Sunday, March 17, 2024

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.  

Monday, March 11, 2024

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.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

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. 

Saturday, March 2, 2024

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.  

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

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.  

Thursday, February 22, 2024

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.  

Monday, February 19, 2024

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. 

Thursday, February 15, 2024

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.  

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

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.

Thursday, February 8, 2024

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.  

Monday, February 5, 2024

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.  

Sunday, February 4, 2024

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.  

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

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.

Thursday, January 25, 2024

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.  

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

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.

Sunday, January 21, 2024

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.  

Thursday, January 18, 2024

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.  

Monday, January 15, 2024

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. 

Friday, January 12, 2024

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.  

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

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. 

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

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.

Monday, January 8, 2024

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.  

Saturday, January 6, 2024

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.  

Friday, January 5, 2024

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.

Thursday, January 4, 2024

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. 

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

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.  

Monday, January 1, 2024

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. 

Saturday, December 30, 2023

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.  

Friday, December 29, 2023

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.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

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.  

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

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. 

Monday, December 25, 2023

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. 

Sunday, December 24, 2023

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. 

Monday, December 18, 2023

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.  

Sunday, December 17, 2023

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. 

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

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. 

Monday, December 11, 2023

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. 

Thursday, December 7, 2023

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.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

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.  

Sunday, November 19, 2023

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. 

Friday, November 10, 2023

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.  

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

A Time to Die, by Tom Wood

Title: A Time to Die
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 11/7/2023
Finished: 11/8/2023

A pretty good entry in the Victor the Assassin series, much better than the last one. 

Monday, November 6, 2023

The Stranger Upstairs, by Lisa M Matlin

Title: The Stranger Upstairs
Author: Lisa M Matlin 
Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
Started: 11/6/2023
DNF

This book is terrible, made it about half way before stopping. Only recording it here so I can search it later if I forget I already gave it a shot.  One of the very rare DNF for me, but it was just painfully bad.  

Sunday, November 5, 2023

Universal Harvester, by John Darnielle

Title: Universal Harvester
Author: John Darnielle
Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/31/2023
Finished: 11/5/2023

I liked this book but struggled to really get absorbed by it.  Feel like this was me, not the book. Reading it may have been a better way for me than the audiobook version.  

Monday, October 30, 2023

The Empty House and Other Stories, by Algernon Blackwood

Title: The Empty House and Other Stories
Author: Algernon Blackwood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/27/2023
Finished: 10/30/2023

Decent collection of horror short stories. 

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Our Wives Under the Sea, by Julia Armfield

Title: Our Wives Under the Sea
Author: Julia Armfield
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition 
Started: 10/17/2023
Finished: 10/25/2023

Great book covering heartbreaking loss in an intriguing way.  Really enjoyed this one. 

Monday, October 23, 2023

Find Me, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: Find Me
Author: Laura Van Den Berg
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/22/2023
Finished: 10/23/2023

My obsession with Van Den Berg continues -- this was my least favorite of her works so far, but I don't mean to imply I didn't like it.  Find Me just didn't speak to me like the other two I read. Still enjoyable, Van Den Berg includes a lot of FLA in her books which I enjoy, bring born and raised in central FLA.  

Anyway, this is one author I'll be following. 

The Wendigo, by Algernon Blackwood

Title: The Wendigo
Author: Algernon Blackwood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/21/2023
Finished: 10/22/2023

Decently entertaining. 

Friday, October 20, 2023

I Hold a Wolf by the Ear, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: I Hold a Wolf by the Ear
Author: Laura Van Den Berg
Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/16/2023
Finished: 10/20/2023

Started this one as an audiobook, switch to Kindle because I was enjoying it so much and wanted to read it that way instead.  But had another loan come available and went back to audio.  

That's not really important I guess, what is important is how much I'm enjoying the works by Van Den Berg.  Can't really explain why, but the way she writes and the stories she's telling are extremely compelling.