Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Dig up a great book this week as we read about digging up the past! Ok that pun might have been a little forced, but hopefully you won't have to force yourself to finish this prompt. Ok I'm done I promise.

Ideas to get you started:

Archeological fiction shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Cold Case shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Best Books of Secrets: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
Best Nonfiction Dinosaur Books: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

ATY Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

What are you reading for this prompt and how does it fit?

I'm reading Find You In The Dark - the blurb on the books says it's about a guy who digs up murder victims and tries to solve their murders when the police have failed. And then a killer starts hunting him.

Dubhease wrote: "I'm reading Find You In The Dark - the blurb on the books says it's about a guy who digs up murder victims and tries to solve their murders when the police have failed. And then a k..."

Ooooh, sounds intriguing!

I saw The God of the Woods on the listopia, and am planning for that, since I really want to read it, even though I don't know how well / in what respect it fits!

In Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri “mortals can find what they seek in the echoes of their ancestors' dreams.” The ancestral connection makes me think it will work for “digging up the past.”

I might approach this from a genetic/ ancestry angle. I still have a big question about one of my ancestors, so I really get into these stories.

I also really like the book ideas relating to natural history, evolution, and extinction. They are related to one of my favorite prompts in this years challenge, but new to me too.

The First Woman seems to involve the MC's past and origin myths, so I hope it will work for this. In The Woman in Blue, the MC is an archaeologist.

I'm planning to read Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body and A Trail Through Time.

Here are a few I’m considering.

🔹Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds
by Thomas Halliday
🔹Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin
🔹Cave of Bones: A True Story of Discovery, Adventure, and Human Origins by Lee Berger
🔹Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
🔹Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origin of Species by Sean B. Carroll
🔹The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity
by David Graeber

Continuing with my goal reading some series by Anthony Horowitz, I'm reading Moonflower Murders.

I'm so excited to read The Last Remains (Ruth Galloway #15) by Elly Griffiths.

In case I can't wait and read it in 2024, I have these:
Dance Hall of the Dead (Leaphorn & Chee #2) - Tony Hillerman
There Are Rivers in the Sky - Elif Shafak

I'm going to read Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan, the main character is returning to her childhood home to find out why she was sent away.

Kathy wrote: "I'm so excited to read The Last Remains (Ruth Galloway #15) by Elly Griffiths."

I'm definitely rereading a Ruth Galloway for this one. Hope you love The Last Remains

Joanna wrote: "I saw The God of the Woods on the listopia, and am planning for that, since I really want to read it, even though I don't know how well / in what respect it fits!..."

There are several authors, including Kate Morton, whose novels include several time lines. Usually, there is a later time line where the protagonist investigates (digs up) a past historical mystery. Although I haven't read The God of the Woods, I can see from the blurb that a current mystery might be answered by investigating a similar disappearnce which occurred 14 years earlier.

Rosalind wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I'm so excited to read The Last Remains (Ruth Galloway #15) by Elly Griffiths."

I'm definitely rereading a Ruth Galloway for this one. Hope you love The Last Remains"

Thanks! I love this series and will be sad to see it end.

I’m going straight history for this one: Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages by Dan Jones, which is also a monster of a book.

I’m reading history, either
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
Or
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

I finished the final book in the Ruth Galloway series, The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths. It was a fine ending for the series.

I was trying to find books for another challenge prompt, and I came across The Monsters of Templeton. It's one of Lauren Groff's backlisted books, and the blurb mentions the main character using her archeological skills to unearth the truth behind her family's past.

I read The Paris Affair

The past is unearthed through a book of recipes created by Sylvie an agent for the British in war torn Paris

I read Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher for this prompt - she definitely digs up the past. She talks about her mother and father as well as her marriage to Paul Simon and many, many other things. I listened to the audio because Carrie Fisher narrates it.

I read The Stationery Shop

I read Family Secrets: Ellie McLellan Genealogy Mystery - Book 1 by Beth Farrah for a different prompt, and realized that it fits here.

For this prompt, I read:
The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times by Adrienne Mayor - 4* - My Review

I am reading Cave of Bones: A True Story of Discovery, Adventure, and Human Origins by Lee Berger which is a fascinating look into recent discoveries of ancient (almost?) humans in a cave system in South Africa where characteristics we think of as "human" -- burying the dead, using fire, and creating art -- may have been practiced before us. It's also an exciting book about caving and the dangers that go with it. I'm going to hunt down the related documentary next...

ETA: My full review can be found here.

I read Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt, in which a murder is tied to an incident in the past.

I read Such a Fun Age. This is one of those books that I heard so much about but never really felt drawn to. In searching for a fit for this prompt I reread the description which says "When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past." Unearthing sounds like digging so decided to go with it.

I read How to Age Disgracefully. Two characters had to face things they did in the past

Denise wrote: "I read How to Age Disgracefully. Two characters had to face things they did in the past"

Did you like it?

It ran hot and cold for me. It was funny and I liked that, but I thought it wrapped up too neatly and a few situations were too absurd. I gave it 4 stars overall. It is an easy read

Denise wrote: "It ran hot and cold for me. It was funny and I liked that, but I thought it wrapped up too neatly and a few situations were too absurd. I gave it 4 stars overall. It is an easy read"

The April tag in my other group is “fun” so an easy absurd read might be ok for me right now. I’m also going to try a DiscWorld book. It balances out the serious NF and science books I’ve been reading. Thanks for the honest info.

I have read Little Girl Lost by Donna Douglas. It fits in by someone reliving their time at the orphanage and wanting to find out about their mother.

When I read Miss Austen I realized it fit this prompt perfectly. It is about Jane's sister, years after Jane's death, visiting a friend's house to search for her old letters from Jane, and involves a lot of reliving and reconsidering the past. I believe there was recently a mini series based on this book.

I read Black Tudors: The Untold Story] I've read quite a lot about this period of history, but this was completely new to me. Although slaving expeditions began in Elizabethan times, there was no slavery in England, and the black Tudors described led ordinary lives in town and country, and less ordinarily as trumpeter to Henry VIII.

I also read All the Missing Girls where a current disappearance 'unearths' involvements in one that happened ten years earlier. The story is mainly told backwards, which I found slightly irritating when I was reading it, but it did work in the end.

I read:
The Collector's Daughter: A Novel of the Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb by Gill Paul

REJECT: A book where at least part of the story is set in an country that starts with a letter in the word ANNIVERSARY (Egypt)

Finished: 06/12/2025
Rating: 4 stars

I took this challenge literally.

From Goodreads:
...a brilliant novel about Lady Evelyn Herbert, the woman who took the very first step into the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and who lived in the real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, and the long after-effects of the Curse of Pharaohs.

I read The Tilt by Chris Hammer for this topic (Read July 20th; 4*) The main character uncovers deeply held family secrets

I read This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub.
3.75-4 stars.

Main character goes back in time from 40 to 16 years old to try to "fix" her life and spend more time with her dying dad.

If anyone else has read this I'd love to hear what you think about the life span of the cat, Ursula.

I finished this a while ago, but since it is October's prompt of the month I am answering it now.

I read Karma: My Autobiography by Boy George since it is about his past.

Last month I read Raiders of the Lost Heart and am currently reading the sequel Temple of Swoon. Both of which would also have worked since they are about archeologists at dig sites.

Another book I am about to get into is Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i which seems like it might fit since it is supposed to be about her family's past/ancestry.