Friday Reads on Saturday 3/21/26

I spent yesterday sleeping and reading and not posting. So it's a day late. It's fine.

Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb - A young woman is left on a park bench on a playground with a crayon printed sign that says "Bad Mommy". Her throat was cut, then carefully stitched together. After death she was made up and put in clothes from the early 2000s. Considering that ths book is set in 2061, that's quite a feat. She had been missing for 10 days after she didn't come home after her shift at the bar. This one is told in three separate voices. There is the regular story about Lieutenant Dallas solving the mystery; then, there is the story of one of the women who was abducted and held by the crazy guy; but also, there is the story from the early 2000s about the mommy of the crazy guy, who abandoned him on a church doorstep and drove her car into a swamp. She survived, but had amnesia and didn't even remember her own name.

Conclave by Robert Harris - I sat down with this yesterday and read a third of it in one go. Then I went to dinner with my Catholic friend who pointed out that the thing this whole plot revolves on is portrayed incorrectly, and this could never have happened. To wit: the en pectore promotion of Archbishop Benitez would have ended with the death of the Pope. If the name of the person promoted in secret is not publicly announced when the Pope dies, then the promotion is void. It's a good story anyway.

The House with a Clock In Its Walls by John Bellairs - This showed up at the library for me today. One of the squares on my book bingo is "Read a Book Published the Year You Were Book". I ran across this one published in my year, and figured it a was good way to cross one of those bingo squares off. Looks pretty creepy!

I have some time this evening to read in between doing some chores. My hubby isn't here to do the laundry this week, so that's on me. I have also been avoiding the dishes that are piling up. Tomorrow I ring bells in church all morning. I need to do more chores in the afternoon, but I might nap instead. Monday I have a nail appointment and the exterminator is coming. Hallelujah because we are starting to see ants. Ew! Monday is also the kiddo's birthday and Hubby and Thing 1 are coming home from OKC. Hopefully there is reading time in there somewhere.