Read-a-thon, Marleen's answers

Kathrin asked some interesting questions in her blog today, and since I'm one of the two organizers of this Read-A-Thon, I decided that I should probably be (one of the first) to answer them. And, I have to say, I found that harder than I thought I would. But, I did my best, and underneath here you can find my responses. If anyone would like to know anything else, just ask the question, and I'll try to answer it.

What books do you want to read during this read-a-thon?

I didn't actually decide on specific books during these 24 hours. Obviously they are going to be mysteries and thrillers, but I've got so many of them at home, both from the library and on my own shelves, that I will just pick them up as the mood strikes me. The way I usually pick my books, in fact.
I have decided on the first one though. It is SEEKING THE DEAD by Kate Ellis. This is the first book in a new series by her, featuring Joe Plantagenet.

How many books do you hope to finish?
That's very much going to depend on how big the books I end up picking are. I'd be disappointed though if I didn't finish at least 2. I would also be very surprised if I managed to read 4 or more.

What (if any) breaks do you intend to take?
Since I've decided to take 36 rather than 24 hours to squeeze my 12 reading hours into I'm going to have to take breaks for sleeping and eating. Tonight I have to show my face at a neighbours birthday party, although I don't intend to stay long. Tomorrow I hope to spend most of my time reading though. The only thing that will require a break from reading then is a good walk with the dog.

Do you generally read lots of mysteries and thrillers or are the one of the many genres you like?
I do like most genres of fiction, or rather there aren't many I actively dislike. However, I do seem to read more mysteries and thrillers than anything else.

What are some of your favorite authors?
Michael Connelly
Harlan Coben
Kate Ellis
J.D. Robb
Stephen Booth,
to name just a few. I know there must be a lot more, but these are the authors that jumped into my mind as I read the question.

If you could make us all read one mystery or thriller for this read-a-thon, which one would it be and why?
Now that is a really hard question, and I'm not sure I can answer it. For myself though, I brought THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly home from the library yesterday and am really looking forward to reading that book.

Do you prefer series or stand alones?
In general I like both and don't really have a preference. But, with some authors I know I prefer the series over any stand-alones. This is especially true for Michael Connelly. I love all his books, but I'm always a bit disappointed when Harry Bosch doesn't feature in the book I happen to be reading.