Home Before Dark, by Riley Sager

Title: Home Before Dark

Author: Riley Sager

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition

Started: 8/30/2022

Finished: 9/3/2022

Fun and easy beach read.  Good end of summer quasi-haunted house book. 

Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle edition

Started: 8/26/2022

Finished: 8/29/2022

Enjoyable horror melodrama. 

The Elementals, by Michael McDowell

Title: The Elementals

Author: Michael McDowell

Purchased from Amazon.com Kindle edition

Started: 8/21/2022

Finished: 8/24/2022

Enjoyable southern haunted house book, fun summer read. 

Penpal, by Dathan Auerbach

Title: Penpal

Author: Dathan Auerbach

Purchased from Amazon.com Kindle edition

Started: 8/3/2022

Finished: 8/21/2022

Started this one on a cross country flight then put it down until today. I liked it, but I had read the original reddit posts years ago and this didn't pack the same punch as those did at the time. 

Devil's Canyon, by Ralph Compton

Title: Devil's Canyon

Author: Ralph Compton

Second hand store in Monticello, UT paperback

Started: 8/14/2022

Finished: 8/19/202

Forgettable western novel. 

The Magus, by John Fowles

Title:  The Magus

Author: John Fowles

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook and Kindle Edition

Started: 7/29/2022

Finished:  8/9/2022

Wanted to like this one more than I did.  It was good, but I wasn't completely absorbed.  Suspect I would have liked it a lot more when younger, immediately post-college.

Come Closer, by Sara Gran

• Title:  Come Closer
• Author:  Sara Gran
• Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library (Audiobook)
• Started: 7/26/2022
• Finished: 7/27/2022

I wanted to like this one more than I did -- it was good, but not as great as I thought it might be.  For a very short novel, it repeated some things too much, and didn't develop when I thought were interesting asides.  But it was told first persons, which would have made some of those harder for the narrator to know or tell.

Fortune's Favorite, by Colleen McCullough

• Title:  Fortune's Favorite
• Author:  Colleen McCullough
• Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook (Abridged)
• Started; 7/20/2022
• Finished: 7/26/2022

This is the third in the Masters of Rome series, and I liked the story quite a bit, but for the first time the abridging was obvious.  Too much nuance was missing.  Going to take a break from these, the abridgement is growing frustrating.  

The Grass Crown, by Colleen McCullough

• Title:  The Grass Crown
• Author:  Colleen McCollugh
• Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook (Abridged)
• Started: 7/14/2022
• Finished:  7/18/2022

Didn't enjoy this as much as the first in the series, and I really hate to read abridged works, but these are good time-killers and the series is readily available via the library...

The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCollough

Title: The First Man in Rome (abridged)

Author: Colleen McCollough

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started:. 7/8/2022

Finished: 7/11/2022

Abridged version of the boon but I'm stuck away from home for a while and needed something to listen to. Pretty good, but would rather have the unabridged version. Feels too much like reading cliff notes. 

The Collector, by John Fowles

Title: The Collector

Author: John Fowles

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 7/4/2022

Finished: 7/6/2022

Deeply disturbing and engrossing novel, surprised I had not read this before.  

Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata

Title: Convenience Store Woman

Author: Sayaka Murata

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 6/24/2022

Finished: 6/26/2022

Interesting, somewhat crazy story. Glad I read it. 

The Hike, by Drew Magary

Title: The Hike

Author: Drew Magary

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 6/20/2022

Finished: 6/24/2022

This one was a pleasant surprise. I think a recommendation from a reddit group on book suggestions.  Really enjoyed this, had a hard time putting it down. 

The Night Strangers, by Chris Bohjaliam

Title: The Night Strangers

Author: Chris Bohjaliam

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 6/17/2022

Finished: 6/20/2022

I kept waiting for this one to get scary, or good, or both.  Never happened. 

Rise to Rebellion, by Jeff Shaara

• Title: Rise to Rebellion
• Author:  Jeff Shaara
• Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition
• Started: 6/9/2022
• Finished: 6/15 2022

Extremely enjoyable historical fiction account of the lead up to the declaration of independence.  I could read this kind of stuff all day long, just love it.Up next is the second book in this series...

Ring, by Koji Suzuki

Title: Ring

Author: Koji Suzuki

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Hardback

Started: 6/7/2022

Finished: 6/8/2022

First book in the ring series of horror movie fame.  Liked it, having seen the movie long ago in the theaters.  I'm a big chicken when it comes to movies, so I will admit the movie really frightened me.  The book was more of a ticking time bomb mystery than horror,  which I preferred.  

None of the libraries near me ha e the rest of the series so I may end up purchasing those. 

Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager

Title: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 6/3/2022

Finished: 6/6/2022

Silly but overall enjoyable urban horror.  

The Case of the Missing Servant, by Tarquin Hall

• Title:  The Case of the Missing Servant
• Author: Tarquin Hall
• Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Hardback
• Started: 5/26/2022
• Finished: 5/31/2022

Very enjoyable India-based detective story.  

Troy, by Stephen Fry

• Title: Troy
• Author: Stephen Fry
• Purchased from Amazon.com Kindle Edition
• Started: 5/10/2022
• Finished: 5/26/2022

My choice for my book club group -- Ioved it, as I have the others in Fry's series, but not sure how much my BC folks will like it.

Birthright, by A.G. Kelly

• Title:  Birthright
• Author:  A.G. Kelly
• Purchased from Amazon.com Kindle Edition
• Started:  5/18/2022
• Finished: 5/22/2022

An entertaining medieval adventure story, despite the setting, a more modern take (no thees and thous).   Ends with a cliffhanger! 

The Devourers, by Indra Das

Title: The Devourers

Author:  Indra Das

Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 5/13/2022

Finished: 5/16/2022

I liked this one overall, but some of it was a slog. But overall, a unique reading experience. 

Dry Bones in the Valley, by Tom Bouman

Title: Dry Bones in the Valley

Author: Tom Bouman

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 5/11/2022

Finished: 5/13/2022

Pretty entertaining mystery. 

Harrow, by Joy Williams

Title: Harrow

Author: Joy Williams

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 5/7/2022

Finished: 5/8/2022

Read this one as my body works through a bout of COVID. I don't think I'd have understood it better if healthier, but I do think I'd have enjoyed it less. 

Highly recommend this one for those up to the challenge, or better put, in the right frame of mind.  

The Man Who Died Twice, by Richard Osman

Title: The Man Who Died Twice

Author: Richard Osman

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 5/4/2022

Finished: 5/7/2022

Book two in the TMC series, as charming as the first, overall. 

Heroes, by Stephen Fry

Title: Heros

Author: Stephen Fry

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 4/29/2022

Finished: 5/4/2022

Book 2 in the Mythos series.  Liked this one as much, maybe more, than the first.  

The Promise, by Damon Galgut

• Title:  The Promise
• Author: Damon Galgut
• Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 4/20/2022
• Finished: 4/28/2022

Book club choice. I wanted to like it more than I did (or thought I should).  I was never bored, it was interesting, but it didn't move me as it has many reviewers. 

Trophy Hunt, but CJ Box

Title: Trophy Hunt

Author: CJ Box

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started:4/20/2022

Finished: 4/25/2022

Mixed feelings about this one but generally not a great book. 

Mythos, by Stephen Fry

Title: Mythos

Author: Stephen Fry

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 4/13/2022

Finished: 4/17/2022

Enjoyable retelling of the tales of Greek mythology. 

Devolution, by Max Brooks

• Title: Devolution
• Author: Max Brooks
• Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 4/8/2022
• Finished: 4/12/2022

Brooks' WWZ was one of the best audiobook book experiences I've ever encountered, and Devolution follows in those footsteps (ha!).  Extremely enjoyable, and (I know how ridiculous this sounds) just like WWZ it is easy to forget this is fiction.  Or maybe I'm just an impressionable idiot.  Either way, really enjoyed this one.

The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman

• Title: The Thursday Murder Club
• Author: Richard Osman
• Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Kindle Edition
• Started: 4/8/2022
• Finished: 4/12/2022

A very entertaining (charming, is probably the right word) murdery mystery.

The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles

Title: The Lincoln Highway

Author: Amor Towles

Purchased hardback 

Started: 3/15/2022

Finished: 4/4/2022

Book club book, I didn't enjoy it much, but I suspect it will be popular with the other members of the club. 

This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger

Title: This Tender Land

Author: William Kent Krueger

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 3/7/2022

Finished: 3/23/2022

Reasonably enjoyable retelling of the Odyssey, set against the great depression. 

The Man With Two Left Feet and Other Stories, by PG Wodehouse

Title: The Man With Two Left Feet and Other Stories

Author: PG Wodehouse

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/25/2022

Finished: 3/7/2022

Cute collection of mostly humorous love stories.  Entertaining. 

Last Seen Wearing, by Colin Dexter

Title: Last Seen Wearing

Author: Colin Dexter

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Paperback

Started: 3/2/2022

Finished: 3/6/2022

Second book in the Morse series, ok but not great.  

Winterkill, by CJ Box

Title: Winterkill

Author: CJ Box

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 2/27/2022

Finished: 3/1/2022

Third in this Joe Pickett series and the first bust.  I seem to be in the minority when I looked at reviews but this was very dumb.  And Picket gets his Hawk-like sidekick (a falconer to boot). Box must have read the Senser series as many time as I have. 

Law Bus to Woodstock, by Colin Dexter

Title: Last Bus to Woodstock

Author: Colin Dexter

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library paperback

Started: 22/4/2022

Finished: 2/26/2022

The first Morse book. Pretty good, but a bit dated and jarring on some of the topics discussed.  You'll know it when you read it.  

Savage Run, by CJ Box

• Title: Savage Run
• Author: CJ Box
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
• Started: 2/21/2022
• Finished: 2/23/2022

So far so good with these Joe Pickett novels, this was number 2, pretty entertaining.

The Way Through The Woods, by Colin Dexter

Title: The Way Through The Woods

Author: Colin Dexter

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 2/14/2022

Finished: 2/21/2022

Another Morse book, very good. 

The Sweetness of Water, by Nathan Harris

Title: The Sweetness of Water

Author: Nathan Harris

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 2/7/2022

Finished: 2/14/2022

Book club selection, I'm not sure how much I liked it, but it was an interesting read. 

The Daughters of Cain, by Colin Dexter

Title: The Daughters of Cain

Author: Colin Dexter

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 2/5/2022

Finished: 2/13/2022

I really enjoy the Morse books, wish I could get more from my local library.  The few I've read are really entertaining. 

Silent Parade, by Keigo Higashino

Title: Silent Parade

Author: Keigo Higashino

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/30/2022

Finished: 2/4/2022

I love these Higashino mysteries.  This was another good one. 

Family Honor, by Robert B Parker

Title: Family Honor

Author: Robert B Parker

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 1/26/2022

Finished:1/31/2022

First Sonny Randle mystery, not bad. 

Stranger in Paradise, by Robert B. Parker

• Title:  Stranger in Paradise
• Author: Robert B. Parker
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
• Started: 1/24/2022
• Finished: 1/25/2022

A so-so Jesse Stone novel.

High Profile, by Robert B. Parker

Title:  High Profile

Author: Robert B. Parker

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/23/2022

Finished: 1/24/2022

Another Jesse Stone novel, so-so.

Sea Change, by Robert B Parker

Title: Sea Change

Author: Robert B Parker

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Print Edition

Started: 1/21/2022

Finished: 1/22/2022

I just finished watching all of the Jesse Stone movies the other day.  They're pretty good, not great. But I like the Tom Selleck Jesse Stone more than the one in the books. 

The books are fast reads and a good way to pass the time, but they're not great.  

Open Season, by CJ Box

Title: Open Season

Author: CJ Box

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/8/2022

Finished: 1/9/2022

Decent first novel is a series, recommended by my mom.  

Rizzio, by Denise Mina

• Title:  Rizzio
• Author: Denise Mina
• Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
• Started: 1/5/2022
• Finished: 1/6/2022

A fast, entertaining novella.  Knew nothing about Rizzio/Mary Queen of Scots, but enjoyed this all the same.

This is how it always is, by Laurie Frankel

Title: This is how it always is

Author: Laurie Frankel

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 12/20/2021

Finished: 1/3/2022

Book club selection, liked this one a lot more than expected. Very sweet. 

No Exit, by Taylor Adams

Title: No Exit

Author: Taylor Adams

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/2/2022

Finished: 1/3/2022

Enjoyable page turner thriller. 

Moon of the Crusted Snow, by Waubgeshig Rice

Title: Moon of the Crusted Snow

Author: Waubgeshig Rice

Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 1/1/2022

Finished: 1/2/2022

This was a pretty good apocalyptic novela.