Here we go folks starting a fresh month and I'm beginning People of the Book for the group read. I'm not sure if this qualifies as a mystery but it could.

Still reading The Mother Hunt .

Message edited by its author, Nov 1, 2009, 8:14am.

I've just finished Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason and I'm just finishing up with Blood From a Stone by Donna Leon.

Two-thirds of the way through Past Caring, by Robert Goddard. Pretty good so far.

Just started Darling Jim in audio today while I got in 7 miles. So far, so good.

Reading Caravaggio's Angel by Rurh Brandon and not liking it very much. May end up ditching it. As of page 112, I have no sympathy with the characters and don't really care what happens.

Starting High Chicago today.

I'm still reading A Carrion Death this month. It's the longest book I've started in a while, but I hope to finish before December.

I'm reading The Cat Who Turned On and Off.

Just finished The Spice Box; a nice cozy with a historical setting--New York Civil War era. The relationship between the employer and the protagonist (an Irish immigrant cook) is a little anachronistic, I think, but still a good read.

Finshed March Violets and am now reading The Pale Criminal by the same author. I haven't read noir before, and I get a kick out of Bernie. The background detail of 1930's Berlin is interesting, as well as chilling.

Just finished The Man in the Picture, a very creepy and good ghost story.

Well, Charlie Huston fans, I did it! I started an official thread, so the faithful can have a sacred place to come and share their hard-boiled thoughts. Climb aboard, (the faint-hearted & sickly should think twice!): http://www.librarything.com/topic/76122

I really enjoy Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti crime fiction. They're always more than mere murder mysteries. Woven seamlessly into her stories are tracts of philosophy, social, political and ecological observations and a healthy chunk of dry wit.

I've just finished reading Blood From a Stone ...most satisfying. My review is over here if anyone's interested: http://www.librarything.com/topic/73892

Message edited by its author, Nov 1, 2009, 8:09pm.

#6 : ctpete - What don't you like about it? I have this book on my TBR pile, but would welcome a heads up if it's really not worth the read.

I finished Blood Game & am currently reading Waking Evil.

Currently I am reading Alex Cross's Trial. by James Patterson.

Started Thursday Next: First Among Sequels over the weekend and enjoying it very much.

#18: I just finished Thursday Next: First Among Sequels over the weekend, and thought it was adorable.

Just this morning finished the new Harper Connelly from Grave Secret, by Charlaine Harris. A good series. It's the heaviest of her mystery series, and also the only paranormal one.

I'll decide at work today what's up next.

Nearly finished with Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime, but didn't have it with me when her Dead Man's Mirror was near to hand, so have started the latter. It has three short Poirot stories including the title one.

Very engrossed in In a Dry Season

#21 jonesli - Didn't In a Dry Season win an award of some kind? I read it a number of years ago. Would like to hear your opinion of the book.

I've had In A Dry Season on my TBR pile for about a year and need to get to it. I ordered it because of the great reviews.
I finished Shutter Island and really liked it.

The idea, or plot device I suppose, of In a Dry Season was terrific. I am curious what others thought of all the rest!

In A Dry Season is my favorite of the Alan Banks series, so far. I thought it was a great plot line, well written and well researched.

Poking my way through Crime Brulee'; meh; it's eye candy to keep me company during lunch hour.

Just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, and started my first book by Meg Gardiner called Mission Canyon.

I am reading a very unusual mystery. It is The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault. It is about a new editorial assistant at a dictionary publishing house who discovers clues to a murder in the files of citations to word usages. This is Arsenault's first book and I think that she has written a very clever book.

Message edited by its author, Nov 3, 2009, 4:44pm.

#22-25, I just looked up In a Dry Season it won the Anthony and Barry awards, and was a finalist for the Edgar and Macavity awards. I am 400 pages in with 70 or so to go and I agree that this is my favorite Inspector Banks to date. I am finding it extremely well written and I am not becoming impatient waiting for the big reveal!

Well, maybe I'm should reread In a Dry Season. It's the only Peter Robinson book I've ever read. But I wasn't impressed. I'm no judge of good writing, but I just couldn't get into the story, despite the unusual circumstances of the discovery of the murder and the challenge of solving it. I've heard so much praise for the book I suppose the fault must be mine! I'll add it to my TBReR pile and give it another chance.

# 28 that sounds like a good one, added it to my mounting tbr pile!
Starting The Night Monster by James Swain. It is the third in his Jack Carpenter series.

I'm most of the way through Donna Leon's Death at La Fenice for my library's mystery book club. It's taking a long time to develop.

#27 I'd love to know how what you think of Mission Canyon. I started Gardiners' The Dirty Secrets Club last night and almot finished it. Obviously it moved at a very fast pace :) but I have about 40 pages to go and I still haven't figured it out.

I've started The Last Camel Died at Noon by Elizabeth Peters - it's the sixth Amelia Peabody murder mystery. When I grow up, I want to be Ms Peabody.

Started The Beach by Alex Garland. 38 pages in, Not sure yet seems easy to put down.

Hi Cindy- I read The Beach a few years ago and loved it, so I suggest hanging in there. Avoid the film version though! Any luck with picking up any Charlie Huston?

#15 cameling: I found it all too predictable, saw most of the plot twists coming and found others preposterous. The characters did not interest me. The main character lusts after the wrong men. I would have liked more historical information on Caravaggio and the Surrealists. Altogether, it was a very mediocre read. I did finish it, and it was disappointing to the end.

Hi Mark- I checked out my library. They carry Charlie Huston's books. Right now they only have two on the shelves. Not the ones I need to start with. Just shows how poplar he is. I will just have to keep checking.

Jericho's Fall by Stephen L. Carter. Am really loving it. Read his first novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park, and although it was good (and gorgeously written), it was a bit slow and stately for my jaded thriller taste. This one is moving along at a brisk, twisty--but once again, beautifully written--pace.

edited to smooth out my writing and fix my typos (you'd think that three sentences wouldn't need smoothing out and fixing, wouldn't you? guess I'm a little distracted...)

Message edited by its author, Nov 4, 2009, 1:36pm.

About to begin Bones to Ashes. I like this series and one you can count on when you need something compelling but not challenging, if you know what I mean...

Just finished The Torso. Good read. Now I am starting Six Suspects which has been given reviews all across the board. I have had it on reserve twice now -- so I hope it will be worth it!

Currently I am reading Rules of Prey by John Sandford. I read two of the later books from the Prey Series so i figured I may as well start fom the begining and read all 20 (well, the 18 that are left) in order.

I've also got Lost Light, The Last Coyote, and City of Bones by Michael Connelly on my book shelf.

Hopefully they will get me to the end of the year!

Message edited by its author, Nov 5, 2009, 7:58am.

Gave up on Crime Brulee and picked up Tumbling Blocks ... reading Benni Harper is like wearing comfy old sweats. Hits the spot right now.

On much the same theory, I'm reading The Fugitive Queen by Fiona Buckley.

City of Bones is an excellent read.

Still reading The Beach by Alex Garland. AM now getting into it. Also teading Christmas Promise by Anne Perry. Must get it back to the library soon.

James Ellroy American Underworld in one go.
American Tabloid Nov 1-7
The Cold Six Thousand Nov 7-
Bloods A Rover to follow

For my RL mystery book group I have to read books by Margaret Maran, in the Deborah Knott series this month. They are set in the south and her family is from the wrong side of the tracks and she becomes a judge and may have to battle the old-boy-network as well as criminals. Have to finish my SF book first and then I will start Bootlegger's Daughter.

Finished The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson and just loved it. I think i'll strart The Expert by Lee Gruenfeld.

Hard Case Crime has a deal going for some of their books. If you're a member, you can get 5 for $1 each, but you have to call them to order. It came to $11 with shipping, but I'm a closer to having their full collection now. Just 15 more & I'll have the whole thing. Not bad for a year's collecting.

I'm starting The Killing of the Tinkers by Ken Bruen. It is the 2nd in his Jack Taylor Irish crime series. I loved his first entry The Guards.

Message edited by its author, Nov 8, 2009, 10:04am.

Reading Patterson's "Cat and Mouse" while waiting in the car. I drive SassySinger from place to place - but mostly up the wall.
Started Stout's "The League of Frightened Men" at home after finishing Fer-de-lance yesterday.

Andrew Peterson's First to Kill, an adequate, if sometimes excruciatingly formulaic, thriller about strong silent sniper Nathan McBride.

I am in the middle of Folly du Jour by Barbara Cleverly, an author I just discovered and whom I am quite enjoying. I will definitely seek other books in this series (Joe Sandilands).

I've just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and now I'm starting The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

I've just finished The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner and absolutely loved it. I've read some a few of the earlier Lisa Gardner books, but except for the first 2, I've not read the others in sequence. I don't think, though, that I'm missing out on anything by reading them out of order because they're pretty much individual stories.

I'm now reading Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston that msf59 enthusiastically recommended.

>cameling- I'd listen to him, if I were you! He's a pretty sharp guy!

#55> echoui, The Angel's Game is ok, imho, but, if you have not read them yet, both The Shadow of the Wind and Marina are far better, especially the first.

I'm reading The Fugitive Queen by Fiona Buckley. I think the series is petering out . . .

Just began the 3rd Inspector Rutledge post WWI mystery, Search the Dark, by Charles Todd.

I LOVED The Shadow of the Wind, not so much The Angel's Game. What is Marina about and who wrote it?

I just finished Plum Pudding Murder by Joann Fluke. I'm waiting impatiently for my copy of Steven Havill's new book Red, Green or Murder from Amazon.

Finished When the Sacred Ginmill Closes and started rereading In a Dry Season, as discussed, above.

#63, I saw that you really liked When the Sacred Ginmill Closes it's on my list for next year. I didn't read your review so as not to "spoil" it for myself. I had to take a break from Peter Robinson for a while, I was devouring them pretty much back to back, but I am looking forward to finishing the series!

Am a bit over 1/2 way through Wicked Prey which I've had kicking around since May. Now that Sandford has diverged with that fucking Flowers, he doesn't put out as many Davenport novels. Not sure if that's good or bad.

Target by Simon Kernick

Just finished Black Echo by Michael Connelly. Interesting characters, intricate plot, loved maverick Harry. I decided to read Connelly in order.

Now reading The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell....a most enjoyable author.

Just finished Murder in Pug's Parlour by Amy Myers, cosy Victorian country house mystery with some great period detail.

Just finished City of Bones by Michael Connelly. Thought it was very good but some elements of the story could have been tied together better and some of the character development on the minor characters could have been a little more in-depth but it was very entertaining and overall a very good book.

Started The Last Coyote last night, also by Michael Connelly. There's just something appealing to me about reading a series out of order. Makes reading the earlier books interesting and helps to keep the later ones fresh in your mind.

#61> AndieG, Marina is another book by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The style is the same, dark and disturbing, and the story is quite good. I honestly do not know whether it has been translated into English (I read it in Italian), but if it has, I suggest you get a copy.

#64 - I didn't write much of a review of When the Sacred Ginmill Closes. Just a few words about why I liked it. Generally, I like all the Matt Scudder books I have read, and I think I've only missed one or two. I'm about half way through In a Dry Season. Liking it better the second time around.

I am just passing the middle mark of Killing Floor by Lee Child, and enjoying the book very much. I've never read Lee Child before, but we have several of his books in our personal library, waiting to be read. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I have In A Dry Season in our TBR pile also. Will have to check it out soon.

Thanks I'm going to check that out. Were you disappointed in The Angel's Game? I had really high hopes for it and it just didn't live up to them. I hope his next one is as good as Shadow,

I am reading Falling Off Air by Catherine Sampson. So far it's just ok.

> etrainer- I was a big fan of Lawrence Block and have read several Matthew Scudder books, with Eight Million Ways To Die being one of the best crime novels I've ever read. I also enjoyed Block's Burglar series!

>msf59 - I've liked every one of the Scudder books. I came to Block late because I read the first Burgler book years ago - Burglers Can't be Choosers - and I didn't like it. It was too 'light' for me. I didn't know about the Scudder books back then and I never picked up another Block until on LT I began to hear praise for Matthew Scudder.

Do the Burgler books get better than that first one? I see more of them in the used book stores than the Scudder series. Maybe I should give them another chance.

Off to look up the chronology of the the two series and to double check that Choosers is the first . . .

It seems the Scudder and Burgler books were being turned out beginning in the late 70's. The data on the Burglers Can't be Choosers page looks like it is wrong - giving a 1970 publication date. Block's website looks pretty interesting.

Looks like Burglars Can't Be Choosers is 1977. Yes, they go back quite a ways!

#73> AndieG, yes, I was disappointed in The Angel's Game. Let's hope for the next.

#72, porchsitter55...I have the whole Lee Child series awaiting, and I have heard nothing but good about it. Love to hear your thoughts when you finish this one.

Message edited by its author, Nov 11, 2009, 12:15pm.

#80, I only gave "The Killing Floor" 2.5 stars. It was entertaining, but the plot wasn't particularly well done. The writing could have been better, too.

#81 ...thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it, good or bad. ;)

I've never quite understood the buzz about the Lee Child books. I tried one or two and found them a little too over-the-top for my taste. What do others think?

Ok, so these aren’t high art or “literature” in the snooty “I only read authors you’ve never heard of and who have been dead for 100 years” way. They’re pulp in the purest sense and I love them. They’re suspenseful not in the sense that will Reacher get out of whatever mess he’s gotten into, but how. It’s like watching MacGuyver; there’s no doubt he will survive to next week’s episode, but you watch to see what he’ll do, what crazy tricks he’ll employ and for comeuppance of the crooks. Those looking for strict plausibility need not apply.

Read more: http://thebookmarque.blogspot.com/2009/0...

#84 Bookmarque - Fair enough! Your description of the books is good. And it's certainly a valid reason for liking the books. I never watched MacGuyver, and I guess Reacher is just not my cup of tea. Although plausibility is not always a requirement for me. I still read some science fiction, and often plausibility is not in anyway a part of the picture!

And I hope I didn't give off any snooty or 'high art' vibe. Believe me, I've got NOTHING to be snooty about.

no you didn't, etrainer, that's just the first paragraph of a much longer piece on my affair with Jack Reacher. The page the link goes to has the rest of it.

Jack Reacher is my cup of tea, too, so this is fun to read. The first book certainly is a fair representative of the series, so if you like Killing Floor, you should like the rest.

I remember how happy I was when I read the first one, liked it, and realized so many were already in print!

Edited for grammar screw-up.

Message edited by its author, Nov 11, 2009, 4:57pm.

See there! I didn't check the link before responding!

I know I have been praising Charlie Huston like he's the second coming but after just finishing The Killing of the Tinkers by Ken Bruen. I might have to shift the top spot to this great Irish crime writer. It is the 2nd in his Jack Taylor series and it is awe-inspiring! Bruen is a noir poet! Wow!

I finally finished The Repossession Mambo by Eric Garcia. It is a SF book for a RL book group. Strange symmetry with the Health Care debate.

In the future commerce runs the show, to the point that they will sell you an artificial organ, at usurious rates of interest, and if you default they send out the Repo man who will extract your organ(s) and leave you dead - all legally protected.

It was full of black humor, and it had a SF premise, but it didn't do much with it, and it was too long.

I am now starting Bootlegger's Daughter by Margaret Maron. It is for my RL mystery group. It is the start of the Deborah Knott series.

Finally started Darkly Dreaming Dexter of the Dexter series. Liking it so far.

I dumped One Big Damn Puzzler for general vulgarity and moved on to Disquiet, Please!, a collection of humor writing from the New Yorker. Much better.

I just started The Brutal Telling, the fifth in Louise Penny's Three Pines series featuring Chief Inspector Gamache.

I've just started Traitor's Kiss by Gerald Seymour. He's one of those authors I know I can count on to deliver a great story.

Currently enjoying Peculiar, MO by Robert Williams. Almost 3/4 of the way in and hoping to finish up tonight or tomorrow. Love my Kindle to explore new authors!!

Am about 1/2 through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and am glad the short, staccato chapters have ceased for the mo. Very annoying.

Thank you to everyone upthread for discussing In a Dry Season. I borrowed it from the library a couple of days ago and although I'm only 60 or so pages in, it looks like a winner!

Just read 'Where Serpents Sleep' by C.S. Harris in a single sitting. Fourth is in the Regency-setSebastian St Cyr books.

I just ordered What Angels Fear, the first in the Sebastian St Cyr's series.

Message edited by its author, Nov 13, 2009, 7:26am.

I finished up Chosen Prey by John Sandford and also Lost Light by Michael Connelly yesterday.

I'm not sure whether I should go for The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver next, which is a book and author I've never read, or whether I should go for The Innocent by Harlan Coben, who is an author I've read. I've only read one of his books, a Myron Bolitar book, but this one is a stand alone.

Help me decide!

I'm reading "Bone by Bone" by Carol O'Connell and am loving it so far.

#100 Deaver is excellent! But I think the first in the series is The Bone Collector if, like me, you have to read the first in the series, first. Coben is also excellent!!
Just started Shadow Man by Cody McFadyen and so far it is excellent. Found it, of course, on LT!!

Full Dark House a Peculiar Crimes Unit mystery by Christopher Fowler. Fun and clever!

@102 - I actually prefer to read series' out of order. I guess it forces you to remember what you've already read to either make sense out of something later or fully understand what you're reading earlier.

Reading No Word from Winifred by Amanda Cross. Slow start, but has getting better.

#97 - I just finished In a Dry Season (for the second time) yesterday. I liked it better the second time around. Excellent premise, I still was somewhat unsatisfied. I have some ideas why, but I won't give them here to avoid detracting from your read. I would like to hear your opinion after you finish it.

#100 I believe Coffin Dancer is the only Jeffery Deaver I've read (I have it in my library), but I've read all the Harlan Coben's. I vote for The Innocent.

I finished A Carrion Death this morning. It has its rough spots (it is, after all, a first novel), but I enjoyed the story. This novel is the first detective book I've read that is set in Botswana, and I found the descriptions of the land and the people quite interesting.

Message edited by its author, Nov 13, 2009, 4:12pm.

I am just about finished with The Cruelest Month and not sure what will be next, it's a tough decision!

#106 I want to know your thoughts about In a Dry Season maybe you can send me a message on my profile page, I am interested in your thoughts. I don't want to spoil anything. for those who haven't read it or finished it yet.

I finished Bootlegger's Daughter by Margaret Maron. It was for my RL book group. It is the first of the Deborah Knott aeries.

It is set in NC and about a lawyer who becomes a judge in her county. The mystery was an old murder that was unsolved, and the investigation caused more murders to happen. It wasn't bad, though it had a lot of extraneous people. It gave a feeling of reality, but I couldn't keep straight who was who and how they were related. Now reading Uncommon Clay by Margaret Maron, and number 8 in the same series.

I'm not sure I should say because you might think that A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away. One of the half dozen of Christopher Brookmyre's books that I haven't yet got around to reading.

Finished No Word From Winifred. I gave it 3 stars but not sure why. It was probably the worse mystery I have ever read. May be I will go back and change my stars. ;-p

Just finished an early Tess Gerritsen called Stolen. I'm normally a fan but this was awful. I think I was put off from the very start when she called one of her main characters Jordan. I have nothing against the name but a member of the English landed gentry would not be called Jordan. The plot was plodding and predictable. Will definitely stick to her later work from now on.

Have to agree with you Tope96, Tess Gerritsen's later books are so much better than her earlier works. I'm just finishing Mission Canyon by Meg Gardiner before moving on to The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell.

Reading Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger. One of the pet peeves I have is when women act really dumb. The confusing thing about this one is that while the story is somewhat intriguing, one minute the woman protagonist is acting smart, the next she is doing "DUMB THINGS". Also, tired of reading about how ripped the (lots of red flags, but when she looks deep into his face she can tell what a good person he is) love interest is. Now I'm wondering why I am still reading this.

Just finished Shadow Man by Cody McFadyn. Excellent book, couldn't put it down. Going to check and see if he's written any more books. Hope so!

>109
I wasn't crazy about the mystery in Bootlegger's Daughter but I got hooked on the characters and the world Margaret Maron created, and have read every one of the Deborah Knott books. Uncommon Clay was a good one, although Deborah spends most of it away from home.

>111
I remember reading No Word From Winifred quite a while ago; my reaction after finishing it was more or less, "Huh."

I'm just finishing up The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It started prety slow, but it's picking up speed now. I guess I'm a sucker (pun intended) for a good Dracula yarn.

Message edited by its author, Nov 14, 2009, 11:00pm.

I started Jar City by Arnaldur Indridasen. I've heard such good things about this series, set in Iceland, that I had to give it a try.

116 -Rosalita, Yes the mysteries are a bit lite, but the characters are great. I also like that there is a subject for each story. I am hooked too.

I really liked Uncommon Clay (Potters) and then I read Slow Dollar (Carnies) and High Country Fall (Gentrification) all by Margaret Moran.

I checked and my B&N has the rest of those in the series out in PB, in stock. So I will be picking them up today or tomorrow.

Not sure I will go back in time before Uncommon Clay though. I like the Dwight development and don't want to read about her adventures with the others.

I am now starting My Dead Body by Charlie Huston. I like vampires too, but not The Historian.

Message edited by its author, Nov 15, 2009, 1:16pm.

I too like Margaret Maron's characters, and have read the entire series.

I just finished two by Peter Robinson, Playing with Fire and Strange Affair. I liked both of then although they are different. In Strange Affair Banks is in London following up on the disappearance of his brother.

Now for a complete change of pace I am re-reading The Novice's Tale, a Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries by Margaret Frazer. I may go on and reread the series...

Quaker Witness by Irene Allen

Finished up The Innocent by Harlan Coben, and moved on to Pop Goes The Weasel by James Patterson.

I only bought the Patterson becasue I was out in the boondocks and finished my Coben book. I can get all the Patterson books free from my father, but he lives a bit away so I only have limited access. I also received a Nelson DeMille book from an employee, who is an author I've never read, so that goes into the "to be read" shelf in my bookcase.

Finished Louise Penny's The Brutal Telling, as good as its predecessors - what's in store for Three Pines now? Still working on Agatha Christie's A Pocketful of Rye - why did he have that grain in his pocket?

I read Child's Killing Floor a short while back and loved it. For me it was as if Reacher was a blank canvas and Child starts filling it in right in front of you. All you get with the first book is this faint
pencil outline. I can't wait to get started on the next one, but unfortunately it will be early next year.

McCoog40-- I have to read series in order, but I know lots of folks who can jump around. As I am up to City of Bones in the Bosch series, I can say that reading out of order for this series really isn't a great idea. Connelly works backstories into every installment. And he has 2 crossovers as well with his Terry McCaleb and Jack McEvoy series.

This is the first time I am posting, so I hope I did this hyperlink right.
I am reading: The Killing Cyrcle

It is a mystery/thriller that involves a book writing circle. I think I read about it in Bookmarks magazine.

Christine

Message edited by its author, Nov 17, 2009, 8:25am.

I love M.C. Beaton's mysteries with Hamish Macbeth, the Scottish detective. But I've read them all. Does anybody know of anything similar?

I love M.C. Beaton's mysteries with Hamish Macbeth, the Scottish detective. But I've read them all. Does anybody know of anything similar?

#122 Oh! A Pocketful of Rye is one of my most favorite Miss Marple books ever! I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Since Nov 1, I have read:
The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
Boundary Waters and Purgatory Ridge both by William Kent Krueger
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale.

Am currently reading: Death Without Company by Craig Johnson

All are rural mysteries. Johnson's are set in Wyoming and Krueger's are set in Minnesota; both have interaction with native Americans. Lansdale's was set in deep south during 1930s depression.

125> I'm a Hamish MacBeth fan too. I suggest you try Rhys Bowen's Constable Evans mysteries. Evans is a constable in a small Welsh town. I like them a lot.

>125 She also writes under the name Marion Chesney. I liked Snobbery with Violence.

I am 1/3 of the way through The Memory Collector and really am loving it. I also enjoyed the first Beckett The Dirty Secrets Club too -- but I hope she hasn't abandoned her Evan Delaney series!

Has anyone tried Margaret Maron's first series about Sigrid Harald? I so loved the character that I named one of my cats after her! I also met Margaret Maron back in the early ninties and what a hoot she was! Also very gracious and had such a shining personality.

>>>124 Welcome, Christine!

debavp - I've read four of the Harry Bosch books in no particular order, and I'm happy to say I've been able to understand enough the backstories going on. Sure, I don't always get the story straight each time, but its always fun to pop back on a book and realize something new.

I finished Pop Goes The Weasel and moved on to The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver. I'm not sure how much I like the idea of a quadrapalegic solving murders and catching killers, but I'll give it a shot.

>124 Christine - welcome! Nice job with the touchstones. It took me a while to figure that out. They're not perfect, and get screwed up sometimes.

>127 Porua - yes, I'm enjoying it. Ms. Marple just showed up because of Gladys. What's happened so far is quite puzzling. :-)

Because I read that someone else here is reading The Last Coyote, I decided to read it also, better yet I think I have started reading them in order even if I forgot some of the earlier plot details.

#111 - Although it was years ago, I've read all of Amanda Cross's Kate Fansler mysteries, and enjoyed all except Honest Doubt which had a really dumb ending. I love all the literary allusions in the series.

#s 125 & 129 - I, too, love the Hamish Macbeth series, but couldn't think of anything comparable. I'll have to try the Constable Evans books.

Currently reading Where Echoes Live by Marcia Muller.

#134 Glad to know that you are enjoying it! I can feel a re-read of all three volumes of the Miss Marple Omnibus coming up for me!

Am reading Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, same as Jim in message 32, and loving it even in chapter 3. It looks like it'll be a pretty fast read.

I have an Alan Furst out of the library - The Foreign Correspondent - and Zoo Station by David Downing. Hopefully I'll get to them before they're due back...both look great and my eyes were bigger than my brain!

>131 I've read a few of the Sigrid Harald books by Margaret Maron; One Coffee With being the first one I read. The first time around I didn't like it at all because I couldn't figure out the main character. After re-reading it and a couple of others, I came around to enjoying them. They are very different from the Deborah Knott series, but quite good in their own way. I think the actual mystery takes more of prominent role in the Harald books than the Knott books, although that may just be me.

I brought Gaudy Night on a train ride last week and then had to move onto Busman's Honeymoon. It's nice to revisit Peter Wimsey every once in a while.

Finishing up Christopher Fowler's first Peculiar Crimes Unit mystery, Full Dark House. Up next: Pet Sematary for the November group read over at the King's Dear Constant Readers group.

And for a little avian nonfiction, Crow Planet.

#141> BeckyJG, how did you like Full Dark House? I really enjoyed it.

Just started The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell - about 70 pages in and it's moving along nicely. Finished reading my first Meg Gardiner book Mission Canyon, which was a fast-paced, no-frills, easy-to-read thriller.

# 131: libshea - I'm also a fan of the Sigrid Harald series, wish there were more. Every now & then there's a teaser about Maron doing another, no luck so far.
If you like Sigrid, have you tried Kathy Mallory? The first book is Mallory's Oracle.

#142 I'm liking it a lot. I've had my eye on this series for a while. The covers are charming (who says you can't judge a book by its cover?), and what's inside them is not disappointing. I intend to read more.

Back to Brookmyre I go with The Sacred Art of Stealing.

Hello everyone, joined in today on library thing. hope to interact a lot more here.
I am currently reading . The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson , the third book in the millenium trilogy . As good as the first two .

> meghnamg- Welcome aboard! This is a great place!

Just picked up Clouds of Witness in a two-book edition found at a local Goodwill ... only had time to read enough to be a little fuzzled over who's whom. Hoping to get the hang of it over the weekend.

#146 --Oh! Brookmyre's on my list...is he fun? I have Quite Ugly One Morning wishlisted, because I love the title.

edited for typos

Message edited by its author, Nov 19, 2009, 3:05pm.

I just joined Library Thing as well. I'm currently reading The Dying Light by Henry Porter and rereading The American by Andrew Britton.

@150 Becky, This is the 8th book of his that I've read this year with only 1 of those that I'd rate as less than a good read (that being the last of the Parlabane series being just above average). The first of that series, which you have wishlisted, is a very good place to start. He's often referred to as being the British equivalent to Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard. If you've read any of their books then you might know what to expect. Some of the things he writes are not pleasant but if you don't mind a bit of gore and profanity with the often hilarious situations and dialogue then you should be fine.

Just finished On the Grind by Stephen J Cannell, pretty good.

just got the doom machine almost finshed

I'm reading Studio Sex by Liza Marklund. An interesting and exciting Scandinavian thriller.

I'm reading J.R.L Anderson Liget i Themsen, which claims to be Death in the city translated to Danish.
I wonder if that is correct, though.
So I don't really know what I'm reading :-)

Message edited by its author, Nov 20, 2009, 11:14am.

I am totally loving Uncivil Seasons

>boekenwijs- Another interesting Scandinavian thriller? Wow! I'll have to jot that one down too! Question: is Iceland considered Scandinavian? Because I'm nearly done with Jar City and it has been outstanding! I'm loving it even more than Henning Mankell's first novel.

I've just finished Qiu Xiaolong's A Case of Two Cities, the fourth Inspector Chen Cao mystery. There's a lot more exposition in this one. A lot of the novel takes place in the US, which, since a lot of the pleasure in the series (for me) is the depiction of life in Shanghai during the '90's, is not an asset. Still, it's a good series, and I plan to go to Red Mandarin Dress.

Ah, jonesli, Michael Malone is one my favorites and not well enough known in my view.

Just finished re-reading The Poet by Michael Connelly - great stuff. I'm sure the poet crops up again in another of his books - can anyone remember which one?

(edited for terrible typing!)

Message edited by its author, Nov 20, 2009, 9:03am.

Currently reading Chinaman's Chance by Ross Thomas after completing The Ivory Grin and The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald.

# 161 Looks like he shows up again in The Narrows. I love Connelly's stuff.

Michael Connelly's web site conveniently lists appearences. http://michaelconnelly.com/Book_Collecti...

kevinbutterfield - hooray for another Ross Thomas reader! He's a forgotten genius in my opinion and Chinaman's Chance is one of his best. Love him...often imitated, never duplicated.

And how was The Ivory Grin? I've only read The Moving Target, but have vowed to read more Ross MacDonald.

What...were you on an authors named Ross kick?? : )

Message edited by its author, Nov 20, 2009, 5:04pm.

About halfway into Plague Ship by Clive Cussler

I've just started Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced.

Message edited by its author, Nov 20, 2009, 3:47pm.

#158, msf59, geographically I wouldn't call Iceland Scandinavian, but I can imagine that their thrillers are comparable. But I never read somthing Icelandic, as far as I can remember....

I picked up as a short novel (I'm reading a non-crime chunkster, so needed something smaller to fit into a handbag as Mum was taking me out to a Nice Lunch, so no standard uniform of t-shirt/backpack/jeans allowed) - Eric Ambler's The Mask of Dimitrios. I'm enjoying it immensely, and Mum was chuffed to see it as it turns out Dad's just started reading crime/thrillers and his birthday's coming up... (Not to mention Xmas.)

I'm going to head over to that recommendations-for-new-readers thread and take some notes and see what I can find in the local second hand shop for him. (He generally buys books for $1, so he'll appreciate some thrift from me. ;)

And thanks to whichever LT hero it was who recommended Ambler! (Although I think it was over on the Reading Globally group...)

>boekenwijs- Thanks, yes I also didn't think Iceland was Scandinavian, I just wanted to make sure but yes it does compare to those dark moody thrillers!

If there's such a thing as humorous noir then I'm now reading it with Aberystwyth Mon Amour by Malcolm Pryce.

#167 A Murder Is Announced, the first Agatha Christie book I ever read! I remember reading it on the bus while on a trip with my dad. My love for Agatha Christie's books and Miss Marple began with this one. Hope you enjoy it, mstrust!

I just started Déjà Dead last night. So far, so good.

It's a little bizarre reading a novel set in one's hometown... I went out for a bit of shopping earlier. Stopped for a smoke in a park and decided to crack it open, only to end up reading about the very same park and the funky houses surrounding it.

Message edited by its author, Nov 21, 2009, 3:11pm.

#173 CKmtl...How cool is that!?!

Generally it's pretty cool. It's a bit disconcerting when there are serial killers concerned, though.

The park and funky houses, for the curious.

Those houses are beautiful!!!!

Tucked The Crepes of Wrath by Tamar Myers into my work bag for a no-brainer lunch hour read.

Message edited by its author, Nov 22, 2009, 8:49am.

On my Margaret Maron Deborah Knott kick I also read Rituals of the Season in ebook format. Loved the book and the ebook format. I have the remaining 3 in PB and may get the one in HC as an ebook. Really love the series.

I finished My Dead Body by Charlie Huston, and read Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett, a cozy set in a fictional town down the road from me. Part of the Booktown series which I also love.

I am now reading City of Refuge by D.M Wilder. It is historical, set in ancient Egypt, but also has a mystery. A group is going into the cursed and abandoned city of Amarna and death, theft and revenge are afoot.

Touchstones not workig this morning :(

CKmtl- how lucky you are to have that as your local park.

#172 Porua- I am enjoying A Murder Is Announced. My first Christie was Pocketful of Rye, which hooked me. I still have a soft spot for that one.

I am currently working on The Father's Day Murder by Leslie Meier. A cluster headache is keeping me from finishing it. I have been in pain for 7 days now. Ouch!!!!

#179 A Pocketful of Rye and A Murder Is Announced are both my favorites. I just love these books! Glad you are enjoying A Murder Is Announced, mstrust!

Going to start reading The Emperor's Snuff-Box by John Dickson Carr. My second Carr book this year after The Hollow Man or The Three Coffins.

#175 CKmtl

Cool, indeed. Gorgeous pics. Thank you.

Edited to add that I've recently finished Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason. A very good Icelandic mystery.

Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2009, 6:30am.

I'm reading "The Poe Shadow" by Matthew Pearl...a mystery within a suspense story; the main character looks into the mystery of the death of Edgar A. Poe while others try to prevent him from finding the answers.

Re-reading The Courtship Gift which came out 10 years ago. After this I might purge it though.

Third Girl by Agatha Christie

It's as much or more about Mrs. Oliver as it is about Hercule Poirot, and I always enjoy her appearances in Christie's books.

It's not her best by a long shot, but it's been so long since I've read it, that I don't remember how it ends. That makes it very appealing.

Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2009, 7:51pm.

That is so funny, I am reading Third Girl also.

#186 & 187 Third Girl is among the later works of Agatha Christie. I generally am not a fan of her later works but this one is actually better that most of them. And I agree with y2pk about Mrs. Oliver. I enjoy her appearances in Christie's books too and have read all of the stories with her in them (including the Parker Pyne ones).

I'm halfway through The ninth daughter by Barbara Hamilton, a mystery set in Boston just prior to the War of Independence.

Have just discovered Cody McFadyen, too - absolutely unputdownable!

All this talk of Agatha Christie has me antsy! She's one of my categories for my 1010 read next year, but now I don't know if I can wait!

I just finished The Chocolate Cupid Killing by Joanna Carl and am going to start Red, Green and Murder by Steven Havill

I'll add to the Agatha Christie buzz, mstrust, Porua and DeltaQueen50 - and wouldn't she be pleased to still have us buzzing? I just finished A Pocketful of Rye and found out why he had the grain in his pocket, among other things. I can see why it's a favorite.

Now you've got me curious about A Murder is Announced and Third Girl, and my daughter has highly recommended her Endless Night, which is the next one up for me.

Starting The Feathery for the weekend. I've heard good things.

#193 Always happy to create a buzz for Agatha Christie! About A Pocketful of Rye, isn't the way the rhyme is used in the mystery clever? Haven't read Endless Night yet as it is one of Christie's later books and I'm not really fond of those but my mom loves it!

Taking first steps into Jack Reacher's world down on the Killing Floor.

I recommend Endless Night! No Poirot or Marple but quite sinister and well done.

Good for Porua and me to hear about Endless Night, mstrust. So far it's got me hooked. My daughter is a big Christie fan, so I figured it must be a good one.

Porua, yes, the use of the rhyme in A Pocketful of Rye is very clever. Everything fits, and yet how can it - and why would it? :-)

#191, I have an Agatha Christie category for my 1010 Challenge also. Right now I am reading The Underdog and Other Stories.

Just finished Four Corners of the Night by Craig Holden. Highly recommend this dark crime novel with its excellent characterization, suspense, and interesting interweaving of the past and present in the lives of two boyhood friends, cops and partners.

> Wolfy; have fun with Jack. Many hours of great if improbable victories. He's almost superhuman, but he sure is fun. The kind of hero you want when you're feelin' kinda low and sorta wanna beat someone up.

Message edited by its author, Nov 25, 2009, 4:34pm.

#200 I agree that Four Corners of Night is really exceptional.

#198 It's good to know that your daughter is a big Christie fan. In my family it has become like a family tradition. My mom is a huge Christie fan and so was my grandma. Now I'm carrying on the tradition after being introduced to her books at an early age.

#199 I love reading short stories and The Under Dog from The Under Dog and Other Stories is one of my favorite Poirot short stories. Hope you enjoy it!

#199 - jonesli, I'm going to star your 1010 thread so that we can compare our Agatha reads next year!

Edit to add: I started The Coffin Trail by Martin Edwards this morning. Only 2 chapters in and it's already shaping up into a great read. This is my first book by him but I have two more on my TBR shelves to look forward to.

Message edited by its author, Nov 26, 2009, 1:00pm.

I'm reading Cinnamon Kiss by Walter Mosley.

#196 I just recently read The Killing Floor and absolutely loved it.

#190 Sophie236, which McFayden are you reading?

I finished The City of Refuge by Diana Wilder. It was an historical mystery set in ancient Egypt. I enjoyed it, though the start was a bit bumpy in terms of the writing. Several mysteries, great descriptions, and good characters.

I am about to start another book in the Judge Deborah Knott series by Margaret Maron, Winter's Child.

I'm on p168 of 191 reading Blind Man with a Pistol, by Chester Himes; but it's really not holding my interest- I'm tired of the number of women's crotches that have been seen...

Last night I watched 'Gomorrah', based on the book Gomorra: Italy's other Mafia by Roberto Saviano. The toxic waste dumping part reminded me of Donna Leon's Death in a Strange Country... I have An Anonymous Venetian TBR, maybe I'll dump Chester and head for this instead...

Just started Spy Hook by Len Deighton, my first from this author. As I've always had a secret love of espionage thrillers, it's about time.

Alternating between Cold is the Grave and The Hollow. I think the next one will be The Doorbell Rang.

I finished Winter's Child by Margaret Maron in the Judge Deborah Knott series. I also read Hard Row and Death's Half Acre also by Margaret Maron in the same series. There is one more book left Sand Sharks, and it is in HC. I am not sure I can wait for it to go into PB or if I will break down and get it on Kindle.

Really love the series, specifically the characters.

>210 Oh! I didn't know there was a new Deborah Knott book! I wish you hadn't told me that -- now I have the same dilemma you do, to buy HC (a big no-no for me these days) or wait. I suspect a trip to the library may be in order...

I finished Where Echoes Live by Marcia Muller and really enjoyed it. I had previously read one of her earlier Sharon McCone mysteries, which was good, but this was much better. I've also read and enjoyed one of her Elena Oliverez mysteries, and someday want to read the Oliverez mystery she cowrote with her husband, Bill Pronzini, Beyond the Grave, which goes back and forth in time between her character in 1986 and his in 1894. It was recommended in They Died in Vain: Overlooked, Underappreciated and Forgotten Mystery Novels, a little book I've found to be a great resource.

Currently reading The Five Bells and Bladebone, the 9th Richard Jury mystery by Martha Grimes. I'm more than halfway thru and a new twist really has me (and Jury) puzzled.

Finished A Tuscan Termination by Margaret Moore and Death of a Minor Character by E.X. Ferrars and now I'm reading Tears of the Dragon set in in 1930's Chicago by Holly Baxter.

#205 I've read the first two - Shadow Man and The Face of Death - I picked up the second one in a local charity shop and read it first, which was a mistake - you definitely need to read these in order! His others are on my BookMooch wishlist, so fingers crossed ...!

Now reading Die a Little by Megan Abbott set in 1950's Los Angeles--It's much better.

I just wrapped up Finger Lickin Fifteen and it was a total snore. Same ole stuff that I have grown weary of.
Next on the list is the cruel stars of the night which I am really looking forward to, as I loved the princess of burundi.

The 39 Steps, because I saw this at the LA music Center:

I'm in the dark because somebody has turned the Lights Out. It's my first Jason Starr book.

I just started The Ministry of Fear by Graham Greene. Wartime London mistaken identity wreaks havoc.

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but the Hard Case Crime line of books is pretty good. They're not ALL just tough guys. Right now I'm reading Valley of Fear which is a Sherlock Holmes adventure. Before that it was one by Jonny Porkpie which was pretty racy. They also had one by Stephen King (the pits) plus the more usual stuff by Mickey Spillane, Lawrence Block & others that I really enjoy.

Right now is a great time to visit them. If you're a book club member, you can get most any book for $1 plus shipping. I finished up the collection today for $25. That's 17 books plus $8 shipping.

http://www.hardcasecrime.com/

Check out the cover art there. It's really good.

I am reading The Likeness by Tana French. It is her follow up to In the Woods, and so far I prefer it.

About to start Deborah Crombie's Necessary as Blood

Reading The Brutal Telling along with my Civil War book. Since the Civil War book is pretty big to haul around.

Having read, and enjoyed, the three books in the Jean-Claude Izzo Marseille trilogy, I ordered The Lost Sailors. It just arrived.

I'm listening to U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton. Free download from my library's Overdrive collection.