[Tanniker Smith]

Thank you to all who participated in last week's discussion of historical fiction. Last week's thread can be found here.

My apologies for the lateness of this posting, but it has been one really hectic week, and another one is starting tomorrow.

A few items that I need to bring up: first, if you check this thread and notice that no one has posted yet in a given day, feel free to give it a bump so newcomers have a chance to stumble across our little club.

Second, we need a topic for next week. I'm open as to how to pick it.

Third, I will be at a science fiction convention next weekend, so I won't be able to start a new thread unless it's started on Friday (early afternoon) or sometime on Monday. Sunday night is probably out -- besides being Palm Sunday, I usually only average about 6 hours sleep for the weekend (the whole thing, not per night).

Now let us discuss -- whodunit!

TS

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Is this a new group?

[RaceBannon]

Just finished INTELLECTUAL MORONS by Flynn.

Highly reccomended, but he is against the war, be warned about that chapter

Also finished WAR STORIES part 2, Ollie North, stories from the Pacific, great read.

[Tanniker Smith]

Mystery ping to you all.

The butler did it.

[Tanniker Smith]

Sigh. I linked the wrong week. Here is last week's thread.

TS

[clyde asbury]

bookmark - no pun intended

[Mrs.Liberty]

please add me to your ping list!

[CindyDawg]

Add me to the ping list please.

[Coyoteman]

Aaron Elkins

The Dark Place

A very good anthropological murder mystery. Some nice historical (anthropological) accuracy.

No, the butler did not do it. Hint, murder weapon: atl-atl.

[Tanniker Smith]

So my first mysteries would probably be the ones that Mr. G. made us read in the tenth grade. (I was never much for Encyclopedia Brown or the Hardy Boys before that.) He had us read Sherlock Holmes books (thanks to him, I read the four novels over two years) and a couple of Agatha Christie.

Q: are Sherlock Holmes stories mysteries? The reader can't really solve them. Information is held back. This is not that case with Christie books. The clues are there if you can put them together.

TS

[Gene Vidocq]

Has anyone read this "mystery novel"?

Analyzing The Anthrax Attacks
by Edward G. Lake
Edition: Paperback

Product Description:
A comprehensive, detailed analysis of all the publicly available information about the anthrax attacks of 2001.
The book presents known facts, analyzes those facts and presents conclusions as to what the facts mean.

Errors by the FBI, the CDC, by other government organizations and by the media are examined. Conspiracy theories are debunked. Facts are laid out for examination.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0976616300/qid=1110515842/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2205720-9800925?v=glance&s=books

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Please add me to your book ping list!

My favorite "new" mysteries are Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey books. I had the misfortune of starting with THE NINE TAILORS, which really didn't suit me, but then started at the beginning of the series with WHOSE BODY? and was rewarded by getting totally sucked into the series! I love Lord Peter (who, I suspect, is a remote ancestor of Miles Vorkosigan, if I may mention a SF hero -- of sorts), and it was such fun to see Sayers develop his character throughout the series. I also love Harriet Vane, whom Sayers introduces as his romantic foil late in the series. Just too, too much for for an anglophile like me! (And Sayers is good about giving you all the clues you need.)

[mathluv]

I have just recently begun reading Christian fiction - but with mystery added.

Colleen Coble has 3 books with Bree Nicholls and her Search and Rescue dog, Samson. (very similar to Virgina Lanier's Bloodhound series.)

Dee Henderson has an excellent series on the O'Malley's.

[codercpc]

I just finished a book by Brad Meltzer called "The Zero Game", more of a thriller than a mystery, but a very good book.

It centers in Washington DC, and the main characters all work in the Capital. Although the setting is political, it's not really. It's premise is a game that certain Congressional aides, and politicians play regarding bills that are about to be passed. They basically "bet" on the outcome of a bill, or if a bill will get to the floor for a vote, and because they are all Washington insiders they try and manipulate the process to their advantage. The twist is that no one knows who else is playing, because the players all have confidentiality.

After a murder of one of the players, a race ensues all centered on a abandoned gold mine in South Dakota.

Although not my favorite book of all time, it is certainly entertaining, and an easy read, I recommend it for a lazy weekend read.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Mysteries are one of my favorites. I recommend books by these writers:

John Sandford
Dennis Lehane
John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee & everything else)
Ruth Rendell (who also writes as Barbara Vine)
James Lee Burke
Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House & We Have Always Lived in the Castle)

One of my favorite books in this genre is "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt. If you've missed this one along the way, treat yourself. :)

Happy reading!

[don-o]

Rex Stout: Nero Wolfe is a big detective (weighing close to 300 pounds) in NYC who never leaves his home on business. His assistant, Archie Goodwin does his legwork. Wolfe has absolutely no interest in women, but he is passionate about good food, good books and orchids.

He is somewhat lazy and Archie, who also handles their finances, often has to drive him to take a case. Archie also has to round up witnesses and bring them to the house, where Wolfe questions them and solves the mystery.

A special treat with all the books is the descriptions of the food that the chef, Fritz, prepares. Also, in one book, Wolfe scrambles eggs in a double boiler, which takes him 45 minutes. Someday, I do want to try that.

There was a television series based of the characters - I only watched it one time. I did not want my enjoyment of the books to be influenced by the images they chose for the characters and location. (I feel the same about "Cold Mountain. Will not watch that movie, ever.)

[firebrand]

He's always shelved in the Mystery section, so I'll submit Elmore Leonard as the champ, although they aren't classic mysteries. There is suspense, though. Crime novels, I guess you would call them.

Also, classed as a psychological thriller, Andrew Klavan's Animal Hour.