Canada had a successful Friday at the Olympics winning the soccer gold, bronze in the 4X100 relay and silver in the 5,000. All in all very exciting. The hot spell has broken for the time being. We even had some rain this afternoon, the first drops in a month or more.
So let's see, since my last update, I've completed my first book of August and also got a new book in the mail. I'll provide my review, the synopsis of the next book in line and also the synopsis of the new book. Then I'll continue with my ongoing look at women authors I've been enjoying.
Just Finished
"I've tried a couple of British author Ann Cleeves Shetland and Vera crime series and my wife and I love both of the TV series based on the books / characters. A Bird in the Hand is the first book in her George & Molly Palmer-Jones series.
I readily admit that without even reading a book in this particular series, for some reason I thought it would be a cozy mystery series. But I was wrong. There wasn't a lot of violence and it wasn't all that edgy but it still had a bit more to it than your regular cozy mystery. (Note: that doesn't mean I don't like cozy mysteries too... phew! I don't want anyone to be mad at me.)
George Palmer-Jones is an ex-civil servant retired from the Home Office. His position isn't really defined but he seems to be able to get information from the cops and others. His wife Molly was an ex-social worker who has some excellent moments in this story. George is a bird-watcher and follows them around the UK trying to find rare birds. Molly, while not that interested in the bird-watching part so much, enjoys the discussions and meeting people.
On the Norfolk coast, a bird watcher Tom French is found dead and it's determined he was murdered. George is asked by the father of young Adam Anderson, another birder, to investigate and find out who murdered French, to see if he was killed by another birder. So George and Molly agree to take on the investigation.
It's all very fascinating. Ann Cleeves knows how to spin a yarn. She peoples her stories with interesting characters and her story moves from one character to another, always moving back to George and Molly. George travels over England from their home, to Norfolk, to the Scilly Isles as he tries to get more information. Molly follows him but also stays in Norfolk, meeting people and gathering her own information.
I enjoyed the easy pace of the story. I enjoyed getting to know George and Molly and I enjoyed the mystery. It is a gentle story, as I mentioned, with not a lot of action. But at the same time there is an element of menace, as we meet characters who fear for their lives. Who is threatening them? There are interesting incidents and I like how Molly takes charge in a specific incident near the end. There are many suspects and I was satisfied with the ultimate resolution. I liked this introduction to George and Molly and I look forward to reading more birder mysteries. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"An island shrouded in mist and a community with secrets buried in the past . . .
When
a young archaeologist studying on a site at Whalsay discovers a set of
human remains, the island settlers are intrigued. Is it an ancient find -
or a more contemporary mystery?
Then an elderly woman is shot in
a tragic accident in the middle of the night. Shetland detective Jimmy
Perez is called in by her grandson - his own colleague, Sandy Wilson.
The
sparse landscape and the emptiness of the sea have bred a fierce and
secretive people. Mima Wilson was a recluse. She had her land, her pride
and her family. As Jimmy looks to the islanders for answers, he finds
instead two feuding families whose envy, greed and bitterness have
lasted generations.
Surrounded by people he doesn't know and in
unfamiliar territory, Jimmy finds himself out of his depth. Then there's
another death and, as the spring weather shrouds the island in
claustrophobic mists, Jimmy must dig up old secrets to stop a new killer
from striking again . . ."
New Books
Even the most jaded science-fiction reader will thrill to Commander Craig's dangerous exploits as he risks his life in strange worlds never before invaded by men from earth!
The black Enigma could be anything from a mere vibration to the gaping maw of a hideous space beast. Whatever it was, special agent John Craig of the Alert Command had to destroy it before it devoured the universe!
Suave, handsome John Craig did not relish the assignment to conquer The Black Enigma. He would have preferred to continue romancing the beautiful Elva Marlowe—Or any other of his many Women.
But when Alert Command informed him that two space fleets had been consumed by the Enigma and that the menacing blob was swelling steadily, Craig Couldn't resist the challenge.
Armed with three incredible protective inventions, Craig set forth eagerly. But he soon found out that getting BEYOND THE BLACK ENIGMA was not going to be just another heroic stunt. If he failed in his mission, it could end his life and Planet Earth!"
Women Authors I'm Enjoying - J.T. Ellison
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| J.T. Ellison |
"It's a hideous echo of a
violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the
twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of
Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor
Jackson knows instantly that The Pretender is back…and he's got helpers.
As
The Pretender's disciples perpetrate their sick homages—stretching
police and the FBI dangerously thin—Taylor tries desperately to prepare
for their inevitable showdown. And she must do it alone. To be close to
her is to be in mortal danger, and she won't risk losing anyone she
loves. But the isolation, the self-doubt and the rising body count are
taking their toll—she's beside herself and ready to snap.
The brilliant psychopath who both adores and despises her is drawing close. Close enough to touch…."
"Dr. Samantha Owens is
starting over: new city, new job, new man, new life. She's trying to put
some distance between herself and the devastating loss of her husband
and children—but old hurts leave scars.
Before she's even
unpacked her office at Georgetown University's forensic pathology
department, she's called to consult on a case that's rocked the capital
and the country. An unknown pathogen released into the Washington Metro
has caused nationwide panic. Three people died—just three.
A miracle and a puzzle…
Amid
the media frenzy and Homeland Security alarm bells, Sam painstakingly
dissects the lives of those three victims and makes an unsettling
conclusion. This is no textbook terrorist causing mayhem with broad
strokes, but an artist wielding a much finer, more pointed instrument of
destruction. An assassin, whose motive is deeply personal and far from
understandable.
Xander Whitfield, a former army ranger and Sam's
new boyfriend, knows about seeing the world in shades of gray. About
feeling compelled to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Only his
disturbing kinship with a killer can lead Sam to the truth…and once more
into the line of fire."
"If you are reading this letter, I am dead and I would be most grateful if you could solve my murder…
Forensic
pathologist Dr. Samantha Owens thought life was finally returning to
normal after she suffered a terrible personal loss. Settling into her
new job at Georgetown University, the illusion is shattered when she
receives a disturbing letter from a dead man imploring her to solve his
murder. There's only one catch. Timothy Savage's death was so obviously
the suicide of a demented individual that the case has been closed.
When
Sam learns Savage left a will requesting she autopsy his body, she
feels compelled to look into the case. Sam's own postmortem discovers
clear signs that Savage was indeed murdered. And she finds DNA from a
kidnapped child whose remains were recovered years earlier.
The
investigation takes Sam into the shadows of a twenty-year-old mystery
that must be solved to determine what really happened to Timothy Savage.
Nothing about the case makes sense, but it is clear someone is
unwilling to let anyone, especially Samantha Owens, discover the truth."
"Waking to sirens in the
night is hardly unusual for Samantha Owens. No longer a medical
examiner, she doesn't lose sleep over them, but a routine police
investigation in her neighborhood has her curious. When her homicide
detective friend, Darren Fletcher, invites her to look over the
evidence, she jumps at the chance and immediately realizes the crime
scene has been staged. What seems to be a clear case of murder/suicide—a
crime of passion—is anything but. The discovery of toxic substances in
hidden vials indicates that something much more sinister is at play…
As
Fletch and Sam try to understand what and who they are dealing with,
they are summoned to a meeting at the State Department. High-level
officials are interested in what they know and seem to be keeping
secrets of their own. It's up to Sam and Fletch to uncover what lies
behind the deception as the threat of bio-terrorism is exposed, and her
boyfriend, Xander Whitfield, may be in the line of fire.
Unsure
who to trust, Sam and Fletch find themselves up against very powerful
people at every stage in the investigation. No one is who they appear to
be and with every minute that passes, the danger escalates. It's Sam's
most complex case yet and the terrifying reality is beyond anything she
could have imagined."
The complete listing of J.T. Ellison's books can be found at this link. At the moment the Blue Jays are clobbering Boston. C'mon Blue Jays! Have a great weekend everybody. Stay safe and get yourself vaccinated. 😷
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