What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 151-200 of 4,475

[Susan]

I think that is part of the fun of those early mysteries, isn't it Leslie? They are puzzles, in the true sense of the word.

[Leslie]

Susan wrote: "I think that is part of the fun of those early mysteries, isn't it Leslie? They are puzzles, in the true sense of the word."

Indeed :)

[Carolien]

I've just finished The Winter Queen which is a great romp through late 19th century Russia. There's a mystery, but I'd probably classify it more in the thriller category.

[Leslie]

Everyman wrote: "Leslie wrote: "
I am waffling between re-re-reading a Stout (The Doorbell Rang) or a Ngaio Marsh (Death in Ecstasy)... ."

You can't lose either way. But I do love "The Doorbell Rang." At least if ..."

I ended up reading something completely different - The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri. But I will keep the Stout on my bedside table :)

Meanwhile a new month has brought a new round of BoTM. I have just finished the one for the Heyer group, A Blunt Instrument. Now reading a contemporary cozy for the Cozy Mystery group, Murders on Elderberry Road. The writing isn't bad but I am pretty sure that I have already spotted the culprit at about a quarter of the way through... Next will be our BoTM!

[Judy]

HJ, P.D. James' comment hadn't struck me until you pointed it out, but, yes, I'm definitely seeing from the Martin Edwards book that there were a lot of male authors at the time who were very popular but have now been largely forgotten.

I'm not sure, though, whether Christie, Sayers and the others you name were always the most popular of all, or whether they have just proved to have more staying power?

[Judy]

P.S., it just struck me that P.D. James would have been old enough to read many of the Golden Age stories as they were published - she was born in 1920, so it would be nice to think that she read some of the 1930s books hot off the press as a teenager. I do like her books, and also liked the TV adaptations with Roy Marsden as Adam Dalgliesh.

[Sandy]

Judy wrote: "P.S., it just struck me that P.D. James would have been old enough to read many of the Golden Age stories as they were published - she was born in 1920, so it would be nice to think that she read s..."

Very interesting; it adds a new (to me) dimension to her opinions.

[Susan]

I love P D James - such a shame that we lost her last year. It is nice to think she read those books as they were published. If you think about it, she did tend to write many of her novels set in closed communities, which were popular in Golden Age mysteries.

[Judy]

I'm currently enjoying a very quirky contemporary mystery, The Herring Seller's Apprentice by L.C. Tyler. This is the first in the Elsie and Ethelred series, about a mystery writer called Ethelred and his loudmouth publisher Elsie.



This is not really like anything else I've read - I love the witty writing style, and am especially enjoying the extracts from Ethelred's latest novel, a sort of Inspector Morse spoof, although I don't think these bits have anything to do with the plot!

[Susan]

Another one I have on my kindle and haven't got around to reading yet. I must bump that up the list, Judy :)

[HJ]

Judy wrote: "HJ, P.D. James' comment hadn't struck me until you pointed it out... I'm not sure, though, whether Christie, Sayers and the others you name were always the most popular of all, or whether they have just proved to have more staying power? ..."

I don't think they were always the most popular, but I do think they had more staying power (and I suspect that that is what PD James really meant).

[Gitte]

Judy wrote: "I'm currently enjoying a very quirky contemporary mystery, The Herring Seller's Apprentice by L.C. Tyler. This is the first in the Elsie and Ethelred series, about ..."

At the moment, I'm reading a book by a Danish author called Anna Grue. If I translate the title, it would be "the art of dying". It's the 3rd book in a serie with the detective Dan Sommer. I'm not sure the books have ever been translated into English, and if they haven't been translated, I think it's a shame.

[HJ]

I'm reading Death of an Old Girl by Elizabeth Lemarchand, the first in her series starring Chief Detective Inspector Tom Pollard and Sergeant Toye. It's very good so far.

[Judy]

Susan wrote: "Another one I have on my kindle and haven't got around to reading yet. I must bump that up the list, Judy :)"

Susan, I've now finished 'The Herring Seller's Apprentice' and must warn that the plotting and the ending in particular weren't nearly as good as the writing style, but I'm still eager to read the others in the series.

[Judy]

Gitte, I just looked up Anna Grue at amazon.co.uk and looks as if her books have been translated into French, German and Italian but not English as yet - maybe that will follow!

[Jan C]

Judy wrote: "Susan wrote: "Another one I have on my kindle and haven't got around to reading yet. I must bump that up the list, Judy :)"

Susan, I've now finished 'The Herring Seller's Apprentice' and must warn..."

I wasn't that crazy about this book so it has kind of been put on the back burner for me. I will probably get back to it.

[Susan]

On a more contemporary note, I just finished The Crow Girl - a very dark (and huge!) Scandinavian crime novel The Crow Girl and have just started A Spring Betrayal, which is the second in a series set in Kyrgystan.

[Carolien]

I've just finished India Gray: Historical Fiction Boxed Set which is a wonderful collection of four short stories. The first is a mystery set in Oxford in the early 1900s. I highly recommend it for anybody interested in historical fiction dealing with India.

[Susan]

I am reading The Unforgotten , a debut novel which I requested from NetGalley. It is set in the 1950's and is really good so far.

[Susan]

Just checked and Amazon doesn't have it yet, sounds like something I would enjoy.

[HJ]

I've now read four or five of the Pollard and Toye series by Elizabeth Lemarchand, and I have enjoyed them. These ones were written in the 1960s and early 70s, so before mobile phones and computers. The detectives are likeable, especially Pollard, and we get glimpses of his home life. The mysteries are good, too, although each of them turns on something which is not apparent at the start and could not be guessed then. However, the reader finds out at the same time as the police, so the author plays fair!

[Susan]

Susan, are you a NetGalley member? The Unforgotten is not out yet, but is available to request for review?

[Amanda]

I am reading Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn. It is a murder mystery set in London in 1936. I like the writing style, it has the atmosphere of an old black and white film if you know what I mean. It has been a good read so far, hope the ending lives up to my expectations!

[HJ]

Amanda wrote: "I am reading Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn. It is a murder mystery set in London in 1936. I like the writing style, it has the atmosphere of an old black and white film if you know what I mean. ..."

Look forward to hearing what you think when you finish it!

[Susan]

I am currently reading Freya, which is apparently the sequel to Curtain Call. I haven't read Curtain Call, but am really enjoying Freya and, although apparently it shares some of the same characters, it certainly stands alone. I must go back to read the first book though, as I am loving Quinn's writing style so far.

[Damaskcat]

Susan wrote: "I am currently reading Freya, which is apparently the sequel to Curtain Call. I haven't read Curtain Call, but am really enjoying Freya and, although apparently it shares some of th..."

I read and enjoyed Curtain Call so I have just requested Freya from NetGalley.

[Damaskcat]

I am currently reading my way through J M Gregson's Lambert and Hook police procedural series set in and around the Gloucester and Hereford area in the UK. Not Golden Age but well written crime stories.

[Amanda]

I have just finished Curtain Call and it was an enjoyable book, it was an easy read with a satisfactory ending. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I didn't know about Freya so I'm glad that you have mentioned it - have just added it to my wishlist

[Susan]

I am enjoying it, but it isn't a mystery (or not so far anyway) but a novel about the friendship between two women.

[Damaskcat]

Susan wrote: "I am enjoying it, but it isn't a mystery (or not so far anyway) but a novel about the friendship between two women."

Still worth reading:-) Anyway I will see if I get it.

[Susan]

Oh yes, it is a great read so far. I just wanted to point out that it isn't a mystery, as Curtain Call seems to be a literary mystery and this is literary fiction.

[Carolien]

Just finished Absolution. Well-written police procedural with an interesting cast of characters and it's a very brave author who can end a book in this manner. Highly recommend it for fans of Ian Rankin - in fact I found it an easier read than Rebus. Avoid if you are looking for cozy or don't like policemen with issues.

[Susan]

That looks good, Carolien. I don't mind some issues!

[Carolien]

Susan wrote: "That looks good, Carolien. I don't mind some issues!"
It was an excellent read. I enjoyed the two threads of the old and new cases being brought together (and the final conclusion of them is epic) and even though it is a serial killer, there is no unnecessary or gratuitous dwelling on the more gory bits.

[Susan]

Yes, looks like one I would like, Carolien. Thanks for posting it.

[Leslie]

I finished the most recent Three Pines mystery the other day, The Nature of the Beast. I like (former) Chief Inspector Gamache -- I wonder if Penny will continue the series & if so, what direction it will go.

[Susan]

Leslie, I read the first few of that series when they first came out. You have reminded me that she is an author that I need to go back and re-read.

[Damaskcat]

Carolien wrote: "Just finished Absolution. Well-written police procedural with an interesting cast of characters and it's a very brave author who can end a book in this manner. Highly recommend it fo..."

I've read others by this author and thought them very good. I have this on my to read list.

[CatBee]

I have recently enjoyed Clara Benson's (may be a pseudonym) series about Angela Marchmont, also Sarah Caudwell's series about Hilary Tamar (funny!). Both are British and written in an older style perhaps characteristic of the times in which they are set.

[Leslie]

I love those Sarah Caudwell books! Too bad that she wrote so few...

[HJ]

I love Sarah Caudwell too! I could never make up my mind whether Hilary was male or female -- or neither!

[Jan C]

HJ wrote: "I love Sarah Caudwell too! I could never make up my mind whether Hilary was male or female -- or neither!"

Sounds like it comes out better than "It's Pat".

That must take some serious writing skills. Maybe I will look for her.

[Christopher]

Well, I just finished Anne Perry's "Ashworth Hall" and reviewed it this morning. I thought it was an entertaining story but not entirely satisfying as a mystery. I'd probably read others in the series based on the entertainment value, and hope that the mystery/puzzle aspect is better elsewhere.

[HJ]

Jan C wrote: "HJ wrote: "I love Sarah Caudwell too! I could never make up my mind whether Hilary was male or female -- or neither!"

Sounds like it comes out better than "It's Pat".

That must take some serious ..."

I had to search "It's Pat" to understand your reference! I don't think they're known in the UK. The Hilary Tamar books are very well written, and it was a while before I realised that because they're written in the first person no give-away personal pronouns are used, and Hilary could be male or female. This article argues quite convincingly that Hilary is male, but ... http://www.tor.com/2011/02/04/charmin...

As this article says, the most important aspect of the books (apart from the fact that they're good mysteries) is that they're very funny. I also think they're very British, but I think still comprehendible to non-Brits.

[Jan C]

HJ wrote: "Jan C wrote: "HJ wrote: "I love Sarah Caudwell too! I could never make up my mind whether Hilary was male or female -- or neither!"

Sounds like it comes out better than "It's Pat".

That must take..."

I've added her first one to my Amazon list.

[Judy]

I've read a few of the short stories in Murder at the Manor: Country House Mysteries now and am enjoying them so far.

I've just read one by E.W. Hornung featuring his criminal hero, Raffles, who seems to be rather like a counterpart of Sherlock Holmes on the other side of the law, complete with his Watson-style sidekick, Bunny. Is anyone a fan of these? Intriguing that Hornung was Conan Doyle's brother-in-law.

[HJ]

I read quite a few of the Raffles books a while ago, and found them quite enjoyable. Who married whom to make Hornung Conan Doyle's brother-in-law?

[Judy]

Hornung married Conan Doyle's sister, Connie, according to the little introduction by Martin Edwards to the story I've just read.

[HJ]

Thanks!

[Leslie]

I read one or two Raffles stories in Vintage Detective Stories. Quite fun I thought.