December reading and storygraph

The complete Sherlock Holmes narrated by Stephen Fry on Audible 

Carried over from November and carried over to January 2026

Mistletoe murder by Mona Marple

Adorable addition to this lovely series, I love the character development the was the background story moves on. Just a lovely quick read 4.5 🌟

Miss Marples final cases by Agatha Christie 

Brilliant, wonderful collection of Miss Marple stories. This was my final read in my Miss Marple list it's been fabulous visiting them all again 5 🌟

25 days by Per Jacobsen

A really original idea loved the chap book format. I felt there was a lot unresolved at the ending but it was a good read none the less  3.75 🌟

Arabian nights vol 1 on Audible 

I was enjoying it but its a bit too gory DNF

A winter of secrets by Vicki Delany

Im quite conflicted by this book. I liked the plot enough to not DNF it but the characters were so unlikeable. The murder itself felt as if it were secondary right till the end 3.5 🌟

Bards daughter by Sarah Woodbury on Audible 

Really enjoyable, interesting characters, nice plot. 3.75 🌟

Candy cane killer by Mona Marple

Another enjoyable installment of this lovely series 4 🌟

12 ways to murder your family at Christmas by Natasha Bache

Absolutely loved this! It gaslight me guessing till the end, couldn't put it down 4.75 🌟

Albion: the legend of Arthur by Robert Valentine on Audible 

Really enjoyable, great narration, not sure about the story, it didn' feel very true to the Arthurian legends I know but still enjoyable 3.75 🌟

Murder at the vicarage by Jill McGowan

Really enjoyed this, the main story was engaging well paced with believable characters, enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes. The running back story between the police officers added extra depth to the main story. Loved it 4 🌟

God rest you merry by Charlotte MacLeod

I would have DNFd it but it was short and I had added it to a challenge 

There is a decent ish mystery here but the characters are so unlikeable and it is so dated in attitudes 2.5 🌟

The Santa Klaus murder by Mavis Doriel Hay

There was enough of a mystery here to keep me reading but it's very dated and non of the characters were terribly sympathetic 2.75 🌟

Yule be sorry by Mona Marple

Cracking addition to the series. Slightly longer than the previous instalment and this gives the story more scope I feel

Loved the addition of the Yule lads 4.75 🌟

Snow on the airwaves by Maisie Gray

A very sweet short addition to the series 4 🌟

Holly jolly homicide by Mona Marple

This was still an enjoyable addition to the series but there were some differences. Gilbert has changed. He's always been highly strung but he's now a diva? Just unexpected. The mystery itself was ok but felt a but thin. Nice ending though. 3.75 🌟

The prisoner of Ravens Gaze Hall by J.C. Briggs 

Really good gothic story. Good pace, good atmosphere and a good ending 4.5 🌟

The ABC murders (Peter Dinklage) 

 by Agatha Christie on Audible

Fantastic and very faithful adaptation. Peter Dinklage is an excellent Poirot and Himish Patel is a wonderful Hastings 5 🌟

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeny

Loved this a great homage to "And then there were none" well written, engaging and a great twist at the end 4 🌟

Fair Isle and fortunes by Nancy Warren

Loved it, a really well thought out plot. The back story continues to delight 4.5 🌟

Murder at Bramhurst chapel by Izzie Harper

This was OK, ending felt rushed and the mystery felt unnecessarily convoluted but an enjoyable read 3.5 🌟

Christmas murder game by Alexandra Benedict

This was an OK mystery I felt that some of the plot got lost in the shoehorning around the 12 days and the game aspect of the book. Also many of the characters were deeply unpleasant 3.5 🌟

Christmas carol narrated by Hugh Grant on Audible 

Wonderful adaptation, Hugh Grant is perfect 5🌟

Valley of fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle narrated by Derek Jacobi on Audible 

I love Derek Jacobi but oh my goodness some of the accents he adopts here are really awful, I can only spea for his Scottish one which as an Aberdonian myself was really painful 

But it's a great story and I do (mostly) love listening to him 4 🌟

Replacement by Jordan Rivet

I felt this took a while to get going but thats probably because its a series starter. I loved it when it did get going will definitely follow up 3.75 🌟

Deadly Christmas by Rachel MacLean

I really wanted to like this but the plot felt very drawn out and the ending was a bit flat 3.5 🌟

Dead on arrival by Jack Carson

Just didn't gel with this one DNF

The coffin trail by Martin Edwards

OK the ending was really good but I struggled up to that point. So much misogyny and there was also a fair bit not explained 3🌟

Eden rising by Andrew Cunningham

I really enjoyed this, a straightforward post apocalypse story, simply told, enjoyable.  4 🌟

Blackstone and the rendezvous with death by Sally Spencer

This was an OK historical mystery. It perhaps laboured the social injustices a bit 3.5 🌟

A winter of blood by Jack Cartwright 

Well there was obviously enough to keep me reading this book but i felt a bit let down at the end. Very convoluted, also the back stories although very worthy felt a bit forced 3 🌟

Durham deception by Philip Gooden

Really enjoyable addition to the series. Wonderful set of characters and entertaining mystery 4 🌟

Christmas is murder by Val McDermid on Libby 

A bit of a mixed bag. Some stories better than others 3.5 🌟

Buried by Jeffrey Deaver

A fairly brisk short story. Mostly enjoyed it, but it felt a but uneven in the pacing 3.75 🌟

Treachery in Bordeaux by Noël Balen

This was actually a really enjoyable short read, no murder but intriguing mystery satisfyingly wrapped up 4 🌟

One new location- France

Fewer police procedural this month I think, a lot of cosys, those would be the Christmas Mona Marple ones

A lot more series, I think this reflects my use of KU

Why yes I had a free trial of KU 

I know 32 sounds a lot but many of these were less than 200 pages and some less than 100

I kept up the Christmas/winter theme quite well!

I'm carrying one audiobook over the complete Sherlock Holmes narrated by Stephen Fry, its an utterly joy and a whopping 71 hours

A few DNF but that reflects my use of KU and taking a punt, a really good 2025, bring on 2026!

Pages read tracker for 2025

I have tracked daily temperatures for 4 years now, it was fun but I wanted a change. I decided to track my daily pages read. Now im using the storygraph app I can easily see how many pages I read daily

Of  course im theming my Needle minder to the project!

This is my notebook to track my daily reading

Im using the same range of colours as i did gor temperatures, using g a range of 10 pages per colour going from low pages - bluer colder colours to high pages - green to yellow to red warmer colours 

Still using my wee box to store my threads 😊

Nice new black stork scissors 

Jacky gave me this box of chocolates years ago, I think of her each day I use it

Up to February 

Up to April

Up to May 

Up to August

Up to October 

Up to December 

Catching up in December 

When i finish a book im surrounding each day with a reddish colour, dark red for finishing 1 book going paler the more books I finish

December 30th! All up to date 😊

And its done!!!! Loved making this its been such a comfort

November reading and storygraph

The colour of magic by Terry Pratchett 

Oh I had forgotten how much I loved this one. Pratchett was a genius and wrote great female characters. Just sublime 5🌟

The secrets of Treasonfield house by JC Briggs

Absolutely brilliant book, sensitively written with great attention to historical detail. 

A great read one small thing I did find it difficult at times to keep up with all the characters and who they were all related top but that was minor 4.5 🌟

Shardlake the complete BBC collection on Audible by CJ Sansom

Brilliant adaptations, they are abridged but still retain the brilliance of the books. Jason Watkins in the first is an excellent Shardlake but Justin Salinger is great as well 5 🌟

Secrets beneath the teacups by Dee Dee Edwards

A very charming cosy mystery set in a quaint town with loveable characters. A few twists and turns to keep you guessing and a satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to reading more with these loveable characters 4 🌟

From tragedy to eternity by Gary Masson

This book has moved me more than any ive read for a long time. The author is a friend of mine but that really hasn't coloured my judgement this is such a raw tale beautifully told. Inspired by real events and characters this story beautifully and passionately recreates their lives spanning from the end of the first world war to the end of the second. Moving emotional and at times funny it grabbed me and wrung my heart out. The depictions of Fraserburgh and it's folks are authentic and raw. 5 🌟

The subversion by Flynn Cooley

I would have DNFd this I only kept reading as it was so short 2.75 🌟

Dig your own grave by Carmen Radtke 

Im really conflicted about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first third but for me it tailed off in the middle only to pick up again at the end 3.5 🌟

Backstage to murder by Vivian Keyes 

Enjoyable addition to the series 3.75 🌟

Black gala by Parker Vale 

Almost DNFd just dreadfully clichéd 2.5 🌟

Murder by the seaside by Jackie Baldwin 

Just didn't gel DNF

Lord Sommertons Heir by Alison Stuart

I absolutely loved this, so well written, engaging characters gripping plot, romance with a nice mystery in the background. Just perfect, great period atmosphere as well. 4.75 🌟

Taken in the cold by Roger Stelljes

Didn't gel DNF

The magician next door by Rachel Chivers Khoo on Libby 

Utterly charming story, great narrator 4.5 🌟

Our mutual friend by Charles Dickens on BBC Sounds

Brilliant adaptation, fantastic cast 5🌟

Magical murderous cupcakes by Ron Tucker

Really enjoyable addition to this series, nice plot, good character development, nice quick fun read 4 🌟

Ghost conquers the castle by Carmen Radtke

It was 30% in before the murder, all a bit too twee and romanticised Scottishness DNF 

Follow me to Armageddon by Jordan Rivet

Really loved this an excellent addition to the series and we can really feel the shape of the future world coming together. I love seeingvthe characters develop along with the new world, looking forward to the next in the series 4 🌟

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens on BBC Sounds

Fabulous rendition but very heavily abridged 4🌟

The adventures of Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters on Audible 

Fantastic adaptation, Philip Madoc is excellent as Cadfael 5 🌟

Purls and potions by Nancy Warren

Great addition to the series. Love the development of the love story between the three main characters.

A great premise for this story, just all round enjoyable 4 🌟

Sleepy head by Mark Billingham 

I did enjoy this and the plot was well paced and well constructed. The characters felt real and very human but I didn't really like any of them which i do feel impacted on my enjoyment 3.75 🌟

Judas the hero by Martin Davey

Just didn't grab me, felt a bit flat DNF

The Graves of Whitechapel by Claire Evans

Just didn't grab me DNF

Death comes but twice by David Field 

Very enjoyable, nice to see the back story developing. Intriguing plot 3.75 🌟

The complete Sherlock Holmes narrated by Stephen Fry on Audible 

Carried over to December 

Darkwater Cove by Dan Padavona 

Formulaic but enjoyable 3.5 🌟

The lost world by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on Audible 

This was fun but it's so heavily abridged and looses so much of the flavour of the book 3.25 🌟

So how was November? Pretty good, fewer books but thats because i dnf'd more. Im on a KU trial so sm taking more risks with what im reading 

Still not too shabby though! Plus im listening to audiobooks instead of podcasts now so not just snippets hour at bedtime 

Nice to get some different sources in, libby and BBC Sounds too. A good month!

October reading and Storygraph

The colour of magic by Terry Pratchett

I read this when it first came out, I hesitated to re read it for years in case it wasn't as amazing as I remembered it. It was just as amazing. Terry Pratchett had a way with words and an imagination like no other, utterly fantastic 5 🌟

A good girls guide to murder by Holly Jackson on Libby 

Absolutely cracking story, wonderful narration 4.75 🌟

The Queen of thieves by Johan Rundberg

Really enjoying this series, Mika is a wonderfu character and her interactions with Valdemar the policeman are wonderful. Another engaging plot, it's nice to get some more hints about Mike's background 4🌟

Death at Balsam Bay by Maisie Graves

Thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Well written, tight plot with just enough twists and turns. Really good main characters, believable and relatable. 4🌟

Nemesis by Agatha Christie 

Absolute corker of a Miss Marple book. I like that she's in most of this story unlike some others. It's a classic Christie, perfect. 5🌟

Tribune of Rome by Robert Fabbri

Absolute cracker of a book, well written good pace, feel of historical authenticity, start of a good series 4 🌟

Murder under the festival lights by Olivia Crowe

It felt like parts of the plot were missing DNF

Bitter Harvest by Helena Marchmont 

Another cracker in this series, fabulous cosy series with very loveable main characters. I so enjoy seeing the backstory develop 5🌟

Meet me at worlds end by Jordan Rivet

I love this series this is a prequel/sequel but fits in perfectly with the first book, it's been a while since a series has gripped me so much. Great writing good pace believable characters just perfect 5 🌟

Out for blood by Deborah Masson

Really good follow up, its good seeing the back stories evolve. Ending felt a bit rushed with some things left unsaid or explained 3.75🌟

The adventures of Brother Cadfael on Audible by Ellis Peters

Just beautiful, listening to Derek Jacobi narration of these wonderful stories is such a treat 5🌟

Poetic justice by Fiona Forsyth

Just not for me DNF

Murder by ghostlight by JC Briggs

I do love this series but this isn't the best one. As others have noted it drags in the middle. It's a shame because its an intriguing premise 3.25 🌟

Echogenisis by Gary Gibson

Absolutely loved this, great premise, good pace. OK the characters are a bit stereotypical but that fits with the plot. Just a cracking read, am lining up the rest of the series 4🌟

Death at Aurora point by Maisie Graves

Really enjoyable addition to this series. I'm becoming even more engaged with the main characters, love seeing them develop. Enough twists and turns to keep engagement going, good pace. There's also a really intriguing thread running through the series and it's great to see that develop. Looking forward to the next one.

This was an ARC copy this is my honest review

4🌟

The Lamb by J.E. Clarkson

Firstly I really enjoyed this book. Cracking story, enjoyable characters but it's difficult to review without giving spoilers though. I gave a slightly lower score because there were some continuity errors, noticeable but not big enough to derail the plot.

But i did enjoy it enough to line up the next in the series 3.75 🌟

Disappearing scarecrow by Maisie Graves

This is a really sweet short story in the series, great fun nice pace 4🌟

Stockings and spells by Nancy Warren

A lovely addition to the series. I do love seeing the back story unfold a cracking mystery to boot 3.75 🌟

Burial rites by Hannah Kent

A very moving story and incredibly well written however I did find the pace a bit uneven and the ending a bit rushed. 3.75 🌟

Desolation by Keith Moray

I did enjoy this although I agree with other reviewers who say that it only took off when Ralph appeared. I did get confused at times between the characters and who was who. On the whole though Very enjoyable well plotted with a good pace 3.75 🌟

The gaslight stalker by David Field 

I did really enjoy this and liked the main characters but there were some things which grated slightly. Esther's stubborness towards the end was frustrating. Also the "ripper" plot felt a bit disjointed but overall an enjoyable read 3.5🌟

Murder in Tuscany by T.A. Williams

I was really conflicted about this one, there was obviously enough to keep me reading and not DNF ing it but at the end i was just left with a bad taste in my mouth. The threads of casual sexism and ageism (apparently 70 year old women should not know about sex 🤦‍♀️) were just too much which is a shame because without that it might have been a half way decent cosy mystery 2.75 🌟

So let's see what the wrap up graphics say?

So fewer books but more pages read 

I started another trial of KU which is reflected in the titles 

Only a couple of DNFs

I don't think I've included star ratings before,  fewer higher ratings reflect the KU trial im tsking more chances on untested authors

September reading and storygraph

Falco the complete BBC radio collection on Audible (Carried over from August)

Brilliant rendition of these stories, for me Anton Lesser is the voice of Falco

The stories are abridged but retain their charm, excellent production 5 🌟

At Bertrams hotel by Agatha Christie 

Another cracking Miss Marple, she doesn't appear a lot in this story but enough to keep me satisfied 5 🌟

The crucifix killer by Chris Carter

Goodness this was gory and gruesome in the extreme. 

A really good story though it kept me gripped.

I'm not sure about the ending it felt a bit too pat, I can't quite put my finger on it though

Very good overall and a good pace. 3.75 🌟

The city and the stars by Arthur C Clarke on Audible 

I did really enjoy this and Mike Grady is an excellent narrator but I don't think it's one of Clarkes best stories 3.75 🌟

The ghost cat by Alex Howard

I almost DNFd this book but I'm glad I didn't, it's a slight book the tales are varied and some better than others but it's and enjoyable read 3.5 🌟

The butchered man by Harriet Smart

Just didn't gel with the stories or characters DNF

The borrowed by Chan Ho-Kai

Just didn't gel with it DNF

A Curse in Kyoto by SJ Cullen

I did enjoy this book but the pace was a bit on the slow side. Happy to try the rest in the series 3.5 🌟

The zig zag man by Elly Griffiths 

After about a third of the book I felt the pace picked up and I really started to care about the characters and get more invested in the plot so I'm glad I persevered with it. Looking forward to the others in the series 3.75 🌟

The lodger by Helen Scarlett

I did enjoy this book but it's not without flaws. The romance is very predictable but the main story was engaging and very sad 3.5 🌟

John Wyndham a BBC radio drama collection on Audible 

Excellent adaptation, classic BBC 4🌟

To the women by Donna Ashworth

Beautiful book these poems speak to the heart of all women 4.5 🌟

Needle house by Robin Roughley

I don't normally read anything over 350 pages but this kept me gripped. Fantastic plot, good characters and great pacing for such a lengthy book 4 🌟

A mystery in bloom by Fiona Grace

This was OK, a bit bland but OK 3🌟

Magic potions shop on Libby by Abi Longstaff

This was a really enjoyable listen, great narrator sweet story, just nice 4🌟

The Salisbury manuscript by Phillip Gooden

Really enjoyable pleasant mystery 3.75🌟

Jules Verne a BBC radio drama collection On Audible

Absolutely cracking set of adaptations, great casts. BBC at its best 4.25 🌟

A simple murder by Eleanor Kuhns

This book was slow to start with but really grew on me, the romancevis predictable but the mystery element had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged 3.75 🌟

Ruth Galloway and the ghost of Max Mephisto by Elly Griffiths 

Nice short story 3.5 🌟

A greenhouse murder by Lilly Gibbs

This is a very short story, the writing and plot did feel a bit clunky in places but I think that was due to the challenge of the small word count. Overall enjoyable 3 🌟

A Windmere Estate murder by Lilly Gibbs

An enjoyable read but I'm being charitable, clunky prose stuffed with similies 3.5 🌟

Death at the docks by Vivian Keyes

Enjoyable cosy, nice to see the characters background stories develop 3.75 🌟

The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevallier on BBC sounds 

I really loved this, I know its very abridged so would like to read the book to compare, very good narrator, I felt slightly let down by the ending though 4 🌟

Permits Pickles and a Plot by Polly McQuay

This was really enjoyable, decent plot, very funny in places, a good cosy 4 🌟

So let's see what the stats say

I'm starting another KU trial in October so I expect the source for next month to be quite different. Also I'm nearly finished my Audible back pile! So maybe more libby next month

I've added another category-unsure to the series option, there are some series i really can't make my mind up on

Not much change here i think 

I had quite a few ARCs to read hence the glut of cosys at the end of the month

A pretty good month i think 😊