Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Hi everyone. Had some really good quality reads this month though, like others have mentioned, my totals are down for the year. Here are my November reads:

Top Reads

Red Square
Martin Cruz Smith
Another excellent read in this series. Arkady has his old job back as an investigator in Moscow but the city is going through some major changes along with the rest of the country. A great look at the Soviet Union during the early nineties.

The Mercy Seat
Martyn Waites
Set mostly in Newcastle and featuring a former journalist with a tragic past, this book was dark and extremely violent but compulsively readable.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John le Carré
Classic spy novel featuring George Smiley, who has been retired from the service but is asked to look into the possibility of a Soviet mole. Very well written with memorable characters, realistic situations, and lots of tension and intrigue. Listened to the audio version which was excellently read by Frank Muller.


A Prayer for the City
H.G. Bissinger
The author was given complete access to Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell during his first term and the book shows the inner workings, both the good and the bad, of running a big city.

Good Reads

The President's Vampire
Christopher Farnsworth
Another fun combination of monsters, mayhem, and conspiracies. Pure escapist entertainment. Listened to the audio version read by Bronson Pinchot who put just the right amount of snark and ham into the performance.

Snobbery with Violence
Marion Chesney
Historical mystery set in Edwardian England. Pretty lightweight but the likable characters, English house party plot, and narration by Davina Porter made it a fun listen.

He Who Fears the Wolf
Karin Fossum
Though this is the second book translated into English featuring Norwegian Detective Inspector Sejer this was really more of a psychological suspense tale than a police procedural. The actual plot is a bit weak but the book really shines with its insights and descriptions of characters with mental illnesses.

The Sweet and the Dead
Milton Burton
Lots of local color, an interesting lead character, and a bit of romance made this a solidly entertaining yarn featuring an undercover operative trying to infiltrate "The Dixie Mafia" in 1970.

Dissolution
C.J. Sansom
Debut historical mystery set during Henry VIII's reign. Lord Cromwell has decided that all monasteries should be dissolved and when one of his agents is murdered he sends Matthew Shardlake, a true believer in the reformation, to investigate. Great period detail but I never really warmed to the main character.

This Book Is Overdue!
Marilyn Johnson
I found this to be an interesting look at how libraries and librarians are keeping up with technological changes and are still relevant in this age of Google and instantaneous data. I especially enjoyed the sections on the archivists though could have done without the whole virtual libraries in Second Life parts. The author clearly loves libraries and her infectious style and the stellar narration by Hillary Huber made the audio an enjoyable listen.

OK Read

City of Bones
Martha Wells
The search for ancient relics propels the plot in this fantasy novel that had all the elements for a really good read but the over description of every little detail of the setting ultimately made this a bit of a chore to get through.

Good month, Sandy! Your audio books sound very tempting!
When I am in the right mood, the The President's Vampire sounds like one I would like to try!

Sandi wrote: Red Square, Martin Cruz smith.

I really like all of Smith's books, and Arkady Renko is a great character. Trying to investigate crimes while bucking a system that is only interested in crimes against the state makes for interesting situations.

Sandi wrote: "Hi everyone. Had some really good quality reads this month though, like others have mentioned, my totals are down for the year. Here are my November reads:

I always admire the diverse group of books you read each month! Martin Cruz Smith is a favorite author of mine. I love Arkady and the complex, atmospheric plots of the books.

Ditto what Marcy said about admiring the diversity of your reads. I am intrigued by the idea of reading (or listening to) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy before the movie is released.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Ditto what Marcy said about admiring the diversity of your reads. I am intrigued by the idea of reading (or listening to) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy before the movie is released."

I did not realize that a new movie had made of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Not sure about Gary Oldham playing George Smiley. I requested the DVD version of the series that ran on PBS years ago from the library but have not received it yet.

Ann,

I bet you would enjoy The President's Vampire on audio (though it is the second book in the series). There is quite a lot of violence but it is done in a cartoonish over the top way that does not bother me.

Marcy & Dan,

I agree that Martin Cruz Smith is great. I don't know why I did not start reading him earlier.

Sandi wrote: I agree that Martin Cruz Smith is great. I don't know why I did not start reading him earlier.

While his Arkady Renko series is probably the best known, I've totally enjoyed all of his books I've read. One of the things I like most is that I learn a little about the culture of his MC in all his books.

Thanks, Sandi! Since the library only has an audio version of Blood Oath, I will start with that one!
Sandi wrote: "I bet you would enjoy The President's Vampire on audio (though it is the second book in the series). There is quite a lot of violence but it is done in a cartoonish over the top way that does not bother me."