Welcome to My Favourite Reads, the blog series where I share the books I’ve recently loved, and you share yours!
My March favourite reads are a bit lean, I’m afraid. Reading was sloooow. Mostly due to a fat paperback that I still haven’t reached the end of hogging my reading time. There were a few DNFs too (did not finish), and another book from a favourite author that I read but was disappointed by.
Anyway, here are the books I did enjoy, in no particular order.
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Dissolution by CJ Sansom
I love these kind of books—cosy historical mysteries with intricate plots and set in dangerous political climes. Even better when they’re a series.
In this case, Dissolution is set during the reign of King Henry VIII. Times are fraught, with Henry finding his wives unsatisfactory and Thomas Cromwell overseeing the dissolution of the monasteries. Cromwell tasks lawyer and hunchback Matthew Shardlake with investigating a wealthy monastery in which one of Cromwell’s previous inspectors has been murdered.
I found Dissolition fascinating, immersive (I could feel the cold and creepiness), twisty, and the perfect comfort read. Although set in different times, it reminded me of Graham Brack’s Master Mercurius Mysteries, and I love those.
I already have book two, Dark Fire, and will be reading that soon.
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We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
I’ve had my eye on We Begin at the End for quite a while. It won several major crime writing awards, including the CWA Golden Dagger and Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year, and the reviews are extraordinary. I wasn’t sure it was for me, though, but curiosity won out.
I really enjoyed this. The pace was slow at times, and I thought the story could have been tighter, but the characters and the mystery were superb.
If you decide to pick this up be warned: We Begin at the End is a dark and heart-wrenching story.
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The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E Harrow
I’ve been having a moment with short stories lately. They’re great palate cleansers between full-length books and fast to read. I read The Knight and the Butcherbird and one other short in March, but the other story was disappointing and hasn’t made it into My Favourite Reads.
The Knight and the Butcherbird did because it was not only beautifully written, it was a captivating dystopian fairytale that was both poignant and uplifting.
This is excellent short story writing and has only increased my admiration for Alix E Harrow.
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Mrs Hudson and the Samarkand Conspiracy by Martin Davies
Gawd, I adore this series. It’s so reliable and every book has been a joy to read. After a few DNFs, Mrs Hudson and the Samarkand Conspiracy was just the story to perk me up.
It’s filthy hot in London and the city is proving decidedly dull. Everyone is in a mood until Flottie reads a newspaper article to Sherlock and Watson about a mysteriously missing train. The game is once again afoot. There’s blackmail, international espionage, much bravery, and even a strange case of a vicar’s missing glasses.
I love how Flottie is growing in confidence and becoming more than a maid under Mrs Hudson’s wing. It’s so satisfying.
One of the best in an already excellent series. Highly recommended.
Next stop, Mrs Hudson and the Blue Daisy Affair. Rah!
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What wonderful books have tickled your fancy lately? Share away!
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8 Responses
Yay, Cathryn, I’m so pleased you enjoyed the first Matthew Shardlake book. Over the last few years I’ve read all of this series and it is definitely immersive and twisty. They’re books you have to commit to as they’re long but I found them fascinating.
I’ve had a lean reading month. The standout was Laurinda Lawrence’s fabulous ‘Hating Mackenzie Porter’. It’s the first of hers that I’ve read and I’ll be picking up more. This young adult story has a fascinating twist when a pair of teenagers who loathe each other have to join forces when their shadows run off together. Talk about characters working to find a happy ending!
Oh how lovely about Laurinda’s book. I read Hating Mackenzie Porter in beta and thought it was amazing. She is such a fabulous writer with the perfect voice for YA. A superstar in the making.
I’m very glad to hear the rest of the Shardlake series is worth reading because the first had me totally hooked. Another series to turn to for comfort!
Thanks so much for dropping by!
Oh, those Mrs Hudson mysteries hit all the right notes for me! I just love them. I think we’ve read the same number and I have her next one lined up on my ereader.
I’ve read some excellent reads recently. First was Rachael Stewart’s Forever Romance What Happens at the Beach… which was warm and fun and emotional. I hoovered back the second book in Katy Watson’s Dahlia Lively Mysteries, A Very Lively Murder. It kept me guessing till the very end. And then there was a little novella that landed on my kindle called Cupid Country Chance by a certain Ms Cathryn Hein. It was utterly adorable! I loved it. It was everything I wanted in a rural romance in the shorter novella format. Simply gorgeous!
So do I, Michelle (re the next Mrs Hudson). They’re wonderful reads. You just know you’re going to have a good time with these books.
I must read a Katy Watson. Her newsletter is always an entertaining read, and I’m sure the Dahlia books are the same. Must check if the library has them in ebook. They’re a bit ridiculously priced otherwise.
As for that Cupid Country book… I’m THRILLED that you enjoyed it. Thank you so much! 😘
Michelle, I LOVE the Dahlia Lively books. Did you see that there’s going to be a TV adaptation? If they do it right (which is a big IF!), they could be wonderful.
I have! I have everything crossed as it has the potential to translate to television sooo well! Very exciting. 😀
Cathryn, sorry you’ve had a bad month. I’ve had a pretty meh month too although it’s picked up enormously just over the last two days (more on that to come). Love the sound of the fairytale! And I’ve been a fan of the Mrs Hudson books since you recommended them a couple of years ago. Think I’m a couple behind so I need to pull my finger out. Speaking of books you recommended, I read Legends and Lattes and REALLY enjoyed it. Thank you. I can’t wait to explore further in the series. So bloomin’ charming!
Did you recommend The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer? If you didn’t, I think it might be your thing. It’s a fantasy mystery with romantic elements (how’s that for a gender mash-up) and I found it genuinely touching.
I also really enjoyed Connie Willis’s Passage. It’s an older book but a great story that I couldn’t put down when I read it. A friend recommended the writer who I’d never heard of before but I’m definitely going to explore further. This is kind of horror/suspense/sci fi but lots of snappy dialogue and humour and great characters so it was a surprisingly easy read, despite the small print! I’m getting too old for small print.
I’ve mentioned here before how much I enjoy Sophie Green’s Women’s Fiction. This month, I read her Thursdays at Orange Blossom House. It’s very much the same mixture as her other books – women at turning points in their lives discovering new ways of living thanks to unexpected friendships – but it’s a lovely world to visit and one I’ll definitely return to. Although I’m running out of backlist!
Now I come to my two outstanding reads. I finished one yesterday and one this morning. The first was The Venice Hotel by Aussie author Tess Woods. A really great story with high stakes and wonderful characters – not to mention all the fantastic Italian setting and food and la dolce vita. This one kept me reading far too late last night but I had to find out what happened.
My other outstanding read is one I just finished. I think you’d like it. It’s called Cupid Country Chance, book 1 in a new series of novellas by an up and comer called Cathryn Hein! Seriously, you did this just beautifully. So real and sensitive and full of emotion. And so romantic too! And horses. Lots of horses. That always works for me – takes me back to my Silver Brumby days. Well done. I’m going to read the next two tomorrow on my day off.
Nonfiction-wise, the best read was Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune: How Younger Sons Made Their Way in Jane Austen’s England by Rory Muir. This was so interesting with lots of wonderful potted bios of younger sons who made good and those who sadly didn’t. I also enjoyed a book called The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf. It wasn’t quite as involving as the younger sons book but it was full of amazing scientific detail and Humboldt isn’t nearly as well known in the English-speaking world as he should be.
Actually, I didn’t have as bad a reading month as I thought! How nice!
OOh, thanks for the recommendations, Anna. I’ve put The Lost Story and Passage on my wish lists. They sound right in my zone. And clearly I’m going to have to get into The Venice Hotel. That seems to be getting rave reviews everywhere, and I met Tess at a book signing ages ago and she’s lovely.
And I’m so glad you enjoyed Legends and Lattes. You’re right. It was utterly charming. We need books like that in our lives.
I’m grinning madly here over your comments for Cupid Country Chance. THANK YOU! I hope the other two bring you many smiles too!