I've finished two books since my last reading update and have started one. I'll update that and finish my ongoing look at the Mystery genre - American Cops.
Just Finished
"A Firework for Oliver by John Sanders is my first exposure to Sanders' writing. Firework was originally published in 1964 and is the first of five books featuring spy, Nicholas Pym. The series is a historical adventure series set during the rule of Oliver Cromwell. Pym works for Cromwell's spy master Mr. Thurloe.
This adventure takes Nicholas Pym from England to France and onward to Switzerland as he hunts Guy Fawkes's son, who is trying to manufacture weapons that will destroy Cromwell's hold on Europe. It's non-stop action as Pym gets into scrape after scrape and somehow manages to escape and continue his hunt for Gustav van Fawk and the mysterious woman with him. He doesn't know who he can trust as Europe is filled with spies, those loyal to the dethroned King Charles, also the French king and many, many sub-species of enemies to Cromwell.
It takes a bit to get used to the dialogue and the characters but once things warm up, you just kind of go with the flow and enjoy the ride. Suspend disbelief and enjoy as Pym uses his luck and wits to track and maybe defeat van Fawk to save England. It's always fun to read a good adventure peopled with interesting characters and filled with action and maybe somewhat historically accurate information. The period of the Roundheads is basically unfamiliar to me so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books. (4 stars)"
"When I heard They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? was a book (I'd seen the movie many years ago and found it a strange, disturbing movie), I thought I should check it out. Horace McCoy lived from 1897 - 1955 and wrote 5 novels and one that wasn't finished, plus numerous short stories for a magazine called Black Mask. He had an interesting, somewhat checkered life, from the information on Wikipedia.
One of his jobs when he was struggling was as a bouncer at a marathon dance contest. He tried to turn it into a movie script called Marathon Dancers but it was rejected. Instead it became the subject of his first novel, The Shoot Horses, Don't They? Oddly enough, in 1969, the book was turned into a movie, starring Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin and Susannah York.
It's a short, succinct novel, but it still manages to get across its point effectively. The story is set during the Great Depression. Gloria is a frustrated actress who can't find work. She meets Robert as he leaves from a disappointing attempt to get a job in a movie as well. She persuades him to join with her to enter a dance marathon. The rules of these marathons are simple; you dance for an hour and fifty minutes, then you had a ten-minute rest period. In this rest period, you tried to eat, sleep, shave, get physical treatment, etc. They don't really dance, basically you just have to keep moving or swaying. But at the end of each break, the organizers tend to make them move around the track at a faster pace. And as the audience increases over the days, yes days, they have a daily derby, where the couple who makes the fewest laps is ejected from the competition.
It's a fascinating look at life, gritty and covering many taboo subjects. The pressures on these people is tremendous. By the end of the story, the competition has reduced from 140 couples to 20 and they've been on the move for 879 hours. Interspersed with the story is the final results of a trial of Robert. Even though you know right at the beginning why Robert is on trial, I won't mention it here.
The story is an easy, quick read, but it will draw you in immediately. The tension will build steadily. And yet, for everything that happens, there are no really evil people, I don't think, it's just a dark story and a small portrait of what the period must have been like. Fascinating. Now to find McCoy's Kiss Tomorrow Good-bye. (4 stars)"
Just Started
"Iris Carr is a beautiful, young socialite on her way back home to England after vacationing in Europe. Feeling terribly alone and afraid, she finds comfort in the company of a strange woman she knows only as "Miss Froy." But comfort soon turns to horror when Miss Froy mysteriously vanishes without a trace. Fearing madness, risking death, Iris desperately tries to solve the sudden disappearance of her traveling companion-a woman no one else on the journey remembers seeing at all!"
My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - American Cops
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| Julie Smitn |
I've highlighted Julie Smith previously, when I was looking at American detectives. I've tried two of her other series; Rebecca Schwartz and Talba Wallis. There are nine books in Smith's Skip Langdon series. Skip is a police detective in New Orleans. I've read 3 so far and they have been somewhat hit or miss.
"It's Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and civic leader and socialite Chauncy St. Amant has been crowned Rex, King of Carnival. But his day of glory comes to an abrupt and bloody end when a parade-goer dressed as Dolly Parton guns him down. Is the killer his aimless, promiscuous daughter Marcelle? Homosexual, mistreated son Henry? Helpless, alcoholic wife Bitty? Or some unknown player? Turns out the king had enemies...
Enter resourceful heroine Skip Langdon, a rookie police officer and former debutante turned cynic of the Uptown crowd. Scouring the streets for clues, interviewing revelers and street people with names like Jo Jo, Hinky, and Cookie, and using her white glove contacts, the post-deb rebel cop encounters a tangled web of brooding clues and ancient secrets that could mean danger for her—and doom for the St. Amants." (3 stars)
"This is my second Julie Smith mystery, also conveniently the 2nd in the Police Inspector Skip Langdon mysteries, set in New Orleans. It's been awhile between my enjoyment of the 1st book and this one. I'm glad I decided to read her again as it was most enjoyable. Julie Smith has a different style, not sure exactly how to describe it. Skip Langdon seems to almost float through the investigation into the murders of two different people, seemingly linked to the various 12-Step Self help organizations that permeate the city. It seems as thought the murderer, one who seems to be using similar methods to a much earlier serial killer, The Axeman, might be linked somehow to the groups, either choosing victims from the groups or as a member himself/ herself. Skip inserts herself into the groups to investigate the members and follows various members around. The basics are there to make the story flow; murders, an investigation, a resolution, but this seems to be almost peripheral to just being with Skip as she wanders through her story. I liked it and want to read more of Skip Langdon's stories as I find it an interesting style and I like the location." (3 stars)
"I readily admit that I struggled with Jazz Funeral by Julie Smith. This is the 3rd book in the Skip Langdon mystery series set in New Orleans. The basic gist of the story is that jazz impresario, Ham Brocato, is found murdered in his home, just before the big party at his home to open the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival. At the same time, Ham's younger sister Melody disappears; a suspect or maybe a witness? Other suspects include Ti-Belle, a singer discovered by Ham and his live-in lover, or maybe his father, Gregory or even his mother Patty.
It's a rambling sort of story with all sorts of main characters; Skip, of course, but also Ti-Belle, Melody and the fore-mentioned Gregory and Patty. Skip is looking for Melody, trying to find her in case she is in danger. Melody has run away from home (for what reason?) and hiding out in New Orlean's center. It's just a disconnected story and there is no real investigation of the murder... other than Skip showing up at peoples' homes and asking a few questions.
The more I got into the story, the better it got, but it was still frustrating. No real police work, just wandering from character to character. Unfortunately, I didn't find any of them particularly sympathetic and some (Melody) were down right irritating. Maybe I just can't relate to teenagers anymore. Even the ending was sort of a throw-in. I do have the next book on my shelf and will read it, but I don't know if I'll be in a particular hurry to grab it. (2.5 stars)"
The remaining books are (I've asterisked those I have on my shelf)
- New Orleans Beat (1994)
- House of Blues (1995)
- The Kindness of Strangers (1996)
- Crescent City Kill (1997)
- 82 Desire (1998)
- Mean Women Blues (2003)
This is my last author in the American Cops segment of my look at the American mystery genre. I have a few authors still to look at, in the legal area. More to follow. :0)
Time to feed my puppies now. Enjoy the rest of your week!
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