Books Read, 2023
Dec. 31st, 2023 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peppermintesseSooooo, I guess I had a lot more time to read this year. This is the highest number of books I've reached in the years I've been tracking. All of the shorter entries in December are counteracted by my final book, which came in at a very dense 469 pages. Totally worth it.
January (1)
Everyone in Their Place: The Summer of Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): The third installment in the Commissario Ricciardo series, this time the murder of a duchess. Her husband and stepson hated her; her lover can't seem to want to live without her. There's a subplot of the widow from Book 1, Livia, returning to town to try to win Ricciardi over romantically (or at least for sex) while he pines over the sweet, demure Enrica next door… who seems to be being courted by a skeevy local playboy. Enjoying this series, though I still feel some of the dialogue a bit stilted (probably due to the translation).
February (2)
Fickle by Peter Manus: Read on the recommendation of a friend, this book takes the form of blog entries; one by a user called fickel with a film noir-themed blog called Life is Pulp and another user with a blog called Full Frontal. Fickel reports witnessing a suicide, and the other user reports witnessing fickle pushing the man to his death. Which is the truth? A fascinating read because you are sure you know which to believe, until you suddenly don't.
The Day of the Dead: The Autumn of Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Unsurprisingly, the fourth in this series. A young, stuttering street child is found dead, and Ricciardi is suspicious that it was more than just an accident… all while his police station (for lack of a better term) in Naples prepares for a visit from Il Duce himself (so, lots of pressure to make the city look perfect and crimeless for the visit). Each book in this series seems to be better than the last. I gasped at That Moment (you'll know what I mean if you've read it) and was truly surprised by the ending. My only complaint—and it's a very minor one—is an inline translation (or contextual explanation) of the Neapolitan slang that the Italian-to-English dictionary built into my e-reader has no idea how to define. I ended up looking up one of the words the next day when I remembered to because I didn't want to stop reading, pick up my phone, and look it up there. (FYI, "cacaglio" means "stutterer.") Looking forward to the next in the series.
March (3)
The Redemption of Time: A Three-Body Problem Novel by Baoshu (translated by Ken Liu): Found this quite by surprise and I'm glad that I did. It's a follow-up/companion to the Remembrance of Earth's Past series by Cixin Liu, published by Baoshu himself, and it really is a beautiful read. It fills in Yun Tianming's story, provides alternate context into the end of the series, and a much more optimistic resolution to the story in all. The very end made me smile.
By My Hand: The Christmas of Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Book number five centers around preparations for Christmas and the pressures of solving a double murder that occurred days beforehand. It also focuses on the brigadier learning new info about the murder of his son, and whether he will do anything about it. It's a satisfying mystery, and the resolution is one that I did not see coming. It feels silly to say, but I'm 100% invested in the side plot of Enrica (the sweet girl across the lane that Ricciardi loves from afar, and the feeling is mutual) and Livia (the rich young widow that is determined to make Ricciardi her own). The descriptions of life in 1930s Naples (spoiler: not great for most, and this one has a focus on the lives of the fishermen), the preparation of the Christmas celebrations, and the tradition of the nativity are all incredible.
Viper: No Resurrection for Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Another good entry in this series, the sixth, this time for the murder of a very famous sex worker at a brothel… I honestly love how one small thing in passing makes everything click for Ricciardi. And I especially love how I haven't yet managed to guess the killer in any of the books.
April (7)
The Bottom of Your Heart: Inferno for Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): The seventh book in the series. Either the writing is getting better (and it wasn't bad to start with!) or the translation is getting better, because the descriptive scenes of the locale, the customs, and the people are just so lyrical and poetic. Even the description of the thoughts passing through the victim's mind as he's falling to his death was surprisingly beautiful. I could not put down the last third of the book, as I had to know not just who the killer was but (more so) which path Ricciardi's heart would follow. I immediately had to pick up the next to read right away. (Random aside: it amazes me how much pain could be bypassed if people just, you know, talked to one another. But I get that misunderstandings and miscommunication makes for better drama.)
Glass Souls: Moths for Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Book 8. An unusual case for Ricciardi in that the murder had happened months before, and he's asked to look into the case by the wife of the man who confessed to the crime—falsely confessed, according to her. And it's been too long to see the specter of the dead man to hear his last words. Things continue to get more complicated for poor Ricciardi, with the intrusion of the German soldier, Manfred, the presence of the contessa, Bianca, and the lashing-out of the spurned Livia. Once again, I did not correctly guess the real killer. Read this one in fewer than two days. Compelling and once again poetic.
Nameless Serenade: Nocturne for Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Book 9. A famous (though disgraced in the eyes of Il Duce) boxer returns home to Naples to try to woo the woman he left behind, and that woman's husband ends up dead. Yes, yes, but what about Enrica?! In all seriousness, another great entry—started and finished this the same day!—and the killer was not the person I was expecting (though I do feel like the introduction of a certain person late in the game was a page out of Agatha Christie, unless there was an earlier reference that I missed). (The Finale following the Epilogue really faked me out. NICELY done.)
Winter Swallows: Ring Down the Curtain for Commissario Ricciardi by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Book 10 in this series—and the last of what's translated to English as of this writing. A very clever murder set up where, on stage, a husband shoots his wife as part of the stage show and kills her, but claims he loaded all blanks and that while he pulled the trigger, he did not intend for her to die. Further developments abound with Livia and Falco, Manfred, Nelide and Tonino, and, of course, Ricciardi and Enrica. I really hope Book 11 is translated really, really soon because I'm dying to know what's next!
Shifter Woods: Growl by Nicola M. Cameron: The third in the Esposito County Shifters series, this time a story about a tiger shifter FBI agent escaping a dangerous undercover stint at an evangelical preacher's and into the arms of a coyote shifter single mom. Not a bad story but I saw every twist coming and the editor on this one was apparently asleep at the wheel. Still a fun romp.
Shifter Woods: Claw by Nicola M. Cameron: …and number four in that series, this one about wolves (he's the alpha of the pack and she's a half-wolf shifter). She is running away from an abusive relationship and towards a voice she can't quite explain. A decent story and good brain candy, and even better, a satisfying ending. Heh heh.
The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett: I have to admit, I had something of a difficult time reading this, and I think it's just because of some of the slang (this is from 1931; I feel like this book could benefit from footnotes) and the cadence of some of the conversation. (I thought referring to it as the ringing of the "telephone-bell" was super quaint.) I was also initially convinced that Ned Beaumont and Paul Madvig were brothers, because Ned kept calling Mrs. Madvig "Mom." They were not. This is the first of Hammett's books I've read and I'm not sure it was a good one to start with. I thought it was a murder mystery, then I thought it wasn't, then it turned out to be one. It left me a bit confused, honestly.
May (6)
Murder Before Evensong: A Canon Clement Mystery by Rev. Richard Coles: I've been a follower of Rev. Coles for years on Twitter and can see the many parallels with his life to that of his fictional David Clement. He's got a real flair for a turn of phrase. I found it an enjoyable read, and loved the moment of revelation for Canon Clement, but I have to admit that the character around which all of the mayhem was ultimately centered... I didn't remember that person at all, but maybe it was just a factor of my reading time being mostly limited to before bed. Maybe in my sleepy state I wasn't at my focused best? Still, I will gladly read the next in the series.
Swearing Off Stars: A Novel by Danielle Wong: Got stuck for the longest time at about 9% then read the rest of it in one night. With the way it began, I was expecting something close to du Maurier's Rebecca, with everything culminating in a big, dramatic fire. I did not expect it to take place over the span of 30 years (1919-1950ish), and once I realized that, I got a little more sucked in because I wasn't as interested in student politics at Oxford. In the end, though, it was just OK—a worthwhile read with some beautiful descriptions and turns of phrase, and I'm not angry I spent the time to read it, but not the type of book I'd ordinarily stay up until 1am to finish. Maybe I was hoping that grand conflagration would be on the next page.
A Little Bit of Spice by Georgia Beers: I've had this one on my TBR pile for eons and it just felt like the right time; I only remembered that it was a romance novel, but nothing about the plot itself. I found it a light, sweet read, sexy as hell, with likeable, three-dimensional main and supporting characters (even if the plot is a touch predictable but even still, I didn't 100% predict the ending, which made me very weepy). I don't like beer, don't know anything about beer, but I feel like I got a bit of a brewing education out of this book, too.
No, what really stands out to me about this book is that it take place in upstate NY, references the Buffalo Bills, and features a main character with a similar name (Andrea B/ A.B.) and similar look (long red curls, green eyes, tall) to my own wife; when the story got to the point of Andrea closing the pocket doors of her place to keep her new kitten out of the entryway and the second floor... that's exactly what we do to keep our cats downstairs. There's also the overbearing mother and the sister with two kids. All of this is wild since it seems to have come out long before we relocated to Western New York, or I'd have to wonder if Ms. Beers had a spy camera installed in my house.
Yesterday by Felicia Yap: Another from my TBR pile that's been there a while, and another for which I had totally forgotten the premise: that the human population is primarily unable to remember anything except for what happened yesterday (a "Mono"), which a smaller percentage (30%) can remember yesterday and the day before that (a "Duo"). They keep a diary to track what happened previously, though can retain things referred to as "facts," which can persist day to day. Amidst all of this, the main protagonist, Claire, has to try to work out who murdered Sophia, who was found in the water fairly close to her home.
Generally, I found this book quite engaging and very gripping. The premise was so unique and her world-building was pretty well fleshed out, with quoted "articles" from Steve Jobs and Tim Berners-Lee. The protestors who were against making memory better, those points were very interesting to read. I think my favorite character was Hans, the detective, if I'm honest.
Spoilers!
What I am struggling with is the rather soapy twist with Sophia and Aggie at the end, particularly since there's DNA identification technology in this universe. It just felt like a very tortured and improbable series of events. I guess no one thought to look into comparing DNA to, say, Mr. Winchester, since it was assumed the victim was who she appeared to be. (Though I suppose that would have been a challenge since he had died.) I suppose it is convenient that "Sophia" was cremated (that was a nice touch, I'll admit). But no one later sees a picture of Aggie and thinks, "Wow, she looks just like that woman who died"? And Aggie suddenly doesn't have a strong Russian accent anymore... but then again, she's off on a tropical island where no one knows her. Does this mention of further revenge mean there's going to be a sequel? This whole surprise ending just generally dragged things down a bit for me.
The Crocodile by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): More from de Giovanni; this, a totally different series taking place in modern day (well, 2011). Different than the Ricciardi books, and a bit of a darker ending, but a very riveting read.
The Bastards of Pizzofalcone by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): When my friend said the first book was almost like a standalone compared to the rest of this series, I immediately saw what she meant, just a few pages into this one. I liked this book a lot (not that I didn't like the first one). Still, this new group is an interesting cast of characters, and I can see how putting all of these misfits into a precinct together has far better storytelling potential than where the protagonist previously was located. (And he gets a much more interesting partner, even if that partner is ridiculous and hilarious.) I feel like a few story threads included are going to turn into a longer plot arc, and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go.
I didn't guess the killer, though I could have sworn they were hinting there were two. Wondering if I shouldn't go back a few chapters and reread, as I was a little distracted while reading.
June (4)
Darkness (for the Bastards of Pizzofalcone) by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Enjoyed this book very much! Getting very invested in these characters' lives. Good, riveting story; the ending though... while it was not explicit and was left ambiguous, it was still heartbreaking. I do appreciate that his characters are not bad or good, but there are shades of grey.
Cold for the Bastards of Pizzofalcone by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): The main stories (the double murder, and the schoolgirl) were well done and well plotted, but I almost found the ongoing threads of stories (Alex and Rosaria, Ottavia and the commissario, Giorgio and his suicide murderer, etc.) just as interesting and intriguing. Only two more books to go (translated to English)... and then I guess I have to patiently wait :)
Puppies: A Bastards of Pizzofalcone Book by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): Another strong outing for the Bastards. Interesting main plots (the baby, the puppies) and I am thoroughly invested in where the ongoing plots for the main characters are going. I particularly liked the character development for Romano, who is shown to be more than just a powder keg waiting to go off. There may be hope for him yet. (An extra star on my Goodreads review is for the, er, resolution with the baby.)
Bread (for the Bastards of Pizzofalcone) by Maurizio de Giovanni (translated by Antony Shugaar): An interesting and dynamic update with a lot of moving parts, though I found the progression of the peripheral story lines (Alex and Rosario, Romano and the Giorgias, etc.) and the clash between Piras and Buffardi (too close to "buffoon" for me to ever take him seriously) much more interesting than the main case. And damn, I would really love to try that bread, and I haven't eaten bread in years. (The English editor missed a few typos and misspells, though.)
July (4)
A Death in the Parish: a Canon Clement Mystery by Rev. Richard Coles: A murder mystery is always gonna be a bit dark by nature of the genre, but there seemed another level of darkness with this one, possibly because the perpetrator is someone you don't expect it to be, and that says something for a small country village. I feel like Coles' prose is getting sharper, and I enjoyed it very much in the first book; the scene with the wailing in agony to the Goth music really hit me in the gut. I keep forgetting that this is set in the late 1980s (1989, I believe, is given in this book), and I keep imagining that David is younger than he is (I think he's more explicitly described as in his forties in this book). Looking forward to the next book.
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett: I went into this not really knowing much about the story (though of course I've heard of Sam Spade). Not gonna lie... the slang and the cadence of speech made reading this a little challenging, and I was consistently forgetting which character was which (but that's probably on me as I always read before bed, and therefore, I'm tired). But it was an interesting, classic story and I wasn't expecting the ending.
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler: Snappy, witty, and great turns of phrase, all packaged around a decent plot and a rather satisfying denouement. A really, really excellent read. This books feels like it could be a modernly written, but period-set piece.
The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett: The writing in this book is a lot easier to read than The Maltese Falcon (and so much easier than The Glass Key by the same author!), perhaps because it's not quite as hardboiled as Sam Spade, and probably because Nick and Nora Charles are more upper class than Spade. (Though Nick and Nora Charles made me think of the parody characters Dick and Dora Charleston from Murder by Death. Hello, Maggie Smith and David Niven!) And wow, people drank a lot. These two have drinks before breakfast. BREAKFAST.
Anyhow. The prose is so much better and banter so much wittier than The Glass Key. The plot was clever and yet so obvious once everything was all laid out.
August (5)
Return of the Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett: With as many movie sequels as there appear to be to the original The Thin Man, I was surprised to learn there were not multiple sequels in book form. Rather, there is only this novella collection, which are more or less script outlines for the two movie sequels with which Hammett was actually involved. (This history is covered in the introduction before the first story.) A bit odd to read at first, but quite enjoyable, and I rather like the meta references to himself and the other writer (a woman whose name I'm blanking on at the moment). The first (the strongest) is "After the Thin Man"; the second, "Another Thin Man"; and the third was a short treatment that was a direct sequel to The Thin Man that almost pretends like the other two don't happen but it's very short, there's almost no dialogue, and the ending is confusing. Between the three are background stories explaining the history around the movies. It was interesting, overall, and I'm glad that I read them. Still disappointed to learn there weren't more novels of the first book's quality.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: The pandemic-born podcast Phoebe Reads a Mystery is back with a classic. It's a story synonymous with the dual nature of man, but I don't think I ever knew the details of the story, had no idea a mysterious murder was at the heart of it. It's more of a cautionary tale than I thought.
Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March: Very much enjoyed this debut novel that delves into the political history and a culture about which I am not as familiar as I'd like to be. I found the protagonist (Captain Jim Agnihotri) complex and interesting; he's a bit Holmes and Watson at the same time, as he starts the book recovering from an injury in hospital and reading the Arthur Conan Doyle series to pass the time then takes on the case of the death of these two young women to get to the bottom of what really happened. I also liked the family for which he is working (the Framjis), and particularly the intelligent and witty Miss Diana, constrained by the norms and practices not only of the late 1890s British-ruled India, but of her own ethnic group, the Parsees. Many twists and turns meet you throughout and the book has a rather satisfying ending. I sure hope to see this turn into the first of many adventures. (ETA: …and Goodreads tells me there are two sequels… one's already out and another is on the way.)
Peril at the Exposition by Nev March: A very solid follow-up to Murder in Old Bombay. I really liked the points of view alternating between Diana and Jim, which worked especially well at the start of the story when Jim is missing. I really enjoyed Diana's transformation from scared young wife making cultural missteps in a new country to a competent investigator who's confident in her ability. It's also an interesting look at how the late 19th Century looked in America at that time, particularly with people of color (Captain Jim, Diana, Tobias) and someone who can credibly be called a trans woman (won't spoil who for those who plan to read). I had a really hard time putting it down the closer I got to the end. (BONUS: At the end was a four-chapter sneak peek at the next book, The Spanish Diplomat's Secret, a murder mystery taking place on a transatlantic ocean liner, and the captain wants the killer identified before they reach port. Appetite is whetted. Well done, mission accomplished.)
Role Playing by Cathy Yardley: A romance novel with introverted gamer protagonists Maggie (a 5-foot tall, half-Vietnamese woman who goes by the online moniker Bogwitch and takes shit from no one) and Aiden (the kind, ginger gentle giant who goes by Otter)... oh, and they are realistically imperfect and Of A Certain Age. After my own heart, and absolutely relatable! Well written, with funny, snappy, believable dialog, and goes a few places I have never seen in a romance novel before (one of the characters learns what "ace" means and wonders if they might be). I could guess where things were going, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment one bit. I found it hard to put the book down and the ending left me 99% satisfied. (The 1% is not important enough to matter in my rating.)
September (3)
Crystal Shard: Paladins of Crystal, Book One by Nicola M Cameron: Not a genre I typically read, but I haven't been disappointed by this author's works so far, so I dove in. I very much enjoyed it. I had a feeling about where this book's plot was going, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the journey at all. The Buff Lords certainly did not hurt. Have already jumped into the next book, which just came out.
Crystal Blade: Paladins of Crystal, Book Two by Nicola M. Cameron: Book two of the Paladins of Crystal series was a wild ride from start to finish... thoroughly enjoyable (and sexy as hell!). I had a feeling I knew where things were going but eagerly read on to see how it'd get there, and was not disappointed. (I still don't trust Veronika. Watch out, Crystal!)
The Spanish Diplomat's Secret by Nev March: Each adventure for Jim and Diana gets better and better. I love the concept of a "locked door" mystery upon a ship, with a deadline to solve the murder before reaching port. This one was so hard to put down, I stayed up way too late a two to three of nights in a row just to get to the end. I also loved that the end of the book hints at what's to come in the next book.
October (3)
Jack the Ripper: Case Closed (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #7) by Gyles Brandreth: Thoroughly enjoyed this book, even more so reading the afterword—I hadn't realized how much of a Wilde scholar the author was before reading it! The conclusion was always going to be a bit iffy since the real case has never been solved, but I thought it was plausibly handled and an interesting solution (though I'm not sure I buy <spoiler>the hypnotism aspect, since I thought one could not be hypnotized to do something you aren't inclined to want to do, but I could be wrong</spoiler>). Unsure though if the person named was an actual, existing person. In any case, I'm very much looking forward to reading the others in the series. (Yes, I read #4 first a few years back, then this one, and have now embarked on #1 (see the next entry). Whoops.)
Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance: A Mystery (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #1) by Gyles Brandeth: This novel tells the tale of the death of a beautiful young man who is murdered, apparently in his sleep, in a room set with candles. To his utter shock, Oscar Wilde finds the body of his young friend, and when he returns with authorities, it's mysteriously gone. It's well written and the plot twists and turns kept me on my toes. Knowing that Gyles Brandeth is the president of the Oscar Wilde Society gives me tremendous confidence that his portrayal of Oscar Wilde is as accurate as it can be. I love that real-life events are skillfully weaved into the fictional tale, like Wilde's meeting Arthur Conan Doyle for the first time. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Oscar Wilde and the Ring of Death (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #2) by Gyles Brandeth: The second in the series features a "Murder" game where everyone at a party at the Socrates Club anonymously writes on slips of paper who they would murder… and then those named would-be victims start dying, in order of announcement at the dinner party. The stakes are high, because at the end of the list is Oscar Wilde's own wife, the lovely and gentle Constance, who must be protected at all costs. Quite a roller coaster ride; although there were a few aspects that I guessed/saw coming, I still found this an enjoyable read.
November (8)
Oscar Wilde and the Dead Man's Smile (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #3) by Gyles Brandeth: The conceit of the story-within-a-story can be hit or miss, and with this book, it's definitely a hit. The resolution at the end of the inner story felt… not quite right, and I had so many questions as I went on to the final chapter (and back to the present day of 1891). I'd never say this about a real murder case (or set of cases) but that final chapter was incredibly satisfying in wrapping things up. I didn't expect that resolution to the cases at all (though as the explanation went on, it made so much sense). Very clever.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: It's a weird coincidence that the podcast Phoebe Reads a Mystery decided to feature this book (episodes began in October) as it features quite prominently in a previous book read (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #1).
Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah: I absolutely devoured this book while cursing myself for doing so because I really enjoy Hannah's writing and knew I would be sad to get to the end (and then have to wait an unspecified amount of time for another one). I feel like she perfectly captures not only the time period, but has mastered Poirot's voice and mannerisms. (I still picture David Suchet and always will.) I'm still unclear as to when Hannah's books are set with respect to the original canon (is this before his association with Hastings, or after? Surely after, since they talk about how many cases he's solved?), but it seems that Christie herself never really nailed down the timeline either, so I guess it's flexible. This does not detract from my enjoyment at all. The plot's good and I didn't guess the killer before the reveal. What more can you ask for?
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: This was a recommendation from a friend, and I'm so glad she made it, because I'm not sure I would have read it if I'd just encountered it casually. Just so fully realized and believable, with three-dimensional characters and complicated personalities. Weirdly enough, there were a lot of parallels in the primary love story of Evelyn's life with another book I read in May (Swearing Off Stars by Danielle Wong). However, this book was much more worthy of staying up two nights in a row (until far too late) to get through. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.
Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #5) by Gyles Brandreth: I'm probably too generous with my five star reviews but if I can't think of a thing about it that I didn't like, what's the harm? I have to admit, I prefer the books in this series in which the narrator is Arthur Conan Doyle, and this is one of those books (not that I dislike those with Robert Sherard; I am just not as familiar with him). The action starts when Sherlock Holmes (by way of ACD) receives a series of parcels that contain morbid yet intriguing clues, which leads the pair of Conan Doyle and Wilde to leave their depressing resort abode in Germany to investigate in Rome. It was a fascinating tale with an interesting insight into the workings of the Vatican. Always appreciate when fact and fiction are so seamlessly blended that I can't tell, and I love when I don't see an ending/denouement coming. (Minor aside: I adore the idea of Wilde being the inspiration for Mycroft Holmes, whether it's totally based in reality or not.)
Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol (Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries #6) by Gyles Brandreth: Not the last in the series, but the last left for me to read, and wow, the most depressing location yet. Compared to the light and airy tone of the previous books, this one is quite dark and demoralizing, as the bulk of the action takes place with Wilde in prison… and the conditions within the prison are so much worse than I ever imagined. No talking. No appearing out of one's cell without wearing the prison-required head covering that renders each person anonymous. This book is also the only one (at least that I recall) in which Wilde himself is the narrator, necessitated, of course, by the premise of the book.
But as the book progresses, hope returns to Wilde, and inevitably, the murder mystery's resolution is revealed. I figured out what happened in the final murder (a first for me in this series) and who Dr. Quilp turned out to be before the reveal, but the book was no less enjoyable to me.
(I'm amused that in one of the addendums, one of the frequently asked questions is, "In which order should I read these books?"… and he basically says the order doesn't matter.)
L'ultimo passo di tango: Tutti i racconti (The Last Tango Step: All the Tales) by Maurizio de Giovanni: Barring the official translation from the publisher of this and the rest of the series, my Italian friend ran this one through AI translation in order for me to be able to read it. AI did passably well; it is not great at getting the pronouns right, which tends to make things a little confusing, but otherwise it did a decent job. This collection of short stories are little vignettes featuring characters from the Commissario Ricciardi series, and they were enjoyable to read. (I miss the characters a lot!)
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey: I loved the American Hippo series and adored Gailey's previous two novels, but I am not sure how I feel about this one. It was very compelling reading with beautiful prose and vivid descriptions, though please believe the descriptions when they say things like "darkly gothic thriller"; I'd venture further and call it "horror."
However, at a certain point, a certain very dark point, all thoughts of where things were going to go went out the window in a very unsettling way. And I like when authors surprise me, don't get me wrong! But I was not crazy about where things went after that, and I was not a fan of the ending, especially since so many things were left hanging. (Further explanation in the spoiler paragraph.) This would not be an ideal introduction to Gailey's work. Go with Magic for Liars, instead.
Spoilers!
I was pretty convinced at or around the point where the quilt disappeared under the bed that Vera was just hallucinating, that the same thing that had happened to her father was also happening to Vera. The reveal of the embodiment of the house was… frankly, pretty laughable, though I suppose potentially still a hallucination. I can buy supernatural things in a universe in which they are established to exist, but in our reality… eh. I'm a skeptic at heart and I just didn't buy this. At the end, to see her give in to her hunger (as she called it) was both surprising and thought-provoking, because it's not very often you see evil win out over the good. Ultimately, I don't think her father would have been very happy how his daughter turned out. And I really want to know what happened next, dealing with Daphne's death (and the state of what's left of her body!) and the disappearance of James. How on earth can she possibly avoid being caught?
December (18)
The Rise: A Short Story by Ian Rankin: Short and sweet, and quite enjoyable. Despite its length, The Rise felt like a complete mystery novel. All the clues were there, yet I didn't suspect the resolution until nearly the end. Very well written. I'll have to look into more from this author.
Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn: This was another short story I got for free through Prime Reads and a needed departure from the previous novel I read (Sarah Gailey's dark Just Like Home). I was amused by the premise and the novelty of the hand-delivered letter exchange (and, to be honest, I related to a lot of the complaints of the holiday season), even if the story itself (while sweet) was a little predictable. (I mean, it's a romance short; of course it's going to be predictable in that sense.) However, when I compare this short story to the one I just read (The Rise by Ian Rankin)—and they were roughly the same length—this one felt more like a rough sketch of a longer book than something that was planned to be a short story.
Alicia (The Fairer Sex #3) by Michelle Miller: Alicia faces a moral dilemma, and the resolution is not what I expected at all. This is how you write a short story. This one packs the punch of a full novel in 20 short pages. Very, very good.
Clara (the Fairer Sex #5) by Michelle Miller: Clara strikes out for a bit of independence and it doesn't quite go the way she expected. Interesting and misleading in its way… sexy, too, yet the reveal at the end is a bit unsettling.
Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid: An epistolary novella that documents correspondence between a betrayed wife (Carrie) to a betrayed husband (David), taking place during the late 1970s, a time when paper letters through the mail and phone calls were how communications were done; no email, no texting, nothing like that. A masterful use of the form that leaves you, perhaps, with more questions than answers. After all, was the path that Carrie and David took any different than their respective spouses'? Definitely worth a read. (I was greatly amused by the references to Daisy Jones and to Mick Riva, characters in other works by the same author.)
Meredith (The Fairer Sex #2) by Michelle Miller: Perfectly captures the frustration of shopping in a busy grocery store during peak hours, but the ending twist was a bit unexpected. (Ew.)
Lauren (The Fairer Sex #6) by Michelle Miller: This one bursts with the disappointment and hatred intertwined with the obligation and duty of love of an adult daughter with a controlling mother. Very visceral. However, if you struggle with an eating disorder, this one is not for you.
Keridee (The Fairer Sex #8) by Michelle Miller: Keridee decides to weaponize a prettiness she never asked for and in the process perhaps gets more than she bargained for. The ending turned me off particularly as we don't know what happened next.
Spoilers!
Was this what she wanted or hoped for? Did she tolerate it knowing it would help her career? Did she slap the MFer across the face?)
Definitely the least favorite of the series so far.
Heidi (The Fairer Sex #4) by Michelle Miller: I don't know if the author intended the screenplay-within-a-short-story to be as hilarious as it was, but I chuckled all of the way through. Every single one of the financial industry dudes was a total d-bag; satire at its finest. The ending with Paul I found charming, almost heartwarming. I think this is my favorite so far, after Alicia.
Eleanor (The Fairer Sex #7) by Michelle Miller: We've all been at parties with stiflingly pretentious conversation, but it's fair to say that Eleanor's revenge here against her wannabe philandering husband is a bridge too far. The writing was really nice, but I'm not a fan of the turn this one took.
Candace (The Fairer Sex #1) by Michelle Miller: Leave it to me to save the first in the series for last. I thought this was a pretty strong offering, and I enjoyed Candace's response to the presentation of the check for dinner.
You Have Arrived At Your Destination by Amor Towles (Forward Collection #4): Interesting (and somewhat terrifying) premise and very well written, but I just… don't understand what happened at the end. I mean I understand what he did, but not why, and what the ultimate point of his action was.
Spoilers!
He went back to the facility to retrieve his sample, but to what end? It's not like they don't still have all kinds of information about him, probably his DNA sequence… and does he just… never go home? Of course, he was drunk, so maybe his efforts were futile…?
Summer Frost by Blake Crouch (Forward Collection #2): …wow. Just wow. This speculative, futuristic short story was such a compelling read, and it went in a very surprising (and shocking) direction… still thinking about it the next day after finishing it. A short story that feels like a full novel. Highly recommended, even if it does make you side-eye AI just a little bit more.
Randomize by Andy Weir (Forward Collection #6): Very clever concept and so well executed. I spent the first part wondering how the quantum computer was going to be circumvented, then the rest of the time wondering how the heist was going to be detected.
Ark by Veronica Roth (Forward Collection #1): Heartbreaking and beautiful from start to finish. Another one of those short stories that feels like a full novel in its emotional range. Perhaps this one resonated so much because autumn has always been my favorite season.
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll: I'll admit that I started this one because I heard it recommended by Georgia Hardstark (My Favorite Murder), who said it was a murder mystery… it seems pretty clear at the beginning who the victim was, so even though it centered around a reality TV show (which I just do not like), I was interested enough to read it. Now that I'm done with it, I am left feeling underwhelmed. I don't feel a clear sense of closure. The constant switching from present to past before I had a chance to know the characters was extremely confusing. While I understand where Kelly was coming from, to just… totally let a certain person off the hook, I'm not sure I could live with that.
My Fake Bad Boyfriend by Sara Whitney (Hot Under the Mistletoe #1): Holiday fluff involving a perpetually single girl trying to get her family to back off about when she's going to find a boyfriend… by recruiting a man she doesn't know to play the bad boyfriend. It was predictable… and a very enjoyable read. The author has a real way with words.
S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst: I think of all of the books that I have read this year, this is the only one that's a physical book. I've had it since March 2023 but have put it off until now… and for good reason. I knew it was going to be a challenging read—the least of which is that it's over 450 very densely written pages!—and I wasn't wrong, but this book was just brilliantly executed and compelling. I got through it in a week. Yes, I am just as surprised as anyone.
It's House of Leaves meets Griffin and Sabine (particularly the postcards and letters—even Eric's printing is reminiscent of Griffin's, and Eric's college roommate is called Griff) meets the Hunt a Killer interactive fictional murder investigation subscription, with a touch of Night Film by Marisha Pessl (a book with a similarly rich backstory of fictional media). I loved Lost and love this type of book, so I don't know how I missed this coming out in 2013.
(N.B.: Since writing this review, I've learned that this type of book has a name: ergodic literature. Cool.)
The story itself is multilayered: there's the story of S. in the novel Ship of Theseus by the mysterious and reclusive author V.M. Straka (the book itself is presented as if it were a pilfered library book from years ago); the story of Jen and Eric as they talk to one another in the margins of the book as well as through the loose letters, postcards, and other miscellany; and the story of their investigation into the identity of Straka, who the translator is, and what the author and translator are trying to say to one another through the text and the footnotes.
These conversations in the margins are happening at different times, distinguished by the color of the ink (or pencil, as the case may be). (Some places advise reading the main book first, then the notes in specific color order, but I definitely did not have the discipline to do this.) At one point, Eric corrects Jen's English grammar (p. 265) and I was very, VERY tempted to scratch in a note correcting him; it should be the woman "on whom he based her" (a female character), Eric, not "on which he based her"! I guess it must have felt immersive enough to me that I felt compelled, however briefly, to insert my two cents into their conversation.
I feel like this is a book that it going to need another pass to fully understand exactly what happened between Jen and Eric. I wonder if someone else has already set up a site summarizing their story in chronological order… [Edit: Oh, there are some analysis sites, some of which are only available through the Wayback Machine.] Anyway. Don't let its complexity or length put you off of reading it. The physical book with all of its interactive bits was worth it (but if you do buy it, make sure it's new, never opened. No guarantee you'll get all of the loose bits, otherwise).
