Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910632 times)

marjifay · « **Reply #3000 on:** October 30, 2011, 02:08:14 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 Leader: JoanK

Like Babi, I will have to take another look at Daniel Silva. I know a lot of people rave about his books. I read 100 pages of his The Messenger a while back, and did not finish it. Too many difficult Arab names to keep track of and the plot was not that interesting.

The last good mystery I read was Silent Girl by Tess Gerrison, the first I'd read of hers.

Marj

JoanK · « **Reply #3001 on:** October 30, 2011, 06:21:59 PM »

I've been reading Kindle e-book mysteries. There is an endless supply of them for $2.99 apiece, and some of them are quite good.

salan · « **Reply #3002 on:** October 31, 2011, 05:20:53 AM »

I just finished Anne Perry's Christmas Odyssey. It wasn't very "Christmassy" and it wasn't up to her usual standards. Very disappointing.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #3003 on:** October 31, 2011, 06:31:03 AM »

The Silva book reminded us that neutral does not necessarily mean good.. I found it interesting indeed. There is another Silva about the Vaticans role in WWII.. again, it is perception but fascinating to read.

Babi · « **Reply #3004 on:** October 31, 2011, 08:39:44 AM »

A 'Christmassy' story would be a huge departure from Anne Perry's usual
genre. I can imagine she would find it a bit awkward. I'll bet it was her
publishers' idea, aiming for the holiday market.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3005 on:** October 31, 2011, 12:59:33 PM »

See "The Library" discussion for 12 "horror" books for free from LearnOutLoud.com and a statement about edgar allen poe.

pedln · « **Reply #3006 on:** October 31, 2011, 03:38:01 PM »

Steph, I read the same Silva that you speak of -- The Rembrandt Affair -- which is either his latest or one of his latest Gabriel Allon books. It's the only Silva I've read and was a hard one to put down.

Loved Switzerland, traveled all over by bus, train, and boat.

marcie · « **Reply #3007 on:** October 31, 2011, 03:44:30 PM »

I just finished THE MOONLIT EARTH by Christopher Rice, son of Anne Rice. It's a fast-paced mystery that had me turning the pages quickly. It's the latest book he's written but my first introduction to him. I'm going to look for his other four books. I think that his characters are written interestingly and I liked the relationship between the brother and sister in this book.

JoanK · « **Reply #3008 on:** October 31, 2011, 07:52:10 PM »

MARCIE: I love that title: "the Moonlit Earth". I'll have to try him. And Silva.

SALAN: Ane Perry puts out a short "Christmas" mystery every year. Each features as a detective one of the ongoing minor characters from the regular series. They vary a lot in quality: often not too good. I think I've read them all, but can never remember which is which. Who was the detective in the one you read?

salan · « **Reply #3009 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:20:34 AM »

JoanK, I have also read most of Anne Perry's Christmas books and agree with you. Not much to them, but a light & easy read for a busy time of the year. However, this book did not have any of the usual detectives and the only thing that was Christmas like was the time of the year.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #3010 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:30:06 AM »

Christmas mysteries. I dont generally read them.. However there is an author ( and I have forgotten her name) who writes about a detective named possibly Gregor. I think Armenian,, and all of the books are about holidays.. or centered around them.. Good, now if I could just remember the womans name.

Babi · « **Reply #3011 on:** November 01, 2011, 09:10:07 AM »

Thanks for introducing Christopher Rice, MARCIE. He sounds like an author worth reading. Hope
my library has him.

JoanK · « **Reply #3012 on:** November 01, 2011, 04:55:11 PM »

STEPH: it's driving me crazy: I know that author. Someone help us out.

JoanK · « **Reply #3013 on:** November 01, 2011, 05:01:05 PM »

SALAN: I looked up "A Christmas Oddesey". The character from the other series is Henry Rathbone, a minor character in the Monk series. Henry isthe father of Oliver Rathbone, the lawyer who is one of the main characters in that series.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3014 on:** November 01, 2011, 10:02:04 PM »

Steph - Leslie Meier writes the Lucy Stone series that have all the holiday titles. I'm reading the halloween one now, the Wicked Witch Murders.

Here's the list

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/leslie-meier/

Steph · « **Reply #3015 on:** November 02, 2011, 06:14:30 AM »

No.. The main character is an Armenian Gregor Kerk----. He lives in an area that is all Armenian and all nosy neighbors. He is some sort of retired detective,, is in love with a very unusual woman and has a dear dear friend who is an orthodox priest and loves books and has thousands.. The author writes under her own name and then another name for two differeent types of books.

salan · « **Reply #3016 on:** November 03, 2011, 03:16:28 AM »

The tv series, Bones, has its season premier tonight. I haven't read any of the books, but I really enjoy the series. Have any of you read the books?
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #3017 on:** November 03, 2011, 06:27:05 AM »

Ihave read and loved the books. They have absolutely nothing to do with the series, other than the author. Both are good, but in very very different ways. Tempe in the books is a very very complicated character.. In the TV, not so much.

maryz · « **Reply #3018 on:** November 03, 2011, 10:23:52 AM »

I agree with Steph about Bones. We enjoy both series. But don't try to compare them - it doesn't work that way.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3019 on:** November 03, 2011, 01:18:21 PM »

I just finished a very entertaining mystery, "Too Big Too Miss" by Sue Ann Jaffarian. The author is a large woman and writes large women and their feelings, good and bad, about that into her characters. In this book she also included a man who was wheelchair bound, a man who owned his own business and was very successful. The story was about the apparent suicide of the protagonist's friend, which was caught on a webcam tape, so, of course, the mission was to prove that she didn't commit suicide.

maeve · « **Reply #3020 on:** November 03, 2011, 01:55:54 PM »

Steph, Jane Haddam writes about an Armenian detective named Gregor Demarkian. Could this be the one? Sounds interesting.

MaryH

JoanK · « **Reply #3021 on:** November 03, 2011, 03:32:22 PM »

MAEVE: THAT'S IT! I've read several of hers, but because I'm so bad at remembering names, I'm always "losing" authors.

JEAN: I like Jaffarian, too. Especially, since I'm in a wheelchair, I appreciate her portrayal of a wheelchair-bound person who has a life (and a brain!). Too often, handicapped people in mysteries are either victems or murderers, warped by their experience.

JoanK · « **Reply #3022 on:** November 03, 2011, 03:38:05 PM »

Read a promising second book: "Killer Routine" by Alan Orloff. The "detective" runs a comedy club, and all the characters are comics. A lot about the lifestyle of comics (which is very sad. I love to make people laugh, but after reading this, thank goodness I never thought to become a comic).

His first book is on a different topic "Diamonds for the Dead". I'll try to get it.

Steph · « **Reply #3023 on:** November 04, 2011, 06:08:57 AM »

Yes, yes, Jane Haddam writes about
Gregor and I do like the series.. She also writes under her real name psychological thrillers, not so much fun, but sometimes interesting.
I like Sue Ann Jaffarian and just finished her second book.. Ophelia and the Holy Pail.. Fun and interesting..

Babi · « **Reply #3024 on:** November 04, 2011, 08:34:51 AM »

I just finished a Tess Gerritson book that turned out to be a Rizzoli and Isles
story. One of the later ones, well ahead of where the TV series is now. I
was quite impressed with the book. The only first person narrator is a middle-
aged Chinese woman, master of a dojo, who is the descendent of female
warriors. Chinese legend is woven into the story beautifully.

ursamajor · « **Reply #3025 on:** November 04, 2011, 12:16:54 PM »

For a list of Jane Haddam's Gregor Demarkian books, click on the link. http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/H_Authors/Haddam_Jane.html

roshanarose · « **Reply #3026 on:** November 04, 2011, 11:55:35 PM »

Babi - How are you? I have been a fan of Gerritsen's books for a while now. I prefer her earlier books. As for the Chinese connection in the book you have just read, that makes sense. A photo of Gerritsen reveals she has Asian (possibly Chinese) blood. I just not so long ago finished "The Killing Place". Parts of it were good but to me it wasn't as cohesive and suspenseful as her earlier books.

What is the name of the book you just finished?

You might also enjoy Mo Hayder. She writes in a similar vein (pardon the pun) to Gerritsen.

Steph · « **Reply #3027 on:** November 05, 2011, 06:19:59 AM »

I l ike Rizzoli and Isles.. Have been watching the netflix of the first year. I tried Gerritsen early on and did not care for her, but since I like the series, will try one of her books on them.

Babi · « **Reply #3028 on:** November 05, 2011, 09:09:57 AM »

The Gerritsen book I just finished was "The Silent Girl", ROSE. There was a photo of
the author on the back, and she looked surprisingly young to have written so many
books. Perhaps it was an earlier photo. Seeing that she was Asian, I was also somewhat
surprised that more Asian characters had not turned up in the series.

salan · « **Reply #3029 on:** November 05, 2011, 05:07:11 PM »

I love the Rizzoli and Isles series. I read The Silent Girl and really liked it. Then I read The Surgeon. It was too bloody and gory for me; so I don't know if I will read any more.

Sally

Steph · « **Reply #3030 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:51:34 AM »

I found a Laura Littman that I had not read at the book sale in the neighboring town yesterday. I do like her. This is not a Tess book, but one of her stand alones. It is about an author who is researching a childhood friend who was in jail for seven years for not telling what happened to her three month old baby.

JoanK · « **Reply #3031 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:32:59 PM »

I like the TV series too. But thanks for the warning: I was going to get "The Surgeon": now I won't.

I p[icked up and oput down three mysteries yesterday. I don't know if it's me or the mysteries.

Steph · « **Reply #3032 on:** November 07, 2011, 05:45:28 AM »

I tried the Surgeon and did not get past 50 pages.. Not for me.. The TV is much lighter.
Finished my Lumby Bounty book last night. Must pick a new bedbook tonight.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3033 on:** November 07, 2011, 10:11:28 AM »

To anyone who has read the John Sandford "Lucas Davenport" books, I just want to say that if you were expecting last nights TV presentation of his "Certain Prey" with Mark Harmon to carry even a smidgen of the books, surprise. This show was, IMHO, awful. It was overly violent (but it was about a hit-woman), it was filled with obscenities, which I did not expect on the USA Network, and was so bad, after I watched the first 30-35 minutes of it, I switched back to the football game! Who knows how it ended, and as for me, who cares. Even Mark Harmon was not good in this role, the gal who played the "heavy" was over the top, but by George, I kinda liked the "hit woman". She didn't chew the scenery and went about her "work" in a determined manner, although 5 or 6 or 8 shots with a pistol, close-up, for me, that was overkill. As you can tell, I don't recommend this movie, and don't let it chase you away from the actual books if you haven't read 'em!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3034 on:** November 07, 2011, 02:20:47 PM »

I just finished a fun book, The Blight Way by Patrick McNanus. The protagonist is a 40yish county sheriff in Idaho who has a 75 yr old crochety, funny father, who was the previous sheriff and much feared - in a funny way - for his reputation of not necessarily following the law when dealing w/ potential/real criminals. It was a good mystery, altho, as w/ most light mysteries, i had to suspend reality in the way they solved the crime. While reading it i could see Paul Newman in the father role, couchy, witty, smart. Alas that won't happen.

Babi · « **Reply #3035 on:** November 07, 2011, 04:21:55 PM »

The two episodes featuring the 'Surgeon' in the series were also the most horrifying.
Hopefully, none of the others...series episodes or books...will be that hard to read or watch.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3036 on:** November 07, 2011, 05:16:24 PM »

I like the Rizzoli and Isles television series, as well.

I do not think I have ever read a whole long series of murder mysteries without feeling the author peters out toward the end and just does not deliver the freshness and thrills of the earlier books.

Which is why Harper Lee refused to ever write another novel. She repeatedly said she could not equal or better her first effort!

And you know what? I just bet she was RIGHT!

Mebbe. Mebbe not. I know about a bazillion people would have rushed to their book store to find out.

pedln · « **Reply #3037 on:** November 07, 2011, 11:24:55 PM »

How true, Mary Page. I used to devour Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series, but then they just got so cutesly I couldn't stand them. Likewise for Diane Mott Davidson, too much Arch and the Jerk.

But I've not yet tired of Margaret Maron, all of hers are still refreshing. Not so sure about this new one due out this month -- the second series protagonist (Deborah Knott) gets together in New York with the first series protagonist (Sigrid H).

maryz · « **Reply #3038 on:** November 07, 2011, 11:44:34 PM »

We had such a treat tonight. I happened to see in the paper that our local Friends of Moccasin Bend (a section of the Chickamauga National Military Park was having the last of its fall lecture series tonight, and the speaker was to be Nevada Barr. Wow, what a treat that was. She's an incredibly entertaining speaker and kept us laughing through the whole hour and Q&A session. If you ever get a chance to hear her speak, take advantage of it.

Steph · « **Reply #3039 on:** November 08, 2011, 06:13:59 AM »

Ijust got the Christmas one of Margaret Maron. I agree that Judge Knott.. stays fresh and relevant. Could be the large complicated family and townspeople.
I dont read Carolyn Hart any more.. sometimes Diane Mott Davidson.. But I dislike Arch a lot..
I still like Janet Evanovich and she is doing a new series with Diesel?? and a witch.. The first one based in Salem was neat.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910632 times)