About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Monday, July 20, 2015

B is for BOOKS

Welcome back to ABC Wednesday's Round 17.  This week is brought to you by the letter B.

This week, I'd like to tell you about some great books I've read recently.  Since the school year is full of reading classics by the likes of Steinbeck, Hemingway, Dickens, Nabokov, and Shakespeare, I need to have my own type of "escape" literature.  For the past few years, I've been into the crime/mystery genre and have several series to recommend.

The first books in this genre that I read were written by Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian author and musician.  I've read all his books about Inspector Harry Hole, a tough detective working for Crime Squad and later with the National Criminal Investigation Service who struggles with alcoholism and works on solving crimes in authentic locations in Oslo and elsewhere, from Australia to the Congo Republic. Hole takes on seemingly unconnected cases, sometimes found to involve serial killers, bank robbers, gangsters or the establishment, but also spends a significant amount of time battling nightmares and his own demons.  I must emphasize that these books are enjoyed by women as well as men and aren't sleazy or anything like that.
I have also read several series in the crime/mystery genre written by British authors.  One is the series by Mark Billingham about Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, which was also a series that began in the UK in October, 2010, starring David Morrissey.  From what I've read about the TV series, I'm glad I read the books instead.  Billingham states, "As I write each new Thorne novel, I am determined that whatever is happening plot-wise, a new layer of the onion will be peeled away and reveal something about Tom Thorne that is surprising."  I can attest to that and highly recommend these books that are "un-put-down-able."
Finally, there is Peter James, an international crime thriller novelist who was born in Brighton, UK, and bases his DI Roy Grace murder mystery and thriller crime novels in this corner of the world.  They're riveting and include a little bit of romance for the detective inspector, whose wife disappeared years ago...will she ever reappear?  Read the books to find out.
There are more, but that's enough for now.  I'll save Henning Mankell's (Norway) and Amaldur Indridason's (Iceland) books for another week.  In the meantime, since being side-tracked again with a bum ankle, you can usually find me in my Adirondack-style chair on the front porch reading something!  It's nice to sit there and chat with neighbours as they come and go and let Tegan be out there with me to enjoy the lovely weather.  Until next time, thanks to Roger, our bestest administrator, to the beautiful Denise, the creator of ABCW, and the brilliant team who visit all the contributors. 

21 comments:

Roger Owen Green said...

un-put-down-able. Great word! Even if it's NOT in the dictionary.

ROG, ABCW

Trubes said...

Down to the library to check out your recommendations Leslie, I rather fancy the Peter James books.
How lovely to be able to sit out on your porch in the sunshine, watching the world go by.
I'm glad to learn that you're resting the 'devil' ankle, although it must be frustrating for you not to be able to walk Tegan, as I know how much you enjoy your daily jaunts with her.

love Di.
ABCW team.

Unknown said...

The world of books has no beginning nor end, every day there will be more ;-)

Detectives are my favourite too, especially the British and i agree with you, sometimes the books are better than the tv-series, although some tv-series are better than the books.

If i may recommend a writer to you... it would be Tess Gerritsen..

Thank you for this nice entry, wishing you a nice day

♫Mel☺dy♫ (ABC-W-Team)

Obsessivemom said...

There really are too many books and too little time. And the problem is having readers for friends is that you have an unending 'to read' list. But I find that kind of reassuring - to always have a book to read. I will check out your recommendations. They sound pretty interesting.

Photo Cache said...

I'm reading a John Grisham right now.

My ABC WEDNESDAY

Anonymous said...

I love books and really enjoy a good mystery. Have you read Louise Penny Inspector Gamache series?

Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil said...

I have heard of the Harry Hole series but was put off by the character's name, so THANKS for the recommendation! I do love a good mystery. Have been reading "All the Light We Cannot See," and it has a mystery quality, but the real page-turner classics are the best. Elizabeth George's "Inspector Lynley" series is a favorite, as well as books by Greg Iles. Thanks! amy

Berowne said...

I too love books, so I went out and bought a couple of Kindles...

Reader Wil said...

Of course I love reading and especially detective novels. I read a lot of books written by women writers like Agatha Christy. I love the Poirot stories and those about Miss Marple. Furthermore there are books by P.D James, Rurh Rendell, Ellis Peters and many more on my bookshelves. And now I have your books to try. Thank you, Leslie!
Wil, ABCW Team

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

As teachers, it's good to involve ourselves in the things we love during the Summertime. Once the school year is in, there's not much "me" time. Happy Readings!

Rajesh said...

Interesting collection of books.

Hildred said...

I sat at the breakfast table devouring the last couple of chapters of The Fifth Gospel before I had to take it back to the library, - a mystery novel of sorts.

Thank you for the reference to the books that are keeping you entertaied while you nurse your poor ankle, Leslie.

Indrani said...

Wow! You are well read. Great collection.

Екатерина Балагурова said...

Books are guides to the world of imagination! I like to red very much =)

Lmkazmierczak said...

Recently joined a small book discussion club which has opened some new doors to my reading...great B♪

Joy said...

Although I've read a lot of Nesbo and some Billingham I've never tried Peter James, I'll add him to my ever expanding list. Penguin have been reissuing all Simeon's Maigret stories here so I'm enjoying working my way through some of those at the moment. A nice size of book to slot in with other reading.

Lea said...

I'm always glad to find authors I have not read before. Thanks!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Looks like a great group of interesting books. I'll check a few out.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

loved reading, and now people ask me why I bother write books when there are cheap eBooks.

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Interesting three series. I'm always looking for new mysteries to read. My must-read series each year are the Monk/Hester series and Pitt series by Anne Perry. Both are set in the Victorian age, but in different eras.
The View from the Top of the Ladder

Ira said...

There is no end to books and I am happy I came across another author through your post.I will surely follow your recommendation as books are always less...