Top Ten (+4) Tuesdays: New Authors 2021

This week in Top Ten Tuesdays hosted @That Artsy Reader Girl, we have been asked to name top ten (or more or less) new authors whom we discovered last year. Well, last year I read a host of new authors from those whom I made a special point to read like Reginald Hill and Shelley …

Revenge and Regret: Vendetta by Harry Carmichael (1963)

"All of us nurse our own private sorrow. Where I come from, tragedy made a common bond between strangers. Since then we have taught ourselves to forget. It's the only way to make life tolerable...' So you discover a new-to-you-author and fall in love with the book and want to read more of him. Only …

Three Non-Fictional Reads

My Life My Rules: Stories of 18 Unconventional Careers by Sonia Golani My first read of the year 2020, the book charts the career of 18 individuals who shrugged off conventional wisdom by leaving highly-paid jobs and taking on something their heart desired: becoming a rock star, a food critic, a cricket commentator, a DJ, …

Short Notes: Death of a Sardine by Joan Fleming (1963)

Having taken his final exams at Oxford, Tom Warrington leaves for Portugal where his father, Brigadier Warrington, has set-up an opulent villa. Accompanying him is Oxford-mate, Meeth, a rather shabby and down-at-heels young man who arouses Tom's pity. Tom and his father share an uncomfortable relationship which is further accentuated when Tom reaches Portugal and …

Friday’s Forgotten Book: … And Presumed Dead by Lucille Fletcher (1963)

The shadows stretched their arms to her. They cried in broken voices, just beyond, always beyond. There was no end. The ultimate cruelty, the ultimate uncertainty remained. The Indo-Pak war of 1971 resulted in the creation of Bangladesh (till then the East wing of Pakistan) and was won by India. However, like any other victory …

Ellery Queen: A Journey of Discovery

The first time I remember hearing (okay reading) about Ellery Queen was when I read a fine review of Cat of Many Tails at Yvette's blog, in so many words... Subsequently, I read my first Queen The Murderer is a Fox, and realised that there were not one but two Ellery Queen, the writer as well …

Forgotten Book: Maigret Loses His Temper by Georges Simenon

Jules Maigret is the creation of Belgian writer, Georges Simenon, who made his first appearance in Pietr-le-Leton. Between 1931 and 1972, he appeared in some 100 odd novels and short stories. He has also made numerous appearances on both big and small screens. Despite such a prolific career, I had not heard of him till …

The Secret is within the Subconscious

A few years back, Rhonda Byrne's book The Secret was the rage. Everybody (but Everybody) was raving about the book. All the dreams of yours, it was said, will come true if only you'll read the book. Finally, I too  had to read it and it was in that spirit that I bought the book …

Forgotten Book: R is for Rex Stout’s The Mother Hunt

"How old are you?"That was for my benefit. he had a triple conviction: that a) his animus toward women made it impossible for him to judge any single specimen; that b) I needed only an hour with any woman alive to tag her; and that c) he could help out by asking some blunt impertinent …

Adam Dalgliesh’s Adversary: P.D. James’ A Mind to Murder

He wondered briefly where Deborah Riscoe had dined, and with whom. Their meeting now seemed part of a different world. Perhaps because he was tired he felt none of the confidence with which he usually began a case. He did not seriously believe that the crime would defeat him. Professionally, he had never yet known …