Read in May

12) Vineyard Deceit by Philip R. Craig
Read: 23 April - 5 May
Pages: 235
Rating: 5

I received this as a RABCK, and having never heard of the author or the Martha's Vineyard mysteries, I didn't have very high expectations. As it turned out, it was a surprisingly good mystery with ex-policeman J.W. Jackson as the main character. Jackson is a likeable guy, and I like his sense of humour. The plot (which involves a stolen necklace, a kidnapping and the Padishah of Sarofim) works well and even all the fishing that goes on (Jackson's favourite pasttime) doesn't bore me. I'll have to keep a look-out for the other books in this series.

13) andungen og jeg (jul) by Emilie Christensen
Read: 5 May
Pages: 43
Rating: 5

14) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Read: 5 May - 22 May
Pages: 402
Rating: 6

This book has received a lot of publicity, and I wasn't expecting to like it, because I thought it sounded rather long-winding and dull. How wrong I was! I haven't been this engrossed in a book in a long time, and it's such a wonderful feeling ('flow', I think they're calling it these days). This is a story of burning passion, lost love, friendship, hatred and memories that won't let go of you. The characters are real and experience real emotions, and nothing is like it first seems. It's a story about life and death and everything in between, and ultimately it's about living - and about Victor Hugo's fountain pen.

15) Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Read: 23 May - 31 May
Pages: 372
Rating: 5

I think Gaiman is the most creative and imaginative writer I've ever read. He creates these utterly strange, yet very familiar worlds and populates them with utterly strange, yet completely recognisable people (and animals). He might just be a new favourite author to me.