With the exception of one book, I was very happy with the books I read in January. I read two books for the Japanese Literary Challenge. I read several new-to-me authors and continued some series I had started earlier.
Fiction
The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2012) by Hiro Arikawa
Translated by Philip Gabriel
This was the first book I read for the Japanese Literary Challenge. It is the story of a man and his cat, which he adopted after the cat was hit by a car. After they have lived together for five years, the man has to find a new home for the cat. They travel to various parts of Japan to visit with several of the man's old friends to see it they can take the cat in. See my review.
Anything Is Possible (2017) by Elizabeth Strout
This book, the second book in the Amgash series, consists of linked short stories. Some of the stories give more information about Lucy Barton and members of her family who still live in Amgash. Other stories are about other residents of Amgash, who are in some way connected to Lucy Barton. I liked it and am ready to start something else by Strout. See my review.
Crime Fiction
Parting Breath (1978) by Catherine Aird
Parting Breath is an academic mystery set in Catherine Aird's fictional county of Calleshire, England; it features Detective Inspector C.D. Sloan of the Berebury CID, and his assistant, Detective Constable Crosby. The first book of the series was published in 1966 and the 28th book in 2023. Catherine Aird is one of my favorite mystery writers, and I hope to read all the books in the series. See my review.
The Woman in Cabin 10 (2016) by Ruth Ware
I had not read any of Ware's books, I was curious, and I thought I would like a book about a woman on a cruise. For most of the book I was not too impressed. There were no characters I cared about, and especially not the main character. But the end was very well done and kept me turning the pages, so I revised my overall opinion a bit.
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) by Alison Goodman
My husband and I were both interested in this book when it first came out; the setting in the Regency period was appealing. The story is a good blend of historical fiction, mystery, romance, and adventure, with the emphasis on adventure. Some of the scenes of life in Regency England, depicting the way the poor were treated and the mistreatment of women in general, are excruciating to read. Overall, I enjoyed the book and expect that I will read the sequel.
Thirteen Guests (1936) by J. Jefferson Farjeon
In mid-January, Neeru at A Hot Cup of Pleasure reviewed five books by J. Jefferson Farjeon. Her post motivated me to read one of Farjeon's books. I found that my husband had a copy of Thirteen Guests in his TBR stacks, so I started reading it. It is a country house mystery and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. I liked the characters and how the author developed them, and there was some romance that did not take over the story. And I especially liked the unusual ending.
Three Assassins (2004) by Kōtarō Isaka
Translated by Sam Malissa
This was the second book I read for the Japanese Literature Challenge. The author also wrote Bullet Train, and the two books are similar in many ways. The main character is Suzuki, who was formerly a schoolteacher but is working for a crime gang. Suzuki is seeking revenge for the murder of his wife by working undercover in the gang. See my review.
Currently reading
I am about a third of the way into Fall from Grace by L.R. Wright, published in 1991. It is the fourth book in a series starring Karl Alberg, a staff sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada. I am enjoying it very much.
In early February, my husband and I had jury duty. Although the trial we were called for was not being tried at the main courthouse, we did visit the beautiful Santa Barbara County Courthouse while we were there. My husband took some photos, and I am sharing two of them in this post. Click on the images for the best viewing quality.
5 comments:
I am also reading Fall From Grace, which I have owned since it came out (!) but never read. When the TV show began airing several months ago, I thought I should begin the series and was surprised to find it wasn't book 1. I got distracted by library books and need to get back to it.
You know I am also a big Aird fan! I listened to Cabin 10 on audio (and it was a good one to choose because there is a miniseries coming) and had a similar reaction as you. An author doesn't always need a likable character but it certainly helps! Her books are very readable but they don't stay with you like some other authors. Same with Shari Lapena.
The Benevolent Society has been on my mental list so I am glad to hear you enjoyed it. I have read so many books set in Regency England that I get annoyed by inaccuracies that just seem sloppy to me. Well, I hate anachronisms. Some young women sharing a flat in a book I read recently had a telephone and a radio in an era when very few people would have had either and that spoiled or nearly spoiled the whole book for me.
A nice variety here and a reminder of a few I'd forgotten.
I was a big L. R. Wright fan in the Eighties and early Nineties and always enjoyed her mysteries. I also like the Catherine Aird books I have read. I really should get back to both those authors. Thanks for the reminders!
I've read two of the books on your list: Thirteen Guests, which I enjoyed, and the Woman in Cabin 10 which I was underwhelmed by. Mostly because I guessed the twist very early on. That Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is one I now want to check out. :D
I'm so glad you're enjoying the L.R. Wright book, Tracy. I like her work and I really like the Karl Alberg character. I remember Neeru's review of Thirteen Guests; I'm glad you liked that one, too. I do want to read it at some point. And thanks for the reminder of Catherine Aird's work; I've not read her work just lately, and I should get back to it.
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