A Weekend Reading Update

Our Daughter Jenn visiting

It's been a nice week, well, partly anyway. Jo and I have been getting over colds that she acquired during her visit to England the ten days before that. Jo is also not too mobile as she also broke her foot in England. But the good thing was a nice visit we had from our daughter Jennifer. She had spent the week before at Comicon in San Diego and instead of heading straight home, she stopped off here for 4 days. We weren't in any condition to do lots of entertaining, but she got to relax, do some running (see photo above) and just spend some time with us.

Bonnie

She even managed to survive our two puppies, Bonnie and Clyde. They have mellowed somewhat, even thought they still howled when she moved from one location to another. But there were long periods of quiet as well. I think they actually missed her when she left for her flight back to Ottawa.

Clyde lets her rub his tummy

She took a couple of pictures the two of them, all very cute. Maybe they are getting a bit more relaxed.

I say that, but the video above shows how the two of them act when Jo and I go out. We had a doctor's appointment on Friday and Jenn took this video of the dogs' reaction to our being away. Lol!

Most recent photo of mine

So now it's Saturday and the dogs are bored. They haven't said so but I think they miss Jenn. This morning I took them out for a drive and we visited the local free lending libraries. I dropped off a few books and picked up three. I also have acquired a few new ones this past week, either via the mail, from 2nd Page Books and even one from the Airport when I dropped Jenn off. Since my last entry, I've finished three more books. So for this entry, I'll stick to highlighting my new books and updating my reading. I'll get back to my look at the Mystery Genre in my next post.

Just Finished

1. Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling.












"What a lovely, entertaining story. I found Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling by chance. Kipling might be better known for The Jungle Book and Kim but this story was great.

It starts with a bang. Young 15 year old Harvey Cheyne, son of a wealthy family and spoiled, is on a sea voyage with his mother when they hit a storm in the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, and he is washed overboard. Luckily for Harvey, the fishing fleet is working at the Grand Banks as well and one of the fishermen, out in his dory, sees Harvey in the water and saves him.

Harvey wants the crew of the We're Here to take him back to the mainland so he can contact his father. They don't believe he is from a wealthy family and can't afford to leave the prime fishing season for such a long period. So Harvey finds himself forced earn his keep working on the fishing boat. The boat is crewed by a wonderful diverse bunch of characters and Harvey soon makes friends of all of them, especially Dan, the son of the ship's master, Disco Troop.

We follow Harvey and the crew as they spend the season out on the banks with the other fishing boats, learning about the people, how hard the job is, but how there is such wonderful camaraderie between the crew members. It's a brave, daring book but at the same time, it's also folksy and friendly. We watch Harvey grow as a human being, from a selfish spoiled boy to a hard-working young man. It's an excellent coming of age story, a pure joy to read. Fair warning, it will take a mite to get used to the language as it was written in 1896 and there is a fair bit of local dialect. It doesn't take away from the joy of the story. Well worth reading (5 stars)"

2. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #1).












"I've enjoyed both the TV series and the books about sorcerer / private detective Harry Dresden. Author Jim Butcher has created a unique, fascinating world. Storm Front is the first book in the series and officially introduces us to Harry and the people with whom he associates; Lt Karrin Murphy of Chicago's Special Investigation unit, with whom Dresden consults on strange cases; Bob, the ghost / wizard who lives in a skull in Dresden's basement and laboratory, Morgan, who works for the White Council and monitors Dresden for violations in the White Council's laws. Of course there is also Dresden's cat, Mister.

Dresden is down on his luck, having difficulties paying his rent and other bills. A woman calls him and wants Harry to find her husband, Victor. At the same time, Harry gets a call from Karrin Murphy, a tough, spunky Lt. She wants his help finding out who killed two people, a man and a woman, who's bodies have had their hearts ripped out, more like exploded out. This requires powerful magic. According to Morgan, he thinks Dresden did it, as he is one of the only wizards in Chicago with the power to do it. As well, the local gangster chief, Johnny Marcone, threatens Harry if he continues to work the case.

That is the gist of the story and it's an interesting one. We find out lots about Harry besides his money problems, like how electric appliances and phones are affected by his magic. Someone is also trying to get rid of Harry by sending a demon to kill Harry. Harry has many conflicts with this case, which can be frustrating at times. I do get irritated with this strong silent types at times, keeping things from Murphy, trying to do things on his own. But it doesn't take away from the entertainment of this story, a nice mix of mystery and fantasy. And they get better in future stories (3.5 stars)"

3. California Thriller by Max Byrd (Mike Haller #1).












"California Thriller is my first exposure to author Max Byrd. It was his 1st novel, written in 1984 and also the 1st novel in his Mike Haller thriller trilogy. Haller is a PI working in San Francisco, along with his partner Fred, an ex- San Francisco cop. Haller moved to SF from the East and worked as a reporter before getting his PI license. His girl-friend, Diana, is a psychiatrist.

Haller is hired to find reporter George Webber. Webber has worked many corruption cases but also has a habit of running off with a likely lady. His wife and his lawyer hire Haller to find him. As Haller delves into Webber, he finds that he has been investigating something in the San Fernando Valley. but doesn't know what. An attempt is made to scare off Haller by local crime boss (now seemingly respectable citizen and head of Brookline Security) Frank Brazil. Of course this doesn't work and we learn how capable Haller is in handling himself.

The investigation brings him into contact with a professor at Berkley University, who works on a project on the brain, how drugs can make people more docile, or aggressive, or more controllable, etc. Haller is suspicious of him. Haller also contacts his old boss at the Constitution, where Webber also works, to find out more about what Webber was working on. The owner of the paper, who is very anti-violence, doesn't like Haller's way of doing things.

So that's the gist of the story. I will say it does get somewhat convoluted at times and the ending is somewhat far-fetched but nonetheless very exciting. Definitely a thriller. Max Byrd does know how to put words down on the page and to create interesting characters and stories. His description is excellent and this story falls very nicely into the noir / hard-boiled genre. Most entertaining and lots of satisfactory action and I liked the ending. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (Inspector Grant #3).












"Robert Blair was about to knock off from a slow day at his law firm when the phone rang. It was Marion Sharpe on the line, a local woman of quiet disposition who lived with her mother at their decrepit country house, The Franchise. It appeared that she was in some serious trouble: Miss Sharpe and her mother were accused of brutally kidnapping a demure young woman named Betty Kane. Miss Kane's claims seemed highly unlikely, even to Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard, until she described her prison -- the attic room with its cracked window, the kitchen, and the old trunks -- which sounded remarkably like The Franchise. Yet Marion Sharpe claimed the Kane girl had never been there, let alone been held captive for an entire month! Not believing Betty Kane's story, Solicitor Blair takes up the case and, in a dazzling feat of amateur detective work, solves the unbelievable mystery that stumped even Inspector Grant."

New Books

1. The Black Curtain by Cornell Woolrich. Sounds a bit like Memento.












"After a slight accident on a tawdry street, Frank Townsend goes home - only to discover he hasn't been there in years. Suffering from amnesia, accused of murder, and the object of a deadly pursuit, he must overcome the crime that time has thrust upon him..."

2. What Happened to the Corbetts by Nevil Shute. From one of my favorite authors.










"Nevil Shute wrote this prophetic novel just before the start of the Second World War. In it he describes the devastation that results from an aerial bomb attack on Southampton that destroys the city's infrastructure and leaves the inhabitants at the mercy of cholera and further assaults. The story follows the trials and tribulations of the Corbett family as they try to get to safety."

3. The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock #2).












"When a beautiful young woman is sent a letter inviting her to a sinister assignation, she immediately seeks the advice of the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. For this is not the first mysterious item Mary Marston has received in the post. Every year for the last six years an anonymous benefactor has sent her a large lustrous pearl. Now it appears the sender of the pearls would like to meet her to right a wrong. But when Sherlock Holmes and his faithful sidekick Watson, aiding Miss Marston, attend the assignation, they embark on a dark and mysterious adventure involving a one-legged ruffian, some hidden treasure, deadly poison darts and a thrilling race along the River Thames."

4. The Croquet Player by H.G. Wells.











"This allegorical satire about a man fleeing from his evil dreams was written under the influence of the Spanish Civil War. The croquet player, comfortably sipping a vermouth, listens to the strange & terrible tale of the haunted countryside of Cainsmarsh--a horror which broadens & deepens until it embraces the world.

Wells' modern ghost story of a remote English Village, Cainsmarsh. Dark events are plaguing its people. A terrified farmer murders a scarecrow. Family pets are being bludgeoned to death. Loving couples are turning on each other in vicious rage. People are becoming suspicious of every move each other makes. Children are coming to school with marks on them. One observer thinks there's evil underground scattered all over the marsh, invading villagers' minds, & it's spreading. A well bred, affable & somewhat effeminate croquet player is told the strange story of Cainsmarsh & it's impending doom as if its plight was the beginning of the end of civilization."

5. Dance for the Dead by Thomas Perry (Jane Whitfield #2).












"When eight-year-old Timothy Decker finds his parents brutally murdered, it's clear the Deckers weren't the intended victims: Timothy's own room--ransacked, all traces of his existence expertly obliterated-- is the shocking evidence. Timothy's nanny, Mona, is certain about only one thing. Timmy needs to disappear, fast.

Only Jane Whitefield, a Native American "guide" who specializes in making victims vanish, can lead him to safety. But diverting Jane's attention is Mary Perkins, a desperate woman with S&L fraud in her past. Stalking Mary is a ruthless predator determined to find her and the fortune she claims she doesn't have. Jane quickly creates a new life for Mary and jumps back on Timmy's case . . . not knowing that the two are fatefully linked to one calculating killer. . . "

6. All the Weyrs of Pern by Anne McCaffrey (Pern #11).












"For generations, the dragonriders had dedicated their lives to fighting Thread, the dreaded spores that periodically rained from the sky to ravage the land. On the backs of their magnificent telepathic dragons they flew to flame the deadly stuff out of the air before it could reach the planet's surface. But the greatest dream of the dragon riders was to find a way to eradicate Thread completely, so that never again would their beloved Pern be threatened with destruction.

Now, for the first time, it looked as if that dream could come true. For when the people of Pern, led by Masterharper Robinton and F'Lar and Lessa, Weyrleader and Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr, excavated the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement, they uncovered the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system - which still functioned!

And the computer had incredible news for them: There was a chance - a good chance - that they could, at long last, annihilate Thread once and for all!"

7. Death of an Addict by M.C. Beaton (Hamish MacBeth #15).












"Former drug addict Tommy Jarret rents a Scottish chalet to check out reports of a sea monster. But when he is found dead of an apparent drug overdose, constable Hamish Macbeth suspects foul play. Teaming with Glasgow Detective Inspector Olivia Chater, Macbeth goes undercover and dives into the underworld to root out a cartel secretly entrenched in the Highlands."

8. Catch Me by Lisa Gardner (Detective D.D. Warren #6).












"Charlene Grant believes she is going to die. For the past few years, her childhood friends have been murdered one by one. Same day. Same time. Now she’s the last of her friends alive, and she’s counting down the final four days of her life until January 21.

Charlene doesn’t plan on going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing, shooting, and running. She also wants Boston’s top homicide detective, D. D. Warren, to handle the investigation.

But as D.D. delves deeper into the case, she starts to question the woman’s story. Instinct tells her that Charlene may not be in any danger at all. If that’s true, the woman must have a secret—one so terrifying that it alone could be the greatest threat of all." 

Well, there you go. Now to go make supper for Jo. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Read a good book! 

A Reading Update and My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre

I've finished two books since my last entry and one new book arrived in the mail yesterday. Today I'll update those plus any books I've started reading since my last update. I'll also get back to my look at the Mystery Genre - American Cop Series.

New Books

1. Mike Carey - The Devil You Know (Felix Castor #1).












"Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist, and London is his stamping ground. It may seem like a good ghost buster can charge what he likes and enjoy a hell of a lifestyle--but there's a risk: Sooner or later he's going to take on a spirit that's too strong for him. While trying to back out of this ill-conceived career, Castor accepts a seemingly simple ghost-hunting case at a museum in the shadowy heart of London--just to pay the bills, you understand. But what should have been a perfectly straightforward exorcism is rapidly turning into the Who Can Kill Castor First Show, with demons and ghosts all keen to claim the big prize. That's OK: Castor knows how to deal with the dead. It's the living who piss him off..."

Just Finished

1.  Matthew Pearl - The Dante Club.












"I've had a couple of Matthew Pearl's historical mysteries on my book shelf for awhile now. I'm glad that I finally dusted off The Dante Club and read it. In some ways it reminded me of Caleb Carr's The Alienist.

The book is set in the mid 1800's. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and a select group of friends, Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russel Lowell and J.T. Fields get together once a week to translate Dante's Inferno into English. This is not popular with the corporation that runs Harvard University led by Victor Manning, who feels it a heretical activity, and he is trying to do everything in his power to ruin their reputations and to stop their activity. Into this mix is a horrendous murder. The four gradually realize that the murder is related to their translations; the type of murder similar to the tortures suffered in the various levels of Hell by those people.

They begin an investigation into the murder (soon to become a series of murders) and are assisted by a black police officer, the first in Boston, Nicholas Rey. Each murder is related to a different level of Hell.

The concept is very interesting and the characters are as well. I also liked the setting, 1960's Boston, after the Civil War. You have a city peopled with veterans of the Civil War, many suffering from PTSD, a strong criminal element (even among the police force) and the winter climate. It was such a neat concept. The story did wander at times but that didn't really matter. The crimes are a bit gruesome but they aren't belabored.

I enjoyed the story and look forward to trying another of Pearl's books. If you'd like a different mystery, give it a try. (3.5 stars)"

2. Matt Pryor - The Crypt Thief (Hugo Marston #2).












"The Crypt Thief is the second Hugo Marston book by Mark Pryor and my first attempt at one of his books. Marston is the Head of Security at the American embassy in Paris and obviously gets involved in situations that happen to American citizens.

In this story, an American man and an Egyptian lady are murdered in Pere Lachaise cemetery at night as the go to see the tomb of rock singer Jim Morrison. Marston, along with French police officer, Serge Garcia, investigate the murder. A ex-CIA agent and Hugo's friend, Tom Green, is also brought in at the request of the boy's father, an American senator. For various reasons, they think the two were murdered by an Arab terrorist in the country. We meet the murderer, nicknamed the Scarab, at the very beginning. 

Hugo and Tom work at times at cross purposes, Tom searching for Al Zakiri, and Hugo looking at other options. These investigations result in lots of action. The Scarab does not hesitate to kill anyone who gets in his way as he searches through certain crypts. You'll find out why when you read the story.

It's not a perfect story by any means but it's nicely paced, lots of action, interesting characters and a slightly weird criminal. There were things that irritated med, especially the somewhat cavalier manner in which one of the suspects is retired, without any real thought about it. But other than that I did enjoy the story. It didn't require lots of thought on my part. It as just a nice enjoyable story. (3.5 stars)"

Currently Reading
I've started the following books.

1. Susan Hill - The Vows of Silence (Simon Serrailler #4).












"Gunmen are terrorizing young women in the Cathedral town of Lafferton.

What — if anything — links the apparently random murders? Is the marksman with a rifle the same person as the killer with a handgun?

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler falls back on well-tried police methods such as questioning neighbors and house-to-house searches. He tries to stay on step ahead of the killer to prevent each new outrage. And he tries to think himself into the gunman’s head.

Meanwhile, his sister, Cat, has returned with her family from Australia, and Simon is once again sucked into family life at her welcoming farmhouse. But tragedy strikes, and the warmth and security of home are cruelly tested..."

2. Kelley Armstrong - Broken (Women of the Otherworld #6).












"In this thrilling new novel from the author of Industrial Magic, a pregnant werewolf may have unwittingly unleashed Jack the Ripper on the twenty-first century — and become his next target…

Ever since she discovered she’s pregnant, Elena Michaels has been on edge. After all, she’s never heard of another living female werewolf, let alone one who’s given birth. But thankfully, her expertise is needed to retrieve a stolen letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper. As a distraction, the job seems simple enough — only the letter contains a portal to Victorian London’s underworld, which Elena inadvertently triggers — unleashing a vicious killer and a pair of zombie thugs.

Now Elena must find a way to seal the portal before the unwelcome visitors get what they’re looking for — which, for some unknown reason, is Elena…"

My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - American Cops Part 8
In my last entry, I looked at Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme mystery series. In today's entry, I look at another Deaver series.

Jeffery Deaver

1. Jeffery Deaver - Kathryn Dance. Deaver's most popular series is probably his Lincoln Rhymes' series. Kathryn Dance appears in one of those books and also she is featured in 4 of her own series. I enjoyed The Cold Room and also have read one more of the Dance books. Dance is a kinesic specialist, one who specializes in gathering information from interviewing suspects and witnesses.

a. The Cold Room (Lincoln Rhymes #7).












"This is the 7th book in the Lincoln Rhymes/ Amelia Sachs series. It's long, with a convoluted story with many twists and turns and surprises, but it's so very enjoyable. Suspend disbelief and just enjoy. This story also brings in Kathryn Dance a kinesic specialist, one who specialize in gathering information from interviewing suspects and witnesses. Kathryn is in New York for a police conference (she works for the California Bureau of Investigation) and is invited by Rhymes' police link, Lon Selitto, to assist in the case of trying to find the Clockmaker and to ascertain what he is actually trying to do. Sachs also finds herself involved in a separate police investigation that might involve crooked cops and information she gathers during this investigation leads her to question whether she wants to continue as a police officer. Add to the mix new crime scene officer, Pulaski and you've got an action - filled, excellent story. Are Rhymes and Sachs too good to be true? Who cares. It's all good stuff. (4 stars)"

2. The Sleeping Doll (Kathryn Dance #1).











"I've read many Jeffery thrillers and have for the most part enjoyed them very much. This is the first in the Kathryn Dance series. Dance works for the California Bureau of Investigation, a specialist in kinesics, ability to read people basically. She is called in to interrogate a serial killer who has been recalled from his prison cell, to answer to new murder charges. Pell, the criminal, escapes from his cell and this leads to a manhunt, with Dance, her partner and an FBI agent, Winston Kellogg, leading the chase. They bring in 3 women who were part of Pell's family to help them in their search for Pell, a cunning, dangerous opponent. The CBI team always seem to be 5 paces behind Pell and the bodies mount up. There are all sorts of twists and turns and surprises. It's not my favourite Deaver book, but it was still an entertaining story and a bit of a thrill ride. Worth checking out. (3.5 stars)"

3. Roadside Crosses (Dance #2).












"Roadside crosses are appearing along the highways of the Monterey Peninsula, not as memorials to past accidents but as markers for fatalities yet to come...and someone, armed with information gleaned from careless and all-too-personal blog postings, intends to carry out those killings. Kathryn Dance and her C.B.I. team know when the attacks will take place, but who will be the victims? Her body language expertise leads her to a recent fatal car crash, and to the driver, Travis Brigham, a gaming-obsessed teen who's become the target of vicious cyberbullies. And when Travis disappears, Kathryn must lead a furious manhunt in the elusive world of bloggers and social networking, where nothing is as it seems..."

4. XO (Dance #3).












"Country-pop ingénue Kayleigh Towne's career is just reaching new heights with her huge hit single "Your Shadow"- but fame is also bringing unwanted attention. An innocent exchange with a fan leads Kayleigh into the dangerous and terrifying realm of obsession, and when California Bureau of Investigation agent Kathryn Dance intervenes on the singer's behalf, she draws the admirer's ominous attention to herself. Then a member of Kayleigh's road crew is murdered in an eerie echo of her chart-topping song. As Kathryn Dance races to stop the stalker with her considerable skills of investigation and body-language analysis, she soon discovers that Kayleigh has more than one frightening fan with a mission..."

Solitude Creek is the 4th book in the series and was published in 2015.

I hope your week has gone well. The weekend is soon upon us. Enjoy!

A Reading Update

I'm sticking with just a reading update this entry as I've received a fair number of books this past week and have finished a few as well since my last entry. It's been a reasonably busy week. Jo came back from her trip to England yesterday with a broken ankle so it's been an interesting 24 hours since her return. Off to the doctor this morning and then the X-ray clinic. Now she's relaxing with her foot up. So I'm going to take a few minutes while she's watching last night's Hollywood Game Night. So I won't update my look at the mystery genre; just stick to books read/ currently reading and new books.

New Books

1. The Caves of Night by John Christopher (Horror thriller). I've read two other books by Christopher and particularly enjoyed The Death of Grass. This one looks interesting.










"Five people enter the Frohnberg caves, three men and two women. In the glare of the Austrian sunshine, the cool underground depths seem an attractive proposition – until the collapse of a cave wall blocks their return to the outside world. Faced with an unexplored warren of tunnels and caves, rivers and lakes, twisting and ramifying under the mountain range, they can only hope that there is an exit to be found on the other side.

For Cynthia, the journey through the dark labyrinths mirrors her own sense of guilt and confusion about the secret affair she has recently embarked upon. And whilst it is in some ways a comfort to share this possibly lethal ordeal with her lover Albrecht, only her husband Henry has the knowledge and experience that may lead them all back to safety.

But can even Henry’s sang froid and expertise be enough, with the moment fast approaching when their food supplies will run out, and the batteries of their torches fail, leaving them to stumble blindly through the dark?"

2. The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill (Mystery).  I've enjoyed other books by Hill, The Lady in Black and another of the Inspector Serrailler mysteries. This is the sixth book in the Serrailler series.










"A cold case comes back to life in this sixth book in the highly successful Simon Serrailler detective series "eagerly awaited by all aficionados" (P.D. James). Freak weather and flash floods all over southern England. Lafferton is under water and a landslide on the Moor has closed the bypass. As the rain slowly drains away, a shallow grave--and a skeleton--are exposed; 20 years on, the remains of missing teenager Joanne Lowther have finally been uncovered. The case is re-opened and Simon Serrailler is called in as senior investigating officer. Joanne, an only child, had been on her way home from a friend's house that night. She was the daughter of a prominent local businessman, Sir John Lowther. Joanne's mother, unable to cope, killed herself 2 years after Joanne disappeared. Cold cases are always tough, and in this latest in the acclaimed series from Susan Hill, Serrailler is forced to confront a frustrating, distressing and complex situation."

3. The Final Silence by Stuart Neville (Mystery Thriller). This is the 4th book in the Jack Lennon mystery series set in Northern Ireland. Usually lots of action and tension.










"In Belfast, Northern Ireland, memories of the city’s troubled history haunt every street corner, but for one tortured soul, the incredible violence in his past is also his most cherished legacy.

Rea Carlisle, daughter of influential Northern Irish politician Graham Carlisle, has inherited a house from an uncle she never knew. It doesn’t take her long to clear out the dead man’s possessions, but when Rea forces open a locked room, she finds a leather-bound book. Tucked in its pages are fingernails and locks of hair: a catalog of victims.

Horrified, Rea wants to go straight to the police, but her father intervenes—he’s worked too hard to have his brother’s twisted legacy ruin his promising political career. Thwarted by her father, Rea turns to the only person she can think of: disgraced police inspector Jack Lennon.

Meanwhile, Lennon finds himself the lead suspect in a murder investigation led by one of the force’s toughest cops, DCI Serena Flanagan. His implication in the murder, coupled with the story Rea has brought to him, leaves Lennon more than slightly suspicious that the two are part of a grisly conspiracy."

4. The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley (Historical fiction / horror). I've read one of Wheatley's books so far. It reminded me of the Hammer horror films. He was a prolific author.










"29 Apr 1935 - 4 May 1935
Black Magic is still practiced in all the great cities of the world. This novel tells with macabre detail of a beautiful woman caught in a web of Satanists, of a young man brought to the verge of madness through his dabbling with the powers of evil.

As in Dennis Wheatley's The Forbidden Territory we meet the Duke de Richleau, Simon Aron, the Princess Marie Lou, and other characters. From London to the West Country, from the slums of Paris to a Christian monastery, the action of this powerful occult thriller moves with fantastic, compelling force.."

5. First Family by David Baldacci (King & Maxwell #4). I've enjoyed the first couple of books in this series and also the TV show and it had nothing to do with the fact that Rebecca Romijn was in it.










"A daring kidnapping turns a children's birthday party at Camp David, the presidential retreat, into a national security nightmare.

Former Secret Service agents turned private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell don't want to get involved. But years ago Sean saved the First Lady's husband, then a senator, from political disaster. Now the president's wife presses Sean and Michelle into a desperate search to rescue a kidnapped child. With Michelle still battling her own demons, the two are pushed to the limit, with forces aligned on all sides against them-and the line between friend and foe impossible to define...or defend."

6. Huntingtower by John Buchan (Adventure). I've enjoyed Buchan's John Hannay adventure series very much. This story also looked interesting.











"Huntingtower is a novel written by John Buchan in 1922. The first of his three Dickson McCunn books, it is set near Carrick in south-west Scotland around 1920. The hero is a 55-year-old grocer Dickson McCunn, who has sold his business and taken early retirement. As soon as he ventures out to explore the world, he is swept out of his bourgeois rut into bizarre and outlandish adventures, and forced to become a reluctant hero. The story revolves around the imprisonment under false pretenses by Bolshevik agents of an exiled Russian noblewoman. The Scottish local community mobilizes to uncover and thwart the conspiracy against her, and to defend the neutrality of Scotland against the Russian revolutionary struggle."

7. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton (Fiction  YA). A new author for me, this was the first book by Canadian - born New Zealander, Catton.











"Set in the aftermath of a sex scandal at an all-girls high school, Eleanor Catton’s internationally acclaimed award-winning debut is a provocative and darkly funny novel about the elusiveness of truth, the slipperiness of identity, and the emotional compromises we make to belong.

When news spreads of a high school teacher’s relationship with one of his students, the teenage girls at Abbey Grange are jolted into a new awareness of their own potency and power. Although no one knows the whole truth, the girls have their own ideas about what happened. They obsessively examine the details of the affair with the curiosity and jealousy native to any adolescent girl, and they confide in their saxophone teacher, an enigmatic woman who casts a withering eye on the dramas that unfold – both real and imagined. When the local drama school decides to use the scandal as the basis for its year-end show, the real world and the world of the theatre collide. As the story moves back and forth between the two schools – and characters slip in and out of different personas – the boundaries between public and private, fact and fantasy begin to dissolve."

Just Finished
I've finished 5 books since my last entry.

1. Brothers in Arms by H. H. Kirst (Fiction). I've read three or four books by Kirst, my favorite being Night of the Generals.











"I've read a few books by German author, Hans Hellmut Kirst, starting with his classic, Night of the Generals. He is a quite different author. Brothers in Arms was originally published in 1961 and its first translation into English was 1965.

It's an interesting plot line. Six members of a German army section from WWII have settled into life in a German city after the war. Each is successful in his own right; Schulz, the Sgt, owns a gas station, Kerze is a successful factory owner, Gisenius is a lawyer and political operative, Frammler owns a funeral parlor, Hirsch runs a popular hotel / night club and Bennicken has a taxi service. Their lives are disrupted when another member of their platoon, Meinecker, a person who they thought dead, shows up. There is some sort of history involving Meinecker from an incident that happened near the end of the war that unnerves them. It seems to involve the possible rape and murder of a young woman near the Russian front.

Gisenius, who is the ring leader of the group, and a conniving, sneaky individual, persuades the others to hire a private investigator to search out Meinecker. He hires an ex police investigator, one Taunus, now living in retirement, on the recommendation of another person. We soon discover that Taunus, rather than keeping to the simple assignment also likes to find out reasons beyond his task; why he has been hired, what other reasons might be involved. Taunus begins to inculcate himself into their lives.

There are various other story lines, some that are disturbing. Kerze's daughter is a problem child, sleeping around, trying to start a relationship with Hirsch. Kerze's accountant has an unhealthy interest in Kerze's young son. Schulz's sister, who lives a sheltered life with him, starts a relationship with Gisenius' problem son, etc. It's quite a rich, detailed story, told from everybody's perspective. Also as part of the story line, at the end of each chapter, one of the six is interrogated by the police about the events of that particular day in 1945.

Taunus is a fascinating character. He finds out so much, has great intuition and a sweet tooth. The other characters all are varied and interesting and the story also holds your interest throughout. I have a few other Kirst books on my shelf and look forward to continuing to work through them (3.5 stars) (Ed. Note. Apologies for any errors in spelling or recalling character names)"

2. Maigret and the Nahour Case by Georges Simenon. I've enjoyed every Maigret mystery I've tried. They are always interesting and they are short.










"I do enjoy an Inspector Maigret mystery. I haven't read them in any particular order, although I did make a bit of an effort to get the first two or three in the past year or so. Having said that, Maigret and the Nahour Case is approximately the 65th book in this excellent series by Georges Simenon.

It's January and Paris is freezing in this Maigret story. Maigret and his wife have just returned from dinner with their friends, Doctor Pardon and his wife. In bed and asleep, Maigret receives an urgent call from Pardon. It seems that he had late patients show up on his door step and the woman was shot in the back. While he was cleaning up his office after working on the young lady, the two disappear. The next morning, when Maigret goes to his office he is made aware of the murder of a man in his home, the self-same Nahour of the title. While investigating this murder, it turns out that Nahour was married to a woman who matches the description of the lady who was fixed by Pardon.

Thus begins a very interesting investigation. Nahour's wife, a woman originally from Amsterdam, was planning to divorce and leave her husband for a young man from Columbia. Everybody seems to be lying when interrogated by Maigret and he is very frustrated. There seem to be four suspects and Maigret seems to be working in circles.

But the investigation is interesting and Maigret is at his best as he works through the case. It's simple but complex at the same time. Simenon lays out the case and the atmosphere excellently. You can feel the cold. I love Maigret's scratchy scarf, made for him by Madame Maigret. It's an enjoyable, quick read with an interesting ending (4 stars)"

3. The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler (Phillip Marlowe #4). I've read one other Marlowe noir mystery. Chandler is such a great writer. I will read all of the Marlowe books eventually.

"I probably said this when I read The Big Sleep but I don't know why it has taken me so long to enjoy Raymond Chandler. But I'll say it again, I enjoyed The Lady in the Lake very much. Chandler wasn't a prolific writer; he only wrote 7 novels. Lady in the Lake was his 4th Philip Marlowe novel.

Marlowe is hired by wealthy Derace Kingsley to find his wife. Not a happy marriage, she had gone to their cabin up in the mountains (Little Fawn Lake) above LA and then sent him a telegram to let him know she wanted a divorce. Now worried about her, he asks Marlowe to find her. Thus begins an investigation for Marlowe that will take him to the mountains and then to Bay City.  Bodies will begin to crop up, firstly the titles lady in the lake. Marlowe and Bill Chess discover the body floating below the pier in Little Fawn Lake. Chess is Kingsley's handyman and lives in a cabin on the lake. The body is his wife, who, it turns out disappeared around the same time as Kingsley's wife.

I won't discuss the plot anymore as it is a relatively short story, but it is a fascinating mystery. Chandler provides a rich descriptive setting. Marlowe is one of the excellent characters and I love his investigation style. One thing I found interesting about Marlowe is that he isn't in the military, but it may be an age thing, or possibly it was mentioned in one of the other novels. The war is mentioned somewhat, noted by the soldiers guarding the dam on the way to Little Fawn Lake. That is a minor question on my part.

The story holds your attention and follows interesting path ways. I found the ending somewhat intricate but all in all, I enjoyed this story very much. I'll definitely continue until I finish the stories. (4.5 stars)"
 

4.  A Question of Blood by Ian Rankin (Inspector Rebus #14). This is such an excellent series. I'm slowly winding it down.











"It's been five years since I last visited with Edinburgh police inspector, John Rebus and his partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke. Much too long a time. A Question of Blood by Ian Rankin is the 14th book in this excellent series and it was as engrossing and enjoyable as the other 13.

In Question, we find Rebus once again treading in thin waters (hmm, not sure but I might be mixing metaphors). DS Clarke has been harassed and stalked by a petty criminal. This man has been found burned to death in a house fire in his home. Unfortunately, Rebus has been seen with him the night of the fire and for some reason, Rebus is suffering from burns to his hands (re Mr. Rebus, he scalded them in hot water). An investigation is being launched into the incident by his boss, DCI Gill Templar and the Complaints Division.

While this is going on, old friend DI Bobby Hogan has asked for Rebus's assistance in another case. An ex-SAS man has entered a local school and killed two students, wounded another and then shot himself. Since Rebus was in the military and almost passed the tests to become an SAS man himself, Hogan feels he might be able to provide assistance in determining the motive for this shooting. Two SAS personnel, Whiteread and Simms show up to stir things up and as well, a local politician, whose son was wounded, sticks in his oar, trying to grandstand the issue.

Already sounds neat, eh? Well it is. Rebus is one of my favorite crusty, irascible, effective cops and I have a bit of a crush on his partner. We get to see both of them in equal amounts and that's just fine. They are a fascinating team and work well together; one playing off the other. There is genuine affection between them, even though Rebus quite regularly tests the bounds of their friendship. The cases are both interesting and often events and suspects and characters are intertwined. I like Bobby Hogan and long suffering Gill Templar both as well. It's an entertaining mystery, with enough action to keep you satisfied and Rankin is skilled at establishing the mood and in describing the Edinburgh scene. Satisfying mystery and excellent story. (4 stars)"

5. Kolymsky Heights by Lionel Davidson (Spy Adventure). I've read a few books by Davidson and have enjoyed them. This one was so unsatisfying. So when I said before that I completed 5 books, I actually meant that I've completed 4.5. :0)









"I've read a couple of other thrillers by Lionel Davidson and found them entertaining. I honestly gave Kolymsky Heights a good try, even got over half way through it. But I just could not finish it. That does not happen very often, I will tell you.

It may have been because my mood wouldn't let me get into it but it also just wasn't a great story. Basically, this is the premise as I understood it. A Russian scientist sends a message to an acquaintance in the UK, a scientist he met many years ago at a conference in England. He has something that he needs to get out of Russia. He wants a third acquaintance to come and get it. This third acquaintance is a Canadian native, who also attended the conference.

And thus begins the story. The first third describes Porter's journey from Canada, to Japan and then onto a freighter to Northern Russia and his efforts establish himself in Russia so he can get to the scientist's locale. And now he has met the scientist and we're about to find out what it's all about. But by now, all I can say is 'nyahh.. who cares'. It's all just a bit laborious and not worth finishing. Very disappointing. I do have one more Davidson story, a mystery, that I will try. Hoping it's more like the earlier efforts. (1 star)"  (NB: I gave up when we met the talking ape. Yup, just too far)

Currently Reading
I've got a few too many books on the go at the moment but I've been working on a few extra challenges. These are the books I'm currently reading.

1. Fleshmarket Close by Ian Rankin (Rebus #15)
2. The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl (Historical Mystery). I've been reading this book the longest but am still enjoying.
3. Phantom Instinct by Meg Gardiner (Thriller). I've enjoyed a couple of Gardiner's series books. This is a standalone.
4. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Harry Dresden #1). This is one of my favorite fantasy series. I've read three or four so far and now am finally getting to read the first book.
5. California Thriller by Max Byrd (Mike Haller #1). A new mystery series for me. Haller sounds like your prototypical noir PI.
6. Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling (Adventure). Enjoying this very much. A great, entertaining sailing adventure.
7. The Crypt Thief by Mark Pryor (Hugo Marston #2). Marston is head of security at the US Embassy in Paris. This is my first exposure to the series and I'm enjoying very much so far. It's a nice page turner.

So there you go. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hope you have a good book beside you.