2003
This stand alone novel by Val McDermid is helping elaborate my background for an upcoming trip to Scotland. I am probably going to be seeing murderers everywhere I turn. To keep in balance I'm also watching the BBC Hamish Macbeth television series.
McDermid tells the story of four male college students who happen upon a young woman who has been brutally attacked and dies as they try to help her. The four become the police's primary suspects although they are innocent of the murder. No charges are ever brought against them and the murder goes unsolved. The four have to live of with the suspicions of the murdered girl's brothers and other community members. The investigation is reactivated as a cold case with the advent of DNA testing and other advances in forensic science.
I have read almost all of McDermid's Tony Hill novels. The Distant Echo did not really capture my imagination as much as the Hill novels do. The novel spans 25 years and has to keep two parallel time frames sensible to the reader. I thought McDermid handled this quite well however, it did make for some mental exercise on the part of the reader. She also took two of the main characters to America for their adult lives. I still don't quite know how I feel about this intrusion of America into her world in Scotland.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
XO, XO, by Jeffery Deaver
Jeffery Deaver is one of my favorite detective fiction authors. His plots and characterizations are always interesting and rarely make me feel like I am reading just another version of the same book that he wrote the last time. In this book deeper has particularly called on his background and knowledge in the music industry. I knew from his biography that he had experience as a folk singer I did not know that he was a country music fan. I wish I had the patience to sit down and listen to all the music referenced in this book. However, since I was listening to it through the audio book service it was just too tricky to match the reading with listening.
I find it really an interesting variation on the books that I am reading that many are including strong references to music. I just finished a Val McDermid book in which she makes frequent reference to musicians and songs. Michael Connelly also includes many references to music and in his book Dark Angel and even included a CD with tracks from songs mentioned in the book or music he listened to while working. I love music but tend to listen more to classical, new age, or meditation selections. I don't know when I stopped listening to more popular music. Maybe as part of my sabbatical agenda I should include listening to more music with words and consciously expand my listening selections.
The main character of this series, Katheryn Dance, specializes in the analysis of body movements or "tells." As if an agent for the California Bureau of investigation she brings these skills to both investigations and courtroom settings. I can't evaluate the degree to which Deaver provides accurate information about the science, however I tend to trust him. He typically is quite methodical in his research.
Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs also make a brief cameo appearance in the book. I feel like an old friend stopped by for a moment and we were able to catch up with some significant details about his life.
I recommend this book to everyone, not just those with musical inclinations for fans of detective fiction.
I find it really an interesting variation on the books that I am reading that many are including strong references to music. I just finished a Val McDermid book in which she makes frequent reference to musicians and songs. Michael Connelly also includes many references to music and in his book Dark Angel and even included a CD with tracks from songs mentioned in the book or music he listened to while working. I love music but tend to listen more to classical, new age, or meditation selections. I don't know when I stopped listening to more popular music. Maybe as part of my sabbatical agenda I should include listening to more music with words and consciously expand my listening selections.
The main character of this series, Katheryn Dance, specializes in the analysis of body movements or "tells." As if an agent for the California Bureau of investigation she brings these skills to both investigations and courtroom settings. I can't evaluate the degree to which Deaver provides accurate information about the science, however I tend to trust him. He typically is quite methodical in his research.
Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs also make a brief cameo appearance in the book. I feel like an old friend stopped by for a moment and we were able to catch up with some significant details about his life.
I recommend this book to everyone, not just those with musical inclinations for fans of detective fiction.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Wicked Business, by Janet Evanovich
In the middle of all the murder/violence of the reading I'm doing right now, this was a relief! Evanovich's lighter touch is greatly appreciated. As with many of her books, I found myself laughing aloud through descriptions of characters, plot twists, and conversations.
This, the second book in the Lizzy and Diesel series, picks up where Evanovich left off. Lizzy, who inherited her aunt's home in Salem, is a pastry chef in a local bakery. Diesel (also from Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series) needs Lizzy's help as he attempts to save the world from his cousin Wolf's attempts to collect seven stones representing the deadly sins.
In addition to some light-hearted entertainment, readers will also have the opportunity to explore Salem, Massachusetts and the surrounding area as Lizzy, Diesel, Wolf and their minions race to find the stones.
Although the book is written for an adult audience, I would recommend it to mature teens. (It is not more explicit than many of the supernatural/paranormal romance books and I value the humorous take on the topic.)
This, the second book in the Lizzy and Diesel series, picks up where Evanovich left off. Lizzy, who inherited her aunt's home in Salem, is a pastry chef in a local bakery. Diesel (also from Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series) needs Lizzy's help as he attempts to save the world from his cousin Wolf's attempts to collect seven stones representing the deadly sins.
In addition to some light-hearted entertainment, readers will also have the opportunity to explore Salem, Massachusetts and the surrounding area as Lizzy, Diesel, Wolf and their minions race to find the stones.
Although the book is written for an adult audience, I would recommend it to mature teens. (It is not more explicit than many of the supernatural/paranormal romance books and I value the humorous take on the topic.)
Sword of Truth Series, by Terry Goodkind
Once again, I'm in over my head. I picked up the first book in this series The Wizard's First Rule, as a special offer in my Audible subscription. I'm now through the second book, Stone of Tears, and beginning the third, Blood of the Fold. All are the story of Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell as they pursue adventures through political intrigues, magic, wizardry, and evil plots generally devised by demented wizards or witches (Sisters of the Light or Sisters of the Dark usually). I am primarily listening to the series through audio book versions. They are good companions on my walks and while I garden.
I was a bit dismayed to find out that reviewers see Goodkind as a follower of Ayn Rand and a believer in Objectivism. (I have to go back and reread Anthem, by Rand. I read it in the 70's. It now appears to be a seminal work in the thinking of conservative Christian politicians.) Since I learned of the connection I listen to the books with a close eye on the philosophical premises underlying with Wizard's Rules (each book explores one of the rules). I'm on the third rule now--Passions Rule, For Better or Worse. Since I am studying Buddhism and the works of Thich Nhat Hanh I am experiencing some cognitive dissonance. I expect Nhat Hanh would guide me to watering more peaceful/serene seeds in my store rather than filling my mind and ears with this violence.
I enjoy the action and adventure. However, these books are definitely fantasy. There is a great deal of sadomasochistic sex in the first book and other detailed sexual or violent content throughout the series. I would not suggest it for those with conservative sexual values or those disturbed by physical violence.
I was a bit dismayed to find out that reviewers see Goodkind as a follower of Ayn Rand and a believer in Objectivism. (I have to go back and reread Anthem, by Rand. I read it in the 70's. It now appears to be a seminal work in the thinking of conservative Christian politicians.) Since I learned of the connection I listen to the books with a close eye on the philosophical premises underlying with Wizard's Rules (each book explores one of the rules). I'm on the third rule now--Passions Rule, For Better or Worse. Since I am studying Buddhism and the works of Thich Nhat Hanh I am experiencing some cognitive dissonance. I expect Nhat Hanh would guide me to watering more peaceful/serene seeds in my store rather than filling my mind and ears with this violence.
I enjoy the action and adventure. However, these books are definitely fantasy. There is a great deal of sadomasochistic sex in the first book and other detailed sexual or violent content throughout the series. I would not suggest it for those with conservative sexual values or those disturbed by physical violence.
Peak, by Roland Smith
Everest! What would lead a 14-year-old to Everest by surprise? Smith's story follows Peak Marcello, the son of two "rock rats" from his illegal skyscraper climbing in New York City to Everest. Most of the story is about the attempt at Everest, but there are also several other story lines with in the book including: political relations between China and Nepal, the relationships of climbers and sherpas, family dynamics, sensationalism in the news business and coming of age.
Smith always tells a good story and this one is particularly strong. It kept me up well past my bed-time to finish reading and I had trouble sleeping afterward. (Or it may have just been my biorhythms--who knows.) Although I am not a rock climber I have plenty of exposure to them (my daughter works at REI and there are many climbers in the area where I live). I've also read Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer another book about the various factors around the current craze of guided trips to Everest. I believe both have significant questions about the wisdom of continuing to allow this sort of activity.
Smith's webpage is a great resource, but I am having trouble accessing its content today. I had hoped to gather some information about his research for this book. I know Smith has been around the world and experienced many of the situations (or at least nuggets of them) that he writes about. I wanted to know more about how he researched this book. I'll try his site again later. www.rolandsmith.com
This will be a great read for any
Smith always tells a good story and this one is particularly strong. It kept me up well past my bed-time to finish reading and I had trouble sleeping afterward. (Or it may have just been my biorhythms--who knows.) Although I am not a rock climber I have plenty of exposure to them (my daughter works at REI and there are many climbers in the area where I live). I've also read Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer another book about the various factors around the current craze of guided trips to Everest. I believe both have significant questions about the wisdom of continuing to allow this sort of activity.
Smith's webpage is a great resource, but I am having trouble accessing its content today. I had hoped to gather some information about his research for this book. I know Smith has been around the world and experienced many of the situations (or at least nuggets of them) that he writes about. I wanted to know more about how he researched this book. I'll try his site again later. www.rolandsmith.com
This will be a great read for any
The Last Temptation, by Val McDermid
McDermid is definitely an adult market author. This series, the Tony Hill/Carol Jordon, are detective/psychological thriller novels. Hill is a clinical psychologist/serial murderer profiler who has a close friendship with UK police detective Carol Jordon.
The Last Temptation is set primarily in the Netherlands and Germany. In this novel Carol Jordon goes undercover in the attempt to acquire incriminating evidence about an arms/dealer and human labor smuggler. To add to the complexity of her situation, she and her European colleagues also come across a serial killer working from a boat working the Rhine river. It is compelling--the action, as always in McDermid's books, is intense. I recommend against picking up these books when you have work or family pressures. You'll end up reading too long.
McDermid's books are not for the faint of heart. They typically include violence and sexual themes--often linked. Although she does not include salacious details, the settings and events are powerful enough to leave an imprint. She has been a journalist but became a full time novelist in 1991. She was born in Scotland and continues to live there. (See her website: http://www.valmcdermid.com/) She has won many awards, her Tony Hill/Carol Jordon books were also made into a TV series Wire in the Blood.
Her writing feels sophisticated to me. I end up researching parts of Scotland, England (and in this book Germany and The Netherlands) as well as reading with my smartphone close at hand so that I can look up words on The Free Dictionary.
I'm finishing the series. I've just completed The Torment of Others and am back-tracking to read Wire in the Blood . I am visiting the Netherlands and Scotland this summer. I've been trying to do some of my reading in books set in those areas (recommendations would be welcome!).
The Last Temptation is set primarily in the Netherlands and Germany. In this novel Carol Jordon goes undercover in the attempt to acquire incriminating evidence about an arms/dealer and human labor smuggler. To add to the complexity of her situation, she and her European colleagues also come across a serial killer working from a boat working the Rhine river. It is compelling--the action, as always in McDermid's books, is intense. I recommend against picking up these books when you have work or family pressures. You'll end up reading too long.
McDermid's books are not for the faint of heart. They typically include violence and sexual themes--often linked. Although she does not include salacious details, the settings and events are powerful enough to leave an imprint. She has been a journalist but became a full time novelist in 1991. She was born in Scotland and continues to live there. (See her website: http://www.valmcdermid.com/) She has won many awards, her Tony Hill/Carol Jordon books were also made into a TV series Wire in the Blood.
Her writing feels sophisticated to me. I end up researching parts of Scotland, England (and in this book Germany and The Netherlands) as well as reading with my smartphone close at hand so that I can look up words on The Free Dictionary.
I'm finishing the series. I've just completed The Torment of Others and am back-tracking to read Wire in the Blood . I am visiting the Netherlands and Scotland this summer. I've been trying to do some of my reading in books set in those areas (recommendations would be welcome!).
Seizure, by Kathy Reichs
This is Reichs' second YA book in the "Virals" series (and her overall second YA book). I'm enjoying her efforts. Reichs' has established herself as an adult author. Her books have also be the foundation of the TV series Bones. Both have some rough connections to her own work as a pioneering forensic pathologist. I would be certain to guide any adolescent reader to her website: http://kathyreichs.com for career connections.
The Virals series is a new effort. There is little of "forensics" in either novel, however the main character is the great niece of Temperance Brennan, the main character in most of her adult novels and the television show. The series has more of a "crazy science gone wrong" premise. In the first book the main characters and her "pack" are infected with a virus being researched by a scientist working on the university owned, island research facility where all of their families live and work.
In Seizure, the main character Tory, and her friends/pack are once again navigating a complex teen social scene, their supernatural powers, and a specific mystery (with some additional side-plots such as Tory's father's love life). My readers know that I value YA books that allow for investigations of a variety of themes/topics. The center piece of this story is a female pirate, Calico Jack, and her buried treasure. There are opportunities in this book to explore wolf pack behavior, realistic teen life (well--except for the super powers of the Virals), adult-teen relationship complexities (appropriate--not perverse or sexually inappropriate), pirates and privateers, biology of the flora/fauna of the South Carolina coastal region, and the history of Charleston, SC.
Reichs is a proficient writer and as always tells a good story. I think her first attempt, Virals, was just a little awkward. Learning to write for the YA market is not necessarily easy, even for the most proficient adult fiction writers. This book feels much more like a strong addition to the YA field. It would not be necessary to read the first book in the series to appreciate this book, but would fill out the background of how these adolescents acquired these mysterious powers. (And I believe the mysterious powers are a metaphor for the biological changes that adolescents experience and to which they need to come to grips.)
This book would be a nice companion to the Maximum Ride, series by James Patterson. It offers opportunities to discuss the ethics of science as well as some specific scientific concepts. (And I trust, better founded in actual science than are the Maximum Ride books.)
The Virals series is a new effort. There is little of "forensics" in either novel, however the main character is the great niece of Temperance Brennan, the main character in most of her adult novels and the television show. The series has more of a "crazy science gone wrong" premise. In the first book the main characters and her "pack" are infected with a virus being researched by a scientist working on the university owned, island research facility where all of their families live and work.
In Seizure, the main character Tory, and her friends/pack are once again navigating a complex teen social scene, their supernatural powers, and a specific mystery (with some additional side-plots such as Tory's father's love life). My readers know that I value YA books that allow for investigations of a variety of themes/topics. The center piece of this story is a female pirate, Calico Jack, and her buried treasure. There are opportunities in this book to explore wolf pack behavior, realistic teen life (well--except for the super powers of the Virals), adult-teen relationship complexities (appropriate--not perverse or sexually inappropriate), pirates and privateers, biology of the flora/fauna of the South Carolina coastal region, and the history of Charleston, SC.
Reichs is a proficient writer and as always tells a good story. I think her first attempt, Virals, was just a little awkward. Learning to write for the YA market is not necessarily easy, even for the most proficient adult fiction writers. This book feels much more like a strong addition to the YA field. It would not be necessary to read the first book in the series to appreciate this book, but would fill out the background of how these adolescents acquired these mysterious powers. (And I believe the mysterious powers are a metaphor for the biological changes that adolescents experience and to which they need to come to grips.)
This book would be a nice companion to the Maximum Ride, series by James Patterson. It offers opportunities to discuss the ethics of science as well as some specific scientific concepts. (And I trust, better founded in actual science than are the Maximum Ride books.)
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