Mystery and Suspense fiction

Whodunit Book Club January 31, 2012

2012-01-31T23:05:00.008-03:30

Twenty die-hard Whodunit members braved the January cold to attend tonight's meeting. The book discussed this month was "Skin and bones" by Tom Bale.
Pam asked the group two 'magical' questions: a) Do you think that this book was as good as a Linwood Barclay book? and, b) Does a book have to 'grab' you from the beginning? Also, as is our usual custom we rate the title from 1-10.
Taking into account the 20 members in attendance (one of whom abstained because they didn't read the book) and the one who voted in absentia the average rating was 7.9 which pretty much lets you know that it was a Whodunit favourite.

Eleven members said they enjoyed the book more than Linwood Barclay. Most agreed that it is nice when a book grabs you from the beginning, but that it doesn't have to in order for them to enjoy it as it may have other redeeming qualities. One member used the analogy that reading a book is like a relationship. It is nice to be 'grabbed' sometimes but you wouldn't want a steady diet of it. Like a marriage of many years, it is sometimes nice to have the 'grabbing' after a gradual build up.
Some wait 3 chapters, some 5 chapters, some just have to finish a book once they've begun with the view that it must get better... Some open the potential book at a certain page and judge that way. I have recently read a blog that was called "The page 69 test" where the reader opens the book to page 69 and reads. If that page passes muster, then the book will be deemed worthy of reading in its entirety.

Although there was much lively discussion about "Skin and bones" there were some negative comments. The most prevalent of these was that it was implausible that the character of Julia could have endured what she did and was so physically active given her internal injuries. Also the portrayal of Vanessa who was dying of cancer, but still had the strength to come down stairs and try to attack someone was more than a little unrealistic. A few thought the book could have been a little shorter with better editing.

It was noted that of all the books covered in Whodunit, "Skin and bones" probably had the highest body count.

The device of using the draft function of e-mail to remain untraceable was fascinating. Tom Bale writes with an almost cinematic storytelling style. The descriptions were well written and stayed with the reader long after the final page. In particular the feeling of stillness and absence of life in the idyllic rural Sussex village. The scene where the killer's mother's garden and kitchen were described. The gory scene where the Toby cut off a man's hands...

We learned a little about the author, Tom Bale. "Skin and bones" was his second novel following "Sins of the father" which he wrote under his real name David Harrison. He has written since he was a child and had many, many rejections when starting out. He actually dreamed the whole opening sequence for "Skin and bones". Upon hearing this some members agreed that the novel had an almost surreal feeling to it.

The free book winners this month were:
Betty, Heather, Caroly and Tracy.

It was requested that we should read a true crime book at some future time.
Also, it was announced that Whodunit members get 10% off their bookclub books in future.

Next month's selection is "13th hour" by Richard Doetsch.

50 Blogs for Mystery Readers

2012-01-21T16:12:00.004-03:30

The Mystery Fanfare has made a list of the 50 best blogs for mystery readers.

Whodunit Book Club November 29, 2011

2011-12-30T15:11:00.007-03:30

Fifteen members attended the last Whodunit meeting of 2011. Two members contributed to our waistlines with wonderful cookies and chocolates. Thanks so much.

Our book this month was "Big red tequila" by Rick Riordan. (pronounced Rye or din)
The first in a series of novels featuring Tres Navarre, an unlicensed private investigator set in San Antonio, Texas.

From the author's website: Jackson "Tres" Navarre and his enchilada-eating cat, Robert Johnson, pull into San Antonio and find nothing but trouble. Ten years ago Navarre left town and the memory of his father's murder behind him. Now he's back, looking for answers. Yet the more Tres digs, trying to put his suspicions to rest, the fresher the decade-old crime looks: Mafia connections, construction site payoffs, and slick politicians' games all conspire to ruin his homecoming.

It's obvious Tres has stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble. He gets attacked, shot at, run over by a big blue Thunderbird—and his old girlfriend, the one he wants back, turns up missing. Tres has to rescue the woman, nail his father's murderer, and get the hell out of Dodge before mob-style Texas justice catches up to him.

The 'big red tequila' referred to in the title is a drink of tequila mixed with Big Red cream soda. UCK!

Once again we rated the novel by voting 1-10 as to our enjoyment. The score was 4.6

Plus points: Everyone seems to agree that the cat, Robert Johnson was a real and likeable 'character' who added to the book. The character of Maia was feisty and seemed too smart to be paired up with the protagonist Tres (pronounced “trace”). The descriptions of the San Antonio setting were well depicted and written with a real knowledge of the area.

Minus points: The cover was not particularly attractive and many said that they would NOT have read the book if just perusing the shelves. It appears at first glance to be a western novel. The character of Tres came off as being rather unintelligent. Although it was stated in the novel that he holds a PhD in medieval studies. The peripheral characters were unrealistically portrayed. The wrap up to the story was confusing to read and the resolution was murky and difficult to understand.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Rick Riordan is a Shamus and Anthony Award winning novelist. You can view an online interview with him here.
Although our book club did not rate the novel "Big Red Tequila" highly, there are many who do as is proven by his award-winning status.

The question was posed: "How do you know a book is good if you've never read one that's bad...?

Lucky book winners this month were: Lynne, Carolyn, Camilla, Tracey and Margaret.

Our next meeting will be held the last Tuesday of January 2012, when we will discuss the novel, "Skin and bones" by Tom Bale.

Whodunit Book Club October 25, 2011

2011-10-25T22:17:00.005-02:30

Eighteen Whodunit members turned out for the meeting on this damp and chilly evening.
The novel discussed this month was "The little stranger" by Sarah Waters. Including one vote made in absentia, the club's average rating for the book was 7.194 out of 10.
Like the familiar saying "Those who loved it, loved it a lot". Those who didn't, didn't. The reaction to the novel was polarized, with members voting either very high or very low.

The author, Sarah Waters was born in Wales in 1966. She earned her PhD in English literature in 1995 and soon after starting writing novels. Her books have been in the running for several prestigious literary awards including the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger and the Lambda Literary Award for Fiction, and were shortlisted for the Orange Prize and the Man Booker Prize. A lesbian herself, she often portrays lesbians in her novels although she didn't in "The little stranger". Her fifth novel, it took her two and half years to write.
See her online interview discussing the writing of "The little stranger".

Positive praise from Whodunit members included such comments as "well-written"; "suspenseful"; "great characterization"; "great sense of place".
Negative comments included "too much detail"; "too long".

Written with consumate skill, the story was absorbing and could be interpreted many different ways. Hundreds Hall, the decaying house featured in the novel was a character unto itself and many said that they could perfectly picture it in their mind's eye.
Doctor Faraday, a rural physician and a bachelor, seemed to have aspirations to own the house with the elevated status it represented -- and some mentioned that he could be interpreted as 'the little stranger' as he visited the house as a child when his mother was a servant there. (Incidentally Sarah Waters' grandparents worked as servants in an English country house). A member commented that there is a 'little stranger' in all of us - that it is the dark part of our personality.

The setting was written so well that the reading of the novel was almost a visual experience. The novel was set in a time when there was a distinct and impassable divide between the social classes and the author aptly describes the social mores and customs of the time period. Somewhat gloomy and dark, Sarah Waters describes her work as being somewhat Dickensian.

The novel can be read as a gothic ghost story; a supernatural thriller, a psychological character study, or a historical mystery novel. All would be correct and the author leaves the decision up to the reader.

Congratulations to the lucky winners of five free novels this month:
Brenda (welcome back!)
Carolyn
Liz
Nancy
Heather

"The little stranger" by Sarah Waters

2011-10-17T21:05:00.004-02:30

October's novel to be discussed in Whodunit is "The little stranger" by Sarah Waters. As luck would have it, I read this novel just days before it was announced as October's selection.
It is a particularly fitting selection for October as it has been described as a 'gothic ghost story'.
If anyone is interested they can read my review of "The little stranger" on my Fictionophile blog.

Whodunit Book Club September 27, 2011

2011-10-17T19:58:00.007-02:30

With a scant showing of only twelve Whodunit members, September's club meeting was quieter than usual. The book selection this month was "Revenge of the lobster lover" by Hilary MacLeod. With 4 abstained and 8 voted, the novel received an average of 6.31 out of ten points.

It was said that although the novel was short on 'mystery', it was a FUN and light-hearted read with likeable characters. A good summer read. Positive comments proclaimed it to be well written with good descriptive passages. The more negative comments described the book as 'strange' and 'inconsistent'. It was noted that the cover was unusual and didn't tie in to the plot. Another comment was that readers would have liked to have had a map of the fictional place to refer to.

If there was a lesson to be learned from reading this novel it is that nathttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifure kicks butt. The plot had a long build-up to a tumultuous ending. Much like a storm can brew for days and then be over in a few minutes.

The author, Hilary MacLeod has spent the last 20 summers in a little house by the sea in Prince Edward Island, but lives the rest of the year in Ontario. She writes about islanders with fond affection.
For those who enjoyed the book there is a sequel entitled "Mind over mussels".

The lucky winners of free books this month were: Marlene, Betty, Brian and Cathy D.

Next month's selection is "The little stranger" by Sarah Waters.

Whodunit Book Club July 26, 2011

2011-08-15T21:31:00.003-02:30

Fourteen members attended the July meeting. Pam’s “semi-magical” question was “Do you prefer to read something familiar, [i.e., set in a familiar place] or to learn something new, be adventurous?” A few preferred stories set in recognizable places, a handful favoured more exotic locales, but most said they were equally happy with familiar or unfamiliar settings. Many mentioned that they were distracted if there were inaccuracies in describing the locale, a possible pitfall for books set in places well-known to the reader, and some mentioned that they really like to have maps included with the book.

This month’s book was "Foul Deeds" by Linda Moore, which is set in Halifax.

Members present were asked to rate the book out of 10. The average score was slightly over 7. (One member had not read the book and, therefore, abstained.)

Foul Deeds, written by Linda Moore, a former artistic director for Neptune Theatre, centres on the murder of an environmental lawyer and activist in modern day Halifax. In the story professional criminologist Rosalind (Roz) works for a Private Investigator while, at the same time, indulging her passion for theatre by preparing a company of out-of-work actors for a bare bones production of Hamlet. A number of members commented on Moore’s skillful use of dialogue and the inter-weaving of passages from Hamlet into the story. The downtown Halifax she writes about rings true not just in its physical descriptions but in the portrayal of the political climate. Although not as gritty a story as many in the book club prefer, the writing and the familiar locale made for a good entertainment.

The winners of four mystery novels were Heather, Gaye, Marlene, and Nancy. Congratulations all!

The next meeting will be held on September 27 when we will discuss "The Revenge of the Lobster Lover" by Hilary MacLeod.

Thanks to Marlene for writing this blog entry while I was at the cottage. While there, I read "Foul deeds" and concur with the rating of 7/10 as well as the sentiment that the novel was an enjoyable read.

Reminder: There will be no meeting of the book club in August.

Whodunit Book Club June 28, 2011

2011-07-06T22:22:00.003-02:30

Eighteen members were present for the June meeting.
Pam posed the question: "Does a mystery have to contain a murder in order for it to be a good read?" With the exception of a few who like their stories to be a little gory and love a good murder, most thought that a novel could be considered a good read if the 'mystery' was something as mundane as a theft, a missing person, or the like as long as the characters and plot were interesting.

This month's novel was "Life sentences" by Laura Lippman.

The members present were asked to rate this month's book out of 10. Two members abstained from voting as they had not read the book. The remaining sixteen rated an average of 5/10. Not really a 'mystery' in the usual sense of the genre, this novel was more a study that explores the responsibility writers hold for the content of their work.

"Life Sentences" was inspired by a real-life story of a Baltimore woman whose young son disappeared, whereupon she refused to make any statement and spent seven years in prison for contempt of court. Lippman's protagonist in the novel, Cassandra Fallows, an author, knew a girl in grade school who, as an adult, had that same experience. Cassandra sets out to write a book about herself and her childhood friends and how this girl, Callie Jenkins, eventually went to jail under suspicion of murdering her son. Cassandra returns to her home town of Baltimore and seeks the memories of old friends who no longer feel terribly friendly toward her -- and whose memories often differ dramatically from her own.

The few members who rated this novel highly liked the concept dealing with memory. How the book raised the notion that everyone's 'truth' is different. How different people witnessing the same event can have completely different memories of that event. How, over time, we can reinvent the past to suit ourselves making it all about us.

Those who did not rate the novel highly found that the author did not invest in her characters which left the reader not really caring about them one way or another. The novel seemed comprised of several different story lines without any one being followed through before another started.

The lucky winners of three hardcover novels were: Betty, Kim and Marilyn. Congratulations!

The next meeting will be July 26th when we will discuss "Foul deeds" by Linda Moore.

Reminder: There will not be a meeting of the Whodunit Book Club in August.

Whodunit Book Club May 31, 2011

2011-05-31T22:05:00.004-02:30

Sixteen Whodunit members attended our May meeting on one of the first lovely evenings after a spell of rain and fog. There's dedication for you!
Sadly, our fearless leader was absent due to a family bereavement.
Gaye took charge of the meeting in her absence and she did a fine job of chairing our unruly group.
The novel this month was unlike previous picks in that it was a spy novel. "At Risk" by Stella Rimington was recommended by one of our members. We were asked to rate the novel out of 10. The average rating was 6.9 with the following breakdown: 3x8.5 ; 5x8 ; 1x8.1 ;1x7.9 ; 3x6 ; 2x5 ; 1x1
Written by the head of Britain's MI5, Stella Rimington brings insider knowledge to the subject of her novels. Her protagonist, Liz Carlyle goes on to feature in 5 other books in the series the most recent of which is "Rip tide" which comes out this year. She writes of plausible situations in a fashion that was appreciated by many, but was too verbose and detail driven for some. It was generally agreed that the first third of the book was slow, but that the plot gained momentum and was a page-turner toward the end. Most members spoke of their dislike for the MI6 character, Bruno. The author seemed to fully develop the personalities of her women characters -- much more than her male characters. Her portrayal of the terrorists was sympathetic. No small feat when you think about it... The target of the terrorists was kept a secret from the protagonists AND the reader which was appreciated by most of us. We were suprised when the target was revealed. The physical descriptions of setting were well done. So much so that the reader could almost feel the cold and hear the explosion.

Stella Rimington's first book was a memoir, "Open Secret". This work tells of her career in the MI5, which she joined in 1969 and worked with for close to 30 years. In 1992 she was appointed as the first female Director General of MI5. In 1993, Stella Rimington became the first DG of MI5 to pose openly for cameras at the launch of a brochure outlining the organization's activities. She became a Dame Commander of Order of the Bath in 1996. She has been called the First Lady of Espionage and has been chosen to chair the 2011 Man-Booker Prize.

You can see a video clip of an interview with Stella Rimington online.

Members were asked the question: "Do you usually read the acknowledgements, dedication and thank-you in the book you are reading?" Most do citing that they want to learn a little bit about the author and are curious to ascertain from where they got their research and support. Some said that it depended upon whether they liked the book or not.

Lucky book winners this month were: Jody, Cathy, Betty and Tracey. Congratulations girls!

Next month's meeting on June 28th we will discuss the novel: "Life sentences" by Laura Lippman.

Whodunit Book Club April 26, 2011

2011-04-30T20:45:00.005-02:30

With only 13 persons in attendance (all female) this was the smallest gathering at Whodunit for some time.
Pam's 'magical' question for this evening:
"If you could come up with your own mystery book award, what would it be for?"
Some great answers included:
Best surprise ending
Most realistic/authentic story
Most interesting protagonist
Most puzzling mystery
Best depicted setting
Best red-herring
Best dust-jacket cover art
Most riveting story (page-turner)
Best first line
Best mystery series
Most well researched novel
Best animal sidekick
Most dastardly villain
Best candidate for a series
Best title (fits plot)

The novel under discussion for this month was: "And on the surface die" by Lou Allin.
Born in Toronto and brought up in Cleveland, Ohio, Lou Allin then returned to Sudbury, Ontario where she held a teaching position at Cambrian College. She taught literature, writing and public speaking for more than twenty-five years. She has a PhD in English Renaissance literature and she wrote her thesis on Christopher Marlow. She retired to British Columbia where her Holly Martin mystery series is set.

Whodunit members did a little vote on the novel and it earned a 5/10. Two members said they would read another novel in the series, two members said maybe and the rest of us said that we wouldn't pursue the series further.
The general consensus was that the novel could have done with more characterization and less flowery description which relied heavily on adjectives. Some felt that so much emphasis was put on trivialities that it almost seemed like deliberate 'padding'. There seemed to be an overuse of quotation marks and it was generally agreed that the novel could have been much shorter.
The setting played a huge role in the novel and it was felt that the author did a good job of describing Vancouver Island.
It was said that some aspects of the novel could have been developed more. The mystery surrounding Holly's mother was intriguing. The policewoman, Ann (of the bad back) and Chipper, Holly's sidekick - were both quite likeable characters who could have been fleshed out more.
Holly Martin seemed a cold character who routinely disparaged others.
There were many unanswered questions about the novel. Why did the murderer choose the victim? Why murder her rather than just molest her?
We wondered what the title had to do with the plot as it seemed completely unrelated to the story.
For those who DO want to read a second novel in the series, the title is: "She felt no pain". Perhaps the series will improve...

Although this was not a favourite novel for Whodunit Book Club - it was a most enjoyable meeting.
There was talk of the mating habits of slugs... MUCH HILARITY ensued. O.K. so we do digress just a little....

This month's lucky book winners were:
Tracey
Shawna
Marilyn
Marlene

Next month's novel (as recommended by Betty) is:
"At Risk" by Stella Rimington

Whodunit Book Club March 29, 2011

2011-03-29T23:22:00.007-02:30

A cozy gathering of 15 souls turned up for this month's Whodunit meeting. Some regular attendees were absent - and some we haven't seen for a while were warmly welcomed.
Pam's 'magical' question(s) for this meeting:
1. Rate this month's book from 1-10.
2. Do you prefer graphic/grisly mysteries or cozy/traditional mysteries?
I'm afraid the rating of this month's title was very low. According to my calculations, the average score was 2 out of 10.
On the whole, members enjoy both grisly and cozy mysteries depending upon their mood and of course the quality of the writing.

The title this month, "Red snow" by Michael Slade was for the most part a disappointment. The plot was referred to as 'flat' and poorly written with little in the way of character development. Members spoke of the gratuitous and very graphic gory scenes. (He calls his fans "Sladists"). Some believed that the author had a good premise for the novel, but did not follow through upon that premise. The characters were like cardboard cutouts, and some of the dialog was almost spoof-like.

The author, Michael Slade is actually a pseudonym for Vancouver based criminal lawyer, Jay Clarke. He specializes in the 'law of insanity' and he argued the last death penalty case in Canada.

Mr. Clarke works with writing partners. He has written with his wife, his law partners and now his daughter. He terms 'his' 14 novels to be 'isolation thrillers'.
His website, specialX.net is unique and worth a visit.

The lucky winners of free books this month were:
1. Carolyn
2. Gaye
3. Jodie
4. Myrtle

Next month's selection is "And on the surface die" by Lou Allin. It is the first in a series set on Vancouver Island.

Karin Alvtegen... Sweden has done it again!

2011-03-07T20:42:00.002-03:30

The single most positive aspect of "Shadow" is the beautifully written prose. The words seem to speak directly to the reader in a heart-touching and sometimes heart-wrenching way.

I'll admit this is one of those novels where the cover art drew me in. Who can resist an adorable little boy?
Then I read the blurb at the back which told me that this little boy was abandoned and was somehow connected to the death thirty five years later of a 92 year old woman who had books in her freezer upon her death... That was enough to capture the attention of any bibliophile. Too old to be the boy's mother, how could this woman be connected to him?

The novel was a mystery, but not written in the traditional way. In fact the reader does not really know what the crime(s) were until close to the end of the book. When the circumstances are revealed it left me both disturbed and profoundly moved.

Set in Stockholm, the novel followed the life and family of Axel Ragnerfeldt, a famous and Nobel Prize winning novelist. (the author of the books in the freezer). The novel poses the question: How much is glory and fame really worth, when counted in the suffering of the people closest to you? His family were portrayed with such depth and empathy that the reader felt their hopelessness. The claustrophobic family ties, mysterious disappearances and dark secrets surrounding a man shrouded in myth were portrayed with an honesty and brutality that spoke of deep understanding. The theme of how the sins of the fathers are visited upon their children is not a new one, but Alvtegen's prose brought the theme home to me like no other book ever has. "No matter whether your action is evil or good, it spreads like rings on the water. Over vast expanses it will travel, finding ever new paths. That is why your influence is infinite, and also your guilt."

"Shadow" is the first novel I've read by Karin Alvtegen and I will read as many more as I can get hold of. That being said, this novel was not exactly uplifting. In fact I would go as far as to say that anyone suffering from seasonal affective disorder should not read this book in the winter. The overall tone was bleak and melancholy. To quote the novel's description on the author's website, "her darkest and most complex thriller to date, in which the disturbing truth of a sick family is gradually and mercilessly laid bare. " Highly recommended.

Whodunit Book Club February 22, 2011

2011-02-23T19:53:00.005-03:30

Nineteen members braved the chilly temperatures to attend this month's meeting.
Pam's 'magical question' this evening:
"Do you prefer reading 'page turners' or books that savour language more and venture into description and characterization?"
The majority of members seemed to read both types with a marked preference toward the more literary type of novel, with a few preferring the page turner type of book. The discussion then digressed to a the query "What IS a page turner?" We deemed a page-turner could fall within two different catagories. The first category of page-turner is an action packed novel with short chapters and little characterization. The second category could be any book that you are so interested/immersed in that the pages seem to turn of their own volition. The dictionary definition of page turner: any book, esp. a novel, which is so interesting, exciting, suspenseful, etc. that it draws the reader along, though it may be of little or no literary worth.

The novel under discussion this month was "True Blue" by David Baldacci. A book that could be considered a page-turner, but one which fell into the first category. About 75% of the members in attendance did not enjoy the novel and a few of those did not read it to the end. The comment was made that to enjoy this type of novel fully one would have to "check their brains at the door" and have the ability to suspend belief. About a quarter of the members enjoyed it a lot and would read more books by this author.

David Baldacci is a best-selling novelist in the true sense of the term. He has over 100 million books in print and his books have been printed in over 45 languages!
He began writing in high school and claims that writing is his 'private passion'. A lawyer in real life, David Baldacci has worked as both a corporate and a trial attorney. He is a philanthropist who established the "Wish you Well Foundation" which promotes literacy.

"True blue" was a novel which told the story of 'black-ops' pertaining to national security. While suspenseful and action-packed its characters were one-dimensional and the plot was at times unbelievable. The protagonist Mace, was a larger-than-life character who recently released from prison, took more chances than any sane person should. Her sister, Washington D.C.'s police chief seemed to bend the rules to aid her wayward sister at every turn.

Break-neck paced, the novel was saturated with strong women. Two somewhat likeable (Mace and her sister Beth) and two that were villainous (the Russian assassin and the attorney who framed Mace). It portrayed the U.S. capital as having a dark and dank underbelly where no one would want to visit.

Congratulations to the lucky winners of the free book draw this month:
Laird
Mabel
Carmella
Marilyn

Whodunit's next meeting will be held on March 29th when we will discuss "Red snow" by Michael Slade.

Tote bags for mystery lovers

2011-02-12T11:50:00.009-03:30

Just visited the CafePress website and found some great tote bags for those who enjoy mystery novels.
Some examples that you will appreciate...

"Devil at the crossroads"

2011-02-03T23:18:00.005-03:30

Just finished the third novel in a British police procedural series by Olive Etchells that is definitely worth a mention.
The protagonist, DCI Channon reminds me a little of P.D. James' Adam Dalgliesh.
The setting is a beautiful and idyllic seaside Cornish village.
When the body of the son of one of the community's richest residents is found propped against an ancient standing stone at the crossroads of the village, DCI Channon must deal with the ramifications of the incident for the village and its residents...
Books in the series are:

#1 No corners for the devil
#2 Footprints of the devil
#3 Devil at the crossroads
The cover art is what first drew me to the series, but I have been avidly following this author ever since. I found that the characters are well rounded and sympathetic. Anyone wanting to read a character-driven British police procedural will not be disappointed.

WHO reads mysteries?

2011-01-27T16:01:00.005-03:30

If you are reading this blog then you are quite likely a reader of mystery novels. However.... did you ever wonder just exactly WHO reads mysteries? I found a fascinating report compiled by Sisters in Crime that sheds some light on just WHO reads mysteries. On page 4 of this report you will find that they polled 1,056 people and include statistics such as: 64% were female; 47% were over 60 years of age, etc. etc. So if you are curious, give it a read.
The results made me ponder. If 47% are over 60 and only 14% are under 30 years of age… doesn’t that correlate to what those who were polled read as children?
Today my two genres of choice are mystery and historical novels. I grew up with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys with some classics thrown in for good measure.
Does the fact that today’s youth are reading fantasy (Harry Potter) and vampire novels predispose them toward fantasy reading in their later years?
In this digital age some suggest that a very small percentage of youth read for pleasure at all. That thought makes me very sad… I have also read that students fail to read complete novels at school if they have access to short extracts. (Cliff Notes, Coles Notes).
Don’t misunderstand me, I think it is great that today’s youth are reading, but I am fairly convinced that they should be exposed to a wider selection of genres. What they read now may indeed influence their future choices.
I would love to hear your comments on this topic.

Mystery authors on Facebook

2011-01-27T10:06:00.002-03:30

Many of you now belong to the social network Facebook. Did you know that many of your favorite mystery series authors are on Facebook as well?
For a comprehensive listing of authors on Facebook visit the blog of Carol Thomas.

Whodunit Book Club January 25, 2011

2011-01-26T20:06:00.003-03:30

Another new year has begun. How nice to share it with Whodunit! This month marks the 13th anniversary of Whodunit so that is something to celebrate!
Seventeen members turned up for our first meeting of 2011.
Pam's magical question this evening was in three parts: "What brings you back to Whodunit? What do you enjoy most about it? What would you like to see in future meetings?"
The prevalent response was that members came for the social aspect of it. They enjoy spending time with like-minded people who understand book 'addiction' and are enthusiastic about reading. They find coming to club encourages more variety in their reading choices and they like sharing opinions with other members. Some mentioned that they would enjoy having more authors visit Whodunit meetings.
The book discussed this evening was "The case against Owen Williams" by New Brunswick author Allan Donaldson.
Born in Taber, Alberta, Donaldson grew up in Woodstock, New Brunswick and now resides in Fredericton. Not much information is available about Donaldson other than that his first novel, "Maclean", was shortlisted for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
The publisher's description of "The case agaqinst Owen Williams": "Donaldson’s new novel is a literary mystery set in the fictional town of Wakefield, New Brunswick, against the backdrop of the Second World War. Following a night at The Silver Dollar dance hall, a teenage girl turns up dead in a gravel pit. The last person reported to have seen her is Owen Williams, an introverted soldier stationed with the local garrison of “Zombies”-conscripted men unwilling to serve overseas. When Lieutenant Bernard Dorkin, a young lawyer from Saint John, volunteers to defend Williams, whom he believes is innocent, he finds himself up against a theatrical local favourite leading the prosecution and a public mostly hell-bent on a foregone conclusion. The Case Against Owen Williams explores the potential for wrongful conviction and the gaps in the justice system that allow it to flourish."
Whodunit members found this novel very realistic. So much so that it didn't 'feel like' fiction. It lacked the psychological background explanations that we tend to prefer in novels. Members found it curious that Owen Williams' parents seemed to have no heart-felt reaction to his predicament.
The protagonist was Bernard Dorkin, the lawyer. The case made him examine his duties and responsibilities to his client and he firmly believed his client was innocent of the crime. The club questioned "Would Dorkin have defended Owen Williams as well if he had NOT believed in his innocence?" It was unfortunate that Williams stuck to his false story which totally discredited his testimony. Whodunit members thought Owen Williams to be naive, pitiful and even pathetic. Not a particularly likable fellow, he didn't even say thank-you to his lawyer for all his hard work in defending him. Also he called the victim names after his exoneration. We wondered how the case would have proceeded if it were tried today. Blood tests and DNA evidence might have cleared it up quickly as all the evidence presented in the novel was completely circumstantial.
Whodunit members enjoyed the descriptions and 'feel' of the New Brunswick setting. It was also commented upon that Donaldson had a good grasp on the use of similes and metaphors.
Per chance, one Whodunit member happened to see a television program called "Ghost cases". The episode was about a local ghost story in St. Andrew's, New Brunswick and featured a haunting in the old jail built in 1832. The last person to be hanged in St. Andrew's was Tom Hutchings, an RAF sergeant convicted of murdering a 19 yearl-old local girl, Bernice Connors following a dance in the local community centre while he was stationed in the area. According to witnesses, Hutchings has never left the jail and continues to haunt his old cell.
Links to newspaper reports of the case can be found here. Also "The case of the haunted cell" website provides information on this topic.
Whodunit members then speculated that Allan Donaldson may have used this case as the basis upon which he wrote his novel. Surely there are too many similarities for there to be no connection. It was also surmised that if Tom Hutchings had indeed been innocent he had all the more reason to haunt the jail.

The lucky book winners this evening were: Nancy, Heather, Lynne and Jean.

Gifts for bibliophiles

2011-01-26T20:01:00.006-03:30

Looking for gifts for your bibliophile friends? or maybe yourself? While perusing one of my favourite author's websites (Susan Hill), I came across some great items.

Also there are bibliophile gifts available here.

More great gifts can be found at CafePress.ca

Whodunit Book Club Nov. 30, 2010

2011-01-26T19:23:00.003-03:30

Sorry, this one is late being posted. I wrote it after the meeting and forgot to upload it to the blog. My apologies.
November's meeting was particularly enjoyable. It was our last meeting of 2010 and there were 23 members in attendance.
The magical question this month: "Have you ever made a New Year's resolution that was book related?" As usual the answers were both interesting and varied. Some responses were: To read one book per week for the next year ; To count and keep track of the books read over the year ; to read books by authors with names that begin with A thru Z so as to broaden reading horizons ; to stop buying so many books and use the library more ; to weed personal book collections and give excess to charity ; to finish one series before starting another ; to try a new genre than one which you presently read ; to read more poetry ; to increase number of books read per year.
This month's book was "The forgotten garden" by Kate Morton. This is a book that I personally enjoyed so much, I wrote a separate blog entry about it on my Fictionophile blog.
We learned a little about the author, Kate Morton. She holds a degree in English Literature and Kate is currently enrolled in a PhD program researching contemporary novels that marry elements of gothic and mystery fiction. She is a bestseller in the United Kingdom as well as her native Australia and has sold more than 3 million books! She used her grandmother's experience as the basis for this novel.
What Whodunit thought of "The forgotten garden":
Some members loved it (myself included). These found the different perspectives of the narrative to be like a 'kaleidoscope'. The language and style was admired as was the seeming ease and smooth transition with which the author handled the time shifting. This group found the novel sentimental and magical and approved of how the author incorporated fairy tales as clues to the plot line.
Other members didn't enjoy the novel and found it 'sappy', slow and tedious.
Most members would read another book by Kate Morton, though some had read her first novel "The house at Riverton" and deemed it a disappointment.
Her latest novel "The distant hours" is on shelves now.
The lucky winners of this month's bookaways were: Margaret, Trish, Heather, Terena, Regis and Laird.

2011 Edgar Award Nominees

2011-01-19T13:38:00.004-03:30

Here are the best novel nominees for the 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction produced in 2010. The Edgar Awards will be presented to the winners at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City on April 28th, 2011.

BEST NOVEL NOMINEES
Caught by Harlan Coben (Penguin Group USA - Dutton)
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
Faithful Place by Tana French (Penguin Group USA - Viking)
The Queen of Patpong by Timothy Hallinan (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books)
I’d Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman (HarperCollins – William Morrow)

Mystery's Grand Master for 2011: Sara Paretsky

Mystery conferences in 2011

2010-12-30T20:52:00.004-03:30

Sounds like 2011 will be a great year for those mystery lovers who have the time and inclination to attend mystery related conventions and conferences.
A full listing of the year's offerings can be found on this link:
http://www.examiner.com/mystery-series-in-national/readers-meet-writers-at-2011-s-crime-fiction-conferences
Of course the two to note are: Bloody Words (Canada's mystery conference held this year in Victoria, B.C. June 3-5, 2011)and Boucheron (St. Louis, Missouri Sept. 15-18, 2011)

"Blood in the water" by Gillian Galbraith

2010-12-01T10:10:00.006-03:30

Started yet another mystery series which I will be following avidly. "Blood in the water" introduces Alice Rice, a single, lonely, disillusioned Edinburgh police detective. The setting of the novel is like the cover, cold, dark and wet -- Edinburgh in December.

Alice lives for her work. She has no close friends or love interests. Her only companion is her dog Quill, whom she leaves with a neighbour when she is working. The neighbour is elderly, paranoid and sinking into dementia. Also in the novel, are Alice's ill but very dedicated female boss DCI Bell and her nemesis who 'annoys her beyond endurance', DI Eric Mason.

The title "Blood in the water" refers to the journalists who, like sharks circling, pester the detectives whilst they attempt to conduct murder investigations. (p. 72) Of course the reader can have other interpretations... that is the joy of fiction.

Unlike other mystery novels where the victims are unknown to the reader, this novel introduces each of the murder victims and fleshes them out enough for the reader to be invested in them. The reader then takes it personally when they are seemingly senselessly murdered.

The victims are, all but one, professional people. An esteemed women surgeon, and two lawyers one male and one female. The exception seems to be Sammy McBryde, who is a 'jobbing gardener'. What links these victims?

The author, Gillian Galbraith, is an advocate turned author. Advocate is the term used for lawyer in Scotland. There are many legal passages in the novel which will be confusing to the uninitiated, as the legal system in Scotland seems vastly different to that with which we are accustomed. However, don't let that deter you from reading the novel, as the writing overall is very entertaining.

Galbraith has a knack of making all of the characters sympathetic. I found myself liking them all.... even the murderer.... Oh dear!

I look forward to the second novel in the series, "Where the shadow falls".

"Our Lady of Pain" by Elena Forbes

2010-11-27T11:23:00.005-03:30

Just turned the last page of "Our Lady of Pain" by Elena Forbes. The second installment in what is shaping up to be a superb British police procedural series.

The first book in the series, "Die with me", I reviewed on this blog on June 13, 2009.

"Our Lady of Pain" is set in London, in February, with DCI Mark Tartaglia and policewoman Sam Donovan working an intriguing murder case. The body of a beautiful young art dealer is found by a passing jogger naked and frozen in Holland Park. Her body is posed in such a way that she looks like she is praying and an excerpt of a poem is found in her mouth.

The murder investigation is hindered by the fact that the victim, Rachel Tenison led a very mysterious and disturbing life. They flounder along with the case until a journalist links this case with one from the previous year which has some similarities to the one that they are working on... At this point a detective from the first case, Simon Turner, is assigned to work with them.

The suspects are credible villains who hide their motivations and lie about their whereabouts forcing Tartaglia and the Barnes Murder Squad to work even harder and more ingeniously to seek out the truth.

With brilliant characterizations and a steadily increasing grip of suspense, this novel delivered on all levels. It has in fact, ascertained that Elena Forbes has been added to my favorite novelists list. (see bottom of this blog's front page)

Read "The Darker Side", and original essay by Eleana Forbes available online.

Whodunit Book Club - October 27th, 2010

2010-10-27T19:38:00.005-02:30

A lively crowd of eighteen gathered for October's Whodunit Book Club meeting and we were all pleased to welcome a couple of new members, Holly and Marian.

Pam posed the questions: "What did you think of last month's meeting with guest author Pamela Callow?" and "What is on your 'to read' list right now that you are excited about?"
The general consensus was that everyone greatly enjoyed Pamela Callow's visit to club.
We enjoyed her gracious and accommodating attitude and appreciated hearing a little first hand knowledge about book publishing from an author who is experiencing the process for the first time.
Many reading suggestions were garnered from listening to members share what their next read would be.

This months book for discussion was Henning Mankell's first Kurt Wallander mystery, "Faceless Killers".
Henning Mankell became interested in writing at an early age and is a prolific author who has written plays, novels, and even children's books. He is an award winner. His novel "Sidetracked" won the Gold Daggar in 2001. He has sold 35 million copies of his works and those works have been translated into 41 languages! In 2008 Mankell was the 9th best-selling author in the world!

Mankell divides his time between Moçambique and Sweden and he has commented that he has one foot in the snow and one foot in the sand.

Interesting to note was that he chose the name Wallander for his detective by getting his name out of the phone book.
Wallander is a bizarre sort of anti-hero. Mankell confesses that he is not sure that Wallander and he would be friends in real life as he doesn't like him very much.
Described by the Whodunit members as pathetic, solitary, forgetful, dysfunctional, disorganized, irresponsible, sorry for himself and too dependent on alcohol, it is no wonder that Mankell feels this way.

The novel "Faceless Killers" had a chilling beginning. The Swedish winter weather was cold and bleak and the horrific crime was disturbing. In Faceless Killers, an elderly couple are murdered on an isolated farm after being brutally tortured and the woman's final word 'foreign' unleashed a ferociously anti-refugee sentiment in Ystad. Most members enjoyed the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the novel. The victims had an interesting double-life and the references to the noose that were scattered throughout the novel intrigued the readers. However, many were disappointed in the ending and felt cheated. The noose references turned out to be 'red herrings' and the solution to the crime seems almost an appendix to the story rather that a true conclusion due to the fact that the author revealed crucial information only at the last minute... The crime was motivated by greed and was perpetrated by criminals with sociopathic tendencies.
It was noted that the novel seemed almost farcical at times. The Swedish police force seemed to have myriad outstanding resources at their disposal, but the workforce seemed provincial in their behaviour.
I came away from the meeting not really knowing if the members would continue reading other books in the series. Sometimes the first novel of a series is not the author's best work, and there must be a reason why Mankell has sold 35 million copies...

I very much enjoyed the PBS Mystery rendition of "Faceless Killers". In fact I think I enjoyed it much more than the book and discovered that others agreed. Wallander was expertly portrayed by Kenneth Branagh. Anyone who has not yet seen the Wallander mysteries on PBS are in for a treat. Kenneth Branagh a self-confessed voracious reader, had just finished reading nine Mankell titles when he met Mankell in a bathroom at a reception honouring Ingmar Bergman, Henning's late father-in-law.

Click here for a link to a Sunday Times article on Henning Mankell's thoughts on Kenneth Branagh's portrayal of Wallander.

Also, here is a link describing Branagh's win of the 2010 BAFTA for Leading Actor for his portrayal of Wallander.

There were six book giveaways this month. The lucky winners were:
Regis, Marian, Camilla, Tracy, Marilyn and Marlene.

Whodunit Book Club - September 28th, 2010

2010-09-30T20:19:00.011-02:30

Whodunit Book Club was thrilled to welcome local thriller writer, Pamela Callow to club this month!
The author of the bestselling novel "Damaged" Pamela generously shared some of her experiences with getting her first book published, the writing process and some other background information.

A self-confessed bookworm as a child, she was a regular patron of the local Bookmobile. When she was eight years old, she decided that she wanted to write a book. She credits her junior high school English teacher with lighting the 'spark' that really got her started. Pam took an adult education class at Mount Saint Vincent University. It took her five years to get published.

Her very first novel (a time travel historical novel) is as yet unpublished. She intends to someday revisit this book, fine tune it, and perhaps try once more to get it published.

"Damaged" was based on an actual legal case from the United States in which the perpetrator was an oral surgeon, a funeral home was involved with tissue brokering, and a class action suit resulted from it! She decided to set the novel based on this case in Halifax. The first publisher she approached actually rejected "Damaged" based on the setting. Whodunit members appreciated the local setting so we could readily imagine the scenes in the novel. Pamela receives positive emails from all over the U.S. and Canada about "Damaged", so the setting is clearly not a deterrent to those readers!

There is a great book trailer for "Damaged" available on You Tube!

A lawyer, Pamela Callow's writing process was aided by her legal background. This helped when doing research for her novel and also helped to open doors to such places as the Halifax Police Department. Her husband, a physician was helpful with the medical side of the story.

Pamela Callow gave us some insight as to the incredibly hard work that is required to ensure that the continuity of plot and character development is maintained. This is especially important when writing a series. She claimed to be a 'plodder' when she spoke of her writing regime. She creates flow-charts, an outline, and a full back-story for all of her characters before beginning on the actual novel. With a four book contract, she has resigned from her legal career and now writes full time, seven days per week!

Whodunit members were curious about Alaska, the husky dog which was a character in "Damaged". She says he is based upon two dogs that belong to her brother. She also let us know that there would be dogs featured throughout the series.

The second novel in the Kate Lange series, "Indefensible" is due out December 2010. This novel features a wrongful accusation against Randall Barrett and occurs four months after "Damaged" ended.
She is currently working on "Tattooed", the third novel in the series.

She credits her excellent PR team with some of her success. The first printing of "Damaged" was 128,000 copies! A real coup for a first-time novelist.
She commented upon the cover art of her books. They will all center around a woman's face and water. This, she says is a semi-metaphor for characters that are figuratively 'drowning'.
The hidden staircase in Kate Lange's home is another recurring element in the series. Pam says it is a metaphor for Kate's life.

Pamela Callow graciously signed books for Whodunit members following the meeting.
Some photos of the signing are below.

Whodunit Book Club - August 31st, 2010

2010-09-07T20:52:00.004-02:30

Sixteen members attended this month's meeting which was, as usual, a lively event.
The circle's question this month was: "What book is on your nightstand right now?"
The answers enabled us to learn a little more about our fellow bookclub members AND some great recommendations were given in the process!
The novel discussed this month was "The girl with the dragon tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. This novel has been published in over 40 languages and has sold over 20 million copies! Therefore it meets anyone's criteria of a 'bestseller'. It is also an award winning book which garnered the Anthony Award and the Glass Key Award.
We learned a little about the author who, sadly, is deceased. He died of a heart attack at age 50 before having the opportunity to reap the rewards of his efforts as all three of his bestselling Millennium trilogy were published following his death. He was an investigative journalist, a workaholic and an activist. Because of the nature of his work he feared for his safety and hid out in his own home. He and his partner of 32 years never married because in Sweden you have to divulge your address once you are married. As a result, his partner Eva Gabrielsson does not benefit from the proceeds of the novels. His estranged father and brother inherit his estate. For an online interview with Eva Gabrielsson click here.
Stieg Larsson put a lot of effort into researching and preparing his novels. He actually had an outline for ten novels!
Also, the novels have been made into movies in their original Swedish language. I was fortunate enough to see the first two. There are also English language movies being made, but I believe that the original Swedish versions will surpass these in talent, direction and cinematography. I simply cannot imagine that the part of Lizbeth Salander played by Noomi Norén (aka Noomi Rapace) could be matched by another actress.

Whodunit members enjoyed the novel and about 3/4 of the members want to read the sequels. They felt that the ending was very well done and in keeping with the story.
Some found that the first of the book dragged a bit, but most agreed that this was needed to 'set up' the story for the rest of the novel.

This month's lucky winners of Pam's book giveaway were:
Jody, Marilyn, Heather and Lynne.

Next month's title is "Damaged" by Pamela Callow. A local author, she has agreed to attend our next meeting and Whodunit is excited to have her with us.

Great mystery anthology!

2010-09-01T23:36:00.003-02:30

I enjoy reading short stories in my genre of choice... the mystery. When I come across a collection that is of absolute 'stellar' quality, I feel it is my duty to share it with my fellow mystery lovers.
"The Penguin book of Crime Stories volume II" is just such an anthology! Selected and introduced by one of my favorite authors, Peter Robinson, this collection surpassed my expectations.
Two of my favorite stories from this collection were: "The visitors' book" by Sophie Hannah and "The game of dog" by Reginald Hill.
Other excellent short stories in this collection were written by Ruth Rendell, Sue Grafton, Maureen Jennings, Robert J. Randisi, Rick Mofina, John Connolly and Lee Child to name a few.
Highly recommended. Enjoy!

Whodunit Book Club - July, 2010

2010-09-01T23:05:00.003-02:30

I was sorry to have missed this meeting, but summer vacation took precedence.
I have garnered the following information from some of my fellow club members.

Pam's magical question/ice breaker was:
"What is your beverage of choice when you read?"
Varied answers included tea, coffee, wine etc. Of course all the answers came with anecdotes...
The novel discussed this month was "Sign of the cross" by Anne Emery.
First in a series set in our hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the book was enjoyed by most members. People felt the characters were believable and for the most part likable – the story was believable and not too far fetched. Overall the book was well received. Some highly recommended it, and gave their copies to others to read. Some had already read other books in the series.
The importance of 'setting' was discussed at length. Some enjoyed the fact that the books was set locally so that they could readily identify with the descriptions. Others prefer it if a novel is set in other parts of the world so that they can learn about other places.
The protagonist is Halifax lawyer, Monty Collins. He is hired to defend a priest, Father Brennan Burke who is suspected of murdering a young girl whose body was carved with a religious 'sign'.
From the author's website: "From their first meeting, Monty finds Burke acerbic, arrogant, and evasive about his relationship with the victim. Conflict between lawyer and client simmers all through the ordeal that lies ahead, as evidence piles up and murder charges seem inevitable. With Burke remaining tight-lipped about his past, Monty has no choice but to go behind his back and conduct a probe into the life of his own client. Never in his career has Monty been so lost for answers, until a long-forgotten incident takes on new and ominous meaning...".

"Sign of the cross" was the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel in 2007.

The winners of the book giveaways will be added to this blog posting when I get the information. Anyone wishing to add to this post is very welcome to add their two cents worth...

Whodunit Book Club - June 29, 2010

2010-07-01T23:34:00.004-02:30

June's Whodunit gathering was made up of a very lively and talkative group! Yet another enjoyable evening! The group welcomed a new member, Heather, who must have been overwhelmed by our chatter.

Pam posed the question: "Have you a favourite book that you buy over and over to give as gifts, or have you a book that you have bought more than one copy of?"
As usual the query garnered much conversation. Many stated that they had a favourite children's title that they repeatedly bought for gifts.

The book under discussion this week was "Coroner" by M.R. Hall.
The first comment was that although the novel had a strong female protagonist, the author is a man (Matthew Ronald Vickery Hall). He is a barrister and this, his first novel was nominated for the 2009 CWA Gold Dagger Mystery Award! He lives and works in the Wye valley in South Wales, where the Jenny Cooper novels are set.

The protagonist, Jenny Cooper has recently been appointed coroner in a small, rural community. It was understood that she was offered the job because they thought she would be easy to manipulate, having recently had a breakdown. Although she is a strong individual she relies heavily on prescription drugs and is emotionally vulnerable in part due to her recent divorce and separation from her teenage son. Her predecessor in the post of coroner recently passed away and her assistant, Allison, remained loyal to his memory, due to the fact that she had been in love with him. This made for an uncomfortable and sometimes frustrating working experience for Jenny.

Many of our group liked the parts in the book that detailed the coroner's courtroom scenes. For the most part, Jenny was thought to be a likeable, strong, and damaged protagonist. Some thought that her addiction to prescription drugs was mentioned too often in the story. Some thought that if that had not been done, the reader would come away with a distorted view of Jenny.
The possible love interest in the novel, Steve, was thought to be suffering from a resistance to responsibility and had a commitment phobia. That is not to say he was unlikeable, only flawed...

The club generally thought that the novel accurately portrayed the corruption present in most social structures and they liked the Welsh detective who seemed to have a Welsh/English rivalry going.

Some members of the club felt cheated because they were robbed of the opportunity to guess who the villain of the novel was because he was not introduced until near the end of the book.
All in all, the book came away with favorable views and I expect many of us will read the sequel(s) "The disappeared" and "The rapture".

This month's lucky book winners were: Gaye, Myrtle, Cathy and Marilyn.

It was announced in club that the local thriller writer, Pamela Callow will be a guest to our meeting on September 28th. Her book "Damaged" has garnered a lot of favorable press and is in high demand. We look forward to her visit.

Whodunit Book Club - May 25, 2010

2010-05-29T23:39:00.003-02:30

The May meeting of the Whodunit Book Club consisted of 19 members. A good sized crowd for a lovely spring evening.
Pam's magical question.... What was your last 'impulse buy' of books, and what made you succumb to the impulse? The answers were varied of course and stimulated the usual interesting discussion. Some said the cover art was a factor, some said the price. Some said it was the fact that it was an anthology (which have a limited shelf life) and some just wanted to treat themselves.

The book under discussion: "When Zeffie got a clue" by Peggy Darty. Most of us were in agreement that the book was poorly written and could be aimed at a juvenile audience. The cozy mystery was a bit too 'goody-goody' with antiquated sex role portrayal, annoying repetition, and stilted, unrealistic dialogue. Some went so far as to say the book was boring with cardboard characters and plot and a setting that played little or no part in the story's development. The group said that the best part of the book was the cover and that they definitely would NOT read another book by the author!

The book give-away winners this month were: Carolyn, Judy, Nancy, Cathy, Marilyn and Regis.

It was mentioned that local author Pamela Callow (author of 'Damaged') is interested in being a guest at a Whodunit meeting sometime in the near future.

The book for next month's discussion: "Coroner" by M.R. Hall. I have read this novel and hope that the club members will enjoy it as much as I did.

Mystery Scene magazine

2010-05-10T22:14:00.004-02:30

I am a huge fan of Mystery Scene Magazine. It is the must-have periodical for fans of mystery and suspense fiction. The magazine features great reviews and insightful articles on mystery authors and their work. Highly recommended!
This month's issue features author Lisa Lutz (author of the Spellman novels). The Whodunit Book Club will remember we did her first Spellman novel "The Spellman Files" in club.
Also figured this month is an article on Cara Black and her Paris mysteries. We did the first novel in the series "Murder in the Marais" in club recently.
Fans of Stephen King will enjoy the article on him and the book "Haunted heart: the life and times of Stephen King" which is the first book-length King biography.
There is always a little something for every mystery fan!

Whodunit Book Club - April 27, 2010

2010-05-01T17:23:00.005-02:30

A smaller than average group of twelve turned out for this month's Whodunit meeting. We welcomed a new member, Kim.
The discussion question: "If a complete stranger viewed the list of books you have read over the past five years what would they think of your reading choices?"
The answers were varied. Some who read only mysteries and suspense might be viewed as blood-thirsty or a little warped. On the other hand they might be perceived as having a thirst for justice that real-life seldom affords... Some who read a lot of non-fiction might be perceived as intelligent. Those who read a variety of genres might be perceived as being 'well-rounded'. As many of us frequently wonder what others think of us, this was a question that provoked some thought.
This month's book for discussion was "Anatomy of Deception" by Lawrence Goldstone.
A historical forensic mystery, the novel was set in 1889 Philadelphia. Members agreed the book was well researched and that although complicated the plot was entertaining in a didactic way. The novel featured real people and fictionalized characters together. One of the real people in the novel was Dr. William Osler who has been referred to as 'the father of modern medicine'. Dr. William Osler was a bibliophile who collected the works of Michael Servetus. Another was Dr. William Stewart Halsted, an American surgeon of some reknown. Some members did not approve of the way the real people in the novel were portrayed in a less than flattering light and thought that the author took unnecessary liberties in that regard. A few readers believed the book should have used fictionalized characters to be implicated in the crimes, and left the real people's memory unsullied.
The painting on the dustjacket is a famous work by artist Thomas Eakins which now hangs at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
"Anatomy of Deception" depicted the 'old-boy' network thought prevalent in the medical profession. The idea that physicians will cover for each other, regardless of whether guilty or innocent. Another theme was the moral rationale of 'the greater good'. The question of who is valuable... the dilemma of sacrificing a few for the benefit of the many...
The book accurately described historical medical practices and recounted several events in this pivotal time in the history of medicine. During the time period in which the novel was set, autopsies were very controversial and the fact that the doctors in the novel used autopsies to further their knowledge of the human body made them ahead of their time and ground-breakers in the practice of forensic medicine.
To listen to a filmed interview with the author, Lawrence Goldstone click here.
The lucky winners of the book draw for this month were: Betty, Kim, Marlene, and Lynne.

Whodunit Book Club - March 30, 2010

2010-04-04T11:35:00.003-02:30

A wonderful spring evening at Chapters Dartmouth with 14 members in attendance!
The question for the circle this time: "Do you talk about books with people?" Considering we are all avid readers and some of us work in the book business, the answer would seem to be a no-brainer.... But NOT so! Surprisingly few of us actually discuss the books we read. Reading seems to be a very private affair. Some have a select few who they discuss with, but most use Whodunit as their outlet for discussion.

The book discussed this month was "Murder in the Marais" by Cara Black. The first title in a nine book series, the novel was set in 1993 Paris. The protagonist is Aimée Leduc a a half-French, half-American female private investigator who specializes mostly in computer crime. She partners with a dwarf named René, who also has superior computer skills. The firm's finances are tight however and she takes on a case that is far out of her realm of expertise. Aimée is a thoroughly modern gumshoe who takes on a case with historical implications. The historical back story concerns the Nazi occupation of Paris during WWII and the mistreatment of Jews during that time.
Although not all the Whodunit members liked the book or would read another in the series, there were several positive points they conceded: It did not read like a first novel and the language was at times almost poetic ; the descriptions transported the reader to Paris ; although the narrative was at times confusing, and sometimes implausible, the satisfying ending neatly tied up all the loose ends.
Myself, I would not read another in the series, but I did find the WWII history to be the best part of the novel.
Tonight's book giveaway sent the following members home with a new read: Brian, Caroline, Shawna and Regis. Congratulations gang!
Next month's selection is "Anatomy of Deception" by Lawrence Goldstone.

"The lineup"

2010-03-08T22:30:00.003-03:30

If like me, you wonder what inspires your favorite mystery novelists, then the new book "The lineup" edited by Otto Penzler is a must read.
Some of the most famous and influential crime writers reveal the inside story behind their greatest detective creations. Some of my favorite authors are included: Colin Dexter, Carol O'Connell, Jeffery Deaver, Ian Rankin, and Michael Connelly to name a few.
What inspired the authors to create the characters the way they did? Why did they chose the locations they did? You will discover what makes these much-loved fictional characters tick, and have a unique chance to get inside the minds of the esteemed novelists who created them.

Whodunit Book Club - February 23, 2010

2010-02-23T22:10:00.003-03:30

A sparse crowd at Whodunit this evening. Was everyone too busy watching the Olympics? We did however have three new members which were warmly welcomed. (perhaps frightened off?)
The circle's discussion this evening was a bit different from our usual practice. This time we were invited to recommend authors and titles for future Whodunit reads. Many great sounding recommendations were offered and I look forward to diverse reading ahead.

This month's book was "Mortal Remains" by Peter Clement. A real departure from our usual fare in that it was a medical thriller. The first of this genre we have done in club. The author has been a medical doctor for 28 years and an ER physician for 20 of those years. He writes under his first and second name so as to keep his writing life and his medical life completely separate. We can all assume he is very successful as he now writes full-time.
This month's title was inspired by a real-life disappearance of a female medical student.

Most seemed to enjoy the book, though comments were made that there was too much medical terminology, that the plot was a bit too predictable and that there were too many plot 'threads' to be tied up. Most enjoyed the story and some mentioned it would have made a great movie. Certain scenes were portrayed vividly -- the initial diving scene, the scene where Mark Roper was shot at while driving, and the well scene were mentioned in particular. Favorite characters were Bessie, the geriatric doctor and Nell, the town's busy-body. It was remarked upon by several that the elder Dr. Braden was particularly sinister and that his son was a bit of a wimp.
The devious Dr. Melanie who made patients ill in order to 'cure' them was rather creepy. The club deemed Lucy to be a 'red herring' (we all love those). The side-plots of the home for unwed mothers and the maternity hospital were intriguing.
Most agreed that the threads of the plot were tied up satisfactorily.

This novel differed from most in that it had two 'culprits'.

The winners of this month's freebies were: Marlene, Caroline, Cedella and Judy.
Two of the winners were new to the club which was a nice welcome for them.

"Devils in the mirror" by Lesley Horton

2010-01-31T14:31:00.004-03:30

I just finished the third novel in the Inspector Handford mystery series by Lesley Horton. Another great read!
The novel deals with the issues of racism, religion, inner-city youth and ultimately murder. The author writes of which she knows. She was a teacher in an inner-city school in the area of Yorkshire, England in which the books are set.
With a growing Asian population, racism continues to be an issue in schools AND in police work in and around Bradford.
This title was written sympathetically and the reader can't help but identify with the people from both sides of the racial divide.
The protagonist Inspector John Handford, is a professional policeman who tries not to let his personal life interfere with his investigations. However, this time his wife is a teacher at the school where the murder victim attended and he realizes that the lines between his professional life and his personal life are blurred...

Shayla Richards was just fifteen when her body was found on Druid's altar on the moor.
Of mixed race parentage, Shayla had been missing for several weeks, was a known truant and a troublesome teenager. However, she didn't deserve this!
Handford and his team set about finding her murderer, but they meet up with loads of oppostion along the way...

Whodunit Book Club - January 26, 2010

2010-01-26T22:30:00.003-03:30

Tonight's meeting was extra special! It marked the 12th anniversary of the club!
Also, our close-knit group welcomed two new members!
The 'magic' question this month was "Do you consider yourself a fast or slow reader?
Most of the members considered themselves to be faster readers than most, probably because they are avid readers and with practice comes speed... Our fearless leader said she read about 50 pages per hour. I have never measured how many pages I read in an hour, but now I am curious and will probably HAVE to find out!
The book under discussion this month was "The sweetness at the bottom of the pie" by Alan Bradley. I read this book back in July of 2009, so my memory of it was a bit fuzzy. My posting from last July reads:
"What a unique premise for a mystery novel! The protagonist is an eleven year old female aspiring chemist. Growing up in a motherless, and very eccentric household, Flavia de Luce is memorable to say the least. Throw in a dead bird, a little poison and some rare stamps, and you've got a unique historical British mystery written by a Canadian, Alan Bradley.
The book is the first of a proposed series called the Buckshaw Chronicles and Flavia even has her own fan club!
It has placed on numerous bestseller lists and has won the Debut Dagger Award awarded by the British Crime Writer's Association!"

At bookclub I was astounded to find out that Alan Bradley had never set foot in England until AFTER he wrote this book! Also, on the merit of an excerpt from this novel, the author garnered a 6 book deal with his publisher (at the age of 69).

Most of the club members agreed that Flavia was precocious and extremely observant for her age of eleven. She had to grow up fast because of being in a motherless family with little supervision. Many wondered why Flavia was not in school as the book was set in June and there were other children attending school in the time the novel took place.
Members liked the vivid description and considered the hostage scene to be quite exciting. A majority of members want to read the second title in the series "The weed that strings the hangman’s bag".

Next months meeting welcomes reading suggestions from WhoDunit members.
The winners of the free books at this meeting were: Betty, Lynne, Nancy and Brian.

"The Crossing Places" 1st in a superior new series

2010-01-09T14:09:00.006-03:30

In the past year I have read many books, mostly of the mystery/thriller genres. Many were by authors that I have been reading for years. Many were part of series that I have come to regard as old friends.
Recently I read a debut novel, first of a series, that promises to be one that I will follow for years to come. "The crossing places" by Elly Griffiths.
Set mostly in a brooding saltmarsh area of England's Norfolk coast, the series features Ruth Galloway, who is a university lecturer in forensic archaeology. Ruth is an intriguing character. Solitary, smart, and strong, (not to mention a cat owner) Ruth is a protagonist that I want to follow and I eagerly await the next novel which features her.
With such a powerful protagonist and themes of missing children, historical exhumations, and just a smattering of romance, "The crossing places" exhibited everything I truly enjoy in a mystery novel. Griffiths descriptions of the barren and beautiful marshlands set the mood for the book excellently.

The clincher for my buying the book was the attractive dustjacket which just happened to exhibit the words "Ruth Galloway is an inspired creation" -- Louise Penny. As Louise Penny is one of my favourite authors, her recommendation carried great weight with me.

I urge others to read the novel. I love sharing the joy...

"Elly Griffiths is a pseudonym for Domenica de Rosa, who was born in London and spent ten years in publishing before she turned to writing fiction. Her Ruth Galloway novels are inspired by the work of her husband, who gave up a job in finance to train as an archaeologist, and by her aunt, who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. She and her husband have two children and live near Brighton."--MysteryBooks.ca

"Sworn to silence" by Linda Castillo

2009-12-22T18:40:00.003-03:30

Wow! How lucky to find another great first of a series! Just when I thought I was running out of authors, I discover another one who is young and talented. (by that I infer lots of wonderful reads ahead!)

With a great cover scene of dead cornstalks in a snowy farmer's field, "Sworn to silence" grabs you right away. Set in Ohio's Amish country, this mystery/thriller features a unique protagonist. A female police chief who was formerly Amish.
Kate Burkholder has chosen to leave the Amish way of life and is shunned by her family. She leads a somewhat solitary life but enjoys her job largely due to her loyal employees.

Kate maintains a devastating secret from her youth which comes back to haunt her when a body is found in a wintery farmer's field. The setting is so well depicted that the cold is almost palpable... Loathe to call for assistance from outside law enforcement agencies because of her secret, Kate is called to task by the town's council who employ her. When the case becomes even higher profile with the discovery of a second body, they go over her head and call in an agent from the BCI. Agent John Tomasetti is a damaged individual. His posting to Kate's case is probably his last chance at salvaging what is left of his formerly illustrious career. He lost his wife and children to a psychopath and doesn't want anyone else to suffer what he has had to...

When Kate does not follow protocol and fails to find the culprit, the town council remove her from her duties. Knowing nothing else in her life will fill the void, Kate continues to work the case with the help of John. There is an attraction between them which is largely due to all the baggage they carry with them.

When Kate is eventually captured by the murderer, both she and John fear for her survival. Her ingenuity with the help of sound police work, bring the culprit to justice bringing about a most satisfying ending to the novel.

Linda Castillo had written a sound police procedural. Kate Burkholder is both intiguing and likeable and I look forward to meeting her again on her next case. "Pray for silence" is due out June 2010.

"Bad things happen" by Harry Dolan

2009-12-10T23:16:00.002-03:30

It seems like lately I've been reading a lot of debut novels. I didn't plan it, but on several occasions I've been pleasantly surprised. Such was the case when I picked up "Bad things happen" by first time novelist Harry Dolan.

The book was unsettling for many reasons. First and foremost because the reader doesn't know who the protagonist is for the bulk of the book. He is referred to for the most part as 'the man who calls himself David Loogan'. Who is he really? An ex-cop (therefore a good guy) -- an ex-felon (therefore a bad guy)? The reader is made tense by the possibilities.
Set in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the novel follows the solitary Loogan who accidentally befriends a periodical publisher, Tom Kristoll. He eventually works for Tom as an editor for Tom's mystery magazine "Grey Streets". In due course, Loogan has an affair with Tom's beautiful wife. But life imitates the stories in 'Grey Streets'. Plans go wrong, bad things happen, people die...

The second protagonist in the novel is female homicide detective Elizabeth Waishkey. When Tom Kristoll dies, she meets David Loogan and is unsure whether he is a suspect or someone who can help her solve the case.

Written in a 'noir' style, "Bad things happen" is a very promising debut which held my attention and my interest until the last page. The characterizations were deftly rendered. Difficult when the reader doesn't really even know who the protagonist is! Bravo Harry Dolan!

A cup of Christmas tea

2009-12-09T21:01:00.005-03:30

Every year at this time I like to share this Christmas poem with my friends and family.
It seems to epitomize the true meaning of this festive season.

The poem "A cup of Christmas tea" written by Tom Hegg is one I read every year to remind myself just what is important.
Merry Christmas everyone!

A Christmas recipe to enjoy!

2009-12-09T20:50:00.002-03:30

Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
lots of nuts
2 bottles red wine
2 cups of dried fruit

Sample the wine to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the wine again. To be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.
Repeat.
Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the wine is shtill OK.
Try another cup .... just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy.
Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick fruit off floor.
Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loose with a sdrewscriver.
Sample the wine again to check for tonsisticity.
Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who careshz.
Check the wine.
Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table.
Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.
Greash the oven and wee in the fridge.
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.
Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the wine.
Wipe down the counter with the cat.
Fall into bed.

CHERRY MISTMAS
BINGLE JELLS!

"Hound" by Vincent McCaffrey

2009-11-26T21:52:00.006-03:30

If bibliophilia is an illness, then Henry Sullivan is terminal! Books are his work, his life and his love. A book Hound, Henry is a former bookstore employee who now buys and then resells books over the Internet from his home.

A single man in his mid-thirties, Henry’s days are marked by estate sales, library book sales and other quests for saleable books. He enjoys a regular pint and a game of chess with his friend and confidant Albert. He makes the trek across the city of Boston to visit his father whom he seems never to have actually connected with. He shares a passing word with his landlady whom he respects and admires.

His heretofore predictable, mundane life is upturned when his landlady dies. He learns he will soon be losing his rent controlled apartment when her house is sold. This development, though troubling, absolutely pales to insignificance when Morgan Johnson, an old flame, calls him to value her husband’s books. One wonders if he is thinking of rekindling the flame when he learns of Morgan’s death the day after his visit with her. She was an important part of his life in the past and he is profoundly disturbed by her passing. Her book collection which was filled with many signed first editions was very valuable -- but would someone kill her for it?

In attempting to discover how Morgan died Henry becomes enmeshed in her family’s secrets. She was the second wife of a prominent publisher and traveled extensively. Her family and extended family hid troubles, resentments and deceptions beneath a thin veneer of respectability that their wealth and renown afforded them. Was murder kept in the family as well?

Somewhat reminiscent of John Dunning’s Bookman novels, this is a mystery novel that is more novel than mystery. Literary in both style and subject, Hound is a novel for those who enjoy a more sedately paced story.
If you are looking for action you won’t find it here. Filled with anecdotes and asides on bookselling and the love of reading, Vincent McCaffrey’s love for books absolutely drips from the pages. If you share that obsession, then you will be touched and moved by his words.

Vincent McCaffrey is obviously a man so well read that he seems to have gleaned a deep understanding of human nature from his studies. His characters are appealing and sympathetic and his story well plotted. I look forward to his next novel after what was a most enjoyable debut.

'Castle' television show

2009-11-24T23:13:00.005-03:30

Fans of the TV show "Castle" may be in for a treat. (or not, who can tell???)

Richard Castle has a book out. Yes that's right folks, a fictional character wrote a book... The title is as the TV show suggests "Heat wave". The publisher's blurb refers to Richard Castle as if he is a 'real' person! You can only imagine what nightmares that will present to me as a library cataloguer!

This link has an online interview with the show's stars Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic that fans will find interesting.

Whodunit Book Club - November 24, 2009

2009-11-24T22:41:00.003-03:30

The last 2009 meeting for the Whodunits! Eighteen people attended and everyone was in good pre-holiday cheer.
Pam's question this evening was: "Do you like to receive books as gifts?"
Although we are all avid readers and booklovers the answer was not quite what one would anticipate. Many said that they would like to receive gift cards for a bookstore so that they could choose the books themselves. Reading is such a personal thing that they didn't want others choosing books for them. A few said that they did like to receive books because they appreciated the thoughtfulness that went into the choice. Most of us seem to like to give books as gifts. Perhaps we think that we are better able to choose books because of the sheer number we have read? A few confessed to giving books as gifts but reading them first! This caused quite a stir...

The novel discussed this month was R.D. Wingfield's first Inspector Frost novel "Frost at Christmas". Some of those who had watched the "Touch of Frost" television series felt that the televised Frost had a more mature sense of humour than the Frost from the novel. And speaking of humour, there was quite a bit within the pages of "Frost at Christmas". Many said they laughed aloud while reading it. The general consensus was that the book was enjoyed by the majority and some said that they would definitely read the rest in the series.

We learned a little about R.D. Wingfield. Born in London in 1928 he lived in Essex for many years with his wife and one son. He was exempted from military service due to poor eyesight and later became a radio dramatist for the BBC. He died in 2004 from prostate cancer.

Inspector Frost is pithy, acerbic, irreverent and usually right. He is so sloppy and bumbling that you gotta love him! At least I do...
Like most British police procedural series the six Frost novels should really be read in order. Anyone who hasn't yet read the entire series is in for some seriously good entertainment.

Winners of the free books this month were: Lynne, Laird, Nancy and Brian.

Merry Christmas to all the Whodunit members!

David Jason is Inspector Frost

2009-11-22T20:05:00.004-03:30

This month's Whodunit Book Club selection is the first in the Inspector Frost series of novels by the late R.D. Wingfield. I have long been a fan and read "Frost at Christmas" in the mid 1980s. Of course, being a fan, I was sure to view the television series "A Touch of Frost" which was based on the series starring David Jason as Jack Frost. He plays the part admirably.

Anyone who hasn't yet seen the TV series should do so. The shows are available at the Halifax Public Library if you missed them on TV.

The late great Edward Gorey

2009-11-15T16:51:00.009-03:30

PHOTO REMOVED AT REQUEST OF COPYRIGHT HOLDER.
Edward Gorey at home in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts, 1992. Photo © Steve Marsel Studio Inc.

"He lived with as many as six cats at a time: the 'people,' he claimed, to whom he felt closest." —Susan Lumenello (Harvard Magazine, March–April 2007)

Many of us who watch Mystery on PBS will recognize the art of Edward Gorey.
The introduction to the show is available on YouTube.

Renown for his macabre artwork I have long been a fan.

A colleague of mine recently visited his home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts which is now open to the public. I am SO jealous. She said the house was a fascinating glimpse into the eccentric figure that was Gorey.

Many of Edward Gorey's works are available at the Halifax Public Libraries. Gorey's illustrated (and sometimes wordless) books, with their vaguely ominous air and ostensibly Victorian and Edwardian settings, have long had a cult following.
One of my favorites is his alphabet book for adults "The Gashlycrumb Tinies". His ingenious rendering of the alphabet is much too gruesome and frightening for the average child.

The book of interviews "Ascending peculiarity: Edward Gorey on Edward Gorey"
provides an intriguing glimpse into the life of this brilliant eccentric.

There is a great online interview with Edward Gorey on the MYSTERY! website.

Also, the Wikipedia entry for Gorey provides a comprehensive coverage of the man and his work.

Why do we read?

2009-11-14T15:17:00.005-03:30

Whether a book makes you laugh or cry, it becomes indelibly a part of you. Once the words are read you can't unread them.
Think of all the things that the words and phrases within books have made you think about. The things that without the book you would never have thought of before...
The memories the words sometimes conjure. How the author's description of something or someone will make you reflect on your own experiences.

From the book "Hound" by Vincent McCaffrey.
"I lie in bed at night and read as though my life depended on it. And it does, even if it's a mundane life."
No truer words were ever spoken.

Reading makes us grow. It makes us more empathetic and broadens our knowledge of the world and the people in it. Reading provides us with a diversion from life's stresses and provides endless topics for conversation. In fact, I can think of no negatives when it comes to reading.
So... why not go and open a book???

Yorkshire mysteries of Lesley Horton

2009-11-07T16:16:00.003-03:30

I just finished the 5th in the series of Yorkshire mysteries by Lesley Horton. Each and every one an enjoyable read. The novels feature Detective Chief Inspector Handford who is a likeable, though complex protagonist.

This novel "Twisted Tracks" featured three simultaneous murder investigations. The murders seemed mysteriously linked. It was discovering what linked them that would crack the case. Also in Handford's inbox was a spate of staged car accidents. An elaborate insurance scam, these accidents often included women and small children as the victims.
Busy at work, his wife on a teaching exchange work term in Florida, and his mother looking after him and his daughters seems enough stress for Handford. But there is more! Thirty years ago his brother was a suspect in a rape case in which the victim later committed suicide. Handford was his brother's alibi. However, Handord who was just seventeen at the time and idolized his brother, lied to cover for him. Now that lie has returned to haunt him as the rape case has recently been reopened. As a high ranking police officer, he must now tell the truth and recant his former testimony. What will this do to his brother, his parents, his life?
Written with a deft understanding of police procedure and a keen knowledge of human nature, this series is one I will continue to follow with enjoyment.

Whodunit Book Club - October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T22:53:00.004-02:30

A lively group of seventeen attended this evening's Whodunit Book Club. We welcomed one new member.

Pam's 'magical question' this evening: "Do you find that the length of a book influences/impacts upon your reading choice?"
Most ascertained that the size of a book made little to no difference in whether they would read it or not. Some commented that if they were really pressed for time, then they would steer clear of a lengthy book. Some said that the size of the print was more of a factor than the number of pages. The comment was made that their opinion depended upon genre. For instance a mystery should be no longer than about 350 pages while a historical novel could be up to 1000 pages and not be too long.

The book discussed this month was "Talking to Wendigo" by John C. Goodman. A first novel by a Canadian author, the book was generally liked by the majority of members.
Many commented that the imagery was outstanding with wonderfully vivid descriptions. The characters were well fleshed out and the First Nations lore was well depicted. The weakness of the plot was what let the book down for a lot of us. Repetition of known facts (especially concerning the gold scam conspirators) was annoying. The placement of the body was disappointing. Why if the murderer took the trouble to move it, didn't he move it farther away? Far enough that the smell of decomposition would not alert anyone to its whereabouts. The 'mystery' was not the book's strength.
The protagonist William was a likeable character, though he seemed directionless and thus easily led. He felt he had wasted his life and that he was a failure. It was only when he retired and moved to the remote woodland location that he became more introspective and seemed to grow emotionally. The touch of romance at the end of the book was satisfying.
Most of the Whodunit members agreed that they would read another if the author decides to turn it into a series. The vivid characters and descriptions were enough to make up for the plot weaknesses. Also, with a second novel perhaps the protagonist would 'grow' as would perhaps the author's handling of plot.
Due to Pam's generousity, the end of the club brought the 'free books' draw as per usual. Tonight's winners were: Carolyn, Lynne, Brian and Elizabeth.
Pam held a second draw for six copies of Anne Murray's new book "All of Me".
The winners of this draw were: Elizabeth, Nancy, Laird, Joanne, Jean and Marilyn.

"The Brutal Telling" by Louise Penny

2009-10-25T18:53:00.005-02:30

It seems so unfair that the reddest, juiciest apples are oftentimes the ones in which a worm is concealed. The picture perfect, idyllic town of Three Pines proves this true when a stranger’s body is found in the town’s café on the village green.

The café is run by Olivier, a gay man who moved to Three Pines with his partner Gabriel who runs the local Bread and Breakfast. The two men are now village fixtures and have befriended one and all. Why would anyone leave a dead body in the café?

When Chief Inspector Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec returns to the village to investigate the murder, he is pleased to see his old friends again. Gamache has invaded their territory before, always on business, but the village has become a favorite of his on a personal level. He suspects that his friend Olivier is not being completely truthful with him, but cannot imagine why. He along with his hand-picked murder team examine the circumstances of the crime as only they can. In addition Gamache has chosen a new member of the team, a young constable who at first seems to have little to offer, but since Inspector Gamache has chosen him we trust he has hidden depths. He teaches him the same lesson that he has taught the others: “What kills can’t be seen. That’s what makes it so dangerous. It’s not a gun or a knife or a fist. It’s not anything you can see coming. It’s an emotion. Rancid, spoiled. And waiting for a chance to strike.”

The villagers want desperately for the murderer to be NOT ‘one of them’. It would be much easier to comprehend if a stranger had committed the crime. There are newcomers who have renovated an old house and turned it into a luxury spa who are disliked by some of the villagers. How convenient if they were the murderers…

When the police find the woodland cabin where the murder took place, they are dumbfounded to learn that the cabin is filled with priceless antiques and other treasures. Gamache wonders how this new revelation will impact on his inquiries. Why didn’t the murderer also steal the valuables? How did an old hermit come to have these items?

We know from the outset of the novel that the secret Olivier has been keeping from Gamache is that he knew the murder victim. He took provisions up to his cabin and shared stories and tea with him on a regular basis. Why then doesn’t Olivier just let the police know this?

“The brutal telling” is the fifth book in this series. All superb examples of what mystery fiction should be. The first book in the series, “Still life”, deservedly won five prestigious literary awards.

The setting, a picturesque village in Quebec’s Eastern Townships is a place that is hard to leave when the last page is reached. Louise Penny’s characters are so well drawn that over the course of five books they have become my friends. With this latest novel, Gamache has become my very favorite fictional detective. Interspersed with poetry and art, these are literary mysteries for the discerning reader. If you haven’t yet had the pleasure to read Louise Penny you are in for a real treat. When I finished “The brutal telling” my only disappointment was that I have to wait at least a year for another book in the series.

"A Brutal Telling" review ©Lynne LeGrow

Mystery Writers Panel

2009-10-21T19:26:00.003-02:30

Mystery Writers Panel
Mount Saint Vincent University
Faculty Lounge, Seton Academic Centre, Room 405/405

part of the
MSVU CELEBRATING WRITING WEEK

Panel Authors include:
Pamela Callow, Anne Emery, Brad Kelln,
R.J. Harlick, and Vicki Delaney

Friday, October 30th
7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Reception, Book Sales & Author Signings to follow
FREE ADMISSION
Everyone Welcome

For additional information:
http://www.msvu.ca/tlc/WIC/CelebratingWriting.asp

celebratingwriting@msvu.ca
or call
457-6178 (Faculty of Education main line)

Get in the mood for Halloween

2009-10-07T22:35:00.004-02:30

My all-time favourite chilling tale is the novel "Harvest Home" by Thomas Tryon. A book that will give you nightmares! A New York couple and their daughter move to a quaint country village in New England hoping to settle into a tranquil existence. They found that the locals were obsessed with ancient pagan rituals and that the village is seemingly controlled by the Widow Fortune, an old woman with a knack for healing. The village has a secret, and its insular villagers are all in on it! Determined to discover what that secret is leads the protagonist to find that some secrets are best left undiscovered.
Harvest Home is a great read for those interested in the horror, suspense, and mystery genre. While it's not the typical blood-and-guts horror story, it is terrifying, largely due to its believability.
This novel was made into an excellent TV mini-series entitled "The dark secret of Harvest Home" starring Bette Davis as the Widow Fortune.
There is even an online study guide available for the novel "Harvest Home".

Whodunit Book Club - September 29, 2009

2009-09-29T22:29:00.003-02:30

A good crowd turned out for this month's club meeting and we welcomed a new member to our group!
Pam's 'magical' question was: "Do you multi-task when you read?"
The answers were varied. Some liked quiet and maybe a glass of wine or coffee. Several actually like noise in the background when they are reading and liked to read when listening to music and/or watching television. One member cooks while reading and one reads while walking her dog. One who shall remain nameless actually admitted to driving while reading but she qualified it as to highway only (how comforting!).
I prefer quiet when reading, but admit to liking a beverage to accompany my book.

The book discussed this month was "Real Murders" by Charlaine Harris. We learned from Pam that the author has been writing since childhood and that she published two stand-alone mysteries before our book club selection which is the first in a series. The sixth book of this series entitled "A fool and his honey" garnered hate mail by the author which sounds intriguing... Charlaine Harris is a prolific author who also wrote the Lily Bard series set in Shakespeare, Arkansas (about a rape survivor) and the popular Sookie Stackhouse vampire novels. (Sookie is a telepath). The Sookie Stackhouse series has been adapted for television in the show "Trublood". The author's most recent series are mysteries with a dash of the supernatural and feature Harper Connelly.

Most Whodunit members agreed that the book "Real Murders" did not live up to its beguiling premise. There was only a superficial connection to the old murders. The book lacked suspense as most cozy mysteries do. The members of the fictionalized book club were an odd assortment who didn't seem to have any real reason for being there. The librarian was unrealistic and 'prissy'. We commented though that this is one of the author's earlier works and probably not as good as her later novels. Most members said they wouldn't read further novels in this series, but that they wouldn't discount Charlaine Harris and that they were willing to try one of the author's other series.

One of our digressions this evening was a short discussion on vampire fiction. We discussed its immense popularity and decided that the 'seduction of evil' and the immortality aspects of this genre were what fascinated readers. To read another blog article about vampire fiction click here.

The book winners this month were: Cathy, Judy, Carmella and Jane/Gayle.

The versatile Susan Hill

2009-09-22T21:27:00.005-02:30

Perhaps you have heard of the prolific British author Susan Hill. She is probably most famous for the classic horror story "The woman in black" which relates the haunting testimony of a young lawyer who records in detail the nightmarish events of his stay in a house on a marsh in northern England, and the terrible events that alter his life forever. Another well known title is "Mrs. DeWinter", a follow-up to Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" telling of what occurred after the fire at Manderley.
Susan Hill, the recipient of several prestigious literary awards, is the author of many children's books and is also a playwright and has edited several anthologies of short stories.

In the past few years she has produced a four book (so far) mystery series set in England's West Country featuring British policeman Simon Serrailler. The novels are written with a sound knowledge of British police procedure and a unique understanding of human motivation and the details of daily life. A first rate detective story with a cunning twist at the end, the first book in this series "The various haunts of men" is one of my favorite mystery novels. The other three novels in the series are: "The pure in heart", "The risk of darkness" and "The vows of silence".

Recently she has published a novella, "The Beacon". A small gem, this story portrays the life of the spinster daughter of a farming family set on a remote English hillside. The novella is so well written that you can almost hear the wind battering the old farmhouse and the reader feels the protagonist's mixed emotions when following the death of her parents a family secret in revealed...
A versatile author who is equally adept writing several different genres, Susan Hill is an author not to be missed.

A disappointment...

2009-08-26T23:14:00.003-02:30

For some years now I have been a fan of the mystery novelist Val McDermid. I was very keen to read one of her most recent novels "A Darker Domain".
Well.... I read about half of it. I just couldn't reconcile reading it when I have dozens of great books waiting to be read.
The plot was disjointed and did not hold my attention. I felt no real empathy or connetion to any of the characters.
Have you read this novel? Was I too hasty in dismissing it? I'd love to hear from you with your opinions...

Whodunit Book Club - August 25, 2009

2009-08-26T22:46:00.003-02:30

Summer book club meeting attendance usually reflects that many are on vacation. We were a small group of a dozen, but very vocal!
The monthly question: What attracts you to your next book?
The answers were varied but mostly boiled down to: Setting, cover, reviews, and referrals by people with similar reading tastes.

The book this month was "The Calling" by Inger Ash Wolfe. Voted one of the Best Mystery Books of 2008 by Publisher's Weekly, much hoopla has been made about this book's author. A pseudonym of a well known North American writer. There have been many speculations including Jane Urquhart, David Adams Richards, Margaret Atwood and many more. We wondered why. Did the author want this title to be considered separate from his/her other works? Did they feel that this was a less 'literary' work than their previous works? An online interview with the author stated that the name Inger Ash Wolfe was chosen to honour a relative of the author's who likes mysteries. Click here to view another online response by Inger Ash Wolfe.
There was some lively discussion about the book's plot and protagonist(s). Some felt that the plot didn't 'ring true' based upon the protagonist's personality. He was not depicted as a true serial killer because initially his victims came to him. They were consenting adults who were terminally ill. However the euthanasia angle fell flat with the terrible act he committed while in Quebec. It was felt that when he desecrated the bodies to mask his compassionate euthanasia, he was eventually corrupted by his own acts and became evil over time.
Whodunit members were disappointed that the character of Hazel Metcalf was not more fully developed as she was flawed and interesting.
Of the twelve members present, seven felt they would like to read the sequel "The taken".

"Bad things" by Michael Marshall

2009-08-17T23:02:00.001-02:30

When bad things happen to people is it because they deserve it? When bad things happen to you do you say to yourself “What did I do to deserve this?” The whole concept of action and consequence is brought into play… At least in your mind. In the case of Michael Marshall’s protagonist in Bad Things it seems that the very ultimate in bad things has happened, his four year old son has died. As an indirect result of this tragedy his marriage has ended and his legal career waylaid.

When we meet John Henderson he is living in coastal Oregon and working as a waiter in a seaside restaurant. His is a solitary life with little to no contact with his former wife and remaining son, or, for that matter, any of his former friends or co-workers. Then one night he receives an ominous e-mail message that reads “I know what happened”. John himself does not know what happened even though he was a witness to his son’s death. Naturally he follows up the message by returning to Black Ridge where he once lived and where the tragedy occurred.

Black Ridge is depicted by Michael Marshall with an ominous sense of foreboding reminiscent of the early works of the master Stephen King. An eerily real, small Pacific Northwest community surrounded by a menacing forest with local inhabitants who seem chillingly distant and a prominent town family who seem to have local authority figures and all the townsfolk under their power. The setting in this novel is as much a ‘character’ as the human characters.

Once there, John meets up with the sender of the email message, Ellen Robertson. She maintains that the death of John’s son has eerie similarities to the death of her husband. She intimates that she is being watched and that her emails and phone messages are being monitored. John recognizes her sincerity and decides to remain in Black Ridge to discover if there is any basis to her paranoia.

John is not the only person to have recently returned to Black Ridge. Kristina has been away for a decade, but has now returned. She doesn’t like the place and doesn’t understand herself why she has made her way back to her home town. John also reunites with a former co-worker who has remained in the area, and whose history seems tied to John’s buried past.

The mounting suspense and the revelations of the plot culminate in a page-turning climax where John’s past is explained and he is temporarily reunited with his ex-wife and son. The periphery characters are tied into the revelations in a satisfying way.

More of a supernatural thriller than a mystery, this novel evokes a sense of imminent evil. The reader wonders if this is all in the mind of the protagonist somehow brought about by his sense of guilt for past wrongdoings, or whether the evil is an entity unto itself. The ending leaves the reader with just the right amount of unease and a feeling that the evil encountered in the pages of the novel could resurface at any time to dishevel someone else’s world.

I will read more of Michael Marshall’s fiction even though his novels do not follow the criteria for the mystery genre which is my favourite. After reading this novel I have become a fan of his writing style. Written with a flair for stating profound truths which make the reader nod his/her head in agreement, while at the same time evoking a sense of looming dread, this novel is a masterwork of supernatural suspense.

Whodunit Book Club - July 28, 2009

2009-07-28T22:50:00.004-02:30

We were honoured tonight to have the author of this month's selection visit our Whodunit meeting. Eugene Meese was a delight! He regaled us with some of the background preparation and notes that he used as 'fodder' for his debut mystery novel, "A Magpie's smile". Members of the club asked lots of questions, and it was generally agreed that everyone enjoyed the book. (That doesn't often happen).
It seemed quite obvious that there were two protagonists of the book. One the policeman Jake Fry and the other the city of Calgary.
Written with a keen sense of place and time, the novel was painstakingly researched even down to what the weather was on any one of the eight days in May 1977 in which the book was set. Eugene Meese lived in Calgary during that period and took copious notes on all of the news stories of the time. He employed a storyboard to aid in the chronological structure of the novel.
All of the characters in the novel, both primary and secondary, were fully rounded out. The detail was sharp but not monotonous. The sights and smells came through with deftly placed words that evoked a sense of place not often found in first novels.
Mr. Meese assured us that "A Magpie's smile" is a stand-alone novel. He did say however that he has an idea for a series 'in the works' set on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia during the 1990s. He is also exploring the idea for a historical novel set in 1920s Romania.
This photo was taken this evening at club.
If you were not one of the lucky ones who attended tonight's meeting, you can listen to Eugene Meese by following the links found here.
The blurb from the back cover reads: "When the scalped remains of a Jane Doe are discovered within the rubble of a demolished house, Detective Jake Fry is assigned the task of hunting down Calgary's most disturbed murderer. Working against a rising body count and police department politics, Fry must relentlessly pursue a murderer with an agenda no one but he can comprehend. During Calgary's first economic boom, people flocked from all corners of the country to the city rumored to have streets paved in gold. Explore the dark side of this boom in "A Magpie's Smile", a tautly chronological police thriller and cinematic portrait of the frenetic Calgary of the 1970s."

"Hurting distance" by Sophie Hannah

2009-07-13T23:32:00.005-02:30

Anyone who is a fan of psychological mystery/thrillers by such authors as Ruth Rendell or Minette Walters is sure to enjoy "Hurting distance" by Sophie Hannah. This is the second title I've read by her and they keep getting better! The author had SO many loose ends that I couldn't imagine how she would resolve the storyline. However, she tied everything together flawlessly. Quite a feat!
The novel's title is explained on page 80 which states: "The people you love are within hurting distance, close range. Strangers aren't."
The novel begins with Naomi Jenkins who is fearful for her lover when he doesn't show up at their weekly rendevous site. She is certain that he would never not show up without first letting her know. She becomes so upset that she reports the matter to the police. They interview the man's wife who insists that he is fine and visiting friends in Kent. Then when the police won't follow the matter further she changes her story and says that he raped her and must be found at once! The police view her as very unreliable as she keeps lying to them and changing her story.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the back story of the policewoman Charlie Zailer becomes an integral part of the plot. The novel is told alternately by Naomi and Charlie Zailer, so the reader gets a two-sided view of the plot development. Convoluted, but in a brilliant way, Sophie Hannah manages to keep all of her ducks in a row and has written a complex novel of obsessive love, betrayal and damaged psyches.

"Sweetness at the bottom of the pie"

2009-07-07T22:14:00.004-02:30

What a novel premise for a mystery novel! The protagonist is an eleven year old female aspiring chemist. Growing up in a motherless, and very eccentric household, Flavia de Luce is memorable to say the least. Throw in a dead bird, a little poison and some rare stamps, and you've got a unique historical British mystery written by a Canadian, Alan Bradley.
The book is the first of a proposed series called the Buckshaw Chronicles and Flavia even has her own fan club!
It has placed on numerous bestseller lists and has won the Debut Dagger Award awarded by the British Crime Writer's Association!

Whodunit Book Club - June 30, 2009

2009-07-01T20:50:00.003-02:30

Another great evening spent at Chapters Dartmouth. The question posed this month was: "Do you save books up to take on vacation?" It is always interesting to hear how others answer the questions and even more interesting to hear the little anecdotes that go with them. Most of us DO take books on vacation, but not that many actually save them up for this specific purpose. Some take as many as one for each day they will be away, others just take one book to read on the journey and buy more when they reach their destination. We heard about the rewards of writing travel journals, the merits of taking books with us that are local to the area we are visiting so as to possibly get our books signed when we are there!

This month's novel was "The Spellman Files" by Lisa Lutz. Most of us enjoyed the book, in fact there didn't seem to be anyone who disliked it. However, that being said, most of us agreed that there was no real 'mystery'. It was just a nice light read bordering on the farcical. The Spellman's seemed unable to differentiate between their own personal family life and their work, partly we suppose due to the fact that they work from their home.
We heard that the second novel in this series "The curse of the Spellmans" has been nominated for an Edgar Award. Personally, even this accolade will probably not entice me to read it. Although I rather enjoyed the first novel, I feel that I have no wish to make further acquaintance with the Spellman Family.
Next month's meeting should be exciting as we have the author Eugene Meese attending our meeting. His novel "A magpie's smile" is our selection for next month.

Lisa Lutz interviews

2009-06-28T11:55:00.003-02:30

Since this month's Whodunit title was "The Spellman Files" by Lisa Lutz, I thought some might be interested in these online interviews with the author.

Interview #1:
http://lisalutz.com/interview-2
Interview #2:
http://blogcritics.org/books/article/interview-with-lisa-lutz-author-of/

"The Spellman Files" part 1

2009-06-23T13:30:00.007-02:30

I say part 1 because of course this title will be dealt with in depth at the June 30th meeting of Whodunit.

Finished reading this month's Whodunit title "The Spellman Files" by Lisa Lutz. A quick, entertaining read but not exactly what I would call a mystery per se. The book read like it would make an excellent script for a comedy film.
My casting for the film version goes like this:
Izzy Spellman = Sandra Bullock
Little sister Rae = Abigail Breslin
Brother David the lawyer = James Spader
Father Albert = Gene Hackman
Mother Olivia = Dixie Carter
Uncle Ray = Robert Forster
Daniel the dentist = Greg Kinnear
Stone the cop = Mark Ruffalo

Disagree with my casting? Then by all means write a comment!

Oh, and by the way, since when do dentists actually clean teeth? Don't they have dental hygienists in San Francisco?
Don't you think the Spellmans must have a share in a car parts business? I've never heard of so many broken tail lights or slashed tires...

"Die with me"

2009-06-13T19:39:00.005-02:30

Just finished reading a debut novel by Elena Forbes. "Die with me" was a pleasant surprise! Forbes included all the elements of a mystery/psychological thriller that much more seasoned novelists sometimes have difficulty with.
The protagonist is the broodingly handsome DI Mark Tartaglia who inherits a murder case because of the fact that his mentor/DCI is in the hospital recovering from a serious accident.
A modern police procedural mystery set in West London, the crime involves the apparent suicide of a young girl. However it soon come to light that the girl was 'assisted' in her death by a man and that this was not the first young girl to meet her end in the same manner! Someone seems to be targeting the most 'lost' girls and exploiting their vulnerability for his own sadistic pleasure.
Just when things get interesting for Tartaglia and his sergeant Samantha Donovan a new DCI is appointed to the case in a position above him... a woman, the formidable Deputy Chief Inspector Carolyn Steele. With her comes a profiler, Dr. Patrick Kennedy.
What I particularly liked about this novel was the deep characterization. I felt I knew all the characters well and the satisfactory ending left me wanting more. Since it said on the jacket flap that Forbes is now writing the sequel, I look forward to another quality series!

An interview with Elena Forbes is available online.

"He grassed me up!"

2009-06-08T20:32:00.004-02:30

Anyone who has ever read a British mystery has probably heard the expression "he grassed me up!" or read someone described as being 'a grass'.
The phrase/term means someone who informs to the police.
I for one have always wondered where the expression originated.
Word and phrase origins are one of my interests, so when I chased this one down I thought I'd share it via blog. I found the answer on the website "Phrase finder".
Meaning:
Inform on someone to the police.
Origin:
In 2005, British newspapers picked up on a story about a burglar who had stolen cash, jewelery and an African Grey parrot from a house near Hungerford, Berkshire. David Carlile, widely described in the press as 'feather-brained', explained to the police that he knew that African Greys could talk and he didn't want the bird to 'grass him up'.
'Grassing up' has been a commonly used expression in the UK since the mid 20th century, but is less common elsewhere. The first known use of 'grass' in that context is Arthur Gardner's Tinker's Kitchen, 1932, which defined a grass as "an informer". Grass was a well-enough established word in the 1980s to have spawned 'supergrass', i.e. a republican sympathiser who later 'turned Queen's evidence' and informed on the IRA.
Informers are variously known as squealers, noses, moles, rats, snouts and stool pigeons. These terms invoke imagery of covert snooping around and of talking. Grass is less intuitive. It could just have arisen from 'snake in the grass', which derives from the writings of Virgil and has been known in English, meaning traitor, since the late 17th century.
There is another route to the word and this is via rhyming slang. Farmer and Henley's 1893 Dictionary of Slang defines 'grasshopper' as 'copper', i.e. policeman. The theory is that a 'grass' is someone who works for the police and so has become a surrogate 'copper'. The rhyming slang link was certainly believed in 1950 by the lexicographer Paul Tempest, when he wrote Lag's lexicon: a comprehensive dictionary and encyclopaedia of the English prison to-day:
"Grasser. One who gives information. A 'squealer’ or ‘squeaker'. The origin derives from rhyming slang: grasshopper - copper; a 'grass' or 'grasser' tells the 'copper' or policeman."
That comes only a few years after the term grass was coined and there seems little reason to doubt it as the derivation. The original users of the term 'grass up' were from the London underworld and would have certainly been better acquainted with rhyming slang than the works of Virgil.

Murdoch mysteries on TV

2009-06-07T23:12:00.003-02:30

As mentioned in a previous post on this blog, the Maureen Jennings Murdoch mysteries were televised this week. I had to watch as the books are amongst my favorites.
What a disappointment! Although the actor who plays Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) is not hard to look at, the whole feel of the show struck an off chord with me.
When I watch a historical piece on Masterpiece Theatre, I am THERE. Totally immersed in the time period with the realistic characters. When I read Maureen Jennings' books I feel the same. Watching the Murdoch mysteries however, I felt that the actors were obviously 'play-acting'. The acting was poor, the whole feel of the piece FAKE. The depiction of the electrical apparatus and testing was poorly done. The suitcase with the recorder actually had a stove element as an antenna!
All in all, I don't think I'll spend another hour watching this show. Besides I could be reading a Maureen Jennings novel instead.... MUCH BETTER!

Arthur Ellis Award announced!

2009-06-07T23:04:00.003-02:30

On June 4th The Crime Writers of Canada announced that former Toronto Star columnist Linwood Barclay has won the Arthur Ellis award for best novel for his book "Too close to home".
The psychological suspense thriller is about the killing of a family in a quiet suburban neighbourhood and the secrets that emerge in a seemingly peaceful town.
I haven't read it yet, but it sounds like a great read!

Euphemisms for Death

2009-06-04T20:58:00.006-02:30

Most mystery novels have one thing in common.... There is usually ALWAYS a dead body. As mystery readers you must have heard many different euphemisms for death. I thought it would be fun to list some of them for your entertainment. Some I'd heard of before some I hadn't. I've put them in alphabetical order. The first one is one I'd not heard before but is one of my favorites!

At room temperature
Became living-challenged
Big sleep
Bought a pine condo
Bought the farm
Bumped off
Buy it
Cash in (or out)
Ceased to be
Checked out
Croak
Crossed over
Crossed the bar
Crossed the River Styx
Dance the last dance
Deader than a doornail
Deceased
Defunct
Demised
Departed
Dirt nap
Done for
Eat it
Expired
Extinct
Finished
Gathered to his people
Gave up the ghost
Get your wings
Go into the fertilizer business
Gone into the west
Gone to meet their maker
Goner
Got a one-way ticket
In a better place
In the grave
In Hell (or Heaven)
In repose
Kicked the bucket
Kicked off
Late
Lifeless
Lost
Met his maker
Moved into upper management
No longer with us
No more
Off the twig
Offed
Passed...(over, on, away, etc)
Perished
Popped off
Pushing up the daisies
Resting in peace
Return to the ground
Rubbed out
Run down the curtain
Shuffled off the mortal coil
Six feet under
Sleeping with the fishes
Snuffed
Snuffed out
Sprouted wings
Stiff
Stone dead
Struck out by the big blue pencil
Succumbed
Terminated
That good night
Toes up
Wasted
Wearing a toe tag
Went belly up
With the ancestors
Worm food

Blog comments

2009-06-03T20:42:00.004-02:30

Just thought I'd mention that I sent author Ariana Franklin an email to tell her that we had covered her book "Mistress of the art of death" in club. I sent her links to this blog and my website. She replied! Her reply can be found under comments at the bottom of the post for the book club meeting dated May 26, 2009. Just click on the comment to read her reply.
If you want to leave a comment yourself on any of the blog posts, just click on the '0 comments' at the bottom of the post and another page will open ready to receive your comment.
I hope to hear from you soon!

"They died in vain"

2009-06-03T19:50:00.004-02:30

I work at a public library and recently came across a mystery reference book titled "They died in vain: overlooked, under-appreciated and forgotten mystery novels". A quote from the back cover "If characters die in a mystery novel, and no one reads their story, have they died in vain?"
What a great premise for a reference work! Makes me want to read all the titles listed just so that the characters won't have met their end in obsurity...

A few of the titles/authors mentioned are:

"A question of guilt" by Frances Fyfield
"Jitterbug" by Loren D. Estleman
"The victim in Victoria Station" by Jeanne M. Dams
"The christening day murder" by Lee Harris
"Lonely hearts" by John Harvey
"Fugitive colors" by Margaret Maron
"A show of hands" by David A. Crossman

Maureen Jennings' Murdoch mysteries sold to TV!

2009-05-30T10:52:00.005-02:30

Congratulations to Canadian mystery author Maureen Jennings! Her historical mystery series (one of my favorites!) featuring Toronto policeman William Murdoch is to be shown on American television!

Press Release
Head North of the Border For a Series of Fascinating Adventures in MURDOCH MYSTERIES
The new American Public Television-distributed series MURDOCH MYSTERIES, airing on public television stations nationwide beginning June 30, 2009, follows the exploits of young detective William Murdoch (Yannick Brisson) as he navigates the streets of 1890’s Toronto. Using unconventional, cutting-edge forensic science techniques, Murdoch battles ridicule from his fellow officers and skepticism from his superiors to solve a series of challenging killings that plague the city.

This is a photo of Yannick Brisson who will play Murdoch in the series:

Gail Bowen wins Derrick Murdoch Award!

2009-05-28T21:47:00.004-02:30

Congratulations to Gail Bowen, author of "The Brutal Heart" and "The Endless Knot". These novels are the latest entries in her series which features Joanne Kilbourn, a university professor, sometime political columnist, and a wife, mother and grandmother. The series has been adapted for television and stars Wendy Crewson in the lead role.
Last week the Crime Writers of Canada announced that Gail is the winner of this year’s Derrick Murdoch Award in recognition of her contributions to Canadian crime writing. Gail will receive the award on June 4 at the CWC’s Arthur Ellis Awards dinner, being held this year in Ottawa.

Forensic mystery series

2009-05-27T20:27:00.003-02:30

With the immense popularity of such television shows as "CSI: Miami", "CSI: New York", and "Bones", it is evident that the subject of forensics interests a lot of people. But did you know that there are great mystery series that feature forensics? Of course, most know that the TV series "Bones" is based upon characters created by Kathy Reichs in her Temperance Brennan series. Another novelist famous for her forensic pathologist protagonist is Patricia Cornwell with her Kay Scarpetta series.

Perhaps you were less aware that there is a great new series written by Simon Beckett? His series is set in the Norfolk marshlands and features Dr. David Handler. The first book in this series is "The chemistry of death".

Another forensic detective is Reuben Maitland who is the lead character in the books by John Macken. The first book in this series is "Dirty little lies".

Last but not least, there are the Eisenmenger and Flemming forensic mysteries written by Keith McCarthy. This delightful series begins with the title "A feast of carrion".

For forensics with a historical slant I recommend you try "Mistress of the art of death" by Ariana Franklin. This award-winning novel is set in 12th century Cambridge, England. See previous post for more details.

Happy reading!

Whodunit Book Club - May 26, 2009

2009-05-26T22:49:00.006-02:30

A pretty good turn out for a nice sunny spring evening. Everyone was very vocal tonight which generated some lively discussion both on and off topic.
Tonight's question: "Do you keep all the books you buy, or pass them on?"
There were certainly two schools of thought. I would say the majority regarded their books as friends to be kept and treasured. One member said she would get rid of her furniture before she would get rid of her books. On the other hand, some read their books and then passes them on to others less fortunate. One member said she "hated the thought of all of those words just sitting there not being used".
Comments were made on whether the lending of books was practiced and if it was wise.
After some anecdotes, the consensus was that if you are willing to lend a book, you must also not count on its return.
On to this month's book "Mistress of the art of death" by Ariana Franklin.

The majority of the members seemed to enjoy the novel. Some found it hard going at first, but the pace picked up after the second chapter and it was a great read after that.
Set in medieval Cambridge England, the novel centers upon a female physician to the dead from Salerno who has been instructed by the King to visit Cambridge in the hopes that she might discern who was responsible for the murders of four children. The king was concerned because the Catholic citizens were blaming their Jewish neighbours and this was having an impact on the King's tariffs. The novel was steeped in religious history. Many lessons were learned which is one of the great perks of reading a historical novel. Margaret and I agreed that it was a cross between Kathy Reichs and Diana Gabaldon with about 60/40 veering toward the side of Gabaldon.
Written with historical accuracy and a keen sense of place, the mix of an intelligent protagonist and graphic scenes of depravity was skillfully rendered. The novel was very descriptive, though not at all boring or tedious in that description. It was agreed that the author viewed Henry II in a very sympathetic light.
The book had a satisfying conclusion and most agreed that they would read another book by the same author.
This novel won the Crime Writers’ Association Ellis Peters Historical Award for 2007.
and has it's own website which is certainly worth a visit: http://www.mistressoftheartofdeath.com/

100 best mystery novels of all time

2009-05-24T20:57:00.003-02:30

100 Best Mystery Novels of all time
The above link is another blog posting, so its validity is questionable.
Some might think it a good list, others would disagree. Some of the books mentioned are not mysteries in my opinion.
For instance "Silence of the lambs" by Thomas Harris, though an excellent read is a suspense/thriller and not a 'mystery'. "Smiley's people" by John Le Carré is a spy novel, not a 'mystery'.

What are your thoughts? Do you know of another, more true to the genre listing?
I'd love to hear from you...

Mystery award winners

2009-05-15T23:33:00.005-02:30

Mystery Writers of America is the premier organization for mystery writers, professionals allied to the crime writing field, aspiring crime writers, and those who are devoted to the genre. They are the sponsors of the prestigious Edgar Award. The 63rd Annual Edgar® Awards Banquet was be held on Thursday April 30, 2009 in New York City.
The 2009 Grand Masters were announced to be James Lee Burke and Sue Grafton.
The winner for best novel was "Blue heaven" by C.J. Box.
The winner for best first novel was "The foreigner" by Francie Lin.

If you are interested in reading award-winning mystery fiction you can also check out the Agatha Awards (named for Agatha Christie)which are handed out by Malice Domestic Ltd. The winner of the 2008 Agatha Award for Best Novel was "The cruellest month" by Louise Penny. Winner of the Best First Novel Agatha was "Death of a cozy writer" by G.M. Maillet.

Other American awards for mystery fiction include The Anthony Awards. The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911-1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. The most recent winner of the Anthony Award for Best Novel was "What the dead know" by Laura Lippman. The winner of the Anthony for Best First Novel was "In the woods" by Tana French.

Then there is the Macavity Awards for mystery writers. Nominated and voted upon annually by the members of the Mystery Readers International, the award is named for the "mystery cat" of T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. The 2008 winner for Best Novel Macavity was "What the dead know" by Laura Lippman.

The Shamus Award is awarded annually by the Private Eye Writers of America to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The 2008 Shamus winner was "Soul Patch" by Reed Farrel Coleman.

For the other side of the 'pond', there are the Daggers which are sponsored by the British Crime Writer's Association. This association was founded by novelist John Creasey in 1953. The winner of the 2008 Duncan Lawrie Dagger was "Blood from stone" by Frances Fyfield. The 2008 Duncan Lawrie International Dagger went to "Lorraine connection" by Dominique Manotti. For new writers there is a CWA New Blood Dagger which in 2008 went to "Bethlehem murders" by Matt Rees. The star of the awards ceremony was Sue Grafton who was the recipient of the 2008 Cartier Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement.

Whodunit Meeting January 29th, 2008

2008-01-30T22:29:00.001-03:30

Another enjoyable meeting! This month marked the 10th anniversary of the Whodunit Book Club!
We spoke of the camaraderie of the diverse members of our club and how it differs from the opinion of many as to what a 'book club' should be.
Last month's title, "Turnstone" by Graham Hurley, was not unanimously liked by the membership. I think it was about 60/40 in favour. Some thought that the first novel in Hurley's Joe Faraday series was overly wordy, scattered and confusing due to having too many characters. Others enjoyed the descriptive passages, the Portsmouth setting and the protagonists character. A widower with a deaf son, Faraday's personal life was as much a part of the novel as the 'mystery' was. To many, a character driven novel such as this was a welcome read.
Speaking only for myself, I would definitely read more books in the series. I look forward to seeing how Faraday's character develops.

"A Cup of Christmas Tea" by Tom Hegg

2007-12-03T20:41:00.000-03:30

Every year I read this poem by Tom Hegg.
It epitomizes the true meaning of Christmas and so I wanted to
share it with my book club friends.
"A Cup of Christmas Tea" by Tom Hegg

Short stories vs. novels

2007-12-03T20:19:00.000-03:30

In my own personal library, I have several short story anthologies. Some of my favorites being: "The best British mysteries", "The Mysterious Press anniversary anthology", "Ellery Queen's mystery magazine: the first 50 years".
Do you enjoy reading mystery fiction in a short story format?
How does your enjoyment of these stories differ from your enjoyment of reading a full length novel?
Do you think short story authors have to be more or less 'skilled' than novel writers?
They have less time to develop their idea and they have to grab your attention immediately and hold it. Some authors can master both formats, but some excel at one or the other.
Do you have any anthologies that you remember as being particularly good? I'd love to hear your recommendations! What is your favorite mystery or suspense short story?

November 27th Whodunit Meeting

2007-11-27T23:46:00.000-03:30

Nineteen members showed up for the last meeting of 2007.
Question posed: When reading mystery fiction do you like to play sleuth and figure out 'Whodunit'? Or... do you like an ending twist and/or surprise?
When answering this question several members 'confessed' to reading the end of the book on occasion. Shock! Horror! I guess you can glean that I have never and would NEVER do that.
Also, the issue of "Whydunits" came up again. Novels where you know from the outset who committed the crime. The suspense is WHY the act was perpetrated. They are definitely my favorites. Ruth Rendell was mentioned as being the Queen of the Whydunit.
Book under discussion: "Most Wanted" by Michele Martinez.
The consensus seemed to be that it was not a great book. A legal thriller with little character development and low on 'thrills'. The sequel to this title "Finishing School" was not one most of us would follow up, though there were a few who showed interest.
Discussion brought up the use of the uneducated jargon used in Chapter 5. Many including myself thought that this detracted from the novel. I was on the point of shelving the book after reading this chapter. It seemed contrived, and derogatory.
The character of Bernadette, supposedly a strong character, showed a remarkable misjudgment of character in Rommie.
With rampant corruption, the only 'clean' characters were Melanie and Dan.
What are your thoughts? Would you read the sequel?

"So many books, so little time"

2007-10-30T23:59:00.001-02:30

A Whodunit member made a comment which I would like to explore further.
She said, "I read the first line of the book and it just grabbed me."
Alternately a co-worker of mine usually reads the first paragraph. From this she decides whether or not this is a book for her.
I usually do not read any of the text before choosing a book.
I do however read the back cover and/or the jacket 'blurb'. That combined with the jacket itself are often instrumental in my choice.
Once I am familiar with an author and know that I like him or her, then I need no further enticement. The author's name alone will make the choice for me.

"So many books, so little time"
How do you choose your next title?
Is it the first line, the first paragraph, the first page?

October's 'Whodunit' meeting

2007-10-30T23:39:00.000-02:30

Just back from Chapters, Dartmouth and another great Whodunit Book Club meeting.
My impression was that most of the club enjoyed last month's selection "Chemistry of Death" by Simon Beckett. There was much lively discussion. Would this book make a good movie? Who would you cast as Hunter? Will you read the sequel "Written in bone"?

We discussed books into films and visa versa.
Most agreed that they would prefer to read the book first before watching the film, due to the fact that the film often disappoints.
Part of the reason for this is the constricting time frame of the movie.
How can they tell the whole story well in 2 hours?
A good reminder from a Whodunit member:
The film is only one person's interpretation of the original work.

Alternatively, I believe that books into TV mini-series, or series usually are more successful and true to the original work.
For instance, I cannot imagine anyone better to be Detective Morse that the late, great John Thaw.

I look forward to reading comments from Whodunit members as well as anyone else who happens to stumble upon this blog...

Is fiction ever really unique?

2007-10-25T12:38:00.023-02:30

I recently read the new novel by Chelsea Cain entitled "Heart Sick".
After reading this novel I went on to read several reviews of the title. Some reviewers seemed to think less of it because it reminded them so much of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter novels. They felt that the author leaned too heavily on the plot style and method of Harris. True, there were similarities. However, is fiction ever completely unique? When you read a specific genre, whether it be mystery, fantasy or romance you are going to encounter similar themes and devices. The sadistic serial killer is just another example. Despite some bad press I enjoyed the novel. You can read my review in November's Gumshoe Review.

Whodunit? or Whydunit?

2007-10-09T21:43:00.000-02:30

Most readers of mystery and detective fiction are familiar with the Whodunit concept. A crime is committed and we the reader are given the task of deciphering WHO it was. A tried and true formula for many happy hours of reading.
Some of my personal favorites have been Whydunits.
The author shares the crime with the reader from the start and we follow the psychology of the protagonist as to why he/she committed the crime (the back story) as well as the procedures that the law enforcement agencies utilize to catch the criminal.
Some excellent examples of Whydunits are:
"A judgement in stone" by Ruth Rendell
"Clean cut" by Theresa Monsour
The movie "Fracture" starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling is an example of a Whydunit on film. The watcher knows who committed the crime, but is compelled to see if the police and lawyers can prove his guilt in the face of his genius.

Please share your favorite titles whether they be Whodunits or Whydunits.

Mystery Fiction featuring animals

2007-10-09T16:49:00.001-02:30

For those who enjoy animal mysteries, here is a list of animal mysteries from Mystery Readers International
http://www.mysteryreaders.org/Issues/Animals.html

How important is the setting of the novel?

2007-10-02T14:33:00.033-02:30

Further discussion on a topic raised at the Whodunit Bookclub.
Is the setting of the novel you are reading important to you?
I always find that the if the setting is one I am familiar with or comfortable with, then I get more enjoyment from the novel. For instance I love books that are set in the United Kingdom, Canada or the Eastern seaboard of the United States and I will choose those titles first over others with settings that are more foreign to me personally.
For instance, I avoid settings in the Orient, Southwestern U.S., and South America. That is just a personal quirk of mine, and not a reflection on my feelings toward those places. That is not to say that I NEVER read books with those settings, but that they are not my first choice.
When I am reading a good book, I immerse myself in it. If it is a place that I like, I find the immersion less painful which in turn increases my pleasure in reading the novel.

Do you feel you MUST read a series in order?

2007-10-01T11:29:00.005-02:30

I belong to an awesome book club called "Whodunit".
The book club most often chooses the first book in a series as their selection.
However, some feel that this is not the best way of choosing because the first book in a series is very often the first novel by the author.
They think that the first novel does not adequately reflect the author's talent because the author has not had a chance to hone his/her skills.
Conversely, many will NOT read a novel if it is a sequel to others in a series. They want to read the series in chronological order. I am one of those people. Perhaps it is the cataloger in me... that need for order. Also, my favorite novels are character driven and I want to learn about the protagonists in the sequence in which it happens.
I can think of examples to support both arguments. (using some of my favorite authors of course)
The reknowned Scottish novelist Ian Rankin's first Rebus novel, "Knots and Crosses" was far from my favorite of his. I fear that many who read this novel would not pursue reading Ian Rankin. What a shame that would be!
Another example is Deborah Crombie's series featuring Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. The first novel in the series is not her best. That being said, every subsequent book in the series just gets better and better.
Then there are those superb novelists whose first novels are so well written, that the first in the series is something to be savored. For example, Louise Penny's series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache begins with "Still Life". This novel was a multi award-winning title and it deserved every accolade it has received.
Also, Stephen Booth's Ben Cooper/Diane Fry mysteries began as page-turners and the quality never lessens as the series progresses.

What are your thoughts?

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