Who is your #1 thriller writer (if you read thrillers). I'm reading another David Baldacci "Deliver Us From Evil". He never disappoints.
Really like RJ Ellory. Very well written and generally unpredictable stories
Yes he's very good, I have read three of his and have "A Quiet Belief in Angels" lined up to read soon, also read Baldacci's "The Fix" and "Stone Cold". I enjoy Linwood Barclay's stuff. The Steig Larsson/David Lagercrantz Millenium Series are entertaining.
Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Denise Mina, Jeffrey Deaver, Mo Hayder and Steve Berry are other favourites, among many others.
I would add to that Karin Slaughter, Chris Carter, MJ Arlidge, JT Ellison, Chelsea Cain and Peter James
Just finished Karin Slaughter's first novel - Blindsighted. Thanks for the recommendation BA. Great read, though a bit graphic with the murders at times.
If that was graphic for you, Chris Carter is in a different league
Yes - his are pretty gruesome, but for some reason I found Karin Slaughter's worse. Probably the sexual assault on the knife wound...
I've just finished Robert Gailbraith (JK Rowling) - Lethal White, the 4th in the 'Strike' series.
It's in a similar vein to the previous novels; an addictive & relentless murder mystery which even at 650 pages doesn't seem to last long. Shame the BBC show was rubbish.
Currently reading my first Robert Harris novel - Munich. About two old friends now fairly close to those at the top, one on either side trying to overthrow Hitler and prevent WWII. Set, unsurprisingly around the Munich conference in 1938. Slow burner that gradually becomes really fascinating. Quite atmospheric at times too.
Currently reading my first Robert Harris novel - Munich. About two old friends now fairly close to those at the top, one on either side trying to overthrow Hitler and prevent WWII. Set, unsurprisingly around the Munich conference in 1938. Slow burner that gradually becomes really fascinating. Quite atmospheric at times too.
Bit of light reading .. 'Life of Crime' by Kimberley Chambers, the Dagenham Tolstoy .. East Enders and TOWIE on steroids, good laugh in parts and a good ripping yarn about Essex wannabes who are right at it
recently finished 'Red Moon' by Kim Stanley Robinson and have started 'New York 2140' by the same author .. futuristic rather than pure 'science fiction' with a lot of thought provoking and dream quality stuff thrown in .. good long reads superbly written, just don't drop one of his long tomes on your foot ((:>)
Bit of light reading .. 'Life of Crime' by Kimberley Chambers, the Dagenham Tolstoy .. East Enders and TOWIE on steroids, good laugh in parts and a good ripping yarn about Essex wannabes who are right at it
recently finished 'Red Moon' by Kim Stanley Robinson and have started 'New York 2140' by the same author .. futuristic rather than pure 'science fiction' with a lot of thought provoking and dream quality stuff thrown in .. good long reads superbly written, just don't drop one of his long tomes on your foot ((:>)
New York 2140 looks interesting ... added it to my list.
Bit of light reading .. 'Life of Crime' by Kimberley Chambers, the Dagenham Tolstoy .. East Enders and TOWIE on steroids, good laugh in parts and a good ripping yarn about Essex wannabes who are right at it
recently finished 'Red Moon' by Kim Stanley Robinson and have started 'New York 2140' by the same author .. futuristic rather than pure 'science fiction' with a lot of thought provoking and dream quality stuff thrown in .. good long reads superbly written, just don't drop one of his long tomes on your foot ((:>)
New York 2140 looks interesting ... added it to my list.
Just finished a Val McDermid - Beneath the Bleeding. Cracking read, one of the Tony "Wire in the Blood" Hills series.
I've never read his stuff but he and I have the same love for T.S. Eliot. I have the lines "The Trilling wire in the blood/Sings below inveterate scars/appeasing long forgotten wars" tattooed on my arm.
Also, been reading a script of a comic series a friend is working on, but about to start finally reading Mark Danielewski’s novelette "The 50 Year Sword)
'scuse my ignorance SD, but what is meant by this?
Just polished off Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli, and now finally starting Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd. Off to a cracking start
Just polished off Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli, and now finally starting Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd. Off to a cracking start
I enjoyed this .. Boyd writes a wide variety of very good fiction .. for what it's worth I reckon these are his best .. Any Human Heart; Hamish Hamilton, 2002 Restless; Bloomsbury, 2006 Ordinary Thunderstorms; Bloomsbury, 2009 Waiting for Sunrise; Bloomsbury, 2012
Dancing in the Dark by Karl Ove Knausgaard. Part 4 of My Struggle, a controversial series of semi-autobiographical novels. I really like his stuff, but it won't be for everyone as nothing much happens.
Bit of light reading .. 'Life of Crime' by Kimberley Chambers, the Dagenham Tolstoy .. East Enders and TOWIE on steroids, good laugh in parts and a good ripping yarn about Essex wannabes who are right at it
recently finished 'Red Moon' by Kim Stanley Robinson and have started 'New York 2140' by the same author .. futuristic rather than pure 'science fiction' with a lot of thought provoking and dream quality stuff thrown in .. good long reads superbly written, just don't drop one of his long tomes on your foot ((:>)
Finished Red Moon recently and enjoyed it, but not as much as another one of his - 2312. That was stunningly imaginative.
Bit of light reading .. 'Life of Crime' by Kimberley Chambers, the Dagenham Tolstoy .. East Enders and TOWIE on steroids, good laugh in parts and a good ripping yarn about Essex wannabes who are right at it
recently finished 'Red Moon' by Kim Stanley Robinson and have started 'New York 2140' by the same author .. futuristic rather than pure 'science fiction' with a lot of thought provoking and dream quality stuff thrown in .. good long reads superbly written, just don't drop one of his long tomes on your foot ((:>)
Finished Red Moon recently and enjoyed it, but not as much as another one of his - 2312. That was stunningly imaginative.
Just polished off Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli, and now finally starting Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd. Off to a cracking start
I enjoyed this .. Boyd writes a wide variety of very good fiction .. for what it's worth I reckon these are his best .. Any Human Heart; Hamish Hamilton, 2002 Restless; Bloomsbury, 2006 Ordinary Thunderstorms; Bloomsbury, 2009 Waiting for Sunrise; Bloomsbury, 2012
I think I've read restless (is that the one about the female spy?), And also recommend Brazaville Beach and Armadillo. Ice Cream War is ok but not his best. As you say, great variety
I really enjoyed Michael Ondaatje's War Light, great geographical references to the Thames when it was a proper working river. Incredible detail about the war time secret service and the unholy mess just after the war in europe. He is incredible at mixing historic and geographical facts from painstaking research with poetic fiction.
I really enjoyed Michael Ondaatje's War Light, great geographical references to the Thames when it was a proper working river. Incredible detail about the war time secret service and the unholy mess just after the war in europe. He is incredible at mixing historic and geographical facts from painstaking research with poetic fiction.
Loved his “Coming Through Slaughter” but not read any others.
Just polished off Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli, and now finally starting Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd. Off to a cracking start
I enjoyed this .. Boyd writes a wide variety of very good fiction .. for what it's worth I reckon these are his best .. Any Human Heart; Hamish Hamilton, 2002 Restless; Bloomsbury, 2006 Ordinary Thunderstorms; Bloomsbury, 2009 Waiting for Sunrise; Bloomsbury, 2012
I think I've read restless (is that the one about the female spy?), And also recommend Brazaville Beach and Armadillo. Ice Cream War is ok but not his best. As you say, great variety
'What Does This Button Do ?' .. Bruce Dickinson autobiography .. the life story of the underrated, immodest, multi talented Iron Maiden screamer and airline pilot
As someone who had a difficult relationship with my own father, I enjoyed Burnsides account of his non relationship with his and the ultimate aftermath.
While it doesn’t get into the psychology, it did make me think what it may have been like for Fathers of their generation. Hopes, dreams and expectations and whether they were realised or not and of course whether they went to War, my father did, like Burnsides he was in the RAF, not a pilot.
I don’t know this for sure in relation to my own father but I’m thinking more and more of the huge impact War had on him, he never wanted to talk about it.
It was always said, he went to war one man, only 19, and came back another. I’m sure this must of been the same for so many men and the scars they then carried throughout the rest of their lives.
I think it’s helped me understand my own Dad better.
Set up an Audible free trial for the commute to work a couple of weeks ago and listened to Lethal White, the 4th Comeran Strike book, which I'd been meaning to listen to for a while. Enjoyed it - wasn't quite a good as book 3 which was the best in the series for me, and for the first time in the series I guessed correctly 'whodunnit' but it's still a very decent and easy read/listen.
Got one free 'credit' left so I've played the system a bit and gone for the 52 hour long Count of Monte Cristo. Been meaning to read it for years but it's size was daunting, not one to dip in and out of!
Enjoying Audible though, will probably keep the subscription.
Started 'Kafka on the Shore' by Haruki Murakami a few days ago and am completely engrossed in it. First book I've read of his but if this one is anything to go by I will probably become a big fan of his. Anyone else read much Murakami?
I’ve read all of his and loved them. Except for one that I couldn’t get into. It was like someone else wrote it. Reading Men Without Women now.
Just finished my first John Grisham - King of Torts. Fast paced courtroom drama about a principled public defence lawyer who gets his head turned by finding a back door into the (apparently) easy and lucrative Tort law (civil liability suits) market. Easy read and quite compelling.
As someone who had a difficult relationship with my own father, I enjoyed Burnsides account of his non relationship with his and the ultimate aftermath.
While it doesn’t get into the psychology, it did make me think what it may have been like for Fathers of their generation. Hopes, dreams and expectations and whether they were realised or not and of course whether they went to War, my father did, like Burnsides he was in the RAF, not a pilot.
I don’t know this for sure in relation to my own father but I’m thinking more and more of the huge impact War had on him, he never wanted to talk about it.
It was always said, he went to war one man, only 19, and came back another. I’m sure this must of been the same for so many men and the scars they then carried throughout the rest of their lives.
I think it’s helped me understand my own Dad better.
Dresden: A Survivor's Story by Victor Gregg
This is a very short book, more of an account really of the author's experience in Dresden as a POW. I chose this book as it mirrored the experience of my late father-in-law who was captured at Tobruk and then sent to Dresden. He was made to dig the bodies from the mess that the allied bombers made.
My F-I-L was a fundamentally decent man who struggled through his life with shredded nerves, depression and hypochondria. He was / could be difficult at times and tbh it was all too easy to lose patience with him. The war was hardly ever mentioned, but in retrospect I'm sure the war was the root to all his problems.
This book carries graphic descriptions of the bombing that occurred over a few days including the christian holidays of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. The author describes the technique as evil. First fires were started, then canyons of devastated buildings created to draw in winds to feed the inferno. Finally came the blockbusters, designed to demolish everything and trap the helpless civilians in their shelters to burn in what became human ovens. Gregg describes how he and all able bodied men fought in vain to save civilians from this nightmare, regardless of their race, nationality or creed. Gregg (an obvious patriot) accuses those who designed the attack as using satanic acts in the name of the British people.
The sights, sounds and smells that greeted the author and my F-I-L during these horrific raids were to stay with them forever. It is no wonder that so many men of the generation were so utterly screwed up.
Comments
It's in a similar vein to the previous novels; an addictive & relentless murder mystery which even at 650 pages doesn't seem to last long. Shame the BBC show was rubbish.
recently finished 'Red Moon' by Kim Stanley Robinson and have started 'New York 2140' by the same author .. futuristic rather than pure 'science fiction' with a lot of thought provoking and dream quality stuff thrown in .. good long reads superbly written, just don't drop one of his long tomes on your foot ((:>)
Restless; Bloomsbury, 2006
Ordinary Thunderstorms; Bloomsbury, 2009
Waiting for Sunrise; Bloomsbury, 2012
As someone who had a difficult relationship with my own father, I enjoyed Burnsides account of his non relationship with his and the ultimate aftermath.
While it doesn’t get into the psychology, it did make me think what it may have been like for Fathers of their generation. Hopes, dreams and expectations and whether they were realised or not and of course whether they went to War, my father did, like Burnsides he was in the RAF, not a pilot.
I don’t know this for sure in relation to my own father but I’m thinking more and more of the huge impact War had on him, he never wanted to talk about it.
It was always said, he went to war one man, only 19, and came back another. I’m sure this must of been the same for so many men and the scars they then carried throughout the rest of their lives.
I think it’s helped me understand my own Dad better.
All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Dorr - about 100 pages to go, excellent read.
Got one free 'credit' left so I've played the system a bit and gone for the 52 hour long Count of Monte Cristo. Been meaning to read it for years but it's size was daunting, not one to dip in and out of!
Enjoying Audible though, will probably keep the subscription.
Reading Men Without Women now.
This is a very short book, more of an account really of the author's experience in Dresden as a POW. I chose this book as it mirrored the experience of my late father-in-law who was captured at Tobruk and then sent to Dresden. He was made to dig the bodies from the mess that the allied bombers made.
My F-I-L was a fundamentally decent man who struggled through his life with shredded nerves, depression and hypochondria. He was / could be difficult at times and tbh it was all too easy to lose patience with him. The war was hardly ever mentioned, but in retrospect I'm sure the war was the root to all his problems.
This book carries graphic descriptions of the bombing that occurred over a few days including the christian holidays of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. The author describes the technique as evil. First fires were started, then canyons of devastated buildings created to draw in winds to feed the inferno. Finally came the blockbusters, designed to demolish everything and trap the helpless civilians in their shelters to burn in what became human ovens. Gregg describes how he and all able bodied men fought in vain to save civilians from this nightmare, regardless of their race, nationality or creed. Gregg (an obvious patriot) accuses those who designed the attack as using satanic acts in the name of the British people.
The sights, sounds and smells that greeted the author and my F-I-L during these horrific raids were to stay with them forever. It is no wonder that so many men of the generation were so utterly screwed up.