Best reads - Club Together Book Club?

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  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited December 2023 #902

    Thanks for the heads up, TW. I will keep my eyes open for the first in the series, as I much prefer to start with the opening book, rather than jump in part way through.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #903

    The first book, The Engine House, is currently £1.99. I’ve been lucky and caught them all at 99p, or free with Prime, so far. Once I know I like a series, I snap them up when they're on offer then try to read them in order.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited December 2023 #904

    I remember seeing it in order TW but wasn't too sure about getting it, as I already have probably more than I will ever get round to reading in the next couple of years, and by then all the other authors I follow will themselves have published more! It's a never ending cycle!!😆

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2023 #905

    It is indeed!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited January 16 #906

    Anne Cleeve's The Darkest Evening, No. 9 in the Vera Stanhope series is available on Kindle at 99p at the moment, but only for a limited period.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 16 #907

    I am not really into fiction but I appreciate these posts so I can pass them onto Margaret as I am sure she would be interested.

    David

  • Goldie146
    Goldie146 Club Member Posts: 2,448 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 17 #908

    One of her best! I think. And much much better than the television adaptation. More depth

  • milliehull
    milliehull Forum Participant Posts: 4,754 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 17 #909

    Having watched various Agathist Christie programmes over Christmas I decided to read some of the Miss Marple books that I haven't read so far (well I don't think so!). I had forgotten what a very good writer Agatha is. I am now trying to work out who the villain is by the clues that she gives us. 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 17 #910

    I paid a visit to the library recently and noticed the new M.W.Craven book called Fearless. 

    Haven't read much of it yet but appears to be a clone of Jack Reacher. Hope it's better than those latest ones' of Childs but expected a bit better of Craven. Hope he proves me wrong.

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
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    edited February 3 #911

    Have continued to read favourite authors lists and am currently on library list for David Baldacci and Michael Connelly books. Having been given 2 detective books at Xmas I have now added David Louth (Craig Gillard character) and Rachel Lynch (Kelly Porter character) to my reading list which grows ever longer. Also added Candace Robb (Medieval York-Owen Archer chsracter) due to a random pickup in library.  Happy reading to all for 2024.

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 6 #912

    One bonus of CT being down was that I could catch up on some reading! laughing

    So I've got through the latest offerings from Michael Connelly, Anne Cleeve  (her 2 rivers series) and Val McDermid.

    Also discovered a new, to me, Australian author. I think I've mentioned Jane Harper's "Aaron Falk" detective series before. Now I've been reading Chris Hammer's "Martin Scarsden" investigative journalist series - Scrublands, Silver and Trust.t

    There's something different about these two authors that I can't quite put my finger on but they both have a very descriptive writing style and frequent references to the surrounding environments leave you in no doubt that they're set "Down Under".

    Both highly recommended! smile

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 6 #913

    I've done a lot of reading recently as well. I made the mistake of downloading three Tim Sullivan DS Cross books. What a mistake that was! Cross is supposed to have Asperger’s or something similar and has no social skills. It makes the books very hard going in my opinion although a pedant's delight. I managed two or three chapters before giving up and deleting them all. Good job they were free but I think I see why!

    I've read a couple of books recently by Nick Alexander and found them riveting. They tend to be family or people related stories with a mystery attached. I’ve just finished 'Perfectly Ordinary People' which goes back to wartime in France. I will be reading more👍🏻

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 7 #914

    Always good to hear of new to me authors that might be worth investigating and ones to avoid as well.

    Finished reading M.W.Craven's new character first in series book called Fearless. Really enjoy his Washington Poe and Tilly series but I'm. I'm not sure whether I'll read another Fearless one. Too much like Reacher and not enough of authors sense of humour to make it different.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited February 9 #915

    For followers of JD Kirk, the 17th in the DCI Logan crime thriller series, In Service of Death, is at 99p at the moment!!laughing

    If anyone is interested in getting a series of crime novels at a greatly reduced price the 4 book series of DCI Alex Fleming by Robert McNeil ( not to confused with Robert McNeill) is also at 99p for full set!! I have not tried them yet, as too many other books to read, but their reviews are good.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 9 #916

    I bought Service of Death just a few minutes ago!

    Have memories of being stuck in a jam beside the Spean Bridge Commando Monument for 2-3 hours! The hold up was caused by a MH leaving the road - fortunately, no one was injured - and those of us with LVs supplied tea and toilets for those in need, including the police. 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 9 #917

    I bought it at £1.99 Nellie. Mind you it was at Christmas and I was being nagged to join in the "spirit" and buy a present I wanted. Just think, I could have told them I'd wait until the sales.smile

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited February 12 #918

    Another heads up on cheap books on Kindle. The third in the Summer Suspense series by L J Ross, The Bay, is at 99p at the moment, and the second in M A Comley's Lake District series with DI Sam Cobbs, To Silence Them, is free today!!laughing

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 12 #919

    I read The Bay some while back, Nellie. I thought it was very predictable and not a patch on her Ryan books 😕

    I'll check out MA Comley. Thanks.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited February 26 #920

    One of the Kindle's 99p Daily Deals this morning was JD Kirk's "A Dead Man Walking", no.18 in the DCI Logan series!! Dont know how long the offer will last.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited February 29 #921

    I know that I have recommended Caihm McDonnell before but if anyone wants a series of crime novels that are full of humour and "interesting" characters then the first in the Bunny McGarry Dublin Trilogy "A Man with One of Those Faces" is at 99p on Kindle at the moment.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 1 #922

    I can second Nellies' comments about McDonald books with Bunny in them. Even funny at the third time of reading.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 23 #923

    Michael Connelly "Resurrection Walk" on offer at Amazon kindle for £0.99 today

    Currently reading "The Body, a guide for occupants", by Bill Bryson. Borrowed from library.

    It makes you wonder how the human being gets from the start of one day to the other never mind those having a long life span. Mind boggling and to be read in short bursts otherwise stuff just doesn't sink in.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636
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    edited June 23 #924

    Michael Connelly "Resurrection Walk" on offer at Amazon kindle for £0.99 today

    You beat me to it on here today, WN!! I did purchase it this afternoon.

    I am at present reading The Engine House,  the first in the series by Rhys Dylan, as recommended by TW.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 23 #925

    I haven't enjoyed the last couple of Mark Billingham's books but I was in the library and picked up "The last Dance" the first in a new detective series and enjoyed it enough to order the follow-up. Had its amusing moments so worth a read if you get the chance.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 23 #926

    I have probably mentioned before that I am not much of a reader of fiction, unlike Margaret! I incline towards autobiographies and travel books. However today I did buy the latest Richard Osman book, We Solve Murders. (which was a good price in Morrisons)  Whilst I suspect many find them a bit lightweight I have really enjoyed his previous series, The Thursday Murder Club books, probably about my levelwink. I will report back when I have had a chance to read it.

    David

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Forum Participant Posts: 3,579
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    edited September 27 #927

    We use the library as we can give the books back once read.  I do look through some charity shops and the supermarket charity stands to find older books that are often no longer in the library. Far cheaper than buying them.

    My wife has read the Thursday Murder Club books and loved them.  

  • Goldie146
    Goldie146 Club Member Posts: 2,448 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 27 #928

    I very rarely throw anything away. Including books. We live in a large house and most rooms have at least one bookcase. I have most of the books I bought as a child (what would now be classufied as for "young adult"), plus many of the books bought/given to our children when young). And then all the books I've bought since then. For a Wedding Present my husband made me a bookcase. 

    But sitting at the table I see rows of dusty paperbacks. Some I have since bought for my Kindle. Do I want to keep them all? I don't know. I'm very averse to throwing them out, and they are not fit to give away. Well read and dusty. Other rooms have more books.

    So I have installed an App on my phone and I'm cataloguing them. It's easy for most of them - just scan the barcode. Then I'm boxing them up and hoping someone will carrry them upstairs for me. Procrastination at it's finest. But I can say I've started.

    Hardbacks, non-fiction, special additions and those belonging to the farm are safe. 

    People ask - do you read them all? Yes, but not all at once! It's enough to know they are there and I can read them if I want to.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 27 #929

    Goldie

    The catalogue App seems an excellent idea. I have tried to persuade Margaret to use a spreadsheet to record the books she has read but unsuccessfully so far. Might try the App idea! 

    When we were touring we often left books in the campsite information hut. Margaret would sometimes find a few new ones to read. The local Hospice has a lovely secondhand book shop near one of the Tesco branches and we make donations to them. Even outside our local shop there is a small cupboard where people can swap books. I have over flowing bookshelves in my office. I am currently going through, and disposing off, nearly 13 years worth of Motorhome Monthly Magazine which should make some space.

    David

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 29 #930

    One of my very favourite authors is Kate Atkinson and she's just had published her latest novel "Death at the sign of the rook". It features her long suffering detective Jackson Brodie who's been absent from our shelves for quite a while now. It's an Agatha Christie style "whodunit" but unmistakably written in Kate Atkinson's own style. She is such a clever writer, you think you are reading two or three completely separate stories and suddenly the all come together. You don't have to have read the previous books in the series, but I would recommend it to get to know the characters and appreciate the humour! 

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited October 9 #931

    If anybody likes a really gruesome murder you might be interested in the non-fiction The Jigsaw Murders which tells the true story of Dr Buck Ruxton who butchered his common law wife and children's nanny.