Pat Bean's blog

            “I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.” – John Burroughs

This morning’s sunrise over the C atalina Mountains from my balcony. — Photo by Pat Bean

Two Takes on Sherlock Holmes

            For the first time in nine years, during which I lived and traveled full-time in a 22-foot  RV that I affectionately call Gypsy Lee, I once again have a library card.

The second in the Sherlock Holmes-Mary Russell series.

            I would have had it much soon if I hadn’t broken my ankle.

            After spending some time, unsuccessfully learning how to download audio books on my Kindle, I roamed the small branch library near my apartment and checked out two books. One was Tom Brokaw’s “The Time of our Lives,” which I mentioned in yesterday’s blog. The other was “Murder on the Celtic,” by Conrad Allen, a mystery author I had never read before.

            It was an enjoyable afternoon read, a who-dun-it set in the early 1900s. With a little bit of independent research, I discovered that the Celtic was an actual ocean liner operated by the White Star Line between New York and Liverpool. It was a good thing the story took place in 1910 because in 1917 the ship struck a mine off the Isle of Man and 17 people aboard were killed.

            Conrad did a good job with bringing the book’s characters to life, including that of Sherlock Holmes’ creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was one of the passengers. I perhaps too easily, however, solved the murder in my head way before the end of the book.

The first in the series a really great read.

            A second book I recently read that featured Sherlock Holmes, the character and not the author, was a lot more complex. It was “A Monstrous Regiment of Women” by Laurie King. It is the second of her Sherlock Holmes-Mary Russell books I’ve read — and I loved it. I read the first in the series a while back, “The Beekeepers Apprentice,” and just downloaded an audio version of the third a “Letter of Mary.”

            I find King’s Mary Russell books fascinating, and can’t wait to start listening to the latest, and am grateful that there are quite a few more in the series. I might also read another Conrad Allen mystery, too. Perhaps “Murder on the Lusitania,” which is the first in his George Porter Dillman shipboard detective series.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

Bean’s Pat: Snowglow http://tinyurl.com/apnc8z7 I love this photo. Looking at it made me sit back in my chair, relax and take a deep breath. .