Read any good books lately.

When I finished teaching I admit to missing the chance to read.  Okay, so at school it was the GCSE texts 'Of Mice & Men', AQA Poetry Anthology and even the simple English texts I used with my English as an Additional Language students.

I knew the local library had a crime fiction reading group, not my favourite genre.  I turned up keen and eager anticipating some lively debate and discussion. As it turned out the group has about fifteen, 'mature' ladies. They are avid readers of crime fiction preferably 'Mid Summer Murders' rather than the gratuitous violence of  'The girl with the Dragon tattoo' (Steg Larson)  As with any group there is always the dominant one who has way to much to say and cuts across others points of view.

So what could I do.  Easy, set up my own reading group.  Now, by definition my reading group will compromise of friends and neighbours.  Back in January we had our first meeting.  All five of us keen and eager; two ex teachers, an administrator for the Tax Office, an ex pathologist and a lady who does good works.  We now meet monthly at each others houses and the hostess chooses the book for the month.

March has offered two very different books.
Library Group:
P J Tracy - Play to Kill (want to play again?) 
This took quite a time to get going.  I think I came to this novel at a disadvantage.  Although this novel is a 'stand alone' the characters have been developed and used in previous novels.  For me, I cannot get my head around the various mnemonics used for American police fiction.  The crimes involved gave the novel a great start as the serial killer gets to work but the level of tension didn't follow through and the plot drifted.  As the murders were posted on the internet and the techie guys got to work to develop software I wondered if this was becoming a little unrealistic.  It did raise my awareness of how much technology has moved on and what a Big Brother society we live in.
Star Rating:  3 out of 5

Eden Forest Reading Group:
Helen Simonson - Mr Pettigrew's Last Stand
Edgecombe St. Mary a quintessential English village filled with cute rose covered cottages, nosey neighbours, golf club cliches, Lord of the Manor and a village shop run by Asians.  Shock! Horror! The English author, has recently moved with her family to America and I can only think that her publisher is American as there are a number of editing errors.  We have 'rubbish' not 'garbage'.  There were other phrases too that didn't sit comfortably with the scene.  The main character is Major Pettigrew, ex military and charming but there were times when I wanted him to stop being such a softie and revert back to his military role rather than letting people walk all over him.  His relationship with the shopkeep, Mrs Ali, also seemed too contrived.  I have yet to go into a village store where the shop keeper mixes tea leaves to get a perfect blend of tea.  This is a sweet  little novel, a nice light holiday read.
Star Rating: 4 out of 5

What books would you recommend.  Leave a comment. Well, that's it for this week.  No crafting although there is a crafter who crochets Harry Potter and Star Wars figures.   Investigating further.  Off to book club.  Have a good week.