Author Topic: Mystery Corner (Read 148828 times)

pedln · « **Reply #80 on:** January 14, 2009, 03:55:52 PM »

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Pull up a comfortable chair and join us here to talk about mysteries and their authors.
We love hearing what YOU enjoy and recommend!

Links:
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Our Favorite Old Mystery Writers
Fantastic Fiction
Stop You're Killing Me

Discussion Leaders: BillH and JoanK

JoanK · « **Reply #81 on:** January 15, 2009, 02:27:39 PM »

Thank you, Pedlin, for putting in the heading. When we get to post 120, if someone notices, could you save it for the heading?

Steph · « **Reply #82 on:** January 15, 2009, 03:09:41 PM »

Finished the Yiddish Policeman.. What a fun and silly book.. Learned a lot about yiddish,, jewish customs and wild tomfoolery.. Now for something entirely different as they say.

maeve · « **Reply #83 on:** January 15, 2009, 07:42:31 PM »

I just finished The Camel Club, now I have to look for the next one.

MaryE

Steph · « **Reply #84 on:** January 16, 2009, 08:22:57 AM »

Started reading the new Alex Kava.. This one is a serial killer and it is moving along at a great clip. There are continuing characters as well as the heroine.

marjifay · « **Reply #85 on:** January 17, 2009, 12:19:54 PM »

Hooray! The Mystery Group is back!

I've read a couple of good ones recently (none were "cozies.")

THE FINDER by Colin Harrison. A thriller on my top ten for 2008. Very good writing that kept me turning pages.

WHISKEY REBELS by David Liss. An excellent historical mystery. Many of the characters were real people -- I looked them up in Wikipedia. Fun to read more about them.

A RED DEATH by Walter Mosley. The first book of Mosley's I've read, and this was very good. The best part is Easy Rawlin's relationships with all the other characters, his feelings of guilt, and his caring for others. I will read more of Mosley's stuff.

I also liked Elizabeth George's CARELESS IN RED (I forget what is relevant about the title). Could have been shorter, tho' IMO. And I liked P.D. James' THE PRIVATE PATIENT. Just wish Adam Dalgliesh had more of a sense of humor.

Peace -- Thanks for your list! I like your taste in mysteries!

MaryE -- I love David Baldacci's Camel Club mysteries!

joangrimes · « **Reply #86 on:** January 17, 2009, 02:33:42 PM »

I am Having trouble reading "Careless in Red" because I have the large print edition and it is so very heavy that I cannot hold it to read.

Joan Grimes

pike99 · « **Reply #87 on:** January 17, 2009, 05:21:32 PM »

Re;Marjifay and Walter Mosley. I had the pleasure of meeting Walter Mosely once at a mystery book fair. It was when he was first started to publish..Might have been Devil in a Blue Dress.
The Easy Rawlins series are good to read in chronological order.
Any fans of George Pelicanos here. His stories take place in Wash DC and are quite intriguing.Characterization takes precedence over plot.Pelicanos is a fine writer and I believe that he did some writing for the Sopranos series. Again,if you want to try his stuff,it's best to start in chronological order.

Steph · « **Reply #88 on:** January 18, 2009, 09:27:37 AM »

I will wait on Careless in Red until it hits paper. She generally writes long long books. I just want her to get back on track.
I just started the Ann Purser.. Lois is doing something on Sunday. Book is downstairs and I am up, so the title has slipped the bounds of memory.

JoanK · « **Reply #89 on:** January 18, 2009, 01:15:20 PM »

MARGIFAY: glad you found us. A great list of books -- so many books, so little time (sigh).

I couldn't get into SeniorLearn yesterday. Did anyone else have trouble?

JoanK · « **Reply #90 on:** January 18, 2009, 01:23:48 PM »

PIKE: sounds like a good tip. Thanks for warning us to read them in order. I went into Fantastic Fiction to see which is the first Pelacanos book. He has three series (i.e. series with three different detectives). You can see which is the first in each series here:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

I notice he has a library of new books coming out!

pedln · « **Reply #91 on:** January 18, 2009, 08:04:19 PM »

marjifay, glad to hear you liked the Whiskey Rebels. I enjoyed Liss’s Coffee Trader, and look forward to Whiskey Rebels when time permits.

Those Camel Club mysteries sound good, too. I’ve been looking at the summaries in our library’s online catalog. Do you need to read them in any order?

I’m finishing up one of Carolyn Hart’s Henrie O mysteries – Set Sail to Murder – a light easy mystery set on a cruise ship, which now has me wanting to follow the same route, from Copenhagen to Helsinki, with other stops on the way. I’d never heard of Tallinn in Estonia, supposedly the most medieval city in Europe.

marjifay · « **Reply #92 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:11:54 PM »

pedin, re David Baldacci's Camel Club series, I'd recommend reading them in order, especially don't read STONE COLD before you've read one or both of the first two. The order is THE CAMEL CLUB, THE COLLECTORS, STONE COLD, and DIVINE JUSTICE. I was just checking StopYoureKillingMe.com and hadn't realized the fourth book had been published. Great! Now I have another to read.

Haven't read any Carolyn Hart books. Will have to try SET SAIL FOR MURDER. Read the summary at Amazon, and it looks good. Thanks.

marjifay · « **Reply #93 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:44:14 PM »

pedin, I haven't been to Copenhagen, but I've been to Helsinki, Finland and Tallin, Estonia. Don't remember a lot about either of them, as we just stopped for a short while on our way to Russia. I do remember how much the Estonians said they disliked the Russians. And I
remember the interesting buildings there. We heard a large choir of adults singing beautiful music outdoors, practicing for a contest. I guess they are big on choirs in that part of the world.

And I remember the food we had at a hotel (don't remember the name) in Helsinki. It was just fabulous -- the most delicious brunch I've ever eaten, anywhere, and I've traveled quite a bit.

Hope you get to go there. And if you do, go on to St. Petersburg. Just a wonderful, lovely old city.

Steph · « **Reply #94 on:** January 19, 2009, 07:42:27 AM »

Aha.. Sorrow on Sunday is the
Ann Purser book. It is good, although moving slower than most of her stuff.
A lovely medieval village? We were in Rothenberg, Germany just before Christmas at the Christmas markets and it is lovely.. A walled village with the wall intact. All sorts of beautiful old buildings.. People still living in them.. If you get to Germany, go see it. Lovely lovely place.

Steph · « **Reply #95 on:** January 21, 2009, 07:45:47 AM »

Just finished reading Ruth Rendell "The Water's Lovely" I like her although the books are sometimes way past strange. This one was full of unlovely characters.. Bad triumphs, crooks win and the only ones I like died.. Hmm.. but it was an interesting read.. Just full of people you hope you never meet.

BillH · « **Reply #96 on:** January 21, 2009, 09:50:12 AM »

Quote

I couldn't get into SeniorLearn yesterday. Did anyone else have trouble?

JoanK, I was able to get on in the morning, but not the rest of the day.

Pedlin, I highly recommend the Camel Club series and the order that Marjifay posted is best.

I also vastly enjoyed the REPAIRMAN JACK series by Paul F. Wilson. And the JACK REACHER series by Lee Child.

You can use THE STOP YOUR KILLING ME link in the heading to find the order listing of these series .

I suppose the above series of novels are my favorites

BillH · « **Reply #97 on:** January 21, 2009, 10:12:25 AM »

I couldn't find F. Paul Wilson in "Stop Your Killing Me. However, he is listed in Fantastic Fiction.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/f-paul-wilson/

The RepairmanJack series begins with THE TOMB. This is really way-out

marjifay · « **Reply #98 on:** January 21, 2009, 10:53:42 AM »

Bill:

F. Paul Wilson is listed under StopYoureKillingMe.com. Are you sure you looked under "Authors?"

BillH · « **Reply #99 on:** January 21, 2009, 02:40:52 PM »

Marjifay, your right. I looked under characters. Went back and looked under authors and there he was.

Most of the RepairmanJack novels are listed.
I got another RepairmanJack to day, "Bloodline." This is the one after "Harbringers" but the one before his "By the Sword."

Can't wait to get started on "Bloodline." but I must finish "Orbit," by John J. Nance. Now, Nance writes a first rate suspense novel. I loved his "Saving Cascadia." His "Orbit" takes the reader on a space venture.

I'm so glad you caught that mistake Marjifay I hope I didn't mislead anyone.

JoanK · « **Reply #100 on:** January 21, 2009, 02:53:12 PM »

I haven't been doing any reading the last few days -- too absorbed in watching the inaugaration. Now, its back to life as usual (i.e. a good mystery).

MarjV · « **Reply #101 on:** January 21, 2009, 04:26:33 PM »

Currently I'm reading a Robert Barnard (British author) mystery A Cry From the Dark. Set in England ; in sections the novelist character Bettina brings in her childhood in Australia.

I read mysteries by or set in other countries than the USA.

FlaJean · « **Reply #102 on:** January 22, 2009, 12:13:06 PM »

I enjoy English mysteries. I haven't read any by Robert Barnard. Thanks for the suggestion.

Steph · « **Reply #103 on:** January 22, 2009, 12:51:49 PM »

I just finished an Ann Purser.. Sorrow on Sundays. She is English and writes about small towns. Lovely atmosphere.

hats · « **Reply #104 on:** January 23, 2009, 06:45:11 AM »

I just put "The Quiet Game" on hold. It's my first Greg Iles. I think Judy Laird recommended it or someone else.

Steph · « **Reply #105 on:** January 23, 2009, 07:55:30 AM »

I am starting on a mystery that is based on drink names. The detective ( female) is called Jack Daniels. I had listened to one of the authors book on audio tape, so get this second one to read. A bit violent on the first one, we shall see about this one. They are written by a man and it shows in his depiction of the heroine.

hats · « **Reply #106 on:** January 23, 2009, 08:22:55 AM »

Steph,

Who is the author? Does "Whiskey Sour" go with that series?

jane · « **Reply #107 on:** January 23, 2009, 08:33:44 AM »

I recall starting Whiskey Sour, but I don't remember if I finished it. $:-\$ I'm wondering if it was what you mentioned, Steph...the author's depiction of a female that didn't work for me? Or maybe I finished it and forgot about this series. [This happens a lot to me!

]

The 'net lists 5 titles by J. A. Konrath

1. Whiskey Sour [Jack Daniels Mystery Series Book 1]
2. Bloody Mary [Jack Daniels Mystery Series Book 2]
3. Rusty Nail: [Jacqueline Jack Daniels Mystery -Book 3]
4. Dirty Martini [Jack Daniels Mystery Series Book 4]
5. Fuzzy Navel [Jack Daniels Mystery Series Book 5]

hats · « **Reply #108 on:** January 23, 2009, 08:36:33 AM »

Jane,

Thanks.

jane · « **Reply #109 on:** January 23, 2009, 08:57:13 AM »

Did you read Whiskey Sour, hats? Did you like "Jack" Daniels?

Mippy · « **Reply #110 on:** January 23, 2009, 09:36:46 AM »

Hi, everyone!

Yiddish Policemen ... by Chabon was quite a challenge, but I would not call it silly as someone posted a few days ago.

I'd call it postmodern fiction, implying a plot that does not flow in a linear way. But it is too serious about the plight of the Jews to be a funny book. It's a shock to me to think of a world without the state of Israel. I put off reading it for a year because of the mixed reviews, but now that I've finished it, I think it is a minor masterpiece ... as well as rather weird.

FlaJean · « **Reply #111 on:** January 23, 2009, 10:33:55 AM »

MarjV, I'm reading "A Cry From the Dark" by Robert Barnard, and it is interesting. The library has a number of his books so I got several others.

hats · « **Reply #112 on:** January 23, 2009, 11:34:18 AM »

No, I had never heard of the titles. I wrote the title down on my library list.

Steph · « **Reply #113 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:24:20 AM »

Whiskey Sour was the one I listened to and Rusty Nail is the one I have on by table next to my chair. I got involved in a non fiction about WWII, Poland and Jews and have not started it yet. I knew he had a small series and that they were drink names.
I see someone liked the Chabon book more than I did. I agree on the post modern, but I also love a good story and that wandered a bit through some odd places.

Babi · « **Reply #114 on:** January 24, 2009, 09:45:43 AM »

Jeepers, I thought I was signed on here, but finally realized the Mystery Corner wasn't turning up when I requested '..new replies to your posts'. Look at all I've already missed!
Well, I'm here now. Hi, everybody. Good to see you. (In a manner of speaking.) (Or writing.)

JoanK · « **Reply #115 on:** January 24, 2009, 03:32:12 PM »

BABI: hi! Great you got here.

I had the same experience. "Mystery Corner didn't show up under "new replies" for two days. I finally thought "That can't be right, and checked -- there were plenty of new messages. I'm wondering : maybe when it goes to a new page, it loses the information that I've posted here. Be on the lookout, people. A day almost never goes by without a new message.

"a masterpiece but quirky hmm. I have to try that "Yiddish policeman". Thanks to my husband, my yiddish vocabulary is pretty good.

JoanK · « **Reply #116 on:** January 24, 2009, 03:48:16 PM »

Meanwhile, I'm reading a good first book. "Here's the Church, here's the Steeple" by Tempa Pagel. A modern women is trying to solve a mystery dating back to 1811 in a small New England town.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #117 on:** January 24, 2009, 08:48:04 PM »

marjifay I am reading the David Liss book now - found it a bit disjointed as compared to his other books but a fine read so far - I think of his work more as a historical novel though - interesting that you and others see it for the mystery.

have any of you read M.C. Beaton's A Spoonful of Poison the latest Agatha Raisin Mystery - I always wait till they go into the $6.99 paperbook size which Kissing Christmas Goodbye did just before the holidays - thought it was better written then her previous stories in the series - just the writing not necessarily the story line which I thought was a bit weaker - but fun just the same - a light quick read that always puts a smile on my face - she is so outrageous in such a proper part of the world it is always a hoot to read.

marjifay · « **Reply #118 on:** January 25, 2009, 03:52:58 AM »

Barb. I agree with you about THE WHISKEY REBELS being more a historical novel than a mystery. Can't remember now what the mystery was. I liked it for the history and the characters - made me want to read Ron Chernow's book on Alexander Hamilton. I like books that make me curious to know more about a real place or character.

Afraid I haven't read any of M.C. Beaton's books. If they are cozies, I just can't seem to get interested in the genre. I know lots of people love it, tho.' The only "light" mystery I read last year was THE THIN WOMAN by Dorothy Cannell, and loved it! She has a terrific sense of humor.

I've just started THE WOMAN WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson. It's set in Sweden and written by a Swedish author. Some people have loved it, others not. I'll see.

Steph · « **Reply #119 on:** January 25, 2009, 09:25:33 AM »

I cannot read Cannel for some reason. I love pretty much all mysteries. My husband is a fan of legal type mysteries and loves a good court trial.. so he reads only those. He also likes one that have to do with Wall Street.
Some cozies are funny and others are a bit too much. I do have some problems with some of the series romance writers who try for a cozy and end up being too much romance and not enough mystery.. I also generally stop reading any mystery that starts out with the most gorgeous woman in the world meeting the handsomest man.. Boo... Hiss

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner (Read 148828 times)