What We Thought: Dog on It by Spencer Quinn

Mystery Readers

Wed., April 22

 

Dog On It

by Spencer Quinn

Dog on It is a humorous mystery told entirely from the point of view of Chet the Jet, canine partner of human P.I. Bernie, owner of the Little Detective Agency.

Readers laughed throughout their discussion of the book and agreed that it was a delightful change of pace from the darker mysteries preceding it in our book club. Everyone was all smiles talking about their favorite part of the book. Everyone had a different story to tell and all were equally funny. Readers appreciated the doggy details and agreed that the story was true to Chet’s nature. They noted Chet characteristically losing his attention during the pursuit of his investigations. He did eventually get back on track although it sometimes took a circuitous route to get there. Chet’s good judge of character saved him from some dangerous characters and bad situations. His point of view provided interest to the story when Bernie missed some of the action.

This was a difficult book to discuss because it is a light mystery, but readers did a great job talking about the characters and their influence in the story. They didn’t leave out Chet’s animal buddies and neighbors. All were particularly interested in the mysterious she-bark of the canyon, whom Chet may have an adventure with at the conclusion of the book.

Chet is just a regular dog (who has his own Facebook page and his own blog and thinks he is a superhero). Bernie thinks he is the perfect partner.

“The cat saw me at once, of course, and every hair on his body stood straight up, and he made a sound like a mountain lion’s roar but much tinier. That’s all cats are -- midget lions. I’m nobody’s midget, baby.”  Chet the Jet.

The books in the Chet and Bernie series so far:

1. Dog on It

2. Thereby Hangs a Tail

3. To Fetch a Thief

4. The Dog Who Knew Too Much

5. A Fistful of Collars

6. The Sound and the Furry

7. Paw and Order

8. Scents and Sensibility (coming July 14)

This Month's Selection: Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

Mystery Readers

Wed., April 22, 2 p.m.

Dog On It

by Spencer Quinn

The first book of the New York Times-bestselling Chet and Bernie mystery series, an “enchanting one-of-a-kind novel” (Stephen King) that is “nothing short of masterful” (Los Angeles Times)

Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator of Dog on It, and Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator, are quick to take a new case involving a frantic mother searching for her teenage daughter. This well-behaved and gifted student may or may not have been kidnapped, but she has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. With Chet’s highly trained nose leading the way, their hunt for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locales—until the bad guys try to turn the tables and the resourceful duo lands in the paws of peril. Spencer Quinn’s irresistible mystery kicks off a delightful new series that will have readers panting for more.

What We Thought: Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

Mystery Readers

Tuesday, March 18, 1 p.m.

Sworn to Silence

by Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence is a fast-paced thriller with detailed descriptions of life among the Amish and English residents in rural Ohio.  Readers agreed that the book kept their interest and was a page turner. The characters and incidents in characters’ past that motivated their present situations were believable.

A few experienced mystery genre readers solved the identity of the serial killer early on. Most readers were waylaid by the author’s red herrings. But all were satisfied with the story despite the graphic and disturbing nature of the crimes.

The character of Kate, the Chief of Police, and how she went about her job were very interesting. She was well liked and respected by her police force which included Mona Kurtz, third-shift dispatcher by choice, and officers Pickles and Glock. Kate’s story about her experience of a terrible crime a young girl and the aftermath touched everyone. Readers wondered about Kate and whether there would have been a different resolution if she had not been raised in the Amish religion.

Agent John Tomasetti from the Ohio Board of Criminal Identification and Investigation was not portrayed sympathetically at first, but as his story was revealed readers began to understand him and his relationship with Kate.  When the identity of the psychopathic serial killer was revealed, the story came to a satisfying conclusion.

This book prompted a lot of discussion about the subject of blaming women victims for their crime. Members were passionate when they spoke about how real crimes were reported by the news media. The snowy and cold setting perfectly reflected our February and early March Massachusetts weather, which added extra chills for Holmes Mystery Book Club readers.

Sworn to Silence was a favorite among all the books the club has read this year! Have you read it? Please add your voice to the discussion in the comments! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

This Month's Selection: Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

Mystery Readers

Tuesday, March 18, 1 p.m.

Sworn to Silence

by Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence is the first book in Linda Castillo’s New York Times-bestselling Kate Burkholder series.

Some secrets are too terrible to reveal. Some crimes are too unspeakable to solve. . . .

In Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. A young Amish girl named Kate Burkholder survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer . . . but ultimately decided to leave her community.

A wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as chief of police. Her Amish roots and big-city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past—until the first body is discovered in a snowy field.

Have you read Sworn to Silence? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments! If not, why not pick up a copy and read it along with us and share your thoughts in the discussion post after the face-to-face meeting????

We'd love to hear from you!

What We Thought: Suspect by Michael Robotham

Suspect by Michael Robotham

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2015

Suspect is a psychological thriller with a story within a story about a psychologist who becomes the suspect in a criminal investigation. He keeps secrets which could implicate him in the crimes or clear his name. He waits until it is almost too late to reveal these details to his family and the detective who suspects him early on. 

The psychological insights and the recent diagnosis of psychologist Joe O’Loughlin’s Parkinson’s disease are right on. Readers appreciated the details of both story lines and said they that the author had done quite a bit of research to enhance the credibility of characters. Readers commented about one of the criminals who was revealed late in the story. They wanted more information about his background and what ultimately happened to him. It was thought that perhaps he may appear in a sequel.

 The discussion about self-mutilation being the result of child abuse raised questions of why the mutilation continued into adult life and why only some people suffer from it. The psychological impact of how parents influence children and can result in different behaviors of siblings in the same family was also noted. This topic drew readers to question the characterization of Lenny, the father of one of the original suspects. Some doubted that he killed himself and others wondered who could have killed him. Members thought the premise of the story would have changed if Lenny had not died. 

Readers agreed that the book kept their interest with the plot twists and turns. There were plenty of surprises to keep them turning pages to the breathtaking conclusion, leaving some wanting more.

What do you think? Do you agree with the group? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments!

This Month's Selection: Suspect by Michael Robotham

Mystery Readers Book Club

 

Suspect 

by Michael Robotham

 

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2 p.m.

“A gripping first novel…taut and fast-moving.” —Washington Post

From the publisher:

The renowned psychologist Joseph O’Loughlin has it all—a thriving practice, a devoted, beautiful, fiercely intelligent wife, and a lovely young daughter. But when he’s diagnosed with Parkinson’s, O’Loughlin begins to dread the way his exceptional mind has been shackled to a failing body, and the cracks in his perfect existence start to show.

At first, O’Loughlin is delighted to be called in to a high-profile murder investigation, hoping his extraordinary abilities at perception will help bring a killer to justice. But when O’Loughlin recognizes the victim as one of his former patients, an emotionally disturbed young woman who nearly brought ruin upon him, he hesitates—a fateful decision that soon makes O’Loughlin a target of both a bullish detective and a diabolical killer.

Pick up a copy of this month's selection at the library or any library near you. Whether you're in the group or not, you will make us happy if you use the comments to join the discussion!

What We Thought: The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan

The Other Woman

by Hank Phillippi Ryan

“Everybody, soon or late, sits down to a banquet of consequences.” Robert Louis Stevenson

The Other Woman is an intricately plotted story of suspense written by bestselling award-winner Hank Phillippi Ryan. The theme of the first year of the Holmes Mystery Readers Book Club is "First in a Series," and in The Other Woman, heroine Jane Ryland makes her debut as a high-profile television reporter who has lost her job and now works for a Boston newspaper.

The time flew by with a very lively discussion of the characters with plot twists and turns making the discussion move along just as speedily as the writing style of the author. Members felt that Ryan’s background as a television investigative reporter and journalist drove the pace of her story. Although some readers were not very interested in the details of a political campaign they did pay attention to the scandals that were generated by many of the characters as a result of typical political intrigue. They were especially interested in the lights-out scene during an important fund raising event. The bridge killer red herring initiated a discussion of Boston bridges and descriptions of their favorites. The comment was made that “It’s tough to kill people.”

Some readers thought that the characters of adult children and spurned girl friends were confusing and needed more elaboration to set them apart from each other. Readers also said that  the character of Owen Lassiter, a candidate for governor seemed quite naïve for a current-day, experienced campaigner and perhaps should have disclosed more of his background to avert the scandal  surrounding his family and stop the tragedy resulting from it.

This discussion of The Other Woman was very productive with everyone participating with fascinating opinions and ready to read the sequels; The Wrong Girl and Truth Be Told to find out more about the blossoming romance between Jane and Boston Police Detective Jake Brogan.