Let the Mystery Read-a-thon Commence!

To start off this Mystery Read-a-thon I'm participating in, the coordinators asked us to answer a few questions. Here are my responses.

What books do you want to read during this read-a-thon?

I have two pulled out to work on. I will start with George Pelecanos' THE WAY HOME. If I am able to advance to another book it will be Stephanie Pintoff's IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM. Of course, there are many more on deck, but I don't think I'll actually need more than these two.

How many books do you hope to finish?

I'd really like to at least get through THE WAY HOME. I'm a slow reader...one of those people who has to read and savor EVERY WORD! But, for me, reading has never been a sprint. I'm more of a marathoner!

What (if any) breaks do you intend to take?

I am hoping to simply go straight through the 12 hours. I have snacks and meals that require no prep. When the dogs need to be outside, I'll be reading outside. And I have no commitments to be anywhere else. Let the reading begin! :)

Do you generally read lots of mysteries and thrillers or are the one of the many genres you like?

I studied English literature in college, so there is a great deal that I enjoy reading. But right now I probably 90-95% of what I read is mystery. My book club is the one thing that pulls my head out of the mystery genre these days! I do not care much for most romance or sci-fi, though.

What are some of your favorite authors?

There are so many wonderfully talented writers in the mystery genre. Among the ones I have on my must-read list: Craig Johnson, Chris Grabenstein, Thomas Holland, Timothy Hallinan, Alafair Burke and James Lee Burke, Gregg Hurwitz, Kathy Reichs, Linda Fairstein, Rosemary Harris, Jane Cleland, Michael Koryta, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, and of course Robert Crais.

If you could make us all read one mystery or thriller for this read-a-thon, which one would it be and why?

That's a hard question. I think it would depend also on what people had not read. If everyone hadn't read L.A. REQUIEM by Robert Crais, then I would probably pick that one. I think Crais' unique use of point of view, which veered from the accepted P.I. standard, is magnificent. The depth of character in LAR is outstanding. I feel it is a monumental work in the P.I. subgenre of mystery. The other options I would definitely throw out would be Craig Johnson's THE COLD DISH. The characterization in this novel is unmatched in contemporary crime fiction. I truly believe that Johnson's writing will stand the test of time and be around and impacting readers long after we're all gone. My final choice would be Chris Grabenstein's TILT-A-WHIRL. His John Ceepak series is one of my absolute favorites. The relationship between Ceepak and his sidekick Danny Boyle is so rich that multiple readings are necessary to get the total effect.

Do you prefer series or stand alones?

Well, if you didn't catch on from my response above, I'm a complete character junkie, so I tend to favor series to be able to watch character development over time. Series that have no growth for their characters aren't ones I usually stick with. But, I do want to add that there are also fabulous stand alones out there that have great characterization. I just tend to like to make friends with the characters and have the opportunity to come back and visit them regularly.

O.k., so I've officially kicked it off. I will be starting my actual reading, reading tomorrow around 9:30ish, maybe 10. Check back with me often and see how things are going with THE WAY HOME.