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Which book shall I start for bedtime reading tonight? My spouse is perusing brain teasers I bought him as a gift this year. How about "Chappy" by Patricia Grace? It is September 17 in New Zealand. For Manitoba: my friend, Kerri's birthday is tomorrow! It is a nice way to think of her, starting the second of three books she gave as gifts for my birthday last winter. Happy birthday to you, Kerri! Love, Carolyn.

You would think I would finish before falling asleep. That is what a new season of TV shows does. I am nearly done.

Happy birthday to our four dear kittens today: Angel, Petal, Love, Conan! May their Brother Love, Mom Marigold, and Dad Spirit shine on them this special day. With all our love from Dad McCartney, Ron, Carolyn.

I am jogging along, always interested enough in Thomas, Barbara, Helen, Simon, Deborah that I never find Elizabeth George's stories too long. Her début had 400 pages, the next few contained an average 300 pages. I knew that she evolved her series instalments into doorstoppers. Believe me, those softcovers and hardcovers are piled atop our home shelves. This is the first novel of 678 pages but I was entirely keen.

You never like the guest narrator, Olivia. I did not, because she is too crassly dirty mouthed even to her parents. I include a little swearing in my own modern day dialogue but this novel's two youths appallingly lack manners. However I see how her chapters contribute drama and understanding to Thomas' & Barbara's investigation. A side note about extreme animal rescue from laboratories is touching and redeeming.

To my taste we are leaping too much to chapters that unknown guest characters narrate, for whom I have no liking either. I suppose we will focus on Thomas, Helen, Simon, Deborah, Barbara in the main and make use of our extra external insight. However it is ample for me, to receive insight from following principal personages exclusively. I am always keen to return to them and disliked narration being parcelled out.

And so I return to a familiar authoress on another mystery. If I criticize anything, it is that her introductions can be cumbersome. She should not open with external characters and take long to bring in the regular crew. I would reassure new readers to ride it out because you will love Thomas, Helen, Barbara, Simon, Deborah. Professionalism and compassion are enriched by very personal friendships and home lives.

It is nice to return to the likeable, fun, intelligent, and original Rex Stout.

After reading Rex Stout's début years ago and receiving this bright, smooth sequel as a birthday gift nearly as long ago, it is time to enjoy it. Nero is lazy and pompous but Archie is as intelligent as he is down to Earth and fun.

Fantastic!

Sensational!

I knew this would be an emotional, profound, mysterious, atmospheric, adventurous novel but it is written wonderfully! I am loving reading every page.

Someone who is no longer a Goodreads "friend" wrote of this book: "It is hard to have compassion for a story about rodents". No it is not, for most animal people. Love is love. Being witness to a parent protecting her family, merely wanting to survive in happiness and good health, elicits compassion and warmth from just about everybody with a soul. I tried helping orphaned mice thrice. Oh, they are so precious!

I saw this film as a child and yesterday, encountered an article about how many viewers found it scary. I have the videotape and will watch it again, after I finish reading the printed story for the first time.