Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[HarryT]

I finished "Parker Pyne Investigates" last night. This was Agatha Christie's 22nd book, and was originally published in 1934. It's a collection of short stories, featuring the eponymous Mr Parker Pyne, who runs an agency promising to make people happy. Some excellent stories in this one, with very ingenious plots.

One interesting aspect of this book is that it introduces (in very minor roles) two people who will become prominent in later Christie books: the novelist Ariadne Oliver, and Miss Lemon, who in this book is Parker Pyne's secretary, but who subsequently becomes Hercule Poirot's secretary.

A good short story collection which is well worth reading.

[dreams]

Just finished Mrs. Mike by Ben and Nancy Freedman; I couldn't go to bed until I had finished it. I don't know how I would describe it other than I want to say powerful. The life and culture are true to what I have read of the time period in other stories. I liked that the story didn't have copious details, but told the story as relating facts to those familiar with that life and time period. I'm terrible at explaining it all, but this is definitely a book I would recommend.

Spoiler:

'Mrs. Mike' is a love story, a true story; the story of Katherine Mary O’Fallon, a sixteen year-old Irish girl from Boston, and Sergeant Mike Flannigan of the Canadian Mounted Police who meet at her uncle’s ranch in Alberta, Canada where she is sent to recover from pleurisy. They meet, they court, they marry and, following Mike’s orders, move to Hudson’s Hope far into the interior of Alberta.
But it is more than a love story between two people: it is also a love story of the land and animals, of the beavers and the ice, the northern lights and the fires, of whooping cough and whiskey running. It is a love story of the First Peoples and their struggles, the immigrants and their hopes and all the people who came and went through Mike and Kathy’s lives.

Still free at Amazon and I was made aware of the book from the Deals forum post by mitford13.

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by dreams

The next one that I enjoyed reading was The Blood Gospel (The Order of the Sanguines 01) by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell. "The unlikely trio of a military forensic expert, a Vatican priest, and archaeologist come together when an earthquake in Israel uncovers buried tomb, including a missing book rumored to have been written by Christ's own hand" My son loaned this to me, but, after starting the pback, I really wanted it on my Kfire. So, I found it at my library and downloaded it. My son didn't like it and, since we enjoy a lot of the same books, I was afraid I wouldn't like it. I loved it and look forward to what happens in the second book. Sergeant Stone from the City of Screams by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell is in this book.

I've read Blood Gospel too this year and also loved it. A couple of weeks ago Blood Brothers, a short story, was released.

I just finished The Secrets of Pain (#11 Merrily Watkins) by Phil Rickman. Another great story, though not much to do with Merrily's job as the Hereford Deliverance vicar. Having tied up several story lines in the last couple of books, I feel that Rickman is starting several new ones in this book.

[Gazella]

Currently reading The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle.

THE ATLANTIS GENE is a thought-provoking technothriller about global genetic experiments, ancient conspiracies, and the mysteries of human evolution. Its complex characters and historical and scientific details will stay with you long after you finish. This fast-paced adventure is the first book in A.G. Riddle's Origin Mystery Series.

[Stitchawl]

Happily in the middle of "Ten Word Game," one of Jonathan Gash's 'Lovejoy' series. I find the book Lovejoy character just as enjoyable as the TV series character, and so I'm having a delightful time reading!


Stitchawl

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

F&SF November/December 2013 edited by Gordon van Gelder.

F&SF has a tendency to publish 'literary' fantasy, which I dislike. but not in this issue, so far.

A good issue, as least as far as the fiction goes. I confess I tend to skip the book and film review sections.

Next up: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Bought early last month using a Kobo coupon for $1.59 or so.

[WT Sharpe]

Just finished The Last Testament: A Memoir by God (Author) with David Javerbaum (Author, Contributor). Since there are no quotations I could list and no summary I could give outside of the opt-in Politics and Religion section that would do justice to this hilarious book, I'll simply provide the Kindle link and let you good folks read the Amazon write-up for yourselves.

David Javerbaum, who is listed on the credits as co-author and contributor along with God, is the former head writer and executive producer of 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,' which, if you've ever seen the show, should tell you something about the tenor of this work.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Bought early last month using a Kobo coupon for $1.59 or so.

Wow. That was very good. Defintely a good buy! Recommended.


Next: One from the October 2013 Baen Bundle, Phoenix Rising by Ryk Spoor

[mewmartigan]

Originally Posted by Gazella

Currently reading The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts on this. It has a ton of reviews on Amazon (over 2,000) and I've never heard of the author. The book is free to Amazon Prime members so I may give it a shot eventually as well.

[Gazella]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

Would be interested to hear your thoughts on this. It has a ton of reviews on Amazon (over 2,000) and I've never heard of the author. The book is free to Amazon Prime members so I may give it a shot eventually as well.

I had a change of mind. I decided to read The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey instead. I might read The Atlantis Gene next.

[BookGyrlinMO]

Originally Posted by Gazella

I had a change of mind. I decided to read The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey instead. I might read The Atlantis Gene next.

I quite enjoyed The Snow Child, hope you do too.

I finished "The Lost Wife" last night. Will be starting "You are One of Them" today.

[Gazella]

Originally Posted by BookGyrlinMO

I quite enjoyed The Snow Child, hope you do too.

Thank you! It's really good so far. Love the sense of mystery in the story and the way the author describes things.

[orlok]

Finished Kindred by Octavia Butler, as recommended in this thread. I only realised at the end that it was written in 1979 - it still feels very contemporary. Really enjoyed the story (despite the sometimes harrowing subject matter) and gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.

Now reading Crashed by Timothy Hallinan, a Junior Bender mystery. Fun story about a career burglar for whom things do not always go to plan. Reminds me quite a lot of the Bernie Rhodenbarr stories by Robert Block.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

... Next, I'm going back to my annual re-read (I paused this re-read a while back so it would end a little closer to the Publication date of Book #15, Skin Game) of Jim Butcher's, The Dresden Files. with Changes (The Dresden Files #12)!

Originally Posted by alansplace

My re-read of Changes was just plain awesome! I've skipped all the associated short stories during this re-read, So I've decided to add them here toward the end of the re-read. There are 7 short stories that I'm aware of that haven't yet made it into a Dresden Files collection including one which hasn't yet been published anywhere. And then there's Side Jobs (Stories From the Dresden Files) which I'm reading next.

After reading Side Jobs I next read the 7 short stories published in assorted anthologies that I'd mentioned above including the one which hasn't actually been published yet anywhere, but since there's an excerpt available I've included that excerpt in this re-reading. Now on to Ghost Story!

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

But first, a diversion to read Shadow of Saganami, the first book in the Saganami side-line of the Honorverse. I really needed to read this before I went any further in the mainline story. Much better to read about all the events in the Talbot cluster and then come back to Honor.

Meanwhile, when I want a break from the Honorverse, I've been reading the new Jack Frost mysteries. And enjoying them a lot.

Well, that diversion certainly took longer than I'd planned. But it was a good read, and definitely better than the last couple of mainline Honor books. Now, back to War of Honor. And some Alice Munro short stories I managed to check out of the BC Library site.