On the Bookshelf: Mysteries Series Favorites and then some....

No secret we love to find a good series to binge. Nothing better than escaping into another world for a time. My favorite part of day is Teatime! I make my pot of tea, have some sweet treats and my latest book. Even in cold weather I head to garden to sit in favorite chair, pop in earbuds with classical music and disappear into another world. Bliss!

Winter sees me under my Icelandic blankets following the sunshine. Summer sees me in my Reading Nook with fan and and a/c keeping me cool (yes...i drink hot tea in summer too!) This time of year added bonus: Girl Scout Cookies!! Reading lately consists of mysteries series. Read on for highlights. 

Ruth Galloway Series

My current binge reading: Elly Griffiths' fun Dr. Ruth Galloway Series. It's a current-day police procedural but more importantly with cast of wonderful characters. Set on the bleak Norfolk Coast of England and it centers around Ruth, a forensic archeaologist bone specialist. She's called in by police to help investigate the discovery of bones on a lonely, desolate stretch of beach right near her little cottage by the windswept sea. Begin with #1 Crossing Places and see if you can stop with just one.

Griffiths wonderfully weaves human stories with a crime story as backdrop. Each installment the human dramas grow and evolve, until you literally miss the characters when book is finished! I've not felt this attached to literary persons in ages. I'm hooked and adore Ruth. She's my literary bestie now, a Bookish BFF. I'm depressed after finishing the last one. Teatime just isn't as nice without Ruth and the gang. More surprising: How much I miss the windswept Norfolk coast! Truly a sign of great writing when you miss "being" there! Ferverently counting down the days until author publishes the next installment (June 2022 seems SO far away).

 

In meantime the shop's shelves stocked up with all the other Elly Griffiths I can find: Brighton Magic Men Mysteries (series), Stranger Diaries (stand-alone mystery) and soon-to-be-released Postscript Murders (another stand-alone). Sadly...the historical family sagas written under her real name, Domenica da Rosa not published in US (dang-it). Maybe some day.... and I'll gladly stock up on them too!

Hmmmm.....what to start first?  Brighton Mysteries set in 1950s Brighton with a tired policeman faced with a gruesome murder to solve. He turns to his old mate from the War, currently a travelling Magician, to solve this tricky investigation since the corpse suspiciously resembles one of his death-defying magic tricks gone wrong. Think there's five in this series so this could keep me going until summer..... 

Or do I ease myself into being Ruth-less with Stranger Diaries, a stand alone mystery set that's more gothic-style: Literature teacher at center of murder involving her old diaries. Based on how well-written the Ruth series is I'm sure this one will be great too.

Another stand-alone releases in April, Postscript Murders. These already ordered up to ship as soon as released. All of these Elly Griffiths titles should all keep me busy until I return to Norfolk, King's Lyme, and the Saltmarsh to catch up with my literary friends. Seriously....I'd google the areas on my phone while reading....that's how bad I am! LOL 

Other Mysteries on our Radar

Just realized these Anthony Horrowitz's books are not one series (as I thought,) but two different series! There's Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders about editor Susan Reyland Mysteries and they're a mystery-in-a-mystery series. This is coming to Masterpiece Mystery sometime this year too. Good time to read now before tv show debuts. 

Next is the Hawthorne and Horrowitz Series (yes....the author is a character in his own series!): The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death and A Line to Kill. Both series have quirkly literary elements but highly readable and compelling and many customers have loved them both. Read more on his website.

I expect nothing less from one of today's most published and successful UK authors. His resume is amazing and diverse: Creator of Foyle's War, producer of the early espisodes Midsomer Murders, countless other tv shows, scripts, etc. My son recognized him from his work on the Doctor Who Series as producer and creator of many episodes. Oh, and he has a very popular teen spy series, Alex Rider which he turned into a film. (Note to self: order these up for kids' summer fun reading!)

If that's not enough...he's the only author ever authorized by the Conan Doyle Estate to write new installments in the Sherlock Holmes Series: House of Silk and Moriarty. Some serious writing chops! If anyone can write themselves into a successful mystery series as the side-kick-ghost-writer to the intrepid, quirky sleuth....it's this guy! 

On the Bookshelves

A glimpse of current books on the shop shelves. I've enough books about bookstores that we can shelve them all together! LOL 

The others are a couple standalone historical fiction by Rhys Bowen, a prolific mystery series writer, but these are more historical saga/drama than mysteries (just added a third, Tuscan Child . Next are two by Ariel Lawhorn-a enthusiastic endorsement from local book group spurred me to bring her into the shop. Code Name Helene was a huge hit and all loved it (which they say never happens) Upon looking her up I found one of her earlier books too, I Was Anastasia. I can't resist a good novel about the Granduchess Anastasia. It's was a childhood obsession what happened to the Romanovs and Anastasia.

Just out in paperback is Thursday Murder Club, set in a retirement home with four friends solving locals crimes together. It's a series with #2 just released in hardcover (so we'll see it in paperback next year). I listened to the BBC serialization on the radio really enjoyed it. Quirky and funny. 

Next is a new young adult fantasy series (but totally loved by adults too): The Mirror Visitor Quartet, by Christelle Dabos It's been a best-seller in France and now translated and published here. Based on many stellar reviews (Kirkus has reviews for all the titles) and how it's billed as an epic fantasy series a la Harry Potter, thought it'd be a nice series to stock. It's gaining traction and zooming up the best seller charts here now too. We have all 3 in stock. 

Mirror Quartet takes its place next to our other all-time favorite, always on our shelves, Aborhsen by Garth Nix, along with his other books (but the Sabriel et al is our absolute favorite). Since we opened nearly fourteen years ago this series always in our kids section. As with many great young adult books....adults love them too!

More Books....

Ellery Adams is prolific mystery writer and I enjoy her Secret, Book & Scone Society Mysteries. This is a cozy mystery set in .... yep..... a bookstore! LOL Sweet, lovely characters and interesting setting in a small tourist town on the Appalachia Trail that's also a Hot Springs. It's about the power of secrets and what binds people together when the open up and trust each other. I just wish there were recipes because all the baked goods and "comfort scones" sound amazing! 

I wasn't joking when I said we have a "books about bookstores" section! Just unpacked a couple more yesterday that didn't make the photo shoot!(Not all books listed up online yet so email or call if you're wanting a books seend in newsletter if no links shown) 

Periennal Shop Favorites

Since our shop named after the beloved Maisie Dobbs Mysteries series it's fitting to always have her in stock. The next in series new released Mar 22nd,  A Sunlit Weapon (#17) and her last one just out in paperback, The Consequences of Fear and sitting on our shelves. 

During the shutdown many of us headed to King's Cove in British Columbia and Lane Winslow Mysteries kept us company, distracting us for months. This series quietly builds and by #3 you're totally hooked! I'm wanting to buy a cabin on a lake in British Columbia...regardless of how many dead bodies are in my well! LOL 

Many describe it like a Louise Penny for rich cast of characters and strong sense of place but historical. Set in post WW2 with a lovely cast of charming characters, many interesting bits of history thrown in and interesting plots that often takes us into unexpected terrain. The next in series, #9 Framed in Fire releases April 26th. 

There you go! Hopefully some new authors and books you can check out. Most of these are up on our website or pop into the shop and we can chat books together! 

I'm off to make tea and crack open a new Elly Griffiths mystery to fill the void until Ruth is back! Or Maisie...then Lane.... 

 if you're wanting a books seend in newsletter with no links just email me or call....  maisieblue@gmail.com  goes right to me! Takes me longer to see the answering machine.... ;)