Victor Sebestyen, Budapest:Between East and West

 More of a history of Hungary as a whole rather than about Budapest, but very enjoyable and readable, even if the 20th Century was thoroughly depressing. Of course I'll read anything featuring the period of the dual monarchy, that mad, polyglot paradoxical civilisation that was lost forever on the Eastern Front. Hottest day of the year so far, 30 degrees currently. Poor Fred is on his DoE practice expedition today so will be melting on Horsell Common somewhere. I struggled to sleep last night as it was so hot, and as Buzz needed to go  to the Vets for an operation all the windows were shut to keep him in. Hopefully will sleep better tonight

Mick Herron, Dolphin Junction

 A collection of entertaining short stories. Most had macabre twists you could see coming, but still enjoyed the daark humour and misdirection - like an episode of Inside No. 9. Fred and I are going on a Nightjar Walk tonight on the common, which means being out until nearly midnight on a school night. Hopefully it will be enjoyable and we'll hear one or two. It was Steve's birthday yesterday so I popped over some Madri lager and a card, and on the way called in to Sainsbury's and emptied them of liquid refreshment to cope with the coming heatwave.

John Steinbeck, America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction

 A collection of Steinbeck's Nonfiction, and honestly I think I prefer it - he's such a good writer about America and much more besides. Not much happening in life at the moment, high summer is starting and we are preparing for 30 degree heat this week. Helen cut William's hair yesterday and he is now parading round making it spikey when he should be getting ready for school. i got a good bonus so am spending it on frivolous things - a bug zapper for Helen, a Shipping Forecast T-shirt and a new Wahoo device for my exercise bike so far. . . 

Isabel Colgate, The Shooting Party

 'Recommended somewhere or other. The foreword in my edition was written by Julian Fellowes, the perfect person to write about a novel concerning a pre-war shooting party, it was obviously a great influence on Gosford Park and Downton Abbey. The absurdity, waste and boredom of the aristocratic lifestyle is recognised by both Fellowes and Colegate, but never seriously questioned - both lament a lost world that has passed, of civilisation, certainty and ritual. Fellowes unthinkingly at one stage talks of how domestic service was immensely beneficial to domestic servants, and that it was an act of benificence for landowners to employ and find a living for so many - an inversion of the reality of dozens of useful people having their talents and resources wasted to maintain one single person's gilded existence when they could have been doing so much more for society and themselves.

Ryan Lavelle, Cnut

 'The latest in the pocket-size Penguin Monarchs. I was at Uni with Ryan Lavelle, but I don't expect he would remember me. He now appears to be the go-to expert for Anglo-Saxon warfare! Meanwhile I struggle to do my laces up without help standing up again. . . We spent the jubilee weekend away on a last minute break at a caravan park the other side of the New Forest. The kids really enjoyed it, lots of activities and a swimming pool. I got to get lost while running in a different forest and it was nice to get away, but back down to earth now as I write this on a monday morning before my first work call. It's so nice we can still go away as a family, it may not be for much longer as Fred is entering teenage territory. Right now he is happy to come away and play with/look after his brother and sister, but that may change. I hope not.

Janice Hallett, The Twyford Code

 Not read such an unputdownable book in a long time. An unreliable narrator who sounds like my dad, a mixture of Agatha Christie and Enid Blyton with code-cracking, bank heists and capers thrown in, expertly done and so enjoyable. It may have helped that the author grew up in Northolt and went to RHUL, so I felt an affinity straight away. Fred is back from Newquay now having had a fantastic time away and all three kids are now having a lazy half-term doing nothing. the Jubilee weekend starts tomorrow and we are going away for a few days, but the weather forecast doesn't look good. The most exciting thing about the jubilee to me is a new trifle has been released. I'll make it tomorrow. . . 

Colin Dexter, Death Is Now My Neighbour, Eleanor Parker, Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England

 The last Morse and my final reread. As I've said before, the attitudes and assumptions have dated badly, but he is still a compelling character. When I thin of reading Morse I'm on a platform at Clapham Junction, so I guess the first time I read them was when I was working in Hammersmith and commuting in from Woking, so the early 2000s. It wasn't the best of times for me from what I can remember, I hated the commute and remember I was always rushing to get trains, but why? What was I rushing to get home for? Helen would have been working to late anyway and my social life was in town rather than Woking. I was unfit too, it was a bit later I started swimming that got me back to a reasonable level of fitness. It was about the time we were married, so there were obviously some good times. Work was a bit dull too up in Hammersmith. Not at all challenging. Although I remember being on a conference call for an hour and thinking what a colossal waste of time - now it's what I seem to do all day, every day.