Michael J. Ritchie's Blog, page 26

“Rules For Perfect Murders” by Peter Swanson (2020)

[image error] The front door opened, and I heard the stamp of the FBI agents feet on the doormat.

Some books fit you better than others, but once in a blue moon a book comes along that makes you think it must have been written for you and you alone. As soon as I saw the premise of Rules for Perfect Murders a few months ago, I knew that this was one of those times. I had to have it. Expectations were high as I made my way into the novel and settled in for the fun.

Malcolm Kershaw, owner of Bostons famous...

“Turning Thirty” by Mike Gayle (2000)

[image error]Heres the thing: for a long time I, Matt Beckford, had been looking forward to turning thirty.

In times of trouble, it is always nice to return to something comforting, be it a fish finger sandwich, a warm bath, or a Mike Gayle novel. Ive spoken about him before a few times on here, but Im slowly rereading them to get reviews of all his novels up on the blog and here is another, ironically the twenty-ninth book of the year.

Matt Beckford is looking forward to turning thirty. Hes got a great...

“London’s Labyrinth” by Fiona Rule (2012)

[image error]My journey into Londons underground labyrinth began on a warm July afternoon, in the leafy communal gardens that lay behind the red-brick walls of a mansion block in west London.

Since we currently cant explore the real world, I am even more grateful for the existence of books. They not only allow you to explore places you may know well, but also those that you are less likely to be able to get access to and I dont just mean Hogwarts or Mars. Its time to head to London and take a look at...

“Agatha Raisin And The Deadly Dance” by M. C. Beaton (2004)

[image error] The thing that finally nudged Agatha Raisin into opening her own detective agency was what she always thought of as the Paris Incident.

Any prolific writer is bought to have a few stinkers. Stephen King gave us The Tommyknockers. Toni Morrison gave us Jazz. Even my beloved Agatha Christie managed to write Passenger to Frankfurt. M. C. Beaton has never been one of the worlds finest writers, unlike the other three, but her stories are entertaining enough to keep your interest up. As Ive said on...

“The Thirteen Problems” by Agatha Christie (1932)

[image error] Unsolved mysteries.

I keep thinking Ive reviewed every Agatha Christie on here by this point, but given I started reading her four years before I started the blog, some have definitely slipped through the net. The second Miss Marple, The Thirteen Problems, is one of them. Time to rectify that.

On Tuesday evening, a group of acquaintances have come together and before long the conversation, as it so often seems to, turns to unsolved crimes. The group is diverse a lawyer, a retired police...

“On Writing” by Stephen King (2000)

[image error]I was stunned by Mary Karrs memoir, The Liars Club.

There are some essential books that should be on the shelf of every writer. Strunk and Whites inimitable The Elements of Style is one of them, and I also make a big noise for Anne Lamotts Bird by Bird and Robert McKees Story. Another that people swear by, and I cant believe Ive only just got round to, is Stephen Kings On Writing. At last Ive joined the ranks of the sensible and can see why they hold it in such high esteem.

Part-memoir and...

“Lethal White” by Robert Galbraith (2018)

[image error] If only the swans would swim side by side on the dark green lake, this picture might turn out to be the crowning achievement of the wedding photographers career.

A national lock down seems like the right time to get through some of the larger hardbacks on my shelf while I havent got to be carrying them around. As such, we come at last to the fourth part of the Strike series, Lethal White. It turned out that aside from the last couple of pages and one or two smaller plot points, I had all but...

“Doctor Who: 11 Doctors, 11 Stories” by Various (2013)

[image error]The Doctor was not happy with his new bio-hybrid hand.

Admit it. Even if youre not a big Doctor Who fan, and even if youve never seen an episode, you know at least that its about an alien who has a box that can travel anywhere in space and time, and every now and then he picks up some lucky human to go and have adventures with him (or her). Right now, we all need a little escapism, and I wouldnt mind if any of them crashed into my bedroom to carry me off to far flung times and places.

In...

“This Body’s Not Big Enough For Both Of Us” by Edgar Cantero (2019)

[image error]Elmore Leonard said its bad style to open a novel with the weather.

Its hard being trapped, isnt it? At the moment, there is definitely that vibe over my island home, as the Prime Minister has locked down the nation to limit the spread of coronavirus. (Ill try not to keep bringing this up, but it is all thats on my mind of late.) Nonetheless, not all traps are physical, or maybe you dont mind the location but its the company that is problematic. Now imagine having to share a body. How would...

“I’ll Be There For You” by Kelsey Miller (2018)

[image error]On September 22, 1994, NBC aired the pilot episode of a half-hour comedy now titled Friends.

As the world gets weirder and scarier, it is time for people to retreat into something comfortable. A good book, a beloved album, a funny film. Some things are just comforting, and I can bet you anything that with all thats going on right now, theres a surge in people turning on Friends and hiding in that familiar coffee shop for a while. I havent reached that point yet, but Ive dipped my toe in with...