Murder by Death

If they all arrived the week of my birthday, they count as birthday presents, right?  That's my story anyway...

The first three up there were actual presents: The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia 9th Edition was from my husband; a supremely thoughtful gift and likely a small act of self preservation on his part.  Now when I go "what's that bird??" he can direct me to my own bookshelf.  My brother-in-law and his wife got me My Family and Other Animals and Interior Desecrations: Hideous Homes from the Horrible '70s.  I've flipped through Interior Desecrations and it has absolutely lived up to its title; I was cackling at how god-awful some of those interiors were.  Who does that?!?!

I have been accused of having a concerning number of copies of P&P.  This is possibly true but I admit to nothing.  I read the front cover of this gem, Pride and Prejudice and died laughing, so it got added to the "happy birthday to me" list.  I'd like to share this snipped from the back cover:

"Mrs. Bennet is on a mission to marry off her five daughters to rich men.

Enter, Mr. Charles Bingley and his rather fit friend, Darcy."

"..his rather fit friend" had me cackling with laughter all over again.

The cigarette, though, is the crowning touch, IMO.

The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays by Oscar Wilde was purchased because A. I've never read any Wilde and feel remiss and B. it fits the "over 100 years old" prompt in the PopSugar Challenge.

After reading Dawn of the Belle Epoque, I needed to know what happened next so...Twilight of the Belle Epoque: The Paris of Picasso, Stravinsky, Proust, Renault, Marie Curie, Gertrude Stein, and Their Friends Through the Great War - Mary McAuliffe  

I'm a devoted fan of LynDee Walker's Headline in High Heels series (stupid name for such a good series) so Devil in The Deadline - LynDee Walker  has been on the list for months.

Last, but not least, I first started eyeing The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag  because its story line is similar to a favorite cozy series (Magical Dressmaking by Melissa Bourbon) and then after reading Obsidian Blue's review, that 'buy now' button sort of just pushed itself.  I swear.