Reading the Detectives discussion

Thanks for the welcomes!

Hi all, I live in New York and work in book publishing. As a child, I read every Agatha Christie available in my local library (mostly Poirot), and I've just read through the Tommy and Tuppence books for the first time. I read all of Dorothy Sayers' detective novels last year and keep thinking of rereading them. At the moment, I'm listening to Stephen Fry's fantastic audiobook narration of the complete Sherlock Holmes collection. I was already planning to read all the Miss Marple books soon, so I'm happy to have found a group with the same goal!

Hi Abby and welcome to the group! Not sure if you have read Ngaio Marsh yet, but our challenge next year is to read the first twelve books in her long running Inspector Alleyn series. Plus, we always have a main read and, usually, a buddy read, on the go and so there is lots to choose from and join in with.

Welcome Abby! Great that you have found us. We have 2 more Miss Marple books to go next month, but also all the threads for previous books will stay open so it is never too late to post and we often get old discussions going again. Also as Susan says we have a Ngaio Marsh challenge coming up and lots of other books too.:)

Welcome Abby. I'm hoping one of my library systems will get Fry's reading of Sherlock. I would love to hear them.

Thank you Susan, Judy, and Sandy! Ngaio Marsh is on my to-read list already, so this will be a great excuse to start.
Regarding Fry's reading of Sherlock--it was published by Audible Studios, so you're unlikely to see it in any library collection. However, given that it's almost 63 hours long, it's a worthwhile use of the free credit that Audible offers to new customers!

Audible really have some good offers, I agree, Abby. Glad Marsh is on the list of authors you want to read.

Hello- some familiar ‘faces’ here.

I always use my phone for Goodreads so using it on an actual computer has opened up all these invites and things I never knew I had . A whole new world 😃

My name is Farrah and Susan kindly sent me an invite.
I love Agatha Christie and just finished ‘Ordeal by Innocence’ which was brilliant.

I’m not sure if you think Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Secret Seven counts as mystery fiction but I’m a huge fan.

I enjoyed Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple and Scarlett Thomas’s Lily Pascale series.

I really like Anthony Horowitz too.

I was a huge fan of ‘Murder she wrote’ and as I got older, for some reason I associated it with being feelgoodwatchwhenI’msick tele and I distinctly remember going to this amazing little shop called Murder One on Charing Cross road and seeing a Murder she wrote book and buying it. I immediately read it when I got home. Just as a one off and I read it in about two hours but the book was also feel good. My type of cosy.

I’m not sure if I have quite the same stamina as you guys but will certainly dip in when I can.

Farrah wrote: "Hello- some familiar ‘faces’ here.

I always use my phone for Goodreads so using it on an actual computer has opened up all these invites and things I never knew I had . A whole new world 😃

My n..."

Of course Blyton does!

Enid Blyton has lots of friends on here, Farrah. You can see lots of familiar faces as lots of our lovely 'Detectives,' loyally gave 20th Century a try when we started it, but you are possibly the first to travel in the other direction!

By the way, I find Goodreads pretty difficult to navigate on a phone. You can't seem to get to half of the things you can on a laptop...

Welcome Farrah! Great to see you over here. I also remember Murder One as a shop I used to visit on trips to London.

Me too, Judy. I loved Murder One - much missed!

Farrah - I find 'Murder she wrote' great comfort tv watching too. A good mystery, without too much gore. Plus, Jessica Fletcher is one clever cookie!

I'm a big Enid Blyton fan too, so much so, I even named my daughter after her!

Tracey wrote: "Farrah - I find 'Murder she wrote' great comfort tv watching too. A good mystery, without too much gore. Plus, Jessica Fletcher is one clever cookie!

I'm a big Enid Blyton fan too, so much so, I e..."

That's wonderful, Tracey! I hope she is also a fan?

By the way, my daughter reads a children's newspaper and they mentioned that a film is being made of The Magic Faraway Tree, so I am hoping for a Blyton resurgence.

Susan wrote: "Tracey wrote: "Farrah - I find 'Murder she wrote' great comfort tv watching too. A good mystery, without too much gore. Plus, Jessica Fletcher is one clever cookie!

I'm a big Enid Blyton fan too, ..."

I read about that on facebook as well- am looking forward to it.

Hope she does- I enjoy reading her books so much.

She's only 10 months, but already has a few of her books! And yes, I have perfected the art of reading a paperback while not waking a sleeping baby in my arms!

My youngest is now 10, Tracey, but I remember it well :) Plus, a first Christmas coming up? Magical times, enjoy x

I like that you include famous five etc. They certainly follow the pattern of intrepid and successful sleuths and less than brilliant authority figures.

Robin wrote: "I like that you include famous five etc. They certainly follow the pattern of intrepid and successful sleuths and less than brilliant authority figures."

So they do- my personal favourites from a mystery point of view are the Findouters. The Famous Five I love too but those but more for the adventure angle than the mysteries.

All good children's fiction involving some sleuthing (whether the Secret Seven or Swallows and Amazons) needs parental figures who are decidedly not around for most of the book. Lady, I agree that the Findouters were more traditionally mysteries, but I liked The Secret of.... books best, I think.

Susan wrote: "All good children's fiction involving some sleuthing (whether the Secret Seven or Swallows and Amazons) needs parental figures who are decidedly not around for most of the book. Lady, I agree that ..."

Secret ones were fun- also the Barney ones and Adventure ones (Island of Adventure, Circus of Adventure etc.)

Yes, I loved those too, Lady :)

As she did write mysteries and has quite a few fans in the group, I've made a thread for Enid Blyton in the Favourite Authors section:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Judy wrote: "As she did write mysteries and has quite a few fans in the group, I've made a thread for Enid Blyton in the Favourite Authors section:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
Hurrah :)

The adventure ones had me hooked Sea of Adventure with its delightful puffins was a special joy. I keep meaning to get to that part of England but haven't managed yet.

Robin wrote: "The adventure ones had me hooked Sea of Adventure with its delightful puffins was a special joy. I keep meaning to get to that part of England but haven't managed yet."

I love puffins too- haven't seen one in real life yet though :) I love that series for the animals- EB's non-fiction animal books are wonderful and some of that knowledge reflects in this series. Also in the Pip books.

I didn't realise she had written non-fiction! Please can the Blyton discussion move to her new thread, so we can keep this one for welcoming new members.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks everyone :)

Hi, I'm Doug. I think I'm a good fit for this group. I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayer, basically all things British. My favorite series is Rumpole of the Bailey by John Mortimer. I can identify with Rumpole's tendency to blurt out obscure literary references that are sure to stop normal conversations dead in their tracks. Another favorite is the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters.

I retired in January, so I've had time to devote to some other series. I've been reading the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books by Laurie R King recently.

I'm really looking forward to the Ngaio Marsh challenge. I haven't read any of her books but I'm sure I'll be a fan.

Welcome Doug. I listen to Rumple on audio fairly regularly, am a big fan of Russell / Holmes and have recently finally gotten around to Cadfael. I listen to those as well; Derek Jacobi narrates and this brings back the TV series for me.

Retirement is great; have fun!

Doug, we have a poll up for our February read; it closes really soon but if you rush you might get to vote. It is at the very bottom of our home page.

Welcome Doug! I also love Rumpole, both the books and the TV adaptations. Great that you plan to join in on our Marsh challenge. :)

Welcome to the group, Doug :)

Hello there! My name is Daphne, Daph for short. I have long been a mystery reader but only this past year really started reading British ones. And let me tell you, I am loving it. Agatha Christie is my favorite writer so far but I am discovering new (new to me!) authors who are just as great all of the time. I picked up the group read for January at Barnes and Noble last night so I can join in the Ngaio Marsh discussion. It sounds wonderful.

Thanks for having me here!

Hi Daph - welcome to the group. Good to hear you will be joining us for the Ngaio Marsh challenge :)

Welcome Daph - hope you enjoy Ngaio and discover still more authors.

Thanks! :)

Welcome Daph, great that you are joining in on the challenge.

Hello everyone. I'm a big fan of detective fiction, as long as there is no blood and gore - I'm a wimp when it comes to entrails...!

I'm interested to see that you are reading Ngaio Marsh soon. I read several of hers many years ago and enjoyed them, so it will be good to revisit one or two.

I've just been given several of the British Library crime series - reprints of crime books written in that golden age of the 1930s and thereabouts. I'm looking out for more of those too.

Mystery/crime fiction is my favourite genre. I love looking out for the clues, putting the pieces of the puzzle together. It's like a gymnastics class for the little grey cells!

Hi Sue - happy to welcome you to Detectives and 20th Century :) Crime is my favourite genre too and I hope you enjoy reading along with our Ngaio Marsh challenge.

Ah, I've just realised Susan that you are a leader on both the groups - hadn't spotted that! We obviously share similar tastes then - I'm looking forward to some interesting conversations.

Not a leader, but I do help moderate them both. Looking forward to lots of bookish talk too.

Welcome Sue, great that you have joined us and are looking forward to Ngaio Marsh.

I also like the British Library Crime Classics series, and am currently reading The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books by Martin Edwards, which mentions quite a few of their reprints.

Judy wrote: "I also like the British Library Crime Classics series, and am currently reading The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books by Martin Edwards..."

Coincidence - I was just given this book for Christmas and it's sitting right here by me - it may be my next read!

Sue wrote: "Judy wrote: "I also like the British Library Crime Classics series, and am currently reading The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books by Martin Edwards..."

Coincidence - I was just given this book ..."

Did you open your presents early, Sue? Naughty, naughty ;)

:-)
Well, Yes and No!
We had our family Christmas early, so it was all above board - honestly officer ;-)

Ha ha! In that case, enjoy :)

Lovely to hear of someone else who let's Christmas roam around a few days rather than having to stick to the 25th. We've just finished our early Christmas at the Australian south coast. The bush, ocean, kookaburras and heat! Great celebration in an idyllic location.

Hi Robin. Your Christmas sounds wonderful - although I can't imagine having it in the middle of summer! It must be nicer than the several grey, overcast days we've had here this week though. I just looked to see what a kookaburra is - very pretty - they remind me a bit of the kingfishers that we have here.

Yes, Sue, they are similar in appearance. However, the kookaburra is known for its laughter. The bush was ringing with laughter most of the time. Lovely for us, but can you imagine the fright it must have given explorers here!