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Currently Reading? Just Finished?
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Isabelle
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Sep 15, 2011 08:35PM

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It was either that one (pretty sure) or the next one that I actually liked more than Beekeeper's.




Is it outdated? Certainly not! At times it is a bit slow, but it is always fascinating.
For change I now read the fourth Barsoom book by Edgar Rice Burroughs, So, no mystery next.



I hate it when that happens Elli - but I have to read series books in order - so, If I get home and find that I have done that with a library book - I just take it back and get it later....

Donna, I just finished Lumen and enjoyed it. This was definitely an interesting period — right after the Germans occupied Poland, and just as the more horrifying occupation began led by the SS and SD. German officer Bora found himself caught in the middle of things.
As a historical novel it's first-rate, and as a literary mystery as well. I think some readers of historical mystery and crime might find some plot lacking, as it takes a while for Bora to makes his discoveries. I didn't feel the American priest from Chicago had a lot to do, but I still liked having him around. It worked for me. Excellent writing. I'm glad I discovered the book through this thread.

I like Mary Russell, though. Not sure why. Maybe I like the thought that Sherlock, in his later years, might have gotten less curmudgeonly.
Steve wrote: "Donna wrote: "I just finished Lumen and found it a very interesting look at a complicated time in Crakow. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on it."
Donna, I just finished [book:Lumen|496217..."
Very glad to hear you enjoyed Lumen. I believe there are more books to come in this series.
Donna, I just finished [book:Lumen|496217..."
Very glad to hear you enjoyed Lumen. I believe there are more books to come in this series.

Spea..."
I have one of her books but have had a little trouble getting going on that one. I haven't given up the ghost yet, though.


What do you think about it so far?







I discovered Kates book One Scream Away by chance and I really enjoyed it. I will be interested to know how you find her next one.

Hi Elli
I hope you re-enjoy these books, I am an avid fan of Ariana. Enjoy


So, I've read a lot of Dennis Lehane. I have not been overly impressed until now.
Of all of the above books, Moonlight Mile stands out like a skyscraper. Gone are the seemingly endless, drawn out descriptions of the neighborhoods; gone are the specious if not entirely spacey descriptors which were so abundant in the earlier novels (though my pet peeve--clothes that swim on a body--is back for a cameo); and gone, thankfully, is the gross volume of over-the-top violence. In Moonlight Mile, the bloodshed is reduced and--surprise--consistent with the story instead of overwhelming it.
I barely put the book down, due in no small part to a plot that moves like an Acela train (you'll get this simile after reading, folks, trust me on this). Both Kenzie and Gennaro are revisiting the case that was the basis for the popular movie "Gone Baby Gone" so I won't take the time to explain the plot other than to point out that my hat is off to Mr. Lehane for his statements on the present day economy; like millions of others, Kenzie and Gennaro are overwhelmed by bills, not to mention questions of child and health care. And they are not alone. Lehane pulls no punches about who and what is to blame for our current circumstances and it's a credit to him that rather than sounding preachy he's able to work these views into the story.
I don't know if it was his time on the wire or his work on the stand-alones (the
The Given Day is next for me) but Lehane is a different writer here and, in my opinion, much more engaging.



Loved The Mistress of Death by Ariana Franklin and must get round to reading the rest of her books, quite sad to hear of her death.

Just goes to show how different tastes can be: I thought MM was the weakest of Lehane's series, precisely because of the swift-moving plot that was too linear for me. I liked Prayers for Rain best of the Patrick & Angela series, but I'm particularly fond of very dark, very violent noir.
However, I thought Lehane's best so far was THE GIVEN DAY, which is neither noir nor, really, mystery.

I enjoyed it immensely. I have the second on my TBR shelf to be read.

Not sure if you know this but if you go to www.fictfact.com, it tells you all the book titles in the series in order. I love that site because it prevents me from reading in the middle of a series and feeling lost in it.

It's interesting that you liked Moonlight Mile the best because most Lehane fans (myself included) liked it the least and found it the least engaging of the series. The qualities you don't like in the earlier books are the qualities we feel make it so good. Just goes to show how tastes can differ.


Mystic River

Am listening to:
The Shooters



I'm starting Cat's Cradle. Heard it's a really interesting book.

I'm only on page 50 but from the beginning I feel that I know these people and have missed them. Silly I know but she does such a wonderful job making sure the reader knows them.


Fictfact is great, but Goodreads can also handle this now. For example, the page for the Downing series can be found at http://www.goodreads.com/series/60323..., and any series can be found by clicking on the link included with any book in the series. Once you go to the series page, then it's especially easy to see what's up next for you in that series *if* you routinely give a rating to the books that you read. Once you're signed in, just look for the first title in the series that does not have a rating from you and you know that that's the next one up for you in that series!

Love Connelly. He is a great storyteller.



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