It's a cool, cloudy, breezy September Monday. The pups and I went across the river to Courtenay and got bread and also pizza for lunch from Cobs Bakery. Eating mine as I write this BLog to start off the week.
It was a shocking, sad Friday when Jo and I heard the devastating news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing. Yes, she is American and yes, she's been battling cancer for a long time. But when a decent person such as RBG, who has fought for years for women's rights, for people's rights and who has been holding out until the upcoming November election so that Trump and the disgusting GOP couldn't break more norms by nominating a new Justice during an election year passes away, it's even more disturbing. You can hear the GOP and Trump gleefully rubbing their hands as they plan how to disrupt America even more with their selection. One thing it seems to have done is mobilize America even more to get rid of Trump and the GOP in the Senate. Let's hope. At any rate, RIP Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, you were a voice of reason on the Supreme Court.
One expression of encouragement to my neighbors south of the border.
So now to move on to my normal subject matter... Books. I finished one book this weekend. I'll update that and also the book that I'm starting next. Both part of my plan to finish a few series this year. I'll also continue with my ongoing look at my favorite authors.
Just Finished
1. Finders Weepers by Max Byrd (Mike Haller #3). The final book in this trilogy.
"Finders Weepers is the 3rd and unfortunately the final book in American author Max Byrd's excellent Mike Haller noir detective series. Byrd continues to write but he only produced 3 novels in this series. Mike Haller is a PI working out of San Francisco, having previously had a career as a newspaper reporter in Boston and later in San Francisco.
In this story, Haller has lost his PI license after a witness seems to lie at his hearing before the licensing board. Haller feels totally lost and wants to find out who is the cause. It could be related to his most recent case, working for another PI to find a prostitute who has been left $800K. Is the loss of his license related to this case, by someone who doesn't want him to find Muriel, or by some other person who might have crossed his pass and has a grudge against him, including Police Lt Yetta.
That is the gist of this excellent, gritty, even scary noir mystery as Haller, even without his license, continues to search for Muriel. He is helped by his partner, ex cop Fred and by various other acquaintances in San Francisco, black pimp and all around crook, Grab; by his fantastic girlfriend, psychiatrist Dorothy, etc. As I said, it's a gritty, often violent story that tracks within San Francisco's seedy underbelly, strip clubs, prostitution. There are great people as mentioned but there are also scary bad people, to put it lightly.
Haller is a great character; literate, gruff, determined. His license means everything to him, he loves being a PI. He loves his girl friend. I like how he quotes Fred; 'Fred's Buick Terrorist as he calls it'. Haller's early life, travels in Europe, life in England and Boston, his work as a newspaper reporter have given him a well-rounded knowledge and a perspective on life. All in all, it's a great story, probably the best of the 3 and a great way to end the series.. maybe one more?? (5 stars)"
Currently Reading
"This winter is going to be a rough one for Inspector Gilles Sebag, for he has discovered a terrible truth: Claire has been cheating on him. Bouncing between depression, whisky, and insomnia, he buries himself in work in an attempt to forget.
But his investigations lead him inexorably to bigger tragedies--a woman murdered in a hotel, a depressed man who throws himself from the roof of his building, another who threatens to blow up the neighborhood--all of them involving betrayals of some sort. Perpignan seems to be suffering from a veritable epidemic of crimes of passion. Adultery is everywhere! And each betrayal leads to another dramatic crime.Sebag has an uncanny ability to slip into the skin of his suspects and solve apparently unsolvable crimes. Though professionally charmed, he is unlucky in love. He is a perfect protagonist for the town of Perpignan, sleepy and leisurely on the surface, seething with vice and violence underneath."
My Favorite Authors - Janet Evanovich
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| Janet Evanovich |
Janet Evanovich was born in 1943 in New Jersey. I discovered her writing, specifically her Stephanie Plum mystery series, in early 2000, in (if you've been following this thread) in ABC Books in Courtenay. What first attracted me to the series were the book covers. They were bright, flashy and caught your eye. Then the synopsis also sounded interesting. Since 1994, Evanovich has written 27 books in this series. Evanovich has also written other series; Fox & O'Hara, Knight & Moon, etc. She has also written standalone mysteries and romances.
Stephanie Plum is a fun, sexy character. She's a Jersey girl and in the first book is trying to get over catching her husband having sex with one of her friends. She's out of work so begins to work as a bounty hunter for her cousin, bail bondsman Vinnie. The stories for the most part involve Stephanie trying to bring in people who have broken their bonds and trying to avoid getting killed. She has romantic flings with cop boyfriend, Morelli and also fellow bounty hunter, Ranger. Every story is fun, sexy and filled with action. So far I've managed to read 10 books in the series. Oh yes, there was also a movie based on the first book starring Katherine Heigl as Stephanie and while I don't really like her work, Heigl was more than suitable as hapless Stephanie. So let's take a look at the books.
"You've lost your job as a department store lingerie buyer, your car's been repossessed, and most of your furniture and small appliances have been sold off to pay last month's rent. Now the rent is due again. And you live in New Jersey. What do you do?
If you're Stephanie Plum, you become a bounty hunter. But not just a nickel-and-dime bounty hunter; you go after the big money. That means a cop gone bad. And not just any cop. She goes after Joe Morelli, a disgraced former vice cop who is also the man who took Stephanie's virginity at age 16 and then wrote details on a bathroom wall. With pride and rent money on the line, Plum plunges headlong into her first case, one that pits her against ruthless adversaries - people who'd rather kill than lose." (4 stars)
"Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum debuted in Janet Evanovich's award-winning "One for the Money".
Now she's back, packing a whole lot of attitude -- not to mention stun guns, defense sprays, killerflashlights and a .38 Smith &; Wesson -- on the trail of Kenny Mancuso, a boy from the working class
burg of Trenton, who's just shot his best friend. Mancuso's fresh out of the army and suspiciously
wealthy. He's also distantly related to Joe Morelli, a vice cop with ethics that lean toward the gray
zone, a libido in permanent overdrive, and a habit of horning in on Stephanie's investigations.
Aided by her tough bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and her funeral-happy Grandma Mazur, Stephanie's
soon staggering knee-deep in corpses and caskets, trying to shake Morelli ... and stirring up a
very nasty enemy ..." (4 stars)
3. Three to Get Deadly (1997).
"Stephanie Plum's fast becoming the most unpopular woman in New Jersey. Even her own mother can't love her for taking on the job of tracking down Uncle Mo, everybody's favorite candy store owner. Cursed with a disastrous new hair color and an increasing sense that it's time to get a new job, the world's favorite bounty hunter sets off on her latest adventure, with a little 'help' for her new sidekick, hooker turned file clerk Lula, who's just itching to get a felon in the back of her racy red Firebird ..." (4 stars)
"Nabbing Maxine Nowicki, thief and extortionist, would be the answer to Stephanie’s prayers and monetary woes. The only trouble is that Maxine is no where to be found, and her friends have been mysteriously turning up dead. To make matters worse, Stephanie’s arch nemesis since grade school is also looking for Nowicki, hoping to cash in first.
Stephanie’s mentor and tormentor, Ranger, needs her. Vice cop Joe Morelli has invited her to move in… temporarily. And Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur, sidekick, Lula, and a six-foot-tall transvestite rock musician want to take Stephanie to Atlantic City. One thing is for certain, no good can come from any of it." (4 stars)
"Low-rent bounty hunter Stephanie Plum reaches depths of personal experience that other women detectives never quite do. In Hot Six, for example, a sequence of new and hideous cars bite the dust; she finds herself lumbered with a policeman's multiply incontinent dog; and she has several bad skin days. All this when she is trying to prove her distinctly more competent colleague and occasional boyfriend Ranger innocent of a mob hit; avoid the heavies trailing her in the hope of finding him; and cope with a wife-abusing bail defaulter with nasty habits, such as setting Stephanie on fire." (4 stars)
6. Seven Up (2001).
"BLOWN UP
All New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has to do is bring in semi-retired bail jumper Eddie DeChooch. For an old man he's still got a knack for slipping out of sight--and raising hell. How else can Stephanie explain the bullet-riddled corpse in Eddie's garden? Who else would have a clue as to why two of Stephanie's friends suddenly vanished? For answers Stephanie has the devil to pay: her mentor, Ranger. The deal? He'll give Stephanie all the help she needs--if she gives him everything he wants...
MESSED UP
As if things weren't complicated enough, Stephanie's just discovered her Grandma Mazur's own unmentionable alliance with Eddie. Add a series of unnerving break-ins, not to mention the bombshell revelation leveled by Stephanie's estranged sister, and Stephanie's ready for some good news. Unfortunately, a marriage proposal from Joe Morelli, the love of her life, isn't quite cutting it. And now--murder, a randy paramour, a wily mobster, death threats, extortion, and a triple kidnapping aside--Stephanie's really got the urge to run for her life..." (3 stars)
"Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum has a big problem on her hands: Seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother, Evelyn, have disappeared.
Evelyn's estranged husband, Steven, a shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. During the divorce proceedings, he and Evelyn signed a child custody bond, and Steven is demanding the money guaranteed by the bond to find Annie. The money was secured by a mortgage on Evelyn's grandmother's house, and the True Blue Bonds Bail Agency wants to take possession of the house.
Finding a kidnapped child is not an assignment for a bounty hunter. But Evelyn's grandmother lives next door to Stephanie's parents, and Stephanie's mother and grandmother are not about to see their neighbor lose her house because of abduction.
Even though Stephanie's plate is full with miscreants who missed their court dates, including old nemesis and violent drunk Andy Bender and an elusive little old lady accused of grand theft auto, she can't disappoint Grandma Mazur! So she follows the trail left by Annie and Evelyn-- and finds a lot more than she bargained for. Steven is somehow linked with a very scary Eddie Abruzzi. Trenton cop and on-again, off-again fiancé Joe Morelli and Stephanie's mentor and tormentor, Ranger, warn Stephanie about Abruzzi, but it's Abruzzi's eyes and mannerisms that frighten Stephanie the most. Stephanie needs Ranger's savvy and expertise, and she's willing to accept his help to find Annie even though it might mean becoming too involved with Ranger.
Stephanie, Ranger, Lula (who's not going to miss riding with Ranger), and Evelyn's lawyer/laundromat manager set out to find Annie. The search turns out to be a race among Stephanie's posse, the True Blue Bonds' agent, a Rangerette known as Jeanne Ellen Burrows, and the Abruzzi crew. Not to mention the fact that there's a killer rabbit on the loose!" (3 stars)
"Just like every other Stephanie Plum mystery / adventure, To the Nines is a fun, entertaining ride. Just pack all your troubles away for the few days (hours?) it takes to get through her trials and tribulations.
As always, Stephanie's life seems to be a shambles. Her family is at loggerheads, what with perfect sis, Valerie camped at her parent's home with her two girls and one on the way. Stephanie is forced to move in with on and off again boyfriend, Morelli, due to threats on her life. She still can't seem to make up her mind between Ranger and Morelli, although, she now seems to be leaning toward Morelli and has an uneasy agreement with Ranger to avoid shenanigans. Even Morelli and Ranger have accepted the situation and are willing to work together to keep Stephanie out of trouble.. which follows Steph around.
Stephanie and her best friend, Lula, are tasked by their boss and Steph's cousin, Vinnie, to bring in Samuel Singh, who has disappeared. Their investigation leaves behind a trail of bodies. Steph, Connie (Vinnie's assistant) and Lula take a trip to Vegas to try and track down Singh. (This is a great part of the book). Ranger's gang of bounty hunters, tasked to keep an eye on Steph, end up in various states of injury. So much going on and such fun to read.
If you're feeling blue at all, try a Plum mystery. It's sure to cheer you up. It's sexy, funny and a great mystery. (3 stars)"
9. Ten Big Ones (2004).
"Ten Big Ones is the 10th book in the Stephanie Plum mystery series by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie is a somewhat clumsy bounty hunter who works out of New Jersey for her cousin, Vincent Plum, a local bail bonds man. Her often assistant is Lula, an ex-prostitute who adds humor, as if there isn't enough already, to the stories. Stephanie is torn between two 'lovers', local cop Joe Morelli and fellow bounty hunter, Ranger, both of them hunks. Throw into the mix, Stephanie's wonderful family and you've got a recipe for fun and action.
In her latest adventure, Stephanie, in the course of trying to catch up to folks who are not meeting bond requirements, falls astray of a local gang and her life is threatened. In fact the gang purportedly has hired a West Coast hitman, the Junkman, to have Stephanie bumped off. Stephanie moves out of Morelli's house and hides out in one of Ranger's hideaways to ensure nobody in her family is put at risk.
All the while, stubborn as she is, Steph still takes Lula out with her on her bounty hunter duties, leaving a trail of burned out cars behind her as people take pot shots and other things at the terrible twosome. She also is involved in planning sister Valerie's wedding and escorting Grandma to funerals and letting her accompany her on her duties. As well, she is still torn between the two men in her life, desiring both but unable to sort out her priorities.. Oh, don't forget Sally, transvestite rock singer / school bus driver / wedding planner.
So it's more of the same and there is sufficient action and humor to keep you satisfied. A bit more of the sexiness from previous stories might have been appreciated but there is still enough to tease you along. Fun and games and chuckles. (3.5 stars)"
"It's five days before Christmas and things are not looking merry for Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum. She hasn't got a tree. She hasn't bought any presents. The malls are jam-packed with staggering shoppers. There's not a twinkle light anywhere to be seen in her apartment.
And there's a strange man in her kitchen.
Sure, this has happened to Stephanie Plum before. Strangers, weirdos, felons, creeps, and lunatics are always finding their way to her front door. But this guy is different. This guy is mysterious, sexy-and he has his own agenda. His name is Diesel and he is a man on a mission. And Diesel is unlike anyone Stephanie has ever met before in her life. The question is, what does he want with her? Can he help her find a little old toy maker who has skipped out on his bail right before Christmas? Can he survive the Plum family holiday dinner? Can he get Stephanie a tree that doesn't look like it was grown next to a nuclear power plant? These questions and more are keeping Stephanie awake at night. Not to mention the fact that she needs to find a bunch of nasty elves, her sister Valerie has a Christmas "surprise" for the Plums, her niece Mary Alice doesn't believe in Santa anymore, and Grandma Mazur has a new stud muffin. So bring out the plastic reindeer, strap on your jingle bells, and get ready to celebrate the holidays--Jersey style. In Janet Evanovich's Visions of Sugar Plums, the world of Plum has never been merrier!" (3 stars)
So there you go. For some reason I missed #5. I'll have to read it next. The complete listing of this series and other books by Evanovich can be found at this link.
Enjoy your week. Vote Democrat! If you're not sure about the voting rules and timings in your state, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert provided a web site where you could check how to vote in your state. Check out this link to find out.
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