Since I’m sick* and way behind on reviews, I’ve realised the only way to catch up is to make them speed reviews and post a whole batch at once.
The Age of Napoleon; Alistair Horne, eng, 235
Interesting, but a little choppily written, and also the author assumes you know certain things and never explains them, [...]

Posted on July 7th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A-Z Reading Challenge, B, Book Blowout, C, Classics, D, English, GLBT interest, Historical, History, Lifestyle, Mystery, Religion, Romance, Science Fiction, Sex, sexuality & gender, Speed reviews, Swedish, To Be Read, Young Adult | 1 Comment »

Strong Poison
by Dorothy L Sayers

English
261 pages
Harper Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-104350-5
First line:There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.
Back cover blurb:
Mystery novelist Harriet Vane knew all about poisons, and when her fiancé died in the manner prescribed in one of her books, a jury of her peers had a hangman’s noose in [...]

Posted on May 22nd, 2008 by Love
Filed under: B, English, Historical, Mystery | 1 Comment »

Hästen från Porten
by Carina Burman

Swedish
354 pages
Albert Bonniers Förlag
ISBN: 978-91-0-011729-0
First line: För andra gången kom jag till Philadelphia.
Back cover blurb:
Han hette Djinn. Åtminstone var det så hon kallade honom, succéförfattarinnan Euthanasia Bondeson, när de möttes i den syriska öknen.
Det fanns varken lugn eller inspiration där i hettan, där sanden letade sig in överallt och städerna [...]

Posted on May 6th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: B, GLBT interest, Historical, Mystery, Swedish | No Comments »

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
by Dorothy L Sayers

English
243 pages
Harper Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-104354-3
First line: “What in the world, Wimsey, are you doing in this morgue?” demanded Captain Fentiman, flinging aside the ‘Evening Banner’ with the air of a man released from an irksome duty.”
Back cover blurb:
Ninety-year-old General Fentiman was definitely dead, but no one knew [...]

Posted on March 12th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: B, English, Historical, Mystery | 1 Comment »

Unnatural Death
by Dorothy L Sayers

For the A-Z reading challenge.
English
280 pages
Harper Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-104358-1
First line: “But if he thought the woman was being murdered—”
Back cover blurb:
The wealthy old woman was dead—a trifle sooner than expected. The intricate trail of horror and senseless murder led from a beautiful Hampshire village to a fashionable London flat and a [...]

Posted on March 10th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A, A-Z Reading Challenge, English, Historical, Mystery | 5 Comments »

Murder Must Advertise
by Dorothy L Sayers

For the Decades ‘08 reading challenge (first published 1933).
English
356 pages
Harper Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-104355-0
First line: “And by the way,” said Mr. Hankin, arresting Miss Rossiter as she rose to go, “there is a new copy-writer coming in today.”
Back cover blurb:
When ad man Victor Dean falls down the stairs in the offices [...]

Posted on February 15th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A, Decades '08, English, Historical, Mystery | 5 Comments »

Clouds of Witness
by Dorothy L Sayers

For the A-Z reading challenge.
English
279 pages
Harper Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-104353-6
First line: Lord Peter Wimsey stretched himself luxuriously between the sheets provided by the Hôtel Meurice.
Back cover blurb:
Rustic old Riddlesdale Lodge was a Wimsey family retreat filled with country pleasures and the thrill of the hunt—until the game turned up human and [...]

Posted on February 10th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A-Z Reading Challenge, B, English, Historical, Mystery | 2 Comments »

Whose Body?
by Dorothy L Sayers

For the Decades ‘08 (first published 1923), First in a Series and A-Z reading challenges.
English
212 pages
Harper Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-06-104357-4
First line: “Oh damn!” said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus.
Back cover blurb:
The stark naked body was lying in the tub. Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder [...]

Posted on January 26th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A, A-Z Reading Challenge, Decades '08, English, First in a Series, Historical, Mystery | 3 Comments »

Some Danger Involved
by Will Thomas

For the Back to History and A-Z reading challenges.
English
302 pages
Touchstone
ISBN: 978-0-7432-5619-3
First line: If someone had told me, those many years ago, that I would spend the bulk of my life as assistant and eventual partner to one of the most eminent detectives in London, I would have thought him a [...]

Posted on January 7th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A-Z Reading Challenge, B, Back to History, English, Historical, Mystery | 1 Comment »

Lord John and the Hand of Devils
by Diana Gabaldon

For the End of Year Mini Challenge.
English
317 pages
Century
ISBN: 978-0-7126-8065-3
First line: Lord John Grey jerked his eyes away from the door.
Back cover blurb:
Diana Gabaldon, the New York Times bestselling author of A Breath of Snow and Ashes, delivers three tales of war, intrigue and espionage featuring the [...]

Posted on December 30th, 2007 by Love
Filed under: B, English, GLBT interest, Historical, Mystery, Personal challenges | No Comments »