It’s hard to believe we’ve just said farewell to April because we’re in the midst of a spell of exceptionally hot weather. The thermometer reached 24C this week which would be high even in mid summer but is almost unheard of this early in Spring. The calendar doesn’t lie however and that says we’ve turned the corner into May so it’s time to do an update on the reading month just gone.

If you’ve been following this blog for a while you’ll know that I don’t read a lot of crime fiction. And yet that’s what dominated my reading in April. This is all down to a big upheaval in the house caused by some re-decoration/refurbishment projects.

The last few weeks have gone in a blur of emptying cupboards, furniture moving/disposal and then a procession of tradespeople and deliveries. The house is a shambles (nothing is where is should be and every corner seems to have become a temporary storage space). My brain simply couldn’t cope with anything demanding.

The books I read this month were:

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny. Crime fiction set in Quebec province

Glorious Exploits by Fedia Lennon (not yet reviewed) Historical fiction

Secrets in the Water by Alice Fitzpatrick (not yet reviewed). Crime fiction set in Wales

All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny. Crime fiction set in Paris.

I’m conscious this is a low count compared to the high numbers I see mentioned by other bloggers. But I’m not going to fret about it because, though i’d love to read more, that would be at the expense of other activities like sewing, gardening, walking etc etc. As long as I’m reading something and am enjoying more books than I dislike, that’s OK by me.

Favourite Book of the Month

For sheer unadulterated pleasure I’d pick The Grey Wolf, the latest in Louise Penny’s series featuring the head of homicide in Quebec. For more thoughtful reading material however my vote would go to Glorious Exploits by Fedia Lennon, following the exploits of two young unemployed potters in Sicily in 412BC. This was the book club choice for April and it’s fair to say I just didn’t get on with this book initially. By the time I went to the meeting I’d read only 100 pages or so and had thought a few times about kicking the book into touch. But the other members of the book club raved about it so much I decided to press on — what a good decision that was because the narrative suddenly changed in pace and tone and the final chapters have the elements of tragedy.

The One/s That Got Away

My first failure with Edna O’Brien came with Girl, a story set in an African country where scores of schoolgirls are kidnapped by extremists. Though the country isn’t named it’s evident that the narrative is based on an actual abduction in Nigeria in 2014.

Within a few pages we learn that the girls are raped by their captors. Then on page 50 there is an episode where the girls are forced to witness the stoning of a woman accused of adultery. This scene is barely a page long but that was too much for me. Whether there were more scenes like this I have no idea; I didn’t have the stomach to wait to find out.

The Newcomers

After the buying spree in March, I was far more disciplined in April. Just two purchases to report:

— The Bee Sting by Paul Murray. This is described on Goodreads as “an irresistibly funny, wise, and thought-provoking tour de force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart.” The “irresistibly funny” tag put me off the book when it was shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize (books described as funny invariably leave me cold). But I saw a hardback edition in a charity bookshop for just £2 so thought it was worth a punt.

— Mapp and Lucia by E F Benson was another bargain purchase from the same location. It’s a “subtly brilliant comedy of social rivalry between the wars” according to its entry in the Goodreads catalogue. The between the wars period was the draw for me plus the fact I’ve seen Benson compared favourably to Barbara Pym. Having just enjoyed Pym’s Excellent Women, I live in hope that the comparison proves accurate.

State of the TBR

The current tally stands at 259 which is where it was at the end of March and slightly above the end of 2024 figure. So clearly all is well in control.