Our murder mystery reader this month has read Death Sentences: Stories of Deathly Books, containing 15 short stories with an introduction by Ian Rankin. The Caxton Lending Library and Book Depository by John Conolly a delightful short story winner of literary awards. Karen enjoyed an ebook version of The Kennedy Curse. A winner of the Stella Prize and nominated for the Miles Franklin was Exploded View by Carrie Tiffany. The Bookbinder of Jericho is doing the rounds of our group and enjoyed. An avid watcher of the TV show Vera, our reader found Anne Cleeves the author of the series hard to read but did draw comparisons between The Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor by Andrew Lownie and the current debacle with Harry and Meghan. As always Lucinda Riley was appreciated in The Murder at Fleat House, also The Girl on the Rocks, and whilst on Lucinda Riley, the much anticipated final book in the Seven Sisters saga, written in collaboration with her son Harry Whittaker Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, has begun to circulate around our group. Found in Benalla Library was From Windmills to Wangaratta the autobiography of Corry Jacobs who immigrated from Holland. Our own Corrie told us of her experiences arriving as a newlywed to our shores. Not Just the Wife of the General Manager by Sally Warrinder, her story of life on an outback station in the 1980’s and condescendingly referred to as `just the wife’, is a good read. Written by Australian author Sarah Schmidt is See What I Have Done a look inside the mind of Lizzie Borden accused of murdering her father and step-mother in 1892. We then had a vigorous discussion on the making of compost, a lot of advice and laughs. A delightful read was The Red Dog by Louis deBernieres, described by our reader as a jolly little book. The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough. A crime novel The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Oman and A Glorious Way to Die by Russell Starr were good reads, as was a collection of short stories by Ann Crawford Women of Spirit. A parents worst nightmare Saving Zali by Lisa Venables was a sad one, but worth reading was The School Teacher of Saint Michel by Sarah Steele, a story of hope in the USA during WW11. Enjoy your reading on these cold winter days and see you all in August.
Geraldine McCorkell
Geraldine McCorkell
