Mystery Lovers! discussion

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Hot topics > What are you reading? Do you recommend it?

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Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) Just finished The Holy Thief, by Ellis Peters. One of the better Brother Cadfael mysteries.


message 52: by Andrew (new)

Andrew Hecht (-andrew-) | 1 comments Anything by the great Scandinavians: Mankell, Nesser, Fossum & Indriadson. You simply can't go wrong with these literary treasures.


message 53: by MBP (new)

MBP I'm reading The Private Patient by P. D. James. I'm about halfway through and it's very good so far - it's like a traditional British "locked room" mystery. Very atmospheric.


message 54: by Kevin (new)

Kevin (manchesterunited) I just finished "Revelation" by C.J. Sansom. Absolutely fantastic book set in the Tudor time period.


message 55: by Jim (new)

Jim | 101 comments I'm reading WHEN WILL THE GOOD NEWS COME by Kate Akinson

it's very good, well written and suspensful
she also wrote CASE HISTORIES which was really very, very good story -mystery as well as literate


message 56: by Susan (last edited Dec 01, 2008 07:11AM) (new)

Susan (susanjoseph) | 70 comments I read Minette Walters' CHAMELEON LOVER a few days ago and have already forgotten what it is about. So much for staying power! After finishing Val McDermid's MERMAIDS SINGING I wondered why I had missed the carefully placed clues. Both authors are great on British atmosphere and psychological realism. BTW, I wish the comments on "What are you reading?" would give more details of the books. & Thanks to everyone for all the good recommendations.


message 57: by David (new)

David (mugsynoir) | 14 comments I just finished THE NEXT ACCIDENT by Lisa Gardner. It is an intense thriller and worth a read. I'm now into THE BRASS VERDICT by Michael Connelly. I recommend it because I think Connelly is one of the best crime writers going today.


message 58: by Sandy (new)

Sandy (FoggedIn) | 30 comments I'm reading Beneath the Bleeding by Val MacDermid. Excellent, as are all her Tony Hill books.


message 59: by Beth (new)

Beth I'm reading Death in Paradise, another fine mystery from Agatha Award-winner Carolyn Hart. I recommend it.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) Kevin - I really like all the Sansoms. I hope there are more to come out in the future.


message 61: by Jim (new)

Jim | 101 comments really like Michael Connelly -have The Brass Verdict on reserve

now reading THE THIRD POLICEMAN by FLANN O'BRIEN
very interesting and different to say the least
a short read too but intense


message 62: by MBP (new)

MBP Just finished Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill. Another strong entry in the Dr. Siri Paiboun series. Love the setting of Laos in the late 1970's, the quirky characters, dark humor and social commentary.


message 63: by Julie (new)

Julie | 9 comments I'm almost finished with Thirty-Three Teeth, the second book in Colin Cotterill's Dr. Siri Paiboun series. This is a great mystery series--a very engaging protagonist, an exotic setting, and a good combination of mystery and mysticism. Recently, I started on the Mitchell and Markby mystery series by Ann Granger ( I believe, on the recommendation of someone on this blog. Thanks!). It seems to be a proper English mystery series with plenty of village atmosphere. At least in the first book, the mystery wasn't all that complex but the characters were likable and it was a nice read.


message 64: by J.R. (new)

J.R. | 68 comments I just completed Simon Beckett's Written In Bone and recommend it to all who enjoy British mysteries and forensics. (See my review on Amazon).
I've just started The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, a true account of a Victorian murder.


message 65: by Ivy (new)

Ivy (luvbug) I just picked up Engaged to Die by Carolyn Hart. This in book 14 in her Death on Demand mystery series. I have only read a few pages so am not sure how good it will be but the other ones that I have read by this author have been very good.


message 66: by Larry (new)

Larry | 5 comments Just started THE FACE OF DEATH, by Cody McFadyen. It is, I believe, his second book featuring FBI agent/profiler Smoky Barrett, though it's the first I've read.

I'm about 100 pages in ... so far, so good.


message 67: by Mysterious (new)

Mysterious | 16 comments Love Cody McFadyen's books :)


message 68: by iowakathy (new)

iowakathy I just "discovered" Brian Haig. These books are wonderful, hard to put down reads.


message 69: by iowakathy (new)

iowakathy David wrote: "I just finished THE NEXT ACCIDENT by Lisa Gardner. It is an intense thriller and worth a read. I'm now into THE BRASS VERDICT by Michael Connelly. I recommend it because I think Connelly is one of ..."

I love all the Lisa Gardner books. What a ride!


message 70: by Susan (new)

Susan (susanjoseph) | 70 comments I'm reading Indridason's Draining Lake (translated, 2008), about a disaffected Red from the 1950's, what he buried & how it surfaces. The characters are as usual well drawn and sympathetic, and the story-telling, moving forward and backward at the same time, is masterful. I recommend it.


message 71: by Bluedaizy (new)

Bluedaizy | 97 comments What's a disaffected Red?


message 72: by Susan (new)

Susan (susanjoseph) | 70 comments Bluedaizy wrote: "What's a disaffected Red?"
Someone who had initially followed the Russian communist ideology in the 1950's.




message 73: by Susan (new)

Susan (susanjoseph) | 70 comments Sandy wrote: "I'm reading Beneath the Bleeding by Val MacDermid. Excellent, as are all her Tony Hill books."
Wow, am I ever glad I checked before writing to you (incorrectly) about Val McDermid's gender. Her photo had me fooled. I really liked MERMAIDS SINGING & have another of her mysteries at home too.




message 74: by Sandy (new)

Sandy (FoggedIn) | 30 comments I understand completely. I knew she was a woman, but when I first saw her picture it was a bit of a shock. Still, I wouldn't mind lookiing like that if I could write as well as she does. I recently ordered all of the Tony Hill books so I can read them in sequence. The TV series really lost out when "Carol Jordan" decided not to do the shows anymore. Although she's still in the books, the shows have lost the sexual tension between the two main and very quirky characters. IMHO, of course. :-)


message 75: by Susan (new)

Susan (susanjoseph) | 70 comments Sandy wrote: "I understand completely. I knew she was a woman, but when I first saw her picture it was a bit of a shock. Still, I wouldn't mind lookiing like that if I could write as well as she does. I recentl..."
Agree completely about looks vs writing ability! & Wire in the Blood TV series: I'm looking to see if it is DVD (netflix) only. Thanks. I had not read VMcD's website anywhere closely enough.



message 76: by Ivy (new)

Ivy (luvbug) I am currently reading Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman...have only started it this morning so am not very far along...hopefully it will be a good one.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) Just finished Absolution by Murder. I gave it two stars, and wouldn't really recommend it - I guessed the murderer and the motive very early, and it didn't have much of a 7th Century feel to me. Also the author had a tendency to infodump, past what was really useful or needed.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) A Moorland Hanging: A Knights Templar Mystery, by Michael Jecks, was better than Absolution by Murder. It involves tin mining, which is certainly not the standard medieval setting, and I didn't guess the murderer until quite late.


message 79: by Donna (new)

Donna I just started Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler and I am really enjoying it. Interesting time shifts between London of today and London during the Blitz.


message 80: by Kathy (new)

Kathy | 9 comments I just finished "4th of July" by James Patterson. It is the 4th in the Women's Murder Club series. It was good. I like the series so far and am anxious to finish them.


message 81: by Kay (new)

Kay | 36 comments Right now I'm reading Blind Alley by Iris Johansen, Its #5 in a series. I've read them before , but thought I'd re-read them again. They are mysterys, not real bloody or anything, I enjoy reading her, so I'd recommend any of her books.


message 82: by Donna (new)

Donna I'm reading Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler. It's moving along quickly and I am really enjoying it. This is the first book in the series that is available in the US. It is set mostly in London during the Blitz with a few chapters set in modern day London. The difficulties of solving crimes in wartime made me think of the Foyle's War series but Full Dark House is just a bit lighter with some entertaining quirky characters.


message 83: by Jim (last edited Dec 20, 2008 08:59AM) (new)

Jim | 101 comments THE GREAT GATSBY
A great book to read during changing times as GATSBY is set in 1922

I don't read books more than once very often but the great books always show why they are great and worth reading over every once in a while



message 84: by Kathy (new)

Kathy  (readr4ever) | 34 comments I just finished Company of Liars by Karen Maitland, loved it.


message 85: by MBP (new)

MBP I loved Company of Liars too, except for the ending - still a four-star read for me, though!


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) I finished One Corpse Too Many: The Second Chronicle of Brother Cadfael this weekend, and quite enjoyed it. It is a very early (second, I think) Brother Cadfael, and a good one. If you like historical mysteries, I would recommend it.


message 87: by Deanne (new)

Deanne | 61 comments Reading two mystery books at the moment, very difficult because they're both really good. The Leper of St Giles, a brother Cadael mystery which is great but keep thinking of Cadfael as Sir Derek Jacobi,(fantastic actor).
Also reading the Daughter of Time- Josephine Tey, which is about a detective trying to find out if Richard the third did kill the princes in the tower. Love history anyway and I grew up in Leicester not far from Bosworth, " a horse, a horse my kingdom for a horse". Sure I heard that Richard was buried in a crypt in Leicester, but his body was removed from the church and thrown in a river, the stone sarcophagus was then used as a horse trough for years. The book is good with a lot of ideas which have given me a new take on Richard himself.


message 88: by Donna (last edited Dec 30, 2008 12:38PM) (new)

Donna I finished Full Dark House which I really liked and Flying Too High: Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood which was a light quick ready. Now I am on to The Private Patient by P D James. I really like the character Adam Dalgleish and I keep wondering if this will be the last one of the series. P D James is 88, I think, and still writing.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) I'm reading The Judgment of Caesar, by Steven Saylor, right now. Enjoying the setting (Egypt in 48 BC, the denoument of the civil war between Caesar and Pompey), though so far not much "mystery" has shown up thus far.


message 90: by Bettie (new)

Bettie Andrew wrote: "Anything by the great Scandinavians: Mankell, Nesser, Fossum & Indriadson. You simply can't go wrong with these literary treasures."

I am reading a non-Wallander Mankell - 'Kennedy's Brain'




message 91: by Sandy (new)

Sandy (FoggedIn) | 30 comments I'm on the last few pages of The Monsters of Templeton. I'll have to think a while before I decide whether I like it or not.


message 92: by Deanne (new)

Deanne | 61 comments Reading A coffin for Dimitrios which was written by Eric Ambler in 1939. I'm working on a list of the top 100 crime novels I found on the list of bests website. Only 40 pages in and I'm gripped, have to go and hunt down the rest of his books, about 19. He also wrote screenplays for The Cruel Sea and A Night To Remember. Only have to look at his awards to decide if he's worth reading.
2 gold daggers
1 silver dagger
1 diamond dagger
and named grand master by the mystery writers of America.
Also got an Oscar nomination for The Cruel Sea.



message 93: by Betty (last edited Jan 07, 2009 11:21PM) (new)

Betty (nightreader) | 68 comments Sandy wrote: "I'm on the last few pages of The Monsters of Templeton. I'll have to think a while before I decide whether I like it or not."
I read & reviewed The Monsters of Templeton some time ago, and although I liked it, I did hear some people found the family trees confusing whereas I found it helpful. It was an unusual book, and I loved the opening sentence!

If you want to see my review: http://nightreader-bookblog.blogspot....




message 94: by Terri (new)

Terri (terrilovescrows) | 19 comments I am reading Conspiracy in Death by JD Robb and really enjoying it. I have always liked this series and for some reason it has been ages since I pikced one up. I am glad I finally did!


message 95: by Susan (new)

Susan (susanjoseph) | 70 comments I just finished The Cruelest Month (Three Pines Mysteries, No. 3)by Louise Penny. It is ok if you like the cozy style. Now I'm reading Val McDermid's much grittier Torment of Others, which is much scarier and to me more fun. Both do great jobs of painting their settings, Penny's small town in Canada and McDermid's gritty North of England city, and they each idealize their characters from a feminine perspective.


message 96: by Jim (new)

Jim | 101 comments I am reading THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND by Jeffrey Deaver
very good and one of Deaver's better efforts in years -much better than THE BROKEN WINDOW
also not a Lincoln Rhymes series book


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (susannag) I'm currently reading Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear, which is a historical set in 1929 London. It's interesting so far - quite a lot about memories of World War I - the deceased survived Paschendaele, but without most of his face.


message 98: by Kay (new)

Kay | 36 comments Right now I'm reading Sense of Evil by Kay Hooper, this is the second book of hers that I have read and really like her writting.


message 99: by Barbara (new)

Barbara Radisavljevic (barbrad) | 8 comments I'm reading my fourth Earlene Fowler mystery, Kansas Troubles. In fact, I finished it a few minutes ago. This has been the most satisfying in the series yet.


message 100: by John (new)

John I'm halfway through Margaret Maron's Hard Row (on audio). I had my misgivings about the direction of her Judge Knott series when she suddenly married off the main character, as well as switching the books from solely Deborah's first-person point-of-view, to third-person omniscient (sorry for the technical writing term), making it possible to show the reader additional information, which she wouldn't know until later, if at all; her part in the story seems to have more to do with showing her as a wife and mother, than as being directly involved with the action. The series may not have jumped the shark, but there seem to be fins on the horizon.


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