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I've got that coming up next, Jean-Luke! I'm reading the one before: A Mind To Murder

It's so dark, even darker than the first one Cover Her Face and talks about all sorts of things that I wouldn't have suspected like the use of LSD in psychotherapy. It was written in 1963.

Currently reading The Age of Miracles - not a mystery, but so far incredibly intriguing and well-written.

Next up is Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter for a book club! Then Gone Girl, which I am really looking forward to...

Oh, and Ive borrowed both Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir and Sarah's Key, so I need to read those and get them back to their respective owners.

And yes, I need to get a mystery in there soon. ;)

SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME!!!

Sarah's Key is almost a mystery. Pretty good too, and a quick read, so you should be ok.

I'm reading a number of books: just finished our August book, Case of the Gilded Fly; Wild by Cheryl Strayed (love it! - now I want to go hiking); Sherlock Holmes stories (read all the novels and now reading one short story day until I've completed them all); Barnaby Rudge by Dickens; and Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (Discovery of Witches trilogy).

Loved the book!!! wish he had written more then just 6 Fen books!

Just re-reading Lessons in Love by Charlie Cochrane (not for everyone, it is historical [set in the Edwardian era], does have a murder mystery, but it also involves M/M love)

Hayes wrote: "I've got that coming up next, Jean-Luke! I'm reading the one before: A Mind To Murder

It's so dark, even darker than the first one Cover Her Face and talks about all sorts of things that I wouldn'..."

Oh those are both excellent books by James! She can be very dark and complex. Excellent choices!

The more modern mysteries don't have the same feel, do they?

They are either totally "cozy", complete with amateur sleuth armed with cat, tea and knitting needles (which are fun sometimes, I must admit).

Or they are the urban variety, with too much "grit" for my taste (whatever that adjective means... usually too much sex, blood and depravity).

The classic mysteries were very much about what was going on socially, especially in the post-war eras (after both of the World Wars). There was so much going on to the social structure of the world, the mysteries had to reflect that. Now I get the idea that it's all Big Brother (the TV show) voyeurism and no interest in the psychological make up of the characters, unless it is to talk about a gruesome serial killer who was abused as a child.

right now, Sansom's Winter in Madrid - on the coffee table are Crispin's Gilded Fly for the August read, Simon Beckett's Written in Bone (others have mentioned him but he is a new read for me) & a first novel in a fantasy series = The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke .. not to mention a re-read of 11/22/63 ..

Hayes wrote: "The more modern mysteries don't have the same feel, do they?

They are either totally "cozy", complete with amateur sleuth armed with cat, tea and knitting needles (which are fun sometimes, I must ..."

I think you've nailed it, Hayes. I definitely don't like the "amateur sleuth armed with cat, tea and knitting needles" (although I do read the Liss MacCrimmon series, but only because they're about things sort of Scottish). They are too formulaic, and characterization is almost unheard of.

Nor do I like the modern gritty mysteries -- I can watch the nightly news or read the local paper to get all of that I can manage to handle.

So I'm also a big fan of the older mysteries, especially the Brit ones. In my book, true English cozies are the Miss Marples or Poirots or Miss Silvers, etc. One of the newer series (well, there's only 2 of them, darn it!) are the Patricia Harwin books. True cozies, even if recently written.

Helen wrote: "on the coffee table are Crispin's Gilded Fly for the August read, ..."

OMG! I went to pull this off my bookshelf ... and I don't have it! WAH! I think I have everything else he wrote, and certainly I've read it, but ... now I've got to scurry around & find it! YIKES!

Kate wrote: "OMG! I went to pull this off my bookshelf ... and I don't have it! WAH! I think I have everything else he w..."

I did the same thing. I had seven of his books, but not this one. Until now, of course!

Amy wrote: "Oh, and Ive borrowed ... Sarah's Key, so I need to read those and get them back to their respective owners."

I really liked Sarah's Key and it was a pretty fast read.

"And yes, I need to get a mystery in there soon. ;)
SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME!!!"

Hahaha!!! My thoughts exactly!

I just finished Edgar Wallace's The Case of the Twisted Candle (very enjoyable) and my next mystery is to be the Crispin, if I can find it. After that, The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout (not English, but I enjoy Nero Wolf & Archie) :)

Currently reading the following non-mystery books:
Barchester Towers by Trollope
Picadilly Jim by Wodehouse (for when Trollope gets to be too much)
and listening to the audio book of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Leslie wrote:I just finished Edgar Wallace's The Case of the Twisted Candle (very enjoyable)

Oh dear, now you've done it Leslie(in a good way) - I haven't thought of Edgar Wallace in aeons, but I do have a set of nine of his that belonged to my Nan in my "never, ever clear out" bookcase. I think she may have had them from a book club since all are identically bound, published in the early 30s, presumably after his death? ... so now my re-read list (albeit after a VERY long delay), has suddenly multiplied!

I am reading With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare. It is one of a series that features Francis Pettigrew and Inspector Mallett. It is set during WWII. I believe I have read all of the others in the series that include Francis.

Tom wrote: "I am reading With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare. It is one of a series that features Francis Pettigrew and Inspector Mallett. It is set during WWII. I believe I have read all of the others in the ser..."

Love Cyril hare, & have read (& own) all his books. Very good taste, Tom!

Tangentially on topic, I am reading the latest biography of Charles Dickens.

Oooh maybe I'll read a Cyril Hare next! Just finished Rex Stout's League of Frightened Men and contemplating my many choices of what mystery to read next :)

Has anyone here read any Anna Katherine Greene, and if so, how was it?

Leslie wrote: "Has anyone here read any Anna Katherine Greene, and if so, how was it? ..."

I have a bunch of freebies on my Kindle, but haven't gotten to them yet. Cyril Hare is terrific! I've been collecting those as I came across them for ages, but I'm still missing a couple.

I'm currently reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. It's funny how a small town like Three Pines can have so many mysterious deaths.

Tracey wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Has anyone here read any Anna Katherine Greene, and if so, how was it? ..."

I have a bunch of freebies on my Kindle, but haven't gotten to them yet. Cyril Hare is terrific! I've bee..."

So I did read Anna Katherine Green's "That Affair Next Door" (which isn't English, so sorry about the off-topic discussion). I enjoyed it very much (4 stars) -- if you like Miss Marple and/or Miss Silver, you should try it. It is in the public domain, so freely available as an ebook.

Tenant for Death is up next.

I am reading a book called Two Shots by Joe Albert

Hi everyone.I've just joined this group.I have been reading English mystery and crime novels forever.I have read P. D. James repeatedly and have all her books.I also love Ruth Rendell and have just ordered her latest book 'The St. Zita Society'.I also love reading Minette Walters.

Sonali wrote: "I also love reading Minette Walters..."

I went through a phase of loving her books -- I must own 10 of them -- but I found that I didn't enjoy them as much when I reread some of them... too dark for my current mood maybe. Ruth Rendell is definitely too dark for me most of the time. I tend to like the older British mysteries (Christie, Sayers, Allingham) even when I'm reading them for the second (or third) time.

Finished The Age of Miracles - I really liked it!

Now I am reading Gone Girl. All I have to say so far is, the heck?

Still haven't gotten to Sarah's Key... :o)

Lorraine wrote: "I'm currently reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. It's funny how a small town like Three Pines can have so many mysterious deaths."

LOL, Lorraine. This is my quarrel with most mystery series that take place in small towns, but I so love Armand Gamache and his crew that I turn a blind eye on that factoid....

I'm like Sonali and love and have read all the P. D. James and Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vines. Thought I would read a "quiet cosy" so read Allingham's The Crime at Black Dudley, Very soothing..any suggestions on what Ican read next in the same vein?

Sheilah, Have you read (must have,but still) :-)Alexander McCall Smith's books,such a gentle,old world values,read,makes you feel warm at heart.

I just started a book by a new author: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. It's about a 65 year old man who gets a letter from a woman he worked with 20 years ago. She tells him she's dying of cancer. She lives on the east coast of Scotland, and he's in the south of Devon. He decides to walk to Scotland to visit her, and feels that while he is walking she will stay alive. It's an easy read (I'm only in about 21%) and I'm enjoying it so far.

Sara Grace ('00-'05) wrote: "I have a huge pile of mysteries from the library that I need to get to including: Mistress of the Art of Death, Before I Go To Sleep, & Now You See Me. When will I get to them all..."

I have Mistress of the Art of Death high up on my pile too - let us know what you think! I've also been looking at Maisie Dobbs, so I'm glad to see a thumbs up.

Lorraine, that sounds strange and fascinating! What will he do when he begins to get close?

Lorraine wrote: "I'm currently reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. It's funny how a small town like Three Pines can have so many mysterious deaths."

The Canadian "Cabot Cove"? I love Penny's books!

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Lorraine wrote: "I'm currently reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. It's funny how a small town like Three Pines can have so many mysterious deaths."

LOL, Lorraine. This is my quarrel wit..."

Even though locals are being murdered right-and-left, I do like the Penny connects the plots together.

Sonali,
I like P. D. James's novels, too. Alan Zacher
I'm No P. I.

Tracey wrote: "I have Mistress of the Art of Death high up on my pile too - let us know what you think!..."

I really enjoyed Mistress of the Art of Death -- sort of a female Cadfael... I liked the historical fiction as much or more than the mystery.

Just joined this group the other night after completing Christie's Halloween Party which I really enjoyed. My wife found the hardback volume for $4.98 (a good deal) knowing full well that neither of us read it.
This evening I downloaded "Playing for the Ashes" by Elizabeth George which, when completed, will put me over the 50% mark of the Inspector Lynley tales. I have read all the Daniel Silva novels with Gabriel Allon as the main character.

I enjoyed MISTRESS as well -- there are something like 4 sequels.

I am fascinated by the number of books and authors I am unfamiliar with in this discussion. Have to save them all for future reference. Thanks!

I currently reading a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ writer, Brad Carter: The Big Man from Barlow. Alan

Helen wrote: "right now, Sansom's Winter in Madrid - on the coffee table are Crispin's Gilded Fly for the August read, Simon Beckett's Written in Bone (others have mentioned him but he is a new read for me) & a ..."
Helen,
I Love CJ Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series. It's really some of the best writing around. Who could not love a hunchbacked lawyer during Henry VIII's time? I liked "Winter in Madrid" but think it pales compared to the series. Have You read it?

What a great group. You are all mentioning books I love. I have read all of P.D. James, Rex Stout, CJ Sansome Kate Atkinson and am just starting with Louise Penneys. I just got turned on to a new series by G.M. Mallet that bills itself as a cozy English murder mystery. This is "A Fatal Winter". Has anyone read the first one and did they like it?

I am reading Three-Day Town for my in-person book group. This is by Margaret Maron and blends her two series characters, Deborah Knott and Sigrid Harald. I'm enjoying it about half way in. I am also reading Middle Temple Murder by J.S. Fletcher, which was a free download from Kindle. It seems a bit slow to start but hopefully will pick up.

I am reading An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd

I recently read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand for a book club, and really enjoyed it.

Laurie wrote: "I recently read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand for a book club, and really enjoyed it."

Laurie,
I LOVED that book. We also read it for our local book club. It's good to know others like it.

I am reading G.M. Mallet's "A Fatal Winter". It's the second in a series that bills itself as a cozy English mystery.

I loved PETTIGREW too. It is not that usual, to have protagonists who are getting on in years.

Just finished rereading Mary Stewart's The Ivy Tree -- enjoyable but not one of her best in my opinion. I'm also reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes & of course the Caroline Graham which I'll be starting as soon as I get off the computer!

Brenda wrote: "I loved PETTIGREW too. It is not that usual, to have protagonists who are getting on in years."

My book club members call books like "Pettigrew" Geezer Lit. I really don't care as I like the book a lot.

Just finished the first three books in P.D. James' Adam Dalgleish series. I enjoyed them, but think I read too many in a row as I got a little bored by the third one. I have a couple more on hand, but think I will wait a while to start with those.

Cheryl S. wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I loved PETTIGREW too. It is not that usual, to have protagonists who are getting on in years."

My book club members call books like "Pettigrew" Geezer Lit. I really don't care as..."

That's funny. My mother loved the Mrs. Pollifax's books by Dorothy Gilmour. Now that's geezer lit.