The Reads of August -Barry

[BarryP]

A Time of Torment: John Connolly
A Charlie Parker novel, mystery with a bit of the occult tossed in for good measure. Parker closes in on more of what is bad in the world with help from places you expect, and of course, places you do not expect. (A-)

Kill You Twice: Chelsea Cain
Archie vs Gretchen again, outsmarting each other while the bodies pile up. Slaughter could learn about violence from Chelsea. (A-)

The Sixth Idea: PJ Tracey
A Monkeewrench novel. Long in coming, but certainly worth the wait. All of our favorite characters are back in a witty and tightly plotted mystery. Events from the past have caught up with the present, and the gang must figure it out, even as the bodies pile up. (A-)

Revolver: Duane Swierczynski
Several generation of family on one side, all cops,. Meet several generations of the other side of the family, and the other side of the law. (B+)

Duty and Honor: Clancy/Greany
Young Jake Grafton on his own, saving the world and learning some maturity in the process. (B+)

Rise the Dark: Michael Koryta
Homegrown terrorists scheme against the power grid. Their nemesis is not anybody that cares about that, but a PI whose wife they killed along the way. (B)

Burn What Will Burn: CB McKenzie
An outsider with an inheritance moves into rural Arkansas, where is is most certainly an outsider. He does get involved in a convoluted series of murders though, and needs to act to protect himself. (B)

Liberty’s Last Stand: Stephen Coonts
The right wing revolution finally stamps out liberalism in America. I like techno thrillers, but these authors have some strange world views. (B)

Bad Country: CB McKenzie
Hardboiled murder mystery out west in the desert. Rodeo Garnet searches for stuff, and for a murderer among the hard and the harder. He might even live to figure it out. (B)

Dry Bones in the Valley: Tom Bouman
A first novel, murder mystery out in the sticks. Very good development of the characters. (B)

Tomorrow When the War Began: John Marsden
Not just a movie now, but also the basis for the cult classic Red Dawn. Dated, not great literature, but I had heard so much about it. (B)

[Amy]

Very good month Barry.

[Sherry]

good month, barry. i really enjoyed the monkeewrench book, too.

[Melodie]

Looks like a good selection! I want to read the Monkeewrench book.

[BarryP]

The Monkeewrench was definitely worth it. They waited quite a bit to produce this one, but the quality of the book and novelty of the story showed it was worth the wait.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Quite the range of books, Barry. I need to get back to Monkeewrench, and am thinking about Connolly and Cain.

[Dan in AZ]

Some interesting ones in there.

[Dawn]

Another great month for you! Those Archie/Gretchen books are intense. Cain does a good job in keeping the story fresh. I think I might have to refresh my memory and do some re-reads before catching up with the Monkeewrench group...so glad to hear the book was worth the wait!

[Susie]

I love the Monkeewrench books too. Hoping they have the new one at my library.

[Ann]

A very intense month Barry! Good looking books that are very tempting, as long as our hearts can take the pace and the terrorist pressure. I have got to get back to John Connolly and Charlie Parker; every time you read another one I am reminded and kick myself.

[Carol/Bonadie]

Ann wrote: "I have got to get back to John Connolly and Charlie Parker; every time you read another one I am reminded and kick myself. ..."

Ditto, minus the kicking part ;-)

[BarryP]

I'm sure we can find somebody to kick you.

[Merrilee in AZ]

Good month. I read a couple of the Chelsea Cain books and just didn't like the characters

[Ann]

I am with you on the Chelsea Cain books, I think I only read two and stopped. Archie being so dependant (or whatever he is) on Gretchen annoyed me.
Merrilee in AZ wrote: "Good month. I read a couple of the Chelsea Cain books and just didn't like the characters"

[BarryP]

The dependence of Archie to Grechen in the early books was annoying to me as well, but as the series progressed, the relationship changed.

[Ann]

Good to know Barry, thanks. I might give another Chelsea Cain a try someday. I had liked the first one a lot as I recall.
Barry wrote: "The dependence of Archie to Grechen in the early books was annoying to me as well, but as the series progressed, the relationship changed."

[Merrilee in AZ]

I agree Ann, maybe I'll try another.