Last week I met with my mystery book group and we discussed The Shanghai Factor by Charles McCarry. Unfortunately this was not a favorite read but it did lead us into a very good discussion about agents and spying. One thing we all agreed on was that we all were wondering when the dead body was going to turn up. We all want a corpse in a mystery novel. Ha.
The next few months we’ll be reading books by Terry Shames, Carolyn Haines, David Hagerty and Caleb Carr. With the exception of Caleb Carr all others are new to me authors. I love that.
Anyway, I also recently shared with you some fiction books that are on my radar but as we are talking mysteries I thought you might enjoy reading about some of the books that I’ve been hearing about lately that I would like to pick up:
As Good As Gone by Amy Gentry. A 13 year old is kidnapped from her bedroom window one night and now eight years later is the young woman at the door the long lost daughter?
I’m Traveling Alone by Samuel Bjork. A six-year-old girl is found in the Norwegian countryside, hanging lifeless from a tree and dressed in strange doll’s clothes. Around her neck is a sign that says “I’m traveling alone.â€
The Defenceless by Kati Hiekkapelto. When an old man is found dead on the road—seemingly run over by a Hungarian au pair—police investigator Anna Fekete is certain that there is more to the incident than meets the eye.
The Girl in 6E by A. R. Torre. Meet Deanna Madden, a beautiful recluse with a thirst for murder. Luckily for the outside world, she has locked herself in her apartment to keep from acting on her urges.
Wolf Lake by John Verdon. The former NYPD star homicide detective is called upon to solve a baffling puzzle: Four people who live in different parts of the country and who seem to have little in common, report having had the same dream, a terrifying nightmare involving a bloody dagger with a carved wolf’s head on the handle. All four are subsequently found with their wrists cut, apparent suicides and the weapon used in each case was a wolf’s head dagger.
The American Girl by Kate Horsley. a riveting psychological thriller about an American exchange student in France involved in a suspicious accident.
Oh I do love a good mystery! As far as mysteries I’ve been reading I’m currently reading A Killing Spring by Gail Bowen and I’m enjoying it quite a bit. What about you, have you read a good mystery recently? Well, whatever you are in the middle of right now, I hope you have a wonderful weekend! It’s been such a long week at work so I’m definitely looking forward to some time with books this weekend.
I haven’t read a good mystery in a while, but right now I’m reading a great thriller. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch has sucked me in and I’m hoping to finish it up tonight. What an intense read!!
My favorite recent mysteries/police procedurals have been the Fredrika Bergman and Alex Recht series by Kristina Ohlsson and Joy Ellis’ series set in the Fens in England.
Mysteries are one genre I can’t say I read a lot from. They are not bad or anything. Just never seem to appear on my radar!
Are you reading the Gail Bowen mysteries in order? I read the first one years ago, then lost track, but recently heard an interview which had me itching to catch up with Joanna again.
As for other mysteries, I discovered the Susan Philpott series this year, which begins with Blown Red and features Signy Shepherd, who works on an underground crew of women who rescue other women who are caught in life-threatening situations. Entertaining, page-turners, but with a smattering of social commentary. For similar reasons, I’ve kept up with the Lene Kaaberboll and Agnete Friis series featuring Nina Borg (the fifth one was just published ths spring). I remember when it was easy to keep up with feminist mystery writing; it’s a nice problem to have, now, not being able to keep up!
I love mysteries! What you have suggested, or written about, are new to me. Two that I recently enjoyed the past few weeks are Under The Harrow, and The Couple Next Door. They wouldn’t disappoint if you came across them. 🙂
Les in NE – Oh I’ve been hearing a lot about Dark Matter. I hope you enjoy that one and will look forward to your thoughts.
Jenclair – Although I’ve only read the one Kristin Ohlsson book I definitely think I’ll be looking for more of her books. And, I have the Joy Ellis book on my Kindle after your review!
Kailana – Believe or not, there was a time in my life when I didn’t read any mysteries but I feel like I sort of re-discovered them again when I started blogging and now half of my reading is probably mysteries.
Buried In Print – Unfortunately I only have the one Gail Bowen book I”m currently reading. I found it when I was in Canada last year. I really am enjoying it a lot but I do feel a bit lost with regards to the backstory so I wish I had read it in order. But I’ll definitely keep on reading this one and hopefully will read more by her. Will look into the Philpott series you mentioned!
Bellezza – I have The Couple Next Door on my Kindle and look forward to that one. I keep reading such great reviews of it.
I am highly impressed with how far ahead your book group plans! Seems like very one I have ever belonged to waited until the month before to choose.
I haven’t read a John Verdon book in a long while. I liked American Girl. I haven’t read a mystery since Susan Spann’s The Ninja’s Daughter. Hopefully I will be picking one up soon–just have to decide which one!