2022 Vintage Scattergories Reading Challenge

For the first time, I am joining the Vintage Mystery Scattergories Reading Challenge in 2022. Participants must read books that fulfill at least eight of the categories in a single vintage era and readers may complete all categories and both eras.  Readers are also welcome to be creative with the categories as long as you can make a good case for how your book fits.

The challenge runs from January 1, 2022 through December 31st, 2022. Any books read January 1 or later may count regardless of sign-up date. To complete the challenge you must read at least eight books that fulfill eight of the categories listed. All eight books must be from a single vintage era (see descriptions below). I am signing up for the Silver Era.

All books must be from the mystery category (crime fiction, detective fictions, espionage, etc.). The mystery/crime must be the primary feature of the book--ghost stories, romance, humor, etc. are all welcome as ingredients, but must not overshadow the mystery element. Each book may count for only one category within the challenge--but you are welcome to use books read for this challenge for other challenges as well.

For the purposes of the challenge, Golden Age mysteries must have been first published before 1960. Golden Age short story collections (whether published pre-1960 or not) are permissible provided all of the stories in the collection were originally written pre-1960. Please remember some of our Golden age authors wrote well after 1959--so keep an eye on the original publication date and count them appropriately. Silver Age mysteries may be first published from 1960-1989 (inclusive). Again, Silver Age short story collections published later than 1989 are permissible provided none of the stories are first published later than 1989.

If you have a blog please post about the challenge and a little about your commitment--if you're going for Silver or Gold...or perhaps both. Those without blogs may leave that blank or enter the url for a Goodreads or Library Thing list, etc.

Categories:

1. Colorful Crime: A book with a color or reference to color in the title

2. Murder by the Numbers: A book with a number or quantity in the title

3. Amateur Night: A book with a detective who is not a P.I.; Police Officer; or other official investigator (Nurse Keate, Father Brown, Miss Marple, etc.)

4. Leave It to the Professionals: A book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc.

5. Jolly Old England: A mystery set in the United Kingdom

6. Yankee Doodle Dandy: A mystery set in the United States

7. World Traveler: A mystery set in any country except the U.S. or U.K.

8. Dangerous Beasts: A book with an animal in the title

9. A Calendar of Crime: A mystery with a date/holiday/year/month/etc. in the title

10. Wicked Women: A book with a woman in the title--either by name (Mrs. McGinty's Dead) or by reference (The Case of the Vagabound Virgin)

11. Malicious Men: A book with a man in the title--either by name (Maigret & the Yellow Dog) or by reference (The Case of the Haunted Husband)

12. Murderous Methods: A book with a means of death in the title (The Noose, 5 Bullets, Deadly Nightshade, etc.)

13. Staging the Crime: A mystery set in the entertainment world (theatre, musical event, pageant, Hollywood, etc)

14. Scene of the Crime: A book with the location of the crime in the title (The Body in the Library, Murder at the Vicarage, etc)

15. Cops & Robbers: A book that features a theft rather than murder

16. Locked Rooms/Impossible Crimes: A locked-room or otherwise impossible crime mystery (locks not necessary).

17. First Impressions: Randomly select four books from your TBR pile. Read only the first line of each book and select one of them to read based on your first impression of the book.

18. Country House Criminals: A standard (or not-so-standard) Golden Age-style country house murder

19. Murder on the High Seas: A mystery involving water

20. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: A book with a mode of transportation in the title

21. Murder is Academic: A mystery involving a scholar, teacher, librarian, etc. OR set at a school, university, library, etc.

22. Things That Go Bump in the Night: A book with something spooky, creepy, gothic in the title (The Skeleton in the Clock; Haunted Lady; The Bat; etc)

23. Repeat Offenders: A mystery featuring your favorite series detective or by your favorite author or reread an old favorite

24. The Butler Did It...Or Not: A mystery where the butler is the victim, the sleuth...(gasp) the criminal...or is just downright memorable for whatever reason.

25. A Mystery by Any Other Name: Any book that has been published under more than one title (Murder Is Easy--aka Easy to Kill [Christie]; Fog of Doubt--aka London Particular [Christianna Brand], etc.)

26. Dynamic Duos: A mystery featuring a detective team (Holmes & Watson; Pam & Jerry North; Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin, or a little-known team that you introduce to us)

27. Size Matters: A book with a size or measurement in the title (Death Has a Small Voice; The Big Four; The Weight of the Evidence; etc.)

28. Psychic Phenomena: A mystery featuring a seance, medium, hypnotism, or other psychic or "supernatural" characters/events

29. Book to Movie: A book that has appeared on screen (feature film or TV)

30. The Old Bailey: A courtroom drama mystery OR a mystery featuring a judge, lawyer, barrister, district attorney

31. Serial Killers: Books that were originally published in serial format (from the pulp era) OR a book that includes three or more deaths--all committed by the same person.

32. Killed in Translation: A work that originally appeared in another language and has been made available in English--original publication date determines Gold or Silver Age--OR if your native language is not English, then a work that originally appeared in English which you read in your native language.

33. History Mysteries: The bulk or focus of the mystery must take place at least 15 years prior to the date of publication. Flashback stories are fine as long as the modern events frame the story OR the historical events are absolutely vital to the present day story. Example: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Artur Conan Doyle.

34. International Detectives: A variation on "World Traveler"--but instead of the crime being set in another country, the detective is not from the U.S. or U.K.

35. Somebody Else's Crime: Read a book that someone else has already read for the challenge.

36. Genuine Fakes: Read a book by an author who wrote under a pseudonym (Josephine Tey [Elizabeth Mackintosh]; Nicholas Blake [Cecil Day Lewis]; etc.)

37. Hobbies Can Be Murder: A mystery that involves a hobby in some way: stamp, coin, book collecting, etc; knitting; birdwatching; hunting; etc.

38. Snatch & Grab: Read the first book you pick up off your shelf or TBR stack/s

39. I've Got You Covered: Pick a book to read based on the cover

40. Get Out of Jail Free: One per customer. You state what special category the book fits and it counts.

2022 Color Coded Reading Challenge

I am signing up again for the Color Coded Reading Challenge. It was a successful challenge for me this year as every book I read was from a new (to me) author. Nine books must be read with the various colors listed below in their titles or as a dominant color/image on their covers. 

1. Read book with "Blue" (or a shade of blue):

2. Read a book with "Red" (or a shade of red):

3. Read a book with "Yellow" (or a shade of yellow):

4. Read a book with "Green" (or a shade of green):

5. Read a book with "Brown" (or a shade of brown):

6. Read a book with "Black" (or a shade of black):

7. Read a book with "White" (or a shade of white):

8. Read a book with any other color:

9. Read a book a word/image that implies color (rainbow, polka dot, etc)

Master Wycliffe's Summons

Master Wycliffe's Summons is the 14th book in Mel Starr's series The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon. I have read most of them and they are fabulous. Starr writes tightly woven medieval mysteries that move fast. The death always occurs early in the story so that the rest of the novel can be about solving the crime.  In this particular installment of the series, a student at Queen's College Oxford, Richard Sabyn, has been found dead in bed. There was a lightening storm the night before and it appears that he may have been struck by the lightening.  However, Oxford Master John Wycliffe does not believe that the evidence shows a lightening strike and wants Singleton to look into the death. Singleton agrees with Wycliffe that it is possible to make it look as though Sabyn died from a lightening strike. 

I enjoyed the story but it was not as exciting as some of Starr's earlier books in the series. The pace was slow and the howdunnit didn't grab my attention. While the howdunnit was interesting I don't think the writing was well executed. Singleton spent alot of time trying to figure out how someone could collect enough urine, dove droppings and a small amount of charcoal to create the substance that killed Sabyn. I was eating dinner while I read the book and that urine section didn't set well with my tummy. I did find it interesting that the deceased was copying a gospel into English while John Wycliffe, who translated the Bible into English between 1382 and 1395, denied any knowledge of it. Our protagonist did not perform any surgeries but did gather herbs for several people to help ease the pain of the plague. 

3 out of 5 stars.

Can't Wait Wednesday #10

Ken Follett's newest book Never was just published a few days ago and I cannot wait to have the time to read it. It is over 800 pages so I probably won't be able to read it until after Christmas or New Year's Day. Never is a little different from Follett's earlier books. It is an international political thriller, not his usual historical fiction story. The plot line involves a shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert, a stolen U. S. Army drone, an uninhabited Japanese island, and another nation's secret stash of biological weapons. The characters who are fighting to prevent another world war include a young female intelligence officer, a spy working undercover with jihadists, a Chinese spymaster, and a female contender for the White House. This novel sounds like a Dan Silva book. I love Silva so I have high expectations for Never. Let's see how well. Follett can switch genres.

Wrap-Up of the 2021 What's in a Name Challenge

I read 6 books for the challenge:

One by One by Ruth Ware

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

White Ivy by Susie Yang

The Art Collector's Daughter by Derville Murphy

The Woman in a Green Dress by Tea Cooper

The Moonlight Child by Karen McQuestion

Favorite Book:  The Moonlight Child (my only 5 star rated book)

Second Favorite Book:  White Ivy (my only 4 star rated book)

Least Favorite Book:  The Woman in the Green Dress  (my lowest rated book with 2 stars)

I have been doing this challenge on and off for years and I love it. I wish that there were more categories but 6 has been the limit since the challenge began. Let's hope that it returns in 2022.  I haven't heard anything yet.

Wrap-Up of the 2021 Creativity Reading Challenge

The 2021 Creativity Reading Challenge did not require that a set number of books be read. I always read several books on art and crafts each year but not many of them. This year I read five books.  They are:

Sarawak Sketchbook by A. Kasim Abas

Amsterdam Sketchbook by Graham Byfield

Botany for the Artist by Sarah Simblet

Yellow by Michael Pasteaureau

Menorca Sketchbook by Graham Byfield

Favorite Book:  Sarawak Sketchbook

2nd Favorite Book:  Botany for the Artist

Least Favorite Book:  Yellow

The Challenge will be open in 2022 and I am going to sign up.  I hope some good arty books come out next year.

Wrap-Up of the 2021 Nonfiction Reader Challenge

I signed up to read six books for this year's nonfiction reading challenge. I read seven, which is more than I have read in the past 10 years. Non-fiction is not a genre I have ever read much of but I found that I really liked the books that I selected for the challenge.

The Queen's Marriage by Lady Colin Campbell

The Cartiers by Francesca Cartier Brickell

The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

The Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

Yellow by Michael Pasteaureau

Dear Abigail by Diane Jacobs

Revolutionary Mothers by Carol Berlin

Favorite Book:  Empire of Pain

2nd Favorite Book:  Revolutionary Mothers

Least Favorite Book:  Yellow

I purchased an additional three books for the challenge but have not read them yet.  If the challenge is renewed in 2022 I will definitely join.  This was a successful challenge for me as every author was new to me.

The Flower Boat Girl

The Flower Boat Girl is the story of Shek Yang who rises from being sold into the sex trade as a young girl to becoming the most powerful female pirate known to sail the South China Sea. In 1801, Yang has finally bought her freedom but is soon kidnapped by a brutal pirate gang and forced to marry their leader.  She needs to be scrappy to survive her circumstances and she carves out a role against the resistance of powerful pirate leaders, including her husband's male concubine.  Eventually, Yang has to choose between power over the pirates and love.  The novel is based on a true story.

I rarely review a book that I did not finish but this one requires comment.  The author uses crude and course descriptions of Yang's sex acts with men. You know that a man wrote a book when this type of language is used. Women just don't use certain descriptions. I am surprised that the author chose a woman as his main character because it is hard for men to accurately write about women and vice versa. I made it to page 70. There was no explanation of how Yang got into various situations, just one nasty sex act after another. How is the reader to know what the story is about when you go from one rape to another?  The reader at least needs to know something about the main character other than she is being raped by many men over 70 pages. In those 70 pages she was still a sex slave, I presume. There is no way to tell from these pages where we are in the plot.

I am surprised that the book has had many good reviews, half of them from women. At a minimum I would call this novel soft core porn.  Skip it.  0 out of 5 stars.

Wrap-Up of the 2021 Chunkster Challenge

 

The rules for the Chunkster Challenge had no limit on the number of books required to read but the books had to be 450 pages or more.  I found 16.  Actually, I found 17 but will not have time to read Edward Rutherford's London until next year.  Here's what I read:

With No One as Witness by Elizabeth George

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray

The Lost Daughter by Gill Paul

The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

The Cartiers by Francesca Cartier Brickell

My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

Beneath an Indian Sky by Renita D'Silva

China by Edward Rutherford

Dear Abigail by Diane Jacobs

The Cellist by Daniel Silva

Dominus by Steve Saylor

Sweet Tooth Compendium Edition by Jeff Lemire

Peril by Bob Woodward

The Stolen Lady by Laura Morelli

The Widow Queen by Elzbieta Cherezinska

Favorite Book:  China

2nd Favorite Book:  Dominus

Least Favorite Book:  With No One as Witness. 

All of these books except one was rated 5 out of 5 stars. With No One as Witness was rated 2 out of 5 stars so it gets the least favorite title.  9 of the authors were new to me!

I love going to my local bookstore and roaming for chunky books.  They stand out on the bookshelves and are easy to find.  Usually they are epic historical fiction novels but this year some of my favorite mystery writers published big books. The challenge is running again in 2022 and I will be signing up.

Stacking the Shelves #10

 

The Stacking the Shelves meme is hosted by the Reading Reality blog. It was originally hosted by the Team Tynga's Reviews blog and now is solely hosted by Reading Reality. I am looking forward to reading the new graphic novel by Rutu Modan. Tunnels was published on Tuesday and I am waiting to receive it in the mail. Modan is one of my favorite comic writers. In the Tunnels story there is a race to find the Ark of the Covenant and it explores the ethics of the international antiquities trade.  

When a great antiquities collector is forced to donate his entire collection to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Nili Broshi sees her last chance to finish an archeological expedition that began decades earlier.  Motivated by the desire to reinstate her father's legacy as an archeologist, Nili enlists the assistance of a ragtag crew - a religious nationalist, her traitorous brother and her childhood Palestinian friend. As Nili's father slips deeper into dementia, warring factions close in on and fight over the Ark of the Covenant.

Where are you mail?

Turkey Trot Murder

The Turkey Trot Murder takes place in Tinker's Cove, Maine where the our protagonist, Lucy Stone lives. Lucy expects that the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will be uneventful. However, while training for the annual turkey trot 5K Lucy sees a dead body frozen in Blueberry Pond. Alison Franklin, daughter of the wealthy Ed Franklin, struggled with opioid addiction after an injury a year prior. The police blame her death on an accidental overdose but Lucy, a reporter for the local paper, disagrees. Alison had it all, wealth, looks and education. While covering the funeral for the paper, Lucy is puzzled to see Ed Franklin bring his new, young and pregnant wife Mireille with him. Alison's mother, Eudora Clare, arrives at the funeral with her new husband covered in black gauze to outshine Mireille. As the residents of Tinker's Cove become uneasy over the third drug death in a year, Lucy investigates Alison's death for her paper. Soon, a new family moves into town to reopen a restaurant. The Rodriguezes are Hispanic and are opposed by the community who blames Mexicans for the drug epidemic.  Ed Franklin is the most vocal of them. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the book but readers who are tired of hearing about the national divide over immigration will want to skip it. The author takes a Democratic point of view on immigration. There is much more to the story though. The mystery over Alison's death deepens when another resident is killed. We also have several opposing parties in the story.  Mireille versus Eudora, Ed versus Rey Rodgriguez and Lucy's daughter Zoe versus Matt Rodriguez. You don't know which of them will prevail. Turkey Trot Murder is the 24th Lucy Stone Mystery but I have only read 2 of them previously.  I thought that these cozies were too traditional for my taste but Turkey Trot has an intricate plot with tight writing.   I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Waiting

The Waiting is a fictional account of the life of the author's mother. The story is set in Korea before, during and after the Korean War in both North and South Korea. When Gwija was 17 her family rushed to marry her off because they had heard that the Japanese occupiers were seizing unmarried girls. However, Japan soon fell and Korea gained its independence. Gwija began having children and while she was on the run out of North Korea she became separated from her husband and young son. While she searched for them for days, Gwija soon realized that if she didn't leave them behind that she would be stuck in the North. Seventy years later, daughter Jina decides to help her mother locate her lost son as well as a lost sister. She is hopeful that a program that unites families from both countries for a day will select Gwija into the program. Most of the narrative of this graphic novel focuses on Gwija's march south. American jets overhead shot at the refugees, increasing the desperation of the migrants. 

The author's first graphic novel, Grass, dealt with the women who were taken by the Japanese soldiers during WWII. The history of Korea continues with The Waiting. Both stories are heartbreaking. Here we read about the pain people felt over the separation of their country and, fortunately, before this older generation passes into history. Most Koreans are much younger and do not understand what it feels like to be separated from your family. The story is quite sad but is informative for those of us lucky to not have experienced what the author calls the "wounds of war."  

5 out of 5 stars.

The Widow Queen

The Widow Queen is much more than a biography of Poland's Swietoslawa.  It is also the saga of the rulers of Poland, Russia, Denmark, Sweden and parts of Germany in the late 10th century. Swietoslawa's family calls her "the bold one." Her father, Duke Mieszko, plans on using all three of his daughters to make foreign alliances that will strengthen his power in the region. While the daughters tell him their preferences for husbands, Mieszko uses them strategically. However, Swietoslawa refuses to be a pawn in his schemes. She wants a throne of her own, with no husband by her side. This novel is Book 1 in the author's Bold One series.

There are many names and details to remember when reading this book. It covers alot of ground and is a slow read for that reason only. It remains a captivating tale. Our heroine is renamed Sigrid by her new husband, the king of Sweden. It was chosen because it was easier for his subjects to pronounce and it is a Swedish name, which any Swedish queen must have. Her brother Boleslaw is the heir to the Polish throne but depending on what chapter you are on, you will read about different heirs to multiple European thrones. All of them are strategizing to gain power by determining the best marriage options and also which potential rulers can be trusted. 

I enjoyed reading about these powerhouses in Eastern Europe. I also loved that the time period was the tenth century. Most of the historical fiction novels that I read take place in England, France or Germany during the Middle Ages.  The Widow Queen was a nice change. All of the characters are historical figures whom I had never heard of before.  I found myself going to Wikipedia to become more familiar with them.  A few of them include Sven of Denmark, Olav of Norway, Eric of Sweden, and Vladimir of Rus. 

Book 2 in the series has already been published in Poland. It looks like author Elzbieta Cherezinska has written a couple of other series set in the same time period but because I can't read Polish it is hard to tell. I hope all of them are translated into English because she is a fabulous writer. I love that she is writing about a place and time historical fiction fans don't see much of.

5 out of 5 stars.