Announcing the tag for April

[Anita]

The tag that was selected dominated in a way I haven't seen in a while. So for April, we are tackling:

detective

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "detectice" on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.

One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:

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

We encourage people to link to additional lists below if they find them.

Happy Reading!!!

[NancyJ]

I had a feeling this would win. This genre is like potato chips for me. The first one is tasty but if I keep indulging I don't feel good. Maybe just one...?

I really liked the first two Perveen Mistry books. They're more nourishing, so The Bombay Prince would be a good choice.

[Theresa]

This one so well fits my TBR! A favorite tag for sure. It is also the one I expected to win especially as its narrowness was appealing against the broad vagaries of the two others.

[Amy]

Nancy you called it! I have two books I could read. One has been on my TBR for awhile, loved by Goodreads folks. The Inspector of Time. The other is Defending Brittany Stein by Ron Balsam. Liam Taggert #6.

[Jenni Elyse]

Lol. The one of the three I didn't want to win won. I know I can find something to read. ... Actually, I can make this work really easily if the trim number for April is 20. *crosses fingers*

[Booknblues]

We are continuing our Edgar reads, so it works perfectly. I had already planned on reading The Cruelest Month, so I am good with this.

[Charlotte]

Since this was once my favorite genre, I have a ton that I can read! I'll probably go with the next Michael Connelly, maybe I'll catch up to where he is in the Bosch universe.

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "We are continuing our Edgar reads, so it works perfectly. I had already planned on reading The Cruelest Month, so I am good with this."

I finished this entire series, and the next one hasn't been announced yet. This is the only mystery series I've stuck with this long - probably because she always brings in something much more interesting than a murder. I don't think The Cruelest Month was one of my favorites, but it's worth it to keep going.

[Book Concierge]

Surprise, surprise .... NOT

[Sue]

I don't even remember how I voted - all three tags would have been good for me.

Off to look at my really, really long list of detective novels on my TBR.

I have to agree with Nancy - this is like potato chips!

[Olivermagnus]

I'm excited this tag won. I'm going on vacation in April and May and only want to read fun stuff. I love this genre and probably have at least 500 on my TBR.

[DianeMP]

I'm glad detective novels is the next tag. It will give me the opportunity to explore a genre I haven't read very much.

I've been wanting to read Agatha Christie. I'd also like to read the Thin Man or The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. If anyone has any recommendations by any other authors, I welcome them.

[Robin P]

I've been reading multiple detective series over the months, including from Louise Penny, Craig Johnson, Andrea Penrose, Karen Charlton and Bruce Alexander. So this tag will be easy for me. Also, I want to reread The Thursday Murder Club before reading the sequel.

[Theresa]

DianeMP wrote: "I'm glad detective novels is the next tag. It will give me the opportunity to explore a genre I haven't read very much.

I've been wanting to read Agatha Christie. I'd also like to read the Thin Ma..."

Tana French - Dublin Murder Squad - contemporary
Cara Black - Aimee LeDuc series set in Paris in the 1990s
Sue Grafton - Kinsey Milhone alphabet series set in 1980s California - first is A is for Alibi

[LibraryCin]

It wasn't my first choice, but I just happy it wasn't the year tag!

This one will be easy for me...

[LibraryCin]

Top possibilities for me:

- Career of Evil / Robert Galbraith
- The Stone Monkey / Jeffrey Deaver
- Death of Riley / Rhys Bowen

[Jenni Elyse]

My wish came true. The trim number is 20. So my April tag and trim book coordinate. I’ll be reading Stalking Jack the Ripper. I’m very excited actually.

[[deleted user]]

Potato chips for me too (& the one I voted for as top choice!)

Some of my other challenges I'm doing have detective prompts so I'm considering:
Any Agatha Christie - probably a Poirot
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions
A is for Alibi
Lethal White

Recommendations
The Devil in the Marshalsea
Bluebird, Bluebird
The Holy City Murders
Every Dead Thing
The Unquiet Dead

[Amy]

Its funny that I didn't vote for this one at all, but I am very excited now for my three choices. Theresa - any chance that you might read Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black? It might also be on my Trim List, but even if its not, I would be thrilled to knock that one off. It certainly went higher up on my immediate list.

[Theresa]

Amy wrote: "Its funny that I didn't vote for this one at all, but I am very excited now for my three choices. Theresa - any chance that you might read Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black? It might also be on my..."

Unlikely in April ... too many other commitments and my WWII tolerance is being stretched already by The Paris Architect, my #20.

Also it is not detective but stand alone straight historical fiction based on info Cara found while researching her Aimée LeDuc series.

Which reminds me ... the very first in her series, Murder in the Marais is set in the Jewish Quarter of Paris - or what was before modern gentrification - and involves secrets from WWII. I think you would like it. It is excellent.

[Amy]

I will put it on my list!

[Amy]

Also, I want Anna to know I just picked up Archangel from the library (by Sharon Shinn), who is a WPF! Will tell you what I think if I ever get to it.

[Ellen]

Happy dance for this tag! I hope to get to at least a few including William Kent Krueger, Archer Mayor, C J Box and Jacqueline Winspear. I just wish Linda Castillo had a new one available.

[Joanne]

I am pretty sure I am going to finally read Bruno, Chief of Police

[Kimber]

I have a lot to choose from on my TBR for this tag, including:

The City and The City - Mieville
The Eyre Affair - Fforde
The Bat - Nesbo
The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul - Adams
The Hypnotist - Kepler
Something From the Nightside - Green
Night Film - Pessl
The Wolf & the Watchman - Natt och Dag

There are tons of other paranormal mysteries that would likely fit this tag as well - I'll have to investigate which of my favorite authors of that genre have new books out in their respective series. Ooh! I don't think I've read the latest in the Dresden Files yet by Jim Butcher. That's a strong contender.

[Becky]

Amy wrote: "Also, I want Anna to know I just picked up Archangel from the library (by Sharon Shinn), who is a WPF! Will tell you what I think if I ever get to it."

One of my favorite books EVER! I hope you enjoy it.

[Becky]

Kimber wrote: "I have a lot to choose from on my TBR for this tag, including:

The City and The City - Mieville
The Eyre Affair - Fforde
The Bat - Nesbo
The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul - Adams
The Hypnotist - K..."

I'm so glad you mentioned The Dresden Files. I wasn't sure what I wanted to read, but I remember my husband really liked this series.

[annapi]

Amy wrote: "Also, I want Anna to know I just picked up Archangel from the library (by Sharon Shinn), who is a WPF! Will tell you what I think if I ever get to it."

I hope you like it, Amy!

[Jgrace]

The biggest difficulty will be choosing which one. I'm sure something will rise to the top.

[Barbara M]

I'm happy for detective although I never got to sit down and put in my vote - this would have been it. I have lots to read and many of them are on the Author's lists. This is a favorite genre of mine. I love how they are set in different parts of the world (I may read another Nesbo) and different time periods. I just saw a new detective in the first post - I've never heard of the Perveen Mistry series so I put the first one on my TBR - maybe this month!?

[Theresa]

Barbara M wrote: "I'm happy for detective although I never got to sit down and put in my vote - this would have been it. I have lots to read and many of them are on the Author's lists. This is a favorite genre of mi..."

Perveen is terrific!

[NancyJ]

Theresa wrote:
Perveen is terrific! ..."

She's great for historical fiction readers too. I think the first book in the series has two different titles. One is The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey.

I really enjoyed Girl in Disguise about the real life Kate Warne, the first Pinkerton detective. There are many books about her. One of her cases involved Abraham Lincoln.

I'm looking for other historical fiction or non-fiction books this month to mix it up.

[Book Concierge]

While I have much to choose from, I may go back to one of my favorite series ... The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

I think # 18 is up next for me: The House of Unexpected Sisters.

[Barbara M]

Book Concierge wrote: "While I have much to choose from, I may go back to one of my favorite series ... The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

I think # 18 is up next for me: The House of Unexpected Sisters."
I love this series and the reader for the audio is amazing!

[Patricia]

Aww, I don't like detective books:( I thought the 2014 tag would be a win for April:(

[Becky]

I placed a hold on Jim Butcher's Storm Front yesterday. It says there's a 5-week hold. Hopefully I'll be able to read this before the month is up! 🤞🏼😫

[Joy D]

Patricia wrote: "Aww, I don't like detective books:( I thought the 2014 tag would be a win for April:("
Patricia, I am not big on detective either. I can recommend a book I read last year that fits the tag, but is not a traditional detective novel:
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes

[Charlie]

I highly recommend any of the following three:

Blood Work
Up Country
Plum Island

I am going to read The Concrete Blonde.

Happy reading to all!

[Patricia]

Joy D wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Aww, I don't like detective books:( I thought the 2014 tag would be a win for April:("
Patricia, I am not big on detective either. I can recommend a book I read last year that fits..."

Sure😊Thank you for the recommendation😊😊

[NancyJ]

Patricia wrote: "Aww, I don't like detective books:( I thought the 2014 tag would be a win for April:("

I was hoping for 2014 too. I had some great ones picked out, so I'm probably going to read at least one of them very soon.

Do you like historical fiction? I noticed many of them involve a non-traditional person doing some detective work to uncover secrets from the past.

[Robin P]

For those who aren't fans of detective novels in general, there are some that are also comic, romance, sci-fi, historical as NancyJ noted, etc. I like mysteries but I sometimes get annoyed when a romance or historical seems to have a mystery "shoehorned" in. And it doesn't necessarily have to feature an official detective.

[Kelly]

Wow this tag fits 98% of my books!! I'm so excited!!

[Jen K]

I voted this one as it worked for the Edgar award nominees and a few series that I need to catch up on. This is not my go-to genre but I have grown an appreciation for it the last few years when pushed by challenges. I'm also a fan of the detective and something else. Its good for cross genres.

Thinking to read: Fool Moon (Dresden Files), Leviathan Wakes (space opera), Immortal in Death (Nora Roberts), and some PBT favorite authors (even some now out of the competition), The Lincoln Lawyer, The Devil in the Marshalsea and/or Burn for Me

[NancyJ]

Jen K wrote: "I voted this one as it worked for the Edgar award nominees and a few series that I need to catch up on. This is not my go-to genre but I have grown an appreciation for it the last few years when pu..."

I really like the 'detective and something else' cross genre concept.

So far my cross-genre possibilities include:
The Eyre Affair - sci-fi alternate reality
The Bombay Prince - Colonial India historical fiction, female lawyer/detective
The Book of Cold Cases - new book by Simone StJames
Child 44 - Russia
In the Enemy's House: The Secret Saga of the FBI Agent and the Code Breaker Who Caught the Russian Spies - spy detectives
Long Bright River - opioid crisis
Smaller and Smaller Circles
Rogue Protocol - the murderbot seemed to be playing detective in the last book
Series I might revisit: Maisy Dobbs, Rivers of London, Allen Eskens,

I'll be looking for books by our favorite authors too.
Rhys Bowen - Murphy's Law or In Farleigh Field - I dnf'd Farleigh before, but it might be worth a second chance.
Michael Connelly - The Last Coyote, or recommendations?
PD James - Cover her Face or Pemberley
Turow - Presumed Innocent
Christie - the first Miss Marple book
King -

Who am I forgetting?

[Booknblues]

NancyJ wrote: "Jen K wrote: "I voted this one as it worked for the Edgar award nominees and a few series that I need to catch up on. This is not my go-to genre but I have grown an appreciation for it the last few..."

I loved Child 44 and the detective is excellent it is not written by a Russian author and in my review, I had criticism because of that.

I liked in Farleigh Field, but thought it a bit lightweight.
I've read many Michael Connelly books and The Last Coyote was one of my favorites. It is the one I first read and I think you can start with this without reading the previous novels. I did go back and read them, but I think this is a great one to start with.

[Patricia]

NancyJ wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Aww, I don't like detective books:( I thought the 2014 tag would be a win for April:("

I was hoping for 2014 too. I had some great ones picked out, so I'm probably going to read a..."

Yes! I like historical fiction:) And yes it is and they sound interesting:)

[Karin]

There are scifi crossovers as well. In Asimov's Robot series these have all been shelved detective 20 or more times, and very correctly so since there are at least 2 detectives in each 3 of the first 3 and one in the fourth.

The Caves of Steel
The Naked Sun
The Robots of Dawn
Robots and Empire

[~*Kim*~]

I am not finding a lot actually tagged "detective", but do you all think that Cozy Mysteries fit under detective?

[Booknblues]

They can. If they are tagged as such or if they have a detective or someone detecting.

[Robin P]

My understanding is that tags play a different role in the month's reviews vs. the games. You can place a review under the tag as long as you can justify that it belongs there. It is only for specific year-long games that require tags, that you need at least 5 people on GR to have tagged it that way (for instance, if you want to get extra points in the history game). Lots of books are probably tagged mystery, suspense, or cozy, but detection is going on, so you could review them under the thread for Detective. At least, this is how I have been doing it, if that's not right, a Mod or old-timer can correct me.