On The Same Page discussion

There are some bad ideas and then there are book challenges set up in the last hours of a year. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to do less reading challenges, so technically speaking by setting this up today, I can still keep my resolution.

I really, really need to catch up some series. And unless they are part of a challenge, they don't seem to happen. So here goes:

(I should stick to series by dead authors, at least then I can finish them. There are new books scheduled in 2023 for 3 of the below series. We can but try).

1. Slough House #6 Joe Country Completed 22 January 4 stars
2. Slough House #7 Slough House Completed 25 March 4 stars
3. Slough House #8 Bad Actors Completed 6 April 4 stars
4. Thursday Murder Club #2 The Man Who Died Twice Completed 15 January 4 stars
5. Thursday Murder Club #3 The Bullet That Missed Completed 8 April 4 stars
6. Bennie Griessel #7 Donkerdrif Completed 21 January 4 stars
7. Magpie Murders #2 Moonflower Murders
8. Francis Pettigrew #4 Death Walks the Woods Completed 14 March 4 stars
9. Francis Pettigrew #5 Untimely Death Completed 5 July 4 stars
10. Paris Homicide #4 Looking to the Woods Completed 19 June 4 stars
11. Simon Serrailler #11 A Change of Circumstance Completed 17 January 4 stars
12. Darko Dawson #4 Gold of Our Fathers Completed 2 September 3.5 stars

Alternates:
13. Darko Dawson #5 Death by His Grace
14. Discworld #40 Raising Steam
15. Discworld #41 The Shepherd's Crown
16. Chronicles of Barsetshire #6 The Last Chronicle of Barset Completed 3 April 4 stars

I like your mix. I've read some Cyril Hare, but not that particular series. I have enjoyed Simon Serrailler and look forward to continuing that series too. I haven't started Kwei Quartey yet, nor Richard Osman's but I've got a couple of their books awaiting my attention. Enjoy 2023.

Bill wrote: "I like your mix. I've read some Cyril Hare, but not that particular series. I have enjoyed Simon Serrailler and look forward to continuing that series too. I haven't started Kwei Quartey yet, nor R..."

Have you tried Slough House, Bill? because you should...

Carolien wrote: "Bill wrote: "I like your mix. I've read some Cyril Hare, but not that particular series. I have enjoyed Simon Serrailler and look forward to continuing that series too. I haven't started Kwei Quart..."

Influencer!! 😏

Carolien wrote: "(I should stick to series by dead authors, at least then I can finish them. ..."

You know what!!!??? 😩😂🤣🤣🤣

I am so done with you!! Let me lurk this list so I can add a bunch to my TBR!! 🤔🙃😂

I'm just going to keep on saying Slough House... Read it.

This is so sad; I had a bunch of these on my TBR already (#1 in the series). I guarantee I lurked your lists and added them.... 😩🤦🏾🤦🏾

Alondra wrote: "This is so sad; I had a bunch of these on my TBR already (#1 in the series). I guarantee I lurked your lists and added them.... 😩🤦🏾🤦🏾"

That is hilarious!

I haven't read any of these, but the #1 in the first 4 series you listed are on my TBR. Do I really want to start more series???
Good luck, having them in a challenge ensures some progress. I love the idea on focusing on dead authors 🤣🤣🤣

Okay, I've added Slough House to my tbr. Good luck!

Hi Carolien! I don't know any on your list. I look forward to reading your reviews and possibly picking up a new series. Good luck with your challenge. Happy New Year and may 2023 be a joyful year for you!

Carolien wrote: "Alondra wrote: "This is so sad; I had a bunch of these on my TBR already (#1 in the series). I guarantee I lurked your lists and added them.... 😩🤦🏾🤦🏾"

That is hilarious!"

😂🤣🤣

A few favourites in your list - TMC, Magpie, Discworld - I will have a look at the others to see what I'm missing :)

Another vote here for adding the #1 in the Slough Horses series. ;-)

I started the Thursday Murder Club books last year and enjoyed it. Good luck with your challenge.

My only comment on here is that I agree with Denise. I feel like The Thursday Murder Club books keep getting better and better. I have no other comments about any of the other books or series. I'm slowly backing away from this thread before I undo any and all the series progress I made last year. :-)

Lea wrote: "My only comment on here is that I agree with Denise. I feel like The Thursday Murder Club books keep getting better and better. I have no other comments about any of the other books or series. I'm ..."

These selections look good, are you sure you don't want to add any??? Just sayin'.....

I finished my first read for the challenge, the second in the Thursday Murder series, The Man Who Died Twice which was such a fun read. I think I liked it more than the first one, but it was lovely to be back with the group of pensioners catching international criminals and the main local drug distributor along the way.

Carolien wrote: "I finished my first read for the challenge, the second in the Thursday Murder series, The Man Who Died Twice which was such a fun read. I think I liked it more than the first one, b..."

I'm looking forward to starting this series.

You'll enjoy it, Bill!

Bill wrote: "Carolien wrote: "I finished my first read for the challenge, the second in the Thursday Murder series, The Man Who Died Twice which was such a fun read. I think I liked it more than the first one, but it was lovely to be back with the group of pensioners catching international criminals and the main local drug distributor along the way."

I am so glad you enjoyed the second book more than the first one - I felt the same way. This is one of those series where the later books get better and better, in my opinion. Hope you enjoy the next book too! :-)

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "Carolien wrote: "I finished my first read for the challenge, the second in the Thursday Murder series, The Man Who Died Twice which was such a fun read. I think I liked..."

He's obviously discovering himself as an author. I'm looking forward to reading the first.

Carolien wrote: "I finished my first read for the challenge, the second in the Thursday Murder series, The Man Who Died Twice which was such a fun read. I think I liked it more than the first one, b..."

I hope to start this series this year, everybody talks about it...

I finished A Change of Circumstance this morning which means I have caught up on one series (at least until the next one comes out in October). I really enjoy this series as it is written from the perspective of both the police and a medical doctor. It's one of those that should be read in order as there is character development along the way.

Having immersed myself in the UK police system for a few days, I came home this afternoon to a broken window and a ransacked house and could watch them in action. The local force was very responsive. I phoned the emergency number and the phone was answered on the first ring (I was waiting for the automated response and then realised I had a real person on the other end of the line wanting to know if I need the police or fire brigade!). Police officer arrived within an hour and scene of crime technician 5 minutes later. We've decided they were after cash as absolutely nothing was stolen, but stuff was pulled out of cupboards and furniture overturned. Neighbour's CCTV shows 2 guys in hoodies breaking the window at 14:00 (unfortunately they didn't notice it at the time). Annoying, but not disastrous. The South African in me is quite calm as nobody got hurt and total damage at this point is a broken window which the landlord has boarded up and a packet of cereal that was overturned. And robberies are rare in this town according to the police, so we'll be the focus of their patrols for a while to come.

I am so glad you enjoyed the second book more than the first one - I felt the same way. This is one of those series where the later books get better and better, in my opinion. Hope you enjoy the next book too! :-)

On order from the library, but I'm number 11 in line for the 2 copies so I don't expect it until April probably. Looking forward to it.

He's obviously discovering himself as an author. I'm looking forward to reading the first.

He presents a quiz show locally which my husband watches and now I can hear him narrate the books in my mind when I read them!

Carolien wrote: "Having immerser myself in the UK police system for a few days, I came home this afternoon to a broken window and a ransacked house and could watch them in action."

I guess nobody was a home, glad to hear you are all ok. I wonder, were you targeted as new-comers in the area?

I guess nobody was a home, glad to hear you are all ok. I wonder, were you targeted as new-comers in the area?

We have no idea, but that is a possibility. Nobody home and they're obviously not big readers as they didn't touch any of the books which I had painstakingly unpacked earlier this month!

Carolien wrote: "I finished A Change of Circumstance this morning which means I have caught up on one series (at least until the next one comes out in October). I really enjoy this series as it is w..."

Are you serious, right now!?? Oh, Carolien, I am so sorry this happened to you! What a violation. Humans can be trash at times.

I am glad you all were not there!!

So sorry about your break-in, but glad no one was there!

I read the first 2 Thursday Murder books with my book club and that was fun. We're not quite as old as the characters (well, most of us), but we're getting there and that added to our entertainment.

I've had the first book in the Susan Hill series for some time and need to get to it. I guess I should see if it would fit with a challenge somewhere!

Oh, to catch up on series!! Is that a real thing? I have the first 2 of the Thursday Murder Club books … not on my bookcase, but stacked up on the floor beside it. 😄😄😄 I’m currently in a big project to get my living room decluttered & deep cleaned. I’m so slow b/c I’d rather be reading, of course. Books will be staying, but lots of DVDs & all the wii games gone!! I’m adding the 1st Slough book. Thanks so much! 😄

I'm glad you're ok from the break-in and nothing was stolen and nobody was hurt. Best wishes.

Another series caught up until the end of the year, I think. A really excellent instalment in the Bennie Griessel series by Deon Meyer, The Dark Flood which I read in the original Afrikaans as Donkerdrif. I'm never quite sure whether to recommend Meyer, his books are excellent, but I have no idea how they translate as even the original is a mix of Afrikaans, English, and Cape Flats dialect with the odd word of Zulu or Xhosa depending on the plot which is exactly how the locals speak in the Western Cape, but not easy to translate (and some of the humour is language dependent). In any case, if you do fall over any of his titles, I would recommend that you give them a try. There's always an element of truth (in this case he renames the Steinhoff corporate scandal as background).

A word to anyone starting the Slough House series. Read them in order including the novellas (and read Nobody Walks after Dead Lions before the rest of the series).

The order is here and ignore the fact that Nobody Walks is listed as a standalone (should be book 3 in the series) https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/mi...

Also do not get emotionally attached to any of the characters. They get killed off regularly. Now just go and read them.

I've completed Joe Country and have already placed a hold on the next one at the library.

Carolien wrote: "A word to anyone starting the Slough House series. Read them in order including the novellas (and read Nobody Walks after Dead Lions before the rest of the series).
..."

It's on my list, so your advice is noted, thank you!

Carolien wrote: "A word to anyone starting the Slough House series. Read them in order including the novellas (and read Nobody Walks after Dead Lions before the rest of the series).
..."

Great info to have, because you know I added this to my tbr!! *sigh*

Two more done. Slough House was great fun as usual.

Death Walks the Woods is book 4 in the Francis Pettigrew series which I love. Set just prior, during and after WWII , Francis is a very cynical barrister who has a small, independent practice at the start of the series. His commentary on his fellow citizens is brilliant and the plots are complex, usually with an interesting legal angle. Highly recommend this series if you like classic English mysteries.

I finished the tome that is The Last Chronicle of Barset which ends the Barsetshire series by Anthony Trollope. One of those moments of sadness as I say goodbye to a group of characters who I had grown to love. I know I will reread these at some point in the future.

You're doing great on this challenge. I'm hoping to one day get to reading some Trollope, I have heard so many good things about his books.

I caught up with the Thursday Murder Club series, I had The Bullet That Missed on order from the library since January and it arrived yesterday, just in time for the long weekend. Loved it, I think even more than the first two. The group of friends just keep expanding which keeps it interesting.

That said, I literally received an email this week announcing the title of the next instalment to be published in November. So I have caught up for a few months only (although based on the library waiting list, I'll only get to number 4 next year sometime).

Great progress, Carolien!

I don't think I looked into the Chronicles of Barset series. Since it's only 6 books, that might be something to look into.

Update: Added the first book. I do love classics and historical fiction. Besides, what's one more book!?? 🤦🏾

Alondra wrote: "Great progress, Carolien!

I don't think I looked into the Chronicles of Barset series. Since it's only 6 books, that might be something to look into.

Update: Added the first book. I do love clas..."

The Warden is the shortest of them and may not sound that promising, thereafter they become more complex in their plots and I love the narrator's comments along the way. I do warn you that they become tomes as you go along however!

Carolien wrote: "The Warden is the shortest of them and may not sound that promising, thereafter they become more complex in their plots and I love the narrator's comments along the way. I do warn you that they become tomes as you go along however! ..."

Okay, good to know. Thanks!

9 down and 5 series up to date. Bad Actors was such fun. I had read Simon Kuper's Chums: How A Tiny Caste of Oxford Tories Took Over The UK the previous week on how the Conservative Party became what it is and that insight combined with Mick Herron's acerbic wit had my husband seriously worried about my health yesterday. I've picked up a cough which has hung around most of the week and didn't respond well to me laughing my head off at comments like "They (the civil servants)'ve got so used to pretending they're not as smart as their boss, some of them have actually got that way" which is a swipe at the most recent Home Office Ministers.

Again, read the series in order as this one references both London Rules and Nobody Walks.

Until the next one arrives I'll have to settle for reading his first series starting with Down Cemetery Road.

Two more series done. If you like old, legal mysteries with a nice dose of cynicism I highly recommend the Francis Pettigrew series. There are only 5 in the series, but I really liked them. Much, much darker is the Paris Homicide series set in Paris, Looking to the Woods has a really interesting twist to the serial killer trope. I see there is a new book in the series, but not yet translated, so I hope some brave translator is working on the next one.

Wow! Great progress! I've added the first Francis Pettigrew & hope to read some Trollope someday. Just never seem to get around to his books.

Kudos on your progress, Carolien!! 1 more to go! Woot!

By some miracle I managed to finish a challenge this year. I still need to complete the remainder, but officially that is 12 books complete.

I ordered the next Osman from my library this morning as it is being released this month. I'm 245th on the waiting list, so I won't get to it for a while!

Congratulations! You are rewarded with freedom to read anything you like. LOL.

Carolien wrote: "By some miracle I managed to finish a challenge this year. I still need to complete the remainder, but officially that is 12 books complete.

I ordered the next Osman from my library this morning a..."

Congrats you did it!!!