#Perveen Mistry

[ramblings-of-lola]

March '24 Wrap Up

The Mistress of Bhatia Hill ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Genre: Historical Mystery

Thoughts: I liked the mystery and Perveen is as always, a great protagonist to follow. There was one plot line that didn't get resolved but maybe it will in the next book when it comes out?

The Girl Who Drank the Moon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Genre: Middle-grade fantasy

Thoughts: This book is so cute and wholesome and also the villain was terrifying. I now want my adopted family (even though I'm an adult) to be a poetic swamp creature who is as old as the Earth, a kind, but grumpy ancient witch, and a pocket-sized dragon who acts like a five year old child in the best way.

The Bone Shard Emperor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Genre: Fantasy

Thoughts: I binged this book over spring break. I liked this one more than the first; the plot was more intriguing and the climax was so good. I also really liked the characters going to other islands and seeing more of this world.

Dune Messiah ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Genre: Classic Science Fiction

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book; it was similar to the first one with pacing and politics. I liked seeing the rest of Paul's story but I didn't really like what happened with Alia's character.

Keeper of the Lost Cities ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Genre: Middle-grade fantasy

Thoughts: I adored my reread of this book so much! I love Sophie as a main character and her friendship with Dex was the highlight of the book for me.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Genre: Mystery

Thoughts: I did not want to read this book. It didn't seem like the type of story I would like and I was afraid it was overhyped. So when I had to read it for a class, I was not excited. But oh my word, I loved this book so much more than I thought I would! Pip is amazing she's so sarcastic and determined and Ravi is such a sweetheart. I did not guess Andie's killer, and the ending shocked me. I also got emotional multiple times reading it and that surprised me.

I have a tag list for when I do wrap ups! If you want to be added or taken off of it, please let me know!

Tagging: @thatrandomlemononyourcounter1 @that-multi-fandom-hijabi @moondust-on-the-hijabi

[ofliterarynature]

JULY 2023 WRAP UP

[ loved liked okay no thanks DNF (reread) bookclub* ]

A Thief in the Night | Bloodline | (The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting) | A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor | Spectred Isle | A Beautiful Crime* | You Just Need to Lose Weight | Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Fairies | Necropolis | The Bombay Prince | (An Absolutely Remarkable Thing) | Witch King | A Guide to Midwestern Conversation | The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal | Stormhaven | Threshold | Widdershins | (Any Old Diamonds) | The Secret History of Food | Before We Disappear | The Secret Keepers

Another month!

The unintended KJ Charles marathon continues, though it has finally slowed down. I reread Any Old Diamonds to start and it did hold up two months in a row (yay!). Next I hit the Occult England/Green Men series, and The Secret Casebook was so close to perfect, I wish it was twice as long (I really ought to just read Sherlock Holmes at this point, hadn't I?). Spectred Isle I was less into, but still enjoyed.

Now is probably also the time to mention Jordan Hawk's Wyborne & Griffin series, which crosses over with The Secret Casebook. I read 5 of them and I still don't know why - if you're only in it for the plot and like Lovecraftian stuff, they're pretty good, but the character development is an absolute travesty and I was incredibly irritated with myself for still reading them (I did stop reading the sex scenes by book 3 though). I was so close to marking these as "no thanks," but that felt a little unfair.

I also revisited The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, which was my very first KJ Charles book several years ago! It's still very good, and while a second time around makes it easier for me to see the parts I don't like, its also very clear why I did like it! I really enjoy the way Charles does plots and drama, but something that specifically irritates me in a lot of romance is contrived miscommunication - and these characters don't do that! They realize when they've fucked up, think it over, apologize, and try again. It's a balm to my heart. The sequel, A Thief in the Night, was also very nice.

A Guide to Midwestern Conversation was a fun little book to page through - I felt very called out at times lol (this *can't* be midwest specific, can it? Can it????), but I also have zero social skills and some things didn't quite hit me the way the author probably intended.

Witch King was my first non-Murderbot book from Martha Wells and it was a good solid fantasy read! It probably won't make my year end favorite list, but I'll definitely put more effort into reading the rest of her back list.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing was another reread, and I forgot how incredibly smart it is. Even a second time around my stomach was a knot of anxiety the whole time because this is such a perfect picture of one of my worst personal nightmares, you couldn't pay me to take April's place. Waiting so long to read the sequel, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor was bound to let me down a bit, but it was still very very good. My one complaint is that while it was still grounded in real world issues, it felt much more fantastical (and spread out between the different characters), and it lost a little of the sharpness of the first book. I would still absolutely recommend.

I feel a little bad that it's taken me this long to actually write something about the Perveen Mistry/Mysteries of 1920's India series, because they are very good, but I think it's taken three books to figure out what it is about them I don't like. The Bombay Prince, like the books before it, feels grounded in the many, many real world injustices that the characters face. It can lead to a very unsettling reading experience that doesn't automatically feel like the good guys will win in the end - it can be a tough read, but it feels like I *have* to read them. Definitely look at the content warnings.

This next book definitely had me a bit nervous going in - I distrust titles that have brushed too close to BookTok - but Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries won out in the end, even if I did almost dnf it in the first quarter. I think things worked better once Emily had another character to really play off of, and then it was fun! Think Spinning Silver crossed with Olivia Atewater's Regency Faerie Tales, with a dash of A Natural History of Dragons. I'll definitely look out for the sequel.

You Just need to Lose Weight and 19 Other Myths About Fat People is, as it repeats, an intro and starting point to the topic. It was very well written, but as someone who does keep half an eye on the topic, nothing particularly surprised me. I should probably take some of the author's recs for further reading.

It's fitting that A Beautiful Crime is last, because I did genuinely dislike it. Maybe I went in with too high of expectations, but really, boyfriends doing antique fraud in Italy should be fun! The level of drama going on in the backstory honestly would not be out of place in a KJ Charles novel (I say with love), but this was so incredibly depressing and sad. It claims to be a literary thriller, but I was not feeling thrilled or getting any kind of suspense. Would not recommend, I definitely wouldn't have finished it if it hadn't been for book club.

Some books I actually did not finish: The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart was a real blow, I loved the Mysterious Benedict Society, but either this was genuinely worse or I'm just too old, the main character was a little too immature for me to want to deal with. Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinson I also had hopes for after reading one of his other books a few years ago, but I just could not click with it despite the interesting premise. I decided to cut myself off before I got truly irritated with it. The Secret History of Food was another non-fic pick, and it was interesting! But it felt like it wandered a lot, and I wasn't vibing with how irreverent the tone was.

[thisbibliophiile]

I forgot this was coming out today!!!!!

[rachel-sylvan-author]

"The Satapur Moonstone (A Perveen Mistry Novel)" by Sujata Massey book recommendation by Rachel Sylvan

[lifeaholiclady27]

The Satapur Moonstone - The Second Perveen Mistry Installment with a Feisty Solicitor and Royal Curses

The second installment of Sujata Massey’s Perveen Mistry Investigates. ‘The Satapur Moonstone’ continues the adventures of Bombay’s first female (albeit fictitious) lawyer Perveen Mistry as she entangles the court intrigues in Satapur, a tiny princely state embedded in the Western Ghats. The Perveen Mistry Series Royalty, Cursed Jewels and Lawyers Just like the first book, we see Perveen…

[minipliny]

Pliny's 5 second book reviews, The Satapur Moonstone, Sujata Massey.

Book 2 in a series of mysteries starring a female lawyer in pre Independence India, Perveen Mistry! in this one, Perveen is sent to speak to the royal women in purdah in a princely state to settle the question of a young prince's education, only for the question of whether his older brother's death was really a hunting accident to rear its ugly head.

We have court intrigue, we have mother in laws and daughter in laws not seeing eye to eye with a kingdom at stake, tiger attack forensics, suspected poison, court jesters, a mysterious dancing girl, a helpful (?) and attractive but still British local authority, and the excellent Perveen. The author drew on figures like Cornelia Sorabji to really capture the complexities of how Perveen has to operate in a world in her interlocking identities as Oxbridge trained lawyer, independence supporting Indian, and woman blazing her own path, but also Perveen is just super snarky and insightful and done with things and people. I love her. She is navigating the back end of her own messy divorce, she is treading carefully in society, she is having adventures in a palanquin.

[dietraumerei]

2023 Book Reviews

Ok, let's see if Tumblr lets me post this (I think it shouldn't be too long?) -- it's all my book reviews from 2023! Entirely unedited and just copy-pasted in, but on the off chance anyone else is interested in it, here it is.

I finished Tolkien and the Great War which was like…¾ very good. The last quarter was a fairly inexplicable and incredibly boring discursion on the early versions of what would, essentially, become the Silmarillion. Although a lot of his early works and early conceptions of what the Middle Earth mythology would be do tie into his life and experiences as a very young man in a hellish situation, this was just like…a recitation. And it was followed by a brilliant analysis of why Tolkien turned to an older medieval storytelling form instead of the modernists that we think of when it comes to the usual WWI writing! It was so good! The good parts of this books are so good! I simply cannot bring myself to care about the phoneme shifts his languages undergo.

It did remind me that I want to return to Paul Fussell’s writing in 2024, so there is that?

Also Tolkien’s bitchy disapproval of the aesthetes is never not hilarious to me.

I finished Hogfather, about which I refuse to give any kind of review other than to say I’ve been reading it nearly every December for going on 23 years now, and it’s a perfect book and I love it.

I finished Congratulations, the Best is Over! and I feel some kinda way about it. I love R. Eric Thomas, but the longer-form essays are sometimes good and sometimes not so good? I didn’t dislike it at all, but I’m also looking forward to what he writes next, as I think every collection gets a little bit better.

I finished The Custom of the Country and oh my god I LOVED IT. The Age of Innocence is still my favorite Wharton because Ellen Olenska, but this was the book that made me scream the most. It’s funny in the way that reality TV is funny, in that you laugh because you are horrified. Undine Spragg is the most magnfiicent monster in literature. She’s horrible. I adore her. What a fabulous work of art/car crash this book is.

I finished the latest Perveen Mistry Mystery, The Mistress of Bhatia House and it was wonderful but oh my god it is STRESSFUL and kind of a hard read at times because everyone is just being a huge dick to each other. (Also there’s a pretty major plot point left totally un-tied-up at the end which is wild, but I guess it’ll get sorted next book?)

I finished Lolly Willowes which tbh I didn’t love as much as I hoped I would, but is a very excellent book with some mind-blowingly relatable bits and I enjoyed it immensely. I love Sylvia Townsend Warner but just need to go in without expectations and enjoy the rather lengthy ride. (For such a short book, it takes awhile for anything to happen.)

I read Dolls of Our Lives and the more I think about it the more I disliked it. I’m tired and lazy so here’s the review I sent a friend:

I finished Dolls of our Lives last night. I found it…okay. The editing is often bad which was depressing. It mostly felt really tonally inconsistent – they’re both historians and know their stuff, but keep putting in schticky little pop culture jokes that are a) not that funny? and b) just appear out of nowhere. If you’re going to look at AG through a pop culture lens, do it properly, don’t just randomly name-drop pop culture stuff. It occasionally dips below surface-level analysis, but it’s not super memorable and I don’t see it aging really well. (I’d LOVE someone to write an accessible book that actually does look at AG dolls both within their own cultural contexts and the context of when they were released, to say nothing of the interplay of doll + book, and maybe with an added chapter on how girls and dolls play, and what it meant to release a doll that wasn’t aspirational in some way, whether it be an adult like Barbie or a baby doll. Okay, maybe I want three books. But it feels like there’s a lot of richness to dig into, and I’ve yet to see anyone scrape more than the surface.) Anyway, 6/10, it was okay but the authors do themselves a disservice. There’s a small section at the end where they talk about themselves and how the podcast has changed them and how it came about and it’s the best bit of the book because it’s actually vulnerable and interesting, with some theory thrown in, and it’s barely shticky at all.

I will now add that I think it’ll age like milk, and I’m super disappointed.

In happier news, I read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd which is simply a masterpiece, and reading it was a deep and abiding pleasure. I know the twist and it still worked wonderfully on me – if you don’t know how it ends, I REALLY urge you not to spoil yourself and also to read it, for it’s wonderful and you will scream at the reveal.

I finished When the Angels Left the Old Country after @lesbrarian recommended it and it might be my favorite book I’ve read this year? Top five, certainly – it’s tense and beautiful and funny and full of love and very Jewish, and it just filled me with joy to read, even the sad parts. The comparisons to Good Omens are unavoidable, but really I find it a very different story in a lot of ways, although certainly with connections. I adored it, and it’s one of those books I can’t wait to re-read. Also every time I think about the angel too much I want to cry, but in a good way.

I also – finally, after many breaks – finished The Path the Power, the first volume of Caro’s LBJ biography. Oh my god, this book. THIS BOOK. The next time I do this I’m going to update every week on what I learned that week because there is just so much in this tome. I want to visit the Pedernales, but not in summer. The description of grass-growing was riveting. The descriptions of the lives of the farmwives before electrification was riveting (and horrific). The play-by-play for elections in the forties literally kept me up past my bedtime. And I have not even touched on Pappy O'Daniel (a real person!! who was apparently toned down CONSIDERABLY for O Brother Where Art Thou) or Lady Bird or how Caro more than once makes sure to mention that Johnson had a dumptruck ass.

Anyway, Lyndon was a vote-buying absolute fucking weirdo from birth and his mother was just as weird and his father was fascinating and I’m a little in love with Sam Rayburn. Do not let either the Old White Man History or the fact that this book is a fucking doorstop stop you, this is a masterpiece and I see why it won a Pulitzer. (whoops, looks like it was another volume that won the Pulitzer) I cannot wait to read the other volumes, which I estimate will take me about a year per book, but worth it!

I finished Menewood, about which I cannot possibly write intelligently. Hild was and is so important to me and I love that period in English history so, so much, and the immersiveness of the books, how heartbreaking and hard and wild and wonderful they are! It did push me to plan to get Hild in non-ebook format; they’re both absolute bricks so it’s easier to read the e-book but I found it super helpful to be able to easily refer to the family trees and maps and stuff.

I finished Lauren Groff’s The Vaster Wilds and as a certified Groff stan I loved it. It’s gross and hard and has the most amazing end, and like Matrix I am excited to re-read it over and over and unlock more language and more beauty and just more.

I finished Here for It by R. Eric Thomas and loved it. It’s more serious and longer-form than what he writes for his newletter or Elle, and really benefits from it; he’s an incredibly talented storyteller. Not what I was expecting, but all the better for it.

I am DNF for A Lady for a Duke which I had such high hopes for! I don’t think it’s a bad book, but it is not a book for me, unfortunately.

I finished Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It and have a lot of feelings! I think it’s a really, really good book that’s respectful of fans and interesting, but it focuses almost solely on One Direction fandom, and I kind of wish that was clearer from the title and the summary? Like, no shade to that being the topic, but it feels like this is being sold as kind of a universal look at online fandom, and…it kinda isn’t?

(yes i’m salty there wasn’t anything about snapewives, yes this was somewhat soothed by chapters dedicated to L*rr*es and B*byg*te, YES I am afraid of 1D fangirls.)

I also read Phoebe’s Diary because I adore Phoebe Wahl and it was cool to read a middle-grade novel/graphic novel from her! (Most of the book is typeset, but there are lots of great little cartoons and drawings interspersed. I really, really liked it, although sometimes it’s a little hard to read because a) it is very realistic which means it’s like 95% about boys and boyfriends and that gets kind of old and b) it is very realistic and made me so unbelievably grateful that I never ever have to be 16 again. I would be extremely curious what a contemporary sixteen-year-old thought because it’s kind of a semi-period piece (set in 2005-6) and a few bits of it sort of…haven’t aged well from that period? (There’s one character who I think we’re meant to dislike but I love her so much because she reads aro-ace.) Anyway, I’m really glad I read it although at times it was painful, 10/10 do not miss being sixteen.

I haven’t finished anything, but I’m DNF for Sarah Vowell’s Lafayette in the Somewhat United States because I found it hard to follow and frankly incredibly boring. (I am going hard for the DNF’s these days, life is too short.)

omg so much! I read Learned by Heart in like three days, and it made my Anne Lister-loving heart sing. Truly, it broke my heart and it was so sweet and so happy and sad and just so good, I loved it and I’m hoping it triggers another bout of Lister hyperfixation.

I also read Agatha of Little Neon, which was likewise sad but sweet and happy and hopeful. It had a lot of feelings, but I loved it very, very much, and it just…made me feel good inside?

I was DNF on The Late Americans by about the sixth Sad Gay Man whose personality traits were that he was Sad and Gay and [insert one additional trait here that is shared with at least one other Sad Gay Man]. I love Brandon’s newsletter and his criticism; I did not like this novel.

I FINALLY finished Herzog! For a relatively short novel, it benefits from a slow reading – and I even basically skipped over the philosophical bits because my love for sad mid-century white men only goes so far. Anyway – a little to my surprise, I enormously enjoyed it. I don’t know that it’s, like, the greatest novel ever written and it’s edging into my ‘This got a Pulitzer? Really?’ pile, but a) I can see why it was groundbreaking and amazing and the Saga of the Everyman when it came out and b) honestly it’s really funny and interesting. It’s a little bit Odyssey-like, and Herzog is such a likeable schmuck, and just, yeah. It was great. It’s also a wonderful love letter to both the Berkshires and Chicago, and I loved the very quick Vineyard Havens moment.

Our Wives Under the Sea – a friend said this was the best book she’d read all summer, and I think it’s up there for me. It’s haunting and weird and beautiful and sad and I loved it very much.

Painted Pomegranates and Needlepoint Rabbis: How Jews Craft Resilience and Create Community - hah, I just realized this was a gift from the friend who made the Our Wives rec! I’ve got a little theme of reading about how craft creates meaning in various communities/subcommunities, and this fits right in. It’s definitely an academic text, but I found it extremely accessible. It doesn’t present a very diverse portrait of Judaism – which the author absolutely admits to and apologizes for – but for what it is, it’s a very interesting and valuable text, and I’m glad I read it and it’s part of my collection now.

I finished Big Swiss which is one of those books I ought to hate, but I was…not necessarily loving it, but definitely fascinated as hell with it. It’s such a gross book, and Greta is so majestically self-destructive, I actually could not look away. Magnificent, 10/10 would watch barely-likeable protagonists fuck their own lives up again.

Also, not a book, but I finally read Blackmun’s dissent in DeShaney v. Winnebago County, a landmark case that essentially determined that the government is not actually expected to protect you. (Skip noted segregationist Chief Justice William Rehnquist’s ruling, but the Wikipedia article on the case breaks it down well.) You can read it here – scroll down to the very bottom, his dissent is only 4 paragraphs, and it is beautifully, wonderfully written. The ‘Poor Joshua!’ paragraph is the most famous, but I return again and again to the passage Justice Blackmun quotes from Stone’s Law, Psychiatry and Morality, and particularly the line “What is required of us is moral ambition.”

(I learned about the case and Blackmun’s dissent through the podcast 5-4, which is both excellent, and a good antidote to growing up in the shadow of the Warren Court, as I did. The Supreme Court has always sucked, it turns out. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite Supreme Court podcasts and I subscribe to, um, a lot.)

I read Brutes in about two sittings, it was so good. What a wonderful book about the horror of being a teenage girl, and I mean that in the best possible way. I loved it.

I finished, appropriately enough, Ned Boulting’s 1923 which is a beautiful book about the Tour de France and the nearly-forgotten Theo Beeckmann, and about the covid pandemic and history and tracking people and places down through time. I am an enormous fan of Ned (and David and Pete for any other Never Strays Far fans), and although this book very rarely pushes just a touch into bathos, it is mostly beautiful and wonderful and I’m glad he wrote it and I’m glad I read it.

(I finished it on June 30th, which is rather an important day in the book so I’m proud of my timing too.)

I also read A Half-Built Garden which I have a lot of very complex emotions about. I don’t know if I liked it, but I like how it made me react and think and feel and get grumpy. I’m not even sure it’s all that great, but it sure did make me think.

I finished Fintan O’Toole’s massive We Don’t Know Ourselves about Ireland in the last 50-odd years. It is very good, and sometimes very hard to read (he pulls no punches regarding either the IRA or the Christian Brothers) and I’m glad I read it.

I also finished Secrets Typed in Blood, the third of the Pentecost and Parker mysteries. It starts off the weakest (or maybe I was just in a Mood), but it is, as ever, a good, quick, satisfying mystery.

I read Elizabeth Kilcoyne’s Wake the Bones which I loved – I normally prefer a bit more gothic in my Southern horror, but the very end especially is the most incredible reveal. I could not stand the protagonist and I still liked the book, that’s how good it is.

I also read Scorched Grace, which is apparently first in a series about a crime-solving nun. It’s written as a hardboiled noir and, yep, that’s what it is, which means it’s also not good, but it’s supposed to be kind of hacky, so it works? It’s *gruesome*, but I liked it well enough, I think noir just really isn’t for me.

Oh, and I guess I’m on an Irish lit kick because I read Foster (more a novella than a novel), which I found pretty meh, tbh.

I keep starting new books and I’m now in the middle of at least two Giant Tomes, oops. I did finish Saltwater by Jessica Andrews which is better than the Kirkus review it got! It didn’t, like, change my life but it was good reliving being at Uni in the UK and also I enjoyed it, all I ask of a book.

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett: umpteenth re-read, a perfect book. I have beautiful editions of all the Tiffany books now, and hope to slowly make my way through them.

Red Shift by Alan Garner: I was heartened to learn that this is one of his most difficult books; I will be honest that I struggled, but it’s lingered in me, and I hope to re-read it many more times and keep untangling it. It is very, very good.

Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford: I’ve been meaning to read this for ages, and it didn’t disappoint in the least. I’m fascinated by the Mitford sisters, and this is such a good peek into them.

It also really drives home how unutterably boring a landed-gentry upbringing was.

Trust by Hernan Diaz: ok you know how people win Oscars nominally for some meh role, but it’s clearly really for an older role that they were overlooked for? That is this book and the Pulitzer, when In the Distance probably should have won. It was fine, but I was kind of underwhelmed. Next time I’ll just read some Wharton.

DNF on Upright Women Wanted which I wanted to love very much and absolutely hated. Next time I’ll just re-read Whiskey When We’re Dry.

I did finish Murder Under Her Skin, the second of the Pentecost and Parker mysteries. It was great fun and a very good mystery and I am excited for the next one.

I finished All the Beauty in the World, the memoir of a Met Museum guard. I have an almost guilty fondness for the Met; it really should not exist, but I love it, and I loved reading this very much. I do miss easy access to world-class museums :/

I also read Michelle Tea’s Against Memoir, which has the best fucking essay of all time about the SF girl gang HAGS, but really I loved the whole thing. I’ve become an absolutely massive Michelle Tea fangirl and use her tarot book all the time and just ugh, I can’t wait to get more of her stuff.

I just finished Elie Mystal’s Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. Mystal is incredibly funny and smart and is an amazing Twitter follow if you are still on the bird hellsite. It is easy to think that funny writing is unserious, but this is deeply serious, and is a very good argument for pretty much a new Constitution that wasn’t written by enslavers. Also now I finally understand what substantive due process is, and what the difference is from procedural due process. (I also grasp the ninth and tenth amendments a little better too.) Anyway – really, if you are at all interesting in con law, or how much the Supreme Court sucks, or how broken a document the Constitution is while containing seeds of a better document, I deeply recommend this.

I finished The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, and continue to very much enjoy Olivia Waite! This is *not* an nice, fizzy romance – the romance is, honestly, a pretty small part of the plot, and that’s not knocking it one bit. It’s queer and scary and very good. I definitely would be okay going back to a fluffy romance soon, but I’m glad I read this.

I also finished The Return of the King and words fail me, honestly. It’s been so long since I read the trilogy, but I truly cannot wait to re-read it; Tolkien is so much better than what came after, and it’s been good to re-learn that. The battle of Pelennor Fields is the scariest thing I’ve ever read. I have discovered four new emotions. I cried at the end. I mean, *you* sum that book up! (I have precisely zero desire to watch any of the new shows and whatever else comes out; the original trilogy was lightening in a bottle, and I will keep my memories warm and good, tbh.)

I finished Square Haunting, about women writers between the war and Mecklenburgh Square. It was quite good and interesting, and it was nice to build on the writers I already knew about (pretty much just Dorothy L. Sayers and Woolf), and learn about Eileen Power and just…that whole London set. I don’t know if tons of it will stick with me, but I’m pleased I read it.

Remembering Denny, by Calvin Trillin. It’s about a classmate of his from Yale, and about how people change and show different sides of themselves, about being gay pre-Stonewall and about the Silent Generation. It is very, very good. (Also FULL of people! Larry Kramer shows up at one point! And early on there’s some stuff that unexpectedly linked to my own life which was just WEIRD and kind of wonderful too.) I love Calvin Trillin so much.

Fortune Favors the Dead, an excellent little queer noir mystery, I am excited to read the next one.

The Hollow Places, I really love T. Kingfisher, love a good quick horror read. This hit a lot of the same beats as The Twisted Ones, which isn’t a strike against it, but I’m hoping for something new with the next book. Still, A++++++++ landscape horror.

I read Women Talking which was…fine? It was okay, I wasn’t blown away I have to say.

I read Hérnan Díaz’ In the Distance which I truly ought to have hated, and I don’t know if I *liked* it, but it’s going to stick with me a long time. It’s a Western, kind of. It’s dreamy, and violent, and lovely.

DNF on Charlie Brown’s America: the Popular Politics of Peanuts. There is a great book to be written on this topic. It is not this book, which quickly proved unreadable.

And I finished The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics which was fun and lovely and a nice fizzy romance, especially after In the Distance, lol. I’ll def read the next books in the series!

I have been reading at a good clip! Let’s see, I finished Briefly, A Delicious Life by Nell Stevens which is about a ghost and George Sand and Chopin and making decisions and it was so joyful and so lovely and very queer. I re-read Lauren Groff’s Matrix and loved it even more the second time; I was able to snag a signed hardback copy from a friend and I’m delighted to own it because the book itself is beautiful, and it’s a dreamy read. And finally I read Calvin Trillin’s The Tummy Trilogy which is a collection of his three books that collect his food writings. These essays are glorious, hilarious, charming, a celebration of good food and good eating and regional food. I will say, though, that the final book is really by far the weakest, and I will skip it in future; the first two books are perfection. (FYI, if you do pick this up, and I really recommend it, note that he was writing in the 70′s and they are a bit of their time, but in a way that is good-humoured at least.) I’ve also got his Remembering Denny and I’m really excited to read that soon.

I finished Times Square Red, Times Square Blue and enormously enjoyed the first essay about Delany’s time in the porn theatres of Times Square. It’s character sketches and talking about how people meet and relate, and I loved it. The second essay is vastly denser and more theoretical, and I will be honest most of it went over my head. I liked most of what I grasped, although his plan for how to end catcalling of women is…certainly there.

I also read Kate Beaton’s Ducks in basically one sitting and it’s so, so good. It’s much sadder and harder than I thought it would be, but it’s worth reading.

I read Bad Land because Jonathan Raban died last week, and I am absolutely gutted. He was a magnificent writer and Bad Land was so good and so rich and a bit funny, and it got me up in my feelings as I read about him driving over the pass into Seattle, following the trail of Montanans, while I was flying into Seattle (and then going north through the rain). It’s so, so good, and I will miss Raban so much.

I also finished The Two Towers, about which I can only say that it’s kind of a weird bridge book, but it has some of the best and loveliest lines and also jesus I can’t write a review of Lord of the Rings, it holds up, ok?

I finished Bill Bryson’s 1927, his history of a fairly amazing year in American history. The occasional fatphobic jokes were…weird and not funny, but the man can write a good popular history book. It was my airport reading coming back from the east coast, and very good airport reading it was.

I finished Homewaters, which is a gorgeous book about the natural and human history of the Puget sound region, and I loved it. It’s not the fastest-paced book going, but it’s a fantastic history and goes into the biodiversity of the area, and I’m so glad I got it.

I also read A Prayer for the Crown-Shy in one sitting on an airplane. I did not glom onto the Monk and Robot books as much as I thought I would, but I liked this a lot, and found it really lovely. I hope very much that there will be others.

Finally, last night I finished reading Shadowlands: A Journey Through Britain’s Lost Cities and Vanished Villages. Some chapters are better than others (or maybe I was just more awake?) – I found the chapters on Skara Brae and St. Kilda genuinely riveting, but still don’t quite remember what happened at Old Winchelsea, for example. The last chapter, on Capel Celyn, was startlingly hard to read; I have mostly left my time in Wales in the past. Not in a bad way, but there’s no point in it being in my daily life, but it was much more painful to read about my once-home than I thought it would be. (It’s also just an absolutely gutting story.)

[kivrin]

Had there been less enthusiasm for fireworks in my neighborhood I would probably have finished The Sullivanians: Sex, Psychotherapy, and the Wild Life of an American Commune by Alexander Stille last night. The booms being what they were, it's the first book I finished reading in the new year. Up next - the latest Perveen Mistry book.

[mollybecameanengineer]

@agent-troi Thanks for the tag!

Currently reading: The Satapur Moonstone. This is the second in the Perveen Mistry Mystery series, which is set in 1920s Bombay/Mumbai. I really liked the first one, The Widows of Malabar Hill, but that one had the flaw of not actually being a murder mystery. But one could forgive it because the historical time was so fun, and the characters were wonderful. But this second one… again not a murder mystery, but this time it lacked the charm of the first book as well. Really, what I want is this to be made into a TV show like Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, but they hire writers who can write a 1 hr TV mystery, because I’m completely devoted to Perveen and her life, but can’t suffer more of these not mysteries.

Currently watching: Nothing, actually. Well, I was watching Indian Matchmaking on Netflix, and catching up on Queer Eye, but this is mostly because we are remodeling our house and my husband is doing the electrical work, so he is not available to watch any series with me… so I’m just watching random TV.

Currently obsessed with: Well, honestly, I think I’m obsessed with being pregnant. I’m seven months along, and this is our first and only (we started late in life on this whole procreation thing). So, since I know nothing about being pregnant, giving birth, or tending to a child… lots of reading about that. It seems to have pushed all my other obsessions out of my head.

Tagging whoever would like to play!

[therealjambery]

3, 14, and 19 for the end of year ask game!

I already answered 3 and 19, but am ALWAYS happy to talk about books! Boy oh boy am I.

14. Favorite book you read this year: that's a tough call because I read a lot but I'll do my best.

Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb - This book is absolutely stellar. It's a mystery/thriller about a music history professor who uncovers a shocking secret about the composer he's dedicated his life to studying.

Other good books I read this year:

Classic lit

Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons - Historical satire that reads much more modern than its 1932 publication date.

Coming of Age

When We Were Magic, Sarah Gailey - Fiercely tender; I highly recommend anything Sarah writes.

Mystery

Lavender House, Lev AC Rosen - 1950s noir gay detective. I also recently read the sequel and it did not disappoint.

The Satapur Moonstone, Sujata Massey - Set in 1920s India, Perveen Mistry is Bombay's only female lawyer. She's a great character and I'm really enjoying learning more about Parsi culture and Indian politics during that time.

Sci Fi

Unconquerable Sun, Kate Elliott - Sweeping and personal, a stunning cast of characters. The audiobooks are great.

Fantasy

When the Angels Left the Old Country, Sacha Lamb - Delightful, Good Omens vibes but more Jewish.

Re-read

Witchmark, CL Polk - Gaslight fantasy romance. My ultimate comfort read.

[ramblings-of-lola]

What’s a book you think is underrated and want more people to read?

I love this question!! I have a couple!

Annabel Lee is the first book in the Coffey & Hill series. The main character is Trudi Coffey, a private investigator who is sassy, strong, and doesn't put up with anyone's crap. In the first book, she gets caught up in a missing persons case that forces her to work with her ex-husband, Samuel Hill. This series is hilarious and fast-paced.

The Widows of Malabar Hill is the first book in the Perveen Mistry books. Perveen is a female lawyer in 1920's Bombay who has to solve mysteries. These books are a little slow but Perveen is a great character to follow.

The Gilded Wolves is a fantastical historical fiction series by Roshani Chokshi (the author of Aru Shah). This book has all the same tropes as Six of Crows: a heist, a group of criminals who are each other's family, magic, and great romances and friendships.

The Bone Shard Daughter is the first book in the Drowning Empire series. I have only read the first book, but I really enjoyed it. This book follows multiple characters. One of them is Lin, who is trying to learn magic and recover her lost memories to prove her worth to her father, the emperor. The other is Jovis, a smuggler who is searching for his kidnapped wife with his magical animal sidekick Mephi. The third main characters are Phalue and Ranami, who are a couple. Phalue is a governor's daughter while Ranami is a commoner who struggles under Phalue father's rule. There is a lot of conflict between these two because of their backgrounds and beliefs. The writing style and pacing reminded me a lot of Shadow and Bone, so if you liked that book, definitely check this one out.

[rockislandadultreads]

Libby Spotlight: Popular Mysteries

Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea

The Girl of Sugar Beach is the most watched documentary in television history—a riveting, true-life mystery that unfolds over twelve weeks and centers on a fascinating question: Did Grace Sebold murder her boyfriend, Julian, while on a Spring Break vacation, or is she a victim of circumstance and poor police work? Grace has spent the last ten years in a St. Lucian prison, and reaches out to filmmaker Sidney Ryan in a last, desperate attempt to prove her innocence.

As Sidney begins researching, she uncovers startling evidence overlooked during the original investigation. Before the series even finishes filming, public outcry leads officials to reopen the case.

Delving into Grace's past, Sidney peels away layer after layer of deception. But as she edges closer to the real heart of the story, Sidney must decide if finding the truth is worth risking her newfound fame, her career... even her life.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

It's New Year's Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, four teenagers working late at the store are attacked. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.

Fifteen years later, more teenage employees are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.

In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who's forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who's convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller who must delve into the secrets of both nights—stirring up memories of teen love and lies—to uncover the truth about murders on the night shift.

The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey 

Bombay, 1921: Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family, has just joined her father's law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a legal education from Oxford, Perveen also has a tragic personal history that makes her especially devoted to championing and protecting women's rights.

Mistry Law is handling the will of Mr. Omar Farid, a wealthy Muslim mill owner who has left three widows behind. But as Perveen goes through the papers, she notices something strange: all three have signed over their inheritance to a charity. What will they live on if they forefeit what their husband left them? Perveen is suspicious.

The Farid widows live in purdah: strict seclusion, never leaving the women's quarters or speaking to any men. Are they being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous guardian? Perveen tries to investigate and realizes her instincts about the will were correct when tensions escalate to murder. It's her responsibility to figure out what really happened on Malabar Hill, and to ensure that nobody is in further danger.

This is the first volume in the “Perveen Mistry” series.

The Lady in the Silver Cloud by David Handler

A 1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud is a fantastically expensive car, especially in the pristine condition of the one owned by Muriel Cantrell. Living in a luxury apartment building on Central Park West, the delicate, sweet 75-year-old woman is a neighbor of Merilee Nash, the beautiful movie star, and Stuart Hoag, whose first book was a sensation but whose career crashed when he became involved with drugs and alcohol. Divorced ten years earlier, Hoagy has been welcomed back into Merilee's life and apartment.

Apparently universally beloved in her building, residents are shocked when Muriel is murdered after a Halloween party. No one takes it harder than her long-time chauffeur, Bullets Durmond, whose previous job was as an enforcer for the mob. Who in the world would want to harm the silver-haired lady whose major vices were buying shoes and Chanel suits (always in cash), and watching day-time soap operas?

Lieutenant Romaine Very of the NYPD is called to investigate and again seeks help from his friend Hoagy who, along with his basset hound Lulu, has been an invaluable aide in the past. The investigation leads to the unexpected source of Muriel's wealth, the history of her early years as a hatcheck girl at the Copacabana, how her chauffeur came to be called Bullets, her desperate meth-head nephew, and her wealthy neighbors, who have secrets of their own.

This is the 13th volume in the “Stewart Hoag” series.

[pagebypagereviews]

Diverse Voices in Mystery Fiction The landscape of mystery fiction has been evolving, with diverse voices bringing fresh perspectives, cultures, and complexities to the genre. This shift not only enriches the genre but also broadens its appeal, allowing readers from all walks of life to see themselves reflected in the stories they love. This article delves into the importance of diversity in mystery fiction, highlighting key authors, works, and the impact of inclusivity on readers and the genre as a whole. The Importance of Diversity in Mystery Fiction Diversity in mystery fiction is crucial for several reasons. It fosters a more inclusive literary world, challenges stereotypes, and provides a platform for underrepresented voices. By incorporating characters from various backgrounds, authors can create more nuanced and realistic narratives that reflect the world's diversity. Moreover, diverse mystery fiction can introduce readers to different cultures, beliefs, and experiences, promoting empathy and understanding. Trailblazers and New Voices The genre of mystery fiction has seen significant contributions from authors of diverse backgrounds, who bring their unique perspectives to their narratives. Here are some notable authors and their contributions: Walter Mosley - Known for his Easy Rawlins series, Mosley's work is set in the post-World War II era and explores the African American experience in Los Angeles. His detective stories not only provide gripping mysteries but also offer commentary on racial injustices. Sujata Massey - Massey's series featuring Perveen Mistry, one of the first female lawyers in 1920s India, combines rich historical detail with compelling mystery plots, offering insights into the challenges faced by women in that era. Attica Locke - Locke's crime novels, including the Highway 59 series, are set in East Texas and explore complex themes of race, politics, and family. Her work has been praised for its atmospheric storytelling and deep character development. These authors, among others, have paved the way for new voices in the genre, ensuring that the mystery fiction landscape continues to grow more diverse and inclusive. Impact on the Genre and Readers The inclusion of diverse voices in mystery fiction has had a profound impact on the genre and its readership. Here are some key points: Broader Appeal - By featuring characters and settings that reflect a wider range of experiences and cultures, mystery fiction attracts a broader audience. Readers are drawn to stories that resonate with their own lives or offer new perspectives. Richer Narratives - Diversity brings depth to mystery fiction, allowing for more complex characters and plots. This richness enhances the reader's experience, making the stories more engaging and thought-provoking. Challenging Stereotypes - When mystery fiction includes diverse characters and authors, it helps to challenge and dismantle stereotypes. This not only contributes to a more inclusive literary landscape but also promotes understanding and empathy among readers. The impact of diversity in mystery fiction extends beyond the pages of the books. It influences how readers perceive the world, encouraging a more inclusive and empathetic society. Challenges and Opportunities While the inclusion of diverse voices in mystery fiction has made significant strides, challenges remain. Authors from underrepresented backgrounds often face barriers to publication and visibility. However, these challenges also present opportunities for the industry to evolve. Publishers, readers, and writers can all play a role in supporting diversity by promoting and seeking out diverse voices, creating more opportunities for underrepresented authors to tell their stories. Case Studies: Diverse Mystery Series To illustrate the richness that diversity brings to mystery fiction, let's look at a few case studies: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - This series, set in Botswana, features Precious Ramotswe, the country's first female detective.

The series is celebrated for its portrayal of daily life in Botswana and its compassionate, wise, and engaging protagonist. The Inspector Singh Investigates series by Shamini Flint - Featuring Inspector Singh, a Sikh detective from Singapore, this series takes readers across various Asian countries, exploring their cultures and legal systems through gripping mysteries. The Vish Puri series by Tarquin Hall - Set in India, these books follow Vish Puri, India's most private investigator, as he solves crimes across the country. The series is known for its humor, intricate plots, and vivid portrayal of Indian society. These series not only provide captivating mysteries but also offer insights into the cultures and societies they portray, showcasing the power of diversity in storytelling. Conclusion: The Future of Mystery Fiction The future of mystery fiction looks bright, with diverse voices playing a crucial role in its evolution. As the genre continues to embrace inclusivity, readers can look forward to stories that reflect a wider range of experiences, cultures, and perspectives. By supporting diverse voices in mystery fiction, we can ensure that the genre remains vibrant, relevant, and engaging for all readers. The journey towards a more inclusive literary world is ongoing, but with each new voice, we move closer to a future where everyone's story can be heard. In conclusion, the inclusion of diverse voices in mystery fiction enriches the genre, broadening its appeal and deepening its narratives. By embracing diversity, mystery fiction can continue to captivate and inspire readers, reflecting the complexity and richness of the world around us.

[rachel-sylvan-author]

"The Bombay Prince (A Perveen Mistry Novel)" by Sujata Massey book recommendation by Rachel Sylvan

Book 3 of 4

[lifeaholiclady27]

The Satapur Moonstone - The Second Perveen Mistry Installment with a Feisty Solicitor and Royal Curses

The second installment of Sujata Massey’s Perveen Mistry Investigates. ‘The Satapur Moonstone’ continues the adventures of Bombay’s first female (albeit fictitious) lawyer Perveen Mistry as she entangles the court intrigues in Satapur, a tiny princely state embedded in the Western Ghats. The Perveen Mistry Series Royalty, Cursed Jewels and Lawyers Just like the first book, we see Perveen…

[divasgonedeadly]

The Cozy Mystery Revolution: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusivity

In the world of cozy mysteries, we've seen a transformation like no other. Traditionally, these stories were confined to familiar settings, catering to a readership that often skewed towards older white women. However, the winds of change are blowing, and it's time to explore the cozy mystery genre's exciting new horizon.

🔍 Reimagining Tradition 🔍 While cozy mysteries were once synonymous with a traditional, homogenous backgrounds, we now see stories unfolding in a wider array of settings. Authors are breathing new life into the genre, introducing diverse characters from all walks of life. "The Widows of Malabar Hill" by Sujata Massey. In this series, the traditional mystery scene is reimagined against the backdrop of 1920s Bombay, featuring the pioneering female lawyer Perveen Mistry. It's a fresh take on tradition, embracing diverse cultures and perspectives.

📚 A Genre on the Rise 📚 Mystery enthusiasts still crave the thrill of solving a puzzle, but not everyone yearns for the dark and gritty themes. Enter cozy mysteries – the genre that wraps you in a warm, literary embrace. It's a nod to the classics but with a contemporary twist, offering readers the comfort of a good puzzle to unravel. "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith. This beloved series transports readers to the heart of Botswana, embracing a cozy setting while introducing Mma Precious Ramotswe as a strong, independent female detective. It's proof that the genre is evolving and capturing a diverse readership.

✨ The Essence of Cozy Mysteries ✨ What sets cozy mysteries apart? They're the 'light' side of mystery and murder, driven by meticulous attention to detail. These stories are akin to curling up with a cup of tea in your favorite armchair, but instead of sipping, you're sleuthing. It's an invitation to enjoy the thrill of discovery in the coziest of settings. "Murder, She Wrote." This incredible and iconic series, featuring the incomparable Jessica Fletcher, epitomizes the essence of cozy mysteries. With intricate plots set in the cozy town of Cabot Cove, it highlights the delight of solving mysteries in a familiar, inviting environment (Fun Fact, I almost named my cat JB Fletcher, but my sister overruled it).

📣 A Call to Writers 📣 To all budding authors out there, hear this: cozy mysteries are not bound by convention. It's time to bring your unique voice and experiences into this welcoming literary realm. Don't shy away from weaving your interests, habits, and quirks – even if they aren't traditionally associated with the cozy mystery scene. Be brave, be different, and be you!

The cozy mystery revolution is in full swing, and the world is waiting to unravel your captivating tales. Let's encourage more diverse characters, settings, and stories that reflect the rich tapestry of our society. As cozy mystery enthusiasts embrace this new era, I can't wait to see the genre flourish with imagination and inclusivity.