Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910522 times)

marjifay · « **Reply #3360 on:** February 18, 2012, 12:28:45 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!

Links:
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Discussion Leader: JoanK

Jean said, "Finished a very disappointing Catherine Coulter book, Riptide."

Not long ago I read Coulter's book, THE MAZE. Awful writing! I thought it was a wonder she found a publisher. I'll read no more by her.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #3361 on:** February 18, 2012, 06:09:44 AM »

Since worker bees get first pick, I have selected a couple of mysteries that I have never heard of the author.. Will let you know how good or bad they are in a bit. Today is the actual beginning of the sale and it is bedlam all day. Sigh.

Babi · « **Reply #3362 on:** February 18, 2012, 09:34:26 AM »

I obviously lost track of the flow there, MARYZ. I did think Skara Brae a most unusual
name.

Maybe we ought to start taking note of which publishers turn out the mishmashes. If they
make it a habit, warn them they're about to get dumped!

JoanK · « **Reply #3363 on:** February 18, 2012, 02:35:21 PM »

Just read a pizza-lovers book: "A Pizza to Die For". Light, and a quick read. Full of descriptions of pizza, unfortunately, since I've eaten something that didn't agree with me and reading about food was NOT what I needed. Should have put it down for later.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3364 on:** February 18, 2012, 08:19:55 PM »

JoanK

Hope yours is just the 24 hour one. Mine lasted 2 weeks. Finely got it over with. Going to stop eating a few things from now on.

Steph · « **Reply #3365 on:** February 19, 2012, 06:21:58 AM »

Who was the detective in a Pizza lovers book??
I like to keep track of cozies. Sometimes I am in the exact right mood for them.
Came home from the book sale with a box of books, because I am down to maybe six boxes of tbr... Oh for more will power where books are concerned.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3366 on:** February 19, 2012, 10:35:05 AM »

Steph - have you tried this book blog:

http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/

Lesa is a US librarian and reviews a new book each day, many of which are 'cozies'. I really enjoy her site.

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #3367 on:** February 19, 2012, 08:26:51 PM »

Rosemary: that's great: I'm tempted to try to win "The Diva haunts the House".

Well, I finally got everyone to agree to see "One for the Money" today, and the theaters had taken it off!! So we went shopping instead. We'll get a copy when it comes out in DVD and watch it at my place, fortified with plenty of chocolate!

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3368 on:** February 20, 2012, 03:05:26 AM »

Joan - go for it! I'm not allowed to enter as you have to be in the US (which I completely understand given the postal costs).

BTW, does anyone on here live in Philadelphia? That is where I am going next month, and as my hostess may be busy the first day, I was wondering what you would recommend for me to go and see (although I'm sure she'll be able to point me in the right direction - haven't asked yet).

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #3369 on:** February 20, 2012, 06:19:08 AM »

Rosemary..Do you like U.S. History..Philadelphia has a lovely historical section. The Libery Bell is there and all sorts of small museums. Also Philadelphia has wonderful Museum of Science and Industry and a very nice ARt Museum. All downtown..

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3370 on:** February 20, 2012, 01:51:36 PM »

Philadelphia? Right across from the Liberty Bell/Independence Hall is the Constitution Center w/ its very interesting permanent exhibit "We the People", and of course there is the fabulous Phila Art Museum and the Rodin Museum.

Franklin Square on the 300 block of Market St shows you the brilliance and enveloping mind of Ben Franklin, he was interested in everything and invented or organized the fire company, musical instruments, a trading of books that became the P Library, street lighting, an insurance company, ran the post office for the colonies, started the U of Pennsylvania, the only ivy league college not started by or related too a church and dozens more.

If you like weird stuff, check out the Mutter Museum which is the history of medical services & operations.

If you are going betwn Mar 4-12, there's the biggest flower show in the world - or so they bill themselves.....

http://www.theflowershow.com/home/index.html

http://www.visitphilly.com/

Check out the Phila Tourist Center on line, it's also next to the Const Center, easy to get to and provides tickets to places where you need them.

JoanK · « **Reply #3371 on:** February 20, 2012, 01:59:09 PM »

Oh, you're coming to the US! Are you going anywhere else? I wish I weren't 3000 miles on the other side of the country.

Philadelphia was the first capital of the US, before Washington DC was built it's where the constitution was written, where many of the events of the revolution and early days of the Republic happened, and many of its heros lived. A wonderful place to learn about US history. I don't know details, but you could find them online.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3372 on:** February 20, 2012, 04:21:21 PM »

Thank you for all these suggestions, which I will make a note of.

JoanK - I am going to Philadelphia and then to Boston for the US Barbara Pym conference. I won't have time to go anywhere else; I leave here on 14th March and return on 20th. I am quite nervous about the whole thing - I used to travel on my own all the time but for the past 20 odd years I think I've only been to France alone (and that was to stay with an old friend from here). I am not yet sure if I am going to be met at the airport or not, and that is worrying me as I have no sense of direction and never understand which bus/train to get. Hopefully I won't have to work this out!

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #3373 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:00:55 PM »

I hope you have a wonderful time. At least, they speak the same language, although sometimes it doesn't seem so. There should be someone at the airport counter to help you. Usually, there will be relatively inexpensive airport limousine services to take you where you want to go.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3374 on:** February 20, 2012, 06:40:00 PM »

I just finished Evavovich's new co-written book, In a Nutshell. It was o.k., i chuckeled a few times, but no lol's like in the Plum books. It has a very light mystery and a very light romance. It is set in northern Michigan. It was entertaining. If you are looking for something light w/ a little entertainment of the Plum books, you'll probably like it.

nlhome · « **Reply #3375 on:** February 20, 2012, 07:43:57 PM »

Rosemary, I have never been to Philadelphia, although I have been to Pennsylvania a couple of times. I'm sure that you'll do fine at the airport and will be helped with whatever you need. Don't let that worry you.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3376 on:** February 20, 2012, 07:57:04 PM »

Rosemary.

I thought that the Barbara Pym Conference would be held in March 16-18 at Harvard University, Cambridge. Ma. Is someone driving you up from Philadelphia.?

roshanarose · « **Reply #3377 on:** February 20, 2012, 08:36:34 PM »

Rosemary - I was fortunate enough to visit Philadelphia in 1995. The old part is just beautiful. I did a very touristy thing and hired a horse carriage and driver to show me around and explain places of interest. It was all interesting to me! I noted at the time that there were many ornamental pineapples atop gates, fences etc. Evidently they are a sign of hospitality. I also noticed that on many of the fences/walls there were bronze plaques. I was told that unless you had one of those plaques the fire brigade would not come and put your fire out if you were unfortunate enough to have one.

I stayed in a B&B on Chestnut Street? It was in an old house and I had an attic type bedroom. So charming. The best thing about it though was discovering potato skins. I ordered a plate and this immense platter of potato skins with blue-cheese dressing was put in front of me. I asked the waiter if he had made a mistake because the platter looked much too much for one person. He told me to just try them out. I left very few. In the evening I ordered a margarita (I LOVE margaritas) and was presented with a pitcher of that fabulous nectar. Once again I queried the quantity. Once again I was asked to just try it out. The potato skins and margarita pitcher were very inexpensive. I was fortunate that all I had to do was climb some stairs to get to my room. It was a pretty wobbly ascent.

Have a great time - don't bother with the new town, it is just like any other.

roshanarose · « **Reply #3378 on:** February 20, 2012, 08:44:08 PM »

For those who enjoy the Phryne Fisher books by Kerry Greenwood a TV series is about to begin.

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is an Australian television drama series of thirteen one-hour episodes, scheduled for airing on ABC1 on 24 February 2012. It is based on Australian author Kerry Greenwood's series of Phryne Fisher detective novels.[1]

ABC1 is our equivalent of the BBC UK, so you may get the series as well.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3379 on:** February 21, 2012, 04:15:28 AM »

Jeanne - yes, that's right - a friend who is a member of the BP society is kindly having me to stay in Philadelphia, then we are going up to Cambridge for the conference - we are going on the train.

Roshanarose - thanks for all that information, it sounds lovely.

I'll let you all know how I get on!

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #3380 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:26:35 AM »

Rosemary, there is a train at the airport that goes directly to downtown Philadelphia,, Very easy to use and convenient..
I lived three years on the New Jersey side. My husband worked in Philadelphia, but the taxes were more reasonable on the Jersey side.
It is a walkable city with so much to do..I loved the Mutter Museum, although when I lived there, you needed a pass to get in. A neighbor taught at the medical school and got me in. Gruesome but fun.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3381 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:34:19 AM »

Thanks Steph, that's good to know.

Rosemary

JeanneP · « **Reply #3382 on:** February 21, 2012, 03:20:58 PM »

Rosemary.

You will find Public Transportation to be Almost as good as UK in Both Boston and Phily. Great cities to be on foot.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3383 on:** February 21, 2012, 03:37:54 PM »

Not read any of Kerry Greenwood. Just checked what library have in. On his Phryne Fisher they have 26 but only one in LP. I will read it. As I read so much I prefer the Large Print books. Getting to be more and more all the time, specially the new ones coming in.

roshanarose · « **Reply #3384 on:** February 21, 2012, 09:08:46 PM »

JeanneP - Kerry is a "she".

The name can be given to either a boy or a girl.

Steph · « **Reply #3385 on:** February 22, 2012, 06:18:20 AM »

I found an old Minette Walters in the book sale. Written in 95 and I sure dont remember it.. Hooray. I do like her. She is so different in many ways.. It is always amazing the number of authors who never show up in the book sale.. On the other hand, John Grisham, and all of James Patterson are all over the place..
We get very few westerns.. A couple of the men were lamenting.. Some science fiction, but not any of my favorite authors. lots of Star Trek type.
Two Daniel Silva in the whole sale.. Tells you what people get rid of and what they keep.

Babi · « **Reply #3386 on:** February 22, 2012, 09:47:06 AM »

I was startled to learn my library has 27 titles under 'Kerry Greenwood'. How have I
managed to miss all those? I'll start with the oldest one I can find.

marjifay · « **Reply #3387 on:** February 22, 2012, 11:36:24 AM »

Thanks, Roshanarose, for the recommendation of the Phryne Fisher series. I'd not heard of the author Kerry Greenwood, but this series sounds very good.

I just finished a very interesting historical mystery, A BURIAL AT SEA by Charles Finch, a British author. Excellent writing and research. Set in 1873. The protagonist, Charles Lenox, formerly a detective, now a member of Parliament, is sent by his brother at the request of the PM, on one of Her Majesty's ships to Egypt. Officially, he is to meet with the new leader of Egypt, but the real reason is to spy and find out France's intentions toward England (they suspect France is planning to attack England without warning).

On board the ship, the second lieutenant is murdered. The captain, knowing of Lenox's background, asks his help to find the murderer. As you read the book, you feel as it you are actually aboard ship. So many fascinating historical details, i.e., how a burial at sea is conducted, and much more. I will read more of this series.

Marj

JoanK · « **Reply #3388 on:** February 22, 2012, 02:08:40 PM »

I love Kerry Greenwood! I hope the series makes it to the US. If she were not too old, it would be a perfect part for Diana Riggs: the detective is a 20s "swinger (is that the right term?) in Australia, sometimes Sydney, sometimes Melbourne.

One of the Grrenwood books featured cricket, and I hoped reading it would enable me to finally understand the game. No such luck. It's hopeless!

JoanK · « **Reply #3389 on:** February 22, 2012, 02:16:56 PM »

Read in one sitting "Death, Taxes and a French manicure" by Diane Kelly. A first detective novel by a romance writer, an Evanovitch wannabe. Awkward writing, lots of sex, and not as funny as the author thinks it will be, but there's potential -- I'll read the next one when it comes out. Narrator is a Stephanie Plum type Tax "cop" for the IRS, it made me examine my past to see if I have any tax transgressions there. I THINK I'm clean (why does the IRS make everyone feel so guilty?)

nlhome · « **Reply #3390 on:** February 22, 2012, 09:01:33 PM »

I have enjoyed Phryne Fisher also. Love the setting. The books are hard to find around here, though. I have had to buy some because the libraries don't carry them.

Steph · « **Reply #3391 on:** February 23, 2012, 06:02:42 AM »

Am reading a book by Irene Marcuse.. Set in NYC.. The heroine is Anita Servi.. she lives in lower Manhattan, works in her husbands woodworking shop, since she is burned out as a social worker. Very ethnic and sort of aging hippie type, but interesting.

roshanarose · « **Reply #3392 on:** February 23, 2012, 07:37:51 AM »

JoanK - I think the term is more likely to be "flapper". "Swinger" has an altogether different meaning.

Ahhhh cricket - a most arcane sport.

I have been watching cricket since I was a child, and expected to play it as well. Girls were not given any special treatment. The terminology and meaning of obscure terms in cricket is no less mysterious than Greek. e.g. "silly mid off";"in the gully"; "no ball"; lbw etc. I still watch it though hoping to gain more insight into the game which is, regrettably, at times, just as the game is, very slow in emerging.

Babi · « **Reply #3393 on:** February 23, 2012, 08:39:34 AM »

Thanks, ladies. Two new authors to look up, and one to avoid.

pedln · « **Reply #3394 on:** February 23, 2012, 11:53:20 AM »

JoanK, I don't think I'll avoid Diane Kelly -- just looked up the book on Amazon. Kelly's a tax attorney by day. The Kindle price is right, so I just might download. Can't say that I like taxes, but the first thing I did after retirement was to take the H&R Block tax prep course, then worked there parttime one season. After that, did volunteer tax prep for about five or six years. So, am curious about a mystery about taxes.

Actually, I like mysteries about money and finance. Remember Emma Lathen -- a composite author made up of a lawyer and a banker, who wrote a series about the banker detective. I think they've both died, but am not sure. There haven't been any recently.

Roshanarose -- have you seen that Indian film about cricket -- Lagaan? Is that the name of it?

jane · « **Reply #3395 on:** February 23, 2012, 01:43:10 PM »

Pedln...I loved Emma Lathen's books about John Putnam Thatcher and the Sloan Guarantee Bank and those other two VPs (?) the cranky Gabler and the ladies man, Charlie, and Thatcher's secretary...Rose(?). I'd read that one half of the writing duo had died back in the late 90s.

JoanK · « **Reply #3396 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:35:19 PM »

I used to read all the Emma Lathan mysteries -- haven't thought about her for years.

i didn't mean to put anyone off "Death, Taxes --- ". these are taxes on steroids, nothing like what you probably met at H & R Block. I enjoyed that aspect, too. Don't tell me it's cheap on kindle? I actually bought it at barnes and Noble. I was in there with my son, and wanted an excuse to sit at the coffeeshop and eat their cheesecake-factory cheesecake (sigh: death, taxes, and extra pounds).

pedln · « **Reply #3397 on:** February 23, 2012, 08:20:04 PM »

JoanK -- $2.99. Moral of the story is to carry your Kindle with you when you go out. I'm sure B&N's wifi would connect you with Amazon.

I had a bowl of chili at B&N on Sunday, and am excited about the book I bought there -- for the discussion with my f2f group. Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein. Harry Bernstein is portrayed in Bruce Frankel's What Should I do With the Rest of my Life -- "A Ruby of a Writer." He started writing when in his 90's. Celebrated his 100th in 2010 (I think Bruce was there) and died this past June, 2011.

roshanarose · « **Reply #3398 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:44:22 PM »

pedln - No. I have never seen a film about cricket, probably because I have seen endless hours of it on TV

.

I found this site for you, JoanK/pedln. Please don't be insulted by the term "basic", it is no slur

http://angielski.co.uk/cricket_rules.htm

Cricket terms have come into everyday parlance in Australian, and probably also UK English. Expressions such as "It's a sticky wicket" means It's a bit wet outside; "bowled a maiden over" (a cricketing term) means just that in every day English; and It's not cricket means "It's not fair". Cricketers now wear helmets to protect their heads and some padding to protect their boy bits, due to a game that will go in down in infamy, when the "body line" was introduced. Ouch! Body line is when the bowler deliberately bowls at the body of the batsman. Cricket in the past was very much a gentleman's game played on the hallowed turf of the great GPS schools in Britain, and here also. Now it can be almost as gladiatorial as rugby league, and may attract similar spectators. It is amazing what harm and aggression can be caused by a small ball.

I am sure that baseball has its own vocabulary as well.

Steph · « **Reply #3399 on:** February 24, 2012, 06:26:25 AM »

All sports have their own vocabulary.. I love ice hockey and used to have season tickets.. So those terms I am familiar with.. The tshirts at a hockey game are always fun.... a favorite was"Give Blood... Play Hockey"..

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 910522 times)