-=> Quoting Maureen Goldman to Fred Runk <=-
Hi Maureen,
 MG> I've had a different one of Collins' books for years.  Will
 MG> probably never read it.  Right now I'm reading a mystery by
Must be 'The Moonstone'?  I've read that and 'Woman in White' years ago and
enjoyed them, buit I generally like classic mysteries like that.
 MG> Robert Barnard writing as Bernard Bastable.  The detective is
What is the title, so I can keep an eye out for it. I've read all of 
arnard's
books that I can find and really love his ironic sense of humor.
I just finished 'No Sign of Murder' by ALan Russell and found it so-so. The
hero-detective kind of put me off, his attitude just irritated me and he
wasn't a very believable character.  This was his first book and I've heard 
o
many raves for his later ones like 'The Fat Innkeeper' and 'The Hotel
Detective' that I guess he must have improved immensely in his writing.
Anyway, I'm still keeping my eyes open for his others to judge for myself.
I just finished reading one by Jack Batten called 'Straight No Chaser'. It's
the second of his Crang series, written a few years ago.  I read and enjoyed
the first on, 'Crang Plays the Ace' and I'm finding this one quite enjoyable.
His characters are believable and suitable for Toronto.  The book revolves
around a film festival and he makes side comments and observations about 
ilms
that tended to coincide with my feelings, so that helped make it agreeable to
me as well.
Currently I'm reading another of Edna Buchanan's Britt Montero series. I'm
reading the series out of order, so I have an unfortunate preview of part of
the plot. She refers to an incident in this book in a later one that I have
read. She is a good writer, really captures the feel of Miami, and doesn't
gloss it over at all. I'm sure the Miami C of C wishes she would move
elsewhere!
As it will be nearly Xmas by the time I get back into Calgary and can get 
his
U/L'd, I'll wish everybody on the echo the warmest of Season's Greetings and
my best wishes for the new year!
Bob 8-{)
--- Blue Wave/Max v2.20
---------------