Karl's Reading List

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Books, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 12 in the Famous Five Series. Preceded by ' Five Have a Wonderful Time. ' Followed by 'Five Go to Mystery Moor.' First published 1953. The five go on holiday to Cornwall, where they are booked in to stay on the farm of Mr and Mrs Penruthlan. Mrs Penruthlan is a warm woman with a penchance for over-feeding the children, while Mr Penruthlan is unintelligible to the children due to not wearing his false teeth (though Mrs Penruthlan understands him perfectly). The children are befriended by a small local boy named Yan who follows them around whether they want him to or not. A local theatre troupe - the Barneys - also features, turning up and hosting a few nights' worth of performances in the the Penruthlan's barn. The mystery this time around involves a light being shone from an old tumble-down tower that was originally used by criminals to tri...

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Books, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 11 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by ' Five on a Hike Together. ' Followed by ' Five Go Down to the Sea. ' First published 1952. On occasion, Elise and I have noted that a particular Famous Five story might take a while to get on to the mystery itself. Five Go Adventuring Again is the first one to spring to mind in this way. However, Five Have a Wonderful Time takes this idea to the next level! Although the five are camping, and encounter some suspicious 'Fair Folk' whom they wish to befriend, the actual mystery or adventure element doesn't really kick in until literally over half the book has passed. At that point, the Five, along with returning character Jo from Five Fall Into Adventure , finally notice something suspicious in the ruins of a nearby castle - a face at a window! - and set out to find out how the face is ...

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Books, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 10 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by ' Five Fall Into Adventure. ' Followed by 'Five Have a Wonderful Time.' First published 1951. Some of the tropes of this series are becoming more noticeable as we finally reach Book 10 and enter the double-digits. This entry includes the five going on a journey without adults (as happened in Five Go Off in a Caravan and Five Get Into Trouble , and effectively happened in Five Go Off to Camp ), the mystery unfolds partially because one of the five are involved in a case of mistaken identity (as happened in Five Get Into Trouble and Five Fall Into Adventure ), and adults are side-lined for various reasons that probably wouldn't happen in real life (in this instance, the five decide to report their findings to the police but are dismissed as ragamuffins making things up!). This is not to say th...

Published as an audiobook by Librivox, read via Fabuly. Narrated by Brenda Dayne. First published 1920. Whoa. This book is intense! And not in the usual way you might think of. The Age of Innocence is the third Pulitzer Prize -winning novel I have read, and is the most unexpected so far. I wasn't expecting a novel written in 1920 and set in the 1870s to be so heavily about the main character considering an affair... but there you go! It is very emotionally charged, with our main character, Newland Archer, growing obsessed with the married-but-separated Madame Ellen Olenska even as he pursues an engagement with the more traditional and (in Newland's eyes) almost ignorantly 'innocence' May Welland. It is apparent from the start that it is not only that Newland finds Ellen 'fascinating', but that he is thrilled and tempted by the very fact that Ellen is unconventional, perhaps a little bit dangerous, and therefore - to him - more 'exciting' than his convent...

Published as an audiobook by Blackstone Audio, Inc: 2013. First published 1536/1559 in Latin, 1541/1560 in French. Translated into English by Henry Beveridge, 1845. Audiobook narrated by Bob Souer. There is a real artifice to creating a yearly book list, that is sometimes more apparent to me than others. In terms of the placement of Institutes at this point in this list in this year, it becomes very apparent to me, because this is an audibook I started listening to in (I seem to recall) 2024. That means that I actually listened to the vast majority of this book (which at normal speed is 67 hours long - I did listen to parts of it at 1.25 speed) in 2024 and 2025, and yet, because it was finished now, I add it to my 2026 list. Potentially I could have divided it into four reviews, matching the four books/volumes of the overall work, but as it is gathered together under one title, I'm mostly happy with my decision. Still, I'm happy to be able to add it to any list, because this ha...

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Book, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 9 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by ' Five Get Into Trouble. ' Followed by ' Five on a Hike Together. ' First published 1950. By this point in the Famous Five series, Elise and I are prepared for the familiar beats: suspicious and 'ugly' people will be the villains, there will likely be a secret tunnel, and the five will, for some reason, be separated from the influence or oversight of adults. We know that these are likely to happen.  What we appreciated about this particular entry was how little Enid Blyton tried to disguise them anymore, particularly the 'children left alone' part. At the beginning of this entry, the five - staying at Kirrin Cottage - are simply left behind, on purpose, when Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny go to mainland Europe. There is a housekeeper on site, but there is no need for a further elabora...

This is the first time I have done a 'yearly' top 5 (although I did a ' Top 5 Top 5s ' previously, after my 5th book list), but it seems to fit with the year ending in a 5. Anyway, this is entirely subjective, and is an indication of where I currently sit in regards to these books. The list might even be different if I was asked on a different day. The following are not reviews of these books per se, but each one has been reviewed, and that review can be found by clicking on the title of the book in question. Also, these are ranked in the order that I read them, rather than specifically 1-5 or 5-1. That would take a while longer to sort out! The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. I will give this one the award for 'Best Audiobook of the Year' and 'Best Whodunnit of the Year'. I listened to this over the Summer holidays last year, and enjoyed it enough that I listened to the rest of the series in the same year. Twisty, humorous, a bit unpredictable (a...

Published by Tyndale Publishers. Accessed via the Bible App at: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/10819-the-one-year-chronological-bible Five years ago Elise and I spent a year reading a chronologically arranged NLT version of the Bible , occasionally using the NIVUK audiobook version narrated by David Suchet to give my narrating skills a rest. This year, we once again did the chronological plan, but this time around chose to listen to the entire thing rather than use our physical copy (which we have lent to my parents anyway). This is, I think, the first time since beginning this blog that I am re-reviewing a previously reviewed book. I have re-read some books, but so far only ones that I read before I was writing reviews. But, this is a good book to break that trend, both because it is the Bible(!) and because listening to a (mostly) different version in a (for me) different format means that there were some different things that jumped out this time around. I do remember point...

Published by Viking Press/Penguin Random House: London, UK, 2024. Audiobook by Penguin Audio, 2024.  Uploaded to Audible 12-09-2024. Narrated by Nicola Walker. As regular readers of the blog (if there are any!) will know, this year I have discovered and read my way through the Thursday Murder Club series. Having recently finished The Impossible Fortune, which is the final (for now) in that series, I thought I'd give this book a go, as the only non- Thursday Murder Club book Richard Osman has yet written.  The big adjustment for me in listening to We Solve Murders is that, of course, the characters and settings of Thursday Murder Club are missing. It's always hard for a successful author of a successful series to launch another one, and I do think that We Solve Murders is not as 'tight' as Thursday Murder Club was - particularly the first in the series.  This, however, is somewhat unfair. We Solve Murders needs to stand or fall on its own merits. So... The mildly convo...

Published as an audiobook by Penguin Audio, 25-09-2025. Narrated by Fiona Shaw. Book 5 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Preceded by ' The Last Devil to Die. ' Earlier this year I practically binge-listened to the entire Thursday Murder Club series, beginning my final review by saying that  The Last Devil to Die felt like a suitable finale. However, I also wrote that the series had ended "for now" twice, and...well... I guess I was right! About a month ago, wandering through the Richmond Mall, I noticed that a fifth book was now on sale in Whitcoulls, so I raced home and purchased my audiobook copy that same day (it feels appropriate now to keep this as an audiobook series). So, considering how 'final' the previous series finale was, how does The Impossible Fortune fare? Well, to be honest, there are moments where, for me, it felt slightly 'lesser' than what had come before it. On occasion the characters (particularly, for me, Joyce and Ibr...

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Books, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 8 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by ' Five Go Off To Camp. ' Followed by ' Five Fall Into Adventure. ' Originally published 1949. In this entry, set in Spring (my favourite season), the four children and Timmy get permission to go on a cycling trip on their own, when Uncle Quentin has mistakenly double-booked himself elsewhere. They are only given permission because Timmy is 'such a good guard dog', but of course, the 1940s were a different time, when this sort of thing was probably seen as a little safer than now-a-days?? Of course, very quickly the five get caught up in a mystery, this time through association with a strange boy they encounter, named Richard. When I first heard Richard's name, I laughed to myself and wondered whether Enid Blyton had run out of names, seeing as how Dick (one of our main four characters) ...

Published in an omnibus edition, 'Treasury of World Masterpieces: Herman Melville': 'Moby Dick'; 'The Confidence Man'; 'The Piazza Tales'; 'Billy Budd' by Octopus Books Limited: London, 1984. First published individually 1851. A number of years ago, when I was working as a milk runner, I used to listen to audiobooks while working, and one of the books I listened to was Moby Dick. I remember enjoying it quite a bit, and "getting" some of the choices the author made. For example, a number of chapters in Moby Dick stop following the plot entirely in order to instead talk about different species of whales, or the physical characteristics of a whale, or the history of whales, or to give a sermon about whales.... all of these could be seen as slowing down the book and giving unnecessary and somewhat dull details. But when I was listening to it all those years ago, I completely understood why they were included. Moby Dick is about obsession. A...

Published as an audiobook by Penguin Audio, 14-09-2023. Narrated by Fiona Shaw. Book 4 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Preceded by ' The Bullet That Missed. ' Followed by ' The Impossible Fortune. ' The final book ( for now ) in the Thursday Murder Club series, this book also feels a bit more like it could be the last in the series, due to a few storylines having a more 'final' feel to them. The main mystery this time revolves around a shipment of heroin that has been snuck into the country inside an antique box. A friend of our main gang has died while in possession of the heroin, and so tracking down the killer is in order. Returning characters like drug-dealer Connie Johnson, retired KGB agent Viktor, and antique dealer Kuldesh Sharma all have parts to play for better or worse, and new characters - including corrupt antique dealer Samantha Barnes and her imposing husband Garth, all add interest to the proceedings. A secondary crime-plot involves...

Published as an audiobook by Penguin Audio, 2022. Narrated by Fiona Shaw. Book 3 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Preceded by ' The Man Who Died Twice. ' Followed by ' The Last Devil To Die. ' The third book in the Thursday Murder Club series begins to shift the status quo a little. Not only does it include a potential love interest for Ron and an old-flame for Elizabeth (there is also a potential love interest for Joyce but that is less unusual), but certain background realities - like Donna and Borden's developing relationship, and Steven's battle with dementia - are made more prominent, and particularly with the latter, begin to impact our characters (and the readers!) more than they have previously. The murder investigation and main subplot are both less important on the whole than the ongoing growth and development of the main characters, and yet both of the plots also have interest. The gang is investigating the murder of Bethany Waites, a rep...

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Books, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 7 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by ' Five on Kirrin Island Again. ' Followed by ' Five Get Into Trouble. ' Originally published 1948. Well, originally we thought this entry in the series was going to be set at a summer camp or something similar. However, in a far more straightforward interpretation of the title, book 7 of the Famous Five series has our heroes go off to pitch some tents and do some camping. The main adult in this story - only there to provide an excuse for four children going to a remote area for camping - is Mr Luffy, a 'master' from Julian and Dick's school, who is almost as absent-minded as George's father, but far more friendly. Mr Luffy, an avid insect-collector, has come to camp on a remote moorland in order to look for bugs, and has agreed that the children could come along and camp with him. V...

Published by Hodder & Stoughton, 2014. Audiobook published by Penguin Audio, 2014. Narrated by Sean Pratt. Usually when I finish an audiobook I remove it from my phone, in order to create space for the next one.  ...Yeah, my phone is a little old. I'm trying to not replace it for as long as I can... With this book on prayer, I'm holding off. I have considered a number of times simply starting it again and re- listening to it, because of how inspiring and insightful it has been. Keller is a good author - I already knew this - but Prayer is a really good book.  Keller admits at the outset that he was not good at prayer, and that this book arose from his desire to have a deeper prayer-life himself. In sensing my own stirring to pray, I relate to how he felt, and also find myself being challenged and stirred along with him throughout the journey of this book. In different sections, Keller looks at the history of prayer, prayer in other faiths, some of the great theological wo...

Published by Dragon Brothers Books, 2020 (2017). Audiobook released 02-10-21. Narrated by the author. Book 1 in 'The Dragon Defenders' series. Followed by 'Book 2.' This is definitely a children's book, with its short chapters, simple plot, the decision of the main characters to purposefully side-line their parents rather than getting their support in dealing with the main issues, and its mild obsession with getting shot in the butt. It is also the first book in 'The Dragon Defenders' series, and one that impresses me by not having any other title than 'Book 1' and the series title! I believe the rest in the series have similar titles... wow. The author, James Russell, is a New Zealander and narrates his own book - it was quite odd to hear a Kiwi accent the whole way through the story, though I suppose Elise is more used to that than I am due to my narrating most of the books we read together. He reads it fairly well. The story revolves around two ...

Published by Viking Press/Penguin Random House: London, UK, 2021. Audiobook by Penguin Audio. Released 16-09-2021.  Narrated by Lesley Manville. Book 2 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Preceded by ' The Thursday Murder Club. ' Followed by ' The Bullet That Missed. ' At the end of my review for The Thursday Murder Club I said "I will definitely be returning to this series." Voila. The Man Who Died Twice picks up soon after the events of Book 1, with our four heroes settling back into 'regular life' in their retirement community. However, the new peace is upended when Elizabeth's ex-husband, Douglas Middlemiss, arrives in the community incognito, hiding from a gangster who wants him dead. Elizabeth and the gang must try to protect Douglas, whilst also solving a few mysteries that arise during the proceedings. Meanwhile, Ibrahim - venturing out to town for an afternoon - is savagely assaulted by a local hoodlum, and the rest of the gang ...

Published by Viking Press/Penguin Random House: London, UK, 2020. Audiobook by Penguin Audio, 2020. Narrated by Lesley Manville. Book 1 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Followed by ' The Man Who Died Twice. ' Richard Osman is a TV personality and comedian in England, and this is his debut novel: a murder mystery set in a retirement community. I am happy to report that The Thursday Murder Club is everything I hoped it would be: humorous in patches, moving in patches, mysterious enough for the genre, and surprisingly sweet.  The four members of 'the club' are Elizabeth (who has a background as a spy, although the book never outright says that), Ron (a quick tempered man who used to be a semi-professional protestor for the trade unions), Ibrahim (a slightly know-it-all ex-psychiatrist), and Joyce (a retired nurse who enjoys the thrill of the case just a little too much, and who also narrates sections of the book in diary form). Basing most of their club meetin...

Published as an audiobook by Hodder Children's Books/Hachette Children's Book, 2013. Narrated by Jan Francis. Book 6 in the 'Famous Five' series. Preceded by ' Five Go Off in a Caravan. ' Followed by ' Five Go Off to Camp. ' Originally published 1947. The interesting thing about this entry in the Famous Five series is summed up by a comment Anne makes towards the end of the story. As things are wrapping up, she tells the rest of the group that she is happy the adventure is almost over, and that she didn't even realise they were having one for most of it. Out of the series so far, this entry has perhaps the best balance in this regards. The second book, Five Go Adventuring Again , tried a similar slow-burn approach to the story and still held our interest, but seemed to be waiting for a revelation to come, whereas the third book, Five Run Away Together , simply made the heroes miserable until they did what the title suggests they did! In Five on Kirri...