This book was more espionage than murder and had some quality spy hijinks happening with missing scientists, plastic surgery, and a Communist compound in the desert.

While not a Poirot book, Ariadne Oliver makes an appearance—which makes it that much better. This one had witchcraft and a bit of a romance and a fun reveal.

Library holds are in!

This book was exactly what I needed: sweet, funny, heartfelt. A fake relationship that feels real, family, found family, and realizing that everyone is effed up in their own ways and we should all be a little more forgiving. I loved it!

I listened to a lot of this at work, which means I was crying at my desk a lot while pretending to spreadsheet. I‘ve never reAd a more visceral account of what anxiety feels like in the body than this. It was so good.

This was was good but not race through the pages to find out what happens next good. An interesting look at what happens when women lack power and become scapegoats when men‘s power is threatened.

Brought these lovelies home from the library.

A vintage store-owning witch solves a murder and a disappearance. I appreciated the non-cutesy witchcraft in this one: There was brewing, incantations, and talismans. Spooky plus voodoo plus supernatural crime solving.

First witchy book of the season!! 🖤🖤🖤

I could live inside this smell forever.

Ooooo, this was so good! The characters are amazing (kudos for getting what it‘s like to live with anxiety spot on), the mystery is multi-layered and so engaging, and it takes place in an amazing boarding school for genius kids. (And there are secret tunnels and riddles!)

At first, I thought this book was only okay, but since I‘ve finished it, I can‘t stop thinking about it. Two people travel back in time on a mission to retrieve Jane Austen‘s letters and the manuscript of The Watsons. But what happens when they actually meet her? What are the consequences?

Had to give this one a shot.

Did some back-to-back Agatha Raisin listening. I love her crossness and abrasiveness. I loved her little village in the Cotswolds as well!

I love a mystery set in a girls‘ school. Poirot doesn‘t make an entrance until the last third, which I think I actually prefer. He swoops in with his little grey cells and solves the puzzle!

I‘m a sucker for boarding school stories. This one includes magic and murder! The style is noir-ish and completely engrossing.

This story focuses on Cassandra and her love and support of Jane and their lives together. It was a sweet, family love story.

Brought home a hand-painted bookmark from Joshua Tree. 🌵💛

Eccentric boarding school, secret tunnels, riddles, and an unsolved murder. What isn‘t to like? This ended on a crazy cliffhanger, but the second book is on its way!

I have been in the mood for escapism, and this was definitely that. I liked it, but I don‘t think I‘ll continue on with the series.

This wasn‘t exactly a romp, but it wasn‘t deeply sad either. Maybe it‘s my age, but this book felt so true to me.

I‘ve been DNFing a LOT of books lately. This book finally broke my bad streak. I loved this book, and the narration is spot on—the Tennessee accent was just right.

The joy with which I dig into a new Veronica Speedwell is unmatched. 📚📖💚💙💜

Flowers from my daily walk. #bloomingLitsy

Y‘all. I can‘t. I waited for this book from Libby for almost six months. In a normal world, I‘d love this, but in the current world, I just can‘t read a book about a woman isolated with children in a scary house in which there may or may not be ghosts. My reading palate is all messed up right now.

Thanks for the tag @erzascarletbookgasm !
#ISpy a book with silhouettes from my shelves.

@pocketmermaid and @mdm139 Do you have any books with gold filigree on the cover?

I‘m not sure I can find words to convey how much I loved this book. It‘s so hopeful and Romantic and hot and liberal and just wonderful. I can‘t tell you how many sighs of happiness escaped me. It was just what I needed.

I just want to live in the world of this book. There is no Trump presidency and the worst thing that‘s happened is a smooshed royal wedding cake. I‘m in love.

I was craving something sweet with my gritty murder.

This was a super satisfying Sherlock Holmes riff. Holmes and Watson face off against Jack the Ripper. It was well researched and the tone between Watson and Holmes was just right. I loved it!

Did y‘all see that Lit Hub is producing some book TV? Their first episode of Shelter in Place is up on their site and on Vimeo. Enjoy! lithub.com

I liked this one! It was less gruesome than the first (The Word is Murder) and a bit sadder. I‘m not crazy about the narrator—he does a good Hawthorn but makes Anthony suuuuuper whiny. A good follow-up! I‘m looking forward to the next one.

Hoo! I just stayed up way too late finishing this but it was totally worth it! Scary and badass and magical.

1. Edith Wharton, Ann Patchett, Lauren Groff 2. Georges Sand 3. Thirst Aid Kit - It‘s a podcast, a tumbler, a way of life. ❤️. 4. Unique Vintage - for badass dresses and skirts #friyayintro @4thhouseontheleft @howjessreads

Library haul!

I put this on my Libby queue for my grandmother, but she was in the middle of another book so I listened to it. I probably wouldn‘t have chosen it myself, but I ended up loving it!

Back to back books about selfish, cheating men who end up dead. I feel like Christie must have been going through something.

I haven‘t been able to stop tearing up since I finished this. It‘s not a page-turner in the traditional sense, but it‘s such a pure distillation of love and loyalty and family that I couldn‘t put it down.

This was both far more sensual and more heartbreaking than I was prepared for. In the end, it took my breath away.

There is a special place for Flavia in my heart. I love this evolution with Dogger into detection. The two of them make an excellent team.

I‘m in NYC to help out with my brand new nephew. I got to take a little break and headed to Argosy Books where I looked at a first edition Nine Stories.

I‘ve been on a Masie Dobbs binge. I didn‘t love the very first book, but they‘ve gotten so good. And strangely topical with the focus on “outsiders” and immigrants. I love Masie‘s thoughtful problem solving and her compassionate style.

The hubs and I went on a weekend getaway to San Francisco and visited the iconic City Lights Books.

We started a book club at work and just finished Little Fires Everywhere. Discussions got heated but we had such a good time. We could have gone on for hours — it was such a good book.

My Libby hold came in right on time. 🎅🏻

I loved this book! Secrets and spies and Soviet work camps and the power of poetry to hearts, minds, and the world. A book for book lovers and spy lovers alike!

The hubs brought me breakfast and coffee so I could stay in bed and read all morning. I love Sundays.

My friend at work brought back this fancy bookmark from Sydney for me. Isn‘t it pretty?

This book was twisty and delicious. There are family secrets, a crumbling old house, a forbidding old housekeeper, and a creepy attic room. Perfect for October!

I liked this book even more than the first one. I guessed the killer pretty early but the relationship building between Stoker and Veronica is so lovely.