Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce - Tara disappeared 20 years ago and then suddenly turns up on her parent's doorstep looking no older. The story she tells them and her brother seems impossible. Is she delusional, lying or could it be the truth? Told from many different viewpoints.
4 stars
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The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey - a solicitor is in his office feeling bored when he receives a telephone call from a woman saying she and her mother have been accused of a bizarre crime. A young girl is saying they kidnapped her, held her for many weeks, and beat her. The women claim to have never seen her before and yet she can describe their house and the room she was held in. This is supposed to be an Inspector Grant book but he hardly makes an appearance. Published in 1948.
4 stars
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Brass in Pocket by Stephen Puleston - someone has lain in wait for two police officers and killed them with a crossbow. The killer sends the police a song lyric that seemingly has nothing to do with the case. A series of murders that seem unconnected soon follow. A freebie on my Kindle.
2 stars
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The Intercept by Dick Wolf, the producer of the Law and Order series on tv. A failed terrorist attack on a plane leads Jeremy Fisk to believe it was a decoy for a real attack on the 4th of July.
3 stars
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Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel - a pandemic has swept earth and there are very few people left. A touring orchestra's story is intertwined with a strange prophet, an actor, and an almost paramedic. The story goes back and forth in time a lot but I didn't find it confusing. Just the kind of strange book I like.
4 stars
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Nov 16-22, 2014
A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey - published in 1936. I enjoyed the first Inspector Grant so much I wanted to read another. An actress is found drowned on the seacoast and soon murder is suspected. Lots of twists and turns. And the cult of celebrity seems very familiar to our times.
4 stars
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Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy - in 1963, the author bicycled alone with very few belongings to India. She stayed and ate with the locals, most of whom she found very welcoming. I found her observations on Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan interesting, especially from 50 years later. Told in diary form. And it's with a bicycle instead of on because many times she was pushing it up steep trails or even carrying it.
4 stars
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The Last Girl by Jane Casey - a wealthy attorney and one of his twin daughters survive an attack that has left their wife and sister dead. Maeve Kerrigan and her partner are given the case while the rest of their team deals with a gang war. A couple of odd tangents and they're the ones that aren't cleared up, I guess they'll be in the next book, too.
3 stars
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The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell - the book opens almost right away with the murder, how it was done and why. Sixty years later evidence turns up and childhood friendships are renewed. This isn't as much about the murder as it is about the stories of the elderly people it impacts.
4 stars
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Proof Positive by Archer Mayor - the 25th Joe Gunther novel. A Vietnam vet turned hoarder's death becomes connected to a powerful Senator. The sidekicks are under control and Joe isn't mooning about love and death. A nice solid mystery.
3 stars
4 stars
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Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy - in 1963, the author bicycled alone with very few belongings to India. She stayed and ate with the locals, most of whom she found very welcoming. I found her observations on Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan interesting, especially from 50 years later. Told in diary form. And it's with a bicycle instead of on because many times she was pushing it up steep trails or even carrying it.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Last Girl by Jane Casey - a wealthy attorney and one of his twin daughters survive an attack that has left their wife and sister dead. Maeve Kerrigan and her partner are given the case while the rest of their team deals with a gang war. A couple of odd tangents and they're the ones that aren't cleared up, I guess they'll be in the next book, too.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell - the book opens almost right away with the murder, how it was done and why. Sixty years later evidence turns up and childhood friendships are renewed. This isn't as much about the murder as it is about the stories of the elderly people it impacts.
4 stars
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Proof Positive by Archer Mayor - the 25th Joe Gunther novel. A Vietnam vet turned hoarder's death becomes connected to a powerful Senator. The sidekicks are under control and Joe isn't mooning about love and death. A nice solid mystery.
3 stars
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Nov 9 - 15, 2014
Festive in Death by J.D. Robb - hard to believe this is the 39th Eve Dallas book and I've read them all. It's Christmas and Detective Dallas is trying to run a murder investigation and have a party at the same time. The victim is despicable and there is a wealth of suspects. I like these light mysteries set in the near future, 2060, and featuring all the people Eve has come to know over the past few years. There are usually three or so sex scenes but because they're so routine you know to just skip two pages ahead. I thought this book had more language than usual.
3 stars
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The Farm by Tom Rob Smith - Daniel receives a call from his father saying his mother has been put in a mental facility and is making some outrageous claims. Before he can get to Sweden, his mother calls and says not to believe anything he's heard, it's all a conspiracy. Who is telling the truth? Just the kind of quirky book I like.
4 stars
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The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey - written in 1929. I thought I wasn't going to like this at first, but once I got used to the writing I really enjoyed it. A man is stabbed while standing in line to go to a play and no one knows who he is or who did it. A much slower pace of investigating than modern times. The public and newspapers are eager to help and there seems to be a large staff of able policemen. And quite a turn at the end!
4 stars
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Trespasser by Paul Doiron - this was a really fast skim-read, I just couldn't get into it. Game warden Mike Bowditch is convinced there's something more to a deer/car accident, especially when the driver can't be found. Once again, he's the only one fighting for justice and everyone is against him. A plot I've read many times.
2 stars
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A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler - another oldie, published in 1939. This is a very convoluted story of a mystery writer getting caught up in a real life mystery due to his naivete. It takes place in a lot of countries that have changed names and there are a lot of foreign phrases not translated which adds to the confusion. None of the characters are very likeable. And I read quite a lot of it in unfavorable circumstances (dr. offices with lots of interruptions) so that didn't help.
1 star
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Personal by Lee Child - the 19th Jack Reacher novel. An assassin has tried to shoot the French president from a distance that only a very few men could have made. And one is a man Jack Reacher put in prison. Jack travels to Paris and London and is helped by people who may be on his side or not. As usual, he's one step ahead of everyone. Some violence, Jack's quite a fighter. I enjoyed the first few pages quite a bit, they take place in Seattle and Tacoma and Jack boards a plane at the air force base just a few miles west of my house.
4.5 stars
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The Owl Who Liked Sitting on Caesar by Martin Windrow - it took the author 20 years before he could write about his relationship with Mumble, her death was a great blow to him. Lots of info about owls woven in with his observations and diary entries about Mumble.
3 stars
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First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austin by Charlie Lovett - Sophie Collingwood finds herself the heroine in a story of possible plagiarism by Jane Austen and the mystery of her uncle's death. Told in alternating chapters between the present time and the 18th century, it has quite a thrilling climax.
4 stars
3 stars
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The Farm by Tom Rob Smith - Daniel receives a call from his father saying his mother has been put in a mental facility and is making some outrageous claims. Before he can get to Sweden, his mother calls and says not to believe anything he's heard, it's all a conspiracy. Who is telling the truth? Just the kind of quirky book I like.
4 stars
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The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey - written in 1929. I thought I wasn't going to like this at first, but once I got used to the writing I really enjoyed it. A man is stabbed while standing in line to go to a play and no one knows who he is or who did it. A much slower pace of investigating than modern times. The public and newspapers are eager to help and there seems to be a large staff of able policemen. And quite a turn at the end!
4 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trespasser by Paul Doiron - this was a really fast skim-read, I just couldn't get into it. Game warden Mike Bowditch is convinced there's something more to a deer/car accident, especially when the driver can't be found. Once again, he's the only one fighting for justice and everyone is against him. A plot I've read many times.
2 stars
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A Coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler - another oldie, published in 1939. This is a very convoluted story of a mystery writer getting caught up in a real life mystery due to his naivete. It takes place in a lot of countries that have changed names and there are a lot of foreign phrases not translated which adds to the confusion. None of the characters are very likeable. And I read quite a lot of it in unfavorable circumstances (dr. offices with lots of interruptions) so that didn't help.
1 star
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Personal by Lee Child - the 19th Jack Reacher novel. An assassin has tried to shoot the French president from a distance that only a very few men could have made. And one is a man Jack Reacher put in prison. Jack travels to Paris and London and is helped by people who may be on his side or not. As usual, he's one step ahead of everyone. Some violence, Jack's quite a fighter. I enjoyed the first few pages quite a bit, they take place in Seattle and Tacoma and Jack boards a plane at the air force base just a few miles west of my house.
4.5 stars
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The Owl Who Liked Sitting on Caesar by Martin Windrow - it took the author 20 years before he could write about his relationship with Mumble, her death was a great blow to him. Lots of info about owls woven in with his observations and diary entries about Mumble.
3 stars
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First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austin by Charlie Lovett - Sophie Collingwood finds herself the heroine in a story of possible plagiarism by Jane Austen and the mystery of her uncle's death. Told in alternating chapters between the present time and the 18th century, it has quite a thrilling climax.
4 stars
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Nov 2 - Nov 8, 2014
The Ghost in the Electric Blue Suit by Graham Joyce - part mystery, part somewhat ghostly, part coming-of-age. David takes a job at a seaside holiday camp in the same town where his father died fifteen years ago. Some sex, can be quickly skipped over.
4 stars
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Bitter River by Julia Keller - prosecuting attorney Bell Atkins is called when a teenager is found in a submerged car. And in a side story I figured out right away, someone has allowed danger to follow them to Acker's Gap.
3 stars
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The Burning Room by Michael Connelly - the 19th Harry Bosch book. Harry is working cold cases now with a new, young partner. A man has just died from complications of a bullet wound suffered 10 years ago. So now it's an open murder investigation. The trail also leads to a 20 year old arson fire at a daycare.
4 stars
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Bloodline by James Rollins - I'm two thirds done with this book and won't be finishing it. It's one of those conspiracy novels that I so dislike combined with lots of military jargon. I only started it because it's the book that introduces the military dog Kane and his handler. I don't usually mention books I don't finish but this one bogged me down and I actually didn't read for a few days.
4 stars
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Bitter River by Julia Keller - prosecuting attorney Bell Atkins is called when a teenager is found in a submerged car. And in a side story I figured out right away, someone has allowed danger to follow them to Acker's Gap.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Burning Room by Michael Connelly - the 19th Harry Bosch book. Harry is working cold cases now with a new, young partner. A man has just died from complications of a bullet wound suffered 10 years ago. So now it's an open murder investigation. The trail also leads to a 20 year old arson fire at a daycare.
4 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloodline by James Rollins - I'm two thirds done with this book and won't be finishing it. It's one of those conspiracy novels that I so dislike combined with lots of military jargon. I only started it because it's the book that introduces the military dog Kane and his handler. I don't usually mention books I don't finish but this one bogged me down and I actually didn't read for a few days.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Oct 26 - Nov 1, 2014
The Long Way Home by Louise Penny - the 10th Armand Gamache book finds the Inspector retired and living in Three Pines, the setting of previous books. He's asked to look into the disappearance of a friend's husband. These books are not typical mysteries, there is much introspection and philosophical musings. And to be best enjoyed, the series needs to be read in order.
4 stars
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The Button Man by Mark Pryor - although the 4th book in the series, this is a prequel and Hugo Marston is head of security at the London U.S. embassy. He's asked to babysit an acting couple who have been involved in a hit and run. Before he even meets them, the wife is found dead. One yuck scene at a "special" kind of club.
3 stars
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A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller - Bell Elkins, prosecuting attorney in a poverty stricken town in W. Virginia, is horrified when she learns her daughter was a witness to a shooting. Were the elderly men somehow involved in the rampant drug trade going on in the county? Very good for a first novel, just a little repetitious. Now to see if the second in the series is just as good. Some language and sex
4.5 stars
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Jazz Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in Her Time by Phyllis Rose - I didn't know anything about Josephine Baker before I read this other than she was an American who lived in Paris. There were parts of the book that were boring and the author herself admits she probably let her own sensibilities influence her.
4 stars
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Found by Harlan Coben - the third in the YA Mickey Bolitar series. This takes place almost immediately after the previous book. Mickey still believes his father is alive and things still aren't going well at school. Then he's asked to help prove that the star basketball player hasn't been taking steroids. And his best friends boyfriend has gone missing. Quite a lot of repetition and nothing seemed to happen until the end.
2 stars
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Blind Descent: Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest by Brian Dickinson - true story of the author's attempt to summit Mount Everest.
3 stars
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Double by Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller - alternating chapters with the author's characters, the Nameless Detective and Sharon McCone, telling the story. They're at a private investigator convention when Sharon's friend falls off a high rise balcony. Or did she? Written in 1984 and quite dated.
2 stars
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The Blood Promise by Mark Pryor - Hugo Marston, head of security for the Paris American Embassy, must babysit an unpopular (to the French) American senator in France for negotiations. Things go downhill when the senator claims he's been robbed. Not as good as previous books, too many suspects.
3 stars
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Button Man by Mark Pryor - although the 4th book in the series, this is a prequel and Hugo Marston is head of security at the London U.S. embassy. He's asked to babysit an acting couple who have been involved in a hit and run. Before he even meets them, the wife is found dead. One yuck scene at a "special" kind of club.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller - Bell Elkins, prosecuting attorney in a poverty stricken town in W. Virginia, is horrified when she learns her daughter was a witness to a shooting. Were the elderly men somehow involved in the rampant drug trade going on in the county? Very good for a first novel, just a little repetitious. Now to see if the second in the series is just as good. Some language and sex
4.5 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jazz Cleopatra: Josephine Baker in Her Time by Phyllis Rose - I didn't know anything about Josephine Baker before I read this other than she was an American who lived in Paris. There were parts of the book that were boring and the author herself admits she probably let her own sensibilities influence her.
4 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found by Harlan Coben - the third in the YA Mickey Bolitar series. This takes place almost immediately after the previous book. Mickey still believes his father is alive and things still aren't going well at school. Then he's asked to help prove that the star basketball player hasn't been taking steroids. And his best friends boyfriend has gone missing. Quite a lot of repetition and nothing seemed to happen until the end.
2 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blind Descent: Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest by Brian Dickinson - true story of the author's attempt to summit Mount Everest.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Double by Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller - alternating chapters with the author's characters, the Nameless Detective and Sharon McCone, telling the story. They're at a private investigator convention when Sharon's friend falls off a high rise balcony. Or did she? Written in 1984 and quite dated.
2 stars
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The Blood Promise by Mark Pryor - Hugo Marston, head of security for the Paris American Embassy, must babysit an unpopular (to the French) American senator in France for negotiations. Things go downhill when the senator claims he's been robbed. Not as good as previous books, too many suspects.
3 stars
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