Mysteries in May and Pick of the Month

Last month I began summarizing my monthly reading... or at the least my mystery reading. In May, I read more books than the previous month and they were all very good.

In 2002, I began writing down every book I read, non-fiction, fiction,  all genres. In a lined journal. I wish I had done that all of my adult life. I find I am enjoying writing in my blog partly because I like thinking about what I liked and why. And to be able to go back and remind myself.

Books I read in May (with links to reviews)...

1. In the Woods by Tana French
2. A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
3. Political Suicide by Robert Barnard
4. The Guards by Ken Bruen 
5. The Light of Day by Eric Ambler 
6. A Fall from Grace by Robert Barnard 
7. Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-fifth Street by William S. Baring-Gould 
8. Spy Hook by Len Deighton

The Crime Fiction Pick of the Month meme is hosted at Mysteries in Paradise. It is entertaining to see what others have read during the month and what they liked.

Two of the authors I read this month were new to me, Tana French and Ken Bruen. I am glad I gave both of them a try, and I will read more books by those authors.

Only one of my books was a vintage mystery. I have got to pick it up in that area. Although the non-fiction book about Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe covers a lot of books from the vintage years.

It is difficult this month picking the one book I liked the best.  I was very impressed by The Guards by Ken Bruen. I wasn't expecting to like it that much, given the subject matter. But my last read of the month was Spy Hook by Len Deighton. That book is the 4th of nine books about Bernard Samson, and I love that series. From the first page to the last, I was enjoying the read and being able to spend more time with Bernard, my favorite spy.

Thus my Pick of the Month for May is Spy Hook by Len Deighton. I have not reviewed that book; I just finished it last night. But I have reviewed Berlin Game, the first novel in the series, and my favorite. And the 2nd and 3rd in the series: Mexico Set, and London Match.