UK Book Club discussion
A - Z Author Challenge
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Bill's 2014 A - Z Author Challenge
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Yvonne wrote: "Omg. Lol. I have never heard of any of those books, except water fir elephants"They are all enjoyable but if you like a good historical mystery, I highly recommend Ariana Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death, fascinating story.
Hi I have read "On the Beach" Did you see the Movie Fred Astaire and I think Gregory Peck. Also Aldous Huxley Brave New world
Hi Bill,I'm surprised Yvonne hasn't heard of 'On the Beach' but maybe it's just me showing my age!
Might I respectfully suggest 'The Day the Ravens Died' by Timothy Pilgrim for 'P'
Alright, I'll 'fess up to having written it myself. Lynne has read it, and judging from the reminders from her about me finishing the follow up, I'd say she enjoyed 'Ravens'
I'm working on it, honest Lynne, I hope you won't be too disappointed if the C.O. doesn't end up as P.M.! or ???
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]
Hi Bill,Thanks for that,Don't hesitate to put your comments up. I'm proud of that one. I'm proud of my other books too, but I'll be the first to admit my earlier stuff needs a rewrite.
All thebest Paul Rix [oldgeezer]
Just starting Opening Atlantis by Harry Turtledove, I'll have covered off my L's and T's when I'm finishing my current two books.. :0)
Bill wrote: "Totally enjoyed, Lynda Laplante's Above Suspicion. Excellent mystery"
The UK TV series was good as well
The UK TV series was good as well
Thanks for that Ian, I hope we get it over here on Masterpiece Mystery or maybe on our Showcase station as they like British mysteries..
Well, I'm not really helping finish off this challenge, as I'm currently reading two 'F' Books.. Timothy Findlay's Pilgrim and Nicolas Freeling's The King of the Rainy Country. I'll get around to the missing letters eventually..
At least the book I just started will fill in the letter N... I've just pulled The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø out of my suitcase.
I guess I might have to specifically start picking books by authors who fill in my gaps. I'm reading like crazy, but no new A-Z's... lol
I will never get this alphabet finished. Just finished another 'M', Kay Mitchell's Lively Form Of Death and am working on a 'G' William Gibson's Spook Country and an 'H".. er.. a 'H'??, Tanya Huff's The Blood Books, Volume II.. One of these days.. ;0)
I'm on the third one of these Bill and just discovered my colleague has the entire collection, she's bringing in 4,5 and 6 for me next week!
Em wrote: "I'm on the third one of these Bill and just discovered my colleague has the entire collection, she's bringing in 4,5 and 6 for me next week!"I have up to about 10 or 11; unfortunately, I couldn't actually remember where I had gotten to in reading the series. I'm enjoying Six now anyway and it doesn't seem familiar. It's a nice light, very readable, funny, sexy series.
I have read up to eight I think on audio Lorali King is a great reader of these - she does a great Grandma Mazzer!
Lynne - The Book Squirrel wrote: "I have read up to eight I think on audio Lorali King is a great reader of these - she does a great Grandma Mazzer!"The movie for the first in the series, One for the Money, is now listed as completed, with Katherine Heigl as Stephanie (I can't see it myself). But they've got Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur and I think that would be a good fit.
I've seen the trailer for the movie & it actually doesn't look too bad. If anyone has been watching Terra Nova on Sky1 then the male lead in that is playing Morelli.
Woo hoo, just started the letter P.. I don't know why I haven't read any Ellis Peters this year, I've got about 5 or 6 on my TBR shelf. I'm reading number 5 in the series at the moment,
I plan to start this one over in 2014; I've been in the doldrums a bit, last letter read was in 2012.. lol.. So here I go again (only different authors from previous list) - Bill's 2014 A-Z Author Challenge
A - Margery Allingham, Death of a Ghost (finished 7 Feb 2014, 3 stars)
B - Jefferson Bass, Carved in Bone (finished 20 Jan 2014, 3 stars)
C - Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (finished Jan 11, 2014, 4 stars)
D - Robertson Davies, What's Bred in the Bone (finished 27 Jun 14, 4 stars)
E - Kate Ellis, Playing With Bones finished 20 Mar 14, 4 stars)
F - Tana French, In the Woods (finished Jan 11, 2014, 4 stars)
G - Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere (finished 6 Feb 2014, 4.5 stars)
H - Patricia Highsmith, Deep Water (finished 17 Jan 2014, 4 stars)
I - Karen Irving, Pluto Rising (finished 30 May 14, 3.5 stars)
J - Shirley Jackson, [[book:The Lottery|6219656] (finished 29 Aug 14, 4 stars)
K - Lars Kepler, The Hypnotist (finished 16 Aug 14, 4 stars)
L - D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley's Lover (finished 22 Feb 2014, 5 stars)
M - George R.R. Martin, A Feast for Crows (finished 31 Mar 2014, 3 stars)
N - V.S. Naipaul, Mimic Men (finished 5 Mar 2014, 2 stars)
O - Peter O'Donnell, Sabre-Tooth (finished 11 May 14)
P - Oliver Potzsch, The Hangman's Daughter (finished 31 Jan 2014, 4 stars)
Q -
R - Ian Rankin, The Falls (finished 23 Nov 2014, 5 stars)
S - Patrick Süskind, Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer (finished 3 May 2014, 3 stars)
T - Victoria Thompson, Murder on Astor Place (finished 27 Apr 2014, 3 stars)
U - Barry Unsworth, Morality Play (finished 7 Jun 14, 4 stars)
V -
W - Jenny White,The Sultan's Seal (finished 30 Jan 2014, 4 stars)
X -
Y - Chic Young, Blondie and Dagwood: Adventure in Magic (finished 7 Dec 2014, 3 stars)
Z - Émile Zola, The Ladies’ Paradise (finished 26 Jul 2014, 4 stars)
Moving to the P's and W's with my next couple of books, Jenny White's The Sultan's Seal and Oliver Potzsch's The Hangman's Daughter.
Working on my L's and N's at the moment, D.H. Lawrence and Lady Chatterley's Lover and V.S. Naipaul and Mimic Men.
Not tried naipaul bill, i noticed a bend in the river in local Oxfam the other day but didn't pick it up, is it worth trying?
It depends what you like, Andrew. I don't really know how to classify his writing style. I thought he might be like Rohinton Mistry, but of the story I read so far, there wasn't that little bit of hope in it. I still think he's worth a try. The first book, A House for Mister Biswas, was set in Trinidad. This latest starts in London, but not sure where it's going. I'm probably not selling him very well, eh? I think he's still worth a try.
I finished my VS Naipaul story the other day and was overall very disappointed. Really was no story to grab onto; didn't particularly like the characters, such as they were. Feeling vaguely let down by the story. Moving on to the letter 'M' now with George Martin's Feast of Crows.
Onto the T's now with a new author for me, mystery writer, Victoria Thompson and the 1st gaslight mystery, Murder on Astor Place.
Starting a letter 'O' author today, Peter O'Donnell, the second Modesty Blaise adventure/ thriller, Sabre-Tooth.
Finally, after two tries, moving to the Letter I with a Karen Irving, Katy Klein mystery, Pluto Rising
Starting the letter U today, with a medieval mystery by Barry Unsworth, Morality Play. I've had it for awhile and it has looked like an interesting story.
Having a much more successful challenge this time, starting a 'D' author, Canadian Robertson Davies and the second book in the Cornish trilogy, What's Bred in the Bone.
Brave, Bill.....a book about women and shopping lol. Paradise indeed. Never realised that the BBC series was loosely based on the Zola novel.
It's surprising easy to read. Probably has something to do with the translation. My missus enjoys the BBC series very much, that's how I found the book.
I forgot that I'd finished an 'R' author, even if it was a short story. A very interesting one at that; The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. I'll probably read The Haunting of Hill House for Hallowe'en month..
Books mentioned in this topic
The Falls (other topics)Blondie and Dagwood: Adventure in Magic (other topics)
The Haunting (other topics)
The Lottery (other topics)
The Hypnotist (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Chic Young (other topics)Ian Rankin (other topics)
Shirley Jackson (other topics)
Shirley Jackson (other topics)
Lars Kepler (other topics)
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A - Rennie Airth, River of Darkness
B - Anthony Berkeley, Poisoned Chocolates Case
C - Howard L. Cory, The Unteleported Man & The Mind Monsters
D - Philip K. Dick, The Unteleported Man & The Mind Monsters
E - Janet Evanovich, Hot Six
F - Ariana Franklin, Mistress of the Art of Death
G - Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants
H - Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
I -
J - Terry Jones, Terry Jones' Barbarians
K - H. H. Kirst, The Night of the Generals
L - Linda LaPlante, Above Suspicion
M - A. A. Milne, The Red House Mystery
N - Jo Nesbø The Redbreast
O - George Orwell, Burmese Days
P - Ellis Peters, The Leper of Saint Giles
Q -
R - Lester del Rey, Outpost of Jupiter
S - Nevil Shute, On the Beach
T - Harry Turtledove, Opening Atlantis
U -
V - Kurt Vonnegut, Deadeye Dick
W - Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
X -
Y -
Z -