Books - what are you reading just now?

Dead Lions, Mick Herron. It's the second in the Slow Horses series. Very well written, the characters are beautifully drawn out. If you have watched the TV series, well worth a read.
 
Dead Lions, Mick Herron. It's the second in the Slow Horses series. Very well written, the characters are beautifully drawn out. If you have watched the TV series, well worth a read.
Make sure read them in sequence.
He's also got a newish one out - The Secret Hours (not connected to Slough House).
 
Even if you've read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Millennium trilogy, the audiobooks are well worth a listen if you do long car journeys or commute. I'm currently listening to the third part. They are excellently read and each about 24 hours long, so great value for an Audible credit.
 
Caledonian Road - Andrew O’Hagen

Really well written novel set in a post Brexit post Covid London, with a wide range of characters from landed gentry and oligarchs to drug dealers and people smugglers. The main guy is from a Glasgow council estate who is now a famous art critic going through a midlife crisis.

It’s a bit like Dickens crossed with The Bonfire of The Vanities. A cracking read, even if (or maybe because) none of the characters are particularly likeable.
 
Just finished He who fights with MOnstaers book 1 -11, excellent series.

Now reading a series called Cradle by Will Wright, on book 11 of 12.

Then I am really going for it with a new series called My Vampire Ssystem which has 70 books in the series, hopefully keep me going for a few weeks
 
Just finished He who fights with MOnstaers book 1 -11, excellent series.

Now reading a series called Cradle by Will Wright, on book 11 of 12.

Then I am really going for it with a new series called My Vampire Ssystem which has 70 books in the series, hopefully keep me going for a few weeks
I know you pile through books, can't remember if I've mentioned these before. JD Kirk, Scottish detective author, was recommended to me by someone on here. He has done a few series, DCI Jack Logan, my favourite, and Robert Hoon. Read the Logan ones first, you'll understand why by about book 6.

Great books to read, good characters and the funniest swearing I've ever read. The shear invention of the words is genius 😂
 
Just finished Top Girl and A Million Little Pieces by James Fray which took me a while to get into with the way it's written but it's actually really interesting if not similar to other addiction style books
 
The Story of God by (Baron) Robert Winston. A very interesting read by the renowned (medical) scientist about the place of science and ‘the Divine Idea’ in the development and practices of humankind over the millennia from pre-history, and discusses belief in God in a scientific age.
 
The Wrong Hands, Mark Billingham. No, not a Tom Thorne, one of his new DI Miller books. Very good, funny, sharp. This is the second in the series, hopefully he writes more.

If you like Billingham, read this.
 
Finished Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham early in the week. More a nostalgia thing really as it was one of my O-Level books xx years ago. Still enjoy it but it’s not going to blow you away. Similarly, I quite like picking up the odd Neville Shute book now and again. They won’t tax you, and their style is clearly dated now but they’re easy reading.

Finished The Guardians by John Grisham a few days back. Probably closer to being back to his best, published in 2019, after a few lacklustre books.

Now part way through A Sparrow Falls by Wilbur Smith. It’s probably my 6th-ish reading of the trilogy that starts with When the Lion Feeds. Smith has written countless books, many centred on Africa, including prequels to the Courtney family history, some of which you can’t but down till the wee small hours. If you only pick up one Smith book, make it When the Lion feeds.
 
Finished Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham early in the week. More a nostalgia thing really as it was one of my O-Level books xx years ago. Still enjoy it but it’s not going to blow you away. Similarly, I quite like picking up the odd Neville Shute book now and again. They won’t tax you, and their style is clearly dated now but they’re easy reading.

Finished The Guardians by John Grisham a few days back. Probably closer to being back to his best, published in 2019, after a few lacklustre books.

Now part way through A Sparrow Falls by Wilbur Smith. It’s probably my 6th-ish reading of the trilogy that starts with When the Lion Feeds. Smith has written countless books, many centred on Africa, including prequels to the Courtney family history, some of which you can’t but down till the wee small hours. If you only pick up one Smith book, make it When the Lion feeds.
I too enjoy an occasional Wyndham or Shute book, easy reading and always good. I add to these two Innes and MacLean…for good adventure tales, and Robert Heinlein for sci-fi. And by me just at the moment is When the Lion Feeds…as suggested 👍
 
Just finished my first Iain Banks book “The Wasp Factory” (it was his first book too) I bought it because it was highly rated on Amazon, but tbh I didn’t really get it! It doesn’t have much of a story, just the inner thoughts of the main character, then a small twist at the end. Pretty unsatisfying. Don’t think I’ll bother with any more of his books.
 
Just finished my first Iain Banks book “The Wasp Factory” (it was his first book too) I bought it because it was highly rated on Amazon, but tbh I didn’t really get it! It doesn’t have much of a story, just the inner thoughts of the main character, then a small twist at the end. Pretty unsatisfying. Don’t think I’ll bother with any more of his books.
That was my impression when I read it when it first came out almost 40 years ago - i wont bother with his next
As it happens - he wrote some others that I found very enjoyable - i'd suggest Espedair Street as a completely different (and rather funny/sweet) alternative
 
That was my impression when I read it when it first came out almost 40 years ago - i wont bother with his next
As it happens - he wrote some others that I found very enjoyable - i'd suggest Espedair Street as a completely different (and rather funny/sweet) alternative
I’ve read most of his books, Complicity was my favourite.

I also bought one of his sci-fi books by mistake, that was unreadable.
 
Just finished my first Iain Banks book “The Wasp Factory” (it was his first book too) I bought it because it was highly rated on Amazon, but tbh I didn’t really get it! It doesn’t have much of a story, just the inner thoughts of the main character, then a small twist at the end. Pretty unsatisfying. Don’t think I’ll bother with any more of his books.
The first is the worst, in fact you can miss that one out and start on ther second
 
Just finished Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer. Enjoyable shaggy dog-type of thriller. I actually listened to it on Spotify, read by Bob, Paul Whitehouse and Sally Phillips.

It's a follow up to The Satsuma Complex which I haven't read yet, but will seek out now.
 
Top