Kittling: Books
Birds fly. Dogs bark. Fire burns. I read. (Mostly mysteries.)
Tuesday, April 02, 2024
An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson
Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Day of Arrival Weekly Link Round-Up
- Kristen Arnett answers questions about bad literary behavior.
- Counterfeit books are a growing problem, but a solution may be near.
- Why do we scream "Geronimo!" when jumping out of airplanes?
- The secret life of the celebrity ghost writer.
- Libraries struggle to afford the demand for eBooks and seek new state laws in their fight with publishers.
- A lost Gershwin musical has been found nearly 100 years after it was last performed.
- Is it a betrayal to publish dead writers' books?
- A chilling batch of evidence could revive the unsolved Black Dahlia murder mystery.
- Connecticut librarians push a bill that would expand eBook an audiobook access.
- Librarians lock the Autauga-Prattville (Alabama) Public Libary in protest after the director is fired by the board.
- This week, the State of Florida agreed to settle a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Parental Rights in Education Act, better known as the "Don't Say Gay" law.
- Officials at the Princeton (Texas) Independent School District have removed more than 100 library books deemed "inappropriate" for review.
- Flathead County (Montana) library board trustees propose removing the Young Adult designation.
- Tennessee lawmakers propose changes to how books get removed from school libraries.
- The Nebraska State Board of Education votes "no" on a rule impacting content in school libraries.
- Idaho Republican legislators have revived a library materials bill.
- Voters have recalled anti-LGBTQ+ Orange County (California) school board members.
- Hanover County (Virginia) leader calls for change after a children's book with same-sex parents sparks controversy.
- A Wisconsin school turns to BookLooks for pulling library and classroom books.
- A class of fourth-graders protests Charlotte-Mecklenburg school leaders' decision to discontinue the use of an online library program.
- A West Prairie (Illinois) policy change raises the "scary thought" about possible book bans. (Keep in mind that the State of Illinois was the first to outlaw book bans.)
- Authors Against Book Bans mobilizes.
- The UK's The Guardian reports that book bans in U.S. schools and libraries surged to record highs in 2023. More from Smithsonian Magazine.
- Iowa Poll: Half say new law requiring schools to ban books depicting sex acts goes too far.
- Publishers issued a letter to the New York City Department of Education over discarded books.
- Why ban books when you can ban book awards? A suburban Illinois district has cancelled the Caudill Awards.
- In Virginia, censors attempt to axe Katherine Applegate's Wishtree. Why? They're upset over the tree's gender. (Just when you thought it couldn't get any more ludicrous.)
- Items used by Roman cavalry and other treasures were unearthed by a metal detectorist in Wales.
- Why did colonists trash this piece of armor after settling in Maryland 300 years ago?
- Europe's last hunter-gatherers had sophisticated societies that helped them avoid inbreeding.
- 1,000-year-old vessels found in Guatemala held tobacco possibly used as "narcotics to induce deep sleep, visions, and divinatory trances." More from Smithsonian Magazine.
- This is what ancient Roman wine tasted like.
- A remarkable fresco depicting a scene from Greek mythology has been found in Pompeii.
- Ancient Iberians ingested red dust loaded with mind-altering mercury.
- A 1,200-year-old lord's tomb laden with gold has been unearthed in Panama. More from Smithsonian Magazine.
- Ryker the service dog flunked out of training school in spectacular fashion.
- Why a rare "golden" tiger photographed in India is worrying conservationists.
- A female stingray named Charlotte that hasn't had a mate in eight years is mysteriously pregnant. Is a shark the father?
- Scientists have finally figured out how whales are able to "sing" underwater. More from Smithsonian Magazine.
- More giant pandas are coming to the U.S. in a new loan from China.
- See fifteen images from the Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards.
- Ten fun facts about jellyfish.
- The most popular dog breed in each U.S. state.
- Tijuana: crime fiction in the borderlands.
- You could run a "penguin post office" in Antarctica.
- Scientists have discovered that world's oldest forest hiding in England.
- Giant redwoods: the world's largest trees are "thriving in the UK."
- What do gardens and murder have in common?
- From Brideshead to Saltburn: why we can't get enough of country house stories.
- A sleeping subduction zone could awaken and form a new "Ring of Fire" that swallows the Atlantic Ocean.
- The 25 happiest cities in America.
- Gulbadan Begum, the itinerant princess who chronicled Akbar's Mughal Empire.
- Agatha Christie, surfing pioneer.
- Princess Dashkova, the Russian noblewoman beloved by Catherine the Great and Benjamin Franklin, embodied the Age of Enlightenment.
- From the inventor of mass-market paper bags to a scientist who unraveled the mysteries of polio, meet five American women whose remarkable achievements have long been overlooked.
- What Virginia Woolf got wrong about Lady Anne Clifford.
- Court O'Reilly "etches" elaborate images of the natural world directly into wood.
- A serial killer in Iran.
- Mbarak Mombée: an African explorer robbed of his name.
- Eight everyday things that are much older than you think.
- The surprising name origins of twenty famous 1990s bands.
- The power of siblings in mysteries and thrillers.
- The best Scotland Yard detective books.
- The most important novels of the last 100 years.
- Classic locked room mysteries.
- Nine of the best villains in literature.
- Twenty great international books for U.S. readers.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
April 2024 New Mystery Releases!
But honeymoon plans go awry when a headless body is discovered near Hank’s summer home, forcing Kate to contend with two more of his exes: Catherine Alvarez—the first—who lives as a shut-in with her computers, carefully following Tudor Enterprises; and Anna Klein—the fourth—who runs a bed-and-breakfast where she and her wife keep a steady eye on things—particularly Hank’s children, Lizzie and Teddy.
In this clever and suspenseful reimagining of Tudor era betrayals, these three women become entwined in a deadly game of cat and mouse—with each other, Hank, and Hank’s brilliant fixer, Tom Cromwell—as Kate seeks to solve the puzzle of who the murdered woman is, who killed her, and whether her death has any connection to the other headless body from eight years ago."
Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and learn the story of Serafina—a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly the more she challenges the status quo, the more she finds herself in danger.
As Sara discovers more about Serafina, she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother. At once an immersive multigenerational mystery and an ode to the undaunted heroism of everyday women, The Sicilian Inheritance is an atmospheric, page-turning delight."
As Delaney digs deeper, she discovers Jolie's own fascinating history. Jolie's mother had long claimed that her daughter was the rightful heir to the throne, not Elizabeth II, because of an affair she claimed to have with King Edward VIII. The only evidence, however, is in the form of a purported journal that one of Edward’s secretaries kept. The puzzles become more confusing when a connection is uncovered between this far-fetched story and the murdered man. Delaney will have to read between the lines to put together the pieces...or become history herself."
Something about the supposed suicide rubs Maple the wrong way, but local authorities brush off her concerns. Determined to help them see “what’s big in what’s small,” Maple turns to what she knows best, painstakingly recreating the gruesome scene in miniature: death in a nutshell.
With the help of a rookie officer named Kenny, Maple uses her macabre miniature to dig into the dark undercurrents of her sleepy town, where everyone seems to have a secret—and a grudge. But when her nosy neighbor goes missing and she herself becomes a suspect, it’ll be up to Maple to find the devil in the details—and put him behind bars.
Drawing inspiration from true crime and offering readers a smartly plotted puzzle of a mystery, Death in the Details is a stunning series debut."
The victim, Frankie Ray, is a former prizefighter. His accused killer? Club owner and mobster George Miller, who claims he pulled the trigger in self-defense. Soon the whole town’s talking, and Shoe’s first homicide is fast becoming the Trial of the Century. The more Shoe digs, the more he’s convinced nothing is as it seems. Not with a tangle of conflicting stories, an unlikely motive, and witnesses like Ray’s girlfriend, a glamour girl whose pretty lips are sealed. For now.
Detective Jake Jackson moved to the countryside for a quieter life. And he finally seems to have his wish – spending his days immersed in nature, and his evenings lazing by the fire.
A terrifying secret…
But the return of an old case shatters the calm, and pulls him into the shadowy world of a secretive group serving the extravagant whims of the elite.
An enemy closes in…
It is the perfect idyll, until the Kentworthy family arrives, with their four giant, gas-guzzling cars, gaggle of shrieking children, and plans for a garish swimming pool in the backyard. Obvious outsiders, the Kentworthys do not belong in Riverside Close, and quickly offend every last one of the neighbors.
When Giles Kentworthy is found dead on his own doorstep, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, Detective Hawthorne is the only investigator they can call to solve the case.
With a web of prominent, if secret, supporters throughout England ready to through their support to their efforts to wage war anew on the United States, the delegates are just waiting for the warship to begin their plans. But some of the men are not who they claim to be, and the American government has their own team watching, and waiting, for the right moment to take action.
As this fuse on this powder keg of a situation grows ever shorter, it's up to Barker & Llewelyn to uncover the real identities and plans of these dangerous men."
The legendary school also holds open demonstrations, where the public can see its master chefs at work. It’s a treat for any aspiring cook—until one of the chefs pours himself a glass of wine from a rare vintage bottle—and promptly drops dead in front of Julia, Tabitha, and other assembled guests. It’s the first in a frightening string of poisonings that turns grimly personal when cyanide-laced wine is sent to someone very close to Tabitha.
What kind of killer chooses such a means of murder, and why? Tabitha and Julia hope to find answers in order to save innocent lives—not to mention a few exquisite vintages—even as their investigation takes them through some of the darkest corners of France’s wartime past . . ."
As killings mount and the valley is evacuated, Cash and Colcord must confront an ancient, intelligent, and malevolent presence at Erebus, bent not on resurrection―but extinction."
Melody’s daughters are convinced that their mother was murdered. Edwin thinks that Melody’s death is linked to that of an obituary writer who predeceased many of his subjects. Edwin and Benedict go undercover to investigate and are on a creative writing weekend at isolated Battle House when another murder occurs. Are the cases linked and what is the role of a distinctly sinister book group attended by many of writers involved? By the time Edwin has infiltrated the group, he is in serious danger…
Seeking
professional help, the investigators turn to their friend, detective
Harbinder Kaur, and find that they have stumbled on a plot that is
stranger than fiction."
Wow! April has something for every mystery lover, from the brand-new to the tried-and-true. This month alone has put a serious dent in my book-buying budget. Did I tempt you with any of them? Or was I singing to the choir? Inquiring minds would love to know!
Monday, March 25, 2024
Shadow Man by Margaret Kirk
Sunday, March 24, 2024
On My Radar: Paige Shelton's Perfect Storm!
Available December 3, 2024! |
The perfect spot for Beth and her boyfriend, Tex, to hide, presents itself in a camp in the woods, away from Benedict. But when their trip takes them by Blue Mine, a small community that has seen tragedy over the last couple months, plans get diverted. Beth and Tex bring the widow of a recently murdered man back to Benedict for Police Chief Gril to investigate only to find that nothing is quite what it seems. When the woman vanishes, Beth must be on the alert for further danger. Who knows what other unwelcome disappearances--or appearances--might be lurking in the unforgiving Alaska storms."
Thursday, March 21, 2024
A Something Weird Weekly Link Round-Up
- Writer Tajja Isen tells us how to subtitle your book so people will read it.
- Drinking with Agatha Christie.
- Dune and the delicate art of making fictional languages.
- How a century of Black Westerns shaped movie history.
- Can song lyrics ever be literature?
- How Indie publishing meets corporate bookselling.
- Wander into this miraculous miniature library with thousands of book made entirely by hand.
- RuPaul's new bookstore dragged for selling controversial books.
- Mr. Darcy's famous wet shirt sells for $25,000.
- The West Virginia House Judiciary inserts stalled library obscenity bill into the Senate AI child porn bill.
- A book pulled from a classroom in West Virginia hints at a larger debate.
- Book bans? Make that "intellectual freedom challenges".
- How the book banning movement is censoring sexual violence.
- The Chino Valley (California) Unified School District board is considering a new policy that could remove books with "sexually obscene content" from school libraries, classrooms, and all other district facilities.
- Stratford (Connecticut) public schools may lose all remaining librarian positions.
- World Book Day finds children are put off reading for pleasure. Why is this in the book banning section? Read it and find out.
- State legislatures are waging war on public schools.
- Books on Black history and immigration were found in the trash by a Staten Island (New York) school, sparking an investigation.
- A tube of ancient red lipstick was unearthed in Iran.
- Words etched into an ancient bronze hand hint at the mysterious origins of the Basque language.
- A metal detectorist unearthed a 1,500-year-old gold ring in Denmark. More from Smithsonian Magazine.
- The graves of a Roman family held jewelry, coins, and vials for storing mourners' tears.
- Divers recovered the bell from the wreck of an American destroyer sunk in World War I.
- DNA reveals the presence of Down Syndrome in ancient society.
- 1,000 burials and a medieval village were found in the excavation of an abbey destroyed in the French Revolution.
- Fourteen wrecks that expose "what life was like on slaver ships" have been identified in the Bahamas.
- A Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall reveals that bedbugs plagued Britain 1,900 years ago.
- Hidden DNA found in blue whales reveals they've been mating with other species-- and their hybrid offspring.
- A study suggests that clownfish can "count" stripes on other fish to identify intruders.
- Smithsonian scientists discover a new species of hedgehogs hiding in plain sight.
- The dugong, a huggable, seagrass-loving sea cow, has a new best friend: drones.
- A study suggests that air pollution makes flowers smell less appealing to pollinators. (Makes sense to me.)
- According to a U.N. report, Earth's migratory animals are in peril.
- Two squirrels released into the wild come back often to visit their rescuer.
- Great apes love to tease, poke, and pester, suggesting that the urge to annoy is millions of years old.
- Nassau and the Bahamas: death in paradise.
- A brief history of organized crime in the Florida Keys.
- Are the Great Lakes really inland seas?
- Paris is preparing for the Summer Olympics with a new exhibition at the Louvre.
- You can spend the night in the secret library tucked inside St. Paul's Cathedral.
- A Scottish castle with links to Mary, Queen of Scots' third wedding comes up for auction.
- Gabriel García Márquez's hometown awaits his last book and more visitors.
- Point Nemo, the most remote place on Earth, has space junk and a sea monster.
- Longmire series author Craig Johnson talks about its development and its future.
- The forgotten women who shaped the Roman Empire.
- Mildred and Patty Hill, the forgotten sisters behind "Happy Birthday to You."
- Before Beyonce and Taylor Swift ran the world, there was Joan Baez.
- Dolly Parton and sister Rachel Parton George reveal their new cookbook, Good Lookin' Cookin'.
- Aina Cederblom, the Swedish female adventurer who sailed solo around the world.
- Selina Zhang, the high schooler who invented an A.I.-powered trap that zaps invasive lanternflies.
- Mohammed V, the Moroccan sultan who protected his country's Jews during World War II.
- Hulu's Shōgun is a hit. Check out author James Clavell's five best movies and shows, ranked.
- The 2024 Audie Winners for Best Audiobooks.
- Ten of the best bookish gifts for gardeners.
- Women behaving badly: a reading list.
- Thirteen must-read new World War II novels.
- Seventeen books set on islands.
- Books that inspired Oscar-nominated films.
- Saddle up for these Western mysteries.