Sunday, December 27, 2015
Dec 20 - 26, 2015
No books this week. I'm in the process of reading S by J.J. Abrams. It's an interactive book with lots of writing in the margins and I have to keep two story lines straight. I might not finish it this year.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Dec 13 - 19, 2015
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (pseudonym of J.K. Rowling) - Cormoran Strike is back and he and his assistant, Robin, become intimately involved with a serial killer when a package is sent to Robin containing a human limb. Cormoran is certain the killer is one of four men from his past. I absolutely had no clue until it was revealed at the very end. This is probably the darkest of the series.
5 stars - but that may be partly because I was thrilled to read a good book.
5 stars - but that may be partly because I was thrilled to read a good book.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Dec 6 - 12, 2015
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly - Jo Montfort has it all: a comfortable life in a wealthy home, a loving family, and soon a fiance from a prominent family. But then her father is killed while cleaning his gun (or is he?) and her life rapidly changes. Set in the 1890's, this is full of the contrasts between affluent women and poor women all yearning for the same thing: freedom. I somehow missed that this is a YA book. The young heroine torn between heretofore unknown passion for an unsuitable man and the sensible choice should have been my clue. The mystery part is pretty good but I had most of it figured out long before our heroine.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Nov 22 - 28, 2015
A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood - a cozy mystery in every sense, this is set in a tea room in Santa Fe. Right before opening day, one of Ellen's patrons is murdered at a thank-you tea. And the arrogant cop thinks she did it. A pleasant read and I'll probably continue the series when I need a light book.
3 stars
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An Eye for Murder by Libby Fischer Hellmann - this story begins in Prague during WWII and then fast forwards to present day. Ellie Foreman, a documentary filmmaker, finds herself caught up in murder, politics, and secrets. Some things fit together too easily but the end was pretty good. Published in 2002, this is the first in a series of 15 books. The editing of the Kindle version was pretty bad, making conversations difficult to follow. This and the previous book were part of a bundle, not sure if I'll continue this series.
2.5 stars
3 stars
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An Eye for Murder by Libby Fischer Hellmann - this story begins in Prague during WWII and then fast forwards to present day. Ellie Foreman, a documentary filmmaker, finds herself caught up in murder, politics, and secrets. Some things fit together too easily but the end was pretty good. Published in 2002, this is the first in a series of 15 books. The editing of the Kindle version was pretty bad, making conversations difficult to follow. This and the previous book were part of a bundle, not sure if I'll continue this series.
2.5 stars
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Nov 15 - 21, 2015
The Golem of Paris by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman - this is the 2nd Jacob Lev book involving the mystic Jewish story of golems. Since the end of the first book, Jacob has been working on old case files. He comes across a case that eventually takes him to Paris. The story also goes back in time to tell us what happened to Jacob's mother to make her have a mental breakdown. The previous book is summed up concisely and quickly, which I always appreciate. A mystery with fantasy elements.
4 stars
4 stars
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Nov 8 - 14, 2015
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate - Jackson is about to go into fourth grade when suddenly his imaginary friend appears. Who happens to be a giant cat that can talk. Crenshaw first appeared when Jackson and his family were homeless and living in their minivan. It looks like that might happen again but Jackson doesn't need Crenshaw's help this time. Or so he thinks. This is a middle school/grade school book.
3 stars
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Dance of the Bones by J.A. Jance - a mishmash of a story that's billed as a J.P. Beaumont novel but he doesn't appear very much. And when he does, it's suddenly in the middle of a chapter in first person. Very jarring. A man serving 30 years for a murder he may not have committed, an unsolved murder in Seattle, blood diamonds, and Indian lore all mixed together very badly. Another of my favorite authors has lost her way.
2 stars
3 stars
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Dance of the Bones by J.A. Jance - a mishmash of a story that's billed as a J.P. Beaumont novel but he doesn't appear very much. And when he does, it's suddenly in the middle of a chapter in first person. Very jarring. A man serving 30 years for a murder he may not have committed, an unsolved murder in Seattle, blood diamonds, and Indian lore all mixed together very badly. Another of my favorite authors has lost her way.
2 stars
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Nov 1 - 7, 2015
Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb - the 41st Eve Dallas mystery. This author is very prolific, this is the pseudonym of Nora Roberts, and I'm beginning to think she has a team of ghost writers. Lots of the same ground was gone over and over in this story and the plot was icky. Two lovers leave a trail of tortured bodies on their way to New York where they make the mistake of falling into Eve's territory. Too graphic, too much sex, and too much language. I used to like these for the character development but I might be just about done with this series.
2 stars
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The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley - Thaniel Steepleton is a telegraphist for the government in London in 1883. He finds himself in possession of a watch that ends up saving him from a bomb at Scotland Yard. When he searches for the watchmaker, he finds himself caught up in impossible things. This was billed as a fantasy and I guess I just didn't understand it. Also, an element that I find very annoying was introduced late in the story.
1 star
2 stars
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The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley - Thaniel Steepleton is a telegraphist for the government in London in 1883. He finds himself in possession of a watch that ends up saving him from a bomb at Scotland Yard. When he searches for the watchmaker, he finds himself caught up in impossible things. This was billed as a fantasy and I guess I just didn't understand it. Also, an element that I find very annoying was introduced late in the story.
1 star
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Oct 25 - 31, 2015
In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson - the 22nd Inspector Banks novel starts with a stolen tractor. Then there's suspected murder, actual murder, and missing persons mixed up with lots of stolen property in the countryside of England. Banks is getting a little mopey as he gets older but one of my favorite detectives gets a romantic interest so that evened things out a little. Fairly exciting ending as things finally fall into place.
4 stars
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The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne - Angus and Sarah move to a small Scottish island after the death of one of their twin daughters. Things are already fragile and then their surviving daughter claims she's really Lydia, not Kirstie, the daughter who died. Told from both parents viewpoints, I didn't find either of them very likeable. Rather an eerie book.
3 stars
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Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience compiled by Shaun Usher - just what it says, letters from the famous and the unknown. Some funny, some sad. The letter from the woman who had a mastectomy without anesthesia is probably the one I will most remember.
3 stars
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Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt - 12 year old Jack gets a foster brother who is very much unlike him. Joseph is 14, tried to kill a teacher, and has a daughter. I liked Jack a lot, he's a great little boy. This is a short YA book that was very easy to read, I liked the writing very much.
4.5 stars
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The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck - the author becomes obsessed with the idea that portions of the Oregon Trail still exist and begins replicating the journey with his own wagon and mules. He's joined by his brother and they make the trip without any support vehicles. Lots of history about the trail and the people who traveled it. A few too many asides about his relationship with his father, religion, and politics. The history of mules was interesting to me. Quite a bit of language.
3 stars
4 stars
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The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne - Angus and Sarah move to a small Scottish island after the death of one of their twin daughters. Things are already fragile and then their surviving daughter claims she's really Lydia, not Kirstie, the daughter who died. Told from both parents viewpoints, I didn't find either of them very likeable. Rather an eerie book.
3 stars
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Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience compiled by Shaun Usher - just what it says, letters from the famous and the unknown. Some funny, some sad. The letter from the woman who had a mastectomy without anesthesia is probably the one I will most remember.
3 stars
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Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt - 12 year old Jack gets a foster brother who is very much unlike him. Joseph is 14, tried to kill a teacher, and has a daughter. I liked Jack a lot, he's a great little boy. This is a short YA book that was very easy to read, I liked the writing very much.
4.5 stars
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The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck - the author becomes obsessed with the idea that portions of the Oregon Trail still exist and begins replicating the journey with his own wagon and mules. He's joined by his brother and they make the trip without any support vehicles. Lots of history about the trail and the people who traveled it. A few too many asides about his relationship with his father, religion, and politics. The history of mules was interesting to me. Quite a bit of language.
3 stars
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Oct 18 - 24, 2015
Make Me by Lee Child - the town of Mother's Rest has secrets to keep. Jack Reacher rarely turns down a challenge. The two clash with lots of bone crunching violence. And some shootouts. Almost at the very end of the book you find out what the secret is.
4 stars
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The Drowned Boy by Karin Fossum - a toddler is found drowned in a pond near his home and the police suspect the story the mother tells. Not really a mystery as such, although it features Norwegian policeman Conrad Sejer. I kept reading only to learn what really happened. I thought the ending was an impossible coincidence.
2 stars
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The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness - the indie kids are brave, smart, clever teenagers who periodically have to save the world from attacks from other worlds. But this book isn't about them, it's about the ordinary kids who are just trying to get through the last few weeks of school, graduate and have a nice summer before they go off to college. All while trying to not get caught up in whatever the indie kids are dealing with. A YA book about friendship and true bravery. I especially enjoyed the beginning of each chapter as it told what was going on with the indie kids.
"Chapter the Second, in which indie kid Satchel writes a poem, and her mom and dad give her the loving space to do just feel what she needs to; then an indie kid called Dylan arrives at her house, terrified, to say a mysterious glowing girl has informed him of the death of indie kid Finn; Satchel and Dylan comfort each other, platonically."
PG-13
4 stars
4 stars
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The Drowned Boy by Karin Fossum - a toddler is found drowned in a pond near his home and the police suspect the story the mother tells. Not really a mystery as such, although it features Norwegian policeman Conrad Sejer. I kept reading only to learn what really happened. I thought the ending was an impossible coincidence.
2 stars
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The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness - the indie kids are brave, smart, clever teenagers who periodically have to save the world from attacks from other worlds. But this book isn't about them, it's about the ordinary kids who are just trying to get through the last few weeks of school, graduate and have a nice summer before they go off to college. All while trying to not get caught up in whatever the indie kids are dealing with. A YA book about friendship and true bravery. I especially enjoyed the beginning of each chapter as it told what was going on with the indie kids.
"Chapter the Second, in which indie kid Satchel writes a poem, and her mom and dad give her the loving space to do just feel what she needs to; then an indie kid called Dylan arrives at her house, terrified, to say a mysterious glowing girl has informed him of the death of indie kid Finn; Satchel and Dylan comfort each other, platonically."
PG-13
4 stars
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Oct 11 - 17, 2015
A book I didn't finish
My Sunshine Away by M. O. Walsh - I got 3/4's through this book and decided it was just too much. Too much teenage angst, way too much sex talk and the narrator was not relatable. Possibly because he was a teenage boy extremely focused on himself. I thought this was more of a mystery but it was a coming of age story.
My Sunshine Away by M. O. Walsh - I got 3/4's through this book and decided it was just too much. Too much teenage angst, way too much sex talk and the narrator was not relatable. Possibly because he was a teenage boy extremely focused on himself. I thought this was more of a mystery but it was a coming of age story.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Oct 4 - 10, 2015
Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs - the 3rd book in the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series. This picks up immediately after the 2nd book and I had a little trouble remembering what happened. Jacob has discovered a new gift and it may help him rescue the kidnapped peculiar children and Miss Peregrine. He travels to a time loop in a slum part of Victorian England. I found the descriptions of the place and inhabitants disturbing. A trilogy that does seem to end nicely.
4 stars
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Smoked by Elaine Macko - the vegan wife of a butcher dies under mysterious circumstances and soon the police suspect murder. Alex Harris, co-owner of a temp agency, is asked by the butcher's daughter to help clear her father. This is the 5th in a series so I'm not sure how Alex has gotten her reputation, I think she's naturally snoopy. Filled with lots of talk about family, pets, and drinking lots and lots of tea. I had it figured out long before Alex and thought I would scream if she mentioned one more time that everyone had an alibi because of the murder method. This was a free Kindle book.
2 stars
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The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman - Grace Blades was 5 when her parents committed murder/suicide. Now she's a renowned psychologist specializing in people traumatized by violence and grief. But she also has a secret side. A new patient she met in a different context is found murdered and her life takes a scary turn. About every other chapter is a flashback to Grace's previous life. I found her not an entirely sympathetic character but I sure wanted to know what was going to happen. A couple of graphic sex scenes made me unable to give this more than
4 stars
4 stars
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Smoked by Elaine Macko - the vegan wife of a butcher dies under mysterious circumstances and soon the police suspect murder. Alex Harris, co-owner of a temp agency, is asked by the butcher's daughter to help clear her father. This is the 5th in a series so I'm not sure how Alex has gotten her reputation, I think she's naturally snoopy. Filled with lots of talk about family, pets, and drinking lots and lots of tea. I had it figured out long before Alex and thought I would scream if she mentioned one more time that everyone had an alibi because of the murder method. This was a free Kindle book.
2 stars
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The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman - Grace Blades was 5 when her parents committed murder/suicide. Now she's a renowned psychologist specializing in people traumatized by violence and grief. But she also has a secret side. A new patient she met in a different context is found murdered and her life takes a scary turn. About every other chapter is a flashback to Grace's previous life. I found her not an entirely sympathetic character but I sure wanted to know what was going to happen. A couple of graphic sex scenes made me unable to give this more than
4 stars
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Sept 27 - Oct 3, 2015
The Green Ember by S.D. Smith - two young rabbits find themselves suddenly embroiled in war, treachery, and heroism. Heather and Picket return from berry picking to find their home in flames and are set upon by wolves. Taken to safety in the hills, they learn about their family, themselves, bravery, and friendship. I didn't know this was about rabbits when I started. Somewhat reminiscent of the Redwall series. Aimed at middle graders. I'll be reading the prequel and look forward to a sequel.
3.5 stars
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Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo - Kate Burkholder is the police chief of Painter's Mill, a small community of Amish and "English" families. When a murder appears to be linked to a murder from sixteen years ago, Kate is convinced it can't be the same perpetrator. She doesn't take the proper steps and pays for her mistake. The narrative switches from first person present tense to second character past tense which I found irritating. Graphic with language, a strong PG-13. The first in a series of seven books so far, not sure I'll continue since the second seems to have the same sexual violence theme.
3 stars
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The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon - a story of sisters and secrets. Piper and Margot, along with their friend Amy, discover something one summer that ruins their friendship. Years later, Amy does something horrific and the sisters try to find out what happened. What does it have to do with two other sisters, one of them Amy's mother? Told from multiple viewpoints and time periods. I was sucked right in before I realized this was more horror/fantasy than straight mystery. Really kept me guessing until the end.
4 stars
3.5 stars
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Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo - Kate Burkholder is the police chief of Painter's Mill, a small community of Amish and "English" families. When a murder appears to be linked to a murder from sixteen years ago, Kate is convinced it can't be the same perpetrator. She doesn't take the proper steps and pays for her mistake. The narrative switches from first person present tense to second character past tense which I found irritating. Graphic with language, a strong PG-13. The first in a series of seven books so far, not sure I'll continue since the second seems to have the same sexual violence theme.
3 stars
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The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon - a story of sisters and secrets. Piper and Margot, along with their friend Amy, discover something one summer that ruins their friendship. Years later, Amy does something horrific and the sisters try to find out what happened. What does it have to do with two other sisters, one of them Amy's mother? Told from multiple viewpoints and time periods. I was sucked right in before I realized this was more horror/fantasy than straight mystery. Really kept me guessing until the end.
4 stars
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sept 20 - 26, 2015
Last Ragged Breath by Julia Keller - Bell Atkins is prosecuting a reclusive man for the murder of the public relations person of a development company. Woven in with the real story of the Buffalo Creek flood of 1972, the retirement of the sheriff, the end of coal mining, and illegal prescription drugs. Not the best in the series.
3 stars
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The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan - Genevieve Lenard is a high functioning autistic person and an expert in non-verbal cues. She works as an investigator for an insurance company and is drawn into a case of art forgery and murder by her boss. Lots and lots of list making and miscommunication on all sides make for a too long book.
2 stars
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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - set in France during WWII this isn't so much a story about the war as it is two sisters who are more alike than they realize. Vianne has to make difficult choices as she tries to protect her daughter on the family farm. And Isabelle makes rash choices bringing danger to herself and others when she joins the Resistance.
4 stars
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The Storm Murders by John Farrow - retired police officer Emile Cinq-Mars is asked by the FBI to look into the murder of two policeman along with a couple in a remote farmhouse. There has been a recent snow storm and there are no footprints around the house. Now it looks as if there is a serial killer who only kills after natural disasters. Lots of elusive threads and suspicion among various police forces, Also quite a bit of language. There have been other books featuring Cinq-Mars, which I have not read, and this book is the beginning of a trilogy.
3 stars
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The Blood Pit by Kate Ellis - the 12th Wesley Peterson book. This time, instead of old historical texts beginning each chapter, Wesley's friend Neil is receiving letters that bear a resemblance to the current crime. What does the writer know and are they a threat to Neil? Quite a surprise at the end.
3 stars
3 stars
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The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan - Genevieve Lenard is a high functioning autistic person and an expert in non-verbal cues. She works as an investigator for an insurance company and is drawn into a case of art forgery and murder by her boss. Lots and lots of list making and miscommunication on all sides make for a too long book.
2 stars
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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - set in France during WWII this isn't so much a story about the war as it is two sisters who are more alike than they realize. Vianne has to make difficult choices as she tries to protect her daughter on the family farm. And Isabelle makes rash choices bringing danger to herself and others when she joins the Resistance.
4 stars
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The Storm Murders by John Farrow - retired police officer Emile Cinq-Mars is asked by the FBI to look into the murder of two policeman along with a couple in a remote farmhouse. There has been a recent snow storm and there are no footprints around the house. Now it looks as if there is a serial killer who only kills after natural disasters. Lots of elusive threads and suspicion among various police forces, Also quite a bit of language. There have been other books featuring Cinq-Mars, which I have not read, and this book is the beginning of a trilogy.
3 stars
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The Blood Pit by Kate Ellis - the 12th Wesley Peterson book. This time, instead of old historical texts beginning each chapter, Wesley's friend Neil is receiving letters that bear a resemblance to the current crime. What does the writer know and are they a threat to Neil? Quite a surprise at the end.
3 stars
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Sept 13 - 19, 2015
Scents and Sensibility by Spencer Quinn - in the 8th book of the series, Chet and Bernie are on the trail of endangered saguaro, Bernie's grandfather's watch, and their elderly neighbor's son. With a 15 year old kidnapping case thrown in. All told from the viewpoint of Chet, a dog. He's easily distracted so the story is somewhat disjointed sometimes. A really abrupt cliffhanger ending.
3 stars
3 stars
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Sept 6 - 12, 2015
Shouldn't You Be in School? by Lemony Snicket - finally, some of the many questions in Stain'd-by-the-Sea are answered in the third book of the series. Someone is setting fires and it all has to do with the mysterious plot of the villain Hangfire. We're still left hanging until the next book, though.
3 stars
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You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day - how playing games on the internet led the author to a fulfilling life. And lots of stress. Humorous, with some language.
3 stars
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Little Black lies by Sharon Bolton - set in the Falkland Islands in 1994. Over two years, two boys have gone missing and now there's a third. The small community wants to believe it's all accidental, but that's becoming more difficult. In the middle of it all is Catrin, who lost her two boys in a tragic accident, ex-military Callum, and Rachel, Catrin's former best friend who was responsible for the accident. Told from those three viewpoints. I have to admit I read the middle pretty fast to get on with the story. Lots of twists at the end.
4.5 stars
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The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler - Simon is a librarian living in a house that is slowly falling into the sea. He receives in the mail a strange book and discovers his grandmother's name in it. It seems almost all the women in his family performed as mermaids in carnivals and drowned at a young age. The story is told in present time and the 1700's. There are Tarot cards and maybe a family curse, but I didn't read the story that way. This is one you'll probably love or hate.
5 stars
3 stars
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You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day - how playing games on the internet led the author to a fulfilling life. And lots of stress. Humorous, with some language.
3 stars
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Little Black lies by Sharon Bolton - set in the Falkland Islands in 1994. Over two years, two boys have gone missing and now there's a third. The small community wants to believe it's all accidental, but that's becoming more difficult. In the middle of it all is Catrin, who lost her two boys in a tragic accident, ex-military Callum, and Rachel, Catrin's former best friend who was responsible for the accident. Told from those three viewpoints. I have to admit I read the middle pretty fast to get on with the story. Lots of twists at the end.
4.5 stars
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The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler - Simon is a librarian living in a house that is slowly falling into the sea. He receives in the mail a strange book and discovers his grandmother's name in it. It seems almost all the women in his family performed as mermaids in carnivals and drowned at a young age. The story is told in present time and the 1700's. There are Tarot cards and maybe a family curse, but I didn't read the story that way. This is one you'll probably love or hate.
5 stars
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Aug 30 - Sept 5, 2015
Shut Your Eyes Tight by John Verdon - a bride is decapitated on her wedding day and retired detective Dave Gurney is asked to assist the investigation by the bride's mother. Lots of twists and turns, lots of thinking and introspection, and lots of meetings. I'm not sure the author actually likes policemen, most are portrayed as belligerent, buffoons, or bombastic. Also, at just over 500 pages, this is about 200 pages too long. Lots of language. Second in a series, don't think I'll continue.
3 stars
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X by Sue Grafton - the 26th in the Kinsey Milhone series and only 2 more letters in the alphabet. This takes place in 1989, so the author is able to use the drought in California at that time to make some comments about the present. This story is a series of unrelated mysteries, including a favor for the widow of an old acquaintance. Lots of following and observing, and then a rather unsatisfactory ending. Still enjoyable just to see what Kinsey is up to.
3 stars
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Long Upon the Land by Margaret Maron - a man is found bludgeoned to death on Judge Deborah Knott's father's land. Was the cause of his death a long standing grudge or more recent events? The mystery part is pretty meh, but we go back in time to learn more about Deborah's parents courtship. The 20th in the series.
3 stars
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When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket - the second in the All the Wrong Questions series. Written in the usual Snicket fashion with many allusions and few answers. A clever scientist has disappeared and her parents seem unfazed. And what is the mysterious society Snicket is trying to stop? We won't find the answers until the fourth book, which is soon to be published. A children's book.
3 stars
3 stars
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X by Sue Grafton - the 26th in the Kinsey Milhone series and only 2 more letters in the alphabet. This takes place in 1989, so the author is able to use the drought in California at that time to make some comments about the present. This story is a series of unrelated mysteries, including a favor for the widow of an old acquaintance. Lots of following and observing, and then a rather unsatisfactory ending. Still enjoyable just to see what Kinsey is up to.
3 stars
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Long Upon the Land by Margaret Maron - a man is found bludgeoned to death on Judge Deborah Knott's father's land. Was the cause of his death a long standing grudge or more recent events? The mystery part is pretty meh, but we go back in time to learn more about Deborah's parents courtship. The 20th in the series.
3 stars
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When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket - the second in the All the Wrong Questions series. Written in the usual Snicket fashion with many allusions and few answers. A clever scientist has disappeared and her parents seem unfazed. And what is the mysterious society Snicket is trying to stop? We won't find the answers until the fourth book, which is soon to be published. A children's book.
3 stars
Friday, August 28, 2015
Aug 23 - 29, 2015
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny - a young boy given to telling tall tales, a rumor of a secret weapon from the past, and a serial killer with more secrets all combine into quite the mystery for retired Chief Inspector Gamache. Quite suspenseful at the end and I was very worried for one of the minor characters. One of the best of the series.
5 stars
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3:34 a.m. by Nick Pirog - another Henry Bins e-book. Henry is only awake for an hour every night. Now he's searching for his mother, the person responsible for his condition. There's also a 30 year old murder thrown in. I was so mad at the end of the previous book I didn't know if I would read more in the series. I'm glad I gave it another chance and am looking forward to the next. These really need to be read in order and with a suspension of disbelief.
4 stars
5 stars
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3:34 a.m. by Nick Pirog - another Henry Bins e-book. Henry is only awake for an hour every night. Now he's searching for his mother, the person responsible for his condition. There's also a 30 year old murder thrown in. I was so mad at the end of the previous book I didn't know if I would read more in the series. I'm glad I gave it another chance and am looking forward to the next. These really need to be read in order and with a suspension of disbelief.
4 stars
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Aug16 - 22, 2015
Think of a Number by John Verdon - recently retired homicide detective Dave Gurney is drawn into a baffling case by an old college friend. An anonymous letter writer is claiming intimate knowledge of his friend. Very compelling, I picked this up at 2 am to see if I was going to like it and finished at 5:30 am.
4.5 stars
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Taboo by Casey Hill - forensic investigator Reilly Steel has moved to Dublin to help bring their forensic dept up to speed. Several murders with seemingly no motive prove to be connected and it looks like there's a serial killer on the loose. A little gory, rather like CSI or NCIS.
3 stars
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3:06 a.m. the Lassie Files by Nick Pirog - Henry Bins is watching his father's 160 lb dog when the dog has a medical emergency in the middle of the night. At the emergency vet's, Henry, his cat and the dog become hostages. A very short e-story, improbable but amusing.
3 stars
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The Shining Skull by Kate Ellis - the 11th Wesley Peterson book. Several plot lines - a man kidnapped 30 years ago returns to his family home, a man disguised as a cab driver is cutting the hair of his blond women passengers, and a teen singing sensation is kidnapped. For the historical mystery, Wesley's friend Neil has discovered a second body in a coffin being relocated. Lots of fun trying to figure this one out.
4 stars
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The Gray and Guilty Sea by Jack Nolte - Garrison Gage, a retired PI, finds a body on the beach. In spite of himself, he finds that he's curious about what happened. He's a grumpy and sarcastic man, which I found a little off putting. The story bogs down a little in the middle but there's some good action at the end. One badly written sex scene. This was a free e-book.
3 stars
4.5 stars
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Taboo by Casey Hill - forensic investigator Reilly Steel has moved to Dublin to help bring their forensic dept up to speed. Several murders with seemingly no motive prove to be connected and it looks like there's a serial killer on the loose. A little gory, rather like CSI or NCIS.
3 stars
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3:06 a.m. the Lassie Files by Nick Pirog - Henry Bins is watching his father's 160 lb dog when the dog has a medical emergency in the middle of the night. At the emergency vet's, Henry, his cat and the dog become hostages. A very short e-story, improbable but amusing.
3 stars
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The Shining Skull by Kate Ellis - the 11th Wesley Peterson book. Several plot lines - a man kidnapped 30 years ago returns to his family home, a man disguised as a cab driver is cutting the hair of his blond women passengers, and a teen singing sensation is kidnapped. For the historical mystery, Wesley's friend Neil has discovered a second body in a coffin being relocated. Lots of fun trying to figure this one out.
4 stars
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The Gray and Guilty Sea by Jack Nolte - Garrison Gage, a retired PI, finds a body on the beach. In spite of himself, he finds that he's curious about what happened. He's a grumpy and sarcastic man, which I found a little off putting. The story bogs down a little in the middle but there's some good action at the end. One badly written sex scene. This was a free e-book.
3 stars
Monday, August 10, 2015
Aug 9 - 15, 2015
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein - Kyle loves to play games of any sort but he's not much of a reader. When he wins a place in the overnight lock-in at the new library in town, he doesn't know what to expect. Then the stakes are raised and Kyle and his friends search for a way out of the library. A children's book full of the usual stereotypes.
2 stars
2 stars
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Aug 2 - 8, 2015
Brush Back by Sara Paretsky - the 17th V.I. Warshawski novel. V.I. is asked by an old friend to exonerate his mother of the murder of her daughter after she has already served her 25 year sentence. This leads to a convoluted tale of Chicago political corruption, old neighborhood hatreds, and Russian mobsters. Round and round we go with about 100 pages too many. Language.
3 stars
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Silent Creed by Alex Kava - the 2nd book featuring Ryder Creed and his search and rescue dogs. He's searching for bodies or survivors after a landslide buries several houses and a gov't medical research facility. While I liked that part, the whole thing was rather disjointed, going back and forth between people and places. I find political cover-up stories irritating and it was pretty cliche-ish. Too many sneaky people, not enough dogs.
2 stars
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The Swede by Robert Karjel - a Swedish secret policeman is asked by the Americans to determine if an imprisoned terrorist is also Swedish. A very convoluted tale involving the Thailand tsunami, art theft, hate groups, and secret torture. I'm not sure what I think about this one. I set it down many times, thinking I was done. While I don't recommend it, I found it strangely compelling. A very ambivalent.....
2 stars
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The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths - the 7th Ruth Galloway novel. A buried WWII airplane is discovered with the pilot inside. Evidence shows that he was murdered and that his body was not always in the plane. Mystery surrounds the Blackstock family and the ghost fields of old airfields. Ruth isn't quite as whiny, and Cathbad, her druid friend, proves to not be infallible. In fact, he's not very prominent, which I found a welcome change. Although it takes awhile for things to get going, the ending has enough twists to be interesting. I like the way the minor characters are developing.
4 stars (which may be just because it was nice to read something I really enjoyed)
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The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro - an elderly couple in a time long ago set out on a journey to visit the son they can barely remember. Along the way they're assisted by a Saxon warrior and his orphan companion and an old knight. Although this is called a fantasy, and had fantasy elements, I found it to be more about relationships and memories.
4 stars
3 stars
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Silent Creed by Alex Kava - the 2nd book featuring Ryder Creed and his search and rescue dogs. He's searching for bodies or survivors after a landslide buries several houses and a gov't medical research facility. While I liked that part, the whole thing was rather disjointed, going back and forth between people and places. I find political cover-up stories irritating and it was pretty cliche-ish. Too many sneaky people, not enough dogs.
2 stars
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The Swede by Robert Karjel - a Swedish secret policeman is asked by the Americans to determine if an imprisoned terrorist is also Swedish. A very convoluted tale involving the Thailand tsunami, art theft, hate groups, and secret torture. I'm not sure what I think about this one. I set it down many times, thinking I was done. While I don't recommend it, I found it strangely compelling. A very ambivalent.....
2 stars
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The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths - the 7th Ruth Galloway novel. A buried WWII airplane is discovered with the pilot inside. Evidence shows that he was murdered and that his body was not always in the plane. Mystery surrounds the Blackstock family and the ghost fields of old airfields. Ruth isn't quite as whiny, and Cathbad, her druid friend, proves to not be infallible. In fact, he's not very prominent, which I found a welcome change. Although it takes awhile for things to get going, the ending has enough twists to be interesting. I like the way the minor characters are developing.
4 stars (which may be just because it was nice to read something I really enjoyed)
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The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro - an elderly couple in a time long ago set out on a journey to visit the son they can barely remember. Along the way they're assisted by a Saxon warrior and his orphan companion and an old knight. Although this is called a fantasy, and had fantasy elements, I found it to be more about relationships and memories.
4 stars
Sunday, August 2, 2015
July 26 - Aug 1, 2015
Guardians of the Night by Alan Russell - the 2nd in the Gordon and Sirius series, Gordon being the cop and Sirius his dog. Together they're the only members of LAPD's Special Cases Unit. A man claims he saw an angel being murdered and of course that leads to a series of more deaths. Gordon is too wise-cracking for my taste and there are a lot of extraneous facts thrown around.
2 stars
2 stars
Saturday, July 25, 2015
July 19 - 25, 2015
As I was reclining in my La-z boy recliner, a name that implies the owner is of a slothful disposition, and disinclined from manual labor, I realized that I was not enjoying my perusal of the classic Moby Dick. And in fact was having trouble getting Ishmael to Nantucket so that he could begin his adventure in whale hunting. Too. many. words. And I read it once in junior high.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
July 5 - 11, 2015
The Reluctant Matador by Mark Pryor - Hugh Marston takes time of from his job as head of security at the US embassy in Paris to hunt for a missing girl in Barcelona. There doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency (although that's stated many times), to me it felt more like a travelogue of Barcelona. More exciting towards the end and then just peters out. I've really enjoyed previous books in this series, this was a disappointment.
2 stars
2 stars
Sunday, July 5, 2015
June 28 - July 4, 2015
The English Spy by Daniel Silva - just as Gabriel Allon is getting ready to take over as head of Israeli security and his wife is to deliver twins, he's asked by the head of MI6 to track a terrorist suspected of killing a royal. Quite a trek through secret alliances. The story seems to move slowly but I found it quite compelling. I always wonder how much the author really knows about all these agencies.
4 stars
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Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance - this is the author's Ali Reynolds series. It's been awhile since I've read one so some of the back story was a little blurry to me, not enough to affect the enjoyment of the story. A young girl is injured trying to escape from a polygamous cult and someone is threatening Ali's daughter-in-law's grandmother. These two plot lines do not converge and the ending is somewhat unrealistic.
3 stars
4 stars
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Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance - this is the author's Ali Reynolds series. It's been awhile since I've read one so some of the back story was a little blurry to me, not enough to affect the enjoyment of the story. A young girl is injured trying to escape from a polygamous cult and someone is threatening Ali's daughter-in-law's grandmother. These two plot lines do not converge and the ending is somewhat unrealistic.
3 stars
Sunday, June 28, 2015
June 21 - 27, 2015
The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister - Arden is a female illusionist in 1905. Her most famous trick is sawing a man in half. When her husband is found murdered after a show she is immediately suspected. Captured almost by mistake by a young lawman, she begins telling him her story in the hope he will free her. But is she telling the truth? Loved the writing and loved the suspense right up until the end. Some sex.
5 stars
5 stars
Sunday, June 21, 2015
June 14 - 20, 2015
No books read this week! Which wouldn't be so bad is I had accomplished anything else. But, alas, I didn't. See you next week.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
June 7 - 13, 2015
The Maze Runner by James Dashner - Thomas comes to in a metal box, unable to remember his past. Thrown into a group a teenage boys who won't explain what's happening, he gradually learns they are trapped in a maze with no way out. I liked this better than I thought I would and I'll be reading the second in the series. Some violence and death.
*Had to watch the movie after reading this and found it a disappointment. Lots of changes and many of the actors were too old.
4 stars
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Rock With Wings by Anne Hillerman - the author is back with her second book using characters from books by her father, Tony Hillerman. Mysterious lights, suspicious characters, movies, and solar power all mix together in incidents investigated separately by husband and wife officers Chee and Manuelito. Some problems with time management by the author that I found irritating.
3 stars
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The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - Thomas and his group have to cross a burning desert to reach a safe point where they will be rescued. Lots of running and action. I do enjoy these action escapist books once in awhile. More violence.
4 stars
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The Death Cure by James Dashner - I got so caught up trying to figure out what was going on I had to read this in the same day. I even bought the third book for my Kindle rather than be on hold at the library. Thomas and his friends try to escape the Creators. I found this a little disappointing. Almost as if the author didn't know how to finish and left some questions unanswered. Quite a bit of violence and death.
3 stars
*Had to watch the movie after reading this and found it a disappointment. Lots of changes and many of the actors were too old.
4 stars
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Rock With Wings by Anne Hillerman - the author is back with her second book using characters from books by her father, Tony Hillerman. Mysterious lights, suspicious characters, movies, and solar power all mix together in incidents investigated separately by husband and wife officers Chee and Manuelito. Some problems with time management by the author that I found irritating.
3 stars
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The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - Thomas and his group have to cross a burning desert to reach a safe point where they will be rescued. Lots of running and action. I do enjoy these action escapist books once in awhile. More violence.
4 stars
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The Death Cure by James Dashner - I got so caught up trying to figure out what was going on I had to read this in the same day. I even bought the third book for my Kindle rather than be on hold at the library. Thomas and his friends try to escape the Creators. I found this a little disappointing. Almost as if the author didn't know how to finish and left some questions unanswered. Quite a bit of violence and death.
3 stars
Sunday, June 7, 2015
May 31 - June 6, 2015
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - a shepherd boy travels from Spain to the pyramids in Egypt seeking his treasure. A supposed parable about following your dreams. So.extremely.repetitive. If you're on Goodreads, look for Tim "the enchanter"'s review, he has a much more articulate view.
1 star
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Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan - Willow is a 12 yo genius. Her life is abruptly upended one day. Unexpected people step up to help her and in the process everyone begins changing. I must be in a good mood, I loved everything about this book.
5 stars
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Books I quit
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - just couldn't get over the writing style of this. I don't like the "if I had but known" genre and this was even worse with the telling something was coming, going back in time to explain something, and then telling what was actually happening. I'm not giving anything away by saying the narrator is Death, so bad things are in store.
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater - a YA book with werewolves. Too much teen angst for me to finish. And of course it's a trilogy and I just don't care.
1 star
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Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan - Willow is a 12 yo genius. Her life is abruptly upended one day. Unexpected people step up to help her and in the process everyone begins changing. I must be in a good mood, I loved everything about this book.
5 stars
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Books I quit
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - just couldn't get over the writing style of this. I don't like the "if I had but known" genre and this was even worse with the telling something was coming, going back in time to explain something, and then telling what was actually happening. I'm not giving anything away by saying the narrator is Death, so bad things are in store.
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater - a YA book with werewolves. Too much teen angst for me to finish. And of course it's a trilogy and I just don't care.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
May 24 - 30, 2015
The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel - a dead woman is found in a forest in Denmark. When she is identified, the police find that a death certificate was issued for her 30 years ago. This is the 7th in a series but only the 3rd to be translated into English. Very frustrating as there's lots of talk about the female detective's back story. I felt no connection to her at all. Too much sex, some of it violent. Can't recommend it and don't know why I finished it.
1 stars
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Words with Fiends by Ali Brandon - the third in a series about a bookstore owner and her black cat Hamlet. The sensei of the dojo where Darla is taking self defense is found dead. Darla starts snooping, aided by Hamlet who gives her clues by knocking books off shelves. (A rather blatant steal from the Cat Who series.) A typical cozy that needs some editing - several repetitious phrases. I was given this book and won't continue the series.
2 stars
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Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well by Billy Graham - Mr. Graham says he never expected to be old so he never thought about how to be old. He talks about living a full life in the senior years and how to prepare if you're still young. I found this quite timely for where I am right now. Written in 2011, when he was approaching 93. He's 96 now!
4 stars
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Dry Bones by Craig Johnson - the FBI, Indian Conservatory, and a museum are fighting over dinosaur bones found on private property. Walt is trying to keep everyone happy and investigate a suspicious death at the same time. The plot wasn't that convoluted but there was lots of following people in the rain, getting rescued, and then doing the same again. Also a subplot featuring Walt's daughter that I'm assuming will be continued in the next book.
3 stars
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Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - a retelling of the fairytale The Twelve Princesses. It's told mainly from the viewpoint of Galen, a soldier recently returned from war and now working in the royal garden. A YA book that's a nice light read.
3 stars
1 stars
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Words with Fiends by Ali Brandon - the third in a series about a bookstore owner and her black cat Hamlet. The sensei of the dojo where Darla is taking self defense is found dead. Darla starts snooping, aided by Hamlet who gives her clues by knocking books off shelves. (A rather blatant steal from the Cat Who series.) A typical cozy that needs some editing - several repetitious phrases. I was given this book and won't continue the series.
2 stars
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Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well by Billy Graham - Mr. Graham says he never expected to be old so he never thought about how to be old. He talks about living a full life in the senior years and how to prepare if you're still young. I found this quite timely for where I am right now. Written in 2011, when he was approaching 93. He's 96 now!
4 stars
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Dry Bones by Craig Johnson - the FBI, Indian Conservatory, and a museum are fighting over dinosaur bones found on private property. Walt is trying to keep everyone happy and investigate a suspicious death at the same time. The plot wasn't that convoluted but there was lots of following people in the rain, getting rescued, and then doing the same again. Also a subplot featuring Walt's daughter that I'm assuming will be continued in the next book.
3 stars
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Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - a retelling of the fairytale The Twelve Princesses. It's told mainly from the viewpoint of Galen, a soldier recently returned from war and now working in the royal garden. A YA book that's a nice light read.
3 stars
Sunday, May 24, 2015
May 16 - 23, 2015
Falling in Love by Donna Leon - Opera soprano Flavia Petrelli is getting hundreds of yellow roses from an unknown admirer and it's making her nervous. When she renews her acquaintance with Commissario Brunetti, she tells him about it. The story slowly builds until an exciting conclusion. I don't read these for the mystery part but for Brunetti's interactions with his family and co-workers.
4 stars
4 stars
Friday, May 15, 2015
May 10 - 16, 2015
A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear - the 11th Maisie Dobbs book. The last four years of Maisie's life are quickly dealt with in the first few pages. Let's just say things didn't go well. Now she's in Gibraltar, delaying her return to England. The Spanish Civil War is raging just across the border and Maisie finds herself involved in the murder of a photographer.
3.5 stars
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Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan - unmarried, naive Alice finds herself pregnant after falling in love with a married man. Since it's 1933, her mother packs her off to a house deep in the English countryside. The story alternates between Alice and Elizabeth, a woman whose tragic story Alice gradually learns. Not quite a gothic but very atmospheric.
3.5 stars
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I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves by C. Gockel - Norse mythology is turned on it's head when Loki finds himself on earth and becomes involved with veterinary student Amy. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I knew Norse mythology. Told in the present tense, not my favorite method. This was a free Kindle book and part of a series. The rest would need to be free before I would read them.
2 stars
3.5 stars
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Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan - unmarried, naive Alice finds herself pregnant after falling in love with a married man. Since it's 1933, her mother packs her off to a house deep in the English countryside. The story alternates between Alice and Elizabeth, a woman whose tragic story Alice gradually learns. Not quite a gothic but very atmospheric.
3.5 stars
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I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves by C. Gockel - Norse mythology is turned on it's head when Loki finds himself on earth and becomes involved with veterinary student Amy. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I knew Norse mythology. Told in the present tense, not my favorite method. This was a free Kindle book and part of a series. The rest would need to be free before I would read them.
2 stars
Saturday, May 9, 2015
May 3 - 9, 2015
The Marcel Network: How One French Couple Saved 527 Children From the Holocaust by Fred Coleman - this couple decided on their own that something must be done to save as many Jewish children as possible. They hid the children in convents, Catholic schools, and private Protestant homes with the help of some priests and pastors. The writing didn't really click with me.
3 stars
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The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson - a man and woman meet in an airport. Encouraged by anonymity, he confesses to wishing to kill his wife and she says she'll help him plan it because his wife sounds like the kind worth killing. Told in three parts and from various viewpoints, this had lots of twists and turns. No one is especially likeable but I found the story compelling and finished this in one go. Would have given it 5 stars if not for the too descriptive sex.
4.5 stars
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A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson - Teddy is the brother Ursula Todd lives her many lives trying to save in Life After Life. The story goes back and forth in time as Teddy goes through WWII and then lives an ordinary life he didn't expect to have. The writing is lovely but the story itself sometimes had me going huh?
3 stars
3 stars
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The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson - a man and woman meet in an airport. Encouraged by anonymity, he confesses to wishing to kill his wife and she says she'll help him plan it because his wife sounds like the kind worth killing. Told in three parts and from various viewpoints, this had lots of twists and turns. No one is especially likeable but I found the story compelling and finished this in one go. Would have given it 5 stars if not for the too descriptive sex.
4.5 stars
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A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson - Teddy is the brother Ursula Todd lives her many lives trying to save in Life After Life. The story goes back and forth in time as Teddy goes through WWII and then lives an ordinary life he didn't expect to have. The writing is lovely but the story itself sometimes had me going huh?
3 stars
Sunday, May 3, 2015
April 26 - May 2, 2015
The Hellfire Conspiracy by Will Thomas - Barker and Llewelyn are hired to find a missing girl in the East End of London, 1885. This turned into a rather boring tale of lots of walking about, mixed with non-fictional characters of the time. Halfway through the book I started skimming to the end. There is none of the subtle humor of the previous three books in the series. The fourth in a series and after reading other reviews, I've taken the rest off my to read list.
2 stars
2 stars
Sunday, April 26, 2015
April 19 - 25, 2015
The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah - a Hercule Poirot mystery by an imitation Agatha Christie. The author had the permission of the Christie estate to use Poirot but I felt she was unsuccessful in her attempt. Told in first person narrative and third person observer which sometimes switched abruptly. The murders were convoluted and the policeman squeamish.
2 stars
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The Marriage Hearse by Kate Ellis - a bride is murdered on her wedding day and there are many possible suspects. The 10th Wesley Peterson book and this one is pretty convoluted. The parallel ancient mystery wasn't as interesting and there are too many side trails.Wesley's wife does something stupid that made me as angry as I can get at a fictional character.
2 stars
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Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo - this is really more of a novella. Olav is a fixer (killer) for his crime lord boss and finds himself in trouble when he falls in love with the boss's wife. I found it wistufl and haunting story. An anti-hero story with graphic violence.
4 stars
2 stars
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The Marriage Hearse by Kate Ellis - a bride is murdered on her wedding day and there are many possible suspects. The 10th Wesley Peterson book and this one is pretty convoluted. The parallel ancient mystery wasn't as interesting and there are too many side trails.Wesley's wife does something stupid that made me as angry as I can get at a fictional character.
2 stars
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Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo - this is really more of a novella. Olav is a fixer (killer) for his crime lord boss and finds himself in trouble when he falls in love with the boss's wife. I found it wistufl and haunting story. An anti-hero story with graphic violence.
4 stars
Sunday, April 19, 2015
April 12 - 18, 2015
Fifty Mice: A Novel by Daniel Pyne - a man is kidnapped from the subway and finds himself an unwilling participant in the witness protection program. He doesn't know what he's seen or what he's being protected from. A rather confusing story that had me wondering if any of it was real. Quite a bit of strong language.
2 stars
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Obsession in Death by J.D. Robb - the 40th Eve Dallas book and I've read them all so who has the obsession? Someone has decided they have a relationship with Eve and is killing people who have crossed swords with her in the past. It seems to me the bad language has escalated in this book and there are the obligatory sex scenes with Eve and her incredibly handsome, rich husband that I skip over. I like these books for the slight futuristic element (this story is in 2060) and the relationships Eve has developed over time.
3 stars
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Strange Shores by Arnaldur Indridason - this is an Inspector Erlendur novel but he's not investigating a current crime. Instead, he's returned to his family's old home and is still wondering what exactly happened to his little brother when he was lost in a blizzard. He then becomes interested in the disappearance of a woman who vanished many years ago in similar circumstances. In previous novels Erlendur is always haunted by thoughts of his brother and this book seems to bring some closure. This is a series that needs to be read in order which is a little difficult since the first two have not been published in English.
4 stars
2 stars
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Obsession in Death by J.D. Robb - the 40th Eve Dallas book and I've read them all so who has the obsession? Someone has decided they have a relationship with Eve and is killing people who have crossed swords with her in the past. It seems to me the bad language has escalated in this book and there are the obligatory sex scenes with Eve and her incredibly handsome, rich husband that I skip over. I like these books for the slight futuristic element (this story is in 2060) and the relationships Eve has developed over time.
3 stars
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Strange Shores by Arnaldur Indridason - this is an Inspector Erlendur novel but he's not investigating a current crime. Instead, he's returned to his family's old home and is still wondering what exactly happened to his little brother when he was lost in a blizzard. He then becomes interested in the disappearance of a woman who vanished many years ago in similar circumstances. In previous novels Erlendur is always haunted by thoughts of his brother and this book seems to bring some closure. This is a series that needs to be read in order which is a little difficult since the first two have not been published in English.
4 stars
Sunday, April 12, 2015
April 4 - 10, 2015
A Cursed Inheritance by Kate Ellis - another present/past mystery with Wesley Peterson and his archaeologist friend Neil. This time a witness to a 20 year old murder is beginning to recover her memories. And Neil is in America discovering unknown relations. Still lots of resentment on the part of Wesley's wife and lots of avoidance on his part. And there didn't seem too much urgency to actually investigate. Still like this series but I may be Googling to see if I can find out about Wes and Pam.
3 stars
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Cuba Straits by Randy Wayne White - half way through and I quit this book because I got so tired of the foul language, violence and constant ganja smoking. The plot was shadowy to start with and still wasn't clear at this point. Another author I think I'm done with.
3 stars
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Cuba Straits by Randy Wayne White - half way through and I quit this book because I got so tired of the foul language, violence and constant ganja smoking. The plot was shadowy to start with and still wasn't clear at this point. Another author I think I'm done with.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
March 29 - April 4, 2015
Dreaming Spies by Laurie R King - a Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery. The future emperor of Japan is being blackmailed and the couple is asked to investigate. Way too much padding, the ship board portion seems almost as long as the actual journey. I might not have been in the right mood for this one, I found it very disappointing.
2 stars
2 stars
Sunday, March 29, 2015
March 22 - 28, 2015
The Skeleton Room by Kate Ellis - the 7th in the Wesley Peterson series. A body is fished from the sea and almost simultaneously a skeleton is found in a walled up room of an old house. Once again Wesley and his archaeologist friend find correlations between present and past evil. Totally had me guessing on the whodunnit.
4 stars
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The Art of the English Murder by Lucy Worsley - the author draws a correlation between an interest in murder and the change from an agrarian society to an industrialized one. Not as boring as it sounds but this book just didn't grab me.
2 stars
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The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan - a wealthy businessman is found dead at the bottom of a cliff and Esa Khattak, the head of minority-sensitive cases is asked to investigate. The dead man may actually be a war crimes perpetrator. The mystery part was very good but it's the story of Bosnia that will stick with me. Some small irritation with the referencing of previous incidents (this is a first novel so it's not like I missed a book in the series) and some unfinished business. Graphic war scenes, taken from actual survivor accounts.
4.5 stars
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The Plague Maiden by Kate Ellis - while Wesley Peterson deals with a case of an innocent man jailed for murder, a series of threats against a supermarket, a 12 year old murder case, and the impending birth of his second child, Neil is excavating the remains of a 14th century plague pit.
3 stars
4 stars
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The Art of the English Murder by Lucy Worsley - the author draws a correlation between an interest in murder and the change from an agrarian society to an industrialized one. Not as boring as it sounds but this book just didn't grab me.
2 stars
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The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan - a wealthy businessman is found dead at the bottom of a cliff and Esa Khattak, the head of minority-sensitive cases is asked to investigate. The dead man may actually be a war crimes perpetrator. The mystery part was very good but it's the story of Bosnia that will stick with me. Some small irritation with the referencing of previous incidents (this is a first novel so it's not like I missed a book in the series) and some unfinished business. Graphic war scenes, taken from actual survivor accounts.
4.5 stars
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The Plague Maiden by Kate Ellis - while Wesley Peterson deals with a case of an innocent man jailed for murder, a series of threats against a supermarket, a 12 year old murder case, and the impending birth of his second child, Neil is excavating the remains of a 14th century plague pit.
3 stars
Sunday, March 22, 2015
March 15 - 21, 2015
I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short - to me this was one of those celebrity name-dropping books, he seemed almost more interested in the people he knew than his own story. The telling of his wife's passing was quite touching though.
3 stars
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Motive by Jonathan Kellerman - psychologist Alex Delaware and his friend Detective Milo Sturgis suspect a cold case is connected to a more recent killing. Several twists and turns but they seemed to be more of an effort to pad out the story rather than make it interesting.
3 stars
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The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac by Sharma Shields - When Eli was 9, his mother ran off with a sasquatch. He spends the rest of his life hunting for evidence of what he saw and it affects everyone around him. A very strange book.
2 stars
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The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - Hazel and Ben live in Fairfold where humans and fairies have an uneasy co-existence. For as long as they can remember a prince has been sleeping in a glass coffin in the woods. One day he's missing and everything changes. A YA with what seems to be the norm for these books, teenage longing.
3 stars
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The Birds of Pandemonium by Michele Raffin - stories from the author's experience with rare birds living at her bird refuge. She started with no knowledge and now has a successful breeding program for birds on the verge of extinction.
3 stars
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Books I quit
Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville - extremely confusing and very dark, not worth the effort
We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler - an adult book by the author of the Series of Unfortunate Events for children. And I mean adult in every sense. And written so strangely I couldn't read it.
The Life I Left Behind by Colette McBeth - told from too many viewpoints, including the dead victim. Read the end to see if I was right about who I suspected. I was. Very disappointing, I gave her book Precious Thing 5 stars.
Murder on the Champ De Mars by Cara Black - couldn't get into it, it's possible I wasn't in the right mood.
The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid - rather thin plot with too many characters, just not interesting.
3 stars
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Motive by Jonathan Kellerman - psychologist Alex Delaware and his friend Detective Milo Sturgis suspect a cold case is connected to a more recent killing. Several twists and turns but they seemed to be more of an effort to pad out the story rather than make it interesting.
3 stars
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The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac by Sharma Shields - When Eli was 9, his mother ran off with a sasquatch. He spends the rest of his life hunting for evidence of what he saw and it affects everyone around him. A very strange book.
2 stars
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The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - Hazel and Ben live in Fairfold where humans and fairies have an uneasy co-existence. For as long as they can remember a prince has been sleeping in a glass coffin in the woods. One day he's missing and everything changes. A YA with what seems to be the norm for these books, teenage longing.
3 stars
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The Birds of Pandemonium by Michele Raffin - stories from the author's experience with rare birds living at her bird refuge. She started with no knowledge and now has a successful breeding program for birds on the verge of extinction.
3 stars
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Books I quit
Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville - extremely confusing and very dark, not worth the effort
We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler - an adult book by the author of the Series of Unfortunate Events for children. And I mean adult in every sense. And written so strangely I couldn't read it.
The Life I Left Behind by Colette McBeth - told from too many viewpoints, including the dead victim. Read the end to see if I was right about who I suspected. I was. Very disappointing, I gave her book Precious Thing 5 stars.
Murder on the Champ De Mars by Cara Black - couldn't get into it, it's possible I wasn't in the right mood.
The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid - rather thin plot with too many characters, just not interesting.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
March 8 - 14, 2015
A Painted Doom by Kate Ellis - the 6th Wesley Peterson book. A faded rock star is found dead in a farmer's field and many false threads are followed before the murderer is found. And Wesley's friend Neil is doing an archeological dig that parallels the investigation.
3 stars
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The Coldest Summer by Kate Rice - Australian transplant police detective Mick Downey finds himself leading an investigation hampered by a wealthy family in San Fransisco. This is a first novel by the author and it seemed to flutter between being a straight mystery or romance. The Kindle version needed some serious editing.
2 stars
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Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper - 82 yo Etta leaves a note for her husband that she is going to see the ocean and begins walking east from Saskatchewan. Memories and thoughts go back and forth in time and it's not always clear who is remembering what. A very different book that I liked quite a lot.
4 stars
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Lost and Found by Brooke Davis - Millie Bird, whose father has recently died is left in a department store by her grieving mother. Agatha, 82, hasn't left her home since her husband died 7 years ago. Karl, 87, escapes from a nursing home. Somehow they all end up together as they grieve in their own ways. Sex and language.
3 stars
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A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray - a YA scifi. Marguerite's parents have invented a way to travel between dimensions. Before it can be tested, their research assistant kills her father and steals the device, traveling to another dimension. Marguerite and Theo follow him, planning to take their revenge. This has an ending but it is the beginning of a trilogy. This is also a romance with the obligatory teenage angst.
4 stars
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Numbers by Rachel Ward - another YA. Jem sees numbers when she looks in people's eyes and it's only when her mother dies that she realizes the numbers are the day the person will die. At 15 she's a loner and outcast. Then she meets Spider and slowly starts to thaw. When they go to London for the day she realizes many people are going to die that day. The beginning of a trilogy. Teenage love and sex.
3 stars
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Death on the Move by Bill Crider - the 4th Sheriff Dan Rhodes. This time someone is stealing jewelry from the bodies at the funeral home. And while investigating robberies at weekend homes, the sheriff discovers a dead body. Not quite as good as some but I'll still give it
3 stars
3 stars
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The Coldest Summer by Kate Rice - Australian transplant police detective Mick Downey finds himself leading an investigation hampered by a wealthy family in San Fransisco. This is a first novel by the author and it seemed to flutter between being a straight mystery or romance. The Kindle version needed some serious editing.
2 stars
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Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper - 82 yo Etta leaves a note for her husband that she is going to see the ocean and begins walking east from Saskatchewan. Memories and thoughts go back and forth in time and it's not always clear who is remembering what. A very different book that I liked quite a lot.
4 stars
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Lost and Found by Brooke Davis - Millie Bird, whose father has recently died is left in a department store by her grieving mother. Agatha, 82, hasn't left her home since her husband died 7 years ago. Karl, 87, escapes from a nursing home. Somehow they all end up together as they grieve in their own ways. Sex and language.
3 stars
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A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray - a YA scifi. Marguerite's parents have invented a way to travel between dimensions. Before it can be tested, their research assistant kills her father and steals the device, traveling to another dimension. Marguerite and Theo follow him, planning to take their revenge. This has an ending but it is the beginning of a trilogy. This is also a romance with the obligatory teenage angst.
4 stars
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Numbers by Rachel Ward - another YA. Jem sees numbers when she looks in people's eyes and it's only when her mother dies that she realizes the numbers are the day the person will die. At 15 she's a loner and outcast. Then she meets Spider and slowly starts to thaw. When they go to London for the day she realizes many people are going to die that day. The beginning of a trilogy. Teenage love and sex.
3 stars
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Death on the Move by Bill Crider - the 4th Sheriff Dan Rhodes. This time someone is stealing jewelry from the bodies at the funeral home. And while investigating robberies at weekend homes, the sheriff discovers a dead body. Not quite as good as some but I'll still give it
3 stars
Monday, March 2, 2015
March 1 - 7, 2015
Touch by Claire North - Kepler can move into other people's bodies at the touch of bare skin. And he's on the run from a shadowy organization out to kill him and others like him. This started in a confusing way, it took about 60 pages to really get into it. Both a fantasy and a thriller.
4 stars
4 stars
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Feb 22 - 28, 2015
I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had: My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High by Tony Danza - in 2009, the actor began teaching English to 10th graders at the largest high school in Philadelphia. He talks a little about the reality show that was being filmed at the same time. But it's mostly about his frustration with trying to reach the kids and the difficulty of teaching to the test.
3 stars
3 stars
Feb 15 - 21, 2015
A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd - this is a prequel to the Ian Rutledge series. It takes place just as WWI is starting and we see what the inspector was like before he was haunted by war. He has just become engaged and is also investigating some baffling murders.
3 stars
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Dead on the Island by Bill Crider - P.I. Truman Smith has retired from investigating after failing to find his missing sister. But when an old friend asks him to find a missing girl he's back in action. By the author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes books.This was written in 1991 and some if it feels rather dated. Lots of time spent feeding the cat.
2 stars
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Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home by Nina Stibbe - in 1982, when she was 20, the author became the nanny of two precocious boys. She began writing letters to her sister describing her life in the home of a magazine editor and neighbor to a famous playwright. Lots of initials used so it gets confusing at times. Fairly amusing, some language.
3 stars
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Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver - Amory Ames is a wealthy young woman with a wandering husband. When she's invited to a party at the seaside by her former fiance she doesn't know there will be murder as well. An old fashioned murder mystery with lots of twists and turns and quite a surprise ending. At least to me. I hope there is another by this author.
3 stars
3 stars
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Dead on the Island by Bill Crider - P.I. Truman Smith has retired from investigating after failing to find his missing sister. But when an old friend asks him to find a missing girl he's back in action. By the author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes books.This was written in 1991 and some if it feels rather dated. Lots of time spent feeding the cat.
2 stars
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Love, Nina: A Nanny Writes Home by Nina Stibbe - in 1982, when she was 20, the author became the nanny of two precocious boys. She began writing letters to her sister describing her life in the home of a magazine editor and neighbor to a famous playwright. Lots of initials used so it gets confusing at times. Fairly amusing, some language.
3 stars
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Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver - Amory Ames is a wealthy young woman with a wandering husband. When she's invited to a party at the seaside by her former fiance she doesn't know there will be murder as well. An old fashioned murder mystery with lots of twists and turns and quite a surprise ending. At least to me. I hope there is another by this author.
3 stars
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Feb 8 - 14, 2015
The Heist by Daniel Silva - Israeli spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon is on the trail of a lost Caravaggio masterpiece. Somehow this turns into a plot to relieve a Middle East president of his ill-gotten gains. This was pretty slow getting started but I'm glad I stuck with it.
3 stars
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I Shall Be Near To You by Erin Lindsay McCabe - when her new husband joins the Union army, Rosetta disguises herself as a man and joins his regiment. It's a love story about a woman determined to think and act for herself. Some war scenes.
4.5 stars
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Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekback - 1717 in Sweden and Maija and her family are trying a fresh start in the mountains. Soon after they arrive, her daughter finds a dead man in the woods. Neighbors say he was killed by a wolf or bear but Maija is sure it was a person. Religion, superstition, and mysticism all swirl together during a very cold winter while everyone is just trying to survive.
4.5 stars
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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - Rachel peers into the same backyard everyday on the train and makes up an idealistic story about the couple living there. Then one day she sees something shocking that makes her revise everything. She makes a rash move and entangles herself in their lives. Everyone in this book has flaws, some larger than others. Very suspenseful, kept me guessing most of the time, and the end is quite exciting. Read it straight through.
5 stars
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Breaking Creed by Alex Kava - Ryder Creed trains dogs to do all kinds of searches. On one of his searches he finds something unexpected and invokes the wrath of a drug lord. This read kind of like a tv pilot where everyone is introduced but you don't learn anything of depth. A second book is in the works.
3 stars
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I've decided as a public service to start listing some of the books I start but don't finish.
Unbecoming by Rebecca Sherm - I kept picking this up and putting it down and actually got more than two thirds through before deciding to quit. It starts in Paris with a young girl living a meager life as a gem-restorer. Gradually you learn she's dreading the release from prison of some friends in her hometown in America. But the mystery is revealed so slowly that you spend too much time with the girl and find she's not very likeable. I decided I didn't care.
3 stars
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I Shall Be Near To You by Erin Lindsay McCabe - when her new husband joins the Union army, Rosetta disguises herself as a man and joins his regiment. It's a love story about a woman determined to think and act for herself. Some war scenes.
4.5 stars
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Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekback - 1717 in Sweden and Maija and her family are trying a fresh start in the mountains. Soon after they arrive, her daughter finds a dead man in the woods. Neighbors say he was killed by a wolf or bear but Maija is sure it was a person. Religion, superstition, and mysticism all swirl together during a very cold winter while everyone is just trying to survive.
4.5 stars
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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - Rachel peers into the same backyard everyday on the train and makes up an idealistic story about the couple living there. Then one day she sees something shocking that makes her revise everything. She makes a rash move and entangles herself in their lives. Everyone in this book has flaws, some larger than others. Very suspenseful, kept me guessing most of the time, and the end is quite exciting. Read it straight through.
5 stars
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Breaking Creed by Alex Kava - Ryder Creed trains dogs to do all kinds of searches. On one of his searches he finds something unexpected and invokes the wrath of a drug lord. This read kind of like a tv pilot where everyone is introduced but you don't learn anything of depth. A second book is in the works.
3 stars
*************************************************************************
I've decided as a public service to start listing some of the books I start but don't finish.
Unbecoming by Rebecca Sherm - I kept picking this up and putting it down and actually got more than two thirds through before deciding to quit. It starts in Paris with a young girl living a meager life as a gem-restorer. Gradually you learn she's dreading the release from prison of some friends in her hometown in America. But the mystery is revealed so slowly that you spend too much time with the girl and find she's not very likeable. I decided I didn't care.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Feb 1-7, 2015
Shotgun Saturday Night by Bill Crider - the 2nd of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes that I've become quite hooked on. This time the sheriff has a dope and motorcycle problem in the county. There's always something kooky going on too.
3 stars
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Cursed to Death by Bill Crider - I seem to be hooked on these books right now and they're always an easy read. In the 3rd of the series, a dentist has disappeared but it's his wife who is found murdered.
3 stars
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Photo Finished by Laura Childs - the 2nd in the scrapbook mystery series. The antique dealer from the store next to Carmela's scrapbook store is found murdered in the alley. Only a little bit of "investigating" by Carmela but lots of running around all over New Orleans. I'll probably read the latest in the series and then be done with it.
2 stars
3 stars
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Cursed to Death by Bill Crider - I seem to be hooked on these books right now and they're always an easy read. In the 3rd of the series, a dentist has disappeared but it's his wife who is found murdered.
3 stars
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Photo Finished by Laura Childs - the 2nd in the scrapbook mystery series. The antique dealer from the store next to Carmela's scrapbook store is found murdered in the alley. Only a little bit of "investigating" by Carmela but lots of running around all over New Orleans. I'll probably read the latest in the series and then be done with it.
2 stars
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Jan 25-31, 2015
The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson - it's 1909 in Paris. Maud is studying painting at the LaFond Acadamie and finding it hard to survive on her meager savings. Then she's offered a position as a companion to a young woman by the woman's older brother. She discovers things aren't quite as idyllic as they seem on the surface. The first book I've really enjoyed this year.
4.5 stars
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A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison - a short-lived affair comes back to haunt a woman and her family 20 years later. Things are revealed slowly in a letter written by her to her son. Can a marriage built on a lie survive? Some sex scenes.
4 stars
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A Breach of Security by Susan Hill - a very short Simon Serrailler e-book. A racist group attacks members of a gay pride parade and then threaten major damage at a troop welcome home. Not much to this story, I don't know if parts of it will be in the next book.
2 stars
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Switchblade by Michael Connelly - a very, very short Harry Bosch e-book. Harry finds a prisoner also has ties to an unsolved murder. Not really resolved and a little disappointing.
2 stars
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Too Late to Die by Bill Crider - the 1st of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes books. Having read the last four of the series, I'm starting at the beginning. It's election year and the sheriff has a murder on his hands that could cost him the election. A little twist at the end. It will be interesting to watch the character development in future books, I thought they started out strong in this first book.
3 stars
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The Soul of Discretion by Susan Hill - very disappointed in this book and I got more than halfway through before I couldn't finish it. Her books are always dark but this was just too much. Sex crimes against children and a separate case against a woman. I find the main character cold. I've never liked his father and in this book he's heinous. I think I'm done with this series. And this is one of the few books I paid for.
4.5 stars
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A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison - a short-lived affair comes back to haunt a woman and her family 20 years later. Things are revealed slowly in a letter written by her to her son. Can a marriage built on a lie survive? Some sex scenes.
4 stars
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A Breach of Security by Susan Hill - a very short Simon Serrailler e-book. A racist group attacks members of a gay pride parade and then threaten major damage at a troop welcome home. Not much to this story, I don't know if parts of it will be in the next book.
2 stars
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Switchblade by Michael Connelly - a very, very short Harry Bosch e-book. Harry finds a prisoner also has ties to an unsolved murder. Not really resolved and a little disappointing.
2 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Too Late to Die by Bill Crider - the 1st of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes books. Having read the last four of the series, I'm starting at the beginning. It's election year and the sheriff has a murder on his hands that could cost him the election. A little twist at the end. It will be interesting to watch the character development in future books, I thought they started out strong in this first book.
3 stars
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The Soul of Discretion by Susan Hill - very disappointed in this book and I got more than halfway through before I couldn't finish it. Her books are always dark but this was just too much. Sex crimes against children and a separate case against a woman. I find the main character cold. I've never liked his father and in this book he's heinous. I think I'm done with this series. And this is one of the few books I paid for.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Jan 18 - 24, 2015
Half in Love With Artful Death by Bill Crider - Sheriff Dan Rhodes investigates the death of a chronic complainer in this latest book. He also has trouble with donkeys, a nude woman at a rest stop, and meth dealers. All with a twist of humor.
3 stars
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The Body Snatchers Affair by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronini - number three in the Carpenter and Quincannon series by this husband and wife team. This time they're both investigating the disappearance of bodies - one in Chinatown and one in wealthy San Francisco. Although the conclusions were not a surprise, I found some of the investigating confusing.
2 stars
3 stars
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The Body Snatchers Affair by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronini - number three in the Carpenter and Quincannon series by this husband and wife team. This time they're both investigating the disappearance of bodies - one in Chinatown and one in wealthy San Francisco. Although the conclusions were not a surprise, I found some of the investigating confusing.
2 stars
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Jan 11 - 17, 2015
Compound Murder by Bill Crider - a Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery. A professor has been found dead on the local college campus and the suspect is the son of a survivalist living at a well fortified compound. As usual, there are also some minor disturbances for the sheriff to deal with, including a pig in someone's home. I like this series, it's a quick read with some humor, but the sheriff always gets his suspect.
3 stars
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The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sin-Mi Hwang - the story of a brave hen who dares to not accept her circumstances and dream of a different life. A little sad.
3 stars
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Woman With a Gun by Phillip Margolin - an aspiring writer sees a picture of a woman in a wedding dress standing on a beach holding a gun. She finds it was taken very shortly after a murder and decides to write a novel about it. This leads to the solution of a 10 year old case. This book was written in a very odd style, going back in time to old cases. As a result I never felt connected to any of the characters and only finished because I wanted to know what had happened.
3 stars
3 stars
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The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sin-Mi Hwang - the story of a brave hen who dares to not accept her circumstances and dream of a different life. A little sad.
3 stars
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Woman With a Gun by Phillip Margolin - an aspiring writer sees a picture of a woman in a wedding dress standing on a beach holding a gun. She finds it was taken very shortly after a murder and decides to write a novel about it. This leads to the solution of a 10 year old case. This book was written in a very odd style, going back in time to old cases. As a result I never felt connected to any of the characters and only finished because I wanted to know what had happened.
3 stars
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Jan 4 - 10, 2015
Easy Street: The Hard Way by Ron Perlman - I thought this would be a witty memoir of the author's life and career. It starts that way but became a diatribe on what's wrong today and how to fix it. He also talks a lot about his therapy of many years. It was at times humorous but those were few and far between. Lots of language but I knew that from a review. I think this was lots of rambling talk and the poor ghost writer was left trying to put it together.
1 star
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The Forgers by Bradford Morrow -" They never found his hands" are the opening words for this story of forgery in the world of rare books. The narrator is a convicted forger caught up in the death of his girlfriend's brother, who he suspects may have been a forger too. A feeling of dread begins almost with the first page and builds until the end. The main character is not completely sympathetic but I really liked the way this was written. Just a little anticlimactic.
4 stars
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The Stranger You Know by Jane Casey - the 4th Maeve Kerrigan book. A serial killer is somehow gaining the trust of women, possibly by posing as a policeman. Maeve's partner comes under suspicion because of something in his past. Lots of twists and turns. The one thing I don't like about these books is there is always some conflict between various police officers.
4 stars
1 star
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The Forgers by Bradford Morrow -" They never found his hands" are the opening words for this story of forgery in the world of rare books. The narrator is a convicted forger caught up in the death of his girlfriend's brother, who he suspects may have been a forger too. A feeling of dread begins almost with the first page and builds until the end. The main character is not completely sympathetic but I really liked the way this was written. Just a little anticlimactic.
4 stars
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The Stranger You Know by Jane Casey - the 4th Maeve Kerrigan book. A serial killer is somehow gaining the trust of women, possibly by posing as a policeman. Maeve's partner comes under suspicion because of something in his past. Lots of twists and turns. The one thing I don't like about these books is there is always some conflict between various police officers.
4 stars
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Dec 28, 2014 - Jan 3, 2015
Reason to Believe: Answering the Toughest Questions About God by HR Huntsman - an apologetics book beginning with creation and going through to the historicity of Jesus. Disclaimer - the author is my pastor. This book is the result of a sermon series a few years ago and that I really enjoyed at the time. This would have received 4 stars, mostly because the book layout style is not my favorite, but because of extreme prejudice and loyalty...
5 stars
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Black Skies by Arnaldur Indridason - this is called an Inspector Erlander book, but his colleague, Sigurdur Oli, is the focus of this one. I don't find him a very sympathetic character. He's asked to help in a case of blackmail by an old school friend. It becomes murder and financial fraud.
3 stars
5 stars
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Black Skies by Arnaldur Indridason - this is called an Inspector Erlander book, but his colleague, Sigurdur Oli, is the focus of this one. I don't find him a very sympathetic character. He's asked to help in a case of blackmail by an old school friend. It becomes murder and financial fraud.
3 stars
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