What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 751-800 of 4,475

[Judy]

I've now finished The Murder on the Enriqueta and the plot became increasingly ludicrous - not sure if I will bother with any more by Molly Thynne!

[Jan C]

I'm reading the biographical section of The Draycott Murder Mystery: A Golden Age Mystery.

Is the Murder on the Enriqueta her last book? I think her later books, especially the last one, were questionable. Either that or mymmemory of what I read about it was questionable.

[Susan]

I'm reading a few mysteries at the moment: The Devil's Feast (third in a good historical mystery series), The Two O'Clock Boy and The Big Book of Jack the Ripper

[Judy]

Jan C wrote: "I'm reading the biographical section of The Draycott Murder Mystery: A Golden Age Mystery.

Is the Murder on the Enriqueta her last book?"

Just checked and it was her second mystery , published in 1929, the year after The Draycott Murder Mystery. I'll be interested to hear what you think of that one.

[Jill]

Just finished Mrs Jeffries Plays The Cook 7th in the series I'm reading . Found it quite humorous in places . Am now reading Lost Light which is another series I am working my way through.

[Jan C]

Jill wrote: "Just finished Mrs Jeffries Plays The Cook 7th in the series I'm reading . Found it quite humorous in places . Am now reading Lost Light which is another series I am wo..."

I enjoy Connelly. Have seen him at readings several times.

[Rebecca]

I just finished Drinking Gourd, by Barbara Hambly, 14th in the Benjamin January series. Those are always fantastic. In this one Ben's work with the Underground Railroad gets a lot more up close and personal than simply hiding fugitives in his house in New Orleans, when a conductor in Vicksburg is shot and requires Ben's services as a surgeon. And that's before we even get to the murder!

[Hannah]

I'm almost done with One Wonderful Night A Romance of New York, a hilarious screwball comedy with a murder mystery and a couple of shrewd detectives playing a part.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I'm reading Hamish Macbeth books at the moment - I have a few on the kindle that I got a couple of years ago, I read the first three and then left the series to read other things. I started the fourth book in the series as part of my "Round Britain" challenge and also my "Backlist Challenge" so I have carried on reading them.

I have been trying to work out which Scottish County one of the books might cover, but haven't had any luck, so for the moment only one county is crossed off my list.

I am enjoying them - nice light reading. I don't remember much of the TV series I think I only saw perhaps one episode and wasn't bothered enough to watch more. They were apparently quite different from the books.

[Susan]

I also read the first few mysteries and then stopped, Jay-me. Another series I would like to find the time to go back to. I think I preferred that to the Agatha Raisin mysteries, although I quite liked both.

[Christine PNW]

I just finished Death in Cyprus by MM Kaye. I had read all of Kaye's mysteries years ago, before they were reprinted by Minotaur. They are just as good as they ever were - very enjoyable, well-plotted mysteries with a romantic sub-theme set in exotic colonial locales.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Moonlight Reader wrote: "I just finished Death in Cyprus by MM Kaye. I had read all of Kaye's mysteries years ago, before they were reprinted by Minotaur. They are just as good as they ever were - very enjoya..."

I'm reading The Far Pavilions at the moment but I also have a copy of Death in Zanzibar Paperback publishers have not served this author well - both are falling apart!

I am currently reading a read for review copy of A Useful Woman I normally don't like non Heyer Regencies, but this is a mystery and the author has her own voice, so I'm enjoying so far.

[Ellen]

Moonlight Reader wrote: "I just finished Death in Cyprus by MM Kaye. I had read all of Kaye's mysteries years ago, before they were reprinted by Minotaur. They are just as good as they ever were - very enjoya..."

I liked the MM Kaye mysteries too. My favorite was Death in Kenya

[Judy]

This reminds me that I got one of hers as an audio book a while ago, but I'm hopeless at listening to audio books... I would like to try her soon, though.

[Judy]

I'm just reading the second Alleyn mystery by Ngaio Marsh, Enter a Murderer.

I'm halfway through and enjoying it, but Alleyn keeps saying he has a "filthy memory", which is a bit annoying, since it's blatantly untrue! He seems to have a lot more mannerisms and banter in this book than I'd remembered - I think he becomes a bit more serious later in the series.

Also his better-known sidekick, Inspector Fox, features in this one alongside journalist Nigel Bathgate.

[Jan C]

Judy wrote: "I'm just reading the second Alleyn mystery by Ngaio Marsh, Enter a Murderer.

I'm halfway through and enjoying it, but Alleyn keeps saying he has a "filthy memory", wh..."

I enjoyed this one, too.

[Jan C]

Carol ♛ Type, Oh Queen! ♛ wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I just finished Death in Cyprus by MM Kaye. I had read all of Kaye's mysteries years ago, before they were reprinted by Minotaur. They are just as good as the..."

I've started Far Pavilions, not sure how far in I am. I am guessing at not very.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Jan C wrote: "I've started Far Pavilions, not sure how far in I am. I am guessing at not very.

Jan I'm in Part 6, but if you want a buddy to read with, I am using this group.

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... :)

[Jan C]

Carol ♛ Type, Oh Queen! ♛ wrote: "Jan C wrote: "I've started Far Pavilions, not sure how far in I am. I am guessing at not very.

Jan I'm in Part 6, but if you want a buddy to read with, I am using this group.

https://www.goodrea..."

Thanks. I think it is kind of an a back burner right now. I was going to say because I don't know where it is when I found it.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Jan C wrote: " Thanks. I think it is kind of an a back burner right now.

It's on a slight back burner for me just because I had 2 group reads for the start of the month.But I'll be back to it in a few days.

[Susan]

For those of us in the UK, there is a new series about books - beginning with, "Sleuth, Spies and Sorcerer's." http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p040pvpp
It starts on 17th October at 9pm on BBC4 - Andrew Marr's Paperback Heroes.

[Susan]

Currently reading two good contemporary mysteries - Lovemurder and The Book of Mirrors. The Book of Mirrors is an academic mystery and I know a few of us like those.

[Judy]

Thanks for the info about that series, Susan - sounds great.

[Jan C]

The Book of Murders won't be out here until February 2017, either in hardcover or kindle.

[Susan]

The Book of Mirrors is currently on NetGalley, Jan. I know quite a few of us are NetGalley users - I must admit that I get most of my books from them now.

[Susan]

I just finished Lovemurder (2nd Valerie Hart), which was a very good, fast paced crime novel. Just started Blood Lines (5th Kim Stone) and am halfway through Gaudy Night, which I have never read before.

[Jill]

Just Started The River of Fire by Patrick Easter. I read the first book some time ago and enjoyed it The Watermen The books are set in the 1790's at Wapping London and are about the river police of that time. This second book deals with a couple of Napoleon's agents so hoping for a good story

[Sandi]

"Blood Harvest"by SJBolton. My second of her books.bi have another one I'll be reading next, "Dead Scared". She has great twists and turns, keeping you guessing until the very end. I highly recommend her.

[LovesMysteries]

Right now I'm reading Agatha Christie's Witness For the Prosecution and Other Stories which are obviously a collection of short stories. This will be my first time plowing through this collection though I am familiar with the first story 'Witness For The Prosecution' which I definitely recommend -- it's a story you will never forget!

[Abigail]

I recently finished a mystery set in the Regency, the first in a new series: A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde. Don’t be put off by the claim that it’s “inspired by Jane Austen”—there’s nothing Austenesque about it. Very well done, especially well constructed, I thought.

[LovesMysteries]

Abigail wrote: "I recently finished a mystery set in the Regency, the first in a new series: A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde. Don’t be put off by the claim that it’s “inspired by Jane Austen”—there’..."

Speaking of "Austenesque" have you read P.D. James Death Comes To Pemberley? She uses some of the characters from Jane Austin's Pride & Prejudice and incorporate them into a murder mystery.

[Sandi]

Is anybody having a problem with Goodreads. They send me an e-mail and when I open it I have to sign in. Happens every time.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Brian wrote: "Abigail wrote: "I recently finished a mystery set in the Regency, the first in a new series: A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde. Don’t be put off by the claim that it’s “inspired by Jan..."

Like Abigail I've also just read A Useful Woman. I thought it sagged a bit in the middle & had a few anachronisms, but still enjoyed it enough to give it 4★

Brian I own Death Comes to Pemberley but an unlikely to read before next year. I still haven't read The Murder Room by PD James which is supposed to be a far better book.

[Abigail]

Hi, Brian, yes, I’ve read Death Comes to Pemberley, and as a Jane Austen adherent I hated it! If James had not used the names of characters from Pride and Prejudice, it might have been an okay mystery (I’ve always found James’s mysteries a bit flat and drab)—but she took the names of the characters and then completely changed their personalities! Her Elizabeth Darcy was timid, self-doubting, and dull, no witty repartee in sight; her Mr. Darcy pretty much reverted to Elizabeth’s first impression of him, arrogant and distant (where a central point of P&P is that first impressions are generally erroneous). The TV version was pretty to look at but didn’t resolve any of the book’s problems.

[Michelle]

I agree about Death Comes to Pemberley, it isn't any good for Austen fans who wer sold it as a sequel. It could have been any old mystery really that just used P&P as a backdrop. Didn't like what she had done to the characters either.

[Judy]

Welcome, Brian! I don't remember the book Death Comes to Pemberley very well now, although I think I possibly liked it a bit more than Abigail and Michelle did... looks as if it is one I forgot to rate on GR! But I do remember enjoying the TV adaptation, which had a great cast.

[Susan]

I liked Death Comes to Pemberley. I am willing to forgive P D James almost anything though, just because I adore her books so much...

[Leslie]

I recently finished the latest Inspector Gamache book, A Great Reckoning. Very good for those who have read the whole series though the mystery itself was second fiddle to the ongoing endeavors of Gamache to clean up the Quebec police force so I don't know how well it would be for a reader unfamiliar with Penny's books.

Regarding Death Comes to Pemberley, I agree with Abigail. But I am not in general very tolerant of "fanfiction" -- I have liked a few but mostly I feel that authors should create their own characters rather than 'borrowing' someone else's.

[Susan]

I think P D James had always wanted to write Pemberley - but knew the reaction it would get. Having reached a good age, she was probably just at the point where she thought that if she didn't write it then, she never would. I do agree though, that the current trend for resurrecting another author's work is fraught with problems - at best - and really best avoided.

[Abigail]

I’ll push back a little on the notion that fan fiction has to be either borrowing or resurrecting another’s work. Often it is that, I grant you, or it’s used as merely a hook to get readers (“if you like Jane Austen, you’ll love this!”) or an excuse to wallow in a particular emotion.

But it can also be approached as (a) a way of revisiting important themes in a modern context, (b) an homage to a master, or (c) a re-envisioning of a classic story or myth—among other possibilities. Was James Joyce borrowing or resurrecting The Odyssey by writing Ulysses? (Or take a look at The Decameron, or many other works of literature from the past that are based on Greek and Roman lit.) I’m currently reading Jeanette Winterson’s book The Gap of Time, which she describes as “a cover version of William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.” Such authors are writing novels of literary ambition that are dialogues with classic works of the past, that explore their meaning and reinterpret that meaning for their own era’s readers. There exist writers of such ambition even in Jane Austen fan fiction. (Not many, I admit; but it’s too sweeping to dismiss the entire genre.)

[Amy]

Just read A Nun in the Closet. Completely silly. Completely delightful. A cozy with hippies and nuns and an over-the-top ending.

[Judy]

Abigail, I agree that fan fiction and sequels by other authors do vary hugely in quality. I must say I'm quite often tempted to try them, and am often disappointed but sometimes excited, and the best ones can shed light on the originals and send me back to them yet again.

I also think it's understandable that publishers are keen to bring out sequels/prequels etc as there is a guaranteed market for them, but it's a shame if authors find it hard to get a deal to publish books with their own original characters too.

[Abigail]

Hi, Amy, Dorothy Gilman is just delicious, isn’t she? And I feel her stories hold up quite well, even though they have dated elements. The Mrs. Pollifax series is fabulous.

[Leslie]

Amy wrote: "Just read A Nun in the Closet. Completely silly. Completely delightful. A cozy with hippies and nuns and an over-the-top ending."

My favorite of Dorothy Gilman's non-Mrs. Pollifax books -- I have read and reread it. Glad to hear that despite some dated elements it continues to charm some new readers :)

[Susan]

I have never read Dorothy Gilman before, but that looks fun. I must investigate her.

[Michelle]

Not started yet but just picked up from the library Magpie Murders By Anthony Horowitz which is his go at a Golden Age murder. Looking forward to it, it seems to be his own characters rather than taking on someone else's.

[Judy]

Michelle, I ordered Magpie Murders from the library the other day after peeking in it in a bookshop - it looks really good.

[Susan]

I loved Magpie Murders, it was a really unusual read. I am currently reading The Owl Always Hunts At Night and Murder at the Brightwell and just finished Gaudy Night, which I read for the first time.

[Michelle]

Maybe I will read it this weekend, good to have a great book at the weekend. I get disappointed if I have a day set aside for reading and the book isn't very good!

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I've just started reading The Frozen Lake which counts as a book set in Westmorland for my Round Britain Challenge. I've read other books by this author and have enjoyed them so I have high hopes for this one.