Incidents Around the House, by Josh Malerman

Title: Incidents Around the House 

Author: Josh Malerman 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 9/20/2022

Finished: 9/24/2024

Not sure how I feel about this one, but I wanted to like it more than I did.  

Recursion, by Blake Crouch

Title: Recursion 

Author: Blake Crouch 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 9/1/2024

Finished: 9/19/2024

Struggled with this one.  Interesting first third but I lost interest.  

Dark Harvest, by Norman Partridge

Title: Dark Harvest 

Author: Norman Partridge 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 9/16/2024

Finished: 9/18/2024

Short Halloween novel, kind of like the lottery for YA readers.  Decent. 

Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone , by Benjamin Stevenson

Title: Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone 

Author: Benjamin Stevenson 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 9/12/2024

Finished: 9/16/2024

An entertaining murder mystery 

The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides

Title: The Marriage Plot 

Author: Jeffrey Eugenides 

Paperback picked up at free library 

Started: 9/2/2024

Finished: 9/12/2024

Overall I liked this book, even if I didn't care for any of the three main characters very much.  

How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive, by Craig DiLouie

Title: How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive 

Author: Craig DiLouie 

Purchased paperback from local bookstore in DC

Started: 8/31/2024

Finished: 9/2/2024

Enjoyed this one overall but didn't love it.  

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, by Janice Hallett

Title: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels 

Author: Janice Hallett 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 8/24/2024

Finished: 8/31/2024

Extremely enjoyable epistolary novel, Hallett is great at writing these.  

Shrink Rap, by Robert B Parker

Title: Shrink Rap

Author: Robert B Parker 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 8/27/2024

Finished: 8/28/2024

Another Sunny Randall novel, only so so.  

Perish Twice, by Robert B Parker

Title: Perish Twice 

Author: Robert B Parker 

Paperback from take one leave one library 

Started: 8/25/2024

Finished: 8/26/2024

Had surgery three days ago and find myself with a lot of time on my hands for convalescing.  Third book in as many days.  Sunny Randall mystery, enjoyable for what it is, though I prefer the Spenser books.  

The Twyford Code, by Janice Hallett

Title: The Twyford Code

Author: Janice Hallett 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 8/23/2024

Finished: 8/25/2024

Another epistolary novel from Hallett, very enjoyable.  These are really fun books.  

I Remember You, by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Title: I Remember You 

Author: Yrsa Sigurdardottir 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 8/20/2024

Finished: 8/24/2024

Icelandic horror novel, decent. 

State of Paradise, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: State of Paradise 

Author: Laura Van Den Berg 

Purchased hardback bookstore in DC

Started: 8/10/2024

Finished: 8/17/2024

My literary crush with Van Den Berg continues.  This book was something of a love letter to Florida, at least it felt that way to this native Floridian who grew up in central FLA and escaped (for lack of a better word).  Not at all horror so some readers of Van Den Berg's previous work may be disappointed, but if they are, I'd argue they've focused too much on the stories and not enough on the writing.  

Van Den Berg's writing speaks to me the way Denis Johnson's did.  Absolutely terrific and drives a literary desire of my own (but I'm far too lazy/comfortable to write more than these blog posts).  This is a relatively short novel so I tried to take my time with it.  

I don't buy many books as is evidenced by how many of my posts are for library copies.  But this was one I wanted to read immediately and to support the author for future works.  

The Miernik Dossier, by Charles McCarry

Title: The Miernik Dossier

Author: Charles McCarry

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public LIbrary Audiobook

Started: 8/11/2024

Finished: 8/16/2024

Fantastic epistolary cold war spy novel.  Can't say enough about this one, absolutely loved it.

Poodle Spring, by Raymond Chandler & Robert B Parker

Title: Poodle Springs

Author: Raymond Chandler & Robert B Parker 

Purchased used hardcover

Started: 8/8/2024

Finished: 8/9/2024

The u finished Marlow novel, completed by Parker.  Might say Marlow but this is a Spenser novel through & through, and that's not a complaint. Enjoyed it.  

Triptych, by Karin Slaughter

Title: Triptych

Author: Karin Slaughter 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 8/1/2024

Finished: 8/5/2024

My mom recommended this one since she likes the TV show, but this book was not for me.  Way too hateful of a plot, writing wasn't my style, overall did not enjoy this one.  

The Jugger, by Richard Stark

Title: The Jugger 

Author: Richard Stark 

Paperback from free library 

Started: 7/25/2024

Finished: 8/3/2024

A very short but entertaining Parker novel.  These are such great pulp books.  

The Appeal, by Janice Hallett

Title:  The Appeal

Author: Janice Hallett

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 7/27/2024

Finished: 7/30/2024

This was a spectacular book, absolutely loved it.  Even though I did not successfully solve the mystery (and have doubts about the solution put forward).  I'm pretty sure there is a different solution indicated by the final email disclosed in the book, and I have a few guesses, but even not being sure of the mystery I really like this one.

Black Mouth, by Ronald Malfi

Title: Black Mouth

Author: Ronald Malfi 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle and Audiobook 

Started: 7/15/2024

Finished: 7/26/2024

Read the first two thirds of this one slowly via Kindle.  Switched to audiobook for the final third as I struggled to get myself to want to read it but wanted to finish.  Didn't love this one -- too Stephen King for me. 

Small Town Horror, by Ronald Malfi

Title: Small Town Horror 

Author: Ronald Malfi 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/20/2024

Finished: 7/23/2024

I wanted to like this one more than I did.  Started off ok, but then fell apart for me quite a bit until two thirds of the way through when plot twists hit and the book sped to the ending.  So start and finish were good, middle only so-so. 

However, having moved to Kent Island a few years ago, I loved the mention of Stevensville and Love Point Road.  That made it all worthwhile.  

A Better World, by Sarah Langan

Title: A Better World 

Author: Sarah Langan 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/18/2024

Finished: 7/20/2024

I liked the first half of this book quite a bit, but the second half wasnt as good and then the final chapters were a disappointment.  

Tropic of Night, by Michael Gruber

Title: Tropic of Night 

Author: Michael Gruber 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/14/2024

Finished: 7/18/2024

This was a big, and mostly entertaining book.  The magic stuff was done in a way that wasn't too hokey.  Overall I enjoyed it.  

Dog Day Afternoon, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Dog Day Afternoon 

Author: David Rosenfelt 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/13/2024

Finished: 7/14/2024

Another Andy Carpenter book, these are basically all the same but I still enjoy them as audiobooks to fill the time when doing chores and such. 

Silver Nitrate, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Silver Nitrate 

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/9/2024

Finished: 7/12/2024

I enjoyed this one overall for the characters, but wasn't enthralled by the plot.  Had hoped for more horror, less magic, but again, enjoyed it overall. 

The Floating Staircase, by Ronald Malfi

Title: The Floating Staircase 

Author: Ronald Malfi 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 7/6/2024

Finished: 7/9/2024

Yes, another Malfi novel.  This was enjoyable as well.  

Come With Me, by Ronald Malfi

Title: Come With Me 

Author: Ronald Malfi 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/6/2024

Finished: 7/9/2024

Enjoyed this Malfi book quite a bit.  As noted in my last post, having just discovered this author I'm now lining up his books to read.  

They Lurk, by Ronald Malfi

Title: They Lurk

Author: Ronald Malfi

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 7/2/2024

Finished: 7/7/2024

I have a new author -- and a local one at that. Malfi lives relatively near me near the Chesapeake Bay in MD and I really like his work. Expect to see a lot of his books listed here in the coming weeks.  

This collection of shirt stories was great. First two were good, last three were spectacular.  In particular the final two stories.   Great stuff.  

Horror Movie, by Paul Tremblay

Title:  Horror Movie

Author: Paul Tremblay

Purchased from Amazon Hardcover

Started: 6/26/2024

Finished: 6/28/2024

Really enjoyed this one.  I like Tremblay in general, loved a couple of his books, and I'd put this one up there with the best.  

The Southern Lawyer, by Peter O'Mahoney

Title:  The Southern Lawyer

Author:  Peter O'Mahoney

Borrowed from a neighbor, hardback

Started: 6/23/2024

Finished: 6/26/2024

A pretty terrible Grisham knock-off, though the author clearly loves Charleston and gives a pretty good tour of the city.  Not sure how much I'd enjoy wine from SC...

The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair, by Joel Dicker

Title: The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair

Author: Joel Dicker

Borrowed from DC Public Library (Audiobook)

Started: 6/23/2024

Finished: 6/25/2024

This was a somewhat random recommendation from a Reddit thread on book recommendations and I absolutely loved it.  Very grateful to the person who recommended it, since I'll now be looking for other books from Dicker, always great to have a new author to follow.  This was a spectacular book.  

Diavola, by Jennifer Throne

Title:  Diavola

Author: Jennifer Throne

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 6/12/2024

Finished: 6/17/2024

I wanted to like this one more than I did.  It wasn't bad, but not what I'd hoped for.

The Hunter, by Tana French

Title: The Hunter

Author: Tana French

Borrowed from DC Public Library

Started: 6/10/2024

Finished: 6/12/2024

Tana French is a fantastic writer.  This was just as good as everything else I've read, and I love the continuation of these Irish crime/drama stories.  

Don't Turn Around, by Harry Dolan

Title: Don't Turn Around

Author: Harry Dolan

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library, Audiobook

Started: 6/5/20204

Finished: 6/7/2024

My third book by Harry Dolan.  I really liked one (Man in the Crooked Hat), didn't like another too much (Bad Things Happen).  I'm in the middle with this one (Don't Turn Around), liked it but didn't love it.  The book does have some great red herrings and unexpected (and completely unrealistic, but of course you're hearing this from a guy who just finished two read-throughs of a series about a talking cat).  All in all, an enjoyable read.

A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home, by Jason Arnopp

Title: A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home

Author: Jason Arnopp

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 5/27/2024

Finished: 5/27/2024

Really a short story but recording it since it is sold as a stand-alone.  Not as good as I'd hoped, based on other things I've read by Arnopp.

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden, by Denis Johnson

Title: The Largesse of the Sea Maiden

Author: Denis Johnson

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 5/20/2024

Finished: 5/23/2024

I've had this final Johnson book on my list for years.  I'm a big fan of Johnson and just kept putting off this final work.  Like Johnson's other writings, it's beautiful, funny, terrible -- he's just such a great writer.  

For We are Many, by Dennis E. Taylor

Title: For We are Many

Author: Dennis E. Taylor

Purchased from Audible 

Started:5/14/2024

Finished: 5/16/2024

Book 2 in the Bobiverse series.  Still not sure how I feel about these.  Sometimes I'm really enjoying them, others I'm bored.  Since they're costing me money I'll probably take a break and see if I want to revisit.

We are Legion (We are Bob), by Dennis E Taylor

Title: We are Legion (We are Bob)

Author: Dennis E Taylor 

Purchased from Amazon Kindle & Audiobook 

Started: 5/11/2024

Finished: 5/14/2024

I found Dungeon Crawler Carl via numerous Reddit postings praising that series and I fell in love immediately.  

These Bobiverse books are another series with tons of praise on reddit so I decided to give them a try.  Didn't love this first book, but it grew on me as I worked through it so I'll give the second a shot and decide from there.  

The Exchange, by John Grisham

Title: The Exchange 

Author: John Grisham 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 5/10/2024

Finished: 5/12/2024

The follow up to The Firm.  The Firm was great, The Exchange was not.  

The Firm, by John Grisham

Title: The Firm

Author: John Grisham

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook

Started: 5/6/2024

Finished: 5/8/2024

Haven't read this book since it was first published in 1991.  I know that was more than 30 years ago so some of what I'm going to say is obvious.  But since this is a blog for one, I might as well entertain that person (me).

First -- I was about 18 or so in 1991 and didn't know anything about law firms.  As it turned out, that's where I've spent my entire professional career (as a law librarian) but the firm/billing/retreats were all very similar to what my first law firm experience was like (I was there almost 20 years).  

Second -- while I'm aware of inflation, this book really brought it home, what it looks like over decades.  Top of his class Harvard grad is being recruited by DC/NY/Chicago firms.  Their salaries ranged between about $56,000 to $68,000.  And that is thought of as big money.  The Firm (in Memphis) is offering $80K which is get rich money.  The Firm's head librarian is paid the unheard of salary of $40,000 a year.  

Third -- interest rates for a home purchase are about 10% and the firm is offering a discount down to 7%.  This one was a bit easier for me since my student loans from the late 90s were in the 9% range.  But of course 7% rates now (2024) are considered high....

Anyway, to the book -- I enjoyed this a lot. Probably more than when it first came out.  But I'm 30 years older and have worked in law firms for 25+ years.  Decided on the re-read since Grisham wrote a follow up.  I don't expect it to be good, but wanted a refresh on the original.

A Haunting on the Hill, by Elizabeth Hand

Title: A Haunting on the Hill

Author: Elizabeth Hand

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 5/3/2024

Finished: 5/6/2024

Confession time -- when I finished book 6 in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, I tried to start another book but could not get into it.  Instead I started a re-read of all six books in the DCC series.  I read the whole thing again.

Once I finished book six for the second time, this new title had come through on my holds list for the public library.  

I've always loved the original The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.  I recently discovered Elizabeth Hand's novels and have enjoyed those quite a bit.  So this was a great fit for me, Hand revisiting Hill House.  I liked this book quite a bit.

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride 

Author:  Matt Dinniman 

Purchased from Amazon Audible 

Started: 4/7/2024

Finished: 4/10/2024

Book six of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.  This book and the entire series is just so enjoyable. I blew through these in record time.  

The Butcher's Masquerade, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Butcher's Masquerade 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Purchased from Amazon Audible 

Started: 4/4/2024

Finished: 4/7/2024

Book 5 in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, super enjoyable, I hate that there is just one book left.  

The Gate of the Feral Gods, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Gate of the Feral Gods

Author: Matt Dinniman

Purchased from Amazon Audible

Started: 4/1/2024

Finished: 4/3/2024

Book 4 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, extremely fun stuff.  

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

Author: Matt Dinniman

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 3/29/20024

Finished: 4/1/2024

Book three in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.  Read this one instead of listening, fun continuation of this enjoyable series.

Carl's Doomsday Scenario, by Matt Dinniman

Title: Carl's Doomsday Scenario

Author: Matt Dinniman

Purchased from Amazon Audible

Started: 3/28/2024

Finished: 3/29/2024

I devoured book 2 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series as quickly as the first, buying this one minutes after finishing the first book. 

Amazon wouldn't let me buy book 3 as an audiobook without subscribing to Audible so for book 3 I'm switching to the Kindle Edition. 

Book 2 was a lot of fun as a continuation of the first.  I doubt if any of these books work as a stand alone, but as a series it is the most fun I've had reading in a really long time.  Great stuff.  

Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Matt Dinniman

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Author: Matt Dinniman

Purchased from Amazon Audible

Started: 3/26/2024

Finished: 3/28/2024

This one has been recommended on various reddit boards I follow for years but I didn't think it was for me. I also don't have an audible subscription and if I was going to read i preferred to listen.  

Recently the audiobook was offered for cheap on Amazon so I bought it and listened.  This book is amazing.  

I ignored all other responsibilities for two days as I was lost in this book. When it was over I tried a different audiobook and lasted about 5 mins before I bought the next in the DCC series which was equally discounted on Amazon.  

Just a spectacular, silly, wonderful book. 

The Hangman, by Louise Penny

Title:  The Hangman

Author: Louise Penny

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Short story/novella from the Three Pines series.  Not great.

Still Life, by Louise Penny

Title: Still Life

Author: Louise Penny

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 3/20/2024

Finished: 3/25/2024

First in the Three Pines/Inspector Gamache series.  Enjoyed it. 

The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo

Author: Alexadre Dumas

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 3/12/2024

Finished: 3/17/2024

This is a book often recommended but also intimidating due to its volume.  I decided to start it when laid low with a bad cold, I'm sorry to say the cold has outlasted the book, since the book is as fantastic as everyone claimed.   

The cold rages on, miserably.  

The Chaos Agent, by Mark Greaney

Title:  The Chaos Agent

Author: Mark Greaney

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 3/5/20204

Finished: 3/11/2024

Another enjoyable entry in the Grey Man series.

Hard Light, by Elizabeth Hand

Title: Hard Light

Author: Elizabeth Hand

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started:  3/7/2024

Finished: 3/10/2024

Really enjoyed this book and the entire Cass Neary trilogy.  I see there is a 4th book so I'll probably try to track it down eventually.