July Reading: First Half of the Month

 I'm a couple days late with my mid-month reading check-in as it has been a busy few days. But it's close enough, so here it is.

Murder in the Midday Sun by various authors and edited by Cecily Gaylord (BorrowBox e-bok)

This is a collection of classic crime stories, with a few more contemporary authors in the mix. I read another of these books last month and had a reserve on this one. I've enjoyed all the books I've read--the summery ones and the Christmas/winter ones. 

The Usual Desire to Kill by Camilla Barnes (borrowed from the library)

I'm not sure exactly how I found out about this book, but I think it was from a post in one of the book blogs that I receive in my email. As soon as I read about it, I went looking for it at the library and placed a hold. The person who was writing about the book mentioned the humor and that's what sold me on it. Miranda is a theater professional who is based in Paris, but frequently goes to see her parents in rural France. The family is originally from the UK and Miranda's sister still lives there, but she doesn't see the parents as often. Miranda has one child, a grown daughter. The parents have a relationship that they've both become accustomed to, but is exasperating for others (and indeed themselves). Father is a retired philosophy professor and Mother is a bookish person who is rather obsessed with WWII even though she was born at the very end of it and didn't experience it. communication between the two isn't really happening so when Miranda is there, she runs interference, translates, and tries to smooth things over. She vents her frustrations in emails to her sister and daughter. In one exchange, the sister asks her how she's doing and Miranda replies, 'Oh fine. Just the usual desire to kill.' I did laugh a lot as I read this book, but as I turned the pages, I learned more about how things came to be the way they are and there was sadness mingled with the humor. I couldn't help but feel for people who were so sure they knew what the other person was thinking and feeling only to learn as the point of view shifted, how wrong those assumptions were. People feel certain they have answers about what's going on, but they're often way off the mark. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Said the Dead by Doireann Ní Ghríofa (personal copy)

I almost never buy novels new. I don't buy many new books at all actually, but when I do, they're almost always nonfiction. This author is an exception. I've bought both of her novels new and if there's another one, I'll buy that too. She is excellent. I still have her first novel, Ghost in the Throat, and am looking forward to re-reading it in the not-too-distant future. This book is a keeper too and I expect I'll also re-read it one day. I was so excited when I read this book was coming out and I kept track of the publication date. I didn't want to pre-order it because I wasn't sure when exactly we'd be moving and I didn't want to risk having it sent to our old address. But as soon as we got here and got all the address changes sorted, Bill ordered it for me. Then I had to be patient again because I was so tired from everything that was going on, the grass pollen, and the other summer yuck, that I was I no fit state to be reading a book that I knew would require some focus. As soon as I felt I could give it the attention it deserves, I picked it up and started reading. Like her previous novel, this one isn't easily categorized--she does cross genre boundaries with great skill and the book is part history, part autobiography, part gender analysis, part psychology. The book opens with a woman seeing a newspaper announcement that a section of a local asylum, long abandoned, is going to be transformed into apartments. She ends up going to the location and drawn into the story of the place, the people who lived and worked there, and how these stories intersect with her own life. She becomes obsessed and revisits the site numerous times, observes herself doing things she normally wouldn't do, and going to the archives again and again to read the files pertaining to this place. She realizes that if she'd been born at an earlier time, she wouldn't be raising her children and living with her family because she might well have been brought to this place, having almost committed suicide twice.  She feels connected to it and some of the women who were brought there for real and manufactured reasons--some women had genuine mental health issues but some were just there because they were poor or their husbands/fathers got tired of them and called them crazy, dumping them at the asylum. The author feels a responsibility to these women, very aware that she is now speaking for them, telling their stories, and bringing their lives out of obscurity. When the archivist tells her that she cannot use any real names, the author struggles to come up with pseudonyms, but it feels wrong. She and the archivist come to an understanding--she can use real first names only. As the author reads the case books from the files, she feels herself getting deeper into her curiosity and questions. Much of what she reads was written by one of the first women to become a medical doctor with a specialty in mental illness. Away from the archives, she delves deeper into the personal histories of the doctor and some of the patients. The novel (if that's what it is), contains photos and excerpts from the archives. Much of the book is created from this material, but there's another strand and that's the unknown person who is watching the author. This other narrator describes 'The Reader' and what she was reading and how she felt about it. So there are three layers here: the residents and doctors at the asylum, The Reader, and the unknown observer who seems to haunt the author. I don't think I've gotten across how excellent I think this book is, but I can say that I loved it and am so glad I have a copy that I'll be able to pick up again. There is so much to think about here--history, gendered history, culture change, how some things change superficially but not fundamentally, how to respect people from the past who can no longer speak for themselves, and so much more. The author is also a poet and it shows--her writing is superb. There is a bibliography at the end as well as some further information.  This is not a quick or fluffy read, but it's well worth the time spent with it.

The Bluestockings: The First Women's Movement by Susannah Gibson (borrowed from the library)

This is exactly what the titles indicates--a history of the group of women who came to be known as bluestockings. This history is presented through the stories of the women who were heavily involved, such as Elizabeth Montagu, Harriet Thrale, Frances Burney, and others. I was particularly pleased to see Burney featured in this book. I quite like her novels. I loved this book. In addition to being very informative, it's well-written, tells the stories of these fascinating women while telling the story of the movement they were a part of, including its limitations, and situates them in the context of their times and places. It was inspiring to see the various ways these women pushed back against the barriers they faced and built satisfying lives for themselves. It's a great read.

Finally, I read a couple of books that will be published soon. Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and the authors for digital review copies of these books.

The Campervan Detectives by Maeve Haran 

to be published on July 28, 2026 by Bookouture

ISBN 9781805506317

Sadie is approaching 60. One day she discovers something that upends her life. She leaves her home with her miniature schnauzer, Sam Spade. On the spur of the moment, she buys a bright orange campervan and sets off for Winching, where she has happy memories of time spent there with her late father. Sadie was at boarding school in the area, which brings some not-so-happy memories, but she does reconnect with a beloved teacher she had there. Taking Sam Spade for a walk through the community gardens, Sadie sees a mysterious person acting suspiciously. Then she sees the body of a deceased woman, although she can't see her face. After dealing with the police, she finally gets to the campground where she plans to park her campervan. Having no experience with campervans, she is relieved when a fellow camper, Rose, helps her set up her bed and promises to be back in the morning. From there Sadie meets a couple of other women who live in their campervans at the site and quickly connects with them, becoming part of the group. When the closed-minded guy who is in charge of the investigation doesn't get very far, the women decide to investigate themselves. They start calling themselves the Vintage Vanettes and plot ensues from there.

I had such a great time reading this book. I loved the Vanettes and was happy to spend time in their company. Each woman had their own back story which was provided in enough detail to connect with readers, but also leaving room for things to be fleshed out further in subsequent books. The supporting cast was full of interesting personalities. I enjoyed the setting a lot, including the way that Sadie interacted with this environment, which held so many memories but also possibilities for the future. The story moved along at just the right pace and I was kept interested in both the mystery and the people. I admit that at first I was slightly skeptical of the rapid connection between Sadie and the other Vanettes, but then I remembered instances in my own life when such connections happen seemingly in the blink of an eye and in completely unexpected ways. In any case, I soon overcame my skepticism and just settled into the story, which had many elements to it--at times tense, heartwarming, funny, and of course, mysterious. The ending was quite satisfying with regard to the mystery, but also in terms of Sadie's decision-making about where she wants her life to go from there. Will she go back to her old life or will she choose another path?

I'm thrilled that this is the first in a series and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book. It's good to know that there's more in store for Sadie and the rest of the Vintage Vanettes.

An Uncommonly Festive Fiasco by Hannah Hendy

to be published on August 6, 2026 by Canelo

ISBN 9781835981610

This is a fun addition to the Dinner Ladies Detectives series. This time, the dinner ladies, led by Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker, are off-site, catering for the vendors and bands taking part in the Christmas festival at a local community center. Margery, the manager of the dinner ladies group, isn't keen on accepting this gig when offered, but she's talked into it because there's payment involved. It's not long before she wishes she'd gone with her gut and turned it down. It's a cold and rainy weekend and when a tree goes down blocking the road, everyone at the event is stuck there. When the power goes off, things get even worse. While spending a cold and uncomfortable night attempting to sleep on the floor, Margery--no spring chicken--is awakened several times by various noises, including the sounds of an argument. In the morning, Santa's grotto is found to contain a dead body. With the police unable to get through, the dinner ladies are asked to investigate and the story goes on from there.

This isn't quite a festive book, although the cozy aspects of the season are mentioned in the context of what everyone is hoping to get home in time to enjoy. The book could be read as a standalone, but I think it'd be more enjoyable if one has read at least some of the previous books in the series. There are several recurring characters and knowing some of their back stories is helpful, both in terms of understanding who they are and why they behave as they do. There's plenty of humor in the book and I chuckled to myself throughout. The mystery was well done and the ending tied everything up neatly. I do like a cozy Christmas mystery and I enjoyed my time with this one.

And there you have my thoughts on what I read during the first half of July. I hope you're reading some excellent books this month and that you're getting plenty of reading time.

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