Reading the Detectives discussion

Susan in NC wrote: "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 lovin..."
This is such an excellent series--I feel sad there won't be more. But I still have Lamentation and Tombland to read.

I feel the same, Lady C - very sad that there won't be any more Shardlake but I'm looking forward to the books I haven't read yet in the series.

I am about to start the last Maise Dobbs, The Comfort of Ghosts. While this is not one of my very favorite series, I have followed it faithfully and wish Maise well.

Just finished the last book in the Dexter series and now starting the first book in the Harry Bosch series

Lauren wrote: "Just finished the last book in the Dexter series and now starting the first book in the Harry Bosch series"

I love Michael Connelly and have read the first 25 , luckily many more to read. Hope you like them.

I'm halfway through So Pretty a Problem and have also started our next challenge title, Burying the Crown - they are very different so I don't think I'll mix them up.

I enjoyed our forthcoming buddy read A Private View - one of the best Michael Innes books I've read so far. Looking forward to discussing that one.

I am now starting The Summer of the Danes Ellis Peters Another of our buddy reads

Jill wrote: "I am now starting The Summer of the Danes Ellis Peters Another of our buddy reads"

I requested the hardcover from my library, I will pick it up and start this week. I love rereading this series, but am sad to see I can’t get the Patrick Tull narrations, only Sir Derek Jacobi. Those are of course, excellent, as he WAS Cadfael on tv, but they are abridged versions. I don’t know why, but the unabridged audiobooks are unavailable through my library, Audible and Everand.

Susan, that is such a shame! abridged should be illegal!

Well, I really enjoyed the Patrick Tull narrations, it’s a shame.

Fortunately I have all the Cadfael seris on my Kindle and keep re reading them. I am reading Ngaio Marsh right now, a fellow Kiwi.vpart way through 'Grave Mistake'.
You might be interested in how to pronounce 'Ngaio' The 'Ng' is the same as in 'sing, in the back of the throat. The 'ai' sounds like 'why' and the 'o' is as in 'paw', not as in 'grow'.
Just a bit more useless information!

Keith wrote: "Fortunately I have all the Cadfael seris on my Kindle and keep re reading them. I am reading Ngaio Marsh right now, a fellow Kiwi.vpart way through 'Grave Mistake'.
You might be interested in how t..."

Thank you, I always wondered!

Glad you’ve got the Cadfael collection on kindle, I have them through my library and Everand subscription, but the audiobooks are all abridged now…wish I’d thought ahead to get all of the unabridged Audibles while they were available!

I have a hearing problem so don't like audiobooks

By the way, 'Ngaio' is a Maori name, it means 'expert, clever, professional, academic'. It is also a small tree with poisonous leaves and fruit. Take your pick!

I’m half deaf, but enjoy audiobooks as I read along, they keep me on track so my mind doesn’t wander - but the narrator is very important!

Quick update: I checked Audible, and I’m wrong, the Patrick Tull “Cadfael” books are there, except for Summer of the Danes! I actually have them free as part of my subscription, which I love because they are soothing and delightful to knit along with…sorry for my mistake!

yay!

Yes!

I want to continue, or even wrap up, some of the many series I have started. Combining this with a review of the many books I have on my library' 'for later' shelf I requested a couple that had few copies on the shelves.

First up is Baptism in Blood, I series I've enjoyed and put aside when I discovered a future development of which I do not approve.

I will be moving onto our upcoming reads but I have both of those on audio and I needed a print book.

I'm reading The Ellerby Case by John Rhode. Dr. Priestley #3 from 1927. Regarding the creation of fake saccarhine. So far, a friend of Dr. Priestley was killed and an attempt was made on Priestley and his assistant. The interesting is that these are both long distance attempts. Traps set up and woe unto the person who falls for it.

Currently reading The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau by Graeme Macrae Burnet

Sandy wrote: "I want to continue, or even wrap up, some of the many series I have started. Combining this with a review of the many books I have on my library' 'for later' shelf I requested a couple that had few..."

I'm trying to wrap up. few series over the summer too. It is tempting to start new ones but eventually my brain gets too overloaded with characters.

I am now starting Detection Unlimited Georgette Heyer our buddy read and last of Heyer's detective series.

The Port of London Murders arrived today so I should be starting that shortly. Might have taken it outside today but it keeps raining. Short little showers.

Jan C wrote: "The Port of London Murders arrived today so I should be starting that shortly. Might have taken it outside today but it keeps raining. Short little showers."

We had some rain, too - grateful for a bit of cooldown, and break from watering plants and grass!

Just back from a holiday in South Wales - I finished our two new month's reads, and also started reading Crimes of Cymru: Classic Mystery Tales of Wales, one of the British Library collections edited by Martin Edwards. I was a bit surprised to find that some of the stories are not set in Wales, but just by Welsh authors, but anyway I'm enjoying it so far.

I was interested to learn from this that Ethel Lina White, author of The Wheel Spins aka The Lady Vanishes, was born in Abergavenny, which is where we were staying.

I am now starting Lock No. 1 Georges Simenon. I like these short books of Maigret. They sort of feel like a palate cleanser between other authors.

Jill wrote: "I am now starting Lock No. 1 Georges Simenon. I like these short books of Maigret. They sort of feel like a palate cleanser between other authors."

I also appreciate the short length. Serves as a night's entertainment while I decide what to read next.

I have been finding Lorac rather heavy going so have gone back to our Dorothy for a rest (Hangman's Holiday)

Ive started a reread of Detection Unlimited, and opted to listen to the abridged version of The Summer of the Danes, despite my grousing about it! I’ve got a stack of library books I want to get through, including The Port of London Murders, which I’ll read after Cadfael.

I am now starting The Last Voice You Hear by Mick Herron The second in the Oxford Investigations. I liked the first in this series and am interested in
seeing the exploits of the main character, Zoe Boehm

I've started Death at Dyke's Corner, an E.C.R. Lorac novel from 1940 that I noticed on Kindle. I'm enjoying it so far. It's good to see more of her novels being republished, even if they are coming out in rather a strange order! Fortunately, with this series the order doesn't matter.

Judy wrote: "I've started Death at Dyke's Corner, an E.C.R. Lorac novel from 1940 that I noticed on Kindle. I'm enjoying it so far. It's good to see more of her novels being rep..."

That was a good one - I snatch up any new titles I see on kindle, you’re right, thank goodness publishing order doesn’t matter.

I have a fair few of Lorac's and have been finding them rather heavy going so I take breaks now and again

I have yet to try Lorac but want to at some point. Glad to know the order doesn't matter but "heavy going" won't work for me anytime soon. We are just starting a heat wave in Oregon! boo! (It was nice here when the East Coast was having theirs)

It's midwinter here, frost last night and a chilly but clear day. Lots of snow on the mountains. My home is nice and warm though, very well insulated , double glazed and well heated.

Keith wrote: "It's midwinter here, frost last night and a chilly but clear day. Lots of snow on the mountains. My home is nice and warm though, very well insulated , double glazed and well heated."

Good to hear!

Jackie wrote: "I have yet to try Lorac but want to at some point. Glad to know the order doesn't matter but "heavy going" won't work for me anytime soon. We are just starting a heat wave in Oregon! boo! (It was n..."

Hang in there, Jackie, we’re roasting here in NC, but to be expected in July.

I love Lorac’s mysteries, my first was Fire in the Thatch and I loved how she wrote so beautifully about rural settings and the characters she created. Everyone likes different styles, so I guess you’ll have to try her yourself to see. Maybe in your heat wave, try her Crossed Skis , written under Carol Carnac (another pen name) - set in the snowy alps during a skiing trip!

I am reading Death Under a Little Sky. Only about a third in but like it well enough to request the next book from the library.

Just about to start a reread of The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie for our upcoming read. Hugh Fraser does a great job narrating, and it’s fun and light-hearted and adventurous, not likely to mix it up with my other current read, The Port of London Murders. I’m really enjoying this one, glad I finally got around to it! A much grittier look at life in pre-war London, but fascinating so far.

I remember not caring for The Secret Adversary (or maybe books later in the T & T series?) for some reason but that was so long ago. I think I should get the book and give it another try. Fun, I like!

I loved Crossed Skis, Susan and Jackie! I've just started our next Georgette Heyer buddy read, Detection Unlimited - a very funny start with a woman who's obsessed with breeding Pekes. I was just laughing at her when I realised that I'm every bit as soppy about my cat!

Leslie wrote: "I am just about to start rereading the first Easy Rawlins book Devil in a Blue Dress."

I've been meaning to read this book. I had heard that Mosley was encouraged to write the novel by his teacher, Edna O’Brien.

Jackie wrote: "I remember not caring for The Secret Adversary (or maybe books later in the T & T series?) for some reason but that was so long ago. I think I should get the book and give it another try. Fun, I like!"

I am enjoying it!

Judy wrote: "I loved Crossed Skis, Susan and Jackie! I've just started our next Georgette Heyer buddy read, Detection Unlimited - a very funny start with a woman who's obsessed with breeding Pekes..."

lol! Mrs. Midgeholme is a hoot - I loved her scenes with Hemingway, especially once he’d earned the favor of Ultimate Ulysses, sire of all of her champions! Maybe you can breed your kitty?

I enjoyed Detection Unlimited so much, I decided to start Tommy and Tuppence right after finishing- keep the humorous detecting vibe going! It is summer, after all, I’m in the mood for light-hearted reads :o)

I'm reading Prosecco Pink by Traci Andrighetti

I read Last Seen Wearing, a reprint of the 'first' police procedural by the US Library of Congress. It really is a police procedural as all the action is involves the police investigation. I liked it a lot and especially enjoyed the footnotes. It was written in 1950 and, as well as factual information, the footnotes explain many of the societal differences, with the Kinsey Report findings getting prominence.

I was travelling around yesterday and read a British Library Crime Classics book, The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W.F. Harvey, en route. I enjoyed the writing style and the fact that it starts at a second-hand bookshop, but it's not really a mystery - more of a light thriller like some of Christie and Allingham's early books. Some of the heroes' actions are rather questionable, but anyway, quite a fun read overall.

Susan in NC wrote: "lol! Mrs. Midgeholme is a hoot - I loved her scenes with Hemingway, especially once he’d earned the favor of Ultimate Ulysses, sire of all of her champions! Maybe you can breed your kitty?..."

Ooh, I'll look out for that scene, thanks Susan! My cat has been "done" so won't be breeding her - anyway, one of her is quite enough.;) I'm in awe of how Mrs Midgeholme keeps track of all her dogs, aside from thinking up all the ridiculous names beginning with 'U'!

Judy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "lol! Mrs. Midgeholme is a hoot - I loved her scenes with Hemingway, especially once he’d earned the favor of Ultimate Ulysses, sire of all of her champions! Maybe you can breed ..."

I love the running gag of the “U” names! She finally had to rely on the dictionary, hence one peke named “Untidy”!

I have two mysteries in process. Deadly Beloved, continuing my project of continuing my ignored series, and The Man Who Read Mysteries, a short story collection where the amateur detective takes on the style of his favorite literary detective. It has been lurking on my kindle for years.