As mentioned previously I am playing catch up with my TBR. One way to bring the list into some form of submission was to focus on one author to read all of the backlog. The logic is that I would become accustomed to the rhythms of the writer which in turn would allow me to read faster.
The author I was the biggest offender with is Stephen Booth. I own 5 books that I needed to read, from DEAD AND BURIED, the 12th in the series, to SECRETS OF DEATH his 16th Cooper and Fry novel. My thesis that reading a run of books would help proved to be true as I was able to get through all of the books in about 3 weeks.
Facilitating the quick read was the fact that DEAD AND BURIED, ALREADY DEAD, and THE CORPSE BRIDGE made a very strong trilogy. And in point of fact some of the best work of the entire series. I felt like Mr. Booth was really on a heater after some not so memorable reads leading up to DEAD AND BURIED. As a series reader, I am often daunted by the fact that starting a long-running series is impossible because the idiot side of brain insists I start from the beginning. On the flip side of this, I can think of no greater service to the Crime Fiction community than a website that would be dedicated to telling you where you could step into a series without the guilt that you will miss something in the proceeding books. As a start to this mythical website DEAD AND BURIED is the book I would point you to if you wanted to read Stephen Booth and felt overwhelmed to be looking at 18 books just to get to zero. Some are probably excited by having a long roster of books to read. Right now it fills me with increasing amounts of dread.
Frustratingly I am still in the hole to Mr. Booth. I have yet to purchase his 2017 and 2018 entries because for reasons that are a mystery to myself I only buy Mr. Booth in UK hardcover.
I'm on to the two Alan Furst books I need to read than a couple books from 2018, Mark Billingham's THE KILLING HABIT and Michael Connelly's DARK SACRED NIGHT.
I'm on to the two Alan Furst books I need to read than a couple books from 2018, Mark Billingham's THE KILLING HABIT and Michael Connelly's DARK SACRED NIGHT.
Current Read: A HERO OF FRANCE - Alan Furst
To Be Read: 36
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