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Sep 17, 20181 min read
624. Ian Rankin - The Naming Of The Dead
This was my intended aeroplane read. Have read this before but a long time ago and muddled the plot in my mind with another of his books....
Aug 31, 20181 min read
620. Reginald Hill - On Beulah Height
This was very good and well written, but I read it badly and sporadically, and couldn’t follow the conclusion. I am not even sure now who...
Aug 25, 20181 min read
619. Reginald Hill - Under World
Enjoyed no’s 597 and 615, so thought I would give Hill another go. This is the one where Ellie Pascoe comes close to having a Lady...
Aug 23, 20181 min read
618. Mick Herron - Dead Lyons
The 2nd Slough House, which I have read before but not hugely enjoyed. The one about the sleeper cell in the Cotswolds. A minor weakness...
Aug 12, 20181 min read
616. Mick Herron - Slow Horses
The first of the Slough House novels, possibly my 3rd read but they are so good and improve every time. This begins with River’s...
Jul 1, 20181 min read
609. Peter Robinson - Watching The Dark
Another of my favourite crime writers, although Robinson is more conventional and formulaic than Herron or Ellory. Robinson strikes me as...
Jun 25, 20181 min read
607. Mick Herron - The List
Short novella, featuring some of the Slough House characters. Brilliant, as ever. Get this on Amazon
Jun 13, 20181 min read
597. Reginald Hill - Good Morning, Midnight
Airport, aeroplane reading en route to Malaga. Same book as no.1, 6 years ago. Very clever plotting, probably Hill and the Daziel novels...
Apr 15, 20181 min read
587. Mick Herron - Nobody Walks
Another book written on the periphery of Slough House, some of whose characters we meet and learn both JK Coe’s first names, the origin...
Apr 8, 20181 min read
584. Josephine Tey - To Love And Be Wise
Never read any of her books, but heard them recommended on the radio. I thought this was very good, beautifully written, clever plotting...
Feb 23, 20181 min read
574. Margery Allingham - The Tiger In The Smoke
Another Susan Hill recommendation. I have never read this author before, detective novels written I think in the 1950’s. This was a...
Feb 17, 20181 min read
573. Mick Herron - London Rules
I think this is the best one yet; the writing, ‘fit’ with the various characters and plotting all excellent. The first chapter and...
Oct 17, 20171 min read
542. Mick Herron - Smoke And Whispers
The 4th Zoe Boehm book, and the weakest (I am not sure whether he has written any more). By a neat novelistic twist, Zoe doesn’t appear...
Oct 14, 20171 min read
541. Mick Herron - Why We Die
The 3rd Zoe Boehm, and despite the slightly portentous title, this book is imbued with death and jokes about death. More a...
Oct 12, 20171 min read
540. Mick Herron - The Last Voice You Hear
The 2nd Zoe Boehm. Very good again; I think this guy is a great writer. I found the series of improbable coincidences across the 1st 50...
Oct 5, 20171 min read
536. Mick Herron - The List
A pre 'Slough House' novella. Begins as a slightly old fashioned Le Carre type spy thriller and gradually introduces some 'Slough House'...
Sep 28, 20171 min read
533. Mick Herron - Spook Street
This guy is brilliant! Re reading almost immediately, so see 535! Get this on Amazon
Sep 24, 20171 min read
529. Caz Frears - Sweet Little Lies
Quite a good modern female detective novel. Easily televisable I think. Plot clever, although maybe not all that believable in places,...
Sep 19, 20171 min read
525. Louise Penny - Glass Houses
I loved this, but she is a much better writer about the complex personal interactions within Three Pines than she is when she tries to...
Sep 15, 20171 min read
523. Susie Steiner - Missing Presumed
Wanted to re-read no. 488 to better understand the back-plot to 521. Fly (the adopted son) appears, but the sister and her baby only...