A Monday Reading Update

Another weekend has gone by. We had some very high winds on Saturday but it calmed down yesterday. Kind of mizzy outside today.

I had a productive reading weekend, finishing two books. I have therefore also started two new books. I'll update those books and then continue with my look at the Mystery genre - American Cops. So away we go!!!!

Just Finished

1. The Guns of Navarone by Alistair MacLean. When I was in high school I read many of MacLean's thrillers. The Guns of Navarone was one that I missed for some reason. In the past few years, I've been enjoying his works again and this time I did read it. Glad I did.









"The Guns of Navarone was Alistair MacLean's second novel, published in 1957. I've read others of his earliest books, HMS Ulysses and South by Java Head and they, like Guns, were excellent. For some reason I never tried Guns, maybe because I've instead focused on the excellent movie. But I'm glad that I finally decided to read it.

If you want a wartime thriller, filled with action and desperation and heroism, you need to try The Guns of Navarone. It's a non-stop action story in a three day period. A group of 5 men, lead by New Zealand mountain climber and now Allied soldier, Captain Mallory, must make their way to the Greek island of Navarone and there to destroy the huge German guns that threaten a British fleet that must make its to withdraw a British force isolated on the island of Kheros. Previous attempts both by sea and by air have tried to neutralize these guns but they have failed.

So Malloy and his group, consisting of his Greek ally Andrea, an American explosive expert, Cpl Dusty Miller, a British sailor and communications man, Brown and a young office, Lt Stevens must safely make it to Navarone, scale the cliffs to get onto the island and then avoid German mountain troops to get to the fortress that houses the guns and dispose of them. Hindering their trip, besides terrible weather, is a spy within the British ranks and possible a traitor amongst the Greeks on Navarone.

It's a fascinating, thrilling story and features great acts of heroism. It draws you in immediately and holds your interest and attention throughout. How they manage to avoid and foil every attempt on their lives, makes for such an interesting story. If you enjoy thrillers, you really need to try this story, a page-turner and excellent war story. This type of story is Alistair MacLean's specialty. (4 stars)"

2. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper. Cooper is a new author for me. I can't remember where I heard of this series, but this first book in The Dark is Rising series was excellent.

"What an excellent story! Over Sea, Under Stone is the first book in English author Susan Cooper's young adult The Dark is Rising fantasy series of 5 books. People of a certain age might remember those 60's TV shows featuring precocious kids involved in all sorts of adventures. Well, this is a reminder of those excellent shows.

Three young kids, Simon, Jane and Barnie Drew go on a summer vacation with their parents and Great Uncle Merry (or as they call him gumerry) to the Cornwall coast. Their parents have rented a house, the Grey House, from an old sailor and gumerry is staying with them.

What these three great kids don't know is that they will become involved in a search with their Great Uncle for the Grail of King Arthur. And this search will be contested by forces of the dark who also want the Grail for their own reasons. The kids find a secret room in their rental house and find a old map, which will guide them in their search. It's a dangerous search and they don't know who their enemies are and Merry isn't always about to help them. Of course they do have the sailor's dog, Rufus, faithful and with strange insights.

The story moves along at a nice clip and we get exposed to the kids' ingenuity, intelligence and bravery as the search for clues to guide them to the Grail. Their parents play very little role in this entertaining story, leaving the children free to wander about the area, deal with the 'bad guys' and have fun and adventure.

This was a completely entertaining story, lovely kids, interesting locale and lots of action. I can't wait to try the next installment, which currently resides on my bookshelves. (4.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. The Small Black Room by Nigel Balchin. This is another new author for me but it did sound interesting when I read the synopsis. I'm enjoying so far.










"Sammy Rice is a weapons scientist, one of the 'back room boys' of the Second World War. A crippling disability has left him cynical and disillusioned - he struggles with a drink problem at home, and politics and petty pride at work. Worse still, he fears he is not good enough for the woman he loves.

The stakes are raised when the enemy begin to drop a new type of booby-trapped bomb, causing many casualties. Only Sammy has the know-how to diffuse it - but as he comes face to face with real danger, all his old inadequacies return to haunt him.

Can he, at last, prove his worth and put his demons to rest?"

2. In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes. Another new author for me, this book is supposed to be a classic of the noir genre. We shall see. I'm reading this as part of a December Group Read in my Mystery Book Group.










"Dix Steele is back in town, and 'town' is post-war LA. His best friend Brub is on the force of the LAPD, and as the two meet in country clubs and beach bars, they discuss the latest case: a strangler is preying on young women in the dark. Dix listens with interest as Brub describes their top suspect, as yet unnamed. Dix loves the dark and women in equal measure, so he knows enough to watch his step, though when he meets the luscious Laurel Gray, something begins to crack. The American Dream is showing its seamy underside."

My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - American Cops
In my last entry I looked at Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series.

Gregg Olsen

1. Gregg Olsen - Emily Kenyon. Olsen was born Seattle in 1959. He's known for his non-fiction books and novels which are mainly crime related. Amongst his fiction books are two set in the Pacific Northwest, featuring single mother and cop, Emily Kenyon. I have the second book on my shelf so far.

a. A Cold Dark Place (#1 / 2008).












"The Seeds Of Evil. . .

In a secluded farm house in the Pacific Northwest, a family has been slaughtered--and a teenage son has disappeared. Single mother and cop, Emily Kenyon spearheads a dark hunt for a killer. But Emily's teenage daughter Jenna is one step ahead of her. . .

Are Planted In. . .

Jenna knows the boy suspected of murdering his family and wants to help him--perhaps too much. Then within days of the first murder, another family is butchered, this time in Iowa. And on the heels of this brutal slaying, another follows in Salt Lake City. Eerie similarities link the crime scenes. But an even darker connection threatens to claim even more victims. . .

A Cold Dark Place

As Emily fits the puzzle pieces together, she realizes the danger surrounding her daughter is worse than she'd imagined. Now in a desperate race to save Jenna, Emily must match wits with the most cunning, diabolical killer she's faced yet in her career--a killer who's just placed her and her daughter at the top of his list. . ."

b. Heart of Ice (#2 / 2009) 

"Three bodies, three different towns. Each victim was a sorority girl--pretty, privileged, and brutally murdered. There are no fingerprints, no clues. He is scrupulously careful, craving those exquisite seconds when the light fades from his victim's eyes. But the rush never lasts, and the killing won't stop--not until one special woman has been made to suffer. . ."

So there you go, some book ideas for you. Enjoy your week!