Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Book Review)

"When I think of my wife, I always think of her head."

Review: When was the last time you picked up a book and simply could not put it down? It was so good you risked losing sleep and missing your train stop it was so good? The last time I read a book that was like that was probably The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. That was almost a year ago that I read that book.

Anyway, this book right here though!? I can't even begin to tell you how great this was. It's one of those "don't tell your friends..." kind of books because there is a twist and turn at just about every chapter. No, scratch that. There is a twist and turn on every freaking page!

I have to admit that I was even fooled. Oh wait, perhaps I've revealed too much in that statement already? I don't want to give away any spoilers. All I will say is it reminded me about that Lacey Peterson story from way back. We all just knew the husband did it. Remember that? Well, I put you in that mindset of what it's about. Just don't assume anything yet. I simply recommend you read the book!

Normally I shy away from "Bestsellers" if I can. I hate to be one of like several dozen reading the same book. So I decided to wait till the paperback came out. I also decided to add this to my list of must reads right away because the movie, starring Ben Affleck, is due out in October. Whenever possible I prefer to have read the book before I see the movie. I know sometimes that is ill advised. Especially nowadays when movies seem to be straying further and further away from the books they're supposed to be based on, but I can't help it. And it's rear for me to like a movie better than the book so why not enjoy the best parts first right?

I'm not going to say anymore in this review, cause like I said, it's one that can be spoiled even by divulging the slightest of details. I much rather you read it. And for those of you who might be like me, thinking this isn't the book for you cause it's outside of the genre you'd normally read, I want to say I felt the same way as well. For a while I didn't want to read it because thriller novels aren't really something I care for. And while this isn't on the level of Stephen King in terms of scare factor, the suspense is up there. I guarantee you'll be surprised at just how much you'll enjoy reading this and how quickly you'll finish it. So especially to those who think this is not their kind of book I say, take a chance and give it a read. Better yet, let's make this a challenge. I challenge you to read to page 24 and I dare you to stop after that. I bet you won't...

Synopsis: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

420 pages

Broadway Books, 2012 

mystery/thriller/suspense

Read in 4 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

Read of the Town: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

I've got to say I'm still really pissed off that someone within her agents firm let the cat out of the bag about the real identity of the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. I understand why J.K. Rowling did it. There's been a lot of question about whether or not she was the real author of the famed Harry Potter series? Could she write another blockbuster? Then she wrote The Casual Vacancy, meant for adults, and while it did sell in the millions, was it because it was a great book and she is a great writer who was able to do what very few authors have been able to do: cross platforms from children/YA to adult genres? Or was that book an instant success because of the name of the author attached to it? She simply wanted to find out for herself...

So now unless she has yet ANOTHER idea and can come up with yet ANOTHER pseudonym she may never know. In fact I hear she has stopped being as angry as I still am (one year later) and has opened up about where the name came from and things like that. I think that's great that, in theory, she has let go of the anger. But I'm sure in the back of her mind she will always wonder and now will never know...

Anyway, this book, The Silkworm is the second in what I believe will be an ongoing series about an aging detective Cormoran Strike. I did buy the first novel, although I have not gotten around to read it as of yet, and I intend on purchasing this one as well. I simply can't leave an intended series incomplete!

Synopsis:

Private investigator Cormoran Strike returns in a new mystery from Robert Galbraith, author of the #1 international bestseller The Cuckoo's Calling.

 

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days--as he has done before--and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives--meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before...

A compulsively readable crime novel with twists at every turn, THE SILKWORM is the second in the highly acclaimed series featuring Cormoran Strike and his determined young assistant, Robin Ellacott.

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (Book Review)

"The train tore along with an angry, irregular rhythm."

Review: What an amazingly well written, spellbinding, rollercoaster ride of a book! And for all the reasons I usually end up not liking a movie that is based on a book too!

Usually I try to read a book before I see the movie. So far my record is heavily sided with reading the book first, but if it's a classic such as Strangers on a Train, it bound to happen that I've seen the movie first. The same thing happened with To Kill a Mockingbird, but I'm digressing. Going back to this book, let me start by saying, except for the title and character names the book and movie are polar opposites! Oh, and the starting plot, such as the discussion that takes place between the "strangers" on the train (see what I did there?) is the same. And I think it's because of the liberties (or lack thereof) that Alfred Hitchcock took in directing Strangers on a Train, that I can love both equally and appreciate them separately without taking anything away from each other.

As you all may know, this is was a collaborative read between myself and Alaina. And because she has recently undertaken reading the hefty Game of Thrones as a collaborative effort with another college friend of ours, it might be a while before we endeavor to do another. Although I will say, her pick was so awesome this go-round that I'm inclined to entrust her with the next pick! With the caveat that William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back obviously be among one that we do soon!

After discussing our favorite Hitchcock films we promptly began dissecting the novel thusly:

@NYCBookWorm84 Um, the major flaw being himself?? #TheCollaborators
— Alaina Patterson (@WillBeFunOrElse) May 1, 2014

No matter how you look at it, this book is an excellent guide on what could be the perfect crime of murder. Provided one of the two parties involved is not a complete and total schizo! I think Alaina would agree with me there?

@NYCBookWorm84 He was so obsessed with Guy that he endangered the both of them. #TheCollaborators
— Alaina Patterson (@WillBeFunOrElse) May 1, 2014

We seemed to have very little to say about the women in the book, of which there were four of! See, the main point to this suspense novel is that Bruno (the schizo) dreams of killing his father. He has come up with the perfect way of doing it where no one will get caught. How, you might ask? Simple. He'll meet a complete stranger, say, on a train. This stranger will, like Bruno, have someone in his life that, if they were eliminated, would make his life better. That's where Guy comes in. He's got a wife who also happens to enjoy fooling around on him, but won't divorce him. Guy wants the divorce so that he may marry Anne, a woman he actually loves and cares for deeply, and who, unlike Miriam, isn't sleeping around on him. The other two women are the mothers' of each of our main characters.

Bruno's mom, to me, seemed to have a sort of Norma & Norman Bates kind of relationship going on. I always felt like there was something just not right with that mother-son dynamic. Then there was Guy's mother, who is there for her son, caring, nurturing, but more of a mother than a best friend.

Of course there's a bit more to the story, but the whole idea is what happens inwardly to both Guy and Bruno after murder is committed. To make one more analogy, that I just thought of now, Bruno reminds me of that dude in The Tell Tale Heart and how he would have behaved if that short story dragged out much longer.

This is the kind of book that should be used in some creative writing college course. Analyzed and torn apart for self-reflection. I think I would have enjoyed comparing Guy and Bruno as some sort of thesis.

Synopsis: With the acclaim for The Talented Mr. Ripley, more film projects in production, and two biographies forthcoming, expatriate legend Patricia Highsmith would be shocked to see that she has finally arrived in her homeland. Throughout her career, Highsmith brought a keen literary eye and a genius for plumbing the psychopathic mind to more than thirty works of fiction, unparalleled in their placid deviousness and sardonic humor. With deadpan accuracy, she delighted in creating true sociopaths in the guise of the everyday man or woman. Now, one of her finest works is again in print: Strangers on a Train, Highsmith's first novel and the source for Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1953 film. With this novel, Highsmith revels in eliciting the unsettling psychological forces that lurk beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life.

Strangers on a Train

by Patricia Highsmith

256 pages

W. W. Norton & Company, 2001

mystery / suspense

Read in 5 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Patricia Highsmith visit her Wikipedia page here.

Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton (Book Review)

"When I learned of Aunt Dimity's death, I was stunned. Not because she was dead, but because I had never known she'd been alive."

Review: I have a small collection of what I like to call my "Penny Mysteries" which this book would easily fall into. It's my assortment of Mass Paperback books that usually are under 300 pages in length and have titles that are distinctive to the subject matter at hand. Some of them might deal with a main character who works at a restaurant/diner or some sort of book shop or button shop. Or some have catchy "murder titles" that will include some sort of pastry word or other identifier to let you know what the mystery is about. In the case of Nancy Atherton, all her books begin with "Aunt Dimity..." and follow with the subject matter. I must always begin a series from the beginning even if it might not matter one way or another. I'm just unique that way.

Aunt Dimity is, as you may have guessed it, an Aunt. And without skipping down to the bottom to read the summary (I put it last for a reason by the way) I can tell you that the series involves our main character, Lori, receiving communications from her dead Aunt Dimity. It is through these communications that she solves mysteries in each book. Quite interesting wouldn't you agree? Well, I suppose you'd have to have an open mind about ghosts and their ability to communicate to us from the other world. In the case of this first book, Aunt Dimity communicates to her niece by making words appear on a notebook that is only visible to her (and the son of the law firm of Willis & Willis).

The mystery isn't exactly as riveting as an Agatha Christie book, but as openers for a long line of books to come, it surely does lay a pretty good foundation. I took a liking to Lori straight away. She is a homely girl who never really had much in terms of possessions so when she finds out this Aunt Dimity actually exists and has included her in her will, it comes as quite a shock to her. See, to Lori, Aunt Dimity was always a main character in a long series of children's stories her mother used to tell her. How was she supposed to know that the person was real and the stories were real to some degree as well?

If you're looking for a quick read this is definitely a great book for that! I look forward to reading the next book in this series; Aunt Dimity & The Duke.

Summary: ...Until the Dickensian law firm of Willis & Willis summons her to a reading of the woman's will. Down-on-her-luck Lori learns she's about to inherit a sizable estate--if she can discover the secret hidden in a treasure trove of letters in Dimity's English country cottage. What begins as a fairy tale becomes a mystery--and a ghost story--in an improbably cozy setting, as Aunt Dimity's indomitable spirit leads Lori on an otherworldly quest to discover how, in this life, true love can conquer all.

Aunt Dimity's Death

by Nancy Atherton

256 pages

Penguin Books, 1993

mystery / fiction

Read in 3 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

 To learn more about Aunt Dimity, visit her website here.

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz (Book Review)

Brother Odd

An Odd Thomas Novel, #3

by Dean Koontz

430 pages

Bantam Books, 2012

thriller / mystery

Finished in 10 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

"Embraced by stone, steeped in silence, I sat at the high window as the third day of the week surrendered to the fourth."

Review: Took me longer than I had anticipated to read this third book in the Odd Thomas Series, but it was well worth the extra time. At 430 pages Dean Koontz does NOT disappoint. If you've followed my other two reviews for the first two books at all? Or you're just joining me now for the first time and deciding on whether or not this is a series worth picking up? Allow me to do a quick overview on who exactly Odd Thomas is...

He's just an average former fry cook who makes a mean stack of pancakes and he can also see/communicate with dead people. He's definitely not someone you meet every day and if he were, with a name like his, you'd remember it. I don't want to spoil too much about who he is because it would be telling you cliff hangers and surprise endings to this last two books, but one thing I love about him is how Elvis Presley is one of the ghosts that stays with him and his desire to help Elvis cross over at some point. I fear I've said too much already! Moving on...

In this third book Odd moves to a monostary because after Forever Odd he needed some alone time and what better place than with Monks and Nuns. But aside from them, there are also children with various levels of severe mental and physical challenges. And of course you know, wherever Odd is, danger and oddities are sure to follow him. He becomes aware of this when he sees the first few Bodachs arrive at St. Bartholemew's church. Bodach's are a name he created for these formless, Godless, black creatures that he sees in large numbers just before something really bad is about to happen to a lot of people, namely death, in the most horrific of ways.

It's a genuinely good series because it's not just about scaring the pants off of you. It's about much more than that. Getting to know Odd Thomas and see his into his heart and how much he really does care about those around him, dead or alive, and just wants to help them all by using the abilities he was given. Like most of us, he didn't have an easy growing up but he's not using that as an excuse to not be great at whatever he can do. It's a story of hope and he's a character anyone could and probably should admire.

Summary: Loop me in, odd one. The words, spoken in the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her. For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love. In the haunted halls of the isolated monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an infinitely darker nature.

As he steadfastly journeys toward his mysterious destiny, Odd Thomas has established himself as one of the most beloved and unique fictional heroes of our time. Now, wielding all the power and magic of a master storyteller at the pinnacle of his craft, Dean Koontz follows Odd into a singular new world where he hopes to make a fresh beginning—but where he will meet an adversary as old and inexorable as time itself.

To learn more about Dean Koontz visit his site here.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (Book Review)

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

by Agatha Christie

286 pages

William Morrow, 2011

mystery

Finished in 7 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

 

"Mrs. Ferrars died on the night of the 16th-17th September --a Thursday."

 

Review: As you all might be familiar with my process (I've done this twice before already: Mysterious Affair at Styles & Murder on the Links), I have seen the BBC production of this book starring the amazing David Suchet as Poirot. Let me begin by saying this filmed adaptation cannot compare to the book. I'm even more disappointed than I have been with the other books vs filming reviews!

I hardly know where to begin! Well, without giving away anything vital about the book I should mention it's narrated by the doctor. The film took a rather different approach to the telling of this AMAZING novel by having Poirot narrate from the journal of the doctor. At that point I knew this was not going to bode well at all. My nerves quickly shot through the roof when I discovered two intrigle characters from the book were taken out completely AND one was added to the film that took away from the mystery entirely.

Ah, the mystery...Truly a classic one like any other mystery. Man is killed, stabbed in the neck by a small dagger. The classic whodunit scenario where a house is full of guests, all of whom have motive and opportunity to kill the dead man (aka Roger Ackroyd) and all of whom have secrets they are trying to keep from the police, especially Hercule Poirot. But his little grey cells are working overtime on this case. No secret is hidden away from him.

Again, no spoilers here but I will say from the standpoint of the book it is important that the doctor is the narrator, also that he is such because he is taking the place of what Hastings used to be to Poirot before he left to live a normal life with a wife. Hastings was Watson to Poirot's Holmes. In the two novels I read earlier, Hastings is the narrator. For this novel especially that is an important part that should not have been tampered with.

I also didn't like the small role the sister of the doctor played, especially considering the actress who portrayed her. If you should ever find yourself watching this David Suchet episode (Series 7, Episode 1) it's Selina Cadell, more commonly known for her role in Doc Martin as Mrs. Tishell. Anyway, she deserved a larger role like in the book.

But that's all I'm going to say about the film that was a great disappointment. Let me, instead, talk about this murder mystery that was recently voted the best crime novel ever by the Crime Writer's Association (CWA). The best whodunit writer was also voted the best crime writer ever. 

I've said it before and I'll KEEP saying it, you've GOT to read an Agatha Christie novel!

 

Summary: This novel, written in 1927, is considered the best and most successful of the early mysteries. It met with no small outrage when it appeared, as it uses a plot device many readers thought "unfair." There is a full complement of characters populating the cozy English village of King's Abbot: Major Blunt, Colonel Carter, Miss Gannett, the butler, the housekeeper, the narrator, Dr. Sheppard, and his know-it-all sister (the precursor of Miss Marple, according to Christie), and, of course, the redoubtable Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells. There are clues with a capital C to mislead us, and the listener gets so involved with these red herrings (or not) that the very simple truth eludes the puzzler.

 

To learn more about Agatha Christie, visit her site here.

NaNoWriMo Update! (Week 1)

I've set out to write a novel. But much more than that, I've set out to FINISH a novel. This would be a HUGE step for me since I've never actually finished any novel that I've started. By my count I've started 3 novels. None of them I really felt were worth finishing and never really held my interest. This year is different. This year WILL be different.

I discovered my problem with writing a novel is my lack of discipline so that is my "CODE WORD OF THE WEEK"! Say it with a loud bellowing voice and it will sound MUCH cooler than it reads.

So, "discipline" when it comes to writing is pretty simple. Training your mind and your schedule around specific times when writing must take place without any distraction whether from outer or inner forces. For someone who has a lot on her mind and a lot going on every single day this is not an easy thing to do. And, it's not like writing a novel is something I've been doing for the last decade or so. In fact, the last "short story" I wrote was almost 2 decades ago! Gosh I'm old! Anyway, so here I am, 7 months away from turning 30 and wanting terribly to write a novel, even if no one but myself and close friends reads it.

As you all might know I never go small with anything I try for the first official time. So, I created a character whose background is way too big and complex for just one book! Her name is Sterling Addams. She is loosely based on a close personal friend of mine (who shall forever remain nameless) who graciously gave me permission to imagine her likeness and personality when I write Sterling's character. Don't try to guess who it is, you never will, and it's not all that important. What is important is the what and the when of this series I've created.

Sterling Addams lives in New York City. She was born in 1962 and if you've ever heard stories of NYC in the 70's you'll understand why the NYPD took it upon themselves to create TD13, Transit District 13. It is a small group of highly skilled police officers whose sole job it is to keep the subway system running as smoothly as possible. This entails solving all crimes as well as preventing them. They also have to make sure no one reports about it to the greater metropolitan area above ground. I start her story in the year 1988. It's not the first case she's assisted TD13 with but I figured it's a great time to delve into a case and allow the main characters to tell a little bit about who they are, how they met, and why they are a part of TD13, essentially devoting their lives to living underground?

Discipline has not been factoring well into my plans however. In an ideal world I should be over 12,000 words into my novel by now. Last night I just barely crossed the 5,000 word mark. With every day I don't make my goal I get more and more discouraged which pushes me further and further behind. The NaNoWriMo stats tells me at this pace I'll be lucky if I reach the 50,000 word goal by January 21st, 2014! I don't give up so easily. It can be done! SO, I write a little at work and every night when I get home from work I will be devoting 2 solid uninterrupted hours to writing. If I find myself on a role of course I'll just keep writing.

Words of encouragement are welcome!

Oh, and one more thing...tomorrow NaNoWriMo is hosting a "Writing Marathon" and I wish I could participate. Unfortunately, I have church obligations all morning into the afternoon, then my monthly family get together is taking place in my apartment immediately after church where I'll be the hostess. So depending on when they all leave and I finish cleaning up I might not be able to participate till after 8pm/ET and that's only if I'm not absolutely exhausted from everything I'll be doing! BUT, after church on Sunday I'll be putting my strict "Discipline Plan" into action!

The Writer....er....Reader in Me?? *NaNoWriMo Again*

I have a confession to make: I've been writing!

And not poetry writing or grocery list writing or whatever people write when they put pen to paper, but serious outline driven, dialogue moving, character building type writing. Why? Well why on Earth not?! In the last 2 years I've already read over 80 books. Now I know for you hardcore book bloggers you can read that many books in 6 months or less without breaking a sweat but for me that is a pretty big feat. I am proud of that accomplishment and I'm already on track for having read over 100 books in just 2 years. Excuse me while I give myself a few pats on the back. *brief pause*

I hope you gave yourself a pat on the back as well for suffering through this blog post AND for reading even more books than I could ever imagine. Now that I've got my reading accomplishments out of the way and under control I thought it was high time I did the one thing I've always been so afraid to do: write a novel. And I will say I'm writing it more for myself than for the purposes of publishing it and seeing it on a shelf in a book store...NOT! I mean duh, who wouldn't want to know their book is on a shelf somewhere collecting dust?

For several decades (I find it sad that I'm old enough to use the word "decade" now) I have had dozens of truly wonderful ideas for a novel but never enough patience, courage, or belief in myself that I could follow through and finish. But something happens to you when you hit that "age" and you look back and wonder what have you done with your life. I read all these books by authors younger than myself and I can't help but think, "that could be me." And FINALLY the light bulb went off! I realized, YES that could and should be me! So here I am, days away from participating in an event that will very well be the start of something great.

That event is NaNoWriMo. I've written about it already, where I give a brief synopsis on what I plan on writing. I encourage you to check it out. This post is just a primer of my life up to this point. A life where I honestly felt I was only as good as the books I read not the words I write. So to everyone who knows how good a writer I am (even though I am VERY secretive with my writing outside of my blog) and have been waiting almost as long as I have for that moment when I can say, "it's finished," the time has come!

I have a determination like never before to write 50,000 words and to see my book on a shelf, even if that shelf is just my own here in my bedroom. The fun will not be found in how I got started or how it ends but in the journey I took along the way.

Welcome to the creation of Sterling Addams... Welcome to my journey...

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (Book Review)

The Murder on the Links

by Agatha Christie

249 pages

William Morrow, 2011 (1923)

fiction / mystery

Finished in 2 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

"I believe that a well-known anecdote exists to the effect that a young writer, determined to make the commencement of his story forcible and original enough to catch and rivet the attention of the most blase of editors, penned the following sentence:

" 'Hell!' said the Duchess." "

Review: Immediately after finishing this book I watched the David Suchet BBC version. Let me start by saying that the televised version fell flat and short of the book, as I would expect. What harm would it have done to stay authentic to the characters, clues, and even the ending of the book? But let me move on...

This mystery is the second one Agatha Christie wrote about Hercule Poirot and his assistant Captain Hastings. Poirot is a Belgian detective who considers himself to be the best in the world. Well, in this case he meets his match with Giraud who considers HIMSELF to be the best. Instantly the competing begins between the two of them. All the while Hasings has fallen in love with a woman whose name he doesn't know and who just might turn out to be the killer. But he doesn't care. Like all the men in this case, he is willing to risk his life and career for the woman he loves.

This case involves a similar case that went somewhat unresolved 10 years earlier. But nothing gets past Hercule Poirot who keeps his "little grey cells" active at all times in order to solve the murder. I enjoy Agatha Christie's ease with which she is able to lay out the murder, the suspects and the clues all without giving it all away until she/Poirot are ready. 

As with the previous case I was totally fooled until the last 10 pages when all was finally explained sufficiently. That is something else I like, she leaves nothing unexplained or nothing to the readers imagination. Sometimes it's good to clean up any loose ends that may have become exposed during the course of a mystery.

There is little more I need say except you should read at least ONE Agatha Christie book in your lifetime if only to figure out why she is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare!

Summary: An urgent cry for help brings Hercule Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies facedown in a shallow grave on a golf course.

But why is the dead man wearing an overcoat that is too big for him? And for whom was the impassioned love letter in the pocket? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse.…

To learn more about Agatha Christie, visit her site here.

Read of the Town: Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo

Every now and again I'll not only mention books that are constantly being referenced in the news because a movie is being made or it's a sequel of a decades old book, but because a friend might mention it to me, or I see this author/book highlighted on a shelf in a bookstore every time I go. In the case of Harry Hole, it's not the name of a book but the character in a long line of books created by Jo Nesbo. I first became acquainted with the author's name when I'd constantly see the covers of his books on shelves whenever I walked into ANY Barnes & Noble. See below for examples:

Tell me those covers wouldn't catch your eye if you were to walk into a bookstore just to browse around? I've never gotten so intrigued that I've picked up the book to read their descriptions. I've always just logged them in the back of my mind to some day check out the author. Well, the time has come the walrus said...

Jo Nesbo is a Norwegian author who has had his books translated for the UK and thusly (I just made that a word so deal with it!) they have made their way to the US where he's become a fast bestseller. But to know me is to know I won't start a series in the middle I don't care in what order they were being published. Once I see there are other books involved I must do research to make sure I'm starting at the beginning. Low and behold the first book in the series has been translated (and it looks like direct to soft cover) earlier this year:

I actually like this cover. Not as eye catching as the other ones that were released in hardback first in the UK and US but just as good. After some research I can say this book was NOT released first (even though it's the first in the Harry Hole series) because his publishing company felt it would not translate for the UK as readily and easily as the 3 I mentioned above. It isn't until recently (after the immense success of his other books) that his publishing company has decided to translate his earlier Harry Hole books. I guess it was fate that I should pick now to get intrigued. Especially after a Social Networking friend just recently gave this book ★★! Now I gotta read for myself if he's worth it.

I will say I'm a bit apprehensive because many have described him as the next Stieg Larsson who wrote the trilogy which started with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I did buy that book but never actually read it because I got mixed reviews and opinions about it. Seemed like either you loved it or you hated it and those who hated it told me why and they tended to be reasons why I'd place a book on a "dislike and don't bother reading" category. What is that reason? Well maybe after I try this book I'll tell you if it turns out to fall under that umbrella...

Before I forget let me say that Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series is supposed to be about an investigator who solves crimes. Of course that is the VERY condensed and stripped down summary of what the books are about but what more would you need to know? Either you like cop-centric mystery books or you don't. I do enjoy a good mystery and I'm willing to try anything new.

His second book (going in his intended order of course) is called The Cockroaches which in this case the title intrigues me. This one will not be translated and released until February 4th, 2014 so I should have plenty of time to add The Bat to my already LONG (and scheduled) list of TBR's for the remainder of this year.

Amazon Exclusive: An Essay by Jo Nesbø on Harry Hole

It is not easy to summarize the protagonist of the series in a few words, but here are some features of Harry’s personality that are important to me when I write about him: he’s the type of guy who is driven by his good side as well as his darker side. At times he believes in his role as law enforcer, at other times he doesn’t. And occasionally he is so gripped by his emotions that they overwhelm his basic belief in the principles of a state governed by law. He hunts down criminals with such an intense hatred and finds revenge so hard to resist that at times he could be mistaken for the antagonists he is fighting. But at the same time he can feel empathy for, perhaps even a kinship with, the lawbreaker. Harry Hole is a hero with pronounced weaknesses. All interesting heroes have an Achilles heel, and in Harry’s case, it is alcohol.

Harry feels something akin to what the serial killer feels, the same tension and excitement, when he approaches a victim and the same anti-climax after the killer is caught. It is Harry’s ambition to understand both love and evil. He is a passionate guy in all ways. And he is the type of man who has difficulties controlling his impulses. The fact that he cannot set limits permeates his drinking habits and his attitude to his job. He takes on cases and is swallowed up by them. It is the same with his relationships with women. I could have chosen to make Harry and Rakel live happily ever after and have children, but then we have a completely different person. I like the fact that he is in transit in his own life, as far as his emotions and his job are concerned. I'm often asked how much Harry and I have in common. I won't answer that in detail, but when you make a person a hero, as a writer you are bound to have at least a basic set of values, a goal, a need or a longing that you can relate to.

To learn more about Jo Nesbo, his character Harry Hole, and the 11 books (10 featuring Harry Hole) he's written thus far, go to his website here.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Book Review)

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

by Agatha Christie

215/247 pages

William Morrow, 2012 (1920)

mystery / fiction

Finished in 5 days

Rating: ★★★

Amazon | B&N

"The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as "The Styles Case" has now somewhat subsided."

Review: By no means is this the first Agatha Christie book I've ever read. In fact, the first one I read was "And Then There Were None." Mostly because I had seen the movie (several movie versions actually) and became interested in the book behind all it. I'm fickle when it comes to reading books where I know there is some sort of order or sequence of events (no matter how inconsequential they may be) so I knew I would have to read her Hercule Poirot series in order. But I'm not reading them in order of their publication, I am reading them in the timeline order they're intended to be read.

For starters let me say I first became acquainted with the every popular Hercule Poirot through television. I've seen him portrayed by different men in different ways throughout the years. But like Jeremy Brett is my favorite actor to ever portray Sherlock Holmes, David Suchet is my favorite actor to ever have portrayed Hercule Poirot. I realized right away as I started reading this book that I had never seen this particular case on television. I quickly went to IMDb to find out if my favorite actor ever filmed this particular case? Turns out he had. And while the idea of comparing the television show to the book does intrigue me, for now, I will refrain from that approach and try to simply stick to the guts of the book.

The mystery here is a pretty simple one: old rich lady marry's younger man. Her children and surrounding friends who all seem to be after her vast fortune fear he married her for the money and they will lose out. Of course, she ends up murdered, by poison. Who did it? Why?

Seems simple enough right? Wrong! To start, the book is told from the point of view of Hastings (last name) who is somewhat of a friend of Poirot's. I know from watching the show that Hastings eventually works for/with Poirot in solving many cases but for the purpose of this being the very first introduction of Poirot to her readership, Agatha Christie chose to make their first meeting a matter of being in the same place at the same time. Poirot had to flee his native Belgium due to issues taking place there. He happens to be staying in a cottage supplied, free of charge, by the very woman who is poisoned. Of course he feels a sense of duty to discover who would want to kill her and why.

There is a large cast of characters (suspects), including two sons, one with a wife, the other single. There's her younger husband of course. Also, there's her secretary, a young lady she took in and decided to take care of, a doctor friend, two maids and a gardener. Any one of them could be the killer. The immediate family have the largest motive though, her money. I like mysteries like this where clues are given here and there and the option of figuring it out on your own is there because the case isn't solved, by Hercule Poirot, till the very end.

He's the kind of guy who likes to round up the usual suspects and put them all together in a room while he begins to cleverly tell the story of the crime and how the killer went about committing it until the very end when he reveals where/when he/she made their mistake, thereby giving Hercule Poirot the answer. I won't spoil for you how this ended because there would be way too much back story to then tell of each character involved. Instead I will say I think this is the only one I can recall where Poirot tells the entire crime and who did it from within a courtroom. You may not find that interesting but I do coming as someone who knows that's usually not his scene. Perhaps this is Agatha Christie just getting warmed up?

Summary: The first Hercule Poirot mystery, now published for the first time with a previously deleted scene and commentary from Agatha Christie expert John Curran.

This is the Agatha Christie book that started it all—the sublime introduction of her master sleuth, Hercule Poirot, and his now legendary powers of detection. Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorp and how did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? Suspects abound in the quaint village of Styles St. Mary—from the heiress's fawning new husband to her two stepsons, her volatile housekeeper, and a pretty nurse who works in a hospital dispensary. Making his unforgettable debut, the brilliant Belgian detective is on the case.

To learn more about Agatha Christie and her Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot visit here.

Forever Odd by Dean Koontz (Book Review)

Forever Odd

An Odd Thomas Novel #2

by Dean Koontz

364 pages

Bantam Books, 2005

fiction/suspense/thriller/mystery

Read in 5 days

My Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon.com | BN.com

"Waking I heard a warm wind strumming the loose screen at the open window, and I thought Stormy, but it was not."

Review: I know I'm gay and all, but can I still harbor a secret crush on Odd Thomas? I think he wouldn't mind since he's hopelessly devoted to Stormy, his fiancé. There's more to her story but I won't ruin it for you. I just hope you've read Odd Thomas before daring to read this book. Of course you don't have to. The mark of an excellent author seeking to carry a character through many books, is that he can move the new story forward, all the while reminding you of little nuances from the previous book(s). Dean Koontz is a master of that. He's also a master of suspense and throwing curves you don't realize until you've read the words and your face starts to scrunch up in disgust at what you JUST read! Yeah, that's happened to me once or twice while reading this book for sure.

The difference here is the mystery starts almost immediately. No need in laying the ground work here on who Odd is or what his ability is or any of that back story. By the end of the first chapter you are well aware of the danger and that Odd will most assuredly be headed in its very direction. Aside from his ability to see the dead who are lingering in this world, not able to move on, he is also able to assist some of them to make that move to the other side. Elvis Presley is his most talked about ghost that visits him often. In the case of this book though, Odd has to rescue a very dear friend of his who he considers like a brother. He has this brittle bone disease that reminds me of the movie Unbreakable. I think the character in this book and the one Samuel L. Jackson plays in that M. Knight movie have the same, or similar, bone disease. Anyway, some psycho woman preys on Danny (Odd's friend) and his vulnerability when he seeks her out through a "phone sex" hotline. Long story short, this insane woman thinks Odd is some magical, mystical, wizard, communicator and conjurer of the dead. Of course he is NONE of those things. But in her warped mind he's supposed to help her see, communicate, and manipulate ghosts.

Like I said, it's a great read. Quick read too. I almost want to jump right into the third book, Brother Odd, if I didn't have SO many other books on my TBR list that must not be left waiting any longer. I will say though, after finishing this book I now know why the third book is called Brother Odd. But I'll let you read this one and figure that out on your own.

Summary: I see dead people. But then, by God, I do something about it. Odd Thomas never asked for his special ability. He’s just an ordinary guy trying to live a quiet life in the small desert town of Pico Mundo. Yet he feels an obligation to do right by his otherworldly confidants, and that’s why he’s won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death. But when a childhood friend disappears, Odd discovers something worse than a dead body and embarks on a heart-stopping battle of will and wits with an enemy of exceptional cunning. In the hours to come there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope.

You’re invited on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror and transcendence to wonders beyond imagining. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.

To learn more about Dean Koontz, visit his site here.

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz (Book Review)

Odd Thomas

by Dean Koontz

446 pages

Bantam Books, 2012

fiction/suspense/thriller/mystery

Read in 5 days

My Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon.com | BN.com

"My name is Odd Thomas, though in this age when fame is the altar at which most people worship, I am not sure why you should care who I am or that I exist."

Review: I don't think I've ever read a book that made me need a soundtrack playing in the background in order to feel more at ease with the story. This book definitely requires a soundtrack and with that said I should start with who that soundtrack needs to be!

That's right, none other than the King of Rock and Roll himself, Elvis Presley. When you start reading the book you will see what I mean. Anyway, I quickly found myself listening to all his music, even his moody blues and his gospel music as well. I listen to him regardless of the book because he is one of my all time favorite singers and actors (I've seen all his movies) but listening to him while reading about Odd Thomas just seemed right.

But listen to me, I haven't even said anything about the actual story yet! It was gripping and page turning and heart pounding all at once. There was a great pace too. It wasn't like Dean wanted to pack all the suspense in a few pages and that was that. No, instead he gave us about 4 or 5 different climactic points throughout the story. The gist of it all is obviously about a young man by the name of Odd Thomas. This is one instance where you should totally let the name fool you because Odd Thomas is definitely odd to say the least. What is his oddity? He can see dead people. And not in the Sixth Sense kind of Hollywood antics either. This is definitely no M. Knight kind of movie or book whatsoever. 

Odd is a normal kid with a seemingly normal life. He has an amazing girlfriend, a job he enjoys, even if it is just a fry cook, and friends who understand him as well as accept him. His gift, while not usual for most people, is one that he does not take lightly. If he is called upon to assist someone who comes to him for help then he does it, so what if that person needing help happens to be dead. Odd Thomas is a do-gooder. Possibly because he had quite a terrible childhood that no child should ever have to face. 

In this first installment of a series of Odd Thomas novel we are introduced to those who know of his gift at different levels and we are also introduced to him and how exactly it works. Along the way of solving a mystery where many could possibly die we get to peel back some layers to the mysterious life of Odd Thomas and how he got to be where he is today.

I find it interesting that he is visited by Elvis Presley (quite frequently actually) who finds joy and pain in his own music whenever he hears it. Don't believe me? Well read the book and see if I'm lying. I dare you!

Summary: "The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn." "Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different." "A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15." "Today is August 15." In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares - and a testament by which to live sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.

To learn more about Dean Koontz visit his site here.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (Book Review)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

A Flavia de Luce Novel

by Alan Bradley

370 pages

Bantam Books, 2009

fiction

Read in 6 days

Another Review...

My Rating: ★★★★

Amazon.com | BN.com

"It was as black in the closet as old blood."

Review: As mysteries go, I read authors such as Jonathan Kellerman & Sue Grafton. If I want to go into truly classic mystery writers I have read Agatha Christie & Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But never have I come across a character like Flavia who I truly enjoyed getting to know. She is a young lady who you wouldn't think should be solving a murder faster than the police but her mind is quick on its feet and her way of putting clues together is simple enough for the reader to follow yet complex enough to actually make sense! Aside from the mystery she must solve in order to vindicate her father who is accused of the murder, she also has to contend with her older sisters who are, for lack of better words, flaky and immature.

Her humor and wit is rather mature for her age but that never came as a surprise to me seeing as she loves to read and is fascinated by the mysterious, especially things of a chemical and poisonous variety.

As I've said, the mystery is easy to follow and paced well. I do hate a mystery that takes forever to get to the meat and bones of it! I look forward to continuing to read the other books in this ongoing series. And IF it should ever be made into a televised mystery series I think the BBC would definitely have a hit on their hands! ::hint hint::

Summary: It is the summer of 1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath.

For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

To learn more about Alan Bradley, visit his website here.

The Sherlock Holmes Handbook by Ransom Riggs (Book Review)

The Sherlock Holmes Handbook

by Ransom Riggs

203 pages

Quirk Books, 2009

fiction

Read in 2 days

Another Review...

My Rating: ★★★

Amazon.com | BN.com

"The mere fact that you are holding this book allows one to make a number of elementary deductions concerning your disposition: that you nurture an interest in criminals and criminality; that you are at least passingly learned in the literary arts; and, like so many others, that you wish to cast a little light upon (and even emulate) Holmes's almost preternatural genius for reasoning backward from the thinnest of observed effects to uncannily accurate causes."

Review: Probably one of the most comprehensive books I've ever read on Sherlock Holmes. Granted it's the first I've ever read that was about him the character. I find his persona very intriguing, especially when coupled with the various ways he has been portrayed on television throughout the years. Just for fun (and because I'm sure Ransom Riggs wouldn't mind) here are a few photographic examples:

Jeremy Brett

Basil Rathbone

Benedict Cumberbatch (PBS)

Robert Downey Jr. (movie)

Now that I've introduced you briefly to some of the best known actors who've portrayed Sherlock Holmes at one time or another, let me get on with this book. It's not exactly one that needs to be read from cover to cover on the first go through. It's more of a "handbook" hence it's title.

As I said in the beginning, it's very comprehensive in it's details. If you've never read any of the Sherlock Holmes stories you will find yourself a bit lost because of the attention to detail. Ransom does lay out an exceptional blueprint to success. It's so detailed and factual I actually believed I could be Sherlock Holmes and solve crimes as easily as he does.

If you've ever wanted to know how he is able to deduce and decipher with such ease, then reading this book would be an excellent start. I'd almost say this book can be a reference that I'll find myself going back to whenever I venture to reread Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of mystery and suspense.

Summary: “My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know.”

This reader’s companion to the casework of Sherlock Holmes explores the methodology of the world’s most famous consulting detective. From analyzing fingerprints and decoding ciphers to creating disguises and faking one’s own death, readers will learn how Holmes solved his most celebrated cases—plus an arsenal of modern techniques available to today’s armchair sleuths. Along the way, readers will discover a host of trivia about the master detective and his universe: Why did Holmes never marry? How was the real Scotland Yard organized? Was cocaine really legal back then? And why were the British so terrified of Australia? Full of fascinating how-to skills and evocative illustrations, The Sherlock Holmes Handbook will appeal to Baker Street Irregulars of all ages.

If you want to learn more about Ransom Riggs, please visit this site.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (Book Review)

The Bad Beginning
A Series of Unfortunate Events #1
by Lemony Snicket

162 pages
HarperCollins, 1999
gothic fiction/absurdist fiction/steampunk/mystery
Read in 1 day

My Rating: ★★★★

Amazon.com / BN.com

"If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book."

Review: I read this book in two hours flat. That should tell you how easy a read it is. But don't let the fact that most sites will say it's for ages 10+, in fact, the vocabulary is quite advanced. It was helpful that along the way Lemony Snicket would define those harder words and phrases for the reader.

If you've seen the movie, where Jim Carrey portrays Count Olaf, then reading this book will become even faster for you. I saw the characters in my head as I read along. In most cases I don't find it helpful or I try to read the books before watching the movie. Seeing as how it has been many years since I've seen the movie and I've only seen it once, I felt there was no harm done.

The story is a simple one, seeing as it's for children mostly, I think it ought to be. There are these three children, two who are 14 and 12, while the other is just an infant. All of them are very intelligent for their age, raised by two loving parents. Unfortunately they are met with one unfortunate event after another in their very young lives. It all starts when both of their parents die in a house fire. Now, this series is 13 books in total and each one gets a bit longer in length, like the Harry Potter series. This book just covers their encounter with a distant relative who is given guardianship over the children because of his proximity. Of course all he wants is the fortune that the Baudelaire parents left behind. Only hiccup is, it will go to the oldest child, Violet, when she turns 18. The Count can't wait that long so he cooks up a scheme on how to get his hand on the money.

I would've loved my mom reading this to me when I was younger like she did with so many other great books. As I was reading it I found myself getting animated with the dialog. If you have children I recommend reading this to them. And if you don't, try reading it out loud to yourself. You'll find you're reading it very fast and enjoying it all the more along the way.

Synopsis: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky.

In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odour.

In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy.

Dear Reader,

The book you are holding in your hands is a short-lived edition of a book that will likely make your life shorter as well. The tale of three Baudelaire children, who find themselves thrown into an unhappy situation containing a treacherous villain with an evil scheme and bad manners, becomes more and more dreadful on each page, and everyone so foolhardy as to read it will find themselves weeping and moaning by the end of the book.

This book is offered at an introductory price, but it introduces the reader to such unpleasantries as a disastrous fire, itchy clothing, a baby trapped in a cage, a plot to steal an enormous fortune, and dusty curtains.

I made a solemn promise to write down these wretched tales, but you have no such promise, and if I were you I would put down a book this terrible, no matter how reasonably priced.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

To learn more about Lemony Snicket, please visit his site.

Overstuffed Bookshelf Challenge

Mind Over Murder by Allison Kingsley (Book Review)

Mind Over Murder

by Allison Kingsley

262 pages

The Berkeley Publishing Group, September 2011

crime/mystery

Read in 5 days

My Rating: ★★★1/2

Another Review...

"Stephanie Quinn Dowd you've got to be kidding!"
First Line 

My Review: I don't normally read "penny mysteries" but whenever a title captures my attention I am willing to give it a try. A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery hooked me from the beginning. I never realized the world I'd be entering of all the female mystery writers there are who've written various series. Some with titles including dessert, food, buttons, or in this case (and others) books/bookstore.

Aside from Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, & Jonathan Kellerman I've never read a mystery series until now. I'm glad I started. What I consider a good mystery is one that either keeps me guessing all the way until the end or one that allows me to feel like I'm picking up vital clues along the way with the main character. Clara Quinn and her cousin Stephanie Quinn, who owns the Ravens Nest bookstore, are the main characters. They get involved in solving a murder in order to clear the name of an employee of Stephanie's. The idea comes about because Clara has a family gift known as Quinn Sense where she is able to detect if someone is lying to her, among other things. That is my only issue with the premise of the book. I realize Clara having Quinn Sense is what will keep these books going but I feel it's just as good without it.

Did young and naive Molly kill Ana, the woman who was despised by almost everyone in town for one reason or the other? It's just her misfortune that she lives in a small town where a harmless argument is known (and heard) by all, so when Ana turns up dead in the Raven's Nest its obvious to everyone who did it.

I would have appreciated one more murder or a bit more danger but seeing as this is a town similar to that of Cabot Cove, ME I was satisfied with what I got. If you don't know why I mentioned Cabot Cove, it's referencing the Murder, She Wrote series and where most of the stories took place. A small town with nosey neighbors and gossipers, with the occasional murder. If there were to be more than one each time the town would quickly be nonexistent.

If you're looking for a quick read that will keep you guessing and interested until the very last page, this is a good choice. And if you think this is the last time we'll have Clara and Stephanie solving a crime, "Don't bet on it."

Synopsis: Cousins and best friends, Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven's Nest Bookstore, where people go to find their most coveted reads. But they have no idea it's the psychically-gifted Clara who's reading them...

The bookstore has made an enemy of the town crier, Ana Jordon, who claims that the store's occult collection is "poisoning" the town's youth. Meanwhile, the store's number-one employee, Molly, has made no secret of her anger over Ana's antics. So when Ana is found dead, killed by the bust of Edgar Allen Poe sculpted by Molly, the evidence is stacked against her. And Clara must rely on her gift to make sense of this senseless murder...