Currently Reading? Showing 601-650 of 2,623

[Cindy]

Just finished reading The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin and it is not a beloved book but it was interesting. I think one in the series will be enough for me.

[Leslie]

@Cindy - Don't judge the series on The Gilded Fly!! In my opinion, that is the worst book in the lot - The Moving Toyshop and Glimpses of the Moon are SO much better!

[Yvonne]

Thanks to a heads up from you guys, I am currently reading Peter Robinson's latest, Watching the Dark. My next one to read will be Deborah Crombie's The Sound of Broken Glass. Two of my favorite authors and I didn't even know about these latest books. Thanks.

[Cindy]

Mike wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Started today! Think I'm gonna like it!!"


A very good book. One of my favorite Rendell's."

Oh really?? awesome!! thanks. I do love her books so much...looking forward to this one.

[Penny]

Luffy wrote: "Penny wrote: "what did you make of the Beekeeper's Apprentice? I have read a few of these."


I thought it was a harmless adventure book, but a terrible Holmes story."

yes I wondered what you would think - was it inauthentic or simply not up to the mark mystery wise?

[Luffy Sempai]

Penny wrote: "was it inauthentic or simply not up to the mark mystery wise? "

The main character annoyed a lot of even female readers who claim she is a Mary Sue. That didn't bother me.

It was the fact that the writer depowered Holmes too much. Also the villain's motives were absurd. The villain's final act had a negative effect on the entire story. And the Mary Sue both liked and had disdain for Watson. I've seen worse reprises of Sherlock stories, though. So even if I have rated the book 1/5, I will have a brave stab at the second book in the series.

[Arpita (BagfullofBooks)]

@cindy definitely agree with Leslie : moving toyshop was a gem of a book. One of the very best books in my opinion.

[Leslie]

Luffy wrote: "Penny wrote: "was it inauthentic or simply not up to the mark mystery wise? "

The main character annoyed a lot of even female readers who claim she is a Mary Sue. That didn't bother me.

It was..."

Well, I just finished The Beekeeper's Apprentice - I liked it. I didn't really think of it as a "Holmes" story per se, just as a mystery which has an older Holmes in it.

Luffy - I don't see how the villain's motives were absurd. Revenge for past wrongs (whether real or just perceived) is a classic motive! I did think that Watson wasn't as well done as either Holmes or Mrs. Hudson.

Holmes was portrayed as human, although of genius intelligence, rather than as a sociopath (as in several recent modernizations). Is that what you mean by "depowered"? I don't understand this word...

[Mark]

Enid Blyton's Five Find-Outer's series got me interested in mysteries when I was a kid. Later on it was the Alfred Hitchcock Three Investigator series.

[Arpita (BagfullofBooks)]

Wow! So pleased I have so many fellow Five Find Outers Fans. It makes me so sad that I don't find Enid Blyton in US bookstores. I was very pleased to find them on Kindle recently. This is one series I will be reading with my daughter when she is old enough.

[Cindy]

Leslie wrote: "@Cindy - Don't judge the series on The Gilded Fly!! In my opinion, that is the worst book in the lot - The Moving Toyshop and Glimpses of the Moon are SO much better!"

ok, Thanks for the advice!

[Luffy Sempai]

Leslie wrote: "Luffy - I don't see how the villain's motives were absurd. Revenge for past wrongs (whether real or just perceived) is a classic motive! I did think that Watson wasn't as well done as either Holmes or Mrs. Hudson.

Holmes was portrayed as human, although of genius intelligence, rather than as a sociopath (as in several recent modernizations). Is that what you mean by "depowered"? I don't understand this word... "

By depowered I mean that his intelligence is reduced. He is no longer pragmatic too. It was unbelievable how Holmes didn't remember to safeguard Watson against Miss Moriarty. Didn't you find that wrong?

Revenge is a good motive, but the personality of Miss Moriarty is too sanguine and not cerebral enough to leave the type of clues she left. I couldn't suspend my disbelief and every single main character in the book was found wanting.
Leslie - "depowered" is a typical superhero term. I think Holmes' reduction of powers would be same as if they depowered Superman by taking away his flying ability.

[Luffy Sempai]

Arpita wrote: "Wow! So pleased I have so many fellow Five Find Outers Fans. It makes me so sad that I don't find Enid Blyton in US bookstores. I was very pleased to find them on Kindle recently. This is one series I will be reading with my daughter when she is old enough. "

Enid Blyton is being censored by the US agencies. In her Faraway books, the Fanny character was renamed and e.g instead of Dame Slap slapping kids they made Dame Slap make the kids to stand in a corner. Avoid US versions like the plague.

[Leslie]

Luffy wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Luffy - I don't see how the villain's motives were absurd. Revenge for past wrongs (whether real or just perceived) is a classic motive! I did think that Watson wasn't as well done a..."

Thanks for the explanation. I now have a new word in my vocabulary.

You are right that Holmes should have safeguarded Watson, Watson but while I was reading this didn't bother me. We must just agree to disagree about this...

[Leslie]

Luffy wrote: "Enid Blyton is being censored by the US agencies. In her Faraway books, the Fanny character was renamed and e.g instead of Dame Slap slapping kids they made Dame Slap make the kids to stand in a corner. Avoid US versions like the plague. ..."

I'll make sure to look for British editions! I don't know whether the US is censoring or the US publisher is trying to update & modernize but they should NOT tamper with the text.

I remember back in the 80s being very upset that publishers had "updated" Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew books... I have a few that belonged to my Mom & a few from my own childhood, and was disturbed to find books with the same titles but different content...

[Luffy Sempai]

Leslie wrote: "I'll make sure to look for British editions! I don't know whether the US is censoring or the US publisher is trying to update & modernize but they should tamper with the text.

I remember back in the 80s being very upset that publishers had "updated" Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew books... I have a few that belonged to my Mom & a few from my own childhood, and was disturbed to find books with the same titles but different content... "

I think censorship will probably never go away. Sometimes it makes you feel like you're back in the 50's or something.

[Luffy Sempai]

Leslie wrote: "Thanks for the explanation. I now have a new word in my vocabulary.

You are right that Holmes should have safeguarded Watson, Watson but while I was reading this didn't bother me. We must just agree to disagree about this... "

I'm glad that you liked the book. As for me, I'm really looking forward to meet someone whose taste is even remotely like mine.

[Mark]

I've been reading a lot of Paul Doherty's Brother Athelstan mysteries lately, but I'm taking a break to reread A Tale of Two Cities.

[Leslie]

Mark wrote: "I've been reading a lot of Paul Doherty's Brother Athelstan mysteries lately, but I'm taking a break to reread A Tale of Two Cities."

Great book - one of my favorite Dickens :)

[Julie]

I'm about to start The Sound of Broken Glass

[Joan]

Julie wrote: "I'm about to start The Sound of Broken Glass"

Julie, I just finished this one last week. I am very much looking forward to hearing what you think of it. Please let us know once you're done.

[Ellen]

I just finished Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody and really really liked it!

[Susan]

Mark wrote: "I've been reading a lot of Paul Doherty's Brother Athelstan mysteries lately, but I'm taking a break to reread A Tale of Two Cities."

We just read "A Tale" in my inperson book club. So depressing yet so exciting. It's just like the start, "The best of times, the worst of times". It's a great book for discussion.

[Cindy]

Across the Street!! That's what I got going on tonight!! Great stuff!!!

[Leslie]

I am currently reading a non-mystery, The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell. My next mystery I think will be Michael Innes' Death at the President's Lodging or Edmund Crispin's Swan Song.

[Rupali]

I'm currently reading In Your Dreams and what a book! The narration is fantastic, the characters likeable and realistic, and the concept pretty different. I just couldn't take my eyes off to see anything else and read unblinking the whole day long. I'm a slow reader btw, so havent finished it yet, but I'm kinda savoring it till it lasts. :-)

[Ellen]

Antigone wrote: "I would like to recommend the Kate Shackleton Mysteries by Frances Brody, the latest: A Woman Unknown has recently been published in paperback. These books are set in 1920s Yorkshire which makes a ..."

Thanks so much for recommending this series. Read the first one Dying in the Wool and can't wait to read the next.

[Cindy]

Been reading all day!! Can't put it down! I love it.

[Julie]

Joan wrote: "Julie wrote: "I'm about to start The Sound of Broken Glass"

Julie, I just finished this one last week. I am very much looking forward to hearing what..."

I really enjoyed it! I haven't kept up with the series by reading them all in order, so some things were not clear to me about Duncan and Gemma's private life, but the mystery was stellar.

[Brenda]

I adore the Wexford novels. Reg and the gang are like old friends now.

[Leslie]

Cindy wrote: "Been reading all day!! Can't put it down! I love it."

Cindy - could you please include the book title in your posts? Thanks

[Leslie]

I am just starting Death at the President's Lodging under its American name of "Seven Suspects". I have read some of Innes' Inspector Appleby books but never this first one.

[Antigone]

Slightly off group, but I am a school librarian so read as part of the job. Currently reading: aliens don't eat dog food by Dinah Capparucci. Better than I expected so far.

[Cindy]

Brenda wrote: "I adore the Wexford novels. Reg and the gang are like old friends now."

Me too!! And I have a big ol crush on Mike Burden...I dunno why...he's so rigid!!! Maybe that's why!! lol

[Joan]

Julie wrote: "I really enjoyed [The Sound of Broken Glass]! I haven't kept up with the series by reading them all in order, so some things were not clear to me about Duncan and Gemma's private life, but the mystery was stellar."

Interesting! I enjoyed reading it, because I love this ensemble of characters, but I was disappointed in the "mystery," because I thought it was very obvious very early on whodunnit. I think Crombie has many others in this series that are stronger in this regard. In particular, the last one (No Mark Upon Her) was a lot more "mysterious."

Did you see the surprise ending coming (not whodunnit -- the other surprise)?

[Antigone]

I am reading the adventure island series by Helen Moss, a modern version of Enid Blyton. good traditional adventures, nothing to upset anyone, but lots of action and excitement in all the ten books. To be recommended to 8-11 year olds who enjoy their own 'cosy' mysteries.

[Joan]

I am reading The Other Woman's House. Are there any Sophie Hannah fans in this group?

[Arpita (BagfullofBooks)]

Thanks for the Helen Moss recommendation. Will be looking that up!

[Susan]

Laura wrote: "I just finished The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel and honestly I'm disappointed. I wanted to like it and I thought the writing itself was good, but it dragged. Also, I just couldn't care about the ..."

I so agree with you about the Pigeon Pie book. It left me no incentive to read her other ones.

[Sandi]

I am into the Peter Diamond mysteries - lots of them!

[Shera]

Sandi wrote: "I am into the Peter Diamond mysteries - lots of them!"

I also love the Lovesey books - have all of them

[Leslie]

I finished Death at the President's Lodging today. Innes' style is probably not for everyone but this is an excellent example of the locked room mystery with a twist. College president is murdered inside a locked portion of the college grounds and the college itself is locked. A slow start but once it got going, kept me guessing right up to the end.

[Leslie]

Jean-Luke wrote: "I just finished Swan Song by Edmund Crispin. Not my favorite, but it did not put me off. The next Fen book arrived in the mail today so I'll be starting that shortly."

I have Swan Song sitting on my living room table, waiting for me to get to it... which one comes after it, Holy Disorders?

[Jeffrey]

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis.

[Penny]

just finished Defending Jacoband I really enjoyed it - cant really speak about it without ruining it for someone else but its worth a read!

[Luffy Sempai]

Penny wrote: "just finished Defending Jacoband I really enjoyed it - cant really speak about it without ruining it for someone else but its worth a read!"

It certainly is, you have good taste in books.

[Susan]

Penny wrote: "just finished Defending Jacoband I really enjoyed it - cant really speak about it without ruining it for someone else but its worth a read!"

The ending completely blew me away, Penny. I didn't see it coming.

[Tricia]

Laurie i'm with you on Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, what an enjoyable read!

I am just going to start The Mammy The reviews look great and it looks fun.

[Mark]

Susan, just scrolling through some of your comments from six months ago, the good reads app shows oldest comments first by default. You mentioned Sharon Kay Penman, she has a prolific following on Facebook and you can subscribe to her posts on goodreads. I really liked her Queens Man mystery series.

[Mark]

Penny, I read the Beekeeper's Apprentice and wasn't that impressed. I've never seen Sherlock Holmes as someone likely to to be involved with a female detective. The Italian Secretary was good though, as was the Alienist series.