What mysteries are you reading at the moment? Old thread, 2019-2020 Showing 251-300 of 1,516

[Judy]

I'm now halfway through Hole and Corner by Patricia Wentworth, which is one of her early romantic adventure stories - very similar to many others I've read and lots of fun.

Hope to finish that very soon and then start Warrielaw Jewel - wondering now what my reaction will be? I have liked other books by the author, Winifred Peck. The threads will be open in the next couple of days so we can have more discussion then of the aspects which are putting people off - those who haven't finished will still be very welcome to join in!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, "

I'm sort of relieved I'm not the only one.

[ShanDizzy]

Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, so I’m rereading Dancers in Mourning."

I thought Dancers in Mourning was an okay read, Susan, but for me, not one of the best Campion mysteries.

[Susan in NC]

ShanDizzy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, so I’m rereading Dancers in Mourning."

I thought Dancers in Mourning was an okay read, Susan, but for..."

Agreed - I think I felt that way when I first read it years ago, so I’m listening to the audiobook this time - sometimes that makes the book more entertaining for me! I’m also rereading (listening to) our upcoming Cadfael book, A Morbid Taste for Bones. I love Patrick Tull’s narrations as Cadfael! I also might rewatch Sir Derek Jacobi as Cadfael - he captures his intelligence, warmth and humor so well!

[Susan in NC]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, "

I'm sort of relieved I'm not the only one."

I might try again later, I’m just not in the mood for it right now.

[Tara]

Susan in NC wrote: "ShanDizzy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, so I’m rereading Dancers in Mourning."

I thought Dancers in Mourning was an okay re..."

Love Jacobi in the role, although he doesn't have quite the sturdy sailor look to him that is described in the books.

[Susan in NC]

Tara wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "ShanDizzy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, so I’m rereading Dancers in Mourning."

I thought Dancers in Mou..."

But I think he has the perfect take on Cadfael’s wry humor and honorable outlook.

[Tara]

Susan in NC wrote: "Tara wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "ShanDizzy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I really can’t get into The Warrielaw Jewel, so I’m rereading Dancers in Mourning."

I thought D..."

Oh yes. A definitive characterization indeed. Its a shame they didn't dramatize all of the stories.

[Judy]

I'm about halfway through The Warrielaw Jewel now and really enjoying it - clearly there will be lots to discuss about our different reactions. :)

[Judy]

I've also now listened to 3 of the abridged stories in Benedict Cumberbatch Reads Thrilling Stories of the Railway by Victor L. Whitechurch.

Interesting sign of the time when these were originally published, in 1912, that detective Thorpe Hazell is a fitness enthusiast who does exercises, follows a vegetarian diet and drinks filtered water, but he is still a heavy smoker!

[Sandy]

Judy wrote: "I've also now listened to 3 of the abridged stories in Benedict Cumberbatch Reads Thrilling Stories of the Railway by Victor L. Whitechurch.

Interesting sign of t..."

Reminds me of the Woody Allen movie, Sleeper, when he wakes up a generation later to find all the health rules changed. Though the 1912's just hadn't discovered a really big rule.

[Judy]

I don't really remember Sleeper, Sandy, but makes you wonder what really big rules we haven't discovered yet!

[Marwan]

Started reading The Whip Hand by Victor Canning

[Judy]

Our August group read, of The Warrielaw Jewel by Winifred Peck and challenge read of Singing in the Shrouds by Ngaio Marsh are now open. I've also opened up the latest Poirot read, Death on the Nile. Please drop by and join in!

[Bruce]

I was listening to Cover Her Face on audiobook, but it’s an e-audiobook from the library and returned a few days ago. While I’m waiting, a mystery I’m reading is A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh, which this group already read, and another group is reading right now.

[Jill]

I am now reading A Morbid Taste for Bones ready for the buddy read this month

[Abigail]

Reading Dancers in Mourning and remembering that it is not one of my favorite Campions. Still, the lesser Campions are better than many of the best mysteries by other authors.

[Jill]

Abigail wrote: "Reading Dancers in Mourning and remembering that it is not one of my favorite Campions. Still, the lesser Campions are better than many of the best mysteries by other authors."

I agree, this is the one I have liked the least so far, however I have read a lot less enjoyable by other authors

[Gary]

Last nigh I finished Killer's Payoff by Ed McBain, book 6 in the 87th Precinct series. Now reading A Pinch of Poison by Frances Lockridge, book 3 in the series.

[Jill]

Now starting Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson

[Bruce]

Carrie, I hope I don’t make you jealous, but I once found a great hardcover copy of the Exploits of Sherlock Holmes by John Dickson Carr and Adrian Conan Doyle at either a used book store or a book sale. 😸

[Judy]

I picked up another audiobook from the library, Agatha Christie: The Lost Plays - these are recordings which were thought to be lost for 50 years and then rediscovered.

So far I've only listened to the first one, Butter in a Lordly Dish, from 1948, which is very good but definitely not in any way cosy - I did not see a particular plot element coming!

[Judy]

Jill wrote: "Now starting Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson"

I remember liking this but to my shame have forgotten all about it apart from that - hope you enjoy it.

[Jill]

Judy wrote: "Jill wrote: "Now starting Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson"

I remember liking this but to my shame have forgotten all about it apart from that - hope yo..."

Actually it has become a bit of a disappointment. I have read other books by Kate Atkinson and really enjoyed them, but this has so many characters, that it is hard to keep track of them , not knowing who the important ones are, and it reads as one long endless line of relatives. A family tree would have been a help.

[Judy]

Thanks, Jill - sorry, looking at the description, I think I probably have not read it after all, and was mixing it up with one of her other books! It sounds interesting from the description, but I do find it difficult when books have such a lot of characters to keep track of.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jill wrote: "Judy wrote: "Jill wrote: "Now starting Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson"

I remember liking this but to my shame have forgotten all about it apart from t..."

That was her first novel. I didn't read it first. Instead I started with the Jackson Brody series. I remember thinking this was totally unlike those, and that it wasn't really a mystery, per se. I haven't kept up with her, having moved on to other things. I'm not sure why, because I liked her when I was reading her.

[Jill]

It is the Jackson Brody books that I have read plus the first in The Todd Family. I was given the latest Brody book yesterday, so that was what made me decide to read thisBehind the Scenes at the Museum one first, as it was her first novel.
I'm about a third of the way in to it now, and it seems to be picking up, as it is now more about Ruby, the main character.

[Judy]

I'm reading Fudge Cupcake Murder, another Hannah Swensen mystery by Joanne Fluke - I find these quite comforting but might stop posting about each one I read, as I don't have a lot to say about them! :)

[Colin]

I've started in on The Cheltenham Square Murder by John Bude. I read a few of his titles before and he has a lovely, engaging style of writing.

[Jan C]

Currently enjoying Knock, Murderer, Knock! by Harriet Rutland. Also re ently started The Benson Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine.

[Tara]

Jan C wrote: "Currently enjoying Knock, Murderer, Knock! by Harriet Rutland. Also re ently started The Benson Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine."

How do you like The Benson Murder Case? I have a Van Dine omnibus I picked up at an auction, but haven't read any of them yet.

[Jan C]

Tara wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Currently enjoying Knock, Murderer, Knock! by Harriet Rutland. Also re ently started The Benson Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine and I am glad that I am far enough in that to know that he is an art afficianado. Also something to be remembered is that I think he was involved with The Smart Set, published by George Jean Nathan and H L Mencken. So he verges on being an effete snob. So just a word to the wise. He wrote the mysteries so that he could afford his life.

Which reminds me that I should get back to the biography.

[ShanDizzy]

In addition to the other 7 mysteries that I am reading, I just started this delightful collection - .

[Judy]

Looking forward to our group reads of Knock, Murderer Knock and The Benson Murder Case.

[Judy]

Wow, ShanDizzy, 8 mysteries at once?! Do you ever get them mixed up?

[ShanDizzy]

Judy wrote: "Wow, ShanDizzy, 8 mysteries at once?! Do you ever get them mixed up?"

Actually, no. For the most part I can keep the characters in their correct surroundings. LOL. I like to 'travel' to different places/drawing rooms/etc., wherever the whim takes me is why I have more than one book on my currently-reading shelf. Some ppl do crosswords/sudoku or whatever to keep their minds active. I read multiple books. Hahaha

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I'm a one book at a time person, not because I can keep only one set of characters or plot in my mind at one time, but because reading more than one book at a time isn't of interest to me. Start at the beginning, read straight through is my motto.

[Judy]

I usually have several books on the go, but I do sometimes get in a muddle if I'm tempted to read multiple mysteries! I like your idea of "travelling" to lots of different places though, ShanDizzy.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

One of my GR friends usually has more than one book on the go because she reads different books in different media. So, one physical book, one digital, one audio; sometimes the choice of media is genre, so those could be different as well. I can see how that would work, though it's not for me. I do have one exception to the one book at a time, and that is a book of short stories to intersperse with something else (either novel or nonfiction)

[Bruce]

It’s easy to read/keep track of 8 mystery books at once if they’re short story books. Haha! 😸

[Bruce]

Tara and Jen C, I also read a Van Dine book several years ago that I enjoyed, the Greene Murder Case. They’re not easy to find, but sometimes turn up at used book shops or book sales. I like how he was a scientist/detective like Sherlock and Batman, and had his own library and I think laboratory too.

[Gary]

In addition to A Pinch of Poison, Chapter 3 was hilarious, I am also starting my re-read of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

[Sandy]

Reading The Barrakee Mystery which has been on my TBR list since it was nominated for a monthly read ages ago. It is set in the Australian outback, written in 1929 and seems quite authentic to the setting. Good story so far. It is the first of a series but they may not be readily available. I have an old library copy.

[Valerie]

I just finished A Taste for Death, which, of course, was fantastic. It was a nice change from the (non-mystery) clunker I read just before it!

[Judy]

I’ve started rereading Dancers in Mourning In readiness for our buddy read.

[Sandy]

Finished The Barrakee Mystery and I enjoyed the story a lot. However, a warning! It is very much a product of the worst biases of its time, extremely politically incorrect and portraying as fact much we now know is untrue. However I will probably read the next book (while cringing).

[Jan C]

Sandy wrote: "Finished The Barrakee Mystery and I enjoyed the story a lot. However, a warning! It is very much a product of the worst biases of its time, extremely politically incorrect and portra..."

I think it got lost on my Kindle when I got a new one.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Jan C wrote: "I think it got lost on my Kindle when I got a new one. .."

Can't you just send it to your new Kindle?

[Susan in NC]

Going to start this weekend.

[Judy]

I'm getting on well with Dancers in Mourning, and I think it's wonderful - I'm really remembering why Allingham is my favourite GA writer (well, possibly jointly with Sayers.) Can't wait to discuss this one.