Gone

Mo Hayder


I read an average of two books a week, not all of them are great.
Gone by Mo Hayder is the kind of book that is difficult to put down.
The story pulled me in and kept me reading well past bedtime.
I'd love to see this book turned into a movie.

Skin

Mo Hayder


Years ago, I started to avoid books with violent scenes.
Certain authors include them more than others, and I stopped reading them.
I read to distract me from my daily routine and to escape for a short while, not for getting nightmares.

Reading a negative review about a certain author made me curious enough to read a preview chapter on her latest book.
I am now reading a fourth book by Mo Hayder, Skin .
She doesn't pull the punches.
At the end of the previous book, Ritual, the author shares her reasons for creating DI Jack Caffery and police diver Flea Marley. She also introduces us to The Walking Man, an interesting character with a violent past. She puts into words the thoughts you might have in the same situation and hopefully never act on them.

The Likeness

Tara French


Tara French lets her main character tell you the story.
In The Likeness , the story is told by Cassie Maddox, a secondary character in the previous book, In the Woods .
The stories are connected without being too similar, clever.

The story starts with a good hook and keeps you reading.
I enjoyed the book and will read more.

The Absent One

Jussi Adler-Olsen 

I just finished reading an English translation of The Absent One by Danish author, Jussi Adler-Olsen. In other parts of the world, the book is sold under the title, The Pheasant Killers.

 In the second book of the Department Q series, Detective Carl Morck is presented with a case closed 20 years before. He becomes intrigued when his superiors order him to drop the case. 

 I like the imperfections of the main character and his peculiar assistant, Assad. Some of the scenes are very violent, and I skipped a few pages. Still, the story is carefully thought out with no unneeded parts.

In the Woods

Tana French

This morning, I finished reading Tana French first book In the Woods .

The story is set in the suburb of Dublin and is told in the voice of the main character, Rob Ryan.

The genre is police procedural and psychological thriller.

The author's style is top notch and no doubt will gain more reading fans with each book.

Geraniums and Pelargoniums

Alibris Books

 I thought you might like to know that Geraniums and Pelargoniums by John Feltwell is currently available from Alibris Books.
You can order new or used version.
I got mine years ago from Lee Valley Tools.

I refer to this book often when I research a new addition to my collection.
The book is loaded with great photos.

Country Flowers

Antique Flowers Series

 My inspiration for photography and gardening comes from different sources.
My fascination with photography began at the age of eight.
Gardening came later, when I had my own home.

Now I have a library filled with books on both subjects.
There are also the stacks of magazines I can't part with.
One of my most cherished books is
Country Flowers: Wild Classics for the Contemporary Garden by Rob Proctor .
Published in 1991 and my copy is a first edition.

In this book, we learn the history, lore and folk usage of indigenous flowers and naturalized garden escapees.
The Garden Photography is by Rob Gray who contributed to several other books.
The flowers are presented in garden settings and indoor arrangements.
The combination makes this book a work of art.

When Will There Be Good News?

Kate Atkinson

 I was pleased to find that author, Kate Atkinson, did not create the intriguing and complex character of Louise Monroe for just one book.

Back in the third of the series, When Will There Be Good News?
Louise Monroe is now a DCI with problems of her own.

In this book, Jackson Brodie is more of a secondary character but still very important.
The resolution of one of the cases is unusual and justified.
The story ends with Jackson Brodie entering a new mystery.
A great read!

The Herb Quarterly

Printed Magazine

Not all garden magazines would benefit from a digital edition.
The Herb Quarterly would lose what makes it so special.
Printed on mat paper and decorated with drawings instead of photos, gives it an old-fashioned look and feel.
I cherish my old issues and consider them artistic.

The English Garden Magazine

Digital edition

Yesterday, I made a wonderful discovery.
We can now subscribe to The English Garden magazine digital online edition.
Slipcovers and extra bookshelves are not longer needed.
The best part is that the images are as breathtaking as the print edition.
The menu lets you add bookmarks, view in single or double page mode.
You can also zoom in for a closer look.
But don't take my word for it, follow the link to see the sample issue, and you'll be charmed too.  

Update: Well, I've just had a look at my new digital subscription issue (no waiting).
The gardens featured in this magazine are all fantastic.
Oddly, it feels like home.

One Good Turn

Kate Atkinson

 I've just finished reading One Good Turn, the second book by Kate Atkinson featuring Jackson Brodie.
This time around, the story is set in Edinburgh.
Our hero makes connections that keep his visit far from typical.
The characters' inner thoughts and reactions are both intriguing and sometimes amusing.
The author does a great job of making the story believable.

Case Histories

Kate Atkinson

The Case Histories characters are so engaging; BBC turned it into a television series.
I'm already reading the second, One Good Turn .
Jackson Brodie is a likeable, good-hearted grouch.
Kate Atkinson injects just enough humour in the stories to keep you hooked.
The cases are believable, and the clients are the type of people you can understand.
The story is a good, well crafted murder mystery that won't give you nightmares.

The Crow Trap

Vera Stanhope Mystery
 
I'm just about finished reading the first Ann Cleeves book featuring DI Vera Stanhope.
I can understand why it was turned into a TV series in the UK.

The Crow Trap is a clever psychological suspense story.
Set in Northern England it includes plenty of characters (mostly females) but remains easy to follow.

Too bad Amazon Instant Video is not available to Canadians.
They rent each episode for about the price of a paperback.

Next I intend to check out Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.

Read about the BBC series: Case Histories starring Jason Isaacs.

The Cruellest Month

By Louise Penny

 In between chapters of The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby, I'm reading The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny.
There is something comfortable about Three Pines even though they have more murders per capita than any major city.
I can almost imagine visiting the old Hadley house.
Or enjoying lunch at The Bistro, talking about books with Myrna.
The best, of course, would be watching Chief Inspector Gamache unravel the mystery.

Next, I plan to read my first Ann Cleaves, The Crow Trap .

A Room Full of Bones

Ruth Galloway Mysteries

Last week-end I finished The House at Sea's End,
the third Ruth Galloway Mystery.
Now I am looking forward to the fourth, A Room Full of Bones ,
to be released on February 14.
I wonder how long it will take for the books to be turned into a movie or television series.

 

The House at Sea's End

Ruth Galloway Mystery

 I'm just about finish reading The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths.
This is the third Ruth Galloway Mystery.

It's odd how reading a book set in a country I've never visited is so comforting.
With the addition of the few photos on the author's site, it's easy to image the scenes.
With Google maps we can even get a street side view of nearby towns.

So it is next to impossible not to get lost in the story.

Inspector Armand Gamache Mysteries

Author: Louise Penny

 I am now reading the second Chief Inspector Armand Gamache mystery.
The stories are set in fictional Three Pines, Quebec by Canadian author, Louise Penny.
It took about a chapter to readjust to North American English interspersed with Quebec, French.

I enjoyed this mix with the Kathy Reichs  books.
Again, I selected the Canadian, UK version.

The first book, Still Life earned the author several awards.
No doubt she will win many more.

Now reading Dead Cold

Book Reviews

About Bad Reviews

Every day, I visit the Amazon website searching for more books and read reviews.
This morning I was surprised by the negative reviews for The Hypnotist
by the writing couple, Lars Kepler of Sweden.
I consider this book one of the best I've read last year.
I wonder if maybe they read the wrong edition.

I'm fluent in both French and English and once as an experiment, I read a short story by Stephen King translated into French.
I hated it.
Anyone familiar with his work can tell you that Mr. King has a very distinctive author's voice.
This was lost in the translation.

Another thing I noticed, if given a choice, when I read a translation, I will choose the UK edition.
The Hypnotist is offered in five to accommodate their reading audience .
If you prefer American English and read the UK version, chances are, you will not be able to enjoy the book, no matter how good the original version is.

Amazon lets you read a preview chapter: this is a great way to get the feel of the story.
This is my prefered method of selecting my next read.

Ruth Galloway Mysteries

Forensic Archeology

I've nearly finished reading the second Ruth Galloway Mystery, The Janus Stone
by Elly Griffiths.
Dr Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist in Norwich county in the East of England.
I intend to read the whole series, in order they were published.
On the author's web page, we can learn more about Norfolk, archaeology and book tours.
I'm enjoying the books and do recommend them.

Next book will be Still Life by Canadian author, Louise Penny

Creative Edge

Digital Library

Creative Edge is another example of digital reading.
I made good use of this service when I designed my own site.
A monthly fee gives you access to a huge selection of books on photography, web design, illustration, graphics and more.
From the main page, you can view book and video samples.
There is a lot to discover on Creative Edge.