The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

Just started reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman, loving it so far. After this I'll be moving on to Horns by Joe Hill I think!

Kasi wrote: "Just finished The Night Ranger (A John Wells Novel) by Alex Berenson. Currently reading C.J box back of beyond."

I really liked a lot of the books that Box has written! I am a Texas boy and Box writes in a way that readers, such as myself, that were raised in the woods can really relate! :)

Jeffrey wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Just finished . Now reading ."

The Two Minute Rule was the first Crais I read. I think you will like it."

I loved it. I've only read three of his and my favorite was Suspect. I can't imagine he could write another one that I would like any more than that one, but I did really like The Two Minute Rule.

Jason wrote: "Just started reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman, loving it so far. After this I'll be moving on to Horns by Joe Hill I think!"

I really liked Horns by Joe Hill. I thought it was unique. I also laughed quite a bit, but I'm not sure if it was supposed to be funny or not.

currently reading The Forgotten Garden.

Just finished The Towers of Silence Book 3 of The Raj Quartet Great read

I just finished In the Blood by Steve Robinson. As a genealogy addict myself I really enjoyed the mixture of genealogy and a really good mystery. Just started a book that I won in a GR giveaway, The Black Country by Alex Grecian. So far so good.

Just finished really enjoyed it don't know what is next.

Jennifer wrote (#10267): "Scudder is by far his best, in my opinion. One of my three favorite series of that ilk. "

Just finished my first Scudder, A Long Line of Dead Men and overall I enjoyed the story. Unusual premise made believable (I belong to a great number of secret societies myself)and the story moved along and developed logically and entertained me.

Now for the 'no disrespect, but':

Everything happens in a grille, bar, or restaurant. OK - Not everything but I got the impression NYC consists of narrow streets with a watering hole of either impeccable credentials or the kind of dive where people go missing on every corner. The rest of the block are private clubs, galleries or churches that host round the clock AA meetings.

Now, the AA meetings. Is Block 'in the program'? He seems well versed in it and AA pronouncements fairly fall off the page. Of course, with all the bars in NYC, I'm surprised everyone isn't a juicer but confining their intake to sixteen ounce glass or smaller.

Lastly, too much dialogue. Block just seems he can't show us a scene or move the plot along unless Scudder is deep in meaningful conversation with someone. For instance, he heads up to see the widow lady and takes TJ (must appear in other stories because he's kind of part of the scenery) along for company. TJ does nothing but stand alongside Scudder and then Scudder tells the reader what is going on via the dialogue with TJ. The conversation with Ray, the attorney, must have gone on for three uninterrupted chapters.
Mick[?]Ballou must also be a recurring character because he had nothing to do with this story accept be a sounding board for Scudder theories and establish himself as a bad ass.

This was my third Block book and I liked Small Town far and away the best. Hit Parade not so much. Scudder in the middle and I'll go back in but if our hero commences with the constant jabbering and AA wisdom I'm afraid it will drive me to drink.

I can feel the Block fans giving me looks like they want to kick my teeth in and don't want to be rushed doing it.

Linda wrote: "Finished by C.J. Johnson and started by Kate Morton."

I really enjoyed The Forgotten Garden... it took me by surprise how much I enjoyed it.

Just started The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great and I'm guessing there will be plenty of court intrigue - also reading Michael Connelly book-- interesting combo.

Earlier today I finished Power Down. I'd give it four stars. I've just started reading Doors Open.

Starting What Darkness Brings another one of my favorite
series.

Kasi wrote: "Just finished The Night Ranger (A John Wells Novel) by Alex Berenson. Currently reading C.J box back of beyond."

Back of the Beyond is my favorite novel by C. J. Box - and a truly hilarious book. The main character in Back of the Beyond is the main character in Box's new book, The Highway.

Earlier in the thread, there were some interesting comments regarding John Sandford's new book due this Fall. I am probably one of the few people who prefer his earlier series or at least all his series other than Lucas Davenport. I think that the Virgil Flowers series is delightful with Rough Country just superb.

Currently, I am reading Suspect by Robert Crais, Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner, and Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr. The library is holding Hypothermia for me by Arnaldur Indridason. The latter I am really looking forward to reading.

Kathryn wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Just finished . Now reading ."

The Two Minute Rule was the first Crais I read. I think you will..."

Another standalone I think you'll love from Crais is Demolition Angel. All of his books are great but my personal favorite is L.A Requeim

Tay wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Just finished . Now reading ."

The Two Minute Rule was the first Crais I read. ..."

I loved Demolition Angel. It is a standalone but she is now a continuing chaacter in the Elvis Cole/JoePike books.

Heidi wrote: "Just started The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great and I'm guessing there will be plenty of court intrigue - also reading Michael Connelly book-- interesting combo."

Hi Heidi, I read The winter Palace with my book group. We really enjoyed it and learned a lot about the Russian court. We were actually expecting Catherine the Great to be the central figure but it was told from a different perspective. Lots of Catherine just in a different way and it looks like there is a sequel planned.

Diane S. wrote: "Reading even the cover is creepy and the beginning is very strange."

Didn't know she had a new one out. I love Hayder. Can't wait to read it. Hope you enjoy it.

Currently reading .

I set aside Doors Open by Ian Rankin. I just couldn't get into it--the plot didn't hold my interest. Then I started The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer. I'm only a few pages in so far but I know it's going to be good because I read The Inner Circle and couldn't put it down.

Tay wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Just finished . Now reading ."

The Two Minute Rule was the first Crais I read. ..."

Thank you for the suggestion. I'm going to check it out right now.

Just started the ProfessionalsThe Professionals by Owen Laukkanen and it's quite good! I can't put it down. This is his first book and I can't wait to read the next one already!

Just finished , 2 stars. Now reading . I hope this one is as good as was.

I finished The Double Game by Dan Fesperman. If you're a big fan of espionage novels you'd maybe like this book whose plot revolves around previously published spy thrillers. I didn't get most of the reference and I found the book plodding and confusing. I also didn't like or care about the characters. I'd give it a reluctant 3 stars (only because I held out till the end).

Just finished 5 stars, first ever book from this author and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Now About to start

Gatorman wrote: "Currently reading ."

Thanks for the heads up,Gatorman. This series sounds intriguing, just added it to my list.

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I just finished . I didn't really care for it. It took me over 20 days to read the book. It felt like Lee just wanted to drag on the story. I was just relieved to get it finished.

I'm reading All I Did Was Shoot My Man by Walter Mosley. Nicely intricate plot and interesting characters.

I finished The Fifth Assassin earlier today and now I'm reading Robert B. Parker's Lullaby

I finished The Good Cop: A Mystery by Brad Parks. Another great addition to the series. Fans of Stephanie Plum will love this series.

If you are a Raymond Chandler fan (that's me) I am currently reading a collection of his earlier short story/novella work as published primarily in 'Black Mask' magazine in the 1930s. The anthology is
Collected Stories 1300 pages, almost all written before Chandler wrote his 'Big Four'.

One of the F, is constructed from two of the short stories, Killer in the Rain and The Curtain. Meshed together they pretty much comprise The Big Sleep.

Later on, Chandler tried writing some non-crime stories. These are included but I haven't worked through the ones I haven't read yet.

Chandler comes up with some of the best lines. In one story, the character wakes up with a giant hangover and narrates "I felt like an amputated leg," You can't just make this stuff up.

Ken wrote: "If you are a Raymond Chandler fan (that's me) I am currently reading a collection of his earlier short story/novella work as published primarily in 'Black Mask' magazine in the 1930s. The antholog..."

"I felt like an amputated leg." That one sticks with you doesn't it? The line that has stuck with me for years comes from Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle: "My soul felt as foul as the smell of burning cat fur." Still makes me pause a moment to ponder.

Let's see... I haven't posted in awhile. I think the last time I did I had just finished "Calculated in Death", maybe? I've been on a fantasty bender lately, so I've read Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs, Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire, First Grave on the Right, and I love that one so much that I went ahead and listened to Second Grave on the Left, Third Grave Dead Ahead, and Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones (sort of Evanovich's Plum meets Frost's Cat Crawford). They're a hoot. Charlie reminded me so much of Stephanie Plum at times (probably partly due to Lorelei King narrating the later Plum books and all of the "Grave" series) that I decided to listen to all of the Plum books 1 - 19, again! (laughing) Then I listened to The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. I liked it well enough that I went ahead and listened to the other two books in the series Shadow's Edge and Beyond the Shadows all by Brent Weeks. I'm hoping there will be another book or two added to that series. It was fairly enjoyable... kind of a mix between Terry Goodkind and Patrick Rothfuss. Lastly, I happen to adore Molly Harper's Jane Jameson books so much that I listened to her latest work My Bluegrass Baby. It was pretty good. Not as good as the "Nice Girls Don't" series or the "Werewolf" series, but still pretty sweet. I'm pretty sure I listened to others during my hiatus but I can't think of them right now so they must not have made much of an impression. (grin)

And it's almost Lucas Davenport time again, so I'll be listening to the last five books or so in John Sandford's series before May 7th just to remind me of where we're at and what's going on in Mr. Davenport's life!

Kathryn wrote: "Diane S. wrote: "In Sandford's newest, another prey novel, all three of his characters will be in it. Davenport, that .....flowers and Kydd. Should be good. Think it comes out next month."

Can't w..."

I love both series, but I think I love Virgil a little more than Lucas. (grin) However, I listen to both. I love looking forward to May (Lucas) and October (Virgil) of every year because of both of these amazing series!

Currently reading "The Accursed" by Joyce Carol Oates. Minimal reading time the past few weeks, so I can't wait to dive back in.

I'm reading All I Did Was Shoot My Man by Walter Mosley; it's been a long time since I read a book by Mosley and I had forgotten how good he is.

Just started Maternal Harbour by Marie F Martin. On chapter 4 and so far very intriguing.Marie F Martin

I just finished Porch Lights not a mystery, but good southern read.
Tried listening to the audio of V is for Vengence by Sue Grafton. I don't know if it was the tired formula or my attention span but I couldn't get into this book in audio format.
No reading Always Watching only read a little bit last night, but already hooked on this one.

Finished by Kate Morton. I'm going to read by Michael Grant next.

I've finished The Morganville Vampires Book Ten: Bite Club - Rachel Caine. Now I am going to read The Morganville Vampires Book Eleven: Last Breath - Rachel Caine.

Started They Disappeared by Rick Mofina. First experience with him. Hopefully, the first of many.

just finished not sure what to read next.

Jeanie wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Diane S. wrote: "In Sandford's newest, another prey novel, all three of his characters will be in it. Davenport, that .....flowers and Kydd. Should be good. Think it comes out next ..."

I think Virgil is a more likable person than Lucas. I like his stories a little more, also. Plus, we get to see more of the countryside than with the Davenport books. Love them both.

I just started . This book has sucked me right in.

Jannene wrote: "I just started . This book has sucked me right in."

I enjoy these Jackson Taylor mysteries. Have you read any others of his?

Yesterday I finished Robert B. Parker's Lullaby and now I'm reading Knit, Purl, Die by Anne Canadeo. It's a cozy that so far has been very good about five friends in a knitting group and what happens when a new member drowns.

Finished The Forgotten Garden and started The Surgeon by Tess Gerritson.

Diane S. wrote: "Jannene wrote: "I just started . This book has sucked me right in."

I enjoy these Jackson Taylor mysteries. Have you read any others of his?"

I have not, have you? If so, are they good?