Currently Reading

[Beth]

Torch, second book by Lin Anderson. Was an OL read but I had issues with fitting the bad guys into the story. It's like they were just pulled out of the air in the last couple of pages

[AngryGreyCat]

Currently reading When the Flood Falls

[AngryGreyCat]

Career of Evil is what I am starting now

[Beth]

I am reading "after he's gone (DC Beth chamberlain) by Jane Issaac. Solo going

[Beth]

That should be slow going

I swear that authors are stuck on green eyes and proscecco. I have yet to meet anyone with green eyes! And what's wrong with French wines???

[Erunyauve]

was delivered to my Kindle yesterday. I was thinking it would be released on the 22nd, and was looking for something to read in between, so this was a rather nice surprise.

[Beth]

I am currently reading Transcription" by Kate Atkinson. It's very, very slow and I am having difficulties staying interested in it. I am finding the anti-Semitic comments by the nazi sympathizers disturbing I am half way through. I hope it gets better in the last half

[Erunyauve]

Latest in the Bryant & May series, just now available on US Kindle. This one takes us back to the 60s, with John May dressing in the horrible fashions of the time and Arthur Bryant already moaning about 'kids today'. For a change, they've managed to get themselves sacked (sort of) rather than drive their superior to early retirement ("Most of our bosses last at least a year"). As a result, they end up in the midst of a classic British country house who-done-it. (Or, as Arthur explains, more of a 'Who's going to do it, to whom and when?')

[Erunyauve]

Continuing with 'Hall of Mirrors' - I've had to work through lunch the past few days, so I haven't had as much time to read, but at present, I'm finding the role reversal between Arthur and John fascinating. Arthur is an old soul - he was well into middle age when he was born, but at present, that's standing him well against a partner who hasn't quite grown up yet. However, John's ability to conform with the 'normal' of his time will stand him well later.

When we see them as octogenarian detectives in the rest of the series, John often acts as the parent to Arthur - he's better prepared for changes in technology and has more perspective on the present, because he's lived it all before. Having experienced the 60s, rather than standing off as an observer, he's got a bit more understanding for Millennials. Arthur, on the other hand, has more appreciation for the long haul, for history itself. In 'Hall of Mirrors', he sees through the veneer of a hedonistic middle class youth and correctly predicts the utter collapse in the 70s. (The book begins with the collapse of Ronan Point, an obvious mirror to the Grenfell Tower fire. The more things change... .)

[Chris]

Thanks to the recent TV series Coroner, based somewhat loosely on the Jenny Cooper series by MK Hall, I'm working through the 3 out of 7 books available in my local library.
Currently on The Chosen Dead, and it is very good with its themes of a drug resistant killer disease, government departments getting very annoyed with her questions, and people not wanting to say anything about the Africa link because that wouldn't be politically correct...

[Icewineanne]

Two from netgalley, a non-mystery, the other a cozy 😊

Flying by the Seat of My Knickers by Eliza Watson

Mother's Day Mayhem by Lynn Cahoon

[Malcolm]

Currently reading “The Only Woman in the Room”

[Erunyauve]

I don't know how I missed it before, but a friend suggested The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle . It's part English country manor mystery and part horror. No one can be trusted - it goes beyond the usual format, in which the murderer must be one of the guests. In addition to solving the mystery of Evelyn's killer, we have the protagonist's own past to work out, not to mention two others vying to find the killer, a footman trying to kill them, and sage who is both mentor and terror.

[Icewineanne]

Reading a netgalley shortie Mother's Day Mayhem Lynn Cahoon

[Sandy]

Just finished. A real departure for this author.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now reading

[Chris]

Just finished Why we get the wrong politician by Isabel Hardman - excellent work on exactly what is involved in getting elected and what is required in Parliament itself. Required reading for all voters, in my opinion.
Currently on The Chymical Wedding by Lindsay Clarke, which is something different to my usual fare
And lined up by the bedside is - The Prime Minister's Ironing board by Adam MacQueen - which is a collection of stories. Love MacQueen's work, always so well-researched.

[Erunyauve]

. It's a bit slow-going, and rather long - we get a lot of the interforce personalities, and at times, it's hard to sort them all out.

I had a feeling as to which way this one would go early on, and I wasn't wrong, but fortunately, the DS at the the centre of the story, Chris Waters, is skeptical of the arrest. (I've figured out how the DNA got on the victim, just a matter of getting it out of the current suspect.) I still haven't figured out why the more likely suspect would be the murderer - the motive isn't clear yet.

[Chris]

Found some old books from my 'childhood' in the loft, so I'm re-reading before passing them on.
The Parables of Peanuts
along with Gospel according to Peanuts and the Bible according to Peanuts.
Still very thought-provoking, and nice to see that the cartoons are still popular today. (GoComics.com)

[Erunyauve]

Almost finished with , part of a series about an FBI agent who investigates cases with a bit of 'weird' attached. (Sort of like X-Files with a First Nations bent.)

I just got back from holiday, so I haven't been keeping up. I have up next for my real-life book club, and then might read 'Murder at the University' depending on how long it takes to read 'The Blind Assassin'. (Margaret Atwood's books are usually not quick reads, so I suspect I'm going to be rushing to finish it.)

[Kirsten]

I've been reading Beneath a Ruthless Sun: A True Story of Violence, Race, and Justice Lost and Found by Gilbert King

[Andrew✌️]

I've finished Mortal Engines, a good adventure, with some interesting ideas.
Today I started Kings of the Wyld. I read only a chapter, so I don't know if it's good, but I've seen a lot of positiver reviews. :)

[Erunyauve]

Nearly done with Come and Find Me . I'm enjoying this series immensely - I've already queued up the next book.

They're psychological thrillers, really, but unlike most in that genre, they aren't overly graphic or macabre. This particular one does alternate between 3rd person and 1st person from a perpetrator's point of view, a convention of the psychological thriller, but Ted isn't particularly disturbing - well, yet. (We're not sure exactly what he is - innocent bystander? Maybe not.) The various criminals are as interesting as the detectives.

I also like Marnie, the main character, quite a lot. I tend to avoid stories that feature female detectives because so many become poorly-written romances with a mystery thrown in. I've about had my fill of characters who go weak at the knees and lose the power of speech when they meet the dark and brooding detective from another patch. Marnie has a significant other, but Ed mostly stays offstage, and they have a mature, stable relationship. Marnie's not Sherlock; she's capable of making mistakes, but she's secure in her ability as a detective. She comes off as strong because she knows when she's gone wrong, admits it and retraces her steps. (I'm rather enjoying the tennis match between her and imprisoned embezzler Aiden Duffy.)

Noah's the perfect bookend - he has a psychology degree, and he's often the one who gets in the head of the suspect, much like a profiler. This avoids the overly graphic details of many psychological thrillers - Noah's not going to wallow in the gore, obviously. As a detective, he's asking 'if I were Michael Vokey, and had just escaped during a prison riot, where would I go?'

I'm still guessing, three-quarters of the way through. As with the previous book in the series, there are many layers. Not all are red herrings, but some have more impact than others, and the detectives still haven't managed to get to the ground level.

[Erunyauve]

Currently reading Never Be Broken , the latest in the series. Bit of a cultural note: early on, Marnie and Noah find a bullet in the room of a girl apparently killed in a gang-related drive-by. This wouldn't even raise an eyebrow in the US - a kid might be given a bullet on a hunting trip, or find it somewhere, or maybe Dad has them for his handgun. (Because home invasions are so common in posh areas. Uh, not.)

Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May series, had a blog yesterday that explained that bullets are carefully controlled and all are traceable in the UK. So, it's an entirely different scenario for a London teenager, and reason enough to bring in a forensics team.

[Erunyauve]

Deborah Crombie's Kincaid and Gemma series doesn't quite qualify as British mystery, as the author is American, but I love the London setting and the returning characters. The new one was delivered to my Kindle this last week. I haven't started A Bitter Feast yet, as I only now finished our October group read, but that will be remedied today. This latest book takes the family on holiday in the Cotswolds, one of my favourite places in the world, so all the better.

[Beth]

Erunyauve wrote: "Deborah Crombie's Kincaid and Gemma series doesn't quite qualify as British mystery, as the author is American, ......"

I thought we were somewhat lenient by accepting mysteries written by non-British authors (examples cited were Martha Grimes and Charles Todd)

[Erunyauve]

Beth wrote: "Erunyauve wrote: "Deborah Crombie's Kincaid and Gemma series doesn't quite qualify as British mystery, as the author is American, ......"

I thought we were somewhat lenient by accepting mysteries ..."

I think one of Crombie's books might have been a group read some time back, actually.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

About to start The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore after finishing The Other You by J.S. Monroe which totally creeped me out. My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tina]

I just started The Suspect by Fiona Barton. It’s about two English girls going on holiday in Thailand. A bit of police procedural and newspaper reporter perspectives with the viewpoint of the family of the missing girls as well.

I was attracted to this author after seeing one of her books on a sale table at a local bookstore. Didn’t realize until a quarter of the way through that this is book 3. Oh well!

[Erunyauve]

Tina wrote: "I just started The Suspect by Fiona Barton. It’s about two English girls going on holiday in Thailand. A bit of police procedural and newspaper reporter perspectives with the viewpoint of the famil..."

Sounds interesting, especially after reading the author's bio.

[Beth]

David wrote: "What book are you currently reading?

Let us know what book you have started and if it's a new author, why you picked it etc."

I have just finished "On Eden Street" which is the second in the "Kings Lake Investigation" series by Peter Grainger.

It is an offshoot of her early series with DC Smith. I did read a few of those but I like this new series better.

I enjoy Grainger's sense of humour and both his characters and the situations are plausible!

[Sandy]

Just finished Slough House the latest Mick Herron

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now reading The Abstainer

[Lorraine]

Just finished A Fatal Obsession, one of this months group reads. I haven't read Faith Martin before and was intrigued as she writes under a number of pen names(i take my hat off to her, remembering which 'author' writes which books). I found it an easy read which moved along nicely. I think Trudy will morph into an excellent character. On the down side i don't like Americanisms, and although this had no American words or spellings, it did have American speak, for example ' there were a bunch of pills', where as we would have said 'there were a handful of pills'.

[Aled]

Sullen Shores by Aled Davies. Not that many pirate thrillers out there but this is one.

[Lorraine]

Just finished The Safe House Nicci French. If i had read this before the Freida Klein series it probably would have been the only Nicci French book I'd read.
I then finished The Other Passenger Louise Candlish, i haven't read this author before and i was very impressed, highly recommend.

[Lorraine]

I've just finished Sam Blake, although the story was ok, i didn't find it gripping and was easy to put down. Also it ended on a cliffhanger which I'm annoyed about. I can't remember the last time i read a thriller with a cliffhanger.

[Sandy]

Just finished The Postscript Murders, a great modern take on Agatha Christie from the author of the Ruth Galloway series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now reading Caro Ramsay's On an Outgoing Tide

[Lorraine]

Finished Alex Gray.
Also finished Stephen Booth
And Sam Lloyd

[Lorraine]

Just finished Jane Casey. And starting Tony Parsons.

[JenniferAustin]

I am currently reading The Strode Venturer by Hammond Innes, and enjoying that a great deal.

I just finished The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan, and enjoyed it a great deal. I am a longtime fan of the Hitchcock movie, so revisiting the story was a delight, as was watching the changes that had been made by Hitchcock and the screenwriters. I am off to try Greenmantle, the second story featuring Richard Hanay.

[Chris]

Not one that this group would ever suggest - but I just got through Ready Player One this fun but occasionally annoying video game / Dungeons and Dragons distopian future fantasy.
Some nostalgia bits but otherwise, meh, it was okay.

[Icewineanne]

Not a British mystery but fun nonetheless...

Finished Falling by T.J. Newman

Here’s a brief review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Beth]

Just finishing a the Patient by Tim Sullivan I enjoy the George Cross series

[Shell]

I love George Cross too Beth. In my top ten 5 favourite crime series. I've just finished The Bonnie Dead, first in the DCI John Lomond series by Andrew Raymond. Definitely above average and interesting enough to read more in the series.