one book leads to another
Serving up a flight of reviews for your reading pleasure. Prepare to knock back tastes of gritty novellas, a refined spy thriller, a complex memoir, and family fiction with both sweet and sour notes. Cheers! Owning Up by George Pelecanos (2024) What’s better than a new George Pelecanos novel? Four new Pelecanos novellas! Quality and … Continue reading Short Shots
A masterclass in sinister fiction. If this book was a fabric, it would be plush velvet. If this book was a drink, it would be a rich Bordeaux. If this book was a fruit, it would be an overripe plum. If this book was a dream, it would be a nightmare. Lucy Foley and her … Continue reading The Paris Apartment
Predators are on the loose in Joe Pickett's world Let's begin with the bottom line: C.J. Box is tried and true and I'm a fan. I devoured Three-Inch Teeth in two days, and it was a tasty treat. This is book number 24 in Box's Joe Pickett series. I've listened to most but read the physical … Continue reading Three-Inch Teeth
You think your family has issues? Jean Hanff Korelitz's writing is like a sleek bullet train, propelled forward, subtlety gaining speed and momentum until reaching its destination. This is the third book of hers I've read and in my review of The Plot I wrote "Korelitz is an excellent writer; her books just seem to … Continue reading The Latecomer
I did a little survey of all my reviews and realized that around 20% of the books I’ve read since 2020 are by Black authors. The genres include fiction, sci-fi, personal development, young adult, children’s, art, memoir, romance, and a book about books! It’s an interesting list and in the spirit of Black History Month … Continue reading Review Roundup: Black authors
In which spy craft runs in the family. Amanda Cole has the CIA in her blood. Her father, Charlie, was a field operative for years until his abrupt relocation from Helsinki to a desk job at Langley. Amanda is a trusted agent as well, respected and on the rise. Charlie’s past and Amanda’s present dramatically … Continue reading The Helsinki Affair
You mean love doesn't conquer all? Sometimes a book will surprise me, like when the writing is much better than I expected. Sometimes the surprise is more like a swindle, like the time I eagerly started a psychological thriller only to discover that it was more of a sad mental health story. Sometimes you want … Continue reading Love and other crimes on Hot Springs Drive
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