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.  

The Judas Goat, by Robert Parker

Title: The Judas Goat

Author: Robert Parker 

Picked up paperback from Free Library 

Started: 11/30/2024

Finished: 11/30/2024

These early Parker books are the best.  This one is great.  Could reread it regularly. 

The Inevitable Ruin, by Matt Dinniman

Title: The Inevitable Ruin 

Author: Matt Dinniman 

Purchased from Amazon Kindle edition 

Started: 11/11/2024

Finished: 11/18/2024

The newest book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.  Not a great stand alone novel, but if you're invested in the series like I am, a great continuation of the over arching story.  

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, by Benjamin Stevenson

Title: Everyone on this Train is a Suspect 

Author: Benjamin Stevenson 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 11/1/2024

Finished: 11/8/2024

Second in this series and I liked it, very charming books.  

The Only One Left, by Riley Sager

Title: The Only One Left

Author: Riley Sager

Borrowed in paperback from my wife

Started: 10/15/2024

Finished: 10/30/2024

A pretty terrible whodunit.

The Murder at the Vicarage, by Agatha Christie

Title: The Murder at the Vicarage 

Author: Agatha Christie 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 10/26/2024

Finished: 10/27/2024

The first Miss Marple book, not my favorite, I'm a bigger Poirot fan.  

The Iron Hand of Mars, by Lindsey Davis

Title: The Iron Hand of Mars 

Author: Lindsey Davis 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 10/19/2024

Finished: 10/25/2024

I've read too many of these Falco books back to back. They're good, but I need a break.  

Venus in Copper, by Lindsey Davis

Title: Venus in Copper 

Author: Lindsey Davis 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 10/17/2024

Finished: 10/18/2024

Another Falco book. Not bad, a bit melodramatic.  Also meant to note how much this author HATES landlords.  Not an unpopular position, but it is prevalent throughout the books so far. 

Shadows in Bronze, by Lindsey Davis

TItle: Shadows in Bronze

Author: Lindsey Davis

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 10/13/2024

FInished: 10/15/2024

Second in the Falco mystery series set in ancient Rome.  Pretty good.

The Footage, by Stuart James

Title: The Footage 

Author: Stuart James 

Purchased from Amazon Kindle edition 

Started: 10/13/2024

Finished: 10/14/2024

I'm a sucker for found footage movies and books which has led me to buy and read some pretty terrible stuff.  This is up there with the worst of them.  

The Hollows, by Daniel Church

Title: The Hollows

Author: Daniel Church 

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle edition 

Started: 10/1/2024

Finished: 10/13/2024

Decent but not amazing old gods-ish horror novel.  

The Silver Pigs, by Lindsey Davis

Title: The Silver Pigs 

Autor: Lindsey Davis 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 10/10/2024

Finished: 10/13/2024

First in a detective series set in ancient Rome. Pretty good.  

Death at the Sign of the Rook, by Kate Atkinson

• Title: Death at the Sign of the Rook
• Author: Kate Atkinson
• Purchased from local DC bookstore (hardcover -- forget how expensive these are)
• Started: 10/6/2024
• Finished: 10/9/2024

Another (the final?) in the Jackson Brodie series.  This one seemed a lot less "serious" than the earlier entries, but was still enjoyable.  No regrets on the purchase, Atkinson's worth it.

The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough

• Title:  The First Man in Rome
• Author: Colleen McCullough
• Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 9/28/2024
• Finished: 10/8/2024

Back in 2022 I read the first three in this series as abridged, the only versions available from the public library.  I hate reading abridged and wasn't thrilled with them.

Now I have access to the unabridged and this is a spectacular book.  Hoping the others in the series are also available unabridged.  Incredible stuff.

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.