Name the best modern mystery book for a new reader please
meowmix at Vancouver
Dorothy J Heydt
meowmix at Vancouver <meo...@vancouver.com> wrote:
>looking for something easy to read and interesting.
Well, not knowing how you define easy and interesting --- how
about the series of mysteries by Monica Ferris, set in and around
a needlework shop in Minnesota. It's sort of a semi-cozy; part
of the action is inside the shop and part is clambering around
frozen lakes and blizzards and other picturesque places. The
first one is titled _Crewel World_. Here's her page, with a list
of the others.
--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at hotmail dot com
Should you wish to email me, you'd better use the hotmail edress.
Kithrup is getting too damn much spam, even with the sysop's filters.
Janet
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
_Tropic of Night_ by Michael Gruber.
Depending on what you mean by "easy to read." Generally, the word "easy"
applied to anything worth doing well is a warning sign to me.
meowmix at Vancouver
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
I guess I did not make myself clear, sorry. I just finished 2 series -
Edward Marston (Railway Detective series) and Marcia Muller (Sharon
McCone Series), I had tried a few other writers but did not like them.
I am just looking for suggestion. Something not too complicated (not
upscurd like James Muchener, James Joyces, James Cawells) etc since I am
just a casual reader. Something interesting with little romance
Francis A. Miniter
Perhaps, the series by the late Philip Craig. Each is a
reasonably good mystery; all are set on Martha's Vineyard.
To some extent, each covers a different part of the island
and the culture of the island.
Or, the Reid Bennett series of Ted Wood, an Ontario author,
whose stories take place near Georgian Bay and south to
Toronto. These are fairly action packed.
--
Francis A. Miniter
Oscuramente
libros, laminas, llaves
siguen mi suerte.
Jorge Luis Borges, La Cifra Haiku, 6
Old Beeg
Brady), Margaret Maron (Deborah Knott), Dana Stabenow (Kate Shugak).
Beeg
Janet
In that case, I recommend Lee Child's Jack Reacher series.
Nancy2
wrote:
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
Very vague question, actually....you need to be more specific.
N.
Nancy2
wrote:
Try Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum, Bounty Hunter); Nevada Barr (Anna
Pigeon, park ranger), Robert Parker's Jesse Stone series, or Thomas
Perry's Jane Whitfield series.
N.
K Barrett
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
*G* Going by your email address I assume you've read the 'Cat Who...'
books? Lillian Jackson Braun.
K Barrett
Catherine Thompson
If you like Muller, how about Sue Grafton?
Personally, I'm currently hooked on cross-over books, like Kat
Richardson's Harper Blaine series and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series.
Catherine
Dorothy J Heydt
Here's my take on Braun and her cats, for what it's worth.
The first three, written in the 1960s, are great.
She then stopped writing for at least a decade.
The rest of the books, written later, are not good. IMO.
Stanley Moore
"Janet" <box...@maine.rr.com> wrote in message
news:7mijc1F...@mid.individual.net...
Rom,ance? Since when is there romance in a Reacher book? He gets laid once
in a while, sure, but there are no hearts and flowers involved. OTOH I love
Lee Child's series and highly recommend it for a strong central character
who is very different from the typical sleuth. It has great action and a
sense of raw justice that is lacking in many more politically correct works.
Stuart Woods has a series featuring lawyer-detective Stone Barrington which
might fill the bill. They are not cozies but are rather lightweight stories
and good old Stone gets a little romance into every book. Sometimes the
romantic interludes do not work out well such as the time he fell in love
with and married a mobster;s daughter but I like the series. Woods has
several series that sometimes overlap a bit. Take care
--
Stanley L. Moore
"The belief in a supernatural
source of evil is not necessary;
men alone are quite capable
of every wickedness."
Joseph Conrad
Annie C
"Stanley Moore" <smoo...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:-tWdnRXAX8uUz5nW...@giganews.com...
Romance and sex are not the same thing ;-)
I'll take the Reachers any day, you can keep the Woods.
<grin>
Annie
Mike Burke
wrote:
Sue Grafton's alphabet series.
Mique
Pogonip
>
> Personally, I'm currently hooked on cross-over books, like Kat
> Richardson's Harper Blaine series and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series.
>
> Catherine
I'm in your corner. Then I added in Tanya Huff's Blood books, Charlaine
Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series, and started on Laurel Hamilton's Anita
Blakes. Light, entertaining, fantastic fiction. Just what my tired old
head wants right now.
--
Joanne
stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth.milky-way.com
http://members.tripod.com/~bernardschopen/
Stanley Moore
"Annie C" <anni...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7mj2idF...@mid.individual.net...
Now wait a minute. <G> Don't get me wrong. I would much rather sleep with
Reacher than Stone Barringtn, myself. I was just pointing out the lack of
romance in Reacher books. Recall the first (or at least an early one) where
he gets involved in a kidnapping of a politician's daughter whene he spends
several days without a shower wearing the same clothes before having a hot
sexual interlude with the girl in a barn.
Compare Stone who wines and dines the women before that tumble into his
elegant bed in Turtle Bay. Plus Reacher doesn't get lucky in every book
while Stone gets at least fellatio if not a home run (usually more than
once) in each novel. From a romance POV I think Stone takes the cake. But
from a wild jungle sex POV Reacher would be my choice. Take care
--
Stanley L. Moore
Janet
Knowing what series the OP *didn't* like would be helpful to refine our
suggestions, but it seems that we aren't going to get that much information.
I'm puzzled by the idea that James Michener and James Clavell wrote
"absurdist" or "obscure" books--I'm assuming that those were the authors
s/he meant--since I would say that both wrote straightforward "good read"
kind of novels. Therefore I assume that the OP wants something very
plot-driven with little or nothing in the way of literary flourishes.
I recommended the Child series largely because the OP seems to really want a
simple and straightforward page turner. (Not going by what s/he has already
read, but by the stated needs.) Child writes a high-quality page turner.
With a little sex/romance now and then.
K Barrett
I remembered who I was trying to think of Phryne Fisher by Carrie Greenwood.
K Barrett
K Barrett
> In article <he18kn$ppk$4...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> K Barrett <morm...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> meowmix at Vancouver wrote:
>>> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
>> *G* Going by your email address I assume you've read the 'Cat Who...'
>> books? Lillian Jackson Braun.
>
> Here's my take on Braun and her cats, for what it's worth.
>
> The first three, written in the 1960s, are great.
>
> She then stopped writing for at least a decade.
>
> The rest of the books, written later, are not good. IMO.
>
I agree. The first ones are good. Later after he stops being an
investigative reporter, comes into some money and moves up state are
less appealing. But the OP's mileage may vary. They do star cats after
all!
K Barrett
Dorothy J Heydt
Yes, but the cats come bundled with silly Qwill and the other
silly humans.
Richard Ellis
<20c90d93-d230-4af0...@r24g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>,
Nancy2 <nancy-...@uiowa.edu> wrote:
I agree -- the Jane Whitefield series by Thomas Perry is a good
suggestion. All the books in the series are good. I would suggest
reading them in the order they were written:
# Vanishing Act (1995)
# Dance For the Dead (1996)
# Shadow Woman (1997)
# The Face Changers (1998)
# Blood Money (2000)
# Runner (2009)
I just ordered Runner. didn't know he wrote another! Thanks!!!
de
--
Everybody is right.
-Rochefoucault
Annie C
I knew you'd thought this through, Stanley. <G >
I prefer the jungle too..
heh.
Annie
Joan in GB-W
"Dorothy J Heydt" <djh...@kithrup.com> wrote in message
news:KtBFp...@kithrup.com...
> In article <he18kn$ppk$4...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> K Barrett <morm...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>meowmix at Vancouver wrote:
>>> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
>>
>>*G* Going by your email address I assume you've read the 'Cat Who...'
>>books? Lillian Jackson Braun.
>
> Here's my take on Braun and her cats, for what it's worth.
>
> The first three, written in the 1960s, are great.
>
> She then stopped writing for at least a decade.
>
> The rest of the books, written later, are not good. IMO.
>
> --
> Dorothy J. Heydt
I have 3 of the Cat books on my shelves. For some reason I had never read
them. About two weeks ago I started one and quit at about page 30; I tried
the second one and quit about the same place; the third I'm not even
starting. They go into the box for the library sale.
Joan
kat >^.^<
"Pogonip" <nob...@nowhere.org> wrote in message
news:4b045765$1...@news.bnb-lp.com...
I just added Shirley Damsgaard to this list--she calls her books "fluffy
woo-woo." She was on the cozy panel at Murder and Mayhem in Muskego, which
was an absolute hoot. Just finished her book, The Witch's Grave. I think
it's second in the series. Didn't improve my life or outlook or edify me in
any way, but was a decent little novel.
Now I'm reading a Tom Schreck novel, On The Ropes. He monitored the cozy
panel at last minute with panache. I'm really liking it and I'm only 49
pages in. No woo-woo, but it's not graphic at this point, so it might be a
male cozy, can't really tell yet.
kat >^.^<
in Rhinelander
Willow
five Scarpetta mysteries by
Patricia Cornwell, the Nelson DeMille mysteries, and Michael Grubber.
Or go further afield and look at the three mysteries by Nick Tosches.
Gosh, there are so many more.
Willow
Bud
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
Starting out? How old approximately, are you?
--
Bud
Dorothy J Heydt
The first three titles (chronologically) are
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
The Cat Who Turned On and Off
If you ever come across any of those three, try them. The rest
IMO (I said that before) aren't worth it.
Joyleen E. Seymour
meowmix at Vancouver
something light and easy after a long day at work. I also read in
different languages, Chinese, English and Japanese (mostly cartoon).
meowmix at Vancouver
and after a long day at work, I just don't want anything too heavy and I
love mystery with a little action and romance.
Fire Tiger
An action romance light mystery??? Wow. I don't even know a single
mystery that would qualify for that. Good or bad.
Scott Jensen
Francis A. Miniter
Ah, now I understand. Try the Spenser novels by Robert B.
Parker. The early ones are better, but that is because they
play on language and literature a lot. The later ones are
easier to read. The dialogue comes in short sentences. The
descriptions are not heavy on unusual vocabulary.
I sure wish I could read Chinese and Japanese.
--
Francis A. Miniter
Oscuramente
libros, laminas, llaves
siguen mi suerte.
Jorge Luis Borges, La Cifra Haiku, 6
Annie C
"meowmix at Vancouver" <meo...@vancouver.com> wrote in message
news:RhqNm.54233$PH1.6594@edtnps82...
I wonder if you might like the Lydia Chin & Bill Smith series by S.J.
Rozan? Not all that light, but really great writing and intriguing stories.
You can read more about the books and the author here
http://www.sjrozan.com/rozan/media/bio.html
Lydia is a Chinese-American PI who lives in NYC Chinatown and Bill Smith is
her PI partner, They have an interesting, affectionate relationship
http://www.thrillingdetective.com/chin_lydia.html
Does anyone have the URL link for that website "if you like this, you''ll
like that" ? I seem to have lost the bookmark..
Annie
Janet
Well, it depends what you mean by "romance." <G>
Bud
>
> Ah, now I understand. Try the Spenser novels by Robert B.
> Parker. The early ones are better, but that is because they
> play on language and literature a lot. The later ones are
> easier to read. The dialogue comes in short sentences. The
> descriptions are not heavy on unusual vocabulary.
>
> I sure wish I could read Chinese and Japanese.
Me too Francis. I was wondering if some of the older cowboy books would
be a start as they are easy to read and usually have a mystery and
romance. Authors like Max Brand, Luke Short, and Ernest Haycox. Look at
Google groups and you will find some post about western authors we had
early this year, IIRC.
And welcome to RAM.
--
Bud
Joan in GB-W
"meowmix at Vancouver" <meo...@vancouver.com> wrote in message
news:RhqNm.54233$PH1.6594@edtnps82...
You might like the Lee Harris series. They feature Christine Bennett, a
former nun, and are easy to read. The cast of reoccurring character are
quite nice people. After she leaves the convent, Chris often returns to
visit her old superior and theirs is a kind, intelligent relationship.
Chris does eventually find a love and so there is a little romance, but not
so much that it gets in the way of the story. I have read all of the books
in the series and wish there were a few more.
Joan
Annie C
"Mike Burke" <mbu...@pcug.org.au> wrote in message
news:563eg59pe62ituqfm...@4ax.com...
>
> Mique
Must be me, but I've never had a desire to read Westerns..None
For reviewing, I've read a few of Bill Crider's fun series (Sheriff Dan
Rhodes) set in a small Western town,
but other than those, no others. Not my cuppa. (Maybe it's a male/female
thing?)
Annie
Pogonip
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
This thread is too long to check, but did anyone suggest Donna Andrews?
Bud
>
> And don't forget Zane Grey who fills most of the criteria.
>
> Mique
Dunno Mique, he is a bit more fluent in English in his books than those
I mentioned. Did write some outstanding short stories.
--
Bud
kat >^.^<
"Fire Tiger" <recreati...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cbc1c8fe-b86b-47e0...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
Mary Stewart? I loved _Airs Above The Ground_. Ngaio Marsh's Inspector
Allyn mysteries were particularly pleasant. They are both old-fashioned,
but good stories.
Go to your library and ask the librarian. They LOVE this question. If
her/his eyes don't light up, try another librarian.
Don't be afraid to quit if a story doesn't grip you--there are many, many
books and just so much time.
Do you have any suggestions of mysteries or other books in Chinese or other
languages? We do enjoy a good translation.
kat >^.^<
Rhinelander, WI
Bud
>
> Must be me, but I've never had a desire to read Westerns..None
>
> For reviewing, I've read a few of Bill Crider's fun series (Sheriff Dan
> Rhodes) set in a small Western town,
> but other than those, no others. Not my cuppa. (Maybe it's a male/female
> thing?)
>
> Annie
The Westerns are a great relaxer and when you are in a funk and don't
feel like reading anything, Annie.
I took a louk at the La'Amour (spell that right?) group that popped up
and they are a gabby bunch like this group, just fewer readers. I did
introduce myself for fun to see what happens to an interloper.
--
Bud
Bud
> meowmix at Vancouver wrote:
>> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
>
> This thread is too long to check, but did anyone suggest Donna Andrews?
John is supposed to be keeping track. But no.
--
Bud
Wes Struebing
I suspect that Suzanne Brockman might be a bit heavy, but she is a
decent writer (of both romance and "mystery")
--
Wes Struebing
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.
Homepage: www.carpedementem.org
linkedin profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wesstruebing
ell...@webtv.net
Stephanie Plum number series (One for the Money, etc) by Janet
Evanovich, leegaal mysteries by William Bernhardt medical westerlies by
MIchael Palmer. I hope you find these suggestions useful and fun.
Also Ed McBain's police procedurals, (tops) and anything by Lauara
LIppman.
ell...@webtv.net
<<Stuart Woods has a series featuring lawyer-detective Stone Barrington
which might fill the bill. They are not cozies but are rather
lightweight stories and good old Stone gets a little romance into every
book.>>
He lost me when he came up with "Arrington." I thought the absurdity
wuold do him in, but iapparantel it didn't.
And I really don'r think a woman would consider those books romantic.
(Where is Beth Tindall when you need her?) Stone gets laid and laid and
laid. and then some. Good for him, but no girlz allowed. About as
romantic as MIckey Spillane.
Ellen
ell...@webtv.net
--
Stanley L. Moore >>
heh.
Annie>>
Works for me.
Ellen
Andrew Barss
In addtion to the suggestions in this thread already, I recommend:
Donna Andrews
Hailey Lind
Parnell Hall (several series)
Aaron Elkins
Nancy Atherton
Lyn Hamilton
- Andy Barss
ConnieM
wrote:
> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
Try Jane Haddam's Gregor Demarkian series: well-written, fun, a little
romance and ideas. Fun for smart people. ConnieM
Stanley Moore
"meowmix at Vancouver" <meo...@vancouver.com> wrote in message
news:fjqNm.54234$PH1.5646@edtnps82...
There is a genre of Romance slash Mystery boks that might appeal to you.
Suzanne Brockman writes them but there are many others. They are a
combination of action adventure and romance which Brockman does well. There
are the usual conventions of romance... boys meets girl, girl hates boy, boy
and girl get into dangerous situation, boys saves girl or girl saves boy,
boy and girl over come hate and fal into bed. Along the way there is a bad
giys who are after either the girl or boy. The stories are kght reading
nothing too intense or scary or gory and the boy and girl fall in love and
end up happily ever after. Sometimes the boy and girl have personal history,
sometimes even being exes to each other and they rekindle the fires.
Take care
--
Stanley L. Moore
"The belief in a supernatural
source of evil is not necessary;
men alone are quite capable
of every wickedness."
Joseph Conrad
Stanley Moore
"Fire Tiger" <recreati...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cbc1c8fe-b86b-47e0...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
Look into Suzanne Brockman. There are many others who write just such books.
Stanley Moore
"Francis A. Miniter" <fami...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:he6g5p$c27$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> meowmix at Vancouver wrote:
>> Nancy2 wrote:
>>> On Nov 17, 6:03 pm, meowmix at Vancouver <meow...@vancouver.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> looking for something easy to read and interesting.
>>>
>>> Very vague question, actually....you need to be more specific.
>>>
>>> N.
>> To be more specific, English is not my first language (may be my third)
>> and after a long day at work, I just don't want anything too heavy and I
>> love mystery with a little action and romance.
>
>
> Ah, now I understand. Try the Spenser novels by Robert B. Parker. The
> early ones are better, but that is because they play on language and
> literature a lot. The later ones are easier to read. The dialogue comes
> in short sentences. The descriptions are not heavy on unusual vocabulary.
>
> I sure wish I could read Chinese and Japanese.
>
> --
> Francis A. Miniter
The problem with Spenser is the romance is lacking due to the obnoxious
attitude of the girlfriend who is pretty unappealing. Take care
Stanley Moore
"Bud" <b...@bud.invalid> wrote in message
news:7mo5l0F...@mid.individual.net...
IIRC the Hudge Dee series are set in ChIna and feature a mystery with a love
interest as well. Take care
Phyllis
and murder and lots of eating.
For animal mysteries, Shirley Rousseau Murphy's Joe Grey and Dulcie
books are good. You can take talking cats, can't you?
For out of print mysteries, try finding the Miss Seeton books by Heron
Carvic and others but all well done.
Nancy Athertons Aunt Dimity series.
Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series.
I'm hooked on Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire, shapeshifter etc
friends... and not so much friends. There's romance of a sort in them,
too.
Enough.
Piliki
Annie C
"Bud" <b...@bud.invalid> wrote in message
Okay, I'm weird. When I said I don't go out of my way to read Western
novels, I forgot that I read Lonesome Dove back in the 80s and loved that.
Larry McMurtry's a truly wonderful writer. Many Western films work for me
too, especially Eastwood in spaghetti westerns or the classic High Noon,
Treasure fo Sierra Madre, etc. and even a couple of the old tv series
incl, The Wild, Wild West and Briscoe County Jr... Somehow, the more recent
Deadwood didn't work for me...
Annie..
j h
Joan in GB-W
"j h" <st_chan...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:17945-4B0...@storefull-3171.bay.webtv.net...
> Rhys Bowen's 'Her Royal Spyness' series is fun. Jan
>
Oh, that's a funny series. I do wish Bowen would write faster.
Joan
Dan Goodman
> For animal mysteries, Shirley Rousseau Murphy's Joe Grey and Dulcie
> books are good. You can take talking cats, can't you?
I enjoyed the first one, but the others haven't grabbed me.
--
Dan Goodman
Journal at:
dsgood.livejournal.com
dsgood.dreamwidth.org
dsgood.insanejournal.com
Dan Goodman
> The problem with Spenser is the romance is lacking due to the
> obnoxious attitude of the girlfriend who is pretty unappealing.
But she was probably meant to be appealing. And maybe is, to some
readers.
A R Pickett
Her protagonist, Joe Sandilands, always seems to encounter a beautiful
woman. Some of the books are set in India.
I am trying to remember some of the titles, there are several in the series.
The only one I can recall right now is RAGTIME IN SIMLA.
Romantic suspense is not quite my first choice all the time, but I've
enjoyed Cleverly's books.
HTH!
--
A R Pickett aka Woodstock
"It's bad luck to be superstitious"
Paul Phillips, Colorado Rockies catcher
Read my book reviews at:
http://www.booksnbytes.com/reviews/_idx_ws_all_byauth.html
Now blogging!
http://www.journalscape.com/woodstock/
Remove lower case "e" to respond
A R Pickett
> all!
Yes, they do. I would never disagree with anyone who pointed out that I am
nutso about my own cats. But the cats in Braun's books leave me cold.
For a good treatment of a cat in a book, I like Robert Crais and the
relationship between Elvis Cole and his cat. Keith Snyder's Jason Keltner
series also has it right.
A R Pickett
"K Barrett" wrote
>
> I remembered who I was trying to think of Phryne Fisher by Carrie
> Greenwood.
>
> K Barrett
I would recommend Greenwood, as well.