Author Topic: My latest read is...  (Read 186437 times)

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #150 on: May 17, 2020, 12:26:31 am »
Good point - I'll do that!

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #151 on: May 26, 2020, 09:28:13 am »
I finished reading the third book in Sheila Connolly's Orchard Mystery series. However, I didn't like it nearly as much as the first two books. I thought it gave short shrift to the actual murder mystery in all honesty. You can check out my thoughts HERE.

Kate Stine, Editor

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #152 on: May 26, 2020, 10:09:11 am »
I just finished reading the science fiction / mystery LOCK IN by John Scalzi. It was just terrific. Scalzi imagines a pandemic has hit the world that leaves a small percentage of people mentally unharmed but physically paralyzed and "locked in." The world changes to meet the challenge of these sufferers of "Haydens's syndrome," often called simply Haydens. Technology evolves to the point that the Haydens can borrow the bodies of "Integrators" or can congregate create their own society in the "Agora," an online space for Haydens.

When an Integrator kills someone, who exactly was in charge when the murder happened? It's get complicated fast and our detective, rookie FBI agent Chris Shane, himself a Hayden, has to investigate.

Scalzi is a wonder at world-building. The complicated adjustments the world has made for the Haydens are skillfully described in great detail without slowing down the narrative at all. The Haydens have formed a complex new human society and the investigation takes place very believably within these new constraints. There's lots of humor and really good character development. It's easy to see why this got starred Kirkus, Booklist and Publishers Weekly reviews. It should have gotten an Edgar mention, in my opinion.

Anyway, there's a follow-up titled HEAD ON, which I read first and was also very enjoyable. Start with LOCKED IN though for best effect and expierience a talented storyteller at the top of his game.

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #153 on: May 26, 2020, 10:54:31 am »
I've heard of Scalzi but never read any of his work. The book does sound interesting but I don't think I'll be able to pick it up with all the mystery stuff I've got backed up on me already.

KiwiCraig

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #154 on: May 26, 2020, 11:52:48 am »
Just read CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS, a middle-of-the-series Hap and Leonard novel from Joe R Lansdale.

Fantastic.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #155 on: May 26, 2020, 05:36:55 pm »
Just read CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS, a middle-of-the-series Hap and Leonard novel from Joe R Lansdale.

Fantastic.

Just added it to my list.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #156 on: May 28, 2020, 10:08:49 pm »
I just finished reading the science fiction / mystery LOCK IN by John Scalzi. It was just terrific. Scalzi imagines a pandemic has hit the world that leaves a small percentage of people mentally unharmed but physically paralyzed and "locked in." The world changes to meet the challenge of these sufferers of "Haydens's syndrome," often called simply Haydens. Technology evolves to the point that the Haydens can borrow the bodies of "Integrators" or can congregate create their own society in the "Agora," an online space for Haydens.

When an Integrator kills someone, who exactly was in charge when the murder happened? It's get complicated fast and our detective, rookie FBI agent Chris Shane, himself a Hayden, has to investigate.

Scalzi is a wonder at world-building. The complicated adjustments the world has made for the Haydens are skillfully described in great detail without slowing down the narrative at all. The Haydens have formed a complex new human society and the investigation takes place very believably within these new constraints. There's lots of humor and really good character development. It's easy to see why this got starred Kirkus, Booklist and Publishers Weekly reviews. It should have gotten an Edgar mention, in my opinion.

Anyway, there's a follow-up titled HEAD ON, which I read first and was also very enjoyable. Start with LOCKED IN though for best effect and expierience a talented storyteller at the top of his game.

These sound interesting! I put them on my "when the library opens again" book list. :-)

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #157 on: June 05, 2020, 05:57:09 am »
I haven't written a review of it yet, but I finished the new Michael Connelly thriller FAIR WARNING yesterday.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #158 on: June 05, 2020, 02:04:47 pm »
I haven't written a review of it yet, but I finished the new Michael Connelly thriller FAIR WARNING yesterday.

If we were having a reading race, you would be winning by a long shot!

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #159 on: June 06, 2020, 05:34:57 am »
I haven't written a review of it yet, but I finished the new Michael Connelly thriller FAIR WARNING yesterday.

If we were having a reading race, you would be winning by a long shot!

I'm back to work on Monday, so you'll have time to catch up since I'll be able to do less reading during the daytime.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #160 on: June 08, 2020, 12:17:41 pm »
I just reread John Sherwood's THE MANTRAP GARDEN. I dug out this vintage book because of our garden-related mysteries feature, and it holds up really well. While the book is set in and around a stately home garden, and in many ways it is still a cozy, in other ways it is unexpected.

For one thing, there is a fascinating section that flashes back to WWII and the work at Bletchley to break the Enigma cipher. I've read other books about this and I'd forgotten the Enigma code played a part in this mystery.  There is also industrial espionage on an international scale.

The garden featured in this book was originally designed by Gertrude Jekyll, and there are many quotes from her books scattered throughout.

Although the book mentions Gertrude Jekyll designed in the United States, it doesn't mention that she never actually visited the USA. She only designed three gardens in this country, and her plans were based on detailed plans of the garden sites.

Gertrude Jekyll - Gardens in America
lists the following U.S. gardens:

https://gertrudejekyll.co.uk/gardens_in_america/#:~:text=She%20wrote%20articles%20for%20American,influential%20in%20garden%20design%20circles.&text=During%20her%20later%20years%2C%20she,by%20meticulous%20attention%20to%20detail.

Gertrude Jekyll’s American gardens were as follows:
1914 Elmhurst, Ohio
1925 Cotswold Cottage, Greenwich, Connecticut
1926 Old Glebe House, Woodbury, Connecticut, which was restored during the 1990s and can be visited.

It's a well-kept secret that she also designed a garden at the Groesbeck Estate, now part of the Cincinnati Nature Center. Although her original plans have been saved for posterity, the garden she designed was never implemented because the site was so steep it wasn't considered feasible. Elements of her design, including stone paths, were installed and have been preserved.

 

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #161 on: June 08, 2020, 04:00:20 pm »
Glad you liked that book Becke.

I started reading a new book today on my lunch break. I hope that I can get a bunch of reading done over the course of the week so I finish it in a timely fashion.

In the meantime, here's that review for Michael Connelly's FAIR WARNING.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #162 on: June 09, 2020, 12:53:38 am »
Glad you liked that book Becke.

I started reading a new book today on my lunch break. I hope that I can get a bunch of reading done over the course of the week so I finish it in a timely fashion.

In the meantime, here's that review for Michael Connelly's FAIR WARNING.

I'm kind of glad you didn't give this a rave review. I recently spent some money at ABE Books, picking up a bunch of vintage mysteries I'm eager to read. For some reason coronavirus and its attendant social distancing is making me want to go back and read old mysteries.

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #163 on: June 09, 2020, 04:12:19 am »
I have entirely too many new books to read that I don't have time to go back and read older material. At least not if I ever hope to work down this pile.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #164 on: June 11, 2020, 02:07:18 am »
Just read CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS, a middle-of-the-series Hap and Leonard novel from Joe R Lansdale.

Fantastic.

Just added it to my list.

Forget my list. I just placed an order with ABE (used/vintage books) for this plus some other books you all have recommended. I hope it will arrive soon!