dreary

reading/finished:  Smile by Roddy Doyle
reading/swiftly started:  The Dry by Jane Harper

i had to swiftly start something else within moments of reading the last few pages of Smile.  a huge admirer of Roddy Doyle's writing - this draws one in and then slaps you in the face in the last few pages but beyond that,  i don't want to post any spoilers.
so i moved on to The Dry -  which i'll probably enjoy on the level of being a thriller, but already don't rate this as 'good' writing.  i hope the plot will make up for that.