Welcome to bookchat where you can talk about anything...books, plays, essays, and books on tape. You don’t have to be reading a book to come in, sit down, and chat with us.
I do listen to my readers and because Marlyn wished for a discussion of mysteries, tonight is the night. I love all kinds of mysteries and there are "crossover" books with categories like musical mysteries, romantic mysteries, historical mysteries, hilarious mysteries, spy mysteries, and even science fiction mysteries.
There is the "cozy" mystery, and the mysteries based in courtrooms or based on police procedures as well as true crime stories. I tend to read mysteries as if I were eating potato chips. A friend mentioned a series to me once and I was able to get the whole set of fourteen from the library at once and zooooom.
If you are not a fan of mysteries, please feel free to chat about other books you are reading.
My favorite musical mysteries
Kate Ross
The Devil in Music
Cut to the Quick
Broken Vessel
Whom the Gods Love
My favorite science fiction/fantasy mysteries
Kelly McCullough, a Daily Kos member, has a series that crosses over in several ways, but I think they are mysteries as well as science fiction/fantasy stories. I really enjoyed WebMage which made me laugh even as I was crawling under the couch at the scary parts so I ordered all three sequels. I just finished Cybermancy and I enjoyed it very much, too.
WebMage
Cybermancy
CodeSpell
MythOS
Gene Wolfe has a fantasy/mystery series about Latro, a Roman mercenary who fought in Xerxes army during the Persian War of 479 B.C. Latro has had a head injury that causes him to forget what happens each day unless he writes it down. I liked the first two books the best.
Soldier of the Mist
Soldier of Arete
Soldier of Sidon
My favorite historical mysteries
I. Lindsey Davis has Falco who is a P I in Rome about 77 AD under Vespasian. The first half of the first book made me wonder if I was really interested in Falco, I admit. Then, I fell into the story and nineteen books later, I am still reading. The newest one which I just finished reading is Alexandria and it was one of the best.
The whole list of books is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
II. Owen Parry wrote mysteries set in the Civil War. The first one is A Faded Coat of Blue. His P I is named Abel Jones and he is from Wales. Able is very outspoken, but I liked him very much. He learns from his mistakes and changes attitudes throughout the series.
Faded Coat of Blue
Shadows of Glory
Call Each River Jordan
Honor’s Kingdom
Bold Sons of Erin
Rebels of Babylon
III. C. J. Sansom has written mysteries set during the time of Henry VIII with Matthew Shardlake as the investigator. The first one, Dissolution, details the destruction of an abbey at Henry's command and it is tragic. I had never really understood what that was like until I read the book.
IV. Jacqueline Winspear’s mysteries are set during the aftermath of WW I and are very poignant. Her main character, Maisie Dobbs, was a nurse in France. She is seeking her independence as she uses a very ‘novel’ approach to solving mysteries while helping unpleasant persons to heal or to face what they have done.
Maisie Dobbs
Birds of a Feather
Pardonable Lies
Messenger of Truth
Incomplete Revenge
V. Another series set in WW I is by Charles Todd. His main character is Inspector Ian Rutledge who is haunted by a dead soldier named Hamish.
The Red Door (2010)
A Matter of Justice (2009)
A Pale Horse (2008)
A False Mirror (2007)
A Long Shadow (2006)
A Cold Treachery (2005)
A Fearsome Doubt (2002)
Watchers of Time (2001)
Legacy of the Dead (2000)
Search the Dark(1999)
Wings of Fire (1998)
A Test of Wills (1996)
VI. Ellis Peter’s Cadfael is wonderful. The TV shows changed the stories too much after the first couple of seasons, I thought.
wiki says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Differences between books and films
Thirteen of the books were adapted for a series of television movies starring Sir Derek Jacobi although the sequence of the television episodes differs from the sequence of the novels. Within the individual screenplays, with one major exception, most are reasonably faithful to the books, being modified primarily to minimize the size of the speaking cast, the running time of the script, or the need for extravagant special effects. The character of Hugh Beringar is markedly different in the movies-he and Aline Siward are both introduced in One Corpse Too Many, and she does not appear again in the movies.
In the books, Hugh marries Aline and they have a son, Giles, named for Aline's dead brother. In Saint Peter's Fair, Aline helps Hugh and Cadfael guard a witness, and even when she does not appear in the books, Hugh speaks of her constantly and fondly. Another major difference in Hugh's treatment in the movies is his relationship with Cadfael. In the movies, Hugh is the sheriff who sometimes helps, sometimes hinders Cadfael, but does not appear to be on close terms with him.
In the books, despite the more than thirty years difference in their ages, Hugh and Cadfael are best friends. Cadfael is the godfather of Hugh's son, and also confides in Hugh that Olivier de Bretagne is his son from a woman Cadfael knew in the Holy Land. One episode, The Pilgrim of Hate, bears almost no resemblance to the eponymous book save the presence of a few characters sharing the names (but not the actions) of the characters in the book.
Furthermore, in The Holy Thief, one of the characters is turned into a villain, whereas in the novel, he is not. In A Morbid Taste For Bones the climax sequence is altered, giving Cadfael more of a speaking role. In the episode Monk's Hood, Hugh has a somewhat larger role than in the book, following Cadfael to the court and suffering a stab wound when he walks in unexpectedly on Cadfael's accusation of the true criminal.
- A Morbid Taste for Bones (written in 1977, set in 1137)
- One Corpse Too Many (1979, set in August 1138)
- Monk's Hood (1980, set in December 1138)
- Saint Peter's Fair (1981, set in July 1139)
- The Leper of Saint Giles (1981, set in October 1139)
- The Virgin in the Ice (1982, set in November 1139)
- The Sanctuary Sparrow (1983, set in the Spring of 1140)
- The Devil's Novice (1983, set in September 1140)
- Dead Man's Ransom (1984, set in February 1141)
- The Pilgrim of Hate (1984, set in May 1141)
- An Excellent Mystery (1985, set in August 1141)
- The Raven in the Foregate (1986, set in December 1141)
- The Rose Rent (1986, set in June 1142)
- The Hermit of Eyton Forest (1988, set in October 1142)
- The Confession of Brother Haluin (1988, set in December 1142)
- The Heretic's Apprentice (1990, set in June 1143)
- The Potter's Field (1990, set in August 1143)
- The Summer of the Danes (1991, set in April 1144)
- The Holy Thief (1992, set in August 1144)
- Brother Cadfael's Penance (1994, set in November 1145)
VII. Joel N. Ross has spy/mysteries set in WW II. Both are stand alone.
Double Cross Blind
White Flag Down
VIII. Candace Robb has mysteries set in Medieval times.
Apothecary Rose
Lady Chapel
Nun’s Tale, The
King’s Bishop
Riddle of St. Leonards
Gift of Sanctuary
Spy for the Redeemer
IX. Arturo Perez-Reverte has some stories set in medieval times and some in the modern day.
Nautical Chart
Seville Communion
Fencing Master
Flander’s Panel
Queen of the South
medieval times
Captain Alatriste
Purity of Blood
X. Miriam Grace Monfredo’s mysteries are set in New York during the time of the suffragettes and just before the Civil War.
Seneca Falls Inheritance
North Star Conspiracy
Blackwater Spirits
Through a Gold Eagle
Stalking Horse
Must the Maiden Die
XI. Laurie R. King’s books are set during the Sherlock Holmes era with Sherlock as one of her main characters:
Beekeeper’s Apprentice
Monstrous Regiment of Women
Letter of Mary
Moor, The
O Jerusalem
Justice Hall
Game, The
Locked Rooms
The Language of Bees
XII. P. F. Chisholm’s stories are set in the time of Queen Elizabeth I and they are based on the real Robert Carey who was the Queen's first cousin and his adventures on the border lands with Scotland.
Famine of Horses
Season of Knives
Surfeit of Guns
Plague of Angels
My favorite hilarious mysteries
The Dortmunder stories by Donald Westlake make me laugh out loud.
Bad News
Hot Rock
Nobody’s Perfect
Bank Shot
Smoke
What’s the Worst that Could Happen
My favorite mysteries where the settings are important
Tony Hillerman has made the Four Corners area a place that I want to visit.
I have read all but one of the stories and I miss him. Somewhere, I am sure Joe and Jim are sitting down to coffee.
A Thief of Time
Coyote Wars
Talking God
Dark Wind
Skinwalkers
Fallen Man
Ghost Way
Dance Hall of the Dead
Fly on the Wall
People of Darkness
Blessing Way
Sacred Clowns
Listening Woman
Wailing Wind
First Eagle, The
Hunting Badger
Sinister Pig
Skeleton Man
Aimee Thurlo and David Thurlo‘s mysteries are also set in Shiprock.
Death Walker
Blackening Song
Bad Medicine
Shooting Chant
Red Mesa
Changing Woman
Dana Stabenow’s mysteries are set in Alaska. Kate Shugak is the main character and her dog Mutt is a helper. The list in the correct order is at wiki. I did not and will not read Hunter's Moon because it is too tragic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Break Up
Killing Grounds
Midnight Comes Again
Cold Blooded Business
Blood Will Tell
Singing of the Dead
Fine and Bitter Snow
Cold Day for Murder
Fatal Thaw
Deeper Sleep
David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars is set on an island in the northern Puget Sound. I love this story. I have not seen the movie.
Alexander McCall Smith’s stories that begin with The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Club are set in Botswana.
wiki says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Mma Ramotswe provides observations upon the fine qualities of Botswana and Africa: the culture, traditions, and natural beauties found there, and the inhabitants' pride in their land.
Sharyn McCrumb’s stories are set in the Appalachian Mountains.
If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O
Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter
Rosewood Casket
She Walks These Hills
Ballad of Frankie Silver
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Ghost Riders
Songcatcher
Steve Hamilton’s stories are set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
A Cold Day in Paradise
Winter of the Wolf Moon
The Hunting Wind
North of Nowhere
Blood Is the Sky
Ice Run
A Stolen Season
Thomas Perry’s stories are set in New York State. Jane Whitefield hides people who are in danger, and getting false documents for them is very dangerous for Jane.
(not in order)
Shadow Woman
Blood Money
Death Benefits
Dead Aim
Vanishing Act
Dance for the Dead
Robert Crais’s stories are set in LA with Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. The correct order of the books is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Last Detective
Forgotten Man
Demolition Angel
Hostage
Monkey’s Raincoat
Free Fall
Lullabye Town
Sunset Express
LA Requiem
Indigo Slam
Two Minute Rule
Watchman (Joe Pike)
Chasing Darkness
Philip Craig’s stories are set in Martha’s Vineyard (some books had the title changed)
Death in Vineyard Waters
A Beautiful Place to Die
Vineyard Deceit
Vineyard Fear
Off Season
Case of Vineyard Poison
Shootout on Martha’s Vineyard
Vineyard Blues
Vineyard Enigma
Deadly Vineyard Holiday
Murder at Vineyard Mansion
Fatal Vineyard Season
I enjoyed the Rabbi series by Harry Kemelman with Rabbi David Small as the investigator from Massachusetts.
- Friday the Rabbi Slept Late – 1964
- Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry – 1966
- Sunday, the Rabbi Stayed Home – 1969
- Monday The Rabbi Took Off – 1972
- Tuesday the Rabbi Saw Red – 1973
- Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet – 1976
- Thursday the Rabbi Walked Out – 1978
My favorite romantic mysteries
The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve.
The Agatha Raisin series by M. C. Beaton. Poor Agatha tries so hard to find the perfect husband. I do sympathize about James.
Perfect Paragon, The
Walkers of Demby
Vicious Vet
Potted Garden
Murderous Marriage
Terrible Tourist
Wellspring of Death
Wizard of Evesham
Witch of Wyckhadden
Fairies of Fryham
Day the Floods Came
Love from Hell
Case of Curious Curate
Haunted House
Deadly Dance
My favorite classic mysteries
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories.
Agatha Christie...all of them, but especially the ones with Hercule Poirot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles.
Dorothy Sayer’s Lord Peter (for GussieFN).
John Mortimer’s Rumpole in Rumpole and the Angel of Death (short stories).
Wilkie Collins
Moonstone
Woman in White
Dashiell Hammett
Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man
Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon
Favorite mystery stories with a sports theme
Well, Harlan Coben’s hero, Myron Bolitar, used to play basketball. The correct order of the books is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Just One Look
There Will Be No Second Chance
Tell No One
Darkest Fear
Deal Breaker
Drop Shot
Back Spin
One False Move
The Final Detail
Innocent, The
Promise Me
The Woods
My favorite court or police procedure books
Lisa Scottoline has stories with ladies who are judges and lawyers.
Everywhere that Mary Went
Final Appeal
Legal Tender
Running from the Law
Rough Justice
Dead Ringer
Mistaken Identity
Devil’s Corner
Dirty Blonde
Killer Smile
Daddy’s Girl
In some of Nelson DeMille’s books, John Corey is the hero.
By the Rivers of Babylon
Cathedral
Charm School, The
Plum Island
Up Country
Night Fall
Lion’s Game
General’s Daughter
D. W. Buffa
Defense
Prosecution
Judgement
Star Witness
Legacy
The classic Earle Stanley Gardner mysteries that featured Perry Mason are still favorites.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
My favorite YA mystery stories...well, when I was young it was Nancy Drew of course.
Carolyn Cooney
Burning Up
Flight 116 Is Down
Face on the Milk Carton
What Happened to Janie
Voice on the Radio
Tune in Anytime
Whose Baby Is This?
Code Orange
My favorite true crime/political book
Thieves in High Places: They've Stolen Our Country and It's Time to Take It Back by Jim Hightower
I leave it to you in comments to tell us about popular mystery and crime writers that I did not list, and to mention which are your favorite titles of authors such as Robert Parker, Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Lyn Hamilton, Lawrence Block, Kate Atkinson, Stephen White, P. D. James, Martha Grimes, John Grisham, John Dunning, Janet Evanovich, Michael Connelly, Lincoln Child, Lilian Jackson Braun, Nevada Barr, or others.
Diaries of the week:
I couldn't resist bringing this one here:
I Am Water Planet Person Come From Water Planet
by Muskegon Critic
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Write On! And then a hero comes along...
by SensibleShoes
http://www.dailykos.com/...
What poems have you read recently?
by scpato
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Book review: Fred Kaplan's "1959"
by SusanG
Sun Jun 07, 2009 at 01:00:06 PM EDT
- The Year Everything Changed
By Fred Kaplan
Wiley, Hoboken, NJ: June 2009
Cloth, 336 pages, $27.95
http://www.dailykos.com/...
The Film, "HOME"
by EmilyD
http://www.dailykos.com/...
A lesson from the Book of A. A. Milne
by earicicle
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Sports and Poesy
by john keats
http://www.dailykos.com/...
In The Footsteps Of Cezanne (A Photoblog)
by Turkana
http://www.dailykos.com/...
"How I wonder how they are": a story of mental illness (a movie review)
by Reretiree
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Godel, Escher, Bach series: Birthday Cantatatata
by plf515
http://www.dailykos.com/...
NOTE: plf515 has changed his book talk to Wednesday mornings early.
sarahnity’s list of DKos authors has grown so much that she has her own diary.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
sarahnity says:
It turns out that we have quite a few authors hanging out here who have published books in the real world. A while ago, I started keeping a list of books by Kossacks, former Kossacks and Kossacks-once-removed. I was posting it each week to the diary series What Are You Reading and Bookflurries, but the list has grown long enough, that I've decided to turn it into a diary and post it as a weekly series on Tuesday evenings.
Not all Kossack authors may wish to lose their anonymity, so I am only including the author's UID if he has outed herself here (gender confusion intended). If you'd like to be included on the list, or if you know of an author who is left off, please leave a comment or email me.
(sarahnity@gmail.com)