How To Read Me - A reading guide to comics and books

From the author of Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series. Soon a TV series on ITV.

Who is Karen Pirie?

Karen Pirie is just one of crime writer Val McDermid iconic characters, with Tony Hall/Carol Jordan, Kate Brannigan and Lindsay Gordon.

Karen Pirie is a young Scottish detective who is promoted to Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit and her career in this department begin with reopening the investigation into the murder of a teenage barmaid that has been the subject of a provocative true crime podcast.

A Poppy McAllister Mystery Series Books in Order: How to read Libby Klein’s series?

By Carole

On October 22, 2020

In Reading Guide

A recipe for murder.

Who is Poppy McAllister?

Written by author Libby Klein, the Poppy McAllister Mystery Series follows the newly widowed Poppy McAllister, a forty-something woman who moved back to her hometown of Cape May after the death of her husband.

Between transforming her aunt’s Victorian house in a bed and breakfast, dealing with her ex mother-in-law, and making gluten-free recipes, Poppy also do a lot of super sleething and resolve some murders.

Poppy McAllister Books in Order:

Class Reunions Are Murder – There’s no way on earth Poppy is attending her twenty-five-year class reunion. At least, not until Poppy’s best friend practically drags her to the event. Poppy vows to leave Cape May with pride and Spanx intact. Too bad Barbie is still the queen of mean at the reunion. And worse, that her dead body is lying right in front of Poppy’s old locker. Singled out as the killer, it’s up to Poppy to confront her past and clear her name.
Midnight Snacks are Murder – When a local humanitarian who worked with troubled teens is found murdered, the police suspect Aunt Ginny.Other than a bad case of sleepwalking and some mild knickknack kleptomania, Aunt Ginny is harmless. Someone’s trying to frame her. Poppy will need to work tirelessly to uncover the killer and put the case to rest.
Restaurant Weeks Are Murder – working in a professional kitchen has always been Poppy McAllister‘s dream. Now it’s coming true, at least briefly, as she teams up with her former fiancée, Tim–and his partner, Gigi–during the high-profile Restaurant Week challenge. When one of the judges died after taking a bite of Poppy’s cannoli—it’s making her the chef suspect.

Theater Nights Are Murder – A Senior Center stage of Mamma Mia is lated to open February 13th, and the production seems to be cursed–with stolen props, sabotage, and even a death threat. But when a cast member plunges to his death from a catwalk, it soon becomes clear a murderer is waiting in the wings. Now Polly, Aunt Ginny, and a supporting cast must take center stage to catch the killer.
Wine Tastings Are Murder – Poppy and Aunt Ginny agreed to host a Wine and Cheese Happy Hour for a tour group at their Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast on the Jersey Shore. Soon, grumpy guest Vince Baker drops dead. Turns out he’s been poisoned, and it seems like everybody on the tour is hiding something. Now Poppy has to put her gluten-free baking on the back burner and bottle up her feelings for the two men in her life while she charges after a bitter killer with a lethal case of sour grapes.

Tom Clancy’s Net Force Books in Order: How to read Steve Perry’s Series?

By Fabien

On October 20, 2020

In Reading Guide

Another Tom Clancy series.

What is Tom Clancy’s Net Force series about?

Created by authors Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik, Tom Clancy’s Net Force is a spy novel series written by Steve Perry (with later volumes co-authored by Larry Segriff).

The story takes place in the 2010s (but written a decade earlier), in a world where computers are considered as new superpowers. In response to continuous menaces from dark powers wanted to control these superpowers, Congress forms the ultimate computer security agency within the FBI: the Net Force.

John Grisham Books in Order (The Rooster Bar, Camino Island, Sycamore Row, The Firm…)

By Carole

On October 19, 2020

In Reading Guide

All of the books!

Who is John Grisham?

Born in February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, John Grisham as a child dreamed of being a professional baseball player. He didn’t happen, obvisoulsy. Best known for his popular legal thrillers, Grisham is is an American novelist, attorney, politician, and activist. He is also one of only three authors to sell two million copies on a first printing, the other two being Tom Clancy and J. K. Rowling.

There are currently over 300 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into 40 languages. A few of his books have been turned into films and TV Show (The Firm, The Client, A time to Kill…)

Uglies/Impostors Books in Order: How to read Scott Westerfeld’s series?

By Carole

On October 16, 2020

In Reading Guide

Everyone is made pretty.

What is Uglies about?

Written by American author Scott Westerfeld, Uglies is a young adult science-fiction series set in a future post scarcity dystopian world in which everyone is considered an “ugly,” but then turned “Pretty” by extreme cosmetic surgery when they reach the age of 16. The story follows Tally Youngblood, a woman who rebels against society’s enforced conformity, after her friends David show her the downsides to becoming a “Pretty.”

Conceived originally as a trilogy, the Uglies series became a tetralogy and have been extended thanks to two mangas and more recently a spin-off series called Impostors.

Frontlines Books in Order: How to read Marko Kloos’s Series?

By Fabien

On October 15, 2020

In Reading Guide

Some military sci-fi, like The Old Man’s War series.

What is the Frontlines series about?

The Frontlines is a military science fiction series written by German author Marko Kloosn (also known for The Palladium Wars series).

Taking place at the beginning of the 22nd century, the story mainly resolves around American Defense Corps officer Andrew Grayson who’s taking part in a war between a Western and an Eastern power bloc, but also against an alien threat.

Van der Valk Books in Order: How to read Nicolas Freeling’s series?

By Carole

On October 13, 2020

In Reading Guide

Now a new series on ITV.

Who is Van der Valk?

Created by british crime novelist Nicolas Freeling, Commissaris Simon “Piet” Van der Valk is a police inspector and his wife, Arlette Van der Valk, a gourmet cook, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Van der Valk is a cynical cop who resolves crime about drugs, sex and murder in the enigmatic city of Amsterdam using human observation and detection. He works with his naïve assistant, Inspecteur Johnny Kroon, and answer to his superior, Hoofd-commissaris Samson, who deals with the political fallout of the cases.

Nathan Heller Books in Order: How to Read Max Allan Collins’s series?

By Fabien

On October 12, 2020

In Reading Guide

By the writer of the Quarry series.

Who is Nathan Heller?

Published since 1983, the Nathan Heller series is a historical crime series written by American author Max Allan Collins published since 1982.

The story follows Nathan Heller, a Chicago private investigator (also known as the private eye to the stars) from the 1930s to the 1950s who often get involved in famous crimes. During his investigations, he happened to meet famous people, from Frank Nitti to Amelia Earhart, but also The Kennedys and even Orson Welles.

Sean Stranahan Books in Order: How to read Keith McCafferty’s series?

By Fabien

On October 9, 2020

In Reading Guide

In the vein of Joe Pickett and Walt Longmire.

Who is Sean Stranahan?

Written by journalist and author Keith McCafferty, the Sean Stranahan series is a mystery series taking us in Montana for some fishing with a side of murder in the snow.

The story resolve around painter, fly fisherman, and sometimes private detective Sean Stranahan as he works with Hyalite County sheriff Martha Ettinger to investigate crimes.

Robert Hunter Books in Order: How to read Chris Carter’s series?

By Carole

On October 8, 2020

In Reading Guide

There is no alien, just murder.

Who is Robert Hunter?

Robert Hunter novels form a series of psychological thriller and crime novels written by Brazilian author Chris Carter.

Robert Hunter is a Criminal Behavior Psychologist turned Detective for the Homicide Special Section of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division.