Book 5
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| Ross Macdonald |
"Lew Archer is a private eye in Los Angeles. He's an ex-cop who decided to work on his own. In Sleeping Beauty, he has just returned from a trip and hears about an oil spill west LA as he's driving back from the airport and decides to check things out before he returns home. While there he meets a young woman, Laurel Russo, who is upset by the spill and also by the death of a seabird that she had pulled from the oil-soaked waters.
Archer offers to drive her home, takes her to his place to calm her down. She leaves and he discovers that she has taken a bottle of nembutol (tranquilizers) from his medicine cabinet. Concerned, he drives off to try and find her. He checks with her husband, a pharmacist, from whom Laurel is currently estranged. Tom Russo hires Archer to find her.
It turns out that Laurel is from a rich family. In fact, they own the oil well that has sprung the leak. They don't like Tom Russo, feeling he is beneath their status. Laurel has an on and off again relationship with them and with her husband. Yes, she has issues.
This begins Archer's investigation into Laurel's disappearance. It appears that she has been kidnapped as her parents receive a ransom threat. Archer finds himself getting deeper into this family's history / skeletons in their closets as he continues to investigate. Is that enough to pique your interest?
This was a fantastic mystery. Ross Macdonald has such a clear and descriptive writing style. You can see the characters, the locale and even with the twists and turns, the story flows along so neatly and smoothly. Lew Archer is a fantastic character and the characters he meets over the course of his investigation are all interesting with flaws and personalities that make the whole story even more interesting and readable. I enjoyed this so very much and even the ending, which had a nice little twist, was eminently satisfying. (5 stars)"
Song 5
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| The 1975 |
The 1975 are an English pop / rock band that formed in 2002 in Cheshire. The band consists of lead vocalist Matthew Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald and drummer George Daniel. They released their first album in 2013 and have since released two more, with one on the way in 2020. Chocolate was their second single, released in 2013.
TV Show 5
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| Guy Pearce as Jack Irish |
Over the past few years, Jo and I have enjoyed a number of excellent mystery series from Down Under. Our local Canadian public broadcast station, Knowledge Network specializes in finding these gems; the Phryne Fisher mysteries, the Doctor Blake mysteries, Janet King, etc.
Jo had caught a couple of the Jack Irish TV movies while searching for things to watch on line so when this series came up on Knowledge, she highly recommended it. Season 1 came out in 2016 and Season 2 in 2018. Jack Irish, played by Guy Pearce, is an ex lawyer, turned detective. He's kind of hapless, a bit of a drunk, has trouble with personal relationships, but seems to find his way through solving his cases. He's supported by a fantastic cast. Marta Dusseldorp, who we loved in Janet King and also A Place to Call Home is an investigative journalist and also Irish's on again, off again girlfriend. Frustrated by his inability to commit, in Season 1 she heads to the Philipines to investigate a Muslim guerrilla group. Her work there also has a relationship, it turns out to a case Irish is investigating.
Also in the mix are two race horse aficionados, who need Jack as a bit of a blind in buying horses and also help him with strong arm tactics. Jack's office is in a local pub and there you have another entertaining group of characters, always free with advice. My favorite character is Simone, Jack's computer genius. She's a hoot. Both seasons were fantastic, funny, a good mystery and also with fantastic tension at times. I'll have to find the movies now. I can't recommend more.
OK, so time for me to get ready for our day's outing. Have a great weekend, the last before Christmas. Take care.
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