Michael A. Draper's Blog, page 27
October 18, 2013
A Ferry nice mystery
"The Sound and the Furry" is a new mystery with private investigator Bernie Little and his intelligent canine partner, Chet.The story is set in the bayou area of Louisiana. Bernie is asked to find the missing brother of a man he, Bernie, helped put in jail. The brother is as straight as an arrow. He's the one good thing in the mixed-up family but now he's missing and the family fears the worst.
When Bernie and his partner arrive in this town outside of New Orleans, we also find that there is a type of clan war between that family and another which dates back to the Civil War or before.
This is a closed family and the reader is made aware of the struggles with shrimp fishing and dealing with the rival family.
There is also the fact of dead birds being found on the bayou and the new oil platform getting ready to go into production.
The book gives a good look at the backwards community, their politics, their love of music and the corruption existing around them.
Bernie is an interesting and unique private investigator who is smart and has integrity. What makes the story different is Chet, the canine, interpreting what action is taking place and Chet's ability to understand people.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. The conclusion was appropriate and I look forward to more adventures of the Little Detective Agency.
October 14, 2013
About me
In my fight against lung cancer, last Friday was a high and low point.
Began a new series of treatment at the Smilow Cancer clinic in New Haven but was at the hospital from 10:45 until almost 7 pm.
First saw the oncologist and learned that my tests from earlier in the week, looked good, no cancer growth in the bone.
Next up to the 8th floor: first give blood and urine so they can test bodily functions
then after analysis by doctors, they contact the pharmacy
the pharmacy puts together the meds on this new program, takes over an hour
two hours for the infusion and then, since this was the first time on this med, had to stay and extra hour for observation. They wanted to make sure I didn't go into shock or anything....
Very unnerving and I ended up as the last patient there.
Glad it's over...now see about the side effects of the new meds.
Began a new series of treatment at the Smilow Cancer clinic in New Haven but was at the hospital from 10:45 until almost 7 pm.
First saw the oncologist and learned that my tests from earlier in the week, looked good, no cancer growth in the bone.
Next up to the 8th floor: first give blood and urine so they can test bodily functions
then after analysis by doctors, they contact the pharmacy
the pharmacy puts together the meds on this new program, takes over an hour
two hours for the infusion and then, since this was the first time on this med, had to stay and extra hour for observation. They wanted to make sure I didn't go into shock or anything....
Very unnerving and I ended up as the last patient there.
Glad it's over...now see about the side effects of the new meds.
Timely thriller
Readers looking for a page turner with an up to the minute topic should enjoy "Hidden Order" by Brad Thor. The excitement and contemporary story will have the reader jump with excitement.CIA operative Lydia Ryan meets with the deputy chief of Jordan General Intelligence and learns of a plot being hatched against the US FED.
The head of the FED has died and there are five candidates for succession. Who is selected could change the US monetary system and payments to other countries. The stability of this organization could maintain the status of the world economy.
The five candidates become missing and Lydia Ryan and Bob McGee, agency operative, try to find them and stop any plot.
Scott Horvath is assigned to look into the missing FED candidates and finds the first victim's body was located at Jekyll Island. He found a book on the island and learned some secrets behind the FED and why it is disliked by many people.
The plot moves along intelligently with enough facts about the Federal Reserve to make the story believable and worthy of our attention. Readers are made aware of the powers of the Fed and what would happen if the plot were to succeed. We also learn the connection to leaders of the Revolution and this glance at American history enhances the story even more.
The story is a thriller, yes, but also a look between various intel agencies. I enjoyed the characters and the look at history and reading a very exciting story.
October 8, 2013
Wonderful descriptions of Vermont and Hurricane Irene
This is an excellent book that I can't say enough about.Having gone to college in Vermont, long ago, and lived there for five years, Archer Mayor's depicts the life and area as if I was back in college and experiencing everything first hand.
If the reader is looking for something where characters are getting ready for an approaching disaster, they'll find it in "Three Can Keep a Secret."
As the first part begins, we see that the disaster readiness people are going through but as waters rise, some people begin doing foolish things.
Water causes a cemetery to be upturned and one grave is found with a coffin filled with rocks and not a dead body. This is the first portion of the mystery.
In a side story, the state hospital has patients beginning to be evacuated but one patient walks off on her own. She's a simple woman but knows things about what happened in the state, long ago, and this involves some important people.
The characters are very real and it seems as if the reader is immediately immersed in the history of the state and the storm's effects on the inhabitants.
The conclusion is well written and intelligent. It is something the reader will remember.
October 4, 2013
An early work from one of our masters
In "Heaven's Prisoners" it is easy for the reader to picture the Louisiana landscape and the culture existing in the New Orleans and New Iberia area due to the wonderful writing and descriptions of James Lee Burke.The characters Burke depicts rise up from the pages and it seems as if the reader is in the same room as they are, or sitting on a edge of a bayou, discussing the body of a young woman whose murdered body has just been found by a poor fisherman.
Dave Robicheaux is one of the most respected and admired detectives in modern mystery novels. His belief in himself and his fellow men is admirable as is his goal of wanting to do well for the less fortunate.
Dave and his wife Annie are on their boat when a plane crashes into the water. Dave saves a little six-year-old girl who is the only survivor. Dealing with the saved child and the circumstances in which she was aboard the plane make up much of the story.
There is excellent characterization in a well plotted story with a number of twists and surprises that the reader will never forget.
September 27, 2013
Don't miss this author with a long resume of excellence
This is my first taste of the quality of writing of Bill Pronzini. It opened the door to a writer who has been creating excellent mysteries for years.It also is an excellent read for the end of the summer.
Assistant District Attorney Pat Dixon gets a chance for a vacation at Deep Mountain Lake. He has a friend, Private Investigator "Nameless Detective," to whom he offers a bargain. Another friend is working on a case and won't be able to use his cabin. He'll offer it to Nameless for paying utilities and for driving Pat's wife and son to the lake since Pat won't be able to get away for a few days.
Nameless accepts but doesn't know that also staying at the lake is a recently paroled explosives expert set on revenge for the people who sent him to prison a number of years ago.
"Bobbytrap" is a colorfully detailed mystery where the author describes the mountain and the characters in dramatic fashion.
The story begins with experiencing the calmness of the lake and beautiful surroundings but with the demise of a number of characters, the suspense is created and continues to build.
I've missed out on this author for too long but would suggest for the reader looking for a fast-paced, seat of the pants thriller, check Bill Pronzini out.
A story of true life.
http://mikedraperinguilfordblogspot.com A disbared Philadelphia attorney is asked to find Daniel Wilson who has been missing for seven years and the family will be able to collect the insurance money.
The man's sister also has a feeling that there is something with the missing life insurance money.
Good characters and nice description of the area.
The man's sister also has a feeling that there is something with the missing life insurance money.
Good characters and nice description of the area.
September 26, 2013
Just tell the angel in the morning
In 1897 Stevie Tagget, a reformed street urchin is with PI Susan Howard when someone comes up to them in a frantic manner and tells them that her child has been kidnapped.
Her husband is secretary to the Spanish Consul and since the U.S.and Spain are close to war, they don't want to report a kidnapping in case it would worsen the relationship between the two countries.
The group asks their friends Lucas and Marcus Isaacson for help.
They learn that a woman has been attacked and they get a police sketcher to draw a likeness to the attacker.
They learn that a there was a nurse investigated in the past and she worked in a hospital where a number of infants under her care have died in similar respiratory ailment as a child under the nurses care now.
The book is extensive in detail, going through the steps to find the child, traveling through New York City and upstate. The characters are very realistic as is the authors descriptions of New York.
Her husband is secretary to the Spanish Consul and since the U.S.and Spain are close to war, they don't want to report a kidnapping in case it would worsen the relationship between the two countries.
The group asks their friends Lucas and Marcus Isaacson for help.
They learn that a woman has been attacked and they get a police sketcher to draw a likeness to the attacker.
They learn that a there was a nurse investigated in the past and she worked in a hospital where a number of infants under her care have died in similar respiratory ailment as a child under the nurses care now.
The book is extensive in detail, going through the steps to find the child, traveling through New York City and upstate. The characters are very realistic as is the authors descriptions of New York.
