What are you reading the week of Sunday, February 8, 2015?

[scarletwoman]

Good morning, all!

Well, Friday night I finished the third and final book of the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May, which happily turned up at my library on Wednesday - considerably earlier than I had expected it. So it turned out I was able to read #1, 2, and 3 pretty much one right after another. It was a fascinating experience, being wholly absorbed in the geography and culture - and weather - of the Outer Hebrides. I'm very glad I came across this trilogy.

I've moved onto the southwest corner of mainland Scotland with the book I'm currently reading, The Darkness and the Deep, by Aline Templeton. It's the second book of a series featuring Galloway DI Marjory Fleming. There are 8 books in the series, with a 9th coming out this April. Unfortunately, the first book of the series, which was published in 2005, was not available anywhere in the library system so I had to start with #2. It's been a cracking good read, so far! I have #s 3, 6, & 7 on hand, with the others winding their way through the interlibrary loan system.

What are you reading this week?

[shenmue]

1. "North Sea Requiem," A.D. Scott

[scarletwoman]

6. It's a cool series, yes?

A lot of fascinating historical stuff!

[shenmue]

7. It's very good!

I love A.D. Scott!

[TexasProgresive]

2. The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry

This is a really interesting mystery/police procedural taking place mostly in London shortly after the Crimean war. There is a murder of course but the police man is a mystery even to himself as he lost his sense of self in a hansom cab crash.

A.D. Scott's A Small Death in the Great Glen which was very good. It did cause me some emotional turmoil (anger) caused by a really rotten relationship between the main character who I would like to meet and her husband who needs to meet a bad end.

The Scott book takes place in Scotland fall and winter including Christmas so I thought I would read M.C. Beaton's A Highland Christmas and put a hold on it. If I finish the Perry book I will read the Hamish Macbeth mystery.

[scarletwoman]

8. I think I may have read an Anne Perry novel or two over the years, and my impression is that she's

a very skillful writer. I've not been in the mood for Victorian England for some years, but I keep her mind in case my mood changes at some point.

I know what you mean about Joanna's abusive marriage in the first book of A.D. Scott's series, but you'll find that her lot improves in the following books.

The Hamish Macbeth series looks fun - 31 books! Wow!

[SheilaT]

3. Still working on Adjacent

by Christopher Priest. I like it a lot.

[scarletwoman]

9. Christopher Priest seems to write some very surreal stuff.

Have you read other books of his?

[SheilaT]

12. Not yet.

My library system (Santa Fe, NM) has two other books of his, The Prestige and The Separation. I saw the movie based on the first book, so I'll probably read the second one soon.

Alas, there are so many books and so little time. I've been saying for decades now that I sincerely hope there is an afterlife, and that there are libraries there. My essential problem is that I am interested in many genres, and many topics. I read more widely than anyone else I have ever met, and while that sounds like bragging, it's not. I have various friends who only read one genre, such as mystery. Which is the case of a good friend of mine. She's an interesting person, we are close friends, and I'm honestly amazed that she only reads mysteries. I also have many friends in the science fiction community (I write, or try to write science fiction myself) and most of them read only s-f. I read mysteries, s-f, mainstream, vast swaths of non-fiction. In fact, non-fiction is far and away most of what I read.

I somewhat tend to stick to authors I like, although I discover new authors all the time.

My only complaint about this group is that people here constantly suggest books that sound totally fascinating to me, so I put them on reserve at the library, and then it's a huge race to finish books.

I hope I live to be at least one hundred and fifty years old!

[Enthusiast]

4. Hello, everyone! Nice to see you. Thank you for the thread, scarletwoman.

I am reading Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason. Earlier this past week I read Hunting Badger by Tony Hillerman. I loved Hunting Badger.

Mrs. Enthusiast is reading Trinity by Leon Uris. Earlier she read Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin. Someone on DU recommended the Rankin books. Mrs. Enthusiast liked the first one in the series very much. So I will be reading those too.

Scarletwoman, we ordered the first of the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. So we will soon join you on the Hebrides. But you are already off to Scotland!

[scarletwoman]

5. Ah, Ian Rankin! I know I've brought him up at one time or another here, so it could have been me who

made the recommendation. I've read his entire Rebus series - all 19 books, plus his 2 Malcolm Fox books. For me, it was an extraordinary pleasure traipsing through the streets and lanes and byways of Edinburgh with Rankin and Rebus and crew. Definitely a series worth reading!

It always makes me smile to hear about you reading another Indriðason book, I always hope you'll get as much enjoyment out of them as I have.

Just so you know, the title that follows Arctic Chill is Hypothermia, and that's the last book in which Erlandur appears until the series finale, Strange Shores. The two intervening books feature his two longtime colleagues; Elinborg in Outrage and Sigurdur Oli in Black Skies. I can't say that I liked those as well as the books in which Erlandur is present, although they are both beautifully written and interesting stories.

Sorry about ditching the Hebrides before you got there - but man, the weather there is truly awful!

Lastly, I just have to say a few words about Tony Hillerman - what an incredible, wonderful body of work! I first discovered his books sometime in the 80s, read everything he had written to that point, and then for years I eagerly and impatiently watched for his next book to come out - which I would, of course, absolutely devour the minute I got my hands on it. His books filled me with dreams of visiting the Southwest, although it was many years before I could fulfill that dream. I finally managed a short trip to New Mexico in 1996, shortly after returning to Minnesota after living in Alaska for 6 years.

Then 2-1/2 years ago, I took a two week vacation, grabbed my dad, and the two of us did a grand driving tour of the Southwest - Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico (didn't have time to hit Utah). It was the trip of a lifetime! I will never forget the thrill I felt when a big curve in the highway we were on first brought Ship Rock into view in the far distance. After all those years of seeing it in my mind, there it was! Just, wow!

Anyway, Tony Hillerman's books had a huge impact on my life, and I wept when he died.

[Enthusiast]

13. Thank you, scarletwoman.

We only have four more of the Hillerman books to go.

[scarletwoman]

14. Well, I think Hillerman's books will always be worth re-reading.

Someday I intend to work my way through the whole lot again. I expect it will be just as delightful to read them again as it was the first time I read them.

[pscot]

10. Strange Shores by Indridassin

Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow and Kim, by the old Arch-Imperialist himself.

[polly7]

11. The Book Thief

It was a Christmas gift I put away and forgot about and just found the other day. I can't normally read books on war as it's too hard, but I'm enjoying this. The characters are lovable and the story captivating, so far. I dread the ending though.

Your series sounds very good.

edit: sorry .......... meant to reply to the OP.

[TexasProgresive]

15. I just finished Face of a Stranger

I have read books that I wish would never end and some that never seem to end-this one was in neither camp. There were so many mysteries coiled together I just wanted to know the solution to the point that I was tempted to do something I have never done- turn to the lost chapter. I recommend this title to anyone who likes to have their mind challenged. I was moved to learn about the Crimean war which is in the background throughout the novel. That was illuminating as all I knew of that war was "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Tennyson.

So I am back in N. Scotland with P.C. Hamish MacBeth who is having to spend Christmas alone while his family is in sunny Florida. It is short and fast and so far a lot of fun.