I'm starting the month with my eighth Agatha Christie for my 2012 challenge - The Unexpected Guest. This was originally a play and it does have a very "stagey" feel to it.  Very good so far, though.

When a stranger runs his car into a ditch in dense fog near the South Wales coast, and makes his way to an isolated house, he discovers a woman standing over the dead body of her wheel-chair bound husband, a gun in her hand. She readily admits to murder, and the unexpected guest offers to help her concoct a cover story.

But is it possible Laura Warwick did not commit the crime after all? If so, who is she shielding? As the gallant unexpected guest, Michael Starkwedder, looks for other enemies of the dead man he certainly isn’t disappointed by a lack of possible suspects – all with very potent motives…

pennyt:

The Unexpected Guest. This was originally a play

I think I've seen this on the stage!

I've just started The Blue Book by A. L. Kennedy and have no idea yet what it will be like. It's definitely not one to be read without paying full attention, but I'm currently feeling like it will be one that will reward concentration.  I might have to put it aside to read once I'm not staying with my sister as this is probably not the best environment for a book which requires focus!  From the first page:

“And you’re a reader – clearly – here you are reading your book, which is what it was made for. It loves when you look, wakes when you look, and then it listens and it speaks. It was built to welcome your attention and reciprocate with this: the sound it lifts inside you. It gives you the signs for the shapes of the names of the thoughts in your mouth and in your mind and this is where they sing, here at the point where you both meet.

“Which is where you might imagine, might even elicit, the tremble of paper, that unmistakable flinch. It moves for you, your book, and it will always show you all it can.“

Starting the month with another Vine book: Albert of Adelaide by Howard L Anderson, which promises much in the 'quirky' direction. It is the story of a duck-billed platypus. lost in the desert in his search for the place of legend where humans never venture and animals still rule. Near to death, he is saved by Jack, a pyromaniac sardine-loving wombat . . .

Saw the blurb and couldn't resist it!

I'm starting the month off with my current July read.  The Wrong Boy by Willy Russell.

 Goodness August already!  Well I did start Lost Temple by Tom Harper last month, and in the early hours of this morning - I had had enough.  It started OK, but really just OK - and it was about a lost shield, Greek archaelogy, tombs, temples etc., but I keep losing the gist of the story, so after 170 pages tossed it aside.  Then still in the early hours of the morning I started Strange Allure by Susan Lewis, and that did not get beyond 30 pages......

Now I think I got the Jackpot - having read a few pages this morning at breakfast - Gold Coast by Nelson Demille.  I do like most of his books....so heres to a good read...

I am still reading Guilty Wives - James Patterson.

Still reading 'Mercy' by Jussi Adler-Olsen - a cracking Scandi-crime novel set in Denmark, should finish it today so this will be my first read for August;

Then continuing my 'one-word-title challenge' with either 'Rescue' by Anita Shreve or 'Guernica' by Dave Boling - can't decide which yet!!

Finished Strangness and Charm by Mike Shevdon and The Lance Thrower by Jack Whyte while on holiday and now reading The World Unseen by Shamim Sarif

My first August read is Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay which I'm enjoying so far.

Still reading Was by Geoff Ryman, finding some bits slow but liking other parts of it.  I usually find if I am on a book for more than a few days I struggle but holiday stuff has gotten in the way so we shall see.  It is quite a dcifferent read from what I was expecting but enjoying it none the less.

Progressing through The Lacuna  Barbara Kingsolver. Not an easy read but I'm loving it.

 I started Summer Daydreams - Carole Matthews this morning.  Just fancied something light and fluffy for a change!  Enjoying it so far.

Finished 'Mercy' by Jussi Adler-Olsen - this was a bit slow at the start but really got going later on and was a really gripping read at the end, I've already got the second one on TBR;

Now starting the 8th book in my 'one-word-title' challenge:-

'Rescue' by Anita Shreve - usually like her books and this one is pretty good so far (50 pages in).

I finished Heaven Can Wait by Cally Taylor earlier and am going to make a start on Finding Casey by Jo Ann Mapson next (the sequel to Solomon's Oak, due to be published October 2012).