The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

Just finished John Sandford's Eyes of Prey and now I am trying to decide whether to go on and read his next book in that series Silent Prey or go on to another book Silkworm that I have been wanting to read. Decisions..Decisions...;-)

Just started today. Also slowly listening and reading Working my way up to the end of the first story there and will listen to the second half when Portrait in Death is done in a few days :)

I finished Guilt by Jonathan Kellerman. In this 28th book in the series a decades old baby skeleton is found buried in the backyard of a Beverly Hills home and a few days later fresh baby bones and a dead woman turn up in nearby Cheviot Hills Park. Are the events connected? LA Police Lt. Milo Sturgis and Dr. Alex Delaware, psychologist consultant to the police, look into the cases. As usual Milo and Alex meet a variety of eccentric/interesting individuals as they question persons of interest. Much of the enjoyment of this series comes from spending time with the characters - watching Milo scarf down gargantuan meals and seeing Alex hang out with his girlfriend Robin and cute French bulldog Blanche. One problem with the book is that the lives of some characters undergo dramatic changes that are not credible. This is a minor quibble though and most mystery lovers would enjoy this book.

I devised to read Silent Prey next because it looked like it was connected to the book eyes of Prey I just finished. Michael Bekker, the psychopath Lucas Davenport captured in Eyes of Prey, escapes......

Decided not devised...Maybe I need more coffee before I start the book. :-)

I finished Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline. Wanting to get closer to his son Ryan, Jake Buckman unwisely lets the underage teen take the wheel of his Audi. Distracted for an instant Ryan hits and kills a female jogger. Wanting to protect Ryan, Jake decides to leave the scene of the crime. This has dire consequence. First, Ryan feels guilty and starts to fall apart. Second, someone might have witnessed the accident and may want to cash in. Jake tries to 'fix' the situation but it spirals out of control and threatens to destroy the family. The dramatic climax isn't quite believable but the book is a page turner that keeps the reader's attention.

Aiesha wrote: "Has anyone read anything else by William Landay other than "Defending Jacob"? I enjoyed that book a lot and wondered if that was one of those one hit wonders or if he has other books that were just..."

Hi Aiesha - His debut novel is titled MISSION FLATS and it won the Crime Writers Association (GB) John Creasey Award for Best Novel of the year (2003). It is/was a knockout story with incredible writing. It was the reason I bought two first editions. He also wrote THE STRANGLER, which my notes indicate I also enjoyed. I didn't jump up and down as I did for his first one. Each is stand-a-lone.

I am about midpoint in "A Delicate Truth" by John Le Carre, and it is one of those books I can't put down. I have to put in about an hour of home office time today, then I will get right back to it. It is a good cloak-and-dagger tale set in the modern world of private security forces, terrorism and multi-faceted international relationships. Good stuff.

Just finished reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain and Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin . then gave Slaughterhouse-Five a second try.

I loved the first 2 and would recommend them to everyone. Kurt Vonnegut's book on the other hand, was a torture to read. I had to put it down after reading 70 pages of no plot,clear characters or clear structure.

I'm currently reading Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain and loving it

Just finished Hounded by David Rosenfelt and starting Spirit of Steamboat, a novella by Craig Johnson.

I finished The First Rule by Robert Crais. Frank Meyer and his family are killed during a home invasion and Frank's friend Joe Pike, an ex-mercenary and one of the toughest men alive, is out for revenge. When Joe learns the perpetrators were ex-cons working with the Serbian mafia he sets out to track them down (with a little help from his friends). Before long the story includes a prostitute, a baby, gangsters, the ATF, and illegal guns for sale. There's plenty of rough stuff in the book and numerous bodies pile up before the climax. An exciting action thriller.

Barbara wrote: "I finished The First Rule by Robert Crais. Frank Meyer and his family are killed during a home invasion and Frank's friend Joe Pike, an ex-mercenary and one of the toug..."

Yes, I have enjoyed Crais's Joe Pike and Elvis Cole novels.

Just finished Herbie's Game, by Timothy Hallinan (Soho Crime). If you haven't read his Junior Bender series, you are really missing something wonderful.

Just started The Police by Jo Nesbo

I'm about to start Ritual and The Pearl that Broke Its Shell

I finished . I thought it was pretty good. I just started .

Just read The Golden Orange , nowhere near Joe Wambaugh's best. With a flabby and repetitive plot and two unrelatable and unsympathetic main characters, it hardly lives up to the hard-hitting crime novels on which he built his reputation. Two wobbly stars, and only because for all its faults, it's still a skilled exercise in building milieu.

Read the full review here.



Back to The Dogs of Riga

I just want to know do all of Lisa Jackson's books have some weirdo religious serial killer in them? The first two do and the third one I'm reading seems to hint toward that. .

Finished over the weekend.

Still listening to two other books (Imitation in Death and Remember When)

But about to start One for the Money when it arrives from the library.

i just stopped reading Straley's Cold Storage Alaska, It was Ok but not in the same league as his Younger books. Not so much a mystery as a barely plotted near episode of "Northern Exposure" not a bad thing at all and I'll probably go back to Cold Storage eventually. Just have many other books ahead of it for now.
Just started The Silent Wife yesterday and I am really enjoying it so far.

I just finished

and now reading..

Just started a Louise Penny, The Brutal Telling.

I'm about to start The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling).

Just finished by Linda Castillo. Next up is by John Verdon.

Just started by Michael Connelly. One of my fav authors ever.

Amanda

Brenda wrote: "Just finished by Linda Castillo. Next up is by John Verdon."

I'm a linda Castillo fan. I'm not up to that book yet. Hope it was a good one.

Curlyhair wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Just finished by Linda Castillo.

I've enjoyed the whole series. Each book gets better.

Barbara wrote: "I'm about to start The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)."

The first Galbraith novel happened to be available at my library, so I grabbed it. I hear that both titles in the series are outstanding.

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Just started a Louise Penny, The Brutal Telling."

I loved A Fatal Grace. Number three in the series is at the top of my TBR list.

The Ghost Man by Roger Hobbs

Well let's clear two interesting facts, one this is a debut author, second he finished this book when he was still at college in his early twenties.

When a casino robbery in Atlantic City goes horribly awry, the man who orchestrated it is obliged to call in a favour from someone who's sometimes called Jack. While it's doubtful anyone knows his actual name or anything at all about his true identity, or even if he's still alive, he's in his mid-30's and lives completely off the grid, a criminal's criminal who does entirely as he pleases and is almost impossible to get in touch with.

Within hours a private jet is flying this exceptionally experienced fixer and cleaner-upper from Seattle to New Jersey and right into a spectacular mess: one heister dead in the parking lot, another winged but on the run, the shooter a complete mystery, the $1.2 million in freshly printed bills god knows where, and the FBI already waiting for Jack at the airport. To contend with all this will require every gram of his skill, ingenuity, and self protective instincts.

They don't call him Ghostman for nothing...

A great impressive debut thriller from young Roger Hobbs, as you are taken through two stories, one that is the present, and one that is a flashback, both as gripping as each other and important to the story.

Winner of the CWA Thriller of the Year 2013

A gripping intelligent tense fast paced action packed thriller, with a new star in the Ghost Man, to rival Lee Childs, Joe Pike, Will Robie and others.

I enjoyed the writing, the plot and the tension as the book comes to a conclusion with both stories and now looking forward to his second book.

I finished and I will start this Sunday with
Hope others who love 1800s would read it too.

Curlyhair wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Just finished by Linda Castillo...."

I finished it a couple of days ago - fantastic! They definitely get better and better:)

S.K. wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I'm about to start The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)."

The first Galbraith novel happened to be available at my library, so I grabbed ..."

I'm enjoying The Silkworm!

I finished Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith. Investigator Arkady Renko is attending the funeral of a mafia leader in Moscow when he encounters a group of demonstrators protesting the death of Tatiana Petrovna, a journalist who uncovers government corruption. Tatiana's death was ruled a suicide but Renko doesn't believe it and starts an investigation. Renko's investigation takes him to Kaliningrad, considered one of the most corrupt cities in Russia. Everyone - the mob, cops, government officials, and Tatiana's editor - wants Renko to quit investigating Tatiana's death, but he carries on. This leads to violence, intimidation, and betrayal. There are some interesting characters in the story including Renko's partner Victor; Renko's chess-hustler ward Zhenya; a middle-aged poet who was Tatiana's former lover;criminals on the make, and more. To me Renko's investigation seemed more plodding and less compelling than in previous books but the Russian ambiance of the story is memorable. All in all a pretty good mystery/thriller.

Finished The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith.
Then read Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (translated from German by Stephen T. Murray).

I have Peter Pan Must Die on the top of my TBR but two calls from my library, one a political book, another about WA State that my friendly librarian placed on my hold stack. My TBR stack of bought books keeps getting pushed aside.

Sean wrote: "The Ghost Man by Roger Hobbs

Well let's clear two interesting facts, one this is a debut author, second he finished this book when he was still at college in his early twenties.

When a casino rob..."

I read this book a couple of years ago and was really impressed. Where is that second novel??

I am finishing up Red Harvest and just starting on In Cold Blood.

In Cold Blood is a great book Frank.

I just finished Really good!

Im still waiting for that one from my library Arlene..its been on hold for awhile..these books are very popular even today.

Marian, I agree it took me awhile to get it from my library. I'm currently waiting for

Not heard of this one Arlene..thank you for sharing:)

I finished off a couple of books the past few days, so now am working on In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Grabbed my attention immediately. Just starting Jupiter's Daughter, the second Katy Klein astrological mystery by Karen Irving and the 2nd Skip Langdon mystery, The Axeman's Jazz by Julie Smith.

In Cold Blood is one of my fav books of all time Bill and also if you get a chance..read The Onion Field by Joeseph Wambaugh.Another true Crime novel.

Marian wrote: "Not heard of this one Arlene..thank you for sharing:)"

You are welcome. I read first.

Ok, I will keep that in mind Arlene.

How was In Cold Blood I've been thinking about reading that but I wasn't sure.

Marian wrote: "In Cold Blood is one of my fav books of all time Bill and also if you get a chance..read The Onion Field by Joeseph Wambaugh.Another true Crime novel."

I'll have to try it sometime, Marian. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm pretty sure I've seen the movie, but that would have been a long time ago.

Arlene wrote: "How was In Cold Blood I've been thinking about reading that but I wasn't sure."

I'm finding it very interesting so far. I like Capote's style.

Arlene wrote: "How was In Cold Blood I've been thinking about reading that but I wasn't sure."

Arlene..In Cold Blood is a true crime novel,so maybe do some research on it before you have a read.The movie is good(an old black and white)
Along with Capote's writing,he was very good Friends with Harper Lee,who helped Truman Capote with the book.And you know who Harper lee is.She's the one who wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird.

Arlene wrote: "How was In Cold Blood I've been thinking about reading that but I wasn't sure."

Definitely worth a read. It's brilliant IMO:)