Better Off Dead, by Lee Child

Title: Better Off Dead

Author: Lee Child

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/27/2021

Finished: 12/29/2021

Another throwaway Reacher novel, they are fun, if stupid.  

Under the Midnight Sun, by Keigo Higashino

• Title:  Under the Midnight Sun
• Author: Keigo Higashino
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
• Started: 12/21/2021 
• Finished: 12/28/2021

Love the books by Higashino, and this was no exception. Exceptional.  

Artemis, by Andy Weir

Title: Artemis

Author:  Andy Weir

Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/11/2021

Finished: 12/14/2021

After reading and loving Project Hail Mary, I thought I'd give Artemis a try.  Didn't like this one much -- decent as a young adult type novel, but not as wood as PHM or The Martian.  

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

Title: Project Hail Mary

Author: Andy Weir

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/6/2021

Finished: 12/11/2021

Loved this one, as much or more than The Martian.  Fantastic book. 

Bellweather Rhapsody, by Kate Racculia

• Title:Bellweather Rhapsody
• Author: Kate Racculia
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
• Started: 11/22/2021
• Finished: 12/5/2021

This one started off strong but fell apart for me and never really recovered.

The House Next Door, by Anne Rivers Siddons

Title:  The House Next Door

Author:  Anne Rivers Siddons

Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library (Audiobook)

Started: 11/8/2021

Finished: 11/12/2021

My third time reading this one, but first time as an audiobook.  I have enjoyed this one with each reading, including this third time.  Next to Hill House, this is the best Haunted House/Is it a Haunted House book out there. 

I've always leaned more towards the "not haunted, protagonists are going crazy" but this reading solidified it.  Colquit is definitely going insane, and her husband Walter, so afraid of losing her to the architect, feeds her growing illness. 

I love this book.

Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood, by Quentin Tarantino

Title: Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood

Author: Quentin Tarantino

Borrowed from

Started: 11/5/2021

Finished: 11/8/2021

Loved the movie, and when I saw some film Twitter guys I follow talking about the book I decided to give it a try.  Very entertaining. 

Reservoir 13, by Jon McGregor

• Title: Reservoir 13
• Author: John McGregor
• Borrowed from Queen Anne County, MD Public Library (audiobook)
• Started: 10/29/2021
• Finished: 11/5/2021

Some books just read like a Man Booker nominee -- this is definitely one of them.  I liked it, but I wasn't always sure why.  Again, just reads very much like a Man Booker nominee, and I tend to like those.

The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen

Title: The Great God Pan

Author: Arthur Machen

Purchased from Amazon Kindle edition

Started: 11/1/2021

Finished; 11/3/2021

Decent gothic horror -ish novella. 

We Were Never Here, by Andrea Bartz

• Title:  We Were Never Here
• Author:  Andrea Bartz
• Borrowed from Worcester County, MD Public Library Audiobook
• Started:10/24/2021
• Finished: 10/28/2021

Got this recommendation randomly online, a reasonably good thriller.

Hallowe'en Party, by Agatha Christie

Title: Hallowe'en Party

Author: Agatha Christie

Borrowed from Worcester County, MD Public Library Audiobook

Started: 10/22/2021

Finished: 10/23/2021

Bought a fixer upper recently and needed a book to listen to in the background as I worked. This one fit the bill. 

Arsenals of Folly: The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race, by Richard Rhodes

• Title:  Arsenals of Folly:  The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race
• Author:  Richard Rhodes
• Borrowed from DC Public Library (Kindle Edition and Audibook)
• Started: 10/1/2021
• Finished: 10/17/2021

Some people I follow on Twitter were talking about this one, I think in relation to the Chernobyl documentary/series streaming.  I was intrigued and gave it a shot, and just as they described -- it read almost like a thriller.  An incredible read, which I started on the Kindle edition and then switched to an audiobook when my original loan ended.   

The Storied Life of A.J Fikry, by Gabrielle Zevin

Title: The Storied Life of A.J Fikry

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Borrowed from Worcester County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 10/12/2021

Finished: 10/13/2021

Book club selection, very enjoyable. 

Based on a True Story, by Norm Macdonald

Title: Based on a True Story

Author: Norm Macdonald

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 9/22/2021

Finished: 9/28/2021

Very enjoyable. 

Britt-Marie Was Here, by Fredrik Backman

• Title: Britt-Marie Was Here
• Author: Fredrik Backman
• Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 9/16/2021
• Finish: 9/21/2021

Another great one from Backman.

Silent Bite, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Silent Bite

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Fairfax County, Public Library Audiobook

Started: 9/11/2021

Finished: 9/15/2021

This was a pretty terrible book, but as with late entries in many mystery series, what can you expect?

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, by Fredrik Backman

• Title:  My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
• Author: Fredrik Backman
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook & Kindle Edition
• Started: 9/8/2021
• Finished: 9/13/2021

I am a sucker for Backman books and this was no exception. Just such a great writer.

Shooting Columbo, by David Koenig

• Title: Shooting Columbo
• Author: David Koenig
• Purchased Hardback
• Started: 8/23/2021
• Finished: 9/7/2021

Big Columbo fan so was curious to see what I'd learn from this one.  Interesting to fans, but probably not to a wider audience.  Relatively deep knowledge of the episodes will be necessary for most readers to enjoy this -- unless you plan to watch each episode before reading the chapters.

Overall enjoyed it -- not as much as I wanted to... but I'm a fan and Koenig clearly is too.  

Claudius the God: and his wife Messalina, by Robert Graves

Title: Claudius the God: and his wife Messalina

Author: Robert Graves

Borrowed from Fairfax county public library audiobook

Started: 8/22/2021

Finished: 9/5/2021

As I said when I finished the first book in this series, I, Claudius, this is probably my third reading.  I love these books.  Probably close to an annual read for me.  

Newcomer, by Keigo Higashino

Title: Newcomer

Author: Keigo Higashino

Borrowed from Worcester, MD Public Library Audiobook

Started: 8/2/2021

Finished: 8/12/2021

Another enjoyable Detective Kaga. This one had a lot more heart to the novel, very entertaining. 

Flashman and the Angel of the Lord, by George MacDonald Fraser

• Title:  Flashman and the Angel of the Lord
• Author:  George MacDonald Fraser
• Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library (Audiobook)
• Started: 7/15/2021
• Finished: 8/1/2021

Second or third time reading this one, one of the more somber Flashman books.

The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig

Title: The Midnight Library

Author: Matt Haig

Borrowed from Worcester County MD Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 7/10/2021

Finished: 7/30/2021

An easy read, but i didn't really enjoy this one.  

Down and Out in Paris and London, by George Orwell

Title: Down and Out in Paris and London

Author: George Orwell

Borrowed from Fairfax county public library audiobook

Started: 6/30/2021

Finished: 7/13/2021

Reasonably enjoyable, great last paragraph. 

Of Women and Salt, by Gabriela Garcia

Title: Of Women and Salt

Author: Gabriela Garcia

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 7/12/2021

Finished: 7/12/2021

Book club choice, easy read (finished same day), sometimes tough subject matter.  Decent but not great.  

Muzzled, by David Rosenfelt

Title:  Muzzled

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library (audiobook)

Started: 6/30/2021

Finished: 7/8/2021

Pretty sure I listened to this one before, but never recorded it here, so it got a listen again. Not very good.

I, Claudius, by Robert Graves

• Title:  I, Claudius
• Author:  Robert Graves
• Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library (audiobook)
• Started; 6/30/2021
• Finished: 7/8/2021

Easily the third time I've read this book, so enjoyable.

Relentless, by Mark Greaney

Title: Relentless

Author: Mark Greaney

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 6/20/2021

Finished: 6/24/2021

Latest grey man installment. I hate to admit this but it was pretty enjoyable. Perfect book for a few days at the beach reading outside.  

The Sentinel, by Lee Child

Title: The Sentinel

Author: Lee Child

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 6/14/2021

Finished: 6/15/2021

Summer so time for some quick easy reads.  This jack reacher, transitioning to a new author, wasn't great but certainly was quick and easy.  

The Moving Toyshop, by Edmund Crispin

Title: The Moving Toyshop

Author: Edmund Crispin

Purchased from Amazon.com Kindle Edition

Started: 4/15/2021

Finished: 5/2/2021

Very short book but I took my time with it.  Enjoyable, but not quite as funny as I'd hoped.  

All You Need Is Kill, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

Title : All You Need Is Kill

Author: Hiroshi Sakurazaka

Borrowed from Worcester, MD Public Library Audiobook

Started: 4/22/2021

Finished: 4/26/2021

Entertaining sci fi story, made into. Tom Cruise movie years ago. 

Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane

Title: Shutter Island

Author: Dennis Lehane

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook

Started:  4/2/2021

Finished: 4/7/2021

Enjoyable, even knowing the basic plot from the movie it is still atmospheric and engrossing. 

Medicus, by Ruth Downie

• Title: Medicus
• Author: Ruth Downie
• Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 3/26/2021
• Finished: 4/1/2021

Wanted to like this one more than I did, an ok way to pass time but not worth continuing.

Death of a Doxy, by Rex Stout

Title: Death of a Doxy

Author: Rex Stout

Borrowed from Fairfax County VA Public Library Audiobook

Started: 3/23/2021

Finished: 3/25/2021

Another Nero Wolfe re-read, enjoyable. 

Eight Perfect Murders, by Peter Swanson

Title: Eight Perfect Murders

Author: Peter Swanson

Borrowed from

Started: 3/17/2021

Finished: 3/24/2021

Book club selection, enjoyed it mostly, ending was a bit off. Still, overall an enjoyable read. 

The Searcher, by Tana French

Title: The Searcher

Author: Tana French

Borrowed from Fairfax County VA Public Library Audiobook

Started: 3/18/2021

Finished: 3/23/2021

Really enjoyed this one, not at all like French's Doubling Murder Squad book (which I also enjoy).  More of a modern day western, thoroughly enjoyed this book.  

We are all the same in the Dark, by Julia Heaberlin

Title: We are all the same in the Dark

Author: Julia Heaberlin

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 3/1/2021

Finished: 3/14/2021

Book club selection, really enjoyed this one. 

American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins

Title: American Dirt

Author: Jeanine Cummins

Borrowed from Fairfax County VA Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 2/26/2021

Finished: 3/11/2021

Enjoyable overall, if flawed.  

Plot It Yourself, by Rex Stout

• Title:  Plot It Yourself
• Author:  Rex Stout
• Borrowed from Fairfax County, VA Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 2/20/2021
• Finished: 2/24/2021

Another enjoyable Nero Wolf mystery.

Looking for Rachel Wallace, by Robert B Parker

Title: Looking for Rachel Wallace

Author: Robert B Parker

Borrowed from Worcester County MD Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 2/9/2021

Finished: 2/13/2021

I think this is my favorite Spenser novel.  Was in the mood for a familiar read so went this this one, again. 

Murder by the Book, by Rex Stout

Title: Murder by the Book

Author: Rex Stout

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/8/20201

Finished: 2/12/2021

Another fun, comfortable, Nero Wolfe book re-read. 

The Doorbell Rang, by Rex Stout

Title: The Doorbell Rang

Author: Rex Stout

Borrowed from DC public library audiobook

Started: 2/2/2021

Finished: 2/6/2021

Re-reading of a great Nero Wolfe book, takes on the fbi.  Hoover shows up at the end and isn't let in the house.  Good stuff.  

Conviction, by Denise Mina

Title: Conviction

Author: Denise Mina

Borrowed from Worcester County MD Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/20/2021

Finished: 1/31/2021

Boon club selection, I liked it. 

Tangerine, by Christine Mangan

Title: Tangerine

Author: Christine Mangan

Borrowed from Fairfax County VA Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/20/2021

Finished: 1/26/2021

Book club book, didn't care for this one.  

Fer-De-Lance, by Rex Stout

Title: Fer-De-Lance

Author: Rex Stout

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/15/2021

Finished: 1/19/2021

First Nero Wolfe book, read it before but needed and easy and fun distraction. And I hadn't read it for a long time. A decade maybe. Still enjoyable. 

Alex, by Pierre Lemaitre

Title: Alex

Author: Pierre Lemaitre

Borrowed from Fairfax County VA Public Library Audiobook

Started:  1/3/2021

Finished: 1/17/2021

Book club book (my choice), this one is tough, lots of really bad things happening, hard to read some of this violence. 

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, by Haruki Murakami

Title: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

Author: Haruki Murakami

Borrowed in paperback from Little Free Library

Started: 1/3/2021

Finished: 1/15/2021

Read this one slowly, really enjoyed it, nice to digest a couple of chapters a night.  

Something That May Shock and Discredit You,by Daniel Lavery

Title: Something That May Shock and Discredit You

Author: Daniel Lavery

Purchased from Amazon Kindle Edition

Started: 1/2/2021

Finished: 1/6/2021

Book club selection, didn't enjoy it. Disjointed and not for me.  Seemed like he was going for a David Sedaris thing, but it didn't work for me at all. 

The Italian Secretary, by Caleb Carr

Title: The Italian Secretary

Author: Caleb Carr

Hardback from Little Free Library

Started: 1/1/2021

Finished: 1/2/2021

First book of the new year, enjoyable Holmes pastiche.