What are you reading?

[Dolly E]

Today I am reading Henning Mankell, a Swedish writer. I found him through the Poisoned Pen, the same place that led me to Stephen Booth!  American readers, take note!  This wonderful institution, okay book store, carries American and international writers.  They review at least a hundred new books a month, and post them to the website: poisonedpen.com and, they are on My Space as well.  I read constantly and am eagerly awaiting the new Booth; which I hope will be signed!  I have many of my favorite authors works signed, all from the Poisoned Pen.  Okay people I think you understand, besides being a means of letting the rest of the 'actual reading' public know PP, I would like you all take an internet trip to the site and meet an unusual group of booknuts.  Oh, and they are not confined to simply mystery, adventure, history, cook books, and I don't know what all.  They do manage to present mystery in combination with the afore mentioned categories.  Enjoy!

[jimmiller]

For those interested in British or other non-US authors I would strongly recommend awesomebooks.com, based in the UK.  If you buy two or more books the shipping is free. They have a wide range of used and new books.

I looked at Poisonedpen.com,there is nothing said about shipping?

[Chief Super]

Many readers outside the UK use The Book Depository for British books. They offer free worldwide shipping, as well as discounted prices. I don't know how they manage to do that!

As it happens, Stephen is the featured author on their crime pages right now:

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/category/id/2616/b/90/t/483#StephenBooth483

[duncan]

I am currently working my way through the Alan Banks novels by Peter Robinson, currently reading "Cold is the Grave". Started reading these while waiting for the follow up to "Dying to Sin".

From other posts he appears many others who enjoy Stephen's books also like the Robinson's Banks series, and I think anyone who has not yet read any of these should give them a try.

 

[jimmiller]

Many readers outside the UK use The Book Depository for British books. They offer free worldwide shipping, as well as discounted prices. I don't know how they manage to do that!

As it happens, Stephen is the featured author on their crime pages right now:

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/browse/category/id/2616/b/90/t/483#StephenBooth483

One way they do it is by charging high prices for books. Compare their prices with Awesome.

[Chief Super]

Jim - the difference is that Awesome is a second hand book dealer. Of course their prices are lower. If you want to pick up some used copies of old or out of print books, that's fine. But you won't be able to order a copy of 'The Kill Call' on Awesome at any price!

[JanJan]

I've just finished 'At Risk' by Patricia Cornwell. It was dreadful, I really could not care less about the characters, or indeed the plot and I don't think Patricia gives a toss either. I think she is very overrated but this felt like something she threw together one afternoon.

I've now started a Peter James and I was gripped  on page 1.

[jimmiller]

Jan-
I'm with you,I gave up on Cornwell after two or three.

For the most part I find the UK authors to be much more thought-provoking and intense.  The super-hero stuff coming out of the US is just boring. imho

[Judith]

[Just finished Stuart McBride's "Blind Eye". I have read all four previous DS McCrae novels and need less to say I love 'em.

[Judith]

I am just whizzing through Ian Rankin's "Open Doors". Looks like all is well post Rebus. Good job I did the speed reading course, because I have Peter James' latest "Dead Tomorrow" waiting in the wings.
   Half read the last salman Rushie offering but gave up as it made no sense at all. What is all the fuss about with this man?

Judith

[Danangleland]

I am into the 3rd book in C.J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series. They are set in 16th century England, and are excellent in my opinion (and in that of my parents, who gave me them to read). They are crime mysteries, with a lot of the plot centred around the religious tension of the period.

[glass half full]

I have just finished 'Glasgow Kiss' - the latest in the DCI Lorimer series set in Glasgow by Alex Gray. I really 'live' the stories and characters.

Alex Gray has a big following already and this,I feel sure, will expand rapidly as more people begin to hear of her books.

[vital sparks]

I'm guessing most people on this forum have already read all the Cooper and Fry novels well I've been a bit slow off the mark.  I found my sister had them all on one of her many bookshelves just before Christmas and picked one to try almost but not quite at random. I picked Blind to the Bones because of the connection with the Woodhead Tunnels.

No suprise I thought it was great and decided to read the rest in the correct order.

Black Dog is a great first book in the series and I felt I could see the countryside as the search for the girl took place.
[ In that respect I would compare it to On Beulah Height by Reginald Hill - When that was made for TV it really did look just like I had imagined - Black Dog could look that good in the right hands]

I finished Dancing with the Virgins yesterday - I have to say I never came close to working out what had happened.

So I have just borrowed Blood on the Tongue to start tomorrow - I promised my sister I'll buy the next one ( and the next) so she happily handed it over     

[duncan]

I am currently reading through the 'Merrily  Watkins' series written by Phil Rickman. My favourites subjects are the paranormal and crime and this series combines the two.

I do like reading series of books where you can get to know the characters, Peter Robinson's Alan Banks,
Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins, Reginald Hill's Daziel and Pascoe and Stephen's Cooper and Fry.

Living in Derbyshire Stephen's books have the added interest to me of being set in the Peak District.

Looking forward to reading Lost River

[Judith]

At the moment I am reading Lost River! What else?, looks like our Ben could become a sargent at last.
       Prior to that I have just finish A Death in Tuscany by Michele Giuttari. My word!, how stodgy was that? Perhaps it lost something in translation, but the prose style was almost an O Level essay. Do kids still write them?