- Friday, 27 January 2017 12:30

At the January 26th, 2017 meeting of the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group, the theme of the monthly meeting was “Mystery Anthologies and Short Story Collections”. First, we had a round robin in which each attendee shared comments about whichever Anthology or Collection they had read for the month, then we had a second round robin in which all 15 attendees were able to share recommendations of other books they’ve been reading recently.
Here were the Anthologies/Collections read by group members specifically for the January 2017 meeting:
- FaceOff, edited by David Baldacci
- In Sunlight and in Shadow, edited by Lawrence Block
- The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries, edited by Otto Penzler
- Killer Year, edited by Lee Child
- Big Foot Stole My Wife, by Joan Hess writing as Joan Hadley
- Books to Die For, edited by John Connolly
- The Mistletoe Murder, posthumous collection by P.D. James
- A Treasury of Great Mysteries, edited by Howard Haycraft and John Beecroft
- Manhattan Mayhem, edited by Mary Higgins Clark
- BookShots
- The Best American Mystery Stories – 2015 edition, edited by James Patterson
- The Nine Mile Walk, collection by Harry Kemelman
- Ellery Queen’s Anthology, Spring/Summer 1976 Vol. 31
- Into the Mummy’s Tomb, edited by John Richard Stephens
- Creature Cozies, edited by Jill M. Morgan
Here’s the list of mystery books recommended by Just Desserts members in January 2017:
And here were some non-mystery titles some group members recommended in January 2017:
What mysteries have you been reading lately that you’d recommend?
- Friday, 28 October 2016 14:38

During the Nov/Dec 2016 hiatus between meetings of the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group, we encourage regular attendees to continue to participate as a group…but in a virtual way. While we may not have an actual meeting scheduled during these two months, this blog is available to keep everyone active with their mystery reading and discussions.
Our “hiatus assignment” for 2016 is the “Professor Gideon Oliver” series by author Aaron Elkins. Comprised of eighteen volumes (so far), published between 1982’s first volume (Fellowship of Fear), and 2016’s latest volume (Switcheroo). Aaron Elkins began writing the first novel in the Gideon Oliver series in 1978, and has been steadily putting out books by himself, or in collaboration with his mystery-writing wife, Charlotte Elkins, ever since.
For those who are unfamiliar with Gideon Oliver, here’s a general overview of the series: Professor Gideon Oliver is a forensic anthropologist, whose expertise (especially in ancient human cultures) frequently allows him to assist in various investigations. Together with his wife, Julie, Gideon Oliver travels the world to various historical dig sites, stumbling across murder mysteries in many international settings.
Catalog Links: The libraries own all 18 novels in the Gideon Oliver series, starting with “Fellowship of Fear” (1982) through “Switcheroo” (2016) — although there are only limited numbers of copies of each title — anywhere from a single copy to as many as 4 of some of the older entries. Although none of the Gideon Oliver series is available in audiobook or Large Type editions, it does appear that all of them are available as eBooks through the libraries Hoopla digital content service!
In 1989, when the ABC television network had revived the concept of a “mystery movie night” with rotating sleuths, including Columbo, Kojak and B.L. Stryker, Gideon Oliver was one of their stable of mystery solvers. Louis Gossett Jr. played the anthropologist in 5 two-hour tv-movies. Those have not been released on DVD, but can be found on various online streaming sites.
Discuss the Professor Gideon Oliver series by Aaron Elkins on the Just Desserts Blog!
Handout with plots of all 18 Gideon Oliver novels — distributed at the October 2016 Just Desserts meeting.
Here’s the official Elkins website:
We look forward to seeing your comments here over the course of the next two months!
So…here’s your question:
Which of the “Gideon Oliver” novels did you read, and what was your opinion?
- Friday, 28 October 2016 09:54

When the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group met on October 27th, 2016, 23 of us enjoyed discussing Cruel & Unusual, a 1993 entry (#4) in the long-running Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell. Whether or not you attended the actual meeting, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions about Cruel & Unusual and the Kay Scarpetta series, in a reply comment to this blog post, below.
For additional reminders about upcoming Just Desserts meetings and/or other announcements of interest to mystery fans, don’t forget to sign up for the Just Desserts e-mail list. Or, if you’re logged into your account on Facebook, you can visit the Events page for the Lincoln City Libraries, and mark whether or not you plan to attend upcoming sessions of Just Desserts – this is a great way for you to help us promote this engaging discussion group! Our selections for future meetings are usually posted there months in advance.
What do you think of Cruel & Unusual and the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell?
- Friday, 28 October 2016 02:59
At the October 27th, 2016 meeting of the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group, following the discussion of the assigned book of the month, we had a round robin in which all 23 attendees were able to share recommendations of other books they’ve been reading recently.
Here’s the list of mystery books recommended by Just Desserts members in October 2016:
And here were some non-mystery titles some group members recommended in October 2016:
What mysteries have you been reading lately that you’d recommend?
- Thursday, 06 October 2016 11:00
At the September 29th, 2016 meeting of the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group, following the discussion of the assigned book of the month, we had a round robin in which attendees were able to share recommendations of other books they’ve been reading recently.
Here’s the list of mystery books recommended by Just Desserts members in September 2016:
- McKee of Centre Street by Helen Reilly
- House of Secrets by ???
- Courting Trouble by Lisa Scottoline — past author selection for Just Desserts
- Hardwired by Sally Chapman
- Winter Prey and Extreme Prey by John Sandford – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Bone Deep by Randy Wayne White – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Tall Tail by Rita Mae Brown – past author selection for Just Desserts
- As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Grace Sees Red by Julie Hyzy – past author selection for Just Desserts
- The Widow-Maker and Massacre Pond by Paul Doiron
- Acorn TV streaming subscription – lots of classic and contemporary British TV mysteries
- The Obsession (and others) by Nora Roberts
- Crowned and Dangerous and Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen
- Insidious by Catherine Coulter (several reading this)
- Bedford Square by Anne Perry – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Feast Day of Fools and The Jealous Kind by James Lee Burke – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Off the Grid by C.J. Box – past author selection for Just Desserts
- The Highwayman (novella) by Craig Johnson – past author selection for Just Desserts
- The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala by Laura Diselverio
- Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
- Downfall by J.A. Jance – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Dead Joker by Anne Holt
- A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny – past author selection for Just Desserts (several reading this)
- The Night Bell by Inger Ash Wolfe
- The Murder at the Vicarage and Remember Death by Agatha Christie – past author selection for Just Desserts
- A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny – past author selection for Just Desserts
- My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni
- Internship in Murder by Donald Bain, based on the works of Margaret Truman – past author selection for Just Desserts
- The Adventures of Ellery Queen, starring Jim Hutton, on DVD
- Fool Me Once, The Innocent and Home, all by Harlan Coben – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Redemption Road and The Last Child by John Hart
- Any Minute Now by Erik Van Lustbader
- Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta
- Guilty Minds by Joseph Finder
- Naked in Death by J.D. Robb – this month’s selected author for Just Desserts
- Bitter Medicine by Sara Paretsky – past author selection for Just Desserts
- The first three Kinsey Milhone novels (A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, and C is for Corpse) by Sue Grafton – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Death on a High Floor by Charles Rosenberg
- In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson – past author selection for Just Desserts
- Cemetery Girl #2: Inheritance, 2nd in a graphic novel mystery trilogy, by Charlaine Harris, Christopher Golden and Don Kramer
And here were some non-mystery titles some group members recommended in August 2015:
What mysteries have you been reading lately that you’d recommend?