Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897768 times)

jane · « **Reply #6560 on:** July 07, 2014, 09:11:15 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:
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Fantastic Fiction
Stop You're Killing Me

Discussion Leader: JoanK

jane · « **Reply #6561 on:** July 07, 2014, 10:06:32 AM »

I'll be interested to see if you continue it, Steph. I tried one of his some years ago, and it was way too dark and evil for me.

My Own Reading Philosophy: I don't read about evil, molesters, torture nor do I watch such movies. There are more than enough such true stories on the news daily.

I much prefer and continue to read novels that end happily. I know those are scorned by many here and elsewhere, but that's ok. It's what I enjoy that counts, not the choices of others.

The good thing is there are so many choices these days, now that "self publishing" has become so big. With so many publishing houses merged or out of business, I once feared a couple editors would be deciding for all of us what was published. Now authors can do the publishing themselves.

Yes, many of those self-pubbed should never have been without more editing and proofing, but better many choices than only books that fit whatever a couple editors think is the "popular" thing. For a bit there it seemed all novels published had to be all about paranormal, shifters, shapers or whatever that "form” is the characters take, time-travel, and all of those have no appeal to me.

Ok, stepping off my soap box now,

Jane

maryz · « **Reply #6562 on:** July 07, 2014, 11:51:32 AM »

I'm sort of like you, jane - I don't read ones about dark, serial, torture killings - just the nice "clean" crime/murder/detective type stories.

FlaJean · « **Reply #6563 on:** July 07, 2014, 12:03:01 PM »

I also agree with you, Jane. I'm also choosy about the movies I see.

MaryPage · « **Reply #6564 on:** July 07, 2014, 01:56:00 PM »

Me, I love Harlan Coben, and have enjoyed every one of his books I have read. I have about eight unread on hand on the shelf I keep my Cobens on until I get around to them. After reading them, I pass them on to a granddaughter, who loves them, as well.

marjifay · « **Reply #6565 on:** July 07, 2014, 02:36:08 PM »

I'd not read Harlan Coben since his 2010 book, Caught, which I didn't care for. But I just finished his newest thriller, MISSING YOU, which I read because of the good reviews. This was a fast, fun book. Darn exciting. A little gore, but not bad. Kept me turning pages. I'll look forward to his next one.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #6566 on:** July 07, 2014, 04:10:58 PM »

The only Coben book I've read so far is Tell No One. I couldn't put it down. Last year I discovered a French film based on the book. I thought it was a bit more "subdued" than the book. Coben is said to have liked the movie ending better than his book.

MaryPage · « **Reply #6567 on:** July 07, 2014, 07:34:06 PM »

I did, too.

Dana · « **Reply #6568 on:** July 08, 2014, 09:13:50 AM »

There was a feature this am on NPR about Anne Cleaves--will have to look out for her books (Shetland), has anyone read her...?

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #6569 on:** July 08, 2014, 10:20:31 AM »

No, but love her Vera series (Brenda Blethyn) on TV, and the Shetland series is getting better (Douglas Henshall, without whom I wouldn't be motivated to watch it....)

Rosemary

Dana · « **Reply #6570 on:** July 08, 2014, 11:30:37 AM »

Rosemary, this is not mystery...but..... I've been reading Dominick Sandbrook over the past years and rather enjoy his books about Britain, look forward to his next about the Thatcher years I believe. I'm amazed that such a young person could put together such a massive (and mostly readable!) compendium of British politics, mores and culture from Suez on. Its so fascinating to read about the background of stuff one lived thru and sort of vaguely remembers. I think I saw part of a TV series in the UK once. Is that so?

Steph · « **Reply #6571 on:** July 09, 2014, 09:04:08 AM »

The Coben is Caught and I keep reading because he is a truly good writer and I still cannot see where he is going with this.. Dark in some ways, but mostly baffling.

marjifay · « **Reply #6572 on:** July 09, 2014, 01:06:37 PM »

I agree, Steph, Coben is a good writer. I was just a bit disappointed in his Caught. I didn't appreciate all the computer- and teen-speak, as if Coben was trying to show how "cool" and in-the-know he was. I didn't care for the main character's teen-age son whose mom admired him, but I thought he was just a selfish, rude kid. Come to think of it, I didn't care for any of the characters. I did finish it just to see who dunit, and it did wrap everything up nicely in the end.

Marj

JoanK · « **Reply #6573 on:** July 09, 2014, 03:55:39 PM »

Marj: I'll check that Denney's out. Thanks. Our place is Ruby's Diner, a block north of the pier. great milkshakes!

I like Rosenfelt a lot. In his later books, he gets into massive international conspiracies and they aren't as good IMO.

JoanK · « **Reply #6574 on:** July 09, 2014, 04:00:41 PM »

Oops. I've been off the computer for two days, due to an electrical problem. Didn't realize I'd missed a whole page.

Thanks Jane for filling in.

JoanK · « **Reply #6575 on:** July 09, 2014, 04:04:15 PM »

I've tried to read Ann cleaves several times, and have trouble getting into her, even when she writes about bird watching, which I love. (Although she doesn't love it -- maybe that's why I don't like her.).

mabel1015j · « **Reply #6576 on:** July 09, 2014, 11:05:20 PM »

Rosemary - you, and others, may know an author i got digitally from Bookbub - Sally Wright. The book i'm reading is Pursuit and Persuasion, set in Scotland. Apparently its part of a series, the protagonist is an archivist from the States whose first name is Ben.......i've forgotten what his last name is. I'm about halfway through and its a good read...........ben reese

Steph · « **Reply #6577 on:** July 10, 2014, 08:53:08 AM »

Finished the Coben..Caught.. I see what he wanted. The whole book was about forgiveness and punishment.. Interesting but too long and involved.

pedln · « **Reply #6578 on:** July 11, 2014, 01:03:18 PM »

Different strokes for different folks. My f2f group read The Husband's Secret and it was well-received. I liked it. Interesting characterization, lots of little subplots.

We have read a couple Harlan Cobens -- really liked Hold Tight, about parents using software to "spy" on their children.

Rosemary, I read your description of FAlling FAst by Neil Broadbent, went to Amazon to check it further (could only find it under author) and thought, I'm going to order that for my Kindle. Slight problem there as on Wednesday I left my Kindle and reading glasses at my daughter's in Seattle. Hopefully they are now in the mail.

I do have the Kindle app on my iPad, so could probably get it that way as well, but will wait for a freebie before I try that.

Jane and MaryZ, I"m with you -- skip the serial killers, the violence, etc. and the paranormal, vampires and such. I'll include distopian as well.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #6579 on:** July 11, 2014, 02:13:04 PM »

Now You See Me by S D Bolton is book #1 in a series whose main character is a deeply flawed young DC,
Lacey Flnt, caught up in this psychological/police procedural. She is one of those actors whose dramatic life moves into my mind and won't go away. Bolton gives life to Lacey in a way that was only hinted at in Elizabeth George's Barbara . IMHO.

JoanK · « **Reply #6580 on:** July 11, 2014, 03:57:36 PM »

Ben Reese sounds familiar. I'm sure I've read at least one book by Sally Wright.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/sally-s-wright/

JoanK · « **Reply #6581 on:** July 11, 2014, 04:04:39 PM »

And here is the description of "Now You See Me".

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/s-j-bolton/now-you-see-me.htm

Scroll down for book blurb. I just noticed after all these years that you can scroll down further for availability and prices.

Steph · « **Reply #6582 on:** July 12, 2014, 09:04:49 AM »

Finally decided to try Evanovich.. The Heist. Thus far.. not a favorite. maybe it will grow on me.

marjifay · « **Reply #6583 on:** July 12, 2014, 12:04:47 PM »

The Heist is a new series by Evanovich. I read the second installment, The Chase, and it was a DNF. I kept falling asleep. It was not humorous, just silly.

Try one of her early Stephanie Plum novels. I liked High Five (1999). Loved her crazy grandma and the rest of her family. Funny.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #6584 on:** July 12, 2014, 12:06:26 PM »

Now You See Me looks good, JoanK. I added it to my bloated TBR list.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #6585 on:** July 13, 2014, 09:33:56 AM »

Oh I love Evanovich and Stephanie Plum and even Diesel, but this one is truly just stupid thus far.

marjifay · « **Reply #6586 on:** July 16, 2014, 01:19:00 PM »

I'm reading THE SILKWORM by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling). Very good, as was the first mystery in the series, Cuckoo's Calling. I like the main character, private detective Cormoran Strike who was named after a mythical Celtic giant (Strike is 6 ft 3 in tall) I enjoy her writing so much, I may just have to read one of her Harry Potter books.

Marj

maryz · « **Reply #6587 on:** July 16, 2014, 03:34:45 PM »

Marjifay, I don't generally like "fantasy" or such-like, but I've read and loved all the Harry Potter books. I'm almost finished with The Silkworm, and like this one and the character, too.

MaryPage · « **Reply #6588 on:** July 17, 2014, 06:30:12 AM »

I am a big time Harry Potter fan. I own, but so far have not read, Cuckoo's Calling. Been a bad girl and purchased and piled up just too many books. Am trying to catch up with the shelvesful and piles and stacks, but new ones keep coming in. But count me as one whose reading enjoyment has been much, much richer for the Harry Potter adventures.

Steph · « **Reply #6589 on:** July 17, 2014, 09:02:43 AM »

I love Harry, but dislike the current two books.REad the first one and hated it., so willnot try the second.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #6590 on:** July 20, 2014, 10:23:06 PM »

While moving some books my eye rested on an old, old Charlotte MacLeod, The Withdrawing Room, so I had to read it again. This is the one where Sarah Kelling, to safeguard her house from foreclosure, establishes a boarding house. All the usual suspects show up and some new continuing characters are introduced including Max Bittersohn. Now I'll have to read them all again. And the Peter Shandy stories with those horrible puns

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/charlotte-macleod/

JoanK · « **Reply #6591 on:** July 20, 2014, 10:52:36 PM »

Haven't read MacLoad in years. Time to revisit?

From Macs to Mcs.I'm starting the County Cork mysteries by Sheila Connolly. I've enjoyed her museum series (worker at a small private Museum in Philly). Now I'm learning about land ownership in Ireland.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/sheila-connolly/

MaryPage · « **Reply #6592 on:** July 21, 2014, 09:41:21 AM »

I found MacLoed one of the funniest writers ever. And I list her Rest You Merry as the funniest book I ever read. I laughed out loud over and over, more than I ever did with P.J. Wodehouse, albeit he made me laugh out loud, too.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #6593 on:** July 21, 2014, 02:25:50 PM »

I also liked MacLoed. I need a funny book right now, maybe i'll get one of hers.

Just finished the first Lisa Scottoline in the women's law firm series, ( Everywhere that Mary Went) it told me how Mary and Judy got out of the mainstream law firm and into their own. I'm almost finished with the fourth one in the series, Moment of Truth, which i hadn 't read before. I've read almost all of them now.

I saw and heard LS and her dgt, at my library last week. They write a column inthe Phila Inquirer and have published 4 books together, one of those "how life goes" columns, very funny. One of the books is titled "My Third Husband Will Be a Dog."

LS has about 4 dogs in real life. And now that i've heard LS talking, i can hear her voice in Mary's dialogue in the books.

I'm in the middle of my second David Rosenfelt book. Andy Carpenter is a defense atty in north Jersey. Since i know that area, it's of interest to me. Plus one of my dgt's best friends is the prosecutor in Passaic Co now and "AC" is practicing and living in Patterson, the seat of the Passaic Co courthouse. DR tries a little too hard to make Andy self-deprecating and funny at times, but he has Andy owning a golden retriever, so i forgive him.

Jean

JoanK · « **Reply #6594 on:** July 21, 2014, 03:19:31 PM »

I love both Scotteline and Rosenfelt. Good reading!

Steph · « **Reply #6595 on:** July 21, 2014, 04:34:58 PM »

I like Scottoline very much..

salan · « **Reply #6596 on:** July 21, 2014, 05:19:51 PM »

Jackie, thanks for reminding me about Charlotte MacCleod. I haven't read her in years. I loved all the Peter Shandy that I read. I like a light read in the hot summer months!!
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #6597 on:** July 22, 2014, 09:02:23 AM »

I read all of the Boston MacLeods and some of the Maine ones. She is funny.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #6598 on:** July 24, 2014, 02:45:40 PM »

The Best Sellers forum has three mystery books I'm reading, posted there by mistake.

JoanK · « **Reply #6599 on:** July 24, 2014, 03:39:48 PM »

Jackie: here are the three sites:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/y/ovidia

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/adam-brookes/night-heron.htm

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/sarah-rees-brennan/unspoken.htm

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 897768 times)