The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

There are two polls... you can vote on both if you want.


General rules for Group Reads. Please read before you create your post.

One nomination per person.
This month we will have two book categories:
Category 1: Halloween theme: Crime/Mystery books with a thriller or horror twist
Category 2: "Regular" Mystery/Crime books

But still only one nomination per person, NOT one nomination per category.

Please Remember:
The person who nominated the winning book will be the leader of the discussion. The discussion leader's job does not have to be elaborate. A few comments or questions to keep the discussion moving along will be fine.
If you are not able to lead a discussion due to your other responsibilities, please do not nominate a book.

Authors, please no self-nominations.

Nominations will be open until September 30 at 12:00 my time (GMT +1), with voting until Midnight October 7 Goodreads time (PST).

For your post, please use:
Category
Title, Author and
Link (use the "add book/author" link at top of comment box)


Since we are a rather international group please check Amazon or some other site to make sure the book is readily available. Is it available in paperback? Used? Your local library? The last thing we want is to nominate a great book that no one can get!

Finally, a word about series - the joy or bane of a mystery reader’s life! Please consider whether the book you are nominating would be best read by someone who has read all the previous books in the series or can be enjoyed by someone new to the series too.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Category 1: Halloween
The Owl Killers-Karen Maitland (Bettie)
Headhunter-Michael Slade (Vicki)
The Woods-Harlan Coben (Katrina)
Company of Liars-Karen Maitland (K.B.)
A Few Dying Words-Paula Gosling (Michelle)

Category 2: "Regular"
The Railway Detective-Edward Marston (Hayes)
The Gentle Axe-R.N. Morris (Donna)
Ashes to Ashes-Tami Hoag (Joe)
Collusion-Stuart Neville (Chris)

The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland for the horror twist


:O) (how quick was that!)

Pretty quick! But you didn't read the rules!!

Only one nomination per person, so which one do you want?

Thanks Bettie!

Sorry ma'am!!

Michael Slade's "Headhunter" for the horror twist, but the mystery is Great! Headhunter
This is the first book in a series, but stands alone.
All books in the series are really good.

Tami Hoag Ashes to Ashes

Category 1

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland.

The Woods by Harlan Coben for the first category.

K.B. wrote: "Halloween: Company of Liars by Karen Maitland. It's not so much a mystery as a mysterious tale. We have fortune tellers, swan-men, one-eyed relic seller, mermaid corp..."

Barry wrote: "Brett Halliday of the Michael Shayne series.
Take care,
Barry"

Joe wrote: "Tami Hoag Ashes to Ashes"

Which category Joe, Barry and KB?

I'll nominate:

Category 2
The Railway Detective by Edward Marston



(available in ebook format too)

Category 2

The Gentle Axe by R.N. Morris

I want Tami Hoag to be in category 2.

Joe wrote: "I want Tami Hoag to be in category 2."

Thanks Joe

Hayes wrote: "K.B. wrote: "Halloween: Company of Liars by Karen Maitland. It's not so much a mystery as a mysterious tale. We have fortune tellers, swan-men, one-eyed relic seller,..."

I fixed mine.

K.B. wrote: "Hayes wrote: "K.B. wrote: "Halloween: Company of Liars by Karen Maitland. It's not so much a mystery as a mysterious tale. We have fortune tellers, swan-men, one-eyed..."

Thanks K.B.

The two Maitland books aren't part of a series, are they? If they are stand alones that's okay, but if it's a series better to have only the first one.

They are stand alones Hayes, so I think that they both should qualify. How amazing that two Maitlands are in the running - kewl indeed.

:O)

Bettie wrote: "They are stand alones Hayes, so I think that they both should qualify. How amazing that two Maitlands are in the running - kewl indeed.

:O)"

Good! I've got both on TBR but who knows when I will get to them!

As for mine, Company of Liars, it could go in either category, but because some of the characters aren't mainstream, I thought it might be better in the Halloween category.

K.B. wrote: "As for mine, Company of Liars, it could go in either category, but because some of the characters aren't mainstream, I thought it might be better in the Halloween category."

KB, I could do with a re-read of Liars before Maitland's next one comes out in March
:O)

Category 1: Halloween
The Woods by Harlan Coben

Keri wrote: "Category 1: Halloween
The Woods by Harlan Coben"

That was nominated already Keri.
(The list is at the bottom of the first post)

Would you like to nominate another?

oops! Sorry I missed it. Um...nope i'm good :)

K.B. wrote: "As for mine, Company of Liars, it could go in either category, but because some of the characters aren't mainstream, I thought it might be better in the Halloween category."


After browsing all the current nominees, I've ordered Company of Liars to read whether it's chosen or not... looks excellent, and different.

Janice Geranium wrote: "K.B. wrote: "As for mine, Company of Liars, it could go in either category, but because some of the characters aren't mainstream, I thought it might be better in the Halloween category."


After..."

Yay!

Stuart Neville's Collusion
Regular Crime Category

I nominate A Few Dying Words by Paula Gosling for the Halloween theme. :) I have not read it, but I just passed by it when looking for a Halloween themed novel for my own book club here in my town. A Few Dying Words

Polls are open, everyone. You can vote twice, once for Category 1 and once for Category 2.

And the winners are:

Category 1: The Woods, and Katrina will be the discussion leader.

Category 2: Ashes to Ashes, and Joe will be the discussion leader.

Congratulations to both of you.

Uhh, can't wait to get stuck into both :) x

I ordered a copy of Ashes to Ashes through Booksfreeswap, but I'm going to pass on The Woods. I've never been impressed with Harlan Coben, so I'll spend that time to read other goodies.

I'm going to try the Coben book. I just put a hold on it at my local library.

I won't be reading either of them... I still have a few past reads on my list. (Millenium 3 and Lee Child are just two!) I'll read vicariously!!

I am about half way through "The Woods" and it is treating me rather nicely. It is my first Harlan Coben book. Can't wait to start discussing it with you all. It is sad to hear that a lot of people are skipping it, but that is the joy of books ,there are so many to fit others likes, that you can pick and choose.

Katrina wrote: "I am about half way through "The Woods" and it is treating me rather nicely. It is my first Harlan Coben book. Can't wait to start discussing it with you all. It is sad to hear that a lot of people..."

I like how you phrased that: treating you rather nicely. Have any books not treated you nicely? (I'm assuming that boring you would not be considered as not treating you nicely.)

K.B. wrote: "Katrina wrote: "I am about half way through "The Woods" and it is treating me rather nicely. It is my first Harlan Coben book. Can't wait to start discussing it with you all. It is sad to hear that..."

Yes, actually. Sometimes the book could insult my intelligence, or be too complicated for its own good. Maybe the plot can be slow or the plot is going by too fast you don't have time to digest it before the next big thing comes along. "The Woods" is going at a pace that in conducive to figuring out the mystery, has enough intrigue that I am not thinking so what..and much more. I will go more into it when we start the discussion however.

I don't think I'll be reading either one. I tried one Coban and didn't very far. Picked up another and I thought I was reading the same book.

And I've never gotten into Tami Hoag.

Have fun.

I got plenty to read.

I believe I already have a copy of The Woods & will try to read it. Am already reading so many this fall, but I like Harlan Coben. I read Ashes to Ashes a few years ago and I'm not crazy about Tami Hoag so I will pass on that one.

Martha wrote: "I believe I already have a copy of The Woods & will try to read it. Am already reading so many this fall, but I like Harlan Coben. I read Ashes to Ashes a few years ago and I'm not crazy about Tami..."

I listened to The Woods last year and will try to revive my memory of the details enough to join in the discussion,

Joe isn't responding to my messages... does anyone know where he is? He is supposed to be the group read leader for Ashes to Ashes. Would anyone else want to take on the job?

Don't know where he is, but I'm sure he'll pop up before the discussion begins in a week. If not, I'll be the backup.

Thanks K.B. That's very nice of you.

Not a problem.

I read Ashes to Ashes many years ago and thought it was good, not great. Pretty standard stuff. I also read The Woods and thought it was very good. I am a Coben fan and found it to be up to his usual standard of mystery with nice twists and a compelling plot.