Razorblade Tears is a thriller novel by S.A. Crosby. Two hard ex-cons unite after their sons are brutally murdered. Although the fathers were homophobes and were distanced from their gay sons, they did love them in their own silent and rough manner. One of the fathers is black and the other is a somewhat racist white man, but they find common ground to seek justice for their sons. They soon come to realize that they will need to exact revenge themselves and what follows are raw, action-packed sequences, with lots of blood spilled. Between these sections, the fathers reconcile their feelings for their families and vow to protect those who are left. This is a quick-moving visceral story, well-crafted by the author. Recommended, but with a note about the level of violence. 4.4/5 stars.
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here was written by Pink Floyd and released on an album of that name in 1975. It is song about loss (Syd Barrett, a band member) and disillusionment with the music industry. Over the years it has been sung by Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, and David Gilmour in their concerts and it has been included in the greatest hits compilations. I heard it performed live twice. Pink Floyd remains a long-term favorite and there are many other of their songs on my playlists.
Another Kind of Eden by James Lee Burke
It is hard to fit Another Kind of Eden into a genre or to compare it to other novels. It best fits into other works by James Lee Burke. He has written over 40 novels, many of them Detective stories featuring Dave Robichaud, set in New Iberia, Louisiana. This book fits into the Holland Family Saga and is set in Colorado in the 1960s. It is the story of Aaron Holland Broussard, an emerging novelist who is riding the rails, picking up seasonal agricultural work. He settles in Trinidad, Colorado, working for a farming couple, making friends, and finding a love interest. There is a darker side, though, and Aaron won’t back down in the face of evil. Drugs have arrived in the area and hateful people target visitors, the newly arrived hippies, and anyone who chooses to stand up to them. It turns out that Aaron is a Korean War veteran who suffers from PTSD. At times he has memory lapses, personality shifts, and deeply buried traumatic memories. The story is told by Aaron and most of the tale is told from his point of view, but there are times when the narrative is unreliable, and the ending is at the same time disturbing and unreal. It can be seen as an allegory or as a fever-dream, perhaps even a nightmare. What actually happens is unclear. There are deaths, resolutions, and most of the main characters go their own way. Aaron found the area, the people, the work, and his life a kind of Eden, but there is part of Hell in every paradise too. As a reader, we are left to interpret the novel’s intent and wonder if this is not an allegory of life’s journeys. This book will not work for everyone, but all of the author’s books feature some of the best writing we can find and enjoy. As a fan of James Lee Burke, I read his books with anticipation, but sometimes with trepidation too. This book brought both delight and dismay. 4.2/5 stars.
Things Have Changed by Bob Dylan
Things Have Changed was released on the for the film The Wonder Boys in 2000 and went on to win an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. It was released on Dylan’s compilation albums afterward. It is a song about disillusionment and isolation, written in a storytelling style, full of imagery, references, and memorable lyrics. I have been a Dylan fan for almost 60 years and have many favorite songs. This one works very well for me:
People are crazy and times are strange I’m locked in tight, I’m out of range I used to care, but things have changed
Fair Warning by Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly’s books have given us over 30 crime books in the last 30 years with central characters like Detective Harry Bosch and lawyer Micky Haller. He has also written books featuring Jack McEvoy (crime writer), Terry McCaleb (criminal profiler), and more recently Renee Ballard (detective), all set in Los Angeles. His books can be described as crime-related procedural novels, doggedly investigating violent crimes. As the protagonist works her/his way to follow clues and leads, various obstacles and dangers are encountered, adding thriller elements along with strong characters, and clear thematic tones.
Fair Warning follows the contemporary issue of genetic research and genetic testing and adds a “what if” conspiracy. Jack McEvoy is an investigative journalist who follows leads to discover how some individuals are victimized by those who have access to genetic information. Michael Connelly was a crime reporter and journalist so there is a strong sense of authenticity in McEvoy’s procedures, practices, and approach to ethical issues. All of Connelly’s books have well-developed characters and ethical issues are always at the forefront.
I have read almost all of Connelly’s books and he continues to bring me back to read his latest. There are 23 books that feature Harry Bosch, but we don’t tire of him because Connelly cares deeply for victims and Harry is his voice. Fair Warning is the third Jack McEvoy book and we hope to see him back again. Almost all of his stories have solid plots, exciting sections, and carefully considered endings. Fair Warning is not in my list of his top books, but it is a good crime novel, with some new and fresh characters and interesting topics so it is a recommended book. My rating – 4.3/5
White Winter Hymnal by the Fleet Foxes
White Winter Hymnal is an infectious song which invites repeated listens. It has folk instrumentation and folk-inspired harmonies. It is a short, but memorable song, added to my personal playlists. The video for the song is particularly enjoyable:
Some Lie and Some Die by Ruth Rendell
Some Lie and Some Die is a mystery novel by Ruth Rendell, the 8th book in the Inspector Wexford series. The setting is a music festival in Kings Markham. A woman is found in a quarry, a murder victim, and Wexford’s team need to investigate. There are lots of interviews with witnesses and suspects, lots of checking up, and a number of meetings, often in pubs, to discuss theories. This is standard detective fiction, but Ruth Rendell’s books always have a lot of in-depth character development, an unravelling of secrets, and some dark behaviors. In her books, the criminals are not usually villains. They and their friends and families are ordinary people, many with personal problems or relationship issues, and crimes are a result of trauma, obsession, and ill will. Some of her books are called psychological thrillers.
Some Lie and Some Die is a solid story, not her best, but she sets a high standard in the crime novel genre. Recommended, but there are some better Ruth Rendell stories to start with. 4.3 stars/5
Billy Joel – She’s Always a Woman to Me
I remember the first time I heard Billy Joel’s first album. A friend (now deceased) played the vinyl record and stated that this artist would be around for a long time. He was right. Many of Billy Joel’s songs are memorable and his voice perfectly provides the emphasis and empathy for the words sung in the tune. I heard this song performed live by a tribute band, and of all the songs, this one resonated with me.
She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes And she can ruin your faith with her casual lies And she only reveals what she wants you to see She hides like a child, but she's always a woman to me
Gallows View by Peter Robinson
Gallows View is the first book in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson. There are 28 mystery books and they have won a number of awards in the period from 1987 to 2023. All of the stories take place in Eastvale, a fictional city in the Yorkshire Dales. Banks moved there from London for a quieter life, but with the number of murders and other crimes portrayed in the series, it could not have been all that peaceful. The plots follow the police procedural structure, and the stories are reminiscent of the Ruth Rendell mysteries (high praise indeed).
Readers are often surprised by how good the first novel is and then they read more books and find that the series is consistently strong. In Gallows View, Banks deals with a peeping Tom, a murder, a rape, and some break-ins, all in the same time period, and we find that there are some links to the criminals and the events that unfold. The story is well told and a satisfying read.
All of the Inspector Banks stories are recommended. Rating – 4.4/5 stars.
Let it Be by the Beatles
I have been a fan of The Beatles for 60 years and I still listen to their songs, embedded onto my playlists. Many songs still resonate for me, and one of them is Let it Be. It is a Paul McCartney song, written in remembering his mother who had died when he was 14. It is tale of hope, resilience, and acceptance, reminiscent of his mother’s words. I sing along to the song, with my own mother in mind. It is a permanent personal playlist song:
When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be And in my hour of darkness She is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be