Showing posts with label September 2019. Show all posts
Showing posts with label September 2019. Show all posts
Monday, September 30, 2019
Kittling: Books: On My Radar: Larry D. Sweazy's The Lost Are the La...
Kittling: Books: On My Radar: Larry D. Sweazy's The Lost Are the La...: After reading Larry Sweazy 's Marjorie Trumaine mysteries about a professional book indexer and farm wife in 1960s North Dakota, I...
Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: This Is What Happened by Mick Herron
Mick Herron is
a talented author of crime fiction that is routinely shortlisted for major
awards. His books about a group of failed MI-5 agents are utterly brilliant in
concept and execution. This Is What
Happened (Soho Crime, 2018) is a stand-alone spy novel with several
surprises along the way.
Maggie Barnes
is 26 years old, living alone in London in a sublet room and working a mediocre
job in a large corporate mail room. Both parents are gone, her only sibling is
a sister to whom she hasn’t spoken for years. Few friends and not many
interests, she could disappear and no one would notice. She often treats
herself at a coffee shop on the way home from work, where she’s approached one
day by a stranger who engages her in conversation. Too lonely to question this
man’s attention and motives, she comes to rely on meeting him. Eventually this
stranger explains he’s from MI-5 and that the company she works for is under
surveillance for its foreign connections. He needs someone to install a program
on their computer network so MI-5 can monitor the company’s activities.
Naïve Maggie
does not question anything this complete stranger tells her. He coaches her for
weeks on how to install the program, which computer to use, how to escape
detection by the security guards, etc. On the night she is to install the
system, she hides in a ladies’ room until midnight, when she sneaks up several
flights of stairs to the executive offices and successfully inserts the flash
drive she’s been given in a senior manager’s computer and turns the computer on.
En route downstairs, however, she runs into one of the security guards who
knows she shouldn’t be in the building at that hour.
From that
point on, the story takes so many twists and turns, the reader might reasonably
feel the onset of whiplash. Unexpectedly dark, loaded with suspense, it’s easy
to quickly become invested in Maggie and her well-being, which is seriously in doubt
at several points in the story.
Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews.
·
Hardcover: 272 pages
·
Publisher: Soho Crime
(January 30, 2018)
·
Language: English
·
ISBN-10: 1616958618
·
ISBN-13: 978-1616958619
Aubrey Hamilton ©2019
Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on
Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Tattoo Murder Case (1948) by Akimitsu Takagi
Beneath the Stains of Time: The Tattoo Murder Case (1948) by Akimitsu Takagi: Over the past nine months, I've read and reread a spate of Japanese detective novels and short stories by such mystery writers as Tak...
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Scott's Take: JLA: Earth 2
JLA: Earth 2 by Grant Morrison
and artist Frank Quitely is a story that features a good Lex Luthor from Earth
2. In fact, he is the lone hero of Earth 2. In Earth 2, The Justice League is
evil and goes by the name of The Crime Syndicate Of Amerika. The Crime
Syndicate rules the world with an iron fist led by Ultraman (evil Superman),
Owlman (evil Batman), and more. Desperate for any chance to win his war against
the evils of his world, Lex Luthor makes a bold plan to go to Earth 1 and beg
The Justice League to return with him to his Earth. He has a plan to save his
Earth. He needs 48 hours and their help to implement it. The Justice League members
agree and the fight is on to save Earth 2.
This story was
published back in October 2000 so the roster of the Justice League is different
from the current books. At this time the roster includes seven members: Batman,
Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash (the Wally West version--not
Barry Allen), Aquaman (post losing his hand and sporting a hook for a hand and
never wearing a shirt), and the Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner). It is worth noting
that this is when Kyle Rayner was either a rookie green lantern who was the
last green lantern or one of the last depending on the artist and the time
period.
This was also when they
had Aquaman was going through a phase where the writers tried to make him a Conan
the Barbarian type dude or some sort of weird /pirate/warrior/king hybrid so
that he theoretically would be cooler to readers. Hence, he is depicted as
bearded with long hair and shirtless, and has a hand missing which means he now
has a hook. His look is completed by having him wearing some sort of metal
breast plate on his chest that gives folks a nice target by exposing one
nipple. Someone thought this was a good
look for him during that time. Why? Who knows, but they thought this nonsense
worked and so they made him look like this for awhile.
JLA: Earth 2 is one of several
tales that Grant Morrison wrote over several years that were centered on The
Justice League. This particular one can be read as a stand-alone and without
having read the other books in the series that some readers refer to as the “Big
Seven of The Justice League” books.
The art style in the
read takes some time to get used to as the male characters are also ripped to
extreme levels and their faces are a bit rough. Superman and Lex Luthor suffer
the worst art wise and are depicted not even fitting in chairs. Then there is
the cover which depicts Superman with a very prominent bulge in his clothing. The art is not the highlight of this
collection. The story is and it is a good one.
I enjoyed the debates on ethics and whether The League should intervene in the affairs of another Earth was fun. Seeing twisted versions of the Justice League and the interactions between them and the heroes is one of the cooler parts of this story. The ending is not very typical for a comic book and surprised me. Every heroic character gets their time to shine in this story and the villains get their time to remind people they are nothing like the good guys. I enjoyed this story. It is a short read and I wish they went into more detail about the parallel world and their villains.
JLA: Earth 2 is a fun and enjoyable
read, but it is dated thanks to the unintentionally funny depiction of Aquaman.
The person who approved this depiction of Aquaman has some serious issues. While
it would be fine to just read this one, if you want to read the rest of the run
start with Justice League of America: New World Order which features a
mullet sporting Superman and the rest of the Justice League vs an army of White
Martians.
JLA: Earth 2
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quietly
DC Comics
ISBN# 1-56389-631-1
July 2000
Paperback (also available in hardback and digital formats)
96 Pages
Material supplied by the good folks of the Dallas Public
Library System. My particular copy came from the Timberglen Branch.
Scott A. Tipple ©2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura ...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamu...: Reviewed by Jeanne As the book opens, our narrator, a young postman, has been met with devastating news: he has a stage 4 br...
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Beneath the Stains of Time: Where There's a Will (1961) by Kip Chase
Beneath the Stains of Time: Where There's a Will (1961) by Kip Chase: Previously, I reviewed F. van Wyck Mason's Seeds of Murder (1930) and a short story by Paul Charles, " The Riddle of the Hummin...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Sputnik Sweetheart, Excellent Women, C...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Sputnik Sweetheart, Excellent Women, C...: Reported by Kristin Nevermore kicked off this week with a discussion of Sputnik Sweetheart by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. Al...
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Review: TOUGH 2: Crime Stories Editor Rusty Barnes
Michael Bracken’s
short story, “Itsy Bitsy Spider” starts off the fifteen 15 tales that make up Tough
2: Crime Tales. Mona Peterson was trouble from the moment she walked
into Morris Ronald Boyette’s office. She had walked over from the University in
the rain, sans umbrella and bra, and wants to have the detective to deal with
the Professor’s sexual harassment. That case is one of several that take
up his time in “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and is easily the most consequential to the
good detective’s future.
Frank is a long way and many years in Chosin, Korea in “The Third
Jump of Frankie Buffalo” by Thomas Pluck. A choke point is anywhere where
things get really narrow and something can happen and the railroad crossing
ahead of him is definitely a chokepoint. The cement mixer Frank is driving has
a job to do and the stalled traffic is nothing more than an inconvenience. That
is until, as the clock ticks and his mission takes a turn, it isn’t.
The time is also a major part of “Day Planner” by Matt Mattilla.
In a story where events are marked by the hour and minute, the kid goes through
his day trying to blend in and not draw attention to himself for good reason.
Easier said than done. Especially when others cause issues.
Driving a car for Valley Cab is usually fairly easy for Gordon
Jurewicz. He has his routine and an uneventful life. Then she jumped into his
backseat and started screaming for him to drive in “Tally Ho” by William R.
Soldan. She needs help and Gordon is eager to do so.
Anne and James talk a walk every morning on the beach of Amelia
Island, Florida. It has been their routine for two years now. In “Beach Body”
by C. A. Rowland, their walk is interrupted by the discovery of a body. James knew
the now dead woman and probably knew her intimately. Anne knows that another
scandal, just like what happened in Chicago, is soon in store and her marriage
might not survive this one.
Piosa had loved the old Mustang and had spent many hours working
hard to restore it. It only seems fitting that his ashes joins the car in a
sort of “Viking Funeral.” In this tale by Nick Kolakowski, setting the
car ablaze is easy. Dealing with the aftermath of the fire, just like dealing
with the aftermath of what they experienced over there, proves not so easy.
Marty had no idea how much he was in trouble with Shayne until
after they ate at the diner just south of Charlotte. This time isn’t like the many
other runs to West Palm Beach and back. In “Long Drive Home” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins,
Marty has to figure out a way to deal with the new situation. Things are going
to get very complicated very fast
It is a beautiful afternoon and Cowan wishes he was sitting in a
seat on the plane cutting through the cobalt blue sky far above him in
“Masonry” by Rob McClure Smith. He isn’t. He is also being followed. The kid
who is following him is just the vanguard of a bigger problem known by the name
of Prince Hall. Outnumbered and outgunned, running his mouth could be his only
option. Until it isn’t.
Carla has plans and
needs Arron to spring for what she wants. She knows how to work her feminine
magic in “Once Upon A Time in Chicago” by Tia J’anae. But, this night is off
and she felt that way from the start. She really should have listened to her
inner voice that was shouting a warning.
Turner didn’t want to go behind bars, but it is what it is in “The
Grass Beneath My Feet” by S. A. Cosby. Cold Water Correctional Facility is what
it is. At least they let him out for a brief visit to a chapel to pray his
respects to this deceased mother. It has been a long 15 years and plenty is on
his mind.
Marsha knows everybody says a dead body looks like a mannequin,
but it really does in “No News is Good News” by Evelyn Deshane. Even though it
always seemed silly to her and she knew it was a cliché, Marsha now realizes it
is definitely true. She had seen the van pull away from the nearby bus stop so
maybe she has a lead for the police. A lead
that the police don’t seem to care about at all because some victims just don’t
matter.
Bagging groceries isn’t that great a job, but it is a job. In
Haggard, the options job wise are very few. In “The Bag Girl” by Alec Cizak,
she does what she needs to do to survive. She has a job at the store and
another at home and both are mind numbing and hard in their own ways.
From direct personal experience, Jean knew what the man who called
himself “Samson” did two years ago. The fact that he stole the table was just a
symbol of everything he stole that night. That night changed the course of her
life forever. In “Sarah, Sweet and Stealthy” by Preston Lang, a form of justice
comes slowly and with some help.
Back in the 40’s, a mother abandoned her newborn in in the woods
of Red Thrush Mountain. When a search party went looking after the young mother
confessed, all they found was a small feed sack dress covered in feline fur. It
may be years later, but the legend of what happened is still strong and a
menacing presence. In “With Hair Black Than Coal” by Chris McGinley, strange
things are again going on in the woods and Sheriff Curley Knott is on the case.
“She Loves First” by Mary Thorson is the final read in Tough
2: Crime Stories. Lula has been left behind as Tom is in New York to
covertly photograph an execution for a New York Paper. His bird is still
present and is seriously annoying. Something is going to have to change as she
can’t keep living like this.
Like its predecessor, Tough:
Crime Stories, the new book, Tough 2: Crime Stories, is
a solidly good read. Most of the tales are on the dark side, but there are the
occasional flashes of muted humor. Even if that humor tends to be on the dark
and twisted side of the ledger. As one would expect from the title, these are
not tales of cozy mystery where a death is gently and politely discussed by the
flickering light of the fireplace while one sips tea. These are often tales
where the gut churns with physical fear and one can smell the scent of murder
on the night wind. While not present in every single story, these characters
are often desperately clinging to life in situations where the price each day
for existing to another sunrise is to kill before being killed. A mix of
styles, locations, and crimes makes Tough 2: Crime Stories an enjoyable
and often complicated read.
Tough 2: Crime Stories
Editor Rusty Barnes
Redneck Press
August 2019
ISBN# 978-0578487809
Paperback Only
194 Pages
$14.95
ARC PDF supplied by Editor Rusty Barnes with no expectation of a
review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Beneath the Stains of Time: Behind the Music: "The Riddle of the Humming Bee" ...
Beneath the Stains of Time: Behind the Music: "The Riddle of the Humming Bee" ...: Just like my previous blog-post, this is a return to a mystery writer I only discovered last year, namely Paul Charles , who's a con...
Review: A Dangerous Man: An Joe Pike and Elvis Cole Novel by Robert Crais
Isabel “Izzy” Roland knows nothing and is oblivious to the fact
she is being stalked. She is a bank teller, still grieving over the loss of her
mother, and living in the house she inherited. Just another person going about
her unremarkable life each and every day, until two men abduct her while she is
on her lunch break. Fortunately for her, Joe Pike is around and comes to her
rescue.
Having foiled the kidnapping, rescuing Izzy, and making sure that
the two kidnappers are alive and in no condition to leave the scene, it should
have been all over with the arrival of the police. It isn’t and not just because
Joe Pike has a well-deserved reputation. Soon after the two abductors post
bail, they are murdered in looks to be a flat out execution. Izzy vanishes and
Joe Pike goes on the hunt to find her while at the same time Elvis Cole starts
working the case. Why people are going after Izzy is the starting point of a very
large and complicated situation that generates an increasing body count and no
easy answers.
As has happened with the last several novels, A Dangerous Man: A Joe Pike and Elvis Cole Novel is the currently fashionable and typical thriller style read of short chapters, little to no character development or depth, and constant action as everyone races to and fro in a fresh panic over some event or situation. This read has no relation to the books of depth found early on in the series. Instead, with its constantly shifting point of view, numerous action scenes, and shallowness in descriptions and details regarding characters and most settings, is designed to be a movie first and a book second. While A Dangerous Man: An Joe Pike and Elvis Cole Novel is a fun and fairly entertaining read for a brief time, one does miss the meaty books of earlier in the series. No doubt in this day and age, it will be NYT Bestseller and sell like crazy for months to come.
A Dangerous Man: An Joe Pike and Elvis Cole Novel
Robert Crais
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
2019
ISBN# 978-0-525-53568-3
Hardback (also available in audio and digital formats)
352 Pages (more like 339 pages)
My copy came from the Central Branch
(Downtown) of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2019
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