Ed continues to post reviews until 2010.

[Andrea, Moderator]

Yeah Ed! Good for you for finishing ahead of time!

[Ed]

Adding:

76: A Murder of Quality - John Le Carre

Really more of a novella than a novel, this story doesn't involve espionage or spies, which is what Le Carre is noted for.

The plot is simple. George Smiley is asked to look into a seemingly senseless murder at an exclusive boys' boarding school where all the major suspects have alibis. Smiley manages to cut through all the false trails and eventually confront the real murderer.

At only 157 pages, it's a one day read and well worth giving up a Saturday or Sunday to immerse oneself in a different culture at a different time.

[Karol]

Ed wrote: "Adding:

76. Airframe by Michael Crichton

When Michael Crichton is good he is very, very good but this effort is just plain horrible.

The characters are stereotyped beyond belief...."

Hmmm, this does sound like an interesting pick for airplane reading. But maybe only if one likes to sleep during the flight?

[Ed]

Adding:

77. Airframe - Michael Crichton

When Michael Crichton is good he is very, very good but this effort is just plain horrible.

The characters are stereotyped beyond belief. The plot involves an incident on a Norton Aircraft passenger liner that is complicated by a number of outside pressures.

On the positive side, I did learn some things about the aircraft industry, how accidents are investigated, and more than I wanted to know about the acronyms used in the industry.

If you are a died in the wool Crichton fan or are stuck on a long flight with nothing else to read, I can recommend this book to you.

[Ed]

Adding:

78. Call for the Dead - John Le Carre

What a delightful surprise!

This book is where George Smiley is introduced. Le Carre provides the reader with a short biography including his failed marriage.

While not as good a read as some of his subsequent novels, it is a well-plotted story with very interesting characters in addition to the enigmatic Smiley.

To really understand Smiley, one must read this book.