The Danamaniacs discussion

So who do your prefer for Kate? Jack or Jim? Why?

My heart will always be with Jack. First love and all that stuff. :)

I don't know Jack as well as I do Jim. Jim seems to care genuinely about Kate and has a special bond with Mutt. And you can't beat Kate and Jim's spontaneous, um, well, you know.

I like both, but I have to admit I didn't really see where it could go with Jack. I know the whole retirement thing, but I didn't really see that working. Also, she wouldn't have become a "mom" and I really like that turn in the series.

Why can't we love both? Kate did! :)

Leslied wrote: "Why can't we love both? Kate did! :)"

You can! This has long been a hot topic which some of the first Danamaniacs love to discuss. I keep waiting for Jim's supposed romantic history to catch up with him. Or was it all just legend?

I think it was a legend. Jim strikes me as being very careful and canny!!

Jackie wrote: "I think it was a legend. Jim strikes me as being very careful and canny!!"

I don't know about that--careful enough not to have left kids behind, but in his own thoughts he's revealed himself as a lover of women. It was only when he started looking for Kate that he discovered *other* women no longer had that magic allure!

Does Kate know yet that Jim is very well-to-do? And I would enjoy listening in on Kate and Jim's mother meeting.

i would love to see an old fling of jim's show up - just to experience his consternation and anxiety trying to keep kate from finding out. i think kate is so secure in herself that she would find that very amusing!

Susan wrote: "i would love to see an old fling of jim's show up - just to experience his consternation and anxiety trying to keep kate from finding out. i think kate is so secure in herself that she would find ..."

Oh, I'd love to see that too! Especially a "serious" (meaning more than a weekend!) one! I have always adored Jim for who he is and loved Jack for who he was. . . .

For me it will always and forever be Jack. Longtime 'maniacs know how devastated I was at the turn of events in Hunter's Moon. I don't think Jim is "man" enough for Kate, although recent story lines may yet prove me wrong. Also, I have to admit without Jack out of the picture we would not have gotten a solid look at Johnny and Kate's parenting style.

All through the books, Jim's ability to bed any woman he wants was common knowledge. All he or Kate would have to do is turn around and see an old fling of his! Kate's too practical to have issues with an old girlfriend of Jim's so long as the old flame keeps her mitts off him now. Jack was then and Jim is now, it's okay for Kate to love both.

Jack loved her the most. Jim might someday, but currently he is careful, plus he is a horndog, currently under control, but still...

I remember several years ago, a chat discussion about this. I said then that Jack had to die for Kate to grow. I prefer Jim. Jack seemed too controlling in a way. Jim is growing at the same time as Kate. I think we saw a huge step in both their maturity in "Restless in the Grave".

I completely prefer Jim. I agree with a previous poster who said it is fun to watch them grow together. I like the way the relationship started with Kate refusing to be dumped and torturing him! I love the way in the recent books he has realized that he can no longer be a womanizer and the maturity it shows in the way real men develop. LOVE, LOVE the relationship with Mutt!! (and nothing better happen there or I'm done!) Also agree with those who said the mothering element was nice character development and that could not have happened without Jack being out of the picture.

I am VERY cranky about the cliffhanger and the publicized 2015 publication date for the next Kate book! I just discovered Kate a month or so ago and read all 20 books plus the short stories in less than a month! Hope I'll still be interested two years from now!! Tried the Liam series but he doesn't work for me. Am constantly on the lookout for new series (preferably female protagonist, female author but I'm flexible if it's a good character!!)

Beth, you might try the Star series. I love them.

Beth, 2015 is way too long to address the cliffhanger! Other mystery writers with series & women at the helm: Sarah Paretsky, Faye Kellerman, Sue Grafton & Alexander McCall Smith.

Julia Spencer-Fleming has a series with a strong female protagonist and is an excellent writer. But you need to read the books in order. A site I use a lot is http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/. It gives the author, a brief bio and the books written in order and by series.

Beth, you can add to your list J. A. Jance (the Joanna Brady series), J.D. Robb (In Death series), Marcia Muller (Sharon McCone series), Susan Wittig Albert (China Bayles series).

Jance's other series, with J.P. Beaumont, is also very good.

Carolyn wrote: "Julia Spencer-Fleming has a series with a strong female protagonist and is an excellent writer. But you need to read the books in order. A site I use a lot is http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/. ..."

I really love this series as well...and you're right they need to be read in order...been waiting for the new one to come out...guess it is due to be released in November now...so I am planning on re-reading the series before it comes out.

Susan, I love the JP series by Jance too. But Beth said she preferred female leads in her books. That's why I didn't mention JP.

Carolyn, I too have recommended the fantastic fiction web site. I've found it an invaluable reference when 'maniacs recommend a series and I want to be sure I read them in proper order.

Roxane wrote: "Does Kate know yet that Jim is very well-to-do? And I would enjoy listening in on Kate and Jim's mother meeting."

Kate wouldn't care if he was. She might be more resistant but money is not what she values..

Ann wrote: "Roxane wrote: "Does Kate know yet that Jim is very well-to-do? And I would enjoy listening in on Kate and Jim's mother meeting."

Kate wouldn't care if he was. She might be more resistant but mone..."
Jim was worried at one point that she would think he was withholding information. And there have been allusions to Kate being interested in learning to fly and to dreaming about putting a strip by the cabin, but recognizing how costly it would be.

How do you feel about a new character being introduced who gives Jim competition for Kate's affections?

At this point I would prefer to see the Kate/Jim relationship developed further, rather than add a new element, especially considering the way BB ended.

I didn't see Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series mentioned as a great female author/female protagonist combo. I resisted reading them for a long time but finally gave the series the "one-book test". That was Firestorm and I was hooked. It's now one of my favorite series. My husband's too.

I'm a full-bore Kate fan, and I have also read all of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series. I have a couple of "cozy mystery" series that I read, but I'd like to recommend Donna Leon and the Inspector Brunetti series set in Venice and the Louise Penny Inspector Gamache series set in Montreal. Both with male detectives but strong female characters, esp. Brunetti's wife. I like stories set outside the US, and Kate's Alaska is so different from the rest of the country that I think Dana's books apply equally well.

Laurie wrote: "I didn't see Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series mentioned as a great female author/female protagonist combo. I resisted reading them for a long time but finally gave the series the "one-book test". ..."

Laurie, I'm a fan too, and I also started with Firestorm - glad you found her books. I couldn't make it through the two New Orleans books (13 1/2 & Burn) when Nevada made an attempt to change how she wrote. Maybe it's just me, but I was relieved when The Rope went back to her previous writing. Enjoy!

Cathy - I think a possible competitor is out there - actor guy (who can fly, a prerequisite) keeps popping up!

Erika wrote: "Cathy - I think a possible competitor is out there - actor guy (who can fly, a prerequisite) keeps popping up!"

Erika, I know! I want him to go away, lol.