Friday 30 March 2012

Bloggiesta- Starting Line

I saw Neer and Michelle participating in Bloggiesta hosted by Suey. I am joining them with others in this Blog Fiesta to do some work on my blog. I do most of my blogging from Blogger App on my IPod/IPad I would like work on my blog from my laptop so I can do more formatting and design stuff. Let's see! I am not sure if I would be able to do this. But below is a list I am planning to work on!

Connect my Blog feed with my Twitter account -which I did today following instructions by Katie
Connect my blog feed with my blog page in Facebook
Learn a few things from other Bloggers
Organise my posts.
Participate in some of the mini-challenges!
Update my Reading Challenges post!
Do a quarterly post on this years progress.

Friday Memes

This week I am posting from Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie.

Friday Book Beginnings is a weekly meme where we share the opening line of our current read. Book Beginnings has a new host and is hosted by the Rose City Reader.

Prologue
'Watch you don't slip.' Julia pushed back the wisps of dark hair that had snaked loose from her ponytail, her brow furrowed with anxious concern.

Chapter One
From the train window Duncan Kincaid could see the piles of debris in the back gardens and on the occasional common.

Friday 56 hosted @ Freda's Voice is a weekly Meme where we share an interesting snippet from page 56 of our current book.

Just after I'd fallen asleep I thought I heard the doorbell, but when I sat up and listened, the house was perfectly quiet.

Thursday 29 March 2012

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday is a fun weekly Meme hosted at Reading Between the Pages.

This weeks theme is ENDING - Last sentence from the last page of the book

This is from page 327 of Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie

With a sigh of contentment, he drifted once again into sleep.

Friday 23 March 2012

Friday Memes

This week I am posting from DeKok and Murder on Blood Mountain by A C Baantjer. You can find my review here.
Friday Book Beginnings is a weekly Meme previously hosted at A Few More Pages.. Now hosted by Rose City Reader.

An icy polar wind came down from an outcast sky and raced along the frozen Amstel River. It chased unopposed through the bare branches of the trees and bushes.

Friday 56 hosted @ Freda's Voice is a weekly Meme where we share an interesting snippet from page 56 of any book.

"You're here for spiritual guidance?"
It sounded like a joke.
DeKok shook his head.
"I'm afraid," he said sadly, "your spiritual guidance would be wasted on us. You see, we're children of Satan."

Thursday 22 March 2012

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday is a fun weekly Meme hosted at Reading Between the Pages.

This weeks theme is movement - First snippet from the book.

This is from page 3 of The Leopard by Jo Nesbo

She couldn't hear anything, but she could sense a presence. Like a leopard. Someone had told her leopards made so little noise they could sneak right up to their prey in the dark.

Tuesday 20 March 2012

DeKok and Murder on Blood Mountain by Baantjer

DeKok and Murder on Blood Mountain by A C Baantjer is the 23rd book featuring Inspector Dekok of Amsterdam. Inspector DeKok and his assistant Vledder attend the funeral of a Dutch Citizen who was murdered in Belgium at the request of Belgium police. Inspector DeKok spots a dead man attending this funeral. From there begins the story of those risen from dead. Reports of sightings of other people believed to be dead and buried reach DeKok's ears. All of those risen from dead were murdered in Antwerp, Belgium. So Inspector DeKok goes to Antwerp to investigate this case. Will DeKok with a Kay-oh-Kay solve the case of the rising dead?

This is a fun mystery book. I love wisecracking detectives. DeKok and Vledder get into their stride from the beginning. Under the lighter vein of the investigation is something sinister which is brought to light in the end. This a short quick read that got me completely engrossed. I am going to read more of Inspector DeKok with Kay-oh-Kay.

Here are some great thoughts on Death!

In the Netherlands, no person is officially deceased unless confirmed by a qualified medical practitioner.

"One can be honored posthumously, so it should be possible to punish posthumously."

"Sometimes death is a real relief, a liberation," he said slowly and absentmindedly. "And that does not always pertain to just the person dying."

This book is translated in English by H. G.Smittenaar. I borrowed it from my local library.

Criminal Plots II Challenge Complete

I completed the Criminal Plots II challenge hosted by Jen @ Jensbookthoughts.com

One book should be read that fits into each of the following categories.

1. Novel with a weapon in the title - The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill

2. Book published at least 10 years ago - : The Notting Hill Mystery by Charles Felix published in 1862

3. Book written by an author from the state/provinence/etc. where you live. The Retribution by Val McDermid

4. Book written by an author using a pen name -Amendment of Life by Catherine Aird(pseudonym of Kinn Hamilton McIntosh.)

5. Crime novel whose protagonist is the opposite gender of the author- The Vault by Ruth Rendell (Inspector Wexford)

6. A stand-alone novel written by an author who writes at least one series - Death Comes to Pemberley by P D James

Sunday 18 March 2012

What an Animal Reading Challenge V

I thought I am done joining challenges this year. But this is really tempting- What an Animal Reading Challenge V will begin on March 1, 2012 and end on February 28, 2013. The rules are really simple...

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:


a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

Here is my tentative list

The Leopard by Jo Nesbo
Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
Thorn Birds by Colleen Mccollough
Cat of many Tails by Ellery Queen
I am the Cat by Rosemary Kutak
Golden Scorpion by Sax Rohmer


Challenge Complete 20/8/2012

Here are the books I read

Yellow Snake by Edgar Wallace

Death Comes to Pemberley by P D James

Elizabeth and Darcy are married and happily settled in Pemberley with two sons in the nursery. It's time for the annual Lady Anne's Ball. Georgiana, Darcy's sister, has two eligible suitors for her hand. All's well with Darcys. Only Darcy has to call Wickham his brother, after all, he is married to Elizabeth's sister. The Wickhams are not received at the Pemberley. On the eve of Lady Anne's Ball, distraught Lydia Wickham comes uninvited into Pemberley screaming Wickham's murder.

I was looking forward to reading Death Comes to Pemberley. I love both Jane Austen and P D James. But I couldn't get drawn into the book. There were too many repetitions. I understand that this book is for Pride and Prejudice fans, so why the need to bring in things from Austen's book again and again.

The mystery itself is quite straight forward. There is no detection involved. Where is Elizabeth's humour and intelligence? Nobody asks the question, who killed Denny and why? Yes, it's Denny who is murdered not Wickham and that is not the mystery. The mystery is who killed Denny, if not Wickham? I was expecting until the end that something would spring up and there would be a nice twist. Nothing! I was disappointed.

I am happy that I borrowed this book from library and did not buy it as I originally intended.

Friday 16 March 2012

Friday Memes

This week I am posting from Water-Blue Eyes by Domingo Villar

Friday Book Beginnings is a weekly Meme hosted at A Few More Pages..

The line of lights on the coast, the glimmer of the city, the white spray where the waves broke....It made no difference that it was dark and the rain was lashing against the windows.

Friday 56 hosted @ Freda's Voice is a weekly Meme where we share an interesting snippet from page 56 of any book.

Caldas noticed the man trembled slightly as he spoke. He had read many years ago, in Camilo José Cela's The Hive, that a slight tremor of the lower lip was a giveaway of fear. He had often witnessed the accuracy of the Noble Prize-winning Galician writer's observation.

Water-Blue Eyes by Domingo Villar

Do you know anybody with Water-Blue Eyes? I don't. From what I understand from Domingo Villar's award winning crime novel, Water-Blue Eyes are not only rare but very attractive. Why would anyone cause such excruciating pain to somebody with those attractive water-blue eyes?

Luis Reigosa, jazz Saxophonist is found murdered in his bed with hands tied and mouth gagged. The method for murder is very cruel and novel. Inspector Leo Caldas and his subordinate Rafael Estevez investigate the murder. Inspector Caldas regularly participates on Patrol on Air in Radio and is quite a celebrity. Doors do open and it is easier to meet people when you are a celebrity, isn't it?

Estevez is gaint of a man and is on his punishment post in Vigo on the Galician coast in Spain, where the action takes place. Why wouldn't anybody answer Estevez's questions with a direct yes or no? Estevez is quick to anger and everybody helps him with his temper in Vigo. The Waiter episode is really funny.

I wasn't completely bowled over by the mystery but there is a nice twist in the end. As killing methods go this one is something I have never heard or read before. I am definitely reading more of Inspector Caldas's cases on the Galician coast.

I borrowed this book from my local library. This book is translated from Spanish into English by Martin Schifino.

P.S. Don't crime aficionado's read philosophy?

Thursday 15 March 2012

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday is a fun weekly Meme hosted at Reading Between the Pages.

This weeks theme is Food - First snippet from the book.

This is from page 2 of Death Comes to Pemberely by P D James

On Mr Bennet's death, Mr.Collins would install them in one of the larger cottages on the estate where they would receive spiritual comfort from his administrations and bodily sustenance from the leftovers from Mrs Collins's kitchen by the occasional gift of game or a side of bacon.

.

Mystery and Suspense Reading Challenge 2012


I signed up Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge at the Book Chick City. I signed up for 12 books, so far I have read 20 but reviewed only some. I hope to review all these books soon and update this post. Challenge complete but I will be reading more Mystery and Suspense.
1. Amendment of Life by Catherine Aird
2. The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill
3. The Burning Court by John Dickson Carr
4. The Black Tower by P D James
5. The Book of Crime by Elizabeth Daly
6. Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
7. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
8. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
9. The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell
10. The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey
11. The Notting Hill Mystery by Charles Felix
12. The Problem of the Wire Cage by John Dickson Carr
13. The Retribution by Val McDermid
14. The Sorceress of the Strand by L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace
15. Shroud of Darkness by E C R Lorac
16. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
17. V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
18. The Vault by Ruth Rendell
19. Water-Blue Eyes by Domingo Villar
20. Death Comes to Pemberely by P. D. James



Friday 9 March 2012

Friday Memes

This week I am posting from Markus Zusak's The Book Thief.

Friday Book Beginnings is a weekly Meme hosted at A Few More Pages..

Prologue
Death and Chocolate

First the colours.
Then the humans.
That's usually how I see things.
Or at least, how I try.

Begining

Beside the Railway Line
First up is something white. Of the blinding kind.

Friday 56 hosted @ Freda's Voice is a weekly Meme where we share an interesting snippet from page 56 of any book.

'I can't even see the finish line,' Liesel complained.

Thursday 8 March 2012

The Retribution by Val McDermid

Jacko Vance, the serial-killer, the murderer of teenage girls has escaped from Prison. He is all out for revenge from all those who had put him behind the bars- for the lost time. Dr. Tony Hill, the psychological profiler, Carol Jardon, MTI team's boss and all others responsible for his loss of freedom are on his list. How is he going to take his revenge? Who is he going to kill first? How will retribution be met? The hunters have become hunted here.

The MTI team is also on look out for a serial killer who is killing sex workers. Every time a new method and a different kind of victim.

Will Jordan, Hill and their team stop the serial killer? Will Hill deliver? What will Vance do next? Who is he going to attack and how? Will Hill predict Vance's move? Will Jordan and Hill make any progress in their complex relationship?

I couldn't guess Vance move. A gripping page turner. I love it. I have read most of McDermid's books and love them, especially those featuring Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. This is McDermid's 25th book and 7th book featuring the duo.

I borrowed this book from my local library.

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday is a fun weekly Meme hosted at Reading Between the Pages.

This weeks theme is BIRTHDATE - First snippet from the page that is your birthdate.

This is from page 26 of The Retribution by Val McDermid

Against all odds, years of apparently model behaviour had earned Vance a place in the Therapeutic Community Wing at HMP Oakworth in the depths of the Worcestershire countryside.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Inspector Alan Grant is bed-borne as he had fallen through a trap-door. He is affected by the 'prickles of boredom'. He is not interested in any of the romances or mysteries his various well-wishers had brought for him to read. How long could one stare at the ceiling and find patterns? He had to do something to keep his mind occupied. Marta Hallard, Grant's actress friend, sends him some pictures to see, as he is interested in faces. One of the faces catches his fancy- that of Richard III.

Do you remember anything about Richard III? I don't. Only British Kings who caught my fancy are the Tudors especially Henry VIII with his five wives. So coming to Richard III, Grant shows the picture to many and asks their opinion on the face and then asks them about Richard III. While all the reports on the face are positive, the reports on Richard III are negative. Wasn't he the one who killed his innocent nephews? Grant with the help of a 'looker-upper' starts his investigation into the death of the boys, the Princes in the Tower.

Did Richard III kill his nephews? What happened to the boys? Who killed them and why?

It wasn't an easy read. It was confusing. Especially with the War of Roses background. Who is the brother of whom? Who had claim to the throne? I had to do a quick wikipedia reference. But that wasn't much help. I thought I would take it easy, read it some more to see if it made any sense. Or else read it some other time after some history reading. Taking it easy seemed to work. Then it kind of flew. Grant sums it up nicely.

I liked Tonypandy. The book is worth reading just to know about Tonypandy. I liked Sainted More too! I liked the ending! What do you need in a book, a satisfactory ending, what else?

This book counts towards various challenges. I picked it up for Getting lost in a Comfortable Book challenge. It counts as the Classic Mystery for the Back to Classics Challenge and Historical Whodunit for the Merely Mystery Reading Challenge. I borrowed the book from my local library.

Sunday 4 March 2012

Shroud of Darkness by E C R Lorac

Did you notice Lorac is an anagram of Carol and it is actually written backwards? This is the first Lorac book I read. This book features Chief Inspector John Macdonald and Reeves.

A boy is found brutally attacked under a trolley in Paddington station on a foggy night. He had travelled to Paddington on a train from Plymouth. His fellow passengers include a psychiatrist secretary, a writing lady, a decent man and a man who looks like a race tout. The psychiatrist secretary, Sarah Dillon comes forward after seeing an ad in newspaper about the boy. Being an observant girl, she notices that the fog troubled the boy. Who is he? Who tried to kill him and why? Why was he troubled? With the information she provided Macdonald traces the boy's identity. The boy had lost his memory as a child in Plymouth Blitz. Some of his memory is coming back to him parts. Did he recognise somebody in the train? Was he attacked to keep the identity secret? There were too many angles from personal gain, racing to espionage. An interesting read. Definitely worth a read for mystery lovers.

I found this great book in Openlibrary, a great site where you can borrow Ebooks for two weeks on your IPod/PC and it is free. There are some nice books here that are not available in my local library or book shop.

Friday 2 March 2012

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz is the first new Holmes novel endorsed by the Conan Doyle Estate. A Sherlock Holmes case hidden in Watson's vault for a century is brought to light in this book. Edmund Carstairs an art dealer approaches Holmes about a man in a 'flat cap' who is watching him. He also narrates an adventure in America while delivering a painting and 'flat cap' gang's association with the trip. There is a break-in at his house and a special piece of jewellery is stolen.

Holmes employs Baker Street 'Irregulars' -street boys- to track the flat cap man with fatal consequences to Ross, one of the boys. Filled with remorse Holmes takes on the case to solve the murder of Ross. What starts as the case of the flat cap man turns into the quest for 'the House of Silk'. Who is the Flat cap man? Why is he watching Carstairs' home? Who killed Ross and why? What is the House of Silk? What is so sinister about this house that Holmes is warned not to get involved in this?

It is a great thriller. I didn't see any of it coming. There were many twists and turns. It is a great read.

Holmes is more human and less observant in this book but he is the world's greatest detective. I would definitely love to read other books by Horowitz, Holmes or otherwise.

I borrowed this book from my local library and this counts towards various challenge.

Friday Memes

This week I am posting from Val McDermid's The Retribution, my next read.

Friday Book Beginnings is a weekly Meme hosted at A Few More Pages..

Escapology was like magic. The secret lay in misdirection.

Friday 56 hosted @ Freda's Voice is a weekly Meme where we share an interesting snippet from page 56 of any book.

Tony opened and closed his mouth a couple of tines, reaching for right words and failing to find them.

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

V is for Vengeance is the 22nd book featuring Kinsey Millhone, 38 year-old, twice-divorced, childless and yes female, Santa Teresa Private Investigator. I made the mistake of thinking Kinsey was male in A is for Alibi. I didn't realise that Kinsey was female for more than half of the book as I misread the word bachelorette in the first page as bachelor. In this book Kinsey introducing herself promptly points out that she is female in case you didn't know.

Kinsey goes for lingerie shopping in this installment and finds a respectable looking woman shoplifting. Not one to turn a blind eye and one who has a strong opinion on the evils of shoplifting on economy, Kinsey reports the woman to store security, setting into motion a chain of actions. The woman, Audrey Vance is found dead. Did she commit suicide or was she killed? Audrey's fiancé asks Kinsey to investigate. Isn't fortunate that Kinsey gets to investigate this case and gets paid too?

Sue Grafton takes us into the world of organized retail theft. Like in U is for Undertow, Grafton uses the usual Kinsey first person narrative and the new third person narrative giving glimpses into other key players namely Dante, gangster(?) and Nora in the story.

Kinsey describes herself in all her books, but how do others look at Kinsey. We get Dante's perspective of Kinsey. Like a girl. That is a new one.

There are her usual characters Henry Pitts, Rosie, William Pitts but they make a brief show. Though this is the 22nd book, you can read it as a standalone like all the books in the alphabet series. I haven't read the books in order. Just picked books that were available in the library or bookshop. I think I have read all, but I may have missed one. I enjoyed everyone of them except A is for Alibi. Now I know what Grand Theft is. So when is 'W is for' coming out? Make it faster Ms.Grafton. I am dying to read it.
I borrowed this book from my local library.

Thursday 1 March 2012

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday is a fun weekly Meme hosted at Reading Between the Pages.

This week's theme is Name-The First name you come across while reading.
My snippet is from the opening line of The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey.

Grant lay on his high white cot and stared at the ceiling. Stared at it with loathing.