August, 2022 ~ What are you reading?

New thread for the new month. Enjoy!

Currently in crime: The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, by Leonard Gribble.

In the middle of the newest Denise Mina, Confidence. More suspenseful than usual because I had to return it to the library.

Going back to familiar territory with Creole Belle by James Lee Burke.

I have just read The talented Mr Varg by Alexander McCall Smith, second in this series set in the 'Department of Sensitive Crimes' in Sweden. Varg is investigating on behalf of friends in another gentle, mildly philosophical novel. I feel that fans of the'First Lady Detective' series would enjoy these books.

I'm reading Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers, finishing an anothology of 4 books under the title of Lord Peter Takes the Case

>7 CindaFBC: One of my favorite books by Larson.

Resuming my on-paper visits to Provence with Death in the Vines, by M. L. Longworth.

Just started the second book by Mia P. Manansala, Homicide and Halo-Halo. Like the first book, all the talk about food kinda makes me hungry.

Finished: Portrait of an Unknown Woman - Silva (5/5) and Hour of the Assassin - Quirk (2.5/5).

I finished Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia, which I'm sorry to say I didn't care for at all. I was very much looking forward to reading this book, a murder mystery taking place in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance with a gay African American female protagonist, written by an African Canadian woman. The book was a selection for my monthly reading group. But I was sorely disappointed. I found the writing amateurish and cliche-ridden and the plot barely credible. And while the book ostensibly takes place in Harlem during the 1920s, there is essentially no sense of place, other than the fact that most of the characters, other than the policemen, are black and as well as an occasional reference to Prohibition.

So I would warn folks away. On the other hand, there are LT reviews giving this book 3, 3.5, and in one case even 4 stars, so your mileage may vary.

Just started Poison, an 87th Precinct novel by Ed McBain.

>12 rocketjk: I too found Dead Dead Girls to be a bit uneven, but I liked the main characters and found myself thinking about them afterwards. That's a good sign.

I found the next book, Harlem Sunset (out recently), to be better written -- though not as dense as the first one. Maybe it helped that the author had fewer things they wanted to work into it?

>14 karenb: "Maybe it helped that the author had fewer things they wanted to work into it?"

Dead Dead Girls was Afia's first novel, so maybe it's the factor you mentioned combined with Asia improving as a writer. Or maybe she had a more active and involved editor for the sequel. Or all of the above. At any rate, I'm glad that it's better, and that you enjoyed it.

Added The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie to my rotation. In the mood for a comfort read.

I picked up a couple of Emma Lathen mysteries the other day: When in Greece and Murder to Go. Published in 1969, they were still very enjoyable. Aside from the obvious technological changes since then, I found they felt much less dated than is often the case in books of that age.

Today I started Meet Me at the Morgue, by Ross Macdonald.

>18 rabbitprincess: Must be something in the air. Sleeping Beauty by Ross Macdonald started last night. Not reading in order, this one is #17. Comfort reading.

Finished The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie. Enjoyed this one.

About halfway through Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor

As I am wont to do I'm currently reading multiple:
1)The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
2)Down Among The Dead Men by Peter Lovesey
3)Extreme Prey by John Sandford
4)Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka

Added The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie to my reading rotation.

I finished Five Red Herrings by Sayers, the last in the omnibus I have.
I'm also done Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs.

I finished The Barrakee Mystery, the first in a Golden Age series featuring Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte, an Australian bush detective. Very interesting; I'll definitely continue with the series.

Just finished R. Landini's Il Giallo di Via San Giorgio. A masterpiece. Landini is Italy's Edgar Allan Poe.

>20 seitherin: That's one of my favourites by her!

Read and finished Last to die by Tess Gerritsen over the weekend.

>27 Yuki-Onna: I've been reading (and re-reading) Agatha Christie since I was 12 years old. She is a comfort read.

I have been reading an enjoyably traditional novel called Murder in the Mill-race by E.C.R. Lorac from British Library Crime Classics. As an added bonus the writer has set the book in the glorious West of England county of Devon and her descriptions are as delicious as their famous Devonshire Cream teas.

I enjoyed Now You See Them by Elly Griffiths, from her Magic Men mystery series. I always like anything by Elly Griffiths.

Currently in crime: Edge of the Grave, by Robbie Morrison. The book begins with an epigraph from The Papers of Tony Veitch and now I want to re-read the Laidlaw books!

Finished The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie. Enjoyed it. Added The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie to my rotation.

Finished Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke, first in a series recommended to me by a friend.

ive almost finished lake by natasha preston, its really good i recommend!

Currently reading The Killing Tide by Lin Anderson - really good, holds the attention well and the story is really engaging.

>28 seitherin: Same for me here! Think I started a bit later with her, but don't remember when, actually. What I remember, though, is that I was gifted The Seven Dials Mystery by my mom - that was one of the first Agatha Christies I read and it still holds a special place for me.

>36 Yuki-Onna: My first Agatha Christie was Hallowe'en Party not too long after my 12th birthday. I was born on Hallowe'en. Seemed an appropriate read to my 12 year old self.

Just picked up an audio version of Cabinet of Curiosities which is the 3rd book in the Pendergast series. Audible has a sale going until the end of the day today and so I got it for $6 and it will be good to review it in anticipation of the new book that will be out in January.

I'm part way through The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves (sorry touchstone not working correctly). Latest Vera novel and I think one of the best, which is a high benchmark for me.

>37 seitherin: 😂 Sounds reasonable!

>37 seitherin: Young girl drowned in an apple-bobbing tub? Can't think of anything better for a 12 yr old.

Finished The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie. Liked it well enough. Next up is A Quiet Life in the Countryby T. E. Kinsey.

Starting Money for Nothing by Donald E. Westlake, one of his later efforts. First few chapters very promising.

Starting on the Queen Mary crossing from Southampton to New York in Miss Aldridge regrets. So far so good.

September thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/343926