Since some of our readers don't necessarily like horror, we decided to expand our options. Members could choose to read mysteries or thrillers, traditional ghost stories, sci fi, or even books just set during autumn. It turns out, we read a very wide variety and we talked about even more books as well as our current favorite mini-series and movies!
Here's the recap:
I read The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. It's a classic haunted house/ghost story set in England. The main character is a fish out of water as a new bride in a seldom visited and remote family mansion. Her new husband has recently died, and she is pregnant and alone with but a few servants to keep her company. Strange things are afoot!
J. read Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs - a funny, clever mystery set in New Orleans. Our main character is a scrapbook store owner in the French Quarter who must solve the mystery of her next door neighbor's murder! J. said it has craft tips and recipes (local to New Orleans) and she really liked the book. We discussed the fact that O'Neal doesn't have all Laura Childs' series, however, most of her books are available in the county from one library or another.
K.B. read The Killings At Kingfisher Hill which is an Agatha Christie / Hercule Poirot mystery written by Sophie Hannah. These books by Hannah have been authorized by the Christie estate. Knox said she really liked it, and E. echoed the writing talents of Sophie Hannah - she and her daughter have read her books (not A. Christie) and really enjoyed them. Hannah now has four books in the Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot series as well as her own books, all of which you can find here.
P. read both The Confessor and The Order by Daniel Silva about the papacy (thrillers, not historical fiction!). The Confessor is about the election of a new Pope, while The Order is about that Pope's death. There are several books in between these involving Gabriel Allon. We talked about Daniel Silva's reputation as a writer. He is held in high esteem and seems to be one of those writers whose work doesn't suffer when his books start getting into the double digits (as far as series number goes). His main character, Gabriel Allon, is an art restorer who spends most of his time investigating international crime. The Allon series begins with The Kill Artist.
E. read a book called Dark August by Kate Tallo. It's a thriller about murder and corruption in a small town.
M. read a non fiction book called Tales of the Troubled Dead which covers views about death and the afterlife from The Aeneid to today and investigates why we are so curious about death, ghosts, and the afterlife. M. read a quote from Shakespeare which got us on the subject of the Bard and his references to ghosts.
K.H. listened to Chaos by Tom O'Neill about the murder of Sharon Tate and details about Charles Manson's involvement. It includes information about Manson's possible protection from local and federal authorities. At this point, E. mentioned Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. It's a really good movie about Hollywood and Sharon Tate is a character in the movie. It should be available to view on streaming services. At the time of my email you should be able to find it on Hulu.
L. read a book called Death at High Tide by an author she likes named Hanna Dennison. This is a new series. Dennison also has other books in a series about a locale called Honeychurch Hall. Death at High Tide is the first installment in the Island Sisters series of cozy mysteries featuring two sisters who inherit an old hotel in the remote Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall and find it full of intrigue, danger, and romance.
L. also recommends Louise Penny who she started reading near the middle of the series but has really enjoyed. E. also recommends Louise Penny. The library has copies of all her books, but they are often checked out!
D. zoomed in from the mountains of North Carolina where she reported she had read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson about an Alabama death row inmate and the atrocities committed against him and other inmates by Alabama prison guards, police, and judges. Stevenson's book was a best-seller and was recently made into a movie. D. also read New Suns, a book she heard about on NPR's Science Friday podcast. It's a collection of science fiction short stories by people of color.
Some other books that came up just because we were talking about one thing or another ...
Herman Wouk's Winds of War - recommended by E. for a really great series that will just carry you away.
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah and The Madonnnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean were both recommended by K.B. since we were on the subject of Russia.
Wormwood Forest by Mary Mycio- D. specifically asked about this book because I brought it up at last month's meeting. It's a recent history of the animals who have returned to Chernobyl's exclusion zone and how they (and the natural landscape) are faring. Mycio also addresses the overwhelming task Russian scientists are faced with now that radiation is out and moving through the web of life. This part was most fascinating to me - we learned about why some waterways appear to be thriving while some mosses might be red hot with radiation. The intricacies of Mother Nature are definitely on display in this book.
Dead Mountain: The True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donna Eichar - I was reading about Vladimir Putin (see below) when I came across the Dyatlov Pass incident. Sometime in the 1950s nine hikers made camp at the Dyatlov Pass (in the Ural Mountains, maybe? I have yet to check, my apologies!). The hikers were never seen alive again. Something mysterious happened in the night that caused the campers to hack their way OUT of their tents in the cold night and run. Most only had on long underwear and socks. I'm listening to this one now and will let you know what I discover!
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - I listened to this because the brief blurb I read about it said it involved medieval witchcraft. Turns out, it is much more than that. I LOVED this audiobook. The reader is so good. The story is based on true events: at some point in the 17th century, a Norwegian island very near the Arctic Circle lost most of its men to a sudden storm at sea. The women of the island go on to survive for the next year by fishing, skinning animals, and basically carrying out tasks the men would have carried out. We met other characters who are Sami, a tribal society native to the far North. Both the island women and the Sami come under scrutiny when a commissioner come to the island. He is sent to bring order to the island, but is also a known witchcraft investigator and soon makes accusations. Again, I can't say enough about the reader, grab this on audio if you can!
The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee Myers - I started this one, and it's interesting, but a little too dry. I have learned a lot about Putin, though!
In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware - I started listening to the audio, but hasn't finished yet. It started off very exciting but feels like it's waning a bit.
The Bookies also got on the subject of tv mystery series and other tv series that are compulsively watchable.
Foyle's War whose creator is Anthony Horowitz!!!! can be found at your library or on youtube it looks like? I think this might also be on Britbox, Acord, or possibly Amazon Prime. I'm not entirely sure about that. When I google Foyle's War, the only icon it shows is the youtube icon. Someone let me know if you find it somewhere else!
Foyle's War is a British detective drama television series set during (and shortly after) the Second World War, created by Midsomer Murders screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by ITV after the long-running series Inspector Morse ended in 2000. It began broadcasting on ITV in October 2002.
Midsomer Murders was also recommended! Its about murder investigations in a small town in England called, you guessed it, Midsomer. You can request this series from the libraries by clicking above, or, the series looks to be available on Britbox as well as Amazon Prime.
I recommend Turn - about George Washington's spies in the years leading up to and including the Revolutionary War. It's SO GOOD! There's one British soldier you will love to hate! You can find Turn at your local libraries by clicking here or on Netflix.
The Lie - a movie P. watched which she said kept her on the edge of her seat and had quite the surprise ending!
Agatha Raisin mysteries are also available through your local library. This is yet another title in the list based on books. In this case, Agatha Raisin's author, MC Beaton, recently passed away. But the books and tv series can still be found in the libraries. Agatha Raisin is also on Amazon Prime and Acorn TV.
Last Kingdom - my husband and I love this series based on a series of books by Bernard Cornwall. It's set in early medieval England and our hero, Uhtred of Babbenburg is an orphan set on regaining his lost kingdom. It's a great series, although there is a good bit of violence because it's medieval England! So lots of sword fighting and general medieval cruelty.
Are you still with me?
If so, I invite you to attend our November 10th meeting when we discuss Lily King's novel Writers and Lovers.
Our December book will be Caste by Isabel Wilkseron.
Happy reading!
Here's the recap:
I read The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. It's a classic haunted house/ghost story set in England. The main character is a fish out of water as a new bride in a seldom visited and remote family mansion. Her new husband has recently died, and she is pregnant and alone with but a few servants to keep her company. Strange things are afoot!
J. read Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs - a funny, clever mystery set in New Orleans. Our main character is a scrapbook store owner in the French Quarter who must solve the mystery of her next door neighbor's murder! J. said it has craft tips and recipes (local to New Orleans) and she really liked the book. We discussed the fact that O'Neal doesn't have all Laura Childs' series, however, most of her books are available in the county from one library or another.
K.B. read The Killings At Kingfisher Hill which is an Agatha Christie / Hercule Poirot mystery written by Sophie Hannah. These books by Hannah have been authorized by the Christie estate. Knox said she really liked it, and E. echoed the writing talents of Sophie Hannah - she and her daughter have read her books (not A. Christie) and really enjoyed them. Hannah now has four books in the Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot series as well as her own books, all of which you can find here.
P. read both The Confessor and The Order by Daniel Silva about the papacy (thrillers, not historical fiction!). The Confessor is about the election of a new Pope, while The Order is about that Pope's death. There are several books in between these involving Gabriel Allon. We talked about Daniel Silva's reputation as a writer. He is held in high esteem and seems to be one of those writers whose work doesn't suffer when his books start getting into the double digits (as far as series number goes). His main character, Gabriel Allon, is an art restorer who spends most of his time investigating international crime. The Allon series begins with The Kill Artist.
E. read a book called Dark August by Kate Tallo. It's a thriller about murder and corruption in a small town.
M. read a non fiction book called Tales of the Troubled Dead which covers views about death and the afterlife from The Aeneid to today and investigates why we are so curious about death, ghosts, and the afterlife. M. read a quote from Shakespeare which got us on the subject of the Bard and his references to ghosts.
K.H. listened to Chaos by Tom O'Neill about the murder of Sharon Tate and details about Charles Manson's involvement. It includes information about Manson's possible protection from local and federal authorities. At this point, E. mentioned Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. It's a really good movie about Hollywood and Sharon Tate is a character in the movie. It should be available to view on streaming services. At the time of my email you should be able to find it on Hulu.
L. read a book called Death at High Tide by an author she likes named Hanna Dennison. This is a new series. Dennison also has other books in a series about a locale called Honeychurch Hall. Death at High Tide is the first installment in the Island Sisters series of cozy mysteries featuring two sisters who inherit an old hotel in the remote Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall and find it full of intrigue, danger, and romance.
L. also recommends Louise Penny who she started reading near the middle of the series but has really enjoyed. E. also recommends Louise Penny. The library has copies of all her books, but they are often checked out!
D. zoomed in from the mountains of North Carolina where she reported she had read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson about an Alabama death row inmate and the atrocities committed against him and other inmates by Alabama prison guards, police, and judges. Stevenson's book was a best-seller and was recently made into a movie. D. also read New Suns, a book she heard about on NPR's Science Friday podcast. It's a collection of science fiction short stories by people of color.
Some other books that came up just because we were talking about one thing or another ...
Herman Wouk's Winds of War - recommended by E. for a really great series that will just carry you away.
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah and The Madonnnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean were both recommended by K.B. since we were on the subject of Russia.
Wormwood Forest by Mary Mycio- D. specifically asked about this book because I brought it up at last month's meeting. It's a recent history of the animals who have returned to Chernobyl's exclusion zone and how they (and the natural landscape) are faring. Mycio also addresses the overwhelming task Russian scientists are faced with now that radiation is out and moving through the web of life. This part was most fascinating to me - we learned about why some waterways appear to be thriving while some mosses might be red hot with radiation. The intricacies of Mother Nature are definitely on display in this book.
Dead Mountain: The True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donna Eichar - I was reading about Vladimir Putin (see below) when I came across the Dyatlov Pass incident. Sometime in the 1950s nine hikers made camp at the Dyatlov Pass (in the Ural Mountains, maybe? I have yet to check, my apologies!). The hikers were never seen alive again. Something mysterious happened in the night that caused the campers to hack their way OUT of their tents in the cold night and run. Most only had on long underwear and socks. I'm listening to this one now and will let you know what I discover!
The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - I listened to this because the brief blurb I read about it said it involved medieval witchcraft. Turns out, it is much more than that. I LOVED this audiobook. The reader is so good. The story is based on true events: at some point in the 17th century, a Norwegian island very near the Arctic Circle lost most of its men to a sudden storm at sea. The women of the island go on to survive for the next year by fishing, skinning animals, and basically carrying out tasks the men would have carried out. We met other characters who are Sami, a tribal society native to the far North. Both the island women and the Sami come under scrutiny when a commissioner come to the island. He is sent to bring order to the island, but is also a known witchcraft investigator and soon makes accusations. Again, I can't say enough about the reader, grab this on audio if you can!
The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee Myers - I started this one, and it's interesting, but a little too dry. I have learned a lot about Putin, though!
In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware - I started listening to the audio, but hasn't finished yet. It started off very exciting but feels like it's waning a bit.
The Bookies also got on the subject of tv mystery series and other tv series that are compulsively watchable.
A few we talked about that came highly recommended were:
Father Brown mysteries - very funny and cute cozy mysteries set in Britain. Available through your Jefferson County libraries or on Amazon Prime.
Father Brown mysteries - very funny and cute cozy mysteries set in Britain. Available through your Jefferson County libraries or on Amazon Prime.
Foyle's War whose creator is Anthony Horowitz!!!! can be found at your library or on youtube it looks like? I think this might also be on Britbox, Acord, or possibly Amazon Prime. I'm not entirely sure about that. When I google Foyle's War, the only icon it shows is the youtube icon. Someone let me know if you find it somewhere else!
Foyle's War is a British detective drama television series set during (and shortly after) the Second World War, created by Midsomer Murders screenwriter and author Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by ITV after the long-running series Inspector Morse ended in 2000. It began broadcasting on ITV in October 2002.
Midsomer Murders was also recommended! Its about murder investigations in a small town in England called, you guessed it, Midsomer. You can request this series from the libraries by clicking above, or, the series looks to be available on Britbox as well as Amazon Prime.
I recommend Turn - about George Washington's spies in the years leading up to and including the Revolutionary War. It's SO GOOD! There's one British soldier you will love to hate! You can find Turn at your local libraries by clicking here or on Netflix.
The Lie - a movie P. watched which she said kept her on the edge of her seat and had quite the surprise ending!
Agatha Raisin mysteries are also available through your local library. This is yet another title in the list based on books. In this case, Agatha Raisin's author, MC Beaton, recently passed away. But the books and tv series can still be found in the libraries. Agatha Raisin is also on Amazon Prime and Acorn TV.
Last Kingdom - my husband and I love this series based on a series of books by Bernard Cornwall. It's set in early medieval England and our hero, Uhtred of Babbenburg is an orphan set on regaining his lost kingdom. It's a great series, although there is a good bit of violence because it's medieval England! So lots of sword fighting and general medieval cruelty.
Are you still with me?
If so, I invite you to attend our November 10th meeting when we discuss Lily King's novel Writers and Lovers.
Our December book will be Caste by Isabel Wilkseron.
Happy reading!
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