Saturday, December 21, 2013

{merry christmas!}




Merry Christmas 
to all my fellow book-lovers! 

I hope you have a gorgeous & peaceful Christmas 
and that the New Year brings you 
all sorts of bookish wonderfulness. 

Incidentally, while looking for something Christmassy to read, I came across this list of Christmas Mystery Books at cozy-mystery.com which gave me quite a few ideas. 

And, if you have an e-reader, there's a free Ruth Galloway Christmas short story ('Ruth's First Christmas Tree') by Elly Griffiths available at amazon (non-affiliate link). 



After loving Come Out of the Kitchen! by Alice Duer Miller (recommended at fleur in her world), I have decided to read The Burglar and the Blizzard (free at project gutenberg) as one of my Christmas-themed books. 


  

I also have W. Somerset Maugham's Christmas Holiday for back-up (Ali warns me it isn't really about Christmas); and someone (who was it?!) mentioned Georgette Heyer's Envious Casca as another possibility (but have I read it?). Or maybe, since I loved my first Robert Barnard book (here), I should go with his Death in a Cold Climate... What is it about Christmas and a good murder?


Do you like a Christmassy read? 
(And is 'Christmassy' really a word?)

Have a great holiday!

18 comments:

  1. I enjoy Envious Casca, though it has one of Heyer's more unhappy families. I meant to look for Alice Duer Miller's books after Jane's review - thanks for the reminder. Now I have two to download. A very happy Christmas! I hope it brings you some great books. I've bought myself a couple, just in case no one else does ;)

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    Replies
    1. I'm very rarely bought books, although this year my mother asked if I had a copy of 'How Tea Cosies Changed the World' (!!!), so I suspect that will be in my stocking! I hope you have an excellent, book-filled Christmas Lisa, and I'm glad to know that you are well prepared for any book emergencies!

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  2. One of my book group very kindly gave me a book of Christmas stories that he'd been reading and thought I might like: The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gardner. I may have to eschew the crime novel I'm reading at the mo (since it's hardly very festive!) and pick it up. Though the fact he was quite happy to pass on a book he'd spent money on for me to keep I'm not entirely sure is singing its praises!

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    Replies
    1. This is the Sophie's World Gardner? It might be quite meaty, though I too wonder about the 'hey, you have it!' aspect. But it's Christmas, season for giving... (I say, optimistically! And a free book!). Thanks for dropping by, and have a fabulous, book-filled holiday.

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  3. I love how you're reading books with a Christmas theme! One of my greatest joys last year was reading a little anthology of Christmas stories right around this time, but now I'm halfway through Book Two of A Game of Thrones and I can't put it down or I'll be really lost in all the characters' names! Merry Christmas! Love your accompanying picture for this post!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for popping by, Bellezza. I've also discovered that the 4th Flavia de Luce book is a Xmas read, so that's on my list now too. I may soon have enough Christmas reads to do me until next Christmas! I'm terribly forgetful about characters' names in longer books - I really need some sort of chart.

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  4. I do love a good Christmas read -- be it murder or humour! I hope your Christmas is a very, very happy one.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jeanie - all the best to you and your family. I hope that your day is merry and bright, and the New Year brings you many pleasures.

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  5. Do you know I have never read any of Georgette Heyer's mysteries--though I have a number of them on hand. I love her Regencies and suspect I would find her mysteries equally as entertaining. Did you know she wrote them with the help of her husband? I was thinking that it would be fun to read something with a Christmas theme, but I've left it too long now and have plenty (ahem) to choose from already. And that's not counting the stack of 'soon to be reads' either.... Love your list, though, and I hope you get in many happy hours of reading with them! Have a really lovely holiday. Many thanks for all the comments which I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Danielle - I did read her mysteries many, many years ago, before I read her Regencies. I have to say that I didn't warm to the mysteries, but I am hoping that as I have totally forgotten their plots and my tastes for vintage reads has expanded my palate, that I will enjoy this one. I wonder if anyone's done a 'read only Xmas books' challenge? It might be a bit masochistic! Have a lovely Christmas - and thanks for popping by.

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  6. I love the 'Make this a Book Christmas' poster! Merry Christmas Vicki, and a Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's gorgeous - and so true! You have a wonderful day, Lindsay - all the best for a sparkling 2014.

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  7. Merry Christmas Vicki! I've not read a Christmas themed book, although I really should one year at least. I do generally make sure I am reading a 'fun' book on Christmas/Boxing Day - for example at the moment I'm reading 'Erasmus Hobart and the Golden Arrow' (http://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/2013/12/booklover-mailbox-december-2013-edition-1.html)

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes, I am scanning my books for something suitable to that slightly hungover with food and wine Boxing Day feeling! Preferably that I can read while simultaneously watching the cricket! I hope you had a great day, Joanne.

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  8. I enjoy a bit of seasonal reading too. Shame I haven't got to doing any seasonal blogging just yet. I haven't heard of any our your Christmas titles, I love it that there's so many out there.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Louise - I hope you had a fabulous Christmas - I've still got one Xmas themed read left, though I think I might now be over Xmas for the year!

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  9. A bit of a late reply, so I'll say 'Happy New Year' to you instead. Hope you have a great 2014.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And to you too, Sarah - I hope 2014 brings you many joys and delights (in which books are obviously included!).

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{READ IN 2018}

  • FEBRUARY
  • 30.
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  • 26. The Grave's a Fine & Private Place - Alan Bradley
  • 25. This is What Happened - Mick Herron
  • 24. London Rules - Mick Herron
  • 23. The Third Eye - Ethel Lina White
  • 22. Thrice the Brindled Cat Hath Mewed - Alan Bradley
  • 21. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust - Alan Bradley
  • 20. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches - Alan Bradley
  • 19. Speaking from Among the Bones - Alan Bradley
  • JANUARY
  • 18. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
  • 17. Miss Ranskill Comes Home - Barbara Euphan Todd
  • 16. The Long Arm of the Law - Martin Edwards (ed.)
  • 15. Nobody Walks - Mick Herron
  • 14. The Talented Mr Ripley - Patricia Highsmith
  • 13. Portrait of a Murderer - Anthony Gilbert
  • 12. Murder is a Waiting Game - Anthony Gilbert
  • 11. Tenant for the Tomb - Anthony Gilbert
  • 10. Death Wears a Mask - Anthony Gilbert
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  • 8. The Visitor - Anthony Gilbert
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  • 1. She Shall Died - Anthony Gilbert

{READ IN 2017}

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  • 133. Death Takes a Wife - Anthony Gilbert
  • 132. Death Against the Clock - Anthony Gilbert
  • 131. Give Death a Name - Anthony Gilbert
  • 130. Riddle of a Lady - Anthony Gilbert
  • 129. And Death Came Too - Anthony Gilbert
  • 128. Snake in the Grass - Anthony Gilbert
  • 127. Footsteps Behind Me - Anthony Gilbert
  • 126. Miss Pinnegar Disappears - Anthony Gilbert
  • 125. Lady-Killer - Anthony Gilbert
  • 124. A Nice Cup of Tea - Anthony Gilbert
  • 123. Die in the Dark - Anthony Gilbert
  • 122. Death in the Wrong Room - Anthony Gilbert
  • 121. The Spinster's Secret - Anthony Gilbert
  • 120. Lift up the Lid - Anthony Gilbert
  • 119. Don't Open the Door - Anthony Gilbert
  • 118. The Black Stage - Anthony Gilbert
  • 117. A Spy for Mr Crook - Anthony Gilbert
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  • 114. Something Nasty in the Woodshed - Anthony Gilbert
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  • 112. The Woman in Red - Anthony Gilbert
  • 111. The Vanishing Corpse - Anthony Gilbert
  • 110. London Crimes - Martin Edwards (ed.)
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  • 108. The Clock in the Hatbox - Anthony Gilbert
  • 107. Dear Dead Woman - Anthony Gilbert
  • 106. The Bell of Death - Anthony Gilbert
  • 105. Treason in my Breast - Anthony Gilbert
  • 104. Murder has no Tongue - Anthony Gilbert
  • 103. The Man who Wasn't There - Anthony Gilbert
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  • 102. Murder by Experts - Anthony Gilbert
  • 101. The Perfect Murder Case - Christopher Bush
  • 100. The Plumley Inheritance - Christopher Bush
  • 99. Spy - Bernard Newman
  • 98. Cargo of Eagles - Margery Allingham & Philip Youngman Carter
  • 97. The Mind Readers - Margery Allingham
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  • 96. The China Governess - Margery Allingham
  • 95. Hide My Eyes - Margery Allingham
  • 94. The Beckoning Lady - Margery Allingham
  • 93. The Tiger in the Smoke - Margery Allingham
  • 92. More Work for the Undertaker - Margery Allingham
  • 91. Coroner's Pidgin - Margery Allingham
  • 90. Traitor's Purse - Margery Allingham
  • 89. The Fashion in Shrouds - Margery Allingham
  • 88. The Case of the Late Pig - Margery Allingham
  • 87. Dancers in Mourning - Margery Allingham
  • AUGUST
  • 86. Flowers for the Judge - Margery Allingham
  • 85. Death of a Ghost - Margery Allingham
  • 84. Sweet Danger - Margery Allingham
  • 83. Police at the Funeral - Margery Allingham
  • 82. Look to the Lady - Margery Allingham
  • 81. Mystery Mile - Margery Allingham
  • 80. The Crime at Black Dudley - Margery Allingham
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  • 78. Murder Underground - Mavis Doriel Hay
  • 77. No Man's Land - David Baldacci
  • 76. The Escape - David Baldacci
  • 75. The Forgotten - David Baldacci
  • 74. Zero Day - David Baldacci
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  • 73. Pilgrim's Rest - Patricia Wentworth
  • 72. The Case is Closed - Patricia Wentworth
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  • 43. The Secret Search - E. R. Punshon
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  • 39. Slow Horses - Mick Herron
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  • 27. A Deadly Thaw - Sarah Ward
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  • 25. The Great Impersonation - E. Phillips Oppenheim
  • 24. Ragdoll - Daniel Cole
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  • 22. The Ministry of Fear - Graham Greene
  • 21. The Draycott Murder Mystery - Molly Thynne
  • 20. The Murder on the Enriqueta - Molly Thynne
  • 19. The Nowhere Man - Gregg Hurwitz
  • 18. He Dies and Makes No Sign - Molly Thynne
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  • 17. Death in the Dentist's Chair - Molly Thynne
  • 16. The Crime at the 'Noah's Ark' - Molly Thynne
  • 15. Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh
  • 14. Night School - Lee Child
  • 13. The Dancing Bear - Frances Faviell
  • 12. The Reluctant Cannibals - Ian Flitcroft
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