Yesterday, I posted my 2018 books and hinted at another Challenge as well as the Goodreads Reading Challenge. While the Goodreads target includes all genres, this other one is restricted to the genres that my writing falls into. My current WIP is a police procedural but the Cloak and Dagger Challenge encompasses other related genres.

If you want to learn more, visit the sign-up site at: https://www.booksmoviesreviewsohmy.com/2018-cloak-and-dagger-challenge-sign-up/

However, here are the rules copied from the site:

Challenge Rules:

• You can read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres.
• You don’t need a blog to participate but you do need a place to post your reviews to link up. (blog, goodreads, booklikes, shelfari, etc.)
• Make a goal post and link it back here with your goal for this challenge.
• Books need to be novellas or novels, please no short stories. (At least 100 pages +)
• Crossovers into other challenges are fine.
• The Challenge will be from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st. (Sign up ends March 15th)

This year we are doing the link up a little different. Both Barb and I keep forgetting to do the link ups each month so I thought it would be easier on us if we did Quarterly link ups, so there will be four review link-ups. (Jan-March, April-June, July-Sept and Oct-Dec)

There will be a monthly link up so that others can check out your progress and look at your reviews. At the halfway mark and at the end we will have a giveaway for those participating.

If you tweet about your progress or reviews please use the hashtag #CloakDaggerChal so others can see it.

Levels:

5-15 books – Amateur sleuth

16-25 books – Detective 

26-35 books – Inspector

36 – 55 – Special agent

56+ books – Sherlock Holmes

My 2019 Cloak and Dagger Books

Looking back at my diverse 2018 reads according to Goodreads, I managed to read 11 ‘Cloak and Dagger Books last year – that made me an Amateur sleuth.

But I’m not aiming to read any Cozy Mysteries in 2019, so my aim is to reach the Detective level. Is that realistic?

This is my current list of ‘eligible’ books based on the paperbacks on my desk and on my US & UK Kindles. However, the ones on the UK Kindle, I am unable to access except on the Kindle Cloud reader – such as the rest of the brilliant Fiona Griffiths series. Plus, I am likely to see some tempting reviews that I have to act on as well – and I have some unbought ‘wants’ at Amazon.

1. The Things You Didn’t See by Ruth Dugdall – read and reviewed: https://rolandclarke.com/2019/01/09/the-things-you-didnt-see-a-review%EF%BB%BF/
2. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton – I’m currently reading this unusual mystery that feels like Cluedo crossed with Groundhog Day with Agatha Christie pulling the strings.
3. Murder Keeps No Calendar by Cathy Ace – a short story collection from Welsh Canadian author, Cathy Ace whom I first discovered when I picked up a paperback in a Welsh market.
4. The Pot Thief Who Studied Edward Abbey by J. Michael Orenduff – 8^th in the Pot Thief Mysteries series but can be read out of order. I won this in an author giveaway.
5. The Fake Date by Lynda Stacey – a psychological thriller that received excellent reviews, especially from a reviewer I follow. Plus, the protagonist has amnesia like my detective.
6. A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang – one of my January free Prime reads with an unusual premise.
7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – the February/March selection for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club and an overdue read.
8. Hunter’s Chase by Val Penny – a ‘well plotted’ crime novel reviewed by an author I rate.
9. No Life Until Death by Garry Rodgers – Vancouver-based police procedural from a retired RCMP homicide detective whose informative blog I follow.
10. The Silent Dead/Death in the Lakes by Graham Smith – first in police procedural series set in the Lake District, UK.
11. The Frame-Up by Meghan Scott Molin – the premise of a female comic book writer tackling crime and the sample hooked me.
12. The Good Knight by Sarah Woodbury – a historical mystery set in 12^th century Wales so three reasons to tempt me.
13. The Lady of the Lakewood Diner by Anne R. Allen – a comedy whodunnit with Woodstock era characters and more. And a writer that I follow and admire.
14. The Inside Passage by Pendelton Wallace – first in the Ted Higuera suspense thriller series.
15. Scared to Death by Rachel Amphlett – set in an area of the UK, Kent, that I know well, plus this is the first book in the Kay Hunter series.
16. This Thing of Darkness by Harry Bingham – a must-read as I’m a fan of Welsh detective Fiona Griffiths; this is the fourth novel in the series.
17. Montbel: A French Murder Mystery by Angela Wren – another visit to the Cevennes is due so I must read this Jacques Forêt Mystery, the third outing in enjoyable series. See my review of Book 1 at https://rolandclarke.com/2017/09/12/messandrierre-a-review/ .
18. Shallow Waters by Rebecca Bradley – police procedural by a retired police detective set in Nottingham, UK. Second in the D.I. Hannah Robbins series.
19. Marred by Sue Colettta – the first in a series by the respected crime writer that deals realistically with the attempt to bring a serial killer to justice.
20. The Spy’s Bedside Book by Graham Greene (Editor), Hugh Greene (Editor), Stella Rimington (Introduction) – collection of short stories.
21. A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay – it’s about time I read another novel by one of my favourite authors, and this one involves memory loss as well.

This feels like a daunting list, but it’s only mid-January so there’s no reason to panic, Jonesy. If you have any suggestions as to books I should add, comment away.

I might have a larger task with the fourteen additional books that I need to read for the Goodreads Reading Challenge. Children’s books, and novellas?