Books - June 2024

[smallhobbit]

Only 5 books this month, but there is a week to go - not that I expect to have much time for reading.  I have, however, read 38 books this year, so just over the 75 on my Goodreads target.

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett
The next in the Witches series and great fun.  Someone's committing murders in Ankh-Morpork's opera house and Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, with the assistance of Greebo, are out to solve the mystery and cause a certain amount of havoc as they do so.  Great fun!

Night at the Crossroads by Georges Simenon
One of the new Penguin Modern Classics Crime and Espionage series, recently published.  A different setting from many of the typical Maigret novels, but just as fascinating a plot.  There are now 30 books in the series (released in sets of ten), but no indication as yet of whether there will be more in the future.  Googling to see whether there would, I came across my own Fannish Fifty post from last October!

The Ha-Ha Case by J J Connington
A crime novel from 1934, I read it because the title intrigued me, since it refers to a haha in the garden of a country house.  Deliberately convoluted, I had a good idea of whodunnit from partway through.

The Bletchley Girls by Tessa Dunlop
Bought last year when we visited Bletchley Park, it didn't really grab me.  A number of women who worked there are featured, but it was difficult to remember who was who.  There was also a lot of repetition - what was true for one woman turned out to be true for many of the others, so really didn't need to be restated.  I suspect there are better books around.

These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach
The book was made into the film of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which I saw when it came out, but have forgotten what happened.  It's the story of a retirement home which is set up in Bangalore in India and to which various elderly people from England move to.  There's a great collection of characters thrown together, along with their relatives.  I enjoyed the book - and found myself reading it for far longer than I had planned each night, because I wanted to know what would happen to all of them.

Comments

[siberian_skys]

5 books sounds good to me. I'm embarrassed t say how long it's been since I've read a book. I used to be a rabid reader, but no longer. My to-read pile has sat forever.

[smallhobbit]

I have plenty of time to read (the benefits of being retired!) and aim for 6-7 per month, although it depends how long they are. I had a time when I wasn't reading books, but now I happily attack my TBR pile - which still never seems to diminish!

[siberian_skys]

I have the time just not the time management skills anymore. I've been writing and watching quite a lot. I used to fit in the reading as well, but not anymore. I'm embarrassed by the lack of time management I have in recent years. I have a friend who still reads or at least listens to audio books and still works full time.

[smallhobbit]

I think it's also allowing yourself to do what makes you happiest at any one time - and accepting that we can never do everything without putting pressure on ourselves.

[siberian_skys]

That all makes very good sense.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Night at the crossroads was the first Maigret I listened to. It's a great story. I have borrowed an audio version of These Foolish Things. We'll see how it goes. I would have been compelled to read a book called The Ha-Ha Case, too, no matter how convoluted or obvious.

[smallhobbit]

Yes, it's a really clever story. I hope you enjoy the audio book - I was definitely taken with the story.

[meridian_rose]

It's been many years since I read Maskerade! I think you get more out of that one if you know who Michael Crawford is which might mean it's less popular with non-UK readers.

[smallhobbit]

I'm slowly reading all the Discworld books - there are definite references which make more sense in the UK.

[therealsnape]

The Ha-Ha Case is such a great title!

I have quite a lot of Pratchett, too, notably the Witches books and the Guards books. And I have a fondness for Death.

I must say that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was a case where I loved the film more than the book. Perhaps because I saw the film first, fell in love with the characters, and was disappointed at not really finding them in the book.

[smallhobbit]

Great title, not such a good book.

My favourites are the Watch and Death, which is why I'm only now reading the Witches.

I knew it was going to be different and as it's some years since I saw the film it didn't have that effect on me.