Wendy Bartlett's "Must Read" List

“I’ve never known any trouble that an hour’s reading didn’t assuage.”
- -Charles de Secondat






Must Reads! by Wendy Bartlett

Happiest of New Year’s to you and yours! My name is Wendy Bartlett, and unlike most of Kaye’s guest bloggers here on Meanderings and Muses, I’m not a writer. Just a Reader, as they say. (Oh, and Kaye’s honorary little sister, which is how I ended up here with you today.) But who better to kick off Kaye’s illustrious list of guest bloggers, really, than someone who loves to read?

And I was so glad to be here at my favorite time of year. As much as I love the holidays, I look forward to New Year’s even more, and for one simple reason. I can look ahead to all the fabulous reading I’ll get to do in the coming year.

And as the years go by, and I discover more and more "Must Read" authors to add to my list, the anticipation just keeps building.

Take a look at my list-and these are just the mysteries!! Who’s on yours?

I’m really looking forward to a new Louise Penny, my favorite Must Read author addition of the last few years, as well as her fellow Canadian, Peter Robinson, who never disappoints.

And here’s hoping for a new Laurie R. King, even though last year was a Mary Russell, so this is a stand alone or Kate Martinelli year, I suppose. I’m a huge Mary Russell fan, but any King is better than no King. She’s a writer who is not afraid to take chances, and I love that about her books. You have no clue what you’re signing up for when you start a Laurie R. King, but you know you’re in good hands. Laura Lippman is like that too, and like King, she turns them out, so if we’re lucky, there’s a new Lippman on the way.

March is my favorite month…….and trust me, no one else in Northeastern Ohio says that. Ever. But it’s mine because two of my favorite series come out in March.

Linda Fairstein’s Hell Gate releases in early March, and you can bet mine’s on order already. My only complaint about Fairstein is that she’s too compulsively readable. I always think I’m going to pace myself and make the newest Alex book last longer, and it never, ever works! Sigh. Here’s hoping we’re back to the Vineyard this year. Suppose the French restaurateur is still hanging around?

And long about St. Patrick’s, Rhys Bowen releases a new Molly Murphy. I love that series. Rhys writes the hunkiest love interests…….Daniel is to die for. And I love historical mysteries, so Molly’s 19th century New York is a big favorite. I even made a pilgrimage to Patchin Place the last time I was in New York! And in July, just in time to treat myself to a birthday book, Rhys comes back with her Royal Spyness series set in the ‘30’s and starring Lady Georgiana (Georgie to her friends and readers). I read the last one, Royal Flush, in one delicious evening. Topping, as Georgie would say.

There’s scores more names on my list…….here’s hoping we see a new Bess Crawford, in the new series from Charles Todd. Duty to the Dead was an awesome kick off to this series and one of my favorite books of last year.

And I never argue with a new James Lee Burke, or Reginald Hill, or Anne Perry, for that matter. Steve Hockensmith is riding off range to write about zombies (could I make that up?) instead of cowboys playing Sherlock Holmes, so here’s hoping he’s back with more Old Red and Big Red adventures soon! And what would the year be without a stop in Charleston for tea with Laura Childs?

So no matter what 2010 brings, all I really care is that I’ve got a great bunch of old and new favorites with which to curl up!

Take a second and tell us whose name is on your "Must Read" list this year, and enjoy another warm and wonderful year at Meanderings and Muses! See you here again soon!