The Not So New 2024 50 Books a Year - Thread 2

TerriBull Read your recommendation and the Story of the Forest is arriving tomorrow. Thank you.I am always looking for a new author so pleased she has written other books.
I have recently read Precipice by Robert Harris. Really enjoyed it; Fact is mixed with fiction as the incredible behaviour of Asquith is revealed against the background of the beginning of the First World War. Absolutely fascinating. Hardback from Amazon at £11.

No. 41 - Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent.
I am on the waiting list at my local library for Strange Sally Diamond, on the recommendations of many readers on this thread. This book was about three brothers. The book opens at the funeral of one of them, but which one? Their backstory is told by each brother in turn. A nicely constructed book which keeps you guessing!

No. 42 - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Another recommendation from this thread. I enjoyed it and, like others, I can assure you, you don’t have to be a gamer or know anything about gaming to follow the story.

No 5 Just going to start The Whistleblower by Robert Peston

Book 151, A Noise Downstairs, by Linwood Barclay. I enjoyed it, but don`t consider it one of his best, good twist near the end.

#73. Little Face by Sophie Hannah.

The Dry by Jane Harper, set in Australia, a really good read, and What You Are Looking For Is In The Library, a quirky book by Japanese author Michiko Aoyama, a gentle read I enjoyed it.

Life Impossible by Matt Haigh... a slow starter, Story of Grace in her 70s who is left a house in Ibiza by a friend from long ago., its a bit mystery, sci- fi, and deep life changing moments as Haighs books are.

56 Geneva - Richard Armitage (Audible)

A debut novel by the actor, who I thought was merely narrating the book, but it seems he's added another string to his bow with writing as well as acting. I thought this was a pretty good, well paced thriller. Nobel Prize winning scientist, Sarah Collier, read by Nicola Walker no less, travels with her husband Daniel to attend a conference at the Schiller Institute in Geneva. Daniel, narrated by RA is also a scientist but somewhat in his wife's shadow. The Schiller Institute a biotech corporation who are on the cusp of a new initiative as regards to staving off Alzheimer's, which Sarah's own father is in the throes of and she also fears that she has the early onset of. With her memory loss and blackouts worsening, she finds herself in the midst of a lot of double dealing from a multitude of sinister characters, whilst simultaneously being feted by the Institute who want her, given her credentials, want her to endorse their new initiative. Sarah is finding it increasingly hard to know who to trust in a world of conspiracy theories, particularly the female blogger who is all over the breaking story. Before the book reaches its violent conclusion, Sarah's doubts grow, where even her seemingly steadfast husband seems to morph into one of the dangerous duplicitous characters who leave her in fear of her life.

Lovetopaint, I hope you enjoy The Story of the Forest, I thought it was really good.

Book 152, None of This is True, by Lisa Jewell. A good read, can recommend it.

Yes that was a really good one Hellogirl

57 Death at the Sign of the Rook - Kate Atkinson

The return of Jackson Brodie, it's been a while so I'd forgotten some of the finer details of his personal life, nevertheless this was a welcome return of one of our favourite sleuths.

Kate Atkinson has drawn on Agatha Christie for her backdrop, the plot focus is a missing painting belonging to a recently deceased elderly woman that disappeared the morning of her death along with her carer.

Meanwhile, crumbling stately home Burton Makepeace have also suffered the loss of their last remaining painting of any value a Turner and are now having themed "Murder Weekends" in part of the house which has been turned into a hotel to support its upkeep. All presided over by Dowager, the unintentionally hilarious Lady Milton, shades of Maggie Smith in Downton, who also similarly suspects her disappeared companion and housekeeper of taking the Turner. Into that setting comes Brodie and DC Reggie Chase, during a snowstorm that keeps the participants holed up in the house whilst all the while there is a convicted killer on the run out on the Moors that surround the crumbling pile.

I enjoyed it, but not in the same way as I've loved some of KA's other books, but I think Jackson Brodie fans will like it.

Oreo

The Dry by Jane Harper, set in Australia, a really good read, and What You Are Looking For Is In The Library, a quirky book by Japanese author Michiko Aoyama, a gentle read I enjoyed it.

Oreo I loved The Dry by Jane Harper, and if you haven't read any of her other books, you are in for a treat as they're all good.

Book 62 We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

This is his new book and the start of a new series. I am a fan of the Thursday Murder Club books, but this new book just felt "same old same old" but not as good. I accept that he has had to introduce new characters for us to get to know, but I found I didn't really care, and was disappointed.

Book 153, The Widow`s Choice, by Nancy Revill. A lighter, but very enjoyable, read.

Sparklefizz

Book 62 We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

This is his new book and the start of a new series. I am a fan of the Thursday Murder Club books, but this new book just felt "same old same old" but not as good. I accept that he has had to introduce new characters for us to get to know, but I found I didn't really care, and was disappointed.

I am 283 on the waiting list at the library for this Sparklefizz.

Am not a huge fan of TTMC, so am happy to wait, and your comments don’t make me wish I was any higher up said list!

Sparklefizz

Oreo

The Dry by Jane Harper, set in Australia, a really good read, and What You Are Looking For Is In The Library, a quirky book by Japanese author Michiko Aoyama, a gentle read I enjoyed it.

Oreo I loved The Dry by Jane Harper, and if you haven't read any of her other books, you are in for a treat as they're all good.

Thanks! I will look for more of her books.I felt The Dry would make a great tv series.😃

Thanks also Terribull didn’t know there was a new Jackson Brodie book.

Sparklefizz

Book 62 We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

This is his new book and the start of a new series. I am a fan of the Thursday Murder Club books, but this new book just felt "same old same old" but not as good. I accept that he has had to introduce new characters for us to get to know, but I found I didn't really care, and was disappointed.

I love The Thursday Murder Club books and have read them all, was hoping for a new one tbh.Wonder if he will go back to them?

Yes, he said in an interview a few days ago that he is writing another Thursday Murder Club book.

83-White Nights-Ann Cleeves-One of the early Shetland stories. A great whodunnit that had a surprising ending. All the way through I was thinking I knew who the murderer was, but at the end I was saying 'I wasn't expecting that!' But that's what AC does in most of her stories, so I shouldn't have been taken in with the red herrings. Most enjoyable.

#44 Arabella Georgette Heyer.
Every month in 2024 I am re-reading a GH title, this is September's. It is the very first Georgette Heyer book I ever read, a 13th birthday present from my aunt and I have been a fan of the author for over 55 years.

Book 51
The Unfolding - A.M. Holmes
The story begins the night Obama is elected as president of the United States, and ends on the day of his inauguration.

The Big Guy is a republican, wealthy, powerful, a patriot, a lover of history, as man who is devastated to see a black democrat in the White House.

He is so devastated he feels something has to be done, and gathers a group of likeminded men around him, rich powerful, fearful of how America is changing.

The Big Guy sounds awful, but really he isn’t, everything he’s trying to do, he is doing with the best of intentions.

This motley crew of gentleman plan to infiltrate every part of America, banking, the military, the government, they will drip false information, and undermine the president.

A lot of it feels credible, scary, but credible, after all, we are all subjected to media pressure every day

There is a human side to the story, The Big Guys wife, Charlotte enters the Betty Ford clinic, and his daughter Meghan, has her own demons to deal with.

I didn’t think I would enjoy it, but I did.

#74. The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie.

#63 Ruthless by Cath Staincliffe
It was quite good but possibly not one of her best.