What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 1,751-1,800 of 4,457

[Abbey]

finished GUARDIAN STONES, Eric Reed

and been sampling STORY CLASSIC CRIME, Martin Edwards

BUT my beloved Boston Public Library just delivered:
Bound By Mystery: celebrating 20 years of Poisoned Pen Press
Murder at Honeychurch Hall
A Few Right Thinking Men
The Wolfen
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

[Judy]

That little lot should keep you busy for a bit, Abbey! I've been meaning to try one of the Honeychurch books.

[Marcus]

Christmas in July, Abbey?!

[Abbey]

Judy wrote: "That little lot should keep you busy for a bit, Abbey! I've been meaning to try one of the Honeychurch books."
MURDER AT... is the first in series, friends on an email-list mentioned this and when I read the synopsis was hooked.

and Marcus wrote: Christmas in July, Abbey?!
oh, Marcus, isn't it *wonderful*! -grin-

bit of backstory: I'm housebound now, and although library branch is close, it's too far for me to walk, and no car. Over last couple of years been only reading Kindle books, a trying thing for an old book collector like me! No "other sensory stim", you know? no old paper smell, no different textures, bindings, etc, things I *love*. (for me Heaven would be a large UBS!).

Anyway, a couple of months ago our local branch started sending a Bookmobile for shut-ins, which means that I can now have *actual* books!! wheeee!

yeah. Christmas.

[Marcus]

I'm jealous Abbey! Enjoy it!

[Brina]

Guilty pleasure. I ordered Murder at Fenway Park by Troy Soos. I've already read two other books in the series.

[Jill H.]

Abbey wrote: "finished GUARDIAN STONES, Eric Reed

and been sampling STORY CLASSIC CRIME, Martin Edwards .....

I love Martin Gilbert's books on classic crime And am so glad that you can now have "touchable" books from your Bookmobile.....what a great service for those who can't go the the library.

[Abbey]

GUARDIAN STONES, Eric Reed, 2016.

#1 Grace Baxter, WW2, rural Shropshire England, 1941. A tiny village, "odd" inhabitants, much darkness and sadness, mixed with a stalwart young woman and a tired and damaged Visiting Academic. Unsettled times and places indeed, especially so once the children begin to vanish... Interesting setting and characters, and a good plot, but a somewhat sketchy execution at times. Entertaining, but I had hoped for a bit more substance: 3 out of five stars.

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


Series shows promise, am glad to have
#2 RUINED STONES, 2017 to review fairly soon.

[Marwan]

Started The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black

[Susan]

Just started Heads You Lose which will be our buddy read mid-August.

[Jan C]

Brina wrote: "Guilty pleasure. I ordered Murder at Fenway Park by Troy Soos. I've already read two other books in the series."

I have been stuck on the Cincinnati book for a while - The Cincinnati Red Stalkings.

[Annabel]

I've finished The Poisoned Chocolates Case and I must admit I didn't enjoy it hugely. For a celebrated Golden Age classic, seemed over-formulaic and in love with its own cleverness to me. I've posted a review on it - not very complimentary, I'm afraid.

[Jill H.]

Annabel wrote: "I've finished The Poisoned Chocolates Case and I must admit I didn't enjoy it hugely. For a celebrated Golden Age classic, seemed over-formulaic and in love with its own cleverness t..."

I think that happens sometimes when we read a highly touted GR mystery........authors were still using some plot devices that have since become clichés but were still fresh to that long ago audience of readers. I have been disappointed several times with classic stories for the same reason.

[Judy]

I had a similar experience when I read The Poisoned Chocolates Case. I remembered reading this as a teenager and loving it, and I also really enjoyed the short story version (with a different outcome!) in one of the British Library Crime Classics anthologies, but the novel somehow didn't hold the same magic for me 40 years on. I still liked it but didn't love it.

[Leslie]

I just finished Christiana Brand's Cat and Mouse. I have enjoyed some of her Inspector Cockerill mysteries but this was the first of her stand-alone mysteries I have read. I liked it and look forward to reading more.

[Abbey]

Leslie wrote: "I just finished Christiana Brand's Cat and Mouse. ...this was the first of her stand-alone mysteries I have read. I liked it and look forward to reading more..."

oh you have LOTS of "good stuff" ahead of you! She can be very dark AND very sly, and her plots are truly diabolical. Try her short story collection soon, it's spectacular:

my review BUFFET FOR UNWELCOME GUESTS:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jill H.]

I loved her Green for Danger which was the first one of hers that I read. She was sooooooo good!!!

[Robin]

I have just found Twelve Women Detective Stories in some books I had stored. It is edited by Laura Marcus and includes writers from 1861 to 1948. I've just finished Lot's Wife by F. Tennyson Jesse (1888-1958), which was predictable but worth reading. Her Pin to see the Peepshow (murder but not a mystery) was so very good and heartrending that I willingly read her first. The earliest writer is anonymous but the work is attributed to W.S.Hayward, The Mysterious Countess, which I'll read next.

[Susan]

I am currently reading The Devil's Claw . This is set in Guernsey and I can't recall reading a book set there before.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Susan wrote: "I am currently reading The Devil's Claw . This is set in Guernsey and I can't recall reading a book set there before."

I read a book set in Dorset & Guernsey for my Round Britain challenge - but I have come across other books set in Guernsey before. My parents spent their honeymoon on Guernsey, and we had a family holiday there when my brother was small.
I am still looking for books set on some of the other Channel Islands - Alderney, Herm & Sark (I remember reading one many years ago set on Herm but have been unable to locate it)

[Brina]

I finished A Caribbean Mystery. Excited for next month's discussion. Most likely the next mystery I read will be Troy Soos' Murder at Fenway Park and/or Kerry Greenfield's Cocaine Blues.

[Jill]

I really liked Cocaine Blues. Thought it was a lot of fun and will definitely try to get to the others in the series.

[Brina]

I added it when I saw you reading it. It looks like fun.

[Abbey]

Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "I am still looking for books set on some of the other Channel Islands "

I *think* (it's been a long time...! -g-) P.D. James' second "Cordelia Gray" book is set on one of the Channel Islands, THE SKULL BENEATH THE SKIN, waitaminnut....

[looked it up]

Wiki says "Set on fictional Courcy Island off Dorset coast."

My georgraphy re the Channel Islands is not strong, any chance she might have "meant" one of them? It's a doozy of a PI story, though with dark dark humo(u)r! A tempermental director, an ancient castle, a production of Duchess of Malfi, and Cordelia as bodyguard to an aging actress who has received threats...

[Abbey]

Jill wrote: "I really liked Cocaine Blues. Thought it was a lot of fun and will definitely try to get to the others in the series."

They only get richer - and better!

The settings and plots remain superb, and the characters grow and connect, love the series.

[Judy]

Susan wrote: "I am currently reading The Devil's Claw . This is set in Guernsey and I can't recall reading a book set there before."

These are not mysteries, but I've read two lovely books set in Guernsey. One is The Book of Ebenezer Le Page by G.B. Edwards - I think this is a masterpiece, an eccentric old man telling his life story.

The other is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, about the occupation during WW2 (which also features in Edwards' book). Both of these were published posthumously and I think were the only books by the authors.

[Robin]

Judy wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am currently reading The Devil's Claw . This is set in Guernsey and I can't recall reading a book set there before."

These are ..."
I recall really enjoying The potato Peel Society years ago. I am now wondering where it is on my shelves or in boxes in storage so I can whip through it again - I think it is a fast , enjoyable read.

[Judy]

Robin, hope you find your copy. I've just looked back and I see I gave The Potato Peel Society a slightly unenthusiastic review. But it has got much better in my memory (I sometimes find this with books, that I keep remembering them and realise I liked them better than I thought at the time), so I may revisit soon too.

[Robin]

Thank you, Judy. I'm just celebrating finding a box full of Agatha Christie and other mysteries! It could well turn up as I have around 10 boxes to unpack.

[Judy]

I've finished The Novice's Tale, the second Oxford Medieval Mystery by Ann Swinfen - I really enjoyed this one as I loved the characters, the setting and the way she writes, though I would have to admit the mystery element isn't very strong! It follows straight on from the first book in the series, The Bookseller's Tale, and even mentions whodunit in the first book.

Now moving on to another book set in Oxford, our group read for next month, The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin. I've only read a few pages so far and am enjoying the humour.

[Jill H.]

Judy........I think you might be in for a treat. Crispin's books are enjoyable. I read.The Case of the Gilded Fly years ago and remember liking it. Maybe it is time for me to re-visit his works.

[Judy]

Jill, if you are tempted to revisit and join in with our group read that would be great! I'm enjoying it so far.

[Jill H.]

It was at our small library when I read it several years ago. They remodeled and for some unknown reason they got rid of some of the classic mystery books/authors. I was looking for Nicholas Blake and suddenly realized after checking through the shelves that not only were his books gone but a bunch of others. It is very disheartening. I will check again but I am sure the Crispin is missing as well.

[Susan]

That's sad, Jill. I hate to see books taken out of libraries - especially fiction...

I just started Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

[Judy]

That's a shame, Jill - hope you do find Crispin is still at your library.

[Carolien]

Between a Rock and a Hard Place is the third in the Potting Shed series which I really enjoy. I learn something new in each book and I really enjoy the cast of characters. This one has some very light hearted moments as Prue is also planning her wedding while investigating the latest murder.

[Gary]

I also recommend the other series by Marty Wingate, the Birds of s Feather series.

[Jill H.]

Judy wrote: "That's a shame, Jill - hope you do find Crispin is still at your library."

My visit to the library was rather disturbing as I couldn't find many of the GA mystery books at all. I asked them about it and, as I expected, when they remodeled they got rid of them for new authors. The librarian and I then had a discussion about GA mystery and the fact that just because it is old, doesn't make it out-of date. She said that they weren't checked out that often and they sold them at the annual sale (I was out of town at the time......sigh!!) BTW, it was a friendly discussion!

So I got The Secret of Annexe 3 by Colin Dexter, book # 7 in the Inspector Morse series. I love the character of Morse and always have a picture of the handsome John Thaw who played him on the tv series, running through my mind when I read them.

[Judy]

Jill wrote: "My visit to the library was rather disturbing as I couldn't find many of the GA mystery books at all. I asked them about it and, as I expected, when they remodeled they got rid of them for new authors."

Sorry to hear that, Jill, and a shame you missed the sale Such a shame when books disappear from library shelves - sometimes at my local libraries it turns out they have gone into storage, but some do get sold off here too (though often those are old copies which are starting to deteriorate.)

Anyway, hope you enjoy the Colin Dexter book - I loved the Morse TV series but haven't read many of the books as yet. Hope to do so!

[Judy]

I've just noticed that Martin Edwards went on a blog tour to promote his new book, The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books. Here is a link to his post on the Euro Crime blog, which also has a list of the other blogs he visited:
http://eurocrime.blogspot.co.uk/2017/...

[Carolien]

Jill wrote: "Judy wrote: "That's a shame, Jill - hope you do find Crispin is still at your library."

My visit to the library was rather disturbing as I couldn't find many of the GA mystery books at all. I aske..."

My mother manages the library at her retirement complex (basically just one large room so not that much space for books). She only purchases books published post 1995 and unless it is a very popular author like Agatha Christie, she stocks very few older books. This seems to be a trend to the detriment of those of us reading older books.

[Jill]

Starting Dead Man's Footsteps by Peter James Number 4 in the Roy Grace series. I like this author a lot, also the fact that it is based in Brighton

[Corrie]

I am a new member and I have enjoyed reading the comments. I am a fan of many mystery authors except the authors who write especially gruesome tales of torture, brutality, and things of that nature. At the moment I am rereading John Grisham's The Partner, not one of my favorites, but I am rereading most of his books. I am also reading Elizabeth Ferrars's The Cup and the Lip.

[Brina]

Just finished Murder at Fenway Park. Next mystery to read is Cocaine Blues and looking forward to it thanks to everyone's positive feedback about it.

[Susan]

Corrie, quite a few of our members are not keen on the more gruesome crime books. Personally, I like both and have The Fourth Monkey lined up to read next, which has got a lot of good feedback.

[Corrie]

Thanks for the comment, Susan. I should have added that since I like spy thrillers and government undercover thrillers it is a little hard to escape brutality in books. I just sort of skim over that when I can, but then I sometimes loose track of who the good guys are and who are the bad guys..Well sometimes it is hard to know anyway. I am also reading Val McDermid Splinter the Silence.
One of her books, Place of Execution, is an especially interesting and intriguing mystery.

[Judy]

Welcome Corrie - I'm not keen on too much brutality in books either, so I also tend to read those bits quickly and get them over with!

[Ellen]

I have been reading the Bobby Owen mysteries by E. R. Punshon. I am getting ready to start number 11 Comes a Stranger

[Marcus]

Looking forward for your impressions about the Bobby Owen series Ellen. I want to try it.

[Susan]

Just started The Word is Murder Very quirky and well written so far, with the author a character in the mystery.