Comfort Reads discussion

Last year, a friend introduced me to mystery author Phil Rickman. He has written a series with a female Anglican priest as the protagonist and I really love them. They are a little bit dark but not gory and the first in the series is called The Wine of Angels.

I've often turned to mysteries for comfort. I started with Agatha Christie when I was young and now I have a few series I like to follow; one of my favorite comfort read mystery series is the one by Sue Grafton. I also like Donna Andrews and Nevada Barr and some others. Unfortunately, even for series I really like I've fallen behind on all but a couple of them because there are so many other books to read.
ETA: I tend to like mysteries that aren't too violent or scary.

I don't like reading the graphically violent mysteries either Lisa and I'm starting to enjoy the Sue Grafton books you recommended to me a month or two ago.

I've never heard of Donna Andrews. I'll have to check her out!

Donna Andrews has 2 series, one with birds in the titles and one with a computer as the main protagonist. They're both very funny, especially the "birds" series.

I just finished Tana French's The Likeness A Novel. It was like snuggling up in a comforter and getting cozy.

Sandi, I've been meaning to get to In the Woods for a long time. I guess I'll have to get there soon so I can read the sequel!

Lee wrote: "Sandi, I've been meaning to get to In the Woods for a long time. I guess I'll have to get there soon so I can read the sequel!"

In the Woods was good too, maybe better.

It is such a weird small coinkeedinky world. Just yesterday I read a review about Donna Andrews' first book. Most reviewers who liked the book loved it saying it was hilarious, laugh out loud funny, but the ones who hated it talked about how whiny and door-mousy the protagonist was, the selfish and caricatured characters and the lack of much mystery among all the wedding stuff. Now I see you like her, Lisa, and I trust your judgment. Also, I realize that I read the first two computer mysteries and was so horrified by inaccuracies in the computer knowledge I couldn't read another. But I don't think I had a problem with how she wrote. So now I'm confused! I love Tamar Myers, do you think I would like the birds series?

Kelly, I'm not sure. They're funny (in my opinion) but very lightweight and the mystery isn't that important.

I came back to this thread because I forgot to mention a series that is a hoot - so funny if you have a warped sense of humor - the Spellman books by Lisa Lutz. The fourth one is coming out this spring.

Lisa, I didn't realize the Lisa Lutz books were mysteries!

Lee wrote: "Lisa, I didn't realize the Lisa Lutz books were mysteries! "

Yes! They're about a very quirky family of private detectives. More humorous family disfunction than serious mysteries, but they are mysteries. They take place in San Francisco so they're especially great fun for me. I find them hilarious.

Cool!

I like grabbing a Dick Francis novel now and then. I can never remember which ones I've read, and the blurbs at the back only occasionally help. The end result is I feel as if there's an endless supply.

My two current favorite series are Martha Grime's Richard Jury series, and Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series.

Richard Jury is a member of Scotland Yard, but sometimes plays only a minor role in the books. I love the cast of characters based in Long Piddleton, England - from Marshall Trueblood, the rather flamboyant antiques dealer to Vivian and Diane, and my personal favorite - Melrose Plant of Ardry End.

The Amelia Peabody series starts in the late 19th century, and involves a fiercly independent woman who was trained in archaeology and ancient Egyptian history. She marries Radcliffe Emerson, and they split time between England and Egypt, depending on where the mystery is set :)

Abigail wrote: "A mystery series which interests me, although I've only had the opportunity to read the first two, so far, is Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma books, about an Irish nun and legal scholar from the 7t..."

Abigail, I read one of Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma books a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I'll have to look those up again because I love books set in ancient Ireland.

Sarah Pi wrote: "I like grabbing a Dick Francis novel now and then. I can never remember which ones I've read, and the blurbs at the back only occasionally help. The end result is I feel as if there's an endless su..."

Sarah, you're funny. :-)
I've never read a Dick Francis book but I'm now very curious to try one. I bet they are good, old-fashioned fast reads.

Paula wrote: "My two current favorite series are Martha Grime's Richard Jury series, and Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series.

Richard Jury is a member of Scotland Yard, but sometimes plays only a minor ro..."

Paula, is Long Piddleton a real place? What a name!

Lee wrote: "Paula, is Long Piddleton a real place? What a name! ..."

I don't think so; at least, I've never found it on a map. I just always assumed it was made up, although MG has described where it is in relation to London and other nearby "real" cities.

Lee wrote: "I've never read a Dick Francis book but I'm now very curious to try one. I bet they are good, old-fashioned fast reads. "

Exactly, Lee! He knows his racing world well, he does good research into any new elements, and all of his books are impeccably plotted.

I found the Sister Fidelma series very interesting, but my absolute favourite medieval mystery series are the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters and the Matthew Bartholomew series by Susanna Gregory. Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael is a crime-solving monk (12th Century England, during the Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maude), while Matthew Bartholomew is a crime-solving physician in 14th Century Cambridge (around the time of the Black Death). The two series feature both engaging mysteries and wonderfully rich historical details; I have read them multiple times and keep rereading them.

I completely forgot about those series, Gundula! Thanks for the reminder - they are pretty good books, and Ellis Peter's books are quick little reads- great for a snow day!

The nice thing about the Brother Cadfael series, is that the whole series (except for the last novel) are available in seven omnibuses, each containing three of the novels (great for me, as shelf space for books is always a problem). By the way, Paula, did you ever watch the BBC series on Brother Cadfael? I have to admit that I liked some of the adaptations, while I just hated others (all in all though, they were too different from the novels for my tastes).

I watched one, and just couldn't get into it - it was done differently than how I pictured the story and characters in my head. Plus, they didn't stay real true to the story, from what I remember.

Then again - it was roughly 13-15 years ago that I watched it... Do you remember one in particular that you liked? I'd be willing to give the film versions another shot.

I liked "One Corpse too Many" (it was relatively faithful to the plot of the novel), and "Monk's Hood" was not bad either. I really really hated "St. Peter's Fair." Not only did they bastardise the story something awful, they made the character of Hugh Beringar seem almost sinister (and, since he was one of my favourite characters in the novels, that was unforgivable). Oh, and "The Virgin in the Ice" was also quite good, although the story line was quite different from the original novel.

Thanks, Gundula! I've been looking for an excuse to sign up for Netflix - if they have one of those first two movies that might just tip the scales!

Sarah Pi wrote: "I like grabbing a Dick Francis novel now and then. I can never remember which ones I've read, and the blurbs at the back only occasionally help. The end result is I feel as if there's an endless su..."

Sarah, Dick Francis is my number one "comfort read" author! For me it's a lot about the down-to-earth way his heroes solve their problems.

Luann do you have a favourite Dick Francis or are like Sarah in that it doesn't matter which one you grab because they all feel similar?

I couldn't possibly pick just one favorite, but I can narrow it down to about five or six top favorites: Break In, Bolt, The Danger, Proof, Bonecrack, Smokescreen, Wild Horses, and whichever one I've most recently reread.

(Oops! I meant seven or eight top favorites. :)

And thanks to Lisa for inviting me to join the group!

We're happy to have you Luann! Seven or eight is just fine. I was just looking for somewhere to start and those will allow me to check out a few. Thanks!

Thanks! Such a fun idea for a group.

Has anyone read the Stephanie Plum books? Not sure which mystery section to put them under, as they seem to barely qualify as mystery - more just simple brain candy.

My grandmother actually introduced me to them, so I had to read the first one (such a quick read I finished it during a 4-hr car drive; no, I wasn't the one driving).

Paula, I've read a few. I don't think I'd qualify them as mystery either, they're kind of funny and quirky brain candy. Maybe in General Fiction? Or Humour?

I went through lots of Christie mysteries when I was in high school, although I've never reread them since. And when I was in college I fell in love with Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. Sherlock Holmes is always a good comfort read for me, especially as most of the tales are short stories that can be read in one sitting.

I'm very interested in hearing more about Dorothy Sayers' Lord Wimsey series. What are they like?

Lee and All, I got rid of "Dorothy Sayers" because it's Dorothy L. Sayers! (I combined the books; none were lost.)

Sandybanks, I also went through Agatha Christie's books as a teen then read Sayers' books and really liked them.

Lee, I have some of Sayers' books but sadly don't remember them clearly. I'd have to peruse one or more to refresh my memory. I do remember that I really enjoyed them.

Lisa, you are a super librarian! Thanks for fixing that.

I've always liked the "Travis McGee" series by John D. MacDonald. The main character (Travis McGee) lives on a houseboat in Florida, and both he and his economist friend Meyer are routinely involved in mysteries of all kinds. All of the Travis McGee novels have a colour (or a shade of colour) in the title. I think that my favourites are some of the later novels, Free Fall in Crimson, Cinnamon Skin and The Lonely Silver Rain; you can often find them in secondhand bookstores.

BunWat wrote: "I really enjoy Dorothy (L) Sayers. And I think I may have read all of Agatha Christie, except maybe a few things she wrote under pen names. "

I have a lot of Christie (all the Poirot for certain) and one written as Mary Westmacott, a sort of gothic romance, I believe. I reread Christie on a regular basis. I never got into Lord Peter Wimsey (Sayer's main character), but my husband loved the books. Very proper British kind of guy, but rather modern, too.

Unfinished Portrait: A Novel of Romance and Suspense.

Both of these authors/series sound great. I think I'm going to be reading a lot more mysteries this year.

The Travis McGee series is not for the faint of heart, there is quite a bit of violence in some of the novels, but MacDonald does tell a very good story and his character development is superb. I have to admit that Travis McGee himself is not my favourite character, but I just adore Meyer (he is not just a sidekick, but a worthy partner, with knowledge up to his ears -- yeah, I've got to admit it, I actually had a crush on him for a while).

Bunwat, I like literature from that era so I don't think the lack of sensitive or politically correct language would bother me.

Oooooh, no I haven't! Are there many? I will go have a look right now.

BunWat, Thanks for refreshing my memory. Yes, I did love Sayers' books. I read most of them, and most of Agatha Christie's as well. I might be one of the few people who like Miss Marple slightly better than Poirot, but I enjoyed all of her books.

BunWat wrote: "You can sign me up Lisa as a bigger Marple than Poirot fan. Although my twu love is Tuppence and Tommy. "

Yes, They're wonderful!!!

I just took a look and there are at least twenty in the Albert Campion series. I've added The Crime at Black Dudley which is the first, to read. Now I'm off to hunt down the first in the Wimsey series.

BunWat wrote: "Oh also Sayers was a classical scholar, one of the first women to recieve a degree from Oxford. In addition to writing the Wimsey stories she also published a translation of Dante's Divine Commedi..."

I don't have a problem with that too. I'm reading a Raymond Chandler right now, which is from the late 40's, and it's just as politically incorrect. They are products of their ages.

My favorite Wimsey mystery are Gaudy Night, which has an Oxford setting, and Busman's Honeymoon (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, #13).

Okay, Whose Body? is the first by Dorothy L. Sayers if anyone else is interested. I'm going to give it a whirl.

I read loads of Agatha Christie as a teen but I can't remember who Tommy and Tuppence are? My memory must be terrible!

Ah, no wonder. I may have read one of those so I'm not surprised those characters are long gone from my head.