Play Book Tag discussion
January 2024: Historical Mystery
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Announcing the Tag for January
Awesome. The one I picked for sure is The Thirteenth Tale. Many people recommended it and it fit both tags so I already downloaded it from Hoopla.
I'm going to do an extra challenge next year to read 5-10+ of the most beautiful cities in the world, so I might try to find some historical mysteries in those cities. I'm adding cities from Karin's list too.
So happy. It’s lovely to start the year with a favourite genre!
I didn't even notice that it was time to vote! That, and I'm not sure I have even posted a single book for December. I started a couple but didn't complete them before the e-book or audio was due back at the library. I've been spending all my time just trying to catch up after a wicked awful 14 days of Covid and a week of getting my mojo back. I was so far behind! BUT, I got the tree up, the Village set up, the packages shipped, and the baking underway. 10 people for dinner on Christmas and I think I'm ready. My reading, on the other hand, is far, far, behind. I'm not even prepared to join a challenge so I think I'll just lurk on the threads.I am very happy with the tag for Jan! That should help me get my reading mojo back. :-)
My hold on Heaven and Earth Grocery Store came in today, i think that is going to be a good fit and a good start to 2024.
This is a favorite genre. Probably accounts for 3/4 of my reading. I read many long running historical mystery series, but I know that many people prefer not to read series. So I made a little list .... I gave these books 4 or 5 stars and they are all stand alone novels. (And number of tags, as I find the time. It's a personal quest... I don't know why. I'm not even playing the game.)
Alias Grace - 23
The Blind Assassin - 10
Mr. Timothy - 25
The Black Tower - 55
The Pale Blue Eye - 49
The Alienist - 222
The Italian Secretary - 29
The Queen of the Night - 5
Pompeii - 13
Company of Liars - 25
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store -5 (and counting)
My Name Is Red - 10
The Tenderness of Wolves -12
Once Upon a River
The Thirteenth Tale - 62
An Inquiry into Love and Death -48
The Other Side of Midnight -46
Jgrace wrote: "This is a favorite genre. Probably accounts for 3/4 of my reading. I read many long running historical mystery series, but I know that many people prefer not to read series. So I made a little li..."
I only show 4 tags of Historical Mystery for The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.
Robin P wrote: "Jgrace wrote: "This is a favorite genre. Probably accounts for 3/4 of my reading. I read many long running historical mystery series, but I know that many people prefer not to read series. So I m..."
It will work for the tag but not for any of the challenges.
I wouldn't be surprised if this happens for several. I tag for mystery and historical fiction but not for historical mystery even though it is one of my favorite genres.
(Shhh...I've been adding the historical mystery tag to some of my books. The H & E Gstore was one of those)
Jgrace wrote: "This is a favorite genre. Probably accounts for 3/4 of my reading. I read many long running historical mystery series, but I know that many people prefer not to read series. So I made a little li..."
Thanks so much for this great list. I have some of these on my tbr but I didn't realize they might fit this tag. I really liked Heaven and Earth Grocery. I didn't think of it as a mystery, but it *was* part of the story.
added
Alias Grace has 23 tags.
Blind Assassin has 10.
My Name is Red has 10.
Not what I wanted as the tag but exactly what I expected due to other factors such as the length of the first word/letters in the tag. Think that will play a big part in this year's book tags with all the logical people in the group. I have only 1 for this tag on my CR (attempted to read but got distracted by shiny things/hit a trigger and put it down) list. Can't remember the reason why I put it down so will give The Shadow of the Wind another go. If that doesn't go well then I also have Mexican Gothic on the TBR. Who knows I may do both since it is January and I don't even know if I'm going back to work (depends on what they offer as classes to teach).
Shelly wrote: "My hold on Heaven and Earth Grocery Store came in today, i think that is going to be a good fit and a good start to 2024."Holy shit, this fits the tag!?
I had no idea... otherwise, I have NOTHING for this tag 😬
Jgrace wrote: "(Shhh...I've been adding the historical mystery tag to some of my books. The H & E Gstore was one of those)"🤣
Good for you!
Jgrace wrote: "This is a favorite genre. Probably accounts for 3/4 of my reading. I read many long running historical mystery series, but I know that many people prefer not to read series. So I made a little li..."
You have reminded me about The Alienist which is a really good standalone that would particularly appeal to those who like history more than mystery. Very well researched and set in NYC where author lived. He actually led walking tours for a while afte the book was published showing the places and streetscapes that he used in the book and how he researched them. So much of that era still exists physically thanks to Historic Landmarks Preservation Laws. I took one of the tours and it was terrific.
T heresa- I loved loved loved The Alienist enough to reread it. I actually grew up on the Lower East Side so it had special appeal.
Meli wrote: "Shelly wrote: "My hold on Heaven and Earth Grocery Store came in today, i think that is going to be a good fit and a good start to 2024."Holy shit, this fits the tag!?
I had no idea... otherwise..."
That was my exact reaction, but then I realized I'd have to actually buy the book because the library wait list is SOOOOO long!!!
I'm thinking of trying Ordinary Grace? I really also have nothing on my TBR.
I plan to start with Clark and Division. I have a lot of books that fit this tag, so I will have plenty of options that should fit whatever mood I am in once I finished that one.
Anita wrote: "Meli wrote: "Shelly wrote: "My hold on Heaven and Earth Grocery Store came in today, i think that is going to be a good fit and a good start to 2024."Holy shit, this fits the tag!?
I had no idea..."
Ordinary Grace fits this tag completely. It is my favorite Krueger novel.
Shelly wrote: "My hold on Heaven and Earth Grocery Store came in today, i think that is going to be a good fit and a good start to 2024."I finally put a hold on that but I'm so far back in line it's unlikely I'll get it in time for this tag, but it could happen if I'm next in line at my local library since they give priority to their patrons first.
John wrote: "Ordinary Grace fits this tag completely. It is my favorite Krueger novel.."
I gave that book 5 stars which, as most of you know, doesn't happen often with me.
I'm pleased because of the three options it was by far the one I prefer to read even if it's not my top genre.
Oooh, thank you John and Karin!!! I feel more confident moving ahead now.
This is a favorite tag for me and I am sure I will read something for it in January without searching to hard.I have loads of recommendations:
To start 3 series which I read as soon as they are released and the first books are:
The Wayward Apprentice(Stephen Attebrook)- Jason Vail - Set in the 13th century. Great cast of characters. Attebrook is a bad-ass.
Veil of Lies(Crispin Guest) - Jeri Westerson - Set in the 14th century about a disgraced knight who has become a "tracker", a kind of medieval detective.
Death of a Red Heroine(inspector Chen) - Qiu Xiaolong - This series follows Inspector Chen from when he was a promising young detective. It brings to life Shanghai and really helps the reader understand what was going on in China. These are really great foodie books as well. Chen is a really interesting character who both writes and translates poetry.
Next in no particular order:
A Stranger Here Below- Set in 1835 Pennsylvania
A Peculiar Combination - Set in WWII London
A Dreadful Splendor - Set in Victorian England
A Quiet Life in the Country - Set in the English countryside at the turn of the century
Murder in Old Bombay- 1892 Bombay
The Sixth Lamentation - 1995 England with flashbacks to WWII
Cleopatra's Dagger-1880 NYC
To Say Nothing of the Dog- WWII London
Mr. Churchill's Secretary- WWII London
Sin Eater-16th century London
The Wolf and the Watchman: 1793- 1793 Stockholm
The Bookseller's Tale_ Oxford, England -1353
Sallys wrote: "T heresa- I loved loved loved The Alienist enough to reread it. I actually grew up on the Lower East Side so it had special appeal."I downloaded The Alienist the other night only to find that it was an abridged edition. So check before you start.
Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are very grisly. As the investigators arrive at the crime scene they can see or hear from others that it’s going to be disturbing. That gives the readers warning too.The characters, setting and history are really interesting to me, so I’m sticking with it. This is the second book I read this year with Teddy Roosevelt. He’s not the main character, but he’s not minor either. (Could he ever be?)
NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are very grisly. As the investi..."You know there is a TV series of it too? Pretty good IMHO.
Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are very grisly...."Yes I saw that. Does it cover the events in the book, or does it go further? I’m reluctant to start a new series (I don’t watch tv very often) but I might watch an episode later to revisit the characters.
NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are very grisly. As the investi..."No, what you wrote tells me that this book is not for me.
NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are very grisly. As the investi..."I read this years ago. It was and still is more graphically violent than what I'm usually comfortable with. The historical details were very will done. It was very suspenseful and I had a hard time putting it down. There is a second book with some of the same characters, but there's no cliffhanger at the end of this book.
Jgrace wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are very grisly...."Now I am intrigued and kinda want to read this one . . .may need to see if it's available through the library.
NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the murder scenes are ..."I haven't read the book yet but did enjoy the series. I'm one of those people who rarely finds that TV/Movie measures up to the book (Exceptions would be The Green Mile (both brilliant and definitely my favourite SK, Can't imagine anyone not caring about the characters) and You (the book was so hard to get into)) so I will probably read the book at some stage. Curious to know what others have found.
Historical Mystery is a difficult tag for me. I have not read much in this specific genre and have nothing in my "to read" I'm waiting on a copy of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store but I probably won't get it in time.Does An Inconvenient Woman count as Historical Mystery? My wife and I are debating whether this fits the tag.
JASON! How nice to see you again. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas season. I recently read Dan Fesperman's The Letter Writer - wonderful book. Very "literary fiction" but an historical mystery as well.
I have been trying to get to The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins ever since I saw the stage production almost two decades ago, and I think this is the month to do it!I also have a number of historical mystery series in progress, so am looking forward to catching up on some of those:
- Murder on Marble Row - Gaslight Mysteries #6 by Victoria Thompson
- The King's Bishop - Owen Archer Mysteries #4 (Medieval York, England)
- The Merchant's Partner - Knights Templar Mysteries #2 by Michael Jecks
- Heirs and Graces - Her Royal Spyness #7 by Rhys Bowen
Jason wrote: "Historical Mystery is a difficult tag for me. I have not read much in this specific genre and have nothing in my "to read" I'm waiting on a copy of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store ..."Hi Jason, good to "see" you again, we met several times on Zoom. An Inconvenient Woman isn't tagged Historical Mystery by at least 5 people, so for this game it wouldn't count. (Though it would work for the letter I of course.) Whether it should be historical is another question, I think at the time it was contemporary. Of course so was Agatha Christie and I bet many people have used that tag.
But remember that unless you are reading it for one of our annual challenges, it does not have to be tagged 5x by others. For the tag of the month, it just has to be considered to fit by the person reading it.I have read The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, and it definitely fits the tag. I haven't read An Inconvenient Woman, so I can't say.
Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children, and the mur..."You just reminded why I haven’t read The Green Mile yet. I loved the film too, and I didn’t want to take a chance on a 600 page book that might pale in comparison. Though at this point I’ve probably forgotten enough to make it worthwhile. Shawshank Redemption was another favorite film. It was based on a short story so I didn't expect as much when I read it later. It’s not exactly the same story, so I eventually stopped comparing them and I liked it.
NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone else planning to read the Alienist? I started it (the long version) to see if I could handle it. TW: The murder victims are children,..."The casting for The Green Mile made the movie as good. All the actors fitted with what the book suggested they should be like. Coffey was perfect. I read it the first time when it came out as a series of novellas. Then watched the movie. Then read it as 1 book. Shawshank is my second or third favourite adaptation of an SK book. Stand By Me is excellent (off the novella The Body) but much like The Green Mile you would be hard pushed not to cry. The only SK book I wouldn't watch as a movie is Cujo.....couldn't watch a dog suffer like that (bad enough reading it esp having seen rabies in action irl).
Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: ." Same here. I think Cujo is why I didn’t read Stephen King for a few decades. A woman in my irl bookclub got me started again. Sallys wrote: "T heresa- I loved loved loved The Alienist enough to reread it. I actually grew up on the Lower East Side so it had special appeal."
When they talk about the life on the roofs, it reminded me of the Golem and the Jinni (also set around 1900) when they took long walks across the tops of buildings, not on the streets. It’s really hard for me to envision it. Have you seen it? I imagine it would be harder now with taller buildings of different heights.
Book Concierge wrote: "JASON! How nice to see you again. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas season. I recently read Dan Fesperman's The Letter Writer - wonderful book. Very "literary fic..."
Thank-you for this suggestion. I will check it out.
I look forward to a wonderful and new 2024
Robin P wrote: "Jason wrote: "Historical Mystery is a difficult tag for me. I have not read much in this specific genre and have nothing in my "to read" I'm waiting on a copy of The Heaven & Earth Grocery St..."</i>Yes, I think it would be contemporary as well. We are going to scratch it as an option. I really hope I can find a copy of [book:The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. Might have to use an Audible credit.
It is good to "see" you as well. I really enjoyed those Zoom days.
Ann☕ wrote: "I'm considering listening to the audio for A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas or A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn."I highly recommend both!
Jason, would love you to join the HEGS Buddy Read! Feels like old times already! Seems to always start off with a dragon!
Ann☕ wrote: "I'm considering listening to the audio for A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas or A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn."I just read A Curious Beginning-I loved it and already have book # 2 lined up in the January pile! Enjoy, so much fun!
Joanne wrote: "Ann☕ wrote: "I'm considering listening to the audio for A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas or A Curious Beginning by [author:Deanna Raybourn|1..."I just started Curious Beginnings. So far so good.
@Joanne - I KNEW you would love Veronica Speedwell! @Nancy & Ann - just enjoy! A friend pushed me to read them a few months ago and I enjoyed it so much, I have been pushing the series ever since. Just love the central characters ... and their bickering.
I’m going to need a Cozy Mystery and an Edgar Award book for ATY2024, and this is a good month for them. Since mystery isn’t my favorite genre, I want to try to make each book do double or triple duty. Can anyone recommend historical mysteries with Edgar awards?
I’m also looking for books that work for both of our annual challenges.
I found a cozy historical mystery that also has Asia tags: The Coroner's Lunch
It seems like it should be easy to find cozy historical mysteries set in a small town.
I didn’t spot any books (yet) that have both Historical-mystery tags and Plot-twist tags. There must be some. Any recommendations?
NancyJ wrote: "I’m going to need a Cozy Mystery and an Edgar Award book for ATY2024, and this is a good month for them. Since mystery isn’t my favorite genre, I want to try to make each book do double or triple d..."The Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2022 was Five Decembers. It is tagged historical mystery (6 times). It doesn't fit the Book with Friends letters, but it does count for the regular monthly tag.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
A Conspiracy in Belgravia (other topics)A Study in Scarlet Women (other topics)
A Curious Beginning (other topics)
A Curious Beginning (other topics)
A Study in Scarlet Women (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
孙晓娜 (other topics)Sherry Thomas (other topics)
Sherry Thomas (other topics)
Sherry Thomas (other topics)
Sherry Thomas (other topics)
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The tag is:
historical mystery
Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.
Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "historical mystery" 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!!!