What Are You Reading Today? -(v2.0)

[Lenore]

Not reading it yet -- since it's not out yet -- but are you aware that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the former basketball star, has authored a novel about Mycroft Holmes? Mycroft Holmes

[Laura]

Kathy wrote: "I've been away from the group for a while, just busy, and it looks like I've picked a good time to reconnect. Dina and Laura, I have been meaning to read Margaret Maron for so long, and I have the..."

Kathy I think you will like the Bootlegger's Daughter (and the rest of the series) if you like books set in the south and cozy mysteries with an abundance quirky characters. Please let me know how you enjoy it!

[Kathy]

Laura wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I've been away from the group for a while, just busy, and it looks like I've picked a good time to reconnect. Dina and Laura, I have been meaning to read Margaret Maron for so long,..."

Will do, Laura!

[Erin]

I just finished the mostly crazy awesome book I've read in quite a while. I think have the same level of excitement for this book as for Ilona Andrews' magical dystopian Kate Daniels series and Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant books.

This book is nothing like those books in content; it is more fantasy horror, but in a comical "what the hell is happening?" kind of way. And old skool "horror" that's meant to shake up your emotions and expectations, like Mary Shelley or Poe, rather than scare you witless like Stephen King. But it has that same sense of fresh writing; doing something new and interesting. It totally just jumped to the top of my personal list for best of the year.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

[Diane]

I just finished Cinaman's Chance by Ross Thomas. Fabulous characters, a wonderful twisty plot! Great writing! I recommend it highly. It's set in Southern California. I plan to read the next two books with the same main characters, then try his other books.

[Barbara]

I read Maron's "Designated Daughters" before I read on her website that it would be the last of her Knott's series. I thought reading it, that the time line didn't hold up anymore. For her Daddy to be still alive and knowing that he had already had fathered a passel of youngins before WWII started, it no longer seemed possible that he would still be alive and kicking! Also, I thought that book answered lots of questions about Deborah's mother that I had always wondered about. I loved the series and being the granddaughter (born in 1957)of a NC bootlegger (1920s-?debatable ending:), I identified with Deborah. Yesterday I finished Susan Isaacs' "Red, White and Blue" and started on her "Any Place I Hang My Hat". I always read all of an author's books to fully understand their voice and I have three more of hers to read.

[Susan Pola]

I'm reading DELIA'S SHADOW by Jaime Lee Meyer. It's the first of a series about a woman, Delia Martin, who 'sees dead people.' It's set in San Francisco during the Pan Pacific Exposition of 1915. It's thoroughly enjoyable. Besides having a gorgeous cover. I've a review started, but haven't finished it since I'm still reading it.

[Susan Pola]

I also agree with Farmwife2 about VALDEMAR COMPANION. Book is better than Nook Reader. But remember, it was written before the Mags Heralds' Collegium books ever saw print.

[Lenore]

I'm listening to Robert Harris's An Officer and a Spy, a novel about the Dreyfus Affair told from the point of view of Georges Picquart, a French army officer who was among the first to realize that Dreyfus was convicted based upon falsified evidence and to identify the real traitor. Picquart knew Dreyfus and didn't particularly like him, but he risked his career (and nearly lost it) and even his life in the pursuit of truth and justice. I thought I knew something about the Dreyfus Affair, but I'd never heard of Picquart (whom I have since looked up -- the novel is quite accurate about the facts), who was a genuine hero.

[Mary]

I just finished "The Passion of Marie Romanov". By Laura Rose. Actually a freebie on Kindle Unlimited. Written in Marie's first person. Builds from the siege of their home, up to the night of the family's murders. With an introduction and epilogue by her supposed guard. Exquisitely written, and nerve shattering.

[Leslie]

I'm reading ''The Nature of the Beast'' by Louise Penny.

[Kathy]

I'm reading Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye.

[Leslie]

Lenore wrote: "I'm listening to Robert Harris's An Officer and a Spy, a novel about the Dreyfus Affair told from the point of view of Georges Picquart, a French army officer who was among the firs..."

I will have to find An Officer and a Spy, thank you for the review.

[Carole]

Just picked up Susan Cheever's Drinking in America from the library. Next then, A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie by Kathryn Harkup.

[Susan]

After a steady diet of crime fiction in preparation for Bouchercon, I am reading Mrs. Dalloway, not for the first time. I'm doing it in small bits this time, digesting Virginia Woolf's prose purposely rather than rushing along.

[Erin]

I've been reading through Margaret Maron's series the last month or two and just got done with a book where she overlapped the two series to have her main characters meet. Which I was so completely stoked about. Struck me as something fans always wonder about, so to see it actually written was awesome. Deborah Knott is a great character, of course, but I think I like Sigrid Herald even better; though she's the lesser known from Maron.

Has anyone else read the Sigrid series?

[Sheri]

I found Maron earlier this year and I've read both series. I really enjoyed them and was so disappointed to learn she was finished with both! I think I liked Deborah's series a bit better. I'm originally from the south and I connected with a lot of her southern heritage. It was fun to see her relationship with Dwight and his son grow. Sigrid was a little harder to warm up to but I did. I'm glad she gave us one more Sigrid story at the end so we didn't leave her so grief stricken. Maron was a happy surprise and I'm sorry I don't get to look forward to new books.

[Erin]

Sheri wrote: "I'm glad she gave us one more Sigrid story at the end so we didn't leave her so grief stricken."

Yes! I think I identified more with Sigrid than Deborah; though the Deborah stories were a bit more fun. So I felt bad that poor Sigrid had the wind knocked out of her right as she was starting to become more sure of herself. I haven't read Take Out yet, though. Probably going to finish the Deborah series first and then get to the last Sigrid.

[Sheri]

Maron did a good job of giving us some closure with both series by giving us some unexplained background to Deborah and this last Sigrid. You'll enjoy Take Out. It helps! And she did leave both series open so she can add books if she chooses to. I hope she will. I found both series well-written with enjoyable characters and good stories. Quick reads for me.

[Emily]

I've read both series and I remember really liking the Sigrid ones - will have to read the new one. I like the Deborah series as well but I've been feeling she's been phoning in the later ones (the last one I read I easily guessed the plot twist). I lived in North Carolina for awhile, so always fun to recognize street names and so on. Is the one where they overlap the most recent one? I don't remember that from a previous one, but I could have missed it.

Also, speaking of series updates, the posthumous Elizabeth Peters is out - has anyone read that?

[Erin]

Emily wrote: "Is the one where they overlap the most recent one? I don't remember that from a previous one, but I could have missed it."

There are two: Deborah and Dwight go to New York in Three-Day Town, then Sigrid goes to Cotton Grove in The Buzzard Table. Both books are listed as part of the Deborah series, but I think Three-Day Town was more like a Sigrid book with Deborah in it because Sigrid was leading the investigation and it had all of her side characters. I think these two are like third or fourth from the last in the series; not the most recent one.

"Also, speaking of series updates, the posthumous Elizabeth Peters is out - has anyone read that? "

I'm in the middle of listening to it now. I don't know if I'm just not in the right mood, or if it's really just not as good, but I'm not really digging it like I usually do the Peabody books. It's a jump back to right after the book where Ramses and Nefret get to together, but then Nefret ends up running off with some dude because of evil cousin Percy's machinations against Ramses.

Dude's five brothers show up as assassins to take revenge against Peabody and Ramses for the death of their brother. And some archeologist is going crazy and Emerson takes over his dig and Peabody has to figure out what's wrong with him. I think it's maybe a bit too ridiculous to be believable. Particularly the bit with the assassin brothers. If that had been left out, I think it would have been a better book.

I'm actually listening to the audio and that adds another element. They got Barbara Rosenblat back for this last one (she's read all the others in the series), but it seemed to take her quite a while to get back into the narrative voice. Not sure if this is because it's been a while since she's read for Amelia, or if the writing itself was jerkier with the dual author thing.

[Emily]

Erin wrote: "I'm in the middle of listening to it now. I don't know if I'm just not in the right mood, or if it's really just not as good, but I'm not really digging it like I usually do the Peabody books. It's..."

I'm about halfway through it on my tablet, and I'd have to agree with you. I'm not sure if I would notice it as much if I didn't know that half of it was written by another person, but I haven't been loving it. Though that is a part of the series that I didn't think was great - I liked the earlier books and some of later ones much better.

[Erin]

Emily wrote: "Though that is a part of the series that I didn't think was great - I liked the earlier books and some of later ones much better. ."

Totally agree. The young adult angst of the relationship between Ramses and Nefret just killed me. It was obvious that they would eventually get together, so I didn't really care all that much about how they got there and all the dithering got on a nerve.

[Emily]

Erin wrote: "Totally agree. The young adult angst of the relationship between Ramses and Nefret just killed me. It was obvious that they would eventually get together, so I didn't really care all that much about how they got there and all the dithering got on a nerve. ..."

Yes, it makes you glad she wrapped it up between Emerson and Amelia so quickly in the first book!

[Laura]

Erin wrote: "Sheri wrote: "I'm glad she gave us one more Sigrid story at the end so we didn't leave her so grief stricken."

Yes! I think I identified more with Sigrid than Deborah; though the Deborah stories w..."

I love Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott books. I grew up in the Raliegh-Durham area of NC and Deborah and her kooky relatives always take me on a trip down memory lane. I have read them all including the 2 stand alone novels set in the same location. As with any series some have been better than others. I have not gotten into the Sigrid books yet but it is on my TBR.

I was sad when Margaret Maron announced the end of the Deborah Knott series but I respect the decision. And as a reader I prefer knowing it is the end rather than hanging on for years hoping for another installment.

[Meredith]

Hello everyone,



I just finished a historical mystery that I really enjoyed called, Girl waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Perhaps this book group would like to put this series (just 3 books so far) on the official reading list.

Here is the official book review:
From the "New York Times "best-selling author of "The Drunken Botanist "comes an enthralling novel based on the forgotten true story of one of the nation s first female deputy sheriffs.
Constance Kopp doesn t quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world since a family secret sent her and her sisters into hiding fifteen years ago. One day a belligerent and powerful silk factory owner runs down their buggy, and a dispute over damages turns into a war of bricks, bullets, and threats as he unleashes his gang on their family farm. When the sheriff enlists her help in convicting the men, Constance is forced to confront her past and defend her family and she does it in a way that few women of 1914 would have dared. A smart, romping adventure, featuring some of the most memorable and powerful female characters I've seen in print for a long time. I loved every page as I followed the Kopp sisters through a too-good-to-be-true (but mostly true!) tale of violence, courage, stubbornness, and resourcefulness. Elizabeth Gilbert"

[Laura]

Sounds Good. I'll add it to my TBR and it sounds like a nice choice for the book club. Would there be comparisons between Constance and our favorite heroine, Mary Russell?

[Ana]

Meredith wrote: "Hello everyone,



I just finished a historical mystery that I really enjoyed called, Girl waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Perhaps this book group would like..."

I've been wanting to read this! And I love the cover!

[Elisabeth]

I read "Girl Waits With Gun" a few months ago. It's very well written and engaging, but the best part to me is that it's mostly true! Obviously there are some author embellishments but the core facts of the primary mystery are all real, and the title is from an actual newspaper headline of the time.

I think Constance and Mary would at the very least respect one another. They have certain things in common, such as unusual height, courage, willingness to be unconventional. But they come at their work from very different angles. For Mary, the mystery provides an outlet for her substantial intellect; for Constance, it's a means to look after her family and exercise her powerful sense of justice.

Who's writing the crossover fanfic? ;)

[Kathy]

Meredith wrote: "Hello everyone,



I just finished a historical mystery that I really enjoyed called, Girl waits with Gun by Amy Stewart. Perhaps this book group would like..."


Meredith, I have this book and keep meaning to get to it. I love the covers for these books.

[[deleted user]]

I am not sure if this is the right place but can anyone save me from throwing Pirate King out of the window. In its favour the slapstick did make me laugh (slightly) last night before I feel asleep in boredom over it. It is so different from LRK’s other books, it actually feels like something written, shoved in a drawer and then given to the publisher years later to keep them quiet. Please tell me it gets better and the remaining books in the series are good 🙏

[Emily]

Pam wrote: "I am not sure if this is the right place but can anyone save me from throwing Pirate King out of the window. In its favour the slapstick did make me laugh (slightly) last night before I feel asleep..."

There are several things I like about Pirate King (I'm a G&S buff), but I agree that the pacing is off. I never quite figured out the plot of Garment, but I think both Dreaming Spies and Murder are good. Dreaming Spies won the Agatha Award.

[Elisabeth]

We saw LRK on her book tour for Pirate King. She warned us that when she writes too many in a row with the same characters, she tends to either get silly or cruel with them. Her editor was begging for another R&H and accepted the silly condition. (We then sang a R&H version of Modern Major General and dressed as pirates for prizes.)

I also had trouble with Garment, and I didn't like Murder, but Dreaming Spies is among the best of the bunch. I'm looking forward to the new one.

[[deleted user]]

Thank you Elizabeth and Emily for the comments. Very helpful. I shall brace myself and read on.

[MaryL]

At the time of publication I actually liked Pirate King's diversion from the usual R & H trope. Especially coming after the previous 2 books which were bitter dark stories. I just finished re-listening to Pirate King and found it got better with age. Why shouldn't Russell have a bit of fun? I'm now back into Garment of Shadows and again it's improved on re-examination. And I thought it very good to begin with.

I do find I need to mull over all of LRK'S books, looking for nuance and shading. Part of my delight in re-reading them.

[[deleted user]]

I agree with you MaryL about the nuance and shading, although I am a new fan (less than a year) I am already finding that. I think LRK’s critics miss those nuances.

By the by, do you or any other LRK fans read (or would admit to writing) fanfaction? I was searching for an LRK related subject on the internet and came across this new to me, undiscovered universe. So many gaps filled in by avid fans and some of the writing is very good. A fascinating phenomenon.

[Elisabeth]

Pam you have entered a brave new world. :D

I will admit, I wrote an alternate backstory for Mrs. Hudson after reading Murder. I have not read anyone else's fic but I know there's a ton of it out there. The creativity and dedication of fans is something that will never cease to amaze me.

[[deleted user]]

Elisabeth wrote: "Pam you have entered a brave new world. :D

I will admit, I wrote an alternate backstory for Mrs. Hudson after reading Murder. I have not read anyone else's fic but I know there's a ton of it out t..."

I think I have entered into a brave new world too!! I find that some of the additions which LRK has left to tantalise, (I suspect on purpose) are very interestingly taken up by others...although some of it is not good, sometimes too explicit for me but sometimes it is thought provoking.

[Kris]

I am currently listening to Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time. I'm at a slow part, and early enough into the story that I can't yet see its larger form. I am enjoying it, though.

I most recently finished two books that I think were gems. One is Himself by Judd Kidd. The story is set in a small town in Ireland, and the language is lyrical and lovely. I listened to several parts over and over; the language was almost magic.

I also recently read the last book in Lars Kepler's Joona series. It was as good as the rest of his books, though the end left me a bit sad. Nice solid Scandinavian mystery, with always a psychological analysis the brings the book to its conclusions. Nice big book, for all you readers of long books. But start the series at the beginning, to getcall the good stuff!! Kris G.

[Kris]

Quick wrestle with my spellchecker: the correct author of Himself is Jess Kidd.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Kris, do you the Nordic-noir novels are depressing? I am a bit reluctant to read them, although my husband loves ‘em

[Kris]

No, I don't find these depressing! I choose books in this category the same ways I decide what to read in any other. So I had to explore a bit when this became a Thing. Have series I tried one of and bleah! Others I just keep waiting for the next book, it can't be too soon. I have a particular pleasure in settings that are out in the country, especially set during the summer with all that lovely sunlight. Many of the ones I like are police procedurals. Sometimes a translation feels wooden and I can't tell if the story itself is flat or if the translation is lacking. So I see if another book in the series has a different translator and compare.
As far as depressing: so much depends on the writer. In general, I don't think mystery writers don't set out to write depressing books. If you are thinking about the long hours of darkness in the winter I haven't found that to be a problem. Remember, these are authors who actually live there! The darkness can be a quiet character, exploited for uncertain witnesses, and you are reading the book somewhere warm and comfy. You can turn the lights up, maybe light a candle and be grateful you live somewhere warmer? What really depress me in a book are bad writing, flat characters, books that could have been skipped on the way to the screenplay, excessive violence, especially gun violence, just for its own sake. Most that I've read have had more of a psychological flavor. Hope something here is helpful to you.

[[deleted user]]

Lots of useful points thank you. And I will go back to them in due course.

[[deleted user]]

The Pirate King saga continued ... after all your reassurance (thank you) I got to the end AND enjoyed it. What struck me is that as soon as Holmes appears in the book the writing settles, so I would like to think that LRK was being very clever and indictating Russell’s discombobulation without his steadying influences (I deeply resent the implications of that on Russell’s behalf as I write that). Anyway I thought the book gave us a lot more subtle indicators about the er, malevolence of Mycroft and an hilarious tease about the eternal reputational issue surrounding Holmes’s sexual orientation.

[Emily]

Pam wrote: "The Pirate King saga continued ... after all your reassurance (thank you) I got to the end AND enjoyed it. What struck me is that as soon as Holmes appears in the book the writing settles, so I wou..."
LRK has said something to the effect that she has the most competent heroine in the world, and she's constantly putting her in settings where she'll be discombobulated. You'll like Dreaming Spies, then, where there's some discussion of the fact that Holmes and Russell are more or less equally unfamiliar with the territory.

[Erin]

I've been sort of reading through the nominees for the Hugo Awards (basically the Anthony's of the Sci-fi/fantasy genre; best fiction as voted by the fans/attendees of the annual World SF/F convention) because I'm going to WorldCon next month and I am eligible to vote. One of the nominees for novella is basically a really creative murder mystery where the victim/investigator/witnesses (and probably the perpetrator) are all the same person, but from different dimensions. (Basically following the theory that every possible decision/outcome creates a divergence in space/time; an alternate reality). Really a fun story, so I thought I'd share as I'm sure there are a few readers here who would like it as well :D

https://uncannymagazine.com/article/a...

(if you like the novella, maybe buy a digital copy, either from their site or from Amazon, to support the magazine so more fun stuff like this can get published?)

[Sara]

I have an hour commute, so I go through audiobooks like a hot knife through butter. Finished LRK's "Justice Hall" last week, and am listening to a YA novel - "The Looking Glass Wars" by Frank Beddor. (a take off Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.) It's the first book in a trilogy, but I'm not feeling the desire to continue with the series. I have another book to listen to for my book club - "The Alice Network" by Kate Quinn - so will delve into it as soon as may be.

[Erin]

Sara wrote: "am listening to a YA novel - "The Looking Glass Wars" by Frank Beddor. (a take off Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.)"

I read that a few years ago! I really liked that first book; it felt fresh and interesting. But the second was a bit of a letdown, as I recall.

[Kim]

Sara wrote: "I have an hour commute, so I go through audiobooks like a hot knife through butter. Finished LRK's "Justice Hall" last week, and am listening to a YA novel - "The Looking Glass Wars" by Frank Beddo..."

Finished the audio of Justice Hall a few months ago - it had me balling my eyes out while I was driving!

I tried reading The Looking Glass Wars on audio, but I just could not get into it and stopped after the third disc or so. Just could not stick with it.

[Norah]

I have just finished PRAIRIE FIRES: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder. This is an amazing piece of research, fascinating, sobering, and with a touch of tragedy. The psychological drama that runs through out several generations is surprising. I thought only modern families had problems. The way that the author weaves the two families' histories through the American history of the time was wonderful and the extended story of their obviously troubled daughter added to the enjoyment. Did you know that one of Almanazo's playmates as a child was Dick Sears? Yes, that Sears.