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Michael wrote: "It was a BBC series about a village in Ireland (Avoca, County Wicklow was the setting--I made a special stop there last time I was in country, just to drink a pint at Fitzgerald's) about a young Ca..."

Thanks for the update. Sounds like something I would definitely like. I will check it out. Very cool that you got visit that pub.

Completed the Read the Spring challenge, in my Cozy Mystery group:

FINISHED!
LAUREL CA
S- Scent of Evil completed May 23/14

P-Port of Sorrow COMPLETED May 12/14

R-The Ruby Brooch completed May17/14

I- Irreparable Harm completed May17/14

N-No Certain Rest
Completed April 29/14

G-Girl Jacked completed May 16/14

I just noticed this a few day ago, so I am late getting started!

DONE, all 5 are finished! As of May 23/14-

Good for you! Looks like some good reads too.

Michael wrote: "Good for you! Looks like some good reads too."

Thanks, Michael. I especially enjoyed Scent of Evil, in the Lt. Joe Gunther series. This is the third I have read and I just bought the next in the series, The Skeleton's Knee small town Vermont, interesting characters, well plotted stories, and a main character who is not a recovering drunk, or divorced.

Forgot to mention the mystery centred around the discovery of a body, at Antietam dating back to the famous battle, written by Jim Lehrer of PBS fame-a historical mystery, with half of the story taking place at the actual battle.No Certain Rest

Good morning, Laurel. Hope you're well. Some great book titles there!:)

Having watched a few DCI Banks on my favourite PBS station, decided to read or re-read some Peter Robinson. Went back to the beginning, and reread , then , and currently reading . Next will be . Amazing how much I have forgotten!

Also reading for the very first time! Can only read 49% before June 1, for a challenge. Then I can finish it, if I dare. Have never watched the movie from beginning to end all in one sitting, and the book is scarier. On page 189. Hard to believe that King wrote this when he was drunk and or stoned most of the time. He is the first to admit that there is a lot of himself in Jack.

Watching My Fair Lady, one of my favourites...I really want Prof. Higgins' library! Complete with spiral staircase.

Need to keep all my sleuths, private eyes, detectives & policemen, & their creators straight: a work in progress!

DCI Banks- Peter Robinson
Inspector Barnaby- Carolyn Graham
Nero Wolfe-Rex Stout
Travis McGee-John D. MacDonald
Lucas Davenport-John Sandford
Joe Gunther-Archer Myer
Dalziel & Pascoe-
Inspector Morse-Colin Dexter
Dalgleish-P.D. James
Cooper & Fry -Stephen Booth
DCI Lynley-Elizabeth George
Charlie Parker-John Connolly
Dave Robicheaux-James Lee Burke
Kate Shugak-Dana Stabenow
Emilia Cruz-Carmen Amato
Harry Stoner-Jonathin Valin
Father Koesler-William Kienzle
Kate Burkholder-Linda Castillo
Lalla Bains-R.P.Dahlke
Kurt Wallender-Henning Mankell
Amerotke-Paul Doherty
Brother Athelstan-Paul Doherty
Nic Kosta-David Hewson
Bernie Gunther-Philip Kerr
Sgt. Windflower-Mike Martin
DCI George Gently-Alex Hesler
Ron Ketchum-Joseph Flynn

Ok, I am about 50% through my very first reading of The Shining , and am in that zone where you do not want to read the next page but you cannot avoid reading it. I just had, for the third time today, a series of shivers, literally run through my body. Jack is investigating that bathroom, 217, after Danny has been in there. shivers! It happened twice before today, when I was taking a break from gardening, on a beautiful sunny day-shivers! That is amazing writing! Now, I must turn the page and I may as well keep reading. It is 11:13 pm, and I won't be able to sleep anyway!

Hi Laurel. Hope you're well. The Shining is an excellent book, one I've read and loved.

/review/edit... this is my review for The Shining only a matter of time before I have at least one shining induced nightmare! Well worth the shivers!

/review/show... here is. My review for . Rather disappointing, gave it 2*'s.was able to check off Pennsylvania for my Read the USA Challenge, and it was my first book in my Summer Seasonal Challenge.

Started an 18th century historical mystery, with the main character working as a journeyman for the now famous furniture maker, Thomas Chippendale. This has been on my TBR list for a long time, using in my Summer Season Reading Challenge.

Hi Laurel. How're you? The Lovely Bones is a great book and movie!!

New, Longlasting Challenge for me, from the HF group I belong to, but I will not be able to complete it the time alloted so I am going to do it on my own, at my leisure.
First up-BA with a History Major-what else for me!!!
I need 3 tasks from Lang. Arts & Athletics, Literature, Science & Math, and Social Science
PLUS:
All of the tasks from the History Major section.
My 3 tasks for Lang. Arts & Athletics are:
-biography about an actor-use biog of Lee Marvin that I have on TBR COMPLETED
-main character is an athlete
-sport-related word in title Harlan CobenOne False Move Completed May 27/15
My 3 tasks from Literature are:
-genre tags of book club
-book that has won a literary award, using posted list , Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as per list
-read an epistolary novel OR reread a classic from high school or university , read this in high school
My 3 tasks from Science &Math are:
-animal on cover
-main character is a dr. or a nurse
-number in title or sub-title
My 3 tasks from Social Sciences are:
-characters are from different classes COMPLETED
-features relationships with people of different cultures
-features a trial Ted Barris

HISTORY MAJOR PORTION: ALL TASKS
-2 nonfiction books with genre of history book about Flagler and or his railway, I bought in Florida
-read a HF book set in each of the following locations: N.A., S. A., Europe, Africa, Asia
North America: Gone for a Soldier Completed May13/15 4*'s
South America: Rio, 1850's
Europe:
Africa:
Asia:
-pick 3 Time Period Coverage, with 1 book set in each: Ancient BC-4thC., Medieval 5thC. -13thC., Renaissance 14th C.-16th C., Early Modern 17th C. -18th C., Modern 18th C. to 1960
1. Ancient:
2. Medieval:
3. Modern:
- read a book with a strong historical basis which features one of time travel, historical fantasy COMPLETED
-read a HF book that has been a group read in the HF Group I need to choose from:

Additional tasks, for fun, from the general History BA:
- a nonfiction with a genre of history
- dual storyline with one story set in the present and the other set at least 50 years ago, from present
-read an HF book that features a spy or a traitor
-HF book that is part of a series COMPLETED
-read a biography or memoir
-read a book with a castle on the cover
-noble title in the title
-first published in 2013/14
-features a main character who is in a guild (carpenter, merchant, doctor, lawyer) journeyman cabinet maker. COMPLETED Here is my review-/review/show...
-group read in HF group

Okay. Ignore me. What did I do to you?

Aaron{{REBLAST}} wrote: "Okay. Ignore me. What did I do to you?"

Nothing. I am not in the mood to talk. I have a very elderly, seriously ill mom, and I need a distraction, by myself! Thanks for asking.

Master's requirements
HF SUB-GENRES: traditional, multi-period epics, sagas, western HF novels, historical mysteries, romance historical novels, historical thrillers, HF adventure novels, time-slip novels, alternate history, HF fantasy novels

Task: pick 1 sub-genre and read 5 books from that genre
I am choosing historical mysteries.
COMPLETED June 6/15
COMPLETED May20/15

COMPLETED April 29/15
. :The Hanover Square Affair|10518312]


Tasks: read 1 book from 9 other categories on the sub-genre list
Traditional:
Multi-period Epic:
Saga:
Western HF novel:
Romance Historical novel:
Historical thriller: COMPLETED March 4/15
HF Adventure novel:
Time-slip:
HF Fantasy:
Additional Tasks: pick 6. Read 1 HF book
-which depicts a real historical person Count Belasarius, Robert Graves
-which depicts a real historical event
-has 750+ pages
-main character is in a profession that is no longer popular or needed eg. Blacksmith
I am using gladiator
-takes place in a city that no longer goes by the same name used to be Constantinople OR , setting is in Leningrad, used to be St. Petersburg,
-takes place on an island-United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Crete, Madagascar, Iceland, Cuba, Cyprus, Bahamas, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Maldives, New Zealand, Philippines- choosing Ireland ,
-is an epistolary novel

For literary HF, use 1001 Books Before You Die list, & Guardians' 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read.

***An epic is multi-generational, covering at least 50 years, with the story featuring a specific place vs a saga, which is a multi-generational story covering at least 50 years and 3 generations, & featuring a family

Sorry to hear that, Laurel. I won't bother you anymore.

Laurel wrote: "Master's requirements
HF SUB-GENRES: traditional, multi-period epics, sagas, western HF novels, historical mysteries, romance hair orbital novels, historical thrillers, HF adventure novels, time-sl..."

This looks like a lot of work, but I bet the end result will be well worth it. I'll be lucky to just make my 50 this year. All of a sudden, I don't feel like reading. Guess I'm just tired. But school is out, little league baseball is over, Johnny is going to spend two months in Alabama with his mom. Maybe things will slow down and I can relax and read.

How is the new baby doing?

PhD. requirements: re HF
Read 1 book by 3 of the HF MASTERS on this list: I love this list!
James Clavell, Dorothy Dunnett, Howard Fast, George MacDonald Fraser, Robert Graves, Georgette Heyer, Louis L'Amour, Norman Mailer, Patrick O'Brian, Jean Plaidy, Mary Renault, Sir Walter Scott, Anya Seton, Irving Stone, Sigrid Undset, Leon Uris, Gore Vidal
1. Anya Seton
2. TrinityLeon Uris
3.James ClavellTai Pan rereading this, I haven't read it for at least 20 years!
HF Classics:ANY 3 books from The Complete Idiots Guide Book list, in my HG group

Dissertation Topic:
Choose a topic and read 7 books related,to that topic. At least 5 must be HF, up to 2 can be NF related to the topic.
Types of topics are:
-around a specific historical event like a war or discovery of America, or perhaps the Exploration/settling of Canada
-around a country or geographical area through various time periods
-focus on a specific (most likely a family)likely royal, like the Tudors
-focus on a nationality like the Romans or Vikings
-focus on a particular century or time period like the Dark Ages
-sub-genre of HF, as described in the MA programme

Choosing The Civil War:
1.
2.
3. currently reading, begun
May 11/15
4.
5.
6.
7.
Minor Topic:
Choose a different topic from above and read 3 books in that area. One can be NF.
Ancient Rome:
1.
2.
3. COMPLETED June 29/14

A total of 71 books, to complete all portions.

Michael wrote: "Laurel wrote: "Master's requirements
HF SUB-GENRES: traditional, multi-period epics, sagas, western HF novels, historical mysteries, romance hair orbital novels, historical thrillers, HF adventure ..."

She is doing really well, just past 6 months, getting her first tooth. Hopefully, once Johnny is gone on holiday, you can get some rest and get back to reading for pleasure. I like this HF setup, but I am going to do it on my own time schedule, so it may take me a LONG time! Neither of our mothers are doing well, so reading and planning takes my mind off it all. One is 94, the other is 95. Longevity is not necessarily a good thing.

Wow! I bet they have some storied to tell. God bless them.

Michael wrote: "Wow! I bet they have some storied to tell. God bless them."

They did, but my mom has lost almost all of her older memories, and has no short term memory at all. Severe demientia, combined with other diseases, is a terrible thing to watch. My husband's mom, although only a year and a bit younger, still can talk about WW 2, the depression, special vacations etc, but also has limited short term memory, based on about a ten year span. The brain's capabilities are astounding. My mom does not know us, but she can still do pairs of opposites pretty quickly. You give a word, she comes up with the opposite. She has frequent hallucinations, usually involving my dad, who has been gone for more than 20 years. Last week she was upset because she didn't finish washing the wooden front porch on the house she grew up in, around the early 1920's. Often very sad, but you have to chuckle, because if you don't, you would cry a lot.

my heart goes out to you

Michael wrote: "my heart goes out to you"

Thank you, Michael. I appreciate your kindness!

Review in progress for I chose this book for three reasons: it had a very long list of prize nominations for a first mystery novel, multiple glowing reviews from authors I admire and read, as well as from GR friends whose opinions I respect. Additional, I needed to read a book set in Ireland for a challenge. I am also trying to sample new authors, as a way to expand my reading horizons. There are at least two more books in this series about the modern version of The Troubles in Ireland, but I am undecided if I will read them. Here's why. Although I felt great sympathy for Gerry Fegan, the main character being pursued by the ghosts of those he killed or helped to kill, in and around Belfast through the bloody decades of the 80's and 90's, I did not grow to like him. Explaining why this is the case would give away too much of the plot. Let's just say that redemption is not earned by creating more dead bodies, regardless of past evil deeds. This book is extremely violent, bloody, and jam packed with foul language. I am not usually bothered by any of these features, but in this case I suspect the context in which these were used, contributed to my distaste. It took a long time to sort out the characters, and who was on which side, or pretending to be. Not an upbeat read, nor did I anticipate it to be, but it left me feeling sad, a little angry, and disgusted by the terrible waste described in a few hundred pages. Perhaps that is the point. If that was Neville's premise for creating Gerry Fegan, a man riddled with terrible guilt, he achieved his goal. Additionally, reading this book revealed that I know very little about this bloody period in Irish politics and history. Perhaps that was also part of the author's plan. Time will tell whether I will return to this particular environment again.

Here is my review /review/show... for 4 stars- a slightly different version than the one in the previous post.

Just finished ****

Here is my review: /review/show...

Here is a Listopia list that I want to remember:
Great Mystery Series of the 00's

It has some great books on it & new series I need to investigate.

]

I always enjoy Nevada Barrs ' work, despite the fact that I haven't been reading about National Parks Ranger Anna Pigeon's exploits, in sequential order. This is one of her earlier works, number four in the series. California's Lassen Volcanic National Park is the setting, and Anna is there, high in the mountains, serving as a medical technician for crews fighting a major forest fire. There is plenty of interesting information about this extremely dangerous job, the strategies involved to combat almost any challenge a fire can throw at the fire crews, and roles of the support staff who work behind the scenes to make sure the fire crews work under the safest conditions possible, with the required materials. Anna and her crew are well prepared until a rare combination of circumstances creates the horrific, dreaded firestorm. While struggling to evacuate an injured member of the crew, the firestorm occurs. Barr's description is incredibly vivid, and it seemed that I could hear the roar of the flames, the tremendous heat created, and visualize the scrambling of the crew to take cover under their individual protective fire tents. Once the firestorm passes, and the crew members emerge to a ravaged, eerie landscape, only to find that one of their number has been stabbed in the back! With this particularly grisly discovery, Anna's crew is stranded in this devastated area, with bad weather moving in and no help available, even by emergency helicopter, with a murderer amongst them. Barr has essentially created the equivalent of the traditional murder at the isolated manor house, with a set number of suspects, cut off from the rest of society, with motives to be uncovered. Various members of the crew must struggle with the stress of the situation, personal injuries, bad weather, cold, snow, and a scarcity of food, water and medical supplies. Personalities may be at odds, and all of this turmoil takes places among the dangers of hidden pockets of red hot embers, the sulphurous fumes of volcanic pools and bubbling mud pots, and a mountainside landscape ravaged by the firestorm. Having toured the bubbling mud pot areas of Yellowstone, it was not difficult to conjure up the sights and smells Barr wants the reader to imagine. To Barr's credit, such an experience is not necessary to encourage you to turn those pages quickly, to sift through the clues Anna collects as she talks to those around her, and observes their interactions. An interesting, atmospheric and exciting read. Additionally, this book left me with a better understanding of the terrible dangers faced by all of those fire crews we see on tv during the forest fire seasons in Canada and the United States. Anna has done them proud in Firestorm.

New idea for a challenge: read only mysteries from around the world, one per country, slightly different from my Around the World challenge.

Seasonal Summer Challenge Posts:
#34-5. #131-5 #146 didn't count, used book from the wrong Ireland #220-5
#255-15 #336-10. #601-30

TOTAL: 75
8 books read so far

New website to check out and remember:

Booksinorder.com.

Gives order of books in series, and standalones

Laurel wrote: "New website to check out and remember:

Booksinorder.com.

Gives order of books in series, and standalones"
Checked it out. This site is great!

Michael wrote: "Laurel wrote: "New website to check out and remember:

Booksinorder.com.

Gives order of books in series, and standalones"
Checked it out. This site is great!"Glad you like it! I stayed a few minutes, plan to go back and browse.

Review for

I have a fondness for World War II fiction, and this book by famed science fiction writer Richard Matheson has joined the ranks of my favourites like , and . Based on personal experiences and written fifteen years after his service in WWII as an infantryman, Matheson takes us as close as you can get to the sights, smells, sounds and psychological turmoil that is circa 1944 battle- or any battle where men and boys of 18-the "beardless" warriors of the title, fight for every inch of ground, sometimes taken two or three times. Hackenmeyer, the main character, is an 18 year old raw recruit, sent as a replacement to one of the many Amercan units which were slogging through the German countryside, as the allies fought to overcome the Nazis on their own soil, in order to take Berlin. Hackenmeyer's Sergeant Cooley does not welcome him to his squad with open arms-not surprising given that mostly all replacement soldiers come with minimal training and no idea as to what they are about to face. Being a beardless warrior makes a young man much more susceptible to mistakes, which frequently have fatal consequences. This is a common issue in fiction set during this particular time period. In a similar situation in , new infantrymen are ignored by the surviving members, simply because so many of them die so soon after arrival, that it is too difficult to invest any time or emotion in getting to know them, since they will be gone and replaced by another fresh-faced kid. There is another reason for Cooley's dislike of these young men given to him, not to be poignantly revealed until the closing chapters. As the book progresses, Hackenmeyer experiences countless waves of self doubt, guilt, rage, cowardice, and reckless bravado. He has no fond memories of a happy family life or a girl back home, to comfort him during lonely hours, as he quivers with fear and the cold, in his foxhole. He has had a terrible, loveless childhood, and is baffled by the various behaviours and personalities he encounters among his fellow beardless warriors. He does not know how to relate to his fellow soldiers. He lacks the necessary characteristic that most military fiction stresses is the glue that keeps those in combat alive-he has no sense of camaraderie, nor he is fighting for the guy sharing his foxhole. Nonetheless, having that feeling of belonging and a life to return to does not ensure survival, a message that becomes all too clear as Hackemeyer endures the two week period that is the novel's timeline. This is a powerful piece of fiction about the horror and terrible cost of war. It is bloody, horrifying, hard to read, very personal and seeps into the corners of your mind like the cold and mud despised by all infantrymen. I am so grateful that I discovered it.

/review/show... This is my review for , a 1959 Pan paperback. An Ian Flemimg classic!

Review for Dead Cert Dick Francis. I gave it 4 stars.
/review/show...

LAUREL CA

S-Sea Swept completed June 23/14
U-
M-
M-
E-
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Recently finished , #3 in the series, by Joanne Fluke. What a fun read, given the character of the murder victim Fluke created! **** Here is my review: /review/show...

Dick Francis 5 stars

"I intensely disliked my father's fifth wife, but not to the point of murder." I read those fourteen words, and I was hooked! That is the compelling first sentence in this standalone novel by the master storyteller, Dick Francis. This book has convinced me that I want read all of his work, which is a massive collection of horsey based writing! Francis uses a brilliant concept for the structure or plot, if you want to call it that, of this mystery. Narrated by Ian Pembroke, an amateur jockey, Francis weaves a complicated story about Ian's father Malcolm, an incredibly rich gentleman who makes his money by buying and selling gold. Before Ian will help his father, they must try to mend a three year-long rift in their relationship, tied to Malcolm's decision to marry wife number five, despite Ian's pleas to drop her. Someone has tried to kill Malcolm, shortly after his fifth wife, Moira, has been found murdered at their large country home. Who suspects him of this crime, you say? The police, and most of his family, numbering in the twenties, if you count stepchildren, daughters/sons-in-law, and ex-wives. There are so many members of this family that Francis kindly provides a list of them, at the front of the book! To cope with the threat to his freedom and his life, Malcolm, as he is called by all of his children rather than Dad or Father, decides to spend huge chunks of money on a variety of causes and items. This flagrant spending causes the family members to come running to Malcolm, suggesting that he has gone mad after murdering Moira, and he intends to throw away their inheritance on anything or anyone but them! In desperation, Malcolm turns to his son Ian, afraid for his life and needing help to get out from under his family's verbal and physical attacks. Who among this large group is capable of murdering Moira, and/or Malcolm? Francis masterfully creates detailed personalities for all of the twenty plus members of Malcolm's extended family. The interaction between the ex-wives and their children, step-children and each other, bring to mind a very large knot found within a ball of wool when I am knitting. Unravelling this ball takes patience as I well know, and Francis leads us through this unravelling with elegant detail, vivid characterizations, and considerable suspense. All is revealed, and by book' s end, he leaves you marvelling at his plotting and characterization. A gem of a book! I count myself officially a member of the Dick Francis fan club.

Interesting new words:

smitch:
smother, as in "be ready to start your smother at any moment!" From The Eagle Of The Ninth
testudo:
:

The Skeleton's Knee

This is the fourth in the Lt. Joe Gunther series by Archer Mayor, and I finished it in short order! I am happy to say that I have many more of Joe's cases to explore, given that he has written twenty-five books. This one is the best so far. A mysterious survivalist dies in the Brattleboro, Vermont hospital as the result of a previously sustained gunshot injury. While investigating the area surrounding his cabin in the outskirts of town, a skeleton is unearthed. This is no ordinary skeleton, in that it has an unusual metal knee, dating back as it turns out, to the sixties. Additionally, when the stranger in the hospital died, he had prepaid his medical bill with a wad of mouldy cash, taken from an equally musty red backpack. While the skeleton with the knee replacement is being transported to town in a hearse, the vehicle and Joe's car are riddled with machine gun fire. How are all of these events connected? Following a few sparse leads takes Joe away from small town Barttleboro, to the big city of Chicago. Joe is more than a little uncomfortable in the mega urban and police environment of the Windy City. Mayor paints an interesting portrait of different aspects of Chicago, and the big city mentality of policing vs small town Brattleboro. Joe ultimately teams up with a soon to be retired detective, and they manage to find common ground to work on the case. The Sixties' political radicalism comes into play, as does the Outfit, the CPD's term for the Mafia. Joe is severely tested by this case, physically, mentally and professionally. The is worth your time, especially if you grew up during the turmoil of the sixties. I am looking forward to reading Fruits of the Poisonous Tree. A familiar legal term I recognized from many years of watching Law and Order, and an intriguing title!

/review/show...

This is my review forThe Eagle of the Ninth I gave it 4 stars.

. Interesting blog and book list

Waiting for her first novel, in October-WWII, Canadian Bird's Eye View

Wishing all of my American friends on GR, a very happy and safe Fourth!

how are you doing?

Michael wrote: "how are you doing?"

Well, it has been an interesting couple of weeks! My mother-in-law, who is 94, has been in the hospital twice in the last five weeks, and has had a couple of close calls after a fall at her nursing home, pneumonia and some heart issues. She is back at her nursing home for now, and we are tempting her to eat with all of her favourite summer fruits. My mom is not doing well either. I told you recently that her dementia is fairly progressed. Well, she no longer recognizes us, which is tough. Additionally, she has congestive heart disease, and failing kidneys, all a result of being 95 and a half, plus having been diabetic for the last thirty years. So, she has more bad days than good, and we are taking it one day at a time. We were down to see her on Monday-she is about a 90 min. drive away. So with both of them ailing, each time the phone rings, it is a little nerve-wracking. Fortunately, reading and working in the garden helps. We are staying close to home, just in case.

Did your Fourth celebrations get totally rained out? At least Albert did minimal damage in Florida, as far as we heard up here. I know your grandson was away for a bit, hope you enjoyed the "quiet".

Thanks so much for checking on me! I have read some really great books, and am getting ready to read , which is one of the few Uris books that I have not read. Best wishes to you and yours!

Just out of curiosity, how many books do you read at one time, Laurel?