Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910370 times)

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2200 on:** April 23, 2011, 12:54:59 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!

Links:
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Our Favorite Old Mystery Writers
Fantastic Fiction
Stop You're Killing Me

Discussion Leaders: BillH and JoanK

Have any of you watched "The Judds" on the OWN channel? Ohhhh, the tyranny of the mother-dgt relationship there!

I remember a situation when i was just about 40 Yrs old when my mother made a very innoculous statement about me at a family dinner table and i responded w/ great defense of myself. I thot afterwards, "why did i get so defensive about that little critical remark?" i had a pretty good sense of myself and had fairly good self-esteem by that time in my life. Years later it dawned on me that i wasn't responding to that remark, but to another situation that i had been in that i was sure my mother disapproved of.

I'm constantly mulling over my relationship w/ my dgt and DIL wondering how they are perceiving our relationship. We, unlike the Judds, don't verbalize every emotion and anxiety, which i think is healthier. Having come thru the " let it all hang out" period if the 70's, i think it's better and healthier NOT to do that, but to think "what's the most productive thing to do here"? Of course, that's a very subjective opinion.

Jean

MaryPage · « **Reply #2201 on:** April 23, 2011, 01:05:16 PM »

Am a very lucky lady. With 5 daughters, I have what I can only describe as a perfect relationship with numbers 3 and 4. A pretty darn good relationship with #1; we do not always agree, but we have strong ties and love one another. A deeply loving but difficult relationship with #2, who, I have finally come to accept, will never approve of or have a consoling relationship with the rest of us. Finally, a funny sort of now I see you, now I don't but deeply bonded relationship with #5.

ursamajor · « **Reply #2202 on:** April 23, 2011, 02:33:14 PM »

My philosophy has always been if you want to hold onto a child, you must open your hand. I think I have been pretty successful, but now that the oldest daughter has grandchildren of her own I don't see much of her. And there is a lot of truth in the old saying that "a daughter's a daughter all her life; a son's a son til he gets him a wife."

maryz · « **Reply #2203 on:** April 23, 2011, 03:54:36 PM »

Gee, MaryPage - I always thought our life was interesting with our 4 daughters. We feel very close to all of them - in different ways. We see #2 more than the others - because she lives closer to us, but none live in the same city we do, and none live in the same place as any of the others. Interestingly, #1 & 2 see each other more frequently outside of family gatherings, and #3 & 4 see ech other more frequently. Family dynamics are most interesting. (We have 3 sons-in-law, 6 grands, 1 grand-in-law, and 3 grand-fiancees.)

Steph · « **Reply #2204 on:** April 24, 2011, 06:19:54 AM »

Finished the Swanson. I do enjoy her series. This one had a nice twist.. They are all cozies of course..
I just found the Elizabeth Edwards last memoir.. It is touching me deep in my soul. She has the ability to cut deep into grief and anger.. I am reading it very very slowly.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2205 on:** April 24, 2011, 06:26:30 AM »

Steph - I am always so glad to see you, you are almost inevitably the first up in the US!

I have just started my first Louise Penney and I am enjoying it even from the first chapter, because her writing really brings to life the Canadian countryside - which I don't know at all (apart from Newfoundland) but feel I do on reading this.

Rosemary

Babi · « **Reply #2206 on:** April 24, 2011, 09:57:43 AM »

JEAN, I think most of us have some difficulty with being honest, without being harsh.
It is possible, but very hard to manage when one is angry or upset. I think you are 100%
correct in taking "What's the most productive thing to do here" route. Which, of course,
is also difficult it you've lost your temper. KEY!..don't lose your temper!

MARYPAGE, I imagine that's a pretty fair description of relationships in a good-sized
family. Our children each have such distinctive personalities; we have to learn to appreciate the best in them. And like URSA says, let them go to be themselves.

My, we're getting philosophical. Uh, mysteries, yes...I've started re-reading Josephine Tey.
I'm into "Man in the Queue" and have already spotted a discrepancy I don't remember seeing
before. Neither did the police Lieutenant.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2207 on:** April 24, 2011, 01:02:25 PM »

I'm finishing up one of Jane Isenberg's Bel Barrett series. I do love Bel and like the characature of her two friends, but this one, "Out of Hormone's Way", isn't as good as the other's i've read. O.k., but not great. She didn't make me care about who killed her student. That's not a good thing when reading a murder mystery, uh? I haven't figured out how the title relates to the story either.

On to one of Chiaverini's quilt stories and the second multiple volume of John Jakes' Kent series.
Jean

nlhome · « **Reply #2208 on:** April 24, 2011, 06:56:07 PM »

Rosemary, I enjoy the Louise Penney books also, and would very much like to visit that area of Canada. But, like most other places, I'll probably just imagine...

Steph · « **Reply #2209 on:** April 25, 2011, 06:16:40 AM »

I love Louise Penney. If you like her descriptins of Canada.. Try Giles Blunt.. He also writes about this part of Canada and I love his work..

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2210 on:** April 25, 2011, 06:53:31 AM »

Thanks Steph, I will add him to my TBR list

Rosemary

marjifay · « **Reply #2211 on:** April 25, 2011, 09:58:46 AM »

I agree with you, Steph, about Giles Blunt's writing. His book, FORTY WORDS FOR SORROW, is one of the best mysteries I've read. It's very well written, has characters you care about, and ends with much suspense. Oh, and you feel you are really there in that arctic cold of northern Canada.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #2212 on:** April 26, 2011, 06:23:14 AM »

He is one of those few writers that the weather seems to become part of the plot.. You do feel as if you are in eternal winter.. I just finished.. When you read this.. by him and it is amazing. His ability to subtly move the reader and the plot are simply incredible.

Babi · « **Reply #2213 on:** April 26, 2011, 08:48:21 AM »

It's that feeling of being trapped in extreme cold that makes me unable to enjoy books with this kind of setting. Perhaps I should plan to read this one along about midsummer, when the cold
would be most welcome.

JoanK · « **Reply #2214 on:** April 26, 2011, 03:50:20 PM »

I'm not a true crime/psychopathic killer story reader. But it sounds like he does a really good job.

I like books about the cold though: especially about Alaska.

Gumtree · « **Reply #2215 on:** April 26, 2011, 03:55:12 PM »

Me too - Alaska, the wilds of Canada, Antarctica - give me cold!

JoanK · « **Reply #2216 on:** April 26, 2011, 04:18:09 PM »

Especially when I'm warm and cozy by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa. My Deadliest Catch comes on tonight.

JoanK · « **Reply #2217 on:** April 26, 2011, 04:19:33 PM »

And don't forget books/shows about Everest!

serenesheila · « **Reply #2218 on:** April 26, 2011, 04:54:20 PM »

I hadn't read a mystery for quite awhile. Yesterday, I began one called: "Beacon Street Mourning" by Dianna Day. Read all day. I enjoyed the first half of the book, by was a bit disappointed in the last quarter of it. Has anyone else read it? Or, have you read any of her other books? If so, what do you think of her writing?

I have always enjoy Mary Higgins Clark's books, and John Grissums. However, the last few of these authors were not as interesting as their early books. It seems to me to be too predictable.

Today, I ordered a couple of new books from Amazon, for my Kindle. They are books you said you have enjoyed. I look forward to reading them.

Sheila

Steph · « **Reply #2219 on:** April 27, 2011, 06:22:22 AM »

Diane Day has written a small series about this character, but I think that you read the one that I did not care much about. Her adventures in San Francisco are great though.

serenesheila · « **Reply #2220 on:** April 28, 2011, 03:14:31 AM »

Thanks for your message, STEPH. I will try at least one more of Dianne Day's mysteries. Can you tell me the name of her first books in this series?

Sheila

Steph · « **Reply #2221 on:** April 28, 2011, 06:22:57 AM »

Try goggling Dianne Day and see the order. I wish I could remember, but I dont Fremont Jones is her name and I think one of the books is even titled that.

Babi · « **Reply #2222 on:** April 28, 2011, 08:36:45 AM »

I finished reading Tey's "Man in the Queue". I had forgotten the unusual ending. A little bit of
'deus ex machina' there. I won't explain that, in case someone else is planning on reading it.

JoanK · « **Reply #2223 on:** April 28, 2011, 03:20:52 PM »

Once, the New York Times had a puzzle that was based on the many different ways of spelling Diane. Couldn't find Day untill I tried Dianne. Here is a list of her books by date from Fantastic Fiction. If the one you red is in the fremont Jones seies, looks like the first is "The Strange Files of fremont Jones".

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/dianne-day/

serenesheila · « **Reply #2224 on:** April 28, 2011, 07:33:22 PM »

Thanks, STEPH and JOAN K. Only two of her books are available on Kindle. So, I will see if I can order them in paperback, from Amazon.

Sheila

Steph · « **Reply #2225 on:** April 29, 2011, 06:14:39 AM »

Yes,, The Strange case of Fremont Jones was the first and the very best.. I got them used through Amazon.

JoanK · « **Reply #2226 on:** April 30, 2011, 05:03:33 PM »

Now I remember I read that, and liked it. I'm always returning books to the library and forgetting to make a note of the author's name. then I loose track of that author

salan · « **Reply #2227 on:** April 30, 2011, 05:17:32 PM »

JoanK, I know what you mean. Our small town library used to have cards that you signed. I loved that because I could check and see if I had read it before. About three years ago, I bought a pretty journal and have been keeping a list of books and authors and my ratings of them. I put the name of the book, the author, the month I read it and my rating (I use 1-10 with 10 being the best.) It has really helped me.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #2228 on:** May 01, 2011, 06:33:19 AM »

I found the Louise Penny that I as missing.. Was the 3rd one in the series, so I will read that before going on.. The 5th one just won an Agatha award..

maeve · « **Reply #2229 on:** May 01, 2011, 08:48:59 AM »

I love the audio editions of Louise Penny's books. I don't know any French so I can't "hear" it when I read the books. The narrator is very good, in my opinion.

I haven't posted in this discussion in a long time, but I haven't stopped reading mysteries. Right now I'm reading "The Girl Who Played with Fire" on my Sony ereader.

MaryH

roshanarose · « **Reply #2230 on:** May 01, 2011, 11:23:25 PM »

Hi Maeve

I am assuming you are from the US. I am Australian and post regularly. I, too, have a Sony, which I adore. I have been using www.ebooks.com for most of my books. It is good and charges very little for many books, and no exchange rate or anything silly like that. Do you have a favourite web site for ebooks for Sony. I would be interested to know. Thanks.

Carolyn

Steph · « **Reply #2231 on:** May 02, 2011, 06:19:24 AM »

So many readers. Does anyone else feel that our reading habits have changed enormously in the last 18 months or so.. The ereaders have really made us look at books differently.

Babi · « **Reply #2232 on:** May 02, 2011, 09:38:02 AM »

No change here. I am still happily reading my printed books, and don't even feel particularly
interested in reading from a small lighted screen. But then, I've always been a middle-of-the-road type. Comfortably settled, that's me. (I've heard the more stringent views of that, no
need to repeat them.

)

ursamajor · « **Reply #2233 on:** May 02, 2011, 02:50:12 PM »

Reading from a screen doesn't appeal to me at all. I used to like to read in the bathtub - can't get out if I get in now - and the idea of dropping a reading device in the water is depressing. Anyway, I like books - how they feel, how they smell, sharing them with others. No electronic readers for me!

JoanK · « **Reply #2234 on:** May 02, 2011, 03:20:23 PM »

I like books too. The thought that e-books might replace them scares me. But I love my Kindle: in the 4 months I've had it, I've accumulated almost a hundred books, many of the older ones are free or almost free, without the space problems that my book-books cause.

For mysteries, I have the complete Sherlock Holmes, the Complete Father Brown (remember him), an anthology of 22 books by Mary Roberts Rhinehart, and some Agatha Christie, for about 99cents apiece. As well, there are a number of inexpensive new series that I've discovered. The newest hot mystery by a popular author is $12.98, and I don't buy those on kindle: look in the library or for a cheaper deal on "like new" books on Amazon.

And the browsing is fantastic! I've discovered all kinds of books I never would have known existed by using the "browse" function.

roshanarose · « **Reply #2235 on:** May 02, 2011, 07:06:19 PM »

Babi - I still read "real" books, I have a huge backlog of them. Because I have plenty of time to browse through the newsagents and Target, BigW and KMart of my suburb, I often spot books that I have been wanting to buy at reduced prices. Nowadays, on principle (mostly financial) I will not buy a new book at full price. Those big paperbacks you can buy cost about $32.00 here. There is no way I am going to pay that for a book! I have all the reference books I need already in my personal library, and I am not patient enough to borrow from the library. I have this terrible habit of reading 5 or 6 books at once. It really annoys me, but I can't help myself, thus borrowing books doesn't work that well for me. My Sony keeps all the books downloaded, patiently waiting for me to read when I am ready, and the prices at the ebook store are excellent.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2236 on:** May 02, 2011, 07:28:43 PM »

When I was young, Roshanrose, I would read only one book at a time fearing that I would confuse the contents. However, now I usually have two or three going at once with no such problem. My fears were unfounded. Right now I have two on my Kindle that I am reading and am just getting ready to start one of my adventure books in print.

I am happy to see that the textbook companies have started putting textbooks in ebook format. What with print textbooks sometimes going for over $200 for one and weighing a "ton", it seems a natural. It also seems to me that textbooks in ebook format would be easier and far less expensive to update for new material or corrections. Which means, new versions could be available sooner than before. My accounting book, for example, was over $150 used, is very heavy and oversized, and the material is only up to date to 2007. Areas of fast changing technologies and discoveries (like computers, medicine, science) could certainly benefit from having textbooks that are more up to date.

Gumtree · « **Reply #2237 on:** May 03, 2011, 04:37:04 AM »

Quote

I have this terrible habit of reading 5 or 6 books at once.

Roshanarose - so what's so terrible about that? I do that too- along with a few magazines, and I'm always delving into art and craft books as I go and then there are the Latin course books and support material for whatever the actual books I'm reading are about. If we read, we read and it doesn't matter how when or where we get our fix. One of my sons is exactly the same. It's a way of life I guess.

salan · « **Reply #2238 on:** May 03, 2011, 04:48:01 AM »

Wow! Gumtree and Rose, I thought I was bad with 3 or 4 going at the same time. Not sure if I could handle five. I am currently reading: Cutting for Stone (ftf book club), Clara and Mr. Tiffany (Sr. book club) and Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle (for bedtime book). I am enjoying all three for different reasons.
Sally

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2239 on:** May 03, 2011, 04:51:38 AM »

I am reading The Way Through The Woods - Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse), Still Life - Louise Penney, and have just finished The Quilter's Apprentice - Jennifer Chiavernini. I often have several books on the go, but I'm not sure I could cope with 5!

Rosemary

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910370 times)