“The
Private Patient” by PD James. There’s a shelf of
paperbacks at my office, which I assume are for the taking because they come
and go. When PD James died last year I
put her on my list of things to read, and this was on the shelf, so I took it
(I put three books in its place, just in case, and it had been there a long
time, so…) I’m familiar with Adam Dalgliesh, having watched lots of Mystery! On
PBS. Nevertheless, the first chapter was a bit confusing, and then I was good
to go. I loved how she described the same things from different characters’
perspectives. Description really is POV and character in her hands, so
different from the omniscient in those Katherine Kurtz books. She was like 88
when this was published!
“Razorhurst” by Justine Larbalestier. I would have read this back when I met her at a Chapters in Etobicoke, if it had been out yet. I was misunderstanding that at the time. The action took place over a single day, but there were these short chapters that explained background and stuff like that. I wouldn’t have thought it worked, but it did. The glossary at the back was totally unnecessary.
“Three parts Dead” by Max Gladstone. This one has been on my list for a while. I could tell it was going to be fabulous when I finished the first page. All that blah-blah-blah about the priest and the sacred flame, and then he takes out a cigarette. Fantastic. I can see what the hype was about -- a cool blend of different genres and subgenres.