booksiread

Where are you now? - Mary Higgins Clark

2009-06-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

This book was a big disappointment to me. Either I have gotten really good with figuring out her endings or she has become repetitive. I really wish the ending was something more exotic like Mack being alive. And it wasn't even half as scary as some of her previous ones. Sigh! I will however still read her next one:)

The White Tiger - Arvind Adiga

2009-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

This was another highly recommended read by my sister and also a Christmas gift from my husband. I found this book rather depressing and scary. A lot of grim realities that we avoid thinking about in day-to-day life were depicted realistically in this book. My sis even told me that there is a magazine like Murder Weekly that gets published in Delhi. I never got the whole point of the ending and wished the ending was something different from what the story was building up to all along. Also I think the part where he moves to Bangalore and becomes a big shot would have been more interesting to me. But I can see why it won the Booker prize. I do recommend this as an interesting read but do not get your hopes too high.

Monsoon Diary - Shobha Narayan

2009-04-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

How I love books that talk about food! A big thank you to Sindhu for letting me borrow this book from her:) This book is kind of an autobiography of the author where she talks about her childhood and years spent growing up and after but every single description is around food and there are recipes at the end of each chapter. I loved reading about her childhood days in Kerela at her grandparents' home and I really wished I had taken up the offer that my friend Vimi made as a kid to goto her hometown in Kerela. None of the dishes were new to me but it was fun to read about them in the context of her family and life. I really wish there were more pictures in the book but oh well. I recommended it to Asha of foodies hop and to my delight she had already read and reviewed it. This is a highly recommended read if you are a foodie:).

Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

2009-04-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted about books that I have been reading. I blame the TV in my bedroom entirely for my reduced reading. Why would I read when I can go to sleep while watching House, 24, Law and Order and the food network shows that I have on my DVR! Its not like I haven't been reading at all but I ahve been slower. Also to blame is the fact that I have discovered the joy of reading during work out and the joy of reading multiple books at a time. The context switch does not bother me, only makes me go slower.

This book was another depressing one like the Kite Runner. The conditions they describe and the life that people become used to left me wondering why people would even continue living like that but I guess if they have not known a better life, they wouldn't know any better. Also I kept asking why the women would take the beating and abuse and not kill their husband sooner. Again, I think people in such situations get used to life the way it is. I would not recommend reading this if you are in a sad place in your life. I am glad I was reading another happy book at the same time.

One Night @ The Call Center

2008-10-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

I simply had to read this book before the movie based on it released. I simply had to read the book where Salman Khan comes and dances bare chested on the stage. I simply had to read the book that writes about God making an appearance in the middle of a call center story. The book was bearable but the movie was horrible. Nothing more to say on this one.

The Three Mistake of My Life - Chetan Bhagat

2008-09-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is an very nice and gripping book by Chetan Bhagat set to the backdrop of the Gujarat riots. I somehow didn't expect the book to go so wild towards the end and it caught me by surprise although according my my sis I should have seen it coming all the time with the build up of the Muslim kid and the fanatic mama. She also told me something interesting - my BIL sent some feedback to Chetan Bhagat, one of them being that the way Govind got close so quickly with Vidya and their sexual adventures on the terrace seemed a little too fast for a place like Ahhmedabad (I agreed with this too) and he responded saying that this is how things are these days even in places like these and not just metros of India. I guess I left India a long time ago:). The other funny thing was that by the time I reached the ending of the book I forgot how the book all started with the suicide note. That must tell how gripping the rest of the story was. I am definitely going to read One Night @ a Call Center soon.

Almost Single - Advaita Kala

2008-08-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

So I have my sister to thank for sending this book with my parents who are visiting....Having just finished an M&B (yeah I still read them and I am ashamed of it but they are fun sometimes:) ), it didnt take much to shift to this chick-lit......This book is an Indian woman meets Bridget Jones meet Sex And The City. Its got elements of clumsiness/cuteness from Bridget Jones and a Charlotte like friend and lots of other similarities. The point where Karan suddenly becomes interested in the protagonist left me a little baffled. There was not much build up leading to that. There were funny moments too and thats what made the book readable in spite of it being a rehas of already written/seen stuff.

Now it has been really long since I read a mind blowing book that kept me awake. Any suggestions?

Can you keep a secret? - Sophie Kinsella

2008-07-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am soooo not ashamed to say that I read yet another chick-lit especially when it is a fun one like this...It took me longer than usual to finish this because chores around the home kept me busy but must say it gave me a few good giggles which annoyed hubby occasionally because they distracted him from the chores:D:D ......Must say that Emma is a totally cute character.......I ROFL when Jack talks about Benhur in front of her parents....I can totally imagine what she is going through.....Imagine what happens when all your secrets are spilled out.........:D:D.....Love the part where she chases Jack and says that she didn't care to know the big secret but wanted to know the small silly secrets of his...:D:D....Thanks to Sindhu for lending me this book and thanks to Sweety for recommending me this one...Definitely enjoyed it better than Undomestic Goddess......Wondering what I'll read next...I started one called Next.....Might get back to that one...:)

A Cry In The Night - Mary Higgins Clark

2008-06-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

"I solemnly vow that I will not abandon any books in pursuit of real suspense and thrill that I get from Mary Higgins Clark Books" - Because this is what I did again. Sorry Adrian Mole, I had to abandon you for this one:) but I promise to get back to you. So I read the first page and was hooked. The only disappointment was that the bad guy was the one we suspected all along. The revelation of his twisted mind did not fail to send chills down my spine nevertheless. I did not think much of Jenny for ignoring all the warning signs so blatantly and couldn't imagine why she would put on the aqua gown. The characters are etched so well in my memory and I can almost imagine how they look when I close my eyes. I simply love love love her books and I am an ardent fan. I read that she lives in New Jersey. If I ever get a chance I'll meet her in person and tell her so myself:). Not sure what I am reading next but waiting for a friend to finish "Can you keep a secret" by Sophie Kinsella so that I can borrow it from her. :)

All Around The Town - Mary Higgins Clark

2008-05-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. A must read for any Mary Higgins Clark fans and for anyone who is into psychological thrillers. This one was a page turner and even though I couldn't read it at one stretch due to other obligations, I kept going back to it as and when time permitted. The phenomenon of MPD has always interested me and the more I read about, the more I feel I should have chosen the profession of being a psychologist (Those you you laughing right now may kindly stop laughing:D) . The prospect of being engaged in a science with no certainty seems very challenging especially when it deals with the human psyche. When I was very young, I started off with wanting to be a doctor like most kids but then moved on to the more glamorous professions of genetic engineer (from reading all the Robin Cooks), secretary to a lawyer (from reading all the Perry Mason's), interior designer (from reading one particular M&B), and finally psychiatrist. Sad that I never pursued either of these and ended up being a boring software engineer. Even today I feel like I am total misfit for this job and having pursued my instincts in the culinary arena, I think I might be a better chef than a software engineer. But it pays the bills and gives me a luxurious (by some standards) life. So it will have to do for now. Aaaanywaysss, coming back to the book the characters are etched out well and the pace of the book kept me hooked. The ending, albeit predictable, was intriguing and the many chills and thrills that the book takes you through are a total blessing. I was even scared to read this book while I was alone in the room at some points. Childhood abuse is a grim reality for many and developing MPD due to this is not a new concept but it never gets less interesting or less sad. I admired Sarah's character and was happy with the fact that she develops a romantic interest in Justin. Definitely a recommended read if you are in the mood for a spine chiller.

Arranged Marriage - Chitra Divakaruni

2008-05-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to read this book for long now. I tried borrowing it from the the library but had to return it before I got started. I now know that I am not built for borrowing books from the library. I love owning books and reading at my own whims and fancies too much to depend on the library. Unless of course there comes a time where I cannot afford to buy even second hands books. Keeping my future plan in mind (which some of you know by now), I must buy them all:D:D....The book was a good read albeit it had a sad note to some of the stories. As obvious the stories all revolve around arranged marriages and provide an insight into the Indian woman's psyche both in India and abroad. Chitra Bannerjee got me hooked to her books with her previous series "Sister of my heart" and "Vine of Desire"....I didn't appreciate "Mistress of Spices" and I have heard that the movie starring Aishwarya is even worse....
I can't remember the names of the stories as I write this but I liked most of them especially the one about the lady of the house and the maid she hires told from the perspective of her sister. All in all a decent read.

The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella

2008-05-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

This book was a recommended read by my sister knowing how much I enjoyed "Confessions of a Shopaholic". I enjoyed this book very much as well and the next one by Sophie Kinsella on the radar is "Can You Keep a Secret?".

Samantha like the typical protagonist of Sophie's books is an expert at painting herself into a corner. It is nail biting to read what she commits herself to but there is also an exhilaration in her ability to be a quick learner enabling her to wring herself out of the situation she is in. It was rather frustrating to read the number of times she changes her mind before arriving at the conclusion that she should ditch her life as a high profile lawyer. I did not agree with that wholly either. I feel that there was no need for her to go from being a lawyer to a housekeeper. She could have chosen a life somewhere in between - like becoming a part time lawyer who works in her own time. What a waste all those years of working towards the law degree!! But of course this book is not to be taken too seriously:) It was a fun read and I wouldn't mind reading some thing so illogical if it gives me a few laughs which it did. My hubby caught me laughing out loud in the middle of this one;)

Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

2008-01-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

I bought this book but haven't had a chance to read it yet. A very dear friend has graced my blog by agreeing to do a guest review. Find his review here.
I will follow up with a review of my own once I have read it.

I'll Be Seeing You - Mary Higgins Clark

2007-12-14T13:29:00.000-08:00

This one delivered on all the chills and thrills that are promised by a Mary Higgins Clark book. I have been trying to get a friend of mine to read these with repeated failure:D:D but the fact that I am hooked is evident from the number of her books reviewed on my blog - all thanks to my sister:) . Bernie is a typical character with a sick mind .....There is usually one such character in almost every book of hers.....The way he/she thinks is probably pitiable but as expected the reader would not feel any sympathy for such a person.....The way he spies on women and makes crank calls is chilling.....I think I almost guessed the wrong doer midway through the book but that didn't spoil the rest of it for me...Meghan and her mom are strong independent characters that don't fail to inspire you....The bit about artificially induced pregnancy leading to cloned identical twins being born years apart is intriguing and I ended up doing some reading online to even understand how it happens.....The scam that is revealed at the end is quite predictable given the nature of the clinic but not less shocking...and of course I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre ......Happy reading!!!

A Death In Vienna - Daniel Silva

2007-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

I made the mistake of reading another Daniel Silva right after the previous one. I did not enjoy this one as much. It was the same as the previous one, only less thrilling because it dragged on and on. I would rather not write anything further but I am guessing it won't be half as bad as I say if someone reads it afresh or after a long break from other Daniel Silva books.

Salaam Paris - Kavita Daswani

2007-10-03T12:28:00.001-07:00

Salaam Paris - another book about Paris...Hmm...wonder why I am picking all these books about Paris these days...;).......Besides Paris, what drew me to this one was Amulya Malladi's recommendation and the fact that the author was Kavita Daswani. Her previous work (The Village Bride of Beverly Hills) I must say, I enjoyed immensely:) . Salaam Paris was a fun read too but I didn't quite admire how the protagonist kept reprimanding herself for the choice she made. Now chick-lit is a term I have become familiar with and no matter what anyone thinks, I love it:D:D. Its good to read a chick-lit every once in a while and keep in touch with the "chick" in me:D:D. I can't say I identify with the background Tanaya comes from because, touchwood, my parents were always very liberal and in fact no one would have been happier than my mom if I had gone into the movie or modeling industry;) And my dad has always been the one to push us to be independent and earn our own living. I must say it was a real blessing to have such parents and to grow up with two very independent, smart and confident older sisters. I didn't really have to look outside for role models when I had such strong women around me all my life. I simply abhorred the way Tariq treated her and was surprised that a woman would even be willing to speak with a man again when he has treated her so shabbily. There were instances in the book which left me fuming. Needless to say, I didn't sleep too peacefully that night. But that at least means that the book got me hooked and was a good read. I do enjoy reading about the fashion industry and about the lives of models and this book gave me some entertainment in the form of Tanaya's life as model. It was fun to read of her fake affair and before she becomes famous about her waitressing and one time random ramp stint. I finished this book in two days and have now moved on to another Daniel Silva book. That isn't going too fast as I am now caught up in some personal tasks. It might be a while before i blog again...But keep watching....:)

The Messenger - Daniel Silva

2007-09-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

Museum curator turned secret agents, hidden classic paintings, Arabs with terrorist plots, vivid descriptions of Paris, Rome, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Israel, USA are what make up "The messenger" and kept me hooked.....It was especially exciting to read about Paris since I recently made my first visit to Paris. It really is a magical city and you fall in love with it as soon as you set your foot there. The central character of Gabriel Allon is pretty intriguing. However, I feel that Daniel Silva gives in to stereotypes and sketches the typical image of Gabriel - a guy who rarely shows emotions and always thinks through his head. Sarah is a welcome change in the repertoire of characters - a smart, intelligent and brave woman who takes up the task of being a spy in a hostile environment without fearing for her life. It was exciting to read some of the codes and signals agreed upon for the communication between the spy and her team. Imagining lounging on a ship with the ruthless enemy while pretending to be something you are not gave me goose bumps. I did enjoy the author's style of writing and I will be going back for more of his books:) Shall keep you posted on which ones I pick up. Next up is another book covering Paris - "Salaam Paris by Kavita Daswani"

Reprimanding self.....

2007-09-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

I am kicking myself in the rear right now for not having blogged about some of the books I read previously...I read the Mango Season by Amulya Malladi and I think For MAtrimonial Purposes by Kavita Daswani.....I also remember having some wonderful things to say about them and some wonderful memories that were evoked by some incidents in the books but i never did put them down......Damn my lazy self!!!!

The Anastasia Syndrome And Other Stories - Mary Higgins Clark

2007-09-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Mary Higgins Clark is one of my favorite authors just because she delivers on the thrills and chills when I am in the mood for such a book. The title story "The Anastasia Syndrome" succeeded in scaring me and my hubby will vouch for this. Although it was predictable a couple of times, the concept got me hooked. The story I really liked the ending of was "Lucky Day". The story with the twins would have been amazing if the fib she tells were true. That would have made it a true M.H.C story. I didn't care much for "The Lost Angel" and "Terror Stalks a Class Reunion" but the book made a good read. Next on my list is Daniel Silva's "The Messenger".....

Crisis - Robin Cook

2007-08-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

Updating my blog today has made me so happy:). I actually referred to my own blog to check if I had read a particular book while shopping on amazon today. It made me realise how important it was to: 1. Write a small blog about every book I read even if I don't have enough time. It certainly helps in times when my memory fails me. 2. Not give away much about the book but still write a fair review. Like a few of my friends/family-members know, I plan to buy all the books I read and keep them with me. Once I retire, it will be good to read them all again and by then I assume my memory wouldn't be as good and I wouldn't even remember what the book was about.

I picked up this Robin Cook after a long break. It was rather too non-medically-technical for me this time. I enjoy all the medical details in this books and this was had more about the people involved and the lawsuit. I did find the concept of Concierge Medicine very interesting and while I can see why people resent it, I think it is great for those who can afford it. But I also see why it needs to be controlled lest it becomes difficult for a common man to get medical help.

Craig wasn't a very admirable person from the start. In spite of all the snippets regarding his expertise as a doctor, his other side made me disregard it all. Alexis and Laurie seem surreal and definitely don't react the way we would expect women to. Jack of course was a more likable character and I kind of felt he had a chemistry with the other female doc who helps him;). But then again I was letting my imagination run wild. I also found the subject of hypochondria very interesting. It was interesting to note the kind of attention such patients need. The last word on this book is that it isn't really as exciting as some of his other books like Mutation but will be an ok read if you don't have too many other options. The next one I am reading is "The Anastasia syndrome - Mary Higgins Clark" by one of my most favourite author and I already an engrossed in the book.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella

2006-08-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi All!! Great to be back to blogging after so long. I had to stay away because of my hectic schedule at work and then I just got plain lazy:D:D:D. I have read two other books after this one and that made me realize that I am wayyyyyyyyyy behind in my blogging world. So, here goes....

Beware! This book certainly isn't for those prim and proper people who file all their mail in neat folders, pay their bills promptly, always keep track of their finances and do all that good stuff. It will disgust you to the core to read about this unruly character who splurges on fancy things when she is neck deep in debt **if** you are one of them. It goes without saying that I enjoyed the book a lot and identified with the protagonist totally.:D:D Not that I have been in debt and gone shopping (again, that does not mean I haven't gone shopping and not cared about what costs how much) but I have certainly been tempted to just dump my mail in a cement mixer and forget about it because that is one chore that I thoroughly detest. (My hubby will certainly vouch for it and even produce pictures of piled up stacks of mail that I have been putting off looking at). Hmmm....I am trying to think of the last time I was just wandering around a store when I didn't need to buy anything but was tempted to look anyway and ended up shopping....hmmmm...oh wait! That was yesterday!!!! :D:D And how many times have we decided to curb something or control a habit and been more unsuccessful at it when we actually worked on it. I was ROFL (rolling on the floor and laughing) when I read about Rebecca spending more on the day when she is supposed to be saving and her attempt at making the India curry was just out of this world! These situations were predictable but I enjoyed reading them all the same.

Besides the weaknesses in Rebecca's character the book also shows the innovative and imaginitive side of her that comes up with bright ideas like sale on finance loans and having price tags on art in museums to make it more interesting and as silly as it might sound, I think I would enjoy looking at price tags in musuems too. :D:D:D...This books kept reminding me of Bridget Jonses's Diary throughout and I couldn't help but imagine Renee Zellweger and Collin Firth starring in a movie made out of it. Needless to say Rebecca sounds a lot like Bridget Jones and Luke Brandon was an out and out Mark Darcy. I would recommend this book to all the women who loooooove shopping and whose spouses believe that the world would be better off without SALES. :D:D:D:D

Dancing In The Dark - Mary Jane Clark

2006-07-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much time to do my reading because of my hectic work schedule lately. My favorite time of the day, my ride on the caltrain, gives me the much needed reprieve from the day-to-day hassles to read and lose myself in the book that currently interests me. Oh well! I still managed to squeeze one book and finish it in three weeks. I wish I had utilized my valuable time on a much better book but I just happened to buy this one off the rack at an airport before my flight. Reading about the problems that ail teenagers who have the chance to a wonderful life otherwise is extremely depressing. I would say, chuck cribbing about your body and go grab all the opportunities that you have at doing some amazing things with your life. Its at times like these that I feel that parents derserve to give their kid a tight slap and get them to straighten out their routine. In case you do not understand what I am talking about, this book is the story of teenagers who are anoerexic. A whole web of crime is woven into their life and it is thrown out that one of them is faking her own abduction and returns. Before I blurt out other things about the book let me talk about where it is set. The backdrop is a beach front town in New Jersey where people vacation during the summers. I would give anything right now to just take off for a month to such a place with the beach at my disposal. However I like my comforts of TV, AC, a good bed and good food when I am vacationing and I would not go for the tent living that the family in this book opts for. :D:D. I must give credit to the author(ess) for having used the setting well. I guess it would make a good summer reading for those who aren't put off by the topic. I am already on my next book, and I can surely identify myself a lot with what goes on in it!!!:D:D Any guesses what the next books is??

Mediocre But Arrogant - Abhijit Bhaduri

2006-05-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to get this book from my sister. She sent it to me from Germany. Although the author was kind enough to offer to send me a hardcopy that he had with him, this one came just in time (there are no copies being sold in USA yet). I finished reading it in 3 days which equals about 5 hours of actual reading time on the caltrain. My first impression after reading the initial 10 pages of the book was that like Shobha De (referring to her comment about this book), this one took me back to my college days. For starters, I haven't heard the word "super-senior" in a long time. And it’s been a while since I heard the many slang words and all the very believable nicknames that Abhijit makes liberal use of in his book. It brought the college canteen/hostel back to life in my mind. However, if I weren't an Indian or hadn't gone to school in India, it would be a little harder to place most of them. Being a "day-scholar" I wouldn't have been able to identify with all the hostel life described, had my sister not been generous enough to let me visit her at hostel a couple of times. I'm sure it was a torture for her but I totally enjoyed myself :). Comparisons to "Five Point Someone" (another college caper set in the IIT Campus) are inevitable. Personally, I gave up reading that book after about 4 chapters but this one I had to finish! I could totally identify with Abbey who doesn't really have much ambition and isn't even sure if he is doing the right thing with his life. All my life I have gone with the flow and never really knew if I actually wanted to be doing what I was doing. The only thing I probably couldn't digest was Abbey's love life. His attitude towards all the women was very casual and his sexual encounters are something that I couldn't imagine as being real, especially in the day and age the story is set. But again, student life and teens have changed so much in India that I don't even really consider myself as belonging to the current generation anymore. Abbey really seemed to lack any motivation to follow up on something that he cared about. This is evident in the relationships he shared with the women and their terminations. My favorite character (and also the author's, I hope) was Rascal Rusty. There is always this wise guy in every class who's a know-it-all and this fact never goes down well with most of the students. I also loved reading about the "Kumbhkaran" like roommate who chose sleep over everything else. The ending could have been a little less abrupt. When I finished the book, I didn't really feel like it was the end! All in all, a very good first attempt that kept me hooked (which is a lot more than I can say for the next book that I am reading!)

Here a link to the Abhijit's blog where you can read some more about the book and more....
http://mediocrebutarrogant.blogspot.com/

Sister Of My Heart -Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

2006-05-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

This has been one of the most engrossing books that I have read in a long time. Not because there is a mystery to unveil but more because the way she writes it, the authoress makes you go thyough each and every one of the emotions that the protagonists must experience in this story. I had dismissed books written by Chitra Banerjee after reading "Mistress of Spices" but thank god that I ran out of other books to read at home and had to settle for a copy of "Sister of my Heart" which did not even belong to me(Its my sister's and I thank her for leaving it behind when she moved). The relationship Anju and Sudha share is beautiful and the tumultous situations they go through are very real. Every time you think that you are almost done and the fate of Anju and Sudha is decided and nothing more can go wrong or change, Chitra comes up with another situation for them to face and for the reader go through. It makes you reach a cresendo of emotions and leaves you at the top with a promise for more to come in the sequel "Vine of Desire" which as you have guessed by now will be read by me soon.

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe / The Patriotic Murders - Agatha Christie (A Hercule Poirot Mystery)

2006-05-10T16:14:00.000-07:00

O the good old days when my sis would leave her Agatha Christie collection in Hyderabad and I would get to read them all.....Sigh!!! A big thanx to my colleague Rakesh for letting me borrow this book from him. I had read this particular one years ago under the title "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe". So, it didn't really hit me when I grabbed this copy named "The Patriotic Murders". But the buckle drove the point home :D:D....Neverthless I continued to read it a second time over. You can never tire of a Hercule Poirot mystery if you have forgotten even a part of the mystery. I can't say the same about Miss Marple mysteries but I would read those again too if I had them. The egg-headed detective and his keen acumen are as refreshing as ever. Sometimes I wish I owned the entire collection! I have been told by (lazy) friends and relatives that they won't read my blog because my posts are spoilers if they haven't read the book. I find it extremely hard to write about mysteries without revealing much. Anyways, needless to say the ending was quite unexpected and the last few pages where Poirot explains how he arrived at the conclusions are as usual the best. Agatha Christie makes ample use nursery rhymes in a lot of her books and like this one I am sure a lot of the books have multiple names. What I do everytime I read Agatha Christies is, fix a person in the case as the culprit and read the book keeping that in mind. I might change my suspect during the course of the book if it becomes apparent that the suspected person could not have been possibly involved in the crime. The fun thing about this is that many a times there are atleast 2-3 likely people and this makes it perplexing enough to keep you entertained. Actually this is something you can do with every mystery. Not sure how many others have the same idea but I hope what I am saying makes sense. The day your suspect is the same as the one Hercule Poirot proved to be guilty, you can stop reading them! If I stick to this statement of mine, looks like I will read them forever. No complaints about that!!!!