Library – Page 12 – Carol's Notebook

Newcomer by Keigo Higashino

August 28, 2019January 23, 2023 by Carol6 Comments

I have been a fan of Higashino's for years, but the order his books are translated into English seems rather haphazard. Thankfully the ones I've read have all been able to stand on their own, including Newcomer. The newcomer is Detective Kaga, who has been newly transferred to the district. He is investigating the murder of a divorced woman who lived by herself, also a relative newcomer to the area. Kaga is like Sherlock Holmes in a way, picking up on the tiny, seemingly insignificant clues, but he's friendly and nice and puts people at ease. And he doesn't have a sidekick. He works with others in his department, but only when he needs to, he does his best work when he's on his own. This is a puzzle-type mystery. We have an odd assortment of clues and a large batch of potential suspects, but no good, solid possibility. The way the book is set up is a bit unusual. Each section...

One Summer by Bill Bryson

July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

I loved One Summer by Bill Bryson. I may have already told my mom she should read it. Unfortunately, I can't just let her borrow mine since a.) I listened to the audio version and b.) I borrowed it from the library. I'm not a history buff or a sports buff. I've only read one of Bryson's books before, Shakespeare, but I was looking for a non-fiction read and One Summer caught my eye. I'm so glad I picked it up. You can tell from the blurb that a lot happened between May and September 1927. People and events I've heard of, and some I haven't. Bryson takes two of the famous men from the era, Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth, and tells not only their stories but the story of the time, the inventions, the politics, the deaths, the bad but mostly the good. It's a fun book full of little bits of information. I may have told my family...

The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

The Montalbano series is not one I read/listen to in order. When I'm between books and one is available at the library I pick it up, which is how I ended up listening to The Overnight Kidnapper. It's pretty typical for the series. We have some random, brief kidnappings that Montalbano is looking into, along with an arson, but, in true mystery book style, it's all connected and much more serious than it seems at first, when it turns into a murder investigation. Montalbano is his usual self, amusing and charming in his own way. I think the narrator does a good job with him. We've got the usual sidekicks and I love the way his housekeeper/cook, Adelina, deals with a break-in without losing track of her pasta. I guess I just like the feel of these books, the characters, the setting, the food. The actual mystery in this one was fine, if a little odd. Who kidnaps a woman for just an...

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

May 7, 2019May 7, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

In the 1870s the Osage were forced from their lands in Kansas to Oklahoma, a seemingly useless land. The Osage were in a better position than most tribes. The sold their land in Kansas to the government for a decent price, and so were one of the few nations to actually buy their reservation land. And then oil was discovered on that land and the Osage became some of the richest people in the world. Grann does an excellent job telling us what happened next. The Osage started dying. They were shot, poisoned, left to die after "accidents," blown up. At least 24, probably closer to three times that number, of the Osage were killed for their oil money. Killed by people they thought loved them. Killed by people who were supposed to be protecting them. Killed by friends. And the doctors, coroners, lawmen, all contributing to covering up the crimes. It wasn't just a couple mean, greedy people. It...

Willful Behavior by Donna Leon

April 11, 2019April 12, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

I don't read the Commissario Guido Brunetti series in order. I jump around depending on what's available at the library. The series is currently at 28, so Willful Behavior is toward the middle. Paola, Guido's wife, brings the case to his attention. One of her students has a question about receiving a pardon for her dead grandfather. She doesn't provide many clues, just enough to make Brunetti curious. And then she ends up dead, killed. This time the mystery involves events from World War II and Guido talks to his father-in-law and some friends about their experiences during the war and stories they've heard. The most interesting part of the story for me was the history of Italy during World War II. I honestly don't know much about Italy during that time period. World War II tends to come up in European mysteries much more than American ones, for obvious reason, but I still find it rather fascinating. Mussolini led Italy...

The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

April 4, 2019April 12, 2019 by Carol7 Comments

I have not read anything by Joseph Conrad before. Obviously, I've heard of him, but neither Heart of Darkness or Lord Jim ever made it to my TBR list. Honestly, I was looking for a classic audiobook available to "read now" from my library and came across The Secret Agent— the title grabbed my attention and the blurb made me borrow it. Verloc is our secret agent in London who works for Russia? Germany?—it's not really clear. Mostly he collects a check to pass on whatever rumors come his way and hangs out with anarchists. He also keeps on the cops' good side by sharing info with them. His wife Winnie marries for security for herself and her brother, but has no idea about the true nature of his work. Then, the rather nasty Mr. Vladimir, from "the embassy" tells Verloc that he needs to do more than observe to keep getting his check. He needs to do something, specifically blow up...