Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Have finally started to get back into the reading groove. Here are my June reads:

Top Reads

Throne of the Crescent Moon
Saladin Ahmed
Debut fantasy with a different kind of setting (Mid-Eastern), an older main character whose body may not be up to the job of saving his city, and a page count of under 300 pages proving that tightly written and plotted fantasy can be just as entertaining as 700 page door-stoppers. I also loved the cover art.

A Trace of Smoke
Rebecca Cantrell
I found this to be a very good historical mystery. The early 1930's setting in Berlin was well described and very atmospheric and the plot, while a bit over the top, was very compelling. There were a few info-dumps that were a bit awkwardly inserted into the narrative but, other than that, a very good debut.

Father's Day: A Journey into the Mind and Heart of My Extraordinary Son
H.G. Bissinger
Since I am a big fan of the author's writing I was pretty much predisposed to like this and found it very candid and moving though can see where others would not. I especially liked how honest it was and how the son's disabilities were not glossed over with a lot of happy talk and platitudes.

Good Reads

The Inquisitor
Mark Allen Smith
Nicely done suspense audio with an intriguing lead who has a special skill that helps with his job of "information retrieval". The narration was done by Ari Fliakos a NTM reader who did a very good job.

Footsteps in the Dark
Georgette Heyer
While the plotting was a bit shaky the occasional witty turns of phrase and dilapidated English country house (that may be haunted) setting made this an audio worth listening to. The narration was done by Margaret O'Brien who did a good job of keeping all the different characters distinct.

Scorcher
John Lutz
After a horrific crime strikes his family, Florida PI Fred Carver decides to hunt down the villain with or without police help. A pretty good suspense/mystery audio read by a multi-voice cast.

Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge
Mark Yarm
The Seattle music scene during the grunge movement gets the oral history treatment. Lots of different voices (perhaps too many) add to the overall story and most of the book was pretty interesting, especially the early days.

Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier
Alexandra Fuller
This was well written and extremely well narrated by Lisette Lecat but was sometimes hard to listen to and was definitely more about the journey than the destination.

The Seventh
Richard Stark
I always enjoy the books in this series and this audio was no exception. Quick and violent with no excess fat. Narration was done by Stephen R. Thorne who did a very serviceable job.

Temporary Sanity: A Crime Novel
Rose Connors
Nicely done legal suspense with a brisk plot, an interesting Cape Cod setting, and characters who you can root for and against.

OK Read

Run
Douglas E. Winter
At the start of this thriller, featuring a gun runner sent on what should be a milk run, I really enjoyed the author's voice and the frantic action. The middle bogged down though and, by the end, my suspension of disbelief had run its course.

Sandi, you write such concise blurbs... can you write mine, LOL.

You've reminded me of
Georgette Heyer. She was recommended to me as another legendery author (a la Agatha Christie) that I might like. Will now have to check her out, especially if she's got stuff on audio.

Great reviews Sandi, thanks! I've always wanted to try one of the "Fred Carver" books (Lutz).

Susie (and Sandi) The Fred Carver books are great. I galloped through the library collection years ago, I think they were actually on cassette tape back then and loved them. The Florida heat might not be a good setting right now, better in colder months LOL.
Susie in KS wrote: "Great reviews Sandi, thanks! I've always wanted to try one of the "Fred Carver" books (Lutz)."

Great month! I do so agree that an audio reader who can keep different voices distinct and interesting without resorting to one that is a shrill version of another is great. And one who doesn't have to pad the story with reams of build-up or back story is also welcome. I like when the atmosphere and setting is described well, just not too long a description.
Sandi wrote: "Have finally started to get back into the reading groove. Here are my June reads: Throne of the Crescent MoonThrone of the Crescent Moon Saladin Ahmed .... and a page count of under 300 pages proving that tightly written and plotted fantasy can be just as entertaining as 700 page door-stoppers."

I always enjoy seeing your opinions on the things you read. You & Shomeret both read such different things from the things I tend to read. I've picked up several good sports books for Ed based on what you have to say about them.

I saw a TV interview of Mr. Bissinger in which he told of his sometimes painful but rewarding journey with his son. He seemed to be able to speak from his heart and I imagine the book reads the same way.

Susie in KS wrote: "Great reviews Sandi, thanks! I've always wanted to try one of the "Fred Carver" books (Lutz)."

I read the first book Tropical Heat back in 1998 and always meant to read another so I was glad to see Scorcher offered by my library's Overdrive subscription (though it was a bit more graphic than I expected)

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "You've reminded me of
Georgette Heyer. She was recommended to me as another legendery author (a la Agatha Christie) that I might like. Will now have to check her out, especially if she's got stuff on audio."

Carol, I really enjoyed her historical romance The Talisman Ring on audio many years ago. It was read by Phyllida Nash who I remember being very good.