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Reading recommendations, please
self ^ | 04/23/2020 | self

Posted on 04/23/2020 11:54:45 AM PDT by Pining_4_TX

Help! I need recommendations for fun reading material. I really enjoy mysteries and have been re-reading some Agatha Christie books, because so many of the newer books are PC or extremely gory. Also, I prefer my reading material to be clean. Humor books are also good, as well as real crime and crime solving methods, as long as it's not too hair-raising. Fiction or non-fiction, as long as it's entertaining.

Are there mysteries out there where the detective has at least somewhat conservative values? Are there ones set in the past that don't have feminist females entirely out of character for the times?

I read a real stinker that got a good review in the WSJ with the tired, old plot of artistic types stuck in the boonies with a bunch of knuckle-draggers who just didn't appreciate anything but farming and football. Naturally, the murderer was a high school football player. Ugh.

Books I do like, in addition to Agatha Christie, are No Stone Unturned about forensic science, and Amy's Answering Machine, which is a humorous collection of the messages left on Amy's machine by her Jewish mother. I'm not keen on spy thrillers, and please, no romance novels.

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TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: books; fun; mysteries
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To: Pining_4_TX

May I suggest anything by Donald Westlake, especially the Dortmunder series?


61 posted on 04/23/2020 4:31:25 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: Pining_4_TX

My husband and I both read the Bosch series by Michael Connelly. The TV series on Amazon is great too!


62 posted on 04/23/2020 4:32:06 PM PDT by stylecouncilor (Dreg of Society)
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To: Pining_4_TX

Just read some Jack Vance mystery/thriller stories. I recommend the two Sheriff Joe Bain novels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_Joe_Bain

Freegards


63 posted on 04/23/2020 4:48:04 PM PDT by Ransomed
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To: Boogieman

Supposedly there is going to be a posthumously published sequel to The Borrowed Man, “Interlibrary Loan.” Wolfe is definitely one of my favorites, very challenging but rewarding.

Freegards


64 posted on 04/23/2020 4:48:17 PM PDT by Ransomed
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To: Pining_4_TX

I am currently taking a class on A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW. I read scifi, historical novels and history. This book is different from my usual style .but easy to read and is thought provoking without getting too deep.


65 posted on 04/23/2020 5:29:48 PM PDT by bravo whiskey (Never bring a liberal gun law to a gun fight.)
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To: Swordmaker

I agree. The Bosch series on prime is good as is Jack Ryan. Both have taken cold war post Vietnam characters and put them in modern day while keeping their character traits.


66 posted on 04/23/2020 5:35:08 PM PDT by bravo whiskey (Never bring a liberal gun law to a gun fight.)
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To: Pining_4_TX
Anything by Dorothy L. Sayers.

"Tea and crumpets" mysteries and a high standard for writing -- one of the first woman graduates from Oxford.

The novels go in chronological order but may be read separately.

67 posted on 04/24/2020 2:41:37 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
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To: Kiss7

Love the recommendations. I just reserved “The Shape of Water” from the library (yes, my local library is still letting us check out books but we have to reserve them and then pick them up outside, how cool is that?). Would love to find a new good series with lots of books to look forward to. I note the author, A. Camilleri, recently died, but left a great body of work.

Thank you!


68 posted on 04/24/2020 7:17:08 AM PDT by Auntie Mame (Fear not tomorrow. God is already there.)
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To: Auntie Mame

Also:

Anything by Jeff Shaara - Civil War, WWI WWII historical fiction series. Very well researched.

Harry Turtledove’s alternate histories.

David Weber’s Ring of Fire and Honor Harrington Honorverse series


69 posted on 04/24/2020 12:37:13 PM PDT by castlebrew (Gun Control means hitting where you're aiming!))
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To: itsahoot

Good idea. I have read some, but perhaps not all of the Perry Mason books. My husband and I, being old fogeys, still watch some of the Perry Mason reruns on MeTV. :-)


70 posted on 04/24/2020 1:44:58 PM PDT by Pining_4_TX (The Nazis were socialists, and all socialists turn into Nazis.)
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To: Rockingham; All

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions! You have been so helpful, and I’m going to look into these recommendations. There are enough here to keep me busy for a while!

Freegards,

Pining


71 posted on 04/24/2020 1:47:33 PM PDT by Pining_4_TX (The Nazis were socialists, and all socialists turn into Nazis.)
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To: Pining_4_TX
My husband and I, being old fogeys, still watch some of the Perry Mason reruns on MeTV. :-)

Figured that might be your category, mine too.

72 posted on 04/24/2020 2:50:59 PM PDT by itsahoot (Welcome to the New USA where Islam is a religion of peace and Christianity is a mental disorder.)
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To: HartleyMBaldwin

You are correct...short stories...but still entertaining.


73 posted on 04/24/2020 2:54:05 PM PDT by Judy
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