Challenge: 50 Books discussion
Finish Line 2017
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Mae 2017 Reading Challenge
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4. Silence of the Sea by Yrsa Sigurdardotir. Compelling read, weak and confusion denouement and too dark of an ending for me.5. The Torso by Helene Tursten. Like DI Irene Huss, this one was too homophobic, and implausible, less focus on her home life more romantic intrigue for the readers, also okay. I liked the very, datadadah ending.
6. In the Woods by Tana French, Female author writes male lead, doesn't fly, hooked on page 108, a lot of time taken to lay out the characters, their quest for inner truth, and two crimes in two time frames, same place, attempting to solve both, and heal.
7. The Glass Devil by Helene Tursten. Not that interesting to start, DI Irene Huss heads to London and Edinburgh this time. The initial investigation not so interesting, and for me the ending flat lines. I'll be taking a wee break from DI Irene Huss.
8. The Believer by Joadim Zander. this thriller/crime author can write!
9. Mind's Eye by Hakan Nesser. Dry, well-written prose with interesting chain of events/plot, and cranky, born-to-chase-criminals detective. I'd read another!10. Who Watcheth by Helene Tursten. Although I was taking abreak...the library had the latest in the DI Irene Huss series, and I like Irene Huss as a character I can relate to..I like this series. This could be called "Psychopathic Peeping Tom" and no spoiler in that name.
11. Known to Evil by Walter Mosley. Love the hard-boiled style and excellent characters and setting(s). I'm a fan! (Hooked by page 3). Book 2 in the Leonid McGill series. I read Book 1.12. The Keep of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen. This detective, Carl Morck reminds me of a brother-in-law. Happy not to have to hang out in person but he makes an excellent character in a crime/mystery novel. The First Department Q Novel. I'm a new fan! (Hooked on page 17).
13. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Enjoying the Carl, Assad, Rose trio of the Department Q. This one has awfully cruel characters and the violence towards humans and animals makes it a difficult read in places. 14. The Dangerous Net by Helene Tursten. Nice to be back with DI Huss and her crew. So far always a biker gang, in the background, committing crimes, appears to be a pet peeve for Tursten. Engaging combination of multiple crimes being solved by interesting detectives, and DI Huss and her new superintendent have office politics to grapple with .
15. Conspiracy of Faith by Jussi Adler-Olssen. Enjoy reading this author with a map next to me. Really like the development of the characters, Carl, Assad, Rose, Hardy, Morten, Jesten and even not-quite-ex-wife, Vigga. The theme and crime unfolding unnerving, but there you go.
16. The Martian by Andy Weir, excellent! Told well, nice science and I really grew to care about the main character!
17. Broken Harbor by Tana French. Most excellent, long unfolding of the components, and DI Kennedy, Murder D, Dublin, great character!
19. Borkman's Poing by Hakan Nessesr. Really enjoy spending time with Van Veeteren's crew (he is on an inner journey elsewhere reading antiquarian books and drinking wine in book bars), and the crimes are over the top, but the characters are what's worth reading in this series.
20. Purity of Vengeance by Jussi Alder-Olsen. I'm a die hard fan of Carl Morck and Assad and Rose.
21. Call me Princess by Sara Baedel, Chick Lit meets Detective squad...doesn't work for me. This had a captivating middle point but otherwise pointless (for me).
22. The White City by Karolina Ramesvist. Mood literature. Short read, not short enough for me, would have worked better as a short story.
23. Munster's Case by Hakan Nesser. Like this author's description and characters. The crime is over the top, but all else is engaging.
24. Marco Effect by Jussi Alder-Olsen. Longer lead in/prologue, set up but then full on into Carl Morck, Assad and Rose, so Yay!
25. Where Monster's Lie by Hokke. Won't be reading more of this series. Not written in a way that engaged me as a reader. Perhaps the later in the series are better. Just didn't like this one.
26. Gold Rose by Walter Mosley. Hello again, Easy Rawlins! Glad to meet back up with you! Love this author!
27. Alphabet House by Jussi Alder-Olsen. Stand alone by Department Q author. WWII fighter pilots. 28. The Trespasser by Tana French. I enjoy some of the Murder D Squad series and this is one of them. Detective Conway is good. Not sure how I feel about the crimes but like the detailed insight of the narrator as well as the banter. The craic's grand, sure.
29. Another Life, Another Time by Leif GW Persson (Very interesting plot sequence, different than the usual murder mystery, and this one is a political murder mystery dealing with the East German politics pre and post Berlin Wall falling, and how it played out in Sweden. The homophobia of this time is a bit much but appears to be part of the time/plot and some of the crappy homophobic characters bias(es))
30. (re read) There was a Man by Jeffrey Archer, spoiler alert! Emma died over a year that went by in one page, and this was sad to me. Then I shed many tears as I said goodbye to Harry Clifton, while his brother-in-law and best friend read an engaging eulogy. I can honestly say, I didn't enjoy meeting Margaret Thatcher in these pages, and the Barrington/Clifton family became such high achievers, it left me a bit cold, like .... a fixation on celebrity, fame, wealth and the mile high group. Okay but...Glad brother of Emma (Clive? ) was so generous when he was removed from his high position, a real mensch, it was sort of 1980's Downton Abbey meets Brighton/London crowd. Really loved that he killed off the despicable Sloan, replaced him with the reptilian gangster dude, and left Lady Fenwick still standing, another side winding reptile!
31. The Hanging Girl by Jussi Alder-Olsen. Sad that this is the last of the translated Karl Morck/Assad/Rose who done its.
32 Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. A revolutionary new way of understanding of man and canine relationships.
33. The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia’s Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries by Andrei Soldatov (Author), Irina Borogan. Heard Mr. Soldatov interviewed on NPR and enjoyed the book...as much as one can enjoy this topic!
34. Blood Strand by Chris Ould. reading the first book of Chris Ould's trilogy, Blood Strand. Like that it is not over-the-top but understated. The setting is dynamic (the Faroe Islands), none of the characters are very strong, until the book gets going, and the hook came, for me, at page 226. That's a long way to read. I find the main character, Jan Reyna, sort of interesting with references to the English "black dog" and he is trying to uncover his own past...okay...while participating at unraveling a crime or helping reveal the pieces of the crime puzzle. Again, the setting is fantastic. By the end, I really enjoyed the relationship of the two main characters, both detectives.
35 White Tears by Hari Kunru. Read this because the author is coming to read/book tour, in the SF Bay Area, and I've read all his other books. Liked this one, very much!
36. Cruel is the Night by Karo Hamalainen. Very sorry to have read this, now want to stop reading books when they are looking like should give it a pass. This book reminded me of the film Closer, the characters treat each other badly, have few, if any endearing qualities, and so when it gets to the crime/the murders...who cares. Very disappointing, and seriously...hours of my life I'm not getting back. I'm going to read a book now, where the author can write, plot, and keep me engaged in reading, as this type of book makes me want to thrown in the towel and just watch stupid t.v. (not going to do it...but that was how bad this one was).
37. Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson. This guy can write I'm happy to have a good book!38. August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones. Excellent narrator/protagonist, thank you for writing strong, believable female characters!
39 Hanging Girl by Jussi Alder-Olsen Really enjoy this author's books, the dark side of cults, and new age spiritual situations meet Carl, Assad, Rose and now Gordon. This is the most recent of the translated Dept Q series, waiting for the next!
40. The Return by Hakan Nesser Van Veeteren is back with his unusual style of detecting. The murders/crimes are over the top but the solving is the best bit.
41. Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason. Nice plot on recently discovered murder case(s). Like the detectives (esp. Erlundur), location/Reykjavik, Iceland, and characters. This is the fourth book I've read by this author. I had not been aware he wrote so many books, and happily reading along...with the next two.
42. Lenin's Roller Coaster by David Downing. Reasonable read...I was just not the intended audience.
43. Voices by Arnaldur Indridason. Really enjoyed reading this book, and getting more time with Erlundur, as well as, more of his backstory. 44. Reykjavik Night's by Arnaldur Indridason. Prequel to the series, and consistency of Erlundur's character remain intact.
45. Irene by Pierre Lemaitre. Parts of this French crime novel was very good, and compelling. However, I am not the intended reader, it was too grizzly and the crimes were too misogynistic for me.
46. Death at the President's Lodge by Michael Innes. Set in 1936, really seems written between WWI and WWII, in an academic setting in rural England. It is the first "donnish detective novel" I remember reading, and I appreciate some of the erudite, and psychological descriptions of the characters, as well as the seven characters under suspicion. I think it could also have been called the Ten Keys, or the Seven Suspects. Liked that the finger pointing and set ups were so involved and unending! Not sure if I'll read another but the author's story itself is interesting (as per Wikipedia) and I selected this one because I'm a fan of reader Stephen Hogan (after listening to Broken Harbor).
47. Inside a Silver Box by Walter Mosley. I've read Blue Light and maybe RL's Dream by the same author in his stand alone books, as well as many of the Easy Rawlins and Leonid McGil series, so I should have know this one, a stand alone, would be unusual, and I was not disappointed! Inside SB, not in any genre and really quite extraordinary, it is one of those books that I find really hard to describe, except it is a crazy ride, and deals with things like ...I can't even begin to describe.
48. Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson. Good read about the history of personal computers. Steve Jobs, as fascinating as he may have been, really came off like a jerk, to be around, to work with, etc. He participated in the book, interviewed extensively with the author and wow...what a JERK! Hard to continue, easy to be done with. I liked that at least four of the characters are known by people I know very well, so liked the contemporary history. I really liked his sister's book Anywhere but Here (Mona Simpson) which I read way back when.
49. (reread) A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, really enjoyed the Matryoshka dolls aspect of the story, or rather, the story within a story within a story.Incredibly descriptive and engaging story. I'm looking forward to reading his first novel The Rules of Civility.
50. White Tears by Hari Kunzru, didn't include this but read it a couple of weeks ago, and then had the opportunity to attend the author's reading of this book. Top notch book, that isn't a "genre" book, so difficult to describe in words. Goes to the root of "crime" and uses a story vehicle to trace wealth gained by crime then the offspring in turn take the wealth to obtain cultural currency which they have also stolen from others. Race, Class and obsessive behaviors all deeply texture the two stories, in two time frames that converge. One of my favorite books this year.
51. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. I'm not the intended reader. It is a "crime/mystery" but also fantasy and age group 15 to 23 and other folks that like this age group. Like the female fighters. Yay! but the desire to "belong" and be with "soul mate" by any other name, (and unusual name in this book) are strong themes, which in this age group package did not appeal. "Revenge is a cold bedfellow" advised Diana, and I liked that. They characters read like Hollywood Heartthrobs, which also didn't appeal to me. I liked the youtube fanclub reviews...that was a fun extra!52. Cursed by Thomas Enger. Now this is just straight forward "crimes to be solved" by somewhat regular folk in Oslo.. The hook comes pretty soon, and it is a parallel crime-to-be-solved by a divorced couple of journos (working at separate pubs). The plot moves along quite effortlessly, due to credible events (no super hero, swashbuckling heroine exploits here). Oh yeah, and of course there are motives, Greed and Ambition, as driving forces.
53. An Acceptable Sacrifice by Jeffrey Deaver. I'm not his audience, I liked that this had a collector's library involved, but I didn't like the cultural stereotyping hullabaloo, the Mexican drug wars, drug lords and those that chase them. It was a fast read, and it was free! I think this is the one and only title I'll read by Deaver, in my lifetime.
54. Modern book collecting : a basic guide to all aspects of book collecting--what to collect, who to buy from, auctions, bibliographies, care, fakes and forgeries, investments, donations, definitions, and more / Robert A. Wilson ; introduction by Nicholas A. Basbanes LOVE THIS BOOK! full of appendices and very easy to read (and be inspired)!55. Bleeding Hearts Square by Andrew Taylor. Nice female lead, hard to read at the beginning when she is knocked about by her husband, and happy to read she left him immediately after. Set in 1933 in London, this is a good read with many characters and an unfolding plot that is worth the read. Love historical fiction that brings the place and time alive.
56. Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney. I liked her writing style. However, the characters, and progress of the story carried me 1/2 way through the book. To read these spiraling down characters, I require Redemption. If I had it to do over again, I'd have stopped half way and tossed it. That said, I'd read another of her books!
57. Oblivion by Arnaldur Indrison. Just love his character, Erlendur and he writes very strong female characters, Marion, for example. The setting lands me, the reader, into a very different location (mineral baths in Iceland) and the crimes are not too gruesome. Indrison follows a believable course of investigation rather than pulling some rabbit out of a hat, or a criminal that was never described until the denouement ( a way of some authors). Erlendur has a compulsion to locate the missing person, the missing links, and he's tenacious, I like that in a detective!
58. Operation Napoleon by Arnaldur Indridson. Did not really resonate with this stand alone novel. The American Thriller component did not work for me. However, I'm still a fan of his Erlendur series and will continue to read through that series. 59. Designing your Life; How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans. O.K. exercises and nice enough for a self-help, self-directing book. Includes worksheets you can use. O.K.
60. A Killer in Winter by Sussana Gregory. Set in 1554, a few years post Black Death/Plague, in Cambridge. This is a Matthew Bartholomew mystery series, number 9, which I picked up at a jumble sale. I liked that the author was a historian, though I didn't actually get the feeling she was a mystery writer, even if it is 9th in the series. First and last book, I'll take up by this author, just wanted to peruse the genre a bit more, and ... think I'll stick with Scandinavian Crime. I did like the scenes, some of the historical relevance, and Matthew (the physician) and Michael (the friar and senior fellow).
61. The Good Father by Noah Hawley. Really sad story. Recommended by another good reader. I'm happy I read this thought provoking book. I really felt for the (good) father.62. You Gotta Get Better Dreams and other short stories by Alan Cumming. Hilariously funny book. I love this guy, and the book!
63. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming. Deeply sad, and so life affirming. Love this author!64. Men without Women and other short stories by Haruki Murakami. I love the feeling of stillness this author calls forth. One of my most beloved authors. Yay!
65. CD Space and Reincarnation by Alan Watts. Love this CD! There are no words for this. 66. Death on Delos by Gary Corby, nice cozy, historical mystery set on B.C. Greek Island. Part of Soho Monthly mysteries series. I like it!
though...I've now read so many "mysteries, and crime books" that I'm ready to hit the classics! I'm starting The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, and bought The Omnibus (which is four of his Philip Marlowe series, ...here I come late 1930's L.A.!)
67. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill. This is the first in the Dr. Siri series, set in Cambodia in 1975, a detective by default and his interesting assistants, friends, and occasional police aides. He finds powers, or power find him. Really good character that is innately good, and reveals an interesting past. Denouement is consistent, not too far out, and nicely written. 68. Thirty Three Teeth by Colin Cotteril. Second in the Dr. Siri series. More input from Dtui, his assistant, as well as other. Multiple themes and occurrences and the Denouement is believable! I'm waiting for the third to arrive!
69. The Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey. First in the Darko Dawson series. Really nice writing. Interesting lead detective with his own cast of characters, as well as, personal history to sort out. I appreciate the description of the location, partly in the Volta river region of Ghana. I'd read more!
I love mystery/crime fiction as well. Looks like you've read a lot of good ones so far this year!
70. Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane. Better title would have been "Dumb" and wish I hadn't followed a reading friend's recommendation and read this. It was just plain stupid.
71. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill. 72. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill.
73. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. Didn't care for this, it is written for t.v., which is okay, but if the characters are so unlikable, makes it difficult to be concerned what becomes of them. His detective is very good, but comes into the story too late, and there is too much writing involving the names of the characters rather than description. I like this author's t.v. shows (Foyle's War and Midsummer Murders).
74. Tell Me Where It Hurts by Nick Trout. Wonderful book. It is so good, I'm giving it to a friend. Gets the dog/human connection. Loved it!
75. White Truffles in Winter by N.M. Kelby. I've read a lot of books like this which were recommended by history loving "foodie" fans. This one is well written, and engaging.
76. Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey ready by Derek Jacobi. This is really worth a listen.
67. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Took a long time to read this 155 page book, a page turner it is not. Finally! I’m done! Too many pages filled with homophobic, misogynistic, and racist comments, which rendered reading this “classic” very difficult …more like an appalling experience. The elements of mystery, hard boiled “crime” novel are there but can see why Chandler died an alcoholic, his writing has “The Hate”.
77. The Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotteril. Love this author! The denouement remains credible, no small feat! Love, love love, Dr. Siri and Friends.
78. The Merry Mysogynist by Colin Cotteril. I really love this author, this book (number 6) was great for location and characters, except for the bad guy. I don't want to give away spoilers but I'd steer away from this topic, too many messed up notions that people have in their heads, left over from a bygone time about people that are different. I should of given this one a miss but reading through the series in order, oh well. 79. The Pharaoh's Secret by Clive Cussler. Most excellent DudeLit, and I find the non stop adventure, good guy/bad guy fighting to be pretty funny. I like the technical stuff.
80. Colony One Mars by G. Kilby. Liked the very strong female lead, and was technical in a way that is enjoyable. Definitely very good. I liked the technical and good guy stuff from The Martian so appreciated this one.
81. Wiser (Getting Beyond Group Think to Make Groups Wiser) by Cas Sunstein and Reid Hastie. Excellent, well-laid out format. So informative.
82. The Painted Word (A Treasure Chest of Remarkable Words and Their Origins) by Phil Cousineau. Prolific author writes about something he loves....word. It is contagious and so interesting.
83. Love Song from the Grave by Cloin Cotteril84. I'd rather be the devil by Ian Rankin
85. This Body of Death by Elizabeth George
86. The Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
87. Slash and Burn by Colin Cotteril number 8
88. Wish List by Eoin Coffer, CD so wonderfully creative! and has the wish fulfillment aspect, enough to make it "a sweet read"
89. Born to Run by Bruce Springstein CD nicely read!
90. Father's Day by Keith Gilman (Wish I hadn't read this one)
91. The Woman That Wouldn't Die by Colin Cotteril , number 9 continued believable denouement, though more complicated, and the characters remain engaging!
92. Sixty Four by Hideo Yokoyama. Really enjoyable read with a huge focus on office/Police and Media Department Procedure in a District office, in Japan. 93. Dreams of my Father by Barack Obama. I miss you Mr. President, and enjoy this CD because he is reading his own book. GREAT!
94. Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare. I read a play!95. Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino. Very interesting way to tell a murder mystery/murder inquiry through the involved characters stories. Set in Osaka, Japan, also great!
96. The Scarred Woman by Jussi Alder-Olsen. Really enjoy this author. Some of the material ...I loved to hate it! 97. A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. Nice slow pacing, super detailed chartering of dysfunctional family ties. Interesting characters!
98. The Last Policeman by Ben Winters. Nice premise, a murder mystery set while pending the apocalypse, or asteroid to impact earth.
99. The Mine by Antti Tuomainen (Finish)100. Linda, as in the Linda Murder by Leif Persson. Police Inspector Evert Bäckström is too awful of a character to put up with through an entire book. In another of this author's novels, Bäckström had a minor role. One way to wreck a possibly decent plot..a character like Bäckström. I would have windmilled this one against the wall but it was a library book. (I may not respect some authors, but I do respect books).
101. The Living and the Dead in Winsford by Håkan Nesser. Nesser without Inspector Van Veeteren.102. Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith. CD reader Robert Ian Mackenzie, also read for 44 Scotland Street. Really lovely listen!
103. Mrs. Queen Takes the Train, by William Kuhn read by Simon Prebbel104. Silent City by Carrie Smith, humorless and dry, YA writer meets tawdry meets cancer surviving NYC homicide detective, go figure.
105. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw (so far so good)
106. Notes on Miasms, Heredity and Nosodes Filip Degroote, MD
107. The Killing Bay by Chris Oude (Faroe series# 2)
108. The Last Good Man (Niels Bentzon, #1) by AJ Kazinsk
109. George by Alex Gino read by Jamie Clayton.
110. An Event in Autumn by Henning Mankell
111. The Disappearance of Adele he Disappearance Of Adele Bedeau by Graeme Macrae Burnet
112. We should all be feminists by Chimamanda ngozi adichie. Yes to Feminism!113. Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar wisdom from the ancients.
114. The secret diary of Hendrick Groen 83 1/2 year old man (Dutch) Very humanitarian read with engaging characters. The set up is excellent, as is the smart, quirky comments from the diarist as well as the folks populating his world. Because the actually diary entry format kind of works but not completely, that would be the only reason I wouldn't give a five star rating. Maybe 4.5 which would technically round up to 5 but there you go.
115. The Fallen Angels by Tracy Chevalier (CD okay reader, from library wasn't scratched and writing okay, though kind of "staid".
116. Nightblind by Ragnor Jonasson A+ for location and atmosphere, B- for full plot with less than developed characters, C- for flat characters, and sorry just do like really bitter and flat females. I don't really care about the characters, and the compelling motivation of Ari Thor feels contrived, compared to Arnaldur Indridason who character has a compelling, believable driving force. Just not sure if I'd read another, even though the author left with "a secret" about his father that he want to reveal...sorry just not that interested.
Specifics to goals:
50 to 100 books (Last year the 60-100 was periodicals/NYer/Atlantic/prof journals/this year periodicals to expand to reuters/NYRB
Read Two Mann Booker Prize Winners 2017
Read One Pulitzer Prize Winner 2017
Read One Nobel Prize Winner
Read One Book by or about President Obama or First Lady Michelle Obama( to keep hope and grace alive)
Catch up on Scandinavian Crime Genre
Read one book in German
Write one sentence about book if possible.
1. The Swimmer by Joakim Zander
Globe trotting, intelligent thriller; swift action with formatting giving place and time of action, mulitple characters of interest, with strong female characters.
2. Detective Inspector Irene Huss by Helene Tursten
Written in 1998, first in DI Irene Huss series, very strong, steady female lead with a solid, loving home life, a good work life and added topics of interest to keep plot moving and chasing the bad guys (men and women).
3. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. Super book, which opens up the novel format and swirls the reader into an in between life, a state of torpor and chaos, terrifying and the guide into this hell appears to be a historian.