DNF Thoughts: Harlem Shuffle, by Colson Whitehead

Do you ever push through a book because you think you are supposed to like it? That was my experience with Harlem Shuffle.

Harlem Shuffle is entertainingly written and easy to read. Part of the problem is that I started this book a year ago and read about half of it and quit. I decided it was a "right book, wrong time" issue. I really wanted to know what happened to Carney. I recently returned from a relaxing camping trip, where I decided I could easily power through the remainder of the book. Nope. After reading another 10%, I called it quits for good.

For one thing, it had been too long and I no longer remembered why I wanted to know what happened to Carney. I've been looking for an adjective to describe the wonderful prose, and I've come up with "meandering." No matter how good the writing, I just couldn't stand the pace. The minute details of every situation and character. The backstories, etc.

I really liked Nickel Boys. That's why I was supposed to like Harlem Shuffle. But this just wasn't the book for me.

Published by Doubleday, September 2021
eARC obtained from NetGalley
188/336  pages

Rating: DNF

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Book Review: The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs

As is usually the case with any Temperance Brennan novel, I really enjoyed The Bone Code.

This time it is a case of some bodies in a barrel that washed up on the beach. The weird thing is that Tempe worked on a similar case many years ago in Canada.

The investigation is interesting and I really liked that fiance Ryan was around for a lot of the book and helped with the investigation. The South Carolina setting was different and added some interest.

It seems like there is a lot going on at the beginning with some additional issues being introduced, but eventually, it all becomes clear. I love the brisk pace of these investigations and am always surprised by the twists.

If you are a fan, you shouldn't miss this one. And if you aren't, you can jump in anywhere--each book is its own story. However, some characters have quite a history that can be enjoyed if you start at the beginning.

Published by Scribner, July 6, 2021
eARC obtained from NetGalley
368 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Audiobook Review: The Whistler, by John Grisham

I haven't read a Grisham for quite a while, and I must say I'm a little disappointed in The Whistler.

Lacy isn't a police officer or even a detective. She investigates corruption in judges. She is approached by a man with an unbelievable story of corruption by a sitting judge that is extensive in its scope. This judge is apparently being paid massive amounts of money by a casino run by an Indian tribe in Florida. This is in return for her favorable judgments on all things related to the construction and running of this massive project.

This has been going on for years and involves a previously unknown crime organization run by a man who has lived for years without an identity. No social security number, no address, and not many people even know what he looks like.

An intriguing story that becomes quite dangerous for Lacy and her partner. The FBI eventually gets involved. The investigation and entrapment of these criminals is interesting. But my disappointment stems from the fact that The Whistler isn't at all "a high-stakes thrill ride" as advertised in the blurb. It isn't without some violence, but I expected all this tension and danger at the end, and it never materialized. The last 20 minutes of The Whistler is a listing of who was indicted and on what charges. Then an account of the sentences handed down.

The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, does a great job. I totally don't remember anything about her voice, and as I write this, I couldn't even remember if it was a male or female narrator. That's a good thing. I don't like to be distracted by the audio.

The Whistler reads like a true-crime exposé, and that isn't what I expect from Grisham. He writes well, and I won't give up on him. Hopefully, The Whistler was a fluke.

Published by Doubleday, 2016
Audiobook obtained from the library
384 pages

Rating: 3.5

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Book Review: The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley

It should come as no surprise to anyone who reads my blog that I thoroughly enjoyed The Golden Tresses of the Dead. I'm a huge fan of Flavia de Luce, and I think this is the only long-running mystery (or really any) series that I've read every installment. This is the tenth book!

This time, a human finger is found in Flavia's sister's wedding cake. Ugh. And, then a mysterious woman comes to talk to Flavia and Dogger (the first client of Arthur W. Dogger & Associates) about some missing letters. Of course, these two situations are in no way connected ;)

Flavia, now twelve-years-old, is her usual astute and precocious self, but the addition of Dogger to the mix (he's much more talkative in this one) is splendid. Their banter, which as usual adds irrelevant and absolutely enchanting detail to the story, is priceless. I'm predicting we see more of Flavia's cousin, Undine, and her talents in future books too. I can't wait.

We don't see much of Flavia's sisters in The Golden Tresses of the Dead, and I missed their acrimonious relationships. All of the other standard characters make appearances. The other niggling thought I have is that there were several loose ends left hanging. There is closure, but Flavia and Dogger don't have all the details worked out. They leave it to Inspector Hewitt to fill them in! And we as readers are left.

But that is a small thing, and overall The Golden Tresses of the Dead is an excellent addition to the series. It isn't necessary that you read all of the books, but the background helps, I think. At least read the first one, which I think will always be my favorite, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. And if you are at all interested in chemistry or forensics, this series is a must!

Published by Delacorte, January 22, 2019
eARC obtained from NetGalley
352 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: Sunday Silence, by Nicci French

Sunday Silence is, I believe, the fifth novel in the Frieda Klein series.  Even though I've not read any other books by French, I enjoyed this one very much.

A decomposing body has been found under the floor in Frieda's house. Freida knows this is a message from Dean Reeve, even though everyone else thinks Dean died over seven years ago.  The case goes cold until violent acts against people close to Freida begin to occur.  But is this the work of Reeve?

The tension mounts nicely as Frieda and the police scramble to figure out what is going on.  And of course, the police don't always agree with Frieda. At about the halfway point the reader finds out who the perpetrator is, and at about 2/3 of the way, Frieda figures out who it is.  But that doesn't take away from the suspense.  And finding the necessary proof won't be easy.

I didn't know Frieda, and if I had read some earlier books, I'm sure I would have related to the characters a bit more easily.  She's a psychologist who has assisted police investigations in the past, with mixed reviews. Prior cases are mentioned, and several may be related to this case.  But I did get to know Frieda and the other characters well enough while reading Sunday Silence. These stories are British, and I enjoy that aspect also. I think you might as well start with the first one, and I'd like to do that someday.

French writes suspense well. Sunday Silence moves quickly and easily held my interest.  I was a bit confused by the ending -- not quite sure what happened there. But it seems like Frieda is going to be back. I would recommend this author and this series if you like a suspense-filled crime drama.

Published by William Morrow, January 9, 2018
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
416 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Audio Book Review: The Widow by Fiona Barton

The Widow is a well crafted detective story that strings you along bit by bit to the conclusion.

The multiple perspectives and time frames are used effectively.  We get the perspective of the widow, the reporter and the detective for much of the book. And a bit from the mother and even the husband (the accused) towards the end.

A two-year-old child, Bella, has been abducted from her yard (or "the garden" as it is called in Britain.) We learn about Jean and her husband's past--how they met, the courtship and their marriage.  At the beginning of the book, Jean's husband has died, and she's being hounded by reporters to tell her story.  You see, her husband was accused of taking Bella.

The best thing about The Widow is the way it is told.  We, as readers, are slowly and carefully fed bits of the story, from the past and the present, and from multiple perspectives. Slowly the secrets and details of the twisted life are revealed.  It's masterfully done.

The slight disappointment is that I kept waiting for "the twist," or the huge surprise.  There really isn't one. The resolution is what I expected. So the comparisons to Gone Girl and those types of books doesn't really ring true.

Each perspective gets a different audio narrator, and they were all excellent.  It was a great way to keep the changing perspectives clear.

The Widow definitely kept my interest, and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy a  detective story that is told in a very entertaining way.

Published by Berkley, 2016 (Penquin Audio)
Copy obtained from the library
336 pages

Rating: 4/5

 

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Book Review: Cruel Mercy by David Mark @davidmarkwriter

Detective Sargeant McAvoy risks his life again in another twisted mystery called Cruel Mercy.

McAvoy is headed to New York to work with Detective Alto who is investigating the disappearance and murder of some Irish men.  McAvoy's brother-in-law is one of the men who is missing, and two traveler families are about to feud if McAvoy can't find Valentine (the brother-in-law) and convince everyone that he's not the murderer.

As is always the case when McAvoy is involved, there's much more to this story.  And being a visitor instead of an official police officer isn't slowing him down very much.  He's determined to get to the bottom of it, and the bottom is very, very far down.

The Irish men, a boxer and his trainer, came to New York to have a chance at a professional boxing career.  The case involves the Russian and Italian mobs, a priest who has been convinced to help them, and some other really shady characters.

It wouldn't be a McAvoy novel if  Roisin (his wife) and Pharaoh (his boss) weren't a part of it.  And while I enjoyed their contributions, they were only via phone, and I didn't get enough.

That's a small complaint, really, since Cruel Mercy takes the usual twists and turns and has the usual macabre element and a significant amount of gore. I become enthralled in these tales trying to figure out where we are headed (and never being successful), and although Cruel Mercy is not my favorite McAvoy, if you enjoyed any of Mark's other novels, this one is definitely worth it.

And if you are interested in those other books, here are some links:  The Dark Winter, Original Skin, Taking Pity, and Sorrow Bound.

Published by Blue Rider Press, February 7, 2017
eARC obtained from Edelweiss and First to Read
368 pages

Rating: 4/5

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AudioBook Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Galbraith (a.k.a. J. K. Rowling) can write descriptions very well.  My only complaint with The Cuckoo's Calling is that sometimes those descriptions made the story plod along very slowly at times.

Cormoran Strike, our main character, is colorful and lovable. He's a private detective who deeply in debt and without any clients, has no way to pay. He's lost a leg serving in Afghanistan. Besides that, he's just broken up with his fiance and has no place to live.

First, a temporary secretary, Robin, walks into him (literally) and while she's very efficient, Strike doesn't know how he's going to pay her.

Then, John Bristow walks in, and suddenly things are looking up. He's willing to pay well for Strike to look into the death of his sister, Lula Landry, the famous fashion model who committed suicide three months ago.  John is certain that her death is not a suicide and wants Strike to find her killer.

There are many potential suspects, and Strike is very good at his job.  He picks through the evidence and looks carefully at every aspect. Robin turns out to be very helpful and she loves her job, even though she is looking for something permanent. These two make a great team.

I didn't know who did it.  I love that in a mystery.  I had suspects, and even though the reader learns everything as Strike does, it still isn't easy to put together.

The plotting and characterizations are superb, as you would expect from Rowling.  The descriptions are well written and interesting, but for a who-done-it, I just got a bit impatient to find out!

The narrator, Robert Glenister, is excellent.  His voices are subtle, but enough to tell who is talking. The setting is England, and his accent is appropriate. I'm more tolerant of long descriptions when listening rather than reading, so I thoroughly enjoyed The Cuckoo's Calling in audio form.

There are at least two more books in the Cormoran Strike series, and I'm planning to continue.  The Cuckoo's Calling is also a good one to recommend to my high school mystery/detective fans.

Published by Mulholland Books, 2013, Hachette Audio
Copy obtained from the library
464 pages

Rating: 4/5

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DNF Book Review: How to Disappear by Ann Redisch Stampler

It's been a record year for me for not finishing books. I know that part of it is me. Less time to read and still a huge TBR pile. But still, there's something about How to Disappear that just didn't click.

Nicolette is on the run. She witnessed (or committed?) a murder. Jack is after her; he's supposed to kill her. Jack is the only upstanding citizen in the Manx family. His brother, Don (who is in prison), says Jack has to kill this girl or else his mob bosses will come after Jack's mother.  So Jack leaves school, missing his graduation, to find and kill Nicolette, who now goes by Cat.

So, what didn't I like? It moved very slowly. I read half the book. It just took so long for anything to happen. It was very repetitive. I got really tired of hearing about how awful Jack's family was over and over. It was predictable. So, Jack and Cat are gonna fall in love, right? You can't think that's a spoiler; we all know it's coming. Now, I didn't finish the book, so I'm sure there's some twists and turns that I wouldn't anticipate, but still. It's jumpy. I was reading the ARC, so this could change. But we jumped periods of time without any warning. No breaks in the text. For example, she's trying to gain weight to disguise herself, and all of a sudden, she's gained weight. The scenes flip suddenly and sometimes periods of time have passed, and it takes a minute to get back in the story.

I could have easily finished How to Disappear. and given it a rating of about three. I got a feel for the book, and I still think many teens will love it. That's my purpose in reading a lot of YA. To recommend it to my teens. And I won't hesitate to recommend How to Disappear. I just don't have the patience to finish it.

Published by  Simon Pulse June 14, 2016
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
200/416 pages

Rating: DNF

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Book Review: With Malice by Eileen Cook

With Malice reveals an exciting and interesting premise, but the resolution just fizzled.

Jill wakes up in a hospital severely injured, and her first concern is will she still be able to make her planned trip to Italy. She is shocked to find out that her injury occurred in Italy, and that she has lost the memories from the last several weeks of her life.

She also wants to see her lifelong best friend, Simone, and soon finds out that they were both in a car accident. Jill was driving and Simone was killed. Her father had Jill jetted back to the US presumably to receive the best medical care, but also to receive the best legal advice. It seems the Italian authorities think the car crash may not have been an accident.

Jill spends the rest of her time in the hospital and then in rehab trying to figure out what happened. The reader gets police interviews and blog posts from those that were witnesses or those that were close to the girls. While the interviews reveal some details, the truth still isn't clear to the reader.

Jill is convinced there's no way she would have harmed Simone, no matter what they were arguing about. Even if it was about the Italian tour guide that Jill had a huge crush on and Simone tried to steal. But as the truth comes out...

Well, I'm not going to say any more. The ending is ambiguous and the expected twist really didn't materialize. There is an interesting revelation that any savvy reader could have predicted. With Malice  has been compared to We Were Liars but doesn't pack nearly the punch. I didn't experience any attachment to Jill. Maybe I'm not supposed to. I didn't dislike her, but I didn't really feel myself pulling for her.

The writing is easy, and With Malice is a quick read. The story is intriguing, and maybe teens will be more shocked at the revelations than I was.

Published by HMH BFYR, June 7, 2016
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
320 pages

Rating: 3/5

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