A Quick Reading Update

David Janssen / The Fugitive

Just a quickie today. It's been a quiet day, very windy outside and rain threatening. I listened to two more chapters of Kerry Greenwood's Death at Victoria Docks (most enjoyable so far). I finished one more book, have completed 9 so far in April. And then I caught up on some episodes of The Fugitive on our PVR, 3 to be exact. I remember watching back in the '60s when my Dad was stationed down in Chatham, N.B. Richard Kimble (portrayed by David Janssen) makes his way from picking onions and fighting forest fires to being kidnapped by two gunman (along with Brenda Vaccaro) and finally ends up on a ship heading to Alaska, getting caught up in a murder investigation. Exciting stuff. What will episode 10 bring us?

So as I mentioned I completed one book this morning, part of my April focus author challenge, that being English mystery writer Minette Walters. I've only completed one book in the challenge as it was a somewhat lengthy tome. Still very enjoyable though. I'll read one more this month, even if it takes me in to May. 

Just Finished

1. The Sculptress by Minette Walters (1993)

"Minette Walters has long been one of my favorite mystery writers. Over the past few years, I've enjoyed six of her novels. The Sculptress was her second novel, published originally in 1993. It took me a little while to get into the story but once I did, it moved along very nicely.

Rosalind (Roz) Leigh is an author looking for her next novel. Her agent suggests that she interview Olive Martin, currently in prison for the murders of her mother and sister six years previously. Reluctantly, Roz interviews Olive and others involved in the original case. One of the interviewees is ex-Police Sgt Hal Hawksley, now owner of a restaurant, which seems to have no customers. Hawksley, like many of the characters in this story, has his own issues and he and Roz develop a fractious relationship.

The story jumps around quite a bit but grabs your attention. There are many premises; is Olive actually guilty? Was she set up by the police? Did someone else commit the murders? What the heck is going at Hawksley's restaurant?

It's all interesting and confusing. But gradually things begin to come together; we learn more about Roz and her issues, more about Olive (she is something of an enigma), about Hal's issues. There is surprisingly a fair bit of action in this story and many interesting characters. Everything was resolved to my satisfaction, even to the point of leaving things somewhat unsettling. All in all, Walters never disappoints, excellent story. (4 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. The Echo by Minette Walters (1997).

"In this hypnotic novel of psychological suspense, a homeless man is found starved to death in the garage of a ritzy London home. The police chalk it up to an unfortunate accident, but a journalist, Michael Deacon, is intrigued. Amanda Powell, a socialite whose wealthy husband vanished five years ago after being accused of embezzlement, is just as interested as Michael in finding out who died in her garage. They have no idea that this simple story will unveil a web of deceit that is an appalling as the people behind it."

So there you go. Off to make up some hamburger patties for tonight's dinner (if the rain holds off, it'll be BBQ). Then back to work on my ideas for my next theme. In this hypnotic novel of psychological suspense, a homeless man is found starved to death in the garage of a ritzy London home. The police chalk it up to an unfortunate accident, but a journalist, Michael Deacon, is intrigued. Amanda Powell, a socialite whose wealthy husband vanished five years ago after being accused of embezzlement, is just as interested as Michael in finding out who died in her garage. They have no idea that this simple story will unveil a web of deceit that is an appalling as the people behind it.