Reading the Detectives discussion
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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread
message 901:
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Lynne
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Nov 29, 2016 12:45PM
What really impresses me, is how some authors can write so many books---just the sheer volume knocks my socks off!
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Lynne wrote: "I keep a "Book Journal". Authors, dates finished, etc. I just started a couple years ago, so everything before then is chaos. Sometimes something on GR will remind me, "Oh! I read that once-upon-a-..."I have one too- since 2006. Now its just a list of books read with author and month but till about two years ago, I used to also write reviews of the ones that stood out at least. Now I only write reviews here - not in my journal so much
I love book journals and kept one for years, before discovering Goodreads. Now I do use the shelves here, as I find it easier, but there is still a joy in writing things down...
I just started The Crime at the 'Noah's Ark' last night, which is a Dean Street Press reprint of a book originally published in 1931. It's set around the Christmas holidays, among a group of people snowed in at a wayside inn called the Noah's Ark, and is delightful so far. I am at 50%, and have a few inklings but nothing solid, and there seem to be red herrings a plenty.
I'm reading Noah's Ark too and enjoying it - only problem is I'm reading it on Kindle while reading another snowy mystery, Thou Shell of Death, in a paperback, and am having to concentrate to avoid mixing up the two - also trying to avoid mixing them both up with Mystery in White!
I try only to read one GA mystery at a time - although I am happy to combine that with a more, modern crime novel. I do find I get confused sometimes too otherwise :)
I cannot read books that are too similar at the same time, or even one right after another. I can have essays, science, juvenile, general fiction and mysteries going at the same time, but not two mysteries. Good luck with all the snowy books.
Sandy wrote: "I cannot read books that are too similar at the same time, or even one right after another. I can have essays, science, juvenile, general fiction and mysteries going at the same time, but not two m..."As always, it is comforting to find I am not the only one. I generally have about half dozen books going at the same time, but just one mystery. Otherwise I lie awake at night trying to figure out which was which when it comes to clues, etc. I can manage a mystery and a thriller (like Steve Berry) at the same time sometimes, but even that can get dicey, depending.
Just finished "A Rare Benedictine" and started "Morbid Taste for Bones"---not GA, but to get ready for the next Ellis Peters for the Ancient and Medieval GR group. Have also finished Mysterious Affair at Styles, and then all the Hercule Poirots through 1923. I am reading in order of publication, so next up is Murder on the Links.
I usually have two or three books on the go, particularly during the week at work. I don't want to carry a library hardback Into work so will take a different paperback, or sometimes the book I am reading requires too much of my brain power after a busy day at work. Or just because the mood takes me. I don't usually mix them up as I try not to read the same genre, two golden age mysteries would be too confusing for e.g. But I did once get confused reading two different books of different genres when both the main characters were called Henry! I had to stop one of the, as it was too hard to keep them separate in my mind.
Lynne wrote: "Just finished "A Rare Benedictine" and started "Morbid Taste for Bones"---not GA, but to get ready for the next Ellis Peters for the Ancient and Medieval GR group. Have also finished Mysterious Aff..."I'm reading my way through (and collecting!) all the Agatha Christie books- two or three every month. I also really like the Nero Wolfe series, so I'm planning to read/reread that entire series over the next couple of years, too. I love all the classic mysteries.
I have just started, Corpus
. I haven't read anything by this author before, but I know he has a successful historical mystery series.
. I haven't read anything by this author before, but I know he has a successful historical mystery series.
I have finished another Akitada Sugawara mystery - Death on an Autumn River. Good entry in this historical fiction series.Now reading a contemporary mystery, an Inspector Montalbano mystery, The Age of Doubt. I love this Italian series!
I'm reading The Faceless by NZ crime writer Vanda Symon Enjoying so far & wondering where Symon is going with this one.
Susan wrote: "I have just started, Corpus
. I haven't read anything by this author before, but I know he has a successful historical mystery series."I have read Martyr which is the first of his Shakespeare series,which I enjoyed and intend to read more of.
I'm reading the third book in the "Malmo" series by Torquil MacLeod. They are very fine police procedurals taking place in Malmo Sweden and nearby countries. Must start with the first book Meet Me in Malmo. Has anyone tried these out?
No, but just had a look. I like Scandi-crime, but these have very mixed reviews. What do you think of the one you are reading, Joanne?
Joanne wrote: "I'm reading the third book in the "Malmo" series by Torquil MacLeod. They are very fine police procedurals taking place in Malmo Sweden and nearby countries. Must start with the fi..."I've had this as an ebook for ages and keep meaning to get to it, but somehow it keeps dropping of the radar. Glad to hear you're enjoying it, must really make an effort to read it.
I am reading Orchestrated Death by Cythia Harrod-Eagles and am enjoying the characters quite a bit. The mystery is holding also. There is a moral dilemna that the main detective has to go through and I am anxious to see how it resolves.
BTW, general question. Some of you post a book reference and a picture of the book is there. how do you copy that image and link?
Ive just finished Sweet Danger by Margery Allingham, picked up an omnibus in a charity shop. Not keen on it to be honest, shall read the next one which is The Case of the Late Pig and if that is ok then the third is The Tiger in the Smoke.But sweet danger was odd, no one was murdered, wasn't a golden age murder at all. Does she write many like that?
More international espionage than anything else but I didn't think much of it. Quite a weird concept. But it works out at £1 a book so no huge loss apart from time spent!
Maybe Allingham will grow on you, Michelle, she's one of my favourites - having said that, it's a long time since I read any of these three! I think quite a few of her books have adventure elements to them rather than being straight mysteries.
Must admit it seems like a slightly odd selection for an omnibus to me, as the books are very different from each other and don't follow on.
The Case of the Late Pig is narrated by Allingham's manservant, Lugg and I seem to remember thinking it wasn't as good as the other books in the series, but I do remember that The Tiger in the Smoke is very good.
Must admit it seems like a slightly odd selection for an omnibus to me, as the books are very different from each other and don't follow on.
The Case of the Late Pig is narrated by Allingham's manservant, Lugg and I seem to remember thinking it wasn't as good as the other books in the series, but I do remember that The Tiger in the Smoke is very good.
I read The Tiger in the Smoke and found myself completely lost, Judy. Admittedly, it was the first of hers I read - in another book group - and it is late in the series. I think, to give her a fair chance, I must go back to the beginning and try a couple of the early books.
Thanks, Susan. I do think the Campion stories are best read in order, so I'm slightly puzzled at the publisher putting 3 together in one volume when they don't follow on!
The Tiger in the Smoke is a complicated and challenging Campion mystery, even when read in order. It’s a classic “unreliable narrator” story. It became a favorite of mine—once I figured out that I needed to read carefully so that I could understand more than the protagonist did. That ratcheted up the suspense.
I remember feeling that I did not understand the relationships between the characters, let alone the mystery, Abigail. I would like to give her another try though.
Hmmmm doesn't bode well. I shall press on with the Pig one and see how I go. That one seems to be narrated by Campion rather than Lugg so far but maybe in changes partway through. i read Black Plumes with the group which I think was a Camoion one, otherwise these are my first ones.
I just finished Reservoir 13, which is literary fiction, rather than a mystery, but revolves around the disappearance of a 13 year old girl and how it affects a community.
I also just downloaded The Rasp, as I've never read Philip MacDonald before. Any thoughts on his writing?
I also just downloaded The Rasp, as I've never read Philip MacDonald before. Any thoughts on his writing?
It has been years, but I remember reading Allingham's Campions and liking them. I will have to try again maybe---I am finding that re-reading things years apart makes for a completely different book. Times change, we change and come at them from a different place in our lives. One wouldn't think it would make that much difference with a mystery (so-called light reading) but for me, at least, it seems to.
I'm afraid I didn't think much of the Late Pig one by Allingham either. I may try The Tiger in the Smoke, but I agree that this a rather random set of books to include in an omnibus!
I'm reading The Cornish Coast Murder,which I believe the group read at the beginning of this year, so I will be able to look back and see what others thought. Liking it so far. Also reading Thermal Image: London's Burning - and This Time It's Arson which is about a fireman in London. This is the author's first book, and unfortunately I read the second first. I am not finding this one as good as I found the other. I think what is keeping me interested is that I know the places in London and Essex that are mentioned. Just hoping it picks up a bit.
Just finished
The Lake District Murder by John Bude. Not my favourite work by this author, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've just finished the first in a new series for me. Claws of the Cat is a cleverly plotted mystery and I found the Japanese setting fascinating. I know very little about Japanese culture and history so it added some interesting perspectives to the story. Well worth a read.
Have you read Murder in the Vicarage before, Lady Clementina?
Carolien - Claws of the Cat sounds interesting. Is it a new book?
Carolien - Claws of the Cat sounds interesting. Is it a new book?
I just finished A Dangerous Crossing
, which is set on a cruise ship in 1939. Think it is a debut and has a lot of appeal to GA fans, as it falls loosely into that genre.
, which is set on a cruise ship in 1939. Think it is a debut and has a lot of appeal to GA fans, as it falls loosely into that genre.
Judy wrote: "I'm reading one of the early Patricia Wentworth books republished by Dean Street Press, Touch and Go: A Golden Age Mystery - really enjoying it so far. I read too man..."How do Patricia Wentworth's non Miss Silver books compare to her Miss Silver ones. If you enjoy one, would you enjoy the other do you think?
Sorry Ruth, I haven't read any of the Miss Silver books yet so can't really answer. These early ones aren't really mysteries but far-fetched thrillers, the ones I've read so far anyway. But they are fun if you don't read too many at once!
Susan wrote: "Have you read Murder in the Vicarage before, Lady Clementina?Carolien - Claws of the Cat sounds interesting. Is it a new book?"
Yes I have but long enough ago to forget the details.
Judy wrote: "Sorry Ruth, I haven't read any of the Miss Silver books yet so can't really answer. These early ones aren't really mysteries but far-fetched thrillers, the ones I've read so far anyway. But they ar..."The bit about being great fun as long as you don't read too many at once is true about Miss Silver as well!
I love the Miss Silver books and that's partly because you know where you are with them - it's always an unpleasant character that gets murdered and you know it won't be the romantic leads whodunnit. Also there is always a happy ending where everything is resolved to everyone's satisfaction!
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