Off-Topic Spring Reading 2015 - Page 2

Demeris · 03-03-15, 07:17 AM

Good morning readers. I hope you are all well. I come to this thread with a request, and I'm throwing myself at your mercy and your expertise. I'm looking for good mysteries.

I love a good, well written mystery or a detective story--it can be police procedural, amateur sleuth cozy, or historical (my favorite historical mystery was The Name of the Rose).

I can tell you that I'm NOT fond of James Patterson (I've read only his first Ladies Club novel and was disappointed by how clunky it was and how .5 dimensional his women were, or John Ford (his bad guys are too dark and that world is too bleak for me), or JD Robb (again, a bleak world and I don't need graphic sexual detail with my mystery/detective story).

I do like Walter Moseley and Michael Connolly and Alan Brady and Lee Childs.

Who tells a good mystery tale and tells it well? Thank you in advance.

As for what I'm reading: I'm reading one of the Richard Castle stories and some knitting novel by a Brit. I'm not fond of the Castle novels, but it was all I could find at the library (I like the humor and the mystery part--Nikki Heat doesn't resonate with me as a woman. I like her strength and her fortitude and the gumption she has to stand up to very bad guys, but about matters of the heart, she's too cavalier for my tastes).

Laura S. · 03-03-15, 09:05 AM

It's good to see you Demeris. I gave you some recommendations in that other thread, but I came up with another one. Tami Hoag writes some good mysteries. They are darker than what I usually read, but keep me engaged.

BunnyHop · 03-03-15, 10:23 AM

Hi Demeris, glad to help out, love talking books.

My two favorite mystery writers currently putting out new books these days?
Louise Penny (first one: Still Life) and Alan Bradley (Flavia De Luce series starts with The Sweetness at the bottom of the Pie)

The Penny books do get a bit dark sometimes (later in the series, IIRC) but the humor and charm of much of the rest creates an intriguing world I want to keep reading about.

The Margaret Frazer book I mention in a post above isn't gruesome, dark or creepy, just mysterious so far. Going in I expected it to be one of those 'trip over a corpse in the first chapter' books, but this isn't that sort. Will someone die eventually? Not sure, but the story has my attention.

This year I've been logging my books-read in at GoodReads, just to see what I read that I like, and get a better sense of which books I want to finish. (the number of books I haven't been able to finish is huge, but it has helped me figure out what I'm currently in the mood for, so lately it's been easier going. )

Not mystery, exactly, but this year I also read Brandon Sanderson's The Emperor's Soul and plan to re-read it. Definitely entertaining.

In a 'been around forever, well worth trying' sort of way, I've read everything by Ngaio Marsh. If you like the better Agatha Christies, give her a try.

Well, my dad is here, and I think he wants the computer. I'll post more if I think of them.

fuzzie · 03-03-15, 11:09 AM

Demeris - Some suggestions:

I am Pilgrim (Terry Hayes). This was probably my favorite book of 2014 and I can't wait for his new one to come out this year.

C.S. Harris' Sebastien St.Cyr series. Well-written historical mystery.

Daniel Silva' Gabriel Allon series. I have read the first three so far and enjoy them thoroughly. I like how the art world (restoration) is featured in his stories.

Like BunnyHop I enjoy Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series BUT there is so much luscious food featured in her books that I end up craving something decadent

Demeris · 03-03-15, 03:55 PM

You guys rock. Thank you. I'm making a list of these names. I can't believe I interrupted my reading life for a career! Thank goodness I'm back in the reading saddle.

BunnyHop · 03-03-15, 04:55 PM

Oh, and I've been reading the Margaret Frazer books out of order. Not sure how much that matters yet, but so far so good.

They're apparently more about character and place than mayhem and gore, at least so far. Basically, there's a nun named Frevisse who's good at 'finding out what's going on.'
There is a good bit about the lives of the nuns, their prayers, services, etc. If that kind of contemplative stuff isn't your cup of tea, I'm not sure how well you'll like it. On the other hand, since the series is set back in medieval times, there are no guns, no radios, cars, etc.. I find it a nice escape from modern life. Didn't realize I wanted that til I found it.

(OTOH, for whatever reason the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters didn't grab me, so I've only read a few.)

MomOf2Gremlins · 03-04-15, 06:58 AM

Hi everyone!

Ahh.. I can't wait til spring is here!

(We're still dealing with snow and icy roads here!..)

These past weeks I've been reading a mix of cozies(Wishcraft mysteries by Heather Blake, Magical Bakery Mystery mysteries by Bailey Cates) and more intense suspense (Linda Castillo) but I have to say, I think my days of reading the latter kind are over! I just can't stomach the gruesome stories, mixed with dark heroes and sex thrown in the mix... [I have about 8 books here I'd be happy to SASE to any of you if you're interested! Just PM me!]

Thankfully I've got a full shelf with lots of cozies, many of them series, I plan on digging into from now on.

(I've got tons on my Kindle as well but I try to focus on my paperbacks first.)
Not sure yet which one to pick first.. I'll post back once I've made a decision!

Happy reading!

Demeris · 03-04-15, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BunnyHop

Oh, and I've been reading the Margaret Frazer books out of order. Not sure how much that matters yet, but so far so good.

They're apparently more about character and place than mayhem and gore, at least so far. Basically, there's a nun named Frevisse who's good at 'finding out what's going on.'
There is a good bit about the lives of the nuns, their prayers, services, etc. If that kind of contemplative stuff isn't your cup of tea, I'm not sure how well you'll like it. On the other hand, since the series is set back in medieval times, there are no guns, no radios, cars, etc.. I find it a nice escape from modern life. Didn't realize I wanted that til I found it.

(OTOH, for whatever reason the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters didn't grab me, so I've only read a few.)

That kind of thing IS my cup of tea. I truly believe that if I hadn't been so boy crazy in my youth, I could have found great joy as a contemplative nun.

I have requested the Brother Cadfael books from my library, but apparently someone else in the county has holds on all of them (accursed library patrons!)

Thank you

Sissy B · 03-04-15, 11:50 AM

Demeris - You might like the Max Tudor mysteries by G.M. Malliet. Max is a former MI5 agent who is now an Anglican priest in a small English village. The first book in the series is Wicked Autumn.

And as far as the Richard Castle books I've read, I liked the Derek Storm book better that the Nikki Heat series.

Right now I'm reading Agatha Christie: The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah.

Sandrine · 03-05-15, 09:39 AM

Demeris, so glad you posted. I was in need of a new direction, and some of the recommendations look very interesting, especially the Margaret Frazer ones.

My book discussion group is now reading The Iguana Tree by Michel Stone, who is a local author. Didn't think I'd care for the subject matter--immigration--but it's well-written and has pulled me in.

I also picked up How to Tell Toledo From the Night Sky by Lydia Meltzer. It was on the new books shelf, and I admit, the title grabbed me! We'll see how it goes.

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03-03-15, 07:17 AM
Demeris Join Date: Dec 2006	Good morning readers. I hope you are all well. I come to this thread with a request, and I'm throwing myself at your mercy and your expertise. I'm looking for good mysteries. I love a good, well written mystery or a detective story--it can be police procedural, amateur sleuth cozy, or historical (my favorite historical mystery was The Name of the Rose). I can tell you that I'm NOT fond of James Patterson (I've read only his first Ladies Club novel and was disappointed by how clunky it was and how .5 dimensional his women were, or John Ford (his bad guys are too dark and that world is too bleak for me), or JD Robb (again, a bleak world and I don't need graphic sexual detail with my mystery/detective story). I do like Walter Moseley and Michael Connolly and Alan Brady and Lee Childs. Who tells a good mystery tale and tells it well? Thank you in advance. As for what I'm reading: I'm reading one of the Richard Castle stories and some knitting novel by a Brit. I'm not fond of the Castle novels, but it was all I could find at the library (I like the humor and the mystery part--Nikki Heat doesn't resonate with me as a woman. I like her strength and her fortitude and the gumption she has to stand up to very bad guys, but about matters of the heart, she's too cavalier for my tastes).

03-03-15, 09:05 AM
Laura S. VF Supporter Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Raleigh, NC	It's good to see you Demeris. I gave you some recommendations in that other thread, but I came up with another one. Tami Hoag writes some good mysteries. They are darker than what I usually read, but keep me engaged. __________________ Laura Laura's Workout Mantras: Something is better than nothing The best workout is the one you will DO

03-03-15, 10:23 AM
BunnyHop Join Date: Nov 2008	Hi Demeris, glad to help out, love talking books. My two favorite mystery writers currently putting out new books these days? Louise Penny (first one: Still Life) and Alan Bradley (Flavia De Luce series starts with The Sweetness at the bottom of the Pie) The Penny books do get a bit dark sometimes (later in the series, IIRC) but the humor and charm of much of the rest creates an intriguing world I want to keep reading about. The Margaret Frazer book I mention in a post above isn't gruesome, dark or creepy, just mysterious so far. Going in I expected it to be one of those 'trip over a corpse in the first chapter' books, but this isn't that sort. Will someone die eventually? Not sure, but the story has my attention. This year I've been logging my books-read in at GoodReads, just to see what I read that I like, and get a better sense of which books I want to finish. (the number of books I haven't been able to finish is huge, but it has helped me figure out what I'm currently in the mood for, so lately it's been easier going. ) Not mystery, exactly, but this year I also read Brandon Sanderson's The Emperor's Soul and plan to re-read it. Definitely entertaining. In a 'been around forever, well worth trying' sort of way, I've read everything by Ngaio Marsh. If you like the better Agatha Christies, give her a try. Well, my dad is here, and I think he wants the computer. I'll post more if I think of them. __________________ Anna

03-03-15, 11:09 AM
fuzzie VF Supporter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Montreal, Quebec	Demeris - Some suggestions: I am Pilgrim (Terry Hayes). This was probably my favorite book of 2014 and I can't wait for his new one to come out this year. C.S. Harris' Sebastien St.Cyr series. Well-written historical mystery. Daniel Silva' Gabriel Allon series. I have read the first three so far and enjoy them thoroughly. I like how the art world (restoration) is featured in his stories. Like BunnyHop I enjoy Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series BUT there is so much luscious food featured in her books that I end up craving something decadent

03-03-15, 03:55 PM
Demeris Join Date: Dec 2006	You guys rock. Thank you. I'm making a list of these names. I can't believe I interrupted my reading life for a career! Thank goodness I'm back in the reading saddle.

03-03-15, 04:55 PM
BunnyHop Join Date: Nov 2008	Oh, and I've been reading the Margaret Frazer books out of order. Not sure how much that matters yet, but so far so good. They're apparently more about character and place than mayhem and gore, at least so far. Basically, there's a nun named Frevisse who's good at 'finding out what's going on.' There is a good bit about the lives of the nuns, their prayers, services, etc. If that kind of contemplative stuff isn't your cup of tea, I'm not sure how well you'll like it. On the other hand, since the series is set back in medieval times, there are no guns, no radios, cars, etc.. I find it a nice escape from modern life. Didn't realize I wanted that til I found it. (OTOH, for whatever reason the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters didn't grab me, so I've only read a few.) __________________ Anna

03-04-15, 06:58 AM
MomOf2Gremlins Join Date: May 2010 Location: PA	Hi everyone! Ahh.. I can't wait til spring is here! (We're still dealing with snow and icy roads here!..) These past weeks I've been reading a mix of cozies(Wishcraft mysteries by Heather Blake, Magical Bakery Mystery mysteries by Bailey Cates) and more intense suspense (Linda Castillo) but I have to say, I think my days of reading the latter kind are over! I just can't stomach the gruesome stories, mixed with dark heroes and sex thrown in the mix... [I have about 8 books here I'd be happy to SASE to any of you if you're interested! Just PM me!] Thankfully I've got a full shelf with lots of cozies, many of them series, I plan on digging into from now on. (I've got tons on my Kindle as well but I try to focus on my paperbacks first.) Not sure yet which one to pick first.. I'll post back once I've made a decision! Happy reading! __________________ *~Val~* "Change what you can. Accept what you can't. Live peacefully with all that's left."

03-04-15, 11:50 AM
Sissy B Join Date: Oct 2002	Demeris - You might like the Max Tudor mysteries by G.M. Malliet. Max is a former MI5 agent who is now an Anglican priest in a small English village. The first book in the series is Wicked Autumn. And as far as the Richard Castle books I've read, I liked the Derek Storm book better that the Nikki Heat series. Right now I'm reading Agatha Christie: The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah.

03-05-15, 09:39 AM
Sandrine Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Upstate SC	Demeris, so glad you posted. I was in need of a new direction, and some of the recommendations look very interesting, especially the Margaret Frazer ones. My book discussion group is now reading The Iguana Tree by Michel Stone, who is a local author. Didn't think I'd care for the subject matter--immigration--but it's well-written and has pulled me in. I also picked up How to Tell Toledo From the Night Sky by Lydia Meltzer. It was on the new books shelf, and I admit, the title grabbed me! We'll see how it goes.