Shawn Callon's Blog, page 2

Fast Paced Thriller

The Overnights: An Ashe Cayne Novel, Book 3 by Ian K. Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Ashe Cayne is an up-market gumshoe who used to be a Chicago police officer but who left the service due to a dispute over an unlawful killing that he witnessed. He mixes with a lot of up-market professionals and agrees to take on a case involving a stunning and very wealthy TV news anchor called Morgan. I must admit I was very suspicious of her from the start and as the story evolves my apprehensions were confirmed. The case leads Cayne into investigating the shooting death of a black man and the unlawful killing of a witness.
The author's style is fast-paced using short chapters and succinct language except for Cayne's internal monologues about the case and his love affairs. There is an abundance of characters who appear from time to time adding complexity to the novel but occasionally I had a problem remembering who some of them were.
Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review.



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Ian K. Smith, M.D.

A gripping story

Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another great story from Gudenkauf that held me my interest from the beginning right up to the end. While not as thrilling as The Overnight Guest, it was very well written and wove two separate plot lines together in a convincing and sympathetic way. A social worker Ellen is overworked with a demanding career, three children and a pleasant but slightly needy husband. We are then introduced to Jenny who has lost her mother and relies heavily on a father who while supportive has constant money and alcohol problems. The author blends these two major characters into a story about two determined females, who while suffering tragedies in their lives, manage to overcome the odds.

I love a lot of the author's descriptions and prose such as this example- "Blindly I make my way out of the unit and wander the halls until I find a public bathroom. I go inside, lock the door behind me, sit on the floor and cry. I do my best to keep my sobs quiet, but they come from a place that I
didn’t know existed and I’m sure the sounds of my cries slip out beneath the door and into the hallway. I cry until there are no more tears, vomit into the toilet, stand on shaky legs, wash my hands and face, step out into the hall."
She has a great knack in describing the inner emotional of the two leading characters.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review.



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Little Mercies

Another mystery from Penny

Glass Houses by Louise Penny

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the thirteenth story in the Gamache Series by Penny. They can all be read individually but the reader will gain more enjoyment by reading her novels in the correct sequence due to the growth and change in the lead characters.
In this book Gamache has been promoted to Chief Superintendent at the Quebec Sûreté. He's still residing in the deceptively peaceful village of Three Pines where his life is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a mysteriously silent figure on the village green. It remains there, standing quietly alert day and night, until a body is discovered whereupon the ominous being disappears.
Here again Penny mixes historical facts with her fiction. She is correct that nothing good can come from this creature's appearance - except of course another intriguing mystery novel that picks up pace as it moves to its conclusion.
Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, published his spouse's review.



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Glass Houses

A big mistake...

The Naive and Sentimental Lover by John le Carré

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This novel is a major diversion from Le Carre's spy genre. It focuses on three main characters over a period of one year - Aldo a well-to-do entrepreneur specializing in the design and manufacture of pram assemblies; Shamus a failed writer who lives off other people; and his beautiful and intelligent spouse Helen who meekly supports Shamus in all of his endeavors. All three live a life of unfettered hedonism, extravagance, lechery, and idleness in England and Paris though Aldo does show from time to time some signs of guilt since he's married and has two sons.
The author's ability with poetic prose shines thru the novel along with flashes of his usual flair for subtle irony but the story rarely progresses beyond introspection, dreams and imagery. There's little if any plot and certainly none of Le Carre's ability for suspense.

I read this book for the first time over 30 years ago and I didn't remember any of it as I read it thru for the second time.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review.



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The Naive and Sentimental Lover

Snapshot of wartime Britain

Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Josie Banks is living in a poor part of London when WW2 breaks out and her life changes forever. Her spouse, Stan, joins the military leaving her without income; she stumbles upon a little Tea Shop run by an old Russian émigré who teaches her about baking, good china tableware and 'manners'.
After the Tea Shop is bombed killing the elderly Russian owner, Josie's home is also hit leaving her trapped under the rubble. This gives her a lifelong dislike of city living and a fear of sirens.
Eventually she is evacuated to the emptiness of the Norfolk countryside where she lodges with a cold, aristocratic Miss Harcourt. Money is still tight and food is scarcer so Josie sets to work planting crops and opening a Tea Shop near a USAF base.
Characters come and go in this story and even return again! The book provides an interesting snapshot of the dangers of wartime in the UK. Plucky, resourceful Josie is a bit much to take at times but the story comes to an enjoyable conclusion.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, published his spouse's review.



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Where the Sky Begins

Opens and Closes with a Bang

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This novel opens and closes with a bang!
Lydia works at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. She has named the lost souls who inhabit the bookstore each day - The BookFrogs. She has a particularly soft spot for young Joey. One fateful night, Joey hangs himself in the bookstore as she is making her closing rounds. To her increased horror she sees a photo of her own tenth birthday party sticking out of his pocket. A picture she didn't even know existed.
As her world implodes, the secrets of her past threaten to overwhelm her.

This is a carefully and thoughtfully written book that explores adult relationships as first seen by a child and re-examined by an adult.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, published his spouse's review.



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Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

What a Place to Work!

Who's Minding the Store by David Lucero

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I never knew that working for a big-box store could be such a minefield. Mind you, I have a good friend who worked for Target years ago who said that the managers were well compensated but that the pressure from upper management to reach daily goals was unrelenting.
But in Lucero's store not only is the executive pressure evident ("the store will probably close if the Memorial Day sales goals aren't achieved, Derrick") but he has to constantly face a litany of problems - tardy staff, staff ignoring phone calls (avoiding issues/work), allegations of improper behavior, poor closing skills, refusing to qualify potential customers, staff refusing to work on a national holiday and senior members of his team plotting his downfall. What a place!
Derrick works late and works hard everyday to make his store a success and his promotion well-earned. He has a sense of humor (thank goodness otherwise he would go crazy) and a very supportive family to help him carry on.
The book ends on a positive note and the reader assumes that all will be well with his career.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review.




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Who's Minding the Store?

Exciting Plot

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Gudenkauf is an Iowa author like me and I really enjoyed this novel. I liked in particular the way she structured the story into three separate plot lines - one part was based in the present day when Wylie found a small child and an adult in a snowstorm who had survived a serious car crash; the second part detailed the murder of two adults and the disappearance of two children some twenty years prior; and the third part written in italic told the story of a mother and her son who were abused by her husband while being imprisoned in their home. The author weaved these three plot lines together The Overnight Guestvery skillfully and brought all the action to a neat conclusion.
I will certainly read more of her work.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review



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The Overnight Guest

Has Gamache really retired??

The Long Way Home by Louise Penny

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Armand Gamache has finally retired and moved to the village of Three Pines. Can he remain retired when his neighbor, artist Clara Morrow, approaches him to ask if he would help her find her husband Peter? They separated one year ago but promised each other to meet up on their anniversary to decide on the future of their marriage. Peter was a no show.
The author brings together the usual cast of characters into a different setting. They follow Peter's journey around the world on a voyage of self-discovery.
Penny has written this novel with her usual eye for detail in every scene. She has an uncanny ability to provide not only the sights of each location but also she brings to life the sounds and smells as well.
I thoroughly recommend this book to readers, who are starting their own journey thru Penny's series, to begin with Still Life and allow all the various stories to grow naturally.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, published his spouse's review.



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The Long Way Home

Supergun

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Another in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. Gamache and his spouse have now moved permanently to the quiet, little township of Three Pines. Gamache is 'retired' and is pondering his options.
In this dark book, a child is murdered, a supergun is found and a sinister, incarcerated mass murderer casts a long shadow over the township.
The novel is an intriguing tale based on the life and death of Gerald Bull. He was a notorious arms dealer who was killed in Brussels, supposedly by Mossad. He was reputed to have built two superguns - Baby Babylon(found and dismantled) and Big Babylon - rumored to be in the forested mountains. He was designing them for Saddam Hussein in the late 1980's.
Some of the characters will probably fascinate and even horrify readers but this book was the least likeable of the series. It certainly moved the character stories forward, poised for their next chapter.

Shawn Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Series, published his spouse's review.



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The Nature of the Beast