June 2010- What are we reading?

I am in the middle of The Likeness and my new arrivals today include : The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and A Clubbable Woman.

I may have to break down and finish the trilogy, my curiousity is killing me!

I am reading Run for Your life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. I am in the middle of the book right now and a little disheartened. It is good, but not as good as his first novel from this series Step on a Crack. I feel like the characters aren’t in depth enough. I am just not connecting with them the way that I was before. I enjoy reading the killers pov, but honestly, I feel more connected with him then Michael Bennett, the main character. I feel like the plot isn’t progressing enough either. Oh? Another person died? OK. However, it is still good. It’s written pretty well and it is a fast paced novel. I got into the middle of the book pretty fast. I feel Bennetts family life is a little off though…10 kids and all. It’s a little redundant sometimes on the home front. I just sort of want Patterson to skip the whole family life plot and stick to the investigation, and the killer. I cringe but then I get really excited when his pov comes up! Overall, I give it a weak 4, and I haven’t even finished it! PERHAPS my view will completely change when I finish reading. I am expected some CRAZY twist at the end. I guess I’ll know by tonight!

I started The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon and it's been great. A terrific premise and a nice hard-boiled style.

I'm at the part of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest where it gets really satisfying. : )

Bad Guys by Linwood Barclay. Picked it up on a whim at the library yesterday because--unlike his most recent 4 or 5--it looked fun. And it is. I can say for sure that he's much better at the crime caper novel than at the brooding thriller he's been writing recently.

Also, halfway through Stephen Jay Schwartz's Beat, his follow up to Boulevard. Good, but so dark and so grim I had to take a break.

Reading The Presence by Heather Graham. First time for this author.

I started a reread ofHave His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers because I didn't have anything new to read. Started writing a review of Innocent. Good thing I'm not a real writer, because I haven't been able to make the points I wanted nor make it sound half-way intelligent. Put it aside for later.

Have started Mike Carey's third Felix Castro paranormal mystery Dead Men's Boots.

Started and finished The Act of Roger Murgatroyd (sick day off work). Rather amusing stuff, with a great meta-analysis feel as it's set in the golden age of British manor house crime and our main amateur sleuth is a writer of mystery novels herself. Lots of "oh, but when I wrote cheesy murder mystery title..." comments, and a homage of sorts to the exceptional The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Worth reading, especially if you're a fan of Agatha Christie style of books.

Will have to read a cozy series for a RL Mystery group this month. Charlotte Adams series by Mary Jane Maffini. The first book is Organize Your Corpses.

Not wild about cozies.

Yesterday, I started my first Giles Blunt, his first in a series, Forty Words for Sorrow. So far so good.

I'm about a third of the way through The Girl Who Played With Fire. The book's a little slow getting going, but it's starting to pick up a little steam.

Just finished reading your post and can't believe that I felt the exact same way while reading {Run for Your Life} - I did finish it and enjoyed it at the same time - I totally agree with you that there was way toooooo much family for me. Naturally, I will read anything by {{Patterson}}, I love his work.

I'm just starting Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris. I like the Lily Bard series, but I think it's been languishing since Sookie is so popular.

I just started the last Lara McClintock mystery, The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton. It's a series I've enjoyed, and I've been putting off reading this one because there won't be any more to look forward to after I finish it.

>8 Storeetllr: I'm very fond of Mike Carey's Fix Castor series. Like Harry Dresden only, um, different.

#16 BeckyJG :)

DePalma: ya I finished it around two days ago, I wasn’t too thrilled with the ending. It was very James Bond and unrealistic. The “twist” I saw coming a mile away, so it wasn’t too shocking for me. At the very end as well…what he says (I’m trying to spoil things for others)…is very un-Michael like as well. Overall the book was ok, but nothing special. I’m still going to read worst case though. I am hoping the fam life gets more interesting, and that I feel more connected with the main characters in the next one. I am actually having the third book shipped to me soon. Have you read worst case ? I like Patterson as well, but I feel his newer works are really lacking depth. I am also in suspicion of if he really does write all of his books. I don’t think he does, he has way too many books coming out at once. I am thinking Ledwidge actually wrote more of this book then him.

Decisions, decisions--should I start with Kate Atkinsons's Case Histories or Louise Penny's
Still Life (Armand Gamache)

Any suggestions?

I got my copy of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson yesterday so I'm starting it tonight (since I just finished the fantasy I was reading.)

#19> BeeHoney, I've not read Louise Penny before, but I do highly recommend Kate Atkinson, Case Histories was an outstanding read for me. Well worth your time.

>BeeHoney- Case Histories, Case Histories!!

21/22: My vote is for Case Histories too, though I haven't read the Penny, so can't compare. But that Kate Atkinson is one of my favourites!

19- Not to confuse you, but Louise Penny's Three Pines series is excellent! Still Life is the weakest in the series, but still very good - a great starting point.

I've finished and reviewed another good Charles Todd mystery, Wings of Fire, in my thread...post #223.

>19 BeeHoney: BeeHoney - Both are excellent series - be sure to read them both! You won't go wrong with either although Case Histories is probably easier to get into than Still Life. But you will fall in love with Three Pines/Inp. Gamache.

Iam just about half way through the Girl who Played With Fire .Had some time off today Nice and sunny in London, so that in the garden with Stieg. Love it Drunk a couple of mugs of tea. No better way to spend an afternoon.

Just finished The Three Evangelists by Fred Vargas, it was a good read.

@28 Dgmknzgrl, I found it was the characters rather than the story that held my interest throughout that book. I'll more than likely pick up the next in the series at some point but it's not one I'm going to rush out and buy straight away.

Just finished Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler. Wasn't as big on it as others on this site have been, but I'll probably pick up the second. I believe in second chances. I certainly didn't hate it.

Just starting the fourth book in the Cliff Janeway series. Kind of hooked on the book geek stuff.

And may I recommend Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon. It's usually found in the "horror" section of bookstores but I think they are mistaken.

Red to Black by Alex Dryden, Russian espionage in the 21 century.

No 19 - read Louise Penny. I envy you just discovering them.

Sleeping Murder was a good Agatha Christie, although I thought Ms. Marple could've spoken up earlier, since she obviously had it figured out long before the rest of us. :-)

Now I need to pick out another of hers.

Right now I'm finishing a fast paced thriller called, Predator. Love it!

I'm about half way through A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel: The Second Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon by Mel Starr.

A Big Thank You to #'s 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 and 32!!

I'll start with Case Histories and then move on to Still Life

I'm excited to read both of them now!

Read Sweet Women Lie by Loren D. Estleman. You get some early history on his PI, Amos Walker, since his ex-wife shows up as a character. Good book.

Last night I read The Case of the Perjured Parrot.

I'm about a third of the way into The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Very happy with it so far!

I've just begun reading The Likeness today. I loved In the Woods so I'm sure I'll like this one.

I am starting Organize Your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini for a RL book group.

My next Agatha is Poirot Investigates.

Everyone is reading Larsson! At the airport, I saw several people reading copies! I started The Girl Who Plyed With Fire.

I've reviewed Aloha, Candy Hearts, a Russell Quant mystery, in my thread...post #250.

Since June is Gay Pride Month, I'm suggesting to those who haven't read a book with a gay main character that they try these charming, unchallenging mysteries. There is no discernable sex in them, so they're not likely to challenge the sensibilities of those not so inclined, and the world they create has a lot of charm.

#43 rd

Thanks for that recommendation. I'm in need of something charming and unchallenging to read at the moment having recently grimmed my way through Brodeck's Report and God's Own Country.

>44 Thrin: Oh dear, oh my! Back to back?! You're quite sturdy in the emotional department. Russell Quant will fluffy you back to smiles in no time.

#45 Not that sturdy! I had to shut my eyes, put my fingers in my ears and hum loudly through quite a bit of Brodeck's Report, and I skimmed some of the latter part of God's Own Country.

>46 Thrin: That's a funny visual...and skimming is allowed in such extreme cases!

I've just finished and reviewed Date With a Sheesha, the seventh and latest Russell Quant mystery...what a wonderful, wonderful surprise and delight it was! The review is in my thread...post #11.

Anyone who's hesitating to delve into the series, take note: The rewards are getting greater!

I just finished Outside Chance by Lyndon Stacey.

I am in the middle of undone. I love how she writes. I read triptych a few weeks ago and loved it so I wanted to read another of Karin Slaughter's books. So far Undone is just as good.

I've started The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault. Apparently it's her first. Quite good so far.

The Passage by Justin Cronin! Finally. 60 pages in and it's every bit as good as the buzz (and as my anticipation) would have it.

#42 msf59....I am halfway....and it is getting real good!!

I finished Organize Your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini. It was for a RL book group. I don't really like cozies, but I enjoyed it.

Liked the setting, the characters and the writing was good. It seemed less bland and plastic than most.

Now starting The Cluttered Corpse, book 2 in the Charlotte Adams series.

I'm reading A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters, the latest Amelia Peabody book. I've felt the Emersons were getting tired in the last couple of books, but they're back in fine form in this one.

> 54 Mary Jane Maffini has another series featuring Camilla MacPhee. It has 6 titles and the first one is Speak Ill of the Dead. This is her first series. Try it.

The description is "In the first Camilla MacPhee mystery, Camilla runs a law office specializing in Justice for Victims of violent crimes. Her uneasy association with the world of crime takes a bizarre turn when a vicious fashion columnist is crucified in a downtown hotel room. Camilla's best friend, Robin, was on her way to meet the victim and has become the main suspect. Camilla sets out to vindicate her friend, but the investigation turns dangerous, as she receives cryptic warnings while following a grisly killer's trail marked by more murders."

I just brought home the third Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery, Search the Dark. I can't wait to dive in! The series is new to me, and I am loving catching up on it.

Broken Dishes by Earlene Flower ... sadly ... I've nearly exhausted all of the Benni Harpers now.

I finished The Girl Who Played With Fire. I thought it was entertaining, but upon completion of the book, I guess I'm not quite as enamored of it as many others are. I will certainly read the third work in the trilogy, however, but will wait until it's out in paperback here in the U.S.

Only one hundred pages left in Minette Walter's wonderful The Sculptress. This is the third Waltersthat I've read and so far it is my absolute favourite. This is a very clever crime novel and the secondary characters are a group of the funniest and creepiest Englishfolk I've read in a very long time. Just a great read.

Just started White Corridor by Christopher Fowler. Just finished The Red Door the newest Ian Rutledge mystery. Thought it was one of the better ones.

Picked up China Mieville's The City and the City last night. With some trepidation, some of my friends gave up on it, others have loved it. I'm almost 50 pages into it now, and I think I'm going to end up with the "loved it" group.

I can't seem to stop reading Deborah Crombie. Right now I am reading Water Like a Stone. I have a feeling I will be finished with the series before the month is over.

I'm glad I decided to give Chris Haslam another chance after being slightly disappointed with Twelve Step Fandango. Alligator Strip has made a promising beginning.

I'm reading The Cruellest Month, my third visit to Three Pines.

>65 raidergirl3: Oh wow! That is one fun book...there's a series that's given more pleasure as it's gone on than is usual. No falling off in character development, nice expansion of the fictional universe. Penny's a real talent in the field.

I finished The Girl Who Played With Fire, which I thought was fun. It had some great sections, but overall I would not call it a great mystery/thriller. Good, but not great. I am probably in the minority, there. C'est la vie!

Wanting a nice thick book to take on our road trip, I picked The Likeness by Tana French. So far I am enjoying it so much I may finish it before we leave tomorrow!

Puppets by Daniel Hecht. So far nothing to recommend it from any other crime novel

> 63 Deborah Crombie is a wonderful writer. I look forward to every Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James she writes.

#67, rocketjk - The Girl Who Played With Fire is the middle book of a trilogy. I've read all three and the middle book is the weakest of the lot. I really enjoyed the trilogy as a whole.

#72> Thanks, Margit, but, yes, I was aware the book was the middle of a trilogy. I've read the first and will read the third when it comes out in paperback in the U.S. I, too, thought the second book was less enjoyable than the first, but I did enjoy both. As I said, I thought "Fire" was good but not great.

I was in a bookstore a couple of days ago and saw the hardcover of Hornet's Nest on display. I asked the bookseller when she thought the paperback would be out here. Her response: "At least a year. They're going to milk the hardcover as long as they can." Not that I wouldn't do the same thing if I were the publishers. So it'll be a while for me, unless I come upon a used copy of the hardcover in the meantime.

John Lescroart's A Plague of Secrets.

I've started Charles Todd's A Test of Wills, the first in the Ian Rutledge series. I had been looking forward to starting it for a while and so far, so good!

74...pmarshall....hmmm, a new Lescroart??
I have just about his whole collection. I've read 2 or 3 of his books (it's been awhile) and really liked them. I'll have to dip back in...lol

I am about halfway through the Hornet's Nest and it is difficult to put down! I am trying to ration myself and not read it all at once! It is incredibly complex and almost needs a list of characters, their affiliations and if they are good or bad guys! But that is not holding me back.
I am curious to see how Larsson will pull it all together!

starting Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard which starts with the reappearance of an uncle who supposedly died in the Blitz,

A friend recommended Thomas Perry, so I'm reading his Edgar Award winner, The Butcher's Boy. So far, I'm enjoying it.

I'm about to start Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs.

I read the 2nd and 3rd books in the Charlotte Adams cozy series by Mary Jane Maffini.

I didn't like book2 The Cluttered Corpse as much as book 1. Odd mystery and not enough involvement from her supporting cast. Cop hate is too shrill and unexplained.

Book3 Death Loves a Messy Desk was better.

Blindfold by Lyndon Stacey, a good horse mystery.

Just finished The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and loved it!
Lisbeth is a fascinating character.
Getting ready to start The Girl Who Played With Fire.
I wish the 3rd one to come out in paperback soon.

The Broken Teaglass, set at a dictionary publisher, was well done.

This morning I just started Louise Penny's Still Life. I've heard great things about this series, so am excited about the read (I have heard that this book isn't the strongest of the bunch, so if I like it even a little, which is highly likely based on what I've read so far, I will certainly continue on and give the rest a chance).

On my 6th Straight Tony Hillerman this week.

So many good books on here! Wookiebender - let us know what you think when you finish Roger Murgatroyd. That one is on my list!

I just read two Nero Wolfes, The Black Mountain and The Doorbell Rang. I liked the first one a LOT. It was awesome to see Wolfe in his hometown, so to speak. Now I'm listening to A Great Deliverance - not really hooked yet - and reading The Black Echo.

#87, I loved A Great Deliverance, her books tend to be chunky, and I have to be in the mood for the typical 500 plus pages.

I am also a huge fan of the Harry Bosch series beginning with The Black Echo . As a matter of fact I am simultaneoulsy reading Blood Work and The Poet so that I can read A Darkness More Than Night.

#88 I just listened to The Poet and really enjoyed it.

I'm starting Miss Melville's Revenge, the third in the series.

I'm new to this thread and this looks like a good place to dive in.

I'm currently listening to A Shroud for a Nightengale by P. D. James as part of my self-assigned read/re-read the entire Adam Dalgliesh series.

I'm reading Executive Privilege by Philip Margolin It was a free book on Kindle one day and I wanted to broaden my reading horizons. It's classic transportation reading, the sort of book you read on a plane or train to pass the time but doesn't make too many demands of the you. I'd slot this in the thriller category. So far it's ok. Not great, just ok.

I recently finished This Body of Death by Elizabeth George and I'm a little disappointed to have read it on my Kindle. I can't heave my Kindle across the room in annoyance without major monetary consequences.

Sitting on my nightstand is Erin Hart's False Mermaid which I hope to get to next.

#70, I haven't read Puppets but Skull Session by Daniel Hecht is one of my favorite books of all time. And it's not the type of book I'd normally like.

#63 and #71, I love Deborah Crombie's books, too. I think she's going to be my next self-assigned project.

#87> cmbohn, I did finished The Act of Roger Murgatroyd a while back - it was good fun, not superlative, but an enjoyable revisiting of the classic British Golden Era of crime (Ms Christie et al). Some nice touches with our amateur sleuth being a writer of mysteries herself, and some gentle fun being had at the expense of the genre. (I particularly liked the map at the front of the book: completely useless and unnecessary, and then one of the characters gets to complain about completely useless and unnecessary maps at the front of murder mysteries.) And the crime itself was rather good, I didn't guess whodunnit.

I did read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd a couple of years ago, and I did like having it sort-of-fresh in the back of my mind, too, as there are a couple of homages in its direction.

I won't rush out for the next Evadne Mount book, but will happily pick it up when I see it at the library. (And how does one pronounce "Evadne"??)

Am still reading The City and the City but had a phenomenally busy weekend, so have taken refuge in brain candy of the fantasy adventure genre (Graceling). But I do have to recommend The City and the City as well, it's a very fascinating book. Just needed a few too many neurons this weekend than I had to spare!

#90 mjs1228.....
"I recently finished This Body of Death by Elizabeth George and I'm a little disappointed to have read it on my Kindle. I can't heave my Kindle across the room in annoyance without major monetary consequences."

That gave me a good chuckle...lol....welcome to the thread!

I've just started A Little Yellow Dog by Walter Mosley. I read the first Easy Rawlins book way back when the movie with Denzell came out.

Just picked up The Ballad of Frankie Silver by Sharyn McCrumb. Don't know if that's the best starting point for her books, but for a buck at Goodwill...hey....

I just finished The Black Echo. I liked Harry Bosch, the plot was good, but wow, it was just - depressing. Harry can't trust anyone, can't get over the war, and can't talk about his childhood. I'm not sure I want to visit his world again. My life is complicated enough with my own problems; I want something a little less dark when I'm reading for fun.

#93 RaiderGirl3 ~ Ohhh, enjoy! I loved the Easy Rawlins series. So sorry to see it end, though I really did enjoy the earlier ones best, up to Little Scarlet. The later ones were good, but not quite as amazing as the earlier ones.

Just picked up Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler from the local library. A new author for me. Anyone else reading Christopher Fowler?

#97 I enjoyed Full Dark House, Momonaco. I read another one in the series, believing it to be the first and went back to start the series in proper order.

Just got my copy of the 4th Fix Castor in the mail yesterday. Thicker Than Water is good so far...

And >86 cosmicdolphin:, cosmicdolphin--wow! I thought I read obsessively. You go on that Hillerman!!

BTW about to start my annual June-July-August Harry Potter read with my friend Padric. In case anybody's interested...

I won an ARC of Warlord by Ted Bell. It's the latest Alex Hawke thriller and it sounds pretty good. I have not read Bell. Any fans of his out there?
Also any fans of Steve Hockensmith? I saw a copy of Holmes on the Range and it looked like a lot of fun.
My spanking new copy of The Passage was waiting for me when I got home today.
I'm pumped about this one!

>100 msf59: I absolutely adored The Passage. It was every bit as good as the hype would have it, and then some. Really looking forward to the second book (which I hear is due in 2012).

Holmes on the Range was indeed a fun book. The sequel was pretty good too, haven't read the third yet.

Hey, I am almost finished with The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. There were other books on my shelf ahead of it, but I couldn't resist the temptation and grabbed it first. Maybe a little slow at first, but worth staying up late to read.

I agree about the complexity of the plot and number of characters. It's one of those "can't tell the players without a program" books. I really do enjoy the complexity, and the trilogy provides so much insight into Swedish politics and international relations. That's not a country that I had read much about before. I only have about 50 pages left.

I've finished and reviewed the latest "Mistress of the Art of Death" medieval mystery, A Murderous Procession. The review is in my thread... post #121.

Just finished The Bookwoman's Last Fling. Very disappointing. Too much racetrack geek stuff, not enough book geek stuff.
Just started Cut, Paste, Kill. It will be a quick read but I love these characters.

I'm reading Denial: A Memoir of Terror by Jessica Stern.

I'm finally getting around to The Historian. It's off to a promising start. And I need something really good to read!

I'm halfway through The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - a riveting read, and I agree with everything that people have said about the second book being the weakest, but still a good read. I'm a bit late in picking it up, but I've got Tana French's In the Woods waiting in the wings. It's been highly recommended by some of my friends.

I'm saving the latest of Louise Penny's Three Pines series until the next one comes out. I couldn't bear to come to the end without another one to follow it up.

Currently reading To Die in California by Newton Thornburg.

> AHS-Wolfy- I love Newton Thornburg. I re-read Cutter and Bone, a couple years ago and it's excellent.

@ msf59, I just finished it this afternoon. As it didn't have any, I've added my thoughts to the reviews.

Just finished "13 1/2" a stand-alone novel from Nevada Barr; very satisfactory mystery/suspense story!

Just started "The Overton Window," by Glenn Beck, which is historical thriller. So far I'm really enjoying it!

Just finished A Cold Day in Paradise by Steve Hamilton, the first novel in his Alex McKnight series. It won both the Shamus and Edgar awards. I enjoyed it and will read more in the series.

Since I liked the first Ian Rutledge book so much, I immediately started the second in the series, Wings of Fire.

>116 Copperskye: W00t! Another convert!

I started reading The Likeness several days ago; then I got my ER copy of Blood Harvest by S.J. Bolton so I'm temporarily suspending reading The Likeness. I don't mind reading two books at the same time but two mystery/thrillers set in England = too confusing !! (I'm liking Blood Harvest quite a lot).

I finished my reread of Have His Carcase. Today I broke down and bought a HC of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. That's next.

Just started The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo today.

touchstones being...touchy.

I just finished Murder for Christ's Mass by Maureen Ash. Interesting mystery and good historical detail but the pace was quite slow.

Wow, the Larsson books are everywhere! Quite the frenzy! I just started The Beekeeper's Apprentice and it's been very enjoyable!

Finished The City and the City and thought it was quite marvellous. It's a good murder mystery set in one of the strangest places ever - two cities, both existing in the same space. (I know, that probably made no sense, but that's what it is. This is what happens when you get fantasy writers writing crime!)

Currently reading The Coroner's Lunch. I picked it up, thinking it might be something I could discard at 50 pages (I've heard it's twee, and I'm not usually fond of twee), but it is actually rather charming (and not twee at all, IMHO). Great location (at least only one city this time), in Laos following the communist revolution.

>62 wookiebender: wookiebender If you love The City and the City you might want to try In Free Fall by Juli Zeh next.

Currently reading The 13th Hour by Richard Doetsch. Hard to put down.

#124> Thanks for the recommendation (minutes after deciding I'm not buying any new books for three months, d'oh!). Will keep my eyes open for when I'm buying new books again. :)

What's "twee"?

> 122 You have hours of fun reading ahead of you. I really like Mary Russell!

Wookie- The City and the City is all-ready high on the wishlist! Need to get to it! I also loved The Coroner's Lunch and plan on eventually getting to the rest of the series. And yes, it is not "twee", (light & cute).

>pmarshall- Yes, I like Mary Russell so far!

audreyl1969, I'm interested to hear what you think of The Overton Window. I don't do thrillers much, but we're Beck fans, so I'm wondering whether to give it a whirl.

msf59, I'll second (or third or fourth) the thumbs up on Mary Russell. I actually started the series the second one, A Monstrous Regiment of Women, and was hooked.

For my own reading this week, Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingoes by Donna Andrews. Just needed something fun, light, and brainless. This fits nicely.

'Twee is Britspeak for "cutsie" or to some, nauseatingly cute. I agree that The Coroner's Lunch and its sequels stay on the right side of the line in that regard.

Reading The Eiger Sanction by Trevanian an interesting mix of James Bond spoof (gotta love Randie Nickers as a character name) with some genuine mountain climbing thrills.

>128 msf59: Good to see The City and the City mentioned here, as it's been a hit with sci-fi readers. It fits both.

Like others, I'm a fan of the Mary Russell series, and The Beekeeper's Apprentice is a great read.

I finished Poirot Investigates, a clever collection of short mysteries, and next up is The Thirteen Problems, featuring Miss Marple.

# 131 "...and next up is The Thirteen Problems, featuring Miss Marple."

Oh goody! My absolute all time favourite! I re-read (for the umpteenth time) and reviewed it earlier this year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Just finished and reviewed Winter of the Wolf Moon, which is the second in the series by Steve Hamilton. I think you have to be a masochist to live in U.P. Michigan in the winter. It must be really incredible in the summer. (Is there one?)

>132 Porua: Thanks for the boost on The Thirteen Problems, Porua! I'll let you know.

>133 KAzevedo: A lot of people love living in the "U-P", KAzevedo. You need to be very outdoor-sy, is my understanding. Closest I've come is Mackinac Island.

I hope my message didn't come across in the wrong way....the books make the winter sound very grim. I meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek with my comments. No offense, yoops. ;^)

I read The City and the City several months ago and enjoyed it. It was a recommendation to "help me get back into science fiction". I read a half dozen or so SF books, but couldn't really get my interest rekindled. So it's mostly Crime, Thriller, and Mystery for me.

I'm off for a week's vacation. I'll be bringing two books along, both the first books of detective series:

March Violets, the first of Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir series, and
Death at Charity's Point, the first of William Tapply's Brady Coyne series

I'm reading Rose by Martin Cruz Smith. It's a standalone not related to his Arkady Renko series. Takes place in a mining town in Britain during the Victorian era. The main character, Blair, is a mining engineer who has spent most of his career hunting for gold in Africa. The mystery is a missing person that Blair is asked to locate before the man he works for will send him back to Africa, which is where he wants to be. Wonderfully written, a different view of the Victorian era than most of the cosies that take place during that time. I'm really enjoying it.

Started Rain Fall by Barry Eisler over the weekend and am almost finished with it. Pretty good mystery/thriller. Hard Rain, the second in the series, is on deck if I want to jump right back into the shark-infested pool after finishing the first.

Started Hide by Lisa Gardner on Kindle @ gym. Couldn't hardly put it down to drive home. It's bumped The 13th Hour off to the side for now. And, I've started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest but can't seem to stay with it. I'm sure that's just a temporary condition.................

I see they're taking pre-orders for a new one by Tana French.

I started Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn after being alerted to it in another thread. I think I'm going to enjoy this a lot.

I just started this morning Deborah Crombie's A Share in Death. I'd never heard of Crombie until I saw her discussed on these boards (perhaps on this thread?), but I thought I'd try her out. I also have the second in the series if I like this one.

140 - I enjoyed The 13th Hour

I am starting Horns by Joe Hill tonight

Almost done with Noah's Compass, next up is Sleepless by charlie huston.

#124> Found In Free Fall by Juli Zeh online with Australian booksellers, but it doesn't come out until Jan 2011. (So plenty of time to save up to buy it. ;)

#136> etrainer, I too am a lapsed reader of sci-fi/fantasy. Not sure what happened there, but nowadays if I've got my nose stuck in a genre book, that genre is mostly crime. It was nice revisiting sci-fi with The City and the City.

#145> Oh, I really enjoyed Sleepless, I hope you do too! But I'm a bit of a Charlie Huston fan. :)

Thanks to those above for the translation of "twee", I often forget I'm talking to an international audience, and we all have different versions of English!

Speaking of which, Australia's most prestigious literary award, The Miles Franklin, was awarded last night, and a crime novel won it! Congratulations to Peter Temple, for Truth. (It's the sequel to The Broken Shore which I read last year and thought was excellent. Looking forward to getting my hands on this one!)

Finished reading Ed McBain's wonderful collection of early pulp stories, Learning to Kill, just a great collection and lots of fun to read. Now I am down to
the last hundred pages on my first Val McDermid, The Grave Tattoo. Not sure how i feel about this book. Find the central premise hard to believe but there are some murders taking place right now that is increasing my appreciation of the work.

Finished re-reading and reviewing the Miss Marple mysteries, A Caribbean Mystery and At Bertrams Hotel. Enjoyed them as much as I did the first time I read them.

Here are the links to my reviews,

A Caribbean Mystery,

http://www.librarything.com/review/61446855

At Bertrams Hotel,

http://www.librarything.com/review/61447562

Or at my 50 book challenge thread,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/80925

#146 wookiebender - I'll add my congratulations to Peter Temple on winning the Miles Franklin award for Truth. His Broken Shore was excellent as you say, and I look forward to reading Truth.

I'm taking ASHES TO WATER, a new Florida mystery/thriller by Irene Ziegler to the beach. Early reviews are excellent.

#146 wookiebender & #149 Thrin - Speaking of Australian awards, I really enjoyed The Gene Thieves that was long-listed for the Ned Kelly award. I had to get it as a digital download from amazon but I hope Quinn writes another. I reviewed it on LT if you're interested.

#151, thanks for the recommendation, it does sound interesting! I'll keep my eyes open - doesn't seem to be available at my favourite city shop, but the library has a few copies, huzzah!

Have started The Chalk Circle Man, whose touchstone seems to be kaput. French crime, and slightly strange to my mind so far. (But I have that reaction to other modern French novels I've read.)

I have just finished Blood Lure by Nevada Barr and I am currently reading Firestorm also by Nevada Barr.

Wookie- I've only read Have Mercy on Us All and loved it. I've been meaning to read more Vargas.

I finally gave in and started to read the Millenium Trilogy! Struggled with the first...enjoyed the second, now half way through the final book waiting for some excitement!! Am I on my own with these thoughts??

>155 Debbods: I am about half way through the final book as well. I found the books a little drawn out, but really enjoyed the story in each. It has been a little hard for me to keep up with some of the characters - unfamiliar names and many somewhat similar. But as a whole I have had a lot of fun reading these novels. Recommended!

Just finished The Plague Maiden by Kate Ellis. Enjoyed it, but found it to be not quite as good as most of the others in the Wesley Peterson series. I love the parallel stories, where info learned about an archaeological dig mirror facets of the contemporary murder mystery.

Finished Maisie Dobbs it was my first. I will be reading more.

Just started A Wicked Way to Burn by Margaret Miles. Very intriguing so far.

#158, I am also reading and just about finished with Maisie Dobbs, I loved it and will also be reading more.

I shouldn't have picked up The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag when I had reviews to write. I really can't resist this absurdly overeducated child's voice.

No 161 I have just got The weed that strings the hangman's bag from the library and am looking forward to reading it. I loved the first one and bought a paperback copy as soon as it came out.

>162 cimorene: I was just as enamored as you were of The SWeetness at the Bottom of the Pie...I've given all the copies I find and buy and swear to keep away, so I will confine myself to the library copy on this one.

I'm starting my last Indridason - Tainted Blood. I've been holding off, wanting to savor Erlender, knowing that once I'm done this one, I'll have to wait for another book to be translated. I love this series.

Any idea when the next one will be released in English?

I was supposed to get The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag as an ER book, but it never arrived. boo

Raidergirl...the sixth Inspector Erlendur is due out in the USA on my coming birthday!

Not that I'm hinting, mind you.

So ends my Miss Marple marathon. I’ve enjoyed chronologically re-reading and reviewing them. Here is the review of the last of the Miss Marple book ever written, Nemesis.

The link to my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/61547595

Or my 50 book challenge thread,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/80925

I've read that one already - it was released in Canada in December 2009. Not til September? It's so strange how it would be released almost a year later in US.

wikipedia shows four more books that haven't been translated - 2 earlier ones, two later ones. The original translator, Bernard Scudder died during Arctic Chill.

>167 raidergirl3: Isn't that just weird? Different books coming out different times and not one in order?! *fumes at the illogic of publishing*

In my thread, a chat got going about our local libraries that ended up with more than 10 photos of local branches being posted. Seems like we're all interested in sharing that with each other.

Since it seems the idea of sharing our spiritual homes with each other is really appealing, here's a thread where we can do that!

Wookiebender:

I concur with you on The City and the city--marvelous and compelling indeed. I like Mieville, particularly Perdido Station and The Scar.

Just received The Language of Bees so I can finally put the pieces together after reading God of the Hive out of order.

#160, welcome to the wonderful world of Maisie!

#162/164: I've been drooling over The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag; as a matter of fact, I would love to reread Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie but I loaned my copy to a junior-high age girl....and well, I should have known better....

Just started The Black Tower by Louis Bayard, the first I've read by him. I'm liking it so far.

SAIRA VIOLA has written a crime satire that is zany and hysterical with cartoon like characters that roll of the page and it 's kind of cool that it's not a deep intense thriller that's not the genre it's humour but it's a crime tale and it's pretty hardcore and urban amd gritty which is why I love it so much . I totally recommend it if you wanna see a dysfunctional crime ring at work .

Finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet Nest early this morning. Sad that it's the last one.

If you've read The Girl Who . . . novels, you'll find this amusing.

Oh. My. Word.

That was laugh out loud hilarious. Thank you!!

#174 Hilarious! Simply brilliant. Thank you, etrainer!

And since everyone seems to be reading Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, I thought I’d present my reviews of the series. I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire last year and The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest this year. The books are pretty fast paced and kind of entertaining. But the whole experience was sort of ‘meh’ for me. My reviews are here,

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,

http://www.librarything.com/review/51423226

The Girl who Played with Fire,

http://www.librarything.com/review/51715402

and The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest,

http://www.librarything.com/review/56514744

That was brilliant. She thought about smiling, but already smiled 300 pages ago and once was enough.

Anyway...if I can stop fooling with pictures in Lightroom long enough I'll go back to reading Burning Wire the latest Lincoln Rhyme novel by Jeffery Deaver...a man in serious need of a haircut.

#174, Sure put a smile on my face. So glad you shared.

Thanks Ed- That was great! I loved:" Lisbeth Salander was entitled to her bad moods on account of her miserable childhood and her tiny breasts, but it was starting to become confusing just how much irritability could be blamed on your slight figure and an abusive father..."
Hysterical!

It gets funnier every time I look at it. I like the part about the confusing names - I DID have trouble keeping them straight.

#169> BarbN, I think I'm still having nightmares over some of those scenes in The Scar. I've never been happy around deep water, and now I'm even more twitchy. I'm yet to be disappointed by Mieville. Looking forward to his latest, Kraken!

#174> etrainer, brilliant! I also loved the comments about never knowing where you actually where in Sweden, unless you'd been there. :)

I've read the first Maisie Dobbs book, and did enjoy it. The bookshop never has the second one in stock when I wander in, however! Dagnabbit!

I've finished The Chalk Circle Man (touchstone not loading) and it continued to be somewhat strange. Think French policemen drinking white wine, smoking Gitanes, sitting about contemplating philosophy, while solving a crime. Well, not quite, but it was very *French*. But rather good too, while I didn't particularly warm to the characters, I did like the plot and it was an easy read (apart from two pages where our protagonist is actually interviewing a philosopher, and that took me most of the weekend to get through). I'll be looking for more by Fred Vargas.

I am reading and enjoying Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Hercule Poirot is in fine form as usual.

#181, after you learn Maisie's backstory, which you have, I think you can read them out of order without losing too much, unless you're a real stickler for story chronology. (Since I prowl for my books at used stores, I rarely find series in the order I need them and have just gotten used to it.)

#163, 170 I have just finished The weed that strings the hangman's bag and I think it's even better than The sweetness at the bottom of the pie. It's nice to learn Flavia is still trying to poison Ophelia and I must admit I loved her idea of renaming Beethoven's Fifth 'The Vampire' was inspired. People have commented that the plots are not up to much, but they are the least part of the books for me. It's Flavia and her view of the world and her family that counts.
I am waiting for God of the hive to be available in England, or at least on the library catalogue.

Just starting on Corn Dolls by Patrick Lennon

#183> I'm afraid I am a little bit on the stickler-for-chronology side of reading. But I'm also willing to give up and just go with what I can find, if it all gets too difficult. :)

I do try to start with the first book of any series, though, that seems important as it's where the author introduces everything!

# 153... Finished Nevada Barr's latest Anna Pidgeon, "Borderline" this morning. I read her recent stand-alone suspense novel "13 1/2" earlier in June.

#143...Deborah Crombie! a favorite author of mine, who happens to live in the town that I now call home, McKinney TX. I've read all of her books in cluding the most recent 3: "Necessary As Blood", "Where Memories Lie" and "Water Like A Stone".

Just starting a Robert Goddard mystery "Borrowed Time". I've previously read/enjoyed his 'Into the Blue" and "In Pale Battalions".

I knocked back Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews yesterday, feeding my summer-crud virus some undemanding literature. It seems to have worked. Today was the first day in a week I wasn't ready for a nap at 8:30 a.m.

I finished reading Smilla's Sense of Snow which was excellent and now reading Winter Study which has started off very well. I just received in the mail Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen and really want to dive into it!

I sense a theme going on there, Greatbuys4less. Are you getting mentally prepared for a trip to the Arctic Circle or something?

storeetllr , We are reading mysteries set in cold climates for our book club and the first one cooled me off so much from this stifling heat that I am continuing!

Ah, that explains it. What fun! And it sounds like a great way to keep cool in the heat of summer.

Couldn't put down What Is Mine.

http://www.librarything.com/work/1146548/reviews

If you enjoy The Sculptress, Minette Walter has another book that I quite enjoyed. It's called The Ice House.

The Crime, Thriller & Mystery July 2010 -What are we reading? thread is here,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/93984