Barbara's (Ameise1) world and adventures (3)

Welcome to my third thread. Hey, how time flies, two-thirds of the year has already gone by.
I'm still really enjoying my retirement. I get to read a lot and love looking after and spoiling my grandsons. In the summer, we went to the theatre more often again and I can be found in the gym three times a week, twice on the weight machines and once doing cardio.
In the second half of September, we will be in the mountains in Sedrun. The last weekend in September belongs entirely to my mother-in-law. She turned 90 at the end of July. We celebrated with our immediate family and then spent a weekend at the end of September with the extended family in Wildhaus.
In the second half of November and at the beginning of December, we will be travelling with Interrail again. On the last weekend in November, we will be in Maastricht to celebrate our youngest daughter's master's degree in international law. I have already planned a meeting with Connie from LT. Where else we will be is not yet definitely planned, but possibly in Belgium.

January
# 1 Silenced by Kristina Ohlsson (4 stars)
# 2 Babylon Berlin by Volker Kutscher (4½ stars) 🎧
# 3 The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan (3½ stars)
# 4 Schwarzes Gold by Dominique Manotti (4 stars)
# 5 The Forbidden Place by Susanne Jansson (4 stars)

February
# 6 Rauhnächte by Ulrike Gerold (4 stars)
# 7 Madame le Commissaire und die tote Nonne by Pierre Martin (4 stars)
# 8 Provenzalischer Rosenkrieg by Sophie Bonnet (4 stars) 🎧
# 9 Duell: Island Krimi by Arnaldur Indridason (3½ stars) 🎧
#10 Der rote Raum by Roman Voosen (4½ stars)
#11 Das Gewicht eines Vogels beim Fliege by Dana Grigorcea (3 stars)

March
#12 Neid by Arne Dahl (4stars) 🎧
#13 East West Street by Philippe Sands (4½ stars)
#14 Wikmans Zöglinge by Jaan Kross (4½ stars)
#15 The Vegetarian by Han Kang (3 stars)
#16 Ein ungezähmtes Tier by Joël Decker (4½ stars)
#17 Das neunte Gemälde by Andreas Storm (4½ stars) 🎧
#18 Die Rose von Nischapur by Amir Hassan Cheheltan (3½ stars)

April
#19 Zone Defence by Petros Markaris (4½ stars)
#20 My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk (4 stars)
#21 Wie Grischa mit einer verwegenen Idee beinahe den Weltfrieden auslöste by Jakob Hein (5 stars)
#22 Nord Sentinelle by Jérôme Ferrari (4 stars)
#23 The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre (4 stars)
#24 Deadline by John Sandford (4 stars)

May
#25 Das Grab der Jungfrau by Stefan von der Lahr (4 stars)
#26 AchtNacht by Sebastian Fitzek (3½ stars)
#27 The last Hours by Minette Walters (4 stars) 🎧
#28 Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (4 stars) 🎧
#29 The Venetian Game by Philip Gwynne Jones (4 stars)
#30 Dampfer ab Triest by Günter Neuwirth (4 stars)
#31 The Shadow Lily by Johanna Mo (4 stars) 🎧
#32 Obabakoak by Bernardo Atxaga (4½ stars)

June
#33 Ein halber Löffel Reis by Dacia Maraini (4 stars)
#34 Falcone by Roberto Saviano (4½ stars)
#35 Ragazzi di vita by Pier Paolo Pasolini (4 stars)
#36 Café Royal by Marco Balzano (4 stars)
#37 Am Samstag wird abgerechnet by Davide Longo (4½ stars)
#38 Darkness for the Bastards of Pizzofalcone by Maurizio de Giovanni (4½ stars)
#39 Schwarz wie das Herz by Giancarlo De Cataldo (3½ stars)

July
#40 Im Wald by Nele Neuhaus (4½ stars)
#41 Nachtschein by Seraina Kobler (4stars)
#42 Das Erbe der Schuld Hendrik Falkenberg (4½ stars)
#43 Dunkelsprung by Leonie Swann (4 stars) 🎧
#44 Schattenriss by Theresa Prammer (4 stars)
#45 Todessturz by Irène Mürner (3 stars)
#46 Tod im Cabaret Voltaire by Miriam Veya (4 stars)
#47 Schatten über der Villa Patumbah by Miriam Veya (4 stars)
#48 Daily Soap by Nora Osagiobare (3 stars)
#49 Tatverdacht by Petra Ivanov (4½ stars)
#50 Der Buchspazierer by Carsten Henn (4½ stars) 🎧
#51 Die Meisterdiebin by Christine Jaeggi (3½ stars)
#52 Todesrache by Andreas Gruber (4½ stars)
#53 The Little Café in Copenhagen by Julie Caplin (3½ stars)

August
#54 Leben. Nehmen. by Tullio Forgiarini (3½ stars)
#55 Der Mann der nie krank war by Arnon Grünberg (4 stars)
#56 Blaubart by Amélie Nothomb (4½ stars)
#57 The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (4 stars)
#58 Wintersonne by Katrine Engberg (4½ stars)
#59 Witwenwald by Anna Jansson (4½ stars)
#60 Die Karte by Andreas Winkelmann (4 stars) 🎧
#61 Freyheitsball by Satu Blanc (4 stars)
#62 Russische Spezialitäten by Dmitrij Kapitelman (4½ stars)
#63 Whisky From Small Glasses by Denzil Meyrick (4½ stars)
#64 Todesströmung by Gordon Tyrie (4½ stars)
#65 Das zweite Kind by Marco de Franchi (4½ stars)
#66 Provenzalischer Stolz by Sophie Bonnet (4 stars) 🎧
#67 Der Holländer by Mathijs Deen (4 stars)
#68 Der goldene Tod by Florian Wacker (4 stars)

September
#69 Die Spur der Stadtheiligen by Miriam Veya (4 stars)
#70 Verzauberte Vorbestimmung by Jonas Lüscher (3½ stars)
#71 Der Spion des Dogen by Stefan Maiwald (4 stars)
#72 After she's gone by Camilla Grebe (4½ stars)
#73 A Better Quality of Murder by Ann Granger (4 stars)
#74 The Trespasser by Tana French (4 stars) 🎧

October
#75 An Expert In Murder by Nicola Upson (4 stars)
#76 Die blaue Liste by Wolfgang Schorlau (4 stars)
#77 The Falling Detectiv by Christoffer Carlsson (4½ stars)
#78 Life Sentence by A. K. Turner (4 stars) 🎧
#79 Mörderische Provence by Pierre Lagrange (4 stars)
#80 Lázár by Nelio Biedermann (3½ stars)
#81 Langstrasse by Andreas Russenberger (4 stars)
#82 The Châtelet Apprentice by Jean-François Parot (4 stars)
#83 Lange Schatten über der Côte d’Azur by Christine Cazon (4 stars) 🎧
#84 Tödliche Oliven by Tom Hillenbrand (4 stars)

November
#85 Grandhotel Giessbach. Das schwarze Gold by Phil Brutschi (4 stars)
#86 Das Revier der schrägen Vögel by Sophie Hénaff (4 stars) 🎧
#87 Die letzten Tage unserer Väter by Jöel Dicker (5 stars)
#88 Über die Toten nur Gutes by Andreas Izquierdo (3½ stars)
#89 Nebelopfer by Romy Fölck (4½ stars) 🎧
#90 Wut und Liebe by Martin Suter (3½ stars)
#91 The Safe Place by Anna Downes (3½ stars)
#92 Unschuld by Takis Würger (3½ stars) 🎧
#93 The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo (4 stars) 🎧
#94 Wenn das Wasser steigt by Dolores Redondo

December
#95 Im Ministerium der Lügen: Ein russischer Diplomat über Moskaus Machtspiele, seinen Bruch mit dem Putin-Regime und die Zukunft Russlands by Boris Bondarew (4 stars)
#96 Todland by Kim Faber (4½ stars) 🎧
#97 The Guilty by David Baldacci (4½ stars) 🎧
#98 Der Polarkreis by Liza Marklund (4 stars)
#99 The Book of the Lost Houres by Hayley Gelfuso (4 stars)
#100 Mord im Grand Hotel Matterhorn by Gabriela Kasperski (3½ stars)

Currently reading
 ë

Currently listening
 Daddy's Gone A Hunting

My lazy August stats



Authors Gender and origin:

women: 6
men: 9

Belgium: 1
Denmark: 1
Germany: 5
Italy: 1
Luxembourg: 1
Netherlands: 2
Sweden: 1
Switzerland: 1
UK: 2

A belated Happy Birthday to your mother in law! It looks like you will be quite busy in the next few month :-)

Happy new thread, Barbara - All the best for your planned activities!

New-thread orisons, my dear Barbara!

Happy New Thread, Barbara! Great travel and culture plans, I am looking forward to your posts (and FB pics?).

Happy New Thread, Barbara! Enjoy your September trips - you stay so busy.

>8 Dilara86: Thank you very much, Dilara. I will be happy to pass it on to her.

>9 SirThomas: Many thanks, Thomas.

>10 richardderus: Thanks so much, Rdear.

>11 Deern: Thank you very much, Nathalie. I will post pictures of our activities on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. You're sure to find them somewhere.

>12 vancouverdeb: Thank you very much, Deborah. Yes, as long as I am still fit, I will continue to do many things that give me great pleasure.

As I had an appointment in Zurich's old town this morning, I took the opportunity to borrow some books from my library's branch that are not available at my local library. Armed with a list, I came home with the following:



It seems that I have enough reading material for the foreseeable future, LOL.

>14 Ameise1: I foresee another trip by mid-month, Barbara....

>15 richardderus: 😆🤣 As I am going on holiday in the middle of the month, I will have to stock up beforehand.

Happy new thread, Barbara. It's nice to know how wonderful retirement can be!

Happy new thread, Barbara! Looks like you have your retirement days down pat.

>14 Ameise1: That is an impressive book stack!

>17 labfs39: Thank you Lisa, you can look forward to it. It really is wonderful.

>18 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg. There was a short break in reading over the last few days because we had both grandsons with us all day on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, I once again substituted for a colleague who was ill. It looks like he will be back in the classroom himself starting tomorrow. On Saturday, we had to take care of my mother-in-law. She had an iron infusion on Friday and reacted strongly during the night with diarrhoea and vomiting. We took her to an emergency doctor on Saturday, who was able to reassure her that nothing serious was wrong and that the side effects she experienced during the night and her current dizziness and headaches were normal. She was then given medication for the vomiting. Back home, she took a nap. Fortunately, the night was uneventful and she is already feeling better today.

>19 Dilara86: Isn't it, Dilara? At the moment, it is still lying “untouched” on the shelf, as I haven't had time to read it (see above).

book 69 Read in German 

 Die Spur der Stadtheiligen

Zurich, August 1920: The city saints Felix, Regula and Exuperantius have risen from their graves beneath the Grossmünster cathedral and are walking through the forest above the suburb of Albisrieden with their heads under their arms. At least, that is what Hanna, the eldest of six children in the impoverished Meier family, claims. Her friend Frieda and Frieda's father want to find out what is behind this disturbing incident. They turn to private detective Josephine Wyss, who is less than enthusiastic despite a lack of work. She assumes it is a silly child's prank, as she believes neither in supernatural phenomena nor in the legend of the three martyrs.
But then Hanna disappears without a trace – and when the private detective encounters the city's patron saints herself, her curiosity is finally piqued. Her undercover investigations lead her to a soap factory where unsustainable conditions prevail, and finally to a place shielded from the outside world by high walls.

Josephine first has to learn how to conduct undercover investigations, as she herself comes from a wealthy family and therefore does not have the appropriate clothing. Fortunately, her governess, Miss Zimmermann, is there to help her. This undercover investigation also pushes Josephine to her limits, especially physically, and she discovers a world that is completely new to her. The book also sheds light on the subject of psychiatry and what went on in the “Burghölzli”, Zurich's mental institution, around 1920.
Once again, the author has managed to accurately capture the events of 1920 in her book. I very much hope there will be a sequel.

>22 Ameise1: ...and it's not translated. Yet, one hopes. It sounds very interesting indeed!

Sunday orisons, my dear lady, and ongoing thanks for the education you don't intentionally give to us Anglophone readers in what we're missing by not being polyglots.

This made it into the Swiss news:
Since 2021, PEN America has documented nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide. In the 2023–2024 school year alone, PEN America recorded more than 10,000 book bans affecting more than 4,000 different titles. Approximately 45 per cent of the bans were in the US state of Florida. 😢

>23 richardderus: Thank you very much, Rdear. Yes, the conditions faced by female factory workers 100 years ago were tragic, and not only in Switzerland.

>25 Ameise1: I wonder how much better they got in places we don't live...

>24 Ameise1: That is an appalling statistic.

>26 richardderus: Yes, it was a very long article on the subject of banned books in America.
I'll put the link here, but as it's in German and probably can't be translated into English, it might not be helpful for you:

https://www.srf.ch/kultur/gesellschaft-religion/book-bans-in-den-usa-neue-welle-...

>27 Ameise1: I'm just so glad it's making news in other countries! It is a problem we cannot fix but should always resist.

>28 richardderus: I completely agree with you. I can't imagine something like that happening here. I've heard about America's banned books, but this extent has shocked me, to say the least.

>29 Ameise1: You and me both!

book 70 Read in German 

 Verzauberte Vorbestimmung

What it's about:
An Algerian soldier is caught up in the first German poison gas attack, decides that someone has to put a stop to it, stands up and leaves. In Cairo in the future, a stand-up comedian watches an android laugh at her jokes. A Bohemian weaver is replaced by an automated loom, steals a hammer and attacks the machine.
What do we humans of capitalism dream of, and what do our machines, which are increasingly rebelling against us, dream of? In the unique mirror room of this novel, no conflict is over and every story is still possible.

It took me a while to get into the book. Why? The author writes from different perspectives, and every time he changes perspective, it's not immediately obvious and confused me. Once I understood his “trick”, reading became more fluid. The change in perspective stems from the fact that, on the one hand, he narrates the events from the perspective of the protagonists (past, present, future), but on the other hand, he repeatedly intervenes as the narrator at moments when his narrative of the protagonists is not taking place at all.
It is certainly very interesting that throughout the book he deals with technologies that frighten the protagonists, but you notice that he too is afraid of future technologies and yet is very grateful that they exist. In a short interlude, he writes about his COVID experience, when he was in an artificial coma for seven weeks and is only alive thanks to machines. These few pages of the book are written in brilliant language, demonstrating what an outstanding author he is.
The protagonists' fears are very understandable: mustard gas during WWI, industrialisation where craftsmen, in this case weavers, are being rationalised away, and the fear of androids.

I find the novel very good in terms of language, the topics are interesting, but the structure of the book was not to my taste.

>31 Ameise1: It sounds quite trenchant, though I'm also aware of that structure-not-working problem making a read not as good as the story itself.

Enjoy the weekend-ahead's reads, Barbara.

Happy new thread, Barbara! You’ve got some nice things planned for this autumn, enjoy!

>22 Ameise1: sounds interesting! There used to be a German language bookshop in Amsterdam, will have a look if it has survived.

Finally found your new thread! That's what I get for going away for a couple of weeks. As always, I look forward to following along with your reading. Cheers!

>32 richardderus: Happy Friday, Rdear. We've been in Sedrun for just over a week now. More on that in another post.

>33 EllaTim: Hello Ella, there are indeed some good books set in my hometown of Zürich.

>34 rocketjk: Nice to see you here, Jerry. Since I'm currently on vacation myself, I know that I don't get around to reading everyone's posts either.

book 71 Read in German 

 Der Spion des Dogen

Venice, late 16th century. The Serenissima revels in its luxury, supported by its military power in the Mediterranean. Among the greatest bon vivants is Davide Vernier, scion of a venerable Venetian family and businessman through and through. Until one day, betrayal causes him to lose everything and land in the city's notorious prison. But after developing into a skilled fighter while incarcerated, the Republic makes him an offer he can never refuse: freedom! The quid pro quo: espionage work for the Doge.
At the beginning of the story, the reader encounters a man who has already achieved everything. Wealthy, popular, with a beautiful lover—at the beginning of the novel, Davide Vernier is where other protagonists usually want to be. This makes his fall all the deeper—betrayal leads Davide to the infamous lead chambers. Fortunately for him, he meets Hasan there, an Oriental who teaches him martial arts. It is these skills that pave Davide's way to freedom—and to many a dangerous mission.
The Doge's Spy shines as an adventure novel—action-packed scenes and dialogue-driven scenes characterize the narrative. You won't find any studies that drag on for dozens of pages—and in this case, that's a good thing. The novel works as it should: as a gripping adventure story with a likable protagonist.
However, anyone who believes from the above that history is merely decorative embellishment and irrelevant to the story is mistaken. The reader is given a comprehensive and exciting insight into the Republic of Venice, which became one of the most dominant forces in the Mediterranean on the basis of clever businessmen and a military force secured by the Arsenale.
The author pays particular attention to the depiction of political and social conditions. Venice is characterized by political processes that appear democratic in some respects and the non-hereditary nature of the office of doge. As a port city, Venice is also characterized by enormous cultural diversity—despite the constant smoldering conflict with the Ottoman Empire, people from all over the world can be found in Venice's canals.

book 72 Read in German 

 After She's Gone

Ormberg, a small, remote village in Sweden, like countless others.
Several years ago—as vividly recounted in the prologue—the body of a girl was found here.
Now, thanks to the latest forensic tools, the case is being reopened. The team of investigators includes profiler Hanne and her husband Peter, as well as Malin, a police officer from Ormberg. It was Malin who originally made the gruesome discovery, and after completing her police training in Stockholm, she is familiar with both the nooks and crannies of the village and those in the minds of its inhabitants.
The starting point of the novel is a cold case in the truest sense of the word. On the one hand, the constantly falling snow covers the scene in a cold white, so ever-present that at some point you no longer notice it. On the other hand, the case is hardly conducive to building suspense. This task falls to the pair of investigators, Peter and Hanne. While Hanne is found on a stormy night without shoes and with no memory of the last few days, there is no trace of Peter. At this moment, curiosity is piqued: What happened to Hanne? Is her disappearance connected to the old case? Where is Peter? Above all, is he still alive? And in the meantime, another body is found.
The investigation of the deaths and the profiler's mysterious memory lapses could be turned into a sleep-depriving manhunt with increasing time pressure. Camilla Grebe chooses a different path and approaches the answers to the questions raised from two perspectives. On the one hand, there is the student Jake, who finds Hannes' diary and unravels the events in chronological order in the entries. On the other hand, readers are directly involved in the ongoing police work from the perspective of investigator Malin in the narrated present. The chapter-by-chapter shifts between these storylines maintain the tension with tried-and-tested cliffhangers, while at the same time ensuring that the narrative does not overheat.
Through the character of profiler Hanne, Camilla Grebe addresses the issue of dementia—both from the perspective of someone affected by it and from the perspective of those around them. Hanne looks helplessly into the abyss that is swallowing her memories. At the same time, her suspicion of her husband Peter, who is trying desperately to support her, grows. The title of the book, “Diary of My Disappearance,” refers to Hanne in two ways: on the one hand, her abduction, and on the other, the slow fading of her personality.
Jake, who is on the verge of puberty, dreads the idea of having to shave and become a man. Instead, he tries on his deceased mother's clothes when he knows no one is watching. The inner conflict about his gender identity—which must not be revealed to the outside world under any circumstances—creates a pressure that Jake finds difficult to withstand.

book 73 Read in German 

 A Better Quality of Murder

London, November 1867: The body of Allegra Benedict, an Italian woman, is found in Green Park. The beautiful wife of gallery owner Benedict from Egham in Surrey was strangled with a knotted cord. Since her purse and pompadour are missing, it could have been a simple robbery. But perhaps she also fell victim to the mysterious river phantom, who has already strangled several prostitutes with his bare hands and could have mistaken her in the thick London fog. Inspector Benjamin Ross of Scotland Yard investigates and discovers that Allegra had traveled to London with her companion Isabella Marchwood. Isabella claims to have lost Allegra in the fog. But Ross soon discovers that the woman is lying. Allegra had a secret rendezvous in Green Park, and Isabella knew about it.
While Ross investigates, his wife Lizzie begins her own inquiries with the maid Bessie to find out more about Allegra's private life, because Bessie happens to attend the same prayer meeting as Isabella every Sunday, an ideal opportunity to sound her out. But the charismatic Reverend Joshua Fawcett shields Isabella, and shortly afterwards she is found dead, murdered in the same way as Allegra.
A prostitute disappears, the Benedicts' former butler is nowhere to be found, a horse breeder from Newmarket is being blackmailed, and the Manchester police are looking for a con artist. Lizzie and Benjamin Ross have to wade through a tangle of crimes and false leads, unable to trust anyone.

We have been on vacation in Sedrun for ten days now. The first five days were sunny and very warm, and we were able to go on a few hikes. At first, it was just Thomas and me, but then our older daughter joined us for a long weekend with her family. After that, the weather took a turn for the worse. First it rained, and then the first snow fell, which is not unusual for this time of year in the high Alps. Since we knew this, we came fully equipped with the right clothing. ;-)
Here are a few photos:

  

  

 

 We saw many marmots up close.

 We can observe chamois several times a day from our living room window.

 Waking up last Tuesday morning to see the mountain peaks covered in frost.

Wonderful pictures, Barbara, thank you for sharing them!

>39 Ameise1: How very beautiful...though not the marmot, if I'm honest. *yuck* on All rodentia.

>38 Ameise1: An Ann Granger read! Did you choose it to honor her recent death? Enjoy your weekend, dear lady.

Love the photos, Barbara. I lose my heart to the mountains every time I go near them - definitely my happy place.

I was up in our local Mourne Mountains last weekend and it was pure bliss.

I hope you are having a good birthday!

Happy Birtday, Barbara - have a wonderful day!

It’s your birthday, Barbara? Happy Birthday and many returns.

Thanks for all the pictures above. It looks wonderful.

Many happy returns of the day, Barbara!

>39 Ameise1: Those are fantastic photos! The mountains are stunningly beautiful and it's great that you were able to photograph chamois and marmots.
Is it your birthday? If so, Happy Birthday!

Great pictures, Barbara! Thanks for sharing them.

Fabulous photos, Barbara!

>40 SirThomas: Thank you very much, Thomas. We spent some relaxing days in the mountains.

>41 richardderus: What do you have against marmots? They don't bother us humans at all and are very shy, so it was a pleasure to be able to observe them so closely. I'm glad you liked the photos otherwise.
Oh no, I read Ann Granger's book because it had been on my never-ending library list for ages. It must have been a BB once upon a time, but I have no idea whose it was.

>42 AlisonY: Thank you so much, Alison. It's lovely to hear that you enjoy being in the mountains. I couldn't live without them.

>43 CDVicarage: >44 SirThomas: >45 EllaTim: >46 richardderus: >47 Dilara86: Thank you very much for the birthday wishes. We haven't celebrated properly yet, as we came home from our holiday the day before and have been busy unpacking and getting used to everyday life again.

>45 EllaTim: >47 Dilara86: >48 vancouverdeb: >49 kidzdoc: I'm glad to hear that you liked the photos. I enjoyed sharing them with you.

book 74 Read in German 🎧

 The Trespasser

Eureka, I've actually finished a series.

A case as thick as the fog over Dublin
Antoinette Conway's colleagues in the Dublin homicide division make her life hell. Only her partner Stephen Moran stands by her. When a young woman is found dead at home, it looks like a quick-to-solve crime of passion. But then why is someone from the homicide division interested in obstructing the investigation? Is Antoinette about to be kicked out of the department for good? Does anyone else besides her and Stephen know that she has seen the victim before? Investigators, suspects and witnesses are drawn deeper and deeper into a dangerous cycle of interrogations.

My lazy September stats



Authors Gender and origin:

women: 4
men: 2

Germany: 1
Ireland: 1
Sweden: 1
Switzerland: 2
UK: 1

>50 Ameise1: No member of the Rodentia can ever be a positive contributor in my world...too many wildly lethal diseases have their main reservoirs among them. *shudder* Just say no to Yersenia pestis.

Happy weekend-ahead's reads and felicitations on finishing the Tana French series!

book 75 Read in German 

 An Expert in Murder

This book was certainly a BB that ended up on my library list “ages ago”. I enjoyed it very much and will read the other books in this series at some point.

March 1934. Successful playwright and renowned crime writer Josephine Tey sets off for London on the morning express from the Scottish Highlands. In the capital, she is to celebrate the great success of her play ‘Richard of Bordeaux’. On the train journey, she meets Elspeth, a young woman who is as cheerful as she is charming and who is a great admirer of Josephine. She wants to see the famous play at the New Theatre one more time before it goes on a major tour. Elspeth quickly wins the author's heart with her carefree manner. At the station, the two part ways because Elspeth has left her travel bag on the train. As she rushes back into the compartment, she has no idea that she will not leave it alive: the young woman is brutally murdered and her body is staged to look like a scene from the play.
When Detective Inspector Archie Penrose is called to the scene, he is convinced that the crime is connected to Josephine and the play. And there is no shortage of suspects in the extravagant theatre world of London's West End. Resentment and envy seem to be widespread here. The deeper Penrose and his assistant Sergeant Fallowfield delve into this world during their investigation, the more they uncover secrets from the past that should have remained hidden forever.

>53 richardderus: Thank you very much, Rdear. I enjoyed this series.
You can't lump all rodents together.

book 76 Read in German 

 Die blaue Liste

This book was certainly a BB (was it by you @SirThomas?) that ended up on my library list “ages ago”. I enjoyed it very much and will read the other books in this series at some point.

The fact is that Detlef Carsten Rohwedder was shot dead in his Düsseldorf villa in April 1991. The perpetrator or perpetrators had barricaded themselves in a neighbouring allotment garden colony and were able to escape after the assassination. It remains unclear to this day who fired the fatal shots.
The fact is that in June 1993, the alleged perpetrator was killed in a hail of bullets at the Bad Kleinen railway station. It remains unclear to this day which weapon fired the fatal shot that hit Wolfgang Grams at close range.
It is also a fact that only about six weeks after Rohwedder's death, a Lauda Air Boeing crashed into the Thai jungle shortly after take-off from Bangkok airport. All 223 people on board died. It remains unclear to this day why a small directional valve could trigger thrust reversal in one of the engines.
Three events in contemporary history that still raise more questions than answers today. For Wolfgang Schorlau, all these events are closely linked, providing new fuel for conspiracy theorists – and an exciting thriller for all other readers.
Georg Dengler is the protagonist in Wolfgang Schorlau's novels. A former employee of the Federal Criminal Police Office who failed because of his integrity and righteousness, he still has some contacts in the right circles even after his retirement from a secure civil service career, enabling him to work on big cases as a small private investigator. And yes, that's exactly what he is, a start-up entrepreneur who has just left the service and returned to Stuttgart to be close to his son, who is growing up with his ex-wife. Dengler is a man in his prime who lives in a small flat above a popular restaurant. His neighbour writes horoscopes for magazines, and the flat above him is occupied by Olga, an attractive Romanian-born former pickpocket who occasionally breaks into his flat. So much for the constellations the author has devised as the backdrop for his series.
Dengler, who has just arrived in Stuttgart, places an advertisement in the newspaper offering his services as a private investigator. And sure enough, he immediately receives a case that stands out from the dreaded ‘what does my wife do when I'm at work’ or ‘what does my husband do when he says he's working’ monotony: a young woman is looking for her father. She last heard from him in 1991, when he narrowly missed a Lauda Air flight at Bangkok airport. However, his belongings were found shortly afterwards in the wreckage of the crashed plane and there has been no trace of him since. The case takes a spicy turn when Dengler reveals that the missing man, as a senior employee at the Treuhandanstalt, pursued a line that differed fundamentally from the line taken by the authority after 1991. A line that could well have found favour with the then murdered Treuhand chief Rohwedder. And as head of the BKA unit in Düsseldorf, the RAF murder of Rohwedder was his case at the time.

>56 Ameise1: Unfortunately, I don't know exactly either, Barbara. I read the book before my active LT days, and it was a great read.
I may have made a comment about it once.
But I'm always happy to be held responsible for a BB...

>57 SirThomas: Thomas, perhaps you read another book in this series that I saw you reading, and then decided to start with the first volume. Anyway, I enjoyed it.

book 77 Read in German 

 The Falling Detective

The second volume of the Leo Junker series was also exciting from the first page to the last.
A sociologist who researched political fringe groups is found murdered in a Stockholm backyard. Leo Junker discovers that the victim had received warnings of an impending assassination attempt. Shortly afterwards, the case is taken away from him for no reason and handed over to the Swedish secret service. Leo is alarmed: this can only mean that the investigation is being manipulated. This only fuels Leo's ambition: he sets everything in motion to find out why the sociologist really had to die. And how to prevent the impending terrible assassination at the last second.
Together with his colleague Birck, he tries to solve the case. In addition, this case does not exactly make his return to the police service easy. And he has to prove to everyone what he tries to convince himself of every day: that he has recovered physically and mentally and is completely fit for work.

book 78 Read in German 🎧

 Life Sentence

Tough forensic expert Cassie Raven solves her second case. I really enjoyed this volume too.
Cassie Raven, a forensic assistant with a penchant for gothic style, piercings and tattoos, is usually tough as nails. However, when her beloved grandmother confesses that she has been lying to her for years about the death of her parents, Cassie is deeply shaken. There was never a fatal car accident when she was a child – instead, her father was convicted of the brutal murder of her mother and spent 17 years in prison.
With the help of DS Phyllida Flyte – who has become almost like a friend – Cassie conducts research that raises more and more questions. Then her father suddenly shows up at Cassie's door and claims to be innocent.
For Cassie, this case becomes increasingly personal, not least because a very good friend of hers is murdered during the investigation.
In her second forensic thriller, A. K. Turner once again combines highly exciting insider knowledge from the field of pathology with protagonists who are as fascinating as they are endearing.

book 79 Read in German 

 Mörderische Provence

I really enjoyed the third volume of the Commissaire Albin Leclerc series.
Retired Albin is once again making life difficult for his former police colleagues. He receives a phone call. An old friend asks him for help because his daughter Isabelle has disappeared. She was working as a waitress in a café in Gordes, but one evening she didn't come home after work.
Albin sets out with his pug Tyson to search for clues. Clues lead him to a Provençal castle hotel. Undercover at a famous Michelin-starred chef's restaurant, Albin uncovers a nasty plot at the hotel. Soon he finds a red-hot lead. In the process, he makes a gruesome discovery.
Meanwhile, his daughter and granddaughter suddenly show up at his place. His daughter has been severely beaten by her husband. Albin does everything he can to keep his hated son-in-law away from his family. His friends in the village and the police are a great support to him.

book 80 Read in German 

 Lázár

It all begins, even the end, when Lajos von Lázár, the blond child with water-blue eyes, is born. His father, the baron, will never feel comfortable with his son, as if he senses his secret. With Lajos' birth in the forest castle, the 20th century dawns, forever changing the old life of the Lázár barons in southern Hungary. The fall of the Habsburg Empire initially only affects their traditions, but everyone feels the tremors of the times, the beautiful Mária as well as the ghostly Uncle Imre. When Lajos comes into his inheritance in the 1920s, the old glory seems to blossom once more. But the children Eva and Pista – who loves the dark so much – must experience how totalitarian times cast their heavy shadows – and learn to resist them.
A novel like a world, the overwhelming saga of a family driven by love and longing for it, in the maelstrom of the 20th century. Captivating and touching, yet full of lightness, dreams and secrets that reflect the tragedy and beauty of existence. And – whether in the face of historical catastrophes or beautiful summer days – the eternal question of how to live.
I have mixed feelings about this book; on the one hand, it is highly commendable that a 22-year-old has written such a family history, historically accurate and with depth, but on the other hand, certain parts are, in my opinion, too long and others too short. A great deal of attention is given to the parts leading up to the outbreak of the Second World War. Among other things, I am not sure whether the “heirs” of this family are actually “real” heirs or “cuckoo children”. The period of the World War is covered relatively briefly, which is not too bad, as much is already known about it. What I found lacking was the period after the war until the great wave of Hungarian refugees in 1955. Probably not much was said about this in Biedermann's family, as in most refugee families I know personally. It must still be a dark chapter in Hungarian history that has not yet been properly addressed.

book 81 Read in German 

 Langstrasse

A ruthless serial killer is on the loose in Zurich. The murder of a drug dealer initially attracts little attention, but when other criminals become victims, the press pounces on the case. On social media, ‘the masked man’ is celebrated as a hero for his deeds. Armand Muzaton, head of the criminal investigation department, cannot afford this sympathy. Supported by his friend Philipp Humboldt, he must solve the case as quickly as possible. In doing so, they become entangled in a dense web of intrigue and slander.
The third volume of the Humboldt series is once again very exciting. In this volume, Armand Muzaton plays a greater role. The ending was a big surprise for me; I would never have guessed it. It's a brilliant move by the author.

book 82 Read in German 

 The Châtelet Apprentice

In 1759, Canon Le Floch sends his ward, the foundling Nicolas, from Brittany in France to the capital, Paris. The young man is to enter the service of Prefect Gabriel de Sortine, who has just been appointed to at least curb the omnipresent corruption in the ranks of the police. De Sortine assigns Le Floch to Commissioner Guillaume Lardin, an experienced criminal investigator who proves to be a good mentor to the newcomer over the next two years.
De Sortine is also a cog in the wheel of contemporary diplomacy, which relies heavily on spies and traitors. Since 1756, Europe has been embroiled in the Seven Years' War, which is also being fought in the overseas colonies. Those with access to secret political information can make a lot of money from it.
In the spring of 1761, Inspector Lardin disappears without a trace. He has either got too close to some corrupt colleagues or fallen victim to his out-of-control gambling addiction; Lardin was also married to a woman who had several lovers. De Sortine assigns the case to Le Floch, who feels overwhelmed at first, but quickly proves his talent as a detective.
The trail leads not only to the underworld of Paris, but also to the circles of the high nobility, even to the royal court. A complicated criminal case threatens to become a matter of state that could destroy the fragile political balance. Le Floch has a heavy burden on his shoulders, which is not made any lighter when several assassination attempts prove that the young policeman is on the right track.

Crime fiction and history: when done right, this combination brings fresh blood to both genres. Jean-François Parot is undoubtedly one of those who understand their craft, which is only simple in principle: a good story must be told well, with entertainment at the forefront.
Parot avoids trying to reinvent the wheel. This first Le Floch volume follows familiar and proven models: a young, intelligent but inexperienced, even naive man arrives in the big city, which the author describes as a centre and a maelstrom. Then as now, Paris was the heart of France. It was the seat of an extremely centralised government, where scientists and artists came together and created a cultural level that remained unmatched in the rest of France.
While the Age of Enlightenment brought about a veritable leap forward in science, technology and culture, the justice system lagged far behind. Investigations continued to be conducted as in the Middle Ages. Torture was a matter of course. An execution could degenerate into a bizarre bloodbath; at one point, Parot has the executioner of Paris recount the gruesome end of a failed regicide.
In contrast, genuine criminal investigation remains a requirement that is rarely fulfilled. Although murder victims are examined and their bodies opened, what good does this do when medicine, among other things, is convinced that patients must first be bled? Most police officers replace the search for and interpretation of evidence with ‘life experience’ and prejudice. The ‘guilty’ party is considered caught if he or she cannot defend themselves against the allegations made.

book 83 Read in German 🎧

 Lange Schatten über der Côte d’Azur

Murder in the Cemetery - Kommissar Duval delves into the eventful history of the Côte d'Azur.

The investigation into his eighth case takes Inspector Léon Duval back in time to the Second World War and the German occupation. Could what began then still have repercussions today? Once a year, on the commemorative days in November, the French polish the gravestones of their family graves and decorate them with chrysanthemums, asters and cyclamen. This is also the case in Cannes, at the historic Le Grand Jas cemetery. But on one of the graves in the Jewish section, a dead young man lies in a pool of blood. Duval takes over the investigation and soon learns that the young man was Jewish. Was it an anti-Semitic crime? Duval's superiors don't want to hear about it. And yet Duval does not rule out this possibility, and his search into the young man's life and surroundings revives a past that some would rather forget. But Duval also has a lot to deal with in his private life: new addition to the family Julie is teething, and girlfriend Annie is having trouble balancing motherhood and her career.

book 84 Read in German 

 Tödliche Oliven

Xavier Kieffer is a chef and head of the Deux Eglises restaurant in Clausen, a district in Luxembourg City. Once a year, he meets up with his oldest school friend, wine merchant Alessandro Colao, to spend a few days in Tuscany. Colao owns an old olive mill there, where he bottles his outstanding oils, and the trip also provides an opportunity to do some serious shopping for the restaurant.
But this time, everything goes wrong. First, Xavier oversleeps, and then he discovers that his friend left two days ago without him. Xavier drives to Tuscany on his own to look for his friend. At first, there is no trace of him, but Xavier makes an unwanted acquaintance with three armed men while searching for his friend in Colao's olive mill. At the last second, Xavier finds refuge in a large tank of olive oil, the contents of which are immediately poured into a lorry and stolen by the strangers. Xavier is very worried about his friend, but his curiosity is even greater. He discovers that Colaos' oil was apparently heavily adulterated and of poor quality. In financial difficulties, he also tried to blackmail an end customer, and so Xavier soon finds himself up against powerful opponents who do not tolerate witnesses.
Xavier Kieffer is not only a passionate cook and bon vivant, but also has a strong penchant for unusual criminal cases. As the clues in his current ‘case’ lead to Italy, it comes as no surprise to the reader that he soon finds himself at odds with the Mafia. Author Tom Hillenbrand does an excellent job of skilfully presenting culinary themes, criminal cases and local conditions (especially in Luxembourg) and mixing them into an exciting plot. At first, there is a lot of eating, drinking and smoking of Ducal cigarettes before the actual plot really gets going. As the title suggests, the story is about olives, in particular olive oil, and its sometimes memorable production.

>62 Ameise1: I was considering this from your description, but you commentary made me think better of it.

>67 labfs39: Hello Lisa, what exactly do you mean? Your message is a little overwhelming for me right now because I don't quite understand your reasoning. Could you please explain it to me again? Thank you very much.

>68 Ameise1: So sorry, Barbara! I meant I was considering adding Lazar to my wishlist based on the first part of your review, where you describe the plot. It sounded interesting. Then I read the end of your review and reconsidered because "certain parts are, in my opinion, too long and others too short" and its not covering WWII and its aftermath well, the two time periods in which I am most interested. I appreciate your bringing a new Hungarian author to my attention, but I'll skip this particular book. I apologize that my message was so truncated as to be unintelligible!

>69 labfs39: Lisa, thank you very much for your explanation, now I understand you.
Firstly, the author is a young Swiss man. His grandparents fled Hungary in 1957, like thousands of others. The escape route itself is well described. What I would have liked to see more detail on is the period from the end of the Second World War to the escape. As I know some of these Hungarian refugees, I know that these ten years are unfortunately still hushed up. I therefore believe that the author did not learn much from his grandparents.

Happy new-week's reading, Barbara!

>71 richardderus: Thanks so much, Rdear. I wish you a fabulous weekend.

My lazy October stats



Authors Gender and origin:

women: 3
men: 7

France: 1
Germany: 4
Sweden: 1
Switzerland: 2
UK: 2

>72 Ameise1: From your keyboard to the goddesses' inbox, Barbara.

book 85 Read in German 

 Grandhotel Giessbach. Das schwarze Gold

Henri Burkard is a journalist and Egyptologist in Cairo. In addition to writing, he supplements his income by trading Egyptian artefacts. Some time ago, he received a visit from Egloff, a member of the Orion Society for Progressive Issues. Egloff invited him to speak at the society's second congress in Switzerland. Henri is therefore hoping for lucrative business deals. He never imagined that his trip to Europe would involve greed, politics, espionage and intrigue. But no sooner has he arrived than he finds himself caught up in it all.
As soon as he arrives at the Hotel Giessbach, it becomes clear that this congress will be anything but ordinary. Some of the Orion shareholders have travelled from Bern to Interlaken on the airship LZ11 ‘Viktoria Luise’. Apparently, there has been a mysterious incident on board the Zeppelin. Henri's journalistic instincts are aroused. For the time being, however, he keeps a low profile and remains in the background as an observer. He first wants to get an idea of Orion and its members. All of them are influential businesspeople. But the Orion Society for Future Issues is an opaque construct.
At the same time, Amanda Ammon, the congress security officer, is fighting a far greater threat. Four years ago, the expert, who had travelled from Java, uncovered an attempted coup within the Orion Society – now Egloff wants her back at his side. And indeed, her team soon has to deal with a poison attack on the congress participants.
The novel is set in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War. The author's intensive research is evident on every page. He skilfully weaves historical details into his fictional plot. He places events in world history with great sensitivity. This is entertaining and conveys a wealth of interesting information. Almost in passing, he also takes readers on a journey to Switzerland, to the Bernese Oberland.
Many important protagonists who have something to hide appear. Gradually, their intentions become clear: Henri had to flee Egypt and hopes for a new start in Switzerland. Amanda does not want to be confronted with her past under any circumstances. She has started a new life in Java, but hopes for a special encounter in Switzerland. And then there are a number of shady characters who have a mission to fulfil. So there are many subplots and secondary characters, as well as changes in perspective.
This book is a very well-researched and interesting historical novel. Phil Brutschi knows how to make his narrative appealing and enrich it with political, social and scenic descriptions. The result is a lively story that brings to life the atmosphere of upheaval of that era.

>74 richardderus: smooch :-)

book 86 Read in German  🎧

 Stick Together

Inspector Anne Capetan has a team that no one else wants: drinkers, gamblers, weirdos. They have gained a new oddball member, a policeman who thinks he is D'Artagnan, the hero of Alexandre Dumas' novel The Three Musketeers. No one thinks much of them, especially when it comes to solving crimes. But anyone who underestimates the team is mistaken. Once again, the team of misfits is assigned a particularly juicy case: a murder on the open street, the victim a high-ranking police officer and Anne Capestan's ex-father-in-law. This gets Anne into trouble in several ways. How is she supposed to break the news to her ex-husband when she never wants to speak to him again? And that's just the beginning of a series of murders. And why is the leadership only putting obstacles in their way? But Anne's colleagues are not only crazy, they also have unconventional investigative methods.
This case was also an amusing listen. I'm already looking forward to the next case.

book 87 Read in German 

 Les derniers jours de nos pères

In 1940, young Paul-Emile hastily leaves his hometown of Paris. Not even his father knows where he is going. Paul has joined a secret espionage unit set up by Winston Churchill. With a handful of French volunteers, Stan, Gros, Flaron, Cucu and Laura, he is taught the art of secret warfare. The assignments are dangerous, and the missions seem never-ending. The group becomes a second family, bound together by loyalty, security, friendship and love. They hope to survive their final mission together.
The author recounts this lesser-known chapter in the history of the Resistance – the support of resistance movements in European countries occupied by Hitler's Germany by agents trained in Britain who had previously been recruited across Europe – in a style that is as exciting as it is accomplished. It is the story of a group of mainly young French people who grow together into a close-knit community during their training at various locations in Great Britain.
The focus is on the young Paul-Émile, called Pal by his comrades, who believes he can no longer remain inactive in the face of the fact that the Germans have occupied his homeland and are threatening the freedom of the whole of Europe and the world. With a heavy heart, he leaves his father overnight, to whom he is particularly close since a stroke of fate took their mother and wife years ago, and joins the service in London founded by Winston Churchill and inspired by guerrilla movements.
Dicker has cleverly placed a number of different characters around his central figure. When, at the end of their training, only eight men and one woman remain of the original 21 volunteers in Section F, the novel continues to follow their fates, focusing sometimes on one character, sometimes on another. The dangerous missions, between which they repeatedly return to London to receive new instructions, often separate the individual members of the group from one another. Nevertheless, each of them retains the feeling of belonging to a very special group, connected by more than just their temporary shared mission.
The 19-year-old priest Claude, ‘gentle as a girl’; Pal's great love Laura; the uncouth, ‘fearsome giant’ Faron; Gros, so called because of his size, who is more than fond of food; Prunier, the stutterer, who speaks as little as possible so as not to get tongue-tied; and Stanislas, the only non-Frenchman, respected by all because of his advanced age, a Francophone and Francophile lawyer and former fighter pilot – the novel takes them from one test to the next, presenting them to the reader as fighters, lovers, friends, comrades and traitors. And again and again, Pal's thoughts return to his father. Left alone in occupied Paris and unaware of the dangerous mission his son has embarked on, he is the anchor in his son's world. Pal does not want to disappoint his father; for him, he has set out into an uncertain, dangerous future; he wants to introduce him to his great love Laura as soon as possible – and to protect him, he will ultimately do terrible things and sacrifice himself.

Just dropping in to say hello and catch up!

Quite a few interesting books you have been reading.

>73 Ameise1: Doesn't look like lazy stats to me…..you had a fantastic reading month.

>79 figsfromthistle: Thank you very much, Anita.
By 'lazy' statistics, I don't mean the number of books I've read, but rather how I do it. I copy the image of the month from my app, count how many women and men there are and where they come from. That's all. I think this app is great for me, as I can always see how many pages I've read and how long I've listened to audiobooks. It's my little pleasure 😉.

>78 Ameise1: This sounds interesting. I like reading about WWII espionage. Usually nonfiction, but the occasional mystery or fiction too. Noting this title.

10 books doesn't sound lazy to me at all, Barbara. I think I read 8 books in October and that is a good number for me. Well, I don't count pages, time or anything, just the actual book I have read. Far too lazy to do anything more, Barbara.

Oh my. I was so far behind. Caught up now. Hope you and your family are all well

You are keeping an interesting thread going, Barbara.

Unfortunately a lot of the books you have read are unavailable here in Holland, not translated. It’s a pity, it seems we are looking more to the English language books right now, than to other sources. But Joël Dicker has been translated, and my library does have some of his books. I’ll be trying one of those, as you have me convinced he’s a good writer.

Have a good time in your next reading month, lazy or not.

>81 labfs39: Hello Lisa, I could well imagine that you would like this book. I am slowly but surely becoming a fan of Joël Dicker.

>82 vancouverdeb: Hello Deborah, I have an app that counts the pages or hours/minutes. By “lazy”, I don't mean the number of books I've read/listened to, but rather that I only write down the authors' origins and their gender.

>83 Nickelini: Hello Joyce, it's nice to see you here. We're all doing well again. My grandsons didn't exactly have a great autumn. First, Juri (the older one) broke his arm. He just fell awkwardly. Luckily, he quickly got used to the plaster cast. No sooner had he had the cast removed than Timo took an unfortunate tumble and almost bit his tongue off. He had to stay in hospital for four days after the operation because he didn't want to eat or drink. They even had to put him on a feeding tube. Our daughter Isabelle stayed with him the whole time, of course, so we looked after Juri in the meantime. Both boys are now back to full fitness and keep Thomas and me on our toes. They often stay over with us.

>84 EllaTim: Thank you very much, Ella. Yes, you're right, my reading is actually very varied. I can highly recommend Joël Dicker. I love his books. We'll be arriving in Maastricht on Thursday in a week's time. I'm looking forward to being back in the Netherlands again.

So, now I still have to write reviews for five books. I'm unlikely to manage them all today. Tonight I have my RL book club meeting. I'm curious to hear what the others think of the book we read together, Lázár.

book 88 Read in German 

 Über die Toten nur Gutes

What happens after death in Glücksburg on the Baltic Sea? A speech by Mads Madsen. It's not always easy: when someone dies, there are a lot of lies. Speak only good of the dead, they say, but who were they really? For Mads, it's often like playing detective.
One night, he receives a mysterious message from the afterlife: his old friend Patrick is dead. His last wish: a speech by Mads. So Mads, who hasn't had any contact with Patrick for years, sets out on the trail of the past. He quickly realises that Patrick was anything but the nice boy next door. Why did he really have to die?
Soon Mads finds himself caught up in a web of secrets and lies that threatens not only him, but also those he loves most: his eccentric father Fridtjof, his best friend Fiete, who is newly in love, and his loyal Maltese dog Bobby. And the only person who could help him, the perpetually bad-tempered Chief Inspector Luisa Mills, thinks he's a conspiracy theorist. Mads realises that the next speech he writes will be his own. Unless he can pull off one last trick.

book 89 Read in German 🎧

 Nebelopfer

The fifth instalment of the Elbmarsch crime series featuring Frida Paulsen and Bjarne Haverkorn begins with a hanged man with a message dangling around his neck. It contains a confession of having given false testimony in a court case years ago. Haverkorn, who is in his last year of service before retirement, still remembers the old case.
Farmer Cord Johannsen was convicted of murdering his two sons and his wife and has been in prison ever since. Was a mistake made during the investigation, which took place over 20 years ago? That would mean a major judicial scandal.
In order to re-examine the old case and at the same time track down the murderer of the hanged witness, a new member is assigned to the Itzehoe homicide squad: Leonard Bootz, a former SWAT officer. This is the first change in the series. While Haverkorn is transferred to a cold case team in Kiel, Bootz literally takes his place.
Frida Paulsen is not at all happy that the newcomer, who immediately made himself unpopular with her with a precocious comment, is now supposed to share her office and that her well-liked colleague Haverkorn is otherwise occupied for the time being. However, Frida Paulsen quickly discovers something she has in common with Bootz.
Two police colleagues who can't stand each other and prefer to follow their own intuition rather than listen to their boss – conflicts are inevitable. However, with their special intuition, the two may also have exactly what it takes to uncover discrepancies in the old triple murder case. In any case, they have to get along, for better or worse, to find out who really murdered the Johannsen family back then.
Because that is the demand that is made unmistakably by the hanged witness and the message, at the latest when another witness from the trial against Cord Johannsen is found hanged.

book 90 Read in German 

 Wut und Liebe

Noah is an artist in his early thirties. His girlfriend Camilla's salary is just enough for the two of them. However, Camilla had hoped for more from life, which is why she breaks up with Noah. It is a rational decision, but when, if not now, should she take control of her future? Noah is willing to do anything to win back his lost love. When an elderly lady offers him the chance to come into a fortune, he agrees to a dubious deal with her.

Suter is a renowned author in Switzerland. Several of his books have also been adapted for the theatre. We recently saw one such play. However, I am increasingly struck by how similar his stories are. The basic theme is different, but when I read them, I keep having a feeling of déjà vu. I got this book from my neighbour to read; I don't think I would have borrowed it from the library.

>85 Ameise1: Visiting Maastricht Barbara? A very nice city. Be sure to try a piece of vlaai, Limburg's specialty. Will you be staying long?

>89 EllaTim: Ella, we spent a few days in Maastricht last year visiting our daughter, who was studying there. We really like the city and, of course, we ate vlaai. We went to the legendary https://www.bisschopsmolen.nl/. I'm going to visit again this year.

book 91 Read in German 

 The Safe Place

Emily receives a fantastic offer from her boss Scott: he invites her to move into his family estate on the French coast. There, she is to assist Scott's wife Nina as a nanny for Aurelia. Excessive luxury awaits Emily at Querencia, the graceful Nina beguiles her with her charm, and balmy evenings by the pool pass in summery carefreeness. But appearances can be deceiving. At first, Emily turns a blind eye to the inconsistencies that don't fit in with the image of the flawless family. But inexplicable things are going on in the house. Scott and Nina are hiding something. Aurelia is not a normal child. Emily begins to ask questions – and realises too late what role she plays in this insidious game.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. In places it was very exciting, and then again, well, very predictable.

book 92 Read in German 🎧

 Unschuld

When everyone is lying. And no one is innocent. Molly Carver has thirty-five days to prove her father's innocence. He has been in prison for years for the murder of sixteen-year-old Casper Rosendale – now the sentence is about to be carried out. In search of answers, Molly returns to the East Coast village of her childhood. Under a false name, she begins working as a housemaid for the Rosendales, a family that was once more influential than the Rockefellers... Takis Würger paints an emotional and haunting portrait of a society full of contradictions and shows us what really goes on behind the glittering facades of this world.
The book follows the rules of the genre in every respect and gives its readers exactly what they expect: a wrongfully accused father, a daughter who wants to save him from the death penalty, a rich villain, death, money and violence. And everything, of course, neatly sorted into right and wrong. And yet the book didn't really grab me.

>85 Ameise1: Hello Joyce, it's nice to see you here. We're all doing well again. My grandsons didn't exactly have a great autumn. First, Juri (the older one) broke his arm. He just fell awkwardly. Luckily, he quickly got used to the plaster cast. No sooner had he had the cast removed than Timo took an unfortunate tumble and almost bit his tongue off. He had to stay in hospital for four days after the operation because he didn't want to eat or drink. They even had to put him on a feeding tube. Our daughter Isabelle stayed with him the whole time, of course, so we looked after Juri in the meantime. Both boys are now back to full fitness and keep Thomas and me on our toes. They often stay over with us.

Oh my!! Poor kids, poor parents! That's drastic

>90 Ameise1: Nice link, Barbara. A good place to visit.

Barbara, are you getting some snow? Nina had a bit in Luzern today, and I hear France is supposed to get lots soon.

I see that Zurich, like Luzern, is the same Koppen climate classification as Vancouver (Cfb). I find this very puzzling because our climate is influenced by the Pacific ocean. While you are famously landlocked. But yet, since Nina has been in Luzern since 2018, our weather is so often the same. But not this time -- drizzly and 8 degrees here. Typical November in Vancouver.

Just dropping in to say hello. Hope all is well.

>89 EllaTim: >90 Ameise1: Of course, I had to google "vlaai", and now I'm hungry...

>93 Nickelini: thanks Joyce

>94 EllaTim: Yes, it's actually good there.

>95 Nickelini: Lucerne gets snow much sooner than Zurich. I'm sorry to hear that you're having bad weather.
We arrived in Maastricht an hour ago and it's wet and very cold.

>96 figsfromthistle: Anita, I'm fine. We're travelling by train again. From last Sunday until today, we were in Bonn. Now we're in Maastricht until Sunday. After that, we're going to Luxembourg for four nights and from there to Colmar before returning home on 5 December.

>97 Dilara86: I'm sure you would love this cake.

Hi Barbara, hope you are having a wonderful trip. It has been a while since I visited and your review of the Josephone Tey murder mystery An Expert in Murder inspired me to put that book on hold in the library. I have a number of that series in the stacks but not the first one.

What a November you had! Better, brighter December ahead!

I wish you a peaceful Christmas season with your family and friends and a good start to 2026 with lots of good books.

Hi Barbara. I hope you are doing well? Wishing you a happy Christmas season.

Double post. Oops.

>99 Familyhistorian: >100 richardderus: >101 SirThomas: >102 EllaTim: Dear all, thank you so much for keeping my thread alive. We had a wonderful trip – more on that later – I now have to write a few reviews.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas.

book 93 Read in German 🎧

 The Dead Will Tell

Even though it has been some time since I read this series, I immediately recognised the main characters.
1979: An Amish father and four of his children die in a botched robbery. His wife is kidnapped by the perpetrators and never seen again. Only fourteen-year-old Billy Hochstetler survives this horrific night. 2014: Everyone in Painters Mill knows that the abandoned Hochstetler family farm is haunted. But only a few know what really happened that night. And now, one by one, they are being brutally murdered. Who has uncovered their secret?
This volume is also very suspenseful. It took me a while to suspect who the culprit might be.
I'm already looking forward to the next instalments, most of which I have as audiobooks.

book 94 Read in German 

 Wenn das Wasser steigt

I am a big fan of Dolores Redondo and have now read all of her books that have been published in German.
This book also gripped me from the very first page. As always, she knows exactly how to weave facts about the cult from the Basque Country, and this time also from Scotland, into a captivating crime novel.
A brutal serial killer. A terminally ill detective. A city threatened by a deluge. Police officer Noah Scott has a heart condition and knows that his time is limited. But he is obsessed with solving the mystery of serial killer John Bible, who murdered young women in the late 1960s and was never caught. Now, in 1983, Noah follows a new lead that takes him to Bilbao. He knows that the killer is hiding here and scours the city, whose austere beauty captivates him, until a once-in-a-century flood threatens to engulf everything.

My lazy November stats



Authors Gender and origin:

women: 5
men: 5

France: 1
Germany: 3
Spain: 1
Switzerland: 3
UK: 1
USA: 1

book 95 Read in German 

 Im Ministerium der Lügen: Ein russischer Diplomat über Moskaus Machtspiele, seinen Bruch mit dem Putin-Regime und die Zukunft Russlands

An unprecedented look behind the scenes of Russian foreign policy: How does the Russian Foreign Ministry work? Who are these people, how do they think, and what motivates them to act? How did Russian foreign policy develop up to the war in Ukraine, what drove it, and what forces were at play?
Boris Bondarev was one of very few who resigned from Russian public service in protest against the war of aggression against Ukraine, doing so publicly. For over twenty years, he held various positions in the Russian Foreign Ministry and the diplomatic service, experiencing the authoritarianism, corruption and incompetence of the Russian authorities.
He is Russian and a democrat. Since his resignation, he has been living in exile under strict security measures, and he wants to return – to a different Russia without Putin.
With a clear view of the present and sharp criticism of Russia's cruel policy of aggression, he also contributes to what is now important: making the right considerations and being prepared to support Russia and, above all, the Russian people on their way back to a democratic order.
This book was an impressive eye-opener for me, and I kept asking myself why despots are constantly treated with kid gloves.

book 96 Read in German 🎧

 Todland

Half a year has passed since the devastating terrorist attack on a Copenhagen Christmas market, which left deep scars on the Danish population. Police Commissioner Martin Juncker and Police Assistant Nabiha Khalid have since been transferred to the Violent Crime Unit in Næstved. While the two are investigating the death of lawyer Ragner Stephansen, Charlotte Junckersen, a journalist and the investigator's wife, receives an anonymous tip: the terrorist attack on 23 December, which left numerous people injured and 19 dead, could allegedly have been prevented. Ironically, the military intelligence service seems to have a keen interest in concealing the truth – and Martin Juncker is also said to have been involved in the cover-up.
When Charlotte confronts her husband with the information, he denies everything in order to protect them both. Juncker knows from his investigations into the terrorist attack that the people behind it are not to be trifled with. The journalist receives support from Juncker's former colleague Signe Kristiansen. However, when Charlotte's mysterious informant is brutally murdered, the investigator finds herself in a serious conflict, because no one must find out about her contact with Charlotte. When she sets out alone to find the perpetrator, the inspector uncovers an incredible conspiracy that reaches into the highest circles of Danish politics and in which the murdered lawyer Stephansen was also involved.

The second volume of this series also gripped me from the very first moment. I'm looking forward to the next one.

book 97 Read in German 🎧

 The Guilty

Even killers have worries... Will Robie is the US government's most professional and best contract killer. He infiltrates the world's most hostile countries, overcomes the most advanced security measures and eliminates threats before they even reach America. But then, suddenly, Robie fails. During an overseas mission, he can't bring himself to pull the trigger. Without his deadly skills, Robie is a man without a mission or purpose in life. To get back what he has lost, he must face what he has been trying to forget for 20 years: his own past.
He returns to his hometown because his father is in prison, claiming to have committed murder, which Will strongly doubts. At his father's house, he also meets his stepmother, who is the same age as him, and his little stepbrother, whom he quickly takes to his heart. With the help of his colleague Jessica, who repeatedly helps him out of awkward situations, he tries to come to terms with the past, which turns out to be no easy task.
I also really enjoyed this volume.

book 98 Read in German 

 Der Polarkreis

I borrowed this book from my RL Book Club colleague and was not disappointed. I am already looking forward to the next books by this author.
In a small town in northern Sweden, a dilapidated bridge pier reveals a gruesome secret: the headless corpse of a young woman. It quickly becomes clear that this must be Sofia, who disappeared without a trace forty years earlier. Back then, five teenage girls used to meet regularly in a book club they called the Arctic Circle. What happened that fateful summer? Shortly after the terrible discovery, the four remaining women from the book club meet again for the first time to answer this question. It quickly becomes clear that something in the girls' relationship must have triggered the crime.
Marklund now recounts how their different lives also form a kind of social panorama of different social classes. During the investigation, it emerges that Sofia prostituted herself to the Americans who were testing rockets in the vast Swedish countryside, just like her friend Carina. However, the investigation progresses slowly because the witnesses' memories of that time have faded – which is quite appealing because the narrative takes a lot of time to shed light on the fates of the characters, but also on Sweden's past.

>108 Ameise1: I kept asking myself why despots are constantly treated with kid gloves

I ask myself that a lot. Standing up to bullies is the only way to stop them, so why do governments act like Putin is a legitimate leader? Bill Browder opened my eyes to the massive theft Putin's been perpetrating, and since then I've been right pissy about anyone acting like he's a valid leader.

Merry merry, Barbara!

>108 Ameise1: Interesting review. I hope the book gets translated to English.

I hope your Christmas was a merry one, Barbara. All the best for 2026!

>112 richardderus: I'm right there with you, Rdear.

>113 labfs39: Fingers crossed that this will happen one day, Lisa.

>114 Familyhistorian: Thank you very much Meg, we had some lovely family meetings. Happy New Year to you too.

book 99 Read in German 

 The Book of Lost Hours

I read this book as part of a Book Circle reading group. It is a fantasy novel, and although this is not necessarily my genre, it gripped me from the very beginning. It is divided into chapters, with each chapter changing the “time zone”. Sometimes you are “somewhere in time” and then again in “real life in the 1960s”. These changes are not unpleasant, and you switch quite naturally from one time to another, getting to know the characters better and better.
Lisavet, the main character, is hidden by her father in the period during Kristallnacht. Her character is portrayed in the book, at first very subtly and later more predictably. With Amelia, it is more obvious who she is and what role she has to play. At the beginning, I found her to be a very strong character with many feelings and fears.
Another narrative strand is the “time keepers” who erase memories. At the beginning, these are the Nazis, then the Russians and Americans. This aspect could also be viewed politically, in terms of how memories are manipulated, fake news, etc. My conclusion at the end was that we need to be concerned about the manipulation of our memories (especially in global politics). I also thought about AI, which, in my opinion, can distort our knowledge and thinking, and not necessarily in a positive way. AI and the manipulation of today's politicians and despots are a danger. Who can stop this?
The first two-thirds of the book were easy to read and, in my opinion, coherent and exciting. Unfortunately, the tension flattened out considerably in the last third. It seemed to me as if the author was trying to bring the story to a conclusion so that everything would be “peace, joy and pancakes” in the end. The characters, who were strong at the beginning, lost their power, wit and strength. Likewise, this part did not always seem coherent to me. It's a shame, really, because the book started off strong.

book 100 Read in German 

 Mord im Grand Hotel Matterhorn

The author had always wanted to write a crime novel featuring a female detective à la Miss Marple. Without further ado, she invented Libby Andersch, who actually shares many of Miss Marple's idiosyncrasies.
The Grand Hotel Matterhorn has seen better days. In any case, it could be described as a sham: there has never been a sun terrace with a panoramic view; to catch a glimpse of Europe's most famous mountain, to which it owes its name, guests have to take a chairlift up the mountain – and hope for good weather. The sprightly pensioner Libby Andersch and her eleven-year-old neighbour Noah have ended up here rather involuntarily. They actually want to travel to Zermatt on the Glacier Express, but a snowstorm prevents them from continuing their journey. Stranded with them is a film crew, who quickly change their plans and shoot in the disused mountain hotel instead of an exquisite Belle Époque house. Until the leading actress Gwendolin is found lying in the foyer with a broken neck. Since the hotel is completely snowed in and cut off from the outside world, those present have little choice but to suspect each other. Libby Andersch's investigative skills are called for!
It was an amusing read, but I still felt it lacked a little substance. In any case, I will read the next volume in this series, which has just been published.

My lazy December stats



Authors Gender and origin:

women: 3
men: 3

Denmark: 1
Sweden: 1
Switzerland: 1
Russia: 1
USA: 2

I would be delighted to see you again in 2026.
My thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/377065#n9053992