What Fiction are you reading this week, Dec. 20, 2020?

[hermetic]

Merry Bookmas!

I just got Ian Rankin's latest, A Song for the Dark Times. A thrilling new Rebus novel about crime, punishment, and redemption. Lovin' it.

Listening to Shakespeare's Christmas, an oldie by Charlaine Harris. Lily Bard is going home for the holidays for her estranged sister's wedding. But some brutal murders and a kidnapping might put a damper on the festivities. Shakespeare is the little town in Arkansas where Lily now lives.

What fiction is making your days merry and bright this week?

Wishing you all peace and goodwill, with warmth to enfold your hearts and your homes.

[rzemanfl]

1. Michael Connelly's

The Law of Innocence. It's a good read. Next in line is The Coast to Coast Murders one of those "James Patterson and..." pieces.

[hermetic]

3. Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller

In his highest stakes case yet. I really must get this one.

[rzemanfl]

15. Just finished it. Yes, you must.

It won't be a spoiler to tell you Connelly is not a fan of the Orange asshole. Enjoy.

[dhill926]

19. on the list to be sure....

[TubbersUK]

2. I'm having a good time re-reading Patricia Highsmith's Ripley series n/t

[hermetic]

4. The first one

1992. In a chilling literary hall of mirrors, Patricia Highsmith introduces Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley. "Turning the mystery form inside out, Highsmith shows the terrifying abilities afforded to a man unhindered by the concept of evil." This sounds like a good series of mystery and suspense.

[VA_Jill]

5. On Kindle

it's a fantasy called Children of the Knight by Michael J. Bowler. It posits the return of King Arthur to Los Angeles, where he is gathering kids from the streets to form his new Round Table. I'm about halfway through.

I also register for every kind of book giveaway possible and I actually won one recently. I had forgotten I registered for it but it's next on my list. It's called Balcony of Fog, by Rich Shapero. When the package appeared I thought it was a Christmas present I'd ordered for my spousal unit so I didn't open it for a couple of days. Then THAT showed up... I'm confused

[hermetic]

9. That becomes a series

Winner of the 2013 Gold Medal from The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

According to legend, King Arthur is supposed to return when Britain needs him most. So why does a man claiming to be the once and future king suddenly appear in Los Angeles?

This charismatic young Arthur creates a new Camelot within the City of Angels to lead a crusade of unwanted kids against an adult society that discards and ignores them. Under his banner of equality, every needy child is welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or gang affiliation.

That sounds great.

[yellowdogintexas]

27. I just got that one. I read the Kindle sample and decided I needed to read it nt

[handmade34]

6. "American Dirt"

maybe not merry and bright, but so far, easy reading... important to consider the controversy that goes along with the theme....
immigrants coming into the U.S.





https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/opinions/american-dirt-oprah-book-controversy-zakaria/index.html

The heart of the problem is that "American Dirt" is not really a story of Mexican migrants at all. It is the story of American entitlement, one that never questions the brute injustice of geography of birth determining opportunities in life. "American Dirt" is an accurate depiction of what Americans demand Mexicans and other brown people suffer to be allowed into the country.

[hermetic]

10. Pretty intense, huh?

"American Dirt will leave readers utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity on every page. It is one of the most important books for our times."

[in2herbs]

7. Harry Potter. nt

[hermetic]

11. Everybody's fave

[ProudMNDemocrat]

8. Book 2 of The Witcher series...Sword of Destiny.

I love Fantasy as well.

[hermetic]

13. Very popular

became a Netflix original series and inspired the blockbuster video games.

Many books have that title, Sword of Destiny. Many are about King Arthur. This series is authored by Andrzej Sapkowski, in case anyone wants to get it.

[yellowdogintexas]

28. looking forward to the next season on Netflix

We really liked it

[Timewas]

12. Just finished

Conneley's The Law Of Innocence and Baldacci's Daylight not sure what next. I just decided..Looks like Grisham's A Time For Mercy seems to be next

[hermetic]

14. Cool

Another vote for Connelly's book.

[exboyfil]

16. Working on my 100 Best Horror List

Reading By Reason of Insanity by Shane Stevens. The book was published in 1979 and predates Thomas Harris' Red Dragon by two years. It is about a serial killer looking from a variety of different perspectives. Also interjects the politics of the Watergate Nixon era and how politicians are trying to use the death penalty as a political weapon.

The killer is very resourceful - kind of like Harris' serial killers. He is being pursued by a police sergeant, a psychologist, and an investigative reporter who are each working independently. A lot of point of views as you can see where the various characters don't pursue specific lines that would help in capture and how the killer has anticipated potential investigative angles.

When I am done, then I will have read 93 on this list.

[hermetic]

18. Wow, 93.

Good job. And that one sounds quite interesting.

[exboyfil]

20. It is

I plan to read The Killer Inside Me (it appears on a mystery list I am going to take up at some point). I think these are some of the earliest representations of "skilled" serial killers in fiction.

[Midnight Writer]

22. I read that when it first came out. Scared me. I mean really freaked me out. Well written.

[The King of Prussia]

17. Still on Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody

Barely read a word of it this week.

Johnson has cancelled Christmas. Probably the right thing to do, but made the announcement several weeks too late.

Vaccination has started in our village, but I'm not expecting the call any time soon.

Have the best Christmas you can, and stay safe.

[hermetic]

21. Yes, you too

That new strain sweeping across southern England is quite alarming. I do hope you will get your vaccine soon and that it is going to be effective against this new variation of the virus. Such crazy times.

[The King of Prussia]

24. I'm not sure how alarming it is

Certainly no-one is suggesting that it's more lethal or that the vaccines will be any less effective against it. What they are suggesting is that it's more readily transmissable. And that would suit the Johnson "government" because it would excuse their dreadful handling of the situation.

What there is, is correlation. There is a surge in cases in the south-east, and in some places most of the new cases are this particular variant. So there could be a causal link, but they don't actually know. So, apparently 62% of the new cases in London are the new variant. But, according to figures I saw, next door in Essex just 3% are the new variant. What to make of that? And, of course, the Johnson "government" is characterised by dishonesty - so I wouldn't rely on anything they say. I suspect a lot of politicians and experts have their eyes on the Public Enquiry that will take place when the catastrophe is over.

There is also a correlation between places under tighter restrictions and number of cases. Cases are down 75% here (still too high though) but we have been under tighter restrictions than the south-east for months. I believe that human behaviour drives the spread of the virus more than anything else.

Even though it's beginning to play merry hell with my mental health, we're going to keep on avoiding other humans until we're vaccinated.

And consider yourselves lucky... you get rid of diaperdon next month - we are stuck with Johnson for at least four moron years.

Have a different, but great, Christmas Hermetic & all DU readers. Stay safe!

[hermetic]

30. Gah! I just read

I probably won't be seeing a vaccine until next summer.

I'm starting to be concerned for my mental health, too. Being with another person 24/7 for 9 months is really pushing it, no matter how much you care for that other person. Add to that having to constantly see and hear raging maniacs all around you in the news. I do hope that in a few weeks sanity will start being the order of the day again, for all of us. Good luck with BoJo on that front. (Four moron years=good one.)

[SheltieLover]

23. Native Tongue by Hiaasem

Love your tree!

Happy Holidays, All! 🎄

[Staph]

25. I needed an escape (don't we all!)

and started The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. I think that I first heard about the series in one of these weekly "what are you reading" posts. The books, in order, are The Alchemyst, The Magician, The Sorceress, The Necromancer, The Warlock, and The Enchantress.

From Wikipedia:

The main story arc charts the adventures of fifteen-year-old American twins, named Sophie and Josh Newman, whose regular lives working at their summer jobs (Sophie works in a coffee shop, Josh in a bookstore) are turned upside down by the arrival of Dr. John Dee. Dr. Dee engages the bookstore owner, Nick Fleming, in a battle of magic in an attempt to steal an ancient book, The Book of Abraham the Mage (a.k.a. the Codex) from him.

Nick Fleming turns out to be Nicholas Flamel, and there are dozens of other Elders (mythological beings from the days before humans) and immortals with familiar names from all cultures around the world.

[yellowdogintexas]

26. I just finished "Razor Girl" by Carl Hiassen.

Like all of his books, it was hilarious.

I love his books

I also have a fun series started called Dead End Job Mysteries

The heroine is on the lam from her ex husband and each novel is about a different dead end job.
So far it is a fun read. There are 7 books in the series

[hermetic]

29. Dead End Jobs

Aha! A series of humorous cozies by Elaine Viets, beginning in 2003 with Shop Till You Drop. I think a few of us will be looking into those. Thanks.