Purchased – Page 44 – Carol's Notebook

A Taste of Murder by Helen Marchmont

June 7, 2019June 7, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

“A Taste of Murder” is the third in the Bunburry series. I guess it could stand alone, but I’d suggest reading the first two. They're short anyway, around 100 pages, so it’s not a huge commitment, and that way you’ll be introduced to the town and Alfie and have more background going on this one. Alfie is settling into village life. He has friends and a favorite restaurant, even though his friend, Oscar, is still trying to lure him back to London with food and Oscar Wilde quotes. And of course we have another murder in quiet little Bunburry. Just after Alfie's friend, Betty, learns that a local farmer is no longer treating his cows humanely, the farmer ends up dead. The incompetent and mean sheriff of course jumps to the conclusion that the killer must have been Betty and Alfie's ready to jump to her defense. I always wish the Bunburry books were a little longer. I really like the characters and the charming town....

Murder Lo Mein by Vivien Chien

June 3, 2019June 7, 2019 by Carol7 Comments

This is the third installment in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Lana Lee is now managing her family's restaurant in the Asia Village plaza, but of course nothing's ever quiet in her life. There's a noodle competition taking place and Peter, the chef at Ho-Lee Noodle House is one of the competitors. Then one of the judges is killed and Lana and Megan decide they need to investigate, after all they have experience now. The mystery was well-done. The first victim had several enemies, he was a bit of a jerk. But when a second judge is killed, it becomes more confusing. Lana's questioning at times becomes a bit pushy in this one, and I got a little tired of everyone telling her she should keep out of it, as if she didn't know it already. Amateur detectives know they should leave it up to the cops, but just can't. And she has a bad habit of getting caught alone...

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

June 1, 2019June 18, 2019 by Carol6 Comments

To be honest, I had never heard of We by Yevgany Zamyatin, but I was looking for a classic in translation and Sci Fi June was on my mind, which led me to We. I found it on a list of 23 Best Non-English Science Fiction Books at Best Sci Fi Books.com. We was first published in 1921 and is one of the grandfathers of the satirical futuristic dystopia genre. Zamyatin, born in 1884, was heavily influenced by the turn-of-the-century Russian revolutions and push for industrialization. His is a history of controversial and critical writings, leading to a series of arrests and exiles: first by the Tsarists in 1905, 1911, and 1914; then by the Soviets in 1919 and 1922; and ultimately in 1931 through a self-imposed retreat from Bolshevik censorship. While We does not directly criticize the Soviets, it was unsurprisingly denied publication in Russia and received the dubious honor of being the first book to be banned by...

Accessory to War by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang

May 28, 2019May 24, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

My non-fiction reading really has little rhyme or reason to it. I pick up books that grab my attention or that I've seen other people love. I have to admit I don't really have a huge interest in space exploration or military history, but Neil deGrasse Tyson is a big name and I've seen a show or two on tv and at a planetarium that he's hosted, which is why I picked up Accessory to War. At times Accessory to War is just fascinating. For me, that was mostly when it was discussing the history of astrophysics and how its beginnings affected armies and explorers and merchants. I also found the parts about how current countries approach space interesting. It's well-written. It doesn't talk down to those of us who don't know much, but it also wasn't over my head. It was conversational and easy to follow. Unfortunately, there were other parts that were dry and boring. Lists of treaties...

Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 by Carol7 Comments

First off, I love the covers of the Noodle Shop Mysteries. I'm not usually much of a cover person, but these just look delicious, are bright, have a bit of humor, I think, with the soy sauce (?) pouring into the skull shape. Dim Sum of All Fears is the second in the series. It could probably be read as a stand-alone, but I'm glad I read the first beforehand. It gives you a better picture of the family relationships and the people at the Asia Village shopping center. This time around, a good, if new, friend of Lana's has been murdered, along with her husband. Turns out there was a lot Lana didn't know about the couple, but still wants to see the killer brought to justice. Since their success in solving the last crime, she and her roommate, Megan, decide that they need to do some digging around. There are several suspects, turns out the husband was not only...

Miss Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 by Carol6 Comments

Miss Buncle's Book is delightful. Barbara Buncle needs to make some money and decides that writing a book is the perfect solution, much better than raising hens, but all she knows is her small town, so the people she sees every day become the characters, simply re-named. Miss Buncle sees her neighbors quite clearly, though, and not everyone is happy with their portrayal. Happily she wrote under a pseudonym, otherwise, her life would be miserable. Miss Buncle's book, Disturber of the Peace, is also charming. She takes this regular English town, and introduces her Golden Boy, and the townsfolk allow themselves to follow their passions, marry the neighorbor women, leave their husband, go off on an adventure. And some of the actual people find themselves doing the same things, more or less. So her fiction imitates life which then imitates fiction in the most enjoyable way. I loved Miss Buncle. It's a light read perfect for this time of year. It's funny...