August 2010 - What are we reading?

Surprised this hasn't been created yet. Everyone must be over on the 'Cover Sizing' thread.

Edited to add a link to the above mentioned thread.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/95973

I'm reading Dark Fire, the second book in C.J. Sansom's historical mystery series set in Henry VIII's England.

Reading my first (and his first, I think) Carl Hiaasen, Tourist Season. OMG, it's hilarious.

Hiaasen is a real Hoot!

clever #4 clever!!!
I'm reading John Hart's Down River. So far so good.

(edited for touchstone which still won't work!)

Just started Dancing With Death by Reg Mckay which is a fictionalised account of the true life murders based around the Barrowlands Ballroom in Glasgow in the 60s, by Bible John, who I believe has never been caught to this day.

I'm reading When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karrin Fossum. Wow what a great read. This is my first Karrin Fossum novel and I am enjoying it very much.

I'm reading Dead Connection, a new thriller series by Alafair Burke. I love her father's novels, so I thought I'd give her a try. So far, so good.

Reading The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. I’m still within the first 100 or so pages. So far it's good. But definitely not an easy book to read.

Just started Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen, a historical cozy mystery set in England in the 1930s.

I've finished and reviewed Search the Dark, an historical mystery set in post-WWI England. Very good stuff! And there's an interesting author video interview that's got some good insights into the way the mother-and-son team work on their books.

Finished reading Taken by Chris Jordan, something I picked up for very cheap while in London last week. it was ok. I really don't know a thing about the author as there is no bio in the book and I have no idea if the writer is a man or a woman. It starts out as a thriller with the kidnapping of a child and then turns into a cozy. As soon as this ex-FBI agent appears to assist the protagonist on the case I knew romance was in store. The story behind the mystery was interesting.

Almost finished with "All the Colors of Darkness", Peter Robinson's #19 Alan Banks mystery (2009 HB/2010 PB).

I am reading Hard Frost by R.D. Wingfield. This is the fourth D.I. Frost book and they have all been excellent. I love Frost, he's so delightfuly scruffy, sacrilegious and shrewd.

I just started Barbara Fister's In the Wind. I'm already hooked into it.

I'm hooked on Killer Instinct by Zoe Sharp.

I'm currently enjoying The Passage.

Me too!!

#No 10 I read this a few months ago. Entirely daft but enjoyable. Look forward to reading the sequels

I'm reading Mandarin Plaid, the third Lydia Chin/Bill Smith book by S. J. Rozan, who I just discovered and is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.

I'm reading Queen of the Night by J.A. Jance, my LibraryThing ER book for June which I received last week.

Now reading a A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel by Mel Starr.

Finished The Shot by Philip Kerr. Clever and a fun read. Nice ending. But not as good as Berlin Noir.

Just found this. For Steig Larsson fans.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1299216/Stieg-Larsson-wrote-novel-The-Gi...

Started Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn back on Saturday. Been a busy week, and so still only about 100 pages into the book.

Im reading "Pretty Little Liars" by Sara Shepard.

I've finished and reviewed Child 44, a grim, grisly, exciting thriller that kept me awake several nights. And not just reading it. *shiver*

Gregg Hurwitz's latest, They're Watching. More formulaic than I remember his other stuff as being, but gripping nonetheless.

Finished 2 short books.
Gideon's Wrath by J.J. Marric
Gideon's Art by J.J. Marric
Now onto The Bishop at the Lake by Andrew M. Greeley.

I love the Gideon books. Maybe they are dated, but I wish they were in print.

I'm just about to start Double, Double, Oil and Trouble.

Finished the enigmatically complex The Name of the Rose. My review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/62889634

I reviewed a medieval English mystery, The Unquiet Bones, on my thread...post #212.

Savage Moon by Chris Simms

I'm about to start The Pyramid by Henning Mankell.

Just finished A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. What a great read. I'm looking forward to reading the complete Three Pines series. Had to give up on Village Affairs by Cassandra Chan, I couldn't get into it.

#30 cmbohn. I look for any J.J. Marric (John Creasey)
books whenever I am in a used bookstore. The Baron books are quite good also.

Finished The Bishop at the Lake makes a good summer beach read.

Just picked up The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest from the library today. I will start it tomorrow.

The Ghost by Robert Harris Just started today but seems to be a good read. Anyone else read this?

Later this month I will be reading the Tana French series for a RL book group.

I'm reading Pretty in Ink by Karen Olson. It's pretty light and fun. I'm really looking forward to something grittier though, like Caught by Harlan Coben.

I'm reading The Black Ice by Michael Connelly. I started the Harry Bosch series years ago with Angels Flight simply because that was the first one I could lay my hands on. Having read through to the most recent book, I am now starting back at the very beginning with The Black Echo. Harry Bosch is one of my favorite characters.

Just read State Fair by Earlene Fowler in the Benni Harper series. A good read; mystery intertwined with family problems; ending with a twist. I have read most in this series and enjoyed reading.

#41 wcath....Bosch is one of my faves too. I've read the 1st 4 (in order) and I will soon jump right back into them after I finish the last Larrson book.

Finished On, Off by Colleen McCullough. Not as good as I had expected from her but if I should run into the second in this series, I'll likely pick it up. Won't go looking for it though. Moved on to horror after that, Coldheart Canyon.

I am now starting In the Woods by Tana French for a RL book group.

Heard good things about this book and am glad to be reading it.

Just finished Damaged by Alex Kava. Highly recommend.

Just started Louise Penny's A Fatal Grace.

I read Counterfeit of Murder. Not as good as the rest in the series. It was kind of a let down.

Ficus- Hope you enjoy Tana French! I really enjoyed her first 2 books, with her latest, waiting in the wings.
I started the audio of Carl Hiaasen's latest, Star Island and it's been fun. Also deeply entrenched in The Passage.

I am enjoying The Quiet Game.

I started The Silence of the Rain by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza. It's the second Inspector Espinosa mystery I've read.

Just finished The Pyramid by Henning Mankell and started The Private Patient by P.D. James.

Let's see, since Sunday morning I've read Rick Riordan's "Widower's Twostep, Robert Crais' "Indigo Slam" and am halfway through Tess Gerritson's "The Bone Garden" Love them all, will be reading "Shutter Island" next, starting tomorrow.

I am now reading The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva and Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas.

Recently read: The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo. It's a Norwegian crime-fiction thriller - one in a series featuring the alcoholic detective Harry Hole (apparently pronounced 'herler'). If you enjoy thrillers this is a good one, although I find Harry rather annoying, as do most of his colleagues.

The other Nordic crime-fiction book I've recently read is The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indridason. Set in today's Iceland this police procedural was, to me, the more interesting book in its complexity, its portrayal of idealistic youth in the 1950s/60s (flashbacks) and the unforeseen effects of their experiences on the unfolding investigation into the discovery of .... well, no spoilers here.

The characterisation of the three detectives, Erlendur, Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli, is well rounded, and reading about Iceland's place in the scheme of things during the cold war is interesting.

Edited to try to fix touchstones.

Mark - Its very interesting, though the writing was pretty bad at the start. Almost bagged it, but either it got better or I got used to it.

Had a weekend away and did a lot of reading while traveling. Dipped into some great stuff on the older side, ranging from the mid-seventies back to the forties. And one that might as well be of that vintage, the voice is that good.

The Three Roads, my first Ross Macdonald. Where has he been all my life?
The Tangent Objective, my first Lawrence Sanders. Wow. Gripping, powerful, and surprisingly timely even 35 years later.
Death of a Peer, my first Ngaio Marsh (it was a weekend of firsts). Am actually still reading this one. Again, wow.
And then, the book that so perfectly captures a timeless noir voice and melds it to its contemporary setting (early nineties Chicago), Sauce for the Goose, a Jimmy Flannery mystery by Robert Campbell. Why does nobody read Robert Campbell?

>57 BeckyJG: Ross MacDonald - Great!

I've read a few Sanders (a couple of the 'Deadly Sins' and a couple of the 'Commandments' books) and a few Marsh novels (a long time ago). Sounds like a good idea for some re-reading and/or targets for a trip to the used book store.

Just finished Black seconds by Karin Fossum. Her writing is so addictive. I can hardly put her books down. I just picked up her latest at the library. I just can't seem to start any other books right now.

I just finished The Quiet Game. Loved it, now I have to start Turning Angel.

#59, I know how that is when you get addicted to a certain author and must finish all of their books. That happened to me with Deborah Crombie and Karin Slaughter recently, and I am sure there are others that I am not remembering right now.

I have a couple Karin Fossum books, I wasn't sure if they needed to be read in order or not.

I don't think Karin's books need to be read in order. Both of the books I read stand on their own. The protagonist has his own story but she makes sure to explain what is happening so no confusion.

Also a big fan of Ross MacDonald and the early books of Lawrence Sanders. It's been over 30 years since I've read either author but I'm sure they hold up!

Decided to read a light mystery Death of a Bore by M.C. Beaton.

Finished The Silence of the Rain by Garcia-Roza. I see my library has #1,2 and 7 in the series. Stupid library; why not #3,4,5 and 6?

I started The Wings of the Sphinx by Camilleri, which will put me up to date in the Montalbano series, until the next one is released later this year.

I finished and reviewed A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch. It's a perfectly nice way to spend an afternoon.

Richard - Thumb for your review of A Beautiful Blue Death. Finch has quickly become one of my 'comfort read' authors. You know the kind, a relaxing, 'curl up in a chair' visit with your favorite characters on a quiet or rainy afternoon! I have plowed through the other two books in the series - same overall flavor and feel of the first book - and now eagerly await the release of book 4 which is anticipated for later this fall.

Just starting on Blood Brother by J A Kerley

Just finished Murder at Union Station on audiobook

Just finished, five minutes ago, Alex Kava's book "Damaged". Absolutely loved it! Awesome thriller/mystery, very clean on language, just great! I highly recommend it if you're looking for a good read! :o) God Bless!

> 64 raidergirl3 Love the Camilleri-Montalbano series!

Having just followed Miss Marple as she cleverly solved The Thirteen Problems, I'm now doing the same with Hercule Poirot in The Labors of Hercules, which has one less "problem."

#70 Ah The Labours of Hercules! Although I’m a Marple fan, I really enjoyed The Labours of Hercules. Hope you enjoy it too, jnwelch!

I finished In the Woods by Tana French. I thought it was very flabby and too long.

The blurb on the back says psychological suspense, but only if you count wordiness as psychological. Very Little suspense until the end.

I was reading it for a RL book group, but had bought it on my own first. I got it because the idea that the detective was a survivor of a childhood tragedy/mystery (he has no memory of the events) made it more than run of the mill mystery. Sadly, the author uses the situation for traction and sympathy, but does not follow through with solving it.

Not a terrible book, but a disappointement.

Now reading Lush Life by Richard Price for another RL book group.

>66 lkernagh: Uh-oh, Lori...I finished and reviewed The September Society on my thread...post #60...but I didn't like it!

I think the review, which is okay for you to read if you're in the mood because you've already read the book and it's one long spoiler, explains my aversion. But if I've learned nothing else in this delightful life, it's that chacun a son gout is the single truest statement ever uttered.

Started The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith.

Finished The Skull Mantra. Interesting, but hard to follow (for me). Not really my cup of tea.

FicusFan - I wasn't crazy about the first Tana French book, In the Woods, so I haven't bothered with more. It seems like you either love her or hate her.

>73 richardderus: Richard - Now that I have managed to sit myself back down in my chair from rolling on the floor laughing after reading your review I will agree with you that Charles is ... well..... a 'tad' on the conservative side with regards to certain matters? ;-P
If that drove you crazy, it probably would be best if you avoided the rest of the series. You have been forewarned!

Have just started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest as my workmate keeps on asking me when I'm going to start it... (She did buy me the copy about a year ago, so it's probably a perfectly sensible question for her to ask.)

#75 etrainer - I love The Skull Mantra, it's one of my all-time favorite mysteries and held up great on the reread I did of it a couple months ago. Shan is a great character, and the Tibetan people and culture along with the Chinese occupation are vividly portrayed. However, it is a complex mystery.

#31 Porua - Likewise, Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose is complex and not an easy read but well worth the effort.

#20 Sarahope - S.J. Rozan is one of my favorite authors. I enjoy the alternating POV of Lydia and Bill. Glad you have discovered this excellent series.

I've been busy so haven't been reading as much as usual. Recently finished Cons, Grifts and Scams by Joe Gores. It reintroduces the gypsy characters the repo men tangled with in the hilarious 32 Cadillacs.

Now reading The Parisian Prodigal: A Fools' Guild Mystery by Alan Gordon. I'm into medieval mysteries lately.

>76 cmbohn: cmbohn

I already own the 2nd book The Likeness, and am now reading it, since this is the series my RL mystery group is reading this month.

Its as long :(
so probably as wordy. Hopefully better written as its book 2. So far (just started) it looks like Cassie is the POV character, rather than Ryan. That might be better too.

I finished Lush Life by Richard Price - it was very good. A bit hard to get into at the start with the street slang, but developed well.

79> CD1am, I suspect I would have liked it (The Skull Mantra) better if it had had my full attention. Dealing with a dying pet cat for over a week has taken my time and attention. I agree that Shan was a great character, and I even googled some of the Tibetan terms. I looked at some pictures of the Potala Palace located above the Lhasa Valley. It was interesting. I got a few characters confused at times. I suspect a rereading would be more enjoyable.

finished The Herring Seller's Apprentice. and started The Nine Giants

>79 CD1am:, 82 CD1am, etrainer: I'm another one who loved The Skull Mantra. Probably a re-read under better circumstances would make a difference. Sorry to hear about your cat, etrainer.

>84 jnwelch: jnwelch - Thanks. I agree about the re-read.

Just finished Death in Oslo by Anne Holt. It's excellent, I thought. Is it my imagination or is the writing in this third book much smoother than the first two in the series. It's the same translator.

I'm several chapters in to The Rogues' Game by Milton Burton--a noirish tale set in 1947 West Texas-very enjoyable so far.

I just finished The Perfect Grave by Rick Mofina and enjoyed it. I can't start anything new yet because I have a book signing and book launch party this weekend to prepare for (Thrilled to Death). But I've been meaning to read Barbara Fister's In the Wind.

Agatha Christie's Third Girl. I'm slowing making my way through all her books and I'm about halfway.

Onto Kathy Reichs's second book, Death Du Jour.

#79 Yes, I love the alternating perspectives of Lydia and Bill. I simply can't put these books down--I'll probably gobble up the whole series, including the new book coming out this year, and will then experience serious withdrawal when there are no more left to read until the next release.

John Hart is VERY good! Have you read John Katzenbach?

Yes. It is good. It took me a while to get into but was worth the time.

Planning to start to read Mistress of the Art of Death this week and very
excited about this.

I don't know if I wrote that correctly..someone must know the correct title.

Snagged an almost new copy of Caught at the used bookstore today. Cool!

A third of the way into Breathing Water, the third Poke Rafferty thriller by Tim Hallinan. His stuff gets better and better; can't wait to read the fourth, the Queen of Patpong, which comes out today (I'm catching up).

Halfway through Die For You, this is my second Lisa Unger novel...

#93> alans, it is Mistress of the Art of Death, the touchstones are probably just playing up. Again.

I hope you enjoy it!

I am enjoying The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. Lisbeth Salander may be in a serious situation, but it's okay. She's got a sharpened pencil to defend herself with.

Reading Shades of Murder by Ann Granger.

cindysprocket - I am curious to learn what you think of the Mitchell and Markby series. I only recently discovered Ann Granger's books - I recently finished A Rare Interest in Corpses, book one in her Lizzie Martin series - and I am always on the look out for new murder mystery series!

Starting Right From the Gecko

>98 wookiebender: wookiebender Hah! LOL. It's pretty remarkable that we know she's dangerous with a sharpened pencil!

Ikernagh, I've been reading the Ann Granger books off and on for quite sometime. I like them for a quick read especially after reading a book that was on the heavy side. I have already finished Shades of Murder.

I'm really really enjoying Naked in Death. Sigh......, there are at least thirty books in this series aren't there?

I discovered an author - Chris Knopf and read both of the first books in his Sam Acquillo series - The Last Refuge and Two Time. The main character's a burnt-out engineer who craves solitude. Both books are great reads, can't wait to get hold of the next one.

Just about to crack open Bones by Jonathan Kellerman. Not read an Alex Delaware novel for a very long time.

I just finished (early in the AM) Caught by Harlan Coben. There's a lot going on in this book. As ususal, Coben starts this book with a terrific 'grabber', but there are plot devices here that are not my favorites. Things quickly change though, and it became an enjoyable read.

Currently reading "Blood Game", a recent 'Eve Duncan' from Iris Johansen.

Started reading my ER book Bad Boy by Peter Robinson.

Also started MY ER book Bad Boy by Peter Robinson.

Now reading Money Shot by Christa Faust, which I've heard great things about--from what I've read so far, I find the praise entirely justified.

Whilst on holiday in the South Of France Finished Stieg Larsons The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest And Jo Nesbo Nemesis Thoroughly enjoyed both Currently reading Jeffery Deavers Latest in the Lincoln Ryme Series The Burning Wire .He is always enjoyable

I love Peter Robinson .Have not got round to that one yet

I had planned to visit the library to try a Jo Nesbø the other day, but I went to the used book store first and got distracted when I found a 'brand new' used copy of Caught by Harlan Coben.

Edited several times to try to get the Nesbo touchstone to work.

Ed- I bought a nice softcover of Redbreast, a few months ago, after hearing some strong praise for Jo Nesbo's work. I need to get to it soon!

I finally finished The Passage! I know everyone has been chatting this one up but take my word for it: it deserves every accolade it gets! Incredible stuff! The only downside: the long long wait for Book 2! Bummer!

Mark, added both of these to my list.

I'd read all the Elvis Cole by Robert Crais but just this weekend got around to the two Joe Pike books The First Rule and The Watchman.

I finished The Likeness yesterday. What a long slog it was. My last Tana French book. Will take the new one off my wishlist.

It was a little better than In the Woods, at least it didn't cheat - you actually got a real ending to the various threads.

But its was so slow. Again the last 100 pages pick up and are a good read, but the other 300+ are just too much to have to get through to get to the end.

>117 quartzite: I love the Joe Pike books. He was a character who really needed to be examined (as much as that's possible, given who he is) in much greater depth.

I'm halfway through three, not all mystery/thrillers.

The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne. Eh. It's my downstairs book, and that's enough.
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. Slightly above an eh. It's wittier than I would have thought (I'm not much of an aficionado of Mr. Koontz).
Now this is the one I'm really enjoying: Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman. Quite funny, good action.

>etrainer
>cindysprocket

Robinson may just be obsessive about brand name detail but it feels more like he's heavy into product placement. But I am enjoying my ER copy of Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel.

I am enjoying a visit with Jane Marple in They Do It With Mirrors, so far not my favorite Agatha Christie, but still a very good read.

Nemesis by Joe Nesbo

im about 160 pages and the moment and am absolutely loving it.im having to slow myself down because i dont want to finish it too quick

Finished "Blood Game" by Iris Johansen, her 2009 "Eve Duncan", now looking for the 'Eve Duncan" released in (?)April 2010. Will also be checking my library for other, recent, Iris Johansen titles that I've missed.

#110 etrainer
#120 jmyers
Peter Robinson's "Bad Boy" is on my TBR (when published) list.

I am currently reading Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben. So far I am liking it.

Finished Bad Boy this evening. Now have to think about an ER review for this book.

jmyers24; I noticed that brandname mentions, also in Bad Boy. It reminded me of when they do that in the movies.
Have finished the book and also thinking about my review.

Since I received the Ridley Pearson book as an ER, I decided to read the Walt Fleming series. I am on the second book Killer View right now.

Sorry y'all...my computer freaked out and posted the same message a ton of times.

Very mysterious...

Finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest and enjoyed myself very much, although at times I was ready to strangle someone over the level of detail in all the set up. I don't think I really needed to know that much about the Swedish constitution. Still, a satisfying end to the trilogy. (And I'm missing Lisbeth already. Such a great character.)

I was going to pick up an Agatha Christie next, wanting something short and entertaining, but my husband nagged me into starting The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. He reckons it counts as a mystery/thriller, but at the moment it's much more Cthulhu horror with a large splash of humour and bureaucracy.

Finding it a little hard to wrap my head around at the moment (maybe I should have read more Lovecraft or done more maths as an undergrad or just gotten a bit more sleep) but it's definitely a book I want to stick with. Love all the pop culture references, and I'll adore anything that mentions Alan Turing. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing if you're not familiar with his name.)

Okay so I was reading The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest and I found it to be a struggle with all the technical stuff, the whole documentary of the Swedish police/Special Services/Constitutional and alot of political business. It felt as though this was more of a espionage story.

Although I only was able to read half of the book, (it was overdue back at the library and in demand) I felt likethe story was really bogged down and not as enjoyable as the 1st two books. The best parts where when it dealt with our known characters.

Having said that, I signed back up on the list to wait for it again. I really do want to know the outcome and finish it but mostly I just want to move on to the next up in my TBR pile.
Does anyone else feel this way?

#139 Nope, but I can understand your point.
Started Dead Irish by John Lescroart. Less-Kwa, as I learned here.

#139> I agree with etrainer. It was at times far too much, but somehow I was still completely gripped. Agreed it was more setup/explanation and less action than previous, but I couldn't put it down.

I *am* still reading The Atrocity Archives (got over the somewhat thrown-in-the-deep-end beginning) but Charles Stross is in Sydney this week, signing books at the fabulous Galaxy Bookshop, so the friend that I borrowed this from has reclaimed it because she can get to the bookshop to get it signed (and I can't). I'll get it back at some stage, but in the meantime picked up that Agatha Christie that was tempting me before: By The Pricking of my Thumbs.

>139 lindasbooks: ditto re The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. I couldn't put it down either. Love Lisbeth Salander.

I'm in the middle of Dissolution, my first C. J. Sansom, and enjoying it, but had to put it aside when Mockingjay arrived. Which so far is terrific.

Scottish police procedural with Big Money by Peter Turnbull

Reading Louise Penny's third, The Cruelest Month.

Will be starting The Old Contemptibles by Martha Grimes.

Joe- I'm jealous, sir! I have not received my copy of Mockingjay yet, although it should be here very soon. Early reviews have been wonderful!

Cindy- I read a few of the early Richard Jury mysteries but back in the 80s. I remember them being very good! I can't believe Grimes is still writing this series!

Has anyone heard or read Keigo Higashino? He is supposed to be a very popular crime writer in Japan. Today, I received an ARC of The Devotion of Suspect X and it looks very interesting.

I am listening to The Full Cupboard of Life and I'm just about done. I'm finding it hard to pay attention, the story rambles so much. I did better reading it on paper.

Mockingjay is wonderful, Mark.

Keigo Higashino is new to me. I look forward to hearing what you think of the one you have.

The Intruder, a thriller from the mid-nineties by Peter Blauner. Pretty good, so far.

Finished Dead Irish; started The Oath. Both by John Lescroart.

Started Trunk Music by Michael Connelly.

#150 etrainer...what did you think of Dead Irish?
As I have previously mentioned, I have read a couple Lescroart books a long time ago and enjoyed them very much. I plan to get back into them after I finish the M. Connelly, Harry Bosch books.

#151 I liked Dead Irish, but I wouldn't call it outstanding. I think this is about the third or fourth Dismas Hardy I've read. The first one took me a while to warm up to and the books sorta grew on me. Dead Irish is the first Hardy title. I intend to read them all if I can find them. Not my favorite, but certainly worth reading.

How are you liking the Connelly books? They ARE among my favorite detective books.

Mine too! And Connelly's got another Harry Bosch/Mickey Haller coming out soon titled Reversal! *doing the happy dance* http://www.michaelconnelly.com/Book_Collection/Reversal/reversal.html

I don't usually care for novels with lawyers in them (excluding Matthew Shardlake and, you know, like Cicero), but I really enjoyed the first two Mickey Haller mysteries, The Lincoln Lawyer and The Brass Verdict.

I'm reading Dead in the Family which is sort of a mystery thriller but of the dark-chocolate-frosted-creampuff kind (as opposed to the smooth-jazz-and-single-malt or rotgut-whiskey-in-a-bottle-in-the-bottom-desk-drawer kind). Which is to say mind-candy as opposed to serious stuff.

#150 Thanks for your response.

I REALLY enjoy Connelly!
I love the plots, the sharp, witty dialogues and the character of Harry Bosch. Connelly's style of writing keeps my attention very well.
This series is one which I eagerly look forward to the next book.

A Fly has a Hundred Eyes by Aileen G. Baron a murder mystery in 1938 Palestine, there is character that appears to be modeled after Agatha Christie in a cameo appearance.

I am about to begin a new Karin Alvertegen called Shadow. I've read one of her books and I think she's fantastic. She's part of the Swedish new crime wave.

>156 alans: I really love Alvertegen too. Have you read "Missing"?

An oldie The Cat's Whisker by H.C. Bailey

I'm reading The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.

So many new-to-me authors and titles. Makes my mouth water (figuratively). Only wish I had more time ~ like an extra few days every week. As it is, I feel like I'm being buried in books I want/need to read (a figure of speech, but in this case close to reality, as you could see from the state of my house ~ books everywhere! If a decent-sized earthquake hits, I'm doomed).

So, having taken a brief break to read Dead in the Family, I'm back to A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel by Mel Starr, the second in the Hugh Singleton medieval mystery series. I haven't read the first but it doesn't seem to matter, except to the extent that it contains spoilers. I try to skim over those and forget them immediately. My sort-term memory loss helps there.

Finished The Old Contemptibles in the wee hours of the morning. Nice surprise ending. Just love the returning characters.

The Westing Game is one of my very favorites.

I just finished Murder on Nob Hill, which was pretty silly. I'm listening to The Beast Must Die and enjoying that.

I'm enjoying Raymond Chandler's The High Window.

Just started Faceless Killers, my first Wallander, for my library group.

I breezed through Silent in the Grave on the weekend (rather an achievement, since weekends are also a flurry of washing and cleaning and cooking and shopping and negotiating truces between the two smaller members of the household). Have to say I enjoyed it mightily, finding it a perfectly amusing read, although I can see its flaws. Will be reading further in this series.

#160> Oh, I could do with an extra few days a week! Sometimes I fantasise about what it would be like to not *need* sleep. Imagine the reading I could get done while the rest of the world snoozed!

>#165 - given its size I agree with you wookiebender, to finish Silent in the Grave in one weekend is quite the achievement! I may pick up book two to see what Lady Julia gets up to next, but not until sometime next year.

>165 wookiebender: Yeah, not needing sleep would be high on my list of super powers, were the offer made to give me one of my choosing.

Hmm, wonder why my post got sent twice. I don't think I clicked more than once. Oh, well, I think maybe I need some of that sleep I wish I could do without. :)

>168 Storeetllr: Storeetllr..... Be careful what you wish for.

I'm starting on an Agatha Christie project, that of reading or re-reading every single one of her novels, in order of their writing, to see how her writing style and recurring characters evolved, as well as her portraits of England from WWI to the early 1970s. It's a pure amusement project, deliberately calculated to keep me from my own writing. :-) I'll be reporting my impressions at more length here and (probably) on my author blog.

First up, finished last night: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (written 1916, published 1920). Her first novel, remarkably good for a first attempt, although (compared to her best) middling Agatha. Next: The Secret Adversary.

Susanne
Susanne Alleyn

Currently on Separation of Power by Vince Flynn. Love Flynn books......

>170 SusanneAlleyn: I'll be looking forward to those reports. I've often thought of trying to read all the Christie's in order (I've read quite a few of them over the last 50+ years or so), but it seems too daunting a task, and would keep me away from other interesting authors. Maybe I'll pick a few of your highest recommendations to read/re-read.

#170 & 172 I haven’t done that with every book Christie has ever written (because face it she did write a lot of books). But earlier this year I read all of her Miss Marple books in the order they were written. Miss Marple is my favourite Christie detective and I usually do that once in every few years but this time I also reviewed them all. It was so much fun seeing the growth of Miss Marple as a character and also linking all of the events of her life and identifying all the recurring characters!

Just started "State Fair" by Earlene Foweler, latest (#14) in her 'Benni Harper' series.

#145/161 cindysprocket
Glad you liked Martha Grimes' "The Old Contremptibles"...I love that series,too. The only problem is waiting for the next title in the series to be published. I've read her other, shorter, series, but they are not as interesting to me as the 'Richard Jury' series

Just started The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

I've reviewed a bunch of thrillers that I'm shipping overseas to servicemen (correct usage, they're both male) in my Books off the Shelf thread, but I also finished Tom Rob Smith's chilling, chilling, chilling The Secret Speech. I haven't written a review yet. I'm still trying to get feeling back in my fingertips.

I am trying to read some of the books I have had on my TBR shelves for a long time and I picked up The Abduction by Mark Gimenez. I have to admit, so far it's a struggle. Hopefully it will get better.