What are you reading in 2018?

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What are you reading in 2018?

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1ted74ca
Edited: Jan 7, 2018, 10:13 pm

I was disappointed in the 1st book I've read this year in this category. I loved the TV series, but Gently Does It by Alan Hunter just didn't grab my interest.

2Sergeirocks
Jan 9, 2018, 7:12 pm

>1 ted74ca: As I commented last year, I found Hunter's an unusual writing style, but it grew on me as I got used to the quirks. I've not seen the TV series so I can't compare it to the books.

3VivienneR
Jan 11, 2018, 8:49 pm

I read the first in Peter May's trilogy, The Blackhouse and enjoyed it a lot. I too am now looking forward to reading the remaining two as soon as I can. I gave it 4.5 stars, leaving room for more in the others.

Just finished Splinter the silence by Val McDermid
My review is here: https://www.librarything.com/work/16141744/reviews/149109305

4ted74ca
Jan 12, 2018, 5:10 pm

This writer's books are always a winner to me: Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves

5VivienneR
Edited: Jan 16, 2018, 10:08 pm

Finished A Mind to Murder by P.D. James. I've read it before, years ago, and although bit dated now, it was just as good this time around.

ETA: >4 ted74ca: I've heard so many good things about Ann Cleeves but I have yet to get to one of her books. Soon, thanks for the reminder.

6Sergeirocks
Jan 17, 2018, 11:57 am

My favourite so far in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson: Sleeping in the Ground 5★s. Long-term series spanning 20 years and more, set in the Yorkshire Dales; occasionally gritty.

7VivienneR
Jan 22, 2018, 5:59 pm

>6 Sergeirocks: I better read faster - I have several in the series to read before I get to this one.

8Sergeirocks
Jan 23, 2018, 3:41 am

>7 VivienneR: I think this is a series I'll read again, at some point.

9Sergeirocks
Jan 27, 2018, 9:52 am

A Woman Unknown, book no. 4 in the Kate Shackleton Mystery Series by Frances Brody, 4★s from me. Set in post-WWI Leeds, Yorkshire.
Kate Shackleton lost her husband during the war - he may have died, or he may be living in an oblivious state somewhere, the result of an enemy shell, Kate has never been able to find out for definite, but her own investigations have led to her carving out a career as a private investigator.
I'm enjoying this series. If anyone is interested in giving it a try, I think I'd recommend reading this series in order, simply because Kate is still looking for answers regarding her husband, years after the event. (First in the series is Dying in the Wool).

10Sergeirocks
Jan 30, 2018, 5:24 pm

Cold Earth by Ann Cleeves 5★s. Book 7 in the Shetland (Jimmy Perez) series.

11Sergeirocks
Feb 8, 2018, 3:24 am

Angel with Two Faces by Nicola Upson 4★s. Book 2 in her Josephine Tey mystery series.

12ted74ca
Feb 9, 2018, 4:30 pm

>9 Sergeirocks:. Thanks for the suggestion! I just finished Dying in the Wool and really liked it. Though I'm Canadian, my extended family are all English and one of my cousins lives in Bingley, right where this book is set. And my best friend's name before marriage was Braithwaite, so this book was perfect for me. I'm currently searching for the next book in the series.

13ted74ca
Edited: Feb 9, 2018, 4:32 pm

As noted above, my most recent read was Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody. A new series to enjoy!

14VivienneR
Feb 10, 2018, 12:01 pm

>9 Sergeirocks: and >12 ted74ca: Thank you for that! Frances Brody is so far an unknown author to me. Not for long! I too am in Canada but grew up in the UK and have always been more attracted to books set in familiar places.

My latest read was Sure and certain death by Barbara Nadel that earned a 4.5 star rating.
This mystery has an out-of-the-ordinary plot. In London, during the Blitz in 1941, Hancock, an undertaker of Indian origins - therefore considered an outsider even though he's a Londoner - is tasked with burying victims that have been mutilated and found in bombed ruins. But when he discovers his sister has something in common with them, he is anxious to prevent her from becoming another casualty. The method is somewhat gruesome, but the London patois and humour keeps events light. Nadel has done a top-notch job of describing wartime conditions. I enjoyed this one a lot and will be reading more from Nadel.

15ted74ca
Feb 12, 2018, 4:37 pm

Just finished the 3rd in the Lewis trilogy: The Chess Men by Peter May. Will definitely have to make it up to Lewis on my next trip to Scotland, whenever that may be!

16Sergeirocks
Feb 13, 2018, 2:55 pm

>12 ted74ca: Glad you enjoyed it, Terry, :)

17ted74ca
Feb 14, 2018, 2:28 pm

Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris. I haven't read anything yet by Joanne Harris that I didn't really like!

18ted74ca
Feb 14, 2018, 11:13 pm

Also finished What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan. Gripping story.

19gypsysmom
Feb 25, 2018, 7:47 pm

I've just finished A Cast of Falcons which, although it is written by a Canadian, is set in Norfolk. This is the third in the Birder Murder Mystery series. If you are not interested in birding you may not enjoy it (the only other review on LT was from someone who didn't like the "unnecessary details about the characters' bird watching" which begs the question as to why they picked up a Birder Murder mystery in the first place) but as an amateur birder I love the series. Also the chief detective is Canadian which is another plus for me.

20Sergeirocks
Feb 28, 2018, 2:39 pm

When Gods Die by C. S. Harris, second in the Sebastian St. Cyr historical mystery series.
Plotting against the English monarchy and personal shocks for St. Cyr make for an enjoyable story in this ongoing series. I shall be reading more of the series, keeping strictly to series order as St. Cyr's own story unwinds. 4.5★s from me.
(First in series: What Angels Fear)

21VivienneR
Mar 1, 2018, 2:36 am

>19 gypsysmom: I heard of that series and meant to check it out at the library but somehow it went out of my mind. Thanks for the reminder. I like birding, live with a twitcher, and this series sounds good.

22Sergeirocks
Mar 5, 2018, 8:04 pm

Book 2 in the murder mystery series set in the English Cotswolds, A Cotswold Ordeal by Rebecca Tope.
In book 1, A Cotswold Killing, 42-year-old widow Thea Osborne had taken up new employment as a house-sitter and soon found herself embroiled in a murder investigation. House-sitting job number 2 quickly goes the same way...
Both books were 4★ reads for me. I look forward to continuing the series.

23Sergeirocks
Edited: Mar 7, 2018, 9:39 am

Brighton Belle; a new series and a new author to me: Sara Sheridan.

1951, in the English seaside town of Brighton, Mirabelle Bevan (late 30's in age, I think) works as secretary in a one-man (and his secretary) debt-collection agency. One day, her boss reports in sick and in need of a few days in bed to recuperate. Shortly after, Mirabelle takes an instruction from a new client for the agency to chase up a large debt for him and, the office being quiet, Mirabelle decides to take it upon herself to do some preliminary investigations to give her boss a head start when he returns. Of course the 'preliminary' soon goes out the window! But Mirabelle used to have a desk job in the Secret Service during the war, which gives her a thorough 'theoretical knowledge' of how to look after herself, which seems to be quite sufficient...
Along the way, Mirabelle befriends the effervescent (and quite rarely for Brighton at that time - black) secretary, Vesta, who works for the insurance agency next door.

Although I found some parts of the plot a tad unlikely, I did enjoy the story and look forward to reading more of the series, 4.5★s.

24VivienneR
Mar 9, 2018, 1:48 am

>23 Sergeirocks: Brighton Belle sounds like a winner! And an author I haven't heard of either. I've already looked it up and bought my copy!

I just finished Season of Snows and Sins by Irish author Patricia Moyes. Set in a ski resort in Switzerland and written in 1971. I enjoy those old-style mysteries.

25Sergeirocks
Mar 11, 2018, 2:40 pm

>24 VivienneR: I've never heard of Patricia Moyes. I've requested the local library buy one of her titles in e-book format - fingers crossed they do so...

26VivienneR
Mar 11, 2018, 5:03 pm

>25 Sergeirocks: I just gave it 3.5 stars, although I enjoyed it. I have to confess that the ghoulish cover swayed me. :)

27Sergeirocks
Apr 3, 2018, 2:56 pm

An oldie - The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey, 3★s.

28Sergeirocks
Edited: Apr 5, 2018, 1:43 pm

From a Josephine Tey novel to a novel with Josephine Tey as the central character - London Rain, no. 6 in the series by Nicola Upson. My favourite in the series so far, 4.5★s.
(First book in the series is An Expert in Murder)

29rocketjk
Apr 5, 2018, 6:37 pm

I'm reading Murder in Bloom, the fifth entry in Lesley Cookman's "Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery" series. Cosy mysteries are not really my style, but pretty well plotted and well written, too.

30Sergeirocks
Apr 18, 2018, 3:20 am

A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody 4.5★s

31ted74ca
Edited: Apr 23, 2018, 6:53 pm

Always a good read - Ann Cleeves's The Glass Room

32ted74ca
Apr 24, 2018, 2:54 pm

33Sergeirocks
Apr 25, 2018, 4:18 pm

Third (and perhaps final, since no more have been written in 7 years now) book in the 50's forensic series set in Wales, Grounds for Appeal by Bernard Knight 4.5★s.

34Sergeirocks
Apr 26, 2018, 11:30 am

Death of an Avid Reader by Frances Brody 4.5★s; no. 6 in the series and still an enjoyment to read.

35ted74ca
Apr 29, 2018, 8:23 pm

An Empty Death by Laura Wilson. Not superb, but not too bad a way to spend a rainy afternoon.

36Sergeirocks
Apr 30, 2018, 3:00 pm

>35 ted74ca: A new author to me. The local libraries have some of her books, I must give one a try.

37VivienneR
May 1, 2018, 1:13 pm

A Small Case for Inspector Ghote? by H.R.F. Keating

This was the charming Inspector Ghote's first investigation since he was promoted to the Bombay Police Crime Branch, not quite what he anticipated, but a small victory might be the beginning of a fine career.

If anything, the excellent audiobook narration by Sam Dastor improved Keating's original work.

38Sergeirocks
May 1, 2018, 6:16 pm

>37 VivienneR: Another unknown-to-me author I need to try.

39ted74ca
May 3, 2018, 5:52 pm

Always happy to read another of Ann Cleeves's novels: Harbour Street from her Vera Stanhope series.

40ted74ca
May 4, 2018, 1:07 am

Read all day today because I couldn't put down this thrilling thriller: I See You by Clare McIntosh

41Sergeirocks
May 4, 2018, 4:09 pm

An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear 5★s, book 5 in the series - it goes from strength to strength.

42ted74ca
May 5, 2018, 1:12 am

>36 Sergeirocks:. An Empty Death is not the first book in the series; it was just the only one of the series that my library system carries!

43Sergeirocks
May 5, 2018, 4:54 pm

>42 ted74ca: That's alright, Terry, I quite often read out of order - it's only when I'm really embroiled in a good series that I like to read the books in order, :)
If I'm trying an author for the first time, I tend not to worry about series order, as all I'm after is an idea of whether I'll like their writing.

44VivienneR
Edited: May 6, 2018, 3:23 am

A couple of days ago I finished The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor, her first novel.

An excellent debut from Tudor. This coming-of-age story that alternates between 1986 and 2016 was told by Eddie, a twelve-year-old in 1986, about his group of friends whose life stories and secrets are revealed as the story progresses. Their childhood practice of leaving messages for each other using chalked stick men was used to indicate the location of a dismembered body. This is a tantalizing, dark story, whose plot is revealed gradually. My interest was captured and held from the first page to the last.

45ted74ca
May 13, 2018, 12:04 am

>44 VivienneR:. That sounds quite intriguing. I just requested it from my local library-others must agree with your impressions because I'm 80th on the waiting list!

46Sergeirocks
May 14, 2018, 1:34 pm

>45 ted74ca: lol. You won't be holding your breath while waiting for that one to come round. :D

47ted74ca
May 22, 2018, 2:02 pm

Enjoyed a book by one of my favourite authors: The Moth Catcher by Ann Cleeves; one from her Vera Stanhope series.

48ted74ca
May 24, 2018, 1:58 am

Just finished a novel, which sort of fits in this category, but is not your typical crime fiction. Disturbing and sad, and I was very disappointed in the ending, but a good read nonetheless. A Thousand Cuts by Simon Lelic

49VivienneR
May 24, 2018, 5:07 pm

>45 ted74ca: A waiting list of 80 is so disheartening. I hope your library buys a few more copies when they realize how popular it is!

50ted74ca
Edited: May 24, 2018, 5:52 pm

>49 VivienneR: Me too! But I've been much further down their list (in the hundreds) on previous requests for other titles, so I have hope I'll see it this year.

51Sergeirocks
Edited: May 31, 2018, 11:58 am

Death of a Dentist, no. 13 in the lighthearted Hamish Macbeth series, set in the Scottish Highlands, (and made into a TV series in the nineties), a quick and easy read, 4★s.

52Sergeirocks
Jun 6, 2018, 12:01 pm

Another episode in one of my current favourite series, Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody, 4.5★s

53ted74ca
Jun 14, 2018, 8:24 pm

Odd Child Out by Gilly MacMillan. A bit of a disappointment for me, as I'd really enjoyed the 2 other novels I'd read by this author.

54Sergeirocks
Jun 19, 2018, 11:34 am

Book no. 9 in the excellent Dr. Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Chalk Pit - I love this series - 5★s

55VivienneR
Edited: Jun 20, 2018, 12:18 pm

>54 Sergeirocks: I just discovered Elly Griffiths recently so I'm just on book 2 of the series, The Janus Stone. I'm really enjoying it and glad there are more to enjoy.

56Sergeirocks
Jun 20, 2018, 4:41 pm

>55 VivienneR: 10 books in the series, so far, and another due next year.
She has another series that I haven't tried yet, plus a couple of standalones. Plenty for me to look forward to, :)

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/elly-griffiths/

57VivienneR
Edited: Jun 20, 2018, 5:01 pm

>56 Sergeirocks: I've tried the other series that's set in the seaside town of Brighton in the 1950s. And I love that series too, although that's helped along because it reminds me of my childhood in the UK.

58ted74ca
Jun 23, 2018, 2:10 pm

>57 VivienneR: I love Elly Griffiths too; I think I've read all the books so far in both series.

59ted74ca
Jun 23, 2018, 2:11 pm

Finished a rather unthrilling thriller last night The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen.

60ted74ca
Jun 24, 2018, 2:31 am

Today I read (and finished!) a much better thriller/suspense novel: Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

61VivienneR
Jun 24, 2018, 4:54 pm

>58 ted74ca: When I find a good series I try to give myself a break in between books so that it lasts longer. In the case of Elly Griffiths I want to read them one after the other.

62ted74ca
Jul 11, 2018, 10:59 pm

Finished The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths today, the latest in her Ruth Galloway series. Loved being back with all the familiar characters and enjoyed Ruth's self-deprecating humour that often makes me smile to myself as I'm reading. I didn't actually pay much heed to the actual murder in this one-it kind of got lost in everything else that was going on.

63ted74ca
Jul 13, 2018, 2:52 pm

I hadn't read anything by this author before, but this was a pretty good read, though a tad implausible at times. Give Me The Child by Mel McGrath

64ted74ca
Edited: Jul 17, 2018, 1:40 am

This book is the second I've read this year by Simon Lelic and I found both quite thought provoking. This one was The Child Who. I read A Thousand Cuts back in May and liked that one too.

65Sergeirocks
Jul 26, 2018, 6:31 pm

Just finished The Seagull, book 8 in the 'Vera Stanhope' series by Ann Cleeves, 4.5★s.

66ted74ca
Edited: Jul 26, 2018, 9:47 pm

Just finished a thriller that I actually found quite thrilling: The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard, an Irish writer.

67ted74ca
Aug 1, 2018, 12:45 am

Can't recommend this one: The Girl in the Green Dress by Cath Staincliffe.

68VivienneR
Aug 4, 2018, 2:32 pm

Just finished a good one: The Hireling's Tale by Jo Bannister. Unscrambling the puzzle pieces, a roller-coaster rescue in the Fens of eastern England, and the personal oddities of the characters combine to make this mystery a nail-biter. I'll be on the lookout for more by Jo Bannister, who hails from Northern Ireland.

69gypsysmom
Aug 6, 2018, 5:51 pm

Just finished an old Ian Rankin Blood Hunt. It is not one of his Rebus series; instead it involves an ex-soldier trying to find out why his brother was killed. More of a thriller than a mystery I would say but it was a good read.

70Sergeirocks
Aug 9, 2018, 9:21 am

My first sampling of Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford series: End in Tears. I have to say I wasn't too impressed with this story, I thought it far longer than it needed to be, definitely a case of having to 'plough through' it. 3★s

71Sergeirocks
Aug 9, 2018, 9:28 am

Pleased to report that my first sampling of Ngaio Marsh was a 4★ encounter: A Man Lay Dead, first instalment in her Inspector Alleyn series.

72VivienneR
Aug 9, 2018, 3:36 pm

Just finished Set in Darkness by Ian Rankin that I really enjoyed. He even mentioned a favourite Scottish comic strip, The Broons.

73Sergeirocks
Aug 10, 2018, 7:45 am

>72 VivienneR: I'm a big fan of The Broons and also of Oor Wullie 😀

74VivienneR
Aug 12, 2018, 2:50 pm

>73 Sergeirocks: Me too! When someone claimed "first family of Scotland" status, Rebus said something like "Everybody knows Scotland's first family is The Broons". It was my favourite line in an excellent book. I should have known there would be touchstones. The annuals were always the best part of Christmas.

75Sergeirocks
Aug 17, 2018, 6:43 am

I've read half a dozen books by author Simon Kernick and always find him a halfway decent writer.
Relentless is aptly named and is exactly that: relentless action from beginning to end - I had to keep putting the book down to take a breath and digest what was happening, lol.
Salesman, Tom Meron, has his life turned upside down when he receives a phone call from an old friend...
4★s from me.

76Sergeirocks
Aug 17, 2018, 2:18 pm

Hallowe'en Party by perennial favourite, Agatha Christie, an exercising of the little grey cells with Hercule Poirot. 3.5★s.

77Sergeirocks
Aug 22, 2018, 8:13 pm

Book no. 11 in the Inspector Morse series - The Daughters of Cain by Colin Dexter 4.5★s

78Sergeirocks
Aug 29, 2018, 7:25 am

Dead Souls by Ian Rankin 5★s - love this series.

79ted74ca
Sep 7, 2018, 2:10 pm

80VivienneR
Sep 7, 2018, 9:05 pm

>79 ted74ca: I just read that one too! I really enjoyed it.

I also read The Golden Child by Penelope Fitzgerald

A London museum has installed a priceless exhibit, including a gold-covered mummy of a child, that is drawing thousands of visitors daily. This is a murder mystery laced with satirical humour mocking the eccentric or self-important staff of the museum. Written in 1977, this spoof of the Tutankhamen exhibition at the British Museum was Fitzgerald's first work of fiction, and very entertaining.

I worked in a museum and can verify that some of those characters exist! (Not the murderers though.)

I enjoyed the bit that said they sold 15,000 get-well cards featuring the Golden Tomb! Yes, a picture of a tomb should make the ill get well soon! :))

81Sergeirocks
Sep 8, 2018, 3:40 pm

I want to read more of Horowitz's books, the only one I've read is The House of Silk, (Sherlock Holmes), which I quite enjoyed.

82ted74ca
Sep 10, 2018, 1:39 pm

Never disappointed in this author's novels: The Seagull by Ann Cleeves- one in the Vera Stanhope series.

83ted74ca
Sep 11, 2018, 9:53 pm

Slow to get into it, but ended up really liking The Day She Disappeared by Christobel Kent

84Sergeirocks
Sep 12, 2018, 1:39 pm

>83 ted74ca: The only book I've read by this author is The Crooked House, which I didn't enjoy at all - only 2★s from me.

85ted74ca
Sep 12, 2018, 8:23 pm

>84 Sergeirocks:. Oh dear, I've just requested The Crooked House from our local library, because I'd liked this book. I'll see if my interests holds through a second novel.

86VivienneR
Sep 14, 2018, 2:02 am

Just finished another outstanding Jack Taylor mystery: The Dramatist by Ken Bruen. I love Bruen's writing: spare, concise, incisive. Where other writers can blether on for pages describing something, Bruen gets to the point, without the reader missing any feature or nuance.

87Sergeirocks
Sep 14, 2018, 2:51 am

>85 ted74ca: I'll be interested to see how you get along with this book. We did it as a group read on the Mystery and Suspense group, none of us liked it, (but don't let that put you off, 32 people have awarded it 3★s or more - The Crooked House).

88Sergeirocks
Sep 14, 2018, 3:14 am

>86 VivienneR: Not an author I've heard of.

89VivienneR
Sep 14, 2018, 11:39 am

>88 Sergeirocks: He's Irish and sets the Jack Taylor series in Galway, his home town. There was a very successful tv series made with Iain Glen playing Taylor. It's best to read the series in order if you give him a try.

90gypsysmom
Sep 14, 2018, 2:32 pm

>89 VivienneR: Wow, that does sound intriguing. I'm a sucker for all things Irish and I especially love the Galway area. Thanks for the recommendation (although I really don't need another series to keep up with).

91VivienneR
Sep 15, 2018, 8:50 pm

>90 gypsysmom: I have to admit I'm in love with Jack Taylor and Iain Glen :)) I am rather like (a slightly younger) Mrs Bailey, Taylor's landlady, who believes he can do no wrong and keeps his room no matter how long he's gone, or where he has been.

92ted74ca
Sep 20, 2018, 12:21 am

>91 VivienneR:. Too funny! I can't believe I've not read that series either, esp. as my mother's dad was from County Galway-I have to seek them out now.

93ted74ca
Sep 20, 2018, 6:09 pm

I've been on the wait list for this one for months, and I read it in one day. Really liked The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor

94ted74ca
Oct 8, 2018, 11:28 pm

I recently finished Echoes of Lies by Jo Bannister. I'll give this series another try if I can find the next book in our library system.

95VivienneR
Oct 10, 2018, 12:59 pm

I was in hospital all last week. One of the books I read was Aunt Bessie Assumes: An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery by Diana Xarissa, a flawed but fun mystery that was perfect for the occasion. It's the first in a series and I'll probably try more.

96ted74ca
Edited: Oct 15, 2018, 11:19 am

>95 VivienneR:. Hope you're on the mend, and are back at home home now. Take care.

97VivienneR
Oct 15, 2018, 2:12 pm

Thanks, Terry. All well now.

98ted74ca
Oct 20, 2018, 9:17 am

I was disappointed in this latest read, as I usually really enjoy her novels: I Know You Know by Gilly MacMillan

99gypsysmom
Oct 21, 2018, 1:01 pm

Just finished #6 in the Rebus series by Ian Rankin Mortal Causes. I have been reading all the back list of the Rebus series. This one is set in 1993 and involves gun supplying to the Protestant loyalists in Northern Ireland. It was quite a different time for that part of Britain.

100ted74ca
Oct 24, 2018, 9:53 pm

I think this book qualifies in this category, as the author was brought up mainly in England: The Breakdown by B. A. Paris. I was really disappointed in this book- not at all exciting, seemed to just go on on and on and on, and I'd mostly figured it out within the first couple of chapters.

101Sergeirocks
Oct 25, 2018, 11:54 am

TBH, I've just recently discovered Dorothy L. Sayers, but I'm quite enjoying Lord Peter Wimsey's sleuthing: Unnatural Death 4★s

102gypsysmom
Oct 27, 2018, 5:00 pm

Saw Ian Rankin last night as he visited the city to promote his latest book In a House of Lies. Rankin didn't read from the book, rather answered questions posed by a former radio host and then some from the audience. He's a very funny guy and I would recommend going to see him if you get the chance.

103ted74ca
Oct 27, 2018, 7:08 pm

>102 gypsysmom:. I'd love to go see Ian Rankin speak. I've heard him interviewed on the radio a couple of times and enjoyed those interviews.

104ted74ca
Oct 27, 2018, 7:12 pm

Just read the first in a series I hadn't tried before: Perfect Remains by Helen Fields. I really liked it, especially as it's set in Edinburgh, a city I fell in love with on my one and only (so far) visit there a couple of years ago. Old Edinburgh town is a perfect place to set a murder mystery in, I think.

105gypsysmom
Oct 28, 2018, 3:09 pm

A little while ago VivenneR recommended Ken Bruen's books so I got one from my library. Unfortunately The Magdalen Martyrs was just not my cup of tea. I expect my mysteries to have some darkness (I'm a big fan of Ian Rankin, James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly) and a main character that is not perfect. However this one just exposed too much of Galway's underbelly for my taste and Jack Harvey, the alcoholic drug using former guard, spends way too much time getting drunk or high or both rather than actually solving the case. So at least I don't have to worry about keeping up with another mystery series as I won't be reading any more of Ken Bruen's works.

106VivienneR
Oct 29, 2018, 9:08 pm

>105 gypsysmom: I'm so sorry Ken Bruen and Jack Taylor (Jack Harvey is Rankin's pseudonym) wasn't to your liking. I completely understand. And I remember The Magdalen Martyrs was a particularly difficult story.

I saw the tv series first, then read the books so I saw Iain Glenn who played Taylor in my mind when reading about Taylor. Iain Glenn didn't exactly portray Taylor without faults, but he was definitely more attractive than on paper. That's when I fell in love with him. :)

107Sergeirocks
Nov 7, 2018, 1:15 pm

A new author for me, Sharon (or S. J.) Bolton. Book 1 in her Lacey Flint police detective series - Now You See Me.
I was torn down the middle on this one, didn't enjoy the first 4 fifths but found the end well done. Enough so, that I'll probably give the series at least one more try. A decent 3.5★s for all that...
(Lots of historical content re Jack-the-Ripper.)

108ted74ca
Nov 15, 2018, 12:56 pm

I haven't been doing much reading lately, but did manage to finish The Dead Season by Christobel Kent. I quite enjoyed it and now that I realize it's part of a series, I'll have to be requesting yet more books from our library!

109ted74ca
Nov 24, 2018, 4:22 pm

I finished the second book in this D.I. Callanach series: Perfect Prey by Helen Fields. Not great, but not bad.

110VivienneR
Nov 28, 2018, 2:59 pm

Just finished The Lewis Man, the second in the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. I've read and enjoyed other books by Peter May but this series is definitely his best. Not only are the story and characters outstanding but he captures the Hebridean location perfectly. The added historical details make it all the more gripping.

111Sergeirocks
Nov 30, 2018, 1:38 pm

I am pleased to have stumbled upon an author previously unknown to me: Cyril Hare (1900-1958). An English Murder (aka "The Christmas Murder"), I found to be a polished gem of the 'cut off country house' type of murder.
I will be eagerly searching the shelves of my local libraries for more of his books. 4★s.

112gypsysmom
Dec 6, 2018, 5:18 pm

>110 VivienneR: The Lewis Trilogy were the first books by Peter May that I read. I am now reading the Enzo files and I think I agree with you that the Lewis Trilogy books are better.

113ted74ca
Dec 8, 2018, 8:02 pm

A Painted Doom by Kate Ellis. A bit too easy to figure out, but not too bad a read.

114ted74ca
Dec 9, 2018, 6:36 pm

I think I can add this book here, even though the author has lived & worked in Canada for many years. Careless Love by Peter Robinson. I always look forward to another Inspector (well Superintendent now) Banks book!

115ted74ca
Dec 12, 2018, 12:30 am

Just realized that the book I finished this morning is the first in a series-quite liked Deadly Virtues by Jo Bannister

116Sergeirocks
Dec 12, 2018, 12:39 pm

>114 ted74ca: 15 (yes, fifteen) copies of this book spread amongst 10 libraries in my local area - can I get hold of one of these copies? No! :D

117ted74ca
Dec 19, 2018, 3:42 pm

>116 Sergeirocks:. The second one in the series that I requested last week has just arrived at my local library-picking it up today. I'm sure they won't have the whole series-they never seem to have every book in any series I'm reading, which is very frustrating!

118VivienneR
Dec 23, 2018, 12:50 am



Best wishes to all my LibraryThing pals, it's been a lot of fun sharing your reading lives this year.

119Sergeirocks
Dec 25, 2018, 3:44 am

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

120VivienneR
Dec 27, 2018, 5:37 pm

The Vanishing Box: the perfect chilling read for Christmas by Elly Griffiths
One of my favourite writers with another Christmas mystery set in 1953 Brighton. It's hard to get better than this at Christmas.

121Sergeirocks
Dec 30, 2018, 4:45 pm

I've now finished the Kate Shackleton series by Frances Brody. Maybe, with a bit of luck, she'll have more in the pipeline.
A Snapshot of Murder 4.5★s

122Sergeirocks
Dec 31, 2018, 7:32 pm

HAPPY NEW YEAR from the UK!🎉

123ted74ca
Jan 10, 2019, 9:21 pm

>122 Sergeirocks:. Happy New Year (belatedly) wishes from Canada. Here's to more great reading ahead in 2019.

124VivienneR
Jan 13, 2019, 2:04 am

>122 Sergeirocks: And Happy New Year from this Canadian too!

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