2022 50 BOOKS - OR AS MANY AS YOU CAN MANAGE

The last three books have not been the best of the year, in fact the second disgusted me so much that I put it in the recycling bin.
#58 was A Year at St. Yorricks by Adrian Plass; a mildly comical book sending up parish newsletters. Normally I love Adrian Plass’s books but this was not one of his best.
#59 was The Boneyard by Mark Sennen. Horrible book.
#60 was A Spoonful of Murder by J. M. Hall. A mildly entertaining cosy murder mystery.

24 Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively. I read it when it first came out in the 80’s but had forgotten most of it. It was a lovely re-read, such beautiful prose.

Ghost Virus was a cracking good read. A bit fanciful and touches of supernatural, but a good read nevertheless. Still considering book 78.

Ghost Virus was a cracking good read. A bit fanciful and touches of the supernatural, but a good read nevertheless. Still considering book 78.

The best book I read last month was Agent Josephine , US Beauty, French Hero, British Spy by Damien Lewis. Its about the famous singer recruited by M15. She had a really interesting life. The book sweeps through the pre war years in Europe and beyond. I couldn't put it down.

I reread The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.
I first read it when I was a teenager, but every time you get more out of the book. Loneliness, angst, prejudice, friendship, poverty set in the Deep South and this is one of the most moving. Singer's death always brings a tear to the eye.

Clock without Hands by Carson McCullers. This one is about a small town druggist and his relationships with those around him. Again it covers prejudice and attitudes in the southern US. You can almost feel the heat of the area in the writing.

I've just started The Lonely Skier by Hammond Innes. This is a thriller set against ski slopes and a lodge and is really quite a good read.

I like the sound of ‘Agent Josephine’, thanks fairfraise.

You mention Innes and ski slopes. Not planned (the book was lent to me the other day) is another book with a snowy setting:

#38 ‘Snow, Dog, Foot’ by Claudio Morandini. Good for reading in the heat, also because it’s short! Moving, sometimes funny, beautifully written (and beautifully translated) story from the point of view of an old man, and the dog who follows him, of a solitary life.

The Lonely Skier is hotting up. It involves a stash of Nazi gold hidden in the Dolomites, and there's a fair bit of skullduggery and revenge to come !

Fairfraise
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, is a really beautiful book.
So atmospheric, so sad, and with such wonderful characters.
You’ve made me want to re-read it.

Book 78 now underway. It`s Walkers, by Graham Masterton. I think it`ll be good.

#41. Lady In Waiting by Anne Glenconner.

I read Lady in Waiting a couple of years ago Calendargirl it wasn't all parties on Mustique she had some unbearable tragedies in her life as well. I enjoyed it thought it was a good read

33 The Lamplighters Emma Stonex, 3 disappeared light house keepers, thought it might be an intriguing mystery just found it pretty lacklustre I seemed to be reading this for ages, or maybe it just seemed like it, I was warned by others up thread it was rather underwhelming.
34 Trespass Rose Tremain This was good, I hadn't read any of her books before, will certainly try some others. Set in London and rural France.
35 In a Dark Wood Amanda Craig I love some of Amanda Craig's latter books she has become one of my newly discovered go to writers of late. This is an earlier one about a divorced, out of work actor who discovers a long forgotten book written by his late mother, which he feels will unlock not only the mystery surrounding her suicide but about his own depression. Amanda Craig is very underrated imo, this was ok not one of her best.
36 Balancing Act Joanna Trollope I used to love her Aga Sagas once, then her writing went right off and became really dire. Every so often I feel I should dip my toe into one of her books again to see whether she has returned to her original form. Maybe not as good as some of her best, The Spanish Lover, Other People's Children but not as bad as Friday Nights which was awful. This is about 3 generations of a family and their up market pottery manufacturing business, along the lines of Emma Bridgewater in my mind, lots of family squabbles and not seeing eye to eye how the business should progress.
37 The Stopped Heart Julie Myerson. I've only read one of her other books, which I know I enjoyed but it was a long time ago. This was by far the best book I've read this month, I couldn't put it down quite dark. Two time frames, Late 19th century during a ferocious storm a stranger is found under an uprooted tree on a farm, taken in by the family it soon becomes apparent he isn't going to leave. A century later a couple haunted by a slowly revealed tragedy buy a country cottage adjacent to the farm, both narratives are heartbreaking and dark and in the case of the earlier story extremely violent.
38 State of Wonder Ann Patchett I enjoyed Commonwealth set in small town America, this one is set in the heart of the Amazon, up river from Manaus where the main character a pharmacologist has travelled to bring back information about drug research done by her former teacher. Haven't quite finished it not enjoying it as much as I thought I would, do love the writers descriptions of Manaus though really wanted to go there but never did fascinated by a city in the middle of the jungle with an opera house on the river that is so wide you can't see the other side.

TerriBull
That’s an interesting list

I’m really pleased you have discovered Rose Tremain, you certainly won’t be disappointed in her books.

The Stopped Heart, loved this, and banged on about it to anyone who would listen, I love all her books actually, always happy to see a new one published.

Yes Sarah I liked the Rose Tremain book will read some others of hers, always good to find a new author

The Stopped Heart, extremely original what a page turner, really couldn't put it down. You will know who I'm referring to, when I say, that man what a horror I wanted to climb in the book and punch his lights out Julie Myerson conjured up such a creeping disquiet as we readers got further insights into his character. I think the other one of hers I read, many years ago, Something Might Happen. She is good must read some more of hers.

TerriBull
I think ‘Something Might Happen’ was the first book I read of hers, it was a long time ago but I remember the ending was something I absolutely hadn’t seen coming.

I enjoyed Walkers, fanciful though it was. Have just finished book 79,The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides, a good twist at the end. Have just started book 80, The Jigsaw Man, by Nadine Matheson. It`s her first book, and I haven`t read very far yet, but I think I`m going to like it.

#42. Dead Man’s Grip by Peter James.

Yes TerriBull, Lady In Waiting was an interesting read, but oh my word, what an insight into the lives of the aristocracy!

Her husband, mad as a hatter, what a life she had with him.

Made you feel glad to just be ordinary.

#48 The Hanging Tree Ben Aaronovitch.
Number 6 in a series about a young P.C in the Met who is also a trainee wizard and whose girlfriend happens to be the goddess of a small London river. Investigating murder by magic but still abiding by police procedures is all part of the job. Very good.
#49 The Run Out Groove. Andrew Cartmel.
Number 2 in the Vinyl Detective series. It is a crime novel where the protagonist makes a career hunting down rare records for clients but whose enquiries lead to him, his girlfriend and their friends investigating historic crimes. I really enjoyed it.

Loved The Jigsaw Man, but it was very gory.

Book 81 is The Bad Mother`s Handbook, by Kate Long.

#61 was Passage Across The Mersey by Robert Bhatia. The author is the son of Helen Forrester, who wrote Twopence To Cross The Mersey. A fascinating biography into a very colourful life.
#62 was The Murder List by Jackie Kabler. This was an interesting mystery where the protagonist was sent a diary with the dates when four people were to be murdered - the final one to be the protagonist herself.
#63 was Shake Hands Forever by Ruth Rendell. This was a fairly early Wexford novel that I had never before read but enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Taker by Alma Katsu....dont bother , awful.
Theroux the keyhole by Louis thearoux...The diaries of a covid grounded documentary maker Louis theroux...
Was nothing special, just his day to day ramblings
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell...sci- fi, fantasy...like reading Lord of the rings backwards!!! Loved it, hard work but totally pulled me 8n.
Bloody Brilliant Women by Cathy Newman..it covers indomitable women who defied the odds to alter history.

#43. Dead Like You by Peter James.

The Bad Mothers Handbook wasn`t a fantastic read, but it was OK. I`m going to follow it with Bad Mothers United, by the same author, book 82.

25 American Rust by Philipp Meyer. It’s set in the rust belt of America and follows the lives of two young boys/men as they try to escape their current world. Something happens that throws a huge spoke in their wheels. It’s gloomy but I loved it.

SueDonin
I loved American Rust as well