Jan 25, 2015

Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction and Mystery

Welcome to the Sunday Salon where bloggers share their reading each week. Visit The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also visit It's Monday: What Are You Reading hosted by Book Journey, and Mailbox Monday.

Two uncorrected proofs arrived from Harper Collins which I am looking forward to reading.

John the Pupil
John the Pupil by David Flusfeder is to be released March 3, 2015. 
It's described as "a medieval road movie, recounting the journey taken from Oxford to Viterbo in 1267 by John and his two companions, at the behest of the friar and magus Roger Bacon, carrying a secret burden to His Holiness Clement IV. The holy trio are tried by thieves on the road and tempted by all sorts of sins – and by the sheer hell and heaven of medieval life. ‘John the Pupil’ reveals a world very different and all too like the one we live in now."
A Dangerous Place
A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear will be released March 17, 2015.

Spring 1937: Maisie Dobbs returns in a story of political intrigue and personal tragedy: a brutal murder in the British garrison town of Gilbraltar leads the investigator into a web of lies, deceit and danger.

Am on the last few pages of a book from my own collection, bought at a library sale:

The Art Thief
The Art Thief by Noah Charney was published September 18 2007 by Atria Books.

It's about three simultaneous art thefts - a Caravaggio altarpiece from a church in Italy, a 20th century modern masterpiece from a vault in Paris, and another modernist painting just purchased for over six million pounds from an art gallery in London.

The book is worthy of a reader who is a chess master, as the plot is a challenge to follow and to keep all the pieces in mind. Math, figures, and art history, art forgery and events are put together in a complex pattern. Nevertheless, I had a good time trying to follow along. And the humor lightens it up here and there.

Next, I have to decide - read one of my library finds or one of my own books?
   

21 comments:

  1. John the Pupil has a gorgeous cover, I do love calligraphy :) I heard Jacqueline Winspear is an enjoyable read and the Art thief looks excellent, the blurb is catchy and reminds me of a book by Arturo Perez-Reverte, "The Flanders panel". Have a great week !

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would love to read a good book of historical fiction. It's been too long.

    http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2015/01/trees-and-thieves-and-twinkie-pie.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. Have not heard of John the Pupil. Looks fascinating. Will have to read a little more about it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have only read one of the Maisie Dobbs series, but I enjoyed it. All of your books look enticing...enjoy! And here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

    ReplyDelete
  5. These books look really good especially John the Pupil. It looks like it might be a little like Umberto Ecco's The Name of the Rose .

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've read only one Maisie Dobbs' stories and I liked it very much. This new one sounds really good but I'm so far behind int he series, I wonder if it would matter? The Art Thief really intrigues me, although frightens me a little with the complexity of the plot. Maybe I should listen to that one instead. I love stories about art, art theft and forgery!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think it matters, Lisa, where you start in the Maisie Dobbs series, though it's nice to follow her from the beginning, I guess. Listening to The Art Thief is a good option!

      Delete
  7. I'm looking forward to diving into the Maisie Dobbs soon. I love that series.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I tried reading Maisie Dobbs at one point and just couldn't connect. I love historical fiction and I thought it would be right up my alley. I hope you enjoy it.

    Terri M., the Director
    Second Run Reviews

    ReplyDelete
  9. A Dangerous Place looks good... I need to get back to the Maisie Dobbs series!

    ReplyDelete
  10. All of these sound good and I particularly like the cover art for The Art Thief. Great catchy cover with the title on the open door.

    My Sunday Post - http://fuonlyknew.com/2015/01/25/whats-new-on-my-bookshelf-94-and-the-sunday-post/

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Art Thief looks intriguing! I love the cover for it. I kind of got tired of the Maisie Dobbs series but I need to go back and try some of the recent ones. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Another Windspear! A friend of mine will be over the moon about it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Harvee, the books you feature here sound wonderful in their own way, but The Art Thief interests me most.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the Maisie Dobbs series. I hope you enjoy the upcoming release.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm curious about John the Pupil so I'll watch for your review. Have a good week!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I hope you enjoy your books this week!

    Brooke at http://www.brookeblogs.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. All three books look good.

    The Art Thief is calling my name. :)

    ENJOY your reading week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Mailbox Monday

    ReplyDelete
  18. I like the sound of a medieval road movie, that certainly sound very intriguing
    .The Pegster Reads

    ReplyDelete
  19. I really want to try to read some of the Winspear books! I have yet to read a single one!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments and thoughts...

Three Novels: Japanese Mystery; Family Drama; Ecuadorian

  Books in the mail The Night of Baba Yaga  by Akira Otani (translated from the Japanese). July 2, 2024, Soho Crime This is an unusual novel...