Sandy’s Comments (group member since Dec 14, 2015)

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Jill wrote: "I will nominate The Polo Ground Mystery by Robin Forsythe Hoping it is obtainable in US

Mr Sutton Armadale, the financier, was shot dead on the private polo groun..."

Polo Ground is $1 on kindle in the US.

Jill wrote: "I am now starting Lock No. 1 Georges Simenon. I like these short books of Maigret. They sort of feel like a palate cleanser between other authors."

I also appreciate the short length. Serves as a night's entertainment while I decide what to read next.

I finished this only minutes ago. I really like Mordecai Tremaine as the amateur detective.

I finished This Earthly Globe: A Venetian Geographer and the Quest to Map the World. I gave it four stars, rounded up. It is a series of travel logs united by the history of one man's desire to accurately map the world as it was being discovered. He used his political connections to maximum effect.

I want to continue, or even wrap up, some of the many series I have started. Combining this with a review of the many books I have on my library' 'for later' shelf I requested a couple that had few copies on the shelves.

First up is Baptism in Blood, I series I've enjoyed and put aside when I discovered a future development of which I do not approve.

I will be moving onto our upcoming reads but I have both of those on audio and I needed a print book.

Re the two V's, I briefly wondered if the family name was spelled with two V's replacing the W originally, but that spelling was lost in either Bobby Owen's time or in modern publishing.

I only read the first in the series.

I am about to start the last Maise Dobbs, The Comfort of Ghosts. While this is not one of my very favorite series, I have followed it faithfully and wish Maise well.

I am glad Bobby returned to London and enjoyed the book though I think the ending is weak.

Such a fun adventure series. I'm always anxious to find out what is next with the Didius' family. (Or the Didi.) I feel I'm in ancient Rome, and glad I don't have to live there.

Absolutely wonderful! Shardlake at his best and Barak shines as well. The setting of England preparing for war and Portsmouth at the time of the Mary Rose is fascinating. I tensed every time Shardlake boarded the Mary Rose.

I've started this and enjoying it more than the prior two: he is back in London and there is no mysterious beauty nor haunting music.

Susan wrote: "For those who enjoy book festivals or prizes, please find the shortlist of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year:

The full Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024 shortlis..."

In the US, Strange Sally Diamond is on sale for $5.

I liked The Last Dance and have put in a library request for the next book.

Continuing the digression - I quite liked The Last Dance and am on the wait list for the next book. Will be checking the rest of the list. Loved Mick Herron of course.

I've heard that Romance is the top selling genre so many must read it. I've tasted it,

Did anyone catch the hint in the title before reading the book?

My favorite so far!

I will be starting 'soon'. I listen to both this series and Shardlake so need to finish that one first. It will be a reread and I am always happy to spend time with Falco.

I am over halfway done and can't help wondering what final plans Sansom had for Shardlake. Would he ever have found love? I will miss these books.

Finished The Excitements. My review:

This was a fun read as the lives of the two elderly aunts are revealed in bits and pieces. The book bounces among various timelines: current day with their loving nephew trying to keep them upright (in both meanings), then pre-WWII, WWII and post-WWII. The characters are engaging, and the plot is exciting and unexpected.

Now I had better start our mid-month reads. I will be behind.