Reading the Detectives discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Archived threads
>
What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread
I have picked up thev first 16 of the CD Sloan books on sale for my Nook. Should be starting the series this year.
Leslie wrote: "This year I plan to continue reading (or rereading in some cases) the Nero Wolfe series in order - I got about 30 of these when my folks moved several years ago and had owned a few already. I have ..."Leslie, I had forgotten about Nero Wolfe. My husband and I have listened to the audiobooks on road trips. I think we'll revisit these stories this year as well. Thanks for sharing.
Gary wrote: "Tara wrote: "While not of the GA genre, I have enjoyed Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries with PI Kinsey Millhone for years. With her recent passing, it now makes it impossible for us to ever get to ..."Thanks Gary!
Judy wrote: "I've now received my second-hand copy of Green for Danger and have started - unfortunately the old paperback I've bought has very tiny print, so I think it will be one for reading in..."That would be fine with me Judy! I plan to read one or two a month so any time would be OK.
Mod
A buddy read of Nero sounds good to me.
Judy wrote: "I've now received my second-hand copy of Green for Danger and have started - unfortunately the old paperback I've bought has very tiny print, so I think it will be one for reading in..."Count me in for a buddy read of Nero Wolfe.
S Dizzy wrote: "Judy wrote: "I've now received my second-hand copy of Green for Danger and have started - unfortunately the old paperback I've bought has very tiny print, so I think it will be one f..."We read the first Nero Wolf Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout last year The thread is still there and I'm sure someone will answer you if you were to post there
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Starting The Murder on the Links ready for the next Poriot. Also The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Mod
Mod
That was a fun group read - one of the reasons I have found myself hooked on the Wolfe books, although I don't think it is one of the best in the series. Thanks for posting the links to the threads, Jill.
Mod
Perhaps we should go for a buddy read of either this one or, if we prefer to schedule the read in a few weeks' time, one of the next two - Where There's a Will or Black Orchids?
I've only read the first one with the group, so will have a lot of catching up to do. Still I expect the thread will stay open so will get to it in time.
Mod
Interesting that there are others reading the Nero Wolfe books in order. I have finished the first eight novels, through When There's a Will. So for me, Black Orchids - the first of the multiple-novella volumes - comes next.I loved the series A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Timothy Hutton's portrayal of Archie Goodwin is EXACTLY how I imagine him. If you asked me if there was any fictional character I would like to be, Archie is the man.
Mod
Mod
Good idea, Sandy - can anyone who wants to join in the read pop over and post in this thread, and we can finalise which book to read and when to start:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Thanks for all the comments so far. :)
Mod
Tara wrote: "While not of the GA genre, I have enjoyed Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries with PI Kinsey Millhone for years. With her recent passing, it now makes it impossible for us to ever get to Z, although w..."Surely someone will get hold of the rights and write Z, it's almost guaranteed, isn't it? But I hope that they stop there and don't start with 1, 2, 3, etc or similar. Roman numerals? Binary code?
Rereading Patricia Wentworth's Lonesome Road. It's got an inheritance plot, a slightly older heroine who has (gasp) almost missed her opportunity for romance (a bit like some of the older heroines in Georgette Heyer's Regency romances) and a really generous range of attempted murder methods (I count five). It also has one of her more well-drawn murderers, although the overall motive and logic gets a bit peculiar towards the end. (view spoiler).
It also involves anonymous letters. I always think these are a really handy way of kick-starting a detective story, especially if you have a professional consulting detective who needs clients to approach him or her, but the logic behind who would write the letters almost never works out in the end. I would make honourable exceptions for Poison in the Pen (also Wentworth) and Agatha Christie's The Moving Finger (which someone in this thread reminded me the other day is NOT a standalone as I had described it - but Miss M is a fairly minor presence in it and isn't really needed in my view).
Annabel wrote: "Tara wrote: "While not of the GA genre, I have enjoyed Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries with PI Kinsey Millhone for years. With her recent passing, it now makes it impossible for us to ever get to ..."I read an article in which her children said that there would never be a ghost writer, and apparently Sue was too ill to begin working on Z herself. Considering how protective she was of her book rights (she refused to sell to Hollywood for movie or TV adaption), I would tend to take this at face value. Perhaps in years to come that will change, but seemingly nothing in the near future. As far as the family is concerned, the alphabet ends with the letter Y. I think where I am most disappointed is that it was so close to the end, and you could feel in Y that she was starting to tie up loose ends. I don't think we were ever going to get a happily ever after kind of scenario, but it would have been nice to see where she chose to leave off the characters. I guess we will just have to do that ourselves!
Mod
Hurrah! Glad you liked it, Judy. A reminder that the buddy read thread for Green for Danger will open at the weekend.
Mod
Looking forward to it, Susan. :)
Mod
My review:
A nice collection of contemporary mystery writers, quite varied in style, and a good introduction to each writer's style. My only complaint is that so many stories had a 'twist' that a straight-forward plot was refreshingly unique.
Just starting The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout so I am in with a chance of catching up with others.
Mod
I loved that one, Jill - my favourite of the Rex Stout books I've read so far!
Too Many Cooks is one of the best Wolfe novels, and demonstrates a perhaps surprising sensitivity on a certain social front (I don't want to give too much away).
Was listening to The Snowman but lately every night has been negative-something-Fahrenheit. I think I'll wait until it's warmer to resume it. Drawing comfort from Poirot Investigates now.
Jill wrote: "Just starting The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout so I am in with a chance of catching up with others."I finally landed an ebook copy of Frightened Men on sale so I can read it now. My paperback copy has a fairly tiny font and until I get new glasses it was a no go. I hope to get to Frightened Men in February.
I'm reading The Crime At Black Dudley - I didn't get to it in time when it was a group read so wanted to read it before Mystery Mile comes up next month. So far it's proving a good bedtime read
Mod
Oh that's good to know Susan, I'm looking forward to both the Allingham and the Marsh offerings next month.
Pamela wrote: "I'm reading The Crime At Black Dudley - I didn't get to it in time when it was a group read so wanted to read it before Mystery Mile comes up next month. So far it's..."I read The Crime at Black Dudley a few years back and found it quite interesting, although I am certain that, like many first books in series, it is not too similar to the later titles.
I'm reading The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights by Faye Kellerman. I hope to have a review up later today.
I just finished Holding, by Graham Norton. It was really good and I'm really glad it is good because I really like Graham Norton. I'm pleased that it has been a success for him.
It is about two mysteries that get discovered at a building site in a small town in Ireland. It was a fun listen.
Mod
Just a word of warning to anyone not reading in order - the identity of the killer in the first book is mentioned in this one. It's surprising how often GA writers used to do that!
Mod
Farrah wrote: "I just finished Holding, by Graham Norton. It was really good and I'm really glad it is good because I really like Graham Norton. I'm pleased that it has been a success for him.
..."
I read the positive reviews and was not in the least surprised. I like Graham's TV work, but beneath the snarky persona it is pretty easy to detect that there is a more substantial sensibility. I am glad that it is finding an outlet, and I look forward to reading this book.
Argh - I thought I posted here yesterday but apparently not. I was reading (now finished) the 3rd Dr. Thorndyke mystery, The Vanishing Man {aka The Eye of Osiris}. I got this ~5 years ago knowing nothing about it (other than it was a mystery and was free!). This is the second Thorndyke book I have read (coincidentally having read the first book in the series (The Red Thumb Mark) just a few months ago) & I have enjoyed both of them. I guess I am taking on a new series & have already downloaded the 2nd book (John Thorndyke's Cases) from Project Gutenberg.
Mod
Mod
Mod
I've just finished Glass Houses by Louise Penny and for those of you familiar with the series I thought it was the best one yet. This series is set between Montreal and a small village in Quebec and features a Chief Inspector in the Quebec police force as the detective and is really engaging and clever.
Mod
I have got to get to Glass Houses. Three Pines is one of my very favorite series. Best one yet? Wow!
I've just finished and reviewed The Notting Hill Mystery. I really enjoyed it and as it's the first one I've read from the British Library Classic Crime series I'm quite optimistic about how the rest might turn out too. I was given four of them recently and can't wait to get started on the next one!
I'm fairly new to Louise Penny, and agree she is a great find. I enjoyed three pines and look forward to reading your recommendations.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Reading the Detectives
Books mentioned in this topic
Earthly Remains (other topics)A Rule Against Murder (other topics)
Earthly Remains (other topics)
Earthly Remains (other topics)
The Lake House (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Kate Morton (other topics)E.F. Benson (other topics)
E.F. Benson (other topics)
Ed McBain (other topics)
Leslie Charteris (other topics)
More...
The first 15 in ebook format are on sale today in the US for $2.99 each at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I also posted this over in the deals topic. Thought it was worth mentioning here.