Familyhistorian Takes Life (and Reading) as it Comes - Part 3

Well, last year threw a monkey wrench into the works. I don’t know what this year will bring but there will be books and talk about books. That’s something to look forward to.

I didn’t quite meet my goal for reading and sending books from my personal library on their way in 2025. Still 77 recycled out of a goal of 100 is nothing to be sneezed at and it outpaced my acquisitions. Maybe I’ll do better in 2026.



Little Free Library

Books culled in 2026

January - 6

February - 7

March - 4

BLOG


I write about genealogy and history on my blog. It helps to have a deadline when there are so many unwriterly tasks to be done. Follow my blog posts as I embark on another year of writing about my genealogical explorations and the information I find out about my ancestors. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges

Nonfiction Challenge

January – Prize Winners - The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale - DONE
February – All That Jazz - Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans by Gary Krist - DONE
March – Off the Beaten Path Religious Sects - American Cult: A Graphic History of Religious Cults in America from the Colonial Era to Today by Robyn Chapman (others) - DONE
April – Internal Matters
May – Been there. Bought the t-shirt
June – Who Built that Beautiful Building and Why?
July – US revolution years from 1760 to 1788
August – Tweet, Tweet
September – Talk, Talk – Linguistics
October – Diaspora
November – Epistolography
December – Bibliography

Reading Through Time

January – Retellings of Classics - My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy - DONE
February – Agents of change, unexpected events that change the course of lives - The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher - DONE
March – Slavery in the Antebellum South - The House Girl by Tara Conklin - DONE
April – Spring
May – It Happened in May
June – Love & Marriage
July – The Lives of Wives
August – Holidays/Vacations
September – Daughters
October –
November –
December –

Quarterly

Jan – March – 19th Century – excluding the Americas - Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas - DONE

List of books for challenges

Nonfiction Challenge

January - Prize Winners - Shortlisted for the 2020 Baillie Gifford prize The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story

February - All That Jazz - Empires of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans by Gary Krist

Reading Through Time

January – Retellings of Classics - My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy

February - Agents of Change - The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher

Shared reads

We Begin at the End April

Books read in 2026

8. Books read in February 2026

1. Dying Games by Steve Robinson
2. Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
3. The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale
4. Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent
5. King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
6. Little Boy Blue by M. J. Arlidge
7. Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane
8. Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann
9. The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
10. Finding Flora by Elinor Florence
11. Sharpe’s Fortress by Bernard Cornwell
12. Copper River by William Kent Krueger
13. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
14. Hide and Seek by M. J. Arlidge
15. The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher
16. Crashed by Timothy Hallinan
17. The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
18. A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge
19. Dead Money by Jakob Kerr

Books acquired in 2026

Books acquired in February 2026

Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin
The Silent Film Star Murders by Melodie Campbell
Liberty Street by Heather Marshall

11. Books counting towards Thingaversary

1. The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins
2. Make (Sneaky) Art by Nisant Jain
3. Valentine in Montreal by Heather O’Neill
4. The Armor of Light by Ken Follett
5. Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
6. Down Cemetery Road by Mick Herron
7. Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
8. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
9. Unnatural Causes by P.D. James
10. Standing in the Shadows by Peter Robinson
11. Rather Be the Devil by Ian Rankin

February stats

Books read: 19
Pages read: 6237 (books may have been started in months previous to the one in which they were counted)
Read pages counted in 2026: 12,643
Male authors: 8
Female authors: 11
Owned books: 3
Borrowed books: 16

Looks like I should cut down on my borrowed reads and start reading from my own book stacks!

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy New Thread, Meg .

>14 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>15 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah!

Happy new thread, Meg.

Happy new thread, Meg. You read a lot in February.

Happy new one, Meg.

Happy Sunday, Meg. Happy New Thread. I like the birdy topper. Starlings?

Happy new one, Meg!

>17 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley!

>18 BLBera: Thanks Beth, the books are serving as a distraction.

>19 katiekrug: Thanks Katie!

>20 msf59: I thought the picture of birds would catch your attention, Mark. Those aren't starlings if you were there in person you would know by the sound - they are crows. Thanks for the new thread wishes.

>21 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

Thingaversary update:

With the 11 books from 2025 counting towards my Thingaversary plus my one acquisition in January and the three more that I added in February I'm now at 15 out of 19 new books.

>24 Familyhistorian: A sort of delayed response Thingaversary?!

Happy new thread, Meg xx

>25 PaulCranswick: Don't you buy books to celebrate your Thingaversary (the number of years you've been on LT plus one for good luck)? Maybe you don't because in your case it wouldn't really work given the amount of tomes you bring in without an excuse.

Thanks for the new thread wishes, Paul.

Distractions and Books and talk about books=GOOD ✔️

Happy new thread Meg.

>27 mdoris: Thanks Mary. The bookish distractions do help.

I can't believed it is going to start raining tomorrow after such a beautiful day today,Meg. I wanted to let you know that there is new book coming up in The Detective Aunty series, which we both enjoyed last year. It is Moonlight Murder: A Detective Aunty Novel. I think I read about in the Globe and Mail, but I have put a hold on it at my local library. It's going to be purchased at my library and I can't remember the month.

>29 vancouverdeb: We got spoiled by several days of sun in a row. It doesn't help that there will now be days and days of rain in a row. The stretch of rainy days always seems to last so much longer some how.

Thanks for the heads up on Moonlight Murder: A Detective Aunty Novel, Deborah. I'll have to hunt that down.

> Moonlight Murder: A Detective Aunty Novel is out March 31, I just checked. Yes , rain for days and days . 🌧️

>31 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah. I have a look for it after March 31.

Happy new one!!

>33 Berly: Thanks Kim!

Happy new thread!

Hi - I'm Kim (too) :)

P.S. Happy New Thread!
P.P.S. I looked at some of your genealogy postings - I do genealogy also.

>35 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita!

>36 rowendelle: Hi Kim, thanks for visiting my thread. I hope you enjoyed the genealogy postings. Did you sign up for RootsTech? It's on now.

I'm behind on my visits to threads and in my posts about my reads as well. In part that's due to my son being back in hospital again so I visit daily and the rest of the time I mostly bury myself in a book. They may let him out this weekend, fingers crossed!

>39 Familyhistorian: I hope your son will be out on the weekend, Meg . Fingers crossed , indeed . That’s a tough time both you and Sam are having. I’m glad the books keep you going . I agree, this rain is tough to get used to after our lovely, sunny days .

>39 Familyhistorian: - Sorry to hear this, Meg. I hope this is just a short stay and that he will be home soon. Deep breaths.....

Thinking of you Meg. I am very glad that you have the books as good company!

>40 vancouverdeb: It sounded positive when I was in the hospital to visit him today but then they found something else that they have to explore further. Hopefully that won't delay things too much.

Supposedly it won't rain on the weekend or not much anyway. I'm sure we'd appreciate that, Deborah.

>41 jessibud2: The shorter the better, Shelley but he's been in for over a week now. At least he's been moved to a less monitored room which is a sign he's on the way to coming home.

>42 mdoris: The books are helping me along, Mary. It's kind of hard to keep up with some of my other regular activities at the moment.

Glad there are signs your son may be coming home soon. Wishing you and him both the best.

Thinking of you and Sam, Meg, with the best of wishes . I hope he is home very soon. I wouldn't worry about keeping up with your other activities right now . Just the drive alone is tiring, I'm sure. Hugs, Meg, big hugs.

I am sorry to hear about your son, Meg. Best wishes for both of you

I am very sorry to hear about your son, Meg. I hope everything comes out okay. Keep us updated.

>38 Familyhistorian:

Oh hi again Familyhistorian.

No, I didn't sign up for that. It's on where?

- Thanks and good to see you again.

>45 Familyhistorian: Meg i know that your life right now must be very full and demanding. Hope Sam comes home very soon.

>39 Familyhistorian: oh no! I hope he is able to get out of the hospital soon.

38. Kissing the Demons by Kate Ellis



Length: 215 pages

The third book in the Joe Plantagenet series involved a series of murders centered on one historic house that had been the place where a family had been murdered in the past but was now shared accommodation for students. Only now teenage girls were going missing. Was the house involved again? It was up to Joe to find out what was happening in Kissing the Demons.

>46 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba.

>47 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, actually he is now in Eagle Ridge Hospital which is at most a 15 minute drive so the drive isn't bad at all.

>48 BLBera: Thanks Beth. It has been a long road and still a long way to go.

>49 msf59: Hi Mark, I will post news when I can.

>51 mdoris: He might get home next week and then we'll find out when he goes back to the hospital to stay for another round of treatment.

>52 figsfromthistle: Me too, Anita.

39. Earth by John Boyne



Length: 166 pages

Two football stars (European football) were accused of sexual assault and the story of Earth starts on the eve of their trial. But nothing was a simple as it seemed because, as we learned through the point of view character, Evan Keough, who was the lesser of the two stars, he wasn’t drawn to the woman accuser, he was in thrall to the other star footballer. But was it as simple as that? As the revelations came it seemed like the POV character had devious but understandable reasons for his actions but he remained likeable for all that.

>50 rowendelle: You can access RootsTech online. It was on until today but many of the sessions were recorded so they can be viewed later. Have a look at the FamilySearch site which you can find at https://www.familysearch.org/

40. Murder in the Afternoon by Frances Brody



Length: 387 pages

I seem to be reading the Kate Shackleton mysteries out of order but Murder in the Afternoon was still an intriguing mystery. This case started when a woman, Mary Jane, came to Kate seeking help to find her missing husband. So, in spite of her misgivings, Kate was soon investigating in, Great Applewick, a small place where most of the men work in the quarry. Since this was just after WWI the men worked but agitated for better conditions (for men only, of course). Ethan, Mary Jane’s husband, was one of the chief agitators. Had that led to his disappearance or was something else to blame. This mystery would make Kate question many things, including her own family and future.

>44 Familyhistorian: So mooted to the goddesses, Meg. Sooner rather than later, please!

>57 Familyhistorian:

Thanks!

>39 Familyhistorian: Sorry to hear this. I hope he recovers soon!

41. Daughter of Daring by Mallory O'Meara



Length: 376 pages

I read Daughter of Daring for an online book club. The sticker on the cover declared that the book was about Helen Gibson, Hollywood’s First Stuntwoman. While some of Helen’s story was told, the narrative dwelled more on the early days of film and Hollywood. It was good but thought was that it possibly could have been two books, one about the Hollywood history and one about Helen Gibson.

>59 richardderus: It would be nice if it were sooner but probably will be later - maybe by the end of the week, Richard.

>60 rowendelle: I hope you are able to find the info about RootsTech on the site but have a look at the website too.

>61 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel. He may recover from the infection but that is only part of the battle, unfortunately.

>58 Familyhistorian: Nice cover, Meg. Looks like a fun book. I sure hope Sam is home sooner than later , Meg. We have a threat of snow in forecast tomorrow! Argh! 2 cm maybe! I am hoping they are wrong. It was a beautiful day today.

>63 Familyhistorian: I'll keep crossing things until it happens.

>62 Familyhistorian: I'll wager there just was not enough source material to craft a deep biography of her. Most of us leave very little in the way of a trail behind us as your genealogy-lovin' self knows.

>39 Familyhistorian: Me too. I'm playing catch-up on threads today. I really don't have a ton of completions to add because I've got so many books in process at the moment. One of those is getting close to being done. I may try to catch up in the morning. I want to make some fried pies then though so it could be afternoon before I get to it. If I don't get to it by then, it will likely be next week.

42. Black River by Nilanjana Roy



Length: 350 pages

A young girl was playing when a man and a woman met but their meeting wasn’t friendly and the woman didn’t survive it. Did the young girl understand? Better to be safe than sorry. But it was the young girl’s death and the people it affected that would be his downfall. But who was he?

It was a tale of modern India with its policing, its cities and small rural settlements, its poverty and strife, its big men and the roles that women fit into. Against this background and because of it, the story of Black River unfolded.

>66 vancouverdeb: Did you get snow today, Deborah? We did and it stayed on the ground for a bit then the rain came. It was cold and probably will be tomorrow too because the forecast is for more of the white stuff.

>67 richardderus: Thanks Richard, I'm hoping it will be by the end of the week but don't say that too loud or there will be another reason to keep him.

Actually there was more info about Helen Gibson that could have been included as one of the book club members was able to find out more about her family. (Not surprising as it is a book club of genealogists.) Someone else has already written a book about her too so maybe another such book would have been a hard sell.

>68 thornton37814: I hope you got somewhat caught up on the threads, Lori, that your fried pies turned out well and you got at least one of those books in progress finished.

>70 Familyhistorian: We were lucky in my neck of the woods, Meg , and no snow today. But it did rain for part of the day.

>70 Familyhistorian: Just for the record, Meg, I got no snow either over here!

>69 Familyhistorian: Intriguing - I will look out for that one.

>73 vancouverdeb: Very lucky, Deborah, but will you be as lucky tomorrow? It's supposed to snow then too. We might be at a higher elevation than you but still we usually only get snow on Westwood Plateau.

>74 PaulCranswick: What a surprise that you didn't get any snow, Paul! Black River was an interesting mystery which showed me a lot about modern India.

>71 Familyhistorian: I'll assume it's the hard-sell that stopped the duplication, given the existence of adequate documentation. If any group can find the goods, it's y'all genealogists!

I really enjoyed The Elements, which of course included Earth. I am a big fan of Boyne. He has been remarkably consistent over his career.

No snow south of you either :). Spring flowers are getting pretty serious though so hope we don't get snow now.

I really like Boyne's books too!

>75 Familyhistorian: Just light rain for most of the day, Meg. How about you ?

43. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare



Length: 373 pages

Sometimes life just calls for a book with a happy ending. I found that in The Governess Game where an unlikely woman takes a job as a governess to two wild but hurting orphan girls. She knows what they need but can she convince their guardian, a hardened (in his mind) libertine? We all know how that ends, don’t we?

>77 richardderus: Yes, genealogists are known for digging up the dirt.

>78 msf59: Earth was my first book by Boyne. Interesting that it was decided to split up the various stories in The Elements but I appreciated having something shorter to read. Have you read anything else by him, Mark?

>79 RebaRelishesReading: The spring flowers are getting serious here to the north of you too, Reba. On the news yesterday there was a photo shown of a snowy street with lots of cherry trees in bloom. It was an interesting contrast.

>80 mdoris: I liked Boyne's work. What have you read by him, Mary?

>81 vancouverdeb: We had rain too, Deborah, but I wouldn't call it light. At least it wasn't too windy when I was walking around with my umbrella.

>83 Familyhistorian: ...by the flatcar-load...so much that people hoped would be forgotten is insufficiently well-erased to escape y'all's collective curiosity. Thank goodness.

>84 Familyhistorian: I wonder why The Elements was split? I read the entire novel and loved it although in places it was hard to read. Boyne writes so beautifully.

Hi Meg. I have been following Boyne for a long time now. Anything he writes I pounce on it! So all 4 of the newly published Elements series, the 4 of them, Water, Earth, Fire, Air
and
All the Broken Places
The Heart's Invisible Furies
A History of Loneliness
A Ladder to the Sky

>85 Familyhistorian: I'll bet that was a pretty sight -- but I hope it doesn't kill the cherries.

We've been having colder/cooler weather again (in the 40's F/4 C) but so far my early camellia is bursting with color, the peonies have shoots up, and trees around town are getting ever more colorful.

44. Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans by Gary Krist



Length: 332 pages

I have some interesting books on my shelves. I pulled one for a reading challenge and found a very interesting history of New Orleans. I’m glad that I’d actually visited that city before reading Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans. The various threads in the title were woven into a very lively history.

>88 richardderus: Someone has to keep those holier than thou people looking over their shoulders and searchers digging into the past can do that.

>89 BLBera: I didn't realize that Earth was part of a larger story when I read it so maybe the publishers realized they could entice readers who like shorter books?

>90 mdoris: Thanks for the list, Mary. I'll have to check those out.

>91 RebaRelishesReading: I'm not sure that they have cherries, Reba. I don't remember seeing them on the ground and Vancouver and the surrounding cities have lots of trees. Maybe they're more ornamental? It sounds early for peonies but nice to see the signs of spring!

Last night it was windy here although I looked out the window and the trees near me weren't blowing about but after I'd gone to bed the lights went out. I was listening to an audio book on my phone so it didn't really affect me much although the glow of lights at the bottom of my blind was annoying as usual. The school behind me keeps its lights on and is on a different part of the grid.

>93 Familyhistorian: Awomen!

The past two night channel 20 has had the movies Pride and Prejudice and then Emma. They are such wonderful movies and my favourites and I love them with the happy endings!

>82 Familyhistorian: "Sometimes life just calls for a book with a happy ending"!

>96 Familyhistorian: Oh, I agree. If there are cherries they are just ornamental I think. I just don't want the trees to get hurt.

>98 richardderus: Oh yeah!

>99 mdoris: That sounds happy making, Mary.

>100 RebaRelishesReading: I think that the trees were big enough to have weathered many of Vancouver's strange weather patterns so not to worry, Reba.

My power was out again from just after 5 until 8 something then I went back on my computer and Firefox had changed everything. I've just spent hours getting back my email accounts and, most importantly, my LT account. I haven't explored any further to see what else needs fixing.

45. Bones Under the Ice by Mary Ann Miller



Length: 326 pages

In the small farming community of Field’s Crossing, Indiana, winter had set in with a vengeance and snow was piling up. The snow plows dumped the snow in the playground creating a hill for sledding only there was something buried in the snow – the body of a young woman. It was up to Sheriff Jhonni Laurent to find the killer. It wouldn’t be an easy task distracted as she was with the upcoming election for her job, a dissatisfied deputy in her department after the same position, his friend calling her down in his opinion pieces in the local paper, and the daughter she gave up 30 years ago reaching out to connect. Then more people started dying in the cold as things heated up in Bones Under the Ice.

>105 Familyhistorian: That sounds like a good one Meg!

46. Now You See Them by Elly Griffiths



Length: 354 pages
Audiobook

I’m reading the Magic Men series slightly out of order so it was a surprise to see Emma now a housewife and mother (and wanting more) and Max the magician now a movie star in Hollywood but back in Brighton for Now You See Them. In this case, girls were going missing and Edgar, now Superintendent, was on the case but soon everyone, including Emma had their hand in to figure out the perpetrator and find the missing girls.

>106 mdoris: Bones Under the Ice was very good and the start of a series, Mary.

47. Bog Queen by Anna North



Length: 264 pages

For Agnes, the anthropologist, the body found in a bog in northwest England needed to be seen and explored for the secrets it could reveal but she was only one voice in Bog Queen. A group of environmentalists wanted to prevent the peat from being harvested making it impossible to explore the remains and anything that was with the body but they were only part of the present day story. There was also a story from the past, from the time of Druids so it was a dual timeline story. Added to that the moss also had a voice and it was present through both timelines and before and after them as well. It was interesting and easy to follow even if my description sounds confusing.

Going great guns with the reading, Meg. A lovely , sunny day today, but not tomorrow. I hope you were able to fit a walk in.

>109 Familyhistorian: I really liked Bog Queen. And the cover is gorgeous.

So far it is sunny here, Meg. Fingers crossed for the rest of the day.

48. The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller



Length: 287 pages

Freya turned her back on the world of antiques when her lover was killed and she felt her mentor had betrayed her. She opted for the more stable world of being a wife and mother. That wasn’t as stable or welcoming as she thought it would be. With the death of her former mentor it was time to explore how the past and present had colluded to end with her mentor’s murder. Was the murder in the past linked to the murder of her mentor in the present? It was up to her to follow the clues in The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder to find out the truth.

>110 vancouverdeb: >112 vancouverdeb: Yesterday and most of today were nice and sunny here too, Deborah, but from the sounds of things, there's a lot of rain coming down now.

>111 BLBera: The cover of Bog Queen was sumptuous, Beth. Good story too although I did keep getting bogged down in the historic bits knowing that something bad would eventually happen.

When I went by the gas station this morning the price was $2.04 a litre, so I went by to fill up later after my meeting was over. It seems I wasn't the only one with that idea because the pumps were all taken and I had to wait my turn, on a weekday with a high price! Just goes to show that everyone wanted to get there before the price went even higher.

>116 Familyhistorian: I noticed it was $1.95 at the pumps when I drove by one today . The consequences of the Iran War, I guess. Surprisingly, it did not rain this afternoon! It is now though.

>117 vancouverdeb: $1.95 is cheaper than it was here, Deborah. Have you made it outside today? It would be a good one to stay in, it's raining buckets!

>118 Familyhistorian: It’s not raining here yet, Meg! Move to Richmond! 😎🌞😉It really is not raining yet.

Sun is pouring in here at the moment but I fear it won't last. Yikes on the gas price. How high will it go?

>119 vancouverdeb: It rained all day here and this morning the rain was so heavy I saw rivers of wet in the Save On parking lot.

>120 mdoris: No sun here, Mary, just rain and more rain. Gas was still the same price today so maybe it has peaked? Probably not.

Hi Meg! Happy Wednesday.

I’ve done quite a bit of skimming to get caught up. I love your first attempt at Urban Land Scape Drawing as a topper of your last thread.

>4 Familyhistorian: I didn’t even get back further than your most recent blog post, but from that I went to familysearch, thinking about my Scottish ancestors. The AI assistant had my husband's maternal grandfather listed as someone for me to view, and on a whim I looked for a relationship, expecting none. Well, it turns out that he was my 11th cousin. I told Bill that fortunately, we didn’t have to worry about inbreeding. Jenna’s safe. 😊

Hi Meg. Gas is $4.85/gallon in my little town. It makes me even more glad that we intentionally retired to a small, walkable town. Still, sometimes one simply must drive. 😑

I’ve been seeing Bog Queen on bookshop tables….

Sweet Thursday, Meg. I hope all is well with you. I had Empire of Sin on my TBR a number of years ago but it eventually drifted off like so many do. I have added it again. 😀

>123 karenmarie: Interesting about the cousin relationship between you and your husband, Karen. It's surprising the connections to be found now that we know how.

The lecture on Scottish weather in the early 1800's was really interesting and opened my eyes to one of the reasons that so many left the area. It was so cold that some years there was snow in August, not the best for communities dependant on farming. Apparently the weather in North America was no better at the time.

Is Jenna complaining of the never ending rain yet?

>124 EBT1002: Actually the price of gas went down after I filled up. But you never know. I don't live in a small walkable town but find that I can walk to stores and take transit if I want to go further. Although lately, with all the rain, walking has been a challenge.

Bog Queen is a good one, Ellen. Maybe it's time to pick one up off that table or borrow it from the library?

>125 msf59: It was the nonfiction challenge for jazz that prompted me to take Empire of Sin off the shelf, Mark. It's a good one. I've also got City of Scoundrels: The 12 Days of Disaster That Gave Birth to Modern Chicago by Krist. Have you read that one?

Unfortunately things aren't that well with me or rather my son who I am supporting through illness but reading is helping.

>128 Familyhistorian: I am sorry to read that things are not going so well with your son - and you with his illness, Meg. I think of you both often. Hugs, Meg. I'm glad that reading is helping.

>129 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah, it has been and continues to be a long journey.

49. The House Girl by Tara Conklin



Length: 372 pages

On the surface, The House Girl was a dual timeline story of a female slave in Virginia in the 1850s and a female lawyer in present day New York. The link between the two the fact that the lawyer was looking for a descendant of slaves for a reparations case. But it was about more than that as both protagonists were female, their power muted because of their gender creating so many more complications for them.

‘Morning, Meg!

>126 Familyhistorian: They’re not complaining of the rain per se, just that sometimes driving in it is irritating. I frequently ask if they’ve mildewed yet.

>128 Familyhistorian: Oh Meg, so sorry to hear that. Wishing you strength and comfort.

I'm thinking of you lots too Meg. You are very much in my thoughts!

50. Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger



Length: 280 pages

My latest read in the Cork O’Connor series was Thunder Bay. The title made me wonder because I know where Thunder Bay is in Canada but perhaps this was also the name of a bay close to O’Connor’s stomping ground but much of the action did take place in Ontario. Some of it was in the past, in the youth of Henry Meloux, Cork’s mentor. It also involved gold, a reclusive millionaire and plenty of the action I’ve come to expect from these reads.

>132 karenmarie: Hi Karen, it didn't rain today! Yeah, the rain was hard to drive in when it was coming down relentlessly. I took a walk of 5 or 6 blocks and my jeans were soaked through.

>133 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, it has been a long road for us both.

>134 mdoris: Thanks Mary, every thought helps!

Thinking of you, Meg and Sam. It was a nice day today and yesterday, weather wise. I walked in short sleeves on Friday and maybe could have done so today. My nephew went to an aviation school in Thunder Bay , so I know a little about it. He just got a job with a small airline in Indonesia. More or less bush pilot flying , which is how you build commercial hours. Much braver that I am, but it's how my brothers and dad started, though they started in Northern Canada - or at least my brothers did. I'm not sure about my dad.

51. Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody



Length: 356 pages

I always like to see where a series began and for the Kate Shackleton Mysteries it began with Dying in the Wool. Kate was asked by a soon to be bride to find the bride’s father, the respected owner of a textile mill, who disappeared without a trace years ago. This was Kate’s first real case so she had to figure out how to go about it. She reluctantly agreed that she needed help when her father, a police superintendent, suggested she hire Jim Sykes on spec to help with the current case that had a tight deadline. Good thing too, as it was even more complicated than anticipated but a good story, nonetheless.

>139 vancouverdeb: It felt warmer yesterday than today, Deborah. There was a cool wind today. It must be a challenge getting those commercial flying hours. There were no pilots in my family except my father's half brother who was in the RAF in WWI and he didn't go on to be a commercial pilot. I'm not sure about his son, my half cousin who flew in WWII but I don't think he became a pilot after the war either.

52. The Vanishing Box by Elly Griffiths



Length: 351 pages

When I read Now You See Them it felt like too much time had gone by from the last book I had read in the series. All of a sudden Edgar was superintendent with three children and Max was visiting Brighton because he had moved to Hollywood and made good there. It felt like there was a missing link and now that I’ve read The Vanishing Box I’ve found that link.

The story of The Vanishing Box was set in winter not the most promising time to visit Brighton especially as a serial killer was on the lose targeting show girls in the show where Max and Ruby were headlining as Magician and Daughter. Edgar and his squad including policewoman, Emma, were on the case. Even though the case was solved, most of the characters were left wanting a change which was what I saw enacted in the next book in the series which I read out of order. It all makes sense now.

>128 Familyhistorian: I had to double-check and the answer is yes, I have read and enjoyed City of Scoundrels. I am sure the Chicago connection got me on that one.

Sorry to hear about the continuing issues with your son. Is he getting better?

Hi Meg. I hope Sam can turn the corner soon and that both of you catch a break. {{hugs}}

I heard the words *atmospheric river* tossed around in the weather reports from BC. I hope that, too, passes quickly. Here, we just have chilly temps, gray skies and rain. Still, anything above zero is welcome!

>143 msf59: I figured the Chicago connection would have been the draw with City of Scoundrels for you, Mark.

My son is better than he was but he still has a long way to go.

>144 jessibud2: Well he did get out of hospital yesterday for a side issue. Now the treatment plan will need to be rewritten.

The atmospheric river passed but it did some damage causing a landslide that involved some homes a few kilometres up the road from me. Then there was sun for a few days. I've seen more than one landscaper mowing lawns in the rain lately. I hope that your snow is melting in the above zero temperatures, Shelley.

>146 Familyhistorian: So glad to read that your son is better and sending good thoughts for good progress towards restored health and strength for both of you on the journey.

>146 Familyhistorian: Out of hospital is good! Treatment plans can be adjusted with expectations of good results to come, I'm hoping. Much, much goodwill surrounds you both. I'm adding my mite every day.

Sending all my best to you and your son, Meg. I hope the road gets a bit easier for you both soon.

>142 Familyhistorian: I read the first one in this series and didn't pick up the next, but you are tempting me to go back to it. What did you make of her new time travelling series? I am on the list for the second one at the library.

Glad your son is out of the hospital now.

Hi Meg. I'm sorry to hear that your son was not doing well but happy to read that he is now home with you. Getting out of the hospital probably makes him feel better. It certainly has been a long road for the two of you. I am going to spend Easter over in Victoria and since it's been a year since I was last there, I am looking forward to it. I hope he books continue to help you along.

53. A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody



Length: 421 pages

While I was reading the story some parts of A Medal for Murder seemed familiar. I was almost at the end when I checked LT and I had read it before in May of 2025. I still had to read to the end to figure out who done it. Here is my review from the first time I read it:

I don’t know why I didn’t look for books in the Kate Shackleton mystery series in the library before but the penny finally dropped and I found they had lots. So I read A Medal for Murder. Her second case took Kate Shackleton to Harrogate. She and Sykes were on the case to recover or at least find out the items that had been stolen from Mr. Mooney, the pawnbroker. It seemed fairly straight forward, that is until the pair ended up in Harrogate where they got mixed up with an amateur acting troupe with plots of their own. When a disliked man ended up stabbed, things became more serious and interesting as Inspector Charles entered the story. I’ll be looking for my next installment of this series sooner rather than later.

>147 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, the journey is a long one with a lot of ups and downs. Thanks for your good thoughts!

>148 richardderus: Out of hospital is good for sure, Richard. It's only for a short while though before he goes back for more treatment. Thanks for the goodwill you are sending our way!

>149 charl08: Thanks Charlotte, it's a road with lots of bumps in it!

The Ruth Galloway series seems to have been more popular than the Brighton series but I do enjoy reading about Max Mephisto and Edgar Stephens and the rest of the cast. Time travel series? What time travel series? I'll have to check that out!

>150 thornton37814: Thanks Lori!

>151 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, yes he's happy to be out of the hospital and eating real food again. He's back in SMH next week though for more treatment.

Have a wonderful time in Victoria and a Happy Easter!

I'm sure your son is enjoying his time at home and eating real food, Meg. Best wishes for the time at SMH next week. I think of you and Sam often.

>158 vancouverdeb: He's making up for lost time when it comes to food, Deborah. The thoughts are helping because it looks like things are going in a positive direction.

Happy Saturday, Meg. How is your son? He is home now?

Just a reminder- we are reading We Begin at the End in April. I will be starting it next weekend.

>159 Familyhistorian: "things are going in a positive direction" -- hooray!! More positive thoughts on the way.

HI Meg, I am so pleased with your news about Sam. Sure hope the positive continues!

Sending good thoughts for you and your son. I hope he continues to do well.

>160 msf59: Hi Mark, he came home from hospital on Monday and now is back in a different hospital for more chemo.

I'll have to scare up a copy of We Begin at the End. I hope that I do better with that book than with All the Colors of the Dark which I'm still struggling with.

>161 RebaRelishesReading: Keep those positive thoughts coming, Reba. They seem to be working!

>162 mdoris: Thanks Mary, me too about the positive!

>163 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

I'm so happy your son is doing well, and I hope he continues to do so, Meg. I picked up a copy of We Begin at the End today at the library and I hope we both enjoy it.

All good wishes for your sons rapid recovery, Rhian.

54. Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree



Length: 319 pages

In Brigands & Breadknives Viv was only in the story on the periphery as the instigator, in that she set up the shop beside Legends & Lattes to be a bookshop for her friend Fern. Only Fern wasn’t sure the life of a bookseller fit her anymore. Not knowing how to let Viv know her feels, Fern got drunk and passed out in a cart. But it wasn’t just any cart, it belonged to Astryx, the legendary warrior. And so the adventure began with Fern, the reluctant passenger, finding out more about herself, her companions and the possibilities of life.

>168 vancouverdeb: I just put in my hold for We Begin at the End so looks like I might be a bit behind you on this one, Deborah. I hope it's a good one for us.

He took plenty of supplies to keep him busy for the week in hospital and was chuffed to find out he has a room to himself.

>169 magicians_nephew: Thanks Jim!

55. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz



Length: 294 pages

Audiobook

Revisiting the Sherlock Holmes cannon, The House of Silk had Watson narrating a Sherlock Holmes case in which Holmes was locked in Holloway for much of the investigation leaving Watson to try and figure out the mystery and figure out a way to get Holmes out of jail where his life was in danger. As usual, Holmes was ahead of Watson in both the investigation and in getting out of prison so that Holmes and Watson were together for the dramatic end of the mystery of the House of Silk.

56. A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times by Grace Burrowes



Length: 232 pages

Did he turn traitor when held by the French? Lord Julian couldn’t remember but his reputation had suffered along with his health so the ton looked askance at him when he attended any social function. But his godmother, Lady Oliphant, drafts him as escort to a house party. There he tried to fade into the background but there was something underhanded going on that he needed to get to the bottom of in A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times.

Now that we are at the end of March, I can add two more acquisitions. They are:

Merriam-Webster's French-English Dictionary
Unlock genetics in 10 concise chapters by Marianne Taylor

That brings me to 17 out of 19 on that Thingaversary list.

Oop, miscounted, that now brings me to 19 out of 19 so I don't have to acquire any more books. (Not that that will stop me.)

>171 Familyhistorian: Mark said he plans to begin We Begin at the End at the end of the week, so maybe we will start at the same time, Meg. Enjoy your new acquisitions.

57. American Cult: A Graphic History of Religious Cults in America from the Colonial Era to Today by Robyn Chapman (Others)



Length: 197 pages

This was an odd one - American Cult: A Graphic History of Religious Cults in America from the Colonial Era to Today. The later entries reminded me of news stories I’d read about strange cults in recent times. I even knew some people who were involved with the Branch Davidians for a while. It was odd to see that weird and wonderful cults have thrived in America from early times. It is very strange how so many people can come to believe in the oddest doctrine.

>176 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, I just received my notice that my hold for We Begin at the End is in so I'll pick it up tomorrow. I should be able to start at the end of the week too. I just hope I can keep up.