Calendar of Crime 2020 Challengers

Here is a list of challengers signed up to fill their date books with all sorts of calendar-related reading. If you haven't decided to join in yet, please take a look at the Headquarters site on the sidebar. We'd love you to join us for a crime-filled year. I will periodically update the list as new sign-ups occur.

Calendar of Crime Challengers
Cheryl @ CMash Loves to Read 
Mary R
Laurie @ Bedford Bookshelf
Bev @ My Reader's Block
Tari @ Cuddle Up with a Cozy Mystery and a Dachshund
Jodi K
Avid Series Reader @ Avid Series Reader
Alyssa @ The More Places You Will Go
Rose T
Lauren L
Simone @ Healthy Body, Mind, and Soul
Janet
Brittany V on Instagram
Leann on Goodreads
Amy on Goodreads
Melissa
Ashley E
Mary B
Tam S
Delaney
Randi H 
Cat K
Betyie B
Carol @ Carol's Notebook
Meisha W
Ali @ The bookadventuresofali on Instagram
Traci aka scraptraci on Instagram
Lyn
Erika on Goodreads
Margaret @ Books Please
Stacy J
Lois R on Librarything
Bayleigh G on Goodreads
Nancy K
Priya on Goodreads
Angie @ Angels Are Kids
Elizabeth G
Sherri
Rehka @ The Book Decoder
Nessa on Goodreads
Joy @ A Little Reading
Cinzia @ Quattro passi sulle nuvole
Grandmommy D 
Anastacia on Instagram
Kristine Q
Leann M on Instagram
Heather @ Books Are Life
Jenn
Michelle @ Reading Authors Network
Kim
Connie M
Jayne
Sarah Jane @ litsy
Jane @ Jane Reads
Laura R
Cheryl S
Vickie D
Priya @ What I Read When I Read
Jennifer C
Rekha @ The Book Decoder
Yaz D
Angie @ Angels Are Kids & Furkids
Elizabeth G
Sherri
Nessa on Goodreads
Joy @ A Little Reading 
Cinzia @ Quattro Passi Sulle Nuvole
Grandmommy D
Anastacia on Instagram
Kristine Q
Leann M on Instagram
Heather @ Books Are Life --Vita Libri
Jenn C
Michelle @ Reading Authors
Kim 
Connie M
Jayne
Sarah Jane on Litsy
Jane @ Jane Reads
Laura R on Facebook
Cheryl S
Maya
Donnisha J on Goodreads
Aimee B
Missi
Sherry H on Goodreads & instagram (@bookloveratheart) 
Elysa on instagram (@bookpresslove)

Camellia

Neeru @ A Hot Cup of Pleasure

Genie R

Murder Mystery & Mahem

Linda M

LibriAmoriMiei

Virtual Mount TBR Climbing Crew

I thought challengers might like to see how many fellow climbers we have on the virtual mountain slopes--and who is tackling the same mountain. If you haven't joined us--please check out the Headquarters site in the sidebar. I will update the list periodically as more sign-ups occur.

Virtual Mount TBR Climbing Crew
Bev @ My Reader's Block (Rum Doodle)
Tari H on Goodreads (Mt. Crumpit)
Jennifer S. on Goodreads (Mt. Crumpit)
Laura @ Eiencafe (Rum Doodle)
April H (Mt. Olympus)
Simone C. (Mt. Seleya)
Cat K. (Mt. Crumpit)
Danielle Renee (Mt. Mindolluin)
Amanda L. (Mt. Olympus)
Chrisynthia C. (Mt. Crumpit)
Brittany F. (Mt. Crumpit)
Sarah I. (Mt. Crumpit)
Nikola (Rum Doodle)
Angie @ Angels Are Kids (Rum Doodle)
Al @ Mount To Be Read (Mt. Crumpit)
Margaret D (Mt. Seleya)
Jean @ Howling Frog (Mt. Crumpit)
Sarah G (Rum Doodle)
Jane @ Jane Reads (Mt. Crumpit)
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (Mt. Crumpit)
Jessica @ Reading With Jessica (Mt. Munch)
Kelly H (Rum Doodle)
Jenna @ Falling Letters (Stormness Head)
Rachel @ From Ink to Paper (Rum Doodle)
Mallory @ The Haunted Reading Room (White Plume Mountain)
Eden @ Eden's Reading Corner (Mt. Crumpit)
Barbara @ Stray Thoughts (Rum Doodle)
Laurie (Mt. Crumpit) 
Lauren: the solo librarian on Tumblr (Mt. Olympus)
Maphead's Book Blog (Mt. Crumpit) 

Neeru @ A Hot Cup of Pleasure (Mt. Munch)

Vintage Mystery Extravaganza Detective Challegers List

Since I'm limited on my visible link-ups, I thought it would be nice to keep a list of the detectives who are joining me for the Vintage Mystery Extravaganza in 2020. I'll keep adding to the list periodically as new sign-ups occur. If you haven't signed up yet, please click the current Just the Facts Headquarters on the sidebar to find the original sign-up post.

Vintage Extravaganza Detectives
Lisa T (Golden Age)
Laurie @ Bedford Bookshelf (Golden Age)
Bev @ My Reader's Block (Silver & Gold)
Melissa H (Silver & Gold)
Joel @ I Should Be Reading (Silver & Gold)
Rekha @ The Book Recorder (Golden Age)
Bookish Hoarder @ Bookish Hoarder (Silver & Gold)
Jonathan O (Silver & Gold)
Christina @ You Book Me All Night Long (Golden Age)

Mount TBR 2020 Climbing Crew

I thought challengers might like to see how many fellow climbers we have and who is tackling the same mountain. I will update the list periodically as more sign-ups occur.

Mount TBR Challengers List

Cheryl @ CMash Loves to Read (Pike's Peak)
Bev @ My Reader's Block (Mount Everest)
Tari H. on Goodreads (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Gabrielle on Goodreads (Mount Blanc)
Laura @ Eiencafe (Mount Blanc)
Avid Series Reader (Pike's Peak)
Scarlett Y. (Mount Blanc)
Shabana (Pike's Peak)
April H. (Mount Olympus)
Mavel D. (Mt. Vancouver)
Caroline T. (Mount Blanc)
Christine R. (Mount Everest)
Cat K. (Pike's Peak)
Booked with Amanda (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Amanda L. (Mount Olympus)
Jen P. (Mount Olympus)
Carla P. (Mount Blanc)
Meisha (Mount Blanc)
Belinda B. (Mt. Ararat)
Holly B. (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Gary B. (Mt. Vancouver)
Lital (Mt. Vancouver)
Marda (Pike's Peak)
Catalina (Mount Blanc)
Traci aka scraptraci @ Title Surfing with Traci & on Goodreads (Mount Blanc)
Nancy R (Mount Blanc)
DesiRae J. (El Toro)
Rachel S. (Pike's Peak)
TK (Pike's Peak)
Tracy (Pike's Peak)
Crystal (Pike's Peak)
Jemima @ jemimapett.com (Mt. Vancouver)
Erka M. (Mount Blanc)
Gilda @ gilda-elise.livejournal (Mt. Ararat)
Caitlin @ pipesandexpensivefurniture (Mt. Ararat)
Lindsay T (Mt. Vancouver)
Chrinstina P. (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Sarah I. (Pike's Peak)
Nancy K. (El Toro)
Nikola (Pike's Peak)
Annette J. (Mouont Everest)
Stephanie @ frostbitsky (Mount Blanc)
Makensie D. (Mount Blanc)
Emanuela (Mt. Vancouver)
Ninu @ bookishloom (Pike's Peak)
Kimberly (Pike's Peak)
Lori @ escapewithdollycas (Mt. Vancouver)
Alicia K. (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Sara @ saraisreadingwhat (Mount Blanc)
Carol Q. (Pike's Peak)
Linda S. (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Lisa F. (Mount Blanc)
Deborah @ deborah-weber.com (Mount Blanc)
Karla (Mount Blanc)
Angie @ Angels Are Kids (Pike's Peak)
Andrea @itsareadingthing (Mt. Ararat)
Allison (Pike's Peak)
Monica (Mt. Vancouver)
Ciaran W. (Mount Everest)
Aspasia @ The Southern Bookworm (Pike's Peak)
Coletta @ Coletta's Kitchen Sink (Mount Blanc)
Charistina @ Book Tapestery (Mt. Ararat)
Cath @ Read_Warbler (Pike's Peak)
Scott P (Mount Blanc)
Leandrea C (Mount Everest)
Sue @ Carey Family (Mt. Ararat)
Joy @ A Little Reading (Pike's Peak)
Kris H (Pike's Peak)
Margaret D (El Toro)
Bonnie @ Bonnie's Books (Mt. Ararat)
Emily K (Mount Blanc)
Jovita @ Inky Impressions (Mt. Ararat)
Linda @ Shoe's Stories (Mount Blanc)
Elissa I (Pike's Peak)
Ida (Pike's Peak)
Helen @ Helen's Book Blog (Mt. Vancouver)
Lexie L (Mt. Vancouver)
Lisa (Pike's Peak)
Lj (Mount Blanc)
Johanna W (Mt. Vancouver)
Hannah @ Ivyclad Ideas (Pike's Peak)
Elizabeth W (Pike's Peak)
Mrs. Wallace (Pike's Peak)
Sarah E (Mount Blanc)
Liliyana @ The Faerie Review (Mt. Ararat)
Kate @ Books Are My Favorite and Best (Mt. Ararat)
Tyleach W (Pike's Peak)
Sue (El Toro)
Michelle @ Reading Authors Network (Pike's Peak)
Jean @ Howling Frog (Mount Blanc)
Freddie (Mount Blanc)
Stacey @ Travel the World in Books (Pike's Peak)
Sarah G (Pike's Peak)
JoAnna on Instagram (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Cindy R (Mt. Ararat)
Chrissy @ Book Reviews by Chrissie B (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Nohelani M (Mt. Ararat)
Stephanie R (Pike's Peak)
Nikki @ Abby and Me (Pike's Peak)
Margaret A (Mt. Vancouver)
Susanna SS (Mount Blanc)
Denise S (Pike's Peak)
Nick @ One Catholic Life (Mount Blanc)
Debra S (Mt. Vancouver)
Penny (Pike's Peak)
Sheila @ The Quiet Geordie (Mt. Ararat)
Jennifer @ The Garden of Clio (Mount Blanc)
Tiffany H @ Tiff the Book Nerd (Mt. Ararat)
Jane @ Jane Reads (Mount Blanc)
Redatt @ dreamwidth (Mount Blanc)
Caroline W-N (Pike's Peak)
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase (Mount Blanc)
Scott P (Mt. Ararat)
Katie @ KT Recs (Pike's Peak)
Kathryn W (Mount Blanc)
Anja K @ The Dilettante Bookworm (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
MarK @ Carstairs Considers (Pike's Peak)
Tracee @ I'm Shelfish (Mt. Vancouver)
Leila S (Mt. Ararat)
Benjamin B (Mount Blanc)
Daiana M @ Gutenberg's Reeds (Mount Everest)
Kinsey L (Mount Blanc)
Brittany B (Mt. Ararat)
Meghan (El Toro)
Emily (Mount Blanc)
Lilana @ Lili Lost in a Book (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Gin (Mount Blanc)
Christy @ litsy@Chrys (Mt. Vancouver)
Kelly H (Pike's Peak)
Sylvia @ the_polyglot_reader [Bookstagram] (Mt. Vancouver)
Ari @ The Last Ever After (Mount Blanc)
Mervi @ Mervi's Book Reviews (Mount Blanc)
Reese @ Typings (Mt. Vancouver)
Francine (Mount Blanc)
CurlyGeek @ The Book Stop (Pike's Peak)
Amysue C (Pike's Peak)
Chrystal R (Pike's Peak)
Jessie (Mount Blanc)
Jovy S (Pike's Peak)
Rachel @ From Ink to Page (Pike's Peak)
Ericka (Mount Blanc)
Jennifer T (Mt. Vancouver)
Tina E (Mount Blanc)
Mallory @ The Haunted Reading Room (Mt. Ararat)
Eden @ Eden's Reading Corner (Mt. Vancouver)
Savanah S (Mount Blanc)
Tracy K @ Bitter Tea & Mystery (Mt. Ararat)
Jeanette (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Nikki @ Abby & Me (Pike's Peak)
Maya (Mt. Vancouver)
Jocelyn @ A Little Nerd Told Me (Mt. Vancouver)
Barbara @ Stray Thoughts (Mt. Vancouver)
Serpent @ Language Learners (Pike's Peak)
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard (Pike's Peak)
Bethea S (Mt. Ararat)
Jamie C (Mt. Vancouver)
Angel @ The Itinerant Librarian (Pike's Peak)
Christine C (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Diana on Goodreads (Mt. Ararat)
Azrael J (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
KT C (Mt. Vancouver)
Jill T (Mount Blanc)
Agnes M (El Toro)
Margaret @ Books Please (Mt. Vancouver)
Danielle F (Pike's Peak)
Kristilyn @ Dreaming of Hygge (Mt. Kilimanjaro) 
Katrina (Mount Everest)
Christy K (Mount Blanc)
Johann (Pike's Peak)
Jeanette (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
Penny (Mount Blanc)
Sue @ Book By Book (Mt. Ararat)
Bernadette @ The Bumbling Bookworm (Mount Everest)
J.G. @ Hotchpot Cafe (Mount Blanc)
Lisbeth @ The Contented Reader (Mt. Ararat)
Ashley M (Pike's Peak)
Lauren K: the solo librarian on Tumblr (Mt. Vancouver)
Maphead's Book Blog (Mt. Vancouver) 

Romila J (Pike's Peak)

Kel (Mount Blanc)

Aspasia L (Pike's Peak)

Camellia (Pike's Peak)

Neeru @ A Hot Cup of Pleasure (Mount Blanc)

Amii S (Mount Blanc)

Karen @ Seven Seven Reads (Mount Blanc)

Betül Ö (Mt. Kilimanjaro)

Reprint of the Year: The Dutch Shoe Mystery

Last year, Kate at Cross Examining Crime came up with brilliant brainstorm. In the wake of various publishing houses recognizing the virtues of Golden Age (and more recent) vintage crime novels through reprint editions of both well-known and more obscure titles, Kate thought those of us who love those vintage mysteries would like the chance to feature the year's reprints and make a pitch for our favorites to be voted Reprint of the Year. We loved the idea so much that we're going to do it again.

So, this Saturday and next, I and my illustrious colleagues Steve, Brad, Moira, John, Puzzle Doctor, Rehka, and Kate will feature our picks of the 2019 reprint crop and make our best bid for reprint stardom. Now, I do have a confession to make upfront--I am (as many of my blog followers know) a challenge-aholic. So, I made my choices blind--based purely on what books I had lurking on my TBR shelves that would work for challenges as well.

First up is a Reprint for those of you who are Ellery Queen fans (yes, JJ, I know that's not you), The Dutch Shoe Mystery (1931), which was reprinted by American Mystery Classics in March of 2019. It's a natural choice for those who enjoy a good mystery set in hospital; in this case the Dutch Memorial Hospital of New York City--where comes the nationality for the title. It features not one, but two murders carried out--practically under the nose of Ellery Queen himself (in the first instance) and a whole posse of NYC policemen (in the second). You have to admire a murderer with that much moxie. The initial set-up of the novel is really well done--with Ellery and a small audience on hand to witness the discover of the first murder in the operating theater.

Now, if you look at my full review of the novel (HERE), you might wonder why I would go ahead and offer up what I rated as a middle-of-the-road novel for Reprint of the Year. Well... the longer I've let the Queen nomination simmer, the more I realize how much I enjoyed it. Yes, there are quibbles that I mention--but I did enjoy how engaged I was in the story. I've gotten to the point in my life where it feels like plots and names and clues run straight through my head like water through a sieve and to have been interested enough to question the clues and...several weeks later still be engaged with Queen's handling of the wrap-up, well I think that indicates the quality of the writing and the story-telling. The Dutch Shoe Mystery is definitely worth a GAD fan's attention and worth a nomination for Reprint of the Year.

The Case of the Second Chance

The Case of the Second Chance (1946) by Christopher Bush is the thirtieth book in his Ludovic Travers novels and was recently reprinted in May 2019 by Dean Street Press. Travers has had a semi-official position with the police and developed a relationship with Superintendent George Wharton after assisting with several investigations as a gifted amateur. The current story begins with Travers  on leave from the army when Wharton is called upon to investigate the murder of a well-known actor/producer Charles Manfrey. Manfrey is an unsurprising murder victim--Wharton and Travers soon find that the actor had ruffled feathers in a number of quarters. There is Henry Nevall, the actor who played Brutus to Manfrey's Cassius and whom Manfrey tried to upstage repeatedly. There is Victor Yarnell, a handsome young actor who has had great success in his current play and hopes of taking the part into the movies--but Manfrey has bought the rights with a stipulation that anyone but Yarnell be hired. There is Violet Lancing, the actor's secretary who longs to be on stage and has an eye for the main chance--and may have found the odds too heavily against her. And there is May Clarke, the housekeeper who seems to have a heart of gold but may have had enough of her employer's ill-temper.

The plot has an interesting construction. It is laid out in three parts. We begin with Manfrey's murder in his own library and follow the investigation and interviews only to end part one with Wharton and Travers as puzzled as when they began. There are plenty of suspects, but everyone seems to have rock-solid alibis. Wharton even asks Travers to break one of the alibis and he is unable to find a way to do so. So...the first part ends with an inquest verdict of "Murder by some person or persons unknown."

Travers returns to the war and then a year later is demobilized for health reasons. He returns to his specialized work at the Yard and it seems like the Manfrey murder will never be solved. In 1945 he completes a special assignment and--in preparation for starting up private inquiry business with the soon-to-be retired Wharton--goes to work for the Bond Street Detective Agency. One of the first cases to come along involves blackmail. Bill Ellice (current owner of the agency) agrees to meet the prospective client who has insisted on complete confidentiality but is wary enough of her story to ask Travers to sit in the next room where a conveniently thin door will allow him to hear all. He wants Travers to signal him (through an elaborate buzzing system from the secretary)whether he thinks it sounds fishy enough to decline the job. 

Despite the fact that he is certain the woman is lying all over the place, Travers gives the "go ahead" signal. Why? Because he's recognized the woman's voice as belonging to Violet Lancing. And he's darn curious what she's being blackmailed about. Could it have anything to do with that Manfrey case in her past? There are links...but the answer to both mysteries are going to be a bit more involved than just "Violet killed Manfrey and now X is blackmailing Violet." Travers, Wharton, and Ellice will each contribute to the solution.

This was my first taste of Christopher Bush's work and I found it to be an interesting introduction to Travers and Wharton. The mystery itself is fairly well done, though it does drag just a bit in the middle while the investigation languishes and the plot uses a couple of well-worn tropes (well-worn even by 1946. These issues didn't dampen my enthusiasm, however. I found our protagonists to be so well-defined and their relationship to be so engaging that I enjoyed myself thoroughly. And--even though the plot devices have been used before, Bush works the trick expertly enough that I didn't mind. Quite good fun! ★★★★


Spoiler! [highlight the apparently blank area if you're curious] I just realized that the cover of my edition (pictured)--as sparse as it is--manages to give away part of the solution.


Quotes
[First Line] This is the story of a second chance, and second chances, as we're often told, are pretty rare things.

...as I've already said, I like people. All sorts interest me, and always have. I like to know the whys and wherefores of things and what makes the wheels go round. (p. 40)

Motives don't matter at the moment. What does matter is that he's got a perfect alibi. Bust that alibi and then we can talk about motives. (Superintendent George Wharton; p. 52)

Curious how we don't give other people credit for having the same perspicacity in things we've come to regard as our own particular property. I thought George had been a long way from an accurate summing-up of Violet, and yet there he was, hitting my own nail shrewdly over the head. (p. 62)

George has never quite accepted the evolution of myself from the apprentice stage, but it does me no harm to listen and it gives him pleasure to talk. (p. 63)



*************
Deaths = 3 (one hit with poker; one strangled; one shot)
Mystery Bingo = Item in Newspaper; Maid/Housekeeper; Gun; Bare Hands; Fireplace; Library

December Virtual Mount TBR Reviews

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December Mount TBR Reviews

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December Monthly Keyword Reviews

December Key Words: Star, Night, Christmas, Angel, Gift/Present, Tree, Wise, Dear, It

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December Just the Facts Reviews

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December Calendar of Crime Reviews

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Challenge Complete: Color Coded

Every year I think I may have used up all my titles with "Brown" (or a shade of brown) in the title. And every year I prove myself wrong. I'll keep signing up for the Color Coded Reading Challenge until I run out of titles (I'm determined to only use titles and not covers). 

And with When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple, I have completed another rainbow year of reading. See you again in 2020...

1. Read a book with "Blue" (or a shade of blue) in the title/on the cover.

Blueprint for Murder by Roger Bax (10/25/19)

2. Read a book with "Red" (or a shade of red) in the title/on the cover.

Where the Snow was Red by Hugh Pentecost (2/16/19)

3. Read a book with "Yellow" (or a shade of yellow) in the title/on the cover.
The Fate of the Immodest Blonde by Patrick Quentin (9/22/19)

4. Read a book with "Green" (or a shade of green) in the title/on the cover.
Mystery of the Emerald Buddha by Betty Cavanna (6/29/19)

5. Read a book with "Brown" (or a shade of brown) in the title/on the cover.

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie (4/13/19)

6. Read a book with "Black" (or a shade of black) in the title/on the cover.
Black Aura by John Sladek (9/9/19)

7. Read a book with "White" (or a shade of white) in the title/on the cover.

The Cream of Crime: More Tales from Boucher’s Choicest edited by Jeanne F. Bernkopf (5/26/19)

8. Read a book with any other color in the title/on the cover.
When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple by Sandra Martz [ed.] (11/28/19)

9. Read a book with a word that implies color in the title/on the cover.
Said With Flowers by Anne Nash (11/26/19)

What's in a Name? 2020

Andrea at Carolina Book Nook is back with another round of the What's in a Name Challenge. This has always been a favorite of mine, so of course I'm back for another round as well. The format is the same--six categories and one book required for each one. For full details, see the link above.

Here are the categories and my preliminary list:

1. An ampersand: The Ampersand Papers by Michael Innes (8/8/20)
2. An antonym: The Life and Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton by Magdalen King-Hall (4/25/20)
3. Four letters or less: Kept by D. J. Taylor (5/2/20)
4. A given/first name: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1/9/20)
5. Reference to children: Blotto, Twinks, and the Ex-King's Daughter by Simon Brett (7/1/20)
6. One of the four natural elements: Murder on the Waterfront by Michael Jahn (1/20/20)

Complete!

2020 SpaceTime Reading Challenge

I've still got science fiction books hanging out on the TBR mountainscapes, so I'm going to jump on board Jemima's spaceship again and sign up for her 2020 SpaceTime Reading Challenge. This works better for me than the limited challenges I used to participate in since I'll have a whole year to read science fiction rather than trying to arrange my January reading schedule around SF. Here's the brief description of the challenge (for full details and to sign up follow the link above):

SpaceTime Reading Challenge
You choose your book, from any part of the science fiction genre universe – hard scifi, military, scifi romance, space opera, first contact, time travel, whatever.  It’s up to you.  You add the book to your list of books read, with a review, as short or long as you like.  Make your own rules about ‘only Hugo winners’, or ‘only space opera’…  as you wish.

There are several levels. I plan on starting with the first level 

~5 Books: Planet Hopper

1. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Scott Turton [Time loop] (1/15/20)
2. Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (6/20/20)
3. A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny (8/20/20)
4. Neuromancer by William Gibson (8/22/20)
5. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (9/3/20)

Complete!

Book Challenge by Erin 12.0

Basic Rules
~First and foremost, have fun. Don't stress. No one is being judged, graded, or penalized. Even if you finish only one book the entire challenge, if you enjoy it and it's an accomplishment for you, then that's awesome. 
~The challenge will run from JANUARY 1, 2020 to APRIL, 2020. No books that are started before 12 a.m. on January 1 or finished after 11:59 p.m. on April 30 will count. (We live in different time zones – follow this according to your own time zone.) 
~Each book must be at least 200 pages long. Audio books are fine too.
~For full details see Erin's page on Facebook: Book Challenge by Erin 12.0

Here are this round's categories and my preliminary choices:
*5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages 
Murder on the Waterfront by Michael Jahn (256 pages) [1/20/20]
*10 points: Read a book that starts with “I” 
Information Received by E. R. Punshon (272 pages) [2/6/20]
*10 points: Read a book written by two or more authors
Spin Your Web, Lady! by Frances & Richard Lockridge (218 pages) [2/8/20]
*15 points: Read a book with a picture of a tree (or forest) on the cover 
Deep Lay the Dead by Frederick C. Davis (304 pages) [2/14/20]
*20 points: Read a book with one of the following words in the title: who, what, when, where, why 
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Alison Hoover Bartlett (274 pages) [2/18/20]
* 20 points: (selected by Vinay) – Read a book set in Africa
Death in Kenya by M. M. Kaye (208 pages) [2/20/20]
*25 points: (selected by Darlene) – As a nod to our female family members, read a book that has one of the words in the title: mother(s), sister(s), wife/wives, grandmother (or variation of), daughter(s), niece(s), aunt(s) 
The Crying Sisters by Mabel Seeley (252 pages) [2/23/20]
*30 points: (selected by Deborah) – Read a book that has won an Edgar award 
Mystery of the Haunted Pool by Phyllis A. Whitney (219 pages; Best Juvenile Mystery 1961) [1/3/20]
*30 points: (selected by Debdatta) – Read a “locked room mystery” book 
The Plague Court Murders by Carter Dickson (312 pages) [1/26/20]
*35 points: Read a book from the lists given in Show Us Your Books faves from 2018 (because they haven’t posted 2019 faves yet.)
Palaces for the People by Eric Klineberg (277 pages; from Jana's list of favorite nonfiction) [3/9/20]

Challenge Complete!