January MysteryKIT - Movie and TV detectives

This month's challenge can be as easy or as hard as you like it. The only requirement is that the detective in the book you read has to have been on screen.

TV Detectives
Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout
Perry Mason by Erle Stanley Gardner
Ellery Queen by Ellery Queen
Jack Reacher by Lee Child

Movie Detectives
Sam Spade by Dashiell Hammett
Alex Cross by James Patterson
Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple by Agatha Christie
Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Happy sleuthing and don't forget the wiki .

Depending on other challenges, I am looking at:

Last Seen Wearing by Colin Dexter televised in the Inspector Morse series.

Since Three Pines just started on Amazon, I'll read the next one in the series by Louise Penny - All the Devils are Here.

Oh I was thinking of my next Miss Marple, but that isn't a true detective story. So I may go with Still Life by Louise Penny - everyone is talking about it! :)

>4 JayneCM: - Oh - maybe mine isn't a true detective story either. I guess Louise Penny is more a police than detective book. Off to look for another.

Wasn't the Cormoran Strike series turned into a movie or tv show or something? If so, I've got this one next:
- Lethal White / Robert Galbraith

I'm also reading the Alex Cross series. Next up:
- Roses Are Red / James Patterson

>4 JayneCM: Miss Marple is listed by our host, so I thought that would fit?

Actually, there was a short-lived show based on the Alexander McCall Smith #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I think I'll read the next one in that series The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

I made end up reading #5 in the Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves: The Glass Room. It's on my Bingo board, but if Jessie Marie doesn't call 5 in January, I can change the Ann Cleeves on my Bingo board to the 6th in series Harbour Street. This might help me make more progress on the series in 2023. Another option would be A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny since Gamache has finally made it to TV. This one could fit my Keep the Series Current challenge.

>4 JayneCM:, >5 dudes22:, >7 LadyoftheLodge: As far as I am concerned, both Miss Marple and Mr. Gamache count for the challenge.
>6 LibraryCin: Yes there was a Cormoran Strike series on a few years back. I am hoping to get The Ink Black Heart for Christmas. I am 2 books ahead of you in the Alex Cross series. My January read is Four Blind Mice.

I am planning on reading When the Music's Over by Peter Robinson. This series ran on the ITV network in Britain from 2010 to 2016.

>10 lowelibrary: Thanks for confirming re: Cormoran Strike!

>1 lowelibrary: Where a book series is ongoing and the author is ahead of the TV adaptations, do books count if they have not been televised but the detective has appeared in TV adaptations of earlier books?

I have Sherlock Holmes books.

>8 dudes22: Oh, excellent! I forgot about that! I have all the books in the series but still two are unread. Lovely!

I suspect I will go for the next Maigret - I had been slowly working through them (and he had been on the small and big screens a lot). But then who knows what else will catch my eye in January.

>13 Robertgreaves: As long as the character has been on TV or in a movie, it does not matter whether the book was adapted yet or not.

>10 lowelibrary: Woo hoo! I will choose either Still Life or 4:50 From Paddington then.

I'm reading from the Monk series, which is so fun, especially the ones written by Lee Goldberg. I'll read Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants.

I plan on reading The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham, which is the first Midsomer Murders novel.

>19 mstrust: I loved Monk. I didn't realize they had books. Will be on the lookout for some.

Yes, I believe there are about 15 in the Monk series, and this will be the fifth? that I've read. Lots of fun, all original stories.

I have the Grantchester series but never started it and it has been on TV -- does it still work even though Sydney Chambers is a vicar who happens to help solve crimes?

I'm planning on Careless in Red by Elizabeth George. Lynley/Havers was on BBC at one time or another.

>23 beach85: Yes, I think that would work! The sleuth doesn't have to be a cop or professional detective -- amateurs are good too!

>25 christina_reads:
Great, thanks! Because this one has been on my shelf for so long, it will work for the RandomKIT January topic as well :)

Happy New Year to all!

>20 MissBrangwen: I just added it to my TBR list.

I learned today that at least some of the Sherlock Holmes' stories are entering the public domain in 2023. I have a few stories on my ereader that I snagged from Gutenberg.

I finished 4:50 From Paddington, my next Miss Marple read.

Found one on my shelves that fits, Skinwalkers!

I think I'll read the next Walt Longmire book. I think I'm on The Dark Horse.

At my sister's we listened to the audio of Schutzpatron, narrated by the actor who also played the police officer Kluftinger in the TV adaption. A rather boring book, unfortunately.

I am reading The Distant Echo - it features Scottish police detective Karen Pirie. This was recently made into a tv series on BritBox, and I really enjoyed it, so I wanted to read the books.

>33 Crazymamie: Oh, I read that one last year and loved it!

>34 MissBrangwen: Good to hear!

I've read Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants. I always enjoy this series, especially the ones written by Lee Goldberg, who captures the aggravation of dealing with Monk from assistant Natalie's POV. In this one, former assistant Sharona is back in San Francisco because her husband is in jail, accused of murdering one of his landscaping clients.

I'm reading Homicide Trinity by Rex Stout which is a Nero Wolfe book containing three stories. I enjoyed the first one and the second one is promising.

The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson
Yet another great addition to the Walt Longmire series. There are a lot of differences between the TV show and the books, and I have to agree with my mom (whom I recommended the series to a few years back and she promptly read them all), I prefer the books.

>33 Crazymamie: Karen Pirie is my favourite of Val McDermid's series! I really need to watch the adaptation.

>39 rabbitprincess: They definitely changed stuff from the book, but we really liked it and are hoping that they make another season.

I read Homicide Trinity by Rex Stout which I liked, especially the third story.

I have finished Wachtmeister Studer which has at least one adaption to the cinema made in Switzerland.

I am reading The Ink Black Heart for this challenge and if time allows Four Blind Mice

I read Fleshmarket Close by Ian Rankin.

An asylum-seeker is murdered, the sister of a murdered girl is missing, and skeletons are found in a cellar, all keeping Rebus and Siobhan busy. Edinburgh's shady characters add the usual fun but for me the stars are Rebus and Siobhan.

I have completed When the Music's Over by Peter Robinson. This is the 23rd book in the Inspector Banks series and I am finding this series just keeps getting better. Unfortunately the author passed away last year, but at least I have a few more books of his to read.

I read Cold Earth, Wild Fire and A Trick of the Light. I'm trying to pace myself with the Three Pines series and it's taking a bit of restraint. As soon as I finish one, I want to pick up the next book.

I finished The Distant Echo. The book is a lot different from the tv adaptation, but they are both very good. I was surprised that Karen Pirie is actually not in very much of the book. Reminded me of the very first book in Anne Cleeve's Vera Stanhope series (The Crow Trap) where Vera is missing for most of the book.

>45 DeltaQueen50: Sad to hear that Peter Robinson died. I started the series several years ago, had some trouble with the endings in the first few novels and stopped. But last year I listened to the last-two-but-one in the series (Many rivers to cross and Not dark yet) and really liked them. I'll have to save When the music's over for a time I need a good audio book. And probably try some earlier ones in the series as well.

>48 markon: I've been reading the Alan Banks series for years - and I do remember that the books got much better as the series continued on. I hope you enjoy the ones you decide to try.

Hi all, I just wanted to say that I will get the new thread up tomorrow and not today, because I am currently at ER. My husband cut two of his fingers with a razor accidentally and it is quite deep.

>50 MissBrangwen: Oh so sorry! Hope he'll be okay.

>51 majkia: Yes, he‘s ok! We are back now and fortunately it is nothing too serious, it looked way more dangerous than it is and he didn‘t need stitches, only a bandage for about six weeks.
Still, we are both very tired now. But I have already prepared most of the post for February and will get it online tomorrow!

>52 MissBrangwen: Yikes! Glad to hear it wasn't as bad as it looked!

I've finished The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith. There was a short series on HBO years ago based on the first book in this series - The #1 Ladies Detective Agency. I liked it but it was only on for one season.

>52 MissBrangwen: Yikes!! Glad you're both home and that your husband didn't need stitches.

>53 LibraryCin: >55 rabbitprincess: Yes, I am so relieved!

The February thread is now online: https://www.librarything.com/topic/347741

>56 MissBrangwen: I am so happy for you that he was not injured more seriously. Thanks for the posting for February, it is lovely.

>57 LadyoftheLodge: Thank you for your kind words!

Currently listening too Ann Cleeves' The rising tide (Vera series). And inspired by >45 DeltaQueen50:, I also listened to In a dry season by Peter Robinson, which I quite liked. Think I'll move forward in the Inspector Banks series from here.

>59 markon: I'm glad that you are enjoying the Alan Banks series!

Lethal White / Robert Galbraith
4 stars

Robin is just married and away when a man who is obviously having a psychotic episode comes in to Cormorant Strike’s office saying he saw a little kid murdered years ago when he himself was younger, but the man soon disappears. Meanwhile, a politician comes to Strike to help him find “dirt” on someone the politician says is blackmailing him.

I listened to the audio and thought it was really good. I did miss a couple of things near the beginning, I think, so I was briefly confused, but I got past that. And for the most part, I really liked it and wanted to know how this was going to play out (and how are these two stories connected?). Although I have to admit sometimes I find the personal stuff going on in these books to me just as interesting or more interesting that the mystery itself!

>50 MissBrangwen: Glad your husband is not badly injured. Still scary.

>56 MissBrangwen: >57 LadyoftheLodge: And I concur that the topper for February is lovely. And...I ended up reading The Third Girl by Agatha Christie this month, which means that I can save The Killings at Badger's Drift for next. It is right on top of the pile of books at my feet.

>62 witchyrichy: Thank you, I am so glad you like it! I still have The Killings of Badger's Drift scheduled for the end of this month, but it fits the February topic just as well. Yay!

I have finished my first Nero Wolfe mystery and enjoyed it very much after a false start a few years ago: Fer-de-lance.

I read Elegy for April by Benjamin Black one of the Quirke series.

A slow-moving novel set in Dublin in the 1950s featuring Quirke and his newly-admitted daughter, Phoebe. Quirke has been trying to give up drinking and after showing some early promise it was not long before he fell back into his old habits. Phoebe disclosed her anxiety about a friend, a junior doctor, who is not at work and not responding to calls. She and Quirke look into her absence. Black's sense of place and time has been captured perfectly here but as usual it is his writing, expressive and lyrical, that is the star of his stories.

I just started watching Murder, She Wrote from the beginning, so for this month I read Gin and Daggers. Jessica Fletcher the fictional character is credited as one of the authors of the book.

I just finished The Summer of the Danes by Ellis Peters, part of the Cadfael series, which has been adapted for TV in a series starring Sir Derek Jacobi. I love the books but have only seen one episode of the show!

>67 christina_reads: Didn't realize there was a Brother Cadfael adaption. I will have to see if I can find it.

I managed to finish tow for this month. Murder ini the Mews a collection of 4 Hercule Poirot storires and A Better Man by Louise Penny, I think it's number 15. I also binged the TV show for this anbd really enjoyed it. Hope there will be a second season.

>67 christina_reads: >68 staci426: The problem with the TV series is that they didn't follow the book order although the order is important since it follows the war between Stephen and Matilda. And they kept changing the actor who plays Hugh Beringar.

>69 Robertgreaves: Oof, I hate when shows change the actor! I realize it has to be done sometimes, but it's never fun for the viewers.

Starting The Long Call by Ann Cleeves, which has been televised, though I haven't seen it

COMPLETED The Long Call by Ann Cleeves

Thank you to everyone who participated this month. Lots of new detectives to look out for on the screen and in the library.

I squeezed in one more book for this KIT, Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh. It's part of her Inspector Roderick Alleyn series, which was adapted for TV in the early '90s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Inspector_Alleyn_Mysteries.

I finished Careless in Red by Elizabeth George. Some of this series was televised.

>74 christina_reads: >75 majkia: I loved both the Inspector Alleyn and Inspector Lynley TV series!

I finished Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie and after reading it, rewatched the TV adaptation featuring Geraldine MacEwan as Miss Marple.

I read The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham, the first book of the Midsomer Murders series (Chief Inspector Barnaby). My edition is from 2016 and also includes an introduction by John Nettles who played Barnaby in the TV series.

I read Whose Body?, by Dorothy L. Sayers. Lord Peter Wimsey has been portrayed on TV by Ian Carmichael and Edward Petherbridge.