I've no idea what happened to September, unlike our long hot summer (at least three years in length), it flew by. I meant to post more but it didn't happen, hopefully now that we're almost into October things will be quieter and I can post a bit more.
I read seven books in September, so for me that was not a bad reading month, not these days anyway. Oddly, five of those books were written by just two authors.
I started the month with two rereads, both by Terry Pratchett.
Lords and Ladies is a fantasy Discworld book set around midsummer. Amateur witches are causing havoc among the standing stones, encouraging things to come through the barrier which should be left on the other side. Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg feature strongly in this one.
Carpe Jugulum is another witches story. Ex-witch Magrat and King Verence are to be married. He sends out invitations, including the vampires in Uberworld. Not perhaps the best idea he ever had...
Thoroughly enjoyed both of these rereads, it's a long time since I read any Pratchett and many years since I read these two so they were almost brand new reads. I always forget what a fantastic writer he was and plan to reread more this winter if I can. I fancy Sam Vimes might feature...
The next three books were all by crime writer, Elly Griffiths: The Locked Room, The Last Remains, and The Man in Black. I started with the last mentioned, an anthology of short stories.
Which was all well and good... Some very good stories in this. I liked Harbinger: A Harbindar Kaur Story which told of that detective's first day working as a police sergeant in Shoreham. The Max Mephisto story was not bad but informed me that that particular series of the author's is probably not for me. I 'loved' the Ruth Galloway stories, especially Flint's Fireside Tale, a really spooky little yarn told from the pov of Ruth's cat, and a great story. And then I got to The Valley of the Queens, a Ruth and Nelson story set, Agatha Christie style, on The Nile in Egypt, and with something of a spoiler in it for those who, like me, have not quite finished the novels yet. So what to do? Well, go back and read the last two Ruth Galloway novels of course!
The Locked Room is book 14 in the series and it takes place during the covid pandemic. It really took me back, I have to say, recalling as it did how we were all hoping for the best as the news steadily got worse and worse and lockdown was imposed. The mystery element in this one involves odd suicides connected to a weight loss centre. The personal stuff, which I always love, revolves around a picture Ruth finds in her late mother's possessions. A really excellent instalment, this one.
The Last Remains is, supposedly, the last Ruth Galloway novel. I say supposedly because Elly Griffiths has not altogether dismissed the idea of more, I gather, and there is a very big opening in this last book for more. Anyway, the plot of this one involves the finding of a young woman's remains in a café that's being renovated. The wonderful Cathbad is implicated and his case is not helped when he disappears. A lot of personal stuff is resolved in the book, at last, and I loved it. It's very hard when a series you love comes to an end. I understand... but an still really hoping Griffiths will change her mind.
My next book was The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley, a book recced to me by all and sundry and seen reviewed on Instagram and YouTube.
The starting premise of this series of seven books is that six girls have been adopted by a man known to them as Pa Salt and they have been brought up on an island in the middle of Lake Geneva. Pa Salt has died and the sisters who, all but one, have been scattered far and wide, convene for the funeral, only to discover that he had himself buried at sea before they got there. This first book tells the story of the eldest, Maia, who is the one who stayed behind, but was away when he died. She decides to go to Rio in Brazil where she's been told she originally came from, to find any family she might still have there. The story is told in two timelines, the modern one with Maia, and a 1920s story which follows her great grandmother, Bel, as she's forced into an engagement to a man she doesn't love and goes off to Paris and well... that would be a spoiler. While I was reading this I wasn't sure about it to be honest. But Bel's story really captured me and is still occupying a space in my head. And there was fascinating stuff about the construction of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio too. So, yeah. Will I read more? Yes, I think I 'probably' will as Lucinda Riley wrote (she sadly passed away several years ago, aged 56) very engagingly indeed.
My last book for September was a crime yarn from a series I have read about half a dozen books from, but not this one, August Heat, an Inspector Montalbano story by Andrea Camilleri.
As the title would indicate this book is set during a very hot August on Sicily. Montalbano finds a holiday let for his girlfriend, Livia's, best friend and her family. They arrive and over days all sorts of things go wrong, culminating in the discovery of a body. I won't say where as it's rather ingenious and interesting. Chaos ensues of course and Montalbano has a lot of digging to do before he can discover who the dead person was and what happened. This was an excellent and clever instalment of this long-running Italian crime series. It took me back to when my late husband and I binge watched the entire series 6 or 7 years ago on BBC iPlayer (it's still on there). I don't remember this one though, so perhaps they didn't dramatise every book. Again, I think I will try to read a few more this winter.
So that was my September reading. No particular favourite, all books enjoyed. I seem to be rereading more these days than I used to. Which is interesting.
Happy autumn all, I hope you're keeping well and finding lots of good books to read as spooky season approaches.
