Thursday, January 1, 2009

Book Recommendation


I just finished the fourth book in The Coroner's Lunch series by Colin Cotterill. These books are so rich, so fully realized that you can easily forget that you are reading a mystery.

The books are set in 1975 Laos just after the revolution that brought a communist regime to power. The main character is 72-year-old Dr. Siri Paiboun, a field surgeon who's retirement plans are thwarted when he is pressed into service as coroner by the new government. 

These books are packed with lovable characters and the exotic locale makes them un-put-downable. I devoured the first four and have only hesitated to buy the fifth and newest installment because it's only out in hardback so far. (See, if I had the other four in hardback I'd go ahead and buy it, but I hate it when I have a series that doesn't match on the shelf. Because I am odd.)

Got any good book recommendations? Let me hear 'em.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know the book I'm looking forward to?

YOURS!

And, did you see my reading recap for the year? It's right here.

Jeni said...

I'm a biography/non-fiction type. I LOVED Appetite for life, the Bio of Julia Child. She was an amazing person!

woolies said...

My new year's resolution is to start reading again. As an again english major, I have always read. Except in the past year, during which every spare moment is spent knitting stuffed animals. Not that I'm complaining, but I really really miss reading.

Did you ever read "A Year in Provence"? (what made me think of that?). I'm going to definitely head to the library (or barnes & noble) this weekend....
Happy New Year Susan!

knitcro said...

Hi Susan,
I've been reading lots of mysteries by Jo Bannister. They are wonderful. I love to find an author I really like and then read whatever they've written. Margaret Coel is another author I've been enjoying. Her writing reminds me of Tony Hillerman. Have fun, and warm wishes for a peaceful New Year.

Anonymous said...

Hi Susan,
I met you at the angora goat show in Rhinebeck. I stumbled across your blog and thought I would say hi.So hi and stay warm.
Great blog,
Becky from Ohio ( fellow angora breeder)

Anonymous said...

"All the way home" by David Giffels, about renovating and relationships, both of which get out of hand. A quick read, which rings true (on both fronts) to anyone who has ever had that home project that gets out of hand. I laughed and laughed.

Anonymous said...

I've been on vacation and really enjoyed reading The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlho (I think this should be read every year as you put together New Year's resolutions).

Now I'm finally reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, vegetable, miracle. Have you read it?
Happy New Year!

Maggie said...

You're not odd--or, if you are, then I am too! I wait on some series so they're all in paperback, but Harry Turtledove's Timeline 191 were bought as soon as they came out--*after* I already had the first few in paperback. I stumbled on the series late, but I am so glad I found it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_191

Crista said...

You're not odd. I have one hard cover harry potter and the rest in a paperback set and it drove me so nutz on the library shelf, that I gave the hard cover to my then 7 year old grandson!

I am so odd that I love the mere smell of old books. It's like a child with his blankie. Somehow that book has a history in its scents.

Dianne MacDonald said...

"Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan is the best novel I've read in a long time. It is about the affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney. I am always intrigued by fiction based on fact and this one did not disappoint! Highly recommend it.

Anonymous said...

You're definitely not odd (or maybe you are and I am as well :) ), I have a couple series where I have a few books in paperback and a few in hardback and it reallllly annoys me. It also annoys me when halfway through a series they change the style of the covers.
I read Tasha Alexander's mystery series that starts with "And Only to Deceive" last year and really enjoyed all three books. They take place in Victorian England.
Another fun book that I read last year was "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society", which takes place right after WWII and is written in the form of letters.
Happy New Year!
~Patty Pope