FREE/BARGAIN — Mystery, Suspense & Thrillers

[elaysee]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Several of Mary Stewart's adventure/mystery stories are available at Amazon UK for £0.99 at the moment.

Link to author's page of Kindle books sorted by price

I've read her Arthurian series, but not anything else. Does anyone recommend any of the £0.99 books in particular?

I've read The Ivy Tree at least twice.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Several of Mary Stewart's adventure/mystery stories are available at Amazon UK for £0.99 at the moment.

Link to author's page of Kindle books sorted by price

I've read her Arthurian series, but not anything else. Does anyone recommend any of the £0.99 books in particular?

Nine Coaches Waiting is considered a classic of the genre. My particular favorite is Airs Above the Ground, which features a Lippizaner stallion and a traveling circus. I also love The Ivy Tree and This Rough Magic. And The Moon-spinners. Heck, I love all of them!'

ETA: I just looked at the Amazon page--those covers are awful!

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Nine Coaches Waiting is considered a classic of the genre. My particular favorite is Airs Above the Ground, which features a Lippizaner stallion and a traveling circus. I also love The Ivy Tree and This Rough Magic. And The Moon-spinners. Heck, I love all of them!'

ETA: I just looked at the Amazon page--those covers are awful!

Yes, I do particularly remember those titles (except I missed "Ivy Tree" ... read all the others for sure). I read them in high school, I think. (Err, early 70's)

[sufue]

I love all of them too...

A couple of my favorites that haven't been mentioned yet are Madam, Will You Talk? (my favorite among favorites) and My Brother Michael. I also echo the recommendation for This Rough Magic and The Moon-spinners. For me many of Stewart's titles are keepers that get re-read.

Originally Posted by Catlady

Nine Coaches Waiting is considered a classic of the genre. My particular favorite is Airs Above the Ground, which features a Lippizaner stallion and a traveling circus. I also love The Ivy Tree and This Rough Magic. And The Moon-spinners. Heck, I love all of them!'

ETA: I just looked at the Amazon page--those covers are awful!

[sufue]

Spotted it earlier this time

On US Kindle Countdown again, this time for about 5 more days at $0.99:

Originally Posted by sufue

The Long Divorce (APA: A Noose for Her) is the 8th in the Gervase Fen series by Edmund Crispin. It is a US Kindle Countdown deal at $0.99 for about one more day.

link: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Divorce-...dp/B00KGF0CDO/

[sufue]

A couple of price drops on early Knights Templar titles by Michael Jecks (pub, in the US at least, by HarperCollins), which don't usually drop much in price. These have dropped to $3.99 at Kindle and Kobo US, which is about the most I'll ever pay for backlist, and since I already have these in DTB, I'm probably not going to pull the trigger, although I'm still thinking about it.

A Moorland Hanging, #3
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Moorland-Hang...dp/B000VYX90S/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-moorland-hanging

Spoiler:

The Knights Templar
They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until stories spread by an avaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.

There was one knight, however, who escaped the stake, vowing justice as he watched his innocent brothers die.

A Dark Justice
Cold-blooded murder has transformed Simon Puttock's official obligation into something horrid -- and he will need the able assistance of his friend, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, to draw a criminal out. A former Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin knows much of duty and servitude -- and of evil freely indulged in the name of godliness or greed. Now justice must be served,even if their search exposes extortion, foul corruption,rule by fear…and killers willing -- even eager -- to shed more blood.

The Crediton Killings, #4
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Crediton-Kill...dp/B000JMKT7I/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-crediton-killings

Spoiler:

The Knights Templar

They were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land—until an avaricious king who wanted their wealth savagely destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his innocent murdered brothers.

An Ill Wind

The arrival of the eminent Bishop of Exeter to the small Devonshire town of Crediton—coupled with the unwanted appearance of a particularly unsavory band of mercenary soldiers—has made life exceedingly difficult for Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, and ex-Knight Templar Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace. But it is the grim discovery of the body of a young girl hidden in a chest that unleashes a village-wide plague of fear and suspicion. Stemming the chaos may be beyond the powers of two dedicated upholders of the law. For the Crediton killings have only just begun—and each murder to follow threatens to be more heinous and baffling than the one before.

Also a bunch of later titles in this series (#'s 14-28, different publishers) are still at $0.99 from a while back. See this post from ATDrake for details and links.

[sufue]

Baptism for the Dead is the first in the Moroni Traveler series by Robert (R.R.) Irvine. I've read and quite enjoyed the Nicolette Scott series that Irvine co-wrote with his wife under the pen name Val Davis, but have only read a couple of the Moroni Traveler series, a very long time ago, in DTB, and can't remember much more than general "OK-ness". Baptism has dropped to $2.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (couponable/VIPable).

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Baptism-Dead-...dp/B072ML222Y/
Kobo US (use care - there are two listings, the other is much more expensive than this one): https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/baptism-for-the-dead-5

Spoiler:

Moroni Traveler finds it a blessing and a curse to be named for the angel that graces the top of the temple looming over Brigham Young’s city. The ex–football star–turned–private detective has returned to Salt Lake City, a town he once called home.

During a spring blizzard, Moroni meets Penny Varney, the ungodly daughter of a powerful high churchman. She retains him to find her mother—whom she fears is dead. His boyhood friend, Willis Tanner, also solicits his services on the same day. Moroni can’t believe his luck, but there’s a catch: Willis is acting for the church and wants Moroni to keep an eye on Penny. Moroni is soon on the trail of a far-out religious sect whose self-appointed savior calls for sanctified murder. Moroni must act fast to close the case and discover the truth. The next victim could be him.

[sufue]

The Pot Thief Mysteries Volume One is an omnibus of the first three titles in the Pot Thief series by J. Michael Orenduff. It is $2.99 at Kindle US. I've read and quite enjoyed all the titles in this series. Titles in the omnibus include:

• The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras
• The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy
• The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein

link: https://www.amazon.com/Pot-Thief-Mys...dp/B072542KKF/

Spoiler:

An Albuquerque pottery dealer looking for artifacts finds murder and intrigue in this “smartly funny” series (Anne Hillerman, author of Spider Woman’s Daughter).

A dealer in ancient Native American pottery, Hubert Schuze has spent years searching the public lands of New Mexico for artwork that would otherwise remain buried. According to the US government, he’s a thief, but Hubie knows the real crime would be to allow age-old traditions to die. He honors prehistoric craftspeople by resurrecting their handiwork, and nothing—not even foul play—will stop him in these three installments of the Lefty Award–winning mystery series.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras: Hubie accepts a $25,000 offer to lift a rare pot from a local museum but changes his mind when he discovers how tightly the exhibit is being guarded. When the pot goes missing anyway, Hubie’s sent on the hunt for the real thief—and on the run from a killer.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy: Hubie goes on a mission to recover stolen relics from a high-rise apartment building. Unfortunately, his perfect plan falls apart when he’s arrested for murder. That’s what happens when you get caught with blood on your hands and a dead body in the room. Now, Hubie must stay one step ahead of the law as he pursues a beautiful mystery woman in this fast-paced thriller that “hook[s] the reader from the get-go” (Albuquerque Journal).

The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein: After Hubie appraises a collection of Anasazi pots for an eccentric, reclusive collector, his $2,500 payment disappears. He suspects the man ripped him off, but soon stumbles into a bigger crime when the collector is murdered. Determined not to end up in handcuffs, Hubie sets out to solve the mystery—and finds himself pulled deeper and deeper into the dead man’s shadowy, dangerous life.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I seem to remember liking Nine Coaches Waiting, but it was a long time ago.

Originally Posted by elaysee

I've read The Ivy Tree at least twice.

Originally Posted by Catlady

Nine Coaches Waiting is considered a classic of the genre. My particular favorite is Airs Above the Ground, which features a Lippizaner stallion and a traveling circus. I also love The Ivy Tree and This Rough Magic. And The Moon-spinners. Heck, I love all of them!'

ETA: I just looked at the Amazon page--those covers are awful!

Originally Posted by sufue

I love all of them too...

A couple of my favorites that haven't been mentioned yet are Madam, Will You Talk? (my favorite among favorites) and My Brother Michael. I also echo the recommendation for This Rough Magic and The Moon-spinners. For me many of Stewart's titles are keepers that get re-read.

No love for Wildfire at Midnight? That was a particular favorite; I liked that it was set in real time. I also liked The Gabriel Hounds. Those two, along with the aforementioned Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree were my best-loved.

[badgoodDeb]

I remember the title "Wildfire at Midnight", now that you mention it!

[sufue]

And now The Devil's Novice, from the same series, is $1.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (couponable/VIPable).

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Novice...dp/B00LUZNVYQ/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-devil-s-novice-2

Spoiler:

When a troubled novice is blamed for the disappearance of a priest, Brother Cadfael seeks to save his soul—and his life

Outside the pale of the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, in September of 1140, a priestly emissary for King Stephen has been reported missing. But inside the pale, what troubles Brother Cadfael is a proud, secretive nineteen-year-old novice.

Brother Cadfael has never seen two men more estranged than the Lord of Aspley and Meriet, the son he coldly delivers to the abbey to begin a religious vocation. Meriet, meek by day, is so racked by dreams at night that his howls earn him the nickname “the Devil’s Novice.” Shunned and feared, Meriet is soon linked to the missing priestly emissary’s dreadful fate. Only Brother Cadfael believes in Meriet’s innocence, and only the good sleuth can uncover the truth before a boy’s pure passion, not evil intent, leads a novice to the noose.

Originally Posted by Demingy

The Heretic's Apprentice, from the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters is 0.99 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUZNZ42?tag=eriq-pwe-20)

[sufue]

Much Ado in Maggody is the third title in the Maggody series by Joan Hess. It has dropped to $0.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (coupon/VIPable).

Info in this previous post: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh....php?p=3402908

[sufue]

Two mysteries by Patricia Wentworth have dropped to $0.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (coupon/VIPable).

Down Under, which the blurb lists as the fourth in Benbow Smith series, but which SYKM lists as non-series
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Down-Under-Be...dp/B01BXW8G7W/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/down-under-15

Spoiler:

Foreign Office agent Benbow Smith investigates the disappearance of a bride-to-be—the latest in a series of bizarre abductions—in this thriller from the author of the Miss Silver Mysteries

Rose Anne Carew is to be married tomorrow. During a last-minute discussion of floral wreathes, a stranger calls, refusing to leave a message for the bride. A few hours later, at half-past six, Rose Anne leaves the vicarage to visit her former nurse’s sick child. It’s the last anyone sees of her.

A week after his fiancée vanishes, Capt. Oliver Loddon enlists the help of government operative Benbow Smith to find her. To Loddon’s shock, Smith believes Rose Anne’s disappearance is connected to a notorious defendant’s escape from custody a decade earlier. Several other women have gone missing in the past few years, and Smith is certain they were abducted. But he doesn’t have enough concrete evidence to convince the police. With little to go on and no idea whether the woman he loves is alive or dead, Captain Loddon risks his own life in a case that hangs on a madman’s monstrous scheme.

Down Under is the 4th book in the Benbow Smith Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

The Silent Pool, 24th in the Miss Silver series per the blurb, or 25th per SYKM
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Pool-M...dp/B00AG8HJ8W/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-silent-pool

Spoiler:

An actress who fears her life is threatened comes to Miss Silver for help

Mrs. Smith is not the first woman who has come to Maud Silver, the genteel private detective, claiming that someone is trying to kill her. She tells a story of attempted poisoning, a shove down a flight of stairs, and a house full of relatives who might want to push her out of the way. Miss Silver is intrigued, not least because this is not Mrs. Smith. Despite her attempt at a disguise, the detective recognizes the woman as Adriana Ford, the grand dame of the London stage. Mrs. Smith was a ruse; the attempts on her life are quite real.

There is soon a body at Adriana’s country estate, but it is not the actress who has been killed. Fully interested, Miss Silver travels to the house, where she learns that the actress is not the only one who tells lies.

[sufue]

The Corpse in Oozak's Pond , the 6th in the Peter Shandy series by Charlotte MacLeod, was on sale not too long ago for $1.99. It has now dropped to $0.99 at Kindle and Kobo US (VIP/couponable), so if you didn't buy then, maybe you'll buy now.

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/Corpse-Oozaks...dp/B009S33K70/
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the...n-oozak-s-pond

Spoiler:

[sufue]

An Ideal Crime is a non-series title by Roderic Jeffries. It is a US Kindle Countdown deal at $0.99 for about 5 1/2 more days.

link: https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Crime-R...dp/B01JSH8W00/

Spoiler:

Jim Thorpe is striving for an ordinary life…

Studying law during the day and working nights at the local Vault.

Even pursuing a romance with the daughter of his boss.

But all of that changes on one fateful night.

A night that he switched shifts to attend dinner with his girlfriend.

The vault is robbed, and the night watchman murdered.

All evidence is suggesting that Jim was behind the heist, and he is quickly learning that his local police force believe in ‘guilty until proven innocent’.

His co-workers no longer trust him. His girlfriend won’t return his calls.

Can he convince the police of his innocence before his whole life is ruined?

Taking matters into his own hands, he begins looking for the perpetrators.

Uncovering some disturbing truths along the way, he soon finds himself travelling across Europe, determined to clear his name.

Everything points to a mysterious letter, assumed to have been taken in the robbery.

What does it contain that is worth killing for?

Who has it? And what lengths will the villains go to obtain it?

Will Jim make it home alive in order to inform the police of his discoveries or will they remain a secret forever?

An Ideal Crime is a gripping thriller written by a true master of the genre. The ingenious plot twists ensure the villain remains anonymous until the very end.