I'm Reading | pdworkman.com

Educate Yourself and Help Others with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

January 12, 2021 / 3 minutes of reading / 1 Comment

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an encyclopedic book about various magical creatures in J.K. Rowling’s magical world. This is not the screenplay/movie. It begins with some playful forwards/introductions, and then proceeds into the encyclopedia of magical beasts (and where to find them.) Fans will recognize not only the popular mythical creatures like dragons, fairies, and phoenixes, but also some of J.K. Rowling’s creations like nifflers and bowtruckles.

Educate Yourself and Help Others with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Read More »

A Cold Case in The Night Fire

January 5, 2021 / 2 minutes of reading / 1 Comment

I have previously posted about the first two books in the Renee Ballard series by Michael Connelly (The Late Show and Dark Sacred Night). So, it should come as no surprise that I picked up the third when I saw it was available.

A Cold Case in The Night Fire Read More »

Read about life as a child soldier in A Long Way Gone

December 29, 2020 / 2 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

I have recently finished reading A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah. It is a sad reality that around the world children are recruited to fight in wars or serve the soldiers who are fighting. Children as young as nine may be trained to kill.

Read about life as a child soldier in A Long Way Gone Read More »

Rick Riordan has Another Hit with Magnus Chase

December 22, 2020 / 2 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

I have just started Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Book 1 the Sword of Summer. I am a little behind in getting in on the Magnus Chase series by Rick Riordan, seeing as there are already three books out in the series. But this is the first time it has shown up on my suggested reading list.

Rick Riordan has Another Hit with Magnus Chase Read More »

Virgil Flowers is back in Bloody Genius

December 15, 2020 / 2 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

Today I am reading Bloody Genius by John Sandford, twelfth book in the Virgil Flowers series. Flowers is being brought in on a case involving the murder of a university professor. A good solid police procedural with lots of avenues of investigation to follow. I am about 3/4 of the way through, and they appear to be closing in on the killer, but I’m still not sure whether they have the right guy and that we’ve gotten to the bottom of the motive.

Virgil Flowers is back in Bloody Genius Read More »

Follow the Twists in Eight Perfect Murders

December 8, 2020 / 2 minutes of reading / 1 Comment

Today I started on Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson. This is a different kind of murder mystery. You may see some of the twists and turns coming. But there are a lot of them (so far). Keep your mind open and pay attention, because the clues are there. Don’t believe everything you read!

Follow the Twists in Eight Perfect Murders Read More »

Cormoran Strikes Back in The Silkworm

December 1, 2020 / 2 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

This week I am into Robert Galbraith’s The Silkworm, second book in the Cormoran Strike series. (Yes, that Robert Galbraith, one of the pen names of J.K. Rowling.) Private Investigator Cormoran Strike is looking for a missing writer, who was trying to get his tell-all book published. Lots of people are not happy to be included in the book, so you can bet there will be a lot of suspects in his disappearance and (spoiler) death. Sorry, I haven’t gotten to that part yet, the Amazon blurb gives it away.

Cormoran Strikes Back in The Silkworm Read More »

Stay up tonight and read The Late Show

November 24, 2020 / 2 minutes of reading / 1 Comment

I am reading The Late Show by Michael Connelly, the second book in the Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch series. I have actually read book number two, Dark Sacred Night before this. It is a good series. I think that the main character, Renée Ballard is a little more non-conforming in this book than she is in book 2. She breaks quite a few police procedure rules, in fact. If that’s the kind of thing that drives you crazy as a reader, you might want to give this one a pass!

Stay up tonight and read The Late Show Read More »

Humour in a police procedural? Read A Bad Day for Sunshine

November 17, 2020 / 3 minutes of reading / 1 Comment

It isn’t often that you come across a police procedural infused with humour. Not just occasional, subtle humour, but full of laugh-out-loud tongue in cheek humour.
I have really been enjoying Darynda Jone’s A Bad Day for Sunshine. Sunshine is the name of the police chief in this small town police procedural featuring the kidnapping of a teenager who is friends with her own daughter.

Humour in a police procedural? Read A Bad Day for Sunshine Read More »

Reading List: Books with Racially Diverse Main Characters

November 12, 2020 / 14 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

There are an increasing number of books out there featuring BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) main characters. The “default” is still white main characters, but the call for more diverse characters is louder and more insistent, and authors are stepping up to fill the gap. BIPOC authors writing characters from their own cultures (#ownvoices) are particularly sought after.

Reading List: Books with Racially Diverse Main Characters Read More »