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Crawling through a dry murder; without familiarity or affection for Peter's family, the protagonists and stumbling through too many duke / duchess title names that Dorothy kept changing. However I like the dual investigations, with Peter doing actual manly legwork in England (even if a butler poors his baths) and policeman friend Charles investigating the victim's Paris residence. Clue-interpreting is the interest.

The first chapter comprised a newspaper article, word-for-word describing a trial; dry as toast and not as tasty! Finally there is interest, watching Peter interpret clues in and out-of-doors with his policeman friend, Charlie. What bugs me is that to this too, he has an attitude of play. He shows no normal emotion about this being his brother and sister in trouble. I find it hard to like this famous protagonist.

Ack! Murder crime mystery, with nothing more to make it interesting (paranormal, secret places, some kind of quest), is my least favourite kind. But the old ones about flaunting dialogue, colloquial and entertaining only for that country and that time period, are worst. I am in the minority, looking at high reviews that are surprising; even expecting "big name rating swaying". It is tediously dry to get through!

Would you like an idea of how easy Gentle Spectrums categories are to fulfill? Here is my finished 2018 list! Books may match a category via words in the title and may also be a match via the book's major subject.

I used "The Tin Flute" even though the novel is not about music. "The Garden Of Friendship" qualifies by being an artbook. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2018/0...

I am happy to return to Botswana with Mma Ramotswe, picking up after her engagement to the mechanic shop owner. I for one, don't care when the mini mysteries of her detective agency begin; a brief, unique style I enjoy. I run four easy reading challenges: do pay me a visit. I see mystery and fantasy galore from peers. This one book works for both "Celtic Coasts" and "My Kind Of Mystery". The author is Scottish.

Do you see what I mean, about putting exciting layers into a book, so that it is not one boring "solve the crime" storyline? We ended up with a mix of past and present circumstances that create the feeling of a proper mystery. They may be crimes but at least they generate puzzles, that make you really want to answer mysterious clues and questions. I will finish this novel today and not wait for my bedtime reading!

Riding a bike is commonplace; a nice vehicle moving you picturesquely. When you kick into a gear that gets your bike to coast; you feel the shift from commonplace to glorious. Your ride becomes magical and your mind, meditative; soaring along with your physical freedom. This novel has achieved A PROPER MYSTERY. Who murderered someone? Boring. What is the family secret? What is this odd puzzle? I am hooked!

I ran a fun mystery logo riddle that our friend Sheri, solved! Each year's "My Kind Of Mystery" reading challenge logo is derived from a book I plan to read. It is an annual riddle that members solve.

I have sent out an event invitation for you, all of my Goodreads friends, to join any of my four challenges. Have run seeing the solved riddle! https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2018/1...

As I finish setting up the reading challenge quartet I host every year, I will make more progress in my reading. An example of how well books work in my flexible groups is this. This novel hits 3/4 of my reading challenge themes! "My Kind Of Mystery" and "Celtic Coasts" are obvious. Also, in "Gentle Spectrums", I'm introducing a new subject heading: "continent other than yours". I hope many friends join me! :)

When I am done setting up the quartet of reading challenges I run, I will go to bed earlier and read longer. I had intentions of spending a few hours with this novel but I feel asleep again. Well, I will turn that around. The more work I settle by day, the more I can play! :)

Fun fact: this novel works for two of my themes: "My Kind Of Mystery" and "Celtic Coasts". Look up my blog "RIEDEL Fascination" to join!

I have looked forward to returning to many series in our home suite of literature. Especially those series in which it is volume two; my first return since being introduced. However, all of my returns to series feel like a treat and a homecoming, because I do not binge-read and savour space in between each author. I have found that it augments my enjoyment of each story, to not grow sick of any one writing style.

I will retire early today, to read this whole novel. No more falling asleep after several pages! Or if I get enough of my errands done, perhaps I will sneak in reading by day. New year's week is likely busy for everyone. Please do not equate the time I am taking, with the measure of my enjoyment. I am loving it. We celebrated Christmas this week-end with my parents, who spent it in Toronto with their Grandkids.

I got back to treating myself to reading time and put some good mileage on this. I am enthralled with Victoria Thompson's story overall; the mystery being merely one incidental part. She reconciles with her Dad, really starts befriending Frank, helps choose a deaf school for his son, and helps an underfed Mother and baby. They are standard adult novels, not cozy fluff. Again, I fell asleep holding the paperback!

May our new year 2019 be happy for everybody! :-) Yours truly, Carolyn.

Hm, I am disagreeing with a crowd. Well, I saw some comments about not feeling this was much of a mystery; maybe due to the tired old remark "I guessed who the killer was right away". So what? That brag never includes motive or detail. From page one, the whole novel describes an active effort to suss out information about a victim and her circle. Also, its developing characters and historic tableau are a treat!

I last commented that this novel was too much in the style for little kids than I want in my mysteries and adventures. These are veritable mysteries about solving puzzles, the way I like them. However something is plainly interesting me and investing me, even if it is only the constant pace of the story going on. I zoomed through one-hundred pages and reluctantly closed this book at 4:00 in the morning, not tired.

I was really excited about obtaining this book and received it as a surprise gift, from a new friend for Christmas! Our books are always actual objects, not e-book freebies. In this case, it was bought as a brand new copy. Therefore there is more incentive than usual to love it. I admit due to having a riddle-solving style, I thought this would be teen-level. It is more "little kiddie" than I like but I read on.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND LITERATURE PEERS! MAY GOD BLESS US ALL AND ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. ESPECIALLY OUR DEAR CONAN CAT BEING SAFE AND GETTING HOME TO US SOON. HERE IS TO JOY COMING OUR WAY, EVERYONE! YOURS TRULY, CAROLYN.

I am at last getting well enough to really catch up with this book. I had little interest in Quebec and was glad to bypass that political history. I know nothing about New Brunswick and was eager to sample it but all those tombstones talked about were loyalists. I loved the prairie provinces, certainly Manitoba, mine. Now I am in Nova Scotia, my second-most favourite in our country! Onward I go, to wellness too!

I am fighting this poorly-timed and never-desired cold, during which I could not read for a week; nor hardly breathe or sleep. However, last night, though still hardly breathing or sleeping, a pill worked well enough that I could catch-up quite a few pages of reading this book. I don't want to drag it through the year. I want a few more finished, though that would demand additional reviews. I will do what I can.

It does not appear, with no comments in my blog's comment boxes, that anyone has tried solving this year's "My Kind Of Mystery" logo. I added a post with steps to get you underway but there are still no guesses. Here is a final, extra, "practically giving it away" clue. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2018/1...

I was furious Ron brought a cold home last week. We are careful and I often avoid them but I got this one. I haven't been well enough to sleep or read and don't become tired enough to fall asleep the next day either. I don't understand that. I have so much to do! I am determined to prepare my brother's late and quite intricate birthday parcel, with Christmas gifts for his family today: for Ron to mail tomorrow!

Very enjoyable while educational. We learn snippets of Canadian history, places, and who's who. It also means something to remember ordinary and better-known people who passed on. That is the purpose of grave markers, the more informative the better. It is wonderful that researcher Nancy Millar gives us a tour of many of them across Canada in this book and sparks the idea to be observant of local ones ourselves.

I traditionally identify our "My Kind Of Mystery" logo, after a year to guess the book cover from which we derive it. I didn't add clues until recently but would hate to close without guessers. Everyone is welcome to sleuth! I wrote the steps I would use to solve it so you are comfortable playing. Answer at my blog by the week-end. Have fun! https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2018/1...