Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897540 times)

marjifay · « **Reply #5760 on:** September 26, 2013, 07:04:11 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

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I liked The Cuckoo's Calling. Altho' the book was too long, it kept you turning pages.

Marj

JeanneP · « **Reply #5761 on:** September 26, 2013, 07:34:02 PM »

I am reading one that I just picked off the shelf. Not heard of writer before. Harlan
Coben his name " Six Years" the book. Quite good so far. .mystery

Frybabe · « **Reply #5762 on:** September 27, 2013, 08:31:11 AM »

The only Coben I've read so far was Tell No One. I couldn't put it down. My sister, on the other hand, started it, got busy with other things, and never got back to it. It is still waiting for her to finish. There is another Coben in my TBR pile, but I don't remember the name off hand, something like The Woods or In the Woods.

Steph · « **Reply #5763 on:** September 27, 2013, 08:51:21 AM »

I really did not like The Racketeer.. loved the Litigatiors,, from last year though. I thought the whole book was mostly descriptions of things I did not care about and that did not lead the plot forward. No idea if there is a rule 35, but I would bet that the idea of letting the guy loose before a trial is unusual.

MaryPage · « **Reply #5764 on:** September 27, 2013, 09:36:08 AM »

I loved Coben's Tell No One, as well, and saw the movie. I just checked the shelf where I keep him and find that I have nine of his books on hand unread as yet. I always pass them on to my granddaughter Paige as soon as they are read, as she loves him, too. The buying and setting aside is not a matter of preference, but there is so much else having to be read. Coben is one of the many authors I have to keep a tabled list of on WORD. I set them up with 4 columns: "Own", "Read", "Year", and "Title." For Harlan Coben, under title I always add whether or not it is a Myron Bolitar and, if it is, the number, like this:
Myron Bolitar #10 LIVE WIRE.
I have a file called BOOKS in which I keep all of my author lists, just to make sure I don't miss one in a series. My Coben starts in 1995 with Myron Bolitar # 1 DEAL BREAKER, and of course the own and read columns are checked off and that book has long since left my home for Paige's. Tell No One was 2002, and was most definitely NOT a Bolitar.

marjifay · « **Reply #5765 on:** September 27, 2013, 10:59:13 AM »

Steph wrote, "I really did not like The Racketeer.. loved the Litigatiors,,

I also loved The Litigators (loved them both, actually) Have Grisham's Sycamore Row on hold at the library. It is to be out in October.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #5766 on:** September 27, 2013, 01:27:36 PM »

Looking back over some of the posts here, and I see that Joan K was reading The Stonecutters (by Camilla Lackberg?) and thinking about tossing it. Did you finish it?

I read it earlier this year and rated it 3+. It kept me reading to see who had killed the little girl, but the book was too awfully long with too many characters and too many red herrings. The writing IMO was just okay, kind of a long melodrama. I also read her book The Ice Princess, and think that will be my last read by her. Both books needed editing. The author is pretty long-winded.

There are better books out there to read.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #5767 on:** September 27, 2013, 01:58:07 PM »

Gosh, looks as if I also am getting too longwinded. This will be my last post, as I want to get back to reading Zealot; The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, a fascinating new nonfiction book by Reza Aslan, an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions with a PhD in the Sociology and History of Religions.

I just finished a mystery, DEATH IN KASHMIR, by M. M. Kaye. She wrote The Far Pavilions. I did not know she had also written several mysteries. Death in Kashmir was very good, a bit long but interesting. I had trouble with some of her British expressions and slang, but enjoyed the story. Almost made me want to travel to beautiful Kashmir. Not as I have always pictured India, as urban and crowded with poor people, but a gorgeous place of mountains, valleys and lakes.

Marj

JoanK · « **Reply #5768 on:** September 27, 2013, 02:41:49 PM »

Marge: "This will be my last post".

I hope not forever. Mysteries seem trivial, compared to the life of Jesus. I read them in between more serious books. Come back to us later.

I did finish "The Stonecutters", and liked it. I didn't find it too long, once I got into it. I did feel that the murderer was obvious, and the extremes of character TOO extreme. As someone said, the good people were good, and the bad people REALLY bad.

JoanK · « **Reply #5769 on:** September 27, 2013, 02:48:07 PM »

Mary: you're lists on the computer sound like a great idea!

On the kindle, they give a free sample of the first 30 pages approx. After realizing how much money I was spending on kindle, I made a strict rule that I'm not allowed to buy the book until I've read the sample. I can't count how many samples of books I thought I "had to have" have been sitting there unread forever. That rule cut way down on my expenses. As it is, even with that and the library I spend over $100 a month on books.

pedln · « **Reply #5770 on:** September 27, 2013, 04:02:30 PM »

MaryPage, I wish I'd started what you have done several years ago. You are so organized. I think for me it would be too late, plus there is so much other stuff that has to be done. I'm lucky to have made a TBR list.

JOhn Grisham and Harlan Coben are two of my favorite mystery writers. I loved Grisham's The Litigators and also The Appeal, and could watch the films Pelican Brief and Time to Kill (I still think that is one of his best) over and over again. Didn't care so much for the one that focused on death row -- don't remember the name. Too long. And this discussion about Grisham has reminded me about A Painted House -- we read it here, and I'm really surprised that I have yet to see the film. I just now put it on my Netflix queue.

I liked Coban's HOld Tight. Haven't read Tell No One, but liked the film. Strange that it's French.

MaryPage · « **Reply #5771 on:** September 27, 2013, 05:04:53 PM »

Pedln, I think I read somewhere a long time back that Hollywood had bought the rights to film Tell No One, as well, but as far as I know they have never done so. Apparently the French really liked the story. Well, so did I! Of course, as is usually the case they changed the story in the film from the story in the book in a number of ways, but it was, basically, still the same story and I hugely enjoyed seeing it come to life.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Camilla Lackberg's books. Am a fan of hers.
Have been interested in reading Zealot. From reading details about it in all the many reviews, I gather the author and I share a lot of the same opinions about Jesus and the period and the real history. Marjifay, do let us know how the book affects you.

Frybabe · « **Reply #5772 on:** September 27, 2013, 06:09:02 PM »

Compared to the book, I thought the movie was a little "quieter" than the book. The book was more action oriented.

JeanneP · « **Reply #5773 on:** September 27, 2013, 07:47:45 PM »

Looks like our library does not have "Tell no One" in LP and the DVD looks to be in French . To many DVD to watch so will skip that one. I don't mind Subtitles sometimes but not right now.

Steph · « **Reply #5774 on:** September 28, 2013, 08:41:16 AM »

Cobins stand alone are wonderful, although I like Myron as well.. I have the Lackburg, Princess book, but it is stll in my tbr pile..Was down last night. Picked up an old Amelia Peabody, that I had read years ago and started in.. within a mnute was laughing and marveling at how delicately she manages to write bout amelia and husbands love life..

marjifay · « **Reply #5775 on:** September 28, 2013, 10:37:59 AM »

JoanK wrote "I made a strict rule that I'm not allowed to buy the book until I've read the sample. I can't count how many samples of books I thought I "had to have" have been sitting there unread forever. That rule cut way down on my expenses. As it is, even with that and the library I spend over $100 a month on books."

Good heavens, Joan, I can only imagine what you spent on books before you decided to cut down! Do you ever go to the library?

Oh well, I 'd rather spend money on books than on clothes. And I would hate to think what I would be spending on cigarettes now had I not quit about 15 years ago.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #5776 on:** September 28, 2013, 10:40:22 AM »

JoanK wrote, "Mysteries seem trivial, compared to the life of Jesus. I read them in between more serious books.:"

I do that too, Joan. Have to ration mysteries or I'd read nothing but. There is an interesting Yahoo group of people, many of whom I think must read only mysteries -- 4_Mystery_Addicts. I get a lot of my mysteries from that group. They are SERIOUS mystery readers.

Marj

MaryPage · « **Reply #5777 on:** September 28, 2013, 02:50:27 PM »

Steph, I read the Myrons for laughs. His parents are Too Much! And I agree with you: his stand alones are great mystery/crime novels. Well, some of them. Kind of remind me of Dennis Lehane, though I would have to ponder a while or more before I could tell you why. I guess basically, those guys seem to have their thoughts run along the same lines and notice the same things. I have pretty much noticed myself over the decades that I generally like the thought processes of women writers better than those of men. 'Cept for Shakespeare, of course, and I kind of sort of think the guys who believe one of the folks who wrote Shakespeare WAS a woman were right on target!

marjifay · « **Reply #5778 on:** September 28, 2013, 06:56:48 PM »

MaryPage wrote "Have been interested in reading Zealot. From reading details about it in all the many reviews, I gather the author and I share a lot of the same opinions about Jesus and the period and the real history. Marjifay, do let us know how the book affects you."

I will do that. The book will be discussed in the Yahoo group All_Nonfiction in October. I'm looking forward to that discussion.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #5779 on:** September 29, 2013, 11:17:27 AM »

Never thought, but you are right. I love Lehane and Cobin... Both look at life in a different sort of way. Mystic River as a great book and movie.. But I like all of Lehane, even Shutter Island, which was basically as strange as it gets.

JudeS · « **Reply #5780 on:** October 01, 2013, 01:00:11 AM »

Talk about serendipity!
I've been away from this site and didn't read your discussion on Coben. When I went to the library to pick up a new mystery without knowing anything about him I picked up his latest (2012) book..
It's called "Stay Close" and now I want to start reading it immediately after your "get acquainted with" introduction about his writing. Glad I'm back in the thick of the mystery genre again.

Have been entranced by one novel: "Tell the Wolves I'm Home" by Carol Brunt and not entranced by another: "The Tiger's Wife" by Tea Obreht. Both first time novelists.

Steph · « **Reply #5781 on:** October 01, 2013, 08:40:30 AM »

Finishing aKathy Reichs.. Way too much information on diamond mines. I think she pads the plots nowadays. What a shame. I like that Temperance, but dont like the tv one.

pedln · « **Reply #5782 on:** October 02, 2013, 10:15:08 PM »

JudeS, I received The Tiger's Wife as a gift, and like you I was not entranced.

Steph · « **Reply #5783 on:** October 03, 2013, 09:10:58 AM »

Just finished The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackburg.. Loved it, but she needs a firm hand on the wheel about digressions, but otherwise.. excellent plot

Frybabe · « **Reply #5784 on:** October 03, 2013, 09:19:08 AM »

I see that Tom Clancy passed away. I've seen some of the movies from his books, but never read any. One is, however, in my TBR pile; it is a non-fiction book, Shadow Warriors.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5785 on:** October 03, 2013, 10:19:49 AM »

We were Tom Clancy fans right from the start and have all of his books. We liked Harrison Ford's portrayals of Jack Ryan. I think he made four and was considering a fifth which was not carried through. It was going to star Harrison Ford and that Star Trek star in it. He's not my favorite actor? Well, he can't act is the problem!

Frybabe · « **Reply #5786 on:** October 03, 2013, 11:53:22 AM »

I didn't know Ford had considered a fifth. You must be talking about William Shatner. I never thought he was all that great an actor.

The Hunt for Red October has to be my favorite Clancy movie. It looks like that was Clancy's first novel.

Steph · « **Reply #5787 on:** October 04, 2013, 09:54:59 AM »

Shatner does wonderful funny commercials, but is certainly not a great actor.

salan · « **Reply #5788 on:** October 04, 2013, 11:24:02 AM »

I am reading the latest Louise Penny, How the Light Gets In. We are back in Three Pines and I am glad. The one before this (The Beautiful Mystery) was good; but I missed the characters in Three Pines.
Sally

FlaJean · « **Reply #5789 on:** October 04, 2013, 02:20:06 PM »

I'm reading Susan Wittig Albert's latest Darling Dahlias mystery "The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star". I like reading about the 1930/1940 era. Albert brings out some of the actual history of that era, and she is particularly good with her facts. A cozy, to be sure, but a nice escape from the reality of today.

JoanK · « **Reply #5790 on:** October 04, 2013, 04:16:38 PM »

Thanks to Jude for recommending "Tell the Wolf I'm Home." I liked it a lot.

Spooky coincidence. Last night I was reading one of the mysteries by Julie Hyzy featuring the Executive Chef of the White House, where people are always threatening the First family. Then I hear the news this morning. No fun in real life!

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/julie-hyzy/

Frybabe · « **Reply #5791 on:** October 04, 2013, 08:43:44 PM »

When I got to the library this afternoon, the library branch manager had some of Tom Clancy's newer books out on display. She was surprised that very little has been said, so far, about his passing, especially from those who made such blockbuster movies from his books. She is right. I haven't seen anything either. The only condolences and statement I've seen is from the people who bought the video game franchise he started.

maryz · « **Reply #5792 on:** October 04, 2013, 11:07:22 PM »

Tom Clancy's death was on the NBC Nightly News, and was in our local newspaper the next day.

Steph · « **Reply #5793 on:** October 05, 2013, 09:14:02 AM »

I think Today show had some stuff on Clancy as well..

jane · « **Reply #5794 on:** October 05, 2013, 09:39:23 AM »

I don't know what the Library Branch Manager watches or doesn't watch, but the various evening news programs had various interview clips of Clancy over the years, and info about his writings, etc.

jane

Frybabe · « **Reply #5795 on:** October 05, 2013, 11:57:49 AM »

I've missed them too, but then I haven't watched much TV this week. I think she was expecting people like Harrison Ford, Alex Baldwin and the like to come out with some kind of public condolences. Our local paper had an article, and I saw a few others, but they were relatively short. I think the one I saw with the statement from Ubisoft (the company that bought his video franchise) was the BBC News article. No mention of what he died of.

MaryPage · « **Reply #5796 on:** October 05, 2013, 06:29:35 PM »

Charlie Rose dedicated his show one night this week to a memory of Clancy and our local paper had a huge write up on him, complete with a number of pictures.
This is what I wrote about him in a posting in another forum this week:
Annapolis is mourning one of its local area celebrities, who died Tuesday at the early age of 66. A world-famous author, he sold his very first piece ever published right here in 1980 to the nonprofit Naval Institute Press.
He never cashed the check he received in payment. One presumes he framed it?
The same publisher printed a later piece and then, in 1984, his first book. This author wrote a lot about the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and Chesapeake Country in general. Dying just up the pike apiece in Baltimore, he lived in rural Calvert County. Natives pronounce that "Cullver." I have no idea why; just local accent, I expect.
The hero of this writer's books, portrayed on screen by actors Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck and Harrison Ford, worked here in Annapolis at the United States Naval Academy.
You have probably read at least one of his books, or seen at least one of the movies made from them.
The Annapolis Bookstore down on Maryland Avenue has pulled out all of his books for a window display in mourning. Included, of course, is that very first book: The Hunt For Red October."
We salute Tom Clancy. He was one of us.

pedln · « **Reply #5797 on:** October 05, 2013, 07:49:01 PM »

And in the latest issue of Time Magazine, Colin Powell wrote about his friendship with Tom Clancy, and what a remarkable man Clancy was.

MaryPage · « **Reply #5798 on:** October 06, 2013, 10:42:26 AM »

Sunday Morning on CBS this morning did a piece on Tom Clancy. He had SEVENTEEN number one best sellers! Wow!
And his last book will be published in December.

Frybabe · « **Reply #5799 on:** October 06, 2013, 02:13:49 PM »

I'll have to catch Charlie Rose on a rerun.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897540 times)