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andrew61

andrew61

Joined January 2017

I'm on GR at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11281092 and welcome litsy friends
review
andrew61
The Lingering | SJI Holliday
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A book that had been sat on my shelf for a while but was an enjoyable horror/crime story. Certainly lots of cliche horror tropes, spooky old asylum, couple with secrets joining a cultish group in said horror house, and lots of creaking floorboards/cold rooms and hands round neck when in the bath. Bit of a daft ending but generally good fun.

LeahBergen Well, it certainly looks like you have a tasty reading setup there! And I see a green Virago peeking out… 😊 2d
andrew61 @LeahBergen, yes, I'm mid general strike with the final part of the Storm jameson trilogy. The cover will be revealed soon. Nice spot, leah. 2d
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andrew61
Strange Loyalties | William McIlvanney
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I read a lot of crime novels, + it is rare to read a genre bk in which the themes + quality of writing stand out, but this 3rd in the Laidlaw series was remarkable. Several scenes stood out, including laidlaw holding the hand of the dying mother of a criminal because she reflects a generation of Glasgow women. The story is about the death of the detective's brother + is fused with reflections on family and the fragility of life. Definitely 5*

Leftcoastzen Yummm Guinness! 1w
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andrew61
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Lucrezia, 3rd daughter of Cosimo Medici, is a wonderful character, married at 15 to the 'janus' Duke of ferrara she is vibrant child full of life. It is the knowledge that this is a tale built around her fate that she will killed by her husband that creates the emotional impact of this wonderful book. When i rd her encounter with a tiger, I was hooked with the story + prose style. The ending is sad but offers an idea of what might have been

sarahbarnes Agreed. Great review of a great book. 2w
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andrew61
All That Lives | James Oswald
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#20in4 #fabulousfebruary I finished 2 books in this weekly challenge + both crime series. This is 12th in insp maclean, the cyclist 2nd in DI George Cross. Maclean as usual in Edinburgh battles supernatural elements in the discovery of bodies old + new, Cross a autistic detective in Bristol brings his uniqskills to unravelling the death of a man found in his cycling gears. Both well plotted and gd reads. Mid The marriage portrait at mo. @Andrew65

Cathythoughts Marmite 😁 2w
andrew61 @Cathythoughts, yes, a definite treat on toast Cathy. 2w
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andrew61
Heat Wave: A Novel | Penelope Lively
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Another great story from Penelope Lively as she describes the relationship between Pauline and her adult daughter Teresa. During a hot summer in Pauline's countryside cottage, Teresa, her author husband, and yng baby are a family on edge, but Pauline's memory of her own husbands infidelity years before mirror the current situation. Family tension is evoked with great skill by an author whose work I always enjoy.

BarbaraBB A good read indeed! 3w
Reggie I love this one. I love how Luke seems like this bumbling butterfly while all the adults in his life are in this drama. 3w
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andrew61
Slough House | Mick Herron
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I finished the 7th of the slow horses series earlier this week, the praise heaped on this modern take on spy novel is well deserved. Jackson Lamb is a brilliant creation, and his devotion to his 'joes', a group of rejects from mi5, is contrasted with his appalling abuse of them in all his grossness. Here, the assassination of a Russian spy after the Salisbury novichok killings leads to direct risk to Slough House. Still not seen the TV show.

Traci1 I've only read a couple of these but really liked them. 4w
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andrew61
Lightseekers | Femi Kayode
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I heard an i/v with the author who described the true story of the brutal murder of 3 University students in a Nigerian Town as the source for thus novel. Psychologist Philip, who has recently returned from the US is asked by the father of one boy to investigate. Philip + his assistant are viewed with suspicion + he is quickly at risk while his marriage is also under strain. An interesting twist on the crime novel, well worth trying.

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andrew61
Still Missing | Beth Gutcheon
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What a very tense read which evoked both the troubling politics of the late 70s (homophobia) but also the trauma of a child's disappearance. Poor Susan is surrounded by a host of troubling friends + relatives esp ex h Graham. A v dramatic end had me on tenterhooks
#persephoneclub @LeahBergen @Cathythoughts @Aimeesue @CarolynM @jlhammar @Tamra @rubyslippersreads @sisilia @Ruthiella @Gissy @elkeOriginal @daena @Karons1 @julieclair @willaful @Caryl

jlhammar So tense! And same for me with that ending. Great review! 1mo
Aimeesue Troubling friends is right! Sheesh. 1mo
Tamra I was surprised at the homophobia, but I shouldn‘t have been. 1mo
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willaful @Tamra I know just what you mean. 1mo
LeahBergen @Tamra @willaful @andrew61 I was really worried there for a bit and thought, “Oh no! Is the author going to make the only gay character a pedophile???” 😬 1mo
Cathythoughts Yes , A very tense read ! So true to the time. I thought the story was written so well. 1mo
willaful @LeahBergen Yes. And I really want to know what happened to him! 1mo
Caryl The homophobia was disturbing. I hated that turn of events. Gutcheon did swerve to show things from another angle so that the homophobia was clear, and so I was somewhat relieved, but I still wish she had plotted that part differently. 1mo
CarolynM Great review, it was a very tense read for me too. As to the homophobia, in cases like this one I think it‘s still all too real - stuff Auberon Levy (the lawyer) said about why he wouldn‘t get involved is still there in people‘s minds today☹️ 1mo
andrew61 @willaful @jlhammar @Caryl @Cathythoughts @Tamra @Aimeesue Definitely a book to spark a lot of discussion. I liked Menetti + his interactions with his wife and Susan. It felt like every person susan was close to, he wd disclose something unsavoury about. The encounter that led to Phillipe's arrest was brutally described, + I'm relieved she did not take the bk in that direction also leah. Will be interested in yr thoughts Cathy on her other bks. 4w
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andrew61
Beside the Syrian Sea | James Wolff
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When jonas's (an office based mi6 worker) father is kidnapped by isis, against all rules he travels to Syria with stolen papers to try + deal for his dad's release. A very enjoyable take on the spy story as British, American services hunt him, and hezbollah wants his Intel. This book had a lot of hype on crimetime fm podcast + from other recommendations, and it didn't disappoint.

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andrew61
Crow Lake: A Novel | Mary Lawson
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Our rdg grp this week will discuss this excellent family story perfectly expressing how changes in lifes paths are perceived differently by others. So when a family of 4 children are suddenly orphaned in a small North Canadian town it is left to the two older brs to bring up their yngr sisters. As an adult Kate struggles with Matt's choices + a family event where she reluctantly introduces her partner makes for drama. Loved this my 2nd by ML

jlhammar Loved it too! One of my favorite reads last year. 1mo
sherrisilvera Favorite author. I've read 3 and she never disappoints! 1mo
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andrew61
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The first 70 odd pages are very slow going but once into the narrative about how yng actress Charlie is recruited into an undercover plot to catch the head of a pro Palestinian bombing cell the storytelling starts to improve. It's not my favourite Le Carre but an interesting shift away from the Cold War storytelling + particularly pertinent as the Middle East is the centre of the news every day. Looking forward now to watching the BBC series

CarolynM I read this a long time ago and really liked it. I was a Rock Follies fan and was intrigued by Charlie being inspired by his sister, Charlotte Cornwall. 1mo
andrew61 @CarolynM I didn't know that Carolyn, a great bit of info. I haven't seen the TV version yet but had florence pugh in my mind . 1mo
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andrew61
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A tough but remarkable read as the author plots the breakdown of a young woman, a teacher, who following an unexpected death has to confront her grief as well as past trauma. The writing in the 1st person is gut wrenching as she spirals into such low mood that she ends up in psychiatric units. Having just read her 2 brilliant memoirs, + listened to the author on podcasts I am not surprised by the brilliant writing.

LeahBergen That‘s an intriguing blurb on the cover, too! 2mo
andrew61 @LeahBergen yes definitely aiming high . 2mo
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andrew61
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Ahead of seeing the film I read this astonishingly imaginative novel which creates a fantastic narrative of a woman rescued from the dead whose unborn child's brain is transplanted into the adult body.The subsequent tale is bawdy + funny but with a twist at the end as Bella's own afterword turn the readers beliefs on its head. The novel is far better.The film, however, is visually + musically stunning and Emma Stone is brilliant.Next step Lanark.

LeahBergen I love this photo! 2mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 😍 2mo
Centique The film was so good and i didnt realise it was based on a book! Adding to the TBR 👍 1mo
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blurb
andrew61
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Looking at the past posts, I can see that I proudly said 7 yrs ago that I'd picked it up on a charity stall + planned to read it soon! Anyway I plan to have a cinema trip on Saturday to see the film so I started the book last night and was chuckling away today as I had my lunch at work. So far, but only 100 pages in, a) I can't see how the film can top the book, and b) im annoyed that i didn't read it sooner.
Still will make for a fun comparison

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andrew61
All Change | Elizabeth Jane Howard
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Sad to say goodbye to the cazalets after this final 5th volume which ended on a magnificent finale as Elizabeth Jane Howard describes, in one of the best depictions I've read of a family Christmas, the last gathering at Home Place. Births, deaths, and marriages, this has been a wonderful reading experience, and we are left in 1958 wondering what happened to those gloriously drawn characters, particularly the new generation of children.

Tamra I keep meaning to start this series! 2mo
andrew61 @Tamra I'd definitely recommend it. It was a bit daunting at first thinking it stretched to 5 volumes but once you get to know the characters it is very readable. That being said I read book 1 in 2020 so it has still taken a while. 2mo
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andrew61
Himself: A Novel | Jess Kidd
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In 1976 Dublin Mahoney receives a note from the convent where he had grown up saying that the mystery of his birth was to be found in a small Mayo village. His return to villages raises ghosts both metaphorically but also in a supernatural aspect to this novel. I really enjoyed this book, which skilfully combined mystery, great characters, and the feeling of a haunted life and history.

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andrew61
All Made Up | Janice Galloway
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The 2nd of janice galloway's 'memoirs' takes her from childhood into adolescence with puberty, higher school, music, books,+ boys taking centre stage in a brilliant evocation of the turmoil of those years. The centre remains though at the home she shares with her mother + the terrifying sister Cora who is 17 years older. The ending had several moving scenes + I then listened to an lrb i/v which made for an interesting listen. Memorable writing 5*

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andrew61
Charlotte: A Novel | David Foekinos
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I feel ashamed not to have heard of the artist Charlotte Saloman who died in Auschwitz in 1943 after leaving a series of artworks 'Life? or Theatre?' Created while living in France. This poetry/prose style narrative explores the writers obsession with a story that of Charlotte's unique history where depression dogs the female side, but a woman enlivened by passion and art. I felt incredibly sad on finishing but equally astonished. Very moving

TrishB This sounds fascinating. 2mo
andrew61 @TrishB I'd never heard of it until it was mentioned on a podcast. I'd definitely recommend it Trish. 2mo
TrishB You already convinced me 👍🏻 I ordered a copy after reading your review. It‘s a nearly new one. 2mo
andrew61 Great, hope it lives up to my hype. I ordered one of ebay and when it arrived it was in French and I then found it in the library. My French is very rusty o level grade c so maybe it's time I gave it a go to help learn a language!! 2mo
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andrew61
Awakening | Kate Chopin
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At our rdg grp meeting this wk we discussed this classic American novel which was scandalous at the time as it tells the story of a married woman who toys with infidelity. It is an interesting portrait of new Orleans society where Edna's friendship with yng single men is not explicitly frowned upon but as she becomes more independent of her husband the restraints imposed on her ability to love have a dire consequence. Appropriately a classic

CoffeeNBooks This is one of my absolute favorite books of all time, and I've read it several times over the years. 2mo
LeahBergen I thought this was wonderful! 2mo
andrew61 @CoffeeNBooks @LeahBergen I'm surprised how long it has taken me to read and it definitely deserves a reread as it was beautifully written and I would like to try her short stories. 2mo
The_Penniless_Author Her short stories are excellent. The Storm was compulsory reading in most high school English Lit classes for years (and maybe still is, for all I know). 2mo
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andrew61
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Set in a 12 month period before 9/11 this is the story of an entitled attractive young woman who has suffered 2 bereavements of parents + is struggling in her day to day life including her job in a v exclusive art gallery. She goes into an isolation fuelled by prescription drugs, caffeine, + video watching. A biting satire of New york Society and addiction to drugs this was both an unpleasant but compulsive read + I am still thinking abt it.

batsy "Unpleasant but compulsive" sums it up pretty accurately! 2mo
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andrew61
Dead Flowers | Nicola Monaghan
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The last read of 2023 was this new to me writer and start of a series about DNA scientist (former police officer) sian love, who inherits a Nottingham pub from her uncle. When she makes an unpleasant discovery in the cellar, all is set for a well plotted story in which family secrets emerge, and she finds herself in conflict with the police and local gangsters. I am looking forward to trying more by this author.

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andrew61
The Last Chairlift | John Irving
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A xmas chunkster from my favourite author + if this were his last novel it would represent many of the themes that have dominated john irving's past work. He expresses lgbtq voices in his work with warmth,+covers the US experience over his character, Adams 80 yrs incl Vietnam, Reagan/Aids, + trump. The bk feels very personal with a focus on child/single mother relationship. Loved it but at 890p a single read only. Happy reading in 2024 everyone

Ruthiella Happy New Year to you! 🥳 I really want to get back to reading Irving. 3mo
LeahBergen It feels like I haven‘t read an Irving for years. Happy New Year, Andrew! 3mo
andrew61 @LeahBergen @Ruthiella And to you both . Have a great 2024. 3mo
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andrew61
Harriet | Elizabeth Jenkins
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#PersephoneClub Rdg the afterword + searching it was shocking to realise that this dreadful story of the cruel destruction of an individual for profit was based on a true tale. Told with an excellent touch the prose rattles along with villainous brothers Patrick + Lewis conspiring to isolate Harriet. Great storytelling
@rubyslippersreads @CarolynM @Tamra @LeahBergen @quietjenn @elkeOriginal @Aimeesue @Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB @jlhammar @Gissy

Tamra It truly is dreadful. 😕 3mo
BarbaraBB Great review. Such a dreadful story. Poor Harriet 3mo
jlhammar I agree, brilliant storytelling. This sent me searching as well. So terrible. 3mo
LeahBergen Great review! It was written in such a compelling way that I could hardly put it down. 3mo
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andrew61
Dead Ground | M. W. Craven
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This is becoming a favourite series, and in book 4, poe is dragged from the court case about his house to assist Mi5 in an investigation set around a world leader summit in Cumbria. As poe and Tilly Bradshaw are drawn into a Web of intrigue, the mystery goes into events in Iraq 20 years earlier. This was my weekend reading and a definite page turner.

Tamra Nothing better than a page turner! 3mo
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andrew61
Blood Spilt | Asa Larsson
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I've only just discovered this series about Swedish lawyer Rebekka Martinsson who in bk 2 I recovering from the trauma inbthe 1st volume so edge's back into work by going to help sort out a church's financial issues. Inevitably, she gets drawn into a dark tale in which police officer Anna Maria returns. This is a well told story with a character I am enjoying, so I'm looking forward to book 3.

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andrew61
This Is Not About Me | Janice Galloway
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This memoir of the author's ayrshire life growing up with her older mother + adult sister Cora, who resents her young sibling, sounds like a misery memoir but is, in fact, a humorous + poignant piece of writing that is compelling + draws the reader into her life. This is a bk for my irl group this week, and I think it will be a great discussion about violent sibling rivalry and parental strife. I am already looking forward to the next volume.

Ruthiella I heard good things about this on the Backlisted podcast. 👍 3mo
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andrew61
Wakenhyrst | Michelle Paver
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Set in the Suffolk fens this gothic tale of the difficult relationship between maud and her troubling father. The bk opens in the 1960's when an older Maud has to confront the publicity of an act of violence yrs before in the rambling home she now maintains. We then revisit her as a child with Father Edmund, who becomes obsessed with a 16c local mystic + a diabolic wall painting unearthed nearby. Folkloric + well told I was suitably unsettled

LeahBergen I liked this one, too. 3mo
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andrew61
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@LeahBergen #persephoneclub
Here are my choices. I'm going for some American books but if they have been chosen b4 please let me know. Dorothy Hughes for a noir author I am keen to try, and Judith rosner as I tried Mr goodbar last year but persephone say this historical novel is her best work.
 @rubyslippersreads @Cathythoughts @quietjenn @CarolynM @elkeOriginal @Aimeesue @jlhammar @Gissy

LeahBergen Great choices, Andrew! I‘ve already read The Expendable Man (so good!) so I‘ll vote for 3mo
elkeOriginal Ooo - I like the sound of 3mo
quietjenn I've been meaning to read Hughes, so my choice is 3mo
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Aimeesue Like @LeahBergen I‘ve read The Expendable Man, so I‘m voting for 3mo
jlhammar I‘m very happy with either one, but the Rossner was one I was thinking about nominating myself so my vote goes to 3mo
elkeOriginal Damn these are tight races! No pressure, @rubyslippersreads - just a tie-breaker…😉 3mo
LeahBergen @elkeOriginal Right?? 😆 3mo
LeahBergen @elkeOriginal I‘m leaving some of these closer votes open for a day or two more in the hopes that @Gissy comes to cast her vote soon! 😆 3mo
rubyslippersreads I‘m fascinated by mill worker stories, so I‘ll pick 3mo
LeahBergen I‘ll go ahead and close the voting now. In another tight 4-3 race, Emmeline comes out the winner! 3mo
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andrew61
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The reminded me of 'Discomfort of evening' in its depiction of an unsettling narrator within an uncomfortable environment. It is a disconcerting read as we find ourselves possibly considering uncertain sibling abuse as well local folkloric belief in witchraft. The theme of the living with the sins of the holocaust also is implicit. A challenging read + I put it down, scratching my head but wanting to pick up again.

Tamra I‘m curious about this one. 4mo
BarbaraBB Great review. I am glad you got from it what I didn‘t. I like the comparison to Discomfort! 4mo
Anna40 Great review 4mo
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andrew61
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A remarkably told story about how both parental depression and sibling drug addiction impact on a family and particularly one child/adult. Gifts is a research scientist living a curiously insular life experimenting on mice + exploring relationships. When her mother's depression means she has to let her move into her flat this allows the narrative to explore the troubled past. I found it an incredibly sad tale but told with insight and empathy

youneverarrived I loved this book. Great review! 4mo
andrew61 @youneverarrived yes, and a complete change from homegoing . Look forward to what she does next. 4mo
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andrew61
O Caledonia | Elspeth Barker
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In the opening of this novel, we find 16 yr old Janet murdered at the bottom of the stairs in her family's rambling Scottish home. As we read on, we learn about her short life in which this unique, eccentric, and misunderstood character faces innumerable challenges from those she meets, incl her family, save for the equally strange aunt lila. Knowing the fate of a character I loved made the impending finale more poignant. Grt storytelling, grt bk

LeahBergen One of my all-time favourites! 4mo
TrishB Love this ♥️ 4mo
Tamra Great choice! 4mo
jlhammar I'll be reading this with my IRL book club in February. Can't wait! 4mo
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andrew61
None So Blind | Alis Hawkins
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Ignore the litsy description this is a historical crime novel set in 1840s West Wales.Barrister Harry Probert Lloyd returns to his small town when a body is discovered that he has an interest in, but Harry is going blind unknown to his father the local magistrate. The story is in the shadow of the Rebecca riots, a fascinating piece of history. I really enjoyed this story which I found via the crimetime podcast. It's a series so looking fwd to more

LeahBergen You‘re making me crave a beer now. 😆 4mo
keithmalek What beer is that? 4mo
andrew61 @LeahBergen @keithmalek it is Friday night leah so tradition suggests I should indulge. It is Beavertown Neck oil Keith, a 4.3% ipa. 4mo
LeahBergen Cheers! 🍻 4mo
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andrew61
The Season Ticket | Jonathan Tulloch
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I picked this up in Barter books Alnwick in the summer purely due to the cover + what a great read. Gerry and Sewell are two friends in an impoverished Gateshead but are determined to get Newcastle united season tickets through various dodgy and hopeless schemes. Despite all thar society throws at them, from school teachers to family, their friendship and hope is infectious, yet this is a story that also pulls on your heartstrings.

LeahBergen This sounds so good! 4mo
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andrew61
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Our other irl bk this wk was this iconic generational story that I missed in the 90s. A curious tale of 3 mid-20s Americans living a lifestyle different to family norms and telling tales to each other of life + society. It made for a good discussion. A curious story that I found compelling but curiously forgot many of the tales quickly, although I remember the enjoyable characters. A classic in mould of on the road for a generation, glad I rd it.

merelybookish Great review! I have never read it either, although you've piqued my interest. 4mo
Ruthiella I read this in the‘90s when it was published. I remember loving it at 20 something, but have no memory now except for the term “McJob”. 4mo
batsy I missed it too! Need to add to the list. Love the cover and photo. 4mo
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andrew61
The Weather In The Streets | Rosamond Lehmann
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When we left Olivia in Invitation to the waltz, this vibrant 16 yr old had just gone to her 1st dance with her sister Kate.This sequel opens many years later when she gets on a train to visit her family + unwell father. She meets Rollo, son of the local aristocracy where the dance had occurred. What follows is the story of their affair, which seems doomed, leading to a painful + brave picture of an abortion. The writing draws you into character ⬇️

andrew61 Time and situation so well as Olivia and Rollo steal time in small hotels in provincial English towns trying to avoid being seen. The dialogue crackles with Olivia's asides, particularly as Rollos's mother, the formidable lady Spencer, confronts her. It is the abortion scenes that turns the novel + the relationship + the ending perhaps leaves more questions to be answered but as the bk is now over 80 yrs old ill just have to hope all turned out ok 4mo
LeahBergen Great review! I must get to this one soon. 4mo
andrew61 @LeahBergen thanks leah, there is a joy in the writing of the mid 20th century novels particularly the women authors whose prose is so meticulous and touch on such sensitive subjects. Hope you enjoy it when you get to it. 4mo
HardcoverHearts Absolutely loved it! 4mo
Centique The photo is beautiful too! Look at the colour of that tree 😍 4mo
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andrew61
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Rdg grp this week will be a discussion of this bestseller. I am torn as I felt that the story of a childhood friendship emerging from illness into an adult bond that inevitably has highs + lows is a well trodden tale but it was very readable + I liked the characters.Gaming is not something I know much abt so I found the descriptions dull. Certainly worth reading but won't linger long in my memory but an enjoyable read. Should be a gd discussion

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andrew61
Western Lane: A Novel | Chetna Maroo
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A curious book to get on the booker shortlist ahead of some others I rd however it was a very readable story about a young girl in a English Pakistani family + her 2 sisters deal with the grief of losing their mother. The grief that she + her father feel is managed by his obsession with his daughters becoming squash greats like his hero jahangir Khan. The book combined squash + family life well, altho I wondered what wd happen next. Lovely cover

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andrew61
The Dentist | Tim Sullivan
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I heard this screenwriter author on the crimetime fm podcast + gave bk1 in the series a go. It is as expected a well crafted page turning police procedural in which detective DS cross investigates the death of a homeless man, which is quickly linked to a cold crime. Cross is a compelling character as he has a brilliant mind with aspergers syndrome that hampers his social skills. I'll definitely read more ⬇️

andrew61 My only slight question mark is the use of neuro diverse conditions in crime novels and the clichés of the brilliant individual who fits into those categories. The author in his interview covered it well, but it seems to be increasingly used as a quirk in fiction. 5mo
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andrew61
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Just a quick post about a day trip I took yesterday. This is myself and my youngest daughter outside Haworth parsonage. It was an excellent experience that evoked the feeling of life for these amazing sisters. So tonight we watched the BBC production 'to walk invisible ' filmed in haworth + captures time + place so well. Nancy, as youngest of 3 girls, was team Anne, I was Branwell, + his pillow looked like he had just got out of bed. Great day.

Tamra So fun - I‘m envious! 5mo
Librarybelle That looks like an incredible experience! 5mo
BarbaraBB Wow! 5mo
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batsy Wow, that sounds wonderful. Happiness on your faces! 5mo
Anna40 Wow! 5mo
Aimeesue What an excellent trip! 5mo
LeahBergen What a great photo of you! I went to Haworth years ago and have always wanted to return. 🥰 5mo
Centique I am so excited to see your photos (sorry for the belatedness!) because i am planning to go in 2025. I know its a long way away yet but im looking forward to it so much! 4mo
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andrew61
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I will echo @LeahBergen comments abt how hard this was to read as the depiction of life in wartime seems to suggest that the world has learnt little over 80yrs. This series of letters written to her children by Tilli a woman living in hamburg 39-46, + discovered in the 70s is heart-rending, particularly when her + the city's ⬇️
#Persephoneclub @Cathythoughts @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @CarolynM @elkeOriginal @jlhammar @Gissy @Aimeesue @Tamra

andrew61 Dislike of the regime and its treatment of Jewish people in the country and her family is clear. The afterword about the blanket bombing policy during the war and complete destruction of city's is disturbing. A remarkable piece of writing which I am glad I read entirely as a result of this group. 5mo
jlhammar Beautiful photo! I agree, remarkable and very glad to have read it. 5mo
batsy Love the photo! 5mo
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Tamra I‘m glad it was chosen too. I wouldn‘t have known about it otherwise. 5mo
Cathythoughts That is a beautiful photo. I still must read the book. 5mo
LeahBergen Great review, Andrew! I‘m so glad we read it, too. 5mo
Aimeesue Great review! I Hope to finish this soon, but I keep needing to step away from it. So much is directly relevant to what‘s going on today, so it gets overwhelming. Great writing, though! 5mo
Anna40 Great review! 5mo
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andrew61
Prophet Song | Paul Lynch
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A frightening novel that expresses how close any of us are from having to escape the terror of civil war and repressive regimes, is also a salutary tale for those who qn motives of immigrants who are forced to leave their home. The story of Eilish + her family is set in a Dublin in which the brutal repression of a union strike leads to a dictatorship that destroys the family. Disturbing but excellent writing that may well win the prize in Nov.

Cathythoughts Great review! I‘m reading this one at the moment for irl Bookclub.. I agree the writing is brilliant 👍🏻 5mo
andrew61 @Cathythoughts it will make for a great discussion Cathy, look forward to seeing your thoughts on it. 5mo
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andrew61
The Curator | M. W. Craven
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Pickpick

Last weekends reading catch-up was the third in the Washington poe, Tilly Bradshaw series, which is quickly becoming a favourite. In this book, Poe is called to Cumbria to investigate when 3 sets of thumbs are discovered in public places without bodies. The ensuing investigation reveals a criminal who manipulates people to increasingly nasty crimes called The Curator. It's definitely a page turner.

TrishB Love this series 👍🏻 5mo
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andrew61
Corregidora | Gayl Jones
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Pickpick

A powerful piece of writing that expresses the experience of life for a black woman in America. Ursa is a blues singer whose grandmother + grt g/mother were victim of rape by their same slave owner. Ursa is assaulted by her husband so badly that she cannot have children, + men seek to own her. Yet Ursa is a vital + strong woman, with a love of life that encompasses sex + music as well as men. The story of slavery + control haunts this book 5*

Tamra Sounds rough reading, but worthwhile. 5mo
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andrew61
This Other Eden | Paul Harding
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Pickpick

This booker shortlisted novel tells the tale of the forced eviction of the inhabitants of a small island off the coast of maine. The occupants descend from a mixed racial couple who seek to grow apples there + it then becomes a haven for people of different racial origin + colour who escape to this home. In 1912 the moral majority on the mainland informed by eugenics are offended by the islands population. The story is very sad but absorbing.

Cathythoughts Nice review 👍🏻I have this, must try to get to it. 5mo
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andrew61
Finders Keepers | Belinda Bauer
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Pickpick

Not sure when I read blacklands, but the 3rd in this trilogy brings many threads in the 1st 2 bks abt an exmoor village together. When children are snatched from vehicles with a post it saying you don't love him left behind, the investigation bring Jonas Holly (bk 2 police officer whose wife is murdered) and Stephen (bk 1 boy who interacts with an imprisoned killer) into close tense connection. A really taut narrative, great characters, + plot.

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andrew61
Butcher's Crossing | John Williams
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Pickpick

A book that immersed me into the gruelling life of hunting buffalo hides in 1870's kansas. Will Andrews is a harvard graduate who seeks to live life in the tough Western landscape. His experience is harsh + vividly described with astonishing prose in this excellent story. The writing, as with the wonderful Stoner, is incredible to the extent that I had to get a glass of water as they crossed the desert+ put on a jumper as they hit snow. Great read

LeahBergen Wonderful review! I must get to this one soon. 👍 6mo
Aimeesue We were stationed at Ft. Leavenworth KS for a few years. The prison had a buffalo yard around it! Kept open space between the prison and the community, and no one wants to try to break out through a bunch of buffalos! The buffalo were very neat to watch, though. 🦬 🦬 🦬 6mo
Tamra I really enjoyed William‘s novels. I wish he had written more! 6mo
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andrew61
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Pickpick

Second in this very good series set in Newcastle. Jimmy is a homeless veteran who in bk 1 got involved in investigating crimes which found him developing friends in a police force who had done him wrong in the past. When his young friend Deano's br is found dead and several other young drug users are also killed suspiciously a cracking story ensues. Great character development +plotting, a series of which I'm looking forward to reading more soon.

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andrew61
Travelers: A Novel | Helon Habila
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Pickpick

A Nigerian man + his American artist wife are staying in Berlin for her exhibition. Over the course of several encounters, he meets refugees who tell him their story of having to escape their homes. These are heartbreaking tales that humanise the refugee experience, parents and children who have lost their partners/siblings, routine brutality and prejudice, terror of escape, and loss of home. I found this book compelling and very moving ⬇️

andrew61 This was a chance discovery after a quote from the book introducing a chapter in 'a spell of good things' which I am surprised was not shortlisted for the booker. I love finding gems hidden amongst other books . 6mo
Centique I love those kinds of discoveries too! You have been reading up a storm 🙌 6mo
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andrew61
Kairos: Roman | Jenny Erpenbeck
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Pickpick

A complex + deep analysis of a relationship btwn a 19 yr old girl + a married man in his 50s which v quickly turns disturbing in the manipulative nature of the control Hans exerts over Katharina. The setting is late 1980s Berlin so the paranoia + brutality echoes the last days of the GDR regime. I felt uncomfortable watching the way K is damaged by an older male but relieved towards the end. A dark troubling read but interesting nevertheless. ⬇️

andrew61 I also felt incredibly unsophisticated as I listened to Hans constant education of K through music + literature but that formed an element of his control. The 2nd half did tend to drift into somewhat philosophical ideas but overall this was a compelling read that underlines the interesting period when the monolith of communism was falling. Also I was curious about Hans and the ending which K is addressing yrs on after going through files. 6mo
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andrew61
Old God's Time: A Novel | Sebastian Barry
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Pickpick

The writing in this v sad story is beautiful as it articulates a love that 2 people, damaged by appalling child abuse, can find together. The story of ex Garda officer Tom Kettle is heartbreaking + left me in pieces as his life is disclosed amidst the reopening of a historic crime, which he investigated. A gentle man who finds hope in his neighbours, yet his past haunts him, including his family, violence of life in the police + army. A tough read

TrishB A very melancholy read. 6mo
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