What are you reading now? (books, authors)

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ntl

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I'm looking for an author new to me. Murder mysteries, (not dark, gory, science fiction) along the lines of Robert Parker, Craig Johnson, Sue Grafton, Janet Evonovitch, etc. Westerns, similar to Louis L'Amour, Tony Hillerman, and others, similar to Marie Bostwick (Cobbled Court Quilts stories).
What can you recommend?
 
Thanks! And thanks for finding the thread, and the reference for Musket! I'll send a note later. :)
 
It's hard to believe that I'm the only person here who enjoys fiction! Well, c'est la vie...
Anyway, while waiting for another Bostwick and L'Amour, I'm reading ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN by Temple Grandin, and THE CASE AGAINST FRAGRANCE by Kate Grenville.
 
Have you ever read "Little Big Man," by Thomas Berger, ntl? That's my favorite Western :)
Edit: As for science fiction, "A Canticle for Leibowitz," by Walter M. Miller, Jr. is an often overlooked classic. And for murder mysteries, how about Henning Mankell, who created Detective Wallander?
 
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I flunked sandbox and you want me to read. 🤣 I'd like to help but I have not read in ages.
 
ntl said:
It's hard to believe that I'm the only person here who enjoys fiction! Well, c'est la vie...
Anyway, while waiting for another Bostwick and L'Amour, I'm reading ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN by Temple Grandin, and THE CASE AGAINST FRAGRANCE by Kate Grenville.
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That's not true. I like both fiction and nonfiction and listed as much. A book by Temple Grandin sounds like nonfiction to me. Also, sounds interesting too.
 
Laika, thanks for the rec. I'll be looking into it soon.
Both are non-fiction. I got ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN by Temple Grandin after reading an article about her in the NYT, and am enjoying it. In fact, I may re-read it. Basically, it's about wolves and dogs, or, rather, dogs as descendants of wolves, their emotions and needs, how to fit them with "family". (And that info as possibly applicable to cats) . I plan to get a few others.

I'm also reading THE CASE AGAINST FRAGRANCE by Kate Grenville, suggested in the other thread. I'm very reactive to fragrance chemicals, and seeing this info in a "people friendly" format that is readable is welcome. However, I have seen the phrase "...scientists don't know...". My response is they either DO know, and keeping their job demands they don't, or, they are willfully ignorant. The known, expected reactions of humans to several common chemicals in fragrance products was published in early 1990s by Julia Kendal of California. Still available on the web and in the Material Safety Data Sheets required by the government for all kinds of ingredients, also available on the web. Google "MSDS for __name of chemical__ you are searching for. The MSDS are readable to, and often only aone page or so long. One place to find Kendall's list is http://www.immuneweb.org/articles/perfume.html. In fact it was that list that helped me know what was happening to me in 1997-1998. I became totally, permanently, disabled by fragranced products, personal care, laundry, cleaning products. Later I wrote a murder mystery about using the toxins in fragrances to kill.

But I really like to read for pleasure, often prefer it over tv. Reading non-fiction sometimes makes me want to "do more, learn more". These dog books make me realize there's a LOT to learn, then I want to go apply the info. I'm no longer in circumstances that will allow me to do such things, but for me, learning doesn't stop. Hopefully I can apply it in a future life...
 
Have you tried many British crime writers? A load of the popular ones are on the less gory side - Ann Cleeves, Susan Hill, Minette Walters, Rowling/Galbraith, Tim Weaver, Peter Robinson - but the tone of some might still be a bit dark.
 
Ian Rankin. The Inspector Rebus series. Not as lighthearted as Parker and early Crais, but not overly dark and the possibly the best written procedurals ever. Set in Edinburgh and environs.

And of course, there's always Dashiel Hammett and Raymond Chandler.
 
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I've read several of Cleeves' then ran into a few that were too dark for me so changed. I will look into those other writers. There was another British author I came across then. I will have to go into my history to find his name. I think my library had only a few of his. Maybe they have more by now. Thanks for all those recommendations. Crais looks promising, though I'm not sure I'd watch some of the tv series he wrote for.
 
Crais has two phases. The early work is basically "Spenser Goes to LA," very much like Robert B. Parker. Same routine, wise guy PI and badass sidekick. Later on the work turns quite dark.

I wouldn't recommend Minette Walters--she is very much in the mold of Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine. Very dark psychological suspense.

You might enjoy Donald Westlake's Dortmunder series of comic caper novels. Great characters. Dortmunder's master plan always goes wrong in every possible way. How are they ever going to get out of this mess?
 
laika said:
Have you ever read "Little Big Man," by Thomas Berger, ntl? That's my favorite Western :)
Edit: As for science fiction, "A Canticle for Leibowitz," by Walter M. Miller, Jr. is an often overlooked classic. And for murder mysteries, how about Henning Mankell, who created Detective Wallander?
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I wouldn't recommend Mankell, or for that matter any Scanda-crime novelist, to somebody who doesn't like dark.
 
musket said:
I wouldn't recommend Mankell, or for that matter any Scanda-crime novelist, to somebody who doesn't like dark.
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I guess they don't call it Nordic Noir without reason, now that you mention it. I read "not dark, gory, science fiction" as not dark and gory science fiction.
 
Actually, that author is Jussi Adler-Olsen, a Dane. I read three, I think, and haven't gotten any since. A bit too much for me...
But with the suggestions, I may be able to find an author or two (or more) to keep me happy for a while. Thanks.
 
I LOVE fiction, including crime fiction of the non-horrific type. I generally prefer British because there's more choice of the less 'nasty'. I like the mystery and investigation side but I don't want graphic descriptions of violence. I love Agatha Christie and Ruth Rendell best. Lots of good other suggestions have been given already. I would add the Feathering series by Simon Brett. They are very benign and very enjoyable to read.
 
ntl said:
I'm looking for an author new to me. Murder mysteries, (not dark, gory, science fiction) along the lines of Robert Parker, Craig Johnson, Sue Grafton, Janet Evonovitch, etc. Westerns, similar to Louis L'Amour, Tony Hillerman, and others, similar to Marie Bostwick (Cobbled Court Quilts stories).
What can you recommend?
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I have just finished a series of murder mysteries written by Arthur Upton, an Australian author from 1940s who wrote about Napoleon Bonaparte, Boney, an aboriginal police inspector with a great attitude. Honest accounts of life as it was. Very positive and uplifting. Is created with influencing Agatha Cristie, and more. If you use Tubi, I recall there is at lest one title there.
 
One of my fav murder mystery writers is Kathy Reich who wrote the "Bones" series. Not gory usually, I enjoy the forensic bits. Actually I enjoyed the TV series as well
Patricia Cornwall is another.
I've read all the Rebus books I think - great stuff. I enjoyed the Wallender series as well.
I'm reading a Kathy Reich in German at the mo to try and improve my reading/writing skills.I'd already read it in English so have a grasp of the story. The other book I'm currently reading is TC Boyle. When the killing is done. Described as a thoroughly entertaining eco thriller. It starts on a small island off the Calif coast which is overrun with black rats.I find it an interesting and unusual subject for a book, TC Boyle writes so vividly
 
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I also like to read a lot of non-fiction of the psychology and sociology ilk. And I really like what ntl is reading about dogs. That is something that really interests me, and it sounds like a book that Hannah told me she was reading not too long ago. I'll have to ask her if it is the same one, which means we have it in our Kindle library.

I'm very bad with titles, so I have to log onto Amazon to see the books I read, but a lot of them are heavy on the psychology and sociality side. Lately it's been books about dialectical behavioral therapy, a technique that works by balancing opposites--two opposing perspectives at the same time. It's been interesting learning about it. Putting it into application is another story.

I have also studied a lot about social anthropology, coercive persuasion, and thought reform, and subjects in that social realm for years--pretty much every book I could get my hands on. Religious philosophy has been interesting to me too.
 
I appreciate all the suggestions. I searched mylibrary—I have to use kindle books now—for some of the named authors. I didn’t write them down, so here’s a few guesses: Little Big Man, yes
Susan Hill covers look foreboding...
Ian Rankin yes
Hammett yes
Crais yes
Brett yes
Upton, none
I haven’t thought of Cornwall for years. No ebooks
Watched BONES, available
Black rats? Uh, no thank you…(actually rats of any color. or mice, spiders, etc... 🤭 )
Just checking these out will keep me busy.
Thank you all very much.
 
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