The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion
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Currently Reading? Just Finished? 2013 and on
Sean wrote: "Hi BillI think Die Trying is even better, only another 17-18 to go !"
Aughhhh, another series!!
Just finished reading I Am Pilgrim by Terry HayesThis is a weighty tome, numbering some 700 pages. It takes at least 100 pages for the story to really get under way. I didn't mind that though, because when it does take off, it grows wings & turns into my kind of book… a page turner.
The reader isn't sure at first what exactly this tale is about, as it starts with a murder & in the next chapter seems to be turning into a political thriller. However, this initial ambiguity in the storyline kept me turning pages.
The plot's scenario seems entirely plausible to me. At one point when the fictional American president is asked how he wants to put the governments position to a terrorist threat, says "what does it say about the world we live in, that a suitcase sized nuclear threat is more acceptable than the real threat we are facing." What indeed? I recommend this.
Also just finished 'The House of Silk' by Anthony HorowitzIt was with some reluctance i took up this novel purporting to be a homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle & his famous Sherlock Holmes character. Many authors have taken up the Holmes character, often for no good reason i can see. However this treatment by Horowitz is entirely authentic in every way. In addition it is a ripper of a yarn, a real page turner. There are all the usual characters; Holmes & Watson, naturally. Detective Lestrade, the Baker Street Boys, the cold backstreets of London, the swirling pea soup fog & the villains.
If anything, i think younger readers will welcome the more modern language rather than the slightly stilted language of the original Doyle, written as it was in the late 19th Century. It still has the feel of Doyle's dialogue, but i felt it flowed better.
All in all, i recommend this homage to Holmes wholeheartedly. This will appeal to fans of the old Holmes & new converts alike.
Paul wrote: "Also just finished 'The House of Silk' by Anthony HorowitzIt was with some reluctance i took up this novel purporting to be a homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle & his famous Sherlock Holmes char..."
Thanks Paul. I'm putting this on my list :)
Ron wrote: "Jacob wrote: "Lee wrote: "Jacob wrote: "Read
. Didn't like it one bit. Couldn't finish it. I like the "Legal & Trial" genre. So I thought, here is another "Gri..."Ron wrote: "Jacob wrote: "Lee wrote: "Jacob wrote: "Read
. Didn't like it one bit. Couldn't finish it. I like the "Legal & Trial" genre. So I thought, here is another "Gri..."Good recommendation Ron. I would also recommend; 'Show of Evil' and 'Reign in Hell', by William Diehl. These two novels also have the same characters which appear in 'Primal Fear' & are fitting sequels to 'Primal Fear'.
Paul wrote: "Ron wrote: "Jacob wrote: "Lee wrote: "Jacob wrote: "Read
. Didn't like it one bit. Couldn't finish it. I like the "Legal & Trial" genre. So I thought, here is ..."
Diehl was one of the best.
. Didn't like it one bit. Couldn't finish it. I like the "Legal & Trial" genre. So I thought, here is ..."Diehl was one of the best.
Just got done reading To the Nines by Janet Evanovich over the weekend very funny book i love Stephanie grandmother & Joe's grandmother. Funny series!Now I am starting on
Picked up an old book CR. 1983 by Anne Perry
. I have enjoyed Perry and will let you know how this one is.
Nancy wrote: "I've just finished Deborah Crombie's newest, The"Would that be The Sound of Broken Glass Nancy?
Brenda wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I've just finished Deborah Crombie's newest, The"
Would that be The Sound of Broken Glass Nancy?"
Yes! LOL -- I must have forgotten to actually put in the title.
Would that be The Sound of Broken Glass Nancy?"
Yes! LOL -- I must have forgotten to actually put in the title.
Nancy wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I've just finished Deborah Crombie's newest, The"Would that be The Sound of Broken Glass Nancy?"
Yes! LOL -- I must have forgotten to actually put i..."
:)
In the wee hours of this morning I finished Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye. I have one more original Marlowe to read, and I'm ambivalent about the one written by Robert Parker. Has anyone read it? Is it as good as the others written by Chandler?
I need your recommendations. I have finished all the Tana French and S.J. Bolton novels and I need some more psychological thrillers. I am rather new to this sub genre so I don't know where to look. I have a bias toward European settings but I will try anything.
Tim "The Enchanter" wrote: "I need your recommendations. I have finished all the Tana French and S.J. Bolton novels and I need some more psychological thrillers. I am rather new to this sub genre so I don't know where to lo..."
Have you read anything by Johan Theorin? He writes mysteries that are also psychological thrillers and sets his work in Sweden.
Have you read anything by Johan Theorin? He writes mysteries that are also psychological thrillers and sets his work in Sweden.
TimTry, the book I have just finished The Never List Keothi Zan
One of the top sellers of last year, a goodreads author.
Keothi gave up her time recently to answer questions a few nights ago.
Maybe not as chilling as SJ Bolton (who has a new book out this year)
Worth a try
Hi Tim .....maybe Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane or The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen .... A bit brooding at times but fits the description
I finished Vengeance by Benjamin Black. Wealthy businessman Victor Delahaye invites the 25-year-old son of his business partner out on his sailboat and proceeds to shoot himself. Soon afterward Delahaye's womanizing business partner Jack Clancy, who was secretly manueuvering to take over the company, is found dead. Detective Inspector Hackett and pathologist Dr. Quirke look into both cases. Persons of interest include Victor's trophy wife, his handsome twin sons, his quiet sister, and Jack Clancy's wife Sylvia. The book is as much a character study as a mystery and thus moves slowly, but it's an entertaining read.
Barbara wrote: "I finished Vengeance by Benjamin Black. Wealthy businessman Victor Delahaye invites the 25-year-old son of his business partner out on his sailboat and proceeds to ..."
Have you read the entire series? It's one of my all-time favorites.
Have you read the entire series? It's one of my all-time favorites.
Nancy wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I finished Vengeance by Benjamin Black. Wealthy businessman Victor Delahaye invites the 25-year-old son of his business partner out on his sailboat a..."I haven't Nancy. I know a lot of people like Black's books.
Donna wrote: "I really love the Quirke series too, especially the audiobook version read by Timothy Dalton."
I never heard the audio version, but Timothy Dalton sounds right for these books.
I got a lot of these books as ARCs, but after I finished them, I loved them so much I bought the hardcover copies.
I never heard the audio version, but Timothy Dalton sounds right for these books.
I got a lot of these books as ARCs, but after I finished them, I loved them so much I bought the hardcover copies.
Tim "The Enchanter" wrote: "I need your recommendations. I have finished all the Tana French and S.J. Bolton novels and I need some more psychological thrillers. I am rather new to this sub genre so I don't know where to lo..."Hi Tim. If you want a riveting psychological thriller to read, with a surprise ending, i would recommend 'The Collector' by John Fowles. It's an oldie, but a goody.
Paul wrote: "Tim "The Enchanter" wrote: "I need your recommendations. I have finished all the Tana French and S.J. Bolton novels and I need some more psychological thrillers. I am rather new to this sub genre..."
They're Watching
This is a great psychological Thriller
They're Watching
This is a great psychological Thriller
I've just finished Jack: Grime and Punishment - Z.A. Maxfield. Now I am about to read Fall For You - Cecilia Gray.
This is the 14th book i've read by C J Box. Every one I read confirms why he is my favorite author. This stand alone novel is a great read. The characters, both good and bad are believable. The books setting is relatable, as I liked in a very small town Idaho for awhile. I recommend this book highly, as I do all of the novels by this author.Blue Heaven
just finished cage of bones by tania carver. slow to get into it, and had pretty much figured it out by halfway, but did turn out to be a pretty good read.
'The Black Box' by Michael Connelly
This is the 18th novel by Michael Connelly to feature Harry Bosch. Within the first 50 pages, i was sure i knew the 'who' in this story. It's a testament to Connelly's storytelling abilities that this didn't put me off continuing with this narrative. I still didn't know the 'why' or the 'how' & this was enough to keep me engaged.
This narrative begins with the murder of a foreign journalist during the L.A. riots which resulted following the not guilty verdicts delivered by an all white jury, subsequent to the assault on Rodney King, carried out by several police officers. In the ensuing riots following the announcement of the verdict, many people are murdered & Sth L.A. is in flames. The police are unprepared & overwhelmed. Consequently many murders go unsolved. Bosch is the responding detective to the murder of the journalist. Frustrated by his inability to properly investigate the murder, it's not till 20 years have passed & Bosch is a member of a cold case squad that he gets the opportunity to pursue this crime. What follows is an absorbing narrative.
I have scored this novel 3 out of 5 stars, but had it been less predictable i would have scored it higher. Regardless, i still recommend this novel.
The Killing House - Chris Mooney
This book by Chris Mooney is the first in a new series. The main character is a freelance investigator by the name of Malcolm Fletcher. Now here's the twist in this tale; Fletcher is an ex FBI profiler wanted for the killing of 3 FBI agents dispatched to kill him by the FBI's director. He works, clandestinely, for a high profile private investigator, who specializes in recovering 'disappeared' children & their parents. Being on the FBI's most-wanted list, Fletcher always has one eye over his shoulder.
It seems that every character in this narrative is scarred either physically or psychologically, often both; it's a real freak-show. The action is non-stop & the body count prodigious. I was given this book by a friend & quite by coincidence, i have the first in Mooney's other series, so no doubt i will get round to reading that, in due course.
I recommend this novel by Chris Mooney whole heartedly. I give it 4 out of 5 stars & look forward to the next offering in this new series.
I've just finished Fall For You - Cecilia Gray. Now I am about to read Multiples of Six - Andy Rane.
Yesterday I finished Playback by Raymond Chandler. That's the last of the original Marlowe novels, and I'm sorry to see this series end. One of the finest run of PI novels I've ever read.
As I mentioned before, I was reading
. It was somewhat of a disappointment for me as I have loved the William and Charlotte Pitt series; however, this being one of her earlier writings, it didn't give me quite the pleasure in reading. It is a study of the English Aristocracy andlessons of its behavior, mores, etc. The story centers
on petty thievery and murder. ** out of *****
By the way, I forgot to state that Rutland Place was my11th book read by Anne Perry whom I have listed as one of my favorite authors.
Just finished
I know, I'm a bit behind the times here. Based on the hype, I was expecting something much - I don't know - more. It was a good read and a good book, I would recommend it, but I don't see what the big to do was. I would call it a serviceable book, but not a spectacular one.
Just finished
. This book blew me away. How did I miss Connelly for so long? I was glued to my Kindle page, ran it out of battery, plugged it in and kept reading all night. Debating whether to go to the start of the series and begin reading from the beginning or scarf up the latest editions and then go back to basics. If you haven't read these books, don't miss them.
I've had a chance to look at this book again and now that I have read Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, I would say that if you're looking for a woman who is a dark character, then you should check out The Reserve by Russell Banks. Vanessa Cole would seem to fit the bill in a Gillian Flynn novel. Below is my review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Kait wrote: "Just finished
. This book blew me away. How did I miss Connelly for so long? I was glued to my Kindle page, ran it out of battery, plugged it in and kept reading a..."Agree Kait. I've read a number of the 'Bosch' novels by Connelly. You can't really go wrong with any of them. They always have an engaging story. It might be a good idea to start from the beginning of the series if you want a better idea of Bosch's character.
Paul wrote: "Kait wrote: "Just finished
. This book blew me away. How did I miss Connelly for so long? I was glued to my Kindle page, ran it out of battery, plugged it in and k..."I've really enjoyed going back to the beginning, especially forThe Black Ice and The Concrete Blonde.
Just finished reading Gone Girl and am in two minds about it... I can't decide if I liked it or not. It was underwhelming taking the hype of it into consideration, though.
Paul wrote: "
The Killing House - Chris Mooney
This book by Chris Mooney is the first in a new series. The main character is a freelance investigator by the name of M..."
I just finished this book. I swear, it did feel like i was reading a bit of a REACHER book, but I really did enjoy it. I love Chris Mooney! I had fully planned on starting The bat........but then.......I got hog tied by another Chris Mooney book!!!!! Go Figure. I am going to read "The Diviant". Dang......it starts out with a bang!!!!!!! Literally!!!!!!
After reading a 3rd of "Damascus Countdown" by "Joel C. Rosenberg"
I gave up. Pure JUNK. And what is all the Christianity tutorial in it ? At times I thought I am reading a religious book, not a far fetch science fiction book about the Middle East.
Kerry wrote: "Just finished reading Gone Girl and am in two minds about it... I can't decide if I liked it or not. It was underwhelming taking the hype of it into consideration, though."
I enjoyed the book but didn't care for the ending.
I enjoyed the book but didn't care for the ending.
Recently finished 2 very different books. Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees historical fiction/mystery imagining what if Mozart was really murdered by poison and why. Lots of historical research behind the story but it is still just a guess. An entertaining look at 1790s Vienna politics with a side of opera.
The other book was The Healer by Antti Tuomainen. This one was set in a not too distant future Helsinki, but a city facing the dramatic effects of climate change. Decent mystery/thriller plus a cautionary tale of the trials rising shorelines and altered weather patterns cause.
The other book was The Healer by Antti Tuomainen. This one was set in a not too distant future Helsinki, but a city facing the dramatic effects of climate change. Decent mystery/thriller plus a cautionary tale of the trials rising shorelines and altered weather patterns cause.
Just finished
Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings. The 1st book of the Murdoch Mysteries. It is set in 1985 Toronto. Murdoch is a Police Detective who is ahead of his time. He uses forensic analysis to help with his task. Very good book. Characters very good and believable. Good plot. At 1st, I thought it moved a little slow, but, that was due to character development. All of that became clear as I progressed through the book. As in other police procedurals, the perpetrator is known before the end of the book. But, what isn't known is just how Murdoch will ensnare him.Currently reading:
Kindle:
Bad MonkeyHardcover:
Death in Breslau: An Eberhard Mock InvestigationBooks on CD:
Star Trek Into Darkness
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