Carol's Notebook

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Dirk Maggs

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

I don't read graphic novels often. I'm not good at it. I haven't learned to slow down enough and pay attention to the images. Yes, I could practice, but it turns out I don't care that much. I had seen the ad for The Sandman on Audible, but had pretty much ignored it until a friend mentioned it on Facebook. I admit to being leery - a graphic novel in audio form, a "full cast" production - but it was free and only about 11 hours. With all the voices, sounds effects, and too much music, this is more of a radio play than an audiobook, not that that's good or bad. As someone who is unfamiliar with The Sandman graphic, I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation. It's dramatic and immersive and I never felt lost or like I was missing something. There were a few references to the DC universe that I caught but also probably several that slipped right over...

The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny

September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 by Carol6 Comments

My mom and I both read Penny's Gamache series. She loves all of them; I like the "smaller" mysteries, the ones that don't involve institutional corruption or cross-country drug trafficking. The Madness of Crowds is one of those smaller, more personal mysteries. We're back in Three Pines, which is always nice, and Gamache and his whole family are there for the holidays. Gamache is asked to provide security for a professor's lecture, but, of course, it's not quite as simple as it sounds. The professor's visit and talk lead to moral dilemmas, violence, and ultimately a death. The mystery itself was fine. We have several suspects, even if I question why a couple of them would make the list- the motives seem rather weak. The clues are revealed slowly, allowing us to discover them along with Gamache as he and his team pull back the layers of people's lives, discovering their secrets and past choices. Penny does touch on COVID, or the...

The Cure for What Ales You by Ellie Alexander

September 16, 2021September 16, 2021 by Carol2 Comments

Sloan works at a craft brewery in the Pacific Northwest. The town has a faux-Bavarian ambiance and attracts a lot of tourists. I enjoy spending time in the town and with Sloan and her friends and family. I love how the town actually likes its tourists and how the townspeople all know and look out for each other. Of course, quirky characters and a good setting can just about carry any cozy mystery - thankfully. Our victim here is a housekeeper at a local hotel, but that investigation is overshadowed by the return of a woman from Sloan's past claiming to be her aunt. Honestly, I hope we're finally done with all the stuff from Sloan's childhood. It all seems unlikely and over the top and detracts from a good series. If the author could just keep the focus on the murders in the town, and not veer off into organized crime or drugs or whatever, I'd be much happier. Sloan's present...

The Family Plot by Megan Collins

September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 by Carol6 Comments

Dahlia Lighthouse and her siblings had an unconventional childhood, to say the least. They were homeschooled and along with geography, they were taught about famous serial killers and their victims by their obsessed parents. The way they grew up, sheltered, surrounded by historical murders, has obviously affected how they live in the world off the island and how they relate to other people. And now three of the siblings, now adults, are back home. Dad's dead, but someone else's body is found in his grave - Andy, who they all thought ran away years ago. So the mystery is who killed Andy. Dahlia is desperate to find out what happened to her twin. I don't know if mystery is really the right word. Yes, we have some clues and an investigation, but the book is more about the oppressive atmosphere of the Lighthouse home, of the suspicion of the other islanders, of secrets and obsession and coping. The tone is dark and...

RIP XVI

September 9, 2021September 21, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

I almost forgot to post about RIP XVI. The point is to read atmospheric books, watch movies, listen to audiobooks, etc during the months of September and October: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, or Supernatural. I will be participating in a few of the perils. You can find me here, on Instagram where hopefully I'll be posting some photos for the challenge, and on Twitter. First up is the group read. I'm looking forward to reading The Sundial. I've loved the other two of Jackson's I've read. Of course, I'll be participating in the Perils of the Fiction Read and the Peril of the Listen, which includes audiobooks, podcasts, etc. Reads: The Cure for What Ales You by Ellie Alexander Listens: The Family Plot by Megan CollinsThe Madness of Crowds by Louise PennyThe Sandman by Neil Gaiman, adaped by Dirk Maggs And finally, I'm going to play Bingo. ...

Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison

September 8, 2021September 8, 2021 by Carol4 Comments

I loved the setting in Death at High Tide. We have a 1920s hotel that was updated a bit too much in the 70s on a remote island in the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall. The island can only be reached at low tide and it's off season, so very few people are staying there. Like any good isolated setting, we have a limited number of people. Evie and her sister, Margot, are our main characters. Evie's husband has recently died, leaving Evie on pretty shaky financial ground. But, there were papers that suggested she may be the owner of the hotel, so Evie and Margot head off, to see the hotel and to get away for a weekend. The sisters are a good pair, opposites who nevertheless support each other when push comes to shove. We've got the husband and wife who own the hotel, a couple of staff, and an older, nosy woman who lives there...