Book Beginnings: The Ballad of Peckham Rye

The Ballad of Peckham Rye, by Muriel Spark (first published 1960). This is the book's first sentence:

"Get away from here, you dirty swine," she said.

About the Book:

A man of devilish charm and enterprising spirit, Dougal Douglas is employed to revitalize the ailing firm of Meadows, Meade & Grindley. He succeeds, but not quite in the way his employer intended. Strange things begin to happen as Dougal exerts an uncanny influence on the inhabitants of Peckham Rye and brings lies, tears, blackmail and even murder into the lives of all he meets.

Initial Thoughts:

I think that's a pretty neat opening. And if it's Dougal Douglas who's the dirty swine, I think I like him already.

I've had this book on my TBR list for decades now, and finally decided to read it for the Read Scotland Challenge over at GoodReads. Muriel Spark is one of my favorite writers, and I'm determined to read all her novels, eventually. This one is pretty short, so I'm hoping to get a review up in a day or two. Unless, of course, real life gets in the way.

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

February 20th! How is that possible? This year is really zipping right along. I got a pretty fast start in January, but I've slowed down quite a bit in February — only finished two books so far:

Devil Sent the Rain, by Lisa Turner

and....

The Roanoke Girls, by Amy Engel (review still to come)

This week, I have a couple of books going:

The Sleepwalker, by Chris Bohjalian

and....

The Fifth Petal, by Brunonia Barry

I'm pretty sure that's enough to keep me busy. But now I'm off to check out what everyone else is reading. Have a great week, ya'll!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. If you want to let the world know what you're going to be reading this week, head on over to her blog and leave your link. It's also a great way to discover new books and new blogs.

Book Beginnings: The Sleepwalker

The Sleepwalker, by Chris Bohjalian (Doubleday, January 2017). These are the book's opening lines:

It makes all the sense in the world. You awaken and smell smoke and see that the cat at the foot of your bed is on fire. And so you scoop him up and race to the bathroom and douse him with water in the tub. You reassure him that he'll be fine — he is fine — telling him that everything's okay. You hold him firmly but gently under the faucet because you are worried about his burns. 

The only thing is, you're not awake. 

About the Book:

....a spine-tingling novel of lies, loss, and buried desire. Annalee Ahlberg is a sleepwalker, and when she disappears from her bed one night, her children fear the worst. It appears as if she has "walked to her death" in the river near her Vermont home. But did something more nefarious happen?

My Thoughts:

My first thought was Whoa! what a terrible dream. Well, not actually a dream, I guess. I've never had any experience of sleepwalking, so I'm not exactly sure if you can call it dreaming. Sometimes the Hubby talks in his sleep, but fortunately he never gets up and walks around while he's sleeping. That would be decidedly spooky.

I've read one other book by Bohjalian, and enjoyed it quite a lot. This one has gotten some really glowing reviews, so I'm looking forward to getting into it. Hoping no actual flaming kitties show up, though.

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

Reading Report: Devil Sent the Rain

Lisa Turner
William Morrow, 2016; 350 pages

Publisher's Description:

Fresh from solving Memphis’ most sensational murder case, Homicide Detective Billy Able and his ambitious new partner Frankie Malone are called to a bizarre crime scene on the outskirts of town. A high society attorney has been murdered while dressed in a wedding gown. Billy is shocked to discover he has a very personal connection to the victim. When the attorney’s death exposes illegal practices at her family’s prestigious law firm, the scandal is enough to rock the southern city’s social world. 

In a tale of the remnants of Old South aristocracy and entitlement, twisted by greed and vengeance, Billy must confront the secrets of his own past to have any chance at solving the murder of the girl he once knew. But as he seeks the truth, he’s drawn closer to an embittered killer bent on revenge—and eliminating the threat Billy poses.

My Thoughts:

This is the third book in Turner's Detective Billy Able series of police procedurals set in Memphis, Tennessee. And for the most part, I thought it was a very good mystery novel. And even though it's part of an established series, it works very nicely as a stand-alone. I haven't read any of the earlier books in the series, and I never felt that put a damper on my enjoyment.

And I did enjoy it, even though I thought it was a little too long. I seem to be saying that about nearly every book I read these days — but in this case, I really do think the book would have been a more powerful experience if the author had tightened it up a bit. There's so much description that a lot of it just sounds like padding — I like local color as much as anyone (and Memphis is one of my favorite cities), but I really don't need to have the complete history of every building or location the main character enters, drives by, or calls up in his memory. Also, there are quite a few characters to keep track of, and I kept having to go back and remind myself who was who and how they all related to the story. That slowed things down even more.

But the author did keep me guessing right up to the last few chapters. Also, Billy Able is an attractive character, and I was intrigued by the interplay between him and his ambitious, rather prickly female partner. So, while I thought there was room for improvement, I still enjoyed the book a lot. I definitely wouldn't mind reading more in this series.

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(Note: I received my copy of this book from the publisher, free of charge, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. No other compensation was received, and no one tried to influence my opinion of the book.)

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Qualifies for the following reading challenges: New Authors; New To Me .

Reading Report: As Good As Gone

Larry Watson
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2016; 341 pages

Publisher's Description:

It’s 1963, and Calvin Sidey, one of the last of the old cowboys, has long ago left his family to live a life of self-reliance out on the prairie. He’s been a mostly absentee father and grandfather until his estranged son asks him to stay with his grandchildren, Ann and Will, for a week while he and his wife are away. So Calvin agrees to return to the small town where he once was a mythic figure, to the very home he once abandoned. 

But trouble soon comes to the door when a boy’s attentions to seventeen-year-old Ann become increasingly aggressive and a group of reckless kids portend danger for eleven-year-old Will. Calvin knows only one way to solve problems: the Old West way, in which scores are settled and ultimatums are issued and your gun is always loaded. And though he has a powerful effect on those around him – from the widowed neighbor who has fallen under his spell to Ann and Will, who see him as the man who brings a sudden and violent order to their lives – in the changing culture of the 1960s, Calvin isn’t just a relic; he’s a wild card, a danger to himself and those who love him.

My Thoughts:

As Good As Gone is a bit of a modern-day update of the classic western novel, and is not exactly the sort of fiction I normally read. But I've heard so many good reports about Watson's Montana 1948, I decided to step outside my comfort zone for once, and take a chance.

It's an interesting book — well drawn characters, and a pretty good story that held my attention...mostly. The tale develops in a very leisurely fashion, and the focus keeps changing from one character to another, and after a while I just really wanted it to go ahead and wrap up.

Calvin Sidey was an intriguing guy and I kept hoping he'd finally demonstrate some real growth — that was the main thing that kept me reading. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that I was not entirely happy with the final outcome.

So not a terrible read, but not destined for my "faves" list. However, I was impressed enough with Watson's writing to want to take a look at some of his earlier work. And that's definitely a good result.

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(Note: I received my copy of this book from the publisher, free of charge, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. No other compensation was received, and no one tried to influence my opinion of the book.)

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Qualifies for the following reading challenges: Historical Fiction; New Authors; New To Me; What's In A Name.

Book Beginnings: The Lesser Bohemians

The Lesser Bohemians, by Eimear McBride (Hogarth, September 2016). These are the book's first lines:

I move. Cars move. Stock, it bends light. City opening itself behind. Here's to be for its life is the bite and would be start of mine.

About the Book:

"A captivating story of passion and innocence, joy and discovery, set against the vibrant atmosphere of 1990s London over the course of a single year...
One night, an eighteen-year-old Irish girl, recently arrived in London to attend drama school, meets an older man — a well-regarded actor in his own right. While she is naive and thrilled by life in the big city, he is haunted by more than a few demons, and the clamorous relationship that ensues risks undoing them both."

Initial Thoughts:

Well, the description of the book sounds interesting — which is why I requested it from the Early Reviewer batch at Library Thing (yes, I'm way behind in my reading). But that opening is so strange, I'm wondering if I'll be able to stick with it. 

How about it? Sound like something you'd continue with? Or would you move on to something a little less challenging?

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.