Mark Stevens's Blog, page 12
February 8, 2023
James Kestrel, “Five Decembers”
Settle in, it’s a long ride. Briskly told, no question, but Five Decembers is in no rush. That’s part of the charm. The story is epic. It’s adventurous. The story zooms in on the details of one private detective’s life … Continue reading →
January 24, 2023
Margo Price, “Maybe We’ll Make It”
I got nothing to prove, I got nothing to sellI’m not buying what you’ve got, I ain’t ringing no bellsI got a mint in my pocket, got a bullet in my teethI’m going straight in the fire, I’m gonna talk … Continue reading →
January 13, 2023
Jonathan Evison, “Lawn Boy”
Consider this: “After all most of us are mowing someone else’s lawn one way or another, and most of us can’t afford to travel the world or live in New York City. Most of us feel like the world is … Continue reading →
January 6, 2023
Michael Connelly, “The Dark Hours”
When in doubt, grab a Michael Connelly. So smooth, so steady. And such a calm, unforced style. Story first, style second. Seeking college-educated prose? Seek elsewhere. Oh, is there a pandemic? Connelly smoothly interweaves the issue into the story as deftly … Continue reading →
December 31, 2022
2022: Top Books
Highlights from reading in 2022. The order is irrelevant. These are from titles I read last year, not necessarily published in 2022. NON-FICTION FICTION * With author Q & A
December 20, 2022
Barbara Nickless, “At First Light”
Blood on the Tracks (Sydney Rose Parnell No. 1) was gritty, grounded, terrific. With a dogged railroad cop as lead, and plenty of ghosts haunting Sydney Rose, it’s a novel that bends the genre and follows its own course. Six years … Continue reading →
December 15, 2022
David Mitchell, “Utopia Avenue”
If you like rock and roll, you owe it to yourself to read Utopia Avenue. Because the entire reading experience means you are thinking about music, pondering the lives of musicians, and along the way you’ll get a happy hankering … Continue reading →
December 9, 2022
Q & A # 95 – Karen Odden, “Under A Veiled Moon”
Publisher’s Weekly put it succinctly: “(Karen) Odden never strikes a false note, and she combines a sympathetic lead with a twisty plot grounded in the British politics of the day and peopled with fully fleshed-out characters.” Starred review! I agree. … Continue reading →
December 6, 2022
James W. Ziskin, “Bombay Monsoon”
A review of Bombay Monsoon for the New York Journal of Books.
November 25, 2022
Alan McMonagle, “Ithaca”
“Our town was slap-bang in the middle of the country, miles from anywhere, and built inside a hole made out of a bog, weeds, mulch, and the soggiest soil you might ever see. If that wasn’t bad enough, we were … Continue reading →
