The weather is finally showing some change from one of the coldest springs on record.
My reading in May ranged consisted of three crime fiction books, five science fiction books that varied from the very clever to the very unreadable, and one history book. This book by Frederic Morton was about Vienna in the period 1888/1889 and concerned the build up to the suicide of Crown Prince Rudolph and his mistress the young Baroness Marie Vetsera at Mayerling. If I tell you that the book ends on 20 April 1889 you might guess why the last few sentences sent a chill through me far greater than any crime book.
I will always enjoy reading history books but even though many years ago I read a lot of science fiction I have now decided it is not really my scene. I like a good murder. My enthusiasm for crime fiction was revived by reading three books of equal quality that I really enjoyed. It would be a bit unkind to separate these excellent books:
Blood Curse, The Springtime of Commissario Ricciardi: Maurizio De Giovanni
I will report on my day and the stimulating panels I attended on the Saturday of Crime Fest in Bristol, and the International Dagger and Ellis Peters Historical Dagger shortlists next week.
CRIME SCRAPS REVIEW 
Norman – Thank you for the lovely ‘photos. I’m so glad that you finally have some spring-like weather. I’ll be looking forward to your CrimeFest posts.
The book about Vienna sounds intriguing, I know very little about this period of history, can’t wait to hear further details.
Thanks Margot. I will be posting about my day at Crime Fest in a few days. [Pure prevarication- it is far too sunny to sit in front of a computer, I must get a laptop sometime]
Blighty- I bought three books about Vienna, there is no family connection with the city at all, I was just intrigued.
A Nervous Splendour; Vienna 188/1889 Frederic Morton
Thunder At Twilight; Vienna 1913/1914 Frederic Morton
Last Waltz in Vienna George Clare-which quotes Baldur von Schirach on the back cover. [see my comment on the 2013 International Dagger shortlist about his grandson, Ferdinand’s book.]
1942 the year Baldur von Schirach sent the wire “My Fuhrer, I joyously report that Vienna has been cleansed of all Jews.”