What Fiction are you reading this week, December 3, 2023?

[hermetic]

Happy December

The Christmas book tree at St. Pancras Station in London. The booths have built-in speakers so you can listen to a story while you wait.

Still reading What the Dead Know. Slow going.

The audio version of The Secret History by Donna Tartt just came in for me so I'll be listening to that for a while. 22 hours. Supposed to be really good. Dark secrets at Hampden College.

What books are you starting December off with?

[Lonestarblue]

1. I just finished reading a nonfiction book that was fascinating.

It’s The Color of Water by James McBride. McBride writes of his quirky white Jewish mother who married two black men and birthed 12 children. He is an excellent writer, and I fell in love with his mother through his tales of his childhood and his mother’s determination to put all 12 of her children through college in spite of being poor.

I’m ready to start a fiction book, Portrait of a Marriage, by Maggie O’Farrell. She wrote another excellent fiction, Hamnet, a few years ago.

[hermetic]

2. That tiile is actually

The Marriage Portrait. If I'm not looking right at a book I sometimes get the titles twisted, too. Sounds good. An electrifying new novel set in Renaissance Italy, and centering on the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de Medici. O'Farrell brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life, and offers an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young woman's battle for her very survival.

I've always wanted to read Hamnet. I will put that up towards the top of my list.

[japple]

9. All of James McBride's books are wonderful. I esp. like The Color of Water. I recently

read The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and thought that the main character, Chona, must have been based in-part on his mother. His writing is so fluid and lyrical. I need to listen to some of his books in audio format.

[Bayard]

3. Well, I actually stopped reading an old book of John Saul's

And I don't often do that. It was 3 volumes in one, "Suffer the Children," "Punish All Sinners, and "Cry for the Strangers." The first one could have been cut in half, and it had an unsatisfying ending. The second one, I got about a third of the way in, and said--this is boring. Not bothering with the third. I think these are some of his earlier efforts, because I have some of his others, and they were decent.

On to the next. I discovered a volume in my library I had apparently bought and forgotten. "Sleeping Beauties," by Stephen King and his son, Owen. Huge book, but so far, so good.

[hermetic]

4. That is a huge book, 720 pages

Fun fact: it's also been published as a graphic novel. My library has it so I will definitely have a look. Online opinions vary.

[cbabe]

5. Two new authors

S. A. Cosby/All the sinners bleed

Black sheriff in small southern county. Chasing a serial killer. All the complexities of historical and ongoing racism.

Writing is ‘vibrant and inventive’, Nyt.

Next is his novel ‘Razorblade tears’ which is on Mr. Obama’s list.

And Peter Heller/The last ranger

Law enforcement ranger in Yellowstone. Wolves. Wolf expert. Someone killing wolves.

Nevada Barr does park law enforcement more realistically. But I enjoyed Heller’s gentle touch filled with humor.

Glorious descriptions of the park and rivers and fishing.

Locals and tourists. Bad guy with hidden story.

Started Heller’s The Guide hoping for the same. ‘Locked room’ horror in exclusive backcountry resort. Not my cup of tea.

[Bayard]

13. Heller sounds like someone I should check out

Thanks!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

15. All the Sinners Bleed

Is also on Obama's list, his latest one for this year.

I track all of those books, and try to get through at least a few of them every year.

[mentalsolstice]

6. Just starting to read The Last Flight ✈️ by Julie Clark

Some interesting choices listed here this week! My old book club read The Color of Water several years ago, a great book. Have a good week all!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

16. Just finished that one

And I'm not kidding about 'just.' Put it down about 3 hours ago.

[yellowdogintexas]

7. City of Spirits by Wyatt Thomas #2 in a 12 book series

When fates intertwine amid the madness of Mardi Gras, chaos reigns supreme
A sinking crew boat carrying a dangerous mob assassin chained up for transport sets off a string of events that will affect the lives of many. Jacque Leguerre, a sociopath and hired killer, is consumed by revenge and blames Catholic priest Father Alphonso for his problems. When Jacque unexpectedly arrives in New Orleans, he’s determined to make the priest pay for his transgressions.

Meanwhile, N.O.P.D. homicide detective Tony Nicosia finds himself facing off against a ruthless killer while dealing with a new partner he can’t stand. As he investigates the murder of a large Norwegian man who turns out to be the victim of Jacque Leguerre, Tony meets Venus Hernandez. Amid the chaos, Tony and Venus embark on a torrid affair while Jacque eludes the police.

French Quarter private investigator Wyatt Thomas takes on a wealthy client who wants him to prove his racial background as pure white. As Wyatt delves into the case, he becomes enamored by one of his client’s twin daughters, Desire. During his investigation, he uncovers dark family secrets that threaten to torpedo his budding relationship with Desire.
With the madness of Mardi Gras swirling around them, these characters collide in unexpected ways. Will Father Alphonso survive Jacque’s wrath? Will Tony catch the killer, and will his marriage survive his illicit affair? And will Wyatt find lasting love with Desire, or risk everything by revealing her father’s forbidden love triangle?

Buckle up and prepare for a wild plot-twisting ride through the haunted and deadly streets of the City of Spirits.

I am such a sucker for anything set in New Orleans !! I had already read a couple of these books and the opportunity arose to catch them on reduce price. The atmosphere and uniqueness of New Orleans permeates the book and the story is top notch.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. Emergence (I did a lot of reading last week) by Ernest Dempsey (book 1 in series)

Dempsey is one of my favorite authors - I love his adventure/archaeological and sometimes paranormal books. This is a new series for me . It was in the Amazon Prime Reading so it was free. I'll be watching for the remaining volumes to pop up on markdown.

To do list: Find ancient mythical amulet. Take down cartel.

At first, Dr. Gideon Wolf thinks the guy standing in front of him is insane.

Ten million bucks for what amounts to a glorified treasure hunt. Ten million dollars, this man offers him, to find a mythical amulet based on, apparently, some maps he printed off the internet and his outsized faith in make-believe.

Turns out the unwelcome interlocutor isn’t just some garden-variety kook. He’s Vicente Carrillo, the world’s most feared drug lord, and Gideon learns fast that the deal is nonnegotiable.

Held captive by Carrillo’s thugs in the Mexican jungle, Gideon escapes before the expedition . . . only to stumble into an ancient, hidden temple that contains the medallion itself.
The instant he touches the amulet, he knows why Carrillo wants it. It exudes a power that makes him feel invincible.

But there’s a downside. The medallion has disfigured him horribly. What was once the respected archaeologist Dr. Gideon Wolf is now a bloodthirsty monstrosity: part wolf, part dog, part man.

“El Chupacabra,” a cartel gunman gasps as Gideon bashes his skull in an escape.
Gideon’s amulet is one of seven, hidden by the ancients millennia ago and bestowing great responsibility on whoever finds, and dons, the powerful artifacts.

To fulfill his destiny as El Chupacabra, the Guardian of the Innocent, he must first learn to control his all-too-real animal instincts while protecting the amulet from Carrillo, who’s launched a private army straight at Gideon to steal it back.

USA Today best-selling author Ernest Dempsey again blends his mastery of history, myth, and suspense to deliver the first great series of 2022. Emergence marks the introduction of an antihero for the new age: Dr. Gideon Wolf, a man whom fate pushes through the door of history to fulfill a lonely, dangerous destiny.

[mentalsolstice]

14. I definitely need to look into this series!

My husband is a NOLA native and raised. As a result, I have visited many times and I know the city well, not just the tourist area. I love books that are immersed with their locale.

[yellowdogintexas]

18. I think my fascination with New Orleans began with Anne Rice and Lestat

Other books set in New Orleans that I have enjoyed:

the Skip Langdon and Talba Wallace series (both by Julie Smith)
Sarah Cradit's incredible series/saga of the Deschanel family (lots of paranormal goings on ) This is a huge series
Tubby Dubonnet Mysteries COLORFUL CHARACTERS, MOUTH-WATERING CUISINE, AND NEW ORLEANS' SEEDIEST CRIME SCENES — AT A KILLER PRICE

A simple man with a refined palate, maverick New Orleans lawyer Tubby Dubonnet has a penchant for fishing, Old Fashioneds, off-track betting, and fighting evil while passing a good time. Passing a good time, of course, includes dodging drug dealers, running from the mob, solving medical lab murder mysteries, thwarting hurricane season bank heists, and keeping a crime boss out of local politics. Now you can read his first five Anthony and Edgar-nominated thrilling adventures for a bargain price!

Settle down — preferably with a hearty snack — and enjoy this hard-boiled but humorous mystery series that's as chock full of laughs as it is chills!
Witching New Orleans

I am also a sucker for books set in South Florida. This is probably because we spent a week in the Keys and had an absolute blast. And of course, "Florida Man" insanity. The ultimate South Florida books are by Carl Hiaasen of course.

[yellowdogintexas]

8. The Spy Coast by Tess Gerrittson (The Martini Club Book 1)

A retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.

Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.

But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.

Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.

As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.

This was a fast paced suspense/intrigue filled novel, and I am looking forward to the next one. (The Summer Guests) This was my first Book by this author which kind of surprises me since I love this type of reading and was a huge fan of Rizzoli and Isles on TV.

[japple]

10. Thanks for the weekly thread, hermetic. I love the book tree in the OP. What a lovely idea.

Still reading Tananarieve Due's book, The Reformatory. It is sad, but eye-opening and I love the main characters.

[hermetic]

12. Happy to be here, japple

Love all the good folks who stop by and share all the terrific books they've found. It's a good thing.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

17. Busy week for me

Mohsin Hamid – Exit West
James Crumley – The Last Good Kiss
Aiden Thomas – Cemetery Boys
Willa Cather – My Ántonia

Might be able to get to Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark as well.