Book recommendations.

[c.d.]

Hi c.d

When you mentioned their lack of water it reminds me of tv programmes that I’ve seen about Lifeboat rescue and mountain rescue. Some of the idiots that you see hiking in mountainous terrain in the most inappropriate gear imaginable. Plus people getting rescued in tiny boats miles out to sea who apparently have never heard of a thing called a tide. We know that kids have a lesser appreciation of danger but you wonder how some of these people have survived to the ages they’ve reached. It’s a good job I’m not a rescuer because I’m afraid they wouldn’t be left unaware of my opinion.

I am reminded of the time I was in the Grand Canyon. The trails have signs reading this is an extremely rough and rugged trail. Be sure to have good boots and water. Yet I constantly saw people coming back up the trail (mostly out of breath) wearing sneakers or flip flops and no water. Go figure. Human nature.

c.d.

[c.d.]

I promised a final review of "Journal of the Dead" by Jason Kersten the story of the lost hikers and alleged mercy killing. It was good. Goes into the trial and its outcome and the evidence presented by both sides. Still can't decide if I buy the defendant's story but a fascinating one in the end. Outdoor adventure meets true crime. Definitely recommend.

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

I'm just wondering if anyone here is familiar with "The Face on the Cutting Room Floor" by Cameron McCabe?

I've just finished it and my brain hurts!

Written in 1937, it's set in London but reads like American noir.

There's all manner of weird, meta, post-modernist stuff going on.

I can't really say much about it without giving away spoilers.

I quite enjoyed it, but one of the weirdest books I've read (and I've read some weird books in my time!).

[c.d.]

Another one I highly recommend. An absolutely fascinating true story. "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beha.

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Gone-Memoirs-Soldier/dp/0374531269/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3864X5D95I257&keywords=a+long+way+gone+memoirs+of+a+boy+soldier+by+ishmael+beah&qid=1640540772&sprefix=a+long+way+gone%2Caps%2C905&sr=8-1

c.d.

[c.d.]

Loved this one. Highly recommend. "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea" by Gary Kinder. The ship sank in 1857 during a hurricane. At the time of sinking, the amount of gold carried on board was valued at approximately $2,000,000. Today, that would be equivalent to roughly $300,000,000.The book goes back and forth between the ship sinking and the passengers on board and the unbelievable efforts at recovery in the 1980s. I found it to be a page turner.

https://www.amazon.com/Ship-Gold-Deep-Blue-Sea/dp/080214425X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MQTF4QR9Z8PO&keywords=ship+of+gold+in+the+deep+blue+sea&qid=1640538998&s=books&sprefix=ship+of+gold%2Cstripbooks%2C875&sr=1-1

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I just finished The Scourge Of Soho by Dick Kirby. I know that Paul Begg has reviewed at least one of Kirby’s books but I’m not sure which one?

This one is about a real character. Detective Sergeant Harry Challenor. He fought bravely in the War, joining the SAS, then the Police eventually becoming a Detective Sergeant. He was eventually removed from his position after being accused of planting a brick in the pocket of a protester. By that time Harry’s mental health was deteriorating. Always ‘eccentric’ he was eventually sectioned and spent years in an institution before dying in a care home.

One thing that you can’t argue with and that was that Challenor was utterly fearless in his approach to criminals, especially gangsters. He once marched the Kray’s from Soho back to the East End warning them that if he ever saw them on his patch again... Criminals genuinely feared Harry Challenor and with good reason. He bent the rules without a doubt but wasn’t in the pockets of gangsters like some at the time. A real character.

Recommended.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi c.d

When you mentioned their lack of water it reminds me of tv programmes that I’ve seen about Lifeboat rescue and mountain rescue. Some of the idiots that you see hiking in mountainous terrain in the most inappropriate gear imaginable. Plus people getting rescued in tiny boats miles out to sea who apparently have never heard of a thing called a tide. We know that kids have a lesser appreciation of danger but you wonder how some of these people have survived to the ages they’ve reached. It’s a good job I’m not a rescuer because I’m afraid they wouldn’t be left unaware of my opinion.

[c.d.]

Hello Herlock,

Yeah, I do enjoy true outdoor adventure books. Nothing like sitting comfortably at home on your butt drinking a cold beer and reading about the adventures of others.

What happened to them was truly scary. They were in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico so a desert environment. It was supposed to be just a simple overnight camping trip. They were repeatedly warned that anyone camping should be carrying at least a gallon of water per person per day. For some unknown reason they started into the desert canyon with just three pints of water between them. They pitch their tent, spend the night and start hiking back to their car which is really not that far away. Somehow they fail to find the trail they took down and can't find the car. Now they are really lost and no water. It rapidly goes down hill from there. One of the hikers kept a journal of what happened and then the book goes into his trial for the murder of his friend.

I will give a final review when I finish it.

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Just started a very good and intriguing (so far) outdoor adventure/true crime book entitled "Journal of the Dead" by Jason Kersten. Two twenty something best friends get lost in a U.S. National Park. One of the friends admits to killing his buddy saying his buddy was in agony being without water for so long and begged to be killed. He claims it was a mercy killing but is put on trial for murder. A true story.

https://www.amazon.com/Journal-Dead-Friendship-Murder-Mexico/dp/0060959223/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

c.d.

Sounds interesting c.d.

[c.d.]

Just started a very good and intriguing (so far) outdoor adventure/true crime book entitled "Journal of the Dead" by Jason Kersten. Two twenty something best friends get lost in a U.S. National Park. One of the friends admits to killing his buddy saying his buddy was in agony being without water for so long and begged to be killed. He claims it was a mercy killing but is put on trial for murder. A true story.

https://www.amazon.com/Journal-Dead-Friendship-Murder-Mexico/dp/0060959223/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd is one that I’ve read after seeing it in a charity shop. I’ll definitely make the effort to read more of hers in time though.

[Ms Diddles]

I saw a documentary about her a while ago and found that she was fascinated by poison and new her stuff. I’ve read all of her Poirot short stories and a couple of the longer ones but that’s all really. Just something I’ve never gotten around to. When I finish my Dr Thorndyke stories (which I’m dipping in and out of) I might try a bit of Agatha. Problem is that I also have 2 books of Holmes stories to read and one book of new Pons stories. I’ll never catch up.

Yeah, Agatha worked as a nurse during WW1 and developed a real interest in and knowledge of poison IIRC.

I'm a huge fan, but a large part of that is because I was practically weaned on her books.

They are like a big comfort blanket to me!

If you're going to give it a shot, I'd recommend The Murder of Roger Ackroyd or And Then There Were none for excellent writing and ingenious plot twists.

They are very easy reading, and you would likely take out a whole book over an evening or maybe two.

Edited for spelling. Bloody predictive text.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I recently enjoyed "Murder Isn't Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie" by Carla Valentine.

It intersperses biographical information about Christie with contemporaneous advances in forensic science.

I'd never really considered how well informed and ahead of her time old Agatha was!

There are many references to the influence which Conan Doyle had on her writing (Herlock!) and Bernard Spillsbury, Lombroso and Locard etc all feature.

It's really light, unchallenging reading.

One for reading over the festive season, curled up by a roaring fire with a glass of sherry.

I saw a documentary about her a while ago and found that she was fascinated by poison and new her stuff. I’ve read all of her Poirot short stories and a couple of the longer ones but that’s all really. Just something I’ve never gotten around to. When I finish my Dr Thorndyke stories (which I’m dipping in and out of) I might try a bit of Agatha. Problem is that I also have 2 books of Holmes stories to read and one book of new Pons stories. I’ll never catch up.

[Ms Diddles]

I recently enjoyed "Murder Isn't Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie" by Carla Valentine.

It intersperses biographical information about Christie with contemporaneous advances in forensic science.

I'd never really considered how well informed and ahead of her time old Agatha was!

There are many references to the influence which Conan Doyle had on her writing (Herlock!) and Bernard Spillsbury, Lombroso and Locard etc all feature.

It's really light, unchallenging reading.

One for reading over the festive season, curled up by a roaring fire with a glass of sherry.

[Ms Diddles]

I just finished The Case Of The Murderous Dr Cream by Dean Jobb. This one is a cracker. The author has clearly done lots of research to track Cream’s life and career. I can’t think of a fault. Its one of those books that makes you wonder if anyone else will ever bother writing a book on Cream?

Highly recommended

Thanks Herlock!

Moving it to my basket from "saved for later" on Amazon!