Another lovely day here in Maine, and another lovely beach walk. Late afternoon this time, the day having been consumed with other matters. At Pine Point, there was a definite breeze and the tide was coming in at sundown.
Pine Point shoreline at sunset
I woke this morning thinking about my most pleasurable mystery/suspense/crime reads in the year just past. Some were books published in 2011. Others had been sitting in my To Be Read pile for a while. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin. An absorbing story with well-drawn characters. For a couple of days it transported me to rural Misssippi. Silas and Larry are believable, flawed men with a powerful connection. http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/19243/Tom_Franklin/index.aspx
2. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny. Boy, can she write about human nature. Wow, can she plot. I confess a deep fondness for Quebec, where Penny’s wonderful novels are set, but it’s her writing that mesmerizes me. http://www.louisepenny.com/
3. A Day of Small Things by Vicki Lane. I could not stop reading this book. Lane is deeply rooted in Appalachia, and her love for the region and its people comes through in every word. This was a step-aside from the Elizabeth Goodweather series featuring one of its most fascinating characters, Miss Birdie. The writing is luminous; the mystical happenings, enthralling. http://vickilanemysteries.com/index.html
4. One Was A Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming. A Mainer whose books are set in the Adirondacks, Spencer-Fleming writes with an open, fearless heart, touching on themes that lesser writers sidestep. This one is about young soldiers – especially National Guard soldiers – coming home to their domestic lives after emotionally draining tours in Iraq. http://juliaspencerfleming.com/
5. Under the Dome by Stephen King. I’ve read a lot of Stephen King over the years. This is one of his best. As always, it’s a compelling case study about the triumph of good over evil, community over disunity, love over fear. If you’ve ever lived in a small town, you will recognize the characters in this novel, villains and heros alike. And despite its heft, you will not be able to put it down. http://www.stephenking.com/index.html
Later this week: What is on my 2012 reading list.
Me, bundled against the wind
Me, bundled against the wind
Posted by Brenda Buchanan at 9:15 PM
