What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 301-350 of 4,457

[Susan]

There are a few good historical mysteries set in India, Rebecca. I liked, "A Rising Man" and I would also recommend:

The Case of the Missing Servant (1st in series)
The Last Kashmiri Rose (1st in series)
The Perfect Murder

I am sure others can add to that list!

[Sandy]

Susan wrote: "There are a few good historical mysteries set in India, Rebecca. I liked, "A Rising Man" and I would also recommend:

The Case of the Missing Servant (1st in series)
[book:The Last K..."

I've read all the Missing Servant series and enjoyed them, but I don't remember them as historic. I love his mother!

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

Carolien wrote: "I for one enjoy Susan Hill's books very much. I find that I enjoy a mystery even better if it is well-written as well and Susan Hill's use of language is a step up from many other authors.

This book is so good that I'm enjoying it in spite of going back & forth in time & multiple POV. Makes me realise I only don't like this done when the author does have the skills.

[Susan]

Yes, you are right - I ended up just listing books set in India and not all are historical! Sorry, I get carried away when recommending books...

[Judy]

Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "I may start today - it depends on finishing a book I am part way through."

Thanks for replying, Jay-me - it looks as if my idea of a buddy read might be hard to organise for Information Received, as you are reading it right now and might even have finished... but I'd be very interested to hear what you think of it! It's one I'm hoping to read soon.

[Judy]

On historical mysteries set in India, I enjoyed The Strangler Vine by M.J. Carter, which is a very atmospheric mystery, the first in a series involving a chalk-and-cheese pair of detectives, Blake and Avery. It was longlisted for the Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction in 2014. I have been meaning to read the sequel but haven't got round to it yet.

[Susan]

Judy, sorry, I have so many books on the go that I just haven't managed to even think about buddy reads! I will get tempted by NetGalley and then end up having to rattle through them all...

I loved The Strangler Vine. The sequel is set in London and was also very good.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Judy wrote: "Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "I may start today - it depends on finishing a book I am part way through."

Thanks for replying, Jay-me - it looks as if my idea of a buddy read might be hard to organise for..."

I've not started yet if you want to set a start date and say how the buddy read would work. I've been full of a cold for the last few days, still coughing and spluttering but feeling a bit better.

[Judy]

Susan, no worries - I don't know how you manage to read all that you do!

Jay-me, sorry to hear you've had a nasty cold - hope you feel better soon.

Re a buddy read of Information Received, I'm going to have to spend a lot of time hanging around on Friday, so I could start reading the book then and start up a thread over the weekend - then anyone who wants to join in can do so when it's convenient for them. Basically a buddy read is a thread about the book for anyone who wants to join in.

[Susan]

I am currently reading The Couple Next Door which is turning into a really good thriller/mystery.

Judy, I blame NetGalley entirely - it is TOO tempting for readers...

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Judy wrote: "
Re a buddy read of [book:Information Received|..."

I've started and read the first two chapters, I have a busy weekend so will not get as much reading time as I would normally

[Susan]

I have nearly finished next months read, The Paradise Mystery. I did think it might seem very old fashioned, but it has a very comtemporary feel which has surprised me. Look forward to discussing it.

[Judy]

Information Received by E.R. Punshon is now down to 66p on Kindle in the UK - I think it's usually about 99p, but still a saving!

Jay-me, I'll start the book today and set up a thread for it either tonight or over the weekend. Hope you enjoy your busy weekend and that your cold is getting better.

Although I'm starting the thread up now, anyone who reads it any time in the next few weeks, or even later, is still welcome to chip in!

[Susan]

Rebecca, I just read a sort of fantasy type novel too (also, very unlike me) Smoke . I was drawn to it as it was by the wonderful Dan Vyleta, who wrote , but, although it was a good read, it never really drew me in as much as his previous books.

I AM really enjoying True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray. I do like true crime books and, if you do too, then this certainly might appeal to you too.

[Susan]

Rebecca, at the risk of making your TBR even longer, have you tried the Bernie Gunther novels? Along with Shardlake, Bernie is my fave fictional character... The first in the series is March Violets. Author Philip Kerr wrote an original trilogy featuring Bernie Gunther, Berlin Noir: March Violets / The Pale Criminal / A German Requiem, the Berlin Noir trilogy, which I loved when it first came out. He then went back to the character in later years and continued the series.

[Carolien]

I've continued the Bruno series with The Dark Vineyard. I found the fact that the definition of the crime committed actually changed more than once during the story to be quite an interesting plot element. It doesn't do any harm that the plot also combines elements of the international wine industry and GMO crop debate.

I then had my second foray into Tartan Noir for the year with Cold Granite which was my first exposure to Stuart MacBride. It's dark, but not morbid and I can't ever remember reading a book that left me feeling so physically cold! Aberdeen in December is one continuous rainy, sleety, snowy place in this book.

[Ellen]

I finished Bellfield Hallby Anna Dean a few days ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be picking up the second in the seriesA Gentleman of Fortuneat the library today. I am really looking forward to reading it over the weekend.

[Jan C]

Carolien wrote: "I've continued the Bruno series with The Dark Vineyard. I found the fact that the definition of the crime committed actually changed more than once during the story to be quite an in..."

I loved Cold Granite.

[HJ]

I'm re-reading Janet Neel, Death's Bright Angel etc.. It's decades since I read them, and I'm really enjoying them again. Lots of excellent characters and relationships, as well as good mysteries.

[Judy]

Ellen wrote: "I finished Bellfield Hallby Anna Dean a few days ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be picking up the second in the seriesA Gentleman of Fortuneat the library today..."

I've been wondering about the Anna Dean books - I like historical mysteries and they look very tempting from the covers. Will hopefully try Bellfield Hall soon.

[Ellen]

Judy wrote: "Ellen wrote: "I finished Bellfield Hallby Anna Dean a few days ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be picking up the second in the seriesA Gentleman of Fortuneat the..."
I think I am going to be sorry there is only 4 in the series.

[Michelle]

Just to flag a UK kindle sale that has a couple of British Library classics on it from 99p. Ends Monday. Includes the cornish murder mystery (aprevious club read) and the Lake District murder by the same author.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=lp_245...

[HJ]

Michelle wrote: "Just to flag a UK kindle sale that has a couple of British Library classics on it from 99p. Ends Monday. Includes the cornish murder mystery (aprevious club read) and the Lake District murder by th..."

Thank you!

[Susan]

Thanks, Michelle. I just downloaded some British Library Classics, as well as a couple of random reads :)

[Michelle]

You're both welcome. I took Murder Underground which is by Mavis doriel Hay. I haven't read the Santa Claus Murders yet but picked it up for £1 in a charity shop last week so looking forward to that albeit unseasonal. Then will look have a read of the thread here about it.

Although not a crime book, this one in th sale is meant to bexcellent, long listed for The Baileys prize (previously Orange Prize) A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dictionary-Mu...

I'm currently reading the latest Harlan Coben, Fool Me Once. Very good but I have to say I am preferring Golden Age crime.

[Susan]

I am currently reading Moskva which is very good. I like both Golden Age and contemporary crime novels/thrillers. It depends what mood I am in.

[Susan]

Rebecca, I hope you like them. There are several detectives around that time period (Zoo Station and Lumen are the first books in two other good series) but Bernie is my favourite :)

[Judy]

Must admit I couldn't get on with the Bernie Gunther books - I was attracted by the Berlin setting and tried a volume of the first three, but couldn't keep track of who the characters were or what was going on. I might give them another try in future, as maybe I wasn't concentrating properly.

[Susan]

They do jump around, Judy. The original trilogy take a conventional approach in terms of dates, but, after that, you re-join him at various stages of his life - the latest book was set in 1956 and featured W. Somertset Maugham. I LOVE Bernie. Were I to list my three favourite fictional characters they would be Poirot, Shardlake and Bernie Gunther.

[Betsy]

Am reading the 2nd of the 3-part series by Harriet Rutland. The first book was KNOCK, MURDERER, KNOCK and the second is BLEEDING HOOKS. She must specialize in odd characters because the first book is full of them, especially Mrs. Napier, and the second has its share too, particularly Pussy Partridge, who makes me glad I never had children.

[Susan]

Yes, I think I nominated the first book a while ago, Betsy - but it didn't get much interest and I still haven't got around to reading it!

[Susan]

Oh, LOVE Dissolution, Rebecca. I re-read all the Shardlake's before the last novel came out. Just embarked on re-reading P D James and loved Cover Her Face.

[Jan C]

Susan wrote: "Oh, LOVE Dissolution, Rebecca. I re-read all the Shardlake's before the last novel came out. Just embarked on re-reading P D James and loved Cover Her Face."

In my re-read (sometimes first read apparently) I am up to #6, A Taste for Death.

[Lady Clementina]

I just started Died in the Wool.

[Susan]

I just started the second P D James, A Mind to Murder. Rebecca, Dissolution is not the best in the series, but a great introduction and still SO good. Interested to hear your thoughts once you finish it.

[Michelle]

In the UK, The Golden Age of Murder is £1.49 on kindle. I think it was Judy who read and enjoyed it so I've clicked and downloaded

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Age-M...

[HJ]

Michelle wrote: "In the UK, The Golden Age of Murder is £1.49 on kindle. I think it was Judy who read and enjoyed it so I've clicked and downloaded

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Age-M......"

Thank you for this alert. I thoroughly recommend this book; I read much of it via the library, but am going to buy it now because it is such a useful resource for anyone who likes reading "old" mysteries. And it's won a couple of very prestigious awards recently: the Edgar Award for the Best Biographical/Critical Edgar award and the Agatha Award for Best Non-Fiction.

[HJ]

Lady Clementina wrote: "I just started Died in the Wool."

I love Ngaio Marsh!

[Judy]

I'm really enjoying Blood From a Stone, one of the Jack Haldean series by Dolores Gordon-Smith - her books are set in the 1920s and have a strong Sayers flavour about them. I like Jack, who is a witty hero.

Unfortunately my local library seems to have stopped getting these books, but I noticed that Scribd had this one and I now hope to catch up with the latest two in the series.

[Michelle]

HJ wrote: "Michelle wrote: "In the UK, The Golden Age of Murder is £1.49 on kindle. I think it was Judy who read and enjoyed it so I've clicked and downloaded

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Age-M......"

No problem, glad you want it!

[Carolien]

I've just started the second Ngaio Marsh - Enter a Murderer. Enjoying it so far, very easy read.

[Lady Clementina]

HJ wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "I just started Died in the Wool."

I love Ngaio Marsh!"

I've read about 5 of hers so far and enjoyed them all.

[Jan C]

I think I've just started the third Marsh book, The Nursing Home Murder.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I've just read Picture Miss Seeton - that is another one to add to the list of series I want to read.

[Susan]

I've just started P D James 3rd novel, Unnatural Causes.

[Lady Clementina]

Susan wrote: "I've just started P D James 3rd novel, Unnatural Causes."
I've read that one but can't seem to remember it.

[Judy]

I'm reading A Test of Wills by mother and son team Charles Todd, the first in the Inspector Rutledge series.

I had high hopes for this one, as it is set in the 1920s and features a detective with PTSD, so it seemed ideal to read after The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers , but so far I'm disappointed - it's very slow and repetitive, and all the dialogue is rather samey.

There are also an awful lot of American turns of phrase for a book supposedly set in 1920s Britain, though this is a more minor point.

[Susan]

I read that a while ago and didn't much like it either, Judy. At least, I never read the next in the series.

[Susan]

SO glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca! I will say that the first book is not the best (although very good) and the author did change Shardlake's 'sidekick' in later books. I think you will enjoy the series if you read on.

[Jan C]

Judy wrote: "I'm reading A Test of Wills by mother and son team Charles Todd, the first in the Inspector Rutledge series.

I had high hopes for this one, as it is set in the 1920s and..."

I like the series. Actually I like both of their series. I wouldn't notice American turn of phrases since I am American.

It is a rare series showing someone working though suffering from PTSD.