The pile

Books Incoming: Kuala Lumpur edition

As promised last week, here’s a second Books Incoming post – as I said on Monday, I was in Kuala Lumpur for work last week, and I may have found a bookshop while I was there and gone a little bit crazy, on account of the fact that they had a buy four books and get a fifth free promotion on. I mean how could I not! More on the bookshop itself to follow, but first up, here are the books that I brought back from Malaysia with me.

Lets start with the airport purchases. The autumn releases haven’t really kicked in yet, so the selection in W H Smiths was a little disappointing, but I still managed to find two I wanted. I’d nearly finished Going Infinite by the time I got to Kuala Lumpur – and I’ve already written about it – and the Elena Armas was the other half of the buy one get one half price. Then the five from the bookshop are the three on the back row and the other half of the middle row. I’m hoping at least one of them is a Rich People Problems book, but the shrink wrap means it’s a bit of a lottery, but all the blurbs were good – and Marlowe Banks… is one I’ve had my eye on for a while, but which hadn’t come my way at a price I was willing to pay before. At the front we have a book of short stories that was given to me by the author, who is a friend of a friend and was kind enough to show me around while I was visiting, and she also gave me Ripples. So thank you Daphne – I had a fabulous time with you and I’m looking forward to reading the books. Oh and if you were wondering what the blind date with a book turned out to be, here’s the answer:

Have a great weekend everyone

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: September 2 – September 8

Well that was quite a week! I’m back in the UK now, but I’ve been travelling again for work – this time to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I had an amazing time and I also had a lot of reading time on the journey home. I’ve finally got the still reading list sorted out – but I’ve also started a bunch of stuff so unless I’m careful it’ll be building up again…

Read:

Five Love Affairs and a Friendship by Anne de Courcy

Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

Daughter of Time by Joesephine Tey

Let it Crow! Let it Crow! Let It Crow! by Donna Andrews

What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley*

The Red House Mystery by A A Milne*

The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer

The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch

Started:

The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey

Small Bomb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans

Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer

Hitchcock’s Blondes by Laurence Leamer

Still reading:

N/a

So many I’m trying not too think about it…

Bonus picture: so many pictures I could have chosen from last week, but I’ve gone for this one because the Petronas Towers are iconic and they look so cool at night.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

The pile

Books Incoming: Early September edition

Yes, this is early, yes it’s because the pile is out of control and I wasn’t going to be able to get it all in one photo. So there’s another post coming next week … and on that note: what have I bought?

Let’s start at the front and go clockwise – At Mrs Lippincote’s and the French Cazalet are from my Paris trip. Then there’s the next book that I haven’t read in the Library Lovers series, and two more Museum mysteries after I enjoyed the one that I picked up at Book Con so much. Murder on the Eiffel Tower was because I fancied a Paris set mystery after the trip – and this is the first in the series, then there’s Ex-Wife which has just been reissued and is from my inter-war sweet spot. Below Ex-Wife is another Anne de Courcy which I picked up on offer after reading Five Love Affairs and a Friendship last month, and then there’s Adrian Tinniswood’s Noble Ambitions, which was also on offer. And finally there’s the new Rivers of London Novella, which came out this very week and was waiting for me when I got home from my travels on Friday lunchtime.

Happy Saturday everyone.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: August 26 – September 1

Well. It’s been a bit of a week. For reasons that will become apparent in the near future, this week was somewhat frantic, even before I added in an extra trip to the theatre for fun and games. Five nights away from home, several early mornings – one of them a *very* early morning and so the list isn’t that great. But I’m much further on in the Anne de Courcy than I was (just not finished it!) and the same with the Alan Bradley. Hopefully September will go a little better than August did!

Read:

Raising the Steaks by Patti Benning

Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin*

Steaking a Claim by Patti Benning

Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly

Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer

Going Infinite by Michael Lewis

Started:

Daughter of Time by Joesephine Tey

Still reading:

What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley*

Five Love Affairs and a Friendship by Anne de Courcy

Rather a lot of books bought. Three in Waterstones Gower Street before I went to Kiss Me, Kate (again), another ebook and then two more actual books.

Bonus picture: a dog book rest…

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: August 19 – August 25

A good week in reading – not least because the long running list is finally nearly under control! I’m really quite pleased with myself. Anyway, finished one series, cleared another few books off the to read pile, which is good because before I went to Book Con I was feeling quite pleased with myself that we were down to just the bookshelf and not a pile in front of the shelves as well – and then i realised that’s because I have a couple of secondary piles near my spot on the sofa. So a fresh push at the physical to-read pile is underway!

Read:

Shamrocks and Murder by Patti Benning

Dimsie Moves Up Again by Dorita Fairlie Bruce

Let’s Play Dead by Sheila Connolly

Sugar Coated Murder by Patti Benning

Murder, My Darling by Patti Benning

The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmire*

Death and the Maiden by Gladys Mitchell

The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown

Guard Your Daughters by Diana Tutton

Started:

What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley*

Still reading:

Five Love Affairs and a Friendship by Anne de Courcy

Two books bought. Trying to restrain myself

Bonus picture: A slight change to my office décor with some lovely Discworld prints.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: August 12 – August 18

A super busy week – I started it in Lincolnshire, had a couple of nights in London, went to Paris and then finished it at home – so with all that excitement I’m surprised the list is as long as it is. But hey, it’s slightly better list than last week anyway.

Read:

Ravioli Soup Murder by Patti Benning

Thanksgiving Deli Murder by Patti Benning

A Season of Murder by Patti Benning

The Hazelbourne Ladies’ Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson*

Valentines and Murder by Patti Benning

Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay

Started:

Dimsie Moves Up Again by Dorita Fairlie Bruce

Still reading:

Five Love Affairs and a Friendship by Anne de Courcy

The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown

The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmire*

Two ebooks bought while I was finishing off the Kindle Offers post and then two books in actual bookshops too.

Bonus picture: breakfast in Paris!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, The pile

Books Incoming: Mid August edition

I did Book Con last week, but here’s the other stuff that’s arrive in the last month, not including those ones. So we have two books from Persephone Books – on which more next week. The there is Film Stars at Riverlea which came from a friend, two books from the charity shops – The Fixer Upper and Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk. I said in my post when the new Lady Sherlock came out we would see how long it took for my preorder to turn up – and here is the answer: it arrived on August 8! Then we have Laurence Leamer’s book Hitchcock’s Blondes, which came down in price in hardback and a cozy crime that I got cheap second hand. All very nice.

Happy weekend everyone!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: August 5 – August 11

A somewhat bitty week where my brain has struggled to concentrate. Hey ho. Onwards we go.

Read:

Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm by Gil North

Mountains, Marriage and Murder by Patti Benning

Shrimply Murder by Patti Benning

Gazpacho Murder by Patti Benning

Peppered with Murder by Patti Benning

Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer

Film Stars at Riverlea by Constance M White

Started:

Five Love Affairs and a Friendship by Anne de Courcy

Still reading:

The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown

The Hazelbourne Ladies’ Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson*

The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmire*

I’m not telling you, but it involved charity shops and the new August Kindle deals…

Bonus picture: lovely Bath and the Assembly rooms.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

The pile

Books Incoming: Book Con haul!

This time last week I was at Book Conference, so it’s only right that this Saturday’s post is the new arrivals that came home with me! To be honest, I think I was pretty restrained. I mean judge for yourself from the photo, but I could have gone completely wild. Instead I resisted and stuck to what I could buy with the cash I took with me. I went with a list of what I wanted and fresh photos of the relevant bookshelves to try and make sure I didn’t buy anything I already have. Most of this came from the dealer sale, but there are a few from the participant sale and a few freebies from the very end.

So lets go from top left, which is a copy of Return to the Wells with a dust jacket to replace the one I have which didn’t have a jacket. I love the Sadlers Wells series, and I bought seven of them in hardback at my very first Book conference in 2018. I’ve now got a whole set, but there are a couple that don’t have dustwrappers, so one of my goals for this conference was to see if I could upgrade for a reasonable price. And so now I just have Jane Leaves the Wells and some of the very late ones without covers – and those last ones are *expensive* so it may stay that way for a while.

I’m still missing a couple of Shirley Flight books – sadly none in the sale – but there were two other Air Hostess themed books which I just couldn’t resist. Going clockwise, there’s the first of two Dimsie books that I picked up. Dimsie is a series that I’ve read very out of order so I got a couple more to fill in some gaps. Then there’s some crime – a cozy that’s the first in a series and then four of Josephine Tey’s Alan Grant series – three of which I’ve read and the fourth is the only one I haven’t.

Then there’s the other Dimsie, an Armada Chalet School because it was free and I just can’t resist upgrading and adding to the Armada collection, even though I have the full set in Girls Gone By paperback now, and this one was on the free table as we were leaving as was Roller Skates. And the Alison Uttley is a classic of the kids timeslip genre that I some how haven’t read.

I’m pretty pleased with what I got – there were a couple of hardback Drina books that I was tempted by, but the prices weren’t quite right and collecting Drina in hardback isn’t one of my priorities (and also you can’t get a matching set of them because Drina, Ballerina was written so many years later) so I bought the priority stuff first – and when I can back they were already sold so it clearly wasn’t meant to be. I also resisted another Sadlers Wells – which I already have in hardback and with a dustcover – it’s just not a *matching* dustcover and it was expensive. So I was good. And not too many of these (relatively) are going on the pile. Return to the Wells will go onto the shelf with the others, the Chalet Book will go with that set and the Alan Grants that I’ve already read will go with the Golden Age Paperbacks. Lovely stuff.

Have a great Saturday everyone!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: July 29 – August 4

So it’s a short list this week because I’ve been at Book Conference and I’ve been hosting guests. Oh and the Olympics is on… But I have spent even more time than usual thinking about books, I just didn’t have time to read many!

Read:

Death on the Night Train by Hugh Morrison

Julia of Sherwood School by Kathleen M MacLeod

Julia in the Sixth Form by Kathleen M MacLeod

Murder in Act Three by Hugh Morrison

Started:

Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm by Gil North

Still reading:

The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown

The Hazelbourne Ladies’ Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson*

The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmire*

Quite a few books bought because there was a dealer book sale and a participant book sale, and the new month has started so there are fresh kindle offers.

Bonus picture: cacti in the botanic gardens in Bristol on Saturday!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.