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

[Susan in NC]

Sometimes, “very entertaining nonsense” is just what the doctor ordered! ;)

[Sandy]

I read The Madness of Crowds, the latest in the Three Pines series. I started this months ago and put it aside as I found the subject matter too difficult at that time. I still found it intense and had some problems with the plot and the presentation, but I'm glad I read it. Some of the reviewers call the series 'cozy' and I disagree. While there are plenty of scenes with food and drink in the bistro, the books cover serious subjects and are often intense. I am now ready for the next book I expect at the end of the summer.

As a 'palate cleanser' I started my re-read (re-listen) of our next Flavia DeLuce and a humorous historical mystery with a ghost, Nobody's Sweetheart Now. I have also started The Life of Crime: Unravelling the mysteries of fiction’s favourite genre. I have covid so need to isolate for ten days and expect to do a lot of reading. Only cold-like symptoms so far so all is well.

[Jill]

Sandy wrote: "I read The Madness of Crowds, the latest in the Three Pines series. I started this months ago and put it aside as I found the subject matter too difficult at that time. I still foun..."

Hope the covid continues to be mild for you.

[Jackie]

I loved The Madness of Crowds!

Sandy wrote:
Some of the reviewers call the series 'cozy' and I disagree.

I am with you, Sandy, and felt that calling any in the series a cozy was really an insult. is that too strong a word? I read lots of cozies, but I think the word inplies light-weight.

[Sid]

Jackie wrote: "I loved The Madness of Crowds!"

I really didn't! 😊 Just goes to show how a book can take each of us differently.

My review is quite grumpy so you may not want to look at it, but it's here if you're interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Susan in NC]

Sandy wrote: "I read The Madness of Crowds, the latest in the Three Pines series. I started this months ago and put it aside as I found the subject matter too difficult at that time. I still foun..."

Oh, I am so sorry, Sandy, thank goodness you are a reader, kept me sane when I had Covid in April! May your symptoms stay mild, and the 10 days fly by!

[Susan in NC]

Jackie wrote: "I loved The Madness of Crowds!

Sandy wrote:
Some of the reviewers call the series 'cozy' and I disagree.

I am with you, Sandy, and felt that calling any in the series a cozy was really an insu..."
That’s what I assume when I hear “cozy” applied to a series.

[Susan in NC]

Sid wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I loved The Madness of Crowds!"

I really didn't! 😊 Just goes to show how a book can take each of us differently.

My review is quite grumpy so you may not want to look at it, but it..."

I thought your review fair and funny - this is series I’ve meant to try for years, never got around to it. I know there are very devoted fans, but reading time is precious, so I appreciate a fair (and funny) review. Thank you for that.

[Jackie]

Sid, I read and enjoyed your review. I find the series is unlike any other and the books are not really "murder mysteries" and while a couple of the books have not been my favorite, a couple are awesome.
I strongly recommend everyone read the first Still Life and see what they think.

[Carolien]

Hope you get better soon, Sandy! The Life of Crime looks interesting.

[Sandy]

Sid wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I loved The Madness of Crowds!"

I really didn't! 😊 Just goes to show how a book can take each of us differently.

My review is quite grumpy so you may not want to look at it, but it..."

I enjoyed your review. And agree. With many. Points. Even if I don't agree with all. For example, I loved the All the Devils Are Here. But what was a Nobel Prize contender doing in Three Pines? And how does the bistro / inn stay in business in an unmapped town? Sometimes belief must be suspended, and I love most of the series.

[Sandy]

P.S. Much earlier this year I read the Penny / Hillary collaboration, State of Terror: A Novel on a whim and liked it even though the genre is not one of my favorites.

[Sandy]

P.P.S. Thank you for all the well wishes and this may be the time to try Miss Seaton which has been on my TBR for a while.

[Jan C]

Sandy wrote: "P.P.S. Thank you for all the well wishes and this may be the time to try Miss Seaton which has been on my TBR for a while."

Hope you feel better soon. A friend got it while visiting Florence - the remainder of her stay was spent in her room. Not how I'd like to visit Florence.

I got my second booster yesterday - Moderna this time. Have a sore arm now.

[Jackie]

Sandy, I meant to post I hope your covid symptoms are mild and quicky over. I thought I had, actually.

[Sid]

Thanks for the kind remarks about my review! And I agree, calling the series "cosy" is rather insulting and just plain incorrect. I also agree that the earlier books in the series are very well worth reading, but I really haven't enjoyed the last two.

[Sid]

Jan C wrote: "Hope you feel better soon. A friend got it while visiting Florence - the remainder of her stay was spent in her room. Not how I'd like to visit Florence."

A Room With The Flu?

Sorry. I'll get me coat. And I really hope you feel better soon, Sandy.

[Sandy]

Sid wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Hope you feel better soon. A friend got it while visiting Florence - the remainder of her stay was spent in her room. Not how I'd like to visit Florence."

A Room With The Flu?

Sorry..."

Excellent pun! And I'm feeling quite well, thank you.

[Judy]

I've started our forthcoming buddy read They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer, and am enjoying it so far. I think this will be a quick read as it is so moreish.

[Jackie]

what do you mean by moreish, Judy? I checked out the ebook but haven't started it yet.
I've read it more than once and could participate even if I didn't re-read it.

[Judy]

Jackie wrote: "what do you mean by moreish, Judy?"

Sorry Jackie, I hadn't realised this was just a British phrase. It's generally used for food - something where you want to eat more, or in this case read more! :)

[Jackie]

oh, excellent, thank you.

[Tara]

Sandy wrote: "Tara wrote: "Continuing my monthly reads from the American Mystery Classics series, I've gotten a few chapters into The Eight of Swords: A Dr. Gideon Fell Mystery by [author:John Di..."

I did enjoy it Sandy, although the first chapter had a bit of a slapstick quality that did not persist throughout the book.

[Sandy]

I continue to work my way through a re-listen to our next Flavia book and have also started a re-read of They Found Him Dead. A conversation between two very self-centered woman reminded me how well Heyer portrays amusing characters.

Luckily my retention, of lack thereof, allows me to reread without spoilers.

[Jill]

Sandy wrote: "I continue to work my way through a re-listen to our next Flavia book and have also started a re-read of They Found Him Dead. A conversation between two very self-centered woman remin..."

I find it is only those books that I have really loved stay with me, the others are here today and gone tomorrow

[Susan in NC]

Sandy wrote: "I continue to work my way through a re-listen to our next Flavia book and have also started a re-read of They Found Him Dead. A conversation between two very self-centered woman remin..."

Same here! About the retention - beauty is, it’s always like a new read! ;)

Just started Weekend at Thrackley for our upcoming read. I can tell, in the first few pages, I will appreciate the humor.

[Jill]

I am a third of the way into The Yard by Alex Grecian. The start was a bit gory but there has been some humorous parts as well. It follows a detective who is newly appointed by Scotland Yard, and a constable from a mining village in the north of England. The Ripper has stopped, but London is still very frightened, and has lost confidence in the police force.
I am enjoying it so far, and a lot of the chapters are short, encouraging me to just read one more.

[Sid]

Jill wrote: "I am a third of the way into The Yard by Alex Grecian. "

I'm afraid I really didn't like that one, Jill! It gave rise to one of my very grumpiest reviews; it's spoiler-free, but you still may not want to read it if it's going to spoil your enjoyment! 😊
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'll be genuinely very interested in what you have to say about the book when you've finished.

[Jill]

Sid wrote: "Jill wrote: "I am a third of the way into The Yard by Alex Grecian. "

I'm afraid I really didn't like that one, Jill! It gave rise to one of my very grumpiest revie..."

I'll take a look when I've finished. Thanks

[Jill]

Sid wrote: "Jill wrote: "I am a third of the way into The Yard by Alex Grecian. "

I'm afraid I really didn't like that one, Jill! It gave rise to one of my very grumpiest revie..."

Read your review, and I do agree with you regarding the language and setting, but I found it had enough plot to keep me interested, so was prepared to overlook it.

[Sid]

Jill wrote: "Read your review, and I do agree with you regarding the language and setting, but I found it had enough plot to keep me interested, so was prepared to overlook it. "

Fair enough! As a Londoner, I just couldn't take it, I'm afraid - and I wasn't gripped by the plot, either, so it wasn't a good experience for me, to say the least. 😊

[Tania]

I finished Till Death Do Us Part by John Dickson Carr. Very twisty, but quite enjoyable.

[Kirsten]

I've been reading Bangkok Tattoo by John Burdett - a police procedural/detective novel set in Thailand.

[Jill]

Now I am about to start The Old Man in the Corner by Emmuska Orczy Could this old man be the forerunner of Poirot? Using his brain only.

[Jan C]

Jill wrote: "Now I am about to start The Old Man in the Corner by Emmuska Orczy Could this old man be the forerunner of Poirot? Using his brain only."

Somewhere I'm reading her Lady Molly Of Scotland Yard.

[Jill]

Jan C wrote: "Jill wrote: "Now I am about to start The Old Man in the Corner by Emmuska Orczy Could this old man be the forerunner of Poirot? Using his brain only."

Somewhere I'm ..."
That's on my list

[Franky]

Currently reading The Executioner Weeps. Intriguing so far.

[Susan in NC]

The latest from one of my historical mystery series (Brother Athelstan) has come from the library, started reading it yesterday The Hanging Tree byPaul Doherty.

[Judy]

I've started reading our next challenge book, Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles aka Anthony Berkeley. I'm not very far in yet but think it will be a compelling read.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I've started reading our next challenge book, Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles aka Anthony Berkeley. I'm not very far in yet but think it will be a ..."

I’m looking forward to that one, sounds very good - I’ve got to get through some library books due back first!

[Sandy]

I've started All the Queen's Men (aka A three Dog Problem across the Atlantic - a title I like better). I've already come across the term "moreish" that was defined in one of our threads.

I've also recently read a couple of my historical mystery series in the vain hope of making progress: Bluegate Fields and Pandora's Boy.

[Jill]

Having read two books of short stories, I am looking forward to reading a complete book so am starting Malice Aforethought the August group read. Having read a couple of Anthony Berkeley books, I'm interested in how the author wrote under this name

[Judy]

I really liked Malice Aforethought - can't wait for our discussion! I've just started Post After Post-Mortem: An Oxfordshire Mystery by E.C.R. Lorac -not very far in as yet, but I do enjoy her writing.

[Sid]

I've just finished The Twist of a Knife which I enjoyed and am indulging in the next Cathy Mallory book in my slow working through the series again: Flight of the Stone Angel . I've just started it and am enjoying it already.

[Tania]

Judy wrote: "I really liked Malice Aforethought - can't wait for our discussion!.."

This one sounded intriguing so I've started it and rather enjoying it so far.

[Jan C]

Reading Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries - has some interesting short stories. Of course, last night I made the mistake of reading a story by Ianthe Jerrold and then starting one by MacDonald Hastings. Unfortunately, Mr. Hastings' story was a mite longer than I thought. I left it unfinished last night. Stories have been pretty good on the whole. Of course, I'm not exactly in a Christmas mood right now but that's okay.

[Susan in NC]

Christmas in July! (Sorry, I saw “Elf” was on one of the movie channels the other night - figured it’s a Christmas in July thing…)

[Tara]

Having read one other mystery by Vincent Starrett (The Great Hotel Murder), and finding it average, I am pleasantly surprised how much I am enjoying Murder on "B" Deck. It doesn't hurt that I'm a sucker for travel/transportation mysteries.

[Jill]

Now starting Weekend at Thrackley for the August buddy read. I have a couple more by this author so hoping I like it.

[Jackie]

goodness, August is coming up, isn't it?