Librarian's curse

I love being a librarian.  But there is a bit of a downside.     In order to keep on top of the latest novels and trends to best help my customers,  I often have to ignore books that I really want to read.    There really isn't a good reason for me to be reading something from thirty years ago,  something out of print,  something that our library does not own.   This does not mean that I really don't relish the thought of reading it.

So,  on the occasion that I get to take a vacation and "get away" as it were, I often squirrel away novels that I really want to read for the sake of enjoyment alone,  and spend a week reading titles that I have always meant to read but never did.

This vacation I am going to read Curtain by Agatha Christie.   I am not sure if this is a wise choice on my behalf, as it is Poirot's last case and Poirot dies in the course of the novel.  I have been avoiding reading it for that very reason.  But as the film comes out later this year, I want to have read the book first.     Tissues are at the ready.  I will be prepared.

I also chose a Barbara Vine novel that I hear is quite good - Gallowglass.   Fans of Barbara Vine will know she is also Ruth Rendell,  an author I greatly admire and usually love anything she writes.    I tracked down a paperback copy and will put it in my suitcase.  I often purchase paperbacks for my trips, so if I accidentally lose them or drop them in the pool, I have only damaged my own personal copy.

I am still deciding on a third to take with me.  Things go better in three's.   Ruminating over an old Victoria Holt or perhaps a Margery Allingham.      Happy reading everyone!