Finished The City & the City by China Miéville. This first came to my attention via the 2018 mini-series based on it. It’s as much, if not more, about its ideas as it is about the plot. I will think about it for a long time. Will read again.

Read Dissolution by C J Sansom. Already familiar with the story from the BBC radio adaptation, although it’s long enough ago that I listened to it to have forgotten who it was what dunnit. Set during the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, it’s a conventional but enjoyable and pacy historical murder mystery. Greed, lust, power, class and pond drainage. Somewhat in the vein of Ellis Peters’ Cadfael series but with more bodily fluids. Read more

Thoughts have not come easily for the last few days. A flatness in my mind, probably induced in part by a lack of sleep, which in turn is brought on by the short nights and hayfever. Having finally developed a sense of stability around The Situation for the moment, a kind of ennui has settled in. Not a frame of mind I particularly go for. This is neither thoroughly unpleasant nor very enjoyable. Read more

Finished reading and enjoyed Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. 📚

I wanted to read an adventure/mystery novel that was not in the usual thriller or crime genres that I tend to read when I am in the mood for a good yarn. Picked on ‎Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, based on having heard of her and aware her books are popular. Big mistake - what should have been an intriguing mystery was let down by two-dimensional characters and pretty dull writing. I had hoped for an enjoyable if undemanding page turner, but it was not to be. Read more