Book list 2017
11. Robb, J.D. Echoes in Death
pb futuristic crime, 370 pages, my copy
Latest in the 'In Death' series, so no spoilers, other than to say, I picked the killer when Eve first interviewed them and stuck with my gut instinct. I was right, though I didn't get the reason, or the twist at the end. (6/6)
12. Block, Lawrence The Burglar who Liked to Quote Kipling
pb crime/mystery, 268 pages, not keeping.
A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery. I wasn't to sure on the writing style to begin with. The blurb reads completely differently, but it's another one I'm glad I persevered with as it got better. Bernie was a burglar. Now he runs a used book store (That's always a winner for me, featuring a used book store). He's offered an opportunity to steal a very rare, very bad book length poem by Kipling from a rich man's library. The burglary goes off without a hitch, however the delivery of the volume is a different story. Drugged by the female go-between, Bernie wakes up to find the book gone,, the lady dead and a smoking gun in his hand, with the cops at the door. There are a great many 'what ifs' as Bernie tries to figure out what is going on. At one point I could have done with a piece of paper and a pen to keep track of everything. That would be what a 'murder board' is for.... I don't know that I'd go out of my way to track down any more in this series. (3.5/6)
13. Kingsbury, Kate Wedding Rows
PB mystery/crime, 201 pages, not keeping
Yet another one that improved after the first couple of chapters. This is a Manor House Mystery, starring Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton - house-rich, money-poor, keeper of the Manor House in Sitting marsh. It's set in WWll. As the title implies, there's a wedding, and one of the guests is found dead. The B-plot in the book, with the '3 Musketeers' and the kidnapping of elderly villager Nellie was much more entertaining than the main murder, and that's the only reason I continued reading it. I liked all of the other characters, even the dead one and the mean ones, better than Lady Elizabeth and the American Airman she loved, who didn't really feature very much, come to think of it. I found her rather boring. (2.5/6)
14. Rawlins, Debbie The Honeymoon That Wasn't
pb romance, 240 pages, not keeping.
I rather liked this one. I'd read the companion title to this, featuring Dakota Shea's twin sister Dallas, last year, or the year before. Dakota's an uptight lawyer, aiming to make judge. Tony's a blue collar worker. She and Tony go on Dallas' honeymoon as decoys, to prevent tricks being played on Dallas & new hubby, by hubby's joker friend, who featured in Dallas' romance. Dakota & Tony have a nice time on the honeymoon, then she has to learn it's okay not to work a zillion hours a week to be what her dad and brother wasn't for her. I'm guessing there's a story about the uptight brother out there somewhere. (3.5/6)
2017 totals:
Books read: 14
Pages: 3,552
Rereads: 2
Keeping: 5
Challenge books:
a) alphabetical challenge - 3
b) Abbey books in order - 0
Books out: 10
Books in: 13 (bought JD, & and EB with a DJ that I had, which immediately replaced, & 1 book for my bd)
pb futuristic crime, 370 pages, my copy
Latest in the 'In Death' series, so no spoilers, other than to say, I picked the killer when Eve first interviewed them and stuck with my gut instinct. I was right, though I didn't get the reason, or the twist at the end. (6/6)
12. Block, Lawrence The Burglar who Liked to Quote Kipling
pb crime/mystery, 268 pages, not keeping.
A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery. I wasn't to sure on the writing style to begin with. The blurb reads completely differently, but it's another one I'm glad I persevered with as it got better. Bernie was a burglar. Now he runs a used book store (That's always a winner for me, featuring a used book store). He's offered an opportunity to steal a very rare, very bad book length poem by Kipling from a rich man's library. The burglary goes off without a hitch, however the delivery of the volume is a different story. Drugged by the female go-between, Bernie wakes up to find the book gone,, the lady dead and a smoking gun in his hand, with the cops at the door. There are a great many 'what ifs' as Bernie tries to figure out what is going on. At one point I could have done with a piece of paper and a pen to keep track of everything. That would be what a 'murder board' is for.... I don't know that I'd go out of my way to track down any more in this series. (3.5/6)
13. Kingsbury, Kate Wedding Rows
PB mystery/crime, 201 pages, not keeping
Yet another one that improved after the first couple of chapters. This is a Manor House Mystery, starring Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton - house-rich, money-poor, keeper of the Manor House in Sitting marsh. It's set in WWll. As the title implies, there's a wedding, and one of the guests is found dead. The B-plot in the book, with the '3 Musketeers' and the kidnapping of elderly villager Nellie was much more entertaining than the main murder, and that's the only reason I continued reading it. I liked all of the other characters, even the dead one and the mean ones, better than Lady Elizabeth and the American Airman she loved, who didn't really feature very much, come to think of it. I found her rather boring. (2.5/6)
14. Rawlins, Debbie The Honeymoon That Wasn't
pb romance, 240 pages, not keeping.
I rather liked this one. I'd read the companion title to this, featuring Dakota Shea's twin sister Dallas, last year, or the year before. Dakota's an uptight lawyer, aiming to make judge. Tony's a blue collar worker. She and Tony go on Dallas' honeymoon as decoys, to prevent tricks being played on Dallas & new hubby, by hubby's joker friend, who featured in Dallas' romance. Dakota & Tony have a nice time on the honeymoon, then she has to learn it's okay not to work a zillion hours a week to be what her dad and brother wasn't for her. I'm guessing there's a story about the uptight brother out there somewhere. (3.5/6)
2017 totals:
Books read: 14
Pages: 3,552
Rereads: 2
Keeping: 5
Challenge books:
a) alphabetical challenge - 3
b) Abbey books in order - 0
Books out: 10
Books in: 13 (bought JD, & and EB with a DJ that I had, which immediately replaced, & 1 book for my bd)