What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread, 2019-2020 Showing 551-600 of 1,516

[Jan C]

I just finished The Fatal Touch by Conor Fitzgerald, #2 in the Alec Blume series. He is an American working as a commissioner with the police in Rome.

[Jill]

Finished The Sussex Downs Murder now starting One, Two, Buckle My Shoe for this month

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Fell Murder Really interest insights into farming life in Britain during WW2 are a bonus.

[Susan in NC]

Jill wrote: "Finished The Sussex Downs Murder now starting One, Two, Buckle My Shoe for this month"

Me, too! Another Poirot I somehow missed, yay!

[Susan in NC]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Fell Murder Really interest insights into farming life in Britain during WW2 are a bonus."

I hope this is a good one, Carol - Lorac has become a new favorite golden age writer of mine, I’ve got this on my TBR pile.

[Susan in NC]

Starting Blood Is Blood on audio. I’ve read and enjoyed every book in this series, but somehow missed this title!

[Tara]

I started The Benson Murder Case by S S Van Dine for a recent buddy read. I like a mystery set in 1930s New York City, but the dialogue of the main protagonist is simply annoying, and it makes it difficult for me to like him. Hopefully it improves as I get along.

I also just finished Endless Night by Agatha Christie on audiobook. A darker departure from her usual fare, it sucks you right in. With a twist ending, I would definitely recommend, despite not containing any of her recurring detectives.

[Sandy]

Tara wrote: "I started The Benson Murder Case by S S Van Dine for a recent buddy read. I like a mystery set in 1930s New York City, but the dialogue of the main protagonist is si..."

Benson was our October group read and you will find lots of opinions of Philo Vance in that thread. I'm with you in the annoying camp.

[Tania]

I read Marriage Can Be Murder a mystery set at the beginning of WW2. It was Ok, but seemed a bit far-fetched. I may get to the next one, but I'm in no hurry.

[Bicky]

I have been reading Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series and I thought this extract may be of interest:

As if reading her mind, he said, “It’s the prewar aura I can’t resist. The
________________________________________
Golden Age of British manners—vanished now, much to our loss. I was born during the Blitz, but even during my childhood there were still traces of gentility in English life. Ah, here’s our tea,” he said as the waiter brought a tray to their table. “I’ve ordered Assam to go with the sandwiches—I hope that’s all right—and a pot of Keemun later with the pastries.”
Tea in Gemma’s family had run to Tetley’s Finest teabags, stewed in a tin pot. Not liking to admit that she had never tasted either, she pounced on his previous remark. “You only think that time must have been perfect because you didn’t live it. I imagine the generation between the wars saw Edwardian England as the Golden Age, and probably the Edwardians felt the same way about the Victorians.”
“A good point, my dear,” he said seriously as he poured tea into her cup, “but there was one great difference—the First World War. They had looked into the mouth of hell, and they knew how fragile our hold on civilization really is.” The waiter returned, placing a three-tiered tray on their small table. Finger sandwiches filled the bottom tray, scones the middle, and pastries the top, the crowning touch. “Have a sandwich, my dear,” said Tommy. “The salmon on brown bread is particularly nice.”
He sipped his tea and continued his lecture, a cucumber sandwich poised in his fingers. “It’s fashionable these days to pooh-pooh the Golden Age crime novel as trivial and unrealistic, but that was not the case at all. It was their stand against chaos. The conflicts were intimate, rather than global, and justice, order and retribution always prevailed. They desperately needed that reassurance. Did you know that Britain lost nearly a third of its young men between 1914 and 1918? Yet that war didn’t physically threaten us in the same way as the next—it stayed safely on the European Front.”
Pausing to down half the cucumber sandwich in one bite, he chewed for a moment, then said sadly, “What a waste it must have seemed, the flower of Britain’s manhood lost, with nothing to show for it but some newspaper headlines and politicians’ speeches.” He smiled. “But if you read Christie or Allingham or Sayers, the detective always got his man. And you’ll notice that the detective always operated outside the system—the stories expressed a comforting belief in the validity of individual action.”

From Leave the Grave Green

[Frances]

Bicky wrote: "I have been reading Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series and I thought this extract may be of interest:

As if reading her mind, he said, “It’s the prewar aura I c..."

I read that series years ago and remember enjoying it very much-and what a superb summary of why the Golden Age is so beloved and so successful.

[Jan C]

I love that series. Although I am falling behind, but only by one.

[Sandy]

And I'm planning to start the series soon; I've been on the waiting list for book one for weeks. I've heard good things about it.

[Sandy]

I'm a couple of chapters into In the Best Families, the final installment in the Nero Wolfe vs. Zeck trilogy.

[Judy]

I've started reading Written in Blood by Caroline Graham ready for our buddy read - as I mentioned over in the offers thread, this is currently 99p on Kindle in the UK.

[Jill]

Starting The Ghost Marriage by Peter May I read this author's China Thrillers years ago before he had became famous for his Scottish books. I hadn't known he had written this last book in the series until very recently

[Bruce]

The House on the Cliff by Franklin W Dixon, the section Hardy boys book. I didn’t finish Enter a Murderer before it automatically returned a couple weeks ago, so I’m waiting for it to check out again.

[Sandy]

Bruce wrote: "The House on the Cliff by Franklin W Dixon, the section Hardy boys book. I didn’t finish Enter a Murderer before it automatically returned a couple weeks ago, so I’m waiting for it to check out again."

Those disappearing books are so annoying!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Started Written In Blood. I think I will like this group better than the new age one in the last book.

[Susan]

I am also really enjoying, Written in Blood

Just a reminder that the threads for our two November Buddy Reads - the above title (currently only 99p on kindle if anyone wants to join in) and the next Campion, The Fashion in Shrouds - will open mid-month, this weekend. The month seems to be rushing by so quickly!

[W]

Murder in Three Acts,by Agatha Christie.Not particularly compelling,so far.

[Jill]

I am half way through My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. One of the goodreads nominees for the choice awards. It is supposed to have dark humour, but I'm afraid I just don't see it. Maybe the second half will contain it.
Also starting Killer Dolphin for December group read

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I started Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. I haven’t read him before, but this won’t be my first. It’s dark and might not be what many in this group look for.

[Jill]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I started Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. I haven’t read him before, but this won’t be my first. It’s dark and might not be what many in this group look for."

Looks interesting. I'd be interested to hear what you think

[Jan C]

I enjoyed it years ago. I think I had a copy that was a movie tie-in. So probably around the time that the movie came out.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jan C wrote: "I enjoyed it years ago. I think I had a copy that was a movie tie-in. So probably around the time that the movie came out."

Fortunately, I not only haven’t seen the movie, but I didn’t know there was one.

[Susan in NC]

Reading M. M. Kaye’s Death in Cyprus with the Retro Reads group - I’ve never read the author before. Some interesting characters, some well-done gripping scenes, more emphasis on romance than a typical GA mystery, I guess her work is considered romantic suspense.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jill wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I started Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. I haven’t read him before, but this won’t be my first. It’s dark and might not be what many ...

Looks interesting. I'd be interested to hear what you think"

I quite liked Devil in a Blue Dress. Los Angeles of the late 40s/early 50s.

My review

[Jill]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Jill wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I started Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. I haven’t read him before, but this won’t be my first. It’s dark and might not ..."

Thank you Elizabeth. I have here several of his books, but as he was totally unknown to me, I have not considered reading him as yet. I will add them to my list now and hope to get to this at some stage

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I hope you like him, Jill. I have one other on my shelf not of the Easy Rawlins series. But I'll will be keeping my eyes pealed for more, as is obvious from my review. I'm past beginning to think I'll need to live to 100 to get to everything, though.

[Judy]

I've started Murder at Melrose Court: A Country House Christmas Murder ready for our next group read - I was able to get it on Kindle Unlimited.

[Sandy]

I'm half through A Share in Death, the first in a series that seems very popular. I'm enjoying it and plan to continue the series. I have to remember to NOT sync my kindle as I was very late starting this library book after being on the wait list for 'months'.

[Jill]

Sandy wrote: "I'm half through A Share in Death, the first in a series that seems very popular. I'm enjoying it and plan to continue the series. I have to remember to NOT sync my kindle as I was ve..."

That has been on my list since 2012. One day soon I should get to it.

[Susan in NC]

Just started Lethal Pursuit , then I’ll be on to one of our December reads!

[Bruce]

I just finished Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh. I have a few other books to read, then at some point I’ll start The Nursing Home Murders, the third Alleyn book.

[Franky]

I'm currently finishing up my first Nero Wolfe mystery, Fer-De-Lance. Interested to see how things finish up.

[Jennifer]

I just finished Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer. I loved it, especially "Randall the Snake" - very smooth and charming and unusual. I only the suspected the murderer towards the end and I've read the book before but couldn't remember who it was! It was a lovely read. Perfect for train travel.

[Marwan]

Started reading The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco

[Jill]

I have just started Some Buried Caesar Rex Stout I know I am a long way behind some of you but I really do enjoy these books.

[W]

Will read Photo Finish again,by Ngaio Marsh, after abandoning it earlier.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I've started No Name by Wilkie Collins. He was the great mystery writer of the mid-19th Century, but I'm not positive this one should be classed as such. He says in his preface that all is revealed by about the halfway mark. Still, I'm glad to be taking an opportunity to read him again.

[W]

I really liked The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins,The Moonstone not so much.

[Franky]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I've started No Name by Wilkie Collins. He was the great mystery writer of the mid-19th Century, but I'm not positive this one should be classed as such. He says in his p..."

I love No Name. I read it years ago. I think that while there is some mystery, I didn't really consider it a mystery per se, but more along the lines of sensationalist fiction. I just like how Collins plots his books and has interesting characters. There are certain staples of his that I see in every book. Guess I'm a sucker for them.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Wsm wrote: "I really liked The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins,The Moonstone not so much."

I liked them both, as well as Armadale. I think The Moonstone would be a better introduction to 19th Century fiction for high school students than any of Dickens. Yes, Frank, I'm probably a sucker for Collins, too. And others.

[Sandy]

I started A Christmas Most Foul: A Collection of Holiday Mysteries expecting a collection of short stories. The first two are Campion stories that I had read before, but nice rereads. Then the last two are really books: Thou Shell of Death read by the group three years ago, but not by me as I couldn't find a copy, followed by an Innes book.

I've put this aside for now as my book plate is full and I was looking for a short story. They may have to wait for next Christmas.

[Susan in NC]

Reading The Unfinished Clue with Georgette Heyer group, and just starting for one of our December Poirot reads. My golden age mystery cup runneth over!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I loved The Unfinished Clue Such a thrill finding a a book by your favourite author that you haven't read before.

[Susan in NC]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I loved The Unfinished Clue Such a thrill finding a a book by your favourite author that you haven't read before."

I’m really enjoying it, Carol, as you can tell from my comments! I think I’ve read it before, but I don’t remember - I can’t believe I forgot these characters, especially Lola daSilva (priceless).

[Tara]

Just finished Towards Zero, and starting Ordeal by Innocence in a joint Agatha Christie audiobook read by Hugh Fraser. These are non-Poirot/Miss Marple mysteries, but very good stories. Ordeal by Innocence was one of Agatha's personal favorites, so I'm looking forward to seeing if I agree.

I also have P.D. James' The Mistletoe Murder And Other Stories in my queue. Gotta love a Christmas-themed mystery!!

[W]

I have read both Towards Zero and Ordeal by Innocence years ago,but wouldn't mind reading them again.