I must have been busy. The first week of November has passed, and I have not spent my ´book allowance´ yet!Here are some books I want to read:
Val McDermid, Fever of the Bone 1 vote
Denise Mina, Garnethill 2 votes
Colin Cotterill, The Coroner´s Lunch 5 votes
Adrian McKinty, Fifty Grand 2 votes
Louise Doughty, An English Murder
Aline Templeton, Dead in the Water
Peter Temple, Bad Depts 3 votes
Pierre Magnan, The Murdered House 3 votes
Daniel Woodrell, Winter´s Bone 5 votes
Adrian Hyland, Moonlight Downs 2 votes
Fred Vargas, Have Mercy on Us All 1 vote
Deborah Sharp, Mama does Time 2 votes
Paul Cleave, Cemetery Lake
What should I buy first? Which ones do you think will suit my taste?
See my Salomonic solution above.
I think it should be Winter's Bone - a fascinating title that, for some reason or other, has me curious.
SvarSletDorte - I wish I could say the same about my own "book budget." My vote would be for Bad Debts or The Coroner's Lunch. Sometimes choosing is just as much fun as reading : )... well, almost as fun.
SvarSletThree of your list sit on my TBR pile and I haven't read any of the rest but I think The Coroner's Lunch will suit your taste.
SvarSletI am approaching this vital question as if you could have but one book, and thus it is, Dorte, that I adjure you -- yes, adjure you! -- to purchase Pierre Magnan's The Murdered House. There are other worthies on the list, but none quite in the same league as this book, and I write this even though I espy my beloved Vargas thereon. Magnan I think may be new to you, but whether so or not, the book will furnish a riveting, nay, a mesmerising read. It will also allow you to sojourn in the Provence of a century ago, and I think you deserve that. Now go and buy it, Dorte. Have I ever let you down? Hmmm? Have I?
SvarSletI also think that The Murdered House sounds very intriguing!
SvarSletOh, this is interesting! Thank you for your good advice.
SvarSletI have just consulted Abebooks, and the really good news is that my budget will allow me to buy Winter´s Bone, The Coroner´s Lunch plus The Murdered House (used, of course).
So absolutely no problem - yet :D
Thank you, Louise.
SvarSletAnd again, no problems yet.
Well, you know my bias: choose the Magnan.
SvarSletThank you, R.T.
SvarSletI have counted two votes for Magnan.
Dorte, I don't know how much have you read from Fred Vargas, but I do think it's worth a try.
SvarSletI haven't read the Philip Magnan so can't comment on that. Several of the ones I've read are very, very good, though - as Norman says, The Coroner's Lunch. Garnethill by Denise Mina is rather special - but you'll then have to go out and buy the next two! And Bad Debts - well if you've read one Peter Temple then you'll know whether you are hooked on this addictive author or not! I loved it. I also loved the Adrian Hyland (aka Diamond Dove) and Winter's Bone (Woodrell - which is perhaps the darkest of these). I am not sure whether I've read this particular Vargas, I think possibly not. The Val McDermid is good but personally I'd go for the Temple, Mina, Woodrell, Hyland or Cotterill. Oh dear, that's 5!
SvarSletJose: so many blog friends have recommended Fred Vargas that I know I will have to try her (if not in November, certainly some other month).
SvarSletMaxine: trust you to spend my book budget twice in one comment! LOL
With three votes The Coroner´s Lunch seems to stand a fair chance. And contrary to what you say, I have a strong argument FOR bying Denise Mina´s debut: if you click on my photo, you will see that I own the second. (Brought home from Edinburgh).
Well, well - I knew I would be forced to make some hard choices before or later.
Well Dorte, I think you would love THE CORONER'S LUNCH. But I think you should also buy WINTER'S BONE. Daniel Woodrell is an amazing writer.
SvarSletDonna
Thank you, Donna.
SvarSletAnd it does make things easier that some of you vote for the same books ;D
Not two votes for Magnan, Dorte -- three. Louise, R.T., et moi -- trois.
SvarSletOh, Philip, you have divulged my poor mathematical skills ;)
SvarSletI promise I will do my utmost to count the votes properly.
I'd go with Winter's Bone, Bad Debts and Fifty Grand.
SvarSletRob: thank you for your suggestions. Yes, I thought you would vote for Fifty Grand.
SvarSletOh, "Mama Does Time." But she and I write for the same house. :)
SvarSletElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Elizabeth: thank you, and no problem in that. There are absolutely no rules here!
SvarSletI did remove some names from my list, though, because I did NOT want to let blogger friends choose among other blogger friends :D
You should try Fifty Grand in order to ascertain whether it is a machokrimi or a femikrimi. (Male author, female non-wonderwomanlike detective)
SvarSletMarco, thank you for yet another attempt to sway me :D
SvarSletHeartily recommend WINTERS BONE and PLACE OF EXECUTION.
SvarSletGarnethill is a wonderful novel. (It's part of the brilliant Garnethill Trilogy.)
SvarSletI guarantee that you will love this book and want to read the rest in the series.
best,
Darren
(Someone who found your blog via a Denise Mina google alert.)
Hi Patti.
SvarSletThank you. Have added your votes.
Hi Darren.
I am so glad you left a comment! I will add another vote for Mina.
I haven't read any of them! So I just want to read your review(s) so that I can add to my wish list.
SvarSletOh, Beth, you will have to wait for a long time.
SvarSletYou see, when I began blogging, I didn´t even know real book lovers had to have a TBR of several hundred books. I know that now so I buy, beg and win as many books as possible every month. At the same time I try to read as few as possible - otherwise I will never ever get a respectable TBR ;)
Hello, there ... I'd love to add a vote for MAMA DOES TIME, mainly because I'm so thrilled as the author to see the debut in my funny, Florida-set mystery series show up on your ''Books I'd Like to Read'' list. Truthfully, it's probably a bit light for your taste. But it does spotlight a part of Fla. the tourists rarely see.
SvarSletI'm very curious: How did you hear about MAMA all the way over in Denmark?
Best, Deborah Sharp (Author)
Hi Deborah!
SvarSletHow nice of you to drop in :D
And just for once, I know exactly why a book is on my list: Cathy reviewed it one month ago, and I could not resist the combination of the dog, the car and the cover.
http://www.kittlingbooks.com/2009/10/mama-does-time-by-deborah-sharp.html
As you may have gathered from my wish list, I read and review a lot of English crime. More British than American, I know, but I have come across some very nice American novels recently.
N.B: your book may not win this month´s vote, but don´t worry, it will stay on my list until one day ...
There are 3 books there that I feel you shouldn't pass up
SvarSletFEVER OF THE BONE - Val McDermid. I've just read that recently and I think it's one of her better efforts. There's a review on my blog if you're interested
MOONLIGHT DOWNS - Adrian Hyland
THE CORONER'S LUNCH - Colin Cotterill.
Both Australian writers. Both very, very different. Both fabulous. Both have a great deal of humour, and both have a spiritual belief aspect to them. Highly recommend them both.
Thank you, Sunnie!
SvarSletI will add your suggestions immediately.