The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

Polls are Open!



August/September Group Reads: There will be two categories this month.
Each member may nominate one (1) book only.

Category 1: Open - a book from any category
Category 2: Book set in Italy - in honor of my wonderful co-moderator who is having a birthday shortly!!

General rules for Group Reads

If your nomination wins - you will be the moderator.

One nomination per person. Authors, please no self-nominations.

Please do not repeat an author we have read in the last year.

Nominations will be open until Thursday, Aug 4, 2011 with voting until Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011.

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

Since we are an international group, please check 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.

Thanks for your cooperation!

Category 1 or 2 - Angel Face: The Real Story of Student Killer Amanda Knox

Since this group has "Crime" in the title, I figured this could be a good read. It's about Amanda Knox, who allegedly killed her roommate. This is even more relevant, since her conviction might be overturned due to the Italian police not handling evidence correctly.
I guess this one could work for Category 2 as well!

In the first category, I'd like to nominate The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo. His books are really not a "series" they stand alone.
The Devil's Star

Patricia wrote: "In the first category, I'd like to nominate The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo. His books are really not a "series" they stand alone.
The Devil's Star"

Hi Patricia. We just read another book by Nesbo in June and while he is terrific we try to mix things up. Would you like to nominate another book?

Oh, sorry, Donna. I read The Snowman and loved it so much I've now also read The Redbreast and have Nemisis and The Devil's Star on my Kindle already. Didn't realize we try to mix things up. So, how about The Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver?
A Maiden's Grave

I'd like to nominate Death at La Fenice, set in Italy, first book in the series. I have never read any in this series, but my husband loves them!

she's in the homestretch, near the wire, in her brilliant writing career. she did hit on all cylinders in her new nook------which i returned to the library and forgot the title. she is Ruth Rendell, and i nominate "Tigerlilies" (part of title

Tigerlily's Orchids?

I second Death at La Fenice after all the talk on this site about this series I think it would be a great read.

Death at La Fenice is not available in Kindle version.

Murrowboy2 wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "Tigerlily's Orchids?"

orchids, jeanette. memory fades as age surges"

I just searched for Tigerlilies. Not fair having two flowers in the title. ;)

I would like to nominate The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova for Category #1.


And A Season for the Dead by Brian Hewson for the Category located in Italy.

I'd recommend The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton for the first category.

I would like to recommend The Perfect Deceit by Sandra Sparkler for the first category.

With ambitions and stakes running high which results in countries vying against each other to be top dog on the world stage in our interconnected world. Spies, double agents, love triangles -- it’s all in a day’s work for super spy Alexey!

An exciting and suspenseful novel with powerful relevance to our times.

Angel Face

This book is available in hardcover, paperback and kindle/ebook.

For cat 1 - I would like to nominate Spies of the Balkans

and for Cat 2 - Sacred Hearts

Sam wrote: "For cat 1 - I would like to nominate Spies of the Balkans

and for Cat 2 - Sacred Hearts"

Hi Sam, Sarah Dunant is a wonderful writer but I think Sacred Hearts is more historical fiction than mystery. Would you like to nominate another Italian mystery?

For cat 1 - I would like to nominate Spies of the Balkans

Cat 2 - Sacred Hearts"

How about The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi.

I would like to second The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova for the first category. For the second category, I'm torn between Death at La Fenice and A Season for the Dead.

Hi Everyone, At this point we are just gathering nominations. Next thursday, 8/4, I'll set up a poll and then we will vote. Until then nominate away, the more choices the better!

Diane wrote: "I second Death at La Fenice after all the talk on this site about this series I think it would be a great read."

Death at La Fenice sounds great! I've read other books in this series but somehow I missed this one. Also, it is available at my library.

I nominate The Nightmare Thief by Meg gardiner for the open caategory. I love her stuff, really good edge of your seat type thriller.

I nominate Original Sin (Sally Sin Adventures, #1) by Beth McMullen for category 1. This is the first book in a new series with a really fun take on a spy thriller.

id like to nominate Ratking, the first of the Aurelio Zen mysteries, for the Italian category

Can I nominate The Swan Thieves for Cat 1 and Angels and Demons for Cat 2

I would like to nominate The Swan Thieves for Cat 1 and Angels and Demons for Cat 2

Rosanne wrote: "I would like to nominate The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova for Category #1.

And A Season for the Dead by Brian Hewson for the Category located in Italy.
[b..."

Carol wrote: "Can I nominate The Swan Thieves for Cat 1 and Angels and Demons for Cat 2"

Hi everyone. It's one nomination per person, please. And don't forget that the nominators of the winning books become the discussion leaders.

When the voting is open you can vote in both categories.

For Category #2, I would like to nominate The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith.

Category 2 - How about The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri?

I think this is actually the first in the series although we previously read the second in the series, The Terra-Cotta Dog.

nominate for category 2 "Death in a Strange Country" by Donna Leon, another of her terrific stories. cant think of a better writer than Leon for outstanding crime novels set in italy/

I'd like to nominate I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman for Cat. 1. This would give me a reason to finally read this one!

Es135 wrote: "I'd like to nominate I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman for Cat. 1. This would give me a reason to finally read this one!"

That's a good one. I've been reading it for a while.

For category #2, The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston could an interesting choice. It's a true crime story with the same prosecutor in the Amanda Knox case.

I would like to nominate It Came from Beneath the sink by: R.L. Stine for Cat. 1. My friend told me about this book its seems really interesting, scary and thrilling book.

For category one I'm nominating Blood Men by Paul Cleave.

He's been highly praised by authors such as Mark Billingham, Tess Gerritsen, Simon Kernick, and John Connolly, and was in the past few days named as a finalist for the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award. He's a big bestseller in continental Europe (Germany, France etc), but hasn't yet become as big in the English-speaking markets, although he has got great reviews.

Category 2: Postcard Killers by James Patterson. It takes place in Rome and other cities around Europe. I'm not sure if that would be good enough.The Postcard Killers

I'd like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time for the 1st category.

Donna wrote: "Sam wrote: "For cat 1 - I would like to nominate Spies of the Balkans

and for Cat 2 - Sacred Hearts"

Hi Sam, Sarah Dunant is a wonderful writer but I think Sacre..."

Hi Donna

I'll just stick with the first nomination Spies of the Balkans as my other thoughts would have been one of the Aurellio Zen novels or the Talanted Mr Ripley and both of those have already been put forward.

Pamela wrote: "For Category #2, I would like to nominate The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith."

I loved the film, I would be really interested in reading the book.