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. 

Available Dark, by Elizabeth Hand

Title: Available Dark

Author: Elizabeth Hand 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/24/2024

Finished: 3/1/2024

Second in the Cass Neary trilogy.  While I didn't love this as much as I did the first, it is still a great book and Cass is an intriguing protagonist.  Hand is a great writer -- can't believe I've missed her work for so long, o let knew her from her articles I. The Washington Post.  

The Sun Down Motel, by Simone St James

Title: The Sun Down Motel

Author: Simone St James

Paperback

Started: 2/1/2024

Finished: 2/28/2024

My wife and I grabbed this from a take one leave one library in DC to read to each other. Haunted murder plot sounded interesting. 

It wasn't interesting. Terrible book, we struggled to finish but finally did tonight.  

Audition, by Ryu Murakami

Title: Audition

Author: Ryu Murakami

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/21/2024

Finished: 2/22/2024

A short, entertaining book with a brutal ending.  

Generation Loss, by Elizabeth Hand

Title: Generation Loss

Author: Elizabeth Hand

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/17/2024

Finished: 2/19/2024

Really enjoyed this one. 

Wylding Hall, by Elizabeth Hand

Title: Wylding Hall

Author: Elizabeth Hand

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/14/2024

Finished: 2/15/2024

Enjoyable mocumentary book, kind of found footage.  Not scary, but atmospheric.  

Lie Still, by Julia Heaberlin

Title: Lie Still

Author: Julia Heaberlin

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/10/2024

Finished: 2/14/2024

I have read a couple of other Heaberlin books and really like them -- this one less so.  A decent thriller/beach read, but not as good as the other two I read.

The Forgotten Man, by Robert Crais

Title: The Forgotten Man

Austor: Robert Crais

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/26/2024

Finished: 2/8/2024

First of these Cole/Pike books I struggled to finish. Could not get into this one, really dragged for me.  

Twas the Bite before Christmas, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Twas the Bite before Christmas

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/4/2024

Finished: 2/5/2024

Another simple but comforting Andy Carpenter book.  

Fateful Mornings, by Tom Bouman

Title: Fateful Mornings

Author: Tom Bouman

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/1/204

Finished: 2/4/2024

Second book in a series, I read the first years ago and liked it.  Didn't love this one, but it wasn't terrible.  

Daughters Unto Devils, by Amy Lukavics

Title: Daughters Unto Devils

Author: Amy Lukavics

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/27/2024

Finished: 1/30/2024

I wanted to like this more than I did.  It wasn't terrible, but felt very YA and my mind sometimes wandered as I listened to it.  Ending was unsettling though.

The Last Devil to Die, by Richard Osman

Title: The Last Devil to Die

Author: Richard Osman

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/22/2024

Finished: 1/25/2024

Another charming entry in the Thursday Murder Club series -- maybe my favorite since the first book. I hope Osman has gotten rich from these books, they are really entertaining.  

Mystic River, by Denis Lehane

Title: Mystic River

Author: Denis Lehane

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/21/2024

Finished: 1/24/2024

Really enjoyable, wanted to get through the book before finally watching the movie -- somehow never saw it.

The Last Detective, by Robert Crais

Title: The Last Detective

Author: Robert Crais

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/19/2024

Finished: 1/21/2024

This was another great, intense, Cole & Pike novel.  

LA Requiem, by Robert Crais

Title: LA Requiem

Author: Robert Crais

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started:  1/15/2024

Finished: 1/18/2024

Well this was an outstanding novel.  I've been really enjoying these Cole & Pike novels, but this one was on a whole other level.  

Indigo Slam, by Robert Crais

Title: Indigo Slam

Author Robert Crais

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/14/2024

Finished: 1/5/2024

Decent Cole & Pike novel. I had to skip one in the series, Sunset Express, because bizarrely the public library didn't have it in Kindle Edition, could only be read through Libby.  Didn't want to have to read it on my phone, but will eventually pick that one up. 

Voodoo River, by Robert Crais

Title: Voodoo River

Author: Robert Crais

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/9/2024

Finished: 1/12/2024

Another Cole & Pike novel. Enjoyed it, but I was pretty lost on the actual mystery going on.  

Borges in 90 Minutes, by Paul Strathern

Title: Borges in 90 Minutes

Author: Paul Strathern

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/10/2024

Finished: 1/10/2024

Debated recording this here since so short, but what the hell. It was decent. 

The Haunted Forest Tour, by Moore & Strand

Title: The Haunted Forest Tour

Author: James Moore & Jeff Strand

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/6/2024

Finished: 1/9/2024

A lot of recommendations for this one on Reddit, I thought it was pretty terrible, but I finished it.

Free Fall, by Robert Crais

Title: Free Fall

Author: Robert Crais

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/6/2024

Finished: 1/8/2024

I know I will regret blowing through these Cole & Pike novels so quickly, but I can't stop myself. Super enjoyable, if not very believable.  

Lullaby Town, by Robert Crais

Title: Lullaby Town

Author: Robert Crais

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/4/2024

Finished: 1/6/2024

I am really enjoying these Cole & Pike novels, this was another great one.  Crais is clearly influenced by Robert Parker's Spenser novels, but these are a bit darker.   Really enjoyable.  

Flop Dead Gorgeous, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Flop Dead Gorgeous

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library (Audiobook)

Started: 1/4/2024

Finished: 1/5/2024

Another Andy Carpenter book, mostly entertaining for a single running gag throughout.  Easy to know how this one would turn out, but I doubt anyone reads these books for the plot.

Gone by Dawn, by Tom Wood

Title: Gone by Dawn

Author: Tom Wood

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 1/3/2024

Finished: 1/4/2024

Really just a short story, but part of the Victor the Assassin series and decent. 

Santa's Little Yelpers, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Santas Little Yelpers

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/2/2024

Finished: 1/3/2024

Another Andy Carpenter book. Think I may have read this one before, but I didn't record it.  

There Will Be No More Good Nights, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: There Will Be No More Good Nights

Author: Laura Van Den Berg

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 12/31/2023

Finished: 1/1/2024

My first book of 2024 from my Lit crush, Van Den Berg.  This collection read more like a writing exercise -- some extremely short stories, but as usual I really enjoyed them. 

Stalking the Angel, by Robert Crais

Title: Stalking the Angel

Author: Robert Crais 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/25/2023

Finished: 12/30/2023

Really enjoyibg these Cole & Pike novels.  

The Last Days of Jack Sparks, by Jason Arnopp

Title: The Last Days of Jack Sparks

Author: Jason Arnopp

Purchased from Audible (Audiobook)

Started: 12/27/2023

Finished" 12/29/2023

I've been putting this one off for a while because I couldn't get it from the library, but a free trial to Audible got it for me free of charge, and I'm happy to say it is as good as advertised.  Really enjoyed this book.

The Isle of Youth, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: The Isle of Youth

Author: Laura Van Den Berg

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/26/2023

Finished: 12/27/2023

Another collection of shirt stories from my literary crush, Laura Van Den Berg.  Enjoyed all of these immensely, Van Den Berg's writing, as I've repeatedly said, just speaks to me.  Also helps that inthe final, titular story, the protagonist is a research librarian in DC like your humble blogger.  

The Monkey's Raincoat, by Robert Crais

Title: The Monkey's Raincoat

Author: Robert Crais

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/23/2023

Finished: 12/26/2023

First of the Cole & Pike series, really enjoyed this one. 

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, by Stephen King

Title: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

Author: Stephen King

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 12/24/2023

Finished: 12/26/2023

I'm not a big King fan, but also not a hater.  Sometimes I like, other times I don't, his stories.  This one was a masterpiece. 

The September House, by Carissa Orlando

Title: The September House

Author: Carissa Orlando 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/20/2023

Finished: 12/24/2023

Very entertaining haunted house book. 

Bad Luck in Berlin, by Tom Wood

Title: Bad Luck in Berlin

Author: Tom Wood

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 12/8/2023

Finished: 12/12/2023

Forgot to post this one earlier, but more of a short story than a novella.  Entertaining companion to the Victor the Assassin series.  

The Outfit, by Richard Stark

Title: The Outfit

Author: Richard Stark

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 12/13/2023

Finished: 12/17/2023

Another enjoyable Parker novel, but taking a break from these now since I'm blowing through them. 

The Man with the Getaway Face, by Richard Stark

Title: The Man with the Getaway Face

Author: Richard Stark

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 12/11/2023

Finished: 12/12/2023

Extremely enjoyable Parker novel. 

The Hunter, by Richard Stark

Title: The Hunter

Author: Richard Stark

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 12/10/2023

Finished: 12/11/2023

First in the Parker series, great book. 

No Tomorrow, by Tom Wood

Title:  No Tomorrow

Author: Tom Wood

Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 12/5/2023

Finished: 12/7/2023

Another fun entry in the Victor the Assassin series.

The Secret, by Lee & Andrew Child

Title: The Secret

Author: Lee & Andrew Child

Purchased hardcopy

Started: 11/18/2023

Finished: 11/29/2023

Pretty weak Reacher novel.  

Kill for Me, by Tom Wood

Title: Kill for Me

Author: Tom Wood

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 11/27/2023

Finished: 11/29/2023

Another entertaining Victor the Assassin book.  

The Final Hour, by Tom Wood

Title: The Final Hour

Author: Tom Wood

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 11/16/2023

Finished: 11/19/2023

Decent entry in the Victor the Assassin series. 

What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us

Author: Laura Van Den Berg

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 10/25/2023

Finished: 11/10/2023

My literary crush on Van Den Berg continues, I think I've read all of her published works.  Haven't felt this connected to an author since I discovered Denis Johnson years ago.