WHAT WE'RE READING THIS SUMMER! by the Sand In Our Shorts Gang

It’s July, it’s hot, (in the northern hemisphere at least) and it’s time to grab a good book to read at the beach, the lake, the pool, or in the front porch swing! The Sand-in-our-Shorts writers are here sharing their summer reads with you. Their picks might be your next vacation read— check it out!

Michael Rigg:

I’m not much of a beach reader. Sun and sand and sweat don’t create an inviting atmosphere for reading. (And sunscreen makes the pages stick together.)  But sitting at a beach house in Sandbridge pouring over a novel, with the roar of the ocean as background? Well, that’s a horse of a different color. Especially if there’s air conditioning involved. Next on my summer

(“beach”) reading list is My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni. I met him at the Writers’ Police Academy in 2022. I’ve read a couple of his novels, The World Played Chess and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell.  Both are excellent. I enjoyed them thoroughly. But they are written in the first person and are more “literary” that what I write. Dugoni has a detective series set in/around Washington state featuring Detective Tracy Crosswhite. It is written in the third person, I believe, and more in the crime/mystery/thriller genre that’s of interest to me. I’ve been looking forward to seeing how Dugoni makes the transition into a crime mystery told in third person. “Life” seems to have interfered with my reading goals, however, so I finally put a line in the proverbial sand. I’m going to read My Sister’s Grave during our annual family “beach week” at Sandbridge this August, or else.  (Or else what, I’m not quite sure.)

 

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been reading “stories” to my grandson, who lives outside Baltimore—thanks to the miracle of the internet and meeting software.  Most Saturday nights (there’ve been a few reschedules), his mom, my daughter-in-law, sends me a Zoom invite and I read to him. For the last few months, we’ve been reading the Harry Potter series. (My weekend readings supplement his mom’s reading to him through the week.) We’re already up to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. My grandson will be six in August. I’m amazed at his comprehension. Soon enough, he’ll be reading to me!    

Angela Slevin:

I had a long car trip so I listened to audiobooks. I listened to Going Rogue by Janet Evanovich, who never disappoints me. I know she will give me humor, adventure and a little romance.  I started listening to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and I really like it so far. I plan to read Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich on the beach. I also plan to read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell, and The Lighthouse by PD James. PD James has been compared to Agatha Christie,  my very favorite, and I'd like to see for myself if the comparison is true.

Maria Hudgins:

I’m reading Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian. It was made into a movie starring Russell Crowe and the entire series of books are said to be the best historical novels ever written. Set around the end of the 18th century, it tells of sea-going adventures in a square-rigged ship called the Sophie. So far, there are no women in this book, and it is a rough life these sailors lead. I’m learning a lot about ships and the gritty life at sea in that time. I’m reading this book at the suggestion of a friend (male) of mine and it is very well written, but I don’t think I can make it through all 20 books in this series.

Teresa Inge:

I am reading Here Comes the Body, a catering hall mystery by Maria DiRico. The mystery is about Mia Carina, who starts a new job at her father’s catering hall Belle View, a popular spot for weddings, office parties, and more. But when Mia coordinates a bachelor party prior to the wedding at Belle View, it goes awry when a gigantic cake is wheeled in and a deadly surprise is revealed. 

I am reading the book for research for my own catering hall series. 

Max Jason Peterson:

I love reading multiple things at a time. Partly this comes from my love of audiobooks and rereading favorites (I've long ago lost track of the number of times I've read my favorite books--about which I continue to discover new facets). Right now, I'm in the middle of another reread of Lev Grossman's fabulous and fascinating Magicians trilogy and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas--a book that, for me, contains just about every genre and touches me most deeply in the depth of feeling the characters have for one another and the thrilling ways in which they save one another. For new reads, I'm finally diving into Soon I Will Be Invincible by Lev's twin brother, Austin Grossman--a fascinating take on superheroes that treats their reality with the logic and human insight Lev brought to the application of magic.

Judith Fowler

I just finished listening to the 33 discs of one of the sections (Dragon something!) of the Game of Thrones book series written by George R.R. Martin. I love listening to the actor reading the story and got a lot of household chores done while "reading"! 

Yvonne Saxon:

I’m  currently reading The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz. PBS introduced me to him with the wonderful Magpie Murders series that he wrote and they produced. I’m listening to The Book Spy by Alan Hlad and reading How to be a Travel Writer by Don George (for research), both on Hoopla. The rest of my TBR pile is patiently waiting!

Kim Thorn:

Happy Summer all!  I am currently doing research this summer of three more authors that helped make ‘the pen mightier than the sword’ still.  Sorry I cannot share who they are yet, or it will ruin the mystery!  Rest assured though, I think you will agree that they are very deserving of the honor as they are all great authors in different ways.  I am not only reading biographies and autobiographies about their lives, but I am also re-reading some of their many great works. It will probably take up my summer, but I think I’ll make that sacrifice!  So, enough about me, what are you all reading?  Please comment below and let us know!