2022 50 BOOKS - OR AS MANY AS YOU CAN MANAGE

Book 102, Origin in Death, by J.D.Robb

She certainly is Hellogirl1, I didn't realise "J.D. Robb" was Nora Roberts, thank you.

All these J.D.Robb books that I`ve been reading are also by Nora Roberts, writing under another name. She`s very prolific.

#59 Come Sundown Nora Roberts.
Montana ranchers and horsemen, a couple of romances, a harrowing at times story of kidnap and rape. It was a good read.

Book 101, Survivor in Death, by J.D.Robb

Book 46, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. Enjoyed is the wrong word, but what a book! had me in tears.

Another three books - quick, easy reads as l have spent time in and out of hospital.
#76 was Last Day of School by Jack Sheffield. Set in the school year 1987/8, it was a lovely slice of nostalgia.
#78 was Mrs Pargeter’s Plot by Simon Brett. Possibly the weakest of the series but still entertaining.
#79 was Mrs Pargeter’s Principle by Simon Brett. Back to his usual entertaining form.

Book 100, Witness in Death, by J.D.Robb

And 29, which I meant to add to my previous post.

East West Street by Phillipe Sands. It’s about the terms Crime Against Humanity and Genocide, which were each created by men from Lviv in Ukraine.

28. Three Men on a Bummel by Jerome K Jerome. A follow-up to Three Men in a Boat but nowhere near as funny.

Book 35
Reputation-Sarah Vaughan
Not as good as I was expecting, I’m totally disillusioned with MPs, so I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for our heroine.
She managed to get herself involved with a tabloid journalist, obviously no good could come from that!
The other side of the story, which was the bullying of her daughter was more interesting.
Overall, disappointing.

Book 36
The Less Dead - Denise Mina
First book of hers I’ve read.
Readable crime novel set in Glasgow, a woman goes searching for her birth mother and gets more than she bargained for.

Book 37
My Sister, my Love- Joyce Carol Oates.
What a book. I’m a big fan of this writer, but nearly gave up before I started, because the print was so small, I struggled to read it.
The story of Bliss Rampike, six year old skating protégé, murdered in her own home.
In the character of the child’s mother, Betsey Rampike, the author has created one of the most hideous and wicked women I think I’ve ever come across.
The family are horrendous social climbers, little Bliss is treated as a means of getting the Rampikes into the best society and her poor brother Skyler has endless play dates with the children of the rich and influential.
The story, is a book written by nineteen year old Skyler, in and out of expensive special schools, out of contact with his family, riddled with guilt, because due to the endless pills he was given, he can’t be entirely sure he didn’t murder his little sister.
Betsey and Bix are among the most awful dysfunctional parents you could imagine, if you enjoy looking at the absolute worst of American society, you’ll love this.

I’ve no idea how many books I’ve read; at least two a week, sometimes up to four.
The most recent was Joanne Harris “The Narrow Door” as sort of sequel to “Gentlemen and Players”. Both very creepy and engaging, if you like that sort of thing - strong, manipulative women in difficult situations, overcoming them in one way or another.

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#57 The Toll Gate Georgette Heyer.
A bit of nostalgia as I think I last read it over fifty years ago. Still a good read.
#58 Lies Sleeping Ben Aaronovitch.
Number 7 in The Rivers of London series. An urban fantasy, the protagonist of which is a serving Metropolitan Police officer but also an apprentice wizard. Highly recommended.

Book 99, Holiday in Death, by J.D.Robb

#73 was The Book Club by Roisin Meaney. I can thoroughly recommend this bittersweet story of new beginnings.
I had a procedure in hospital so took my kindle as I wanted undemanding reads and the next two books reflect this.
#74 was Mrs, Presumed Dead by Simon Brett. Another Mrs Pargeter book and as much fun as the others.
#75 was Cofessions of a Male Nurse by Michael Alexander. An entertaining account of the experiences of a nurse from New Zealand.

Enjoyed Rapture in Death, but it would have worked just as well set in the present day. Now on book 98, Ceremony in Death, by J.D.Robb, another in the futuristic series featuring Eve Dallas.

Finished Are You Thinking Clearly? but none the wiser to be truthful.
Book 97 is Rapture in Death, by J.D.Robb, a police thriller, but set in 2058, so spaceships and space stations and all kinds of gadgetry abound.

40 Sun Damage - Sabine Durrant I'm quite a fan of SD in the same way I like Louise Candlish, Lisa Jewell and Sarah Vaughan in the way they usually have some pretty good twists in their narratives. This one is set the South of France. The main character of the book is a con artist with a troubling back story, working in tandem with a controlling, older male accomplice. Whilst escaping his clutches using the identity of another she blags her way into the role of chef at rented holiday villa to an English family and their guests, all having their own something to hide. I enjoyed this good holiday read.

41 My Brilliant Friend - Elena Ferrante first of the Neapolitan Quartet. Starts off with two best friends growing up in the back streets of Naples late 50s early 60s, conjuring up visions of Lambretta weaving their way round the labyrinth of washing strung neighbourhoods. Both girls are gifted academically and the expectation of a better future and leaving their small world for the wider one is an expectation. However, this first book ends with an early marriage at 16 for one of them and therefore a future life beyond the constraints of her environment thwarted, which makes me want to read on to the next instalment to see what happens next. An enormous cast of characters which at times were hard to keep up with.

42 The Storyteller Dave Grohl When my children were growing up and heavily into skateboarding and roller blading a Nivarna t shirt was de rigueur every boy indulging in the same pursuits seemed to be wearing one. Mine had to be wrestled out of the t shirt so it could occasionally be washed. Of all the groups they were into at the time Nivarna were the only one I could bear listening along to. Dave Grohl I was told was a top bloke, and it seems he is!. A memoir which starts off with his growing up years in Virginia, how he went on the road with various other bands before meeting Kurt Cobain and forming Nivarna, only for KC to commit suicide once they became really successful. After which Dave formed the Foo Fighters and continued on to become one of his generation's greatest rock stars.

43 The Garden of Lost and Found Harriet Evans. A really good read Two time frames connected by a house and garden, quite detailed the author writes similarly to Kate Morton an absolute favourite of mine. I enjoyed this book will definitely read some others by her.

44 The Family Remains Lisa Jewell her sequel to The Family Upstairs, which I know I loved when I read it, but clearly I'd forgotten much of the plot of that, as this book progressed and revealed snippets of what went on before. I may have to get that first one out of the library as I think it's one of the books I had and then donated to the library, it's not on my bookshelves anymore. I would recommend it as a must for Lisa Jewell fans her later books rarely disappoint.

44 Laura Blundy - Julie Myerson. I was so captivated by Julie Myerson's The Stopped Heart which I read last month, I couldn't wait to read another of hers, This is a slim volume rather a bleak tale set in the Victorian era, of the young woman of the title who badly damages her leg in an accident and goes on to marry the surgeon who removes the limb, only to kill him at a later stage. It's all rather grisly wouldn't recommend it for the faint hearted. Nevertheless I will be looking for more of her books I think she's an excellent writer.

Just finished ‘Hope To Die’ the latest Cara Hunter crime novel.

A bit disappointed, if I’m honest. It’s another Adam Fawley one, and the others have all included quite a bit of the crime team’s personal lives, as well as a gripping crime plot.

This one has very little ‘personal’ stuff, and the actual story jumps about, through a 20 year time frame. I had a job keeping up with it all, and a lot of characters to boot.

Not her best book.

Now on #48. Dirty Little Secrets by Jo Spain.
Just picked it up in the library, never heard of the author, hope it’s good.

Book 96 is Are You Thinking Clearly? 29 reasons why you aren`t, and what to do about it, by Miriam Frankel and Matt Warren. Frankly, it`s more like a college text book than general reading matter and I`m finding it hard work, but I`m determined to finish it, so will plod onwards.

#56 Tuned Out Keith A Pearson.
This is an ebook available to borrow as part of a Prime membership. I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it but I'm glad I persevered. It is a time travel story which I found both poignant and nostalgic.

Enjoyed Night Shift. Now reading book 95, Thorn in my Side, by Sheila Quigley. It`s the first of a trilogy, and it`s very good up to now.

The Secret was actually quite a good story. Now reading book 94, Night Shift, by Nora Roberts.

#55 Operation Mincemeat Ben MacIntyre.
An account of the wartime mission to mislead the Germans about the invasion of Sicily by floating a corpse carrying faked letters off the shore of supposedly neutral Spain. It's a maybe accurate (but probably not entirely) account of the operation and the people involved. I really enjoyed it.