Medieval Murder

Medieval Murder

Nightstand December 18, 2006

My mom and I spent most of the evening shopping so the only thing I wanted to do when we got back home was sit and do nothing. My mom suggested that we relax and watch A Morbid Taste for Bones.

Oh what fun and why hadn’t I watched this before? My mom loves the Brother Cadfael PBS Mystery series and has some of the DVDs but I’d never seen them. I haven’t read the books either.

The one we saw is in the third DVD collection set but is actually the first book in the series. Brother Cadfael and some monks are sent to a Welsh village to reclaim the bones of St. Winifred after a young monk has had visions of the martyred saint. Of course, it’s not easy getting the bones from the village, and soon after their arrival the monks will find themselves implicated in a murder.

I really enjoyed this, even though I did guess who did it, and I am definitely planning to read the book, although I might be tempted to catch another of the episodes from my mom’s DVD collection.

Okay I’m really tired now. I’ll doubt I’ll get any reading done tonight but I’ll try.

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Buying & Borrowing

Buying & Borrowing

Nightstand December 17, 2006

I spent quite a bit of time on BookCloseOuts this weekend. Not only did I find some great stuff for less than $3 but they also have a dollar for dollar sale going on. I may have to go back and check it out later. I’ll let you know what I got when the box arrives.

On top of the book buying I also went to the library to check out Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi and Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. I don’t read a lot of graphic novels but I was in the mood for something different.

In other book news I finished The Old Fox Deceiv’d by Martha Grimes and I can definitely say I’ll be reading more of the Richard Jury series. This second book was just as good as the first.

Now, I really need get busy with my books for challenges and reading groups because I fear I’m falling behind.

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Thursday Thirteen: Mystery

Thursday Thirteen: Mystery

Nightstand December 14, 2006

As I read a lot of mysteries I thought I’d list the series which I’m hooked on, the ones I’ve just discovered and plan to follow and the ones I’ve ditched. You can probably tell that I prefer distant lands and/or another time period. Of course I am always in the mood for a new series so if you have one you love let me know.

The ones I really like so far:

  1. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. I’ve read the four books in the series and can’t wait for the fifth one.
  2. Inspector Rebus by Ian Rankin. There are 18 books and I’m up to five. He’s snarky, a loner and has a fondness for books.
  3. Inspector Banks by Peter Robinson. Another series with a lot of installments. I’m at number seven now.
  4. Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. Murder and a bit of romance. I’ve read all books so far.
  5. Kate & Charles Sheridan by Robin Paige. Another historical setting. I’m up to book five of the 12 in the series.
  6. Commissario Brunetti by Donna Leon. I’m a sucker for a Venetian setting. I’m up to book six.
  7. Detective Erlendur by Arnaldur Indridason. The first two books have been great. Can they translate the rest any faster?

The ones I’ve just discovered but plan to follow:

  1. Richard Jury by Martha Grimes. I loved the first book and am currently reading the second one.
  2. Sano Ichiro by Laura Joh Rowland. The setting is 17th century Japan. I’ve read two so far.
  3. Cyrus Barker by Will Thomas. I enjoyed the first book and need to catch up. There are three in the series.

The ones I’ve ditched:

  1. Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich. I gave up at number 10. I couldn’t take another blown up car or the whole will she pick Ranger or Morelli situation.
  2. Rei Shimura by Sujata Massey. I read eight books. This one was so much fun when Rei was an antiques dealer living in Japan. Now she’s a spy for some U.S. agency. Let me know when you go back to Japan Rei.
  3. Thomas & Charlotte Pitt series by Anne Perry. I read three books but never warmed up to the main characters.
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