My To-Be-Read list

Terry Shames here. This week I get to talk about one of my favorite subjects: what’s in my reading pile.

Since the pile is somewhere around 500 books deep, I’ll have to cherry-pick. To start with, I’ll mention the books I brought with me on my book tour. I had picked up a copy of a book that was popular a few years ago, Norwegian By Night, by Derek B. Miller, and am halfway through it. It’s a very different read: philosophical, at times funny, at times poignant, and occasionally thrilling. I’m hoping to finish it before I leave Texas, so I can pass it on to my sister. I also brought Jeffrey Siger’s Sons of Sparta, which has been on my TBR pile too long. And I violated my rule not to travel with hardcover books and brought News of the World, which every person I know who has read it says is a must read.

                                                     

I was at BookPeople in Austin and although my suitcase can’t handle any more books, and I’ll have to carry these on board by hand, I couldn’t resist getting a copy of Mark Pryor’s latest, Dominic, a sequel to his amazing The Hollow Man, which features one of the creepiest protagonists I’ve read in years. I also had to buy Daughters of Bad Men, a debut novel by Laura Oles, which is getting huge buzz, including an Agatha nomination for Best Debut Mystery. While I was there I also met a writer by the name of Billy Kring, and was assured that his Outlaw Road was fantastic. Boom. Another purchase.

 

While I was at BookPeople I sold a couple of books as well—one by Rachell Howzell Hall, whom I discovered last year, and whose book City of Saviors is on the top of my TBR pile back home. I also touted books by Timothy Hallinan, and stood by while a reader wrote down his name. Shannon Baker was in the mix. I haven’t read the second installment in her new Kate Fox Mystery series, Dark Signal, but I told a reader about the terrific opener, Stripped Bare.

                     

I have some catching up to do on a few series. Two C.J. Box books are on my shelves, and I fell behind on reading Robert Crais, whose books I always enjoy. The Wanted is not only on my TBR list, but is sitting on a table in my entry hall. Two different people have recommended Alafair Burke’s new book, The Wife, to me, so it’s now on my TBB list—to be bought. Sometimes I put off reading a book because I’m saving it for when I need a book I know I will love, and Catriona McPherson’s books are in that category. House.Tree.Person. is calling to me from the shelf. For the same reason, I’ve put off reading the latest Lady Georgie caper from Rhys Bowen, although I usually fall on those in a greedy frenzy as soon as they come out.

     

When I’m on panels at conferences, I try to read books from each of the panelists. Happily, I’ve read the latest from James Ziskin (Cast the First Stone) and Matt Coyle (Blood Truth).

  

Although I’ve read plenty of William Kent Krueger, I haven’t read Sulfur Springs. And on my Thursday panel I’m eager to read the latest from Cathy Ace, Ellen Kirschman, Pat Stoltey and Heather Young—all must-reads, since I’ll be moderating that panel.

So many books….too little time!