I didn’t quite get all my planned reading done last week – lockdown restrictions were eased and so I spent most of the week at work. The least said about that the better. I did pick Luke up Friday afternoon and bring him home for sleepover which he enjoyed, although he was very tired after his first swimming lesson in over two months and went to bed early. We were going out to my cousin’s farm to see the calves Saturday morning, but as they weren’t home we didn’t go. He was exceedingly pleased with himself though when he managed to get the ball in the basketball hoop twice. It’s so high up the wall that I have trouble scoring a goal, so he did really well.
We have been out for lunch today for our wedding anniversary. There is a new bistro a couple of towns north that we had been wanting to try so we went there. I doubt that we will go back as the food is decidedly average. But it was a nice drive and lovely to be able to go out again.
I am currently reading The Significant Others of Odie May by Claire Dyer which I am enjoying.

I am still listening to The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham which I am loving. I am almost finished, BUT my i-pod had a good soaking when the lid came off my water bottle in my bag on the way home Friday afternoon. It’s dead. So I can’t finish listening until I get a new one.

Still, things could have been worse. My phone and my tablet escaped damage, for which I am grateful.
This week I am planning on reading Devil’s Choir by Martin Michaud

When a young Montreal family dies in an orgy of bloody violence, all signs point to a rampage by the father. But Victor Lessard isnât convinced. The brilliant, brooding detective suspects that others were involved in the killings. But who? And why? As Lessard struggles to solve the puzzle, the discovery of a nightmarish chamber of horrors seems to confirm that the murders are part of a wider pattern. With a ghost from his past making him doubt his own sanity, Lessard must evade the lethal operatives of a powerful, highly secretive organization as he races to untangle the mystery before a diabolical killer can strike again.
And The Mark by Matt Brolly

In the quiet seaside town of Weston-super-Mare, a man is found unconscious on the beach with a strange symbol carved into his skin. The victimâa local drug addictâhas no recollection of who attacked him or how he got there.
The sleepy coastal community is sent into shock. And when another victim branded with the same vicious mark dies from his wounds, DI Louise Blackwell realises she is dealing with a sadistic serial killer.
But why is the twisted attacker targeting Westonâs most vulnerable people? And what is the meaning behind the mysterious symbol? Still struggling to overcome her own demons in the wake of her brotherâs death, Blackwell must stay one step ahead of both the killer and corrupt DCI Finch, whose meddling in the investigation makes her more determined than ever to bring him down for good.
As the body count rises, and her feud with Finch puts her own life in danger, Blackwell faces a race against time to discover the dark crime that unites the victims and put an end to the carnageâbefore someone puts an end to her.
This week I received five digital ARCs and three audio ARCs. They are: The Guest room by Rona Halsall

The Night of the Party by Anna-Lou Weatherley

Sundial by Catriona Ward

The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster

A Spoonful of Murder by J.M. Hall

The three audio ARCs are: The Life She Wants by Mel Sherratt and narrated by Emma Gregory. I also have a digital ARC of this.

Why She Left by Leah Mercer and narrated by Mira Doveni, another that I also have a digital copy of.

And Outback Creed by Jonathan MacPherson and narrated by Steve Shanahan

I still have twenty six requests pending.
This week I have been on road trip in the USA, the highlights being Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia; NYC; and Liberty Island. I have also been to Dayton, Ohio; Inverbeg, Scotland; Dewstow, Wales; and London, England. Have we crossed paths this week? Where have you been?
Have a wonderful week!