This is a split post, as, although I've been doing a fair amount of cross stitch, there are a couple of projects which are close to being finished, so I'd rather wait until they're completed before posting them.  And in addition, two were for cards for friends who won't have received them yet.  I plan on posting a further craft post midway through next month as part of my 25 things for 2025, and there's no point in duplicating photos.

It's taken me a while to listen to a reasonable number of audiobooks,  not helped by not finishing one having already got about halfway through.  However, I remain at 14 books unread in my library.

The Unquiet Bones by Mel Starr, read by Stephen Crossley
The first in the Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon.  This was on offer, and looked promising, but I grew very tired of the unnecessary descriptions of life in the 1360s, which the narrator (it's first person POV) would accept without particular thought.  I found the premise good, but it grew tedious.  I have a second in my library, so I'm hoping it might improve.

The Girl in Cell A by Vaseem Khan, read by Dev Joshi, Stephanie Cannon and John Chancer
I'm a great fan of Vaseem Khan's books.  This is his first book which is not set in India but in the United States.  It's a psychological thriller, and kept me guessing all the way through.  It's long, but worth it to build up the tension.

A Vow of Silence by Veronica Black, read by Jennifer Ness
The first in the Sister Joan Murder Mysteries, recommended by therealsnape   Audible had it for free for a few weeks, so I took advantage of the chance to try it out.  I really enjoyed it, and now have hard copies of four more in the series.  Sister Joan is a nun who is sent to a Cornish convent where strange events are occurring.  A cosy mystery, but dark things are definitely happening.

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming, read by Richard Armitage
I have listened to other James Bond novels, but this is the first, but the misogyny and arrogance (and hence stupidity) of Bond, got to me and I gave up at about the two-thirds point.

Classic Crime Series by various authors, read by Jack Shepherd and Patrick Malahide
Short stories written by both crime and other novelists.  Generally entertaining and not stories I knew.  The narrators certainly helped in the telling.

Smiley's People by John Le Carré read by Michael Jayston
Ultimately enjoyable, but it took a very long time to get there.  I'm sure such cases do take a long time to bring off successfully, but I'm not convinced we need to hear every single detail.

7 books this month, so 51 for the year, 1 ahead of my goal.

Maigret and the Hotel Majestic by Georges Simenon
This month's Shedunnit book club choice (also called The Cellars of the Majestic), so I was definitely going to read it.  Set mostly in Paris, although Maigret does go out of the city briefly.  The usual interesting plot and excellent mix of characters.

System Collapse by Martha Wells
The latest Murderbot, which brings me up to date with the series.  I enjoyed it, but for me, these later books don't quite have the feel the earlier ones had.  I won't be trying to watch the series, as I have my own version of Murderbot in my head.

A Vicarage Family: A Biography of Myself by Noel Streatfield
Fictional, but based on Noel Streatfield's early life (she was the author of Ballet Shoes).  Well worth reading, although the arrogance of Edwardian men of the upper and middle classes is astonishing.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The current Goodreads challenge is the Summer Challenge, and this was one of the books under the Challenge Faves category, and, since it's on my mental 'should read sometime' I read it.  It was okay, but definitely not one of the genre I like, so I wasn't particularly struck.  I wonder whether it's more the concept than the actual story which is why it is so popular.

War Among The Ladies by Eleanor Scott
A British Library Women Writers book, set in the 1920s at a girls' school.  The insight into the lives of the teachers and their very real concerns, but also the petty nature of some of their behaviour is brilliantly observed and written.  I had a real feel for how perilous life was for many unmarried women at the time.  

Music of the Night edited by Martin Edwards
Short stories by the Crime Writers' Association all with a connection to music in some way.  I was disappointed with many of the stories.

Stan the Killer by Georges Simenon
Three Maigret short stories.  I wouldn't normally buy a book like this new, but I had some Waterstone's points so I treated myself.  Three excellent stories, of the 'just one more page - oh, there's only another 10 left till the end of the story, I don't need to go to sleep yet!' variety.  I passed it onto J who said, "I'll take my time over it" and like me, isn't.