Reading the Detectives discussion
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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread
Brina wrote: "I picked up Talking About Detective Fiction by P. D. James. Sounds interesting."I read that book, Brina. It is short and enjoyable but I wished it had been longer and she had gone into a little more detail/information.
Brina wrote: "I picked up Talking About Detective Fiction by P. D. James. Sounds interesting."I read this with a book group the year before. Quite a nice read but she wasn't much of a fan of AC- though I like the latter's puzzles much better than PD James'.
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I've now started Anthony Berkeley's Poisoned Chocolates Case (sorry, I can't remember the exact title). This is an exact result of reading the Martin Edwards Golden Age Detectives book (which I am still halfway through). It was described as an actual classic of the genre, so I couldn't resist.So far, I am finding the characterisation a bit limited after Christie and Dorothy Sayers, but the puzzle element is entertaining.
Surprising that PD wouldn't like AC. I didn't really get a chance to start because my eyes got heavy. Its a short book-- 195 short pages so I should finish and report back later today.
Just starting Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood. Haven't seen any of the TV series but I know who the actors are, so probably will picture them whilst reading it. Don't know if that is a good thing or not.
Susan wrote: "I remember being SO confused that PD James did not admire AC. I thought they shared a lot - the closed community, etc. I like James, but I would agree that AC plots much better."I think James enjoyed *reading* AC but didn't admire her writing per se, quality-wise, literary-wise. Thought she was a bit of a sell-out, and pandering to her audiences which, imo, in the early 1960s when James was first being published, Christie (or her publishers) was/were!
Christie's 1930s and 1940s plots were superb, her twists, turns and double-backs became such a Big Thing that they seemed to overwhelm both the stories and the author herself. By the late 1950s Christie was essentially re-writing her own works/styles again and again, but each with a nice bit of twist, "good reads" but not great. And she had been Great.
Her publicity machine took over, and Christie kept writing for contractural reasons mainly, I think. Some of the books were good, some of them dreadful, most of them "just ok". But "everybody" by then (1960s) always and forEVER, wanted there to be a new "Christie For Christmas", every year!
I think that sort of near-rote writing is what James didn't much like.
Jill wrote: "Just starting Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood. Haven't seen any of the TV series but I know who the actors are, so probably will picture them whilst reading it. Don't k..."Books are MUCH better - series is fun, but far more "traditional" than Greenwood's characters are on the pages. She's a richly deeply evocative writer, and the tv shows are lightish in style, the books far darker underneath all the beautiful things and people.
and the series made major cast changes that I, as a long-time series reader, simply found "wanting". I know they had to keep the cast numbers down but one of the major appealing things of the written series is the gradual accumulation of friends and family (well, sort of) that Phryne grows around her, and how they ALL participate as intelligent, fun-loving types in her mysteries.
Plus they rubbed most of the really dark bits down to light greys on the films too - one of the wonderful things about the books is Greenwood's juxtasposition of the good stuff and the horrific (well-researched btw) - makes the stories really plush, very effective.
I caught up with the book and the comments here. I've read half and PD is essentially saying that-- she used the word cliched. At this point I haven't read the full gamut of Christie's cases but now I am curious to see the cases repeat themselves. Kerry Greenwood sounds interesting to me now as well but after this book I am going to take a break and switch to a different genre.
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That's just how I felt when I read this one fairly recently - I remember loving it as a teenager but it didn't quite live up to my memories.
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I read the books first and much prefer them over the TV series - which is great for the costumes and still enjoyable. I imagine it is which you did first. My biggest complaint is the change in the detective (Jack Robinson?) character. I liked the guy who just wanted to go home to his wife and orchids.
The name of the detective is Jack Robinson? Ok, as a baseball fan, now I'm curious to read Phrynne Fisher. I'm going to look for Cocaine Blues.
Brina wrote: "The name of the detective is Jack Robinson? Ok, as a baseball fan, now I'm curious to read Phrynne Fisher. I'm going to look for Cocaine Blues."I've been wanting to read Phrynne Fisher too- I've seen some of teh TV series and enjoyed it, especially the '20s atmosphere.
Lady Clementina wrote: "I've been wanting to read Phrynne Fisher too- I've seen some of teh TV series and enjoyed it, especially the '20s atmosphere. ."well, then you should VERY much enjoy the books! they're much better than the tv series for the depth of character AND the settings, the tv version was good, and fun; the books are superb! And very, very "1920s".
yes , the writing is a bit spoofy at times, but lovingly done, and some of the exploits are over-the-top, but geez, it's fun!
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Quite honestly I don't really think of it as a mystery, more of a romance with mystery elements - not as much far-fetched plotting as in the others by her I've read so far. It's a bit like Grey Mask (which came the following year) in terms of the characters, I think. One for true romantics, though the hero can get a bit annoying!
Finished The Daughter of Time
by Josephine Teyhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Started Rosemary's Baby
by Ira Levin
I finished Talking About Detective Fiction and here is my review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I've just finished A Caribbean Mystery and am pleased to have had to re-read it. Although I want to downgrade the stars I gave it. I went over the top and gave the novel four because it was better than my recall. However, that being said,I found quite a lot to recommend it. I like Miss Marple as AC's depiction of her mind at work is at odds with the physical spinster image she projects. I also thought that the clues were reasonably easily detected without being too obvious.
I'm re-reading Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody series. I finished Crocodile on the Sandbank a week or so ago and now I've moved on to The Curse of the Pharaohs. Amelia irritates me intensely sometimes, but I adore Emerson!
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Love that series! I haven't read the last one yet (chronological order, not published order) because I don't want to say good bye. The stories are mostly from Amelia's journals so it's amusing to picture the actual reactions and thoughts of the people around her.
See message 1701 above as I finished both books today. Now reading
Mud Run Murder by Leslie Langtry. So Merry Wrath is a former CIA field agent who was outed by a high government official. Now living in the middle of Iowa under the name Merry Wrath, her former life keeps popping up. Dead bodies show up on her doorstep. She is also the local assistant Girl Scout leader and trying to keep her girls safe from her former life. In the current book, Merry is high fiving herself when the dead body (pizza delivery guy) Is found dead in her boyfriend's driveway. Her boyfriend, Rex, is a detective on the local police force. The stories all tend to be LOL funny if your sense of humor is as warped as mine.
"Doris wrote: "I'm re-reading Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody series..."then Sandy wrote: "I haven't read the last one yet (chronological order, not published order)"
ooooo, I hadn't *thought* of that!!! EP is a long-time fave.
wow, that sounds like a great way to read the series, or reread it.
Yeah. "as if" I don't already have enough books on my plate, right??! -grin-
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I will continue with Campion ... and I will do it soon. You must have liked it if you're on to #4.
Sandy wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Just finished Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham. On to #4 (I think) Police at the Funeral."I will continue with Campion ... and I will..."
I might as well since I already have it on my Kindle.
In addition to
Mud Run Murder I am also working on
The Deadly Ackee by Joan Hess and
It and Other Stories: Collected Case Files of the Continental Op: The Early Years, Volume 2 by Dashiell Hammett
Since I am new to this group I am catching up on my Miss Marple's. Finished Murder in the Vicarage yesterday and started The Body in the Library today.
Jan C wrote: "Just finished Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham. On to #4 (I think) Police at the Funeral." and Sandy wrote: Sandy wrote: "I will continue with Campion ... and I will..."then JanC wrote: "I might as well since I already have it on my Kindle."
Oh, lordy, yes, DO! It's superb, very very dark. Here's my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Abbey wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Just finished Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham. On to #4 (I think) Police at the Funeral." and Sandy wrote: Sandy wrote: "I will contin..."I can't read the review until after I've read the book.
Jan C wrote: "I can't read the review until after I've read the book"I don't give spoiler info in reviews unless I very clearly and carefully show them with the "spoiler block" thing-y over them.There is nothing "damaging" in my review of POLICE AT THE FUNERAL, although I *quite* understand your reluctance! "My" concept of "not TMI" might not be yours and you don't want the read to be spoiled.
I do try in all my reviews to give a bit of "set-up" to the story, i.e., maybe some of what you will find in the first 5-10 pages. I mostly write about the characters and their personalities (or lack thereof...) and settings, and a bit of history, of the writer or of time period. And a bit of the plot but without specifics, AND when I can mislead -grin- I will. I consider my job as a reviewer is to draw you in towards wanting to read the story, not tell you all The Good Bits.
Over time you'll be able to figure out if my reviews can be "trusted" -grin- and if I tell/show ONLY "just enough"! for you.
Sandy wrote: "Since I am new to this group I am catching up on my Miss Marple's. Finished Murder in the Vicarage yesterday and started The Body in the Library today."I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in the Vicarage when I read it recently. I was disappointed that it had featured early in the challenge so there is no longer the opportunity to comment. However, thought I'd just let you know it is in another reader's mind too. I haven't read The Body in the Library recently but recall that the clues are really good and it is one that is worth trying to solve while reading.
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I thoroughly enjoyed Murder i..."
You can always comment, and please do. Many of us are always willing to revisit a book we enjoyed. Or one we hated. Its the mediocre ones that get ignored.
Thank you, Sandy. One of the features that resonated for me in Murder at the Vicarage was the humour. Some of the conversations between the vicar and his nephew and wife were 'laugh aloud' at times. The way in which the malicious gossip was undermined by Christie, but the ordinary chit chat in which so many of us indulge was depicted as just part of every day life was pleasing - something that is often criticised but really helps social interaction. There was quite a lot of caring exhibited in this novel, too. Lettice's concern for others, including Dennis; the relationship between the vicar and his wife; Miss Marple's determination that an innocent man and his family should not suffer. unlike some of the later novels, this one had some subtext that is worth exploring.
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Susan wrote: "Yes, Robin, please do feel free to resurrect any discussion threads. We do try to respond to new messages."I will (though not very soon) read some of the Sayers I missed last time and try to find the discussions.
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If you visit the group page on PC there is a search button on the right which can help to find an old thread. The Miss Marple and Wimsey threads are all in the Group Challenge section, with a general and a spoiler thread for each book.
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This isn't the first in his Inspector Littlejohn series, but not all have been reprinted, and it doesn't always matter much with police procedurals. Anyway I downloaded this one free after signing up to the Bellairs newsletter (I put details of this in the freebies thread yesterday).
Judy wrote: "Yes, all the discussion threads on past group reads are still open, so please do feel free to take a look and join in - as Susan says, we try to respond to new messages.If you visit the group pag..."
Thank you. That's great.
Finished
Mud Run Murder by Leslie Langtry. I love this series and highly recommend it if you like like fun mystery fiction. Any book that starts with the main character trying to give her cat Philby a pill is a winner in my book. "Do you know your cat looks like Hitler?" Then there is the laser tag match between our MC's girl Scout Troop, mostly 3rd graders and the much older local Boy Scout Troop. Now if only the MC's former life as a CIA field agent would stay away from her new life in Who's There, Iowa.Now just started
MacDeath by Cindy Brown
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I can't remember how this one made it onto my TBR list, but I'm so glad it did. A Deadly Affection is one of the best mysteries I've read this year. It's set in New York in 1907 and captures the feeling of early twentieth century New York very well - if you like Edith Wharton's New York, you'll enjoy this setting. The book also showcases both the progress and lack of progress that we have made in the medical field over the past century. There is no lack of of suspects and quite a few red herrings. It's a book that does not shy away from complexity in the characters and plot. Highly recommend it for lovers of historical mysteries.Just noticed that the ebook is on special on Amazon. The second in the series is due out in August.
Gary wrote: "Finished Mud Run Murder by Leslie Langtry. I love this series and highly recommend it if you like like fun mystery fiction. Any book that starts ..."Only problem is that 3rd graders are in the brownies - unless things have changed since I was a brownie/girl scout.
I'm currently half-way through Eric Reed's #1THE GUARDIAN STONES The Guardian Stones
in prep for reviewing #2 RUINED STONES Ruined Stones for ReviewingThe Evidence http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/
the #1 is slow, but well-written and interesting, especially the characters, although am having a bit of trouble with some odd viewpoint shifts (and a Pet Peeve - they're in italics -sigggh-)... ymmv
I put a Deadly Affection in my TBR, Carolien. I like your description of the book.
Jan C wrote: "Gary wrote: "Finished Mud Run Murder by Leslie Langtry. I love this series and highly recommend it if you like like fun mystery fiction. Any book..."Leslie either is or has been a Girl Scout Leader for many years according to her bio. Besides the comedy of a troop of little girls taking on the older boy scouts is too much fun.
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Reading the Detectives
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Thanks to a sale from Open Road Media on Monday, I was able to grab all but two books in this series for my Nook.