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Tag Archives: mysteries
April 2014 Reading Recommendations from Just Desserts members
Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the April 2014 Just Desserts meeting on 4/24, after discussing our monthly “assigned” book, we did a round robin at the table, asking attendees to share what mysteries they’d been reading lately that they felt they could recommend.
Here’s a list of the books that were hot in April 2014 with this mystery-savvy crowd:
MYSTERIES
- The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly
- The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
- The Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson
- Several short stories by Craig Johnson available online
- Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie
- Flower Net by Lisa See
- Books, Cooks and Crooks by Lucy Arlington
- Zero Degree Murder by M.L. Rowland
- Missing You by Harlan Coben
- Death Angel by Linda Fairstein
- The Echelon Vendetta by David Stone
- various audiobooks by Lillian Jackson Braun
- various audiobooks by Dick Francis
- various audiobooks by C.J. Box
- The October List by Jeffery Deaver [very frustrating for this reader!]
- Murder She Wrote: Aloha Betrayed by Donald Bain and Jessica Fletcher
- Miss Julia’s Marvelous Makeover by Anne Ross
- Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron
- Trespasser by Paul Doiron
- Bad Little Falls by Paul Doiron
- Massacre Pond by Paul Doiron
- The Raven’s Eye by Barry Maitland
- The Blue Edge by Jonathan King
- Country of Origin by Don Lee
- The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson
- North of Havana by Randy Wayne White
- A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie
- The Blessing Way on CD by Tony Hillerman
- The works of Sharyn McCrumb
- Back Story by Robert B. Parker
- Sycamore Row by John Grisham
- Thereby Hangs a Tail on CD by Spencer Quinn
- Storm Season (a graphic novel) by Richard Castle
NON-MYSTERIES
- Pro-Bono: The 18-Year Defense of Caril Ann Fugate by Jeff McArthur
- Room by Emma Donoghue
- The Circle by Dave Eggers
- Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin
- Traitor’s Wife by Alison Pataki
- Heart of the Storm by Edward Fleming
- Ungifted by Gordon Korman
- The Homecoming by Carsten Stroud
- The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher (on CD)
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather
- Inferno by Dan Brown
- Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fate of Famous Corpses by Bess Lovejoy
So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?
March 2014 reading suggestions from Just Desserts members
Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the March 2014 Just Desserts meeting on 3/27, after discussing our monthly “assigned” book, we did a round robin at the table, asking attendees to share what mysteries they’d been reading lately that they felt they could recommend.
Here’s a list of the books that were hot last month with this mystery-savvy crowd:
MYSTERIES
- Psych’s Guide to Crimefighting for the Totally Unqualified by Shawn Spencer
- The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
- Cursed by Carol Higgins Clark
- Dead Center by Mary Collins
- The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
- Litter of the Law by Rita Mae Brown
- Missing You by Harlan Coben
- The Man Who Invented Florida by Randy Wayne White
- Captiva by Randy Wayne White
- Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce
- Nowhere to Run by Nancy Bush
- Shiver by Lisa Jackson
- Refusal by Felix Francis, based on the works of Dick Francis
- The works of Margaret Coel
- The works of Lillian Jackson Braun on CD
- Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child
- The Return by Jason Mott
- Wonderland by Ace Atkins, based on characters by Robert B. Parker
- Vermillion Drift by William Kent Krueger
- Trickster’s Point by William Kent Krueger
- The Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
- Moving Target by J.A. Jance
- Tell No Lies by Greg Hurwitz
- Death Overdue by Mary Lou Kirwin
- Snowblind by Christopher Golden
- The Testament by John Grisham
- Deadly Forecast by Victoria Laurie
- The Jack Reacher series by Lee Child
- Sleight of Hand by Phillip Margolin (or)
- Sleight of Hand by Kate Wilhelm
- Pandora’s Daughter by Iris Johansen
- An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd
- Eve by Iris Johansen
- Quinn by Iris Johansen
- Bonnie by Iris Johansen
- A Pale Horse by Charles Todd
- Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde
NON-MYSTERIES
- Not Cool by Greg Gutfeld
- Republican Party Reptile by P.J. O’Rourke
- Things That Matter by Charles Krauthammer
- George Washington and the Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade
- Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozoll
- The Circle by Dave Eggers
- One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak
- Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini
So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?
Feb 2014 Reading Suggestions from Just Desserts members
Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the February 2014 Just Desserts meeting on 2/27, after discussing our monthly “assigned” books, we did a round robin around the table, asking attendees to share what mysteries they’d been reading lately, that they felt they could recommend.
Here’s a list of the novels that were hot last month with this mystery-savvy crowd:
MYSTERIES
- The Hercules Poirot stories by Agatha Christie
- The Miss Julia series by Ann B. Ross
- Billionaire Blend and others by Cleo Coyle
- Heat Wave and others by Richard Castle
- Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet
- How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
- A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd
- A variety of materials about JFK and his assassination
- Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (on CD)
- In the Woods by Tana French (on CD)
- Stalking the Angel by Robert Crais
- Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben (on CD)
- Stay at Home Dead and Popped Off by Jeffrey Allen
- Cockroaches by Jo Nesbo
- King and Maxwell by David Baldacci
- The Spook Lights Affair by Bill Pronzini
- Killer by Jonathan Kellerman
- Private L.A. by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
- Death Angel by Linda Fairstein
- The Cat Sitter’s Cradle by John Clement
- Raylan by Elmore Leonard
- Justified based on characters by Elmore Leonard (on DVD and TV)
- The Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson
- Brass Verdict and The Reversal by Michael Connelly
- Dust by Patricia Cornwell
- Three Can Keep a Secret by Archer Mayor
- Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming
- Storm Front by Richard Castle (on CD)
NON-MYSTERIES
- How Dogs Love Us by Gregory Berns
- The All Girls Filling Station Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
- The House of Cards (on DVD)
- Oh My! by George Takei
- The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown
So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?
Reading Suggestions from Just Desserts members – January 2014
Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the January 2014 Just Desserts meeting last week, after discussing our monthly “assigned” books, we did a round robin at the table, asking attendees to share what mysteries they’d been reading lately that they felt they could recommend.
Here’s a list of the novels that were hot last month with this mystery-savvy crowd:
MYSTERIES
- One Shot by Lee Child (on CD)
- Mr. Paradise by Elmore Leonard
- W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton
- Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child (on CD)
- Storm Front by Richard Castle (on CD)
- Heat Wave and others by Richard Castle
- That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook
- Playing With Fire by J.J. Cook
- The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
- The Broken Places by Ace Atkins
- Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson
- Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich
- The Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson
- Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais
- Storm Front by John Sandford
- Deadly Forecast by Victoria Laurie
- Cuba Libre by Elmore Leonard The works of Elliott Roosevelt
- The Murdoch Mysteries on DVD
- A Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
- Still Life by Louise Penny
- A Wanted Man by Lee Child
- Morning After by Lisa Jackson
- Shiver by Lisa Jackson
- The Sarah Woods mystery series by Jennifer L. Jennings
- Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
- Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard
- The Booktown Mysteries by Lorna Barrett
- 52 Pick-Up by Elmore Leonard
- Identical by Scott Turow
- Cross My Heart by James Patterson
- A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay
- Three Can Keep a Secret by Archer Mayor
- Tamarack County by William Kent Krueger
- Damned if You Do and other Jesse Stone novels by Michael Brandman
- The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly
- Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
- Never Go Back by Lee Child
- Deception Point by Dan Brown
- A Question of Honor by Charles Todd
- Pandora’s Daughter by Iris Johansen (on CD)
- Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard (on CD)
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
- The Taking by Dean Koontz
- Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich (on CD)
- Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner (on CD)
- Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben (on CD)
- The Monkey’s Raincoat by Robert Crais
- The Watchman by Robert Crais
- Stalking the Angel by Robert Crais
- Mayhem at the Orient Express by Kylie Logan
NON-MYSTERIES
- Hitler’s Cross by Erwin Lutzer
- Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
- Things That Matter by Charles Krauthammer
- Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
- Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?
“Gaudy Night” by Dorothy L. Sayers
I often re-read classics or “oldies-but-goodies” over the holidays. This year, I found myself absorbed in “Gaudy Night: a Lord Peter Wimsey Novel” by renowned British mystery writer Dorothy L. Sayers. Written and set in 1935, it has more of Harriet Vane, successful mystery writer, and less of Lord Peter, aristocratic amateur detective and Renaissance man, than her other mysteries.
The title refers to a reunion event at Harriet’s college (deliciously named Shrewsbury), modeled on the women’s college at Oxford. It is just a few years since the notorious case involving Harriet’s lover’s death by arsenic. While at Shrewsbury, she receives a poison pen letter, and comes across another ominous communication. Later she is invited back to investigate ongoing alarming behaviors among the all-female faculty, students, and staff. Although Lord Peter’s secret work for the British government has him away on the continent, eventually he joins up with Harriet and the mystery is solved.
The character of Harriet Vane is generally considered an autobiographical depiction of Sayers, who completed degree requirements at Oxford in the years before women were granted degrees there. In “Gaudy Night,” discussions of women’s education go on and on, as do reflections on the impact of education on women’s fitness for marriage and motherhood, and consideration of of the degree to which a woman’s scholarly rigor would hold up against her personal loyalties. Some consider this the first feminist mystery.
Sayers’ own classical education is much on display, with Latin phrases sprinkled throughout, and quotes from classical authors introducing each chapter. Her writing is both lovely and lively; she seems to enjoy poking fun at convention. The incipient romance between Harriet and Lord Peter adds emotional energy to the already charged atmosphere, even as they conform to academic and societal proprieties.
A thin thread in the story refers to events in Germany at this time, particular eugenics and the role of women there, topics addressed in a book I recently finished, “Hitler’s Furies.”
As I was reading “Gaudy Night,” I sensed the datedness of some of the discussions, and wasn’t sure that it had aged well. But as I’ve reflected on it further, I’ve realilzed how unresolved and relevant many of the issues remain. I recommend “Gaudy Night” to mystery fans, and to students of popular writing or feminism.