Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897628 times)

JoanK · « **Reply #6040 on:** January 13, 2014, 03:25:54 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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Steph · « **Reply #6041 on:** January 14, 2014, 08:48:48 AM »

Stabenow did a wonderful job of handling Jacks death and then her romance after ..
Shows how Kate grows and changes when she takes over the son. Grief is the most overwhelming thing in earth. It pulls you so far down at times.

JeanneP · « **Reply #6042 on:** January 15, 2014, 02:41:44 PM »

And thank goodness the did cut down on the pigeons. Although many cities still having problems with the wild ones. They do so much damage to buildings. Seem to hang around the old ones. Our court house has spent thousands over the years. They make such a mess.
Now with all the new housing estates they have built putting in man made lakes along with some of the mall areas. The Canadian geese now have brought bigger problems. At least with the below zero this winter these have gone further south.

JoanK · « **Reply #6043 on:** January 15, 2014, 02:52:52 PM »

"At least with the below zero this winter these have gone further south."

Where they have also made problems.

ANNIE · « **Reply #6044 on:** January 15, 2014, 03:55:17 PM »

The Canadian geese have taken up permanent residence here in Ohio and every lake, pond, park paths and grass lawns are covered with their leavings. Annnnnnnnnd, its against the law to get rid of them by gun, poison or whatever else one could use.

maryz · « **Reply #6045 on:** January 15, 2014, 04:52:53 PM »

They're starting to talk about opening a hunting season on Canada geese here in TN. They can definitely be a nuisance, just like any protected species whose predators have been eradicated (like deer, etc.)

MaryPage · « **Reply #6046 on:** January 15, 2014, 08:08:36 PM »

I do not see how ANY of you can possibly have any Canada geese in your area, as I swear to you they are all here in Maryland.
It is getting so that you cannot walk on the paths in or around parks with water, because the Canada goose black greasy crap is all OVER the place!
I do not like those birds!
By the way, they are properly Canada geese, not Canadian.
And there used to be so many of those passenger pigeons here in the States that it would take DAYS for a flock to fly over a certain point, darkening the skies for folks for those days. We shot 'em all and et most of 'em. Look it up. They were right purty birds, too! Totally extinct on this planet now. Nary a one left, even in a zoo! The Smithsonian has the last one. Stuffed, of course. A female named Martha.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #6047 on:** January 16, 2014, 04:09:46 AM »

We have pink-footed geese here - they arrive around September and leave around March. Are they the same? They don't bother us as they live in the fields or on the bird reserve at Aberlady Bay. They fly overhead in perfect V formations.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #6048 on:** January 16, 2014, 09:22:29 AM »

Our geese fly in formation, but they have also changed their habitats and love parks and open grasslands. They are the messiest creatures around. Once in the RV, we stayed in a wonderful state park in south Georgia on a beautiful lake ( Blacksher??). The geese were everywhere. We had picked it because it was listed as a great boating place, but you could not even get to the water withough being ankle deep in poop.. Ugh..

Steph · « **Reply #6049 on:** January 16, 2014, 09:23:13 AM »

Ah memory..Cordeele, Ga. and it was called the Veterans park and had tanks and all sorts of old artillery at the entrance..

JoanK · « **Reply #6050 on:** January 16, 2014, 03:20:28 PM »

Rosemary: no. This is the pink footed goose:

https://www.google.com/search?q=pink+footed+geese+pictures&tbm=isch&source=iu&imgil=R06sHFtvvQEMPM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcReUUJcCtUCbG_gxTWzZp3ELskZmMUDm2Uad4wS4-2ONdaq3IbR%253B300%253B300%253B_Q44ZyUXSwuqdM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fbirkdalefocus.blogspot.com%25252F2011%25252F02%25252Fpink-footed-geese-at-cabinet-and.html&sa=X&ei=rD7YUt-kBtjaoATTr4GwBQ&ved=0CDcQ9QEwBQ&biw=853&bih=570#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=R06sHFtvvQEMPM%253A%3B_Q44ZyUXSwuqdM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-E9qUlF65YKs%252FTV02hDOSJnI%252FAAAAAAAADug%252FVjEKPH7Zgt8%252Fs1600%252Fpfg.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbirkdalefocus.blogspot.com%252F2011%252F02%252Fpink-footed-geese-at-cabinet-and.html%3B300%3B300

JoanK · « **Reply #6051 on:** January 16, 2014, 03:22:40 PM »

And here's the Canada goose.

https://www.google.com/search?q=canada+goose+pictures&tbm=isch&source=iu&imgil=J1vMANKN_sfGEM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcRLCPf6R-kCevUqy3FVr-CL7-Koi8-uGSivL8vPryi9XOsS6y70cA%253B389%253B425%253Bk3XEeVF97H_rDM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.allaboutbirds.org%25252Fguide%25252Fcanada_goose%25252Fid&sa=X&ei=JD_YUvmFFM2JogTE0YDQBw&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQ9QEwAw&biw=853&bih=570#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=J1vMANKN_sfGEM%253A%3Bk3XEeVF97H_rDM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.allaboutbirds.org%252Fguide%252FPHOTO%252FLARGE%252Fcanada_goose_1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.allaboutbirds.org%252Fguide%252Fcanada_goose%252Fid%3B389%3B425

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #6052 on:** January 16, 2014, 03:33:53 PM »

Thanks Joan - I see it's definitely the pink footed ones we have.

Steph · « **Reply #6053 on:** January 17, 2014, 10:16:08 AM »

I expect that no matter the goose, it is a fowl and their excrement is not nice.

JoanK · « **Reply #6054 on:** January 17, 2014, 03:12:03 PM »

The Math nerd in me likes the mysteries by Ada Madison:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/ada-madison/

The narrator/detective is a math professor at a small university. The books are full of tidbits about math history, a few puzzles, and math-nerdy statements ("I closed my eyes and counted to thirteen, my favorite prime number")

Fantastic fiction above tells me Madison also writes under her real name the Periodic table mysteries. I'll try those out next, although I know little about chemistry.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/camille-minichino/

Frybabe · « **Reply #6055 on:** January 18, 2014, 07:49:50 AM »

I'm going to have to look into those, JoanK. About 10 years ago I bought a set of math history books. No big surprise, I haven't read them yet. I also have a Martin Gardner as yet unread. If I don't quit getting things from the library or buying more books, I may never get all the ones in my TBR pile read. Incentive to live forever. I remember a character who refused to die until she had read the worlds most boring book. Of course, she was able to keep putting that off. (I am thinking it was in one of the Thursday Next series books).

Steph · « **Reply #6056 on:** January 18, 2014, 09:31:42 AM »

I am sure I have enough TBR's to live until 100.. but who knows.Some of them have been put off for years. I am even considering going through and pulling some to donate.Hmm. much not lose my head on this.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6057 on:** January 18, 2014, 10:11:55 AM »

You just reminded me Steph of the lady who has 6,000 books and was looking to donate many of them to the library. Apparently her family has been after her to stop buying books and is encouraging her to reduce what she has. 6,000, oh my!

marjifay · « **Reply #6058 on:** January 18, 2014, 11:59:16 AM »

Thanks, Joan, for your recommendation of Ada Madison's series. Sound good and I've added to my you-know-what list.

I'm going to have to take my books with me when I leave this earth. I remember reading about someone who had his one-room apartment so filled with books that the shelves collapsed and buried him. Forget how long it took for people to find him. My shelves are not quite that bad, but getting that way.

Marj

ursamajor · « **Reply #6059 on:** January 18, 2014, 01:21:28 PM »

I have found a solution to the problem of too many books accumulated over years. My friend lives in an assisted living facility and needs books that are not too demanding for their library. They are glad to get the old Tony Hillermans that the public library doesn't want. The public library won't bring them books because of the problems of getting them back; some people take books without checking them out and never think to bring them back. Giving the books there is a whole lot easier than throwing them away, although I have some very old books that have deteriorated to the point they can't be read. They really must go to the dump.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #6060 on:** January 18, 2014, 01:31:18 PM »

Our public libraries are very sniffy about donated books, in fact I very much doubt they would accept any. So mine tend to go to charity shops - the only problem being that often I come out with more than I took in...

I hadn't thought of giving them to care homes - I'll try that next time I have a cull.

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #6061 on:** January 18, 2014, 04:19:00 PM »

FRY: I am thinking it [the worlds most boring book] was in one of the Thursday Next series books.

I have to agree with you there.

the beauty of kindle: my TBR pile is samples on my kindle. I make a rule I can't buy the book until I've finished reading the sample. (There are over 100 of them on my kindle now. Think how much money and space I'm saving).

There are now over 500 books in my kindle archives. Plus I get out 10 or 12 books every two-three weeks from the library (I don't always read all of them).

Do you think I read too much?

JoanK · « **Reply #6062 on:** January 18, 2014, 04:30:54 PM »

I'm reading a ridiculous book about tracking humans. I thought it would be about a detective about doing a skip-trace, but no. It's by a Vietnam vet who got his skills tracking Vietcong through the jungle.

Parts of it are hilarious, full of advice I'll never follow. To be a good tracker, you must be able to distinguish the smell of a horse, cow, sheep, camel or llama. (I'd think there are limited places where a camel and llama could be confused. A zoo, maybe).

He said he was going to add elephant to the list, but figured you'd see other evidence of its presence before you smelled it. I'm not sure of that. A workmate told me she fertilizes her garden with ZooDoo: elephant dung sold by the zoo for that purpose. None of the usual garden pests will come anywhere near her garden. Unfortunately, neither will the neighbors, who complain a lot about the smell.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6063 on:** January 18, 2014, 04:45:18 PM »

pedln · « **Reply #6064 on:** January 18, 2014, 04:45:20 PM »

JoanK, I think you're fortunate to have the fortitude to stick with your reading and not fritter your time away. If I would push away the computer chair AND throw out the grocery store Sudoku books, I would have more time to read. But there is so much on the computer -- on the Internet -- that is interesting. I mean, well, look at us, and Twitter, and the newspapers and on and on and on.

The Ada Madison math mysteries sound good. Do you have a copy of The Square Root Murder. The mass market paperback is available for $115. I wonder if they put it out in a limited edition. Now there's a solution for those of us whose shelves are bursting. We need to find book collectors, especially those wanting out of print mass market paperbacks.

JoanK · « **Reply #6065 on:** January 18, 2014, 06:32:17 PM »

Aaaack! Now if I could sell my paperbacks for $150!

salan · « **Reply #6066 on:** January 19, 2014, 03:59:16 AM »

I just finished a light humorous mystery, Louisiana Longshot, by Jana Deleon. It was free on my Kindle and I enjoyed it enough to order another mystery by Deleon. If you like southern humor; I think you would enjoy this one.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #6067 on:** January 19, 2014, 08:52:32 AM »

When I decided to donate my genealogical library to our local library, I went on line at a variety of book sites. I was amazed at the values, but a lot of what I had were limited edition and way out of print by now.. Books are sometimes more valuable than you think.

MaryPage · « **Reply #6068 on:** January 19, 2014, 03:54:32 PM »

You sound just like me, Steph. I have a home with nearly every room full of books. I realize I would have to go well beyond 100 and still reading voraciously in order to get them all read before I clock out, yet still I buy more! A lifelong habit, is my problem. I can relate to the woman with 6,000 books, too; albeit I do not have that many. Well, I am pretty sure I don't!

My library does not want books. Only the local Senior Centers and nursing homes do! But I give most of my books to family members, after reading them. Only if it turns out that I do not like a book does it become available for public giveaway.

nlhome · « **Reply #6069 on:** January 19, 2014, 05:15:52 PM »

I've often found that when I finally get to a book on my TBR pile, I can't remember why I wanted to read it or I'm disappointed in it. So my pile can get smaller without even reading a complete book. My tastes have changed.

This week I read No Man's Nightingale by Ruth Rendell, an Inspector Wexford book. I hadn't read one of hers for several years.

salan · « **Reply #6070 on:** January 19, 2014, 05:18:20 PM »

Several years ago, I tried to set up a book exchange at our yearly family reunion. It worked pretty good the first couple of years but the last 2 reunions I was the only one who brought books. I left those that were not taken home by family members to the retreat.
Sally

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #6071 on:** January 20, 2014, 03:04:59 AM »

Various people I know have tried to set up local book exchanges, etc - but there are very few takers. I remember one starting up in Aberdeen, the idea being that you were meant to give a book to the person whose name you were given, then eventually you would get one back or something. I dutifully did mine, but I know that other people who were approached said a flat no - they only wanted new books from Amazon or wherever. Also, I recall that after I had given my book, a friend said 'Oh she will already have read that, OF COURSE' - which rather put me off the whole thing, as I clearly wasn't intellectual enough!

There is 'book crossing' in the UK and I imagine that also exists in the US. I've never done it but I'm interested - must look it up and see how it works.

I totally agree, nlhome, that ones tastes (in all things, not just books) change over the years. I've also found that lately I am not so attached to books as I once was - I don't mean reading them, still as attached to that, just not so fussed about keeping them, unless they are special or have special meaning for me. Maybe it's because we seem to be moving house so often lately.

Rosemary

marjifay · « **Reply #6072 on:** January 20, 2014, 08:56:11 AM »

Nlhome wrote, "I've often found that when I finally get to a book on my TBR pile, I can't remember why I wanted to read it ...."

I have a computer list of every book I own. (It's a looong list) Very helpful when I look back at ones from sometime ago. As soon as I get the book, I add it to the list with who recommended it or why I bought it, and a brief summary of what it's about (unless it's obvious from the title). Have a similar list for books I want to read.

I give books to the library for their book sales.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #6073 on:** January 20, 2014, 09:31:39 AM »

Our local Friends of the library accepts books and we have a book sale twice a year. We are mobbed for the two days.. People love books if they can get them cheaper than retail. I also used to donate them in the RV parks. Since every
rv park we stayed in, had a small lending library. Now lI live in a 55+ community and it too has a very nice small lending library and accepts donations of books 5 years or so young.. So where I live there seem to be books. I also belong to www.paperbackswap.com and that is a huge trade community.. on line. I love it.

nlhome · « **Reply #6074 on:** January 20, 2014, 12:17:37 PM »

We are gradually downsizing our possessions, and that includes books. There are some we keep, particularly local history, authors we know, special gifts, reference type - we still grab the Peterson's Field Guide to Birds to identify birds on our feeders - and of course a shelf of "to be read" in case of a power outage, snow storm, or when that library book or download doesn't appeal. I keep a list of what I've read during the year, but whether I like a book or not, most times it's passed on to someone who might like it or donated.

We regularly buy from and donate to our Friends of the Library. They have an ongoing sale outside the library along with one or two big sales every year. We also donate to Goodwill or Easter Seals. And one of our local jails is looking for the type of books my husband reads, so we can take a bag over there now and then too.

JoanK · « **Reply #6075 on:** January 20, 2014, 07:35:10 PM »

There is a "book crossing" site in a Starbucks near me. I took a book there, and picked one up, but when I went back, there were no new books, and mine hadn't been taken. So I gave up on it.

Steph · « **Reply #6076 on:** January 21, 2014, 09:02:16 AM »

Every once in a while, I pick up a book at Goodwill or somewhere like that and it will be a book crossing book..

salan · « **Reply #6077 on:** January 21, 2014, 04:52:46 PM »

My new year's resolution is to clean & organize my library. I plan on getting rid of lots of books. I don't know why I have kept some that I have already read as I don't plan on reading them again. Life is too short & there are so many books out there to read. I imagine that I will give most of them to the library for their book sales. I really must downsize and get rid of lots of things and the library is a good place to start.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #6078 on:** January 22, 2014, 09:38:11 AM »

Yes, do think of the library. I love our book sales. Looking at the people who come in with book bags and boxes and the joy on their faces as they find things they always wanted.. Makes me smile all day.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6079 on:** January 23, 2014, 07:57:00 PM »

One of the fire halls has donated(?) space for a big bag book sale coming up tomorrow and Sat. I may go down if I remember and can get myself to go out in the cold.

The county library system, and according to my sister so is hers, in the process of switch over to the Encore software/database from Horizon. It was just slightly chaotic when I went in this morning. The programmer was there making fixes to bugs that are cropping up. To top it off, the regular staff member I work with switched with another paid staff member for the day, and her volunteer helper showed up too. Her arrival gave me the opportunity to bail out early so I could eat lunch, which I thought I was going to have to skip, before an afternoon appointment.

Continuing with the Kate Shugak series mysteries, I finished the book where her home was torched. I have to say that with all the head bashings she gets in the series, I would have thought she would be either massively brain damaged or a complete vegetable. It kind of reminds me of an old TV series where the PI got punched or otherwise clobbered in every episode. Mikey Spilane's Mike Hammer perhaps? Now she is turning the tables on Chopper Jim, the ultimate skirt chaser, and I have to laugh.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897628 times)