Just a few bookish things to mention today. There seems to be crime on the mind at the moment. (Crime novels always seem to be on my mind, however).
First Booklist has shared their The Year's Best Crime Novels, 2016. Already? Doesn't it seem a little early for a best of list? I mean what about all those books coming out later that are potentially wonderful reads? Maybe they mean the best books so far? That, of course, doesn't stop me from looking and adding books to my wishlist. I just listened to a podcast of an interview with author Lyndsay Faye about her Jane Eyre-inspired novel, Jane Steele. Has anyone read it? I've been indecisive, but then it made this list and I was impressed by the interview and now I think I 'do' want to read it.
Otherwise I think I am most interested in The Whispering City by Sara Moliner which is set in 1952 Barcelona, and The Do-Right by Lisa Sandlin, which sounds like something I might normally pick up, but then that is much of the appeal. And it sounds like a crime novel a bit on the unconventional side, too, which is appealing as well. I own a copy of All that Followed by Gabriel Urza, which I hadn't really thought of as a crime novel, so now I must go pull my copy out and look at it again. It is set in the Basque region of Northern Spain.
The Edgar Award Winners were just recently announced and unsurprisingly I have not read any of them (not even the short story). I have heard many good things about award-winning Lou Berney's The Long and Far Away Gone, which I would like to read at some point, too.
And the nominees for the Shirley Jackson Award have been announced. While I am not as keen on horror stories as on crime (though I love Shirley Jackson's sense of the macabre), there are a few novels on that list that I want to look at. Experimental Film by Gemma Files went straight on my own wishlist.
Did you know that May is Short Story Month? I had no idea and I think some sort of celebration should really take place (I mean in addition to it being a special month)! I am totally coveting these Vintage Shorts. They are 99 cent ebooks. A new one is released each day this month. Today's is "In the North-West Province Frontier" by Jay McInerney. I have never read him, so maybe a short story by way of introduction? Of course I want them all, but I am trying to restrain myself. So, maybe a treat of one or two of the most appealing stories each week. This week, I think I most want to read "An Inventory" by Joan Wickersham which will be released on Friday.
No excuses for not reading a story or two this month as Akashic Books is offering a free short story each day this month, and the Library of America offers a free story each week. I meant to read Belle Marshall Locke's "The Hiartville Shakespeare Club" from a few weeks ago. Now is the perfect moment. I'll tell you all about it on my next Short Story Sunday! (And feel free to tell me all about a story you've read lately, too!).