Trying to lessen my Mount TBR pile...

Hmmm...I've read three books so far in 2015, but I've purchased eight.  I'm really going to have to read faster, and start buying slower, I think!  But I'm almost finished with 2 more, I should have them done by tonight.  That means I'll only be three behind.  Maybe I can get one more read today, it's too cold to go out, anyhow. 

A Comedian Dies by Simon Brett review

First published in 1979, this is one of the early Charles Paris books.  I enjoyed this as much as the others in the series I've read, and looking forward to reading more.

In this story, a comedian is electrocuted when he grabs hold of a microphone that has been wired incorrectly.  While the  authorities think it is an accident, Charles believes it to be murder.  He wants to find out who could have murdered the comedian, Bill Peaky, and finds out that there is a long list of suspects, as Peaky was disliked by many people.

I enjoyed this book, even though Charles didn't come up with the name of the murderer without a lot of help, and it didn't seem to be as good as other books in the series I've read.  Charles seemed be trying to solve the mystery by guessing that someone is the murderer, then accusing them, and then finding out they had an alibi. 

I will be looking for more books by Simon Brett!  Simon Brett writes several different series, and I've read books in the Charles Paris series (I like quite a bit), the Mrs. Pargeter series (I love these books), and the Fethering series ( I thought it was okay, but will read another to see if it grows on me) and I've just started to read a Blotto and Twinks mystery (not far enough into it to decide if I like it or not).

This is part of my 2015 Mount TBR Reading Challenge.  Bought Dec 28, 2014, finished Jan 2, 2015.

Saltmarsh Murders by Gladys Mitchell review

The Saltmarsh Murders was one of the early books by Gladys Mitchell, and was first published in 1932.  I had never heard of her until some of her books were offered on Amazon at a low price, and when I looked her up I thought I might enjoy her.

The recurring character is Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, who is supposed to be psychoanalyst, and who solves the crime.  In this book, she seemed like a secondary character at the beginning, with the point of view of the book being described through the eyes of Noel Wells, local curate.  When Bradlely takes charge, things start happening, and at the end of the book she has solved the case.

There is a lot going on in this book--a maid who becomes pregnant, gives birth, and is murdered--a missing child--a crazy lady and her missing husband--and the local inn keepers with a secret. This book is full of colorful characters!

I bought this, along with several other Gladys Mitchell books 18 Dec 2014, and finished Jan 1, 2015.  Or maybe it was Jan. 2, as it was late, and I'm not sure what time it actually was.

This is part of my 2015 Mount TBR Reading Challenge.

Haunted HiJinks by Madison Johns review

Published in 2014, this is the first in the Agnes Barton Paranormal Series.  However, the characters are the same as the Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery Series, only now they are more involved with ghosts.  Although even in the Senior Sleuths Mystery series, they had some interaction with ghosts in one of the books I read.

This was a fairly light and amusing story, with ghosts turning up to add to the usual characters found in the the Agnes Barton books.  It has 172 pages, but is a really fast read--I started it New Year's Eve, and finished it the next day without really trying to.

I'll probably read more in the series if I find them, but won't be looking for them.

This is part of my 2015 Mount TBR reading challenge.  I bought this Dec 2014, finished Jan 1, 2015.

2015 Reading challenge--Mount TBR

Last year, in spite of my best intentions not to, I signed up for several challenges--six, to be exact.  I completed them, and read a ton of books, so I would have thought my Mount TBR pile would have shrunk. 

Unfortunately, it has, instead, grown by at least 300 books. Part of it was because I had to find a few books to complete the challenges, and part was because when getting books to do so, I found new-to-me authors I really liked, and I ended up getting more books so I could read more of that author.  Another part was free and really cheap books on the kindle--if they were mysteries, I downloaded them, and, here again, I discovered more authors that I really liked.  Then there is Ebay.  I bought two (large) lots on Ebay because they contained books I hadn't yet read by an author I liked, they were going cheap, and I ended up reading some of the other books, and once again--more new authors.

So this year, I'm just going to join the 2015 Mount TBR Reading Challenge, and with any luck, I will make a dent in my huge pile (list) of books.

I'm going to attempt Mt. Ararat--read 48 books from your TBR piles.  That's less than one a week. I should be able to do that, and read at least another 2 books a week from new free/cheap kindle books I can't resist.  If I can restrict myself to downloading 3 or less books a week, I should be able to, if not lessen the pile, at least not make it taller.  That's my plan, anyway!

Thanks for hosting this challenge again this year, Bev!!