Covid.

On By Rhys FordIn Rhys Ford

Yep. Somehow I got covid. Don’t know how. I don’t think I even came into contact with anyone even long enough to see nostril hairs but yes, covid’s been nice to deal with in the worst kind of way. It’s lingered and I can tell you that it’s the devil.

On the other hand, I fired up my Word application and started to hack at the book I started working on during the last plague and surgeries.

So that’s actually going to be a process. And let’s see how that turns out, shall we?

Also, I need to get the thug cat, Goji, to stop screaming at me whenever she hears someone talking through my phone. Or laptop. I have no idea why she feels she needs to participate or actually what she wants but she is very vocal.

She’s an odd cat.

I have a question for all of you… what detective series do you all like? I’m cycling out of urban fantasy and back into mysteries but it’s dire out there for who-dun-its. Any recommendations?

And the thug I mentioned…

47 thoughts on “Covid.”

  1. Jane's avatar Jane

    I would love for you to finish the Kai Gracen series. If that’s not possible, just start a new detective series with all new characters.

    1. I was actually looking for recommendations for books to read. But thank you for your feedback

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

  2. lea's avatar lea

    hmmm, i have lots of mysteries to recommend, but very few have actual detectives in them. nevertheless here are my current favorite mystery series:
    The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
    Quest Investigations Series by EJ Russell (queer paranormal)
    Veronica Speedwell Mysteries by Deanna Rayburn (historical)
    Manners and Monsters series by Tilly Wallace (historical and paranormal)
    The Glass Library Series by C. J. Archer (historical and magic)
    Countess of Harleigh Mysteries by Dianne Freeman (historical)

    i only read the first in this series but found it interesting: Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen. It’s historical and has a queer detective that’s been kicked out of the force and is doing some work on his own.

    Not all of the above include dead bodies, but most are cozy mysteries of some sort. Some include romance, some include explicit content, but all have the mystery as first and foremost.

    hope that’s at least somewhat helpful.

    1. I’ve read a few of those but there are a couple that I haven’t so I will chase those down

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

    1. I’m looking a lot for books cuz I need to get back into reading before I go to bed. I need to get less screen time. I think I’ve noticed that

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

  5. monet5280's avatar monet5280

    I recommend Snow & Winter Series and Memento Mori Series by C.S. Poe

    Fish Out of Water Series by Amy Lane

    Out of Sight by K.C. Wells

    1. I have read pretty much everything that’s in the MM genre for mystery mostly because we all know each other and we read each other’s things quite a lot. But I am always on the lookout for a new Authors that I have not read!

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

      1. monet5280's avatar monet5280

        My favorite non mm mystery books are Catherine Coulters FBI series and JD Robb’s In Death Series and Sharon Penman Justin de Quincy series which are Medieval mysteries.

  6. savethefreebutt's avatar savethefreebutt

    Hi Rhys, firstly I hope you feel better soon. I would absolutely love a new book in the Murder and mayhem series, I love all your work but have a really soft spot for Rook and Dante. Having said that the decision and the muse is yours.😁please look after yourself, Covid is indeed no fun! Sending you hugs and positive energy from the UK.
    Tina x
    Sent from my iPhone

  7. El's avatar El

    Hi Rhys,

    Hope you’ll get well soon! Time must conspire with the fates, they’ll have the same sense of humor:) when you’re having fun, time flies but when you’re I’ll enen one hour can feel like days 🙂

    Have you ever read the Judge Dee series from Robert van Gulik?

    https://www.amazon.com/s?k=robert+van+gulik+judge+dee+ mysteries&crid=INZMDVFD8KM6&sprefix=gullik+judge+%2Caps% 2C250&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_12

    It’s set in ancient China and Robert really did his homework to make the stories authentic. The stories are loosely based on ancient Chinese law cases (parallel cases under the pear tree) and a Di Renjie https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Di_Renjie, county magistrate https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_magistrate_(China) and statesman from the Tang dynasty. The Judge is both detective and judge. I love his writing style. The stories are original and they’ll give you an amazing insight in life during the Tang dynasty.

    Take care and I hope you’ll recover soon and feel like writing again. Your an amazing author and I look forward your next story.

    Love El

  8. Patricia Cooke's avatar Patricia Cooke

    Hi Rhys sorry about the covid situation, I know it’s a horrible disease and seems to be on the rise again. In the UK we have Norovirus going around as well as bad flu cases. I hope you feel better soon. Really happy you’re feeling motivated to get into the writing again, so missing new books by you. As to whodunnits I enjoyed the Holmes/Moriarty books by Josh Lanyon if you want to take a look at them. I don’t know about you but with all the gloomy news at the moment I’m only too happy to lose myself in good books at the moment to escape it all.

    Take care and I hope things improve for you soon.

    Trish x

    1. I have read quite a few of the mystery series within the mm genre and I enjoy most of them. And yes it’s really weird how everybody seems to be getting sick from one thing or another and I hope you stay safe!

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

  9. Valerie Barden's avatar Valerie Barden

    McGinnis and Stevens are mysteries I will always buy and read, along withoffshoots.. Feel better and anxious for anything you write. Just finished rereading all McGinnis and Stevens books. Moving on to Giah Stick Fridays again.

  10. I’ve been reading Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout. First created in 1934 so they can be a bit misogynistic in places. But the stories are a fun read.

    There’s also the Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood, set in Australia in late 1920’s

  11. marybronstein0508's avatar marybronstein0508

    Detective series I like that have been published fairly recently are The Boystown, Dom Reilly, and Pinx Video series’ by Marshall Thornton; anything by Gregory Ashe; CS Poe; your Cole McGinnis books; similar books like that I enjoy. Older books I grew up with are Agatha Christie, Ed McBain, the Travis McGee series, etc. Pretty much any series that isn’t super gory, doesn’t involve some kind of psycho serial killer (exceptions for GA), or completely ridiculous characters.

    i hope you feel better very soon!

  13. Kristy l. mardis's avatar Kristy l. mardis

    I’ve really enjoyed the Dana Stabenow series set in ancient Egypt…Eye of Isis. Good mystery with a strong female lead and I’m learning about a historical period I don’t have a lot of prior knowledge about.

  14. monet5280's avatar monet5280

    I recommend Snow & Winter Series and Memento Mori Series by C.S. Poe

    Fish Out of Water Series by Amy Lane

    Out of Sight by K.C. Wells

  15. monet5280's avatar monet5280

    I recommend Snow & Winter Series and Memento Mori Series by C.S. Poe

    Fish Out of Water Series by Amy Lane

    Out of Sight by K.C. Wells

  16. sticekatherinem88's avatar sticekatherinem88

    I sent a message but don’t see it here. Sorry you’re feeling lousy. What kinds of mysteries? Police procedurals? Psycho suspense? Cozy British? Female or male protagonist? I read mysteries most of my adult life, so can recommend many (except psycho — scaredy cat here), so let me know what you like.

  17. sticekatherinem88's avatar sticekatherinem88

    I sent a message but don’t see it here. Sorry you’re feeling lousy. What kinds of mysteries? Police procedurals? Psycho suspense? Cozy British? Female or male protagonist? I read mysteries most of my adult life, so can recommend many (except psycho — scaredy cat here), so let me know what you like.

    1. I too have read quite a few mysteries. I usually tend towards private investigators or Detective novels. Cozies are okay but they tend to bore me sometimes. Sometimes I like historicals like the 30s or 40s and I’ve done alternative universes that are sort of set in that era-ish. I would have to go look at a big huge list because I’ve read everything from JD Robb to the pot Thief series to Stuart Hogue series and of course Brandsetter. I go through waves of finding things that are alone the same kind of vein like southwestern sometimes or British. It all just depends upon my mood

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

      1. sticekatherinem88's avatar sticekatherinem88

        Okay, here goes. If I reach a word limit, will continue in another comment. Authors with * are my very favs — ones I have in print in my small library

        Period Mysteries:

        *Laurie R. King – the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series – turn of the (last) century. She also writes some contemporary mystery series

        *Ovidia Yu – Su Lin series (1930s Singapore)other series as well

        *Martha Grimes – Richard Jury Mysteries series (a bit more contemporary, but older series, England)Emma Graham series (contemporary — well, 20 years ago)

        *James Melville – only available in paperback — maybe check a local used book shop?the Superintendent Otani Mystery series — set in maybe 1950s/60s/70s Japan

        Jacqueline Winspear – Maisie Dobbs series (set in England between World War I and II)

        *Stuart Kaminsky – could only shed tears when this author of four (FOUR!) series I love died in 2009!Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov Mystery series – Cold War through Russian “liberation”Toby Peters Mysteries series — 1940s L.A./Hollywood – more humorous but goodAbe Lieberman Mysteries — starts maybe 1960s-70s, Chicago Jewish copLew Fonesca series — more contemporary, depressed, bitter widower living in Sarasota, Florida, working as a PI

        Contemporary-ish:

        *Donna Leon – Commissario Brunetti series — set in Venice, Italy – so good!

        Christopher Fowler – The Peculiar Crimes Unit series — modern day London with a lot of history, some magic

        Inger Ash Wolfe – The Calling (Hazel Micallef series) — rural Ontario, Canada (serious Fargo vibes)

        G.M. Ford – Frank Corso series – set in Seattle (Red Tide #4 was seriously a little too real!)Leo Waterman series – a little bit lighter but definitely good who-dun-its

        Elizabeth George – Inspector Lynley series — British, long running, at least 20 books!, can be a little heavy

        Tony Hillerman – Classic contemporary mysteries solved by Navajo police force. Later continued by his daughter.

        Vaseem Khan – A Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series. Okay, maybe too cute, but… really smart baby elephant!!! Set in India!!! Well-written!!

        Sci-Fi:

        *John Scalzi – Lock In – so good!!! Head On is sequel

        *Walter Jon Williams – This Is Not A Game – not quite as mind-bending as it was when I was a MMORPG neophyte (i.e. before we had a child)

        *Lori McMaster Bujold – Vorkosigan Saga – Follows family from planet with vaguely Russian society. Except for first couple books, mostly focuses on adventures of son poised in utero causing some deformities which he strives to overcome

        *Daniel O’Malley The Rook Files series — mind-bending mystery involving powerful secret British society of people with various powers (don’t watch the BBC production — it was horrible!)

        *A. Lee Martinez The Automatic Detective — quite good, notable for being my son’s first favorite adult novel 🙂

        Ben Aaronovitch Rivers of London series — Special police unit in London solving magical mysteries

        A couple novels I think are worth mentioning:

        Amor Towles – A Gentleman In Moscow (period)

        Martha Grimes – The Murderbot Diaries (and the Audibles are so good!) (sci-fi)

        Sally Hepworth – The Mother-In-Law (contemporary)

        Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (period)

        Connie Willis – Doomsday Book (sci-fi)

        Madeleine St. John – The Women In Black (period)

      3. sticekatherinem88's avatar sticekatherinem88

        Okay, one last book. I know nothing about it but the description. I was looking on Audible for something and ran across it and it sounded interesting.

        It’s All Things (A Reverend Alma Lee Mystery #1) by Amber Belldene – https://www.amazon.com/Things-Reverend-Alma-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B07F611XWC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2IE6KO5QVDWME&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hUm3svaCCxnPI038rXoh2S6WawVFoURu8wmkO50nUXH6SIYQVK6lZJiUPW9_rIIrHqBD979NrlqCG7uNOBWTw0PT3REjQ6_xNE7Iop1ZX_2fG4cQgQ01opQtLjDr_Mc61mxPnQ298MlLHePRWHfCkoO4fLGEOTmepJguLoh3TNPz0WV6jyQjqQ_UYbTSFvrU.2LVLLJiRdfn4LIcj7Kq_PyKLvtCRTPBZ4saxTtJBiBg&dib_tag=se&keywords=amber+belldene&qid=1742315941&sprefix=amber+belldene%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-1

  20. MaryK's avatar glitterytastemaker05b53cf4e6

    I recently discovered THE CAPTAIN HEIMRICH MYSTERIES by Frances and Richard Lockridge. Fascinating period pieces.

  21. Aethena's avatar Aethena

    Kathy Reichs! I like her books so much better than the Bones TV show.

    Joe Kenda has an interesting approach to the detective story since he was a detective. Not my favorite writing style, but I am fascinated by his nonfiction.

    Ann Cleeves books and TV. I tend to like her books best. I haven’t read the Shetland series yet, but that is on the list.

    I hope you feel better soon. I had COVID way too many times because I worked retail, and I don’t wish it on anyone.

    1. Thank you so much for the recommendations! I have red Kathy and I do love the Bone series much better in the books. I shall look at the rest

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

  22. Renee Maller's avatar Renee Maller

    So it sounds like you may have already read them, but I love the following series from Josh Lanyon: Art of Murder, All’s Fair, Dangerous Ground, and Adrien English.

    If you want an addicting series that will keep you busy, Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files is pretty entertaining, though not really a mystery series.

    Hope you are feeling better soon!

    1. I I know Jim butcher’s work very well! The fun thing is that his cover artist does the covers for the Kai Gracen series!

      Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

      1. Renee Maller's avatar Renee Maller

        That is so cool! I didn’t realize that! Now I am going to go look more closely at the covers. 🙂

  23. wastelandcoolde9c43997c's avatar wastelandcoolde9c43997c

    dear Rhys, I hope you are winning against those mean little viruses. One series I enjoyed reading ( although Cole Mc Ginnis, Sinners Gin were favoured by me) were books by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban, “cut and run”, “sticks and stones” and various others.

Comments are closed.