Well, it's Monday once again. The kettle is heating up so I can bring Jo her morning cuppa. I've caught up a bit on my biggest book of the year, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It's a tome but a page-turner, fascinating fantasy so far. We've all got appointments this week, but today we've nothing. Time to catch up on some ironing and such I guess.
In the meantime, I've finished a couple of more books since my last update and have got a few more books so it's a perfect time to update all of these. Listening to the Blue Jays spring training game as I type away.
New Books
(A few arrived in the mail and on Saturday, I dropped off a few at my local used book store and picked up a couple more. Bear with me. 😊)
1.
The Dirty Streets of Heaven by
Tad Williams (Bobby Dollar #1). I am currently enjoying The Name of the Wind. This book was listed at the back of the version I'm reading. It sounded interesting.
"Bobby Dollar is an angel -- a real one. He knows a lot about sin, and not just in his professional capacity as an advocate for souls caught between Heaven and Hell. Bobby's wrestling with a few deadly sins of his own -- pride, anger, even lust.
But his problems aren't all his fault. Bobby can't entirely trust his heavenly superiors, and he's not too sure about any of his fellow earthbound angels either, especially the new kid that Heaven has dropped into their midst, a trainee angel who asks too many questions. And he sure as hell doesn't trust the achingly gorgeous Countess of Cold Hands, a mysterious she-demon who seems to be the only one willing to tell him the truth.When the souls of the recently departed start disappearing, catching both Heaven and Hell by surprise, things get bad very quickly for Bobby D. "End-of-the-world" bad. "Beast of Revelations" bad. Caught between the angry forces of Hell, the dangerous strategies of his own side, and a monstrous undead avenger that wants to rip his head off and suck out his soul, Bobby's going to need all the friends he can get--in Heaven, on Earth, or anywhere else he can find them.You've never met an angel like Bobby Dollar. And you've never read anything like The Dirty Streets of Heaven. Brace yourself -- the afterlife is weirder than you ever believed."
2. The Empty Mirror by J. Sydney Jones (Vienna Mystery #1). I've been looking for this book for a few years now. I've read one other book by Jones and enjoyed. This series sounds interesting.
"The summer of 1898 finds Austria terrorized by a killer who the press calls Vienna's Jack the Ripper. Four bodies have already been found, but when the painter Gustav Klimt's female model becomes the fifth victim, the police finger him as the culprit. The artist has already scandalized Viennese society with his erotically charged modern paintings. Who better to take the blame for the crimes that have plagued the city?
This is, however, far from an open-and-shut case. Klimt's lawyer, Karl Werthen, has an ace up his sleeve. Dr. Hans Gross, the renowned father of criminology, has agreed to assist him in investigating the murders. Together, Gross and Werthen must not only clear Klimt's name but also follow the trail of a killer that will lead them in the most surprising of directions. By uncovering the cause of the crimes that have shaken the city, the two men may risk damaging Vienna more than the murders did themselves."
3. The Big Payoff by Janice Law (Anna Peters #1). Another book I've been looking for. I've read one other book in this series. I enjoyed it a lot.
"Set at the time of the North Sea oil boom, The Big Payoff marks the debut of Anna Peters, the witty, cynical character Booklist called "among the most complex, fully drawn female leads in crime fiction" and whom the New York Times lauded for her "sweetly unscrupulous deals".
In The Big Payoff, Peters is employed in the research department of New World Oil Company, a position that suits this now reformed blackmailer. Happy with her lover, Harry, Anna has abandoned the seductive intellectual and psychological game of blackmail for the straight and narrow.
But mysterious deaths among New World's British contacts convince Anna that something is wrong in the executive suite. Worse, she is soon blackmailed by a British secret service agent who's following the same trail.
Anna reluctantly bugs her boss's phone and copies company files, but when her British contact turns up dead, Anna finds that she-and Harry-are in mortal danger. Her old skills come in handy as she tries to keep ahead of ruthless killers, first in Washington, D.C. and then in the north of Scotland."
4.
Guardians of Time by
Poul Anderson (1955). As I've begun to get back into the Sci-Fi genre, I've been exploring some of the more classic stories besides the new authors.
"Springing from the future to protect the past, the machines of the Time Patrol shuttle to and fro through twenty millennia and more to police the high roads of history.
This is the story of four separate assignments allotted to Manse Everard -- one of the Guardians of Time."
5. The Day of the Locust by Nathaneal West (1939). Broken record here.. I saw this in one of the local Little Free Libraries and remembered there was a movie based on the book (I've never seen of course). So I thought I should try it. Logical, right?
"The Day of the Locust is a novel about Hollywood and its corrupting touch, about the American dream turned into a sun-drenched California nightmare. Nathaniel West's Hollywood is not the glamorous "home of the stars" but a seedy world of little people, some hopeful, some despairing, all twisted by their own desires - from the ironically romantic artist narrator to a macho movie cowboy, a middle-aged innocent from America's heartland, and the hard-as-nails call girl would-be-star whom they all lust after. An unforgettable portrayal of a world that mocks the real and rewards the sham, turns its back on love to plunge into empty sex, and breeds a savage violence that is its own undoing, this novel stands as a classic indictment of all that is most extravagant and uncontrolled in American life."
6. The Sisters of Auschwitz by Roxane van Iperen (2018). I have found myself delving more and more into biographies and other non-fiction of late. I find myself wondering if the world would resist fascist take-overs as much as it did during WWII. I'm not so sure that the self-entitled people of today would care until it was too late. (apologies for getting pessimistic)
" Eight months after Germany’s invasion of Poland, the Nazis roll into The Netherlands, expanding their reign of brutality to the Dutch. But by the Winter of 1943, resistance is growing. Among those fighting their brutal Nazi occupiers are two Jewish sisters, Janny and Lien Brilleslijper from Amsterdam. Risking arrest and death, the sisters help save others, sheltering them in a clandestine safehouse in the woods, they called “The High Nest.”
This secret refuge would become one of the most important Jewish safehouses in the country, serving as a hiding place and underground center for resistance partisans as well as artists condemned by Hitler. From The High Nest, an underground web of artists arises, giving hope and light to those living in terror in Holland as they begin to restore the dazzling pre-war life of Amsterdam and The Hague. When the house and its occupants are eventually betrayed, the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. As Allied troops close in, the Brilleslijper family are rushed onto the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. The journey will bring Janny and Lien close to Anne and her older sister Margot. The days ahead will test the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, their resilience, and their love for each other."
7. Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger (2021). I keep looking at books by Unger and thinking I should try one. Well, here you go.
"She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him—hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love?
But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared—profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted.Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. But isn't that always what women think—that they're the ones to blame? Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. She had been looking for a connection, but now she's looking for answers. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past—and hers—she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she's not sure whether she's the predator—or the prey."
8. Ursula K. Le Guin: The Last Interview and Other Conversations (2019). I love everything about Le Guin and am looking forward to this book. I noticed that amongst other 'last interviews' that have been published is one with Hannah Arendt (look her up) and I would like to know more about her.
"Ursula K. Le Guin was one of our most imaginative writers, a radical thinker, and a feminist icon. The interviews collected here span 40 years of her pioneering and prolific career.
When she began writing in the 1960s, Ursula K. Le Guin was as much of a literary outsider as one can be: she was a woman writing in a landscape dominated by men, she wrote genre at a time where it was dismissed as non-literary, and she lived out West, far from fashionable east coast literary circles. The interviews collected here--covering everything from her Berkeley childhood to her process of world-building; from her earliest experiments with genre to envisioning the end of capitalism--highlight that unique perspective, which conjured some of the most prescient and lasting books in modern literature."
9. Gideon's Badge by J.J. Marric (aka John Creasey) (Commander Gideon #12). One of my favorite police procedural series. I've finished two of them this year.
"George Gideon, Commander of London's Criminal Investigation Department, came home one evening to greet his wife, Kate, with news that delighted her. "I'm going to take you New York."
George! When!"Next Tuesday. You wished you'd had more notice, I know. But I didn't dare say a word before in case it fell through.There's the International Office Conference in Washington in a couple of weeks, and I thought I might have to fly over just for that. Now I'm going to consult with Nielsen in New York about a job that's been worrying us on both sides, then go on to Washington.Both of the Gideons were please by the prospect of the trip, but for Gideon it meant leaving problems, including that of a particularly unpleasant murderer, in the hands of his assistant Lemaitre. Gideon wasn't sure if Lemaitre would be able to handle the problems on his own, but it was a chance that had to be taken - and an opportunity for the ambitious assistant to prove what he could do.The Gideons sailed, and even the trip over was eventful, for murder followed them aboard the ship.And New York proved not to be an entirely relaxing city."
(Dog walking break and lunch preparation and then I'll be back. Oh, lunch will by mini-quiches and salad.)
Just Finished
I've finished two more books since my last update. Both were part of ongoing series.
1. The Disappeared by M.R. Hall (Jenny Cooper #2). The books are set in southwest England but the Canadian Broadcasting Corp bought the series and moved it to Toronto and made it into a very popular TV mystery drama.
"The Disappeared is the 2nd book in the Jenny Cooper mystery series by English author M.R. Hall. Jenny is the coroner in Severn Vale district of southwest England. She's a feisty, troubled, smart woman trying to deal with a newish job, family issues and something very troubling in her past. Her son now lives with her, this happened in the first book, but has a fractious relationship with her. Jenny sees a psychiatrist as she tries to sort out psychological issues and discover what has caused her issues. She has a troubled relationship with medication, needing it to help get through the day. She also has a sometimes tempestuous relationship with the local constabulary and even with her investigator, Allison.
With that background, Jenny is asked to open an inquiry into the disappearance of two British Muslim men. This happened 7 years ago and the mother of one has requested the inquiry. At the same time, a woman's body has been found on the shoreline and Jenny is trying to ascertain who it is. Has there been police corruption in the investigation of the 2 boys? Why were MI5, Britain's security services involved, and why do they seem to be trying to hamstring the investigation? And who is the lawyer, McAvoy, who represents Nazim's mother but is trying to instigate himself into the inquiry and get under Jenny's skin?
Hall throws everything, including the kitchen sink, at the wall in this entertaining, fascinating, frustrating mystery. Jenny is all over the place at times, starting up the inquiry, suspending it as she begins to investigate on her own, or with McAvoy. She's got so much to deal with; relationships, police interference, parental issues and out and out panic attacks. She's frustrating but at the same time, a rich, interesting character. The story is never tidy but it does all begin to tie together, even if not totally satisfactory. American spies, Muslim extremists and stolen radioactive material even enter the mix. But it doesn't matter because Hall ties things together so very well and comes up with a satisfactory conclusion. (Even if he does open the door just a bit to tease us about Jenny's past). Well worth the ride. I've enjoyed the first two books in the series very much. (4.5 stars)"
2. Gideon's Risk by J.J. Marric (Commander Gideon #6). This is the 2nd Gideon book I've read this year, more by chance than plan. It's one of my favorite police procedural series, along with Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series.
"Gideon's Risk is the 6th book in the police procedural series by J.J. Marric / aka John Creasey. Each story is of its kind, Commander Gideon, head of London's Criminal Investigation Division, and his capable staff, work a number of ongoing cases trying to keep London safe from the criminal element. But they are just such darn excellent stories and they make you feel good about the dedication of the police services that are there to keep your communities safe.
There are a number of troubling cases on Gideon's plate in this particular story. He is working a cold case, kind of his white whale if you will. Wealthy industrialist Borgman was thought to have murdered his first wife but there was not enough proof to charge the man. But it's been on Gideon's mind for a number of years now. He thinks that a case should be taken to court and assigns the investigation to Superintendent Lee. Lee had had his confidence shaken in a previous court case and Gideon feels that assigning him this investigation will provide that boost to reinvigorate him. But will it?
A young woman sees on of Gideon's Confidential Informants (CI), Tiny Bray, being murdered by one of London's most vicious gangsters, Syd Carter. Carter's brother Red tries to kill Rachel Gully but is stopped and arrested. With both brothers in prison, it seems the case against them is ironclad but something is in the wind with the two.
A rash of car thefts is taking place in London and Gideon is a bit behind the eight ball, especially when one of the stolen cars runs down and kills a young boy. There are other cases as well; murder of a 7 year old girl, missing husband whose body will be found, etc.
It's all very fascinating and definitely holds your attention. Gideon is an excellent leader. He is able to pick the best people for cases, finds ways to promote and encourage the best, is a great organizer of the days activities (it's a busy, not-stop place). It all makes for a tense, fast - paced book with so many things going on with Gideon in the middle like a traffic cop, directing resources, keeping things moving and coming up with satisfying solutions. Loved it, just as much as the others I've read. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
One new series for me and the 2nd book by a relatively new author.
1. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart (Kopp Sisters #1). I can't remember where I heard about this series, maybe in a listing of new books worth trying.... At any rate it did sound interesting and I'm enjoying so far.
"When Constance Kopp and her sisters suffered a run-in with a ruthless, powerful crook, Constance leaves her quiet country life to team up with the local sheriff and exact justice. As a war of bricks, bullets, and threats ensues, Constance realizes that this racketeer's history may be more damning than she thought, but now that she's on the case, he won't get away.
Quick-witted and full of madcap escapades, Girl Waits with Gun is a story of one woman rallying the courage to stand up for and grow into herself - with a little help from sisters and sheriffs along the way."
2. The Players and the Game by Julian Symons (1979). I've previously read The Blackheath Poisonings and enjoyed very much.
"'Count Dracula meets Bonnie Parker. What will they do together? The vampire you'd hate to love, sinister and debonair, sinks those eye teeth into Bonnie's succulent throat.' Is this the beginning of a sadistic relationship or simply an extract from a psychopath's diary? Either way it marks the beginning of a dangerous game that is destined to end in chilling terror and bloody murder."
So there you go. I hope you see something that interests you. Have a great week!
