Classy and Trashy Readers' Salon: April 2021

[Moorhead Public Library]

Here's a spot to chat about anything you happen to be reading.

Karen - I saw you read Newburyport last month - I'm curious about that one. I read a review that intrigued me, but I'm kind of intimidated by the whole stream of consciousness thing...you didn't have any trouble listening to it?

Also - I keep meaning to go back to Dorothy Sayers. I listened to the first one, but didn't necessarily love the narrator. I think the later ones have a different narrator though? I'll have to get back to those.

I'm listening to a few books right now: Dead Man in a Ditch, Aunt Dimity: Detective, and Mary Stewart's Madame Will You Talk. I'm liking Dead Man in a Ditch so far, although I feel like the language isn't quite as colorful as in Last Smile in Sunder City, which makes me a little sad. Thus far Madame Will You Talk is not my favorite Stewart, but it's not bad (it seemed like there was a lot of time spent on the main character just running around France); and again I've been enjoying the Dimity books. I recently finished Aunt Dimity's Beats the Devil and that might have been my favorite one so far. - deb

[Moorhead Public Library]

I've been on a major Aunt Dimity kick; looking back I think I've read 5 of them this month (they go pretty fast). Nancy Atherton takes all the fun tropes of mysteries and gothic fiction and wraps it all up in improbably good-hearted cozy mysteries that usually (although not always) leave out any violence or death.

I also read the 2nd Ruth Gallaway mystery back at the beginning of the month: The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths. I want to like these books more than I have so far. I'm hoping I've just been in the wrong mood to read them and I'll like them better at some future date.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to the new Martha Wells which I have queued up on Libby even as I type: Fugitive Telemetry. And after that I have A is for Aunties all set to go (a mystery that I keep seeing everywhere so hopefully it's good). Hope you all have books you're looking forward to reading too! - deb

[Kathy]

Hi All! I am so impressed with all the books you ladies read. Karen, I know you listen to lots of your books. Deb, do you listen or do it book-in-hand style?? I just finished The Splendid and the Vile and Fargo Fire 1893. Both were excellent. Now I'm reading A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell and next will be Jack by Marilynne Robinson. It seems that even in retirement I am too busy to read a lot. So many cleaning out projects and so little time:( Let me know if you do a Mary Stewart book for book club anytime soon. Would love to join you again!! Kathy

[Moorhead Public Library]

ooh - are you a Mary Stewart fan, Kathy? If there's interest, I'll totally try to work one in for next fall/winter. If there a preferred title you'd like to do?

As for how I read/listen - I do both, but most of it over the past couple years has been listening so I can knit/crochet at the same time. Interestingly, I think I do better reading some things. I feel like if I listen to romances they seem too cheesy? But if I read them, I'm able to ignore that and just enjoy the story. Not at all sure what that says about how my brain works. And sometimes I just want the complete immersion that comes with reading a book rather than listening to it. - deb

[Kathy]

Hi all! I’d be happy to do any of Mary Stewart’s books. I remember how much of a Stewart fan my mother was. I’m sure whatever we would pick would be nostalgic for me.