The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion
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Currently Reading? Just Finished?
I just finished The List, the first Joe Konrath book I've ever opened.It is a testament to Konrath that he can present such an absurd premise to a suspense novel and keep you reading. Clones of Attila the Hun, Jack the Ripper, Joan of Arc, William Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Edison?
Seriously, it is as though he was experimenting to see how outlandish he could make a story.
I enjoyed it, once I finished guffawing.
Just finished the newest Margaret Maron book Three-Day Townand have to admit I was a bit disappointed. It didn't really have the 'southern community/characters' I enjoy so much in the Deborah Knott series and the changing POV from Deborah to Sigrid was disconcerting at times. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't something that really 'grabbed' me.If I'd bought the hardback instead of the Kindle version, it would likely be on eBay now for resale. Definitely not the best of the series. Last year's book in the series was a bit of a disappointment as well, so I think (unfortunately) this is going to end up generating into a "read before buying" series for me.
Am starting The Rectoric of Death, by Judith Rock. It is an interesting book especially for those who are francophiles as there is lot of detail as to the life of the late 1600s when Louis XIV was King. Paris, Poverty, schools and what was in vogue is much of the novel. The mystery is there, but the story moves slowly so that we can enjoy and also learn maybe some new facts like in 1686 Paris had glass windows but not in the south of France which used oiled paper. Charles du Luc has not yet emerged as a strong character, but we will see, buthe seems to be in the midst of whatever happens.
One question. A while back I mention that I had read
most of Frank Tallis' Max Lieberman series. No one
has responded to this. Love his books, Vienna at the time of Sigmund Freud, mysteries, the groundwork
for the Nazis. Has anyone read any of these? You should.
Pete wrote: "I just finished The List, the first Joe Konrath book I've ever opened.It is a testament to Konrath that he can present such an absurd premise to a suspense novel and keep you readi..."
Oooh! I hadn't considered that! I've always imagined Heaven & Hell being the best & worst we can imagine for ourselves! No books! Shoot! I'd better turn myself around!
I just finished reading
. I really loved this novel. I didn't like the first two; "A Kill Artist" and "English Assassin" but I forged on. This novel was really good. I'm glad that I read it and hope
is just as good. I'll start that tomorrow.
I'm just starting The Attenbury Emeralds, by Jill Patton Walsh. It's her third Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane story and it's pretty good.
(a kind soul sent it to me and I forgot to write down who it was... would you remind me, please?)
(a kind soul sent it to me and I forgot to write down who it was... would you remind me, please?)
Am nearly finished The Thirteen Problemswhich Agatha as usual comes up trumps. Have just started Sanctus which so far is a different start to a thriller, would say Dan Brown in type but so far well written.
Ken, I loved The Devil's Advocate, too, partly because it was a morality play without any preaching. But I must confess that I like Grisham, although if you read too many of his legal thrillers in a row, they start to feel the same. I leave at least a couple of years' spaces between my Grisham reads. I disliked The Partner, however - the ending wasn't foreshadowed at all.
Sheryl wrote: "But I must confess that I like Grisham, although if you read too many of his legal thrillers in a row, they start to feel the same. "I read 2 or 3 of his first books, but they did start to feel a lot alike. Then there seemed to be a 'fad' for legal thrillers, to the extent that I've gotten so I can't hardly read a mystery that has a lawyer as the major protagonist. In fact, I think the only Dick Francis book I never managed to finish was one of the later ones he co-wrote with his son about a barrister in England.
Georgia wrote: "Am starting The Rectoric of Death, by Judith Rock. It is an interesting book especially for those who are francophiles as there is lot of detail as to the life of the late 1600s when Louis XIV was..."The first of the lieberman papers series is now on my list...with the addendum to read soon. Another person has recommended this, too, and it sounds very up my alley... I'm not particularly a Frankophile, but I am not "not a frankophile" either. And the pre-world war II and events leading to it seem to be right there right now. I guess it depends on what aspect of whatever is hitting me at the moment. I'm doing the Cara Black Aimee LeDuc series right now and love the way I visit Paris through it and the people I meet and have had the experience with others, too. Unfortunately I don't read French at all. It would surely increase what would be available to me if I did!
Jannene wrote: "I just finished listening to
. I am reading
and start listening to
. I hope that narrator is ..."Hi Jannene: I have read 8 of Sue Grafton Books. For the most part I have liked them all. It has been over a year since I have read any of hers. Maybe I will get me one soon. I Have read A, E, L, N, O, P, Q, R. I have skipped around. Better get to B. C, & D.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just finished Sandman Slim: Kill The Dead. It was a surprisingly good horror/detective story. If you like a little supernatural element to your mysteries.Kill the Dead
I'm reading Harlan Coben's Live Wire and finding it to be very enjoyable. Now I'll have to go back and catch up on the other nine books in the series that preceded it!
Georgia wrote: "Hi Jannene: I have read 8 of Sue Grafton Books. For the most part I have liked them all. It has been over a year since I have read any of hers. Maybe I will get me one soon. I Have read A, E, L, N, O, P, Q, R. I have skipped around. Better get to B. C, & D.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".I really liked those books. I am on hold at the library for
. It seems the later ones people are reserving. Hmph! I should get back to my Rizzoli and Isles books by Tess Gerritsen. I really liked those as well.
Finished Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham last night. On to Look to the Lady, #3 in the Albert Campion series. I enjoyed ##1 and 2.
I just finished The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly yesterday and today I started Murder On the Orient Express.
Georgia wrote: "Jannene wrote: "I just finished listening to
. I am reading
and start listening to
. I hope t..."Is it important to read those books in order? I keep thinking about trying them.
Beth wrote: "I'm reading Harlan Coben's Live Wire and finding it to be very enjoyable. Now I'll have to go back and catch up on the other nine books in the series that preceded it!"I didn't expect to love Myron Bolitar and his buddies as much as I did, but I really miss them! I had read all of Coben's stand alone books, so I went for Myron. Harlan Coben quickly became my favorite author! I think I'll pick up his new teen series about Mickey Bolitar even though I'm far past my teen years!
My favorite book by Harlan Coben was
!
Jan C wrote: "Finished Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham last night. On to Look to the Lady, #3 in the Albert Campion series. I enjoyed ##1 and 2."I've read one Campion mystery so far and enjoyed. Glad to see you are as well, so far.
Bill wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Finished Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham last night. On to Look to the Lady, #3 in the Albert Campion series. I enjoyed ##1 and 2."I'v..."
I've got the next two on my shelf waiting for me.
I thought it was okay. She is a good storyteller but there were too many characters that I got mixed up for a little bit. I figured out the killer about halfway in but still some good things about it but there were some minor flaws in it.
Sandra wrote: "Beth wrote: "I'm reading Harlan Coben's Live Wire and finding it to be very enjoyable. Now I'll have to go back and catch up on the other nine books in the series that preceded it!"..."
I just love Win!!
just finished the latest by Tess Gerritsen, The Silent Girl. Loved it! also have become a fan of Julia Spencer Flemming
Ever have that post-good book malaise? Just finished The Informationist and The Mark Twain Murders. After a deep breath and some bumbling around to find the next good book, started Snow Angels.
So in addition to The Closers
and Up Jumps the Devil
I find I've also started A Drop of the Hard Stuff
. Love Harry Bosch, love Deborah Knott, love Matt Scudder. The holidays are the season of love.
A visitor to our house today recommended Peter James' Inspector Grace series of books. I had never heard of him. Has anybody else read any of his books?
Bill wrote: "A visitor to our house today recommended Peter James' Inspector Grace series of books. I had never heard of him. Has anybody else read any of his books?"I have read all the Inspector Grace books so far and they are a really good read. Start at the beginning with Dead Simple. The characters develope nicely through the books but I did find that the last one I read Dead Like You was a little on the slow side when it came to moving the characters along in their personal issues. There is one thread that I just wanted Peter James to get to the end of and move on - won't say what it was as that would spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the books.
I just finished listening to
by Daniel Silva. It was a good story. However, I did not care for the narrator. I think I would have enjoyed the book much more than the audio version. I'm going to start The Messenger by Daniel Silva and .
by Patricia Cornwell.
I'm reading
by Liz Braswell, I like the show alot, so my great niece let me borrow this book to read.
I am stuck in a cozy mystery phase right. I am reading
and listening to a vamp book,
. After reading Nesbø I needed to have some chill reads.
Alex wrote: "Bill wrote: "A visitor to our house today recommended Peter James' Inspector Grace series of books. I had never heard of him. Has anybody else read any of his books?"I have read all the Inspector..."
Thanks, Alex. I'll definitely look them up when I'm downtown today.
Deb wrote: "I am stuck in a cozy mystery phase right. I am reading
and listening to a vamp book,
. After reading Nesbø I needed to have som..."Deb, try Rochelle Staab's first in a new series,
Who Do, Voodoo?, or Liz Lipperman's Liver Let Die
I just started The Boy in the Suitcase and I have to admit the shifting locations and points of view in the beginning were a bit hard to follow. You need to know your European geography to keep track of in which country the action is taking place but now, about 1/3 in, it is all coming together and it is quite a page turner.
For a lighter read I'm also enjoying Strangled Prose
For a lighter read I'm also enjoying Strangled Prose
I'm reading
Stirred by J.A. Konrathand Crouch. It's the last book in the Jack Daniels series released earlier this month. It's good, better than
Shaken, and different than the earlier Jack Daniels books. Konrath/Kilborn says this is the last Jack Daniels story so it's the end o of the series. It also read more like one of his Horror stories.
I really enjoyed the Jack Daniels series. Even though I like all of the others in the series better than Shaken, even Shaken was a good read.At Shaken he'd already committed to writing Horror (Afraid, Endurance, etc.) and it showed in the Jack Daniels stories.
I wouldn't put him in "Best books ever" range, but, they are fun reads and I love the Jack Daniels Character, she's a good strong female heroine. I also like the fact that Jack and her partners are more like real people (relative to story world people) than in other books. People withflaws and problems etc.
I've enjoyed them.
Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I really enjoyed the Jack Daniels series. Even though I like all of the others in the series better than Shaken, even Shaken was a good read.At Shaken he'd already committed to writing Horror ..."
I tried Floaters and was disappointed it was a short story. Hard to make a call from such a short sample but I wasn't inspired to read any of the other samples. Perhaps I'll come back later but still have a stack of catch up to read.
Bill I also recommend them I have read them all and now eagerly awaiting the most recent "Dead Mans grip". Peter is an excellent story teller and I have had the pleasure of meeting him. Take a look at Peters website when he won the ITV3 Peoples dagger award last month, he treated all his readers to fish and chips on Brighton Pier!
I'm reading a paranormal mystery right now,
. It's the first in a proposed series about a cemetery restorer who can see ghosts. I'm enjoying it already because the main character is written as a mature adult, and the ghosts are chilling.
Ken wrote: "Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I really enjoyed the Jack Daniels series. Even though I like all of the others in the series better than Shaken, even Shaken was a good read.At Shaken..."
Yeah, I have only really liked his Jack Daniles stories. Others are excited about his horror books but I can't really get into them. I also read "Truck Stop" but that was only so so for me. I've only been able to fully enjoy the full length Jack Daniels stories. I'd take them in order if I were reading them. They stand alone, but there are still things that are anecdotal that link the stories in proper order.
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I really liked Darkly Dreaming Dexterbut the rest of them seemed kind of churned out following the success of the Showtime series whi..."
I'm so glad I'm not the only person who doesn't feel the love for LaGuerta.
The books are definitely churned, but they're... comfortable. I like them after I read something that makes my head hurt (in a good way). I'm okay with churned sometimes, especially after some of the disappointments I've had this year with a few of my favorite legacy authors. Soul sucking, those mistakes were.
Es135 wrote: "Shawn wrote: "Es135 wrote: "I just finished reading The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian. With this novel, I am starting to find that I actually enjoy reading "myste..."
But keep them coming! Life would be horrible without a huge pile of books. My idea of Hell.