more Regency mystery...

Finally read the second Tracy Grant mystery, Beneath a Silent Moon, starring Charles and Melanie Fraser.  I think I preferred the first book, but I don't really remember it all that well.  This one got a bit convoluted, and I, for one, have some problems sometimes with British books, particularly the Regency-era ones, because I get confused by the names - everyone has a first name, a last name, a title...  It was fun enough, though, and good for a cold, snowy day when I stayed home and mostly just slept and ate stew.  Not sure what is next on the list - strangely, I got NO books for Christmas, which has to be a first.  Of course, I have literally shelves-full of books I've bought and books I've borrowed from the library, but nothing's jumping out at me.  Which is maybe a good thing, since I REALLY need to clean my apartment today, rather than just sleep and read and eat...like, yesterday.  It was magical, but time to get back to real life.


Oh - and was just picking up and found A Vengeful Longing, by R.N. Morris, on the coffee table, under a pile of magazines and other books (including Dick Minear's latest offering!!!) - I think I read it at the same time as the Chevalier book? Don't really remember now, but I think I finished it and then moved on to Perdido Street.  In any case, I really enjoyed it.  It's the second, I believe, in the "St. Petersburg Mystery" series, starring Dostoyevsky's detective from Crime and Punishment (so freaking amazing), Porfiry Petrovich.  I remember I saw it on the outside bargain table at the Harvard Bookstore, and almost grabbed it, but then remembered I should really be spending my money on Christmas presents, so I held off until I could check Hollis, and sure enough, the library had it.  I'm wondering now if they didn't have the earlier book (A Gentle Axe), because I don't know why I wouldn't have started with that one...
I don't think it mattered all that much, but there were several references to events that happened prior to the opening of the book, and I wasn't sure if they were meant to be a bit mysterious, or if I would have understood them if I had read the first book.  In any case, I thought the writing was great: well-drawn, nuanced characters, that you get to know a little, but also stay at arm's length; wonderfully descriptive settings, with evocative details - the persistent flies buzzing throughout the story's hot, foetid summer were a great touch!

Success!

I was just writing about memory lapses when it comes to book titles, and I know that previously I wrote about a book I kinda remembered, that I kinda liked, that I would maybe/sorta read more books by the author, if I were in the right mood.  Ringing endorsement, I know, but whatever.  In any case, I decided to search about for it and googled "England Scotland "kidnapped son" spy mystery" - and f***ing FOUND it.  Crazy.  Anyhow, the book, a historical msytery set in 1819 England is called Daughter of the Game (now, that is a title I would think I would have remembered, even though the book was not all that memorable).  I remember now I picked it because of the title and because the author, Tracy Grant, studied history at Stanford and had a cool-sounding thesis topic, so I thought her novel might be fun.  And it was, I guess.  I am pretty sure I took it out of the library, so I am tempted to grab it again at some point along with what appears to be a sequel, Beneath A Silent Moon, skim the first just to re-familiarize myself with the major plot points (as I recall, there was a lot going on, although the big "surprise" was totally predictable, and I don't think I guess endings / plot developments well).  It's a little confusing because apparently Daughter of the Game was re-released with a new title and a "prettier" cover - see below - as Secrets of a Lady, but I think Silent Moon is the sequel.  These books would be a good hangover or bus read, even if they're not fantastic.  Like if I go to NYC to see R's new place and visit S & C (although that might require a few trips) - hmm...good plan.  Should stop writing / looking up books, now - all the typing while I am supposedly working with some immigration numbers I compiled is making my boss suspicious - I think he knows I am not really working, and keeps coming over to peer at the computer and ask what I am doing!