for earlier parts in this “What I Read” series, scroll down to previous posts

At last we’re in the current year. Before you and I know it, these will morph into Current Reading posts (with many less books per week!) and some Friday Forgotten Books as well. So let’s get started with January 2018.

Sherlock Holmes in Montague Street Volume 1 by Arthur Morrison & David Marcum – It is Marcum’s opinion that the Martin Hewitt books written by Arthur Morrison are in fact Sherlock Holmes stories. Thus he has “edited” those stories into Holmes tales, and he published three volumes of them, of which this is the first. The covers for the 2nd and 3rd volumes look the same except the volume number. I prefer the originals.

Pioneer Girl Laura Ingles Wilder – This is a biography/autobiography )a little of each) and I found it very interesting to read the combined story of the writer and the books.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery – The classic, which I got a yen to read for no particular reason, and enjoyed more than I expected.

The Saint – Wanted For Murder, The Further Adventures of Simon Templar by Leslie Charteris – I enjoy a Saint book now and then, and this one really hit the spot, as the saying goes. If you haven’t read one of these, recently, or ever, this would be a good time to pick one up and try it, and this is a good one.

Suddenly At His Residence by Christianna Brand – An Inspector Cockerill mystery. I know a lot of people like her books, but this is the last go for me. I liked Green For Danger, disliked the Crippen & Landru collection of her short stories, and I disliked this. Boring characters endlessly talking, Cockerill does no detecting. I felt the end was a cheat (I won’t say more, it would be a spoiler).

The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Vol 3 edited by David Marcum – The third in this excellent series of new Holmes stories. They are true to the originals, nothing out of place or time, no being “clever”. There are several more already published and on my shelf, but I am going slowly and savoring these.

I really recommend these if you’re in the mood for some Holmes but want something other than the Doyle stories.

Railroad Stories #1 by E. S. Dellinger – I found out about this collection of pulp railroad stories through James Reasoner’s blog Rough Edges. These were a lot of fun, and for me railroad stories are enjoyable as I’ve had an interest in railroading since I had an American Flyer model railroad set as a kid. Fun, light.

And now we come to a set of novels I read at the end of the month, after seeing a Friday Forgotten post on Yvette Banek’s blog. It’s the three Rex Stout novels that feature Nero Wolfe’s nemesis Arnold Zeck.

And Be A Villain by Rex Stout – This one introduces Arnold Zeck. Though Archie had never heard of him, and was curious as to why the man is, Wolfe tells him to forget he ever heard the name.

The Second Confession – Thinking Wolfe was interfering in his affairs, Zeck gives a dramatic warning, having the top floor orchid houses on Wolfe’s house machine-gunned. Wolfe decides it’s time to leave the brownstone and disappear.

In the Best of Families – Archie, on his own, tries to discover what’s going on, while threatened by Zeck’s thugs. Will Wolfe come back, or stay in hiding? These are terrific books, highly recommended.

Next time, Jefferson Farjeon, Sue Burke, Chester Himes, and more. We’re catching up!