What I've been reading -- September

September was a good month for reading. I read two books I loved, one by an author new to me, and tried out a well-known author, too, which was fun. I am not usually into reading bestsellers, but a friend gave me a spare copy, so why not?

The best-selling author in question is Lee Child, and the book is The Midnight Line. I can see why he is so popular. His character, Jack Reacher, is a drifting, super-macho ex-military dude with a dry sense of humor and (in this book, at least) a “just because” motivation that I loved. Sure, he has angst, but we don’t get bombarded with it. We don't need to, because it's obvious in the way he lives. The story is compelling, and the writing is engaging and easy to read… Will I read any more by Mr. Child? Probably not, because I’m not usually drawn to macho ex-military stuff, but I’m glad I read The Midnight Line.  

On to other books. Murder in Spite is the eighth book in the Doyle and Acton series by Anne Cleeland. It’s another solid addition to the series. Doyle and Acton are wonderful characters. Each new story is like a visit to delightful old friends. (The books have to be read in order; the first, Murder in Thrall, is the best.) Ms. Cleeland writes great historical mystery/thrillers, too. I like her writing style. She’s not afraid to use semi-colons! I’m a big fan of both semi-colons and dashes (in fact, I tend to overdo the dashes) and don’t believe they are distracting to readers. Or maybe I just don’t want to believe it. I like parentheses, too. Hurrah for varied punctuation. ;)

Lastly, a friend recommended The Dark Before Dawn by Jaima Fixsen. OMG, I loved it! It’s historical suspense, taking place during the Congress of Vienna in 1814. Great pacing, well-researched setting, espionage, betrayal, murder, you name it. The central character is brilliant, but I can’t say anymore without giving too much away. Highly recommended!!

That’s it for now! Stay tuned for a Christmas anthology coming out next week.

Barbara