Top 100 Mystery Novels Haul

While I "dedicated" August to tackling some of the books featured in the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time list, it is now September and probably time to move on. Part of me wants to push forward in September with the list. And part of me has been craving for something far removed from mystery novels altogether (my Mercedes Lackey fantasy books seem to be calling me from afar). 

Whatever I decide to do, I remain vigilant in collecting some of the future reads presented on this list–throughout the month of August. So, here are some of the books I found throughout the month in preparation for my next excursion in tackling the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time list. And I must reiterate how HARD it is to find many of these books, short of ordering them online. However, these books I found at various thrift stores, used bookstores, friends of the library sales, and so forth. So, per the picture, the books I managed to acquire are…

#38: Donald E. Westlake – The Hot Rock. This is the next book on my list after reading Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White. I almost feel the need to jump right into this book. Anyway, I must thank a lady who worked at 2nd & Charles who looked through her inventory and found this book for me, considering my blind ass didn’t see it on the shelves when I looked.

#42: John Grisham – The Firm. Found this at a Friends of the Library sale. It’s a book club hardcover edition but features the original cover. While not exactly a hard book to find, the ONE copy in my actual library system always seemed to be checked out.

#66: Rex Stout – The Doorbell Rang. I’ve never read Stout before, but I do have the first two books in his Nero Wolfe series unread on my shelf. The Doorbell Rang is number 41 in the series. That’s a large leap. I’m having some PTSD from trying to read within the middle of John Le’Carre’s George Smiley series. I’m praying–should I honor the Top 100 Mystery Novels list over my better reading order judgement–that my first impress of Nero Wolfe through The Doorbell Rang won’t be my last.

#87 John D. MacDonald – The Dreadful Yellow Sky. Number 16 in his Travis McGee series. Never read Travis. Never read the author. I am slightly afraid to jump this deep into the series pool. But it’s only a book… right?

#89 Ruth Rendell – Judgement in Stone. This will be my second Rendell read after the first book in her Chief Inspect Wexford series, From Doon with Death. That aside, Judgement in Stone is a stand-alone novel. So, thankfully, there’s THAT bit of good news.

Welp. Here we are. Hopeful and ready to go. As I write this, it appears we’re due some rain. I hear a coffee shop and more reading of The Woman in White. My pre-order of J. D. Robb's Payback in Death will be in Wednesday. And we all know I drop everything for an Eve Dallas case. So, time to get to reading!

COME TO ME, BOOKS! COME TO MEEEEEEE!