Messages

781

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

« on: December 07, 2019, 03:54:06 pm »

I just picked up Kate Carlisle's Homicide in Hardcover from the local library as it is the selection of the month for the library's mystery book club. I'm just diving into it so I'm looking forward to seeing how it is since it has been a series I've been wanting to try out.

I've read several of Kate Carlisle's books and have a couple more in my to-be-read pile. I look for cozy mysteries (and other books) related to books and librarys, and I "unofficially" collect books related to Agatha Christie and/or her books.

782

What I'm Reading / Re: Book Signings anyone?

« on: December 07, 2019, 03:50:43 pm »

Malice Domestic is on my list of book conventions that I'd love to get to someday.

Duh, it was in the wee hours of the morning that I posted this, which is my excuse (instead of old age...). Anyway, I met him at Magna Cum Murder, not Malice Domestic. I did meet a LOT of my favorite authors at Malice, but I didn't see this particular author there.

783

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: What series do you wish would continue?

« on: December 07, 2019, 03:47:36 pm »

I don't know if they are out of print or not, but I would love to see Karen Kijewski's Kat Colorado series get the recognition I feel they deserve.

I'd also love to see Jon Land do another book in his Ben Kamal/Danielle Barnea series. Every time I go to one of his signings, I always ask if we'll ever get another one. I know the answer is no, but I like to keep the fire alive at least.

Oooh, I just knew it was going to be dangerous for me to follow this forum. I'll add Jon Land to my watch/wish list. (Sometimes I can find copies at the library, but I also frequent used book sales/stores.)

784

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Please submit your requests for What's Happening With...

« on: December 07, 2019, 03:45:19 pm »

I've read two of those four authors and liked them both. I had been wondering about three authors but answered my own question with two of them - turns out Elizabeth Lemarchand died about 20 years ago, and Evelyn Anthony died in 2018.

Well, dang, I'd been wondering whatever happened to Jill McGown - she died at age 59 in 2007. So sad!

Lately, I've been picking up books by authors who've passed that I never read before. Lea Wait is the latest author to fall under that category heading and now I really regret never reading her before because I loved the first book in her Mainely Needlepoint series and the book she wrote as Cornelia Kidd called 'Death and a Pot of Chowder'.

I do that, too - look for books by authors I haven't read before when I see their obituary. Several years ago I was reading some British mysteries by Janie Bolitho, and looking forward to reading many more. I was very sorry to learn that she died - and shocked, too, because she was only two years older than I am. https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/janie-bolitho/

785

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Please submit your requests for What's Happening With...

« on: December 07, 2019, 01:34:51 am »

I know the three I loved but haven't heard anything about in almost forever:

Karen Kijewski who wrote the Kat Colorado series.

M.D. Lake who wrote the Peggy O'Neil series.

Julie Smith who wrote the Skip Langdon series.


Oh, and can someone find out what's up with I Am Pilgrim author Terry Hayes. It's been 3 or 4 years since that first amazing book and I'm still waiting for a follow up!

I've read two of those four authors and liked them both. I had been wondering about three authors but answered my own question with two of them - turns out Elizabeth Lemarchand died about 20 years ago, and Evelyn Anthony died in 2018.

Well, dang, I'd been wondering whatever happened to Jill McGown - she died at age 59 in 2007. So sad!

786

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Say Hi and Introduce Yourself

« on: December 07, 2019, 01:21:46 am »

I was supposed to introduce myself, wasn't it?  I'm Jim Huang.  I've been reading mysteries since middle school, but really fell in love with the genre when a high school English teacher suggested that I read GAUDY NIGHT, the book that really demonstrated for me to power of the genre.  Besides reading, I've edited a book review newsletter devoted to mysteries, owned a bookshop devoted to the genre, helped organize conferences (including the 2009 Bouchercon in Indianapolis), and served on the national board of Sisters in Crime.  These days, I continue to run a small press that publishes books for mystery lovers, while my day job is running the bookshop at Bryn Mawr College.

Jim - I'm in awe. The 2009 Bouchercon in Indianapolis is the first and only one I ever attended. I was living in Cincinnati at the time so there wasn't a lot of travel involved. All my life I'd heard about my dad's friend Tony DelVecchio who reviewed mysteries for himself and his friends. Tony had attended almost every Bouchercon so he showed me the ropes.

I believe you attended Magna Cum Murder in Muncie the year I attended it with Duffy Brown. I was jinxed - I was fine when we set out from Cincinnati but had a raging fever by the time we arrived. Not much fun for Duffy. The flu bug, or whatever it was, didn't last long and I was able to see the Poison Lady's presentation and hang out with a couple of authors like Molly McRae. I think you were in a discussion group with Parnell Hall, if I remember correctly. (If I'm remembering incorrectly, I blame the flu!)

787

Welcome and General Discussion / What series do you wish would continue?

« on: December 07, 2019, 12:55:35 am »

I have a habit of falling in love with series that aren't the best sellers in the author's book list. For instance, I love Carolyn Hart's Henrie O series, and I asked her why she doesn't write more of them. Simple answer - they don't sell as well as her other books.

I would love for Simon Brett to write more Mrs. Pargeter books, and I'm eager to read more "art whisperer" books by Charlotte and Aaron Elkins. I can only assume that Brett's Charles Paris mysteries are more in demand, and that Aaron Elkins "Bone Doctor" forensic mysteries are more popular.

What books/series do you wish would continue or come back into print?

788

What I'm Reading / Re: Latest read

« on: December 07, 2019, 12:36:03 am »

My daughter has been trying to get me to read THE SILENT PATIENT for months. I really do want to read it but I have so many books in my to-be-read pile, it's hard to decide what's next.

789

Favorites / Re: ISO Favorite books or series for young readers

« on: December 07, 2019, 12:33:17 am »

When my daughter was getting into reading, I made a deal with her that I would read anything she recommended. These are some of her favorites:

Christopher Golden's BODY OF EVIDENCE forensic mysteries

Lois Duncan's mysteries, including DAUGHTERS OF EVE, KILLING MR. GRIFFIN, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, RANSOM, SUMMER OF FEAR, etc.

The Harry Potter books

The Penderwick books

Jennifer Weiner's Bigfoot series

She liked the Twilight books but I didn't get into them.

790

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: POLL: Favorite Mystery Category

« on: December 07, 2019, 12:23:47 am »

Let's see which sub-genre of mystery is the most popular!

I like a touch of humor. Donald E. Westlake is/was a favorite. John Sandford puts some snappy dialogue in the mouths of Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport.

I like a touch of humor, too. Donald Westlake is always a winner. Lawrence Block's Burglar series is pretty droll, and I really like Simon Brett's Mrs. Pargeter mysteries. (I'd love to see those put in movie form.)

There are degrees of humor, of course, from witty, snappy dialogue to almost slapstick in parts. Kelsey Browning and Nancy Naigle write about the grannies, a humorous cozy series about elderly detectives. Toni McGee Causey's Bobbie Faye mysteries are fun. Lois Winston's Anastasia Pollock crafting mysteries have some off-the-wall characters, as do Joanna Campbell Slan's cozies.

I occasionally read noir and true crime, although neither is a favorite genre. I really like what I call "cozy-ish" crime. Sometimes these are puzzlers and whodunits, sometimes they are procedurals. I like fast-paced, twisty thrillers but I'm not crazy about gruesome stories. Sorry, that is about clear as mud!

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: MYSTERY TITLES THAT ASK QUESTIONS

« on: December 07, 2019, 12:04:50 am »

I think I timed out - I was trying to think of question titles, but this is more challenging than I thought it would be! Try again:

WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? Agatha Christie

MADAME, WILL YOU TALK? Mary Stewart

WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN? Mary Higgins Clark

ANNA, WHERE ARE YOU? Patricia Wentworth

I'm sure there are loads more, but I'm going to cut this off before I time out again.

792

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Say Hi and Introduce Yourself

« on: December 06, 2019, 11:29:53 pm »

Hank Phillippi Ryan is awesome! I have all her books - I haven't asked her to autograph them, but I stick Christmas cards from her between the pages. She was one of the first people I met when I attended Bouchercon. I've only been there one time - it's was awesome and intimidating at the same time. I'm not a shy sort of person, but when I found myself in an elevator with Lee Child, my hands got all clammy and I was tongue-tied. A lot of people there looked familiar but I couldn't definitely place them. I would have liked them to wear full-size sandwich boards with their name and back cover jacket photos on their backs so I could identify my favorite authors without staring at them.

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What I'm Reading / Re: Book Signings anyone?

« on: December 06, 2019, 11:23:38 pm »

I know that as a reader, I love going to signings of authors that I like. A signed book is a treasure that stays forever in my book collection.

I saw Hank Phillippi Ryan a couple weeks back on the second event of her tour for "The Murder List". She's always a thrill to see and she even mentioned me and the reviewing I do for Mystery Scene as an example to illustrate a point she was making in her talk. (There's video of it, so I have proof! LOL)

I just got back from a book signing at a library two towns over from where I live. The author is Jack Matthews and the mystery he was promoting was his debut novel "Arte Perdida". He put on an engaging talk about the process of researching and writing the story and I picked up a copy of the book and had it signed.

This week, I'm headed to see Brad Meltzer on his tour for his kid books, but I'm going to have him sign a couple of his thrillers and a comic trade paperback he wrote after I buy the kid book as a Christmas gift for my nephew. (I checked with the store and they said he'll sign any of his work at the event.)

I've also got plans to see William Kent Krueger and Kyle Mills when they hit stores within driving distance for me.

So does anyone else here have any book signing events in their future? Do you like to go to these events? And for those who are writing the books, how much input do you have on going out on tour to promote?

In 2018 we uprooted the family, pets and all, and moved from Chicago to Eugene, Oregon. Most of the book signings I come across here were in Portland, which is a few hours away. The last book signings I went to in Chicago were with Libby Fischer Hellmann and, in Schaumburg, with Hank Phillippi Ryan. Surprisingly, I went to the most book signings when I lived in Cincinnati - Jamie Lee Curtis' signing for her kids' book, Lori Foster (romantic suspense), Duffy Brown (cozy) and Suzanne Brockmann (romantic suspense), to name a few.

I met William Kent Krueger at Malice Domestic, a small mystery conference where I met a surprising number of great authors.
Writers conferences are a great place to meet authors - I don't collect autographed editions, but I do love to meet authors. I was surprised to find a number of male mystery authors and the female-oriented Romantic Times conference.

While I haven't been to any book signings in Eugene, author Carola Dunn lives in the neighborhood. I'm working my way through her books now!

794

What I'm Reading / Re: What I'm reading

« on: December 06, 2019, 08:14:57 pm »

I just read The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware. I had Louise Penny's new book on hold at the library - I was number 101. I came home with that one, two Ruth Ware books, two M.J. Rose books and a cosy by an author I haven't read before.

I REALLY liked The Death of Mrs. Westaway!

795

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Collecting? Watcha got?

« on: December 06, 2019, 01:17:59 am »

I don't qualify as a real collector although I have a few nice first editions tucked away. (L.A. Confidential complete with a signed pornographic shark drawing by James Ellroy, for one. Why, who knows?) But what I really like to collect are oddball bits and pieces associated with writers. I have a brick from the Edgar Allan Poe House in Greenwich Village, New York, a drawing of Peter Falk as Columbo by the actor himself, and bookends with ESG engraved on them that once belonged to Erle Stanley Gardner. (They're holding up a nice selection of Perry Mason hardcovers in our living room.) What does everyone else collect? What are your biggest treasures?

I recently saw a rerun of a Columbo episode that featured a portrait of Columbo, and I think in the credits it said that Peter Falk painted it. Is that the painting in your collection? If so - WOW!