What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 1,551-1,600 of 4,457

[Annabel]

The Daughter of Time is amazing. Possibly my favourite Josephine Tey, although it needs to contend with Brat Farrar for that honour. (The Franchise Affair trailing in third.)

[Sandy]

I am reading The Secret of Chimneys, in my feeble attempt to read Christie in order. Lots of humor, a likable scamp for the male lead, a bright and interesting female lead, enjoyable!

I want to reread Daughter of Time someday. Just seems unlikely with so many first reads.

[Abbey]

oh, Sandy, CHIMNEYS is one of my fave Christies, lots of fun. have you seen the film? Wonderful! Can't remember whether it's #1 or #2, but both it and SEVEN DIALS feature my second-fave Christie heroine, Bundle Brent, and Cheryl Campbell's portrayal is wonderful too. DIALS is avail for streaming but have had lots of trouble locating the film of CHIMNEYS I *know* I saw late 70s!

btw (grin) my MOST-fave Christie heroine is Anne Beddingfield of MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT - and it's obvious that Elizabeth Peters had her in mind when she wrote the Amelia Peobody series, the similarities between several Christie novels and the earliest Amelia books are lots of fun to spot!

[Abbey]

...and I know many, if not most Tey fans consider DAUGHTER OF TIME to be her very best (of several extremely good-to-superb novels), but my fave is MISS PYM DISPOSES, from mid-1940s, set in and around an exclusive girls' school, and the psychological - and physical - machinations and power plays that go on there both within the faculty and the student populations, and, most tellingly, between them. Absolutely chilling, but very, very subtly done, she slides things past you oh-so-softly.....

[Lady Clementina]

Abbey wrote: "oh, Sandy, CHIMNEYS is one of my fave Christies, lots of fun. have you seen the film? Wonderful! Can't remember whether it's #1 or #2, but both it and SEVEN DIALS feature my second-fave Christie he..."

I love Chimneys too - Seven Dials a little less because it is a tad silly but both are great fun nonetheless and very Wodehousian.

[Abbey]

Lady Clementina wrote: "I love Chimneys too - Seven Dials a little less because it is a tad silly but both are great fun nonetheless and very Wodehousian."

that was VERY popular style at the time, mid-1920s, Christie was playing to what her publishers thought the audience wanted, and those light'n'fluffy mysteries were big big sellers!

Allingham did the same sort of thing, initially (1929) Albert Campion was exTREMEly Bertie Wooster-ish and slowly moved into sharp-tongued and sharper-witted detective as the series progressed; she continued to use "that sort of bloke" as his camoflage (can't spell it...) for a long time, but readers became more accepting of the intelligence rather than the physical presentation of the detective in the 1930s. So did Sayers with Lord Peter circa beginning ~1923, initially "a total ass" but over time showed more overt brains and less "flummery".

[Jill H.]

The "silly ass" upper class detective persona began wearing thin on readers and Allingham and Sayers were wise enough to moderate Campion and Lord Peter into more likeable fellows. Ellery Queen did the same but S.S. Van Dine didn't get the message and his Philo Vance series has not held up as well over the years, although his early books still are interesting reads because of the plots and in spite of Vance.

[Annabel]

I adore Anthony Cade. As a teenager I thought him awfully dashing. And I would have loved to be like Anne Bedingfield, far more accessible an aspiration for a teenager than the wealthy, established Virginia Revel.

I can see the flaws in both those books now but I still love then for their irresistible liveliness.

[Sandy]

Abbey, I love the Amelia Peabody series but never spotted similarities to Christie. I hope to re-do Amelia on audio someday (having discovered Barbara Rosenblatt's narration) and will pay more attention. Thank you for the excuse to re-visit one of my favorite families.

And, another author has taken up the series: The Painted Queen. I'm excited but apprehensive.

[Susan]

The Amelia Peabody series is another I started and never finished. I must go back to it as I recall enjoying it a lot.

[Judy]

I seem to be mainly reading non-mysteries at the moment but am about to start next month's Miss Marple, The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side.

[Judy]

Re the 'Silly Ass' detectives, I remember being disappointed as a teenager that Albert Campion became less silly in the later books! I can understand it more now though... as Jill says, this type of character could wear thin after a while.

[Abbey]

Sandy wrote: "Abbey, I love the Amelia Peabody series but never spotted similarities to Christie. I hope to re-do Amelia on audio someday (having discovered Barbara Rosenblatt's narration) and will pay more atte..."

CROCODILE ON THE SANDBANK by Peabody, 1975 #1 Amelia, has tons of similarities to Christie's MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT, particularly the beginning, where we see Anne at home when and just after her anthropologist father dies - same family set-up, same Independent New Woman ethos for Anne and Amelia.

And CURSE OF THE PHAROHS (Amelia #2 or 3, not sure, its the one with Lady Baskerville) is a deliberate re-working of Christie's MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA, with the archeological dig set-up AND most of the characters being similar, and Amelia as the Poirot detective, lovely!

and Barbara Rosenblatt's narrations are wonderful.

[Lady Clementina]

Abbey wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Abbey, I love the Amelia Peabody series but never spotted similarities to Christie. I hope to re-do Amelia on audio someday (having discovered Barbara Rosenblatt's narration) and will..."
I haven't read the first Amelia Peabody yet but the ones I read made me think very much of the Mummy movies - though teh characters in the book were far "crazier" if anything. I wondered if they were an inspiration.

[Abbey]

Lady Clementina wrote: "I haven't read the first Amelia Peabody yet but the ones I read made me think very much of the Mummy movies - though teh characters in the book were far "crazier" if anything. I wondered if they were an inspiration.
"

well, I *do* remember that in the early-to-mid-1990s there was a lot of talk about an Amelia Peabody movie being made, but they producers wouldn't come to terms with Elizabeth Peters. They essentially stole some of her material tho, because I definitely remember that just around that time there was a movie with maybe Stephanie Zimbalist? as a suspiciously Amelia-like archeologist! and then the two famous Mummy movies were 1999 and 2001 or so, and Evie *is* smart and brave and wild at times like Amelia, but the plots are quite different, plus they're set in mid-1920s and early 1930s; the Amelia stories ran from ~1885 thru the early 1920s.

and another connection to an earlier topic: around 1980 Stephanie Zimbalist played Anne Beddingfield in a wonderful production of MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT, lots of fun, plus it had Rue McClanahan as Mrs van Zant the worldly-wise wealthy widow who befriends Anne.

[Lady Clementina]

Abbey wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "I haven't read the first Amelia Peabody yet but the ones I read made me think very much of the Mummy movies - though teh characters in the book were far "crazier" if anythin..."

The plots are very different of course but the characters felt to me similar - in their temperament and actions.

I didn't know about the series. And I ahven't seen that adaptation of Brown Suit either. Stephanie Zimbalist was the one in Remington Steele, right?

[Jill H.]

Has anyone here read the Peter Gammon series by David Whellams? I am now reading the first book, Walking Into the Ocean and can't figure out if I like it or not. It has sections that are quite interesting and then the author goes off on side trips into philosophy and inter-office politics. It got pretty bad reviews on GR but I am keeping at it since I am curious about the identity of the murderer. It is a rather odd British police procedural/mystery set in modern times.....and "odd" being the key word. Plus at 400+ plus pages, the story could have been cut down by deleting all the detective's musings to about 250.

[Abbey]

whoo hoo! Library just coughed up:

THE GIRL I USED TO BE, April Henry, reviews etc are great, sort-of YA (ykwim) but she's a good strong plotter usually, so have high hopes, the premise sounds wonderful: 3-yo's Mum killed in front of her, and Dad vanishes, he believed to have done it, she sent to Foster Care but 14 yrs later HIS body turns up close to where the Mother's body found and it's obvious that he was killed the same time and same way too. The now-17yo girl wants answers, goes home for the Dad's funeral and realizes nobody recognizes her sooo... a bit soapy, but might be fun, it's my weekend treat!

also received:
ISLAND OF TEARS, Troy Soos, NYC immigrants, and those who use and abuse them circa 1890s as a reporter searches for a missing woman. First in series, I *loved* his baseball historical mysteries from a decade or two ago!

DEATH IN THE OFF-SEASON, Francine Matthews, #1 Merry Folger, Nantucket, my summerish treat, if I can't GET to the islands physically, then...! and will probably also reread Phoebe Atwood Taylor's "Asey Mayo, Cape Cod" series this summer too, yum! She's one of my all-time faves, another of those "forgotten Fems" authors from between-the-wars that I so love!

[Susan]

Just started The Blind and plan to start Hamlet, Revenge! for next months buddy read.

[Judy]

I've just started The Quiet Girl by Peter Høeg which so far seems extremely well-written but confusing! I remember being both hooked and infuriated by Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by the same author years ago... this one could have the same effect.

[Jan C]

Trying to get back to Marsh's The Nursing Home Murder.

[Judy]

I'm giving up on The Quiet Girl - it jumps around too much for me to understand what is going on.

[Jill H.]

Jill wrote: "Has anyone here read the Peter Gammon series by David Whellams? I am now reading the first book, Walking Into the Ocean and can't figure out if I like it or not. It..."

I finished this book. No, no, no!!! Won't be reading any more in that series.

If anyone is interested here is my short review.

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

[Gary]

Carolien wrote: "Gary wrote: "My current mystery reads are Doughnuts & Deadly Schemes by fellow Michigander Janel Gradowski and [book..."

It was really good. I will be reading the second in the series as soon as I finish two of my current reads.

[Judy]

I've just started reading Italian noir novella Almost Blue by Carlo Lucarelli, set in Bologna. It's a compelling start - partly narrated by a blind witness who hears colours in people's voices.

[Carolien]

Gary wrote: "Carolien wrote: "Gary wrote: "My current mystery reads are Doughnuts & Deadly Schemes by fellow Michigander [author:Janel Gradowski|5..."

Thanks, I'm completely overloaded at work at the moment, but will get to this one soon.

[Jan C]

I've just gone back to/started Hag's Nook, the first Gideon Fell story by John Dickson Carr. Really enjoying it although I'm only 70 pp in.

[Susan]

Hag's Nook is one I keep meaning to read, but it isn't on kindle and I am really trying not to buy any more books, so it goes on the back burner again, Jan.

[Jan C]

I went to a used book sale yesterday (possibly going back today or tomorrow). Brought back a number of books for less than $20. Appear to have also picked up 4 books I have duplicates of or read years ago and totally forgot about. Oh, well, a head start on next year's donations.

[Jan C]

Susan wrote: "Hag's Nook is one I keep meaning to read, but it isn't on kindle and I am really trying not to buy any more books, so it goes on the back burner again, Jan."

Why has Hag's Nook been on my shelf for so long? I put it down at 3 AM and seriously considered continuing to read.

[Jill H.]

Jan C wrote: "I went to a used book sale yesterday (possibly going back today or tomorrow). Brought back a number of books for less than $20. Appear to have also picked up 4 books I have duplicates of or read ye..."

I'm glad that I am not the only one who often buys books that I already have!!!! Happy reading, Jan C.

[Emma]

The Big Four by Agatha Christie. I am loving it, it's magic!

[Jill]

My husband does that a lot, he used to do it with CD's as well but thankfully there aren't so popular now.

[Brina]

I'm not sure how you categorize this but I'm reading Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford

[Susan]

Brina, I really enjoyed Woman on the Orient Express.

Oh, I buy books I had before (covers are important!). I am trying to restrain my obsession - or, rather, addiction. Even if I lived for 200 years, I couldn't possibly finish all the books I owned...

[Brina]

I'm 2/3 through. Story is interesting, writing is simple, I'll probably finish today at some point.

[Jill]

Just starting The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova I'm assuming it is a mystery although I realise it is based on Bram Stoker's classic. I'm not really into vampires and things like that , but this has had such mixed reviews, I thought I would see for myself

[Jan C]

Jill wrote: "Just starting The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova I'm assuming it is a mystery although I realise it is based on Bram Stoker's classic. I'm not really into vampires and th..."

I had it for a while but I'm not into vampires, etc., so I got rid of it.

[Susan]

I enjoyed The Historian. I don't mind the odd 'horror' book - although that is more literary fiction than horror. She is a good author and I also enjoyed The Shadow Land by her.

I have just startedIf We Were Villains, despite having far too many books on the go, as it has been suggested as similar to Donna Tartt's Secret History. A big claim, but we'll see...

[Susan]

By the way, I am a huge fan of both Donna Tartt and Marisha Pessl (the most similar author in style to her that I have found). Does anyone know of any other authors like them? I am always happy to have recommendations.

[Judy]

Susan wrote: "I enjoyed The Historian. I don't mind the odd 'horror' book - although that is more literary fiction than horror. She is a good author and I also enjoyed The Shadow Land by her. "

I haven't read anything by her so far, but have just got The Shadow Land out of the library as the Bulgaria book for my ongoing European challenge... which is going to leave me hooked on loads of new-to-me authors, just what I need.

I went for this one rather than The Historian because I'm not a vampire fan either!

[Judy]

I loved The Secret History but wasn't such a big fan of The Little Friend... haven't read The Goldfinch as yet.

[Susan]

The Goldfinch was the best so far, in my opinion. I liked The Little Friend, but the ending got a little lost...

Although I don't like vampire novels, a good book is a good book, and the Historian really drew me in. A really good author can make you look at genres you don't normally read. I would say that I do not like fantasy, but I have read a couple of books in that genre which I really liked.

[Judy]

Yes, a good author can tempt me to try genres I wouldn't normally consider too.

[Jan C]

I would agree but I do have a strong dislike for fantasy. I like to have some grounding in reality.

[Jill]

Jan C wrote: "I would agree but I do have a strong dislike for fantasy. I like to have some grounding in reality."

I have a strong dislike of love stories. The kind where " he looked in her eyes and she looked in his eyes". If a romance occurs in a story , that's ok , but if it trails on I loose interest.

[Michelle]

I loved The Historian. It is a vampire story but it is as far away from Twilight as you can get. It's much more literary and as the title suggests is also following a quest for historical work but not in a Da Vinci Code way.

If you enjoyed The Historian then The Discovery of Witches may be of interest although I was less keen on books two and three.

And I have to confess to reading the Da Vinci code and others by Dan Brown. They have their place and who wouldn't love someone whose response to a massive crisis that could end in death is "I have to get to a library, fast!"

[Abbey]

Jill wrote: "If a romance occurs in a story , that's ok , but if it trails on I loose interest."

me too. Romantic flavoring, not the majority of a meal in a story, thanks! I simply abhor what Brits call "twee!!" (LOVE that word, so evocative!), what I sometimes define in my reviews as "Cu-yoooote!!" writing, a sort of overdoing the attempt to seem "aDORable, simply too, too aDORable!", and one of my all-time gag-me-with-a-spoon "things" is:

when the heroine is soooo beautiful, gorgeous, magnificent, super-superlative that every, EVERY male who comes within range is instantly smitten. Not just interested or appreciative of her great beauty and, um "gifts" -grin- but totally *focused*, etc. ykwim.

When I was 12 I enjoyed thatsortathing for a while then grew tired of it, and I do understand why some folks always enjoy it, it's for them my equivalent of a nifty puzzle plot in a beautiful old house with almost but not quite likable rich folks Behaving Badly and some dry sharp humor - yummy! comfortable but not TOO.

But sweet, supra-cute ain't for me, thanks but no-thanks. a very little in a book IF not played for humor, goes a long way, and then quickly becomes fingernails-on-a-blackboard for me!

hey, is THAT metaphor going to go the way of the Dodo? Most kids don't have much access to blackboards and squeaky chalk these days, do they?

[Judy]

I really like romantic content in a crime book if it's done well but agree with you, Abbey, that it can get a bit much if everyone in sight is swooning over the detective - this also goes for male detectives and is a bit of a problem in some of the later Peter Wimsey books!

[Judy]

I really enjoyed Almost Blue by Italian author Carlo Lucarelli - a very atmospheric, poetic short thriller set in Bologna, which the author describes as part of a sprawling giant urban conurbation. This doesn't really have a mystery plot and is about the hunt for a serial killer, a plot I usually tend to avoid, but I really liked it.There is also romance and the detective (female) is beautiful...

I originally read this because I'd seen a mention that it might be partly set in San Marino, a tiny country I've been trying to include in my European challenge. In fact San Marino doesn't get a look-in in this one but does in the sequel
Day After Day. I won't be able to read this whole series as only those 2 have been translated into English!