Historical Mysteries Settings Challenge (2016) - Particpant Threads

[Veronica]

I liked it though it felt like the focus was more on the drama in Charlotte's house with the murder stuff almost in the background. Though that may have been the style for murder mysteries when this was written, as is the fact that the murder happens about halfway in. I'm just not sure I liked the way everything in the Ellison household worked out. :-/

[Veronica]

Doctorate level
Completed: 10/15 books in 7/10 categories

Edwardian England- Snobbery With Violence

Finished the audiobook and it was light, fluffy fun.

My original post

[Nick]

Veronica wrote: "I liked it though it felt like the focus was more on the drama in Charlotte's house with the murder stuff almost in the background. Though that may have been the style for murder mysteries when thi..."

To be honest, I think the first may have been one of the weaker books in the series, and for that reason - the story is focused a lot on bringing together Pitt and Charlotte and setting up the foundation of the series.

I'd recommend giving it another book or two before making a final decision on the series though. The later books focus more on the actual murders and tend to be quite well plotted, whilst maintaining the class-tension that is a common thread throughout a lot of victorian novels.

[Nick]

Finished The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Brontë though, as it turns out, that doesn't actually help me at all.

For some reason I had this book listed down in my challenge-plan against "Gilded Age America". Worse than that, I was 3/4's the way through it before I realised that I couldn't really count a victorian novel set in England as "Gilded Age America".

Worse than that, I didn't even enjoy the book!

So, still two books away from History with Honours, and going to be more careful in selecting my next read ;)

Original Post

[Veronica]

Doctorate level
Completed: 11/15 books in 8/10 categories

Gilded Age America - A Gilded Grave

My original post

[Merle]

I really had no plan to participate but then when I looked, I realized that I had completed the Bachelors !
As follows:
Regency England - Thames River Murders 1/18; Who Buries the Dead 3/11; When Falcons Fall 4/3; The Alexandria Affair 5/26 (Ashley Gardner; C.S. Harris)

Victorian England - Blood on the Water 3/10; Corridors of the Night 3/14; Treachery at Lancaster Gate 5/10; A Soupcon of Poison 11/9 (Anne Perry, Ashley Gardner)

Gilded Age America - Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue 3/17; Murder in Morningside Heights 5/27 (Victoria Thompson)

[Nick]

Finished City for Ransom by Robert W Walker for the "Gilded Age America" category.

It was terrible. A truly awful book. It hurt to read it.

Original Post

[Lauren]

Merle wrote: "I really had no plan to participate but then when I looked, I realized that I had completed the Bachelors !
As follows:
Regency England - Thames River Murders 1/18; Who Buries the Dead 3/11; When F..."

That's great, Merle.
I'll add you to the readerboard :0)

[Veronica]

Doctorate level
Completed: 12/15 books in 9/10 categories

Medieval Europe - Death Comes As Epiphany

My original post

[Veronica]

Doctorate level
Completed: 13/15 books in 9/10 categories

Early 20th Century - Dying In the Wool

My original post.

[Sandy]

Completed my 15th book, Death Comes As Epiphany, Medieval England, but still haven't read beyond 5-6 time periods. I plan to start an Agatha Christie set in Ancient Egypt, Death Comes as the End, and that will help.

Original post, #8, https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Veronica]

It's a challenge to get out of our favorite time periods, that's for sure. I tend to read a lot that would fall into the early 20th century category so it's been an effort to avoid those this time around.

[Lauren]

Sandy wrote: "Completed my 15th book, Death Comes As Epiphany, Medieval England, but still haven't read beyond 5-6 time periods. I plan to start an Agatha Christie set in Ancient Egypt, [book:Death..."

You can do it, Sandy!

[Sandy]

I counted Death Comes As Epiphany in Medieval England when it should be Medieval Europe - a new category without further reading!

However the December read won't help; I already have Regency.

Original post, #8, https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Nick]

Finished History with Honors! Final book was The Sultan's Seal set in the Ottoman empire.

Actually finished this a few days ago, on the 14th, on the plane heading out of state for work.

This was a really fun challenge, looking forward to next year's!

Original Post

[Vicki]

Nick wrote: "Finished History with Honors! Final book was The Sultan's Seal set in the Ottoman empire.

Actually finished this a few days ago, on the 14th, on the plane heading out of state for wo..."

Impressive! Congratulations.

[Vicki]

Finished my doctorate with The Mask of Ra by Paul Doherty, ancient Egypt.

My original post

[Lauren]

Congratulations Nick and Vicki!

[Sandy]

Finished my 16th book, Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie and set in ancient Egypt. This gave me a new category, but I still have only six and time is short and other reading commitments rise.

The book was okay. Christie knew archaeology and the facts and flavor seemed true to the times. The mystery was fine but most of the suspects were dead by the end. I gave it two stars as it just didn't engage me. I listened to the audio.

Original post, #8: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Veronica]

Congrats, Nick and Vicki!

[Veronica]

Doctorate level
Completed: 14/15 books in 9/10 categories

Ancient Rome - The Graveyard of the Hesperides

My original post.

[Dawn]

I just finished The Novice's Tale. I am so excited about this new series but it left off with a cliffhanger. I went to the author's website and she is hoping to have the next book in the series out by March 2017. I can't wait!

My original post: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Dawn]

I finished Wolf Hall today. This was a long haul. I find the time period fascinating but I really struggled getting through this one.

My original post:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Lauren]

Dawn wrote: "I finished Wolf Hall today. This was a long haul. I find the time period fascinating but I really struggled getting through this one.

My original post:https://www.goodreads.com/topi..."

Would you classify this as an historical mystery or is it more historical fiction?

[Dawn]

Lauren wrote: "Dawn wrote: "I finished Wolf Hall today. This was a long haul. I find the time period fascinating but I really struggled getting through this one.

My original post:https://www.goodr..."

Lauren,

You are absolutely right. I very rarely read a historical book that is not a mystery so I didn't even think about it. I will remove it from my master list.

[Lauren]

Thanks Dawn.
Sometimes the line between the sub-genres is quite thin :0)

[Michelle]

That's the truth!!

[Veronica]

Doctorate level
Completed: 16/15 books in 10/10 categories

Regency England - When Falcons Fall

Antebellum America - The Gods of Gotham

And with that, I've completed the Doctorate level. Whew! It's been fun and I'm looking forward to 2017's challenge.

My original post

[Lauren]

Fantastic Veronica! Well done :0)

[Veronica]

Thanks, Lauren. And thanks for setting this up. It was fun!

[Nick]

Well done Veronica! what did you think of the gods of gotham?

[Lauren]

Approaching the finish line!

Readerboard

Aubree - 10/15
Benjamin - 8/10
Candace - 1/3
Carol - 13/13
Dawn - 21/21
Denise -22/22
Gail - 9/9
Gretchen - 14/14
Gretchen II - 19/20
Jadetyger -5/10
Lauren - 10/10
Lindy-Lane - 4/15
Meghan - 23/23
Merle - 10/10
Nick - 29/29
Paisley - 4/15
Rosina 2/10
Sandy - 16/16
Susan - 15/15
Veronica - 10/10 , 15/15, 16/16
Vicki - 27/27
Viji - 10/20+

[Veronica]

Nick wrote: "Well done Veronica! what did you think of the gods of gotham?"

I liked it for the most part. I got a sense for the time period and I was invested in the dynamics between the two brothers. Overall I liked the writing style but there were times that I thought the author was trying too hard and was in danger of veering off into purple prose territory. But this was the author's second published book and, having read her fifth and most recent (Jane Steele), I can attest that her skills get sharper. I'll certainly read more of her books, though not necessarily the rest of the Timothy Wilde trilogy.

[Meghan]

Adding a whole host of books, because I keep forgetting to update on here. I've been working my way through some of the ebook novellas that go with my favorite series (Lady Emily, Lady Julia Grey, etc.) both as a way to get caught up and also because I'm hopelessly behind on my reading goal for the year.

Original Post

[Sandy]

Added another, What Angels Fear in the Regency category. I'm up to 17 books but not a new category.

Original post (#8) https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Nick]

Good going Sandy. I really enjoyed that one :)

[Sandy]

And one more, Jade Dragon Mountain, set in China in 1709. Its the first of a new series with the second out recently. I liked it and will be reading the next one soon (I hope). The setting is China in 1709 with the Jesuits in China and the Dominican and the East India Company trying to get access, an historical period I know little about.

Original post, #8, https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Veronica]

That one sounds interesting, Sandy. I've added it to my TBR shelf. Hopefully I'll get to use it for the Monopoly challenge.

[Lauren]

And the winner is .....

Readerboard

Aubree - 10/15
Benjamin - 8/10
Candace - 1/3
Carol - 13/13
Dawn - 21/21
Denise -22/22
Gail - 9/9
Gretchen - 14/14
Gretchen II - 19/20
Jadetyger -5/10
Lauren - 10/10
Lindy-Lane - 4/15
Meghan - 28/28
Merle - 10/10
Nick - 29/29
Paisley - 4/15
Rosina 2/10
Sandy - 18/18
Susan - 15/15
Veronica - 10/10 , 15/15, 16/16
Vicki - 27/27
Viji - 10/20+

VERONICA!! with 41 books and a Doctorate!

Woohoo!

[Vicki]

Thanks for setting this up. I had lots of fun.

[Sandy]

Thank you, loved it and looking forward to Monopoly.

[Lauren]

Glad you both enjoyed it :0)

[Viji]

Completed:

Historical Mysteries Settings Challenge (2016)

Level #4: History with Honors - 20+ books in all categories

CATEGORIES:

- Ancient Egypt
The Mask of Ra by Paul Doherty; 06/30/2016
- Roman Empire
One for Sorrow by Mary Reed ; 03/30/2016
The Legatus Mystery by Rosemary Rowe ; 03/04/2016
Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis; 07/13/2016
- Shogunate Japan
The Assassin's Touch by Laura Joh Rowland; 04/24/2016
- Medieval England
The Spider's Web by Peter Tremayne; 01/18/2016
Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters; 02/23/2016
The Chalice of Blood by Peter Tremayne;02/26/2016
- Medieval Europe
The Mosaic of Shadows by Tom Harper; 01/04/2016
The Sheen on the Silk by Anne Perry ; 04/28/2016
- Tudor / Stuart England
The Scottish Play Murder by Anne Rutherford; 05/01/2016
The Hooded Hawke by Karen Harper; 05/22/2016
A Famine of Horses by P.F. Chisholm; 05/31/2016
- Regency England
The Thames River Murders by Ashley Gardner; 04/07/2016
- Victorian England
Paragon Walk by Anne Perry; 05/14/2016
The Excursion Train by Edward Marston; 08/08/2016
- Edwardian England
Eat, Drink, and Be Buried by Kate Kingsbury; 07/31/2016
Ring for Tomb Service by Kate Kingsbury; 12/27/2016
- Early 20th Century
The Confession by Charles Todd; 02/03/2016
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry by 06/10/2016
An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear; 06/19/2016
High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent; 08/06/2016
Fire When Ready by Kate Kingsbury; 11/04/2016

Thanks a lot for this challenge which I enjoyed very much.