Trying to get back to book-blogging. First stop, recognizing that I have a Draft post that I never managed to press "publish" on. So here's a start on 2014, except that it's still teetering on 2013 as well. . . I'll try to get my balance and move on soon -- at the very list, I can post a list of books read in 2014 so far. Shall I promise to do that by next week?
First of all, just to glance quickly back at my 2013 reading list, I must recommend Laurie King's Bones of Paris to any of you who love both Paris and the mystery genre. This is a very satisfying and atmospheric novel, set in the Paris of Hemingway, Kiki de Montparnasse, and Man Ray, among others. It features a detective, Harrison Stuyvessant, who has apparently made other fictional outings which I will definitely now track down.
I can't help feeling wistful when I think back to that lull during the post-Christmas week when I was able to gobble down a few mysteries. One of those I gorged happily on was Elizabeth George's latest, a delightfully fat and juicy novel, the kind that are perfect for deep winter, the armchair, fireside, etc. Just One Evil Act saw poor Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers get herself in the most trouble ever, compounding her sartorial sins by cutting corners, lying, making deals with questionable journalists, all to defend her beloved neighbour, the 9-year-old Haddiyah and Haddiyah's father, Azarh (who Havers won't admit that she loves as well). Twist after twist keeps this plot moving, although some might complain that there are one or two complications too many. I can't add to that chorus, given how pleased I was to travel with Azarh and Havers to Italy, particularly since we'll be visiting that country for the first time this summer. I was also pleased to meet an Italian detective who strikes up a surprising partnership with Linley and Havers and appears to see past the latter's rough surface . . . enough so that I have hopes George might bring the two together in future titles.
I've read some wonderful books in the first third of the year -- Claire Messud's The Woman Upstairs, Adrianne Harun's A Man Came out of a Door in the Mountain, and Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch are the standouts so far. More to tell you soon. Stay tuned . . .