Mary: An Awakening of Terror, by Nat Cassidy

Title: Mary: An Awakening of Terror

Author: Nat Cassidy

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 4/27/2025

Finished: 5/1/2025

Really enjoyed this one -- a unique horror story that went several different directions I didn't see coming.  I did see one major twist (reminder, this blog has spoilers) -- Nancy being the falsely accursed, but most of the other major plot points I was just along for the ride.

This was also a much more humorous book than I thought it would be -- particularly shining through with the excellent narration by Susan Bennett.

The King Must Die, by Mary Renault

Title: The King Must Die

Author: Mary Renault

Purchased from Audible

Started:4/25/2025

Finished: 4/29/2025

I'm a sucker for these retelling of Greek myths and this one was great.  The reimagining of the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur.

The Horror Stories of Robert E Howard, by Robert E Howard

Title:  The Horror Stories of Robert E Howard

Author: Robert E Howard

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 4/18/2025

Finished: 4/25/2025

A couple of really good stories early on, then some not so great or duplicative from other collections.

Fevre Dream, by George RR Martin

Title: Fevre Dream

Author: George RR Martin

Borrowed From Fairfax County Public Library (Audiobook)

Started: 4/22/2025

Finished: 4/23/2025

I've never read anything by George RR Martin but I've sometimes considered starting Game of Thrones.  Not a huge fantasy fan and I feel like I missed the period to watch the HBO series.

But Fevre Dream was a book recommended by several on Reddit and I agree -- this was a great book.  

Whisper Down the Lane, by Clay McLeod Chapman

Title: Whisper Down the Lane

Author: Clay McLeod Chapman

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 4/18/2024

Finished: 4/22/2025

Another Reddit recommendation, this was an outstanding book.  Maybe it hits harder if you are GenX like me and lived through this period of satanic-panic in the 80s.  A really enjoyable read.

The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, by Robert Howard

Title: The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane 

Author: Robert Howard 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 4/1/2025

Finished: 4/17/2025

Been listening to this one off and on.  Did t love it like I do the Conan stories, but not bad.  

All The Fiends of Hell, by Adam Nevill

Title: All The Fiends of Hell 

Author: Adam Nevill 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 4/11/2025

Finished: 4/14/2025

Great apocalyptic novel and a happy-ish ending.  What I needed.  

Gone Tomorrow, by Lee Child

Title: Gone Tomorrow 

Author: Lee Child

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 4/8/2025

Finished: 4/10/2025

Decent Reacher novel.  I've read them all in print but felt like an easy audiobook and gave this a try.  Prefer the print for Reacher, but the audiobook was good too. 

Tell Me What Really Happened, by Chelsea Sedoti

Title: Tell Me What Really Happened 

Author: Chelsea Sedoti 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started:4/3/2025

Finished: 4/5/2025

This book war *TERRIBLE* but to be fair I'm probably not the target audience.  Guessing this is a YA novel.  Saw the recommendation on Reddit.  Did not like this at all.  

Kill Shot, by Vince Flynn

Title: Kill Shit

Author: Vince Flynn 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 4/1/2025

Finished: 4/3/2025

Second book in the Mitch Rapp series.  Pretty good, but I've either read this before and forgot to add it to this site, or the plot is so common that I've seen similar events in other books.  Still, enjoyed it.  

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

Author: Stephen Graham Jones

Purchase from Audible 

Started: 3/28/2025

Finished: 4/1/2025

I like SGJ generally, but this was on another level.  A fantastic book that I was hooked into right at the start.  Also really enjoy his acknowledgements (read by the author) as the end.  Maybe ridiculous, but it is very fun to hear your (my) own book and movie preferences validated by someone you like/respect.

Found2, edited by Andrew Cull & Gabino Iglesias

Title: Found2

Editors: Andrew Cull & Gabino Iglesias 

Purchased from Amazon Kindle edition 

Started: late 2024

Finished: 3/27/2025

I didn't enjoy the first Found volume but I love Found Footage so I have the sequel a shot.  I liked this one more than the first.  Still not amazing, but these were decent stories.  

American Assassin, by Vince Flynn

Title: American Assassin

Author: Vince Flynn

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 3/24/2025

Finished: 3/26/2025

I wasn't sure about this one at first, but I kept at it and soon was all in.  Pretty entertaining assassin/espionage novel.

Midnight Black, by Mark Greaney

Title: Midnight Black 

Author: Mark Greaney 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 3/18/2025

Finished: 3/24/2025

Newest Grey Man novel. Entertaining. 

This Inevitable Ruin, by Matt Dinniman

Title: This Inevitable Ruin 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Audiobook on Audible 

Started: 3/13/2025

Finished: 3/18/2025

This completes my re-read of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series to-date.  Crazy enjoyable. 

Hush Money, by Robert Parker

Title: Hush Money

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 2/1/2025

Finished: 3/17/2025

Started this one a long time ago and then let it sit for weeks.  Not my favorite Spenser book.  

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

Author: Matt Dinniman

Audiobook on Audible

Started: 3/8/2025

Finished: 3/12/2025

Book 6 in the DCC series, this one is good and has some really great (and funny) scenes, but tough to follow Butcher's Masquerade.  

The Butcher's Masquerade, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Butcher's Masquerade 

Author; Matt Dinniman 

Audiobook on Audible 

Started: 3/5/2025

Finished: 3/7/2025

I think this is my favorite book in the DCC series.   I think I could just restart this one having just finished.  

The Gate of the Feral Gods, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Gate of the Feral Gods 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Audiobook on Audible 

Started: 3/1/2025

Finished: 3/5/2025

Book 4 of DCC, good stuff.  

The Dungeon Anarchists Cookbook, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Dungeon Anarchists Cookbook 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Audiobook on Audible 

Started: 2/25/2025

Finished: 2/28/2025

The worst floor of the dungeon in this series, but one of the best books otherwise.   The awakening of NPCs, the death of some big crawlers, and so e hilarious dialogue.  

The after credit on the audiobook on this one are also outstanding and laugh out loud funny.  

Carl's Doomsday Scenario, by Matt Dinniman

Title: Carl's Doomsday Scenario 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Audiobook on Audible 

Started 2/23/2025

Finished: 2/25/2025

Continuing with book 2 in DC. Good stuff.  

Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Matt Dinniman

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Audiobook in my Audible library 

Started: 2/20/2025

Finished: 2/23/2025

Well after finishing the lasted book in the series I couldn't help myself and listened to book 1 again.  This is just an outstanding book, so much fun.  

The Old Man in the Corner, by Baroness Orczy

Title: The Old Man in the Corner

Author: Baroness Orczy

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library

Started: 2/3/2025

Finished: 2/24/2025

Enjoyable set of stories.

This Inevitable Ruin, by Matt Dinniman

Title: This Inevitable Ruin

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Purchased from Amazon Audiobook 

Started: 2/11/2025

Finished: 2/19/2025

Book 7 of Dungeon Crawler Carl and id already read the Kindle version when it came out.  But as masses of folks will tell you the audiobooks are just incredible -- narrator Jeff Hays takes these to another level.  

Happy to see both Dinniman and Hays get rich (I assume) off of this endeavor.  

A Drink before the War, Dennis Lehane

Title: A Drink before the War

Author: Dennis Lehane

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started:  2/1/2025

Finished: 2/6/2025

This was a surprise.  A darker than Spenser but still smart assed Boston focused PI series.  Pretty good.  

Sudden Mischief, by Robert Parker

Title: Sudden Mischief 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 1/26/2025

Finished: 1/29/2025

Another Susan focused Spenser book and the plot of this one is just insane. 

Bone White, by Ronald Malfi

Title: Bone White

Author: Ronald Malfi

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/202025

Finished: 1/27/2025

I liked the opening of this one a lot, and there were some solid moments, but overall this one wasn't for me.

Small Vices, by Robert Parker

Title: Small Vices 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 1/22/2025

Finished: 1/26/2025

Ive always like this one for the description of rehab from severe injury, but otherwise the plot of this one is pretty terrible.  I am curious if the Grey Man bad guy in this wlone was any inspiration for the series of that name.  

Chance, by Robert Parker

Title: Chance 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 1/20/2025

Finished: 1/22/2025

This was a decent Spenser book but we are firmly in the phoning it in phase of his writing these novels.   They're easy to read, comfortable characters, and still very enjoyable dialogue.   But the grit is gone.  

Thin Air, by Robert Parker

Title,: Thin Air 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 1/15/2025

Finished: 1/17/2025

Pretty good mid-series Spenser.  This one includes two first person perspectives. The usual Spenser narrating, and then the kidnapping victim perspective.  Pretty enjoyable.  

Snow, by Ronald Malfi

Title: Snow

Author: Ronald Malfi

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/12/2025

Finished: 1/16/2025

When I first discovered Malfi last year I blew through a bunch of books in a row, some were great, others so-so, but eventually needed a break.  

This has been an unusually cold winter in MD/DC and with a lot of snow still on the ground and temps in the teens, I thought it was a good time to give this book a shot.  Turned out to be a great idea.

The book was good -- maybe not amazing.  But if you like King novels you'd probably love this one.  But it was good, and the winter atmosphere in Maryland elevated my reading experience.  

The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, by Robert E Howard

Title: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian 

Author: Robert E Howard 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 1/1/2025

Finished: 1/11/2025

When I was sla kid in the late 70s/early 80s I loved Conan or at least the idea of him.  There used to be crap paperback Conan stories all over the place (drug stores, supermarkets, etc.) and I would get one now and then.  Lots of scantily clad women, big bad Conan, etc.   

Turns out all or most of those were not really Howards stories but crap written by others about Conan, so I wanted to see what the real stories were like.  

This is the first of a three volume set.  Stories are decent but not amazing, but still a fun read for nostalgias sake.  

Walking Shadow, by Robert Parker

Title: Walking Shadow 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 1/9/2025

Finished: 1/11/2025

Not the best plot but this book has some great dialogue.  

Crypt of the Moon Spider, by Nathan Ballingrud

Title: Crypt of the Moon Spider 

Author; Nathan Ballingrud 

Purchased from Amazon Kindle edition 

Started: 1/3/2025

Finished: 1/8/2025

Great novela, first entry in a trilogy.  Ballingrud is a very enjoyable writer.  

Pastime, by Robert Parker

Title: Pastime

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 1/1/2025

Finished: 1/2/2025

First book of the new year and continuing with the Spenser re-read.  This is a good one since you get a lot of great Spenser one liners, a lot of dog activity (if like me you love dogs and have one with a similar personality to Pearl), and you get some background into Spenser's life.  Enjoyable easy read. 

Valediction, by Robert Parker

Title: Valediction 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 12/30/2024

Finished: 12/31/2024

This is one of my favorites from the Susan dumps Spenser timeline that I generally don't like.  But this is a good one,with Spenser dating someone else, still semi-suicidal, and completely missing the real villain in the overall mystery.  A rare miss for Spenser makes this an entertaining and different read.  

All These Worlds, by Dennis E Taylor

Title: All These Worlds 

Author: Dennis E Taylor 

Borrowed from Audible via Amazon Music 

Started: 12/22/2024

Finished: 12/28/2024

Third in the Bobiverse series, decent.  

A Catskill Eagle, by Robert Parker

Title: A Catskill Eagle 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 12/21/2024

Finished: 12/25/2024

Backtracking a bit in the Spenser series reread.  Not a huge fan of the Susan focused books. 

Created, the Destroyer, by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy

Title: Created, the Destroyer 

Author: Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy 

Purchased from Amazon Kindle edition 

Started: 12/18/2024

Finished: 12/21/2024

First in the Remo Williams series, pulpy and fun, but probably not enough to carry on with the rest.  

The Decagon House Murders, by Yuki to Ayatsuji

Title: The Decagon House Murders 

Author: Yuki Ayatsuji 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 11/1/2024

Finished: 12/20/2024

A twist/turn murder mystery in the "And then there were none" tradition.  Wanted to like it more than I did.  

Paper Doll, by Robert Parker

Title: Paper Doll

Author: Robert Parker 

Paperback from Free Library 

Started: 12/15/2024

Finished: 12/16/2024

Decent mid-series Spenser novel.  

Pale Kings and Princes, by Robert Parker

Title: Pale Kings and Princes 

Author: Robert Parker 

Paperback from Free Library 

Started: 12/15/2024

Finished: 12/15/2024

Decent mid-series Spense  novel.  

Taming a Sea-Horse, by Robert Parker

Title: Taming a Sea-Horse 

Author: Robert Parker 

Pap ER back from Free Library 

Started: 12/13/2024

Finished: 15/15/2024

Jumper ahead several books in the Spenser series because I happened upon three of them at a take one leave one library last week.   In some ways that's good, I skipped the books where Susan runs off, Spenser is down, the. The the rescue.  I probably will read those again because I may like them more than I remember. 

Anyway, this one isn't one of my favorites.  I've never enjoyed the April storyline and this is one of those.  But there are two great sections. The "toughest guys in [rural city] Maine" part is a standout chapter.  And the very end with April's release is legit touching (look Im not a monster, even if I don't like the April storyline this ending is uplifting).  

A Savage Place, by Robert Parker

Title: A Savage Place 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 12/9/2024

Finished: 12/12/2024

One of the worst of the earlier Spenser books.  The LA setting isn't bad, but the mystery is terrible and Spenser's banter isn't up to usual standards.  

Cold Moon Over Babylon, by Michael McDowell

Title: Cold Moon Over Babylon

Author: Michael McDowell

Borrowed from Audible

Started: 12/6/2024

Finished: 12/10/2024

Bought a new Chromebook which for some reason gave me three months free of Amazon Music, and that service recently added a "one Audible book a month" loan so I was finally able to read this one by McDowell that I'd had on my list for a while.

It was decent, but not great.  Bad guy gets his comeuppance, but only after he has murdered an entire family (three generations of family) over a 20 year period.  

Early Autumn, by Robert Parker

Title: Early Autumn 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 12/6/2024

Finished: 12/8/2024

This is one of the best Spensers.  The mystery is t amazing, but the life lessons for the 15 year old kid -- I never tire of reading this one.  

Gunman's Rhapsody, by Robert Parker

Title: Gunman's Rhapsody 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 12/3/2024

Finished: 12/4/2024

I think I would have loved this book in print, butt he Audiobook narrated by Ed Begley Jr wasnt for me.  If I ever find a print version I'll try it again.  

Mortal Stakes, by Robert Parker

Title: Mortal Stakes 

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 12/2/2024

Finished: 12/3/2024

Well I'm giving up all pretense and just admitting to myself that I'll be re-reading much of the Spenser series.  This is a decent early Spenser.  

The More the Terrier, by David Rosenfelt

Title: The More the Terrier 

Author: David Rosenfelt 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 12/1/2024

Finished: 12/2/2024

Another Andy Carpenter book, not a great plot but still funny and enjoyable. 

The Promised Land, by Robert Parker

Title: The Promised Land

Author: Robert Parker 

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 12/1/2024

Finished; 12/2/2024

An early Spenser, but not a great one.  The next few in the series though are some of the best, including The Judas Goat that I just read a day ago.