Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 909943 times)

marjifay · « **Reply #1520 on:** October 31, 2010, 10:57:49 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!

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Discussion Leaders: BillH and JoanK

I love crossword puzzles and used to do the LA Times puzzles every day. Stopped the Times (tired of having to get rid of all the newspapers), so don't do them now.

Marj

maryz · « **Reply #1521 on:** October 31, 2010, 11:23:43 AM »

marjifay, there are lots of crossword puzzles online - many free. My husband works several every day. I work several word puzzles every day - free. And nothing to recycle.

pedln · « **Reply #1522 on:** October 31, 2010, 11:41:54 AM »

Spooky-book suggestions from Seattle literati, including, for Shirley Jackson fans, a collection of short stories by Karen Joy Fowler.

Spooky Books for Halloween

jane · « **Reply #1523 on:** October 31, 2010, 01:51:39 PM »

There's also a free web sudoku which, under options, allows for "pencil marks"...i.e., you can put more than one number in a blank as you try to figure out which one fits.

http://www.websudoku.com/

I'm continuing to enjoy many of Linda Howard's mysteries. Some are too much for me...but most are ones I enjoy.

JoanK · « **Reply #1524 on:** October 31, 2010, 03:34:49 PM »

PEDLIN: "Have you seen Wordplay, the film that featured the annual crossword puzzle contest in Stamford, CT. A really good movie. And JoanK, didn't Manny construct the puzzle for the contest?"

I loved that movie. I think it was Patrick Berry who constructed the last puzzle (don't quote me on that). Manny may have done an earlier one.

My daughter this morning brought me the latest Stephanie barron "Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron." Unfortunately, when she left, she absentmindedly took it back with her, so I'll have to wait till tonight to get it. She reports that it's very interesting historically, but not as good as the others as a mystery. Has anyone read it?

Of course, tonight I'll be trick-or-treating with my grandchildren. I'll do that til THEY're too old (I'll never be).

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1525 on:** October 31, 2010, 03:35:37 PM »

I loved Linda Howard's "Mr Perfect", a funny suspenseful book, but not a "whodonit" mystery. I just checked my library catalogue and found 47 books of hers. I had read one of her other mysteries, but didn't realize that was her primary genre, thanks for the tip, Jane......Jean

Steph · « **Reply #1526 on:** November 01, 2010, 06:10:02 AM »

I just took some sort of brain age test on line that a friend sent me.. Said I was 47.. I could have kissed it.. At 72 I will take all the brain that I can keep.

Gumtree · « **Reply #1527 on:** November 01, 2010, 06:48:03 AM »

Steph - have you got a link to the brain test - we could all take it and discover that none of us has reached 50 yet.

Babi · « **Reply #1528 on:** November 01, 2010, 08:48:19 AM »

Oh, wouldn't that be nice! I'm sure I would do much better with an on-line quiz...where I could
delay my answers while my brain sorted through the files. I may still know the answers, but
my retrieval time is definitely longer.

JoanK · « **Reply #1529 on:** November 01, 2010, 03:23:11 PM »

Spent last night trick-or-treating with my grandkids. But retrieved "Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron." Reading the very sad beginning late last night depressed me, but it promises to perk up now.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1530 on:** November 01, 2010, 07:06:25 PM »

This evening I heard an interview on Front Row (radio 4) with PD James. She said she would love to write another Adam Dalgliesh mystery, but she's not going to because at the age of 92 she is worried she won't get it fiinshed before she dies. She said she could not bear to think of a posthumous review saying "she was amazing to write anything at her age, even though it's unfinished and not up to her old standard".

She has, however, just won a prize for a radio interview she conducted when she was guest producer of the Today programme!

The Dalgliesh books are, for most of us here, inescapably bound up with Roy Marsden's wonderful acting of the part in the TV adaptations.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #1531 on:** November 02, 2010, 06:14:20 AM »

www.freebrainagegames. com/ That is what it says on my favorites list. Babi.. They time you, it is part of the age thing..
I love P.D. James, but never watched any show featuring him. I much prefer to keep my heros in my brain, not from the tv.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1532 on:** November 02, 2010, 12:29:44 PM »

In yesterday's local paper, there was a column entitled: How to find your solution online.
For crosswords or Scrabble: crosswordsolver.org; allwords.com/solver.asp (enter word length and letters you know); oneacross.com or dictionary.reference.com/crossword/index.html (enter the clue and answer pattern)

For Sudoko: sudokusolver.co.uk (will solve by steps or entire board; sudoku-solutions.com (shows hints, rates difficulty; www.sudokuwiki.org/sudoku.htm (has a daily sudoku game as well; sudokusolver.com (solves super sudoku, too)

There's also a couple for Anagrams/jumbles or Scrabble. If you all want those, let me know.

Babi · « **Reply #1533 on:** November 02, 2010, 07:16:10 PM »

I finished "The Coroner's Lunch". Just when I thought it was over, I turned the page and found
another short (3 pgs.)chapter, entitled "Just When You Thought It Was Over".

Steph · « **Reply #1534 on:** November 03, 2010, 06:09:05 AM »

Aha BAbi,, a writer with a sense of humor.. Rare indeed.

Babi · « **Reply #1535 on:** November 03, 2010, 08:19:01 AM »

JoanK · « **Reply #1536 on:** November 03, 2010, 02:41:58 PM »

That's what I like about him -- his sense of humor. Did you like the book?

As often happens, I found myself in the library without my list of your suggestions. But I found a Gillian Roberts I had somehow missed.

Steph · « **Reply #1537 on:** November 04, 2010, 05:58:13 AM »

I finished the Faye Kellerman. Excellent, although a bit more violent than her normal books.

Steph · « **Reply #1538 on:** November 05, 2010, 06:08:58 AM »

I realized quite recently that although I have read all of the others, I have not read Charlaine Harris original series.. Aurora Teagarden.. A bit less complicated than her current work, but I got several through my swap club and am reading one just now. Felt the need for simple uncomplicated mysteries. Aurora is a bit out in left field, but thats ok just now.

Babi · « **Reply #1539 on:** November 05, 2010, 09:17:01 AM »

I like him very much, JOAN, an will probably read more of this series.
After all, the coroner and I are much the same age.

Steph · « **Reply #1540 on:** November 06, 2010, 08:43:02 AM »

The Aurora book was good, although it made her a bit more silly than necessary and it is not quite that easy and quick for a first baby to be born.. Sigh.

JoanK · « **Reply #1541 on:** November 06, 2010, 02:02:07 PM »

The Gillian Roberts "Alls Well that Ends" isn't as good as some of her others. Drags a bit.

Steph · « **Reply #1542 on:** November 07, 2010, 05:54:59 AM »

I am reading a newish Margaret Maron.. The one where she is at Wilmington Beach at a Judges conference.. Fun as always.

pedln · « **Reply #1543 on:** November 07, 2010, 10:33:51 AM »

Steph, is that the one where a judge comes out in a robe at a place where robes are usually not worn?

She is my favorite mystery writer.

FlaJean · « **Reply #1544 on:** November 07, 2010, 02:34:23 PM »

She has a new book coming out soon named Christmas Mourning. Waiting impatiently as the last three books I got from the library were real bombs and I didn't finish even one of them.

JoanK · « **Reply #1545 on:** November 07, 2010, 02:41:12 PM »

"the last three books I got from the library were real bombs and I didn't finish even one of them."

When you're hot, your hot -- when you're not, you're not. I got a few new authors to try. We'll see how I did.

FlaJean · « **Reply #1546 on:** November 07, 2010, 02:51:16 PM »

I just found out that my library now has Christmas Mourning by Margaret Maron. I always seem to be late reserving new books and am 11 on the list. I'm glad several of you mentioned her and I checked or I would be much further down the list.

Steph · « **Reply #1547 on:** November 08, 2010, 05:53:20 AM »

Finished Sand Shark,, No she talks of a previous conference and the judge who came out in the robe, but this time, she is a new bride and he gets his comeuppance from a very old male friend of hers.

Babi · « **Reply #1548 on:** November 14, 2010, 08:31:31 AM »

I just finished a very enjoyable and timely Donna Andrews mystery, "Six Geese A-Slaying".
As always, Andrews is fun, the book is fast-paced, easy reading, and you don't even have to
mourn the victim; he well deserved it!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1549 on:** November 14, 2010, 02:11:13 PM »

I'm reading a Judge Knott book, also, Killer Market, taking placein High Point during the furniture show....a fun read.....thanks to someone on here who steered me to that series......jean.

JoanK · « **Reply #1550 on:** November 14, 2010, 02:48:06 PM »

Finished Victoria Thompson "Murder on Waverley Place". It's about a murder at a seance. They were very popular then (turn of the century) and later.

Turn of the century New York, with Theodore Roosevelt trying to clean up the police force, and many other social reformers (Riis, Hellman etc.) working on the problems of the immegrants, is an historical period that has always interested me. The population of the US literally doubled in 10 years from a combination of immegration and dropping death rate. Much of the increase was in cities like New York, and just about everything was in a state of crisis.

This book has less of this atmosphere than her others. But I always look forward to her books.

FlaJean · « **Reply #1551 on:** November 14, 2010, 04:47:58 PM »

Just finished The Charming Quirks of Others, the latest in McCall Smith's Isabel Dalhousie series. Dear, dear Isabel. She does make mountains out of molehills, but I do like her.
That murder mystery by Victoria Thompson sounds good, I'll check on that at my library along with a few other suggestions.

pedln · « **Reply #1552 on:** November 14, 2010, 05:07:50 PM »

Jean, Killer Market and Uncommon Clay are my very favorite Margaret Maron books. And I want to visit, someday, both Highpoint and Sea Grove.

I picked up a real bargain today from the Library Friends Discount Cart -- The Private Patient by P D James. Now to find time to read it.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1553 on:** November 15, 2010, 02:08:48 AM »

Oh Flajean, you are lucky! I am still waiting for a library copy of Isobel's latest.

Has anyone tried Donna Leon's detective stories set in Venice? Maybe they have already been discussed, in which case, apologies, but I enjoy them for their insight into Venetian life.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #1554 on:** November 15, 2010, 01:09:08 PM »

I am with you. I want to go to all of the places that Margaret Maron writes about.
Just finished Marcia Muller.. "Locked In". Has anyone ever heard of this syndrom.. Scary indeed.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1555 on:** November 15, 2010, 01:52:10 PM »

Well I haven't read the books, but I did recently have a client who had had a major and catastrophic stroke at the age of 46, and the doctors told his partner that he was in a "locked in state", ie he could not communicate but they thought he could understand. Sadly he died after some months in hospital. He had not granted power of atorney to his partner, no doubt because he felt too young to do that - I was so shocked by the struggle the poor partner had (and they had a small child) with the various authorities, banks, etc, that I got my husband to sign a PoA immediately and also did one myself. I then e-mailed all of the people in my firm and offered to prepare one for them for nothing, and not one person took me up on it - my closest colleague, who is slightly older than me, said she was "not yet ready for that kind of thing" (even though she has several family members, including a husband, whom she could have appointed). The P of A can be made conditional on the attorney obtaining one (or indeed more than one) doctor's letter confirming that you are incapable.

I don't know if the same system operates in the USA and Australia, but as a lawyer I can only urge everyone to take this precaution, - you may well never need to use it, but it could save you and everyone else a great deal of trouble and money.

Rant over! Sorry - it's one of my hobby horses.

Rosemary

maryz · « **Reply #1556 on:** November 15, 2010, 02:37:14 PM »

I'm with you, Rosemary - it's SO important. We have them, our children have them, and I hope all of our grandchildren have them. Plus the Medical PoA - which is a different document over here.

JoanK · « **Reply #1557 on:** November 15, 2010, 03:28:31 PM »

Thank you, Rosemary. I keep meaning to do that, and keep forgetting.

I like Donna Leon's books, too. Although it always annoys me that his wife is supposed to have a responsible job, but comes home every day to cook a three course gourmet meal for him. Yeah, right!!

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1558 on:** November 15, 2010, 04:04:06 PM »

JoanK - I agree about the wife, she really doesn't seem to do much work, she just has lots of opinions! And of course, she must needs have an unbelievably wealthy family - in fact, she really is quite annoying

Brunetti, however, is a wonderful creation, and I love the way he looks forward to his meals, and hopes that certain dishes will be on the menu. Plus, there is no PC-ness about drink in these novels, they are forever opening a bottle of prosecco or knocking back a liqueur. I've only been to Italy a few times, but I have never seen anyone remotely drunk there - they seem to have a much better relationship with alcohol than we do in the UK, where every high street is now over-run with inebriated, obnoxious, semi-clad people every Friday and Saturday night. And I love the way Brunetti lays on the sofa reading classical authors like Virgil.

One of the things I always notice in the novels is how people in Venice don't do huge supermarket shops - they just buy what they need each day and the children go out to get ice cream after dinner - because of course they have no cars; what a liberation.

R

JoanK · « **Reply #1559 on:** November 15, 2010, 04:34:29 PM »

I don't know about that. I had to buy groceries (especially milk and meat -- anythingthat would spoil) every day when I was in Israel, and it was a pain -- come home from work, and buy dinner ingredients before I could even start to cook. So I took one day, and cooked for three or four meals. The rest made simple quick meals.

Not Leon's women. A different three course meal every day. Things that would take hours to cook, ready by midday, and not made the night before (or he would have known what they were having). By what magic did she pull this off, and work full-time?

But that's such a quibble. They're excellent books.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 909943 times)