What we're reading, the MTS edition

I've been making my way through Louise Penny's books at a leisurely pace and in sequence. Finished Still Life and A Fatal Grace, and am now about halfway through The Cruelest Month. I've enjoyed them, especially the sense of place that they convey of Quebec. They remind me a bit of Agatha Christie novels.

Now reading Colin Cotterill's Thirty-three Teeth, which is another featuring his Laotian coroner Dr Siri.

Just finished a book for a review - Frank Zafiro's At Their Own Game. It's a police procedural, except the protagonist isn't a cop, he's an ex-cop. But Zafiro does such a good job in this guy's head, that you know he still thinks like a cop. He's a small time hood considering a jump to being a drug dealer, and how he has to avoid the tidal wave of trouble that comes down on him after the deal goes wrong. It's pretty good. I'm also still reading a collection of Sherlock Holmes shorts.

I posted some of my recent reads to a Reading List page on my site. I’ve got five books posted now, a mix of private eye, investigative reporter, and criminal MC mysteries. (My site page includes a brief synopsis of each.)

Most are not from bestseller lists, they were available at my public library, and I liked them all.

The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley (Private eye MC, Pub. 1978)

The Good Cop by Brad Parks (Reporter MC, 2014 Left Coast Crime award winner for Best Humorous Mystery Novel.)

A Good Death by Christopher R. Cox (Private eye MC, 2014 PWA Shamus Award nominee for Best First PI Novel)

Criminal Karma by Steven M. Thomas (Criminal MC)

Southside by Michael Krikorian (Reporter MC)

Best wishes,
Peter DiChellis

I am attempting to read The Book Thief.

Very very strange book. Not sure if I like or not yet. Has anyone read this? I didn't see the movie.

Just started this year's Edgar Winner - Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. This is an Edgar Winner? Seriously? Maybe we all need to brush up on our literary fiction skills. I don't hate it, and yes, it does seem to involve crime, but it's not what I think of when I think Edgar.

Well, I just read Stress Fractures by the young lady above. I would recommend that you read it, too.

Yesterday I took a break from the long nonfiction book that I've been examining and read James M. Cain's novella, Double Indemnity. All I can say is Wow!

Great book -- I'd recommend it anyone who's into mysteries, noir fiction, or novellas.

Vito said:

Yesterday I took a break from the long nonfiction book that I've been examining and read James M. Cain's novella, Double Indemnity. All I can say is Wow!

Great book -- I'd recommend it anyone who's into mysteries, noir fiction, or novellas.

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It's a great movie too. Fred MacMurray, believe it or not. And Edgar G. Robinson.

jeseymour said:

It's a great movie too. Fred MacMurray, believe it or not. And Edgar G. Robinson.

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I saw the movie on TV back in the 1980s and liked it. I liked the book even more although it actually sort of creeped me out!

Judith McNaught - Remember When

Not one of my favorites from her, but she is a good point of reference for aspiring romance authors out there who want to focus on character growth

Just read The Norfolk Mystery by Ian Sansom. I had looked forward to reading this. Don't. Really don't. It has to be one of the silliest books I have read in a very long time. Card board cut out characters that I found irritating. Only finished reading it to find out if any one had done it. Big sigh . . . .

Okay, so Ordinary Grace is getting better as it goes along, but it was a bit of a slow start. With all the drilling we get about opening lines, it's interesting to read a book that doesn't have a super fast start.

Finished Ordinary Grace. Worth reading, really. Now reading The Best American Noir of the Century. Includes a story by one of my favorite authors and all around great guy - Brendan DuBois.

heyjude said:

Police by Jo Nesbo. I like Nesbo quite a bit, and Harry Hole, but good heavens. How many times can one author pull the "is he or isn't he dead?" trick. The lengths she went to manipulate the reader on the 2nd or 3rd time made me roll my eyes. The book was plenty suspenseful enough without that.

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I've read most of the Harry Hole books though not yet Police. Who is the she you're referring to? Did Nesbo bring back the female cop who was trying to find Harry Hole in Asia a few novels back? I ask because I thought that character was interesting.

heyjude said:

Dang it. You know, I've been under the mistaken impression that Nesbo was a woman. Sorry!

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I thought the same.

Just finished reading 'The Redeemer' and looked the author up on line. Talk about surprised to find out she was a he.

Oh, that's funny! I met Nesbo at a conference once years ago and there were at least thirty attractive young women vying to speak with him, for good reason. He's well-spoken, charismatic and wears a mean T-shirt. Drop him into an action thriller movie and he'd be right at home with an automatic weapon in his hands. I guess I've known his gender-identity for so long that I never had the opportunity to be confused.

I will admit that I long thought my favorite Swedish to English translator Laurie Thompson (Henning Mankell's brilliant translator) was a woman... imagine my surprise when I discovered he was a very male British academic living in Wales!

Ah, names!

Just started back into Ross MacDonald. An oldie but goodie. Will re-read a couple of his novels I already own before buying yet another from his collection.

Reading Thankless in Death by J.D Robb. I do love her books.

I’m about halfway through John Lescroart’s The Keeper, the latest in his excellent and long-running Dismas Hardy defense attorney series. Outstanding.

Top of my TBR list for later in the year is Michael Connelly’s upcoming Harry Bosch novel, scheduled for release in November. Sounds like a great twist on a “cold case” story.

Best wishes,
Peter DiChellis

I've re-read some of P. D. James Dalgliesh books,Devices and Desires, The Lighthouse and The Private Patient.