Cozy Mystery Corner discussion

Tell us what else you're reading

I've been trying to make progress in Tail Spin today. It's a good book, but today's NFL games have been too distracting. Tomorrow is filled with college bowl games, so I don't hold out much hope for reading time tomorrow either. Maybe Tuesday? :D

Also reading Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews. Can't tell so far what is going to happen.

Currently reading Murder at the Vicarage and Little House in the Big Woods

I don't normally read Westerns, but News of the World was recommended to me, and am I ever glad I read it! I gave it 5 stars, and here's my review:

What a beautiful, lyrical book, perfect in every way! This is a historical Western that takes place in Texas after the end of the Civil War, but it's the development of and relationship between the two main characters that wraps around your heart: Captain Kidd, a grizzled veteran and former printer who now travels from town to town to entertain locals by reading news articles from foreign and national newspapers and Johanna Leonberger, a 10-year old girl who was kidnapped by a Kiowa tribe 4 years prior after they killed her family and who Kidd is attempting to return to relatives. This is a short book, and I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and was sorry to see it end. I'll definitely be putting more books by Paulette Jiles on my to-read list. She thoroughly researches her subject matter and makes you feel you are actually living in that time period with those well-drawn people.

Just finished Wool.

Other books on deck for January



Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris



(Will Trent series)
Undone by Karin Slaughter(#3)
Broken by Karin Slaughter(#4)
Fallen by Karin Slaughter (#5)

Beth wrote: "I don't normally read Westerns, but News of the World was recommended to me, and am I ever glad I read it! I gave it 5 stars, and here's my review:

What a beautiful, lyrical book, ..."

The book sounds so good that I had to add it to my tbr. I haven't read many westerns in a while, but I can recommend The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt and the Steve Hockensmith's Holmes on the Range series.

I'm aiming to read (besides cozies) the Dresden Files series. I am now reading

Currently reading Calendar of Crime by Ellery Queen and Hondo by Louis L'Amour

Finished Tail Spin yesterday and liked it as much as I thought I would. Today, I started an ARC of Steve Berry's new Cotton Malone book, The Lost Order, and I'm finding it very hard to put down :)

I'm in a frenzy with the Gargoyles series, by Christine Warren. I've read already Heart of Stone and I'm reading Stone Cold Lover. Let's see if I keep on reading the series (I don't usually read a series back to back).

Now on Little House on the Prairie and Fer-de-Lance

I've spent most of today working on Let Me Whisper in Your Ear, by Mary Jane Clark. I'm really determined to make progress on some of these series that I enjoy but am wayyyy behind on. So far, I'm off to a good start :)

MadameZelda wrote: "I'm aiming to read (besides cozies) the Dresden Files series. I am now reading "

If you get a chance, try listening to the books. They're narrated by James Marsters, and he does a fantastic job bringing Harry to life.

jaxnsmom wrote: "MadameZelda wrote: "I'm aiming to read (besides cozies) the Dresden Files series. I am now reading "

If you get a chance, try listening to the books. They're narrated by..."

Agreed! I don't care for audiobooks, except for the Harry Dresden books!

The In Death series by J.D. Robb has a very good narrator. She's great.

I'm reading A Man Called Ove with an in-person book group.

I finished Ghost Story and now reading and listening to Cold Days by Jim Butcher.

MadameZelda wrote: "The In Death series by J.D. Robb has a very good narrator. She's great."

Youre, right, MZ, Susan Ericksen is one of my favorite narrators!

jaxnsmom wrote: "...I haven't read many westerns in a while, but I can recommend The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt and the Steve Hockensmith's Holmes on the Range series. "

I've read one book in that series and liked it. I need to go back and read some more!

MadameZelda wrote: "I finished Ghost Story and now reading and listening to Cold Days by Jim Butcher."

2 great reads in a row!! I know a lot of people didn't like GHOST STORY, but I did!

I liked Ghost Story, but I listened to it and John Glover was not a good narrator - he had no feel for the characters and the pacing was off. It took away a lot of my enjoyment as my frustration increased.

For other book groups I'm reading The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Dark Matter.

I've just started listening to Promise Me, by Harlen Coben. I've not read any of the previous seven books in this series, which bothers me, but this was chosen for my F2F book group, so I have to break my "read in order" rule. I like the story so far, but I'm not crazy about the narrator -- who happens to be the author. Maybe I'll get used to his style as the book progresses?

Currently reading Life After Life and then back to a Cozy :D

jaxnsmom wrote: "I liked Ghost Story, but I listened to it and John Glover was not a good narrator - he had no feel for the characters and the pacing was off. It took away a lot of my enjoyment as my..."

I read GHOST STORY in "dead tree" from as I knew Marsters wasn't the narrator. Not a John Glover fan, but I did like him as Lex Luthor's father on Smallville.

Barb wrote: "I've just started listening to Promise Me, by Harlen Coben. I've not read any of the previous seven books in this series, which bothers me, but this was chosen for my F2F book group, ..."

I love the Myron Bolitar books, but have never done them in audio. I would think Coben would be a decent narrator. He's a hoot in general!

I am reading Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation by Jonathan Rieder after attending an event on the King holiday where the letter was read aloud with different voices reading sections. It was an inspiring event.

Melodie wrote: "Barb wrote: "I like the story so far, but I'm not crazy about the narrator -- who happens to be the author. Maybe I'll get used to his style as the book progresses? "

I love the Myron Bolitar books, but have never done them in audio. I would think Coben would be a decent narrator. He's a hoot in general!

I'm not a huge fan of narrators who try to do different voices for different characters. I guess it's supposed to make it easier for the listener to figure out who is talking, but I find it really distracting. Some of his "phrasing," for lack of a better word, is different from what I'd expect, but it's his book, so I guess he knows where he wants us to pause and reflect a bit and where he thinks we can just keep going. I'm not sure that makes sense to anyone else, but another member of my book group who also listened to the book understood perfectly :)

Melodie wrote: "jaxnsmom wrote: "I liked Ghost Story, but I listened to it and John Glover was not a good narrator - he had no feel for the characters and the pacing was off. It took away a lot of m..."

Ghost Story was redone with Marsters as the narrator. But the library I go to has the original version.

As an elementary school librarian, I did close to 20 story hours a week. A big school. I didn't consciously "do voices", but according to my students I did. They loved it. What I did do was read with lots of expression and sound like a parent, or kid or whatever the characters were. To my students these were "voices". We had great fun.

I can see how elementary students would enjoy that, but when a male narrator pitches his voice high to sound like a woman -- or vice versa -- I find it very distracting. When I read a print book, I don't give the characters different voices in my head, so I'm not sure why some audio narrators feel the need to do that when they're reading.

In the case of Harlan Coben, though, it wasn't that he gave different voices to the characters, although he did that a bit. I can't really pinpoint what bothered me other than just his reading style. I'm almost done with the book and I *have gotten used to it, but I may think twice before listening to another book that he narrates.

I do give characters different voices, sort of. Strange how we all read differently.
As far as the author narration, not all authors read well out loud. We also had a large selection of books on tape. Quality varied greatly. One of the best was Because of Winn Dixie. Jack
Prelutsky reading his poems was great, too. Of course, these are children's selections.

Debbie wrote: "As an elementary school librarian, I did close to 20 story hours a week. A big school. I didn't consciously "do voices", but according to my students I did. They loved it. What I did do was read wi..."

That is what I used to do with my daughter when I read to her and she is a big reader now. I do it with my two grandchildren also and they both love books. I think it makes it more interesting for the little ones when they can make believe what the people sound like. I wish I could read for the kids in a library or a book store!

Mary

I read a variety of fiction all through the year ~ Mystery/Suspense, Gothic/Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Christian (Contemporary Romantic/Suspense & Historical Romance). We're three weeks into the new year and I've read two cozy mysteries and one Christian historical romance set in ancient times. I'm currently reading a second Christian historical romance and a contemporary gothic/suspense.

Barb wrote: "I can see how elementary students would enjoy that, but when a male narrator pitches his voice high to sound like a woman -- or vice versa -- I find it very distracting. When I read a print book, I don't give the characters different voices in my head, so I'm not sure why some audio narrators feel the need to do that when they're reading. "

I suppose that's the same reason I don't like to watch movies after I've read the book. I guess I imagine the characters in my head (both their looks and their sound). When a movie is cast (casted?), the characters rarely match my internal images, so it's almost always disappointing.
I agree, Barb, that's it's rarely good when a male narrator tries to imitate a female voice. But there are some very good female narrators that do male voices extremely well. I think I like the different voicing, now that I think about it. It never occurred to me that some people wouldn't like that.

Angela wrote: "I read a variety of fiction all through the year ~ Mystery/Suspense, Gothic/Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Christian (Contemporary Romantic/Suspense & Historical Romance). We're three ..."

Angela - What are the titles of the books that you've read. Do you recommend any of them?

Yesterday I finished reading Party of One: The Loner's Manifesto which I really enjoyed. Today I'll be starting Witch's Canyon which is part of the Supernatural series. Eventually I will return to the Cozy Mystery genre.

I'm listening to by Jeffrey Archer. It is the 6th book in the "Clifton Chronicles" series, and the first 5 have been excellent. It's the kind of series that keeps me listening in the car, even after I've arrived at my destination.

I am nearly finished with the third volume in the Ebenezum Trilogy, A Night in the Netherhells by Craig Shaw Gardner

I've just finished listening to The House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz. I have to say, it didn't live up to my expectations. It just wasn't what I expected for a Sherlock Holmes story, but maybe I haven't read enough of ACD's Holmes to have an accurate basis for comparison.

I'm finishing up The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken

I finished the book in message 40. 4 stars.

I am reading

I have the Hard Back Version of this and it is a old Hard Back Book which I got from my local Library.

I have read A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, C is for Corpse, D is for Deadbeat. Now I am on E.

I will continue to read this series until I am finished with this Series.

Happy Reading

I'm in a reread mood, so I've finished Open Season and I'm currently reading Archangel's Storm

Now reading Dying to Get Published not sure if it is considered cozy, so I posted it here.

I finally finished reading Witch's Canyon. I rather enjoyed the book. I've started to read Forever Odd by Dean Koontz.

While I was on vacation last week, I read a lot of books. The best of the bunch was The Devil's Triangle, but I really liked Princess Elizabeth's Spy too. The second might actually count as a cozy, but I know the first is definitely not :)

Now reading Quarry by Max Allan Collins

I just finished . It's the latest in the Myron Bolitar series. I think it has been five (or more) years since the last one. It was great reading, like catching up with an old friend. As a bonus, it also featured Win, who is one of my favorite characters.