What We're Reading!

Here's a round up of what the wenches have been reading this month. In the comments, let us know what you've enjoyed. It's a great library builder!

Nicola:

The Girl and the Sword by Gerald Weaver (UK link) is a historical epic in the true sense of the word. It covers decades and looks a great span of ideas and history. It’s set in the 13^th century and tells the story of Pauline de Pamiers who is a young girl from the oppressed Christian sect, the Cathars, and how she refuses to accept subjugation but forms an alliance with one of the most famous crusaders of all, Simon de Montfort. There are big themes in this book – the role of women in medieval society, the establishment of parliamentary democracy, the dominance of religion.

Whilst the character of Pauline is fictitious, Simon de Montfort was, of course, very real and in his author’s note, Gerald Weaver talks about taking an “American” view of a man who has primarily been written about by English historians. It’s fascinating to see the different perspective that he brings to the character and actions of de Montfort, seeing someone who has often been dismissed as an ambitious opportunist as, in fact, a fundamentally good man who was responsible for sowing the seeds of democracy.  Whilst I might not have agreed with his interpretation of some of de Montfort’s actions, I did love the sheer swashbuckling scope of the story. This Simon is a real hero of integrity, courage and action. Pauline is an admirable woman and their relationship is a tender and true love story. My favourite aspect of the book was their dialogue which was funny and clever and very entertaining. So if you are a fan of epic historical novels with feminist heroines and knightly heroes, this could be the book for you.

Andrea:

I’ve been under a frantic book deadline, so my reading has been limited this month. But I couldn’t resist diving into Leigh Bardugo’s latest book in her Galaxy “Alex" Stern series, Hell Bent. I mean, how could I possibly resist the promo copy: Wealth. Power. Murder. Magic. The Ivy League is going straight to Hell! (Note: this is meant quite literally!)

Bardugo, who writes wildly successful YA fantasy books (Netflix has released a series based on her “Grishaverse”) has set her first adult novels at Yale University, her alma mater (and mine.) Her protagonist, Alex Stern, is a troubled young woman who sees ghosts, a quality that gets her offered a full scholarship to Yale. There’s just  one catch—she has to be part of a small and very secret force that monitors the elite secret senior societies at the university—who all possess magic—to make sure their weekly meetings and rituals don’t abuse their powers. Demons and dark magic prowl the campus, mostly unseen by the normal students. It’s Alex’s job to make sure the two worlds don’t collide. In the last book, an investigation into a murder on campus results in her friend and mentor Darlington being snatched by evil forces and  dragged down an unseen portal into Hell. In this book, she’s determined to bring him back safely. When the officials in charge of controlling the magic at Yale expressly forbid her to do so, she and the nerdy grad school archivist of magic decide to break the rules and do so anyway, and so they recruit a rag-tag team of friends to help them. They soon discover that Yale’s majestic Sterling Library at Yale University has been made into a portal to Hell by a group of long-ago patrician members of one of the secret societies. All they have to do is discover how to open it . . . and the clock is ticking as faculty members are being bumped off by unknown evil.

It’s a very fun mix of action, arcane history, monsters  . . .and friendship. The explorations and decoding of gargoyles and stained glass images in the library are fascinating, as is the exploration of the occult in different civilizations. (Of course an added enjoyment for me was recognizing all the places she talks about as I spent countless hours in Sterling as an undergrad) I’m not a fantasy reader, but I loved it!

Christina: 

I have loved Patricia Rice’s Psychic Solutions series right from the start and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all Evie Malcolm’s unusual relatives and fellow townspeople. These books are the perfect blend of mystery, romance and paranormal – totally irresistible! THE PRISM EFFECT is the final book in the series and it was a fitting ending. It brought everything together in a very satisfying manner and I loved every moment.

Evie is about to get married, but there is a film production crew in town and their animal handler has gone missing. Her veterinarian cousin Idonea (Iddy), who reads animal minds, is called in to calm down the ones being used while filming. They are behaving weirdly and Evie suspects there’s a poltergeist at work. Iddy doesn’t really have time for this but can’t resist spending time with the film’s gorgeous line producer, Cade. He, like most people, doesn’t believe in Evie and Iddy’s “gifts,” but he’s forced to work with them to solve the mystery. Although he’s got the rest of his life planned and can’t wait to get away from everything, he finds himself drawn to Iddy, and the little town where she lives begins to grow on him …

I’m going to seriously miss this group of characters. If you haven’t become acquainted with them yet I highly recommend you start reading immediately – you’re in for an absolute treat!

For anyone who loves ice hockey romance and is experiencing withdrawal symptoms from Sarina Bowen’s excellent series about her Brooklyn team, I can recommend Sawyer Bennett’s Pittsburgh Titans series. It starts with a bang – literally – as the entire team (except for three players) have just died in a plane crash, including the millionaire owner/manager. His sister, Brienne Norcross, inherits everything, including the team, and takes on the task of rebuilding it virtually from scratch. She is a tough business woman, used to making hard decisions, and determined to succeed. She manages to find players and coaches to form a new team, slowly but surely molding them into a cohesive unit. Each book in the series focuses on one of the coaches or players, and the reader slowly gets to know them all as they each fall in love. There will be nine stories in total and six are available now, starting with BADEN, and they need to be read in order. My favourite so far is DRAKE, in which a seriously grumpy goalie falls in love with the owner herself, Brienne. They are a very unlikely pair but their chemistry is scorching.

Susan:

I'm catching up on some series reading and had some hours in the car recently, so I listened to Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding, the 12th installment in Rhys Bowen's Her Royal Spyness series featuring Lady Georgiana Rannoch, 34th in line to the British throne in the 1930s. I really enjoy this excellent series and find them great listening while driving, so I've heard most of the series in the car (when I can find consistent time). Sadly, the wonderful narrator of the first several books, Katherine Kellgren, died not long ago, but her replacement, Jasmine Blackborow, is very good (some changes in pronunciation and voice characterizations established so beautifully by Kellgren do take some getting used to). In this 12th book, Lady Georgiana is getting ready for her wedding with the sexy and mysterious Irishman Darcy O'Mara, when her wealthy globetrotting stepfather offers her the long-term use of his manor house. In need of a home and about to start married life, Georgie arrives ready to become lady of the manor. But she finds the butler and other staff to be strangely lackadaisical--and soon realizes they are hiding something. Georgie and her grandfather and mother, who arrive to help out, soon discover that more than one person has dispatched there, and more than one treasure in the manor's collection has gone missing. Sorting through a trail of clues that lead to a revelation, all the while Georgie is left wondering if Darcy, who has been absent, is still keen on marriage. Quick, breezy, and intelligent, with familiar characters, surprises, and red herrings, this is a fun installment. I've got #13 lined up to read on paper, and #14 planned for audio, and onward! 

 Pat:

I read a ton of mystery novels of all kinds, humorous, weird, historical, contemporary, cozy—I know what I like. Unfortunately, weird, humorous mysteries with quirky characters all too often turn stupid. I require the book to be intelligent, well-plotted, and with an original set of characters. GRAVE RESERVATIONS by Cherie Priest does that. The story is about Leda Foley, a 30-something who has tried every job on earth without success, and has now set up a travel agency. She’s slightly psychic and heeds a hunch that saves a policeman’s life. He’s amazingly open-minded and asks her to help him on a cold case. She’s been grieving the loss of her fiancé who’d been murdered a few years earlier, so she agrees out of curiosity, if nothing else. The result leads them down a fascinating yellow-brick road into more murders, while Leda carries on her travel business plus her psychic karaoke gig on the side. I guessed the killer early on but that didn’t keep me from enjoying the ride. I see there’s at least one more book in the series, and I hope there will be more!

Anne:

 I've been spending time in Ancient Rome, reading two authors, both with excellent research, both involving mysteries, and each presenting quite different and fascinating views of Ancient Rome society. 

Wenchly readers Donna S and Barbara Monajem recently recommended Ruth Downie's "Medicus" series in comments on a post. Set during the Roman occupation of Britain it's about a Roman medical officer (medicus) who becomes unwillingly caught up in a murder investigation. Along the way he also becomes responsible for a badly injured and despairing British slave woman who ends up complicating his life. Even though I've read a number of Roman-era books, this gave me new insights, while keeping me thoroughly entertained. I enjoyed the first four books in the series and plan to read the rest. The series starts with MEDICUS.

 

I've also read THE RING THAT CAESAR WORE, which is the latest book in Ashley Gardner's (aka Jennifer Ashley) "gladiator" series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The series starts with BLOOD OF A GLADIATOR (Leonidas the Gladiator Mysteries Book 1)but if you're worried that this is a gory, blood-and-violence series, don't be. It's about Leonidas, a former champion gladiator of Rome, now trying to make a peaceful life for himself, only he keeps getting drawn into mysteries.

 

I've also been rereading some very old favorites, including Mary Stewart's Madam Will You Talk and Lucy Walker's The Moonshiner. But more of those later.

Mary Jo:

 Like Anne, I just read the recently released Ashley Gardner mystery, The Ring That Caesar Wore, third in her Leonidas the Gladiator series, It's another vivid mystery set in Rome, and well worth reading.

But Anne's suggestion got me to musing about reading book series. Series are popular because they give readers the chance to revisit favorite characters and meet new ones.  In romance, where we like to have a complete courtship and commitment story in one volume, a series will usually be consecutive romances among a friend or family group.  Mystery series can follow a particular sleuth through an indefinite number of crimes and solutions. 

 Science fiction and fantasy also have extended series and some of my favorite rereading is SFF.  I like a series book that feels wrapped up and complete at the end, but which advances the overall story and character arcs.  Most series benefit by starting with the first book since that's where major characters are likely to meet each other and the basic situations are laid out.

Which brings me to Lois McMaster Bujold's delightful Penric and Desdemona fantasy series, which is now up to 11 installments, 10 of which are novellas, and one of which. The Assassins of Thasalon, is a full length novel.  It's a rip-roaring story that begins with the attempted assassination of Penric's brother-in-law, the famous General Arasaydia.

 This is definitely a series where it's best to begin at the beginning with the first story, Penric's Demon, in which young Penric, on his way to his betrothal, stops to help a dying Temple divine--and he becomes the new host of the divine's chaos demon.  Penric's life changes immediately, and the first novella tells how Penric and his demon become friends with each other. Penric is a very kind, intelligent young man and he treats his new inhabitant with respect, including asking her what she wants to be called, which is how she becomes Desdemona. It's a delightful story that I've reread a couple of times.

All of Desdemona's previous hosts have been female, so that right there is an issue they have to figure out!  Over the course of the series, Penric travels, becomes educated, and learns how to work with Des so that they can deal anything that fate sends their way. He also falls in love and marries the resourceful and warm-hearted Nikys.  Which brings us to The Assassins of Thasalon, where a number of previous story threads are resolved in unexpected ways, but for full enjoyment, it's best to start with Penric's Demon!

 

So, what do you think about series? Do you have any great recommendations?

 

Comments

[Patricia Franzino]

I just finished the sixth book, "Ripples in Time" in Julie McElwain's "In Time" series.

In the first book, "A Murder in Time" the protagonist, Kendra Donovan, is an FBI agent who goes rogue after her team is double-crossed and goes after the criminal who setup the murder.

He is at an event at Aldridge Castle in England and only Kendra knows he is the mastermind of the killing. She is disguised as a ladies' maid to fit into a costume event.

As she confronts him, he tries to kill her, and she flees into a stairwell and is caught in a vortex or wormhole tearing her apart and putting her back together 200 years earlier in Regency England, 1816.

The books must be read in order to get the full enjoyment as Kendra gets involved in murder investigations under the protection of the old Duke of Aldridge and his very handsome nephew with whom there is a mutual love connection.

For anyone interested, here is the series: "A Murder in Time"; "A Twist in Time"; "Caught in Time"; "Betrayal in Time"; "Shadows in Time"; "Ripples in Time"

[Quantum]

I do enjoy series and have a soft spot for Westerns. Most recently I have been reading Janet Dailey's books: The Champions 3-book series about bull riding and ranching and just started The Calder Saga series, first 2 books about cattle ranching and the spread of grain growing to Montana. All of her books involve romance, adventure and mystery in true Western style.

It occurs to me that most of my favourite fiction authors are women. I think that they portray emotional development for romantic themes particularly well and maybe in the past, other career opportunities have been more constrained ... would be interested in alternative theories!

Great suggestions as always. I have added Cherie Priest to my audio wish list ... thanks Pat

[Kathy Lynn Emerson]

I've just reread the first 17 books in C. S. Harris's Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series in anticipation of the release of #18. Highly recommended, although the hero does tend to kill a lot of people, usually those trying to kill him. Also just finished Pat's The Prism Effect and Mary Jo's Lady of Fortune. Wonderful, as always. More, please!

[Karin]

Ooh, rereading the St. Cyr books sounds like such a fun project!

[Constance]

I agree, Karin! I’ve read them all, but didn’t realize there’ve been that many! Thanks for the reminder, Kathy Lynn!

[Karin]

I had a very good reading month. I started with a reread of Carla Kelly's "Marrying the Captain", to see if it still deserved a place on my keeper shelf, and the answer was yes! It's a great book.
I read the 3rd Amory Ames mystery, "A Most Novel Revenge" by Ashley Weaver, and I am well into the 4th book, "The Essence of Malice". They're set in the 1930's, with a Nick-and-Nora type crime solving couple as the main characters.
I read another Patricia Wentworth mystery, "Latter End", and although I enjoy all her Miss Silver books, this one was especially good. It's a classic English country house murder, with a very clever solution, and as usual Miss Silver is one step ahead of the police!
I read a cute and entertaining contemporary romance, "The Neighbor Favor". It had a plot element similar to You've Got Mail, with a couple exchanging anonymous letters, and then meeting in real life, but not knowing who the other person is. I enjoyed reading about the heroine's travails, working in the publishing industry.
Then it was back to historical romance. Caroline Linden and Madeline Hunter are two reliably good authors, and the latest I read by them did not disappoint. The Linden book, "About a Rogue" had an MOC with one of those last minute bride switches(the heroine steps in when her sister, who was supposed to marry the hero, elopes with someone else). It's a lovely slow burn, while the couple become business partners, then friends, and eventually lovers. The heroine's family owns a pottery/ceramics business, and her passion is developing new glaze colors and techniques. I enjoyed that neither character was titled and they worked for a living.
The Hunter book, "The Heiress Bride", is being released in May, I have an ARC to review. It's the last book of her Heiress trilogy which I've very much enjoyed. I do recommend reading the series in order for greater enjoyment, because the couples from the previous 2 books appear frequently. All 3 of the heroines have professions and in this book, she is a rare book dealer. Hunter always excels in the way she depicts male friendships, so the scenes with the 3 heroes together are great fun. Likewise, when the 3 women get together, shenanigans usually ensue!
And I almost forgot! I am getting caught up on Anna Lee Huber's Lady Darby series. I am now on Book 10, "A Perilous Perspective". I am enjoying the series even more as Kiera and Sebastian settle into their marriage.

[Constance]

Ages ago, based on a recommendation in this blog, I downloaded Act Like It by Lucy Parker. This month, I finally read it and liked it so much that I read the other 5 books in this enemies-to-lovers series, too. (Yes, I’m another fan of series!) Characters from each book appear, sometimes only briefly, in the other stories, but the main thing that holds this series together is the setting: current day London theatre and TV productions; the people acting, producing, directing them; and the tabloids that haunt their every move. While Lucy Parker lives in New Zealand, she certainly knows a lot about the theatre and TV, and she is terrific at creating conflicted characters you want to see get their HEA.

And speaking of favorite series, the 32nd Guido Brunetti mystery by Donna Leon, So Shall You Reap, is as wonderful as the first 31. For me, the mysteries in these stories share importance with the relationships Brunetti has with his wife, children, colleagues, and the odd characters who seem quintessentially Venetian. As always, each story stands alone, but the pleasure of watching the characters develop makes each addition a new pleasure. Highly recommended!

[Donna S.]

I do so enjoy this segment of the Word Wenches. So interesting and informative about what everyone is reading.
I am working my way through Ann Cleeves' series set in Shetland and am halfway through White Nights which is the second. Each book is a stand alone and can be read separately. I love her detective Jimmy Perez and his knowledge of the land and people help him solve the murder mysteries.
I am also in the midst of "Agatha Christie, A Very Elusive Woman" by Lucy Worsley. I am a big fan of both Christie and Worsley. Thought I knew Christie's life thoroughly but Worsley gives her new quirks I never knew about. The bio almost reads like fiction.
Last but not least, is "Fatal Throne" - The wives of Henry VIII tell all. Each wife is written by a different author with the in between about what Henry was thinking is by M.T. Anderson. Again, I thought I knew all about the wives and Henry, but having a different author and voice for each gave a whole new perspective. Really enjoyable and highly recommended.

[Binnie Syril Braunstein]

Therre were some great recommmendations in today's post. And as for Mary Jo's mention of Mary Stewart's Madam, Will you talk? It's my all-time favorite gothic. I wore out my paperback copy (before the days of kindle) and managed to acquire 3 additional copies. I swear I could navigate Provence and Avignon after reading that book so many times...
I've just finished Lorraine Heath's The Counterfeit Scoundrel, which is the first book in her new "Chessmen" series. I'm now engrossed in Lori Foster's very entertaining The Dangerous One, the first of a two-book series that is connected to a previous three-book series. Bonus: the current book has a wonderful beagle-basset hound dog. Next on the shelf: Cold-Blooded Liar, the first book in Karen Rose's San Diego series. Happy readking, y'all.

[Annette N]

Series - O Yes, Please. Elizabeth Peters and Amelia come to mind. Several of Mary Balogh's series. Patricia Rice's earlier series about the Malcolms. All books and series which gave me joy. There have been a few others, but those are the ones which came to mind first.
Recently, I have been rereading a lot of books...simply hard to find new to me books which turn me on.
But, T E Kinsey (who writes the Lady Hardcastle series which is terrific) started another series, and the second entry is The Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball. The lead characters are musicians in a jazz band in 1920's England. It is so much fun (except for the dead bodies of course). Mr Kinsey is a master at making me feel as though I am right in post WWI England. And it can be funny too. Anxious for the next entry.
And if anyone is interested in historical mysteries, the Lady Hardcastle series is terrific. I suggest you start at the first one, but any of the books can be stand alone reads.

[Patricia Rice]

I adore this series! Time to pick up another one, I think.

[Patricia Rice]

Women writers do tend to express emotion more. I can remember back in the day when male writers hid behind female pseudonyms when writing romance, that I could tell the author was male. They really want the action and not the nuance, which is fine, if that's your preference.

[Patricia Rice]

all 17? I am in awe! Actually, I'm in awe that anyone can keep a series going that long.

[Patricia Rice]

Oh my, I'm exhausted just reading the list! I wish I had more time. I enjoy Wentworth, but there are so many to choose from that I wouldn't have time for anything else. I'll go look for this one, thanks!

[Patricia Rice]

wenches are Lucy Parker fans. We grab them as soon as they're out. And yes, Leon really develops the whole world, and her mysteries are unique.

[Patricia Rice]

oh, some new ones for me to grab, thank you!

[Patricia Rice]

thank you! I may have to acquire Mary Stewart again...

[Patricia Rice]

Hmm, I don't think I'm familiar with Lady Hardcastle. Shall go take a look, thank you!

[Vicki L]

I got super busy in March so didn't get much reading done. It was either familiar rereads or Meh, DNF's, Really's? grin.

The one new book I read that I really enjoyed was Mailman of the Birdsville Track: The Story of Tom Kruse by Kristin Weidenbach. It was extremely readable. It followed the adventures and career of Tom Kruse as he endeavored to deliver the mail and supplies along the Birdsville Track in Australia back in the 40's and 50's. No paved roads. No phones. Just seat of the pants daring, ingenuity and rugged lets do it.

As I was reading it I'd go uh huh, oh yeah. Lucy Walker books have so many of the same fundamental facts/elements in them. The River being down. Talking on the air between certain times. Notifying the next stations down of people on the road.

If you've ever seen the movie The Back of Beyond, it is based on this book and Tom Kruse's adventures.

As for series...oh yes, I'm an avid fan of them! In any genre. Fantasy/SciFi, Contemporary, historical, mysteries, etc. Short or long..

Whether it is a series with one main character, reoccurring bit characters, or a series based on a group of people.

[Patricia Rice]

I am very family with the too busy to enjoy syndrome! Glad you found something that sucked you.

[Kareni]

Over the past five weeks ~

— the young adult novel, All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown. I enjoyed this survival romance story, but I could imagine that a book featuring a pandemic might not suit every reader.
— enjoyed the contemporary romance The Foreman and the Drifter: A Gay M/M Cowboy Romance (Farthingdale Ranch Book 1) by Jackie North. I’d say though that I favor the author’s time travel romances.
— I hurriedly finished my book group book before my daughter’s arrival; this was a challenge since the book was about 600 pages but I was successful! I did have to admire the author’s wit when in the acknowledgments she thanks her editor and says, “Paring down an unwieldy thousand page manuscript into this slender wisp of a thing was not an easy process….” I enjoyed Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead (but did I say it was long?); it is basically the life story of an aviatrix and her attempt to circle the globe over the poles and the story of a modern day actress who is cast to play her in a movie. The book also tells the story of the pilot’s parents and her twin brother. The book has a huge cast of characters, and I could have benefited from a list. This proved to be a good read led to a meaty discussion.
— The Flaw in All Magic (Magebreakers Book 1) by Ben S. Dobson was an enjoyable quick mystery/fantasy. The main character was expelled from a magical university after revealing in his thesis that he did not possess any magic. He is asked to help solve a murder at that same university.
— read in its entirety in one evening, Fee Simple Conditional (Arcadia Chronicles Book 1) by H.C. Helfand; it was a mellow enjoyable book that I’d describe as slice of life. I learned a lot about land title searches! (While it is mellow, issues such as infidelity, depression, and death do occur.) If the book description sounds appealing to you, you might wish to know that it currently costs 99¢ for US Kindle readers.
— for my second book group meeting, found The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim to be a very quick read; I finished it in three sittings. The title character is an illegal immigrant from Korea to the US; the story begins with her adult daughter finding her dead. The book deals with the daughter trying to learn about her mother’s death but also about her life. I enjoyed it.

— a reread by a favorite author, Kensho (Claimings) by Lyn Gala. This is a collection of stories which will make little sense if you have not already read the author’s Claimings series. I enjoyed it once again.
— reread Prelude to Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala which I enjoyed once again. This collection of short pieces is no longer available as a collection; I believe that the author incorporated the stories into her Claimings books when she republished the series.
— a young adult science fiction novel, Fire Season (Star Kingdom Book 2) by David Weber. This is a follow on to a book I recently read; it was enjoyable but I don’t think I’ll continue on with the series at this time.
— Misfit Mage: Fledgling God: book 1 by Michael Taggart was an enjoyable urban fantasy. The main character has a good sense of humor and a big love of kittens. I will caution though that the book begins with a violent scene that almost had me putting it aside.

— an enjoyable post-world war II male/male mystery/romance, Hither Page (Page & Sommers Book 1) by Cat Sebastian; this featured a spy/assassin and a doctor. I look forward to reading on in the series.
— the first three Seafort Saga books by David Feintuch; one was a reread while the others were new to me. Some thoughts about this science fiction series: it’s described as Hornblower in space, and I can see why. There is a lot of death and violence (hazing and caning, for example). It’s male centric, and the few women who do feature fare poorly. The lead character feels strongly about honor, and there is a lot of self-loathing when he cannot uphold his ideals. I enjoyed the books and the second made me cry, but I think I will not continue on at this time as the books are long and other books call!

— a new book, Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry by Sara Read, which I enjoyed. I requested this some time ago and thought it would be a romance, but (while it included a romance) it was much more. In broad terms, you might say it’s about a woman in her early forties finding herself again.
— End of Story by Kylie Scott which I quite enjoyed. This was a contemporary romance with one paranormal element. While doing home repairs, a contractor finds divorce papers behind a wall in his name and the owner’s name that are dated ten years in the future. The two are acquainted when the story begins as she had previously dated his best friend. This was a fun story, but there is one question left unanswered.

— read three related works by one author ~ Space Junk: Houston, We Have a Hottie; Space Age: Houston, Prepare to Launch (a novella); and the story “Space Landing.” These were pleasant entertainment, but I don’t expect to reread them.
— I’ve been fighting a cold this week so was in the mood for a comfort read. I reread a favorite science fiction series: Linesman, Alliance, and Confluence by SK Dunstall and enjoyed them all again.

[Kareni]

Constance, you might try Artistic License by Elle Pierson. It is Lucy Parker's first book and set in New Zealand.

[Kareni]

I'm a few books behind in the Peptic series, Mary Jo, and look forward to getting caught up.

Yes, I do like [good] series as well as [good] standalone books. Some favorite series, which you've likely seen me mention previously, are:

Linesman by SK Dunstall
Touchstone by Andrea Höst
Claimings by Lyn Gala
The Others by Anne Bishop
Solar Clipper by Nathan Lowell

[Kareni]

Autocorrupt struck! That ought to have said 'Penric' series, but I'm amused nonetheless.

[Constance]

Thanks, Kareni - I will definitely do that!

[Anne Gracie]

Donna, have you seen the TV show SHETLAND - adapted from the novels? It's very good.

[Anne Gracie]

Binnie Syril, I was the one who mentioned Mary Stewart. I've always wanted to do a tour of the Madam Will you Talk locations. Want to join me?

[Anne Gracie]

Annette, I'm with you on the Lady Hardcastle books. — in fact I've mentioned them several times in this column. I didn't realize there was a new series — thanks.

[Alice Mathewson]

Lots of great recommendations as always. I have mixed feelings about series. I do enjoy it when characters continue their story arc in other stories of previously minor characters. But sometimes they can go on too long eg I stopped the Lady Georgie and St Cyr series, along with some others. I reckon that 10 books is quite enough. Having said that, currently I am enjoying Mary Kingswood's The Mercer's House and Joyce Harmon's Regency Charades series!

[Mary T]

My all time favorite series is the "Slightly" series by Mary Balogh. But I imagine everyone here has already read that one.

I do like series if they don't go on too long - 4 to 8 books is long enough. I don't want to keep an organizational chart next to me to keep track of who is who. Maybe that is just my age talking (smile).

[Mary Jo Putney]

Thanks, Kathy! I'm glad that Lady of Fortune holds up so well after all these years since I wrote it. (Well, I did do some polishing, which was needed!)

[Kareni]

I hope you'll enjoy it, Constance!

[Patricia Rice]

Yes, it's difficult to know when a series goes on too long. It's a delicate balance!

[Patricia Rice]

My age agrees. When it reaches the point that 18 characters are talking around the table, my head gives up.

[Janice J.]

I hear you, Mary T :)

I have trouble with "party" scenes - where there are a lot of people attending and the author introduces them, but only a few (if any) appear again or play any role in the story. Every time I see a list of guests arriving, introduced one by one, I think am I supposed to remember this person? Do they figure in this story or another book which the author many not even have written yet?

I deal with memory lapses by taking some notes on cast, plot, outstanding incidents, interesting turns of phrase, etc. I do this because while I can remember if I have read a given book, I can't often remember many details about it. I mostly remember whether or not I finished it and if so whether I liked it.

In a way this is good because whenever I reread a book after some years, it's mostly all new to me.

Millions of books, so little time. We have to cope :)

[Patricia Rice]

I'm in the same place, Janice, only I have to keep copious notes on my own characters. So when I read someone else's series, I just read for enjoyment and give up trying to track the characters. If I can remember the name of the main ones all the way through, I'm good!

[Christina Courtenay]

I agree - a great favourite in our household!

[Mary M.]

Confusing characters is where ebooks really shine: tap the little magnifying glass and immediately find every place that character has occurred in the book. How many times have I tapped a name in a real book and wondered why it doesn't Search for me? Spoiled!