The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

The Dirty South by John Connolly

Charlie Parker #18, OK to read as a standalone. This story takes us back early in Parker's history as he hunts the killer of young Black women in a terrible small town in Arkansas. This is a very strong and compelling work and, although it's not a horror story by any means, it may stay with you and I don't recommend finishing it just before trying to sleep. 5 stars, highest recommendation.

Just finished and currently reading

I finished my 41st book

Just completed Make me disappear by Jessica PayneJessica Payne
Here's my 4 star review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Loved The Sea Sisters by Lucy ClarkeLucy Clarke

My 5 star review is here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Blind Justice by David Mark It is set in Hull, Yorkshire, England. David Mark writes dark and gritty mysteries, but this one was a little too dark for me. There are elements of sadism, masochism and torture in this book. My review, 3.5 stars rounded up https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

On the recommendation of a friend, a read a book that I normally wouldn’t have due or not being a type of book I would even consider: a thriller with violence; heist crime.

The Bouncer by David Gordon. The type of book you can read in one day, with some humor.



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

I loved Douglas Stuart's latest book, Young Mungo, about a gentle teen-aged lad who discovers love in the bleakness of Glasgow's East End. The author knows from his own experience that there are roses among the thorns.
5★ My review of Young Mungo

I just finished Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

I just finished Holy Chow.

Such fun. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I loved Douglas Stuart's latest book, Young Mungo, about a gentle teen-aged lad who discovers love in the bleakness of Glasgow's East End. The author knows from hi..."

Is it as good as his Shuggie Bain? That was soooo good!!

Currently into When Women Kill: Four Crimes Retold by Alia Trabucco Zerán.

Maybe it's not quite vacation read material, but I'm thoroughly engrossed.

The Bouncer by David Gordon

First in a series about a tough guy working as a bouncer in a topless bar who gets involved in a robbery with some very dangerous people, male and female. It's a thriller, but not written at a very high level. Rather simplistic, sort of like YA but with adult themes like sex and violence. A generous 2 stars.

The Fireman

Nancy wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I loved Douglas Stuart's latest book, Young Mungo, about a gentle teen-aged lad who discovers love in the bleakness of Glasgow's East End...

Is it as good as his Shuggie Bain? That was soooo good!!."

I thought so, Nancy. It's really quite different in that Mungo is 16 and the youngest of the 3 kids, so it's not about little children. It's still cold and wet and bleak, though, of course. I think Douglas Stuart has used his own experiences awfully well, showing how boys begin to learn who they are.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY which is celebrated on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday. Born 202 years ago, this most remarkable woman changed nursing around the world. The Lady of the Lamp is still a role model, and I hope this children's book will inspire more kids to go into into nursing.
5★ My review of Florence Nightingale with several illustrations

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I loved Douglas Stuart's latest book, Young Mungo, about a gentle teen-aged lad who discovers love in the bleakness of Glasg..."

Oh, good to know. I've had Young Mungo on my shelf for a while. Thanks!

Finished When Women Kill: Four Crimes Retold -- an eye-opening book.

Started reading Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel García Márquez

I read Blind Justice by David Mark


Here is my 5 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now starting VANISHING ACT by Thomas Perry, the first novel in his Jane Whitefield mystery/thriller series.

I just finished listening to Gone by Midnight

Strong mystery and great audio experience. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I just finished listening to The Murder Rule

My 3.5 star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished reading The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race

by Walter Isaacson

My Review

Finished "The Kind Worth Killing" by Peter Swanson. It was great. Plenty of twists and a very satisfying ending. Currently reading "Her Last Breath" by Dan Padavona. It is not so great. It's ok enough but just that. Ok enough. Very cookie cutter, garden variety, generic suspense novel.

I finished my 42nd book

Finished reading The Book of Cold Cases

by Simone St. James

My Review

In Shoot to Thrill by P.J. Tracy, the FBI gives the Monkeewrench crew free rein to hack into anything anywhere to find out who is posting videos of murders in real time. What a challenge!
3.5~4★ My review of Shoot to Thrill

I just finished Suffer the Little Children

The series continues to please. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished the basis for Hitchcock's noted film


Vertigo by Boileau-Narcejac
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Last to Disappear by Jo Spain
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Alice Network gives us two stories in one: a hair-raising spy thriller set in World War I (for a change), and a missing-person quest that services a voyage of internal discovery and growth. If you go into this with the right expectations, you'll be well entertained. Four ration stamps.

Read the full review here.

Read A Harmless Lie
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm reading the Dective Kubu series now by Michael Stanley starting with A Carrion Death. The authors (there are two of them) were born in South Africa and the books are set in Botswana and occasionally in South Africa. I'm enjoying them so far

Lance wrote: "The Alice Network gives us two stories in one: a hair-raising spy thriller set in World War I (for a change), and a missing-person quest that services a voyage of internal discovery..."

I had thought about reading this one, but the blurb on Amazon that said it was the "2017 Girly Book Club Book of the Year" had the effect of putting that idea right out of my head.

Aboriginal author Evelyn Araluen has just won the 2022 Stella Prize for Dropbear, her new collection of poems, essays, memoir, and thoughts. it's quite a mix, and I hope I've done it justice.
4.5★ My review of Dropbear

https://stella.org.au/prize/2022-prize/

The Forest of Stolen Girls and Perfect Sins.

I just finished Reputation

Well done sarah Vaughan. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished Locked In by Gideon Burrows


Interesting book! Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also finished The Couple At Table Six by Daniel Hurst


A nice read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished my 43rd book

The Investigator by John Sandford

I've read almost everything Sandford has written. The book is no better than OK. Firstly, it doesn't quite read like Sandford wrote it --ghosted? Secondly, Letty is a 24 year old young woman, talented to be sure, but Sandford has her talking and acting like a Delta Force veteran. The book is pretty good but certainly not an example of Sandford at his best. 3 stars.

I finished reading by

One of his best so far. I’m reading them chronologically. I liked it much more than which I think is his most overrated book.

I just finished reading The Hidden One

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

I just finished The Investigator.

Fun entertainment, even if the MC isn’t believable. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Rare Encounter by J.K. Hall It is a story of 2 disparate men who meet on a troop ship in WWII. They form a bond. Twenty years later, 1 of the 2 is a professor at a prestigious college. The Vietnam war brings back memories. He decides to talk to his students about the morality of war. My 4.5 star review, rounded up: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rereading Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, since discovering the series on Hulu. So far so good; my favorite of his books is Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster.