Books Read in 2009 (original) (raw)

January 2 2010, 23:44

Here is my 2009 list with links to full reviews. In total 150 books and 54,950 pages. In some cases I combined audiobooks with reading. I know these are not countable for this community but still i exceeded 100 books easily.

Books Read January 2009

Book 1: Cover the Mirrors by Faye L. Booth, 2007. 318 pages. The 'drawers' ripper'! I gave it a resounding thumbs down for its weak characterisations, muddled research and other niggles as detailed in my full review.
Book 2: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, 1938. 234 pages. A charming comedy of manners. Review here.
Book 3: The Various Haunts of Men (Simon Serrailler Book 1) by Susan Hill, 2004. 549 pages. Brilliant! Review here.
Book 4: Fault Lines (Lignes de Faille) by Nancy Huston,2006. Translated from the French by the author, 2007. Paperback, 307 pages. Family drama.
Book 5: The Courtesan's Revenge: the Life of Harriette Wilson the Woman Who Blackmailed the King by Francis Wilson, 2004. 359 pages. Biography. Reviews of Books 4 & 5 here.
Book 6: Forty Signs of Rain (Capital Code Book 1) by Kim Stanley Robinson, 2004. 356 pages. Political eco-thriller. Review here.
Book 7: Eclipse (Twilight Saga Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer, 2007. 672 pages. Review here.
Book 8: Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino, 2003. Translated from the Japanese by Rebecca Copeland, 2007. 467 pages. Japanese psychological crime thriller.
Book 9 The Snake Stone (Yashim the Eunuch Book 2) by Jason Goodwin, 2007. 308 pages. Historical murder mystery. Reviews of Books 8 & 9 here.
Book 10: The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory, 2008. 442 pages. Biographical fiction covering the early years of Mary, Queen of Scots' imprisonment in England. Review here.

Books Read February 2009

Book 11: One Step Behind (Kurt Wallander Book 7) by Henning Mankell, 1997. Translated from the Swedish by Ebba Segerberg, 2002. Large Print Hardback. 619 pages. Another superb police procedural from Mankell.
Book 12: Knots & Crosses (Inspector Rebus Book 1) by Ian Rankin, 1987. 2007 Collectors Edition with deleted material. Hardback. 235 pages. Reviews for Books 11 & 12 here.
Book 13: The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl, 2003. Paperback. 372 pages. Literary historical murder mystery set just after the Civil War. Review here.
Book 14: Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart, 2004. Hardback. 434 pages. Gothic mystery set in Ireland. Sequel to Hart's début novel, Haunted Ground. Review here.
Book 15: The Bellini Card (Yashim the Eunuch Book 3) by Jason Goodwin, 2008. Hardback. 306 pages. Review here.
Book 16: The Hindi-Bindi Club: a novel with recipes by Monica Pradhan, 2007. 593 pages. Examines the relationship between East and West through the lives of six women: three mothers and their daughters. Review here.
Book 17: The Seance by John Harwood, 2008. 294 pages. A superbly atmospheric faux-Victorian Gothic tale. Review here.
Book 18: Divided Kingdom by Rupert Thomson, 2005. 400 pages. Satirical picaresque novel. Review here.
Book 19: Diamonds are Forever (James Bond #4) by Ian Fleming, 1956. 2006 Viking edition with introduction by Jonathan Kellerman. 290 pages. Review here.
Book 20: Monster Love by Carol Topolski, 2008. 264 pages. Disturbing novel about abusive couple. Review here.

Books Read March 2009

Book 21: The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher or The Murder at the Road House by Kate Summerscale, 2008. 360 pages. Award winning work of non-fiction that focuses on a famous English 19th century murder case. Review here.
Book 22: Scarpetta (Kay Scarpetta Book 16) by Patricia Cornwell, 2008. 500 pages. Forensic thriller. Huge improvement on last one! Review here.
Book 23: Courtesans by Katie Hickman, 2003. 363 pages. Lively collective biography of the lives of five English courtesans. Review here.
Books 24 & 25: The Pure in Heart and The Risk of Darkness (Simon Serrailler Books 2 & 3) by Susan Hill, 2005 & 2006. 370 and 472 pages. Reviews of Books 24 & 25 here.
Book 26: The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe, 2007. 278 pages. Lyrical tale about the relationship between four generations of mothers and daughters. Review here.
Book 27: Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, 2003. Large print hardback, 372 pages. Unusual thriller set in 1950 in an isolated asylum.
Book 28: Bleak Midwinter: When Plague Breaks out in Oxford No One is Safe! by Peter Millar, 2001. Paperback, 305 pages. Reviews of Books 27 & 28 here.
Book 29: The Pyramid - the Kurt Wallander Stories by Henning Mankell, 1999. Translated from the Swedish by Ebba Segerberg; Laurie Thompson, 2008. Hardback. 376 pages. Review here.
Book 30: Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living by Carrie Tiffany, 2006. Paperback, 256 pages. Review here.
Book 31: The Death Chamber by Sarah Rayne, 2008. Paperback 547 pages. Review here.
Book 32: Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer, 2008. Hardback, 754 pages. Oh dear! Review here - does contain some spoilers for plot under LJ-cut.

Books Read April 2009

Book 33: The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl, 2006. Paperback, 372 pages. A literary mystery set in 19th century Baltimore exploring the mysteries surrounding the last days and death of Edgar Allan Poe. Review here.
Book 34: 'My Heart is My Own' - The Life of Mary, Queen of Scots by John Guy, 2004. Hardback, 574 pages. An excellent new biography of Mary Stuart. Review here.
Book 35: The Vows of Silence: A Simon Serrailler crime novel by Susan Hill, 2008. Hardback, 328 pages. Review here.
Book 36: Out by Natsuo Kirino, 1997. Translated from the Japanese by Stephen Synder, 2003. Paperback, 520 pages. Four downtrodden women working the night shift at a boxed lunch factory become caught up in a nightmarish situation. Review here.
Book 37: The Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson, 2007. Paperback, 502 pages. A multi-generational story set in Jamaica during the period 1946-1976. Review here.
Book 38: Mortal Mischief (Volume One of the Liebermann Papers). US Title: A Death in Vienna: A Novel by Frank Tallis, 2005. Hardback, 458 pages. The first in a series of historical murder mysteries set in Vienna during the opening years of the twentieth century. Review here.
Book 39: Fire Study (Study series Book 3) by Maria V. Snyder, 2008. Paperback, 441 pages. The final in the Study series that brings the story of Yelena Zaltana to a conclusion.
Book 40: From Russia With Love (James Bond #5) by Ian Fleming, 1957. Paperback, 2006 Viking edition with introduction by Charlie Higson. 337 pages. Reviews of Books 39 & 40 here.
Book 41: A Darkness Forged in Fire (Book One of the Iron Elves) by Chris Evans, 2008. Hardback, 419 pages. A promising start to a trilogy blending high fantasy and military fiction. Review here.

Books Read May 2009

Book 42: The House at Midnight by Lucie Whitehouse, 2008. Hardback, 374 pages. Tangled relationship drama wrongly marketed as Gothic mystery. Review here.
Book 43: Prospero's Children by Jan Siegel (pen name of Amanda Hemingway), 1999. Hardback, 331 pages. First in a trilogy in the tradition of Susan Cooper and Alan Garner though with slightly darker themes. Review here.
Book 44: Light Before Day: a novel by Christopher Rice, 2005. Trade paperback, 325 pages. Gritty crime thriller. Review here.
Books 45 & 46: Fifty Degrees Below and Sixty Days & Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson, 2005 & 2007. Both paperback, 520 and 512 pages. These two books complete the Capital Code trilogy of hard science fiction set in the near future. Review of both books here.
Book 47: Vienna Blood (Volume Two of the Liebermann Papers) by Frank Tallis, 2006. Hardback, 476 pages. Review here.
Book 48: American Gods by Neil Gaiman, 2001. Author's preferred text 2005 edition, Softback, 672 pages. I loved this epic multi-award winning contemporary fantasy in which the old gods who had come to America with its settlers clash with the new gods of credit cards, TV, the mass media and shopping malls. Review here.
Book 49: The Missing Person's Guide to Love: a Novel by Susanna Jones, 2007. Hardback. 278 pages. An intriguing mystery about a woman returning to her home town in hopes of finding some resolution to the disappearance of her friend, Julia, when they were fifteen. This was a book that initially confused me as I didn't pay enough attention to its rich undercurrents. As a result I re-read it the same week and ended up giving it a firm thumbs up. Review here.
Book 50: The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas, 2007. Paperback, 506 pages. One of those intriguing high-concept novels that is simply brimming with ideas. Review here.
Book 51: The Redbreast (Detective Harry Hole Book 03) by Jo Nesbo, 2000, translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett, 2007. Paperback, 618 pages. Nordic crime at its best.
Book 52: A Thin Dark Line by Tami Hoag, 1997. Paperback, 592 pages. A gripping psycho-sexual thriller set in the bayou country of Louisiana. Reviews of Books 51 & 52 here.
Book 53: Ghost Song by Sarah Rayne, 2009. Hardback, 471 pages. A mystery/thriller that focuses on a London music hall theatre closed since 1914. Review here.
Book 54: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters, 2006. Paperback, 503 pages. Set in 1940s London this acclaimed novel examines the interwoven lives of four Londoners: three woman and a man. Unusually it is told backwards starting in 1947 and concluding in 1941. Review here.

Books Read June 2009

Book 55: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, 2008. Hardback, 473 pages. A harrowing crime thriller set in Stalinist Russia inspired by a real-life serial killer. Review here.
Book 56: A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth with Joni Rodgers, 2009. Unabridged audiobook, 6 hrs and 52 mins. Read by Kristin Chenoweth.
Book 57: Menfreya (USA title Menfreya in the Morning) by Victoria Holt, 1966. Unabridged audiobook; length 9 hours, 54 mins. Read by Susan Jameson.
Book 58: Bride of Pendorric by Victoria Holt, 1963. Unabridged audiobook; length 9 hours, 15 mins. Read by Susan Jameson. Nostalgic revisit to two books by the 'Queen of Romantic Suspense'. Reviews of Books 56-58 here.
Book 59: The Mathematics of Love by Emma Darwin, 2006. Hardback, 405 pages. This work of historical fiction is set in two time periods: 1819 and 1976. Didn't work for me. Review here.
Book 60: Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand by Fred Vargas, 2004. Translated from the French by Sian Reynolds, 2007. Paperback, 388 pages. Another quirky police procedural featuring eccentric detective Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg of the Paris Serious Crime Squad.
Book 61: Fatal Lies (Volume Three of the Liebermann Papers) by Frank Tallis, 2008. Paperback, 424 pages. Another excellent historical murder mystery set in turn-of-the-century Vienna featuring psychiatrist Doctor Max Liebermann. Reviews of Books 60 & 61 here.
Book 62: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, 1983. Paperback, 160 pages. A modern classic if Gothic fiction. My full review here.
Book 63: The Real World by Natsuo Kirino, 2003. Translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel, 2007. Paperback, 207 pages. A compelling dark portrait of teenage culture in Japan.
Book 64: The Earthquake Bird: a Novel of Mystery by Susanna Jones, 2001. Paperback, 257 pages. Brilliant and unusual mystery set in Japan. Reviews of Books 63 & 64 here.
Book 65: What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn, 2007. Paperback, 244 pages. An intriguing mystery about the disappearance of a young girl in 1984 and the link with late night sightings 20 years later of an unknown child on a shopping centre security camera. Also a witty satire on the modern shopping experience and a meditation upon many kinds of loss. One of the best novels I have read this year. Review here.
Book 66: Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, 1864, edit by A.R. Roumanis, 2008 from F.A. Malleson 1877 translation. Paperback, 183 pages. Review here.
Book 67: Cold Pursuit by Jefferson Parker, 2003. Paperback, 457 pages. Crime thriller set in San Diego.
Book 68: Innocent Blood (DCI Andrew Fenwick Mysteries Book 04) by Elizabeth Corley, 2008. Paperback, 541 pages. British crime thriller. Reviews of Book 66 & 68 here.
Book 69: The White Queen (Book One of The Cousins' War) by Philippa Gregory, August 2009. ARC, 408 pages. The first in a new trilogy set during the Wars of the Roses. Review here.
Book 70: Holy Disorders by Edmund Crispin, 1945. Paperback, 246 pages. An old fashioned 'locked room' detective tale set during the early years of WWII. Review here.
Book 71: Poppy Shakespeare by Clare Allan, 2006. Paperback, 342 pages. This is a darkly comedic satire that takes a savage swipe at British mental health services. Review here.

Books Read July 2009

Book 72: Storm Glass (Opal Cowan Trilogy Book 1) by Marie V. Snyder, 2009. Paperback, 512 pages. Spin-off series from Snyder's Study Trilogy that features as its narrator glass-maker and magician-in-training, Opal Cowan. Review here.
Book 73: Alchemy by Maureen Duffy, 2004. Hardback, 380 pages. Bit of an odd one. My full review here.
Book 74: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, 2004. Paperback, 448 pages. When 2-year old Kate Fitzgerald is diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia her parents consciously conceive her sister Anna to provide a donor match. At the age of 13, Anna hires a lawyer to represent her in a medical emancipation suit to allow her to have control over her own body.
Book 75: Water Lily: a novel of mystery by Susanna Jones, 2003. Hardback, 294 pages. Character study set in Japan. Jones' writing is always inventive. Reviews of Books 74 & 75 here.
Book 76: Crooked Little Vein: a Novel by Warren Ellis, 2007. Hardback, 280 pages. A funny and outrageous novel full of all kinds of weird characters and strange situations. Review here.
Book 77: The Ghost Writer by John Harwood, 2005. Paperback, 374 pages. Well crafted modern Gothic. Review here.
Book 78: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 2008. Paperback, 243 pages. Charming epistolary novel set after WWII. Loved it. Review here.
Book 79: The Uncommon Reader: a Novella by Alan Bennett, 2007. Paperback, 202 pages. The uncommon reader of the title is HM Queen Elizabeth II who begins a journey of literary discovery. Review here.
Book 80: The Music of the Spheres by Elizabeth Redfern, 2001. Hardback, 424 pages. Rich and complex work of historical fiction set in 1795 during a time of bitter war between England and revolutionary France.A heady mix of spies, forbidden passions, war, intrigues, and science with a serial killer thrown in for good measure. Review here.
Book 81: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, 1938. Unabridged audio book, Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins. Read by Anna Massey. A classic work of romantic suspense. Review here.
Book 82: The Chalk Circle Man (Commissaire Adamsberg Investigates) by Fred Vargas, 1996. Translated from the French by Siân Reynolds, 2009. Paperback, 282 pages. The first in this acclaimed series of French police procedurals. I really enjoy Vargas' quirky style and her cast of eccentric characters.
Book 83: Darkness Rising: The Liebermann Papers Volume Four by Frank Tallis, 2009. Hardback, 391 pages. Reviews for Books 82 & 83 here.
Book 84: The Erotic World of Faery by Maureen Duffy, 1972. Hardback, 352 pages. An overview of how Faery has informed English literature and art coupled with the author's theory that sexual repression lies behind this on-going fascination with Faery. Review here.
Book 85: The Charlemagne Pursuit (Cotton Malone Book 4) by Steve Berry, 2009. Hardback, 509 pages. Cotton and his allies being caught up in a quest for an ancient advanced civilisation that fascinated the Emperor Charlemagne in the 9th century and more recently the Nazis. A fun roller-coaster ride of a book. Review here.
Book 86: The Orpheus Trail by Maureen Duffy, 2009. Paperback, 212 pages. An intelligent, intriguing mystery that sees a museum curator and a police detective caught up in a web of ancient secrets, pagan rituals and the illegal trafficking of young boys. Review here.

Books Read August 2009

Book 87: Nemesis (Detective Harry Hole Book 04) by Jo Nesbø, 2002. Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett, 2008. Hardback, 474 pages. As with the previous book in this series, Redbreast, I found this an intelligent police procedural though with an unfortunately named main character.
Book 88: Triptych (Will Trent Book 01) by Karin Slaughter, 2006. Hardback, 394 pages. Damaged people, twists and turns and some quite disturbing violence - this is very much written in Slaughter's signature style.
Book 89: Fractured (Will Trent Book 02) by Karin Slaughter, 2008. Hardback, 389 pages. Another fast-paced, highly readable gritty crime thriller. Reviews of Books 87-89 here.
Book 90: The True History of Paradise by Margaret Cezair-Thompson, 1999. Paperback, 430 pages. Family saga that plays out against historical events in Jamaica during 1970s and 80s. Loved it. Review here.
Book 91: A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss, 2000. Paperback, 503 pages. Historical murder mystery set in early 18th century London. Complex plot with great period atmosphere. Review here.
Book 92: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries Book 01) by Charlaine Harris, 2001. Paperback, 336 pages.
**Book 93: Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries Book 02)**by Charlaine Harris, 2002. Paperback, 288 pages. Really enjoyed the first two in this popular series.
Book 94: Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag, 1994. Paperback, 531 pages. A young lawyer comes home to heal after a disastrous case and finds love and danger in the bayou. More romance than thriller, it was an easy read and a bit of a guilty pleasure. Reviews of Books 92-94 here.
Book 95: The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter, 2009. ARC, 403 pages. A vicious murder bears the signature of an executed serial killer. A copycat or is the real killer still out there? A real page-turner. Review here.
Book 96: Mystery Man by Bateman (the author formerly known as Colin Bateman), 2009. Paperback, 422 pages. Hilarious black comedy mystery that targets the crime and mystery genre. Review here.
Book 97: The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi, 2005. Hardback, 336 pages. An ambitious, multi-layered first novel about a young girl caught between three worlds. Review here.
Book 98: Daphne by Justine Picardie, 2008. Paperback, 408 pages. An intelligent, rich novel based on the true story of Daphne du Maurier's fascination with Bramwell Brontë nested within a modern story of a lonely post graduate fascinated by du Maurier. Review here.
Book 99: Narrow Dog to Carcassonne by Terry Darlington, 2005. Paperback, 329 pages. An amusing travel memoir about two pensioners and their dog and their travels on their narrowboat. Review here.

Books Read September 2009

Book 100: The Magician's Book: a Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia by Laura Miller, 2008. Hardback. 312 pages. This book focus is one reader's long, tumultuous relationship with C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. Very much a hybrid combining a memoir of the author's relationship with books and reading, her issues with this series as well as a biography of C.S. Lewis and some literary analysis. Review here.
Book 101: The Crystal Skull by Manda Scott, 2008. Hardback. 364 pages. A cryptic treasure hunt for a fabled skull, combined with 16th century story of the skull's guardian.
Book 102: Mayan Equinox by Keith Jones, 2006. Trade paperback. 228 pages. A race-against-time thriller set in Mexico about 2012. Reviews of Books 101 & 102 here.
Book 103: The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith, 2009. Hardback, 453 pages. Follow-up to Child 44.
Book 104: This Night's Foul Work by Fred Vargas, 2006. Translated from the French by Sian Reynolds, 2008. Hardback. 416 pages. Fifth in the series of Commissaire Adamsberg mysteries.
Book 105: Doctor No (James Bond No 6) by Ian Fleming, 1958. Paperback, Penguin Edition with Introduction by Simon Winder, 320 pages. Reviews of Books 103-105 here.
Book 106: The Other Hand (US Title: Little Bee) by Chris Cleave, 2008. Paperback, 400 pages. A case of clever marketing of a fairly ordinary work.
Book 107: My Best Friend's Girl by Dorothy Koomson, 2006. Large Print Edition, 550 pages. Chic-lit. Reviews of Books 106-107 here.

Books Read October 2009

Book 108: An Equal Stillness by Francesca Kay, 2009. Hardback, 230 pages. Presented as a biography of a fictional British artist named Jennet Mallow set within the social context of the British art scene of the mid-late twentieth century.
Book 109: The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe, 1975. Paperback, 128 pages. A small gem of a book that serves up a provocative survey of the New York Modern Art scene, focusing on the post-War period when New York began its dominance of the art world. Reviews of Books 108-109 here.
Book 110: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, 2006. Translated from the French by Alison Anderson, 2008. Paperback, 320 pages. Author uses the narrative structure to explore the application of philosophy to everyday life. An intelligent and sophisticated work.
Book 111: The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna, 1995. Translated from the Finnish by Herbert Lowan. Hardback. 135 pages. A whimsical picaresque novel about a man and a hare. Reviews of Books 110 and 111 here.
Book 112: The Behaviour of Moths (US Title: The Sister) by Poppy Adams, 2008. Large Print Edition, 340 pages. A consciously claustrophobic novel in terms of setting and focus upon the strained relationship between the two sisters. Review here.
Book 113: Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires Book 3) by Charlaine Harris, 2004. Unabridged audio book, Length: 7 hours and 53 min. Read by Johanna Parker. Paperback. 274 pages and Book 114: Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires Book 4) by Charlaine Harris, 2005. Unabridged audio book, Length: 9 hours and 59 min. Read by Johanna Parker. Paperback. 336 pages. Two more in this series that goes from strength to strength. Love them!
Book 115: 206 Bones (Tempe Brennan Book 12 ) by Kathy Reichs, 2009. Hardback. 303 pages. Well written and page-turning forensic thriller. Reviews of Books 113-115 here.
Book 116: Italian Shoes by Henning Mankell, 2006. Translated from the Swedish by Laurie Thompson, 2009. Hardback, 247 pages. My first non-crime work by Mankell that confirmed my admiration of his skills. A moving and powerful character study that transforms into a meditation upon the human condition, especially in the later years of life.
Book 117: Forty Words for Sorrow by Giles Blunt, 2000. Paperback. 426 pages. Canadian police procedural. Reviews of Books 116 and 117 here.
Book 118: Troublesome Things: a History of Fairies and Fairy Stories by Diane Purkiss, 2000. Hardback, 356 pages. A huge disappointment and one of the few books I wanted to throw across the room. Review here.
Book 119: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, 2005. Hardback, 368 pages. Post-modern coming-of-age that deals with aftermath of 9/11.
Book 120: The Color Purple by Alice Walker, 1982. Modern feminist classic. Reviews of Books 119 and 120.

Books Read November 2009

Book 121: The Intelligencer: a Novel by Leslie Silbert, 2004. Hardback. 336 pages. Read in September, this blends a modern day story of mystery and espionage with a historical one. It doesn't quite work but was quite entertaining nonetheless. Review here.
Book 122: Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin, 2007. Translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy, 2008. Trade Paperback, 396 pages. Complex mystery from a rising star of Nordic crime fiction.
Book 123: The Devil's Star (Detective Harry Hole Book 05) by Jo Nesbø, 2003. Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett, 2005. Another complex and totally engaging crime thriller with a satisfying conclusion to this three-book plot arc. Reviews of Books 122 and 123.
Book 124: A Spectacle of Corruption (Benjamin Weaver Book 2) by David Liss, 2004. Paperback, 392 pages. Another brilliant outing for 18th century thief-taker Benjamin Weaver. Review here.
Book 125: Cover Her Face (Inspector Adam Dalgliesh 01) by P.D. James, 1962. Paperback 224 pages. Old-fashioned locked-room mystery.
Book 126: The Future Homemakers of America by Laurie Graham, 2001. Paperback, 432 pages. Five young American Air Force wives stationed at an airbase in Norfolk, England make friends with a local woman. The novel follows their lives and considers the changes in women's roles over the next 4 decades. Reviews of Books 125 and 126 here.
Book 127: Engleby: a Novel by Sebastian Faulks, 2007. Large Print Edition, 481 pages. One of my favourites of 2009, a stunning exploration of a disturbing personality as well as a biting satire on British culture of the 1970-80s.
Book 128: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, 2008. Trade Paperback. 352 pages. Read in September. YA fantasy. Reviews of Books 127 and 128 here.

Books Read December 2009

Book 129: The Winter Queen (Erast Fandorin Book 01) by Boris Akunin, 1998. Translated from the Russian by Andrew Bromfield, 2003. Hardback, 249 pages.
Book 130: The Turkish Gambit (Erast Fandorin Book 02) by Boris Akunin, 1998. Translated from the Russian by Andrew Bromfield, 2005.Paperback. 288 pages. The first two in this best-selling series set in Imperial Russia and featuring detective turned spy Erast Fandorin. Reviews of Books 129 and 130 here.
Book 131: Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel, 2005. Harper Perennial Edition with interview and essay. Paperback, 466 pages. Read in July. The day-to-day life of a jobbing medium. A remarkable tale of dark and light and one of my 2009 favourites. Review here.
Book 132: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, 1920. Norton Critical Edition, edited by Candace Waid. Paperback, 524 pages. The scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite circa 1870.
Book 133: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, 1908. Paperback. 304 pages. 1995 edition with introduction by William Horwood, illustrations by Patrick Benson. Children's classic.
Book 134: Spies by Michael Frayn, 2002. Paperback. 272 pages. Children games during the war have serious consequences. Reviews of Books 132-134 here.
Book 135: The Redeemer (Harry Hole Book 06) by Jo Nesbø, 2005 Translated from the Swedish by Don Bartlett, 2009. Trade Paperback 457 pages. A relentless hit man is hunted by Hole and his team in the days before Christmas.
Book 136: The Devil's Garden by Richard Montanari, 2009. Hardback, 352 pages. Fairly predictable 'family-in-peril' thriller. Reviews of Books 135 and 136 here.
Book 137: Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires Book 5) by Charlaine Harris, 2005. Unabridged audio book, Length: 9 hours and 32 min. Read by Johanna Parker. Paperback. 295 pages.
Book 138: Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires Book 6) by Charlaine Harris, 2006. Unabridged audio book, Length: 10 hours and 27 min. Read by Johanna Parker. Paperback. 324 pages.
Book 139: Altogether Dead (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampires Book 7) by Charlaine Harris, 2007. Unabridged audio book, Length: 9 hours and 48 min. Read by Johanna Parker. Paperback. 323 pages. More Sookie! Such a fun, addictive series. Reviews of Books 137-139 here.
Book 140: The Scarpetta Factor (Kay Scarpetta Book 17) by Patricia Cornwell, 2009. Hardback, 494 pages. Cornwell back on form in this forensic thriller. Review here.
Book 141: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, 2009. Hardback, 509 pages. Read in September. The third in the Robert Langdon cryptic treasure hunt thrillers is set in Washington D.C. and its 'secret history' linked to Freemasonry.
Book 142: The Fulcanelli Manuscript (aka The Alchemist's Secret) by Scott Mariani, 2007. Hardback. 224 pages. The first in a series of cryptic treasure hunts. Good fun. Reviews of Books 141 and 142 here.
Book 143: Hurry Down Sunshine: a Father's Memoir of Love and Madness by Michael Greenberg, 2008. Hardback. 236 pages. Powerful account of his teenage daughter's first psychotic episode in the summer of 1996. Review here.
Book 144: The Raphael Affair (Art History Mystery Book 1) by Iain Pears, 1990. Paperback. 208 pages. Unabridged audio book, Length: 6 hrs 15 mins. Read by Daniel Philpott.
Book 145: The Titan Committee Art History Mystery (Book 2) by Iain Pears, 1991.Paperback. 248 pages. Unabridged audio book, Length: 6 hrs 20 mins. Read by Daniel Philpott.
Book 146: The Immaculate Deception (Art History Mystery Book 7) by Iain Pears, 2000.
Genre: Art History. Mystery
Other Details: Paperback. 288 pages. Unabridged audio book, Length: 7 hours, 25 mins. Read by Daniel Philpott. A series of murder mysteries featuring art historian Jonathan Argyll and Flavia di Stefano, a member of the Italian National Art Theft Squad. Great fun. Reviews of Books 144-146 here.
Book 147: Grave Sight (Harper Connelly Book 01) by Charlaine Harris, 2005. Hardback, 272 pages.
Book 148: Grave Surprise (Harper Connelly Book 02) by Charlaine Harris, 2006. Hardback, 304 pages. Since she was hit by lightning as a teenager Harper has been able to sense the dead and their final moments. She uses this talent to help locate missing people. Another engaging mystery series from Charlaine Harris. Reviews of Books 147 and 148 here.
Book 149: Voodoo Histories: the Role of Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History by David Aaronovitch, 2009. Hardback,358 pages. Basically debunks a number of modern conspiracy theories but doesn't fulfil the promise of its subtitle.
Book 150: Nightlight: a parody by The Harvard Lampoon, 2009. Paperback. 154 pages. Meyer's Twilight series is a pretty easy target and the authors have a lot of fun sending it and Meyer's writing style up. Reviews of Books 149 and 150 here.

I'm certainly planning to read at least 100 books in 2010 though hopefully again more in the 150 range.