Welcome to Litsy!

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

I enjoyed the first Blake and Avery mystery so much, I read the second Ms Carter writes great historical mysteries. Infidel Stain takes place in London (1894). Blake and Avery have been asked by Lord Allington to investigate what becomes a series of murders. The victims are purveyors of the gutter press. We learn about the Drury Lane, the Chartists, and others who are trying to alleviate the poor‘s suffering. Great twist at the end!

The story wasn‘t as interesting as the first book and that might have to do with the change of setting from India to London. I love the narrator for the audio and I think it might have taken me longer to finish if I was reading the physical book. I will likely give the next book in the series a go at some point.

#wintergames
#teamfozziwig @barkingmadrun @clwojick @staycurious #TBRread
#24B42020 @TheReadingMermaid @Andrew65 @jb72 @jb72

"The Society for Telling Off the Poor"

Not much changes.

Made it to page 30 before I gave up. The book didn't draw me in, and I did not have connection from the previous book.

A very busy week is past, and today I'm starting this.

I was deeply in love with The Strangler Vine, the first Blake and Avery mystery. This sequel trades the lush Indian jungles for the grimy streets of 1841 London. When an aristocrat seeks out “incorruptible and undeflectable” men to solve grisly murders forgotten by the police, Blake and Avery must test the vast divide in their political beliefs in a case that brings to light the horrible realities of London‘s poorest.

About to wrap these for my dad.

A book about the Korean War, specifically about the battle of Chosin Resevoir that his uncle fought in

11/22/63 which I listened to and loved last month. I think he will dig both the history and the teachers stuff. He taught U. S. History for 36 years!

The Infidel Stain which is the sequel to The Strangler Vine which I loved on audio and got him for his birthday. @vivastory I‘m gonna borrow it when he‘s done

Frustrating and predictable, but well-written and engaging, so I still recommend the series. I‘ll definitely read book three, but I think I need a short break.

The second story in the Blake and Avery series. Set in mid 19th century, our heroes have returned to London from India, where they are hired by a nobleman to investigate a series of murders, a mystery which will draw them into the Charterist society and the turmoil sweeping society at the time. Not the best mystery I have read, but an interesting setting. A solid follow up to the Strangler Vine.

The pile so far for this coming weekend's #24in48 readathon.

My favorite new mystery series.

My favorite genre category is mystery. With this second Avery and Carter mystery set in London, M.J. Carter has established her series as one I will continue to follow. She uses just the right blend of mystery and historical fiction.

Up next! The Strangler Vine was such an interesting blend of mystery and historical fiction that I grabbed this follow up from my local library as soon as I could.

The Strangler Vine was so fun that I was disappointed to find Carter choosing historical exposition over character and plot in this sequel. There were only so many times I could watch characters devolve into statisticians and vessels for facts on 18th cent. politics before I bailed.

Solid follow up to The Strangler Vine. I still love the partnership between the brilliant liberal, Blake and the slightly naive Tory, Avery. The London setting was well drawn. Looking forward to the continuation of the partnership in further adventures.