Reading the Detectives discussion
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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2022)
Just started listening to Hugh Fraser’s excellent narration of The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Perfect accompaniment to knitting!
I found a copy of The Thursday Murder Club at the guesthouse where we are staying for the weekend. I have seen very different views on this one, but so far I am enjoying it thoroughly.
Carolien wrote: "I found a copy of The Thursday Murder Club at the guesthouse where we are staying for the weekend. I have seen very different views on this one, but so far I am enjoying it thoroughly."Glad you're enjoying it, Carolien. I really liked it, too; I got an ARC from NetGalley well before it came out so hadn't read anything about it. It was good to read it without advance opinions and I thought it was well written, amusing and rather touching in places. But, as you say, by no means everyone agrees!
Hope it continues to give you pleasure.
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The next book should be out in September this year, but I expect all you NetGalley people with get it before then. Still, amazing that we are near the end of February already.
Carolien wrote: "I found a copy of The Thursday Murder Club at the guesthouse where we are staying for the weekend. I have seen very different views on this one, but so far I am enjoying it thoroughly."Oh, I loved that one and the sequel- hope you enjoy it, too!
Loved it in the end. Such a great cast of characters and justice prevail. Definitely reading the next one soon.
Just started in on Beware the Curves
by Erle Stanley Gardner. The Cool & Lam books are generally fun and pacy reads and this one certainly does move along!
Colin wrote: "Just started in on Beware the Curves by Erle Stanley Gardner. The Cool & Lam books are generally fun and pacy reads and this one certainly does move along!"Agree!
Jan C wrote: "Just started a re-read of The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett."Oh, thanks for the reminder, Jan. It's high time I re-read some Hammett. I don't think I was that keen on The Thin Man first time round, but I may be confusing the book with the pretty terrible film. It's on my list for a revisit.
Sid, do you really not like the movie? Each to their own of course, but I think that's the first time I've seen anyone have a bad word to say about it. Personally, I love it and all the sequels.
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Sid wrote: "Sid, do you really not like the movie? Each to their own of course, but I think that's the first time I've seen anyone have a bad word to say about it.Personally, I love it and all the sequels."
Well, it's a very, very long time since I've seen it, so I may be being over-harsh. I seem to remember a lot of drinking and (to me) unfunny banter between Powell and Loy which didn't seem like Hammett at all to me. I probably ought to give it another go, although the prospect doesn't appeal much. :o)
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Sid wrote: "Sid wrote: "Sid, do you really not like the movie? Each to their own of course, but I think that's the first time I've seen anyone have a bad word to say about it.Personally, I love it and all the..."
Funny this came up, I stumbled across a “Thin Man” movie marathon on cable last month. I only watched a bit, as it was just about bedtime for me, and I hadn’t seen it for decades. My mother loved the “screwball” comedies of the 1930s and 40s, and shared the films with us kids. Not sure if I loved them for what they were, or just pleasant memories of enjoying with my mom! Anyway, in that few minutes, a scene near the beginning I think, because Nick and Nora were having a cocktail party with all sorts of people, then they were in bed (separate beds, of course), and suddenly a police inspector knocked on their apartment door, and next thing was in their bedroom discussing a case! Kind of weird, but banter galore - really got the screwball comedy vibe, everyone talking fast, lighting cigarettes, etc.
I’ve never read the book, now I’m curious how different the film might be…
In all fairness, went to the “Thin Man” page to add to TBR list, and this is the blurb:Nick and Nora Charles are Hammett's most enchanting creations, a rich, glamorous couple who solve homicides in between wisecracks and martinis. At once knowing and unabashedly romantic, The Thin Man is a murder mystery that doubles as a sophisticated comedy of manners.
Susan in NC wrote: "In all fairness, went to the “Thin Man” page to add to TBR list, and this is the blurb:Nick and Nora Charles are Hammett's most enchanting creations, a rich, glamorous couple who solve homicides..."
In the film, I've often wondered how the guy could see straight, let alone solve a murder. That sure was a lot of martinis! I'm interested to see how the book compares.
I'm a few chapters into The Cat Saw Murder: A Rachel Murdock Mystery by Dolores Hitchens This is an author I've never read before, but apparently she is an early writer of domestic mystery. We have an elderly spinster detective, ala Miss Marple, although she is rather pretty and stylish rather than being fluffy and absent minded. It also has a bit of a convoluted timeline, going back and forth in time, but I have not found this too confusing.
Tara wrote: "I'm a few chapters into The Cat Saw Murder: A Rachel Murdock Mystery by Dolores Hitchens This is an author I've never read before, but apparently she is an early wri..."Tara, apparently she wrote a ton of mysteries under several different names. Can’t believe I’ve never heard of her either. Glad they re-issued this and with an intro by one of my favourite short story authors’ Joyce Carol Oates. That alone makes this a must-read for me. Thrilled that you came across this one & introduced me to yet another new author! 📚 😉
Tara wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "In all fairness, went to the “Thin Man” page to add to TBR list, and this is the blurb:Nick and Nora Charles are Hammett's most enchanting creations, a rich, glamorous couple..."
Lol, good point!
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As with another wartime book by Carr that I read recently, The Case of the Constant Suicides, his writing style is much more down to earth than in his early Gothic mysteries.
This is the first Sir Henry Merrivale book I've read, and I must say I find him extremely similar to Dr Fell so far - maybe differences will develop, but so far they seem to be about as different from each other as Carr's two author names!
Icewineanne wrote: "Tara wrote: "I'm a few chapters into The Cat Saw Murder: A Rachel Murdock Mystery by Dolores Hitchens This is an author I've never read before, but apparently she is..."Yes, seemingly the book was originally published under one of her pseudonyms, D.B. Olsen, but in all of the titles in the American Mystery Classic series, they always use the author's primary nom du plume to avoid any confusion for readers. Many authors of that period (such as Cornell Woolrich and John Dickson Carr) were so prolific, they published under several different names to get more of their works printed.
Its a unique book for sure, I hope you enjoy it if you choose it read this one!
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Susan wrote: "I am reading The Black Echo the first Harry Bosch novel - a series I have meant to try forever."Michael Connelly is one of my favourites. I have read 24 so far but almost as many to go as he keeps adding more.
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Susan wrote: "I haven't read any, Jill, but Michael Connelly will be at the crime festival I booked to go to, so I wanted to at least start the series."Hope you enjoy.
I don't watch the TV series as people have told me it mixes various books up.
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I have just started The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths. I really like her Ruth Galloway series and this story has started very well. I find her very easy reading.
Susan wrote: "I am reading The Black Echo the first Harry Bosch novel - a series I have meant to try forever."I liked the first few seasons of the show, although I haven't bothered with the latest one. I enjoyed Black Echo, but haven't read any others in the series.
Susan wrote: "I haven't read any, Jill, but Michael Connelly will be at the crime festival I booked to go to, so I wanted to at least start the series."Susan, I’ve had the good fortune to have seen him several times at various festivals & book events. He’s very entertaining. I’m sure you’ll enjoy his panels/interviews. Wish I were going LOL
Have fun at the festival.
Susan in NC wrote: "Just started 
Tragedy at Law for our April read. Enjoying the dry humor in first few chapters."The book has a big reputation but I remember thinking that it worked more as a snapshot of life on the judicial circuit than anything else. I'd solved the mystery by perhaps the 60% mark and making it to the end felt like a bit of a slog.
I know I'd worked out the trick in Hare's Suicide Excepted almost as soon as the crime was committed but that didn't seem to matter so much or spoil my enjoyment and I felt it was a far better book.
After a bit of a break with thrilllers, international politics , life drama and such like, I will read Death at La Fenice: A Novel of Suspense and Death on the Limpopo this week
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I thought the new author did a good job portraying Hamish and his community (the books are quite formulaic) but other reviewers disagreed.
I enjoyed my bittersweet trip to the Scottish highlands.
I’ve only read 14 of the Hamish series as I got distracted by the Agatha Raisons and have read 24 of those. Too many series that I mean to follow up on, so trying my upmost to not start any new ones. Of course it doesn’t work
Colin wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Just started Tragedy at Law for our April read. Enjoying the dry humor in first few chapters."The book has a big reputation ..."
Oh, well, thanks for the head’s up! So far, with our Detection Club reads, I’ve been somewhat underwhelmed…compared to previous years, like the later Poirot and assorted Christie mysteries. Can’t help thinking these were good in their day, or groundbreaking for one reason or another, but now the books feel dated, or perhaps the murder methods or plot twists have been used often since they were introduced.
I agree about this one seeming like a snapshot of “life on the circuit”, and since I’m an American, a lot of the pomp and routines seem very odd. I’m switching between listening to the audiobook while knitting, and reading along in the ebook, I’ll plug away and see if it holds my interest. So far, I like pettigrew as a character.
You may well end up enjoying it, and I hope you do. I don't think it's a bad or poor book, but it just didn't offer me the strong or compelling mystery its reputation seemed to suggest it would. Susan in NC wrote: " So far, with our Detection Club reads, I’ve been somewhat underwhelmed…compared to previous years
It's difficult to know when picking a raft of book like that how they will turn out. I know I wouldn't choose The Hollow Man as a good introduction to Carr, and that's spoken as a dyed in the wool fan of the author. The same could be said for some standalone Christies - Towards Zero would be a much more enticing intro to Battle, for example.
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I was just the opposite: started with Agatha then found I liked Hamish better and hope to continue Agatha some day.
Susan in NC wrote: "Colin wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Just started Tragedy at Law for our April read. Enjoying the dry humor in first few chapters."The book has a b..."
I haven't been so keen on the jumping around, but I'm glad to have found George Bellairs.
Jill wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Colin wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Just started Tragedy at Law for our April read. Enjoying the dry humor in first few chapters..."Yes, I like Bellairs! And I am enjoying Tragedy at Law so far.
As Colin said, our list may not be the best each other has written, but at least we will get a taste of each author. That’s why I like the British Library Crime Classics short story collections - you can dip in and out, try new authors.
I'm plunging into the classic The Thin Man. I have watched bits and pieces of the film but never actually read the book.
Jill wrote: "I’ve only read 14 of the Hamish series as I got distracted by the Agatha Raisons and have read 24 of those. Too many series that I mean to follow up on, so trying my upmost to not start any new one..."I totally agree!! So many great books and series, I can get lost following different series, then find I am somewhere where I did not expect and found more.
Franky wrote: "I'm plunging into the classic The Thin Man. I have watched bits and pieces of the film but never actually read the book."I'll be starting this tonight too! Love the film, let's see how the book compares.
Tara wrote: "Franky wrote: "I'm plunging into the classic The Thin Man. I have watched bits and pieces of the film but never actually read the book."I'll be starting this tonight too! Love the fi..."
Very cool. I remember the film being a great film to watch on New Year's Eve. I guess because of the setting and time it takes place.
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Reading the Detectives
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