English Mysteries Club discussion
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Joan wrote: "Has Minette Walters published anything good lately?..."As far as I know, Walters' last full length novel was The Chameleon's Shadow. Since then she's written a couple of easy-to-read novellas for a British literacy project, Quick Reads.
Kim wrote: "Joan wrote: "Has Minette Walters published anything good lately?..."As far as I know, Walters' last full length novel was The Chameleon's Shadow. Since then she's written a couple of easy-to-read..."
Thanks. What did you think of "The Chameleon's Shadow"?
I am reading Rhys Bowen's new Lady Georgina book, "Twelve Clues of Christmas." It's a fun seasonal read.
Just finished taking a sea voyage with Tania Aebi as I read Maiden Voyage. It was a great trip but I am glad to be home.
Penny, thanks for the Phil Rickman suggestion. I have gone back and reserved the first book in this series as the one you are reading sounds like it has a great plot. I tend to like to start a series from the beginning as there are so often references that I would miss otherwise. Thanks again.
I'm currently reading The Daughter of Time for this month's discussion here while juggling The Light Between Oceans for an in-real-life book group.
I currently reading "Murder at the Vicaragr" by Agatha Christie. Earlier this year I had read hee haloween mystery featuring Miss Marple, enjoyed it, and thought that once I completed the two Eliizabeth George books I had not gotten to, I'd return to Miss Marple. About 20% into it and I love Christie's character descriptions and development.
I found a copy of Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham on the Audiobooks stacks in my local library. Since I can never have too many books on CD waiting to be listened to, I picked it up even thought it's the second in the series featuring Albert Campion. Anyone read this series? I'm a serious read-in-order person but I'm taking a gamble that it won't matter too much if I start with #2 in the series. I do have #1 ready for pickup at another library, but not on CD.
My daughter-in-law & I together bought 7 of the Martin Beck series of Sjowall & Wahloo.I've finished Roseanne, The man on the balcony & The man who went up in smoke.I liked them because that 60s world has disappeared, a time when I was growing up though in a country far removed from the world of those books.But ripples from there did reach us as we tried to tune into BBC or VOA radio.Apart from the real police procedures the atmosphere of the stories is what makes them so interesting for me.
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I found a copy of Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham on the Audiobooks stacks in my local library. Since I can never have too many books on CD waiting to be listened to, I picked it up even thought ..."Carol/Bonadie, it should be okay. Like most series there are references to happenings in other books, but I read them totally out of order as they were impossible to acquire in the exact order they were written and I enjoyed them.
They are a fun read and Campion's sidekick (valet, butler, partner) is a real hoot.
Dennis wrote: "I currently reading "Murder at the Vicaragr" by Agatha Christie. Earlier this year I had read hee haloween mystery featuring Miss Marple, enjoyed it, and thought that once I completed the two Eliiz..."There is no doubt that Christie was a master at character development. I have read many of her books and have enjoyed most of them. Murder at the Vicarage is one of my favorite Miss Marple stories. I am a big fan of Poirot.
I tend to re-read her work, and have watched the BBC episodes showing both Miss Marple and Poirot numerous times.
(I really like Elizabeth George as well.)
Kathy wrote: "Dennis wrote: "I currently reading "Murder at the Vicaragr" by Agatha Christie. Earlier this year I had read hee haloween mystery featuring Miss Marple, enjoyed it, and thought that once I complete..."Always good to know that I'm not alone in my favorites. I've also read each of the Daniel Silva books "Gabriel Allon" books. They are of the thriller/ spy mode but the only ones I know of in which the main character is an art restorer working out of his studio in England as well as his spy HQ in Israel.
Dennis - I have not read Daniel Silva. I used to really like the thriller/spy books, but then veered off to read other books. But the art restorer slant sounds interesting. Will give these a try.
Kathy wrote: "Dennis - I have not read Daniel Silva. I used to really like the thriller/spy books, but then veered off to read other books. But the art restorer slant sounds interesting. Will give these a try."Kathy, I suggest reading them in chronological order because events keep being referred to but I don't want to give anything away here.
Dennis wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Dennis - I have not read Daniel Silva. I used to really like the thriller/spy books, but then veered off to read other books. But the art restorer slant sounds interesting. Will gi..."Good idea. I hate it when I get a book somewhere in a series and miss whole parts of the story. There are some authors where it does not matter so appreciate the info.
Mike wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "Just finished Tana French's 
"Faithful Place". Didn't like it quite as much as "The Likeness" but it was still very good.Now I'm trying my fi..."
My favorite Tana French novel so far is "The Likeness." Interestingly, all of her PR, including paperback covers, mentions "In the Woods" and "Faithful Place," but almost none of it mentions "The Likeness." I liked "Faithful Place" but mostly because "The Likeness" had gotten me interested in Frank Mackey.
The latest Tana French ("Broken Harbour") was a big disappointment.
I am reading
which qualifies as an English mystery I suppose!! It is about the railways and a robbery on them which is tied up with a plot to blow up Crystal Palace before the Great Exhibition. The inspector is one of the first in the new detective dept of Scotland Yard. So far its really good, apparently Marston is a well known author in several genres.
I'm reading The Long Farewell by Michael Innes having just finished Hamlet, Revenge!. Also listening to A Study in Scarlet. It's fascinating to read about Watson's first impressions of Holmes.
So glad I didn't give up on Josephine Tey after not liking "The Daughter of Time". Just finished "To Love and Be Wise" and "The Singing Sands" and liked both of them a lot. Will be trying to find some more of her titles.
Cheryl S. wrote: "So glad I didn't give up on Josephine Tey after not liking "The Daughter of Time". Just finished "To Love and Be Wise" and "The Singing Sands" and liked both of them a lot. Will be trying to find..."They're wonderful, aren't they? If you like reading on your computer, a while ago someone posted a link to an Australian site with Tey's books online.
Hj wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "So glad I didn't give up on Josephine Tey after not liking "The Daughter of Time". Just finished "To Love and Be Wise" and "The Singing Sands" and liked both of them a lot. Will..."Old fashioned, must hold the book in my hands type of reader, but thanks for the info.
Julie wrote: "I'm about to start 
"Just your typical Christmas story... Enjoy! I love Troy, she and Alleyn are so right for each other.
Ann wrote: "I have just finished Tiger In The Smoke by Margery Allingham. More of a thriller than a detective novel. Albert Campian only plays a supporting role. Certainly not a cozy read but full of atmospher..."Just finished Mystery Mile and enjoyed it; looking forward to a deepening of the characters that folks mention take place as you get further into the series.
Jemidar wrote: "I;m currently reading Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey. It's not an Inspector Grant book."Did you know that Josephine Tey went to a physical education college herself and taught PT in schools afterwards?
I am currently reading ngaio Marsh's a man lay dead. Should I read the remainder of the series strictly in order?
I think it would be a good idea to read them in order, if only to see the developement of Alleyn's relationship with Agatha Troy.
Donna wrote: "I think it would be a good idea to read them in order, if only to see the developement of Alleyn's relationship with Agatha Troy."Thanks Donna. Will try to borrow them in order from the library.
Hj wrote: "Did you know that Josephine Tey went to a physical education college herself and taught PT in schools afterwards? "No, but that would explain how detailed the setting is.
I'm reading Gone Girl - it sounded intriguing. The reviews by Goodreads users are all over the place, so I wonder how I'll like it - just a few chapters in so far.
A Modesty Blaise novel, TASTE FOR DEATH, which is going to be dramatized on the BBC starting Monday! It is British, and it is more or less a mystery, but it is not the sort of thing you think of when you say English Mystery.
Just finished The Egyptian Cross Mystery, by Ellery Queen.
Lorraine wrote: "I'm reading Gone Girl - it sounded intriguing. The reviews by Goodreads users are all over the place, so I wonder how I'll like it - just a few chapters in so far."I loved it and will be interested in what people say about the ending. Also fabulous Mo Hayder "Gone". It won many awards this last year. But it is a tough book as all of Hayder 's books are or at at least all I have read.
This time of year always decreases my reading time. I'm hoping to get books on my Santa list and read until the end of the year. I am try to get through The House of Silk, but I keep having to go back and refresh my memory. So 12/26 I continue. In the meantime I'm reading magazines and catalogs.
Elizabeth wrote: "Lorraine wrote: "I'm reading Gone Girl - it sounded intriguing. The reviews by Goodreads users are all over the place, so I wonder how I'll like it - just a few chapters in so far."I loved it an..."
Loved this book - kept me interested and dying to read more right to the end. Highly recommended!
After Poirot's Christmas I started on an analog version of Christie's Appointment With Death. I'll admit that I'm having a bit of a problem getting into it: 1) all the holiday stuff, 2) its a real book and 3) I've gotten used to reading books in an e-book format. Have I really become a technonerd and will my English degree be rescinded ?
I'm rereading "Envious Casca" by Georgette Heyer - another English mystery set at Christmas - in between baking batches of cookies!
Dennis wrote: "After Poirot's Christmas I started on an analog version of Christie's Appointment With Death. I'll admit that I'm having a bit of a problem getting into it: 1) all the holiday stuff, 2) its a real ..."No, probably you are right with the times. And your English degree will be amended to include techno-English(?). Well, it is a whole new language for sure.
I am finishing up a Sharon Kay Penman spree with Devil's Brood & have ordered the first two Inspector Gamache (Louise Penny) books. In doing that I have discovered that the CBC are making a movie version of Still Life with Nathaniel Parker (aka Inspector Lynley) as the Inspector. Much as I like him, I find casting him as Gamache a little odd ........ it is supposed to be aired in 2013 ..
Kathy wrote: "Dennis wrote: "After Poirot's Christmas I started on an analog version of Christie's Appointment With Death. I'll admit that I'm having a bit of a problem getting into it: 1) all the holiday stuff,..."Thanks Kathy! I'll be waiting for the amended document as a Christmas present. LOL
Shera wrote: "Just started the new Rebus. Bliss"Really? I've read only two Rebus books - you mean the Ian Rankin ones right? I didn't want to read it, but if you say it's bliss then I might give it a try.
Yes, I have been a real fan of the Ian Rankin series for years. I even pre-order the new books from Amazon UK. I also enjoy the Malcolm Fox books.I've wondered how Rankin would deal with Rebus' less active world of Cold Case work and would the character become even more of a loner
Reading the latest Molly Murphy by Rhys Bowen; Hush Now, Don't You Cry. Pretty good so far.
After I finished Envious Casca, I decided to continue the holiday theme by reading Ngaio Marsh's Tied Up in Tinsel. I had forgotten how much I liked Roderick Alleyn!Now reading some Edgar Wallace - finished The Flying Squad and onto Four Just Men.
I'm reading Case Histories by Kate Atkinson. I bought the book at a Waterstones one rainy night in London a few years ago so it reminds me of that wonderful trip.
English Mysteries Club
Books mentioned in this topic
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Wicked Autumn (other topics)
Cover Her Face (other topics)
A Mind to Murder (other topics)
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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)
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Has Minette Walters published anything good lately?