What Are You Reading August 2009?

The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas

Grifter's Game- so far so good.

I am reading a fiction book now, but want to read A Corpse in the Koryo by James Church soon. It is a mystery set in modern day North Korea, and start of the Inspector O series.

In quick order I picked up and finished Thought You Were Dead by Terry Griggs - touchstones don't appear to like the title - a humorous (highlight on the word humorous) murder mystery that involves a literary researcher/ slacker/ reluctant detective that finds himself unwittingly and unwillingly drawn into researching a mysterious tombstone, the disappearance of his employer - a fiction crime writer, and the death of a reviewer/ copy editor. A book I thoroughly enjoyed.

Next up is Incendiary by Chris Cleave.

I am still with Peter James in Looking Good Dead as I got sidetracked by library books I had to finish. This is the second book in the series and like the first is very good.

The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill

Almost finished with "Bone by Bone" by Carol O'Connell...with a stack of mysteries from the library waiting in the wings.

#7 Catgwinn, I saw your list of library books that you posted in "Books Brought Home", you've got some good ones there!

Stieg Larsson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Child 44 by Smith. So far it is intriguing.

Just finished Panic by Jeff Abbott. I came across "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" few times in the local bookstore - I can see it got great reviews but can somebody tell me is the book really that good :)) - For comparison I truly enjoy thrillers by Hammett, A.J. Quinnell, Barry Eisler and Ian Rankin to name the few.

@11 Zare,

I've yet to see anyone say anything bad about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or its sequels. So far I've read the first two in the trilogy and they are both among the top 5 books I've read this year.

Guardian of Lies - Steve Martini

@12 djay

tnx for the update :) Gonna get and read this one :)

still trying to finish In the Woods by Tana French

Woops, would help if I posted it in the right month!

Undone by Karen Slaughter

I'm gonna start Sworn to Silence tonight, we'll see how this ER book works out.

Finished "Bone by Bone" this morning.
Next up: "Death Song" by Michael McGarrity (#11 in the Kevin Kearney series).

#8 DeltaQueen50
On my last couple of visits to my library, the latest titles in the mystery series I read have been on the shelves, so I'm catching up on several series this summer:)

#3FicusFan I've really enjoyed James Church's Inspector O series and hope you do, too. Right now I'm reading the latest Jack Reacher by Lee Child, called Gone Tomorrow, and it's got me racing through the pages as I always do with this series.

God is a bullet in paper and Deal Breaker on audio

In the middle of No Escape by Hilary Norman. It's been fairly good so far, but a little long winded with what seems to be useless details and dialogue between the characters. It's a mystery so we'll see if the devil is in the details or not. Anyway, it's keeping my attention, and that's always promising.

I finished The Companion - Ann Granger and really enjoyed it. It reads like it could be the first in a series, but I'm not sure on that.

cmbohn--Yes, it's first and the next one is A Mortal Curiosity. I really enjoyed them both and look forward to another!

Re-reading Graveyard Dust by Barbara Hambly, murder in 1830's New Orleans - complex, dark, atmospheric.

23 - Thanks!

Read Spade & Archer by Joe Gores. It does a good job of giving a back story to the characters Hammett created, except for his relationship with the cops. There's already animosity between Spade and Lieutenant Dundy--unless that history is explained in a Hammett short story that I've missed.

Also read Mists Over Mosley by John Greenwood, a very entertaining British mystery.

Next up, The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas. I loved Have Mercy on Us All when I read it last year, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

Finished Gone Tomorrow, another fun Jack Reacher, and am about to start Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, the new Precious Ramotswe. Also got Miss Zukas and the Library Murders from the library based on LT recommendations.

I'm going to start Have Mercy on Us All tonight, if I can stay awake to read after getting back from a Miles Davis concert at the Hollywood Bowl with my daughter.

> 29 Really.

It seems you periodically SPAM LT about this book. In the past you claim to have already read it. You don't say this is a re-read, you need to keep your story straight. Or how about you just stop. You are either Klein or a friend/associate.

I actually read historical fiction, specifically ancient Egypt. I however, will not purchase or read your book under any circumstances.

Talk search: THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE PHARAOH

Andy200 in Crime, Thriller & Mystery : What Are You Reading August 2009? (Today, 12:10pm)

... taking a break-a very brief summer break from mystery novels, and am reading a highly recommended novel by william Klein, THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE PHARAOH. In a way it is a crime novel because it covers the presumed murder of Tutankhamun in a way that creates a good deal of tension and suspense. ...

Andy200 in Historical Fiction : Philippa Gregory (Today, 11:59am)

I've just finished "The Woman Who Would Be Pharaoh by William Klein. This is a gem of a novel, beautifully written, historically accurate and an achingly heart-warming true love story.

Andy200 in What Are You Reading Now? : Books Brought Home - July 2009 (Jul 20, 2009, 4:04pm)

I just finished reading William Klein's THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE PHARAOH. I normally stay away from this sub-genre since there are so many books set in ancient Egypt that are little more than romanticized dribble. But Klein's novel is a gem. first, it's historically accurate---he uses footnotes ...

Andy200 in Historical Fiction : Historical fiction books , running out of books to read (Jul 20, 2009, 3:56pm)

I just finished reading WilliamKlein's THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE PHARAOH. This is a genre I normally stay away from since it's filled with romanticized nonsense. But Klein does a good job in giving us a gripping, suspense novel that is historically accurate. It has an epic quality because it takes ...

Andy200 in Ancient History : Ancient Egypt (Jul 20, 2009, 3:48pm)

I just finished an historical novel set in Ancient Egypt. It's THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE PHARAOH by William Klein. It's historically accurate, but more important, it's a gripping read. The author gives the reader a real sense of place. Andy

Andy200 in Historical Fiction : Tutankhamun and The Golden Age of the Pharaohs (Jul 20, 2009, 3:37pm)

I read THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE PHARAOH by William Klein. It's a gem in a genre filled will romanticized nonsense. A most satisfying, gripping read, well-executed, intelligent and historically correct. Andy

I am starting Raven Black by Ann Cleeves. It is book 1 of the Shetland Island Quartet . It is for a RL book group.

I saw it talked about on LT and got my group to read it, and have been impatiently waiting for its month to come up. I am looking forward to reading it and have the 2nd book also.

I tried Ten Days' Wonder by Ellery Queen. I have read the various short story collections that have the Ellery Queen name on it, but never a novel. I found this one at the library, and decided to give it a try.

Not worth the bother! Very poorly written.

detective fiction by georgette yeher - very good!

The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree by Stuart Palmer. It's been a looong time since I read a Miss Withers story.

I finished The Blue Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and starting The Deal by Sabin Willett.

Trigger City, Sean Chercover
Look Again, Lisa Scottoline

I read Dying to be Thin, set at a weight loss clinic. I didn't really enjoy it, and wound up skimming the end. That's 2 duds in a row. I seem to be having bad luck this month.

I am starting Murder Begins at Home by Delano Ames, "new" re-release of a vintage mystery by the Rue Morgue Press.

Back in the mid 1980s, I found (and read) a few of these Jane and Dagobert Brown books but never knew there were any more of them so I was pleased to see another Rue Morgue re-issue.

I finished Raven Black by Ann Cleeves, book 1 of the Shetland Island Quartet a mystery set on the Shetland Islands, for my RL book group.

I enjoyed it very much. The setting was well done, and so were the characters. There was a red herring and I fell for it and never saw the real killer - though there were clues.

I am now reading book 2 White Nights by Ann Cleeves.

The first book was set in the winter and the second in summer when the sun almost never sets. I would have liked a map of the island group and of the island where the story takes place, and maybe a glossary.

>28 Storeetllr:: Storeetllr- I loved Have Mercy on Us All. Great read! I hope you are enjoying it. A Miles Davis concert??
I made a nice dent in Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant. It's quite the page-burner. A nice blend of Stephen King & Thomas Harris. Fun creepy stuff!

I finished White Nights by Ann Cleeves, the second book in the Shetland Island Quartet . I enjoyed it. Really like the development of the characters, and the setting. The story was set in summer. The writing is good, and the story is fine up to a point. I was OK with the first 'accidental' death, but didn't really believe in the rest. But it didn't detract from the book somehow.

Can't wait for the 3rd one to be published in paper in the US.

#40 msf59 ~ Yes, I am enjoying it, thanks, although her style is taking me a bit of time to get used to. I'm not quite sure about why she's doing what she's doing with the characters, etc., but it's early days yet (I'm only to about page 80).

And that brings me to the reason for my slowness in reading. Wed. my boss gave me two tix to the Hollywood Bowl for a Miles Davis tribute, so I went with my daughter who likes jazz a lot. She said it was great. She was also amused to learn that I didn't know that Miles Davis had moved on and expected him to be there. What can I say? I'm not much into jazz so guess I missed the news of his passing. Anyway, on Thurs. I had to work overtime so didn't get much reading done. Then last night a girlfriend had an extra ticket for a box seat to see Lyle Lovett at the Greek Theater, which was really enjoyable, even if I'm not really into country much either. I had a good time though & stayed out pretty late.

So there it is, the reason I haven't gotten further into Have Mercy On Us All. I hate when my social life wreaks havoc on my reading time.

August so far-

Finished reading at the beginning of the month A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell and it is an excellent historical suspense set in Germany just prior to Hitler's rise. Very well researched! I recommend it and it's a debut novel.

Also read Linwood Barclay's Fear the Worst. I haven't read this author before and it wasn't bad but I am not sure I would pick up another one of his books. A little predictable. Anyone out there a fan?

Finished Look Again by Lisa Scottoline today and I am trying to get my head around writing a review. I liked it but can't put my finger on why? It was also predictable but I think it was the emotional tugs that elevated it.

I am starting The Father and the Foreigner by Giancarlo De Cataldo tonight. A new author to me. Has anybody read this? Trying to get a feel for Italian Noir.

> Storeetllr- Sorry you had to find out that Miles is no longer with us. I was stunned when you mentioned you were seeing him in concert. He is probably my favorite jazz musician. Also a big fan of Lyle Lovett! His live shows are terrific and you don't have to love country music, either!

Reading Abby Something(?) Psychic Detective or some such name...it is in the other room and truthfully, not bad. Light but intelligent if that isnt contradictory. Just plowed thru about 8 J.A. Jance (Beaumont and Brady both) and really like most of them, but am looking for the next great book and seem to keep running into duds. Love Crais, Child, McGarrity, Preston/Childs, Sandford, Margolin, etc. Does anyone know anything about John Maxim? His books are a bit odd but I like them and he seems to have fallen off the planet. The last book I truly could not put down was one recommended to me by a teenager who accosted me in the store to tell me how fabulous The Book Thief was. She was right.

(Comment on the message about Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson) The sequel is even better!!!!!!!

#44 msf59 ~ Ha ha that would've been quite a feat, no wonder you were surprised when I said I was going to see Miles Davis in concert.

Yes, Lyle Lovett's show was really good! I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

I am reading Stormy Weather by Carl Hiaasen. It is crime of a different sort and the murders are incidental; we know who did them and why and Hiaasen's baddies always come to a sticky and well-deserved end, so that's OK.

As long as we're slightly off topic, I saw Guys and Dolls at the Hollywood Bowl a couple of weeks ago. Although we were quite a ways back from the stage and I'm not a Guys and Dolls fan, it was fun. It's a great place for a show or concert - fun to be outside and a great place to people watch.

Just this minute finished Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason. Liked it better than Silence of the Grave. Ready to start the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Just started Fletch by Gregory McDonald last night. Loved the movies when they came out...can't believe I never read the books!

Just started Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith, which so far has the charm of the earlier books in the series.

Next book I'm going to start is Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg. A supernatural detective noir story that I'm really looking forward to.

Started "Friend of the Devil" by Peter Robinson...good reading so far.

I began Persona Non Grata over the weekend and I'm enjoying it very much. Someone here tipped me that the next Ruso was out--thanks!

Reading In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming at the moment. Had read the 4th in the series in the past and had always wanted to get to read the whole series. It's quite a nice book.

I just finished John Dunning's The Bookwoman's Last Fling - the fifth Cliff Janeway book. I hope number six is coming soon. And just yesterday started The Footsteps at the Lock, an oldie but goodie (originally published in 1928)by Ronald A. Knox.

The Bone Garden by Tess Gartensen. My fiancee recommended it. Very engaging thus far.

Finished No Escape by Hilary Norman and Night Angels by Danuta Reah. Night Angels was far, far better.

Now I'm in the middle of By Any Name by Katherine John. An espionage thriller. So far it has been chocked full of action and mystery. Enjoying it.

I've been reading some of Joanne Fluke's novels; I just finished Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.

>11 Zare: Zare

I recently read Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and must say I was disappointed. There has been so much hype surrounding this book that I expected more. It's sad that the author died so early in his writing career as I'd have been interested to see how he developed over the years. In Girl etc. I found most of the characters rather undeveloped except for the main female character. I don't want to spoil it for others, but I had figured out (more or less) what had probably happened to the missing woman quite early on.

This book did not make me think; I usually dislike books described as 'Best Sellers' anyway, so I should probably have known that Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was not for me. Glad it's given so many others pleasure though.

45 - Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye.

I tried and abandoned Mind's Eye. I also started Waxwork by Peter Lovesey and a Sara Woods book, Nor Live so Long, I think. Can't remember the title.

The Brutal Telling - Louise Penny

Just read :
Witch Way To Murder - Shirley Damsgaard,
The Necropolis Railway - Andrew Martin,
Purity of Blood - Arturo Perez-Reverte

Due to lack of new books I've been rereading a lot lately and am now onto The Bird Yard by Julia Wallis Martin. It's a British police procedural about the disappearance and subsequent murder of several kids in 1990s Manchester. Writing is good and plot is decently convoluted. Haven't read it in 10 years or so.

Almost done with Sail by James Patterson and just started The Likeness by Tana French.

Cross by Ken Bruen is up next. Really looking forward to that one.

Just starting The Girl Who Played with Fire. I really liked The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and some have said this is better.

I just finished Sudden Death: A Novel of Suspense by Allison Brennan - the first in her FBI trilogy & really enjoyed it.

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo, and then on to Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain.

just finished The Gentlemen's Hour by Don Winslow and really enjoyed it. Have now moved onto Six Bad Things by Charlie Huston

working on Sovereign by C.J. Sansom pretty good so far.

I'm about halfway through Harlan Coben's first Myron Bolitar mystery, Deal Breaker and am enjoying it.

readafew - I read Soverign a few weeks ago. It was quite good albeit Matthew takes more of a beating than usual ridicule-wise and that was a bit hard to take. Am looking forward to taking on the next one, but am purposely waiting since there are so few in the series yet. Enjoy!

71 > yes I can see that as likely, he has his hands thrust into 3 different maws, any one of which could bite him and end with him in the Tower.

I just put Vanish by Tess Garritson in my pool bag. I just finished The Mephisto Club written by her as well. I just started reading her books and really like them. So far those are August

Add me to the list of fans of Stieg Larsson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Girl who Played with Fire: I'm longing for the third.

In the meantime, my most recent books are Patricia Highsmith's Tremor of Forgery and Minette Walters' The Devil's Feather.

Enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Will look for the next book.

the strain, by Guilermo del Torro and someone else whos name i cant remember.
real good so far!!
also, point of origin by Patricia Cornwell. my fave of her books

# 67 Is Evil at Heart at the bookstore already? Can't wait to read it.

>78 luv2read97: wrote "Is Evil at Heart at the bookstore already? Can't wait to read it."

I was lucky enough to get an Early Reviewer copy.

FWIW, I finished Sworn to Silence. Pretty bad in comparison to the Chelsea Cain books. It misses a connection with its characters somehow. I wouldn't recommend it if you like Cain.

> 52 I look forward to hearing what you think of Falling Angel. That is one that sounds interesting to me.

> 55 I love the Julia Spencer-Fleming books with Claire and Russ -- I've read them all and thoroughly enjoyed them. Happy reading!

@80 tymfos, Finished it tonight and enjoyed it immensely. I'm not a devotee of either noir or horror genres so don't know how it compares with others like it. I have added some comments on my 999 challenge but didn't want to write too much in order to avoid spoilers.

>81 AHS-Wolfy: Thanks, AHS-Wolfy! Sounds like one to add to my Wishlist!

>80 tymfos:

I really enjoyed In the Bleak Midwinter (except for the chapter with the chase in the woods which was almost boring...). Need to get some more of them. :)

Started The Unbelievers by Alastair Sim last night - a new author for me although he does have a previous book I believe. It's a nice change in pace - set in the Victorian era and in Scotland. So far it goes well... will see how it continues.

Started The Hellfire Club by Peter Straub yesterday. Don't remember much at all from my first reading. Realized that his prose is so singular as to make everyone else's seem all the same.

I finished Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant. Another brilliant serial killer? Enough already, right? Well this new horror thriller pulls it off, with adding just the right amount of freshness and originality. If this is your genre, give it a shot!

Read and enjoyed The murder stone by louise penny (country house/dysfunctional family murder) and the complaint of the dove by hannah march (murder in 1760's London).

Abandoned The bee-keeper's apprentice by laurie r king, just not my cup of tea, despite the glowing reviews.

I just started And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander. It is an historical mystery set in Victorian England. Book 1 in the Lady Emily Ashton series. I found out about the books from LT (ER program).

> 86 LOL

I always see the book hoping down a deserted country lane when it is abandoned, though I am sure you would never do that, its just the image I get.

Sorry the book wasn't worthwhile for you.

I've started the book I just received through the Early Reviewer program. It's an Early Reader's edition of The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny; the book is due for public release in October. So far, I'm really enjoying it. Not only is it a good mystery plot that's got me guessing, but I love her clever humor and the colorful characters she's created.

In need of a cozy mystery, last night I started The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie. The sleuth is Ariadne Oliver, a mystery writer.

So far this month I have read Columbine by Dave Cullen (which I can't say that I enjoyed the subject matter, but I thought it was very well written and very interesting) and Garnethill by Denise Mina which I really enjoyed and will continue with the series. Currently reading The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo which so far is a real page turner that I am loving.

I finished The Brutal Telling yesterday, and posted my review today. I really liked it. re: my previous post about it, as the story moved on and the plot thickened, so to speak, there was less humor (though she could still turn a phrase that would really make me smile) and heavier matter. I did like it very much, and it made me want to read other books in the series!

Finished "Friend of the Devil" (Peter Robonson)
this morning...two mysteries solved in Yorkshire.

Next up, something lighter: =^..^= "The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog" by Marian Babson.

Finished The Pale Horse. Excellent!

My first Laura Lippman Sugar House. Not too bad.

I finished And Only to Deceive byTasha Alexander. It was the first of the Lady Emily Ashton series set in Victorian London. I enjoyed it very much. Lady Emily was recently married when her husband Philip died on a safari in Africa.

She didn't know him well, and while sad is not heartbroken at his death. He leaves her with money, social position and the freedom to live her own life. She mainly married to escape her harpy of a mother.

In exploring her freedom, she finds out more about Philip from his friends and journals and finds he was in love with her, and a decent interesting man. She also takes up his interest in ancient Greek culture. While doing so she finds what seems to be evidence that he might have been involved in stolen antiquities.

The mystery comes in trying to decide who is doing the stealing, and commissioning the copies that are used to replace the originals. The story of Emily is interspersed with journal entries of Philip from just before their marriage, until the day before his death.

The characters are well done, and the setting is interesting. There is a bit of a romance in the story, with hints that it will be part of future stories.

Only one big mistake that I can see: Philip writes in his journal while in Africa of the camp being beset with Howler Monkeys. They are new world monkeys, and not in Africa.

Have the next 2 in the series and will read them.

>95 FicusFan: Ficusfan I remember enjoying And Only to Deceive, but haven't read the two that come after, so I'll look forward to hearing what you think about those.

I just started Jackdaws by Ken Follett, which had been recommended on LT. So far this WWII novel featuring women in the French Resistance is good.

> 96 Jnwelch

I saw the 4th book as an offering for ER. It looked good. I didn't get it (not even sure I asked for it), but I picked up the first 3 and will get #4 when it comes out.

Just now I am reading A Corpse in the Koryo by James Church. It is the start of The Inspector O series. It is set in North Korea and interesting so far.

I will post about the other Tasha Alexander books when I get to them.... Hopefully this month.

I just started Evil At Heart by Chelsea Cain. I won it on the early reviews. I have read her other two books and this is a continuation. Some parts are pretty graphic so far. My stomach rolled a couple of times!

Just finished Red Dahalia by Lynda LaPlaynte ~ it was good, but not quite what I was expecting. My only experience with this writer was the Prime Suspect series on Mystery! so I don't know what I expected by I expected different.

Have only read the first twenty-five pages of Have Mercy on Us All by Fred Vargas, but am already fascinated by the characters and the developing plot.

Just finished listening to Curse of the Spellmans, which was enjoyable and just what I needed at night to wind down, without having to concentrate on a story with too many characters and who did what to whom.

Started but didn't finish The Water Room; I read the first in the Bryant & May series and liked it, but this one was spending a lot of time on underground London rivers,and I just couldn't get into it. I will read the next one, though.

The Cutting Room by Louise Welsh set in Scotland and good so far.

Started "Runner" by Thomas Perry, his latest 'Jane Whitefield'...very good so far.

Also still reading "The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog".

Just finished The girl who played with fire by the late Stieg Larsson. Well written from the first page to the last. I belive that there is one book left in his Millenium series yet to come out & I'm eagerly awaiting it.

#104 Tempted by The Girl Who Played with Fire at the bookstore yesterday, but I usually wait for the paperback, used if possible. Reading the first J. Antonelli book The Defense by D.W. Buffa. Great, but I think I have it figured out already. It's a great story, but having read most of the others in the series before this one, I may have had a hint about this one. I'll have to go through the other novels to see if I remember correctly.

Today I am starting Mallory's Oracle by Carol O"Connell. I'm pretty excited to start this series!

I have read Judas Child by her and loved it!

Besides reading Jackdaws, I also just started Agatha Christie's Murder at the Hazelmoor.

Finished The Deal by Sabin Willett which I liked, and started The Mayor of lexington Avenue by James Sheehan.

I finished Murder of a Sweet Old Lady yesterday. Book 2 in the Scumble River Mystery series by Denise Swanson.

I just finished my first Stephen White book- Blinded- Really enjoyed it- and the fact that he has more!

I just started Goody Goody Gunshots by Sammi Carter.

Just finished Exit Wounds by J A Jance - very good, although a little overdone in places.

Read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a few weeks ago and then finished The Girl who Played with Fire this morning. I had heard it wasn't as good as the first book but I enjoyed it just as much. It's good to find a book where you don't know the answer half way through. Looking forward to the next one!

I just finished Brad Thor's Apostle and have Robin Cook's Intervention on the night stand.

I finished A Corpse in the Koryo by James Church. It is the first book in the Inspector O series. It is set in modern day North Korea. I am not sure how I feel about it. The setting intrigued me, and the writing wasn't bad. But the characterization and story were not so good. I think he was trying to emulate the strangeness of living/working in a rigid dictatorship. The corpse of the title didn't turn up until page 136, and his identity and murder were not even important. There was a lot of wandering around and cryptic comments. Will read the 2nd book and hope it will be better.

Compartment K by Helen Reilly, a nice old fashioned mystery with murder on train through Canada

#116...Ficus, I agree with you about A Corpse in the Koryo, especially the wandering around and cryptic comments. I just felt like nothing really happened in the story. I kept waiting for something that never came. It felt like a long series of excuses to have incomprehensible conversations in obscure places. But I too will read the second one (eventually) and hope that Church will hit his stride with that one.

#111 - I think the Stephen White novels are great. I just finished Dead Time. I think I've read them all except the latest, The Siege.

Edited to wonder why Dead time is underlined, the Siege is not.

#118 AlaMich, I agree there was more possibility than substance. And I found the wrap up unsatisfying, because you really didn't need to read the story to get it. It seemed made up on the spot, because other options would have been just as plausible. Still I will try again.

I am going to start Careless In Red by Elizabeth George later on this afternoon.

#95 FicusFan - I was happy to see you enjoyed And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander as I have it sitting on my bedside table to read soon. I also have the second one tucked up on my TBR shelves, so looking forward to hearing your opinion on that one as well.

I've just started Paper Butterfly by Diane Wei Liang.

I'm reading Dead Famous by Carol O'Connell. I've read most of the Mallory series, but missed this one. So far, it's keeping me guessing, plenty of surprises so far -- but there's obviously more going on that O'Connell hasn't let the reader in on yet at this point of the book. I really like her style.

Finished "Runner" by Thomas Perry...a good read!!

Started "Buckingham Palace Gardens" (#23 Thomas/Charlotte Pitt) by Anne Perry (no relation to Thomas Perry as far as I know).

#121 DeltaQueen50
I read "Careless in Red" earlier this summer...enjoyed the story and the setting :))

#121 DeltaQueen,
I will keep you posted on the rest of the series. I have books 2-3 and #4 on my wishlist.

About to start Reno Rendezvous, which has a really horrible cover, but I hope will still be a pretty good book.

Just finished Angel's Tip, number 2 in the Ellie Hatcher series. A good read.

Just finished Jackdaws, a good Ken Follett thriller, and have started Janet Evanovich's #15 Stephanie Plum.

Over the weekend, I finished The Murder Room by P. D. James. I found it a bit lackluster, as I expect more from her.

Currently, I'm reading Dead Man Riding--the 10th, and my 1st, in the Nell Bray series by Gillian Linscott. They are historical mysteries set around England in the early 1900s.

Just started Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis...bizarre, disturbing, and LOL all at the same time. Anybody out there read it yet? Your thoughts?

#126 cmbohn ~ LOL, that is one of the worst covers I've seen since the 60s! I'd love to know what you thought of the actual novel.

> laruebk- No, I have not read it but I have had my eye on it for awhile. It looks like my kind of book! Hope the joy continues!

Just started A Dark Adapted Eye. Haven't read it in over a decade and it's time. Let's see if it is still the best mystery I've ever read.

Just finished Forty Words For Sorrow by Giles Blunt - I can recommend it highly!

After reading the "Mystery with a sense of humor" topic, I decided to reread The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler. I have a 1976 paperback, and I suppose I first read this novel about that time. Now, I remember NOTHING about the plot, characters (well, except Marlowe!), nor anything else! I admit I LOL'd before I had read more than 3 pages. Fun, and better since I don't remember it from previous reading.

The Little Sister is a fun one, etrainer. I re-read it not that long ago. Nothing like Chandler for that noir atmosphere; I get chuckles out of it, too.

I just finished Inspector Ghote Trusts the Heart. I love Keating's Inspector Ghote books. This one was really well done. It's about a kidnapping. I'm still reading Waxwork. It's also really good. Very complicated.

The Little Sister is my favorite Chandler. Marlowe is so jaded and weary. It's one of those books I can dip into and read a little vignette and come away with a better attitude.

Oh my Heart! Not many of my friends read much. Here I was feeling left out. Snooped around for more groups and I find you guys. It's like the holidays! I stumbled on hardbacks yesterday for cheap and picked up authors like Harlan Coben, Ed McBain, Janet Evanovich & Patricia Cornwell. All new authors for me. Looks like I'll be busy reading old post first though. BTW I am reading James Patterson Swimsuit.

#133 I read A Dark Adapted Eye not too long ago, and I thought it was great, but then I love Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine anyway. #139 I used to faithfully read every Patricia Cornwell that used to come out, I have stumbled a bit the last few years and have some catching up to do, I'll be reading your thread to see what you think.

I am reading Who's Sorry Now I just love the Grace and Favor series, They are nice light reading.

133 & 140 - I just went to the used bookstore and they had a whole shelf of Ruth Rendell books.

139 - Welcome, BONS!

>139 BONS:
Welcome:) And good luck with the new authors that you found - Cornwell has some bad ones in the last ones (compared with her first ones) but the other 3 are from my favorite genre authors.

>135 etrainer:
I tend to do this all the time - start a book, don't remember it at all and around page 100 or so (or at some key moment), the book just fully returns... never stopped me from finishing the book though :)

No reading report from me - been busy with comics reading (some catching up there) and packing (moving to a new apartment with the whole library and it just takes time)

#132: Just finished Crooked Little Vein...Chandleresque, however, Ellis geographically expands the decadence beyond So Cal to include the USA, coast-to-coast. Clipped, noir diction targeted for the Internet savvy. Saving Grace comes in the form of technology and media empowering the common man to expose and short circuit attempts by institutions to control the individual...not a new or revelatory theme, but certainly relevant. Had me laughing out loud many times. "Great Literature" (whatever that means)...probably not. Highly entertaining with an ocassional insight...YES!

About to finish The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny.

#134: If you haven't yet read Blunt's Black Fly Season, you might want to give it a go. May be as good as Forty Words for Sorrow. Creepy character in Red Bear.

Crooked Little Vein Chandleresque? I disagree. It had no wit, very little style and was so self-aware that it practically asked 'hey, did you see that mom? were you looking? see what I did? Aren't I shocking?' every second of the way. Chandler would not be flattered.

#145 - I'll add that to my BookMooch wishlist and cross my fingers!

I was listening to a recent NPR podcast and it was featuring "mysteries you may have missed...". Everything they mentioned sounded promising but these 3 jumped out:
The City and the City by China Mieville
The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison
The Caveman's Valentine by George Dawes Green
Any thoughts, crime fans?

The City and the City is a gorgeous book if you like weird (fantasy/fantastic ones) books. Do some research on it to see if you would like it though - it is not a real match for a crime reader that does not like Fantasy and/or SF.

The Skull Mantra is quite good. I've got the sequel on my TBR to start soon.

I can vouch for The Caveman's Valentine as well, nice original story.

Finished This Nights Foul Work by Fred vargas.
finished this in a day. Can never seem to put her books done once I start reading them.

I finished Hidden Prey by John Sandford. I have been slowly working my way through this series and have really liked it a lot. Had to pick up something lighter next and am now reading The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb. I really like this series and have enjoyed all of them so far. I can usually read them in a day or so since they are a really easy read and not real thick.

I'm reading Something Missing by Matthew Dicks a kind of comic caper novel about an obsessive compulsive burglar.

Finished "Buckingham Palace Gardens" this morning & starting "We Shall Not Sleep", both by Anne Perry.

Cindy- Glad you are continuing to enjoy Fred Vargas. How many have you read? I have not read beyond Have Mercy On Us All, which was excellent!

# 148, The Skull Mantra is superb. Beautiful writing with fascinating, complex characters set among people and a place we know little about.

I've read Murder in the Walls by Richard Martin Stern, which I liked, and The Bohemian Murders by Dianne Day, which I didn't really care for.

Mark- I have now read 3 of her books. I get them from the library. So I try to space them out to appreciate them more.

Spider Trap by Barry Maitland

>148 msf59:, >157 CD1am:, a third from me for the superb The Skull Mantra. I've also enjoyed the subsequent Inspector Shan novels by Eliot Pattison.

I'm reading Ray Bradbury's Death is a Lonely Business.

Just finished reading Black Cross by Greg Iles - what an amazing author! Next up for a bit of a change The House at Riverton by Kate Morton.

Currently reading Living Witness by Jane Haddam.
Also reading A Darker Domain by Val McDermid.
Finished ER copy of The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny and ER copy of Sworn To Silence by Linda Castillo.

I've got two mysteries going: in print, Alexandria by Lindsey Davis, the latest Falco mystery set in the ancient world, and on audio The Private Patient by P.D. James, which is as usual dense, character-driven, well-written, and somewhat slow-going.

I just reread My Foe Outstretch'd Beneath the Tree and I'm planning on reading more by Clinton-Badderly.

The Skull Mantra is fabulous. Its very meaty and incredibly interesting. There is a whole series.

I finished The Girl Who Played with Fire a couple of weeks ago. I liked it a lot more than I did the first book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was faster, there wasn't as much expository material, and it had an interesting twist: the protagonists never speak to one another in person.

I'm starting Karen Rose's new book I Can See You this evening.

I didn't realize it has been so long since I last read a mystery/crime genre!

Some really good reading happening on the thread - I haven't read any of Stieg Larsson's novels yet... but I do look forward to a back-to-back read based on all the good comments I have seen here on LT.

Currently I am reading Never Sleep with a Suspect on Gabriola Island by Sandy Frances Duncan & George Szanto - touchstones not working - the first in a new mystery series set on the islands off the coast of British Columbia and Washington State. Only 38 pages in and liking it so far.......

The Law's Delay by Sara Woods

quartzite, that's an old one (The Law's Delay). I have a Book Club Edition from 1977.

Just started Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon.

I really like Sara Woods.

I finished Ray Bradbury's Death is a Lonely Business. I loved it -- of course, I love Bradbury, so that's no surprise. It's an offbeat mystery with some oddball characters in a unique setting. His use of metaphor always blows me away. Who else could draw the mental pictures that he does?

>dbtfan- Keep me posted on the latest Pynchon. It looks very promising!
I started The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and so far very good!

Just found Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey at local library and read it this evening. Very well done. Set in today's Ghana, his first in a series with Inspector Darko Dawson, of Accra. But the scene is mostly in a small village in the Volta region. Police procedural with good character portraits, family relations, bureaucratic rivalries, and local color without condescension. Quartey, raised in Ghana, is a medical doctor in southern California. His father was a distinguished Ghanaian scholar, and director of the Institute of Adult Education at the University of Ghana.

I'm almost finished listening to Louise Penny's Still Life. It makes me wish my commute was longer and I don't mind getting stuck in traffic. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

I really liked Wife of the Gods and Still Life.

I finished Waxwork today by Peter Lovesey. I'm not as crazy about his Bertie stories, but I love the ones with Sergeant Crabb. Victorian England in full color, no glossing over.

Hey, I just checked Still Life out of a library today and started reading it at lunch time!

I had never read any of Louise Penny's books until I got an Early Reviewer edition of her latest, to be released in October. I liked it so much, I decided to find the rest of the series and read it.

I started Snobbery with Violence by Marion Chesney yesterday and am enjoying it very much. Someone here tipped me onto it--Thanks!

>178 tymfos:, I'm so glad to hear that the series holds up!

I only listen to a handful of audio books throughout the year but I have to say that Ralph Cosham does a wonderful job reading this book. I don't have to deal with my own lousy French pronunciation and he really enhances the story.

Will finish Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith in the next day or so. Setting is 1893 Montana. Mystery meets Western. Old Red, the Holmes on the Range of the title, can't read or write but is very clever. His younger brother, Big Red, is able to read and write but his "deducifyin' skills" are not as good as Old Red's. Very funny.

>178 tymfos: tymphos and >180 Copperskye: coppers - I've really enjoyed the Louise Penny series that starts with Still Life. Inspector Gaumache is a wonderful character, among other things. I'm glad to hear coppers' reaction to the newest one, which I haven't read yet.

I just started The Gentle Axe which features the detective from Crime and Punishment as he works through another case. Of course it isn't Dostoevsky, but the writing is quite elegant.

I just started No Wind of Blame by Georgette Heyer.

#181, I've read the first two of Hockensmith's books, Holmes on the Range and On the Wrong Track, and really enjoyed both of them. It really brings home the fact that the Victorian era was contemporaneous with our wild west.

#181, Agreed.
And now for something completely different...
Just started City of Thieves by David Benioff. The setting is Leningrad during the siege. Only 50 pages in but I feel completelty immersed in the setting. Very cinematic...cold and gray coupled with crushing desperation, but also seeded with strong measures of humanity and humor.

> laruebk- Perfect word to describe City of Thieves: cinematic! Benioff is also a screenwriter, so I'm sure that helps explain it. Excellent book and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Continue this topic here.

Just finished City of Thieves by David Benioff...very good. Can't wait to see the movie, which I'm sure will follow.
Now thinking of starting one of the following books...Complicity by Iain Banks, Damascus Gate by Robert Stone, The Zero by Jess Walter, or Shelley's Heart by Charles McCarry...Any comments out there about these books?

Come join us on the September thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/72420

Oh, please, please, please, please, please read Shelley's Heart. Um, yes, I kind of loved it--and everything he does. It's an amazing, gorgeously written, incredibly prescient political thriller. (You should also read The Better Angels, which was written 15 or so years earlier but the action of which ends just before Shelley's Heart begins.)

>BeckyJG: Thanks very much for the recommendation...I'll let you know my thoughts once I finish Shelley's Heart.

good book, long thread