Audiobook Round-up

There are several advantages to listening to audiobook. It leaves your hands free to do other things, like washing up, or knitting. And it's a lifesaver for those whose hands don't hold things well or turn pages easily. So, let me give you some favorite narrators I've heard recently.

Penelope Keith may be familiar to you as Margo Ledbetter on the British comedy series "The Good Life", known in the US as The Good Neighbors". Dame Penelope reads the Agatha Raisin novels penned by M.C. Beaton and I love them. It was Keith's name that prompted me to download her first book "Agatha Raisin And The Quiche Of Death" from my Overdrive account, and I've gone on to listen o the others. The narrator is her own voice and she moves easily from Agatha to the soft-spoken Mrs. Bloxby, the Vicar's wife, and she does an excellent job on the male voices too, from the high and whiny Roy to the half Chinese-half English policeman Bill Wong (who speaks with a Glostershire accent, with no hint of Chinese).
My only disappointment was in the most recent offering "Something Borrowed, Someone Dead." Agatha's assistant Toni gets engaged to a man, Frank Evans, whose mother lives in Cardiff, Wales-where I was born. I was hoping to hear a Welsh accent, but it was almost proper English until the end of her scene when the h's disappear and the sing-song lilt takes their place. this could be entirely due to how the character was written as she does not look like the typical Welsh woman, as described by Beaton, but "a dyed blonde, with a wind -tunnel facelift and a mouth enhanced by collagen."
I would recommend anything read by Penelope Keith take top spot in your audiobook selections.

I'm back

Hi everyone,
I am sad to report that my husband went home to heaven on August 19th. Since then I've been filling out endless forms, commuting back and forth to my mum's, and am now staying with her due to a transit lockout. I will be looking for a new place to live now and hope to get into a subsidized seniors high-rise very soon.
Speaking of getting into things, I have now found the time to get back into reading so here are the current titles:
Sweet Tea Revenge--Laura Childs
Harlequin (or The Archer's Tale)--Bernard Cornwell
The Monk Series #s 1-3--Anne Perry
Audiobooks:
Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death and Love, Lies And Liquor
Seven Dials--Anne Perry
So I will be back with a review very soon. Thank you for being so patient.|

Booklist For May

Prescription For Murder--A Murder She Wrote Mystery 5/5
South Riding--Winifred Holtby
A Royal Likeness-Christine Trent
Madame Tussaud--Michelle Moran
Sanctus--Simon Toyne

Prescription For Murder-a Jessica Fletcher mystery

Prescription For Murder is Jessica's latest offering.
After a book tour in Florida, Jessica accepts Seth's offer of R&R in Tampa where he has gone to visit a friend-a Cuban doctor researching a cure for altzheimer's.
When he dies, apparently from a lightening strike Seth insists on investigating what turns out to be a murder.
Dr. Vasquez left no research, but everyone, including the FBI and CIA are after the laptop where his research was kept.A letter addressed to Seth lead him and Jessica through Tampa and beyond to solve the case.
The book is very detailed, despite being a mass market novel and gives a lot of the Cuban connection in Tampa. Well written, and a great read. 5/5.

First Man In Rome

I once read a book that said if you can't get into a book by page 45 or 50 give yourself permission not to finish it. Unfortunately, this is one of those books.
First Man In Rome is the first in the series by Colleen McCullough.
I found the second book The Grass Crown in our local book exchange, but as a first born having to start at the beginning of everything, I wanted to start  with the first volume so I borrowed The First Man In Rome from the library.
If I could use one word to describe this book it would be-boring-.
I did not like the endless repetition of the first and second names, with the occasional use of three thrown in for good measure. And, for a book of this size (around a thousand pages), one would expect at least a little action in the plot.
There is little description, and if there is a point to a scene it takes a long time to get to it.
I admit, this is my first read by McCullough, and I may enjoy something else by her, but for me,  The First Man In Rome was, for such a long book, a disappointment.
If I had to find one thing I liked about the book it would be the maps and diagrams. The one of Rome is well drawn and very detailed with a full page legend. Other maps are also well drawn.

Book List April 21st 2014

Rebels And Traitors-Lindsey Davis
The First Man In Rome-Colleen McCullough
Master And God-Lindsey Davis
The Queen's Lady-Barbara Kyle
The Boleyn Wife-Brandy Purdy
Lion Triumphant-Philippa Carr
The Constant Princess-Philippa Gregory
Dark Fire-(#2)S.J Sansom
At The King's Command-(The Tudor Rose series#1)Susan Wiggs

Audiobooks
Heaven Is For Real-Todd Burpo
Dying To Retire-Jessica Fletcher

A Marvelously Delicious Read! A Review of "The Sheen On The Silk" By Anne Perry

 This wonderful novel set in the 1200's by famed mystery novelist Anne Perry (Cardigan Crescent, etc; and the Monk series) is, I think, the longest of all her novels. It is not a quick read by any means, despite the fast moving plot.
In order to find her twin brother, Anna Lascaris goes from Nicea to Constantinople. To ask questions without being obtrusive she poses as a eunuch. Through her patients she hears what happened to her brother as well as uncovering a plot involving the Holy Roman Empire.
I was enthralled from the first page. The descriptions were masterfully done, and the characters come alive on the page. I found it easy to follow the change from "her" to "his" as the viewpoint changed from the narrater to the character point of view and loved the skillful way Mrs. Perry handles the transition. One of my favorite parts was where you learn the meaning of the title (but I'll let the reader discover that for themselves). Neither will I give away the ending, but will just say that it was written just the way I hoped.

Reading list for February/March 2014

Debbie MaCcomber's Cedar Cove series vol 1 and 2
Debbie MaComber The Shop On Blossom Street
Debbie MacComber A Good Yarn: Blossom Street #2
Pierre Burton The Natioal Dream