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    Buckets

    Buckets

    Adam Barnard

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    A unique and entertaining play about bucket lists, life-planning and the disappointing fact that...

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Darren Fisher (2465 KP) rated A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away in Books

Jan 2, 2021 (Updated Jan 2, 2021)  
A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away
A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away
Christopher Brookmyre | 2003 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Those familiar with Brookmyer's books can expect the usual dark, witty, satirical themes. Solid characters, dark comical humour, savage satire. Good plot which reaches a worthy conclusion. My only gripe is that it tends to wander off point, a lot of back story padding. Don't let that put you off if you are a fan of the author though as there is plenty to sink your teeth into.
This is the first book in a trilogy featuring Angelique de Xavia (and my favourite of the three). The other two books are The Sacred Art of Stealing, and A Snowball in Hell respectively.
  
The Postscript Murders
The Postscript Murders
Elly Griffiths | 2021 | History & Politics, Mystery, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Witty mystery with lots of bookish references
When the elderly Peggy Smith passes away, her carer, Natalka, is convinced the death was suspicious. While helping clean out Peggy's flat, she finds a variety of books--all crime novels--dedicated to Peggy. Then a gunman breaks into Peggy's flat to steal only a book. DS Harbinder Kaur is not convinced at first about Peggy's death, but she cannot deny everything that begins to happen after Peggy's death. After another death occurs, DS Kaur is convinced writers are being targeted.

This is such a fun book. Not only is it an engaging mystery, it's truly a wonderfully bookish book for people who love reading, especially mysteries. This is Griffiths' second book featuring Harbinder Kaur, the Best Gay Sikh Detective in West Sussex--the "first out of a field of one," as she puts it. It's wonderful to have a crime series with a lesbian lead, especially one as intelligent and witty as Harbinder. She notices everything and offers some humorous insights into her life living with her parents and working with her rodent-like partner, Neil.

POSTSCRIPT is written in truly Elly Griffiths fashion. It's incredibly easy to read and everyone just embodies their characters so effortlessly. The supporting cast here is excellent: a former monk; Peggy's elderly neighbor; Natalka; and a host of folks spread across the writing community. The wonderful inside jokes and asides about writing, publishing, and books are so much fun.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. The mystery of what happened to Peggy and the subsequent sequence of events is interesting while the story and characters are witty and diverse. Elly Griffiths remains my go-to author. I highly recommend you read both Harbinder books, but this one does stand-alone.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in return for an unbiased review. The U.S. version releases 03/02/2021.