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| New additions to the library! |
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| I have the 1st, why not the 2nd? |
Some of the new additions to the Criminal Library in the month. Though strictly speaking I haven't yet got my hands on the Mackay book, I have received an e-mail from the library telling me it's ready for collection.
Out of last month's acquisitions, I read neither of the two I thought I would, though I have made a tentative start on Chasing Bad Guys. The one I did read though - Widen's Blood Makes Noise, I was glad I did because I absolutely loved it.
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| Tartan Noir! |
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| More Scandi crime! |
Two of the this month's acquisitions were charity shop bargains; McBain's first 87th Precinct novel - Cop Hater, which a couple of on-line friends have blogged about recently was acquired for 50p and Dahl's Blinded Man cost me double that at a £1!
Perry's The Boyfriend and The Necessary Death Of Lewis Winter were/are library books I have borrowed, so will probably be got to in August before they need to go back.
Tomorrow City was shamelessly acquired from the author's agent/publicist after requesting a copy to read and review.
Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins was a present from my wife on a recent trip to the coast.
The others were acquired cheaply on-line.
Happy reading for August seems assured!
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| 87th Numero Uno |
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| Joe Gores, wrote a series starring Dan Kearney - a car repo man. This is from the series. |
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| I've read a few Perry's and he hasn't disappointed yet! |
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| A review book, set in China. |
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| Thanks to my wife for this! |
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| An Edgar Winner, I believe and a female author! |
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| A bit of humour when I get around to it. Pronzini pokes fun at some of the worst in mystery fiction. |
Col, how are you going to decide which book to read first? They all look good. I'm sitting on a pile of unread McBains, acquired from a used bookstore for Rs.10 (less than 25 cents) each. A real catch, if I may add, for you don't see McBains, JDMs, Ross Macdonalds, and Elmore Leonards often around here.
ReplyDeletePrashant, I'll probably go for the Perry, followed by the "tiger" followed by the Mackay. If the others wait a year or three, I have the comfort of knowing they are on the shelf.
DeleteI'd be interested in knowing how much US crime fiction and the old masters you mentioned above have penetrated into Indian reading habits. You can't speak for the whole country obviously, but is there a big crime fiction following over there?
Do you have any exported-Indian crime fiction (in English) I should be aware of?
Col, sorry I'm late with the reply as I was out of town last weekend. A lot of Indians read fiction and non-fiction though I can't say for sure which genres. There is a dedicated following for crime fiction but nowhere near as big as in the West. I'd be surprised if I came across anyone reading the authors I mentioned above. Early popular fiction writers like the Deightons, Archers, Forsyths, and Ludlums are still popular while there is also a growing demand for YA and other fantasy fiction, thanks to HP. There are Indian authors who write crime fiction in English and it'd be interesting to check out the names of a few. My reading of Indian fiction in English is generally very poor save for Salman Rushdie, V.S. Naipaul, R.K. Narayan, and Amitav Ghosh, to name some. I strongly recommend Rushdie's THE MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN which won the Booker in the 80s.
DeletePrashant, no problem. Obviously I have heard of Rushdie and Haipaul. Rushdie, came to public attention with the fatwa against him. I haven't read him - perhaps I always thought he was a bit too literary for my tastes. I will keep an eye out for his TMC.......and anyone else you care to recommend
DeleteCol - You do have some nice-looking reading ahead of you here. I'm really hopeful that you'll like Cop Hater. The 87th Precinct series is (in my opinion) a really classic crime fiction series and if one has the time, it does help to read the stories in order.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe I have had the pleasure of reading McBain before. It would be a challenge to read the series and I'm mulling it over. I ought to clear some of the backlog first I think!
DeleteThe one that interests me is the Jess Walter - an author I've been meaning to try because Nick Hornby recommends him. This one sounds very intriguing, and just my kind of thing, I might invest in it.
ReplyDeleteMoira, I've only read one of his previously and loved it. This might be more mainstream than crime, but hey ho.
DeleteI want to read Gun in Cheek and Son of Gun in Cheek. Some day, when I get copies. Also some of the DKA Files novels by Joe Goes. I am loving the McBain series, I am sure you will like it when you get to it. Looking forward to all the reviews.
ReplyDeleteTracy, I got the 1st also a month or two ago. They are quite cheap second hand - hopefully you see them in September sales.
DeleteGores I will try and read first to last , but I will still need to go shopping at some point. McBain - a bit more daunting, over 50-odd, but I like a challenge!
These look great Colman. I'm looking forward book 2 from Arne Dahl.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah - I'll look forward to your Dahl review
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