The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

My review of The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've just finished The Dead Zone by Stephen King. An oldie but a goodie.

I'd never read this before and I'd always categorised Stephen King as Horror. Boy was I wrong. This is a great thriller which I highly recommend to anyone who has put off reading Mr King, thinking him as only horror.

Here's my 5 star review

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Stephen King wrote a gem of a political thriller back in 1979. If you could travel back in time and kill Hitler, would you? This book spins that premise around brilliantly.

When I was many years younger, I wasn't a big fan of Stephen King. I used to think they took too long to get going. Now, I realise he is a master of world and character building. He gets you to genuinely care about our protaganist, Johnny Smith, as his life is torn apart by a car crash, putting him into a coma.

Awakening four and a half years later, his girlfriend is now married with child and he seems to possess a new psychic gift. One granted to him from a childhood skating accident, but now more intense. Whenever Johnny touches someone, he has a 'flash'. What he see's varies, their past lives, their future, sometimes nothing at all. Certain details he can't see, which Johnny says are in his Dead Zone, out of his reach.

The premise of this book is fantastic and Stephen King delivers in every aspect.




View all my reviews

Most have loved A Talent for Murder but i found it just meh. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Baby Face by Steve Brewer

Bubba Mabry #2. Bubba is an unsuccessful PI in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is hired by a pimp to find out who is killing his hookers and also by a lady who had her doll collection stolen. After stumbling around for 269 pages he solves both. This book is quite a come-down after Bubba #1 which I liked. This book is slow and Bubba kept getting on my nerves. I won't be continuing the series. 2 stars.

Just finished American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America's Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower. I recall watching The Untouchables TV show as a kid, and the 1980s movie, neither of which really serves up Eliot Ness as a real, flawed human being. This is something of a corrective, and I found it fascinating. Review here,
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished my 66th book

I'm starting out the week with Requiem for a Mouse by Miranda James. Sadly, this was a weaker entry in the series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Another excellent murder mystery in his excellent historical series set in regency London

What Cannot Be Said by C.S. Harris

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've recently read a couple of old-fashioned, classic, spooky tales that would be perfect for a chilly night around the fire.

My brief reviews have links to where you can read them or save them for yourself.

The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson
My review of The Bottle Imp
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
My review of The Monkey's Paw

I've recently read a couple of old-fashioned, classic, spooky tales that would be perfect for a chilly night around the fire.

My brief reviews have links to where you can read them or save them for yourself.

The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson
My review of The Bottle Imp
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
My review of The Monkey's Paw

City of Secrets is a well done, realistic police procedural. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now starting MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE by Vaseem Khan, the first novel in his mystery series featuring female detective Persis Wadia, who solves crimes in her native India after the country gains its independence in 1947.

Brian wrote: "I've just finished The Dead Zone by Stephen King. An oldie but a goodie.

I'd never read this before and I'd always categorised Stephen King as Horror. Boy was I wrong. T..."

I really connected with this one as well. Firestarter , one of his earlier novels also was more thriller than horror. You may like it.

Just finished Bethlehem Road, an enjoyable Victorian mystery. #10 in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitts series.

James wrote: "Now starting MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSE by Vaseem Khan, the first novel in his mystery series featuring female detective Persis Wadia, who solves crimes in her native India after the country gains i..."

I enjoyed those books

My review of Stranger in the Woods by Anni Taylor

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I always love popping into St Denis in the Dordogne to see what Bruno, Chief of Police and his wonderful friends are up to. Such a good series!

A Grave in the Woods by Martin Walker

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Book Of Cold Cases

The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne fell flat for me. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished The Noh Mask Murder and I was just not a fan. However, I reread Takagi's The Tattoo Murder Case , an old Soho edition which I'd read years ago and forgotten. For the most part, enjoyed it except that I had figured out part of the key components of the solution long before I probably should have. Now (re)reading his Honeymoon to Nowhere (also from Soho) and thankfully, half-way through I have no clue as the who.

I finished my 65th book

Nocturne in Ashes: A Riley Forte Suspense Thriller

4 stars
serial killer. volcanic eruption. read as a BookSirens review copy.


My review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Profiles in Ignorance: How America's Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber by Andy Borowitz It is nonfiction, detailing how American politicians have grown increasingly dumber, starting with Reagan and ending with Trump. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished Think Twice
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I last commented on here. Sorry for being inactive. But I'm back now! I'm currently reading two books. The first one is called The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson. The second one is called Lethal White (#4 in the series) by Robert Galbraith.

Ending the week with the sports themed crime short story anthology Three Strikes - You're Dead https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Christine wrote: "I finished my 60th book"

Nice going Christine. 🙂

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni

Defense lawyer Keera Duggan defends a woman who committed a HUGE medical fraud, and is now accused of murder.

Good legal thriller. 3.5 stars

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

Spirit Crossing is a fabulous addition to the Cork O’Connor series. My five star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Robert Dugoni is one author whose books I always enjoy and this intriguing legal trial featuring defence attorney Keera Duggan is no exception. This time defending someone she grew up hating and thinks is probably a sociopath!

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished Middle of the Night by Riley Sager


A solid three stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Think Twice by Harlen Coben

Myron Bolitar #12. Myron and Win start off investigating whether one of Myron's dead frenemies is really dead and wind up involved in a hunt for a serial killer. I'm normally not fond of the "serial killer" trope but this book is very well done. I've read most of the Bolitar series and this is one of the best. Very suspenseful. 4 stars.

Lucy Foley returns to form with The Midnight Feast . My five star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Not a mystery, but some readers might be interested

Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith


In this memoir, the actress/singer/talk show host (and wife of Will Smith) writes about her life and career.

From drug dealing on the mean streets of Baltimore to Hollywood success.....which doesn't heal all ills. 4 stars

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

I finished my 64th book

My review of A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Andrew McGahan was a fine Australian writer who won the 2005 Miles Franklin Award for The White Earth, which certainly meets the criteria, being of the highest literary merit and presenting Australian life in any of its phases. I do love a good historical mystery.
My review of The White Earth

I finished Every Breath You Take] by Miranda Rijks

Again, an enjoyable three star book by this author: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Where Roses Never Die by Gunnar Staalesen It is a private eye mystery set in Norway. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Voyage of the Wanderlust: A Tri-Galactic Trek Novel


4.5 stars
Read as an ARC. BookSirens
Sci-fi fantasy. Hard SF. light hearted story

My review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Started a new Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. I enjoy the humor the author adds to his characters despite the seriousness of the story. I'm a big John Lescroart fan, so I figured I would like Rosenfelt and I do.

My review of Bluegate Fields by Anne Perry

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Traitor is an okay but not stellar follow-up to a boffo freshman spy-thriller yarn. Plotting, setting, and character issues give the reader too much time to think about what's going on, never a good thing in this genre. If Alias Emma heightened your expectations for this sequel, you may be disappointed. If you start this series here, though, this book may be just fine for that beach trip or transcon flight, and you'll be primed to be blown away by the prequel. 3.49 vials of VX, rounded down to three.

Read the full review here.

Shanghai was an entertaining and somewhat educational thriller. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Lost Victim is a well done PI mystery. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A couple fo days ago I finished The Dry, a thrilling book, first in the series. I have to watch the movie in the future, the story is good.
Yesterday I started La trama del glicine a funny and intriguing mystery by an italian author, last book of a series.

Whispers At Dusk

I finished my 63rd book

Now starting STORM CHILD by Michael Robotham, the fourth novel in his ongoing series set in England and featuring forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac, a girl with a past that she chooses to keep hidden.

The Debt Collector by Steven Max Russo

Abby, a tough as nails 'leg breaker' who collects debts for mobsters and bookies, looks like a cute blond co-ed. When Abby is labeled a murderer, she needs all her skills to survive.

This is a thriller with plenty of humor. 3.5 stars

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