Abigail by Magda Szabó, for the #1970Club

This is an unusual school story set in Hungary during the Second World War, with an ominous political background. It particularly interested me, not only because of my love of school stories but also because I am a quarter Hungarian and have read very little fiction from that country. I chose it for the 1970 Club, which is hosted this week by Simon at Stuck in a Book and Karen at Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings, featuring books published in that year.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Amy Wheeler is a bodyguard protecting bestselling author Rosie D’Antonio on a remote island in South Carolina. It doesn’t seem like a strenuous assignment for one of Maximum Impact Solutions’ best employees but that’s until her boss, Jeff Nolan, tells her three of their clients have been murdered – when Amy was conveniently nearby.  He's acting as if she's responsible! 

The #1970Club – some books I have enjoyed as recommendations for next week

On Monday, October 14th, Karen and Simon will launch the #1970Club, a week-long celebration of books first published in 1970. It is very entertaining to see what everyone comes up with and when I started to consider what to read, I saw that I had already reviewed some of the best books published that year. Some of these might appeal to anyone still looking for the right book to read this weekend!

My September 2024 Reading

A few books stood out this month, including Radio Girls, about the early days at the BBC, and The Trap, the newest book about Emma Makepeace. I also enjoyed The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher, which follows what seems like a recent trend in senior citizen sleuths but features an appealing heroine who is both vulnerable and resilient. I couldn’t decide if I liked or disliked The Second Lady by Irving Wallace but I couldn’t stop reading! There were also some disappointments.

Lois Lowry

I was pleased to be invited to an event at the Boston Public Library (BPL) last week featuring two-time Newbery Award winner Lois Lowry. All we children’s book fans must have RSVPd at once because first I was on the waiting list, then the evening before I received an email saying there was a seat for me. The event was actually to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BPL's Writer-in-Residence Program.

Six Degrees of Separation - from Long Island to Patriot Hearts

It’s time for #6degrees, inspired by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. We all start at the same place as other readers, add six books, and see where it ends up. This month’s starting point is Colm Tóibín’s Long Island (2024), which I recently enjoyed (my review).  My book group read Brooklyn, the earlier book about Eilis, and I think we saw the movie together as well.

The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher

Florrie Butterfield has cherished her independence all her life, so losing a leg in her mid-80s was devastating. Forced to leave the cottage she loved, she found a residential community in Oxfordshire that accepted people in wheelchairs, Babbington Hall. But just as Florrie has settled in, things start to go wrong. When the story begins, she is mourning Arthur Potts, a friend who fell out a window and died four weeks earlier.

The Trap by Ava Glass: a race against time in Edinburgh

Emma Makepeace works for an espionage organization so secret it has no name but The Agency. There is no mistaking its role, however: to hunt Russian spies. Emma has her own motivation for this work – her father was Russian and was killed before she was born for being an informer.