Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 909972 times)

JoanK · « **Reply #880 on:** May 31, 2010, 02:55:44 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 Leaders: BillH and JoanK

JoanK · « **Reply #881 on:** May 31, 2010, 02:57:57 PM »

Thanks, guys. I've got all that and the toilet paper, too. I kept out some books to read while we moved. But this new place has a tiny library in their center building, and I visited it yesterday (while compaining about some plumbing problems-- sigh). Lo and behold -- a Sprinkle mystery ("What do you wear to Die"). I like it -- now a whole new series to read through.

Also got Margeret Truman's "Murder at the Kennedy Center", which I've never read for some reason.

Steph · « **Reply #882 on:** June 01, 2010, 06:06:21 AM »

Tanenbaum is an acquired taste. Way way back I read the beginning of the long series.. But it got vastly violent.. included a child who was totally insane as far as I could see. A vengeful wife.. Whew.. you name it, he has it somewhere and all violent.

Babi · « **Reply #883 on:** June 01, 2010, 07:59:26 AM »

I mentioned Cleverly's "The Palace Tiger", JACKIE, but someone else
mentioned her earlier. Which, of course, is how I came to read her in
the first place.
Okay, I think I can skip Tannenbaum. Nice to have an occasional author
not to read.

marjifay · « **Reply #884 on:** June 01, 2010, 10:21:41 AM »

I've read only one of Margaret Truman's mysteries, MURDER AT THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL. It was so boring I never tried to read any others by her.

As I recall, I liked Elliot Roosevelt's MURDER IN THE LINCOLN BEDROOM.

Marj

jeriron · « **Reply #885 on:** June 01, 2010, 01:07:48 PM »

I got a Kindle as a gift for Mothers day. I love it. I find that I'm reading more now then before. It seems I usually only read at night in bed for an hour or so, now I find myself reading during the day rather than going on the Computer. I just finished a "free" book Called "Home to Italy" I enjoyed it and enjoyed it even more because it was free.

I'm starting a new series by Donna Ball. It's about a search and rescue dog. They were anly $1.99 each.

maryz · « **Reply #886 on:** June 01, 2010, 01:20:41 PM »

Jeri, John just ordered (for MY Kindle) a free history book that he wanted to browse through. We do love it. Glad you're enjoying yours.

Steph · « **Reply #887 on:** June 02, 2010, 05:51:11 AM »

Although the IPAD is more than the kindle. I am intrigued with it.. Email, web search, pictures, games and the book ability.. Hmm..

salan · « **Reply #888 on:** June 02, 2010, 06:12:49 AM »

Babi--it seems you and I like a lot of the same books (maybe our Texas roots??). I haven't read any of Cleverly's books. How was "the Palace Tiger"? Have you read any Jane Roberts Woods? (Train to Estellene, A Place Called Sweet Shrub, etc.) If not, I think you would enjoy them. However, they are not mysteries; so maybe I should have posted this on the Fiction site.
Marjifay, I tried one of Margaret Truman's books---Boring, didn't finish, don't remember what it was, and haven't tried her again.
Sally

Babi · « **Reply #889 on:** June 02, 2010, 08:28:30 AM »

SALLY, "The Palace Tiger" was a light read, entertaining but not especially
memorable. I hadn't heard of Jane Roberts Woods before. I'll have to see
if my library has her....when they are back up again. Computers crashed,
so they can't check books in or out, or respond to on-line inquiries. I do
hope they get those computers back soon; they crashed last Friday.

FlaJean · « **Reply #890 on:** June 02, 2010, 11:16:39 AM »

Just finished Margaret Maron's latest in the Deborah Knott series "Sand Sharks". It was good, but I'm wondering if she is starting to wind down this series. She had a couple of chapters that were written from the point of view of a new character, Detective Edwards. I don't remember her doing this in previous books.

JoanK · « **Reply #891 on:** June 02, 2010, 03:29:09 PM »

Finished the Margaret Truman. Yes, her writing is pedestrian: when I read them it's to learn some "insider" stuff about the setting. Since my sister goes to concerts at the Kennedy Center regularly, I thought some backstage stuff might be fun. A waste this time. Other than brief descriptions of the concert hall and a meeting room, the Kennedy center disappears rather quickly from the book.

pedln · « **Reply #892 on:** June 02, 2010, 06:28:26 PM »

Most of the time I've enjoyed Margaret Truman's Capitol Crime mysteries, especially the ones that include the Mackenzie Smith character. I recently picked up Murder Inside the Beltway which may have been published posthumously (spelling?). It's dedicated to her by her sons.

Flajean, thanks for the heads-up about Maron's Sand Sharks. My library has it and it's in. You mention a new point of view. I've noticed that in her more recent books she does show points of view other than Knotts. At first that bothered me. It didn't seem quite cricket, but I guess it all depends on the story and narration.

Steph · « **Reply #893 on:** June 03, 2010, 05:58:48 AM »

I suspect that Maron is tiring of the character.. She married her off, built her a house, introduced the whole family.. All in all she may be tired of her. Authors seem to do that .

Babi · « **Reply #894 on:** June 03, 2010, 08:31:49 AM »

Sounds reasonable to me. If I were an author, I wouldn't want to write
about the same character all the time. More authentic, too. How many
people do you know who can get into one scrape/situation/relationship after another with hardly a break, for years? A nervous breakdown would
be a most welcome rest.

Golden State Poppy · « **Reply #895 on:** June 03, 2010, 12:05:16 PM »

I am reading a book now that is a mixture of sci fi, romance and mystery. It is "Dark Matter" by Cameron Cruise. It contains a great deal about the research into the paranormal. I think I will read an earlier book of hers "The Collector".

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/cameron-cruise/

Steph · « **Reply #896 on:** June 04, 2010, 05:48:17 AM »

I was thinking.. Has anyone seen anything recently from Sharon McCrumb.. Another southern writer that I love.. Must check Amazon and see if she has published anything. Elizabeth Peters is also on my what is going on list..

Babi · « **Reply #897 on:** June 04, 2010, 09:13:42 AM »

I've come across some Cameron Cruise books while checking them in at the library, CONNIE,
but so far I haven't read one.
Now that you mention it, STEPH, I haven't seen anything from Sharon McCrumb lately either.
Let us know what you find out.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #898 on:** June 04, 2010, 12:00:36 PM »

I "think" I read somewhere that McCrumb will have a new book out this year, don't know when, and don't know if I was dreaming this!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #899 on:** June 04, 2010, 01:14:53 PM »

http://www.sharynmccrumb.com/

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #900 on:** June 04, 2010, 02:42:49 PM »

Thank you, Mssherlock. And for once, the old brain was working!

JoanK · « **Reply #901 on:** June 04, 2010, 02:52:59 PM »

Reading a Perri O'Shaunessy book "Acts of Menace". Good. But unfortunately, I read the one after it first, and it gives away some of the plot.

Steph · « **Reply #902 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:01:39 AM »

Am so riveted by South of Broad.. Not a mystery, but I adore Charleston and the book is truly evocative of a certain type of southerner.

salan · « **Reply #903 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:33:29 AM »

Steph, I, too, was enthralled by South of Broad. Pat Conroy really has a way with words, doesn't he? The characters were alive and so was Charleston. Best book I've read in a while. My ftf book clubs discusses it later this month. I can't wait to hear what others think.
Sally

Babi · « **Reply #904 on:** June 05, 2010, 08:18:29 AM »

I just finished my first Margaret Maron book, "Southern Discomfort", and was quite pleased
with it. Interesting characters, good puzzle, and plenty of Southern family interaction. An
amusingly frank acknowledgment of the demands of 'politicking', too.

FlaJean · « **Reply #905 on:** June 05, 2010, 09:46:01 AM »

South of Broad sounds interesting. Am definitely putting that on my library list. Sometimes a change from mystery is needed.

Steph · « **Reply #906 on:** June 06, 2010, 05:50:33 AM »

Maron brings her part of the south into sharp focus in fiction.. She loves the hills of North Carolina and makes you want to see them. MDH and I loved them after we first drove on the Blue Ridge and returned each and every year to that area of the south. Beautiful beyond belief.. and has a grace with the natives that is impressive.

Babi · « **Reply #907 on:** June 06, 2010, 08:44:41 AM »

We didn't get there every year, but we did take that route when we drove North to visit my
in-laws. Beautiful country, indeed.
Take a look at this. It will give you a lovely short tour of the North Carolina Blue Ridge.

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/

joangrimes · « **Reply #908 on:** June 06, 2010, 10:53:05 AM »

And I am in those wonderful Southern Mountains this morning...I have been here since Thursday afternoon. One of my grandsons and I drove up on Thursday to be here to see, my very talented granddaughter play Glenda the Good witch of the North in the Wizard of OZ . The Wizard of Oz is performed each year by the 3r grade of Cullowhee VAlley Middle School which is the school that my granddaughter attends here in the middle ofthe beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Joan Grimes

mrssherlock · « **Reply #909 on:** June 06, 2010, 01:23:38 PM »

Joan: How exciting! You have a lovely family.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #910 on:** June 06, 2010, 01:28:41 PM »

Somebody mentioned The Spellman Files and i'm now about half-way thru it. I like it's uniqueness, it's not the typical mystery i was expecting. Great characters and querky family. I'll be looking forward to the rest of the series................jean

JoanK · « **Reply #911 on:** June 06, 2010, 03:16:48 PM »

Ahh, the Blue Ridge Parkway. You make me so homesick. My family would take a day or weekend off every fall and drive as far South on it (from Virginia) as we could go.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #912 on:** June 06, 2010, 10:09:35 PM »

Jean: The Spellmann's are something else, aren't they? Glad you like it.

Sam Eastland's Eye of the Red Tsar takes us back to that nightmare time when Russia was losing one Tsar, Nicholas, and eventually gaining a Red Tsar, Josef Stalin. Bridging these two eras,is Nicky's greatest inspector, Pekkala, a Finn the Tsar meets when Pekkala is a cadet for the Finnish Legion. P becomes one of the Tsar's closest comrades 9pardon the pun) and is sent to Siberia after the Bolshevik take-over. He is brought back to the world when Stalin sends for him to solve the mystery of the fate of the Royal Family, to lay to rest finally all the rumors of sightings of the children, even the Tsarina. II was immediately caught up in Pekkala's character's wrestlings with his consciounce as he accepts this assignment from the man who stands for the wreck of the Russia he knew and served. His duty to the Tsar overcomes his qualms and the story is at times quiet compilation of clues and other tomes rip-roaring semi-farce. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/e/sam-eastland/eye-of-red-tsar.htm

pedln · « **Reply #913 on:** June 06, 2010, 11:25:52 PM »

JoanG, I knew that name Cullowwee sounded famiar. Back in the 1980's my middle daughter attended a National Science Foundation summer program at Western Carolina U. in Cullowwee. After we dropped her off my younger daughter and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from Ashville up to DC. Such fog I have never seen. But we stuck with the road thinking the fog would soon lift. It never did.

I hope the sun is shining where you are and that you're having a wonderful time with your family.

Steph · « **Reply #914 on:** June 07, 2010, 06:01:28 AM »

Oh wonderful. I loved the link to the Blue Ridge. We have driven it spring,summer,fall and winter.. Winter was a special delight, since with the leaves down you can see so far and all of the turkeys, deer, etc come out on the side of the road and the geese are in the fields.. Ah the sheer loveliness.
Cullohwee... Beautiful area.. Neat idea for the school.. Makes me homesick for a place I never lived, just visited. One of the special treasures is just getting on west of Charlottesville, there is a wonderful Christmas tree farm that you can see from the parkway. They are hundreds of dear little fat trees,, all trimmed and ready for people.. Wonderful picture.

maryz · « **Reply #915 on:** June 07, 2010, 06:51:02 AM »

pdln, one of our daughters went to a NSF program at Sewanee (The University of the South) in TN in the mid1970s. She loved it, went back a second summer as a counsellor, and the entered the Univ. there.

pedln · « **Reply #916 on:** June 07, 2010, 10:25:10 AM »

MaryZ, the NSF offered some excellent summer programs back then for a very reasonable price, with lots of choices. My son also went to one at Rose-Hulman U, on engineering. But after my daughter went to WCS there was a change in administration, NSF funds were drastically cut, and when it was time for my youngest child two years later, there was very little available. So she went to one provided by Northwestern U on engineerig. Came home and said, "I don't want to be an engineer."

It's too bad programs such as these are not available to more students. Sure, there are many provided by the individual colleges and universities, but without the govt. funding they are out of range for many bright students. And yet we complain about the low number of students going into science and math, and also about our standing among other students of the world.

Golden State Poppy · « **Reply #917 on:** June 07, 2010, 10:45:41 AM »

I am reading a book, "The Blue Door" by David fulmer, and author I had never read before. I like it a lot. It is about a fighter who accidentally becomes a private investigator. It won the shamus aware for best first PI novel. Check him out on Facebook.

JoanK · « **Reply #918 on:** June 07, 2010, 04:47:17 PM »

My f2f mystery group read "The Blue Door" and we all liked it. I could have sworn it was written in the 60s-70s until I looked at the copyright date: he reproduces that feeling so well. It's a gentle "hardboiled" PI.

Steph · « **Reply #919 on:** June 08, 2010, 05:56:57 AM »

I love Fulmer and have read several of his books. Some of them are gentle, others are not.. He writes about New Orleans with great power.. A good author..

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner ~ 2 (Read 909972 times)