Nominations open, January 2022: Series firsts

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Wow. In about 30 days we're coming up on the first month of a new year, so it's a great time to nominate the first book of the mystery series of your choice. This includes not only mystery series openers, but also firsts in crime novels, thrillers, spy novel series as well.

the fine print:
Please remember that if you nominate a book and it wins, you are automatically the discussion leader.

Please do not nominate your own books.

I look forward to seeing your nominations.

[Leena]

I'd like to nominate Elizabeth George 's A Great Deliverance - The First Inspector Lynley and Barbara Havers Book.

[Bill]

I'll nominate Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart, the first Kopp Sisters mystery.

[CBRetriever]

Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell which is the first Kathleen Mallory book

This is a break-the-mold detective story, an incredible debut for O'Connell and a blessing to female detective fans everywhere. Sgt. Kathleen Mallory, a computer hacker for the NYPD, started life as a wild child on New York City's streets. She was adopted by police detective Louis Markowitz and his wife, Helen, but the happy years with them have merely laid a civilized veneer over what is still a semi-savage product of the urban jungle. At the book's opening, Mallory is an orphan again: Helen Markowitz died years before and Detective Markowitz has just been felled by a serial killer. Mallory buries him and then, while on compassionate leave, methodically tracks the killer.

[Leena]

I'm looking forward to all the nominations and hope to get my hands on all.Wow ! what a way to start the new year

[Suzy]

So many good first books in series, what to nominate?!!
I will nominate recently published 1979 by Val McDermid. It features journalist Allie Burns as the main protagonist.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

so far:
1. A Great Deliverance, by Elizabeth George -- Leena
2. Girl Waits with Gun, by Amy Stewart -- Bill
3. Mallory's Oracle, by Carol O'Connell -- CBRetriever
4. 1979, by Val McDermid -- Suzy
5. Amateur City, by Katherine V. Forrest -- Laura
6. The Bone Collector, by Jeffrey Deaver -- Cherie
7. Cover Her Face, by PD James -- James
8. A Morbid Taste for Bones, by Ellis Peters -- Maggie
9. Bits & Pieces, by Dawn Hosmer -- Michael
10. The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven -- Nico
11. A Few Right Thinking Men, by Sulari Gentill -- Icewineanne
12. Baltimore Blues, by Laura Lippman -- Nancy (not me!)
13. Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea -- Kathryn in FL

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Leena wrote: "I'd like to nominate Elizabeth George 's A Great Deliverance - The First Inspector Lynley and Barbara Havers Book."

I have to say that of all of the Lynley books, this one is still my favorite.

[Leena]

I totally agree.

[Larry]

Might not be a bad time to revisit Stephen Kings The Stand. Numerous sections are extremely relevant again

[Robert]

I nominate “The Khan” by Saima Mir

[Robert]

I nominate “Truth be Told” by Kia Abdullah

[Cherie]

I nominate The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver.

[Patrick]

I nominate "A Private Cathedral" by James Lee Burke.

[Tameka]

Girl waits with a gun sounds like a good choice.

[James]

I nominate Cover Her Face by P.D. James. It is the 1st book in the Adam Dalgliesh Mystery series.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Maggie]

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Claire]

I nominate Girl With A Gun

[Bill]

Claire wrote: "I nominate Girl With A Gun"

If you mean Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart, it's already been nominated.

[Michael]

I nominate 'Bits and Pieces' by Dawn Hosmer.

[Nico]

The Puppet Show MW Craven.

What a great series.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Larry wrote: "Might not be a bad time to revisit Stephen Kings The Stand. Numerous sections are extremely relevant again"

As much as I like that book, it didn't really spawn a series so I think will give that one a pass this time around. But thanks!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Robert wrote: "I nominate “Truth be Told” by Kia Abdullah"

So, that's two books you've nominated -- can you narrow it down to one please? Thanks!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Patrick wrote: "I nominate "A Private Cathedral" by James Lee Burke."

Thanks, Patrick -- we're actually nominating series first novels this month. A different choice?

[Janine]

Nancy wrote: "Patrick wrote: "I nominate "A Private Cathedral" by James Lee Burke."

Patrick wrote: "I nominate "A Private Cathedral" by James Lee Burke."

so far:
1. A Great Deliverance, by Elizabe..."

The Bone Collector is my nom.

[MissLemon]

Suzy wrote: "So many good first books in series, what to nominate?!!
I will nominate recently published 1979 by Val McDermid. It features journalist Allie Burns as the main protagonist."

First of all thank you for nominating this : I love Val McD books but I had missed this one coming out .

But , to be very pedantic , is it technically the start of a series if it's the only one that's been published yet ?

[Icewineanne]

A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentill

[Bhavana]

I nominate "The Family Upstairs" by Lisa Jewell. The 1st book in the The Family Upstairs Series

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Blurb:
oon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

The can’t-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets.

[Suzy]

MissLemon wrote: "Suzy wrote: "So many good first books in series, what to nominate?!!
I will nominate recently published 1979 by Val McDermid. It features journalist Allie Burns as the main protagon..."

It looks like it is a series. On the book's GR page it says Allie Burns #1.

[Danielle]

I nominate The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard.
From the critically acclaimed author of Mr. Timothy comes an ingenious tale of murder and revenge, featuring a retired New York City detective and a young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe.

At West Point Academy in 1830, the calm of an October evening is shattered by the discovery of a young cadet's body swinging from a rope just off the parade grounds. An apparent suicide is not unheard of in a harsh regimen like West Point's, but the next morning, an even greater horror comes to light. Someone has stolen into the room where the body lay and removed the heart.

At a loss for answers and desperate to avoid any negative publicity, the Academy calls on the services of a local civilian, Augustus Landor, a former police detective who acquired some renown during his years in New York City before retiring to the Hudson Highlands for his health. Now a widower, and restless in his seclusion, Landor agrees to take on the case. As he questions the dead man's acquaintances, he finds an eager assistant in a moody, intriguing young cadet with a penchant for drink, two volumes of poetry to his name, and a murky past that changes from telling to telling. The cadet's name? Edgar Allan Poe.

Impressed with Poe's astute powers of observation, Landor is convinced that the poet may prove useful—if he can stay sober long enough to put his keen reasoning skills to the task. Working in close contact, the two men—separated by years but alike in intelligence—develop a surprisingly deep rapport as their investigation takes them into a hidden world of secret societies, ritual sacrifices, and more bodies. Soon, however, the macabre murders and Landor's own buried secrets threaten to tear the two men and their newly formed friendship apart.

A rich tapestry of fine prose and intricately detailed characters, The Pale Blue Eye transports readers into a labyrinth of the unknown that will leave them guessing until the very end.

[CBRetriever]

Danielle wrote: "I nominate The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard.
From the critically acclaimed author of Mr. Timothy comes an ingenious tale of murder..."

is that part of a planned series?

[Nancy]

I nominate Baltimore Blues, by Laura LIppman. It's the first of the Tess Monaghan series. Engaging, but not too "cozy." Personal development, but not obnoxious. And fun.

[Kathryn in FL]

Some Choose Darkness by Charles Donlea

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Just an FYI everyone: I'm not ignoring anyone here but I've been up in a cabin with no internet device except my phone which doesn't really do goodreads very well. I'm home tomorrow afternoon so I'll sort through your nominations etc. then, after I cuddle with my dog.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Bhavana wrote: "I nominate "The Family Upstairs" by Lisa Jewell. The 1st book in the The Family Upstairs Series

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Blurb:
oon after her twenty-..."

So, Bhavana, I'm happy to list this book, but I want to be sure that you're going to serve as moderator for the group read if it wins. I haven't seen you in the thread for My Sister The Serial Killer as of yet, even though that was your nomination. Just let me know.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Danielle wrote: "I nominate The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard.
From the critically acclaimed author of Mr. Timothy comes an ingenious tale of murder..."

I've just checked and this book is a standalone. If you'd like to nominate another book, I'll hold this thread open until tomorrow.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I'll be holding this thread open until tomorrow, at which point the books will go right to the poll.

thanks again, everyone!!

[Bill]

Nancy wrote: "Just an FYI everyone: I'm not ignoring anyone here but I've been up in a cabin with no internet device except my phone which doesn't really do goodreads very well. I'm home tomorrow afternoon so I'..."

The dog is always most important.. That's my two always tell me anyway.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Bill wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Just an FYI everyone: I'm not ignoring anyone here but I've been up in a cabin with no internet device except my phone which doesn't really do goodreads very well. I'm home tomorrow a..."

We walked in about an hour ago and she was sooooo happy to see us! She loves her doggiesitter but I think she likes us a wee bit more.
:)

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Okay everyone, the poll goes up later this afternoon. I'll run it through the 16th.

[Christine]

Looking forward to checking it out. Thanks, Nancy.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Christine wrote: "Looking forward to checking it out. Thanks, Nancy."

my pleasure.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

The poll is now open and ready for business:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

or as always, you can link via the "polls" link on any of our group's pages.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

We have winners!! By an overwhelming majority, in first place is The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver, nominated by Cherie, followed by A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George, nominated by Leena.

A group message will go out later today, but for now there's plenty of time to arrange copies if you plan on joining in on either group read.

[Cherie]

Glad to hear that the book I nominated has been selected. Hope to serve as a good moderator. Hope y’all enjoy the thrills of this book as much as I did.

[Bill]

Cherie wrote: "Glad to hear that the book I nominated has been selected. Hope to serve as a good moderator. Hope y’all enjoy the thrills of this book as much as I did."

You'll do fine, Cherie. Congrats.

[Cherie]

Thanks Bill.

[Leena]

Oh Wow! I'm looking forward to read both!!

[Nico]

Incidentally just started reading The Bone Collector. Not to far in, but enjoying it so far.

[Cherie]

Glad to hear this!