This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is: “The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection (or to your to-read list!)”.
These aren’t strictly the last ten as I wanted to highlight books I haven’t already mentioned in other posts, but they are all books I’ve acquired recently. Let me know if you’ve read them or are planning to read them!
1. The Official Agatha Christie Puzzle Book – This was a Christmas present from my sister. It will take me a while to work through all 100 of these Christie-themed puzzles, but I’m enjoying them so far!
2. The Hymn to Dionysus by Natasha Pulley – I didn’t get on with Pulley’s The Bedlam Stacks and thought she probably wasn’t an author for me, but then I read one of her short stories and enjoyed it. I have a NetGalley copy of her new book, out in March, and look forward to giving her another chance.
3. The Eagle and the Hart by Helen Castor – I want to read more non-fiction this year and have enjoyed Helen Castor in the past. This is her most recent book, about the relationship between Richard II and Henry IV.
4. The Little Sparrow Murders by Seishi Yokomizo – I’ve already read this one and my review will be up later this week. I enjoyed the five previous Yokomizo mysteries published in new English translations by Pushkin Press and this is the sixth.
5. There’s a Reason for Everything by E.R. Punshon – This mystery from 1945 was a Dean Street Press free ebook of the week just before Christmas. A few people reviewed it for Dean Street December and it sounded interesting.
6. Secrets of the Bees by Jane Johnson – Another review copy from NetGalley, but it won’t be published until June. I’ve enjoyed some of Jane Johnson’s other books, particularly the ones set in Morocco, although she also writes beautifully about Cornwall, which is the setting for this new one.
7. Cleopatra by Natasha Solomons – This, as you may have guessed, is a novel about Cleopatra – also from NetGalley and being published in May. I’ve loved some of Solomons’ books but not others, so I’ll be interested to see what this one is like.
8. Theirs was the Kingdom by RF Delderfield – The second book in the Swann family saga. The first one, God is an Englishman, was one of my favourite books of last year so I’m sure I’ll enjoy this one.
9. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie – I’m not joining in with the Read Christie 2025 challenge this month because I’ve already read the selected book (and the suggested alternatives) but I haven’t yet read the February choice, a collection of Miss Marple stories.
10. This Sweet Sickness by Patricia Highsmith – This 1960 psychological thriller is one of ten classics reissued as Virago Modern Classics this month. I’ve been wanting to read something else by Highsmith since reading Strangers on a Train a few years ago.
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What have you added to your book collection recently?
She Reads Novels 
Natasha Pulley’s The Mars House was my favourite book of last year so I’m really interested to see what this new one is like.
I wasn’t sure if The Mars House would be my kind of book, but I know a lot of people liked it. Maybe I’ll give it a try if I enjoy this new one.
The Mars House is very accessible Sci Fi. And there are mammoths on Mars. Just brilliant really 😀
I must get on to Yokomizo, they look so tempting!
He’s one of the best of the Japanese crime authors I’ve read so far.
A nice range of incomings – the Christie Puzzle Book sounds fun!!
I’m enjoying it so far – there’s a good variety of puzzles and the Christie theme is fun!
The Agatha Christie puzzle book sounds fun. Hope you enjoy all these.
Thank you! Yes the puzzles are fun and a good mixture of easy and more challenging ones.
Your post sent me down a research rabbit hole regarding RF Delderfield. I suddenly had to know what happened to the ‘young’ actor John Duttine who starred in the TV adaptation of To Serve Them All my Days back in 1980. I still think it was one of the best things the BBC ever did. The answer is he is in his 70s and is probably retired. But thank. you for the trip down memory lane. I also downloaded There’s a Reason for Everything as a result of Dean Street December and am enjoying it.
I’m pleased to hear you’re enjoying There’s a Reason for Everything – I must read it soon! To Serve Them All My Days is on my list to read after I finish Delderfield’s Swann trilogy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the TV adaptation, but I’ve heard good things about it so will watch it if I get the opportunity.
Yes I’m tempted to watch again too. And read the books.
I want to read the Helen Castor book too. It’s on my list. She was interviewed about it recently on a podcast I listen to. Great list!
It should be interesting! I don’t think I’ve read any non-fiction about those two kings.
Ooh what Natasha Pulley short story did you try? I’ve only read one of those within a collection so far and have yet to try a full length novel by her. I’m probably starting with The House Of Dionysus though as a major fan of Greek retellings. I’m curious about the Cleopatra book too but want to wait and try Saara El-Arifi’s first as she’s one of my favourite authors. I hope you enjoy all of these and the puzzle book sounds fun.
The Natasha Pulley story was The Salt Miracles in a collection called The Winter Spirits. It was really good! I hope we both enjoy The Hymn of Dionysus – I like Greek retellings too so am looking forward to it.
I still need to check that one out. I can’t remember the exact title of the one I read, although the eerie eel imagery stuck with me, but it was in a similiar collection called The Haunting Season. Here’s hoping it’ll be as food as it sounds 🥰 I hope you enjoy it.
The Helen Castor book in on my Wish List. Its also good to see that the flow (or would that be flood) of Ancient civilisation/Myth related novels is continuing…. [grin]
Oh, and I must see if I can get around to reading Japanese crime. I imagine its *very* different in many ways!
The Helen Castor book sounds interesting! I enjoyed one of her others, She-Wolves, a few years ago. And no, I don’t think the flood of mythology retellings is going to stop anytime soon!
I didn’t realise Pulley had a new one out (and somehow missed it on NG)!
I hope you’re still able to read it. I almost missed it myself – I wasn’t expecting Greek mythology from her!
I’ve got This Sweet Sickness from NetGalley too, and like you it will be only the second of hers that I’ve read after Strangers on a Train. The Agatha Christie puzzle book sounds like fun!
I’m reading This Sweet Sickness now and enjoying it so far, more than Strangers on a Train, I think. And yes, the Christie book is fun – a good mixture of puzzle types and they’re not too hard or too easy!
Hello Helen, I hope you will enjoy reading your new acquisitions. I have recently acquired The Queen and the Countess by Anne O’Brien and The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick; both from NetGalley.
Blessings, Jessica 💌
Thank you, Jessica. I received the Nicola Cornick and Anne O’Brien books from NetGalley as well, although after I had already put this post together. I hope we both enjoy them!
Thank you – I hope we both do too! 😊