Fall Into Reading 2012

I was visiting My Reader's Block this weekend, and saw that Bev had joined a Fall Reading Challenge. The Fall Into Reading Challenge over at Callapidderdays is designed to be a very low pressure challenge.

I decided this would be a great challenge for me to participate in because it will help me focus on what I want to read in the next three months to complete other challenges.

Extracting from the description of the rules for the challenge,  here’s what you need to do:

• Create a list of books you’d like to read or finish this fall. This is the only real requirement for participating in the challenge.

• Write a blog post that includes the list of books you want to read (and any additional goals you’ve set), and visit Callapidder Days on (or after) September 22nd to sign up for the challenge. 

• Read! Work on your goals throughout Fall 2012.

• Report your results. Write another blog post in December to let everyone know how you did. There will be an official wrap-up post to the challenge on December 22nd, where you’ll be able to share your results.

My Goals

These are the specific books I will be aiming at completing for this challenge.

I have seven books left to fill in for the A-Z Reading Challenge, and these are the ones I plan to read in the next few months.

V:   The Vault by Ruth Rendell

X:   XPD by Len Deighton

Y:   The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

Z:   Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharon McCrumb

The other letters not yet completed are A, J, and K.

Zombies of the Gene Pool is a sequel to another book, that I will read before that one:  Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharon McCrumb

To read The Vault, I need to first read The Monster in the Box (2009) and A Sight for Sore Eyes (1998) by the same author. Although A Sight for Sore Eyes is not a book in the Inspector Wexford series, The Vault is a sequel to that story. When I complete those books, I will have finished one series for my Finishing a Series Challenge.

In addition to the Inspector Wexford series, there are three other series I want to finish this year for the Finishing a Series Challenge:

 

S. J. Rozan (Bill Smith, Lydia Chin Series) (one to finish)

11. Ghost Hero (2011)

Len Deighton (Bernard Samson Series) (3 remain)
7. Faith (1994)
8. Hope (1995)
9. Charity (1996)

 

Laurie R. King (Kate Martinelli series) (4 remain)
2. To Play the Fool (1995)
3. With Child (1996)
4. Night Work (2000)
5. The Art of Detection (2006)

There is only one other challenge that I have not completed AND that I know what I want to complete for the challenge. It is the Chunkster Challenge.

I am currently reading The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard J. Evans for that challenge. This is a very long book, and I am a slow reader, especially non-fiction that is dense with information and ideas. It is going to take me a while to get through this one. I hope I finish it before the end of the year.

Quarterly Checkpoint #3 for Mt. TBR Challenge

This quarter I have read 17 books that count toward the 2012 Mt. TBR Reading Challenge. Combining that with the 22 books read for this challenge in March, April, May and June, I have completed a total of 39 books.

I completed this challenge on July 4, 2012, when I finished reading The Sleeping-Car Murders by Sebastien Japrisot. I will continue tracking novels I have read this year from my To Be Read stacks, because I want to know how well I have done in reducing my TBR stacks. Unfortunately I don't get rid of most of these books and I still don't have enough room to store all my book, read or unread.

Books I have read (with links to reviews):

1. Whiskey Sour by J. A. Konrath
2. The Information Officer by Mark Mills
3. The Sleeping-Car Murders by Sebastien Japrisot 
4. Flesh Wounds by John Lawton 
5. Death of a Russian Priest by Stuart Kaminsky
6. The Suspect by L. R. Wright 
7. Under World by Reginald Hill 
8. Bullet for a Star by Stuart Kaminsky 
9. A Lily of the Field by John Lawton
10. Night at the Vulcan by Ngaio Marsh
11. The Property of a Lady by Anthony Oliver
12. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
13. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
14. The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
15. A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr
16. Lament for the Bride by Helen Reilly 
17. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

This challenge is hosted by Bev at My Reader's Block and it was the first challenge I ever joined. It has been a great motivator for me to really dig into my TBR stacks, shelves, and boxes, and I am looking forward to continuing it next year. Check out the fun at this post and the quarterly checkpoint post.

Answering two questions from Bev for this quarterly summary of progress...

Looking ahead to next year's challenge: Is there a level that you'd like to see added?  

I think a level at 30 or 35 books would be good (but I have no suggestions for names for those levels). I would probably challenge myself to 30 or 35, but I would not go as high as 40... even though I will surpass that level this year.

Have any of the books you read surprised you--if so, in what way?

I had two surprises. One was my reaction to Whiskey Sour. I expected to like it better. It was a quick read and enjoyable. But... I don't generally go for humor in mysteries, and there were creepy and graphic elements, and for me, they did not blend well. I liked the dynamic between the two partners, they reminded me of Jane Rizzoli and her partner in the Rizzoli & Isles TV show (not in the books). That part seemed very realistic, believable. If I read more books in a year, I would probably continue this series. As a slow reader, I have to pick and choose and I don't think I will find time to continue it.

I was also surprised by my reaction to the two Jacqueline Winspear books: Pardonable Lies and Birds of a Feather. On the one hand, I loved the setting and the theme. The novels are set in Europe in the time period following World War I and revolve around life following the war and the effects it had on people's lives. But I found the solution of the mystery to be less satisfying than the overall story in both books. I did not like the emphasis on Maisie's feelings or intuition. There were far too many coincidences. Usually I am not this picky with mysteries and I know there are other mysteries with these "problems" that I have enjoyed. So it is hard to figure out exactly why I was so critical of these.

This quarter I only read three books for the Vintage Mystery challenge (one was not from the TBR stacks), and I have to pick up my reading in that area. On the other hand, I read 5 books by authors I have never read before, so that is a boost to my progress on the New Authors Challenge.

Historical Fiction Challenge

I think I must have seen this challenge earlier, and at the time was too disciplined to jump into another challenge. But now my discipline is disappearing... and I have enjoyed a lot of historical mysteries this year. In fact, I am currently reading one... Bullet for a Star by Stuart Kaminsky.

The challenge is the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2012 and it is sponsored by Historical Tapestry ... a very interesting site.

The rules are...

• everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog
• any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)
• The challenge will run from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012.  
• Choose one of the different reading levels:

Severe Bookaholism: 20 books

Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books

Struggling the Addiction: 10 books

Daring & Curious: 5 books

Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

Go here to review the rules in more detail.

I think I will go with the easy choice: Daring & Curious -- 5 books. I basically only have 5 months left. I am pretty sure I can meet that goal and getting up to 10 books may be unrealistic, keeping in mind the other challenges I am committed to.

These are some historical novels that I would like to read before the end of the year:

The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller
The Alienist by Caleb Carr 
An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd
Murder on the Yellow Brick Road by Stuart Kaminsky

Books read and reviewed for this challenge:

Bullet for a Star by Stuart Kaminsky
A Lily of the Field by John Lawton
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson

Canadian Book Challenge

First I saw the post at Mysteries in Paradise that summarized Kerrie's completion of the Canadian Book Challenge 5. I visited the blog hosting that challenge: The Book Mine Set. And decided this would be a good challenge.

Besides the fact that exploring books by Canadian authors will be interesting, I like this challenge because it begins in July 2012 and ends in June 2013. Since many challenges go through the normal calendar year, this will be a little different. I will probably stick to the mystery genre for my reading for this challenge. I know of several authors that I already read or have books by: Peter Robinson, Howard Engel, L. R. Wright, Allen Bradley, Louise Penny, Inger Ash Wolfe, Giles Blunt.

Then I saw a post at Peggy Ann's Post and she has decided to join the challenge too. This motivated me to actually write up a post committing to the challenge.

The challenge requires that you aim at reading 13 or more Canadian books in the year that the challenge runs. There are lots of rules but this is an overview:

What is a Canadian book?
Canadian books can include any genre or form (picture books, poetry, novels, non-fiction, plays, anthologies, graphic novels, cookbooks, etc), can be written by Canadian authors (by birth or immigration) or about Canadians.

Reviews are required to count toward the challenge. But there are lots of ways to post them. A blog is not necessary.

Go over to the Canadian Book Challenge 6 rules post to check it out.

June Quarterly Checkpoint for Mt. TBR Challenge

This quarter I have read sixteen books that count toward the 2012 Mt. TBR Reading Challenge. Combining that with the six books read for this challenge in March (I started late), I have completed a total of twenty two books.

Since my goal is 25 books from my TBR stacks, I am feeling confident that I will reach my goal. This year I had already set a personal goal to read more books from my stacks and buy less, before I saw this challenge and decided to join. But I say that every year. I firmly believe participating in the challenge has made a difference. I could increase my goal to 40 or 50 books. We will see.

Books I have read (with links to reviews):

1. Second Violin by John Lawton
2. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo 
3. Dying Light by Stuart MacBride
4. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
5. The Thief Who Couldn't Sleep by Lawrence Block
6. Cop Hater by Ed McBain
7. In the Woods by Tana French
8. A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
9. Political Suicide by Robert Barnard
10. The Guards by Ken Bruen 
11. The Light of Day by Eric Ambler 
12. A Fall from Grace by Robert Barnard 
13. Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-fifth Street by William S. Baring-Gould 
14. Spy Hook by Len Deighton 
15. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie 
16. An Empty Death by Laura Wilson 

Of these book, the one that featured my favorite character is Spy Hook, part of a nine book series by Len Deighton. The character is Bernard Samson, an intelligence officer in the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). He is the narrator of the story. I enjoy Bernard Samson's company almost as much as Archie Goodwin, the first person narrator of the Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout. And that is high praise.

I am doing pretty well with this challenge. One challenge I am not so successful with is the New Authors challenge. The goal is to read authors that are new to me. Four of these authors are new to me: Jo Nesbo, Ed McBain, Tana French, Ken Bruen. I am reading another new author now: Mark Mills.  And I need to read 15 new authors before the end of the year. I guess I am on track if I can read five new authors in each quarter.

Japanese Literature Challenge

This challenge, hosted by Dolce Bellezza, is the 16th reading challenge I have joined this year.  However this one starts in June and goes for eight months, which is appealing... And it is entirely different from any other challenge I have joined. (Well, not entirely, I did join the European Reading Challenge and am enjoying it a great deal.)

The challenge sign-up link is here.

1. The challenge runs from June 1, 2012 until January 30, 2013.
2. There is only one requirement: In the next six months or so read one, or more, books of Japanese literature and share them with the challenge group.
3. There is a suggested reading list here.

Since there is no requirement beyond reading one book, I don't have to indicate a specific goal, but I do plan to read more than one this year. And this would contribute to my New Authors Challenge, since I have read no books by Japanese authors up to now... if my memory serves me right.

I have three mysteries in mind, all belonging to my husband: 
All She Was Worth (1992) by Miyuki Miyabe
The Tokyo Zodiac Murders (1981) by Soji Shimada
The Tattoo Murder Case (1999) by Takagi Akimitsu
In addition, I was already interested in The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino, shown in the sign-up post. And The Thief by Fuminora Nakamura also sounds good.

A Spring Challenge

I have been meaning to join this challenge for a couple of weeks now. It is a shorter challenge, only for the months of Spring (actually, the days of Spring, March 20th – June 19th).

There are several versions of this challenge... see the rules and sign up here.

I am choosing the option:
a. Read books where the first word in the title begins with each letter in the word SPRING.

At this point I have already read three of the books I need to finish the challenge and I know which ones I will probably read for the rest. Right now I am actually reading In the Woods by Tana French for this challenge, so I thought I should go ahead and sign up.

Second Violin
Political Suicide
Redbreast, The
In the Woods
Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-fifth Street
Green for Danger

Links to reviews:

1. Green for Danger by Christianna Brand (read March 22, 2012)
2. Second Violin by John Lawton (read April 4, 2012)
3. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo (read April 8, 2012)
4. In the Woods by Tana French (read May 1, 2012)
5. Political Suicide by Robert Barnard (read May 12, 2012)
6. Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-fifth Street by William S. Baring-Gould (read May 28, 2012)

Completion of Challenge: I completed this challenge on May 28, 2012, when I finished reading Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-fifth Street.

New Author Challenge: Books Read

In late March I joined the New Author Challenge at Literary Escapism. My goal is to read 15 books by authors that I have never read before. If I aim at two new authors a month, I can accomplish this. We will see.

My joining post is HERE.  I am tracking my list of books by authors new to me below.

1. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo
2. Cop Hater by Ed McBain
3. In the Woods by Tana French
4. The Guards by Ken Bruen
5. Whiskey Sour by J. A. Konrath
6. The Information Officer by Mark Mills 
7. The Suspect by L. R. Wright
8. Lament for the Bride by Helen Reilly
9. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley 
10. The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi
11. The House Without a Key by Earl Derr Biggers
12. The Greene Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
13. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
14.  A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell
15. The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

Mt. TBR Challenge Quarterly Checkpoint

This quarter I have read only six books that count toward my goal of 25 books for the 2012 Mt. TBR Reading Challenge. (Actually, I have read 11 books from my TBR stacks, boxes, and bookcases, but I did not start the challenge until February 26th and thus am only counting those I read this month.)

Since my goal is 25 books from my TBR stacks, I still am on track to reach my goal. Every year I say I will read more books from my stacks and buy less, and every year I have a hard time doing that. And I really think joining this challenge has been a motivator to accomplish this goal.

Books I have read (with links to reviews):

1. Do One Thing Different by Bill O'Hanlon
2. Winter by Len Deighton 
3. The Company of Strangers by Robert Wilson
4. Heads You Lose by Christianna Brand 
5. Green for Danger by Christianna Brand
6. Bluffing Mr. Churchill by John Lawton

In progress:  Second Violin by John Lawton

My goal this year (until September) is to limit my fiction purchases to books written by authors that I have read previously. Preferably, don't buy books in series that I have not started, even if I have read the authors. Even though that still leaves a lot of books I could buy, my preference is to work down the TBR piles. In September I go to a yearly book sale where I can get books really cheap and it benefits a charity, and I don't plan to limit myself there.

Based on my records (not complete), of that set of books, I have had The Company of Strangers the longest, about five and a half years, and bought the copy at the book sale in 2006.  It is the first book by Robert Wilson that I have read and I really enjoyed it. Which is a good thing, since I have six other books that he wrote in my TBR stacks.

Of these six books, the one I enjoyed the most was Bluffing Mr. Churchill, the fourth book in the Inspector Troy series. It was also my favorite book in the series.  Partly because of the subject matter (events in World War II) and setting (London), but really because it kept me interested the whole time and I cared about the characters and the outcomes.

Two More Challenges: New Authors and WWI

Two more reading challenges have grabbed me. I can't resist. They won't be easy to finish with what I already have planned ... but I plan to try:

 

For the new author challenge.

1. The challenge runs from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels.  Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
3. You can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors.  It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be. 

I am setting my goal at 15 new authors.

I have at least 50 books by authors I have not read before. I always try to read books that I already own by as many new authors as possible before I go to a large book sale in late September, so I can buy more books by those authors if I like them. So it would be no problem to complete the challenge if I did not also have a lot of books by other authors I have read that are also beckoning to me, and other challenges going on.

I am tracking my list of books by authors new to me HERE.

A World War I reading challenge

1. This challenge is hosted by War Through the Generations. The challenge runs from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012.
2. This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the WWI as the primary or secondary theme. Books can take place before, during, or after the war, so long as the conflicts that led to the war or the war itself are important to the story. Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.

Dip: Read 1-3 books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Wade: Read 4-10 books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Swim: Read 11 or more books in any genre with WWI as a primary or secondary theme.
Additionally, we’ve decided that since there are so many great movies out there about WWI, you can substitute or add a movie or two to your list this year and have it count toward your totals.

I am setting my goal at Wade: 4-10 books about WWI. (because of the option to include movies)

My favorite topic of the moment is World War II, but as you read more about World War II, you often end up going back to World War I to understand the history of Europe and the rest of the world leading up to World War I. Just this month I read Winter by Len Deighton, which covers the history of a family in Germany from 1900 - 1945 and the parts related to World War I were very interesting.

I have two series by Charles Todd, one in progress and one that I have not started yet, that fit the criteria. I have one unwatched movie set in World War I (The Fighting 69th (1940) starring James Cagney) and another I would love to see again (Paths of Glory (1957) starring Kirk Douglas). So I am sure I can complete at least 4 books or movies by the end of the year.

I am tracking my list of books or films related to World War I HERE. 

Green for Danger: Christianna Brand

Description from Goodreads:  "Set in a military hospital during the blitz, this novel is one of Brand's most intricately plotted detection puzzles, executed with her characteristic cleverness and gusto."

I recently finished reading and reviewing Heads You Lose, the first novel in the Inspector Cockrill series by Christianna Brand. I was disappointed in that book, but I expected to like this one much more and I did.

Per the bibliography at Fantastic Fiction, this was the 3rd book she published and it was published three years after Head You Lose. In that time, it appears that Brand developed her writing abilities a great deal, and the book has much more character development.  

As in Heads You Lose, Inspector Cockrill has a limited set of suspects who could have committed the murder. And again all of the suspects seem to be fine, upstanding members of society (in this case, working at a military hospital during the war, many of them volunteering for the assignment). Granted, some have their flaws or secrets, but not any that point towards the inclination towards murder.  In this book, however, I found the suspects more fleshed out and more interesting. The plot moves more slowly, but there is more depth.

One thing of interest... The character of Inspector Cockrill is not developed in detail. You get a description, you get hints of what he is like, but very little back story. In both of the books I have read, he knows some of the suspects (which would seem to be a problem), but that is about all we know. The emphasis is on the suspects and what they are going through. This is not necessarily a negative. In other reviews I have read, there are indications that you can read the books in any order, so I can concentrate on the ones I can find and not worry about getting them in order. (This is an obsession with me in most cases.) On the other hand, most mystery writers of this time that I like a lot do have detectives (amateur or otherwise) that are more developed, more interesting. Rex Stout, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Dorothy Sayers.

Another plus for me is the time period and setting.  This novel was set in World War II in England, during the Blitz, near London. I enjoy mysteries set in the period leading up, including and following World War II. Since this one was written during the period, it is from the point of someone actually living the experience.

My copy of this book (cover shown above), a paperback published by Carroll & Graf in 1989, has four illustrations, which was a pleasant surprise and did help in picturing the characters. I tried to find out some background on the illustrations, to no avail.

There is a very good movie based on this book, also titled Green for Danger. I did see it a while back, but want to watch it again now that I have read the book. We like old movies and this one was very enjoyable.

I like to include other reviews that I have enjoyed:
I have recently enjoyed many reviews at In So Many Words. Also includes a link to her post about the movie.
At a blog new to me: A Work in Progress.  She also had a post on cozy mysteries that I enjoyed.

This counts as one of my books for the following challenges:
Mt. TBR Challenge
Read Your Own Books Challenge
A-Z Challenge
Vintage Mystery Challenge
Cruisin' Thru the Cozies Challenge
Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

Heads You Lose: Christianna Brand

About Christianna Brand. From the author description at Goodreads.

"She was born Mary Christianna Milne in 1907 in Malaya and spent her early years in India. She had a number of different occupations, including model, dancer, shop assistant and governess.

Her first novel, Death in High Heels, was written while Brand was working as a salesgirl. In 1941, one of her best-loved characters, Inspector Cockrill of the Kent County Police, made his debut in the book Heads You Lose. The character would go on to appear in seven of her novels. Green for Danger is Brand’s most famous novel. The whodunit, set in a World War 2 hospital, was adapted for film by Eagle-Lion Films in 1946, starring Alastair Sim as the Inspector. She dropped the series in the late 1950s and concentrated on various genres as well as short stories."


I was surprised to find out that Christianna Brand had only written seven mysteries featuring Inspector Cockrill. With that few, I could easily read them all. But after reading this one, I am not so sure I want to.  I have read some of her novels in the distant past I am sure, but it is long enough ago that I don't remember which ones.

Most of the action takes place in a mansion outside a small village. The owner of Pigeonsford Estate has five friends currently visiting when the murder takes place. Inspector Cockrill has known most of this group for years. It appears that one of them must be the murderer but he can't believe it is any of them.

What are my issues with this book? I am not sure. I felt the pacing was good, and read the book in less than two days ... fast for me. I did not have to force myself to finish it. I love the country house mystery sub-genre. But I think the characters were a bit shallow for me and I could not get to like them.

The revelation of the culprit was also a disappointment. I had considered that this character was the most likely suspect, but the explanation left me cold.  On the other hand, I know that mystery writer's essentially are creating fantasy situations that the reader must accept. Had I enjoyed the journey to the end more, I would have ignored my disappointment.

This is the first book in the series, and only the second novel published by Brand. I have read that Green for Danger, the second book in the series, is much better, and I am reading that next. I hope to find that I like it. I have seen the movie based on the book (also titled Green for Danger), and enjoyed it a lot. I know that the movie is a bit different, and I have (conveniently) forgotten the ending, so that won't be a problem.

Other reviews:
At a lovely site featuring Vintage Penguin paperbacks: A Penguin a week

Full of information: at the Golden Age of Detection Wiki

In-depth, and with great comments: at Mystery*File

This counts as one of my books for the following challenges:
Mt. TBR Challenge
Read Your Own Books Challenge
A-Z Challenge
Vintage Mystery Challenge
Cruisin' Thru the Cozies Challenge
1st in a Series Challenge
Merely Mystery Reading Challenge
Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

The Company of Strangers: Robert Wilson

Robert Wilson's description of The Company of Strangers in an article at the Crime Time website:

"The Company of Strangers is a spy thriller / love story which is set primarily in Lisbon in the July of 1944, has its continuation in East Berlin of early 1971 and a denouement in England in the early 1990s." 

A quote: 

     Cardew's conversation drifted toward work.

     "Yes, the fifties were terrific once we go rid of bugger boys Burgess and Maclean. Thought we were right on top of the game, only to find it was a complete bloody farce…

Khrushchev said to Kennedy once that we should give each other a list of all our spies and we'd probably find they read the same. Too bloody right."

There are two main protagonists, Karl Voss, a young intelligence officer in the German Army and Andrea Aspinall, who becomes a spy for the British during World War II in Lisbon at a very young age. The complications of their family relationships and their affair mold the rest of the story.

It is a love story, but I would not call it romantic. It is more about the harsh realities of life. It is about families, and relationships, and maturing. It seems like a lot of books I have read lately have had a theme of family relationships and how they affect us. Or maybe I am just focused on that topic right now.

Did I like this book? Yes, very much. I enjoyed the author’s storytelling and the characterizations. It did take me a long time to read. It was a big thick book but I don’t think that was the problem. There was a section in the middle where it slowed down and I would have like more explanation of that period of Andrea’s life, but then it would have been even longer. At the end, I felt that the author had set the stage well for the final events. 

This book also appealed to me because of the time period and subject matter. World War II and spy intrigue. And then it transitions into a Cold War novel and double agents. Was the depiction of spies and their double crosses and cynicism realistic? I don’t know, but I was convinced. It was real for me.

This counts as one of my books for the following challenges:
Mt. TBR Challenge
Read Your Own Books Challenge
A-Z Challenge
Chunkster Challenge
European Challenge
Merely Mystery Reading Challenge
Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

A Challenge Full of Cozies

This challenge, Cruisin' thru the Cozies, is also hosted by Socrates Book Reviews. (I also signed up for her Finishing a Series Challenge.) Between a quarter to a third of my reading in a year is often Cozy mysteries, because I like vintage mysteries and I read a lot of contemporary authors who are considered cozy authors.

A Summary of the Guidelines

(There are others, go here to check them out.)

 1) Cozy mysteries qualify. Check out Cozy-Mystery.com for definition and suggestions.
2) The qualification period is January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.
 
There are three levels. I am joining at the Investigator Level - Read 7-12 books. I figure I can complete that easily because I am also in the Vintage Book Challenge, and many of those will be cozy mysteries.

I will list the books I read here... with links to reviews.

1.  Heads You Lose by Christianna Brand
2.  Green for Danger by Christianna Brand
3.  A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
4.  A Fall from Grace by Robert Barnard
5.  Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
6.  With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare
7.  An English Murder by Cyril Hare 
8.  Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
9.  Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
10. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
11. Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb
12. Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb
13. The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson
14. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
15. The Property of a Lady by Anthony Oliver
16. Lament for the Bride by Helen Reilly
17. The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
  
Completion of Challenge: I completed this challenge on July 5, 2012, when I finished reading An English Murder by Cyril Hare. I will continue recording cozy novels I have read this year on this post. I may reach 12 or even more.

Finishing a Series Challenge

This challenge, hosted by Socrates Book Reviews, is the 11th reading challenge I have joined since February 26th and I was intending it to be the last.  However, I see two more challenges hosted by that same blog which I might want to participate in. It never ends.

A Summary of the Guidelines

(There are others, go here to check them out.)

 1) All books that are part of a continuing series qualify.
2) It doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 books in a series to complete it, it qualifies. The goal is to complete a series from wherever you are up to until the last published book.
 3) The qualification period is January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Books must be read during this time frame to count.
 
There are three levels. I am joining at the Level 3 - Complete 3 or more series.


These are the series I hope to complete for this challenge. I am choosing a couple of really easy ones (1 or 2 books left) and some others that will take more effort to complete. Trying to stay mostly with those series that I have books on hand for.

S. J. Rozan (Bill Smith, Lydia Chin Series) (one to finish)

11. Ghost Hero (2011)

Ruth Rendell (Chief Inspector Wexford Series) (2 remain)

22. The Monster in the Box (2009)
23. The Vault (2011)

 

Laurie R. King (Kate Martinelli series) (4 remain)
2. To Play the Fool (1995)
3. With Child (1996)
4. Night Work (2000)
5. The Art of Detection (2006) 

John Lawton (Frederick Troy Series) (4 remain)

4. Bluffing Mr. Churchill [US title] (2001)
5. Flesh Wounds [US title] (2005)
6. Second Violin (2007)
7. A Lily of the Field (2010)

[Addendum, 04/08/2012: Note that I read the 6th book before the 5th one in the series. I comment on reading order for this series in the review of Second Violin.]

Len Deighton (Bernard Samson Series) (6 remain)
4. Spy Hook (1988)
5. Spy Line (1989)
6. Spy Sinker (1990)
7. Faith (1994)
8. Hope (1995)
9. Charity (1996)

The Bernard Samson series will be the most difficult series to finish because of the number of books and I only have Spy Hook so far. But I know I want to finish it this year, so I am listing it here.

Merely Mystery Reading Challenge

The Merely Mystery Reading Challenge 2012 is hosted by Musings of a Bookish Kitty.

Description:
"The focus of this challenge is to explore the different types of crime fiction out there. If you are new to the crime fiction genre, want to step outside your comfort zone and try another kind of mystery or are a mystery lover needing an excuse to join another crime fiction related challenge, here's your chance!"

There are two possible levels for this challenge.

Down on Her/His Luck Gumshoe - Read two or more books falling into any of the twelve sub-genres specified by the challenge (listed below). Each book can be from the same sub-genre or can be varied among the different sub-genres. You pick the combination and the number of books.

Shamus Who Has Seen It All - Read at least one book from each of the sub-genres (listed below) for a total of 12 books. If you are feeling ambitious, read more than one book from each sub-genre.

I am signing up for the Shamus Who Has Seen It All level.  At first I considered that level too much of a stretch for me, because several of the genres are not that appealing to me. Then I found that have at least three possible books in my TBR stacks for the Locked Room Mystery genre, and figured I should just make the effort to read the others too. That is what a challenge is all about, right?

Below I will list books I read with links to reviews...

The Whodunit: Political Suicide by Robert Barnard

Locked Room Mystery:  The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi

Cozy: Heads You Lose by Christianna Brand

Hard-Boiled/Noir:  Dying Light by Stuart MacBride

The Inverted Detective Story: The Suspect by L. R. Wright

The Historical Whodunnit: Bluffing Mr. Churchill by John Lawton

The Police Procedural:  The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

The Professional Thriller: With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare

The Spy Novel:  The Company of Strangers by Robert Wilson

Caper Stories:  The Thief Who Couldn't Sleep by Lawrence Block

The Psychological Suspense: A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

Spoofs and Parodies:  The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

I am joining another reading challenge. It seemed like a logical one for me because I read mostly mystery novels.

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2012

Organized by: Book Chick City

From January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2012

Goal: Choose from two levels for the challenge:

• Read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2012
• Read TWENTY FOUR (24) mystery & suspense novels in 2012

The Level I am choosing is TWENTY FOUR (24) mystery & suspense novels in 2012.

My favorite thing about this challenge is...All books read in 2012 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up. So I already have 8 books completed for this year. I don't have reviews written for all of them but I may add them as I have time.

My list of mystery or suspense books read in 2012:

1. The Ipcress File by Len Deighton
2. Murder on Cue by Jane Dentinger
3. First Hit of the Season by Jane Dentinger
4. The Cambridge Theorem by Tony Cape 
5. Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
6. Berlin Game by Len Deighton
7. Mexico Set by Len Deighton
8. London Match by Len Deighton
9. The Company of Strangers by Robert Wilson
10. Heads You Lose by Christianna Brand
11. Green for Danger by Christianna Brand
12. Bluffing Mr. Churchill by John Lawton
13. Second Violin by John Lawton
14. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo
15. Dying Light by Stuart MacBride
16. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
17. The Thief Who Couldn't Sleep by Lawrence Block
18. Cop Hater by Ed McBain
19. In the Woods by Tana French
20. A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler 
21. Political Suicide by Robert Barnard
22. The Guards by Ken Bruen 
23. The Light of Day by Eric Ambler 
24. A Fall from Grace by Robert Barnard 
25. Spy Hook by Len Deighton
26. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
27. An Empty Death by Laura Wilson
28. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout
29. The Information Officer by Mark Mills
30. Whiskey Sour by J. A. Konrath
31. With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare
32. The Sleeping Car Murders by Sebastien Japrisot
33. An English Murder by Cyril Hare 
34. Flesh Wounds by John Lawton
35. Spy Line by Len Deighton
36. Death of a Russian Priest by Stuart Kaminsky
37. The Suspect by L. R. Wright
38. Under World by Reginald Hill
39. Bullet for a Star by Stuart Kaminsky
40. A Lily of the Field by John Lawton
41. Spy Sinker by Len Deighton
42. The Miernik Dossier by Charles McCarry 
43. Night at the Vulcan by Ngaio Marsh
44. The Property of a Lady by Anthony Oliver
45. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
46. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
47. The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
48. A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr
49. Lament for the Bride by Helen Reilly 
50. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
51. The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi
52. The House Without a Key by Earl Derr Biggers
53. The Greene Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
54. A Touch of Frost by R. D. Wingfield
55. Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb
56. Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb
57. XPD by Len Deighton
58. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
59. The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson
60. To Play the Fool by Laurie R. King
61. The Dead Can Tell by Helen Reilly
62. With Child by Laurie R. King
63. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
64. The Judas Sheep by Stuart Pawson
65. A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell
66. The Cape Code Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
67. Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson
68. The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell
69. A Sight for Sore Eyes by Ruth Rendell
70. The Vault by Ruth Rendell
71. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
72. Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy by W. J. Burley 
73. One Coffee With by Margaret Maron

Completion of Challenge: I completed this challenge on May 28, 2012, when I finished reading A Fall from Grace by Robert Barnard. I will continue recording Mystery and Suspense novels I have read this year on this post.