Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Mockingjay: Suzanne Collins
The final book in the Hunger Games series. The trilogy pretty much followed the general path I expected, but some good twists and turns along the way. “The Who” would have been impressed. (B+)

Trail of the Spellmans: Lisa Lutz
Maybe not the funniest of the series, but the closer to having a real story and developing the characters within. Still one of the better capers around. (B+)

Paydirt: Paul Levine
A stand-alone, but with characters and themes that run in all of his books. He manages a fair amount of suspense as the main character melts down and then claws his life back from impossible circumstances. (B)

Chasing Midnight: Randy Wayne White
I liked Doc Ford much better when he was the mysterious marine biologist rather than the deep cover superspy assassin. (B)

A Force of Nature: CJ Box
Much like Crais hit it big by making the psycho sidekick a hero, Box allows Nate Romanowski more of the stage, tells us more about his past, and writes a real winner. (A)

What it Was: George Pelecanos
An older Nick Stefanos and Derek Strange talk of the past. Some mystery, more “Gunfight at the OK Corral”. (B)

Marine One: James Huston
A legal thriller pertaining to the crash of Marine One, the President’s Chopper. No idea of how it goes till it gets there. (B)

American Assassin: Vince Flynn
A classic spy thriller, the feel good kind where the Americans outsmart just about everybody and win in the end (B+)

Alice in La La Land: Robert Campbell
Vaguely like an Elmore Leonard, populated with the fringes of society, and a PI who is really not all that good. (B-)

I really liked MOCKINGJAY. I know a lot of people didn't, but I liked it as much as THE HUNGER GAMES. Of the 3, I liked CATCHING FIRE the least. And with Pelecanos, I love just about anything he writes, though I wasn't all that crazy about THE CUT. Read the Robert Campbell books some years ago.

Chasing Midnight: Randy Wayne White
I liked Doc Ford much better when he was the mysterious marine biologist rather than the deep cover superspy assassin. (B)

I agree with you completely. RWW had a unique framework for the Doc Ford character and seems to have discarded it. Too bad.

Melodie wrote: "I really liked MOCKINGJAY. I know a lot of people didn't, but I liked it as much as THE HUNGER GAMES. Of the 3, I liked CATCHING FIRE the least. And with Pelecanos, I love just about anything he..."

Yeah, Barry told me that Catching Fire felt like filler that connected The Hunger Games and Mockinjay. Doesn't really entice me to read it, but no other choice...

Barry and Dan: I have the latest RWW in audio waiting it's turn for the commute. I have read most of the last few Doc Ford books in print and may try to go back to that format if this is another deep cover tale. Not as much fun for me either.
I need to get to Mockingjay soon, and catch up with The Spellmans!
Barry wrote: "Chasing Midnight: Randy Wayne White
I liked Doc Ford much better when he was the mysterious marine biologist rather than the deep cover superspy assassin. (B)"

I also really liked Mockingjay and Catching Fire not so much. I find myself recommending the series to some very big skeptics, just as I myself was, and then rejoicing when they later tell me how right I was.

Marcy wrote: "I also really liked Mockingjay and Catching Fire not so much. I find myself recommending the series to some very big skeptics, just as I myself was, and then rejoicing when they later tell me how ..."

Me, too, Marcy! I've had so many people come back and say, "Who would have thought I'd like "kids" books?"

There are a lot of great "kids" books out now. I loved The Book Thief and that was a "kid" book.

Merrilee in AZ wrote: "There are a lot of great "kids" books out now. I loved The Book Thief and that was a "kid" book."

Exactly! I read a LOT of YA stuff these days. Depending on the type of book you're looking for, some of the best stuff out there today is YA.

Being an OA, what exactly constitutes YA books?

Daniel wrote: "Being an OA, what exactly constitutes YA books?"

Generally speaking, the characters are teenagers. Usually older teenagers, but teenagers nevertheless. They don't write YA books like they did when I was a kid! That's pretty much it since that's how they market them.

Thanks, Mel.

Thanks, Melodie:
I hadn't considered that the definition of a YA book was that simple.
And it explains a lot that we OA's like to read about YA's having experiences we didn't have in books when we were teens. :)
Melodie wrote: "Daniel wrote: "Being an OA, what exactly constitutes YA books?"
Generally speaking, the characters are teenagers. Usually older teenagers, but teenagers nevertheless. They don't write YA books like they did when I was a kid!..."

I'm hoping to read mocking jay soon.

Just started listening to Catching Fire....