February 2013--What are we reading

Started Sweetness at the bottom of the pie

oops. Added this to January. Boy the months really fly by.

I'm in the midst of Death Comes to Pemberley which is a labor of love and ode to Pride and Prejudice by P.D. James. So far it's nostalgically fun and light. Is it just me, or does anyone else wish it was Lydia who got it in the neck?

I've started Catch Me by Lisa Gardner, the latest D.D. Warren novel.

I've just begun The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey.

I'm listening to Dick Hill perform Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child, another first person Jack Reacher.

for me Dick Hill IS Jack Reacher. I've listened to nearly all of them and he rocks. I don't think I could read one on paper and not hear him in my head.

Finished White Nights by Ann Cleeves - apparently one of four murder mysteries set on the Shetland Islands. Given their tiny population I am assuming she can't write more than 4! Very good though if only for the setting which I found very appealing. Am now 100 pages into Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg - another of the Swedes.

Reading Nowhere to Run by C. J. Box.

Still working on The Dark Monk.

Just finished Murder in Montmartre by Cara Black ready to begin Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon.

I've started my first Sayers, Lord Peter Views the Body.

#11 Lucky you! Hope you enjoy Lord Peter.

#4 harrygbutler - I adore Tey. The Man in the Queue is a great read.

#11 mistrust - Your first Lord Peter? I agree with majkia - lucky you. I have been reading and re-reading Sayers for 40 years. You're in for a treat.

I'm going to log out of Librarything and open Proof of Guilt, the newest Ian Rutledge by Charles Todd.

Hooray!

>6 Bookmarque: Hill's voice took some getting used to, but now I am right there with you. It's the voice I hear in my head when I read (or think about) Jack Reacher.

In fact, that's just one more reason Tom Cruise as Reacher is a bad idea ~ because he's not only not going to LOOK like Reacher, he's not going to SOUND like him (my opinion, anyway).

My first book of February is Broken by Karin Fossum. It's not part of her Inspector Sejer series, but something quite different. I really enjoyed it, though.

>12 majkia: & 13 Thank you, I am enjoying it!

I have just finished my first Phrynne Fisher Mystery and have the next six in the series lined up. I see there is a Phrynee Fisher TV series in Australia but cannot find a DVD of it in England. Anyone know if there is one? Also, how do I get the name of the book to appear in blue with Touchstones?

Crisis Four by Andy McNab.

17> I was able to watch "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" on the Knowledge Network (British Columbia) website even though I don't live in BC (although I am at least also in Canada). I just looked and they don't seem to still be there, but if you dig around on the interwebs you might find them. They're not bad - well cast.

>17 Musson:
To make a touchstone for a book use single square brackets around the title = [title of book] and double for an author = [[author name]].
BUT...check the link which pops up on the right under touchstones to get the correct one - click on 'others' to see all the choices.

add: BTW, I love the Phryne Fisher series (being Australian) - the TV adaptation wasn't too bad but a bit condensed for my liking.

Just finished The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski. Good, but a little simplistic. Now I'm on to The Night Ranger by Alex Berenson. Off to a good start, and Berenson's never disappointed me yet.

Finished the Pemberley pastiche. It was ok. I can see how it was an indulgence for James, not a serious writing project. Enjoyable, but a bit tedious.

Am about 1/2 way into Suspect which I suspect is the start of another series from Robert Crais. Granted, Elvis and Pike are getting up into the geriatric years and their exploits just don't ring true all the time, but I'm going to miss them. Scott, the new guy, and Maggie, the new dog, are interesting, but a bit too beat up to be enjoyable. Maybe in future installments they'll ease up a bit.

This morning started Lisa Gardner's newest, Touch & Go.

#22 Bookmarque - I wasn't terribly thrilled with Death Comes to Pemberley either.

My current mystery is the rather exotic The Coroner's Lunch. I could have used a little more help with cultural context in the beginning, but by about the one-third mark I'm interested in the characters and ignoring the political stuff that I don't understand.

Since most of what I read fits into this catergory, I' thought I'd join and see what others are reading. Specifically interested in foreign lit., think Donna Leon, Stig Larsson, Arturo Perez-Riverte...

#7/Romain,
I can see why you'd think the 'Shetland Quartet' would only have four books - but, fortunately (I'm a fan of the series), she's just released the fifth in the UK:
Dead Water

Sadly, not yet available in the US, but I'm keeping an eagle eye out...

I've finally reviewed the very ~meh~ A Killing in the Hills over in my thread...post #293.

And I've reviewed the newest Flavia de Luce cozy mystery, Speaking from Among the Bones, over in my thread...post #26.

It's the fifth one, and the series continues to charm.

Started Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear on the train this morning. But I have a durn cold and had to put the book down every other minute to blow my nose. Most annoying.

#30 -- Are you as anxious as I am to see Maisie and James paired off, finally and formally? (Just finished A Lesson in Secrets.)

Janet Evanovich's Yhdeksän hyvää (To the nines). Very entertaining, as these Plum-adventures always are :)

#30 I think I'd like to see that also, but only under the right circumstances (some characters and relationships can become a bit boring once they're "settled").

Just finished An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd. I still like the MC and the setting, but I thought there were a few plot elements that didn't quite work. And seriously, the bad guy was totally obvious! Why didn't she figure it out sooner?

>13 karenmarie: karenmarie - I enjoyed The Man in the Queue well enough to plan to try others by Josephine Tey.

After a break from mystery (but not -- at least attempted -- crime) to read Bones in London by Edgar Wallace, which was a very amusing book, I've now begun The Greene Murder Case, a Philo Vance mystery by S. S. Van Dine.

I've started The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais, the beginning of a series I've been meaning to get to for some time now. It's very good so far.

#33 --- I don't think Maisie will ever settle for settled :)

Taking a chance on an unknown .. It Happened One Knife by Jeffrey Cohen. Just got started, but it's had several chuckle moments already.

The Coroner's Lunch left me dissatisfied. ( Review. ) I won't be in any hurry to seek out a sequel.

Reading and very much enjoying A Study in Scarlet.

35 - I was not happy with The Man in the Queue. I felt like the murderer was just pulled out of thin air - no clues at all, totally unfair to the reader. I liked some of her others much better.

I'm reading The sands of windee by Arthur Upfield. #35, harrygbutler, I'll be curious to know how you like Philo Vance. I read two books in that series last year and found them both vastly annoying. I think it was Ogden Nash who said: Philo Vance
Needs a kick in the pants.

#40: I agree. What really bothered me was the speed and accuracy of fingerprints removed from paper money. Surely it wasn't possible at that time. To remove prints from paper, clear adhesive tape is required and I don't think it had been invented.

The Franchise Affair and Brat Farrar are both better.

The Past is Never Dead by David Schulman and I am rather enjoying it.

I'm enjoying A Question of Identity very much.

#38
Interesting that you didn't like Coroner's Lunch. It has been so well received on other threads. I agree with your last statement in your review.

Ted Dekker's Boneman's Daughters.

Mistress of the Art of Death, by Ariana Franklin, an historical mystery.

I started Envious Casca by Gerogette Heyer (a re-read).

#47
I loved the Mistress of the Art of Death series. Not a clinker in the four of them. Read all four of them and enjoy them as Franklin died last year so there won't be any more.

> 49 Oh, I didn't realize that Franklin died. Glad though to hear the series is good. I'm enjoying it so far, although it starts a bit slow.

I'm beginning to find the Ian Rutledge series a bit tedious. I'm reading Proof of Guilt, the 15th book in the series.

It seems a bit two dimensional and the plot is grinding audibly.....

> 40, 42 I didn't mind that it wasn't fairly clued. It struck me as rather similar to a fair portion of movie mysteries of the era. I had suspected the guilty party, and I did wonder about some unfollowed clues, so I was prepared for some sort of late revelation.

> 41 So far The Greene Murder Case has been fine. I'm somewhat prepared for how annoying Philo Vance can be, thanks to listening to many episodes of the radio program.

I just finished The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen and just loved it.

Just finished Before the Poison by Peter Robinson which is not part of his Inspector Banks series. Found it an excellent read both in plot and historic information about WW II.

#53 Oh good. The Keeper of Lost Causes is in my TBR.

>54 Callahan98:: Coincidentally, Before the Poison is next up on my list! Glad to hear it was a good read.

27/dcmurraryb - Thanks for that. I'll keep a look out but first have to read the other 3 :)

I also didn't like The Man in the Queue. Her best are - as someone else just said - The Franchise Affair, Brat Farrar and of course The Daughter of Time.

Abandoned Camilla Lackberg's The Ice Princess. Thought it formulaic and unexciting.

I've finished with The Monkey's Raincoat, which was very good--I'll definitely be continuing with the Cole/Pike series. Now starting The Bilbao Looking Glass by Charlotte MacLeod.

I love these books. I can hardly wait for the next one to come forth.

I love these books as well. I am working on his second book, The Absent One. Great characters. I listened to them. Great as audio books.

oh no. That is so sad. I thought I read where there was another one coming forth. I will shed some tears. I love the eccentric characters.

I like Box' books. I have learned much about hunting, guns, Wyoming politics, environmental issues. Great books. I have the next one on order at the library.

Just finished The Night Ranger by Alex Berenson. Another great John Wells thriller! Now I'm on to The Afrika Reich by Guy Saville

Just finished Fault Line by Robert Goddard a return to good form after the disappointing Blood Count.

Started my first Harlan Coban, The Woods.

Loved this book and the other three. You'll want to read them all quickly.

Liked Pemberly until the last few chapters. Almost as if James lost interest and, unfortunately, so did I.

Am reading "Dissolution" my first Matthew Shardlake mystery and loving it so far.

Finished Ted Dekker's BoneMan's daughters, didn't like it at all. Left a really bad feeling - gotta find something "nicer" to read next. As an immediate antidote I escaped to Terry Pratchett's Discworld and started one Star Wars spin-off novel...

I've just finished listening to Natasha Cooper's Trish Maguire novel A Greater Evil. Really enjoyed it. I've just got Sara Paretsky's latest from the library, and it's due to snow, so a cosy evening by the fire is called for!

I finished The Greene Murder Case and thought it OK. I can certainly see why it could prove irritating, or Vance could prove annoying, but I wasn't bothered much. I didn't care all that much for the ending, which seemed rushed without being exciting. I'm willing to try The Bishop Murder Case, which I also have on hand, in the future.

Since then I've read the first couple stories in the Dover edition of The Department of Dead Ends by Roy Vickers. Well written, but I think it will be better to space out the reading of them.

Now I've started Night at the Mocking Widow; so far, so good.

I'm reading The Yiddish Policeman's Union...does that sorta/maybe count as crime/thriller/mystery? In any event, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I love Chabon's descriptive language and the world he creates. The book is making me nostalgic for my grandparents, who spoke Yiddish as their first language, often to prevent me and my cousins from understanding what they were talking about.

Murder After a Fashion by Spencer Dean

Just started The Dragon Man by Garry Disher. I think it's my first Australian mystery.

#71
I totally think that Yiddish Policeman's Union qualifies as a crime thriller. Chabon says it is his homage to crime noir that he read as he was growing up.

I'm reading Down River by John Hart. I like his books a lot. I live in North Carolina, where he lives and where the events in his books take place, so that adds to my interest.

I've reviewed Death of a Cozy Writer, first in a series about Inspector St. Just the Cornish policeman, in my thread...post #34.

This series by author G.M. Malliet is one I will follow, unlike her later Max Tudor series which got off on the wring foot with me.

Also reviewed the amateur-sleuth cozy, set behind the scenes at a zoo, called The Anteater of Death in my thread...post #35.

Just finished Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley. Loved it, as usual.

I wrapped up Night at the Mocking Widow today. Enjoyable, although I don't usually have much interest in mysteries involving poison-pen letters. The "locked-room" part of the mystery was very slight.

I think next will likely be Detection Unlimited by Georgette Heyer, but there are a couple other contenders.

I've now started A Well-Known Secret by Jim Fusilli; looks pretty good.

I've reviewed the charming first-in-series mystery Mrs. Malory Investigates in my thread...post #40.

Jestak - the Jim Fusilli book sounds so good that I ordered it and the first one on Amazon. Can't wait to get them.

I opted for The Black Curl, the last of the mysteries by Constance and Gwyneth Little. I really enjoyed its rather light tone, and I'll be looking for others by them.

Paranoia by Joseph Finder

I really enjoy C.J. Box...Joe Pickett series is a favorite have enjoyed all that I have read so far. Happy Reading!!!

The COMPLETE Sherlock Holmes

I'm reading Death Flies West by James Francis Bonnell. Murder aboard a (PanAm) Clipper flight from Portugal to the U.S. before the United States' entry into World War II. I'm about halfway through and have enjoyed it so far.

This is the second of two novels Scribner published by Bonnell. I don't know anything else really about him (or whoever is behind the name, if it is a pseudonym).

Echo Burning by Lee Child

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

I know this is old school, but for some reason I just found John D. MacDonald. I've been working my way through the Travis Magee novels since the New Year.

>91 JGL101: Oh how funny! Old school is good. See below...

I just finished The Deep Blue Good-By and am thrilled that there are 20 more books in the series and disappointed that there are ONLY 20 more! I read one or two a couple of decades ago and love that they've been reissued. I was afraid it might seem dated but it didn't, really, only in a good way (Esso, Idlewild, looking for phones and long distance charges..lol).

>90 quartzite: I thought Crooked Letter was great!

Just started A Trick of the Light, #7 in Louise Penny's Gamache/Three Pines series. Off to a good start.

New to group. Love Flavia!

Winter of the World - Ken Follett

Just delved into In the Shadow of Gotham by Stephanie Pintoff.

After Death Flies West, which remained fairly enjoyable through to the end, albeit the guilty party wasn't too difficult to spot, I turned to Cork on the Water, by Macdonald Hastings, which was quite entertaining - though again not tremendously mysterious, but rather more adventure-filled. I'll seek out others of the Cork novels at some point, I think.

I've just begun The Purple Parrot by Clyde B. Clason, which is the first of his Theocritus Lucius Westborough novels for me, though apparently the fourth in the series. If it clicks, I expect I'll be getting the others that are available as reprints from Rue Morgue Press.

Just joined the group. I read a lot of mysteries, so figured this might be a good fit.

Have any of you read Christopher Fowler's Bryant & May series? The audio versions are delightful.

>98 NanaCC:: Welcome! I've read a few Bryant and Mays in print and greatly enjoy them.

>98 NanaCC:
Welcome!

I have just acquired the first few of the Bryant & May series and I am looking forward to reading them.

I listened to all of the Bryant & May mysteries last year. I spend a lot of time in the car and also listen to my iPod while walking. The reader was terrific. The stories are really enjoyable. However, I have listened to all of them, so will have to patiently wait for a new one.

Just finished Sidetracked by Henning Mankell. I really enjoy books by Mankell and Karin Fossum.

Reading another in the Eve Dallas series, Loyalty in Death.

Available Dark by Elizabeth Hand. Didn't like it at all.

The Purple Parrot was quite good, and I was fooled as to the villain. I'll be reading more by Clason.

Next up is The Cat Screams, a Hugh Rennert series mystery by Todd Downing.

am about 1/2 way through Lost by Michael Robotham. I like the structure of this one and the use of flashbacks and flashes of memory from a damaged cop's brain.

Death On the Nile by Agatha Christie.

I don't like the title of that book, harrygbutler. I hope nothing bad happens in the book to the poor cat...but it doesn't sound hopeful.

Picked up yet another Jack Reacher audiobook the other day and plan to start it this weekend while I am doing a deep cleaning/organizing of my apartment in preparation for a visit from my sister next week.

#106, I keep meaning to re-read that one. I'd also like to see the movie, but it doesn't seem to be digitized anywhere.

I think it's still under copyright protection, Bjace. It's a great story though. I have it as an audio read by Suchet and it's so fun.

David Suchet is a brilliant audio narrator! I have Murder on the Orient Express narrated by him and it was the perfect accompaniment to a long train ride :)

My current crime/thriller/mystery read is The Body on Mount Royal, by David Montrose, which I picked up from the library solely because it is set in Montreal.

#110
Let us know how you like the Body on Mount Royal I love to read books set in real places and cities that you can visit.

Reading Cold Wind by C.J. Box. Almost caught up with the Joe Pickett books. I guess I will try the non-Pickett books next. Any thoughts on those out there?

**************Near Spoiler Alert Re: Defending Jacob**************************

Also recently finished Defending Jacob. What do you think; did Jacob do it?

Finishing up The girl who played with fire, which I am liking more than the earlier book. On the horizon for March are Robert van Gulik's The red pavillion and Dance hall of the dead

>108 Bjace: & 109 I always try to put off seeing the movie versions until after I've read the book. It would be strange if Suchet hasn't been in a version of Death on the Nile as it seems like he's filmed all the Poirots by now. Checking Netflix!

Love, Flavia...

Just finished The Drop by Michael Connelly

Next up Snowdrops by A.D. Miller

>94 kmalbie:, 115

Welcome kmalbie... love Flavia too.

The Dead of Winter by Rennie Airth

The Black Ice by Michael Connelly, the 2nd Harry Bosch book.

Just started Tess Gerritsen's Eloonjäänyt (Last to die).

I just read and enjoyed the first Kurt Wallender book by Henning Mankell - Faceless Killers. I liked it enough to order the second one, The Dogs of Riga.

Over on another threadA Grain of Truth was mentioned. This is a new series by a Polish author. Has anybody else heard of them?

I have thereof the Rennie Airth books including Dead of Winter and I need to get to them. Soon.

In anticipation of "Mystery March," I am listening to A Wanted Man by Lee Child. I thought I wouldn't get to it until next week, but it called to me insistently until I gave in and started it. Another good Reacher, except in this one he has a broken nose and the narrator's voice when reading Reacher's lines is annoyingly plugged up, sabe as if he had a code. Realistic, I suppose, but annoying to me.

I love the Jack Reacher books, have read every one. Never listened to any, though.

I didn't care for the narrator, Dick Hill, when I first started listening to them, but he has grown on me until that is the voice I imagine in my head for Reacher when I read a Reacher novel as a print book.

This morning started Fragile by Lisa Unger.

Started Phantom by Jo Nesbø.

Loyalty in Death was another good one in the Eve Dallas series. Now I'm reading Show Red for Danger by Richard and Frances Lockridge.

Is that a Mr. and Mrs. North mystery? I read a couple of those several years ago when you could still find them around. They were fun.

I just started A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady

The Cat Screams was fairly grim, but good. I'm definitely going to work my way through the other mysteries by Todd Downing, or at least those that have been reprinted and are readily available.

I've now begun The Bishop Murder Case.

Blood of Angels by Reed Arvin

A Hole in Juan
by Gillian Roberts
--terrible title*, but a pretty good mystery cum ethics

*the (attempted murder?) victim is a
Latino high school chemistry teacher named Juan Angel Reyes.

I am reading my first Martin Beck story, Murder at the Savoy by the much praised Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo I can see why these police procedurals from the 1960's are considered so influential. This one is particularly strong in evoking Sweden and it's social problems of the period. At the same time the story is gripping and the police officers are real, flawed people. I will definitely seek out more of these books.

Just picked up Shoulder the Sky by Anne Perry. Had a positive preconception based on her little holiday novel A Christmas Guest, and so far I'm not disappointed. Yay! A new prolific author to start chasing down.

#134
I really liked the Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo books.

#145
I like that World War I series by Anne Perry. None of her other books tempted me, but this series did. I even got my mother started on them.

I have started reading Act of Treason by Vince Flynn. So far so good.

Started new thread:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/150736