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What are you reading? Do you recommend it?
Just starting Murder in the Marais ...first novel by Cara Black. So far, so good. Reviews are mixed ...I'll let you know what I think.
I'm reading a Night Too Dark by Dana Stabenow. I enjoy her characters. Just finished one in the Liam Campbell series. Very similar to the Kate Shugak series. If Kate met Liam, would Trooper Chopin have a rival for Kate's attention?
Toby wrote: "Just starting Murder in the Marais ...first novel by Cara Black. So far, so good. Reviews are mixed ...I'll let you know what I think." Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. I really liked it and it got me going on the whole series.
I recently finished Hit & Run, the 4th and most recent book in the series by Lawrence Block. All in the series feature stamp-collecting hit man Keller and make me hope for a 5th from Block.
I finished two books from Sunday untill now as part of a book reading challenge on bookcrossing.One was The Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet's Nest.And yes, I enjoyed it.The main characters were believable even with the non-traditional sexual orientations of the main characters. I loved how Steig made this aspect of the character's personalities as a matter of fact reality and not an area of anquish and drama. The story did however concern Solange's revenge on an apathetic and cruel state that allowed her abuse.It did not blame her sexual preference on her abuse or on Asbergers's syndrome. It takes an excellent author to make such a different character a peron to admire instead of pity.Although the similiar Swedish names took some extra study on my part,and I needed the prior novels text included in the novel,both were my areas of weakness and not the authors.
The other book I read was The Weight of Silence. It was a debut novel about an abused wife,her two children, and her lost love who helped her find her kidnapped daughter. It was told by a series of narrators,and although the time sequence was not as seamless as some of Jodi Picoult's,it was a very effective way to potray the character's and their inter-connectedness.It was excellent biblio-therapy,and made excellent points about the nature of both abuse and love. I was especially pleased that she rounded out the characters as neither totally good or evil and demonstrated the abiquity of people's emotions and solutions in impossible situations.
I am close to finishing Learning To KillbyEd McBainThis is a book of short stories originally written for pulp magazines in the fifties. Almost all of them are excellent, there are a few duds
but very few. If you love the hard-boiled crime stuff and the old Dragnet series this is lots of fun. It's been a great read for me. This weekend I'm going to be
starting my fourth Georges Simenonnovel.
Just finished reading 61 Hours by Lee Child, the latest book in the Jack Racher series and by far his best. The thrill started on the first page and ended with an amazing ending! If you are a Jack Racher follower - you will really enjoy this book. Jack opens up like he never has before and we learn about his parents and MP career. Excellent read!
The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King - excellent! But then I love all of her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books, well written, intelligent and adventurous.Also, River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters. It was a middle-of-the-road type book, but it was great to visit with some of my favorite characters again - this one wasn't set in Egypt as the others in the series have been.
Started the Passage by Cronin. It looks like a great book,but it's Sci Fi. I usually read mysteries, so I joined this group. I'm not sure if I should be posting here since the book is not a mystery.
4* for audio
Now trying to finish 3 Brother Cadfael's for Mystery Book cluub in 2 wks. They are fun reads.
Suzanne wrote: "Toby wrote: "Just starting Murder in the Marais ...first novel by Cara Black. So far, so good. Reviews are mixed ...I'll let you know what I think." Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. I real..."Not bad ...but probably not one of my favorites. Something about the "voice" of the author and some of the characters just didn't ring true. But, I'll most likely give her another try.
Denise Mina is one of my all time favorite authors ...I find myself re-reading her novels, just to experience her writing style.
Toby wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Toby wrote: "Just starting Murder in the Marais ...first novel by Cara Black. So far, so good. Reviews are mixed ...I'll let you know what I think." Looking forward to hearing your ..." I know what you mean. I think I liked the setting the most. Something about the out-of-US place works for me. I have never read Denise Mina but I just checked her out. What would you recommend as good book from her to get started with her? GARNETHILL and SLIP OF THE KNIFE both looked intriguing.
I'm reading Mercy by David Lindshttp://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6..., and I highly recommend it, its fast paced and exciting.Mercy
Suzanne wrote: "Toby wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Toby wrote: "Just starting Murder in the Marais ...first novel by Cara Black. So far, so good. Reviews are mixed ...I'll let you know what I think." Looking forward to ..."Right now I'm re-reading FIELD OF BLOOD ...and enjoying it just as much as the first go round. Her novels are set in Glasgow, Scotland, and her main character is one of the most believable people I've come to "know."
Mina's story-telling voice is "conversational" ...without being trite. And she manages to take a third person view that feels like a first person tale.
To me, she writes with amazing insight into the petty frailties that beset us all ...sometimes I almost feel embarrassed that she "knows" such intimate things about me. (Does that make sense?) Joyce Carol Oates can give me the same sensation.
Hope you enjoy Denise Mina as much as I do ....
Ghastly Glass I had picked up Lillian Stewart Carl's "The Charm Stone" at the library and nabbed this "Ghastly" paperback on a whim from the spinner rack near the door. Was saddened that I couldn't seem to get into "Charm Stone" but was excited to find that this Ren Fair ode is doing it for me. It's a little contrived, but, hey, so is the Renaissance Fair concept in real life. I'm loving the political undertones (c'mon, I haven't heard "The Village" used like this since McGoohan's "The Prisoner" series). I'm about one quarter in and I have a good feeling.
Toby wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Toby wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Toby wrote: "Just starting Murder in the Marais ...first novel by Cara Black. So far, so good. Reviews are mixed ...I'll let you know what I think." Loo..." Thanks for the recommendation! Looking forward to reading her.
Just got on a Jonathan Kellerman kick. I had never read any of his books and stumbled upon his most recent one. Great read, fun characters, a true cop/sidekick adventure with good twists and turns. I'm on my third one right now. Great beach reading, not fluff, but light enough to relax with.
i"m reading my first Val McDermid The Grave Tattoo. I've heard a lot about this Queen of Tartan Noir so I was interested to find out what all of the excitement is about. I think the book is well-written but the plot is not the most plausible to me.I'm about half-way to the end and look forward to seeing what happens, I just find the plot a bit of a stretch.
I'm reading The Memory Collector by Meg Gardiner. The opening scenes are very tense, and I'm enjoying it so far. L.J.
I'm reading The Night Awakens: A Mystery Writers of America Anthology. It's pretty good, I like the authors and the old school feeling in the collection.
I've just finished listening to the 11 CD audio version of Sue Grafton's U Is For Undertow. This is my first Grafton mystery in a very long time. I read the 8 or 9 in the early years but then drifted away and then couldn't remember which letter I had quit on. Anyway, I still like the main character, but I wasn't that impressed with the writing or the mystery. I know this is her 21st in the series, so obviously she knows a thing or two about writing, but listening to disc after disc I was struck by how much extraneous, distracting information there was. And not certain what the undertow in the title refers to. Thoughts?
I have a copy of John Hart's The Last Child!!Hurray!
I don't know if you read short stories but I found the nicest book and thought you might be interested in it. The Best of Mystery by Alfred Hitchcock (1980, Hardcover)
I have already read several and they are very good.
FYI: For those who have read the set-in-Boston Tess Gerritsen series with Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli, did you know there is a new series starting on Monday, July 12th on TNT based on those characters? The name of the show is Rizzoli and Isles. Angie Harmon plays detective Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander is Medical Examiner Isles. This link shows a preview. I love Gerritsen's books and think it looks like it might be good. *L* I forgot to do the link. Second try. On this site there is also an interview with Tess about the show.http://www.tnt.tv/series/rizzoliandis...
Just read Rapscallion by McGee in a few hours, couldn't put it down, even had to stand reading while I waited for the kettle to boil.
It has been ages since I poked my head into this group...too busy reading I guess! My current reads: The Dragons of Archenfeld by Edward Marston (one of the Domesday series) and almost done with CS Challinor's Murder in the Raw, a quick and easy read that I am rather enjoying, for a cozy. (Not my usual thing, although there's a few I like.) In audio, I've just started Julie Kramer's Missing Mark, the second in her Riley Spartz series. So far, so good! Also got my nose in Cherie Priest's Boneshaker, but that's a steampunk zombie book, not a mystery...LOL Enjoying it a lot!
Cheryl
Likeness by Tana French -- good and creepy Gothic mystery about an Irish cop who goes undercover when someone who looks very like her and is impersonating a figment whom the cop had invented to go undercover in a drug sting -- gets murdered, the likeness, that is. Smoke and mirrors and déja vu all over again and again.
I'm reading FACE OF A KILLER by Robin Burcell. I'm enjoying it so far. My next book will be something by Harlan Coben. It's been too long. L.J.
The Sex Club
Secrets to Die For
Thrilled to Death
The book I am reading now is titled Alistair MacLean. It contains 5 of his books complete and unabridged. It is part of the Octopus/Heinemann Library. This combination was published in 1980. I read a lot of MacLean when I was growing up. It has been a long time since I read any of his books. The five stories in this book are: Where Eagles Dare, H.M.S. Ulysses, Ice Station Zebra, When Eight Bells Toll, and The Guns of Navarone.
I'm nearly finished with Linda Castillo's Sworn to Silence. It's a great thriller set in Amish country and I can't wait to read her next book.
I just finished "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane. I found it good but not great.NOw reading "The Bookman's Promise" by John Dunning. The protagonist is a former cop now turned rare book dealer. LOts of neat little bits about the book business tucked in throughout a (so far) good plot.
There are five books in the series. This is the second I have read.
Started one by Pretsky,can't remember the name,but I bet it will be good. Hers' usually are.
I just finished Daddy's Little Girl, which was pretty good, but there were times when I wanted to smack the heroine upside the head. Now I'm reading Mr. Murder and I'm having trouble settling down into reading it. Tomorrow looks like a good day to stay inside and reading - hot hot hot~~
Kim: Mr. Murder improves as you go along. I really liked it.
I am finishing up In Harm's Way by Ridley Pearson. VERY good. It is another chapter in the Walt Fleming series in Sun Valley, Idaho, but Lou Boldt from the series in Seattle makes a cameo.
Kim I had a hard time finishing Daddys little girl because I also wanted to smack the heroine. I at one point accidentally flung it out the window of the cat. LOL I meant to fling it in the back seat but my aim was ummm off and out the window it went.I still am getting But Mom you told me if I let my things go out the window we wouldnt stop. My husband has come up with more jokes than one would think this incident would warent.
Dorothy L. Sayers is great.
Renee wrote: "Kim I had a hard time finishing Daddys little girl because I also wanted to smack the heroine. I at one point accidentally flung it out the window of the cat. LOL I meant to fling it in the back se..."Some things you can just never live down :)
I just finished The Insider by Reece Hirsch. It was very good. I enjoyed it a lot. I am starting True Evil by Greg Iles.
Greg Iiles is terrific. I've never seen him on any award list-unless, I've missed it. I don'tunderstand why this guy doesn't get more credit for his writing.
I just finished The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark. It was very good. It was a quick read and sometimes that's good. I have just started my first first-reads/giveaway. It's called Bound and it's written by Antonya Nelson. This is my first time reading any of her books. I'm only on page 10 but so far so good.
I am 291 pages into So Cold The River. I really enjoyed it until about page 200 when it seemed to slow or maybe I just started finding the actions of the main character to be rather redundant. I also feel that the characters are not deep enough, and I don't care about them like I should. My relationship with the characters is an important thing for me. I will probably finish it but I am not greatly impressed.
I finally was able to sit down and read Mr. Murder for a couple of hours and it's getting creepy, the way books should be! Sometimes Dean Koontz is like that for me.
Renee wrote: "Kim I had a hard time finishing Daddys little girl because I also wanted to smack the heroine. I at one point accidentally flung it out the window of the cat. LOL I meant to fling it in the back se..."I did finish Daddy's Little Girl without smacking Ellie upside the head. I get aggravated if I read too many books with dingbat characters...why I'm backing off of Stephanie Plum before I get totally disenchanted. Besides, if she hasn't made up her mind by book #16, she never will.
I am currently reading True Evil by Greg Iles. I have just started and it is going to be a good book.
Mystery Lovers!
Books mentioned in this topic
Defending Jacob (other topics)A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage (other topics)
The Strangler: A Novel (other topics)
My Forbidden Past (other topics)
Double Life: A Love Story from Broadway to Hollywood (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Harlan Coben (other topics)Karin Slaughter (other topics)
Robert Crais (other topics)
Gerald Elias (other topics)
Robert Crais (other topics)
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She and his parents are having a nasty, drawn-out fight over royalties and a lot of other things, including what might be left of that fourth novel.