The Mystery Book Club

 Our book club met yesterday afternoon via Zoom to discuss this month's selection, Death in Vienna by Frank Tallis. Only five of us were there; Bill was still moving from Florida to southern Virginia. It was a wide-ranging discussion, where many topics came up. Some didn't even have anything to do with the book, which incidentally was a psychological thriller. 

One thing that did come up was whether we should/could expand our consideration to books that weren't that traditional police/private detective procedural. After the meeting, I wrote to the other members indicating my feelings about looking wider afield for mysteries. I am looking forward to any responses. I also recommended a few non-mysteries for the club members to read. More importantly, I announced my selections for next year: The Guest List by Lucy Foley for January, and The Briar Club by Rose Quinn for November. Neither is the hard-boiled mystery with police or private detectives as the primary characters.

Next month's selection holds no interest for me. It sounds like Carl Hiaasen on dope - Tim Dorsey's  Florida Roadkill. I'll read 50 pages but will not read further if it doesn't catch me.

I received my latest book purchase from BN today - The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens - and will add that to my reading list once I finish a Maisie Dobbs series selection and Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. 

I'm interested in responses from the other members to my email.

It's Been Awhile

 I won't make any excuses. I have not really wanted to write. So many things have been happening. This one entry won't begin to make up for the days lost. I'll just try to do my best. Starting with the most important seems to be the best thing to do under the circumstances.

I went to the dermatologist a few weeks ago and he took a small sample of a growth on my forehead  That's the photo above. The results just came back a few days ago and it was confirmed that it is basal-cell carcinoma. That is the fourth time I've had a positive biopsy result and second basal cell. I have an appointment with the MOHS surgeon on October 24th  to have it taken off. Dr. Vance did my third surgery. I'll keep you posted.

What other news do I have? I'm continuing to be a member of the Zoom Mystery Book Club. We began it because of COVID, but now we keep it because 4 of the 6 members are not in the area anymore. Most of the books I enjoy, but there have been a couple that I merely listen to the others. I did them though. I have led two meetings this year. In February we discussed Two Storm Wood, a story of the last year of WWI and the few months beyond. Last month I introduced the first of Anne Perry's five-volume WWI mystery, No Graves as Yet. I have one more to lead - November's WWII Die Around Sundown, Paris in 1940. I'll talk more about it as time gets closer.

What else? I did finish Moby-Dick and did indeed enjoy it. Not really Like I imagined. I may write a little about it, but then again may not. My reading takes up the majority of my time, but then I don't have any other hobbies.

I still think I would like to write a cozy mystery. And maybe continue with my memoir. The memoir is called Chapter 1 for now and is in the Files program. For that matter so are the notes for my mystery.

Closing for now. Dinner is ready.