Reading the Detectives discussion

I lived on the Kensington, CA hillside when that fire whipped through the Berkeley hills. I hope you were not impacted. Thank you for mentioning this book so I may read it.

Susan_MG: I was really lucky. It was my first semester in grad school at UC Berkeley, and I'd almost rented a room near Tunnel Road, but decided on another place closer to campus on Spruce. I watched those huge, billowing clouds and turned on the local news. I still worry about fire, especially with recent winds and heat.
Hope you enjoy the book!

Just reviewed this different from the usual Japanese mystery, very rich historically and with a surprise at the end that one doesn't see coming
The Meiji Guillotine Murders
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now starting The Glimpses of the Moon by Edmund Crispin Our next buddy read in the Crispin series

have just started Lorac's 'Post After Post-Mortem' after finishing The Kneeling Woman' by Moray Dalton which was, to me, a rather 'dark' story although enjoyable. I must find more of hers.

It's early autumn (fall) here, think mid September, 7.45am and 6 degrees celsius, a bit chilly (what's that in Fahrenheit? we went metric in 1967 so have pretty well forgotten the old measurements.

I just finished Police at the Funeral which I really enjoyed but I think it needs a better title.

Keith wrote: "have just started Lorac's 'Post After Post-Mortem' after finishing The Kneeling Woman' by Moray Dalton which was, to me, a rather 'dark' story although enjoyable. I must find more of hers.

It's ea..."

43 F roughly

I'm about a third of the way through our next challenge book, Murder at the Spring Ball by Benedict Brown, and have also started forthcoming buddy read The Glimpses of the Moon by Edmund Crispin, sadly the last Gervase Fen novel.

I enjoyed Mrs. Pargeter, look forward to reading her next mystery with the group. I’m reading A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie now.

Keith wrote: "have just started Lorac's 'Post After Post-Mortem' after finishing The Kneeling Woman' by Moray Dalton which was, to me, a rather 'dark' story although enjoyable. I must find more of hers.

It's ea..."

Oh, 43 degrees - that is chilly! Stay warm.

I finished reading a contemporary mystery/thriller - "The Manor House" by Gilly MacMillan. Not my favorite, as most of the characters were not just unlikable but just bad people. That's a personal thing, though.
Yesterday I finished Patricia Moye's "Dead Men Don't Ski," which someone in the group had mentioned. That was a very enjoyable read! The Italian Alps setting was a lot of fun and well described, and I thought the characters were more well-rounded than in a lot of Golden Age mysteries. It's also always fun to get a little history lesson on the side. As in Carol Carnac/ECR Lorac's book "Crossed Skis," the UK still had currency controls in place at the time. That would have been quite a pain to deal with!

Carissa wrote: "I finished reading a contemporary mystery/thriller - "The Manor House" by Gilly MacMillan. Not my favorite, as most of the characters were not just unlikable but just bad people. That's a personal ..."

Glad you enjoyed this, I’ve seen this one on Everand and wondered if it could be a good series for the group. I haven’t read it yet, will bump it up the TBR!

I've been on a short run with John Bude and his Superintendent Meredith books, specifically The Sussex Downs Murder and The Cheltenham Square Murder.

I quite enjoy them but they are a little dry and I don't think I could just power through them all without a break. They are very early examples of police procedurals I think in a world without DNA testing and no concern with putting vital pieces of evidence in your pocket along with your packet of cigarettes!

Craftyhj wrote: "I've been on a short run with John Bude and his Superintendent Meredith books, specifically The Sussex Downs Murder and The Cheltenham Square Murder..."

Good point, yikes! No rubber gloves and little zipper bags back then!

I am reading the third of a new to me series The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy. It's a light weight read that I am frankly embarrassed to be reading instead of the more weighty novel I am also reading for my book club.

it's readable, that's all I ask of it!

Carissa wrote: "I finished reading a contemporary mystery/thriller - "The Manor House" by Gilly MacMillan. Not my favorite, as most of the characters were not just unlikable but just bad people. That's a personal ..." I've enjoyed the Henry and Emmy Tibbett books by Patricia Moyes for years. Love the travel and exotic locations aspect. It's about time I read another of them! Thanks for mentioning.

Jackie wrote: "I am reading the third of a new to me series The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy. It's a light weight read that I am frankly embarrassed to be reading instead of the more weighty nove..."

Hey, life can be tough, sometimes we all need a lightweight read that is pure entertainment and enjoyable! ;o)

Joanne wrote: "Carissa wrote: "I finished reading a contemporary mystery/thriller - "The Manor House" by Gilly MacMillan. Not my favorite, as most of the characters were not just unlikable but just bad people. Th..."

That's good to know about the Moyes books. I've been picking them up when I find them on sale but haven't actually started any of them yet.

I am now halfway through No. 17 by J. Jefferson Farjeon. Once you get past the cockney(?) words it is a very easy book. Easy for me coming from the East London area

I love the rhyming slang of Cockney English, if I can ever figure it out. Really clever and funny.
While I enjoy J.Jefferson Farjeon's mysteries, I'm also a fan of his daughter Eleanor's writing, especially "The Little Bookroom."

I am reading Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac, better known as ECR Lorac. Great sense of place (Welsh border country) and time (1954) as always with this author - he’s not in it yet, but Chief Inspector Julian Rivers from Scotland Yard will be the detective in this one.

I am now starting The Middle Temple Murder by J.S. Fletcher for our April voted choice

Oops May voted buddy

I've started MTM but I'm not very far yet.

I've started reading The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders, which I'm enjoying a lot - I love this series. It was so sad that the author died last year.

Me, too, I loved that series, such wonderful characters!

Continuing with my Christie rereads, visiting with Poirot now in The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Sentimental favorite!

Started P.D. James, Innocent Blood. I became a mystery fan at an early age because my father read mostly European fictional murder mysteries. I dug up his copy, reading now in honor of Baba's forthcoming birthday; he died when I was 19 years old. James (her last name) a favorite author of James (first name) of my father.

Having really enjoyed The Poisonous Seed, I have started The Daughters of Gentlemen by Linda Stratmann. Hoping I like this as much. it has started well

Sarah wrote: "Started P.D. James, Innocent Blood. I became a mystery fan at an early age because my father read mostly European fictional murder mysteries. I dug up his copy, reading now in honor of Baba's forth..."

Lovely! And passing on a love of reading is a delightful thing for a parent to share.

I’m starting The Frangipani Tree Mystery for our upcoming read.

Judy wrote: "I've started reading The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders, which I'm enjoying a lot - I love this series. It was so sad that the author died last year."

I hadn't heard that; it is sad, for sure.

I read the first two in the series but haven't read that one yet

I'm reading Lorac's 'Accident by Design.' 70% through and enjoying it, Gerald and his Australian wife are heirs to the eatate and are raw Colonials after the war when they were Japanese internees and suffered badly. The are disliked by the rest of the (English) family - I know that feeling well as a 'raw Colonial' from NZ myself! They are killed in a road traffic accident which may well have been 'arranged' and their very unpleasant young son dies from atropine belladonna (deadly nightshade) poisoning which is where I'm at now. Lorac is a fairly new authour to me and a wonderful find (What would I do without my dear friends on Goodreads,)

Keith wrote: "I'm reading Lorac's 'Accident by Design.' 70% through and enjoying it, Gerald and his Australian wife are heirs to the eatate and are raw Colonials after the war when they were Japanese internees a..."

Sounds like a winner, I look forward to reading it. I found Lorac a few years ago, during one of our monthly read nominations; I was looking at British Library Crime Classics titles to nominate, came across one of Lorac’s titles, and my local library had a copy. She’s been a favorite since then!

Now I have finished it, I really did enjoy it, an interesting development at the end! I have 10 of her books so I think I'll spread them out a bit between others.

Keith wrote: "Now I have finished it, I really did enjoy it, an interesting development at the end! I have 10 of her books so I think I'll spread them out a bit between others."

Lorac has definitely become a favourite with this group

Keith wrote: "Now I have finished it, I really did enjoy it, an interesting development at the end! I have 10 of her books so I think I'll spread them out a bit between others."

Oh, good, I’m glad it’s good and you enjoyed it. That’s what I’ve done with my Lorac reissued books (I have some paperbacks I treated myself to, and some ebooks), I try and space them out! I hope they keep reissuing her books.

I recently read two fairly short mysteries. The Wages of Zen is a police procedural set in Japan, written, and set in, 1979. Interesting for plot and the Japanese culture. Author is British but, per GR, spent time in Japan.

The other, Something Wicked is a more traditional classic GA British mystery, written in the 1980's and set in a small village with an amateur detective.

Both are the start of series I plan to continue though right now I had better get started on our April buddy reads.

Have just started J. Jefferson Farjeon's Aunt Sunday Sees It Through. I have started liking him once again after recently finishing his The Double Crime. Anybody else likes him?

Neer wrote: "Have just started J. Jefferson Farjeon's Aunt Sunday Sees It Through. I have started liking him once again after recently finishing his The Double Crime. Anybody else likes him?"

I have read three of his books with the group and enjoyed them. The one I remember most (read last year) is Seven Dead. It is quite an adventure.

I have recently finished No. 17 which I enjoyed plus the books we have read as a group

Listening to Martin Edwards Gallows Court. It’s a long listen but the plot is interesting and a bit more detailed and complicated than other mysteries of that era that i have read.

Sandy wrote: "Neer wrote: "Have just started J. Jefferson Farjeon's Aunt Sunday Sees It Through. I have started liking him once again after recently finishing his The Double Crime. Anybody else likes him?"

I ha..."
Have heard good things about Seven Dead. Will try to get to it asap.

Jill wrote: "I have recently finished No. 17 which I enjoyed plus the books we have read as a group"

I have not read this. Is it one of his Ben the Tramp ones?

Neer wrote: "Jill wrote: "I have recently finished No. 17 which I enjoyed plus the books we have read as a group"

I have not read this. Is it one of his Ben the Tramp ones?"

The first of the Ben the Tramp series

Susan in NC wrote: "Continuing with my Christie rereads, visiting with Poirot now in The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Sentimental favorite!"

Mine too; I love revisiting it, and a recent post I read on this being inspired by an incident at the Savoy Hotel in Mussoorie made me want to pick it up once again as it's a place I lived in as a child.

Neer wrote: "Have just started J. Jefferson Farjeon's Aunt Sunday Sees It Through. I have started liking him once again after recently finishing his The Double Crime. Anybody else likes him?"

I've read his The Z Murders, Neeru-- it wasn't bad but I didn't love it as much I'd hoped. I have the Mystery in White and Thirteen Guests on my TBR

Lady Clementina wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Continuing with my Christie rereads, visiting with Poirot now in The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Sentimental favorite!"

Mine too; I love revisiting it, and a r..."

Oh, wow, what a coincidence!

Just starting Murder at the Spring Ball. I had no intention of reading this, but spoke about the book club to someone, and she gave me this and some others. She didn’t seem keen, and after reading some of the reviews here, I don’t know if I want to, feel but feel I should. Here goes!

I'm reading 'Murder on a Cornish Isle' from the 'edge of the World Detective Agency by Jo Silva.
Set on St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, it is one of the funniest books I've read in a long tome, I must get more of them (there are 3 altogether so far) I won't put any spoilers but it is a typical 'locked room' type of murder mystery and has me chuckling frequently

Always a treat!