A Taste for Vengeance by Martin Walker - Bruno, chief of police of St. Denis, is searching for a missing English woman who is in France to attend a cooking class. Soon he knows she's traveling with a man not her husband, a somewhat mysterious man with local ties. Then she's found dead and the man is missing. This becomes a somewhat convoluted tale involving many agencies. Meanwhile, there's lots of cooking and eating and enjoying life as always in these books. One of the better in the series.
4 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hostage Zero by John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave's business sometimes includes rescuing kidnap vicitims but this time it's personal. Armed men have broken into Resurrection House, the orphanage he supports, and kidnapped two boys while seriously injuring the janitor. What seems like a mindless kidnapping turns out to be a case of a high level government person trying to keep a secret. Lots of gun battles, described in infinite detail. Whole pages of gun descriptions. Probably a 100 pages could have been cut. Still, I started this series because I'm interested in the last book of the series. I'm going to try one more before I decide if I'm going to jump to the end. I'm curious to see if Graves will become more likeable.
3 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huang - the story of Chang and Eng, conjoined twins discovered in Siam. First fact, they weren't Siamese, but Chinese living in Siam. Basically sold by their mother, with their consent, they were taken to America to be exhibited. Intelligent and quickly learning English, they declared themselves free agents when they turned 21. Free to organize their own business, they managed to save 10,000 dollars, quite a sum in the early 1800's. They eventually settled in Mt. Airy, the real home of the fictional Mayberry RFD. They married two sisters, had many children, and owned slaves. Told in almost excruciating detail, the books also explores the rise of humbuggery and the willingness of the public to be fooled and amazed.
3 stars
Sunday, July 29, 2018
Sunday, July 22, 2018
July 15 - 21, 2018
The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent - Guylain Vignolles is the victim of an unfortunate name (I think you have to be French to understand), and as a result has always lived life on the edges, trying to be ignored. He has a job he hates and is actually afraid of. His only joy is reading aloud on the commuter train every morning. He gains some followers and slowly, gradually his life begins to change. And then he finds a memory stick on the train that may change his life forever. A charming little book with a few frank passages.
4.5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow by Damian Dibben - the last thing his master said to Tomorrow was to meet him on the steps of the cathedral if they became separated. And he has been faithfully waiting - for 127 years. Tomorrow is a dog belonging to a man who has somehow become immortal and he's made his dog immortal too. They spend the centuries traveling as his master tries to find a purpose. But they're always on the lookout for a man who has become their enemy. Told from the viewpoint of the dog, this was beautifully written. His immortality seems to have made Tomorrow very wise and eloquent. I could tell from the cover that I would cry at some point and I was right. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley - Lynn Roseworth, wife of a senator, has her life thrown into chaos when her youngest grandson disappears in the night. She's always been fearful of the woods behind her house and has forbidden her grandchildren from going in them. But what really scares her are the words her other grandson says when asked about the disappearance, he says "the lights took him". And Lynn has heard those words many times before as a young woman doing research for an astronomy professor. Since Lynn left that world, she has almost sublimated herself as the wife of an important man and as a mother and grandmother. But her determination to find her grandson makes her take unthinkable measures. What starts out as a thriller quickly becomes very sci-fi.
3.5 stars
4.5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow by Damian Dibben - the last thing his master said to Tomorrow was to meet him on the steps of the cathedral if they became separated. And he has been faithfully waiting - for 127 years. Tomorrow is a dog belonging to a man who has somehow become immortal and he's made his dog immortal too. They spend the centuries traveling as his master tries to find a purpose. But they're always on the lookout for a man who has become their enemy. Told from the viewpoint of the dog, this was beautifully written. His immortality seems to have made Tomorrow very wise and eloquent. I could tell from the cover that I would cry at some point and I was right. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley - Lynn Roseworth, wife of a senator, has her life thrown into chaos when her youngest grandson disappears in the night. She's always been fearful of the woods behind her house and has forbidden her grandchildren from going in them. But what really scares her are the words her other grandson says when asked about the disappearance, he says "the lights took him". And Lynn has heard those words many times before as a young woman doing research for an astronomy professor. Since Lynn left that world, she has almost sublimated herself as the wife of an important man and as a mother and grandmother. But her determination to find her grandson makes her take unthinkable measures. What starts out as a thriller quickly becomes very sci-fi.
3.5 stars
Sunday, July 15, 2018
July 8 - 14, 2018
No Mercy by John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave is the man you want to call when you need discreet help with business espionage or worse. It helps that he's immensely wealthy and has a network of powerful friends in various businesses willing and able to help him. In the first book of the series, Jonathan rescues a college student, killing his three captors in the process. But that's just the tip of the iceberg when government secrets are about to be exposed. Lots of gun and military talk, there were whole pages I skimmed. Also lots of action but I felt the story was a bit too long and the firefight lasted forever. But I'll probably read the next in the series because I made the mistake of reading the opening chapter and will want to know what happens.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware - down on her luck Hal receives a letter that may prove to be her salvation. She has has received an inheritance from her grandmother. The only problem, she's not that person. Nevertheless, she embarks on a plan of deceit. She soon finds out she's not the only one lying. The author is touted as being a new voice in mystery but I've read versions of this plot many times. No real surprises here. Also, Hal is cold and damp for most of the book and I had to get a blanket in the summer in sympathy. I do like the author's writing.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Sins of My Father:A Mafia Killer, His Son, and the Legacy of a Mob Life by Albert Demeo, Mary Jane Ross - the author grew up adoring his father and wanting to be like him in every way. Even when he began to realize his father led a dangerous life. At a young age he would lie in bed until he heard his father come home, thankful that his father was still alive. Al's father began introducing him to his associates and work at a young age and yet didn't seem to want him to follow in his footsteps. When his father is killed by other Mafia members, Al is caught between the mob and law enforcement. The entire time I read this book I was horrified by the terrible pressure put on a boy too young to deal with it.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Island of the Mad by Laurie R. King - Mary Russell is asked by an old friend to look into the disappearance of her aunt, who is considered mad and has been residing in Bedlam for the past several years. Mary finds clues indicating the aunt may be in Venice so she and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, go there. Holmes has been asked by his brother Mycroft to be an unofficial spy regarding the rise of Mussolini and his Blackshirts. While in Venice, Mary joins the In crowd in her effort to find the aunt and Holmes makes the acquaintance of Cole Porter and his wife. Not quite as thrilling as some of the previous books but I did like the final solution. Not the best in the series but enjoyable.
4 stars
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware - down on her luck Hal receives a letter that may prove to be her salvation. She has has received an inheritance from her grandmother. The only problem, she's not that person. Nevertheless, she embarks on a plan of deceit. She soon finds out she's not the only one lying. The author is touted as being a new voice in mystery but I've read versions of this plot many times. No real surprises here. Also, Hal is cold and damp for most of the book and I had to get a blanket in the summer in sympathy. I do like the author's writing.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Sins of My Father:A Mafia Killer, His Son, and the Legacy of a Mob Life by Albert Demeo, Mary Jane Ross - the author grew up adoring his father and wanting to be like him in every way. Even when he began to realize his father led a dangerous life. At a young age he would lie in bed until he heard his father come home, thankful that his father was still alive. Al's father began introducing him to his associates and work at a young age and yet didn't seem to want him to follow in his footsteps. When his father is killed by other Mafia members, Al is caught between the mob and law enforcement. The entire time I read this book I was horrified by the terrible pressure put on a boy too young to deal with it.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Island of the Mad by Laurie R. King - Mary Russell is asked by an old friend to look into the disappearance of her aunt, who is considered mad and has been residing in Bedlam for the past several years. Mary finds clues indicating the aunt may be in Venice so she and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, go there. Holmes has been asked by his brother Mycroft to be an unofficial spy regarding the rise of Mussolini and his Blackshirts. While in Venice, Mary joins the In crowd in her effort to find the aunt and Holmes makes the acquaintance of Cole Porter and his wife. Not quite as thrilling as some of the previous books but I did like the final solution. Not the best in the series but enjoyable.
4 stars
Sunday, July 8, 2018
July 1 - 7, 2018
The Lonely Witness by William Boyle - Amy lives a quiet life working temporary jobs and serving as a Eucharist minister to the housebound. She's trying to be a "good" girl after her former life of partying. Then she witnesses a murder and begins to make some bad decisions. She takes the murder weapon and hides it .And then somehow becomes entangled with the murderer. This book is full of sad, lonely people. I only finished it to see if Amy redeems herself. She doesn't.
1 star
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - an LBGTQ/gun debate/immigration/eco-conservation/any other headline novel peopled with characters ripped straight from several sci-fi series. Rosemary is the new crew member on the Wayfarer, a ship that makes black holes by tunneling through space. On board she finds her fellow crew members are a mix of various species including a sentient AI. On the long journey to their latest job she finds a new family and purpose in her job. I liked this in spite of its preachiness.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Eyes by Rene Formby - Moose teams up with PI Tony to find evidence to free his pal who has been falsely accused of killing his girlfriend. What makes their partnership unusual is that Moose is an Australian terrier and Tony is a cat. When the real killer is also killed their only option is to break Moose's friend out of jail. This book tried way too hard to be hard-boiled noir and contemporary at the same time. The animals complain all the time about not having opposable thumbs and yet are able to operate computers and construct a bomb. And Moose, who id a breed known for it's loyalty, isn't even sure of the name of his owners. I like anthropomorphic animal stories but this didn't work for me.
2 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dead Angler by Victoria Houston - Doc Osbourne is fly fishing when he finds a body in the river. Fortuitously, he happens to be fishing with the town sheriff and she promptly deputizes him to do the dental forensics. The victim turns out to be the heir to a large fortune so suspects abound. I couldn't warm up to Doc and his deceased wife sounds horrendous. Too many subplots and way too much about fishing. This is the first book in a series and was published in 2000, so Doc is quite astonished that the sheriff is a woman and that she likes fishing. I won't continue this series. Also, this was a freebie on my Kindle and the editing was quite bad.
2 stars
1 star
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - an LBGTQ/gun debate/immigration/eco-conservation/any other headline novel peopled with characters ripped straight from several sci-fi series. Rosemary is the new crew member on the Wayfarer, a ship that makes black holes by tunneling through space. On board she finds her fellow crew members are a mix of various species including a sentient AI. On the long journey to their latest job she finds a new family and purpose in her job. I liked this in spite of its preachiness.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Eyes by Rene Formby - Moose teams up with PI Tony to find evidence to free his pal who has been falsely accused of killing his girlfriend. What makes their partnership unusual is that Moose is an Australian terrier and Tony is a cat. When the real killer is also killed their only option is to break Moose's friend out of jail. This book tried way too hard to be hard-boiled noir and contemporary at the same time. The animals complain all the time about not having opposable thumbs and yet are able to operate computers and construct a bomb. And Moose, who id a breed known for it's loyalty, isn't even sure of the name of his owners. I like anthropomorphic animal stories but this didn't work for me.
2 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dead Angler by Victoria Houston - Doc Osbourne is fly fishing when he finds a body in the river. Fortuitously, he happens to be fishing with the town sheriff and she promptly deputizes him to do the dental forensics. The victim turns out to be the heir to a large fortune so suspects abound. I couldn't warm up to Doc and his deceased wife sounds horrendous. Too many subplots and way too much about fishing. This is the first book in a series and was published in 2000, so Doc is quite astonished that the sheriff is a woman and that she likes fishing. I won't continue this series. Also, this was a freebie on my Kindle and the editing was quite bad.
2 stars
Sunday, July 1, 2018
June 24 - 30, 2018
The Scarred Woman by Jussi Adler-Olsen - Carl Morck, head of the cold cases division in Copenhagen, has a 10 year old case brought to him by his now-retired mentor. It has many similarities to a current case involving the murder of an elderly woman. And there seems to be an odd connection to a series of hit and runs. But his worst problem is the mental breakdown of the department's secretary and the teams effort to find her before it's too late. I just couldn't get into this book. I think part of my problem is there is still too much mystery around the main characters, I don't feel like I know them. There's a lot going on in this book and the last quarter was quite good. It just took a long time to get there.
2 stars
2 stars
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)