Jo is out shopping a bit and I'm here with the dogs watching an old episode of The Fugitive. I've just started Season 3 of the series. I remember watching it when my Dad was stationed in Chatham, New Brunswick. We had to see if Richard Kimble would ever catch that one-armed man. I'm enjoying watching it again.
I had nice walk this morning and while I was out I discovered a new Little Free Library on Robb Street. I took a quick look and picked up one book. I'll provide a replacement next time I go for a drive. I also got two books in the mail yesterday. I'll provide the synopses for the three books and also that for a new book I've just started. Then I'll continue with my ongoing look my favorite authors. I have 4 authors left to look at.
New Books
"Mockingbird is a powerful novel of a future world where humans are dying. Those that survive spend their days in a narcotic bliss or choose a quick suicide rather than slow extinction. Humanity's salvation rests with an android who has no desire to live, and a man and a woman who must discover love, hope, and dreams of a world reborn."
"Sci-Fi’s favorite
antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the
too-big-to-fail Gray Cris Corporation is floundering, and more
importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where
Dr. Mensah’s Sec Unit is.
And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good."
"In a shabby waterfront town, an actor is shot dead onstage. Granted, the script left much to be desired. But there's more behind the scenes than an overzealous critic--and Spenser and Hawk are combing Port City's underworld to find it..."
Currently Reading
"One man battles to save his daughter's life through the power of genetic engineering."
My Favorite Authors - Minette Walters
Some of my favorite female mystery writers include Margaret Millar, P.D. James and also Minette Walters, etc. Minette Walters was born in England in 1949. I had heard of some of her books as they had been turned into TV movies; The Scold's Bridle, The Ice House, The Sculptress. But in the early 2000s I began to explore her novels and was so impressed with her writing. Since 1992 she has written 18 stories. I've read 9 so far and Jo bought me a few that are on my book shelf awaiting my further attention. I'll look at the last 5 books I have enjoyed.
Minette Walters
"Acid Row - a no-man's land where angry, alienated youth controls the streets. Sophie Morrison, a young doctor, is trapped at the centre of a terrifying siege with a known pedophile. Young Amy is missing and the mob want retribution, no matter what." (4 stars)
"A chilling tale of prejudice, ambition and cunning in which villagers react to a brutal double murder... In the small Hampshire village of Sowerbridge, Irish laborer Patrick O'Riordan has been arrested for the brutal murder of elderly Lavinia Fanshaw and her live-in nurse, Dorothy Jenkins. As shock turns to fury, the village residents form a united front against Patrick's parents and cousin, who report incidents of vicious threats and violence. But friend and neighbour Siobhan Lavenham remains convinced that Patrick has fallen victim to a prejudiced investigation and, putting her own position within the bigoted community in serious jeopardy, stands firmly by his family in defence of the O'Riordan name. Days before the trial, terrible secrets about the O'Riordans' past are revealed to Siobhan, and the family's only supporter is forced to question her loyalties. Could Patrick be capable of murder after all? Could his parents' tales of attacks be devious fabrications? And if so, what other lies lurk beneath the surface of their world? As the truth rapidly unfurls, it seems that Sowerbridge residents need to be very afraid. ignite..." (3 stars)
"Excellent 'mystery' by Minette Walters. I think she is one of the unique mystery writers I've ever read. Each story I've read is unique in its own right and covers different aspects of human behavior. In this story, two investigators, one a university professor and the other a town councillor, Jonathan and George, delve into the past to try and prove that a convicted murderer, a young man with mental difficulties, who committed suicide in prison, was, in fact, innocent of the murder. The trail of their investigation is an interesting one, involving many twists and turns, potential suspects, deceit, etc. As well, they both must deal with their own issues, that many or man not colour their investigation. Walters has a unique style of writing, this story is partly written in emails, case transcripts, etc. I liked both Jonathan and George and their book editor, Andrew Spicer and the other characters are interesting and full of mystery. Excellent story and highly recommended. (5 stars)"
"Minette Walters has been one of my favorite standalone mystery writers since I discovered her a few years back. I rank her up there with Margaret Millar in my list of favorite mystery authors. The Echo, originally published in 1997, was no exception. It was a perfect little gem; well, almost perfect as I only rated it 4.5. But I could easily have rated it 5 out of 5.
The body of a drunk homeless man, Billy Blake, is discovered in the garage of a wealthy woman after he'd been in place for a few days. She is shocked by the discovery. The police investigation reveals that he seems to have just waste away, possible suicide. A reporter, Michael Deacon, doing an article on homelessness is tasked to interview the woman, Amanda Powell, to possibly provide a perspective for the story. She had paid for his cremation and burial and seemed to be interested in discovering more about Billy.
The beginning of the story features excerpts from a book (fictional, of course) about Unsolved Mysteries of the 20th Century, specifically about two missing men, Peter Jensen and James Streeter. What Michael Deacon begins investigating is whether these disappearances might be related to dead Billy Blake. His investigation becomes more interesting when he discovers that Amanda Powell is also Amanda Streeter.
We meet a fascinating cast of characters, including both Deacon and Amanda Blake. There is Terry a 14 year old homeless boy who lived with Billy (with a group of homeless persons) near Amanda's home who attaches himself to Deacon. There is Barry Grover, a strange reclusive employee of the same newspaper who helps Deacon with the investigation but also has his own secrets. There is Lawrence Greenhill an elderly lawyer who assists Deacon with legal issues and then there is DS Harrison who gets involved with the investigation. The characters all are well-developed and you find yourself drawn to them. And who is the mysterious lady who appears periodically in South Africa?
The story is a rich, textured tale and just so fascinating. The intricate ways Walters draws the various threads together makes it so appealing. The interactions between the characters are excellent and enhance the story. The ending was satisfying for the most part as well. I continue to enjoy Walters and I'm glad I still have stories of hers to read (4.5 stars)"
"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)"
I have another five of her novels on my shelves. You should check out Walters. She is excellent. The complete listing of her works can be found at this link. Enjoy the rest of your week. Stay safe. 😷
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