What are you reading this week of March 13, 2016?

[scarletwoman]

7. Hi, hermetic! Thanks as always for doing this thread!

The book I just finished yesterday is The Waters of Eternal Youth, by Donna Leon - #25 of her Commissario Brunetti series, which just came out this month. I was the #1 hold for when the new copy hit the library, so I got it the very first day it was available!

I've absolutely loved this series for years, ever since I serendipitously came across the very first book of the series in the communal bookshelf in the breakroom at work. I was immediately hooked, and have faithfullly read every single book in the series in order from then on. The setting in contemporary Venice (Italy) is fabulous, the protatgonist is delightful - as are all the characters that make up the supporting cast, the writing is gorgeous and sensual, and the plotting is always skillfully done. I know I have brought up this series in past posts, and have always highly recommended it. This latest book in the series is particularly poignant, and the ending left me teary-eyed. Yes, I knew I was being emotionally manipulated, but when it comes to Donna Leon, I do not mind at all.

I'm far behind on mentioning all the other books I've been reading over the past several weeks, so here's a quick list (in order of most recently read):

I Am Your Judge, by Nele Neuhaus. She is a German author, and this is her 4th "Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein" police procedural translated into English (although it's the 6th or 7th novel in the series, since the earliest books have not been translated so far). I did not like this one as well as the earlier 3 I had read. It was overlong, and got very tedious - and I just couldn't really buy into the overall premise. I would still recommend the first 3 translated books, and I'll still keep an out for what she writes next.

An Event in Autumn, by Henning Mankell (Sweden). This is a very short novella that was sort of a late add-on to the Wallender series that came out in 2014, after Mankell had already written his final Wallender book in 2011 (The Troubled Man). Chronologically, it takes place shortly before events in the final book. It's a book I kept meaning to order from the library, and finally got around to remembering to do so. I had already read the entire Wallender series from start to finish once The Troubled Man came out 2011, so it was a pleasant surprise in 2014 to hear about one extra piece being added to the ouvre. It was a pleasure to be back in the world of Wallender, even for just a short while. And a sad reminder of what we readers have lost with Mankell's passing in 2015.

Midnight Sun (Blood on Snow #2), by Jo Nesbø (Norway). Apparently there are no more Harry Hole (Nesbø's famous Norwegian detective) books forthcoming, but because I still like Jo Nesbø, I keep an eye out for whatever new books he writes, and this was his latest. Shockingly, it seemed to have a happy ending! Is Nesbø getting soft? It was a quick but interesting read, with some carry-over of characters from Blood on Snow #1. If anyone is interested, I'll say more about it if asked.

Into Oblivion, by Arnaldur Indriðason (Iceland). This is the second prequel in the Inspector Erlendur series since the final book, Strange Shores came out in 2013. I love Erlendur, and I will happily read as many prequels as Indriðason cares to write. I am a committed devotée.

Open Grave, by Kjell Eriksson (Sweden). The latest in his Inspector Ann Lindell series - #6 of those which have translated into English (there are 10 books in the series so far) - another series I have been fatihfully reading in order over the years. While Ericksson is not nearly as well known as some of the other "Nordic Noir" authors of recent years, his books are definitely worthy reads, and I've always found them uniquely intriguing.

Runaway, by Peter May (Scotland) - which I have posted about separately.

I've started on a new series, this one set in the Périgord region of France, featuring a municipal policeman nicknamed "Bruno", by Martin Walker. Book #1 is Bruno, Chief of Police (2008). There are 9 books so far in the series, so I'm hoping they will be a worthwhile diversion for awhile.

Meanwhile, I'll be waiting for the newest entry in Ann Cleeves' Shetland series (Earth to Earth), and a new Hebrides book by Peter May (Coffin Road)...