It’s time for Ketchup With Us. Held on the 1st & 15th of every month, the link-up gives you two ways to play. You can either (A) set a timer for 10 minutes and write about whatever pops into your head OR (B) link up an old post. Mel and I are easy that way.

For this link-up, I’m choosing A, the brain drain method. Here goes nothing …

I read a book! I read a book! I READ A BOOOOOOOOOOK!!!

Okay. How pathetic is it that THAT’S news? I used to read all the time. Seriously, I read thick, lengthy books, classics, mysteries, adventure, anthologies. Now I can barely get through a magazine. Or someone else’s blog posts. And yet I expect you to read mine. Selfish? Well, yes. Maybe. But who has the time?!!?

Fine. I promise I’ll try to do better. And do you know why? Because there has never been a time that I’ve actually bothered to read a book and then thought,

“Crap! What a HUGE waste of time! I can’t BELIEVE I ruined myself by reading that drivel!!”

Well, except for when I read 50 Shades of Words-That-People-Only-Read-Because-They’re-Smut-And-I-Should-Have-Spent-My-Time-Writing-A-Book-Or-Even-Just-Staring-At-The-Damned-Wall.

What’s the matter? Do you not agree? You don’t have to agree. It’s my opinion. And, if you want to oppose me in the comments, bring it. I HATED it. But read it because everyone else said I just had to. (My apologies for the prepositional ending.)

So what did I read?

A murder mystery published in 1939. And, holy crap, did it hold my attention! (I think they should use my quote on the back of the book jacket, too.)

“One of the most ingenious thrillers in many a day.” – Time

“The whole thing is utterly impossible and utterly fascinating. It is the most baffling mystery Agatha Christie has ever written.” – New York Times

“There is no cheating; the reader is just bamboozled in a straightforward way from first to last….The most colossal achievement of a colossal career. The book must rank with Mrs. Christie’s previous best—on the top notch of detection.” – New Statesman, UK

“Holy crap, did it hold my attention! The book was so good that I read it in under 24 hours, shirking all of my other responsibilities, like showering and basic bladder maintenance. Seriously, I nearly peed my pants at the end.” – Michele, olddognewtits.com

I think it fits among the others nicely, don’t you think?

Anyway, my son read ATTWN (my modern day abbreviation for the classic novel) last school year and has been begging me to read it ever since. Why it took me a year to get to it can only be explained in two ways: Laziness and Horrendous Role Modeling.

Next time, I will take his recommendations much more seriously. And more immediately. After all, he is, like me, not a frequent reader. And thus, when he enjoys a book, it must, in fact, be stupendous. I will not again take his suggestions lightly.

Until then, I encourage YOU to read the pick. And, to entice you, I will leave you with the nursery rhyme that inspired the plot line. (P.S. I’m giving nothing away as Ms. Christie herself includes it in the book before chapter one even begins.)

Enjoy. (sound of my wicked laughter trailing off)

Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;

One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian boys sat up very late;

One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon;

One said he’d stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks;

One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Indian boys playing with a hive;

A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Indian boys going in for law,

One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Indian boys going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Indian boys walking in the Zoo;

A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun;

On got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Indian boy left all alone;

He went and hanged himself and then there were none.

Our esteemed Ketchup With Us Featured Writer from last time is …

Got Meghan

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