How is it possible to add seven books and a podcast over the course of a mere half hour online? What did I do before the internet? I have never been at a loss for something good to read. But now I cannot possibly keep up. Before it was a gentle stream gurgling by and now it is more like a tsunami when it comes to books that catch my eye.
These few books (and a podcast) caught my eye today:
Goodnight from London by Jennifer Robson -- " . . . a lush historical novel that tells the fascinating story of Ruby Sutton, an ambitious American journalist who moves to London in 1940 to report on the Second World War, and to start a new life an ocean away from her past." Last year I read her novel Somewhere in France and really liked it.
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz -- How can I possibly pass up a book with this temptation--" fiendishly brilliant, riveting thriller weaves a classic whodunit worthy of Agatha Christie into a chilling, ingeniously original modern-day mystery." You can never have too many classic whodunnits if you ask me!
The Coldest City by Antony Johnston -- Graphic novel. Spy story. What's not to like? "November 1989. Communism is collapsing, and soon the Berlin Wall will come down with it. But before that happens there is one last bit of cloak & dagger to attend to. Two weeks ago, an undercover MI6 officer was killed in Berlin. He was carrying information from a source in the East — a list that allegedly contains the name of every espionage agent working in Berlin, on all sides. No list was found on his body. Now Lorraine Broughton, an experienced spy with no pre-existing ties to Berlin, has been sent into this powderkeg of social unrest, counter- espionage, defections gone bad and secret assassinations to bring back the list and save the lives of the British agents whose identities reside on it." (This is actually an older book but I only just discovered it on a new book list).
Lady Mechanika, volume 1: Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse by Joe Benitez -- More graphic novel goodness. "In a Victorian world filled with flying dirigibles, clockwork automatons, and elegantly fashionable attire, a young woman with mechanical limbs and no memory of how she got them searches desperately for the secrets to her past." Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
Live from Cairo by Ian Bassingthwaite -- ". . . a lively debut novel about an impulsive American attorney, a methodical Egyptian translator, and a disillusioned Iraqi-American resettlement officer trying to protect a refugee who finds herself trapped in Cairo during the turbulent aftermath of the January 25 revolution." I keep saying how I need to read a novel set in or about this region of the world. So timely. Must get to it!
Murder in Matera: A True Story of Passion, Famnily, and Forgiveness in Southern Italy by Helene Stapinski -- "Murder in Matera is a literary whodunit and a moving tale of self-discovery that brings into focus a long ago tragedy in a little-known region remarkable for its stunning sunny beauty and dark buried secrets."
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal -- Okay, I know, a very saucy title, but . . . "A lively, sexy, and thought-provoking East-meets-West story about community, friendship, and women’s lives at all ages—a spicy and alluring mix of Together Tea and Calendar Girls."
and Whitehall (Season One) by Liz Duffy Adams, Delia Sherman, Barbara Samuel, Madeleine Robins, Mary Robinette Kowal and Sarah Smith -- Last month I mentioned Serial Box, which is subscription based serialized fiction podcasts. I am still very curious about it, though I have not yet given it a try. I think I might just have found one to tempt me. How is this for a teaser: "An inlaid snuffbox of Restoration allures, subtle and lusty, exquisite and dangerous . . . pure pleasure." Oooh. Must try the first episode at the very least! I think I might be able to sample the first one for free. I might just do that tonight . . .
It would seem that I am on far too many new books lists. Or, maybe not. It all depends on how you look at it, right?