What are you Currently Reading? Showing 601-650 of 1,075

[C.J.]

Interesting! I didn't realize there's another Monk besides the obsessive-compulsive San Francisco TV detective played by Tony Shaloub. Do you know if one inspired or influenced the other?

[carolina]

Good question C.J.! I really couldn't say for sure. Both are former police officers and suffered a traumatic event, but I think they have different personalities.

[Pamela]

Jackie wrote: "carolina wrote: "I started reading Anne Perry’s Inspector Monk series in order. This author never disappoints me. And by reading them in order you can better understand the main characters."

I hav..."

Revenge in a Cold River is next up for me in the Monk series and Treachery at Lancaster Gate #31 of 32 books in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series. I've never gotten tired of these characters. I've never read any of the Daniel Pitt or Elena Standish series by Perry and tried but never got into the World War I books.

Just today I've started And so to Murder: A Sir Henry Merrivale Mystery, which was written by John Dickson Carr under the pen name Carter Dickson. I know that he is American but he lived in England for a number of years and his work feels British to me, and of course many were written during that golden age of detective fiction.

[Helen]

C.J. wrote: "Interesting! I didn't realize there's another Monk besides the obsessive-compulsive San Francisco TV detective played by Tony Shaloub. Do you know if one inspired or influenced the other?"

I wouldn't think so, CJ. The Inspector Monk series by Anne Perry is set in Victorian England. There is nothing obsessive-compulsive about him at all, other than he's a very good policeman! First book also came out in 1990, long before the TV show. Only comparison is that they both do have the police background, finding and bringing the bad guys to justice, et cetera, but that's really about it.

[Barbara]

I finished "Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure" - it was probably the best Sherlock Holmes novel I've read. One surprise after another. I reviewed it on Goodreads.

I also read "What The Devil Knows," a recent Sebastian St. Cyr novel. I like the character a lot, which is what got me through the book because I felt the mystery itself was a little hard to follow and not all that interesting.

[Barbara]

I started a book called "M, King's Bodyguard." I really like historicals, and the reviews were pretty good, the premise interesting. Unfortunately I can't review it because I couldn't make it past 40 pages or so. One of those historicals where the writer goes into long descriptions of the surroundings as if he went to the trouble to do all the research and doesn't want it to go to waste. Maybe it picked up, but I have too many books on the TBR table to find out.

[Helen]

Reading The Railway Detective’s Christmas Case by Edward Marston. Title pretty much says it all.

[Jackie]

Galowa wrote: "I'm reading all of Josephine Tey. She's wonderful."

I don't think I've tried any of hers but I recognize the name. Do you have a favorite to recommend?

[Werner]

The Daughter of Time is the only book by Tey that I've read; but for whatever it's worth, I really liked it. So I can add my recommendation to Galowa's. :-)

[Jackie]

wonderful, thank you!

[Werner]

Galowa wrote: "Hi, Werner. You might also enjoy Miss Pym Disposes..."

Thanks, Galowa; I'll keep that one in mind!

[J. J.]

I also really like that book.

[Lynnie]

I've only read a couple of Josephine Tey short stories in British Library Crime collections but I did buy The Man in the Queue today (it was on offer on Kindle UK for 99p!). Looks intriguing.

[Lynnie]

That's interesting to know! I've read the first couple of chapters and find her style of writing very unusual. A good set up in the first chapter.

[Joan]

I finished Lucy Worsley’s new biography - “ Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman”. I posted a 4 star review. I previously had tried Janet Morgan’s biography of Agatha and got stuck on page 85. It was more literary critique, than biography. I had to keep stopping to read the Christie works mentioned when I couldn’t remember all their plot lines - from reading them many years ago!

[Pamela]

Joan wrote: "I finished Lucy Worsley’s new biography - “ Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman”. I posted a 4 star review. I previously had tried Janet Morgan’s biography of Agatha and got stuck on page 85. It ..."

I enjoy Lucy Worsley's TV programs and have read her A Very British Murder. I'll be on the lookout for her work about Agatha Christie. After all, I recently finished Christie's Third Girl after watching the BBC program.

And I'm looking forward to reading Poirot and Me by David Suchet.

[Miriam]

@ Pamela:

I didn't know that David Suchet wrote a book. Thank you, I'll check on it too!

[Faith]

Galowa,
What is the foundation books?

[Joan]

Pamela, I have “A Very British Murder” on my To Read List. I just noticed Open Library has it to borrow.

[Jackie]

I just started Miss Mole.

[Lynnie]

Galowa wrote: "Lynnie wrote: "That's interesting to know! I've read the first couple of chapters and find her style of writing very unusual. A good set up in the first chapter."

Hi, Lynnie. How's your read of Th..."

Oh Galowa, it was nearly a DNF for me too. It was my first Tey and I found her writing style very convoluted. I kept thinking that so many readers enjoy Tey so it must be me and as I was intrigued by the story then I'll carry on. I think it was about two thirds through that it got a bit more exciting (there's a man hunt that had me in mind of The 39 Steps). Overall I liked the story but not the style. It has put me off reading me Tey for the moment.

[Lynnie]

Okay Galowa, you have convinced me to try Tey again, thank you for that info! :)

I have The Franchise Affair which is the 3rd Insp. Grant on my Kindle so I will try that first.

[Taz]

Galowa wrote: "Faith wrote: "Currently reading Dune."

Great! I just read Dune 1-6 this year, (as well as The Foundation books 1-7) A great read and a great ride. I hope you're enjoying it. ;-)"

I can't get past Dune #4, that one was so ridiculous I stopped reading them when I was a kid.
Have re-read 1-3 several times since, but I tried reading 4 again and pretty much abandoned it a couple of chapters in - it hadn't aged well at all.
There are a few new comic/graphics series out at the moment based in the wider universe that I may give a look at, as I love the original trilogy and would love to see the stories done better...

[Pamela]

Earlier this year, I began reading a book of my father's: The Citadel / The Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin. He apparently received the book in August 1959 (my mother wrote his name and that date on the front page) and I assume that I drew the strange flying creature beneath because I would have been nearly 3, my sister wasn't quite 1.

I stopped reading the book after finishing The Citadel but kept thinking of this book. My father wasn't a physician, not Scottish as the author was. He had a deep faith but didn't discuss it much.

So I've thought a lot about this book and last week, I finally started reading the second story, The Keys of the Kingdom, and I've very glad I waited until now to do so. The story is very endearing and just seems right for this season. I hope to finish it tonight.

[Ellen]

Pamela wrote: "Earlier this year, I began reading a book of my father's: The Citadel / The Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin. He apparently received the book in August 1959 (my mot..."
If you are into old movies both of these have excellent adaptions. The Citadel(1938) with Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell and The Keys of the Kingdom(1944) with Gregory Peck.

[Miriam]

I'm reading "The Christie affair" by Nina De Gremont.
It's a compelling mystery about the disappearence of Agatha Christie in 1926 and the peculiarity is that is narrated from the P.O.V. of Christie's rival, the woman who took away from her her husband, inducing her to go away.

[Pamela]

Ellen wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Earlier this year, I began reading a book of my father's: The Citadel / The Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin. He apparently received the book in Augu..."

Thanks, Ellen. If I can find it airing on TV or can get my hands on it (as I did with the African Queen, through my local library), I'll definitely check them out. I just finished Kingdom and I have to say both stories are wonderful and well worth reading, especially this time of year.

[Pamela]

Miriam wrote: "I'm reading "The Christie affair" by Nina De Gremont.
It's a compelling mystery about the disappearence of Agatha Christie in 1926 and the peculiarity is that is narrated from the P.O.V. of Christi..."

What an interesting work. I'll make a note to check out the book.

[Icewineanne]

Galowa wrote: "Lynnie wrote: "That's interesting to know! I've read the first couple of chapters and find her style of writing very unusual. A good set up in the first chapter."

Hi, Lynnie. How's your read of Th..."

You’re not alone Galowa, I gave up on M in the Q. Definitely not for me. Heard excellent things about her other books but this one put me off reading any more of her work.

[Icewineanne]

Galowa wrote: "Icewineanne wrote: "Galowa wrote: "Lynnie wrote: "That's interesting to know! I've read the first couple of chapters and find her style of writing very unusual. A good set up in the first chapter."..."

Well, I’ll trust your recommendation Galowa and give Brat Farrar a try in the new year.
Happy Holidays & happy reading!

[Werner]

I've mentioned Heather Day Gilbert, an American writer whose work in the mystery genre is in the traditional and relatively cerebral mode that we think of as "English style," on this thread before. Both Barb and I are fans of this author; so having read the last book in her A Murder in the Mountains series together earlier this year, we've now embarked on her Barks and Beans Cafe series with the first book, No Filter (2020). Like the former series, it's set in small-town West Virginia.

[Miriam]

I've made up my mind to read all Dickens' novels and I'm currently engaged with "Little Dorrit" that I'm liking very much.

[Jackie]

Just started a re-read of This Rough Magic which takes place on Corfu: exactly where I want to be since it's the Dark Armpit of Winter here.
Also plan to start Crampton Hodnet very soon, and that will be my first Pym I think.

[Kirsten]

Just started reading The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

[Barbara]

Read "The Windsor Knot" by SJ Bennet. It was one of those books where the idea sounded interesting, but the book itself was pretty dull. Writing was fine, it's just the plot never lived up to the premise.
The setup was that Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday is approaching and a young Russian musician invited to the festivities is found dead in the castle.

[Myra Chandler]

I just started reading The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray. I also completed An English Murder by Cyril Hare and One, Two, Buckle my Shoe by Agatha Christie. I need to pick up my pace if I’m going to finish my reading list for January.

[Thomas]

I read Who Cries for the Lost by C.S. Harris It is a historical fiction mystery, set in Regency London, England. It is book 18 in the series and I recommend the series. While it would work as a stand alone, I have read the previous 17 books in the series and there are continuing events that progress throughout the series, My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In the past, I have posted links to my book reviews of this series in "When you not reading a mystery" since it is historical fiction. But it is a mystery, so I ma posting it here. The author writes in the English style but lives in the US. I don't know if she is a British expat.

[Werner]

Thomas wrote: "In the past, I have posted links to my book reviews of this series in "When you not reading a mystery" since it is historical fiction. But it is a mystery, so I ma posting it here."

Personally, I definitely consider historical mysteries part of the mystery genre.

[Thomas]

Werner wrote: "Thomas wrote: "In the past, I have posted links to my book reviews of this series in "When you not reading a mystery" since it is historical fiction. But it is a mystery, so I ma posting it here."
..."

Thanks Werner.

[Kirsten]

Barbara wrote: "Read "The Windsor Knot" by SJ Bennet. It was one of those books where the idea sounded interesting, but the book itself was pretty dull. Writing was fine, it's just the plot never lived up to the p..."

Other Queen Liz books that I"ve read are The Uncommon Reader and the Her Majesty Investigates series by C.C. Benison

[Andrew]

I've just finished this month's group read An English Murder by Cyril Hare. Undecided at the moment between continuing with the Inspector morse books with the second book in the series Last Seen Wearing or to begin the Cadfael books with A Morbid Taste for Bones While I'm deciding I'm listening to Spare by our Prince Harry.

[Barbara]

Read an reviewed a book called "Wherever She Goes," another one of those women oriented psychological thrillers. This is turning into the category that I'm finding most disappointing. They're all starting to run together.

[Lisa]

Couldn’t have said it better myself, Barbara!

[Barbara]

Just finished Nicci French's "Until It's Over." A good setup - most of them have a decent set-up - and then (MC is a bike messenger, so there is a pun coming) it just went downhill. The first half of the book is told in the first person (but not the present tense, at least) by a woman who shares a house with a bunch of people and works as a bike messenger and somehow becomes the common link in a few murders. The second half is told by the murderer.
There was a lot of filler in the first half - housemates squabbling, etc - and the second half which should have been chilling and suspenseful was just tedious.

[JenniferAustin]

I am reading an Agatha Christie novel that I had somehow missed, and am so delighted! I am about a quarter of the way in, and so far am having a fine time reading Passenger to Frankfurt!

I just picked up our February read, A Nice Class of Corpse by Simon Brett, and am looking forward to that for my next mystery read!

[Joan]

Andrew wrote: "I've just finished this month's group read An English Murder by Cyril Hare. Undecided at the moment between continuing with the Inspector morse books with the second book in the ser..."
Andrew, I’m curious to hear what you think of Prince Harry’s book. The large amount of news coverage about the book in America is amazing!

[Kirsten]

I've been reading It Starts with Us and I just started listening to The Atrocity Archives

[Miriam]

I'm reading "The Woman In The White Kimono" by Ana Johns.

[Miriam]

@ Piùh:

Hi! I'm glad I inspired you! I loved it and I'm sure you will too.

[Kirsten]

I've been listening to the Audible Original podcast The Prophecy and I just started reading Love and Other Words