Sunday, October 29, 2017
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Oct 16 - 21, 2017
The Color of Fear by Marcia Muller - Sharon McCone's father, a famous Shoshone artist, is attacked by racist thugs while he visits her in San Francisco. When she begins to investigate it brings more attacks on her family and associates. All of whom, from all of the previous 31 books, have to be mentioned, along with almost every previous case. This seems to take the place of a plot but we do learn how the author feels about hate groups. And at the end, Sharon once again faces the baddies single handed. Will she ever learn? With the author in her 70's I'm wondering if this is the last in the series. I still remember so enjoying the first, Edwin of the Iron Shoes, in 1977. (Don't remember the plot but the enjoyment of a good mystery.)
2 stars
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The Dry by Jane Harper - Federal Agent Aaron Falk hadn't planned on attending the funeral of his old friend who has committed suicide after killing his wife and son. But when he receives a threatening note he reluctantly returns to Kiewwarra, an Australian farming town where it hasn't rained in two years and where tensions are high. Does the atrocity committed by his friend have something to do with the 20 year old secret Aaron and his friend have kept? I really enjoyed this debut novel.
4.5 stars
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Holding by Graham Norton - the quiet Irish town of Duneen is stunned when a body is found at a building site. Everyone immediately assumes it to be Tommy Burke, who supposedly left town after an entanglement with two women. Brid, who is now an alcoholic mother of two, and Evelyn whose life has passed her by. PJ Collins, the overweight Gardia sergeant if the town, suddenly finds his very dull life changing. The author is the host of a talk show in the UK full of double entendres and innuendo so I was very surprised to find I really liked his writing. There are a couple of sex scenes, one of them uncomfortable, but crucial to the plot.
4 stars
2 stars
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The Dry by Jane Harper - Federal Agent Aaron Falk hadn't planned on attending the funeral of his old friend who has committed suicide after killing his wife and son. But when he receives a threatening note he reluctantly returns to Kiewwarra, an Australian farming town where it hasn't rained in two years and where tensions are high. Does the atrocity committed by his friend have something to do with the 20 year old secret Aaron and his friend have kept? I really enjoyed this debut novel.
4.5 stars
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Holding by Graham Norton - the quiet Irish town of Duneen is stunned when a body is found at a building site. Everyone immediately assumes it to be Tommy Burke, who supposedly left town after an entanglement with two women. Brid, who is now an alcoholic mother of two, and Evelyn whose life has passed her by. PJ Collins, the overweight Gardia sergeant if the town, suddenly finds his very dull life changing. The author is the host of a talk show in the UK full of double entendres and innuendo so I was very surprised to find I really liked his writing. There are a couple of sex scenes, one of them uncomfortable, but crucial to the plot.
4 stars
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Oct 9 - 15, 2017
Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford - a twelve year old half Chinese boy finds himself being raffled off at the 1909 Seattle World's Fair. The winner is the madam of a brothel, a house where Ernest finally finds a sense of belonging. He also meets the two girls he will almost simultaneously fall in love with. In 1962, at the beginning of a new World's Fair, Ernest remembers his old life while his wife is forgetting him. We go back and forth between the two times, almost too much in my opinion. It made the story a little jerky. I almost quit this one but felt it got much better about half way through.
3 stars
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Cold in the Earth by Aline Templeton - set in a remote area of Scotland during the hoof and mouth disease catastrophe of 2001. DI Marjory Fleming is the wife of a farmer and so is caught between both sides as her officers must enforce the slaughter orders on the farms of her friends. And though the book spends a great deal of time on this it isn't what the mystery is about. Finally, halfway through, a body is found and a murderer from the past must be caught. The writing is nice but there is just too much extraneous plot. And Fleming's father is the kind I detest - bombastic, a misogynist, and thoroughly unimpressed with anything she does. This is the first in a series I won't continue.
2 stars
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Chasing Space by Leland Melvin - the author is the only man to be drafted into the NFL and go to outer space. Basically a book about overcoming obstacles and keeping on no matter what. I somehow ordered the young readers edition from the library but don't think I missed too much. I would have liked to know a little more about his personal life or if he sacrificed that for his career.
3 stars
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Within Arm's Length:A Secret Service Agent's Definitive Account of Protecting the President by Dan Emmett - as an 8 year old, the author was so inspired by the actions of one Secret Service agent when President Kennedy was assassinated that he vowed to become one. We follow his career in the Marines and then as an agent eventually earning his place in the Presidential Protection Division. He's very careful not to spill any dirt about the people he protected. Lots of acronyms that dulled my enjoyment. A little bland but I did learn lots I didn't know about the Secret Service.
3 stars
3 stars
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Cold in the Earth by Aline Templeton - set in a remote area of Scotland during the hoof and mouth disease catastrophe of 2001. DI Marjory Fleming is the wife of a farmer and so is caught between both sides as her officers must enforce the slaughter orders on the farms of her friends. And though the book spends a great deal of time on this it isn't what the mystery is about. Finally, halfway through, a body is found and a murderer from the past must be caught. The writing is nice but there is just too much extraneous plot. And Fleming's father is the kind I detest - bombastic, a misogynist, and thoroughly unimpressed with anything she does. This is the first in a series I won't continue.
2 stars
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Chasing Space by Leland Melvin - the author is the only man to be drafted into the NFL and go to outer space. Basically a book about overcoming obstacles and keeping on no matter what. I somehow ordered the young readers edition from the library but don't think I missed too much. I would have liked to know a little more about his personal life or if he sacrificed that for his career.
3 stars
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Within Arm's Length:A Secret Service Agent's Definitive Account of Protecting the President by Dan Emmett - as an 8 year old, the author was so inspired by the actions of one Secret Service agent when President Kennedy was assassinated that he vowed to become one. We follow his career in the Marines and then as an agent eventually earning his place in the Presidential Protection Division. He's very careful not to spill any dirt about the people he protected. Lots of acronyms that dulled my enjoyment. A little bland but I did learn lots I didn't know about the Secret Service.
3 stars
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Oct 1 - 7, 2017
The Blood Card by Elly Griffiths - it's 1953 and Britain is getting ready for the coronation of Elizabeth. DI Edgar Stephens and his friend, magician Max Mephisto, are called to the scene of the murder of their former commander. A playing card has been found on his body and Max knows the significance. It looks like there may be planned mayhem at the coronation or elsewhere. The case leads Stephens to America where an attempt is made on his life. Meanwhile, Max is about to appear on the new threat to variety shows, television.
3.5 stars
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The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters, Joan Hess - the last Amelia Peabody book which was unfinished at the time of the author's death. Not sure how much of the book was written by Peters and how much by Hess but it just didn't feel the same to me. The characters were not in character. The mystery is the bust of Nefertiti and how the Peabodys become involved in its discovery. I started and stopped this book 3 times before finishing it out of loyalty to Elizabeth Peters.
2 stars
3.5 stars
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The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters, Joan Hess - the last Amelia Peabody book which was unfinished at the time of the author's death. Not sure how much of the book was written by Peters and how much by Hess but it just didn't feel the same to me. The characters were not in character. The mystery is the bust of Nefertiti and how the Peabodys become involved in its discovery. I started and stopped this book 3 times before finishing it out of loyalty to Elizabeth Peters.
2 stars
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Sept 24 - 30, 2017
The Late Show by Michael Connelly - a new series featuring Renee Ballard, a detective who works the night shift in the Hollywood division of the LAPD. Thus the title. She's working this shift as punishment for losing a sexual harassment case against her former supervisor and what she doesn't like is never being able to follow up on a case. Until one night when two separate cases cause her to start investigating on her time off. Way, way too much police jargon and details of paperwork as if the author wants to impress us with his inner knowledge. I found Renee not so much unlikable as I just didn't care. I feel the author is jumping on the woman is strong bandwagon without giving her much character. My opinion is not shared by the majority on Goodreads.
2 stars
2 stars
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