Year End Challenge Reminder

As we rapidly head towards the end of 2012, don't forget to link up your Wrap-Up Posts for the Vintage Mystery, Color-Coded, and Mount TBR Challenges.  To make it easy--here are all the post links in one place:

Click for Vintage Progress Post

Click for Color Coded Progress Post

Click for Mount TBR Final Check Point Post

Christmas Book Loot

All I wanted for Christmas is....a bunch of books.  A bunch of books.  
See? A bunch of books.
Cuz if I had a bunch of books, then I would have a Merry Christmas.

And the Santas in my life have come through (both the Secret and the not-so-Secret).

From the Hubby:

The Further Adventures of  Sherlock Holmes: The Titanic Tragedy by William Seil
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Web Weaver by Sam Siciliano
 

 

Welcome Death by Glyn Daniel

The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop by Gladys Mitchell

Penelope Passes (or Why Did She Die?) by Joan Coggin

From my Broke & the Bookish Secret Santa:

Two for Sorrow by Nicola Upson
Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran

And...a Barnes & Noble Gift Card from my boss!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my friends in the Blogiverse!  Wishing you joy and peace; love and good times with family and friends; and all the books and time to read them that you could want!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a bookish meme hosted by Book Journey. It's where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It's a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over via the link above and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.

 

 

Books Read (click on titles for review): 

 Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke (12/18/12) [303 pages]
The Cat Who Came for Christmas by Cleveland Amory (12/21/12) [240 pages] 
Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith (12/22/1) [240 pages] 
The Joy of a Peanuts Chirstmas: 50 Years of Holiday Comics! by Chrales M. Schulz (no review)

  

Currently Reading: 

The Female Detective by Andrew Forrester: features a number of different cases, each of which is narrated by G. She uses methods similar to those of her male counterparts, examining the scene of the crime, looking for clues, and employing skill and subterfuge to achieve her ends, all the while trying to conceal her own tracks and her identity from others. Her deductive methods anticipate those of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, who would not appear for another twenty years, and like Holmes, she regards the regular constabulary with disdain. For all the intrigue and interest of the stories, little is ever revealed about G. herself, and her personal circumstances remain a mystery throughout. But it is her energetic and savvy approach to solving crimes that is her greatest appeal, and the reappearance of the original lady detective will captivate a new generation of crime fiction fans

 

Books that spark my interest:

A Dark & Stormy Night by Jeanne M. Dams

The Evil That Men Do by Jeanne M. Dams

Murder in the Rue Dumas by M. L. Longworth

52 Books in 52 Weeks: 2012 Wrap Up Post

Hosted by Robin from My Two Blessings

Robin is asking us to put together an end-of-year post for our 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.  She has asked us the questions below.  To see the books I specifically read for this challenge, please go HERE.

1) How many books did you read this year? So far: 160.  But I'll be reading right up until the 31st.

2) Did you meet or beat your own personal goal?  My top goal was 150 for a 150+ Reading Challenge.  So, yes, I beat it.

3) Favorite book of 2012? (You can list more than one or break it down by genre): Here are my top reads of the year (all 5-star books)...
 The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
From Sawdust to Stardust: The Biography of DeForest Kelley, Star Trek's Dr. McCoy by Terry Lee Rioux
Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas 
Titanic 2012 by Bill Walker

4) Least favorite book of 2012 and why?  
Nantucket Soap Opera by S. F. X. Dean  [except from the review: This is a story that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. At times comic, at times philosophical, at times drop-dead boring narration. There is way more gratuitous sexual references than necessary (if any can be said to be necessary). Dean's narrative style roams from straight-up story-telling to weird little cameo sketches of various characters. I never really connected with the people involved and I didn't much care about the story--and I darn well didn't care about every male character's sexual fantasies and who they first made it with (and that was rarely important to the plot).]

5) One book you thought you'd never read and was pleasantly surprised you like it?
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens  [Although, I did have it on my long TBR list, so it wasn't exactly that I thought I'd never read it.  I just didn't think I'd like it.  I tried it once before and just couldn't finish it.]
6) One book you thought you'd love but didn't?
The Jesus Incident by Frank Herbert & Bill Ransom [I loved Frank Herbert's Dune series and The White Plague.  But I could not get into this one at all....] 


7) One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.  
The Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems by Onon no Komachi & Izumi Shikibu, Women of the Ancient Court of Japan trans by Jane Hirshfield w/Mariko Aratan 

8) Any new to you authors discovered and you can't wait to read more of their stories?  Adam McOmber (He's not really new to me.  He was a creative writing student in the English Department where I work.  I just never read anything by him until this year.  His The White Forest is very good!)
9) Name the longest book you read?  Shortest? 
Longest: 11/22/63 by Stephen King [849 pages]
Shortest: Ahmed & the Oblivion Machines by Ray Bradbury [64 pages]

10) Name the most unputdownable book you read?
Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith [I read that one straight through.]

11) Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?  ???? I really don't know.  I don't think I read any that I'd say made an impact.  Lots of entertaining and interesting reads.

12) What book would you recommend everybody read?

The White Forest by Adam McOmber


13) Share your most favorite cover(s):  I don't really latch onto covers.....

14) Do you have a character you fell in love with?  Not really.

15) What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Did you do any of the mini challenges?  It was a good way to make sure I read at least one book a week (although I try to have my numbers higher than that....).  No mini-challenges (but I could have claimed the A-Z--I did both a title A-Z Challenge and a Mystery Author A-Z Challenge).
What are your goals for the new year?  To read more non fiction? To dip your toes into a mystery or a urban fantasy?  What book are you most looking forward to reading in 2013?  
My plan, like last year, is to read mainly from my TBR mountain range.  I've got about 500-600 books stacked here and there that I really need to read.  The book I'm most looking forward to is Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran--a gift from my blogging Secret Santa.

Thanks for hosting this challenge!  I had a great time. 

 

2012 Mount TBR: Final Check Point Post

One of my goals this year was to read more (and a higher percentage of my overall reads) from my own TBR mountain range--that was the starting point for the Mount TBR Reading Challenge.  I immediately signed myself up for Mount Everest--the highest peak on Earth--and 100 books off my own stacks.  I made the peak by the beginning of December and added a few more for good measure.  To see my final tally post, please go HERE.

Here is My 2012 Life in Books:

One time at band/summer camp, I: [helped with] The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

Weekends at my house are: Mysterious Incidents at Lone Rock by Rajendra Pillai 

My neighbor is: The Fifth Man by Manning Coles

My boss is: Bland Beginnings by Julian Symons


My ex was: The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer 

My superhero secret identity is: My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny 
 
You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry because: [there's] The Devil to Pay by Ellery Queen
 
I’d win a gold medal in: [running] The 39 Steps by John Buchan
 
I’d pay good money for:  The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

If I were president, I would: [use] Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
 
When I don’t have good books, I:  [feel like]  Nothing Can Rescue Me by Elizabeth Daly  [and I might resort to] Murder & Magic by Randall Garrett

Loud talkers at the movies should: [be sent] 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

2012 Mount TBR Final Check Point

 

Wow. We're almost done with 2012 and it's time to get ready for the Final Mountaineering Checkpoint. Where does the time go? I'm ready to hear how all our mountain-climbing buddies have done out there on Pike's Peak, Mt. Ararat, Mt. Everest....whichever peak you've chosen. Checkpoint participation is absolutely voluntary and is not considered necessary for challenge completion.

For those who would like to participate in this checkpoint post, I'd like you to at least complete the first of these two things.  And if you feel particularly inspired (or generous about humoring me this holiday season), then please do both.

1. Tell us how many miles you made it up your mountain (# of books read). If you've planted your flag on the peak, then tell us and celebrate (and wave!).  Even if you were especially athletic and have been sitting atop your mountain for months, please check back in and remind us quickly you sprinted up that trail. And feel free to tell us about any particularly exciting adventures you've had along the way.

2. Using the titles of the books you read this year, please fill in "My Life in Books 2012":


One time at band/summer camp, I: 
Weekends at my house are:
My neighbor is:
My (ex) boss is:
My ex was:
My superhero secret identity is: 
You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry because: 
I’d win a gold medal in:
I’d pay good money for: 
If I were president, I would: 
When I don’t have good books, I: 
Loud talkers at the movies should: 



And what do you get for all that hard work? The Checkpoint will close at 11:59 pm on Monday, December 31. On Tuesday I will crank up the Custom Random Number Generator and pick a winning climber. He or she will have the chance to add to their TBR stack via my gently-used book vault (prize list will be sent). This prize is the only book given to you in 2013 that may count towards a 2013 TBR climb.

Even if you're not in the mood for a prize or if you got distracted by pretty scenery or side trails (library books, ARCs, what-have-you), I'd love to have you check in and tell us how your 2012 mountain climb went!

***Please note--Links are for Checkpoint posts only. Links that are not Checkpoint-specific will be removed--to make it easier for me to track a winner.

Nine Man's Murder: Review

First of all--my thanks go out to the Puzzle Doctor over at In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel for bringing Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith to my attention.  If you love a good mystery and don't know the good Doctor & haven't visited his blog, then you really should pop over and check things out (but finish my review first, okay?  thanks).  He regularly points out books that I just have to read--not just put down on the TBR list for later, but figure out the quickest way possible to get the book in my hands.  Nine Man's Murder is just such a book.

Not just anyone could take the classic Christie theme (a la And Then There Were None/Ten Little Indians) and create a satisfying read.  And it takes a lot of courage to try.  Eric Keith has done a very good job.  He takes the nine graduates of Damien Anderson's Detective Training Agency to Anderson's mountain-top retreat for an unexpected class reunion.  But when they arrive Damien is nowhere to be found. Before they can really try to figure out what's going on, the bridge (and their only escape route) is destroyed and their missing host is found stabbed to death in a closet.

A sinister note informs them that they are all scheduled to die unless they can unmask the killer and prove themselves deserving of the status of detective.  An unlikely event in the opinion of the note writer....and, as the graduates are murdered one by one, it begins to look like those doubts are well-founded.  Nearly all of the guests have ties to a local mobster--is that the link that will lead to the solution?  Or does the answer lie in the past and the graduating class's final assignment--investigating the series of mysterious accidents on the film set of Nine Man Morris 15 years ago?  With time running out, somebody needs to find out the answer quick.

This is a fun, fast-paced read with enough false clues and twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.  As the number of survivors dwindles, it becomes harder and harder to think up a convincing solution.  I actually did come up with the correct villain, but then I couldn't figure out how it was possible and abandoned the idea.  As with Christie, the clues are all there.  Keith just does a good job with his sleight-of-hand and distracts the reader to keep us from noticing when a real-live, honest-to-goodness pointer is staring us in the face.  And, he takes some of the Queen of Crime's tricks and puts his own twist on them.  Well done.  Four and a half stars.

Challenge Complete: Reading Challenge Addict

YES !!! I AM A CHALLENGE ADDICT AND PROUD OF IT!!!
Last fall I signed up for the 2012 Reading Challenge Addict Challenge sponsored by Cheryl at CMash Loves to Read and Gina at Hott Books.  I didn't mess around--I headed straight for the highest level and aimed to do all the reading challenge things. 

Yep. I plunged in for Out of This World (16+ Challenges entered and completed). And I am here to tell you that I did it.  I DID complete all the things in the 2012.  All 37 of them.  Including this one.  And now...for the last 9 days of 2012, I get to read whatever I want.  Nothing left on the schedule for a challenge.  That feels kind of good!


1. Reading Challenge Addict Challenge   (Complete 12/21/12 )

2. Getting Lost in a Comfortable Book  (Complete 7/18/12)  

3. Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge 2012  (Complete 7/23/12) 
4. 150+ Reading Challenge 2012  (Complete 11/26/12)
5. Mount TBR Reading Challenge  (Complete 12/8/12)
6. Read Your Own Books (Complete 3/14/12)
7. Back to the Classics 2012   (Complete 11/25/12)
8. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Challenge  (Complete 6/12/12)  
9.  Bucket List Reading Challenge (Complete 5/6/12)
10. Antonym Reading Challenge  (Complete 11/30/12)
11. Cruisin' Thru the Cozies 2012   (Complete 10/23/12)
12. Off the Shelf 2012   (Complete 12/1/12)
13. 12 in 2012  (Complete 7/21/12)   
14. 2012 TBR Challenge  (Complete 9/24/12) 
15. What's in a Name 5  (Complete 8/8/12)  
16. Wishlist Challenge  (Complete 10/23/12)
17. Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2012 (Complete 3/10/12)
18. European Reading Challenge (Complete 4/7/12)
19. A-Z Book Challenge  (Complete 10/15/12)
20. Death by Gaslight Reading Challenge  (Complete 11/5/12)
21. Mixing It Up Challenge  (Complete 12/1/12)
22. The Pratchett Reading Challenge (Complete 1/19/12)
23. 2012 Science Fiction Experience (Complete 2/29/12)
24. 52 Books in 52 Weeks  (Complete 12/21/12)
25. Goodreads Challenge 2012 (Complete 11/23/12)
26. Stephen King Project  (Complete 10/8/12)

27. The Chunkster Challenge  (Complete 8/32/12)
28. Color Coded Challenge  (Complete 8/27/12)

29. A-Z Mystery Author Challenge  (Complete 10/3/12) 
30. Birth Year 2012--Honors  (Complete 7/31/12)  
31. Criminal Plots 2012  (Complete 6/17/12)
 32. What an Animal V (Complete 4/3/12) 
33. Classic Bribe Challenge   (Complete 9/2/12) 
34. Olympic Reading Challenge (Complete 8/12/12)
35. R.I.P. VII (Complete 9/16/12) 
36. Fall into Reading  (Complete 12/15/12)  
37. Christmas Spirit Challenge 2012 (Complete 12/21/12 ) 

Challenge Complete: Christmas Spirit

This is the fourth year for The Christmas Spirit Challenge hosted by The True Book Addict at its own dedicated site. And it's the fourth time I've jumped right in. The levels are:

Candy Cane: read one book

Mistletoe: read two-four books

Christmas: read five or six books

I'm signed up for the Mistletoe level. I may read more....but from here on out I'm just reading whatever strikes my fancy for the rest of 2012.  Having completed my Mistletoe level, I have now completed all the challenges I signed up for in 2012...ALL 37!!

1. Dancing With Death by Joan Coggin (12/5/12)
2. Murder for Christmas by Agatha Christie (12/8/12)
3. Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke (12/18/12)
4. The Cat Who Came For Christmas by Cleveland Amory (12/21/12)

Mistletoe Level Complete!! 12/21/12 

 

 

The Cat Who Came for Christmas: Review

It's about 1977 and the night before Christmas when self-identified dog person and curmudgeon Cleveland Amory finds himself on a mission to help rescue a thin, bedraggled feline from a New York alley.  The cat has obviously been on his own for a good while and someone has injured him.  The rescue is just for the night...Amory offers to house the poor kitty overnight until someone can come claim him.  But the unexpected happens.  The cat decides that Amory is who he wants to live with and from the moment Amory finds him staring at him the next morning the die has been cast.  Amory discovers what it's like to be owned by a cat....and how much he likes it.

The Cat Who Came for Christmas  by Cleveland Amory isn't really a Christmas story.  It's a story about the bond between a cat and his human that just happens to start at Christmas.  The story follows Amory and Polar Bear (as the naming of the cat goes) through a year of settling in to a life together. The stories about Polar Bear are charmingly told and remind me of the cats found in the Lockridge mystery series.  The cat is obviously his own person and that is relayed without making the story too cutesy.

The only part that really didn't work for me was Amory's long-winded section on the history of cat's and cat names.  Not that the history of cats might not be interesting in the right context.  I just don't think this book was it.  

Overall, a very pleasant read and a good one to finish off my Christmas Spirit Challenge reading for 2013.  Three solid stars.

Friday Memes

Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme now sponsored by Rose City Reader (who originally inspired the meme). Here's what you do: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section. Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week at Gilion's place.

Here's mine from Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith:

The railroad station was deserted. Not a soul in sight. Bryan West had arrived before the others, it seemed.

The Friday 56 is a bookish meme sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to participate. Just grab a book, any book, and turn to page 56. Find a sentence that grabs you and post it.

Here's mine from Nine Man's Murder by Eric Keith:

"There are supernatural forces all around us," Hatter explained, "whose role is to punish offenders."

2013 Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge

Like Amy at The Crafty Book Nerd, I love a good mystery.  My favorites are the Vintage/Golden Age detective novels--including those by Christie, Sayers and Doyle my favorite authors include Agatha Christie, James Patterson, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (evidenced by my own Vintage Mystery Challenge).  That being the case, picking up this challenge won't add too much to the reading list for 2013.

Here are the basics if you want to join in the fun (for full details and to link up, jump on Amy's link above):
1.) The challenge starts January 1, 2013 and ends  December 31, 2013.
2.) You can read any novel, short story or author just so that the genre is mystery/crime.
3.) 1 novel counts as 1 novel( 1 novel is anything over 100 pages) of course but you will have to read 5 short stories to count as 1 novel.
4.) There will be a monthly post for you to add a link or links to your post showing the progress that you have made so far.  AND monthly drawings for those who link up.

There are various levels based on how many books you read.  I'm going for the top:

30+ books = Sherlock Holmes

If you have any questions about the way the challenge works then check out Amy's site.

My List of Books:
1. A Dark & Stormy Night by Jeanne M. Dams (1/4/13)
2. The Man Who Went up in Smoke by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö  (1/8/13)
3. The Evil That Men Do by Jeanne M. Dams (1/11/13)
4. The Corpse of St. James's by Jeanne M. Dams (1/13/13)
5. The Puzzle of the Silver Persian by Stuart Palmer (1/15/13)
6. Four Lost Ladies by Stuart Palmer (1/23/13)
7. The Case of the Negligent Nymph by Erle Stanley Gardner (1/24/13)
8. Murder at Markham by Patricia Sprinkle (1/26/13)
9. Veiled Murder by Alice Campbell (1/28/13)
10. India Black & the Shadows of Anarchy by Carol K. Carr (1/29/13)
11. The Cavalier's Cup by Carter Dickson (2/5/13)
12. Corpses at Indian Stones by Philip Wylie (2/7/13)
13. Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood (2/11/13)
14. The Desert Moon Mystery by Kay Cleaver Strahan (2/19/13)
15. Aaron's Serpent by Emily Thorn (2/22/13)
16. The World's 100 Best Short Stories, Vol. III: Mystery by Grant Overton, ed (2/24/13)
17. His Last Bow by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (2/25/13)
18. The Green Plaid Pants by Margaret Scherf (3/3/13)
19. The Lady in the Morgue by Jonathan Latimer (3/10/13)
20. The Diplomat & the Gold Piano by Margaret Scherf (3/16/13)
21. The Lady Vanishes (aka The Wheel Spins) by Ethel Lina White (3/17/13)
22. Unhappy Hooligan by Stuart Palmer (3/24/13)
23. Sally's in the Alley by Norbert Davis (3/25/13)
24. Hammett Unwritten by Owen Fitzstephen (Gordon McAlpine) [3/30/13]
25. Black Widow by Patrick Quentin (4/3/13)
26. In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (4/9/13)
27. The Ivy League Chronicles: 9 Squares by E. K. Prescott (4/10/13)
28. The Frozen Shroud by Martin Edwards (4/14/13)
29. The Mountains Have a Secret by Arthur W. Upfield (4/16/13)
30. The Devil's Stronghold by Leslie Ford (4/21/13)
31. The Silence of Herondale by Joan Aiken (4/21/13)

Challenge Complete! Still Reading....
32. Holiday Homicide by Rufus King (4/23/13)
33. Death Has Green Fingers by Lionel Black (4/30/13)
34. Blood Makes Noise by Gregory Widen ((4/30/13)
35. Inland Passage by George Harmon Coxe (5/2/13) 
36. Choice of Evils by E. X. Ferrars (5/4/13) 
37. The Talking Sparrow Murders by Darwin L. Teilhet (5/6/13) 
38. Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell (read 5/8/13--review due for virtual blog tour 5/28/12)
39. Sleep No More by Margaret Erskine (5/21/13) 
40. Death at Crane's Court by Eilis Dillon (5/23/13)
41. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (5/24/13) 
42. Curse of the Bronze Lamp by Carter Dickson (5/27/13)
43. Miss Silver Deals With Death by Patricia Wentworth (finished 5/28/13)
44. Murder on Safari by Elspeth Huxley (6/8/13) 
45. The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman (6/10/13) 
46. The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers (6/12/13)
47. Murder Within Murder by Frances & Richard Lockridge (6/14/13)
48. The Chinese Parrot by Earl Derr Biggers (6/18/13) 
49. The Father's Day Murder by Lee Harris (6/18/13)
50. Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare (6/21/13) 
51. Devoured by D. E. Meredith (6/22/13) 
52. Death in Zanzibar by M. M. Kaye (6/25/13) 
53. Jack on the Gallows Tree by Leo Bruce (6/26/13) 
54. Death & the Gentle Bull by Frances & Richard Lockridge (6/29/13) 
55. The Mummy Case Mystery by Dermot Morrah (7/3/13)
56. Dead Man Control by Helen Reilly (7/6/13)
57. The Hollow Chest by Alice Tilton [Phoebe Atwood Taylor] (7/12/13) 
58. Spotted Hemlock by Gladys Mitchell (7/18/13) 
59. London Particular by Christianna Brand (7/22/13)
60. Dead Old by Maureen Carter (7/22/13)
61. The Case of the Careless Kitten by Erle Stanley Gardner (7/23/13) 
62. Capactiy for Murder by Bernadette Pajer (7/24/13)
63. Mist on the Saltings by Henry Wade (7/26/13) 
64. The Black Stage by Anthony Gilbert (7/27/13)
65. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (8/1/13) 
66. The Monster of Florence by Magdalen Nabb (8/17/13)