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Here it is, June upon us. A month for planting the annuals, mourn the ending of school for the tots, shop for vacation apparel and, most importantly, gather the summer reading list. I’ve just completed mine, and while I always reserve the right to modify my choices based on my mood and evolving interest, it’s good to have a plan, however tentative. Here are my picks in no particular order (and please send me your favorite suggestions).

Picnic in Provence (2015), Elizabeth Bard: On the heels of her bestselling debut, Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard describes a trip to the Provencal town of Cereste. Tales of expatriates falling in love with France just never seem to get old, and Bard again includes detailed recipes of the local dishes she encounters.

The Golden Lion of Granpere (1867), Anthony Trollope: Before television soap operas, there was Trollope. His books were often released chapter by chapter each week in the London newspapers, and Brits couldn’t wait for the weekend to read the latest in unrequited love, Victorian norms betrayed, and feuding families. This novel is set at a British inn and describes the lengths men will go to gain the love of the beautiful Marie.

The Third Option (2000), Vince Flynn: The fourth installment of Flynn’s pissed-off CIA operative, Mitch Rapp. Mitch is bone tired of terrorists, and he always decides to do something about it, official orders or not. This will be a quick two-day, 500 page read.

King John (2015), Stephen Church: Ever wonder what Shakespeare, Robin Hood, the Crusades, the Magna Carta and Richard the Lion-hearted all have in common? In what promises to be a readable history of 12th century England, Stephen Church centers his research on the much-maligned King John and his reign’s impact on historical characters of yore we all know so well, or think we do.

Death of a Dude (1969), Rex Stout: Nero Wolfe, Stout’s corpulent New York detective who solves mysteries without ever leaving his Manhattan brownstone, is forced to do just that, and finds himself in Montana without his gourmet cook and oversized recliner. Wolfe is roughing it, and it’s murder with humor.

The Perfect Meal (2013), John Baxter: Yes, more expatriates in love with France! Baxter survives an expensive but lackluster meal one evening in Paris, and decides to travel the country in search of the ingredients for a perfect French meal. Then he cooks it for his friends!

The Tapestry (2015), Nancy Bilyeau: Set in Henry VIII’s post-Catholic London, the historical novel finds Joanna, a former monastic novice, attempting to live out a quiet life weaving tapestries. When she finds that her best friend has the attention of Henry, who intends to make her the next in a long line of wives, Joanna enters the dangerous world of royal intrigue to try and save her friend.

This entry was posted on June 2, 2015 at 9:20 am and is filed under Books with tags anthony trollope, death of a dude, elizabeth bard, john baxter, king john, lunch in paris, mitch rapp, nancy bilyeau, nero wolfe, picnic in provence, rex stout, stephen church, the golden lion of granpere, the perfect meal, the tapestry, the third option, vince flynn. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.