I found the April Showers Book Tag on Booksare42, and it’s a great way to celebrate the unrelenting rain here in Minnesota. This tag was created by Beyond the Book Reviews and Mad for Books, Luv. Consider yourself tagged if you want to do the tag. I’m excited to read your responses.

Share a book with water on the cover:

I love the comic bookish art style and the wonky hand sticking out of the ocean. There’s a lot of horror in the splayed fingers with the giant cruise ship coming headlong toward the drowning man. It was instantly intriguing and memorable.

What’s a classic novel you’d like to curl up on the couch with?

I love curling up on a wintery evening with hot chocolate and a plate of cookies with a good Christmas mystery. Hercule Poirot is lured unwillingly to the country to hopefully prevent the murder of a vicious and cantankerous Simeon Lee, by his family. Family drama, good mystery, cozy country house murder- it’s win for me.

Share a scary book you would like to read during a rainstorm:

I started reading this book during a terrible rainstorm which perfectly mimicked the murder in the book during a thunderstorm. After the Silence is a chilling thriller, and I was exhilarated reading this on a stormy night.

What’s a good book rec for a rainy day?

I love getting swept away in a cozy, romantic book steeped in magical realism. There’s a compelling mystery, but the setting, the characters, and the recurring dreams gave me a whole new world to embrace, which is great for a drizzly rainy day.

What two characters would you like to spend a rainy day with?

Who wouldn’t want to spend the day in Phryne Fisher’s luxurious and stylish house with Phryne and Dot? There would be cookies and hot drinks, perfectly mixed cocktails. Phyrne and I could talk about cars or planes; if we got bored, we could go to her ladies-only Adventurers Club or shopping for beautiful clothes. It would be lovely.

Share a book with blue on the cover:

A man’s body found dead in a penguin tank? Miss Wither’s umbrella tripping up a notorious criminal? Sounds like a great read with a beautiful blue cover.

What book has a rainy setting at some point?

The Body in the Dumb River begins with an entire village under siege by rain and a swollen river. The inhabitants are trying to save their possessions, family members, and livestock when a body is found on the Dumb River’s banks. Rain in integral to the tension in the first act of the mystery.

What book would you use as an umbrella?

Death and Croissants by Ian Moore. I am sorry I bought it. I don’t even want to put it in my little free library and inflict it on others. Maybe it would make a good umbrella because it’s a terrible book. The pages smell nice, and I like the cover art, so that would be a pity to ruin.

What character would you like to share an umbrella with?

Inspector Chen! He is so thoughtful and wise. We both love poetry and mysteries. He would be a great conversationalist on a long stroll under the same umbrella.

Share a novel with a dry beginning and an amazing ending:

Mexican Gothic starts slow with a detailed backstory about many related family members, but the mystery, gothic elements, and Mexican folklore ramp up to a terrifying and fantastic conclusion. It was one of my favorite books of 2020.