N is for Nighttime Read

One of the few pleasures in life is that last hour before sleep. At 10pm I head up stairs, get ready for bed then hop in with a good read. My favourite is what the Americans call a cosy, which I find hilarious given the subject matter is murder. Still I know what they mean; you curl up with a hot drink and switch off your brain. Time to relax.

My favourite at the moment is Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series. If you haven't read them so is going through the alphabet, like 'A is for Alibi', 'B is for Burglar' and so on. I started last year when in labour in the ward and had hoped to have complete the 23 novels so far within a year. Not doing too badly - almost 13 months later I am on the 'U' book. Only two to go before I have caught up with the author. Can't explain why I love it. I just do. Probably because the protagonist is similar age but single. Has a complicated love life and an interesting backstory and has a neighbour who has the best life ( I hope I am that active in my late eighties and so lovely to think life can be full right up to the century). I also like how she's not a genius (though I do like Kathy Reich's Bones series too).  What I mean is it could be me living that single life solving mysteries. Okay so I wouldn't exactly like being almost killed, buried in a car or have a sociopath pretend nurse after me but I do love being in her shoes if only for a couple of chapters. Then lights out, slip into fantasyland before drifting off to sleep. Bliss!