Lesley Kelly

Cover of Old Buildings in North Texas by Jen Waldo

Reading 2026 No. 5 An absolute gem of a book from Jen Waldo. Olivia is back in the family home trying to get over her cocaine addiction. She takes up urban exploration in derelict buildings around her small Texan town. Beautifully written and great characters.

#booksky #texas #urbanexploration

I think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read it in one sitting instead of a chapter at a time before I fell asleep! I agree it was thought-provoking- I think he predicted AI in the book as well!

Cover of If On A Winter’s Night A Traveller by Italo Calvino

Reading 2026 No. 4 I did enjoy this, but found it quite hard going. Not only is it a story (well multiple stories really) it was an analysis of how people read. And a satire of publishing and translation. So a lot going on. It was challenging but funny so I would recommend it!

#booksky

Cover of Death in Saint-Chartier by Ivo Fornesa

Reading 2026 No. 3 From 🇩🇪 with my last read to 🇫🇷 with this one. A chateau,a murder and an amateur detective in this novel from Ivo Fornesa.

#booksky #France #crimefiction #translation

Cover of AThousand Devils by Frank Goldammer

Reading 2026 No. 2: Loved this book by Frank Goldammer set in postwar Dresden. Fascinating story about the local German police navigating life under the Soviets. Recommend.

#booksky #crimefiction #krimi #ww2 #dresden

Cover of The Old Ways by Robert MacFarlane

Reading 2026 No. 1: Off to a flying start with this beautifully written book by @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social about the paths of Britain (on land and sea!)

#bookstagram #nonfiction #naturegram #Britain @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social

Reading 2025 No. 45 Last book of the year. I'm ashamed to say I hadn't heard of Garry Disher who is huge in Australia, and rightly so. This was a cracking read about a young female thief trying to escape her past. Well worth a look.

#bookssy #crimefiction #australia

Reading 2025 No. 44 Another Christmas book, and a new author for me. Loved this Golden Age crime novel from Frances Brody with amateur detective Kate Shackleton. Beautiful cover too

#booksky #crimefiction

Cover of Under the Snow from Kerstin Ekman

Reading 2025 No. 43 First of my Christmas presents. Vintage Scandi Noir which I very much enjoyed, from Kerstin Ekman. A teacher is murdered in rural Lapland, and none of the locals want to talk...

#booksky #ScandiNoir #norway #lapland #snow

Cover of The End of the Line by Gillian Galbraith.

Reading 2025 No. 42 I love a novel that has twists and turns right up to the last page, and this thriller from Gillian Galbraith definitely kept me guessing! A leading haematologist implicated in the tainted blood scandal is murdered. Revenge or something else?

#booksky #crimefiction #edinburgh

Stack of Christmas present books

Christmas book haul!

#booksky #crimefiction #Scandinavia #bookhaul #zombies

The cover of The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson

Reading 2025 No. 41: Some perfect Christmas reading from @nicolaupson.bsky.social. The inventors of Cluedo turn up to a snowy village hotel prepared to run a murder mystery game, only to find a real murder has taken place... Loved it.

#bookstagram #crimefiction #Christ

Audible cover of Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn

Reading 2025 No. 40: Another Audible 'read,' this was a beautifully poetic review of spaces that humans have retreated from, for many and varied reasons, from the author @calflyn.bsky.social

#bookstagram #nonfiction #swona #islands

Reading 2025 #39: Another time-travelling episode with ShonaMcMonagle from the reliably hilarious @olgawojtas.bsky.social

#booksky #crimefiction #timetravel #islands

Reading 2025 #38: Another excellent instalment of the Vinyl Detective. I read them in slightly the wrong order but now I'm caught up and eagerly awaiting the next adventure!

#booksky #crimefiction #london #vinyl #techno

Reading 2025 #37: Really enjoyed this history of the London Undergroundfrom @christianwolmar.bsky.social. I learned a lot

#amreading #nonfiction #london #LondonUnderground #transport

Audiobook showing 'Meet the Frugalwoods'

Reading 2025 #36: I recently discovered the joys of Audible. Loved this memoir from blogger @frugalwoods about her journey from stressful job in New York to a rural homestead.

#amreading #frugal #frugality #bookstagram

Book cover 'Coffee First Then the World' by Jenny Graham

Reading 2025 #35 I read this book by Jenny Graham with my jaw permanently on the floor. She cycled round the world, totally unsupported, sometimes sleeping by the side of the road, in her attempt to break the world record. Really inspirational read (and very funny 😁 )

#booksky #cycling #cycle

Cover of book called 'Monday Starts on Saturday'

Reading 2025 #34 Some vintage Sci fi from the Strugatsky brothers. A computer programmer ends up working for a magic institute in the Soviet era. Very funny - reminded me of the Unseen University in the Discworld novels.

#amreading #scifi #Soviet #booksky

Cover of book called 'Wasting Police Time'

2025 Reading #33 This book is based on a blog by a former Staffordshire policeman. I didn't agree with many of PC David Copperfield's views, particularly about arming householders, but the book was very entertaining.

#amreading #truecrime #police #booksky

Novel:A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting

Reading 2025 #32 Reading outside my usual genres with this Austenesque novel from Sophie Irwin. I raced through it -recommend!

#booksky

Reading 2025 #31 Inherited this from a friend, with a recommendation. Cracking read from @neillancaster66.bsky.social

#amreading #crimefiction #bookstagram #scotland #edinburgh #blackisle

Definitely cooking more from scratch. And you?

Reading 2025 #30 This book by Chris van Tulleken was both horrifying and fascinating. Really made me think about what we are eating

#booksky #upf #health

Reading 2025 #29 Loved this book by Diccon Bewes all about the Swiss. Definitely planning a future visit to Switzerland. I enjoyed this book so much that I looked up the author online, only to find that he died of cancer a few months ago. A real loss to travel writing.

#booksky #Switzerland

Happy reading 📚

Ooh doesn't it?

Reading 2025 #25-27: Holiday reading. We were travelling from Edinburgh to Denmark by train so plenty of time for reading. I had a total @cjtudor.bsky.social fest, and read The Gathering, The Taking of Annie Thorne, and The Other People. All fab.

#amreading #horror #crimefiction #booksky

Reading 2025 #24: Bought this book by Al Murray (AKA The Pub Landlord) sort of by mistake. I thought it was going to be funny but it was a dead serious historical look at leadership in WW2. Still a very good read though!

Reading 2025 #23: Another instalment in the adventures of Shona McMonagle from @olgawojtas.bsky.social This time Shona is under cover in the city of Venice, investigating strange goings-on amongst the gondoliers. Hilarious.

#booksky