July TIOLI: Edgar the Cat Challenge!

Here's where we can discuss books read to meet the July TIOLI Challenge: Read an Edgar Award Nominee or Winner between the years 2002 and 2011. This challenge is to honor my beloved cat, Edgar, who was my dear companion during these years.
Here are some on my list (and I'll not get to all of them!):

The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (2011 Best Novel Winner)
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (2011 Best Novel Nominee)
I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman (2011 Best Novel Nominee)
Snow Angels by James Thompson (2011 Best First Novel Nominee)
The Dead Hour by Denise Mina (2007 Best Novel Nominee)
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (2006 Best Novel Nominee)
Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin (2004 Best Novel Winner)
Out by Natsuo Kirino (2004 Best Novel Nominee)

Thanks for participating! I'm going to work on getting a picture of my Edgar up here this weekend.
~Ellen

Link Back to Main July TIOLI thread : main thread

The database was very well-done! Here are the books I'm considering for this challenge:

The Foreigner by Francie Lin (2009 Best First Novel winner)

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (2008 Best Novel nominee)

Citizen Vince by Jess Walter (2006 Best Novel winner)

Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews (2003 Best Novel nominee)

I'm a squeamish reader, so I spent a lot of time looking for lighter titles.

(and -- ETA -- what did I end up with? California Girl, which was on the "last chance" cart at B&N today.)

So sorry you lost your kitty -- this is a nice way to honor him!

2 > I admit to also trying to avoid books that might interfere with my sleep -- I'm enough of an insomniac as it is! I love a good "thriller" but I'm not so sure they're good for me.... I hope whichever book(s) you choose end up being just right for you!

This is a challenge where I really have to rein myself in! I love mysteries. I've signed on for Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear and Queenpin by Megan Abbott. Both of which have been on my wishlist for ages.

A nice tribute to your cat, Edgar.

I may have to add Maisie Dobbs to my list, too. I've not read it and have heard great things about it. I may have to quit my job to stay home and do nothing but read for July challenges!

I know a few of you were considering Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter for this challenge. I'm about 3/4 through it, and I'm finding it very enjoyable. Highly recommend it.
~Ellen

Okay looking at the database and the information here on LT I have at least one book to read

Paper Towns by John Green 2009 Best Young Adult Winner

I may also be able to read The Dead Hour by Denise Mina which was a nominee in 2007 for best Novel

Ellen sorry for your loss and I am thrilled to do such a challenge to honor your Edgar.

Now I am going to go find my books to read.

darn, I just finished Crooked Letter on 29 June, can't count it. It was good though!

I just finished Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. I don't know how to create a link to my brief review, so I'll copy and paste it here:

An engaging mystery with a bit of social commentary integrated throughout. No heroes here but some good guys and some (well, one) bad guy and lots of people in between. Franklin's descriptions of rural southeast Mississippi are effective at "taking you there" and he captures dialect nicely. I love Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, but Tom Franklin has created believable characters, a rich setting, and an engaging mystery story. Worthy of the Edgar nomination.

I gave it four stars.

Now I've started The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton. First thing I've read by him. Page 18, so far so good.

I added and read a 2002 nominated YA novel, Witch Hill by Marcus Sedgwick. I'm a fan of Sedgwick and am slowly reading through all his work, I found this to be more of a middlegrade novel. Set in the present day but echoing back to the 16th century witch trials in England, it was quite chilling.

I loved The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton. I'm glad I issued this challenge -- it's led me to a couple of great mystery/thriller reads! I hope someone matches me for this book. It's a quick read, too.

Of these I thought Out and the series that The Dead Hour and Resurrection Men are part of were great. I also loved Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel, which was a best first one year.

Saying Goodbye. Thanks, everyone, for reading to help me grieve my best friend.

I read Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd for this challenge, which was a Young Adult Nominee, but I really don't understand how it got nominated since it is not a mystery.

I am now reading Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear.

That's a powerful picture.

Thanks Joyce. I loved him so much.

So sad. Glad we can be here with you to celebrate Edgar's life.

It's hard to say goodbye to a beloved pet. He'd have been very surprised to learn that so many people now know of him! :)

18 > :-D
He would be surprised and he would think it's simply the natural order of things. If I had you all over for a book group discussion (wouldn't that be fun!!), he would have been right in the middle of it.

I'm glad he could be in the middle again.

Should have dropped by here before, but better late than never I guess.

Came by to have a look at your other pic of Edgar. He sure was a beauty. And again, he really looked like my Ezra. I know all too well how attached we get to our beloved little critters. Take all the time you need to grieve. And don't ever let anyone say "get over it already, he was *just* a cat"! I for one, tend to get attached to animals more than I do to humans. It just seems like my feelings are safer with them. An animal will never betray you.

So yes, you have all my sympathies Ellen.

I know you may not be ready for this right now, but do consider adopting another animal in near future. This is not to replace Edgar of course, but sometimes giving a chance to another animal does help us with the grieving process, not to mention that so many animals are in need of good loving homes like the one I know you are able to provide.

There. Getting off my soap box now. :-)

20> :-D

21> Yes, I'm the same way. I'll let an animal much more deeply into my heart than a human. They won't betray and they don't judge. What a gift. I also know that another cat will adopt me at some point. When that happens, I'll post a picture of the new love, too. Of course, we do still have Abby and she is a sweet princess.

Oh good, I'm reassured to know you're not cat-less. Abby is a pretty girl.

As I mentioned on the main thread, I borrowed the audio for The Last Child from the library and will try to fit it in before month's end.

I finished my book for this challenge today. I read Paper Towns by John Green

It's such an honor to be participating in this challenge in memory of Edgar. I'm reading Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and LOVING it. It is definitely a book I hate to put down.

We recently lost our little girl cat Alyce, so I really commiserate with you. (((hugs)))

Karen O.

Thanks, crazy4reading and Karen, for participating in my memorial challenge. I'm sorry, Karen, to hear that you have also recently lost a beloved cat member of the family. They do reach in and tie strings of lights around our hearts.... (((hugs))) back to you ----

I think I'm going to read one more book for my own challenge -- I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman. We have one full week left in the month! :-)

I really enjoyed Maisie Dobbs which I read for this challenge. I am going to try and fit in one more, Queenpin after I finiish the book I am currently reading, this month just seems to have flown by!

I'm glad so many people are reading and enjoying Maisie Dobbs. I read it a year or so ago, long before I found LT. I remember liking it a lot. I'd Know You Anywhere, on the other hand, is pretty darn creepy so far. If the dog gets hurt, I'm going to be very upset.

Rule of thumb, if there's a dog in a book, and you like it, it's probably going to die. Tell me I'm wrong about this one.

Joyce, I think you get to be wrong about this one. I checked with brenpike; she said I'm clear. I'm enjoying the book now that I'm sitting here reading it in my living room in broad daylight.

I remember a book I started to read years ago -- it was by a woman and was supposed to be wonderful (and probably was/is) --- in the first chapter some boys play fetch in a pond with a retriever until the retriever drowns. I stopped reading there and then, but I have been haunted by that vivid and horrifying scene ever since. I'll try to figure out what book that was.

Literature, like nature, ain't always pretty. :-/

Literature, like nature, ain't always pretty.

True, but unlike nature, we get to choose how much of it we want to affect our lives. Maybe someday I'll read I'd Know You Anywhere, especially now that I know about the dog. I don't see it happening any time soon though. Let us know how you feel when you're done.

Whew. The dog is just fine. I wrote a short review of the novel and posted it over on the July thread as well as my personal 75 in 2011 thread. I gave it three stars.