Messages

136

Welcome and General Discussion / Books for Budding Mystery Lovers

« on: October 22, 2020, 11:13:15 pm »

My 8-year-old granddaughter is really getting interested in mysteries. Her mom and dad got her started on the Boxcar Children series, which I never read as a child. We now read them together, reading alternate pages out loud to each other. We're on Book 14 - as far as I can tell, this series pretty much goes on forever.

Her mom has started reading Nancy Drew books to her, too.

There are some written-for-kids mysteries Adaline (my granddaughter) can read for herself. She enjoys the NATE THE GREAT books that were a big hit with her dad: http://rhcbooks.com/series/NTG/nate-the-great

But her absolute favorite is BABY MONKEY, PRIVATE EYE. (I confess, I love that one, too - I hope there's a sequel soon.)

https://www.thebrianselznick.com/babymonkey.htm

137

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Mystery Movies for Self-Quarantine

« on: October 22, 2020, 11:03:20 pm »

My mom loved that PIE IN THE SKY series. She had the complete series on DVD. After she passed, her DVD collection became mine and while I haven't watched the series yet, I do have it saved so that I can do so at some point.

How lucky you are to have the whole series! We've only watched two episodes so far, but my husband and I liked them both. It's making him crave steak and kidney pie!

138

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Mark your calendars - Agatha Christie's 130th Birthday on Sept. 15!

« on: October 22, 2020, 11:01:01 pm »

I think that picture of Agatha and cake with candles is a celebration of The Mousetrap's birthday, not Agatha's. Maybe the 10 year anniversary? Now it's in its 67th year -- or it will be when London's West End opens up again.

It makes sense that she'd be celebrating something other than her birthday - I didn't try to count the candles but I think you're right about the cake being part of a Mousetrap celebration.

This is actually the 68th year Mousetrap has been in production, but it came to a standstill several months ago because of coronavirus. So whenever all this ends, I assume they'll go back to 68 again, since the production has been frozen in place for months now. What a strange year!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=645290852541837

139

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Mystery Movies for Self-Quarantine

« on: October 21, 2020, 04:15:24 pm »

Today I saw the Netflix film Enola Holmes. It's based off the young adult series and I have to say that I completely enjoyed it.

I haven't seen that yet but I'm looking forward to it. Last night we watched an old Miss Marple starring the wonderful Joan Hickson. The movie we saw is A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, a favorite of mine.

I also discovered a new series. Well, the series isn't new but I'd never seen it before. It's called PIE IN THE SKY and I always thought it was a British comedy. It's a mystery and after seeing just two episodes, I'm looking forward to watching more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d7KNUnJF4o

From Wikipedia: "Pie in the Sky is a light-hearted British police drama starring Richard Griffiths and Maggie Steed, created by Andrew Payne and first broadcast in five series on BBC1 between 13 March 1994 and 17 August 1997 as well as being syndicated on other channels in other countries, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The series differs from other police dramas in that the protagonist, Henry Crabbe, while still being an on-duty, "semi-retired" policeman (much against his will), is the head chef of the title restaurant set in the town of Middleton and county of Westershire."

140

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: October 18, 2020, 04:01:23 pm »

I just picked up the first three books in the Sloan Krause mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I started DEATH ON TAP last night and got about 1/3 of the way through before putting the book down as I was getting tired. I liked what I read, it was just a long day for me is all.

I'm not familiar with this series. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

I finished the Doris Miles Disney book last night and started right in on the next book in the Vampire Knitting Club series. This one jumps right in with murder and mysteries. The neighborhood coven is involved, too.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/45177106-fair-isle-and-fortunes

141

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: October 18, 2020, 12:18:03 am »

I'm about halfway through an oldie-but-goodie, Doris Miles Disney's THAT WHICH IS CROOKED. I found a New York Times review from 1948, but it isn't free unless you are a subscriber: https://www.nytimes.com/1948/05/09/archives/that-which-is-crookedby-doris-miles-disney-190-pp-new-york-crime.html

The protagonist of the story is the youngest, smallest and weakest in a family predominantly made up of strapping, handsome Scottish males. Over the years, this Casper Milquetoast character evens his odds against his overwhelming brothers by selective elimination. I'm curious to see how this turns out, because so far revenge has been anything but sweet.

It's both interesting and frustrating to look back at a time when society had such strict requirements for men and for women in their dress and their behavior.

As I mentioned, I'm only about halfway through the book, but I was surprised how little impact the outside world - and a World War - have impacted the family at the core of the story and the town they inhabit.

142

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: October 16, 2020, 10:42:31 pm »

Becke, I just don't understand why it is that over the course of multiple books a character can find all these murderers, survive each attempt on their lives and yet can't stand up to some minor character whose primary reason for existing seems to be as a non-lethal annoyance.

But as I said in my review, it might just be my problem because I'm a stubborn SOB who won't do something I don't want to do.

My parents worked hard to get my temper under control when I was a kid, and now it is so tightly under wraps it's unusual for me to really let it go. In my real life, I suffer from "pleaser" disease, and I constantly have to work to hold my ground. I'm stubborn as all get out, and I can stand up for my kids and grandkids without fail, but I'm not fond of confrontation for the sake of confrontation. This can lead to a battle of will-or-wimp. When I'm writing (haven't done much lately - too busy reading), I have to work to keep my characters strong and independent.

One reason I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple is that people see a white-haired old lady and they don't expect anything from her. I get such a kick out of it when she picks up on all the important details others overlook. Now that I'm a grandmother, I appreciate her even more.

Thanks for elaborating on your reasons for being frustrated with the character's response to a "non-lethal annoyance." Is this person a relation, or someone who has power over the character, like an employer? I'll probably read these books and find out for myself.

143

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: October 16, 2020, 04:20:21 pm »

I finished reading Vicki Delany's DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND yesterday. Here's my Goodreads review.

It's funny - you note that your issue with one aspect of the story hasn't kept you from enjoying the story as a whole. I've had that happen before, too, especially in cozy mysteries. Without listing specific titles, I can think of books where the main character feels responsible for one or more of the deaths, and that sense of guilt acts as a spine-ectomy.

I tend to like pushy, obnoxious characters when they get their come-uppance, but it drives me crazy when this type of character isn't confronted or in some way made to see how horrible their behavior is.

144

What I'm Reading / Re: A DECLINE IN PROPHETS by Sulari Gentill

« on: October 16, 2020, 03:30:41 pm »

I often get engrossed in books and stay up late reading, especially since coronavirus keeps us housebound so much. But last night I didn't get to the end of A DECLINE IN PROPHETS until 5:30 a.m.! My husband woke up at 5, saw I was still reading and just shook his head and went back to sleep. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series!

145

What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...

« on: October 16, 2020, 03:28:14 pm »

I finished reading Vicki Delany's DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND yesterday. Here's my Goodreads review.

Thanks, I'll go read your review in just a second. I'm in zombie mode today after staying up until 5:30 a.m. to finish reading A DECLINE IN PROPHETS by Sulari Gentill. It was very different but I liked it a lot. Now I have to find more of her books and brace myself for more sleepless nights.

146

Welcome and General Discussion / Looks good, sounds good, or something else?

« on: October 16, 2020, 12:28:27 am »

This may sound like a weird question - I came across it some time ago and now it bugs me whenever I find myself doing things unconsciously.

For example, do you say, "That book LOOKS good" or "That book SOUNDS good" when you come across a review or a book blurb that draws your attention? I mean, I don't actually buy a book because the cover looks good (although that may draw me to it in the first place). And it's not as if the title "sounds" good - I'm not listening to it on Audible, I'm reading about it.

I feel like there should be an additional sense that describes our connection to a book, something that more accurately describes the experience we're describing when we say it looks or sounds good.

Any suggestions?

147

What I'm Reading / A DECLINE IN PROPHETS by Sulari Gentill

« on: October 16, 2020, 12:22:42 am »

I don't remember how I learned about this author but I thought her Rowland Sinclair series sounded interesting. I found a used copy of A DECLINE IN PROPHETS and found it particularly interesting because she weaves real people amid fictional characters throughout the story. My husband has always enjoyed Krishnamurti's books and he is also familiar with the Theosophical Society whose presence looms large in this plot.

In addition to Krishnamurti and members of the Theosophical Society who have important roles to play, there is a small part played by a little-known British actor living in New York, name of Archie Leach. He later changed his name to Cary Grant!. :-)

The actress Marion Davies also has a small part.

I'm only about half way through this book, but I'm definitely enjoying it. Only one thing annoys me. The back cover blurb has incorrect information, identifying the victim of the first murder by name (I don't want to know that before I even open the book). But the problem was, the person they mention as the first victim is actually the third. There was no reason to name this person at all!

148

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Bookmarks?

« on: October 16, 2020, 12:13:13 am »

Don't you love it when authors give you bookmarks? I have some from Hank Phillippi Ryan, Wendy Corsi Staub, Lisa Jackson, Bill A. Brier, Duffy Brown, J.B. Lynn, Annette Blair, Soho Crime, Christy Reece and Karen Rose. (If you are looking for SCARY, check out Karen Rose's books. But brace yourself!)

I do love getting the bookmarks from authors when I attended their signings. I like to use different ones for different books rather than just using one until it wears out.

And I do make sure to share with fellow book lovers when I get extras from an author like I did with Edith.

What a great idea - and a wonderful way to spread the word about your favorite authors!

149

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Bookmarks?

« on: October 14, 2020, 02:36:18 pm »

Speaking of bookmarks, when I saw Edith Maxwell over the weekend, she gave me a few of her bookmarks to share with my friends as well as signing the books I brought.

Don't you love it when authors give you bookmarks? I have some from Hank Phillippi Ryan, Wendy Corsi Staub, Lisa Jackson, Bill A. Brier, Duffy Brown, J.B. Lynn, Annette Blair, Soho Crime, Christy Reece and Karen Rose. (If you are looking for SCARY, check out Karen Rose's books. But brace yourself!)

150

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Bookmarks?

« on: October 14, 2020, 02:56:39 am »

Hey Becke,
I like to collect ephemera and other items linked to mystery writers and their lives. A good way to find these is to search on "detective fiction" and "ephemera" on Abe.com  I think I found the Erle Stanley Gardner bookends while doing some photo research on him. The bookends came with certificates of authenticity and a couple of photos. We're really happy to have them!

Thanks for the tip!

I just went to Abe.com and searched "detective fiction, ephemera" and the first thing to come up was a book by Sharon Fiffer. Turns out she wrote a whole series of books with a detective who collects ephemera of all kinds. I'm intrigued, and I'm going to try and find a few of her books. BTW, on ABE her name is spelled "Saron" but judging by the book covers her name is actually Sharon. Have any of you read her books? I'd love to know more about them.