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

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I've nearly finished The Rasp (& found out what a rasp is!) Really enjoying!

[Susan in NC]

Just started Malice Aforethought for our upcoming read - already very intriguing, just in first few pages!

[Alwynne]

I finished an excellent, completely compelling, noir The Glass Pearls (Faber Editions): 'A wonderful noir thriller and tremendous rediscovery' - William Boyd It's a new edition of a sixties novel by Emeric Pressburger, better known as the screenwriting side of the acclaimed film-making partnership Powell and Pressburger. A fascinating depiction of a Nazi war criminal in hiding in a down-at-heel corner of London's bedsitter land.

Link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Shaina]

Just finished The Secret Vanguard and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm now starting The Seat of the Scornful by John Dickson Carr thanks to BLCC and KU

[Judy]

I finished Post After Post-Mortem: An Oxfordshire Mystery by E.C.R. Lorac, which I found a bit slow to get going but then really liked. We learn more about Macdonald's personality in this one than in some of her others.

I've now started Weekend at Thrackley and am enjoying it so far.

[Judy]

We are just discussing reading another Michael Innes book in the buddy reads thread - if anyone is interested, please pop over:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jackie]

I'm starting Weekend at Thrackley this afternoon; it's a library book on my kindle.

[Judy]

Shaina wrote: "Just finished The Secret Vanguard and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm now starting The Seat of the Scornful by John Dickson Carr thanks to BLCC and KU"

Good to hear you enjoyed The Secret Vanguard, Shaina - if you'd like to join in the current buddy read discussion, the threads are linked below:

Non-spoiler
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Spoiler
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I also hope you enjoy the John Dickson Carr - it's great to see more of his titles easily available after they used to be so hard to get hold of.

[Judy]

Our August group read and challenge read are now open - I opened them up a day early as I have more time today than tomorrow. Please do join in the discussions :)

The non-spoiler threads are linked below:
Weekend at Thrackley
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Malice Aforethought
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Sandy]

I read a couple of books that were about to disappear off my kindle one of which was a mystery, The Cold Blue Blood, the first in a new series. I found it enjoyable (read it in a day which is always a good sign) but probably not a series I will follow. Lots of character and setting introduction, as is customary, in the first book.

I still have a couple of other books that will expire soon before I can start this month's reads. I oversubscribed during my covid isolation! The next books are Harlem Shuffle and one of Arthur Upfield Bony series (historical mystery set in the Australian outback).

[Shaina]

Judy wrote: "Shaina wrote: "Just finished The Secret Vanguard and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm now starting The Seat of the Scornful by John Dickson Carr thanks to B..."

Judy, I really cannot express how grateful I am to have found this group. I probably wouldn't have ever got to so many amazing mysteries. That being said I am now overloaded with so many series I've started thanks to the buddy reads. I really enjoyed The Seat of the Scornful and I hope to lay my hands on more of his work (I hope someone from KU is reading this)

I have been moving house over the weekend (it's crazy as anyone who has ever moved knows) and couldn't join the discussions. Heading there now to leave my thoughts.

[Judy]

Shaina, thank you for your kind words about the group, and good to hear you enjoyed The Seat of the Scornful. I would like to read more JDC in the future!

I definitely understand that you haven't had time to join discussions while moving house! But great to have you joining in now. :)

[Judy]

I've started The Polo Ground Mystery by Robin Forsythe - not very far in yet, but enjoying it so far. Another country house mystery!

[Jackie]

Judy wrote: "I've started The Polo Ground Mystery by Robin Forsythe - not very far in yet, but enjoying it so far. Another country house mystery!"

that looks good, Judy, did you read the first one in the series?

[Judy]

Jackie, yes, we read Missing or Murdered, the first in the Algernon Vereker series by Robin Forsythe as a group read in the group back in 2016. Must admit I hardly remember it at all six years on, except that I enjoyed it at the time, but I felt the time was right to go back to the series - especially after spotting some of the books on offer on Kindle.

[Rosina]

Judy wrote: "Jackie, yes, we read Missing or Murdered, the first in the Algernon Vereker series by Robin Forsythe as a group read in the group back in 2016. Must admit I hardly..."

I am amazed to discover that it was 6 years ago, because the mystery of the bandaged wrist stays in my memory! I have just read , by Forsythe, and although I enjoyed it on the whole, I wasn't too impressed by the detection, or the solution.

[Jan C]

Judy wrote: "Jackie, yes, we read Missing or Murdered, the first in the Algernon Vereker series by Robin Forsythe as a group read in the group back in 2016. Must admit I hardly..."

I don't really remember this very well except my review called it engaging. So I must have liked this at the time.

[Jackie]

LOL, well it looks worth a read so I will see if my library has it.

[Judy]

Hope you can get hold of it and that you enjoy it, Jackie.

[Jackie]

my library doesn't have it, but I see anyone could check it out at open library.

my problem is remembering to do so, when I am caught up with wht I currently have checked out. I keep forgetting about open library!

[Sandy]

I have a couple of books going: By the Pricking of My Thumbs, the last of Tommy and Tuppence when they are middle-aged, and The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions, a collection of Phyrne Fisher short stories, some old, some new, all new to me.

[Susan in NC]

I’m reading and very much enjoying our next Inspector Sloan mystery, The Stately Home Murder.

[Sandy]

I just noticed my audio version of By the Pricking of My Thumbs has a second book that is really the last T&T.

[Judy]

Susan, I've also just started The Stately Home Murder aka 'The Complete Steel' and am sure I'm going to enjoy it too.

I've just finished The Polo Ground Mystery which I found a fun read - there is so much witty dialogue that it slows it down, but I didn't really mind that.

[Tara]

Under the deadline of needing to return the ebook to the library in 2 days, I'm rushing to finish Murder on the Celtic by Conrad Allen aka Edward Marston. I haven't read anything else in this series, but I'm enjoying the dynamic of the married detective couple at sea. Detective couples are a bit of an overdone trope in GA mysteries, but it feels fresh here.

[Sandy]

Tara wrote: "Under the deadline of needing to return the ebook to the library in 2 days, I'm rushing to finish Murder on the Celtic by Conrad Allen aka Edward Marston...."

I understand that deadline only too well. It's worse with ebooks that might just disappear while a physical book remains with me as long as I can handle the shame when I return it late.

[Rosina]

I don't understand why libraries limit the time that one may keep an ebook - or indeed, claim not to have copies to lend until some are returned.

[Sandy]

Rosina wrote: "I don't understand why libraries limit the time that one may keep an ebook - or indeed, claim not to have copies to lend until some are returned."

The publishers would only be adle to sell a library a single copy ... not acceptable.

[Susan in NC]

I’m going to start With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Haretonight. Looking forward to another visit with Francis Pettigrew.

[Tara]

Rosina wrote: "I don't understand why libraries limit the time that one may keep an ebook - or indeed, claim not to have copies to lend until some are returned."

I'm assuming its because they only purchase so many licenses. The main benefit of auto returns for e- and audiobooks is that you can never be late. Sometimes its the only thing that motivates me to finish a book, so its not entirely a bad thing.

[Jill]

Now startedThe Stately Home Murder Really like the previous two. The first I read over over ten years ago, and the second four years ago, so pleased to actually work my way through the others

[Judy]

I'm reading our next Bobby Owen book, Four Strange Women - not very far in yet, but it has an intriguing start.

[Sid]

I've just finished Hope to Die from NetGalley, which I enjoyed and can recommend. (My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )

I have now started our next (and very sadly last) Sarah Caudwell: The Sibyl in Her Grave. Loving it so far.

[Judy]

As it's the weekend and several of us are reading the new buddy reads, I'll open the threads for them up now, a couple of days early - especially as for many of us it is too hot to do much apart from read!

[Susan in NC]

Jill wrote: "Now startedThe Stately Home Murder Really like the previous two. The first I read over over ten years ago, and the second four years ago, so pleased to actually work my way through ..."

Same here, Jill! Like so many series, always meant to get back to it…glad the group is enjoying them enough for a Buddy Read! Sometimes I suggest the first in a series for our monthly vote just to prompt myself to get back to a series. Doesn’t always work- the group supplies so many more new titles and authors I want to try!

Finished the very enjoyable “Bare Bodkin” last night, starting The Studio Crime by Ianthe Jerrold today.

I also got library loans of Death Has Deep Roots: A Second World War Mystery by Michael Gilbert and Shadows in Bronze, by Lindsey Davis the next Falco mystery, both on our September roster. I’ll be starting both soon

[Carolien]

I've just finished Roseanna which I really enjoyed. It's not as dark as some of the new Scandinavian noir books. I also found the pace interesting. It takes them about 7 months to solve the crime which is fairly unheard of in more recent books.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "As it's the weekend and several of us are reading the new buddy reads, I'll open the threads for them up now, a couple of days early - especially as for many of us it is too hot to do much apart fr..."

Please stay cool and hydrated, European friends - you don’t often have AC and the heat can stress your heart. Find a cool, or at least shady spot and read! And please don’t let your pets overdo it!

[Jackie]

currently reading Mary Stewart's Nine Coaches Waiting which feels like a mystery to me. Suspense!

[Judy]

Carolien wrote: "I've just finished Roseanna which I really enjoyed. .."

Ooh, you've reminded me that I really liked that one and meant to read the whole series - how did I fall by the wayside?!

[Shaina]

Carolien, I loved that book and have 4 more in the series on sitting on my kindle. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I plan to read another from the series this year...taking it slow so I can savour them slowly as there are only 10 in the series.

[Jill]

Susan in NC wrote: "Judy wrote: "As it's the weekend and several of us are reading the new buddy reads, I'll open the threads for them up now, a couple of days early - especially as for many of us it is too hot to do ..."

I really hate this weather. One of the reasons I don't go abroad. My husband is taking our shepherd out at 6am before it gets too hot, but our pm walks we have cancelled. As you know shepherds have two coats of hair so she lays here in front of a fan. Good for my reading though

[Sid]

Jill wrote: "I really hate this weather."

But at least you can get an awful lot of washing done and dried. 😊

[Carolien]

Shaina, Judy do you think it's worth nominating the series for a buddy read? I'd like to read all of them and it's 10 books in total.

[Jill]

I read all 10 some years ago and like them all

[Susan in NC]

Jill wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Judy wrote: "As it's the weekend and several of us are reading the new buddy reads, I'll open the threads for them up now, a couple of days early - especially as for many of us ..."

I know, the poor dogs! Here in NC, 90+ degrees F + humidity is common summer weather, but of course air conditioning is everywhere, so you can take a walk at a shady park, then go home to a cool home. I always feel sorry for dogs being walked on the hottest days, though - they obviously love being at the park, but they have fur and don’t sweat, just pant, and can get heat stroke easily. I really wish people would go very early, like your husband, or skip it on the hottest days. Plus, pavement gets very hot to the touch, can burn their paw pads!

[Susan in NC]

Sid wrote: "Jill wrote: "I really hate this weather."

But at least you can get an awful lot of washing done and dried. 😊"

Do you have dry or humid heat? I follow a British YouTuber who hosts Pilates exercise videos, and she’s in Brighton, says it’s very humid there. Is the rest of Britain humid? Might affect your laundry, Sid, might end up moldy! ;)

[Jill]

Humid. The doctor said that is why my ankles swell in the heat. He said if I lived in the middle of the Sahara it wouldn't happen. It is because we are an island.

[Jan C]

Chicago had very humid heat. I suppose it still does. Drink plenty of water. Take plenty of showers/baths - keeping it cool. I remember one summer in Chicago when there was a dreadful heat wave, they had to have trucks brought in to keep the bodies. Heat is cumulative. An interesting book on this was Hot Time in the Old Town: The Great Heat Wave of 1896 and the Making of Theodore Roosevelt where people would sleep on the roof and often roll off. Also the roofs got very hot.

Weather in western North Carolina has barely hit 90 this year. We have also had rain almost every day. When I was a teenager we had one summer like that where it rained every day in the Chicago area. I was still at the age when I wanted to go to the beach every day. This year, I wanted to read outside. New patio furniture - I wasn't planning on it always being wet. But not too hot here. Pleasantly 70s-80s.

So take care of yourselves.

[Susan in NC]

Jan C wrote: "Chicago had very humid heat. I suppose it still does. Drink plenty of water. Take plenty of showers/baths - keeping it cool. I remember one summer in Chicago when there was a dreadful heat wave, th..."

I’m in The Piedmont region of NC, about three hours east of Jan in the NC mountains. Our local weather people always include the temps at the NC beaches and mountains in the summer nightly newscast - I envy you those cooler mountain temperatures, but daily rain would be annoying! I hope as autumn moves in, you get to enjoy some sunny, mild days Jan, and break in that outdoor furniture!

[Tara]

It has been a humid, sticky summer in NYC, but all of the concrete and tall buildings will do that. I also sweat easily, which makes me grumpy. Sometimes even a 10-15 minute walk outside can leave you in a puddle. Luckily we only have a kitten to worry about, although we do take him for walks when we spend our weekends/vacations in the Pocono Mountains of PA.