Historical Mysteries Setting Challenge (2016) - Discussion Thread

[Lauren]

Let us know what you are reading and what you think about it.

[Susan]

I just started Rhys Bowen's newest Molly Murphy mystery, TIme of Fog and Fire. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Susan]

I just finished the newest Molly Murphy mystery by Rhys Bowen. Lauren, please let me know if I do not post it correctly on the participant thread. This will help for future entries.

[Lauren]

Susan wrote: "I just finished the newest Molly Murphy mystery by Rhys Bowen. Lauren, please let me know if I do not post it correctly on the participant thread. This will help for future entries."

Looks good, Susan. Can you just add the date that you finished?
Thanks.

[Sandy]

I'm reading Funeral in Blue in the Monk series by Anne Perry. I love this series and all the characters. In this one Hester's brother Charles has reappeared. It is set in early Victorian London.

[Benjamin]

Just finished (and enjoyed) Crocodile on the Sandbank. For the sake of our reading challenge, it takes place in the 1880s almost entirely in Egypt. The main characters are British, so, I *could* file it under Victorian England, I suppose, but almost none of the story takes place in England, so I could go to 19th C. Europe, but, again, it's mostly taking place in Egypt. Hmmm..... Thoughts?

[Lauren]

For me, it's Victorian England because the main characters are English even though the book is set in Egypt.

[Lauren]

Benjamin, just a reminder to post dates read in your original post so that the books you read can count toward the challenge.

[Nick]

Late entrant to the challenge! :) I'd like to aim for History with Honours, but i'm working on another challenge as well in the Dragons and Jetpacks group, so i'll just see how far I can get.

I read a few earlier in the year, so it's not a complete standing start, I have the early 20th century finished up with a handful of Phryne Fisher novels.

I've never read anything from some of these settings, so i'm looking forward to trying something new!

[Lauren]

Welcome to the challenge, Nick. I will add you to the readerboard.

[Lauren]

Nick, please add read dates to your books so that they can count toward the challenge. Thanks.

[Veronica]

Nick wrote: "Late entrant to the challenge! :) I'd like to aim for History with Honours, but i'm working on another challenge as well in the Dragons and Jetpacks group, so i'll just see how far I can get.

I re..."

Hi Nick! I'm in the D&J group too. It's nice to see you here. Diverse reading is always a good thing. :-)

[Nick]

Lauren - Thanks for the welcome. I've added the dates for what i've read this year (Historical mystery-wise) to the participant post.

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


Veronica - Hey Veronica! :) Yes, after I joined D&J, I went looking for a group that catered to my other favourite genre and found this one. I love this challenge idea actually, I didn't even realise there were historical mysteries set in Japan, i'd never come across them before. Very much looking forward to that.

Any suggestions for books for some of the less common settings? Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt i've got covered, and I haven't finished Cadfael so that is medieval taken care of... Anne Perry will be good for victorian, but i'm not sure about the others yet.

[Vicki]

The Jane Austen series by Stephanie Barron is good, as is the Catherine LeVendeur series (medieval France) by Sharon Newman.

[Veronica]

Nick wrote: "Any suggestions for books for some of the less common settings? Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt i've got covered, and I haven't finished Cadfael so that is medieval taken care of... Anne Perry will be good for victorian, but i'm not sure about the others yet."

I'm afraid I've always had a tendency to gravitate towards mysteries set in the Victorian, regency, or early 20th century periods myself. This group has been a good resource for finding other time periods to investigate though.

[Denise]

Nick wrote: "Lauren - Thanks for the welcome. I've added the dates for what i've read this year (Historical mystery-wise) to the participant post.

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

One resource is stopyourekillingme.com - on the left side is a listing of indices look for "Historical Index" and it gives series under each era, thats how I found my Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. I'm enjoying Lindsey Davis' Ancient Roman series and have heard Steven Saylor's Gordianus series is quite good. Have fun!

[Nick]

I will give that another look, though I think the time periods are a bit wider than the challenge periods though so will take a bit of digging I think.

I've read all of the Gordianus books so far except the latest (the third prequel novel). They're quite entertaining ;)

[Viji]

I would like to know under which category books by Charles Todd and Rosemary Rowe could be placed. Thanks.

[Viji]

Denise wrote: "Nick wrote: "Lauren - Thanks for the welcome. I've added the dates for what i've read this year (Historical mystery-wise) to the participant post.

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

Oh! Thanks, Denise, for this link. Just now I posted a query about the categories. The link is great.

But it does not classify the authors in the categories as I find in the challenge page and I still have my query. Thanks.

[Lauren]

Viji wrote: "I would like to know under which category books by Charles Todd and Rosemary Rowe could be placed. Thanks."

Charles Todd's series are early 20th century because they take place during and after WWI

Rosemary Rowe's books belong to the Roman Empire category.

[Nick]

How "early" must a book be set to qualify as "Early Japan" setting? Pre-shogun? The closest i've been able to find is the Akitada Mysteries by I. J. Parker, which are set in the 11th century, which I think would have the story occuring in the Heian period. Is that early enough to be Early Japan?

If not, does anyone have any suggestions for books which do fit? Preferably kindle-available?

[Viji]

Lauren wrote: "Viji wrote: "I would like to know under which category books by Charles Todd and Rosemary Rowe could be placed. Thanks."

Charles Todd's series are early 20th century because they take place during..."

Thanks, Lauren

[Lauren]

Nick wrote: "How "early" must a book be set to qualify as "Early Japan" setting? Pre-shogun? The closest i've been able to find is the Akitada Mysteries by I. J. Parker, which are set in the 11th century, which..."

That is early enough. If you think the book meets the criteria then it is fine. The purpose is to broaden our reading horizons and not drive ourselves crazy trying to figure out if a book fits :0)

[Viji]

To which Era will fit into?
Thanks.

[Viji]

Also would like to know where will go into. It is mentioned as Roman Britain.
Thanks.

[Lauren]

@Viji - Both would go in the Roman Empire category.

[Vicki]

I've been jumping around the eras (Tudor -> medieval -> Regency) and find it a bit disorienting, so I've decided to complete each series (and era) before going on to the next one. Anyone else have that problem?

[Veronica]

Vicki wrote: "I've been jumping around the eras (Tudor -> medieval -> Regency) and find it a bit disorienting, so I've decided to complete each series (and era) before going on to the next one. Anyone else have ..."

I agree, Vicki. If I'm mixing up too many time periods I find there is usually a bit of a transition phase while I get acclimated to different speech patterns and mannerisms.

[Viji]

Lauren wrote: "@Viji - Both would go in the Roman Empire category."

Thanks, Lauren

[Lindy-Lane]

would juvie & young adult mystery fiction work for this challenge?

also, how do i post a link back to my original post when i post updates?

[Lauren]

Lindy-Lane wrote: "would juvie & young adult mystery fiction work for this challenge?

also, how do i post a link back to my original post when i post updates?"

Yes, YA would work. Any book that fits into any of the time periods will work.

Here are the steps for linking back to your original post:
1. Go to the original post (which you update whenever you finish a book)
2. Right click on the time stamp at he top of the post on the right hand side (in the same line as your name)
3. Copy the link
4. Paste the link into your new post.

[Lindy-Lane]

Lauren wrote: "Lindy-Lane wrote: "would juvie & young adult mystery fiction work for this challenge?

also, how do i post a link back to my original post when i post updates?"

Yes, YA would work. Any book that f..."

good to know. thanks!

[Nick]

Veronica wrote: "Vicki wrote: "I've been jumping around the eras (Tudor -> medieval -> Regency) and find it a bit disorienting, so I've decided to complete each series (and era) before going on to the next one. Any..."

I don't generally find that to be a problem at all... I'm wondering - do either of you read Sci-Fi/Fantasy? Perhaps a lifetime of reading about places that don't exist have accustomed me to adjusting to differences in setting? ;)