What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 1,801-1,850 of 4,457

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

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..."

A little off topic, but I thought I had lost my copy of Mansfield Park.* I wasn't too concerned as I figured I would be able to get a kindle copy (& did) but also checked my local library & was stunned to find almost all the Austen had been deleted. They offer ebooks, but I'm kindle & I'm not sure how I would get on with that. I know it's a balancing act for libraries but I would have thought at least P&P could have gone in stacks.

* Fortunately found my copy at work.

[Judy]

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

How are you finding them, Ellen? I've only read the first 4 so far and have found them a bit uneven though I do enjoy his writing style. I liked book 4, Mystery Villa but it is a bit of a rip-off of Great Expectations! Will hope to go on to the next in the series soon.

[Ellen]

Marcus wrote: "Looking forward for your impressions about the Bobby Owen series Ellen. I want to try it."
I have enjoyed them all. So far my favorites were #4 Mystery Villa and #5 Death of A Beauty Queen.

[Ellen]

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

How are you finding them, Ellen? I've only read..."

I find Bobby Owens very likable which is always a great plus for me. He is intelligent, hard working and just an all around nice guy.

[Jill H.]

Just picked up The Yard by Alex Grecian at the library. This is #1 in the series......I have read two other of his books, one I liked, one I didn't. This will break that tie (I hope on the positive side!)

[Jill H.]

I either found a treasure or trash today at a vintage book sale......the book, copyright 1937, does not seem to be in the GR system but the author is, although the majority of his work seems to be American westerns. A quick scan through the pages didn't tell me much. But for $1.00 I couldn't pass it up.

Here's to Crime by Courtney Ryley Cooper

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

Jill wrote: "I either found a treasure or trash today at a vintage book sale......the book, copyright 1937, does not seem to be in the GR system but the author is, although the majority of his work seems to be ..."

If you like Jill I can enter this book in the GR system (I'm a librarian) I just need the number of pages & publisher. I take it that this is a hardback?

[Jill H.]

Yes, it is a hardback. I will be reading it in the next month and will get back to you if it is worth adding to the system. I just couldn't get a feel for it with a quick scan.

[Judy]

I've started Siren of the Waters by Michael Genelin, which is the first in the series about Commander Jana Matinova. She is in the Slovak police force and based in Bratislava, but travels around Europe.

I read the start of this as a sample (I do this quite a bit) and thought it looked good - then noticed the price had gone down on Kindle (currently £2.54) so I bought the book.

[Carolien]

I've been reading quite a bit in between work and studies - I have a pile of library books that must be returned!

I read the third book in the Anders Knutas series by Mari Jungstedt, The Inner Circle. The second book in the series suffered from second-book syndrome, but we seem to be getting back in our stride and it is a very interesting plot based on old Nordic folklore. I love the setting of these books - Gotland, a Swedish island and I would love to visit Visby one day. The photos on Google are gorgeous.

Since I was then in the mood for Nordic books, I ignored the library pile and picked up Ashes to Dust from the bookshelf, another third in a series. I can understand why Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is regarded as one of the top Nordic Noir authors. In this case, it was possible to figure out some of the historical part of the plot, but the twists that were piled on top of that ensured a very unexpected ending. One of the other reasons that I enjoy this series, is that Thora, the main character is such a normal person with all the challenges of a single mother.

On the plane back from Cape Town last night, I chose to read Banker's Death another third in a series! I adore this series set in beautiful Florence. There is always an interesting plot and the cast of characters is just wonderful.

[Gary]

Current reads are
Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse by Harper Lin

Case of the One-Eyed Tiger by Jeffrey M. Poole

[Jill]

Just starting I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes. This has been highly recommend to me, so we shall see

[Marcus]

Great book, Kate. I liked it a lot!

[Susan]

Odd, isn't it, how we respond differently to books. I never really liked the first Nero Wolfe book and I didn't read on.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Susan wrote: "Odd, isn't it, how we respond differently to books. I never really liked the first Nero Wolfe book and I didn't read on."

I've not read any because for some reason they just don't appeal to me. But if everyone all liked the same books we wouldn't have such interesting discussions.

I'm reading Agatha Raisin at the moment, I read the first four some time ago and didn't continue with the series even though I had the books on my kindle. I didn't (and still don't ) find Agatha a likeable character. But one of the next books in the series is set in Worcestershire and I am struggling to find books set in that county to choose between. Because I downloaded them to my kindle before 2014 they also count to a challenge I set myself to read books that had been on my kindle for a while.

[Susan]

No, they didn't appeal to me either, Jay-me. It was a group read, for another group, which I think was part of the problem. Book groups are wonderful for introducing you to new books, but if you feel you 'have' to read something you don't really fancy reading, it can also turn you off books/authors.

[Jan C]

Just finished The Rubber Band and will move on to The Red Box tonight.

The Rubber Band/The Red Box 2-in-1 by Rex Stout

[Judy]

Kate Thompson wrote: "Marcus wrote: "Great book, Kate. I liked it a lot!"

I have always wanted to read the Nero Wolfe books. It didn't take long to get me hooked."

Welcome, Kate! I'm really enjoying the Rex Stout books and you've just reminded me that it's been too long since I last read one - must get hold of another one very soon. I quite enjoyed Fer-de-lance but really loved some of the others, especially the second book in the series, The League of Frightened Men.

Fer-de-lance was a group read here some months back - if you want to see the discussion, here is a link to the general thread:

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

And this is a link to the spoiler thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jill H.]

I am a Nero Wolfe fanatic and have read almost, if not all, of the 40+ books by Stout. But i can also see why they wouldn't appeal to all since Wolfe is probably not the most endearing character...his eccentricities were often featured at a cost to the plot.

[Susan]

I should say that I read Nero Wolfe a while ago, for another group, although the first book was also a group read here.

[Judy]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Kate.

[Pamela]

I'm currently reading Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, a mystery but not GA as it's set in modern Venice. I've had several books from this series on my shelves for a while, so have made a start. Enjoying it so far.

[Sandy]

Pamela wrote: "I'm currently reading Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, a mystery but not GA as it's set in modern Venice. I've had several books from this series on my shelves for a w..."

That series has been on my TBR for awhile so looking forward to your opinion. So many books!

[Annabel]

With regard to Channel Islands-set books, I don't know if anyone has already mentioned Appointment With Venus? I read this as a child, thinking it was a lovely story about cows, but it's actually a tense (and at times quite dark) thriller. I have a sudden urge to read it again as an adult, if I can find a copy.

[Jan C]

Pamela wrote: "I'm currently reading Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, a mystery but not GA as it's set in modern Venice. I've had several books from this series on my shelves for a w..."

I've read a number of Leon's books. I think they get better after La Fenice, although it is good to start with the first one. A rare series, in that the cop is a normal person with a family. She tends to dwell a fair amiunt on the corruption surrounding him.

And I don't think the books are published in Italian. German television did a series on it which is shown on MHZ.

[Abbey]

Annabel wrote: "With regard to Channel Islands-set books, I don't know if anyone has already mentioned Appointment With Venus? I read this as a child, thinking it was a lovely story about cows, but it's actually a..."

It's on Kindle US:
https://www.amazon.com/Appointment-Ve...

[Brina]

I just read Cocaine Blues and really enjoyed it but now I don't know which mystery to read next.

[Annabel]

I have no Kindle sadly so I'll have to resort to Ebay (which given that I love discovering books I want in secondhand bookshops so much), feels like cheating. But the children won't let me haunt bookshops like I did in my youth, so perhaps there's justification in Ebay.

I am currently reading The Red House Mystery and The Floating Admiral, which just goes to show how bad I am at sticking to one book. These are both thanks to reading The Golden Age book about the Detection Club by Martin Edwards. So far, nothing it has prompted me to read has really wowed me and so far I'm unconvinced by these two, but ever since finishing A Tale Of Two Cities I've vowed never to judge a book until I've read the ending.

Reading these other Golden Age books just makes me appreciate my existing favourites all the more, to be honest. People often slight Agatha Christie as a writer of compelling characters, but I find people like Elinor Carlisle, Mrs Dane Calthrop and Megan Hunter deeply believable and appealing. And Dorothy Sayers was a fantastic writer of settings (thinking of the Nine Tailors, mostly.)

[Jan C]

Kindle books (and, I assume, other e-books) can be read on your computer/tablet/smartphone.

[Sandy]

I just read my first Cadfael, A Morbid Taste for Bones and loved it as I expected to. The TV series with Derek Jacobi years ago was great. Yet another series that I intend to read.

[Susan]

The Cadfael books are great, I agree, Sandy.

[Sandy]

I am currently reading Strangers on a Train and finding it uncomfortable. It is not my normal read with likeable protagonists. I'll finish it but reluctantly.

[Marwan]

Started reading Hit Man by Lawrence Block

[Leslie]

Sandy wrote: "I am currently reading Strangers on a Train and finding it uncomfortable. It is not my normal read with likeable protagonists. I'll finish it but reluctantly."

That was my reaction to the only Patricia Highsmith I have read -- The Talented Mr. Ripley. I read this many years ago (long before the popular film) and decided she wasn't for me.

I love the Hitchcock film version of Strangers on a Train - is the book much different?

[Jill H.]

I am about halfway through the book cited below. I have read this author many times but this book is a little different from his usual style and has me guessing as to how it will end. It is an unusual story and even though the first person narrator is not a detective, he is detecting, rather against his will, the murder of a friend that happened 30 years prior to the setting of the book.

A Scandal in Belgravia by Robert Barnard

[Sandy]

Leslie wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I am currently reading Strangers on a Train and finding it uncomfortable. It is not my normal read with likeable protagonists. I'll finish it but reluctantly."

That was ..."

I saw the Hitchcock movie so long ago all I remember is the meeting on the train and a dark atmosphere. I may re-watch it after I finish the book.

[Gary]

Sandy wrote: "I just read my first Cadfael, A Morbid Taste for Bones and loved it as I expected to. The TV series with Derek Jacobi years ago was great. Yet another series that I intend to read."

I will be reading this book this month for a reading challenge in another group. I have most of the Cadfael books on my Nook.

[Brina]

I'm reading The Beast by Faye Kellerman.

[Abbey]

Just now finished:
AFTER THE ARMISTICE BALL
Catriona McPherson, #1 Dandy Gilver

must say, was rather disappointed, review soon.

[Susan]

Just finished - and loved - The Word is Murder

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

About to start, Bucket's List: A Victorian Mystery

[Sandy]

Susan wrote: "Just finished - and loved - The Word is Murder

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

About to star..."

Both sound good, Susan. I've had various Horowitz's on my TBR for a long time, but never tried any. I'm looking forward to your review of Bucket List. (Amusing use of 'bucket'; I was thinking it was a very non-Victorian phrase until I read the book's description.)

[Sandy]

Abbey wrote: "Just now finished:
AFTER THE ARMISTICE BALL
Catriona McPherson, #1 Dandy Gilver

must say, was rather disappointed, review soon."

Too bad; that is a series I liked well enough to read the second ... and, some day, the third.

[Corrie]

I am reading A Perfect Crime by Peter Abrahams. You know who the victim or victims are supposed to be, but the suspense is how, when, and the complications that come from the plan.

[Susan]

Sandy, if I could have given The Word is Murder more than five stars, I would have. It really is brilliant. Also loving the Victorian crime book - haven't read that author before.

[Judy]

As a Dickens fan, I'm very intrigued by the sound of Bucket's List, Susan - will be interested to read your review.

I would also like to read more Horowitz as I did enjoy Magpie Murders even though I was annoyed by one of the plot twists.

[Judy]

Corrie wrote: "I am reading A Perfect Crime by Peter Abrahams. You know who the victim or victims are supposed to be, but the suspense is how, when, and the complications that come from the plan."

Will be interested to hear what you think of this one, Corrie. I've read a few books written this way round in the past and I think it is just as tense (or even more so) following a murder plot from that viewpoint.

[Susan]

Dickens does feature in Bucket's List, Judy. I will let you know what I think. Like I said, I hadn't heard of the author before, but it is good so far.

[Annabel]

I agree with the people further up the thread who are not liking Patricia Highsmith. Her books often make great films but I started Strangers On A Train and couldn't get past the actual meeting on the train because all the characters were so unsympathetic. I had the same problem with The Talented Mr Ripley and have decided to leave it there.

I'm sad that you didn't like After The Armistice Ball, Abbey. I love this series - I do admit it has plenty of flaws, but I think ATAB is one of the better ones, so there's little hope of you enjoying any of the others! Never mind, it would be boring if we all agreed.

[Sandy]

I finished Strangers on a Train and was really speed reading the second half as I just wanted these people out of my life. It is well written as the characters and plot are engrossing and inventive. I was surprised to find out it was her first book as it is quite accomplished. However, I am definitely a "read for pleasure" type.

[Judy]

I've started reading The House in Charlton Crescrent by Annie Haynes which was on my Kindle and have now realised it's book 2 in a series - I should have checked first. Enjoying it anyway - the first book I've read by this author.