Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts

July 3, 2020

June 2020 Reads


June 42 Olive The Lionhearted Brad Ricca
43 Frozen Tracks Ake Edwardson
44 Bear Necessity James Gould-Bourn
45 Wanderers Chuck Wendig
46 Death Angels Ake Edwardson
47 Pretty Things Janell Brown
48 Even the Dogs Jon McGregor
49 Bikeman Thomas F. Flynn
 
There are two books on this list that I don't recommend, Pretty Things and Even the Dogs.  The rest were great. 

Olive the Lionhearted is a great biography.   It reads like a novel, which makes it an easy read.

Two more Inspector Winter novels by Edwardson.  I've been sparsing them out because I don't want the series to end.  I think there's two or three more.

Bear Necessity is a delightful debut will be published in August, keep your eyes open for it. It's filled with delightful characters and it's heartwarming and uplifting - what we all need.

Wanderers is a humdinger of a book! Not my usual read, it's sci-fi, and at almost 800 pages, it was very long, plus there was a pandemic! The writing was sharp and the storytelling was tight. It was hard to put down

Bikeman ~ I read this epic poem in 2008, when it was first published. Then, I thought it was the best thing written about 9/11, and I still agree.  I intend to re-read it more often, even if my heart breaks every time. 
What are you reading?

June 12, 2020

May 2020 Reads



Another great month for reading.

May 34 Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan
35 The Summer Book Tove Jansson
36 An American Spy Olen Steinhauer
37 Paris Never Leaves You Ellen Feldman
38 The Last Tourist Olen Steinhauer
39 Odd Partners Anne Perry, editor
40 Sun and Shadow Ake Edwardson
41 Never End Ake Edwardson

Alright!  This month is different, I'm not going to do mini-reviews, I'm just going to tell you all these books were wonderful, except Crazy Rich Asians.  Read them all, with that one exception!
What are you reading?

May 31, 2020

April 2020 Reads



April 25 The Dreamers Karen Thompson Walker
26 Stateway's Garden Jasmon Drain
27 The Yellow Bird Sings Jennifer Rosner
28 The Tourist Olen Steinhauer
29 Poems To See By Julian Peters
30 Frying Plantain Zalika Reid-Denta
31 Nearest Exit Olen Steinhauer
32 Sing to It Amy Hemple
33 Savage Son Jack Carr

The quarantine and "stay-at-home" orders didn't really affect me.  My reading didn't increase because I read at night and sew/quilt during the day.

Stateway's Garden by Jasmon Drain is brilliant.  It reads like a memoir; it's a series of stories telling about life for children in the projects in Chicago.  They deal with crushing poverty, violence, and crime.  This is their world and Drain is a great writer.

The Yellow Bird Sings is a fabulous debut novel about the unbreakable bond between a mother and a daughter.  They are hiding from the Nazis during WWII.  Read it!

This month I started a spy series.  The Tourist is the first of the Milo Weaver novels.  It was great and I'm going to read them all.  Olen Steinhauer has some stand-alone novels, and that's how I became hooked on his writing.  All the Old Knives was a favorite, and The Tourist is just as good.

Poetry isn't high on my list, but I did enjoy Poems To See By. Peters has illustrated classic poems, manga-style.  It's like reading a poem in the Sunday Funnies!

It's no secret that I really enjoy a good spy/thriller, and Savage Son fits the bill.  It's the 3rd in the Terminal List series.

What are you reading?

April 20, 2020

March 2020 Reads


16 When Will There Be Good News? Kate Atkinson
17 One Minute Out Mark Greaney
18 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Holly Jackson
19 The Field Guide to the North American Teenager Ken Philippe
20 The Night Swimmers Peter Rock
21 Bones Never Lie Kathy Reichs
22 The Dime Kathleen Kent
23 That Left Turn At Albuquerque Scott Phillips
24 Europa Blues Arne Dahl

Another good month for reading.  When I read anything by Kate Atkinson, Mark Greaney Kathy Reichs or Arne Dahl, and I'm a happy camper.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is a murder mystery full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.  I really enjoyed it.

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, is a wonderful YA novel.

The Dime is a gritty crime novel.  It's also a debut novel.  I liked enough to order the 2nd in this series.
What are you reading?

March 14, 2020

February 2020 Reads


I agree!  Find this T here.

7 Canyon Dreams Micheal Powell
8 The Paris Library Janet Skeslien Charles
9 When We Were Vikings Andrew David MacDonald
10 Out of the Dark Gregg Hurwitz
11 Murder in Saint-Germain Cara Black
12 Into the Fire Gregg Hurwitz
13 To The Top of The Mountain Arne Dahl
14 The Blinded Man Arne Dahl
15 Bad Blood Arne Dahl

I loved reading Canyon Dreams!  It's a moving story about a basketball team on a Navajo reservation that shows how important sports can be to youths in struggling communities

The Paris Library is so good,  It's based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris.  It has everything, it'll make you both laugh and cry!  It'll be released in June.

When We Were Vikings is an uplifting debut about an unlikely heroine whose journey will leave you wanting to embark on a quest of your own, because after all...we are all legends of our own making.

To The Top of The Mountain, The Blinded Man, and Bad Blood are part of the Intercrime series.  These are translated from Swedish and well worth tracking down.
What are you reading?

September 18, 2019

August 2019 Reads



August 48 Red at the Bone Jacqueline Woodson
49 The Nickel Boys Colson Whitehead
50 Macbeth  Jo Nesbo
51 The Better Sister Alafair Burke
52 Virgil Wander Leif Enger
53 A Better Man Louise Penny

The Nickel Boys make my heart hurt. Even though it is a work of fiction, I, unfortunately, know that much of it probably really happened.  Colton Whitehead is an incredible writer!

“Enger deserves to be mentioned alongside the likes of Richard Russo and Thomas McGuane. Virgil Wander is a lush crowd-pleaser about meaning and second chances and magic. And in these Trumpian times, isn’t that just the kind of book and protagonist we’re all searching for?” — New York Times Book Review.

Louise Penny’s novels are unique for how seamlessly they straddle the line between charmingly small-town mysteries and big-city police procedurals.  A Better Man is not to be missed.

What are you reading?

July 19, 2019

June 2019 Reads



June 35 Stars of Alabama Sean Dietrich
36 The Secrets We Kept Lara Prescott
37 This Tender Land William Kent Krueger
38 Joe Country Mick Herron
39 The Stranger Inside Lisa Unger
40 Today We Go Home Kelli Estes


I really loved Stars of Alabama.  Dietrich has woven together a rich tapestry of characters—some charming, some heartbreaking, all of them inspiring.  I'm looking forward to more from this author.

The Secrets We Kept is well worth reading. Prescott’s triumphant debut offers a fresh perspective on women employed by the CIA during the 1950s and their role in disseminating into the Soviet Union copies of Dr. Zhivago.  Fiction at it's best.

I love Mick Herron's writing and stories.  Slough House isn't where you want to end up, and you won't if you're good at your job, which is being a spy!  Joe Country doesn't disappoint.

The Stranger Inside by Lisa Unger is a very highly recommended psychological thriller featuring survivors, murder, kidnapping, and vigilante justice.  It has a bit of something for every mystery/thriller reader.



What are you reading?

June 18, 2019

May 2019 Reads




May 27 The Department of Sensitive Crimes Alexander McCall Smith
28 Warlight Michael Ondaatje
29 Tin Man Sarah Winman
30 Belview Square Michael Redhill
31 Gravity is the Thing Jaclyn Moriarty
32 Those People Louise Candlish
33 The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell Robert Dugoni
34 The Female of the Species Mindy McGinnis

This is the first time I've real McCall Smith.  What a delightful tale, he dives right into some bizarre cases in the Swedish Criminal Justice System.  Great read and I'm a convert.

Warlight is "An elegiac thriller [with] the immediate allure of a dark fairy tale.” —The Washington Post.  I can't say it better, so I'll leave it at that.  Read this book!

I'm not recommending many of these books.  If you want something different, try the YA, The Female of the Species, it's a good solid read.

What are you reading?

May 24, 2019

April 2019 Reads


Apr 22 Dig A. S. King
23 The Skeleton Road Val McDermid
24 From Red Earth Denise Uwimana
25 The Good Sister Gillian McAllister
26 When God was a Rabbit Sarah Winman

Not many books for April,  I highly recommend The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid.  She always writes first-class mysteries.

The Good Sister by McAlister is a suspenseful courtroom drama, lots of twist and turns and worth reading.



What are you reading?

April 27, 2017

March 2017 Reads


March
12 Right Behind You Lisa Gardner
13 Midnight Sun Jo Nesbo
14 Lincoln in the Bardo George Saunders
15 August Snow Stephen Mack Jones
16 The Gap of Time Jeanette Winterson



Only 5 books in March!  They were all great, so read them all!  I'm bossy, I know.

Right Behind You is a family drama and police procedure rolled into one suspenseful ride.  Gardner's writing is tight and keeps you interested until the end.

I love Jo Nesbo.  I read many Scandinavian authors and he's a favorite.  I can't say it better that this quick review:  "Readers who like their crime fiction cut-to-the-bone lean will love the opening pages of Jo NesbĆø's new, swift-moving existential thriller Midnight Sun . . . A compelling exploration of love, faith, the meaning of life and redemption." --Richmond Times-Dispatch

So many readers were raving about Lincoln in the Bardo; I decided to see what all the fuss was about.  The fuss was about great writing.  Here's another quote: “A brilliant, Buddhist reimagining of an American story of great loss and great love . . . Saunders has written an unsentimental novel of Shakespearean proportions, gorgeously stuffed with tragic characters, bawdy humor, terrifying visions, throat-catching tenderness, and a galloping narrative, all twined around the luminous cord connecting a father and son and backlit by a nation engulfed in fire.”—Elle

You know that I love debut authors.  It's difficult to get published these days; so I want to see what they've got.  August Snow is Jones' first novel, and it's a humdinger! "[A] witty, mayhem-packed first novel . . . Snow’s own voice has echoes of Raymond Chandler’s. Be assured that when the showdown comes, Snow—an action-hero with the heart of a mensch—and his crew prove up to that task."
—The Wall Street Journal

Last but not least, The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson is a retelling of Shakespeare's' Winters Tale.  I admit that I haven't read Shakespeare, but The Gap of Time made the story very accessible. "The Gap of Time takes the play’s themes of love, jealousy, and estrangement and spins them into a taut contemporary tale."--New York Times
What are you reading?

November 27, 2010

An Ordinary Decent Criminal by Michael Van Rooy


I really don't know where to start, this is a fabulous novel.  Canadian Van Rooy is just breaking into the US market and I predict a great future for him.  He's as good as the best mystery writers I already love.  I did a little research, and apparently this is the first in a series, already three deep, already published in Canada and the UK.  I'm hoping St. Martin's Press, his US publisher will release the others, in short order.

Synopsis

Not since Jack Reacher has there been such a quickthinking, hard-edged antihero who readers will root for against all odds

All recovering drug addict and reformed thief Montgomery Haaviko wants to do is settle down with his wife and baby in their new home and work on building a straight life, one free of the day-to-day hustle and danger of being a career criminal. But for a man who’s never held down a legitimate job it isn’t going to be easy. When Monty foils a robbery in his new home, killing the intruders, he soon finds he has both a small-time crime boss and a star police sergeant looking for ways to ruin him, run him out of town, or kill him. It’s going to take all of the tricks this streetwise ex-con has up his sleeves to prove his innocence, protect his family, and avoid the temptation of the life he left behind.

Montgomery Haaviko’s Tricks of the Trade:
• Be nice. Nice is good. Nice sets a standard. Then, when you get mean, the shock is strongest.
• Armored cars are owned by people with guns.
• When burglarizing a house move slowly. Then slow down. Now cut it by half. And you’ve got it.
• A couple of drops of crazy glue on the tips of your fingers will eliminate fingerprints.



Read more books,

November 2, 2010

Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane


Right off I have to admit, Lehane tops my list of favorite authors.  I fell for him the first time I read Mystic River.  You'll notice I said first time, I rarely re-visit a book.  Lehanes' books are an exceiption.  Now, I'll stop gushing and get on with the review.  Moonlight Mile is the book I never thought I'd read.  Lehane was always firm that he'd never write a 6th Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro mystery.  He always said they'd, Patrick and Angie, been beat up enough, and he couldn't do it anymore.  I guess these characters weren't ready to call it a day, and there was one more tale to tell.  Each character is older, wiser and more settled; but not boring, every one is still dangerous and packing heat.


The New York Times - Janet Maslin

What…keep[s] Moonlight Mile from heading down an overly well-trodden path…[is] the conviction with which Mr. Lehane breathes life into these characters. Unlike the usual sequel writer who simply puts old creations through new paces, Mr. Lehane registers a deep affection for the Kenzie-Gennaro team and a passionate involvement in their problems. And he treats each book in this series as an occasion for wondering what kind of world can produce the depravity that each new plotline describes.


Read on,

To Fetch a Thief (Chet and Bernie Series #3) by Spenser Quinn


I'm really picky when it comes to reading series.  When they get boring or redundant, I give it a pass, in the future.  I could give you a list of authors I no longer read, but since I only do positive reviews, I can't.  Anyway, it's all subjective.  So far Quinn has managed to keep Chet and Bernie fresh, and I highly recommend reading this series, when you want some fast, light entertaining reading.


Synopsis

In the third book in the brilliant New York Times bestselling series featuring a lovable and wise dog narrator, Chet and Bernie go under the big top to solve the most unlikely missing persons (and animals!) case ever.
We were outnumbered, some big number against two. When it comes to numbers, two is as far as I go, but it’s enough, in my opinion. . . .
“Sit,” Bernie said.
I sat. Bernie would think of something—he always did. That was one of the things that made the Little Detective Agency such a success, except for the finances part . . .
Chet has smelled a lot of unusual things in his years as trusted companion and partner to P.I. Bernie Little, but nothing has prepared him for the exotic scents he encounters when an old-fashioned traveling circus comes to town. Bernie scores tickets to this less-than-greatest- show-on-earth because his son Charlie is crazy about elephants. The only problem is that Peanut, the headlining pachyderm of this particular one-ring circus, has gone missing—along with her trainer, Uri DeLeath. Stranger still, no one saw them leave. How does an elephant vanish without a trace?
At first there’s nothing Bernie and Chet can do— it’s a police matter and they have no standing in the case. But then they’re hired by Popo the Clown, who has his own reasons for wanting to find out what has become of the mysteriously missing duo. After Chet takes a few sniffs in Peanut’s trailer and picks up her one-of-a-kind scent, he and Bernie are in hot pursuit, heading far away from the bright lights of the traveling show and into the dark desert night.
Some very dangerous people would prefer that Chet and Bernie disappear for good and will go to any lengths to make that happen. Across the border in Mexico and separated from Bernie, Chet must use all his natural strength and doggy smarts to try to save himself—not to mention Bernie and a decidedly uncooperative Peanut, too.
To Fetch a Thief shows why readers everywhere have fallen head-over-paws in love with the Chet and Bernie mystery series. Top-notch suspense, humor, and insight into the ways our canine companions think and behave make this the most entertaining and irresistible book in the series yet.


Happy Reading,

October 3, 2009

Thereby Hangs a Tail (Chet and Bernie Series #2) by Spencer Quinn


You already met Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator of Dog on It , who works alongside Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. This book is the wonderful continuation of their detective life.  A all around fun series, don't miss it.


Synopsis


In the irresistible second Chet and Bernie mystery, Chet gets a glimpse of the show dog world turned deadly.What first seems like a walk in the park to wise and lovable canine narrator Chet and his human companion Bernie—to investigate threats made against a pretty, pampered show dog—turns into a serious case when Princess and her owner are abducted. To make matters worse, Bernie’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, reporter Susie Sanchez, disappears too. When Chet is separated from Bernie, he’s on his own to put the pieces together, find his way home, and save the day. Spencer Quinn’s "brilliantly original" (Richmond Times-Dispatch) and "masterful" (Los Angeles Times) new series combines genuine suspense and intrigue with humor and insight for a tail-wagging good time readers won’t soon forget.

August 4, 2009

Shadows Still Remain by Peter De Jonge


I'm pretty sure this is De Jonge's first solo novel. His previous books have been co-authored with the master, James Patterson.

This could have been a routine crime thriller set in New York City, but instead you get tough, skillful, sophisticated entertainment. At the end of the novel, as all the pieces begin to fall into place, you realize how cleverly it has been plotted. De Jonge conveys enough texture that it isn't hard to imagine this on the big screen. I'd be surprised if Hollywood hasn't already come calling.

June 24, 2009

The Way Home by George Pelecanos

I have to admit, Pelecanos is among my favorite writers; along with Lehane and Mankell; he ranks with my top three mystery writers. I’ve read everything he’s written and seen him grow as a writer. When I start reading a new novel by him; I know it’ll be new and fresh, not a re-hash of his previous works; not an easy feat, judging by the number of well-known authors, who do just that.

The Way Home deals with a tough kid, who gets caught, does his time in juvie and turns himself around. He becomes a man to be proud of; but his father has a hard time believing he’s really different that the tough asshole, who put the family through hell.

Pelecanos pushes his characters to the extremes, their redemption that much sweeter because it is so hard fought. Pelecanos has long been celebrated for his unerring ability to portray the conflicts men feel as they search and struggle for power and love in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving but can ultimately be filled with beauty.

September 7, 2008

Good People, Marcus Sakey


The only thing weak about this book is the cover, I mean, come on; I’d have probably passed this book by, based on the cover.
Lucky for me, I’m already a fan of Sakey’s and have been looking forward to his next book. His books are always set in Chicago, this is his third, and they just keep getting better. When you pick it up, be prepared to read all day. Good People is full of action, suspense, and realistic characters; cops, robbers, good people and bad people; lots of bad people. The plot is very involved and I’m not giving anything away, trust me, just dive in.

June 20, 2008

Hit and Run, Lawrence Block


I have two favorite assassins, and this book is about one of them, Keller. Block is a master of the mystery genre, and the “Hit” series featuring Keller, is great. Framed for a high-profile murder he didn’t commit Keller goes on the run to save is life. He has $200.00 in his pocket and has to get from Iowa to NYC without being found. It’s a wild ride, and Keller ends up re-inventing himself, new name, new occupation, new location, and a new life. This may be the end of Keller, say it isn’t so, Mr. Block, say it isn’t so. The other books in this series are Hit Man, Hit List and Hit Parade.

April 20, 2008

No Time for Goodbye, Linwood Barclay


This mystery/thriller held my interest from the first page to the last page; I felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride. This is the set-up, a 14 year old girl wakes up in the morning, and no one is home, no one is ever going to be home again. The story involves how this is handled and how the mystery is finally solved. There are many unexpected twist and turns that are plausible, I never felt I'd entered the "Twilight Zone", as I might have with a different author telling the tale. This is the first novel I've read by Barclay, it won't be the last.

March 21, 2008

Lush Life by Richard Price


This is the first book I've read by Price. I loved it. I don't know about his other books, but this one was like reading Micheal Connelly and George Pelecanos, braided together. Very street, hear the beat, combined with police procedure. The setting is Manhattan, the crime is homicide. In the story of the aftermath, Price focuses on everything; the perpetrators; the victims and their families; and the cops who doggedly pursue the frailest threads of evidence and possibility. It could be overwhelming, but it's not, it's skillful writing, the best.

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