What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread Showing 4,051-4,100 of 4,457

[Judy]

I'm now starting Swing, Brother, Swing, the next book coming up in our Ngaio Marsh challenge.

[Jill]

Finished Flowers for the Judge. Now starting Richardson's First Case

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I'm now starting Swing, Brother, Swing, the next book coming up in our Ngaio Marsh challenge."

Mine just came in today’s mail! I have other books to finish first, then on to Swing, Brother, Swing.

[Susan in NC]

Jill wrote: "Finished Flowers for the Judge. Now starting Richardson's First Case"

Be interested to start our discussion, see everyone’s opinions.

[Jan C]

You sent me looking for H.C. Bailey - I found The Garston Murder Case: a Joshua Clunk Mystery on Kindle (US). Shadow on the Wall: A Mr. Fortune Novel was in print but costing more than I wanted to pay ($8.49 or something). But I picked up the Garston book - after a day of watching congressional hearings how can I resist a book featuring a psalm-singing criminal lawyer?

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

I've messed up. I have started reading Duplicate Death

Oh well, I'll be well & truly ready for the April read. :(

[Gary]

Jan C wrote: "I was able to get Call Mr. Fortune on Kindle and enjoyed most of the stories."

That is the only book available on Nook as well. Open Road Media/Mysterious Press is the publisher of the edition I have.

[Susan]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I've messed up. I have started reading Duplicate Death

Oh well, I'll be well & truly ready for the April read. :("

Not just me then - I did that with the Poirot books a month or so ago :)

[Judy]

Jan C wrote: "You sent me looking for H.C. Bailey - I found The Garston Murder Case: a Joshua Clunk Mystery on Kindle (US). Shadow on the Wall: A Mr. Fortune Novel was in print but..."

Hope you enjoy it, Jan - Clunk definitely sounds like an interesting character from your description of him as a "psalm-singing criminal lawyer"!

[Christmas Carol ꧁꧂]

Susan wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I've messed up. I have started reading Duplicate Death

Oh well, I'll be well & truly ready for the April read. :("

Not just me then - I did that with ..."

I feel a bit silly - but I'm really enjoying it, so I don't want to stop reading!

[Judy]

Don't worry, Carol, April will be here before you know it!

[Tania]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I've messed up. I have started reading Duplicate Death

Oh well, I'll be well & truly ready for the April read. :("

I just finished Duplicate Death and liked it.
I started The Seven Dials Mystery last night. Very readable, she seems to have more fum with this one than others of hers. I probably would have benefited from reading the first in the Battle series before this one, though.

[Susan in NC]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I've messed up. I have started reading Duplicate Death

Oh well, I'll be well & truly ready for the April read. :("

Not just me then - I ..."

Heyer is never a bad thing...

[Bicky]

S Dizzy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I think Sunbathers cements the idea of how young and inexperienced is Bobby Owens and how he is perceived by other detectives, including his boss, Mit..."

Hi. I am a new member of this group and just love that the older writers are being read and discussed. I have not read E.R. Punshon but have a collection of the books. Do you suggest that I start with Information Received?

[Judy]

I thought Information Received was an entertaining read, Bicky, and I think it's a good one to start with as the first Bobby Owen book. We have discussed it here in the past and our old threads are still open if you want to discuss it. :)

[Bicky]

Judy wrote: "I thought Information Received was an entertaining read, Bicky, and I think it's a good one to start with as the first Bobby Owen book. We have discussed it here in the past and our old threads are..."

Thanks.

[Bicky]

Susan wrote: "I just finished Snapshot

Another great Scottish crime author and another series to follow..."

And another that one has to read. Thanks.

[Susan in NC]

Bicky wrote: "S Dizzy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I think Sunbathers cements the idea of how young and inexperienced is Bobby Owens and how he is perceived by other detectives, includi..."

Hi, Bicky, I just joined in November and am catching up with several authors as well. I just read Information Received and enjoyed it - it introduces characters and sets the stage for the series.

[Bicky]

Thanks. I hope to start it tomorrow.

[Bicky]

Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "First, I always read in order so am prejudiced. These books are not linked plot-wise but in the first, Information Received, Bobby Owen (our hero) is new to the force and meets his bo..."
I also like to read in order but it is helpful to know that a particular book is weak. Then, you don't have to give up the author!

[Judy]

I thought the second Bobby Owen book, Death Among the Sunbathers, was weak, but some group members enjoyed it more than I did.

[Susan in NC]

Bicky wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "First, I always read in order so am prejudiced. These books are not linked plot-wise but in the first, Information Received, Bobby Owen (our hero) is new to the fo..."

Exactly! I just started Sunbathers, only a few pages in as I have other books on the go to finish, but I will get back to it next - I always like to read in order. But when I started read Richardson’s First Case, another series with a young constable, I was afraid I’d mix them up and put Bobby Owen aside for now.

[Sandy]

I'm also afraid I will not be able to distinguish Bobby Owen from Richardson.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Sandy wrote: "I'm also afraid I will not be able to distinguish Bobby Owen from Richardson."

I didn't see them as enough alike to not be able to distinguish them, but then I won't be reading any more of the Richardson, so you can take that with the grain of salt it perhaps deserves.

[Bicky]

Annabel wrote: "Just finished Michael Gilbert's Death In Captivity. Some of these Golden Age reprints are disappointing but this one was absolutely fantastic. Really taut and gripping. It reminded me of Where Eagl..."

I was already planning on reading Death in Captivity by Michael Gilbert but thanks for bringing to my notice Ice Cold in Alex.

Here, I am unable to help myself and have to bring to the notice of this group "Honkaku" which is a genre of detective fiction developed by Japanese writers.

“Starting around 1930, the word honkaku became the term to describe the classic puzzle-plot detective stories published in the Golden Age of Western detective fiction (represented by writers like Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr, Ellery Queen and others).” From http://honkaku.com/english.html#pageL... which also gives an indication of the Honkaku books translated into English.

But what would be even more interesting for this group is the fact that every year The Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan has awarded prizes for the top 10 books which, of course, award Japanese authors but also international authors, old and new.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honkaku... gives a wonderful opportunity for readers to discover books and writers from the past.

This, in fact, was how I was brought to Death in Captivity.

I have been unable to discover about the prizes after 2015.

[Jill]

Sandy wrote: "I'm also afraid I will not be able to distinguish Bobby Owen from Richardson."

I found Bobby Owen books are more sort of cosy compared to the Richardson ones, which are more centered on the police procedure. So I don't think I will mix them up.

[Jill]

Bicky wrote: "Annabel wrote: "Just finished Michael Gilbert's Death In Captivity. Some of these Golden Age reprints are disappointing but this one was absolutely fantastic. Really taut and gripping. It reminded ..."

That's interesting Bicky. Thanks

[Annabel]

That's really intriguing, Bicky. Evidently the Golden Age of detection works on a global level. I subscribe to the theory that it's the cerebral puzzles that appeal, in the way that CSI does now. But it doesn't seem sufficient explanation by itself...

[Susan in NC]

Bicky wrote: "Annabel wrote: "Just finished Michael Gilbert's Death In Captivity. Some of these Golden Age reprints are disappointing but this one was absolutely fantastic. Really taut and gripping. It reminded ..."

Interesting!

[Susan in NC]

Jill wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I'm also afraid I will not be able to distinguish Bobby Owen from Richardson."

I found Bobby Owen books are more sort of cosy compared to the Richardson ones, which are more centered..."

Good to know - I’ve only read the first in each series. I was more afraid of mixing up the facts of the cases, or characters - that would be frustrating, and likely to happen if the plots or characters aren’t really “sinking in”, you know? That’s why I don’t like to read too many books at once, and not in the same genre (I’m also getting older, too, so maybe it’s just me!)

[Jill]

Started the current Marsh book, but mine is called A Wreath for Rivera not Swing Brother Swing

[Susan]

Talking of Japanese crime novels, Bicky and Annabel, I have The Decagon House Murders on my TBR list. It has been compared to, "And Then There Were None," in terms of plot.

In its starred review, Publisher’s Weekly writes: “a brilliant and richly atmospheric puzzle which will appeal to lovers of Golden Age whodunits…. As in the best fair-play mysteries, every word counts, leading up to a jaw-dropping but logical reveal.”

Students from a university mystery club decide to visit an island which was the site of a grisly multiple murder the year before. Predictably, they get picked off one by one by an unseen murderer. Is there a madman on the loose? What connection is there to the earlier murders? The answer is a bombshell revelation which few readers will see coming.

The Decagon House Murders is a milestone in the history of detective fiction. Published in 1987, it is credited with launching the shinhonkaku movement which restored Golden Age style plotting and fair-play clues to the Japanese mystery scene, which had been dominated by the social school of mystery for several decades. It is also said to have influenced the development of the wildly popular anime movement.

This, the first English edition, contains a lengthy introduction by the maestro of Japanese mystery fiction, Soji Shimada.

Locked Room International discovers and publishes impossible crime masterpieces from all over the world

[Bicky]

Judy wrote: "I've only read various introductions by Curtis Evans and there is also lots of good stuff on his blog, http://thepassingtramp.blogspot.com/

I am interested in the sound of his book [book:Masters o..."

Thanks for the reference to the blog. Very interesting. Very helpful.

[Judy]

Jill wrote: "Started the current Marsh book, but mine is called A Wreath for Rivera not Swing Brother Swing"

That's the US title, Jill. I think it might be a better title for this one.

[Judy]

Bicky wrote: "Thanks for the reference to the blog. Very interesting. Very helpful. ..."

Thanks Bicky, glad you like the Curtis Evans blog - I have found lots of interesting things there.

[Annabel]

As if I didn't already have too much on my TBR list, I picked up a modern reprint of what is apparently an early locked room classic in Oxfam today. The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux, who wrote The Phantom Of The Opera. The dustjacket quotes John Dickson Carr saying: "The finest locked room tale ever written." I'm ashamed to admit I've never heard of it.

I've developed a taste for locked room mysteries lately although they do ask a lot if you're not naturally good at visualising settings. Death In Captivity which I just read was also a good locked room puzzle, alongside its many other qualities.

[Jill]

I have the Leroux book. Maybe you could let me know what you think of it.

[Susan in NC]

I’ve seen Yellow Room mentioned as a classic, but didn’t know the author, thank you.

[Susan in NC]

Finished ABC Murders last night (so loving the Poirot rereads - trip down memory lane!), and going to start Swing, Brother, Swing today - my used copy arrived in yesterday’s mail from London. Yay!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Susan wrote: "Talking of Japanese crime novels, Bicky and Annabel, I have The Decagon House Murders on my TBR list. It has been compared to, "And Th..."

Not only does this look interesting, but its publisher is one I haven't heard of: Locked Room International. It appears to have a rather short list of publications, but perhaps one to look out for.

http://www.lockedroominternational.co...

[Judy]

I've started one of our forthcoming buddy reads, Stop Press by Michael Innes - the opening is a lot of fun and extremely unusual!

[Bev]

Susan wrote: "Talking of Japanese crime novels, Bicky and Annabel, I have The Decagon House Murders on my TBR list. It has been compared to, "And Th..."

This is a great mystery--plays very well on Christie's "And Then There Were None" and yet does it's own thing.

[Bev]

I'm currently listening to Hugh Fraser read Christie's "Murder on the Links." Will be starting Marsh's "A Wreath for Rivera" (aka Swing, Brother, Swing) next.

[Gary]

Currently reading Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich for a challenge in another group.

[Bicky]

Susan wrote: "Talking of Japanese crime novels, Bicky and Annabel, I have The Decagon House Murders on my TBR list. It has been compared to, "And Th..."

I saw the book mentioned on the Honkaku website but now I am going to start it immediately.

[Bicky]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Susan wrote: "Talking of Japanese crime novels, Bicky and Annabel, I have The Decagon House Murders on my TBR list. It has been compar..."

Bev wrote: "Susan wrote: "Talking of Japanese crime novels, Bicky and Annabel, I have The Decagon House Murders on my TBR list. It has been compar..."

Thanks for the reference.

[Lady Clementina]

I started one of our buddy reads
Really enjoying it-it kept me reading well past bedtime last night.

[Bicky]

Finished reading both Information Received and P.C. Richardson's First Case.

Enjoyed both of them. The wit in the first and the solidity in the second. I plan to read more books by the two authors.

[Judy]

Bicky wrote: "Finished reading both Information Received and P.C. Richardson's First Case.

Enjoyed both of them. The wit in the first and the solidity in the second. I plan to re..."

That's good to hear, Bicky. You are very welcome to join in our discussion of Richardson's first Case - links to the non-spoiler and spoiler threads below.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Judy]

PS, we have also had previous discussions of Information Received and the threads for those are still open too. :)