Reading the Detectives discussion
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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread
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Leslie
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Feb 05, 2018 12:23PM
Having read the first & third book of the Thorndyke series, I have now gone back and started the second one, a short story collection called John Thorndyke's Cases.
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Finished Gone, Baby, Gone this morning. And started The Sleeping Car Murders. This is by the same author, Sébastien Japrisot, who wrote one of the best that I read last year, A Very Long Engagement. So I'm hoping for good things.
Having a rather rotten couple of weeks. So, have retreated into Agatha Christie's world. Finished the long unfinished Curtain, read the novel version of And Then There Were None after avoiding it because I loved the play, and now, re-reading The Mysterious Mr. Quin.
Sorry to hear that, Paperbackreader. Agatha Christie is my comfort read for sure - I hope things improve. I just re-read And Then There Were None - still find it really creepy!
I'm sorry to hear that too, Paperbackreader. Glad that Christie is being a comfort. I'm looking forward to our group read of And Then There Were None next month.
Agatha Christie is a great comfort reading. I used to whip through one of her novels each time I was stuck on a university essay. They were terrific for letting me relax enough to get my thoughts in order and 5000 words with footnotes ready to hand in on time. Now I am enjoying reading them and really giving them attention, another kind of comfort.
Thank you, Susan and Judy! There is something about Christie's words that soothe me. I am having some new ideas about The Mysterious Mr. Quin, though I still like it.
I have just started The Documents in the Case ready for our buddy read - looks as if it will be quite different from the Wimsey books. I’m excited to be reading Sayers again.
I read Patricia Wentworth for comfort because they are more sentimental, with a happy ending pretty much guaranteed for every romantic arc (often including a secondary couple for good measure) and you can get cosily bogged down in the period detail, clothing and desultory conversation over meals.
I really enjoyed a new-to-me Golden Age mystery - The Penguin Pool Murder by Stuart Palmer, the 1931 beginning of the Hildegarde Withers series (even though I did figure out the guilty party about halfway through). It may have helped that I kept seeing & hearing Edna May Oliver (who played Hildegarde Withers in several movie adaptations)!
I am currently reading the Matthew Shardlake series.It is about a hunchback lawyer that is under King Henry and he helps solve crimes. This is a 5 book series and I’m on book 2 called Dark Fire.
Melanie wrote: "I am currently reading the Matthew Shardlake series.It is about a hunchback lawyer that is under King Henry and he helps solve crimes. This is a 5 book series and I’m on book 2 called Dark Fire."I love this series. I have read the first 5 but there is a sixth book
Lamentation, which I have yet to read . I've been putting it off as after that I will have no more left to read, and I will really miss them
Melanie wrote: "I am currently reading the Matthew Shardlake series.It is about a hunchback lawyer that is under King Henry and he helps solve crimes. This is a 5 book series and I’m on book 2 called Dark Fire."Those are on my shopping list- hope you're enjoying them
Just finished Elizabeth Edmondson's series by reading A Matter of Loyalty which was completed affer her death last year by the author's son Anselm Audley
Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "Just finished Elizabeth Edmondson's series by reading A Matter of Loyalty which was completed by the author's son Anselm Audley"
I've picked up one of hers but haven't started it yet - hope to do so soon.
I've picked up one of hers but haven't started it yet - hope to do so soon.
Just starting The Bat by Jo Nesbø I have put off starting this author as I have so many series on the go, but as people keep telling me I should read these, I have decided to start now.
I read a couple of the Morse books, but wasn't that excited by them. I recall reading one of the Jo Nesbo books out of order, and liking it, so I should go back and read the series from the beginning.
After reading favourable reviews of the TV series Babylon Berlin, I've started reading the first book in the series.
I’ve started the third Martin Beck mystery, The Man on the Balcony- just remembered how much I love this series.
I've just finished A Man's Word. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series set in Viking Britain. Unfortunately only the first three books have been translated. It's much gentler than Bernard Cornwell - Brother Cadfael fans may enjoy them.
Carolien wrote: "I've just finished A Man's Word. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series set in Viking Britain. Unfortunately only the first three books have been translated. It's much gentler than [..."
I read the first in the series, Carolien, but found the language too modern. I recall "dumb guy," being one such comment in the book that jarred. I wish translations would keep in the period - I don't think Vikings called people, "dumb," and it was let down by a poor translation.
I am reading the 'new,' Inspector Alleyn - [book:Money in the Morgue: An Inspector Alleyn Mystery|36494590]. Obviously, I've only read the first three so far, but I'm enjoying this.
I read the first in the series, Carolien, but found the language too modern. I recall "dumb guy," being one such comment in the book that jarred. I wish translations would keep in the period - I don't think Vikings called people, "dumb," and it was let down by a poor translation.
I am reading the 'new,' Inspector Alleyn - [book:Money in the Morgue: An Inspector Alleyn Mystery|36494590]. Obviously, I've only read the first three so far, but I'm enjoying this.
I've just started Our Mutual Friend
. Couldn't decide if it qualified as mystery or non-mystery but have plumped for mystery. I've never read it before - have to say that CD didn't play a blinder when trying to come up with a snappy title. But as always with Dickens, I'm now berating myself for not remembering earlier how many of my favourite qualities his books have. Atmospheric setting, check. Puzzling mystery, check. Humour, check. OMF also has some biting social comment which is depressingly relevant today - the response of the prosperous Podsnap when given statistics on deaths of rough sleepers seems particularly apposite this week.
Annabel - I recently listened to the unabridged Our Mutual Friend and thoroughly enjoyed it, for just those reasons you mention. I plan to delve into another Dickens novel soon, which I hope will be as good. Any suggestions, anyone? :)
Joanne wrote: "Annabel - I recently listened to the unabridged Our Mutual Friend and thoroughly enjoyed it, for just those reasons you mention. I plan to delve into another Dickens novel soon, which ..."Which narrator did you listen to? Audible UK has three or four, and I haven't yet decided (though one does get awful reviews ...)
Rosina wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Annabel - I recently listened to the unabridged Our Mutual Friend and thoroughly enjoyed it, for just those reasons you mention. I plan to delve into another Dickens nov..."David Timson, who was very good.
Joanne wrote: "Rosina wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Annabel - I recently listened to the unabridged Our Mutual Friend and thoroughly enjoyed it, for just those reasons you mention. I plan to delve into anot..."Excellent - the Timson version was the one I had my eye on!
I've just finished Bleak House, so I will be having a pause with some less heavy books (London Rules ...) before beginning another Dickens
Joanne wrote: "Annabel - I recently listened to the unabridged Our Mutual Friend and thoroughly enjoyed it, for just those reasons you mention. I plan to delve into another Dickens novel soon, which ..."Hi Joanne, until I discovered OMF, Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities were my favourites so I would recommend one of those. I tend to do well with Dickens' atmospheric mysteries and less well with tales of childhood hardship and cutesy children altbough saying that Bleak House unquestionably has one of the latter!
Joanne wrote: "Annabel - I recently listened to the unabridged Our Mutual Friend and thoroughly enjoyed it, for just those reasons you mention. I plan to delve into another Dickens novel soon, which ..."I finished yesterday Great Expectations after a hiatus of one year in the middle of it, and I end up loving it. I was not so found of it when I started it, neither have I been of A tale of Two Cities, started a few years ago and never finished. When I got back to it I just love the humour, the plot, the writing style, the characters...
I'm going to read Bleak House a few chapters a month, Victorian-style, with another group made especially for this readalong.
Elinor wrote: "I'm going to read Bleak House a few chapters a month, Victorian-style, with another group made especially for this readalong..."Is it a GR group doing that read-along? I'd love to try something like that.
Elinor wrote: "Yes ! You can find it here : https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/..."Thanks! I've joined the group and look forward to reading along with you and the others.
Rosina, I hope you love London Rules as much as I did :)
Audible are releasing a series of brand new Dickens novels this year - the first release is A Tale of Two Cities read by Simon Callow. Has anyone tried it?
Audible are releasing a series of brand new Dickens novels this year - the first release is A Tale of Two Cities read by Simon Callow. Has anyone tried it?
I’ve started reading And Then There Were None ready for next month’s group read. I am reading it on Kindle but slightly thinking I should have looked out a hard copy to make it easier to flip back and keep the characters separate in my mind!
Oh dear! I'm planning on listening to it which is even harder to keep characters straight. Notes may be in order.
Don't worry. There are a lot of introductions in the beginning as our unwary guests make their way to Soldier Island, but you will begin to lose characters fairly quickly!
I listened to it on Audible, Sandy, and I still think it's a very creepy novel, even though it was written so long ago.
I listened to it on Audible, Sandy, and I still think it's a very creepy novel, even though it was written so long ago.
Thanks, Susan - Sandy, I soon stopped mixing them up and didn't have to make notes although I thought I might do at first! About 60% of the way through And Then There Were None now and looking forward to discussing in March.
I've started The Rubber Band by Rex Stout, so I am a bit closer to the buddy read book we will have later
I've completed Blue Lightning. Loved the book, but it will take me a while to recover from the ending.
I love Dickens but find it hard to choose favourites- however if you are looking for a Dickens mystery Edwin Drood is wonderful, the only problem being that there is no solution!
I'm readingExecution Dock, in Anne Perry's William Monk series, set in Victorian London. I love these characters and have been neglecting them for newer acquaintances. You should always keep up with your old friends!
And I read the first short story in The Mysterious Mr. Quin, a Christie character I didn't know existed. Quin drops into a house party, supposedly by accident, then leads the participants in a discussion of their reminiscences that solves a decade old mystery. Very good story and a strange character.
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