The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

Patty wrote: "I have a criteria for rating books. For a book to get an actual low rating, it has to be god awful. A one or two star rating—to me—is reserved for books so bad that I can’t let their horribleness g..."


OMG Patty. Doing that could do damage to your brain. LOL

I like a variety of books and authors. I rarely give low ratings and when I do it has to be pretty bad. I like most of James Pattersons books, theres some I dont like. Same as Stephen King.

^^ I agree with you too patty.

Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer

In this mystery, Joe Biden and Barack Obama team up to investigate the death of an Amtrak conductor. This isn't a spoof, but a straightforward 'amateur sleuth' suspense novel. Funny and quirky. 3.5 stars

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Lu wrote: "Angie wrote: "Just finished

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Currently reading "

I am a fan of Peter Swanson's books! I loved that book too!"

Looking forward to his next book!

Patty wrote: "I have a criteria for rating books. For a book to get an actual low rating, it has to be god awful. A one or two star rating—to me—is reserved for books so bad that I can’t let their horribleness g..."

Nancy would never steer you wrong!

Finished The Quiet Game. He writes good action scenes (Greg Iles).

I just finished Friends in High Places by Donna Leon, one of my favorite series, the 9th Brunetti mystery. My review is below -

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

Starting a Cadfael mystery next, The Rose Rent by Ellis Peters

Patty wrote: "I have a criteria for rating books. For a book to get an actual low rating, it has to be god awful. A one or two star rating—to me—is reserved for books so bad that I can’t let their horribleness g..."

PattyMac here (just to differentiate). I actually wrote my 'system', such as it is into my profile. That's probably more to remind me what I'm doing. At the top of my reviews (if I've written one), I often have half-stars. There's a difference to me between 4.5 stars rounded down to 4 or rounded up to 5 in the star rating.

I do look at the overall ratings when I'm looking up a book, but I also have a quick look the type of reader who has rated it highly. There are a lot of very young people who just LOVE mythical sci-fi / romance / psychological thrillers SO much and they share gifs and CAN'T BELIEVE ITs and GUSH. That boosts the numbers for GR.

So I check my trusted reviewers to get a feel for what the book is really like. This is my own 'system':

My reviews and star-ratings are based on how I would compare a book with similar books. I might give 5 stars to a mystery I enjoyed, but I wouldn't rank it with 5-star literary fiction. Purely subjective, I know. I wish there were a way to differentiate. And then, of course, I may change my mind later, and often do.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Patty wrote: "I have a criteria for rating books. For a book to get an actual low rating, it has to be god awful. A one or two star rating—to me—is reserved for books so bad that I can’t let their ..."

In my opinion, using common sense with the GR ratings - it all works out in the end esp. if you have 500+ ratings. And that's all I have to say about that. :)

With that part done, I have started Wolf in Winter by John Connolly. I haven't read his in a while and I forgot the bit of creepiness he brings into his book. This one has no shortage of creepiness.

finished Deep Water and it surprised me how good this book was!

A frightfully english execution by shamini flint is what i am reading at the moment.

started reading The Secrets She Keeps

Angie wrote: "MJ wrote: "Angie...please let me know if you like Before She Knew him. It looks good. I am reading ."


MJ, I’m a third into Before She Knew Him...so far so good, I’..."
Angie...I started the book Before She Knew Him as well.
I agree with you that it's pretty good.

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

Patty wrote: So, how do we choose the books we read? For me, I read what Nancy reads! 😉

LOL!!!!!!

PattyMac wrote: My reviews and star-ratings are based on how I would compare a book with similar books. I might give 5 stars to a mystery I enjoyed, but I wouldn't rank it with 5-star literary fiction. Purely subjective, I know. I wish there were a way to differentiate. And then, of course, I may change my mind later, and often do.

Me too!

Oh, forgot to add, I've started The Runaway Jury. Interesting so far.

MJ wrote: "Angie wrote: "MJ wrote: "Angie...please let me know if you like Before She Knew him. It looks good. I am reading ."


MJ, I’m a third into Before She Knew Him...so f..."

MJ, I’m glad you’re enjoying Before She Knew Him. Happy reading!

I appreciate people rating the books they read even if they're low because they're not their cup of tea. How are you going to know otherwise? I want honest opinions. I remember one book turned out to be science fiction (not my cup of tea) and nobody had mentioned it. I wouldn't have bothered wasting my time had I known. What I hate are people who rate books without having read them, for example seeing 5 star ratings for books that people are just excited about being released. I also hate ratings based on the packaging or delivery-- not common on GR but very common on Amazon.

JF:

Bit of a mixed bag.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

CR:

Just finished The Girl Who Lived Twice (audio), started Atkinson's The Big Sky (audio). And to chime in on the ratings thread, I just awarded How to Walk Away (audio) a 1 because of the narrator's voice. I won't be subjected to anything less than a Juliet Stevenson timbre in female voices. Agents please be more ruthless.

Is it wrong to rate a book before you finish? :) Wolf in Winter by John Connolly is just hitting high on my creepy meter and I LIKE it!. Have a great week everyone!

I finished my 79th book

The Secret Place by Tana French

In this 5th book in the 'Dublin Murder Squad' series, a prep school student is murdered, and teenagers get up to all kinds of devilry. The book can be read as a standalone.

It's always good to catch up with Tana French's Irish detectives, but this book had too much adolescent entitlement for me. 3 stars

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

finished another one of Robotham's - The Secrets She Keeps and i loved it.

Finished The Whisper Man

My Review:www.goodreads.com/review/show/2614156712

Barbara wrote: "The Secret Place by Tana French

In this 5th book in the 'Dublin Murder Squad' series, a prep school student is murdered, and t..."

They are making a TV movie on the Dublin Murder Squad for some cable channel.

Finished reading , A Better Man

by , Louise Penny

My Review

Dem, I also just finished The Whisper Man. When I got about halfway through the book, I began seeing the book to be about father-son relationships, and the vulnerability of the children both young and grown up. That was where the scary came from to me.

Susan wrote: "Barbara wrote: "The Secret Place by Tana French

They are making a TV movie on the Dublin Murder Squad for some cable channel. They are making a TV movie on the Dublin Murder Squad for some cable channel. ..."

I'll look forward to seeing this movie. It should even be a series. 😊

Finished The Torment of Others . Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished The Wolf in Winter by John Connolly. I really liked it. Gave it 4 but closer to 4.5 would be appropriate. I think there could have been tighter editing as far as there being more "fluff" than needed.

Still a very good read.

I finished Verity and i am sad to rate it only 2/5. I do not understand the hype about this book. I struggled to finish it and i have done so just out of spite to get it done with.
(this is my PERSONAL opinion and please do not let it influence you if you want to read it)

Lu wrote: "I finished Verity and i am sad to rate it only 2/5. I do not understand the hype about this book. I struggled to finish it and i have done so just out of spite to get it done with. ..."

I'm with you Lu! I was not a fan either.

Thank you Chris. I am glad i am not alone in this...

Asia Hand by Christopher G. Moore

Vinny Calvino #2, OK to read as stand-alone. Calvino is an ex-lawyer living in Bangkok, in this story hooked up with crooks, spies and sleazy film-makers. Good but not great--if the milieau interests you check out books by John Burdett or the Poke Rafferty series by Timothy Hallinan. Also note there is a very different author named Christopher Moore, no middle G.

started reading Burial Rites

Going outside the genre with The Hate U Give.

Gretchen wrote: "Going outside the genre with The Hate U Give."

Saw the movie did not get the hype, maybe the book is better. But the movie painted race relations in the broadest brush strokes possible.

Finished The Runaway Jury by John Grisham. Was one of my favorite books when I read it the first time a decade ago, did not hold up at all during my re-read for this month's group read. If Grisham seems so stupid, I am afraid to wonder how the other author I liked from those days - Dan Brown will hold up now. Rating - 2/5

My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Aditya wrote: "Finished The Runaway Jury by John Grisham. Was one of my favorite books when I read it the first time a decade ago, did not hold up at all during my re-read for this month..."

I am hesitant to read any of John Grisham's work after being thorowly dissapointed by the only book i read from him The Reckoning
would you advise wether my fear is well based or should i try another book?

@Lu I read a lot of Grisham when I was younger and liked it. But coming back to it, its faults are obvious. Your reaction to The Reckoning mirrors mine to The Runaway Jury, so I will probably say not worth it unless you love the legal genre.

Aditya wrote: "@Lu I read a lot of Grisham when I was younger and liked it. But coming back to it, its faults are obvious. Your reaction to The Reckoning mirrors mine to The Runaway Jury, so I will probably say n..."

Thank you! That indeed settles it and i shall not continue 😂 You put my mind at ease. Thanks again.

The Witch Elm by Tana French

This is a standalone by Tana French, unconnected to her Dublin Murder Squad series.

In this book, publicist Toby Hennessey's luck changes for the worse. When a skeleton is found on the grounds of his family's ancestral home, things get really hairy.

Good mystery. 3.5 stars

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Lu wrote: "Aditya wrote: "@Lu I read a lot of Grisham when I was younger and liked it. But coming back to it, its faults are obvious. Your reaction to The Reckoning mirrors mine to The Runaway Jury, so I will..."

I did like Sycamore Row though.

The Fala Factor by Stuart M. Kaminsky


This 9th book in the humorous 'Toby Peters' private detective series involves the alleged abduction of the 'First Dog of the United State' (FDOTUS). 😁
The book can be read as a standalone with no problem.

My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished my 80th book

Christine wrote: "I finished my 80th book"

A milestone!!!

Just finished:

The Whisper Man

by Alex North

Solid, gripping thriller for fans who like a hint of the supernatural with their serial killer books. Fast-paced and nice for a quick Fall read.

My full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished:



The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan

Nice suspenseful novel. My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...