I read a review of The Ten Thousand Days of January and decided to listen to it as an audiobook. It is a fantasy about a young girl who learns to open hidden doors to other worlds. It is the story of January Scaller, the ward of Cornelius Locke, whose father was an explorer and collector, but has been missing … Continue reading →
I had read The Other People and enjoyed it so I decided to try another book by C.J. Tudor. The Burning Girls mixes several genres – thriller, mystery, horror/fantasy, and moody psychological suspense. The setting is in a small English town, Chapel Croft. The main character is the Reverend Jack Brooks who comes to the village for a temporary position, … Continue reading →
Red Dragon is a serial killer – FBI profiler thriller, the first of the Hannibal Lecter series. It was published in 1981 and since that time there have been many books, TV series, and movies that have taken a similar premise, so even though this was a fresh story forty years ago, it has been copied many times since. The … Continue reading →
Nomadland is a well-researched, carefully-crafted book. Jessica Bruder practiced immersive journalism, following nomads over a three-year period. Her deep observations are combined with a shrewd analysis of a current-day phenomenon – a class of people who live in their vans, RVs, or vehicles for economic reasons, a single investment in “wheel estate.” Many are nomadic, traveling to seasonal work, … Continue reading →
The Dry is a brisk-moving dark mystery set in the Outback of Australia. Aaron Falk is a federal agent who returns to his home town for a funeral, but then is asked to help out in the investigation into why his friend allegedly killed his family. In the small town, there are old memories and unsolved crimes that may be … Continue reading →
Miss Benson’s Beetle caught me by surprise. The premise sounded interesting, enough to prompt my interest, and a friend had recommended it, so I started the book in good faith. The story started with a light touch, but with some humorous spots and some interesting characters. The main character initially did not stir much interest, but that changed over the … Continue reading →
I watched the movie when it was first released and I was surprised and a bit horrified by the story. The movie was a well done, but I decided I couldn’t read the story and I stuck with that choice for 31 years. Over the last decade, I have become an avid reader of Stephen King, so I wanted to … Continue reading →
When I read Sharp Objects, I was entranced by the sharp, insightful writing. The characters were well-developed and the layers of their lives were revealed gradually throughout the book. Parts of the book were disturbing, but the storytelling remained strong throughout. Sharp Objects has received fine reviews since it was published in 2006, and it has been adapted for television … Continue reading →
Winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and many other awards, this book is on the list of favorites for many people. There are two concurrent stories which run in France and Germany just before World Wat II, throughout the war, and a short reflection after the war years. Marie Laure is a young blind girl who flees … Continue reading →
I chose not to find out more about Before the Fall before I started it. I had only a basic idea of the plot, but I had noted the fine reviews and recommendations. I was immediately caught up in the story, the characters, and the central mystery. After one chapter, I told my wife how impressed I was with … Continue reading →
When I read that the Estate of Agatha Christie had authorized Sophie Hannah to continue the Hercule Poirot stories, I was intrigued. I read about the book The Killings at Kingfisher Hall and I decided yo give it a go. Because I have been a long-term fan of the Hercule Poirot books and the Agatha Christie’s Poirot series, … Continue reading →
Gone, Baby, Gone is another visceral, but rewarding novel by Dennis Lehane. We can expect him to provide plot twists, surprises, revelations, and moral ambiguity. Another author would write a thriller based on the premise – little girl kidnapped, police attempt to trace what happened, family hires a detective agency, conflict between police and PIs, thriller elements, then a conclusion. … Continue reading →
James Lee Burke has been an author worth following for over 50 years. He was written over 40 books and has won many awards and received many accolades. His best known series are the Dave Robicheaux crime stories. I have read a few over the years, but I can never remember the plots of the stories and I will explain … Continue reading →
A friend gave me an audiobook of this story and without any background information, I started to listen to it. I enjoyed the storytelling right away. The tale is a bit quirky and unpredicatable which was part of its appeal. The characters are interesting and nuanced; the plot moves along at a good pace and has a number of surprises … Continue reading →
Chris Riddell (a political cartoonist for the Observer) has selected 46 poems, some older and well-known, and some newer, then he has grouped them into sections, each with a theme. The book is full of his own illustrations, and the combination in this small volume has a grace and symmetry to it that was pleasing. Some favorite poems are … Continue reading →
I have enjoyed several of Bill Bryson’s books. They are usually light, accessible, and easy to read. This book was an interesting read too. It does not try to be an anatomy text, nor does it try to be a version of The Human Body for Dummies. Bryson organizes his book into chapters by functions of the body (the brain, … Continue reading →
