The Coroner's Lunch

The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (2004)

Reader's Annotation

72-year-old Dr. Siri Paiboun becomes national coroner for the newly formed Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Summary

72-year-old Dr. Siri Paiboun is tired. He spent the last fifteen years practicing medicine in the jungle. Ten years ago he lost his wife. He'd much rather retire than start a new career, but, because he is one of the few medical doctors left in Laos and a member of the Communist Party (though an indifferent one), he is appointed state coroner—despite his lack of training as a medical examiner. Dr. Siri decides that if he must take the job, he will not let an ignorant bunch of bureaucrats dictate to him—at his age he has nothing left to lose—he'll follow the evidence wherever it leads.

Dr. Siri's integrity is soon tested when the wife of an important Party official turns up dead at the morgue and the bodies of tortured Vietnamese soldiers are found in a reservoir. With the help of his very intelligent nurse Dtui, his man of all work Geung, who has Down's Syndrome, and the occasional ghost, Dr. Siri follows his curiosity to find and expose corruption.

Evaluation

I found this a well written and charming book as well as an intriguing look at an unfamiliar culture. The Coroner's Lunch is full of interesting and quirky characters, not the least of which is Dr. Siri himself. I enjoyed the mix of logic as Dr. Siri follows the forensic evidence and mysticism as the ghosts of the bodies in the morgue visit his dreams. I'm looking forward to reading the rest in this series.

Those who enjoy the Dr. Siri Paiboun series, may want to try other mysteries set in exotic locales such as Bangkok 8 by John Burdett set in Thailand and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith set in Botswana.

Genres: Mystery/Crime
Subgenres:

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (1993)

Reader's Annotation

Vampire hunter Anita Blake is hired to find out who has been murdering innocent vampires.

Summary

Anita Blake lives in Saint Louis, Missouri, but it's not exactly our Saint Louis. In Anita's world, magic, vampires, werewolves, and the like are and have always been "out of the closet."  Anita is an animator with the ability to raise and lay to rest zombies. She also works as a vampire executioner; however, in her world, vampires have rights just like anyone else. That means she needs a court order to kill one.

At the story's open, Jean-Claude, master vampire and proprietor of the vampire strip-club Guilty Pleasures, tries to hire Anita to investigate a recent string of vampire murders—the vampires were the victims NOT the perpetrators—but Anita isn't interested; she doesn't like vampires and would much rather be killing them. Jean-Claude, who literally cannot take no for an answer, must blackmail her into taking the job.

Anita finds herself working for Nikolaos, the master vampire of the city. She is a thousand years old, very powerful, and looks like a prepubescent girl. She is not a good boss.

In the curse of her investigation, Anita befriends Philip, a human vampire junkie who strips at Guilty Pleasures. When Nikolaos' minions torture and kill Phillip then bring him back as a zombie, Anita vows to bring Nikolaos down.

By story's end, Anita has not only stopped the vampire killer but also, with Jean-Claude's aid, destroyed Nikolaos, leaving Jean-Claude master vampire of the city.

Evaluation

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick fun read. The writing and plot have a bit of the clunkiness of a first novel but I'd definitely read another. The world of the novel goes beyond just vampires and seems to have the potential to grow into something rich and complex as the series progresses. And I expect to see Anita Blake's relationship with Jean-Claude grow into something more as well. The tone of the writing is hard-boiled with a fair bit of violence, blood, and sex.

If you like this book, you should try Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery/Crime
Subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Vampire Romance, Paranormal Romance

The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Reader's Annotation

A madman kidnaps Jane Eyre from the pages of Charlotte Brontë's famous novel.

Summary

In Great Britain circa 1985, time travel is routine, and even travel into works of literature is possible. If you enter the world of a book, you can change it—but only for that one copy. However, if you enter the original manuscript, any change will affect every subsequent copy of that work. Naturally there are laws against that sort of thing, and it's the job of Thursday Next, Special Operative in literary detection, to enforce them. When a madman kidnaps Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday faces the challenge of her career. With the help of her time-traveling father, an executive of the all-powerful Goliath Corporation, and Edward Rochester himself, Thursday must track down the criminal and enter the novel herself to avert an act of literary homicide.

Evaluation

This was a fun and silly novel. I loved all the literary references, the funny names, and the made-up words. It may be a little hard to suspend disbelief for such a silly conceit as traveling into the pages of a novel, but The Eyre Affair is not meant to be taken seriously. If you liked this book, try the rest of Fforde's Thursday Next series or perhaps one his other series such as Nursery Crimes Division or Shades of Grey.

For even more silly British humour in the vein of the Thursday Next series, try the works of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and P.G. Wodehouse.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Subgenres:

Faceless Killers

Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell (1991)

Reader's Annotation

When it's leaked that a murder victim's last word was foreign, anti-immigrant sentiments flare.

Summary

When an elderly couple are tortured and killed in their farmhouse in Lunnarp, Sweden, Inspector Kurt Wallander has little to go on. What motive could there have been for killing the elderly farm couple? A possible clue, that the wife's last word may have been foreign, is one that Wallander would really prefer not to deal with. The choice is taken out of his hands when the wife's possible last word is leaked to the media, sparking a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. A series of anonymous threats culminate in the killing of a Somali refugee, giving Wallander another murder to solve.

Wallander does solve it and begins to make progress on the original case as well. It turns out that the husband had significant money of his own that the wife didn't know about. The final irony is that the original clue was accurate—the murderers were foreign immigrants from Eastern Europe.

Evaluation

This was an accurately drawn police procedural in which solving a case is more about following the leads, doing the work, and not giving up than it is about flashy forensics and brilliant insights. Kurt Wallander is a bit of a sad sack: his wife has left him, his daughter won't talk to him, he's drinking too much, and his father is sinking into dementia. He may not always be very likable but he's a sympathetically well rounded character that is somehow admirable in his dogged determination to keep at these cases even when he seems to be making little progress. The tone of this novel is realistically hard-boiled. The look at issues of immigration in Sweden is interesting.

This series should have a common appeal to fans of other Scandinavian crime novelists such as Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo and, of course, Stieg Larsson. I'd also suggest the Detective Inspector John Rebus stories by Ian Rankin set in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Genres: Mystery/Crime
Subgenres: Police Procedural

Halfway to the Grave

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (2007)

Reader's Annotation

Half-vampire Cat hunts vampires hoping one day to kill the one that fathered her.

Summary

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield hunts vampires—any vampires. They're all evil, according to her mother—especially the one that raped her and fathered Cat! Then one day, Cat tries to kill a vampire so old and experienced that she might just as well have been a kitten. But the ancient vampire—Bones is his name—doesn't kill her. Instead he agrees to train her in the art of vampire killing, IF she will agree to kill only evil vampires—the ones he says are evil. Soon she is ready, and together they begin to hunt. As she and Bones fight side by side, Cat begins to think that Bones may not be so evil after all—she may even have feelings for him! But as Cat's feelings for Bones' grow, she worries that her mother will never understand.

Evaluation

I enjoyed this one and intend to try more in the series. The characters are likable—especially Bones—and the action is fun and suspenseful. The world seems likely to develop a richness as the series progresses—ghosts have already been added into the mix. The book does have a good bit of sex and violence including vampiric blood exchange but the descriptions of vampiric sex are brief and don't become tedious as they do in some other vampire romances—at least for my tastes.

If you like this book, you should try Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery/Crime
Subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Vampire Romance

In the Heart of the Canyon

In the Heart of the Canyon by Elisabeth Hyde (2009)

Reader's Annotation

Over the course of thirteen days, twelve passengers, three rafting guides and a stray dog together run the rapids of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.

Summary

J.T. Maroney has made 124 trips down the Colorado River, but one thing he accepts is that you're never completely in control, not of the river and not of the people you're guiding. No matter how good you are, how carefully you plan, circumstances can always throw you a curve. A stray dog, two mischievous boys, a know-it-all, an Alzheimer's case, and a teenage girl in a delicate condition ensure that this is one trip that does not go according to plan.

Evaluation

I enjoyed this book. The descriptions of life on the river were vivid and of running the rapids exciting and involving. They matched my own experiences of day trips white-water rafting. The characters were well drawn and interesting. It took me a little while to get them all straight but really no more so than if I'd gone on a rafting trip with 14 other people myself. The author did a good job of helping me get to know the characters and of differentiating them as individuals. I enjoyed the way she gradually built up suspense as one seemingly minor  problem after another came into play until it seemed certain that they would combine together into a perfect storm. And I especially enjoyed the mystery of Amy's pregnancy—all the clues were there to figure it out.

I'm not sure what I'd recommend to someone else who liked this book (besides another book by Elisabeth Hyde), but I think I'd like to try There's This River... Grand Canyon Boatman Stories edited by Christa Sadler.

Genres: Adventure
Subgenres:

Island in the Sea of Time

Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling (1998)

Reader's Annotation

Through a mysterious Event, the island of Nantucket is transported 3,000 years back in time.

Summary

A mysterious phenomenon transports the island of Nantucket and the United States Coast Guard ship Eagle back in time to the Bronze Age, around 1250 BC. Chief of Police Jared Conklin struggles to maintain order and establish a provisional government as the islanders slowly come to terms with the changed world around them. Realizing that the island will not be able to feed their population without new sources of seed and livestock, Conklin sends the Eagle, commanded by Captain Marian Allston, on a trading expedition to the island that will one day be Britain. The local tribes are awestruck by Allston and the Americans, and the expedition is a great success, returning with everything Nantucket needs. Unfortunately Lieutenant William Walker of the Eagle has seen that with a little modern technology he could be a king. He gathers allies and steals a boat along with most of the Nantucket's guns and ammunition. By the time the people of Nantucket can mount an expedition to stop him, Walker is well on the way to carving out his kingdom.

Evaluation

This was a fun story in the tradition of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. It was interesting to observe how the Nantucket Islanders re-adopted whaling and fell back on earlier technologies that don't require the full infrastructure of a modern civilization. The book was competently written with interesting characters. The peoples of ancient Britain were well described and seemed to fit what is known about the history, language, and culture of those times. Warfare, both ancient and modern seemed accurate to the best of my knowledge and was entertainingly described. For similar reads, try the rest of Stirling's Nantucket series, his related Emberverse series (beginning with Dies the Fire), and Eric Flint's 1632, the first of his Ring of Fire series in which a small West Virginia town is mysteriously transported back in time and space to Germany in 1632.

Genres: Science Fiction
Subgenres: Time Travel, Military SF

The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (2009)

Reader's Annotation

Symbologist Robert Langdon must decipher the location of the legendary Masonic Pyramid to save the life of his friend.

Summary

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon has long believed the Masonic Pyramid, supposedly hidden somewhere in Washington DC, to be a myth of Freemasonry but, when a madman calling himself Mal'akh kidnaps Langdon's friend and mentor Peter Solomon, Langdon must decipher its location or Peter will die. In the end, Mal'akh is disappointed. The Lost Word of the Masonic Pyramid is not a magical symbol. The Masonic Pyramid is the Washington Monument's aluminum capstone, and the Lost Word is a common Christian Bible buried in the Monument's cornerstone.

Evaluation

I enjoyed Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and had hoped to like The Lost Symbol more. As I struggled to write a summary of this novel, I realized how poorly structured it really is. Langdon plays a very passive role in the novel, which is something that no amount of lecturing on symbology or running about Washington DC can hide. The entire subplot on Noetic Science has no relationship to the story other than perhaps a thematic one. I did enjoy the history of Freemasonry in our nation's capital and the descriptions of interesting locations there, but I'd have enjoyed them more in a nicely illustrated work of nonfiction. I think that, for someone who enjoyed The Lost Symbol, I would recommend nonfiction books on Freemasonry and our nation's capital—An Illustrated Guide to The Lost Symbol by John Weber, for example.

Genres: Thriller
Subgenres: Conspiracy

Fuzzy Nation

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi (2011)

Reader's Annotation

The little "fuzzys" are cute and clever, but if they're people, ZaraCorp loses a planet-load of money.

Summary

Back on Earth, Jack Holloway used to be a corporate lawyer. Now Jack lives alone in the outback of the planet Zarathustra—178 light years from Earth—where he prospects for precious sunstones under contract to ZaraCorp. As the company with the exclusive charter to exploit the resources of Zarathustra, ZaraCorp runs nearly everything on the planet.

As a contractor, Jack makes only a tiny percentage of what his finds are worth, but one day he gets lucky. Not only does Jack find the mother of all sunstone deposits, but, thanks to a legal error by ZaraCorp, he is able to negotiate a much larger share for himself—enough to make him a very wealthy man. 

That very evening, a small furry biped—trusting and ridiculously cute—shows up at Jack's outback compound, followed shortly thereafter by its entire family. As it dawns on Jack that these little "fuzzys" may actually be people, he recalls that ZaraCorp's legal right to exploit Zarathustra will remain in effect only so long as no native sentient life is discovered. With a planet-load of money at stake, Jack fears that ZaraCorp will choose to hunt his new friends to extinction before anyone can prove they're more than animals. It's happened before on other planets. That's something Jack can't live with, even if it costs him a fortune in sunstones.

Jack soon realizes that his fears are well founded. His only hope to save the fuzzys is to return to the courtroom for the first time since he was disbarred.

Evaluation

This was an enjoyable old-school science fiction novel. And that's not too surprising as this is a "re-boot" of the 1962 classic Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper. It's nice to see the story gain a new readership. The original novel is a little dated but still very enjoyable and is readily available as a public domain ebook if you'd like to compare it with Fuzzy Nation. John Scalzi was a good choice to update the original story. He is among the best of the new science fiction writers but still has something of an old-school style and choice of subject matter. His Hugo-nominated Old Man's War was clearly inspired by two classics of science fiction: Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Joe Haldeman's Forever War.

Fuzzy Nation deals with a common trope of science fiction: first contact with a intelligent alien species. In this case the theme is: How do you decide whether an alien species is sentient? What criteria do you use? The fuzzys are small and furry like an animal and don't speak an obvious language, but they use tools and seem to behave intelligently. How sentient are they? Are there degrees of sentience? How do you assign rights to a species and who will protect those rights? These are some of the big questions that science fiction can be used to explore, the sort of questions that are seldom addressed in modern science fiction.

If you enjoyed Fuzzy Nation, you may enjoy other novels that explore first contact with an alien species: The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle and A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge are two classics in that subgenre.

Genres: Science Fiction
Subgenres: First Contact

The Perfect Husband

The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner (1998)

Reader's Annotation

What if the perfect man you married turned out to be a human monster?

Summary

Tess thought police officer Jim Beckett was the perfect white knight who would save her from her abusive father, but after two years of marriage, she knew that he was something far worse. After Tess provided enough evidence to put him away for brutally murdering ten women, Beckett hunted her down and nearly killed her. 

Now he's escaped from prison, and Tess fears the police won't be able to protect her any better than they did the last time. She turns to alcoholic, ex-mercenary J.T. Dillon for help. He helps her learn to protect herself while she helps him come to terms with his failure to protect his sister from their own abusive father. Together they deal with the seemingly unstoppable Jim Beckett.

Evaluation

This was a suspenseful and involving horror story of a human monster and at the same time a romance between two people who were damaged in very similar ways. Serial killer Jim Beckett served as the perfect cathartic stand-in for their respective fathers. The writing had its flaws but the story kept me interested to the very end. This is one of Gardner's earlier efforts; from the reviews on Amazon, I suspect that her writing has improved since. I would certainly try another in her FBI Profiler series. If you are bothered by graphic violence and explicit sex, you should avoid this novel.

Those who enjoy this novel should try the suspense novels of Thomas Harris, which include Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Romance
Subgenres: Human Monster, Serial Killer, Romantic Suspense

At Home in Mitford

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon (1994)

Reader's Annotation

Father Tim rediscovers his purpose thanks to a dog, a boy, and a new neighbor.

Summary

Episcopal priest Father Tim is feeling off-center and out-of-sorts as he approaches the big 60, but he reconnects to himself, his faith, and the people of Mitford thanks to a big, ugly dog, an unloved boy, and an attractive new neighbor.

Evaluation

This is a sweet story about an Episcopal priest who's the rector of a small village church in North Carolina. It's well written and a very gentle read. Its kindness is infectious. I think my mother would have liked it.

It's not my usual thing, but I found it quite pleasant.

Genres: Inspirational, Christian
Subgenres:

Christmas Letter

Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber (2006)

Reader's Annotation

Katherine thinks Dr. Wynn Jeffries' book on child-rearing is ridiculous, but he's irresistible.

Summary

Katherine "K.O." O'Connor makes extra money writing Christmas newsletters for other people. Dr. Wynn Jeffries is a child psychologist whose book The Free Child has a chapter called 'Bury Santa Under the Sleigh.' When K.O. discovers that she and Dr. Jeffries live in the same building, her sister, a big fan of his book, asks her to get his autograph. Instead K.O. ambushes him at the local coffee hangout, accusing him of taking Santa away from her nieces. This does not go well.

Later that very same day, K.O.'s neighbor LaVonne fixes her up on a blind date...with Dr. Jeffries! To both their surprise, K.O. and Wynn hit it off in a big way—as long as they can stay off the subject of child rearing. Can they just agree to disagree? LaVonne knows they'll wind up together—didn't she read their future in the kitty litter?

Evaluation

This was a cute story, definitely a romantic comedy. I could easily imagine Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as the leads. I chose this book as one my mother might have liked—and I think she would have. Christmas Letter is what's known as a sweet romance, in which the romance doesn't go beyond kissing—no sex. And, while the novel is not explicitly a Christian romance, it contains nothing to offend a Christian's sensibilities. Macomber has written a number of other novels with a Christmas theme.

Genres: Romance
Subgenres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy

Night of the Living Deb: A Debutante Drop-Out Mystery

Night of the Living Deb: A Debutante Drop-Out Mystery by Susan McBride (2007)

Reader's Annotation

Debutante drop-out Andrea Kendricks' straight-arrow boyfriend hasn't been seen since he followed a stripper backstage at the local "gentleman's club."

Summary

Andy Kendricks' boyfriend Brian Malone is a defense attorney and as straight-laced as they come. That's why she's surprised to hear that he hasn't been seen since following an exotic dancer backstage at The Men's Club, a local Dallas strip joint. Doubly surprised considering that he was the designated driver for his friend Matty's bachelor party. Brian's co-worker and former girlfriend Allie Price, aka The Blonde Menace, encourages Andy to believe the worst, and, when their investigations at The Men's Club turn up testimony that Brian left through the back door with the stripper—stage name: Trayla Trash—Andy begins to have her doubts.

But when Trayla Trash turns up dead in the trunk of Brian's car, she knows something is very wrong—Brian is no killer. With the help of her posse: Allie Price, Andy's socially-connected mother Cissy, and Cissy's very capable man-friend Stephen, Andy handles a ransom demand, a sleazy strip-club bartender, and a stolen painting to finally rescue her boyfriend Brian.

Evaluation

This novel is a very light read with a humorous tone. Despite the brief naughtiness of the strip club and a Chippendale dancer, it is quite tame with no foul language, explicit sex, or excessive violence. The main character, rebellious rich girl Andrea Kendricks, is a pro-Bono web designer for non-profits, but don't expect any references to Internet culture in this novel. In fact, few of the pop culture references are less than forty years old: Starsky and Hutch, Lost in Space ("Danger, Will Robinson!"), Laugh-In ("One ringy-dingy, two ringy-dingy."). I'd say the Debutante Drop-Out series—this one's #4—is aimed at older women who like a touch of naughty fun. And from the number of positive reviews on Amazon, the series definitely has its fans. However, the main character is a bit passive for my tastes; she's even more inept and dependent on other characters for help than Stephanie Plum. In fact, this seems like the perfect series to read while waiting for the next Stephanie Plum book from Janet Evanovich.

Genres: Mystery/Crime, Chicklit
Subgenres:

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman (1973)

Reader's Annotation

A tale of true love and high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts.

Summary

In the country of Florin lives a beautiful girl named Buttercup. She delights in ordering about their farmhand, a boy named Westley, whom she simply calls Farmboy. His only response is to say, "As you wish." When Buttercup realizes she loves Westley, he leaves to seek his fortune so that they may marry.

Time passes. Buttercup learns that Westley has died at the hands of the Dread Pirate Roberts and now she will be forced to wed Prince Humperdinck, heir to the throne of Florin.

Before the wedding, Prince Humperdink, who clearly doesn't love Buttercup, hires a trio of outlaws to kidnap her to give him an excuse to start a war with Guilder. These three outlaws are Inigo Montoya, a Spanish fencing wizard; Fezzik, a giant Turkish wrestler; and their leader Vizzini, the evil Sicilian mastermind.

A mysterious man in black appears and defeats the three men, leaving Vizzini dead but gaining the respect of Inigo and Fezzik. Buttercup flees with the man in black, who turns out to be Westley, now owner of the Dread Pirate Roberts franchise.

After a harrowing journey through the Fire Swamp, Westley and Buttercup are captured by Prince Humperdinck and his six-fingered henchman, Count Tyrone Rugen. Buttercup agrees to marry Humperdinck if he will release Westley. Humperdinck agrees but orders Count Rugen to take Westley to the Zoo of Death for torture anyway.

Meanwhile, Inigo and Fezzik have learned that Count Rugen is the six-fingered nobleman who killed Inigo's father and upon whom Inigo has sworn vengeance. They rescue Westley from the Zoo of Death so that he can help them plan their assault on Humperdinck's castle.

On the day of the wedding, the three invade the castle. Inigo Montoya takes his revenge on Count Rugen, the man who killed his father, while Westley stops the wedding in the nick of time and rescues Buttercup.

Evaluation

The presentation of this novel is very unusual. Its framing material presents it as an abridgement of a novel by S. Morgenstern that Goldman's father read to him when he was sick. It was, however, written entirely by William Goldman. The story is a humorous fantasy adventure with  fairy tale elements. It's mostly good silly fun but the subplot in which Inigo Montoya seeks revenge for the death of his father is treated more seriously than the rest of the book and is my favorite part. To me, the story of Inigo Montoya is the true heart of the novel. The story of Westley and Buttercup is bland and uninteresting in comparison.

If you enjoyed the novel's humorous fantasy elements, you should try one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. If, on the other hand, you preferred the Inigo Montoya subplot, you might try a swashbuckling tale of revenge like The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas or Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure
Subgenres: 

Barbed Wire

Barbed Wire by Elmer Kelton (1957)

Reader's Annotation

Doug Monahan vows revenge when an open-range cattle rancher and his brutal foreman burn his barbed wire fencing operation and kill his oldest friend.

Summary

Doug Monahan just wants to make a living putting up barbed wire fencing, but Captain Andrew Rinehart, owner of the biggest ranch in Kiowa County, wants the land to remain open range. When Rinehart's men burn Doug's fencing operation and  kills Doug's oldest friend, he vows revenge. A lot of struggling small-time farmers and ranchers in the county would like to use Doug's barbed wire to keep free-range cattle off their land, but only one, Noah Wheeler, is willing to stand up to Rinehart's intimidation. Together Doug Monahan's crew and the Wheeler family build their fence despite the worst that Reinhart and his men can do.

Evaluation

This is an old-style Western in the tradition of Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour. It's one my father would have liked: hard-working heroes, no sex or foul language, violence that isn't too excessive. I enjoyed its treatment of the traditional Western theme of the rule of law versus the rule of strength and found it an interesting look at the changes that barbed wire brought to the Texas range lands.

Genres: Western
Subgenres: Cowboys

A Spark of Death

A Spark of Death by Bernadette Pajer (2011)

Reader's Annotation

In 1901 Seattle, a puzzling electrocution points to murder, and Electrical Engineering Professor Benjamin Bradshaw is the chief suspect.

Summary

In 1901 Seattle, electricity is regarded as new-fangled and dangerous. When University of Washington Professor Benjamin Bradshaw discovers a despised colleague electrocuted inside the Faraday Cage, his knowledge of electrical engineering makes him the prime suspect. Bradshaw knows that the facts don't add up but in the court of public opinion he has already been found guilty. Then when someone tries to send Bradshaw over the waterfall at the Snoqualmie Falls Power Plant, he knows that the electrocution was surely no accident. Could the murder somehow be related to President McKinley's planned visit to the University of Washington for an electrical demonstration? Could anarchists be involved?

Evaluation

This was a fun mystery with good period detail and no obvious errors in the electrical engineering science. Professor Benjamin Bradshaw made for an interesting and appealing amateur sleuth.

If you like the Professor Benjamin Bradshaw mysteries, you may enjoy The Strange Case Files of Fremont Jones about a woman who sets herself up as a professional "type-writer" in turn-of-the-century San Francisco.

Genres: Mystery/Crime, Historical
Subgenres:

Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard (2002)

Reader's Annotation

Daredevil diver Dennis Lenahan witnesses a Dixie Mafia hit from the top of his eighty-foot ladder.

Summary

 Dennis Lenahan makes his living as a high diver. He likes to tell people that if you put a fifty-cent piece on the floor and look down at it, that's what the tank looks like from the top of that eighty-foot steel ladder. He mostly puts on his show at amusement parks but now he's about to start an eight-week gig at the Tishomingo Lodge & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi.

Before he's even had a chance to do his first show, Dennis witnesses a hit by the Dixie Mafia from the top rung of his ladder. The Dixie Mafia know what he saw, and so does Robert Taylor, a Detroit gangster who wants to move in on Dixie territory. Robert recruits Dennis to join him against the Dixie Mafia in a Civil War re-enactment to be played out with real bullets, a true showdown between the North and the South.

Evaluation

This is a typical Elmore Leonard hard-boiled crime novel with the usual brilliantly realistic dialog, very stupid criminals, and not-so-bad guys versus the really bad guys plot. If you like Tishomingo Blues, try Leonard's Get Shorty and Freaky Deaky. Then when you've had your fill of Elmore Leonard, try the Hap and Leonard series by Joe R. Lansdale (starting with Savage Season) and the Parker novels of Richard Stark (a pseudonym of Donald E. Westlake).

If books with violence, foul language, and sex bother you, avoid Elmore Leonard.

Genres: Mystery/Crime
Subgenres: Hard-Boiled Crime

Wild Ride

Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (2011)

Reader's Annotation

Restoring the Dreamland Amusement Park is a dream come true for Mab, but FunFun the Clown is NOT what she expected.

Summary

The Dreamland Amusement Park is not like any park Mary Alice Brannigan (Mab for short) has restored before. Turns out it's actually the prison of five ancient demons known as The Untouchables. Mab doesn't know this yet and, while putting the finishing touches on the statue of FunFun the Clown, she accidentally releases the first of the demons, the trickster Fufluns. Mab soon discovers that Fufluns isn't so bad as demon gods go and actually makes a pretty good boyfriend. Unfortunately not all the ancient demons are as easy-going as Fufluns and soon more have escaped confinement. As Halloween fast approaches, Mab and her friends must return the demons to their confinement before the evil demon boss god Kharos gains his freedom, initiating the apocalypse.

Evaluation

This novel was good frothy fun if a bit slight. The amusement park was a fun backdrop for an urban fantasy novel. The Romance aspect of the novel kept me guessing a bit. Would Mab wind up with the hunky Army Ranger? Nope, turns out he's her half-brother by the demon god Kharos. What about the trickster Fufluns? Nope, he has to go back into confinement, though he does get her pregnant. Turns out that the Homeland Security agent who's been in the background for most of the novel is crazy about her, even if she is carrying a demon spawn. I thought it was interesting that Jennifer Crusie wrote the chapters that are from Mab's point of view and Bob Mayer wrote those from the Army Ranger's point of view. (I guess you can tell which point of view I enjoyed more.)

If you really liked this novel, you should try the other collaborations between Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer; Agnes and the Hitman sounds pretty fun. But if you particularly enjoyed the humorous urban fantasy aspect, you must try Christopher Moore. In my opinion, his urban fantasies are funnier and better written, and many even include a bit of romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Under the Dome

Under the Dome by Stephen King (2009)

Reader's Annotation

When an invisible force field seals Chester's Mill off from the world, the good people  pull together, but to "Big Jim" Rennie it's an opportunity to grab power.

Summary

When the small town of Chester's Mill, Maine is mysteriously sealed off by an invisible and completely impenetrable force field, the results are like nothing anyone could have imagined. Planes and cars crash into the invisible barrier. Family members are stranded on opposite sides. Even worse, as long as the Dome is up, no new resources will be coming in from outside: no food, no gasoline, no propane, no medicines. "Big Jim" Rennie, used car dealer and town selectman, sees this situation as the perfect opportunity to grab power. As Rennie expands the police force into his own private band of thugs, he is opposed by Iraq War hero Dale Barbara and a few of the town's more sensible citizens. When opposition becomes open conflict, destructive fires poison the Dome's limited atmosphere. Dale Barbara and his friends must race to discover the secret of the mysterious Dome before it's rendered completely uninhabitable.

Evaluation

I can only compare this recent novel to King's earlier novel The Stand. Like that novel, Under the Dome is a big sprawling book with a huge cast of characters. And like The Stand, it is an allegory of our society in microcosm. Few writers could pull off a novel with this many characters and keep them interesting and worthy of our attention. The only other writer I've read recently who can do this is George R.R. Martin, whose epic fantasy Game of Thrones has a similarly large cast of interesting characters.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
Subgenres: Disaster, Human Monster

Sarah's Key

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (2007)

Reader's Annotation

An American journalist becomes obsessed with the sixty-year-old secret of her family's Paris apartment.

Summary

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel d'Hiv' roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours. Paris, May 2002: On Vel d'Hiv's 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life. (from WorldCat)

Evaluation

I enjoyed the two parallel narrative threads of this novel and the way each reflected and complemented the other. The author made it easy to tell the two narratives apart by using third person for the 1942 thread and first person for the 2002 thread. In addition, the two narrative threads were presented in different typefaces. In contrast to the complex narrative structure, the prose of the individual threads was simple and straight-forward with a lot of dialog. This novel should appeal to those who enjoy a story of realistic people and events with strong emotional content. People who like this novel should try The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Genres: Historical
Subgenres:

Murder in the Marais

Murder in the Marais by Cara Black (1998)

Reader's Annotation

The past won't stay buried as private investigator Aimee Leduc investigates a murder in the old Jewish quarter of Paris.

Summary

Paris, 1993. Computer forensics expert Aimee Leduc has promised the old Nazi-hunter that she will deliver the decrypted photo only into the hands of Lili Stein. Unfortunately when Aimee finds the elderly Jewish woman, she is dead with a swastika carved into her forehead. Since Aimee can no longer deliver the photo, she determines to solve the mystery of Lili Stein's murder instead. As Aimee's investigations take her from Holocaust survivors to NeoNazis to Nazi collaborators, she solves a fifty-year-old murder, reunites a Holocaust survivor, her ex-Nazi lover, and the child she gave up many years ago, and exposes a Nazi collaborator now high in the French government.

Evaluation

This is a very flawed first novel. First the good: The descriptions of Paris are vividly detailed and give the novel a strong sense of place. You could easily follow Aimee Leduc's movements throughout the city. The historical information about the Marais during World War II is interesting and seems well researched. Now the bad: Aimee is supposed to be a computer forensics expert, yet nearly every scene involving computers contains not just errors but absurdities. It's surprising that an author who clearly went to great lengths to research Paris and its history did not trouble to gain even the most basic understanding of how computers work. Worse than the computer absurdities, however, is that the novel has far too many poorly fleshed out characters. Aimee's partner Rene is a major example. Finally, the author seemed to struggle to settle on a tone, ranging from very serious when the story touched on the Holocaust and Nazi collaborators to completely over the top when Aimee ran about the roofs of Paris in high heals or tromped through the sewers.

People who love Paris may enjoy this book as a way to re-experience and reconnect with that city. Those who enjoy the Stephanie Plumb novels of Janet Evanovich may also enjoy this novel for its over-the-top heroine.

Genres: Mystery/Crime
Subgenres:

Devil's Cub

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

Reader's Annotation

When Mary spoils the young Marquis's non-matrimonial plans for her social-climbing sister Sophia, he abducts Mary to France instead.

Summary

The young Marquis of Vidal leaves highwaymen dead in the road and eats social-climbing little chits like Sophia Challoner for dessert but, when it comes to Sophia's fiercely protective older sister Mary, the Marquis has met his match. Mary knows that Vidal will never marry Sophia, so, when she intercepts a message inviting Sophia to run away with him, Mary puts on a mask and goes in Sophia's stead. Then when Vidal discovers the switch, Mary deepens the deception by claiming that the switch was all Sophia's idea for a joke at his expense. This so enrages Vidal that he forcibly abducts Mary onto his yacht and sails for France. There, after many misunderstandings, interfering friends and relatives, a shooting, and a duel, Mary and Vidal realize they are a perfect match and are betrothed.

Evaluation

This fun novel is a well done Comedy of Manners set during the British Regency era. The Marquis of Vidal is the perfect rake, drinking, gambling, dueling, and pursuing women with the most dishonorable of intentions. Mary Challoner is the perfect spunky heroine who tames the rake. The repartee among the supporting characters is tres amusant and there's enough action for any adventure novel. The historical details and language seem accurate to the best of my limited knowledge. Georgette Heyer is considered the queen of the Regency Romance and has inspired many imitators. Her fans include many men like myself who enjoy the adventure and humor of her Regency Romances.

Fans of Jane Austen may enjoy Heyer's Regency Romances. Those who enjoy the adventure in them may also enjoy the historical novels of Rafael Sabatini, while those who enjoy their humor may like the aristocratic buffoonery of P.G. Wodehouse.

Genres: Romance, Historical
Subgenres: Regency Romance

Heart-Shaped Box

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2007)

Reader's Annotation

A retired death-metal rocker buys a dead man's suit for his collection of the macabre—ghost included according to the seller.

Summary

Retired death-metal rocker Judas Coyne has two collections: one of the grotesque and bizarre, the other of the current and former girlfriends he likes to call by their states of origin. When Jude buys a dead man's suit—complete with ghost according to its online seller—for the first collection, it turns out to be connected to his second collection as well. The ghost is Craddock McDermott, step-father of Jude's former girlfriend Florida (real name: Anna). McDermott blames Jude for Anna's death and is bent on destroying him and anyone who cares for him. After Jude's personal assistant Danny hangs himself under Craddock's malevolent influence, Jude and his current girlfriend Georgia (real name: Marybeth) drive south to confront Anna's sister, who tricked Jude into buying the ghost, and to discover the truth behind Anna's apparent suicide. As he faces the ghost's threat to himself and to Marybeth, whom he now realizes he loves, Jude must also confront his past and his own personal demons.

Evaluation

At the start of this book, I was not sure I would like either Judas Coyne or his girlfriend Georgia/Marybeth, but, as the story unfolded and I got to know them better, I came to like them and to fear for their survival. Both are complex characters with difficult and painful pasts, who are better people than they realize, and both change for the better in the course of the story. Joe Hill has written that rarity, a character-driven horror novel. Hill may be even better than his famous father Stephen King at creating complex and interesting characters. And like his father, Hill is a master of the small details that bring a narrative to life. Much of the creepiness of the novel comes from Hill's very visual descriptions—the black marker scribbles covering the eyes of ghosts for example.

This novel isn't for everyone. Those who prefer a plot-driven story may find it slow to develop. Those who dislike disturbing imagery and crude language will want to avoid it.

If you liked Heart-Shaped Box, you should try Hill's second novel Horns. The novels of Joe Hill should appeal to fans of Stephen King and vice-versa.

Genres: Horror
Subgenres: Supernatural Horror

The Overnight

The Overnight by Ramsey Campbell (2005)

Reader's Annotation

The fog never lifts at the newest TEXTS mega bookstore. Damp fog things shift books, and blurry print spreads like a fungus as staff begin to die.

Summary

Woody, an American, was recently transferred to England to open a new branch of TEXTS, the American mega bookstore, but there's something strange about the new location: the fog never lifts and customers stay away in droves. Every morning books have been shifted about and are damp to the touch. Blurry print spreads to books and computer screens like a fungus. The store's first big inspection is fast approaching as one staff member is killed by a hit-and-run driver and another loses the ability to read. Woody's only hope to get the store in shape is to schedule all remaining staff to work overnight before the inspection.

Evaluation

The point of view changes with each chapter, cycling through all the staff members of the bookstore. As a result, the book gets off to a slow start. I found it hard to get to know and identify with the many characters enough to develop sympathy for them, especially when many of the characters come off as rather unlikable. Nevertheless, the story does pick up, and I do come to like several of the characters enough to care what happens to them. The events and imagery are very creepy and atmospheric, and the novel comes to a satisfying conclusion. I would recommend this book to those who like lots of creepy imagery and enjoy visualizing a book like a movie. Those who like more complexly realized and sympathetic characters may be disappointed. Readalike authors are Dean Koontz and, to a lesser degree, Stephen King.

Genres: Horror
Subgenres: Supernatural Horror

Sharpe's Rifles

Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell (1988)

Reader's Annotation

After Lieutenant Richard Sharpe's battalion is cut down by the French, he must assume command of the survivors and lead them to rejoin the British Army in Portugal.

Summary

After Lieutenant Richard Sharpe's commanding officer is killed and his battalion of Riflemen nearly wiped out during the British retreat from the occupation of Galicia by Napoleon's forces, Sharpe struggles to assume command of the survivors and gain their respect. Hunted by a squadron of French cavalry, they ally themselves with the Spanish nobleman Blas Vivar, who carries a potent symbol of Spanish independence with which he hopes to rally the Spanish people against the French invaders.

Evaluation

Bernard Cornwell, inspired by C.S. Forester's tales of naval warfare during the Napoleonic Wars, created his own tales of land warfare set in that period. His character Richard Sharpe, who came up through the ranks at a time when most officers purchased their commissions, is hard-edged yet sympathetic. In Sharpe's Rifles, Sharpe struggles with self-doubt and with his men as he experiences his first command. The battle scenes are well described and realistic, yet always remain involving thanks to Sharpe's very personal point of view. And to round things out, Sharpe even suffers a bit of unrequited love. For more military fiction set during the Napoleonic Wars, try the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and the Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester.

Genres: Historical, Adventure
Subgenres: Historical Adventure, Military Adventure

Beat to Quarters

Beat to Quarters by C.S. Forester (1937)

Reader's Annotation

Captain Horatio Hornblower of the HMS Lydia is ordered to form an alliance against the Spanish colonial government with an insane Spanish landowner in Nicaragua.

Summary

 Under secret orders from the Admiralty, Captain Horatio Hornblower has sailed his 36-gun frigate HMS Lydia halfway around the world to the Pacific side of Spanish Central America. Because Spain is allied with Napoleon, Hornblower is to foment rebellion against the Spanish colonial government by allying himself with an insane Spanish landowner known to his followers as El Supremo  and to "take, sink, burn, or destroy" the fifty-gun Spanish ship of the line Natividad. Hornblower, through a clever trick, captures the Natividad and reluctantly turns it over to El Supremo. Shortly thereafter, Hornblower receives new orders: because Spain is now allied with Britain against Napoleon, he must once again pursue the Natividad, but this time capturing or destroying her won't be so easy! And to further complicate Hornblower's situation, he must take on a female passenger, the Lady Barbara Wellesley.

Evaluation

This is the first written of the excellent Hornblower novels. Forester provides a wealth of period detail and brings the HMS Lydia and her crew to vivid life. He has a gift for making slow moving sea battles interesting and exciting. Horatio Hornblower is a layered and complex character: imaginative, empathetic, hard-working, introspective, and self-doubting, he makes for a likable and interesting protagonist. And the presence of the Lady Barbara provides a nice extra flavor of romance. For more military fiction set during the Napoleonic Wars, try the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell.

Genres: Adventure, Historical
Subgenres: Historical Adventure, Nautical Adventure, Military Adventure