Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

I had a good month and was able to read some older books that I had had on my TBR for a while. Here are my November reads:

Top Reads

The Serialist: A Novel
David Gordon
I usually try to read the Edgar nominees for best first novel within the year of the award but had put this book off (it was nominated for 2010) because I frankly thought it would be pretentious literary fiction posing as a genre story so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. I do enjoy different and this book definitely was that and the narrative voice and dark humor really won me over. The only downside was the whole serial killer obligatory graphic violence thing.

Havana Bay
Martin Cruz Smith
Another excellent story featuring Russian investigator Arkady Renko. The setting is Cuba and since the time period is after the break-up of the Soviet Union Russians are not the most popular and Renko's quest for information does not make him many friends. I was glad to find an older audio version read by Frank Muller who was one of the best.

The Guns of Navarone
Alistair MacLean
A classic World War 2 thriller with lots of action and suspense. I saw the movie that was based on this book many years ago and enjoyed it but the book was even better.

Good Reads

The Con Man's Daughter
Ed Dee
An interesting work of suspense that really showed off the author's knowledge of the Russian mob in Brooklyn, the seamier side of the NYPD, and Yonkers suburban life.

Lady Fortescue Steps Out: Being the First Vol. of the Poor Relation
Marion Chesney
An engaging and fun Regency romance with a nice cast of characters. This was the first book in the series and I will look for the others on audio since the narration was done by Davina Porter who is always so good with historicals.

Madam, Will You Talk?
Mary Stewart
Pleasant romantic suspense with a smart literate heroine, who is also a very capable driver, and a beautifully described South of France setting.

Darkness & Light
John Harvey
This is the third and perhaps the last book in the Frank Elder series which is too bad since I am finally warming up to his character. As in the previous two books, Frank is called in to help look into a murder that has a few striking similarities to an unsolved case he worked on many years before while he was still on the Nottingham police force.

Life Itself: A Memoir
Roger Ebert
For the most part, an interesting look at the film critic and TV personality's life. The beginning was very slow since his boyhood was pretty uneventful but after he started work at the Sun-Times my interest perked up. Listened to the audio version which was read by Edward Herrmann who is always a pro.

The Full Cupboard of Life
Alexander McCall Smith
It was fun to catch up with the ongoing drama among all the various characters in this installment though there was not much mystery in the plot. Listened to the audio version which was read by Lisette Lecat who always does a great job.

Shoveling Smoke
Austin Davis
Pretty funny tale of a burnt out Houston lawyer who moves to rural East Texas to find a simpler life but gets caught up in madness as soon as he rolls into town. Perhaps tries a bit too hard with the comedy but overall a good read.

52 Pickup
Elmore Leonard
Vintage Leonard written back in the seventies and set in Detroit. Blackmail, double crosses, and a bit of engineering made the plot hum along at a good pace.

OK Read

Mucho Mojo
Joe R. Lansdale
I liked the two main characters and rural East Texas setting but the plot was not my favorite type and I thought there was a bit too much soapboxing. Narration was done by Phil Gigante who did a great low bass voice for Leonard and a nice easy going drawl for Hap which fit the characters perfectly.

Adding Shoveling Smoke to my list...

All of Martin Cruz Smith's work is great including at least one written as just Martin Smith.

Sandi: good month, I always look forward to your lists to stretch mine! And it is always a plus to catch up with books from the TBR! The Serialist sounds good; I like dark humor (and can usually deal with the serial killer obligatory graphic violence thing)
Sandi wrote: "I had a good month and was able to read some older books that I had had on my TBR for a while. Here are my November reads:
Top Reads The Serialist: A Novel"

I always enjoy seeing your & Shomeret's reads as you both read interesting things that I would usually never pick up! Good month! (And I'm really enjoying having your "old" quarterback here in Denver! :-))

Melodie wrote: "And I'm really enjoying having your "old" quarterback here in Denver! :-)) "

Yea, he is not playing badly for a guy who, according to the sports columnist from the Indy Star, had a noodle arm just a few months ago. The Star had a nice article this week on another former Colt Brandon Stokley who is also doing well for the Broncos.

Sandi: IMHO some sports writers are often writing 'wishful thinking' as their opinion!

Melodie wrote: " (And I'm really enjoying having your "old" quarterback here in Denver! :-)..."

Glad Peyton has given you guys a reason to root for the Broncos, Mel! I try to watch these games when I can, it is such fun to see him shredding the defense of the other teams. Rooting for the Broncos to come out of this as the second most successful team in the AFC ;-).