Hi everyone!
Sharon posted her 2023 pre-order list last week (you can read that here if you missed it: Books I’ll be reading in 2023 by Sharon K.), so I thought it only proper that I add in my own, but in a slightly different vein -- first my "now reading" stack of mysteries, and then my "To Be Read" pile of mysteries.
These bookstacks were both, of course, extracted from my multiple piles of books at home. And to be honest, I probably missed a few. My TBR stacks are many and there might also be a whole bookcase full of books waiting for me to read... 😆 might, as in DEFINITELY. I've often joked that I need a Time Turner, or to find a way to add more hours in the day, because there are always a million things I want to read, but I'm always working too much. Figures!
Michelle's "Now Reading" stack:
The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart -- I've read this one before, but I always forget all about it (the Vincent Price movie [1959] always sticks in my mind). This is one I'd like to do a blog post about eventually.
Cape Fear by John D. MacDonald -- I watched the Robert De Niro film (1991) in the movie theater and was terrified by his portrayal of the villain. Turns out the book might be even more insidious! It's a classic that has long been on my "I Should Have Read This By Now" booklist.
Night of the Jabberwock by Fredric Brown - see post here: Fighting with Poets - an examination of Michael Connelly's "The Poet" vs Fredric Brown's "Night of the Jabberwock"
Tied up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh -- this was supposed to be part of a Christmas mystery post, but that will have to wait for next year now. 😉 I love her mysteries, most of which feature Inspector Roderick Alleyn. For those looking for someone to read after running out of Agatha Christie titles, these are similarly fun. I started with Death of a Fool and have been reading them completely out of order.
Singing the Sadness by Reginald Hill -- a UK mystery author that I've been meaning to try out for a while now.
The Killing of Polly Carpenter by Robert Thorogood -- binged the TV show Death in Paradise and then discovered there was a whole book series it was based on - yippee!
Something Shady by Sarah Dreher -- set in Maine! spooky house! mysterious doings!
The Shrieking Skull by James Skipp Borlase -- not technically mystery, this is Valacourt Books' 2022 Victorian Christmas ghost stories offering, and I couldn't resist including it.
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict -- I just finished this one! Super-fun holiday puzzle, a real treat. I wouldn't be surprised if I pick this up for a re-read on future holidays.
Death in Disguise by Caroline Graham -- another discovery via adaptation, this is part of the book series that generated the excellent Midsomer Murders television episodes from Britain.
Bodies from the Library v2 ed by Tony Medawar -- a great anthology series of Golden Age detective stories unearthed from various obscure vaults.
The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories ed by Martin Edwards -- a terrific anthology from the British Crime Classics Library. I try to read one of these each holiday season!
The Murder Book: A Graphic Memoir of a True Crime Obsession by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell -- a graphic novel exploration of our obsession with true crime, through the lens of the great granddaughter of F. Scott Fitzgerald's sister, Annabel Fitzgerald (also intrigued by true crime as it turns out). Campbell tries to examine why she and other women she knows (especially those in her immediate family) are so fixated on true crime and its offshoots. For those of us who find ourselves asking similar questions, it's interesting to read about another fellow true crimer's path.
Murder on Brittany Shores by Jean-Luc Bannalec -- the second in this great series, which I am absolutely loving. I started by reading the most recent installment when an ARC came across my desk (The King Arthur Case), and then dove back to the first book in the series after finding the both the location settings and the main inspector pretty darn wonderful.
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw -- a fascinating read so far, with a narrator seeking a missing author by way of his psychometry (ESP by touch). Remote locations, a mysterious 1970s commune, and a feel of Roanoke-type mystery make this a really appealing read so far.
Michelle's "To Be Read" stack:
The Castle of the Demon by Patrick Ruell (aka Reginald Hill)
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson -- I jumped into this series with Box in the Woods which was wicked fun, so now I have to start at the start!
Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries ed by Martin Edwards
Blood Sugar by Daniel Kraus -- meant to read this for Halloween, oops!)
Shady Hollow, Cold Clay, and Mirror Lake by Juneau Black (UK covers)
The Fleur de Sel Murders by Jean-Luc Bannalec - obviously I need one of these in the chamber at all times. I'm going to be bummed out when I run out of books in this series, so I hope Bannalec keeps writing for a long time.
Standing by the Wall by Mick Herron -- a collection of stories from the Slough House series, which I've been hearing great things about. Apparently if you run out of Le Carré books, this is where you should head next for entertainment.
Death on a Winter Stroll by Francine Mathews -- Nantucket winter - picturesque and surprisingly hazardous if you're the wrong person(s)!
Agatha Christie's Complete Secret Notebooks: Stories & Secrets of Murder in the Making by John Curran -- I mean, how can you resist?! (will have copies this in the shop soon for anyone who wants to read along!)
The Cloisters by Katy Hays -- another fresh new title that caught my eye
The Angel Maker by Alex North -- I've heard great things about his earlier books, so I'm going to check one out.
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman -- #3 in the fabulous Tuesday Murder Club series! Saving this like dessert...
White Horse by Erika T. Wurth -- sounded interesting, so I added it to the mix.
Hokolua Road by Elizabeth Hand -- one of my favorite Maine authors and a killer mystery creator! I can't wait to see what she's getting up to in this book. Curious Toys was great, and her Cass Neary series is to die for.
I can't wait to read that Xmas crime anthology next season!
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