Reading Roundup #63: Assorted Books

I tend to bounce around between genres, but this week is so varied, I couldn’t even find a common theme to use for the title! We start with a murder mystery, then move to a literary reflection on life and death, followed by a feather-light rural comedy, and finish up with a dramatic historical romance — and surprisingly, it’s those first and last titles that have the most in common!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: A tightly woven thriller, And Then There Were None created the blueprint for stories where a group of shady characters are lured to a remote location and systematically murdered. As always, Christie leads the reader around in circles till you’ve second- and third-guessed yourself, and it’s marvelous, chilling fun.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder: There were some nice moments, but honestly, I didn’t feel much one way or another about this one. The premise of exploring the lives of five people killed in a tragic bridge collapse was interesting, but it wasn’t really until the end, when we spent time with those left behind that my emotions were touched.

The Darling Buds of May (The Pop Larkin Chronicles #1) by H.E. Bates: I picked this up after rewatching the 1959 adaptation starring Debbie Reynolds, The Mating Game. The plot differences aren’t so startling, especially with the transposition from England to the U.S., but the difference in tone is really what struck me. While the film portrays the Larkins as generous, good natured, and charmingly naive in a world that’s passed them by, the characters in the book are clearly schemers and, while not actually malicious, happy enough to toy with others for their own amusement or gain. The book is also quite horny in the uncomfortable way that only a book written by a man can be — so sometimes Hollywood’s moral whitewashing can be a good thing! I didn’t care for the book, sadly, but the film will remain a favorite.

Wicked Intentions (Maiden Lane #1) by Elizabeth Hoyt: I’ve finally come back to this series, and it’s high drama was just what I needed. Sometimes Hoyt veers too far into the ridiculous with her melodrama, but she’s always good at creating colorful, engaging characters and stories, and Wicked Intentions is a great example of her strengths. And I enjoyed spending time with the Makepeace family, who I mostly missed before, coming in at the series midway.

I’m still keeping over-busy with work and health stuff, but I’m going to try to get in a full review for this weekend (fingers crossed!). In the meantime, I hope you’re having a wonderful reading week and enjoying some good tunes! Debbie singing the theme song to The Mating Game is linked below for an extra dose of sunshine. 🙂

—b