50 Books a Year - The 2025 Challenge

40 Ripley's Game Patricia Highsmith

3rd book in the Talented Mr Ripley series. Tom Ripley happily, ensconced enjoying a wealthy life in France with his French wife Heloise. In this book he is contacted by one of his criminal American associates, to carry out a contract killing for a sizeable amount of money. Not really wishing to get embroiled, he does however suggest that one of his contacts, namely, Englishman Jonathan Trevanny, a pretty hard up picture framer who unfortunately is suffering from an aggressive form of leukemia might embrace the idea of earning a significant amount of money as a nest egg for his wife and child as he has little in the way of a financial legacy to leave them. The contract killing involves that of a Mafia boss, before Trevanny can go through with the hit, which takes place on a train in Germany Ripley turns up and commits the deed himself. Therein, after their return to France, ensues a game of cat and mouse when the Mafia tracks both Ripley and Jonathan down to seek revenge. Fortunately, Ripley by now is an old hand at bumping off and eliminating enemies.

Book 27 Her by Harriet Lane. This is a very well written story of a chilling study in revenge. It slowly unfolds, layer by tantalising layer, and the tension builds.

It tells the story of 2 women - Emma who is struggling with motherhood and has had to put her ambitions on hold. And Nina, sophisticated, independent and entirely in control.

When the 2 women meet, Nina insinuates herself into Emma's life ... but this isn't the first time their paths have crossed.

I couldn't put this book down and give it 10/10.

That sounds good Sparklefizz, I’ll put it on my list

Book 77, Killer, by Jonathan Kellerman

Book 29
A Knock at the Door-Rob Parsons
This is a true story.
It’s 1975, Christmas Eve, and young couple Rob an Di Parsons hear a knock at their door.
They answer it to find a homeless man bearing a chicken, Ronnie Lockwood grew up in the care system, he has learning difficulties, and he’s homeless, Rob knew him vaguely, they invite him in, and feel they can’t throw him back on the streets over Christmas, then not until they can find him somewhere to live, then find a job, and so it goes on.
Rob , despite humble beginnings is a high flying lawyer, he and Di become fond of Ronnie, and he end up living with them for forty five years, till his death.
He’s sweet, kind, terrified of doing the wrong thing, works as a dustman while doing much volunteer work in the community.
Ronnie was saved, but how very different his life would have been, had he not knocked that door.
Brings up lots of questions about the inadequacies of the care system, not for the first time, I can’t help feeling that care doesn’t come into it, very sad

17.
The Magic Mountain - Thomas Mann

Another cheat, maybe , to call this a book as I listened to it on BBC Sounds in two episodes of an hour.
It is a dramatisation of a novella which was described as a literary icon, a tragi-comedy, a masterpiece of deep thought, sly irony, sex, love, and death.

To me, it seemed to be full of young men's tedious thoughts which some people may think momentous.
Or maybe I'm just too shallow.

Sara1954 That was a wonderful story for Ronnie but heart-rending too, as you say.

Sara1954 A Knock at the Door sounds a very moving book. I'll put it on my list.

Sparklefizz, I was finishing it before I went to work, and I was crying so much I had to go and re do my makeup.

Book 27 :The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor -Set mainly in late 18th Century Cambridge , abook dealer from London who is down on his luck is employed to find out what has happened to a Lady college benefactor's, son who has become mentally ill . He thinks he has seen a ghost but it is linked to a student club Which is like a hellfire club. Quite an exciting read.

Book 28: The Black Friar by S G Maclean .2nd book in the Seeker series set in 1650's London. What appears to be the remains of a Black Friar is found in a demolition site over a hundred years after the monastries were closed. All is not as it appears and Cromwells spy investigator seeks the truth. Interesting set against the politics of the late Cromwellian reign.
These two authors are good at mixing history with fiction.

Book 28 The Corfe Castle Murders by Rachel McLean

This book wasn't well written and weirdly it often had a comma in the middle of a sentence for no reason. I wondered why this hadn't been picked up by the author's editor or ...... but then I read the notes about the author and found that she had self-published.

I did finish it, though, because I wanted to know "who dunnit".

Book 78, Breakdown, the last of my current collection of Jonathan Kellerman books. Going for something more lighthearted next.

The Party House by Lin Anderson. Layer upon layer of intrigue by one of my favourite authors.

Book 79, Marrying Miss Martha, by Anna Jacobs. A nice, pleasant read, set in 1828/9

62-The Promise-Katerina Diamond
The 4th in the Imogen Grey series. When a young woman is found strangled in her own bedroom, DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are desperate to find a twisted serial killer who dates his victims before he kills them.
Imogen is forced to act as bait-but will she get caught in her own trap?

Book 30
Honey Bee - Dawn O’Porter

Well my run of Brilliant books is over, this wasn’t for me at all.

To be honest, I’m definitely not the demographic she’s aiming for, but that aside, I thought it was chick lit at its worst.

I’m not going into details, two young women, enough alcohol to sink a ship, sexual encounters they can’t remember the next day, really smutty.

Of course there is a story, but s not very interesting one, can’t recommend I’m afraid.

Book 80, The Trader`s Wife, the first in a series of 5 by Anna Jacobs. I enjoyed it, looking forward to reading book 2.

I finally finished the last of the four “Boudicca” novels by Manda Scott. Mesmerising writing. The last one broke my heart.

Book 81, The Trader`s Sister, 2nd book in the Trader series by Anna Jacobs

18. The Jura Affair by William Boyd

Another audiobook on BBC Sounds - billed as "a sparkling new literary whodunnit from the acclaimed author William Boyd".

I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to let you know that no-one gets killed in this book.
It's who-dun-something else.

I was happily following along with the story then suddenly it was all over with a rather limp ending, in my opinion.

Just finished Boris Johnson’s ‘Unleashed’.

Not a book to read in bed, over 700 pages, too heavy to hold, but his style of writing is quite readable, whatever you think of him personally. Funny in parts.

#52. The Whitby Murders by JR Ellis.

63-Truth or Die-Katerina Diamond
This is the 5th in this series. When the butchered body of a professor is found at Exeter University, it is the first in a spate of horrific murders that shakes the city to it's core. DS Grey and her partner DS Miles look to his students for answers.

Book 29 Three Days in June - Anne Tyler

I absolutely loved this. Anne Tyler writes so beautifully. Her characterisation and conversations are second to none. She is razor sharp on love, marriage and family.

It is the day before her daughter's wedding and things are not going well for Gail. First of all she loses her job. Then her ex husband, Max, turns up on her doorstep expecting to stay for the wedding festivities. He's very disorganised, he doesn't even have a suit to wear, but he's brought fond memories, a shared sense of humour, and a cat from the rescue place that's looking for a new home.

I won't give any more storyline details but will just say that in my opinion this is a most enjoyable book. It's a slim volume, less than 200 pages, and I would have liked it to be twice as long. I give it 10/10.

I’ve not been on recently as I had surgery on both eyes at the beginning of May. Screen time (and reading) has been a challenge while I waited for new glasses, but as of Monday, I can see again. Bliss.

I have got through a few, some Kindle, plus my first ever audio book, so I won’t go into detail about them. Hopefully I will now be a regular contributor again now.

#28 You are Here by David Nicholls 7/10 (audiobook)
#29 What Lies Below by Sue Miller 8/10 (had read it before)
#30 The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters 9/10 excellent
#31 In a Single Moment by Imogen Clark 8/10
#32 All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker 9/10 excellent
#33 The Midnight Hour by Elly Griffiths 8/10
#34 Alys, Always by Harriet Lane 8/10
#35 Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin 8/10

Sparklefizz, wasn’t it lovely? Her best book for a long time I think