Curiouser and Curiouser

Wow, in keeping with my apparent desire to read across Scotland... Just kidding. I only just realized that Craig Russell and Stuart MacBride are both from Scotland. Interesting because Russell's current series takes place in Hamburg. 

I think I already posted about the books I came home with from NYC, but in case I didn't, Craig Russell was a great rec that I received at The Mysterious Bookshop in NYC, and one of the books had a blurb from Mo Hayder, how cool!

I did manage to finish Breaking Dawn last night. I only had about an hour's worth of the book left! Blood Eagle and it's companion, Brother Grimm, have been in my stack to read since that trip in June. I ordered book 3, Eternal, as well and figured that I should read at least the first book before that one comes in, right? 

I'm not too far into it just yet - one body (which is a second) has been discovered and I have a feeling another will shortly. About a quarter in - lots of reading planned for this evening : )

Anyway, I'll tell you more about the book once I've finished. I was curious, though, about the fact that there seems to be another UK fan in Boulder - this person has no qualms about parting with their books because I keep coming across them at The Bookworm. First off, I am really curious as to who this person is. I mean maybe they have a whole cache of favorites they could recommend to me (and you all know how much I would love that!), but the other thing that got me curious is the fact that they are trading them in at the used bookstore. These imports are not cheap! Blood Eagle cost me $20 and it's a mass market. Granted, Cynthia at High Crimes seems to be able to get them in a little cheaper. I think Eternal is costing me $15. 

Anyway, you see what I'm saying. I can't recall the actual price in the books - they're pretty beat up and I prefer mine in better shape, even used. I suspect they're not pricing them according to import prices though. I mean the trade-in credit would be $10 on what they see as a mm paperback - and the purchase price would be such as well, compared to the $3.50 that most books go for there. 

It just makes me wonder. Ah, well. Back to work so that I can throw myself into Jan Fabel's investigation later with no guilt.

Oh, and if you're a BBC fan (no surprise that I am, right?) I did watch the premier episode of Primeval this weekend. It has the same cheesy effects as the rest of the BBC shows, but the story is pretty interesting. I find that the longer I watch, the easier it is for me to get past the effects. Jekyll was another great one (one season only and out on DVD) if you're a big tv watcher. 

I'm back!

I'm back, safe and sound and in one whole piece. Although I do need more exercise now than I did even before I left. No, the walking around did not negate all of the yummy food I pigged out on while I was there.

I did some major book shopping while I was there. One of my newest purchases were two titles by Craig Russell, Blood Eagle and Brother Grimm.

I walked over to Mysterious Bookshop my first day there and was a bit overwhelmed by their selection. First off, the store is fairly small. Books line the walls and reach all the way up to the ceiling - you have to use a ladder to see half of the stock. The middle of the floor is filled with display tables of new hardcovers, collectibles in clear plastic wrappers, and signed editions. I was in heaven! I just didn't know what to look for. So, I asked for a recommendation. I was looking specifically for something in the Mo Hayder vein that I couldn't find in a regular bookstore here in Boulder - meaning something overseas. The bookseller recommended Stuart McBride, but they didn't have the first in stock. He also recommended Russell, who, btw, has a blurb on the back of Blood Eagle from none other than the thriller queen herself, Mo Hayder!

I haven't had a chance to read it yet (hey! I've only had it since Friday and I do have reviews to do) but here's a description from Amazon UK:

Two women are killed in the same horrific, ritualistic manner. The murderer taunts the police with e-mails. It seems clear that a serial killer is at work, selecting victims at random and living out some twisted fantasy. But, as Jan Fabel and his murder team investigate further, nothing is as it first seems. They are drawn into a dark half-world of Viking myth and legend, of obscure religious cults, of political intrigue and of a violent struggle to seize control of the city. And as Fabel desperately races to track down the killer before more killings take place, he and his team come face to face with a cold, brutal menace they could never have predicted. A greater evil than they could ever have imagined.

The books take place in Hamburg, Germany. They can apparently be read as stand-alones as well seeing as how the bookseller who recommended them to me had only read the follow-up book, Brother Grimm - he said they recapped everything from the previous book.

Alright, I think a bath and a nap are in order, followed by mucho laundry! More on the trip later!