Comfort Reads discussion
Mysteries
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A Different Sort of Comfort
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Lisa wrote: "Yeah, Scout, Winter Study was really creepy. Most of them are, all for their own reasons."I've read about 7 Nevada Barr books, and am reading Winter Study right now - very good stuff! Haven't read Blind Descent yet, but I know I will.
I've recently discovered "The Cat Who..." series by Lilian Jackson Braun. The first one was The Cat Who Came to Breakfast and then I read the first in this huge series The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, and now I have a stack of them to read. They're fast to read, not much violence, and one of the main characters is, of course, a cat (my favourite animal). I'm enjoying them.
I just started reading The Cat Who books. I'm in the middle of the first one - The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. I'm definitely interested enough to want to finish the book. I've yet to meet the cat though! I'm glad to hear it's an actual cat. That was my first impression when I heard about these books, but then when no cat was mentioned halfway through the book, I was starting to fear "cat" meant a person like a "cool cat" or "jazz cat".
Lindsey wrote: "I just started reading The Cat Who books. I'm in the middle of the first one - The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. I'm definitely interested enough to want to finish the book. I've yet to meet the ca..."
I think the cat's name is Koko? It's been a long time since I read these, but they were fun!
I think the cat's name is Koko? It's been a long time since I read these, but they were fun!
Yep, his (her?) full name is Kao K'o-Kung. I smiled when I first saw the name.
Oh, if you want to read a pleasant book with a simple plot and likeable characters, The Cat Who books are the ones to snuggle up with.
I recently found "The Cat Who Cookbook" at the library. Qwill loves to eat, and two ladies have developed a lot of the food he consumes in the series into a nice cookbook, with snippets from each book. I tried the baked pork chops, and they were heaven!
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Lee wrote: "I love it when I find recipes featured in a novel, it's so much fun!"Lee, Do you know the series by Diane Mott Davidson? The first book is Catering to Nobody and the second book is Dying for Chocolate; there are many, many books out. I stopped reading them at some point, but I liked the ones I've read.
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Lee, I liked them, yes. It might be worth it to take the first one out of the library and see if you like it.
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Several people have recommended the Nero Wolfe stories by Rex Stout. My husband likes these books -- anyone else?
And, can someone tell me what kind of books would be described as noir? I think I am mis-using the word sometimes. :)
And, can someone tell me what kind of books would be described as noir? I think I am mis-using the word sometimes. :)
Jeannette wrote: "Several people have recommended the Nero Wolfe stories by Rex Stout. My husband likes these books -- anyone else?And, can someone tell me what kind of books would be described as ..."
I like some of the Rex Stout books, but not all, I have to be in the mood for them. Also, I've only read a few of the series, but the ones that I have read and really liked (I'll add them to the bookshelf anon) are Fer-de-Lance (I think this might be the first, very suspenseful, and I really like Nero Wolfe's "Watson" Archie Goodwin), Some Buried Caesar, and Black Orchids (which is actually a collection of short stories, masterful).
Thanks, Gundula. I think my husband has them in English, and I know he has a lot of them, too. I'll see if he has the three you suggest.
Jeannette, about "noir" I believe it refers to early 20th century American crime/mystery novels and movies that featured hard-boiled and cynical detectives (often private investigators with ties to organised crime etc.). One of the most well-known "noir" crime novels is The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, which was also made into a famous movie in 1941.
Gundula wrote: "Jeannette, about "noir" I believe it refers to early 20th century American crime/mystery novels and movies that featured hard-boiled and cynical detectives (often private investigators with ties to..."
I always put Nero Wolfe in this category, but I think he is a different type of "detective," based on the book descriptions I've just read. I was looking for something different to read, so this might be it.
I always put Nero Wolfe in this category, but I think he is a different type of "detective," based on the book descriptions I've just read. I was looking for something different to read, so this might be it.
Jeannette wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Jeannette, about "noir" I believe it refers to early 20th century American crime/mystery novels and movies that featured hard-boiled and cynical detectives (often private investigat..."I always think of Nero Wolfe as a bit of a Sherlock Holmes kind of character. Now, his assistant Archie Goodwin is a bit more hard-boiled and cynical than Holmes' Dr. Watson, but he is nowhere as cynical as Sam Spade (Maltese Falcon). I think you might like Nero Wolfe, he's definitely an interesting character with his massive bulk and his passion for growing orchids.
Has anyone read Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series, or her William Monk series? Both are excellent, and both are best read in order, since the time progression and character development are chronological in both series.
Can't remember if I've posted about Abigail Padgett's books in this group, but I adore her 5 book Bo Bradley series that starts with Child of Silence, and I like her Blue series, 2 books only, I think. Anyway, she just joined Goodreads and will hopefully become a Goodreads author member, and I just noticed she has a new mystery book out, either standalone or the first in a new series: Bone Blind. I can't imagine liking it as much as the Bo Bradley series, but I've asked my library to purchase it, and if they don't, or they take too much time doing so, I might have to buy a copy. So far it's out in just paperback and Kindle editions. I have all 5 of the Bo Bradley books and I'm so grateful that I do because I don't know if they're in print anymore.
I find mysteries, especially cozies, to be great comfort reading for me. Especially since usually everything is resolved in the end, unlike life, and issues tend to be clear and not murky, also unlike life. Especially since I work in special education where I often don't see any results in my work, not quickly anyway, it's nice to read something, not too hard, where there are clear results.My most comforting cozies at the moment are Agatha Christie, mostly the Poirots (some of which I read over & over & have since I was a teen!), Dorothy Sayer, Ngaio Marsh, M.C. Beaton & at the moment Kate Carlisle who's a GR author & has a wonderful series going all of which I've read except the newest, Homicide in Hardcover (I like to keep something in the wings to look forward to :D)
You're welcome :D I think she's wonderful fun!
I just stumbled upon this thread and started looking for my favorite mystery writer: PD James. Didn't see her listed by anyone. Am I her only fan? Maybe at the beginning of the thread there was a note that I missed that said "all mysteries except for PD James". I've recently picked up an older book by James
. I was making a list of books that I have read and found that I had missed this one in the long past days of gobbling her backlist. As I start this 1970s era book, I'm struck by how dated it is. That can be good at times but somehow I got to thinking that some genres age better than others. It could be the writing itself that works through the decades. Any thoughts?
I'm surprised, too, that she isn't listed. I don't recall having read any PD James, but my husband has. He isn't on goodreads. :(
As for books seeming dated, I think some authors are able to write books that catch the essence of the era, but still appeal to readers years later (like Agatha Christie). I read my first Wimsey book this year, by Dorothy Sayers, and enjoyed it, but it felt a bit dated to me, too. I think the way they all spoke was so "era-specific" and I was clueless part of the time. Is this what you mean?
As for books seeming dated, I think some authors are able to write books that catch the essence of the era, but still appeal to readers years later (like Agatha Christie). I read my first Wimsey book this year, by Dorothy Sayers, and enjoyed it, but it felt a bit dated to me, too. I think the way they all spoke was so "era-specific" and I was clueless part of the time. Is this what you mean?
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Comfort Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
Shroud for a Nightingale (other topics)Homicide in Hardcover (other topics)
Child of Silence (other topics)
Bone Blind (other topics)
The Maltese Falcon (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
P.D. James (other topics)Kate Carlisle (other topics)
Kate Carlisle (other topics)
Ngaio Marsh (other topics)
M.C. Beaton (other topics)
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The Listening House - Originally published in 1938 and the mystery takes place then, this is an absolute classic that should not be missed!
Nightmare Chrysalis, by Rosemary Gatenby
The Tightrope Walker, by Dorothy Gilman (This is a mystery.)
Death and the Sky Above, by Andrew Garve (all of his books are good)
M'Lord, I Am Not Guilty, by Frances Shelley Wees
The Red Right Hand, by Joel Townsley Rogers (a classic)
Green for Danger, Christianna Brand