Messages

76

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

« on: November 11, 2020, 05:39:29 pm »

I read BEYOND A REASONABLE STOUT by Ellie Alexander. It's the third book in the Sloan Krause series. I loved the book and here's my Goodreads.com review.

The fourth book in the series just came out in hardcover yesterday. It's called WITHOUT A BREW. I want to read it but I'm probably going to have to wait until it comes out in paperback.

77

What I'm Reading / Re: Lovejoy books by Jonathan Gash

« on: November 08, 2020, 08:12:13 pm »

I don't often come across Lovejoy books in bookstores, new OR used. It just breaks my heart when bookstores go out of business. Back when Borders was still around, my husband and I used to make regular visits to Ann Arbor, MI because there were so many fabulous bookstores there. Shortly before we moved to Chicago, we made another visit there, and were devastated to find some of our favorite stores had closed.

The killer happened just weeks before we moved, when we had too much going on to manage a final visit. That was when Aunt Agatha's closed. The last day they were open, everything left in the store was FREE. We already gave away 1500 books before we moved, and brought more than 70 cartons of books with us. But, believe me, I would have made room for more!

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2018/08/24/aunt-agathas-mystery-bookshop-closing-ann-arbor/1073037002/

Back to Lovejoy. Here is a list of the Lovejoy books: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovejoy_(novel_series)

The other one I picked up is MOONSPENDER. I don't remember reading either of these, but I have read a lot of the books in this series already. My mom had most - if not all - of them, and I read everything she had. I occasionally came across early editions in the library, too. (This year's library sale was cancelled because of coronavirus. I sure hope it's back next year!)

Thanks for the list of the Lovejoy books.

My local library is still closed other than curbside pickup. The Friends of the Library did manage to put on the monthly book sales for August, September and October but they were held outside and always started and ended while I was still at work. The one time it rained on the regular day and it moved to the next day, I did go but there was nothing that I wanted so it was almost entirely a wasted trip. I did donate some unwanted books so at least I cleared some space in the house that day.

78

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

« on: November 08, 2020, 09:32:51 am »

I finished reading THE PINT OF NO RETURN today. It's the 2nd book in Ellie Alexander's Sloane Krause mystery series. And I really did enjoy it. You can check out my full thoughts on this one via my Goodreads review.

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What I'm Reading / Re: Lovejoy books by Jonathan Gash

« on: November 08, 2020, 09:31:43 am »

The last time I was at a bookstore called New England Mobile Book Fair for a book signing, I got there early and was taking a look around for potential books to purchase.

I discovered a particular display on a shelf's endcap that had quite a number of the Lovejoy books. I ALMOST made a massive purchase that day because I remember the TV series from a long time ago and thought it might be nice to read some of the original stories. But because they didn't have the earliest books in the series and I like to start from the beginning, I ended up not picking up any of them.

That might come back to bite me in the butt because thanks in equal parts of the store losing their location and the continuing coronavirus pandemic, they've effectively gone out of business. So having access to a number of ON-HAND titles is no longer a thing for me.

80

Welcome and General Discussion / RIP Rachel Caine

« on: November 02, 2020, 04:50:08 pm »

Author Rachel Caine passed away yesterday after a fight with cancer. I'd been hoping to start reading her Stillhouse Lake series in the near future and didn't even know she was ill so this came as a big surprise to me. She wrote thrillers, young adult books and more. You can read more about her work and passing HERE!

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

« on: November 01, 2020, 05:23:32 am »

Susan Rogers Cooper is a new name to me.

Right now, I'm working on a Murder, She Wrote mystery by Jon Land.

82

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

« on: October 31, 2020, 06:35:47 pm »

Who was the author of the book from 1996?

I read Tess Gerrittsen for a few years back when she first started having books come out. But I haven't read any of her books in a good long while.

83

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

« on: October 26, 2020, 04:04:02 pm »

I finished reading Archer Mayor's The Orphan's Guilt last night.

Because there aren't any signings going on, Mayor posted a message on his Facebook page where you could contact his website and they'd send out a bookplate with his signature that you could add to the latest book. I did so and in about 2 days I had it.

84

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Books for Budding Mystery Lovers

« on: October 25, 2020, 07:40:58 pm »

That's wonderful! I love it when people (of any age) discover books after receiving some as gifts. My aunt used to get Nancy Drew books for me - the first books I ever owned. I love libraries but I think owning a book makes it extra-special.

That's how I got into The Hardy Boys as well. I got those blue hardcover editions as a kid and read as many as I could get my hands on. There's one that I would actually like to get my hands on again because I remember it so fondly. I think it is called The Shattered Helmet.

Years later as an adult my grandmother gave me a bag of books and while the majority of them didn't hold much interest for me, there was a hardcover edition of the John Sandford thriller RULES OF PREY. It's the first book in the Lucas Davenport series and that launched my fandom for Sandford's writing.

I know I've read some of his books. He has written a lot more than I realized! http://www.johnsandford.org/listofbooks.html

I've read just about everything he's written.

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Books for Budding Mystery Lovers

« on: October 25, 2020, 06:37:15 am »

That's wonderful! I love it when people (of any age) discover books after receiving some as gifts. My aunt used to get Nancy Drew books for me - the first books I ever owned. I love libraries but I think owning a book makes it extra-special.

That's how I got into The Hardy Boys as well. I got those blue hardcover editions as a kid and read as many as I could get my hands on. There's one that I would actually like to get my hands on again because I remember it so fondly. I think it is called The Shattered Helmet.

Years later as an adult my grandmother gave me a bag of books and while the majority of them didn't hold much interest for me, there was a hardcover edition of the John Sandford thriller RULES OF PREY. It's the first book in the Lucas Davenport series and that launched my fandom for Sandford's writing.

86

Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Books for Budding Mystery Lovers

« on: October 24, 2020, 11:13:16 am »

I forgot about Encyclopedia Brown! I didn't read Sherlock Holmes until I was in high school.

My daughter's favorites were Lois Duncan's mysteries and Christopher Golden's BODY OF EVIDENCE forensic mysteries. We had a deal that if she read a good book, I'd read it, too, so we could talk about it. She is back to working full time so she doesn't read quite as many books as I do, but she still manages to introduce me to new books and authors I haven't read.

The reason I read Sherlock Holmes so young was my parents giving me a digest sized edition of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. I read it numerous times and just loved it. I'm pretty sure it was this one:

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Books for Budding Mystery Lovers

« on: October 23, 2020, 03:51:54 pm »

Encyclopedia Brown, the Three Investigators, The Hardy Boys and Sherlock Holmes were my gateway to a lifelong love of mysteries.

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Welcome and General Discussion / Re: Books for Budding Mystery Lovers

« on: October 23, 2020, 03:53:58 am »

There's a series of mystery novels under the American Girl banner as well. I know I bought one for a cousin.

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

« on: October 22, 2020, 03:51:37 am »

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.

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

« on: October 18, 2020, 05:58:25 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.