The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

I generally equate September with going back to school so this month you'll be nominating books about crime in the halls of academia. The possibilities are many -- I've linked to a few ideas at the end of this post to get you started.

Please keep in mind that
a) this is not the place to nominate your own books;

b) if you nominate a book and it wins in the poll, you are the discussion leader for the group read. If you don't want to do that, then don't nominate a book.

to get you started:
https://company.overdrive.com/2020/09...

http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2021/4...

https://bookshop.brynmawr.edu/categor...

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/Job...

Interesting category. I'm trying to decide between two... er... OK, here you go

The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin

I'll nominate Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey. It's been on my tbr for a while. (thanks for the links - I would have not thought of this otherwise!)

this is a trope I generally avoid. The depth of evil amongst children portrayed is unsettling and hits me.
Nevertheless, I would like to recommend The Swallows by Lisa Lutz.

Thanks for the lists. they're quite a few ive missed (for obvious reasons) but I'm on a strong recommendation spree : )

Leena wrote: "Thanks for the lists. they're quite a few ive missed (for obvious reasons) but I'm on a strong recommendation spree : )"

You're welcome. I found more, but these are pretty representative.

I'll nominate Sujata Massey's The Bombay Prince.

I'll nominate A Murder of Principal by Saralyn Richard

I’ve just started The Maidens by Alex Michaelides , set in Cambridge

Nancy wrote: "I generally equate September with going back to school so this month you'll be nominating books about crime in the halls of academia. The possibilities are many -- I've linked to a few ideas at the..."

GAUDY NIGHT!!! I'd love to read that!!!

Great idea!

I am always game for a reread of Gaudy Night, for sure.

I'll nominate The Mask of Dimitrios (also published as A Coffin for Dimitrios ) by Eric Ambler. It's a noir thriller with an academic as the hero.

How about Jon Krakauer's MISSOULA?

I'll nominate For the Sake of Elena by Elizabeth George.

I’ll nominate The Maidens.

1. The Case of the Gilded Fly, by Edmund Crispin (Bill)
2. Miss Pym Disposes, by Josephine Tey (Suzy)
3. The Swallows, by Lisa Lutz (Leena)
4. The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey (M.A.)
5. A Murder of Principal, by Saralyn Richards (Encircle)
6. Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers (Anna)
7. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by John Krakauer (Allen)
8. For the Sake of Elena, by Elizabeth George (Susanna)
9. The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides (Kelly)
10. The Mask of Dimitrios, by Eric Ambler (JenniferAustin).
11. The Rule of Four, by Ian Caldwell (Faith)
12. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt (Lena)
13. A Piece of Justice, by Jill Paton Walsh (Lukanyo)
14. One of Us Is Next, by Karen McManus (Belen)
15. The Likeness, by Tana French (Icewineanne)

so far so good! I wouldn't mind rereading Gaudy Night for sure! The others all look great as well.

I'll nominate The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason.

Nancy wrote: "so far so good! I wouldn't mind rereading Gaudy Night for sure! The others all look great as well."

How could I not have recalled Dorothy Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT? A wonderful crime novel.

ALLEN wrote: "Nancy wrote: "so far so good! I wouldn't mind rereading Gaudy Night for sure! The others all look great as well."

How could I not have recalled Dorothy Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT? A wonderfu..."

I haven't read that book in forever. A rereading must!

The One by John Marrs

ALLEN wrote: "Nancy wrote: "so far so good! I wouldn't mind rereading Gaudy Night for sure! The others all look great as well."

How could I not have recalled Dorothy Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT? A wonderfu..."

ps/ Lovely to see you again!!

Thanks, Nancy! I am feeling better now.

The Secret History

I just read Ghosts of Harvard and definitely recommend it!

Just finished The Maiden's and I enjoyed it!

The Distant Echo by Val McDermid

A Piece of Justice by Jill Paton Walsh

This is the first Jill Paton Walsh I've read, and now I know why she is so esteemed. A cozy and clever mystery with the shrewd sleuth, Imogen Quy.

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

I would like to nominate a Murder of Principal by Saralyn Richard

ALLEN wrote: "Thanks, Nancy! I am feeling better now."

excellent. We've had our ups and downs here healthwise at home as well (at least my poor husband has), but things are finally looking up.

Phyllis wrote: "I would like to nominate a Murder of Principal by Saralyn Richard"

That's already been nominated, Phyllis, but thank you so much!!

Emily wrote: "The One by John Marrs"

So, Emily, I checked out The One and it doesn't seem to be a campus crime sort of thing, so I don't think I'll be adding it to the list.

Everyone, thanks so much for your nominations. Because we have so many, I think we'll call it quits at the end of today.

Lena wrote: "The Secret History"

Yessss...

Survive the night!
It starts on campus and flashes back to a campus in Ohio throughout the story !

The Distant Echo for me

There are a lot of good books in the poll. I loved Secret History but since I've already read it I'm voting for the Ambler book which I've wanted to read for a long time. The Krakauer book would also be a good one.

The Distant Echo is a great read but as it was a group read very recently doesn't that disqualify it this time ?

MissLemon wrote: "The Distant Echo is a great read but as it was a group read very recently doesn't that disqualify it this time ?"

Oh dear. Blame that one on me. My apologies.


Icewineanne, would you care to make another nomination? I'm removing A Distant Echo -- we read it just last year.

Nancy wrote: "MissLemon wrote: "The Distant Echo is a great read but as it was a group read very recently doesn't that disqualify it this time ?"

Oh dear. Blame that one on me. My apologies.


Icew..."

So sorry!! How about The Likeness ?

Icewineanne wrote: "Nancy wrote: "MissLemon wrote: "The Distant Echo is a great read but as it was a group read very recently doesn't that disqualify it this time ?"

Oh dear. Blame that one on me. My apo..."

It's not your fault...no apologies necessary. The Likeness will work.

This theme hit a nerve! So many fun nominations.

Suzy wrote: "This theme hit a nerve! So many fun nominations."

Indeed. It'll be interesting to see which books are chosen.

I nominate The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
From the critically acclaimed author of Mr. Timothy comes an ingenious tale of murder and revenge, featuring a retired New York City detective and a young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe.

At West Point Academy in 1830, the calm of an October evening is shattered by the discovery of a young cadet's body swinging from a rope just off the parade grounds. An apparent suicide is not unheard of in a harsh regimen like West Point's, but the next morning, an even greater horror comes to light. Someone has stolen into the room where the body lay and removed the heart.

At a loss for answers and desperate to avoid any negative publicity, the Academy calls on the services of a local civilian, Augustus Landor, a former police detective who acquired some renown during his years in New York City before retiring to the Hudson Highlands for his health. Now a widower, and restless in his seclusion, Landor agrees to take on the case. As he questions the dead man's acquaintances, he finds an eager assistant in a moody, intriguing young cadet with a penchant for drink, two volumes of poetry to his name, and a murky past that changes from telling to telling. The cadet's name? Edgar Allan Poe.

Impressed with Poe's astute powers of observation, Landor is convinced that the poet may prove useful—if he can stay sober long enough to put his keen reasoning skills to the task. Working in close contact, the two men—separated by years but alike in intelligence—develop a surprisingly deep rapport as their investigation takes them into a hidden world of secret societies, ritual sacrifices, and more bodies. Soon, however, the macabre murders and Landor's own buried secrets threaten to tear the two men and their newly formed friendship apart.

A rich tapestry of fine prose and intricately detailed characters, The Pale Blue Eye transports readers into a labyrinth of the unknown that will leave them guessing until the very end.

Thank you to all who nominated, and the poll will be going up later today.

The voting can begin for the September group reads -- the poll is now open. You can get to the poll via this link:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

or you can click on the "polls" link at the top righthand corner of any of the group's pages.

Voting closes on the 15th.

The poll winners are
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides, nominated by Kelly

and

One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus, nominated by Belen.

I'll be contacting both Kelly and Belen; in the meantime, you have plenty of time to find copies. Thanks everyone!!!