Madeleine

I long gave up trying to control my TBRs (note the plural!). It is an addiction but it's sort of comforting.

puppy

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths - this is the latest in the Ruth Galloway series, and now Ruth is firmly established back in Norfolk, and has been promoted to Head of Archaeology at the University of North Norfolk. Daughter Kate is doing well back at her old school, and life seems fairly settled. Until..... what looks like a murder/suicide takes place at a remote farm, and the body of a young man is found on a beach, which also turns out to be murder. Both his death and that of the couple at the farm lead back to the Night Hawks, a group of metal detectorists who hunt at night, as it's quieter. Then a research facility in Cambridge comes into focus, as the man involved in the murder/suicide incident was in charge of a research programme there, and it looks like everything is connected, somehow. Throw in a mysterious black dog seen around the farm, and Ruth's new lecturer, who is at best shifty despite managing to be vulnerable at the same time, may also have something to hide. DCI Nelson charges around as usual, scoffing at the local legend of the black dog, even when everything seems to point back to Black Dog Farm, and it all builds to an exciting climax with a few chapters ending on a cliffhanger. Another enjoyable read, with it's usual blend of humour and slight cynicism! 8/10

snow

Did it have an aerial on top, a bit like 2 sticks that you used to have fiddle with?

Only in jigsaw puzzle pieces thankfully, unlike the time there was a massacre in the back garden - it was like a feathered version of a Game of Thrones battle out there

I remember those TV adaptations very well, especially To Serve Them.

Frustrating! It was a bit of a swine to complete. Just started another one - garden birds this time, so i now have bits of birds all over the dining room table!

soda

It was dull here for most of the weekend, kept coming over very threatening - thick clouds etc - but the rain held off. It is still very clammy at night, I agree.

Lady in Red - Chris de Burgh

Days without Number - Robert Goddard

We've had a few showers, still quite muggy though.

I read somewhere that they weren't allowed detailed plans of a similar sub, presumably for security reasons. I'm enjoying Vigil but there are some real plot holes in it, I've shouted at the screen a couple of times!

It has been uncomfortable at night hasn't it? Very grey and muggy today.

Might have problems with X Men though, as they all have separate powers, although many superheroes can fly, but some of the more specific powers might cause issues with X Men's creators.

None here yet either, though it's still quite muggy.

The Silver Collar by Antonia Hodgson - after a long wait, this is the 4th book in the Thomas Hawkins series, and it takes on a darker tone as Thomas and Kitty find themselves caught up in a very personal battle for their own future. It takes a while to get going, and for a while I did wonder when the story would take off, but once it did I was gripped. The book is divided into several sections, and things really start to happen when we get the part featuring Jeremiah, who grows up on the island of Antigua as the child of a family of slaves on a plantation. At first life is inevitably hard, but the horror really starts when the plantation owner comes back from England with a new wife. From here we gradually find out how Jeremiah's story, and his predicament, ties in with the danger faced by Tom and Kitty, for they find they have a common enemy who seems to be undefeatable. Other characters come and go, the Fleets are back and there are several exciting chases, and I found the book gripping, whilst still retaining it's trademark humour. But it looks like Thomas finally grows up in this book! 8/10

So the mini heatwave - all 4 days of it - is over. It was nice while it lasted! Managed to do a lovely canal walk on Sunday, and visited a local beauty spot which I'd heard of but never been to. Also saw a cormorant and a pair of coots with a pair of cute babies. Even had an ice cream on the way back! Rained quite heavily last night so back to normal now. DobbsWeirPool.bmp

Was in two minds but will have to read it now, at least it's short!

I got given a Van Gogh café scene jigsaw for my birthday, and did it that way, as it was the only way to do it really ie the perimeter first and then work my way in, only finished it the other week (with my mum's help) and my birthday is at the beginning of June!

those blankets are gorgeous!

There's a mail order company in the UK which does a set of stacking containers for puzzlers to put different pieces of a jigsaw in so they can arrange the pieces into different sections, eg one box for each different colour, or maybe parts of a jigsaw, such as the sky, a building, etc. I bought a set for a puzzling friend for her birthday and she's thrilled with it, it changed her puzzling life!

the TV version of The Pale Horse was almost unrecognisable from the book. Laura Purcell has a new one out soon, "Bone China" is great, I also loved "The Corset".

Good point, I guess you have to find a box or something to keep those in!