tuxedo cat

I am a fan of Ms. George. and am heartened by by number of others who like her books. Many years ago, I used read another forum in which some (NOT all) UK posters were very dismissive of her, some rudely so. I was very surpised to find out she was not English. That only made her books so much more interesting to me. I read many UK authors, and from time to time would have to ask members of the former forum to explain an UK colloquialism when there wasn't enough context for me to figure it out. There was always someone to help out their American cousin.

I'm from Wake County, NC. Margaret Maron has a lenghtly set of books with Deborah Knott as her protagonist. The books are set in fictional "Colleton County", which is really next door to me, Johnston County. Ms. Maron chose Colleton County as the name because John Colleton was the only Lord Proprietor of NC not to have a county named after him in NC. Knott's father is a wealthy former bootlegger, whose real name you would instantly recognize if you were from this area. Ms Maron has take some liberties with geography when her books required it, but most of the area is still very recognizable.

Mark Billingham sort of reminds me of John Connolly. I could be in the minority in that opinion.

One you might want to check out is Monster of Florence, by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi. The murders are almost a side light to the indictment of thecoul Italian justice system. The machinations of the Prosecutor give truth to the saying Truth is Stranger than fiction. I do not have the imagination to make up some of the preposterous theories he came up with.

I read a lot of true crime books (especially about serial killers) because killing for recreation is the most bizarre concept I have ever encountered. I don't remember the book title, but one was about Dennis Nielsen. He was asked about how he dismembered the bodies without making a real mess of his living quarters. He very matter of factly walked the police through the process. It was something along the lines of "You just go into the kitchen and slit open four large garbage bags and tape the pieces together. Put the body in the center of the bags and dismember it. Afterwards, just fold up the bags and you have no blood to clean up." He dispassionately discussed this like you or I would unclogging a drain. (Ironically, that is how he was caught.) The human mind is capable of sublimely beautiful creations like poetry and music, and also the utter depravity that drives a person to kill for pleasure. I would like to add one book to you to those of you who like true crime. It is KIller, the biography of Carl Panzram. I won't go into details if anyone wants to read it, but I will say there are people who think they are bad, and then there are people like Panzram who are Bad.

I really like Connelly. At one of his book signings, someone asked why he wrote police procedurals instead using a a P.I. as his central character. He replied that he was a crime beat reporter for a California paper for 10 years and he never covered a crime solved by a P.I. The crimes he reported were solved by cops collecting forensic evidence, and wearing out a lot shoe leather running down tips and interviewing (possible) witnesses. I also liked Bosch being portrayed as a flawed individual. I guess that is why I liked the Rebus series by Ian Rankin so much.

I sometimes feel guilty when I've read several mysteries in a row, and read some non-fiction to assuage the guilt.

Sadly, living in the middle of nowhere means no book auctions. I have bought a books at a good price from the internet auction behemoth.

Since some of the books I really like don't get printed in the US, I have bought a ton of books from Chris Adam Smith. Locally, I buy from Quail Ridge Books, and the Regulator.

If one of the local independent book stores is having a book signing, I buy from them. To get earlier issues of an author's work, I use the internet.

His books fall into the comedic fantasy genre. The last couple I read were stinkers, but his early book are hilarious. If you need a laugh, try Practical Demonkeeping, or Bloodsucking Fiends (subtitled) A Love Story.

Lasagna

Who - Summertime Blues originally done by Eddie Cochrane Cream - Crossroads Origin disputed, but generally credited to Robert Johnson I have brain lock right now, but can remember some dreadful covers I wish I could forget.

Drain S. T. H.- Horror Wrestling Drain S. T. H - Freaks of Nature

It is pretty far afield from what I normally listen to but.... Patty Loveless - You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive From my youth... Allman Brothers (cover) - Trouble No More Very depressing subject...... L7 - Can I Run