What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2022)

[Colin]

I thought the Cecil Waye book very good overall, with a solid puzzle to anchor it.
A shame the three books which follow it are a lot poorer.

[Jackie]

I finished All The Devils Are Here and found it thrilling in a "can't put it down" kind of way. Louise Penny doesn't really write murder mysteries, though, but anyone starting the series with Still Life will realize right away if that is a good thing or not. Her style is unusual.

[Susan in NC]

Colin wrote: "I thought the Cecil Waye book very good overall, with a solid puzzle to anchor it.
A shame the three books which follow it are a lot poorer."

Thanks, Colin, I’ve only glanced at the first couple paragraphs of the ebook - it looks promising, in a “dark, cold, quiet night in the village” kind of way! I’m trying to be disciplined, finish the books already going, but I always get twitchy if I don’t have a mystery in my reading mix.

I guess we can’t be surprised if even Detection Club members are hit or miss as to the quality of their writing, I’m sure we’ve all been fans of a modern writer/series that palled over time, or became stale or formulaic.

[Lynnie]

Jackie wrote: "I finished All The Devils Are Here and found it thrilling in a "can't put it down" kind of way. Louise Penny doesn't really write murder mysteries, though, but anyone starting the series with [book..."

All The Devils Are Here was my first Louise Penny read, not realising it was a series! I enjoyed it a lot so went back to the beginning and fell for Three Pines straight away. I'm about to start the 7th [book:A Trick of the Light|10680329].

[Lynnie]

I'm reading The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz - my new fave author having just read Magpie Murders & Moonflower Murders.

[Tania]

I enjoyed Magpie Murders, but haven't read anything by him since. Must rectify that.

I've started another of the British Library anthologies, Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries, which looks rather interesting.

[Jackie]

I have started One by One They Disappeared which I'm pretty sure I heard about in this group. I am liking it well enough I already think I will be reading more in the series.

[Jackie]

Lynnie, I think Louise Penny is much better read in order, since the characters and their relationships change, but am glad you are enjoying them despite starting so far into the series. I see the reviews are very mixed, some people really disliking All The Devils are Here while I thought it was one of her best.

[Sandy]

Jackie wrote: "Lynnie, I think Louise Penny is much better read in order, since the characters and their relationships change, but am glad you are enjoying them despite starting so far into the series. I see the ..."

I agree completely and there are a couple of books that follow are almost continuations of the prior. I loved All the Devils.

[Sandy]

I have, finally, started Bad Actors after ignoring it for a couple of non-reading days. Somewhat confused but Slough House does that to me.

[Susan in NC]

My library loan of Murder's a Swine: A Second World War Mystery has come through, so I’m going to go ahead and read it now - I’ve also got the audiobook through my Scribd subscription.

[Judy]

I tried the start of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, which I was tempted by at the library as I really enjoy his TV programmes. I think it will be a false start for me though as I'm not very engaged by it - so far it seems rather boring and to be jumping around all the time. It may just not be the right book for me at the moment.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I tried the start of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, which I was tempted by at the library as I really enjoy his TV programmes. I think it will be a fals..."

I truly believe that’s a thing - I have started/stopped/started books I eventually finished and very much enjoyed, but had a tough time getting into. And sometimes, like with Osman, a book is so incredibly popular you feel like something is wrong if you don’t enjoy this book everyone has been raving about…

[Judy]

Thank you, Susan - I will also feel guilty if I hang on to it as a host of library subscribers are patiently waiting for Richard Osman's book! I think I will give up on it for now but maybe revisit.

[Roman Clodia]

If it makes you feel any better, Judy, I gave up on the Richard Osman - I love him and his sense of humour on TV and so bought the hardback for my mum with the sneaky intention of reading it after her - she was just so-so but did finish it, I bailed.

[Jill]

Roman Clodia wrote: "If it makes you feel any better, Judy, I gave up on the Richard Osman - I love him and his sense of humour on TV and so bought the hardback for my mum with the sneaky intention of reading it after ..."

Strange isn't it, as I really don't like him on TV but I loved his books. It feels like the same person never wrote them.

[Judy]

Thanks, RC and Jill. I'm going to give up on Richard Osman for now without really getting started, as I have so much else to read, but may give him another try in future.

[Sid]

FWIW, I like Richard Osman on the TV and I also really liked his books. Chacun a son gout.

[Tania]

Sid wrote: "FWIW, I like Richard Osman on the TV and I also really liked his books. Chacun a son gout."

Me too, but horses for courses...

I finished Messalina of the Suburbs by E.M. Delafield last night. More a crime novel than a mystery, as it's based on the Edith Thompson and Fred Bywaters case. Next week I plan on reading A Pin To See The Peepshow based on the same case. It'll be interesting to compare them.

[Sid]

I can't remember where the brief discussion of Charlie M was, but I've just bailed out at about half way. Couldn't take any more. My spoiler-free but very grumpy review is here if anyone's interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Judy]

Sid wrote: "I can't remember where the brief discussion of Charlie M was..."

That discussion is over in Reading the Twentieth Century, but I'm sure people here will be interested to see your review, Sid. I haven't tried the book as I'm not really one for spy novels, except for Graham Greene, who is one of my favourites, and one or two others. I find it hard to follow the plots!

[Sid]

Er..oops! Thanks, Judy. I'll scuttle over to the 20th Century to cover my embarrassment and hope no-one noticed...

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Thank you, Susan - I will also feel guilty if I hang on to it as a host of library subscribers are patiently waiting for Richard Osman's book! I think I will give up on it for now but maybe revisit."

That’s what I did with a few books earlier this year- recommended by a friend, or hugely popular, wanted to try it, but when it came from library, I just wasn’t interested, or didn’t want to be a book hog! Back they go, and I put myself back in the queue, I’ll get my turn sooner or later - and next time, I might be in the proper frame of mind to appreciate it! Also, the books everyone is reading and raving about now will be languishing on the shelf in six months, when the next “hottest new must-read” comes along! You know, the “top ten must reads of Autumn”, etc. ;)

[Susan in NC]

Sid wrote: "FWIW, I like Richard Osman on the TV and I also really liked his books. Chacun a son gout."

I’ve never seen him on TV (you lucky Brits, with your witty TV folk being charming, dry and cheeky all over the place!) I’ll have to check him out on the YouTubes, that’s where I get my Graham Norton fix…anyway, never seen him, but like his books (Richard, not Graham, don’t think he has any books)! Chacun a son gout, indeed!

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Sid wrote: "I can't remember where the brief discussion of Charlie M was..."

That discussion is over in Reading the Twentieth Century, but I'm sure people here will be interested to..."

Me, too! Thank you for saying that- with spy movies, there are always some visual clues, at least, to help you out - certain character actors who ALWAYS played a villain, or the character was shifty, or carried a hairless cat around (ok, more of a James Bond villain thing, but you get my drift)…I’ve read some Helen MacInnes in the Retro Reads book group, one book very exciting, the other ‘meh’, and of course we’ve dipped into some of the Cold War era spy-mystery thrillers Christie and others dabbled in, and depending on how deep and layered the spy network and plot are, and how many double crosses are going on, I get my characters hopelessly tangled in spy novels. Need to try some Graham Greene - sorry to divert from thread, but any recommendations, Judy?

[Sid]

Susan in NC wrote: "I’ve never seen him on TV (you lucky Brits, with your witty TV folk being charming, dry and cheeky all over the place!) I’ll have to check him out on the YouTubes, that’s where I get my Graham Norton fix…anyway, never seen him, but like his books (Richard, not Graham, don’t think he has any books)! Chacun a son gout, indeed!"

Graham does indeed have books! I've read a couple of them:
Holding which I liked lot
and
A Keeper which was OK but not as good.

My reviews, if you're interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Susan in NC]

Sid wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’ve never seen him on TV (you lucky Brits, with your witty TV folk being charming, dry and cheeky all over the place!) I’ll have to check him out on the YouTubes, that’s where ..."

Thanks very much, Sid!

[Judy]

Sid wrote: "Graham does indeed have books! I've read a couple of them: Holding which I liked lot ..."

Susan in NC, an adaptation of this crime story has just been shown on TV in the UK - as yet, I haven't read the book and also haven't seen the series, but it got good reviews.

[Roman Clodia]

Susan in NC wrote: "(you lucky Brits, with your witty TV folk being charming, dry and cheeky all over the place!) "

That's the perfect description of Richard Osman, Susan :))

[Susan]

I love Richard Osman's books. Can't wait for the next one. Multi-talented obviously and I believe his brother is also a novelist.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Sid wrote: "Graham does indeed have books! I've read a couple of them: Holding which I liked lot ..."

Susan in NC, an adaptation of this crime story has just been shown on TV in the UK - as yet, I..."

Fingers crossed we might get to see it over here some time! Thanks, Judy.

[Sandy]

Working my way very, very slowly through Capital Crimes: London Mysteries and started Fifty-Four Pigs: A Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery, a new book due back to the library soon. And the library may demand C Crimes back before I'm done. Luckily, they renewed The Moving Toyshop for me.

[Jill]

I finished Charlie M by Brian Freemantle which I really liked and have now started the next Bobby Owen Murder Abroad

[Judy]

I've started The Avenging Chance and Other Mysteries From Roger Sheringham's Casebook, a book of short stories by Anthony Berkeley. The first story is a different version of The Poisoned Chocolates Case which we read here last year - I enjoyed it but some of the wording is quite similar to the novel, so I'm glad I left a bit of a gap in between.

[Jackie]

Just started Why Shoot a Butler?

[Susan in NC]

I just got Fierce Poison by Will Thomas, the latest Barker & Llewelyn mystery, from my library. Hope to start reading tomorrow.

[Marwan]

Started reading Dead Right by Peter Robinson

[Judy]

I enjoyed The Avenging Chance and Other Mysteries From Roger Sheringham's Casebook by Anthony Berkeley, but there are a lot of scanning errors in the Kindle edition! Particularly bad in the introduction, which mentions Berkeley's other pseudonym, Francis Iles but repeatedly spells it Francis lies.

I'm now starting our next challenge read, Murder at Monk's Barn by Detection Club member Cecil Waye, aka John Rhode and Miles Burton - a phenomenally productive author! (Real name Cecil John Street.)

[Sandy]

I read Fifty-Four Pigs: A Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery, the first of a new series. It took me longer than normal to finish it which could mean it is not gripping but may have more to do with a temporary vision problem (lost a contact lens). The setting is a rural community in Manitoba, Canada, in the dead of winter. The lead character is a bit strange: overly logical, not good at reading people, too curious for his safety, and quite sympathetic. I plan to look for the next book.

On to Murder at Monk's Barn which I have as an ebook so can enlarge the print. And still slowly wending my way through Capital Crimes: London Mysteries

[Jill]

I am just about to start Death at La Fenice. Donna Leon is one of my sister's favourite authors, and she has been telling me for years to read the books. I'm sure, even though she lives over 15 miles from me, I can hear her cheering that at last I have got to the first book

[Jan C]

Just started a re-read of And Then There Were None.

[Jackie]

I'm now re-reading Why Shoot a Butler?

[Sid]

Just finished Murder's a Swine: A Second World War Mystery having jumped the gun on the July read. Enjoyable nonsense. I'm looking forward to hearing others' views.

My spoiler-free review is here if anyone's interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sandy]

I read, in one sitting, Poison at Pemberton Hall: the first Vita Carew historical mystery. I found it a pleasant enough read, with interesting characters and a plot that is a bit different. If the next two in the series are available on Kindle Unlimited I will continue.

[Susan in NC]

Started The Red Thumb Mark by R. Austin Freeman today for our upcoming challenge read.

[Jackie]

I just started Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage although I suspect many of this group would not consider this series actual mysteries. there is often not even a murder! the coziest of cozy! but I so much would like "a honey-coloured cottage" in The Cottswolds so I visit the village of Finch every time she writes another one.

[Jackie]

Jackie wrote: "I'm now re-reading Why Shoot a Butler?"
I finished this one, definitely a mystery, and will be posting in the Heyer group about it.

[Tara]

Almost finished with Fredric Brown's first installment of the Ed & Am Hunter series, The Fabulous Clipjoint. Normally I don't care for Chicago mobster-type stories, but Brown is an excellent writer, and his protagonist, Ed Hunter, feels quite real. I am always happy to be pleasantly surprised by a book.

Also working my way through St. Peter's Finger by Gladys Mitchell, which is a few books into the Mrs. Bradley series. The jury is still out as to whether or not I like this author/character.

[Judy]

I've just started our forthcoming Bobby Owen buddy read, Murder Abroad - Bobby goes to France in this one, which was published in 1939, so it should be an interesting setting.

Also currently listening to The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler on audible, a buddy read in Reading the Twentieth Century - the reader, Ray Porter, is great, although the story is notoriously hard to follow!

[Susan in NC]

Starting a reread of Death at La Fenice for our upcoming buddy read. Read it years ago, want to reacquaint myself with the detective and his beloved Venice so I can carry on with the series.