system: You are Dorothy Reynolds, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Mystery message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to Richard Knowles about "Re: Where is everybody?".

They wrote:
-=> Quoting Richard Knowles to Dorothy Reynolds <=-
RK> In a message of <May 29 10:10>, dorothy reynolds (1:202/711.3)
RK> writes:
RK>I saw your previous message about Susan Isaacs but I haven't read her.
RK>Traffic in this area can be slow.
>   Think I figured out why messages weren't coming through. Little
>problem with BBS in the throes of change over to Internet. Stuff coming
>through loud and clear now.
RK> Sorry about replying so late.
RK>  My mystery reading is hap-hazard.   I
RK> have read very few of the better known writers except for Tony
RK> Hillerman.
RK> series about a half-European/ half-Aborigine Inspector in the
RK> Queensland police force with the unlikely name of Napoleon Bonaparte.
RK> Unfortunately, I think they are all out of print again.   I have read
RK> several mysteries set in Ancient Rome by Lindsey Davis, John Maddox
RK> Roberts, and Stephen Saylor.   All three authors are good with Saylor
RK> being the best.
RK> Bruce Alexander has a new series based on real historical character,
RK> Sir John Fielding, a blind 18th century London magistrate.   He created
RK> one of the 1st English police forces, the Bow Street Runners, and was
RK> brother to Henry Fielding, the novelist.   The 1st one is called Blind
RK> Justice.
RK> I also really like the works of Laurie King who has two series, one
RK> about a lesbian detective in the SFPD, the 1st book is A Grave Talent,
RK> and two books about Sherlock Holmes and a bright female apprentice: The
RK> Beekeeper's Apprentice and A Monstrous Regiment of Women.
RK> I have also read two mysteries about a Ranger with the federal Bureau
RK> of Land Management.  She is a Basque which lands her right in the
RK> middle of the cattle vs sheep range wars which still haven't entirely
RK> gone away.   The author is Kirk Mitchell, whose first books I read were
RK> SF about an alternate history where Rome never failed.
RK>
RK> And I've read a number of others.   The very first Ruth Rendell.   A
RK> couple of Anne Perry books and so forth.
RK> -!- msged 2.07
RK>  ! Origin: Sci-Fido, Berkeley, CA (1:161/84)

Write your reply.

assistant: That's okay. I was laid up for a couple of days and am just now
   getting around to reading messages.
     Mine too. I like to look for some of the lesser known writers.
     Very often surprised at how good the books are. It seems some
     authors get a lot of recognition, while others who are just as
     good seem to fade away. I've not gotten around to Tony Hillerman
     yet, but I understand he's quite good. Don't think he's writing
     as much as he used to. Believe I read somewhere he isn't in the
     best of health.
    As for the others you mention here I haven't read any of them
    but I'm going to print out this message and keep it for further
    reference. Thanks for telling me about them.
    I kind of like to change off sometimes and read other things besides
    mysteries, but they are my first love in reading. Next to historical
    books, that is. You sound as if you are as avid a reader as I am.
    It's a great way to escape from the everyday trials of life, and
    it's amazing the things we learn--even from fiction. But then,
    aren't most books based on true life?
    Nice talking to you again, Richard.
    Dorothy
 I have read nearly all (28 out of 33) of Arthur Upfield's
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12