Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

I picked Option #3 - 2025 Determination Plus Challenge
✔️ 25 of 25 updated 24-Sep-2025

Books 1-10. Pick 10 books any format you want that you'll been wanting to read. Could be off your own to be read mountains or library etc. I usually try for these to be audiobooks that I have used an audible credit for and still need to read from a backlog though often a new release audible credit book will land in the top ten too.
✔️1. READ 09-Mar-2025 audible
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

✔️2. READ 24-Apr-2025 audible
A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan, #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

✔️3, READ 22-Jun-2025 audible The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

✔️ 4. READ 08-Jul-2025 audible The End of All Things by John Scalzi

✔️ 5. READ 05-Jun-2025 audible Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor

✔️ 6. READ 06-Jul-2025 audible King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

✔️ 7. READ 29-Jul-2025 Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell audible audio

✔️ 8. READ 03-Aug-2025 Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker NetGalley ARC

✔️ 9. READ 03-Aug-2025 Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith always have meant to read this one Libby audio

✔️ 10. READ 31-Aug-2025 Echo by Tracy Clark audible audio

The next 15 books is the "Plus" part of the challenge. Hope you enjoy and are able to find some great books that will fit in.

✔️ 11. A book set in a different country than you live in.
READ 16-Jan-2025
Devil's Peak by Deon Meyer.

✔️ 12. Read a book by an Author that you never read before or one by a new debut author.
READ 06-Mar-2025 Butter by Asako Yuzuki

✔️ 13. A book that someone recommended to you.
READ 13-Feb-2025
The Rock Hole (Texas Red River Mysteries, 1) by Reavis Z. Wortham


✔️ 14. A book that is a different genre than your normal type of read. (could be out of your comfort zone).
READ 27-Apr-2025 Outrage by John Sandford (Genre YA)

15 & 16. Two books from a series you haven't completed yet. (Everyone has that one or two books to still read to catch up in a series)
✔️ 15 series READ 31-Jan-2025
Free Fall by Chris Grabenstein

✔️ 16 series READ 02-Feb-2025
Disco for the Departed (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #3) by Colin Cotterill


✔️ 17. A book that comes out in 2025.
READ 26-Jan-2025
The Big Empty (Elvis Cole and Joe Pike #20) by Robert Crais


✔️18. A book that you meant to read in 2024 but never got around to it.
READ 04-May-2025
The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. Rozan A delight to read. When the second book was released I knew I better get caught up.

✔️ 19. A book that came out before you were born. (this one might be harder to do but we know you can handle it)
READ 24-Aug-2025 Crooked House by Agatha Christie

✔️20. A book that is done by more than one author (it can be a book of short stories by different authors, or one book that is one story with more than 1 author like Patterson or Evanovich and I'm sure there are others.
READ 19-Jun-2025
2 Sisters Detective Agency by James Patterson and Candice Fox

✔️21. A book that won an award.
READ 04-Aug-2025 Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano - Goodreads Choice award for Fiction 2020

✔️ 22. One of the oldest to be read books on your unread mountain.
Read 23-Jul-2025 Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

✔️ 23. A book set in multiple countries.
READ 23-Jan-2025
Locked In by Jussi Adler-Olsen

✔️24. Book you started in the past but put aside and never finished for some reason. READ 26-Jun-2025
Immoral by Brian Freeman

✔️ 25. A BFB/Big Fat Book one that is 500+ pages or one longer than your usual average page count or audio length.
READ 17-Sep-2025 The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith thirty-one hours of an audio definitely qualifies as a big fat book - and yet I hated for it to end!

Some of these will be easy and fun - some will be challenging and hopefully fun. I can always find the series books, the books I meant to read last year and a new release this year. As always I will try for backlog audible for the top ten and any print owned books I keep putting off

Good Luck Ann. Sounds good.

✔️ My first book to fit the 2025 determination list is Devil's Peak by Deon Meyer . This is a new-to-me series and author, and it is set in a different country, Cape Town, South Africa, so fits #11 A book set in a different country than you live in. I enjoyed it and am happy I have an opportunity to get to know more about this country and people through the series, Benny Griessel.

I also plan to read a book set in all of the US States for a challenge from a Facebook group. So far, I can identify the states as settings in 8/52 books and 4 Countries
AL
AK
AZ
AR
✔️ CA The Big Empty by Robert Crais
CO
CT
DE
FL
✔️ GA The Name of This Band Is R.E.M. by Peter Ames Carlin

HI
ID
IL
IN
IA
KS
KY
LA
✔️ ME The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

MD
MA
MI
MN
MS
MO
MT
NE
NV
NH
✔️ NJ Free Fall by Chris Grabenstein
NM
✔️ NY The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

NC
ND
OH
OK
OR
PA
RI
SC
SD
✔️ TN Don't Let the Devil Ride by Ace Atkins

✔️ TX The Rock Hole by Reavis Z. Wortham

UT
✔️VT What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan

VA
WA
✔️WV The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

WI
WY

International
✔️South Africa Devil's Peak by Deon Meyer

✔️ United Kingdom I Found You by Lisa Jewell

✔️ Denmark Locked In by Jussi Adler-Olsen

✔️ People’s Democratic Republic of Laos Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill

✔️ Japan from Butter by Asako Yuzuki

Adding an "all fifty US states" challenge log here to list those. It's hard sometimes to identify the state so this should be interesting.

Ann wrote: "Adding an "all fifty US states" challenge log here to list those. It's hard sometimes to identify the state so this should be interesting."

Yes! That's why my challenge is set for multi years and I started counting it from 2024, when I decided to seriously do this. And then because I'm such a type A, I added DC, the US territories, the Canadian provinces and territories, and the Mexican states. 'cause you know, why not? 🤦‍♀️

That’s great. I know what one you can count for NJ. Lol.

Gail, I expect this will be a multi-year endeavor for me as well. I will probably need help finding a book for some states, thsnks to you my recommended book will only be a challenge to pick just one. Lol
As DonnaJo said, NJ will be easy, we have a Buddy read lined up with Free Fall. 😀📚📚📚

Ann wrote: "Gail, I expect this will be a multi-year endeavor for me as well. I will probably need help finding a book for some states, thanks to you my recommended book will only be a challenge to pick just o..."

Feel free to peruse!
2024 - read and future: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Gail- wow!! That’s quite a set of lists and details! You are making amazing progress. Thanks!!

Wow, the states is a cool challenge!

I live in Jersey, so it's always good to read books in my home state. I am surprised at how many series take place here! Coben throws me every time when he's talking about a highway I JUST got off. It will be fun to see your progress.

I know I haven’t read one of Harlan’s books in awhile. I don’t go to his town like I used to so don’t get to see him in town like I used too. I used to love going past his house if I went that way going home. Such a beautiful house. And I haven’t been to the new BN where they moved too.

If you live in New Jersey if you haven't read Chris Grabenstein's adult mystery series you need to read them. Ann and I have been reading some of those as buddy reads and we will be reading the last book in the series soon. The first one was Tilt a wheel I think. You will connect some of the places if you know the Jersey shore.

Donnajo wrote: "If you live in New Jersey...Chris Grabenstein..."
Oh this sounds like a great "need to pull me off the ceiling" read. I'm not a Jersey girl but my Dad is a Jersey boy, although he's been transplanted to smaller PA town for a long, long time (Mom's hometown. Still has some small remnants of the accent though. Certain words...)

Donnajo- I was married at the Jersey Shore. My husband's family has a house there so we are there during the summer. I did not know Coben lived in Ridgewood ( looked it up) if you are there- go to Raymond's for breakfast and get their warm ricotta donuts with wild berry jam. It will change your life!

I will check out Grabenstein's books.

Sorry to hijack your thread Ann! lol

Never went there maybe it wasn’t there when I used to go all the time to the Needlepoint store when it was on Maple. They moved to Wyckoff so I don’t go there like I used to even since my favorite BN closed I haven’t tried the new one yet. But I used to go to a few good places in town there.

Oh if you haven’t checked it out already go to weather under etc thread I shared a few years ago a surf cam link where I go at the shore. You can see the walkway, ocean etc.

✔️ 23. A book set in multiple countries.
READ 23-Jan-2025 Locked In by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Set in Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany; this final Department Q book was a nail-biter and was a fitting coda to the journey of Carl Morck.

Updated my States challenge with the New Jersey based Free Fall by Chris Grabenstein. another end of a series. hate to see this one end - will update the determination series too.

Ann wrote: "✔️ 23. A book set in multiple countries.
READ 23-Jan-2025 Locked In by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Set in Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany; this final Department Q boo..."

Oh no! Final book? I'm going to miss Department Q,

Carol, I know! I am going to miss the Department Q book series too. It is a favorite that you and I have tag-teamed across the years reading and enjoying. I was surprised to see it promoted as the last book. Unlike some series that just fade away this one goes out with a bang.

updated three more - 6 of 25
✔️ 13. A book that someone recommended to you.
READ 13-Feb-2025
The Rock Hole (Texas Red River Mysteries, 1) by Reavis Z. Wortham

✔️ 16 series READ 02-Feb-2025
Disco for the Departed (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #3) by Colin Cotterill


✔️ 17. A book that comes out in 2025.
READ 26-Jan-2025
The Big Empty(Elvis Cole and Joe Pike #20) by Robert Crais

WTG.

Awesome progress!

Nice! And you are doing great on your states too.!

Thanks for reminding me about Dr. Paiboun. #3 is my next read and I didn't even plan it for this year. I may have to fix that.

You are doing so good with the challengers. A lot of times it’s hard to figure out the states.

DJ it is often very hard to figure out the states - very true!

Updated my seventh book:
✔️ 12. Read a book by an Author that you never read before or one by a new debut author.
READ 06-Mar-2025
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
I struggled with the first half of the book - but since it was a group read book (and I have always read each of those) I persevered and am glad I did.

Good for you Ann (on both accounts). I'm still making my way through Butter, but it's getting more interesting. It's just slowing going because I only read about 30 minutes a day before I turn out the light.

That’s great Ann.

Reckless Girls, is Hawaii + California in one shot! lol How fun! I love the states idea, never thought of that.

I added three

✔️18. A book that you meant to read in 2024 but never got around to it.
READ 04-May-2025
The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. Rozan A delight to read. When the second book was released I knew I better get caught up.
and

✔️1. READ 09-Mar-2025 audible
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

✔️2. READ 24-Apr-2025 audible
A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan, #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

I've added three books now 13 of 25 read.
Top of the list #3
Maggie Stiefvater is a must buy author. I grabbed her historical The Listeners with an audible credit. I loved it. Her prior work has been more YA, this WWII novel set in West Virginia gave a different perspective.

✔️3, READ 22-Jun-2025 audible The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

Book two of the three I added:
The prompt with more than one author. James Patterson is dependable for this prompt. His collaboration with Candice Fox introducing a new series was a light mystery and I will read another.
✔️20. A book that is done by more than one author (it can be a book of short stories by different authors, or one book that is one story with more than 1 author like Patterson or Evanovich and I'm sure there are others.
READ 19-Jun-2025
2 Sisters Detective Agency by James Patterson and Candice Fox

Book three of the three I added:
Carol reminded me of the Jonathan Stride series by Brian Freeman. Looking back, I added it to my TBR in 2011 and had started it, I think in print and hadn't ever finished it, I have now. The narrator was not my favorite because of the way he does female voices; I eventually almost got used to it, but not really. :) I'm glad I read it.

✔️24. Book you started in the past but put aside and never finished for some reason. READ 26-Jun-2025
Immoral by Brian Freeman

WTG Ann.

Nice, Ann. Glad you were reacquainted with the Jonathan Stride series. I read/listened to three in a row and am now all caught up.

Still looking for my "more than one author" pick. I just can't do James Patterson.

Carol, what about Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg series they are good. Or Lisa scottoline and her daughter have books of essays real life that are fun. Or a mystery book of short stories by different authors.

Also if you do a search of books written by more than one author you can bring up some ideas. There are books like Christina Lauren that is two authors also I didn’t realize that Liv Constantin is two authors I keep hearing good things about The Last mrs parrish I had it out from library but didn’t end up reading it before it had to go back.

I really enjoyed the Alix London Mystery series. A Dangerous Talent - is the first book. Husband and wife team. Probably one of my favorite lighter mystery series. It had me looking up art to see how it fit into the story. Enjoyable.

Cleo Coyle is a husband and wife team as well. They write a cozy mystery series.

Thanks DJ and Chris. You've given me some great ideas!

I didn’t realize that about Cleo Coyle good to know for future. I still have some of her books on shelf.

I added four more. ✔️ 17 of 25 updated 08-Jul-2025

✔️ 4. READ 08-Jul-2025 audible The End of All Things by John Scalzi this one is true backlog so good for my goal.

✔️ 5. READ 05-Jun-2025 audible Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor another audible, not backlog, but if I didn't read it it would become backlog. lol

✔️ 6. READ 06-Jul-2025 audible King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby audible and well I was determined to read it as soon as possible after release (and it was very good)

✔️ 14. A book that is a different genre than your normal type of read. (could be out of your comfort zone).
READ 27-Apr-2025 Outrage by John Sandford (Genre YA)
the different genre is harder because I read lots of different genres and quite happily, but I have strayed away from YA lately so this one counts.

Good for you, Ann. That's impressive. I'm wondering if I can count Wild Dark Shore as a book that takes place in two different countries. What do you think?

Carol, Yes, it would work.

Ann, WTG!

Carol: yes, I do agree - use it for two different countries!

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Good for you, Ann. That's impressive. I'm wondering if I can count Wild Dark Shore as a book that takes place in two different countries. What do you think?"

Hmm. I went back to do just that and saw that I'd listed it as a TBR under book that had been recommended to me. I'll have to find one to replace that category before I move it. There must have been one of our Group Reads that I wasn't going to read until it was proposed as a Group Read.

I added another book. Now 18 of 25 on 23-Jul-2025
✔️ 22. One of the oldest to be read books on your unread mountain. Read 23-Jul-2025 Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Well, it is not the oldest book on my TBR mountain, but I did start reading it four years ago and hadn't gotten back to it yet. I started it from the beginning and found it quite good so am glad I read it 'again' and finished it this time - I feel fairly certain I just ran out of time on a library loan last time, or perhaps it was my mood at the time.

Ann wrote: "I added another book. Now 18 of 25 on 23-Jul-2025
✔️ 22. ..."
Absolutely loved that book. Glad you tried again!