Bookish thoughts

When we were in Michigan last month, I binge read the first book in a new (to me) mystery series, A Case of Mice and Murder. The series is called The Trials of Gabriel Ward, with Gabriel Ward being a barrister at the Inns of Court (and very reluctant detective) in early 20th century London. 

It was a clever plot, but it was the character and evolution of Gabriel Ward that I found most interesting. Today he would probably be considered autistic. He is extremely intelligent, has various rituals that help to keep him centered, and finds much of human emotion in others to be challenging. Over the course of the books, while he does not change his character, he finds ways to broaden his life to include a few other people in it. He is also just a charming character. 

Today I finished the second (A Case of Life and Limb) and went to put the third on hold only to discover that it won't be published until January. Alas.

Which brings me to my other bookish news. I took a friends advice and rather than saying goodbye to Emma M. Lion, I am now listening to it on audio as I clean the barn. This means that I find myself using some of Emma's phrases, hence the alas in the previous paragraph. 

Have I mentioned my absolute inability to get puns in written form? It is the stuff of legends as well as being highly amusing to my family and friends. I'm realizing as I listen to Emma M. Lion that I might have missed a few things as I was reading. 

There is a tea room in the books called the Reed and Rite. It is mentioned in all eight books. I have read the name of the tea shop innumerable times. Yet it wasn't until I was listening yesterday when I heard the narrator say the name of the tea shop that I realized that the name of the shop was a pun for Read and Write. 

Seriously.

So what did I do after I stopped laughing at myself? I called J. (who was on the house) to tell him about it. Then I texted the P. Family mom to tell her so she could laugh, too. Which she did. I am curious as to how many more missed puns I will come across. 

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