davidr

My Reading List 2010 (but compiled in August so I may have missed a few!) Dracula - Bram Stoker The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald Juliett Naked - Nick Hornby The Girl who Kicked over a Hornets Nest - Stieg Larson Darkside Timecurse - Tom Becker The Wild Hunt - Elizabeth Chadwick Take No Farewell - Robert Goddard Last Car to Elysian Fields - James Lee Burke Deadline - Stella Rimington The Whisky Rebels - David Liss Kingdom of Shadows - Alan Furst The Waters Edge - Karin Fossum Sept 2010 Dark Star - Alan Furst Sword of Shame - The Medieval Murderers Oct 2010 View from the Foothills - Chris Mullin Stone's Fall - Ian Pears Nov 2010 The Redbreast - Jo Nesbo A Spy's Life - Henry Porter First Light - Geoffrey Wellum Dec 2010 A Week in December - Sebastian Faulks

I just loved this series, right from the first one. I agree about the corporate stuff at the beginning that needed to be ploughed through a bit. I also loved the format. The short sections made it quite jerky and tense but it was possible to read as much or as little as you were able without feeling you were stopping in the middle of a section. I have only seen the first film which I loved. It follows the main action of the book very closely and I also loved the actress who played Lisabeth. Difficult to see her being bettered by a Hollywood actress.

Just finished The Great Gatsby and I really enjoyed it. I felt really immersed in a world that may not exist anymore (but I suppose there are still very rich people over indulging, and people who came by their riches in a not totally legal manner!). But I thought it was a great read but yes a bit depressing at the end.

Does anyone have any views on James Lee Burke's books, particularly his Robicheaux series? I have read many of them and really enjoy them. They are however a bit samey and I can't read them together. However they are very atmospheric about Louisianna and New Orleans which I have visited. Would be interested in other people's opinions.

Has anyone read F Scot Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby recently. It is probably next on my reading pile, and would be grateful for any comments/recommendations on it.

I bought a copy of Dracula last month in Whitby having just visited the Abbey on a very cold rainy windswept early May morning. Never having looked at it before I was very surprised to find I share a name with the good Dr John. I am loving it but find the Victorian language, particularly Van Helsing's 'foreign' English a bit heavy going. I found that I couldn't read the last third at night in bed! (what a whimp!). 40 pages to go!

I really enjoyed the series and have read them all. I was constantly reminded of Raymond Chandler which I imagine was the idea. I enjoyed these more than Jasper FForde which although enjoyable were much more surealistic. Yes, Malcom Pryce's concept is a one joke idea but I thought the whole idea of a Druid mafia running a small Welsh town with all the intrigue that followed was fun. However I do think that if you didn't enjoy the first one there is no point in persevering as the others are all in the same style/pattern.

I read all the Bond books in the 60s (I'm very old!) and loved them then. I re-read Casino Royale last year and really enjoyed it. Yes they are chauvinistic and the name-dropping consumerism gets a bit wearing, but they are still a thrilling read, different from the films (in the later ones only the title was the same as the book!). I think that's why the film of Casino Royale was so successful, not only a new Bond in Daniel Craig but a reach back to the back for the story line. My favourite - probably 'Dr No' - great beginning and terrific ending.

One yo add to the Doorstep Challenge: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (about 1150, I think) Story about the building of a cathedral in 12th century England

Thanks to those who have contributed. I have heard of most of those suggested and have just read The Waters Edge by Karen Fossum which was ok. It's quite short and written from several characters' point of view which seem to make it quite jerky. Not sure I will bother with any more of hers for a while. I like the look of Camilla Lackberg's books in the UK. The covers are very cool but the Ice Princess doen't have very good reviews on other sites I visited but The Preacher does better. I have just bought The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo, a Norweigian crime writer. I will report back when I've read it.

Having read the Millenium Trilogy (Girl with Dragon Tatoo etc) and enjoyed them very much, not just for the story but also for their descriptions of Swedish life I am interested in reading other Scandanavian thrillers/crime books. Does anyone recommend anything, other than Mankell's Wallander?

I loved this - a really original thriller voice I believe. The second, '... Played with Fire' is in many ways even better. Am waiting for the 3rd to be published in paperback. A pity there will be no more.

I have just finished 'The Whiskey Rebels' by David Liss, a historiacal thriller sent in the aftermath of the American Revolution. I enjoyed it very much and often couldn't stop reading. Has anyone else read this or any of his other books?