A book arrived in the mail today. (Obviously it's been a great book week, library and mail-wise.) Marshall Browne is a wonderful Australian writer - one of the best, far as I'm concerned. But you might still have occasional trouble finding his books in this country. I urge you to persevere, he is so worth it.
I discovered Browne a few years ago when I read the first of his Inspector Anders books, THE WOODEN LEG OF INSPECTOR ANDERS (is this a great title or what?). I was equally smitten with INSPECTOR ANDERS AND THE SHIP OF FOOLS.
And now, thanks to the author, I've got my very own signed copy of the third Inspector Anders book, INSPECTOR ANDERS AND THE BLOOD VENDETTA. All three books are set in Italy. So, this one fits in nicely with my Italian summer of the book. Ha!
(I've also learned that there's a new Inspector Anders book to be published in Australia, INSPECTOR ANDERS AND THE PRAGUE SPRING DOSSIER. Good news. Maybe at some point it will be available here.)
Here's how the book in the mail all came about: I've written favorable reviews of a couple of Marshall Browne's books, including EYE OF THE ABYSS, his wonderful mystery set in Germany just before the advent of WWII. Hint: I love the book. It's one of my all time favorites. Here's my review.
Anyway, long story short: I recently got an email from Marshall Browne who is in this country travelling and the result is I now have the third Inspector Anders book in my clutches. Soon as he's back in Australia, I am to receive a copy of the second Franz Schmidt book THE IRON HEART - the sequel to EYE OF THE ABYSS - which I have been longing to read for ages. Woo-Hoo!!
How fantastic! What a wonderful week for the postal service at your house.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear about this book. Must look up the series.
I found out yesterday that I won a book from a terrific website, and that will be a welcome read.
Always nice to have surprises like this.
I will try to find Marshall Browne's series, but finding Aussie mystery fiction is tough, even in The Big Apple.
Kathy: Yes, it will be tough. You'll have to go the used book route and that might work.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that Browne's books are not set in Australia at all. Italy and German and he has one set in Japan as well.
I love them.
I won a prize too! I'm waiting for that book to arrive as well. HA!
Library surprises! The NYC library system has the first two Inspector Anders' books -- I put the first on reserve. And they have The Eye of the Abyss. I'll read your review. It depends on what's in it, as I hate to read about Nazis, kind of unavoidable.
ReplyDeleteAnd the library has the one set in Japan.
Also, the system has three books by Jeffrey Cohen, which is exciting. I love good mystery humor and I already laughed reading the Fantastic Fiction book descriptions. So I put As Dog is my Witness on hold.
I may spend part of my summer in New Jersey, fine with me. Showers, bathrooms, tvs and a/c abound there.
I won five books last year; my friends can't comprehend how this happens, but they're reading them.
About six people benefit if I win a book, so it's even more fun.
One friend wants me to get more Nero Wolfe, so it's the used book route for that.
I LOVE winning books. Can't think if it's happened before the one I won a couple of weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteHow great that the NYC Public Library has Marshall's books. Terrific news!
Now I can only hope you like them. :)
I too love winning books (this is my only source of getting new books) and so far I too have been very very lucky.
ReplyDeleteHello Yvette:
ReplyDeleteLucky you! And, yes, it is always wonderful when a parcel arrives, particularly if it contains a book.
Sad to say, such is the state of Magyar Posta, that if we are sent anything other than a letter through the post it is very unlikely we shall find anything inside the wrapper!!
Mystica: Well then, I hope you win tons more books! :)
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a book arriving in the mail to make a bad day good and a good day even better.
Jane and Lance: Oh no! Say it isn't so. :(
ReplyDeleteOh well, I'm sure the Royal Post in Brighton makes up for it. :)