What we thought; Back of Beyond by C.J. Box

Mystery Readers Book Club April 2016

Back of Beyond by C.J. Box

“I know you were a hot shot detective in Colorado and I also know your rep as a drunk and a screw up. I’ve heard about some of the things you used to do when you grew up here, and your crazy homicidal white-trash family. I’ve personally arrested two of your uncles and I sent one to Deer Lodge Prison.” Larry Olsen to Cody Hoyt

Author C.J. Box is a Wyoming native and his experience in the outdoors, ranching and the tourism industry adds realistic touches to the story. Readers agreed that this was a great story and first class mystery that kept them guessing until the very end. Although some of the characters were likeable, readers did say that they felt there were too many secondary characters to identify with. Gracie, the youngest was by far their favorite. 

Readers cut a lot of slack for Cody Hoyt, detective and Justin’s father. They made allowances for his relapses and police procedural short cuts. Bull Mitchell, retired wilderness horseback trail riding outfitter was another favorite. His gruff exterior was counter balanced by tenderness for his ailing wife and his storytelling prowess in the children’s room of the local library. The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog told the terrible news, “There’s been a murder on the ranch.” 

Some said the beginning of the book was slow and were glad when the trail ride began and the plot picked up speed. There was plenty of murder and mayhem and the details graphic but short enough to satisfy experienced mystery readers. Previous book club selections were compared to this one and all of them were judged excellent.

Have you read Back of Beyond?  What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

What we thought; TripTych by Karen Slaughter

Mystery Readers Book Club March 2016

TripTych by Karen Slaughter

“Will had found out the hard way that it’s nearly impossible to go to sleep with a flatulent Chihuahua sharing your pillow.” Special Agent Will Trent, Criminal Apprehension Team

This was one of the few lighter moments in the book. Readers agreed that Slaughter’s book (her real name) was an excellent story with all the elements of compelling mystery writing. The discussion focused on the twists and turns the character driven story led them. Her skillful character descriptions surprised readers with sympathetic identification with first one character and then a turn of events to change opinions. The author used different voices to tell the story and impressed readers with how the author set up the plot with early and complicated clues.

Some readers said that the theme of the book was the enduring love of a mother for her child and her protection and support for them. Others thought that jealousy and psychopathology was a driving force for certain characters. Readers also discussed issues of drug addiction, family relationships, morality and unlikely friendships. The significance of the title TripTych was discussed and readers had different opinions. There was a religious aspect, a decorative aspect and the representation of the layered descriptions of characters and plot. There was also romance but not enough to detract from the gritty details of police work. 

 

Have you read Triptych?  What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

What We Thought: Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Wicked Appetite

Janet Evanovich

Mystery Readers

February 2016

Readers said that Evanovich’s book was a light read but an enjoyable change from more serious mystery selections. They loved the humor throughout the book as well as the quirks of all the characters even the devious ones and decided to categorize Wicked Appetite as a lite cozy paranormal mystery.

The eccentricities of the relatives who inherited the stones of power generated a lot of discussion. There was a great deal of activity in the story and some readers had a hard time keeping up with the action but did enjoy it and are looking forward to reading the other books in the Unmentionabe Series; Wicked Business and Wicked Charms. Setting the story in Marblehead and Salem was a plus for many. Lizzy’s talent for baking the most delicious cupcakes and a mischievous monkey kept readers interested in the story. They had quite a time figuring out the relationship between Lizzy and her “friend” Diesel. They decided that more will be revealed in following books. A lively discussion ensured about the differences in the authors books and how she writes under other names. Readers were familiar with her Stephanie Plum series and compared it to Lizzy and Diesel. They also liked her J.D. Robb books.

Have you read Wicked Appetite?  What did you think? Please share your thoughts in comments.

What we thought: The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Mystery Readers Book Blog

January, 2016

“Women are the ones who know what’s going on,’ she said quietly. ‘They are the ones with eyes. Have you not heard of Agatha Christie?”  Mma Ramotswe

McCall Smith’s first in a series of sixteen books is a delightful and heartwarming introduction to the charming lady detective, Mma Precious Ramotswe. Readers thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and were interested in the easy going society of Botswana compared to fast pace of life in the United States. Everyone had positive things to say about Mma Ramotswe’s intuitive nature and the unconventional ways she interacted with everyone in order to solve her cases. She was fearless, determined and creative in her investigations. 

Members spent a lot of time discussing the character of the lady detective and how the circumstances of her life affected her. The discussion was low key and reflected the pace of the novel which seemed more like a series of short stories rather than one long involved story. No one had a problem with this. It gave them the opportunity for detailed discussions.

Readers related personal and local incidents inspired by the book. Although no one had visited Africa readers talked about people they knew who had been there. There was also a discussion about the government and economy of Botswana. It was decided that Mma Ramostwe’s home was a pretty nice place. A cup of bush tea would have been a nice compliment to the discussion about Botswana. Readers appreciated the non-violent tone of the book and pronounced it a perfect summer read. 

Have you read The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency?  What did you think? Please share your thoughts in comments.

What We Thought: Winter at the Door by Sarah Graves

Mystery Readers Book Club
November 2015

“Brrrrr. Winter at the door, indeed.” Carolyn Haley, New York Journal of Books

 

Author Sarah Graves introduced former Boston homicide cop Lizzie Snow in her first book set in the town of Bearkill in the Great North Woods of Maine. Readers thoroughly enjoyed the fast moving story liberally sprinkled with unexpected twists and turns as well as engaging characters. They had to keep reading to find out what happens next. Lizzie had her moments of naiveté but was forgiven due to her adjustment from life in urban Boston to a new home in the backwoods of Aroostook County. She had to learn to recognize cues of danger from Rascal, a black and tan hound needing a home after his master was murdered. Although police procedure is pretty much the same everywhere, allowances must be made while tramping through hip deep snow with Sherriff Cody Chevrier and civilians on the trail of a kidnapper and serial killer.  

Wintery Maine was the perfect setting for the story with a meth lab hidden deep in the woods and a determined killer camping out there with captives and keeping secrets of disturbing crimes. The dark and silent atmosphere added the perfect note of creepiness to the story. There was just enough romance involving a Maine State Cop and a top notch vet competing for Lizzie’s attention to relieve some of the tension, but not for long. 

Readers discussed the characters and their motives and how the culture of a community affects residents. There were some questions that were not answered by the conclusion of the book; what happened to Lizzies’s sister and her niece, will she find her niece, will there be a romance with Dylan the State Cop or Trey the vet or maybe someone else? Readers can’t wait for the next book in the series, The Girls She Left Behind to be released in 2016. 

Have you read Winter at the Door?  What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

What We Thought: Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

Mystery Readers

October 14, 2015

Monkeewrench

P.J. Tracy

Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

All readers enthusiastically endorsed Monkeewrench. They agreed that the story was a real page turner and a great first book in a series by the mother- daughter writing team P.J. and Traci Lambrecht. Readers commented that the numerous characters were all essential to the story. It was worth their while to read through the extensive backgrounds to understand how the characters fit into the storyline. Readers said that the detailed descriptions increased their emotional connection to the characters and encouraged them to keep on reading to the shocking conclusion which no one saw coming. 

Readers decided that the graphic and ingenious details of the murders were kept to a minimum so that the characters were the primary focus of the storyline. The authors crafted a plot that had plenty of twists and turns to make people think about the next heart stopping event. They wove the characters into the plot and a satisfying read for everyone. The writing was so well done that no one had anything to criticize. They said that all of the violence was tucked safely inside a book so they didn’t have to worry about reality. Everyone said that they would read more books by the authors and looked forward to the next title in the series, Live Bait in the hope that some of the characters would have continued storylines.   

In this February 2, 2007 interview by Therese Walsh P.J. Tracy talks about her characters.

Question: How do you create your characters? Do any of the characters feel like they “belong” to one of you over the other? Who are your favorites? 

TL: They’re all a slapped-together mess of reality, imagination, and observation. We both have

always paid very close attention to the way people behave, and often the odd gesture or comment of a stranger sends our minds spooling off in all different directions. But generally, we’d like to know in real life or have over for a dinner party. And both our footprints are all on all of the players—they are all truly collaborative figments of our collective imagination. And I don’t think either of us could pick a favorite—that would be like singling out a favorite child.