What are you reading the week of Sunday, November 9, 2014?

[TexasProgresive]

Sorry Enthusiast for jumping the gun, but I have been in a desert of non-fiction for the last couple of months. I couldn't take it any more and strolled over to my local library for a fix. I didn't have anything in mind and there it was on the new fiction, mystery shelf Scandal in Skibbereen by Sheila Connolly. I had no choice but to pick it up since I have been to Skippereen, Ireland. I guess it was titled this as apposed to Scandal in Leap since Skibbereen sounds so much more exotic.

This is the 2nd in the County Cork mysteries and I will have to read the rest. The story centers around Maura Donovan an American from South Boston who inherited a pub and house in County Cork. She has just began to settle in to the quiet rural life in Leap (pronounced Lep) and looking forward to summer with increased trade from tourists when a brassy New Yorker Althea Melville turns the local scene upside down.

As is typical with the Irish there are secrets that everyone knows but no one talks about. There is murder and a lost Van Dyck portrait.

It was a lot of fun but too fast of a read. I got it Thursday and finished yesterday morning.

I guess it's nose to the grindstone time again!

[shenmue]

1. "Izzy and Lenore," John Katz

I read part of "Buried in a Bog," but I haven't finished it yet.

[TexasProgresive]

2. That's the back story I've missed.

It gets Maura to West Cork. I wish I was there. I even had a fixer up cottage picked out in Mountain Common, Ardefield. Yeah, I don't have the Euros and the cottage had no roof but Oh to live in West Cork.

[shenmue]

4. That's been a dream of mine too

My great-grandparents on Dad's side are from Cork and Killarney. (Mom's side is from Palermo, Sicily.) Anyhoo, I've kind of had a dream of finding a pretty little town in Ireland or the U.K. Looks nice out there. And they say the people are really kind, too.

I grew up in the big city but I don't know if I'll ever be able to afford that.

[TexasProgresive]

5. Your ethnic mix was quite common in my high school-irish-Sicilian

and Sicilian-Irish. Well if we win the lottery you are welcome to stay at our place in West Cork. By the way our last night in Ireland we ate at a nice Italian restaurant in Clonakilty called Fionnanula's, an Italian-Irish woman. We had 2 Pasta with olives and herbs with 2 salads and coffee for a total of 13.20 Irish Pounds. That was about $23. My guess is that things are a lot more expensive now. It's not my memory that is so good to remember what we had and what it cost but we keep the hand written receipt for our album.

[shenmue]

6. Neat!

Thanks!

[Enthusiast]

9. That's cheaper than The Olive Garden!

I'm an expert on The Olive Garden.

[TexasProgresive]

10. It was excellent and the service and ambiance couldn't be beat.

There's nothing like being seated by the owner.

[Enthusiast]

11. And it was in Ireland!

I've been to Canada. [URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[bravenak]

3. I am reading 2 lovely books.

The name of the Wind- http://www.amazon.com/Name-Wind-Kingkiller-Chronicle-Day-ebook/dp/B0010SKUYM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
The shadow of what was lost-http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-What-Lost-Licanius-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00ME5G3DM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1415559389&sr=1-1&keywords=shadow+of+what+was+lost


If you like mysteries you should try MC Beaton. http://www.amazon.com/Death-Gossip-Hamish-Macbeth-Book-ebook/dp/B006O1ZM1Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415559528&sr=1-4&keywords=hamish+macbeth+in+order

It's about a constable who solves mysteries.

[Worried senior]

7. M C Beaton

writes the Agatha Raisin books also which I find entertaining.

[Enthusiast]

8. I am reading Voices by Arnaldur Indridason. And I like it! Hotel intrigue.

Earlier in the week I finished A Stolen Season by Steve Hamilton. Violent! I'm cool with that.

Mrs. Enthusiast is reading Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett. Earlier she finished The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indridason.

We find the books by Arnaldur Indridason to be appealing.

Hi, TexasProgresive. I would like to inherit a pub in Ireland.

My mother's side are from Ireland.

[TexasProgresive]

16. THe main charactor of the County Cork mysteries

inherited a pub and house from a relative she never knew. So, Mr. Enthusiast, you never know, it could happen.

I would like to have an Irish pub that was also a used and new book store with live music provided by local talent.

[Enthusiast]

17. I like the way you think, on the pub.

I bet they would have some fine local talent.

[TexasProgresive]

18. At one of the pubs we frequented in West Cork

on Sundays some people would show up with a guitar, fiddle and sing traditional Irish songs. The pub would keep their throats wet with the occasional pint of whatever. I never knew but some of the other patrons may have been standing them a round or 2. As the Bible says, don't bind the mouth of the oxen who tread the grain.

[Enthusiast]

19. ...

And that means, stand 'em a pint!

We have a little music scene where I live here in rural Ohio. I no longer participate as I used to but it sure was fun for many years.

[scarletwoman]

12. I've been busy with my continuing project of re-reading the Martin Beck series.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/per-wahloo/

This week I finished #s 3, 4, 5, 9, & 10. I had to read 9 & 10 out of order because they were due back at the library the earliest of the eight I had left to read. I had already finished and returned #s 1 & 2, the week before.

I ordered all ten titles in the series on the same day, but due to the fact that all but two of them had to be gotten through the Interlibrary Loan system from different libraries all over the state, they arrived at my local library completely out of order. I'm midway through #6, which is due back this Thursday, and then that will it. I had to return #s 7 & 8 last week without reading them, because they could not be renewed and I had run out of time.

It has been great fun to re-read this series, which I had first read about 4 or 5 years ago. It's been especially interesting to see, now that I've read so many Scandinavian crime fiction books since then, how many bits and pieces subsequent authors "borrowed" from the Martin Beck books.

I'm in great shape for the coming week in terms of reading material, having on hand both Tana French's latest, The Secret Place, and Deborah Crombie's latest, To Dwell in Darkness - as well as Louise Penny's latest, The Long Way Home waiting for me at the library.

But wait? Not a single Nordic Noir title among them! Alas, I've run out of translated titles from my favorite Scandinavian authors, having read every single book of every single series by every single Scandinavian author whose work I like, save one - now that I'm wrapping up the Martin Beck series, I'm going to order Arnaldur Indriðason's latest, Reykjavik Nights, which goes back in time to a younger Erlandur, new to the police force. (I put off ordering this one because I've had such a glut of books to read these past 3-4 weeks.)

Regarding Scandinavian authors in general - I have not read EVERY Scandinavian author out there with books in translation because there are a few whose work simply does not interest me. There are a couple authors whose earlier books I read and decided I just didn't like, and a few more authors who, upon reading the descriptions of their books, I decided weren't for me since their stuff sounds too bloody and violent, or they seem to be stuck on the serial killer schtick, with which I am thoroughly fed up and have vowed to avoid. I am decidedly not into "Thrillers". Give me a nice, calm, methodical police procedural with interesting characters and non-psycho villians, and I'm happy.

So,

Tana French - Irish. In a class by herself, I would say. Police procedurals so beautifully written they are almost poetry - I love her books. Her series is collectively called The Dublin Murder Squad, and each book features a different member of the Squad in the leading role, and written in a distinctly different voice. I think her writing skills are absolutely amazing. Her stories are fascinating and the settings make you feel like you're actually there in Ireland. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/tana-french/

Deborah Crombie - British. Sort of police procedural/cozy hybrid. I got into this series by randomly picking up one of Crombie's books off my library shelf one day when I couldn't find anything I wanted to read. I found her main characters intriguing, so I ordered the whole series up to that point, and sort of got stuck on them. Easy, pleasant reading with fascinating descriptions of place and history in the course of the contemporary stories - and having read books 1-15 of her Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James series, what could I do but get the latest? I need to find out what happens next! I suppose it's sort of like being hooked on a soap opera, although perhaps a bit more classy. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/deborah-crombie/

Louise Penny - Canadian. Another police procedural/cozy hybrid of sorts. Her settings move between Quebec City and rural Quebec, and the books are peopled with characters you would love to hang out with in real life. I find her books to be aesthetically elegant, witty, charming and warmly human. They are a delight to read. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/louise-penny/

As winter sets in here in Minnesota - our first major snowstorm is on its way tonight - I hope I'll be able to get back to some Nordic authors soon, I have several titles already on order that I'm waiting for...

[Enthusiast]

13. Stay warm and cozy during the snowstorm.

Enjoy your reading.

[YankeyMCC]

14. The Martian by Andy Weir