Written by best-selling author and National Book Award winner Colum McCann, _Transatlantic_ weaves together several stories occurring in North AmericaWritten by best-selling author and National Book Award winner Colum McCann, _Transatlantic_ weaves together several stories occurring in North America and Europe over a period of many years: the visit to Dublin by Frederick Douglass in 1845-46 in a bid to escape slavery so that he may return to the U.S. a free man; the witnessing of the first air mail flight from Newfoundland, Canada to Ireland in 1919 by the daughter and granddaughter of that maid who had moved to the U.S., and the effect of "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland on the lives of the granddaughter and her daughter in Belfast. There is even a brief accounting of the peace talks former Senator George Mitchell undertakes with the British and Irish. McCann flawlessly weaves together these diverse stories over so many years and involving so many different people and in the process, creates a fascinating inter-generational family saga. I truly enjoyed this book. ...more
This is the memoir of a young woman who left her Kentucky family in the 1970s and moved to Wyoming to herd sheep and cattle. She lives out on the rangThis is the memoir of a young woman who left her Kentucky family in the 1970s and moved to Wyoming to herd sheep and cattle. She lives out on the range with only her herd, a horse, and a dog or two for company, although she and her co-workers occasionally get together to work or socialize. They're an interesting bunch. The writing is beautiful; Bell's surroundings, friends, family, and animals all benefit from her sparse but crystal-clear way with language. It is easy to visualize the stark beauty of the Wyoming landscape, the lonesomeness of life on the range, and the self-reliance necessary to make her life work. A beautiful memoir of a way of life I had never expected to appreciate. ...more
Excellent writing, fascinating insights into the everyday lives of everyday people in small-town Canada. The short stories are a bit dark, but the intExcellent writing, fascinating insights into the everyday lives of everyday people in small-town Canada. The short stories are a bit dark, but the intellect of the author and her gift with words made it a highly worthwhile read for me. ...more
This probably isn't a fair review. I usually read a Grisham book within a matter of a few hours. This one took me weeks to read because I kept fallingThis probably isn't a fair review. I usually read a Grisham book within a matter of a few hours. This one took me weeks to read because I kept falling asleep after a few paragraphs or pages. I don't know how much of my problem can be attributed to the storyline vs. the fact that I was very ill and on heavy-duty painkillers and antibiotics. I chose three stars as a middle-of-the-road rating. It would be best to pay more attention to the reviews written by other readers!...more
This is an installment in the Rosato & Associates series and not a good one. Not much of a story line and a lot of annoying stuff that should have beeThis is an installment in the Rosato & Associates series and not a good one. Not much of a story line and a lot of annoying stuff that should have been peripheral to the story, if there at all. I usually like Scottoline's books, but I think she called this one in....more
The eighth installment in Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series is another winner. This isn't set in Three Pines, the tiny village outsThe eighth installment in Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series is another winner. This isn't set in Three Pines, the tiny village outside of Montreal where we know the characters and setting. Gamache and his second in command, Inspector Jean Guy Beauvoir, travel to a remote monastery to investigate the murder of a monk who is also the monastery's choir director. That choir may be the best singers of Gregorian Chant in the world. I learned a lot about Gregorian Chant from this book! It's a great mystery and includes more nasty business with Gamache's nemesis, Chief Superintendent Francouer. Jean Guy's and Armand's relationship is tested to the breaking point and there is a huge cliffhanger at the end. Well done, Ms. Penny. ...more
This book was so much fun! This is the first book by Fannie Flagg that I've ever read. I did see the movie based on "Fried Green Tomatoes at the WhistThis book was so much fun! This is the first book by Fannie Flagg that I've ever read. I did see the movie based on "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Caf茅" and now must go back and read the book. This book slides back and forth in time, mostly between the WWII years and 2005, and the story is sometimes told in letters between the characters. The main characters in both past and present are colorful and multifaceted. The dialogue is sometimes sweet and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. The serious storyline is often told in a lighthearted way, with great results. Family takes center stage here: what the word "family" really means, family loyalty, family secrets, family pride, and love for family. Great book!
P.S. I did dislike one thing about this book and that's the last sentence. It was preposterous and, in my opinion, took away from the greatness of what the WASPs did in WWII. The award of a Congressional Medal of Honor requires a well-documented act of bravery. Where was that here?...more
Another great entry in the series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache in Quebec. Although I still think the sixth installment was the best of theAnother great entry in the series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache in Quebec. Although I still think the sixth installment was the best of the first seven, this seventh is also quite good. Louise Penny knows how to write! Very entertaining series with multi-faceted characters. ...more
Unlike my husband who couldn't get into this book and abandoned it, I was taken by it from the first chapter and liked it more and more as I moved thrUnlike my husband who couldn't get into this book and abandoned it, I was taken by it from the first chapter and liked it more and more as I moved through it. Billed as a literary mystery, this book was published under Dennis Lehane's imprint and I can see why he chose it. It is somewhat reminiscent of his _Mystic River_. Like Lehane's masterpiece, this book tells the various stories of people who have secrets and lots of scars from living their lives. It's set in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, similar to Lehane's South Boston. Most of the people are either working class or poor residents of the area's housing projects; some are homeless and living in a makeshift community on an abandoned factory site.
Two teenaged girls take a raft out on the East River one day for an adventure. Only Val survives and June's body is not found. The fate of June is the mystery and, although it is the backstory, the book is very little mystery and mostly literary fiction. Val tries to cope with the loss of her best friend, but she is having a very difficult time. She *knows* that her obsessive thoughts, compulsive rituals, and magical thinking will make June appear before her eyes, alive and well. After several weeks, she finally admits to herself that June is dead.
Meanwhile, the other residents have their own troubles. Cree, a teenaged African American boy, is still mourning his father who was shot and killed five years earlier, the victim of senseless violence. Cree's mother communicates with her dead husband and refuses to move herself and Cree out of the projects because she believes Marcus's spirit is there. Fadi, the Lebanese owner of a bodega, longs for neighborhood unity and a more prosperous business. Jonathan, a high school music teacher who once had a promising future, is dealing with his mother's long-ago death by drinking himself to death. Ren, a ghostlike homeless young man, is keeping a big secret while looking out for Cree. In short, while this book begins with kids who long for adventure and an escape from their current lives, it quickly becomes a story featuring broken people with regrets and guilt--who mourn and try to atone for past mistakes--and people who hear the voices of the dead and barely live their own lives. And yet, there is hope for a better future.
Ivy Pochoda is a very good writer. I found some faults, mostly with the half-baked police investigation, but I can't be specific without a spoiler alert. Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. ...more
I didn't know it when I ordered this book from my library, but this is the second in a new series by husband-and-wife team Marcia Muller and Bill PronI didn't know it when I ordered this book from my library, but this is the second in a new series by husband-and-wife team Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini. Marcia Muller is the author of the present-day PI series featuring Sharon McCone, and Bill Pronzini created the Nameless Detective series. Both are excellent mystery writers. This book features a detective agency run by a woman who is a former Pinkerton detective (a Pinkerton Rose, as the women were called) and a male former Secret Service Agent. The setting is San Francisco in 1895. In this installment, Sabina is involved in chaperoning an impulsive debutante who gets away from her and apparently commits suicide, and John is chasing down the people who stole $35,000 from Wells Fargo so that he can collect the $3,500 reward. The book is well researched and well written. I enjoyed reading about the San Francisco of 1895, but I don't think this series will hold my interest. ...more
This is the sixth in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and it is by far the best of the six. I rarely give five stars to any book, let alone tThis is the sixth in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series and it is by far the best of the six. I rarely give five stars to any book, let alone to a cozy mystery, but I'm breaking that pattern here. This book deserves every one of the awards it won. Louise Penny can write! This is a cozy, but it's also a thriller at times, and it is literary fiction as well. The storylines in this book are wonderful and surprises are plentiful. Her regular characters grow a bit in this book and newer characters gain depth. A good bit of the action took place away from Three Pines, the tiny village in Quebec that has seen far more than its share of murders. I liked that change of pace, since, as I said in my review of #5 in the series, tiny Three Pines is getting to be like tiny Cabot Cove in "Murder She Wrote," where everyone Jessica Fletcher seemed to know would eventually turn into a killer or be killed themselves. This is a very good book. ...more
I read this for a book club. This grisly true crime book is not my usual fare, but it was a quick read and interesting in that it took place in the ciI read this for a book club. This grisly true crime book is not my usual fare, but it was a quick read and interesting in that it took place in the city where I've lived for seven years. If you like true crime books written by one of the detectives who investigated the case, you might like this. If you write crime novels, you might be interested in learning from a former narcotics and homicide detective how the police find and process evidence, identify homicide victims, develop leads, deal with witnesses and suspects, and help prosecutors prepare cases for trial. I have a lot of respect for the men and women who put themselves in harm's way every day. These detectives did a great job in solving this crime. ...more
I struggled with giving this book three stars. Elizabeth George has been one of my favorite writers for years. I have looked forward to each new InspeI struggled with giving this book three stars. Elizabeth George has been one of my favorite writers for years. I have looked forward to each new Inspector Thomas Lynley/Detective Barbara Havers book, almost from the moment I've finished one of them. I hope Ms. George finds her way back to the earlier Lynley/Havers books!
This one weighs in at more than 700 pages. It's much too long, as many other reviewers have stated. Her editor should have taken a much more active role in reviewing this book. I wonder why George herself didn't see the problem. There is so much extraneous information that takes the reader way off the path of the main storyline. I liked a lot about this book, but I was frustrated with how long it took her to get to the finish line.
I also thought it rather impossible that after all of the crazy things Barbara did in this book, she'd ever make it back to the Met. And Lynley's covering for her should have gotten him fired, too! I seriously kept wondering if they'd become private detectives together, or if Ms. George would end the series with this book.
It's time for Ms. George to reunite Lynley and Havers in an investigation without personal motivations. I hope she also further develops their private lives, allows Barbara to gain self-confidence and grow up a bit. I'd like her to quit flaunting authority and start dressing and acting like a member of New Scotland Yard. She can still have her quirks, but things have gotten so over the top that her character is now unbelievable.
Even with all of the negatives stated above, I did look forward to learning how the cases would be resolved. There could have been some edge-of-the-seat moments if an editor had taken this book in a firm hand. What a shame. I hope Ms. George will read these reviews and take them to heart. ...more
Mickey Haller, aka the Lincoln Lawyer, is at the top of his game here. The story begins with Mickey licking his wounds after he has lost the race for Mickey Haller, aka the Lincoln Lawyer, is at the top of his game here. The story begins with Mickey licking his wounds after he has lost the race for District Attorney and much worse, has lost his relationship with his beloved daughter and ex-wife. While Mickey is questioning some of his past decisions, he continues to stick his toe over the line of ethical behavior while defending his clients. That makes me question whether he really has learned much from the loss of his daughter's esteem. Nonetheless, the book moves on to the main event and Mickey and his team's able defense. There are lots of bad guys in this book, and the twists and turns keep the reader hanging on for the ride. The courtroom scenes are terrific. Connelly has done it again. He's clearly one of the top thriller writers on the planet, with both his Harry Bosch cop books and Mickey Haller legal thrillers scoring big points....more
J.A. Jance is back! This is, by far, her best book in years. J.P. Beaumont, a member of the special homicide group that reports to Washington state's J.A. Jance is back! This is, by far, her best book in years. J.P. Beaumont, a member of the special homicide group that reports to Washington state's attorney general, and his partner and wife, Mel Soames, are back and sounding like the old days. In this outing, Beau has double knee replacement surgery and while under the influence of lingering anesthesia and pain meds he dreams about a victim of a long ago homicide, a young woman whose case has never been solved. This was Beau's first homicide case with the Seattle Police Department and he remembers that he had promised the young woman's mother that they would find the killer. Even though it was a dream, the failure weighs on him and he pushes to reopen the case. Since he is now with the state attorney general's office, he must work on the case in tandem with the Seattle Police Department. The action moves back and forth between current day and the time of the murder. There's also a secondary story involving Beau's service in Vietnam and the death of his platoon leader. The plot and sub-plot are good, the characters are well-drawn, and the dialogue is believable. Well done, Ms. Jance! I hope to see more books of this caliber from you because I've missed you and Beau.
UPDATE: I just happened to look at my review of Betrayal of Trust, Jance's previous J.P. Beaumont book. I had called that Jance's best book in years. I think this is even better. I hope she writes more Beaumont books in the future. He is her best character ever! ...more
I think Michael Brandman has done an admirable job of continuing the late Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series in the manner of Parker's own writing.I think Michael Brandman has done an admirable job of continuing the late Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series in the manner of Parker's own writing. This installment was a bit thin for me. All of Parker's books were quick reads and the writers who have continued his various series write in the same style. This is no exception, since I read it in just a bit more than two hours. Most of the books, however, seem to have more meat than this one. Still an enjoyable way to spend a little time, but not much substance. ...more
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this installment in the Inspector Armand Gamache series. Let's say it's 3.5 stars, with the extra .5 given just becI wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this installment in the Inspector Armand Gamache series. Let's say it's 3.5 stars, with the extra .5 given just because I love this series. This particular book isn't my favorite. I still enjoy reading about the residents of Three Pines, a little town outside Montreal. I still enjoy Chief Inspector Gamache and his team. I still enjoy beautiful Three Pines itself, even though this otherwise delightful and tiny hamlet has so many murders that I feel as if I'm watching an episode of "Murder She Wrote." I used to joke that I'd never be Angela Lansbury's character's friend because pretty much everyone she knew was murdered or was in danger of being killed. I can't specify my reason for disliking the plot of this book without spoiling the ending. All I can say is that the loose ends weren't tied up for me. I can only assume Ms. Penny will do so in the next book of the series, which I have waiting for me!...more
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