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I am just finishing up In the Miso Soup by Ryo Murakami. It's about a Japanese tour guide who believes the American he's showing around is a serial killer. It's very short, and it is interesting how the author works into the narrative the tour guide's thoughts on modern Japan, the United States and the alienation of people in both. It is a good read if you are interested in crime/thriller fiction and want something that takes place in Japan.

What are you guys reading?

I am reading The Houdini Specter by Daniel Stashower. It is the second book in the series that I have read. I think any fan of Sherlock Holmes pastiches would enjoy reading these.

Just started The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry.

Steve writes Dan Brown-esque historical conspiracy theory stuff. I'm sure there is a name for this genre but I have no idea what it is.

Anyway I have read several of his books in the past and enjoyed them.

This was a GR giveaway.

haha, I wonder if we were to find a clever name for that historical conspiracy stuff, what would it be? Hysterical Historical?

Thank you for the recommendation for the Houdini series. It sounds really interesting! Does it focus on the escape tricks/magic?

Joanna wrote: "Thank you for the recommendation for the Houdini series. It sounds really interesting! Does it focus on the escape tricks/magic?"

There are elements of that in both of the books that I have read so far. More so in The Houdini Specter than the other. The stories just have a good feel to them!

I just finished The Columbus Affair

Steve Berry weaves a tale around the sketchy facts of Christopher Columbus' life. The story stretches from the cathedrals and synagogs of Europe to the caves of Jamaica and explores the Jewish history across those lands.

All-in-all a pretty average book. It combines a historical mystery with just a tad of far-fetched Indian Jones-esque archaeology.

3 STARS - probably would have been 3 1/2 without the Indiana Jones-ness.

This was a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway.

Next stop: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Ken wrote: "Next stop: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

I was just looking at that book! I read the reviews and it seems like it's surprisingly good.

Joanna wrote: "Ken wrote: "Next stop: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

I was just looking at that book! I read the reviews and it seems like it's surprisingly good."

I am on page 140 and it is probably the best book I have read so far this year. I initially avoided it because of the title. But, it is actually pretty good.

I have just finished Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.

I wasn't going to read this book because the title was just stupid and the premise seemed goofy. Yes, I judged a book by its cover.

But, after reading all of the reviews and recommendations on Horror Aficionados, I decided to give it a run. At least, I would have someone else to blame if it turned out to be crap. Lord knows I have read enough crap on my own with no blame to place.

But, I was wr-wr-wr-wrong! The book was actually good. In fact, very good!

The title pretty much explains it all. Take all of the history that you know about Abe Lincoln and everything you ever learned about the War of Northern Aggression and mix in a hidden vampire infestation and you'll have the general idea.

After finishing the book, I started thinking of other great Americans that could have been vampire hunters...Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight D Eisenhower, LBJ, Gerald Ford...okay, maybe not Gerald Ford. But, I see some room for sequels....

5 STARS and favorited

I just started The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. I have been assured that this is a sick book by people who ought to know. I have high hopes for it!

I just finished The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.

I pretty much read this book in one sitting, something I usually don't do. But, it managed to hold my attention.

It starts out a little uncomfortable to read and then graduates to more and more disturbing levels in fairly short order. You think, okay here's a line that Ketchum won't cross and then he smashes right through that one and then challenges the next. It keeps going until he has put to test about anything you think he could imagine.

I'm not really sure what Ketchum was trying to say (if anything) with this book. But, I think it is certainly worth the read if you are drawn to the darker side of things.

4 STARS

Ken wrote: "I just finished The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.

I pretty much read this book in one sitting, something I usually don't do. But, it managed to hold my attention.

It starts out a little uncomfo..."

Woah, that sounds incredibly dark.

I am currently reading Blameless, book three of the steampunk "The Parasol Protectorate" series. I am really entertained by this series. Very Wodehousian. In fact, I was just reading a chapter with a character whose middle name is Wilberforce and says things like "pip! pip!" Yes, it is a technically a werewolf romance fantasy novel but it is much better than it sounds.

I am currently reading The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Ectoplasmic Man by Daniel Stashower.

Sherlock Holmes meets Harry Houdini!

I am currently reading The Blackstone Chronicles by John Saul

Just finished The Inquiry Agent by William King. It's not Sherlock Holmes, but enjoyed the book very much. It was well researched and the historic details were amazing. It taught me a lot about the seedy side of London in the 1840s. Character development was excellent, even the minor characters were well established. It was about a former Bow Street runner (detective) who is now working as a private inquiry agent. A wealthy gentleman hires him to recover some letters and other papers stolen by house breakers which leads him into the bleakest parts of London. The wealth of details about these areas was particularly fascinating.

John wrote: "Just finished The Inquiry Agent by William King. It's not Sherlock Holmes, but enjoyed the book very much. It was well researched and the historic details were amazing. It taught me a lot about the..."

Sounds interesting. Too bad its not available in a print edition. I am one of those antiques that refuses to Kindle.

Ha, I got a kindle for Christmas. I am horrible with it. I still haven't read a book to completion using it. I'm okay reading books on my phone, and on the computer screen, but for some reason I just can't read on a kindle. It's like, I see it, go... oh okay. I guess I'll read something on this. And it's out of batteries because I haven't touched it for a month. bah. none of my other books get so pissy with me. and there are literally 300 other books in the house that I prefer to read at the moment. bah, I say, bah.

but I love my smartphone. that I am addicted to. I've read a few books on that.

When I got my Kindle I wondered if I would like it, but really haven't found it that much different than reading a book. Maybe it's the cover which gives the feel of holding a book. I get a daily newsletter called Pixels of Ink that lists free and very low cost Kindle books from Amazon and I've picked up a lot of great books that way, things that I probably would never have purchased overwise. I still love books, but do enjoy the Kindle too. I haven't gotten into the smart phones.

I will have to look into Pixels of Ink. I love free!

For me, the kindle isn't competing with my books, but with my smartphone. It loses. I do like eInk technology, and maybe one day our little portable computers will have amazing screens.

Haloa! I'm jzhun from the Philippines and I'm about to finish the Canon with the exception of "The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes".

In relation to that I would just like to ask you guys on why is it that the order of the short stories in the newer editions of "The Case Book" different as from the original, chronological order in which they were published in various magazines (i.e., The Strand Magazine, Heasrt's International Magazine and Liberty)? I scoured the web just to know the reason for this but haven't found the answer for it. Hope you guys can help me on this. Is it favorable to read "The Case Book" as they were originally published or in their current arrangement found in most published edition of the book today?

Thank you very much! :)

I just finished reading The Radleys by Matt Haig.

The Radleys are a pretty average middle class, British family. Except...they are vampires...and they forgot to tell their kids...and they also forgot to mention the rogue vampire that is their uncle. And then the problems start.

A pretty decent book. No sparkly vampires!

4 STARS

Just started Water Witch by Deborah Leblanc. The reviews aren't great on this one but it looks to be a quick read.

I'm starting Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas, it's a Victorian mystery that I understand is somewhat similar to Holmes and Watson.

John wrote: "I'm starting Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas, it's a Victorian mystery that I understand is somewhat similar to Holmes and Watson."

I loved that whole series. I wish he would wite some more of them!

Ken wrote: "I have just finished Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.

I wasn't going to read this book because the title was just stupid and the premise seemed goofy. Yes, I judged a book by its cover.

But, afte..."

I have just started this book and so far it is AMAZING! Thank you for recommending it.

John wrote: "I'm starting Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas, it's a Victorian mystery that I understand is somewhat similar to Holmes and Watson."

I have that stashed somewhere! Please let us know if it is any good or not.

jzhunagev wrote: "Haloa! I'm jzhun from the Philippines and I'm about to finish the Canon with the exception of "The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes".

In relation to that I would just like to ask you guys on why is it..."

Hello! Do you speak Tagalog? I understand it fluently but I can hardly speak it. I am trying to find some books in Tagalog to practice. But unfortunately I don't have the answer to your question.

Joanna wrote: "Hello! Do you speak Tagalog? I understand it fluently but I can hardly speak it. I am trying to find some books in Tagalog to practice. But unfortunately I don't have the answer to your question. "

Hi Joanna! Yes, I speak Filipino/Tagalog.
Kamusta?! :)

I just finished Water Witch by Deborah Leblanc.

This book frustrated me. Parts of it I really enjoyed and other parts seemed to drag on forever. Some of the characters were well developed and interesting and others were poorly defined and ended up playing a bigger role than I anticipated. I was glad to be able to finish it.

3 STARS

Just started The Beast House by Richard Laymon. Didn't realize I was stepping into the second book of a series. I don't think it was meant to stand alone, but as I am 1/3 of the way through it already, I think it will work.

Joanna wrote: "John wrote: "I'm starting Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas, it's a Victorian mystery that I understand is somewhat similar to Holmes and Watson."

I have that stashed somewhere! Please let us kn..."

Enjoyed reading this book. The main character of inquiry agent Barker did seem a bit too perfect sometimes. He is a real Renaissance man, raised in the orient and a master of the martial arts, well read and with many important connections across the city of London. However, all of his employees are deeply flawed. His clerk is lazy, his butler/housekeeper a red-haired Jew with a temper, his cook a petulant Frenchman, and his dog is a mean tempered Pekinese. The main character is Barker's new assistant, Thomas Lleweyn, a young Welshman. Thomas had lost his wife to illness after a few month's marriage and had spent the last year in prison for theft. He is on the verge of suicide when he lands the job as Barker's assistant after applying to an ad with the warning "some danger involved." The case at hand involves the bizarre death of a young Jewish man apparently at the hands of an anti-Jewish league. All signs point to further violence against the Jewish populace. Barker is hired to find the killers and prevent an uprising. There are suspects aplenty and young Llewyn soon learns that there is indeed danger involved in his new job, as well as great adventure.

I'm always reading Sherlockian scholarship books/journals/etc. but in terms of fiction, here's a few recents reads and recommendations:

1) Lyndsay Faye's The Gods of Gotham

2) John Gardner's The Return of Moriarty

3) Dan Andriacco's No Police Like Holmes


Enjoy!!
Matt

Matt,

Have you read Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson by Lyndsay Faye? I think it is the best Holmes vs Ripper pastiche written.

BTW, added No Police Like Holmes to my to-read list.

Hi Ken,

Lyndsay's Dust & Shadow is quite excellent. The Andriacco book is an extremely novel take on a Sherlock Holmes 'pastiche' - in fact it's a contemporary mystery that happens at a Holmes conference in the Midwest! If you end up enjoying No Police the sequel is out (Holmes Sweet Holmes) and the third volume is set for a Fall 2012 release (a title after my own heart: The 1895 Murder). I ran into Dan this past weekend and he says he's even now working on the fourth title in said series (all on MX of course). Good stuff!

Just finished The Beast House by Richard Laymon.

Pretty average as far as I am concerned.

I read back through several of the other reviews and they ran the gamut from "Richard Laymon is the second coming of Christ" to "this book sucks, nothing but pornography and gratuitous sex". Well, it was neither.

Just a pretty average horror novel.

3 STARS

I just started The Spook's Sacrifice by Joseph Delaney. It is the 6th book in the The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles series. This has been a great (and I think under-rated) YA series.

I just finished The Spook's Sacrifice by Joseph Delaney.

This is the sixth book in The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles series but the first book that feels like you are immersed in the battle between Tom Ward and the Fiend.

True to the previous books, Delaney weaves a decent tale of dark versus light.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who reads dark YA books without sparkly vampires or ridiculous romantic undertones.

4 STARS

Just started The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz.

Just started The Affair by Lee Child. Looking forward to reading about Reacher before he left the Army.

Mark and Ken, I really enjoyed reading The House of Silk. I was even tempted to pick up some of his YA books because I enjoyed the writing so much.

Joanna wrote: "Mark and Ken, I really enjoyed reading The House of Silk. I was even tempted to pick up some of his YA books because I enjoyed the writing so much."

I'm going to have to get back on that one. I got sidetracked by The Bone Garden.

I just finished The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen.

A skull with obvious signs of foul play is dug up in a garden, bringing to the surface a mystery dating the back to the 1830's.

The story flashes back from modern times as our protagonist attempts to solve the century and a half old mystery back to 1830's Boston as the crime is committed.

I really enjoyed this book. The only bad thing I have to say about it is that it doesn't appear Ms. Gerritsen has written anything else quite like it. More, Ms. Gerritsen, more!

4 STARS

Now back to The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel.

Joanna wrote: "Mark and Ken, I really enjoyed reading The House of Silk. I was even tempted to pick up some of his YA books because I enjoyed the writing so much."

Has anyone heard if he plans any more Holmes novels?

You people seem to be enthusiastic about The House of Silk. At first, I was sceptical ... but I think I will have to put this on my wish list.

Apart from Doyle and two other books (I'm meshugge, I know) I'm currently reading David Grossman's terrific novel 'Someone to Run With'.

Just started Darkly Dreaming Dexter.

John wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Mark and Ken, I really enjoyed reading The House of Silk. I was even tempted to pick up some of his YA books because I enjoyed the writing so much."

Has anyone heard if he plans any..."

I haven't heard if there are any plans for more novels... but I would certainly welcome it!

Ken, I have been meaning to read some Dexter books! I watched the first three seasons of the show.

I am enjoying Solomon Vs. Lord by Paul Levine. Very well written with snappy dialog that reminds me of Dave and Mattie on Moonlighting or a Tracy and Hepburn movie.

Joanna wrote: "Ken, I have been meaning to read some Dexter books! I watched the first three seasons of the show. "

I have never seen the show. The book is good so far!