Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897966 times)

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3720 on:** May 25, 2012, 01:56:05 AM »

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Thanks Babi. Jeanne, I am similar - would really rather stay in a hotel if I have to stay anywhere, and always glad to come home! Hated Brownie camp when I was about 10. Did enjoy the 2 French exchanges I went on, but more for the language, food and culture - still looked forward to being back home really. My mother says my father was the same, so I suppose I have inherited it from him and Madeleine has taken on the mantle.

The only exceptions I can think of would be a couple of self-catering holiday homes I have stayed in over the years - my favourite is a fisherman's cottage in Crail, a tiny village on the Fife coast (actually opposite us here, across the Firth). Also when we were staying in my friend Heather's flat last year it really did feel like our own home and was a lovely interlude.

College was of course quite different and I had an absolute ball there for 3 years. These days I think students have to work a lot harder, although my friend's daughter who has just finished first year at St Andrew's seems to have managed to party loads and still pass everything.

Only 10 days now till M returns.

Rosemary

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3721 on:** May 25, 2012, 12:24:58 PM »

Note: Looks like we are only two "reads" away from reaching 100,000 views on this discussion!!!

JeanneP · « **Reply #3722 on:** May 25, 2012, 12:53:31 PM »

Rosemary. My father was just like yours. Would never go away on a holiday or stay away from home. Now mother, she would go anywhere at the drop of a hot. Use to like to take me with her but after the age of 14 I would rather say home with my father. We always had a good time doing things we enjoyed doing.

JoanK · « **Reply #3723 on:** May 25, 2012, 04:09:13 PM »

WOW! 100,000 views! There are a lotof mystery lovers out there. I hope you lurkers are enjoying the site. Come in and tell us if we can do anything to make it more fun/useful.

JoanK · « **Reply #3724 on:** May 25, 2012, 04:15:07 PM »

Picked up a Victoria Thompson that I THINK I haven't read (more and more it's hard to remember) "Murder on Fifth Avenue".

And tonight, I'll finally get to see the movie version of "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovitch. Friends are coming over with popcorn and the DVD.

I don't expect to like it. I'll take a vote first on whether we sit politely, or boo and hiss and throw popcorn at the screen. I vote for the latter.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3725 on:** May 25, 2012, 04:40:33 PM »

I've heard that if you love the S. Plum books, you will be throwing popcorn or couch cushions at the screen! But that's just what I've heard. Let us know!

Steph · « **Reply #3726 on:** May 26, 2012, 07:42:19 AM »

I love Stephanie Plum, but oh the movie.. Why oh why do people like Katherine Hegl think she can do jersey. Terrible movie, way too glamerous, etc.. Sigh.. and Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur.. Never going to happen.. I vote for throwing popcorn at a minimum.
I love Val McDermid, but she is heavy going.. I just listened to one of her books. That ws fun.

nlhome · « **Reply #3727 on:** May 26, 2012, 07:53:36 AM »

I would think that all of us have a picture in our minds of Stephanie and the other characters, based on our own experiences and impressions. Hard to match up with what the producers think the public wants to see. I'm interested in Joan's perspective.

Babi · « **Reply #3728 on:** May 26, 2012, 08:49:18 AM »

Hope it's not buttered popcorn, JOAN. Definitely hard on the carpet. But then, you may not have carpet, so just pop enough for eating and throwing.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3729 on:** May 26, 2012, 12:43:36 PM »

I have read too much, and I dislike hotels now because I think of all the skin mites and bacteria and other leftovers from previous travelers and it makes me feel creepy.

When I was younger and did not "know" so much, I thought it was the greatest of adventures and the utmost fun to stay in hotels and/or motels. Also with family and friends.

Now, in my 84th year, I crave my own bed in my own room in my own home.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3730 on:** May 26, 2012, 01:31:49 PM »

Mary.

Yes, the Bed Bug scare has gotten to me also. Seems to be that even the better hotels could have them. I have always been one for checking things but not that much.
They have been found in 2 of ours here in town and 2 Senior Appt. buildings had to close for a few weeks.
I remember bringing Roaches of a kind back from Florida in my luggage one time. Awful.....

JoanK · « **Reply #3731 on:** May 26, 2012, 02:04:37 PM »

Well, the movie night was a hoot! We voted against throwing, but for booing and hissing. But two minutes into the movie, all the lights went out. A power failure in my whole neiborhood. We decide to wait ten minutes, then go to my friend's house. But then we discovered that without power, we couldn't get the DVD out of the TV.

We didn't know what to do. So we kinda-sorta sat around in the dark, having a good time, hoping the power would go back on (we had called and reported it to a computer). Fortunately, after about an hour, it did.

That hour in the dark was more fun than the movie. The actors weren't quite as bad as I'd feared, but the movie never came together. The actors voices were low and the sound affects high, so we had to choose between not hearing what was said or hearing the actors but being blasted out of our seats. Heigl and Reynolds tried hard, but couldn't pull it off. Morelli and Ranger were both ugly, and looked alike: they could have made ONE of them cute! Lula was good, but not brassy enough, and had only a bit part.

But we still had a good time. The sad part is, the movie didn't do well, so there probably won't be a sequal. Done right, the books could have been blockbuster movies.

joyous · « **Reply #3732 on:** May 26, 2012, 05:51:35 PM »

Mary Page:Every word in your Post #1059 applies to me "to the teeth".
I am 83 and get worse every day. I even will not go to the movies because
of the lice problem on the seat headrest. I just wait for the DVD. My children think I am "crazy", and I probably am, but I have become obsessed about germs. Is that a problem of old age?
JOY

Steph · « **Reply #3733 on:** May 27, 2012, 07:57:22 AM »

I think as we grow older, we tend to obsess a bit over various things. Mine is dirty bathrooms in public areas.. I will leave the restaurant if I walk into the bathroom and it is a pig sty.. Our library shares public bathrooms with the community college and by 2 pm, it is horrible beyond belief.. That age group seems to love throwing around paper towells smeared with makeup and a lot of the student bring babies to the nursery on ground and seemto change them here , so the diaper smell is overwhelming.. Ugh.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3734 on:** May 27, 2012, 10:07:02 AM »

Our son went to Gettysburg College and played football there. One of the impressive things - among many, it's a fabulous college - was how clean the stadium bathrooms were AT ALL TIMES. They must have had someone, probably students, cleaning them thru the day, or they preached to the student body about keeping the campus clean. Even more interesting was that almost every other school we went to for games - Dickinson, F & M, James Madison, Swarthmore, Lafayette, etc. - were also very clean. what a pleasant surprise.

salan · « **Reply #3735 on:** May 27, 2012, 11:52:42 AM »

A number of years ago my ddh and I were travelling thru the English countryside with an English couple friend of ours. Whenever it was time to stop for food, The Englishman would send one of us in as a "sniffer" (their term!). It seems that a sniffer refers to a person who goes inside and checks the place out--restrooms & all; then comes back and reports the findings to the rest of the group. My husband and I loved that expression and adopted it as our own when we got back home.
Sally

JoanK · « **Reply #3736 on:** May 27, 2012, 12:47:29 PM »

What a good idea. I'll never forget the time my husband and I were travelling. I announced I was tired of eating at chain restaurants, and insisted on eating at the cute local restaurant down the road. All went well, til I went to the bathroom. The whole bathroom floor was covered with cockroaches!

jane · « **Reply #3737 on:** May 27, 2012, 12:57:35 PM »

JoanK....EEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!! AAAAAACCCCKKKKKK! Did they hear you scream all throughout the place.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3738 on:** May 27, 2012, 01:21:28 PM »

Most of my experiences with public bathrooms have been quite good, especially in Great Britain, where I often had to "pay a penny" (or more!) for the privilege of getting some relief.

But there have been mebbe a dozen times in my life, mostly, if not always, here in the States, when I have entered to find the toilet or toilets full of crap and paper and urine, and the floors smeared with it as well. It is so hard to really "need to go," and yet have to turn around and spurn the only place around!

But here at the tail end of my life, I prefer to travel not at all and to enjoy the comforts of my own place. Such a consolation to me that I even HAVE this cosy nest!

Steph · « **Reply #3739 on:** May 28, 2012, 08:13:10 AM »

One of the best things about our rv.. Our own bathroom all the time. What a joy..
In Paris bathrooms are guarded by dragons of a certain age and always a small tv.. You put money or get a glare beyond belief..

Babi · « **Reply #3740 on:** May 28, 2012, 09:04:13 AM »

I've finished my first Imogen Robertson book, "Instruments of Darkness". I thought at first it
was going to be very simplistic, but far from it. Ms Robertson writes very well, and you become
very involved with the characters. Only two complaints; the guilty could be identifed well before
the climax, which some readers would not appreciate. And I really did not like the addition of
the 'Epilogue'. It was totally unnecessary. The story had ended with appropriate notes of both
sadness and gladness. The epilogue contributed nothing but an unpleasant note of sourness. I
do hope that gets edited out of any future printings.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3741 on:** May 28, 2012, 01:34:36 PM »

Oh yes Steph, I have been chased by French loo ladies when I forgot to put the money into their little dishes. Scary.

My friends and I all know the shops that have the best loos. John Lewis is top by far. Harvey Nichols here in Edinburgh is also very smart. Some of the shops are dire, and although I know they don't have to provide them, since they have done so you'd think they'd maintain them a bit better (I'm talking about you, Debenhams, Marks & Spencers and Costa Coffee/Starbucks.)

I have to say that our local council here - East Lothian - is fantastic in providing good, well maintained, public lavatories. In Haddington, North Berwick, Port Seton and all along this end of the coast, the provision is really excellent. In Aberdeen it was appalling/non-existent.

Rosemary

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3742 on:** May 28, 2012, 01:36:51 PM »

MaryPage - I just saw this and I think it is you who likes Reginald Hill's books? -

http://crimewritingmonth2012.wordpress.com/

MaryPage · « **Reply #3743 on:** May 28, 2012, 04:58:48 PM »

Thank you, Rosemary. Yes, I adored Reginald Hill. There was never a more clever writer.

http://crimewritingmonth2012.wordpress.com/about-reginald-hill/

I did not know he had died. Thank you. I have read every single Dalziel and Pascoe book and passed them on to my namesake granddaughter, who loves them, too. And I bought all the DVDs of the series and watched them each several times and passed them on to Paige, as well. We shall mourn him.

JoanK · « **Reply #3744 on:** May 28, 2012, 07:35:09 PM »

I've read several of the books, but didn't know there was a TV series.

Steph · « **Reply #3745 on:** May 29, 2012, 08:18:01 AM »

Rosemary, I was so impressed in Scotland when we were up north in the wilds and there were always bathrooms, sinks and in at least one small town, showers ( that defeated me, do the houses not have hot water or something).
But they were sparkling clean and a welcome thing on a bus trip.

Babi · « **Reply #3746 on:** May 29, 2012, 09:10:19 AM »

I haven't read everything David McCullough wrote, but I've really liked everything
of his I did read.

The Reginald Hill site looks like the perfect way for people who appreciated
Mr. Hill to remember him and celebrate his career. It's a great idea.

STEPH, I'll bet the summer hikers and bikers who are camping out really appreciate
those showers. I know I would!

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3747 on:** May 29, 2012, 11:32:36 AM »

I'm glad you found good facilities Steph. I think our loos here in North Berwick also have a shower, I suppose it's for people coming off the beach who want to wash the sand off before they go home (day trippers or, as Babi says, maybe cyclists, etc). There are notices up saying 'Please do not wash your feet in the basins'! Beaches in France and Spain usually have taps and sometimes showers on the sand - just sprinkler things, not cubicles. We don't seem to do that here, I imagine that they wouldn't be used nearly as much as out weather is so unreliable, plus they might freeze up in winter.

I don't think there would be many homes without bathrooms and hot water these days, not even in the remote north west!

When I was a child, the swimming pool in Lewisham (in those days a pretty dire London suburb) used to have 'slipper baths' - cubicles where you could pay a small charge and take a bath. My father's mother used to go there before she got a bathroom.

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #3748 on:** May 29, 2012, 02:36:05 PM »

" Beaches in France and Spain usually have taps and sometimes showers on the sand".

The beaches here in Southern California have those, and people wash the sand off before putting their shoes back on.

I'm really behind on Sue Grafton: I got tired of her for awhile, but picked up V for Vengence. About shoplifting as an organized crime. It was interesting, but introduced a "lovable" gangsta. The murders that happened all around him weren't his fault. Ughhhh!

Steph · « **Reply #3749 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:22:06 AM »

Many Florida public beaches have a spray type shower to wash off sand and then you go into the changing area..No hot water or soap, but the sand is gone.
I found an older Minete Walters in my TBR that I brought up here. The Breakers.. hmm, starts sort of grim

JeanneP · « **Reply #3750 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:01:46 PM »

Rosemary. Not heard the town Lewisham mentioned in years. My mother use to spend most of the Winter there in the 1960/70s. Lived up in Lancashire rest of time. I loved to visit when she was down South. Liked Lewisham
We had Slipper baths in Rochdale also. I believe we didn't have a bathroom before the WW2 ended. Mother use to go there with her women friends. They had what called a Turkish Bath also. 2 big swimming pools. We got the Tub of the wall in Grandmothers house.

salan · « **Reply #3751 on:** May 30, 2012, 04:00:33 PM »

I am almost finished with Julia spencer fleming's To Darkness and To Death. I think it is the fifth in the series featuring a police chief and a female Episcopal Priest. This one is proving very tedious to me. I enjoyed the others in this series; but after this one I am not sure that I care to read any more.
Have any of you read the Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton? I have enjoyed this series and I notice that she has a new one out. Those of you that like cosy mysteries would probably enjoy this series. You must start with the first..Aunt Dimity's Death as it sets up the premise for the entire series.
Sally

JoanK · « **Reply #3752 on:** May 30, 2012, 05:37:22 PM »

I have "To darkness and to death on my kindle waiting. I'm disappointed to hear it's not good --I like the series.

Aunt Dimiy's Death" sounds awfully familiar.

Steph · « **Reply #3753 on:** May 31, 2012, 08:05:05 AM »

I love Julia and loved To Darkness and to Death. It is a bit darker than the earlier ones, but good..

Phyll · « **Reply #3754 on:** May 31, 2012, 09:28:27 AM »

I have enjoyed all of Spencer-Fleming's books. I love the setting she uses--in the Catskills. That's an area that I am familiar with so I like reading about it. However, I agree that To Darkness and Death is not as intriguing as the earlier books in this series. I wonder if she hasn't written all she wants to about these characters?

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3755 on:** May 31, 2012, 03:53:37 PM »

Reading a good, suspenseful Nora Roberts' book, High Noon. It's set in Savannah, but the city is not really a factor. The protagonist is a police detective trained in hostage negotiation. One of the police officers who she's traning isn't happy having a woman as a superior and may be stalking and harrassing her. Half-way thru it, i'd recommend it.

Jean

jane · « **Reply #3756 on:** May 31, 2012, 04:40:02 PM »

Jean...you may want to try her newest, The Witness I thought it was one of her best...right up there, for me, with Northern Lights.

I read a number of Aunt Dimity titles, but the series seemed to wane in quality for me. But, I tend to get tired of series before the author ends them. The same thing happened to me with the Diane Mott Davidson and Joanne Fluke mysteries. The first ones were enjoyable; the latter ones not so, for me.

JoanK · « **Reply #3757 on:** May 31, 2012, 07:27:15 PM »

I've found that with a number of authors. Don't know how much is me getting tired of them, and how much them running out of steam.

salan · « **Reply #3758 on:** May 31, 2012, 08:09:27 PM »

Joan K and Jane, I feel the same way. Maybe it's better for an author to end a series with the readers wanting more! I think the thing that bothered me about To Darkness and To Death was the fact that Clare and Russ didn't play as much of a role. It was full of characters that I couldn't seem to get involved with and it all took place in a couple of days with an hour by hour detail (some of which were rather unbelievable). Ah well, on to something new...
Sally

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3759 on:** June 01, 2012, 03:07:24 AM »

I so agree about authors running out of steam, or being pressurised by publishers to churn out far too much. Even my beloved Alexander McCall Smith is showing signs of idea-fatigue, especially in his Isobel Dalhousie books. Jennifer Chiavernini went right downhill after the first few quilting books. Some of them do pick up again - maybe if there are some lukewarm reviews they realise that they need to pull their socks up.

Rosemary

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897966 times)