What’s on your bookshelf: November

Thistles and Kiwis

It is that time for a round up of recent reading. I made up for a lack of detective fiction last month at least as you will see below, but didn’t read any Japanese books (though I just started one on Thursday morning at least!). A bit of a brief post as rather busy at the moment, but I always make time to read.

Anyway, let’s start with Richard Osman’s latest The Impossible Fortune. I really enjoyed this latest Thursday Murder Club adventure, which follows on perfectly from the last one. If you enjoy this series, you will enjoy this. Great fun and a good story too.

Ann Cleeves’ books always work when I am needing to get back into reading (I had tried to read Ruby Tandoh’s latest book and failed…not up to her usual standard and far too many references to US based things for a British writer). Murder in my Backyard is one of her early Inspector Ramsay books. As with her other works, the landscape plays a big part in the story, and can feel yourself in the wilds of Northumbria. A good read.

On the recommendation of a friend I picked up from the library the Bill Clinton and James Patterson thriller The President is Missing. I wasn’t expecting much, but this was a fun read, ideal for a long holiday or a rainy weekend. I also got from the library Guillaume Musso The Secret Lives of Writers, which started well but…well, it was rather violent and rather unpleasant and I wouldn’t recommend it.

And on the recommendation of a fellow blogger I borrowed another book by Mary Lawson, Crow Lake. This was her first book I believe, and a wonderful story of family, relationships and how lives intertwine. It is set in a small farming community in Northern Ontario, telling the tale of the Morrison family (Kate the narrator, her younger sister Bo and older brothers Matt and Luke) and the events following the death of their parents. Another book where the landscape is part of the narrative.

The October book from Bookety Book Books, a great New Zealand based online bookshop/subscription service was Lily King’s Heart the Lover, which I confess I would never have picked up with its ghastly cover. However, I really enjoyed this too – you can read about it here. In fact, I have ordered up another book by the same author.

Finally, the Marsden Book Club book this month was the latest Jane Harper Last One Out. If you are a fan, you will enjoy this slow burner of a book set in a decaying small town in Australia. Someone disappears…and five years later we find out what happens. Another book where the landscape is central to the narrative.

All in all, a great month of reading.

  • Richard Osman The Impossible Fortune 5 amateur detectives
  • Guillaume Musso The Secret Lives of Writers 2 writers
  • Lily King Heart the Lover 4 academics
  • Bill Clinton and James Paterson The President is Missing 4 presidents
  • Ann Cleeves Murder in my Backyard 4 policemen
  • Mary Lawson Crow Lake 4.5 bugs
  • Jane Harper Last One Out 5 abandoned houses

Jo and Deb are hosting this month’s what’s on my shelf.

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

Loves summer, sunshine and cats. Beginner gardener, likes eating, cooking and reading about food

44 Comments

        1. Hit enter before I’d finished! All her books. This one isn’t available yet. I don’t buy books now, but use the library. You might like Patricia Wolf.

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  3. That is a ghastly cover. Would you believe I’ve never read any Jane Harper? I’ve deliberated over buying this one for my daughter’s Christmas stocking though (which means I read it first…).

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  8. Ann Cleeves is a favourite and I must look out for Richard Osman! I enjoy your reviews of the books you have read and love your star system!

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  12. Great book selections, as usual. I read Crow Lake years ago and remember it well. Interestingly, one of the characters has my last name. I’m going to add the one by Bill Clinton to my list. Have you read Remarkably Bright Creatures? I started it on Tuesday and am close to finishing. It’s very good, and takes place in my home state of Washington.

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  15. Hi Barbara, it’s always good to see what you’ve been reading, thanks for joining us for #WOYBS again this month. I’ve taken note of the latest Richard Osman and Jane Harper’s – as I’ve read all their other books. Isn’t it funny how a cover can often make or break a book for us?

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  16. I enjoyed reading Crow Lake a few years back. It has a different title i Swedish, if you translate it it’s something like “A Saturday in July when I was seven”. I bet it is the same story though. I have not read any of the other books. This week I’ve read three thesis about special needs education in different European countries. Next week I am going to read “Perspektiv på skolans problem” about everything that is going on in the Swedish school sand the school politics (which is a little crazy right now). I promised myself to read some books for fun during my upcoming winter break, but right now it is busy busy. Thanks for an interesting post!

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  19. We listened to The President is Missing as an audio book. Bill Clinton did the narration. It’s a good yarn, isn’t it. I didn’t know there was a new Jane Harper. I must keep an eye out for it and the new Thursday Murder Club is on my list too.

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  20. Pingback: If we were having coffee…or even a cup of tea… – Thistles and Kiwis

  22. You’ve got some great sounding books here, and I will be adding them to my TBR list. Hmmm, with a name like The Secret Lives of Writers I wouldn’t have it expected it to be so violent. Thanks for the heads up. I’m getting more squeamish the older I get.

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