Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

A good month of reading though mainly listening. Here are my October reads:

Top Read

Dove Season
Johnny Shaw
Very good debut novel. I thought the plotting was impressive, loved the characters, and thought there was just the right amount of both humor and violence.

Good Reads

Blue at the Mizzen
Patrick O'Brian
This will be my final encounter with Captain Jack and Stephen and I think this book provided a pretty apt ending. The duo travel to Chile and while there was quite of bit of telling (Stephen's letters home were a large part of the narrative) there were still some pretty good battle scenes and character interactions. Overall the twenty books in this series maintained a very high quality and provided me many hours of entertainment. I listened to the audio version read by Patrick Tull who was the perfect voice for both Jack and Stephen.

The Secret Soldier
Alex Berenson
Much better than the previous entry in the series. John Wells is in a new situation and I thought that helped freshen up the plotting. Listened to the audio version read by George Guidall who gave his usual smoothly professional performance.

Thirty-Three Teeth
Colin Cotterill
Not the best plot but the characters in this series are well worth reading about and the Laos setting during the 1970s is really interesting.

Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time
Rob Sheffield
Both funny and heartbreaking this memoir about how two huge fans of music became a couple, married, and the unexpected turn of events afterward was an enjoyable listen. The author did the narration though and he was perhaps a bit monotone.

Lost in a Good Book
Jasper Fforde
Another exciting, imaginative, and somewhat weird adventure featuring literary detective Thursday Next. Lots of fun though a few of the side tangents could have been edited down a bit. Listened to the audio version which was read with great enthusiasm by Elizabeth Sastre.

When Christ and His Saints Slept
Sharon Kay Penman
A nice long historical novel set during the conflict between King Stephen and the Empress Maude that threw England into disorder from 1135 to 1153. Probably tried to cover a bit too much ground though. Since there was so much going on plot wise the characters did not seem quite as well defined as in other works of the author's I have read. Will look forward to the next book in the series so I can read more about Henry II who has always been one of my favorite historical figures.

Murder Runs in the Family
Anne George
A light, fun mystery featuring two sisters of retirement age set in Birmingham Alabama. Listened to the audio version read by Ruth Ann Phimister whose southern accent really fits the characters.

Fire Lake
Jonathan Valin
I did not like this entry in the series quite as well as some of the previous ones because the main character, PI Harry Stoner, let his nostalgia for the sixties override his usual common sense but it was well written and the journey through the drug culture of mid- eighties Cincinnati seemed authentic.

The Catiline Conspiracy
John Maddox Roberts
An enjoyable historical mystery that used the same historical event for the plot as Catilina's Riddle which I read a number of years ago. Roman intrigue and politics are always interesting and the young hero of this series is very engaging. Listened to the audio version which was ably narrated by Simon Vance.

Has been a long time since I read the Harry Stoner books, but I enjoyed almost all of them. You had a good month!

Sandi: Great month! You manage to listen to so many more than I do. I seem to mostly listen now too, and love that format!
I am always happy to hear of a new debut author and Dove Season looks good - thanks for the tip! I never listened to an Anne George book, but loved reading them aloud to my Mom - the dialog sounds wonderfully southern. Thursday Next books are a treat on audio - I am always grateful for Margie for recommending them. I miss Margie.
(I moved your thread to the Monthly reads folder)
Sandi wrote: "A good month of reading though mainly listening. Here are my October reads: Top Read Dove Season Johnny Shaw Very good debut novel. "

I'm looking forward to the next installment of John Wells to see where he goes from here.

Melodie wrote: "Has been a long time since I read the Harry Stoner books, but I enjoyed almost all of them. You had a good month!"

One of the great things about the library getting e-books is that some of the older series like Valin's are now available again.

Oops, sorry Ann for putting my thread in the wrong place.

just the right amount of both humor and violence.

Where else would you see a comment like that?!

Good summaries as always, Sandi.

Sandi wrote: "A good month of reading though mainly listening. Here are my October reads:

Top Read

Dove Season
Johnny Shaw
Very good debut novel. I thought the plotting was im..."

You had a terrific month.