As part of my new Audiobooks and Embroidery series, I'm sharing what I've been reading (ok technically listening to) lately. Working from home can get a little quiet and lonesome. Audiobooks are an enjoyable way for me to fill the silence and enjoy an interesting murdery mystery puzzle while working in my studio.
I hope this helps you find some new reads or try a new genre. I will admit, I mostly read murder mysteries or something along a similar vein. So if that's your thing or you want to try something new, keep on scrolling.
Audiobooks and Embroidery: November's Murder Mystery Round Up
Lane, One-Way Tickets, and Arcadia by Peter Grainger
As you'll be able to tell by the first three books listed, I finished the Peter Grainger books in the Lane and Willows series. These were set in a similar location to Grainger's previous series and also focused on cop-based activities. Unlike, the other two series, there were no murders. Shocker, right?! I say this in the sense that there were no murders that needed solving. Instead this series revolves around two neighbors who are seemingly thrown together through an unlikely scenario and then become unlikely friends. If you like more cop style books and are interested less about the who-dunnit and why, then these might be a good fit for you. Find this series on Amazon.
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
This is a continuation of the Thursday Murder Club Mystery series. Osman manages to make a retirement home entertaining and murderous all at the same time. While this book falls more into the genre of cozy mysteries, it's also filled with drug dealers, murders, police corruption, deceit, and more. All of this is juxtaposed by the sweet Joyce who is the constant narrator, often goes off on tangents, and loves to bake. Honestly, I hope I'm like her when I get to that age. None of the books is this series disappoint, so if you haven't read any of them, start at the beginning. Find this book on Amazon.
The Enigma of Room 622 by Joel Dicker
Ok, this is one of those books that TikTok recommended to me. Somehow the Auckland Library's post on 'murder mystery books you might enjoy' was fed into my feed and this book sounded like one I couldn't pass up.
This mystery within a mystery quickly drew me in. I loved the ever evolving story of who was murdered in room 622. Which as you read on, is slowly teased out throughout out the book. This novel is more of a long game with clues and the story unravelling bit by bit. If you're looking for something fast-paced with bodies dropping left and right, then this is not for you. At points I was really intrigued and others I was so frustrated that the storyline was moving along at a snail's pace. The book is long and there were definitely some portions and characters that I wasn't a fan of (hello Anastasia's mother!), it ended up being an interesting read. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say the ending threw me and was also a little annoying. Find this book on Amazon.
Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah
This book is an extension of the Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series. If you love the little Belgian detective then you might enjoy this book/series. Because these books are not written by the queen of mystery herself, they don't 100% follow the characters. With that being said, if you haven't read a Poirot book in a while then this will feel like a friendly hug. They mystery, as ever, is strange and you don't have all of the clues until Poirot brings everyone together to reveal who the murderer is in the end. Find this book on Amazon.
A Murder of Crows by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
Lately I've been rewatching seasons of the show Midsommer Murders and this murder mystery fits right in. This somewhat cozy style (but not too cozy) mystery kept me interested and entertained throughout. I enjoyed that it wasn't too graphic yet still discussed the murder and the intentions of the murderer. I also really enjoyed the main character and her ecological background. I'll definitely be reading more of this series! Find this book on Amazon.
So what did I get up to while listening to all of these audiobooks?
This month I restocked A LOT of embroidery kits. Not only did I have a bunch of last minute wholesale orders for the holidays come in (I'm sure there will be more), but I was also trying to stock up on my embroidery kits for my upcoming holiday shows.
In between restocking embroidery kits, I wrote a few new blog tutorials and have been working steadily on shoe embroidery projects. One of my favorites from the collection is a pod of orcas. While I don't usually embroider animals, I was inspired by a pair of blue shoes I found on Amazon. It seemed like the perfect combination. And orcas as so Pacific Northwest that I couldn't resist.
***Thanks for reviewing my recommendations. This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase something listed, I may receive a small portion of the sale.***