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Just Desserts “Series Share” reading recommendations – May 2019

Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the May 2019 Just Desserts meeting this week, 17 members participated in our annual “Series Share” meeting, in which attendees were encouraged to read the first or second volume in a new series that’s started within the past couple of years, and share their thoughts in a “round-robin” format. Here’s a list of the novels/series that were mentioned by group members. We asked all attendees to also give a “Thumbs Up” or “Thumbs Down” for whatever series they sampled – all participants this month gave a “Thumbs Up” to whatever they read – some more strongly than others.

Titles not owned by the libraries are not hotlinked — consider getting them through InterLibrary Loan.

Just Desserts member – Series they read by Author of Series, starting with Volume they read

Scott – The Daniel Hawthorne mystery series by Anthony Horowitz, starting with The Word is Murder (and)

Scott (again) – The Medlar Mystery series by Jude Deveraux, starting with A Willing Murder

Jodi – The Detective By Day mystery series by Kellye Garrett, starting with Hollywood Homicide

Joan – The Mercy & Elvis series by Paula Munier, starting with A Borrowing of Bones

Rayma – The Lena Jones mystery series by Betty Webb, Rayma read the 8th volume, Desert Redemption

Sharon – The Val Fremden mystery series by Margaret Lashley, starting with Glad One

Cheryl – The Orphan X thriller series by Gregg Hurwitz, starting with Orphan X

Cathy – The Knit and Nibble mystery series by Peggy Ehrhart, starting with Murder She Knit (and)

Cathy (again) – The Book Club Mystery series by Laura DiSilverio; Cathy read the 2nd, The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle (the libraries do not have this entry, but do have the 1st and 3rd in the series)

Ida – The Casey Duncan/Rockton mystery/thriller series by Kelley Armstrong, starting with City of the Lost

Christy – The Thursday Next mystery/literary series by Jasper Fforde, starting with The Eyre Affair

Ladena – The Eve Duncan series by Iris Johansen; Ladena had read up through the 11th entry in the series

Suzy – The Chef To Go series by Denise Swanson, starting with Tart of Darkness (and)

Suzy (again) – The Scumble River series also by Denise Swanson, starting with The Murder of a Small-Town Honey

Vera – The Timber Creek K9 Mystery series by Margaret Mizushima, starting with Killing Trail

Don – The Orphan X thriller series by Gregg Hurwitz, starting with Orphan X (and)

Don (again) – The Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz, starting with The Silent Corner

Linda – The Bull Mountain series by Brian Panowich, starting with Bull Mountain

Tram – The Vinyl Detective series by Andrew Cartmel, starting with Written in Dead Wax

Jennie – Three different series by Elly Griffiths, including The Ruth Galloway series starting with The Crossing Places, The Mephisto and Stephens series starting with The Zig Zag Girl, and a stand-alone novel that may be the start of a new series, The Stranger Diaries (and)

Jennie (again) – The All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness, starting with A Discovery of Witches

Marlee – The Atlee Pine mystery/thriller series by David Baldacci, starting with The Long Road to Mercy

Following the “Series Share” portion of the meeting, we unfortunately did not leave enough time for our traditional monthly “Round Robin” in which group members share whatever else they’ve been reading lately. That will return to Just Desserts in June.

Reading Recommendations from May 2018 “Series Share” Just Desserts meeting

At the May 31st, 2018 meeting of the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group, our theme was our annual “Series Share” – participants were encouraged to read the first or second volume in any “new” mystery/thriller/suspense series that has started within the past 3 years (2016-2018). Each person was encouraged to describe the series, the central character(s), the themes or tone, the setting, and ultimately whether they would give it a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” recommendation. For the most part, group members met these guidelines, though not 100%. This session was audio-recorded and will eventually be released through the libraries’ series of podcasts. We did NOT have time at the end of this month’s session for our traditional “round robin” to find out what else Just Desserts members have been reading. [NOTE: Titles not currently owned by the Lincoln City Libraries have been submitted as purchase suggestions through the libraries’ Suggest-a-Title form.]

Join us again on June 28, 2018 at South Branch for a group discussion of James Lee Burke’s Robicheaux (2017).


Here’s the list of the titles/series of mystery/suspense books discussed by Just Desserts members at our May 2018 meeting:

What mysteries have you been reading lately that you’d recommend?

Series Share list and other books Just Desserts members were reading in May 2017

Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the May 2017 Just Desserts meeting a week ago, we held our annual “Series Share” meeting, in which group members were encouraged to read the first or second volume in a new series that’s started within the past couple of years, and share their thoughts in a “round-robin” format. Here’s a list of the novels/series that were mentioned by group members, plus whether they gave them a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” (a feature missed in this year’s meeting):

Following the “Series Share” portion of the meeting, the group held its regular monthly “Round Robin” in which group members shared what else they’ve been reading lately. That list included:

Mysteries/Suspense/Thrillers:

Non-Mystery:

So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?

Reading list from June Just Desserts “Series Share” meeting

Just Desserts Logo 225Series Share FourHey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the June 2016 Just Desserts meeting last week, we held our annual “Series Share” meeting, in which group members were encouraged to read the first or second volume in a new series that’s started within the past couple of years, and share their thoughts in a “round-robin” format. 25 members were in attendance, and 23 contributed reviews. Here’s a list of the novels/series that were mentioned by group members, plus whether they gave them a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down”:

  • Scott – The Vinyl Detective: Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmel – ^^
  • Pat – tried the first book in the Grantchester series by James Runcie, but gave up and tried The Last Mile, second in the Amos Decker series by David Baldacci – ^^
  • Rayma – The Lost Ancestor, second in the Forensic Genealogist series by Nathan Dylan Goodwin – ^^
  • Ted – presented a list of 10 of his favorite authors, and talked about the Lew Archer series by Ross MacDonald, including his favorite, the 10th volume, The Zebra-Striped Hearse – ^^
  • Susan – Keeper of the Castle, third in the Haunted Home Renovation series by Juliet Blackwell – ^^
  • Mary – also read The Last Mile by Baldacci, and Bread of the Dead, first in the Santa Fe Café series by Ann Myers – ^^
  • Don – Linda, as in The Linda Murder, the first Evert Backstrom novel by Leif G.W. Persson – ^^
  • Brandon – hadn’t read any “new” series, but recommended the works of Dashiell Hammett, also The Highwayman, the latest novella in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson – ^^
  • Tracey – Midnight Crossroad, the first in the new Midnight, Texas series by Charlaine Harris – ^^
  • Suzy – Crime and Poetry, first in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series by Amanda Flower – ^^
  • Carolyn – Read It and Weep, 4th in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay – ^^ /vv, and The Absent One, 2nd in the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen – ^^
  • Ladena – Eeny Meeny, first in the Helen Grace series by M.J. Arlidge – ^^
  • (two observers – no recommendations offered)
  • Linda – The Grey Ghost Murders, second in the Sean Stranahan Mystery series by Keith McCafferty – ^^
  • Barb – The Nebraska Quotient and Moving Targets, first two in the Nebraska Mystery series by William J. Reynolds (from back in the 1980s/1990s) – ^^, also The Case of the Colonist’s Corpse, a Star Trek mystery novel by Bob Ingersol and Tony Isabella – ^^
  • Melba – Book of the Dead, by Patricia Cornwell – vv (recommends earlier volumes in this series)
  • Linda – The Poacher’s Son, the first in the Mike Bowditch mystery series by Paul Doiron – ^^
  • Vera – The Doll’s House, 3rd in the Helen Grace series by M.J. Arlidge – ^^ /vv
  • Valery – Blood on the Snow and Midnight Sun, first (and only) two in the Blood on the Snow series by Jo Nesbo – ^^, also the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny – ^^
  • Cathy – Mycroft Holmes, the first in a new Sherlockian series by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – ^^
  • Jody – Can Anybody Hear Me? and Are You Watching Me? By Sinead Crowley – ^^
  • Joan – The Cracked Spine, first in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton – ^^
  • Charlotte – Deadly Desires at Honeychurch Hall, 2nd in the Honeychurch Hall series by Hannah Dennison – ^^
  • Paula – One Foot in the Grape, first in the Cypress Cove mystery series by Carlene O’Neil – ^^ /vv
[ ^^ – recommended | vv – not recommended | ^^/vv – so-so recommendation ]

So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?

Results of May 2014 Series Share II gathering

Just Desserts Logo 225seriesshareiiHey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? The May 2014 Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group meeting was our annual “Series Share” night. Group members did not all read the same book, but instead were encouraged to read the first or second volume in ANY new mystery/thriller/suspense series that had begun in the past 3 to 4 years. All attendees had a chance, then, to describe whatever series they had chosen, and to offer up their opinions about the characters, writing style, etc.

Here’s a list of the novels Just Desserts members enjoyed for the “Series Share”:

  • The Amazing Harvey by Don Passman (1st in the Harvey Kendell Series)
  • Murder on Bamboo Lane by Naomi Hirohara (1st in the Officer Ellie Rush Series)
  • Murder by Artifact by Barbara Graham (2nd in the Quilted Mystery Series)
  • Murder at Rosamund’s Gate by Susanna Calkins (1st in the Lucy Campion Series)
  • Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman (1st in the Brigid Quinn Series)
  • Christine Falls and The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black (1st and 2nd in the Griffin Quirke Series)
  • A Spoonful of Murder and A Rue of Revenge by Connie Archer (1st and 2nd in the Soup Lovers Mystery Series)
  • various volumes in the Seaside Knitting series by Sally Goldenbaum
  • The Black Country by Alex Grecian (2nd in the Scotland Yard Murder Squad Series)
  • Board Stiff and Whack Job by Kendel Lynn (1st and 2nd in the Elliot Lisbon Series)
  • Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman (1st in the Family Fortune Series)
  • Sacrifice Fly and Crooked Numbers by Tim O’Mara (1st and 2nd in the Raymond Donne Series)
  • Montana by Gwen Florio (1st in the Lola Wicks Series)
  • End Me a Tenor by Joelle Charbonneau (2nd in the Glee Club mystery Series)
  • All Sales Fatal by Laura DiSilverio (2nd in the Mall Cop mystery Series)
  • The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott (1st in the Book Collector mystery Series)
  • Sugar and Iced by Jen McKinley (1st in the Cupcake Mystery Series)
  • Peril for Your Thoughts by Kari Lee Townsend (1st in the Mind Reader mystery Series)
  • A Tisket, a Tasket, a Fancy Stolen Casket by Fran Rizer (1st in the Callie Parrish Series)
  • In the Shadow of Gotham, A Curtain Falls and The Secret of the White Rose by Stefanie Pintoff (1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Simon Ziele Series)
  • That Old Flame of Mine and PLaying With Fire by J.J. Cook (1st and 2nd in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade mystery Series)
  • Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass (1st in the Bookmobile Cat mystery Series)
  • The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe (1st in the Hazel Micallef Series)
  • Blue Monday by Nikki French (1st in the Freida Klein mystery Series)

And here’s a few older titles and non-mysteries were also brought up at the latest meeting:

  • A Share in Death and All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie (1st and 2nd in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Series)
  • Death at the Door by Carolyn Hart (latest in the Death on Demand Series)
  • Unlucky 13 by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (13th in the Women’s Murder Club Series)
  • Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell (2nd in the Order of the Sanguines Series)
  • Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman (10th in the Tess Monaghan Series)
  • The Caveman’s Valentine by George Dawes Green
  • The Black Echo by Michael Connelly (1st in the Harry Bosch Series)
  • The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?