Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

This sounds like a good idea, a bit of fun and good way to vary things a little so I'm game.

Books 1-10. Pick 10 books (audios, ebooks, whatever) that you either want to get off your To Be Read, owned shelves or books you have been wanting to read for awhile and haven't.

1. **DONE** Myth Conceptions by Robert Lynn Asprin Read 15/01/2020

2. **Done** Blacklight by J_M_Dalgliesh Read 17/01/2020

3. **DONE** The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly Read 19/01/2020

4. **DONE** The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Read 21/01/2020

5. **DONE** The Samurai Code: A Hiram Kane Adventure by Steven Moore Read 22/01/2020

6. **DONE** The Advocate by Teresa Burrell Read 22/01/2020

7. **DONE** Tin Soldiers by M.K. Turner Read 24/01/2020

8. **DONE** Dying for a Living by Kory M. Shrum Read 25/01/2020

9. **DONE** Maldicion by Daniel Marc Chant Read 27/01/2020

10 **DONE** Relentless by Simon Kernick Read 31/01/2020


The next 10 books is the Plus part of the challenge almost like a bonus. Below are the 10 categories you need to read a book for.

11. **DONE** A new author's first book (could be also a new to you author that you haven't read before): Divided House by J.M. Dalgliesh Read 08/01/2020

12. **DONE** A book set in a different country than you live in: Stripper! by Thomas A. Burns Jr. Read 09/01/2020

13. **DONE** A book that is a different genre than your usual reading books (whatever you normally don't read try something out of your comfort zone if you want). I usually avoid Sci-Fi so this fits the bill: Lost Colony by A.L. White Read 02/02/2020

14 **DONE** & 15. Two books from a series you haven't completed yet (I'm sure we all have those, the books don't have to be the same series if you don't them to be): 14 Blue Moon by Lee Child Read 09/01/2020

15: **DONE** Ghost Story by Jim Butcher Read 13/01/2020

16. **DONE** A book that comes out in 2020. Golden in Death by J.D. Robb Read 09/02/2020

17. **DONE** A book that was recommended to you. Crimson Lake by Candice Fox Read 26/01/2020

18. **DONE** A book you meant to read in 2019 but never got around to it. Bombshells by Jim Butcher Read 14/01/2020

19. **DONE** Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury A book that came out before you were born. (I know this one might have been harder than the other's to do) Read 14/01/2020

20. **DONE** A book that is done by more than one author The Store by James Patterson & Richard DiLallo Read 28/01/2020

Brad wrote: "This sounds like a good idea, a bit of fun and good way to vary things a little so I'm game.."

Hi, Brad. Welcome to our little Determination party! I look forward to seeing all of us progressing to our goals this year!

Thanks, looking forward to it.

Brad: It can be fun and adds a bit of motivation when your mood changes or interest in a book might lag. Looking forward to seeing what others add is an added treat (and usually increases our piles to read all over again! Lol

Brad wrote: "Thanks, looking forward to it."

Welcome to 2020's Determination challenge. Good luck and have fun.

Three bonus books down (#11, 12 & 14), fourth one started, #15.

Brad wrote: "Three bonus books down (#11, 12 & 14), fourth one started, #15."

Great start to the year, Brad!

OMalleycat wrote: "Great start to the year, Brad!"
Thanks, might be struggling with #19 though ;o)

Brad wrote: "Thanks, might be struggling with #19 though ;o)

Brad, for a lot of Determination Listers it seems to work best to NOT think of this as a high school classics assignment. It doesn’t have to be something from the 19th or 18th century—Charles Dickens or Jane Austen.

Since I don’t know you well yet I have no idea when you were born but there are lots of possibilities from the mid 20th century. Since you’re with our group, I assume you like mysteries and thrillers. You could try James M. Cain, Dashiell Hammett, or Raymond Chandler. Since in their time these were mass market writers, not classics, they are fairly fast, slick, often humorous reads. A little further back in time are Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, Daphne DuMaurier.

If you like Science Fiction consider Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein,
Aldous Huxley, Ray Bradbury. Heck, I don’t even like SF and I’ve read some books by some of those guys. If you’re young enough, you could read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and look smug when your TV watching friends bring up the series.

Another way to get ideas is to google. There are book lists out there of recommendations for books written before particular years. I don’t know the exact wording of the search so I’m hoping someone will chime in here. If nothing else pick the year before your birth and search for books published in 19__.

Hope this gives you some ideas. I think that’s what’s fun about the “bonus” books—they stretch your choices a little.

OMalleycat wrote: "Brad wrote: "Thanks, might be struggling with #19 though ;o)

Brad, for a lot of Determination Listers it seems to work best to NOT think of this as a high school classics assignment. It doesn’t ha..."
Thanks, that's really helpful and gives me some ideas & a bit of inspiration. I absolutely don't want to read Dickens, Shakespeare etc but I do like a bit of humour with my mystery/thrillers. I'm way to old for the Handmaid's Tale to count.

One of the biggest novels from the year before I was born was Catch 22 by Joseph Heller but I've read that twice already.

I'm considering Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl or Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest which only just makes it and I've never even seen the film of that one.

I'm all for trying something new so this is certainly a great idea for a challenge.

Brad: Agreed! The hardest one of the Bonus section is definitely #19. Last year I think I started 4 books published before I was born before one stuck and even then I had to push myself to get past the bias and attitudes that were normal back then.

The rest of them are fun to list and even move around later as "better" candidates might come up later since some of them will fit on more than one slot. Good for you getting that started already!


Brad wrote: "Thanks, might be struggling with #19 though ;o)

OMalleycat wrote: "Great start to the year, Brad!"

Brad mentioned: “ Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest ."

I loved this book but remember it as very much a book of its time—the rebels vs. the establishment. Lots of symbolism although the story is strong enough that you could probably ignore the symbolism if that’s not your thing.

As usual, I liked the book much more than the movie, but the movie is also very good in its way.

I was thinking on that one to do Romeo and Juliet but since I didn't do it last year (Own book) but also have Fahrenheit 451 the copy I have is a later edition but it did come out before that so I'm guessing I can do either book since I own both books. If I read either book I can say I don't remember it was back in the stone ages in school and you can probably say it wasn't read I wasn't into reading back then or not books I had to read. Romeo and juliet is the play version that I have.
You are still off to a great start.

Well, I didn't enjoy Jim Butcher's Ghost Story as much as the previous books in the Harry Dresden series. Hope it improves again.

Decided to try Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and narrated by the excellent Scott Brick for my #19 before I was born entry, as mentioned by Donnajo. This version was from 2004 but the original (1953) qualifies.

Brad wrote: "Decided to try Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and narrated by the excellent Scott Brick for my #19 before I was born entry, as mentioned by Donnajo. This version was from 2004 but the original (1953) qualifies..."

I think Fahrenheit 451 would be excellent as an audio. If you like the book, look for the movie made sometime in the mid-60’s. Oskar Werner and Julie Christie. Some parts are almost comically dated now, like the clumsy hovercraft vehicles, but I’ll watch it any time I run across it because Werner is so good as a man who discovers, in impossibly negative circumstances, the love of reading and books.

OMalleycat wrote: "I think Fahrenheit 451 would be excellent as an audio."..."I think that’s what’s fun about the “bonus” books—they stretch your choices a little."

Well, thoroughly enjoyed Fahrenheit 451 read by Scott Brick, especially the "Afterward" by the author from 1982 that I think is even more relevant today with so many minority groups constantly challenging books that don't represent their beliefs or misrepresent them etc (he expresses it so much better than me). Scott Brick does a great job as narrator.

Anyway, with that and Bombshells by Jim Butcher as my #18 that's 6 bonus books cleared and enjoyed. Now to choose the next one.

Brad wrote: "Well, thoroughly enjoyed Fahrenheit 451. . .”

Brad, you’re making good progress on your Determination List! And now you’ve gotten over the “hump” of reading a book written before you were born.

Many of us in this group are seriously besotted by books. We borrow and buy them. We read them. We stack them. We rearrange them. We hoard them. We carefully construct reading lists and resolutions. We feel there’s value in books including, but beyond, what’s written inside. We like the scent of books, the heft, the look of them neatly (or not) arranged on shelves. We like to endlessly discuss them. Books are a treasure.

I think Bradbury perfectly captured that mindset. Guy is enculturated to fear and loathe books yet he’s secretly fascinated by them and as soon as he starts timidly exploring, he becomes obsessed and willing to risk and lose a lot to pursue reading.

And there are the characters who literally give their lives to protect and preserve books. What draws me back to the movie again and again (DonnaJo: SPOILER AHEAD!] are the scenes at the end in which we meet a group dedicated to memorizing books to preserve them. In a sense they become a book and have given up their place in the society to do so.

Great observations, Jan. One image from the book resonates with me more now than years ago is the screens on the parlor walls. Like reality TV on giant screens playing 24/7.

Barbara wrote: "...Like reality TV on giant screens playing 24/7."

My idea of Hell :o(

Brad wrote: "My idea of Hell :o("

Agreed.

Barbara wrote: "One image from the book resonates with me more now than years ago is the screens on the parlor walls. Like reality TV on giant screens playing 24/7."

Yes, Barbara! And Guy’s wife is an unquestioning addict of the insipid TV fare. We may not have hovercraft yet, but the ubiquitous TV is surely part of our real lives.

OMalleycat wrote: " If you like the book, look for the movie made sometime in the mid-60’s. Oskar Werner and Julie Christie. ..."

I had forgotten this movie, but the second I read "Oskar Werner", the image of him as Guy popped into my head quite vividly. I don't remember a lot of details of the movie, but he was first rate in the role.

Nice start Brad! I'll explore your choices so far further but was reminded of listening to Fahrenheit 451 on a rather poor audio quality version years ago. I need to lookfor a new one of better audio quality. And I'll have to try to watch for an opportunity to watch the Fahrenheit 451 1966 version of the movie. I see there is a 2018 Michael B. Jordan version on HBO, and am really looking forward to watching him in the new movie Mercy based on Bryan Stevenson's book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

Ann wrote: "Nice start Brad! I'll explore your choices so far further but was reminded of listening to Fahrenheit 451 on a rather poor audio quality version years ago. I need to lookfor a new one of better aud..."
I highly recommend the Scott Brick version of the audiobook Ann.

That's 9 books completed and number 10 ready to roll tomorrow. Trying to decide what to read for challenge #13, a book outside my usual genre. Debating Sci-fi, a graphic novel, a biography or maybe something spicy & adult. So many choices.

You are doing so good. I think you are motivating me to read Fahrenheit but I don't do audio and I own the print copy it was a impulse buy long ago at a indie new/used bookstore that unfortunately closed. I think they had a table in front by the window of banned books and I decided to buy that one and give it a try. not sure when I'll get to read it

Twelve books completed with The Advocate & The Samurai Code: A Hiram Kane Adventure finished today. Starting the audiobook version of Tin Soldiers tomorrow which was only published on Audible today (thanks to the author M.K. Turner for a free copy in my email).
Should keep me entertained while driving around in my delivery van.

Brad: Audio books are great driving companions! Great progress with your list!

Brad wrote: "Twelve books completed with The Advocate & The Samurai Code: A Hiram Kane Adventure finished today. Starting the audiobook version of Tin Soldiers to...
...Should keep me entertained while driving around in my delivery van.

"

That's 18 down, the 19th started (bonus #13) and just waiting for bonus #16 to be published next week.

Wow, Brad. That’s some fast Determination reading! Congratulations!

Wow. That is great.

Well that was fun. My 2020 Determination List is finished and I enjoyed the challenge, reading a few books I might not have ever read otherwise. Time to look for a new challenge I guess though I have so many books on my TBR list that I'm happy to just work my way through them.
Not that I'll ever empty my list as I seem to be adding a dozen or more books for every one that I read ;o)

Brad wrote: ".. Not that I'll ever empty my list as I seem to be adding a dozen or more books for every one that I read ;o)"

Thanks the very nature of being a bookaholic, Brad :-)

OMalleycat wrote: "Thanks the very nature of being a bookaholic, Brad :-)"
Yes indeed ;-)

wow, congrats. keep watch the 2021 Determination Plus challenge list will be posted soon. It's mostly the same prompts with just a new #21 added on end.

This was amazing, Brad completing his DL by the beginning of February!! I can't even imagine....