Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897423 times)

JoanK · « **Reply #1760 on:** January 01, 2011, 05:04:46 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!

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Discussion Leaders: BillH and JoanK

NANCY: missed your post. That sounds interesting. Does it have the flavor of the other Swedish books we read?

Claire suggested a series where the detective is the White House chef (Julia Hyzy "State of the Onion"). Have any of you read her?

Steph · « **Reply #1761 on:** January 02, 2011, 06:18:55 AM »

I am surprised. Generally her series is more sensible, but this is a particularly light one. I like the Herb ones the best.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1762 on:** January 02, 2011, 11:03:14 AM »

I started my first Parnell Hall, Favor, last night. It is funny and being located in NJ makes it more interesting. I was giggling almost from page one......Jean

CubFan · « **Reply #1763 on:** January 02, 2011, 11:40:02 AM »

Just finished Sheila Connolly's A Killer Crop - mixture of apple harvesting & genealogy. Enjoyable read. Am now into her new museum series. The first title is Fundraising the Dead set in a private archival museum in Philadelphia much like the institution in Central city where she worked while living in Philly. Both have been a nice break from the holidays and nonfiction reading.

Mary

JoanK · « **Reply #1764 on:** January 02, 2011, 04:04:14 PM »

Read my first "chocoholic" mystery by Carl. The detective runs a chocolate shop. Made the mistake of reading it at night, and got so hungry, had to raid the fridge. Don't think I can afford the calories to read many. Wel-l-l, maybe just one more.

Steph · « **Reply #1765 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:19:33 AM »

Will have to look up Sheila Connolly. I love books on museums, etc.

jeriron · « **Reply #1766 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:05:14 AM »

Just to let those on here that I asked about the IPAD..I did get one and so far I love it.

It's a work in progress but I'm getting there and I'm sure I will still be asking questions on here.

JoanK · « **Reply #1767 on:** January 03, 2011, 04:56:23 PM »

I tried to connect my new kindle yesterday, and it just will not connect to my wireless router. Frustration.

salan · « **Reply #1768 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:01:10 PM »

Joan, I had to call my internet provider to help me get connected--seems I needed more help than the instructions provided. It was easy with help--though waiting to get to talk to a real person was frustrating and took about 15 min on hold! I am now connected and love it so far.
Sally

maryz · « **Reply #1769 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:19:31 PM »

Joan, your Kindle doesn't connect to a wireless router (or at least mine doesn't). As I understand it, it connects to an ethernet that Amazon has - and it should work anywhere you can get a cell phone signal (doesn't have to be YOUR cell phone).

JoanK · « **Reply #1770 on:** January 03, 2011, 07:08:04 PM »

MaryZ: I think that's the more expensive one. I have the cheaper one that goes through your router.

Salan: I didn't think of that. My nephew gave me the router. But I'll see what tech support I can find.

maryz · « **Reply #1771 on:** January 03, 2011, 08:00:37 PM »

Might be, Joan - mine is a Kindle 2 - it was the only kind available when I got it. I've had it for a year or so.

Steph · « **Reply #1772 on:** January 04, 2011, 06:22:27 AM »

I honestly think that the less expensive one is the one that connects through the ethernet and the new and more expensive has a 3g and uses the router to connect for email, etc.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1773 on:** January 04, 2011, 09:42:32 AM »

I don't know whether the one that was given to me is a new version or old. It connects to Amazon;s "WhisperNet" automatically. I read enough of the manual to know that if I want to go to other websites, they will charge a fee of some sort. I haven't looked to see how to do that. For the Audible audio files and for e-books like from Gutenberg, they recommend downloading to my computer first and then transferring to the Kindle. I noticed, too, that Amazon has a document conversion service available for a fee. Interesting features I had no idea Kindle could do. Also, I can play MP3s on it, if I want to, while reading. Mine is a G3.

maryz · « **Reply #1774 on:** January 04, 2011, 10:15:42 AM »

That's the difference - mine is "only" a reader. Except I just found out I can connect to google and some other places. Don't plan to do it - it's too cumbersome to use that way, IMO. I hope I don't get charged for my experimenting with it - that never occurred to me. I'll have to check.

pedln · « **Reply #1775 on:** January 04, 2011, 02:12:55 PM »

JoanK, my kindle is like yours -- Kindle3 just for wireless and not the cell phone. I got mine in late August, so of course i don't remember how I connected, but it hasn't been a problem. I think maybe I had to type in the WEP number of the router. I know at the library I had to type in their password, which turned out to be the phone no.

Has anyone read Kate Carlisle's series about Brooklyn Wainright, a bookbinder? My f2f group is reading #2 for January -- If Books Could Kill. Maybe I'm in the wrong generation, but I think it's pretty goofy, ridiculous, and predictable. The protagonist is besotted with men and alcohol.

MaryZ, I understand what you're saying. I wouldn't mind experimenting with what the Kindle can do, but I don't want to be charged for it. I really like reading from it, with it.

I've never hooked it up to my computer, but aren't some of those older free books (public domain) at Amazon pretty much the same as you would find in Gutenberg.?

Steph · « **Reply #1776 on:** January 05, 2011, 06:14:01 AM »

I sync my ipad with my big computer about once every few weeks. That way, what I have is in both places.
I am reading my ftf book as well as Little Bee.. I also got this wonderful book for Christmas. Basically what do you eat.. It has pictures and descriptions from all over the world with the calorie count, the person, the food and then a short story of their life style. Absolutely fascinating.

JoanK · « **Reply #1777 on:** January 05, 2011, 03:28:44 PM »

Finished and liked "Candy Apple Red" by Nancy Bush. Exactly halfway between a cozy and a psychological: not as deep as the latter or as light as the former. I like that and will definitely look for more: some may not.

Also read "Mai Tai to Murder" by Calvert. The detective is an OR nurse, and a cheerleader for nurses (good for her!). It's too drawn out, we don't have to know every morsel she eats or what everyone in every room is wearing. But worth another look.

Babi · « **Reply #1778 on:** January 06, 2011, 08:42:41 AM »

I'm not interested in what everyone's wearing, or eating, in real life,
...never mind in my reading. $:-\$

Steph · « **Reply #1779 on:** January 06, 2011, 08:52:38 AM »

Nancy Bush wrote several books, but I was not that thrilled with the writing.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1780 on:** January 12, 2011, 03:15:27 PM »

Finished Parnell Hall's "Favor". Entertaining, but not engrossing. Also "Aunt Dimity's Death" by Nancy Atherton. I liked it, a good story interweaving generations finding out about the best kept secrets. I believe this is the beginning of a series, but since Aunt Dimity is dead, I'm not sure how that is going to work

. Also read my second Joanne Fluke book,Strawberry Shortcake Murders. I also liked it, but is much like Diane Davidson's food related books and caterer. I think i've read all but the latest Davidsonbooks, so is good to have another author to go to for light food mysteries

.......jean

JoanK · « **Reply #1781 on:** January 12, 2011, 04:36:02 PM »

Steph: I agree on Nancy Bush. read a second (Ultraviolet) and didn't like it at all. The writing was bad, and the plot and detecting made no sense.

Oh, Well. there are plenty of other writers.

read a Harlon Coben. The detective is a sports agent -- ex-basketball player. Since I'm a sports junkie, the sports backgound really appeals to me. This one ("Drop Shot") didn't appeal. A plot twist you could see coming a mile away, and the gangsta stuff was just silly. He thinks he can shock you by telling you how commercial sports is. Well duh. Anyone with half a brain knows all that.

I like authors who love what they're writing about. I'll read mysteries about tea shops, when I hate tea, because I respect the love the author feels for it. But here is a whole book about tennis (which I love) with no hint as to why anyone would ever want to care about it. Grrr.

CubFan · « **Reply #1782 on:** January 12, 2011, 05:10:45 PM »

Greetings,
Within the last year I also read Aunt Dimity's Death & Aunt Dimity and the Duke. There are quite a few titles in the series but I wasn't tempted to read any more. Just recently read Blueberry Muffin Mystery by Fluke and just couldn't "cotton to" the characters. I think I'm in a picky mood right now. Have six books going but none of them holds my attention for more than a few chapters at a time. No mysteries in my pile so there isn't the "what happens next" draw. Am looking forward to the new Anne Perry Charlotte & Thomas Pitt mystery due out in April. It's been three years since her last one.

JoanK. The new Laura Childs' tea shop mystery is due out March 1. I don't drink tea but I've enjoyed learning about the many different kinds through this series.

Mary

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1783 on:** January 12, 2011, 05:46:27 PM »

I have just finished my first Dana Stabenow novel set in Alaska. It took me a while to get into it because I didn't understand all the shorthand references to Alaskan life, but once I got over that I really enjoyed it. Such a different existence from ours - as usual it was the everyday details that fascinated me far more than the plot - like living in a cabin that bears visit, having a dog that is half wolf, eating moose stew and so on. Will be looking out for some more of these novels (but in the meantime back to Blossom Street, such a good bedtime read).

Rosemary

salan · « **Reply #1784 on:** January 12, 2011, 06:32:54 PM »

Sounds like those of you posting right now enjoy the "light" mysteries that I also enjoy. I've read all the Aunt Dimity series. I really liked the earlier ones especially. I think I just burned myself out and didn't enjoy the later ones quite as much. I have a tendency to "burn" myself out when I find an author I enjoy. It's like I have a compulsion to read the next one, and the next one, and....then all of a sudden ffft--I've burned myself out. I keep saying that I am going to pace myself, but........I just finished my first Charlotte MacLeod, God Rest You Merry, and enjoyed it. Now I have a new author to "burn" up!! I am currently reading an Anne Perry, Callandar Square. I enjoy her books, especially the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. I read a couple of her Christmas books in December.

Rosemary, thanks for reminding me about Dana Sabenow. I read a couple of hers and enjoyed them; then I got sidetracked and somehow forgot all about her. Now I have another author to add to my list. I've also read several Joanna Fluke books and a few Debbie MacComber books. Some I enjoyed more than others.
Steph, what is the name and the author of the food book you mentioned?
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #1785 on:** January 13, 2011, 06:20:31 AM »

Ilove Dana Stabenow and if you are on facebook, you can friend her. She has the most fascinating entrees.. I love them. She is one of those humans interested in everything imaginable. Charlotte Mcleod.. You will be reading a long long time with her. She has at least two long series. I love the one in Boston, but not so much the Maine college ones.
Food// was I speaking of the coffee table type book I got for Christmas. That is What we Eat.. Look at it in Amazon.. the other Christmas food books.. were Julia Childs letters and 97 Orchard Street. The last is sort of a history of a house and the many immigrants who lived there and what they cooked and ate.

ursamajor · « **Reply #1786 on:** January 13, 2011, 08:42:22 AM »

I particularly like the early STabenow books because the Alaskan native lifestyle is so different from mine. In her most recent books the cabin has been rebuilt after a fire and the descriptions of life are not nearly so interesting. It is important to start with the earlier books about Kate Shugak because the characters grow and develop. I especially like Katerina Shugak, Kate's grandmother, and the aunties in the village. Kate, with or without Mutt, is a pistol.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1787 on:** January 13, 2011, 09:23:59 AM »

The one I read was called "The Singing of the Dead" - is that early or late?

Babi · « **Reply #1788 on:** January 13, 2011, 09:51:44 AM »

So glad to hear there's a new Charlotte and Thomas Pitt book coming, CUBFAN. And I totally
understand about the picky moods. I've been there a time or two...or three.

ROSEMARY, that's what I most enjoy about books with different backgrounds..the everyday
things that are so different. The same with 'period' pieces, whether ancient, medieval or
even Victorian/Edwardian. The little things that give you a feel for what it would be like
to live there, or then.

maryz · « **Reply #1789 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:02:45 AM »

RosemaryKaye, you can look at Stabenow's web site and get a list by publication date. That's the way I'd try to do it.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1790 on:** January 13, 2011, 11:46:06 AM »

Stabenow has a new one coming out very shortly (I think February?).

Steph · « **Reply #1791 on:** January 14, 2011, 06:12:41 AM »

Stabenows new one is out February 1. She will be doing a book tour as well. I love her. I hate cold, but love the Alaskan descriptions. Kate is probably the strongest woman in detective fiction.. Amazing.

pedln · « **Reply #1792 on:** January 14, 2011, 10:52:45 AM »

Rosemary, another Alaskan mystery writer that you might enjoy is Sue Henry, who has been writing for several year, has two series going. I really enjoy her Jessie Arnold, a dog musher, series. Good background on Alaska, though not necessarily about native Alaskans.

Her first book is Murder on the Iditorod Trail. The Iditorod, a dogsled race held each year, commemorates a famous medical journey from Anchorage to Nome. Another one I particularly enjoyed is Termination Dust -- two stories in one -- a current mystery and also one that comes from a recently discovered Gold Rush journal.

Steph · « **Reply #1793 on:** January 15, 2011, 06:19:08 AM »

Doesnt Sue Henry also do a series on a widow in an RV.. I keep thinking i have read some of them and loved them.

pedln · « **Reply #1794 on:** January 15, 2011, 11:12:32 AM »

Yes she does, Steph. One is about Maxie and her dog, who live in the RV, and another is about Jessie Arnold, the dog sledder. I remember reading one of Henry's where she had Jessie meetig Maxie for the first time. I don't know if they have appeared together since then or not.

Steph · « **Reply #1795 on:** January 16, 2011, 06:36:38 AM »

Iloved Maxie and her dog. Since we had an RV at the time and traveled all over, it really hit home for me.. Maxie is braver than I am however, since without MDH I sold the RV. I just could not drive a 40' anything.

Babi · « **Reply #1796 on:** January 16, 2011, 09:54:36 AM »

I am now into the 7th of Victoria Thompson's Sarah Brandt series. I
do love the setting and the characters. I must admit the 'mystery'
part, while well written, is also pretty easily solved. I've usually figured
out 'who-dun-it' early on.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1797 on:** January 16, 2011, 11:08:49 AM »

Babi - when I read mysteries I never care who "dun" anything - it's the characters and the settings that I enjoy (luckily, as I am hopeless at understanding the plots - at the end of most of Ian Rankin's Rebus books I am about as enlightened as I was at the beginning, but I've enoyed the journey!)

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #1798 on:** January 17, 2011, 06:02:42 AM »

Rosemary, I am that way with most of Minette Walters. I love her , read every one, but at the end, a good deal of the time, you still dont know what really happened.
Elizabeth George also.. its not who did it, but what happened and why. Both are authors that I adore.
By the way, I booked, so on 3 September, I will be on a plane for 12 days in Scotland. Can hardly wait.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1799 on:** January 17, 2011, 08:31:38 AM »

Steph, that is great - the weather is usually quite good (by our standards

in September. Will be great to meet up if you have time - I will start thinking about good coffee shops/lunch places. Where will you be visiting? (I'm sure you mentioned ths before but I have forgotten, sorry).

Rosemary

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897423 times)