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Topic: November Mysteries We Are Reading

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Subject: November Mysteries We Are Reading
Date Posted: 11/2/2017 6:19 AM ET
Member Since: 5/13/2009
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What mysteries are you reading in November??

Happy readings while thinking about Thanksgiving.

 

I am reading Kindred by Steve Robinson. This  book is number five in the series. Very good genealogical mysery series. Germany past and present is the setting for this book. Highly recommend this series. Can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading them in order. 



Last Edited on: 11/2/17 6:22 AM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 11/2/2017 9:05 AM ET
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I like that series, Alice. Read them all.

Currently reading on my Kindle This Side of Murder (Verity Kent #1) by Anna Lee Huber. Although it's not a bad story, I don't seem to really care that much about the characters. Verity Kent lost her husband during WWI and is still grieving. She's invited to an engagement part for one of her husband's friends and is left a book with a message that insinuates her husband was a traitor. With the help of a handsome stranger, she begins to investigate the people gathered there who served with her husband during the war. I actually like the author's other series better.

 

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Date Posted: 11/2/2017 9:33 AM ET
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Tender on Le Vine by Andrew Bergman. A Bergman was recommended to me and this was the only one available here on pbs.

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 11/3/2017 7:04 AM ET
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I am starting Wrath of the Furies by Steven Saylor. He is one of my favorite historical mystery authors. He brings ancient rome to life.

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Date Posted: 11/3/2017 5:47 PM ET
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Print: Murder in Morningside Heights by Victoria Thompson (#19 Gaslight historical mystery)

Audio: The Novice's Tale by Ann Swinfen (#2 Medieval Oxford historical mystery)

Kindle: Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham (#1 Fiona Griffiths mystery)

<waves to the crowd>

Cheryl

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Date Posted: 11/4/2017 8:07 PM ET
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I have read several books over the last week, currently I am reading 'Killing Weeds' by Joyce and Jim Lavene.  One of their Peggy Lee Garden Mysteries.

I live in Maine, as some of you know, and we had a very bad storm last Sunday night with high winds.  I had been out of power from Sunday night until just about 4 hours ago.  Geesh ~ what a week!  No running water, no heat, no flushing toilets except with a bucket of water that we had to haul in, no internet, no showers, etc.  Nothing.  I've been without power for a couple days before and thought that was bad.  I would never wish this on anyone.  But now we are back in the land of the living. My DH and I have now been able to get hot showers, the water runs freely from the faucets and of course, we have the internet back.  Alice ~ did you get any of this weather?

 

 

 

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 11/4/2017 8:23 PM ET
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We got a lot of rain and lost power for about 10 hours. Theresa in Rhode Island lost power for serveral days.

Alice

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Date Posted: 11/5/2017 9:49 AM ET
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As to the Steve Robinson books mentioned by Alice, one REALLY should read in order as there is at least one continuing thread --- I enjoy them very much.

Oh how I love City Water!!!  Lived with well and septic for 18 years and the worst nightmare was a power outage coming before I could fill the bathtubs with water!!!!  The downside is one does have to pay for the water and sewer, but lightning no longer brings an irrational fear.

I have been reading non-stop but would be hard pressed to tell you what without looking at my list ---- so VERY sad.  Obviously nothing that jumped out --- oh the latest Bess Crawford book by Charles Todd, nurse during WWI is one I remember.  I am currently reading "Broken Music", author a mystery, but it is quite good.  Also around WWI but with a mystery as to a young woman's death.  Will report the author later.

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Date Posted: 11/13/2017 3:43 PM ET
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the Joe Gunther series by Archer Mayer. I don't know how many books in this series.

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Date Posted: 11/19/2017 11:10 AM ET
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I read Among the Wicked in the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo. Kate goes undercover in a radical Amish community in upstate New York. It's good that the author translates the Pennsylvania Dutch dialog the first time, but the third time she translates the same phrase it gets annoying. The book was okay, but definitely not the strongest entry in the series. 

Then I read The Yellow Ribbon Murders by Dr. Selden Lambert who turns out to be a woman. That really surprised me because in one scene in the book she has a character stick herself with a crochet needle while making a chair seat cover. Needlepoint chair set covers, yes. Crochet, maybe. But there are no crochet needles, only crochet hooks, and it would be difficult to stick oneself with one of those. Anyhow, the book is about serial killings in a small Mississippi town, but it could be a small town anyplace because there's no feeling at all for the South. The reader knows who's doing the killings from the beginning. There is a lot of what's in the backgrounds and minds of the killers, which is apparently Lambert's speciality. Her degrees are in psychology and criminology. But overall, I don't think she added much if anything to my knowledge of what drives serial killers. The book was okay, but I doubt I'll get the sequel.

Still unpacking and getting used to South Carolina. Unlike Phoenix I have to check the weather online everyday to see how to dress as the temperatures seem to fluctuate by 20 degrees from day to day. Trying to get used to the concept of layering to stay warm/cool/comfortable. What I really notice is the people. Everyone is friendly and polite, including kids, who never fail to open doors for me. People wave to each other in passing, even if they don't know each other. I'm only a block from Family Dollar, but it's 11 miles into the next town to go to the grocery store. So I'm getting used to shopping for more than a day at a time. It is nice to have my pots and pans and dishes available again. I made chili last week, and a couple nights ago made a pot of vegetable soup. Will probably do a pork roast next. To those of you who are praying types: I really need someone to buy my Phoenix house!

Any of you hear anything from Geri?



Last Edited on: 11/19/17 11:18 AM ET - Total times edited: 2
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Date Posted: 11/19/2017 1:51 PM ET
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Hi Mary! It's good to know that you are getting settled in! Geri just sent me an e-mail today. They are getting their first snow - big fluffy flakes that won't stick. Sounds beautiful! She is still doing sorting to downsize the things in her house (something that I have to do more of - hmmmm). I think she sees Connie from time to time. Overall, she sounds good!!!! Take care and take it easy! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Date Posted: 11/22/2017 7:15 PM ET
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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Date Posted: 11/22/2017 7:20 PM ET
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I'm reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. The characters and dialog are what really make the books, especially any dialog with Ruth Zardo. LOL

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 11/22/2017 10:18 PM ET
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I am reading a cute new cozy right Bearly Departed by Meg Macy. First in a series. Very enjoyable. 

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Date Posted: 11/27/2017 4:26 PM ET
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Was just at the post office to mail out 8 books to 4 people. I'm getting to know the postal clerk well. Today I found out that she and her husband actually looked at my house when they were looking for a new home. 

I wasn't too happy with the ending of The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, but I must say that the characters and dialog were some of the best in the series. Now I'm reading Without Mercy by Jefferson Bass in the Body Farm series.

After having all my incoming and outgoing books on vacation hold for so long while I was in the process of moving, I'm now trying to catch up on a lot of WL books. I finally have all my books - those available for request and those on my TBR - organized by author. They fill ten 4-foot shelves in my office. My new house is almost 500 square feet larger than the one I had in Phoenix. I'm getting more exercise just going from one room to another. The dogs and I share my bedroom, sitting room (TV, stereo, reading chair), kitchen and office. The guest room and living room are at the front of the house with the formal dining room smack in the middle - no windows. It will all feel a lot more spacious after I finish emptying the last few boxes and take them out to the garage. I'm hoping to find someone who's planning to move who will take them off my hands so I don't have to cart them to the recycling center. I have a wonderful front porch that's 400 square feet. It will easily accommodate a glider, table and chairs so that I and my guests can someday sit and watch the passers-by headed for the dollar store up the street.



Last Edited on: 11/27/17 4:26 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 11/29/2017 2:27 PM ET
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Mary ~ So glad you are getting settled.  I love it that you have a front porch.  I don't have one and my dream house would have a screened in porch somewhere on the house.

Currently I'm starting 'Fixing to Die' by Miranda James in her series about the Ducote sisters and their adventures as they solve crime.  I hope I have enough oomph when I'm their age! Of course this is a spin-off series from her 'Cat in the Stacks' series.  Very good.

Maine had a terrible wind storm on Oct. 30.  Half a million people lost power.  For quite a long while.  We lost power for a week after a pine tree fell across wires about 500 feet below our house.  We live on a fairly small community street, so we weren't particularly on the fast track to get our power back.  Unlike Becky, we don't have city water or gas.  So we had to schlep the water to flush the toilets, for our own hygiene and cooking and giving the cat.  We were out Monday and finally got it back on Saturday late afternoon.  They had to pull in thousands of repair men from several states as well as Canada.  If you live in one of those states, Thank-you!



Last Edited on: 11/29/17 2:34 PM ET - Total times edited: 1