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.  

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.