night driving was risky. I had to take P-Bitty to the groomer's in the am so they could shave his butt and clip his nails. They call it a sani-shave and pedicure and I think that's why it cost $75.

The alarm went off this morning and I had no idea what that terrible sound was but I knew I had to make it stop so that I could get back to sleep for four or five hours. Psych!

Poor P-Bitty! The indignity of it all! And yeesh. $75. The things we do for our fur kids.

2 inches of snow sounds like fun. We got a trace and it melted right away.

Alarms are evil. Did you throw it across the room?

Hey Lunatic, hope those extra hours of rest induce some clarity into your thinking process and you reconsider the "ambition" to deaccession a thousand or so books. This still haunts me. It is so, so, ungrateful of you to reject the abundance that Kleio has gifted you with! I worry for your eventual fate at Her Hands!

>196 karenmarie: I wish! I'm still out of it. I couldn't sleep last night so around 11pm I took Nyquil and it has really left me groggy. Gah!

>197 richardderus: I am but the humble servant of Atropos.

Back up and serve Lacheisis!

T'was she decreed it- this far and no more!

It's got to be done. Not only that, but I'm going to take a swipe at the storage unit, as well. Kind of heart breaking.

>200 SomeGuyInVirginia: ...or a great opportunity to make other people happier...

The Little Nugget, by P.G. Wodehouse (December 14)

Hallo Larry! Give Da Floof some skritches from me. My kitties have both been Very Needy lately and sashay back and forth between me and the keyboard incessantly. What's a kitty mom to do except grab their furry little bodies and cuddle for a while? Cuts into the reading, though.

You are a great Mom! Parker does that, too. Can't stand for me to look at any screen. Meows like he hasn't eaten in a week. Whatta ham!

Consider skritches done.

LOL, Larry. Yay for Parker D.

Be safe and well this weekend.

Grifter's Game, by Lawrence Block (December 16)

Hey, have you been rifling through my NYC purchases? I just got that one last month and haven't even gotten a chance at it. I knew it had been moved.

Doh! I knew I screwed up when I forgot which shelf it had been on!

This was an audiobook for me and the narrator nailed it. Somebody Sklar. Yuuugly entertaining.

Those Hard Case covers are excellent, aren't they?

I like everything about Hard Case, from concept to finished product it's perfect.

In other news, my brother trotted out his self righteous gag yesterday and I ripped him a new asshole, which felt as good as a shot and a smoke. God I hate that little shit.

>210 SomeGuyInVirginia: My siblings are ten and nine years older than I am. One's a born-again lesbian and the other a christian homemaker. Each annoys me in her own special way and I annoy them in mine. We don't speak, hang out, or do anything to spend any time together whether F2F or online.

Life's beautiful when I don't have to think about them.

>210 SomeGuyInVirginia:

I've brought you A Serious Cocktail. Seems like it's the right thing. It's got Scotch and rum and vodka and battery acid.
Now, grab those oranges and put 'em in a tube sock, then call your brother into the room.

Sorry to hear that your brother is being such a shit, glad that you ripped him a new one.

I feel the same way about my BiL - God I hate that little shit.

>211 richardderus: My brother is 16 months younger than I am. He's a snake in the grass. I'd just beat him to death but it would be a waste of my 'get out of jail free' card. After Dad is gone I'll never have to be in the same room as he.

>212 mstrust: Thanks Jennifer, I've moved it to the head of the line.

>213 karenmarie: Every family has one, I guess. I'm glad you don't have to deal much with BiL. Here's to freedom!

Childgrave, by Ken Greenhall (December 19)

Similar to The Lottery. Not convincing but a very agreeable read.

>214 SomeGuyInVirginia: My sisters are 10 and 9 years older than I am. I don't bother with them, they don't bother with me; or each other, as far as I know. Our parents did a *sterling* job of family-building.

>214 SomeGuyInVirginia: I have been avoiding my sister for nearly 15 years and never regretted it. The first few years she kept on trying to contact me, but that stopped after some time *sigh*. Now she is making my dad feel miserable :-(
I probably skip my parents funerals just to avoid her. She is 4 years older and I have similair feelings as you towards your brother.

>216 richardderus: Our parents did a *sterling* job of family-building
Somehow that sounds familiar...

A Swell-Looking Babe, by Jim Thompson (December 22)

'Morning, Larry!

*smooches* to you, Da Floof, and your dad. Insomnia has reared its ugly head again and I'm going back and forth between a BB from our dear RD and trying to catch up on threads here on LT. We 75ers seem to have become especially verbose this week. I'm way behind.

>218 SomeGuyInVirginia: Thompson! And that was a really good one.

Here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas, Larry! However it goes...

> 217 I'm sorry your going through that with your sister. Sometimes the family you make is better than the family you were born into.

>220 mstrust: Snort! She's overcome with the Christmas spirit.

Rest in Agony, by Paul W. Fairman (December 22)

Garbage. And a very quick read if you're trying to make up year-end numbers.

Hi Larry!

I'm reading short ones to get my numbers too. :)

I know, it's a mad dash for the finish line!

Ghost Gleams: Tales of the Uncanny, by W.J. Wintle (December 23)

Hi Larry!



Stopping by to wish you, Parker D. Cat, and your dad all good things this holiday season.

Thanks Karen, and you! Dad is much improved and Da Floof! continues wonderful.

The title,Ghost Gleams, sounds promising. How was it?

It is that time of year again, between Solstice and Christmas, just after Hanukkah, when our thoughts turn to wishing each other well in whatever language or image is meaningful to the recipient. So, whether I wish you Happy Solstice or Merry Christmas, know that what I really wish you, and for you, is this:

>228 drneutron: Heya doc! Agreeable and lambent, and very much of an age. Perfect for Christmas.

>229 ronincats: Thanks, Merry Christmas to you, too!

Stories in the Dark, by Barry Pain (December 25)

Wishing you all good things this holiday season and beyond.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll (December 26)

Reader's burnout be damned! Only 2 to go! Short books count. You can do it!

Full steam ahead!

Four more days, two more books. It can be done. I have faith in your stamina.

More Peers: Verses, by Hilaire Belloc (December 27)

Cautionary Tales For Children, by Hilaire Belloc (December 27)

YES! 75! Ta-ra-ra BOOM de-ay!

>234 karenmarie: >236 richardderus: Thanks guys, it's been fun to ruin with you both.

Congrats!

Larry! Congratulations! The Big Seventy-Five!

Pats on the back, smooches for Da Floof for putting up with being ignored, fireworks and the popping of champagne corks.

You da bomb.

Thank you, thank you. I credit my humble origins and a high-fiber diet for my success.

There's a lot to be said for both, especially the high-fiber diet.....

Awesome job!

Laurels for your brow, Noble One, in honor of your achievement.

Congratulations on reaching 75, Larry!

The Holy Bible (December 29)

Jeepers creepers, another whole-Bible reader.

Even *I* think it would be tasteless to crown your efforts with a real crown of thorns.

>246 SomeGuyInVirginia: wha... how... was I supposed to know that you were reading the Bible this year too? I don't think you ever posted on the group read (Bible as Literature)....

Well.

Congratulations. On top of hitting the Big 75, you did The Big One.

Tasteless, but funny. I read the King James version because, according to the movies, everybody except God and Moses spoke with English accents before Rome fell.

>243 mstrust: >245 FAMeulstee: Thanks guys, I was sweating it out there at the end!

Ghastle and Yule, by Josh Malerman (December 29)

A Book of Bargains, by Vincent O'Sullivan (December 30)

Published in 1896, the language is direct and muscular and modern. There's at least one really filthy double entendre, and the final story is more Grand Guignol than Victorian ghost story.

Hi Larry!



Peace, Health, and Happiness in 2018

Happy New Year, Larry!