Carol's March

[Carol/Bonadie]

The Survivors. Jane Harper. Read by Steven Shanahan. 5/5
A gripping story of a man with a tragedy in his past who returns home to discover many secrets threatening what he thought he knew. Harper draws you into this coastal community where the ocean is a constant and threatening presence. Her descriptions of a pending storm, a baby’s cry, a parent’s loss, are beautiful to behold. Spellbinding reading by Shanahan.

All the Devils are Here. Louise Penny. Read by Robert Bathurst. 4/5
Armand and Ren-Marie are in Paris visiting Jean-Guy, a very pregnant Annie, Daniel and Roslyn. After a family dinner out, Armand's godfather is struck down by a hit-and-run driver. Armand knows this was not an accident and sets out to untangle the reason for the hit. Penny knows how to build the tension and the drama, which seems to always follow Armand. A point off the perfect 5 because of the conspiracy behind the death, which reminded me of a James Bond plot with evil villains committing and covering up crimes that impact thousands worldwide. Again. Bathurst does a masterful job with the reading, as usual.

Concrete Rose. Angie Thomas. Read by Dion Graham. 4/5
Maverick is 17, a senior in high school, a sometime drug dealer and gang member. A rash act on his part has unforeseen and life-altering consequences, and he is forced to grow up fast. Angie Thomas is brilliant at giving voice to characters that aren’t often heard from in literature. This is her third book set in an inner city at different points in time and it is as unputdownable and authentic as the previous two. Graham does a good job distinguishing the different characters.

Breaking Silence. Linda Castillo. Read by Kathleen Mcinerny. 4/5
Chief Kate Burkholder investigates the suspicious death of three Amish adults whose death leaves 4 children, and the simultaneous series of brutal attacks on the Amish. The resolution is thorny and dark, but the details about the ways of the Amish is what sets this series apart. Mcinerny's reading was flawless and let the story take center stage.

Breakdown. Jonathan Kellerman. Read by John Rubinstein. 3.5/5
Alex Delaware is brought in to evaluate a 5-year old boy whose mother, an actress, is being seen by a colleague. When she is found dead several years later with his business card in her purse, he is called in to find the missing son. What follows is a twisty tale that leads Alex all over the place but when the mystery gets solved it is surprisingly satisfying. I’d call this a cut above the Delaware/Sturgis stories of late. Rubinstein's voice has always grated but he does well enough with the series.

The Thursday Murder Club. Richard Osman. 4.5/5.
A group of 4 seniors in a retirement community look at cold cases and try to solve them. Then a real life murder happens in their midst and they join forces (sort of) with the local police to find out what happened. This sounds a bit drier than it is; the characters are amusing and charming, and how they work together (and sometimes at odds) makes for never a dull moment. Most of the chapters are a page and a half, which is new, but it worked. A very fast and fun read. A half star off because some of the plot twists were a little too twisty, but at the end of the day (literally, last night, to get this into March) I was entertained.

[BarryP]

Looks like you went all-out this month

[Karly]

Good month!

[Ann]

Wow Carol: what a stellar month. It's always satisfying to sneak in one more on the last night. I am enjoying The Thursday Murder Club for the interplay between the characters and look forward to Concrete Rose. You had some really good listening!

[Melodie]

I have Concrete Rose in The Pile. Angie Thomas is an excellent writer.

[Sherry]

nice month,carol! i have concrete rose in the pile to read, too. and i still haven't read On the Come Up yet.

[Carol/Bonadie]

This *was* a good month. I think I've flipped the switch from 24/7 news cycle fixation to building in time to read. Helps to have a fireplace and a newly bequeathed comfy chair.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Melodie, Sherry and Ann: Angie Thomas is such a good writer. This one was more of a page turner even than the other two. Not in a suspenseful way, I just couldn't wait to see what happened next.

[BarryP]

A good chair really matters.

[Ann]

Good to know Carol!
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Melodie, Sherry and Ann: Angie Thomas is such a good writer. This one was more of a page turner even than the other two. Not in a suspenseful way, I just couldn't wait to see what happened next."

[Dan in AZ]

Uh oh. What happened to doing housework while listening?

[Susie]

Wow Carol! I think The Thursday Murder Club is something I might like!

[Carol/Bonadie]

Dan in AZ wrote: "Uh oh. What happened to doing housework while listening?"

Still happening. Mostly kitchen clean-up and laundry. I spend some of my hard-earned money on house cleaners, who are worth their weight in gold since I hate doing it. Both the house and I are better for it

[Dawn]

Great month Carol! I haven't read Angie Thomas yet...would you recommend reading Hate U Give before Concrete Rose?
Breaking Silence caught my eye too. Will have to add that series to my list as well!!

[Carol/Bonadie]

Dawn wrote: "Great month Carol! I haven't read Angie Thomas yet...would you recommend reading Hate U Give before Concrete Rose? .."

I probably would, Dawn, not for any chronology reasons but because I think the plot is timely and there are a lot of things going on to think about. But I recommend both!