Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 905933 times)

Steph · « **Reply #6800 on:** October 12, 2014, 09:20:44 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
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Discussion Leader: JoanK

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I get a kick out of Rhys book on the young woman who is skatey eight away from the throne and cannot work, etc. They are fun and silly. Not as fond of Molly

MaryPage · « **Reply #6801 on:** October 12, 2014, 01:02:42 PM »

Well, I saw Sarah Armstrong-Jones on ROYAL PAINTBOX last week on PBS. Admitting to poor arithmetic, I count her something like 19th or 20th in line for the throne, and she most definitely works. And didn't Prince Edward himself work? Of course, if you count being in the armed forces, a lot more work and have worked. I know Edward's wife worked on after they were married. I admit those books are fun, goodness knows I have enjoyed a few, but I wonder about the can't work thing. Maybe it takes the Queen's permission? But how deep into the succession would THAT dig?

JoanK · « **Reply #6802 on:** October 12, 2014, 03:17:26 PM »

Fry: I watched that program too, and was fascinated by it. I had no idea that Doyle had that kind of influence. I don't watch the CSI programs, because they're too graphic for squeamish me. But I'm interested in forensics.

If you don't want to download the forensic manual, It's available on kindle for $1:99. I'll read the sample and let you know.

JoanK · « **Reply #6803 on:** October 12, 2014, 03:33:10 PM »

STEPH: I like Bowen's "Royal Spyness" series better than the Molly books, too. She's 39th in line for the throne, so of course she's not allowed to WORK! But she has no money. She's always scrounging free food but she's always hungry. The queen is always inviting her to tea (with all kinds of goodies which protocol won't allow her to eat) and trying to arrange horrible marriages for her.

They're my favorite, but I like Molly too. And Evan Evans, the Welsh policeman.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/rhys-bowen/

Steph · « **Reply #6804 on:** October 13, 2014, 08:50:54 AM »

I am reading a new Sandford book about Virgil.. Virgil is a favorite of mine.. He has a different outlook on life and contrary to Lucas..( who I like, but is violent), Virgil tends to be laid back and funny.. In this one, there are two Israeli women.. both insisting they are the same person.. Fun.

JoanK · « **Reply #6805 on:** October 13, 2014, 03:50:19 PM »

Steph: is this the guy?

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/john-sandford/

Steph · « **Reply #6806 on:** October 14, 2014, 08:47:34 AM »

Yes, Sandford writes two different, but intertwined seris plus a few that are early that I do not like.. Lucas Davenport is the main series.. Violent but compelling. One of the very few violent mysteries that I like.. The second series is quite a bit newer.. Virgil Flowers.. He works in Minnesota as well as Lucas, but in a rural area, he is very very different and somewhat funny.. Sort of a ladies man in an odd sort of way.. I like both series but Virgil is much much gentler. The early ones are the Kidd series and I am not that fond of them.

marjifay · « **Reply #6807 on:** October 20, 2014, 10:13:52 PM »

I tried to read Catherine Coulter's Backfire, one in her FBI series, but had to toss it after about ten chapters. Really boring. Too many characters (some just names mentioned), too much about the goings on in the various families, too much redundant talk about how was the judge who had been shot doing, on and on. This was my second book in this series (both DNFs). No more by her.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #6808 on:** October 21, 2014, 09:01:46 AM »

I am not fond of Coulter.. Reading an author who does not write much. Abigail Padgett.. "The Last Blue Place Special.. Her heroine ( sort of) is nicknamed Blue and is as odd as they come. Lives in the desert in an abandoned motel.. but is some sort of Analyst. Very different reading.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #6809 on:** October 21, 2014, 01:15:12 PM »

I have liked some of the Coulter FBI series. I think they may have been the first two of the series.

I am reading a Margaret Moran Judge Knott book where she and Dwight go to NYC for their delayed honeymoon. They meet up, because of a murder, of course, with Sigrid of Moran's other series. I tried to read one of the Sigrid series and didn't finish it. I just didn't like the character. So, i don't know if i'm going to like this book.

Jean

FlaJean · « **Reply #6810 on:** October 21, 2014, 04:09:36 PM »

I read all of the Sigrid series and liked them even better than the ones with Judge Knott. Totally different characters but both interesting.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6811 on:** October 21, 2014, 05:36:49 PM »

I am now reading The Book of Lost Fragrances by M. J. Rose. It is good, but so far it isn't a can't put down read. Also, I have e-borrowed The Club Dumas. I am only a few pages into that one.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #6812 on:** October 21, 2014, 11:29:23 PM »

Flajean - isn't it nice that the world is made up of "different strokes for different folks." ............

Remember that 60s cliche?

Jean

marjifay · « **Reply #6813 on:** October 22, 2014, 12:58:32 AM »

Frybabe, where do you get your recommendations for books you read--some of which sound very intriguing. M. J. Rose's books look interesting. I put her SEDUCTION; A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE on my TBR list.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #6814 on:** October 22, 2014, 06:00:16 AM »

Marj,The Book of Lost Fragrances was recommended by someone on this site some time back. I've had it on my library wish list since the end of January. I forget who recommended The Club Dumas , but, it was either here or on Seniors and Friends not too long ago. The last book on my library wish list from last January is Donna Leon's first book; I plan on borrowing that after reading these two.

Steph · « **Reply #6815 on:** October 22, 2014, 09:13:07 AM »

Ah, the joys of mysteries. There is something for everyone there. My only real turn off is if in the first 25 pages of the book, everyone is wonderfully handsome, more beautiful than flowers, etc. You get the drift. I just put them down and go on with my life.

salan · « **Reply #6816 on:** October 23, 2014, 04:39:54 AM »

I read The Book of Lost Fragrances sometime back. I really enjoyed it; and may have been the one who recommended it. So far, I haven't read another book by this author, but plan to do so.
Sally

Frybabe · « **Reply #6817 on:** October 23, 2014, 05:52:07 AM »

It took me a little while, Salan, but I got more involved with the book by the time I got half way through. The separate elements are coming together.

JoanK · « **Reply #6818 on:** October 23, 2014, 04:05:18 PM »

Here is a description of "The Book of Lost fragrances." Sound interesting. Does it have a fantasy/mystical aspect?

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/m-j-rose/book-of-lost-fragrances.htm

Frybabe · « **Reply #6819 on:** October 23, 2014, 05:02:25 PM »

Well, I am not sure how to classify it exactly. Jac studies myths and tries to find the factual basis behind them. He is the one with the sharp nose and visions brought on by certain scents. Her brother Robbie believes in the legends pertaining to "memory tools" supposedly help people to remember past lives and the family legend that an ancestor found a perfume that does just that and brought it and the formula for it back to Paris. The hunt is on to find it. Of course, they aren't the only ones interested in getting their hand on it. There is some romance, a murder, and plenty of intrigue.

Steph · « **Reply #6820 on:** October 23, 2014, 07:13:15 PM »

I remember someone mentioning it, but don't know who it was. Have never read the book.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6821 on:** October 24, 2014, 12:37:55 PM »

Just finished The Book of Lost Fragrances. Good read, although there was at least one scene near the end that didn't make sense. If you must go through a room that, because of its makeup, necessarily makes for a noisy passage, why didn't our intrepid heroes hear someone sneaking up behind them when they were in the next room (no closed doors here)?

Just began The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte and already I am learning things about Dumas and The Three Musketeers I didn't know. For instance, the book was inspired by a real D'Artagnon who wrote an earlier novel, and that the three musketeers and Milady, were based on real people. They may or may not have known each other, however. SparkNotes has several paragraphs of historical background about these people.

Steph · « **Reply #6822 on:** October 24, 2014, 01:20:12 PM »

Goodness, I have to put that on my tbr list. Sounds interesting.

JoanK · « **Reply #6823 on:** October 24, 2014, 04:00:34 PM »

Just finished an interesting book "The Woman Who Walked into the Sea", the second in the "sea detective" series. The detective is an oceanographer who specializes in figuring out where things lost at sea will wash up. He does some detecting, but the focus in on a small Scottish seaside town and an old tragedy.

I'll definitely read the first.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/mark-douglas-home/woman-who-walked-into-sea.htm

MaryPage · « **Reply #6824 on:** October 25, 2014, 09:02:48 AM »

A lot of Dumas (pere et fils) was based upon real history. I think they were very politically aware, and tried to hide their biases in humor. Shakespeare did the same. But Dumas pere has one of the most fascinating life histories of any author.

FlaJean · « **Reply #6825 on:** October 25, 2014, 09:53:47 AM »

Joan, that sounds interesting. Will check on that author.

JoanK · « **Reply #6826 on:** October 25, 2014, 03:45:31 PM »

Mary: you've got me curious now. have to look him up.

Jean: let us know what you think.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6827 on:** October 25, 2014, 05:10:09 PM »

This non-fiction book has been on my TBR list for awhile now. It is about Alexandre Dumas, Pere's father General Alexandre Dumas. https://www.scribd.com/doc/106362134/The-Black-Count-by-Tom-Reiss-Excerpt Scroll down and you can read an excerpt from the book.

Steph · « **Reply #6828 on:** October 26, 2014, 08:30:35 AM »

Way back inmy 20's , read a nonfiction on Dumas father and son. It was wonderful. I cannot begin to remember the title, but it read more like fiction than non and I loved it.

MaryPage · « **Reply #6829 on:** October 26, 2014, 09:20:10 AM »

The two famous writers, pere & fils? Well, fils was one of pere's many illegitimates! Just shows to go ya, since pere had legal children as well and all, that you never know upon which of your progeny the spark of genius will descend. Provided, of course, there IS a spark of genius to pass on, as in this case there most certainly was!

FlaJean · « **Reply #6830 on:** October 26, 2014, 09:58:21 AM »

JoanK, one of our branch libraries has a book with that title by an author named Craig, but no books at all by a Mark Douglas-Home. I wonder if one of those names is a pseudonym?

JoanK · « **Reply #6831 on:** October 26, 2014, 03:46:54 PM »

Jean: no. it's a different book. I haven't read it.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/philip-r-craig/woman-who-walked-into-sea.htm

FlaJean · « **Reply #6832 on:** October 26, 2014, 05:29:12 PM »

JoanK, I had $11 left on an Amazon gift card so I got the book by Douglas-Home on my iPad with my Kindle App. Boy, that was fast. It was sitting there ready to be read in a second!

Steph · « **Reply #6833 on:** October 27, 2014, 08:24:55 AM »

Ah, the joys and mysteries of the speed of the Kindle.. love it, but oh me, it does make it easy to spend money.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6834 on:** October 27, 2014, 08:52:42 AM »

I think that's the idea Steph.

George just got the Fire 8.9HDX (I assume the latest, knowing him). I am green all over. He thought he was getting something that he could use as a cell phone too, but no. I didn't ask if he was going to keep it anyway.

Steph · « **Reply #6835 on:** October 28, 2014, 08:36:25 AM »

I have the Kindle fire, but not the most current one..I am still on the edge on the phone things. I suspect I will succumb sooner or later.

FlaJean · « **Reply #6836 on:** October 29, 2014, 05:45:09 PM »

The Woman Who Walked into the Sea is a really good mystery. However, I still don't enjoy reading an ebook. For some reason I just prefer holding a "real" book. One of these days I'll change, I guess.

Frybabe · « **Reply #6837 on:** October 30, 2014, 06:49:17 AM »

I read both ways, but I find that my Kindle 2nd generation is just perfect for when one or both of my cats decides to plop down on my lap. Lucy, especially, likes face time and will try to push my reading away. Holding a read book one handed, or trying to use the stylus with my Fire when either one is determined not to have anything between me and them is less then optimal. My 2nd Gen Kindle is the lightest and the buttons are easy to operate with one hand while holding the device. I can hold it behind the cats heads and not get arm fatigue, nor do I have to deal with them trying to knock the devise or book away or grab the stylus. I save reading a real book or use my Fire when they are not on my lap.

I'll be picking up my first Donna Leon book at the library today, although I probably won't start reading if for a few days.

Dana Stabenow is still on writing her Silk Road series, with the second one just out on Kindle only. The third is due out this coming spring. Book one is in paperback, Kindle and audio CD. Has anyone read the first one, Everything Under the Heavens?

Steph · « **Reply #6838 on:** October 30, 2014, 08:35:16 AM »

My KIndle fire .. I am reading The Thrones,Dominations.. Peter Wimsey continuation.. I love it and yesterday in the restaurant, it was just right. I have to be careful to be put where there is not intense light since it is hard to use the Kindle then. I get a kick out of the measuring of my reading speed. Tends to slow down when I am eating.

MaryPage · « **Reply #6839 on:** October 30, 2014, 09:21:10 AM »

Put me in the real book corner, rather permanently, I think. I have a whole library of books stacked up on my iPad, and never go near them now the novelty has worn off. Too heavy, for one thing. Just doesn't suit my style of reading.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 905933 times)