Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 870267 times)

Babi · « **Reply #280 on:** December 02, 2009, 08:05:00 AM »

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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

I didn't realize "The Janissary Tree" was a mystery. I remember hearing
about it years ago, but never got around to reading it.....that I recall.

(sigh)

mrssherlock · « **Reply #281 on:** December 02, 2009, 11:44:07 AM »

I concur; The Janissary Tree led me in an exploration of a way of life beyond my imagining. Good characterization and sense of place.

salan · « **Reply #282 on:** December 02, 2009, 07:19:11 PM »

Joan, thank you for all your suggestions and thank you for putting them in order. I do like to start at the beginning when I am reading a series. I have read a lot of Janet Evanovich. I really liked her, but think I kind of burned myself out by reading her too much. Maybe it's time to start again. I checked out and read Donna Andrews, Murder with Peacocks. I enjoyed it and will probably check out some more of hers. I also checked out one by Sharon Kahn and two by Joanne Fluke. Will let you know about those later.
Sally

JoanK · « **Reply #283 on:** December 02, 2009, 10:00:04 PM »

Great!

peace42 · « **Reply #284 on:** December 02, 2009, 10:58:44 PM »

just finished Michael Connelly's The Closers...and really liked it...Harry Bosch comes out of retirement returning to the force and in the cold case unit..not what they call it but you get the idea...builds slowly to an ending I didn't see...but then I never do guess who done it

just picked up two new ones at the library this afternoon so am off to bed to start one
take care all and sleep well

PatH · « **Reply #285 on:** December 04, 2009, 01:27:02 PM »

OK, it's not a mystery, but you might enjoy this:

Coming Soon...KIM by Kipling ~ our January Book Club Online.
Let us know you'll be joining us in our discussion.

Babi · « **Reply #286 on:** December 05, 2009, 08:44:25 AM »

Maybe not strictly a mystery, but as I recall there is a lot of adventure,
spying, undercover work and general daring-do.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #287 on:** December 06, 2009, 12:24:47 PM »

On my library's "Christmas shelf" i saw " Ben Franklin and a Case of Christmas Murder," by Robert Lee Hall. Of course, i couldn't pass that up. Apparently there was a BF book previously to this one, i'll have to look for that. I don't know if there have been more, haven't checked that out yet. Just got started - set in London in 1740's when BF was negotiating w/ the Penns to lower the taxes of the people of Pennsylvania. Has anyone read any of this series? ......................

I just checked the library catalogue, they have four of a series, they are all set in London.

This is from Fantastic Fiction:
Benjamin Franklin
1. Benjamin Franklin Takes the Case (1988)
2. Benjamin Franklin and a Case of Christmas Murder (1990)
3. Murder at Drury Lane (1992)
4. Benjamin Franklin and the Case of Artful Murder (1994)
5. Murder by the Waters (1995)
6. London Blood (1997)

Novels
Exit Sherlock Holmes (1977)
The King Edward Plot (1980)
Murder at San Simeon (1988)

jean

JoanK · « **Reply #288 on:** December 06, 2009, 05:01:41 PM »

Have to try those. Benjamin franklin was quite a character (when in France, he used to go around in a coonskin cap, and sunbathe nude on his balcony on a busy street. But he invented or discovered just about anything you can think of, including thr Gulf Stream).

If the author caught his flavor, the books should be great! My main library has numbers3 through 6.

marcie · « **Reply #289 on:** December 06, 2009, 05:21:48 PM »

Jean, those Benjamin Franklin titles sound good. I'll check my public library too! Thank you.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #290 on:** December 07, 2009, 03:27:50 PM »

Ben F is one of my favorite historical characters and living near PHila just keeps him alive.
In Phila he started the library, the fire company, a fire insurance co, the Junta, which was a study group - think "think tank" - which then began to share books, thus the beginning of the library system, the first hospital, the gas light system for the city, etc. etc. etc., not to mention the electricity experiments, the Franklin stove, bifocals, the armonica, etc. etc. etc. That's why Philly's natural history museum is called The Franklin Institute.

If you get to Phila, go to the Franklin Museum at 3rd and Market, it's very interesting. You might even see Ben walking around and if you come into the city from the Ben Franklin Bridge, right in front of you is a sculpture of Ben and his kite and the lightning.

When we play the game "who would you invite to a dinner party?" Ben is always on my list......................jean

mrssherlock · « **Reply #291 on:** December 07, 2009, 04:33:28 PM »

Loving numbers as I do, though I didn't have the brainpower to be a mathematician, I enjoy vicariously particiating in mathematical endeavors. A new book, Pythagoras' Revenge caught my interest and it is as exotic as it can be, starting off with a brief precis on Pythagoras who I only knew from his theorem about the hypotenuse of a right triangle, recalling the 15 Puzzle and who knows what will come next? http://kasmana.people.cofc.edu/MATHFICT/mfview.php?callnumber=mf713

Golden State Poppy · « **Reply #292 on:** December 07, 2009, 06:12:39 PM »

I have just accidentally stumbled into an author that I like very much...Robert W. Walker. He was an English teacher before he was an author. I am reading "Double Edge" by him. He apparently wroter in many genres and he wrote four with Edge in the title about Lucas Stonecoat, an American Indian, who become a successful detective in the Houston Police Force. He is solving two cases at once..one about a fellow Native American woman who was hacked to death and the second about a serial killer who is killing black boys. I haven't finished yet so don't know how it turns out.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #293 on:** December 07, 2009, 08:20:19 PM »

I'm always interested in reading local authors and Oregon produces more than its share; New to me is L J sellers who writes about a police detective in Eugene, home of University of Oregon. The Sex Club is the first and I almost didn't pick it up, being turned off, so to speak, by the title, imagining it to be another smutty married swinger sort of tale. It turned out to be much much more than I expected since the sex is between 13-year-old white Christian girls and their partners. One the one hand we have an RN who works at the local Planned Parenthood who is seeing these girls exhibiting genital warts and assuring her diplomatic questions that they are not victims of abuse but the sex is consensual. On the other is the police detective who has a 13-year-old daughter, former best friends with the first of the girls to be murdered. The characters are sympathetic and the menace is diffuse enough that the suspense is satisfactorily maintained.

JoanK · « **Reply #294 on:** December 07, 2009, 09:05:46 PM »

Jackie: as a former Math major, I love books like that. Pythagoras was a character too, with his religious fanaticism. I remember reading a book about the number zero. I don't remember the details, but at the time, the number system did not contain the number zero. This severely limited math and arithmatic. When introducing zero was propopsed, it was opposed as blasphemy, (the gods would not create NOTHING!) And people were killed over it. I forget which side P was on.

JoanK · « **Reply #295 on:** December 07, 2009, 09:10:39 PM »

I hope no one was insulted by my description of Ben Franklin. I'm just amused by the fact that geniuses (which F. certainly was) are often a little eccentric (makes me feel better that I'm a little eccentric). I think we appreciate the truly great more, not less, if we see them as human beings, not as statues on a monument.

peace42 · « **Reply #296 on:** December 07, 2009, 09:31:28 PM »

wow, more authors/titles to add to my "to read" list..the Robert Walker books sound fascinating as do the Ben Franklin ones...gee, they never taught all that stuff about him when I was in school!
just finished Capitol Offense by William Bernhardt...lawyer/cop book and of course with the ever popular PI associate! not bad but I did skim some of the legalese/trial stuff...ending wrapped up a little too quickly but also a twist that I sure didn't see coming...so, would I read another of his? yes

weather supposed to be gettting nasty in a day or two here in SW Michigan so I'm ready with my newest library book and my big basket of "winter books" that I keep when I can't make it to the library
take care everyone and sleep well...dreaming of all the books you'll hopefully get for Christmas..and of course give one or two as gifts

mrssherlock · « **Reply #297 on:** December 07, 2009, 11:50:20 PM »

Joan: Pythagoras is definitely worthy of more of my attention. I'm off to explore my library's resources.

Babi · « **Reply #298 on:** December 08, 2009, 09:03:40 AM »

My, JACKIE, you are brave. Pythagoras, no less! I'm sure I studied
triangles and hypotenuse and all that at one time, but by avoiding all
such subjects ever since, I've managed to forget pretty much all of it.

As a native Houstonian, I would be gratified to find some good books
set locally. Thanks for mentioning him, POPPY.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #299 on:** December 08, 2009, 01:03:47 PM »

Joan - i think by now everyone knows Ben was a charmer and maybe a philanderer so i'm sure no one was offended. ....i guess no one knows for sure how sexual any of those liasons were, except we do know his son was not his wife's child, altho she took him in and apparently treated him like a son....William is an interesting psychological study - he lived in NJ, not far from where i am and was the gov of the colony, appt'd by the king, and he stayed loyal to the king during the Revolution - huuuuummmmm - what kind of pay back was that? .......... I think the guy from Newsweek - Issacson?......has recently written a new BF bio, maybe he nails down the real story, haven't read it yet.............jean

JoanK · « **Reply #300 on:** December 08, 2009, 04:42:31 PM »

The real Ben Franklin is a lot more interesting (and a lot more human) than the stuffy pompous person portrayed in "Poor Richards Almanac". I was just hoping that that's the franklin portrayed in the detective series. I see I'll have to get it and find out.

I wonder if the people in that financial firm that uses his picture as their logo have read his biography.

Babi · « **Reply #301 on:** December 09, 2009, 09:03:19 AM »

Probably not the 'true story' version, JOAN.

JoanK · « **Reply #302 on:** December 09, 2009, 02:43:36 PM »

After all that, I had to order the first book from Amazon.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #303 on:** December 10, 2009, 01:44:06 PM »

The Mistress of the Art of Death, as a title, is almost repellant. I picked this book up several times, then read the first few pages, still didn't connect. Finally, i dived in and it was a most amaazing story, is the first of a series.
Taking place during the reighn of Henry II it concerns the death of a child, Henry's argument with the Church, the plight of Jews, Crusaders, and the place of women in society. All told in a tale with notable characters, a plot with myriad twists and turns, it kept me up alll night.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/ariana-franklin/mistress-of-art-of-death.htm

mrssherlock · « **Reply #304 on:** December 10, 2009, 08:39:29 PM »

I forgot to mention this: Having finished Pythagorus' Revenge I find in this, my next book, mention of a Pythagorean Academy in 12th century Cambridge. Cambridge Univerity began when a schism split the Oxford community and some dissedants established their own school.

Babi · « **Reply #305 on:** December 11, 2009, 09:06:11 AM »

Isn't it fascinating the interesting little bits you can pick up just reading
for the pure enjoyment of it? I'd heard of the Ariana Franklin book
before, but my library doesn't have it. Since I need to read about four
books in the next two weeks, I'll postpone doing anything about that.

winsummm · « **Reply #306 on:** December 11, 2009, 02:00:38 PM »

warning for those living aonedo not read Wendy Roberts series on Saide Novak who cleans up the elcerly unattended death scenes.

she is amusing similar to janet evanovitch and writes a good mstery but left me with to many unwelcome thoughts about my on demise.

claire

winsummm · « **Reply #307 on:** December 11, 2009, 02:10:59 PM »

thanks ms. sherlock. I just ordered the sample of the mistress of the art of death. problably not a good idea right now after the wendy roberts series. . . but. . .soon. like you wondering if I should read about all that right now. even with the light roberts touch it leaves a serious downer. at least for me.

claire

mrssherlock · « **Reply #308 on:** December 11, 2009, 03:28:21 PM »

Sorry the Wendy Roberts' series was so disturbing. I did try to warn that it could be a bit strong; that's why I mentioneed Bones and CSI. The Vixtoria Lowry series about the Psychic Eye is very good and not as grim, it's almost a cosy. Just finished the latest in Charlaine Harris' series about the lightening strike survivor who can find dead bodies and can sense how they died. The mystery of her sister's disappearance eight years ago is a prominent sub-plot as Harper and Tolliver spend time with their intersecting families. These two are step-siblings as her mother with two daughters narried his father with two sons and them produced two more daughters.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #309 on:** December 11, 2009, 03:47:25 PM »

PS: First in the Psychic Eye series by Victoria Laurie is here: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/victoria-laurie/abby-cooper-psychic-eye.htm

Wendy Roberts' Ghost Dusters series: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/wendy-roberts/remains-of-dead.htm

In defense of Wendy Roberts' series, Sadie began this work when her brother commited suicide and she undertook the chore of the clean-up to spare her mother. She then completed the training, got her certification, and has been the only provider of this service for Seattle to help those families who needed her. She found that the dead, those who couldn't continue to their final destination, could communicate with her and she has helped solve some crimes as a result. It is a bit graphic but she is a consumate professional in her craft. The character's compassion and dedication are deep and she is an appealling protagonist IMHO.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #310 on:** December 12, 2009, 12:21:43 AM »

The Ben Franklin mystery is o.k. A lot of "English" terms i'm not familiar w/, or maybe they are 18th century words, it's written in what is supposedly that eras language, i guess. It's not a mystery i can't put down, but it's o.k. I'm only about 1/3 of the way thru - i've got other books, i HAVE to read - and no one has died yet. I have discovered that the narrator is supposed to be another of BF's "illegitimate" sons by an English woman. William is there also. ................. who knows? .........jean

peace42 · « **Reply #311 on:** December 12, 2009, 07:48:23 AM »

sure never read about this Ben Franklin in my History books in high school in the 50's

might have liked History class a bit better

just finished Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan...picked it up because the author lives in Michigan (Ann Arbor)..as do I, tho not in Ann Arbor...mystery involving publisher of a magazine that publishes mystery short stories...sometimes confusing..so many characters who could have "done it"..plus the female detective who is kinda liking the mystery man who seems involved in everything and no one really knows much about him except that he always is "there"...high praise on the jacket, of course...this is his debut novel so I'm guessing we'll see more...the story read like a plot from one of the published mysteries..strange little book but when/if he writes another I'll give it a whirl..nite all and sleep well

mabel1015j · « **Reply #312 on:** December 12, 2009, 12:03:48 PM »

Peace - that's exactly what my college history students would say to me. I talked a lot of personalities of historical characters and what led them to make the decisions they made and therefore about their personal lives and the students would say "how come they didn't teach us this in high schl? It's a lot more interesting than dates and battles!" I even had some students say they would like to pursue a career as a history teacher...........wooohoooo! .................I like history because of the "story" part, so i figured they would too.......................jean

JoanK · « **Reply #313 on:** December 12, 2009, 01:47:41 PM »

woohoo is right. Wish I'd had you as a teacher. I went through High School thinking its purpose was to make you read boring things so you wouldn't have time to read interesting things. Didn't discover that you could actually learn in school til I got to Graduate school.

Babi · « **Reply #314 on:** December 13, 2009, 08:36:46 AM »

I love history, JEAN, and for a time I considered being a history teacher.
But I recognized that I am a person who does not like to go over the
same thing again and again, so I suspected I would not do well as a teacher. But I still love delving into the human aspect of history, the
'story' behind it all.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #315 on:** December 13, 2009, 11:57:33 PM »

Babi - if you're teaching history and you are a GOOD teacher you are never teaching the same things over and over. Each class takes the discussion in a different direction, if the teacher lets them. I kept reading new articles and books, giving me new information, both because there was new research and because it was just something i hadn't read about before.

Now, if you're teaching math, maybe 2+2 is always 4, but just think of all the new biographies that have come out over the last 50 yrs. Just watching Ken Burns tv programs on the Civ War, or the Brooklyn Bridge, etc. or the John Adams' series, including Abigail, and all those other Founding Fathers and Mothers, or books on WWII, or the Viet Nam War, or the Civil Rts Movement, or ALL the books on Lincoln, including Mary, and ALL the books on women's history over the last 50 yrs., etc. etc. Each gave me new info to relay or to bring to an event or person. Actually, that's a big part of what i liked about teaching history..............jean

Babi · « **Reply #316 on:** December 14, 2009, 08:36:23 AM »

Too late now, JEAN, but I know you're right. My 'teaching' has been
confined to instructing new people at work, or Sunday School classes.
I found what I'm sure you know even better than I.... that it is a pleasure to teach those who are eager to learn, and horrible trying to teach those who are only there because they have to be!

Frybabe · « **Reply #317 on:** December 25, 2009, 09:41:51 PM »

My goodness it has been quiet in here.

George and I stopped at an Ollie's on the way to visit an old friend on the 24th. They had tons of book in boxes and piles. I wasn't seeing much of interest at first until I ran across Douglas Prestion's Blasphemy. I almost picked it up, but decided against it (wasn't really interested in the subject/plot). I said to myself "too bad Tyrannosaur Canyon isn't here". Well, to my surprise I found it. I am not sure if it is going to be a straight up murder mystery or a horror style like Relic. Great buy at $3 for a hardcover, which is better than the $6 (at least) I would have paid at my local used bookstore. Another book I ran across but didn't buy (kicking myself) was The Greatest Game Ever Played. I vaguely remember seeing at least a little of the movie. I am not a golfer, but it was interesting, based on a true story.

CubFan · « **Reply #318 on:** December 25, 2009, 09:56:29 PM »

Greetings and Happy Holidays -

This evening just finished U is for Undertow the new Sue Grafton. I liked it and it held my interest. Was a nice read after all the preparations and cleaning etc the last few weeks. My girls and their families will be here Sunday and then it's back to routine. At least the roads - at this time - appear to be better travel for them than I had. Enough of this freezing rain, sleet & snow. I think I can stay in and read for the rest of the winter - occasional outings for food.

Mary

Babi · « **Reply #319 on:** December 26, 2009, 09:12:45 AM »

I have mixed feelings about finding 'tons of books', FRYBABE. on the
one hand the possibilities are exciting. On the other, there is no way
I'd be able to sort through more than a fraction of them, and I'd be
convinced I'd missed something I would have loved. Sort of like a kid
in a candy store.
Only five more letters in the alphabet for Grafton. I wonder what she
will do after 'Z'?

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 870267 times)