What are you reading at the moment?

[Judy]

Sounds like a great idea, Susan - I'd also be happy with either. I've read all of Sayers in the past but that was some years back - haven't read all that many by PD James, though I did love the TV series based on her Adam Dalgliesh books.

Either a buddy read or a separate challenge thread would be fine.

[Susan]

That's great, Carolien. I will see whether anybody else would like to join in and, if so, whether there is a clear preference for either of my suggestions.

[Karlyne]

I could do Dorothy Sayers, Susan, because I have all of her books and I do love to re-read them! (For some strange reason, I never clicked with P.D. James!)

[Susan]

Thanks, Karlyne. I've had one clear preference for James, one for Sayers and a couple of 'don't minds.' If it works, then we could hopefully do both at some point - although only one at a time, or we will all be overloaded!

[Karlyne]

Susan wrote: "Thanks, Karlyne. I've had one clear preference for James, one for Sayers and a couple of 'don't minds.' If it works, then we could hopefully do both at some point - although only one at a time, or ..."

Oh, my, yes!

[Jan C]

I've read all of the Sayers books and I re-read them every now and again. A while back I decided to read (or re-read, as the case may be) the James books. I'm up to A Taste for Death which is about halfway through her Dalgleish series.

So I would be willing to dip in also.

[Susan]

I may be wrong, but I sense more interest in Sayers overall, then James. I will set up a challenge I think for next year. Sayers is, probably, a better start - in that she is really in the era we are exploring. Also, her books are shorter, so we may find them easier to tackle than some of P D James, which are longer. I think a challenge would be a nice way for us to really concentrate on a particular Golden Age author.

There are 14 books in the Lord Peter Wimsey series:

Peter Wimsey
1. Whose Body? (1923)
2. Clouds of Witness (1926)
3. Unnatural Death (1927)
4. Lord Peter Views the Body (1928)
5. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1928)
6. Strong Poison (1930)
7. The Five Red Herrings (1931)
8. Have His Carcase (1932)
9. Hangman's Holiday (1933)
10. Murder Must Advertise (1933)
11. The Nine Tailors (1934)
12. Gaudy Night (1935)
13. Busman's Honeymoon (1937)
14. In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939)

That does, of course, take us a little over a year, but I feel that more than one a month will be difficult.

[Nigeyb]

Well done Susan.


I'll certainly read the first one and see how I go. I'm pretty sure I've read it before.

I do like Sayers but not sure I can fit in one book a month on top of my other various reading commitments but we'll see.

I might just cherry pick a few here and there - perhaps the ones that seem to be best regarded.

Either way it's an inspired idea and I think it will be a big hit with the lovely people who participate in this group.

Bravo.

Here's to a fab year (and a bit) of Sayers-esque debate and discussion.

[Karlyne]

Susan wrote: "I may be wrong, but I sense more interest in Sayers overall, then James. I will set up a challenge I think for next year. Sayers is, probably, a better start - in that she is really in the era we a..."

Looking forward to 2016, thanks to you and Sayers!

[Susan]

That's so sweet Karlyne. We'll need something to cheer us up in the New Year, after the excitement of Christmas is over :)

[Karlyne]

Susan wrote: "That's so sweet Karlyne. We'll need something to cheer us up in the New Year, after the excitement of Christmas is over :)"

January can be a looooong month!

[Susan]

It does feel like it, Karlyne. Certainly not my favourite month of the year...

[Karlyne]

Susan wrote: "It does feel like it, Karlyne. Certainly not my favourite month of the year..."

We have a lot of January birthdays, so at least we do have cake involved... Unfortunately, they don't all live close enough to eat cake with! Or maybe that's a good thing...

[Susan]

We have a lot of December birthdays - it's an expensive month...

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

I am currently re-reading Agatha Christie (the Miss Marple books), and I ahve just finished a Ngaio Marsh for a book group.

[Karlyne]

Hilary wrote: "I am currently re-reading Agatha Christie (the Miss Marple books), and I ahve just finished a Ngaio Marsh for a book group."

Did you like Tied Up in Tinsel?

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

It is one of my favourite Ngaio Marsh's - in fact it was my suggestion for the book club!

[Karlyne]

Hilary wrote: "It is one of my favourite Ngaio Marsh's - in fact it was my suggestion for the book club!"

I remember it as being nice and chilling, but it's been a while. I may have to put it on my Christmas re-read list!

[Nigeyb]

Judy wrote: "...have you just finished anything good? Please share your thoughts, or post a link to your review."

I have just finished reading....





North Soho 999: A True Story of Gangs and Gun-Crime in 1940s London by Paul Willetts

Click here to read my review

4/5

[Lesley]

I'll be there in 2016.

I have had the Dorothy L. Sayers Premium Lord Wimsey collection, volumes I and II on my kindle for a while, so now I have good reason not to put off reading them any longer!

[Susan]

Certainly not, Ella's Gran - I just seem to keep stalling with Sayers, so I have no reason either :)

[Karlyne]

I'm in the middle of M.M.Kaye's Death in Berlin. I know I've read it before, but I have no memory of it at all, so it's like a new read. It's enjoyable, but I do have to keep in mind that the heroine is a 21-year-old with, in spite of a modelling career and a scary past, a huge amount of naivete. She rushes in where surely no normal person would...

[Nigeyb]

Judy wrote: "Have you just finished anything good? Please share your thoughts, or post a link to your review."


I have just finished reading....





Sick On You: The Disastrous Story of Britain's Great Lost Punk Band by Andrew Matheson

So whilst this book does not contain a happy ending, it makes for a funny, well written and engaging book about majestic failure. I devoured it.

4/5

Click here to read my review

[Colin]

Having just finished Margery Allingham's Police at the funeral, a Campion novel. I have gone modern and picked up Dana Stabenow, (Goodreads author.) A Cold Day for Murder.

[Leslie]

Moderators - a query: do you want to hear about anything we are reading here or just mysteries or what?

[Susan]

Judy can contradict me if I am wrong, but I think anything you are reading is fine, Leslie. Nigeyb has mentioned a book that was nothing to do with crime or the period the group covers, so this is just a general chat area. I just finished a book called The Children's Home, but it didn't set me on fire and so I never mentioned it!

[Nigeyb]

^ That's right Susan

Here's Judy's original post....

Judy wrote: "Are you reading any good Golden Age crime books at the moment, or have you just finished anything good? Please share your thoughts, or post a link to your review."

[Judy]

Hi Leslie, Susan and Nigeyb, I'll admit I didn't think about this much when setting up the thread, just wanted to get some discussion going and I obviously worded my question a bit vaguely.

To avoid any confusion, I'll set up two separate threads, one for mysteries we are all reading and one for off-topic books - so please can people post in those in future instead of in this one. Also if anyone wants to make any other threads, for instance for mystery author bios etc, that would be fine too.