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Tag Archives: booklist

September 2014 Reading Recommendations from Just Desserts Members

Just Desserts Logo 225Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read?

At the Just Desserts meeting on September 25th, 2014, 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 novels that were hot last month with this mystery-savvy crowd:

MYSTERIES

  • Ghost at Work by Carolyn Hart (on CD)
  • Political Suicide by Michael Palmer
  • True Blue by David Baldacci
  • Murder 101 by Faye Kellerman (more than one reader)
  • The Bone Orchard by Paul Doiron
  • The Long Way Home by Louise Penny (more than one reader)
  • Hunted by Key Hooper
  • Ripper Street on DVD
  • The Ninth Day by Jamie Freveletti
  • Killing Raven by Margaret Coel
  • The Altman Code by “Robert Ludlum” and Gayle Lynds
  • Eyes on You by Kate White
  • The Poet by Michael Connelly
  • Tell Me No Lies by Greg Hurwitz
  • Terminal City by Linda Fairstein
  • The Keeper by John Lescroart
  • Death of a Neighborhood Witch by Laura Levine
  • The 500 by Matthew Quirk
  • Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams
  • Classified as Murder by Miranda James
  • The Murdoch Mysteries on DVD
  • Murder as a Second Language by Joan Hess
  • The Dog Who Knew Too Much and
  • A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn (both on CD)
  • The Dark Lady: Sherlock, Lupin and Me by “Irene Adler” (j)

NON-MYSTERIES

  • Silver Star by Janet Wells
  • The Fall of Giants (more than one reader),
  • Winter of the World and
  • The Edge of Eternity all by Ken Follett
  • Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon
  • A Well-Tempered Heart by Jan-Philipp Sendker
  • The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (this year’s One Book – One Lincoln winner)
  • The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma
  • A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri

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

August 2014 Reading Recommendations from Just Desserts members

Just Desserts Logo 225Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the Just Desserts meeting on August 28th (held at Walt Branch Library instead of our regular haunts at South Branch), 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 novels that were hot last month (*) with this mystery-savvy crowd:

MYSTERIES

  • The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century
  • Expats by Chris Pavone
  • Several works by Linda Fairstein
  • The Drop and Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly
  • The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
  • Takedown Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich
  • King and Maxwell by David Baldacci
  • The Bat by Jo Nesbo
  • The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
  • Need to Know by James Grippando
  • The Alexander Link,
  • The Jefferson Key and The Emperor’s Tomb by Steve Berry
  • Tool and Die and
  • Mail Biter by Sarah Graves
  • Deadline by Sandra Brown
  • Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
  • Private Berlin and
  • Private L.A. by James Patterson
  • Nickeled and Dimed to Death and
  • Dead Between the Lines by Denise Swanson
  • The Cat, the Vagabond and the Victim and others by Leanne Sweeney
  • The Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford
  • Murder as a Second Language by Joan Hess
  • The Cat Sitter’s Nine Lives by John Clement
  • The Close Knit Killer by Maggie Sefton
  • Natchez Burning by Greg Iles
  • Any Other Name by Craig Johnson
  • The Farm by Tom Rob Smith
  • The Heart of a Killer by David Rosenfelt
  • Sight Unseen by Iris Johansen
  • Undiplomatic Murder by Donald Bain (as Margaret Truman)
  • The Janus Reprisal by Janet Freveletti
  • The Chase by Brad Thor
  • The Wrong Girl by H.P. Ryan
  • The Remains of Innocence by J.A. Jance
  • Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis
  • The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo
  • The Forsaken by Ace Atkins
  • Wild Storm by “Richard Castle”
  • Nine Lives to Die by Rita Mae Brown
  • Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well by Nancy Atherton
  • The Skin Collector by Jeffrey Deaver
  • That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook
  • The Best American Mystery Stories [2000] edited by Donald Westlake and Otto Penzler
  • Mystery Scene Magazine [not currently subscribed to by the Lincoln City Libraries] [ Magazine’s Web site ]

NON-MYSTERIES

  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  • Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg
  • Plot Structure by The Readers Digest
  • Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse (on audio)
  • Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever? by Dave Eggers
  • Close Your Eyes and Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian
  • Thirty Girls by Susan Minot
  • Blood Feud by Edward Klein
  • Games Creatures Play edited by Charlaine Harris [813.08 Har]
  • At Home by Bill Bryson
  • The works of Ken Follett

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

(* – Several group members shared the same exact titles as they had during our July meeting. These titles have been left out of the August list.)

July 2014 Reading Recommendations from Just Desserts Members

Just Desserts Logo 225Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the July 31st 2014 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 novels that were hot last month with this mystery-savvy crowd:

MYSTERIES

  • Mystery Scene Magazine (not owned by the Lincoln City Libraries)
  • Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries – Season One based on the books by Kerry Greenwood
  • Mail Order Murder by Leslie Meier
  • The Night Searchers by Marcia Muller
  • NYPD Red by James Patterson
  • Power Play by Catherine Coulter
  • The Book Club at realsimple.com
  • The Hangman – an Inspector Gamache novella by Louise Penny
  • Supreme Justice by Max Allan Collins
  • City of Bones and A Darkness More Than Light both by Michael Connelly
  • Longmire the TV series and the Walt Longmire novels by Craig Johnson
  • Private Games by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
  • A Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford
  • Black Echo, Black Ice and The Concrete Blonde, all by Michael Connelly
  • Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spie, The Spy Who Came In From the Cold and Call for the Dead, all by John LeCarre
  • First Rule by Robert Crais
  • A Bullet for Cinderella by John D. MacDonald (not in the Lincoln City Libraries)
  • The Skin Collector by Jeffery Deaver
  • Secret Servant by Daniel Silva
  • Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly
  • That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook
  • The Farm by ???
  • The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
  • The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
  • Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
  • Any Other Name by Craig Johnson
  • Unlucky 13 by James Patterson
  • Cheap Shot a Spenser novel by Ace Atkins
  • Penance by David Housewright
  • Slow Motion Riot by Peter Blauner (not in Lincoln City Libraries)
  • Death Among Strangers by Deidre Laiken
  • No Rest for the Dead by multiple authors
  • Missing Ink by Karen Olsen
  • Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas
  • Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
  • Murder Past Due by Miranda James
  • Shoot Him If He Runs and others by Stuart Woods

NON-MYSTERIES

  • David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
  • The National Parks companion book to the documentary by Ken Burns
  • Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
  • The Most Dangerous Animal of All by Gary L. Stewart
  • Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
  • The Most Dangerous Animal of All by Gary L. Stewart
  • Zodiac Unmasked by Robert Graysmith
  • Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
  • A Long Time Gone by Karen White
  • The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy
  • The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
  • The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
  • The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel
  • Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
  • The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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

Recommended Reading in June 2014 from Just Desserts

Just Desserts Logo 225Hey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? At the June 2014 Just Desserts meeting on 6/26, 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 in June 2014 with this mystery-savvy crowd:

MYSTERIES

  • Terminal City by Linda Fairstein
  • Secret Prey by John Sandford
  • Slow Kill by Michal McGarrity
  • And Then There Were None (on Audio) by Agatha Christie
  • This Dame For Hire by Sandra Scoppetone
  • Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on DVD, based on the books by Kerry Greenwood
  • Field of Prey by John Sandford
  • The Old Blue Line – a Joanna Brady novella by J.A. Jance
  • Whack Job by Kendell Lynn
  • The Bake Sale Murder by Leslie Meier
  • NYPD Red 2 by James Patterson and ??? Karp
  • Death Angel by Linda Howard
  • The Son by Jo Nesbo
  • Death at the Door by Carolyn Hart
  • The Last Man by Vince Flynn
  • In a Dark House by Deborah Crombie
  • Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
  • Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly
  • The Book of Old Houses by Sarah Graves
  • A Face at the Window by Sarah Graves
  • The Cell by Stephen King
  • Any Other Name by Craig Johnson
  • Spider Woman’s Daughter by Anne Hillerman
  • The Longmire TV series based on the books by Craig Johnson (on Netflix)
  • Bad Blood by Linda Fairstein
  • Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein
  • A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King
  • Run For Your Life by Andrea Kane
  • You Don’t Want to Know by Lisa Jackson
  • The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall
  • Stolen Lives by Jassy Mackenzie
  • The Affair (audiobook) by Lee Child
  • A Darker Shade of Sweden edited by John-Henri Holmberg
  • Veronica Mars: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham
  • Murder on Bamboo Lane by Naomi Hirahara
  • Mystery Scene Magazine – not in the libraries’ collection, but available locally at both Barnes and Noble locations

NON-MYSTERIES

  • At Night We Walk in Circles by Daniel Alarcon
  • Coop by Michael Perry
  • Population: 485 by Michael Perry
  • Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry
  • Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
  • One Good Thing by Kevin Alan Milne
  • The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown
  • The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
  • Y the Last Man graphic novel series by Brian Vaughn
  • The Light Between Oceans (audiobook) by M.L. Stedman

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

Results of May 2014 Series Share II gathering

Just Desserts Logo 225seriesshareiiHey, mystery fans! Looking for something good to read? The May 2014 Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group meeting was our annual “Series Share” night. Group members did not all read the same book, but instead were encouraged to read the first or second volume in ANY new mystery/thriller/suspense series that had begun in the past 3 to 4 years. All attendees had a chance, then, to describe whatever series they had chosen, and to offer up their opinions about the characters, writing style, etc.

Here’s a list of the novels Just Desserts members enjoyed for the “Series Share”:

  • The Amazing Harvey by Don Passman (1st in the Harvey Kendell Series)
  • Murder on Bamboo Lane by Naomi Hirohara (1st in the Officer Ellie Rush Series)
  • Murder by Artifact by Barbara Graham (2nd in the Quilted Mystery Series)
  • Murder at Rosamund’s Gate by Susanna Calkins (1st in the Lucy Campion Series)
  • Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman (1st in the Brigid Quinn Series)
  • Christine Falls and The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black (1st and 2nd in the Griffin Quirke Series)
  • A Spoonful of Murder and A Rue of Revenge by Connie Archer (1st and 2nd in the Soup Lovers Mystery Series)
  • various volumes in the Seaside Knitting series by Sally Goldenbaum
  • The Black Country by Alex Grecian (2nd in the Scotland Yard Murder Squad Series)
  • Board Stiff and Whack Job by Kendel Lynn (1st and 2nd in the Elliot Lisbon Series)
  • Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman (1st in the Family Fortune Series)
  • Sacrifice Fly and Crooked Numbers by Tim O’Mara (1st and 2nd in the Raymond Donne Series)
  • Montana by Gwen Florio (1st in the Lola Wicks Series)
  • End Me a Tenor by Joelle Charbonneau (2nd in the Glee Club mystery Series)
  • All Sales Fatal by Laura DiSilverio (2nd in the Mall Cop mystery Series)
  • The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott (1st in the Book Collector mystery Series)
  • Sugar and Iced by Jen McKinley (1st in the Cupcake Mystery Series)
  • Peril for Your Thoughts by Kari Lee Townsend (1st in the Mind Reader mystery Series)
  • A Tisket, a Tasket, a Fancy Stolen Casket by Fran Rizer (1st in the Callie Parrish Series)
  • In the Shadow of Gotham, A Curtain Falls and The Secret of the White Rose by Stefanie Pintoff (1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Simon Ziele Series)
  • That Old Flame of Mine and PLaying With Fire by J.J. Cook (1st and 2nd in the Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade mystery Series)
  • Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass (1st in the Bookmobile Cat mystery Series)
  • The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe (1st in the Hazel Micallef Series)
  • Blue Monday by Nikki French (1st in the Freida Klein mystery Series)

And here’s a few older titles and non-mysteries were also brought up at the latest meeting:

  • A Share in Death and All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie (1st and 2nd in the Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Series)
  • Death at the Door by Carolyn Hart (latest in the Death on Demand Series)
  • Unlucky 13 by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (13th in the Women’s Murder Club Series)
  • Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell (2nd in the Order of the Sanguines Series)
  • Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman (10th in the Tess Monaghan Series)
  • The Caveman’s Valentine by George Dawes Green
  • The Black Echo by Michael Connelly (1st in the Harry Bosch Series)
  • The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

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