What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 1,601-1,650 of 4,457

[Pamela]

Judy wrote: "I really enjoyed Almost Blue by Italian author Carlo Lucarelli - a very atmospheric, poetic short thriller set in Bologna...."

Thanks for this, Judy - have added to my TBR. Planning a visit to Bologna later this year so would be a good book to take :)

[Sandy]

I am about half through two mysteries, In This Grave Hour on audio and The Chalk Pit on kindle, both the most recent entries in series I follow. I feel so proud to be caught up in at least a few.

These two series illustrate a couple of different handling of romance in mysteries. In my opinion, only Maise Dobbs' very first, very short, romantic interest added anything. Her later interests haven't had any personality and I cared nothing about them. In fairness the romance element is not big in these books (and it is not one of my very favorite series for other reasons). The plots are interesting but I don't watch for the next book.

In contrast, Ruth Galloway's personal relationships, and those of her friends, are a major interest for me. Ruth is the physical opposite of a romantic heroine and gives hope to dumpy middle-aged women. The personal entanglements of the major and minor characters add a lot to the stories and I will miss the cast while waiting for the next book.

[Jill]

Sandy wrote: "I am about half through two mysteries, In This Grave Hour on audio and The Chalk Pit on kindle, both the most recent entries in series I follow. I feel so proud to b..."
I like the Ruth Galloway series a lot. Mainly , I think because of Ruth's characteristics . I like the relationships in these books because it is not of the soppy variety.

[Lady Clementina]

Not reading yet but I picked up something called Enigma by Robert Harris (new to me author) yesterday- with a World War II, enigma machine theme.

[Sandy]

Lady Clementina wrote: "Not reading yet but I picked up something called Enigma by Robert Harris (new to me author) yesterday- with a World War II, enigma machine theme."

I've read two by Harris, An Officer and a Spy and Conclave, and liked them very much. Pompeii is on my TBR. Please report back on Enigma.

[Lady Clementina]

Sandy wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Not reading yet but I picked up something called Enigma by Robert Harris (new to me author) yesterday- with a World War II, enigma machine theme."

I've read two by Harris, ..."

I will :)

[Jill H.]

Just started reading #2 in the John Rebus series. I don't know how I missed it since I have read almost all of them. It is starting out well.

by Ian Rankin

[Susan]

I like Robert Harris a lot, Lady. Let us know how you get on :)

[Judy]

Michelle wrote: "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 ..."

I have only seen the film of The Da Vinci Code, but loved that line "I have to get to a library fast" too!

[Judy]

Pamela wrote: "Judy wrote: "I really enjoyed Almost Blue by Italian author Carlo Lucarelli - a very atmospheric, poetic short thriller set in Bologna...."

Thanks for this, Judy - ha..."

Hope you enjoy it, Pamela - both book and visit, that is. :)

[Carolien]

Sandy wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Not reading yet but I picked up something called Enigma by Robert Harris (new to me author) yesterday- with a World War II, enigma machine theme."

I've read two by Harris, ..."

Pompeii is a wonderful read. I really enjoy Harris, just haven't read enough of him.

[Abbey]

Judy wrote: " 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! "

Well, Sayers DID admit she was, herself, in love with Lord Peter!

But I think that as a writer she was just pushing the envelope, trying to see how far she could go with the emotional content - at that time (late 1920s) detective stories, especially with lead detectives that we now call "Iconic" ones, i.e. Holmes, didn't show their *personal* lives much, definitely not their emotions, or how they truly felt - the sidekick, yes, a bit, usually very sweeeeetly or stereotypically, but limited.

Sayers wanted to expand the limits of what she considered The Detective Story from its then-narrow definitions. And she was quite funny about it, as when she warned her fans with the subtitle that the last novel BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON was "a love story with detective interruptions, in which Lord Peter plays the leading part".

plus, IMO she was a bit P'O'd about her fans and publisher pushing so da**ed hard for a resolution to the Vane/Wimsey love story, so she went over-the-top, just to be DONE with it!

[Susan]

I have started, Hamlet, Revenge!, the second Inspector Appleby mystery, which is one that some of us are planning for a buddy read next month. Everyone is welcome to join in - remember, we read the first in a series as a group read a while ago.

[Judy]

I'm in the Lake District at the moment and have started The Lake District Murder by John Bude, a British Library Crime Classics reprint. Good so far.

Will also be starting Hamlet, Revenge! by
Michael Innes soon, ready. for our buddy read in early July.

[Judy]

Interesting thoughts on Sayers, Abbey. I love the romantic elements between Peter and Harriet and am a fan of Busman's Honeymoon, but I do find it a bit excessive when a lot of other female characters start going weak at the knees for him in the later books!

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Judy wrote: "I'm in the Lake District at the moment and have started The Lake District Murder by John Bude, a British Library Crime Classics reprint. Good so far...."

I enjoyed the John Bude books, however I think the Lake District one was the one that I enjoyed the least.

I'm continuing my way through the Dandy Gilver series, and intend starting Bobby Owen next. I've also got part way through Rivers of London and Inspector Faro which I want to get back to.

[Sandy]

I read the first Danny Gliver awhile back and still mean to continue.

[Ellen]

Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "Judy wrote: "I'm in the Lake District at the moment and have started The Lake District Murder by John Bude, a British Library Crime Classics reprint. Good so far......"

I am up to number 7 in the Bobby Owen series. I really like them and it makes me happy that I still have many more to go.

[Judy]

Jay-me, I've now finished The Lake District Murder and didn't enjoy it all that much overall - I thought it got bogged down in plot details and didn't really have much about the Lake District.

[Jill H.]

Just finished re-reading another Peculiar Crimes Unit book. With all the books I have to read, why am I re-reading? But I love this series.

The Victoria Vanishes: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery by Christopher Fowler

[Annabel]

I love Robert Harris's thrillers. Enigma and Pompeii are my favourites (Enigma is also a really good film, Pompeii sadly probably unfilmable). Archangel's also not bad, although a bit bleak, and there's The Ghost, which Roman Polanski filmed with Pierce Brosnan in and is also v good.

I've never managed to get on with Harris's Roman series. I tried the first one and they are very well-researched, but I just found it a bit dry. My impression is that he started off writing about WWII because he was passionate about that era (Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel all set then) but then felt he exhausted that time period and had to turn to other settings to ring the changes.

Also I saw him talk at the Henley Festival and he said it's a nightmare trying to write about contemporary politics because it moves so fast. If you want to talk about what's going on now, it's better to do so through the lens of a historical allegory - which was an interesting insight.

[Lady Clementina]

Annabel wrote: "I love Robert Harris's thrillers. Enigma and Pompeii are my favourites (Enigma is also a really good film, Pompeii sadly probably unfilmable). Archangel's also not bad, although a bit bleak, and th..."

I'm reading Jane and Prudence at the moment for a group read on the 1st and plan to start Enigma as soon as I finish.

[Susan]

Robert Harris also has a new book coming out soon which looks interesting Munich. If we have a lot of Robert Harris fans then a buddy read could always be suggested, even if he doesn't fit into the GA category. We have three lined up: the next Inspector Appleby Hamlet, Revenge!, the first Inspector Cockerill Heads You Lose and the third Nigel Blake There's Trouble Brewing. I would happily help run a Harris buddy read if there was any consensus on which book to choose?

[Judy]

I'm reading The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the first in a series about Department Q, a cold cases police department in Copenhagen. Good so far.

[Susan]

That seems to be titled, "Mercy," on kindle, Judy. That's strange, that they changed the title.

[Judy]

I'm reading it on Kindle with the 'lost causes' title - odd that it has 2 titles, I agree!

[Susan]

So annoying if you end up buying the same book twice - that happened to me a couple of times on kindle until I learnt to be more careful!

[Judy]

Susan wrote: "Robert Harris also has a new book coming out soon which looks interesting Munich. If we have a lot of Robert Harris fans then a buddy read could always be suggested, even if he does..."

I've never read anything by Harris and don't know much about him, but could be interested - I will find out more. :)

[Pamela]

Susan wrote: "]. If we have a lot of Robert Harris fans then a buddy read could always be suggested, even if he does..."

Oh yes please! I love Robert Harris's books (have read 4 or 5 I think) so would definitely be up for that.

[Brina]

I'm reading The DaVinci Code. Not sure whether to classify as thriller or mystery but it's intriguing so far, about 40% done.

[Lady Clementina]

Brina wrote: "I'm reading The DaVinci Code. Not sure whether to classify as thriller or mystery but it's intriguing so far, about 40% done."

I enjoyed that one- Angels and Demons a little more- everyone isn't too pleased with his writing but I enjoy all the info he gives one and the settings.

[Carolien]

Judy wrote: "I'm reading The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the first in a series about Department Q, a cold cases police department in Copenhagen. Good so far."

Would like to know what you think. It's been on my TBR for ages.

[Judy]

I'm about 40 per cent of the way through and finding it a compelling read, Carolien - some bits are quite disturbing but very readable.

[Judy]

I've been catching up with the Sunday papers and belatedly noticed that there was a review of the new book byMartin Edwards, The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books, which made it sound very good. Only in hardback at the moment though.

[Susan]

I have a copy via NetGalley, but I haven't read it yet.

[Sandy]

Martin Edwards is quite prolific. I just heard a review on Classic Mysteries of his collection of impossible locked room murders.

[Sandy]

Reading the GR synopsis reminded me that the podcast The Readers has a group read of Strangers on a Train later this summer. I plan to read it as it is another classic I missed.

[Abbey]

Susan wrote: "I have a copy via NetGalley, but I haven't read it yet." [re STORY OF CLASSIC CRIME IN 100 BOOKS, Martin Edwards]

ohh, *lucky* woman! Lesa's Book Critiques has a wonderful review:
https://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/

[Brina]

I finished The Da Vinci Code. More of a quest than mystery but still fun. Next mystery I will read is Mirror Crack'd for this group.

[Annabel]

I'm reading Martin Edwards' review of Golden Age novelists at the moment. The locked room murders one sounds potentially even more interesting but my problem with the one I'm reading is that he is determined to avoid spoilers, so there's very little discussion of the actual murderers or their methods, which makes the exercise somewhat meaningless. It would be even worse with locked rooms, surely, because all the interest lies in answering HOW and if you can't discuss how that's done, what could you say at all?

I think it's better with this sort of book to make each chapter about just two or three books and give a warning at the start, so people can skip that chapter if they are desperate to avoid spoilers. I've read quite a few books about Agatha Christie's writing and they usually take that approach.

[Judy]

The locked rooms book edited by Martin Edwards, Miraculous Mysteries, is a short stories collection so the spoiler issue shouldn't be a problem, Annabel . I've read two or three of the other short story collections he edited for British Library Crime Classics and they feature a good mix of writers.

I have come across the problem you mention though, in some author biographies - can't think of any examples at the moment!

[Abbey]

Annabel wrote: "I'm reading Martin Edwards' review of Golden Age novelists..."

Edwards has repeatedly stated in interviews that he wanted to make this book an overview of the history of mystery writing, stylistic concerns, etc. (and I suspect, NOT a "this is how they did it!" sort of book). So his scope is vey long-range, not on particular solutions or plot twists.

I love that sort of thing, but am admittedly biased -grin- since one of my most MAJOR Pet Peeves is of book reviews or synopses that give you a lot of The Good Bits of the plots, or TV/movie trailers that give you most of the plot devices, twists etc, right then and there! *Entice* me, yes, don't *tell* me then! Let *me* decide when, or if, *I* want to read the book, see the movie, etc.

I am, though, sorry you're disappointed Annabel, a disapointing book is always sad!

[Judy]

I've now finished The Keeper of Lost Causes and was disappointed - I liked the police procedural element and the characters (though the main cop is a bit cliched) but the mystery plot is very weak imo. I found it a quick and quite enjoyable read but ended up feeling I had wasted my time. Not sure if I will read more in the series.

[Tania]

I've been meaning to read ore of the short story collections, but have only read Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries so far.
At the moment I'm reading The Phantom of the Temple, a Judge Dee Mystery. These books are great comfort reads for me, heading back into familiar territory. Love them.

[Jan C]

I have gone back to Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham. Another book I've been reading for years. Started it some time ago and set it aside for one reason or another.

[Judy]

I've started Ice Blue, which so far seems to be a slightly strange cross between a Sayers novel and a modern police procedural.

It's about Tony, a 60-year-old cop who is also an aristocrat - and who falls for a much younger East End sergeant, Kate. I didn't particularly mean to read this one today but was hanging around for a while and it was on my Kindle - one of the books I picked up from Prime reading.

[Abbey]

Jan C wrote: "I have gone back to Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham. Another book I've been reading for years. Started it some time ago and set it aside for one reason or another."

That's aka GYRTH CHALICE, right? One of my faves of hers, a fun romp, very very classic 1930s stuff. Lots of it quite silly, but elegantly done.

Have you seen the tv film of it? Superb! Peter Davison as CAMPION in the eponymously named show from 1990, wonderful stuff and the film is even better than the book imo. Shows up on streaming occasionally, currently is on BritBox along with the rest of that glorious series.

[Jan C]

Abbey wrote: "Jan C wrote: "I have gone back to Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham. Another book I've been reading for years. Started it some time ago and set it aside for one rea..."

I didn't know it had a different British title but it makes sense. That is the family's name and there is a chalice at the center of the story. So far it is kind of silly.

Yes, they took it off Netflix a while back and Roku doesn't appear to contain BritBox in its menu. I haven't noticed it as an Amazon channel either.

[Judy]

I love Look to the Lady! Must say I never felt the TV series quite got the atmosphere of the books though I did enjoy it.

[Judy]

I've stalled on Ice Blue which is very silly though I will probably finish it just for the romantic story - now also reading Hamlet, Revenge! ready for our buddy read.