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
Gary wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Tara wrote: "I just started Mystery!: A Celebration; Stalking Public Television's Greatest Sleuths about the iconic public television program that ran in the 80s and 90..."The first host was actually Gene Shalit, but he only lasted one season (he was picked for his widespread popularity from The Today Show, but wasn't quite the right fit). He was followed by Vincent Price and Diana Rigg. The show was rebranded in 2008 as Masterpiece Mystery! and is hosted by Alan Cumming.
I was only a small child when the show was originally aired (but I have been a mystery fan from birth it seems), so I am trying to find as many of the shows available for streaming (I have even splurged on the Britbox subscription that Amazon Prime Video offers). Its a great collection of our favorite detectives: Holmes, Poirot, Marple, Alleyn, Wimsey, Maigret, Morse &c.
Mod
I had forgotten Gene Shalit; thanks for reminding me. And Gorey's pictorial introduction was wonderful.
Marwan wrote: "Started reading Knots & Crosses 
by Ian Rankin"I love Ian Rankin and have read 23 of his books. I hope you enjoy them too.
I’m reading Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris.
Just finished Dead Water. After completing the fourth book in the series earlier in the year, I wasn't sure when I would be able to get back to it as I kind of had to mourn as well. However, this popped up in the library last week and I enjoyed it. Brilliant series.
"Gary wrote: " ...... iconic public television program that ran in the 80s and 90..."Most of the programs were from the BBC"
Ah thanks Gary, I get it now, just being lazy and not googling it :)
"Tara wrote: "I just started Mystery!: A Celebration; Stalking Public Television's Greatest Sleuths about the iconic public television program that ran in t..."
Thanks Tara. So it is a US showcase for British detective shows. Luckily I have all Poirots; Sherlocks (Brett and Cumberbatch); Morse; Alleyn; Marple (Hickson); Lewis ; Endeavour.
So this program was being broadcast when you gave us Brits :- Banacek; Columbo; Frank Cannon; Snoop Sisters; McCloud and then later Cagney and Lacey; Miami Vice, hmmm ha ha.
Adrian wrote: "So this program was being broadcast when you gave us Brits :- Banacek; Columbo; Frank Cannon; Snoop Sisters; McCloud and then later Cagney and Lacey; Miami Vice, hmmm ha ha. "Never heard of Frank Cannon, Snoop Sisters, McCloud. But I don't watch much TV. I did like Mystery! that was on Sunday nights.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Never heard of Frank Cannon, Snoop Sisters, McCloud. But I don't watch much TV. I did like Mystery! that was on Sunday nights. ""Frank Cannon was played by William Conrad; McCloud was a cowboy detective played by Dennis Weaver, Snoop sisters was a bad double Marple type of thing.
I've just always loved detectives/mysteries so watched what ever was being shown :)
Just read Devil's Due by Maurice Procter - a British author of detective stories who seems to be almost entirely forgotten. I picked this up as an old 3/6 paperback in an honesty bookshop for the princely sum of 50p and thought I would give it a go. Procter was an ex-policeman who started writing in the late 1940s and continued till the early 1960s. Devil's Due is one of a series featuring Chief Inspector Martineau of the Manchester police (though here called Granchester for no very good reason). Strong on 1950's police procedure, but a bit plodding... Review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Adrian wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Never heard of Frank Cannon, Snoop Sisters, McCloud. But I don't watch much TV. I did like Mystery! that was on Sunday nights. ""Frank Cannon was played by William Conr..."
The Snoop Sisters were played Mildred Natwick and Helen Hayes.
Gary wrote: "The Snoop Sisters were played Mildred Natwick and Helen Hayes. ..."Gosh Helen Hayes, Oscar winner and a real Miss Marple actress, I never realised that
Adrian wrote: " "Gary wrote: " ...... iconic public television program that ran in the 80s and 90..."Most of the programs were from the BBC"
Ah thanks Gary, I get it now, just being lazy and not googling it :)..."
I love Columbo, he's brilliamt.
Sandy wrote: "Gary wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Tara wrote: "I just started Mystery!: A Celebration; Stalking Public Television's Greatest Sleuths about the iconic public television program that ran in t..."Actually a lotof them seem to havebeen ITV - Poirot, Morse, Cadfael, Rumpole etc.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Magpie Murders"Hope you enjoy it. I thought it was very cleverly done.
Starting Force of Nature by Jane Harper I read the first book from this author and was impressed with it for a debut novel, so I am hoping this is just as good
Jill wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Magpie Murders"Hope you enjoy it. I thought it was very cleverly done."
Thanks. Enjoying it so far. But have taken a little break and picked up Murder in the Mews (just the short story) being the 5th of November and all that.
Louise wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Gary wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Tara wrote: "I just started Mystery!: A Celebration; Stalking Public Television's Greatest Sleuths about the iconic public television program..."It certainly was (and is) an epic collection, and long before streaming services made those kinds of shows available internationally. There was something so Victorian about the presentation of the show too, that just fascinated me.
I just finished Thou Shell of Death: A Nigel Strangeways Mystery by Nicholas Blake. The kindle edition will be published on the 8th of November in the US. (I got an ARC via Net Galley.). It was excellent.I also recently read Unto Us a Son Is Given by Donna Leon. (Also an ARC via Netgalley.). It was also excellent, although I thought the ending was a little abrupt. It won’t be published until sometime in March.
Another vintage mystery that I also got pre-publication via NetGalley is The Division Bell Mystery. I didn’t like it as well, mostly because I don’t know how the British system of government worked at the time this was written. It was also overly wordy and moved very slowly. This one publishes in December.
Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I'm also interested to hear that you have just read The Division Bell Mystery - I'd just mentioned this in the White Swan general chat thread, as it came up on a podcast recently. I'm not sure if the podcast is available in the US, but, just in case:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06...
Sorry to hear you found it a bit wordy and slow, though.
Judy wrote: "Gardener, we had Thou Shell of Death as a buddy read here a couple of years back, if you want to look up the discussion? I definitely agree it was excellent - Nigel Strangeways is great!https://w..."
Thanks, Judy, will definitely look up that discussion.
I think that “The Division Bell Mystery” would be quite interesting to someone who understood British government at the time that the book was written.
I am almost finished with Seventy-Seven Clocks by Christopher Fowler. It is the third in the Peculiar Crimes Unit series, but the first one I have read. I really, really like the two detectives, Bryant and May. They are so *different* from most of the others I've read. I do think that this book dragged a little in the middle, but it is really picking up here at the end.
Mod
I've read the first in the series (with this group I believe) and really want to pick it up again. Bryant and May are unique characters.
Tara Here are the discussions:-https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Terry wrote: "I am almost finished with Seventy-Seven Clocks by Christopher Fowler. It is the third in the Peculiar Crimes Unit series, but the first one I have read. I really, really like the two de..."I'm also reading this at the moment! I've read the first two in the series and am enjoying them. Lots of details and obscure plot elements.
Carolien wrote: "Terry wrote: "I am almost finished with Seventy-Seven Clocks by Christopher Fowler. It is the third in the Peculiar Crimes Unit series, but the first one I have read. I really, really l..."I have this to be read on my next years list, and hope to continue with the series
"Lots of details and obscure plot elements. "Certainly true of this book. There is NO WAY I would have figured out what was going on!
Just started The Titian Committee, another of Iain Pears' art history mysteries. I like his writing and his characters are interesting, most especially Flavia de Stefano.
Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Just started The Titian Committee, another of Iain Pears' art history mysteries. I like his writing and his characters are interesting, most especially Flavia de Stefano."Elizabeth, have you read the first one in the series? This looks like it may be (yet) another series to add to the list.
Susan wrote: "I just finished Snowblind 
which I have meant to read for ages."What did you think of it? It's in my pile somewhere.
Valerie wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Just started The Titian Committee, another of Iain Pears' art history mysteries. I like his writing and his characters are interesting, most e..."Yes, I've read the first and third, which is why I went back to get this one. They are not readily available via Kindle, I think, and have picked them up as used books. I don't know that they all have to be read in order, but there is a character development in the third that I might have preferred not knowing now. Pears writes with wit in these, by the way.
Mod
which I have meant to read for ages."What did you think of it? It's in my pile somewhere."
I liked it, Carolien. Unlike a lot of Nordic Noir, it's not particularly violent and has more of a traditional mystery. There is even the amateur dramatic society, so beloved of us all :)
Susan wrote: "Carolien wrote: "Susan wrote: "I just finished Snowblind which I have meant to read for ages."What did you think of it? It's in my pile somewhere."
..."
Thanks, will move it up the pile.
Having finished The Rubber Band now reading The Red Box. First time reading both. Somehow I managed to miss the first 5 books prior to my current series read.
Hope you're enjoying them, Gary. I certainly did.
Last night I started Information Received. Yes, when finished, I'll find the threads and post a thought or two.
Finished Too Many Cooks Rex Stout and Coffin, Scarcely Used Colin Watson Starting Murder has a Motive Francis Duncan
Mod
I was overly impressed with the Colin Watson, but as first in series they may grow on me
Mod
I haven't finished it yet, but I am enjoying it so far. Also reading, Lucifer Falls, a NetGalley book, and the first in a series, which is set in Essex Road, quite close to where I work.
Reading The Imbroglio at the Villa Pozzi by Clara Benson. At this point in the series, I'm very much interested in knowing more about Angela, than the case itself.
Mod
I enjoyed the first two books in the series, Balaji. Stalled a bit in book 3, but I am keen to read on.
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...
Most of the programs were from the BBC.