I haven't been around much, and not reading as much as usual, either...busy with other stuff. But here's my current reads:

Audio: Almost done with Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie, not sure what will move on to next.

Kindle: Still reading An Uncertain Place by Fred Vargas, the most recent Commissaire Adamsberg offering, although another is due out soon.

Print: The Last Illusion by Rhys Bowen, #9 Molly Murphy historical and Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis, nonfiction health book regarding the evils of wheat consumption, which I'm finding fascinating...a lot of issues clicking into place with my own health. Very powerful stuff!

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween/Samhain and now on towards turkey day! :)

Cheryl

Still readin Shotgun by Rita Mae Brown.  I finished Fifty Seven Traveling by Lonnie Cruse.  It was calling to me last night and it's a little easier read right now than Shotgun.  I'm sticking with Shotgun though it might get a bit easier since then MC us now in 1699 and has met her ancesters.

Joy wrote in October  Every time I see NY & NJ on TV it seems to get more surreal and so unbelievable.  So much destruction, people still stranded.  Tonight they showed how gas lines were ruptured and you could see the gas bubbling up through the water.  All over the place.  Just waiting for another disaster.  With all the houses that were moved off their foundations the gas lines all burst.  So scary.  Thoughts and prayers are with them all.

Yesterday I read an article about an interview with a student from Brown University who says there was no hurricane it's all a government plot to close the schools and mess with our minds!  Sounds like the people who deny the Holocaust.

My thoughts and prayers are with those that are dealing with the aftermath of Sandy. I am currently reading Karen Marie Moning's Iced, but do have Nelson DeMille's The Panther, Karen Hooper's Haven, Karen Rose's No One Left to Tell and Marshall Karp's Cut, Paste, Kill coming up.

ETA: Did read James's Rollin's The City of Screams last night. It is a short story and is related to the new series he has coming out at the end of this year. It seems like it may be really interesting. I liked what I read anyway.

Am halfway through The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe. Had been hearing about this series for several years now and finally decided to give it a whirl. Thus far, I am enjoying the banter between 61-year-old Canadian Detective Inspector Hazel Micallef and Micallef's feisty 87-year-old mother. Will definitely try to tackle the entire series.

The series includes:

• The Calling (2008)
• The Taken (2009)
• A Door in the River (2012)

Happy November!!!!  Still working on the third Ann Parker e book, "Leaden Skies".  Also still working on "Open Season" by Archer Mayor. 

We are having another gray day in Delaware.  I am wondering if the sun is still up there, but with the folks in trouble in states all around us, I feel I have nothing worthy of complaints.

Becky, the sun is still up there!  We have it today so maybe you'll get it tomorrow. 

Archer Mayor's Joe Gunther sounded so familiar to me but yet... I looked at my "library list" and found that they did because I've read the books until 2002!  Why I stopped I have no idea because I started to read them with  Open Season.  I don't wanna hear it, now I have catching up to do. 

In going over that list I found some here and there that I've missed and others I was amazed to discover I had read the entire series.  I've actually read every series book written by Agatha Christie!  39 Hercule Poirot alone.  I didn't realize that. 

I had forgotten that Jo Dereske had written another small series as well as Miss Zukas.  It only has three books but I remember them.  I liked them but liked Miss Zukas more.

I haven't checked in for a while - I know that it's been at least since before I left for my trip to England in September.   Let's see ...

Well, in late October I FINALLY finished The Lady Chapel by Candace M Robb, which is the 2nd book in the Owen Archer series set in medieval England (in York, to be specific).     York is one of the cities that I visited on my trip and reading the first book in this series was one of the reasons I wanted to go to York.   Since the medieval gates and walls and many of the medieval buildings are still there in York today, it's very easy to visualize it as it was in Owen Archer's 14th century world.    I started reading this book on the plane to England, and fully thought that I would finish it while there, but as it turned out we walked sooooooooo much every day that we fell into bed exhausted each night and I was pretty much snoring by the time my head hit the pillow.    Very litle time for reading and I came home with only 70 pages read! 

Also while in England, I picked up The Royal Line of Succession at one of the palaces (cant remember which one) - and I also downloaded British History for Dummies on my Nook.   I've been slowing reading through both of these books at the same time - they make very good companion books.  I just finished the sections on the American Revolution (which the British think of as a civil war LOL). 

But for the past few weeks, I haven't been doing much actual reading.    My cat is very sick - and it's been a day by day battle and my concentration levels suck - which means that I wasn't able to finish Frankenstein for book club tonight.  Not even close.      The only "reading" I've been doing for the past few weeks is listening to audio books during my commute.    On audio I finished Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris.  It was just OK.  As always fun to read a book set in my own backyard, but the premise of this book was pretty lame IMO.    The thief stole a $24,000 check and everybody was freaking out about it.   I'm thinking, "OK, just cancel the check!"    

Right now in my car I'm listening to Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich.   It's another Stephanie Plum romp!    I think these books would get pretty stale if I listened to them back to back, but I space them out a lot so they are very entertaining :-)      

Today I finished "Open Season" by Archer Mayor --- a police mystery that I really enjoyed. The main character is Joe Gunther and this is the first of the series. David will enjoy this one as well, so will likely proceed SLOWLY with another series!!!

Really do not know what I will pick up next. I am in the midst of the 3rd installment of the Leadville, Colorado E-books so finishing that one is always an option.

Lynne --- Sorry to hear about your kitty cat --- hoping the problem is one that can improve with time.

Geri --- Still no sun today and I am still in shock, but it appears I have re-caught this darned cold.   David came down with it last Sunday after I had been rid of the actual cold piece for over two weeks.  Now this morning I woke up with sore throat, running nose and low grade temp.  I just cannot believe this could happen.  Am hoping it is not really happening and I will awaken tomorrow just fine!!!!

Becky ~ I'm so sorry you are sick again!  I'm sure your immune system is still trying to come back from your previous cold and the stress of the storm, so you are more susceptible to getting another one.  Take good care of yourself.  You know the drill ~ lots of rest and fluids.  Treat the symptoms.  Go directly to the doctor if you aren't better by next week.  (Yes, mother)    :)

Lynne, I am sorry about your cat.  I hope he gets well soon!

Geri - I cannot believe that student from Brown said there was really no hurricane.  Perhaps she should take a quick trip to Staten Island.  Personally I think someone has been messing with her mind, but it's probably not the government.................

Am almost through with "Suspense & Sensibility."  The first book had a bit of a supernatural bent to it, and this one does as well.  Will be interesting to see how the rest of the books are.  Suspense is sure a good title for this, I'm all in suspence to see how this resolves!  I've ordered the third book, but will have time to get to some of the other books on my shelf in the meantime.  Not sure what I'll get into next. 

Becky, this is your other mother telling you to follow mother Joy's advice!

Lynn, hope your kitty gets better.  Such a struggle to get through a furbaby illness for you and the furbaby.

Joy, obviously there was no hurricane, they didn't called out the National Guard, the Coast Guard here wasn't on TV saying if anyone is fool enough to be out on the water we're not going to attempt a rescue.  Can you imagine in the Great Lakes where they have low waves people were surfing and freighters were docked?  Which doesn't even come close to what's happened to New York, New Jersey and all the rest.  I wish the news would show more of the other states.  I saw Kentucky and the snow!  I have a friend that lives on an island in Virginia and at one point I heard the entire island was flooded with no way to get to the mainland.

Currently I'm zipping through No Place for Tears by Sherry Lewis.  I posted it by mistake and someone has rewquested it!  I hated to turn it down so I just marked it I canmail later though I'd rather mail sooner.    I had put Fred (mc) down for a bit.  I like the idea of a 73 year old male doing the investigating instead of the ditzy female.  Fred is freinds with the police cheif and doesn't hesitate to tell him the things he's discovered from being nosy and listening to people.

Becky - I think that this has gone on long enough - you should just get back to the doctor! If it isn't a virus, you should get better quickly withthe right meds.

I just finished reading A Family Affair by Caro Peacock - Victorian era mystery and the third in the series, These are not cozies but the MC is a smart and savvy female who has a wonderful sidekick. Good mysteries, good plot and character development. A definite recommend!

Dear Mothers --- I actually took David to the doctor on Wednesday and he got antibiotics.  While there I was hacking away, so he listened to me as well.  He thought I probably did have a bronchitis and put me on antibiotics as well as a precaution.  That was Wednesday.  Then on Friday I started feeling crummy again, then yesterday woke up with a temp.  Now, how can that be anything but a virus while I am on antibiotics????  I think I know what is going to have to happen.  The low-dose Prednisone regimen simply did not do the trick with the reactive airway and I am going to have to go back to the doctor and try something else.  I am doing Advair and albuterol and still coughing my head off!!!  Woke this morning with no temp, so am looking at that as positive. 

Okay this is supposed to be about books, not other "stuff" so I apologize to all the reading purists!!!  Somehow I find it easier to have a bit of a chat without starting another thread (bad me).

I picked up something by Peter James called "Dead Simple".  It is the first in a series about Detective Superintendent Roy Grace in England.  Seems the series came very highly recommended.  I am not far enough along to really have an opinion just yet.

Jeanne --- I just love those Caro Peacock books myself.  They are not cozies, but they also are not filled with lots of profanity, sex, etc. for those of you who prefer something less "gritty".

I live on Long Island and was one of the few lucky ones that did not lose power or my home. My area was a voluntary evacuation zone while two blocks South of me was a mandatory evacuation zone. That would be the south shore of Long Island. We are about 45-50 minutes from Manhattan. The destruction you see on the news is unbelievable but to see it in person breaks your heart.

There are 1-2 mile long lines at gas stations...6-8 hour waits. NY Harbor was closed on Monday so no gas deliveries could be done. Plus with 90% of LI being without power, some pumps aren't working. They opened the Harbor for these tankers to get in late Thursday, so they hope the gas situation will be resolved by sunday or Monday.

I have heard of people who have lost everything, homes, pets, everything.  While I am extremely lucky...i also think I have a form of survivors guilt. I can't explain it. I am doing what I can..making donations and helping anyone I can but it is so overwhelming......

I'm reading Bad Chili by Joe R Lonsdale. This is the fourth Hap Collins/Leonard Pine mysteryl Kind of a "man book" but quite funny. This one is going a bit slower than the first three but it's still worth reading.

I am also reading Live By Night by Dennis Lehane, one of my favorite authors.  I've been on the WL at the library since well before the publication date and finally got my hot little hands on it yesterday.  Only about 20 pages in but if it approaches The Given Day, I will enjoy it.

I am also listening to a Bill Pronzini mystery.  I've not read any of his stuff and this is one of the more current books so I'm going against everything I believe in about reading books out of order but...it was on Playaway at the library and I like to have something to listen to  while I'm mindlessly playing computer games on Facebook! LOL!

I have a ton of free books on my Kindle and I am reading a couple of those, albeit, very slowly as those are my waiting in the car/downtime in the classroom books. The Budbug book that I'm reading is pretty funny so far.

Donna - Bless your heart for helping out! I know what you must mean about the survivor's guilt - even I feel somewhat guilty for the great weather we are having here while so many are suffering up there. This is a real tragedy!

As for books: I am going to continue on with the Caro Peacock Liberty Lane series and read the fourth one A Corpse in Shining Armour. After that those books are going to be harder to find or at the very least, a lot pricier - rats!

Donna~ Glad to hear that you are okay.  As Jeanne said, a lot of survivors guilt going on.  I live in Maine, we got alot of wind and rain, lots of power outages and some damage, not too extreme at all.  I didn't lose power in my neighborhood, not sustain any damage.  But I also feel guilty about those who have just lost everything.  You are doing what you can do and that's all anyone could ask.  I understand the guilty, but you are using your blessing to help your neighbors  If you need to chat with someone just let me know, I'm a good listener.

Becky ~ If you haven't had one, I would say a good chest x-ray might be in order for you.  You may know this, but a tip about the Advair and Albuterol.  If you are using them at the same time, use the albuterol first, wait a few minutes, then do your Advair.  The albuterol will open up your airways a bit so that the Advair can work better.  Gosh, I do hope you are feeling better soon. 

I finished "Suspense and Sensibility" last night and today have picked up "Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch" by Nancy Atherton.  This is on my challenge list, so I'm looking forward to knocking one more off the list.   

Thanks, guys! My reading has been at a standstill.....alittle bit of being tired & poor time management lately.  Here's to getting back on track! You guys are definitely inspiring with your reading accomplishments!  Love it!

Thinking of getting the new Nook HD+...Like the idea that its larger (9"). Anyone getting one?

Lynn...Hope your kitty gets better.  Having had (and lost) 22 cats over my lifetime, I know how it can tear you up when they are ill.  You can't really focus on anything except them.  Will keep thinking good thoughts.

And, Becky, also sending good thoughts your way...hope you can finally get rid of all your health problems.

And, in the "I don't believe it" category...I ordered two books which were mailed on 10/20.  Both had DCs through PBS.  After 10 days, I started checking and neither had moved from the orginal PO.  Today, I  checked again and the one coming from Indiana is on its way to Pennsylvania; and the one coming from Arkansas is headed for Washington state!!!!  What?!?!?  Unfortunately, both were books off my WL...will be lucky if either ever arrives!

Back to the intent of this thread...Read Still Midnight/Denise Mina...another of Cheryl's britcrime recommendations.  Good call!

As Husbands Go/Susan Isaacs...have always liked her books, she has such a wonderfully bitchy sense of humor...but this one wasn't as good (IMO).  I guess I had problems accepting the premise that if your husband was found murdered in a call girl's apt. and she is charged with the murder, that you would spend 2-3 months trying to prove she didn't do it!

A second "free" ebook...Never Buried/Edie Claire...cute cozy...might actually try the second one!

After Geri's vampire book, decided to try another one Greywalker/Kat Richardson.  Still not sure I'm really "into" vampires, but it was pretty good...if a bit "out there" for me!

And, since it is a new month, going back to the next book in the various series I have started with Yellow Dog Party/Earl Emerson...the sixth in the Thomas Black mysteries.  Still loving them.

I finished No Place for Tears by Sherry Lewis.  Just two more of this series to go.  I'm gonna miss Fred.  I've started another series book I promished to send someone, Elizabeth Lynn Casey's Reap What You Sew.  The sixth in that series but the last one I have in the house.  Another is coming out in December and two more next year.  I'm still enjoying this light cozy series but how many murders csn we have in a small town in South Carolina?  I simply don't understand why some of these authors don't move the venue to a large city neighborhood where murder and mayhem would make more sense.  I mean if they'd move it to Detroit I could see having someone investigate a murder every other month in a place that has a murder or more a day.  Shoot the protaginist has moved to South Carolina from Chicago.  Chicago would make more sense.  She's gotten involved in five murders, and one supposed murder in two years and has been as suspect or thought of as a suspicious character in all of them.  You'd think the police cheif would cut her a little slack by now. 

I am still reading Riding Shotgun by Rita Mae Brown, just got distracted by these two that I promised other people.  I simply don't have as much time to read right now.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Good Morning everyone,

I started  Fundraising the Dead (Museum Mystery, Bk 1) :: Sheila Connolly. I really like Sheila Connolly's apple orchard series, but this one seems a lot slower and character's aren't as engaging. I have book 2 and 3 in the series. Anyone else read this series yet. How are the other books?

Started Marshall Karp's Cut, Paste, Kill and I sure enjoy Lomax and Briggs brand of humor and hope he writes more in the future. These are such fun books.

Well I finished book three of the Leadville, Colorado series, "Leaden Skies" and of course just clicked right over to the next one, "Mercury's Rise".  Did not think I would enjoy reading on my laptop as much as I do.  Only problem I see is that I cannot trade them here on PBS!!!!

I have also made some progress with D.S. Roy Grace in "Dead Simple" by Peter James and I think it is going to be a good one.  Do any of you read this Roy Grace series and, if so, what are your opinions???

Alice - I have read the Museum mysteries by Sheila Connelly.  The first book, I agree, it does start out slow, but it does get better, and they improve with each book. 

Geri - Too funny about Elizabeth Lynn Casey's books!  That can apply to alot of series, like Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson mysteries and the Scumble River series by Denise Swanson.  Personally I like the fact that they stay in their own places.  I like to see the progression of the characters, and, though I shouldn't admit it, I tend to look on the books where they do go somewhere else as less exciting than their normal environment.  Of course I end up liking the book after all, but I can't seem to rid myself of that feeling.  Did I mention I really like ruts?  Maybe that has something to do with it!

Alice, I read the first museum book and felt the same way about it.  I also agree with Joy that they do improve.

Joy, I love the progression in cozies too.  One series that I don't consider a cozy is the Deborah Knott books but love the progression in them.  I just received the latest today!  The Buzzard Table, tomorrow I'll start it!