Mystery Lovers! discussion
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What are you reading? Do you recommend it?
Wow!!! Just finished "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". Highly recommended. It's been a long time since I've read a book I was unable to put down. I'm looking forward to reading the other books by Stieg Larsson.
You all are forcing me to read The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo.
Sakura wrote: "Hello, has anyone read anything by NElson Demille??? Was just wondering what his style of writing was like?"Its been years but The General's Daughter was an excellent read. I love books where there is a male and female protagonist. I've been reading through the threads here, I'm definitely going to look up some of these mysteries. Thank you for the recommendations.
Just another perspective, I thought The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was okay, but did not nearly live up to all the hype. I almost gave up on it--very slow beginning--and would have, had not I heard from several other folks that it takes a good while to get going. I thought it meandered around way too much, and that the ending was very anticlimactic, almost an afterthought. I have the second one in the series here, but I am not as excited to read it as I was before I read the first one. LOLI think sometimes books like this really suffer somewhat from the "hype-itis" such that our expectations are so high there's no way they could live up to them. Another book I just finished like that is The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. I think I would have enjoyed both of these more had I not heard so much "buzz" about them ahead of time.
Cheryl
My problem was it read like a series of news articles. Oh, wait. He was a journalist.
Spuddie - I liked Girl with the Dragon Tattoo very much - but it was not "hyped" to me, which may be part of it.As that is exactly how I felt about Mistress of the Art of Death - that it was over-hyped to me.
I enjoy Nelson Demille. The only book of his I didn't finish was "The Gold Coast." I just couldn't get into that one. He's great at keeping the action going.www.ChesterDCampbell.com
Expectations, they get us every time, eh?
I just started Sovereign by C.J. Sansom, a historical mystery set in the time of Henry VIII. So far, so good! My other reads (and listens) are non-mystery at the moment.Cheryl
Reading Connelly's latest page turner, "The Scarecrow." Enjoying another work by the master.
Mike
I love Dissolution, and all four books in that series.
Oh I wish I could love Historical Mystery.
I got an email saying Debbie had posted a new entry in this thread, yet the last one is mine. Is this a GR thing, should I go to Feedback?
Oh,lol. I was so confused. Thanks Debbie.
Currently:BOCD in the car: THE MEDIATOR: REUNION - Meg Cabot, YA paranormal mystery
Purse book: THE HARROWING - Alexandra Sokoloff, horror
Bedside book: BROKEN: The Women of the Otherworld - Kelley Armstrong, UF/paranormal mystery
Michelle wrote: "Just finished Brent Ghelfi's latest in the Volk series, "The Venona Cable." "How'd you like it?
I have it on reserve at the library
A GERMAN REQUIEM by Phillip Kerrriveting about post WWII Germany
lead character is flawed, noirish to nth degree language is incisive, original and insightful with a world weary cast
all in all engrossing so far
Debbie wrote: "Halfway through "Dirty Water" called it quits. Just an ok read. Now I'm reading 
. Her first book I couldn't put down, hopefully second will be as good."Hey, Debbie! I was attracted to your picture. I am a totally avid Red Sox fan (from MA)!
I am reading "The Chimney Sweeper's Boy", by Barbara Vine. It's an interesting, different book.
GO RED SOX!!
Jim wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Just finished Brent Ghelfi's latest in the Volk series, "The Venona Cable." "How'd you like it?
I have it on reserve at the library
"
I love all of his books. This one was definitely different, I'm still figuring out how I felt about it. I wish there had been more of the girlfriend, I love her.
I just finished reading the second in Graham Hurley's DI Joe Faraday series, "The Take." I liked the first in the series, "Turnstone," but found myself somewhat irritated by this second book. Partly, I think, it's the rather patronizing attitude toward woman. They are all referred to as "love" by the male characters. Maybe it's a British thing, but it just comes across as demeaning to this reader. I will keep reading though, at least through the third installment which has been recommended to me as the best of the first three books. We shall see.In the meantime, I've just started the fourth in the Matthew Shardlake series by C.J Sansom. This is becoming one of my favorite series. Historical mysteries are more my cup of tea than police procedurals and I am looking forward to immersing myself once again in the dangerous atmospherics of Henry VIII's England.
Just finished The Well of Lost Plots by Japer Fforde—3rd in series about Thursday Next, literary detective. Since Thursday is a detective, this counts as a “mystery”. But I read it for the humorous literary references and play on words. The reader of this series does an excellent job with the character voices and even captured the misspelling viruses (my computer corrected the spelling). These books are just fun.
I'm about halfway through Defending Angels by Mary Stanton, which is, indeed, fluff ... but, sometimes that's not such a bad thing. Savannah locale and a host of quirky secondary characters make this a promising debut (so far).
Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper—Bishop/Special Crimes Unit…not sure what number this is in series and probably be one that you want to read from the start…this is about people with varying psychic abilities…parts of it grabbed me and other parts lost my interest. The ending wasn’t really an ending but more like a cliff hanger. Will go back and start at beginning of series to get more info on the characters and their connections.
John wrote: "I'm about halfway through Defending Angels by Mary Stanton, which is, indeed, fluff ... but, sometimes that's not such a bad thing. Savannah locale and a host of quirky secondary characters make th..."I liked this book and look forward to the rest of the series. It's a dark for a cozy. An intriguing combo.
I'm reading The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith. It's billed as a mystery but isn't your typical whodunit. Nevertheless, the detective Mma Ramotswe from Botswana and her cohorts are quite charming and the book's a fun read.
Barbara wrote: "I'm reading The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith. It's billed as a mystery but isn't your typical whodunit. Nevertheless, the detective Mma Ramotswe from Botswana and he..."I love this series! You are right - it certainly is not your typical mystery, but the people are real and the challenges and mysteries that are part of their lives are much closer to home for most of us (thank goodness!) than some of the more bloody examples of the genre. McCall Smith really knows how to make us empathize with his characters.
Vickie,I'm listening on audio, and it's campy enough that the "dark force" aspect isn't all that scary - except perhaps for the scene where she comes across the dog Sasha.
John wrote: "Vickie,I'm listening on audio, and it's campy enough that the "dark force" aspect isn't all that scary - except perhaps for the scene where she comes across the dog Sasha.
"
Oh! That would be cool to listen to the book. I always have an audiobook going for my commute. Never thought to look for this one.
The narrator, Julia Gibson, does a great job ... with everyone except Bree, who disconcertingly doesn't have much of a southern accent at all. The rest of them sound exactly right; I'm willing to wait as long as a year for the sequel to come out on audio rather than read it.
I just finished The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö.I first read this series in the sixties and seventies. Over the years I had re-read the first of the series, Roseanna, several times - I consider it one of the all time great mystery novels. Now, I'm re-reading the entire series. This, the third Martin Beck, is a masterful depiction of policing. There is a crime and it is solved, but the book is mainly about the detectives and how they relate to their world and their jobs. The procedural aspects are a fascinating look at a world before desktop computers and DNA testing. The horrific sex crime sheds light on a society that had little such crime and doesn't even know to call a serial killer a serial killer. And then the capturing of the killer is so real that it becomes anti-climatic. No doubt: this is the gold standard for police procedurals and the Father of all the current trend of Nordic Crime.
I just finished James Patterson's 8th Confession, the latest murder club novel. It was better than I expected it to be! A bit more depth and detail than some the previous books. I would recommend it.
I am currently reading "Revelation," the fourth book in C.J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series. Sansom is such a talented writer. He really makes history come alive. I would certainly recommend this series to any lover of historical mysteries or any lover of good writing. So far, I think this fourth book is the best one yet. I thought that about the third one, too...
I have now finished reading C.J. Sansom's "Revelation." It is a wonderful historical mystery. I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
I agree, love the Matthew Shardlake series--finished up Sovereign and am sitting on Revelation for awhile, otherwise will be waiting forEVER til the next one. (Heartstone comes out sometime next year, I think.)I'm currently reading The Dead Place by Stephen Booth and Death of a Celebrity by M.C. Beaton. Rather different in tone and content, but enjoying both so far.
Cheryl
I've just started the latest Agatha Raisin book, which is okay so far, but I fear I may be suffering somewhat in not recalling the details of the previous one, over a year ago.
Spuddie wrote: "I agree, love the Matthew Shardlake series--finished up Sovereign and am sitting on Revelation for awhile, otherwise will be waiting forEVER til the next one. (Heartstone comes out sometime next ye..."You are wiser than I was Spuddie! Now I have to wait a year for the next Shardlake. Oh well, anticipation will just increase my enjoyment when it finally arrives. I don't begrudge Sansom the time he takes. I think these books must not be so easy to write.
Just discovered British author Judith Cutler. Like so many good British authors, her books are not available in the U.S. so you have to get them on Amazon, Amazon UK or the like...Really enjoyed this perspective from high up the chain of command, DCS Fran Harman works well with her colleagues (except the ones higher up the chain of command...) Will be looking for more!
Michelle wrote: "Sakura wrote: "Hello All, I am looking for a good Lee Child novel??? Can anyone recommend something????"My favorite so far is "Bad Luck and Troubl
Thank u, I never responded. did u read Running Blind???
Suziqoregon wrote: "I'm about halfway through Echo Burning by Lee Child. Jack Reacher is one of my favorite characters. This one is the 5th in the Hello Suzieqoregon, how was Echo Burning by Lee Child??
I am reading Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark. It is different then some of the other books she has written but still a good book so far.
I'm halfway through a most marvelous novel: The Skeleton in the Grass by Robert Barnard. Barnard has written many books, some silly, some wonderful, some mediocre, but each one is unique and there is no serial detective.I most highly recommend this book to anyone, mystery lover or not.
any one read NINE DRAGONS by Michael Connelly yet?what think of it/
HAs anyone read Echo Burning by Lee Child??? How is this novel???
Jim wrote: "any one read NINE DRAGONS by Michael Connelly yet?what think of it/"
I thought it was a really good book. Don't miss it!
I've just started A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley and so far am enjoying getting to know Detective Kubu.
Spuddie, does the Point of View leaping about without a space break on the page bother you? Like at dinner, we're in one persons mind, then suddenly, we are in someone else's mind.That really annoys me. How do you feel about it?
Well, this isn't really a read but since it's based on the mystery genre, thought I'd mention it. I've just finished the watching the BBC's Wallander series. I've enjoyed reading Hennig Mankell's Wallander series and was interested to see Kenneth Branagh in this role. He's not really who I pictured as Kurt Wallander but he does portray the depressed detective fairly well. The video set also includes interviews with Mankell and other Swedes which helps to set the tone and mood of Mankell's settings. So much so, that I'm reserving some of Mankell's non-Wallander novels at the library. But I'm still confused about the correct pronounciation of "Wallander".
Nothing like a 3800 mile roadtrip roundtrip from Boulder CO to Wise VA to get in some audiobook time. DH wanted to catch up on the Sookie Stackhouse books he's missed so we listened to DEAD UNTIL DARK, LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS and DEFINITELY DEAD. He is caught up now I think. I finished BROKEN - Kelley Armstrong and DEATH'S DAUGHTER - Amber Benson along the trip, too.
Currently:
BOCD in the car: THE GRAVEYARD BOOK - Neil Gaiman, YA paranormal
Purse book: THE HARROWING - Alexandra Sokoloff, horror
Bedside book: SOULLESS - Gail Carriger, paranormal alternate Victorian
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Michael Sykora killed the steroid ab..."
Sounds like trouble brewing to me. The question is, a male character written by a female: is he believable? And before you all jump me, I have the same trouble with female main characters written by men.