MobileRead September 2011 Mobile Read Book Club Vote

[WT Sharpe]

Help us choose a book as the September 2011 eBook for the Mobile Read Book Club. The poll will be open for 5 days. We will start the discussion thread for this book on September 20th. Select from the following books.


Official choices each with three nominations:

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series #1) by Alexander McCall Smith [Hamlet53, sun surfer, Nyssa]
Inkmesh Search

Spoiler:

This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith's widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to "help people with problems in their lives." Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [John F, Hamlet53, VioletVal]
Inkmesh search| Mobi/PRC upload by djulian | Mobi/PRC / ePub included in the Complete Sherlock Holmes uploaded by HarryT

Spoiler:

From Amazon:

A Study in Scarlet is a popular Sherlock Holmes book written by author Arthur Conan Doyle. Being the first novel is the Holmes detective series by Doyle, A Study in Scarlet largely introduces the reader to the forthcoming series by Doyle. The story features the introduction of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson through mutual friends and a mystery revolving around a corpse found at a derelict house in Brixton, England. A Study in Scarlet is highly recommended for those who enjoy Sherlock Holmes detective novels and also individuals who enjoy the works of Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson [voodooblues, The Terminator, VioletVal]
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

From Amazon:
An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

The Chinese Maze Murders by Robert van Gulik (1st Judge Dee mystery by van Gulik) [issybird, anjirlly, lila55]
Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee was a translation from the Chinese. After translating it, van Gulik went on to write Chinese Maze Murders (the first book written by him with Judge Dee).
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

Condensed from the Wikipedia article:

The Chinese Maze Murders is a detective novel written by Robert van Gulik and set in Imperial China. It was based on three actual cases from Chinese criminal investigations. The three mysteries: "The Case of the Sealed Room", "The Case of the Hidden Testament", and "The Case of the Girl with the Severed Head" are all based on actual Chinese murder casebooks. The book contains a postscript by the author on the Chinese Imperial Justice system (something that Van Gulik was an expert on).

Judge Dee is the magistrate in the fictional border town of Lan-fang. He confronts three mysteries involving poisoned plums, a mysterious scroll picture, passionate love letters, a hidden murder, and a ruthless robber. These are all somehow linked to the Governor's garden maze.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins [arkietech, lila55, GA Russell]
Inkmesh search | ePub & illustrated ePub uploaded by AlexBell | Mobi/PRC uploaded by HarryT

Spoiler:

From HarryT's upload:
"The Moonstone", published in 1868, is widely regarded as the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels. T. S. Eliot called it "the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels". The story concerns the theft of a large Indian diamond; it contains a number of ideas which became common tropes of the genre: a large number of suspects, red herrings, a crime being investigated by talented amateurs who happen to be present when it is committed, and two police officers who exemplify respectively the "local bungler" and the skilled, professional, Scotland Yard detective. The story is told through a series of first person narratives by the various people involved - before, during, and after the theft.

Wilkie Collins was the master of what were called at the time "sensation novels" - the precursor to modern "thrillers". These were the books that had refined young Victorian ladies "swooning", and requiring frequent recourse to the "smelling salts" . This novel was famed for its vivid depiction of the effects of opium addiction (Collins himself was addicted to opium, and wrote from personal experience).

A fabulous story. Both a classic and fun to read - what more could you ask for?

The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer [JSWolf, voodooblues, WT Sharpe]
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

In six minutes, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming...

So says Wes Holloway, a once-cocky and ambitious presidential aide, about the day that changed his life forever. On that Fourth of July, Wes put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the presidential limousine. By the time the trip came to an end, Wes was permanently disfigured, and Boyle was dead, the victim of a crazed assassin.

Eight years later, Boyle is spotted, alive and well, in Malaysia. In that moment, Wes has the chance to undo the worst day of his life. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back to a decade old presidential crossword puzzle, mysterious facts buried in Masonic history, and a two-hundred-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson.

But what Wes doesn't realize is that The Book of Fate holds everyone's secrets. Especially the ones worth dying for. The Book of Fate. What does it say about you?

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie [The Terminator, VioletVal, voodooblues]
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

Subjects: Mystery, Fiction, General Fiction, Mysteries / Crime
Description: E-book exclusive extras: Christie biographer Charles Osborne's essay on Murder on the Orient Express; "The Poirots": the complete guide to all the cases of the great Belgian detective. Just after midnight, a snowstorm stops the Orient Express dead in its tracks in the middle of Yugoslavia. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for this time of year. But by morning there is one passenger … more »less. A 'respectable American gentleman' lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Hercule Poirot is also aboard, having arrived in the nick of time to claim a second-class compartment -- and the most astounding case of his illustrious career. Regarding chronology: Agatha Christie seems not much concerned in the course of her books with their relationship to each other. It is why the Marples and the Poirots may be ready in any order, really, with pleasure. However, the dedicated Poirotist may wish to note that the great detective is returning from 'A little affair in Syria' at the start of Murder on the Orient Express. It is a piece of business after this 'little affair' -- the investigation into the death of an archaeologist's wife -- that is the subject of Murder in Mesopotamia (1936). If one wishes to delay a tad longer the pleasures of Orient Express, Murder in Mesopotamia, available as a PerfectBound e-book, offers no better opportunity. Of note: Murder on the Orient Express is one of Agatha Christie's most famous novels, owing no doubt to a combination of its romantic setting and the ingeniousness of its plot; its non-exploitative reference to the sensational kidnapping and murder of the infant son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh only two years prior; and a popular 1974 film adaptation, starring Albert Finney as Poirot -- one of the few cinematic versions of a Christie work that met with the approval, however mild, of the author herself. (from Diesel eBook Store)

Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel Of The French Countryside by Martin Walker [lila55, sun surfer, Asawi]
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

Policing in Chief Bruno Courrèges's sun-dappled patch of Périgord involves protecting local fromages from E.U. hygiene inspectors, orchestrating village parades and enjoying the obligatory leisurely lunch—that is, until the brutal murder of an elderly Algerian immigrant instantly jolts Walker's second novel (after The Caves of Périgord) from provincial cozy to timely whodunit. As a high-powered team of investigators, including a criminally attractive female inspector, invade sleepy St. Denis to forestall any anti-Arab violence, the amiable Bruno must begin regarding his neighbors—or should we say potential suspects—in a rather different light. Without sacrificing a soupçon of the novel's smalltown charm or its characters' endearing quirkiness, Walker deftly drives his plot toward a dark place where old sins breed fresh heartbreak (amazon.com)

Ghost Story: A Novel of the Dresden Files (The Dresden Files, Book #13) by Jim Butcher [alansplace, jgaiser, JSWolf]
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

Description: The eagerly awaited new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series. When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin. But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the … more »Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own. To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic... Jim Butcher is a full-time writer who lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, son, and ferocious guard dog. (from Amazon.com)

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book #1) by Jim Butcher [alansplace, Nyssa, JSWolf]
Inkmesh search

Spoiler:

Description: My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk. I'm a wizard. I work out of an office in midtown Chicago. As far as I know, I'm the only openly practicing professional wizard in the country. You can find me in the yellow pages, under Wizards. Believe it or not, I'm the only one there.With rent past due and a decent meal becoming an issue of some importance, … more »Harry needs work, and soon. A call from a distraught wife, and another from Lt Murphy of the Chicago PD Special Investigation Unit makes Harry believe things are looking up, but they are about to get worse, much worse. Someone is harnessing immense supernatural forces to commit a series of grisly murders. Someone has violated the first law of magic: Thou Shalt Not Kill. Tracking that someone takes Harry into the dangerous underbelly of Chicago, from mobsters. (from Audible.com)

[pilotbob]

Well, I've read 3 of these so I voted for the book of fate. (Nice that I can vote rather than being the tie breaker).

I know this book will be awesome because Jon recommended it.

BOb

[din155]

Storm Front looks interesting and I vote for it. I can read the book of fate as well if it gets selected.

din

[HomeInMyShoes]

A genre I don't read very much, but I looked through the titles and reviews and voted. I thought Storm Front looked interesting, but I can't find any easy availability as it's unavailable to Canadians on Amazon.

[Asawi]

I have read several of these, but I want new experiences, so I voted for "Bruno..."

[Format C:]

Originally Posted by din155

Storm Front looks interesting and I vote for it. I can read the book of fate as well if it gets selected.

din

I've read Storm Front in june.
I'm now reading the 8th Dresden novel in a row: I guess I'm completely addicted, by now...



Still, I voted for it, because I'd like to discuss it here...

[AnneT]

I have downloaded - but not read yet - The Chinese Maze Murders, and was planning to read that for quite some time yet.
I have been searching for a ePub of Storm Front, but it seems difficult to obtain for my country...

So I voted for the Van Gulik book!

[JSWolf]

Before the voting gets too far along, I just want to make it clear that The Chinese Maze Murders is the SECOND in a series.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Before the voting gets too far along, I just want to make it clear that The Chinese Maze Murders is the NINTH in a series.

Jon, don't do this. The Chinese Maze Murders was the FIRST Judge Dee mystery written by Robert van Gulik. The wikipedia link I posted when I nominated this book made it clear, and here's the full list of Judge Dee mysteries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_..._Dee_mysteries

The Judge Dee chronology is different, but I (along with many) prefer to read books in the order they were written.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

Jon, don't do this. The Chinese Maze Murders was the FIRST Judge Dee mystery written by Robert van Gulik. The wikipedia link I posted when I nominated this book made it clear, and here's the full list of Judge Dee mysteries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_..._Dee_mysteries

The Judge Dee chronology is different, but I (along with many) prefer to read books in the order they were written.

Fantastic Fiction disagrees with the wiki.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/robert-van-gulik/

Series
Judge Dee
Dee Goong An (1949)
aka Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee
The Chinese Bell Murders (1958)
New Year's Eve in Lan-Fang (1958)
The Chinese Gold Murders (1959)
The Chinese Lake Murders (1960)
The Chinese Nail Murders (1961)
The Haunted Monastery (1961)
The Red Pavilion (1961)
The Chinese Maze Murders (1962)

And even if you go by the wiki, it's still not #1 as Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee was written first.

And from Amazon.com Publisher: Joseph; First Edition edition (1962) http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Maze-M...4028301&sr=8-1

So that puts the publish date as that which fits with Fantastic Fiction. So I'm thinking the wiki is incorrect.

I will admit to being incorrect if there is proof besides the wiki.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Fantastic Fiction disagrees with the wiki.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/robert-van-gulik/

Series
Judge Dee
Dee Goong An (1949)
aka Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee
The Chinese Bell Murders (1958)
New Year's Eve in Lan-Fang (1958)
The Chinese Gold Murders (1959)
The Chinese Lake Murders (1960)
The Chinese Nail Murders (1961)
The Haunted Monastery (1961)
The Red Pavilion (1961)
The Chinese Maze Murders (1962)

And even if you go by the wiki, it's still not #1 as Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee was written first.

Look at this link at fantasticfiction:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/...ze-murders.htm

It shows a hardback of Chinese Maze Murders published in 1956. So I think we can accept that date, m'kay?

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee was a translation from the Chinese. After translating it, van Gulik went on to write Chinese Maze Murders. If you'd read the links you post, instead of misrepresenting them in the interest of your own agenda, you'd know that.

To repeat: Chinese Maze Murders was the first Judge Dee mystery written by van Gulik. That's why the University of Chicago made it free when they published the series, to introduce people to them. A lot of people here picked it up when it was free.

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/bo...bo3628724.html

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

Look at this link at fantasticfiction:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/...ze-murders.htm

It shows a hardback of Chinese Maze Murders published in 1956. So I think we can accept that date, m'kay?

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee was a translation from the Chinese. After translating it, van Gulik went on to write Chinese Maze Murders. If you'd read the links you post, instead of misrepresenting them in the interest of your own agenda, you'd know that.

To repeat: Chinese Maze Murders was the first Judge Dee mystery written by van Gulik. That's why the University of Chicago made it free when they published the series, to introduce people to them. A lot of people here picked it up when it was free.

So you are agreeing that it's not the first book. Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee is the first as you say he wrote Chinese Maze Murders after that. So can we then agree that Chinese Maze Murders is #2?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So you are agreeing that it's not the first book. Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee is the first as you say he wrote Chinese Maze Murders after that. So can we then agree that Chinese Maze Murders is #2?

No, because there's a difference between a translation of someone else's work and an original work. Really, that's an obvious distinction and I don't know why you're struggling with it. I note you're abandoning your original position that Chinese Maze Murders wasn't published until 1962, however.

The facts really do speak for themselves in this instance.

[din155]

Originally Posted by Format C:

I've read Storm Front in june.
I'm now reading the 8th Dresden novel in a row: I guess I'm completely addicted, by now...



Still, I voted for it, because I'd like to discuss it here...

Its the second at this stage..
It seems interesting enough for a discussion even if it does not win.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

No, because there's a difference between a translation of someone else's work and an original work. Really, that's an obvious distinction and I don't know why you're struggling with it. I note you're abandoning your original position that Chinese Maze Murders wasn't published until 1962, however.

The facts really do speak for themselves in this instance.

Is Chinese Maze Murders a continuation from Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee is it the same Judge Dee? If so, it has to be #2 since even though Robert didn't write it, he continued from there.

My position was based on faulty information from Fantastic Fiction. But given what you've posted, it's not 9th but instead 2nd.