The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning, by PJ Fitzsimmons

Title: The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning

Author: PJ Fitzsimmons

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started 2/23/2026

Finished 2/24/2026

Sigh -- I couldn't help myself from continuing a re-read of these Anty Boisjoly books.  This is book 2 and it contains some of the funniest parts of the series.  One highlight is Boisjoly having to sing a newly written Christmas song about St Stephen written by the local minister and I can't even begin to do it justice in this post, but I was laughing throughout (and I already read this book last year).  

Holy Bible New International Version

Title: Holy Bible NIV

Author: hahaha "Various", but read by David Suchet

Purchased on Audible 

Started: Fall 2025

Finished: Old Testament only, so far, 2/22/2026

I listened to Johnny Cash read the new testament (King James version) last year and decided to give the full Bible a shot.  Leaving religion out of this review, I enjoyed this a fair amount to read the real stories behind the stories I'd heard growing up in Catholic school and church.  Also so much of the book/stories I had never heard before, I think my upbringing was much more focused on the new testament.  

The Case of the Canterfell Codicil, by PJ Fitzsimmons

Title: The Case of the Canterfell Codicil 

Author: PJ Fitzsimmons 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 2/21/2026

Finished: 2/22/2026

Wanted a light, funny read and opted for this first book in the Anty Boisjoly series.  Said this when I read it last year, but this is such a delightful book. Extremely funny and clever, fantastic turns of phrase.  I could start it all over again I enjoyed it so much.  

Mountain Man Prequel, by Keith C. Blackmore

TItle: Mountain Man Prequel

Author: Keith C. Blackmore

Purchased from Audible

Started: 2/17/2026

Finished: 2/20/2026

Didn't love this one but it was ok.  I suspect I'll like the next prequel better since it's probably focused on the drunk, awesome Gus, of the first MM book.

Fever Dream, by Samanta Schweblin

Title: Fever Dream 

Author: Samanta Schweblin 

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 2/17/2026

Finished: 2/17/2026

Lots of recommendations on Reddit for this one but I didn't love it.  Never grabbed me and I missed (my fault, I have no doubt) the subtle environmental horror aspects.  

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, KJ Parker

Title: A Practical Guide to Conquering the World

Author: KJ Parker 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 2/9/2026

Finished: 2/16/2026

Final book in the Siege trilogy.  My least favorite but I still enjoyed it.  

All the Sinners Bleed, by SA Cosby

Title: All the Sinners Bleed

Author: SA Cosby

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook 

Started 2/9/2026

Finished: 2/9/2026

I finished this one in a day which is usually a sign I loved a book but not so in this case.  I did like it, but also found it frustrating.  I don't know exactly how to say this, maybe the book just didn't click for me.  There was enough here for me to want to finish the story, but it left me unsatisfied.  

Doughnut, by Tom Holt

Title: Doughnut 

Author: Tom Holt 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 2/6/2026

Finished: 2/9/2026

Same author as the siege series (written under a different name) and pretty good.  A bit more Douglas Adams like, but enjoyable.  

Antarctica, by Claire Keegan

Title: Antarctica 

Author: Claire Keegan 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 2/3/1016

Finished: 2/6/2026

Great short story collection of some pretty haunting works.   

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It, by KJ Parker

Title: How to Rule an Empire and Get Aware with It

Author: KJ Parker

Purchased from Audible

Started: 1/30/2026

Finished: 2/3/2026

I held out as long as I could but blew my final Audible credit on the second book the Siege series.  I love the first (16 ways...) and enjoyed this one just as much.  As I was telling my wife, the protagonists in these books both tell stories the way I do -- with a lot of digression that usually (but not always) has a deeper meaning for the story you are telling.

If your story is good, these digressions add a lot.  And of course they ALWAYS work in a book like this.  In real life conversations, with interruptions, forgetful memories, spilled wine, etc., they're only successful a small percentage of the time.

No more credits so it may be a while before I pick up the next in this series, but these first two were very enjoyable.

Brat Farrar, by Josephine Tey

Title: Brat Farrar

Author: Josephine Tey

Purchased from Audible

Started: 1/23/2026

Finished: 1/27/2026

The final book in my Josephine Tey omnibus.  I liked this one even if it ended on a somewhat rose-colored outlook.  If I'm being honest, I prefer happy endings at this point in my life.

Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan

TItle: Small Things Like These

Author: Claire Keegan

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library (Audiobook)

Started: 1/26/2026

Finished: 1/26/2026

More short story than novella, but worth recording here because I absolutely loved this one.  Going to pick up more by Keegan.

Legend, by David Gemmell

Title: Legend

Author: David Gemmell 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle edition 

Started:1/15/2026

Finished 1/24/2026

I'm not a huge fantasy fan but did enjoy this one overall.  A bit of a let down at the end, but still an entertaining read.  

Miss Pym Disposes, by Josephine Tey

Title: Miss Pym Disposes 

Author: Josephine Tey 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 1/20/2026

Finished: 1/22/2026

I didn't realize the Inspector Grant omnibus I purchased on Audible included two additional non-Grant books.  This was one, and for about the first half I kept waiting for a murder or Grant to arrive.  

Well, a murder does eventually occur but very near the end.  A great final twist as well.  Very enjoyable able book. 

The Singing Sands, by Josephine Tey

Title: The Singing Sands 

Author: Josephine Tey 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 1/17/2026

Finished: 1/20/2026

This was a strange novel where the first half was barely about the mystery, but still overall enjoyable.  The easiest of the bunch to figure out the murderer.  

The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey

Title: The Daughter of Time 

Author: Josephine Tey 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 1/12/2026

Finished: 1/14/2026

Second time reading this one, but first was over a decade ago.  I still enjoyed it, but not as much as the first time I read it.  

To Love and Be Wise, by Josephine Tey

Title: To Love and Be Wise

Author: Josephine Tey

Purchased from Audible

Started:1/11/2026

Finished: 1/12/2026

I liked this one quite a bit although the solution/ending wasn't great.  But the rest of it was very enjoyable, and a transvestite solution must have been very daring at the time this was written.

The Franchise Affair, by Josephine Tey

Title: The Franchise Affair 

Author: Josephine Tey 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 1/9/2026

Finished: 1/11/2026

Loved this one, the third book in my six book set.  Although this one barely qualifies as a Grant novel, he's really not in it except a couple of brief passages.   But the story was one of the best I've read in a long time.  

Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City, by K.J. Parker

Title: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

Author: K.J.  Parker

Purchased from Audible

Started: 1/6/2026

Finished: 1/9/2026

Enjoyable siege story, somewhat similar to the Martian in the way one individual is able to use cunning and smarts to overcome a major issue.  

A Shilling for Candles, by Josephine Tey

Title: A Shilling for Candles

Author: Josephine Tey

Purchased from Audible

Started 1/4/2026

Finished 1/5/2026

The second novel in my six novel Josephine Tey collection, this was very enjoyable.  Didn't want to put this one down.

Man in the Queue, by Josephine Tey

Title: Man in the Queue

Author: Josephine Tey

Purchased from Audible

Started: 12/26/2025

Finished: 1/4/2026

Months ago I used an Audible credit on a Josephine Tey collection of 6 Inspector Grant books mostly because I wanted to re-read Daughter of Time which I read and enjoyed many, many years ago.  But I'm going through these novels in order and Man in the Queue was the first.  

I enjoyed this one once I finally got into it (had started it several times in 2025, but finally devoted time to it at the holidays).  Once I gave it a real chance I lost myself in it for periods at a time.  

Will slowly work my way through this collection.

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K Le Guin

Title: A Wizard of Earthsea 

Author: Ursula K Le Guin 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 12/22/2024

Finished: 12/24/2025

A fantasy classic but not for me.  Decent but could never completely lose myself in this one.  

The Dispatcher Series, by John Scalzi

Title: The Dispatcher Series (The Dispatcher, Murder by Other Means, Travel by Bullet)

Author: John Scalzi

Borrowed from Audible

Started: 12/21/2025

Finished: 12/23/2025

Decent three part short story sci-fi detective-ish series.  The three stories totalled about a full novel so I'm recording them here as one entry.

Skull Road, by Keith C. Blackmore

Title: Sull Road

Author: Keith C. Blackmore

Purchased from Audible

Started: 12/13/2025

Finished: 12/16/2025

Book 7 and the final entry in the Mountain Man series.  A solid, feel good ending and I'm glad I worked my way through this.  But I really preferred books 1 & 2, where Gus is a drunk asshole fumbling his way through the apocalypse.  The remaining 5 books were much more video game progressions (defeat minor boss, move onto main boss, then go to next location and repeat).

Enjoyed this series quite a bit overall, but those first two books were just so much drunken fun.  Good stull.

I also read the short story "The Hospital" which was ok but not amazing.  Way too short to bother recording as a separate blog entry.

Mindless, by Keith C Blackmroe

Title: Mindless

Author: Keith C Blackmore

Purchased from Audible

Started: 12/10/2025

Finished: 12/12/2025

Book Six of the Mountain Man series.  Didn't like this one as much as the others (bit of a video game progression feeling to it), but still a pretty damn fun continuation of this series. I also thought it was the last but when Googling this book I found there is a 7th.  I'll read it.

Make Me King, by Keith C. Blackmore

Title: Make Me King

Author: Keith C. Blackmore

Purchased from Audible

Started: 12/8/2025

Finished: 12/10/2025

Still enjoying this Mountain Man series, one more to go (give me two days).

Well Fed, by Keith C Blackmore

Title: Well Fed

Author: Keith C Blackmore 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 12/5/2025

Finished: 12/8/2025

Mountain Man book 4, this one I was able to get from the public library which was nice.  Enjoyed this one a lot.  Gus as central point of the story, but new characters, and a sweet reunion at the end.  Good stuff.  

Halifax, by Keith C Blackmore

Title: Halifax 

Author: Keith C Blackmore 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 12/2/2025

Finished: 12/4/2025

Book three of the Mountain Man series and the final in the omnibus I purchased from Audible.  Pretty good, though I did miss the guys focus, it was nice to have resolution on a few other storylines.  

Safari, by Kenneth C Blackmore

Title: Safari

Author: Keith C. Blackmore

Purchased from Audible

Started: 11/30/2025

Finished: 12/2/2025

This Mountain Man series is my latest audiobook obsession.  Pretty good stuff so far, blew through this second book in the series.

Mountain Man, by Keith C. Blackmore

Title: Mountain Man 

Author: Keith C Blackmore 

Purchased from Audible

Started: 11/22/2025

Finished: 11/30/2025

Enjoyable apocalyptic novel, first of many.  Was really enjoying it for the first two thirds then it turned with a rushed cliff hanger ending.  I'll keep at it. 

The Housemaid, by Freida McFadden

Title: The Housemaid 

Author: Freida McFadden 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 11/13/2025

Finished: 11/18/2025

Forgot to record this one, wasn't great but passed the time.  

Between Two Fires, by Christopher Buehlman

Title: Between Two Fires

Author: Christopher Buehlman

Borrowed from DC Public Library 

Started: 11/19/2025

Finished: 11/21/2025

I've read several books by Buehlman (Lesser Dead is a masterpiece), but this is one recommended often online.  It was pretty good, but a bit more fantasy than I prefer.  

Mr. Shivers, by Robert Jackson Bemnett

Title: Me Shivers 

Author: Robert Jackson Bemnett 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 11/8/2025

Finished: 11/12/2025

Decent depression era horror/fantasy novel but lost its way, for me at least, about half way through.  I kept at it and it was decent, but that's all.  

The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother), by Rabih Alameddine

Title: The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)

Author: Rabih Alameddine

Purchased from Audible

Started: 11/4/2025

Finished: 11/6/2025

I live in a pretty cool condo building in the Logan Circle neighborhood in DC.  Cool is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but it's a fairly modern looking loft style condo building, and the neighbors are diverse in every sense of the word (ethnicity, orientation, careers, etc.).  

Not too long ago a new neighbor moved into a unit a few doors down on my floor.  Eccentric, fun, inviting.  I liked him immediately and he charmed all of the neighbors very quickly.  Everyone, it seems, had met and really liked Rabih.

Yes, this Rabih.  So you'll be seeing me reading a lot of his books on this blog.  This was my first, it is short listed for the National Book Award, and my cool condo building just got a lot cooler.

The October Film Haunt, by Michael Wehunt

Title: The October Film Haunt 

Author: Michael Wehunt 

Purchased from Audible 

Started: 10/25/2025

Finished: 11/3/2025

Really wanted to like this one, and there were parts I enjoyed.  But overall didn't enjoy it and struggled to finish it. 

And to All a Good Bite, by David Rosenfelt

Title: And to All a Good Bite

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook

Started: 10/23/2025

Finished: 10/24/2025

Another entry in the Andy Carpenter series.  I mean no disrespect to Rosenfelt when I say that these are pretty terrible books, but I mean full disrespect to myself when I say they are comfort reads, stupid and easy.  I'd swear this same plot was in a few previous Carpenter books but who cares.  Enjoyable listen when walking the dog, working out, etc.  Keep them coming.

Red Rabbit, by Alex Grecian

Title: Red Rabbit 

Author: Alex Grecian 

Purchased from Audible 

Started:  10/15/2025

Finished: 10/22/2025

Not a huge fantasy fan but this was a pretty entertaining off to see the wizard type novel.  Fair amount of deus ex machina going on, but again, still enjoyable overall.  

Seven Pillars of Wisdom, by TE Lawrence

Title: Seven Pillars of Wisdom 

Author: TE Lawrence 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library 

Started: 10/7/2025

Finished: 10/15/2025

Well I definitely made the wrong call reading Graves book about Lawrence (see previous post) first.  Reading it at all, really, though it pains me to say that because of how much I admire other works by Graves.  

Buy Lawrence's own book that I'm posting about today is a masterpiece.  Cannot believe I've not read this before.  This was a huge book, both in size and scope, and it far exceeds my expectations.  

Lawrence and the Arabs, by Robert Graves

Title: Lawrence and the Arabs 

Author: Robert Graves 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 9/25/2025

Finished: 10/6/2025

Traveled to Jordan this year and many of the sites we visited had historical markers for, or shrine to, Lawrence of Arabia.   

I barely recalled the movie having seen it once in college and have never read books by or about Lawrence.  But I recalled when looking for more books by Robert Graves after devouring I, Claudius that he had written a book.  

So this is that book and I realize now I made a mistake in reading this one first, I should have started with Lawrence's own 7 Pillars which I'm reading now.  

Graves book is pretty dry and non-critical.   Not the work I was expecting based off his later writings. 

Johnny Cash Reads The New Testament

Title: Johnny Cash Reads The New Testament 

Author: New King James Version 

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 8/20/2025

Finished: 9/14/2025

Grew up in a Catholic family and went to Catholic school through 7th grade (grudgingly). But like most Christians (I suspect) I've never read the Bible cover to cover.  Still haven't, but I have not consumed the entire new testament thanks to Cash.  

Book content was as expected.  A few common English language phrases I didn't realize came from the Bible, but having this read by Cash was a great experience.  When he's reading Revelations it's hard not to get When The Man Comes Around stuck in your head.  

Seriously considering getting the full Bible read by David Suchet (of Poirot fame).  Would like to be able to say I've read the Bible.  Suchet narrates the new international version.  

Hang On St. Christopher, by Adrian McKinty

Title; Hang On St Christopher 

Author: Adrian McKinty 

Borrowed from Audible 

Started: 9/7/2025

Finished: 9/9/2025

The final full Sean Duffy novel.  I noted in the last one I liked my "connection" to the book with the later in life asthma diagnosis.  This one hit even closer to home (literally) as Duffy mentions seeing Kent Island (my home) across the Bay while in DE. 

Enjoyed this book and loved the series.  Sorry it is finished.  

The Detective Up Late, by Adrian McKinty

Title: The Detective Up Late 

Author: Adrian McKinty 

Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 9/5/2025

Finished: 9/7/2025

Another Sean Duffy novel, comfy and familiar, hard to beat that. 

Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly, by Adrian McKinty

Title: Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly

Author: Adrian McKinty

Borrowed from Audible

Started: 9/3/2025

Finished: 9/5/2025

Another Sean Duffy novel, feels like McKinty was thinking this would be the last.  Book has a natural conclusion.  The fact that there are many more tells me probably some bad stuff will happen...

One thing I found coincidentally surprising in this one is that Duffy is diagnosed with asthma. As someone who also contracted asthma late in life (granted I'm about 15 years older than Duffy is in this novel), I know it's not common.  Had me wondering if McKinty got a similar adult diagnosis.

Anyway, this one is convoluted and as usual Duffy somehow escapes certain death at least two times.  But these books are fantastic, and Gerard Doyle is as good an audiobook narrator as you can find.

Rain Dogs, by Adrian McKinty

Title: Rain Dogs 

Author: Adrian McKinty 

Borrowed from Audible 

Started: 8/31/2025

Finished: 9/3/2025

Another enjoyable Sean Duffy novel.  Little surprised by the hopeful element at the end and I expect to have some misery happen in the next.  

Gun Street Girl, by Adrian McKinty

Title: Gun Street Girl 

Author: Adrian McKinty 

Borrowed from Audible 

Started: 8/27/2025

Finished: 8/30/2025

Another great entry in the Sean Duffy series.  

In the Morning I'll be Gone, by Adrian McKinty

Title: In the Morning I'll be Gone

Author: Adrian McKinty

Borrowed from Audible

Started: 8/26/2025

Finished: 8/27/2025

I blew through this third book in the Sean Duffy series.  The obvious best so far.  Going to be hard to top.

I Hear the Sirens in the Street, by Adrian McKinty

Title: I Hear the Sirens in the Street

Author: Adrian McKinty

Borrowed from Audible

Started: 8/24/2025

Finished: 2/26/2025

Blew through the second book in the Sean Duffy series.  Liked it a lot.  A place in time (Northern Ireland in the 80s) I know next to nothing about.  

The Cold Cold Ground, by Adrian McKinty

Title: The Cold Cold Ground 

Author: Adrian McKinty 

Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook 

Started: 8/19/2025

Finished: 8/24/2025

Pretty good, moody, detective novel that takes place in Ireland during the troubles.  Enjoyed it quite a bit, excellent narration.  

Dogged Pursuit, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Dogged Pursuit

Author: David Rosenfelt

Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition

Started: 8/1/2025

Finished: 8/9/2025

One of the more interesting late entries in the Andy Carpenter series.  Rosenfelt has decided to reset the series as if this were the first book.  It isn't a bad idea as the characters, plots, and last several entries have become stale (but still enjoyable).

Maybe of more interest for me is this is the rare (first) of these books I've read instead of listened to.  The audiobooks are expertly read by Grover Gardner, and having so many hours of these I read them in that same voice in my head.

Still, I prefer the audiobooks to the written word for these.

The Far Side of the Dollar, by Ross MacDonald

Title: The Far Side of the Dollar

Author: Ross MacDonald

Borrowed from Audible

Started: 8/1/2025

Finished: 8/7/2025

Not my favorite Lew Archer novel but it has some strong points.  Family drama in this one feels too forced.