Monday, April 11, 2011
The Bone Yard
It is amazing the amount of stuff I've learned from fiction books. This one by Jefferson Bass led me investigate the Florida Home for Boys, which was a real facility on the FL panhandle with a long history of abuse and murder of the young men in it's charge. I visited the Whitehouseboys.com webpage and found it crammed with accounts of this notorious institution. The book itself is a total page-turner.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
TIck Tock
Mike Bennett. Cop. Widower. 10 kids, all adopted, one Irish nanny with whom he is falling in love, Irish grandfather. From his "vacation" on Long Island, Mike is running back and forth to Manhattan to deal with a sick, sick killer who is re-creating famous crimes of the past. Other complications include the arrival of his old romantic interest from the FBI and a family of bullies who are terrorizing his kids. Short chapters, likeable characters, fast moving, but not a deep read. Typical James Patterson who I keep vowing to stop reading.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Night Season
Kirkus is calling Chelsea Cain “the new queen of serial killer fiction” and I agree. Archie Sheridan remains the hero cop in this timely drama of the Willamette River flooding Portland, first uncovering, then complicating, the search for a man who kills in a weird and unusual way. I won't gvie it away but it is pretty scary. Archie’s friend Henry becomes the victim of an attack, as does pink-haired Susan the young reporter whose relationship with the older cop seems to be developing. Also entangled in the story is the appearance of a kidnapped boy and some survivors of a 1948 flood which wiped out most of another Wasington town. It is a great page-turner which wraps up all the loose ends in a satisfying manner.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Exit Through the Gift Shop
This movie about street art was more enjoyable to me than Basquiat which I watched recently. The sensation generated by Thierry Guetta, a French filmaker who decided to become a graffitti artist, included the participation of Shepard Fairey who created the now famous Obama image and Banksy, the reclusive Brit whose work I love.
The Cat Dancers
P.J. Deuterman conjured up an out of the ordinary plot involving a conspiracy of men who set about rectifying the errors made by the justice system. Deputy Cam Richter ends up in the middle of it when his ex-wife, a judge, is murdered and he suspects his friend and co-worker Kenny Cox is part of the group. The cat dancers? Well, that's another whole aspect to the story which leads to an exciting denouement. Think mountain lions. And German Shepards.
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce Perry (PhD.)
These are case histories from the shrink who debriefed the children of Waco, and others.
The Cat Dancers
P.J. Deuterman conjured up an out of the ordinary plot involving a conspiracy of men who set about rectifying the errors made by the justice system. Deputy Cam Richter ends up in the middle of it when his ex-wife, a judge, is murdered and he suspects his friend and co-worker Kenny Cox is part of the group. The cat dancers? Well, that's another whole aspect to the story which leads to an exciting denouement. Think mountain lions. And German Shepards.
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce Perry (PhD.)
These are case histories from the shrink who debriefed the children of Waco, and others.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
My Thoughts on Kindle
I am currently loading up my Kindle with reading material to go to Florida. I can hardly imagine not having to lug an extra sack full of paperbacks on vacation. That alone is worth the price of the ereader. I probably won't have to recharge either as the battery seems to last a long time, 'tho I will try to remember to bring the charger. I only have the less expensive ($139) version, which is totally adequate as long as you are in a WiFi zone for the downloading.
I have subscribed to a free newsletter that brings me daily links to the latest free or very cheap book releases. Most of what I download is from Amazon, which is okay with with me because it is a very slick but useful and simple system.
When I first started using a Kindle, I sat in astonishment, watching as I chose a book (from Amazon)and saw it appear on the reader in the space of - oh, 30 seconds? It is truly amazing to me. One of my very first downloads was a favorite from 50 years ago - Seventeen by Booth Tarkington, which I reread immediately with such joy. I have paid the top rate (approx. 9.99 - 12.99) for only three purchases, a Jeffrey Deaver, a Michael Connolly and a Dennis Lehane, all of which were brand new and I really wanted. New releases are naturally priced up (still 1/2 the cost of hardcovers) and stay that way for a long time, altho another great bestseller, Water for Elephants, I saw recently discounted to $5. Note: jump on those free offers, as they are subject to change eventually. I downloaded a medical thriller which I see is now $2.99.
There is an abundance of free poetry from all the old standards (Whitman, Dickinson, Blake, etc); also thousands of classics - mine include The Call of the Wild, some Frederick Douglass and Mark Twain, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (another re-readable old favorite). And, a dictionary, a foreign language phrase book, and a Bible, all free. I even have tattoo books, complete with pictures (a word here - the color Nook is very nice, I have seen it, but not worth the considerable added expense as far as I am concerned. I just want the words, right?). Word games and puzzles are also frequently offered free; I have Scrabble, of course, although I don't often play as I'd rather read, but it's there if I want it.
I have discovered a number of good indie authors such as Vincent Zandri(Albany area crime writer - check him out)thru the reader's comments and recommendations, downloading only those with 4 1/2 or 5 stars. Always look to see how many reviews the rating is based on - a five star review is meaningless if three of the author's friends have sent in the comments. I balance this out with the publisher's plot description, being careful to look for buzz words such as "Christian", vampire, paranormal and "erotic", and I avoid anything that hints of silly romance. I am a die-hard true crime afficiando, with crime fiction a close second, and there is an abundance of this material readily accessible.
I now have 120 items downloaded with the one-click system (you need to set up an account on Amazon). The vast majority of these were free or 99 cents. You receive an email confirmation of your downloads and then the charges, if any, appear on your credit card.
As for the device itself, it does complicated things, setting up categories and lists, highlighting phrases, looking up words, keeping any notes you want to make. It does things I haven't even explored yet. The type size is adjustable for us old people and even without a backlight, there is no problem with seeing the screen. Inveterate bed-reader that I am, this has become a breeze, easy to hold and page turn and it goes to sleep by itself if I fall asleep first.
I have resisted buying the overly expensive protective covers, choosing instead to slide it into a flat, cloth zippered bag that I tie-dyed years ago, just to protect it from scratches in my purse and hopefully sand on the beach; I'll be testing that out soon. The artist in me desired a "skin", a thin adhesive veneer available in a multitude of colorful designs which sticks easily on the surface of the reader and makes it look attractive, if that is important to you. Mine is an exotic black and orange art deco design.
I wrote this because I have been asked so many questions about Kindles. Ereaders are taking over the publishing world and (I'm afraid) are the libraries of the future. Yes, I love the feel of a book in my hand, but, truly this is a wonderful innovation.
March 2011
I have subscribed to a free newsletter that brings me daily links to the latest free or very cheap book releases. Most of what I download is from Amazon, which is okay with with me because it is a very slick but useful and simple system.
When I first started using a Kindle, I sat in astonishment, watching as I chose a book (from Amazon)and saw it appear on the reader in the space of - oh, 30 seconds? It is truly amazing to me. One of my very first downloads was a favorite from 50 years ago - Seventeen by Booth Tarkington, which I reread immediately with such joy. I have paid the top rate (approx. 9.99 - 12.99) for only three purchases, a Jeffrey Deaver, a Michael Connolly and a Dennis Lehane, all of which were brand new and I really wanted. New releases are naturally priced up (still 1/2 the cost of hardcovers) and stay that way for a long time, altho another great bestseller, Water for Elephants, I saw recently discounted to $5. Note: jump on those free offers, as they are subject to change eventually. I downloaded a medical thriller which I see is now $2.99.
There is an abundance of free poetry from all the old standards (Whitman, Dickinson, Blake, etc); also thousands of classics - mine include The Call of the Wild, some Frederick Douglass and Mark Twain, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (another re-readable old favorite). And, a dictionary, a foreign language phrase book, and a Bible, all free. I even have tattoo books, complete with pictures (a word here - the color Nook is very nice, I have seen it, but not worth the considerable added expense as far as I am concerned. I just want the words, right?). Word games and puzzles are also frequently offered free; I have Scrabble, of course, although I don't often play as I'd rather read, but it's there if I want it.
I have discovered a number of good indie authors such as Vincent Zandri(Albany area crime writer - check him out)thru the reader's comments and recommendations, downloading only those with 4 1/2 or 5 stars. Always look to see how many reviews the rating is based on - a five star review is meaningless if three of the author's friends have sent in the comments. I balance this out with the publisher's plot description, being careful to look for buzz words such as "Christian", vampire, paranormal and "erotic", and I avoid anything that hints of silly romance. I am a die-hard true crime afficiando, with crime fiction a close second, and there is an abundance of this material readily accessible.
I now have 120 items downloaded with the one-click system (you need to set up an account on Amazon). The vast majority of these were free or 99 cents. You receive an email confirmation of your downloads and then the charges, if any, appear on your credit card.
As for the device itself, it does complicated things, setting up categories and lists, highlighting phrases, looking up words, keeping any notes you want to make. It does things I haven't even explored yet. The type size is adjustable for us old people and even without a backlight, there is no problem with seeing the screen. Inveterate bed-reader that I am, this has become a breeze, easy to hold and page turn and it goes to sleep by itself if I fall asleep first.
I have resisted buying the overly expensive protective covers, choosing instead to slide it into a flat, cloth zippered bag that I tie-dyed years ago, just to protect it from scratches in my purse and hopefully sand on the beach; I'll be testing that out soon. The artist in me desired a "skin", a thin adhesive veneer available in a multitude of colorful designs which sticks easily on the surface of the reader and makes it look attractive, if that is important to you. Mine is an exotic black and orange art deco design.
I wrote this because I have been asked so many questions about Kindles. Ereaders are taking over the publishing world and (I'm afraid) are the libraries of the future. Yes, I love the feel of a book in my hand, but, truly this is a wonderful innovation.
March 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Just Kids
Truth told, I skipped chunks of this Patti Smith memoir for lack of time, but found it very readable and revealing. Her relationship with Robert Maplethorpe was poetic, strange and enduring.
Another Sheldon Russell
HOUSE RULES by Jodi Picoult
An 18-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome is arrested for murder. For those like me who are unfamiliar with AS this story is an enlightening introduction to it. Told chapter by chapter from the viewpoints of Jacob, Emma his mother, Theo his brother, Oliver his lawyer and Richard the detective, it is a skillful and interesting portrait. It also leaves you hanging until the last page.
THE YARD DOG by Sheldon Russell
This is a follow up (actually a previous) book to The Insane Train. I really liked Hook and his colorful companions. There is a new girlfriend and a likeable moonshiner in this one involving the grisly train murder of a friend. Hook investigates the nearby camp housing German prisoners of war for the answers.
GONE by Mo Hayder
A car jacking becomes an abduction when police realize that the young girl sitting in the back seat has been targeted, and it turns out that she is not the first. Detective Jack Caffery and police diver Flea Marley are working to solve this series of deadly crimes, while Flea is trying to protect secrets of her own.
CUT by Cathy Glass
True tale of a young British couple with their first foster child, a thirteen-year-old with desperate problems.
THE SENTRY by Robert Crais
This was an excellent book. Joe Pike and Elvis Costello are one of the best working teams in the crime world. Their friendship is extraordinary and I get a kick out of the idea that Pike is invincible. In this one he loses his guarded heart to a con artist in the middle of a multimillion dollar drug scheme.
An 18-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome is arrested for murder. For those like me who are unfamiliar with AS this story is an enlightening introduction to it. Told chapter by chapter from the viewpoints of Jacob, Emma his mother, Theo his brother, Oliver his lawyer and Richard the detective, it is a skillful and interesting portrait. It also leaves you hanging until the last page.
THE YARD DOG by Sheldon Russell
This is a follow up (actually a previous) book to The Insane Train. I really liked Hook and his colorful companions. There is a new girlfriend and a likeable moonshiner in this one involving the grisly train murder of a friend. Hook investigates the nearby camp housing German prisoners of war for the answers.
GONE by Mo Hayder
A car jacking becomes an abduction when police realize that the young girl sitting in the back seat has been targeted, and it turns out that she is not the first. Detective Jack Caffery and police diver Flea Marley are working to solve this series of deadly crimes, while Flea is trying to protect secrets of her own.
CUT by Cathy Glass
True tale of a young British couple with their first foster child, a thirteen-year-old with desperate problems.
THE SENTRY by Robert Crais
This was an excellent book. Joe Pike and Elvis Costello are one of the best working teams in the crime world. Their friendship is extraordinary and I get a kick out of the idea that Pike is invincible. In this one he loses his guarded heart to a con artist in the middle of a multimillion dollar drug scheme.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Insane Train
THE INSANE TRAIN by Sheldon Russell
I admit I read this one because I loved the title. Turned out to be a good choice. Hook (yes, he wears a prosthesis) Runyon is a yard dog, a railroad detective who lives in a caboose in a railyard in Needles, CA, and has trouble staying out of trouble himself. After a deadly fire at a mental institution, Hook is assigned to oversee the transport of the surviving patients, including some criminally insane and extremely dangerous, to an empty facility in Oklahoma. A headstrong hound dog, a freckled nurse, a prostitute and a few WWII vets/hobos add to the flavor of this top notch 1940s tale.
I am now reading at least four books, all moderately interesting, none of which is enthralling me.
Just got ILLed the Mark Twain bio. Good Lord, it is humungous and tiny type. Not gonna bother. Too many books, too little time.
I admit I read this one because I loved the title. Turned out to be a good choice. Hook (yes, he wears a prosthesis) Runyon is a yard dog, a railroad detective who lives in a caboose in a railyard in Needles, CA, and has trouble staying out of trouble himself. After a deadly fire at a mental institution, Hook is assigned to oversee the transport of the surviving patients, including some criminally insane and extremely dangerous, to an empty facility in Oklahoma. A headstrong hound dog, a freckled nurse, a prostitute and a few WWII vets/hobos add to the flavor of this top notch 1940s tale.
I am now reading at least four books, all moderately interesting, none of which is enthralling me.
Just got ILLed the Mark Twain bio. Good Lord, it is humungous and tiny type. Not gonna bother. Too many books, too little time.
The Color of Lightening
***THE COLOR OF LIGHTNING by Paulette Jiles
Excellent post Civil War fact-based story of Britt Johnson, a black man whose family was captured by the Kiowa. This was one of Suzanne’s book discussion picks and it was very, very good.
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY by Lauren Grodstein
Another good one involving two families whose friendship is derailed when Pete’s son falls in love with Joe’s daughter, the daughter who murdered her newborn and left it in a bathroom.
THE BRAVE by Nicholas Evans
Close to a popcorn book, with a mostly predictable plot , this is rescued by a couple of shocking twists, present to past timing leaps and a good storyteller. Tommy starts the story as a cowboy-obsessed English lad and grows into the role of father of a young serviceman accused of horrible war crimes in Iraq. Not heavy-duty, but worth reading.
**ROSE IN A STORM by Jon Katz
Katz lives on a farm in upstate New York and has written many books, fiction and non, about his life with dogs. Rose is a remarkable dog and Katz demonstrates a remarkable ability to get inside her head and think dog thoughts. Rose’s “work” is herding and when a monster snowstorm hits and her farmer is injured, Rose must care for the animals on her own. A wonderful story.
NAKED CRUELTY by Colleen McCullough
Suddenly remember this name as the author of The Thorn Birds (many years ago) and was surprised to see it was the same woman. This book not even close in quality. This is a police story, a strange mix of English/Australian spellings and phrases in an American setting. It is a mixup of several crimes and departmental politics without delving deeply into any of it.
ORIGINS OF THE SPECIOUS by Patricia O’Conner
Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language
JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT: The Radiant Child DVD
TILL I END MY SONG: A Gathering of Last Poems edited by Harold Bloom
Good short bios of all the writers along with one poem from each.
Excellent post Civil War fact-based story of Britt Johnson, a black man whose family was captured by the Kiowa. This was one of Suzanne’s book discussion picks and it was very, very good.
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY by Lauren Grodstein
Another good one involving two families whose friendship is derailed when Pete’s son falls in love with Joe’s daughter, the daughter who murdered her newborn and left it in a bathroom.
THE BRAVE by Nicholas Evans
Close to a popcorn book, with a mostly predictable plot , this is rescued by a couple of shocking twists, present to past timing leaps and a good storyteller. Tommy starts the story as a cowboy-obsessed English lad and grows into the role of father of a young serviceman accused of horrible war crimes in Iraq. Not heavy-duty, but worth reading.
**ROSE IN A STORM by Jon Katz
Katz lives on a farm in upstate New York and has written many books, fiction and non, about his life with dogs. Rose is a remarkable dog and Katz demonstrates a remarkable ability to get inside her head and think dog thoughts. Rose’s “work” is herding and when a monster snowstorm hits and her farmer is injured, Rose must care for the animals on her own. A wonderful story.
NAKED CRUELTY by Colleen McCullough
Suddenly remember this name as the author of The Thorn Birds (many years ago) and was surprised to see it was the same woman. This book not even close in quality. This is a police story, a strange mix of English/Australian spellings and phrases in an American setting. It is a mixup of several crimes and departmental politics without delving deeply into any of it.
ORIGINS OF THE SPECIOUS by Patricia O’Conner
Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language
JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT: The Radiant Child DVD
TILL I END MY SONG: A Gathering of Last Poems edited by Harold Bloom
Good short bios of all the writers along with one poem from each.
Finishing out the year with 100
Made it to the century mark for 2010.
PAINTED LADIES by Robert Parker
Spenser dialogue kills again. Parker’s the best. But Hawk is missing.
****EMMA’S ROOM by Emma Donoghue
Excellent. Fascinating. Different approach to an unusual situation. Mostly related through the eyes of a five-year-boy who has never experienced the world outside the garden shed where he has been imprisoned with his young mother since before his birth.
SANTA FE EDGE by Stuart Woods
This was a little confusing because of all the hopping around the country on private planes with pilots named Bart and Teddy and Todd. Also, all the bad guys got away with a lot of clever stuff and were left unpunished. No main protagonist to root for.
MOONLIGHT MILES by Dennis LeHane (Kindle)
Lehane doesn’t disappoint. Patrick and Angie going on with their lives.
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE by Aron Ralston
This is the hiker who chopped off his arm.
BROKEN by Karen Slaughter
Will Trent again. A dyslexic FBI agent?
The NAKED LADY WHO STOOD ON HER HEAD
by Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan
A psychiatrist’s stories of his most bizarre cases. Interesting final story on his mentor whose 183 IQ is assaulted by Alz.
SECRET HISTORIAN by Justin Spring (Life and times of Samuel Steward)
Huge book, quite fascinating, very sexual (homo-), but slow read. May buy it.
DEATH ON THE D-LIST by Nancy Grace
Much like her tv show, blah.
THE EDGE by Jeffery Deaver (Kindle)
Board gamer Corte plays deadly mind games with a heavy “lifter”, determined to kidnap and torture a police officer for information.
PRETTY LITTLE THINGS by Jilliane Hoffman
This was more than good. A cyberspace monster trolling for girls on the internet, kidnapping, murder and a FDLE agent with a missing teenage daughter. Solid read.
(95)
I returned a lot of stuff unread or partially read today. Is it me or is it the writers?
FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King
Short stories which I liked in varying degrees. King is a master of observing the human condition.
IN THE DARK by Brian Freeman
Jonathan Stride takes a sentimental, and torturous, journey through his youth and marriage, recreating the 30 year-old murder of his late wife’s sister. Too many suspects, too much pain. Good one.
the last time I saw you by Elizabeth Berg
Berg (who I met many years ago at a reading she did in Albany), author of Talk Before Sleep and other good ones, comes through again in her thoughtful way. Great characterization, reflections on life, at the approach of a 40-year class reunion. I have to be in the mood for Berg, but when I am she doesn’t disappoint.
OUTWITTING TROLLS by William Tapply
Seems fitting that I should end the year with the final book from Tapply, who has been a consistently reliable writer of engaging stories. It is the last Brady Coyne novel and it was a good one as the lawyer addresses the murder of an old friend, but leaving unresolved the conflicts in his love life.
PAINTED LADIES by Robert Parker
Spenser dialogue kills again. Parker’s the best. But Hawk is missing.
****EMMA’S ROOM by Emma Donoghue
Excellent. Fascinating. Different approach to an unusual situation. Mostly related through the eyes of a five-year-boy who has never experienced the world outside the garden shed where he has been imprisoned with his young mother since before his birth.
SANTA FE EDGE by Stuart Woods
This was a little confusing because of all the hopping around the country on private planes with pilots named Bart and Teddy and Todd. Also, all the bad guys got away with a lot of clever stuff and were left unpunished. No main protagonist to root for.
MOONLIGHT MILES by Dennis LeHane (Kindle)
Lehane doesn’t disappoint. Patrick and Angie going on with their lives.
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE by Aron Ralston
This is the hiker who chopped off his arm.
BROKEN by Karen Slaughter
Will Trent again. A dyslexic FBI agent?
The NAKED LADY WHO STOOD ON HER HEAD
by Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan
A psychiatrist’s stories of his most bizarre cases. Interesting final story on his mentor whose 183 IQ is assaulted by Alz.
SECRET HISTORIAN by Justin Spring (Life and times of Samuel Steward)
Huge book, quite fascinating, very sexual (homo-), but slow read. May buy it.
DEATH ON THE D-LIST by Nancy Grace
Much like her tv show, blah.
THE EDGE by Jeffery Deaver (Kindle)
Board gamer Corte plays deadly mind games with a heavy “lifter”, determined to kidnap and torture a police officer for information.
PRETTY LITTLE THINGS by Jilliane Hoffman
This was more than good. A cyberspace monster trolling for girls on the internet, kidnapping, murder and a FDLE agent with a missing teenage daughter. Solid read.
(95)
I returned a lot of stuff unread or partially read today. Is it me or is it the writers?
FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King
Short stories which I liked in varying degrees. King is a master of observing the human condition.
IN THE DARK by Brian Freeman
Jonathan Stride takes a sentimental, and torturous, journey through his youth and marriage, recreating the 30 year-old murder of his late wife’s sister. Too many suspects, too much pain. Good one.
the last time I saw you by Elizabeth Berg
Berg (who I met many years ago at a reading she did in Albany), author of Talk Before Sleep and other good ones, comes through again in her thoughtful way. Great characterization, reflections on life, at the approach of a 40-year class reunion. I have to be in the mood for Berg, but when I am she doesn’t disappoint.
OUTWITTING TROLLS by William Tapply
Seems fitting that I should end the year with the final book from Tapply, who has been a consistently reliable writer of engaging stories. It is the last Brady Coyne novel and it was a good one as the lawyer addresses the murder of an old friend, but leaving unresolved the conflicts in his love life.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Farewell Stephen Cannell
PROSTITUTE’S BALL by Stephen J. Cannell
I’m practically crying over the demise of this author early in October. He is one of my top five writers and I happened to get this latest and last book on the day I found out about his death. It’s the end of Shane Scully, Alexa and Chooch and I wish it would last forever.
BAD BLOOD by John Sandford
Lawman Virgil Flowers is at his best in this fast moving murder tale with a crack opening and explosive conclusion. What is the reason that a well-liked, stable, high school football player brains a neighbor with a baseball bat and buries him in a mountain of soybeans? Is this murder and others related to a strange and secretive religion?
I, ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
Patterson annoys me by churning out books “with” so many other writers (which I won’t read just for the principle of it) but I can get into a good ol’Alex Cross on occasion. Somehow Patterson manages to make grisly subject s, e.g. Cross’ lovely niece chopped up in a wood chipper, palatable. And, perhaps another dear family member will not live to the end of the episode. I won’t spoil it for you. It is a fast read.
DOGS TAGS by David Rosenfelt
Like this guy’s style, characters, plotting, pacing. Fast read introducing Billy, the war vet who may figure into future stories. Great Milo and Tara, of course,
BODY WORK by Sara Paretsky
This dragged for me and did not always seem to make sense. Body painting artist performing in a bar, someone gets murdered, obscure connection to Iraq war. More poor war vets getting exploited by authors.
LAST WORDS of the Executed by Robert Elder
Freakonomics
FRAGILE by Lisa Ungar
Missing girl in circumstances replicating a crime of 30 years previous. Police chief in The Hollows is hiding a nasty secret.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN
Enzo the mutt recounts the story of his life and death in a hard to put down tearjerker.
KILLER INSTINCT by Zoe Sharp
The first of the Charlie Fox series presents a sharp female self-defense instructor with a terrible relationship with her parents. She’s been gang raped while in the British Special Forces, rides a Suzuki and spends a lot of the book fending off assaults by bullies and murderers. Good story.
CLAUDE AND CAMILLE
Fictionalized bio of Monet and his lover.
THE ROAD (dvd)
Viggo Mortenson is the father in this excellent portrayal of the Cormac McCarthy book. I enjoyed this.
I’m practically crying over the demise of this author early in October. He is one of my top five writers and I happened to get this latest and last book on the day I found out about his death. It’s the end of Shane Scully, Alexa and Chooch and I wish it would last forever.
BAD BLOOD by John Sandford
Lawman Virgil Flowers is at his best in this fast moving murder tale with a crack opening and explosive conclusion. What is the reason that a well-liked, stable, high school football player brains a neighbor with a baseball bat and buries him in a mountain of soybeans? Is this murder and others related to a strange and secretive religion?
I, ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
Patterson annoys me by churning out books “with” so many other writers (which I won’t read just for the principle of it) but I can get into a good ol’Alex Cross on occasion. Somehow Patterson manages to make grisly subject s, e.g. Cross’ lovely niece chopped up in a wood chipper, palatable. And, perhaps another dear family member will not live to the end of the episode. I won’t spoil it for you. It is a fast read.
DOGS TAGS by David Rosenfelt
Like this guy’s style, characters, plotting, pacing. Fast read introducing Billy, the war vet who may figure into future stories. Great Milo and Tara, of course,
BODY WORK by Sara Paretsky
This dragged for me and did not always seem to make sense. Body painting artist performing in a bar, someone gets murdered, obscure connection to Iraq war. More poor war vets getting exploited by authors.
LAST WORDS of the Executed by Robert Elder
Freakonomics
FRAGILE by Lisa Ungar
Missing girl in circumstances replicating a crime of 30 years previous. Police chief in The Hollows is hiding a nasty secret.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN
Enzo the mutt recounts the story of his life and death in a hard to put down tearjerker.
KILLER INSTINCT by Zoe Sharp
The first of the Charlie Fox series presents a sharp female self-defense instructor with a terrible relationship with her parents. She’s been gang raped while in the British Special Forces, rides a Suzuki and spends a lot of the book fending off assaults by bullies and murderers. Good story.
CLAUDE AND CAMILLE
Fictionalized bio of Monet and his lover.
THE ROAD (dvd)
Viggo Mortenson is the father in this excellent portrayal of the Cormac McCarthy book. I enjoyed this.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Apes and other animals
APE HOUSE by Sara Gruen
Gruen, who wrote the wonderful Water for Elephants, has proved that she is not a one-book wonder. This well researched novel about the language studies being done with bonobos (great apes) is fascinating and well plotted. The exploitation of the animals is heart wrenching and the descriptions of their lives and interactions is amazing and touching.
I, ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
Patterson annoys me by churning out books “with” so many other writers (which I won’t read just for the principle of it) but I can get into a good ol’Alex Cross on occasion. Somehow Patterson manages to make grisly subject s, e.g. Cross’ lovely niece chopped up in a wood chipper, palatable. And, perhaps another dear family member will not live to the end of the episode. I won’t spoil it for you. It is a fast read.
DOG TAGS by David Rosenfelt
I just love these dog-involved crime stories. Andy Carpenter is a great character, as are Willie, Stanton, Laurie and others. Love Tara the golden, of course, and in this one Milo and Billy. Rosenfelt has a great writing style and treats his subjects much more gently than, for example Jeffery Deaver.
COMPULSIVE HOARDING and the meaning of things
by Randy Frost and Gail Steketee
Interesting case studies which include the Collyer brothers (of Marcia Davenport renown and one of my teenage favorites) and sheds some light on the psychology.
****STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova
This was a weeper for me. A 50-year-old Harvard professor loses her mind to Alzheimer’s in a painful journey that she herself documents. I am impressed with the author’s ability to see Alice and her disease from the inside out. I am also frightened for my future.
STAR ISLAND by Carl Hiaasen
Insanity reigns in this new Hiaasen Florida adventure, complete with the crazy former governor now known as Skink and an assortment of absurd characters - papparazi, bodyguards, agents and parents – whose lives revolve around a drug and booze addicted young rock star. Cherry Pye, formerly known as Cheryl Bunterman, can’t sing and passes out sexual favors indiscriminately, teetering hourly on the brink of disaster. Sounds eerily reflective of today’s rock scene.
ROLLING THUNDER by Chris Grabenstein
Very readable story about SHPD officers John Ceepak and Danny Boyle embroiled in a seaside murder and sex ring in their small tourist town.
SAVAGES by Don Winslow
Anti-heroes “Stan” vet Chon and “save the world” Ben are major marijuana growers who resist a bloody takeover by the Baja Cartel and try to rescue their shared girlfriend O. This guy has a different approach to dialogue. Short, choppy, dangling sentences. Somehow thoughtful in a violent way. Supposed to be a hot author.
THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US by Charles Martin
This was a surprise. First, this story had no villains, which is way out of the ordinary for me. Second, it was labeled Christian Fiction, which I would have avoided had I noticed it. Turned out to be a good story of two strangers stranded in the wilderness after a small plane crash. It was a page turner with a twisted and touching ending.
Gruen, who wrote the wonderful Water for Elephants, has proved that she is not a one-book wonder. This well researched novel about the language studies being done with bonobos (great apes) is fascinating and well plotted. The exploitation of the animals is heart wrenching and the descriptions of their lives and interactions is amazing and touching.
I, ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
Patterson annoys me by churning out books “with” so many other writers (which I won’t read just for the principle of it) but I can get into a good ol’Alex Cross on occasion. Somehow Patterson manages to make grisly subject s, e.g. Cross’ lovely niece chopped up in a wood chipper, palatable. And, perhaps another dear family member will not live to the end of the episode. I won’t spoil it for you. It is a fast read.
DOG TAGS by David Rosenfelt
I just love these dog-involved crime stories. Andy Carpenter is a great character, as are Willie, Stanton, Laurie and others. Love Tara the golden, of course, and in this one Milo and Billy. Rosenfelt has a great writing style and treats his subjects much more gently than, for example Jeffery Deaver.
COMPULSIVE HOARDING and the meaning of things
by Randy Frost and Gail Steketee
Interesting case studies which include the Collyer brothers (of Marcia Davenport renown and one of my teenage favorites) and sheds some light on the psychology.
****STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova
This was a weeper for me. A 50-year-old Harvard professor loses her mind to Alzheimer’s in a painful journey that she herself documents. I am impressed with the author’s ability to see Alice and her disease from the inside out. I am also frightened for my future.
STAR ISLAND by Carl Hiaasen
Insanity reigns in this new Hiaasen Florida adventure, complete with the crazy former governor now known as Skink and an assortment of absurd characters - papparazi, bodyguards, agents and parents – whose lives revolve around a drug and booze addicted young rock star. Cherry Pye, formerly known as Cheryl Bunterman, can’t sing and passes out sexual favors indiscriminately, teetering hourly on the brink of disaster. Sounds eerily reflective of today’s rock scene.
ROLLING THUNDER by Chris Grabenstein
Very readable story about SHPD officers John Ceepak and Danny Boyle embroiled in a seaside murder and sex ring in their small tourist town.
SAVAGES by Don Winslow
Anti-heroes “Stan” vet Chon and “save the world” Ben are major marijuana growers who resist a bloody takeover by the Baja Cartel and try to rescue their shared girlfriend O. This guy has a different approach to dialogue. Short, choppy, dangling sentences. Somehow thoughtful in a violent way. Supposed to be a hot author.
THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US by Charles Martin
This was a surprise. First, this story had no villains, which is way out of the ordinary for me. Second, it was labeled Christian Fiction, which I would have avoided had I noticed it. Turned out to be a good story of two strangers stranded in the wilderness after a small plane crash. It was a page turner with a twisted and touching ending.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Wild Zone
Everyone is watching the "wild" men in this one when they should be watching the wild women. Kristin the sexy bartender and Suzy the meek fragile damsel in distress - are they manipulating the men in their lives? The wife-beating bully, the Afghan vet, the charmer and his half brother all have their roles in this tale with a twist. This is not the Joy Fielding I remember from years ago. Good story, good characters.
If anyone out there is buying a baby present and has a wicked sense of humor, I just bought Baby's First Tattoo at The Book House. Hilarious book "for modern parents" who want to record strange events in their new child's life. Love it.
Also breezed through Adland by aa journey thru out branded world. I am fascinated with advertising, but th did not hold my interest.
Hoarding
Still Alice
If anyone out there is buying a baby present and has a wicked sense of humor, I just bought Baby's First Tattoo at The Book House. Hilarious book "for modern parents" who want to record strange events in their new child's life. Love it.
Also breezed through Adland by aa journey thru out branded world. I am fascinated with advertising, but th did not hold my interest.
Hoarding
Still Alice
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
This one deserves its own post
RESCUE INK is the fascinating story of a dozen or so burly tattooed Harley riders linked by their love of animals and their committment to animal rescue. Obviously, my cup of tea on several fronts. The cover of the book is an eyecatcher as these massive men are shown in various poses with baby kittens and dogs. Background info is provided on the guys themselves and touching stories about the animals - which include horses, ducks, pigs, birds, as well as cats and dogs - and the rescues. There is a lot of testosterone flowing here and crude humor underwritten with an amazing love of animals. What they do and how they do it is unorthodox and often made up on the spot and includes a fair degree of intimidation if necessary to save an animal from abuse. Based in Long Island, the guys travel by bike, van and plane wherever they are called, and are particularly good at and willing to track down stolen dogs. The organization is growing fast in only two years of existence and has been profiled on national TV. Google them. I loved it.
My Hero, JLB
THE GLASS RAINBOW by James Lee Burke
For Robicheaux fans, this was take-your-breath-away. Dave’s relationship with Alafair was particularly interesting to me, as he tries to protect her from a new romance. Clete was his stalwart, quirky, complicated self and their friendship a thoughtful highlight to the story. A real tour du force for JLB.
INNOCENT by Scott Turow
Can you have too much character development. Good courtroom scenes, but complicated emotional issues. Rusty Sabich again on trial for a woman’s murder, this time his wife. To complicate things further, his son is falling in love with Rusty’s ex-mistress.
HELL GATE by Linda Fairstein
This got way too political for me and I abandoned it.
SIZZING SIXTEEN by Janet Evanovich
Stephanie and Lula are trying to come up with $1,000,000 to rescue/ransom their boss Vinnie who is in deep trouble on a number of fronts. Craziness prevails, as usual. The original popcorn read. The multitudes of Stephanie Plum fans are gonna love it.
HAZARD by Gardiner Harris
This was a different setting for a mystery: the coal mines in Appalachian Kentucky. I learned a lot about mining operations, inundations, methane, ventilation, maps and other details (not that I always wanted to know). The most interesting aspect was the attitude of the owners, inspectors and workers, which is to protect the operations at all costs and make the most money.
THE BURNING WIRE by Jeffery Deaver
I have such admiration for Deaver’s skills as a researcher, as well as a raconteur. The forensic details in all the Lincoln Rhyme books are amazing. I don’t know how one man could know so much without spending hours in the field or in the library. Electricity as a weapon was the subject of this caper and I certainly learned things, some frightening, others worrisome. There was a surprise at the end of this one concerning the players, but I won’t give it away.
DAMAGED by Alex Kava
Rescue swimmer Liz Bailey recovers a cooler from the Gulf of Mexico filled with body parts. FBI agent Maggie O’Dell and her new squeeze are called in on two different cases which turn out to be connected to the lucrative business of selling body parts. This was a good one revolving (bad pun) around a major hurricane which hits Pensacola, FL.
ICE COLD by Tess Gerritsen
Excellent, excellent, even some real suspense in this one about Maggie Isles and Jane Rizzoli, who, my daughter informs me, are the heroines of a TNT television show. At a medical convention during a Wyoming winter, Maggie heads off on a spur of the moment ski excursion with some acquaintances and ends up snowbound and stalked in a deserted cult community.
THE DEVIL AMONG THE LAWYERS by Sharon McCrumb
This was really different. Learned a lot about reporting in the days before TV, the philosophy of which is still true today. Print journalists follow a murder story in the Appalachian Mountains in which the accused is a beautiful young schoolteacher and the dead man is her father.
Movies:
THE COVE Excellent documentary on dolphin massacre in Japan
THE WHITE RIBBON Waste of time, no conclusion, subtitled
GEORGIA O’KEEFFE (Jeremy Irons, yes!) Quite fascinating bio, loved Irons
UP IN THE AIR (George Clooney, Sam Elliott) Mildly good
For Robicheaux fans, this was take-your-breath-away. Dave’s relationship with Alafair was particularly interesting to me, as he tries to protect her from a new romance. Clete was his stalwart, quirky, complicated self and their friendship a thoughtful highlight to the story. A real tour du force for JLB.
INNOCENT by Scott Turow
Can you have too much character development. Good courtroom scenes, but complicated emotional issues. Rusty Sabich again on trial for a woman’s murder, this time his wife. To complicate things further, his son is falling in love with Rusty’s ex-mistress.
HELL GATE by Linda Fairstein
This got way too political for me and I abandoned it.
SIZZING SIXTEEN by Janet Evanovich
Stephanie and Lula are trying to come up with $1,000,000 to rescue/ransom their boss Vinnie who is in deep trouble on a number of fronts. Craziness prevails, as usual. The original popcorn read. The multitudes of Stephanie Plum fans are gonna love it.
HAZARD by Gardiner Harris
This was a different setting for a mystery: the coal mines in Appalachian Kentucky. I learned a lot about mining operations, inundations, methane, ventilation, maps and other details (not that I always wanted to know). The most interesting aspect was the attitude of the owners, inspectors and workers, which is to protect the operations at all costs and make the most money.
THE BURNING WIRE by Jeffery Deaver
I have such admiration for Deaver’s skills as a researcher, as well as a raconteur. The forensic details in all the Lincoln Rhyme books are amazing. I don’t know how one man could know so much without spending hours in the field or in the library. Electricity as a weapon was the subject of this caper and I certainly learned things, some frightening, others worrisome. There was a surprise at the end of this one concerning the players, but I won’t give it away.
DAMAGED by Alex Kava
Rescue swimmer Liz Bailey recovers a cooler from the Gulf of Mexico filled with body parts. FBI agent Maggie O’Dell and her new squeeze are called in on two different cases which turn out to be connected to the lucrative business of selling body parts. This was a good one revolving (bad pun) around a major hurricane which hits Pensacola, FL.
ICE COLD by Tess Gerritsen
Excellent, excellent, even some real suspense in this one about Maggie Isles and Jane Rizzoli, who, my daughter informs me, are the heroines of a TNT television show. At a medical convention during a Wyoming winter, Maggie heads off on a spur of the moment ski excursion with some acquaintances and ends up snowbound and stalked in a deserted cult community.
THE DEVIL AMONG THE LAWYERS by Sharon McCrumb
This was really different. Learned a lot about reporting in the days before TV, the philosophy of which is still true today. Print journalists follow a murder story in the Appalachian Mountains in which the accused is a beautiful young schoolteacher and the dead man is her father.
Movies:
THE COVE Excellent documentary on dolphin massacre in Japan
THE WHITE RIBBON Waste of time, no conclusion, subtitled
GEORGIA O’KEEFFE (Jeremy Irons, yes!) Quite fascinating bio, loved Irons
UP IN THE AIR (George Clooney, Sam Elliott) Mildly good
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Oscar and more in June
The THIRD RAIL by Michael Harvey
Despite prominently displayed accolades by Michael Connelly and John Grisham, I didn’t find this crime novel to be above average. Standard cop turned PI, working with the FBI on sniper shootings on Chicago’s El, all relating to his own background.
MINDLESS EATING
Some thought provoking stuff in here. You can lose weight by just cutting 100 calories per day. Seems like next to nothing.
LUCID INTERVALS by Stuart Woods
More mindless Stone Barrington antics, lightened by the inclusion of colorful Herbie Fisher.
The POACHER’S SON by Paul Doiron
Some meat in this one. A game warden in the Maine woods attempts to insert himself into the investigation for murder of his estranged father, jeopardizing his job, his life and his relationships.
SICK LIKE THAT by Norman Green
After PI Mary Stiles gets shot and paralyzed, two very different women team up to carry on his practice: Alessandra the ass-kicking Brooklyn girl and Sarah the meek receptionist. Not bad.
212 by Alafair Burke
I hate to complain because I love this woman’s father, but she just doesn’t compare to him when it comes to crime fiction. Not a bad read, but lacking his depth and descriptive powers.
GONE TIL NOVEMBER by Wallace Stroby
Deputy Sara Cross goes to the wall for her lover and former partner Billy Flynn in a questionable shooting death. Good character study of the good guys and bad.
MAKING ROUNDS WITH OSCAR by David Dosa, M.D.
This is not a cat book but a lose-your-loved-one-to-dementia-in-a-nursing-home book. The tears flowed from beginning to end. One of the best Alzheimer's memoirs I've read. Spot on.
MOVIE:
Crazy Heart DVD
Down ‘n’ out c/w singer (perfectly played by Jeff Bridges in Rounds with Oscar themovie) loses his life in the bottle and trails down the road knowing he will never reclaim the glory.
Despite prominently displayed accolades by Michael Connelly and John Grisham, I didn’t find this crime novel to be above average. Standard cop turned PI, working with the FBI on sniper shootings on Chicago’s El, all relating to his own background.
MINDLESS EATING
Some thought provoking stuff in here. You can lose weight by just cutting 100 calories per day. Seems like next to nothing.
LUCID INTERVALS by Stuart Woods
More mindless Stone Barrington antics, lightened by the inclusion of colorful Herbie Fisher.
The POACHER’S SON by Paul Doiron
Some meat in this one. A game warden in the Maine woods attempts to insert himself into the investigation for murder of his estranged father, jeopardizing his job, his life and his relationships.
SICK LIKE THAT by Norman Green
After PI Mary Stiles gets shot and paralyzed, two very different women team up to carry on his practice: Alessandra the ass-kicking Brooklyn girl and Sarah the meek receptionist. Not bad.
212 by Alafair Burke
I hate to complain because I love this woman’s father, but she just doesn’t compare to him when it comes to crime fiction. Not a bad read, but lacking his depth and descriptive powers.
GONE TIL NOVEMBER by Wallace Stroby
Deputy Sara Cross goes to the wall for her lover and former partner Billy Flynn in a questionable shooting death. Good character study of the good guys and bad.
MAKING ROUNDS WITH OSCAR by David Dosa, M.D.
This is not a cat book but a lose-your-loved-one-to-dementia-in-a-nursing-home book. The tears flowed from beginning to end. One of the best Alzheimer's memoirs I've read. Spot on.
MOVIE:
Crazy Heart DVD
Down ‘n’ out c/w singer (perfectly played by Jeff Bridges in Rounds with Oscar themovie) loses his life in the bottle and trails down the road knowing he will never reclaim the glory.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Burning Wire
I have such admiration for Jeffery Deaver’s skills as a researcher, as well as a raconteur. The forensic details in all the Lincoln Rhyme books are amazing. I don’t know how one man could know so much without spending hours in the field or in the library. Electricity as a weapon was the subject of this caper and I certainly learned things, some frightening, others worrisome. There was a surprise at the end of this one concerning the players, but I won’t give it away.
Finished a true oldie called WITHOUT MERCY by Gary Provost - a bizarre case in Florida in the 80's about the murder of a gay businessman and, subsequently, his elderly mother. The murderers took over the man's identity, his restaurant, his home, sold all his property and assets, and managed to get away with this for many months. The woman involved - a mother, a waitress, a very well-liked person - was sorely messed up and never considered herself a killer. Either the woman was an accomplish actress, utterly stupid or just plain constantly drunk,but in any case you have little sympathy for her. She died on death row. Intriguing study of human foibles. Provost is good.
DECEPTION by Jonathan Kellerman
There is no shortage of suspects when prep school teacher Elise Freeman is “iced” in her home bathroom and secrets of her life and background begin to emerge. Dr. Alex Delaware seems to be more of the sidekick to colorful detective Milo Sturgis in recent books, rather than the intrepid hero.
FALSE CONVICTIONSby Tim Green
Books were piling up and I didn’t feel compelled to finish this before moving on.
JUST LIKE FAMILY by Tasha Blaine
Inside the Lives of Nannies, the Parents They Work for and the Children They Love – pretty much sums it up. Followed three specific nannies. I learned some things. More than I wanted to know about the Nanny Association. Medium read.
Finished a true oldie called WITHOUT MERCY by Gary Provost - a bizarre case in Florida in the 80's about the murder of a gay businessman and, subsequently, his elderly mother. The murderers took over the man's identity, his restaurant, his home, sold all his property and assets, and managed to get away with this for many months. The woman involved - a mother, a waitress, a very well-liked person - was sorely messed up and never considered herself a killer. Either the woman was an accomplish actress, utterly stupid or just plain constantly drunk,but in any case you have little sympathy for her. She died on death row. Intriguing study of human foibles. Provost is good.
DECEPTION by Jonathan Kellerman
There is no shortage of suspects when prep school teacher Elise Freeman is “iced” in her home bathroom and secrets of her life and background begin to emerge. Dr. Alex Delaware seems to be more of the sidekick to colorful detective Milo Sturgis in recent books, rather than the intrepid hero.
FALSE CONVICTIONSby Tim Green
Books were piling up and I didn’t feel compelled to finish this before moving on.
JUST LIKE FAMILY by Tasha Blaine
Inside the Lives of Nannies, the Parents They Work for and the Children They Love – pretty much sums it up. Followed three specific nannies. I learned some things. More than I wanted to know about the Nanny Association. Medium read.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Down and Out of it.
Just finishing my fourth Memorial Day weekend book. I have traveled no farther than between the bedroom and the deck for three straight days. The only time I've been without a book in hand is when the leash was in it. Okay, so I'm depressed, but I've done some good reading. I reached for an old friend - Jack Reacher in Lee Child's new 61 Hours. It was a barn burner and I raced through it. A bus trip halted by a mad winter storm strands Jack in a small South Dakota town in the midst of a good cop/bad cop scenario,a mysterious army installation, bikers and meth, a prison riot, a Mexican sadist and a stalwart old lady trying to do the right thing. An inferno of an ending leaves Jack's fate in doubt.
John Sandford'sStorm Preyfinds Lucas Davenport's surgeon wife Weather on the hit list after she glimpses the face of a killer. The intrigue heats up when another doctor is implicated in the robbery of the hospital pharmacy and death of a brave attendant. Weather meanwhile refuses to take precautions because of her participation in a rare proceedure necessary to separate conjoined twins. Where is Virgil Flowers when a real woman wants him?
Should be finished in the next hour with The Burial Place by Brian Freeman which I started this morning. Obviously a good read, involving a missing baby and a string of grisly murders, interesting cops, bad marriages.
Also finished today the Scent of a Dog by search and rescue trainer Susannah Charleson who adopts her own Golden Retriever puppy to train in the SAR field. Loved the dog relationship insights as well as the details of SAR ops.
Spent some time with The Essential Rumi, poet of love and separation. I'm feeling it. Working my pile down. Not manageable yet, but if I don't leave the house for another month or so, maybe.
John Sandford'sStorm Preyfinds Lucas Davenport's surgeon wife Weather on the hit list after she glimpses the face of a killer. The intrigue heats up when another doctor is implicated in the robbery of the hospital pharmacy and death of a brave attendant. Weather meanwhile refuses to take precautions because of her participation in a rare proceedure necessary to separate conjoined twins. Where is Virgil Flowers when a real woman wants him?
Should be finished in the next hour with The Burial Place by Brian Freeman which I started this morning. Obviously a good read, involving a missing baby and a string of grisly murders, interesting cops, bad marriages.
Also finished today the Scent of a Dog by search and rescue trainer Susannah Charleson who adopts her own Golden Retriever puppy to train in the SAR field. Loved the dog relationship insights as well as the details of SAR ops.
Spent some time with The Essential Rumi, poet of love and separation. I'm feeling it. Working my pile down. Not manageable yet, but if I don't leave the house for another month or so, maybe.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Army Doc
I have a soft spot for military doctors and, although he is now a veteran suffering from PTSD and manning a mobile street hospital in D.C., Nick Garrity is a winning hero. Nick is carrying on a search for his best bud who saved his life in Afghanistan in the same disastrous suicide mission that killed Nick's fiancee. After four years, a slim clue surfaces that might lead him to his friend, and by following it, Nick and psych nurse Jillian Coates are embroiled with a psychopath in a complicated medical murder plot. The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer was a thriller that delivered.
Crazy Heart
I love this title. It resonated with me before I even knew what the book was about. No, I haven't seen the movie, but I can see why they made a movie based on it and I imagine it is good. Thomas Cobb's Bad Blake is the quintessential c/w singer boozing his way through the honky-tonks and his life. I don't know if it is stereotypical or true to life but it certainly hits all the right buttons. Gritty and colorful and sad.
The Autobiography of an Execution by David Dow recounts true experiences of a lawyer who handles only death row appeals. Not meaty enough for me.
The Way We Get By (dvd-documentary)investigates the lives and motivations of the veterans and other greeters at the Bangor, Maine airport who bid hello and goodbye to the military personnel on their way back and forth to combat.
Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin is a weak imitation of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. Didn’t finish it.
Saving Gracie by Carol Bradley is a heartbreaker and hopefully an eye-opener for pet lovers. True stories of puppy mills and one Cavalier King Charles spaniel who was rescued from a life of breeding. Informative, but tough to stomach.
How To Raise the Perfect Dog by Cesar Millan
This book was not very helpful and Millan is a jerk.
Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas After reading The Rainmaker I’m beginning to fall for these sappy tearjerkers as a pleasant way to waste an afternoon. In 1920’s Colorado mining town, kids are killed in an avalanche; this recounts their parent’s sad backstories leading up to the tragedy.
A Thousand Cuts by Simon Lelic
Didn’t like it, didn’t finish.
The Autobiography of an Execution by David Dow recounts true experiences of a lawyer who handles only death row appeals. Not meaty enough for me.
The Way We Get By (dvd-documentary)investigates the lives and motivations of the veterans and other greeters at the Bangor, Maine airport who bid hello and goodbye to the military personnel on their way back and forth to combat.
Our Lady of Immaculate Deception by Nancy Martin is a weak imitation of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. Didn’t finish it.
Saving Gracie by Carol Bradley is a heartbreaker and hopefully an eye-opener for pet lovers. True stories of puppy mills and one Cavalier King Charles spaniel who was rescued from a life of breeding. Informative, but tough to stomach.
How To Raise the Perfect Dog by Cesar Millan
This book was not very helpful and Millan is a jerk.
Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas After reading The Rainmaker I’m beginning to fall for these sappy tearjerkers as a pleasant way to waste an afternoon. In 1920’s Colorado mining town, kids are killed in an avalanche; this recounts their parent’s sad backstories leading up to the tragedy.
A Thousand Cuts by Simon Lelic
Didn’t like it, didn’t finish.
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