On Reading “What Rose Forgot” by Nevada Barr (Right After Reading Tana French’s Book)

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Nevada Barr is know for her well-done, 19-book mystery series featuring Anna Pigeon, a park ranger working in various U.S. National Parks. These are serious books that are a blend of cozy and police procedural, although some characters are a bit quirky. I was recently attracted to Barr’s standalone book, What Rose Forgot, after reading the blurb on Goodreads: In New York Times bestselling author Nevada Barr’s gripping standalone, Rose … Continue reading →

Thoughts On “The Likeness” by Tana French

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SPOILER ALERT THROUGHOUT – SORRY. I did not enjoy this book personally, and although it was thoroughly enjoyed by other members of the Mystery Book Club – all of whom I respect and appreciate – I would not recommend this book to others. Basically, what follows are the reasons I disliked it. It was hard to get into it in the first 3 chapters (96 pages). Very slow beginning. By … Continue reading →

Why Mystery Book Fans Perceive Mystery Books Differently

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It is normal for true mystery book fans to evaluate the same book differently – some will love it and some will say “yuck”! Why? There may be as many reasons as there are fans! But before getting into the reasons, let’s look at an example from a recent mystery book club meeting. Examples of the Reactions to One Book in a Small Group of Mystery Book Fans Last month, we discussed Alex … Continue reading →

Remote Controlled Car Crash as a Murder Weapon

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Like it or not, new cars are filled with computers which make them vulnerable to a remote controlled car crash. Cars are loaded with electronic control units which can be hacked. Wifi, blue tooth, and other access points can allow a car to be controlled remotely. As I pointed out in the December 30th (2016) Mystery Book Club meeting, two recent books include fictional accounts of murder in which the assassin crashes the victim’s car … Continue reading →

Transcendental Murder Trip Souvenirs

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Small, 1¼ Inch Round Button Shop for a button at zazzle.com White 11 oz Classic White Mug Order custom mugs on zazzle. Click top link in each product to view product details. Note:  On the reverse of the mug, there is wording: Mystery Book Club Field Trip, August 3, 2016

Looking forward to hearing Gerry Boyle! Join me!

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Gerry Boyle, author of a dozen mystery books, is the guest speaker at an open meeting on Thursday evening, January 28, at 6:30 pm at the Manchester Public Library (MA!). Boyle will speak briefly about his own background as a journalist and how those experiences shaped his mystery novels.  His chief character is Jack McMorrow, a fictional  reporter who has settled in central Maine after several years in New York … Continue reading →

Fans Go to Agawam Diner for “Actual Food”

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The instigation for this Mystery Book Club field trip on Friday August 28, 2015, comes from Robert Parker’s Back Story, chapter 13. So we might as well start with that; then the pictures: The theater was dark on Mondays, and I took Paul to dinner at the world’s greatest restaurant, which is, of course, The Agawam Diner in Rowley. The place was always crowded for breakfast and lunch, but on a Monday … Continue reading →

Finding Edgar Allan Poe in Boston

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  I made two expeditions to Boston this summer, to explore things related to Edgar Allan Poe in Boston. The first was with members of the Mystery Book Club on June 24, 2015. After taking the Salem ferry to Long Wharf, eating at Jacob Wirth’s (near the fictional Spenser’s first office), we then walked two blocks to view Stefanie Rocknak’s sculpture, “Poe Returning to Boston,” unveiled on October 5th, 2014, by the … Continue reading →

Kick-Off to A Year to Remember Edgar Allan Poe

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Our Mystery Book Club kicked off our year to remember Edgar Allan Poe at its annual picnic on June 26, 2015. Among Poe’s many contributions to literature during his short life (1809-1949) were stories that may have kicked off the private detective genre and the dark tale or noir genre. At the picnic, Mike O’Connor shared a bottle of Amontillado with the members, and then offered a toast to Poe that included references … Continue reading →

Touring Boston Locations for Robert Parker and his Spenser Novels

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It was Wednesday, September 17, 20014 and 8 members of the Manchester Public Library Mystery Book Club stepped up into the COA van to find Robert Parker’s famous character Spenser where he lived and worked – in Boston and Cambridge. I had been planning the field trip for more than six months, since February. In August, some of the Mystery Book Club members participated in what we called Spenser Tour #1. … Continue reading →