August books

[myrna-nora.livejournal.com]

59. Entwined (2011) Heather Dixon
A retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses; confined to their castle while mourning their mother's death, Princess Azalea and her sisters join The Keeper in a nightly dance.
Delightfully written; I especially enjoyed all the onomatopoeia the author used in her descriptions, and that a good portion of the story focused on the relationship between the father and the daughters.

60. The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken (2012) Tarquin Hall
Vish Puri investigates the death of a Pakistani cricketer's father, whose demise is linked to the mafia and the partition of India.
The sad and violent history between India and Pakistan is beautifully told. There was just the right balance between the serious facts and maintaining the humorous tone set in the earlier books in the series.

61. My Week With Marilyn (2001) Colin Clark
A young assistant on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl spends a memorable nine-days in close proximity to Marilyn Monroe.
I think Michelle Williams gave a charming and real performance as Marilyn in the film, but Clark's writing was rather flat.

62. Duty Free (2011) Moni Mohsin
A clueless self-centered Pakistani socialite plays matchmaker for her cousin.
Not an exact Jane Austen retelling as the blurb suggests. Apart from both being "clueless" matchmakers, the heroine bears a stronger resemblance to a meaner Lorelei Lee from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes than to Emma. She starts out unbearably irritating and self-centered, but later reveals more heart. And the endless malapropisms in the writing were funny.

63. Laura (1942) Vera Caspary
The life of a dead socialite captivates the policeman who is investigating her murder.
I've always liked the movie based on this story. So while there may not have been a surprise when it came the mystery twists, what I really enjoyed about the book was the use of alternating narrators. Caspary was able to give the characters unique voices.

64. The Wooden Overcoat (1951) Pamela Branch
Nothing goes as planned when a club for acquitted murderers and their bohemian neighbors try to dispose of a few dead bodies.
This is screwball comedy on paper; hilarious back and forth dialogues, some slapstick, and a bit of morbid humor. Anything that can go wrong, does go wrong, and I was in stitches.

65. A Dram Of Poison (1956) Charlotte Armstrong
A heartbroken husband's drastic decision puts the lives of innocent bystanders in peril.
There is an element of suspense, but it completely unconventional for a mystery-thriller. It's actually rather sweet and cozy.

66. The Turret Room (1965) Charlotte Armstrong
Confronting the powerful family that had him committed to a mental asylum under false charges, a young man discovers he has once again become the prime suspect for a violent crime.
There were some crazy twists in this and some even crazier characters.

67. The Hobbit (1937) J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins joins thirteen dwarves in a quest for treasure.
Loved this.

68. Murder Every Monday (1954) Pamela Branch
A London club for acquitted murderers relocates to the countryside and opens a school to teach the art of the perfect crime.
Didn't care for this one as much as I loved The Wooden Overcoat. There were some funny bits, but the pace didn't seem nearly as frantic or outrageous.