English Mysteries Club discussion
Archive pre-2020
>
Currently Reading?
Helen wrote: "Just finished 'St. Mungo's Robin,' from Pat McIntosh's medieval Scotland series. Very well researched, with extraordinary period detail. And the mystery is always of interest, too. An added bonu..."I haven't heard of Geraldine Evans, but the first one in the series is $0 on Amazon, so will give it a try.
Louise wrote: "Trouble with Product X (published in the US as Beware of the Bouquet) by Joan Aiken. It's a sort of Gothic mystery set in Cornwall and is very amusing."I enjoy both Joan Aiken and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge's books very much. I can't remember reading this one, so will have to find it.
I've just completed The Garden Plot which I enjoyed very much. (I think somebody recommended it in this thread a while ago). A charming mystery that combines Roman history and a bit of romance with a well-plotted murder mystery.
Carolien wrote: "I've just completed The Garden Plot which I enjoyed very much. (I think somebody recommended it in this thread a while ago). A charming mystery that combines Roman history and a bit..."It does sound good; I'll have to see if I can find it!
Diane wrote: "I've never heard of Carola Dunn or Patricia Wentworth and so now have two more authors to try. Thanks!"Miss Silver is a bit like Miss Marple, but more sentimental. there's usually a romantic couple in her books, and she is generally insturmental in clearing up any difficulties they might be having - like being accused of murder - and bringing them together. patricia Wentworth lacked the ruthlessness of Agatha Christie, because whereas in an Agatha Christie ANYONE may be the murderer - the dear old lady, the sweet young girl, the stalwart young man, even a child - in a Wentworth novel it is never one of the young lovers who turns out to be the murderer. Miss Silver has none of Miss Marple's delicious cynicism, she's a much more conventional character, and it'a usually fairly easy to guess who the murderer is. But the books are good fun all the same.
Louise wrote: "Diane wrote: "I've never heard of Carola Dunn or Patricia Wentworth and so now have two more authors to try. Thanks!"Miss Silver is a bit like Miss Marple, but more sentimental. there's usually ..."
I think you're right! Agatha Christie was much more ruthless with her characters. Although Miss Silver sees everyone clearly, her clients are not the bad guys of the story. At least I can't think of any- I'll let you know if I find any!
Carolien wrote: "Louise wrote: "Trouble with Product X (published in the US as Beware of the Bouquet) by Joan Aiken. It's a sort of Gothic mystery set in Cornwall and is very amusing."I enjoy both Joan Aiken and..."
It's very amusing. The heroine works for an advertising agency, and even at moments of extreme stress - when she's being pursued by villains or something - she tends to be composing advertising copy in her head
Carolien wrote: "I haven't heard of Geraldine Evans, but the first one in the series is $0 on Amazon, so will give it a try. "That would be Dead Before Morning. Hope you enjoy it, Carolien, the two detectives are great foils for each other. And you can't beat the price at the moment 8-).
Excellent analysis, Louise, right on target; and the reason I prefer Christie to Wentworth. I read the Wentworths in my teens, the same time I started on the Christies.
I downloaded an audio of Carola Dunn's Murder on the Flying Scotsman. I listened to the first chapter and was hooked.
Try to read them in order if you can. It doesn't make a difference to the mystery, but you get to follow along as Daisy's life changes from book to book.
So has anyone read The Girl in the Spider's Web?
Joan wrote: "So has anyone read The Girl in the Spider's Web?"I realize this is probably sacrilege, but I read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and didn't like it. So I've never read any of the others. What I've been reading recently is Freeman Wills Croft; I really enjoyed "The Cask" and have bought a couple of kindle ebooks of his other books, which I'm reading now.
Don't feel alone, Karen; I didn't like it either. I have all the FWCrofts and liked them a lot. Different, very process-driven, but IMO very good historical police procedurals.
I hated the girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Evelyn wrote: "I hated the girl with the Dragon Tattoo"I never finished it so I can't say I hated it but it was not my cup of tea. So you aren't alone Karen!
Question for Dragon Tattoo haters: How did you feel about the Michael Blomkvist character? I was not crazy about the books as a whole, but I really loved Blomkvist. I liked his soul mate Erika Berger as well. I never warmed up to Lizbeth Salander, though.
I liked Michael but it was Lizbeth that ruined the book for me, she was just too cruel, vindictive and brutal
Evelyn wrote: "I liked Michael but it was Lizbeth that ruined the book for me, she was just too cruel, vindictive and brutal"I never understood why so many readers and critics liked Salander. Perhaps they thought they should be impressed by a female with technical skills -- certainly her personality was thoroughly offputting. Since I'm a female computer scientist myself, I wasn't automatically impressed by Salander's technical skills.
Nonetheless, my attraction to the Blomkvist character was enough of a reason for me to read all three Stieg Larsson novels and now to read the posthumous sequel.
Joan, I think you've got it. Pretty insulting to all of us who have tech skills to be that impressed just because Salander does too. Blomkvist did not entice me to finish the first book nor to dip into the following ones. I'm picky.
Joan wrote: "Question for Dragon Tattoo haters: How did you feel about the Michael Blomkvist character? I was not crazy about the books as a whole, but I really loved Blomkvist. I liked his soul mate Erika Be..."The whole thing was just too dark and gritty for me -- my tolerance for reading that sort of story has been steadily diminishing. I don't claim that makes it a bad book, just one that doesn't appeal to me at this stage of my reading. Re: Salander -- don't you think people liked her because she was a survivor of such abuse? Kind of like rooting for the underdog...
I think that this is one reason why I like the Golden Age mysteries so much -- the violence is generally implied rather than graphic. And on that note, I am currently reading #13 in the Inspector Appleby series, One-Man Show (published in the UK as A Private View). I chuckled a couple of times before I had finished the first chapter so I am hopeful this will be a good one!
You have a point, Leslie. I like some books that are pretty dark, but they have to be really well-written. There's enough dark in the world for me to avoid it in my recreational reading. Thanks for reminding me of Appleby - I read all I could find years ago and liked them. I'll have to try Amazon and see if I can get more.
It was becuase she was so cruel and used her abuse as an excuse for her cruelty that I didn't like her. Not all victims of abuse turn out like she does
Thanks! I'm glad to know I'm not alone! My parents both read all the Dragon Tattoo books, which is odd since Mom can't stand any sort of movie violence at all. But she said it somehow didn't bother her in the books. I didn't like the violence, and I just didn't find the story or the characters compelling enough to want to read the later books. I agree with Leslie that the limit on graphic violence is probably one of the reasons I like golden age mysteries so much. I do read modern mysteries, but if I read a book and there's a lot of graphic or gruesome violence I don't read any more of that author. I just find it very disturbing, and I feel like I don't need that stuff in my head.
As for what I'm reading now; I recently read Walk with Care by Patricia Wentworth. I expect the book may be difficult to get hold of, but I thought it was very good; better than her Miss Silver mysteries (although I like those a lot also). And I've really been enjoying the Freeman Wills Crofts books; especially Inspector French and the Starvel Tragedy, and the Hog's Back Mystery.
So I wasn't attracted to Salander's violent nature, but that wasn't what bothered me about the character. I just didn't find her to be believable at all. She read like a mish-mash of stereotypes, and together they didn't add up to a person I cared enough about to like or dislike.On the other hand, the Blomkvist character seemed real, interesting, and likable. I'd love to meet someone like him and have a conversation (just a conversation .... I'm too old [not to mention too married] for anything else with someone his age).
Seems as though I'm the only one who found him compelling enough to read all the books. :=)
I don't mind violence or cruelty in books, what I did not like about the Tattoo books is that cruelty was seen as justifiable, almost admirable. when I read a book with a violent character or a cruel one I am sure the author wants me to dislike that character but the opposite was true here. Lisbeth was not a character to admire at all and I almost hated her. That is another reasons I don't like Gillian flynn, her cruel and weird characters are seen as respectable and admirable whereas i feel the opposite.
Joan wrote: "So has anyone read The Girl in the Spider's Web?"Is that the new Salander book written by someone else? I'm going to be the odd one here. Loved the books, loved the Swedish movies, loved the American movies. If someone could continue the series as well as the original ones, I would love it!
Since I read for pleasure, I'm w/the group that prefers the older books because of the lack of violence and crude language. Specifically, the cozy genre, which is broad enough to provide enjoyment for the rest of my days. The side benefit is that I often pick up some history along the way, especially with authors like Jacqueline Winspear, who's Maisie Dobbs books are set in the time following the First WW (right where Downton Abbey is now).
I find a lot of modern writers that I like - Charles Todd, Deborah Crombie, Peter Robinson (almost always), Peter Turnbull, Reginald HIll, Cassandra Chan . . . . I do read a lot of historicals also. Most of the Golden Age ones I read in my teens, so I had to find newer ones. I seldom re-read: good memory.
Jean, you make a good point about current writers. I read a lot of current writers but prefer the time period set further back in history. Guess I'm a bit of a romantic ... :)
Do you read the Carola Dunn books, Meg? If not, I think you'd like them - and Charles Todd of course. I liked the first three of Alex Grecian's Murder Squad books, but emphatically did not like The Harvest Man. C. S. Harris writes a good series, the Sebastian St. Cyr one.
I LOVE the Carola Dunn books and have read them all at least once. There is a tendency for me to get "stuck" on an author and try to read everything they've written. It will do me good to add the authors you recommended to my "to read" list. Some of my favorites who set their stories in current time are Mary Daheim, M.C. Beaton (also, writing as Marion Chesney), Nancy Atherton, Diana Mott, Carolyn Haines, Carolyn Hart... Oh, there are more than I thought!
I do the same with authors I like, and I much prefer to read them in order. I read Beaton's Agatha Raisin and Hamish series (well, most of them) and Atherton, but her last few have not been up to par.
(audio) and
(kindle), and when I find the box with my bedside cabinet books in it (having just moved house), I will pick a physical book to read as well. Possibly
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: " (audio) and (kindle), and when I find the box with my bedside cabinet books in it (having just moved house), I wi..."Thanks so much Sandy!!! lol....I just added abother book to my tbr list!!!
Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: " (audio) and (kindle), and when I..."My pleasure Catherine!
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: " (audio) and (k..."Have you seen my list?!?!! lol
Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "[bookcover:The Bo..."How many? I have 1736 on my TBR list. I figure I'll never be able to die, because I will always have too many books to be read first. *:D
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: ..."You are such a light weight!!! I'm going to have to live forever!!! Take a peek....but BEWARE!!!! You might get lost! Bring some kind of gps device with you!!! lol
Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: ..."I take my hat off to you! That is awesome!!!!! 8:D
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: ..."Haha!!! glad you didn't get lost in there!!! :)
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "How many? I have 1736 on my TBR list. I figure I'll never be able to die, because I will always have too many books to be read first. *:D ..."Have you guys seen the TBR calculator from Penguin/Random House? Here is the link:
http://www.readitforward.com/tbr-time/
The only problem is it doesn't factor in adding new books!
Leslie wrote: "Have you guys seen the TBR calculator from Penguin/Random House? Here is the link:"Hmmm. Without adding a single book, I'll finish my current pile when I'm 174 years old.
Wish me luck!
Good lucky Everyman! Apparently I will finish mine in 11 years and 7 months.....obviously I am going to have to add more to my list *:DJust started Guilt by Joan Ellis
I just got a free kindle book from Amazon: The Murder at Sissingham Hall by Clara Benson (and the next in the series for 99 cents). They were written in the 20's and then published recently by the author's family. Has anyone read them?
Everyman wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Have you guys seen the TBR calculator from Penguin/Random House? Here is the link:"Hmmm. Without adding a single book, I'll finish my current pile when I'm 174 years old.
Wish ..."
Wow, that must be some pile Everyman!
Sandy wrote: "I just got a free kindle book from Amazon: The Murder at Sissingham Hall by Clara Benson (and the next in the series for 99 cents). They were written in the 20's and then published ..."Sandy, thanks for the tip! I just got it, too. We'll have to compare notes. Your link was to Amazon.in; here's the US link: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Sissingh...
Thanks for the tip Sandy!
English Mysteries Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Taken (other topics)Sherlock Holmes: Murder at the Savoy & Other Stories (other topics)
Wicked Autumn (other topics)
Cover Her Face (other topics)
A Mind to Murder (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Alice Clark-Platts (other topics)Chris Ould (other topics)
Adrian McKinty (other topics)
Will Thomas (other topics)
Anna Katharine Green (other topics)
More...
I would put it as Miss Silver is the professional counterpart of Miss Marple."..."
I've always enjoyed Miss Silver more than Miss Marple, probably because of your description above.