Category: 3.5/5

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, D, Nonfiction, RATING, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.44 REVIEW – True Hollywood Noir by Dina Di Mambro

Tara

True Hollywood Noir: Filmland Mysteries and Murders
by Dina Di Mambro

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 229
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Oct. 16 – Oct. 22, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 44
Format: Print
Source: The Cadence Group

Blurb:  In a tantalizing, suspenseful, and entertaining mixture of classic Hollywood nostalgia and true crime, explore some of the most fascinating scandals, mysteries and murders in Filmland history – true Hollywood noir lived by the players behind the scenes. Viewers were captivated by the drama of the black and white masterpieces of the silver screen … the noir films with swirling cigarette smoke; high balls on ice; murky, rain-soaked nights; and ill-fated plots between gangsters and grifters, hard-boiled detectives, and duplicitous gorgeous women – which paled in comparison to what was going on behind the scenes.

Uncover the true stories in a dozen different chapters featuring William Desmond Taylor, Thomas Ince, Jean Harlow, Thelma Todd, Joan Bennett, Lana Turner, George Reeves, Gig Young, Bob Crane, Natalie Wood, Robert Blake, and Mickey Cohen. Included in the cast of characters of this book are Johnny Stompanato, William Randolph Hearst, Marion Davies, and Charlie Chaplin. And find never before told mob stories about Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, and Virginia Hill. Get the theories behind each case in this page-turner – then draw your own conclusions as to the truth behind some of the most prominent Hollywood mysteries.

Review: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Rebecca at The Cadence Group.

I was immediately intrigued by the blurb of this book. I used to be a huge true crime junkie. Over the years I’ve gotten out of the habit of reading true crime (but I still have a stack of those books on my shelves!). So I really jumped at the opportunity to read this book.

When I first got this one in the mail, I flipped through it. I realized that I could easily jump around with the chapters. And that’s exactly what I did. I started out with the chapters on the people who I was not familiar with and moved on to the ones that I was more familiar with. I felt like this was a really good way for me to enjoy this book.

I remember very well watching the Robert Blake trial on CourtTV, so I was really interested in seeing what the author had to say in that chapter. I also highly enjoyed the Natalie Woods chapter because it’s a case that I knew the bare bones about, but it really sparked my interest when it was back in the news more recently.

But the one chapter that I felt was a little off from the others was the Mickey Cohen one. I finally got to watch the movie Gangster Squad earlier this year, so I only really had that to go on in reference to what I knew of Cohen. But I was a little surprised as to how this particular chapter was approached. It was almost two times as longer as any other chapter in the entire book, and it was almost glowing … definitely not something that I expected in regards to Cohen. But then the author ends with something that really made me wonder if it wasn’t glaringly obvious as to who the young girl she references was….

Overall I am very glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in true crime or short biographies.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, L, NetGalley, RATING, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.32 REVIEW – Top Down by Jim Lehrer

Tara

Top Down 
by Jim Lehrer

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 246
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: July 19 – July 23, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 32
Format: E-Book
Source: NetGalley

Top DownBlurb: In a riveting novel rooted in one of American history’s great “what ifs,” Jim Lehrer tells the story of two men haunted by the events leading up to John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

November 22, 1963. As Air Force One touches down in Dallas, ambitious young newspaper reporter Jack Gilmore races to get the scoop on preparations for President Kennedy’s motorcade. Will the bubble top on the presidential limousine be up or down? Down, according to veteran Secret Service agent Van Walters. The decision to leave the top down and expose JFK to fire from above will weigh on Van’s conscience for decades. But will it also change the course of history?

Five years after the assassination, Jack gets an anguished phone call from Van’s daughter Marti. Van Walters is ravaged by guilt, so convinced that his actions led to JFK’s death that he has lost the will to live. In a desperate bid to deliver her father from his demons, Marti enlists Jack’s help in a risky reenactment designed to prove once and for all what would have happened had the bubble top stayed in place on that grim November day.

For Jack, it’s a chance to break a once-in-a-lifetime story that could make his career. But for Van the stakes are even higher. The outcome of a ballistics test conducted on the grounds of a secluded estate in upstate New York might just save his life—or push him over the edge.

A page-turning historical novel with the beating heart of a thriller, Top Down could only have sprung from the fertile imagination of Jim Lehrer. Drawing on his own experience as an eyewitness to the events described, one of America’s most respected journalists has crafted an engrossing story out of the emotional aftershocks of a national tragedy.

Review:  I received a e-galley of this book through NetGalley.

Here’s the deal, guys, I am a JFK junkie to the core. It’s nearly an obsession, really. So with 2013 being the 50th anniversary of the assassination, you can imagine that there are a ton of books coming out this year that have to do with JFK and the assassination – both fiction and non-fiction. Already this year, not including this book, I’ve read one fiction book (The Man from 2063) and I have another non-fiction book lined up through Edelweiss. I am in hog heaven! Okay but seriously, I guess I need to get to the actual review of this book.

This book definitely has a different feel from any other book I’ve read recently. I don’t know, it’s kind of hard to describe. Part of me felt as if I was reading a memoir at times. I actually had to look up the info on it after reading the first chapter to see if I was reading fiction or non-fiction. But don’t let that scare you off, because the book reads quite easily. And it is fiction.

The cast of characters in this book, oh what a great bunch. First you have Jack, who is a reporter who actually reported on the Kennedy assassination from Dallas. In the beginning he describes a conversation he had with a Secret Service agent, Van, the day of the assassination regarding the bubble top on the presidential limo. Van made the call that the bubble top was to be removed (I must add that this is where I originally thought I was reading a memoir). That was the beginning of the end for Van. From there you meet his daughter, Marti, who is convinced her father is dying because of that one decision and how it affected him. All she wants from Jack is to help her prove to her father that his decision had nothing to do with Kennedy’s death – Oswald still would have taken that shot and Kennedy still would have died.

What this book really and truly is about is human emotions. Van is a broken man after the assassination. He blames himself for Kennedy’s death. But it doesn’t just end there. It turns his wife into an alcoholic and his daughter gets pushed away to boarding school. One little psychological break doesn’t just affect the person who has had the break … the whole family is impacted. Guilt is a very powerful emotion. And being through something as traumatic as a presidential assassination would do a number on any person.

Overall I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys anything JFK. Those who like historical fiction would probably enjoy this one as well. Past that, it might not appeal to just everyone. But overall definitely a book that I enjoyed to feed my JFK obsession.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, B, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, Review Book, Virtual Author Book Tours

2013.37 REVIEW – Arctic Fire by Paul Byers

Tara

Arctic Fire
by Paul Byers

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 377
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Aug.18-29, 2013
Challenge: What’s in a Name Challenge
Yearly count: 37
Format: Print
Source: Author for blog tour

Arctic FireBlurb: Wealthy entrepreneur Nigel Cain has devised an efficient new way to bring the earth’s most precious resource to the masses – clean water – by transporting massive man-made icebergs from the frigid arctic and delivering them literally to the doorsteps of millions.

Gabriel Pike works at a small engineering firm that has been awarded the task of giving the final safety approval to pilot the first gigantic block of ice into New York harbor.

A consummate showman, Cain has built a fabulous 5-Star hotel and casino high atop the iceberg so his celebrity guests and media elite can cover this spectacle from beginning to end. Pike is whisked away from his work-a-day world and dropped into the lap of luxury where he’s expected to simply rubber-stamp his inspection.

A brutal winter storms ravages the iceberg and exposes structural inconsistencies and hidden agendas that fill Pike with serious doubts about the true intentions of the project.  But a grisly double homicide on the ice puts the inspections on the back burner and sends Pike’s life spiraling out of control when he’s accused of being the jealous murderer in a lover’s triangle.

But Pike soon discovers that there is far more at stake than just his life. He uncovers a conspiracy more heinous than anything he could have imagined – a plot that will level a city, change the political face of America, and whose shockwaves will be felt around the world. Fate rests in his hands – if he can survive long enough to take action…

Review: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review as part of his blog tour.

I don’t even know really where to begin about this book. Overall, it’s a good read. Definitely thrill packed and a wild ride. However, that’s not to say it’s absolutely perfect.

I don’t even really know how to explain my big issue with this book. At 377 pages, it’s not a terribly long book. However, when at least 300 pages are spent with the lead-up to the double homicide and conspiracy mentioned in the blurb, it felt a little bogged down. I’m not saying that those 300 pages were unimportant or not enjoyable. However, it sometimes felt as if things were a little more drawn out than what was necessary for the book. I just felt as if too much time was spent on the lead-up to what was really at stake with the iceberg. There was a lot of technical information that I, personally, did not need to enjoy or understand this book.

Now that all of that is said … I really don’t think that it’s a bad book. The last 100 pages or so were a lot of fun trying to figure out how Pike was going to get out of the mess he found himself in. Would “The Blast from the Past” be able to manage one more rescue?

I thought Gabriel Pike’s character was really interesting. There was a lot more to him than met the eye. He was a nice guy, but he could get his hands dirty when necessary. It was also interesting to watch how a normal guy can be manipulated. It can happen so very fast and without his really knowing what is going on. It definitely doesn’t take much to inflate a guy’s ego 🙂 But I did have a problem with how cookie-cutter clean he appeared to be. I don’t know, it just felt forced to me that he was so nice. But it definitely worked in the situation that his character was in. But the one character that really surprised me the most was Mallory. What a character she was! Nice on the surface, but ruthless underneath. Whew. Definitely a surprise to me to some extent.

I would definitely recommend this book. I thought it was a lot of fun and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to give it a shot.

About the author: 

PaulByers_RSC0029 (2)Paul grew up in Oregon on the shores of the mighty and mysterious Columbia River, and spent endless hours daydreaming on the beach in front of his house, making up stories about the ships from exotic ports all over the world that steamed up the river – what secret cargo might they be carrying; did they harbor spies who were on dark and exciting missions?

Later in adult life, he moved to another mysterious and provocative city – Las Vegas, just outside the famous Nellis Air Force base. After work he would sit on his porch and watch the fighters take off and land, igniting his imagination with visions of secret missions and rich speculation about what could possibly be hidden at Area 51.

After moving back to his native Pacific Northwest, Paul worked for the Navy and took every opportunity he could to speak with veterans from WWII to the Gulf War, listening to them swap stories and relate the experiences of a lifetime.

So it is this combination of a passionate love of history, a vivid “what if” imagination, and a philosophy of life that boils down to the belief that – there are few things in life that a bigger hammer won’t fix – that led Paul to become a writer of exciting, fact-based action-thrillers. His greatest joy is leaving his readers wondering where the facts end and the fiction begins.

Author Website

Paul on Facebook

Paul on Goodreads 

Buy Arctic Fire:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Check out the rest of the tour:

So Many Precious Books Sept 2 Review & Giveaway
Book Lover’s Library Sept 3 Review
Book Lover’s Library Sept 4 Interview & Giveaway
She Treads Softly Sept 4 Review
Books, Books, & More Books Sept 5 Review
Books, Books, & More Books Sept 6 Interview & Giveaway
Cheryl’s Book Nook Sept 9 Review
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Sept 10 Review
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Sept 11 Guest Post
 My Shelf Confessions Sept 12 Review
 My Shelf Confessions Sept 13 Interview & Giveaway
Room Without Books is Empty Sept 16 Review
A Book & a Lattee Sept 17 Review
Green Mountain People Sept 18 Review
Thoughts in Progress Sept 18 Guest Post & Giveaway
Romance & Inspiration Sept 19 Review
Bloggin Bout Books Sept 20 Review
The News In Books Sept 23 Review
The News In Books Sept 24 Guest Post
Sweeps4Bloggers Sept 24 Review & Giveaway
Tales of a Book Addict Sept 25 Review
Joy Story Sept 26 Review
fundinmental  Sept 27 Review & Giveaway
Recent Reads Sept 30 Review & Giveaway
DWED Oct 1 Review

vabt-highresolution

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, G, Jane Rizzoli, RATING, Read in 2013, READING CHALLENGES 2013, SERIES

2013.39 REVIEW – Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen

Tara

Last to Die
by Tess Gerritsen

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 423
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Sept. 12-19, 2013
Challenge: RIP VIII; 2013 Sequel Challenge
Yearly count: 39
Format: Print
Source: Personal copy

Last to DieBlurb: For the second time in his short life, fourteen-year-old Teddy Clock has survived a massacre. Orphaned once more when his foster family is murdered, the traumatized teenager has nowhere to turn – until the Boston PD puts Detective Jane Rizzoli on the case. Jane spirits Teddy to the exclusive Evensong boarding school, a sanctuary where young victims of violent crime learn vital skills of survival. But even behind locked gates, Jane fears that Evensong’s benefactors aren’t the only ones watching. And when she learns of two other students whose pasts bear a shocking resemblance to Teddy’s, it becomes chillingly clear that a circling predator has more than one victim in mind. Joining forces with medical examiner Maura Isles, Jane races to stop an obsessed killer’s twisted quest – before an unspeakable secret dooms the children’s fate.

Review: This is the 10th book in the Rizzoli and Isles series. And I couldn’t help myself from comparing it to the TNT television series. The books and TV show are nothing alike. And having just watched all of the summer season, it was still fresh in my mind and that’s why I couldn’t help but compare them. I’m not saying that if you like one you won’t like the other, but just know that they are very different and you can’t really compare them.

Overall I thought this was a pretty decent installment in the series. But I couldn’t help but wonder how much longer Ms. Gerritsen will continue with this series. You finish this book with a big question mark, one of the characters appears to want a change in scenery … what will that do to the series?

Most of this book is set at Evensong, a private boarding school. I thought that it was a neat setting. Julian is back in this book and is very prominent in the plot line. That was fun seeing Maura and Julian back together. The Mephisto Club was also mentioned again.

There was a slight twist at the end that I wasn’t entirely anticipating. Part of it I was, the other part not so much. I can’t say much more than that without getting into spoiler territory.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. However, this is one of those that I think you really need to have read the previous books to fully understand all the dynamics (At the very least, The Mephisto Club installment.)

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, F, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2013, Review Book

2013.28 REVIEW – A Man of Indeterminate Value by Ron Felber

Tara

A Man of Indeterminate Value
by Ron Felber

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 288
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: June 18-25, 2013
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly count: 28
Format: Print
Source: Felicia with Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc.

Blurb: In a world plagued by corrupt corporations and sinister forces that prowl the global landscape, John “Jack” Madson seeks salvation from deep within the man he is today and the man he aspires to be.

In the tradition of Raymond Chandler, John Grisham, and Michael Connelly, this crime fiction series launches with three noir thrillers bristling with authenticity, insight, and social commentary. From the boardrooms of Wall Street, to the steamy backstreets of Bangkok, to the secret Triads of Shanghai, award-winning author Ron Felber, originator of the FOX television series The Mob Doctor, takes his reader into the violent, surreal, and sex-crazed underbelly of 21st century America, the “empire in decline.”

Witty, riveting, and diabolically clever, the heart-pounding pace, exotic locales, and unforgettable characters make the “Jack Madson” series a welcomed innovation within the genre of crime fiction.

A Man of Indeterminate Value (Book 1), introduces ex-cop Jack Madson as a disgraced Wall Street take-over artist and target of a failed suicide scam that leaves him the “most wanted” man in the Garden State of NJ. Madson is on a personal mission to take on corporate forces hell-bent on his destruction as they seek to IPO game-changing bio-medical technology to the Street worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Review: I received this book to review from Felicia with Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc.

Let me just tell you right now that this book has an introduction that hooks you in immediately! I shared it with my readers as part of the First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros meme last week. But let me share it with you guys again (yes, it’s that good!)

The Yellow cab slipped into a parking spot opposite St. Damian’s monastery on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Newark’s Central Ward. I felt remarkably well for a man who’d just been shot. “Hey, mister, you gonna be all right? You don’t look too good,” the Puerto Rican driver said. “Here,” I answered slipping him two $100s for the $60 fare, “you stick to driving. You never saw me.” “Si, senor, no veo nada,” he swore as I crossed the street holding my right hand over the crimson circle of blood expanding on my Tailored Image white shirt, from my left bicep, just above the heart. In my left hand, I clung to a leather briefcase filled with drugs, booze, even some papers.

I mean, hello!? Doesn’t that just suck you in immediately and make you want to find out what on earth is going on here? I know it sure did me!

However, that introduction might have wowed me … well, let me just say that I was not impressed with Jack’s character. Well. I guess I really should say that I was not impressed with what Jack got himself involved with. First, the way his wife is described in the beginning makes her seem psycho. Yeah, you can imagine where all this goes. And let’s not forget about the fact that Jack had to leave college before graduating. The guy gets into financial trouble, you can’t really blame him for trying to stash some money back. But the whole plan he devises, well … yeah, I just can’t imagine it.

The story starts out at the end. Yes, you read that right. You pretty well know what happens in the end before you know how it got there. Personally, I don’t like books set up that way. But I understand why it was written in that format and I have to admit I was quite curious to find out what exactly had happened along the way. So I guess maybe it worked for me in this book more than it has in the past.

Bottom line, this is a really well written book. It held my attention relatively well and I was interested in knowing the whole story. And while I enjoyed it, I don’t think it would be a good book for everyone. I would recommend it, but only if business thrillers are your cup of tea.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, First Rule PR, K, RATING, Read in 2012, READING CHALLENGES 2012, Review Book

2012.29 REVIEW – Death by Bourbon by Abigail Keam

Tara

Death by Bourbon
by Abigail Keam

Copyright: 2012
Pages: 128
Read: Nov. 6-9, 2012
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge
Yearly count: 29
Format: E-Book
Source: Review copy from First Rule PR

 

Blurb: Life takes a dramatic turn for Josiah when she witnesses a death at an engagement party for guess who . . . Matt.  Matt?  Yes Matt.

Charming socialite Addison DeWitt falls into a fit after taking a sip of bourbon.  That would be upsetting enough but Josiah is sure it is murder. However, no one will believe her except for Lady Elsmere and Meriah Caldwell, the famous mystery writer.  The three of them conspire to bring the
murderer to justice.  It turns out that the suspect is always three steps ahead of them.

To make matters worse, Josiah’s daughter, Asa, decides to move to London, Franklin leaves town and Jake starts singing a different tune.  Josiah doubts her ability to meet the future alone.  Maybe it’s time to sell the Butterfly and move to Florida with the rest of the old folks.

Review: I don’t normally read cozy mysteries, I tend to prefer the grittier books. However, when I was pitched this book and did a little bit of research on it, I was intrigued and decided to get it a go. Part of me really wanted to read this book when I realized that Ms. Keam resided in Kentucky (I live in Paducah).

Going into this book, I knew it was in the middle of a series. Something that I’m not a huge fan of doing, but I was willing to take the risk on it. But I must forewarn you – I highly recommend reading the first books in this series before reading this book. In my opinion, it does not stand well by itself. You really need the background to have a full understanding of what is going on. It took me almost 20 pages in the beginning to really have a decent grasp on what was going on. Had this been a personal read, I would have stopped right then and there and read the books before it.

Some of the language used sounded a bit more traditional English than what us Americans are used to now. It doesn’t make it too confusing, but it did make me have to pay a little bit more attention to what was going on in the book.

Overall this was a quick and fun read. If you’re a cozy reader I would highly recommend this book. If you’re just dipping your feet into the cozies, I would definitely recommend starting from the beginning. But in general, this is a book that I would recommend to my readers.

 AUTHOR BIO:

Abigail Keam is an award-winning author who writes the Josiah Reynolds mystery series about a beekeeper turned sleuth.

Death By A HoneyBee won the 2010 Gold Medal Award for Women’s Lit from Reader’s Favorite and was a Finalist of the USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books of 2011. Death By Drowning won the 2011 Gold Medal Award for Best Mystery Sleuth and also was placed on the USA BOOK NEWS-Best Books of 2011.

Ms. Keam is also an award-winning beekeeper who lives on the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters.

AUTHOR SITES:
  Website  
  Facebook                              
Praise for previous books by Ms. Keam:
Ms. Keam’s writing is more like lyrical prose, leaving the readers wanting to know more of Josiah’s life and clamoring for the next book. This can be read as a stand-alone book, but I highly recommend reading the first book – DEATH OF A HONEYBEE.
Bobbi’s Book Nook, July 30th, 2011
Abigail Keam writes with vision and understanding. Her tale is fresh and original … after all … what could beekeeping and murder have in common? Readers will have no trouble being drawn into this charming mystery. Keam leaves the reader yearning for more. DEATH BY DROWNING is an excellent second effort by Ms. Keam. Characters and action are well wrought, and the plot sizzles.
Midwest Book Review, Shelley Glodowski, Senior Reviewer, July 8th, 2011

 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from First Rule Publicity from the author as part of a virtual book tour. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, C, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, Review Book

2011.63 REVIEW – The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper by Sally Carpenter

Tara

The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper
by Sally Carpenter

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 228
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Nov. 17– Nov.30, 2011
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly Count: 63
Format: Print
Source: Review Copy

Blurb: From 1975-79 teen idol Sandy Fairfax recorded 10 gold albums and starred in the hit TV series Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth. Now it’s 1993 and he’s a 38-year-old recovering alcoholic, forgotten and desperate for a comeback.

An easy gig – a guest appearance at a Beatles fan convention in Evansville, Ind. – turns deadly after a member of the Mersey Marvels tribute band is shot. When police suspect Sandy, and he fills in for the dead musician at a concert, the schoolboy shamus is back in action to find the killer.

Review: I was contacted directly by the author to review this book. While this is a little bit out of my comfort zone, I was immediately intrigued by this book when I found out that it was set in Evansville, Indiana. I grew up about an hour away from Evansville and actually lived in Evansville for my first semester in college (I transferred after one very unhappy semester).

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book. The Beatles craze was before my time and I think that really affected how I felt about this book. It wasn’t bad, actually it was pretty funny in places. However, not being much of a Beatles fan (I’m only familiar with their most famous songs), I think most of the book missed the mark for me. However, I did like the references to a town that I am pretty familiar with, it made me remember some good times that I had when I was living there. The mystery part was good, and the characters were well-developed. While I would recommend this book to people, I honestly think this book would be best suited for Beatles fans.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, O, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES

2011.59 REVIEW – The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Tara

The Keeper of Lost Causes
by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Translated by: Lisa Hartford

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 395
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Oct. 3– Oct. 8, 2011
Challenge: TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 59
Format: Print
Source: Library Copy

Blurb: The Keeper of Lost Causes, the first installment of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s international bestselling Department Q series, features the deeply flawed chief detective Carl Mørck, who used to be a good homicide detective – one of Copenhagen’s best. Then a bullet almost took his life. Two of his colleagues weren’t so lucky, and Carol, who didn’t draw his weapon, blames himself.

So a promotion is the last thing Carl expects.

But it all becomes clear when he sees his new office in the basement. Carl’s been selected to run Department Q, a new special investigation division that turns out to be a department of one. With a stack of Copenhagen’s coldest cases to keep him company, Carol has been put out to pasture. So he’s as surprised as anyone when a case actually captures his interest. A politician vanished without a trace five years earlier. The world assumes she’s dead. His colleagues snicker abou the time he’s wasting. But Carl may have the last laugh, and redeem himself in the process.

Because she isn’t dead … yet.

Review: I’m honestly torn on how to rate this book. I’m not really sure where to begin, so I’ll just start from the beginning and work my way to the end (with as few spoilers as possible, of course).

This book alternates between the perspective of Merete Lynggaard, the politician who disappeared and everyone assumes is dead, and Carl Mørck, a detective who has survivor’s guilt after being involved in a shooting where his two colleagues weren’t as lucky as he was. I must say that when I first met Carl, I was not impressed. I wanted to shake him and say, “snap out of it!” But at the same time, I understood why he was feeling like he was … one of his colleagues lost his life and the other one is permanently paralyzed after a shooting in which Carl didn’t even pull his gun. But his attitude is not very likeable and I struggled with that throughout the entire book.

The next thing Carl knows he’s getting a promotion! That would definitely be the last thing anyone would expect, but they put him in the basement with Assad as his assistant. Now, let me just say that I loved Assad’s character. There was so much to him that was so surprising! He’s definitely a good match with Carl … it was really Assad’s interest that got Carl’s interest going in the Merete Lynggaard disappearance. And as Carl continues to dig deeper (while looking like he’s not doing anything) he realizes that there’s something not quite right about the case.

So now I’m to the point where I need to explain why I’m so torn on my opinion of this book. First of all, I didn’t like Carl’s character. Not one bit. He’s a jerk, plain and simple. He doesn’t care about his job anymore. He has a major beef with one of the detectives upstairs. He practically blackmailed his superiors because he knows how much money his new department has been allocated … and he knows that his department isn’t seeing all that money. He’s just not a nice guy.

But then there’s Assad. He’s a very likeable guy. He’s intriguing because we don’t really know anything about him. Carl doesn’t even believe him when he tells him he’s from Syria; Carl thinks he might be from Iraq. He’s definitely not who he says he is, that much is very clear. And he’s not doing what Carl thinks he’s doing when he sends him up to talk to Hardy, Carl’s paralyzed colleague. But then again, it’s really Assad who pushes Carl to work hard on this case. It’s Assad who gets him interested. It’s Assad who really comes up with some great ideas to work the case with.

So I guess the next logical question would be: will I read more in this series? I’m honestly torn. I’m not sure I could stand another book of Carl’s attitude. But at the same time, I would love to know more about Assad and who he really is. Overall, I put this book at a 3.5 rating, which is somewhere between good and really good. If I had liked Carl’s character just a little bit more, I could have given it a 4, but I just can’t bring myself to do that. I think I could recommend this book to other readers, but I don’t think it would be a good fit for everybody.

3.5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, E-Book, Fiction, O, RATING, Read in 2011, Review Book

2011.43 REVIEW – Untouchable by Scott O’Connor

Tara

Untouchable
by Scott O’Connor

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 374
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Aug 6 – Aug. 11, 2011
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly Count: 43
Format: E-Book
Source: Review Book courtesy of FSB Associates

Blurb: It is the autumn of 1999. A year has passed since Lucy Darby’s unexpected death, leaving her husband David and son Whitley to mend the gaping hole in their lives. Whitley – an 11-year-old social pariah known simply as The Kid – hasn’t spoken since his mother’s death. Instead, he communicates through a growing collection of notebooks, living in a safer world of his own silent imagining. As David continues to lose his grip on reality and The Kid’s sense of urgency grows, they begin to uncover truths that will force them to confront their deepest fears about each other and the wounded family they are trying desperately to save.

Review:  I received a copy of this e-book courtesy of Leyane Jerejian at FSB Associates. I was intrigued by the blurb of this book. If I was to explain the premise of this book in three words it would be this: everyone grieves differently. The story revolves around a husband and son who lost their wife and mother the previous year. Her death was definitely an unspoken topic in the house. For the husband, who works nights for a company that cleans up the scene after a person has died, he can’t seem to handle what really happened. He doesn’t know how to handle The Kid. You can see this through the elaborate descriptions of his time at work. I’m not sure that Lucy’s death was ever talked about by David after he told his son and co-worker, Bob, about what happened. I think he just blocked it out. At the same time, the reader also gets a peek into the life of Whitley, or The Kid, as he is known throughout the book. The Kid has made a decision to not speak again. He seems to think that by giving up this form of communication, it will bring his mother back to him. He can’t seem to grasp the reality that she is gone. He wants to really believe that she’s just on vacation and that she will be back. I think part of this stems from the fact that he can’t talk to his father about it. This book was definitely unlike anything that I’ve ever read before. But I think it would be a book that would really hit home with anyone who has lost someone close to them. For me, it was the unexpected death of my grandfather when I was 12. He was the first person really close to me that I lost. I remember being absolutely numb. There was never much discussion about it after the funeral. It wasn’t that it was avoided or taboo in my house, it was just that everything was still too raw to talk about it at the time. Fourteen years later we have wonderful memories of him and we talk fondly of him quite a bit, so it’s like I said, everyone grieves differently. This book shows that. I would definitely recommend this book.

3.5/5, A, AUTHOR, Book Review, Nonfiction, RATING, Read in 2011

2011.42 REVIEW – William and Kate: A Royal Love Story by Christopher Andersen

Tara

William and Kate: A Royal Love Story
by Christopher Andersen

Copyright: 2011
Pages: 301
Rating: 3.5/5
Read: Aug 6 – Aug. 10, 2011
Challenge: No challenge
Yearly Count: 42
Format: Print
Source: Library Book

Blurb: Theirs was destined from the start to be one of the most celebrated unions of the twenty-first century: he, the charismatic prince who would someday be crowned king of England; she, the stunningly beautiful commoner who won his heart. Prince William and Kate Middleton defied all odds to forge a storybook romance amid the scandals, power struggles, tragedies, and general dysfunction that are the hallmarks of Britain’s Royal Family. In the process, they became the most written about, gossiped about, admired, and envied young couple of their generation. Yet for most of their nearly decade-long affair, William and Kate have remained famously quiet and kept their royal relationship a tantalizing mystery. For many, William and Kate’s union represents an opportunity to recapture the magic – the compelling and complicated legacy – of his beloved mother Diana, Princess of Wales. Part glittering fairy tale, part searing family drama, part political potboiler, part heart-stopping cliff-hanger, theirs is, above all else, an affair to remember.

Review: I got this one from the library on a whim. I have read two previous Christopher Andersen books about the royal family – After Diana and Diana’s Boys. To be completely honest, I was a little disappointed with this book. First of all, it started out great. I loved reading a little bit of background about William and Kate as they grew up. As the book continued on to the part where they met at St. Andrew’s the book continued to fascinate me. Then there was a very long section that goes into detail about William and Harry’s military careers. I understand that to a degree this is an important part of the story – but it was a little on the boring side. I found myself wanting to skip over entire paragraphs, actually the entire chapter. The actual information about the engagement announcement was whittled down to a few pages. There was no mention about the wedding itself. And then I found out that this book had actually come out before the wedding!  That explained a lot of things, why the ending was rushed, why there was so much build up with very little fanfare at the end. Most of the information that was in the first three-quarters of the book could have been written 3 years ago with a small chapter about the engagement coming right on the heels of the official announcement. I don’t know that this is how it happened, but after reading the book and realizing what the publication date was, it made me wonder. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t really what I was looking for, I suppose.