What are you reading right now?

Prince of Tides, by Pat Conroy. I didn't see the film, thank heavens. It was chosen for a book club I belong to. I am enjoying it, but the other one that was chosen is even better - Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres. I can't think how I came to miss them when they came out, but I have a vague recollection of being anti-american literature for a while.

lucifers shadow by david hewson
Now also known as Cemetry of Secrets.

In an ancient burial ground on an island off Venice, a young woman's casket is pried open, an object is wrenched from her hands, and an extraordinary adventure begins.

From the moment he arrives in Venice, Daniel Forster is seduced by the city's mystery. An earnest young academic, Daniel has come for a summer job cataloguing a private collector's library.

But when Daniel's employer sends him to buy a stolen violin from a petty thief, a chain reaction of violence and deception ignites. Suddenly Daniel is drawn into a police investigation - and a tempest swirling around a beautiful woman, a mysterious palazzo, and a lost musical masterpiece dating back centuries.

With each step he takes, Daniel unwittingly retraces a journey that began in 1733, when another young man came to Venice. And when, in this realm of intrigue and beauty, two lovers came face-to-face with a killer - and a mystery was born...

©2001 David Hewson; (P)2001 W F Howes Ltd

Just finished "The Child's Child" by Barbara Vine a story within a story about the two separate themes of illegitimacy and homosexuality told from two perspectives of current attitudes in the context of a story set in modern times where one of the characters is given a book from the 1930/40s in which they discover attitudes were very punitive towards both, particularly the latter.

I always have a number of books on the go - at the moment it is
Robert Peston "How do we fix this mess"

"The old contemptibles" Robin Neillands
and re reading
Wolf Hall and Bring up the dead bodies - Mantel

Loved Poppet, now looking forward to the next in the series, Wolf. Just about to start Children of the Revolution, by Peter Robinson, Inspector Banks again.

I have just finished A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett and just started The Modigliani Scandal. Both a good read. I became a huge fan of Follett after I was persuaded (didn't think it was my sort of read at all) to read The Pillars of the Earth. 500+ pages demolished very quickly and followed by World Without End. I couldn't put either of them down. Both BRILLIANT !

My next read will be The Cutting Season by Attica Locke which GN has just sent me after I won it in the Valentine thread draw !!!!

Just started the The Child's Child by Barbara Vine, a promising start.

OldGreymare that's on my library list, I'm really looking forward to reading it.

At the moment I'm reading 'The Way I Found Her' by Rose Tremain.

It's my pick at book group next week and I've chosen 'Flowers for Algernon' as something quite different.

Just finished 'The Shock of the Fall' by Nathan Filer (and I'm going to see/hear the author at Poetry Platter next week).
This book won the Costa prize.... it's amazing.

Impulse was very good, now I want Obsession and the third book, Power. Am now reading Poppet, by Mo Hayder, one of the Jack Caffrey series. Enjoying it so far.

Loved A Kind Man. Have just begun reading Impulse, by Debra Webb, an author new to me. Apparently it`s the middle one of a trilogy, must look for the first one, Obsession.

I`ve just finished Memory of Bones, by Alex Connor. After a few pages, I realised that I`d read it before, but my memories had faded a little, so carried on and read it again, and enjoyed it again. I`m now in the middle of a shorter story by Susan Hill, called A Kind Man. I`ve read a few of her books, and tend not to be too keen on any that aren`t Simon Serailler stories, but this one is very good.

I'm reading, 'Poirot And Me,' by David Suchet.

I've recently been reading a series of mystery books set in Aberdeen, by Stuart MacBride, featuring DS Logan McRae. The one I'm just finishing is a bit gory, but the characters and the setting are consistent. Just about to start on The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry which is our book group book for this month.

Just finished Apple Tree Yard would recommend it a great page turner, but wont say any more other than that! Ana I hope I didn't give too much away with the brief description of the book you have just started, If you read this, post what you think of it when you finish. Have now started A Commonplace Killing a murder set against the backdrop of an austere and depressed London just after the war by Sian Busby, who sadly recently died, the introduction is by her husband, the journalist Robert Peston.

Perfect Lives by Polly Samson. A collection of short stories. Very good.

Have just finished The Beacon, by Susan Hill, a shorter story, it was OK, but slightly disappointing, felt it finished too soon. Have just started The Kill Room, by Jeffery Deaver.

Oh, BAnanas I've just bought that book so I had to stop reading your post!

Rumpole of the Bailey --John Mortimer .

Working my way through all of them , fabulous tales !

I'm reading Silmarillion, by JRR Tolkien.

Daddy`s Gone A Hunting was very good.

Just finished a really good book "Kiss Me First", by Lottie Moggach, I knew she had to be related to Deborah, she is in fact her daughter, not a lot of Moggach's around! This book suffers from having a rubbish title, but I found it a real page turner. The plot revolves around a lonely and somewhat obsessive girl who spends most of her time on line and gets persuaded to take over the identity of another woman who wants to disappear. The latter grooms her in by relating her whole history and in depth information about her relationships and contacts until the former feels confident enough to take over her Facebook and texting by fabricating a new life and simultaneously updating her contacts as if they were coming from this other person. However, she thinks she has the full facts until she uncovers things that she couldn't possibly have known. This book was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award I found it a real page turner.

Have now started another high recommended book, "Apple Tree Yard", I'm 50 pages in and again it has me hooked.

Have just started Daddy`s Gone A-Hunting, by Mary Higgins Clark, too soon to comment yet, but seems OK.

I'm reading SS-GB, by Len Deighton.

Gally I had a (Scottish) friend who pronounced the Sussex one Loows. As most of my ancestors came from the Sussex/Surrey/Kent meeting point I could and did put her right.