English Mysteries Club discussion
Book Chat
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What are you Currently Reading?
Leslie wrote: "John wrote: "Adrian,I have managed to acquire and read every Maigret over the last few years. Currently listening to the Audible versions as they come out, the last three being The Saturday Calle..."
Ooh if you're reading in order Leslie and ever fancy a buddy read, I'll happily join in with you.
Sandy wrote: "I just finished The Hollow by Christie: well rounded interesting characters and an oddly misplaced Poirot."I've just finished The Hollow as I'm part of a group buddy read of all Poirot's and we're now into the final year of 3.
My review is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Adrian wrote: "Leslie wrote: "John wrote: "Adrian,I have managed to acquire and read every Maigret over the last few years. Currently listening to the Audible versions as they come out, the last three being The..."
I am trying to read in order though sometime availability determines what book comes next. I have finished the first 3 so next up for me will be The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien aka "The Crime of Inspector Maigret".
Leslie wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Leslie wrote: "JI am trying to read in order though sometime availability determines what book comes next. I have finished the first 3 so next up for me will be The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien aka "The Crime of Inspector Maigret ..."Well you're not really that far behind me, so I'll keep an eye on your progress and shout when were about to read the same one 😊
Sorry, Jean, Leslie, Adrian, to be slow in replying.Jean, yes 120 it is. About 80 English Maigrets, 20 in French ( I found about 40 in a second-hand bookshop, all with the same previous owner, bought them all over a few weeks, then did get rid of twenty on downsizing), plus about twenty non-Maigrets ( out of a hundred or so)!
Thanks for the sympathy re spellcheckers!
Adrian - so much pleasure for you to come from all those first-time reads. Reading these, I really get such an impression of the ambience and food of Paris, as well as the writing, dialogue, character, and plot!
Adrian and Leslie. Availability. I know the new Penguin series is up to at least no.74, both in book and e-book form, whereas I had to do an awful lot of second-hand real and on-line bookshop scouting to get the (then) out-of-print ones. There was quite a lot of pleasure in getting the last one or two! If you decide on a buddy read, I love to join in - any excuse for a re-read!
Diane - I’ve only recently come across Bellairs and Insp Littlejohn, via the British Library series. As Jean said, some of that series show how much better the established reputation writers are, but Bellairs, I think, are pretty entertaining in the writing, plotting and denouements. A nice comic element!
John wrote: "Sorry, Jean, Leslie, Adrian, to be slow in replying.Jean, yes 120 it is. About 80 English Maigrets, 20 in French ( I found about 40 in a second-hand bookshop, all with the same previous owner, bo..."
As to buying books, the company "World of Books" which sells good 2nd hand books has a discount of 20% finishing today in honour of World Book Day, plus free postage.
I'm really sorry I couldn't help myself and ordered another 40 or so books (cheesy smile) .
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Oh wow how many minutes have I got left ... ?
Bionic Jean wrote: "Adrian wrote: "the company "World of Books" which sells good 2nd hand books has a discount of 20% finishing today ..."Oh wow how many minutes have I got left ... ?"
Now only 90 😬
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Bionic Jean wrote: "No haven't got enough. I'll have to wait for the next time."I'm sure companies like WoB have offers like this a lot of times a year. If I get an e-mail notifying me again, I will broadcast in plenty of time.
Well, my wife has just said how glad she is that I missed that sale!
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Bionic Jean wrote: "LOL! Thanks Adrian, but as John implies, it is a sort of mixed blessing ;)"Oh I know, I am under strict orders from my wife that it is one in, one out as far as books are concerned. I have already overfilled our library and I find decluttering/ releasing stuff so very difficult, especially books. I only got permission to buy these on the grounds I bought her some books as well. 😊
Adrian - as Jean knows, my wife and I downsized about three months ago, and in preparation, I reduced our books from about 8,000 to about 2,000. So painful, even after getting several thousand ebook replacements (lots of classic authors’ complete works are very cheap). But our shelves are still double-banked! And so most purchases are now ebooks or audiobooks unless not available in those forms.
John wrote: "Adrian - as Jean knows, my wife and I downsized about three months ago, and in preparation, I reduced our books from about 8,000 to about 2,000. So painful, even after getting several thousand eboo..."Oh John, I feel your pain, that must have been so traumatic :) I have had to get rid of around 500 books recently, as when we came back from France, and I built our library in this house, I found I had too many books already.
In addition I already have a "Kindle" with over 500 books on it. I realise I shall now probably never read or re-read all the books I have but I just love being surrounded by them all !!
My profile contains a few picture of our library (I say our but the reality is my wife has about 300 books, and I have over 10 times that , oops.)
(This is in fact my 3rd book collection as personal circumstances have twice caused me to start again since I was a teenager. I have only about 10 books left from those years . ☹️ )
Yes, being surrounded by books is heaven.You make me wonder which book I've had for longest. I'll report back!
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John, I'm sure you're partly responsible for me buying up copies of the books I had in childhood (and discarded when I got "too old" for them) whenever I see the same edition. People are a little bemused to see "Noddy" etc., on my shelves :/
Jean, yes, it’s in the last few years that I managed to get the first versions of the first eleven Noddy books, so I do the same!
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What surprises me is how ephemera, like our weekly kids' comics, have such value now - toys too. We threw them away at the time. However could we have expected they'd be worth infinitely more, so many years later!
Jean - guilty as charged. As I sit in our study/book room, I see the 11 Noddies and the first 10 Just William books in front of me!
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I'm reading Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (Science Fiction) and Seal Morning by Rowena Farre (nonfiction by a Scottish crofter).
John wrote: "Yes, being surrounded by books is heaven.You make me wonder which book I've had for longest. I'll report back!"
Ooh thats a great question, I shall have to check the books that I know I have had all that time (I have a Stingray Annual from 1965 still ! )
Bionic Jean wrote: "Just enjoyed looking at your pics Adrian :) I wonder why GR have a cutoff of 20. It seems so random...."Thanks for your perusal and likes Jean. I tried to fill up my 20 allowed photos with an eclectic mix
Bionic Jean wrote: "And you told me off so roundly for getting rid of mine!What surprises me is how ephemera, like our weekly kids' comics, have such value now - toys too. We threw them away at the time. However cou..."
When my parents died, I had to clear out their house in London and discovered all my toys and childhood books in their loft !!!
Bionic Jean wrote: "So ... apologies all for getting a bit off topic, and what are you all reading?I'm reading Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (Science Fiction) and Seal Morning by [au..."
Ooh PK Dick's Electric Dreams takes me back a bit. I hope you enjoy.
I'm reading [book:Contact|61666] by the late Carl Sagan as well as the Agatha Autobiog.
For some reason, embedding book names doesn't appear to be working !!
I'm listening to Murder by the Book: Audio Editions by Rex Stout during my commute to and from work. I'm about 60% through it. I tried to read Death of an Art Collector by Robert Goldsborough. No, just no. I didn't even get 10 pages in before I gave up. It's not bad writing, but it's not Rex Stout either. I'll probably try a George Bellairs mystery instead.
I’m reading Holy Island by L.J. Ross, the first of the DCI Ryan whodunnits, as a local book club choice is number fourteen, so I thought I’d read the initial one first.
Kindle Lending library gives members who own a Kindle device or Fire tablet one book per month from a subset of Kindle unlimited titles. For March, I selected Murder in the Crypt: A Redmond and Haze Mystery Book 1, first in a new series set in an English village not long after the U.S Civil War; an American veteran and his young ward have established themselves in the fellow's ancestral home, with a murdered corpse found almost immediately upon their arrival; the American soldier, who happens to also be a trained surgeon, assists the local constable with his inquiries. It's pretty good for fans of historical mystery, enjoying it more than I thought I would as the author is more known for romance-type output.
Sounds interesting, John. I've downloaded a sample to try.
Adrian wrote: "John wrote: "Yes, being surrounded by books is heaven.You make me wonder which book I've had for longest. I'll report back!"
Ooh thats a great question, I shall have to check the books that I kn..."
I still own some books that my parents got me for my 11th birthday! But I also have some books of my mother's that she got from her uncle who bought them in the 1910s & 20s - several Sabatini novels, The Arabian Nights Entertainment & a few Nancy Drew books.
But on to (or back to) the topic at hand, I am still reading Carr's The Blind Barber & in non-mystery books, Clayhanger by Arnold Bennett and just starting the audiobook of Robert Jordan's New Spring.
Leslie wrote: "I still own some books that my parents got me for my 11th birthday! But I also have some books of my mother's that she got from her uncle who bought them in the 1910s & 20s - several Sabatini novels, The Arabian Nights Entertainment & a few Nancy Drew books. ..."As I mentioned some messages above, I still have a number of "annuals" from the late 60s through to maybe 72 for Stingray, Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, Captain Scarlet. Yes I've always been a SF nerd ha ha.
I also have around 70 of my mum's crime series books from the early 50s, I think they are the Mystery Book Guild.
I still have a copy of the Christopher Robin Verses, otherwise When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six in one volume. It was given to me by an aunt when I was no older than four or five, I think.Most of my other childhood books were passed on to younger relatives or otherwise disposed of, or simply fell apart. I have bought replacement copies of some.
Adrian wrote: "I also have around 70 of my mum's crime series books from the early 50s, I think they are the Mystery Book Guild. ..."Oh, I have boxes worth of mysteries from my parents from the 1940-1970 era. Sometimes I look at the prices on the covers and am amazed that people could buy a paperback novel for less than a dollar! Sadly, many of the older ones are beginning to fall apart.
Victoria wrote: "I still have a copy of the Christopher Robin Verses, otherwise When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six in one volume. It was given to me by an aunt when I was no olde..."I remember them well. I don't think I have my Christopher Robin or Pooh books sadly.
Leslie wrote: "Oh, I have boxes worth of mysteries from my parents from the 1940-1970 era. Sometimes I look at the prices on the covers and am amazed that people could buy a paperback novel for less than a dollar! Sadly, many of the older ones are beginning to fall apart...."Thats a real shame. Have you read most of them ?
I remember buying SF books for 1 shilling and 6pence or 7 and I/2 new pence in todays British money , so approx 6 cents
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from 1965. I wonder if it's the same one!I do remember at primary school painting a picture of a rocket with "Fireball XL5" on the side, and being a bit disgusted that the teacher, reading it off, didn't know what it was!
Adrian wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Oh, I have boxes worth of mysteries from my parents from the 1940-1970 era. Sometimes I look at the prices on the covers and am amazed that people could buy a paperback novel for les..."I'd estimate that I have finished about 65% of them. Some I had read before they became mine, of course, such as the dozen or so Margery Allingham books. I have been picking one or two authors at a time and working my way through them. That is where I got most of my Innes and Cyril Hare books.
I am currently reading The Canary Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine. I have watched several Philo Vance movies but I think this is my first time reading one (but maybe not).
Leslie wrote: "I am currently reading The Canary Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine. I have watched several Philo Vance movies but I think this is my first time reading one (but maybe not)."That's a good one! It was based on an actual murder case (Dot King a/k/a Dorothy Keenan, the "Broadway Butterfly." In real life, the murder was never solved, but was believed to be linked to a series of break-ins and robberies of "kept women."
Good to know Diane. I was thinking Vance is something of an American Lord Peter so I expect that I will enjoy it!
Bionic Jean wrote: "Adrian, this is the Fireball XL5 Annual annual that I have: from 1965. I wonder if it's the same one!I do remember at primary school paint..."
Ha ha, yes thats it, I've just checked my annuals, and that really is it. I cannot believe you have the same annual Jean, thats brilliant.
Leslie wrote: "I'd estimate that I have finished about 65% of them. Some I had read before they became mine, of course, such as the dozen or so Margery Allingham books. I have been picking one or two authors at a time and working my way through them. That is where I got most of my Innes and Cyril Hare books..."Wow, thats really great Leslie, what a real treasure trove.
I just started Dead Men Don't Ski by Patricia Moyes. This is the first book in the Henry and Emily "Emmy" TIbbetts series. I really enjoy the writing and the characters. The setting is a ski resort, which is odd since neither Henry nor Emmy really knows how to ski. They have an ulterior motive for being there - and then someone turns up murdered.
I am reading the third D D Warren book The Neighbor for another groupam listening to Mud, Muck and Dead Things
and also The Testaments
I have different books on paper, devices or audio!
I am currently engrossed in Book 5 of the Jill McGowan, Chief Inspector Lloyd and Hill Mystery series. There are 16 books in this British mystery series. Great twisting plots in every books. Well written and plotted.
My review of Your friendly Neighbourhood Death Pedlar by Jimmy SangsterIt is a light, pleasant read, 3.5 stars.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Having recently finished The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie I'm now currently reading The Forever War by Joe Haldeman, a SF pseudo time travel book, supposedly based on Vietnam, but given I'm British that allegory went straight over my head. That said its well written and enjoyable.
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I have managed to acquire and read every Maigret over the last few years. Currently listening to the Audible versions as they come out, the last three being The Saturday Caller, Maigret An..."
Well I am very jealous John. I've been reading one a month for the last 15 months so I know I have a few years to go which is a great feeling as I'm thoroughly enjoying them.
As yet I'm only buying about 5 or 6 ahead, but I can imagine having them all in a row in my "library ".