Author: bookhound

Death in Kashmir

by M.M. Kaye, 1984 (Adam home this day for Thanksgiving!) Not as good as her other books but still good. Janet Rushton is murdered on ski slopes of Kashmir. Sarah Parrish gets involved in the mystery. Ends up being Hugo – dear old Hugo! He is going to kill Sarah on the houseboat on Lake […]

Things Fall Apart

by Chinua Achebe, 1958 A story about tribal Africa (Nigeria) and Okonkwo, a warrior, ashamed of his lazy father, mean & angry, and his “clan.” Many superstitions and gods, rules, etc., for living. Grow yams. Missionaries come – His son Nwoye converts. Bad ending – 2nd missionary not good. Okonkwo wants to destroy them all […]

Foundation’s Edge

by Isaac Asimov, 1982 Fell in love with Trevize. He and Pelorat get exiled and they get a super spaceship. They try to find Earth – Find Gaia in the Sayshell sector. The 1st and 2nd Foundation follow him. Gaia lets Trevize decide who wins. He chooses Gaia. Gaia represented by Bliss, Novi, and Dom. […]

Second Foundation

by Isaac Asimov, 1953 First half: The 2nd Foundation defeats the Mule Second half: The First Foundation thinks they defeated the 2nd Foundation – Arkady was programmed on Trantor as a baby so her encephelograph didn’t show she was controlled so her Dad, Dr. Darrell, didn’t think she was. But in reality, the 2nd Foundation […]

Foundation and Empire

by Isaac Asimov, 1952 Really good! Magnifico, the clown, is the Mule! Defeats the Foundation by his ability to control men’s emotions. Almost gets Mis to discover the location of the 2nd Foundation but Bayta figures it out that the Clown is the Mule and kills Mis before he can tell. Mule loves Bayta because […]

Morality for Beautiful Girls

by Alexander McCall Smith, 2001 More #1 Ladies Detective Agency – My favorite so far! #3 Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is depressed. Mma Ramotswe gets him to the orphanage where he is well taken care of. Mma Ramotswe solves the mystery of the brother poisoning – not killed just sick – it was the cook, not […]

The Rapture of Canaan

by Sheri Reynolds, 1995 Grandpa Herman’s Church of Fire & Brimstone & God’s Almighty Baptizing Wind – he rules his extended family – makes the sermons and the rules and punishment for sinning, like living in a cellar for 40 days, sleeping in a grave overnight, getting dunked. Ninah & James are prayer partners. Ninah […]

Wild Mountain Thyme

by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1978 What a great book! Victoria, Oliver, & Thomas go to Benchoile in Scotland-meet the Dunbeath’s Roddy, John – John & Victoria end up together at the end, Oliver a playwright – but oh – what a jerk! Stole Thomas from the Archer’s, hooks back up with Victoria – leaves them both. […]

The Far Pavilions

by M.M. Kaye, 1978 Over 900 pages – set in 1800s – India & Afghanistan. British rule India – Ash, Juli, Wally – EPIC – Ash main character from birth to young man. What a life! What he went through, not accepted by Britain or India. His thoughts and ideas could have saved 1000s of […]

The Caine Mutiny

by Herman Wouk, 1951 (Pulitzer Prize winner for 1951) One of the best books I have ever read! Willie Keith, WWII Navy, serves Queeg, a poltroon (wretched coward), end up taking over ship in a typhoon, court-martialed. Keefer chickens out – lies – on witness stand. Looks good – gets ship (the Caine) and he’s […]

A Walk in Wolf Wood

by Mary Stewart, 1980 A children’s book not just for children. John & Margaret go on a picnic in Bavaria w/parents. While parents are napping, they go exploring in the forest. Come upon a cabin in the woods, meet a man who is a “werwolf” and embark upon an adventure to save him, Mardian, from […]

Thunder On the Right

by Mary Stewart, 1957 Set in French Pyranees – 2 cousins, Gillian & Jennifer. Jennifer goes to convent to find Gillian – mystery – she’s dead – but Jennifer figures it out – it was someone else. Jennifer finds her finally – w/help of Stephen.

Lost Horizon

by James Hilton, 1933 “Shangri-La – Conway – is it real? Lamasery – Lama – He died – centuries old – picked Conway to succeed him. Conway left with Mallinson. What happened to Mallinson? He died? He was the skeptic. Conway started to believe him. Left with Lo-Tsen, the little Manchu they both loved. Sounds […]

This Rough Magic

by Mary Stewart, 1964 Lucy visits her sister on the Isle of Corfu. A dolphin swims with her – she and Max save it, fall in love, solve the mystery of the near death of Spiro and the death of Yanni (not a main character). What beautifully written details – the walk down through pine […]

Scarlet Feather

by Maeve Binchy, 2001 Irish-Dublin-Tom & Cathy start dream catering business and they are the best. They both are with others (Marcella & Neil) but end up together at the end. Yahoo! Neil is a jerk and so is his family – the Mitchell’s. Marcella wants to be a model but at 25, finds out […]

The Pilot’s Wife

by Anita Shreve, 1999 Page-turner. Pilot’s wife coping with his death in plane crash – mystery – was it a bomb or suicide – set in New Hampshire coast – plane crashed in ocean off Ireland. Turns out he had a secret marriage and 2 kids in Ireland – and it was IRA involvement that […]