UK Book Club discussion

* = New (to me) Author

Surnames - New To Me Authors
Start Date: 1/1/15
Progress: 26/26
Date Completed: 6/11/15

*A. Abbott, Rachel - Sleep Tight (12/1/15)
*B. Brown, Josie - The Onesies: Fall (19/2/15)
*C. Coburn, Jennifer - Reinventing Mona (5/7/15)
*D. Durrant, Sabine - Under Your Skin (2/4/15)
*E. Evans, Geraldine - Dead Before Morning (29/4/15)
*F. Forster, E.M - A Room with a View (14/3/15)
*G. Gale, Colette - Entwined (14/7/15)
*H. Harrison, A.S.A - The Silent Wife (7/2/15)
*I. Iles, Greg - Mortal Fear (25/5/15)
*J. Jenner, Simon - Ethan Justice: Origins (8/3/15)
*K. Kubica, Mary - The Good Girl (29/3/15)
*L. Lee, Amanda M. - Any Witch Way You Can (30/4/15)
*M. Marsden, Monica - A Matter of Clues (16/1/15)
*N. Nelson, Jandy - The Sky Is Everywhere (25/8/15)
*O. Oswald, James - The Book of Souls (12/3/15)
*P. Perry, Karen - The Boy That Never Was (7/4/15)
*Q. Quigley, Sheila - Run For Home (6/4/15)
*R. Rodriguez, Deborah - The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul (28/3/15)
*S. Schurig, Rachel - Three Girls and a Baby (2/2/15)
*T. Thompson, James - Snow Angels (6/11/15)
*U. Usher, Donna Joy - Cocoa and Chanel (10/1/15)
*V. Verdon, John - Think Of A Number (15/6/15)
*W. Weaver, Tim - Fall From Grace (10/2/15)
*X. Xu, Ruiyan - The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai (29/1/15)
*Y. Young, Pamela Samuels - Anybody's Daughter (22/10/15)
*Z. Zante, Lily - The Proposal (8/1/15)

Surnames List - MALE
Start Date: 1/1/15
Progress: 26/26
Date Completed: 2/12/15

A. Abbott, Jeff - Run (7/3/15)
B. Bates, H.E - Oh! To Be In England (24/2/15)
C. Carter, Chris - The Crucifix Killer (20/5/15)
*D. Dolan, John - Everyone Burns (9/10/15)
*E. Elwes, Cary - As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride (9/9/15)
F. Fitzgerald, F. Scott - The Beautiful and Damned (19/1/15)
G. Goldman, William - The Princess Bride (19/5/15)
*H. Hewson, David - The House of Dolls (20/7/15)
I. Irving, Washington - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2/1/15)
J. James, Peter - Want You Dead (19/2/15)
K. Khoury, Raymond - The Last Templar (1/1/15)
*L. Lawrence, D.H - Lady Chatterley's Lover (3/6/15)
M. MacBride, Stuart - Blind Eye (12/2/15)
*N. Nasaw, Jonathan - The Girls He Adored (26/8/15)
*O. Orwell, George - Animal Farm (13/3/15)
P. Patterson, James - 12th of Never (14/1/15)
*Q. Quick, Matthew - The Silver Linings Playbook (31/3/15)
R. Robinson, Peter - Abattoir Blues (28/4/15)
*S. Stevenson, Robert Louis - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (11/1/15)
T. Theorin, Johan - The Asylum (23/2/15)
*U. Unsworth, Barry - After Hannibal (14/5/15)
*V. Vicary, Tim - A Game of Proof (31/10/15)
W. Weaver, Tim - Never Coming Back (28/2/15)
*X. Xiaolong, Qiu - Death Of A Red Heroine (10/2/15)
*Y. Yearly, Patrick - A Lonely Dog on Christmas (2/12/15)
*Z. Zenos, Christopher - Autumn in Carthage (28/9/15)

Surnames List - FEMALE
Start Date: 1/1/15
Progress: 26/26
Date Completed: 2/12/15

*A. Adams, Annie - Deadly Arrangements (14/4/15)
*B. Bronte, Anne - Agnes Grey (11/4/15)
C. Christie, Agatha - The Big Four (3/1/15)
*D. Doughty, Louise - Apple Tree Yard (13/7/15)
*E. Edmonds, Hattie Holden - Cinema Lumière (18/8/15)
*F. Fox, Angie - The Accidental Demon Slayer (15/5/15)
G. Grace, Celina - Hushabye (15/3/15)
H. Hannah, Sophie - Kind of Cruel (21/1/15)
*I. Irwin, Margaret - Elizabeth, Captive Princess (27/4/15)
*J. Jacobs, Mara - In Too Deep (14/8/15)
K. Koomson, Dorothy - The Flavours of Love (3/2/15)
*L. Lessner, Joanne Sydney - The Temporary Detective (3/8/15)
M. Mansell, Jill - A Walk in the Park (8/3/15)
*N. North, Claire - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (7/8/15)
*O. Obreht, Tea - The Tiger's Wife (3/3/15)
P. Picoult, Jodi - Leaving Time (17/4/15)
*Q. Quinn, Sophie - Diary of a Size 12 (13/9/15)
R. Rose, Karen - Watch Your Back (27/6/15)
*S. Shepard, Sara - Pretty Little Liars (6/5/15)
*T. Taylor, Chris - The Profiler (27/10/15)
U. Unger, Lisa - In The Blood (30/1/15)
*V. Vansant, Amy - Pineapple Lies (21/10/15)
W. Whitehouse, Lucie - Before We Met (11/4/15)
*X. Xu, Meihong - Daughter Of China (6/2/15)
*Y. Yeager, Nicola - Christmas Without Holly (2/12/15)
*Z. Zane, Jennifer - Gnome On The Range (17/3/15)

First Names List
Start Date: 1/1/15
Progress: 26/26
Date Completed: 21/9/15

A. Agatha Christie - The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (4/1/15)
*B. Boyd Morrison - The Roswell Conspiracy (24/3/15)
*C. Cindy Blackburn - Playing With Poison (2/6/15)
D. Diane Chamberlain - Secret Lives (10/3/15)
E. Enid Blyton - Five Go to Smuggler's Top (26/3/15)
F. Fiona Gibson - Mum on the Run (21/9/15)
*G. Gregory Maguire - Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (19/6/15)
*H. Hilary Bonner - The Cruellest Game (27/5/15)
I. Ian Fleming - Live and Let Die (5/4/15)
*J. Joann Spears - Six of One (4/1/15)
*K. Ken Kesey - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (30/3/15)
*L. Lori Avocato - Dead Weight (30/3/15)
*M. Mike Faricy - Last Shot (21/4/15)
*N. Nancy Price - Sleeping with the Enemy (4/6/15)
*O. Oscar de Muriel - The Strings of Murder (22/8/25)
*P. Piers Anthony - Total Recall (26/5/15)
*Q. Quinn Loftis - Prince of Wolves (21/7/15)
R. Raymond Khoury - The Templar Salvation (8/1/15)
S. Sophie McKenzie - Trust in Me (14/3/15)
T. Talli Roland - Build A Man (17/2/15)
*U. Ursula Poznanski (aka Ursula P Archer) - Five (15/2/15)
V. Val McDermid - Northanger Abbey (10/1/15)
*W. Willow Rose - One, Two ... He Is Coming For You (12/4/15)
X. Xue Xinran - Sky Burial (23/1/15)
*Y. Yvonne Harriott - Hide 'N Seek (3/1/15)
*Z. Zoe Ferraris - Kingdom of Strangers (16/1/15)

Titles List
Start Date: 1/1/15
Progress: 26/26
Date Completed: 1/10/15


A. And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie (16/1/15)
B. The Body in the Library - Agatha Christie (11/1/15)
C. Cards on the Table - Agatha Christie (6/1/15)
D. Dead Man's Folly - Agatha Christie (18/1/15)
E. Elephants can Remember - Agatha Christie (22/1/15)
F. Five Little Pigs - Agatha Christie (2/1/15)
*G. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer (23/2/15)
H. The Hollow - Agatha Christie (20/1/15)
I. Innocent Graves - Peter Robinson (2/7/15)
*J. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling (17/6/15)
*K. Killer Cupcakes - Leighann Dobbs (3/5/15)
L. Lord Edgware Dies - Agatha Christie (9/1/15)
M. A Murder Is Announced - Agatha Christie (13/1/15)
N. Necessary Lies - Diane Chamberlain (19/3/15)
O. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe - Agatha Christie (5/1/15)
P. A Pocket Full of Rye - Agatha Christie (12/1/15)
Q. The Queen Gene - Jennifer Coburn (29/9/15)
R. Rasputin's Shadow - Raymond Khoury (17/1/15)
S. Sad Cypress - Agatha Christie (26/4/15)
*T. The Time Machine - H.G. Wells (15/2/15)
U. Unlucky 13 - James Patterson (9/2/15)
*V. The Venetian Betrayal - Steve Berry (12/7/15)
W. When the Green Woods Laugh - H.E. Bates (20/2/15)
X. X - Sue Grafton (1/10/15)
*Y. The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman (10/1/15)
Z. Zero Day - David Baldacci (17/5/15)

Wow that looks complicated, good luck.

Andrew wrote: "Wow that looks complicated, good luck."

Thanks, I'm hoping I haven't made my life too difficult!

Good luck with your challenges!

Kate (Trojanhorse) wrote: "Good luck with your challenges!"

Thank you :)

Kicking off with male author surname K - Raymond Khoury - - The Last Templar.

Mindlessly entertaining treasure-hunting, religious conspiracy adventure.

Starting my titles list with F - Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie.

Good Poirot mystery that kept me guessing right to the end.

Male author surname I - Washington Irving - - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Much shorter (and duller) than expected. Disappointing.

Best of luck with your challenges. You must read very fast :) I'm not even half way through my first of the year and it's not that long!

Sue wrote: "Best of luck with your challenges. You must read very fast :) I'm not even half way through my first of the year and it's not that long!"

I do tend to read quite fast, about 100 pages an hour on average - unless the book is deathly boring! The last couple of days I've been on strike as I spent most of the time between Xmas and New Year cooking and clearing up so I told my family to fend for themselves and curled up with a stack of books and my kindle! Pure bliss :)

Author first name Y - Yvonne Harriott - - Hide 'N Seek

Kindle freebie 'romantic suspense' - not the worst book I've ever read but not great either. You get what you pay for I suppose.
And on the plus side it's filled in one of the more difficult letters in my A-Z.

Female author surname C - Agatha Christie - The Big Four.

Not one of the best Christie books, this was fairly short but felt incredibly long.

Author first name J - Joann Spears - Six of One.

Another kindle freebie, I was quite looking forward to reading this one as I'm very interested in the Tudor period and this sounded like a fun take on the subject. It's meant to be a spoof - I get that, unfortunately my idea of humour and the authors are obviously very different and I found it silly and - in places - irritating. Not for me.

Author first name A - Agatha Christie - The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side.

Another Christie classic (I'm attempting to read - or re-read - my way through the entire series), this one a Miss Marple story. Good solid mystery.

Wow you are doing a thorough job of this challenge! I would have classed one Agatha Christie book as first name A, surname C and the title too, but then I guess I like cutting corners whereas you will have the satisfaction of having done it properly!

Kate (Trojanhorse) wrote: "Wow you are doing a thorough job of this challenge! I would have classed one Agatha Christie book as first name A, surname C and the title too, but then I guess I like cutting corners whereas you w..."

I did a straight forward author A-Z with another group last year and because I read so fast it was completed pretty quickly so I wanted to give myself a bit more of a challenge this year. :)

Titles O - another Agatha Christie (I think I might be slightly addicted!)
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe .

Not the best Poirot story, but a good read.

Looking through my TBR list I noticed I have a lot of "new to me" authors - especially on my kindle. So, as I like to make my life complicated, I've decided to split my A-Z of authors and make an extra list of "new" authors, again with no overlap. And I might as well do an all female one as well... So that's 5 alphabetical lists - Female by Surname, Male by Surname, New to me by Surname, First Names and Titles - making a total of 130 different books! Wish me luck.

Titles C - Cards on the Table - Agatha Christie

Another Poirot story that kept me guessing. I had no idea 'whodunnit'!

Er good luck Caroline. I had trouble keeping track of just two A to Z's in 2014 and failed miserably in achieving both. Taking a sabbatical this year.

Ian wrote: "Er good luck Caroline. I had trouble keeping track of just two A to Z's in 2014 and failed miserably in achieving both. Taking a sabbatical this year."

Thanks Ian, I'm thinking it's going to take some careful planning but hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. (We'll see how I feel when I get to the likes of Q and X though!)

Author first name R - Raymond Khoury - - The Templar Salvation.

Found this quite slow compared to the first in the series (The Last Templar), it really dragged in places. Hubby's reading another one by this author at the moment but I'm not sure I'll bother with it.

New Author Z - Lily Zante - The Proposal.

Kindle freebie. I thought this was going to be a light-hearted rom-com but there was very little humour and the romance was bleugh. But it's a Z and they're not easy to find so yay!

Titles L - Lord Edgware Dies - Agatha Christie.

Really clever Poirot mystery with lots of twists and turns.

Author first name V - Val McDermid - Northanger Abbey.

Modern re-telling of the Jane Austen classic. I thought it was great.

Titles Y - The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Short and kind of creepy. Didn't really like it.

New author U - Donna Joy Usher - - Cocoa and Chanel.

Fairly short, humorous mystery. Similar in style to the Stephanie Plum stories by Janet Evanovich. I liked it.

Titles B - The Body in the Library - Agatha Christie.

Another cleverly plotted mystery.

Male author S - Robert Louis Stevenson - - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

This has been on my TBR list for ages but somehow never got around to it until I got it free for kindle. Shorter than expected but really good.

New Authors A - Rachel Abbott- Sleep Tight - and M - Monica Marsden - - A Matter of Clues.

Male Author P - James Patterson - 12th of Never - .

First names Z - Zoë Ferraris - - Kingdom of Strangers.

Titles A - And Then There Were None - , M - - A Murder Is Announced, and P - A Pocket Full of Rye - - all by Agatha Christie.

Titles R - - Rasputin's Shadow - Raymond Khoury.


Think that brings me up to date!

Sleep Tight - good but not great 'missing person' thriller set in Manchester. Let down by some bland characters.

A Matter of Clues - Light-hearted 60's mystery aimed at young teenagers I'd guess although probably far too old-fashioned for todays teens. Reminded me a bit of Enid Blyton. Set in Rhodesia.

12th of Never - Twelfth instalment of the 'Women's Murder Club' series. Not great - quick read though.

Kingdom of Strangers - Police procedural set in Saudi Arabia. Really enjoyed this one, will look out for more by this author.

And Then There Were None - Probably my favourite Christie book (of the ones I've read). Unlike the usual 'cosy' mystery this one has a real sense of tension and danger.

A Murder Is Announced - Good Marple story, lots of red herrings.

A Pocket Full of Rye - Another Miss Marple - not the best but still good.

Rasputin's Shadow - Started well but dragged in the middle.

Titles D - Dead Man's Folly - - Agatha Christie.

Good story but not sure about the solution.

My head hurts lol.

Ian wrote: "My head hurts lol."

Have to admit - so does mine! Trying not to let the lists overlap takes some concentration lol.

Must keep up with this or I'll give myself a headache again!

Male author F - F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Beautiful and Damned - .
I've decided I'm not a Fitzgerald fan. Didn't really enjoy this.

Female author H - Sophie Hannah - Kind Of Cruel - .
Didn't grip me in the same way that some of her books have. Good but not great.

Titles H - The Hollow - - Agatha Christie.
I could happily read Hercule Poirot stories all day every day. Haven't read a bad one yet.

Titles E - Elephants can Remember - - Agatha Christie.

I solved it. I'm in shock. That NEVER happens.

Caroline wrote: "I solved it. I'm in shock. That NEVER happens."

lol I usually go for the least likely suspect when I'm watching them on TV e.g. the one who was in another country at the time! When I'm reading I don't usually try too hard to work it out because it gives me a headache!

Kate (Trojanhorse) wrote: "Caroline wrote: "I solved it. I'm in shock. That NEVER happens."

lol I usually go for the least likely suspect when I'm watching them on TV e.g. the one who was in another country at the time! Whe..."

I don't try too hard either because I never expect to be right, I just sort of have vague ideas and fully expect to be proved an idiot! Either I'm getting the hang of this detective stuff or Agatha was having an off day...

First names X - Xinran (Xue Xinran) - Sky Burial -

True story about a young Chinese woman's search for her missing husband in Tibet. This is the third book I've read by this author and definitely my favourite of the three. I even cried and that doesn't happen often.

New Author X - Ruiyan Xu - The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai - .

Interesting idea but I found it hard to connect with any of the characters and the end just sort of fizzled out.

Female author K - Dorothy Koomson - The Flavours of Love - .

Not my favourite Dorothy Koomson book but I liked it.

Oops, I missed one. Female author U - Lisa Unger - - In The Blood.

Decent psychological thriller but none of the 'twists' were especially surprising.

Female author X - Meihong Xu - - Daughter Of China.

An interesting read but I can't say I liked it. For me the story would have worked better if it had been told chronologically instead of jumping about in time as it did. Felt slightly disjointed and confusing.

New author H - A.S.A. Harrison - The Silent Wife - .

Don't understand the comparisons to 'Gone Girl'. Two completely different books. Found this quite dull.

Titles U - Unlucky 13 - James Patterson - .

Ridiculous storyline. Why do I keep reading this series?

New author W - Tim Weaver - - Fall From Grace.

Fast-paced crime / mystery / thriller. Kept me guessing right to the end.

O.M.G I was going to do an A-Z but only of author surnames - 26 seamed a good challenge. I need to up my game:)

Linda wrote: "O.M.G I was going to do an A-Z but only of author surnames - 26 seamed a good challenge. I need to up my game:)"

Lol - I get through on average a book a day - it's an addiction :)

Male author X - Qiu Xiaolong - - Death Of A Red Heroine.

Struggled a bit with this, it just didn't hold my attention. Almost gave up a couple of times.