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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2021)
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Jan C
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Aug 28, 2021 11:11AM
So sorry for your loss. Sounds like a full life.
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I've started the second Elizabeth Daly Henry Gamadge book, Deadly Nightshade. Maybe this guy should just move to Maine. He keeps getting called in on cases there. In his real life he is a book man.Also reading The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede. Very heartwarming. Plus, a big anniversary is coming up.
A Palm For Mrs Pollifax love Mrs Pollifax have the first six books and will read them one after the other.
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I was a bit fed up that I didn't buy all these ti..."
That happened to me, Judy, so they might reappear. I snapped them up quickly when they appeared again. Jill suggested The Three Cornered Halo was somewhat disappointing, which, if true, will be a shame as I've enjoyed the series so far.
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Oh dear, hope I enjoy it as I've just spent more than I usually do on a mystery - but I quite like her writing style even if I find I share Jill's opinion of the story!
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Susan wrote: "I am listening to An Instance of the Fingerpost on Audible, Sandy and enjoying it so far."I hope you have the unabridged version, with four separate readers. The abridged version is (of course) shorter, but it's the depth of Fingerpost which makes it so remarkable.
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I hope you have the unabridged version, with four separate readers. The abridged version is..."
I only see the abridged version available on Audible in the US. It is 5+ hours which is shorter than most Christies.
I'm so sorry for your loss Gary. Your father sounds like he was a wonderful man, and that he will be missed.
Susan wrote: "Judy, Jill's review suggested that Inspector Cockrill wasn't in it. Not sure why it was marketed as part of the series, but I will read it to complete the books."Her review is correct. He isn't. The Three Cornered Halo is a stand-alone and there's not so much as one murder in it that I can recall.
At some point someone on a website called "Fantastic Fiction" included it as a Cockrill. I emailed them AGES ago to no avail. Since then, this mistake has been propagated on Amazon and just about everywhere else.
For the record, the books Cockrill appears in are:
1. Heads You Lose (1941)
2. Green for Danger (1944)
3. Suddenly at His Residence (US title: The Crooked Wreath) (1946)
4. Death of Jezebel (1948)
5. London Particular (US title: Fog of Doubt) (1952)
6. Tour de Force (1955)
7. The Spotted Cat and Other Mysteries from Inspector Cockrill's Casebook (2002)
That's it. Although...
Brand wrote one more in 1963 called The Chinese Puzzle: Six people hold a psychic meeting in a secret room, and some people are killed under everyone's eyes!
I has never been published.
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I hope you have the unabridged version, with four separate readers. The abridged version is..."
Yes, there is an unabridged and an abridged version available. I have this one:
An Instance of the Fingerpost
By: Iain Pears
Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong, Roger May, Christopher Oxford, David McAlister
Length: 28 hrs and 54 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
I never get abridged versions, but luckily that one was available.
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We can discuss the book more in our buddy read which is coming up mid-September - I'll still join in on that one as I've now ordered a copy, but won't expect any mention of Inspector Cockrill!
Thom, it's intriguing to hear that she also wrote another Cockrill book which has never been published - her Wikipedia page also mentions other unpublished works.
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Judy wrote: "Thank you to both Jill and Thom for the info about The Three-Cornered Halo. Unfortunately that does often seem to happen now, that a mistake on one site is duplicated by many others, as we found a ..."You're welcome.
As I recall a few things DO connect it (albeit in a very minor way) to Tour De Force:
1. Cockrill's sister has a role in this one;
2. References to the events in TDF.
I believe this is why people have made that mistake and also seem not to want to "disconnect" it from the other works.
I agree about her unpublished works, the one I mention in particular. The other one, Take off the Roof, I know nothing about except that it is rumored to exist.
Susan wrote: "Sadly, I don't have the Spotted Cat. I will also plough through the Three-Cornered Halo , Judy. I do generally like her reading, but I will mention it isn't a mystery when I set up the thread, so p..."It's funny about the short story collection. People are asking anywhere from $40 to $70 for it! I think it's insane as it was only published in 2002. I read it but for some reason I think I loaned it to a friend and never got it back.
I did not want to put people off reading the Three Cornered Halo, just that I was disappointed by it not including Cotterill. Some, may very well think it is a good stand alone story. It just wasn’t for me.
Sandy wrote: "I only see the abridged version available on Audible in the US. It is 5+ hours which is shorter than most Christies"I haven't listened to the abridged version - but to lose more than three quarters of the length must surely destroy the whole point of the book.
Thank you for all the supportive messages regarding the passing of my father. I am back from his service with military honors being paid to him. I hope that eventually my sister and I will turn dad's years worth of letters home while he was serving in WW II Pacific theater. That way we can add to the family's better known writers, John Jay, co-writer of The Federalist Papers and poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Sadly not a mystery writer among them.
I am nearly done reading Hot Six by Janet Evanovich. Not sure what I will read next in the Mystery genre.
Gary wrote: "I am nearly done reading Hot Six by Janet Evanovich. Not sure what I will read next in the Mystery genre."Is she loosing her touch do you think? Some have said as much.
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I'm also reading A Line To Kill the new Horowitz/Hawthorne novel.
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Yes, it's amazing how quickly the cost of some books seems to go up even when they were republished fairly recently. Did you think the short stories were as good as her novels?
Judy wrote: "Thom wrote: "It's funny about the short story collection. People are asking anywhere from $40 to $70 for it! I think it's insane as it was only published in 2002. I read it but for some reason I th..."As memory serves me (and I do have near total recall which can be a joy and a burden), they were mostly as good. But as with all SS collections there were some I enjoyed better than others.
I want to have it in my collection again and want to reread, so I have it saved on Ebay in hopes it will turn up (over the years I have found EVERYTHING does on there sooner or later...lol).
I happen to agree with you about her works. In fact, I often use the comparisons on here just to see what others read and like, and amazingly I agree with nearly all of your likes and dislikes. And I also find your reviews to be refreshingly sane. Even if I disagreed with a few, I did not feel your comments were unfair - just an alternative perspective. Those kinds of reviews (even when I disagree) always make me think, "well, I can see that and they aren't wrong."
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Susan wrote: "I enjoy Christianna Brand and have a few of her books, which I've picked up over the years. Thom, you are right about ebay - I have picked up a lot of books from there too."It's extraordinary about ebay, isn't it. Sooner or later not only have I always found what I wanted, but at a price I felt was fair.
And I just recalled that there is one of her short stories in this collection which was previously unpublished:
Bodies from the Library: Lost Classic Stories by Masters of the Golden Age
The Rum Punch by Christianna Brand
Sergeant Troot is planning for his family holiday and decides to give some parking assistance up at the hall in order to get some extra cash. Yet of course all this does is put his own holiday plans into jeopardy as whilst on duty there a murder occurs.
The comedy of the piece comes from this issue as Troot is desperate for the case to be solved quickly so he can have his holiday, yet of course he is lumbered with a slow moving superior. A brilliant twisty ending invariably follows.
I happen to enjoy these kinds of books, even if at times the stories seem a bit uneven by comparison. This one also has a previously unpublished work by Agatha Christie called The Wife of the Kenite. It's very short (8 pages I think) and was a very early one. I happen to like it but many complain because it's short and not a Poirot.
After the First World War, an ex-German soldier who has taken to being a political agitator flees Johannesburg and the authorities who are pursuing him. He travels across the South African Veldt. At a lonely house he encounters a woman from his past.
Sandy wrote: "Rosina wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am listening to An Instance of the Fingerpost on Audible, Sandy and enjoying it so far."I hope you have the unabridged version, with four separate readers. The abri..."
Yes, the abridged is the only version I can find, also. Started reading An Instance of the Fingerpost, and listening as a reread to our next Cadfael, The Devil's Novice, with Patrick Tull narrating.
Jackie wrote: "Susan in NC, I just got notified I can check out the ebook of Dectection Unlimited and can start it as soon as I finish up A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder.I've read Dectect..."
I enjoyed it, Jackie- Heyer usually delivers a satisfying mystery, but it’s the quirky characters and humor I really appreciate!
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As well as Ebay, I find that Abebooks is also sometimes good for finding elusive titles - I've ordered a copy of The Three-Cornered Halo from there which will hopefully be on its way to me soon. I know it's owned by Amazon but sometimes seems to have different titles.
I also want to read the Bodies from the Library collections, all the more now that you've pointed out the inclusion of a story by Brand.
Judy wrote: "Thank you, Thom, for the kind comments and for the info about The Spotted Cat and Other Mysteries - I will keep my eyes open for it. As well as Ebay, I find that Abebooks is also sometimes good f..."
I wasn't too thrilled when at first I heard Amazon had acquired Abebooks. But it does appear that they are a stand alone subsidiary and so far have not been overtaken in the way some of the other companies have been.
I buy a lot from there as well and I do see that some sellers also list their books on Amazon, but not everyone. I often find better prices on Abe as well.
One thing I like about some of the sellers on Abe is that, like Ebay, if you offer to buy, say, a dozen at one time, I've found it helps to contact the seller and often have saved money on shipping and also been given an overall discount, especially when buying from the UK.
Judy wrote: "Thank you, Thom, for the kind comments and for the info about The Spotted Cat and Other Mysteries - I will keep my eyes open for it. As well as Ebay, I find that Abebooks is also sometimes good f..."
Forgot to say that there's another one in this book: Bodies from the Library 2: Forgotten Stories of Mystery and Suspense by the Queens of Crime and other Masters of Golden Age Detection:
NO FACE by Christianna Brand – a tale of suspense concerning a medium on the trail of a serial killer. More of a thriller than a whodunit, it’s a beautiful example of character-building in a short story. Which reminds me, I really must get back to reading more from Brand.
And...vol 4 will be released at some point and it too will have yet another Brand SS.
Thom wrote: "Judy wrote: "Thank you, Thom, for the kind comments and for the info about The Spotted Cat and Other Mysteries - I will keep my eyes open for it. As well as Ebay, I find that Abebooks is also som..."
There used to be a foreign tax charge on Abe but I guess that stopped when Amazon bought them. Still has a good selection of books but I don't have to pay a foreign tax anymore.
Will shortly begin two books:The Woman on the Orient Express
Hoping to make a clean break from a fractured marriage, Agatha Christie boards the Orient Express in disguise. But unlike her famous detective Hercule Poirot, she can’t neatly unravel the mysteries she encounters on this fateful journey.
Agatha isn’t the only passenger on board with secrets. Her cabinmate Katharine Keeling’s first marriage ended in tragedy, propelling her toward a second relationship mired in deceit. Nancy Nelson—newly married but carrying another man’s child—is desperate to conceal the pregnancy and teeters on the brink of utter despair. Each woman hides her past from the others, ferociously guarding her secrets. But as the train bound for the Middle East speeds down the track, the parallel courses of their lives shift to intersect—with lasting repercussions.
Filled with evocative imagery, suspense, and emotional complexity, The Woman on the Orient Express explores the bonds of sisterhood forged by shared pain and the power of secrets.
And another with a similar title, The Girl on the Train
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train...
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I will be reading it after I finish Crooked House and before our mid-month reads. Fingerpost is going to be very late!
Just getting started on Crooked House
I gave up after several tries on An Instance of the Fingerpost, it just wasn’t pulling me in - my 75 page rule, if you try to read it a few times, don’t want to pick it up again, and still feel that way after the first 75 pages (100 if it seems to have potential), chuck it for now. So I did, and instead started the intriguing Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon for another buddy read coming up.
Susan in NC wrote: "I gave up after several tries on An Instance of the Fingerpost, it just wasn’t pulling me in - my 75 page rule, if you try to read it a few times, don’t want to pick it up again, and s..."People seem to love this book or not. Interesting. Do you know why it doesn't appeal? Is it too detailed? Or something else? A friend said the writing is good but over-written (too wordy in this case) and lacks tension. She also said if a 3rd of it were to be edited out, the book would improve.
I see some felt the 4 narrators were not compelling, though Fingerpost has an overall higher rating than Latvian.
I have just finished it and found it to be all t he things your friend said. Obviously with four narrators telling the same story, you do expect repetition, but this is much too detailed. It is the second book I have read by this author, which I think is a fair trial, and he obviously is just not for me.
Jill wrote: "I have just finished it and found it to be all t he things your friend said. Obviously with four narrators telling the same story, you do expect repetition, but this is much too detailed. It is the..."Good to know. Thank you. I know I would also see it the same way. I believe that words should be there to serve a purpose, not merely for the sake of flowery/purple prose. Even though there are 4 narrators, at the very least they should only each state what the others did not.
I am in the 'love it' camp for An Instance of the Fingerpost, and Iain Pears has written more than one of my favourite re-reads.I don't find that there is much repetition of what has been reported on before - and where there is, the different narrators see the incident in an entirely different light. I am half-way through the second narrator's part, and nothing has been 'repeated' so far.
I don't re-read. Life is too short. Maybe that is why I didn't like it as you did, and you don't mind reading the same things again.
I've just finished Murder Underground by Mavis Doriel Hay and actually liked it more than her Death on the Cherwell which we read recently. And it was nice to meet Betty and Basil when they were still 'courting' (such a lovely old fashioned word!)
Thank you, Roman Clodia for that insight. I downloaded it on my kindle last month but didn't start the book as I came across a negative review of a friend on GR. Looks like I will read it after all :)
I found the two we read, Murder Underground and The Santa Klaus Murder were both better than Death on the Cherwell
I have just started Pietr the Latvian and liking it so far. The cold wind and rain sounds so good after the hot days we have had here.
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Jill wrote: "I have just finished it and found it to be all t he things your friend said. Obviously with four narrators telling the same story, you do expect repetition, but this is much too detailed. It is the..."By the way Jill. I have to admire your objectivity in saying that the writer just isn't for you. I've been trying to explain this very concept to others on here who swear by all that's holy there is no way to be objective about things - especially books, art, music, etc.
The very fact that some of us are able to say we did not like something but that it was us and not necessarily the book itself, rather suggests otherwise.
We all have subjective takes on things, but I can often see merit in writing that does not appeal to me personally and, seeing how so many are unable to do so, makes me appreciate the ability even more so.
Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I gave up after several tries on An Instance of the Fingerpost, it just wasn’t pulling me in - my 75 page rule, if you try to read it a few times, don’t want to pic..."For me, it just wasn’t compelling me back to read - I’d put it down, think of other things to do to avoid reading it! I bought the kindle (only $2.99) a few months ago, thought it would be engrossing, like the Matthew Shardlake series, or The Name of the Rose - I love historical mysteries, but I just didn’t care about the characters, care to spend any more time on them. Maybe at another time, I might enjoy it more; right now, I just couldn’t make myself read on - a very wise GR friend once told me, “when it gets to feeling like homework, it’s not the book for you. Time to move on!” And yes, I definitely got the impression some judicious editing could tighten it up, shorten the page count, if the first 75 or so pages I read were anything to go by.
I will say, there was some humor, as the narrator is a young Venetian gentleman visiting England for the first time - his observations on the English people and their habits were amusing. But, then the experimenting on animals grossed me out - I know it was and is done in scientific experiments, but as a general rule I don’t read anything involving harm to animals, small children, etc - leaves out a lot of modern psychological thrillers, true crime. No thanks, I read for pleasure, I can watch the news and see plenty of unnecessary suffering.
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