What are you reading right now? [ Edited ]

[IBIS]

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dulcinea3 wrote:

Now, on to Persuasion and Sherlock Holmes!

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I just finished re-reading Lee Child's Persuasion, and rediscovered that there is a plot within a plot within a plot, etc.....

This is a marvelous literary technique... when done well is amazingly effective. Some authors do a poor job keeping the interlocking puzzles separate...  and the poor readers tries desperately to disentange plot points.

Persuasion starts off with a botched kidnapping... later,  we find out the the kidnapping was deliberately set so that Reacher moves onto the secondary plot --  revenge for the cruel murder of one of his colleagues...

The murderer, however, has his own plans and keeps a family hostage. Reacher, by trying to avenge his colleague's murder must, in turn, plan to rescue the family... Its a marvelous chinese-puzzle-box mystery...

Reacher solves one mystery only to find that there is another one buried within that mystery, and yet another one within THAT mystery.... after page 100, you realize there is a mystery #4, and to resolve that one you'll need to figure out mystery #5.

Very intriguing literary technique, and accomplished with Child's usual spare, clean, military-like precise writing.  I'd love to know what you thought when  you finish it.

IBIS 

Message Edited by IBIS on 05-27-2008 09:49 AM

[dulcinea3]

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IBIS wrote:

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dulcinea3 wrote:

Now, on to Persuasion and Sherlock Holmes!

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I just finished re-reading Lee Child's Persuasion, and rediscovered that there is a plot within a plot within a plot, etc.....
...

Very intriguing literary technique, and accomplished with Child's usual spare, clean, military-like precise writing.  I'd love to know what you thought when  you finish it.

IBIS 

Message Edited by IBIS on 05-27-2008 09:49 AM

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Oops, sorry, I meant the Jane Austen novel, which the Literature by Women group is reading for June! (what, no blushing smilies?!)  What a coincidence that this month's mystery author has a novel of the same name!

[IBIS]

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dulcinea3 wrote:

Oops, sorry, I meant the Jane Austen novel, which the Literature by Women group is reading for June! (what, no blushing smilies?!)  What a coincidence that this month's mystery author has a novel of the same name!

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Oh, my mistake! Sorry about my review of the wrong book!

IBIS

[dulcinea3]

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IBIS wrote:

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dulcinea3 wrote:

Oops, sorry, I meant the Jane Austen novel, which the Literature by Women group is reading for June! (what, no blushing smilies?!)  What a coincidence that this month's mystery author has a novel of the same name!

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Oh, my mistake! Sorry about my review of the wrong book!

IBIS

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I think it was the right review for you!  And maybe it will find you another reader to discuss it with!

It's always confusing when there are books, movies, even songs with the same title.  If I had realised there was not only another Persuasion, but especially one by Lee Child, who is on people's minds this month, I would have been more specific!

[IBIS]

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dulcinea3 wrote:

It's always confusing when there are books, movies, even songs with the same title.  If I had realised there was not only another Persuasion, but especially one by Lee Child, who is on people's minds this month, I would have been more specific!

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Actually, the fault is all mine... the actual Lee Child title is Persuader.... not even close to the Jane Austen title..... it would help if I read more carefully.

IBIS

[becke_davis]

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IBIS wrote:

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dulcinea3 wrote:

Now, on to Persuasion and Sherlock Holmes!

---

I just finished re-reading Lee Child's Persuasion, and rediscovered that there is a plot within a plot within a plot, etc.....

This is a marvelous literary technique... when done well is amazingly effective. Some authors do a poor job keeping the interlocking puzzles separate... and the poor readers tries desperately to disentange plot points.

Persuasion starts off with a botched kidnapping... later, we find out the the kidnapping was deliberately set so that Reacher moves onto the secondary plot -- revenge for the cruel murder of one of his colleagues...

The murderer, however, has his own plans and keeps a family hostage. Reacher, by trying to avenge his colleague's murder must, in turn, plan to rescue the family... Its a marvelous chinese-puzzle-box mystery...

Reacher solves one mystery only to find that there is another one buried within that mystery, and yet another one within THAT mystery.... after page 100, you realize there is a mystery #4, and to resolve that one you'll need to figure out mystery #5.

Very intriguing literary technique, and accomplished with Child's usual spare, clean, military-like precise writing. I'd love to know what you thought when you finish it.

IBIS

Message Edited by IBIS on 05-27-2008 09:49 AM

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Is that the Lee Child one that starts with a cop in a Chevy Caprice getting shot? I was browsing through that one in a bookstore today but didn't buy it because I have so many other books in my TBR pile. I hadn't seen this book locally but after your description I think I'll go back tomorrow and pick up a copy.

[becke_davis]

Okay, I posted a reply before reading through all the comments. To make this more confusing, Jane Austen's Persuasion is also in my TBR pile -- I haven't read it in years and I've been on a Jane Austen kick recently. So was the Jack Reacher book a good one -- what is the verdict?

[IBIS]

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becke_davis wrote:

Is that the Lee Child one that starts with a cop in a Chevy Caprice getting shot? I was browsing through that one in a bookstore today but didn't buy it because I have so many other books in my TBR pile. I hadn't seen this book locally but after your description I think I'll go back tomorrow and pick up a copy.

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Becke, exactly so. Persuader is the Jack Reacher story where the opening chapter, within seconds, reaches 60mp, and the hair-racing speed revs up throughout the book until you reach the end.

I realize now why I enjoy Lee Child's combination of good craftsmanship... good writing, good characterization, amazing action... yet it's not just mindless stuff.... there's a lot of food for thought. A lot of meat to sink my teeth into, so to speak.

I learn a lot about baseball, presidential history, all manner of weaponry, how to defend myself against bad people...  (who knows when all this information will come in handy for a shy, bookish violinist?)

IBIS

[becke_davis]

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IBIS wrote:

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becke_davis wrote:

Is that the Lee Child one that starts with a cop in a Chevy Caprice getting shot? I was browsing through that one in a bookstore today but didn't buy it because I have so many other books in my TBR pile. I hadn't seen this book locally but after your description I think I'll go back tomorrow and pick up a copy.

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Becke, exactly so. Persuader is the Jack Reacher story where the opening chapter, within seconds, reaches 60mp, and the hair-racing speed revs up throughout the book until you reach the end.

I realize now why I enjoy Lee Child's combination of good craftsmanship... good writing, good characterization, amazing action... yet it's not just mindless stuff.... there's a lot of food for thought. A lot of meat to sink my teeth into, so to speak.

I learn a lot about baseball, presidential history, all manner of weaponry, how to defend myself against bad people... (who knows when all this information will come in handy for a shy, bookish violinist?)

IBIS

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And we're back to the "why I like mysteries" thing again -- why do fairly mild-mannered people enjoy reading such violent books? In the case of Reacher, I like the idea of believing someone like him is out there.

[LadyMercury]

I saw a book in my brother's room and asked him if I could borrow it. I started getting into the meat of the story and even before then in the first few pages I liked the author's style. I'm currently reading Nelson DeMille's "The Lion's Game." He's sarcastic, comical and knows mystery. Very interesting. Granted "Plum Island" came first I'll read it eventually. I'm not one to come in at the middle of anyone's series but just getting into John Corey's world is enough.

[Reader_Renee]

I'm reading Strawberry Shortcake Muder right now.

[dhaupt]

I just finished Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein. It was as I always expect from her a wonderful book. You get to find out more about the characters that always star in her series as well as a really scary bad guy or two or three. If you haven't given her series a try do it, for those of you who enjoy Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch or Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone you will enjoy this series.

[Marie2008]

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dhaupt wrote:
I just finished Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein. It was as I always expect from her a wonderful book. You get to find out more about the characters that always star in her series as well as a really scary bad guy or two or three. If you haven't given her series a try do it, for those of you who enjoy Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch or Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone you will enjoy this series.

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should we read her stories in the order they were written? It's irritating to have later books refer to earlier stories, and readers don't have a clue.

[Faithish]

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Marie2008 wrote:

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dhaupt wrote:
should we read her stories in the order they were written? It's irritating to have later books refer to earlier stories, and readers don't have a clue.

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One bright side to Linda Fairstein's Alex Cooper series is that they can be read in any order. Each book provides a brief exposition to the characters and their backgrounds, which can be slightly tedious for those who have read any of the previous novels, although it's crucial for a first-time reader. Also, none of the books reveal key plot points from any of the others (i.e., you won't find out who the killer in "Death Dance" was if you read "Killer Heat" first), which allows you to read the books in any order you choose. I happened upon "Bad Blood" and liked the book so much that I went back and read the books in sequence from the beginning. So far, I think I liked "Bad Blood" the best, although the others are equally captivating.

Of course, if you want to keep the sense of continuity in the personal lives of the characters (who they're dating, what their families are like), you may want to read the books in order. But it's not really necessary.

[IBIS]

I'm currently reading Tana French's In The Woods... a runner-up in this year's Edgar Mystery Awards.

It's a wonderfully written debut mystery. It takes place in Ireland... the story revolves around a detective who tries to solve a contemporary child's murder, while trying to remember the haunting similarities to a 20-year old mystery that involved him as a child.

Amazingly well-developed characters... especially the main detective's troubled memories as a child.

The atmosphere of Dublin and Irish countrysides is beautifully done.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/In-the-Woods/Tana-French/e/9780670038602/?itm=1&bnit=H&bnrefer=TOP

IBIS

[becke_davis]

I haven't read that yet but I keep going back to it at the bookstore.  It sounds really interesting.

[angelgirl]

I just started reading Triptych by Karen Slaughter, so far its started out good. I really like serial killer/ mystery books.  I have read 6 of her books and enjoyed all of them.

[becke_davis]

I haven't read that one but I know I've read something by this author.  I'll have to look at her book list.

[momgee]

Just started # 9 in Laura Child's cozy tea shop series set in Charleston, The Silver Needle Murder. I like all the characters in her series and would like to think there really is a tea shop like that somewhere but without all the murderous events that happen, of course. Theodosia, main character, is akin to Jessica Fletcher it seems. If she shows up to an event , someone is murdered. These cozy syle mysteries are good for when you need to read something "lighter".

Kaye

[dulcinea3]

I'm currently working my way through Agatha Christies' Double Sin and Other Stories, to get to the last one, Sanctuary, that we will be discussing in a week or so.  Last night I read The Double Clue, which introduced the Countess Vera Rossakoff, to whom Poirot was quite attracted (like Holmes to Irene Adler).