Reading the Detectives discussion

Sandy has just pointed out that Goodreads has now put up the "Year in Books" infographic, which is advertised at the top of your home page on the site - no worries though, it will continue to update until the end of the year!

This is our cue for a thread looking back at the best reads of the year. What were your top group and individual reads this year? Who do you want to read more of in 2021? And were there any books that disappointed?

I’ve put “best of” lists in a group thread already, and The Tiger in the Smoke made all those lists. I was also excited to discover a new author by reading Fell Murder. My reading this year has been slow, so I did not participate as much as I would like.

Among non-mysteries I put two novels, The Overstory and Fresh Water for Flowers at the top of my list, and two memoir/essay books, The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot and Recollections of My Nonexistence: A Memoir.

Those sound like great choices, I love MacFarlane's work and Solnit's - though haven't read the memoir yet. Will definitely check on the crime novels, thanks.

I'm sorry to say my disappointment this year is the Dalglish series. It is not so much that it is a bad series, but more that I had high expectations given James' reputation.

One the plus side I have been enjoying a series I hadn't heard about: Deborah Crombie Kincaid and James books. Sadly I've almost caught up and will soon have to wait for new books to be published.

Three nonfiction reads I enjoyed very much, which helped me make sense of the times, were Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time and Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, which had been on my TBR list for years - perfect year to read it!

For mysteries, I very much enjoyed the latest books from stellar historical series I’ve been following for years: The Indigo Ghosts, Who Speaks for the Damned, and One Fatal Flaw. I continue to be impressed by, and enjoy, books by ECR Lorac, who I discovered through this group, while hunting for GA authors to suggest for monthly reads.

For fiction, two lovely older titles I read with the Retro Reads group stand out, The Enchanted April and In This House of Brede. I’d love to get my own copies so I can revisit both!

As always for the last couple years with this group, revisiting old favorites like Hercules Poirot, Amelia Peabody and Cadfael have been delightful stress relievers - I’d read them on my own as comfort reads, but always fun to share and discuss.

For next year, my reading goals are more interesting (to me) nonfiction, which runs the gamut from history to science to hobby reading, such gardening/knitting/cooking! Also, more fiction - I want to start working my way through my personal library. I’ve picked up several used copies of Trollope and Dickens titles I’ve never read that I’d like to get to next year, but we’ll see...

Sorry to babble, this thread has me looking back at my year of reading and thinking more of what I’d like to read. Unlike Abigail, I hadn’t really organized my thoughts yet! No time like the present, it’s already December 16!

As for disappointments in reading, I’d say some of our classic authors, who I thought I’d love, but just didn’t like, or click with, like the Christianna Brand titles. I tried to be more discerning this year, and stop after giving a book a solid try, rather than slogging through and wasting precious reading time. I need to keep that up, maybe give myself a 50-page rule or something! A good friend here reminded me last year there are so many books we want to get to, and only so much time, and we can’t all like the same books, so don’t be afraid to DNF and move on. And if you feel like taking a break and reading some fluff, do it - we’re not being graded!

Favourite mysteries of the year would be The Lost Man and the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. I have also been really impressed by the Bobby Owens series and am enjoying rereading the Cadfael series. I read some excellent South African mysteries, but these are mostly not translated - Homeland being an exception. On the cozy side also loved catching up with the Temptations in Florence series by Beate Boeker. I'm with Sandy in that I enjoyed the Adam Dagliesh books less than expected.

My favourite non-fiction reads were The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir and Down Along with That Devil's Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy with honourable mentions for A Moonless, Starless Sky: Ordinary Women and Men Fighting Extremism in Africa and Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World.

Non-mystery books were dominated by African female authors, I had an absolutely wonderful time reading these. Highly recommend The Memory of Love (loved, loved this one), The Old Drift, The Orchard of Lost Souls, Lyrics Alley and Homegoing.

For next year, I am continuing my focus on African female authors as well as reading some female African-American authors. I hope to add some classics to the mix and am looking forward to our group reads.

Great list, Carolien! A reminder of worlds of reading waiting for me outside my own silo. I’ll look for some of your African female authors as well as Down Along with That Devil's Bones.

Susan, my books are all packed but when I unpack next month I'll fish around and see if I don't have a second copy of The Enchanted April. I have a feeling that I do.

Lol! How kind of you, I appreciate that - we have a wonderful used bookstore here in town, but who knows when it’ll be safe to spend an hour indoors, prowling the shelves?

Carolien, I love seeing your reviews and list - as Abigail so beautifully says, reminds us of a world of reading waiting outside of our own silos!

My favourite detective story this year was Traitor's Purse, but that's a bit of a cheat as I've read it several times before - I think it is my favourite in the Campion series as it is so romantic!

The new-to-me detective books which I enjoyed the most were probably Crossed Skis: An Alpine Mystery by Carol Carnac aka E.C.R. Lorac and our group read Death in Captivity by Michael Gilbert - I also enjoyed lots of others but those two stick in my mind.

Out of non-mystery novels, I loved Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel and my best non-fiction read was Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga, which took me a long time to read because there was so much to take in. I'm still watching the accompanying TV series.

Next year I'd like to read more 19th-century and modern mainstream fiction and more non-fiction, especially history about the Victorians and Tudors, and I also want to read more diversely - Carolien, your list is great and I am immediately attracted by Lyrics Alley, as I often like books about extended families. This year has been tough and I've often ended up just reading escapist detective stories, which I do love, but am hoping to have a bit more of a balance in 2021.

Judy wrote: "My favourite detective story this year was Traitor's Purse, but that's a bit of a cheat as I've read it several times before - I think it is my favourite in the Campion series as it i..."

Yes! More of a balance in 2021, that’s my goal as well, you hit it on the nose, thank you. I would add, for me personally, less time doom-scrolling Twitter and other news sources. Stay informed, from reliable sources, but not marinate in the misery!

Looking back at the books I have read this year, I find that I have enjoyed more than I thought I had. Those that have stood out for me, have been the three Celia Fremlin books, making her one of my favourite authors. I have also really enjoyed the E.C.R. Lorac books along with Kerry Greenwood and Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr stories.
Shirley Jackson surprised me, as I had only read her horror books before, and read her books about bringing up a family. Another surprise was Witch Child by Celia Rees, which was a cheap book from Amazon some years ago that I had completely forgotten about. Phil Rickman's John Dee Papers were also very good.
Like Abigail, the disappointment this year has been P.D. James.
Non fiction has to be Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

Oh I forgot to mention Crocodile on the Sandbank, which is my first Elizabeth Peters, and hope to carry on with the series.

I need to add some books to my TBR based on all the recommendations here. I'm wondering why I haven't read ERC Lorac yet and I need to add Black and British.

Since so many of you commented on the female African authors, here's the thread from another group where I listed and reviewed those I read this year.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The planned 2021 list is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Abigail wrote: "I was also excited to discover a new author by reading Fell Murder..."

I discovered E.C.R. Lorac this year as well, Abigail, and I'm looking forward to reading more. I'd like to explore more 1930s vintage crime and also some of the Furrowed Middlebrow genre reissued by Dean Street Press next year.

I've had a difficult reading year this year as I hit a bad patch during lockdown but I've started a reread of Agatha Christie's books in order which helped me get going again and I think I've got my reading mojo back now so here's to 2021.

Sigh. I wish Goodreads wouldn't keep fiddling with stuff that was fine previously. The book covers for Year in Books are huge now & I miss the growing shelf of books graphic.

Like Ruth, I hit a bad patch reading wise during Lockdown & I've been a bit distracted recently. I haven' read that much with this group. Nice & late, I'm hoping to start The Tiger in the Smoke today. :)

Read with this group Arrest the Bishop? was a flawed but interesting read.

Read on my own I was surprised how much I enjoyed The Mysterious Mr. Quin

I'm only going to list books I enjoyed that are at least vaguely related to this group's genre as I have had a lot of good reads.

Based on a true crime by one of NZ's top literary writers This Mortal Boy I was intending to read at least a couple more by Kidman. Libraries being closed certainly didn't help.

The Persian Ransom by Evelyn Anthony. Like a harder edged Mary Stewart or Helen Macinnes. My favourite new-to-me author - & I have heaps of her books. They turn up in Little Free Libraries or Op Shops all the time over here.

I read two police procedurals by NZ writer Vanda Symon - Containment and Bound both were 5 star reads for me and she is now published in Europe. NZ crime novel's biggest cheerleader Craig Sisterson has told me she is writing again, so I just have to be patient.

Biggest disappointment in vaguely related genres? Killed at the Whim of a Hat I've decided Colin Cotterill's books aren't for me.

Seasons Greetings Everyone & lets hope for a better 2021.

Carolien wrote: "I need to add some books to my TBR based on all the recommendations here. I'm wondering why I haven't read ERC Lorac yet and I need to add Black and British.

Since so many of you commented on the..."

Thank you!

Ruth wrote: "Abigail wrote: "I was also excited to discover a new author by reading Fell Murder..."

I discovered E.C.R. Lorac this year as well, Abigail, and I'm looking forward to reading more..."

You’re not alone, several people among my GR friends commented they hit a dry reading patch during quarantine- couldn’t concentrate, settle on anything, lifelong readers who just didn’t feel like reading. I think it’s been a very tough year in many ways - here’s to better times ahead!

Christmas Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Sigh. I wish Goodreads wouldn't keep fiddling with stuff that was fine previously. The book covers for Year in Books are huge now & I miss the growing shelf of books graphic.

Like Ruth, I hit a ba..."

Thank you, and same to you!

Christmas Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Sigh. I wish Goodreads wouldn't keep fiddling with stuff that was fine previously. The book covers for Year in Books are huge now & I miss the growing shelf of books graphic.

Like Ruth, I hit a ba..."

I'm always on the look for New Zealand authors, so thank you for mentioning these. I'll definitely take a look.

I think it has been a strange reading year for all of us, I know I read an enormous amount of fluff compared to normal years.

I think The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie was the group read I most enjoyed this year. With the PD James challenge, I liked some of them, but, reading them one after the other, has revealed their weaknesses. Still, I am pleased that I finally read the series - or will have done by February.

My favourite mysteries this year have been:
The Postscript Murders and Moonflower Murders

I've dipped in and out of the group this year as I've been a bit 'off' crime/mysteries for some reason. But I enjoyed the craziness of Bats in the Belfry, the second Flavia book (The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag), and loved being back in the company of Amelia in Crocodile on the Sandbank.

Disappointment, ditto, PD James.

Of the books I read this year my favourites were Nectar in a Sieve, The Woman from Tantoura, Ceremony, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, Homegoing, of the Classics Classic Love Poems (audiobook), North and South (re-read), The Mayor of Casterbridge, Far From the Madding Crowd and some Austen re-reads. Favourite mysteries were Louisiana Longshot, The Fatal Flying Affair, several Christies, Saint Peter's Fair, The Leper of St. Giles and Fell Murder as well as Murder in the Mill-Race, so I´ll defintely read more of E.C.R. Lorac.

Michaela wrote: "Of the books I read this year my favourites were Nectar in a Sieve, The Woman from Tantoura, Ceremony, [book:Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass|5..."

I loved Homegoing and I have the Woman from Tantoura on a list somewhere. I bought Louisiana Longshot ages ago, I must have a look at it based on your assessment.

Perhaps my favorite new-to-me author from this year's reads is Michael Gilbert. Other of my favorite group reads were the Campions, a couple of Allyens, and return visits with Amelia Peabody and Flavia DeLuce..

Agree that Michael Gilbert was a great find, Sandy.

Susan wrote: "Agree that Michael Gilbert was a great find, Sandy."

I am so glad - I'm not sure if I recommended the first Michael Gilbert that we read, but he's been a favourite of mine for a long time.

Good to hear, Rosina. I love finding 'new' authors and am pleased when members bring them to our attention.

I am enjoying Catt Out of the Bag by Clifford Witting. It seems to be the only one available on kindle at the moment - is anyone else familiar with him?

My favorites this year have been:

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab