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Messages - Becke Davis

721
What I'm Reading / Re: A BETTER MAN by Louise Penny
« on: December 29, 2019, 04:05:20 pm »
Yes, I agree that the Louise Penny books have to be read in order to best enjoy them. The multi-book character arcs are a big part of her appeal.

I love the way we get to know her characters so well - some end up feeling almost like family, others seem like close neighbors.

722
Welcome and General Discussion / Re: POLL: Married Detectives
« on: December 29, 2019, 04:03:52 pm »
My absolute favorite married sleuths are Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina in the wonderful Lindsey Davis Falco series.

I have a couple of Lindsey Davis books in my massive waiting-to-be-read pile but I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't read any yet. (At least, not that I can remember. I'm terrible with titles and frequently start reading a book only to realize I've read it before.) Which are your favorites? Is this the type of series where you really need to read the books in order?

723
Favorites / Re: First Mystery You Ever Read?
« on: December 29, 2019, 03:59:26 pm »
I bet I read some I can't remember now but the first I remember is a Nancy Drew book. I had to go to my Mom and ask what "Titian" meant.

Anyone else remember their first mystery?

Was the word "titian" used to describe someone's hair? I used to be a redhead and there have been a lot of redheads in my family, so we all picked up on red hair descriptions early on.

The Nancy Drew books were great for expanding vocabulary! I just read my 7-year-old granddaughter the first book in the new Nancy Drew Clue Crew series. She loved it! I'm tempted to get the Nancy Drew starter set, which are all books I remember reading: The Nancy Drew Starter Set is the perfect gift for aspiring detectives, or longtime fans of the series! The first five books are packaged together in a collectible box set with an updated design. Titles included are #1 The Secret of the Old Clock, #2 The Hidden Staircase, #3 The Bungalow Mystery, #4 The Mystery at Lilac Inn, and #5 The Secret of Shadow Ranch.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/550422/nancy-drew-starter-set-by-carolyn-keene/

724
What I'm Reading / WHEN YOU SEE ME by Lisa Gardner
« on: December 26, 2019, 10:41:31 pm »
This might not be the type of book most people would read on Christmas Day (and Boxing Day), but mysteries help me to relax. After the hectic days leading up to Christmas, I was ready for a thriller. This book did not disappoint!

https://www.lisagardner.com/books/dd-warren/when-you-see-me/

What books have been on your holiday reading lists?

725
What I'm Reading / THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES by M.J. Rose
« on: December 26, 2019, 10:38:30 pm »
https://www.mjrose.com/books/bk_lost_fragrances.asp?BookVar=Synopsis

I'm pretty sure this was the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed all the interesting information about fragrance and the creation of perfumes - she clearly did a LOT of research!

I love her evocative covers and titles, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

726
Favorites / First Mystery You Ever Read?
« on: December 23, 2019, 11:44:40 pm »
Nancy Drew books were the bread and butter of my childhood reading menu, but I'm pretty sure the very first mystery I ever read came from the Weekly Reader Book Club. It was called THE SECRET OF THE OLD POST BOX by Dorothy Sterling, and I still have my original copy of the book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/979876854

If you can remember, what were the first mysteries you ever read?

727
What I'm Writing / Re: Locked Room Bibliography
« on: December 23, 2019, 03:53:11 pm »
I don't go out of my way to seek out locked room murders, but I do enjoy reading them. In a way, they are the ultimate "puzzlers." I remember going through a period where I was reading a lot of vintage murders. Books by John Dickson Carr, aka Carter Dickson, often featured very tricky locked room mysteries. Ellery Queen often tackled this type of plot, too.

Agatha Christie seemed to use short stories to try out ideas that she later developed into books (Yellow Iris/Sparkling Cyanide). I remember a couple of locked room short stories, but her most famous locked room-type mystery would have to be AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. Taking the concept a little further, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is like a locked room mystery, in that everyone is stuck on a train in a blizzard when the murder takes place.



Here are some lists of recommended locked room mysteries:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/29/top-10-locked-room-mysteries-adrian-mckinty

https://www.criminalelement.com/six-of-the-best-classic-locked-room-mysteries/

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18108498

https://bookriot.com/2019/07/23/classic-locked-room-mysteries/

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/locked-room-mystery

https://bodiesfromthelibrary.com/2017/11/20/agatha-christies-locked-room-mysteries-part-55/

https://bookriot.com/2019/05/15/locked-room-mysteries/


728
What I'm Writing / Re: A Bad Hair Day Cookbook
« on: December 23, 2019, 03:27:30 pm »
Hi, I write the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Marla wrote a cookbook titled "A Bad Hair Day Cookbook" that has recipes she makes for family and friends. Besides 160+ quick and easy recipes, the cookbook has excerpts, anecdotes and cooking tips. It's a fun introduction to the series if you've never read it before, or a welcome companion if you're already a fan. It also make a good gift for home cooks or mystery lovers.

Thanks for joining us, Nancy!

My mom LOVED mysteries that included recipes - she had quite a collection and I know some of your books were in there. She would try out the recipes that sounded good to her. I've only done that once or twice, but I was happy with the results.

I know of a few other authors who have put together cookbooks - it's a clever idea! I have a cookbook Brenda Novak put together. I know I have others, but I'll have to look them up.

729
Favorites / Re: Favorite Settings for Mysteries
« on: December 23, 2019, 03:23:00 pm »
My Dad was originally from Vermont so when he found a Vermont based mystery series (among his many genres read), he always picked them up.

Archer Mayor was a particular favorite. When my dad passed away, I had bought him the latest Mayor book but he never got to read it. So I read it and I've been hooked ever since. Even got to meet the author once.

I've read cozy mysteries by Sarah Graves and Jennie Bentley that are set in Maine, and of course Robert Parker's Spencer books that are set in Boston. New England seems to be a popular setting for murders.

Do any of the rest of you have favorites that are set in your area?

730
What I'm Reading / A BETTER MAN by Louise Penny
« on: December 22, 2019, 07:01:01 pm »
Sometimes I jump into a series willy-nilly. I'd heard tremendous recommendations for this series before I finally picked up book 5. I quickly realized this isn't the kind of series you can't read out of order. I started from the beginning and have just read the latest book in the series. It's the best one yet!

731
Louis - Share with us what you can come up with!


   
For all MYSTERY SCENE readers who do not read THE NEW YORKER (December 23, 2019). Here is what art critic Peter Schjeldahl in his memoir "77 Sunset Me" says about Raymond Chandler:

                  "Sleeping the big sleep." Raymond Chandler proved that
                  the American form of Montaigne-grade aphorism is the
                  wisecrack.
                      Wisecracks in Chandler are existential rescues of imperilled
                 self-possession. Worth the risk to the detective of a punch in
                 the gut. And conserving calm for noticing the world.
                       "A slanting gray rain like a swung curtain of crystal beads."
                      " A few windows were lit and radios were bleating at the dusk."

**

  We can try finishing the simile ..'A slanting gray rain like _______________"

Times like this I wish I drank coffee. I do enjoy a challenge, but I'm not sure my brain is entirely warmed up yet.

Hmm. A slanting gray rain like a cat weaving through a crowded room.
A slanting gray rain like a lighthouse beacon cutting through waves.
A slanting gray rain like a ghost in the rafters.

732
Favorites / Re: Favorite Settings for Mysteries
« on: December 22, 2019, 06:10:04 pm »
I don't have a particular favorite place for mysteries or thrillers to be set. If the story is good, the place it occurs tends to not matter that much to me.

That said, I do like reading cozy series that are set in Ireland or Scotland. But again, not a requirement.

One book that I reviewed for mystery scene was set in a town that is 20 minutes from me by car and some of the places mentioned in the book I had actually been there myself, so that was kind of cool thing.

Archer Mayor's books are set in Vermont, near where my brother lives. He introduced my parents to Mayors' books and gave them one every year.

I now live in Eugene, Oregon, where the late Kate Wilhelm set a lot of books. I had read a few of her books but I'm trying to fill in the ones I've missed. I've also found a lot of books by Aaron Elkins set in Washington and Oregon, and I'm really enjoying those.

733
Favorites / Favorite Settings for Mysteries
« on: December 22, 2019, 01:21:54 pm »
Do you like your mystery reads to be set in the gritty streets of New York or Chicago, "the Smoke" - i.e., London, or other cities in other countries?

Are your favorites set in grand country houses, rustic cottages or seaside retreats? Or do you prefer exotic locales - desert, jungle, mountains or even cruise ships or resorts?

Are you happiest reading about familiar settings or places you've never been?

734

   
For all MYSTERY SCENE readers who do not read THE NEW YORKER (December 23, 2019). Here is what art critic Peter Schjeldahl in his memoir "77 Sunset Me" says about Raymond Chandler:

                  "Sleeping the big sleep." Raymond Chandler proved that
                  the American form of Montaigne-grade aphorism is the
                  wisecrack.
                      Wisecracks in Chandler are existential rescues of imperilled
                 self-possession. Worth the risk to the detective of a punch in
                 the gut. And conserving calm for noticing the world.
                       "A slanting gray rain like a swung curtain of crystal beads."
                      " A few windows were lit and radios were bleating at the dusk."

**

  We can try finishing the simile ..'A slanting gray rain like _______________"

Times like this I wish I drank coffee. I do enjoy a challenge, but I'm not sure my brain is entirely warmed up yet.

Hmm. A slanting gray rain like a cat weaving through a crowded room.
A slanting gray rain like a lighthouse beacon cutting through waves.
A slanting gray rain like a ghost in the rafters.

735
Welcome and General Discussion / Re: POLL: Married Detectives
« on: December 20, 2019, 05:01:55 pm »
Going just from the available poll options, I'm definitely choosing Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus/Decker!

That is the only couple that I'm not familiar with. This was a tough choice! It's been many years since I read Mr. & Mrs. North. I enjoyed them, but I love all the others! I picked Tommy & Tuppence.

Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus are the creation of Faye Kellerman, who is herself married to best-selling author Jonathan Kellerman. Their son Jesse and daughter Aliza are also authors. If memory serves, both Jonathan and Jesse visited the Barnes & Noble Mystery Forum back in the day. If Wikipedia can be trusted, there are 25 novels featuring Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus. The first was THE RITUAL BATH, published in 1986 and winner of both the Anthony and the Macavity Awards in 1987. I remember reading that book when it first came out - it was unforgettable!