Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 898055 times)

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4080 on:** August 19, 2012, 09:18:04 AM »

____

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 Leader: JoanK

MacPherson comes from Fife but lives on a farm in Galloway - although I believe that at the moment she is living in the US, as her husband is an academic on sabbatical there.

I have a spare copy of her 'After The Armistice Ball' if you'd like it Steph - happy to post it over to you. They're light reads but interesting.

Rosemary

pedln · « **Reply #4081 on:** August 19, 2012, 10:37:51 AM »

If you're looking for Kindle bargains, I just noticed on Amazon that Lena Kaaberbol's The Boy in the Suitcase is available for $1.39. I read my library's copy some time ago and liked it, the best description probably is "tense." Danish Red Cross nurse Nina Borg, helping a friend retrieve a suitcase from a locker, finds that it contains a boy, still alive. This is apparently the first in a series involving Borg as protagonist.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4082 on:** August 19, 2012, 11:51:15 AM »

Rachel Innes is the protagonist in the Mary Roberts Rinehart book Circular Staircase.

nlhome · « **Reply #4083 on:** August 19, 2012, 09:51:36 PM »

Rosemary, I read "After the Armistice Ball" and also the book you are reading now, and enjoyed them - I like reading books for the setting and times as well as the plot, but I do prefer liking the characters also.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4084 on:** August 20, 2012, 04:23:15 AM »

Yes, I agree nlhome - I like Dandy and her dog, and this makes the story much more appealing to me. I'm sure that's partly why Louise Penny's books are so popular - the characters and the setting. I don't actually think her plots are that good, though they have improved. And I'm sure that PD James's books enjoyed a huge surge of interest when they were televised years ago, because we all fell in love with Roy Marsden, who played Dalgliesh exactly as I had imagined him.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #4085 on:** August 20, 2012, 08:44:28 AM »

Hmm, I went to a book signing last winter.. One of the true stories in the book was The Boy in the Suitcase.. Had todo with jews and Hitler and what countries would accept jews before the war.. So there was a real boy in the suitcase. Actually it was a baby,, but still..surprising..

Babi · « **Reply #4086 on:** August 20, 2012, 09:18:50 AM »

Ah, yes. I read "Circular Staircase" many, many years ago. I don't remember anything about
it, but the name Rachel Innes must have rung a faint bell somewhere.

So it was actually a babe, STEPH? I can see why a writer might change that to a boy. One
can't interact as well with a baby as a character.

pedln · « **Reply #4087 on:** August 20, 2012, 10:17:15 AM »

Not the same story, Steph, as the Kaaberbol book, which is contemporary, set in Denmark and a few other countries.

Now I'm trying to think of the name of that Japanese film that has a child in a suitcase, three or four children abandoned by their mother.

Found it -- Nobody Knows, based on a true story.

marjifay · « **Reply #4088 on:** August 20, 2012, 11:43:44 AM »

Thanks for reminding me, Pedln. I have Lene Kaaberbol's The Boy in the Suitcase, described as a fast-paced thriller, on my TBR list. I'll move it to the top of the list.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #4089 on:** August 20, 2012, 01:10:42 PM »

Well, I've finished Leviathan. It was okay, but not, IMO, as good as the other two Fandorin's I've read. I think that I didn't care for it as much because it was set up differently than the other two. The progress of the story followed each suspect in the case as well as the French policeman, who was investigating the murders, by giving each at least two chapters over to his or her perspective on the whole affair and to followed their actions. Somehow, I was not surprised at the outcome.

Steph · « **Reply #4090 on:** August 21, 2012, 08:31:01 AM »

Yes, the signing I went to was a true story,not fiction..It was about survival during the War for the jews.. Amazing stories and all true. She had four of the survivors or their descendents with her that day.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4091 on:** August 21, 2012, 12:12:15 PM »

Just finished a really good Linda Barnes mystery, Cold Case. Carlotta Carlyle is an ex-cop PI in Boston. I have read a couple of her books, but this one has been the best. Well-written, suspenseful all the way through. A 24 yr old case of the death of a teen-ager who had written a popular first novel with poetry is brought to CC's attention indicating the possibility that the writer is still alive. I like Carlotta, she is adventurous without being irrational and is surrouned by interesting characters. I highly recommend the book.

Jean

JoanK · « **Reply #4092 on:** August 21, 2012, 02:59:44 PM »

I like Carlotta, too. When not detecting, she is a cab driver, and I suspect if I lived in Boston, I could use the books as a primer of how to avoid traffic jams.

Frybabe · « **Reply #4093 on:** August 21, 2012, 08:54:27 PM »

I'm curious to know if anyone remembers the Penny Parker Mystery Series written by Mildred A. Wirt. ManyBooks.org has the whole lot posted. Wirt wrote the first Nancy Drew books, and the PP books are said to be similar.

ginny · « **Reply #4094 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:23:32 AM »

I am reading the BEST cozy, ever. I did a search for the author's name and don't see it so I hope I'm not repeating anybody's post, but I'm reading Death on Tour by Janice Hamrick, and I absolutely love it.

It has rave reviews, and it's funny, enjoyable and also I'm learning a lot about Egypt which I did not know.

She won The Mystery Writers of America First Mystery (it's her first book) prize in 2010 with it, and it's wonderful.

A teacher has saved up after a divorce to go on a 7 day tour of Egypt with her cousin. But at the first stop one of the tourists/ group, an annoying woman, is found dead at the base of a pyramid. I'm only on chapter 3 and already putting it down because it's not that big a book and I hate for it to end, it's GOOD.

Has anybody read it?

As I just came off a 3 day tour (2 days too long) I'm amazed how well she has it pegged, it's just like being on the bus again. If you would like to travel vicariously, this book gives you the perfect experience without having to go. hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa And Egypt to boot. AND a chance to kill that annoying person that every tour has, vicariously.

I hope it's a series. I'm going to see if she's written anything since. Great book, to me, anyway.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4095 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:30:21 AM »

Ginny - I knew I had heard of it somewhere before - here is a link to Lesa Holstine's review of it on her website:

http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=death+on+tour

I already have it on my TBR list.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #4096 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:40:40 AM »

Put it on my lookup list, Ginny.. I like Carlotta and think I have read most of them.. and yes having lived near Boston, her directions are very good..

Babi · « **Reply #4097 on:** August 22, 2012, 09:14:48 AM »

Oh, great! (I think.) Two more enticing authors for my list.

We were speaking of Anne Perry recently. I read a line in her current book that really caught
my attention. It is spoken by that remarkable character, Lady Vespasian, and I thought it
revealing. "I admire those who have mastered themelves in order to be where they are, rather than having been handed it by circumstance."

JoanK · « **Reply #4098 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:23:34 PM »

"Oh, great! (I think.)" I agree. I promised I wouldn't buy any more books this month: I'm waaay over my budget. But i got a sample, and said I won't start reading until next month (Hah!).

Read "The Boy in the Suitcase". It was good. Only trouble was that the two protagonists had the same voice, so I kept loosing track of which one I was following at the minute. And completely lost track of whether I was in Denmark or Lithuania. Kept thinking "I didn't know denmark was so oppressive and shattered --- oh wait, this is Lithuania.

Realized again how little history I know.

marjifay · « **Reply #4099 on:** August 23, 2012, 07:14:35 AM »

I just read my first Agatha Raisin mystery, Deadly Dance, and it will probably be my last. I think it was her 15th in the series.

Started out well, interesting and humorous. But too quickly it got just plain silly. Also had too many characters, several of which were superfluous IMO. And the characters were inconsistently drawn. Agatha's partner, Emma, started out as an interesting intelligent woman, but soon became a silly old lady who thought young men found her attractive.

I got to around page 100 and could not finish it. Too many good books waiting to be read.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #4100 on:** August 23, 2012, 08:55:19 AM »

Agatha Raisin.. I can take her in very small doses.. Hamish McBeth is the other series she writes and that is better.
I have been dipping in to a Peaches mystery by Elizabeth Daniels Squire, but this one must have been an early one since it is terribly written.. Allsorts of money.. fashion... and stupidity in plotting. Sigh.

FlaJean · « **Reply #4101 on:** August 23, 2012, 12:18:45 PM »

For those of you who like Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti series, The Jewels of Paradise will be out in October. I am already #4 on the Library's reserve list. Even after 20 or 21 one in this series, I still enjoy Inspector Brunetti as much as ever.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4102 on:** August 23, 2012, 12:52:19 PM »

Thanks Flajean - I also enjoy Brunetti.

JoanK · « **Reply #4103 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:34:24 PM »

I could never get into Agatha Raisin, either. but I know a lot of people like her.
'
Read the sample of "Murder on Tour" and I'll definately get the book when I end my self-imposed ban on buying books. It reminds me of all the reasons why I avoid tours when I'm traveling.

jeriron · « **Reply #4104 on:** August 23, 2012, 03:01:43 PM »

Donna Leon's The Jewels of Paradise Is a stand alone. It isn't a Brunetti book.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4105 on:** August 23, 2012, 04:08:28 PM »

I didn't know she wrote any non-Brunetti books - is this a first?

jeriron · « **Reply #4106 on:** August 23, 2012, 10:31:52 PM »

Steph · « **Reply #4107 on:** August 24, 2012, 08:50:45 AM »

I suspect that some of our favorite authors get tired of their series characters. Almost all of them seem to do a stand alone now and then.

pedln · « **Reply #4108 on:** August 24, 2012, 11:03:08 AM »

I could never stand Agatha Raisin either. ANd with so many good mysteries series (like Donna Leon) around I doubt I ever will another. That Janet Hamrick Death on Tour sounds good too, I think I'll suggest it unread to my f2f mystery group. A teacher protagonist ought to appeal to a group of former educators.

FlaJean · « **Reply #4109 on:** August 24, 2012, 11:49:26 AM »

Thanks for that info Jeriron. I googled it and it sounds really interesting, although I was looking forward to another Inspector Brunetti.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #4110 on:** August 24, 2012, 11:49:42 AM »

I had gotten a Margaret Maron e-book, free on Kindle, with main character Sigrid Harald. I totally enjoyed this free book, and will look for more of the Sigrid books. I've read other M. Maron books, but somehow missed this series.

ginny · « **Reply #4111 on:** August 24, 2012, 12:13:52 PM »

I'm still reading Death on Tour, am about 1/2 way thru, a bedside table book, and still enjoying it tremendously. I've found two mistakes, so far, proofreading I guess but they are interesting, four chairs instead of 2 and something about a verb, but that's all.

It REALLY makes you want to see these foreign climes, of course this was written in 2010 before the Arab Spring. I am REALLY learning a lot about Egypt..

It makes me want to read A Passage to India again. Lots of humor too.

I personally never figure out who dun it, never, ever, so nothing is obvious to me as it might be to those of you who read a lot of mysteries. The only book I ever figured out who dun it (well, two really) was Gentlemen and Players (which I have to say WAS a stroke of genius) and after a lot of sweat, grumbling, and muttering, Christmas Crimes at Puzzel Manor which he never tells the answer to.

JoanK · « **Reply #4112 on:** August 24, 2012, 02:51:23 PM »

Went to the library yesterday, and got the new Susan Albert book "Cats Claw". The plant theme is about plants with thorns that stick to you and won't let you go. Waiting to see the tie-in to the plot.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4113 on:** August 24, 2012, 10:59:06 PM »

Read Margaret Maron's Rituals of the Season, Judge Knott series, in two days. It was out of sequence for me. I had missed this one in which - SPOILER ALERT - Dwight and Judge get married at Christmas time. It had a lot of "family activity" in it. Sometimes that has seemed too much for me, keeping track of all the brothers and SILs and aunts and uncles, but it fit right in w/ the story for me this time.

Jean

Steph · « **Reply #4114 on:** August 25, 2012, 08:41:53 AM »

Maron did a few Sigrid books and then launched Judge Knott. I loved the Sigrid books, but she sort f painted herself into a corner. I have not read it, but the new Judge Knott and Sigrid meet up.. Sounds interesting..

MaryPage · « **Reply #4115 on:** August 25, 2012, 01:01:50 PM »

I absolutely adore the Judge Deborah Knott series, and now am reading number 13 of about 17 or 18 books thus far. I buy them and read them and pass them on to my namesake granddaughter, who always loves to read the same books I love. I have not read any non-Judge Knott books that Maron has written; but I probably will.

pedln · « **Reply #4116 on:** August 26, 2012, 04:58:10 AM »

Three-Day Town -- or something like that -- the Margaret Maron where Deborah and Sigrid Harold meet up. I read it a few months ago, enjoyed it -- it was all very believable. Again more family connections. Deborah and Sigrid are not related, but have family links that connect them.

Steph · « **Reply #4117 on:** August 26, 2012, 09:27:16 AM »

Oh fun.. Maron is a clever writer. I have recently begun to understand that TheBallad of Frankie Silver that Sharon McCrumb wrote is about the very area I am living.. Frankie Silver was real and had a daughter who lived , married and has kin in the area. How neat.. McCrumb is also a big favorite of mine.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4118 on:** August 26, 2012, 12:04:44 PM »

I asked this question before, but we didn't really talk about it, what is the allure of the Carolians? The area appears to attract writers to live there and it attracts writers to using it as an environment for the setting of their books. Of course the area has many diverse cultures in them - the beach, the academic triangle, the crafts, Appalachia, the islands, small towns. But those are in other places in the country also.

I can think of 6, Maron, Ross (Miss Julia), Conroy, Frank, Malone, McCrumb. I'm sure you all can add others. Is there something about the area and the way it's written about that calls us to "home" - or at least the fantasy home that we might crave, small town, loving families, beach life, mountain life, artistic people making beautiful crafts for hundreds of years? I think it's an intriguing question?

Jean

MaryPage · « **Reply #4119 on:** August 27, 2012, 07:28:20 AM »

"Nothin' could be finah than to be in Carolina in the mor-or-or-nin'!"

Not murder mysteries, but Joan Medlicott's ten (10!) "Covington" books are lovely Carolina immersions, and relate deeply to our sex and age.

News:

Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 898055 times)