What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2024-2025) Showing 951-1,000 of 1,029

[Jan C]

Started reading The Applegreen Cat by Frances Crane. American couple in London during WWII. He's in Marine Corps intelligence.

[sabagrey]

I am re-reading an old Inspector Rebus novel - Black and Blue. After an unforeseen and unfortunate stumble into near-junk writing, I felt the need for a breath of quality. (it's all subjective, I know, but there's something galling about this web-economy-literature that will out)

[Jackie]

I'm starting (actually re-starting) The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club which may be a first time read for me. (We'll see if it starts sounding familiar!) I'm going to take my time: one chapter reading the ebook, followed by the same chapter listening to the audio book.

This has worked well for me in the past since I really enjoy the dialog and get more out of it when I already know what's happening, if that makes sense.

[Susan in NC]

Jackie wrote: "I'm starting (actually re-starting) The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club which may be a first time read for me. (We'll see if it starts sounding familiar!) I'm going to take my time..."

Absolutely, especially with a talented narrator!

[Alwynne]

I finished a novella from 1982 newly translated into English Suspicion from Japanese author Seichō Matsumoto. Through the coverage of one woman's arrest and trial for murder, Matsumoto examines the role of the media and media bias and its impact on the justice system. It starts out slow and detached but then the tension rapidly mounts.

Link to my review:

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

[Sandy]

Alwynne wrote: "I finished a novella from 1982 newly translated into English Suspicion from Japanese author Seichō Matsumoto. Through the coverage of one woman's arrest and trial for murder, Matsu..."

I read Tokyo Express by the author last year and meant to read more. My review:

Excellent plot (though I zoned out of discussions of timetables) with two dogged detectives and a boss willing to follow a hunch. A bit of personality shown with the older detective but none for the main investigator. The style reminds me of Maigret.

[Susan in NC]

I’m reading Murder's Snare in the Brother Athelstan series, by Paul Doherty. I’ve followed it from the beginning, and it can get formulaic at times, up and down, but I’ve become invested in the characters. Pretty interesting so far, about a third of the way in.

[Sandy]

Poor timing for our buddy reads but my request for Clown Town has arrived and that will be next!

[Sandy]

I just finished the second in an historical mystery series, The Serpent's Tale. Excellent series, with a bit of romance. Set in the time of Henry II, after the Stephen and Matilda war that we learned about in Cadfael.

[Alwynne]

Sandy wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished a novella from 1982 newly translated into English Suspicion from Japanese author Seichō Matsumoto. Through the coverage of one woman's arrest and trial f..."

I really like his work. I haven't tried any Maigret but sounds as if I should. I have an ARC of Simenon's The Cat but not sure how similar the style is to his Maigret novels.

[Sandy]

Sandy wrote: "Poor timing for our buddy reads but my request for Clown Town has arrived and that will be next!"

"When it rains, it pours" ... when I picked up Clown Town I found two other books waiting for me: The Case of the Elusive Bombay Duck and History Lessons. All are new so need to be read soon. My September / October buddy reads will be more October than September!

[Susan in NC]

I just finished a very enjoyable reread of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, our next Lord Peter buddy read. I always find it difficult to get into another mystery after an Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, very few writers can hold my interest after them!

[Susan in NC]

Sandy wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Poor timing for our buddy reads but my request for Clown Town has arrived and that will be next!"

"When it rains, it pours" ... when I picked up Clown Town I found t..."
Oh, I want to read Bombay Duck, I was thrilled to see Vish Puri was back! I checked my library, no luck so far…

I really want to read this one, so I’m treating my to the kindle on sale! My next mystery will be The Case of the Elusive Bombay Duck. Thanks for reminding me, Sandy!

[Sandy]

Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Poor timing for our buddy reads but my request for Clown Town has arrived and that will be next!"

"When it rains, it pours" ... when I picked up Clown ..."

Hope we both enjoy it!

[Susan in NC]

Me, too!

[Jackie]

Susan in NC wrote: "I just finished a very enjoyable reread of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, our next Lord Peter buddy read. I always find it difficult to get into another mystery after an Agat..."
I heard that! Although I soon got into Lonesome Road and it's pretty darn good, too.

[Susan in NC]

Jackie wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I just finished a very enjoyable reread of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, our next Lord Peter buddy read. I always find it difficult to get into another m..."

I enjoyed that one, too!

[Alwynne]

I finished a murder mystery set in a fictional Oxford college Rachael Davis-Featherstone's Oxford Blood technically YA but decent, fairly compelling read.

Link to my review:

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

[Alwynne]

I finished Japanese author Akira Otani's The Night of Baba Yaga which recently won a CWA dagger for crime fiction in translation. Hard-boiled yakuza narrative meets understated queer love story.

Link to my review:

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

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Alwynne wrote: "I finished Japanese author Akira Otani's The Night of Baba Yaga which recently won a CWA dagger for crime fiction in translation. Hard-boiled yakuza narrative meets understated que..."

This sounds really interesting - & I can get hold of it. I have added to one of my to-read lists. :)

[Judy]

Just a reminder that all our mid-month buddy reads are open for discussion, so please feel free to join in. :)

Here are links to the non-spoiler threads for these:

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L Sayers (Wimsey #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Special Assignments by Boris Akunin (Erast Fandorin #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Vale of Tears (Bradecote & Catchpoll #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honour by Simon Brett (Mrs Pargeter #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell (Wallander #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Susan in NC]

Thanks Judy!

I started The Case of the Elusive Bombay Duck, but then my library request of Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen came through, and others are waiting for it, so I’ve started that. Fits the mood of the times better, anyway! I’ll return to Bombay Duck after that.

[Judy]

I've just finished the pre-Golden Age short story collection The Old Man in the Corner by Emmuska Orczy. Some of the stories are rather similar, so I spaced them out. Quite often the culprit is pretty obvious, but there are one or two really good puzzles.

[Alwynne]

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Japanese author Akira Otani's The Night of Baba Yaga which recently won a CWA dagger for crime fiction in translation. Hard-boiled yakuza narrative meets..."

It was Carol, sort of Sara Paretsky meets James Ellroy meets hard-boiled crime manga. But it is pretty brutal in places so be warned!

[Jackie]

somehow I borked up this post.

Susan, I will be interested to hear what you think of the Hiaasen!


I have just started a re-read of Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced.

[Susan in NC]

It was hilarious and felt “ripped from the headlines”, Jackie!

That is a favorite Marple, and I will start rereading it soon - and then watching it on BritBox.

[Jan C]

Last night/early this morning I finished The Murder on the Links and started a re-read of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club.

[Sandy]

Finished Clown Town last night and very unsure what to make of it. Loved reading the book and being back with the slow horses.

[Judy]

I'm going to the first-ever Ipswich Book Festival on October 4-5 and will be hearing talks by two crime writers. One is Vaseem Khan, so I've picked up The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown, the second in his Baby Ganesha detective agency series - we read the first one here a while ago. I'll also hope to try one from his other series, Malabar House.

The other author is C.L. Miller who has the series The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder, so I've got the first book lined up to read shortly!

[Sandy]

Judy wrote: "I'm going to the first-ever Ipswich Book Festival on October 4-5 and will be hearing talks by two crime writers. One is Vaseem Khan, so I've picked up [book:The Perplexing Theft o..."

I like Vaseem's Malabar series. Only read the first Baby Ganesha.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I'm going to the first-ever Ipswich Book Festival on October 4-5 and will be hearing talks by two crime writers. One is Vaseem Khan, so I've picked up [book:The Perplexing Theft o..."

Only read the first of each of Khan’s series, I think I prefer Malabar House, and would like to read the second some time. Have a lovely time, I look forward to hearing what you think of their talks!

[Judy]

Thank you Sandy and Susan, I'll let you know what the festival is like.

[Jackie]

I finished my re-read of A Murder is Announced and wrote a short review. but now I am halfway through the audio book and it's adding a lot to my admiration for the writing and the dialog!

This is working better than going one chapter at a time, reading and then listening.

because I have just read the entire thing, I can really appreciate all the hints, clues, and misdirection.

[Susan in NC]

Jackie wrote: "I finished my re-read of A Murder is Announced and wrote a short review. but now I am halfway through the audio book and it's adding a lot to my admiration for the writing and the dialog!

This is..."

I noticed more on this reread/relisten, too, Jackie! Good for you for finding a system that works for you and adds to your enjoyment.

Next for me will be One Virgin Too Many, the next Falco mystery.

[Judy]

I've started our next group read, Murder Included by Joanna Cannan - interesting to see that horses feature in this, since she also wrote pony books, as did her daughters, the Pullein-Thompson sisters!

[Sandy]

I will be binge reading the last three Bobby Owen as one of my libraries is dropping Hoopla (yet another ebook source) and I used that for Punshon and other GA books. I doubt I will remember much of the last two by the time of our buddy reads.

[Susan in NC]

Currently reading the short Bonfire Night and I can’t believe my luck, first to get the ebook of The Impossible Fortune from Libby at my city library. What luck, I usually request and wait months for hot titles!

[Sandy]

Susan in NC wrote: "Currently reading the short Bonfire Night and I can’t believe my luck, first to get the ebook of The Impossible Fortune ..."

I also got The Impossible Fortune today and it will be next up. As I canceled my request in another library system, I noticed they estimated the wait as six months. Lucky us.

[Susan in NC]

Sandy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Currently reading the short Bonfire Night and I can’t believe my luck, first to get the ebook of The Impossible Fortune[bookcover:The Impossible..."

Yay! This never happens, I’m so pleased - congrats to you too!

[Jan C]

I started The Body Politic by Catherine Aird.

[Judy]

I've nearly finished one of the two "official" Sherlock Holmes sequels by Anthony Horowitz, The House of Silk, and have really enjoyed it - I think he gets very close to the voice of the original stories, although I'm just editing to add that there is some disturbing subject matter.

I've been meaning to read it ever since it was published in 2011, it's only taken me 14 years! The only other books of his I've read are the three Magpie Murders books, which are great. I must read more by him.

[Sandy]

Judy wrote: "I've nearly finished one of the two "official" Sherlock Holmes sequels by Anthony Horowitz, The House of Silk, and have really enjoyed it - I think he gets very close..."

I definitely recommend his series with the "real" Horowitz teamed up with a very private private eye.

[Jackie]

I am just nearing the end of Maisie Dobbs and already expect to be reading more of the series.

I was reading about how horrific the battle experience of WWI was at the same time I was reading about how horrific the battle experience of the Civil War was in Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon.

It's almost like war is a bad idea and we should stop having them!

[Judy]

Sandy wrote: "I definitely recommend his series with the "real" Horowitz teamed up with a very private private eye...."

Thank you Sandy, I'll hope to try that series soon - I know Susan is a big fan too.

The ending of The House of Silk didn't quite live up to the rest of it for me, but I still want to read his other Holmes book, Moriarty

[Judy]

I'm also reading our forthcoming buddy read Gently By the Shore. I wish George Gently would stop eating peppermint creams!!

[Susan in NC]

Jackie wrote: "I am just nearing the end of Maisie Dobbs and already expect to be reading more of the series.

I was reading about how horrific the battle experience of WWI was at the same time I w..."

Right?! Yet, here we are…

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I'm also reading our forthcoming buddy read Gently By the Shore. I wish George Gently would stop eating peppermint creams!!"

lol! I was torn between starting that or another chunkier upcoming read, and opted for The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth.

And on a lighter note, I’ll probably start my holiday rereads early with Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod for another group. I’ve read it many times, but I have the audio and can listen and chuckle while I knit!

[Judy]

Just a reminder that the poll for our December group read is still running - it's currently a draw, so if you haven't voted and would like to, please take a look:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

[Sandy]

I am about to start Maigret's Rival, next in the series.

[sabagrey]

I am halfway into The Man in the Queue (Inspector Alan Grant, #1): An Abridged Mystery of Murder, Intrigue, Investigation by Josephine Tey. I like her style very much, with a straight plot as becomes a novella/short novel, with lots of humour and tongue-in-cheek descriptions. And with another hybrid detective between professional and gentleman sleuth in the style of Roderick Alleyn.