Currently Reading? Just Finished? 2015 Showing 551-600 of 1,722

[Ruth]

Not sure if I posted this here yet. I've started reading Give Me Chocolate, the first of the Kelly Clark mysteries by Anne Hansen set in Geneva, IL. Annie and I have met a couple of times doing various author events together in the Chicagoland area, so I decided it was time to read her book. Four chapters in, and I'm liking it.

[❆ Crystal ❆]

I'm starting the audiobook ... there are 2 versions with different narrators... I'm listening to the one with Ron McLarty. He's one of my favorite narrators and I'm so happy that they had him re-narrate some of the books in this series.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

107 pages into Nightmare Alley -- oh my gosh. I haven't even got to the meat of the story yet, but Gresham's writing is beyond excellent.

[Barbara]

I finished The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Detective Carl Morck's 'Department Q' in Denmark - which investigates cold cases - has a new task. Two boarding school students were killed 20 years ago and a clique of fellow students were suspects but never charged. Then a decade later one of the students confessed and went to prison. The others went on their way, the men becoming rich and the lone woman in the group becoming a homeless bag lady. Morck believes the whole clique was guilty and re-investigates.

The delinquent students are psychopaths who delight in beating up and killing people. Their activities continue into adulthood and Morck's team uncovers a series of crimes the clique may have committed. The men in he group are worried because Kimmie (the bag lady) has a box of trophies from their victims. Thus Kimmie is being sought by thugs as well as the police. The criminal inclinations of Kimmie and the men are described in some detail and it's clear that the men are evil and Kimmie is deranged.

On the lighter side, Department Q is given a new employee, secretary Rose Knudsen. Rose is smart and determined to enhance the facilities of Morck's squad. Morck doesn't like her though and plots to get rid of her. The interactions between Morck and Rose provide some of the more amusing moments in this dark story.

The book is well-written and comes to a satisfactory conclusion. However I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book in series (The Keeper of Lost Causes) - which seems more balanced in terms of evil people/horrible crimes vs. amusing characters/scenes. Nevertheless, this is a good book, recommended for mystery fans. 3.5 stars.

[Bill]

Barbara wrote: "I finished The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Detective Carl Morck's 'Department Q' in Denmark - which investigates cold cases - has a new task. Two boarding scho..."

Excellent review, Barbara. I enjoyed the second book as well and look forward to moving along with the series. I enjoyed the addition of Rose to the group in Dept Q.

[Tom]

Barbara wrote: "I finished The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Detective Carl Morck's 'Department Q' in Denmark - which investigates cold cases - has a new task. Two boarding scho..."

I'm looking forward to reading this one. I recently finished The Keeper of Lost Causes and really enjoyed it.

[M.A.]

I'm currently in the middle of Michael Connelly's after finishing a great legal thriller by Linda S Prather fast-paced and full of suspense.

[Annette]

Just finished my first book by Steven James, Opening Moves. I liked it and wanted to start at the beginning of this series however, he seems to write his series all out of order. What I thought was the first seems to be like the 6th. Has anyone else read his Patrick Bower stuff and if so, could you clue me in to James' "method of madness"?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

from SYKM, the proper series order for Patrick Bowers (note that the novel written in 2012 is actually a prequel):


The Pawn (2007)
The Rook (2008)
The Knight (2009)
The Bishop (2010)
The Queen (2011)
Opening Moves (2012) [prequel]
The King (2013)
Checkmate (2014)

So, Annette -- if you've read Opening Moves, just go back to The Pawn to read them in the right order.

[Sharon]

Just started the new John Sandford book this morning. Have been looking forward to this one.

[Barbara]

I started The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

[Annette]

Thanks, Nancy. So helpful!

[Barbara]

I finished Death of a Policeman by M.C. Beaton. Detective CI Blair is jealous of Sgt. Hamish Macbeth of the Lochdubh police and is constantly trying to get the Lochdubh police station closed. Thus Blair sends Officer Cyril Sessions to 'go undercover' and get evidence that Hamish and his partner Dick Fraser lollygag around. Cyril gets photos of Dick sleeping on duty and romances librarian Hetty Dunstable - who's happy to badmouth Hamish because he rebuffed her. Hamish catches on to Cyril's game and leads him astray. Soon afterwards Cyril is killed.

As Hamish searches for the killer he uncovers other local crimes, and these investigations constitute the mystery part of the book. As always with this series, though, much of the story concerns the personal lives of the folks in the Scottish Highlands.

Dick Fraser crushes on a pretty assistant librarian much younger than himself. Angela Brodie writes a mystery book and - to the chagrin of her husband - buys a 2,000 pound dress for an awards ceremony. Hamish hobnobs with girls and his pets - wild cat Sonsie and dog Lugs; in an amusing scene scientists want to study the rare wild cat and Hamish decides to dye her black to disguise her identity. My favorite 'comic' parts were recurring scenes of tipsy librarian Hetty trying to seduce one man after another - mistakenly deciding each one has a passion for her.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries, especially those familiar with the series. 3 stars.

[Blanca]

Last year and earlier this year I read James Patterson's Women's Murder Club starting with #2 and ended with 12th of Never. I could not get my hands on these books fast enough. Love his style and ended up loving his characters. Just easy reading and yet the mystery was all there. I would recommend this series.

[[deleted user]]

Finished Private India, which I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed 4 stars worth. Now starting The Long Walk by Stephen King.

[Barbara]

Denise wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I started The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins"

This is a book that keeps popping up in my head to re..."

I'll let you know what I think of it Denise.

[Barbara]

I finished The Long Way Home by Louise Penny.

In this 10th book in the series, Clara and Peter Morrow are residents of the lovely village of Three Pines near Montreal along with a cadre of other interesting and eccentric characters, including former Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Quebec Homicide Bureau. Both Clara and Peter are artists, but Peter became jealous of his wife's increasing success and impossible to live with, so Clara asked him to leave for a year. After that time Peter was supposed to return so they could re-evaluate their marriage. Peter didn't come back (or communicate in any fashion) so Clara asks Gamache to help her find out what, if anything, happened to her husband.

It's a promising beginning that doesn't pan out. The story wanders much too far from a detective novel, being mostly a treatise on art and muses. Even visiting with familiar, well-liked characters was unsatisfying because they mostly just blabbed on and on about art. I like and appreciate art but I wanted to read a mystery, not an art book - and this book didn't deliver. I don't recommend it.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I have read and finished Black Wood - S.J.I. Holliday. Now reading/listening to The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson.

[Bill]

Barbara wrote: "I finished The Long Way Home by Louise Penny.

In this 10th book in the series, Clara and Peter Morrow are residents of the lovely village of Three Pines in Montrea..."

Wow, there are 10 in the series now.. I will just be starting the first in a few days..

[Barbara]

Bill wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I finished The Long Way Home by Louise Penny.

In this 10th book in the series, Clara and Peter Morrow are residents of the lovely village of Three ..."

Penny is a good writer so you'll probably like book 1. She just went off the rails a bit with book 10.

[Frances]

Now reading: Temple Mount: A Novel

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Finished Nightmare Alley, now I'm at a point where I don't know what to read. Does that ever happen to anyone else?

[Charlotte (Buried in Books)]

Yes Nancy, that happens constantly to me. I get in a funk where I can't settle on anything and it really frustrates me.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

thanks -- I'd hate feeling like I'm the only one this ever happens to!

[Arlene]

That also happens to me alot I have 92 books on my Kindle and I just keep going through the titles for days sometimes!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Arlene wrote: "That also happens to me alot I have 92 books on my Kindle and I just keep going through the titles for days sometimes!"

hahahaha! It feels so dumb to me to say "I don't have anything to read" when I have a ton of books.

[Ctgt]

Nancy wrote: "Finished Nightmare Alley, now I'm at a point where I don't know what to read. Does that ever happen to anyone else?"

Happens to me quite a bit. I usually jump genres(but I think you do that already) or start a short story collection, those are easy to drop and come back to when something else strikes my fancy.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I'm kinda lucky I get recommendations every time I've read a book lol x

[Arlene]

I just started reading short stories. I find them really helpful after a long read and as you suggested when you just can't make up your mind. The problem for me can be that I also have several collections of short stories.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Arlene wrote: "I just started reading short stories. I find them really helpful after a long read and as you suggested when you just can't make up your mind. The problem for me can be that I also have several col..."

haha! too funny. You sound like me.

[Fiona (Titch)]

Just finished The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson and now I am reading Birdman - Mo Hayder.

[❆ Crystal ❆]

. I'm starting Naked in Death

[Barbara]

Doctor Death by Lene Kaaberbøl

[Charlotte (Buried in Books)]

Enjoy Crystal. In Death is a great series. Roarke and Eve are wonderful fun.

[❆ Crystal ❆]

Thanks Charlotte. I didn't realize it was set so far into the future. It's interesting for sure. I haven't met Rourke yet.... can't wait

[Barbara]

I finished The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. Thirty-something Rachel is depressed, divorced, and an alcoholic. Not wanting her roommate to know she lost her job Rachel takes the train into London each morning and home each evening. The train passes the street where Rachel once lived with her then husband Tom. Tom now lives there with his new wife Anna, the woman who caused the divorce.

Rachel checks out the people living on her old street and makes up stories about them. She's becomes very interested in a couple she dubs "Jess and Jason". Rachel thinks they're happy until she spots Jess kissing another man. Soon afterwards Jess disappears - and the mystery story takes off from there.

The couple's real names are Megan and Scott, and Scott becomes a suspect in Megan's disapperance. Rachel, knowing about the 'other man', inserts herself into the investigation but is deemed an unreliable witness because she has blackouts. Rachel has also never gotten over her divorce and harrasses Tom and Anna with phone calls and the occasional unwanted visit.

The story is told from three points of view - Rachel, Megan, and Anna - so the reader gets three perspectives on the events. To say much more would be a spoiler so I'll just say there are plenty of twists leading to a climax that's dramatic but too drawn out.

The story is compelling and the characters are interesting (but unlikable). I enjoyed the book and would probably read more from this author. 3.5 stars.

[Jenn]

I just picked up a couple randomly from the library that looked good:




Anyone read either of these?

[Tom]

Jenn wrote: "I just picked up a couple randomly from the library that looked good:




Anyone read either of these?"

The Supernatural Enhancements sounds intriguing.

[Georgia]

100 pages into # 1 of Charlie Parker recommended to me by a goodreads friend. It is well written, somewhat grisly, very descriptive.

[Elena]

hey. I am reading circle of friends. by maeve binchy,.. and really liked it so far! I recomend for every people who en hoy about old and nice stories

[Tom]

Georgia wrote: "100 pages into # 1 of Charlie Parker recommended to me by a goodreads friend. It is well written, somewhat grisly, very descriptive."

Be sure to leave your impressions at the EDT discussion link below and if you enjoy it join those of us who are working our way through the series. We're just now starting book three.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[❆ Crystal ❆]

I'm starting Have You Seen Her? .

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

Elena wrote: "hey. I am reading circle of friends. by maeve binchy,.. and really liked it so far! I recomend for every people who en hoy about old and nice stories"

Elena, this is one of my favorite books of all time. And I loved the movie also. I hope you continue to enjoy 8:D

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Just finished The Beige Man by Helene Tursten, the latest Inspector Huss novel to be translated. I've started what's turning out to be a really good book from Soho (not published until June sadly) called Innocence; or, Murder on Steep Street by Heda Margolius Kovaly, set in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s. Whoa.

[Tom]

Nancy wrote: "Just finished The Beige Man by Helene Tursten, the latest Inspector Huss novel to be translated. I've started what's turning out to be a really good book from Soho (not published un..."


"terrifying experiences in Soviet Prague into a powerful, Raymond Chandler-esque work of literary suspense." Sounds intriguing.

[Fiona (Titch)]

I've finished Birdman - Mo Hayder. Now reading 50 Shades of Pink - K.T. Grant.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Tom wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Just finished The Beige Man by Helene Tursten, the latest Inspector Huss novel to be translated. I've started what's turning out to be a really good book from Soho (no..."

Actually, it is quite good. The author used to translate Chandler into Polish and fell in love with his work. You can see his influence in the way she writes at times, but it's much more of a way for her to fictionalize some horrors she went through in the 1950s under Soviet rule.

[Barbara]

I finished Doctor Death by Lene Kaaberbøl. Twenty-year-old Madeleine Karno, daughter of French pathologist Dr. Albert Karno (known as Dr. Death), assists her father with his cases. This is unusal, because it's 1894 and such pursuits are considered inappropriate for women.

When 17-year-old Cecile Montaine - a student at the school run by St. Bernardine Convent - is found dead Madeleine and her father cannot find a cause of death. They do, however, discover mites exiting Cecile's nostrils.

Madeleine consults Dr. August Dreyfuss, a leading Heidelberg parasitologist, about the mites and learns they're usually found in dogs. Turns out St. Bernardine Convent is home to a pack of wolves and Mother Filippa, the abbess, keeps an elderly male wolf as a pet. So dog mites...wolves...things start to gel.

As the story goes on more deaths occur, dead bodies are found to have human bite marks, the mites are associated with a bacterial disease, a young lady is hypersexual, a novice nun is at odds with her father, Dr. Dreyfuss takes a shine to Madeleine, and so on. There's a lot going on and the story gets confusing.

The book's finale, though thoroughly explained, is complex, hard to believe, and not totally satisfying. All in all, I thought the book was okay. It does address some interesting concepts and I like Madeleine, a spirited young woman determined to follow her dream against all odds.

[Rachel]

Hi, I have just finished reading Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty. I really enjoyed it, I found it an addictive psychological thriller.

[Fiona (Titch)]

Finished 50 Shades of Pink - K.T. Grant. Now about to start Silent Scream - Angela Marsons.