“Mystery Continuations” discussion summary and Reading Recommendations from Just Desserts members – March 2022

Tuesday, 19 April 2022 15:56

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

At the March 2022 Just Desserts meeting, 15 group members participated in our discussion of “series that were continued by secondary authors after the original authors passed away”. Attendees were encouraged to read one or more novels that fell into this category, and share their thoughts in a “round-robin” format. Here’s a list of the novels that were mentioned by group members. We asked all attendees to also give a “Thumbs Up” or “Thumbs Down” recommendation for whatever “mystery continuation” they sampled – not all of those were recorded:

Jen read The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah, a continuation of The Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie – mild recommendation.

Jen also read A Presumption of Death by Jill Paton Walsh, a continuation of The Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane series by Dorothy L. Sayers – strong recommendation.

C.J. read Bye Bye Baby by Ace Atkins, a continuation of The Spenser series by Robert B. Parker – strong recommendation.

Carolyn read The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagerkrantz, a continuation of The Millennium/Lisbeth Salander series by Stieg Larsson – she recommends it.

Marlee read Bye Bye Baby by Ace Atkins, a a continuation of The Spenser series by Robert B. Parker

Joan F. read The Killer at Kingfisher Hall by Sophie Hannah, a continuation of The Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Chrisie – she recommended it.

Cathy D. read Murder in E Minor by Robert Goldsboroguh, a continuation of The Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout – did not recommend.

Joan T. read The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagerkrantz, a continuation of The Millennium/Lisbeth Salander series by Stieg Larsson – she recommends it.

Mary read Stargazer by Anne Hillerman, a continuation of The Leaphorn/Chee/Manuelito series by her father Tony Hillerman – strong recommendation!

Sara read Spider Woman’s Daughter and Song of the Lion by Anne Hillerman, a continuation of The Leaphorn/Chee/Manuelito series by her father Tony Hillerman – strong recommendation!

Linda read Only to Sleep by Lawrence Osborne, a continuation of The Philip Marlowe series by Raymond Chandler.

Linda also read The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagerkrantz, a continuation of The Millennium/Lisbeth Salander series by Stieg Larsson.

Don read The Altman Code by Gayle Lynds, a continuation of The Covert One series by Robert Ludlum.

Suzy read Enemy at the Gates by Kyle Mills, a continuation of The Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn.

Cathy T. read Fade to Black by Robert Goldsborough, a continuation of The Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout.

Cathy T. also read The Goliath Bone by Max Allan Collins, a continuation of the Mike Hammer series by Mickey Spillane.

Christy read The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah, a continuation of The Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie.

Charlotte read Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter and Duplicity Dogged the Dachsund by Blaine Clement, and then also read The Cat Sitter’s Cradle by John Clement, which continued his mother Blaize’s Cat Sitter series – recommended.

Following the “Mystery Continuations” portion of the meeting, we held our monthly round robin in which all 14 attendees were able to share recommendations of what other books they’ve been reading recently.

Here’s the list of mystery, thriller and suspense books recommended by Just Desserts members in March 2022:

• Down the River Unto the Sea by Walter Mosley – past author selection for Just Desserts
• The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
• Vortex by Catherine Coulter
• Mercy by David Baldacci – past author selection for Just Desserts
• The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Torton
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter – past author selection for Just Desserts
• An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good and An Elderly Lady Must Not be Crossed by Helen Tursten
• The Left-Handed Twin by Thomas Perry
• The Fiancee by Kate White
• The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters – past author selection for Just Desserts
• The Red Horse by James R. Benn – past author selection for Just Desserts
• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (multiple readers) – past author selection for Just Desserts
• Shadows Reel by C.J. Box – past author selection for Just Desserts
• While Justice Sleeps by Stacy Abrams
• Hidden Salem by Kay Hooper
• The Professional by Robert B. Parker – past author selection for Just Desserts

And here were some non-mystery titles some group members also recommended in March 2022:

• The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The London House and The Printed Letter by Katherine Reay
• The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Mai Messina
• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
• The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom
• Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
• Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
• Tell the Bees I’m Gone and Breath of Snow & Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

What mysteries have you been reading lately that you’d recommend?