Wow, this was just really enjoyable. This sorta-prequel to Kōtarō's more famous Bullet Train is a two-day story that bounces back and forth between thWow, this was just really enjoyable. This sorta-prequel to Kōtarō's more famous Bullet Train is a two-day story that bounces back and forth between three main characters (non-spoiler: only two of which are the titular assassins), with a tightly-woven, "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" plot where every detail ultimately matters.
In both books, Kōtarō is an interesting writer, combining violence with oddball humor and left-field obsessions ("Thomas the Tank Engine" in Bullet Train; insects here; children's stickers in both). That said, the insect theme here is more relevant (and less annoying) than the train fixation in Train. Early on, one of Kōtarō's characters notes that humans are in many ways more similar to insects than to other mammals, in that we're the only species that live our lives in super-crowded communities stacked on top of each other. And near the end, another specifically compares us to locusts; existing in a benign state until we overpopulate, at which point we metamorphose into a darker, mindless, more violent horde.
Anyway, just great stuff. I definitely want to reread Bullet Train now, to see where there are remnants or echoes of Assassins; and then will ultimately get to the third book in the semi-series, the apparently back-to-insects The Mantis....more
Eric Ambler is one of those "golden age" names you often hear in the same sentence as others like Deighton, Hall, Higgins, Innes, MacInnes, MacLean, eEric Ambler is one of those "golden age" names you often hear in the same sentence as others like Deighton, Hall, Higgins, Innes, MacInnes, MacLean, etc. - except that while I knew the name, I knew absolutely none of his books. However, after reading the wonderful Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: The Boom in British Thrillers from Casino Royale to The Eagle Has Landed back in 2018, I started looking for him in the cavernous racks of McKays Used Books, and so found and read the enjoyable Passage of Arms a few years back...but then lost track of him until recently finding both this book and A Quiet Conspiracy,* (which I brought home for a grand total of $1.05).
So…fun story, and unique in that you don't actually learn what the "plot within the plot" is - is it a spy story, a heist, a political thriller? - until the last 40 pages.** And it also offers a nice change of scenery from the CIA-, KGB- and MI6-heavy plots that tend to dominate the genre, in that it focuses exclusively on the Turkish intelligence and police services. Anyway, will continue to watch for other Amblers if and as they land on the shelves, and of course still have Conspiracy to get to - but no rush; these books are generally light fillers best saved for when one needs a break between weightier readings. * For some reason, these are both old British editions of the books - no idea how they ended up in Manassas. But they were easily recognizable as such, since traditional British book design - much like traditional British cuisine, (and with apologies to my English friends) - is known more for its stodgy functionality than cutting-edge creativity.
** Unless, of course, you've ever seen or even heard of the 1964 movie (view spoiler)["Topkapi" (hide spoiler)], which is based on this book but basically gives away the WHOLE IDEA in not only the film's trailer, synopses, etc., but also the title itself…so, basically everything....more
A true page-turner, I finished this in just two sittings, (at a still-brief 224 pages, it was still twice as long as Ames' previous You Were Never ReaA true page-turner, I finished this in just two sittings, (at a still-brief 224 pages, it was still twice as long as Ames' previous You Were Never Really Here, and all the better for the extra length). Good voice, good characters, and a plot that is propulsive enough to carry you right past the book's flaws - of which there are more than a few:
- WAY too much soap opera backstory (abusive dad and camp counsellors, suicidal tendencies, a totally ripped-off Tyrion Lannister "I killed my mom in childbirth" trauma, another character with a totally irrelevant and unnecessary "unadopted orphan" history that is mentioned just once and then forgotten)
- WAY too much use of the word "then," often multiple times in the same paragraph (or the first word in consecutive paragraphs) to the point of being distracting and then actually funny, as in "so this is a first-person narrative being told by a character who intentionally doesn't know how to write"
- That whole breathless "works nights at a local Thai spa that offers its clients a number of special services" line that plays heavily in all of the book's descriptions? Totally irrelevant to the story, and disappears completes after about chapter three
- And so much description about driving around the LA suburbs that it starts to sound like a bad "Californians" skit on SNL
(And, of course, minor points off for our protagonist's name - "Happy Doll"? Is that some sort of inside joke, only known to Ames himself? Otherwise, just as stupid as Jo Nesbø’s "Harry Hole.")
But again - all that aside, I really enjoyed this one, and greatly look forward to reading the sequel - although will probably save that for a later date....more
Spencer Quinn has built a successful career with his humorous animal-based stories, beginning with his delightful* and long-running "Chet & Bernie" seSpencer Quinn has built a successful career with his humorous animal-based stories, beginning with his delightful* and long-running "Chet & Bernie" series of mysteries narrated by Chet the Dog (as opposed to Bernie the Actual Detective), and apparently also expanding now into two other animal-voiced series centered around "Bowser & Bertie" and "Queenie & Arthur," (which I kind of have zero interest in).
So kudos to Quinn for at least occasionally spreading his literary wings and messing with his proven and profitable formula. That said, though, his latest book, Mrs. Plansky's Revenge, did so by ditching the dogs and telling a humorous human story, which for me at least was a swing and a miss, (and a fairly blatant ripoff of Mrs. Pollifax).
But in THIS earlier (2017) book, Quinn really nailed it - keep the dog, but ditch the humor. And so we get The Right Side, a subtle pun of a title for a book that could just as well be called "The Dark Side," as it deals unflinchingly with PTSD, damaged vets (both physically and mentally), suicide, and other issues that have become far-too-relevant in our post-Iraq/Afghanistan years. And, of course - although only entering in the second half of the book - a dog, also dark both physically and emotionally.
The plot itself isn't particularly complex, but Quinn does a nice job playing with the timeline, bouncing back and forth between LeAnne's childhood, war experiences, and present, (although I found the peripheral story dealing with the aftermath of her accident in Afghanistan to be an unnecessary distraction).
Would love to see Quinn do more "serious" work like this, if he can keep finding ways to throw a dog in there somehow. But I also hope he avoids a sequel to this book, which works best as a standalone and not the beginning of a "girl and her dog," Jack Reacher-type series.
* At least I assume they're still delightful; I've only read - and much enjoyed - six of them, although there are currently 15 books and counting. ...more
BLUF: "Communist China" sucks. See "Tibet," see "Xinjiang," see "Hong Kong," see "South China Sea," and - more and more every day - see "Taiwan." Why BLUF: "Communist China" sucks. See "Tibet," see "Xinjiang," see "Hong Kong," see "South China Sea," and - more and more every day - see "Taiwan." Why would any area willingly give up their self-government to be ruled by these assholes? The Chinese people themselves? Just wonderful. But the Beijing government (from basically Mao to the present)? Yeah, fuck those guys.
Green's book - expanded from an original article in Men's Journal - thoroughly documents the events leading up to, during and after what is known as the "Nangpa La Shooting Incident*." Maybe even a bit too thoroughly; the book gets off to a fairly slow start as Green covers the histories of Tibet, Everest and mountaineering in general (and yet somehow at great length). But then once the main characters are introduced and their fateful paths begin to intersect, the story is as riveting as it is depressing.
If you're unfamiliar with this event, the slightly breathless GR summary - "Chinese police are instructed to take any measures necessary to protect the border of Tibet. When a group of climbers witness the murder of a young Tibetan nun who is fleeing to India, two men have to turn a blind eye and preserve their climbing careers or alert the world to the grand scale of human injustice played out daily in Tibet” - should be enough to tell you whether this book is for you. But for me…well, I can't say I actually enjoyed it, but I'm certainly glad I read it.
Probably the most depressing fact (among far too many) presented here is that nearly half of all Tibetan refugees/escapees who end up in either Nepal or India eventually return to Tibet, largely because of the limited opportunities to work or otherwise improve their lots in the less-than-welcoming countries south of the Himalaya, as opposed to those that still exist in their homeland, no matter how repressively it is controlled.**
Anyway - important book, for those who follow such things. Or who care about China's increasingly-expansionist and threatening policies or, y'know, just freedom in general. __________________________________ * You can just Google this phrase if you don't want to read the whole book, but it IS something you should know about, at least to some level of detail.
** Which on a certainly smaller scale is kind of like me considering my options if Donald Trump somehow becomes president again - could I actually continue to live in this country, where I still have family, an income and a career? Or would I feel I had to move somewhere else that was more in line with my views of democracy and just general morality - but where I might be unable to find meaningful work? 'Tis a decision I hope I never have to face....more
Equal parts John Wick, Parker and the unnamed "Driver" in James Sallis' Drive, this is a solid, suspenseful page-turner - largely because you just canEqual parts John Wick, Parker and the unnamed "Driver" in James Sallis' Drive, this is a solid, suspenseful page-turner - largely because you just can't imagine how things could get even worse for our noir-ish hero here...and yet they consistently do.
Cosby joins a growing list of award-winning "real Virginia" authors*, including - but by no means limited to - Kathryn Erskine (YA), Martin Clark (legal thrillers) and James A. McLaughlin (BEARS!!). Will definitely read more - but in no hurry; a lot of this "rural crime" goes a fairly long way. __________________________________
* As opposed to "Northern Virginia" authors, who generally focus on Washington, politics or CIA-based stories. ...more
Thank goodness I try not to judge a book by its cover, but even so that GREEN caused me to leave this on my "should I or shouldn't I?" list for far toThank goodness I try not to judge a book by its cover, but even so that GREEN caused me to leave this on my "should I or shouldn't I?" list for far too long. Because it turns out this was just what I needed after a spell of too much non-fiction and too many memoirs.
Harkaway (né Cornwall, aka le Carré) is a revelation here, and caused me to create a new bookshelf - "nepo authors" - for him and other children of more famous writers, (Max Brooks, Joe Hill, Jeff Shaara and probably more still to be discovered*); not meant at all in a negative way, but more like "damn, I guess talent really is in the genes."
The book itself is a propulsive, near-perfect blend of classic noir with current sci-fi - I found the overall world-building quite similar to "Altered Carbon," or at least Season 1 of the Netflix series (I haven't seen Season 2 yet or actually read the book).
HIGHLY recommended; and there is definitely more Harkaway in my future.
A major change for Herron, as this is both a standalone novel and almost totally devoid of the humor that plays such a key role in his "Slow Horses" aA major change for Herron, as this is both a standalone novel and almost totally devoid of the humor that plays such a key role in his "Slow Horses" and "Oxford Investigations" series. The book also focuses on two largely unattractive characters, one of whom (possible spoilers?) is unbelievably stupid while the other is unspeakably psychopathic (probably using that wrong, but you'll know what I mean). Halfway through, a third character intrudes, and while he/she (no spoiler there!) is more relatable, he/she makes at least one crucial decision towards the very end that makes you wonder "why the $#@% would he/she possibly do that??"
That all said, still a good read that despite it's slow and confusing start throws in enough plot twists and builds enough momentum to keep you wondering just WTF will happen next - it just takes a little while to all kick in and come together.
This would be a 4 for any other author, but as I'm giving all the "Slow Horses" books either 4 or 5, this gets rounded down by comparison....more
If Hockensmith is truly the first to think of the concept "Holmes on the Range," then shame on the rest of us but kudos to him, as he should be able tIf Hockensmith is truly the first to think of the concept "Holmes on the Range," then shame on the rest of us but kudos to him, as he should be able to ride this train all the way to retirement.
Set in the Sherlock Holmes universe, brothers and former cowpokes Gus and Otto Amlingmeyer decide to become detectives after reading Dr. Watson's stories about the great detective. Clever conceit, and the mystery itself is maybe 3 stars at best - but that "HotR" tagline earns it a whole extra star. This is the sixth - i.e., most recent - book in the series, and so not sure why the one I read first; but there it is. The others are all available as audibooks from Hoopla, and these seem frothy enough that they'd probably make good listens without having to concentrate too hard - so I'll probably read at least 1-2 more, although no time soon.
Separately - not sure when "funny murders" became a whole genre, but books like this and the "Chet & Bernie" series certainly make sleuthing sound fun, huge body counts aside....more
Didn't enjoy this as much as Horowitz's earlier Sherlock book, The House of Silk. The story itself was okay if fairly predictable; and with his secondDidn't enjoy this as much as Horowitz's earlier Sherlock book, The House of Silk. The story itself was okay if fairly predictable; and with his second "big surprise" ending in a row, Horowitz is in danger of becoming a literary M. Night Shyamalan....more
First disappointing read of 2024, and I'm frankly surprised. I've enjoyed several of the author's "Chet & Bernie" mysteries, but wasn't too interestinFirst disappointing read of 2024, and I'm frankly surprised. I've enjoyed several of the author's "Chet & Bernie" mysteries, but wasn't too interesting in reading more as they started to fall into a pattern. Still, I like Quinn as a writer, so was glad to see him move into something new. But then I actually started this book, and it was just a solid meh.
I'm all for elderly protagonists, but the first 60 pages were literally just boring retiree life in Florida. Get to the story!! If you're gonna rip off "Mrs. Pollifax," at least throw her right into a situation; don't depress me for chapters on end with a lonely widow and her idiot children. (BTW, I've listed this under "humor" because everyone else did, and Quinn can be a seriously funny writer - but there was none of this visible by the time I bailed.)
Also - and importantly - I've said elsewhere (particularly in regard to the overrated Remarkably Bright Creatures) that, much like male writers have to be very careful writing female characters, younger writers really need to watch out writing senior leads. Mrs. Plansky is 71 years old - just one year older than me - but she and her husband are named Loretta and Norm, and I've never met anyone with those names in my generation ever. I know of a couple from my parent's generation (see Loretta Young and Loretta Swit); but...okay, other than Norm McDonald, those are definitely NOT boomer names.
Around page 60, the actual plot kicks in with "Loretta" receiving a phone call from her grandson, who has apparently been arrested and needs grandma to send her cash, like, RIGHT NOW. This premise is what initially sold me on the book - the exact same thing happened to my wife and me just a couple months ago, with "my son" calling to say that he'd been in an accident while on his cellphone, and so we should expect a call from a lawyer who needed money, like, RIGHT NOW. Except that we then weren't as crazy stupid as Mrs. Plansky was, who as an apparently brain-dead septuagenarian immediately gave the caller all of her banking information, account numbers and PASSWORDS. Again, I cannot over-emphasize: 70-year-olds are NOT stupid, we are NOT technology idiots; for that matter we are NOT all retired...and we sure as hell aren't named Loretta and Norm.
And so I packed it in.
That said, THIS IS INDEED A SERIOUS ISSUE. When we reported our own call to the local cops, we were told that (A) there was nothing they could do about it, and (B) this has become WAY common. So be prepared: set up a password or test question with all of your kids and spouses, something simple but obscure like "name your cousins in New York" or "what is your Chinese name?" or "what instrument did your grandpa play?"…anything that can be used to confirm their identify. Or if nothing else, as soon as you finish the call - without giving away your entire life savings or other keys to the kingdom, of course - call your real kid and ask if he IS in jail, or been in an accident, or whatever.
These bastards are getting increasingly sophisticated and convincing; long gone are the Nigerian princes of yore. But with just a minimum of planning, you can nip such scams in the bud so that you don't end up having to fly off to Romania to deal with Eastern European gangsters, like the poor numbskull in this book. A little preparation goes a seriously LONG way....more
Definitely flawed, with too much repetitive dialogue and WAY too much Thomas the Tank Engine, and the last 40 pages are particularly dumb. But still, Definitely flawed, with too much repetitive dialogue and WAY too much Thomas the Tank Engine, and the last 40 pages are particularly dumb. But still, good solid stupid fun, summed up best by the Washington Post as "Tarantino meets the Coen Brothers."
I think it helped that I had seen the movie first, so could put faces to characters, who here are largely indistinguishable (at least physically) Japanese gangsters, (although one does wear glasses). Will definitely watch again as soon as it hits Netflix next week, as I think there are some major plot differences - especially with the ending.
3+ for the book itself, but rounding up considerably for its success as source material for the much better movie, (despite the iffy critical reviews)....more
Another great "Slow Horses" story - but Herron being Herron, you have to hold him to a higher standard; so what might have been 5 stars for anyone elsAnother great "Slow Horses" story - but Herron being Herron, you have to hold him to a higher standard; so what might have been 5 stars for anyone else is just a 4+ for Mick, and overall this doesn't quite measure up to his full 5-star reads like the original Slow Horses and it's follow-up Dead Lions.
Herron's writing and repartee is as razor sharp as ever, but while the overall plot takes a welcome turn away from Cold War leftovers, it's still a tad confusing and not fully convincing, and occasionally veers into the silly (as do most of the books) with its penguins and paint cans. That said, it features some unexpected heroes at the end, which is a welcome surprise.
Still some of the sharpest writing and best-developed characters out there; I just wish Herron was writing them as fast as I'm reading them! ...more
Weird book, in that I agree with both the 5-star and 1-star reviews:
5 stars for the breathtaking illustrations and overall layout, but…
2 starts for thWeird book, in that I agree with both the 5-star and 1-star reviews:
5 stars for the breathtaking illustrations and overall layout, but…
2 starts for the WTF? storytelling, which ranges from monsters to the holocaust to sexual identity to murder to art museums to Satanism, with only the barest threads of an intelligible plot, and then…
Another star off for…ending in a cliffhanger??? WHAT THE HELL? 416 pages and you can't have an ending? Hate it when authors do that. (And BTW, the book itself doesn't say "Vol. 1" on it anywhere, even though it's listed as such here on GR.)
BUT…that artwork really is gorgeous. Ferris nails multiple styles from cartoon to near-photo realism, all done with ballpoint pens (mainly black/blue/red, but with occasional and well-controlled use of more colors) in what is supposed to be the narrators notebook/sketchbook. As a former graphic designer (i.e., not talented enough to make it as a fine artist), I still doodle my way through boring conferences and Zoom calls, also with a set of blue/black/red pens (see below), so she already had me at the cover.
Rounded up to 3 stars, but unsure if I'll ever get to the second book, (although, fine...I probably will someday, if only for the pictures!).
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(And yeah, I apparently drink a lot of coffee during meetings…)...more
I'm sorry, but this one just left me feeling slimy. I'm no murder prude - I enjoy my Thomas Harris and Jim Thompson - but the first-person narrative bI'm sorry, but this one just left me feeling slimy. I'm no murder prude - I enjoy my Thomas Harris and Jim Thompson - but the first-person narrative by the misogynistic psychopath "Joe the Cleaner" was just a step too far and dark. His flippant attitude towards his multiple, horribly abused victims is in jarring and deeply disturbing contract with what I have to think were Cleave's attempts at "humorous" scenes involving Joe's relationship with his mother and pet fish…I dunno, I guess the world is already screwed past the point where I can actually enjoy reading a book like this anymore.
Unrelated to the actual plot, but I also found the narration by Paul Andsell kind of annoying. Clearly British, having Andsell voice a New Zealand story and characters was like having Helen Mirren read True Grit. Probably not bad, but just wrong....more
Pretty interesting concept that seemed right in my wheelhouse - CIA and India's RAW team up to catch a murderer/spy in the Himalayan foothills - but uPretty interesting concept that seemed right in my wheelhouse - CIA and India's RAW team up to catch a murderer/spy in the Himalayan foothills - but unfortunately, this story succumbed to choppy and confusing narrative, too many characters with too much backstory, and too many descriptive "cultural diversions." With foreign-based fiction (foreign to me, at least), it's always a fine line between adding the right amount of local color and atmosphere, and slowing or even derailing the plot while we pause to look at the pretty scenery or exotic ceremony. And in this case, while Alter - the Indian-born and raised son of American missionaries, and author of multiple travel books on South Asia and the Himalaya - certainly knows his mountains, cultures, religions, languages, and the sorry plight of Tibet; he just works too hard to make sure we learn it all too.
And so when no actual plot had formed by the 100-page mark, I sadly tossed in the towel on this one. With 200 pages left to go, it might still have turned out to be an interesting story, but again - TMBTLT, (too many books, too little time). (BTW, I listed this on both my "spy fiction" and "mystery crime" shelves, because 1/3 into the story I still had no idea which one it was going to be!)...more
Decent continuation of - and even literary improvement on - the original story, although it doesn't complete the tale as I had expected - apparently tDecent continuation of - and even literary improvement on - the original story, although it doesn't complete the tale as I had expected - apparently there's a third book as well, (which our library doesn't have, so that may never happened - especially based on the many 1-2 star reviews which list that as the worst of the series).
As both this and the "Killing Eve" TV show came out in 2018, I'm not sure if the show is based on this book, or the book was actually written as a novelization of the show…in any case, these two books (and I imagine the third) only tell the story from the show's first season - and as the show is currently wrapping its fourth (and final) season, BBC AMERICA obviously took this much farther than Jennings' original creation.
PERSONAL NOTE: My main issue here was with the frequent lesbian sex - not that I'm a prude, but I'm always a bit uncomfortable when male writers write such scenes. While not overly graphic, as someone who doesn't have many lesbian friends - or at least ones I can openly discuss such things with - I never know if these are accurate and/or sensitive portrayals, or more a male fantasy of what such relationships are like. I mean, I'm even uncomfortable just writing this paragraph…
Oh, and one more thing: Also just watched HBO's "The Tourist," which had another female cop whose husband/fiancé told her to either quit her job and be "a normal wife" or he was gone. Is this just a common literary device to open up female protagonists for romantic possibilities, or are men in general that selfish and unsupportive??...more
Not quite up to the 5-star standards of his wonderful "Slough House" series, but still some great writing and clever, twisty plots. Of particular noteNot quite up to the 5-star standards of his wonderful "Slough House" series, but still some great writing and clever, twisty plots. Of particular note (as cited by most reviewers) are the four stories featuring husband-and-wife detectives Joe and Zoë (who apparently star in a separate Herron series of which I was previously unaware, and are sort of a more tongue-in-cheek, Oxford version of Dennis Lehane's Kenzie & Gennaro), and the single Jackson Lamb story which provides some nice background on this loveable misanthrope.
Most of the other stories were also good, but suffered the same weakness that afflicts most short stories - clever as they may be, they just don't have the space to develop fully three-dimensional characters in which you can become fully invested - hence the overall preference for the Lamb/Oxford stories. But that's a general fault inherent in the short story format, so Herron can't be held to blame here. Still, I think I'll just dive deeper into the eight-book (and hopefully still running) "Slough House" series.
PERSONAL NOTE: In the midst of reading this book, I slipped on some black ice while shovelling snow and ended up in the ER (A&E* to you Brits) with a slightly-fractured pelvis. So what should I end up reading in the waiting room but Herron's story "All the Livelong Day," about an English couple hiking in the wilds of Derbyshire, well out of cellphone range and mildly lost. The husband falls and breaks his ankle; it starts to storm but there's a spooky-looking farmhouse in the distance...and of course everything spirals downhill from there. A nice, creepy story - but I could not have been more thankful that my own small accident happened at home, where I could simply call my wife to drive to our excellent hospital just 15 minutes away, and find myself being comforted and well-cared for within an hour on my dumb mishap.
So a reminder to all of you out there - be careful and be prepared! We are always much closer to disaster than we'd like to think; most often literally one step (or misstep) away. Or as my doctor put it, "you know that old song, 'I Fought the Law and the Law Won'? Well that law, my friend, is gravity."
* I learned this from the beautiful Goldfrapp song "A&E" - can watch the delightfully weird video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Pta... - much as I learned "wotcher" and "blues and twos" from Idris Elba's Luther . Who says TV isn't educational?...more
Strong concept (spaceship captain wakes up after a decade of hibernation to find out that a number of the still sleeping colonists she's transporting Strong concept (spaceship captain wakes up after a decade of hibernation to find out that a number of the still sleeping colonists she's transporting have been murdered) that gets weirder and weirder until it ultimately ends up going ALL over the place...but Thompson still manages to (more-or-less) bring it all back together by the end. In any case, whether you love it or hate it, you will NEVER have any idea where it's going next...and in my book (no pun intended), that's always a good thing.
Probably enjoyed it more than I should, but as my first experience with a new and previously unknown author, I was pleasantly surprised and consistently intrigued. WIll definitely read more....more
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