This has been e-books month, due to my membership of Kindle Unlimited. I haven’t logged all my e-book reads, merely the highlights.
My highlight for the month is a series of cozy mysteries, written by Simon Brett, featuring the charming Mrs Pargeter, widow of a criminal kingpin, living in London. I’ve read all 8 titles with great enjoyment and much appreciation of the ingenious plots, the colourful characters, and the general jokiness . Set in the 1980s/90s they are a testament to the peculiar British sense of humour and non-PC approach to humorous writing. A real tonic!
Fans of British comic writing will love this series. I did! E-books
Another happy discovery in the world of Kindle Unlimited is a British crime series , written by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, featuring Dr Nell Ward, an English ecologist. Inexplicably listed under the Cozy Mystery Genre, there’s not a cupcake, kitten, candle or bookstore in sight. Instead, what you get is an intelligently written, impeccably researched combo of crime and eco conservation. Sure, there’s light sprinkling of mild romance, but the focus is on ecology and crime. I’ve read Book 1, A Murder of Crows, and eagerly await download of Book 2. E-books.
The following writers gave me many happy hours of reading on my Kindle: Rhys Bowen, Ellery Adams and Carmen Reid.
Carmen Reid skilfully combines the exciting life of a Personal Shopper at a prestigious London store, set against the background of the hurly burly of family life – a happy blend of domestic disasters, designer fashion, all laced with a good coating of comedy. Lots of fun.
I
FICTION
The Book of Salt – Monique Truong. A literary novel, written from the point of view of Binh, working in Paris and employed as a cook by the avant garde literary couple Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas. We learn about Binh’s Vietnamese background, and family history, as well as his five years in Paris. Beautifully written, in the most sensuous prose. Recommended.
THE BOOKSMITH 