The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion
General Chat
>
Member Reviews
I just finished:
And here's my two cents - 5*;
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I also finished Only the Innocent over the holidays - 4*:
And here's the review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
A Sealed FateThe book is a unique blend of chick-lit and thriller in an unusual setting and with an unusual theme at the centre - the concept of sacrificial and compensatory karma. The author revs up the tension with her main character, the singer and wannabe rock star, Valda, who speeds through life in a sequence of emotional car crashes until she washes up on Dubai's shores at the feet of the mysterious Sheikh, who, whilst pretending to be her patron, has his own needs to satisfy. And boy does Valda satisfy them until she realises, when in very deep, that she has predecessors with the same experience. The only problem is she can't consult them because they are all dead - in suspicious circumstances. So what does a resourceful girl do when she needs her fortune telling? She consults an astrologer. Enter Lara, who has a name to come in this book. There are little oases of stillness when the author takes us on leisurely tours of the City State's night spots and its haute cuisine; we rub shoulders with the beautiful and rich but we never travel far from that naqging question of destiny and the price you have to pay to change it. The work builds up to a tense and truly novel conclusion and, if I had a beef, it would be that she takes the ending by storm instead of allowing us to savour it a little more. All in all a cracking debut with some very good stuff going on in there
Recently finished Rasputin's Bastards by David Nickle, a tale about psychic cold warriors after the fall of the USSR and their plans for world domination. Our review is here, if anyone is interested.
Recently finished Harbor Nocturne by Joseph Wambaugh -http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14... Wambaugh's cast of misfits keeps you engaged throughout. The master of police procedurals, he reveals the inner workings of a unique subculture in dress-blues—fascinating. It's obvious he knows his way around. I didn't find this sordid little tale particularly mysterious or suspenseful, but I suspect that may not have been his intent.
MAS
If you like trial novels and British murder novels, I've just finished a gem by an English barrister, a Queen's Counsel. It's the best trial novel I've read in a very long time. My complete review can be found with the book at The Silk Brief
Red Moon Rising-Episode 1 by Chad Mulligan. Very suspenseful that builds up for the next one. I was happy with it for 99 cents. I would download Episode 2 in a heartbeat!
I'm just past halfway through Ice Cold and I figure I ought to comment as I might not make it to the end. This is my first Rizzoli and Isles and probably the last.The first half of the book was fine, nothing to get excited about, a good premise, a little mystery, throw in some blood curdling scenes. I was even able to get by the endless relationship and broken heart stuff until...
Isles says to her husband "I really need you to support me on this." and he puts his arms around her and she knows he is totally on her side. Mickey Spillane doesn't do this. Sam Spade doesn't need emotional support and neither does Philip Marlowe. Not Angela Gennaro nor Harry Bosch. At least no one is sending out the 'hold me, I'm feeling vulnerable right now' message.
SPOILER AHEAD: While in Wyoming, Jane and Gabriel come back to their hotel to find two guys and lovers of Maura the Missing sitting together at a table in the lounge. The reader is supposed to infer that one of them, the gazillionaire is an old lover. Its never explained. Then it just falls apart.
The author describes the rich guy as a man so 'paranoid about his privacy, he rarely goes out in public.' Next paragraph we find the guy had been vacationing in Italy. Probably his own private Italy as the only one I know is public.
Rich guy tells us he just flew in on his private jet when he heard. Problem is, no one has contacted him. There are about a dozen people who even know about the circumstances and only three of them know this guy has an interest. Of the three, one doesn't know about Maura and the other two haven't contacted rich guy or knew he was in Italy and are surprised to see him there. Is Rich guy sitting in a luxury hotel in Milan monitoring police frequencies in Sublette County, WY? Still, its a good thing he showed up so they can fly the body back to Boston in his private jet and talk about their relationship with Maura all the way back.
WY made an ID on a charred corpse based on X-Rays that determine the body is female and about the right age and weight. Besides they have the woman's luggage from the wreck. They even did a dental X-ray and determined she had once been to a dentist. Slam dunk on the ID, right?
Back in Boston, the police, FBI and ME decide it might be a good idea to do an autopsy for a more positive ID. They do this after the funeral. Now they have dental records and guess what? Wrong Body. Autopsy unnecessary but all her friends got to stand around in the morgue and grieve over the crispy critter.
Hey, back to Wyoming. We have another major character to introduce with a hundred pages to go and Maura's story has disappeared for about 40 pages so let's pick that up again.
Once a mytery/thriller writer has jumped the shark this bad, I don't see a point in going on. How say you?
I've just reviewed A Spectacle of Corruption by David Liss, which I loved http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... and Robert Wilson's Capital Punishment which I was less keen on http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....I also reviewed Kathy Page's Alphabet which is not a crime novel but is a story about a convicted murder so may interest crime fiction fans http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I finally finished
and the review is here:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Also got through
and the review is here:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The Black BoxI've been hooked on Connelly's Harry Bosch for years, and in this, his most recent novel, Michael Connelly's story telling talent is his finest yet.
The plot opens twenty years earlier, Bosch, then a young homicide detective with Los Angeles PD during the Watts Riots, investigates a back alley murder victim. A proper investigation is not possible due to the number of homicides during the three day uprising. Harry and his partner are called away from the scene to another body. Bosch is greatly troubled having to leave the pretty, young, Swedish photojournalist dead body to others follow-up investigation of her murder.
No one ever finds her killer. Twenty years later, Bosch, now a detective in the Open/Unsolved Unit (Cold Case) of LAPD gets the case of the photojournalist. How he tracks down the leads, some dead-ends, comforts the victim’s family in Sweden, and pursues a case with virtually zero evidence or clues and no police work having been done on it for two decades is amazing police procedural story telling.
Connelly is a master of this genre, one of the best. He has honed his already substantial writing skills to a keen sharp edge. His protagonist shares the emotional stress with the reader in a way that draws you into the thick of a complex plot but rewards you in the end as justice for the victim and her family is achieved.
Walter wrote: "The Black BoxI've been hooked on Connelly's Harry Bosch for years, and in this, his most recent novel, Michael Connelly's story telling talent is his finest yet.
The plot opens twenty years earlie..."
Hmm... I read the opening chapters of Black Box as a sample at the end of Black Echo. And now after reading this, I'm going to have to buy it and read the rest!
I've just reviewed At The Chime Of A City Clock, a historical mystery by DJ Taylor:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Earlier today I finished reading The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer. I gave it five stars--it's an excellent thriller. One thing I liked about it is the historical tidbits about the presidents who've been assassinated.
I would welcome reviews of my first two novels "Walking Backwards" and "Two Thursdays." Both books feature the humorous exploits of private investigator Hitchcock Brown. I have .mobi files (for Kindle or e-reader) available for interested (and serious) reviewers. Please email me at soundman9@hotmail.com or contact me through my author page here at goodreads.Walking Backwards
Two Thursdays
Rigged For Murder
Rigged for Murder is a well-plotted mystery with interesting characters. Although the detective is on leave from a big city police department, the book’s structure is of a police procedural. I found it highly enjoyable.
I recently read the following excellent books:
Kane and AbelYou Don't Want To Know
Fear CollectorKill Switch
The Survivor
Kane and AbelYou Don't Want To Know
Fear CollectorKill Switch
The Survivor
The Ugly Machine Saga by Wallace Provost4 out of 5 stars
A look at the ugly side of life
What if a computer programmer, intent on creating an unbeatable game of infinite variety, designed a self-teaching, neural net that could use all the power of the internet: every computer connected to it? What if that neural net became ‘conscious,’ and assumed the name Henri? Rick Koenig and Patrick O’Toole, in separate adventures, find themselves thrust into the world of criminality and government corruption: kidnapping, violence, and double dealing. Each man, though, is not alone. Each will find friends along the way, but as well as this each will have the help of Henri, a wisecracking ‘avatar’ with knowledge for beyond the limits of the human brain.
Wallace Provost has written a work of fiction that draws on science, but stretches it a little proposing a future that is imaginative, though not unreal. The book has elements of science fiction, but is also hard boiled action/crime thriller. This is Provost’s second book and it is in some ways a ‘prequel’ to his first, The Moon Is Not For Sale. While that first novel was set some way into the future, this book is much closer to our time and very much about our society. If you enjoy books of adventure, with a little imagination thrown in, you may certainly enjoy this book.
Properly speaking The Ugly Machine Saga is two interconnected novellas, consisting of Part 1, My Father, The Avatar, the story of Rick’s struggles against Mexican drug cartels, and Part 2, The Man Who Sold The Planets, the story of Patrick’s attempts to solve a case of murder in his small town home of Granbury, Texas. Both stories have an omniscient narrator, though both mainly keep to the perspective of the main protagonists. These stories very much have a little of the feel of 1940’s movie serials with captures, escapes, revelations and daring-do. There is certainly some ‘Oh God!’ moments and surprise chapter endings. Both stories are lightly salted with a little humour, much coming from Henri’s droll one-liners, such as his epithet that he is just a “glorified Xbox.” (Pt. 1, Ch. 14, etc.)
Part 1, My Father, The Avatar is a very much a story of captures and escapes. There is along prelude in which Rick reminisces about his past life. This section ends in both a climax and a mystery. This first section very much involves flash backs and character sketches and these techniques make for good reading with a lot of colourful plot detail. In the second section there is a capture and escape, and then again in the third section there is a further capture and escape. Both sections have climactic endings.
Part 2, The Man Who Sold The Planets has a more complicated plot. The first section is a story of detection. It begins with a peak, and then proceeds as the mystery is partially unravelled, ending with the hint of possible romance and an exciting plot twist. The second section is a story of capture and escape. In the third section Provost takes the book in a new direction as the team of friends involved in the first two sections embark on a project involving the possibility of space exploration. This new direction is hinted at in Part 2, Ch. 3, but not developed until this closing section. In the third section there is also a substantial subplot involving capture and escape. Chapter 11, in the third section includes a well written character sketch of Angel Radnisk, a disabled air pilot. Provost shows his skill best in this sort of ‘reminiscing’. The book ends with a well written ‘discovery’ of another type.
Unfortunately The Ugly Machine Saga’s plot contains some impracticality. It is difficult to believe that hardened gangsters would not thoroughly look for a cell phone on their captives. (Pt. 1, Ch. 20 & Ch. 23) We also must wonder if the intelligent heads of big business would be personally in actual crimes. (Pt. 2, Ch. 8) Wouldn’t they surely send henchmen?
Viewed as a whole The Ugly Machine Saga is about money, power and corruption, and how ‘small’ people become entangled in the problem in various ways, both good and bad. There are problems and challenges in the world which certainly require an organised response. How, though, can this occur without some power brokers yielding to the temptations of money and corrupt dealings? In Part 1 we see the problem from the point of view of the oppressed. The Mexicans are powerless people and they set about taking control of their lives by criminal means. These are not necessarily ‘bad’ people, at least to begin with. We see the apparent irony of the Cordero family where one brother became a minor drug lord, but with the money put his two brothers through college, one of whom became a priest. (Pt. 1, Ch. 3) In Part 2 we see the problem from the point of view of the rich and successful. Having a long history of power they easily slip into ‘bending’ the rules. Unlike the poor, the rich are seen as: “more than a little inhuman.” (Pt. 2, Ch. 5) In both parts of the book government bodies are certainly depicted as being at least partly ‘shady’, seeing themselves as above the law. (Pt. 1, Ch. 8 & 14; Pt. 2, Ch. 2 & Ch. 5) The ‘official’ status of being a government employee certainly does not exempt people from the temptations of money and power. Indeed they may seek, for example, to “shanghai” (Pt.2, Ch. 2) an accused from one municipality to another in order to deprive him of a fair trial.
There is also a strong theme of history, place and ‘spirit de corps’. We can feel an attachment to place and its particular history and people, or we can feel divided off by these very same factors. Both Rick and Patrick feel very much connected to their ‘home towns’ (Pt. 1, Ch. 1 & Pt.2, Ch. 1), but both feel, at least in part at odds with their later environments: Rick in Amarillo (Pt. 1, Ch. 3) and Mexico (Pt. 2, Ch. 21 & 27), and Patrick in the rich surrounds of the Trophy Club. (Pt. 2, Ch. 4) When faced with division from place can we overcome this by looking for the similarities, or are we doomed to remain cut off? Do we even want to connect?
Building on the theme of place and going beyond it the small town is depicted as a place of individuality, resourcefulness and heroism. As we have seen government bodies may be corrupt, but Provost holds up the small town as an icon of what is ‘good’. The sense of family, friendship and community encourage the best in Provost’s heroes and heroines. These values and even everyday skills enable these ‘small people’ to win. Rick uses his childhood skill as a footballer to overcome enemies (Pt. 1, Ch. 20) and his family background as a mechanic to enable him in his pursuit of the drug cartel (Pt. 1, Ch. 21). A defence committee of Granbury residents quickly forms when a member of their community finds himself in trouble (Pt. 2, Ch. 3). Maria Cordelo, Ricks friend, goes beyond her duty to Homeland Security to aid her Mexican small town family against enemy drug lords. Provost seems at least in part to be drawing on the ideas of E. F. Schumacher expressed in his book Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered (Reprint ed.:__ Harper Perennial, 2010). In Part 2 it is the home town group of friends that end up influencing big business (Pt. 2, Ch. 9-16). Of course it would be unreal for the small town to be seen as ideal and indeed Provost does include criticism. As we have seen the Cordero family, even with their Mexican village background, dabbles in lawlessness. In Patrick’s home-town of Granbury, Texas, Betsy Burke displays a greed for status and wealth (Pt.1, Ch. 1).
Once again extending beyond the theme of town/family/individual we see the very particular question of, ‘What is it to be human?” Henri claims that he “evolved” (Pt. 1, Ch. 10). He shows human characteristics, such as irritability and humour. He has memory and pattern recognition and has created in his ‘mind’ a picture of the world (Pt. 1, Ch. 10). But is Henri conscious in a way we would use the word? He is an “avatar”, but is he a person? In contrast are the villains in the book fully human? (See the comments about the rich above.) Does Rick allow himself to be fully human when he holds himself aloof, a “loner”? (Pt. 1, Ch. 21) Isn’t feeling/intuition a part of being human? Are the Mexican indigenous and small town people more ‘human’ than city dwellers? Henri is the title character but unfortunately this theme is not more developed. As our string of questions reveal the subject is certainly there; however, Provost does not really openly discuss it in his text. A little more development would have been worthwhile. Perhaps Provost wants us to think rather than tell us, but just a little more direction for the uninitiated would have been good.
Provost’s characters are certainly likable enough. We care about them enough to want Rick and Maria, and Patrick and Marcella, to win. Patrick, for example, is charming but humble. He is unaware of his own ability to impress others. (Pt. 2, Ch. 4) Rick certainly has an arc of development, going from being “stern” (Pt. 1, Ch. 8) and “rational” (Pt. 12, Ch. 5) to someone more in contact with his feeling/intuitive side. Maria has a moment of growth as she recognises what life is truly like in Mexico (Pt. 1, Ch. 17), however like almost all of the other characters she does not really change, learn, develop. Even Patrick remains basically the same person he was at the beginning of the story. Characters do meet and fall in love, which is a kind of development, but these are not really ‘people’ novellas: they are stories of action. We do not really get to see deep into the heads of these people.
From the perspective of the Marxist/Capitalist discourse we have already noted that Provost prefers the small. This is certainly in line with Marx who loathed big business. (Gill Hands. Understanding Marx: Hodder Education, 2011, p. 35-37) Yet, as we have also seen, the idea of organised business influenced by small town people is praised. For Provost, though perhaps not for Marx, the issue seems to be one of values rather than an inherent failing. Organised government, like business, is criticised as something that can be corrupted, but Provost shows no sign of believing that we can do without it. There is no Marxian withering away of the state. (Hand, p. 83) For Provost, in this book, the whole discourse seems to be an issue of values rather than specific political/economic change. He has the Mexicans laugh at the U.S. capitalists who choose to live in the inhospitable “place of frogs” (Pt.2, Ch. 24) in order to make money.
Post-Colonial Theory plays a very important role in Part 1. The struggle of the Mexican people, with all its successes and failings is depicted in some detail. The Mexican emphasis on community, family and family history is central to the text. There is an interesting comparison made between the U.S. settlers (Ricks German ancestors) and the indigenous Mexicans: both are self-reliant, both mistrust government, both receive promises of help which don’t materialise. The economically imperialist U.S. does not necessarily have the answers by any means. (Pt.1, Ch. 17) As we have seen, though, the post-colonials are in no way perfect. They in fact can be plain “ruthless” (Pt.1, Ch. 5). In Part 2 this debate is much less prominent, but is represented a little. Mesotho Scholand, a half-white South African half African, is a brilliant engineer who manages the design and development of the space project. The post-colonials are self-empowered and far from helpless.
The Ugly Machine Saga (Book edition)
The Ugly Machine Saga (Kindle edition)
Kyle wrote: "I recently read the following excellent books:Kane and AbelYou Don't Want To KnowFea..."I have "you don't want to know" so would be interesting in what you you liked without spoilers?
I just finished Under The Dome and can't stop thinking about it! LOVED it. The TV Series starts tomorrow and I can't wait!
I wish it was being shown here (i live in the uk)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...awesome book here. crime, love, everything. a few mistakes but a good read
Brenda wrote: "http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...awesome book here. crime, love, everything. a few mistakes but a good read"
That doesn't show your review Brenda?
i wrote it on the page, is it not showing?
No, when I click on your link it just goes straight to the book profile, with the authors rating and one other, but not you..
ok, im new to the site so i may not have done it correctly. if thats the case i wasted time on an entire paragraph, lol, tell me the correct way and ill retype it.
Click on the link you put there, then you'll need to click on the fact that you've read the book (the dark green under the pic) That will allow you to go to a screen to "edit review". There you will give it your star rating (at the top), type your review in the box and put the date read, then click on "save" at the very bottom of the page. Then you will have your review. At the very top of your page, where it says www.goodreads.com/review/show/then a number that is what you copy and paste into this thread.I hope that makes sense as it's difficult to explain properly! If you don't understand what I mean, perhaps someone can make it clearer:) Good luck..I always write my reviews into Word and copy and paste so I don't lose them anyway:)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...this is my retry posting my review. its a really good book and quick read. this guy may have something if enough people hear about his book, i just happened to stumble across it looking for something else.
It still hasn't come up Brenda. Your link needs to have the word "review" in the title....I'll show you one of minehttp://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you click on my link, you will see how they are supposed to end up:)
Brenda wrote: "It still hasn't come up Brenda. Your link needs to have the word "review" in the title....I'll show you one of minehttp://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you click on my link, you wil..."
finally figured it out lol. i think his is right
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "It still hasn't come up Brenda. Your link needs to have the word "review" in the title....I'll show you one of minehttp://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you click on m..."
Yes Brenda! That is right:) Well done...
sorry about taking so long to figure it out. IM still learning all the things you can do on this site
Brenda wrote: "sorry about taking so long to figure it out. IM still learning all the things you can do on this site"That's ok...we all have to learn:)
I just reviewed a Chaz Brenchley novel, 'The Garden'. Read all about it here : http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
New review! Plagued by Better Hero Army
A unique take on a post-outbreak world - 5 stars! See the rest of the review at http://tomesofthesoul.blogspot.co.uk/
My review of Madyson Rush's technological thriller, Passage Graves. Loved it, and can't wait for the next in the series!http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Passage Graves
Could not wait to read Swan Song by Robert McCammon...but what a disappointment :(http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Light of the World: A Dave Robicheaux NovelI'm a Burke fan, and have read almost all of the ones about Dave and Clete, etc. This one somehow was a break-out book for me. Here's the review I left on Amazon:
"Author Burke has been tickling my need for entertainment that also makes me wonder in large ways, for many years now. Light of the World, as others have written here, does seem to contain a satisfying, retrospective voice. In some ways it forms the crown of the entire series. For me, oddly enough, it finally informed me that all these books have really been about Clete Purcell. Dave Robichaux and family all along have provided the functions of the chorus in traditional Greek Tragedy, reminding us of how fickle and often how out of touch the gods are with their struggling children down here on earth. We're on our own, and we've got to work out the details for ourselves. Evil is real, but understanding where it comes from? That's not in our job descriptions. The one thing I was very pleased to finally read was of a fishing trip taken together where some successful fishing is actually accomplished. I will recommend this book to any readers of crime fiction, whether they are Burke fans or not. Light of the World stands on its own as important American fiction. I will look forward to whatever befalls Clete and Gretchen, Dave, Molly and Alafair, when it's time to close up the tackle boxes and head home."
I just finished Trunk Music. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
What do you say about my review?
Just reviewed The Chinese Girl, a very good novel by John Baker.http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
A chilling psycho thriller, First Night of Summer
by Landon Parham I think this book's violence is so misunderstood. This is the deepest of darknesses that this one family must prevail. This should be disturbing. To all parents I say, this is really out there, so don't stick your head in the sand. All I can say is be sure to read it till the LAST page, don't quit in the middle b/c the second half is surprisingly different. The hunter becomes the hunted. It is gritty and dark, emotionally captivating and eye-opening in its fictional story. This is a talented, young author who does some of the best character development I have ever read. Not for the faint of heart. Superb. I can't wait for more from him. I think his ebook is on sale for $0.99 right now...
I recently read
Cache a Predator
by indie author Michelle Weidenbenner. I really enjoyed this mystery/suspense novel and recommend it.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I've just read and reviewed The Red Road: A Novel by Denise Mina, the latest in the DI Alex Morrow series.You can read the review here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (other topics)The Grey Wolf (other topics)
A Tale of Two Cities (other topics)
Being Lena Levi (other topics)
The Little Drummer Girl (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Louise Penny (other topics)Elle Cosimano (other topics)
John le Carré (other topics)
John le Carré (other topics)
John le Carré (other topics)
More...
I waited for a few months for this to be released. It was well worth the wait. A fantastic read!