ORIGIN by Dan Brown is what thrillers are meant to be. Fast paced action with the fate of the world in the balance, high stakes for several intereste ORIGIN by Dan Brown is what thrillers are meant to be. Fast paced action with the fate of the world in the balance, high stakes for several interested parties who are will to go to any extreme to secure the secrets and keep their own positions inviolate. Plus a likable hero who manages to save the woman, and allows the woman to save him, while neither lose sight of their own ideals. Robert Langdon is back racing through another adventure, this time in Spain. Sure, you are going to have images of Tom Hanks in the eventual movie version, grimacing and being brilliant as he works through the enigmas presented, but face it, Mr. Hanks has proven to be a great actor, his Langdon, is complicated enough to carry the action, and we just plain like the guy. Edmond Kirsch is the rich genius who is out to reveal to the world the answer to two of life's biggest religious questions: Where does mankind come from and where are we going? But just as he is about to announce his findings in a stupendous computer display at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, he is murdered. Langdon and the museum's director, Ambra Vidal must race to save themselves from the killer and his handler and to find the code that will allow them to unleash the information from the bowels of a vast, hidden, encrypted computer of Kirsch's own design. Did I mention that Ms. Vidal is both beautiful and the fiancee of Prince Julian, the heir to the Spanish throne? Okay, you may be thinking this book is similar in structure to most of Mr. Brown's work, but so what? A Frank Lloyd Wright building is similar in structure to almost all of his other works, but it is in the details of the execution that we find the genius of the man, and the same sits here with Mr. Brown and his work. I say, bring forth another Langdon book, and another and another, and watch the readers race in to gobble them up. I for one find the vast scope of the fate that balances on the point of Langdon's intellect enjoyable to read about, his use of real places and societies revelatory, the action first rate and the puzzles or reveals more than enough to keep me coming back.
Merged review:
ORIGIN by Dan Brown is what thrillers are meant to be. Fast paced action with the fate of the world in the balance, high stakes for several interested parties who are will to go to any extreme to secure the secrets and keep their own positions inviolate. Plus a likable hero who manages to save the woman, and allows the woman to save him, while neither lose sight of their own ideals. Robert Langdon is back racing through another adventure, this time in Spain. Sure, you are going to have images of Tom Hanks in the eventual movie version, grimacing and being brilliant as he works through the enigmas presented, but face it, Mr. Hanks has proven to be a great actor, his Langdon, is complicated enough to carry the action, and we just plain like the guy. Edmond Kirsch is the rich genius who is out to reveal to the world the answer to two of life's biggest religious questions: Where does mankind come from and where are we going? But just as he is about to announce his findings in a stupendous computer display at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, he is murdered. Langdon and the museum's director, Ambra Vidal must race to save themselves from the killer and his handler and to find the code that will allow them to unleash the information from the bowels of a vast, hidden, encrypted computer of Kirsch's own design. Did I mention that Ms. Vidal is both beautiful and the fiancee of Prince Julian, the heir to the Spanish throne? Okay, you may be thinking this book is similar in structure to most of Mr. Brown's work, but so what? A Frank Lloyd Wright building is similar in structure to almost all of his other works, but it is in the details of the execution that we find the genius of the man, and the same sits here with Mr. Brown and his work. I say, bring forth another Langdon book, and another and another, and watch the readers race in to gobble them up. I for one find the vast scope of the fate that balances on the point of Langdon's intellect enjoyable to read about, his use of real places and societies revelatory, the action first rate and the puzzles or reveals more than enough to keep me coming back.
Merged review:
ORIGIN by Dan Brown is what thrillers are meant to be. Fast paced action with the fate of the world in the balance, high stakes for several interested parties who are will to go to any extreme to secure the secrets and keep their own positions inviolate. Plus a likable hero who manages to save the woman, and allows the woman to save him, while neither lose sight of their own ideals. Robert Langdon is back racing through another adventure, this time in Spain. Sure, you are going to have images of Tom Hanks in the eventual movie version, grimacing and being brilliant as he works through the enigmas presented, but face it, Mr. Hanks has proven to be a great actor, his Langdon, is complicated enough to carry the action, and we just plain like the guy. Edmond Kirsch is the rich genius who is out to reveal to the world the answer to two of life's biggest religious questions: Where does mankind come from and where are we going? But just as he is about to announce his findings in a stupendous computer display at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, he is murdered. Langdon and the museum's director, Ambra Vidal must race to save themselves from the killer and his handler and to find the code that will allow them to unleash the information from the bowels of a vast, hidden, encrypted computer of Kirsch's own design. Did I mention that Ms. Vidal is both beautiful and the fiancee of Prince Julian, the heir to the Spanish throne? Okay, you may be thinking this book is similar in structure to most of Mr. Brown's work, but so what? A Frank Lloyd Wright building is similar in structure to almost all of his other works, but it is in the details of the execution that we find the genius of the man, and the same sits here with Mr. Brown and his work. I say, bring forth another Langdon book, and another and another, and watch the readers race in to gobble them up. I for one find the vast scope of the fate that balances on the point of Langdon's intellect enjoyable to read about, his use of real places and societies revelatory, the action first rate and the puzzles or reveals more than enough to keep me coming back....more
Devil May Care (2008) (Bond #44) by Sebastian Faulks. Mr. Faulks is attempting to write in the voice of Ian Fleming. To properly read and enjoy this Devil May Care (2008) (Bond #44) by Sebastian Faulks. Mr. Faulks is attempting to write in the voice of Ian Fleming. To properly read and enjoy this book, and to properly review this book, the reader should have a history of reading the Fleming novels. If your only view of Bond is from the movies then you are seriously hindered in you appraisal of this writing. In the original novels Bond had survived WWII, seeing some action and forming a world view from his experiences, A survivor, and a killer due to that experience, he left nonsense behind and devoted himself to the mission, namely making certain that Great Britain remained Great and her enemies remained vanquished. As a 00 agent he brought the same sensibilities. Enjoy today, do your best to see tomorrow, and regret nothing seems to be his motto for living, something the films have drained away replacing them with quips and gadgets. Self-reliance was probably Bond’s greatest virtue, something the movies retained but never truly heralded. With that said, it is nice to return to a Bond adventure that harkens back to the original books. Yes, there is the travel to “exotic” locations and women and danger, but there is also the mission. I’ve read in various reviews that the Bond books and movies all run to a trope in that there is a “Super Villain” who plans “Super Evil” of some type, is assisted by a cadre of henchmen that try to stop Bond, and there are beautiful women (in the Fleming novels usually just a single beautiful woman) who are dangerous to one degree or another. Of course these things are present. The 00 section is reserved for when killing is the probably only answer to the problem presented by the mission. Only a supreme evil needs such a drastic response. These books do not enlist a bad guy who has been diddling with his taxes or stealing boxes of paper clips from work. In order to send a 00 agent out there has to be a great threat to national security, and even world security. So when you pick up a Bond book you will always find what you expect. It is just in the manner of how the threat is presented and the reaction of Bond that differs. Here the threat is drugs. Drugs are a self-inflicted horror that is easy to get into but difficult to remove yourself from. This is the minor threat presented by Dr. Julius Gorner, industrialist and evil mastermind (if you can call trying to get every young person in England addicted) that is soon overshadowed by his true plan for the destruction of Great Britain, and perhaps more of the world. Like all super evil beings, Gorner likes to win at every thing he does. There is a tennis match Bond participates in that somehow has been rigged in Gorner’s favor. There is the beautiful woman, one of a set or twins, who helps Bond with the match. While Poppy seems to fall into trouble, Bond and her sister Scarlett do some terrain hopping trying to save her and the world. In all truth a Bond book doesn’t need a great, pristine new plot. The tropes of the past will carry us through the story. What is needed are twists and turns, unexpected betrayals and loyalities, a good bad person, a least one outstanding henchman, vivid depictions of localities (made more difficult to render properly when the date of the writing drifts further and further away from the time setting for the book) and a proper world view. Bond is always better when he relies on his own skill set, his tenacity, and often his charm rather than the movie gizmo’s and gimcracks that would have Flemings rolling his eyes in disbelief. Is Devil May Care the best of the Bond books? Probably not, but it is a good, thrilling read that will leave the audience satisified. And really, isn’t that all we ask of a book, or our literary heroes? ...more
THE ITALIAN PARTY by Christina Lynch is a loving tribute to young Americans mid 1950s as they take on life in Siena, Italy.They are newlyweds. He is sTHE ITALIAN PARTY by Christina Lynch is a loving tribute to young Americans mid 1950s as they take on life in Siena, Italy.They are newlyweds. He is starting a Ford dealership in this rustic town while she is to be his beautiful trophy wife. But they have secrets. Many,many secrets. Secrets so terrible they just mightier the marriage apart. Michael is living the shadow of his older brother who was killed in the war right here in Italy. Scottie, the Vassar girl he married, is pregnant by another man. And that is just the start of their hidden lives. Think La Dolce Vita, Roman Holiday with more than a dash of The Talented Mr. Ripley tossed in. Michael is also a novice CIA agent assigned to make certain that the next mayor of Siena is not a Communist. Michael has to learn how to be nefarious, which is against his character. Scottie spends time with a teenage local boy who is being paid to teach her Italian. This plot swirls with passions and intrigue, misplaced trust, a mysterious disappearance, the theft of a horse just before the most dangerous horse race in the world, the Palio. Bareback riders, cobblestoned plaza and the rights to brag about your neighborhood being the best in the city allied excitement and peril to the story. This is a unique and interesting first novel from Ms. Lynch. I found it appealing in a relaxed manner, much like you might feel basking in the late afternoon sun as you strolled through the crowed streets of this small town. Very nice indeed....more
Money For Nothing (2003) by Donald E. Westlake. If you haven’t read anything from Mr. Westlake, or Richard Stark an alias of his, then you have been Money For Nothing (2003) by Donald E. Westlake. If you haven’t read anything from Mr. Westlake, or Richard Stark an alias of his, then you have been missing out on a lot. This novel from 20 years ago stands well the test of time. The title refers to the $1,000 checks Josh Redmont is, and has been getting every month for seven years. At the start he had no idea where it was coming from. Yes, they did say United States Agent on the front and K Street, Washington, but there was no street number to send them back to. The phone number so nicely added to the check, when dialed, was never answered. Being a young man struggling in New York City, Josh debated with himself then finally put the check into his meager account. Forward seven years and Josh is married with a two year old son and a job at an advertising firm. Things are going great and the checks no longer matter to him until the day he is waiting for the ferry out to where his wife and child are staying for the summer. A man sits next to him and says “You are activated” and Josh’s world goes topsy-turvy. It seems he has been paid by a foreign government all those years and now they want some assistance from him. Josh is quickly backed into a corner and not knowing just what to do, feeling the threat to him and his family this controller from a foreign land emits, just barely agrees. Then things begin to spiral rapidly out of his control. His weekend empty apartment is used for transient foreigners, then a femme fatale spy is housed with him during the week he is in town. He discovers the sinister plot that has entrapped him, and realizes there is almost no hope for his own survival. Or that of his family. As things get darker, more and more amusing events occur to our hero and an unlikely accomplice. Mr. Westlake is a past master at writing about people in the worst situations, but with a witty take to it all. Just read one of his Dortmund novels like The Hot Rock or Why Me? and you will understand This is a treat where you know things will manage to turn out well, but you’re not certain of that until the last chapter or two. And even the last two pages deliver surprises. I can’t believe I missed this great comic-thriller tale on its first go round. If you get a chance, grab it up and enjoy. ...more
The Abominable Man (1971) (Martin Beck #7) by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo. The title character is killed off at the beginning of the novel which sets al The Abominable Man (1971) (Martin Beck #7) by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo. The title character is killed off at the beginning of the novel which sets all the following actions in motion. The murdered, older man, is killed in his hospital bed, knifed by a stranger and unseen by security. When the homicide squad is alerted they are only surprised the killing took so long to happen. The dead man is a former policeman known for his bad treatment of perps, trainees, and fellow officers, lying while under oath and manufacturing evidence when it was needled. He was a hard man with hard ways for everything except his own family. He was nicknamed the Abominable Man by his coworkers and they meant it. But he was a cop so there has to be justice. This book differs from the previous editions in the ten part Story of Crime series in that there is a great deal of immediate action. Spanning roughly 24 hours we read from muder, through the manhunt for the “crazed” killer and finally to the confrontation with the self same. There is the usual collection of police including Martin Beck, and there are the usual political views expressed by the authors including taking on the code of silence rampant in most police departments while also belittling the out-of-date methods of the strong-arm police tactics. This is not your standard Police Procedural tale nor is it the normal Martin Beck story. It is something more powerful than either or those. Writing this more than 50 years after it’s original publication, I am stunned to realize that the things reported in this and the other books in the 10 volume series, are to some degree or another, happening in cities and towns all around the world. Or maybe I’m not stunned at all. It is true, the more things change…
King Ottokar’s Sceptre (1946, added material 2011) by Herge. This is one of the great Herge’s Adventures of Tintin graphic novels. I fell in love wit King Ottokar’s Sceptre (1946, added material 2011) by Herge. This is one of the great Herge’s Adventures of Tintin graphic novels. I fell in love with these adventures when I was in either 5th or 6th grade. That was about the same time I first discovered libraries and all the treasures they held. Perhaps it was the “boy’s own adventure” which captured me. Our hero, Tintin, is a young reporter in many of these stories and perhaps I could relate to the character back then. Or it might have been the clean illustrations that showcased every story. The pictures were both two dimensional yet fully formed in a three dimensional manner that is hard to describe. Here, the author/illustrator from Belgium, had a manner of bringing individuality and presence to everything he drew, be it human, animal, place or machine. And there was nothing Tintin could not do, be it trail a suspect, leap off a fast moving train or fly a plane. Whatever faced him, he never backed away. A very endearing quality that would ensure faithful readership no matter what language the words might be translated into. Tintin was everything a boy would want to be and what any girl might admire. And don’t get me started on his faithful sidekick, Snowy. In this tale Tintin finds himself in the middle of a plot to oust the leader of a free country in the Balkans and allow the evil neighboring country to invade. We find the bumbling Thompson and Thomson, police detectives, along for the ride and some comic relief. Despite the odds you know somehow, someway, Tintin will save the day, all in full color. This edition from Little, Brown and Company has an additional 20 pages covering the author’s life, inspirations for his work and details about the country that plays a major role in this book. It adds an extra quality to the story and allows the reader to understand a great deal more about the character and the efforts made in producing this book. Finally, Tintin, though not as widely know or popular as he once was, had a major influence on many other kids like me, only they allowed their artistic side to come out. If you wonder who those kids grew into, check out the Tintin movie from several years back. Reading this book, or any of the Tintin books and then watching the movie and you might have a greater appreciation for the film. ...more
The Secret (2023) (Reacher #28) by Lee & Andrew Child. This book is set in the 1990’s after Reacher has been demoted to Captain. He is at the Rock Is The Secret (2023) (Reacher #28) by Lee & Andrew Child. This book is set in the 1990’s after Reacher has been demoted to Captain. He is at the Rock Island Armory west of Chicago looking into the possible theft of the components of an M-16 that make it a fully automatic weapon. Someone has been switching out the perfectly fine housings on guns that have been sent in to be decommissioned and then destroyed for the inferior civilian models. Someone has been making a lot of money. Somebody has to be stopped. Enter Reacher. With that case closed he is summoned to Washington, D.C. to be part of a four member team, with CIA, FBI and Treasury agents, looking into who is killing off scientists from an American chemical company’s lab that had an accident in 1979, in India. It killed seven people. There is far more to the story and things get very complicated. But lets face it, we aren’t reading these novels for the deep political implications or how they reflect actual world events. We read them for the main character and to see how he is going to handle all the forces of evil arrayed against him, be they enemy or supposed ally. We look forward to his contained fury being unleashed upon those who deserve getting whomped, and whomped good. There are action scenes here, and as usual they don’t monopolize the book, merely add spice. The story is a good one with politicians trying to play C.Y.A. games while acting like they are helping. The information given to the four investigators is questionable at best, but the team is expecting this and manage to work around it. There is a mystery team of assassins working against the scientists, and you know eventually Reacher will have to face them. And there are some sweet twists and turns that you probably will not see coming. In short, this is yet another fine outing in the Reacher saga. And if you haven’t seen the Reacher series on Prime television, now is the time to catch up before the second season starts. ...more
Cleaning The Gold (2019) (Reacher 23.6) (Will Trent #8.5) by Lee Child & Karin Slaughter. If you are a fan of both of these long standing thriller wr Cleaning The Gold (2019) (Reacher 23.6) (Will Trent #8.5) by Lee Child & Karin Slaughter. If you are a fan of both of these long standing thriller writers, or just one of them, this is going to be a great read for you. While there are more than 20 Reacher novels out but only 10 Will Trent books, both are strong, singular and hard driven protagonists in their own manner. Here Trent is undercover at the gold depository at Fort Knox in search of a killer. Reacher has his own agenda as usual and has managed to also get a job there. It doesn’t help any that the suspected killer Trent is looking for is Reacher. Somehow the two manage to work together on a bigger case involving corruption among the higher echelon military personnel running the depository. Quick but not easy, Cleaning The Gold is a great collaboration between two very strong writers. While neither character dominates the story, the amalgam of styles plays nicely together. This is a short but really good addition to both catalogs. ...more
Undone (2009) (Will Trent #3) by Karin Slaughter. This is the Will Trent book that introduces Sara Linton to his world. Faithful Karin Slaughter rea Undone (2009) (Will Trent #3) by Karin Slaughter. This is the Will Trent book that introduces Sara Linton to his world. Faithful Karin Slaughter readers already know this woman from the ‘Grant County’ series, but there is a good amount of her background spelled out within these pages. This is also the start of a near 4,000 page romance story, so be prepared for the long haul. Dr. Sara Linton is now in Atlanta working the emergency room for the cities busiest hospital. She is working through the ongoing grief from the loss of her husband several years before. She has sanitized her life, removing all things that might pull on her emotions. She works through case after case in the ER trying not to feel anything, and then the tall GBI investigator needs her help. And so the romance begins, although neither person actually wants it too much. A woman is found in a rural area east of Atlanta, tortured and near death. Although not technically on the case yet, Will Trent forces himself into the investigation and quickly finds not only a second victim, but and underground terror room where the women were held. There is an abundance of torture devices in the dugout area, but little trace evidence that point back to the person or persons behind the crimes. Karin Slaughter manages to have her long tortured yet semi-triumphant investigator reveal more small pieces of himself, always in an usual but interesting way. Angie makes an appearance just to annoy everyone, reader as well as characters. Betty and Sara’s boys get together and discover they like each other. Faith is both diabetic and pregnant and is having a tough time with each. And there is a very problematic family involved throughout. Fast paced with daring action scenes, this romance might be headed for trouble but the ride looks like so much fun. ...more
FractUred (2008) (Will Trent #2) by Karin Slaughter. There is a T.V. show about the character Will Trent who stars in this series of novels. The show FractUred (2008) (Will Trent #2) by Karin Slaughter. There is a T.V. show about the character Will Trent who stars in this series of novels. The show is based on the second novel of the series which is FractUred. For fans of the show, you need not read further. If you haven’t seen the show I suggest you start with the first book, TripTych, and proceed from there. An upscale Atlanta mom comes home from her tennis lesson to find a horrible scene within her home. Her daughter is a bloody, brutally murdered pile on an upstairs carpet and the killer seems intent on making it two victims, not just the one. Despite being smaller and very possibly weaker, mom not only manages to defend herself, but kills the attacker. Then the scene unravels. The daughter is not the victim, but is a friend of hers. The attacker appears not to have had murder on his mind, but was a friend that was trying to calm the mother down. And of course, the daughter is kidnapped along the way. The hero of the piece is Will Trent of the GBI. He is an atypical type of investigator but very successful with a high clearance rate. And, because he had to root out corruption in the Atlanta P.D. prior to this event he is not very popular with the local authorities, especially Faith Mitchell. Her mother’s department was the source of the corruption and mom had to retire a bit early because of it. Faith hates his guts. Naturally they are soon paired in the investigation. The father of the missing girl is someone from Trent’s past which adds to the tension. This is a good thriller/suspense story with twists and turns, but the big draw is Will Trent. Slaughter has produced a damaged but not defeated character who manages to do the least obvious of things, but the right thing nonetheless. Throughout the book you will be surprised by the twists and turns, the past that comes forward to attack Will, and the slowly dawning light that informs Faith about her “partner” and her struggle not to use the information. Unless she should. And we find out a little more about the new woman in Will’s life. Her name is Betty and while she might be a little strange looking, inside she is all dog. ...more
After That Night (Will Trent #11) (2023) by Karin Slaughter. In this eleventh installment in the Will Trent series, violent crimes from the past and After That Night (Will Trent #11) (2023) by Karin Slaughter. In this eleventh installment in the Will Trent series, violent crimes from the past and events of a possible future (Jeremy’s career choice) collide in an underground investigation into a possible rape club. To further hike the ante, Sara discovers she is possibly an early victim of the club when she was raped more than a decade earlier. Faith, Will and Sara try to uncover information about the possible members of the club but have to keep it hidden from the boss, Amanda, as the case, such as it is, is strictly an Atlanta Police affair. Again I am amazed by the amount of violence and gore in the books of Slaughter. I don’t mind that as long as it is germane to the story, but I have been feeling that there is an overabundance of graphic representations of brutality and rape in these books. I know, I don’t have to read them, I can chose to read many other things. But I do like the main characters of Will, Sara, Faith, and even Amanda. The stories narrate the annals of their lives in such a propulsive manner, and the intertwining of their lives fit so well together, that I feel compelled to keep up with the series. I have not been reading Slaughter’s other books and so may have missed plenty, but I think I will stick with the Trent/Linton tales. Besides, I’m a sucker for a long, long, long love story. ...more
TripTych (2006) (Will Trent #1) by Karin Slaughter. This is a bit of a run-of-the-mill type of crime novel except for the Will Trent character. When TripTych (2006) (Will Trent #1) by Karin Slaughter. This is a bit of a run-of-the-mill type of crime novel except for the Will Trent character. When he is on the page, it almost feels as if the print grows to something more than just what it is. Trent brings such a messy backstory and such an interesting present day story that he automatically becomes the very center of everything. Which also means, when we read the story of John, or Woody, or anyone else populating this book, the pages seems drab in comparison. Not that this wouldn’t be a compelling crime tale without him. If Trent were not included I am sure the story of a psychotic killer who removes the tongues of his victims would hold your attention. And, don’t get me wrong, it is a good story. It is just that the addition of Trent makes the rest seem a bit drab. The title appears to remark upon three different viewpoints of the same actions. This gives the reader a disquieting feeling of not knowing which speaker is relaying the truth, or if any of them are I am looking forward to reading more in this series. ...more
Tides Of Fire (2023) (Sigma Force #17) by James Rollins. I haven’t read a Sigma Force novel in a decade, and I don’t know why. I have a couple of the Tides Of Fire (2023) (Sigma Force #17) by James Rollins. I haven’t read a Sigma Force novel in a decade, and I don’t know why. I have a couple of the earlier adventures and decided to give this latest outing a try, and I am glad I did so. If anything, Dr. Rollins’ writing has gotten tuned to an even finer degree. The action in the preamble is easily surpassed by the thrilling South Seas adventure of the remainder of the book. This is a thrilling ride from start to finish. We begin in the early 1800’s with an island eruption northeast of Australia. Ash clouds the skies and manages to darken summer global that year. Mysterious events attack the crew of a ship and the remains of two of them show strange mysterious disfigurations. Jump ahead to a time near ours. A new Chinese submarine goes missing in the Tonga Trench, east of the New Hebrides island group. And a massive series of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes begin occurring almost immediately after the downing of the sub. Also it is revealed that a Chinese mission to the moon had drilling operations interrupted during a ELF transmission, one very similar to what occurred coinciding with the sinking of the sub. Now the Chinese military, Sigma Force, one or two of the Hong Kong Triads along with several other consortiums are after the secret of the Tonga Trench. Not to mention there is a very high tech, multi-billion dollar research ship, platform, underwater facility and deep sea bathyspheres involved. Put them all together, set a ticking clock for the world to end, and you have a fast paced adventure that will suck you in like a Pacific vortex. Dr. Rollins adds in a lot of information about octopi and there origins, giving himself a nod to his Veterinarian profession, something I did not realize he was. I will say that his hobby of writing thrillers is almost as great a boon to society as his medical work. Tides Of Fire is highly recommended for fans of water based action/adventure tales, or thrillers of any kind. ...more
The Last One (2023) by Will Dean. This is a book that makes you wonder what is happening throughout. It is the very definition of a suspense thriller The Last One (2023) by Will Dean. This is a book that makes you wonder what is happening throughout. It is the very definition of a suspense thriller novel. The only question being, is it any good. I was about a quarter of the way into the book and I had the dreadful feeling this would turn out to be an old trope, the “I fantasied the entire thing” anticlimax. I was about to turn to the end and see if I was right, but something stopped me. And just a few short chapters later (they average about 3.5 pages per) I came upon the big twist. Pete and his girlfriend Caz are taking an ocean liner, the RMS Atlantica, from England to the US. For Caz, just under 50, this will be her first adventure out of the country. The trip should take about a week. The first night on board goes very well, fancy dress dinner in one of the dining rooms and drinks on deck, Pete and Caz talk about things including the reasons she doesn’t want to go to any of the casinos scattered about the ship. The next morning Caz wakes to find Pete missing from their stateroom. Venturing out she discovers all the local stateroom doors propped open and the rooms vacant. Further searching reveals there appears to be no other passengers or crew. A quick trip to the bridge and reviewing the screens that track the ship’s progress shows the ship never stopped or even slowed down. So where is everybody? She finds herself alone. But this is just the first of the many revelations scattered throughout the book, if not chapter by chapter. Caz soon discovers there are a few other people on board, but should she trust them? There is surprise and terror and betrayal mixed throughout the story and I won’t go into details as even the least of them would most definitely be a spoiler. All forms of human desire, dread, selfishness, altruism and more are on display here, and while Mr. Dean does pull some punches along the way, there is plenty of humanity’s dark side present to fill you with some level of disgust. I will say I was glad I didn’t peek at the end and took the rollercoaster ride instead. It was worth the wait. Some of the chapters when Caz is ruminating about her family could have been shortened or dropped altogether, which would have cropped the book’s 434 pages by perhaps a fifth, making it a little less daunting to the average reader. Except for the last chapter, I could have done without that. Otherwise you should have fun with the story....more
No Plan B (2022) (Reacher #27) by Lee & Andrew Child. The standard Reacher type of novel. This is fast-paced, hard-hitting, and a minor tour of Ameri No Plan B (2022) (Reacher #27) by Lee & Andrew Child. The standard Reacher type of novel. This is fast-paced, hard-hitting, and a minor tour of America. In Colorado Reacher witnesses a young man push a woman under the wheels of a bus while simultaneously stealing her purse. As the only one to see the man do this, Reacher naturally tracks him down. A fight ensues, another villain comes into play, but the villains get away with the purse while our man is otherwise occupied. But Reacher did get a peek in the purse and that is all it takes for him to seek justice for the fallen woman. A complicated plot ensues, there are other deaths, a woman naturally, and a cross-country trip to Mississippi (gee that’s fun to spell) to a private company-run prison. There are plenty of bad guys for Reacher to beat, funny incidents along the road to pass the time, and a second story about a teen-ager and his journey to find his father. Dad is set to be released from the prison in a few days and the son want’s to be there for it. Although he never met his father before, he feels he has no option but to get from California to Mississippi (Wheeee!!) for a possible face to face at last. As usual, there is never a dull moment. Reacher is his usual rhino in heat, looking to solve his problem in any fashion he can. And like the rhino, Reacher doesn’t know there is the possibility he might not achieve his goal. Smart, resourceful and at all times entertaining, the Child’s have once again provided this Knight Errant a scenario fitting his talents. ...more
Double Or Nothing (2023) (00 World #1) by Kim Sherwood. What is a Bond novel without James running around in it? Read this book and find out. I am a Double Or Nothing (2023) (00 World #1) by Kim Sherwood. What is a Bond novel without James running around in it? Read this book and find out. I am a big fan of the James Bond novels, be they from the pen of Fleming, Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis), John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver, William Boyd, Anthony Horowitz, or the “Young Bond” author Charlie Hinson. But now we have the “00” series beginning with this book and I have a problem. The only trace of Bond in this book is the scent of where he has been. Missing for over a year, HQ is in a quandary as to closing the file on him or keeping hope alive. He has gone missing before and always managed to return in some, generally beat up, worn out or, in at least one case, in a brain washed condition. The hope is can he do it again but as the days pass that candle in the window is burning lower and lower. Keep in mind all the earlier Bond books had but one main character and were generally told from his point of view. That singular look at the world is exploded here with many characters, encompassing a broad spectrum of “types” but trying to hit on most of them, and each offers their own strengths and weaknesses. As points of view vary you might feel a bit lost in the telling. Certainly there is a lot of action, but I never felt drawn to any of the main characters. It is as if “Corporate” decided to not offend anyone so had every persuasion of person possible included in this mix. While many may enjoy that, and even may have been applauding for a greater width of character rather than the average “straight white man, devil may care attitude, required to save the world” want ad of the past. But sometimes you can overdo it, and this is one of those. Instead of a Bond story, this is truly a 00 section story, and this book features far more 00s than any previous novel. There is 003, Johanna Harwood, who has been captured by the evil Rattenfanger organization, the same people who probably have 007. Sid Bashir is 009, in love with 003 and in the process of recovering her in whatever condition she might be in. 004 and 000 are also running around. Moneypenny for some reason is the new M, but why I can’t tell you. Bill Tanner must have felt outrage at this massive slight, but Ms. Sherwood manages to make what has happened to him so far look minuscule in comparison to what happens at the end of this tale. There are so many things that have gone wrong with this book, and my hands are getting a little tired or writing bad news by this point, that I won’t go into further details. This is the first in a trio of books about the 00s and perhaps the author was just laying a groundwork for better things to come. I doubt that even the new “Q” could figure a way out of this quagmire, but, as with the ending to this story, there is always hope for better things to come. ...more
Hard Truth (2005) (Anna Pigeon #13) by Nevada Barr. Nevada Barr’s tough as an oak detective/national park ranger Anna Pigeon is back, just now workin Hard Truth (2005) (Anna Pigeon #13) by Nevada Barr. Nevada Barr’s tough as an oak detective/national park ranger Anna Pigeon is back, just now working in the Rocky Mountain National Park. She leaves her new husband behind in Mississippi to take a promotion to the Rockies. Her introduction to the park is a catch-up history of the search for three missing girls. A fundamentalist church group was doing a spiritual ministry for several days in the park. A young preacher and another were leading the group of teen and tween girls when most returned to their church. The girls were separated from the youth minister almost a month before and the search has petered out when Anna arrives. Then two of the girls wander into the camp of a retired doctor and her wheelchair bound niece named Heath. They manage to calm the traumatized pair until the park rangers and EMTs can be notified. Thus begins Anna’s investigation. As you might know from her past adventures, Anna is going to become a detective and work on solving this case. Anna Pigeon is one of the better characters in the role of sleuth, doing what is necessary to find the truth and stop the evil. And there is plenty of evil here. A sociopath is stalking the park with the intent of creating others in it’s image. Heath, only recently confined to the wheelchair after a horrible ice climbing accident, is faced with her own troubles, hating the loss of her rock/ice climbing lifestyle. She is fighting all her own demons and is compelled to try and help the two girls who have escaped the clutches of evil only to go back to the clutches of their church. This is yet another look inside the minds of the main characters, a fascinating study of one person trying to find herself in a new world while another is trying to distort that same world for their own maniacal ends. Anna, as usual, gets abused along the way, but no more or less than a male character in the same situation. I’m not keen on the female as abuse victim, but she does give as well as she gets. I do feel bad for the girls, This is yet another tour into our friendly, safe National Park system. Hard Truth is something of a guidebook, just like all the Anna Pigeon novels. I like finding the novel that corresponds with my next wildlife outing as not only is it going to be a good read but will offer information about the park that is veery entertaining and informative. And I really liked Ms. Barr’s book featuring the Dry Tortugas, another favorite....more
The Expats (2012) (Kate Moore #1) by Chris Pavone. This is one of the best crime novels I’ve ever read. It is something of a spy novel at the same timThe Expats (2012) (Kate Moore #1) by Chris Pavone. This is one of the best crime novels I’ve ever read. It is something of a spy novel at the same time, but mostly it is a tale of lies, suspense, betrayal and fidelity. And it is an onion with layer covering layer and more layers beneath, each a joy for your senses. The Expats of the title are an Americans couple and their two boys who have quit Washington D.C. for a life in Europe. Dexter has a new job centered in Luxembourg in as an international bank’s computer security expert. He tries to ensure no one can hack in to the transfer sector that move millions, if not billions, of euros every day. The new job required him to move, but also entailed a large jump in his pay. He now has the means to provide a very nice life for his family. Kate gets to quit the State Department job she has come to dislike, one she has been yearning to find a way out of for some time. She and Dexter make the jump across the Atlantic and attempt to start a new, better life for themselves and their kids. Kate finds herself awash in the life of the ex-pat mother: school, children’s European television programming, meeting the other wives, trying to make friends, being a stay-at-home mom and wife. Meanwhile Dexter is caught up in his new job and has far less time for the family. Both partners are finding the move profitable but stressful to their marriage. But all is not as it seems. Kate and Dexter have there own secrets that they dutifully keep from the other. This lack of communication is just one of their growing list of problems. The new couple they have become friends with turn out to be more than just another securities expert and his, now unemployed, interior designer wife. To Kate they seem to be a threat, one she can’t help but try to eliminate. Kate is the focus of the tale and her story is slowly revealed to the reader. As she evolves we learn that not every mom is just a mom, sometimes they have hidden lives that, though Kate had wished to leave it all behind, appears to be the one thing she can’t quit. And husbands have secrets that can be more deadly than expected. And Kate never worked for the State Department, but another agency altogether. There is a lot of travel included in this book and I have visions of the film version which, sadly, has yet to be. That is a shame as this story is on par with leCarre and his novels, but with a very modern twist. And the plotting is superb. You shouldn’t manage to figure it all out....more
The Council Of Justice (Just Men #2) (1908) by Edgar Wallace. This book begins just after the first novel in the series, The Four Just Men, ends. Now The Council Of Justice (Just Men #2) (1908) by Edgar Wallace. This book begins just after the first novel in the series, The Four Just Men, ends. Now the three work against a villainy that is sweeping across London, the Red 100. This is a terrorist group headed by “The woman From Graz”, who appears to be the only female member of the 100. But due to her oratory skills and methodical thinking, she becomes their erstwhile leader. As beautiful as she is powerful, it is only natural that she and a member of the Just Men should fall in love. But when that man is captured, it is up to the other two Just Men to get his release. Along the way we meet the mysterious Mr. Long, or is it Mr. Jessen, who is feared and respected by both sides of the fray. He plays a rather major roll in the outcome of the story, but not exactly in the manner you might expect. This is a fitting follow up to the original novel. The Four Just Men’s opposition is a more palatable that that found in the first book. And it harkens the reader to pursue more the the Four Just Men books. There were only six books written in all so it should not be difficult to complete the series, But do remember, these novels are over 100 years old, so good luck.
Eagle Strike (2003) (Alex Rider #4) by Anthony Horowitz. This fourth outing for Alex Rider is as thrilling as the previous books. While on holiday in Eagle Strike (2003) (Alex Rider #4) by Anthony Horowitz. This fourth outing for Alex Rider is as thrilling as the previous books. While on holiday in southern France with the family of his girlfriend, someone blows up the villa where they are stayingt. The girl’s father is hospitalized but all others are spared. Alex smells espionage and goes on the hunt. He spots and tails Yassen, an adversary from the previous three books. Yassen leads him to his capture, then a bullfight where Alex is the main attraction. Then comes the revelation that Damian Cray, a world famous pop star, platinum record maker, multimillionaire owner of a series of influential businesses and well respected friend to the upper crust in England, is the evil in the mix. MI 6 want no part of Alex’s theories about how Cray is behind the attempt on the villa so Alex, as usual, must go it alone. Action, thrills, a little violence and blood, all the usual for a Rider novel spill out page after page. Nothing too gory or explicit as this is aimed at teens, but a lot of fun. And then there is the revelation about Alex’s dead father, This is yet another fine outing in the Alex Rider franchise, one that is sure to please young and old alike. ...more
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