Lori (thornton37814) Reads Lots of Books in 2022 - thread 2

I'm Lori. I live in East Tennessee. I'm an academic librarian and professional genealogist. My favorite fiction genres are mysteries and historical fiction although I do read others such as literary fiction and Amish fiction. I read a few volumes of poetry each year as well. I read history, social history, and genealogy books often. I dip into travel, cookbooks, and other things that catch my attention.

My devotional reads this year include the King James Version of the Bible and God Hears Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women published by Our Daily Bread Ministries. I'll read a chapter a day in several others throughout the year--perhaps with a few breaks.

Late last year I began to pick back up my cross stitching as a means of relaxation. I have a thread over in the Needlearts group where I share my progress and finishes.



I also participate in the Category Challenge. This year my theme is Cincinnati. Since I provide the category in my comments, I listed them below.

2022 Cincinnati Themed Categories

1. Great American Ballpark - First in series mysteries
2. Paul Brown Stadium - Second or third in series mysteries
3. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park - Fourth to seventh in series mysteries
4. Taft Theatre - Eighth and beyond in series mysteries
5. Kings Island - Children's or YA literature
6. Busken Bakery - Amish fiction
7. Skyline Chili - Cookbooks or other culinary books
8. Music Hall - Historical fiction
9. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden - Other fiction & literature
10. Holy Cross Monastery & Church - Christianity
11. Cincinnati Museum Center - History & Social History
12. Cincinnati City Hall - Other non-fiction
13. Cincinnati Public Library - Shiny & new books that grab my attention
14. Fountain Square - Book Club Picks & Group Reads
15. Findlay Market - Impulse Reads
Abandoned Category: Cincinnati Subway

With cross stitching taking up some of my reading time, I'm hoping I'll make it to 150 books this year. I'd love to do 200, but I don't see that happening.

Books 1-10:

1. The Inclines of Cincinnati by Melissa Kramer - completed 1 January 2022
2. Together in a Sudden Strangeness: America's Poets Respond to the Pandemic edited by Alice Quinn - completed 4 January 2022
3. Twisted Tea Christmas by Laura Childs - completed 4 January 2022
4. The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Guide to Understanding the New Testament by Frank Viola - completed 9 January 2022
5. The Radical Potter: The Life and Times of Josiah Wedgwood by Tristram Hunt - completed 11 January 2022
6. King Lear by William Shakespeare - completed 12 January 2022
7. The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny - completed 14 January 2022
8. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk - completed 16 January 2022
9. The Habsburg Empire: A Very Short Introduction by Martyn Rady - completed 16 January 2022
10. Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You by John MacArthur - completed 23 January 2022

Books 11-20:

11. The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves - completed 23 January 2022
12. Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country: Traveling through the Land of My Ancestors by Louise Erdrich - completed 23 January 2022
13. The Resistance Man by Martin Walker - completed 24 January 2022
14. 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost - completed 28 January 2022
15. Kentucky Quilts & Their Makers by Mary Washington Clarke - completed 28 January 2022
16. What the Amish Teach Us: Plain Living in a Busy World by Donald B. Kraybill - completed 30 January 2022
17. Hamilton County's Green Township by Jeff Lueders - completed 30 January 2022
18. A Market Tale by Martin Walker - completed 30 January 2022
19. Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany - completed 3 February 2022
20. A Chosen Exile: A History of Racial Passing in American Life by Allyson Hobbs - completed 6 February 2022

Books 21-29:

21. Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning - completed 9 February 2022
22. Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie - completed 10 February 2022
23. The Children Return by Martin Walker - completed 11 February 2022
24. The Shadow Dancer by Margaret Coel - completed 18 February 2022
25. Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March - completed 19 February 2022
26. The Gold Bug by Edgar Allan Poe; illustrated by Elizabeth O'Neill Verner; introduction by Frank Durham - completed 23 February 2022
27. Threads of Evidence by Lea Wait - completed 26 February 2022
28. Shakespeare's Comedy of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare; edited by William J. Rolfe - completed 26 February 2022
29. The Mayor's Tale by David Pickering - completed 27 February 2022

Here's the obligatory photo of my boys:

Happy new thread, Lori!
>1 thornton37814: This reminds me of a series by Tatjana Kruse - her sympathetic commissioner also stitches.

Happy New Thread, Lori! I hope all is well. I wanted to let you know, I loved Young Skins: Stories, the collection you sent me for the Swap. Perfect choice.

>5 thornton37814: It's a shame her work isn't available in translation!

>7 msf59: I'm glad you enjoyed it. All I selected were on your wonderful wish list!

Oh yeah- I also enjoyed The Palace Thief. Another solid collection.

>10 msf59: Glad it was good also. I'm reading fewer short stories this year because our book club chose a novel to stretch out over the semester instead. We'll actually finish early. Because this one is a little bit of Canterbury Tales pastiche, it works better than most novels would to stretch out. Several members say they prefer the novel to short stories.

If anyone has suggestions for novels that would work well stretched out over a semester (reading about 30-40 pages/week in general), please suggest. Because of various institutional conflicts, we try to schedule it over about 12 weeks rather than the full 15-16 week semester. It gives us wiggle room!

Happy new thread, Lori! Boy, does that cross stitch describe me this morning! Day two of wall paper stripping and it was easy to coerce them into the rec room yesterday but today they were too wise for me. I did it before the workmen arrived but color me exhausted.
Have a wonderful day!

Happy new thread, Lori.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Lori!

>11 thornton37814: LOL. I can only imagine!

>12 Carmenere: >13 PaulCranswick: >14 drneutron: >15 figsfromthistle: Thanks, everyone, for the well wishes!

Happy New Thread Lori my dear.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Lori!

Hi Lori! Happy new thread.

Skippety-skip to catch up, but I want to tell you how impressed I am at the variety of reads. I’m currently stuck in a thriller mode but hope to get out of it soon, but you are filling out your categories nicely.

Heh about your three boys. Our three give us much joy. At one point we had five, which turns out to have been two too many. Three is a good number for now. Our senior kitty is almost 15 and is seriously slowing down. She’s plucky, though, and is a total love.

>5 thornton37814: Perfect posing by the boys. Excellent photo.

New thread orisons, Lori

Happy new thread! >5 thornton37814: Great photo! I'm impressed that you got them all to sit still at the same time!

Happy new thread, Lori. Cute to see all the boys in the same pose at the same time.

>18 johnsimpson: >19 quondame: >20 bell7: Thank so much!

>21 karenmarie: Three is a good number, but sometimes it is hard to find hotels that will permit the third one. I got pretty lucky with my hotel for spring break.

>22 richardderus: Hopefully it will be full of good reads.

>23 cbl_tn: It was surprising, but they were all lined up, and I actually had my phone on me!

>24 Familyhistorian: It's a rare event!

>5 thornton37814: Did they line themselves up in alphabetical order?

>27 cbl_tn: It appears so.

>29 cbl_tn: Of course they did! Their mom's a librarian!

>29 cbl_tn: LOL. They appear to be that way at the moment although Barney & Mr. B are curled together.

Happy New Thread!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340046

Book 30. The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston

Date Completed: 5 March 2022

Category: Busken Bakery

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Christiana's little farmstand bake shop does a good business, but sometimes eager customers do not respect business hours and come knocking at the door in the midst of meals. When she visits her cousins who operate businesses at the Bird in Hand market, she notices a vacant booth. Her strict Amish father hesitates to allow her to operate there because they have electricity, but she convinces him she'll use a propane oven. On that first visit she spilled coffee on Jeff whose wood and leather business adjoins the vacant booth. The challenges to their budding relationship sometimes seem insurmountable. Can either of them trust the other? Will her strict Amish father allow it? The novel's theme seems to be God can help you get past your past. I listened to the audiobook. I noticed the reader slowed down a bit after the first few chapters which made its pacing move more like other readers. (It really was a tad too fast at first. I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.25x speed, and I had to pay closer attention because of the really super fast speech until it slowed down to a more normal pace.)

>31 SilverWolf28: >32 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

>33 thornton37814: That is a tremendous cover, Lori.

Have a great weekend.

>33 thornton37814: Remembering the movie "Witness" with Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis about the English world encountering the Plain People

>35 PaulCranswick: It is a nice cover.

>36 magicians_nephew: I don't think I saw that one, but it would be interesting.

>33 thornton37814: Thank goodness I wasn't hungry when I saw that! A lovely spread indeed but not actually available. Darn the luck!

>38 richardderus: Yes. I'm glad I only saw the cover when I downloaded and first opened it (until I posted it here).

Is your trip for spring break coming soon, Lori?

>40 Familyhistorian: I'm on it. I visited the Friends of the Library Bookstore today. I was able to update my Grenham Irish research book to a later edition for a couple dollars. I also found A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland by Brian Mitchell. Those will be handy to own even though I've not really found much Irish in my own genealogy. Hopefully I can shed the older Grenham at McKays in Knoxville. I purchased a couple more, but they were more to the history side, and I left them out in the car and don't remember the titles.

Lori, I love the cross-stitch sampler up at the top of your thread. Do your cats ever want to help you with your projects? They are such cuties. You are off to a great reading year. Keep up the good work!

Checking in on the new thread. Love the picture of your boys. If I ever figure out how to post pictures here, I will load up pictures of Chalfont and Mallory to my thread.

>42 Donna828: They help quite often. Their favorite things to do are to hold down the pattern and bat the thread (presumably to keep it untangled).

>43 alcottacre: You can upload photos to your gallery. When you right click on a PC or control click on an Apple, you can copy image location. Then using angle brackets instead of the parentheses in the example below, you can insert it:
(img src="filename.jpg")

That's really all there is to it. I usually give mine a width in pixels since some photos can be large. For example:
(img src="filename.jpg" width="800")

Just substitute angle brackets for the parentheses and your file's name for filename.jpg.

>44 thornton37814: Apparently Adrian has been sharing helping tips with the boys. Adrian likes to sit on whatever I'm paying attention to more than to him. Knitting/cross-stitch patterns fall into that category. So do books and keyboards.

>45 cbl_tn: Sounds like they are all conspiring.

>41 thornton37814: Have a great trip, Lori, and try not to get weighted down by too many books. That being said I hope you come up with some great bookish finds.

>47 Familyhistorian: I went to a new bookstore today. I found lots of things I would love to purchase, but I settled on one really pricy thing I'd seen nowhere else. I purchased a couple of gifts also.

Book 31. Unto Us a Son Is Given by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 8 March 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Brunetti's step-father asks Brunetti to look into a matter. His longtime friend and Brunetti's children's godfather wishes to adopt an adult son. This would change the terms of his inheritance. His friends like the Conte question whether the suddenness of the move and fear he might be receiving external influences. The man's background is interesting. Born in Spain, he made a fortune in South America before moving to Italy. The man falls dead in what would appear to be sudden but natural circumstances. When another person connected to the man is strangled in a hotel, Brunetti must get to the truth of the matter. My suspicions never changed and proved correct. It's not the strongest installment in the series, but David Colacci's narration always provides a few hours of listening pleasure.

Book 32. Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life by Sherwood Anderson

Date Completed: 9 March 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 5 stars

Review: I know many of my friends did not enjoy this collection as much as I did. They called the interconnected stories "depressing." I chose to focus on the glimpses of small town life and the beautiful way the author painted the picture with adjectives and other words. George Willard appears in most of the stories, and we gain lots of insights into his character through the course of the book. I found a lot of truth in the small town life depiction even a century later. While I know many will disagree with my high rating, this one resonated with me.

>50 thornton37814: I totally agree with your assessment, and rating. It's a very important book, as well as all that. I just don't feel called to read it again....

>50 thornton37814: I like it, too, but not quite as well as you did. Something about Anderson's voice reminds me of Garrison Keillor. It feels a bit like a PG-13 Lake Wobegon novel.

ETA: I heard Garrison Keillor live 30+ years ago, and that had the feel of a PG-13 Lake Wobegon novel, too!

>51 richardderus: Thanks. I felt kind of strange rating that high knowing how many others in the group read didn't like it that well.

>52 cbl_tn: I'm glad you liked it. I debated between 4.5 and 5.0 for the rating, but it's the best book I've read in a long while, and I know it will take a lot to top it.

>53 thornton37814: I'm not finished with it yet, but I doubt it's going to take a sudden turn that will change my opinion of it. It's not that kind of book.

>54 cbl_tn: No. It's a nice and steady read.

Abandoned Read 1. Shylock is My Name by Howard Jacobson

Date Abandoned: 9 March 2022

Category: Cincinnati Subway

Comments: Jacobson's modern day version of The Merchant of Venice for the Hogarth Shakespeare series falls short. He makes use of Nazis and Anti-Semitism themes in a rather raunchy tale with a modern merchant Simon Strulovitch, father of Beatrice. I do not recommend this to anyone, and I'm glad this completes my read of the series because I would not have read others including Margaret Atwood's brilliant installment if I'd read this one first.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340202

I'm back home. I'm exhausted. It was quite the cat roundup this morning. I had to get hotel staff to help me move mattresses so I could get my cats out from under the beds. As we'd get one lifted, they'd run to another spot. I finally caught all three, but it was not easy. The first one was hissing and had his claws ready to use, although he didn't use them on me. The second one shrunk into the hardest corner to reach, but I finally managed to get him. The third one ended up being the easiest although he'd been hidden the best after he shot away from us initially. He actually came out and got on the bathroom counter and meowed for me to come get him. I think he didn't want to be left behind.

Book 33. Sleight of Paw by Sofie Kelly

Date Completed: 11 March 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: In the second Magical Cats mystery, librarian Kathleen Paulson and her cats adopted from Wisteria Hill, Owen and Hercules, help solve the murder of a teacher who set many children on the right paths over the years. Kathleen's friend Ruby who found the body was arrested, and she and her friends all know Ruby incapable of murder. Although it suffers in the believability department, this series is a fun read for anyone who loves cats and know they all possess "magical powers" of some sort--even if they aren't quite the ones Owen and Hercules have. I listened to the audiobook and found it pleasant for a long drive.

Book 34. The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura

Date Completed: 13 March 2022

Category: Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: While the author did a good job researching her subjects, I found Elizabeth Blackwell to be unlikable. She looked down her nose at everybody--even her own family members. She was the first female to gain admittance to a reputable medical school--but only because the students thought it was a joke. She didn't seem to enjoy practicing medicine once she became a doctor although she did fight for other women to have that right. She along with her sister Emily (who always ended up doing most of the work without the notice Elizabeth gained) founded a medical school for women in New York. The incorporation of social history was also impressive. I came away with more respect for the sister Emily who probably would not have chosen medicine as her career without her sister's influence than for Elizabeth. I suspect Emily would have chosen a career as a naturalist or something similar if she'd been left to her own devices. We can't rewrite history, but we can wonder what might have happened if she'd been willing to stand up to her sister.

>44 thornton37814: Thanks for the help, Lori. My two turn 1 tomorrow, so I will see if I can get at least one photo (if they will cooperate!) uploaded.

>56 thornton37814: I feel safe in skipping that one forever!

>61 alcottacre: I really wanted to be a completist on the Hogarth Shakespeare series, but I just couldn't stand that one. I look forward to seeing some photos on your thread. If you run into difficulties, just shout out to me.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340548

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Lori!

>64 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I have some other things to do, but I want to finish the latest Viveca Sten (a March group read) this weekend.

Just popping in to wish you a wonderful weekend, Lori.
And have fun with Viveca Sten...

>66 SirThomas: Will do the best I can. I got to the 25% point last night. Hopefully I can make some progress once I get home from some errands this afternoon. I would have liked to have gotten further last night than I did, but I went to bed early. I was just tired.

Happy Saturday, Lori. I am aligning more with you on Winesburg, Ohio. Not the full 5, but close. I did not find it depressing. Some of the stories fell a bit short, but most of them worked. A very influential collection.

>68 msf59: Glad to hear someone enjoyed it almost as much as I did. I debated on 4.5 or 5, but it was so much better than so many things I recently read that I gave it 5.

Book 35. Buried in Secret by Viveca Sten

Date Completed: 20 March 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Nora, still haunted by a threat made by a man's brother, finds her solace in alcohol. It drives a wedge between her and Jonas. Meanwhile bone fragments found on an island near Sandhamn lead Thomas and Aram to investigate persons gone missing in the last ten years or so. Two candidates emerge--a teenage girl and a woman in a troubled marriage. Thomas and Aram believe the husband of the woman capable of murder, and his efforts to have his wife declared dead after being missing only one year only add to the suspicion. Nora focuses on the teenage girl, uncovering things useful to the investigation. However, Nora is on sick leave from the Economic Crimes Bureau and poses as a prosecutor assigned to the investigation. Will she get in trouble or get Thomas into trouble for her unauthorized investigation bordering on professional misconduct? Will Thomas and Aram report her? I like Nora less and less with each succeeding book. I hope the next book finds her in a twelve step program to deal with her alcoholism.

>5 thornton37814: What handsome boys!

You are reading in fine form in the first quarter of 2022! Good to see I'm not the only one who doesn't review every read, though you're on a roll now. I'll have to check out your category challenge to find out all your categories, though I think I can guess the overall theme.

>71 justchris: I agree about my fur boys' handsomeness. I don't know if I'd call what I do "review" or make comments. I label it "review" but for the most part it's enough for me to remember the gist of it without giving too many spoilers. I think I put the brief description of the categories up in the thread opener.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340734

>73 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Book 36. Blood at the Root by Peter Robinson

Date Completed: 24 March 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Inspector Banks investigates a murder that has ties to a group advocating native British supremacy. On the surface it appears a group of Pakistani youth committed the crime, but Banks is not convinced. The novel also takes Banks to Amsterdam, and he returns to a suspension. Still he finds a way to keep working "behind the scenes" on the case. Banks' marital troubles also surface a lot in the story although they are not essential to the mystery. I wish the author had just kept Banks' private life out of the series. This side story weakened the plot. James Langton's audio narration was excellent as always.

>62 thornton37814: Well, I still have not actually taken any photos so it might be a while, lol.

Book 37. Granada by Radwa Ashour

Date Completed: 29 March 2022

Category: Music Hall

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: The novel follows the fate of a Muslim family living in Granada, Spain, during the Inquisition. Readers see the conflict in the Catholic and Muslim cultures. Many books are banned, and it is almost impossible to be a practicing Muslim in the Catholic culture of the day. While the book is very well-written, I just did not enjoy it that much.

>77 thornton37814: I think I will give that one a pass.

Happy Tuesday, Lori!

>78 alcottacre: You might like it better than I did. I suspect part of it is my "reading funk" and feeling pressed to get an ILL back. I read it for the Asian challenge.

Today is my 15th Thingaversary. I'm not doing very well in acquiring the requisite haul of 16 books. To date, I've purchased 6 or 7 books, but I'll have to get the info on two (or three) of them when I return home because I discovered I failed to enter them into LibraryThing. (I can't remember if it was 2 or 3 books I purchased at the Friends of the Library Bookstore in Cincinnati. Those are the ones in question.)

1) Mount Adams: A History by Jim Steiner - This was a brand new book I located at Joseph-Beth in Cincinnati. Info about the book is here.
2) The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan - I love his elephant detective, but this is a different series. I'm willing to give it a try.
3) It's Gonna Be Good, Ya'll by Brenda Gantt - This cookbook by the YouTube Southern cooking sensation is on order.
4) Linger Around the Table, Ya'll by Brenda Gantt - She just announced this one is forthcoming, so I've pre-ordered it, since pre-ordering will be the only way to acquire one.
5)
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16)

I acquired 3 free Kindle books during the month, but I don't count freebies toward the haul (although I probably should as the required number to purchase goes up each year). The 3 freebies are:

1) Crossed by Death by A. C. F. Bookens - This one involves cross stitch and genealogy. How could I resist? I'm reading it right now.
2) Fallen Angel by D. K. Hood - Thriller/suspense with a sheriff's team investigating.
3) Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James - a cozy mystery featuring cats and libraries

Happy Thingaversary!

Happy Thingaversary!

I enjoyed the story about tracking down the boys at the hotel, Lori. Hope your week is going well.

>81 cbl_tn: >82 drneutron: Thank you!

>83 Familyhistorian: I knew I couldn't move the beds/mattresses without assistance. However, I'm going to try to remember that the beds are not wide open under the back as I thought they were. I probably could have moved the mattresses enough to rescue the cats myself.

>80 thornton37814: Happy Thingaversery! Well it can't be a negative thing to feel obliged to acquire a few more tomes.

>80 thornton37814: Happy Thingaversary...and I'll encourage you to add those freebies to your count. Otherwise bankruptcy looms.

Still woefully underconnected wifi-wise, so I'll skedaddle.

(Agree about Nora!)

>85 quondame: It might be negative to the pocketbook.

>86 richardderus: Maybe I will add them, Richard. I just remember someone told someone in the past that they must be purchases instead of freebies. I think we may need to count them at some point though. Otherwise in ten years, I'll be looking at adding 26, and in retirement, there is no way!

Book 38. Crossed by Death by A. C. F. Bookens

Date Completed: 31 March 2022

Category: Great American Ballpark

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I'm always afraid to try Amazon freebies, but this one caught my attention because it involved cross stitch. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Paisley Sutton operates a salvage business. She'd been granted permission by owners George and Berlinda to salvage what she could from an old country store they owned and planned to demolish. When she made her way into the attached house, she discovered a body. Over the course of the book, she and the sheriff become good friends. Paisley is a single mother who lives close enough to a good friend Mina and to her father to receive help with childcare when needed. An unexpected bonus for me occurred when Paisley's love for history sent her on a genealogical quest in search of information about the family who owned the store. Although it isn't labeled as Christian fiction, it clearly leans in that direction as one important moment occurs in a church and an ensuing conversation eventually leads towards a reconciliation. I'll likely look for the next in this series in the coming months.

>80 thornton37814: What is this thingaversary thing? Have I been failing in my duty to acquire more books every August 29? (This year that will be exactly 6 years after I joined LibraryThing.)

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/340905

>89 ArlieS: You have been missing out. You are entitled to purchase one book for each year of your Thingaversary plus one to grow on!

Getting ready to go watch the 5:00 news to see what the latest on the wildfire situation is. Will take cross stitch with me.

>91 thornton37814: I like it.

>93 ArlieS: It's a nice tradition, but it gets to be pricy if you pay full price for books. Apparently some are now counting free books, although that was once frowned upon. I've always used "used bookstores" in counting towards my haul.

>80 thornton37814: Excuse me. "Elephant Detective"?

Tell me more

>95 magicians_nephew: Officially they are the Baby Ganesh Detective Agency novels. Baby Ganesh is the elephant that accompanies the detective (Inspector Chopra) everywhere and usually plays an important part in apprehending the suspects.

Book 39. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri

Date Completed: 2 April 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Inspector Montalbano, still recovering from a minor wound, is called to what appears to be a kidnapping. He assists in the case, formally being handled by another detective, She disappeared on her way home after a study session. She took a different route than usual, her bike is parked in a wrong position, and her helmet is missing. The family's financial situation is well known although the girl has an uncle with hopes of a future political run capable of paying a hefty ransom. Montalbano pieces together seemingly trivial details to arrive at the correct solution. As always Grover Gardner does an excellent job narrating this installment.

Book 40. Someday the Plan of a Town: Poems by Todd Boss

Date Completed: 2 April 2022

Category: Cincinnati Public Library

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Author Todd Boss traveled around the world housesitting, returning just before the COVID epidemic. He wrote the poems as souvenirs of the places he visited. A sense of place is more prominent in some poems than in others, and I tend to enjoy the ones with more of a sense of place or relationship to landscape, gardening, or everyday life more than others. Many poems tell the place which inspired them in italics at the end; others lack this notation, leaving the reader wanting to know. One wonders how he traveled the world failing to pick up any souvenirs other than his poems.

>80 thornton37814: Hi there, Lori. We must have joined LT the same week. I forgot about my Thingaversary on March 25th. We have a Library book sale coming up later in April and I will probably buy a few books there, but I'm trying to reduce my numbers so won't worry about 15 new books. The few I buy will be guilt-free, though, which is good. I almost forgot about the bonus book...I am planning to buy Braided Sweetgrass from our local independent bookstore if they have it. I've been reading many good reviews of it from our fellow LTers.

>98 thornton37814: I haven't heard of the poet, Lori, but that is a really great cover!

>98 thornton37814: That is a striking cover. Enjoy your week, Lori.

>99 Donna828: Happy Thingaversary to you as well. I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever you turn into haul.

>100 PaulCranswick: He was new to me too, but it was one I picked up for our leased books collection at the library. We don't get lots of poetry, but this was one of the more interesting-sounding collections, so I got it. The poetry checks out pretty well, but I think if we got too much it would not do as well.

>101 Familyhistorian: It is an interesting cover!

>98 thornton37814: I like that cover too, but the poems do not seem like a good fit for me.

Hi, Lori. I hope you had a good weekend.

>103 msf59: Some of the poems are very different. The spacing on one poem made it very difficult to read! (Of course, it was designed that way . . . but still!) Sometimes they experiment a bit too much IMHO. He's certainly not Mary Oliver.

HAppy Thingaversary!

>105 figsfromthistle: Thanks!

A belated happy Thingaversary, Lori!

Hi Lori my dear, a belated Happy Thingaversary dear friend.

>107 SirThomas: Thanks!

>108 johnsimpson: Thank you. I might actually make it to a bookstore next week to see if I can add to the haul.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341090

Hi Lori!

>80 thornton37814: Belated congrats on your 15th Thingaversary. Have you gotten your 16 yet? I never officially get books for my Thingaversary because I buy books all year long. We just recently had our first Friends of the Library sale since Fall 2019, and I got 36 books plus 3 free ones, one for each day I volunteered. Total books so far this year, 77. Sigh.

>111 karenmarie: Not yet. I might manage to get to a used bookstore next week since I need to go into Knoxville for a work-related conference.

It's lucky for me that I get so many DRCs. I'd be rattling a cup beside the beach ramp "WILL NOT MOCK YOU FOR BOOKS" taped to my chest.

Somehow I think I might not do that well. But being dishonest isn't an option.

>113 richardderus: I used to get lots of DRCs, but I cut back. I could get more, but I will continue to get them in moderation.

Wordle 295 2/6

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Talk about a stroke of luck!

>115 thornton37814: Congratulations! Isn't that a great feeling?!

Karen O.

>116 klobrien2: I was pretty shocked.

I would appreciate help flagging message 118.

ETA: Thanks everyone! She's gone!

>115 thornton37814: Nicely done on the Wordle and Happy Belated Thingaversary!

>120 Berly: Thank you.

Still trying to figure out how to post my Wordle results. It took me a while to get the hang of it but I enjoy them now.

But i curse the day when I miss one.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341193

>122 magicians_nephew: I normally don't bother to post mine. I know a lot of people don't want to see them, so I usually abstain.

>123 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

>80 thornton37814: Happy Thingaversary, Lori! Mine is coming up in May, but I have already purchased the books to celebrate, lol.

Have a lovely week, Lori!

>125 alcottacre: I may eventually get most of my haul purchased. ;-)

>5 thornton37814: Lori, How in the world did you get all three cats to sit still for the same pose! That seems like quite an accomplishment.

>127 Whisper1: The amazing thing is that they actually stayed there while I grabbed my phone to snap a photo.

Book 41. All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles

Date Completed: 10 April 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Miles tells the story of a family heirloom that became a museum piece, rescued in 2007 from a yard sale--a cotton sack on which was passed down by an enslaved woman named Rose to her daughter Ashley and eventually to Ashley's granddaughter Ruth Middleton who embroidered its story in 1921. We learn about far more than the sack itself. We learn about plantation life, about the women themselves, and so much more. Miles' research impresses the reader. The material object came to life through the telling of the story. While the chapters work together to tell the story, a careful reader observes they were written as separate stories because of the repetition of some themes. I love the Charleston area and have visited many of the plantations mentioned in the story. It's a fascinating story that touches readers.

Book 42. The Patriarch by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 13 April 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Bruno attends a celebration for a war hero known as the Patriarch. A man dies during the party. Most people attribute the death to the man's alcoholism, but the rapidity of disposing of the man's body leaves Bruno feeling there might be more to the story. He manages to collect evidence needed and build a case for murder. We also see the end of Bruno and Pamela's dating relationship in this one but see Bruno showing interest in another woman. The series' setting and the luscious food descriptions make these a joy to read. I listened to the audiobook read by Robert Ian Mackenzie.

Book 43. The Fell by Sarah Moss

Date Completed: 18 April 2022

Category: Findlay Market

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Laid off from her job and uncertain of her finances, Kate's exposure to a virus requires she quarantine for two weeks. Ten days into the quarantine, she can take it no more and decides to go for a walk along the moors. She thinks no one else will see her. She falls and suddenly she envisions her son Matt being left alone but fears legal consequences of her failure to abide by quarantine guidelines facing her when rescuers locate her. In the meantime, Matt cannot find his mother and realizes she broke the quarantine and will face consequences for him. Some sections feature a neighbor named Alice and a rescuer named Rob. The writing style clearly makes this book "literary fiction"--the type critics love but which divides casual readers on whether it is brilliant or a dull read. For me, it took a few chapters to get into the flow, but then it read quickly.

" It's a fascinating story that touches readers." What a beautiful sentence! I enjoy your writing and your reviews!

>129 thornton37814: Book Bullet! I have seen mention of this one before and have been pondering it. Might as well just reserve it and enjoy a historical trip to Charleston. Thanks, Lori.

>132 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda!

>133 Donna828: Carrie and I read it for the same book club. I was just late getting my review posted.

>131 thornton37814: I can't for the life of me figure out why Sarah Moss and I don't mix. I should, by every metric known, love her stuff, and somehow I just...don't.

I wish I could see what you did!

>135 richardderus: Richard, I can understand that Sarah Moss might not be for everyone. To be honest, I'm not going out to seek more of her work. I probably raised the rating a little for its literary quality. What do you mean you wish you could see what I did?

>130 thornton37814: I really like the series - and still have a few books on the virtual shelf - thanks for reminding me, Lori.
In 2019, we had a literary dinner. A great combination of delicious food, good music and a reading by Martin Walker himself - he also sings very well...
Have a wonderful day!

>137 SirThomas: I think it would be fun to meet Martin Walker (aka "Bruno") in person. I've really been enjoying this series. We'll read the next one in May, and then it will be Brunetti in June, back to Bruno in July in our group read. If you happen to be reading the same ones as us, feel free to join in.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341325

>136 thornton37814: I saw no literary merit. I saw a tedious, overwritten oft-told tale, and that was all. So...just wishing I could've even seen that literary-ness, even if I didn't "get" it.

>139 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

>140 richardderus: It's not a book for everyone.

Book 44. St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb

Date Completed: 20 April 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 2 stars

Review: I am not the audience for this book. I don't enjoy NASCAR, and the book did nothing to change my mind. Our book selected this book which a Chaucer-expert faculty member understood was a modern retelling of the Canterbury Tales. He discovered the characters to be odd mixtures of Chaucer's characters--sometimes exhibiting characteristics of more than one. Of course, McCrumb's book had fewer characters on their pilgrimage, but it really disappointed. An odd assortment of characters go on a tour of the NASCAR circuit to pay tribute to the deceased Dale Earnhardt. Before they begin, one character sights Dale as he stops to help her change a tire along the side of a North Carolina road. One couple plans to marry in Bristol. A New Hampshire priest brings along a dying boy. A judge comes along with her sister. The guide was a man who lived and breathed NASCAR and had even raced a little on the circuit. I breathed a sigh of relief as we reached the conclusion. McCrumb writes about Appalachian themes, and people in Appalachia certainly love NASCAR for the most part. I'm just not one of them so my distaste for the sport extended to the book--regardless of McCrumb's ability to write.

Book 45. Snowblind by Ragnur Jonasson

Date Completed: 24 April 2022

Category: Great American Ballpark

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Ari Thor, newly-minted detective, takes a position in a town in the far north of Iceland. He failed to ask his girlfriend about her willingness to follow him, and she stays behind in his apartment in Reykjavik, refusing to leave school. Thomas, his boss, tells him nothing ever happens there, but one evening the old author who heads up the dramatic society appears to have died due to accidental causes, but some things just don't add up for Ari Thor. Thomas insists it was an accident and that Ari Thor needs more experience before jumping to conclusions. While working on Christmas Eve, Ari Thor receives a distress call which the anonymous woman caller later claims to be nothing. A woman is found in the snow outside her home. Is it murder or suicide? When her phone is later found and discovered to be the phone from which the Christmas eve call was made, the plot thickens. Ari Thor finds the town's atmosphere somewhat claustrophobic--a feeling accentuated by the darkness and avalanches. This feeling is often present in Icelandic and Scandi-noir. I enjoyed listening to the audio version. The book's conclusions somewhat reminded me of "justice" (or lack thereof) present in many of Leon's Brunetti series based in Venice.

Thingaversary haul update. You all convinced me to add those 3 freebies to my haul list. I still have more to purchase--nearly a month after my celebration date. If I counted cross-stitch charts/leaflets, I'd probably be getting close!

1) Mount Adams: A History by Jim Steiner - This was a brand new book I located at Joseph-Beth in Cincinnati. Info about the book is here.
2) The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan - I love his elephant detective, but this is a different series. I'm willing to give it a try.
3) It's Gonna Be Good, Ya'll by Brenda Gantt - This cookbook by the YouTube Southern cooking sensation is on order.
4) Linger Around the Table, Ya'll by Brenda Gantt - She just announced this one is forthcoming, so I've pre-ordered it, since pre-ordering will be the only way to acquire one.
5) Crossed by Death by A. C. F. Bookens (free)
6) Fallen Angel by D. K. Hood (free)
7) Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James (free)
8) Virginia Land Grants: A Study in Conveyancing in Relation to Colonial Politics by Fairfax Harrison - Offered at a great discount by Craig Scott at Heritage Books for watching his video. Although I could have found a free PDF to download, I decided I wanted this one in print.
9) A Cross-Stitch Christmas by Craftways Corporation - A flosstuber mentioned this book was in the clearance at Herrschners. She talked about the cute designs, so I ordered it.
10)
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>129 thornton37814: I have already added that one to the BlackHole. It looks like an interesting read.

>131 thornton37814: Dodging that BB since I have already read it.

Happy Tuesday, Lori!

>145 alcottacre: I think you'll enjoy Ashley's Sack when you get around to it.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341450

>147 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

Book 46. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 28 April 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Hamlet, perhaps the best known of Shakespeare's tragedies, follows the title character as he seeks revenge upon his father's assassin--an uncle. The number of well-known lines from this work attests to its enduring influence. I chose to listen to the fully dramatized audio book produced from a performance of the Folger Theatre. It was well-done, but I do recommend either reading the book along with it or watching the recorded production to help sort cast members when you lack the name cues of the written format.

Book 47. Pouncing on Murder by Laurie Cass

Date Completed: 28 April 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Spring is arriving in Michigan, and it's time for Minnie to move back to her houseboat and out of her aunt's boardinghouse. A tree falls atop an elderly man, but Minnie feels something is not quite right. After talking to the man with him at the time of the accident, she feels certain it was murder. She presents her theory to the police. On the relationship front, things are not going so well with Tucker, her doctor boyfriend who never has time to visit her. Everyone in Chilson wants her to hook up with Ash Wolverson, a police officer. I love Eddie, the bookmobile cat, and how he always saves the day! This installment was slow for me in getting started, but once it picked up around the half-way point, I enjoyed it.

Good Morning Lori. Congratulations on reading 47 books thus far.

It is stunningly beautiful outside this morning. I hope it is the same wherever you are today.

>151 Whisper1: So far it is beautiful this morning. My numbers are behind usual but I should still be able to read 150 if I can get ahead in the summer! Right now I'm spending a lot of time cross-stitching that I used to spend reading, but I'm enjoying it.

>138 thornton37814: yes, it was a lot of fun...
Unfortunately it does not suit me in May and Brunetti is not my cup of tea.
Have a wonderful weekend Lori.

>153 SirThomas: I'm really enjoying the Martin Walker book for May. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you get around to it.

>149 thornton37814: I do so love the language of Hamlet, Lori. That in a tie with King Lear for me with the two Richards just behind and Macbeth at #5. The 'comedies' a little behind those.

>155 PaulCranswick: I don't think I've tried to rank them!

>156 thornton37814: As you know I can't help but doing such things, Lori!

>157 PaulCranswick: You love doing things like that. I don't see how you can keep up!

Wordle 319 2/6

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>159 thornton37814: Wow! Congratulations!

Karen O

>160 klobrien2: Thanks. I wasn't quite as lucky today--not bad, but not that good.

>149 thornton37814: Ahh, Hamlet. I would also prefer a dramatized audiobook - and yes, having the text in front of you would help. I've seen it performed in Denmark, but the best experience was seeing it at The Globe in London. What a night. I think my next Hamlet should be a movie-version, maybe Branaghs version. Or the one with Laurence Olivier.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341617

>162 ctpress: I'm making decent progress on it, but this graduation day rain plan is really cramping my reading and stitching progress today.

>163 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I'm not sure I'll be able to join in this time. I'm working feverishly on finalizing a couple of presentations over the next week so I'll have a full week to practice them before I must present them.

Looks like you're doing some impressive Wordling, Lori. Good luck with your presentations.

>165 Familyhistorian: I completely forgot to Wordle/Worldle a couple days this week. Was too busy, I guess.

Book 48. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 4 May 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: When a researcher dies and his report and other things that should have been present are missing, Bruno suspects murder in what appears to be death by natural causes. The autopsy confirms his suspicion. They discover he was researching a historic automobile that disappeared just before World War II. Bruno finds a new romantic interest. Is she involved in the murder? There's some theft by adolescents. One is underage, and Bruno finds him a job with Pamela at the stables. The other is the son of a store owner and continues his bad behavior because his mother thinks he hung the moon. He finds a dose of reality when he passes his sixteenth birthday and is eligible to be tried as an adult. As always the food descriptions and countryside descriptions are wonderful! I listened to the audiobook read by Robert Ian Mackenzie who does a great job.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341723

>167 thornton37814: Lori, I just discovered Martin Walker and the Bruno series. I just finished the first one, loved it, and will eventually end up reading the whole series, I'm sure. Over the next couple of years, of course. I can't believe how many he has written.

>168 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

>169 Oregonreader: I'm glad you are enjoying them. They've become comfort listens during the course of the group read of the series. (It's alternating with Donna Leon's Brunetti series.)

Happy Friday, Lori! Have a great weekend!

>171 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!

Book 49. The Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin

Date Completed: 14 May 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: Set during a time when Russia and the Turks at war in 1877, Erast Fandorin finds himself accompanying a woman whose fiancee is covering the war. She is determined to reach him. When the Turks capture her, he wins her back by gambling. She must pose as his personal assistant to be allowed to continue seeking her fiancee whom they are certain has been captured. The plot deals more with espionage than being a true mystery, and while there are murders, they all stem from the espionage element. I did not like the first installment, but I mistakenly read the third next and enjoyed it quite a bit. I did not really enjoy this one--mainly because I don't enjoy espionage that much. I listened to the audio book read by Paul Michael.

Book 50. The Names of Our Tears by P. L. Gaus

Date Completed: 15 May 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3 stars

Review: As someone who enjoyed the first seven books in this series, this new installment with a new publisher disappointed me. In previous installments, Professor Michael Brandon was the main character/sleuth. Brandon is nowhere around for the first 2/3 of the book. When he does show up, he's conveniently in Florida with his wife when Ricky Neill needs to come down and will need help. The sheriff's department became central, and I felt the time was split between Sheriff Robertson and Ricky Neill. An Amish girl's brutal murder sparks an investigation which shows she unknowingly carried drugs from Florida back to Holmes County in an extra suitcase she was not to open. Other Amish girls who recently visited Pinecraft as well as other evidence help them identify suspects. Holmes County officials work with Florida officials and the DEA to bring resolution. However, the resolution is perhaps the weakest part of this installment. While I enjoy the characters of Sheriff Robertson and Ricky Neill, I want Professor Brandon back in a central role in future installments.

Book 51. The Life of Henry V by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 15 May 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: King Henry V of England seeks to conquer France. This play covers the period around the Battle of Agincourt. While most of the play's language is English, a couple of scenes are all or mostly in French and French phrases find their way into dialogue in several other places. I suspect I would have enjoyed it more if I'd taken time to find a video of the play to follow along with while reading. I just found I wasn't where I could do so when reading it.

>166 thornton37814: I've almost forgot to Wordle a few times, Lori, but remembered at the last minute. That's when I want an easy word!

>176 Familyhistorian: I forgot almost every day last week. I remembered to do it last night. I didn't get much help. After the first two attempts, I only had the last e. After the third one, I got one more letter. The fourth attempt got me close enough that I got it on the fifth. That's the worst I've done in some time, but I did get it--and didn't have to use the sixth guess to get the "whew!"

I think its hard to read or see Henry V by itself it is really a continuation of the Henry IV Part 1 and Henry IV Part 2 trilogy.

It helps I think to know why Henry V is feeling a little bit insecure on his throne ("When the people get restless start a foreign war!) and to follow both his arc and his fathef's journey to get to Agincourt.

We just saw (HD broadcast from London) a new production of HV starring Kit Harrington late of "Game of Thrones" fame. Regret to say it was gimmicky and rather flat with a glum and one note Harrington in the lead.

If you're still curious Kenneth Branaugh's Henry V movie is top drawer - recommended.

>178 magicians_nephew: I'll consider it some time.

Book 52. Assaulted Pretzel by Laura Bradford

Date Completed: 19 May 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 3 stars

Review: A man seeking to mass produce Amish toys turns up dead at a food festival. Knowing the peaceful ways of the Amish, the detective in charge of the case doesn't know where to look for suspects, but Claire, the shop owner/cozy sleuth, finds clues. The mystery lacks the interaction between the detective and cozy sleuth that it needs. The murderer was barely mentioned, so armchair sleuths had little chance of guessing the outcome unless they remember the mention. I did not feel there was a very good sense of place. I felt the Amish were an add-on instead of an integral part of the action. Perhaps this one was a tad too cozy?

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341864

>181 SilverWolf28: Thanks! I'm not sure how much I'll get done this weekend. I'm trying to get everything all set for a conference. I'm sure I'll squeeze in a little, but it might not be a lot. In fact I need to decide what's up next in both print/e-book and audio. I'll probably grab the ARC this weekend and hope I can finish it before I leave.

53. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Date Completed: 21 May 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Rating: 3 stars

Review: L. Frank Baum imagines the back story of Santa Claus beginning with his discovery as a babe in a forest mentioned in The Wizard of Oz. He takes us through his mentorship by the Master Woodworker and to the beginnings of his own toy making for children. He eventually spends Christmas eve with his reindeer team delivering toys to stockings and Christmas trees. Then there is more! House designs change, and those chimneys aren't wide enough. It's a fun romp when you are in the mood for a little bit of whimsy! I received a copy through Library Thing Early Reviewers program with the expectation of an honest review.

Congratulations on 50 books! Good luck with your upcoming conference. You can let out a big sigh of relief when your presentation is over. I would be a nervous wreck!

>183 thornton37814: I had never-not-once heard of this book, and it sounds like something I'd like to read around Yuletide. An origin story for Santa! Not as a Turkish bishop, which always sounded weird to me. Must seek this out, thanks Lori.

Confer well.

>184 Donna828: I have two. The last one is in the next to last conference slot, so it will take a bit of time.

>185 richardderus: I got it through Early Reviewers. They only gave out 5 copies, but it's kind of fun.

>186 thornton37814: The story's in the public domain, so I snagged it off Project Gutenberg.

Here's the Memorial Day readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/341983

L. Frank Baum's non OZ stuff is a mixed bag some of it charming some of it less so.

>188 SilverWolf28: I won't be able to join this weekend. I'm still at a conference. Now in addition to presenting tomorrow, I'm also helping with some of the virtual event portion in the morning. I'll be in airports/flying on Sunday--and I plan to cross stitch as I can. If I'm too tired, I may do something else. I have to drive home Monday. I'll pick up the cats if I arrive early enough Monday, but I suspect it will be Tuesday before I can pick them up.

>189 magicians_nephew: This one does have some aspects of Oz incorporated, so it's not completely "non-Oz."

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342128

>192 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Book 54. Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott

Date Completed: 23 May 2022

Category: Great American Ball Park

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Times are difficult for Edwina Davenport, and she is forced to advertise for a lodger. Her old friend, the adventurous Beryl Helliwell, sees the ad, coming to her friend's rescue and attempting to alleviate some of the village gossip about her friend's circumstances by implying she works as a spy. The two end up becoming a pair of detectives when the local constable refuses to see a murder as a murder. It suffers some of the typical problems of first installments, but it is an enjoyable read in an English village setting which is always a win! I listened to the audiobook read by Barbara Rosenblat.

>194 thornton37814: It sounds like a series with a promising premise. I haven't heard of that particular "dodge" being used before.

>195 richardderus: I think it has a lot of promise. I'll space them out, but I look forward to reading/listening to the next one maybe next year.

Book 55. Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves

Date Completed: 6 June 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Vera herself discovers the body of a woman at the fitness facility where she swims. The corpse's place in the sauna destroys any fingerprint evidence left behind. Why did someone want to kill this well-liked social worker? Vera can be a difficult boss because of her tendency to want to do everything herself, but she does manage to find things for Ashworth, her sergeant, and a lower-ranking female officer to do. Before long, there's a second body, and Vera knows the two deaths must be related. I enjoyed this installment more than some of the previous ones, but I doubt I'll ever like the Vera series as much as the Shetland series. I listened to the audiobook read by the capable Charlie Hardwick.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342254

>198 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

>194 thornton37814: This one sounds interesting.

I still haven’t read the Vera series. I kept trying to read Crow Trap but couldn’t get into it and decided to move on to the second one but haven’t yet. I loved the Shetland books and I also love the Vera tv series. Go figure.

>197 thornton37814: The Vera series doesn't work well for me, either. I like her newest series best, I think, although I've only read the first book.

>200 Copperskye: I wasn't enamored of the first Vera book either. I think I prefer her on TV to in the books.

>201 Familyhistorian: I still preferred Shetland to the new one, but it could change as I get deeper in the series.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342385

>203 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

While in Wichita, I made a stop at Heart's Desire, their local needlework store.



Here are some shots of the inside of the store:







Here's what I brought home--mostly grab bag fabrics marked to 50% off, but also a bookmark pattern, the spring issue of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher, and a free Lizzie Kate design.

When my accumulated mail was delivered this morning, I had a couple of grab bags from Colour and Cotton that I'd ordered in the mail. They also sent a free yummy-looking fiber.

Tuesday night, our librarian group went down to see the lighting of the Keeper of the Flame. Unfortunately it was a little too windy in Wichita that evening. Apparently they don't light it if winds exceed 20 mph. Here are shots of the statue early and later in the evening as well as a photo of downtown Wichita as seen from the monument. You can see the pots that are lighted.

Each day the pet resort posted photos of my boys to Facebook. I'm including one shot of each of them during their stay.

Here's Barney:



Here's Sherlock:



Here's Mr. B:

I also went to visit my 2g-grandfather at his cemetery near Inman, Kansas.

Here's the cemetery sign:



Here's his marker:



Here's his marker in context:

Just stopping by to say hello. I read Murder in an English Village and also thought it might be a great start to a series. Thanks for reminding me.

Wow. What a lot of sky there is in Kansas. I don't recall that detail about the rest of the country anymore.

Lovely to be on your trip with you! I'd never stop in a needlework shop, so it was an education for me. I had to google "Russian Punchneedle" and fell down quite a rabbit hole of new-to-me areas of expertise. Fascinating! You're a consummate librarian, Lori, getting people interested in things they'd literally never conceptualized, by example.

>210 Oregonreader: I'm sure I'll enjoy the second in the series when I get to it.

>211 richardderus: Punchneedle is pretty popular. It's not something I've tried, but I know a lot of people enjoy it. I guess Kansas does have "big skies," so Montana's are even bigger since they are known as "Big Sky Country." (I've been to Montana, but I was enjoying visiting with family I hadn't seen in a while and paid less attention to the sky.)

Hi Lori my dear, Amy would love to be in Heart's Desire as she loves doing her Cross Stitch although trying to find time with Elliott and work to do some can be taxing although she does like to relax with it. Wishing you a really lovely weekend and sending love and hugs from both of us, dear friend.

>205 thornton37814: Looks like an awesome store! Lots of neat things to discover.

HAppy weekend

>213 johnsimpson: I'm certain there are some wonderful stores in the UK because I follow some wonderful stitchers from the UK on FlossTube. The UK also produces some wonderful magazines. I enjoy both CrossStitcher and World of Cross Stitching. We have a couple of US publications--Just Cross Stitch and Punchneedle and Primitive Stitcher (which includes punch needle and cross stitch). I think the consensus is that Just Cross Stitch is not as good as it used to be, but folks love the other one which includes pieces by top designers each month. This past month included Teresa Kogut, Liz Mathews, and Stitching with the Housewives (aka Priscilla & Chelsea).

>214 figsfromthistle: It was a nice store. Keepsakes in Cincinnati is even better. I think my own LNS is just as good as Heart's Desire. I really enjoyed finding those 50% off fabric grab bags though. It's a great way to build stash--although mine was mostly for small pieces. I figure if I use 2 inch margins instead of 3 inch, I can do 4 x 6 inch pieces. It would only be 2 x 3 with my usual 3 inch ones. 2 inch margins often work though.

For those wanting to see my needlework progress, I posted it to my Needlearts thread.

Book 56. Trace Elements by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 16 June 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A dying woman asks Brunetti and Griffoni to investigate her husband's death. She mutters something about "bad money," but doesn't say much more. The death, ruled accidental at the time, does show signs of being suspicious as they learn about the man and begin an informal investigation. The woman's final words puzzle the investigators who must make sense of them. Leon's novels often deal with environmental topics, and this one is no exception. While this is not Leon's best in the series, it is solid, especially for a novel so late in a series. I listened to the audiobook read by the very capable David Colacci.

>194 thornton37814: Barbara Rosenblat is one of my all-time favorite narrators. The first audiobook I ever listened to was narrated by her. I think I will give Murder in an English Village a try.

I love all the photos! Thanks for sharing them, Lori.

>218 alcottacre: I think it is a promising series. I'm glad you liked the photos.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342518

Hi Lori. I enjoyed hearing of your trips. Hoping all is well with you.

> 220 Thanks.

>221 Whisper1: Just busy this week. We've been very short-handed at the library. Of course, it is summer and with most classes online, foot traffic is a lot smaller than normal. I've had lots of different types of reference questions this week though. Not the typical ones!

Thank you for the beautiful pictures Lori - have a wonderful weekend!

>223 SirThomas: Hope you have a great weekend too.

Book 57. Among the Innocent by Mary Alford

Date Completed: 24 June 2022

Category: Busken Bakery

Rating: 4 stars

Review: 10 years ago, Leah's Amish family was murdered. The local police chief (Ellis) and his wife took her in. Blame was placed on an Amish boy visiting from another town who died in a fire. Leah joined the police force. The chief died a year ago, but the circumstances seem suspicious both to Leah and to the new police chief (Dalton) who arrives in town. Dalton has ties to the person blamed for the killings, but doesn't immediately let people know this. He wants to reopen the case, but before he can do so, a murder of an Amish girl with the same MO as those ten years ago occurs. Leah feels "John" is back. Leah had been secretly seeing John. He'd wanted her to run off with him, but she didn't want to leave her family. She always felt an enraged John returned to kill her family, but Ellis assured her the man who died in the fire had done the deed. Dalton, Leah, and the other officers along with back-up support from the tribal police and the next county, investigate and do their best to prevent others from becoming victims as they now find a serial killer now using the name Jonathan on the loose and dangerous. He makes it clear he plans to kill Leah on the 10th anniversary of her family's deaths. Dalton and others speak of their faith in God, but this Christian fiction work contains a depth not achieved by most works in the genre. The publisher classifies it as romantic suspense, but the romance is subtle and less than the amount contained in many cozy novels. I'd call this a police procedural suspense thriller. I enjoyed this and will look for other books written by the author. I received a copy through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

Here's the Fourth of July readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/342669

>227 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Book 58. The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander

Date Completed: 28 June 2022

Category: Cincinnati Public Library

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I loved this delightful story about a librarian who loses her job due to library closure around the same time she loses the grandmother who raised her. She goes for a ride and discovers the house of her dreams in a Devonshire village and purchases it--complete with a phone booth with a stipulation. It must be used for the community. She comes up with the idea of turning it into a library to serve the community. She sees how the books--carefully curated by her grandmother--bring the community together. As the time she must find a job nears, she fears she may need to let go of her dreams of remaining in the village as well as her attraction to the man who sold her his grandfather's home. This book makes a perfect summer read, and it will certainly appeal to many book lovers. I received an advance reader's edition through a GoodReads giveaway where reviews are encouraged but not required. All opinions are my own.

Book 59. Murder Tightly Knit by Vannetta Chapman

Date Completed: 29 June 2022

Category: Busken Bakery

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: When Owen Esch is found murdered on a trail due to a crossbow injury, evidence points to an Amish person with ties to a survivalist group. Investigators are quick to arrest Jesse's brother Andrew Miller for the incident, even though the Amish who know him best know he would never do such a thing. Will they be able to prove their case for Andrew's release before it is too late? I failed to realize this was second in the series and felt at a disadvantage when it came to knowing the characters. References to the earlier installment figured into the narrative in several places. The mystery is stronger than many Christian fiction mysteries. I enjoyed this, but I do need to go back to the first in the series before moving forward. I listened to the audio version.

>229 thornton37814: I'm glad you liked this one, Lori! I have been looking forward to it since I ordered a copy for work.

>231 aktakukac: I think you'll love it! It was just what I needed to help me out of a reading funk.

>209 thornton37814: Looks like you had wonderful weather for your cemetery visit, Lori. The marker for your 2x great grandfather looks nicely legible.

>233 Familyhistorian: It's amazingly in excellent condition. Someone has taken care of that rural cemetery.