#MurderEveryMonday: Covers with City on or in the Title

Murder Every Monday was created by Kate @ Crossexamining Crime and @ArmchairSleuth. Put simply, the plan is for readers to take a photo of a crime fiction book (novel or short story collection) which meets a given week’s theme criteria and to then share it online, using the hashtag #MurderEveryMonday.

This week's theme is:

Cover with a city on or in the title

Have your read any of them? Which cover(s) do you like most?

If you want to participate, here's the list of the weekly theme:

Agatha Christie Short Stories 2024 - FEBRUARY #AgathaChristieSS24

Thank you all of you who have participated in #AgathaChristieSS24 January! I will recap all your reviews (hopefully soon!) and will include the links in the January post.

In February we will read two stories:

THE PEARL OF PRICE

Published in 1934, this is a Parker Pyne story. He joins a party of people from Amman, through Jordon to Petra. When talk turns to the nature of honesty and a pearl earring goes missing, the group suspect each other of theft.

The journey is, of course, inspired by Christie's experiences with husband Max Mallowan. She wrote this particular story after she and Max had visited the temples and rock tombs of Petra, a location which also features in the novel Appointment with Death.

This story first appeared in the UK in Nash’s Pall Mall Magazine, and was later included in the 1934 collection Parker Pyne Investigates.

THE AFFAIR AT THE BUNGALOW

A beautiful actress becomes embroiled in a tale of theft, adultery and confusion. Even Miss Marple claims to have trouble solving this mystery.

The story was first published in 1930 in The Story-Teller magazine, then was later included in The Thirteen Problems.

I have found an audiobook (?) of this story in YouTube Soundbook Stories. I haven't even heard about YouTube Soundbook; have you? Anyway, here's the link if you're interested.

Days at the Morisaki Bookstore (2010) by Satoshi Yagisawa #JapaneseLitChallenge17

📚 Jimbocho district in Tokyo is probably every booklover's dream. I googled it, and found that it is indeed daubed as a book town. As of 2021 it has 176 used bookstores. Imagine being lost there! The Morisaki Bookstore in this story is one of these used bookstores, which belongs to three generations. Its current owner is Satoru, uncle of the heroine, a twenty-five-year girl called Takako.

📚 After a bad breakup with her boyfriend, who married another girl, Takako was total wreck a d jobless. She accepted her uncle's invitation to stay rent-free in a room above the store. She isn't a reader, and at first felt suffocated sleeping with piles of books around her room. But little by little, she regained calmness, with the help of her caring uncle (whom she felt more connected with), and of course, the healing power of books. She even gets to know a bookish young man at her favorite coffee shop.

📚 If only that story was elaborated more, this book would be my favorite. But no, after she's feeling better, Takako decided to look for new job, and it means that she must move out of Morisaki Bookstore. Then the story began to shift to a totally different direction.

📚 Satoru leaves alone at the bookstore after his wife Momoko left him five years ago. She left just like that one day without ever contact him, and so he lost hope of ever seeing her again. Then one day, several months after Takako left, Momoko returned. She just came without explanation, as if she never left. Satoru asked Takako's help to solve the mystery around her uncle and aunt's past dark secrets.

📚 This second part of the story didn't even centered in the bookstore. The revelation and the secret itself took place at another village. Why titled a book "Days at The Morisaki Bookstore" if half the story wasn't connected to either the bookstore or books at all? And I hate Momoko's character - a coward with fake personality and a selfish woman. She disappeared for five years, and then suddenly came back like nothing happen! Are we readers supposed to sympathize with her and her struggles? No! Her conducts are inexcusable. I felt really sorry for Satoru, he didn't deserve Momoko - but then, love is often blind, so...

📚 In short, this story is too disintegrated and quirky for my taste. The first part is quite lovely, I loved Satoru and the bookstore, but hated everything in the second part.

Rating: ⭐⭐1/2

I read this for:

Japanese Literature Challenge 17

hosted by Dolce Bellezza

The Secret Guests (2019) by John Banville (Benjamin Black) #JohnBanville2024

👭 First of all, I didn't know that Banville writes crime fiction, lest of all that he writes this genre under a pen name of Benjamin Black. As I'm a fan of mystery, I chose The Secret Guests to be my first #JohnBanville2024, hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books and Kim @ Reading Matters.

👭 As you can see from the cover, the secret guests are two teenage girls - the elder is fourteen, the younger ten. The story opens during German Blitz in World War II, and the girls' parents - like many other parents at that time - are arranging to send their children away. At first I didn't realize the girls' identity. Margaret, the younger, is watching night bombing from the window. The mother calls the elder as Lilibeth. Then I thought, oh she's nicknamed just like Queen Elizabeth II. Silly of me of course, because the girls I'm reading are indeed the two royal princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret. This is a historical fiction!

👭 The British Royal family evacuated the princesses, not to the countryside, like others, but to the neutral Ireland. They're about to stay at Duke Edenmore's estate, Clonmillis Hall, chaperoned by an English secret agent, Celia Nashe, and accompanied by an Irish detective, St. John Strafford (with an "R"). They were escorted to Clonmillis Hall by a diplomat.

👭 First half of the story unfolded at very leisurely pace. We follow the two girls, disguised as Ellen (Elizabeth) and Mary (Margareth), settle into the boredom of rural household - Ellen with her primness indifference, while Mary is in her precocious and inquisitive nature. Celia Nashe and Strafford, on the other hand, started their impromptu cooperation not in a conducive manner.

👭 The plot itself doesn't appear until about the second half through. Someone found picture of the royal family in old newspaper, and was able put two and two together. And so, the princesses are now in danger. Could their two rather questionable guards protect them from imminent danger?

👭 I was slightly disappointed by the detective and the secret agent. Celia Nashe with the insecurities of a female agent among the male dominant field of job, and Strafford with his bad health - a hindrance against, otherwise, an abled detective - in every critical moment. The fast-paced actions in the last chapters are quite entertaining, though I was a bit daunted by too much murders near the end, especially the last cold-blooded one - is it needed, though?

👭 My little disappointment, however, was compensated by Banville's beautiful narration, narrated in equal eloquence by Barrie Kreinik in this audiobook I listened too. It is the writing style rather than the plot that convinced me to read more of St. Strafford series (this book is the first). Hopefully he's getting better next time!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read this book for:

A Year with John Banville

hosted by Cathy @ 769 Books & Kim @ Reading Matters

Six Books Saturday #7: Exciting Reading Events in 2024

#SixBooksSaturday is my personal monthly bookish meme, inspired by Six Words Saturday, which I've stumbled upon @ Travel with Intent. It's basically to list six bookish things of random category, which I'd decided on the spot. Anything is possible according to my whim. I post Six Books Saturday on last Saturday of each month. If you're interested, you are, of course, welcomed to join me. There's no rule, really. You can post six anything about books.

During last Christmas holiday (how long ago it seems now!) I've actually started preparing a sort of 2024 reading plan post, but somehow it never really came off. So, I think I will do that for this month's Six Saturday.

SIX EXCITING READING EVENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN 2024

A Year with John Banville 

hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books & Kim @ Reading Matters
Details of the event

After Mrs. Osmond last year and The Sea from pre-blog era, I've been meaning to read more of John Banville, but didn't know where to start. So, when I found out that Cathy & Kim's choice for A Year with a writer this year was John Banville, I couldn't resist to join. My plan is to read at least three books, but judging from how much I'm currently enjoying The Secret Guests, don't be surprised if I ended up reading more..

We ❤ Sibling Stories Week
hosted by Hamlette's Soliloquy
Details of the event

I have joined Hamlette's We ❤ L.M. Montgomery Week last year; it was a tremendously fun event, and I enjoyed it very much. This year she will be hosting another equally interesting reading event, and of course I've joined it without thinking! I have The Penderwicks at Gardam Street on my TBR - I'd love to read it for this event. And, if I still have time, I'd read Cigarette Girl too. It's an Indonesian historical fiction I've been meaning to re-read since last year.

Zoladdiction 2024

hosted by me

 

Of course, Zoladdiction - the event of reading Emile Zola - will return this April! This time it will be pure reading, no game, meme, or anything like that. I don't think I'll have enough energy to do more than just reading together. This year I'm thinking of re-reading my all-time favorite novel (not just from Zola): Germinal. This will be my 3rd read, and I'm going to listen to the audiobook. I might also read a few short stories, but let's just see. I'm going to post the official announcement around March, so... wait for it!

The 1937 Club

hosted by Simon @ Stuck in a Book & Karen @ Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings

The club runs every April and October, and for this coming April we're tackling books published in 1937, which is exciting! I have searched for some interesting ones I'd like to read, but as usual, my final choices might be totally different from initial plan, so I'm not going to reveal the books in mins for now... let it be a surprise when the time come! :P

Paris in July

hosted by Emma @ Words and Peace 

The Francophile in me is always looking forward to this event, where I can transport myself to France through books, music, and everything we usually do in Paris in July!

Dean Street December

hosted by Liz @ Adventures in reading, running and working from home

I know I have just left December behind less than a month, but I'm always excited to read through Dean Street Press' books, especially the Furrowed Middle Brows' ones. It usually provides calmness amidst the chaotic end of year.

Some more honorable mentions of events I can't wait also to participate this year:
* Reading the Meow by Mallika @ Literary Potpourri (fingers crossing that she will host again this year!)
* Moomin Week by Mallika & Chris @ Calmgrove
* #WitchWeek24 (reading Joan Aiken) by Chris & Lizzy @ Lizzy Ross Writer

* Novellas in November 2024 (had fun last year, and can't wait to do it again)
* Non Fictions in November 2024 (would be my first participation)

Do you plan to join those events? Any other fun event I'm missing?


Next Six Books Saturday: 24th February 2024.

The Cat Who Saved Books (2017) by Sosuke Natsukawa #JapaneseLitChallenge17

🐈 My first read for #JapaneseLitChallenge17 hosted by Dolce Bellezza is a bookish magical realism story translated by Louise Heal Kawai, about the power of books, and how books give you in return, courage and empathy. Rintaro Natsuki is an orphan who was brought up by his grandfather, the owner of a small second-hand bookshop. Now that the old man is dead, Rintaro is alone and devastated because he would soon have to close the shop and live with another relative. The day after the funeral, however, a tabby cat suddenly appears in the bookshop, and starts talking to him!

🐈 The talking cat - his name is Tiger, asks Rintaro to help him saving books - well, force him to do it is more likely, because Rintaro doesn't have more choice than to comply, albeit grudgingly at first. And so, the unlikely partner will go on several magical adventures to save books. They are accompanied by Rintaro's school friend on their two last adventures.

🐈 Why and from whom or what do the books need saving, you might ask? It is from people who have mistreated books, despite of doing it out of good intention. Like in their first adventure, they are dealing with a man who hoards books. He collect tons of books, put them into cages, and read them as fast as he can. In a way, he do read the books, but not as what the books are intended to be.

🐈 Then there's also mutilator of books; a man who thinks that as people run out of time to read, he cut out books to show only the essence of it, and throws away the rest. In a way, people could read more books, but not really reading them.

🐈 This book is a hardcore bookish book, and could only be appreciated by people who love books or book readers to be. The story is short and straightforward, and for me personally, it lacks a charm to make you want it not to end soon. I didn't quite feel absorbed into the story, and instead felt I'm reading a story. In short, it's a book about the power of reading, but it lacks the power in itself. Quite an entertaining bookish book, but that's just it.


Two of my favorite quotes:

"A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is mere scraps of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, had been endowed with a soul." 

"Books have souls. A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader's aid in times of crisis."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

My first read for:

Japanese Literature Challenge 17

hosted by: Dolce Bellezza

The Man Who Died Twice (2021) by Richard Osman

👵🏻👴🏻 My first acquaintance of The Thursday Murder Club was a few years ago, and the second book was long overdue. Is it as good as the first? Some writers only fascinated me with their first, while the rest was usually a flop. But not Richard Osman. This second installment is as good as, if not better than, the first. Reading it felt like reunited with old friends you're fond of. Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim, and Ron are who they are as I always remember them. Elizabeth are her old spy self, but the others are now more adept to Elizabeth's way, and to murder investigation business. Both Joyce and Ron, in particular, had bigger contributions in this story than before.

👵🏻👴🏻 The story begins with two things. First, Elizabeth has a blast from the past when a letter from a man whose death years ago she had witnessed during her M15 days - the titular man who died twice - arrived. Of course, a man can't possibly be dead twice; it was a fake death that Elizabeth had witnessed. Now the man is back, and wants Elizabeth's help. That part wasn't a surprise, we've read similar situation in crime novels before. The surprise in this one is the identity of the man - he turned out to be Elizabeth's ex-husband! Douglas Middlemis is an old member of M15, who is being chased by a Mafia leader for stealing his diamonds, and is now hiding in Cooper's Chase with another fellow M15, a girl called Poppy.

👵🏻👴🏻 The second big thing is much bleaker. Ibrahim is severely mugged! When you are eighty, being mugged could be a life or death situation - both physically and, maybe more importantly, psychologically. Of course the three friends couldn't let the matter go. The teenager who had mercilessly attacked their beloved friend must pay for it, one way or another!

👵🏻👴🏻 Then several murders are committed, and our four elderly amateur sleuth are back in action - this time more adventurous and dangerous. And even when the three of them are in the midst of solving murder mystery and hunting stolen diamonds, they still have time to arrange a sweet revenge for Ibrahim's mugger.

👵🏻👴🏻 Just like the predecessor, The Man Who Died Twice is sweet, hilarious, and full of action. The plot is plausible and cleverly woven. Like the first book, my favorite parts are of Joyce's diaries. She has an uncanny way of telling a story. Joyce is, and always will be, my favorite character from the series. She's funny and always unexpected! In this one, she's twice solved a few of tricky mysteries - outperforming Elizabeth for a change! Now I can't wait to read the 3rd (and 4th) book!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2