loisco, Deborah Crombie, like George, is an American. Her books are also like George's, a Scotland Yard Inspector, Duncan Kinkaid, and his sometimes Sargeant, Gemma James, with whom he is romantically involved. (And with whom I am enamored. Yes, my wife knows.) They are best read in sequence. Check her website.

js...ok I checked online. Our library system has all but the very first...share of death??...can I live without it?..

I assume it' slow reading like E. george?..I will reserve 3 of them.

I have read <i>Shadow of the Wind</i> and didn't like it as well as the people who recommended it to me did.

Deborah Crombie is a faster read than Elizabeth George. I like them both very much.

If you like British mysteries, try the books by Charles Todd about a WWI veteran who is suffering from war trauma and goes back to his job at Scotland Yard under a boss who doesn't like him. They are better read in sequence. Also, Peter Robinson's books are good.

Deborah Crombie is quite good. Might also try Minette Walters, particularly The Ice House, The Sculptress and The Scold’s Bridle. P.D. James and Ruth Rendell, of course, are the grande dames of English mystery writing, although I find P.D. James’s puzzles not that good and Rendell’s dark stories scare the hell out of me. I don’t like the way Elizabeth George’s stories have developed, her best books were the early ones. The same can be said of Martha Grimes.

I love Ian Rankin, but he can be hot and cold. Peter Robinson, born in Britain, but living in Canada writes some decent mysteries that take place in Yorkshire. W.J. Burley writes mysteries that are also decent and take place in Cornwall. And, of course, Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse mysteries in and around Oxford.

For something different try Rennie Airth’s River of Darkness. Outstanding. And for a laugh Simon Brett’s Charles Paris mysteries. Particularly if you like the English theatre.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I am writing them all down. I had one to give you..a female author, American and she writes a bit like Elizabeth George. When I think of the name I will post it. The title had the word Execution in it and I am going crazy because I can't think of it.

I love Minette Walters and have read all her books..ditto Peter Robinson. I am on reserve for his newest one.

I also love English movies...and speaking of Colin Dexter I was a real fan of the BBC series on Inspector Morse. was very sad when Morse died.(I also forgot the actor's name).

I will look into Charles Todd..

Thanks. Happy Reading. I have never gone into a bookstore without buying something.

I finally remembered...the author I love absolutely..Val McDermid. First book was wonderful..and I read all the others because of it. First book...A place of Execution.

Try Alison Weir's marvelous &quot;Eleanor of Aquitaine.&quot;

Wow this is great. I'm always looking for new authors. My sister told me about Life of Pi by Yann Martel, about a journey made by a young boy from India - a beautiful book. The lyricism of the writing was amazing - I wished it would never end. I like PD James, am on about the 8th of her novels.

anything by Tony HILLERMAN or JAMES LEE BURKE , followed by THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY....plus all books , novels , private letters , theatre , articles by COLETTE !

Just about to crack open a novel by Gail Godwin titled EVENSONG. Not the type of book I usually read but a friend recommended it. Reading Fodor's Belgium/Netherlands/Luxemborg book as research for my next trip. And every few years I have to re-read the author that started my interest in reading when I was young. Terry Brooks SWORD OF SHANARA series. It's like comfort food for the brain for me. Like to read it before bed I need some light and fun stuff after just tackling Michio Kaku's BEYOND EINTSTEIN. I guess my taste is pretty diverse.

War and Peace.

I have just finished Reading Lolita in Teharan..What a wonderful book I truly enjoyed it.Also Thanks Heaven that I dont live there!!Poor Women!
I started reading &quot;Almost French&quot; ,what a change from the other intellectual, interesting ,deep book, but I needed to read something light ,simple and funny. I can relate to her story and how at first she felt invisible because her command of the French language was limited.
I felt the same when I came to NY,with my American born husband..Despite that I had English at school and knew how to read and write, my language skill was limited also..and at times, felt the same way as the writer..very Invisible..But I survived!!:)

I've had plenty of time in my peaceful years in chokey to read heaps and heaps (not)

I'm reading, lightly, Liz Rigby's Summer Time, and really enjoying it. My husband didn't tho'. I've just finished &quot;At the Edge of the Sea&quot; which is a memoir of crofting childhood on South Uist; and before that Heartland, which is set on Lewis and which I really enjoyed.

For the humour of a cros Channel trip, I'd suggest anything by Joanne Harris, but particulary Blackberry Wine. Or you could go classic and try A Tale of Two Cities or the Scarlet Pimpernel. Or even The Three Musketeers which I read properly for the first time a few years ago and thought wonderful

I love reading all these book lists and wanted to add another one -
The Power of One&quot; by Bruce Courtenay. Takes place in So. Africa and is about a boy growing up prior to and after WWII and his desire to become a great boxer with all the challenges of living there (a poor white boy under apartheid). On an earlier book thread it got good recommendations and I was not disappointed. Fun to find a &quot;new&quot; author.

I still have a huge list of books to read from the previous thread and like all of you cannot pass up a bookstore nor come out without a book!

loisco, the library emailed me that E. Grorge was ready for me. Picked it up today, all 628 pages.

Just finished &quot;Blind Justice&quot; by Bruce Alexander set in 18th century England. Great fun. David Merrick, James Boswell, Samuel Johnson all have bit parts for atmosphere. Will definitely read more of his.

By Order of the President - W. E. B. Griffin.
M

I'm having a lovely time wading through London - The Biography of a City by Christopher Hibbert.

Read some good ones lately. Light on Snow by A. Shreve was excellent. Right now I'm reading Puppet by Joy Fielding. Didn't like it at first- and then couldn't put it down. Has a lot of Toronoto and Palm Beach FL locales.

Harlan Coben's Just One Look, has a Korean serial killer among many other interesting characters. Internet is highly involved. Guys would like this one as well. I read a lot of non-fiction and love the occasional historical novel or tale set in ancient or middle aged periods. Rule of Four was worth a read. As was, Instance of the Fingerpost or Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (puts you INTO the Civil War through the eyes of a young teenager)and others also.

Just getting started on <i> Conspiracy of Fools. </i> Three years after living through it, I guess I'm ready to read an outsider's account of it.

That, and all the travel books we've acquired about the Amalfi Coast.

I just started &quot;The Possessed&quot; by Dostoevsky. I've been on a Russian kick lately for some reason!