The Paris Assignment

The Paris Assignment by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This Kindle book was in my Kindle library since December 2024.

The onset of WWII in France is a dramatic setting, and Bowen keeps us interested in what our protagonist will do next.

I recommend the book.

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The Rose Arbor

I finished it in one day because I had to know what happened next.  

I rate it five stars.  

Just when I commit to focus on the project of reading the books in My Digital Library from Barnes & Noble, my local library reminds me a book I requested and was on hold, is now available.   

Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable

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Wild Irish Rose by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm glad Molly Murphy Sullivan is back, even if she seems a bit too stubborn to listen to what other family members are trying to tell her. I guess confirmation bias may not have had a name yet.
It is an enjoyable mystery, and it may be read as a standalone because the characters are re-introduced.


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The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could not stop reading it when I had the opportunity to read on a weekend.

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Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I downloaded this when it was available for free with Prime-reading from Amazon. I have enjoyed many of the series by Rhys Bowen. This is a new, stand-alone novel. I was easily swept into the story of Isabella Waverly/Helen Barton.
I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction set in Victorian times and to readers who are fans of books by Rhys Bowen.

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 The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy reading books written by Rhys Bowen. Her stories pull me along, and I'm quickly done.
I did take away one star because I had difficulty feeling the time of the book even though the overleaf of the book jacket stated The Great War. For the longest time, I felt time setting was during WWII, and then I realized I was mistaken, and it felt jarring.
I recommend it for fans of the author.


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The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I borrowed this book from my public library because I enjoy reading this author's books.
This book is not part of a series. It is an interesting story that makes a smooth transition between related stories set in 1944 and 1973.
I think any reader who enjoys historical fiction or enjoys the mystery of trying to piece together a story about the artifacts our deceased ancestors leave behind without the documentation we need to understand their history might enjoy this book.


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In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed many of the series by Rhys Bowen, and this is a stand-alone novel.
The fifth star was given because, at a certain point, I could not put the book down until I was finished and saw how it ended. I hope this book does the same for other readers who enjoy historical novels of the WWll era.


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Time of Fog and Fire by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I went on the wait-list at my local library as soon as I knew about the publication date.

This is number 16 in the Molly Murphy Mystery series, and I recommend it to fans of the series. It can be read as a stand alone book for an introduction to new readers.


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Away in a Manger by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars




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 The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I eagerly anticipated the release of the next Molly Murphy series.  I recommend it for fans of the series.


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City of Darkness and Light by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I eagerly anticipated the release of City of Darkness and Light, and I highly recommend it to fans of the Molly Murphy series.

There were just a few things that bothered me about my dear fictional friend this time around. I have enjoyed Molly coming into contact with historical characters during her investigations; but, this time there seemed to be more name-dropping than usual. I know a cable was sent to Gus and Sid saying that Molly and Liam would accept their invitation to stay in Paris with them; but, does she ever tell them about her fright when her house was destroyed by the firebombing or that her servant was killed for those are topics I might want to tell best friends before I could even hear their problems. Liam has good care with a suitable wet nurse, Madeline; but, Molly never complains about sore breasts and leaking milk when she misses a feeding during her investigations. No, she complains more about her feet on cobblestones.

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The Family Way by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was the twelfth book in the Molly Murphy series, and I eagerly anticipated the release because I wanted to see how marriage and pregnancy might change Molly. I was disappointed by the lack of maturity that I hoped the author might write into the story with these events. Sure, we readers still want Molly to be our feisty girl, but she shows no interest in stopping or modifying reckless behavior, and no interest in working toward a compromise with Daniel. She even slaps him, and then apologizes with the excuse she was emotionally upset. No excuse for spousal abuse!
I recommend it to fans of the series.

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The Amersham Rubies by Rhys Bowen

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is a free selection from Barnes and Noble Nook shop. It contains a short story from Molly Murphy's youth in Ireland (13 pages long) and the remainder of the 37 pages are an except from Blessed is the Bride.

I read all the Molly Murphy books and I found them to be entertaining. These 13 pages read more like a synopsis of an uncompleted work than a short story which is supposed to be read in one sitting and remembered for a lifetime. It turned out to be a superficial introduction for readers to this interesting character, and the slapdash reveal of the resolution of the mystery is likely to be ineffective as a marketing tool to her books which are structured and plotted better.

Within the 37 pages, I found a chronological discrepancy that takes me out of the fictive dream: on page 5 we are told "her mother's death put an end to it when she was fourteen" and on page 15 we are told her mother died when Molly was ten years old.

I recommend it to readers who are already fans of the series and those who can get this for free.





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Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is an entertaining book that fans of the series will enjoy. It does not get the fifth star for I won't re-read it. It gets the fourth star for a new reader might find this entertaining enough to start the series here.



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Bless the Bride by Rhys Bowen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


By the tenth book in her mystery series, I feel Molly Murphy is an old friend and I look forward to reading about her adventures. I like the supporting cast of characters. I like the 1903 New York setting for a short history lesson.



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The Last Illusion by Rhys Bowen


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book will not disappoint the fans of Molly Murphy. Bowen does an excellent job of making the setting of early 20th century New York City believable, populating it with interesting characters, and writing a fast-paced narrative.
Sid and Gus are still in this book. Molly has the problem many of us 21st century women have: how can we make time for our friends when our jobs put demands on our availability and will our friends be less of a priority when the man in our life is uncomfortable with them.

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The Final Tally is 128 Books Read in 2009

2009 Books I Read
2009 was the year I continued to focus my reading choices on the books I already own on my investing shelf, my writing shelf, and my bought-while-traveling shelf. I started these projects with a 2007 resolution to finish reading the books in these groups before I buy any more books in those categories. Now, books I borrow from the library did not count against me. Yes, that is called justification and rationalization, and they are two skills I am proud to have. This was also the year my husband decided to bring some books, previously stored in the garage, back inside. He likes to see what he owns. Now when I saw the spines of the books daily and I handled them during occasional dusting, I started reading more of them in 15-minute or chapter intervals on a daily basis until yet until another book was finished.
We agreed to sell some books on Half.com. To qualify for our listings, the book had to be one we both read. Later, I broadened the sellable books to those I had read and he was unlikely to ever read.books for sale

1. The On-Line Poet's Resource Center by Rob Parnell
   
2. Easy Cash Writing: Paying Magazine Market by Rob Parnell
   
3. The Tetons: Interpretations of a Mountain Landscape by Fritiof Fryxell
   
4. The Decatur Road by Joe Coomer
   
5. The Loop by Joe Coomer
   
6. Doing the Write Thing: 10 Tips on Becoming a More Professional Writer by Sarah White and Rob Parnell
   
7. How to Achieve Writing Success by Rob Parnell
   
8. They Gypsy Morph by Terry Brooks
   
9. Shadow Waltz Amy Patricia Meade
   
10. The Explorations of the Colorado River and Its Canyons by Major John Wesley Powell
    
11. Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
    
12. The Abs Diet: Ultimate Nutrition Handbook by David Zinczenko
    
13. Zen and the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity by Ray Bradbury
    
14. An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor
    
15. Writing from the Body by John Lee with Ceci Miller Krittsberg
    
16. John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman
    
17. Thinking About Memoir by Abigail Thomas
    
18. Love, Loss, and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman
    
19. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
    
20. Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon by Edward Dolnick
    
21. Does This Cluuter Make My Butt Look Fat? By Peter Walsh
    
22. All But the Waltz: Essays on a Montana Family by Mary Clearman Blue
    
23. A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas
    
24. A Bull in China by Jim Rogers
    
25. Why We Want You to Be Rich by Donald Trump, Meredith McIver & Robert Kiyosaki/Sharon Lechter
    
26. Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Money and Markets by R.S. Wurman, Alan Siegel and Kenneth Morris
    
27. The Coming Economic Collapse: How You Can Thrive When Oil Cost $200 a Barrel by Stephen Leeb, Ph.D. with Glen Strathy
    
28. The America We Deserve by Donald Trump with David Shiflett
    
29. Economics on Trial by Mark Skousen
    
30. Raven's Shadow by Patricia Briggs
    
31. A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink
    
32. The World is Flat by Thomas l. Friedman
    
33. Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler
    
34. Raven's Strike by Patricia Briggs
    
35. Naked Guide to Bonds by Michael V. Brandes
    
36. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
    
37. Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope
    
38. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vickie Myron with Bret Witter
    
39. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
    
40. Chi Running by Danny Dreyer with Kathleen Dreyer
    
41. LaVinia by Ursula K. LeGuin
    
42. Rich Woman: A Book on Investing for Women by Kim Kiyosaki
    
43. The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
    
44. Fool by Christopher Moore
    
45. Game Over: How You Can Prosper in a Shattered Economy by Stephen Leeb, PhD.
    
46. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
    
47. No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club: Diary of a 60^th Year by Virginia Ironside
    
48. Lords of Finance by Ahamed Liaquat
    
49. Winning on Wall Street by Martin Zwieg
    
50. Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
    
51. Michael Sivy's Rules of Investing
    
52. Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
    
53. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
    
54. Story: Substance, Structure, Style and Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee
    
55. Before Oprah: Ruth Lyons, The Woman Who Created Talk TV by Michael A. Banks
    
56. The Motley Fool Investment Guide by David and Tom Gardner
    
57. A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell by Donald Worster
    
58. 1968 by Mark Kurlansky
    
59. Borderline by Nevada Barr
    
60. Evan Blessed by Rhys Bowen
    
61. Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic Nonfiction by a Two-Time Pulitzer-Prize Winner by Jon Franklin
    
62. American Nature Writing, 1995 selected by John A. Murray
    
63. The Associate by John Grisham
    
64. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
    
65. Keepsake Crimes by Laura Childs
    
66. Photo Finished by Laura Childs
    
67. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
    
68. The Freeway Guide to Retiring Right: How to Invest the Rest of Your Life by Jim Selman
    
69. Bound for Murder by Laura Childs
    
70. Testimony by Anita Shreve
    
71. A Proper Education for Girls by Elaine DiRollo
    
72. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
    
73. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
    
74. Writing the Family Narrative by Lawrence P. Gouldrup
    
75. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
    
76. Writing the Family Narrative Workbook by Lawrence P. Gouldrup
    
77. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
    
78. Listening: The Forgotten Skill by Madelyn Burley-Allen
    
79. The Best American Travel Writing 2008 Anthony Bourdain, editor
    
80. Absolute Beginner's Guide to eBay (5^th edition) by Michael Miller
    
81. How to Sell Collectibles on eBay by Entrepreneur Press and Jennifer A. Ericson
    
82. eBay: Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks by Julia Wilkenson
    
83. Trading for a Living by Alexander Elder
    
84. Build an eBay Business Quick Steps by Matthews Technology
    
85. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear
    
86. Rachel Carson: The Writer at Work by Paul Brooks
    
87. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
    
88. Make Big Profits on eBay by Jacquelyn Lynn and Charlene Davis
    
89. The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright
    
90. Start Your Own Blogging Business by Entrepreneur Press and J.S. McDougall
    
91. Start Your Own Self-Publishing Business by Entrepreneur Press and Jennifer Dorsey
    
92. The Only Three Questions that Count by Ken Fisher
    
93. The Official eBay Bible, Third Edition by Jim Griffith
    
94. eBay Photography The Smart Way by Joseph T. Sinclair and Stanley Livingston
    
95. Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach
    
96. The Bond Book by Annette Thau
    
97. Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind
    
98. Eat,Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
    
99. Sell, Keep, Toss by Harry L. Rinker
    
100. The Best of Edward Abbey, edited by Edward Abbey
     
101. Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak
     
102. Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind
     
103. Value Investing with the Masters by Kirk Kazinjian
     
104. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
     
105. Murder With All the Trimmings by Elaine Viets
     
106. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
     
107. Vertical Coffin by Stephen J. Cannell
     
108. Killer Cuts by Elaine Viets
     
109. A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid
     
110. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
     
111. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
     
112. Profiting from Emerging Market Stocks by Mitchell Posner
     
113. The Fashion Hound Murders by Elaine Viets
     
114. In a Gilded Cage by Rhys Bowen
     
115. Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind
     
116. End the Fed by Ron Paul
     
117. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
     
118. Cold Hit by Stephen J. Cannell
     
119. White Sister by Stephen J. Cannell
     
120. An Irish Country Village by Patrick Taylor
     
121. Three Shirt Deal by Stephen J. Cannell
     
122. America's National Parks by Paul Schullery
     
123. Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind
     
124. Desert Light: Myths and Visions of the Great Southwest ; photographs by Dean Lee Uhlinger and edited by John Miller
     
125. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen
     
126. Alaska's Inside Passage by Kim Heacox
     
127. Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind
     
128. A Teton Country Anthology, edited by Robert W. Righter
     

my 2009 bookshelf