I just got back from a book group meeting at a nearby Barnes & Noble and feel a bit excited to have found a group which I think might be a good one, and at the same time I feel a bit out of sorts as I’m the new girl. I’m so used to being one of the long-time members of my book groups that it’s kind of hard to join in a new one.
Anyway this is a mystery book group and it seems like they read all across the board (thrillers, cozies, etc.) as long as it’s in the mystery section. The only thing is that I believe they don’t necessarily read the first one in the series. Now, that’s going to be hard for me as I’m all about reading a series in order. My book group in Dallas had a definite rule about this so it fit me perfectly. Still, I’ll try to remain open-minded about this. heh.
Next month they’ll be reading The Collaborator of Bethlehem by Matt Beynon Rees. Sounds intriguing.
While I was at the bookstore I noticed that they had their classics on sale – buy two get the third free. Oh I was so tempted to buy some. I have started collecting those B&N editions but I refrained. Of course, I’ll be thinking about that sale all night so I may go back later this week.
Finally, I wandered around the mystery section to see what new books I could add to my wish list and I found a few. If you’ve read any of these let me know what you thought.
- The Fourth Man by K.O. Dahl. Publisher’s Weekly says: Little is as it seems in Norwegian author Dahl’s U.S. debut, which features a tangled web of art theft, blackmail, torrid sex and double crosses. Sounds good and it’s set in a cold country. This would be good for making me forget about the heat in Texas!
- Mind’s Eye by Hakan Nesser. Publisher’s Weekly says: World-weariness in a detective is well and good—but what if it ends up costing innocent victims their lives? That’s the predicament in which Detective Chief Inspector Van Veeteren finds himself in this moodily affecting mystery, the first to appear in Nesser’s native Sweden but the third to be published in the U.S. Yep, another Scandinavian mystery series I want to read.
- High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent. English scenery, a finishing school and maybe a ghost? This sounds like a fun cozy.
Alright, I’m off to do some reading.
The three books you found sound interesting! I might want to add The Fourth Man to my wishlist. 😉
Good luck at your new group. Trying new things can be so exhilerating and fun. I really hope you enjoy it.
That is great that you found a new group to join! 🙂
Hope the new book group goes well! I saw B&N had their classics on sale but I have thus far managed to restrain myself too. So hard!
Melody – The 4th Man sounds good doesn’t it? I hope I can find it at my library!
nik – Thank you! Yes, it is fun to try out new things… My first reaction is to resist change but then I tend to go with the flow.
Christine – I’m excited – and it’s so close! Granted I’ll miss our group 🙂
Stefanie – It’s hard to resist a sale like that isn’t it? And, the books are such a bargain anyway. I think I’ll have to go back later this week 🙂
Good for you to take the plunge.
Check out other groups at meetup.com and click Austin
I’ve had my eye on that series Bethlehem is a part of for awhile! And I’ve been attempting to resist the B&N classics challenge too: I love their covers, but I’m not impressed with their translations, so I only get the orgininally-in-English books usually. But there are still so many in great glorious piles!
I like to read things in order too; every once in awhile, I accidently start a series in the middle (or the end), and I’ve found that it isn’t as ruinuous as a I like to think!
It’s very difficult joining an existing book group when you’re used to being one of the main speakers. You have to judge so carefully how much you can put in and at what level. Like you, this is something I’ve recently done and although things are OK now, I had to play it very carefully for the first couple of meetings. Make sure you keep letting the existing members how good you think their comments are. I was amazed at how little self-confidence some of the members in my new group had.
Congratulations on finding a group that feels right to you. I know from experience how frustrating it can be to try to fit in to an established group.
I loved Mind’s Eye. I had not read the other two of his books that have been published here, but since Mind’s Eye is the first in the series, I consider it lucky that I hadn’t. I’m going to read the other books published here (The Return and Borkmann’s Point).
So you found a book group with such break-neck speed! 🙂 I bet you feel like your first day of school–excited but out-of-sort, wanting to fit in but also trying to figure out the rules. I hope it works out for you.
Maybe B&N just has better deals than Borders, I don’t ever remember having buy 2 get the 3rd free at Borders, except in Hawaii, where everything costs double.
Good for you for already finding a book club to join! You are fast. And how great that HPB is so close! I can walk to HPB, B&N, and the library. Sometimes this is dangerous.
Isabel – Oh that’s a great idea. I’ll check them out. By the way, I found a store today that you would love – it’s all about beads!
Eva – I don’t think I’ve read any of the B&N translations but when I do I’ll let you know what I think. I’m sorry to hear those aren’t as good. I’ll have to get over my “must start with the first book” issue 🙂
Ann Darnton – So true! I don’t want to come off as a know-it-all but at the same time I don’t want to just nod my head in agreement if I don’t like the book. It’s going to take me a while I’m sure to feel comfortable and if this isn’t the group then I’ll just have to search for another one!
Ann – You are a lucky one to have read that one first! I didn’t even realize they were publishing them out of order. I hate it when they do that and it seems to happen so often. Glad you enjoyed it. I’m definitely keeping that one on my wish list!
Matt – Hee,hee… I’ve got my priorities! So funny but true, you feel like you want to go there and make friends but don’t know who to sit to or who to talk to 🙂
Tara – I think I found a bookstore before I found a grocery store 🙂 But, I’m so happy to have a library, bookstores and HPB all within 10 minutes from me.
I hope the book group goes well — it’s wonderful to find a good one! Good for you for resisting the sale — I’m tempted to visit a B&N myself …
You’re very brave to join in an established book group like that. I don’t mind online, but in person I am too much of a coward if I don’t know anyone. Still it sounds like it could be fun (though I like to start at the beginning, too!). I was looking at the Dahl book, too! And I will have to check out Rebecca Kent–I’m in the mood for a cozy mystery.
I have also added The Fourth Man to my list and I just checked out Mind’s Eye from the library. I’m reading Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton right now, it takes place in Scotland on the Shetland Islands. I’m enjoying it. Thanks for always having great book ideas.
Dorothy W. – Thank you! I actually have found a few others so maybe I’ll explore those too just to see which one really fits me best you know!
Danielle – I know, I felt like I needed a friend to walk in with me so I wouldn’t be so intimidated 🙂 The Kent book looks really charming and I keep thinking about it. I may just have to order it.
Jennifer – Ooh, have not heard of Bolton before. I’m going to check that out what with the horrible heat we have here I wouldn’t mind “traveling” to someplace cool like Scotland 🙂
I haven’t yet read the book your group will be reading by Rees, but I have read the second novel in the series and I really liked it. Hopefully the first is just as good. Usually I do prefer to read book from series in order, but unfortunately it doesn’t always work that way. I’m trying to convince myself that’s okay, but it’s not always easy.
Ack, moving is so hard!! I’m glad you found a group to try at least and I hope it ends up working out :). I haven’t read a mystery in a while, your list of books has made me want to dive right into one!
Literary Feline – I remember your review of the Rees book. I think it really stuck with me too because I haven’t heard of any other mystery set up in that part of the world. I’ll let you know how this one goes!
Greer – It is hard isn’t it? I mean as much as you like your new place sometimes you just want the comfort of knowing where everything is or being around all you know.