Embarassment of Riches

Today is a day when I wish there was a way for me to read six books at once. I always think there must be a feasible way to do this. I mean, how hard could it be? Or am I wishing for the impossible? Let's see, three propped on my left hand, three propped on my right. I could read straight across, jumping from book to book. It should only drive me moderately crazy - right?

Tell you why I'm so antsy. I got my hands on three books I've been reading about here and there - older books which somehow, I missed the first time around and now, for whatever reason, I'm suddenly in the mood to read. BUT and it's a MAJOR hurdle of a BUT, I'm already reading three other books. What to do?

The three books I'm talking about (the ones that arrived in today's mail) are: Thou Shell of Death (1936) by Nicholas Blake.(Who was really British Poet Laureate Cecil Day Lewis - the father of actor Daniel Day Lewis.) Les over at Classic Mysteries made this book, the second in the Nigel Strangeways mysteries, sound so good I'm having trouble not turning to the front page immediately and to heck with everything else.

Then there's The Message of the Mute Dog (1942) A Jane Amanda Edwards story, by Charlotte Murray Russell. Listen to this from the back page: Nazi saboteurs watch out! Spinster sleuth Jane Amanda Edwards is going to war. I mean, who could resist that?? Not me. It also quotes: Perhaps the mother of today's cozy." The Mystery Reader. Les talked up this book as well over on Classic Mysteries. And by the way these are two books I'd NEVER heard of before. Yikes! Obviously this is a one of those situations that has to be rectified immediately, if not sooner. I could be run over by a bus tomorrow.

The third book is my own discovery, Shadow of A Broken Man (1977) by George Chesbro. Read about this in They Died In Vain, Overlooked, Under appreciated and Forgotten Mystery Novels, edited by Jim Huang. It too sounds like a winner. I mean, a dwarf who's a private eye. Give me a break, of course I have to read this - especially after a rave recommendation.

Faced with such temptation - what is a sane person to do?

If you look to the left on my sidebar, you'll see I'm currently reading three other books. Can't really drop them because I'm enjoying them, besides, it wouldn't be kosher. Of course, if I wasn't liking them I'd drop them like hot potatoes.

What a dilemma!

I'm torn betwixt and between.

Stay tuned.