Reading the Detectives discussion

I really like the way she ages Miss Marple and the frustration Marple feels at her physical limitations.

Am now starting Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths, one of my favourite authors.

Jill wrote: "Am now starting Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths, one of my favourite authors."

And I am about to start The Last Word before the library reclaims it.

Jill wrote: "Am now starting Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths, one of my favourite authors."

I’ve just started that too Jill! Will be interested to see what you think.

As an FYI for anyone who is interested - the full-cast adaptation of Agatha Christie's "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" is available on BBC Sounds for the next 3.5 weeks! I just finished listening to it and really enjoyed it. John Moffatt plays Poirot.

I just started The Word is Murder which will be my first by Anthony Horowitz.

Jackie wrote: "I just started The Word is Murder which will be my first by Anthony Horowitz."

Hope you like him. I started reading him with his children's series, (The Diamond Brothers) which I found can appeal to adults and children. Children will take them at face value but think adults can see more in them.

so far, I like that he writes well but is easy to read and I was encouraged because I saw some Foyle's War and really liked it.

Carissa wrote: "As an FYI for anyone who is interested - the full-cast adaptation of Agatha Christie's "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" is available on BBC Sounds for the next 3.5 weeks! I just finished listening to it ..."

Thank you.

Craftyhj wrote: "I really like the way she ages Miss Marple and the frustration Marple feels at her physical limitations."

Yes, it’s realistic- and I admire how Miss Marple grows into her sleuthing abilities throughout the first short stories and books. She stops being apologetic and self-effacing about it, and matter-of-factly discusses evil motives and machinations with whatever police inspector is investigating.

Susan in NC wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "I really like the way she ages Miss Marple and the frustration Marple feels at her physical limitations."

Yes, it’s realistic- and I admire how Miss Marple grows into her sleuthin..."

I think Miss Marple is a more well rounded character than Poirot.

I'm reading Enter Sir John by Clemence Dane and Helen de Guerry Simpson, a mystery from 1928 which has just been published on Kindle. Good so far - it has a theatrical setting, which I usually enjoy.

I've heard this book recommended on the Shedunnit podcast, and also wanted to read it because I've got Ask A Policeman lined up to read, and noticed Sir John Saumarez was one of the detectives featured.

Craftyhj wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "I really like the way she ages Miss Marple and the frustration Marple feels at her physical limitations."

Yes, it’s realistic- and I admire how Miss Marple gro..."

I agree, I’m trying to pay attention as I reread the earlier Poirot mysteries to see if I pick up anymore clues about his previous life. He appears to pop up, fully formed as a retired policeman in Styles! Miss Marple gives hints abher life throughout her books - whether it’s went to school with this woman, or danced at a ball once as a young woman with this man, had tea at this vicarage, met this lady at a garden party, etc.

Judy wrote: "I'm reading Enter Sir John by Clemence Dane and Helen de Guerry Simpson, a mystery from 1928 which has just been published on Kindle. Good so far -..."

Thanks for this title, I always go to the GR page to read reviews to see if i might enjoy. This brings me to a pet peeve - low star rating, 3.38 (odd number, by the way…), is an instant turnoff; then I read some of the reviews - come smack up against someone giving a low rating because of racism and classism. It was written in 1928, when such things were common- wrong, sad, yes, but also common. We are trying to do better (well, hopefully…) But blotting out books written back then, reflecting wrong-headed notions of the time, aren’t going to erase them from history! Is it a good mystery, good characters, dialogue? I really wish people would review the book, along with stating their disgust! Sorry, I’ll get off my soapbox now…

I agree with you, Susan, people should review the book including any racism, etc, they find in it.
On Amazon I sometimes see people give a low rating to a book because it was delivered late or came damaged for goodness sake, hardly fair to the author.

Jackie wrote: "I agree with you, Susan, people should review the book including any racism, etc, they find in it.
On Amazon I sometimes see people give a low rating to a book because it was delivered late or cam..."

I know, they really should give a separate rating for service issues!

Agreed! When I get an Amazon delivery, I usually get an email from the company asking me to rate the service, but only if the delivery came through Amazon itself, NOT though one of their subcontractors, including the US Postal Service itself. My last USPS delivery was a disaster, trying to cram a book into my mailbox until it fit, bending the pages and warping the spine. But the book I'd ordered, actually for this group, a copy of "L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre," was a great read, and it doesn't matter too much, since I bought an old, used PB.

Now starting Time to Depart by Lindsey Davis our buddy read. Having struggled through the previous book in this series, I did think I wouldn't bother reading on, but having read six, I decided to give it another try.

Susan in NC wrote: "Thanks for this title, I always go to the GR page to read reviews to see if i might enjoy. This brings me to a pet peeve - low star rating, 3.38 (odd number, by the way…), is an instant turnoff; then I read some of the reviews - come smack up against someone giving a low rating because of racism and classism. ..."

Hi Susan, I hadn't seen this review, but to be honest I can see their point with this particular book, Enter Sir John, which is something of a mixed bag, as it does feature some very disturbing attitudes, going beyond what you'd find in the typical GA book. The actual mystery plot also isn't very good IMO, and it's too obvious who the killer is.

But the writing style is great, a bit like Sayers (I'm wondering if some aspects of this book influenced Strong Poison), and Sir John himself is an appealing character. There are also some other well-drawn characters. So, yes, I have mixed feelings overall about this one, and will probably continue to go round in circles about it.

I've started our next group read, Murder in Blue by Clifford Witting, and am enjoying it so far. (For anyone in the UK who doesn't mind getting ebooks from other sources, the ebook is currently £2.59 from https://www.hive.co.uk/ which is a bit less than the Amazon price but has to be read on a non-Kindle app.)

Craftyhj wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "I really like the way she ages Miss Marple and the frustration Marple feels at her physical limitations."

Yes, it’s realistic- and I admire how Miss Marple gro..."

Me too, and in my last time rereading the whole series with this group I noticed much more social commentary than I had previously

Jackie wrote: "I just started The Word is Murder which will be my first by Anthony Horowitz."

I'm hoping to get started on these too. I very much enjoyed Magpie Murders.

I finished The Murder of Mr. Ma, a Sherlock / Watson takeoff with two Chinese main characters set in 1920's London. I thought it interesting and amusing. It very much highlights the 'yellow peril' fear rampant in the West at that time. While the real Judge Dee character is Sherlock, the actual man lived a thousand years earlier and this one has nearly superhuman powers.

In the 'did not finish' category is Over My Dead Body. The premise sounded interesting, but I couldn't get into it and have too many other books waiting.

Sandy wrote: "I finished The Murder of Mr. Ma, a Sherlock / Watson takeoff with two Chinese main characters set in 1920's London. I thought it interesting and amusing. It very much highlights th..."

Thanks for the titles, always looking for new books (even if I have no chance to possibly read all of them!) I have learned to be more ruthless about book choices, and putting aside anything that doesn’t catch and hold my interest.

I just picked up a hold from the library that comes highly recommended from a dear GR friend: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Hoping to start soon, having company at the moment! ;o)

Susan in NC wrote: "I just picked up a hold from the library that comes highly recommended from a dear GR friend: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Hoping to start soon, having company..."

I started that book today! I was inspired because I read a biography of the main character years ago, A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812. Excellent book and so far the novel rings true to the character as I remember her.

Oh, great! I have company through tomorrow, will dive in as soon as I can. She’s an avid reader, also requested the book from her library in Florida!

Jill wrote: "I am now reading Spy Hook by Len Deighton."

Ooh! I love Len Deighton especially the Bernie Samson series.

I have finished reading Ask a Policeman by The Detection Club which was quite a fun read, with Anthony Berkeley writing the Wimsey chapter and Sayers writing the Roger Sheringham chapter.

There is also an essay by Agatha Christie about detective fiction at the start - in no way related but the publisher has put it in so they can put her name on the cover! But anyway it's very entertaining - according to the introduction by Martin Edwards, she wrote it for a Russian magazine and knew her Detection Club colleagues wouldn't see it, so she could be frank.

She is generally enthusiastic about the other writers she mentions, but complains about Wimsey's romance with a "tiresome young woman called Harriet" and criticises some writers' plots.

P.S. I'm now reading our forthcoming challenge book, The Case of the Canterfell Codicil. Very light and humorous so far.

Hi guys,
I am an MA publishing student. If anyone has two minutes of their time I would be so grateful if you could complete a really short survey about mystery novel preferences. I've put the link below

https://570p6ykwgrd.typeform.com/to/u...

I am reading Dial P For Poison and finding it OK, not bad and not really compelling.

I am not sure if I should admit this or not but I am reading my first ever Sherlock Holmes; A Study in Scarlet.

Craftyhj wrote: "I am not sure if I should admit this or not but I am reading my first ever Sherlock Holmes; A Study in Scarlet."

Good place to start as it introduces Holmes and Watson, but probably my least favorite.

Just read an historical mystery that I found only so-so, Death in the Details

My rather catty review:
Not particularly interesting in either plot or characters with quite a reach for a twisty ending where many of the good people turn out to be bad. It is an easy read (especially if you skim over the death of the brother which has nothing to do with the plot) and good enough to finish. However, the real-life person who inspired the author sounds fascinating.

I may just be in a bad mood. I also didn't care for The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club that everyone else on GR loved.

Sarah wrote: "Agreed! When I get an Amazon delivery, I usually get an email from the company asking me to rate the service, but only if the delivery came through Amazon itself, NOT though one of their subcontrac..."

I attended a talk with Mark Billingham and John Connolly this weekend where Mark read some of their 1-star reviews and had the audience laughing so much, because of these kind of completely unrelated comments - one 1-star rating was from a woman who wrote she couldn't rate the book as it belonged to her husband! It was such a fun conversation as they discussed their 25-years in writing.

I got a bit behind and am just starting Murder in Blue

I've been reading a lot of Golden Age Crime recently so I have decided to flick forward the pages of the calendar and I am reading At Risk by Stella Rimington

I've started reading our next Shardlake book, Heartstone by C.J. Sansom, and am enjoying it so far - great to be back with these characters.

Judy wrote: "I've started reading our next Shardlake book, Heartstone by C.J. Sansom, and am enjoying it so far - great to be back with these characters."

I am loving rereading this series, it’s stayed with me after many years (ok, maybe not plot specifics, but the characters- Matthew smart, determined, melancholy; Barack fiercely loyal, street-smart, great in a tight spot; Henry VIII self-centered bad man, bad husband material!) Ok, maybe not sophisticated analysis, but seared into my brain. I can’t help thinking, if they let writers like Sansom design curriculum, students would never find history boring!

Carolien wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Agreed! When I get an Amazon delivery, I usually get an email from the company asking me to rate the service, but only if the delivery came through Amazon itself, NOT though one of th..."

I'm sorry, I don't see the connection. The book's condition doesn't influence my opinion of the content; it just annoys me that the USPS is so cavalier in its delivery of parcels, like crushing the daffodils on the path to my front door. Does this refer to a one star review I gave to an author? I just checked my reading list and have read only 2 Billinghams, both given 4 stars, and I don't think I've ever tried John Connolly.
The lecture sounds hilarious. Good to know that writers read Goodreads, learning that people give one stars for ridiculous reasons.

Sarah wrote: "Carolien wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Agreed! When I get an Amazon delivery, I usually get an email from the company asking me to rate the service, but only if the delivery came through Amazon itself, NOT..."

Haha, these commenters remind me of myself when I was a child - I bought a copy of one of Enid Blyton's Secret Seven books in paperback, and it snapped down the middle of the spine when I was halfway through. I decided that the Secret Seven series was rubbish and made sure never to read any more of them! Luckily I had no opportunity to write reviews mixing up the printing quality with the content back in those days ;)

I started The Ellerby Case by John Rhode. Sir Noel Ellerby visits Dr. Priestley and tells him about a burglary. Apparently he goes home and is found dead the following morning in front of his open safe. I'm not that far yet. Not a long book at all - only 135 pp.

I am reading "Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follett. I also recorded to the movie to watch later. About halfway through the book. Very exciting. Follett knows to weave history and fiction together.

Fred wrote: "I am reading "Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follett. I also recorded to the movie to watch later. About halfway through the book. Very exciting. Follett knows to weave history and fiction together."

I read it twice. I didn't recognize the title the second time. But it did start to sound familiar. I think it is a fairly good movie, too.

Have finished So Pretty a Problem. By. Francis Duncan. Now starting One Man Show by Michael Innes. Aka A Private View

I'm just starting A Private View by Michael Innes too, Jill - hoping to read it before my Kobo Plus sub expires, as I've decided to cancel that for now. It does have the Innes books but its selection is quite limited in general.

Just finished So Pretty a Problem, started a reread of Poirot Investigates, a paperback from my own library, as I’ve got a long drive and medical appointment coming this week - my mother always advised me to have a book handy! Short stories seemed just the ticket…

Susan in NC wrote: "Just finished So Pretty a Problem, started a reread of Poirot Investigates, a paperback from my own library, as I’ve got a long drive and medical appointment coming ..."

Hope all goes well with the appointment Susan.

Jill wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Just finished So Pretty a Problem, started a reread of Poirot Investigates, a paperback from my own library, as I’ve got a long drive and medical..."

Thank you