What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 351-400 of 4,457

[Betsy]

The Ian Rutledge series is one of my all-time favorites. I have read every book in the series. The Great War aspect is especially appealing.

[Susan]

I will go with Judy here and say that I really dislike Americanisms in books where they shouldn't be. I read a mystery set in Victorian London once which mentioned, 'sidewalks' and 'cookies.' I said this in a review and some people agreed with me and others were not bothered. In the same way, I wouldn't expect 'pavements' and 'biscuits' in a American book, I expect language to be correct - both to the place and the time period.

I can't remember the book well enough, but I know I never read the second in the series and I wonder now whether that was one of the reasons? Does it bother anyone else - Jan you may say you wouldn't notice American phrases as you are American, but would you expect to find a 'cookie' in Victorian London?!

[Judy]

In this book it's mainly just the same couple of American terms which keep cropping up repeatedly, ie characters saying "gotten" and the use of "drapes" instead of "curtains". No cookies or sidewalks! To be honest, though, I might not have worried about this at all if the book overall was grabbing me more - as it is, I'm finding it a slight distraction.

I'm interested to hear you both enjoy this series, Jan and Betsy - can I ask, did you like the first book, or did it get better later on? I know sometimes I'm tempted to give up after one book of a series, only to discover that it really gets into its stride later!

[Betsy]

I loved the first book, and I haved liked all the rest--some more and some less of course. There may be a difficulty with a few words, but the stories more than make up for them. I suppose it depends on what is important to you.

[Judy]

Thanks, Betsy - I'm about halfway through now so I'll keep going and hope to enjoy the second half more.

[Damaskcat]

Susan wrote: "I will go with Judy here and say that I really dislike Americanisms in books where they shouldn't be. I read a mystery set in Victorian London once which mentioned, 'sidewalks' and 'cookies.' I sai..."

I agree with you - that puts me off a book. If it is American and set in America - that's fine but if it's set in England then the language should be correct for that country and that time period.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

"Susan wrote: "I will go with Judy here and say that I really dislike Americanisms in books where they shouldn't be. I read a mystery set in Victorian London once which mentioned, sidewalks' and 'cookies.' I said this in a review and some people agreed with me and others were not bothered. In the same way, I wouldn't expect 'pavements' and 'biscuits' in a American book, I expect language to be correct - both to the place and the time period. ."

Damaskcat wrote: "I agree with you - that puts me off a book. If it is American and set in America - that's fine but if it's set in England then the language should be correct for that country and that time period. ..."

And the geography should be correct. I've said before in a similar discussion that I tend to steer away from American authors writing English regency style books after one dreadful example where the hero galloped from Cornwall to Yorkshire and back in less time than I could do it today with modern transport, and still found time to dig up his wife's father and rebury him along with having a headstone prepared with-my other pet hate - the wife's name as "maiden name- married name"

[HJ]

Susan wrote: "I will go with Judy here and say that I really dislike Americanisms in books where they shouldn't be. I read a mystery set in Victorian London once which mentioned, 'sidewalks' and 'cookies.' I sai..."

I agree with you. It's just one of the basic things that an author should get right. If a book is set in a particular place or time period, then the appropriate language should be used.

[Susan]

Jay-Me wrote: And the geography should be correct. I've said before in a similar discussion that I tend to steer away from American authors writing English regency style books after one dreadful example where the hero galloped from Cornwall to Yorkshire and back in less time than I could do it today with modern transport, and still found time to dig up his wife's father and rebury him along with having a headstone prepared with-my other pet hate - the wife's name as "maiden name- married name"

Yes, England is small, but not that small!

[Abigail]

As an American reader, I’m bothered by Americanisms in books set in England as well, though I sympathize with American writers who aren’t aware of every single term that is different on opposite sides of the Atlantic. I’m working on a novel set in Surrey in the year 1800, and am always having to go back and recheck my language. I’m even using British spelling and usage (single quotation marks, etc.) because some of the British terms look wrong with American spellings. Immersing myself in books published in Britain helps.

[Betsy]

I just finished reading RICHARDSON'S FIRST CASE by Basil Thomson. This gives some background to the Richardson character since he is still a P.C. It's a quick, enjoyable read.

[HJ]

Abigail wrote: "... I’m working on a novel set in Surrey in the year 1800, and am always having to go back and recheck my language. I’m even using British spelling and usage (single quotation marks, etc.) because some of the British terms look wrong with American spellings. Immersing myself in books published in Britain helps. ..."


I think it really helps to read books written and published at the time, from Evelina to Jane Austen. One gets a feel for the rhythm of the language, as well as the vocabulary and usage. And reading several Georgette Heyer novels would also help -- she's very accurate on everything to do with the period.

[Abigail]

HJ wrote, “I think it really helps to read books written and published at the time . . .”

Yes, you’ve listed some of my favorites! One of the stories in my series involves Fanny Burney, so I do read her a lot (and have read Austen and Heyer over and over since my teens). Evelina has some great set-pieces with good dialogue; and I have made a big file of vocabulary and phrases that she used. Right now I’m plowing through the 700-odd pages of the Parliamentary record for 1800 so as to get more of an ear for how men might talk about the issues of the day. I admit that the research part is more fun than the writing part!

[HJ]

Abigail wrote: "Right now I’m plowing through the 700-odd pages of the Parliamentary record for 1800 so as to get more of an ear for how men might talk about the issues of the day. I admit that the research part is more fun than the writing part! ..."

Now that is real dedication! I suggested Heyer because, when I studied English Literature in "the long eighteenth century", I was amazed to discover how much of the vocabulary I already knew just from reading her Regency romances. I was also conversant with the way that ton society operated, and even things like different carriages etc. (let alone clothing), just from her books. I seriously recommend reading her Regency romances to anyone studying the period, as an enjoyable way of immersing oneself in the minutiae. We can benefit from all the primary research which she did!

[Abigail]

Very true! We are all midgets standing on the shoulders of the giant Heyer.

[Jan C]

Susan wrote: "I will go with Judy here and say that I really dislike Americanisms in books where they shouldn't be. I read a mystery set in Victorian London once which mentioned, 'sidewalks' and 'cookies.' I sai..."

Cookies vs. biscuits? We have cookies and biscuits but they are totally different. I don't know what the British call cookies. Do they have chocolate chip biscuits? I suppose that I might notice if it said what kind of cookies/biscuits were involved. Cookies are snacks or desserts. Biscuits are for breakfast or to be eaten with dinner (usually the more formal or celebratory kind; also known as rolls.

Curtains vs. drapes? We use both, pretty much interchangeably. Curtains may only reach to the window sill whereas drapes will usually reach the floor.

I did enjoy the first book immensely. And most of the books since. Although I have been reading A Long Shadow for quite a while. It is currently the book I carry around in my purse and I don't seem to be pulling it out very often to read.

[Lady Clementina]

Jan C wrote: "Susan wrote: "I will go with Judy here and say that I really dislike Americanisms in books where they shouldn't be. I read a mystery set in Victorian London once which mentioned, 'sidewalks' and 'c..."

Me too- both language errors and historical ones as well. Faucet vs Tap is another...

Though this is in a different context, sometime last year I read this book based on the Ramayana which had the characters talking in almost modern language- completely out of place and it was rather off-putting.

[Susan]

It seems a small thing to have the incorrect language, but if it jars historically or geographically, there is a problem and authors should be sensitive to that. I would expect an author writing a historical mystery to check mistakes. I know an American author who writes a series of books (not mysteries) set in Liverpool and she always gets people from Liverpool/England (including myself) to read them before being published to check slang terms, etc. It seems a reasonable thing to do if you want to do it properly.

[HJ]

Jan C wrote: "Cookies vs. biscuits?..Curtains vs. drapes."

We don't use the word "cookie" in the UK even now, except to reflect an American influence. Our biscuits are your cookies. We don't have or eat your biscuits.

We never use "drapes" in the sense of "curtains", and I remember this really jarring when I read one Regency book which used "drapes" (I had to look it up).

[Jan C]

HJ wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Cookies vs. biscuits?..Curtains vs. drapes."

We don't use the word "cookie" in the UK even now, except to reflect an American influence. Our biscuits are your cookies. We don't have ..."

Not sure whether Wilde or Shaw said it first - two countries divided by a single language.

[Everyman]

I'm reading That Affair Next door, by Anna Katharine Green. It started out very well, but about half way through it started to drag, and now I'm skimming more than reading. The main character is fun, a sort of Tish figure, but she's the only really interesting character.

[Lady Clementina]

Everyman wrote: "I'm reading That Affair Next door, by Anna Katharine Green. It started out very well, but about half way through it started to drag, and now I'm skimming more than reading. The main character is fu..."

I've read one by her before- it wasn't bad but since the denouement came about half way through the book, the rest seemed too stretched out.

[Susan]

I have just started The Hanging Club by Tony Parsons - the latest in a contemporary crime series which is very good.

[Damaskcat]

I've just read the first Miss Seeton book - what a marvellous character!

Picture Miss Seeton

[Akash]

I just completed Agatha Christie's series featuring Tommy and Tuppence.
#1 The Secret Adversary
#2 Partners in Crime
#3 N or M?
#4 By the Pricking of My Thumbs
#5 Postern of Fate

Now I had started the Nancy Drew series(1-56) completing one story a day.
Current status: 4 down 52 to go…

[Susan]

Death of A Dishonorable Gentleman. Enjoying this country house party mystery.

[Lady Clementina]

Akash wrote: "I just completed Agatha Christie's series featuring Tommy and Tuppence.
#1 The Secret Adversary
#2 Partners in Crime
#3 N or M?
#4 By the Pricking of My Thumbs
#5 Postern of Fate

Now I had start..."

Tommy and Tuppence- I love those two. The last one I didn't like too much but after reading Agatha Christie's autobio, it began to make more sense.

I also love the original Nancy Drew stories and still read them from time to time.

[Lady Clementina]

Just got stared with Strong Poison. Hope I don't forget it before the discussion next month.

[Susan]

I just started it too, Lady Clementina. I haven't read it before, so this is my first encounter with Harriet Vane. Very exciting!

[Judy]

I'm just reading Georgette Heyer's second Superintendent Hannasyde mystery, Behold, Here's Poison, and so far finding it very witty, but hard to tell some of the characters apart! I'm not all that far in yet, though.

I was surprised to see that the solicitor from Death in the Stocks, Giles Carrington, who I think was everyone's favourite character, turns up again here - hoping he gets a chance to do some sleuthing! I wonder if Heyer ever considered turning him into her series detective?

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

Judy wrote: "I'm just reading Georgette Heyer's second Superintendent Hannasyde mystery, Behold, Here's Poison, and so far finding it very witty, but hard to tell some of the characters apart! I'm..."

I suspect she did,then decided to stick with Hannasyde & Hemingway. I'm still trying to acquire some of her mysteries - none have tuned up at my work for quite a while.

[Judy]

That's a shame, Carol - hope some turn up soon!

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

Judy wrote: "That's a shame, Carol - hope some turn up soon!"

Ha! I could get the lot but I'm too cheap frugal to pay retail. I did acquire Penhallow at our town's dump shop a few months ago though.

[Lady Clementina]

Susan wrote: "I just started it too, Lady Clementina. I haven't read it before, so this is my first encounter with Harriet Vane. Very exciting!"

Mine too- I've only read about three Sayers books before and none of those have Vane.

[Lady Clementina]

Carol ♔ Type, Oh Queen! ♔ wrote: "Judy wrote: "That's a shame, Carol - hope some turn up soon!"

Ha! I could get the lot but I'm too cheap frugal to pay retail. I did acquire Penhallow at our town's dump shop a few mo..."

I liked Penhallow very much- it doesn't really qualify as a mystery as much as a character study but it was really good.

[Susan]

I just started a European thriller called The Trap. Good premise, but undecided so far...

[Susan]

Also reading Sharon Bolton's new book Daisy in Chains . REALLY good so far - anyone else like her books?

[Lady Clementina]

The Man in the Queue- I have read it before but don't remember enough details for the discussion so am revisiting.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

The Lake District Murder and just about to start The Sussex Downs Murder
We've played two murder mystery games this weekend, one of them ( board game about Sherlock Holmes) I solved the clues first and the second one (role playing where we each revealed clues about ourselves and challenged each other) I was the murderer.

[Lady Clementina]

Jay-me (Janet) wrote: "The Lake District Murder and just about to start The Sussex Downs Murder
We've played two murder mystery games this weekend, one of them ( board game about Sherlock ..."

Those sound like fun. We had this game which we used to play as kids- where you had chits with king/soldier/thief/minister on them and the one who got minister had to figure out who the others were.

[Leslie]

I am reading the 10th McGee mystery, The Girl In The Plain Brown Wrapper, before diving into my library loan of Black and Blue by Ian Rankin.

[Sandy]

I just finished A Room Full of Bones, #4 in the Ruth Galloway series. It is current day, she is an archaeologist, and the setting is Norfolk, England. Good series and I enjoyed the book. (if you are interested in the series, start at the beginning.) But then I went on to one of those short ebooks that are sold as filler between the "real" books in the series, Ruth's First Christmas Tree. I hope I didn't spend much. I have read of these and really don't feel they are worth even the 99 cents I probably spent. Only from the library from now on!

An aside (a rant?): Reading reviews of the book many people complained of the repetitive details. This is a problem with series, but I read the entries so far apart that I'm not bothered. One reason to not sit down and read them one after another; they are published at least a year apart.

[Betsy]

I have read quite a few of the Galloway books. As long as they stuck to the mysteries, they were okay; but I found all the details on her personal life and that of practically all her friends to be boring and unnecessary so I gave up on the series.

[Lady Clementina]

I just came across two series I hadn't heard of before yesterday-Chet and Bernie mysteries narrated by Chet the dog by Spender Quinn and the High Heels series by Gemma Haliday. Has anyone read either/both?

[Susan]

I read the first Galloway book but never liked it and never read on. I know it is a very popular series, but I agree with Betsy that there was far too much on her personal life. I found that with the first Tony Parsons book, The Murder Bag, although he focuses more on the crime now and has side lined the personal life a bit. I do like the characters in a series, but the crime needs to be central I think. All feel free to disagree!

[Damaskcat]

Susan wrote: "I read the first Galloway book but never liked it and never read on. I know it is a very popular series, but I agree with Betsy that there was far too much on her personal life. I found that with t..."

With police procedural crime novels I dislike having to read a lot about the detectives' private lives but because the Ruth Galloway series isn't a police procedural I actually enjoy the private life bits and think they're an integral part of the books. I love the series and have recently re-read them all back to back and found them even better than the first time I read them.

[Susan]

Normally, I tend to like the same books as you and Damaskcat, Ann, but I just really did not enjoy the first Ruth Galloway book. Never mind, it happens sometimes...

[Betsy]

My problem is that for me the crimes/mysteries in the Galloway books have almost taken second place to all the trials and tribulations of Ruth and Co. I read mysteries for the mysteries, not the machinations of their private lives.

[Susan]

I think that part of the charm of a series lies in the characters - it is like meeting up with old friends. However, that depends upon how much you like the characters and whether you care about them. With some series I can tolerate it, in others I quite like it, but some I find irritating. You soon know which series you want to follow.

[Betsy]

It's definitely a good thing that there are so many mysteries out there so that readers can find what they like, and don't have to 'settle'.