Dreaming Spies

Laurie R. King
Bantam/Penguin/Random House
February 2015; 331 pages

Publisher's Description:

After a lengthy case that had the couple traipsing all over India, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are on their way to California to deal with some family business that Russell has been neglecting for far too long. Along the way, they plan to break up the long voyage with a sojourn in southern Japan.  

Aboard the ship, intrigue stirs almost immediately. Holmes recognizes the famous clubman the Earl of Darley, whom he suspects of being an occasional blackmailer: not an unlikely career choice for a man richer in social connections than in pounds sterling. And then there’s the lithe, surprisingly fluent young Japanese woman who befriends Russell and quotes haiku. She agrees to tutor the couple in Japanese language and customs, but Russell can’t shake the feeling that Haruki Sato is not who she claims to be. 

Once in Japan, Russell’s suspicions are confirmed in a most surprising way. From the glorious city of Tokyo to the cavernous library at Oxford, Russell and Holmes race to solve a mystery involving international extortion, espionage, and the shocking secrets that, if revealed, could spark revolution—and topple an empire.

My Thoughts:

This is Number 13 in King's Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series of mystery novels. I've been curious about this series for quite a while, as I've heard such glowing reports, and I've always been a Sherlock Holmes fan. And the idea of Holmes actually getting married late in life is knock-your-socks-off intriguing. But once again, I've managed to jump right into a long, ongoing series without reading any of the earlier books, and I think in this case it was a mistake.

This one was very slow going for me. I just never really connected with the story or with Mary Russell, the primary character and narrator. I was expecting more Sherlock, and was disappointed that he turned out to be such a minor presence in the book. Mary is definitely the "star" and I didn't mind that, but she's just not as interesting as Holmes.

I guess I was also expecting a little more action, or at least more of a mystery to be solved; and while I did appreciate the quality of the writing, I kept getting lost in the long passages of description and scene-setting. As I said -- very slow going. Not sure I'd recommend this one, although I do think I might like to sample one of the earlier books in the series, just to see if it's more to my liking.

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(Full disclosure: I received my copy of Dreaming Spies free of charge from the publisher, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. No other compensation was received, and no one attempted to influence my opinion.)

● Qualifies for the following reading challenges: Historical Fiction Challenge, What's In A Name Challenge, Women Challenge, Women's Fiction Challenge.

The Last September

Nina de Gramont
Algonquin Books, September 2016
320 pages

Publisher's Description:

Brett has been in love with her husband, Charlie, from the day she laid eyes on him in college. When he is found murdered, Brett is devastated. But if she is honest with herself, their marriage had been hanging by a thread for quite some time. 

All clues point to Charlie’s mentally ill brother, Eli, but any number of people might have been driven to kill Charlie – a handsome, charismatic man who unwittingly damaged almost every life he touched. Brett is determined to understand how such a tragedy could have happened – and whether she was somehow complicit.

My Thoughts:

This book was such a surprise! Part mystery, part romance, part coming-of-age saga. When I first read the description in Library Thing's Early Reviewer listing, it sounded just a bit too much like "chick lit" for my taste. But I had second thoughts, and now I'm so glad I did. It's strange, though -- I thoroughly enjoyed the book, even though I really didn't find any of the central characters particularly sympathetic, and that's very unusual for me.

The plotting was intricate, but very well handled. For a while, towards the end, I was afraid the author might be going astray (I don't think it's a spoiler to say the plot seemed to be heading in the direction of stereotype and cliche), but was glad to find I was very wrong about that.

The story is set on Cape Cod, one of my favorite places and one of the reasons I chose the book. And I think the fact that deGramont really doesn't make much use of that setting is probably my major complaint about the book. But that's really a minor issue. This was an excellent read, and one I'll definitely be recommending.

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(Full disclosure: I received my copy of The Last September free of charge from the publisher, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. No other compensation was received and no one attempted to influence my opinion of the book.)

● Qualifies for the following challenges: Blogger Shame Review Challenge, What's In A Name Challenge, Women Challenge, Women's Fiction Challenge.

Book Beginnings: Tall Tail

Tall Tail, by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown (Bantam, May 2016). The 25th book in Brown's Mrs. Murphy Mystery series. These are the book's opening lines:

Flaming sword in hand, the Avenging Angel, bestride a monumental tomb, looked over the rolling land toward the Blue Ridge Mountains. His mouth set hard, his eyes piercing, he was not the promise of peace, repose, and eternal joy with the Almighty.
Lying underneath this imposing marble tomb rested the bones of Francisco Selisse, born January 12, 1731. Died September 10, 1784. Historians still puzzle over exactly how he was murdered.

My Thoughts:

I think that's a pretty good beginning. I'm immediately curious about the place, the grave, and the murder. I'm also sort of wondering about that title and if the play on words relates to the story.

I've read quite a few of the Mrs. Murphy mysteries, and though some are definitely better than others, I generally enjoy them all. This one seems to take place in two separate time periods, and I sometimes have trouble maintaining interest when a story jumps back and forth in time. Hoping that doesn't happen with this one.

What do you think? Read a few more pages? Or move on to something else?

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 Update: It's Monday and Summer At Last!

Sunlight and Shadow, Winslow Homer

Summer is finally here, ya'll !  And we've been having such gorgeous summer weather, these last few days. Hard to believe we were nearly under water just a couple of weeks back. But the flooding is over -- at least in this part of Texas -- and Mother Nature has smiled upon us for this first day of my favorite season of the year. I know I shouldn't get used to it, though. In Texas, if you blink for a second, you can open your eyes to a completely new weather system. So just because it's sunny and warm and lovely at the moment, that doesn't mean it's gonna be that way five minutes from now. So I'm enjoying it while I can!

Generally, summer is a good reading season for me -- I tend to slow down during the spring and then get back on track when the warm weather returns. And I'm hoping that holds true again this year because I really haven't done much reading in June -- finished two short books, but haven't posted any reviews.

See a synopsis at GoodReads

See a synopsis at GoodReads

Both of those were enjoyable reads, and I really do intend to get some brief reviews up this week. I'm finding that if I don't post at least a few words about a book, I might not remember it six months from now. (It's a senior thing -- you'll understand if, like me, you're drifting into your Golden Years.)

I'm still reading the third book I've been working on this month --

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke -- for the Once Upon a Time X challenge, which officially ends tomorrow. It's taken me two months to get through just half the book, and I'm not sure the nearly 600-page length is the only thing slowing me down. For some reason, it just hasn't grabbed my interest the way I was expecting it to. Not that I dislike it -- but I keep finding reasons to go read something else, and that's been a problem. But I'm determined to finish it up this week.

So, other than Inkheart, what am I reading this week? I have no idea! But I have a small stack of ARCs of books coming out (or already issued) this summer, and I really should be choosing my reading matter from said stack:

• The Girls, by Emma Cline (Random House, June 14)
• Vinegar Girl, by Anne Tyler (Hogarth, June 21) 
• The Invoice, by Jonas Karlsson (Hogarth, July 12)
• Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch (Crown, August 2)
• The Book That Matters Most, by Ann Hood (W.W. Norton, August 9)
• When the Music's Over, by Peter Robinson (William Morrow, August 9)

So I have lots to choose from, and a nice variety of things bookish. Just need to make myself sit down and read !

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 Girls

The Girls, the debut novel by Emma Cline (Random House, June 2016). These are the first sentences of the book's Prologue:

I looked up because of the laughter, and kept looking because of the girls.
I noticed their hair first, long and uncombed. Then their jewelry catching the sun. The three of them were far enough away that I saw only the periphery of their features, but it didn't matter--I knew they were different from everyone else in the park.
...
These long-haired girls seemed to glide above all that was happening around them, tragic and separate. Like royalty in exile.

My Thoughts:

OK, I was hooked immediately. I can understand why the girls would have been noticeable, but why TRAGIC? Also, I'm attracted by the fact that this book is set (partially, at least) in the 1960s -- back when I was a long-haired girl myself. And that cover reminds me so much of posters from that era. I've gotten through the Prologue and into the first chapter, and so far I'm enjoying it quite a lot.

So, how about  it? Would that opening keep you reading?

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.

Teaser Tuesday: Lovely In Her Bones

This week my teaser lines come from Lovely In Her Bones, a 1985 mystery novel by Sharyn McCrumb. This snippet is from Chapter Six of the Ballantine Books paperback edition (and trust me, it's definitely not a spoiler):

"Well, I reckon the sun musta got too hot fer 'em, poor old Alexander and Robert. They shriveled up and died, the both of 'em." (p.87)

Ouch. Not the easiest way to bow out, is it?

I'm not exactly sure what's going on there because it's a little further along than I've read. But I have a feeling things might not be what they seem. This is the first time I've read a book by Sharyn McCrumb, and so far I'm enjoying it a lot, but sort of wondering when the mystery is going to kick in.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.

And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in your comment here.

Book Beginnings: This Too Shall Pass

This Too Shall Pass, by Milena Busquets, translated by Valerie Miles (Hogarth Books, May 2016). From the book's first paragraph:

For some strange reason, I never considered what it would be like to be forty. When I was twenty, I could imagine myself at thirty, living with the love of my life and a bunch of kids. Or at sixty, baking apple pies with my grandchildren -- me who can't boil an egg to save my soul, but I would learn. Even at eighty, as an old bag drinking whisky with my girlfriends. But I never imagined myself at forty, not at fifty either. And yet here I am. It's my mother's funeral, and if that's not bad enough, I'm forty.

My Thoughts:

Not the most exciting opening, is it? Right away, I'm saying "so what?" and hoping the story picks up pretty fast. Actually, I've just finished reading this one, and I can tell you it does get better although it's probably not a book for everyone. Hope to get a short review up very soon.

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.