Monday Mash Up

 

Monday, July 3, 2023 ~ Books & ...

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THOUGHTS

 

 

100 DAYS OF SUMMER

4. Book with either the title or author name written in the color yellow.
Artifacts by Gigi Pandian
Pts: 11    RT: 135   Avg: 6.4

21. Book with a cover that is predominantly blue, green or yellow.
The Horse You Came in On by Martha Grimes
Pts: 1    RT: 136    Avg: 6.1

67. Book set in a city of over a million people.
The Detective Wore Silk Drawers by Peter Lovesey
Pts: 11    RT: 147    Avg:  6.39

69. Humorous memoir by comedian, actor or writer.
What's So Funny? by Tim Conway
Pts: 6    RT: 153    Avg: 6.37

53. Book written or set during the interwar period (1919 through 1939).
The Black Ascot by Charles Todd
Pts: 10     RT: 163    Avg: 6.52

95. Book categorized crime, either true crime or fiction.
Toward Zero by Agatha Christie
Pts: 12    RT: 175    Avg: 6.73

3. Book with a title that starts with a letter in the word B-E-A-C-H
Cècile Is Dead by Georges Simenon
Pts: 11 RT: 186 Avg: 6.88

 

THE BOOKS

The Artifact by Gigi Pandian

A cozy, light read. A palate cleanser when the reading gets tough. Book 1 in the "Jaya Jones" series. They are in the Audible Plus catalog of freebies, so I will be back for more.
3 stars -- that is smack dab in the middle

The Horse You Came In On by Martha Grimes

I like that it is partially set in Baltimore. This is not one of the better Inspector Jury series but I enjoyed it -- and laughed out loud at some of the whacky characters.
3.25 stars

The Detective Wore Silk Drawers by Peter Lovesey

Never met a Peter Lovesey that I didn't like until I read this one. The borderline sadism was more than I want to read --and the stupidity of putting a rookie in danger didn't help either. The plot is weak and a bit more implausible that I am willing to put up in light of its other issues.
DNF at 60%

What's So Funny by Tim Conway

After the last book I needed something light and funny. I was planning to re-read it eventually for the  humorous celebrity memoir prompt in "100 Days" and this seemed like the perfect time to pick it up.
3.5 stars  because it is laugh out loud funny

The  Black Ascot by Charles Todd

Inspector Ian Rutledge  mystery #21. Set in 1920 just after World War I.  I love this series but it is dark, dark, dark. The MC is damaged goods. His war experience was horrific and he will forever carry the scars of his experience. He is also a damned good investigator. Book #21 is a cold-case story and one of the best of the series. This is one for the re-read pile.
A bit more than 4 stars.

Toward Zero by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie Centenary Read
This is a Superintendent Battle story and a damned good one, until it goes completely off the rails at the reveal with a very made-for-Hollywood ending. Do yourself a favor and quit reading at the reveal. The last few scenes were a pointless and unnecessary disaster.
3 stars -- would have been more had she quit at the reveal.

Cécile is Dead by Georges Simenon

This is the quarterly side-read for the Agatha Christie Centenary Read.
As it turns out, this Simenon goes well with this month's Agatha; they have a lot in common yet are quite, quite different. I like Simenon's uncluttered style and his 'read it in one sitting' attitude. More Maigret, please. Oh,wait, there is more; I bought 3 more titles when I bought this one. ;-)

3.5 stars