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Book Club: What to Read This Month
The Witch Elm
by Tana French
Since 2007, Tana French has gained a devoted following with her acclaimed Dublin Murder Squad series. This new stand-alone novel (loosely based on a legendary true crime story) serves as a great illustration of her strengths as a writer and shows why she’s hailed as one of the best newcomers to the mystery genre.
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
by Kate Summerscale
Don’t miss this non-fiction account of one of England’s very first detectives—one who inspired authors like Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Arthur Conan Doyle. The genius is that this book almost immediately feels like a classic whodunnit work of fiction: but everything you’re reading actually happened. Once you pick it up, you won’t put it down until it’s finished.
Crooked House
by Agatha Christie
Tired of gimmicky modern mysteries? Agatha Christie won’t let you down. Her later period works like 1949’s stand-alone Crooked House has both historical and narrative depth and is a great example of an established author relishing in her craft. (It’s also a series on Amazon Prime starring Glenn Close.)
App Alert
RadioApp
Tap into AM and FM radio stations worldwide using a simple radio dial interface with RadioApp. Tip: Check out KWXY out of Palm Springs (1340 AM/92.3 FM). Started in 1964, it’s one of the country’s last remaining easy listening stations (you’ll be in Sinatra heaven, trust me.)
Medisafe
Keep track of your medications, stay up to date on prescription refill reminders, and much more with Medisafe. This useful app will ensure you’re always taking the meds you need at the right time, in the right dosages.
NPR One
NPR One is the easiest way to stream your local NPR station on your mobile device or tablet and also allows you to access NPR podcasts of popular shows like Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!, Fresh Air, or the award-winning Planet Money.
Lumosity
Keep yourself occupied with engaging “brain games” with this app. You’ll find games that focus on everything from speed, memory, attention, and language, to problem-solving, flexibility, math, and more.
2048
If you like math games like Sudoku and enjoy puzzles, you’ll be hooked on 2048 in no time. It’s basically a sliding-block puzzle for your phone, deceptively simple in its design, and thoroughly addicting.
Hobby Spotlight: Geocaching
What’s geocaching? Treasure-hunting for grown-ups! All you need is a GPS-enabled phone, Google Maps, and the Geocaching app. Sign up at geocaching.com, find a cache (treasure) on the map that’s nearby, and then navigate to the cache, aka your buried-treasure destination. There you might find a prize or a logbook to sign (if it’s something to take, you leave something in return) and off you go to your next adventure! As of writing, there are 4,285 geocaches in the Sacramento area alone! It’s great fun if you have a sense of adventure, love puzzles, or if you just enjoy walking with a purpose.