Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion
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Barry's spooktacular October
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Quite a month Barry! Quite a few where age or death have necessitated co-authorship to continue a franchise. Many appear to be working. As for Nicotine...And you gave it a B-!
Barry wrote: "Nicotine: Nell Zink
Almost 300 pages. Nothing happens. Nothing! And I read it. (B-)"
Barry wrote: "Havana Run: Les StandifordMaybe this series has run its course. Our simple builder gets caught up in a spy thriller in Havana. A bit of a stretch. (B-)."
The previous book in the series Bone Key was my least favorite so I have not been in a rush to read Havanna Run: A John Deal Mystery. I think you are right that the series may be past it.
I need to get back into Stephen Hunter's work.
Always entertaining to read what you are up to. I may not be able to wait for the library to slowly send me Escape Clause -- it sounds Audible-credit-worthy.
Wow, lots of reads! I too enjoyed Escape Clause...yeah...not for a second did I question the plot. It was a great read. I had a hard time with The Passenger - think because I loved the Spellman series so much...I kept waiting for the humor.
Dawn: I don't remember specifics, but I did like The Passenger. It was not like the Spellmans, but it had been a while since I read one so the separation probably distanced me from humor expectations.
Some of my fav authors in there, but RWW can't, IMO, write a female main character that doesn't act and sound like a male in drag.
Dan in AZ wrote: "Some of my fav authors in there, but RWW can't, IMO, write a female main character that doesn't act and sound like a male in drag."I haven't read a RWW in quite some time, but totally agree with your assessment!
Well put and true IMHO Dan!Dan in AZ wrote: "Some of my fav authors in there, but RWW can't, IMO, write a female main character that doesn't act and sound like a male in drag."
White was even worse with gender identity in the earlier books, but he is still not there.
Good month. I think there are several male authors that can't write a good female character. Right now I can't think of a female authorthat has a problem with male characters.
I haven't read Janice in years, so I can't comment
Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends
Books mentioned in this topic
The Passenger (other topics)Escape Clause (other topics)
Bone Key (other topics)
Havana Run (other topics)
I continue to be impressed with the complexity of the stories Hunter tells of a simple retired sniper. He brings the whole world into play here, with 50 years of conspiracy worthy of the best of Tom Clancy. (A-)
Escape Clause: John Sanford
As always, the height of entertainment, a solid story with some of the wickedest humor you will find anywhere. And no, looking for a stolen tiger in Minneapolis is not in the least an absurd plot. (A-)
The Passenger: Lisa Lutz
Lutz leaves the comedy/farce game for the story of a girl on the run. We quickly learn though that there is much we do not know about her as we watch a life of hiding harden her in some ways, and exposes her raw humanity to us in others. (B+)
Best State Ever: Dave Barry
He thanks Tim Dorsey for guidance on finding the best locations of Florida weird, which he then describes in ways that only Dave Barry can..If you need a good laugh, here it is. (B+)
Billy Boyle: James Benn
A local author (from Hadlyme CT) doing a historical mystery. Billy Boyle is an Irish Boston detective drafted into WW2, assigned to uncle Ike’s staff. Assuming him to lack competence, he is assigned to a case he is not supposed to solve. We know how those work out, and the addition of some very good twists make this a better than average story. (B+)
Broken Trust: WEB Griffin
This series dipped in quality for a bit while the transition happened from father to son in writing. I suspect the father is more involved now, as the plots have become better and the character of the writing improved. The father is definitely much more entertaining than the son, but he is on his 90s. The book itself? Policing in Philadelphia, with all of its attendant corruption and politics. (B+)
Order to Kill: Flynn/Mills
I’ll admit it, I read this kind of techno trash because it is fun. When Vince Flynn was alive, it was simple fun, good guys and bad guys, and the bad guys died. Kyle Mills is a bit more nuanced, but just as much fun. Here, Mitch Rapp searches for stolen nuclear material that is destined to make a big bang. He is up against a Russian who may be just as good as he is. (B+)
Downfall: JA Jance
A Joanna Brady novel, and more of a procedural than usual. Still, she puts enough of real life in to know who really wrote this, as well as pursuing themes in which she is interested, in this case pedophilia and domestic violence. (B)
Seduced: Randy Wayne White
A Hannah Smith tale. I never did think RWW was as good with a female lead as a male. Maybe there are some differences in thought and action he just does not adequately appreciate. Here, Hannah gets involved in finding a disease resistant strain of orange to overcome a blight affecting Florida. Cut throat business though, and she needs her wits and courage to see it though. (B)
12 21 : Dustin Thomason.
The Mayans say it is the end of the world, and certainly, in this tale, an epidemic hits. (B)
The Striker : “Cussler”
Another co-authored book, set in the early 20th century. I enjoy seeing how a crime might have been solved in those days, but the Van Dorn agency is given almost superhuman ability to figure things out. Some better period pieces show just how much you could get away with in a era where forensics were unknown. Still, it was a well done tale, plenty of suspense and action. (B)
Havana Run: Les Standiford
Maybe this series has run its course. Our simple builder gets caught up in a spy thriller in Havana. A bit of a stretch. (B-)
Nicotine: Nell Zink
Almost 300 pages. Nothing happens. Nothing! And I read it. (B-)
Cane and Abe: James Grippando
Maybe I am getting tired of lawyers being the prime suspect in murders. Maybe I am getting tired of plot devices that just don’t work. Or maybe, to keep the suspense, authors are writing themselves into corners that logic does not easily allow them out of. (B-)