Reading the Detectives discussion

Judy wrote: "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 a..."

I have that on my tbr, it sounds good as a summer read.

I'm currently working my way through the Campion series and they are just getting better and better. I'm about to start Coroner's Pidgin next.

Also currently reading The Mystery of the Kneeling Woman. I'm so glad that Dean Street Press republiahed these Moray Dalton books.

I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I know there is a term for that but none of my spelling attempts were close enough for spellcheck.) Supposedly there will be hints in printed musical scores but I have no hope of recognizing them.

It is not the end of the world if you make a spelling mistake - and don't rely on spellcheck either. I have found far too many errors there . But then American is not English, I take my spelling (when necessary) from the Oxford English Dictionary - all 27 volumes of it!

I am now starting The Port of London Murders Josephine Bell. Not read anything by this author before, but the start looks promising

I really enjoyed that one, I want to read more by the author

I have just started the second Brunetti book, Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon.

I enjoyed the first one and this one is promising although a little more punctuation wouldn't go amiss. I am definitely a "less is more" reader when it comes to punctuation but this is perhaps a little too sparse.

I have started Passing Strange for our upcoming read - I enjoy the humor in these books!

Sandy wrote: "I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I know there is a term for that but none of my..."

Interested to know how it is. I have it somewhere.

Susan in NC wrote: "I have started Passing Strange for our upcoming read - I enjoy the humor in these books!"

I'm confused. I thought I read this one but perhaps I left off in the middle.

Oh, dear, I hope I’m on the right book, I hadn’t read this one yet, it’s #9.

I’m also reading The Locked Tomb Mystery: And Other Stories by Elizabeth Peters - I borrowed it from my library through Libby and realized I’ve read it before. At least two of the stories seem familiar! I’m up to the title story, set in ancient Egypt, and it’s interesting and I don’t remember it, so I’ll finish it tomorrow.

Just started up The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie.

Jan C wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I know there is a term for that ..."

I enjoyed reading the book, especially the format and setting. It is told strictly in letters and newspaper articles; I don't remember any live action. I was disappointed in the solution and the wrap up, but it did not ruin the book. Hope you can fit it into your reading schedule.

An aside: I browsed my kindle yesterday and I really need to concentrate on my backlog.

Franky wrote: "Just started up The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie."

Oooo, classic!

Sandy wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I know there is a ..."

Oh, my gosh, me, too! I read a book a few years ago by Susan Hill, Howards End Is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home about reading from her own library for a year…I keep meaning to try it, especially since I’ve accumulated so my Kindle books of all kinds (history, nature and science, mysteries).

I am reading An Unfinished Murder by Jude Deveraux

Now starting Passing Strange Catherine Aird our buddy read

I read West Heart Kill. I would really like to hear others' opinions. My review:

Quite an odd book. Some of the author's long asides are interesting; other less so (probably depending on how much I knew or cared about the subject). The varying points of view I rather liked. Not sure if the ending is meant to inspire the reader to reread the book, but, if so, it didn't work in my case.

I’ve just gotten Mad About the Boy? from my library, and am going to try it today for our challenge book for August. I’m curious to see if it holds up to the promise of the first book, which I enjoyed.

Now starting The Woman Who Walked into the Sea by Mark Douglas-Home I liked the first book, so moving onto this second story

Having a binge read of Jill Paton Walsh's 'Imogen Quy'. About 1/3 into her final book 'The Bad Quarto'. All four are really excellent, very interesting (and involved) plots, all most enjoyable
Imogen is the college nurse at St Agatha's College, Cambridge and gets involved in many college happenings. Set in modern times it is not really GA period but as mysteries are very much of the same quality.

Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I kn..."

I started the Howard's End book but I don't think I ever finished it. I think it is still on the shelf - but a different shelf than before. I try to read my backlog but I still haven't gotten new glasses so kindle reading is easier.

I am reading Death in a Budapest Butterfly the first of a new cozy series. So far it is only so-so.

Franky wrote: "Just started up The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie."

Wonderful--I reread it quite recently and enjoyed it a lot! Hope you did too!

Jan C wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newsp..."

Same here, Jan! I have my next check up in September, I’ll be surprised if I don’t need new glasses as well! Meanwhile, ebooks with nice big fonts are a comfort. ;o)

Jackie wrote: "I am reading Death in a Budapest Butterfly the first of a new cozy series. So far it is only so-so."

I'm further along now and the book is better than I thought originally.

Now starting Wrack and Rune Charlotte MacLeod

I really enjoyed Mad About the Boy?, and am starting a relisten of Duplicate Death for a Heyer group read

Finished The Port of London Murders (excellent book in case anyone is undecided about reading it) and Mad About the Boy? is up next.

Halfway through Murder on Black Swan Lane . I'm enjoying it so far but at times there is a little too much explaining that breaks the flow (e.g. a paragraph explaining what the Grand Tour was). These would be better as a footnote perhaps.

Now reading So Many Doors E.R. Punshon. This is number 26 in the series. Hard to believe we have read so many and still more to go!

I have a few new library books I need to read and return before I can start our mid-month books. I have started Cabaret Macabre, the second or third in a locked room series with a retired magician as the amateur detective. So far I have met the starring family, all of whom are interestingly distasteful.

Finished Cabaret Macabre and gave it three stars. The evil characters are fun to dislike, the plot is intricate, and the ending has twist after twist. Locked rooms are not my favorite and I ignore the unlikely murder methods.

Next up is second in another new series,The Wrong Hands. Interesting main character in this series: police detective, a murdered wife who was also a cop and with whom he has conversations, ballroom dancer, quirky sense of humor, and a pair of pet rats, Fred and Ginger.

I am reading The Port of London Murders.

I am rereading Murder by Matchlight for our September read. It was available so I got it from my library, and am enjoying it very much. It was one of the first Lorac mysteries I read when I first became hooked on her, and it’s a delight to revisit it now that I’ve come to really appreciate her writing.

Finished The Wrong Hands. That and the first in the series were 5 stars reads for me.

I've gone back to Passing Strange by Catherine Aird.

Read and enjoyed Death of the Red Rider

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Less intense than the first book but compelling all the same.

I am now starting one of our forthcoming September buddy reads A Crown of Lights Phil Rickman as it is a long book and I want to stay up to date.

Enjoyed the Phil Rickman and am now reading Murder by Matchlight, our chosen book

Enjoyed the Lorac, I am now reading Mrs Pargeter's Package for fun, and listening to Murder at the Merton Library while I knit!

Susan in NC wrote: "Enjoyed the Lorac, I am now reading Mrs Pargeter's Package for fun, and listening to Murder at the Merton Library while I knit!"

Mrs Pargeter looks like fun!

Lady Clementina wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Enjoyed the Lorac, I am now reading Mrs Pargeter's Package for fun, and listening to Murder at the Merton Library while I knit!"

Mrs Pargeter lo..."

I have enjoyed the series so far!

I have started The Turkish Gambit Boris Akunin. Started well but now I am struggling with it Hoping it picks up again soon.

Am reading The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. It seems to be dragging now.

I just started listening to the audio book Death on the Night of Lost Lizards which is #3 three in a series and reading Cheddar Off Dead which #2 in a different series by the same author, Julia Buckley.

I've started The Rose Arbor, a stand alone, with a current day (1968) kidnapping and three from WWII.

'Needing' an audio book, I also started Mistress of the Art of Death which has been on my TBR forever (it also fulfills a historical mystery group challenge). It is set in the time of Henry II, after his Thomas Beckett fiasco, and is fascinating. It reminds me of Shardlake in its historical details. Trigger warnings for gruesome child murders.

Just reread the Lily Adler mystery books 1-4 in anticipation of new release, book 5 tomorrow. On Kindle and Audible US
Author Katharine Schellman provides intrigue and entertainment.

I finished The Turkish Gambit and now starting A Body at a Boarding School Benedict Brown September read. So far it reads like a Y.A book, which it isn't listed as. Hoping it improves when the Grandfather from the previous book turns up.

Sandy wrote: "'Needing' an audio book, I also started Mistress of the Art of Death which has been on my TBR forever (it also fulfills a historical mystery group challenge). It is set in the time of ..."

Oh, I enjoyed that book many years ago! Thanks for the reminder, I never finished that series, but the first couple books were very good.

I’m catching up on long mystery series I’ve followed for years, and my library has recently come through with the latest books I requested months ago. The books always seem to become available in waves, 3-4 at a time! The latest, my current mystery, is Murder in Rose Hill by Victoria Thompson.