As we prepare to wrap up our 2012 season of Just Desserts meetings and look forward to 2013, we are faced with that inevitable question -- what authors should we read and discuss as a group in the next year?

Harlan Coben, our October 2012 selected author, is the 67th author we've tackled thus far. Our goal for the past 6+ years has been to not repeat an author if we could possibly help it. Here are the other criteria we've used when choosing past authors/titles:

• For the first several years of Just Desserts, we've alternated between "classic" authors and "contemporary" authors. We ended that practice after we ran out of "classic" authors for whom the library had sufficient copies to meet the group's needs.
• The libraries need to own at least 12 to 15 copies of whatever title we select, preferably in a variety of formats, including audio and/or downloadable.
• We've tried to avoid those authors that everybody already seems to be reading (such as Evanovich and Patterson), and focus on picking authors that may be new to a large percentage of the group's members.
• We've tried to alternate tone and writing style -- including a mix of cozies, police procedurals, amateur detectives, noirish P.I.s, forensic detectives, various time periods, etc.
• We've had some success with picking a few authors for whom we didn't select a specific title -- instead recommending that participants read whatever novel(s) they could for those authors (Louise Penny and Suzanne Arruda). We are certainly capable of trying this again! This makes for unusual discussions, as we try to discuss generalities rather than specifics of individual titles.
  

With all of these considerations in mind, what authors do you suggest that we consider for Just Desserts gatherings in 2013? Leave your suggestions as a comment to this blog post -- and feel free to elaborate on why you recommend particular authors in your comments!

Scott C. / Just Desserts coordinator

Here's a link to the Just Desserts archives, so you can see an entire list of all the authors we've used in the past.

Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group meeting on August 23rd, after our book discussion, we spent time doing a round robin at the table, giving all attendees an opportunity to share what they’ve been reading lately. Here’s what was popular in July 2012 with this mystery-savvy group:

MYSTERIES or THRILLERS

• Rosemary & Thyme DVD series
• Simisola on DVD from Ruth Rendell
• The Lincoln Lawyer on DVD - extras with Michael Connelly on a driving tour of L.A.
• Angels Flight by Michael Connelly
• Trickster's Point by William Kent Krueger
• Judgment Call by J.A. Jance
• Fireproof by Alex Kava
• Black Mist by Brad Thor
• Broken Harbor by Tana French
• A Corpse's Nightmare by Phillip Depoy
• Dorchester Terrace by Anne Perry
• The Closer - final season on DVD
• As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson
• Bonefire of the Vanities by Carolyn Haines -- didn't recommend it as a mystery, but for the literary element of having the ghost of the protagonist's grandmother come back as a different famous female sleuth in each book in the series
• Nobody's Fools by Richard Russo
• The works of William Kent Krueger
• Fool Me Twice by Michael Brandman, continuing the Jesse Stone novels of Robert B. Parker
• Lullaby by Ace Atkins, continuing the Spenser novels of Robert B. Parker
• Scones and Bones by Laura Childs (a Tea Shop mystery)
• Crusader's Cross by James Lee Burke
• In the Moon of Red Ponies by James Lee Burke
• The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman
• The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
• The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King
• Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
• Killing Gifts by Deborah Woodworth
• The Big Cat Nap by Rita Mae Brown
• Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch by Nancy Atherton
• Haven by Kay Hooper
• Lethal Outlook by Victoria Laurie
• The Busy Woman's Guide to Murder by Mary Jane Maffini
• Restless in the Grave by Dana Stabenow
• Fire and Ice by Dana Stabenow
• Crooked House by Agatha Christie
• Black Coffee by Charles Osborne, based on the play by Agatha Christie
• And Be a Villain by Rex Stout
• Sister Pelagio and the Black Monk by Boris Akunin
• Murder on Capitol Hill by Margaret Truman
• Black Water by T. Jefferson Parker
• Criminal by Karin Slaughter
• Cat Coming Home by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
• Cat Telling Tales by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
• Frozen Heat by Richard Castle

NON-MYSTERIES

• The Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns by Margaret Dilloway
• Salmon Fishing in Yemen DVD
• Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords
• 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James
• Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore
• Perfect is Overrated by Karen Bergreen
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
• Niceville by Carsten Stroud
• The Bookman by Lavie Tidhar
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

What mysteries have you been reading lately that you would recommend?

When the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group met in September 2012, we discussed a 2008 entry in Lisa Scottoline's best-selling "Rosato & Associates" series, Lady Killer.

This book was discussed at the Just Desserts meeting on September 27, 2012. Whether or not you attended the actual meeting, you are  welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions about this book (and series) in a reply comment to this blog post, below.

Join us next on October 25th, at the South Branch Library (6:30 p.m.), as we discuss a volume in the Myron Bolitar mystery series by Harlan Coben, Promise Me.

For additional reminders about upcoming Just Desserts meetings and/or other announcements of interest to mystery  fans, don't forget to sign up for the Just Desserts e-mail list. Or, if you're logged into your account on Facebook, you can visit the Events page for the Lincoln City Libraries, and mark whether or not you plan to attend upcoming sessions of Just Desserts! Our selections for future meetings are usually posted there months in advance.

What do you think of Lady Killer and the Rosato & Associates series by Scottoline?

Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group meeting on August 23rd, after our book discussion, we spent time doing a round robin at the table, giving all attendees an opportunity to share what they’ve been reading lately. Here’s what was popular in July 2012 with this mystery-savvy group:

MYSTERIES or THRILLERS

• Pie in the Sky DVD series
• Die a Stranger by Steve Hamilton
• Gone Missing by Linda Castillo
• Only One Life by Sara Blaedel
• Oolong Dead by Laura Childs
• Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva
• Defending Jacob by William Landay
• A Perfect Evil by Alex Kava
• Murder in Chinatown by Victoria Thompson
• Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
• Books in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson
• The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laura R. King
• Murder in the Smithsonian by Margaret Truman
• The works of Mary Daheim
• The works of Patricia Cornwell
• The works of Margaret Truman
• The works of Margaret Coel
• The works of Tony Hillerman
• The works of Michael Connelly
• V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
• The works of Alexander McCall-Smith
• The first 8 volumes in Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries
• Rosemary & Thyme DVD series
• Origins in Death by J.D. Robb
• The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
• Line of Fire by Stephen White
• XO by Jeffery Deaver
• Ransom River by Meg Gardiner
• The works of David Rosenfelt

NON-MYSTERIES

• Berkeley Square DVD series
• Bleak House by Charles Dickens

What mysteries have you been reading lately that you would recommend?

When the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group met in August 2012, we discussed a 2007 entry in Laura Childs' popular "Tea Shop Mystery" series, Dragonwell Dead.

This book was discussed at the Just Desserts meeting on August 23, 2012. Whether or not you attended the actual meeting, you are  welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions about this book (and series) in a reply comment to this blog post, below.

Join us next on September 27th, at the South Branch Library (6:30 p.m.), as we discuss a volume in the Rosato & Associates legal thriller series by Lisa Scottoline, Lady Killer.

For additional reminders about upcoming Just Desserts meetings and/or other announcements of interest to mystery  fans, don't forget to sign up for the Just Desserts e-mail list. Or, if you're logged into your account on Facebook, you can visit the Events page for the Lincoln City Libraries, and mark whether or not you plan to attend upcoming sessions of Just Desserts! Our selections for future meetings are usually posted there months in advance.

What do you think of Dragonwell Dead and the Tea Shop Mystery series by Childs?

Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group meeting on July 26^th, after our book discussion, we spent time doing a round robin at the table, giving all attendees an opportunity to share what they’ve been reading lately. Here’s what was popular in July 2012 with this mystery-savvy group:

MYSTERIES or THRILLERS

• The Return of the Dancing Master by Henning Mankell
• The works of John Sandford
• The works of Tom Clancy, particularly The Sum of All Fears
• Cold Harbor by Jack Higgins
• Free Fire and Bloodhunt by C.J. Box
• Point of Impact and others by Stephen Hunter
• Knit One Kill Two by Maggie Sefton
• Spin a Wicked Web by Cricket McRae
• Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag
• Dragonwell Dead by Laura Childs
• Dead Men Can’t Crochet by Betty Hechtman
• I Am Half Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
• The Last Days by Joel Rosenberg
• Out of the Shadows by Kay Hooper, part of her Bishop/Special Crimes series
• Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
• Defending Jacob by William Landay
• Gun Games by Faye Kellerman
• Dead Scared by S.J. Bolton
• Snagged by Carol Higgins Clark
• Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde
• The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
• Sleeping Beauty by Ross MacDonald
• The Lew Archer series by Ross MacDonald
• The Shane Scully series by Stephen J. Cannell
• The Jesse Stone, and Sunny Randall series by Robert B. Parker
• Stay Close by Harlan Coben
• The Cinnamon Roll Murders by Joanne Fluke
• The Bad Hair Day series by Nancy J. Cohen
• Day of Atonement by Faye Kellerman
• The Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt
• The works of Margaret Coel
• The works of C.J. Box
• The works of Emily Brightwell
• The works of J.A. Jance
• The Magic Bullet by Larry Millett
• Sea Change by Karen White
• The works of Suzanne Arruda
• The works of Val McDermid
• The works of Donna Leon
• The works of Deborah Crombie

NON-MYSTERIES

• Bleak House by Charles Dickens
• The works of Stephen King
• The Submission by Laura Waldman, one of the One Book – One Lincoln finalists
• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, one of the past One Book - One Lincoln selections
  
• Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, one of the One Book – One Lincoln finalists
• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

What mysteries have you been reading lately that you would recommend?

When the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group met in July 2012, we discussed a 2010 volume in Anne Perry's popular "Thomas and Charlotte Pitt" series, Treason at Lisson Grove.

This book was discussed at the Just Desserts meeting on July 26, 2012. Whether or not you attended the actual meeting, you are  welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions about this book (and series) in a reply comment to this blog post, below.

Join us next on August 23rd, at the South Branch Library (6:30 p.m.), as we discuss a volume in the Tea Shop mystery series by Laura Childs, Treason at Lisson Grove.

For additional reminders about upcoming  Just Desserts meetings and/or other announcements of interest to mystery  fans, don't forget to sign up for the Just Desserts e-mail list. Or, if you're logged into your account on Facebook, you can visit the Events page for the Lincoln City Libraries, and mark whether or not you plan to attend upcoming sessions of Just Desserts! Our selections for the September and October meetings were posted just recently.

What do you think of Treason at Lisson Grove and the Thomas and Charlotte Pit series by Perry?

Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the June 28^th 2012 Just Desserts meeting, after discussing our monthly “assigned” book, we did a round robin at the table, asking attendees to share what mysteries they’d been reading lately that they felt they could recommend. Here’s a list of the books that were hot this month with this mystery-savvy crowd:

• Other works by Susan Wittig Albert (whose Nightshade was our book-of-the-month)
• Due or Die by Jen McKinley
• As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson
• Justice Ends at Home…and Other Stories by Rex Stout
• The Chocolate Castle Clue by JoAnna Carl
• The Quick and the Thread by Amanda Lee
• Death Comes Silently by Carolyn Hart
• Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag
• The works of Janet Evanovich, particularly the 8^th Plum book, on audio
• The works by Suzanne Arruda, who was our author-of-the-month in May
• The works of Linda Castillo
• Day of Atonement by Faye Kellerman
• Shear Murder and others by Nancy J. Cohen
• The Innocent and others by Harlan Coben
• The Last Jihad by Joel Rosenberg
• Defending Jacob by William Landay
• The works of Val McDermid
• Acceptable Loss by Anne Perry
• Back of Beyond by C.J. Box
• The Drop by Michael Connelly
• A Killer Read by Erika Chase
• The Snowman and others by Jo Nesbo
• Kingdom of Strangers by Zoe Ferraris

 

Non-Mysteries recommended by group members:

• The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
• World War Z by Max Brooks
• Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith
• The Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson, volumes 1-3
• True Sisters by Sandra Dallas
• Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas
• The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (the 2007 One Book One Lincoln selection)
• Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson
• The current three One Book One Lincoln nominees:
• The Submission by Amy Waldman
• The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart
• Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard

Mystery-related news:

• Group member Vera shared the link to site she recommended about Scandinavian mystery/thriller fiction: scandinaviancrimefiction.wordpress.com, which she described as "a very comprehensive website created by Gustavus Adolphus College; excellent blog by librarian Barbara Fister with reviews of many Nordic crime fiction novels."
• Group member Cathy shared the news that author Diana Norman, who also wrote a mystery series starting with Mistress of the Art of Death under the pseudonym Ariana Franklin, died last year (2011).

So, what mysteries have you been reading that you’d recommend?