Books - What are you reading?

[FunkyNige]

LordGrover said:

The Frame-up - Meghan Scott Molin.

Not my kind of book at all, I think it was one of the free monthly offerings via Amazon Prime Kindle. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, funny and the odd twist. Fairly predictable but enjoyable nonetheless - finished in a couple of sittings.
Made a refreshing change from my usual sci-fi/thriller/detective addiction.

Same here, I also got it as it looked the most interesting on the Amazon prime free thing.
There were bits I didn't like (kept going on about being female), but overall I found it a decent page turner, I think I finished it at about 2am one morning as I didn't notice the time which is always a good sign!
I expect I'll do exactly as Amazon want me to do now and get the others in the series...

[lowdrag]

Firstly, I can't scan the cover because this is the manuscript copy for the press and so pointless. Even the title isn't there. However, the novel is "To Catch a Killer" and is written by Emma Kavanagh, a psychology consultant, and damned good it is too. The plot is very skilfully crafted, and in this 400 page book you really have no real idea as to where it is leading you, but you know for sure that you want to continue and find out. The plot twists and turns, taking directions you understand but could not have envisaged. I strongly recommend it to you, but you can't offer it as a stocking filler, because it will not appear for sale until 24th January next. But make a note if you like thrillers, because this one will keep you turning the pages.

[ElectricSoup]

I hope this isn't an inappropriate thread diversion, but I'm looking for some specific recommendations. Mrs ES is about to go in to hospital for a week, then will be at home off work recovering for 3 months. I'd like to get her some books for Christmas, and she particularly likes murder investigation type novels. One she particularly enjoyed this year was 'I Am Pilgrim' by Terry Hayes. Could anyone recommend some similarly good stuff please, particularly anything as part of a series which she could pick up on? She also liked the Enzo McLeod books by Peter May.

Thanks for any recommendations, it would be most appreciated.

[TheJimi]

IanA2 said:

TheJimi said:

I don't that it'll be one of the most challenging books you one could read. However, to call it "a more important read than any other book EVER" is an exceptionally bold assertion, to say the very least.

See what you think once you've read it....

I'll read it at some point, but without reading, my point remains - to say it's more important than any other book, ever, is a massively bold claim.

[andy_s]

ElectricSoup said:

I hope this isn't an inappropriate thread diversion, but I'm looking for some specific recommendations. Mrs ES is about to go in to hospital for a week, then will be at home off work recovering for 3 months. I'd like to get her some books for Christmas, and she particularly likes murder investigation type novels. One she particularly enjoyed this year was 'I Am Pilgrim' by Terry Hayes. Could anyone recommend some similarly good stuff please, particularly anything as part of a series which she could pick up on? She also liked the Enzo McLeod books by Peter May.

Thanks for any recommendations, it would be most appreciated.

Can't say for sure as I've not read either of those but the Harry Bosch series (20 or so now I think) by Michael Connelly is a solid detective / investigation type, there's lots of the nuance and clever subtlety missing from many others I think and, barring a few, the quality is pretty consistent. I think the first is 'The Black Echo' but the series arcs through LAPD detective, cold case unit, defence investigator; Bosch is a detective in the noir style of sorts, but shrewd with it.

[ElectricSoup]

andy_s said:

ElectricSoup said:

I hope this isn't an inappropriate thread diversion, but I'm looking for some specific recommendations. Mrs ES is about to go in to hospital for a week, then will be at home off work recovering for 3 months. I'd like to get her some books for Christmas, and she particularly likes murder investigation type novels. One she particularly enjoyed this year was 'I Am Pilgrim' by Terry Hayes. Could anyone recommend some similarly good stuff please, particularly anything as part of a series which she could pick up on? She also liked the Enzo McLeod books by Peter May.

Thanks for any recommendations, it would be most appreciated.

Can't say for sure as I've not read either of those but the Harry Bosch series (20 or so now I think) by Michael Connelly is a solid detective / investigation type, there's lots of the nuance and clever subtlety missing from many others I think and, barring a few, the quality is pretty consistent. I think the first is 'The Black Echo' but the series arcs through LAPD detective, cold case unit, defence investigator; Bosch is a detective in the noir style of sorts, but shrewd with it.

Ah, thanks for that. She has watched the Bosch TV series though, would that be wildly different from the book plots?

[andy_s]

ElectricSoup said:

Ah, thanks for that. She has watched the Bosch TV series though, would that be wildly different from the book plots?

The TV adaption I warmed too (it's tricky when you've imagined how a character would be after reading him for 10 years) and probably takes 3-4 of the book plots and intermingles them a little but keeps the general 'feel'. I'd guess if she enjoyed the TV she'll enjoy the books as like always you get to 'see behind the act' which makes it richer but also there's still 80% of the books that haven't been on the TV as such.

[ElectricSoup]

andy_s said:

ElectricSoup said:

Ah, thanks for that. She has watched the Bosch TV series though, would that be wildly different from the book plots?

The TV adaption I warmed too (it's tricky when you've imagined how a character would be after reading him for 10 years) and probably takes 3-4 of the book plots and intermingles them a little but keeps the general 'feel'. I'd guess if she enjoyed the TV she'll enjoy the books as like always you get to 'see behind the act' which makes it richer but also there's still 80% of the books that haven't been on the TV as such.

That's brill, thanks. Do you know which of the books have been used for the TV series(es), so that I can avoid them please?

[DoctorX]

Has she got a Kindle? You can fill it with cheap detective series. I quite like the LJ Ross DCI Ryan Books and they’re cheap as chips on Amazon.

[ElectricSoup]

No Kindle, doesn't like them.

[IanA2]

Just finished the Shardlake series by C J Sansom. About as long (or longer) than a Dance to the Music of Time. Wonderful Tudor romp through a world of corrupt politics, corrupt lawyers, murderous aristocrats and peasant uprisings.

Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....

A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.

[droopsnoot]

andy_s said:

The TV adaption I warmed too (it's tricky when you've imagined how a character would be after reading him for 10 years)

I have exactly that problem with the ITV adaptation of "DCI Banks" - Stephen Tompkinson is not how I imagined Banks while I read all the Peter Robinson books. I've also read all the Michael Connolly books, very good indeed. I bought the first series of the TV series on DVD but haven't got around to watching it yet.

[LeasedAlfa]

ElectricSoup said:

That's brill, thanks. Do you know which of the books have been used for the TV series(es), so that I can avoid them please?

Don't worry about that - the books are so much better than the TV series that you / she will enjoy them anyway.

[andy_s]

ElectricSoup said:

That's brill, thanks. Do you know which of the books have been used for the TV series(es), so that I can avoid them please?

Sorry - didn't see your question - I think (if memory serves) that there were about 4-5 of the books that were used as the main plot and side-plots, but I can't remember off the top of my head which ones; as above though, the books would still 'stand alone' as each one has it's own arc and side-plots in addition to the overall simple plot. It won't be repetitious.

[droopsnoot]

Wiki says "and the first season takes its inspiration from three of Michael Connelly’s novels: City of Bones, Echo Park, and The Concrete Blonde. ", but reading more about the series it seems different enough that it won't matter.

[ElectricSoup]

andy_s said:

ElectricSoup said:

That's brill, thanks. Do you know which of the books have been used for the TV series(es), so that I can avoid them please?

Sorry - didn't see your question - I think (if memory serves) that there were about 4-5 of the books that were used as the main plot and side-plots, but I can't remember off the top of my head which ones; as above though, the books would still 'stand alone' as each one has it's own arc and side-plots in addition to the overall simple plot. It won't be repetitious.

Thanks andy, much appreciated.

EDIT: I just ordered a box set of 19 Bosch books (brand new) off ebay for £39.99. Hopefully that'll be appreciated and keep her busy.

Edited by ElectricSoup on Friday 7th December 12:16

[droopsnoot]

I've just finished "The Steel Kiss" by Jeffrey Deaver, one of the Lincoln Rhyme books. Very good, as they always are, a couple of little twists and a good read. Only a few minor issues with not reading them in order, nothing that detracted from the story.

[FlossyThePig]

IanA2 said:

Just finished the Shardlake series by C J Sansom. About as long (or longer) than a Dance to the Music of Time. Wonderful Tudor romp through a world of corrupt politics, corrupt lawyers, murderous aristocrats and peasant uprisings.

Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....

A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.

What's Tombland like?

Apparently Richard Rich was a right bd in real life.

[IanA2]

FlossyThePig said:

IanA2 said:

Just finished the Shardlake series by C J Sansom. About as long (or longer) than a Dance to the Music of Time. Wonderful Tudor romp through a world of corrupt politics, corrupt lawyers, murderous aristocrats and peasant uprisings.

Mr S is both medievalist and lawyer and sure knows his onions which he chops and sautés well to serve up an entrancing soup.....

A very long but educational and entertaining whodunnit.

What's Tombland like?

Apparently Richard Rich was a right bd in real life.

It is excellent. He adds a lengthy essay on who's who and what's what at the end. Possibly worth reading that first.

Yes, RR would fit nicely into the modern political spectrum, at the Rich'n'Rotten end....

[Prolex-UK]

D-Day the soldiers story by Giles Milton. Excellent so far well worth a read.

Got Blenheim summer next. About the bristol blenheim light bomber in the early part of WW2.