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Read Thread: Mystery suggestions?

Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #260466 by doglvrs
Aug 1, 2008 2:17am
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but maybe you're talking about the Thursday Next series...
The Eyre Affair
Lost In a Good Book
The Well of Lost Plots
Something Rotten
The First Among Sequels (the 1 of a 5 part sequel)

THESE BOOKS ARE FANTASTIC!!!!!!!


Good! Because they didn't have the Nursery Crimes so I picked up these! Looking forward to trying some of the great suggestions.....
Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #260591 by Mama Stork
Aug 1, 2008 5:47am
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For a good historical mystery, try Sharon K. Penman. She has a series based on a fictional character that works for Eleanor of Aquitane. Sometimes the whole family is interspersed in the story. Prince John is a real character. At the end she also tells the reader what was real and what was fiction. A very good read! The first book is called "The Queen's Man"

Happy Reading!
Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #260409 by Three Hearts
Aug 1, 2008 7:13am
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These are some of the "historical" mystery series I like:

Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters--medeival monk
Sister Fiona mysteries by Peter Tremayne--ancient Ireland
Kathryn Swinbrooke (medieval herbalist)--CL Grace

After this discussion line, I have a huge list for our trip to the library today!

BirdWoman/Waltzing Pigs
Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #260684 by Waltzing Pigs
Aug 1, 2008 8:56am
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Sister Fiona mysteries by Peter Tremayne--ancient Ireland


I forgot about those, I haven't read any but I know I have one tucked away somewhere for a rainy day. I will have to take a look through my "To-Be-Read stash" of books.
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #260437 by Mama Stork
Aug 1, 2008 10:43am
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Sue Grafton (A is for....--I liked hte ifrst ones much better htan the recent ones)


Are these better read in order or does it not matter at all?
Re: Mystery suggestions?sue grafton a is for
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Reply to: #260827 by Puppy Pals
Aug 1, 2008 10:50am
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I think you should read them in order, she changes and evolves through the books, so it is easier to keep up if you read them in order.


Another Cozy mystery author is Mary Dahiem from Seattle, one of her detectives runs a bed and breakfast and gets into all sorts of scrapes with her cousin. The other detective is a single mom who runs a newspaper in a small PNW town. Lots of quirky characters ala Northern Exposure.

-Amanda from Seattle
Re: Mystery suggestions?sue grafton a is for
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Reply to: #260830 by Amanda from Seattle
Aug 1, 2008 11:02am
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Thanks! I just checked my library's website, and "A is for Alibi" is in, so it won't be a problem. :) I'm making a list of future reads based on lots of these recommendations. Who would've thought letterboxing would help me out with this?! :)
Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #260545 by Baqash
Aug 1, 2008 2:22pm
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Absolutely check out Martha Grimes' "Richard Jury" mysteries. I devour mysteries, and these are my FAVORITE series. Every book has a pub name (they are set in England) as a title. The plots are good, though it's not unusual that I figure out the whodunit. Where these books shine is through the characters. GREAT!

I also love the "Brother Cadfael" mysteries. Those of you who enjoy Ellis Peters might want to check out some of her historical fiction, too- it's quite good and impeccably researched. 'Ellis Peters' is a pen name; her other stuff is under her real name Edith Pargeter. I love the "Heaven Tree Trilogy". It's out of print, but you might find it somewhere.
KitCat
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #260095 by Mama Stork
Aug 1, 2008 2:30pm
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BTW, here is a great resource website: http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/

It lists mystery books by author or character and will tell you all the books in an entire series and what order to read them.

KuKu
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #260917 by KitCat
Aug 1, 2008 2:39pm
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Quote Absolutely check out Martha Grimes' "Richard Jury" mysteries.
I went to paperbackswap.com and noticed that there was a Richard Jury Mystery called the Dirty Duck. Sure enough, it is a real pub in Stratford upon Avon and Ryan and I ate dinner there! I think we even have photos of us at the pub. So I immediately ordered that book to read first! :-)

-Amanda from Seattle
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #260242 by dancingpecan
Aug 2, 2008 4:38am
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Have you read Rita Mae Brown's series with Mrs. Murphy (a cat) and Tucker (a Welsh Corgi)? I liked those better than Lillian Jackson Braun's books.


I wish I could hit "agree" more than once! I really like this series. It's light and fun and it's set in Virginia! :-) There was also a really cute Disney movie made about this series called Murder She Purred.
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #260095 by Mama Stork
Aug 2, 2008 4:59am
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Try the Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy! They are a mother daughter writing team! How cool is that? The books are thrilling and suspenseful but also quirky, funny and different. They're not quite cozy but not too graphic.

I also like the Crewel World series (needlecraft mysteries) by Monica Ferris just because I like needlecrafts. Each book has a pattern in the back which I think is a fun idea. If you like cozies and are interested in needlecrafts at all this might be a good fit.
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261147 by Virginia Rain
Aug 2, 2008 6:26am
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it's set in Virginia!

I was born and mostly raised in Virginia, so the books bring back happy memories.

There was also a really cute Disney movie made about this series called Murder She Purred.

Was that the one with Ricki Lake as Harry (the main character). It was cute. Although Ricki Lake is not quite how I picture Harry. (Harry is a woman in case any one is wondering, it was a nickname.)

dancing pecan
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261151 by Virginia Rain
Aug 2, 2008 6:29am
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Try the Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy!


Oh those were good. I'd forgotten them. Thanks for reminding me!

dancing pecan
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #260918 by KuKu
Aug 2, 2008 10:27am
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Quote BTW, here is a great resource website: http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/



What a great resource. Wish there was a way to create a list and flag the books that you have already read. Although my neighbor's mom just puts a green "X" on the back page of all the mysteries she has read from the library so she knows what not to check out again.

This thread (and this entire board) is killing me--so many more books/authors to explore. If I check them all out and read them, then my family will kill me :~)

BirdWoman/Waltzing Pigs
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261283 by Waltzing Pigs
Aug 2, 2008 10:31am
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I love to read Harlan Coben's books. interesting story, funny characters...One of his main characters, Myron Bolitar, is in several stories and is very good.
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261284 by Team Chopper
Aug 2, 2008 10:42am
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Oh, I like Harlan Coben too! I read a blurb that called him a "Jerry Maguire" detective (he is a sports agent) and that made me pick up the books.

-Amanda from Seattle
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261283 by Waltzing Pigs
Aug 2, 2008 3:12pm
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Quote This thread (and this entire board) is killing me--so many more books/authors to explore. If I check them all out and read them, then my family will kill me :~)


But in the meantime, you'll be be reading how other people were killed!

KuKu
Re: Mystery suggestions?sue grafton a is for
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Reply to: #260835 by Puppy Pals
Aug 2, 2008 8:16pm
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Who would've thought letterboxing would help me out with this?! :)


I know. How great is this site? I have learned all sorts of great stuff totally unrelated to letterboxing. I love it!!!!

-Girl Friday
Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #261284 by Team Chopper
Aug 2, 2008 8:28pm
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I love to read Harlan Coben's books. interesting story, funny characters...One of his main characters, Myron Bolitar, is in several stories and is very good.


I avoided these for a long time because I thought they were sports books. I was so wrong. These books made me lol. I just finished reading Tell No One (Different than Myron, but so very good) and now my husband is reading it. That was a great book too. Lots of surprises. Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors.

-Girl Friday
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261417 by aloha friday
Aug 2, 2008 8:46pm
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try the chocolate chip cookie murder by joanne fluke. her detective, hannah, owns a bakery and is dating both the town dentist and the chief detective in the sheriff's department. but hannah has a habit of finding dead bodies. there's a whole series of mysteries, chocolate chip cookie is the first one. you'll want to read them in order, since the characters in the small town of lake eden MN change and evolve through the books. and the recipes to her strange and delightful cookies and other desserts are in the books.

romana
Re: Mystery suggestions?
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Reply to: #261421 by Romana
Aug 3, 2008 4:27am
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try the chocolate chip cookie murder by joanne fluke.


This is one of the few sereis I still own after my great book exodus (De-cluterrig). I keep them on my cookbook shelf because the recipes are actually very very good!
Re: Mystery suggestions?
Board: Reading Room
Reply to: #260095 by Mama Stork
Aug 16, 2008 3:21pm
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how about suggestions from mystery fans??


Just saw this thread and had to put in my 2 cents...
Easily my fav mystery writer is Wilkie Collins, turn of the century (last century!) english author. Two of his boooks that I would highly recommend are The Woman in White and The Moonstone.

Come to think of it... it's been a while since I've read them myself; might just start one this afternoon since it's too hot to really do anything else. I'm also making note of the Thursday Next collection for my next trip to a bookstore/library.

HPL :o)