Starting/joining in with buddy reads Showing 401-450 of 1,328

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

As we have several series going, how will you decide to space them? Two a year or something of that nature?

[Jill]

The Margery Allingham Society https://margeryallingham.org.uk/the-n... Has the Late Pig as before Dancing Mourners as opposed to Fan/Fict. Maybe that is where Goodreads got their order from I don't suppose it makes much difference

[Judy]

Thanks Jill! I've just been trying to find out about these two books and it seems to be extremely complicated, as they were both published almost simultaneously, with some websites listing them one way round and some listing them the other way round.

Both The Case of the Late Pig and Dancers in Mourning were published in spring 1937 - I've seen contradictory dates but it seems to be around April/May/June.

According to Julia Jones' biography of Allingham, she finished writing Dancers in Mourning in January/February 1937, needed money while awaiting its publication and in just two months quickly put together a collection for the American market, Mr Campion, Criminologist.

This collection included the novella The Case of the Late Pig, which was then published separately as a paperback in the UK.

So I think the American short stories book including Pig came out a month or so before Dancers, but she *may* possibly have written Dancers first, depending on whether she wrote Pig for the collection or already had it in manuscript! (It seems more likely to me that she had already written it as she would have had to work so fast, but that's just a guess!)

Anyway, I am happy either way, but I would suggest possibly reading The Case of the Late Pig first as I think it *feels* earlier, being very light-hearted and silly. (It is more of a long short story and might be one that mainly appeals to Campion completists!)

[Jill]

I did like the site I posted . I think it was sometime ago when we first started reading Allingham, that I found it. I have often been to Tollesbury to walk the dog, but had no idea that she had lived there.

[Susan]

In answer to Elizabeth's question, I think the Buddy Reads are more a meander than an attempt to finish a particular series quickly, although we might get to the end! Nicholas Blake and Allingham seem to get a lot of interest and Jackson Lamb gained a lot of readers, which delighted me. We could feature one or two more heavily, and then just add other books to break them up.

[Susan]

We just wanted to give you a list of updated buddy reads, with some changes:

Buddy reads are: (mid-month starts)

February/March:
Black Roses by Jane Thynne
Minute for Murder by Nicholas Blake
Real Tigers by Mick Herron
Crossword Mystery by E.R. Punshon

March/April:
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
Stop Press by Michael Innes
Flowers for the Judge by Margery Allingham

April/May:
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P D James
Angel with Two Faces by Nicola Upson
Spook Street by Mick Herron

May/June:
Death of a Hollow Man by Caroline Graham
Head of a Traveler by Nicholas Blake
London Rules by Mick Herron

June/July
Bump in the Night by Colin Wilson
The Case of the Late Pig? by Margery Allingham

Firstly, we have changed our June/July Margery Allingham Buddy Read from Dancers in Mourning to The Case of the Late Pig, as there has been some confusion about the order of books.

Secondly, we have changed our April/May P D James read from Cover her Face to An Unsuitable Job for a Woman.

The reason for this, is that we are considering a P D James challenge for 2020 (I know - thinking ahead!) and want to keep the Inspector Adam Dalgliesh series out of the list for now. Details will follow later.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Susan wrote: "The reason for this, is that we are considering a P D James challenge for 2020 (I know - thinking ahead!) and want to keep the Inspector Adam Dalgliesh series out of the list for now. Details will follow later. "

Disappointed about this as I have the first five Adam Dalgliesh, but maybe you should just remove PD James from the buddy reads entirely rather than starting a new series.

[Jill]

There are only 2 Cordelia Gray Books, so maybe reading one, it will give people a chance to see how James writes

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jill wrote: "There are only 2 Cordelia Gray Books, so maybe reading one, it will give people a chance to see how James writes"

Or maybe it will prevent some of our other series from getting into a monthly buddy read.

[Jill]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Jill wrote: "There are only 2 Cordelia Gray Books, so maybe reading one, it will give people a chance to see how James writes"

Or maybe it will prevent some of our other series from getting into a..."
Yes , that's true.

[Susan]

Jill wrote: "There are only 2 Cordelia Gray Books, so maybe reading one, it will give people a chance to see how James writes"

Yes, the idea was to try out a P D James as a group, but not Dalgleish. We are getting to him though :)

[Judy]

Thanks for posting the updated list, Susan - looking forward to lots of these. :)

[Susan]

Amendment:June/July
Bump in the Night by Colin Watson
(sorry, typo in the original post)

[Judy]

Our new buddy reads are now open - here are links to the non-spoiler threads for each one. You are very welcome to pop by and join in.

The Margery Allingham/Campion discussions now have their own folder!

Flowers for the Judge by Margery Allingham
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Stop Press by Michael Innes
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Susan]

Updated Buddy List:

Buddy reads are: (mid-month starts)

March/April:
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
Stop Press by Michael Innes
Flowers for the Judge by Margery Allingham

April/May:
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P D James
Angel with Two Faces by Nicola Upson
Spook Street by Mick Herron

May/June:
Death of a Hollow Man by Caroline Graham
Head of a Traveler by Nicholas Blake
London Rules by Mick Herron

June/July
Bump in the Night by Colin Watson
The Case of the Late Pig? by Margery Allingham

July/August
The Riddle at Gypsy's Mile by Clara Benson

[Susan]

Those of us reading the Mick Herron, Jackson Lamb/Slough House, series, have been deciding how to finish the series. As such, I have updated the Buddy Read list of books, which is now, as follows:

Buddy reads are: (mid-month starts)


May/June:
Death of a Hollow Man by Caroline Graham
Head of a Traveler by Nicholas Blake
London Rules by Mick Herron


June/July
Bump in the Night by Colin Watson
The Case of the Late Pig? by Margery Allingham
The Drop by Mick Herron
Nobody Walks by Mick Herron


July/August
The Riddle at Gypsy's Mile by Clara Benson
Joe Country by Mick Herron
The Dreadful Hollow by Nicholas Blake


August/September
Dancers in Mourning (1937)
aka Who Killed Chloe? by Margery Allingham

[Judy]

Is anybody interested in buddy reading a historical mystery with me? I was thinking of either Dissolution, the first Shardlake novel by C.J. Sansom, or A Morbid Taste for Bones, the first Cadfael novel by Ellis Peters. Any takers?

[Jill]

I would be interested in A Morbid Taste for Bones I haven't read any of the Cadfael books

[Susan]

I love Shardlake and just re-read the first two. However, I am happy to join in with either - I haven't re-read Cadfael for ages.

[Pamela]

Jill wrote: "I would be interested in A Morbid Taste for Bones "

Me too. Dissolution is great but I read it fairly recently.

[Judy]

Sounding like Cadfael so far! Anyone else interested?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I'm hoping we get to continue Caroline Graham's Barnaby series.

[Sandy]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I'm hoping we get to continue Caroline Graham's Barnaby series."

Barnaby is scheduled for mid-May and I imagine we will continue as long as he remains popular.

[Sandy]

Judy wrote: "Sounding like Cadfael so far! Anyone else interested?"

I've been reading Cadfael, slowly, so will participate as memory allows. I want to read Shardlake, but am really trying to limit new series without completing some. I say that but I just downloaded another first in series while browsing Kindle Unlimited today.

[Judy]

Thanks, Sandy. Since several of us are interested in Cadfael, I'll add the first one in for August/September. Looking forward to it. :)

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Sandy wrote: "Barnaby is scheduled for mid-May and I imagine we will continue as long as he remains popular."

Yes, but that will have been 8 months since the last buddy read in the series, and I'd hoped we'd read any series more frequently than that.

[Susan]

I agree it can be frustrating, Elizabeth. We do try to do our best to rotate buddy reads. With the Barnaby, the first was a group read and it wasn't until later, that we decided to continue the series as a buddy read. However, I do sympathise and assure all our members that we try to be fair and offer a lot of choice.

Judy, very excited to read Cadfael, which I haven't read for years. Have downloaded the Audible version in anticipation!

[Bicky]

I will also be joining in for Cadfael.

[Judy]

Thanks, Susan - I'm looking forward to Cadfael too. I did see the TV series but have never read the books, although I did get as far as downloading the first one! I want to read more medieval mysteries after loving the Oxford Medieval Mystery series by Ann Swinfen, who sadly died recently.

Also, as Susan mentioned earlier in another thread, anyone who wants to can always organise and lead their own buddy read - as Jessica has done with the Poirot books - and we can set up the threads for them. :)

[Judy]

Sandy wrote: " I say that but I just downloaded another first in series while browsing Kindle Unlimited today ..."

I've got to ask, what was the series?!

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Thanks, Susan - I'm looking forward to Cadfael too. I did see the TV series but have never read the books, although I did get as far as downloading the first one! I want to read more medieval myste..."

I’ve been rereading Cadfael slowly over the last year or so, fitting him in between other reads - I’m only up to book 6 or 7, I love the characters and writing, I’d gladly join in! Great idea, Judy, I hope you like him. Thanks for Ann Swinfen, that’s a new author for me, I love medieval mysteries- the slower pace, respect for the natural world - I always come away with a greater appreciation of things like electricity, sanitation and germ theory!

[Jan C]

I have a number of the Cadfael books. Also just found the show on Amazon Prime and have started watching the series again.

[Susan in NC]

Jan C wrote: "I have a number of the Cadfael books. Also just found the show on Amazon Prime and have started watching the series again."

Thank you, I loved the show!

[Sandy]

Judy wrote: "Sandy wrote: " I say that but I just downloaded another first in series while browsing Kindle Unlimited today ..."

I've got to ask, what was the series?!"

Death of an Old Girl ... probably mentioned in this group at some time as I had it on my TBR.

[Jill]

Seems I read book 8 Step in the Dark back in 2010, but I remember absolutely nothing about it. I see the books are likened to Agatha Raison books, who I very much like. Will be interesting to hear what you think of it when you get to it.

[Susan]

Currently 99p on kindle, Sandy. I have picked it up too :)

[Judy]

Hope you enjoy Ann Swinfen, Susan - the plots are not always great, but I love her writing style and characters.

[Lady Clementina]

Sandy wrote: "Judy wrote: "Sandy wrote: " I say that but I just downloaded another first in series while browsing Kindle Unlimited today ..."

I've got to ask, what was the series?!"

[book:Death of an Old Girl|..."
I think I have read this though I don't remember it at all. Must look up my copy.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Hope you enjoy Ann Swinfen, Susan - the plots are not always great, but I love her writing style and characters."

Thanks, writing style and good characters go a long way with me.

[Susan]

This is an updated list of buddy reads:

May/June:
Death of a Hollow Man by Caroline Graham
Head of a Traveler by Nicholas Blake
London Rules by Mick Herron

June/July
Bump in the Night by Colin Watson
The Case of the Late Pig? by Margery Allingham
The Drop by Mick Herron
Nobody Walks by Mick Herron

July/August
The Riddle at Gypsy's Mile by Clara Benson
Joe Country by Mick Herron
The Dreadful Hollow by Nicholas Blake

August/September
Dancers in Mourning (1937)
aka Who Killed Chloe? by Margery Allingham
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

September/October
The Skull Beneath the Skin by P.D. James
Death in Disguise by Caroline Graham

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Thanks for adding the Caroline Graham.

[Susan in NC]

And the Ellis Peters!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Have we given up on Bobby Owens? I have several that I got for free and will choose to read out of order if the group isn't moving on with them. (Which is fine, just want clarification.)

[Bicky]

I have the same query as Elizabeth.

[Judy]

The mods are not currently planning to organise more buddy reads of the Bobby Owen books. But if any of our members would like to organise and run a buddy read, we would be very happy to set up the threads for you.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Thanks, Judy. I'm glad to have been introduced to this series. I'll be reading him on my own.

[Judy]

Thanks, Elizabeth. Just to add, the author of this series, E.R. Punshon, does have a thread in the Favourite Authors section, so we can always have some discussion there about what books in the series people are reading and which titles they recommend.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Oh good! Thanks for reminding me about that!

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Thanks, Elizabeth. Just to add, the author of this series, E.R. Punshon, does have a thread in the Favourite Authors section, so we can always have some discussion there about what books in the ser..."

Thanks, Judy, I didn’t know about that section, good to know for next time I looking for a new author to try.

[Judy]

I've already posted this in the White Swan general chat thread:

A couple of buddy reads are now open for discussion - please come over and share your thoughts! Here are links to the general threads (there is also a spoiler thread for each of these):

Death Of A Hollow Man by
Caroline Graham

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Head of a Traveller by Nicholas Blake

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...