I have just finished reading Francine Mathews' excellent historical fiction of Jack Kennedy's trip to Europe in the summer of 1939, researching his senior thesis, "Why England Slept" while he carries out a secret spy trip for Franklin Roosevelt, unbeknownst to his father, Joseph Kennedy, the ambassador to England. His trip takes him to Paris, Berlin, Prague and other itineraries that were actual travel destination of the actual Jack Kennedy.. The spying is all fiction, but believable. The Book makes Jack Kennedy a real hero, interesting. In the epilog, Francine Mathews gives a list of books to read about young Jack Kennedy. More food for thought. It was a very interesting and thrilling book to read. Published 2011. Title: Jack 1939

I have read 46 books in 35 weeks. Just finished "N" is for Noose by Sue Grafton. Excellent book, nice surprise ending. Just couldn't wrap my head around the motive for the murders. I like the way she set up the detective work, as she moves closer to the danger, the tempo increases, the tension increases. This time around, Kinsey is out of her league. She's up against the whole town where she is a stranger. Rumors circulate about her, and she feels she needs to have an ally, but who can she trust? Being out of her own turf is unsettling. I feel for her, I feel the fear. One of Sue Grafton's best.

Sometimes I read a book again. I just did that with "Sister Mother Husband Dog (etc.)" by Delia Ephron. I was making a suggestion to a friend about books that could be read out loud to seniors. This book came to mind because I had a fond memory of the book. Rereading it, I am not sure if it would work. I loved it again because I love her voice. She's a likeable person and she describes her own pain so perfectly. Maybe that's why reading it aloud won't work. There is pain, but I love it because it has soul.

So many books, so little time. My new thing is not finishing books.  Back to so little time. I start a book with fresh enthusiasm, but even half way I'll give up and go to my to-be-read pile of books I have waiting because I don't want to waste another minute. Sometimes I am glad when I have stuck by and finished a really good book, like Catch 22. That book grew on me, and I read it twice, once in audio. And I watched the movie. Right now I am reading The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman. I am enjoying it, it came recommended on Library Reads. I need to stick to good recommendations. My sister Ann asked me if I read any great books lately, and I was disappointed that I'd read such mediocre books. I did like Headlong by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Not all Bill Slider mysteries are great, but this one was especially good. I read all of Catherine Graham's Midsomer Murders and loved them. I read all of Ann Granger's Mitchell and Marby mysteries and hated to see them end. I am reading all of Jacqueline Winspear's Masie Dobbs books and enjoying them as well. Sometimes I'll read a book just for something new, and it's so good it will stay with me. That's what I look for in a good book, staying power, and I won't know right away if the book has staying power. Sometimes it's just the quick easy reading that I like, like an Agatha Christie book. I don't remember the plot, but I enjoyed it while I read it. Here's to good summer reading, and the bookish life of Carolyn Rector. Cheers!

Every Last Lie

I just finished reading Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica. It's the story of Nick and Clara Solberg, and the secrets Nick kept from his wife in the months leading up to his death in a car accident. Clara discovers her husband is killed in a car accident with their daughter, four year old Maisie, in the back seat. She is in denial, she can't believe he caused his own accident. These fears are exasperated by the dreams Maisie has been having about a bad man and a black car. Each chapter of the book alternates between Clara's reality today and Nick's thoughts leading up to the accident. One of the things that keeps Nick from sharing the truth with his wife is the upcoming birth of their son Felix. Felix is four days old when Nick is killed in the automobile accident. This is not the type of book I normally read, but there is going to be a book discussion on it at the Huber Heights Library on June 20th and I thought I'd add that to my something new now that I have some time.

I read Raven Black by Ann Cleeves in  short time. It was a good read, a police procedural, with the village as a character. The characters ' thoughts are in italics. It takes place in the Shetland in Scotland. I watched the first episode Red Bones on Netflix and decided I wanted to read the series in order. I did that with Midsomer Murders in PBS, and read all of Caroline Graham's books, but the episodes continued with them being written by Anthony Horowitz. The story in Raven Black is atmospheric with  thriller ending, and a surprise ending for me. Two dead girls, eight years apart, in such a small village. Locals are suspected, especially an older man who is slow-witted. The festival in the book is played out in the Netfix episode Red Bones, so I got an understanding of that from this book. It's a reenactment of a Viking ship and a bonfire. Interesting story. Will read more in the series, which is not a cozy mystery, it's a thriller.