Who Are You Taking To Bed? (READERS wanted)

[Sandra Ruttan]

I just finished Carol Anne Davis's Sob Story. Davis is a new (to me) author who writes intense psychological thrillers.

Now, I'll be reviewing it for Spinetingler anyway, and I don't want this to be about reviews anyway. This is about gut reactions. I had a bit of trouble taking the mental shift into this book at first, I think because of what I'd been reading around the time, so I put it down, cleared my head with something else, then picked it back up. And couldn't put it down. I'm a slow reader and I just picked it up again yesterday - now it's done. It kept me turning pages way after my bedtime last night.

So, reading anything good these days? Last book that had you sitting up half the night chewing your nails?

Up next for me: Adrian McKinty The Bloomsday Dead

[J.D. Rhoades]

Thanks to Patrick Shawn Bagley I pulled Richard Stark's LEMONS NEVER LIE out of the TBR pile. What can I say after I say, Stark RULES.

I alternate between grooving on his spare, clean, punchy prose and being sunk in the depths of despair, wondering if I'll ever write that well.

[Jennifer Jordan]

I just ploughed through three greats books that were one night stands for me:

Robert Crais - THE WATCHMAN fantastic, loved the last line. Great evolution of character.

John Connolly - THE UNQUIET deep, dark and yet, dare I say, hopeful? Total movie in the head read.

David Ignatious - BODY OF LIES this may be up there with Littel's THE COMPANY. Involved, fast, action packed yet smart.

[Jennifer Jordan]

I adored HARRD MAN! I like my books dark as pitch and Guthrie delivers.

[Michael C. Jacobs]

I usually have at least a couple books going at once. Currently open on my bedside table are The Sugar House by Laura Lippman, 3 Uses of the Knife by David Mamet, The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle and Love for Lydia by H.E. Bates. That last one is a favorite re-read.

[Russel McLean]

Mike

Just noticed your reply there earlier - for some reason it never showed up before!

I liked the idea of the Strangler a lot when I read the synopsis. I have a thing for Boston set novels, too. I don't know why. So I was very excited by it when it arrived. And then I just couldn't catch the rhythm. But this intrigue wouldn't let me go, so I went ahead and read another book first and came back. Like Sandra says, its all about shifting mentally sometimes. This time I got it, maybe also because I was prepared for what I mentioned in a review; the slightly cliched fraternal stuff that permeates the action (Three brothers [swap in old chilhoood friends as required] who grow up to become three morally distinct people).

[Russel McLean]

Oh, and as to "chewing fingernails" I just had an opportunity to read Bruen's "Cross"...

Bloody brilliant.

Tense
Unsettling
Pure noir ending

And once again a style so unique you find yourself talking in incomplete sentences

lists

and other grammatical anomalies.

[Karen from AustCrime]

Finished it on Saturday - agree with you 110%.

Now I'm having all sorts of trouble settling on the next book - Cross is a very hard act to follow.

[Laura Root]

Currently reading: Shapeshifter by Tony Hillerman - as ever, the cultural and physical landscapes are fascinating, the plot OK.

[Sunnie Gill]

Yes, I'm currently reading DEATH OF DALZIEL (published in North America as Death Comes to the Fat Man) and I'm on the edge of my seat wondering whether Reginald Hill will do the unthinkable and kill off Fat Andy. It's taking all my willpower not to turn to the back of the book.

[Laura Root]

Just waiting for it to hit my local library Sunnie. What do you think so far?

[Sunnie Gill]

I finished it last night. Loved it to bits. I missed Fat Andy's gloriously uncouth witticisms a little, but it was up to Hill's usual high standards.

[BrianLindenmuth]

I spend 2 hours on the subway each day so I get a lot of reading time.

I recently read:

Con Ed - It was a bit on the light side but it was very enjoyable.
Stealing the Dragon - Flew through this one, reads like an action movie.

Right now I'm reading Christine Falls its a little bit slow so far but I'm liking it and am really curious to see where this one ends up.