I so hope that the majority of American citizens heed the call and vote the Republicans out of their majority positions in both the Congress and the Senate this November. They have proven themselves to be nothing more than co-conspirators with the Orange Toadstool. I'm not getting my hopes up, mind you... *sigh*...
Anyway, the missus and I have turned off any news and are enjoying some classic comedies; MASH and The Mary Tyler Moore show. And she made me a tasty, comforting tuna sandwich for lunch, always a good thing. I'm hoping the Blue Jays can beat Tampa Bay again. Last night's come from behind victory was very exciting. (Full Disclosure - I turned it off when Tampa made it 8-2 and only discovered the result this morning. Jo found a replay of the bottom of the ninth on line and we got to enjoy it!
So, with that venting preamble out of the way, let's get on to the main subject of this BLog, BOOKS. I've finished one more book since my last update. I'll update that and my newest 'currently reading' and then move on to my Mystery genre inputs. I spent the past few days going through my online bookshelves to see what sub-genres I've already covered and then see what I have left to look at. Today I'm going to take a look at the remaining mystery authors / series from Europe, except the UK as it will take a few entries to cover that area.
So onward and upward, as they say! Whomever they might be.
Just Finished
"Hans Hellmut Kirst is a German writer known for his stories set during WWII. I've enjoyed some of his books already; The Hero in the Tower, The Night of the Generals (also a great movie starring Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole). He offers a unique view of the German military during WWII.
Last Stop Camp 7, originally published in 1966 is set just after the war. Camp 7 is a POW camp for German soldiers and civilians and run by the US Army. Capt Keller is the camp commandant and Lt Harte, a German - Jewish refugee, is in charge of investigating the prisoners to ascertain if any have committed war crimes and should be passed on to criminal courts in Dachau or Nuremburg. Hauser is a German POW who is suspected of committing war crimes. Harte investigates methodically but is being pressured to get on with it.
That is the basic premise, but what you have is an intricate story with a cast of many, both German POW's, Germans working in the camp, such as Fraulein Sylvia Meiners and Herr Gernsback, responsible for de-Nazification procedures, and then a variety of American GI's etc.
It's quite an interesting, different story. The characters are well described, Harte's cynicism, but his frustrated desire to sort out the Hauser issue; Keller's sometimes abuse of powers, his desire to get Hauser, and also to develop a relationship with Hauser's wife; and the infighting between the varied prisoners. I particularly liked Sylvia Meiners, who works as an administrator in the camp, who likes Harte and wants him to help this new Germany.
The story moves along nicely and comes to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. I've enjoyed the books of Kirst that I've read so far. I have a number of others on my bookshelf, especially a series involving the life of Gunner Asch. Well worth trying. (3.5 stars)"
Currently Reading
I've started a new mystery series set in Scotland.
"The idyllic university town of St. Andrews has become home to the most vicious serial killer Britain has ever known. Striking during heavy rain, choosing only victims who abuse women, 'The Stabber' has Detective Inspector Andy Gilchrist and his team baffled."
New Books
I almost forgot. I received a new book in the mail yesterday, from Fortius Books in the UK.
"Life always seems to be more complicated than it should be for Charlie Mortdecai: degenerate aristocrat, amoral art dealer, seasoned epicurean, unwilling assassin, and confirmed coward.
Something Nasty in the Woodshed finds Charlie exiled from London due to his growing unpopularity on account of some shady art deals. Taking refuge in a country estate on the Channel Island of Jersey, he embarks on a well-intended hedonistic interlude. But his vacation soon morphs into a macabre manhunt, as Charlie seeks to expose a local rapist whose modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to that of a warlock from ancient British mythology known as 'The Beast of Jersey.'"
Mysteries from Europe
1. The Netherlands
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| A.C. Baantjer |
"This latest Baantjer mystery delves into a grotesque double murder in a well-known Amsterdam hotel. Inspector DeKok must unravel clues from two unexpected characters: a six-year-old girl who has trouble sleeping and a respected accountant who seeks DeKok's advice on committing the perfect crime. In a surprising twist, DeKok meets with the murderer and tries everything possible to prevent the man from giving himself up to the police. Risking the anger of his superiors, DeKok goes so far as to disappear in order to prevent the perpetrator from being found. With Dead Harlequin, Baantjer has created yet another intelligent, absorbing tale."
"In The Geese of Death, DeKok takes on Igor Stablinsky, a man accused of bludgeoning a wealthy old man and his wife. To DeKok’s unfailing eye the killing urge is visibly present in the suspect during questioning, but did he commit this particular crime?
All signs point to one of the few remaining estates in Holland. The answer lies within a strange family, suspicions of incest, deadly geese and a horrifying mansion. Baantjer’s perceptive style brings to light the essences of his characters, touching his audience with subtle wit and irony."
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| Janwillem van de Wetering |
"On a quiet street in downtown Amsterdam, the founder of a new religious society/commune—a group that calls itself “Hindist” and mixes elements of various “Eastern” traditions—is found hanging from a ceiling beam. Detective-Adjutant Grijpstra and Sergeant de Gier of the Amsterdam police are sent to investigate what looks like a simple suicide, but they are immediately suspicious of the circumstances.
This now-classic novel, first published in 1975, introduces Janwillem van de Wetering’s lovable Amsterdam cop duo of portly, worldly-wise Grijpstra and handsome, contemplative de Gier. With its unvarnished depiction of the legacy of Dutch colonialism and the darker facets of Amsterdam’s free drug culture, this excellent procedural asks the question of whether a murder may ever be justly committed."
The remaining books in this series are -
- Tumbleweed (1976)
- The Corpse on the Dike (1976)
- Death of a Hawker (1977)
- The Japanese Corpse (1977)
- The Blond Baboon (1978)
- The Maine Massacre (1979)
- The Mind - Murders (1981)
- The Street Bird (1983)
- The Rattle Rat (1985)
- Hard Rain (1986)
- Just a Corpse at Twilight (1994)
- The Hollow-Eyes Angel (1996)
- The Perfidious Parrot (1997)
2. Spain
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| Manuel Vazquez Montalban |
"Quite a different story; a mystery set in Spain, with communist party dialectics, murder, food.. I wasn't sure about the translation at times, but I think it's just the style of writing of the author and the translating from Spain to English, quite different languages. There was humour, an interesting mystery; noir style; complications from various political factions, but ultimately a satisfying ending. I'm not sure if it's quite worth a 4, but more than a 3. I will read more to find out more about Pepe Carvalho, ex Spanish Communist and US CIA operative."
"When Antonio Jauma, a director of the multinational conglomerate Petnay, is murdered, his widow seeks out private investigator Pepe Carvalho, who had met and forgotten the playboy executive after their single chance encounter—back when Carvalho still worked for the CIA.
Jauma was a “womanizer,” according to a friend, “of the least pleasant sense,” and the police have decided that the murder is the work of an unhappy pimp. But Carvalho doggedly pursues his own phlegmatic investigation, with time out for his signature book burning (Sartre’s Critique of Dialectical Reasoning; Sholokov’s And Quiet Flows the Don), cooking (leek soup and a freshly-caught steamed turbot), and running with his girlfriend Charo, whose last name he can’t remember."
The remaining books in this series are -
- I Killed Kennedy (1972)
- Tattoo (1975)
- Southern Seas (1979)
- The Birds of Bangkok (1983)
- Alexandria's Rose (1984)
- The Spa (1986)
- Offside (1989)
- The Greek Labyrinth (1991)
- Olympic Sabotage (1993)
- The Little Brother (1994)
- The Prize (1996)
- Buenos Aires Quintet (1997)
- The Man of My Life (2000)
- Carvalho Millennium (2004)
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| Rebecca Pawel |
"Madrid 1939. Carlos Tejada Alonso y León is a Sergeant in the Guardia Civil, a rank rare for a man not yet thirty, but Tejada is an unusual recruit. The bitter civil war between the Nationalists and the Republicans has interrupted his legal studies in Salamanca. Second son of a conservative Southern family of landowners, he is an enthusiast for the Catholic Franquista cause, a dedicated, and now triumphant, Nationalist.
This war has drawn international attention. In a dress rehearsal for World War II, fascists support the Nationalists, while communists have come to the aid of the Republicans. Atrocities have devastated both sides. It is at this moment, when the Republicans have surrendered, and the Guardia Civil has begun to impose order in the ruins of Madrid, that Tejada finds the body of his best friend, a hero of the siege of Toledo, shot to death on a street named Amor de Dios. Naturally, a Red is suspected. And it is easy for Tejada to assume that the woman caught kneeling over the body is the killer. But when his doubts are aroused, he cannot help seeking justice."
Her other books are -
- Law of Return (2004)
- The Watcher in the Pine (2005)
- The Summer Snow (2006)
3. Ireland.
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| Tana French |
"You're twelve years old. It's the summer holiday. You're playing in the woods with your two best friends. Something happens. Something terrible. And the other two are never seen again.
Twenty years on, Rob Ryan - the child who came back - is a detective in the Dublin police force. He's changed his name. No one knows about his past. Even he has no memory of what happened that day.
Then, a little girl's body is found at the site of the old tragedy and Rob is drawn back into the mystery. For him and his DI partner, Cassie, every lead comes with its own sinister undercurrents. The victim's apparently normal family is hiding layers of secrets. Rob's own private inquiries are taking a toll on his mind. And every trail leads inexorably back...into the woods." I rated this 4 stars.
"Faithful Place by Tana French is the third book in her Dublin Murder Squad series and the 2nd that I've read. This book features Undercover cop, Frank Mackey.
Mackey's life is turned upside down with the discovery of a body in an abandoned house on the street, Faithful Place of the title, where he grew up. It turns out to be the body of his old girl friend, who he had planned to leave for London with when she disappeared. Frank left his neighborhood anyway and became a member of the Guard.
Frank is a troubled and angry man. He has issues with his ex-wife Olivia, long-term issues with his family back in Faithful Place. He's not been back since he left 20 years ago. The only member that he is in contact with is his younger sister, Jackie. His father was an angry drunk who beat his wife and kids and had issues with his neighbour across the way. (the reason will come out later in the book.) Of course, Rosie Daly, Frank's girl-friend is the daughter of this neighbor, who refused to let Rosie and Frank see each other.
Returning to Faithful Place to find out who killed Rosie is fraught with tension and memories for Frank and his siblings. Who killed Rosie and dumped her body in the abandoned house; her father?, his father? someone else?
Frank is told to stay away from the investigation by the investigating officer from the Murder Squad, 'Scorcher' but, well you know, he can't do that. Frank continues his own private investigation and also uses a young member of the Murder Squad to keep him informed. Another death / murder adds further impetus to the investigations.
I readily admit I struggled with this book. Frank wasn't sympathetic to me whatsoever; his anger is off-putting at times and often seems irrational. When he finds out that Jackie and Olivia have been letting Frank's daughter meet his family, I felt his reaction was unreasonable. But then again, I've not been in that situation. The investigation is part of the story but the more important part is Frank's dealings with his family and his ex-wife and his own internal feelings about his past and present. I liked Olivia and there daughter, Holly and actually liked Jackie and Frank's other sister Carmel and Frank's younger brother, Kevin. But Frank made it difficult for me to really love the story. Still worth reading and I will look for French's other books. (3.5 stars)"
The other books in this series are -
- The Likeness (2008)
- Broken Harbour (2012)
- The Secret Place (2014)
- The Trespasser (2016)
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| Ken Bruen |
"The Guards by Ken Bruen is my first exposure to Bruen's writing, which was convenient as it is his first Jack Taylor mystery. I'd watched the TV series. Iain Glen plays Jack Taylor and now, having read the first book, he did an excellent job.
Taylor is an ex-Garda (the story is set in Ireland), who was drummed out for bad behaviour and now he works as an independent investigator. Well, he actually spends most of his time soaking up booze but he still tries to help people when he can. In this case, his client is Ann Henderson, who wants Taylor to prove his daughter, Sarah, did not commit suicide. Taylor doesn't want to take the case, but ultimately, decides to help Ann.
How much help does he provide Ann? Well, that's debatable as Taylor spends quite a bit of this book in a state of constant drunkenness. But he does investigate and manages, after a stint in the drunk tank, to find out that other girls have also 'committed suicide' in similar circumstances. Now I won't get into the details too much, rather I'll mention the style of the story.
I liked very much how it was written; a very much stream of consciousness, but still easy to read. At times, very poetic or maybe more like song lyrics. It flowed very nicely, from scene to scene. The story is peopled with interesting characters, some threatening, some lovely. It was an easy read and a book that was difficult to put down. How much help was Taylor to Ann? You'll have to check it out. I liked this a lot and will move on to the next book now that I've tried Bruen's work. (4 stars)"
"Jack Taylor is walking the delicate edge of a sobriety he doesn't trust when his phone rings. He's in debt to a Galway tough named Bill Cassell, what the locals call a "hard man." Bill did Jack a big favor a while back; the trouble is, he never lets a favor go unreturned.
Jack is amazed when Cassell simply asks him to track down a woman, now either dead or very old, who long ago helped his mother escape from the notorious Magdalen laundry, where young wayward girls were imprisoned and abused. Jack doesn't like the odds of finding the woman, but counts himself lucky that the task is at least on the right side of the law.
Until he spends a few days spinning his wheels and is dragged in front of Cassell for a quick reminder of his priorities. Bill's goons do a little spinning of their own, playing a game of Russian roulette a little too close to the back of Jack's head. It's only blind luck and the mercy of a god he no longer trusts that land Jack back on the street rather than face down in a cellar with a bullet in his skull. He's got one chance to stay alive: find this woman.
Unfortunately, he can't escape his own curiosity, and an unnerving hunch quickly turns into a solid fact: just who Jack's looking for, and why, aren't nearly what they seem."
"Ireland, awash with cash and greed, no longer turns to the Church for solace or comfort. But the decapitation of Father Joyce in a Galway confessional horrifies even the most jaded citizen.
Jack Taylor, devastated by the recent trauma of personal loss, has always believed himself to be beyond salvation. But a new job offers a fresh start, and an unexpected partnership provides hope that his one desperate vision, of family, might yet be fulfilled.
An eerie mix of exorcism, a predatory stalker, and unlikely attraction conspires to lure him into a murderous web of dark conspiracies. The specter of a child haunts every waking moment."
"When a letter containing a list of victims arrives in the post, P.I. Jack Taylor tells himself that it’s got nothing to do with him. He has enough to do just staying sane. His close friend Ridge is recovering from surgery, and alcohol’s siren song is calling to him ever more insistently.
A guard and then a judge die in mysterious circumstances. But it is not until a child is added to the list that Taylor determines to find the identity of the killer, and stop them at any cost. What he doesn’t know is that his relationship with the killer is far closer than he thinks. And it’s about to become deeply personal.
Spiked with dark humor, and fueled with rage at man’s inhumanity to man, this is crime writing at its darkest and most original."
The remaining books in this series are -
- The Killing of the Tinkers (2002)
- The Dramatist (2004)
- Cross (2007)
- The Devil (2010)
- Headstone (2011)
- Purgatory (2013)
- Green Hell (2015)
- The Emerald Lie (2016)
- The Ghosts of Galway (2017)
Well, there you go. A few authors and books for you to consider. I just enjoyed episode 2 of The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco. It was better than the first and quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, Jo just switched on The Rachel Maddow Show and we've discovered that the Republicans have told Professor Blasey - Ford that she has until 10:00 p.m. eastern time to let them know she will testify on Wednesday or they will go ahead with the vote for Kavanaugh. And no, she can't have other witnesses... they don't have time for that!! Scum!!!!!
Have a great weekend!
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