Top Ten Tuesday is a well-known weekly meme hosted now @ The Artsy Reader Girl. For this week, we have been asked to list 10 books (or more) we want to read this winter.
So here, in no particular order, are thirteen books I really want to read (if only time permits – which is a joke – I’d be lucky if I finish even a few of these:)
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
The Man with a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes
Sparta: Rise of a Warrior Nation by Matyszak
Korma, Kheer and Kismet by Pamela Timms
Midnight in Berlin by James MacManus
The Arabian Nights Murder by John Dickson Carr
An Advancement of Learning by Reginald Hill
Two Brothers by Ben Elton
False Play at the Christmas Party by Carmen Radtke
The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield
The Flying Boat Mystery by Franco Vailati
Day of the Arrow by Philip Loraine
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Have you read these books? Any that you feel like reading? Do share your views.
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Part of A Baker’s Dozen.
a hot cup of pleasure 
In my opinion, the Dalziel/Pascoe series is an outstanding one, Neeru. So I hope you’ll enjoy An Advancement of Learning. To be truthful, that one’s not the best of the series, as I see it. But it is a good introduction to it. Martha Grimes’ Inspector Jury series is also a fine series, and The Man… is a solid entry, especially considering it’s the first in the series. Hope you’ll enjoy that one as well!
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Margot, I read the first in the D&P series, this January and liked it a lot and want to read the second one before the year ends. Let’s see:). Hope to like the Martha Grimes one too as I have heard good things about it. Good to hear that you rate it highly.
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An eclectic collection of interesting options here. Thanks for the suggestions!
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Welcome to the blog, Eowyn. Thanks for liking my list. Your list seems interesting, I’ll have a look soon.
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Great! Thanks for stopping by.
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What an interesting selection you have on your list! None that I’ve read before but I have another John Dickson Carr, The Hollowman on my TBR. The Susan Hill, John Dickson Carr, Reginald Hill, Carmen Radtke, and James McManus would all be ones I’d want to explore
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Thanks Mallika. John Dickson Carr can be absolutely brilliant at times but unfortunately also tedious at other times. If you read the others, we could compare notes. 😉
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I look forward to getting started on his books. Hollowman I will be picking up either this month or early next month since it’s a pick for one of my goodreads groups
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Hollow Man was the first Carr I read too. I didn’t enjoy it much despite its status of being a classic. Thankfully I read other books of his and fell in love with some of them. Nobody does the mingling of natural and what seems like supernatural better than him. Looking forward to your views.
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The Woman in Black was a fantastic read! There’s also a British film adaptation of it from the 1980s (I’d guess) that is well worth checking out if you like adaptations in general. The American adaptation from several years ago featuring the star of Harry Potter wasn’t bad either, although it did make quite a few changes to the plot.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-bookish-wintry-gifs-and-photos/
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I have heard only good things about The Woman in Black and since it is set during Christmas I really want to read it in December. I had no idea about its adaptations. Thanks for the info.
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I’m always up for a WWII novel. I’ll have to check these out as I’ve never heard of any of them.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
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Susan, I have started Two Brothers and so far it is pretty good. If you are able to read it or Midnight in Berlin, I’d love to read your views.
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That is an interesting list and plenty of them I have not heard of. So I hope to hear what you thought of them.
I have read An Advancement of Learning twice and I liked it both times. I have read a good number of Martha Grimes’ books and have enjoyed those that I have read.
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Tracy, I really hope I’ll be able to read and (more importantly) write about them 😄. Good to hear that An Advancement of Learning proved to be good even while re-reading. I have heard good things about the Richard Jury series and am keen to start reading it.
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I love a list that doesn’t have any overlap with mine! Some of these look really interesting. I’ll be checking out The Woman in Black for sure, and False Play at the Christmas Play and Two Brothers also look good.
Hope you had a great Tuesday!
Lori
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If you read the three books, I’ll be interested in knowing your views. Have a great every day of the week. Thanks for visiting.
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I hope you love them all!
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Welcome to the blog and thanks.
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I’ll be interested to read what you think of the Hill, Grimes and Carr novels. I saw The Woman in Black on stage — it was originally a play and then Hill turned it into a novel, I think. Or was it a radio drama first? Can’t remember. I was unimpressed. Filled with creaky old cliches. I also saw the movie with Daniel Radcliffe. A slight improvement but not by much. It was just not thrilling to me at all in either the movie or stage versions. And I love ghost stories of all types. This was just tired and run-of-the-mill. I’ve never been tempted to read the book because of that. Ah well…
I must’ve liked Martha Grimes’ debut mystery novel because I remember that back in the 80s when they were first published I went out and bought the next five and read them very quickly. I read the first nine books before I threw in the towel with her. They got increasingly formulaic and Melrose Plant who I didn’t care for dominated the later books.
A few years ago I saw the movie version of The Day of the Arrow. Since then I’ve read many of Philip Loraine’s novels and think him a superior crime fiction writer. I’m sure the novel version of The Day of the Arrow is an excellent book and probably surpasses the creepiness depicted in the very fine movie version.
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John, I have finished both Hill and Grimes and I am sorry to say that both disappointed me. Hill I found pretty creepy in parts but the ending was altogether too cruel. Grimes was worse than Hill because it was so juvenile. Both had their moments and I would be reading more of these authors before I finally decide whether I want to continue with them or not. I haven’t read Philip Loraine and have no idea about his books but since you praise him so highly, I am all the more keen to read this book of his now.
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Like you, I’ve tried Grimes and Hill and came away dissatisfied. However, John Dickson Carr almost always satisfies my delight for a good puzzle mystery. Under “Carter Dickson” Carr wrote even more inventive locked room mysteries. Wonderful stories…if you’re in the mood.
Happy Holidays and Stay Safe!
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Thanks George. I’ve had a mixed experience with Carr. Hopefully in the new year I’ll be able to read more of him and all the books will turn out to be good. Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy 2022.
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