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Messages - JRob

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Library Book Sales
« on: April 23, 2022, 11:53:47 am »
I don't know if anyone else is still coming to the forums but in case they are...

I stopped by my local library's monthly book sale yesterday. My initial reason was to drop off some books for one of the women that was part of the mystery book club that was held at the library before the pandemic. I had a few books that I know she would like to read (she mainly reads cozy mysteries). So I made sure she would be there and went.

But I'm unable to resist a room full of books for very low prices so I had to check out what there was to be had.

I left with a couple of paperback books: Iris Johansen's The Bullet and Irish Parade Murder by Leslie Meier. I'm behind in my reading of Johansen's work so picking up the book is a good move. And while I've never read Meier's work before, I do like books that are either set in Ireland or have some kind of Irish theme to the story. The woman I gave those books to had pointed it out to me and when I picked it up I said when I was done with it, I would pass it on to her.

Of course, later that afternoon I got a robocall from the library telling me a book I had them get in for me had arrived. But it was too late to pick it up yesterday so I made plans to pick it up today when I was going to be out and about running errands anyway. But once again, I couldn't resist going back into the book sale room and I'm glad I did. While I picked up the Irish & Roy Johansen thriller Silent Thunder that I had seen yesterday, they had more books that weren't in the bins when I looked. So I ended up picking up a copy of the Jonathan & Faye Kellerman book Double Homicide as well.

I'm not even sure I remember knowing they'd written a book together but I couldn't resist picking it up when I saw it. Oh, and I grabbed a used DVD copy of one of the few Steven Seagal movies that I like.

But the big score today was finding a nearly brand new copy of Vicki Delany's A Three Book Problem that was just published a couple months ago. I actually read it through the library back then but I really like that series so I grab up copies when I can. And you can't beat getting a book at $5 when you would've had to spend nearly $30 if you'd bought it when it first came out.

You just have to love library book sales!

2
Top Ten Lists / My Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2021
« on: February 23, 2022, 03:18:05 pm »
Late posting this but in case anyone wants to take a gander, here's my Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2021.

It was another great year of books with lots to choose from as well as some great things that I got to be part of during the year.

3
What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: February 23, 2022, 03:15:01 pm »
I finished reading the new Joanna Schaffhausen thriller LAST SEEN ALIVE recently. Not only was it a great read, I was shocked to discover that I'd been thanked in the acknowledgements.

I also finished reading the first Vermont Radio mystery LIVE, LOCAL, AND DEAD by Nikki Knight.

Currently I'm reading Paige Shelton's DARK NIGHT and have just cracked open Jon Land's MARGARET TRUMAN'S MURDER AT THE CDC.

Soon, I hope to start the new issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine which has a new short story by Edith Maxwell in it.

4
Since I have all of Edith's series books thus far, I decided it was time to track down the published books containing short stories she has written.

I have picked up THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS, the Malice Domestic 2014 Anthology and just today a copy of THAT MYSTERIOUS WOMAN arrived in the mail!

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Library Book Sales
« on: May 25, 2021, 02:51:21 pm »
My local library held their May book sale last week. I went on the first day again and while I thought the selection of books (for me) was a little lacking this time around, I did manage to find four books that I bought. Three of them were from my want list while the fourth was just a book that sounded like it would be a good read and it was the first in the series.

I almost went to another book sale this past weekend but I was feeling pretty tired from a combination of a couple of reasons and didn't feel like fighting the tourist traffic to get over the bridge to the library.

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Welcome and General Discussion / Library Book Sales
« on: April 22, 2021, 11:44:47 am »
Anyone frequent the fundraising book sales that their local library holds?

Here where I am, they started holding the first one of the year today. The various protocols of distancing, masks and hand sanitizer are in effect. Only 8 people allowed inside at a time too.

I cut out of work for a bit so I could get there right at the start and have the best possible selection to choose from.

And for just under 15 bucks I walked out with 29 books. Now, 16 of them were for my trivia team partner. He started reading the Lee Child books and asked if I would pick him up some. At 79, he's not exactly roaming about the landscape yet even with being fully vaccinated. So as luck would have it, they were packed with Lee Child books. I got 14 titles for him, plus the first book in the Quinn Colson series by Ace Atkins. The other book was actually a mistakenly bought 2nd copy of one of the Lee Child books, so I'll just donate that back to the library at another time.

Now for me, I grabbed DEEP STATE by Chris Hauty. That's one of the most talked about thrillers of 2019 but I hadn't gotten around to getting it for myself. I also grabbed up the first two books in Jane K. Cleland's Josey Prescott Antique mystery series, the first two book's in Jenn McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery series, a Barbara Ross Maine Clambake book, an Ellie Alexander Bakeshop mystery, the first four books in Paige Shelton's Farmer's Market series and one in her Country Cooking School series as well.

My question for anyone reading, do authors hate the notion of their books being sold off like this? I mean, they got bought once to end up in the library sale. But do you think it leads to further sales down the road if a reader gets started on the cheap? I know that when I buy books this way, if I like the series, I start buying the books new.

7
Welcome and General Discussion / Where's Becke?
« on: April 10, 2021, 08:06:48 pm »
Any idea where Becke has gone? She hasn't posted on the forums in a while.

8
What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: April 08, 2021, 04:02:49 am »
I finished reading the Tom Threadgill thriller Collision Of Lies the other day. It's the first book in the Alma Alvarez series and it was a fantastic read! You can check out my Goodreads review of the book HERE!

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: April 08, 2021, 04:00:52 am »
The Matthew Quirk book HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN used a pull quote of mine for the book's paperback edition.


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Top Ten Lists / Re: My Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers of 2020!
« on: April 02, 2021, 04:56:11 pm »
Oh, and I just found out that the paperback edition of Matthew Quirk's HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN, which came out in January 2021  included a pull quote from my review!




11
What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: March 31, 2021, 02:33:44 pm »
Last year I wrote a review for the magazine of the Robyn Gigl debut legal thriller BY WAY OF SORROW. I really loved it. But the pandemic pushed the book back for publication until yesterday.

In that time, Kensington Publishing used a pull quote from my review in a trade ad, a longer pull quote in the press release and on various online sites to buy the book. And this morning I found out that the longer pull quote appears on the back cover of the hardcover edition. I called up the book store and put a copy of it on hold so I can have it in my collection.


12
What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: March 24, 2021, 04:01:38 pm »
I'm currently reading an advance copy of the new C.J. Box book DARK SKY. It's due out in March.

Here's my review as it appeared in the latest issue of the magazine.


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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: March 19, 2021, 04:51:08 pm »
I finished reading MURDER ON THE METRO by Jon Land. It's the first book written by him in the Capital Crimes series that was originated by Margaret Truman. And I found it to be an outstanding thriller. You can read my Goodreads review of it via this link.

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What I'm Reading / Re: My latest read is...
« on: March 15, 2021, 02:34:04 pm »
I finished Tracy Gardner's RUBY RED HERRING and submitted a review of it to the magazine.

I've read something by this author - I'll have to check. I just finished THE SNOWDONIA KILLINGS by Simon McCleave. I liked it a lot and I'm eager to read more of these books, which are set in Wales.

15
Welcome and General Discussion / Re: RIP Margaret Maron
« on: February 27, 2021, 01:51:39 pm »
The Jungle Red Writers blog did a post about Maron today (Saturday, Feb. 27th).

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