Introductions Showing 2,401-2,450 of 3,429

[Louise]

Hi and thanks for letting me join.
I'm a middle aged breast cancer battling mystery novel addict with two young daughters living just outside Sydney, Australia. And that should be my longest runon sentence ever!
I read voraciously, and pretty indiscriminately. While I love mysteries (such an English Lit Major cliche), there's really not much I won't read -- which the exception of romance novels (PAH!) and books about sparkly vampires. I've been known to take reading suggestions from my kids.
I'm really looking forward to discovering new authors through this group. I am partial to a well written sentence, and will forgive even rather large plot holes if the characters are well drawn and interesting.
Pleased to meet you, and this group ajs already cost me as I've gone and (Kindle) bought 2 out of the 3 March books I hadn't read. Please do not feed my addiction.
- Louise

[Simmi]

Hi Louise sorry to hear about your breast cancer my Mom had it too, it's hard thing to go through. I'm new to the group too glad group to be in. Hope to chat about many books with you.

[Wendy]

Louise wrote: "Hi and thanks for letting me join.
I'm a middle aged breast cancer battling mystery novel addict with two young daughters living just outside Sydney, Australia. And that should be my longest runon ..."

Hi Louise. Know what you mean about the kindle. I've never bought so many books since I got mine! (Now it's finding the time to read them...) Good luck with the battle. Have you across Linda Gillard's Cauldstane? I've not read it yet, but I like her work and I believe she wrote it as part of her own battle. It's not 'about' cancer but the premise is symbolic. It's yet another one to go on my to-read list. Enjoy the group. Hope you find lots of new and exciting books!

[Linda]

Hi,always glad to hear from another mystery book lover. I too am a middle aged/almost senior who recently lost my husband. I love to escape into a new mystery to let me keep my my mind occupied. My Mom was also a mystery lover and we shared our new finds with one another.

[Kathy]

Louise wrote: "Hi and thanks for letting me join.
I'm a middle aged breast cancer battling mystery novel addict with two young daughters living just outside Sydney, Australia. And that should be my longest runon ..."

Welcome, Louise, from another middle-aged long-time cancer survivor (not breast though). I share your love of a well-written sentence, and, like you, I won't read romance novels. We look forward to your contributions to the group.

[Linda]

Welcome to the group everyone. I'm too a mystery lover and not to keenon romance. My mother is a mystery lover also so I share my books with her.

[Leigh]

Welcome the newbies that joined the group this weekend.

[Louise]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the book recommendations. I can see I'm going to be a lot poorer but at least the waiting room at the oncologist will seem less dreary!

[R.C.]

Hi, all

I've been a member of GR for a while and still trying to figure out best way to navigate. I have always enjoyed Mysteries and Thrillers as reads that could hold my attention. I look forward to reviews and recommendations.

In addition to reading, I also finished a legal thriller and published it in December. The book is titled Hallways in the Night and is a mix of sports, politics and the legal system. If anyone would like anymore info on it or questions just let me know.

Glad to be part of your group,

RC

[Leigh]

R.C. wrote: "Hi, all

I've been a member of GR for a while and still trying to figure out best way to navigate. I have always enjoyed Mysteries and Thrillers as reads that could hold my attention. I look forwar..."

Welcome RC. Good luck with your book.

[Jamie]

Hello,

My name is Jamie Sheffield, and I've always enjoyed reading mysteries; I enjoy Lawrence Block, Carl Hiaasen, Lee Childs, John Sandford, John D. MacDonald, and Richard Stark (among many others).

I'm currently reading/juggling 6 books, 4 of them mysteries or thrillers.

I'm also a best-selling author of the best detective series that you've never heard of ... The Tyler Cunningham Adirondack Mysteries.

My most recent novel, "Caretakers", along with the others, are all available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Sheffield...

I look forward to participating in this group, and hope to get pointed towards some great reading.

Thanks,

Jamie

[Leigh]

Welcome Jamie and goodluck with your book.

[Bo]

Hello everyone. I’m a reader, writer, and reclusive bat cave dweller who’s learning to use Goodreads all over again after a hiatus to complete my second novel. The writing gets easier, navigating GR doesn’t….. :)

[Leigh]

Bo wrote: "Hello everyone. I’m a reader, writer, and reclusive bat cave dweller who’s learning to use Goodreads all over again after a hiatus to complete my second novel. The writing gets easier, navigating G..."


Welcome Bo! I love caves. Good luck with your second book.

[Bo]

Thanks a million, Leigh! Caves are cosy. It was great to batten down and write during the wicked winter we had. I shall return to the bat cave soon to get book three completed. :)

[Gary]

Welcome Bo:)

[Bo]

Gary wrote: "Welcome Bo:)"

Thanks, Gary.

[Leigh]

Bo wrote: "Thanks a million, Leigh! Caves are cosy. It was great to batten down and write during the wicked winter we had. I shall return to the bat cave soon to get book three completed. :)"

I enjoy a little dank and darkness myself so they are a perfect place for this vampire. ;-)

Good place to get some work done too.

[Kelly]

Hi, I'm Kelly and I just discovered "Goodreads." Mother of two and I work full time so I listen to a lot if audiobooks (though not exclusively) since I spend quite a bit of my day in the car. I love lots of different genres, and love mysteries and thrillers. I typically have several books going at one time. When my kids were very young(toddlers), I drifted away from my passion for reading as I was either too busy or too tired. I'm excited about picking up that passion again and about joining a book club! Ready to read and interact with my fellow club members!

[Athira]

Hi. I am Athira and am 17 years old.I love reading books especially mystery and horror novels.My favorite mystery novel author is Agatha Christie. I also like to read teenage fiction and works of great authors like Leo Tolstoy,paulo coelho,robin Sharma and Charles dickens.

[Kelly]

Has anyone else read "The Cuckoo's Calling?" I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Author is Robert Galbraith, a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter).

[Bo]

I couldn't have planned it better, Leigh. I emerged pasty faced just in time for spring!

I like the solitude of writing, especially when it's dark and dank. :)

[Lanie]

Hi Everyone,

I think I joined this group a while ago, but this is the first post. I'm a SAHM of 4 YO twin boys, we love outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I'm a longtime reader. My most favorite authors are Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (the Pendergast novels are my favorites), Alice Hoffman, Amy Tan and Dean Koontz. I also like David Baldacci, Caleb Carr, Stefanie Pintoff, to name a few. I'm also a lover of classics - gothic classics and classic plays - Shakespeare, Lovecraft, Poe, Greek tragedies, Christopher Marlowe, Henrik Ibsen, among others. I love to read and I love to discuss books I love and books I may not have liked as much, with other reader fans as well. Looking forward to discovering more books and authors with like-minded individuals here.

[Karen]

Hello, Karen Ann Hopkins here. I'm an author of the YA Amish themed Temptation series and I have an Amish murder mystery (Lamb to the Slaughter) coming out on March 18th. I live on a farm in northern KY and when I'm not writing, I homeschool my four children still at home and give horse-back riding lessons. I also tend to a wide variety of animals, including peacocks, goats and rabbits.

[Frank]

Hello, to all.

I'm Frank Hickey, a former

reporter, private eye and police

officer across different cultures.

Brooklyn-raised, I live and write

books in the Western desert

published by Pigtown Books and

look forward to reading, knowing

you and laughing with you all

across cyberspace.

[Chandra]

Hello! My name is Chandra and I'm a librarian in SC. I've been a fan of mysteries ever since I can remember reading. I started a mystery book club seven years ago as a way to discover new authors and I'm hoping I'll find even more to try through this group. Thanks for adding me!

[Miriam]

Hello All,
I am new to this group and I love mysteries!But then, I love almost all books. I am very eclectic in my tastes and will happily read anything offered. I can bear to part with books if I know someone will be reading them...never to throw away.My earliest memories include riding my bicycle 1/2 mile to my grade school to the bookmobile. I still remember my favorite book.."Baby Island" about babies that were shipwrecked on an island along with some older children who cared for them..the name of the librarian..Mrs. Palmer!!! Mind you, this was 67 or 68 years ago!!!!! Happy reading to all of you! Miriam

[Miriam]

Hello All,
I am new to this group and I love mysteries!But then, I love almost all books. I am very eclectic in my tastes and will happily read anything offered. I can bear to part with books if I know someone will be reading them...never to throw away.My earliest memories include riding my bicycle 1/2 mile to my grade school to the bookmobile. I still remember my favorite book.."Baby Island" about babies that were shipwrecked on an island along with some older children who cared for them..the name of the librarian..Mrs. Palmer!!! Mind you, this was 67 or 68 years ago!!!!! Happy reading to all of you! Miriam

[Jennifer]

Hi my name is Jennifer and I live in Memphis, TN. I am an avid reader of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs and anything similar. I am on goodreads trying to find different types of genres to round out my reading. I am excited to be on here and learn a lot. Thanks!

[Peter]

Greetings (as the Draft Board began its letters in the '60's). My first mystery was The Lady in the Lake (I was 11). My taste in our genre are moderately broad, though (with the miraculous exception of Louise Penny) I abhor cosies. Hard boiled, but with plot, characters who live, and good writing. Chandler, Ross MacDonald, John D. MacDonald, Valin, Estleman, Crais, Thomas Perry, Michael Connelly, Rozan, Linda Barnes. And lots more.I thrill in sharing books, and I would be so very grateful for recommendations.

For what it's worth, I bring some knowledge--for 25 years I was a criminal trial lawyer (over 250 murder trials, scads of gun and drug cases), in a major city. Though most cops, like most people, work to earn a living, there are some who epitomize Chandler's description of the lone man or woman, principled where it counts, walking the mean streets.

I'm 65. I just had to stop teaching high school English because my heart gets clogged (my students, of course, thought I didn't have a heart). I've now become pretty active in Goodreads, because I have the time.

I read what is traditionally called "literature," too, watch movies and tv, listen to and used to play celtic music, and ride a very large motorcycle.

Lastly, I live in South Central Florida, an astonishing and unknown part of this state. We have many, many more cows than people in this county, and I live on a prairie (visualize a western movie, with essentially no trees). My nearest neighbor is half a mile away.

Life's still good. If you read all this, thanks.

[Lanie]

Hi Peter,

I just read your intro - what an interesting life you must have! I read mostly horror/thriller stories. Since you spent time dealing with criminal activity, do you prefer books that are not like that? I didn't recognize any of the authors listed. I am always on the lookout for new authors. The only non-horror books I like are written by Alice Hoffman or Amy Tan, whose books usually feature a woman whose strength is tested in one way or another and the journey they take to overcome whatever challenge they are dealing with - a terminal illness, death of a family member, raising a family without a partner, a forbidden love, etc- and how their lives change because of it. I may be one of the few females who do not like romances at all. I'm not huge fan of "chick lit" either. I'm a new mom (my boys are almost 5) so I've recently become interested in recipe books and craft books to keep my boys busy.

Reading is a good escape for me, especially when they are in school. I'm fascinated with true crime - I love those investigation discovery documentaries - although some of the subjects are very hard to stomach. It must be tough to have to deal with seeing things like that on a daily basis. As far as authors go, I do like a good skilled writer who can write good prose, and writing realistic dialogue is key for me. If the dialogue sounds too cheesy, or I don't think the characters are believable, I won't read the book. I don't care how the characters are dressed. I care about what type of people they are - their personalities, how their world has shaped them- I can form in my own mind a physical description, unless it's important to the story, like a disfigurement, missing limb, or the main character is the only black haired child in a family of blondes and how that affects him/her.

Welcome and I look forward to reading with you. My first horror book was Carrie by Stephen King (I was 9) and when I was in high school and most girls were reading VC Andrews and romance novels, I was reading Stephen King, John Saul & Dean Koontz. My other favorites are Neil Gaiman, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, David Baldacci's Camel Club series.

[Bryan]

I'm retired and finally have time to read. My favorite author is C J Box. I also enjoy Steve Hamlton, William Kent Kruger, and John Sandford. Other Then reading, I enjoy Cycling. Photography, Craft Beer and spending time with my wife. I currently live in the Northwest!

[Leigh]

Hello and Welcome to Kelly, Lanie, Karen, Frank, Chandra, MIriam, Jennifer, Katie, Peter, and Bryan.

Goodluck to the writers.

Thank you to the librarian, Chandra.

You sir, Frank, have lead a very interesting life.

Have fun to the retiree Bryan.

and

Karen you must be tired. Home schooling four children sounds exhausting to me.

I hope you all discover new favorites books and authors here.

PS-- I hope this all makes sense. This time change is making me sleepy.

[Julia]

Hi, and thanks for allowing me into the group! I'm Julia, and I'm an avid reader. If it's fiction and stays still long enough I'll read it, although my long-time favorite genres have always been mystery and suspense. I have a serious compulsion to read series books in order, and I never leave home without something to read.

I'm mommy to a sweet 3-year-old girl and wife to a wonderful pastor husband who is kind enough to indulge my book habit. I look forward to hearing your recommendations for new authors to investigate!

[Lanie]

Hi Leigh,

I agree. Quite a diverse group here with lots of experiences. I look forward to getting to know you all. Julia, I have 4 YO twin boys - I know all too well how tough these toddler years can be. If you ever need to vent about Toddler Hell I'm all ears!

Lanie

[Peter]

Lanie wrote: "Hi Peter,

I just read your intro - what an interesting life you must have! I read mostly horror/thriller stories. Since you spent time dealing with criminal activity, do you prefer books that are ..."

Hello, and thanks for the warm and open note, which is exactly what makes sharing books so wonderful.

I like good horror stories, be they told through books or movies. "Good" means well-written, of course, with an engaging plot (suspension of disbelief is essential) and round, dynamic (growing or changing) characters. Stephen King's a prime example of what horror I am attracted to. Also H. P. Lovecraft. I can't stand generic plots (end of the world, omnipotent Satan, etc.).

What I hear in your note is a preference for gritty, hard reality, which is why I am so drawn to hard-boiled mysteries.

With that in mind, may I ask:

1. Does your horror palate include the real, but shocking and dismaying, evil that men and women engage in every day (such as torture, physical and sexual abuse)?

2. Would you be willing to try one or two hard-boiled, but real as in not only possible but substantively the same as things I and others in the criminal field have seen?

3. Would you be interested in fiction about serial killers and those who chase them?

Peter

[Jane]

Hi, I'm Jane. Thanks for letting me join the group. I'm new to Goodreads (set up an account a while ago, but just trying it out now). I love to read. A lot. And if I'm reading it, chances are it's a story about murder! A few years ago I decided to take a crack at writing my own, and I'm loving it - writing mystery's even more fun than reading it! Who knows, I may even publish something one day. But of course I'm still reading, too, and looking forward to sharing thoughts about some of the great books I've read and books I'm still looking forward to reading.

[Leigh]

Jane wrote: "Hi, I'm Jane. Thanks for letting me join the group. I'm new to Goodreads (set up an account a while ago, but just trying it out now). I love to read. A lot. And if I'm reading it, chances are it's ..."

Welcome Jane and good luck with the writing. I hope you get published one day.

[Joan]

Hello! My name is Joan C. Curtis. I'm an avid reader of all kinds of mysteries (actually all kinds of books). I'm also a writer. My first mystery will be released in the Fall 2014. I'll put up notices in the Author section.

I'm looking forward to hearing what people are reading and what they like. I'm always looking for a good book. BTW, I love the Scandinavian mysteries. So, if you have some suggestions, I'm all ears.

Glad to be here!

[Leigh]

Welcome Joan and good luck with your book. We seem to have a few people who are fan of Scandinavian mysteries, so you should have no problem getting recommendations for some new favorites.

[Tara]

Hello! I'm Tara. I've been a member of Goodreads for some time, but am just now starting to explore the group communities.

I am happily married and a mother to a 21 month old son (who keeps me constantly on my toes, ha!)

I live in western Kentucky, but home will always be in southern Illinois about an hour from where we are now. I dream of living somewhere in the future where the weather is nice year round. Like most of the country, its been a very long winter here!

Anyways, I suppose you all are more interested in my bookish opinions than anything else!

I haven't always been a reader. It didn't really hit me until junior high when I discovered Stephen king. I devoured just about all I could of his and then moved on to Dean Koontz. From there I left the horror genre and went more for Mary Higgins Clark. That was really my introduction to mystery, and I was hooked ever since.

Once I was out of college, though, is when my reading obsession really began. And mysteries/thrillers have really been my cup of tea since then. I love a good John Sandford, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, etc. 2014 has seemed to be the year of my reading a lot of psychological thrillers.

I am not a fan of cozies. At all. I dabble in paranormal, but it's certainly never going to be a favorite genre. I do enjoy a stray young adult or women's fiction book, but my heart is really with the thriller genre.

I also have a book blog (shameless plug coming up), Tales of a Book Addict. Don't feel pressured to stop by, but I'd love it if you did.

So that's about me in a nutshell. I look forward to "meeting" lots of great new fellow readers and I hope to find some great new books to read!

[Lanie]

Hi Tara,

Nice to meet you. I have 4 YO twin boys who have been active since they have been able to walk - so I get the Toddler Hell more than anyone! I'm curious. You said you're not a fan of cozies? What's a cozy? I've been a Constant Reader of Mr. King since I was 9 years old. It's a love that my husband and I both share. I was introduced to Oliver Stone & the Camel Club (Baldacci) last year and I had to read all five books in a row without taking a breath. I anxiously await the next adventure for Oliver Stone - what a hero! While horror is my favorite genre, I also love Neil Gaiman, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Dean Koontz, Alice Hoffman and Amy Tan. I'm not a fan of romances or chick lit or anything Twilight related.

Looking forward to book talk with you!
Lanie

[Tara]

4 year old twin boys, I do not envy that. One is hard enough! :)

Cozies are what I call "fluff". They are mysteries but no bad language, no sex and the violence is very minimal. They usually have the main character as an amateur detective with a hobby of some sort. Diane Mott Davidson and Joanne Fluke are excellent examples. There's nothing wrong with cozies I general, I've read a few of Davidson's books, I just tend to think they're a little too cookie-cutter clean for my taste. I prefer more nitty-gritty to my books.

And oh, Baldacci's Camel Club series! I've read them all as well and keep hoping for a new installment. I've also read the first two in the King and Maxwell series and have enjoyed them too. I really like Baldacci!

[Lanie]

I fell in love with those men in the Camel Club. I've never read those other authors you mentioned. I recently discovered David Morrell, just finished Creepers. I think you'd like the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Have you ever read them? Their books are a huge passion of mine. I don't like shock for the sake of shock, but I like a good story with twists and turns, some intelligence, a book that doesn't insult my intelligence, and takes me for a ride. I like characters who grow through their experiences. I don't like "too perfect" characters. Everyone has demons in the closet and the more they push them down the more they are betrayed by them. I am fascinated with people who rise to the challenge - they are more interesting to read. I don't think I would like Cozy books either. I will stay away from those you mentioned. Although I think my tastes tend to go more towards thrillers rather then mystery - not sure what the difference is.

[Tara]

I'm sad to say that I haven't read any of the Pendergast series, but I do have a few of them on my shelves I need to get to them. I have way too many books and I just keep buying more, haha!! I find it very difficult to differentiate subgenres a lot. What. Makes it a mystery? Or a thriller? Or suspense? I have no clue to be honest!

[Lanie]

To me, this is how I kinda break it down.
Horror is anything scary. Ghosts, haunted houses, zombies, vampires, demons, serial killers, weird things happening, crazy guy stalking a woman, group of people trapped out in the woods, in an abandoned building, in a building of any kind, etc.
Thriller - usually the main character is a police officer or FBI agent, investigative reporter, or someone who would help solve crimes. Scenarios like someone is missing, or there's a murder or series of murders they are trying to solve. Usually involves car chases, or hunting down who the killer is through police work, profilers, forensics, or other resources. To me, this kinda covers mysteries too.
I think thrillers and horror can be both suspenseful and mysterious.
Old school mysteries seem to be things like Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes.

[Tara]

Sometimes I think mysteries and thrillers go hand in hand. I think almost all thrillers have a mystery element to them. but not all mysteries are thrillers. Which is where the confusion comes in for me. but I definitely like how you break down the difference.

[Leigh]

Tara wrote: "Hello! I'm Tara. I've been a member of Goodreads for some time, but am just now starting to explore the group communities.

I am happily married and a mother to a 21 month old son (who keeps me co..."


Welcome Tara. I know pretty much everyone here in the US has had cold weather for ages but spring is just around the corner so there is that.

There are a lot of people in the group who enjoy thriller so you should discover some new reads to enjoy.

[Joan]

Tara wrote: "Hello! I'm Tara. I've been a member of Goodreads for some time, but am just now starting to explore the group communities.

I am happily married and a mother to a 21 month old son (who keeps me co..."

Hi Tara, I just checked out your blog and will sign up! I also started following you on Twitter. I love the psychological thrillers, too. Do you read Ruth Rendell? I loved her book, The Crocodile Bird. You might enjoy it.

[Kathy]

Joan wrote: "Tara wrote: "Hello! I'm Tara. I've been a member of Goodreads for some time, but am just now starting to explore the group communities.

I am happily married and a mother to a 21 month old son (wh..."

I love Ruth Rendell, too. I've read most but not all of her books--great psychological thrillers.