Reading

The book I'm reading

is Elizabeth Jane Howard's Odd Girl Out. I read and loved her Cazalet Chronicles in pre-blogging days but had never encountered this novel, which I'm about half way through at the moment. I don't see her popping up on the blogs I read and this is a pity as she's a really excellent writer. I'll be reviewing this story of a happy marriage and the effect on it of a beautiful, troubled, amoral girl soon. 

 The last book I read

was Fault Line, Robert Goddard's latest. I was introduced to his highly intelligent mystery novels a few years ago and have probably read almost all of them by now. He specialises in plots which blend recent history with the present day -- this one switches between the 1960s, the 1980s and the now. I've heard people say he is formulaic, but apart from one or two I've liked a bit less, I usually find them enthralling, and I very much enjoyed this one.

 The book I'll read next

just might be Winifred Holtby's Anderby Wold, which I spotted yesterday on the bookshelf. I'm having a real problem choosing books to read at the moment. I just don't know what I fancy at all, and end up reading a lot of crime novels. I do enjoy them but I'm hoping that before long I'll get back to something a bit more...what? If I could complete that sentence I'd probaby be able to find the book to fit it. 

The last book I bought

was Laura Wilson's Hello Bunny Alice, which I found in an Oxfam shop on a recent visit to Guernsey. I've read several of Laura's novels this year and find them fascinating and often rather disturbing -- this one promises to be equally so. 

 The last book I was given

was The Persephone Book of Short Stories, which landed in my mailbox recently, much to my surprise and pleasure. I've had a sort of embargo on short stories for years but I broke through whatever was blocking me when I read Virago's brilliant Elizabeth Taylor collection, so I'm quite excited about plunging into this. 

Thanks to Victoria of Tales from the Reading Room, who reminded me of this useful meme.