Books - August 2022
Aug. 23rd, 2022 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbit6 books so far this month, but I still have two out from the library.
The Mushroom Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu
The latest Crown Colony mystery, hot off the press - or at least as soon as the copy came into the library! Maybe not quite as good as some of the earlier ones, but still an excellent study of the Japanese in Singapore. It's set at the point at which America is bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which adds to the tension. Su Yin remains a great character. [F17]
Death of an Airman by Christopher St. John Sprigg
The August Shedunnit book was the 12.30 from Croydon which I read earlier in the year, so I went with one of the other titles. This one had the added bonus it was available in the local branch of the library so I didn't have to wait for it. A decidedly convoluted plot, but one which appealed greatly to me. [E8]
In Spite of Myself: A Memoir by Christopher Plummer
This was recommended to me, but I can't remember who by. I didn't realise there were over 600 pages. Plummer had a fascinating life - I'm not sure I would have liked him - but I was sufficiently drawn into the story to read it within the three weeks of a library loan (yes, I could have renewed it). I hadn't realised how many films he was in, or the scope of his theatre involvement over many years. [A8]
Eight Skilled Gentleman by Barry Hughart
The third, and last, of the Master Li and Number Ten Ox Chronicles. Again it was clever, and certainly kept me reading, but I wasn't quite as convinced as I had been by the earlier two books. I am, however, pleased to have read it. [B8]
Photo-Finish by Ngaio Marsh
I'm coming to the end of the Inspector Alleyn books. This is another story set in New Zealand, and featuring both Alleyn and Troy. It is a classic GAD story, although written in 1980 and perhaps loses something because of that. I had an idea of who the murderer was, so the ending came as no great surprise. [D8]
Poison for Teacher by Nancy Spain
This is the second book I've read by Nancy Spain. The humour doesn't appeal to me, so I'm probably not the ideal audience. And there didn't seem to be a particularly wide collection of possible suspects. [C8]
[Letters refer to which of my reading lists each book belongs to.]
The Mushroom Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu
The latest Crown Colony mystery, hot off the press - or at least as soon as the copy came into the library! Maybe not quite as good as some of the earlier ones, but still an excellent study of the Japanese in Singapore. It's set at the point at which America is bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which adds to the tension. Su Yin remains a great character. [F17]
Death of an Airman by Christopher St. John Sprigg
The August Shedunnit book was the 12.30 from Croydon which I read earlier in the year, so I went with one of the other titles. This one had the added bonus it was available in the local branch of the library so I didn't have to wait for it. A decidedly convoluted plot, but one which appealed greatly to me. [E8]
In Spite of Myself: A Memoir by Christopher Plummer
This was recommended to me, but I can't remember who by. I didn't realise there were over 600 pages. Plummer had a fascinating life - I'm not sure I would have liked him - but I was sufficiently drawn into the story to read it within the three weeks of a library loan (yes, I could have renewed it). I hadn't realised how many films he was in, or the scope of his theatre involvement over many years. [A8]
Eight Skilled Gentleman by Barry Hughart
The third, and last, of the Master Li and Number Ten Ox Chronicles. Again it was clever, and certainly kept me reading, but I wasn't quite as convinced as I had been by the earlier two books. I am, however, pleased to have read it. [B8]
Photo-Finish by Ngaio Marsh
I'm coming to the end of the Inspector Alleyn books. This is another story set in New Zealand, and featuring both Alleyn and Troy. It is a classic GAD story, although written in 1980 and perhaps loses something because of that. I had an idea of who the murderer was, so the ending came as no great surprise. [D8]
Poison for Teacher by Nancy Spain
This is the second book I've read by Nancy Spain. The humour doesn't appeal to me, so I'm probably not the ideal audience. And there didn't seem to be a particularly wide collection of possible suspects. [C8]
[Letters refer to which of my reading lists each book belongs to.]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-24 07:47 am (UTC)Plummer came from a privileged background and was very much of the fast cars, women and lots of drink set. We'd have had nothing in common. The title of the book really sums up his life - a fact he readily admits.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-24 04:52 pm (UTC)