Manish Seth's Updates en-US Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:54:19 -0700 60 Manish Seth's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7508690297 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:54:19 -0700 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'Haunted: Terrifying Real-life Encounters with Ghosts and Spirits']]> /review/show/7508690297 Haunted by Jay Alani Manish Seth gave 4 stars to Haunted: Terrifying Real-life Encounters with Ghosts and Spirits (Paperback) by Jay Alani
This is a collection of experiences of the author, a paranormal investigator. The stories traverse various haunted places, where the author has been investigating. The pieces are well written and give comprehensive backstories of each haunting. The first story related to Kuldhara, an abandoned village I found to be quite chilling. Included are some pieces where the author exposes the sham perpetrated by conmen on gullible people and how easily people fall prey to people who manipulate their faith and beliefs. The story about the headless body of Mussoorie is quite poignant and of course scary. I was quite shocked to learn about the tragedy at Lambi Dehar Mines near Mussoorie especially as I having studied in Roorkee and having been to Mussoorie and Dehradun a number of times, sometimes trekking. I was ignorant about this massive heartrending incident even though it happened not very long ago.

Overall, a good book for people who love reading about the paranormal.
]]> Review7453111282 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 04:57:51 -0700 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'Ghosts of The Silent Hills']]> /review/show/7453111282 Ghosts of The Silent Hills by Anita Krishan Manish Seth gave 3 stars to Ghosts of The Silent Hills (Paperback) by Anita Krishan
This book has ghost stories. The book has two parts. Both parts have ghost stories. Most of the stories are set in the mountains. In the second part there are some stories which do not deal with mountains. I have been to the Himalayan regions and thus can connect with the setting of the stories as these depict the simplicity of the hill people, legends and myths prevalent in the hills and ghost stories all around. But somehow the first part of the book is much better than the second part. The stories in the second part are not well written, mostly seem incomplete and seem sloppy. The book is a breezy read and written in simple language. Overall, I enjoyed the book and its spooky stories, which are said to be based on true events. ]]> Review7421851662 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 05:10:40 -0700 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'The Rainmaker']]> /review/show/7421851662 The Rainmaker by John Grisham Manish Seth gave 4 stars to The Rainmaker (Paperback) by John Grisham
Fabulous book. The story is about how a fresh law school graduate Rudy Baylor takes on a marquee law firm in a case where a Heath Insurance Company, Great Benefit has denied a claim, and the insured has died suffering from leukemia. The story is engaging with the underdog defeating the rich firm, but the story also has some convenient twists and turns, which, I feel could have been spared. It seems that the whole system is somehow conspiring to make the underdog win. The courtroom episodes are well written. Couldn't understand the climax where the protagonist is left with no work [despite winning the case that has seen the biggest award of damages and make the protagonist famous] and decides to leave law practice. There are multiple threads in the story appearing at different times with some not leading anywhere.

Still, one of the best works of the author. ]]> AuthorFollowing106761727 Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:35:06 -0800 <![CDATA[<AuthorFollowing id=106761727 user_id=52775651 author_id=721>]]> Review7221062223 Thu, 16 Jan 2025 06:07:57 -0800 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'The Chamber']]> /review/show/7221062223 The Chamber by John Grisham Manish Seth gave 4 stars to The Chamber (Paperback) by John Grisham
This is an amazing piece of work. The story is about a young lawyer Adam working in a marquee law firm taking up the case of a prisoner, Sam Cayhall sentenced to death for murder of two kids who died, when he planted a bomb in the office of a Jewish person. The bomb was set with a timer and though the bomb was supposed to go off in the night, when the office is empty, the bomb went off in the morning when these kids were there. The bomb was planted by an expert and Sam was only there to help. Though having enough time, Sam returned to the bomb site wondering why the bomb had not exploded and gets caught in the ensuing explosion and the chaos that follows. The expert who planted the bomb was never caught and Sam also did not disclose this fact to anyone.

This was at a time, when Ku Klux Clan was active and racial tensions were high. Adam, it turns out is Sam's Grandson and has never met him, as Eddie, Adam's father traumatized by Adam's deeds had left home, changed his surname and finally committing suicide.

Though Sam was caught and put to trial twice, he was acquitted as the Jury was divided. As times changed, Sam was put to trial once again after several years and was sentenced to death in Gas Chamber. The firm where Adam was working had a division doing pro bono practice, which fought to lighten Sam's sentence, but to no avail. Enter Adam at a time when the D-Day is around a month away and gets down to making earnest efforts to save Sam. Though Adam abhors the tales of cruelty involving his grandfather, he stills feels his duty to defend Sam. And thus begins the tale of Adam's journey into his family's past. I think I should leave it at this and leave the rest to be discovered and experienced by the readers. It is a gripping tale is all that I can say. ]]> Review6902915723 Sat, 05 Oct 2024 03:50:51 -0700 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'The Eleventh Commandment']]> /review/show/6902915723 The Eleventh Commandment by Jeffrey Archer Manish Seth gave 4 stars to The Eleventh Commandment (Mass Market Paperback) by Jeffrey Archer
This is vintage Jeffrey Archer, a page turner. Kept me hooked from the start to finish. Connor Fitzgerald is CIA's top assassin, who is thrown to the wolves by the CIA Director, Helen Dexter to save her skin. Helen is so cunning and manipulative that even the Potus is not able to do anything about her even though he knows that Helen has been ordering political assassinations in other countries without authorization from Potus. How Connor escapes from the claws of death and how Helen finally meets fate is part of the story.

The book reads like a James Bond movie with twists and turns. ]]> Review6832335994 Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:52:35 -0700 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'First Among Equals']]> /review/show/6832335994 First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer Manish Seth gave 3 stars to First Among Equals (Mass Market Paperback) by Jeffrey Archer
Jeffrey Archer is a master storyteller and having read some of his works, took up "First Among Equals". This book is different from others in that it includes lot of technicalities about the British Policitcal System. I would often forget as to who of the 4 belongs to which political group. Nevertheless, it is fine read. Got to learn about the way the British Polity functions. ]]> Review6545422984 Thu, 30 May 2024 00:46:11 -0700 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'Letters To My Sister's Shrink']]> /review/show/6545422984 Letters To My Sister's Shrink by Heather Balog Manish Seth gave 4 stars to Letters To My Sister's Shrink (Paperback) by Heather Balog
Enjoyed reading this book. Kathryn is attending sessions with psychiatrist as her twin sister Shannon is admitted to the hospital after a suicide bid. Shannon won't talk to the psychiatrist directly and only communicate to her through letters, which the psychiatrist discusses with Kathryn as that could help Shannon. Even though Kathryn hates Shannon, she goes along with the exercise and the letters reveal the reasons for Shannon's mental state. The discussions also involve hypnosis sessions.

Rest is not to be revealed as there are quite a few twists in the tale at the end. The revelation of the reasons for Shannon's problems felt quite predictable, but the emotional parts are handled quite effectively in the book. ]]> Review5962679444 Wed, 08 Nov 2023 06:52:35 -0800 <![CDATA[Manish Seth added 'Whiskey Rebellion']]> /review/show/5962679444 Whiskey Rebellion by Liliana Hart Manish Seth gave 3 stars to Whiskey Rebellion (An Addison Holmes Mystery, #1) by Liliana Hart
The best part of this book is the funny chitchat [mostly with herself] by the protagonist. It makes for a breezy reading. However, what lets it down is the plot. Addison Holmes, a history teacher tries her hand at a stripper club and ends up finding her school principal dead. She's also fighting to find a place to live in as the current place is to be razed down. She takes up snooping assignments from her friend to earn some money. Meanwhile her banter with Nick, the detective in charge of investigating the murder keeps the story going with both attracted to each other. More dead bodies pile up. The finale was a let-down as she [along with her mother] stumble upon the secrets too easily.

Had the plot been better, the book would have been eligible for a much higher rating. ]]> Rating660712123 Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:41:06 -0800 <![CDATA[Manish Seth liked a review]]> /
Manish Seth liked Robert Cohen's review of Whiskey Rebellion (An Addison Holmes Mystery, #1):
Whiskey Rebellion by Liliana Hart
"Two chapters in, I was all set to declare Liliana Hart the next Janet Evanovich. By the end of the novel, not so much.

Addison Holmes is a very funny protagonist, and I wish her well as Hart develops her over the next several novels in the series.

But this book just has too many problems. Let’s start with editing. Whoever edited this novel was not paying attention. One chapter has a dialogue segment in which Addison is coerced by her friend Kate to go out on a blind date. By the next chapter, that plot device has completely disappeared, never to be seen again. Later, Addison’s friend Detective Nick Dempsey orders her to stay with her friend Kate to keep her safe. Next morning she wakes up in her own condo. No explanation of what happened.

The humor contains way too many pratfalls. Addison may be a clutz, but she’s not the Three Stooges. No one could be that much of a physical bumbler and still be alive.

The supporting characters have disjointed personalities. One minute they behave one way, the next minute they behave in an entirely different manner. It’s disorienting for the reader.

Finally, the ending. Now, I’m the first person to be willing to suspend my disbelief to enjoy a surprise ending, but this one is so implausible that even I found it too absurd to take seriously.

Ms. Hart, I am truly sorry to be so negative. If it wasn’t for the bad editing, I probably wouldn’t have looked so hard for other flaws. But there it is, and I have to be honest. I hope your subsequent novels about the adventures of Addison Holmes address some of these issues. As I said, she is a very funny protagonist, and deserves better treatment.
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