This week I’ll mention John Grisham’s The Brethren.

The Brethren are three ex-judges in a low security federal prison who should have been in a harsher one because they’re using their time catfishing (though the book predates that term) and extorting closeted gay men who answer pen pal ads. In another thread, I think it was @misericordiae@literature.cafe who conjectured that the LGBTQ hard mode was easier than the easy mode. I’m therefore pleased to report that The Brethren contains mail fraud, wire fraud, bribery, tax evasion, embezzlement, legal malpractice, and even some light treason, but very little romance of any sort. Having seen the result of Grisham trying to write romantic scenes, this is probably for the best. He’s much better at these sorts of characters.

Just finished Bone Yard by Jefferson Bass. Found a copy autographed by Bass at a Habitat For Humanity thrift store.

My other recent acquisition is Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot. I don’t usually seek out graphic novels, but got a good deal on this one because it was (mis-)classified as children’s lit. It looks interesting, broad in scope, and a candidate for the ‘beautiful cover’ bingo square.

No bingo yet, but if I finish the book I’m about 30% through, I can claim the top row^*. That one seems to be easy mode for my reading strategy (I read what I want, at the pace I want, and think and occasionally comment about if and where it fits.) A few other squares scattered about, and some unscored reads that if applied to free space or alt prompt gets close in other directions.

^*Considering the content of his novels, I’ve deemed it within the spirit of the rules to call Frank Delaney an Irish author, even though he eventually moved to my continent.