Book Recommendations

[Deleted]

I'm looking for light entertainment along the lines of Rhys Bowen or M.C. Beaton. I usually read more intense books (like Tana French), but I'm craving something a bit more fluffy right now. I started looking up cozy mysteries (which I think would fit the bill perfectly) but the ones I came across all seemed to be self published ones, and IME, those usually aren't that great. I look forward to checking out any suggestions you can give me, Carolinian!

[Carolinian]

I tend to prefer historical mysteries. Some of my favorite series are Laurie King's Holmes and Russell series; Anna Dean's Dido Kent series; Dorothy Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey series; Lindsay Davis's Falco series; Catriona MacPherson's Dandy Gilver series; Stuart Kaminsky's Toby Peters series; Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series and Steve Hockensmith's Holmes on the Range series. And of course Agatha Christie!

I highly recommend the website Stop You're Killing Me. I use their reviews and indexes to find new authors. Here's their list of cozy mystery authors.

[Deleted]

I love historical stuff, too, Carolinian, so I'm sure those recs are right up my alley. I've only heard of a couple of those authors, so thank you very much for that extensive list! They all look very promising, and so does that cozy mystery site!

[zwinter]

I just ready the first book in the Lady Hardcastle mystery series: A Quiet Life in the Country. I picked up the first few when they were on super-sale recently on Amazon not knowing anything about it. They remind me of the same feeling/tone of the Flavia DeLuce books (which I LOVE).

[Ripley]

I'm a fan of the Flavia DeLuce mysteries as well, though I listen to them on audio because I like the actress so much. I also like the Charles Todd "Bess Crawford" mysteries and the Jacqueline Winspear "Maisie Dobb" series - both are WWI English nurses. I will say that Winspear's books kind of went sour for me after about 7 or 8 of them but her latest got a starred review from Publisher's Weekly so hopefully she's back on track.

[Deleted]

Has anybody by any chance read Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo? It's gotten a ton of starred reviews and I'm wondering if it's worth it to buy...I'm currently #54 on the reserved list at the library, which means a wait of several months. If it lives up to all of the hype I'd be willing to spend the money, otherwise I'll stick out the wait lol.

[Carolinian]

It's on my nightstand and next after I finish the current piece of frivolity I'm reading. I'll let you know.

[Deleted]

Looking forward to your review! Thanks!

[mojogirl]

Oct 31, 2019 19:27:11 GMT -4 @stargirl said:

Has anybody by any chance read Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo? It's gotten a ton of starred reviews and I'm wondering if it's worth it to buy...I'm currently #54 on the reserved list at the library, which means a wait of several months. If it lives up to all of the hype I'd be willing to spend the money, otherwise I'll stick out the wait lol.

I read it - my library had it on their "Peak Picks" no-wait shelf. I picked it up after I heard her interviewed on NPR.

I haven't read any of her other books so don't know how it compares, but i did like the worldbuilding. Lots of fairly graphic violence.

I personally dislike a writing style with lots of time jumps - this book starts with something big has gone down, then flashes back, forward, further back, etc etc which I find annoying.

Also it ends with something of a cliffhanger, which I also find annoying BUT I did like it well enough that I will pick up the sequel if/when it comes out. But I would wait for the library loan to come through.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the comprehensive review:)
It was very helpful, I agree the library wait sounds like the better option. Especially with the cliffhanger, I hate having to wait for the sequel.