English Mysteries Club discussion

Emmuska Orczy or "Baroness Orczy" I think she's better known as, does have an English feel to her writing, I think. Her author page here lists a huge number of works I'd never heard of. I'd like to read Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, Leslie :)

Bionic Jean wrote: "Emmuska Orczy or "Baroness Orczy" I think she's better known as, does have an English feel to her writing, I think. Her author page here lists a huge number of works I'd never hear..."

Loved the film (SP). Would be interesting to see how it compares to the original story.

Bionic Jean wrote: "For various reasons, this is the third year I'll miss it :( (I was in hospital for over 3 weeks with a broken leg 2 years ago, (after arguing with the nice paramedics that I was going to Dorset the next day!) Then last year I was on chemotherapy and too ill. Now this - and we even had our taxi booked already, it was such a close thing!..."

Oh Jean, with all this lockdown, I did wonder if you'd be able to get to the coast and the caravan. I'm guessing its going to be a while for you. I hope the restrictions get lifted soon and you get to enjoy your time at the caravan.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Thomas wrote: "We flew down to Florida on the 12th for our 50 th anniversary cruise, March 14-22. We were treating our daughter , s-i-l, and 3 grandchildren. On Friday the 13th at 730pm, Royal canc..."
Thanks for your kind words and I am sorry to hear about your cancelled trip. Your arguing with paramedics reminds me of my wife, falling into a wall about 6 hours before we were leaving for Churchill, Manitoba, Canada to see polar bears. We did get to see the polar bears. I also received some dirty looks from people who thought that I had attacked her.

Oh my goodness Thomas - that sounds nasty! I'm glad you got to see the polar bears though - how wonderful!

Thank you both Thomas and Adrian, for your kind thoughts. I know it sounds such a small thing, in these days of truly amazing holiday experiences, but the thought of seeing those cygnets was what kept me going through the dark days of chemo. And now I am classed as "extremely vulnerable", so I am not actually allowed to leave my house for 12 weeks. I know it's for my own protection, but still ... But it will come to an end :)

Oh dear, however did we get quite this off-topic? Sorry!

Bionic Jean wrote: "Oh my goodness Thomas - that sounds nasty! I'm glad you got to see the polar bears though - how wonderful!

Thank you both Thomas and Adrian, for your kind thoughts. I know it sounds such a small t..."
Jean, I hope that this is not too OT, but I remember that night well. We had to be at the airport at 6am, for our 1st flight. My wife fell about 1230am. I wanted to take her to the emergency room, but she wanted an ambulance. Our city sent 2 rescue squad trucks, 1 fire engine and the ambulance. We have a multilevel home and it took 2 fireman to get her down the stairs, so I guess she was right. We did not leave the hospital until 430am. We left our house about 530am for the airport. By the time we changed planes in Chicago, she had 2 horrible black eyes.
The male nurse at the hospital always wanted to see polar bears and offered to go in her place. I declined and my wife declined. He was persistent and came back 3 times. I told him that he was talking divorce.
If you look at my profile pics, no polar bears, but a picture of the 2 of us on a dogsled ride.

What an experience! You certainly deserved to see the polar bears after that. My "Bionic Jean" moniker derives from a similar experience. Our house is open-plan and my stretcher had to be upended and turned right over to get me over the banisters and downstairs. I ended up with a metal rod from hip to knee ... (I describe it under "my writing" on my profile page). I think though that perhaps your 2 firemen and all those trucks even beat my 4 paramedics ;)

Bionic Jean wrote: "What an experience! You certainly deserved to see the polar bears after that. My "Bionic Jean" moniker derives from a similar experience. Our house is open-plan and my stretcher had to be upended a..."

You certainly earned your title! Liz required stiches, but no metal.

Wow, Jean. That was some experience.

I wouldn't care to repeat it ... though they do say it might happen again with the other one, so I try not to think about it too much ;)

Wow, Jean and Thomas — sorry to hear about your experiences. As my husband ages, I'm starting to rethink us having a two story home. He is starting to have a rough time with his knees and been talking about knee replacement but I don't know if he realizes all that entails. He is careful going down the stairs but he is also tending to spill water on the floor and not spotting it, so I worry that he may slip at some point.

Pamela wrote: "Wow, Jean and Thomas — sorry to hear about your experiences. As my husband ages, I'm starting to rethink us having a two story home. He is starting to have a rough time with his knees and been talk..."

Thanks Pamela

Thanks Pamela :) I understand that knee replacements do vary as to how successful they are :/

I have had 4 knee replacements (two wore out after 10 years). They are painful but in the long run they made me feel better. My knees would just dislocate walking down the street. Like Rita said, try the cortisone injections. They are very helpful. Make sure you can't stand the pain before you do it is my advice.

My knee replacements that wore out were 40 years ago. They are much better now and the current ones are over 25 years.

My review of A Gentleman's Murder by Singaporean-Canadian Christopher Huang...

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

John wrote: "My review of A Gentleman's Murder by Singaporean-Canadian Christopher Huang...

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

Hmmm......had this on my list John but might skip it now. Thanks!

I see a lot here about Elizabeth George andm yes, I've read every one of her books, too. Some are wonderful, and others drift off into the impossible. Barbara tap dancing comes to mind, but also her heading off to Italy for an entire book - what department would put up with that? How about Deborah Crombie? I adore her books, and they are much more realistic. If you haven't read her, give her a try! I am an author as well as an avid reader, and in the category of authors writing British who aren't, she really stands out.

I read Man Down (Rogue, #2) by Irma Venter It is a South African crime muystery. My 3.5 stars rounded up review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Five Ways to Disappear and enjoyed it. My wife and I both like his series. It is book 6 in the series and they work better if read in order. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Right now, I'm reading Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar by Kate Saunders - female sleuth in 1851 Britain. I find it similar to stories by the American writer K B Owen set in America a few decades later in terms of "style".

I read a short story Vital Links I enjoyed it and rate it 4 stars. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny It is book 9 in the series, set in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada. Both my wife and I enjoyed it and recommend it. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I believe that she writes in the English style.
On another topic, we finally went on our anniversary cruise, this past spring. We had a great time and my profile pic is from our anniversary dinner.

I read A Killer in King's Cove by Iona Whishaw It is a cozy historical fiction mystery, set in rural 1946 British Columbia, Canada.. Both my wife and I enjoyed it and recommend it. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have enjoyed a lot of the "new" Sherlock Holmes fiction, including some anthologies with stories written by authors from different parts of the world. Some of the non-English ones do a very good job of writing in Conan Doyle's style.

I read An Old, Cold Grave by Iona Whishaw It is a Canadian cozy mystery, set in rural British Columbia. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The author has based her character on her mother, who was a British spy in WWII.

I read The Sanctuary by Katrine Engberg I thought that it was a well done police procedural. It is set on the Danish island of Bornholm. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Recommended to fans of Nordic noir and mystery fans in general.

I read The Body by the Sea by Jean-Luc Bannalec It is book 8 in the series, and they are probably better read in order. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Wolves at the Door by Gunnar Staalesen It is book 21 in the Varg Veum series, set in Bergen, Norway. My 4 star review for a dark, Nordic noir book. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Split: A Novel by Alida Bremer It is a historical fiction mystery, set in Split, Croatia, then part of Yugoslavia. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
One of the characters likes English mysteries.

i have read Death in Brittany by Jean-Luc Bannalec It is book 1 in the series. My 4 star review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is the 99th book this year for me, a record for me!

I read Dogboy v Catfish by Luke Gracias It is a complicated mystery. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Murder on Brittany Shores by Jean-Luc Bannalec It is a cerebral mystery--no sex or violence. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It is hard for me to believe that Deborah Crombie is American not English. Her Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Detective Inspector Gemma James police procedurals are spot on. The first in the series, A Share in Death, was published in 1993. This year marked the publication of #19 in the series, A Killing of Innocents. I think they are more fun if read in order, but they can be read as stand alones. I highly recommend the entire series.

I read The Granite Coast Murders by Jean-Luc Bannalec It is book 6 in the series, but can be read as a standalone. My 3.5 star rounded up review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Sharon wrote: "It is hard for me to believe that Deborah Crombie is American not English. Her Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Detective Inspector Gemma James police procedurals are spot on. The first in the ser..."

Same here, Sharon. She is one of my favorite authors.

Has anyone read any Mary Roberts Rinehart? She wrote very British style cozy mysteries after you’ve read a few they become a bit formulaic, but I really enjoyed each one that I read.

I read The King Arthur Case: A Brittany Mystery by Jean-Luc Bannalec My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I compare this police procedural series to cerebral mystery authors such as Agatha Christie and Hakon Nesser. It is set in Brittany, France.

I read Death of a Master Chef: A Brittany Mystery by Jean-Luc Bannalec
It is a cerebral police procedural with vivid descriptions of delicious food and breathtaking scenery. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Where Roses Never Die by Gunnar Staalesen It is a private eye mystery set in Norway. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read The Gardener's Plot by Deborah J. Benoit The blurb states that it won an award for a debut novel. It is the perfect cozy mystery for gardener's. My 3.5 star review, rounded up https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read An Island of Suspects by Jean-Luc Bannalec It is book 10 in the Brittany series and I have been reading them in order. It is set in Brittany, France. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline Both my wife and I like this author's books. But this one had too much astrology. My 3.5 star review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...