On the doorstep, waiting to be read

Currently I have many more books in the "waiting to be read" pile than I really have any hope of reading in the near future. Several of them seem to arrive each week at present, and sit on the shelves making me feel guilty. So I have decided to feature some of them, (mainly review copies forwarded to me by publishers), in a more or less weekly feature, so you get to consider whether you want to read them. My postings won't be reviews, just titles with publisher's blurbs. Some I may actually read in the near future and then do a proper review. I'd like to also stress that there is no rhyme or reason to my selections. Please note that this listing is in no way a recommendation for you to read a title, simply a chance for you to assess for yourself whether you would like to read it. I will also try to discover whether the book is available on Kindle, particularly for Australian authors which are not necessarily available overseas.

My focus this week is on some library books I have on the shelves.

A DECENT INTERVAL, Simon Brett, published 2013

Charles Paris returns after 15 years!

After a long period of 'resting', life is looking up for Charles Paris, who has been cast as the Ghost of Hamlet's Father and First Gravedigger in a new production of Hamlet. But rehearsals are fraught. 
Ophelia is played by Katrina Selsey, who won the role through a television talent show. Hamlet himself is also played by a reality TV contestant, Jared Root - and the two young stars have rather different views of celebrity and the theatre than the more experienced members of the cast. But when the company reach the first staging post of their tour, the Grand Theatre  Marlborough, matters get more serious, with one member of the company seriously injured in what appears to be an accident, and another dead. 

Once again, Charles Paris is forced to don the mantle of amateur detective to get to the bottom of the mystery.

THE DEVIL'S SANCTUARY, Marie Hermanson, published 2011

This has been chosen by my face to face reading group for our next read.

Synopsis (Hachette Australia)

A breathless, heart-stopping psychological thriller from one of Sweden's best selling authors. Fear lies around every corner. . .
Estranged identical twins Daniel and Max have a complex relationship, so when Daniel goes to visit his bi-polar brother in a remote and expensive Swiss 'recovery' clinic, he has no idea what really lies in wait for him. Lulled by the routine and peacefulness of the clinic, Daniel finds himself unquestioningly accepting Max's plea for help in taking care of some business, and the brothers swap places for a few days.

But soon Daniel realises Max isn't coming back, and that the clinic is far from a place of recovery. Struggling to get anyone to believe who he really is, Daniel finds himself trapped in a cruel and highly secretive prison: this is no sanctuary, it's a living nightmare.

THE EARTH HUMS IN B FLAT, Mari Strachan, published 2009



another chosen by my face to face group.

Synopsis (author)

The Earth Hums in B Flat is set in Wales in the late 1950s and narrated by twelve and a half year old Gwenni Morgan. Gwenni is not like the other children in her small town. A bookish yet spirited young girl, she is suddenly forced into an unusual situation when a neighbour disappears and no one seems to be asking the right questions. As Gwenni makes her own investigations, she begins to find out more about life than she could ever have imagined.