It's been a nice quiet day and sunny and fresh outside. We're enjoying The Chase right now but it's kind of irritating how difficult the questions are. It might ruin the show for us, but we'll see.
I received one new book in the mail two days ago (a new author for me) and yesterday I picked up a book at a local store, Books4Brains. I'll provide the synopses for both books and also continue with my ongoing look at my favorite authors.
New Books
"The evidence was... damning. John Maudsley had had both motive and opportunity to strangle the elderly, wealthy aunt with whom he'd had a falling out. Around this defense of what seemed like a heartbreakingly hopeless case, Edward Grierson has constructed a novel that is taut, persuasive and appealing... The climactic events of the trial's closing hours and the maddening wait for the verdict of the jurors... are conveyed in pages of inexorably mounting tension."
"It all started when she
was served a soft drink laced with LSD in a dangerous party game. Within
months, she was hooked, trapped in a downward spiral that took her from
her comfortable home and loving family to the mean streets of an
unforgiving city.
This powerful, first-person account of a
teenage girl's struggle with the seductive--and often fatal--world of
drugs and addiction has sold more than five million copies. Tough and
uncompromising, honest and disturbing, Go Ask Alice remains the definitive book on the horrors of addiction."
My Favorite Authors - Ian Rankin
Scottish crime writer Ian James Rankin is author of one of my favorite gritty crime series, the Inspector Rebus books. Rankin was born in Fife, Scotland in 1960. He has also written under the pen name John Harvey. Besides his Rebus books, he's also written a series about The Complaints, the equivalent of Internal Affairs. I have a few books in this series. The Rebus books was turned into two TV series, one starring John Hannah as Rebus and the other starring Ken Stott in the role. I preferred Stott as I think he fit the grizzled, hard drinking image much better. I've read 15 of the Rebus books and one of his standalones. I'll highlight the last 6 books I've enjoyed.
Ian Rankin
"It's been awhile since I read a Rebus mystery and it was a welcome return to his world. Gritty, interesting mystery peopled with an varied, excellent cast, headed by cynical, war weary Detective Inspector John Rebus of Edinburgh's crime squad. A variety of issues/ possible crimes featured in this story, but while there were twists and turns, the stories seemed believable. I enjoy Rebus very much; a character perfect in his imperfections, questioning whether being a police officer remains viable, and whether he can deal with the types of crimes with which he must be involved. Tests to his relationship with Patience as well, which you will have to read about to see if it is resolved satisfactorily. Add in a nasty, crafty villain, playing games with Rebus and his family and associates and you've got an excellent story. Can't wait to read Rebus # 11 next. (4 stars)"
"It's been about a year since I read my last Rebus mystery and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to read the next, The Falls. I can't recall when I've more enjoyed a mystery. Rebus and the gang are involved trying to solve the disappearance of a young woman, the gang including Siobhan Clark, Ellen Wylie, and new boss, Gill Templer. Rebus is looking at his life, as always, trying to sell his flat, see a potential new lady friend, fend off Templer's attempts to make him see a doctor, while investigating the disappearance. He finds similarities to old cases and heads down past byways, while Siobhan is investigating a computer - based role-playing game that the missing girl was involved with, meaning involvement with a cryptic online 'Quizmaster'. The story was so well-crafted and presented and I just enjoyed getting involved with Rebus, his life and his friends. It's nice about these stories that Ian Ranking takes the time to develop the characters of those around Rebus and to get them deeply involved in the cases as well. Excellent and most enjoyable read. (5 stars)"
"Another excellent Rebus story. This book finds DI Rebus sent back to refinishing school (in a way) after an incident at his local police station. He throws a mug of tea at boss, Gill Templar, and finds himself sent for retraining with a group of other reprobates from other districts. But there is more to this assignment than meets the eye and I'll let you read the book to see what. In the meantime, DS Siobhan Clark, Rebus' protégé, is deeply involved with a team trying to solve the murder of an art dealer. This brings her into contact with an old adversary of Rebus, Big Ger McCaffrey. I have enjoyed the Rebus stories so much over the past two or three stories. Ian Rankin has really hit his stride over the past couple of stories. I do like how the other characters, especially Siobhan have come into their own and are well-developed personalities. Rebus is still Rebus, although he now has a lady friend (I hope it lasts). This story moved along very nicely, had some very suspenseful moments and was entertaining from beginning to end. If you haven't tried the Rebus series, you really need to do so. (4 stars)"
"I've enjoyed reading Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus books very much. I'm well in to that series. Watchman was Rankin's 3rd novel, written after the first of his Rebus books. It's quite different from the Rebus books; in fact, it's more in line with early John le Carre than what you expect from Rankin.
Miles Flint (from the intro, Rankin borrowed the name from the In Like Flint movie series starring James Coburn) is a Watchman, working for the British Secret Service. Having issues with his marriage, he decides one night to assist in the monitoring of an Arab spy instead of going home. Unfortunately, the spy gives the group the slip and the Arab ends up killing an Israeli arms dealer.
This starts a somewhat convoluted series of events as the story follows a variety of people; Flint, his wife Sheila, a news reporter trying to get a big scoop, other members of the spy agency, a politician, etc. At times it's a bit hard to follow who is who and what is going on, but like the best of le Carre, slowly and then more quickly, the various stories begin to tie themselves together with an ultimately satisfying ending.
There is a great deal of political and in-office intrigue. Who is phoning the reporter with clues? Who is threatening the politician? Who can Flint trust in his department? Why is he suddenly sent to Northern Ireland? The story is set during the period when the IRA is bombing regularly in London and other English cities, which adds a very interesting atmosphere to the story. I wasn't sure I'd like it, at the beginning, but as the story moved along, it got more and more interesting. Well worth trying if you want to see a different side to Rankin's writing. (3.5 stars)"
"It's been five years since I last visited with Edinburgh police inspector, John Rebus and his partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke. Much too long a time. A Question of Blood by Ian Rankin is the 14th book in this excellent series and it was as engrossing and enjoyable as the other 13.
In Question, we find Rebus once again treading in thin waters (hmm, not sure but I might be mixing metaphors). DS Clarke has been harassed and stalked by a petty criminal. This man has been found burned to death in a house fire in his home. Unfortunately, Rebus has been seen with him the night of the fire and for some reason, Rebus is suffering from burns to his hands (re Mr. Rebus, he scalded them in hot water). An investigation is being launched into the incident by his boss, DCI Gill Templar and the Complaints Division.
While this is going on, old friend DI Bobby Hogan has asked for Rebus's assistance in another case. An ex-SAS man has entered a local school and killed two students, wounded another and then shot himself. Since Rebus was in the military and almost passed the tests to become an SAS man himself, Hogan feels he might be able to provide assistance in determining the motive for this shooting. Two SAS personnel, Whiteread and Simms show up to stir things up and as well, a local politician, whose son was wounded, sticks in his oar, trying to grandstand the issue.
Already sounds neat, eh? Well it is. Rebus is one of my favorite crusty, irascible, effective cops and I have a bit of a crush on his partner. We get to see both of them in equal amounts and that's just fine. They are a fascinating team and work well together; one playing off the other. There is genuine affection between them, even though Rebus quite regularly tests the bounds of their friendship. The cases are both interesting and often events and suspects and characters are intertwined. I like Bobby Hogan and long suffering Gill Templar both as well. It's an entertaining mystery, with enough action to keep you satisfied and Rankin is skilled at establishing the mood and in describing the Edinburgh scene. Satisfying mystery and excellent story. (4 stars)"
"Fleshmarket Close is the 15th book in Ian Rankin's Inspector John Rebus mystery series set in Edinburgh. It's the second Rebus book I've read this month, this one even more enjoyable than the previous.
DI Rebus and DS Siobhan Clark, Rebus's partner have been moved to the Gayfield Police sub-station as part of a reallocation of resources in the Edinburgh PD. The story starts with Rebus assisting with a murder of an immigrant in the Knoxland housing development, not technically within Rebus's area of responsibility. In the meantime, Siobhan is meeting with the Jardine family. There oldest girl had been raped by one Donald Cruickshank and afterword committed suicide. He is now out of prison and their other daughter, Ishbel, has disappeared. As well both Rebus and Siobhan are called to the discovery of the bones of a woman and a baby buried in the cement in the basement of an Edinburgh pub.
This is a very rich story and also quite topical to today, dealing with immigrants and refugees and their treatment. We also get to meet Rebus's nemesis, Edinburgh gangster Cafferty. There are tensions between Rebus and Siobhan after events from the previous story and they find themselves working differing cases for the most part. There is also a bit of a frisson between Rebus and a woman he meets when he visits the refugee holding facility at Whitemire.
The story wanders from Rebus to Siobhan and back and flows very nicely. We meet some old characters, especially DS Ellen Wylie who spends time with Rebus. I quite like her, even if her part isn't extensive. Big Ger Cafferty of course plays a role. But there are new interesting characters who play varying roles in the story, refugee lawyer Dirwan, DI Les Young, AKA Captain Underpants, Siobhan's partner for the most part, Caro Quinn, who monitors Whitemire and develops a tentative relationship with Rebus.
This is one of my favorite Rebus stories. I really like his portrayal of the immigrant situation, the differing points of view, the difficulty of even coming to terms with it. He also presents the different cases and how they ultimately tie together in the end in a flowing, easy manner. It was a pleasure to read. (4.5 stars)"
So there you go. Rankin is well worth trying. The complete listing of Rankin's books can be found at this link.
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