TBR Roundup 2

Another month has flashed by and my reading frenzy has continued. To keep my records accurate and up to date another round up of books from my TBR shelves which I am pleased to have read.

Bring Up The Bodies - Hilary Mantel

Because I knew I was getting a copy of the Mirror and the Light for my birthday my intention was to read the entire trilogy. However I cannot find my copy of Wolf Hall! I think I may have lent it to somebody and they never returned it. Or it has become misplaced. I've gone through my shelves and I just can't find it. So I launched myself into Bring up the Bodies with a fairly good memory of Wolf Hall. The saga of Thomas Cromwell continues, enveloped in Hillary Mantel's exquisite prose and narrative. This lady can write. And if you're a history buff too and a devotee of the Tudors this is a match made in heaven. I can't wait to read the Mirror and the Light.


Girl in Snow - Danya Kukafka

I would admit that this book caught my attention because of the writer's surname. It was the Kafka part. Silly reason to choose a book? Maybe. But I thoroughly enjoyed this crime tale. The writer focused more on the suspects, those involved and associated with the victim than the actual crime itself. I found it very interesting, a refreshing approach. So it presented as a crime story with more depth than maybe usual.






The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes - Ruth Hogan

A nice little piece of "uplit". A life affirming tale that has sadness within it but offers positivity and redemption by the end. It's bleaker than The Keeper of Lost Things, Hogan's debut but explores grief and loss with a compassion. It was possible to see where the story was at headed but rather than that being a disappointment  it became a matter of how the characters got there.





The Confession of Frannie Langton - Sara Collins

A gothic delight that spans a couple of continents. Histfic that asks us to think. Beautifully researched with a steady and unrelenting paced plot and narrative this novel should delight Sarah Waters fans and keep readers gripped the end.








George - Sean Smith

This was a birthday gift from some dear friends. And I'm ashamed that I've only just got around to reading it. It's a straightforward biography of the late great George Michael. I had the pleasure of seeing George perform in 2006 and it was one of those performances that I will never forget. Hearing him sing Careless Whisper just a few feet away from me is something that will stay in my head and my heart forever. The book just set out to tell his life story. Simple as that.

The Moth Catcher - Ann Cleeves

ITV is showing reruns of several of the Vera series at the moment. I think it's part of the lockdown programming. I'm not complaining. I really enjoy them. I love Brenda Blethyn's performance. And I also enjoy reading the books from where the series derives. Ann Cleeves is a consummate artist when it comes to crime novels. Plotting, narrative, characterisation. What's not to like?



Insidious Intent – Val McDermid

I have to admit that this was another birthday present. This one was a couple of years ago. I suppose it just goes to show how many proofs and arcs I've been dealing with over the last couple of years. But now that they've all but dried up I can allow myself to wallow in my TBR shelves. This is a Carol Jordan and Tony Hill story. I love that pair. One of crimes most quirky duos. And as ever McDermid's plotting and imagination, her flair and desire to keep up-to-date with forensics and our digital world make her such a joy to read. And that ending! OMG!