July: The A-List

Figuring that I've got to put some serious dents in my tbr pile, this month I'm starting with the basics and focusing on books whose authors' last names start with the letter A. This month will find me in Seattle for 10 days, with all of those lovely little bookstores from which I can't keep away. When I was there in April, I had to buy a second suitcase to bring home my purchases. Yes, I know that book buying only increases the size of the dent I have to make in my huge tbr pile (and I'm not joking here....every room in my house has books to be read in it), but it's my thing. Some people collect frog ceramics, I buy books. And next month it's my birthday, so I'm hoping for another sizeable Amazon gift certificate!

So that's what's up in July. I'm looking forward to it.

Sherlock Holmes and the Longacre Vampire, by Val Andrews

from the tbr pile:

A bit better than the last few books by this author that I've read (see my other entries for Val Andrews in my library if you're interested), the story begins with a visit from Sir Henry Irving (http://www.theirvingsociety.org....), a very accomplished actor of the British stage. He is starring in a production of Bram Stoker's Dracula, which had just been recently been published. It seems that a murder has taken place, and the body when found had two puncture marks on the neck and was seemingly drained of all blood, leaving behind a definite pallor. The death (and some more soon to follow) cause a problem for Sir Henry as some people are unable to separate in the minds the distinction between the killer and the role Sir Henry is currently playing. Holmes and Watson have to come to the rescue and find out what's really going on here.

As I noted, this one was a bit better than the last few of these books, so it was actually a pretty nice read. If you are considering any of Andrews' pastiches, this one wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Singers of Strange Songs: A Celebration of Brian Lumley, ed. Scott David Aniolowski

another from the never-ending tbr pile:

As I am ever so fond of saying, when you read an anthology, you're reading a mixed bag. What one person may think is a great story may not be so true for another. With that in mind, I thought overall, it was okay; not on the whole as good as some of the CofC collections I've read. I love Brian Lumley's work, and so I was quite eager to read this one.

Here's the contents list; a * marks a story I really enjoyed:

1."City out of time," by Brian Lumley: a well-known poem about the whole Cthulhu thing

2. "Cement Surroundings," * by Brian Lumley: very well done story about the coming of some of the worse bad things as told by seismic activity

3. "Bad Soil," * by Don D'Ammassa: dead & rotting soil brings down parts of a town and some of its inhabitants, but the cause is scarier than its effects.

4. " The Temple of Yig," * by Donald R. Burleson: This one reminded me of Bradbury's "Something Wicked this Way Comes," a wee bit. The action takes place at a bizarre carnival -- and the exhibits go way beyond the worst freak show you can imagine. Very nice story.

5. "Not to Force the Rhymes,"* by Benjamin Adams: This one was pretty good -- A nurse at Oakdeene Sanitorium is told not to deal with a certain patient, and finds out in good time why. I liked this one.

6. "In His Daughter's Darkling Womb," by Tina L. Jens: This one I didn't care for much -- it seems that some scientists are studying a bizzare "octopoid," with some pretty serious (and kind of silly) consequences. Not up there as far as I'm concerned.

7. "The Reliable Vacuum Company," by James Robert Smith: A man decides to buy his wife a vacuum for Christmas (this should have been my first clue that something was wrong with this story) -- and ends up having dealings with the thing often called Ithaqua. I could pass on this one as well.

8. "The Nullity of Choice," * by John Tynes: Another one set in the area of Oakdeene -- and featuring the Lord Yib-Tstll.

9. "Where I go, Mi-go," * by Lois H. Gresh: I've read this one before (sorry, I can't recall where) -- featuring the last of a family line who hasn't been told the secrets of her family's past much to her detriment. Very well done.

10. "Subway Accident," by Gregory Nicoll: Very short story about what happens when a man ignores the "danger, do not enter" signs at an excavation. Okay.

11. "The High Rollers,"* by Benjamin Adams and James Robert Smith -- A hotel/casino in Innsmouth is plagued with curses because its owner will not sell to an Innsmouth-based company. Very very well done; one of my favorites in the book.

12. "A Forty Share in Innsmouth," by CJ Henderson -- another one I've read somewhere, and not my favorite by Henderson. What some people won't do for higher ratings, featuring an appearance by Bugg-Shash.

13. "Shudder Wyrm,"* by Stephen Mark Rainey -- Rainey is one of my favorite authors and he's written a very cool story here about the unleashing of horrific beasts. Very good.

14. "Spaghetti," * by Brian Lumley -- Excellent story about the forces unleashed because of the greed of a man's grandson.

Overall, an okay collection; I am pleased to have it in my collection.

Sherlock Holmes and the Tomb of Terror, by Val Andrews

from the tbr pile:

It's New Year's Eve and Watson in watching the city-wide fireworks festivities out the Baker Street window when he and Holmes get a visit from a strange man named Abdul, who turns out to be the heir to throne in the somewhat mythical kingdom of Marrafaze. It seems that things aren't going too well back in the old homestead and he's come seeking protection from agents of his brother Mustapha, who is scheming to take the throne with the help of his father's counselor, the Wazir. As it turns out, Marrafaze is a place of some interest to both the British and the German governments; Mycroft guilts Holmes into accepting a mission to Marrafaze. So off go Holmes & Watson into a desert adventure.

As far as I'm concerned, this is way off the map in the Holmes & Watson territory and the whole Sarahan trek was just not believable. It's just out of character for Sherlock Holmes so it was a tough read. My advice: if you're reading this group of books (the Breese books collection), you can actually skip this one.

Sherlock Holmes and the Sandringham House Mystery, by Val Andrews

from the tbr pile:

aargh. If the author would stick to one plot instead of trying to do so much in the short amount of space he has, I'd be grateful. The main plot of this novel was good -- Sherlock Holmes is called upon by a stage magician who had the honor of performing for his majesty King Edward VII at Sandringham House. While there, a theft of a valuable Rembrandt painting occurred, and even though the magician has been cleared of the theft, he worries that his reputation will suffer if word gets out. So he asks Holmes & Watson to help him. The magician has been invited to return to Sandringham House to once again perform, and wants Holmes & Watson to accompany him & investigate the theft. Now that is a good plot, but instead of trying to flesh that out somewhat, we have two other plot lines that muddy what could have been a good story. -sigh-

If you're planning on trying this as your first Holmes pastiche, don't. Try some others, then come back around to this one -- it's not as enjoyable as others I've read.

The Spiritualist, by Megan Chance

from the tbr pile:

This was my first book purchase after a self-imposed moratorium on book purchases until I'd read 15 books that I already owned. Most people have a TBR pile; I have a tbr house. Books in every room to the point where I don't even know what I have. So off to B&N for my book reward. But, unlike most of the people who wrote the reviews I checked out prior to my book-buying date, I didn't love it. It was quite good, and normally anything even remotely connected to spiritualism, seances and the world of the occult gets my mental juices flowing, but alas...I did not realize that this was also a romance-ish thing. I have to say that this factor was what prevented me from an all out enjoy of the novel -- but I'm hard to please.

Evelyn Atherton is one of the lucky ones -- she comes from a lower-class home and marries a client of her investigator father, one Peter Atherton, a criminal attorney and member of a very wealthy family in 1850s New York. She is very well provided for, and has everything she wants, except for the pleasure of her husband's company -- not even time for a honeymoon. So when the opportunity arises for her to accompany her husband on an evening out, she takes it. As it turns out, he takes her to the home of another society maven where there is a "spirit circle," -- basically a seance. Spiritualism was made popular in the US by the Fox sisters, and seances have become quite a favorite pastime among some of the wealthy. But it is at this seance where the trouble starts -- a gun is fired, and the attendees say it was some kind of misfire, but Peter Atherton thinks otherwise. Evelyn returns home, and her husband tells her he is going back to investigate the matter. Then Peter does not return home for days. That in itself is not unusual, but Evelyn receives a visit from the police who tell them her husband has been murdered. At first they write it off as a robbery gone bad, but eventually, Evelyn becomes the chief suspect. Pushed into a corner by her in-laws, Evelyn finds herself first in jail, but then under the protection of Dorothy Bennett, at whose home the seance originally occurred. She is convinced that the murder had something to do with that seance, and also that the medium, Michel, is involved. It is very important for her to clear herself, because she has no support from anyone and her in-laws are chomping at the bit to take everything away from her. But during her investigation, she gets a lot more than she bargained for.
I won't say any more about the story, but it will definitely keep you turning pages.

I figured out who really did it early on, so it was a matter of just getting through the rest of the book to find out why. Admittedly, I didn't see the end coming (the motive), so it still worked out for my reading pleasure. Plus, I'm not big on romance in a novel, so I could have cared less about that aspect. However, I did enjoy the way the author provided a glimpse at the status of women at the time, in and out of high society, and I thought her writing was very good.

I'd definitely recommend it to people who enjoy a bit of the supernatural (such as myself), and to those who are more into romance than I. The story overall is quite good.

*Smoking Poppy, by Graham Joyce

I've read a LOT of books about family relationships, but for some reason, this one tends to stick out. A bit mystical in tone at times, a father comes to recognize the fact that he's got one chance to redeem himself with his two adult children, both of whom have done some pretty weird stuff as a result of their alienation from their father. I can easily recommend this one -- it's tough, it's gritty at times, and yet you may find yourself blubbering like a baby by the end.

Smoking Poppy tells the story of Danny Innes, who one day gets a phone call saying that his daughter Charlie has been arrested in Thailand. It seems that she's now imprisoned and may be facing the death penalty. Even though Charlie and Danny have been somewhat estranged for a while now (since Charlie went off to Oxford, it seems), Danny is off to see what he can do. He is accompanied by a friend, Mick, and his son Phil, who has channeled his alienation from his father into religious zealotry. Their arrival at the prison only brings disappointment...it seems that the woman being held there isn't his daughter after all; she's stolen Charlie's passport. Rumors say that Charlie trekked into the opium fields...and that's really where the story takes off.

I won't say more, because it would spoil the read for anyone who may be interested, but Smoking Poppy was very well done. All of the characters were realistically written, the setting was exotic and real enough that you could picture yourself there. I couldn't put it down once I started.

I wouldn't advise this for people who are happy when writers spell everything out neatly and cleanly; this is a book that requires reader participation and lots of thought.

Overall, a fantastic story and one I won't soon forget.

Sherlock Holmes and the Yule-Tide Mystery, by Val Andrews

from the tbr pile: It's Christmas time, and a man comes to see Holmes at 221 B with a strange story. It seems that a man he has never met before has invited him to his home in Sussex for a party to celebrate the holidays. He wants to know whether or not he should go -- and Holmes tells him to do whatever he'd like to do. The man then invites Holmes and Watson (whose wife is away with relatives for the holidays) to join him, and off they go, meeting several other people who have never met their host before. It's not long until the purpose behind this rather odd gathering is revealed, and Holmes & Watson are off again trying to solve the crime.
While I admit that the premise is quite good (and new to me), it's so obvious what's going on that Billy, the boy who helps Holmes in many of his adventures, could have solved it. Aargh! Not one of Val Andrews' best, by far. I think this one is actually skippable.

*The Yellow Room Conspiracy, by Peter Dickinson

My formal living room has become what I call the British Reading Room, and it is where I shelve anything written by British authors, from Dickens to Christie to Conan-Doyle. Every time I pick up a new work of British fiction, it goes on one the shelves which line three walls of that room. I have all of the books catalogued but in general, I really have no clue what's actually in there until I go grab something to read. I had totally forgotten, for instance, that I had this book, but since I'm reading books with colorful titles, it caught my eye. Once I started reading it I was hooked and could not stop -- and I tend to amaze myself when I find little gems like this one. This book was written in 1994, which proves my theory that if people stick only to current bestsellers, they're missing a LOT of good books.

"The Yellow Room Conspiracy" begins in 1992, after a radio program has a quiz show that features what was known as "The Seddon Affair" in 1956. Paul Ackerley hears the show while working in his garden and promptly breaks the radio. Lucy (Vereker) Seddon, his companion is suffering from a terminal disease, and asks Paul to marry her. She also asks him to tell her how he managed to kill Gerry Grantworth years ago, considering that the door to the room he was in was locked, at which point he tells her that he'd always thought she had done it. He decides that independently they should write down their individual stories leading up to that fateful night, and thus begins a tale which spans two world wars, brings the reader into politics, and into the lives of a group of sisters of the English country-home set. The story presented is done from two viewpoints, Lucy's and Paul's, told via flashbacks, and isn't a very pretty one.

This book was phenomenal. This is my first book by this author, but it most definitely will not be my last. It is well written, the characters are incredibly alive, and the story will hold you in its grip until the very end. This author definitely has a talent for story telling.

I'd definitely recommend it to people who want something way above average in their reading, or to people who enjoy books that span a lifetime. Readers of British crime fiction should absolutely not miss this one. At times the story may seem a bit convoluted, but eventually all is explained and clarified, keeping the reader turning pages. I started this book at 8 pm last night and finished it around midnight because I absolutely could not put it down -- and that, for me, is a sign of a fantastic book. Highly recommended.

*The Death of Cousin Rose, by Jonathan Harrington

Danny O'Flaherty has decided that it's time to go seek out his roots, so off he flies to Ireland to the small village of Ballycara. Prior to leaving the US, he had received a letter from his cousin Rose, who intimated that she had something interesting to tell him about his grandfather. After a brief stint in the local pub, he goes out to see Rose, only to find her dead. He is not alone at the murder site, though, and the local garda (portrayed here as a bumbler) pounces on Danny as the prime suspect. He isn't put under arrest, which affords him the opportunity to find out who really killed Rose.
The Death of Cousin Rose is the first in a series of books featuring Danny O'Flaherty. The story is good, the writing's okay but not great. It's an easy read, with a solution that I didn't see coming. I think there's probably more room for this character to grow and develop -- I hope so, since I have the other books sitting in my British reading room downstairs.
I'd recommend it to people who are more into cozy mysteries rather than those who like more hard-boiled fare. It's light and shouldn't take too long to complete. Overall...not too bad.

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Seven, by Val Andrews

from the tbr pile. I bought a bunch of these about 6 years ago and still haven't read most of them, which shows how many books there are on my tbr pile. But I'm slowly plowing through them, even self imposing a book-buying ban until I get through 15. This is #12 of the 15 (thank God...I'm having an attack of bookstore withdrawal). Anyway, I like pastiches (well, okay, not all of them) & read them only for entertainment rather than in order to belittle them. Obviously, nothing can take the place of the originals.

The story in a nutshell, without spoilers: The Secret Seven is the name of a group of non-religious monastics who live together in an old priory as a means of having some peace and quiet and getting away from the troubles of the world. It seems, however, that all is not blissful -- the founder of the group comes to 221 B with a puzzle: two of the seven died mysteriously after receiving strange letters. The leader fears for a third man's safety, as he has just received his letter. Before the seven completely disappear, the leader (Culthorpe) asks for Holmes and Watson's help -- and they oblige by becoming members of the group, seemingly replacing the two who have already died. Once tehy arrive, some very strange events happen that require Holmes & Watson to solve the case quickly...before someone else is murdered.
Not too bad...I wouldn't compare it to the originals by Conan Doyle, but it's a pretty good read on its own. It won't take long (it comes in at just over 120 pages) to read, and is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Fans of SH pastiches will enjoy this one; if you're thinking about trying a pastiche, this wouldn't be a bad one with which to do so.

*Death in a Mood Indigo, by Francine Mathews

Francine Mathews also writes as Stephanie Barron, the author of the Jane Austen mystery series. I've never read one of those books, but they seem to be well liked. Well, I wish I could have liked Death in a Mood Indigo as much as others liked it, but I didn't. I have a stash of these really easy mystery novels on my tbr shelves, and maybe it's time to let them go. I've discovered I like my mysteries a wee bit more challenging.

Normally I don't start reading a series with book #3, but in an effort to get through my mountain of TBR books, this is what I had.

The novel begins on a Nantucket beach when Nan and Cecil Markham, ages 8 and 11 respectively, are off playing. Along comes their dog, Sachmo, with something in his mouth, which turns out to be a bone. The kids find this very cool until they dig up a skull, and realize that the bones the dog has are human. The local police are alerted, and the case is assigned to detective Meredith Folger. Checking against missing persons records, she finds out that the bones belong to a Dr. Elizabeth Osborne, who disappeared without a trace some eight years back. While she's investigating how Dr. Osborne's bones ended up on the beach, a local woman is killed and changes the complexion of the entire case.

The mystery was intriguing and the characters were okay. However, one little clue given by the author tipped me to the murderer and I have to say I was quite disappointed to be found right. When I read a mystery, I want to be pleasantly surprised as to the "who" in the "whodunit" and this was way too easy. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to find another book in this series, but if one drops into my lap I'll probably read it.

This book is really geared for people who want more of a mainstream-type mystery, one that goes quickly and one in which you don't have to think very much. I'd give it a spot in both cozies and police procedurals, so if you like either one then this one should please you.

Overall, I found the central mystery intriguing, but I don't know if I'll be revisiting this series any time soon.

*Red Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson

I have to admit I couldn't follow the science here to any great degree, but that really didn't deter me from what I consider one of the best sci-fi novels I've read in a while.
Red Mars is the first of three books dealing with the colonization of Mars. Starting in the year 2026, the story deals with the first 100 men and women selected to go to Mars -- scientists and others known collectively as "the first hundred. " Not all of them see eye to eye on how things should go on the planet -- Some envision it completely terraformed, some see it as an opportunity to launch a new and perfect society, completely Martian, without depending on life being molded in Earth format -- a vision of a new totally Martian existence. To be really honest, I thought the political wranglings to be the best part of the book -- especially warnings about the future of society as big business tries to takes control of everything. Sound familiar? Considering it was written 15 years ago, I'd say he's not too far off the mark.
While not really going into plot here (trust me -- plot synopses are everywhere), let me say that I'd recommend this book to those who enjoy hard science fiction. If you're looking for little green men or other types of monsters, you won't find it here. I would guess that a lot of people will find it too long, so if you want something quick & easy requiring very little thought, you're not going to like this one either. If you're a reader who likes to pause and think, then you'll find a multitude of things to ponder between the covers.
I plan to go on and finish the trilogy, so that should be a recommendation within itself. Be sure you have lots of time before embarking on this book. You'll need it.

Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith

from the tbr pile

What a roller coaster ride of a book! If you haven't read it yet, run, do not walk to your local bookstore and get a copy. It is simply phenomenal.

Set at the end of Stalin's regime in the Soviet Union, Child 44 is one of the most compelling mysteries I've ever read. Other writers should take note: this is the way a good mystery should be written. You're given enough clues, and you even find out later who the killer is, BUT -- you are still riveted and on the edge of your chair because of the atmosphere of suspense that the author has created. I listened to it on an audio CD, but am buying a hard copy for my husband to read and probably to reread at some time in the future. I hear movie rumors -- I'll be the first in line when it comes out.
Leo Demidov is a young, high-ranking officer in the MGB, the Soviet Ministry of State Security. Leo is used to putting people away, earmarking them for execution, even though sometimes he knows that they are innocent. He can't help it ... he's caught up in the mechanism of the paranoid Soviet state. At one point he is called on regarding the murder of a child, and in his own arrogant way (and because the state does not want attention called to it) he dismisses the child's death as an accident. But when Leo is forced to make a choice that he knows he cannot make, he is exiled into the Urals to serve in the militia. While there, he comes across a similar murder to the one in Moscow -- and suddenly Leo knows that he was wrong. In fact, there are a series of murders all with the same MO -- and the former state security man now has only one focus: to catch this child killer. There are those, however, who do not want Leo to discover the truth and try to block him at every juncture.
I absolutely will not say more about this book, but it is incredibly well written and the suspense doesn't let up. As noted, I listened to this in my car -- even with the higher price of gas it was worth it to find more things I needed to drive to just to listen to this book. The characters are well drawn, the paranoid atmosphere of the former USSR is captured quite well, and the story isn't just another serial killer murder novel out on the local bookstore shelves. It is unique and the reading experience quite enjoyable.
Personally, I think anyone who likes a good mystery will like this one, but I also feel that if you're in search of a good, well-written novel of suspense that this one fits the bill perfectly. If you're interested in Stalin's USSR, you'll like this one as well.
One of the best I've read in a long time. I hope the author's next effort is forthcoming.

Sherlock Holmes and the Egyptian Hall Adventure, by Val Andrews

from the tbr pile (I think it's probably never-ending, actually)

The game is afoot once again when Holmes and Watson take on the Egyptian Hall Adventure. They receive a visit one evening from a famous conjurer, currently playing at the Egyptian Hall theater. It seems that one of his tricks went awry .... a titled woman's ring was given to him to use in a trick whereby the conjurer would smash it up, then reproduce it a couple of minutes later attached to a nosegay. But in this case, the ring did not magically reappear and the woman's not really happy about it. So enter Holmes and Watson, off to the Egyptian Hall theater. As they're watching the conjuror's performance, the show is interrupted, the conjuror goes off the stage, and soon there's a call for a doctor in the house. I won't say any more about the plot.
I'm a big fan of Sherlock Holmes pastiches; some are better than others and yet none match the quality of the original stories. So I do not judge the pastiches against the originals ... that would just be wrong. This one is much better than many I've read, as far as the story goes.
I'd recommend it to people who enjoy these kinds of stories, or to those who have read the originals and want something a little different. It's a very small book, but the story will keep you entertained.

*Sherlock Holmes and the Golden Bird, by Frank Thomas

I'm not sure how much reading I'm going to actually get done this month. About a week ago, my son visited me here and introduced me to the TV series "Lost." I don't normally watch television as a rule, but he got me hooked and then proceeded to leave the entire set of DVDs of Season One to watch. Now I'm on the next-to-the-last episode (and then, of course, I'll have to watch the essential bonus features DVD), but wait! I ordered Season Two of the series so I have a lot to watch. I don't have to, but I'll tell you that watching this series has pretty much sucked up my spare reading time. Oh well.

At the story's opening, Holmes and Watson receive a visit from a gentleman who has come to pass on a case. The man is dying, and has not finished solving the case for which he was hired. It seems that a man in Berlin hired this man to find a statue called The Golden Bird. Several parties (all of them somewhat shady) are vying for the statue, and Holmes is interested enough to take the case. This leads our two heroes into an adventure which began two generations earlier -- and one which has left a path of murder in its wake.
The Golden Bird was just okay; it wasn't great, it wasn't terrible -- just okay. It is a rather lengthy pastiche and purists may balk at the liberties the author has taken with the characters of Holmes & Watson, but reading it was a good way to spend a couple of relaxing afternoons. I'd recommend it to people who read or collect Sherlock Holmes pastiches (as I do), but do strongly advise that they have a bit of background in Conan-Doyle's work. Although details pertaining to some of the original stories are mentioned (and noted with asterisks with explanatory text at the bottom of the page), it's a bit easier to read if you already have an idea of the actual Holmes cases. Otherwise, it's just an easy read (but with way too much info -- you know, like what everyone had for dinner or breakfast). Overall, not too bad -- I'll add it to my SH pastiche collection.

The Torment of Sherlock Holmes, by Val Andrews

I love these little books, although uber-purists when it comes to Sherlock Holmes would probably turn up their collective noses. These are pastiches (there's a series of them -- many of them quite rare and difficult to find), and often not very well done. This one's not so bad, but kind of obvious from the beginning.

It does have somewhat of an original slant, but the mystery's resolution is kind of weak and well, I was a bit disappointed.

Sadly, Sherlock Holmes is suffering from a terrible depression and has been for weeks. Dr. Watson, feeling that he should do something to help his friend, is out one day and watches a woman dressed in widow's clothing drop a claims ticket at Victoria station. He picks it up, but the woman is long gone by the time he looks around to find her. He goes back to Holmes with the ticket, thinking this might be something that would interest him. The article at the station which is the subject of the claims ticket turns out to be a hatbox, in which is stuffed a bloody dress and a knife. This tugs at Holmes' curiosity enough to want to follow the case, and thus begins this adventure. The book was okay. As usual, it was a pretty interesting and fun read but needed a little more oomph. The mystery was interesting, but not up to an original Conan Doyle's greatness as far as Sherlock's deductive capabilities. Otherwise, if you like Sherlock Holmes pastiches, you may enjoy this one, but I've read better.

*The Black Tower, by Louis Bayard

Okay...this is NOT the book cover, but I can't find a picture of it anywhere. So I'm adding a picture of the Dauphin, the poor little mite who was in line to be Louis XVII but didn't quite make it due to the French Revolution. Now, the story goes that the poor little guy was taken prisoner along with his family, but put into the tower room and allowed to die. He wasn't beheaded, but neglected enough so that he died. And this is the backdrop to The Black Tower, by Louis Bayard.

The French Revolution has come and gone, Napoleon has come and gone, and the Bourbons are once again back on the French throne. Young Hector Carpentier lives with his mother in a house left to them by his father, which they rent out to boarders. Hector becomes involved in the adventure of his life one day when he meets up with Inspector Vidocq, who has found his name and address hidden on the body of a murdered man, a complete and utter stranger to Hector. He finds himself embroiled in a mystery that takes both of them back to the height of the French Revolution -- and the deaths of Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and their son the Dauphin, who would have eventually become Louis XVII had he lived. As Hector helps Vidocq peel away the layers of this mystery, he begins to realize that history may not have been portrayed accurately, and that his own dead father may be the key to unearthing the truth.

The writing is very, very good -- good enough that when this book is actually released I'll buy a copy for my library. The characters are very well written; the mystery will keep you reading and not wanting to put the book down. I loved this author's Mr. Timothy and I can honestly say that I'd recommend this to anyone who not only likes this author, but to anyone in general looking for something refreshingly different in the mystery world. If there was such a word as "unputdownable," it would describe this book. Thanks to LT for allowing me to read it before it's released.

JUNE: Adding some color to my reading

June reading will focus on books with colors in their titles, of which I have several.

The reason I pick these little mini-reading events is because I have about 4000 books in my library and I have a book-buying monkey on my back that I can't shake, so there are always more coming. So that I can make room for these books, and so that I actually read them, I sort them into these little topics. Yes, it's a bit weird, but otherwise, I'd focus on the new books I'm buying rather than read the ones I already have. It works -- that's all I care about.