Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

In late 2001, the first adaptation of Harry Potter made its way on to the big screen. The child actors were instantly catapulted into fame. As the young villain of the piece, Tom Felton says that he never got as much press as the actors who played the main three characters, but it did, of course, change his life.

Felton had already been an actor and he walks us through the roles he had and some of the people he met on various sets. He also tells us about working behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films and gives us a lovely glimpse of many of the actors on the films, including those who have since passed away. And they are very short glimpses with very little going too far into depth. 

Read by Felton himself, this book is an interesting look at how the children of Harry Potter grew up on set but also how Felton himself changed both before and after the films. He definitely struggled afterwards but seems to have pulled himself back up by his bootstraps.

Four Stars 

This book came out October 18, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens

When Christian and Letitia were young, they were inseparable, in love. But then Christian went to serve king and country. He returned: Letitia was married. Well, life has happened and Christian is now the Marquess of Dearne and Letitia needs his help. Her husband is dead and her brother is the main suspect. 
So, the book opens with a dead husband and ends with a marriage with lots of "for romance reasons" in between. It was generally an entertaining book but there was a lot of glossing over details, etc.

Three stars

This book came out August 26, 2008

Follows Beyond Seduction

Followed by Mastered by Love

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder Through the English Post by Jessica Ellicott

The book starts out with Edwina in her new position, that of magistrate for Walmsley Parma. In true Edwina fashion, she is nervous about being in charge but it is the last case of the day that causes her some angst. Michael and Norman had gotten into a fight and the local constable got punched in the face. 

The argument began because an unsigned letter accused Norman of spreading rumors bout Michael's service and whether or not he was really injured on the front line. An understandable reason to get upset. Not a good reason to clock Constable Gibbs. Edwina is able to clear up the misunderstanding but she is worried. She becomes even more worried when it becomes clear that there is a spate of poison pen letters being spread throughout the town. Even Beryl gets one (though, being Beryl, she is highly amused rather than any other emotion.)

When one of the recipients takes drastic measures, Constable Gibbs asks the ladies to look into who is sending the letters. Eventually the mystery will be solved, but not before there is a death. 

The ending was a little convoluted and there were a couple of phrases that were repeated a little too often but overall a nice addition to the series.

Beryl and Edwina Mystery #6

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 26, 2022

Follows Murder in an English Glade

Followed by Murder at a London Finishing School

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink

I heard about this book from  NPR's Best Books and thought, "Why not?" I think I'm like most people, that there are things in my life that I regret. But so much of American culture these days encourages us to live life with no regrets. But why? Pink urges us to look at that statement and see that maybe it is incorrect. Maybe we do need to have some regrets. How else will we know how to improve ourselves? But there are ways to avoid regret. . In this book, Pink goes through the four core types of regret and talks about ways that we can avoid foundation, boldness, moral, and connection regrets. It is these regrets that we should focus on when making decisions; in five years, ten. Otherwise, "satisficing" is good enough. To undo regrets, you can apologize or try to undo action regrets or "at least it". For both action and inaction, practice self-compassion, normalize (zoom out several years), or try to work through them whether by talking with others or writing it down somewhere.

Three and a half stars

This book came out February 1, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

This book starts seemingly somewhat in the middle of the story. Some major things have already happened to Pallas Llewellyn and Ambrose Drake before they meet. One of the things involves Pallas meeting her two friends Talia March and Amelia Rivers who we do not get to see much of at all in this book and, even knowing their books are coming, I was sad not to see more interactions to tie the series together.

Pallas is one of a trio of podcasters who investigate interesting cases. She is in town because Ambrose has contacted her. Her own past is complicated by a lost night that amplified her psychic powers. 

Ambrose has his own lost night and his family believes it is driving him mad. But he knows that someone died in a mental hospital and he wants help. Pallas... will be that help. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 3, 2023

Followed by The Night Island

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own 

Reread as audiobook January 2023

Matilda by Roald Dahl, Sarah Greene

I think that coming to this book later in life may make it difficult to overlook the nastiness of the adults but Roald Dahl generally has his tongue firmly in his cheek while writing and his books have to be taken in with that in mind.
But who can't love a tiny girl, only 4 years old, who toddles herself down to the library. And then, at 5, deciding to get revenge against her parents. And then uses her excess brain power to convince a real baddie that she needs to repent.
Okay, yes, this is spreading dissidence toward parents but even I could tell the difference between these parents and my own while reading this book.

Four and a half stars

This book came out October 1, 1988

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

This book is a classic for some very good reasons. First, the majority of the characters are fully fleshed out. And there are a lot of characters to get to know in this book. Second, the mystery, though convoluted, is pretty fairly clued - readers can go back through the story and see where the hints to the solution were given.

Hercule Poirot, the world-famous detective needs to go back to London and the easiest way to get there is via the Orient Express. Strangely for this time of year, the train is completely full. Luckily, one of the passengers doesn't seem to have shown up and Poirot's friend, a director of the train company, assigns him the berth. All seems normal until one of the people on the train tries to hire Poirot to protect him. Poirot opts not to take the job. And then the man turns up dead. But the train has run into a snowdrift and isn't moving, presumably with the murderer still on board. It's up to Poirot to figure out what is going on. 

Four stars

This book came out January 1, 1934

Follows Lord Edgware Dies

Followed by Three Act Tragedy

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Once again, Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly is on the road. His club's steward, Carnaby, is missing and that is throwing Anty off. Especially when he finds out that Carnaby left after receiving a telegram that warns that a curse is once again alive.

So Anty follows him to Hoy and meets none other than Inspector Wittersham on the train down. This time, the two actually have a nice conversation. When they get to Hoy, they discover that there are castle Carnabys and town Carnabys. Basically a thems-that-has and thems-that-hasn't. Except that the castle Carnabys don't have any money while the town Carnabys are doing more than fine. 

Those at the castle are especially riled because the local fog has taken the recent bride of the current head of the family. No fewer than six people saw her at the edge of the river, the fog come in, and then she was gone; and there was no way that anyone could have possibly done it. 

Four stars

This book came out November 30, 2021

Follows The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood

Three novellas are loosely connected by a circle of friends but they don't show up very much which is probably fine since the book is so short we don't get to see much of Sadie and Erik anyway. And it turns out that this is one of those books where, if one of the two had talked to the other, there wouldn't be much to the story. And the only reason they are together now is because they are caught in an elevator. 

Three stars

This novella came out March 8, 2022

Follows Under One Roof

Followed by Below Zero

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly's reputation is getting larger. Another of his old school chums has asked for his help. This time, it's to prove who died first in a duel where both men died. It seems that the two were of the generation of the Tenpenny family and it was to the survivor that the riches of the family tontine would pay out. But who actually gets the money will depend on who died first.

Again, very funny but more than a little convoluted.

Four stars

This book came out November 30, 2021

Follows The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning

Followed by The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly decides to make this book somewhat even more amusing to listen to as he goes to visit his Aunty. She has an extreme aversion to being anywhere in public but hers are the only footprints in the snow leading to her neighbor's house. The same neighbor who is now dead. 

Inspector Wittersham once again appears in this story and agrees with the local constable that Anty's aunty does seem like the most likely murder suspect as she has been spending time with the retired major and it is possible that something went wrong between them. The biggest problem that Aunt Azalea is facing is that the major was seen in the local pub after the snow started pinning her as the only suspect.

The solution is a bit convoluted and all of the townspeople have secrets that come out in the end but it was overall a very enjoyable story.

Four stars

This book came out July 1, 2022

Follows The Case of the Canterfell Codicil

Followed by The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie

The solution to this story is more than a little complicated with any number of coincidences but it is seemingly easily solved by Hercule Poirot. 

A young girl, known for being an inveterate liar, declares that she has seen a murder. When no one believes her, she doubles down and says that she only just realized what it was that she saw. Still, no one pays attention. Even mystery writer Ariadne Oliver, visiting a friend, thinks the girl is lying in order to bulk up her social credibility. But then, during the Halloween party, the girl is killed. And, later, her brother. Mrs. Oliver does the sensible thing and calls on her friend, the famous detective. 

This is an interesting story because we do get to see Poirot in nature (it doesn't go well) and the ending is a little more dramatic than some others in this series.

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 1, 1969

Follows Third Girl

Followed by Elephants Can Remember

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Reread October 2023

Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai

This book is a lot of wacky and requires a LOT of suspended disbelief but, if you can buckle up for the ride, it's awfully fun. 

Amira Patel (actually, Mira) ran away from most of her family, changed her name, and became an upstanding citizen. Of course, not having a "good family" is hindering her matchmaking prospects. In the past two years, she's been out with thirteen men, all introduced to her by Hema Auntie, one of Los Angeles's premier Indian matchmakers. She was accepted because her good friend's mother is a former client of Hema's and vouched for her. She dumped all of the first twelve but now the thirteenth has dumped her. She knows she's not getting any more matches. Not from this matchmaker. Which stinks even worse because the one family member, her aunt, that she was in touch with has just died leaving her alone in the world. Mira is shocked to hear her aunt left a will and even more shocked when the attorney ends up being her first match. The one she dated for six months and then basically ghosted after a short text.

Naveen Desai is shocked to see Mira in his office. He thought they were done for good. He's even more shocked when she is attacked in the parking garage and the attackers take him as well. 

This starts Mira and Naveen off on an adventure that will have them running all over Las Vegas, dodging shady FBI agents, and uncovering Mira's past. There is a lot going on in the book and, if I think about it too closely, there are a lot of thing that were left dangling but I really enjoyed the read. 

Updated to add that the audiobook is absolutely amazing. The narrators are just... perfect. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out October 18, 2022

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook January 2023

Eat, Pray, Love Made Me Do It -- Anthology

I didn't love "Eat, Pray, Love" but many people did and listening to their stories was an interesting way to pass time. Just more proof that literature can change people's lives, often for the better.

Three stars

This book came out March 29, 2016

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Thursday Murder Club Richard Osman

I read this book after the second and third in this series but that didn't bother me at all. The story is great, the narrator is fantastic, and the characters are in their pupal state but, knowing the butterflies, I enjoyed them maybe even more. I feel like we get to see Joyce quite a bit but not as much of Elizabeth, Ibrahim, and Ron who we see more of in later books.

When the book starts, we meet Joyce. Well, she keeps diary entries about her days. She's a former nurse and has been invited to join the Thursday Murder Club (on Thursdays because that was the only day the common room was available. It was started by Elizabeth and Penny as a way to solve cold cases. Now Penny is close to death and the crew is a little at loose ends. Right now they are working on the mysterious death of the man who wanted to develop next to their retirement home. Then there's another death. And they're somewhat connected to one of the cold cases the crew worked on.

Four stars

This book came out September 3, 2020

Followed by The Man who Died Twice

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews

This reminds me of an early Langslow in the best of ways. Large ensemble of characters we know and love (though Michael and the boys weren't as prominent in this one, that's okay,) all of them gathered for holiday, getting glimpses of Caerphilly as Meg tries to solve a murder, and Mutant Wizards!

A Canadian genetics company has teamed up with Rob's computer folks to try and develop a better website. They are a small company currently headed by the owner's son, Ian. The son has decided that the entire genetics team needs to be in Caerphilly even though it means most of them will be missing Christmas with their families. Even worse, he did NOT plan well and they should up in town with no place to stay. In Caerphilly, known for their Christmas festival. So, once again, Meg and Michael are hosting any number of people in their house. 

At least the house is furnished and warm. And cousin Nora is there to feed everyone so all Meg has to do is keep her temper around Ian, even as she learns more and more and it makes her less and less impressed by the man. Of course, that means he's probably the one who will end up dead. 

Among the suspects are the young women Ian hit on, the woman who is stalking him, and a convicted killer who was released because their genetics company says that his DNA was not the one found at the scene.  

Four stars

This book comes out October 11, 2022

Follows Round Up the Usual Peacocks

Followed by Birder, She Wrote

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Reread December 2022 as audiobook

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

Our favorite crime-solving team is back and once again under threat. This time, Elizabeth is picked up from a walk with Stephen (who is picked up along with her.) A mysterious Swede (quickly dubbed The Viking) wants her to kill a man she once knew. She's not sure how well she knew Viktor Illyich but he's pretty sure they were VERY good friends. But she's told that it's either killing Viktor or The Viking will send him information which will cause him to kill Joyce. 

While Elizabeth is struggling with that problem, the rest of the club is working on a nearly ten-year-old murder. This one is focused around newscaster Bethany Waites. She was on the trail of a big story when her car was pushed over a cliff. Her body was never found but that was not unusual in the place where her car went over.

Like the other books in this series, lots of twists and turns and a series of unexpected endings. Not everything in the end will be good news and I did tear up while listening. 

The narrator for the book was absolutely fabulous and I am leaning more toward listening to the rest of this series than reading it in the future.

Four and a half stars

This book came out September 15, 2022

Follows The Man Who Died Twice

Followed by The Last Devil to Die

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood

Helena Harding was a kick ass engineer and world class environmentalist. She was also the closest thing Mara had to family. When Helena dies and leaves Mara a house near Mara's new office at the EPA in DC, it seems like it should be a good opportunity for Mara. Except that Mara has actually only been left half a house, the other half belonging to Mara's nephew who works for Big Oil. 

They start off shaky and antagonistic but slowly learn that they may have misjudged each other and finally falling into some severe lust.

Three stars

This novella came out February 8, 2022

Followed by Stuck with You

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Hello, Molly!: A Memoir by Molly Shannon, Sean Wilsey

I've been on an autobiography kick lately and enjoyed all of them, especially when the authors read them on the audiobook version. This book is definitely worth listening to.

Molly Shannon started performing at a young age. Not on the stage, per se, but with other children. It was one way to control her life after her family was in a car accident when she was four and her mother, sister, and cousin all died. There was a lot left out of Shannon's relationship with her father and enough information to know that she had a hard time while growing up. 

We learn about her going to school and really getting into acting, having to scramble in both New York and Los Angeles before finally landing her role on Saturday Night Live. 

There isn't much on her life post-SNL but I get the feeling that she hasn't had as much time process that as she has her early life.

Four stars

This book came out April 12, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

Though this is the second book in a series, my book club assured me I need not have read the first and they were absolutely correct. A fabulous book about retirees solving crimes. A little darker than I was expecting but overall a delight. 

The Thursday Murder Club, consisting of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, is getting back together. A series of subplots are delightfully woven together by Osman using all four of these characters as well as local police partners Donna and Chris. Donna and Chris are working on trying to take down a local drug lord. One of her runners decides to take a swing at Ibrahim who is just figuring out how vast the world is. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is struggling as her past, both personal and professional, comes back, even while her husband's dementia is getting worse. 

Four stars

This book came out 

Follows The Thursday Murder Club

Followed by The Bullet that Missed

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own