The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

A big hit with me was The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King. It's also, to my slight surprise, a Reese's Book Club selection. I'm not usually excited by book-club fiction but this one was well-made in its exploration of memory, memories as stories, and the way they intersect.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Pretty Good Science Jokes: 230 Peer-Reviewed, Lab-Tested, Nobel-Worthy Jokes, Puns, and Zingers by Steve Mockus

A fun, illustrated compilation of science jokes, riddles, and puns. For the STEM crowd and anyone who wants a laugh. 😊

I enjoyed this quick read. 4 stars

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

Fans of legal thrillers will enjoy Grave Danger . My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My 4 star review of The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My review of Find Her Alive by Lisa Regan

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

Dear Miss Lake is the final book in the Emmy Lake WWII series. The weakest of the four but a nice ending for the readers who’ve enjoyed the first three. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

We're reading "Dead Over Heels", one of the Aurora Teagarden mysteries.

Say No More

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club
Gloria Chao



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

Just finished two really great stories that were part of my 2025 "Out of My Comfort Zone" challenge. War stories definitely fit that bill.

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

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

Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg

Los Angeles arson investigators Sharpe and Walker have a lot on their plates, with an arsonist setting fires to apartment building carports and an inferno on the Santa Monica Freeway.

Good thriller. 3.5 stars

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

The full five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan. an exquisite and nostalgic blend of mystery, suspense and family dynamics. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt

In this prequel to the Andy Carpenter mystery series, the defense lawyer adopts his beloved golden retriever Tara and tries his first homicide case.

As always, a fun mystery with lots of humor. 3.5 stars

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

Rasheedah wrote: "Do you all discuss the group reads here? I am trying to find the discussion for Then She Was Gone. Sooo good"

I don't know why the current reads at the top of the home page don't have a link to the discussions. In fact they say there are no discussions - BUT, yes there are!

Go to the home page and scroll down to the sixth section (I think) that is headed GROUP READ DISCUSSIONS. You'll find the recent reads there.

Here's the one you want:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

It seems to be this way in many groups - weird.

If you enjoy particularly well-written short stories, I recommend Island: The Complete Stories by the late Canadian author Alistair MacLeod.

I've noticed him mentioned by other authors as a master of the craft, and they're right. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia was a harsh place to grow up, but my goodness, it is wonderful to read about.

I may read them again.
My review of Island: The Complete Stories

We're starting "J is for Justice" today.

The English Masterpiece was a well done, complex historical mystery. My five star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tricks of Fortune

3/5
Coming Out: July 1, 2025

Do the answers lie in the tarot cards?
Please read my review linked below:

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

I finished my 45th book

Doggone Bones by Carolyn Haines

Private detectives Sarah Booth Delaney and Tinkie Richmond investigate a dognapping ring in Mississippi. Very strong animal rights theme in this story.

For me, this book isn't as good as others in the series, though I appreciate the sentiment. 2.5 stars

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

Christine wrote: "I finished my 45th book"

Nice going Christine. 😊

My review of Death at a Paris Hotel by Verity Bright

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

I called the Kinsey Millhone book wrong earlier. It's "I is for Judgment".

My review of Signal Loss by Garry Disher

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

Too Old For This is great fun if you don’t mind dark themes. My five star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Strange Conjurings Volume 2: The Intrepid Gnome’s Anthology of Weird and Eldritch Tales: 1819-1929

5/5 stars

Fantastic collection of Weird Fiction.
Please read my review linked below:

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

I read Green Flash at Sunset : A Novel by Nic Schuck My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now starting DEAD MAN'S CREEK (2023) by Chris Hammer, the second novel in his ongoing series featuring the homicide detective team of Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan. Set in modern day Australia.

The book was originally published in Australia in 2022 with the title THE TILT and was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award and won the London Times Crime Book of the Year Award.

I enjoyed Thrown for a Scoop by Dana Mentink https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My review of The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian

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

I finished One Dark Night by Hannah Richell


Three stars for this story about teenagers and Halloween (and a murder, of course): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rasheedah wrote: "Do you all discuss the group reads here? I am trying to find the discussion for Then She Was Gone. Sooo good"

Here you go:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Otley Murders is a steady police procedural. My 3.5 star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Cher: The Memoir, Part 1 by Cher

The first part of Cher's memoir takes us from her childhood to the cusp of her movie career. Cher's had quite a life!!

Revealing and interesting memoir. 4 stars

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

My review of A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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

Stacy Willingham’s latest, Forget Me Not was more of a miss than a hit for me. My three star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I read Elegy for April by Benjamin Black It is book 3 in the Quirke series and I have read the previous 2 books in the series. Benjamin Black is a pen name for John Banville. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My review of Nightshade by Michael Connelly

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

I just finished "J is for Judgment". I liked some of the other Kinsey Millhone novels better.

My review of Stalker by Jack Adams

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

Better Off Dead

Just started The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Only about 60 pages in, but quite amusing. He does a nice job of differentiating characters and keeping the tone light, while also reminding us of the consequences of the setting for his primary characters.

I finished my 46th book

Under the Paper Moon by Shaina Steinberg

Light weight spy story set during and after WW II. Cute story -- I liked it but not written at a high level 3 stars.

I'm currently reading Nightshade by Michael Connelly. Just over half way through and really enjoying it!

Identity Unknown

Murder Takes a Vacation was great fun thanks to a super FMC. My four star review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

We're starting "Chicken Culprit" tonight.