Author Topic: Mystery Corner (Read 160437 times)

pedln · « **Reply #920 on:** August 23, 2009, 11:23:51 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!

Links:
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Our Favorite Old Mystery Writers
Fantastic Fiction
Stop You're Killing Me

Discussion Leaders: BillH and JoanK

Steph · « **Reply #921 on:** August 24, 2009, 07:49:24 AM »

I read somewhere that he turned in all three at once, but h ad planned possibly 10 books on the subject.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #922 on:** August 24, 2009, 12:29:50 PM »

From the quality of the plots in the first two I can believe the ten number.

peace42 · « **Reply #923 on:** August 25, 2009, 12:55:45 AM »

love Nelson DeMille but finally gave up on The Gate House...just couldn' wade thru it tho I certainly tried
just finished Long Lost by Harlan Coben..didnt like, liked it, didn;t like it, liked it..not sure! don't think it's one of his best and I'm a fan of his..just seemed so predictible in places tho must admit the ending left a lot to think about
I don;t have lots of sheets but some were purchased at thrift shops and many pillow cases came from yard sales...I'm in awe of those with sheets 40-50 years old...guess it proves the old axiom that they don't make things like they used to..of course I remember ironing sheets and pillow cases..first things mom taught me how to iron..along with the handkerchiefs...and I still use hankies, always have one in my pocket and one in my purse
nite eveyone..off to bed, to read first, of course..sleep well

Steph · « **Reply #924 on:** August 25, 2009, 08:43:12 AM »

I have been reading Harry Potter ( the last one) since I discovered I had forgotten how some things had happened. I was quizzed by my grandson ( who is almost

and needed to brush up for him

peace42 · « **Reply #925 on:** August 25, 2009, 11:58:56 PM »

on the CNN website they listed 5 books that President Obama wanted read while on vacation; imagine my surprise when one of them was a book I am now reading...The Way Home by George Pelecanos...I am almost done and am loving it...builds very slowly and takes you in from the beginning..I'm almost done and must admit I am turning pages very quickly as I don't want the outcome to be what I'm afraid it might be..nice to know that the President has the same taste in books as me

nite everyone..sleep well

mrssherlock · « **Reply #926 on:** August 26, 2009, 01:11:21 AM »

Peace42: Great minds . . .

Steph · « **Reply #927 on:** August 26, 2009, 07:52:41 AM »

Just finished the Memory Keepers Daughter.. Did not like it at all. I was having children in that era and I will be darned if anyone I knew simply dumped a Down syndrome baby.. I have two friends with Downs Syndrom children born in the 60's.. I only ever knew two children who had to be in a hospital situation. One with her daughter who was born the same month as my older son.. Her daughter became extremely violent at age 5 and started attacking her siblings, breaking windows.. trying to strangle animals and had to be put somewhere safe. It almost killed Carol to do it, but she had four other children and was afraid for them. Another friend had a baby boy who is still alive today. He has never even raised his head.. at 48.. Sad.. She visits each week, but he never has recognized anyone ever.

Babi · « **Reply #928 on:** August 26, 2009, 09:01:45 AM »

Naturally, PEACE, I had to go look up Obama's vacation book list once you
mentioned it. The only one I've read is David McCullough's biography of John
Adams...good book. "Plainsong", though, sounds interesting.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #929 on:** August 26, 2009, 11:14:20 AM »

I had to put Memory Keeper's Daughter down unfinished; I guess I identify too much with the characters and I couldn't accept some of the actions described.

peace42 · « **Reply #930 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:57:13 PM »

finished The Way Home by George Pelecanos...liked it a lot...just good writing and a great story...think the President will like it also...kinda fun knowing I'm reading the same book as the President of the United States

went to the library and took out two more to read...will start one tonite when I go to bed..hopefully earlier than last nite...was 5:00 a.m. before i got to sleep and then was up at 8:30...I'm a nite person but that was a but much for even me

nite everyone and sleep well...

Steph · « **Reply #931 on:** August 27, 2009, 01:04:06 PM »

Started one of those wild adventures last night.. Written by a first time author.. Something to do with the Seventh Son and serial killers.. Hmm.. I know, but the beginning is quite interesting.

JoanK · « **Reply #932 on:** August 30, 2009, 12:35:23 PM »

Those of us watching the Inspector Lewis mystery series on PBS are enjoying it a lot. There's another one tonight, featuring murder in the Bodleian Library, Oxford's 17th century library. We're hoping for a lot of local color.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #933 on:** August 30, 2009, 03:08:09 PM »

Peace - what is The Way Home about?......................jean

mrssherlock · « **Reply #934 on:** August 30, 2009, 11:40:48 PM »

Found a new David Liss; The Ethical Assassin is modern day and may become a series. Stay tuned.

Steph · « **Reply #935 on:** August 31, 2009, 07:29:18 AM »

What an interesting title.. An assassin and ethical at the same time.. Now that has to be a odd place to be.

Babi · « **Reply #936 on:** August 31, 2009, 09:14:22 AM »

It has long been my impression that an 'ethical' assassin is one that draws the
line somewhere. Won't take a job that involves children and woman, for example.

marcie · « **Reply #937 on:** August 31, 2009, 12:06:33 PM »

Hi everyone. I want to let you know about THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD discussion that will be starting up tomorrow. There is divided opinion whether this last (unfinished) novel of Dickens is a true mystery/whodunit or a psychological study of a sinister mind. Read it with us (it's available on the Internet) and help us decide what happens since Dickens died when he had only half-completed this last novel.

You'll also prepare yourself for the treat of meeting author Matthew Pearl in the discussion in October of his LAST DICKENS, which centers on Dickens' writing his last novel and what happens to it. Matthew Pearl researched Dickens and his final work in great detail and will be a great resource for us.

I hope to see you in our discussion at http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=693.0

marcie · « **Reply #938 on:** August 31, 2009, 12:17:43 PM »

This is an interesting discussion about the ethics of an assassin. I saw a short video a while ago of an interview with the author Patricia Highsmith who wrote The Talented Mr. Ripley and related novels. She said something about Ripley having ethics about certain kinds of things even though he murdered people. I tried to look for it but can't find it. If I run across it, I'll share it here.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #939 on:** August 31, 2009, 03:52:04 PM »

Peace - you mentioned a while back that you gave up on The Gate House.....i'm about half-way thru and i'm almost w/ you................I think he's as obsessed w/ the mafia as the protagonist, I'm feedup w/ the descriptions of EVERYTHING, if something doesn't happen soon, it's back to the library for that book. .......................

mrssherlock · « **Reply #940 on:** August 31, 2009, 04:33:46 PM »

Too bad there's no method for collecting reviews of books by library patrons. Especially those that are returned unfinished.

marcie · « **Reply #941 on:** August 31, 2009, 06:13:22 PM »

That's a very good idea, Jackie. Libraries are usually looking for ways to be of greater service and some want to entice people to use their websites. A book reviews section would be helpful.

I guess the Library Thing web site has similar features. http://www.librarything.com/

marjifay · « **Reply #942 on:** August 31, 2009, 06:21:55 PM »

Not sure if this is what you mean, Jackie, but my library has a link on their website by each book that says "post a review," and I do just that often. I also like to read the reviews from others.

Marj

marcie · « **Reply #943 on:** August 31, 2009, 06:39:28 PM »

That's good news, Marj!

Steph · « **Reply #944 on:** September 01, 2009, 09:28:43 AM »

I love the idea of the library posting reviews of the books. Would really help to know sometimes. I just finished a first book that is neat, but somewhat scattered. Glenn Cooper... "Secret of the Seventh Son. It is quite different. A murder mystery that is not quite what you think it is.. Fun.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #945 on:** September 01, 2009, 09:29:57 AM »

Talk about slow, just now i found that my library allows patrons to rate the selections from one to 5 stars. I don't know what the result of rating the books I've read/not read is, I didn't see a field for ratings in my history.

Golden State Poppy · « **Reply #946 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:28:30 AM »

I am reading "Ties that Bind" by Phillip Margolin. It is quite good but I am not sure how it ends yet. "A master of plotting and suspense, Margolin does it again in "Ties that Bind"". It set in Oregon with a copyright date of 2003. This is important to me because technology has changed so much and that affects how the main characters communicate in a novel...whether they have cell phones and GPS, for instance.

I buy used books from Amazon.com. They have a mechanism for feedback and I sometimes write reviews for them.

marcie · « **Reply #947 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:39:28 AM »

Hi, Connie. It's good to see you here. I haven't read any of Phillip Margolin's books but I'd probably enjoy them. Do you know if they are similar to Robert Ludlum's, which also include government secrets? I got hooked on Ludlum's books after reading the Bourne Identity. I thought the character of Jason Bourne, who had a trauma that caused him to lose his memory (but not all of his myriad skills) was fascinating.

I love science fiction and much of that, especially if set in the future, has lots of cool technology. I don't know that I've paid attention to whether other types of books make use of communication technologies such as cell phones, etc. That's an interesting thread.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #948 on:** September 01, 2009, 12:17:54 PM »

O.K. - I give up on The Gate House................I don't care if the mafia don kills the protagonist's wife, i think that's my cue to give it up!...................read am Amanda Cross and a Margaret Truman ..........and am in the middle of a Tamar Myers, being from south central Pa and having lived among the Amish makes her books interesting to me................all were entertaining..................jean

Babi · « **Reply #949 on:** September 01, 2009, 02:36:56 PM »

JACKIE, maybe if we handed such books to a librarian instead of dropping
them in the box, with a 'thumbs down' gesture, we could get the message
across.
I'm going to check my library link to see if they have a 'review'
section. I do like that idea.

peace42 · « **Reply #950 on:** September 01, 2009, 07:28:32 PM »

how do I sum up The Way Home by George Pellecanos? family drifting apart because of actions of a "wayward" son; the son makes a discovery while working on a job for his father and this discovery takes him and others on a journey that could not have been predicted...much family dynamics at work here...I really did like this one
love the idea of a review of books thru the library...will have to go on our library's website to see if there is a place for this...will also talk to the folks at the library...great idea
just finished House Secrets by Mike Lawson, a political thriller...at first wasn't liking it but kinda got into it and near the end was turning pages fast! however, if you read this one DO NOT...I repeat, DO NOT look at or read the last page as it will spoil everything...it might be a bit hokey but it sure made me stop and think, roll my eyes and smile a bit...have I piqued your interest?!!!
Glad to hear I wasn't the only one who gave up on The Gate House by Nelson DeMille...we can only hope that his next one will be as good as his many other ones

nite everyone...fall asleep reading a book

Steph · « **Reply #951 on:** September 02, 2009, 07:42:10 AM »

Just really starting on Silk, which is a Dick Francis and son event.. A little slower than usual, but I am sure it will pick up. My husband adores Philip Margolin. I read one or two, but am not that crazy for him

mrssherlock · « **Reply #952 on:** September 02, 2009, 12:18:44 PM »

The Actress by Elizabeth Simms features a new series lead. Rita Farmer is hanging on by her fingernails in the Hollywood acting scene. Her ex-husband is an abuser and she fears for her son when he's with his dad. Getting down to pawning the last valuable she owns provides her with the necessary food for a few more days. Life is grim but she can lose herself and her fears for the future in the children's story hour she conducts at the LA library. It is there that she meets a man who will change her life forever, putting her and her son through all kinds of hell. This makes the story sound grim but it isn't. Rita is really special and Simms can create characters with complexity and life that keep you reading even when all seems lost. I've already reserved The Extra, the sequel.

Steph · « **Reply #953 on:** September 03, 2009, 08:07:38 AM »

Hmm. I am not good about mortal danger from strangers type of books.. Dont read Mary Higgins Clark because that is her overriding theme.

JoanK · « **Reply #954 on:** September 03, 2009, 07:08:12 PM »

A lot of interesting reading here. Just finished Anne Perry's "Execution Dock", and realized I'd missed the book before-- on which some of the plot was based. Oh, well.

Quick note: if you quote a book review, please give a link or reference to where you got it. We don't want to get in trouble here.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #955 on:** September 04, 2009, 01:01:00 AM »

JoanK: That was purely Jackie's review, no one else's.

Steph · « **Reply #956 on:** September 04, 2009, 07:48:35 AM »

I am almost half done with Silks by Dick Francis and his son.. But I must confess that for the first time in his books, I am not compelled to finish it. It is well written, but I just dont like the premise. Darn. One of my favorite writers.

Babi · « **Reply #957 on:** September 04, 2009, 08:46:49 AM »

I've always liked Dick Francis, and still do, but there is no question the books
he writes with his son's assistance are not quite as enjoyable as those he wrote with his wife.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #958 on:** September 04, 2009, 10:18:10 AM »

Dick Francis' books are ones that I can read more than once. So I'll stick with the old ones, thanks. Won't have to waste my time, Steph, thanks to you. "So many books so little time."

mrssherlock · « **Reply #959 on:** September 04, 2009, 04:44:56 PM »

The first few sentences of this review could very well have written by me. The Baker Street Letters http://popculturenerd.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/review-michael-robertsons-the-baker-street-letters/
is time well spent, IMHO. Hope there are more books where this one came from.

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Author Topic: Mystery Corner (Read 160437 times)