The October Library Book Photo

Not so many books for me from the mobile library this time 'just' 12. 11 were reserved online and one plucked from the shelves.

Unusually there are four non-fiction this time.

The four non fiction are on the right although one is a thin book and hidden and I couldn't be bothered to take another photo.

As Kingfishers Catch Fire is a book about books and birds

Angels in the Cellar - A New life in a vineyard in France - no idea why I reserved this

Don't Forget We're Here Forever - no idea - must have seen it somewhere

Autumn by Kate Mosse is the one hidden

The fiction are as usual mostly crime except for September by Rosamund Pilcher which someone mentioned - not read any of her books for years.

Last month I came home with a huge heap of reserved books and have managed to read the majority. There was some really good reading and I even got on well with new-to-me authors.

These are the books from the the photo read and enjoyed in the last 4 weeks, copied from my Books Read 2026 page

• Tim Sullivan - The Cyclist. Crime Fiction (Published 2020) The second in this series featuring Detective George Cross. In this story there are lots of leads when a Greek restaurant owner and very keen cyclist is killed. There could be a link with drugs or with foreign criminals but maybe the murderer is closer to family.
• Susie Dent- Death Writ Large. Crime Fiction (Published 2026) The second book to feature Oxford Lexicographer Martha Thornhill and her colleagues at the Clarendon English Dictionary. In this story graffiti and mysterious symbols appear around Oxford at the same time as the body of a Lecturer is found at the bottom of the church tower. The police decide it's suicide but the messages and runes deciphered by Martha seem to predict a death and more to follow.
• Kate Ellis - Chapel of Bones. Crime Fiction (Published 2026) This is the 30th in the series set in Dartmouth in Devon (Tradmouth in the books) with DI Wesley Peterson and his colleagues. All of this series mix history with present times and archaeology comes into all of them too. This one starts with the mummified body of Dr Aleric Donnal, a historian last seen ten years ago, which is found bricked up in a wall in a large country house.
• Rachel Hore - The French Spy Mistress. Fiction (Published 2026) During the Second World  War there were two women with courage. This story is fiction but based on the true stories. In France Marie- Louise is recruited into and then leads a secret organisation called Alliance using agents all round the country to gather information to pass onto the British at MI6. In Sussex Sarah has been an ordinary wife and mother until her husband is asked to use his home as a stop- over for secret agents going to and from France. Marie-Louise and Sarah's lives collide as things get more and more dangerous.
• Louise Penny - A Fatal Grace. Crime Fiction. (Published 2006) The second in the Chief Inspector Gamache series set in Three Pines a village in Canada. Its winter and at the Boxing Day curling match everything is as usual until a huge scream and the death by electrocution of a spectator. It seems she was a person no one liked and even her husband and daughter are suspects. But why did no one in the crowd see what happened - or are they just keeping quiet for their own reasons

• Rory Clements - Invitation From A Dictator. Crime Fiction (Published 2026) Book 3 in the Detective Sebastian Wolff series set in Munich in Germany in the years leading to WWII. When King Edward the VIII (recently abdicated from the British throne) and his new bride Wallace Simpson are invited to Germany by Hitler it causes all sorts of problems for Wolff, trying to walk a line fighting against darkness and brutality without causing grief to his son and his sons mother - who has her own agenda - or to his partner Hexie.
• Joel Hames - The Viewpoint. Crime Fiction. (Published 2026) Second in the series featuring the Cumbrian detectives in the Professional Standards Division. The murder of a known criminal in a remote area shouldn't get the PSD team involved but then one of the investigating officers is attacked and camera footage goes missing Carl and his team are dragged in to the investigation.
• Phillipa Perry - Shrink Solves Murder. Crime Fiction (Published 2026). When a body is found near Beachy Head the police decide it is suicide but psychotherapist Patricia Phillips isn't so sure. The victim was her three o'clock patient, Henry Clayton, and she been helping him for a while and was sure that suicide had not been on his mind at all. As she gets drawn into investigation with her friend and neighbour Pritchard they uncover all sorts of secrets about their neighbours.
• Alexander McCall Smith -The Big Cats Dance Party. Crime Fiction. (Published 2026)Another in the long series set in Botswana with the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. In this story Mma Ramotswe etc all travel to visit the villages near an elephant sanctuary to find who is so angry with their work. Meanwhile Charlie is left in charge and solves a clients mystery all my himself.
• Ariel Lawhon - The Frozen River. Fiction (Published 2023 USA and 2025 Here). Based on the real person this story is about Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer in Maine in 1789. Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
  Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

The September Library Book Photo

 A good collection brought home from the mobile library this time, they are all books I had reserved online. Good job I took two bags up the road with me.

Lots of crime fiction - no surprise there then!.

I have no idea how I'm going to get through this lot in 4 weeks - think it's very unlikely that I will.

Better get reading.

4 weeks ago I brought home this lot below. I read most but took some back unread and still have a couple here. Those I read get a mention on the Books Read 2026 page.

The August Library Book Photo

 A nice collection of 8 books that I'd reserved all arrived for me to collect this week. I also picked two more from the shelves.

There are 6½ crime! The ½ is that very small novella on the top by Racheal McLean, which I see was written and sold to benefit the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal in 2022.....and still the war goes on there.

Three of the crime books are by authors new to me but I know I'll enjoy those by Alan Parks, Robert Peston and Heather Peck. I'll find out about the others later.

Two are non fiction that I've seen mentioned on blogs - they might be read properly - or might just be skimmed through and there are two that aren't crime. The Eve Woods book was on Sues blog - I think - and I know I've read  'The Lost Bookshop' by Eve Woods a while back. The other - ' The Midnight House' by Amanda Geard popped up somewhere. No idea what it is.

The crazy thing is that there are already 5 books in transit to the mobile library depot that will be sitting on the shelves there for four weeks ready for the September visit. Future good reading!

At the end of July I collected these below and read seven.

 The BLCC 'Airing in a Closed Carriage' was given up on quite quickly and as it was a month ago I can't remember why....just that I didn't get on with it. The others are on my Books Read 2026 page as well as two more - one I picked up in Stowmarket library and one from my shelves (Rosie Thomas - Iris and Ruby - a good story, as was the other book of hers I read ages ago ' The Kashmir Shawl')

Library Book Photo for July

8 books of crime fiction that I'd reserved turned up all at once on the mobile library last week- Not cancelled due to excess heat this time....thank goodness.

I'm hopeful that most of these are readable, but there are a couple of new authors there ( I've already tried the BLCC by Joseph Shearing and found I didn't like it) and two books of short stories which are usually quickly read. Which might mean reading from my shelves before the mobile is round again toward the end of August.............depends how hot it is.................forecast is for high 20's ℃ or low 30's℃ this week again and into August, it's just so very odd.

I've still got 20 books reserved and waiting, either  for the library to get them into stock and/or for my turn on waiting lists. Several will arrive by the August van visit. What is really annoying is that some were so slow to be bought by the library that my reservation had 'expired' before they even had them in stock - and I've had to re-reserve. It means I went from nearly at the top of the waiting list to the end! I've now found out how to make sure that doesn't happen again.

 Last months library books were these two photos below and I read some but abandoned many for various reasons - usually they just didn't appeal once I got started. 

Details of all the books I read were copied from the July books read list onto last Wednesdays post  or on the separate 2026 page. I read one from my shelves, picked up another from library shelves when I took some back and another for 50p from the books For Sale library shelf.

The Tree Lore book didn't have any mention of  Horse Chestnut Trees to add to info for my Following a Tree posts and I flicked through Tonics and Teas but nothing appealed. Evergreen was yet another book I just skimmed through, it was about 'finding joy in the seasons'............. I wasn't in the right frame of mind!

June Library Book Photo - Several Days into July

Blimey yesterday was HOT AGAIN! Even the breeze was hot. Set to be the same all week - too much for me now - funny how not so many years ago I loved the heat, now I can only tolerate it by doing nothing. Although I did get started with another batch of compost (AKA mixed fruit) jelly, to be finished today once the sun had gone from the kitchen window.

As I mentioned before, the mobile library was cancelled two weeks ago due to the heat but Rachel rang and said she would send my reservations to Stowmarket Library for me to collect but when I went into town a week later they still hadn't arrived. Of course notification arrived the next day to say they'd finally got there (the afternoon after I was in town of course!)

I did a detour on my way back from visiting YD and picked them up. More non-fiction than usual and only two crime.

On the top is a book I reserved out of curiosity after reading Deborah's (Country Ways and Cottage Days) post about the Welsh herbal online course she is doing (and I hope she is OK as she's not posted for several weeks).

Then left to right ............. Tree Lore ( no idea why I reserved this as I've got several 'tree' books of my own). Dean Street Press have reprinted many of Sara Wood's crime fiction, dating back to the 1960's. I read some of her later books as she was still writing well into the 1980's . I suggested the library buy some and they bought the first one, saying that if I liked it I could suggest they buy more!

'Theo of Golden' is another book that I have no clue why I reserved it - did someone mention it? did I read about it somewhere and what the heck is it about anyway? I'll let you know.

'Secret Places' by Heather Peck, I plucked from the library shelves having found her novella in this series to try when I was there last week. It was a good short read so I looked to see availability of her other books and spotted Stow had this one on the shelves.

'The Enchanted April' by Elizabeth Von Arnim was suggested to read after I read 'Elizabeth and her German Garden ' in May.

'Evergreen' by Lydia Millen is "Inspired by the seasons, 'Evergreen' is the essential guide for anyone who is looking to bring more joy and more happiness into their everyday."

I'll let you know how that pans out too!

'Reconnected' by Carlos Whittaker. He is an American author, podcaster, instagrammer etc- well known apparently - I'd never heard of him. After working out how many hours, days and years of his life he spends connected to a screen he tries 7 weeks without a phone - two weeks in a monastery, two more weeks  on an Amish farm and four weeks at home.

I've started this already and he makes some good points.

There are already five books for me sitting in the mobile library depot ready for the July visit to the village....all crime....good.

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What an A -MAZ-ING game of tennis yesterday evening. Arthur Fery just kept battling and took it to the 10 point tie-break in the 5th Set and WON! So exciting to see, although I hardly dared watch at the end . He plays Flavio Cobolli in the Quarter Finals on Wednesday, someone he has already beaten this year in the first round of the Australian Open.

Looking forward to it.

Meanwhile it's back to the other half of the draw with Jannick Sinner and Djokovic playing. I expect both to win their games and meet in the semi finals.

Had to Choose From The Shelves.

 I took my last two library books back to the library in town and thought my reservations sent on from the mobile would be there, but they hadn't arrived, don't know why as it's a week ago. Instead I hunted the shelves and picked up five books in the hope that maybe a couple might be OK.

Dorothy Sayers - The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Ian Samson - Essex Poison, The Woman in the Wardrobe by Peter Shaffer; Black Sheep by Susan Hill and Death on the Norwich Express by Heather Peck. I've tried Ian Sansom's books before - he wrote a series of crime on mobile libraries which might have been good but the one I tried was dreadful!  and the one by Heather Peck is one of those printed on demand books from Amazon, it looks like a short quick read. The Crime Classic didn't ring any bells but yes, I'd read it already.

It was very hot and stuffy in the library and by the time I got out it felt just right to go in the Osier Cafe in the Church  which is just across the churchyard from the library and get a cool drink.......and a cheese scone of course. 

I read 13 books during June - due to the hot weather and the week feeling ugh. I don't think the July list will be so long. I read three from my shelves after running out of library books but then abandoned three others before I could find one to get into. I've started a collection to go off to World of Books or Ziffit or whatever they are called now - just need to find a suitable cardboard box. I've obviously not been ordering enough 'stuff' from Amazon!

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 Arthur Fery was the only Brit getting through to the third round in the Men's Singles, sadly Jacob Fearnley  and  Jan Choinski were knocked out as was Katie Swan.

 

The May Library Book Photo

First of all must say Thank You to all who clicked the follower button and pushed that annoying flickering gif right out of sight! Hope no one else does one for a follower profile picture.

Nine books collected from the Mobile Library this week and I still have three here from last time.

 From left to right 'Thoughtlands:Walking Through Writers' Suffolk' not sure how interesting this will be - I'll see. Two old crime books by Ann Cleeves from before her Vera and Shetland days. Then there is a recent  BLCC by a different author - Leo Bruce -  'Death on the Gallows Tree'. Then, after reading a Rumer Godden book last month, I reserved another 'Breakfast With the Nikolides'. A Jim Eldridge book in a different series to those already read -'Shadows of the Dead' from 2017. Then a book by Anne Perry published posthumously and finished by another author - Victoria Zackheim -   'Death Times Seven'. Another non fiction book is 'Deep Country' by Neil Ansell which I read many years ago but decided to re-read after reading his latest book last month. Finally on the right is the latest  book by Rachel Hore which turns out to be one of those Quick Reads of just 100 pages. Her new full length book - 'The French Spymistress'  is out in July so that's been reserved.

Last visit at the end of April I brought home these below and read seven with three still here. Unsurprisingly that fat non fiction book about the English Civil war which I didn't remembering ordering went back un-read. Those I did read are on the 'Books Read 2026'. 

Actually spotted 'Elizabeth and Her German Garden' at a boot sale last weekend [didn't buy it!] - rarely see any of these Vintage Classics in charity shops etc. I scan shelves for them and for the Grey Persephone and Dark Green Virago Modern Classics but not many about.

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The Second April Library Book Photo

 Two library book photos in April this year as the van comes round every four weeks. A nice mixture of authors I know and others I have no idea why I've reserved them!

From Left to Right . The new book by Anthony Horowitz - that one I know will be brilliant. Chris Nickson's new book will be another very readable. Broken House by Louise Scarr isn't the series that I've read two of already, but hopefully it will be OK. 

The book by Ann Cleeves is one of her very old books before Vera and Shetland, they are not so well written but I've not read this one so will give it a try. 'On This Holy Island' is a book about a pilgrimages through history across the country.

'Playing Dead' are short crime stories by members of the Detection Club. 'Broken Ground' by Val McDermid is an early one from the Karen Pirie series.

 There's a non fiction book about growing up on a Scottish Island that I must have heard about somewhere. Next is the latest by Jim Kelly in his wartime Cambridge series - that will be a good read for sure. 

Far right is something that I really have no idea about ordering, -  It's a non fiction book about the beginnings of the English Civil War. I made Rachel, the library van driver smile as I looked at it and said it's got too many words!! 

On the top are two small books, one by Rumer Godden that I've never read ' A Fugue in Time' and the other is the book that I mentioned in that list of spring garden reading from the Country Commonplace book - Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth Von Arnim.

Below is what I collected from 4 weeks ago. 'The Eights' was the best and I've already mentioned a couple of others but several went back unread.

Those I did finish are on the separate Book Read 2026 page.

Have a good weekend - I'll be back Monday.

The 1st April Library Book Photo

Brought home these library books yesterday from the Mobile Library, and they will be round again in four weeks and it will still be April - so that's why it's the 1st April Library Book Photo. Almost all the books were reserved online and as usual there are some authors I know and others I wonder where the information came from to give me the idea for reserving.

The two crime by Jim Kelly I know will be good and 'The Double Turn ' by Carol Carnac, who is one of British Library Crime Classics best authors. The other BLCC, 'Sky High' is by Michael Gilbert. 'Murder at the Castle' is by an author I don't know and the same with Claire Anders. I did say I wouldn't read any more Devon crimes by Stephanie Austin as they are a bit light , but I seem to have reserved another. I know I saw 'The Eights' by Joanna Miller on a book blog. The one with a T on the spine is teenage fiction by Laura Wood that I read about somewhere and the Persephone is one of their recent re-prints "Crooked Cross" by Sally Carson. On the right are two non-fiction 'The English Path' a reprint by Little Toller books that I've had before but didn't read and 'On Gallow's Down' by Nicola Chester is a memoir of countryside life , she wrote 'Ghosts of the Farm' which I read and enjoyed  earlier this year.

Below - In March there were eight brought home. I was just a few pages into The Potting Shed Murder before deciding it was rubbish!. I enjoyed Moonfleet, The Place of Tides, London Can Take it, and especially Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne. I didn't like the book by Mick Herron and the very old crime story "The Abominable Snowman "was very dated. The small book in the centre was "The Serviceberry" a book about plants and indigenous Americans, I think. I flicked through but didn't finish it.

Details of books read are on the separate Books Read 2026 Page and I'll let you know how I get on with my early April  assortment.

Back Tomorrow

March Library Book Photo

Thank you to everyone for comments yesterday. Apologies for not replying properly - the day got away from me.

 Brought home from the library van this week, all books I'd reserved on-line. A drastic shortage of crime fiction!

Left to right.................Someone must have mentioned 'The Potting Shed Murder' - it sounds a bit cosy crime - I'll try it and see. When I did a blog post about smugglers pubs in Suffolk a couple of people mentioned 'Moonfleet' something I'd not read. Next is a book by James Rebanks 'The Place of Tides'. This is mentioned on a page of ideas for spring reading (I'll post about this next week). The very small book 'The Serviceberry' is from the US, not sure why I reserved it. Next is a very old reprinted crime book by Nicholas Blake 'The Abominable Snowman'. NB was the pseudonym of Cecil Day Lewis. Mick Herron is a new-to-me author to try. 'London Can Take it' is a book about the blitz by Valerie Braunston and finally a book I know I'll enjoy 'Appointment in Paris' by Jane Thynne.

I'll be reading from my shelves for sure, long before the van is round again.

Last month I collected this lot below and only read five of them - details on the Books Read 2026 page. I skimmed through a couple, abandoned one and hardly glanced at another. Not exactly a successful collection and I was glad to have other books here to read. 

February Library Book Photo

 Picked up these from the mobile library, a bit different this month - only two crime and six non-fiction

and the very small book on the right is a children's book.

I've added to the books about spring - seems I'm looking forward as well as getting through Winter with 'Sacred Seasons' and that fiction book 'The Last Song of Winter' by Lulu Taylor (which someone must have mentioned as it doesn't look like a 'me' book at all) ' But 4 other books about getting through Winter still have waiting lists and it will be March and Spring before I get them.

Out of the huge amount brought home in January I've still got 5 here and have read seven so far.

The books I've read up to now are on the Books Read 2026 page. 

January Library Book Photo

 Oh My Goodness - so many books! all these  lovely library books collected, all books I'd reserved on line and almost all crime of course.

From the left -the new book by Kate Ellis in her Wesley Peterson Devon series; Another new book in the series about Owen Archer in Medieval York by Candace Robb; The second by Sally Smith featuring Gabriel Ward KC in Edwardian London. Next is the first of three Val McDermid books in her Karen Pirie series. I was going to wait until they appear on TV but there are no plans for season 3. Next in the picture is 'Spring' a non fiction book by Michael Morpurgo which might just be a section of his previous book 'All Around the Year' . Then the latest in the series by Chris Nickson featuring thief taker Simon Westow and set in 1800's Leeds. Next in the photo is Winter by Val McDermid - no idea what this is or why I reserved it. And again no idea what 'Gunner' by Alan Parks is all about. I thought I'd read all the updated Campion books by Mike Ripley but this one isn't in my book-of-books-read. The Queen who came in from the Dark (Should be Cold  thank you to Kirsten) is another by S.J.Bennett in which our late queen gets involved in solving crimes. The small paperbacks are Still Waters by ECR Lorac a recent publication by British Library Crime Classics. The last two are Murder in York by J R Ellis which I think I've failed with previously and something I don't know at all The Bone Road by N E Solomon.

I've still got four here from the December van visit when there were 13 brought home. I've read seven, and abandoned two. The books I read are on the December 2025 page or January 2026 Books Read page.

I need to stop writing this blog post and start reading PDQ!!

Reading For Christmas - and into New Year

 This month I collected these, all books I'd reserved online. A good selection to see me through Christmas and into Just-Stay-In -January.

As usual mostly crime fiction but with a couple of non-fiction on the right - Unschooled by Caro Giles and Cacophony of Bones by Kerri ni Dochartaigh - which apparently I've borrowed before but didn't read. Plus one by Rachel Hore that I've not read.

There are  two more of Anne Perry's Christmas Novellas on the top - which, according to my book of books read, I've not read - but might find I have when I start. There's another British Library Crime Classic on top by Christianna Brand who is one of their good authors.

Among the crime is the most recent Val McDermid in her Karen Pirie series; two authors that are new to me and one of the Medieval Murders books - in which several authors take in turns to add to a story taking it through the years.

Last month it was this lot below and I read seven and gave up on five. My favourites were 'Midnight in Vienna' by Jane Thynne and Murder in Paris by Christina Koning

A bit about those I read is on the Books Read 2025 page - it will soon be time to start a 2026 page.

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Yesterday, Day 12, there were two sachets of coffee squeezed into one space -the packing machine must have gone awry. They were hazelnut and Columbian . I wonder if I'm going to find an empty section sometime?

 Also yesterday was the only day of last week when I had nothing happening all day which was needed as I'd run out of focaccia bread. A chunk goes well with any tomato-y pasta sauce and with the leek and bacon pilaf I had for my dinner.

A gift came all the way to me from the Inner Hebrides - Thank you W - it's in the fridge as instructed. Hope my gift got there - they have had some very bad storms.

 My friends who visited the other day left me two little parcels so I will have something to open Christmas morning. Other pressies will be later in the day when we all get together and after much nagging BiL finally came up with an idea for something he needs - so that's sorted and everything else is now wrapped for everyone.

N is for the November Library Book Photo (and Nails)

I started off puzzling over what to write about for N............ Another letter difficult to fill. In 2022 I used all sorts of N words and in 2023 found some Norfolk Cheese for a taste test.

In childhood A,B,C picture books N was often a nail (woodwork sort)- how many children have much to do with hammers and nails nowadays? 

Say nails to anyone young now and they would think about the sort for which you need a 'nail bar'. But in rural Suffolk the words 'nail bar' would have been a mystery 20 years ago, there might have been places for a manicure - perhaps included at a hairdressers but a whole shop for painting nails was unknown and those weird long fake nails that people have are not for me - I don't even like nail varnish - it feels horrible.

I had to help a woman with inch long nails get her £1 coin out of the trolley at Aldi recently - made me smile.

THEN the library van came and of course it was obvious what N was - The November Library Book Photo!

Twelve books and every one is a crime novel. I think I have a serious problem!

They are all books I'd reserved online so it's just coincidence that all of this month's are crime fiction.

Some are authors that are favourites, others are authors I've not tried before and one or two are authors I've failed with in the past and I'm trying again.

On the left is the tenth and last - at the moment - of the Christina Koning stories involving The Blind Detective. I've really enjoyed these so I hope she writes more.

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The October Library Book Photo

 Whoop Whoop -  so many crime! A lovely collection of books picked up last week. I'm sure I won't run out before the van is round again this time. They are all books that I'd reserved online.

There's just one non fiction on the left ' The Bookseller of Hay' which is about Richard Booth the man who more or less started The Town of Books at Hay on Wye. One of the crime novels is a new to me author and Andrew Taylor is an author I've tried umpteen times and never managed to finish and two more are British Library Crime Classics. The Lake House by Kate Morton is the only fiction that isn't crime but the three I'm most looking forward to are those by Christina Koning from the Blind Detective series, they weren't all requested or reserved at the same time but have arrived together.

Last month I collected these below and ran out of reading well before the van came this time. 5 out of the 8 were read properly and one skimmed through. Info about those I read are on the Books Read 2025 page.

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Library Book Photo for September

Firstly must say thank you to everyone for comments about the shingles vaccination. I've known  people who have had very painful episodes of shingles and suffered with it coming back again and again. So would like to avoid it if possible. 

 Just eight library books collected last week. Mostly crime fiction as usual. 'The Water Clock' by Jim Kelly is the first of a series of his that I've not read any of yet. Patricia Hall is a crime author I read 30 years ago, this is a more recent one that the library still had in stock. I've read one by Alis Hawkins before and tried and failed with another, but this is a different series to try. Best of all is the new one by Rory Clements - that is sure to be a good read. Two books of short crime stories and finally two non fiction to try.

I'm sure I'll have run out well before the four weeks until the van is round again. So I'll be reading from my shelves for sure. There are already 3 books on the way for me to collect in October so I'm hoping for a good selection then.

Looking back to August when I collected this big haul of 14 books. I read six out of the nine crime fiction and

 three out of the others that aren't crime. I've still got the Suffolk Place Names Book here waiting to be used for a blog post.

As always information on those read are added to the Books Read 2025 page.

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The August Library Book Photo

 Collected these books I'd reserved on-line from the mobile library.

An old Rumer Godden that I've not read plus 4 various Non Fiction. 

But, as usual, mostly crime fiction. Two are collections of short stories, two are by authors I've not read before and the rest are by tried and trusted authors.

They should keep me out of mischief for the next few weeks.

 

Four weeks ago I collected these below

I read nine of them. Details on the Books Read 2025 Page.  I've  still got the very fat R F Delderfield book. It's got so many people in the first few pages that I got lost. I have read it before - back in the 1970's - maybe I had more patience then -might try it again if I'm short of reading. 

For goodness sake don't read Nevil Shute's 'In The Wet' if you are offended by language in common use when the book was written in 1953. I looked on a review of it somewhere on line and a person was Horrified and counted how many times a certain word we no longer use was actually in the book! Which I thought rather strange for someone who was so disgusted!

Have a good Bank Holiday weekend - if you are in the UK. I'm doing nothing exciting which will give me plenty of time for reading.

The July Library Book Photo

Brought home from the library van last week, all except one were books I'd reserved online.

There are a four here by authors I've not read, including the British Library Crime Classic and three others were read so long ago they hardly count as re-reads (R F Delderfield and two by Nevil Shute). The others are crime fiction by authors read before.

Among the crime fiction are the first and second in a series by Christina Koning that I mentioned back at the beginning of July I read the 8th which I'd reserved because of its title and the Bletchley Park wartime link and regretted not realising it was the 8th. Since collecting the new library books last week I've now read the first - 'The Blind Detective'  so now I can make sense of the story of how a man who is blind is friends with a police detective and is able to help with crime solving.

The say don't judge a book by it's cover - but the covers of this series are very appealing I think.

 

I wondered what the covers were like when they were originally published over 10 years ago with different titles and when she was writing as A.C. Koning,  and found this. It's new title is the second in the series ' Murder in Regent's park'  which I also have here to read. 

It's interesting (to me anyway!) to track down the whys and wherefores of how books are republished, change titles, covers, publishers and become popular when they were previously almost unknown.

So unknown that the Fantastic Fiction website only has her listed with the new editions and published dates - no mention of the originals.

 The original title and cover doesn't really explain what the book is about so I think in this case it was a good idea to change titles and covers.

I've now reserved the 3rd, 4th and 5th but weirdly the library haven't got the 6th or 9th and the 10th is  being published (or republished?) in November. 

Looking back and these were the books I brought home in June, 4 out of the 6 were read - details on the books read 2025 page.

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Library Book Photo for June

 Well, Wimbledon started with good tennis and a lot of heat, hot here in Suffolk too - love it!

Collected last week from the library van, just 5 that I'd reserved and one I spotted on the shelves.

Decided to read (or re-read from 50 years ago) another Nevil Shute. There's books from authors I know ............... Kristin Hannah, Christina Koning and Katy Watson but the 'Clues in the Fjord' is a new to me author and a translation from Finnish or Icelandic - not sure which and not sure I'll like it and finally the book by Jenny Pearson is a children's book that looked interesting as it's set in WWII.

Last time (when the mobile didn't come but they kindly sent my books to Stowmarket) there were 15 and I've written about those I read on the Books Read 2025 page. Some went back unread as I just couldn't get into them and there is still one here to read.

Three of the these read, one still here and the rest returned unread.

 The Katie Fforde wasn't a thriller as the spine label says but her usual light stuff but I couldn't get into it at all.

Enjoyed all these four

I went online to reserve some more books but discovered the online reserving thingy wasn't working, thankfully it was only off for a week or so. I'm enjoying the re-reading of the Nevil Shute book so have already reserved another.

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