Book log

Barbara Paul -- The Fourth Wall

Early mystery from Barbara Paul, set in a New York theatre in the present day. A modern take on the Jacobean revenge tragedy, it's harsh and a traumatic read, but one hell of a book. One of my all-time favourite mysteries, and I'm pleased to see that it's recently been brought back into print.

Fourth Wall from BarnesandNoble.com
The Fourth Wall (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries) at amazon.com
The Fourth Wall at amazon.co.uk
at Powells

W J Burley -- To Kill A Cat

Another mystery from early in the Wycliffe series. As usual, it's as much about the characters as about the actual murder inquiry. In this one a young woman who worked as a striptease artist is found dead -- but why was she working as a stripper when she was respectably married to a devoted husband? And why did the killer leave behind a thousand pounds in cash? Short by today's standards, but an entertaining book.


Wycliffe and How to Kill a Cat at BarnesandNoble.com
Wycliffe and How to Kill A Cat (Wycliffe) at amazon.com
Wycliffe and How to Kill A Cat at amazon.co.uk
at Powells

Satsumi Takaguchi -- Shout Out Loud! (Sakende Yaruze!) volume 1

I was poking through the Tower closing down sale last week, and found a batch of yaoi manga, which I promptly bought for research purposes. (Yes, really. My editor asked if I'd consider doing something yaoi-style. It's tax-deductible and all.) I suspect that I've hit lucky with this one and bought one that happens to fit my tastes rather well. It's a lot of fun and it has a plot. And when I finished it I went looking to see how many more in the series.

Teenager goes looking for long-last father, expecting to find a burnt-out salaryman, and instead gets a baby-faced 33-year-old who makes a living as an anime voice actor. Finding himself with an unexpected son to support just as his current series is finishing, he tells his agency he'll take any job. What he gets offered is roles in boys love audio dramas...


Shout out Loud!, Volume 1 at barnesandnoble.com
Shout Out Loud! Vol. 1 at amazon.com
Shout Out Loud!, Volume 1 at amazon.co.uk
at Powells