R.I.P VI Complete

I have completed the R.I.P VI challenge hosted by Carl V.

I read four Mysteries.

Dead simple by Peter James(2005)

Live wire by Harlan Coben (2011)

From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921)

Blood Work by Michael Connelly (1998)

Blood Work by Michael Connelly

Blood Work published in 1998 features ex-FBI agent Terrel McCaleb who is in retirement following his heart transplant and lives on a boat. Graciella Rivers approaches McCaleb to find her sister Gloria's killer. McCaleb agrees to look into it. Now that he is retired the LAPD is hostile and doesn't want to share files with him. Will he catch Gloria's Killer? Is he ready for the task, so soon after his transplant? McCaleb is a serial killer expert so is he reading more into a murder for robbery?
Life is full of coincidences, while flipping channels, I found Blood Work being played featuring Clint Eastwood as McCaleb. I didn't see the movie as I didn't want it to spoil the book for me. My dad saw the movie and told me who the killer is. At one level I was excited, I kind of guessed the killer and I was spot on. At another level, so what is the point in reading. Knowing the killer did not spoil the book for me, I kind of enjoyed it. And I had a real surprise, the killer wasn't the guy I guessed. The movie version was different from the book.
The book is a bit slow, it could have been fast paced. There are some twists and turns and surprises. But some surprises are kind of lame something that could be easily guessed. I wouldn't say it was great but it wasn't bad either.

My Life as a Book 2011

I was googling for something else, and I found this interesting post by Pop Culture Nerd. And for those who wish to take part, all you have to do is finish the sentences Pop Culture Nerd has come up with using the title of the books you have read this year.
Here is My life as a Book

One time at band/summer camp, I: rose From out the Vasty deep (Marie Belloc Lowndes)
Weekends at my house are: Senseless (Mary Burton)
My neighbor is: The Stranger (Albert Camus)
My boss is: The Man in Lower Ten (Mary Roberts Rinehart)
My ex was: Caught (Harlan Coben)
My superhero secret identity is: Dead Simple (Peter James)
You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry because: I am a Live Wire (Harlan Coben)
I’d win a gold medal in: playing the Trick of the Dark (Val McDermid)
I’d pay good money for: A second Chance (Ahmed Faiyaz)
If I were president, I would: Never Look Away (Linwood Barclay)
When I don’t have good books, I: Play Dead (Harlan Coben)
Loud talkers at the movies should: meet A Necessary End (Peter Robinson)

2011 Public Domain E-book Challenge

Challenges are addictive. Since I am Reading Public Domain E-books, thought I would google if there is a challenge. And yohoho there is one hosted by Retroreduxs Reviews. I also found The Buck stops here challenge. I will opt for the six books in both the challenges. I downloaded all these books for free from Gutenberg. Just one more to go. Here is the list of books read
The Mysterious affair at styles by Agatha Christie(1920)
The man in lower ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1906)
The Amethyst box by Anna Katherine Green (1905)
The case of the lamp that went out by Augusta Groner (1910)
From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921)

Challenges update

I have signed up in many challenges in the last month. So this post is an update so I would know how many more to go in each challenge.
Mystery and suspense reading challenge(12 books) (5 more to go)
Dead simple by Peter James(2005)
The Mysterious affair at styles by Agatha Christie(1920)
The man in lower ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1906)
The Amethyst box by Anna Katherine Green (1905)
The case of the lamp that went out by Augusta Groner (1910)
Live wire by Harlan Coben (2011)
From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921)


Vintage mystery (5-7 books by women writers) -two more to go

The Mysterious affair at styles by Agatha Christie(1920)
The man in lower ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1906)
The Amethyst box by Anna Katherine Green (1905)
The case of the lamp that went out by Augusta Groner (1910)
From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921))


What's in a name 4 challenge one more with Evil in title
Dead simple by Peter James(2005) Life Stage
The man in lower ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1906) Number
The Amethyst box by Anna Katherine Green (1905) Gem
The case of the lamp that went out by Augusta Groner (1910) Travel/Movement
From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921) Size
-Evil

R.I.P VI 4 -one more

Dead simple by Peter James(2005)
Live wire by Harlan Coben (2011)
From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921)

E-book reading challenge 6 books -one more
The Mysterious affair at styles by Agatha Christie(1920)
The man in lower ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1906)
The Amethyst box by Anna Katherine Green (1905)
The case of the lamp that went out by Augusta Groner (1910)
From out the vasty deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes(1921)

From Out the Vasty Deep by Marie Belloc Lowndes

I like books that come straight to the point. From Out the Vasty Deep published in 1921 starts with Miss Farrow asking Pegler to be sensible as there are no such thing as ghosts. Pegler has seen a ghost in her room and does not want to continue staying in the room. Miss Blanche Farrow is a no nonsense woman over forty, playing hostess at the Christmas party of her twice widowed friend Lionel Varick at Wyndfell Hall, which is supposed to be haunted for over hundred years. The Christmas guests consists of Mr Burnaby and Miss Burnaby and their niece Helen Brabazon, Blanche's niece Bubbles Dunster (I like the name Bubbles) her friend Bill Donnington, James Tapster, Sir Lyon and finally Dr.Panton who is to join them soon. Events unfold one after another there are ghosts, seance, astral body(whatever it means), romance, some psychology. To sustain interest in a story where the mystery is so glaringly obvious is difficult but Lowndes does a great job and events unfold in quick succession. Considering that I don't like ghost stories, or ones in which everything is not explained in Poirot fashion who did what and why? I loved this book. I don't mind that everything is not explained.
I wonder if I have read anything by Marie Belloc Lowndes before. Her name sounds very familiar but the bibliography not so familiar. I enjoyed reading this and would certainly try other books by her, not only because they are available free in Gutenberg.

R.I.P VI Sign-up

I am signing up for the R.I.P. VI Challenge hosted by Carl V. The challenge runs through September 1st through October 31st.

The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as:

Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

I am signing up for the Peril the First level reading four books that come under these categories. I have already read the first two. Here is the list of books I am reading
Dead Simple by Peter James
Live Wire by Harlan Coben
Senseless by Mary Burton
Not Dead Enough by Peter James