I love a good mystery. I have to admit though that the books I like have to be of a certain kind since I truly hate gore, and certainly don't want to know the personal details of the character's love life. I have over the years devoured mysteries such as the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, and of course the wonderful Miss Jane Marple by Agatha Christie.
After many years the number of mysteries that can still fill my personal criteria has dwindled since I've read a goodly number of them already. So this summer has been the time to look for a lighter fare to read, or what everyone seems to call a summer read. My personal reading list this summer has included the Evan Evans series by Rhys Bowen, and a whole catalog of Torie O'Shea mysteries by Rett MacPherson.
My personal criteria for any good mystery even in the summer begins with great characters, and of course an interesting story line. Some good first books in a series can sometimes end up being way too formulaic if an author continues to stay safe by using or even replicating part of the original story lines. This fixed sort of book seems way too prevalent on the market today and you have to be very discerning to discover new authors who actually create great stories and great characters too.
One way might to discover what you're looking for is to pick the brains of your friends who just might have a similar tastes in books as you. Another avenue might be to frequent sites online like Stop You're Killing Me (http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/) or Cozy Mysteries. List (http://www.cozy-mystery.com/). Both sites offer interesting sleuths who work in a wide range of places and centuries. Another place to look online, though not an exclusively mystery driven site, is Fantastic Fiction (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/). I found my own personal favorite author Candace Robb there.
If you're looking for good medieval mysteries you can't match Ellis Peters books (The pen name for Edith Pargeter) which are centered around a12th century Welsh monk called Cadfael. Another great character is the 13th century Roger the Chapman who can be found in the books by Kate Sedley. These two are just a taste of the mysteries and writers available today.
So, how do you find that just right book to read? Whether it's a a fluffy summer read, or that intensely dark mystery for those dark days of winter don't guess at what might be a good read but take a little time to find the exact one to fit the bill!
Showing posts with label mysteries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mysteries. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Thursday, April 10, 2008
A Mystery that Captures
Mysteries hold my attention more than almost any other genre at the moment, and the author who has captured my imagination is Kate Sedley, the author of the Roger the Chapman a series of mystery novels. I'm presently enjoying The Wicked Winter, and after our own nasty weather this winter I find it fascinating to see how those in the Middle Ages dealt with extreme winters and the problems they can create. Oh, and if you haven't guessed, the setting for the series is an England of the late 1400s. The author has closely captured the feel of the time, if not totally the language. But since I don't speak the English of the period, that's okay!
This tale centers around the death of a young noble woman and the winter that keeps everyone from the lowest to the the most wealthy together totally captured by a raging winter storm within the castle where the event has occurred - including (most likely) the murderer. From the descriptions of the life of the servants, to that of a chapman, or peddler, the author has given a good taste of the period as well as the stress surrounding the death. The anxiety that holds the mystery to who might have done the deed is there on every page too.
I found the book captivating, except for some of the language used by the main character, Roger the Chapman. At times it is a bit too modern and probably for the use of a more educated character. But in the same breath, I find that to capture the reader the dialog used is easy to follow and doesn't get bogged down with all the typical language and dialects of the period where many a reader would get stalled in the "thees" and "thous" that are usually used for books about the period.
I enjoyed this mystery and the view of the everyday people of England during the Middle Ages. Kate Sedley has an interesting character in the chapman and her stories have a depth that can truly capture the imagination.
This tale centers around the death of a young noble woman and the winter that keeps everyone from the lowest to the the most wealthy together totally captured by a raging winter storm within the castle where the event has occurred - including (most likely) the murderer. From the descriptions of the life of the servants, to that of a chapman, or peddler, the author has given a good taste of the period as well as the stress surrounding the death. The anxiety that holds the mystery to who might have done the deed is there on every page too.
I found the book captivating, except for some of the language used by the main character, Roger the Chapman. At times it is a bit too modern and probably for the use of a more educated character. But in the same breath, I find that to capture the reader the dialog used is easy to follow and doesn't get bogged down with all the typical language and dialects of the period where many a reader would get stalled in the "thees" and "thous" that are usually used for books about the period.
I enjoyed this mystery and the view of the everyday people of England during the Middle Ages. Kate Sedley has an interesting character in the chapman and her stories have a depth that can truly capture the imagination.
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