6. The League of Frightened Men - Rex Stout

Second in the Nero Wolfe series, takes on a group of men who are responsible for a horrible accident to one of their number. They are certain he is killing them off.

Some of the story was interesting, but I found the morality of the time a bit wearing. I expected the attitudes toward women, so that wasn’t a surprise, but the continual use of ‘cripple’ to describe the main suspect I found annoying and troublesome.

Archie can be amusing but also annoying in his attitudes as well. Nero is a bit less so, which I found surprising.

5. The Pure in Heart - Susan Hill

Second in Hill’s Simon Serailler series, is just as deep and complex as her first. Simon, on vacation in Italy, is called home to the bedside of his sister. In her 20s she has the mind of a baby, and has been ill and in a home all her life, but Si cares deeply for her and rushes home when it looks as if she’ll succumb to this latest illness.

He arrives home just as a 9 year old boy has gone missing.

As with the first mystery, Si and his family figure prominently and at times the mystery of the boy takes second place to the mystery of Si himself, and his complex and multifaceted family and their friends. We delve into what it means to love, how we love, how we view the world and how we learn to deal with the tragedies and horrors it holds for us.

4. Dark Star- Alan Furst

Second in Furst’s Night Soldier series follows a Soviet Jew newspaper man through the rise of Hitler, and the beginning of WWII. At first a spy for the Russians based in Germany when war begins his world is turned inside out and he flees through Europe.

I love how Furst shows what little control people in those circumstances have over their lives. At the mercy of powerful elements shoving them and forcing them this way and that.

A terrific series with insights into the mood, realpoliti0 and underside of the run up to war.

3. God Save the Child - Robert B. Parker

The second installment in Parker’s Spenser series, takes place in the 70s. Dated in some ways, intriguing in others. A bit sexist but comparatively speaking, for the time, not too bad really.  More dated is the morality of the time, but true, I think, as I remember the days.

Spenser is hired to find a missing 15 year old boy. At first it seems like he’s run off, but a few days later, a ransom note arrives. And then things get more bizarre from there.

Interesting twists and turns, and Spenser’s smart arse commentary and retorts amuse.

2. Return of the Crimson Guard–Ian C. Esslemont

Back to the world of the Malazan Empire with this book from Esslemont. Epic fantasy at its most epic, with world size wars, fought by tough men and women who appreciate the miseries and the horrors of their craft.

Not for the faint of heart, grim complex storyline and plot, lots of intrigue, backbiting, betrayal and the occasional honorable person who makes it all come together.  But don’t be so sure the good will survive.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - J.K. Rowling

 

  

  Since LT folks are doing an HP yearly read, I thought I’d join in. I tried the audio on this re-read and at least found it interesting enough to listen to the whole thing. When I read this, not long after it came out, I found it boring and boorish on several levels.  Can you tell I’m not enamored of kidlit?

Since I can get more audios from the library, I’ll probably continue the series, hoping the follow on books are better.

Currently Reading:

 

Starting the new year with a 700 page book, and one I have to visit the Re-Read of the Fallen at Tor.com after every chapter might not have been my brightest move, LOL

Still, nearly done with Harry Potter, which is… meh. More enjoyable in the audio than it ever was written. MAYBE I’ll listen to more of it.

Yes, yes, I hear you, all you HP maniacs. I know.  I’m just not all that enamored of kidlit.