Quote:

Posted by: SkidMarks (---.10-3.cable.virginm.net)
Date: May 06, 2014 11:37PM

I've just reread Tom Holt's "A better Mousetrap". it is not as good as some of his earlier ones but worth a few hours.

"Snow White & the Seven Samurai" and "Earth, Air, Fire & Custard" are both stand out titles. ("Flying Dutch is probably still my favourite TH book, though.)

All Tom Holt's works are worth re-reading. Alas, our local library lacks many.

Tom Holt from my recorded reading list.

Barking
Blonde bombshell
Divine comedies
Doughnut
Earth, air, fire and custard
In your dreams
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages
May contain traces of magic
Open sesame
The Better Mousetrap
Valhalla
When it's a jar
You don't have to be evil to work here, but it helps

My favourite (apart, of course, from those about J.W. Wells & Co., (the magic firm from The Sorcerer (Gilbert & Sullivan))) would be Blonde Bombshell.

Alas, so many I may not get to read.

If you can lay your hands on the early "Wagnerian" titles, I would recommend them. They are "Expecting Someone Taller" "Who's Afraid of Beowulf" & "Flying Dutch".

(I know that Beowulf isn't Wagnerian, but it feels like it ought to be.)

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My computer beat me at chess, but I won at kickboxing

If anyone is interested in "historical" detectives I can recommend Simon Hawke's 'Shakespeare and Smythe' series (The slaying of a shrew, Merchant of vengeance, Mystery of errors and Much ado about murder). Also S.J. Parris' Giordano Bruno investigations. The "Rivers of London" series is also very good.
Currently I'm in the middle of Eric Sams' "The real Shakespeare", which is excellent on the known documentation of Shakespeare's early years up to 1594, but does tend to repeat quite a bit though in different contexts. Next up is Nichols' "The lodger" about Shakespeare's living in London. Perhaps a bit esoteric reading, but I dug out my old dissertation notes and am thinking of going back to work on it now that I've retired.

"The Real Shakespeare II" - sadly unfinished at the author's death - is available as a free ebook, and includes documentation up to and beyond Shakespeare's death, though unfortunately not any work after Lear, so the major tragedies and final plays are nor discussed. May be of interest to Shakespeare students.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2014 04:23PM by tieff.

I'm reading the latest Colin Cotteril mystery in the Dr Siri Paiboun series, called, oddly enough, 'The Woman Who Wouldn't Die'. The books are set in Lao just after the communist takeover in the 70s and feature a reluctant septuagenarian coroner in his who is channeling an ancient spirit while dealing with the frustrations of a new communist bureaucracy. A bit of mysticism, a lot of dry humour, very enjoyable.

I've read all the Shardlake books by C.J.Sansom. Mystery solving in the court of Henry the eighth.

Trouble is I've been reading my palm at the same time so I always know whodunnit.

Just finished 'The Eye of Zoltar'. It's by some unknown chap. Jesper Floode or something like that?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2014 01:56PM by EgonSpengler.

Just finished reading "Why warriors lie down and die" about the situation of the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land up to the year 2000.
I recommend it to all Australian members of the Phorum, as it gives a brilliant insight into the world view and problems of an Aborigine group. The early chapters on the history of Yolgnu-European relations may be a bit disturbing, though.

Right now I'm enjoying 'The Tempest', as preparation for some thing or other. Hopefully there does turn out to be a good guy somewhere...

I ate some Brussells sprouts and really enjoyed a tempest too

Seriously I'm reading The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair

It is truly awful and must be one of the worst books I have ever read.

Just finished 'The Passionate Witch' by Thorne Smith.

Light and easily readable and funny, as are most of his other stories.

Written before WW2 and heavily affected by Prohibition but inventive

Just finished "Two Brothers" by Ben Elton. A reaonably well executed piece of writing by Mr Elton about two jewish boys growing up in 1930s Berlin.

Just in the middle of The Goldfinch. Brilliant.

<suspects a turkey or goose makes a better festive bird>

Poppycock, it depends on how many of them you eat

I presume you're referring to Ian Fleming's 'Goldfinch', the largely lost 007 book which features Bond's retirement and accidental discovery of the Spectre secret messaging network of small yellow birds?

Was wondering if 'network of small yellow birds' as referred to was anything to do with the Fiendish Dr Fu Manchu and his evil machinations?

Was wondering if 'network of small yellow birds' as referred to was anything to do with the Fiendish Dr Fu Manchu and his evil machinations?

Fu Manchu was a pussycat by all accounts and gold finches are brave not yellow.