Bill's Dusty Bookshelf Challenge 2025

[Bill]

I don't know how successful I'll be with this but these are the first ten books on my Goodreads 'to-read' bookshelf.

- Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
- Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
- The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
- Wycliffe and the Beales by W.J. Burley
- Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist by W.J. Burley
- The Baron and the Arrogant Artist by Anthony Morton
- Killing the Shadows by Val McDermid
- Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh
- Last Ditch by Ngaio Marsh
- King Kull by Robert E. Howard

They've been on my shelf since I first started recording my books on Goodreads, back in 2010.. :0(

[Kate, Moderator]

That's a good way of picking them Bill. Good luck. :)

[Bill]

Kate wrote: "That's a good way of picking them Bill. Good luck. :)"

Thanks, Kate.

[Bill]

Nicola wrote: "Good luck with your challenge, Bill. I had to look all of these books up and ended up going down quite a rabbit hole with the King Kull one. I'll be really interested to know what you make of that...."

No, I'm not sure how successful I'll be. It'll be more as they come up in other challenges, I think.

[Bill]

It's not on my list above but this book has been resting on my bookshelf for 10+ years, so I think it qualifies as dusty... 4th of July by James Patterson *the 4th Women's Murder Club mystery.. I gave it 4 stars.

[Bill]

I'm about to start Killing The Shadows by Val McDermid a book I added to my goodreads bookshelf when I first joined up, back in 2010.

[Bill]

I finished the first book on my shelf, Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

[Bill]

I only managed to finish 2 off the 2020 list so my 2021 list is basically the same with 2 additions.

1. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich completed 6 Jan, 4 stars
2. The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver completed 8 Feb, 4.5 stars
3. Wycliffe and the Beales by W.J. Burley completed 18 Feb, 4.5 stars
4. Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist by W.J. Burley completed 27 Feb, 4.5 stars
5. The Baron and the Arrogant Artist by Anthony Morton completed 4 Mar, 3.5 stars
6. Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh completed 30 Mar, 4.5 stars
7. Last Ditch by Ngaio Marsh completed 11 Apr, 4.5 stars
8. King Kull by Robert E. Howard completed 28 Apr, 3.5 stars
9. Rumpole and the Primrose Path by John Mortimer completed 3 May, 4 stars
10. Rumpole on Trial by John Mortimer completed 4 Jul, 4 stars

[Liz, Moderator]

Good luck, Bill.

It's been ages since I read a Ngaio Marsh - I should revisit her next time we do crime...

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Good luck, Bill.

It's been ages since I read a Ngaio Marsh - I should revisit her next time we do crime..."

Thanks Liz. Good luck with your Challenge as well.

[Bill]

I finished my first, Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich (4 stars) My review

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver

[Bill]

Finished my 2nd, The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver (4.5 stars) My review below

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is Wycliffe and the Beales by W.J. Burley

[Liz, Moderator]

Onwards and upwards ;)

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Onwards and upwards ;)"

:0)

[Bill]

Finished my 3rd book in this challenge; Wycliffe and the Beales by W.J. Burley, a favorite series. 4.5 stars. My review is below

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bill]

I finished Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist by W.J. Burley, my fourth book in my Dusty bookshelf challenge. 4.5 stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is The Baron and the Arrogant Artist by Anthony Morton

[Liz, Moderator]

You are racing through!

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "You are racing through!"

Luckily for the most part, they are shortish books..

[Bill]

Finished my 5th book, The Baron and the Arrogant Artist by Anthony Morton. Most enjoyable. 3.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bill]

I finished a book that barely missed being in my Dusty Bookshelf challenge; The Hermit of Eyton Forest by Ellis Peters. It was excellent as all of the Cadfael mysteries are. Now back into the gritty dusty shelves with an Inspector Alleyn mystery, Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh

[Bill]

Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh is probably my favorite Inspector Alleyn mystery so far. I liked that his lovely wife, Troy, was most of the focus in this story.

[Bill]

Finished King Kull by Robert E. Howard, 223 pages, finished 28 Apr, 3.5 stars

My review is below

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kate, Moderator]

Wow Bill you are doing well. You'll be extending your list if you carry on like this!

[Bill]

Kate wrote: "Wow Bill you are doing well. You'll be extending your list if you carry on like this!"

Maybe, or do it again next year. :0)

[Bill]

My review of the 9th book in this challenge, Rumpole and the Primrose Path by John Mortimer 4 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm moving down to #12 on my dusty list, will read #10 before years end.

[Bill]

I finished the 11th book on my Dusty bookshelf, The Kindness of Strangers by Julie Smith. I will get back to the 10th book, but at the moment I'm reading the 12th book, Doors Open by Ian Rankin

[Bill]

Finished this challenge, Rumpole on Trial by John Mortimer 4 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I continue to work on my dusty book shelves, this is the next one; The Potter's Field by Ellis Peters

[Liz, Moderator]

Well done, Bill! I still have several to go....

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Well done, Bill! I still have several to go...."

You can do it, Liz

[Bill]

The Top 5 oldest books in my Goodreads Library are -

1. Gideon's Wrath by J.J. Marric (Gideon #13) 158 pages, started 1 Jan, finished 4 Jan, 4 stars
2. Gideon's Power by J.J. Marric (Gideon #15)
3. Gideon's Risk by J.J. Marric (Gideon #6)
4. Gideon's March by J.J. Marric (Gideon #8)
5. Gideon's Press by J.J. Marric (Gideon #19)

I guess I went on a bit of a buying splurge back in 2010

[Bill]

Finished my dustiest book; Gideon's Wrath by J.J. Marric. 4 stars

[Kate, Moderator]

Nice one Bill. Was that number 13 in a series? Aren't you reading them in order or doesn't it matter? I have to stick to the order!

[Bill]

Kate wrote: "Nice one Bill. Was that number 13 in a series? Aren't you reading them in order or doesn't it matter? I have to stick to the order!"

I have been, sort of, but this one was out of sequence. It's not critical to read them in order I don't think.

[Bill]

Finished my second book, Gideon's Risk by J.J. Marric 4 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bill]

It's been awhile since I wrote something in this thread but I have cleared up a couple of dusty books this year so far

- The Beginning Place by Ursula K. Le Guin (4.0 stars) I purchased in Jan 2013
- Murder in the Museum by Simon Brett (Fethering #4) 3.5 stars (I purchased Sep 2014)

[Bill]

Starting another book that's been dustying up my shelves, Unnatural Causes by P.D. James (Inspector Dalgliesh #3). Purchased in May 2015.

Finished 14 Apr, 3.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bill]

My 2025 Dusty Book Challenge
(They've all been on my bookshelf since 2010 - so very dusty)

1. Gideon's Power by J.J. Marric (Gideon # 15) 224 pages, started 9 May, finished 27 May, 4.0 stars
2. Gideon's March by J.J. Marric (Gideon #9) 127 pages, started 1 Jan, finished 3 Jan, 4.0 stars
3. Gideon's Press by J.J. Marric (Gideon #19)
4. The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton (Lara McClintoch #11) 257 pages, started 17 Jan, finished 9 Feb, 3.0 stars
5. Glass Houses by Jane Haddam (Gregor Demarkian #22)
6. Skeleton Key by Jane Haddam (Gregor Demarkian #16)
7. Deadly Beloved by Jane Haddam (Gregor Demarkian #15) 324 pages, started 3 Jan, finished 17 Jan, 4.0 stars
8. The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin (Rebus #16) started 26 Feb, finished 9 May, 3.5 stars
9. Exit Music by Ian Rankin (Rebus #17) 460 pages, started 7 Aug,
10. Wycliffe And Winsor Blue by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #14) finished 26 Feb, 3.0 stars

Completed: 6

[Bill]

Starting with Gideon's March by J.J. Marric I've discovered the TV series on You Tube and have been enjoying it very much.

[Bill]

My review of Gideon's March by J.J. Marric 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line is Deadly Beloved by Jane Haddam

[Liz, Moderator]

I can see you're wasting no time in 2025, Bill ;)

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "I can see you're wasting no time in 2025, Bill ;)"

We'll see if I can keep the pace up, Liz.. LoL

[Bill]

My review of Deadly Beloved by Jane Haddam 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton

[Bill]

My review of The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton 3.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is a dusty book, just off my Top ten. Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon has been on my bookshelf since 2010.

[Bill]

My review of Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon 3.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is #10 on my list, Wycliffe And Winsor Blue by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #14) which has been on my book shelf since 2010.

[Liz, Moderator]

You're roaring through them, Bill!

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "You're roaring through them, Bill!"

Relatively short books at the moment, Liz.

[Bill]

My review of Wycliffe And Winsor Blue by W.J. Burley 3.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next dusty book is a Rebus mystery, The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin

[Bill]

Finished my 5th Dusty book, The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin 3.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Another Gideon mystery next, #15 in the series, Gideon's Power by J.J. Marric

[Bill]

Completed #6 on my list of dustiest books, Gideon's Power by J.J. Marric 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My next dusty book isn't in the Top Ten, but it's right up there at #11, a Roderick Alleyn mystery, Photo-finish (#31) by Ngaio Marsh

[Bill]

My review of Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh (3.5 stars)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next dusty book is also just out of the Top 10 but I believe might be my June selection... which won't be complete in June, of course.. LOL

Suffer the Little Children by Donna Leon