Reading the Detectives discussion
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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2021)
Roman Clodia wrote: "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 w..."Thanks for the recommendation, RC, I wondered about that one, had it on the TBR list.
Jill wrote: "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."Ha, I was thinking the same thing reading it last night! This is my first read of a Maigret mystery, I was curious, having watched the dramatizations years ago on TV. Didn’t remember much, thought I’d try the first book out since my library had the ebook.
Susan in NC wrote: "Thom wrote: "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 mu..."I do find that there are those who, when they are not able to do a thing, often state that it i>can't be done. I find that to be a bit absurd. But I will only debate it for a little time. Life's too short to bang on too much about things.
Susan in NC wrote: "Thom wrote: "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 mu..."I can't see your reviews as your profile is private, but from your comments here (as well as those of quite a few others), it seems you also try to be as objective as one can be. Like most people I have a surfeit of personal views and thoughts, but I also can see other perspectives. I might not change my own perspective, but I'll take it in all the same.
Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Thom wrote: "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 repeti..."Good on you, sounds like you have a healthy attitude, and an open mind.
Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Thom wrote: "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 repeti..."I’m not sure if you’re speaking to me or Jill here, Thom, with the way the comments are mashed together! But if its directed to me, I wasn’t saying I could not read it, I was saying I tried but wasn’t enjoying it or interested enough to keep making myself read it. I agree, each reader has a subjective feeling about books - what may appeal to someone else may sicken me, or bore me to tears. Life is too short to read anything I’m not interested in or don’t enjoy - or, as you say, to bang on about such things. I love that phrase, “bang on”!
Re: Iain Pears - I remember that I just couldn't get into An Instance of the Fingerpost, but enjoyed the one Jonathan Argyll book I read, The Bernini Bust, I think.
Susan in NC wrote: "Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Thom wrote: "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 ..."I was directing that at you but wasn't saying you couldn't read it. I meant that comment to be about people who could not be objective and assumed because they could not, no one could be. Not sure if it's a trait or a skill set, but I appear to always have had it regardless.
I picked up the phrase "bang on" from my UK friends! I love it. And the bollocks as well. LOL
Those are two very expressive phrases!Thanks for clarifying, I sometimes find it hard to follow the thread of a discussion with the truncated comments, have to go back up thread to piece together what is being said.
Susan in NC wrote: "Those are two very expressive phrases!Thanks for clarifying, I sometimes find it hard to follow the thread of a discussion with the truncated comments, have to go back up thread to piece together..."
I do as well. I think from now forward I will copy and paste the part I am replying to. Might be easier to follow.
Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Those are two very expressive phrases!Thanks for clarifying, I sometimes find it hard to follow the thread of a discussion with the truncated comments, have to go back up thre..."
Good idea, thanks!
Jan C wrote: "Re: Iain Pears - I remember that I just couldn't get into An Instance of the Fingerpost, but enjoyed the one Jonathan Argyll book I read, The Bernini Bust..."Good to hear - I felt his humor was enjoyable, and the writing was good, but you could just feel that it was going to be one of those rather sprawling, rambling historical mysteries that would take awhile to get where it was going - I’m afraid I have to be in the mood for those. I’m currently listening to Bleak House, so my dance card right now is full for sprawling historical stories! Rosina said in another thread there is an excellent unabridged audiobook out there with four narrators - I tried to find it but it’s not available right now, only a deeply abridged but well done version with one actor. If the full version became available, I might try again.
But good to know the author has written some enjoyable mysteries- the summaries I’ve read on GR all sound like intriguing plots!
I do have The Dream of Scipio which is said to be a follow to An Instance of the Fingerpost but spread over different centuries. I may eventually get to it but think that other books will probably make that a long time off.
Jill wrote: "I do have The Dream of Scipio which is said to be a follow to An Instance of the Fingerpost but spread over different centuries. I may eventually get to it but think that ..."I don't think there's any connection between The Dream of Scipio and An Instance of the Fingerpost, other than that they are both historical and by Pears, as is
. I really love the seven book Jonathan Argyll series, and am totally in love with his
.I have always enjoyed re-reading books, galloping through them first time, then appreciating the build-up and characters and plot twists once I know where they are going.
Susan in NC wrote: Rosina said in another thread there is an excellent unabridged audiobook out there with four narrators - I tried to find it but it’s not available right now, only a deeply abridged but well done version with one actor. If the full version became available, I might try again.Susan, I believe this is the audiobook with the 4 narrators.
https://www.audible.com/pd/An-Instanc...
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
Like you Rosina, I enjoy rereading as well; whether mysteries or other reads, most books do reveal something new each time you read them
Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: Rosina said in another thread there is an excellent unabridged audiobook out there with four narrators - I tried to find it but it’s not available right now, only a deeply abridg..."Wow, thanks Thom - I have an Audible account, checked there, I couldn’t find it!
Ah, I see, when I click on the link, it pops up with a red box - “this item not available for sale in your country or region!” Bollocks!
Lady Clementina wrote: "Like you Rosina, I enjoy rereading as well; whether mysteries or other reads, most books do reveal something new each time you read them"I enjoy rereading old favorites, they are comfort reads, and sometimes I do discover something new. Sometimes, I just come away with a happy, mellow feeling- and in these uncertain times, I’ll take it! ;)
Rosina wrote: "Jill wrote: "I do have The Dream of Scipio which is said to be a follow to An Instance of the Fingerpost but spread over different centuries. I may eventually get to it bu..."Same here! Thanks for the series recommendation, I’d like to try him again. So many books…
I've been reading some (slightly) more up to date stuff than is usually the case. Ten-Second Staircase
by Christpher Fowler was OK I guess, but a little less satisfying than the other Bryant & May books I've read. Now, I'm digging into, and enjoying, Peter Lovesey's first Peter Diamond mystery The Last Detective
Lovesey celebrated his 85th birthday today, and he's still writing, publishing and engaging with fans on Facebook - a splendid chap!
Susan in NC wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: Wow, thanks Thom - I have an Audible account, checked there, I couldn’t find it!Ah, I see, when I click on the link, it pops up with a red box - “this item not available for sale in your country or region!” Bollocks!
Oh well that really IS bollocks! LOL. So sorry about that. I didn't click on it...
Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: Wow, thanks Thom - I have an Audible account, checked there, I couldn’t find it!Ah, I see, when I click on the link, it pops up with a red box - “this item ..."
Thanks for trying, though!
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I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean author Kwon Yeo-sun. It's essentially psychological crime, and quite cleverly done in terms of structure/plot. It appears to be about the aftermath of a murder of a young girl and the impact on her family and friends, particularly her younger sister. And although I worked out who the murderer was, it took me a while to realise that the narrative was concealing another crime that had to be puzzled out. It reminded me a little of books like The Good Son and I had similar problems with it as I did with that. The writing style was just too clunky, from the concept and Kwon's references/reputation I think this may be a translation issue but I'm not sure. But a lot of people really liked 'The Good Son' so may be less fussy about prose style, and it's interesting in other ways.Link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alwynne wrote: "I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean author Kwon Yeo-sun. It's essentially psychological crime, and quite cleverly done in terms of s..."It does sound rather interesting though-particularly the idea of the hidden puzzle and the social context.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean author Kwon Yeo-sun. It's essentially psychological crime, and quite cleverly do..."It was interesting, and it sent me rushing back to the beginning to see how Kwon had set things up, but at sentence level the writing's quite uneven, and odd for what's clearly a consciously literary novel. And I also found the comments on the dead girl's habits difficult, there was a suggestion that in some way she deviated from some standard of normality and it wasn't clear how that difference was meant to be interpreted in the context of her murder.
Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean author Kwon Yeo-sun. It's essentially psychological crim..."Perhaps notions of acceptable/deviant conduct that are familiar to people living there or more familiar with the social context; or just something that didn't translate so clearly.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean author Kwon Yeo-sun. It's essentially ps..."Absolutely, I've been learning Korean for a while and I can understand some of the issues for a translator but I think that those issues could have been addressed in a more thoughtful manner. And here they were communicated in a way that undermined the critique of women's treatment in other areas of the novel.
Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean author Kwon Yeo-..."What fun. So have I though still at the basics; do you use duolingo by any chance?
I'm using a mix of things, online forums like Duolingo, study guides and so on.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Lemon the first English translation of work by award-winning South Korean ..."Have you thought about joining the Korean Literature group on here btw?
Alwynne wrote: "I'm using a mix of things, online forums like Duolingo, study guides and so on."Great; I am using an online set of material (How to Study Korean) and Duolingo primarily; also YouTube videos to supplement.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I'm using a mix of things, online forums like Duolingo, study guides and so on."Great; I am using an online set of material (How to Study Korean) and Duolingo primarily; also YouT..."
I haven't tried any of the videos, I watch a lot of K-dramas though!
Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I'm using a mix of things, online forums like Duolingo, study guides and so on."Great; I am using an online set of material (How to Study Korean) and Duoli..."
I do as well (or at least did) but over the last few months, don't seem to have had much time on my hands.
Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I'm using a mix of things, online forums like Duolingo, study guides and so on."Great; I am using an online set of material (How to Study Korean) and Duoli..."
I do as well (or at least did) but over the last few months, don't seem to have had much time on my hands.
I put in a wish for Lemon; let's see.
I have just finished Pietr the Latvian and really enjoyed it Thanks to Marie for suggesting it.I am now just about to start Death of a Busybody by George Bellairs, as we have one of on buddies for next month and another for December
I'm just getting started with The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Jill wrote: "I have just finished Pietr the Latvian and really enjoyed it Thanks to Marie for suggesting it.I am now just about to start Death of a Busybody by [author:George Be..."
We do? I only saw the Christmas read on Susan’s latest list. Hope you enjoy Busybody, that was my first Bellairs book, someone suggested him for a buddy read and I was curious!
Susan in NC wrote: "Jill wrote: "I have just finished Pietr the Latvian and really enjoyed it Thanks to Marie for suggesting it.I am now just about to start Death of a Busybody by [aut..."
Group read but we only read the non Christmas one
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
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Thanks, Judy and Jill, don’t know how I missed that! I like Bellairs, so yay!
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Judy wrote: "I'm reading Murder in the Mill-race by ECR Lorac, after buying the paperback a little while ago. Enjoying the Devon setting."Oh, I enjoyed that one! Her London wartime mysteries are gripping and atmospheric, but I love her descriptions of rural settings!
I have finished Death of a Busybody which I liked a lot. Thought the humour was great. Am now going to start A Dreadful Murder: The Mysterious Death of Caroline Luard by Minette Walters
Jill wrote: "I have finished Death of a Busybody which I liked a lot. Thought the humour was great. Am now going to start [book:A Dreadful Murder: The Mysterious Death of Caroline Luard|17302902..."Don't think I'll be getting Dreadful Murder anytime soon - it is only $969 and not on Kindle.
Jan C wrote: "Don't think I'll be getting Dreadful Murder anytime soon - it is only $969 and not on Kindle. ."I don't know if you would be seriously interested, but on the UK Amazon site it's available as a Kindle for 99p, and second-hand paperbacks for 14p plus postage and packing!
I’m reading our next Angela Marchmont mystery, The Shadow at Greystone Chase
, and then our next Christie, Endless Night
.
Reading the Detectives
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I agree with this, and with Jill- I’m glad I stopped where I did, Jill’s review assured me it wasn’t going to hook me later on!