Buddy read an Inspector Morse?

[Bionic Jean]

I think there are a couple of long ones at the end, but if they're more complex then that's fine. The ending of The Secret of Annexe 3 was risible. Such a shame when it started off so well.

[Penny]

Has anyone ever read a series through like this before? I'm just wondering if by doing it this way you find more flaws or faults with the books. I suppose the opposite could be true too - you could find more to admire! I've read several series but never in such close succession as you usually need to wait for the next one to come out.

[Poornima]

Penny, that's so true. This is my first attempt at a series read like this. Finding it interesting in that we kind of see the characters evolve , the author trying various different approaches and styles , patterns developing between books. Some things which definitely work and some which don't. With so many books, am sure we will stumble more upon the ok-ones or could-have-been-better-ones. :)
But over all, would like to continue , though I still need to catch up with you guys.

[Bionic Jean]

Poornima - I agree :) It does add an extra dimension, doing it like this.

[Susan]

What is the Feb. Morse book?

[Penny]

Susan wrote: "What is the Feb. Morse book?"

I have it down as this is number 8 so we are making our through quite steadily now!

so just to make it big and clear THE WENCH IS DEAD is our Morse read for February!!

[Bionic Jean]

I think that might be a good one :)

[Susan]

Yes. I even have this one already.

[Penny]

am about half way through now - it reminds me at the beginnning of Josephine Tey's A Daughter of Time - with the inspector in hospital and studying an historical crime.

[Bionic Jean]

I've nearly finished this one now, and have enjoyed it. So often with these "stories within stories" you end up being more interested in the back story! And even in some straight stories, if they are part of a continuing series, as we have been commenting on Elizabeth George's novels. It's not a good sign if the copper's private life is of more interest than the crime!

But even though this is an historical crime, and in a way at two removes, I'm finding it gripping.

Ooo yes, Penny, I think The Daughter of Time is superb! :)

[Susan]

@Jean, we read Daughter of Time one month and I liked it immensely.
@Penny, I can't wait to start now. It's next up after I finish My current, Under the Wild and Starry Sky, about Robert Louis Stevenson's wife, Fanny.

[Bionic Jean]

Enjoy it Susan! I've just finished and am looking forward to the next now :)

[Bionic Jean]

Posted my review of this today, if anyone would like to read it :)

[Leslie]

Thanks Jean - I will look at it once I finish. I should be starting this today. Sorry that I am running a bit late this month. I will say that your comments so far spark a dim recollection of the TV episode (I have a mental picture of Morse in his hospital bed)...

[Bionic Jean]

No worries - you're usually way ahead of some of us anyway, Leslie! It's only just over halfway through the month after all. And I know Penny originally said only to comment after the 15th, but a lot of us use spoilers just in case. I've been known to read the next book in the final couple of days of a month, and think others do too. :)

[Leslie]

I have finished The Wench is Dead, and I too was reminded of Tey's Daughter of Time. I found this was a more enjoyable entry in the series than the past few books, and even Morse's lustful thoughts were less intrusive (or maybe I have just gotten used to them?). And in that regard, I was surprised (view spoiler)[that Morse ended up with Nessie and not the librarian! (hide spoiler)]

[Bionic Jean]

My thoughts exactly, Leslie :) I suppose looking back there were hints... but it wasn't really signposted. I think we are back on track with this one though.

[Poornima]

I enjoyed this one too! The narrative is different from the other books and very engaging... couldn't put down the book!
Haven't finished reading 'Daughter of time', but looks like will push it up my TBR now.

[Penny]

I really enjoyed this one - much more than the last 2!! Here we have Morse immobilised in hospital and I think that forces Dexter to give us more access to Morse's thought processes and a different side to his character. He is still swigging the whisky and chasing women half his age but as Jean says the back story gets a few more touches to it. I think its the first indication of Morse's politics in that he would never set foot in a Conservative club - curious! Is this his working class background influencing him or a carry over from his student days? We are left wondering.
The whole story of the boatmen and Joanna was clear and easy to follow (unlike some others) although I was left with a sense of injustice on behalf of the hanged men.
I read a review somewhere where it was said how awful Daughter of Time was because it was a historical crime solved at a distance so the story lacked pace and 'thrills' - I suppose the same could be said of this and yet for me it was the fun of the thought processes that made this a good read despite no direct action. There is much to be said for an author who can focus his readers on so narrow events seen second hand (or third or fourth or so on...)

[Bionic Jean]

Penny - Yes, I didn't feel either novel lacked pace and thrills either, but maybe I'm more interested in the machinations of the plot to start with. And like you too Penny, I thought we saw another side to Morse's character; I felt he was much more vulnerable in this one.

I think we have had indications of his political and religious inclinations before, but maybe nothing quite so well spelled out. He's hated pomp and ceremony from the start, and never had much time for the idle rich either.

[Leslie]

Penny wrote: "The whole story of the boatmen and Joanna was clear and easy to follow (unlike some others) although I was left with a sense of injustice on behalf of the hanged men..."

I liked the fact that this was straightforward, yet not dull or predictable. And I agree with you and Jean that despite it not being a "thriller" it had plenty of tension and kept me interested.

[Susan]

I agree with you, Leslie, about that little surprise at the end. It made me smile. It was the first time he made a decision about a woman that I agreed with. Perhaps it was because he wasn't drinking as heavily as usual. :).
I thought it was a real rip-off of Marsh's book but still delightful. There were a couple of amazing coincidences including finding the trunk in the police station over 100 years later but maybe that's more common in England than America.
What's our book for next month?

[Bionic Jean]

Which is the Marsh book Susan? You've got me wondering now...
Here's a link to my review of "The Wench is Dead" for anyone who was waiting to finish reading it first :)

I think our next one must be The Jewel That Was Ours

[Susan]

I think it's Daughter of Fortune. We read it as one of our monthly reads here. The mind has seen so many books that the titles sometimes scramble. It's one of the misfortunes of aging. :).

[Penny]

Our Inspector Morse for March is number 9 which is (as Jean says)


we are getting through this series rather well now!!
Stick with it everyone - 4 to go!!

[Bionic Jean]

Really Penny? I had not worked that out :) I wonder if anyone has thought of another series they want to "work through". Or maybe we'll all just sit back and breathe a sigh of relief for a while :D

[Susan]

Jean, I'm hoping we can do the Ruth Galloway series. We're reading the first one this month.

[Penny]

Susan wrote: "Jean, I'm hoping we can do the Ruth Galloway series. We're reading the first one this month."
how many are there Susan?

[Susan]

I think four or five but I could be wrong.

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "Really Penny? I had not worked that out :) I wonder if anyone has thought of another series they want to "work through". Or maybe we'll all just sit back and breathe a sigh of relief for a while :D"

Well, there is a thread for the Amelia Peabody series - I haven't been keeping track of it, as I have read most of the series already more than once :)

[Bionic Jean]

I do like Elizabeth Peters ! But I was thinking of for after this finishes. It's still a few months off anyway. Just that I've enjoyed doing it this way, as you can see how the main characters develop. Had you given it any thought Penny?

[Leslie]

Penny wrote: "Our Inspector Morse for March is number 9 which is (as Jean says)


we are getting through this series rather well now!!
Stick with it everyone - 4 to go!!"

I have submitted my request for interlibrary loan, so I should get it in a week or so. I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime :)

[Penny]

I am a very slow follower of the Amelia Peabody series - am not sure if they had a timescale or not - but I am only on number 3!

I havent really thought about another series - there are a lot of series out there and various people have read various amounts of them!! This was fun for me as I hadnt read any and so was happy to start from the beginning without repeating anything.

Let's collect some ideas over the next few weeks eh?

[Leslie]

I have started The Jewel That Was Ours, and I remember this episode of the TV series clearly. Strange how I remember some much more than others... In any case, the reason I mentioned it is that I am already aware of some differences (hopefully minor).

Something that I didn't notice before is the similarities to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple book, I think it is called Nemesis…

[Leslie]

I have finished but will wait to discuss...

[Bionic Jean]

I'll make sure I read it some time in March :)

[Penny]

that was quick Leslie - I hope to get done over the weekend!

[Penny]

this one seems to have a lot of comedy in it!! in amongst the murder of course!!

Morse however is up to his old tricks with women and drink which he had a break from in the last book!

[Leslie]

Penny wrote: "this one seems to have a lot of comedy in it!! in amongst the murder of course!!

Morse however is up to his old tricks with women and drink which he had a break from in the last book!"

It felt less intrusive to me this time - but maybe I have just gotten used to it!!

[Penny]

OK - slight detour in discussion

Following on from someone who posted - what should we read next? - I have had a look at some series - now this is a very random selection, lots of people will have various views so just throwing some ideas out there (Morse will keep us going for another few months anyway!!) I have been terribly selfish and left out the series that I've read all of (Gamache, Lynley, Wexford, Dalgleish etc)
so here goes
Martin Edwards has 2 series the Lake District Mysteries 6 books and Harry Devlin 8 books
Deborah Crombie - Kincaid & James 16 books (might just do 12 if the series are too long)
Jill McGown Lloyd & Hill 13 books
Susanna Gregory Thomas Chaloner 9 books
Matthew Bartholomew 16
Laurie King Mary Russel 12
James Patterson Alex Cross 22?
Chelsea Cain Gretchen Lovell 6
Jacqueline Winspear Maisie Dobbs 11
Edward Marston Robert Colbeck (Victorian Railway) 7
Domesday 11
Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael 20+
Michael Connolly Harry Bosch 19
Val McDermid Hill & Jordan 8
Steven Saylor Roma Sub Rosa 12
Veronica Stallwood Kate Ivory 16
Pat McIntosh Gil Cunningham 10
Reginald Hill Dalziel & Pascoe 24
Joe Sixsmith 5

just some thoughts - let me know what you all think and feel free to add anyone!

[Bionic Jean]

*puts hands up* It was me! I am the guilty party :D Thanks for the work you've done there, Penny.

My first thought is that I've heard good things about both Val McDermid and Susanna Gregory , neither of whom I've read. Out of the two I'd probably vote for Val MeDermid as Susanna Gregory is a bit pricey on Kindle. But maybe you could organise a semi-official vote nearer the time, if Jean-Luke's happy with that?

[John]

How about one of two series, still being written?:

Donna Leon - Commissario Brunetti. 15+, based in Venice.
Andrea Camilleri - Inspector Montalbano. 12+, based in Sicily.

[Ray]

I have read them all and their great, enjoy.

[Penny]

Jean - thats a good idea - as long as Jean Luke is OK with it.

Everyone keep your ideas coming - we will have a hard choice to please everyone - but lets see what we come up with !

[Leslie]

I don't think that I am going to commit to another series just yet. I have been enjoying doing the Morse series, but I have several series that I am in the middle of which I need time to work on (especially Edmund Crispin's Gervase Fen series and Michael Innes's Inspector Appleby books), and some non-English mysteries as well.

[Susan]

I can't do any more series. I like the Morse series and the Galloway series. It's all I can handle. Maybe I'll be interested when we finish those two.

[Bionic Jean]

Well I certainly can't start another yet either! Aren't we thinking about after this one finishes, which is late Summer by my reckoning?

[Penny]

Jean wrote: "Well I certainly can't start another yet either! Aren't we thinking about after this one finishes, which is late Summer by my reckoning?"

yes that's right Jean - we are thinking several months ahead!

[Bionic Jean]

That's fine then :)

[Susan]

Thank goodness.