Some of My Favorite Writers

I'd like to share with you some of my favorite writers.

1. Lisa Lutz, who wrote The Spellman Files: A Novel. I just read this recently, given to me by one of my writer friends in my Saturday morning (okay, every other Sat. morning) creative writer groups. I haven't given the loaned book back to my friend - as I am really bad about that.

The Spellman Files: A Novel, is a fun, boisterous book respite with splendid snarky characters, lively dialogue, and eons of entertaining tail-spinning chase scenes. It's even got a whodunit. The main character is a strong character with enough quirks and foibles to enchant the reader. She is Izzy, a detective who works in the family detective business. The family unfortunately does not know boundaries when it comes to privacy or the invasion of it. Is it a comedy or chick lit (with some romance) or a mystery? Or all of the above? Read it and you decide. I loved it!

2. Jacyln Moriarty, who wrote The Year Of Secret Assignments.

This review is from Amazon.com:

"Popular Aussie writer Jaclyn Moriarty, author of the smash debut, Feeling Sorry for Celia avoids the notorious sophomore slump with this bouncy epistolary follow-up that is brimming with self-confidence and charm. In The Year of Secret Assignments, a tenth grade English teacher attempts to unite feuding schools by launching a pen-pal project. Best friends Cassie, Emily and Lydia initiate the correspondence, and are answered by Matthew, Charlie and Seb. Emily and Lydia are more than pleased with their matches, but quiet Cassie has a frightening experience with Matthew. When Lydia and Emily discover that Matthew has threatened their fragile friend, the Ashbury girls close ranks, declaring an all-out war on the Brookfield boys. Soon, the couples are caught up in everything from car-jacking and lock-picking, to undercover spying and identity theft.

Moriarty’s captivating comedy of manners reads like a breezy 21st century version of Jane Austen--with no end of ridiculous misunderstandings, angst-ridden speeches, and heartfelt make-ups."

This tale contains the elements of mystery, romance and revenge. I really like fun quirky novels that merge different genres into one smash hit.

3. Helen Fielding, who wrote Bridget Jones's Diary.

This fun book is absolutely hilarious. The wit and the naughty parts written in diary format makes you zip through the novel right away until you've realized it's over far too quickly. Spend and enjoy a year in the life of 30 something singleton Bridget Jones, who meets Mark Darcy and decides straightaway (very much like Elizabeth Bennett judging Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen) that he is too priggish for her and acts like he has a gherkin thrust up his arse. She feels pressured by society and her biological clock to marry. However, she now works for a living and is a sexual being who has an ill-advised affair with her boss, whose name is Daniel (which if you scramble the letters spells "Denial"). Mr. Darcy is still a disapproving but endearing stuffed shirt and much like Mr. Darcy for Elizebeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, he cannot resist Bridget's down-to-earth charms in the end.

4. Agatha Christie. Some of my favorite murder mysteries that she wrote are: Towards Zero, The Body in the Library, Pale Horse, Murder on the Orient Express, Sleeping Murder, The Mousetrap, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The A.B.C. Murders, And Then There Were None, Death in the Clouds, The Secret Adversary, Third Girl, Thirteen at Dinner, The Mirror Crack'd, They Came to Baghdad, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, Ordeal by Innocence, and more.

A good start would be the mystery, They Came to Baghdad which is quite a fun read and is really more of a thriller. The main character, Victoria Jones, is a bored London typist who loses her job in a typing pool for impersonating her boss's wife and meets a charming young man in a park. Only, he is about to leave for Baghdad. Parting is such sweet sorrow! Not so, thinks Victoria. Undeterred by this obstacle to romance, the resourceful Londoner somehow secures a job paying her passage out to Baghdad. Once there she becomes embroiled in international espionage, flees people who are out to kill her, and finds herself working on an intense archeological dig. Does Victoria ultimately find love? Read to find out! This is a thoroughly absorbing read for any Christie fan.

If you have time and like to read good fiction, check out one of the above writers. Enjoy!