Mystery Corner ~ 2

[JoanK]

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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   

Steph: I like Stabenow, too. Ever since I started watching Deadliest Catch on cable, about Alaskan crab fishers, I've been looking for my copy of the mystery Stabanow wrote years ago about crab fishers. Everything I see on TV was in that book (with a murderer thrown in). But I can't remember the title.

[JoanK]

MargV posted an interview with PD James in Fiction:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/video/2010/aug/03/pd-james-crime

[mrssherlock]

JoanK:  Stabenow's Dead in the Water http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/dana-stabenow/dead-in-water.htm is about Kate on a fishing boat.

[JoanK]

That's It! Thanks.

The results of our poll are out. The first book to be discussed is Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. Check out the proposed discussion here:

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=1585.0

[joangrimes]

I Really like Ruth Rendell...joangrimes

[mrssherlock]

Hey, JoanG, How is the rehab going?   It's so nice to see your posts, you've been absent for a while.

[nancymc]

As a Lurker and avid reader of 'Murder, mayhem, blood and guts I regularly read the Mystery Corner and have widened my list of favourite authors.   Before I joined Seniornet and then Seniorlearn I only read European writers but you have broadened my reading to include America.   I now love (my favourite) Sue Grafton, Michael Connelly, Lisa Scottolina, and many more.  On the recommendation of MrsSherlock I have now purchased three Susan Wittig Albert books and have started to read 'Rosemary Remembered'  It reminds me a bit of Diane Mott Davidson, without the snow, but it is my first book about Texas and I am looking forward to learning more, as I learned so much about Colorado from Diane, California from Sue, and Boston from Lisa.

I enjoy all the chat about mystery books.

Nancy   

[pedln]

Hi Nancy, it's good to see  you here.  Another American mystery writer you might enjoy is  an oldie, but goody -- Jane Langton.  Her main character (and sleuth) is a Harvard professor and former policeman, Homer Kelly.

And then a young, "serious" writer of some good mysteries is "our" Matthew Pearl.  I say "our" because he has participated in our discussions of his books, the latest one being The Last Dickens.

And mystery writer Neveda Barr will acquaint you will many of our National Parks.

[mrssherlock]

Women write better crime novels IMO.  There is less focus on the violence of the crime, more on the natures of the characters, including the victim(s).  Jane Haddam was my favorite for a few years.  her series featured Gregor Demarkian, retired FBI agent who now resides in his old neighborhood, the colorful Armenian section of Philadelphia.  He is not tied down, however, as he is called upon for consulting, seminars, visits to old friends. etc., so he gets around.  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/jane-haddam/

[JoanK]

NANCY: WELCOME, WELCOME! Yes, we learn so much, from the books and each other. I always say that everything I know, I know from reading mystery stories.

PEDLIN: I love Jane Langton! I hesitate to recommend her, her writing is so unique, some people can't relate to it. Every book is based on either a piece of music, a work of art, or a classic piece of literature, and the plot follows the ups and downs of it.

I recommended "Murder at the Gardiner" to my f2f mystery group, and they thought it was dated. If it is, then I'M dated!

That one is interesting because it deals with an art theft at the Gardiner Museum in Boston. After the book was published, there was a real art theft there, and the works (including a Rembrandt) have never been recovereed.

[mrssherlock]

Fresh Air's Maureen Corrigenda commentary on the popularity if Stag Larsson's Millennium Series (The Girl Who . . ) reminded me of the series about Swedish policeman Martin Beck, written by the husband-and-wife team of Maj Stowall and Per Wahloo, I read many years ago.  Like Larsson they wrote about crime in Sweden to dramatize its social stresses.  Walter Matthau starred in the movie, "The Laughing Policeman", a Martin Beck story.  Corrigan's final comment suddenly makes sense of my near obsessive dedication to crime novels: 

Whatever you ultimately think of the politics of Larsson's Millennium series, its astounding popularity is a testament to the power of literature — high and low — to airlift us readers out of our hemmed-in worldviews.

Emphasis added.
For the entirety of her commentary see: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129081110

[Steph]

I like the Barbara Vine mysteries. Odd type things.. But interesting. I read a bit of everything. Generally have two or three books going,plus a tape or cd..

[Tomereader1]

Presently reading Haunted Ground by Erin Hart.  Set in Ireland, modern day, but dealing with the peat bogs and what interesting and horrid things can be found there--well preserved, if human!  The story is a bit of history/mystery/romance/crime scene, archaeology...something for everyone.  Don't remember where this title was recommended, but it may have been here on Sr.Learn, and if so, thanks.

[roshanarose]

Thank you Tomereader1 for that recommendation.  One of my my favourite kinds of fiction.

[Steph]

Archeology.. I love to learn about things while I am reading about a crime. So neat.

[Babi]

  I'm currently reading "Gentlemen and Players", which was recommended here, I believe.  The opening didn't really grab me, but
after getting into it I'm enjoying it.  The two narrators are interesting;
you get two viewpoints, one of whom is presumably going to commit
murder. 
  I do wonder if the author is amusing himself at our expense, tho'.  Does it seem too much that the newest faculty members at St. Oswald's are named Meek, Keane, Light, and Easy?

[pedln]

Jackie, thanks for the link to NPR Swedish Mystery article. I’ve filed that away in my Larsson folder as I’m co-leading Dragon Tatoo in December for my f2f group.  Good background info there.

Babi, good eye.  I’ve read Gentlemen and Players twice and just never really picked up on those names.  I remember Meek, but just never put all those names together.  Too busy looking for the dirty words in Latin, I guess.  I thought it was a good read, but you’re right, it does take a little getting into.

[mabel1015j]

At my library yesterday, i noticed that the mystery section is getting longer and longer - a specialization of the cliche "so many mysteries, so little time." I couldn't read them all if i lived to be 100....lol.

When i mentioned it to the librarian she said mysteries were the biggest circulation of the library. I think that's a new trend in the country, both the writing of and the reading of mysteries. Wonder what brought that about, do you suppose it was the good mysteries on tv? Or maybe that fact that women started writing them and changed the genre to more of the cozy mystery and therefore more woman are reading them? Might be a good topic for our next "Talking Heads" discussion.........jean

[JoanK]

Mabel: good question.

Women as mystery writers are interesting. Many of the early popular English mystery writers were women (Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margorie Allingham -- the first two still popular). But the field was soon dominated by men, especially the "tough guys".

Then, I gree with you that women entered more and more into the field, although I don't have stats to back that up. Now, both are represented. I'd like to see statistics - (I've done research on "occupations that change gender composition", so you got me on my hobby horse).

I would have bet that there are more women than men. But my daughter showed me her new IPad. I looked for mystery books, and they listed them by "popularity". Nine of the first ten were by men (only Agatha Christie made the list). It may be that there are more women writers, but the men sell more books.

[mabel1015j]

Joan - I think you are probably right about writers v popularity. At least, my quick scrutiny of the mystery shelves at my library would say so.

Tell us more about your research, that's sounds fascinating. Give us some examples.........jean

[JoanK]

I was actually studying primarily how new technology is often used to introduce a new work force (for example women). The classical example is the entry of women into clerical work by creating a new occupation when the typewriter was introduced, thus bypassing the resistance of the (formerly all male) clerks.("A Woman's Place is at the Typewriter"). I was trying (in the 70s) to see how the increasing computerization would affect women's opportunities in the labor market.

Obviously our mystery story writers don't fit that pattern. As you pointed out, women writers (often) appeal to a new market rather than competing directly with male writers.

[maryz]

My husband likes most of the female mystery writers.  He doesn't particularly like the blood-and-gore stuff, and won't read the psychopathic serial killer stuff.  He does tend to like the high-tech stuff, though, which leaves me cold.

[mrssherlock]

One aspect of the mystery phenomenon is that there is always an answer to the question of who/why/how/when.  There is so much uncertainty today that it is comforting to know that there is safety in reading a mystery.  Perhaps that is why I don't read non-fiction much, except for science, technology and poetry. And women writers speak our language in ways that the old macho, testosterone laden noir shoot-em-ups never could.  When the character is a woman we are already on the same page with her, knowing her feelings, feeling her stresses, moaning her limitations either self-imposed or as the result of the failed expectations of others.  Right now I'm reading The First Cut by Dianne Emley.  It has more violence than the usual mystery written by a woman but I keep reading because the female protagonist is so vulnerable:  single mom, female detective, victim of a violent attack who has just returned to work for the Pasadena Police Department, male colleagues who are threatened by her gender and competence.  Cliche followed by cliche, but I can jump right into her mind and feel all her fears and anxieties.  She has a good relationship with her daughter but her mother and grandmother can't give up trying "to help" her.  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/e/dianne-emley/first-cut.htm Whatever woes she must endure i can feel confident that she will overcome the obstacles in her life.  Wish I could say the same.

[Steph]

I agree that I read mostly female writers because in mysteries, I tend to feel comfortable with the main character. There are male writers that I adore as well.. Michael Connelly, John Sandford..James Lee Burke,,etc.
I love what you did.. Mary.. The changing of jobs is interestingl I had been reading somewhere recently that more females than male are graduating from law school now..

[mabel1015j]

Joan - my readings told me that women got to  be "typewriters" because the company sent them out as salespersons to demonstrate the machine - they made more sales then men ......was that your understanding? Sometimes sexism works for us......lol......or it did initially by opening up a whole new category of work. No more having to just work in factories or stand on their feet all day as sales persons in dept stores .....My students were always surprised to learn that men did all the work in offices previous to that time...............jean

[Tomereader1]

A dear friend of mine sent me a link this morning, asking had any of my "book buddies" (referring to this group) heard of, read or mentioned this fellow.  Let me know!
http://www.craigallenjohnson.com

[JoanK]

The name of the author sounds vaguely familiar, but I've never read him. How about the rest of you?

Jackie: "One aspect of the mystery phenomenon is that there is always an answer to the question of who/why/how/when.  There is so much uncertainty today that it is comforting to know that there is safety in reading a mystery".

That's an excellant point. There's a certain tidiness to them. There is uncertainty, but it is resolved.

There is also a sense of justice in the mystery story "world". Bad things happen, but at least there is justice at the end.

There are a few authors who don't punish the muderers. Ian Pears has jolly murderers running around as continuing characters: thats why I won't read him: he violates that sense of justice that, to me, is part of the genre.

And of course there is the "logical puzzle" aspect of them. I hate it when there is no detecting: at the end, the muderer just pops up and says "It was me and I'm going to kill you hah hah"

[joegreyfan]

I've just realized it's much too long since I last posted! So here's the mysteries I've been reading lately:

I've just discovered Tess Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli-Maura Isles series. She's an excellent writer, and the one book I've read so far, The Apprentice (second in the series), was very nearly unputdownable. Be warned, there's a lot of grisly detail about corpses and autopsies (much like in Val McDermid's thrillers). When I finished it, I immediately ordered the first book, The Surgeon, and three more of them. (I haven't seen the TV series based on this series; like most shows I want to see, it's on too late for me!).

Those of you who prefer cozies might enjoy two new paperback originals, both with irresistibly attractive cover art: Murder Past Due by Miranda James (real name Dean James), a Southern whodunit that features a Maine coon cat named Diesel (because of his loud purr) and a librarian, and Chapter & Hearse by Lorna Barrett, fourth in the "Booktown Mystery" series, which stars a mystery-bookstore owner who has a cat named Miss Marple.

If you like thrillers, there's a wonderful Canadian writer named Rick Mofina, who is not nearly as well known as he should be. I just finished his If Angels Fall, which involves a serial kidnapper with religious mania. Like the one other book of his I've read (Vengeance Road), this one was very hard to stop reading, and I'm glad to find out there are still nine of his books I haven't read yet!

 

[Johanz4]

haven't been on for quite a while - got involved in some other forums but i miss this one as i read many mysteries. i think i will check with you guys first from now on. i think i got kind of disappointed as i kept lists of books you all recommended and never could find them.

however, i just want to say that many of you spoke about Susan Wittig Albert's books. i have read all of her China Bayles and some of the Potter ones. waiting for the new series. I have learned so much about herbs and their uses. and get her newsletter on PC. also am a fan of hers on Facebook.  she lists her web site at the end of her books.  she it all out - I think y ou will be very interested.

also, i like (I guess you would call them cozies) books covering Knitting Clubs in knitting stores, quilting, cooking, cleaning lady etc.  these all are hobbies most of us can relate too and i have learned so much from them.  they contain a mystery but you also learn about hobbies you have never experienced.  not explaining this very well but i think you understand what I am trying to say.let me know what you think?

     JO

[roshanarose]

Hi Johanz - Does that nz in your name mean that you are a Kiwi?

joegreyfan - I, too am an admirer of Tess Gerritsen.  I just took a look at her website and there will be a TV series based on her books coming out soon.  Probably not in Australia, though.  In a similar vein (a bad pun there)you may also like Mo Hayder.  Her books are a little "out of the ordinary" shall we say.  Also probably my favourite author of this genre is John Connolly.  He is Irish but writes about the southern states of US.  Not for everybody, quite gory, but I enjoy his writing.  His main character is Charlie Bird, retired detective.  Don't confuse Connolly with the Connelly of "The Poet".  JC also wrote a sort of fairy tale called "The Book of Lost Things".  An excellent book imo.  Although skip the part about Snow White, it lets down the whole story.

[Steph]

At home, I have been reading The Lost Things book.. Excellent. Did not bring it with me fo a week of classes since I did not want to concentrate at night.. Good book though.
Never heard of the other author.
Tess Gerritsen.. Hmm. I thought she only wrote medical mysteries. Will have to check out the team thing. I see the promos for the tv series. I like Angie Harmon, but like some others too late for this early bird.

[mabel1015j]

I wasn't aware that the tv show  Rizzoli and Isles was from a book series. I like the show very much, but i think that's partially because i love Angie Harmon and i especially like her in this show, the writers seem to write her behavior characteristics into her script - or whoever was doing the casting did an excellent job.

My library has about a dozen of TG's books listed, like i need a dozen more books on my TBR list.........aaarrgghhh, but i will put them on there..................jean

[mrssherlock]

The satellite TV service  subscribe to supplies a Digital Video Recorder which has lots of storage room (200 hours) for  recording those late shows.  While it is recording one program it can also record one other or one can watch another channel.  If one wants to see something other than what is being recorded one can watch a DVD instead. Every week I watch many of my favorite shows in the morning at breakfast or afternoon as I lunch.  If I miss a recording time on PBS there are usually alternate showings, like 3AM, which can be programmed in advance.  Another feature takes advantage of the electronic ID info so that I can schedule every episode of first run showings, I use this for NOVA, Nature, etc.  Since one member of my household is a sports fan, (you'd be surprised how many hours of the day can be filled with sports!) I don't have to miss out on my favorites; watching reruns of "Bones" every day at 4 PM has become a tradition here.  Additionally I can knit while viewing/listening.

[JoanK]

HI, JOHANZ -- we've missed you. I'm with you, I love to read mysteries where I learn about things or places that I wouldn't experience otherwise. I often say that everything I know, I know from reading mysteries.

JOEL: I had no idea that Rizzoli and Isles was based on books. I watch it (along with "the Closer" that precedes it). I watch Bones every day, too.

It's too easy to click on the "Amazon" sign above and order a book. Just ordered the first Rizzoli book (The Sugeon).

[Tomereader1]

It's nice to order from Amazon, especially if you do so from this site so we get credit for it.  (Shhh, said in a whisper...don't forget to checkout Thriftbooks.com  especially for older books, very very inexpensive for most and free shipping.

[marjifay]

How do you order books at Amazon thru this group?

One of my favorite groups for mysteries is the Yahoo group, 4 Mystery Addicts.  They don't read many cozies tho' (which is one of the reasons I like them.)

Marj

[Tomereader1]

At the top of this discussion page (or at the bottom right below Post, Preview, Spell Check) Click on the Gold Amazon.com logo.  The top of the discussion page, the logo is right below the "News" section.  That should do it.

[Babi]

JOAN & JACKIE, sci/fi offers me a similar comfort. They basically offer us
the good guys vs. the bad guys, and though the good guys suffer losses,  they do win. It's a comfort when it seems that in real life the bad guys succeed all too often.

 "

like most shows I want to see, it's on too late for me!)."

JOEGREYFAN, don't you have recording capability?  It's such a convenience. You record whatever you want to see, and then watch it whenever you please.
 I believe I have read a book featuring a cat named 'Diesel', but I can't remember the title or author.  sigh...Love 'em and leave 'em, that's me.  (No cracks about that last line!)
 

[JoanK]

 

[roshanarose]

Babi - reminds me of another favourite expression.  Keep 'em keen.  Stay mean  Ah!  We are such vixens.  (I wish!)