Sunday, May 3, 2015

California Bookstore Day, May 2, 2015


Yesterday was California Bookstore Day and I visited my local bookstore, Chaucer's Books. I did not need any books for my bulging bookshelves, but I succumbed to temptation and at the same time supported my local independent bookstore.

This year, Independent Bookstore Day was celebrated all over the US on May 2nd. Per an article at The Washington Post:
This new nationwide holiday stems from a program started last year by California indie bookstores.
I hope the trend continues and our local independent bookstores get lots of support in coming years.



My first choice, suggested by my husband, was SEE ALSO MURDER, by Larry D. Sweazy. This book was totally unknown to me, but I took a chance. The premise seemed promising and it is set in North Dakota in the 1960s. The heroine is an indexer and indexes in books are a passion of mine, so how could I resist?

The book has just been published and I am reading good things about it so I will have to read it soon. Check out the review by Randy Johnson at Not the Baseball Pitcher.


Next up is Murder in Piccadilly, which my husband also found for me. He is such a nice man, isn't he? This one has also just come out here in the US, so I would not have had access to read it before now, but it was published in 1936 and would have been a perfect book for the April Crimes of the Century meme at Past Offences.

The protagonist is Scotland Yard’s Inspector Wake, so a perfect book for me. If you want to know more see the review at Battered, Tattered, Yellowed, & Creased. This is the first book I have bought in the British Library Crime Classics reprints. It has a lovely cover and an introduction by Martin Edwards.


The Half-Child is the second book in a series by Angela Savage. Savage is an Australian author, and the series features Jayne Keeney, a private eye living in Bangkok. In the first book, Behind the Night Bazaar, Jayne becomes involved in a murder investigation while visiting a friend in the smaller town of Chiang Mai. Within this context, the author looks at social issues such as HIV and child prostitution. (My review here.)

In The Half-Child, Savage includes a look at issues in the world of overseas adoption.
See Bernadette's review at Fair Dinkum Crime.


I also bought a copy of The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain, because I love this cover. I had thought I might not want to read this book (too noir?), but after reading Double Indemnity recently I have to try it.

Jose Ignacio at The Game's Afoot has reviewed this novel very recently.


10 comments:

Bill Selnes said...

TracyK: The books all sound good. There has yet to be a bookstore I have entered that temptation does not await. It is a rare day that I leave without a book.

The California Bookstore Day is a great idea. Were there many customers at the store?

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Nice haul, Tracy. The James M. Cain novel is well-known though I have not read it. I'm also familiar with the works of Larry D. Sweazy and Angela Savage through online sources, including their own websites and blogs, and will look up their books including Sweazy's westerns that I'd be particularly interested in.

col2910 said...

I have the Sweazy book - I ought to read it soon. 60's set books are attractive to me. You did well with your purchases, without going overboard. How many did you pick up and put back?

Anonymous said...

Oh, I'm so happy you'll be reading The Half Child, Tracy! I love that series, and I think Angela Savage is immensely talented. Glad you enjoyed celebrating IBD.

TracyK said...

This bookstore has lots of temptations, Bill. There were many customers on Saturday, but this bookstore often has a good number of people in it. It has many different sections that are very well stocked, but especially the mysteries.

TracyK said...

I discovered that he wrote westerns, Prashant, when I did a little research on him. I may try one of those too. I think you would like Angela Savage's novels also.

TracyK said...

There was actually only one book I put back, Col. It was a book set in Scotland by Louise Welsh. I thought five books was going a bit overboard, with all my other unread books.

TracyK said...

I am glad I ran into the book on this trip to the bookstore, Margot. The right time and the right place, and I had been wanting to get it for a while.

Clothes In Books said...

What a great idea, and a lovely poster - of course you had to support it! The indexer book would have grabbed me too.

TracyK said...

It was funny, Moira, we just walked in unawares, had not been planning to go to Chaucers because of the special day. And I had no intention of buying books. But lure of books and the desire to support the idea and this bookstore convinced me easily.