Sandy’s Comments (group member since Dec 14, 2015)

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Susan wrote: "We are always looking for suggestions, Ellen. Thank you, I will have a look. I can see that the first is available on kindle.

I spent a fun evening at Daunt Books watching Alexander McCall Smith...."

I follow #1 Ladies though a couple of books behind. Not sure if they are really mysteries but there is always a problem to investigate and solve. Tried a couple of other series that didn't click but there is a new one that I like (silver Saab or peculiar crimes). I also read his standalones which are sweet and life-affirming. He gives a good talk. I go to any I can.

I ALWAYS think the murderer is either Pip or Emma probably because their names, and the reason for them, sticks in my memory. Christie does it again.

I have started this and not very far in, but the detective is pretty distasteful.

Amused by the Sargent portrait of the first wife. Reminds me of his portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a museum i often visit.

https://artsandculture.google.com/ass...

I will nominate The Caxton Manor Murders : Book 1 Alexander Wolfe Series, a book I own so it must have been free once. It is currently $5 on kindle in the US and available through kindle unlimited.

Book 1 The Alexander Wolfe Series

Best selling author with sales of over one million books

Christmas at Caxton Manor promises to be a festive gathering of old friends, but the holiday cheer turns deadly when an uninvited guest, the ruthless industrialist Boris Bullen, is found murdered in the snow. Called in to discreetly investigate, the enigmatic Alexander Wolfe arrives to find himself embroiled in a perplexing mystery with echoes of a past crime. With a pearl-handled knife as the only clue and a house full of secrets, Wolfe—accompanied by his newly appointed and rather inept valet, Dicks, the erratic James Fox, and the mischievous terrier, Wilf—must navigate a labyrinth of suspicious characters, hidden agendas, and a potentially dangerous woman with a killer past. As the snow falls and the secrets unravel, Wolfe must uncover who killed Boris Bullen and why, before the festive season turns into a deadly winter nightmare.

Susan wrote: "I would like to nominate Murder After Christmas by Rupert Latimer

An ingenious lost Christmas mystery returns to print..."

I liked that book and would not mind reading it again. It is $8 on kindle in the US but the BLCC series are often available in libraries.

I will be binge reading the last three Bobby Owen as one of my libraries is dropping Hoopla (yet another ebook source) and I used that for Punshon and other GA books. I doubt I will remember much of the last two by the time of our buddy reads.

Jackie wrote: "I read the book, then listened to the audio book, then watched the Joan Hickson version on YouTube. I am SO ready to talk about this book!"

An expert!

I really have to try Alice Hoffman. I have a signed hard cover (the author is local) from my sister and someday she (sister, not Alice) will ask if I liked it. So many books.

Judy wrote: "We tried the first two in the Jack Haldean series by Dolores Gordon-Smith as part of our challenge last year. The first 4 books are now available on Kindle as a box set for 99p, [bo..."

Same price in US.

I bailed on actually reading the book after 50ish pages and went for the audio stage version - 2 and a half hours. Means I missed Peter's bio but I remember it pretty well. I knew various plot points: missing poppy, loose knee, broken phone, shell-shocked friend, and I definitely remember the murderer being given a loaded gun and told to do the gentlemanly thing.

I hadn't put untalented artist in this book, but I can still visualize her painting of the doctor from the Carmichael series. He played Peter in this dramatization.

So, on to my last buddy read ... or I may start with our monthly challenges. Far behind and still two library books that can't be renewed. Not bad problems to have.

Yes, Fandorin is back to having only his Japanese sidekick for company. That has seemed to be his destiny since book one. His mistress from the second half probably made the right decision.

I rather skimmed the second novella, not liking gory details nor cryptic messages from deranged killers. I think we learned somewhere that the author wrote in a different style for each book. This one obviously his Jack the Ripper take-off.

Surprised that this is the book that established the series!

Quite a shift in tone. Off to the spoiler thread.

Judy wrote: "I'm going to the first-ever Ipswich Book Festival on October 4-5 and will be hearing talks by two crime writers. One is Vaseem Khan, so I've picked up [book:The Perplexing Theft o..."

I like Vaseem's Malabar series. Only read the first Baby Ganesha.

I returned my copy to the library, unread. Very far behind with the buddy reads and doubt it is a series I would like.

Finished the first half and enjoyed the pranks the two main characters played on each other. The new narrator is interesting and likeable.

I plan on starting this or Bellona Club today, having cleaned up most of my back log. A couple additional new books arrived but I can ignore them for a while.

Finished Clown Town last night and very unsure what to make of it. Loved reading the book and being back with the slow horses.

I watched a few of the UK series but found them dark, both visually and emotionally. A reason I am hesitant about the books.

And "Patio" is also quite recent. Mrs Pargeter may go through a couple of life changes ... or not.

One of the reviewers on GR said this was planned to be the last in the series (no idea if that is true) but it could have made a fitting ending with the reader imaging Mrs Pargeter slowly reviving her husband's occupation with a kindlier focus.

I rather enjoyed all the hijinks but agree there was little (no?) mystery.