Whodunit Book Club meeting March 29, 2016

Whodunit Book Club members were delighted to welcome another new face at this month's meeting. Fifteen members came together on a chilly and windy evening to discuss the thriller "Pretty Girls" by Karin Slaughter. Some attendees thought the author's name was very fitting due to the extreme and graphic violence depicted in the novel.

The description of the novel from the author's website:

More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenage sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed.

The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.

As is our usual custom we went around the circle and each member in attendance rated the book out of a possible ten points. The views were very diverse. Some loved the book, some just couldn't abide it at all - citing the recurring theme of violence and torture detracted from their having any enjoyment from the novel whatsoever. As a result, the average score was 7/10 with nine members saying they would read another book by this author.

Some adjectives used to describe "Pretty Girls" were: disturbing, graphic, intense, etc.  It was all those things and more.  With a high body count the novel felt like a film script.  The many plot twists, fast pacing, and skillful writing ensured that it was a page-turner. However, the book was not for the squeamish.  Torture, gore, and rape were described in graphic detail... too much detail for some.  Others thought the vivid depictions were necessary to ensure that the reader was fully apprised of the extent of evil of the novel's villain.

Discussion arose as to whether society is now becoming desensitized to the evil that man can perpetrate upon his fellow man...  It was also questioned as to whether people of varying ages would react differently to the graphic nature of the novel.

Some readers enjoyed the psychological study of the damaged family while others couldn't connect with the characters on any level.

Listed on the Globe and Mail's list of 100 best books, "Pretty Girls" is listed in the crime section.  Goodreads rates the book very highly with the average score taken from over thirty-one thousand ratings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There will be no Whodunit Book Club meeting in April.
We meet again on May 31st to discuss
  "The Devil you Know" by Elisabeth de Mariaffi.

Lucky winners of the giveaway books this month were:
1. Brian
2. Carolyn
3. Crystal
4. Jane

Read by the Sea - Saturday July 11, 2015

Come to this year's Read by the Sea in beautiful River John, Nova Scotia.
This year's illustrious group of authors include: Maureen Jennings, Giles Blunt, Linden MacIntyre and Isabel Huggan. 

What better way to spend a Saturday?

They are making a movie from Louise Penny's award-winning first novel "Still Life".  

Louise Penny announced on FaceBook that the movie will star none other than Nathaniel Parker!  Very exciting!

Louise Penny with Nathaniel Parker

See Louise Penny's FaceBook page for more information.

Discovered a new author over the summer

It is SO nice when you discover an author that you know you will avidly read for years to come.

Karen Campbell

Such an author is Karen Campbell.    She reminds me a little of Denise Mina, but darker.

From Fantastic Fiction -- "
Scottish writer Karen Campbell is a graduate of Glasgow University's prestigious Creative Writing Masters, and author of The Twilight Time.

A former police officer, Karen can legitimately claim to have worked the streets of Glasgow, and her debut novel, described as 'gritty as hell, shot through with black humour', weaves personal insights and experiences to take a look at life behind the uniform - and the choices women make in life.

The two titles of hers I read this summer were:
"The Twilight Time"
and
"After the fire"

The first two novels in a series set in inner city Glasgow which feature a triangle of protagonists.

ANNA CAMERON is a new Sergeant in the Flexi Unit. On her first day in the new job she discovers she'll be working with her ex, Jamie. In at the deep end emotionally, she's also plunged headlong into the violent underworld of Glasgow's notorious Drag - the haunt of working girls, drug dealers and sad, seedy men.
JAMIE WORTH a former lover of Anna - though now married and a father - finds himself still attracted to his new boss.  Even more so when his wife Cath makes home life difficult due to the fact that she is suffering from postpartum depression.
CATH WORTH, Jamie's wife, watches jealously from the sidelines, having given up police work to raise their child. Anna's life could have been hers; hers could have been Anna's. When Cath attempts to get involved in a situation she is no longer equipped or entitled to tackle, the consequences for both women could be far-reaching...

Karen Campbell's novels have received high praise from such authors as Mark Billingham and Kate Atkinson.  Since these are also some of my favourites, this only strengthens her regard in my book.
I think any fan of Denise Mina, Val McDermid, Ruth Rendell or Ian Rankin will appreciate her writing.  Highly recommended.

Whodunit Book Club May 31, 2011

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.

Karin Alvtegen... Sweden has done it again!

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.

Mystery authors on Facebook

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.

Mystery conferences in 2011

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)

Whodunit Book Club - October 27th, 2010

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.

Mystery Scene magazine

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!

"The lineup"

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.

'Castle' television show

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

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!

Mystery Writers Panel

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)

Whodunit Book Club - September 29, 2009

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

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.

Whodunit Book Club - August 25, 2009

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".

Lisa Lutz interviews

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/

"They died in vain"

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!

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: