It was fun to spend time again with four engaging residents of a retirement village and their friends. Ex-spy Elizabeth, psychiatrist Ibrahim, union lIt was fun to spend time again with four engaging residents of a retirement village and their friends. Ex-spy Elizabeth, psychiatrist Ibrahim, union leader Ron, and nurse Joyce are members of the Thursday Murder Club. This is Richard Osman's fourth entertaining book of the series. The group gets involved in another mystery when an antique dealer friend is murdered, and they are drawn into an investigation of a drug gang.
The group also helps a friend who is losing money to an online romance scam. Ibrahim reveals more about his background in this book. Elizabeth and her husband, Stephen, have some heartfelt moments as they realize that his dementia is progressing. The book is a winning combination of mystery, humor, and emotional moments.
"The Last Devil to Die" is an enjoyable cozy mystery. I would recommend that anyone new to the series start with the first book to get to know the characters....more
"Acceptance" is the third novel in the science fiction Southern Reach Series as Area X expands. It's important to have read "Annihilation" and "Author"Acceptance" is the third novel in the science fiction Southern Reach Series as Area X expands. It's important to have read "Annihilation" and "Authority" first. Author Jeff VanderMeer writes about the same characters at various times before and after they enter the terrifying environment of Area X.
We get a deeper look into the characters of the lighthouse keeper, the director, Grace, Control, Ghost Bird, Lowry, Whitby, and the biologist. Area X has the ability to create doubles which makes the storyline even more interesting. Time moves much quicker there compared to the regular earthly environment. "Acceptance" gives us some of the answers we want after reading the first two books, but it also raises many questions. Area X is extremely complex, and beyond human comprehension or control.
Jeff VanderMeer writes beautifully, especially when he is describing the natural world. He did a lot of research into the type of ecosystems that exist in coastal areas of northern Florida and other wildlife refuges, and the descriptions involving the biologist are stunning. He manages to walk the line between the very human reactions of the characters, and the imaginative, unknowable workings of Area X. This is a series about first contact with a mysterious alien force that humans cannot control so the characters--and the readers--are left with unresolved questions....more
"Verity" is a dark psychological thriller filled with deception, obsession, and lust. The name "Verity" comes from the Latin word for truth, but none "Verity" is a dark psychological thriller filled with deception, obsession, and lust. The name "Verity" comes from the Latin word for truth, but none of the characters can be trusted.
The book is narrated by Lowen Ashleigh who has been hired as a ghostwriter to complete a series of books written by Verity Crawford. Verity is brain-damaged and mute after a car accident. As Lowen is reading notes in Verity's home office, she comes across a secret autobiography full of chilling details about Verity's marriage to Jeremy and some suspicious deaths. Chapters of Verity's shocking autobiography alternate with Lowen's narration.
As the book continues, Lowen becomes emotionally involved with Jeremy, and starts to resemble Verity more and more in her reactions. The book has deceptive, unreliable narrators with different versions of the truth. The reader wonders who is the villain and who is the victim in this steamy, creepy tale.
Amazon MGM Studio is going to make a film adaption of this thriller with Anne Hathaway playing the lead role....more
Saffy and her partner, Tom, are renovating a cottage to add some extra space before the birth of their baby. The cottage had belonged to Saffy's grandSaffy and her partner, Tom, are renovating a cottage to add some extra space before the birth of their baby. The cottage had belonged to Saffy's grandmother, but she is now in a care facility with Alzheimer's Disease. The builders were excavating in the garden when they found human bones.
This was the start of a nightmare for Saffy and Tom. The police are investigating, the grandmother's memory is cloudy, journalists invade their privacy, and they are threatened by a violent man.
This psychological thriller is told from several points of view so the reader doesn't always know who is a reliable narrator. Family secrets are slowly revealed with a twist near the end. I was so engrossed in the book that I read it in one day....more
"Authority" is the second book in Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach series. It's a science fiction series where it's advisable to read "Annihilation" f"Authority" is the second book in Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach series. It's a science fiction series where it's advisable to read "Annihilation" first, or you won't understand "Authority." There is a coastal region, Area X, that may have experienced an ecological disaster. It has an almost impenetrable border, overgrown wilderness, a tunnel, a crumbling lighthouse, and an island off the coast. The author based Area X on a nature preserve on the Gulf coast of northwest Florida.
Southern Reach is the government agency/research facility that has been sending expeditions into Area X for about 30 years. While "Annihilation" was a horror story about what an expedition of women scientists encountered in Area X, "Authority" brings us to the Southern Reach building where John Rodriguez has been appointed the new acting director. John goes by the nickname "Control" from his high school football days, but he's far from being in control in his new job. The assistant director is antagonistic, and no one really understands what is happening in Area X. John comes from a family of secret operatives that report to Central. He's interviewing the biologist from the last expedition who appeared in a vacant lot, and didn't know how she got there. Hypnosis is often used to control people in the expeditions, and John feels like his boss at Central may be manipulating people's investigations at Southern Reach through hypnosis. He views some very disturbing videos from the first expedition. Few people ever return from Area X, and they seem changed if they do survive. The Southern Reach does not know what kind of force forms the weirdly lighted border, and whether an apocalyptic situation is brewing.
One of the enjoyable things about these books is that they get into the minds of their protagonists. "Annihilation" is narrated by the biologist, and "Authority" is a third person character study of Control (John). The reader feels their confusion and terror, and is learning about Area X as the characters do. We're left with as many questions as answers so I'll be moving on to the third book, "Acceptance." While "Authority" moves slower than "Annihilation," I stayed interested because I was trying to figure out who Control was as a person, and what secrets Area X is hiding....more
Josephine Tey is one of the most famous authors from the Golden Age of crime writing in Great Britain. She published "A Shilling for Candles" in 1936.Josephine Tey is one of the most famous authors from the Golden Age of crime writing in Great Britain. She published "A Shilling for Candles" in 1936. The plot involves an investigation by Inspector Alan Grant into the drowning of a popular movie star. Was it an accident or a murder?
There were several unusual bequests in the film star's will which drew Inspector Grant's attention when he looked for a motive. One was a large bequest added to the will on the day before the drowning. Another noted bequest was for "a shilling for candles," which effectively cut a relative out of her will and provided the title for the book. Tey threw in lots of red herrings which led to dead ends. A newspaper reporter is also following the story since the victim was famous--and embellishing his stories if his interviews did not pan out well. I enjoyed Tey's writing and her quirky characters....more
"It isn't what you suspect, it's what you can prove that counts."
Cordelia Gray became the sole owner of a private detective agency when her partner di"It isn't what you suspect, it's what you can prove that counts."
Cordelia Gray became the sole owner of a private detective agency when her partner died. The father of Mark Callender hired her to investigate the reasons behind his son's suicide three weeks after he dropped his course at Cambridge. As Cordelia investigates, she questions whether it was suicide or murder. There are lots of family secrets, important parent-child relationships, and some interesting wealthy Cambridge friends of Mark in the story.
The book is both set and published in the early 1970s when it was unusual for a woman to be a private investigator. The title, "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman," is contrary to Cordelia's success. But the memories of male mentors and their advice are always in the background.
Ethics plays a role in Mark's life, as well as how Cordelia handles her discoveries. Cordelia wants to be sure that true justice is served for Mark's sake in an unusual ending....more
I remember driving through the Adirondacks in New York State for hours on back roads years ago, and thinking how easy it would be to get lost in the vI remember driving through the Adirondacks in New York State for hours on back roads years ago, and thinking how easy it would be to get lost in the vast expanse of woods and lakes. So it seemed possible that two children from the wealthy Van Laar banking family could have gone missing in 1961 and 1975.
"Bear" Van Laar disappeared when he was eight years old. While his body was never found, the crime was blamed on someone with flimsy evidence. The Van Laars had a daughter, Barbara, the following year, but the rebellious girl was never treasured like her beloved brother. The Van Laars owned a summer camp on their property, and Barbara's bunk was empty one morning when she was thirteen years old.
Contrasts are shown between the entitled, wealthy Van Laars, and the working class that actually get the work done. There are also characters with mental health and substance abuse problems, notably Barbara's mother who pops pills to forget her problems. One of the main characters is a female crime investigator, one of the first women in law enforcement. Another fascinating character is TJ, a self-reliant camp manager who is happiest when she is working in the woods. The book had a 1960s-1970s vibe to it, especially in the way some men treated the women.
There are two time lines and lots of characters--family members, their rich friends, workers at the summer camp, children at the camp, a notorious serial killer, and investigators. This would be a good book to read when you have a big block of time to make it easier to remember the characters. The ending was totally unexpected, and was a surprising conclusion to a riveting read. This should be an interesting book discussion choice to talk about the dynamics between the characters and the unusual ending....more
Connie (on semi-hiatus)
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