Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910190 times)

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1920 on:** February 20, 2011, 02:11:34 AM »

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Pull up a comfortable chair and join us here to talk about mysteries and their authors.
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Discussion Leaders: BillH and JoanK

I saw New York and Boston in the same trip, aged about 20 I think. I was impressed by New York, but I have to admit that I liked Boston better - and I absolutely loved New England. My favourite city from that trip was, however, San Francisco.

There was an excellent series on TV here recently "Indian Hill Railways" (or something like that) - it followed three different routes, all of them originally constructed during the days of the raj, and each one still used today. The programmes were fascinating, as they looked at the people who now run the railways or are connected to them in some way, and told you about their families, home life, etc - many of them are children and grandchildren of railway workers. The drivers, engineers, etc are completely dedicated to keeping the old lines running, and take great pride in their work. The scenery was also wonderful, especially in the programme about the train that goes to Simla (?), which I think was the British summer retreat in the hills. I noticed last night that the series is now available on DVD.

Steph · « **Reply #1921 on:** February 20, 2011, 06:27:21 AM »

NYC is so crowded and noone seems to smile on the streets. I loved Boston, spent 10 years just north in Bedford, MA.. San Francisco makes my heart sing.. and New Orleans before Katrina was a place to eat and laugh and walk and take the trolley. Charleston and Savannah are heavenly places.. I see that my favorites are mostly in the south.. So be it.. I am a southerner.

Babi · « **Reply #1922 on:** February 20, 2011, 09:09:22 AM »

I've always wanted to visit Charleston and Savannah. But then, the
world is full of places I'd like to visit. Thank goodness for the miracle
of television, which is the only way I'm going to see most of them.

JoanK · « **Reply #1923 on:** February 20, 2011, 03:03:31 PM »

I lived in New York for two years, and never really adjusted to it: the noise, dirt, speed. Partly my fault-- I really didn't position myself to take advantage of its strengths.

BABI: the world is full of places I'd like to visit also. But as you say, we can be in most of them through TV.

I'm enjoying "Chanukah guilt" a lot. It's slow -- more about being a woman rabbi than about the murder(s).

pedln · « **Reply #1924 on:** February 20, 2011, 07:00:07 PM »

I love New York. It's easy to get around in, though a little harder now from Brooklyn to downtown Manhattan. You'd never think of it as a city of parks, but it is. Wonderful places to eat, lots of things to do and see. I'm so glad my daughter lives there. So are a lot of other people because it's not always easy to find a free day to visit.

Steph · « **Reply #1925 on:** February 21, 2011, 05:39:52 AM »

I can see visiting someone in NYC would be fun. We used to do that years ago when we had several friends in Manhatten, but over the years, they all moved to Connecticut, so staying in the hotels is not nearly as much fun.. It is truly a city of neighborhoods, so visiting is fun getting to find the little restaurants and shops that are just for that area.
Still I was surprised this time with all of the grim non smiling faces.. The dog show people were happy, but not so on the streets..I also have been back in the south for the past 22 years and people do more a bit slower here.

Babi · « **Reply #1926 on:** February 21, 2011, 08:38:39 AM »

Maybe it was the time of year, STEPH. By February, I imagine people living in a Northern city
are feeling pretty grim. I know I would be.

pedln · « **Reply #1927 on:** February 21, 2011, 11:24:14 AM »

Speaking of New York, has anyone read any Linda Fairstein books recently. I have not, but have always enjoyed the ones I've read earlier. And its a good way to learn about the different NY icons. She wrote one that had the Museum of Natural History, another had the Botanical Gardens, and I think she was the one that had a mystery dealing with the subway system.

marjifay · « **Reply #1928 on:** February 21, 2011, 12:30:55 PM »

Just finished a re-read with another group of STRONG POISON by Dorothy Sayers, where Lord Peter saves Harriet Vane from a murder conviction and proposes matrimony. Sayers is my favorite female mystery writer besides Elizabeth George. My favorite Sayers' mystery is MURDER MUST ADVERTISE...great!.

Marj

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1929 on:** February 21, 2011, 12:53:44 PM »

Pedln - I am going to put Linda Fairstein in my TBR book, she sounds interesting.

Marjifay - I love Dorothy L Sayers, and another one I used to enjoy is Amanda Cross, who I felt was a bit like a modern Sayers (though not as good). Do you like her?

Babi - I'm sure you are right about the Northern city - living in one myself, I can tell you that just about everyone in Aberdeen is walking around looking like misery at the moment - it's just so cold, and has been so wet, cold, windy, etc for so long, that everyone is fed up. One of the disadvantages of Aberdeen, IMO, is that you get all this grimness in the winter, but you never really get any summer - it's something to do with the proximity to the sea, so the city gets very few hot sunny days, and many days of the "haar" or sea fog. Inland Aberdeenshire is quite different - absolutely freezing in winter, but in summer we used to have wonderful weather, lots of baking hot sunny days. Aboyne (5 miles further up the Dee from where I am now) is frequently the hottest place in Scotland in summer, and I remember many long hot days, when my friends and I would take all of our children for picnics by the river at Glen Tanar, or to the one of the many National Trust properties such as Crathes Castle. My son used to go to SU camp at Ballater and come back as brown as a berry, having spent his days jumping into the Dee from the bridges at Cambus O'May, fishing, and generally enjoying life outdoors. happy memories.

I am looking forward to Edinburgh for better weather - around the time of the festival it is often brilliant.

Rosemary

pedln · « **Reply #1930 on:** February 21, 2011, 01:22:06 PM »

Rosemary, a recent selection of my f2f group was a somewhat silly book If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle and the only reason I mention it here is because it is set during the Edinburgh Festival. The protagonist is a bookbinder, and that is interesting, but the rest was so-so. Another that is set during the Festival is a much better one by Kate Atkinson, but I don't remember the title.

marjifay · « **Reply #1931 on:** February 21, 2011, 01:24:27 PM »

No, Rosemary, I've never read any by Amanda Cross, nor have I read any Linda Fairstein recommended by Pedln. I'll give them a try, altho I must admit I haven't read too many female mystery writers because so many of them seem to write cozy mysteries which don't interest me much. I do love mysteries and try to ration myself so that I only read one after I've read one or two other books on my TBR list that require a little more concentration. Sayers was a reward for reading my first Graham Greene novel, The Heart of the Matter (an interesting book, by the way). And now I'm going to re-read with another group John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman, which I read ages ago.

Marj

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1932 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:51:31 PM »

That's exactly what I do - ie feel I don't deserve a mystery unless I've read something "serious" first - I wonder why we are so strict with ourselves? I haven't read The Heart of the Matter, but I have read The Quiet American, Our Man In Havana, and Travels with my Aunt, all of which I enjoyed. I also read a book by Julia Llewellyn Owen, think it was called Travels Without My Aunt, or something like that, in which she revisited many of the places in which Greene set his novels. Unfortunately, most of them turned out to be awful - in his books the settings may be seedy but they always seem to have a sort of romantic Bohemian air, but by the time she visited them, they were just run-down, corrupt, horrible places in the main. But it was a good read.

Brighton, incidentally, may be the exception, as it was run-down when Greene wrote Brighton Rock, and was much the same when I was growing up a bit later, but now it is quite hip and fashionable - with a huge gay population - lots of nice little shops and excellent cafes/restaurants. Zoe Ball (Radio One DJ and TV presenter) and her husband Norman Cook (aka dj Fat Boy Slim) and people like them have moved there and made it uber cool.

My favourite Amanda Cross is "No Word From Winifred", in which is it never made clear whether anyone dies at all - so maybe she wouldn't be your cup of tea, Marjifay - but she's worth a try.

pedln · « **Reply #1933 on:** February 21, 2011, 05:45:39 PM »

Quote

I wonder why we are so strict with ourselves?

I do too, Rosemary. Things have lightened a bit -- it used to be "no fiction in the morning." Well, there aren't as many chores or duties, and if you can spend the whole morning on the computer, why not settle in with a novel of your choice.

It's been years since I've read any Amanda Cross (Carolyn Heilbrun) novels, but I enjoyed all of them. They would make a good reread some day. Back in the SeniorNet years we read Heilbrun's Last Gift of Time, Life after Sixty, where she writes about the unexpected pleasures she found in the years. However I remember the anger or dismay displayed among us when we learned of her suicide at age 77. The link below, from New York Magazine is a sort of mini-biography of Cross/Heilbrun and imparts much of her feminist philosophy. Interestinly, her son is a lawyer in New York and has himself written a mystery, Offer of Proof. For the TBR list.

Amanda Cross

JoanK · « **Reply #1934 on:** February 21, 2011, 06:23:18 PM »

Steph:"people do more a bit slower here." than in New York.

When I first moved to New York, people were always bumping into me in the streets: I was walking too slowly. When I moved away two years later, I was always bumping into people: I was walking too fast.

MARJIFAY: "I haven't read too many female mystery writers because so many of them seem to write cozy mysteries which don't interest me much."

It's true that most of the cosy writers are women, but there are plenty of women writers who DON'T write cozies. Sayers is a good example. (I had a long list in mind when I started to type, now they've fled)

Many of best writers in the field ofthe "psychologicals" are women (PD James, Ruth Rendell, Minette Walters, Elizabeth George). There are also procedurals with women policemen (like Fairstein) or other professionals (like Reichs). And the "tough gal mysteries (Grafton, muller, etc) are more readable that the "tough guys".

In short, whatever kind of mystery you like, women write it!

maryz · « **Reply #1935 on:** February 21, 2011, 07:45:00 PM »

Women non-cozy mystery writers: Dana Stabenow, Sue Grafton, Kathy Reichs, etc.

Click here for a long list of them.

marjifay · « **Reply #1936 on:** February 21, 2011, 07:58:55 PM »

Rosemary said, "I don't deserve a mystery unless I've read something "serious" first - I wonder why we are so strict with ourselves?" I don't know why we are that way, perhaps from teachers or parents. I belong to a couple of groups that read classics, books I'd probably never have read by myself but find very good reads, especially when you can discuss them with others. But I've learned to be able to stop reading a book if I find it doesn't keep my interest. I give it 50 to 70 pp, and that's it. I'll give that Amanda Cross book you mentioned a try.

And Joan, thanks for reminding me of those women writers. I've read just about all of P. D. James, along with some Rendell, Allingham, and those others. My latest favorite is Georgette Heyer (Why Shoot a Butler).

Rosemary mentioned the settings of Graham Greene's novels being so bad. That sure was the case with Heart of the Matter, set in Africa. With big rats in their homes, and heat and humidity so bad it almost had me sweating while reading it in spite of winter weather.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #1937 on:** February 21, 2011, 08:01:11 PM »

Rosemary said, "I don't deserve a mystery unless I've read something "serious" first - I wonder why we are so strict with ourselves?" I don't know why we are that way, perhaps from teachers or parents. I belong to a couple of groups that read classics, books I'd probably never have read by myself but find very good reads, especially when you can discuss them with others. But I've learned to be able to stop reading a book if I find it doesn't keep my interest. I give it 50 to 70 pp, and that's it. I'll give that Amanda Cross book you mentioned a try.

And Joan, thanks for reminding me of those women writers. I've read just about all of P. D. James, along with some Rendell, Allingham, and those others. My latest favorite is Georgette Heyer (Why Shoot a Butler).

Rosemary mentioned the settings of Graham Greene's novels being so bad. That sure was the case with Heart of the Matter, set in Africa. With big rats in their homes, and heat and humidity so bad it almost had me sweating while reading it in spite of winter weather.

Marj

roshanarose · « **Reply #1938 on:** February 21, 2011, 08:16:20 PM »

I haven't read any of Kathy Reich's books for ages. I managed to borrow one, 205 Bones I think it's called. Her style has changed completely. All jolly and haha so far. Quite different from the original ones such as Deja Dead. Maybe it is because I am only into the fourth chapter. I will be patient because I used to like her writing. As someone mentioned the Tempe Brennan in the book and the Tempe Brennan on Bones are entirely different. I also enjoy Linda Fairstein, but haven't read any of hers later. I have read a couple of mysteries lately by a guy called Michael Gruber. Has anyone read him?

Rosemary : I will email you some info about places that I think you will like in Greece.

Steph · « **Reply #1939 on:** February 22, 2011, 09:00:52 AM »

I loved Amanda Cross and loved the books, but remember the discussion after she died. So disappointing. She did not follow through on what she intended.
As everyone keeps saying, there are so many female authors.. They write about literally everything.. I read mostly female authors.. But have some few men that I like very much.. Dennis Lehane, James Swain, James Lee Burke,. etc.Some Harlen Coben.

jeriron · « **Reply #1940 on:** February 22, 2011, 09:54:33 AM »

I'm moving along with Victoria Thompson Gaslight series. Right now I'm on the 6th one.Murder on Marble Row. It's funny when you read a series you begin to feel like you know the characters in the book.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1941 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:50:35 PM »

Pedln - thank you so much for that link, I knew virtually nothing about Amanda Cross (though I knew that wasn't her real name and that she was an academic). I was still imagining her as a 40-something woman. I wonder why she did what she did?

Rosemary

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1942 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:52:56 PM »

These mystery posts are really a mystery...Re amanda cross "why she did what she did?" What did she do? Cryptic posts! LOL

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1943 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:56:19 PM »

Sorry, Tomereader, it is all in Pedln's excellent link. She committed suicide.

R

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1944 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:56:51 PM »

Oh, okay, sorry, I went way back and found that link!

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1945 on:** February 22, 2011, 01:04:26 PM »

JoanK · « **Reply #1946 on:** February 22, 2011, 02:52:03 PM »

I think that shocked everyone. Who knows what goes on in peoples'private lives.

I thought her early detective stories were very good, but they went downhill.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1947 on:** February 22, 2011, 04:15:16 PM »

I haven't read any of the Amanda Cross books. When I looked her up, I was struck by the fact that many of her non-fictions books were woman oriented. They include Reinventing Womanhood (1979), The Representation of Women in Fiction (1983) (co-editor), Writing a Woman's Life (1988), and Hamlet's Mother and Other Women (1999).

Steph · « **Reply #1948 on:** February 23, 2011, 05:53:17 AM »

Yes, her mysteries are also female oriented. She marries late in the series and has a different sort of marriage. All fictional. I loved the books, but hated the fact that in real life she decided to suicide.
I am plowing ahead with Elizabeth Georges latest one in paperback.. Still two parallel stories.. I dont understand.. Lynley acting as a driver for a drunken type leader. Whew.. Why is she changing the personalities involved. He was never like that before.

pedln · « **Reply #1949 on:** February 23, 2011, 12:41:04 PM »

Steph, I haven't read any Elizabeth George since she killed off one of my favorite characters a few years ago. Aside from this new wrinkle in the Lynley character are you finding these later novels enjoyable?

JoanK · « **Reply #1950 on:** February 23, 2011, 03:04:39 PM »

I finishe "Chanukkah Guilt" and looked on my Kindle for other books by Schneider. The only one listed was one on "Speaking Dirty Yiddish". Rabbi, tut tut!!

Steph · « **Reply #1951 on:** February 24, 2011, 06:16:18 AM »

Pedlin, Yes, I read the one where Linley was on his long walk to try and endure what had happened to him and now this one has him tentatively coming back. He remeets a woman from the last book and she is trying out for his surperiors job.. She has a few problems and seems to be coming on to him as well. The mystery is really good, The area in England is one I had never heard of.. and Barbara is back in fighting form.. All in all, I am enjoying it, but oh me.. it is over 900 pages. The lady really really overwrites. There are two plots running side by side and I still dont know why..

ursamajor · « **Reply #1952 on:** February 24, 2011, 08:08:00 AM »

I really like the Elizabeth George books too. The one that really got to me was Before He Shot Her, about the half-caste kid who fired the bullet that killed Linley's wife. The situation was so hopeless. I will look for the later books; I stopped reading them after that.

pedln · « **Reply #1953 on:** February 24, 2011, 10:31:17 AM »

Quote

All in all, I am enjoying it, but oh me.. it is over 900 pages.

Aaaaaach. What's the title? (E. George) That sounds like one for the Kindle, unless my library has it.

JoanK · « **Reply #1954 on:** February 24, 2011, 03:25:00 PM »

I just got my credit card bill for the month since I started using the Kindle. Sigh----

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1955 on:** February 24, 2011, 04:09:29 PM »

Uh, oh, JoanK! Just pretend every time you are tempted to buy a book from Kindle, that you are at your bookstore and will have to pay a lot for the book. This should slow you down some. All I have really purchased on mine is one game, one Louise Penney book, two or three free books, and a couple of 99 cent books. Like a fool, I went to Borders last weekend, since they are going out of business and have supposedly an "enormous sale". Mostly 20% off marked prices. I did find a couple of books that I "thought" I couldn't do without, and bought them. Should have saved my money. One was a crockpot cookbook, and all the recipes (pics) looked alike and sounded alike. I have a better one already. The other one was "Scarpetta" which I hope to heck is good.

pedln · « **Reply #1956 on:** February 24, 2011, 09:04:25 PM »

Well, I'm really trying to use will power, but it's difficult. And not just at the bookstores or at Amazon Kindle. I volunteer two Sunday afternoons a month at our library as a concierge -- answer questions and man the Friends "gently used" book cart which has fantastic bargains -- $2 for hardcovers and $1 for paperbacks. I have no idea where they come from. They don't have library markings and don't even look used.

I could easily come home with three or four books each Sunday, but the last one I bought was over a month ago. P.D. James -- The Private Patient. Has anyone read it? I'm looking forward to reading it, but there are a lot of other things that must come first.

Steph · « **Reply #1957 on:** February 25, 2011, 06:10:53 AM »

I am upstairs and my memory is not kicking in with the title this am.. Will look it up, write it down and tomorrow will give it to you, but it is the latest of her books.. Just came out in paper.. If I had to do it over, would do it on the kindle if they have it. I down loaded Laura Bush
s memoir, since it is my ftf book for March. She writes well or had a ghost..

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1958 on:** February 25, 2011, 11:45:35 AM »

One of my branch libraries is having a book sale, March 18 & 19th. I was please to see the notice, but struck with fear, because I know I will go there and "buy stuff". They also have CD's, DVD's and old fashioned VCR tapes. I do have several books I need to get up there to add to their collection (so I can add to mine? LOL) The PD James is on the list that I carry in a little black book, which I always forget to take to the library with me! With the library not purchasing many "new" books, I would probably have a good chance of getting some of the titles in my book, since they are older.

I forgot - - how do you "bold" or "underline" words here?

ursamajor · « **Reply #1959 on:** February 25, 2011, 03:41:55 PM »

Pedlyn, the title is What Happened before he Shot Her by Elizabeth George.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910190 times)