Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

This summer I finally started reading Chelsea Cain. I started on vacation when I picked up the third book in her Archie/Gretchen series, but loved it so much I went back and read the first book in the series, HEARTSICK. I'm also spending the summer reading my competition for two best first mystery awards (given in October) so that means I picked up Sarah Hilary's SOMEONE ELSE'S SKIN, which just nabbed the U.K.'s Theakstons Old Peculier crime novel of the year award and MP Cooley's ICE SHEAR.

Sounds like a good summer reading list, Kristi.
Chelsea Cain is a favorite of many here in the group. I think I read the first three books in the Archie Gretchen series or something like that number.
Reading nominated books is a good way to get introductions to new authors.

Oh, gotta look this up!! Love to hear about new series!!

Hi Ann and Liz,
Yes, I'm now a huge fan of Cain! I first heard about her when I was an author at Murder & Mayhem in Milwaukee last year. I was at Crimespree Castle admiring all the walls of books and these really hard core Noirish gritty crime writers were completely gaga fanboying about Chelsea Cain's books. I thought "Who the heck is this woman that has all these men just floored by her writing?" Now I know. Their awe was totally justified!

Kristi, I'm a huge Cain fan as well. At one point, I was skeptical when she came out with another Gretchen/Archie book, thinking what more can she do with this...and then she adds a twist and the story is fresh and exciting again.

Dawn,
True talent.
The first book I actually read by her a few months ago was ONE KICK and LOVED it. And now am catching up on the series. She's so awesome.

Kristi wrote: "Dawn,
True talent.
The first book I actually read by her a few months ago was ONE KICK and LOVED it. And now am catching up on the series. She's so awesome."

Okay, you all have worn me down. Off to the library website to track down the first in the series...

Ooh, just read the blurb on Heartsick and remember why I haven't read these. Very dark! But I will go ahead and give it a try.

Carol, it's definitely not like any other series I've read! Enjoy!

Carol, warning - it IS very dark - at least since it's a library book if it is too disturbing you can cut your losses without too much investment in time or money.
PS Wonder what this says about me that I love her dark books so much? My books are dark in subject matter, but I think * I hope* they have a really uplifting vibe throughout them, as well that leaves people with a feeling of hope and gratefulness and love of life.

Kristi: We are all fairly likely to say the same thing about some of our favorite books!
Kristi wrote: "PS Wonder what this says about me that I love her dark books so much?"

Thanks, Kristi. I have read and loved plenty of dark books, but this one seemed to be dark with little redeeming value that I could detect. Your comments give me a different way of looking at this series.

Kristi wrote: "Carol, warning - it IS very dark - at least since it's a library book if it is too disturbing you can cut your losses without too much investment in time or money.
PS Wonder what this says about m..."

Carol,
I think I love this series so much because my heart really goes out to the two main characters - Archie and Susan Ward (the reporter) They are damaged and I feel like I want to fix them and make them all better. Lol.

Ann,
Totally.

Just got it from the library, about to finish My Sunshine Away, and depending which book jumps up first, it may be next :)

Just finished Brian Freeman's latest book. So good!

Kristi wrote: "Just finished Brian Freeman's latest book. So good!"

Is this a Jonathan Stride book, Kristi? Loved that series.

No, but will have to check it out. This was the second Cab Bolton book, SEASON OF FEAR. It was my first Brian Freeman book, but I'm going to have to read some of his other series since I live in Minnesota where I think some others are set ...

I just started COP TOWN by Karin Slaughter after I picked up and discarded six other books in my TBR pile. When I finally picked this one up, I wanted to hole up and read it all in one sitting.

I loved Cop Town as well! I'll have to check out Season of Fear - I'm up to date on the Stride series, and for some reason didn't have that on my TBR list.

Dawn, not sure if it matters to you but season of fear is the second one in the series. i only read it first because I got an ARC. Will go back and read book one in the Cab Bolton series though cause I liked the second one so much.

It matters to me ;)! LOL...I am a Read in Order type person...but I did read The Bone House already, so I'm good to go!

Cool. Yes, I usually am a read in order type, as well, but this summer I've discovered two of my new favorite authors reading out of order - Freeman and Chelsea cain - so who knows!

LOL...I just this second got an email that Brian Freeman just released a follow up to his book The Agency...called West 57.

Kristi wrote: "I just started COP TOWN by Karin Slaughter after I picked up and discarded six other books in my TBR pile. When I finally picked this one up, I wanted to hole up and read it all in one sitting."

I'm sure we read Cop Town as a group but I can't seem to find the discussion threads. Maybe Ann can. It was definitely unputdownable, Kristi!

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edit: found it.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

I remember feeling that way about many Karin Slaughter books, Kristi!
Do feel free to jump in on the group read discussion for Cop Town. And we have Karin's Pretty Girls lined up for an October group read too.
I'm looking forward to it!
Kristi wrote: "I just started COP TOWN by Karin Slaughter after I picked up and discarded six other books in my TBR pile. When I finally picked this one up, I wanted to hole up and read it all in one sitting."

Finished Cop Town and will most definitely read Pretty Girls! Maybe I can read it with the group. Thanks!