The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

Dazzle me with some recommendations, I’m getting bored.

I have friends who love watching those TV courtroom shows featuring intolerant judges, naïve victims and immoral perpetrators. I hate those shows. I don’t’ want to know what idiotic and nasty things the human race is up to.

As their defense they ask: “Why, since mysteries are most often a Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, do you enjoy them?”

I don’t read mysteries to dwell on the awful things people do to one another, I enjoy the cleverness of the detective and wish that I was that clever too. So, in my reading, I tend more toward forensic and the seemingly impossible deductive thinking. But I find that even detective cats are cleverer than I.

Despite that, I can’t resist a hard-boiled detective and the snappy dialog.

I also like books with a backdrop of something that teaches me as I go along. I don’t generally want my learning delivered in textbook form; I need to be tricked into it.

Stephen King is my favorite author. I am constantly seeking other authors that compare, and am often disappointed. He makes you remember your guilty pleasures in common things like Twinkies. His crazy people use internal dialogs that you recognize; making you realize that you might snap just as easily as they. That’s the real Horror.

Although I tried to pin it down, as you can see I enjoy all types of reading from the cozy to the supernatural. It’s a MYSTERY!

Welcome Almeta. I'm sure our international group of mystery lovers will be able to come up with some new authors for you to enjoy.

Hi Almeta........this is a great group....fun people who know about mystery books from modern writers to the classics. Great recommendations and good dialogue.

Oh no! Can't be bored!!

Hello Almeta... we're voting for the Jan-Feb group read (go to the bottom of the group's home page and you'll see the poll. There's a great list of things of all kinds... and look at our group bookshelf too.

Almeta wrote: "Dazzle me with some recommendations, I’m getting bored.

I have friends who love watching those TV courtroom shows featuring intolerant judges, naïve victims and immoral perpetrators. I hate tho..."

Stephen King is my favorite author, too. I would recommend the Charlie Parker books by John Connolly. He is a brilliant author who has created a dark and complicated character worth reading.

Welcome Almeta, I have a suggestion for you - if you like series books try the Myron Bolitar books by Harlan Coben, he is a fast read and his side kick Win is a real character.

I have noticed several people remarking on the books of both John Connolly and Harlan Coben.

There are so many on the bookshelves and on personal lists that I am overwhelmed in choosing.

A Coben book is on the monthly group read list, so maybe it will get voted in. In the meantime, I have placed it on my To Read shelf. If it doesn't become the monthly choice, I will read it independently.

The Charlie Parker books always catch my eye, because I have read an awful lot of Charlie B. Parker's "Spenser" novels. Now that you have recommended John Connolly, based on my preferfences, I will add his books to the list.

I hope that they fall in the state challenge. ;o)

Thank you for the welcome and the suggestions.

Your welcome. For Connolly, start with the first one, Every Dead Thing, as the story and characters progress from there.

Wow, I just read the review! Looks as though I'm gonna like this. AND it will fit the 50 states challenge! Thanks

My pleasure. Enjoy the books.

Hi Almeta, You mentioned that you like a backdrop that teaches you something as you go along. I have a few suggestions in that line.

The Dr. Siri Paiboun series by Colin Cotterill set in 1970s Laos and begins with The Coroner's Lunch

The Amiee Leduc series by Cara Black each book is set in a different section of Paris and begins with Murder in the Marais: An Aimee Leduc Investigation

The Chief Inspector Silva series by Leighton Gage is set in contemporary Brazil and begins with Blood of the Wicked

I know these won't fit the 50 States challenge but we do have a UN challenge going too :)

I have added these to my list. Sound as if they might fit my “educational preference”!

Oh, thanks to you, I joined the UN challenge too. (Maybe "The Name of the Rose" will win the discussion poll.)

Truly appreciate the recommendations.

Almeta wrote: "I have noticed several people remarking on the books of both John Connolly and Harlan Coben.

There are so many on the bookshelves and on personal lists that I am overwhelmed in choosing.

..."


Almeta there are 9 Myron Bolitar books, the first one is Deal Breaker, not sure if you are like me but I have to read series books in order. He as stand alones as well. I hope you enjoy him. If you choose one of the stand alones to read first, don't choose Play Dead, he wrote that book when he first started out, 20 years ago, he is a much better author now.

Linda,

Yes I DO like reading a series in order and based on your tips I have rearranged my choices for Coben's work.

I'm trusting the experienced!

Thank you for the information.

You will love him!! :)

I hate him. To me, one book was the same as another. And I didn"t like him at all.

Hi Almeta--
I posted elsewhere that I've just finished MY GUN IS QUICK by Mickey Spillane (1950), a tough tale of the streets featuring his detective Mike Hammer. If you like hardboiled, Hammer's as hard as they come. This is one of the more outstanding entries in the Mike Hammer series. If you want more info on it, check out my full review of it on my website: http://mikedennisnoir.com/review-my-g...