Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Beach Reads


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. This week we are asked to give our Top Ten Books That Ought To Be in Your Beach Bag.

For me, there is no such thing as a beach read. There is simply whatever book I happen to be in the mood for at the moment (or, as I've found in my blogging life, needs to be read for a challenge). But looking at the spirit of the thing, here are my choices.

1. Whose Body? by Dorothy L Sayers: the first Lord Peter book is so light an breezy, just the thing for a summer read.

2. Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers: I love Sayers. There must be two in the bag.

3. Murder, Murder, Murder: A Mr. & Mrs. North Omnibus by Frances & Richard Lockridge: This might be a cheat--three books for the price of one. But The Norths Meet Murder, Murder Out of Turn, and A Pinch of Poison are all so delightful, it's hard to pick just one. With an omnibus, I don't have to.

4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

5. Miss Fortescue Steps Out by Marion Chesney; Light, frothy, fun.

6. Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey: My favorite Tey novel. I could read it anywhere...even on a beach.

7. Dead Man's Chest or Death by Water by Kerry Greenwood: The Phryne Fisher books are always fun. These two are particularly well-themed for beach-reading.

8. The Herring-Seller's Apprentice by L. C. Tyler. Comic mystery writing at its best.

9. The James Joyce Murder by Amanda Cross: One of my favorite academic mysteries.

10. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King: The first of the Holmes & Russell stories.

5 comments:

Yvette said...

I think THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE is perfect reading for any occasion. :)

DAUGHTER OF TIME is such a great book! BRAT FARRAR, too. And, A SHILLING FOR CANDLES. All good for the beach.

A good list except for THE HERRING SELLER'S APPRENTICE a book I simply could not finish. I know, I know, everyone but me loves it.

Birdie said...

I definitely agree on the Lord Peter mysteries! I don't know some of the others, but Daughter of Time is on my shelf begging me to finish first summer term and get to it :)

Is there a particular reason you don't have a #4? 'Cause of the omnibus, or you are just prejudiced against the number 4? LOL

Bev Hankins said...

Didn't even notice....must have been my medication working on me.....Worked a full day for the first time yesterday & was feeling pretty rough last night.

Bev Hankins said...

Have now added a #4. No prejudices here. :-)

Anonymous said...

I haven't read most of the books on your list. It sounds like I should though.