Familyhistorian's Reads for 2022 - Part 3

Over the bridge to Skye

Welcome to my thread. My name is Meg and I live on the west coast of Canada in a land of soaring trees and rugged mountains. This place feels like home now because I miss the sight of abundant foliage when I travel elsewhere. But I’d really like to travel elsewhere. I was just getting into the swing of having more time to travel when everything shut down. Still there were things to keep me busy, like writing and reading. I must have been doing a lot of that in the last year because keeping up with the threads was more of a challenge than usual. I’d like to say that I’ll do better this year but, who knows. We’ll see what this year brings.

BLOG



I write about genealogy and history on my blog. I’m currently looking at Civil War records for a relative who was in the Union Army. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2022 – 19th Century Europe (& rest of the world, excluding Northern America) - A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn - DONE
April-June 2021 – 19th Century Northern America (includes Civil War; excluding the Old West)
July-September 2021 – The Old West
October-December 2021 – 20th Century: Before WW1 (1900-1913)

Monthly

January: Eastern Philosophies & Religion - Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart - DONE
February: Rural Life - The Black Country by Alex Grecian - DONE
March: We are Time's Subjects
April: Technology
May: Beginnings
June: The Golden State
July: Mental Health – Then and Now
August:
September: Harvest Moon
October: Musically Speaking
November: Ends and Endings
December: Reader’s Choice

2021 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners and Nominees - Canada's Odyssey: A Country Based on Incomplete Conquests by Peter H. Russell - DONE
February: Welcome to the Anthropocene
March: Espionage (and Counter-Espionage)
April: Armchair Traveling
May: From Wars to Peace
June: Science & Medicine
July: Cross-Genres
August: Books by Journalists
September: Biography
October: From the ‘Middle Ages’ to the Renaissance
November: Books About Books
December: As You Like It

List of books for challenges

Non-fiction:

February: The Making of the British Landscape (start early, close to 700 pages)
March: Agents of Influence: A British Campaign, a Canadian Spy, and the Secret Plot to Bring America into World War II
April: Original Highways: Travelling the Great Rivers of Canada
May: Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power
June: The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, Disease
July:
August: Britain 1940: The Decisive Year on the Home Front
September: Chanel
October:
November:
December:

Reading Through Time

Monthly

January: Jade Dragon Mountain
February: The Black Country
March: In Five Years - not historic - The Victorian and the Romantic
April: The Bletchley Girls
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:

Quarterly
January-March:
April-June:
July-September:
October-December:

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2022

January - 7

February - 0 (there's a fence around my usual LFL)

March - 3

Books read in January 2022

A Turn for the Bad by Sheila Connolly
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick
Whispers at Midnight by Karen Robards
The Performance by Claire Thomas
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Loyalists and Layabouts: The Rapid Rise and Faster Fall of Shelburne, Nova Scotia: 1783-1792 by Stephen Kimber
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
Written Off by E.J. Copperman
1979 by Val McDermid
Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
Spellbound by Bishakh Som
Under Color of Law by Aaron Philip Clark
Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb
Devil’s Half Mile by Paddy Hirsch
Canada’s Odyssey: A Country Based on Incomplete Conquests by Peter H. Russell
Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart

Books read in February 2022

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford
Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne
The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
All that Remains: A Renowned Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes by Sue Black
Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert
Death Finds a Way by Lorine McGinnis Schulze
The Tale of the Mandarin Duck by Bette Midler
Tunnels by Rutu Modan

Books read in 2022

Books acquired in 2022

Acquisitions for February 2022
I finally got the last of my Thingaversary haul. I was a bit late as it was on February 10 and I got the final book to make my 15 on February 16th. They are:

The Wicked Widow by Beatriz Williams
No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox
Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb
The Verifiers by Jane Pek
November Rain by Maureen Jennings

Welcome!

Happy new thread, Meg.

>2 Familyhistorian: Did you change adjectives on purpose? It is a very poetic turn of phrase on the climate crisis to change the description from your last thread about "soaring trees and rugged mountains" to "souring trees and rugged mountains" - not sure which was intended but both conjure a sort of beauty. xx

Happy new thread Meg!

>13 PaulCranswick: I must have fixed that on the last thread but forgot to fix it in the word doc I used to do the set up. I've now changed it to "soaring" because they are that until there are high winds when they've been known to blow over and take out roofs. People have been killed that way which I guess would be "souring" in any view of trees.

Thanks for the new thread wishes, Paul.

>14 mdoris: Thanks Mary!

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Meg.

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy Friday, Meg. Happy New Thread! Love the topper. Have a good weekend.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Meg!

New-thread orisons, Meg.

Happy new thread!

One more wish for a happy new thread:)

>17 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita!

>18 katiekrug: Hi Katie and thanks!

>19 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita!

>20 msf59: Hi Mark, thanks re the topper. That's to remind me about my upcoming trip if it actually happens this year. Have a wonderful weekend.

>21 thornton37814: Thanks Lori. I was saddened to read about the death of Lorine McGinnis Schulze.

>22 karenmarie: Thanks Karen!

>23 richardderus: Hi Richard and thanks!

>24 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>25 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, and thanks!

I really should get caught up on the threads as I'm sure that I haven't caught up with many of you in the last little while. I will try to do better.

Hi Meg my dear, Happy New Thread. It is still windy with us but hopefully it will calm down over the next couple of hours but we still have a yellow warning for snow and ice overnight. The forecast for the weekend is wet, windy and a threat of snow but the winds should be down to 40 to 60 MPH.

Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>29 johnsimpson: That sounds cold, John. Our bulbs are poking through the ground and I've seen some crocuses starting to bloom. It's a long weekend because of family day on Monday so of course the forecast is for rain all weekend.

I broke out of my rut!
Wordle 244 3/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟩⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Happy new thread, Meg!

>32 bell7: Thanks Mary!

>30 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, the winds forecast have not materialized and the snow was very light for about an hour and has since gone. I have Bluebells poking through in the back garden and Snowdrops are out as are some of our Crocuses despite the recent cold spell and winds.

My Camellia is putting on a good display as usual although it was later starting than usual, a few years back due to a frosty end of October and through November, it had flowers out for Christmas Day but has not done it since.

Hope you are having a good start to the weekend despite the rain.

>34 johnsimpson: Good that you got off easy weather-wise, John, and that your garden is showing early signs of spring. Have a great weekend.

This time Wordle beat me
Wordle 245 X/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜
🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩
⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩
🟩⬜🟩🟩🟩

Agents of Influence sounds like a good one. Somerset Maugham was a frequent guests at the White House and was eloquent about FDR bringing America into the war. Which FDR was more or less in favor of, barring political considerations.

I was reading a good book the other day about the South and it's "Agents of Influence" during the Civil War. Most historians pooh-pooh it but there were people in Canada with money in hand reaching out to fund chimney corner movements against the North winning - or even staying in - the war. People who were willing to fight for Union were not always willing to fight for Abolition - and a lot of people were willing to press the matter.

Hi Meg, I hope you are having a pleasant Sunday. We have no plans so I hope to do some catching up here on LT and hopefully get some reading time in as well. I may get out later on this afternoon for a walk and take advantage of the sunshine we seem to be having today.

30. A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn



The fourth book in the Veronica Speedwell mystery series, A Dangerous Collaboration was set off the beaten track for Veronica and Stoker. This time Stoker’s brother, Lord Templeton-Vane, was part of the cast and invited Veronica along to an estate in Cornwall. Because it wasn’t done for single men and women to travel together Templeton-Vane had her pose as his fiancé. Of course, Stoker had to tag along because he didn’t trust his brother.

Templeton-Vane’s invitation to the estate came from the owner, Malcolm, who wanted to put to rest rumours about the fate of his bride who disappeared on their wedding day. This tricky puzzle soon had Veronica and Stoker delving into the past of the manor. It was an interesting puzzle and there were also developments in the relationships that underpin this series.

>37 magicians_nephew: I'm looking forward to Agents of Influence as I've heard bits and pieces about FDR's difficulties with leading the US into WWII.

That other book about "Agents of Influence" sounds like an interesting one, Jim. Canada seemed to be a hotbed for various factions in the Civil War. I've read references about support given to the South by factions in Ontario.

>38 DeltaQueen50: It's nice to see the sun today Judy. I hope you get out to enjoy a walk in it. Enjoy your lazy Sunday on LT.

31. Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys



Told in a series of letters to a friend off fighting, Henrietta’s War showed the lighter side of war in British Devonshire. It was a place outside of the thick of things but affected none-the-less. It was interesting to see how the traits and foibles of the inhabitants were sketched in words and pictures by the writer.

I found the Wordle today difficult but at least I got it this time
Wordle 246 5/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

32. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb



Murder usually happens were there are few people to witness the act but, in Witness in Death the killing happened on stage in full view of an audience of thousands including Dallas and Roarke who were there for opening night of the theatre he had just developed. Dallas had her work cut out for her figuring out the perpetrator in a bunch of actors where no one was as they seemed, relationships carried extra baggage and the actor who was murdered was reviled.

>39 Familyhistorian: I've heard good things about the Veronica Speedwell series - about time i got on board that train.

>45 magicians_nephew: It's a fun one with an unconventional heroine, Jim. I hope you enjoy it.

It was sunny today but cold so there was snow on the mountains.

>47 Familyhistorian: Gorgeous! i love that blue sky.

>48 mdoris: It's always a treat to see blue sky, Mary. We don't get to see it often enough.

Today's try
Wordle 247 5/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩⬜🟨🟩⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

33. The Black Country by Alex Grecian



I love the predictability of mysteries. It speeds my reading knowing there will be a predictable ending of sorts where everything will be wrapped up and if it is a series a continuing protagonist they will be okay in the end. Although I resisted picking it up for a long time, The Black Country fit the bill in this regard and showed me an historical aspect of Britain that I had not seen explored in many books.

As its name suggests, the book was set in a mining village in the Midlands. The local police officer called on Scotland Yard when he was unable to solve a multiple disappearance. The detectives were out of their element and struggled to solve what had happened while they struggled against the superstitious beliefs of the villagers.

Well at least I'm back to 4
Wordle 248 4/6

⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟨⬜
⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

It's even colder here than it was yesterday. We've made it up to 0 C so looks like winter coat weather when I go out in it later. At least it's sunny.

Sunshine does make up for the cold a bit, psychologically anyway. Your Wordle-ing is progressing apace! I got today's in a first-ever two tries. I'm right chuffed about it.

>51 Familyhistorian: I like the orderliness of series mysteries, as well...they reinforce my fantasy that ma'at is maintained in the world.

Black Country looks interesting.

I like a book that takes me somewhere new and teaches me something i didnt know before

>54 richardderus: I was just on your thread and saw your impressive solve, Richard.

I read mysteries and romances more quickly than other books because of the implicit contract with the reader that all will turn out well in the end. That's why I read so many of them and intersperse them between more challenging reads.

>55 magicians_nephew: It's so much easier to find out new stuff through fiction. I think it has something to do with the way that you get totally immersed in the new facts as they become part of the setting you are vicariously walking around in.

An improvement over yesterday.
Wordle 249 3/6

⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

34. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay



After watching Linwood Barclay interview Beverley McLachlin, I had to pick up books by both of them but instead of reading a more recent novel by him, I borrowed one of his older thrillers from the library. No Time for Goodbye was about a woman, Cynthia, who as a teenager, woke up one morning to find her family, mother, father and brother, gone. In all the years since, there had never been a trace of them.

Needless to say, Cynthia was paranoid about her daughter’s safety. Her over protectiveness drove the daughter, Grace, and her husband, Terry, crazy. Finding out what happened to Cynthia’s family was a subtext to their lives so when a TV program planned a re-enactment the couple cooperated with the production hoping it would bring forth clues. After the program aired odd things started happening and they hired a private investigator. Things went from bad to worse and soon Terry, fearful for his family, was following the trail of clues himself.

Terry was a good, flawed narrator trying to get at the truth and drawing the reader into the murky investigation after him. The book came out in the mid-2000s so tech and communications were not quite what they are now creating more hoops for the characters to jump through.

>59 Familyhistorian: I recently read something by Barclay- Elevator pitch. It was also a decent read. I shall put No time for goodbye on my list.

>59 Familyhistorian: I've seen the name so often that my brain insists I've read a book by him. What it might be remains a mystery that the Filing Cortextual Elf declines to either solve with a title or dismiss.

Hang on...incoming data suggests A Tap on the Window of the "No good deed goes unpunished" school of North by Northwestness is the subject! Now to poke the elves a bit more roughly....

>60 figsfromthistle: Good to know that you like Elevator Pitch, Anita. I'll put it on my library list.

>61 richardderus: I assume that you read the book, so no pearl ruling, which is a good thing. Would you recommend A Tap on the Window, Richard? It looks like he was quite prolific. The Vancouver library has 30 different titles by him.

That they could use today's word when they chose to spell humour the American way threw me a bit. But not that much.
Wordle 250 4/6

⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>64 Familyhistorian: Heh.

>63 Familyhistorian: I don't warn you away from it, though my recommendation's pretty weak-kneed. I've cobbled up a Burgoine.

>59 Familyhistorian: I remember reading and enjoying that one, Meg, a number of years ago.

>65 richardderus: Okay, I'll take that under advisement then. I won't go rushing off to read my next Linwood Barclay any time soon, there are so many other books clamouring for attention.

>66 PaulCranswick: It probably would have felt a bit more current a number of years ago, Paul, which in the thriller genre is often a good thing. I do have a more recent book by him in the stacks.

A good result today.
Wordle 251 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>69 Familyhistorian: I took one more than you did, but what a weird choice they made! TWO double letters!

I met a friend for a walk today. Some of the areas in the park were iffy as there was still snow in the shade and with the size of trees in the park some of the trails were totally shaded. It's like that in my complex too. The path to my car is still snow because our units shade the area in front of us. There's a distinct line between green grass and our snowy area and I had to scrape the ice off my windshield.

>70 richardderus: It was odd but I only had one vowel left to use and that's the only word that was actually a word when I took a look at the letters that were still viable.

>69 Familyhistorian: that one had me livid! Which was actually my 3rd guess
:)

>73 LovingLit: Close but no cigar!

Today's came out like this:
Wordle 252 4/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜
🟨🟨🟨🟩🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

35. 56 Days



The premise of 56 Days was interesting and the reviews on LT promising so I picked up the book. I had to read it quickly because there were people waiting on the library hold list after me or it might have taken me longer. As it was, it took be most of the three weeks I had it to read it to the end.

It was well written. The possibilities of a couple with little knowledge of each other deciding to live together early on in their relationship one that could have happened when lockdown separated households from others. My problem was that I didn’t really like spending time with the male protagonist at first because of what he had done. As the pages turned I didn’t want to spend much time with the female protagonist either but the chapters featuring the investigating officers got me through.

Better today
Wordle 253 3/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟨⬜🟩⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Sunday morning on the seawall in Vancouver. The weather cooperated when we headed out for a walk from the Hotel Vancouver where my friend and I stayed over night. It almost felt that life was back to normal the night before with dinner at the Kobe Steakhouse followed by seeing Trevor Noah at Rogers Arena.

>77 Familyhistorian: Very nice Meg to get a feeling of back to normal. Sounds like a fabulous night!

>77 Familyhistorian: Lovely serene shot, Meg.

>77 Familyhistorian: How pretty!

>76 Familyhistorian: Oh dear. I liked it a lot better than you did, but your points are well-made and inarguably correct. Sorry it wasn't an out-of-the-park one for you.

>47 Familyhistorian: I love this photo, Meg. I wish I had this view on a regular basis.

>77 Familyhistorian: I like this view too.

36. The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths



All the library books coming into the house have stopped me from following along with the series that I have on my own shelves. One of those is the Ruth Galloway series. It was good to catch up with the characters in The Ghost Fields. This time the investigation was once again set in Norfolk and its low lying grounds and moody weather played a part in the investigation. This time the old bones came from WWII as the body of an RAF pilot was found in a buried fighter plane. Only something wasn’t right. Ruth and Nelson were once again drawn together into the investigation.

>78 mdoris: It was amazing to see all the people in Rogers Arena, Mary. Such a huge space (its the hockey arena). Tons of people finding their way out after the event, massive line up for the women's facilities, of course. So social distancing went by the wayside but vaccine passport were required to enter and masks were a must.

>79 ffortsa: It does look peaceful, doesn't it, Judy. It's a bit deceptive as it's a working harbour and this area is not that far from where the seaplanes take off and land.

>80 richardderus: Your review was one of the ones that tempted me to borrow the book, Richard. It sounded interesting and was but the only characters I was routing for were the cops investigating the body.

>81 msf59: Hi Mark, its easy to take photos of great views around here there are so many good views only it's best to wait until it isn't raining. That can be the tricky part.

>77 Familyhistorian: What a beautiful picture.

>87 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita.

Wordle 254 4/6

⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Back to 4

Besides the tail end of my Thingaversary haul, I had a couple more acquisitions in February.

Dominion: The History of England from the Battle of Waterloo to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee by Peter Ackroyd
Captives in Blue by Roger Pickenpaugh

Happy March, Meg!
Beautiful topper. Is that the Skye in Scotland?
I'm glad you enjoyed the latest Griffiths. I'm way behind on that series but I always enjoy them when I get around to them.

>91 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, it is Skye in Scotland. My first sight of it coming over the bridge.

It's hard to keep up with all the series. It had been a long time since I'd visited with Ruth Galloway. I'm sure there are other series on my shelves that deserve a revisit.

I found today's Wordle a challenge.
Wordle 255 5/6

⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
🟨⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

37. The Final Silence by Stuart Neville



At first I was unsure where the story in The Final Silence was set. (I should have looked at the cover which named the city). It quickly became clear that it was Belfast. The city’s former troubles tainted the past of many of the characters in the story but not that of the hero, police inspector John Lennon. His troubles were in the present where his already lost his health and his job and was holding out for his pension. The forlorn hope of future financial support drifted further and further from his grasp as he became the most likely suspect in more than one murder.

The characters in the story had a lot going on, creating tense home lives which added to the issues waiting to be resolved one way or the other. No wonder the story had me rapidly turning the pages to see how it all came out in the end.

Maybe the words are trending in a certain direction?
Wordle 256 4/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>95 Familyhistorian: Heh...I wondered if that might be the case as well, Meg!

>96 richardderus: They do seem to be drifting in a certain direction. We'll see what happens tomorrow, Richard.

So there was an in-person meeting for a genealogy group I attend tonight but I opted for the zoom meeting of the event instead. The rain started coming down heavily when I was about to get ready to drive over. Of course, it settled down by the time the meeting started. Oh well, at least I got to have supper by 8:30 instead of later.

>94 Familyhistorian: Police Inspector John Lennon? Doing "Cold Turkey", "Imagine" that "Girl"!

The phrase on the cover is also noteworthy. A "breakneck thriller"? Are you supposed to keep it at the bottom of the stairs for unsuspecting visitors to trip over?!

Hope your week is going well, Meg.

>98 Familyhistorian: That reminds me there is a genealogy society meeting this evening for the local society. I'm trying to attend now that they've moved their meetings from the middle of the day when I'm working to early evening. I'll run home and feed the cats and then go to the meeting--if I remember later this afternoon. My NGSQ study group meets this afternoon so I will need to read the article during lunch. It's one I read when it came out so I'm pretty familiar with it. I just need to look for the things I know we'll discuss.

>99 PaulCranswick: I didn't twig to the name when I read it, Paul. He was mostly just called Lennon. It also not a tome to trip over although the body count was high.

My week is busy so far. Hope yours is treating you well.

>100 thornton37814: Have a good meeting, Lori, if you remember to go that is. I don't know that I could handle two meetings in a row.

I should have remembered the trend.
Wordle 257 5/6

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟨🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>103 Familyhistorian: Indeed.

>104 richardderus: Makes me wonder what the next word will be.

I'm not sure what the message is here.
Wordle 258 3/6

🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩⬜🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>106 Familyhistorian: Me too. And it took me all 6.

Dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Meg.

>107 richardderus: It was a hard one that had be stumped for a while, Richard, but with the letters I had it was the only word that would work.

>108 PaulCranswick: I hope you have a wonderful weekend too, Paul. It's good here. The sun has been shining for the last two days!

>110 Familyhistorian: It shone more brightly on me today! I got Wordle in 2!

>111 richardderus: Ooh, congrats on that result, Richard.

Restrictions here are easing. I met some friends at a pub late yesterday afternoon and the place was packed. No restrictions on the amount of people at a table but you still had to be masked if you moved around. The waitress said that they had a booking for a party of 40 and she was mildly freaking out since it had been 2 years since she dealt with a group that big.

>111 richardderus: It took me longer.
Wordle 259 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟨🟨⬜🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>113 Familyhistorian: Wow a booking of 40! It is weird here because mask mandates are in place but not in restaurants - it is like there is some unwritten rule that you cannot catch anything while you are eating.

38. Judgment in Death by J D Robb



In Judgement in Death the first killing of a cop happened in Purgatory, a club that Roarke owned. It was but the opening act in a series of deaths that had Dallas investigating the former club owner as well as police corruption in the department the dead officer had come from. Given who and what was being investigated, there was even more reason to base the investigation away from Cop Central and what better place than the one with all the high tech gear, Roarke’s home.

>115 PaulCranswick: It's strange here too, Paul. As soon as you sit down you can take off your mask so everyone in the place is maskless unless they get up and walk.

I'm waiting for the price of gas to go over $2.00 a litre. I saw it at $1.99 today. Glad I filled up on Wednesday when it was only $1.80.

I've mostly done carry-out/curbside food because I don't want to unmask, but I will be in a situation where I'll eat out a good bit this week. I can do curbside or drive-thru sometimes, but not all the time. Just trying to figure out how early I can pack up the cats. I can't check in until 3 p.m. It's about a 5 hour drive, but I'll stop to stretch and at least do a drive-thru for lunch and perhaps even find a place with outside dining.

Gas prices are not good. I noticed they went up 30 cents a gallon here last week.

I filled up the tank on Wednesday for 1.55 because I knew that it was going to go up. Yesterday was at a 1.80. Yikes!

>117 Familyhistorian: I think as here in New York they are trying to strike some sort of compromise between perfect health safety and keeping restaurants in business.

Of course when you take your mask off the risk of spread increases. How much? Who knows?

Happy Sunday, Meg. just checking in. I don't play Wordle, so nothing to contribute there. I hope you are enjoying those books.

Hi Meg!

>51 Familyhistorian: I love the predictability of mysteries. It speeds my reading knowing there will be a predictable ending of sorts where everything will be wrapped up and if it is a series a continuing protagonist they will be okay in the end. One of the reasons I like mysteries too.

>59 Familyhistorian: What an amazing coincidence! I just finished my first by Barclay, A Tap on the Window, a BB from Richard. I’ve never heard of Barclay before, US-born, but considered a Canadian author. I really liked it and just put a hold on this one. I selected 4/1/22 as an activation date for the hold because I’ve got a few other books going right now. I'll probably be surprised when I get the notice that it's at the Library waiting for me to pick it up!

>75 Familyhistorian: I read this one last December and gave it 3.5 stars. I bought Rewind on the spur of the moment for my Kindle, but haven’t made it a priority.

>82 Familyhistorian: A friend of mine is loaning the newest in the series to me on Tuesday when we’ll both be at a book sale planning meeting at the Library. Of course I’ll eventually get my own copy, but for now borrowing hers is fine.

>118 Familyhistorian: Gas here has gone up dramatically in the last two weeks. I need to get my tank filled and it’s up more than 30¢ per gallon.

I got Wordle 260 in three by reminding myself to slow down and think through the probable combinations with the constellation of letters I was sure were correct. An interesting experience!

Hi Meg! I'm passing through, trying to get/stay caught up...

Like you and Karen, I enjoy mysteries (and romances) precisely because they are "predictable." Sometimes I want that. I saw a great tweet about this recently, something to the effect of, "Yes, romances are predictable. I read them for the same reason I go into Starbucks every day and order the exact same thing: I want to consume the thing that makes me happy. Why is this a bad thing?!?!"

I haven't looked at the price of gas lately, but our idiot light came on today, so I'll be filling up soon. Our car takes premium and has a fairly large tank, so it's always a bit of an ouch, but it's an electric hybrid so we don't have to put in gas very often. Silver linings...

>51 Familyhistorian: >123 karenmarie: >125 katiekrug: There are a number of authors that I trust to bring the central characters through in a way I will find interesting but not devastating in the same sort of way mysteries and romances have a pretty limited ways of concluding.

I saw gas yesterday at over $4.00 per gallon at a place that is usually lowest in the area. Friends in CA say it's been over $4.00 for a couple of weeks now.

>119 thornton37814: Restrictions make planning trips a lot harder, don't they Lori. I hope that everything works out for you and the boys.

>120 figsfromthistle: Gas is over $2.00 a litre here now, Anita. The gas in BC's lower mainland is the most expensive in North America and our carbon tax is due to increase by $0.11 per litre April 1 which won't help things at all.

>121 magicians_nephew: It would be pretty hard to have a restaurant meal with a mask on for sure. I've been in pubs and restaurants where there was a lot of distance or barriers between the tables. That's no longer the case here as restaurants and bars are now at full capacity.

>122 msf59: I didn't play Wordle for the longest time, Mark, but I gradually succumbed. The books are going down easy. Hope they are doing the same for you.

>123 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I think Richard got the nudge to read a Linwood Barclay from my thread so less of a coincidence that a case of what comes around goes around. Good to see that in person meetings are back at the library. Book sales too? Too bad that gas prices are going up and the same time as things are opening up.

>124 richardderus: There were a lot of possibilities with the letters I had so it took me a bit longer, Richard.

Wordle 260 4/6

⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>125 katiekrug: That predictable but satisfying feeling is often so hard to find in life so wonderful when a book can deliver. A lot of people here are thinking that an electric vehicle should be in their future. I hope that your next fill up won't be too much of a shock, Katie, but I think it might be.

>126 quondame: It's good when you have authors that you are familiar with to know you are in safe hands but every once in a while even one of those writers can throw in a less than satisfying twist at the end.

>127 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, I take it that is a high price for gas in your area. When I plug the amount of $4.00 per gallon into a calculator that converts the gallons to litres and the dollars to Canadian that price would be $1.346 CDN per litre. That's lower than the price ours started climbing from. In US dollars our gas would be $6.09 per gallon at the current price.

>134 Familyhistorian: Need a lot of infrastructure to enable full conversion to electric vehicles and of course a way to generate the electricity. There is also the problem of the creation, storage and disposal of all those batteries - we need to find a method that reduces reliance on non-renewable metals in battery production. There are so many aspects to ecology that we need to think through and solve but think through and solve we must and quickly.

>137 PaulCranswick: It's the disposal of the batteries and the cost of replacement when they die that really give me pause, Paul. Add to that the size of the province and country I'm in and the need to have places to recharge through out that make electric vehicles less than ideal.

>138 Familyhistorian: You are right of course, Meg, the logistics of Canada would be an awesome challenge to overcome.

>139 PaulCranswick: I'm glad I'm not the one who has to figure it out, Paul.

39. Glass Town: The Imaginary World of the Brontes by Isabel Greenberg



The graphic novel, Glass Town, explored the lives of the Brontes when the siblings invented a world and stretched their imaginations. It was an early training ground for telling stories. Many of the plots and characters in the novels that were later published owed their success to ideas borrowed from this early collaboration. It was an interesting mix of biographical detail and literary imagination.

A better result today.
Wordle 261 3/6

🟨⬜🟨⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Met with ex-coworkers yesterday for lunch of air fried chicken and beef rendang at one of their houses. There were 4 of us and 2 are still working for the corp so it was a mix of reminiscing and bitching about the new expectations caused by the changes in the corporation.

The US sort of tends to subsidize gas prices for automobiles to please the automobile industry.(lobby)

I remember going to England and seeing the higher gas prices even in non crisis days. Encouraged people to (a) drive less and (b) buy smaller, more gas efficient cars.

Perhaps that will happen here. (fingers crossed)

>118 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg my dear, Diesel at the supermarket went up twice over the weekend and is £1.577 per litre with petrol at £1.477 per litre, at named filling stations like Shell it is £1.677 per litre for Diesel and £1.637 per litre for petrol. It gets more expensive in the countryside and Motorways service stations, both are always dearer in general and i always feel sorry for folks in places like the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, this is something you have to consider if going to live there.

Along with gasoline prices going up the other worry is domestic heating costs, for the standard tariff from April it has gone up by £693 to just over £1,970 for the year, the next fix is in August to commence in October and this could add another £1,000 taking the base tariff to £3,000 or £250 per month. We haven't had our new monthly cost yet and we currently pay £106 for both Gas and Electric combined and over the last three years at this overall cost of £1,272 per year i am always about £100 under. With current incomes, if it goes up to 3k, there will be a lot of fuel poverty including us.

We filled up with petrol today and it was £1.59 a litre. So that would be C$2.67 per litre and US$2.08 per litre, which gives US$7.87 per gallon.

>144 magicians_nephew: Perhaps that will happen here.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Hi Meg! $8 a gallon is about what gasoline costs when subsidies are factored in.

>144 magicians_nephew: I often wondered why US gas prices were so much cheaper in the US, Jim. That's why many people in Canada sneak across the border to fill up. That hasn't happened much lately although we did get special dispensation to zip across the border to fill up when we had gas rationing after the atmospheric river that ruptured our gas pipeline.

>145 johnsimpson: That is dear, John. Even if you cut down on driving it looks like your heating costs will be astronomical. Our heating costs aren't nearly as bad, well at least here where it is warmer. Can't speak for the rest of Canada where it gets colder and they use different heating fuel.

>146 SandDune: Your petrol prices are much higher than ours, Rhian, and we have the highest prices in North America. That being said we probably have more miles to cover here.

>147 richardderus: Obviously US and Canadian philosophies about fuel pricing are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Instead of subsidizing our government adds taxes. Unfortunately it not only affects us at the pumps but the increase in fuel prices will add to the increase in cost of other goods as well.

It always amazes me when my countrymen complain about the cost of fuel. They have no idea how expensive it is in other parts of the world.

I filled up today - cost me just under $99. Premium was $4.70/gallon.

Hi Meg, I am envious of your night out - it sounds like a perfect mini-break from everyday! We are planning a get-away to Victoria soon. Our money-man who moved to Vancouver Island a few years ago has decided to retire and has passed his clients on to a fellow in Victoria so we want to get over there and meet with him. Of course I also want to see my Mom and the rest of the family as well. We are just waiting for the weather to be a little warmer. Meanwhile we are sticking fairly close to home and I am reading, reading, reading!

>152 katiekrug:, Hi Katie, at the current price of £1.577 per litre for Diesel, this equates to $9.30 per gallon at current exchange rates.

>154 johnsimpson: - Yes, most Americans would be shocked because they have no clue.

>155 katiekrug:, Hi Katie, as fuel costs are so much dearer at the Motorway services, a gallon of diesel would be $10.37. Last night i was listening to the news and the reporter said there were rumours that a barrel of Brent Crude could go as high as £300 a barrel, he said this was unlikely but would not be surprised if it reached $200 a barrel. If this happened i could see a litre of Diesel reaching £2 + and so it would be around $12 a gallon, scary.

>152 katiekrug: So TW didn't do it but you got the right gas and it only cost $99. Looks good, Katie.

>152 katiekrug: >154 johnsimpson: >155 katiekrug: I knew that UK gas prices were higher than ours but I didn't realize how much. It was the cost of heating that I couldn't get over, John. Driving can be cut down on but it's hard to do without as much heat.

>153 DeltaQueen50: It was good to get out, Judy. It was a taste of normality for a change. I just hope that this week's announcement allows us less restrictions soon. It feels like it's getting warmer out there so I hope you get in your trip to Victoria soon.

Are you loving the sunshine? Hope the books are treating you well too!

It took me a while this time.
Wordle 262 5/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
🟨⬜⬜🟩🟨
🟩🟨🟩🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>159 mdoris: It's great to see the sunshine, Mary. Although there were a few clouds while I was out for my walk and just a few raindrops so we're not quite in the clear.

40. To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters



Keeping with the historical theme, now it’s on to romance in To Have and to Hoax the story of Lord James and Lady Violet, who married desperately young and, in the turbulent first year of marriage, allowed a misunderstanding to cause a rift that lasted for over four years. Violet, not your average shrinking one, hatched a scheme to bring her husband back to her side by pretending to have a dire illness. Would it be enough to bring them back together or do the opposite and push them further apart?

An interesting one
Wordle 263 3/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
🟨🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>163 Familyhistorian: I was able to get it in three, too.

>164 richardderus: I didn't have much choice after the results of the second try.

41. Matrix by Lauren Groff



I picked up Matrix because there was lots of buzz on LT and the amount of holds on the book at my library signaled that it must be a good one. The style could be likened to that of a chronicle with a narrator telling the tale. A way of storytelling that harks back to times quite far back in our history. It’s a style that makes the story feel less immediate. Perhaps that’s why the story of Marie, a misfit who gained her power when she finally accepted the role thrust upon her, that of the abbess of a struggling abbey in remote Angleterre, was a bit of a struggle for me.

A bit of a struggle this time
Wordle 264 5/6

🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

I've come to the conclusion that I'm spending time on LT to keep myself from doing the tasks that are waiting for me: the research I need to do for my weekly blog and research into costing advertising for a project for PoCo Heritage. I also have to think up the ad and the press release, so that's not a small project.

>168 Familyhistorian: I've been chilling out all week. I only did one thing--something with a definite deadline--in the "work-related" realm. I've got one more thing I need to do when I get back home, but I can do that then instead of doing it while I'm "on vacation." I guess I know what I'll be doing this evening.

>169 thornton37814: Chilling out is something you need when you work, Lori. It's good to have a change of pace but your vacation has an end date. It's different when you're retired and make up your own schedule all the time.

This one was tricky
Wordle 265 5/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟨🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

42. Dare to Disappoint by Ozge Samanci



Dare to Disappoint was a delightful GN about growing up in Turkey. This was Ozge’s memoir about her formative years when a lot changed around her except for the consistent message to conform and grow up to a predictable and safe future. It was a message that Ozge tried to take to heart but one she never could fulfill. When she understood the way of conformity and safety was not for her was when she discovered a life that worked for her.

Views from today's walk. By this point I was on the downhill part but I had to walk up a hill on the cross street to get there. The first picture is looking down Johnson Blvd towards downtown Coquitlam and the second shot is taken looking over the fences of the houses along the sidewalk.

I have missed the entirety of this thread, Meg, and am not even trying to catch up. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Better today.
Wordle 266 3/6

🟨⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟨🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

>174 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia, same to you!

43. Death of a Dude by Rex Stout



I saw a review of Death of a Dude on Jim, Magicians Nephew’s, thread and thought it would be interesting to read a Nero Wolfe mystery with the characters out of their regular milieu. It was different, a good mystery but I don’t think I’ve ever run across Lily Rowan, Archie Goodwin’s girlfriend before, although the introduction says she was a recurring character. With her and the other people involved there were quite a few more unknown characters to keep track of and a bunch of small town settings and attitudes to wrap my head around in this read.

44. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle



The book, In Five Years had its inspiration from that difficult work interview question: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” At the beginning of the narrative, Dannie sat for an interview for her dream job in a law firm. The question was asked and later led to a vision of herself in five years. Only she wasn’t living in her usual apartment or with her fiancé. This glimpse of the future haunts her as she lives through the events of the next five years trying to avoid the pitfalls the vision seems to have shown her. But events didn’t turn out as she expected, showing that even with a psychic revelation of the future the true flavour of the experience may be missing. It was a story that kept me reading until I finished most of it in one sitting.

>178 Familyhistorian: Sounds very interesting, Meg. Afraid you got me with a BB.

Happy week-ahead's reads, Meg.

>179 RebaRelishesReading: It was good, Reba. Hope you enjoy it.

>180 richardderus: I hope you have a wonderful week, Richard.

Another good one.
Wordle 267 3/6

⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Hi Meg, I found and starred your thread. Not sure how I lost you. I do love all the scenic photos you post. You have such a delightful place to walk. No wonder you get so many daily steps in.

>82 Familyhistorian: I am two books ahead of you in the Ruth Galloway series. Only six more until I’m caught up with Ruth. I’m good about spacing them out only because I forget about them. Ha! Thanks for the reminder even if it wasn’t intentional.

>183 Familyhistorian: I got it in three, as well!

>184 Donna828: Good to see you here, Donna. I do live in a nice place to walk except when it is like today, pouring down rain. I still got out in it though.

I'm a bit of a slacker on the Ruth Galloway series. There are so many series to catch up with!

>185 richardderus: Yesterday's was much easier than today's, Richard.
Wordle 268 5/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜🟨🟨⬜🟩
🟩⬜🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

45. We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida



You know that person, the one who is immediately the centre of attention when they enter the room, the one who seems to have it all, the one who everyone wants to know? That was Eulabee’s best friend. They both went to the same private high school when families like theirs could live close to the ocean in San Francisco. It was back in the day before there were posts and videos that went viral, before internet was a thing. Still the yearning for fame was there, lurking.

We Run the Tides was a story about very young women, their incipient sexuality and their make or break friendships. It explored the difficulty of choosing between the lure of false notoriety and basing a life on reality.

This time I Wordle rewarded me with an exclamation of "phew". I barely squeaked it in there.
Wordle 269 6/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟨⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Hi Meg, I've been reading Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series in order but so far I have only got to #5 - I guess it will be a long while, if ever, before I get to Death of a Dude since it appears to be #44!

>190 DeltaQueen50: That's an ambitious reading plan, Judy. I've only ever read a few here Nero Wolfes or there and have no idea of the order they were written in.

This one was a little better than yesterday's.
Wordle 270 5/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟨🟩🟨🟨⬜
🟨🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

My computer desk is getting crowded with note and books again, a sure sign that I have so many fingers in the pie at the same time that I'm getting scattered. Maybe if I move some of the book stacks off by completing the tasks that I put them there for I might get something completed and off my plate.

>193 Familyhistorian: That was always my desk issue, too. Now I use tabs by the zillions.

>192 Familyhistorian: I tried MOXIE before MOVIE or it would've been one less for me!

>178 Familyhistorian: You hit me with that BB, Meg. Thanks for the recommendation!

>193 Familyhistorian: I hear you, Meg!

46. Fortune Favors the Dead



Billed as a Pentacost and Parker mystery, Fortune Favors the Dead was the first in a new series set in New York just after WWII. Willowjean Parker, mostly known as Will, had a circus background but was moonlighting as a security guard to get some extra dough when she first teamed up with Lillian Pentacost, a PI battling with MS. Will became Ms Pentacost’s assistant and their first case in the series was true to the times. It was a case involving spiritualism and other forms of deceit.

The mystery was interesting and the characters even more so. It’s a series I’ll continue.

>194 richardderus: Tabs, Richard? I actually have two desks, so twice the amount of stacks!

>195 alcottacre: It was a good read, Sastia. I hope you enjoy it.

>196 RebaRelishesReading: It seems to be a constant battle, Reba.

47. The Inheritance of Soloman Farthing by Mary Paulson-Ellis



Although it took me a long time to read, The Inheritance of Soloman Farthing was an interesting story told in two timelines, linked across time. One of the settings was WWI France and the other modern day Scotland in 2016. The link was that the present day protagonist was an aging down on his luck heir hunter, Soloman Farthing, while the main character in 1918 was Godfrey Farthing, a captain leading a small group of men in the waning days of the war. Godfrey was Soloman’s grandfather and one time guardian.

Soloman was tasked with finding out the heir to a substantial wad of cash found sewn up in the burial suit of a man with no close relatives. As he chased about hither and yon, lying and cheating his way across Britain following leds he came to realize he was following the story of his grandfather and the men he commanded. It was a good suspenseful story, if a trifle long.

Wordle 271 3/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

48. The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James



I’m spending a lot of time reading about the past lately and I’m enjoying it immensely. This time the book was The Other Side of Midnight. It was set in London amongst the psychics who enjoyed an uptick in popularity after WWI. The main character, Ellie, had once been friendly with another very glamourous medium, Gloria but when Gloria was murdered under circumstances that defied the rules she had set for herself to guard her safety, Ellie couldn’t believe it. But then she was drawn into the search for the killer not knowing who to trust.

Hi Meg!

>177 Familyhistorian: Lily Rowan was introduced in Some Buried Caesar. She calls Archie Escamillo.

>178 Familyhistorian: And onto the wish list it goes!

>191 Familyhistorian: There are 49, according to my list and I read/re-read them all from April 2020 to August 2021. It was a fun journey.

>202 karenmarie: I remember your read through of the Nero Wolf books, Karen. It looked like a fun project. I've never read Some Buried Caesar. I'll have to find that one.

I thought that it couldn't possibly be this word but it was
Wordle 272 2/6

🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩