Viveca Sten Mysteries #2 Closed Circles

Let's keep the same thread going....



Guiltless June group read.
Sandhamn Murder Series Book #3



Closed Circles April group read.
Sandhamn Murder Series Book #2

Get your copies now!

Viveca Sten

I've put a hold on Closed Circles at my library for when it reopens so I probably won't get to this one in April.

I am using the Kindle app to get around that. My library has made more ebook loans available per month and this one had no wait time. Just a thought.

>4 Berly: I just don't do e-books, Kim. I've tried and I just lose interest. I haven't completed a whole book on my e-reader yet.

: ( Well, you can catch up with us when you can. I know you'll find something to read in the meantime. : )

Yeah, I think I might have a book or two around here. lol

I've already purchased it and will join in :)

Okay! Today is the first of the month and I am ready to dive in!!

OK, it is April and I am in.
I need a just a little time to finish the book I am currently reading.

I purchased it on Kindle for my Thingaversary on March 30. Evaluating what I need to read first (library books, ARCs needing review, etc.), but it's on my list.

It is quite quiet here - in the meantime I have read the book and I liked it better than the first one.
I have the feeling that the author and the people in the book have become better accustomed to each other.
The marriage problems of Nora and the problems with the house are written very nicely.
Thomas also has to carry his private burden.
I think that the combination of private problems and the murder investigations has worked out well.
The love affair of Martin Nyrén is described very nicely, even if you have an early idea who it is.
The murders and the suspects are written very well and excitingly.
Reference to the murderer: Is it a coincidence that in both books the murderer and the author have the same gender? - I am curious about the next volume.

I finished this one last night. Overall, I liked the first one better. I'm not sure how much of that is attributable to reading distraction in a time of pandemic and how much is just that sometimes the investigation took a back seat to other things so I didn't feel the mystery was gelling. Will make sure I can find #3 before June.

I, too, have a slight preference for the first book, but I am still looking forward to the character progression and another mystery.

I would not want to live in a house where a murder had taken place, let alone a murder committed by someone I treasured. In fact, while looking for our house in Oregon, I had a very nasty feeling about a house we looked at even though I LOVED the house. We visited with the neighbors next door only to find out that a murder/suicide had taken place there! By law, realtors here are not allowed to reveal this information.

But I would want the decision to be my own, and not one I was pushed into by my husband. Their relationship seems doomed.

I plan on reading book #3 in June. : )

I really enjoyed this one and found that, for me, it flowed a little better than the first.

I am wondering how many books she is going to drag out their marital drama, as I find it very annoying. He is such an ass and his parents are terrible. She clearly needs to leave him. I will find it very annoying to see their struggles continue through the whole series.

I have purchased the next book. I can't guarantee that I'll wait until June to read it. It depends on my amount of reading material and whether our library opens again soon :)

Does everyone want to wait until June or should be plow ahead in May? I could kinda use the lighter fare....

Tough question.
On the one hand, I am curious to see how things will continue, on the other hand I have so many books on the shelf waiting for me.
Anticipation is also nice, so I can wait until June.
But I have no problem with May.
I know that this statement does not necessarily answer your question ;-).

>16 Berly: I'm trying to juggle so many things right now. I can't guarantee being able to get to it in May. I've got several ARCs that I really need to finish because of expire dates (or so I don't have to download a 3rd time before expiration). I've also got other challenges.

Well, it's been two days and my May card has filled up a lot. Most of you seem to be in the same boat. Let's just stick with June. Chelle, if you can't wait, by all means plow ahead and comment later! Happy reading everyone.

>19 Berly: I can wait :) I am almost on vacation and can finally read all the books piling up on my ereader (I can't use it at work)

June read!! Book #3. Guiltless

I've got my copy!!

I ordered mine on Kindle when it was on sale one day, so mine is all set to go too!

It'll be June soon...
I'm in.

Yay! I hope her husband gets his act together or she makes her move...

I did not notice the thread for the second book was up until last week. Luckily, I was finishing up my previous read and picked up this book right away. I enjoyed this book and it was a fast read. I was a bit disappointed Nora turned down her job offer and is now dealing with the next round of her marriage issues. The investigation story line was interesting although I ended up figuring out who was the murdered quite early on. Looking forward to the June read. Is the new thread up yet? Don't want to miss it this time.

I've got my copy and will be reading it next week when I'm back at work

And the book is finished...
It was like visiting good old friends, I immediately felt comfortable reading.
Exciting with a lot of background - the private life of Thomas and Nora also makes progress.
A very fine book, only the cliffhanger at the end disturbs me a lot.
I may not be able to wait until July to read on...

>25 annushka: It seemed we barely made a dent in this thread, so we are going to discuss book #3 here, too. >1 Berly: >21 Berly:

Happy reading!!

>26 ChelleBearss: Awesome!! The book, not back to work. ; )

>27 SirThomas: Speedy guy, you. I will not be able to start for a bit. Cliffhanger, huh? Rats. That does make it hard to wait...

>28 Berly:: Thank you for letting me know! After finishing the second book I jumped into the third one right away and enjoyed it a lot. I particularly liked how Sten picked a different type of a crime and how the story shifts between two time periods. Looking forward to hear what others will share about the book. I'll stay quiet for now to avoid revealing any major spoilers.

>27 SirThomas: I know eh! What a way to end the book!

I think I loved this one best of the three. She has hit her stride and all the characters fit nicely in their categories of I love them or hate them. I only have 16 days to wait to pick up the next and satisfy my curiosity about that ending! I will try my best to wait but again I make no promises lol

So, I'm just starting the second one in the series, Closed Circles. I also have the third downloaded onto my Kindle app. (Both were 0.99 each).

I was surprised to find a summary of the first book (why Nora didn't want to live in the house) in the first few pages of the second book. Definitely not a series to read out of order, if the spoilers continue in the future books.

By the way...
Happy Birthday, Viveca Sten!

Is there a thread for Book #3 which I'm currently reading? Should we use the original thread that doesn't have a book number associated with it?

This thread is for books #2 and #3. Just use spoilers if you want to discuss a specific detail.

I loved the third book and can't wait for #4. : )

>34 Berly: Yes. The cliff hanger makes me want to read #4 too. Maybe I'll have time to read some of the books I checked out of the library next month. I'm really enjoying the series though.

Time for #4???

Viveca Sten's Tonight You're Dead.

I should be able to start middle of next week....!!

Yes!!
I took it to work yesterday with the intention of starting it but didn't crack the book open at all!
I should be able to start by this weekend at the latest :)

>36 Berly: I started reading it last night. Enjoying it so far.

I already finished the book in July an enjoyed it.
It was like coming home to the family...

Finished! Well, I have to say the relationships are not going where I had predicted, but it hasn't lessoned my enjoyment one bit. Still a big fan and ready for the next in the series. : )

I finished Tonight You're Dead last night. I will say that I didn't enjoy this installment quite as much as the previous one. Nora seemed so marginal that readers who have not read previous installments probably wonder why her thread is in the book at all.

Finished and loved it! Ordered the next one already!

#5 In the Heat of the Moment...October's read!!

Yay!
I'm in.

I'm behind - currently reading Tonight You're Dead. But I have The Heat of the Moment on my Kindle, too, :)

I just finished reading Closed Circles but I had already read Guiltless. My library released book 3 to me before book 2. I have book 4 home from the library as well so I should be caught up to you all soon, maybe even in time for book 5? We'll see how soon I can get that one from the library.

We did a practical class today learning how to convey character etc through the use of objects. We had to bring something that we had an emotional attachment to the session and use that in our writing. This was my object:



I had to shine it up for it to be presentable. It tarnishes very quickly but I still treasure it because I figured out what it was after doing family history research for many years.



The inscription on the back of the handle gives the clue as those TS initials stand for Thomas Strange and the number underneath, 53, is the year he was ordained in the Congregational Church, 1753.

>48 Familyhistorian: Wow! I'm impressed the spoon is still around and shines up so nicely!

>48 Familyhistorian: Blush, posted this to the wrong thread. I thought it was my own thread and that LT had somehow eaten my post.

>49 thornton37814: I have a feeling it might have been one of a set, Lori, but it is all that was left. It probably survived as it was one of those things stuck at the back of a drawer that never quite got thrown out. No one realized its significance until I researched far enough back in the family.

I just finished Tonight You're Dead so I've caught up!

Yay! So glad so many of us are still going here!

>48 Familyhistorian: I am perfectly fine that it posted here--how cool that you tracked down the history and the spoon looks all bright and shiny. : ) Gald you caught up and ready to go for October.

>51 Berly: Thanks Kim, the spoon wasn't shiny a few days ago, that took a lot of silver polish but I had to show what I was writing about so it had to be spiffed up.

I'm just waiting for my library hold on the next Viveca Sten to come in and I'll be all set.

Has anyone else finished In the Heat of the Moment? It was another good one but I'm wondering if things will ever go right with Nora's relationships.

I've just started it. I'm about 10% of the way through according to my Kindle,

I hate to say it, but the plots are beginning to blend together a bit. I'm not much good at reading series so close together.

I haven't started this month's installment yet. My Lord Peter for the month came in through the library. I'll read it first, and then the Viveca Sten. I'm hoping to finish both over the weekend or at least on Monday. I'll have some reading time in the hotel on Friday night. I might be able to read a little Saturday morning before my cousin's memorial service, but I won't be able to read that night when I have an 18 month old to entertain me. I should be able to read when I make it home Sunday afternoon or evening though.

>53 Familyhistorian: Seriously. I was surprised by the leap forward in both relationships at the beginning of the book, and I don't know where they will go . And the ending felt a bit sudden though it fits with the title In the Heat of the Moment. I am still hopeful and up for the next read in December! : )

Finished - it was again a reading pleasure with many interesting characters.

>56 Berly: The changes in relationship status are a way to show time passing, I guess. We'll have to see what has happened when we next tune in.

>54 streamsong: I saw a lot of plot repetition too. She changed things a bit, but there's too much of the same thing.

I thought this was a mediocre installment. Maybe a little higher than a 3.0 but not 3.5 quality, so I gave it 3.0.

Are we going to continue the series in 2021 as a group read? #7 In the Shadow of Power and #8 In the Name of Truth are already out. #9 In Bad Company comes out in English January 12. If we continued on the current schedule with reads in February, April, and June, we'd finish up in June. #10 Buried in Secret is set to release in English January 11, 2022.

This series is not earth-shattering, but I am still enjoying it very much and would love to continue on with all of you. So, shall we read #6 in December? : )

>61 Berly: I'd like to continue with the every other month (or maybe quarterly) through #9. I agree it's not the greatest series in the world, but it's an interesting setting, and I'd like to be caught up.

I have In Bad Company on preorder for January! I am caught up until then

This is the only book that my library does not have. But I found it in a used book store and ordered it - It should arrive soon.
I am in.

Okay then! December's Viveca Sten read is...

In Harm's Way (Sandhamn Murders #6)



I'll post a link to a new thread for 2021 later....

:)

Have we decided what our schedule is for 2021? Are we doing every other month, starting with February?

>65 Berly: I read that book when it came out. I don't think I realized it was part of a series, and I was critical of 107 chapters in 400 pages. I thought the arrangement was choppy. I'm kind of looking forward to seeing a couple of your reactions to it. Now that I've read the earlier books in the series, I may revisit it; however, it will be later in the month.

Finished.
The book fits the season, A Murder at Christmas.
The story is again well written and quite exciting. The private life of the two main characters has calmed down a bit, but does not come too short. Whereas Nora is now professionally for challenges.
Also the latent xenophobia in politics and society flows into the story.
The chapters are again very short (107 in 400 pages), which makes interruptions while reading easier - but you don't really want that ;-)

I thought the two storylines would intersect a bit more and I though the ending was abrupt on Nora's side. But I still enjoyed this one, too.

#7 is up next. Do we want to start in January or February? Every other month would be February, but I see ChelleBearss has it preordered for January....

>69 Berly: I need to re-read this month's installment. I read a couple years back, but I didn't have the backstory then. I'm hoping I'll like it a bit better. I criticized it for the short choppy chapters at that time.

I vote for February, April, etc. I'm really looking forward to the Medieval Theme in the HistoryCAT and will probably be an over-achiever there since we can use both fiction and non-fiction to fill it.

Also waiting until February would mean that only February has an overlap with the Lord Peter series for me since I'll finish the ones I intend to read by the end of March.

With a 2-month cycle, the fun lasts longer.
And books don't spoil. In addition, you can discover other worlds in the meantime. So I have no problem with February and April ...

I hesitate to post this here because it might reduce my chances of winning a copy, but if you are a GoodReads member, book #9 in the series is on the Giveaways.

Okay, we are going with February and then every other month. Yay! I will start a new thread later and then put the link here.

>72 thornton37814: That is very generous of you! (Lessening your odds.) : )

I read the wrong book for this month's entry. I googled the series order and found a list that left In Harm's Way out of the mix. I then ended up with both books home from the library and thought I was reading the right one but read In the Shadow of Power instead.

New thread is up!!
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328895

Book #7 In the Shadow of Power--get your copy!!