TITLE: STORM FRONT
AUTHOR: JIM BUTCHER
Pages: 341
Date: 31/07/2007
Grade: 4+
Details: Book one of The Dresden Files
Own
Harry Dresden is a wizard, with a listing in the phone book, available to help in case of anything outerwordly going on. But even though he's the best of his kind, and not just because he's the only one doing it, business is slack at best.
And then, in one day, he's hired by a woman to find her husband and by the police to help investigate a double murder that could only have been committed by a wizard, an evil wizard.
The problem is that Harry doesn't know of any wizards who could or would do this, and the White Council thinks he might be doing the killing himself. If they find him guilty, he will be put to death.
So, not only does he have to stop the killings, he also has to prove his own innocence, while he might just be next in line for a killing.
An enjoyable read, but I couldn't help feeling that the author hadn't quite found his stride in this, the first book.
But the story and character are intriguing enough for me to want to read and get the next one.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
TWELVE SHARP
TITLE: TWELVE SHARP
AUTHOR: JANET EVANOVICH
Pages: 340
Date: 29/07/2007
Grade: 4+
Details: nr. 12 Stephanie Plum mystery
Library
After a rather long absence, this was a very welcome return to the world of Stephanie Plum & co.
Stephanie's bounty hunting skills haven't improved much since book one, and she and Lula still get up to their usual antics.
But this time Stephanie's problems are not caused by those she's supposed to be bringing in.
It all starts with a woman stalking Stephanie, and claiming to be Ranger's wife.
Then Ranger's daughter is kidnapped from her home in Miami, and Ranger is the chief suspect.
And the female stalker is found shot to dead in her car.
Somebody is obsessed with Ranger and trying to steal his life, a life that would have to include Stephanie.
And Stephanie willingly puts herself out there as bait, in order to help find and save Ranger's daughter.
This was the usual fun and fast read.
Stephanie is still torn between her two gorgeous men.
Lula is still outrageous.
And Grandma out does herself when she decides to join in Lula and Sal's band.
Gave me a good few laugh out loud moments.
AUTHOR: JANET EVANOVICH
Pages: 340
Date: 29/07/2007
Grade: 4+
Details: nr. 12 Stephanie Plum mystery
Library
After a rather long absence, this was a very welcome return to the world of Stephanie Plum & co.
Stephanie's bounty hunting skills haven't improved much since book one, and she and Lula still get up to their usual antics.
But this time Stephanie's problems are not caused by those she's supposed to be bringing in.
It all starts with a woman stalking Stephanie, and claiming to be Ranger's wife.
Then Ranger's daughter is kidnapped from her home in Miami, and Ranger is the chief suspect.
And the female stalker is found shot to dead in her car.
Somebody is obsessed with Ranger and trying to steal his life, a life that would have to include Stephanie.
And Stephanie willingly puts herself out there as bait, in order to help find and save Ranger's daughter.
This was the usual fun and fast read.
Stephanie is still torn between her two gorgeous men.
Lula is still outrageous.
And Grandma out does herself when she decides to join in Lula and Sal's band.
Gave me a good few laugh out loud moments.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
THE VIRGIN OF SMALL PLAINS
TITLE: THE VIRGIN OF SMALL PLAINS
AUTHOR: NANCY PICKARD
Pages: 336
Date: 28/08/2007
Grade: 5
Owned
Abby, Mitch and Rex have been friends all their lives. When Abby is 16 and Mitch 18, the body of a young woman is found, naked in the snow, by Rex, his brother and his father. The next day, Mitch disappears from the town of Small Plains with a word or explanation to anyone.
For 17 years, life in Small Plains continues. The grave of the unknown dead girl has become a shrine with claims of miracles.
Then Mitch decides to return to Small Plains, a few months after his mother's death. His coming back is the catalyst for the past coming into the present and questions that should have been answered years ago, at last being asked.
This was a wonderful book. I never saw the conclusion coming, never figured out what had happened, let alone why. Which made this a very satisfying read for me.
Thank you Chip, for sending this book to me, all the way from the US. It's now even more appreciated.
AUTHOR: NANCY PICKARD
Pages: 336
Date: 28/08/2007
Grade: 5
Owned
Abby, Mitch and Rex have been friends all their lives. When Abby is 16 and Mitch 18, the body of a young woman is found, naked in the snow, by Rex, his brother and his father. The next day, Mitch disappears from the town of Small Plains with a word or explanation to anyone.
For 17 years, life in Small Plains continues. The grave of the unknown dead girl has become a shrine with claims of miracles.
Then Mitch decides to return to Small Plains, a few months after his mother's death. His coming back is the catalyst for the past coming into the present and questions that should have been answered years ago, at last being asked.
This was a wonderful book. I never saw the conclusion coming, never figured out what had happened, let alone why. Which made this a very satisfying read for me.
Thank you Chip, for sending this book to me, all the way from the US. It's now even more appreciated.
ETERNAL
TITLE: ETERNAL
AUTHOR: CRAIG RUSSELL
Pages: 381
Date: 27/07/2007
Grade: 5-
Details: nr. 3 Jan Fabel mystery
Library
Jan Fabel is only just back from a short break when the first victim is found, murdered and scalped. Within 24 hours a second victim is found, also scalped. Apart from the fact that they were both male, roughly the same age and died under similar circumstances, there appears to be no connection between the victims.
And the murderer leaves no forensic evidence at all, apart from a single red hair, deliberately left behind meant to be found.
As more murders and scalpings take place, Jan Fabel and his team uncover a link between them, connecting all the victims to a former terrorist group.
It appears that somebody is out to kill all the members of that group in an act of revenge.
As they get closer to understanding what might be going on, the killer starts to communicate with and target Fabel, who starts to question his career with the Hamburg Murder Squad.
But he knows that before he does anything else, he has to find this murderer. A murderer who is convinced that he has lived before, can remember his past lives and has to get his revenge on those who killed him.
Great mystery with a conclusion that took me by surprise, which is always a good thing.
I just wished I knew whether or not Fabel actually resigns or not. If only because I couldn't bear this being the last in the series.
AUTHOR: CRAIG RUSSELL
Pages: 381
Date: 27/07/2007
Grade: 5-
Details: nr. 3 Jan Fabel mystery
Library
Jan Fabel is only just back from a short break when the first victim is found, murdered and scalped. Within 24 hours a second victim is found, also scalped. Apart from the fact that they were both male, roughly the same age and died under similar circumstances, there appears to be no connection between the victims.
And the murderer leaves no forensic evidence at all, apart from a single red hair, deliberately left behind meant to be found.
As more murders and scalpings take place, Jan Fabel and his team uncover a link between them, connecting all the victims to a former terrorist group.
It appears that somebody is out to kill all the members of that group in an act of revenge.
As they get closer to understanding what might be going on, the killer starts to communicate with and target Fabel, who starts to question his career with the Hamburg Murder Squad.
But he knows that before he does anything else, he has to find this murderer. A murderer who is convinced that he has lived before, can remember his past lives and has to get his revenge on those who killed him.
Great mystery with a conclusion that took me by surprise, which is always a good thing.
I just wished I knew whether or not Fabel actually resigns or not. If only because I couldn't bear this being the last in the series.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
VIENNA BLOOD
TITLE: VIENNA BLOOD
AUTHOR: FRANK TALLIS
Pages: 474
Date: 21/07/2007
Grade: 5-
Details: nr. 2 The Liebermann Papers
Library
In Vienna in 1902 a serial killer is on the loose, committing the most horrific and apparently random murders.
Detective Inspector Reinhardt turns to his friend, Dr. Max Liebermann, a disciple of Freud's, for assistance. But Max can't connect the murders either, until a night at the opera gives him a sudden insight into what moves the killer. This musical outing even connects a dead snake to the subsequent murders.
The investigators are soon looking into Vienna's secret societies and finding themselves face to face with mythical theories and the sort of racial prejudice that would 30 years later be the foundation for Hitler's "philosophy".
Meanwhile, Liebermann is also facing private demons when he starts to doubt his feelings for Clara, the girl he's engaged to and now finds he doesn't love and can't marry.
Fascinating mystery in an equally fascinating setting. The writing is beautiful with descriptions giving a real feel for Vienna in the early 20th century.
And because the reader has the benefit of hindsight, reading the thoughts and feelings of some of the members of the secret societies is far more scary for the reader than it is for the characters in the book, who can't take those ideas seriously. Makes you wonder what history would have looked like if people had taken those scary ideas seriously at such an early stage. Would that have been able to prevent the great destruction that was inflicted upon the world just over 30 years later?
AUTHOR: FRANK TALLIS
Pages: 474
Date: 21/07/2007
Grade: 5-
Details: nr. 2 The Liebermann Papers
Library
In Vienna in 1902 a serial killer is on the loose, committing the most horrific and apparently random murders.
Detective Inspector Reinhardt turns to his friend, Dr. Max Liebermann, a disciple of Freud's, for assistance. But Max can't connect the murders either, until a night at the opera gives him a sudden insight into what moves the killer. This musical outing even connects a dead snake to the subsequent murders.
The investigators are soon looking into Vienna's secret societies and finding themselves face to face with mythical theories and the sort of racial prejudice that would 30 years later be the foundation for Hitler's "philosophy".
Meanwhile, Liebermann is also facing private demons when he starts to doubt his feelings for Clara, the girl he's engaged to and now finds he doesn't love and can't marry.
Fascinating mystery in an equally fascinating setting. The writing is beautiful with descriptions giving a real feel for Vienna in the early 20th century.
And because the reader has the benefit of hindsight, reading the thoughts and feelings of some of the members of the secret societies is far more scary for the reader than it is for the characters in the book, who can't take those ideas seriously. Makes you wonder what history would have looked like if people had taken those scary ideas seriously at such an early stage. Would that have been able to prevent the great destruction that was inflicted upon the world just over 30 years later?
Thursday, July 19, 2007
TE GHOST AND MRS MCCLURE
TITLE: THE GHOST AND MRS MCCLURE
AUTHOR: ALICE KIMBERLY
Pages: 317
Date: 18/07/2007
Grade: 4.5
Details: #1. Haunted Bookshop Mystery
Library
After her husband commits suicide and leaves her a widow with a young son, Penelope Thornton-McClure has joined her aunt in running a mystery bookshop.
On the night that they hold their very first author signing, disaster strikes when the author drops dead, immediately after revealing the shops' link to an unsolved murder from the 1940's.
Things only get worse when his dead turns out to be murder, with Penelope as one of the prime suspects. She needs to find out the truth before she turns into the ultimate scapegoat.
But Penelope is not alone; the bookshop has a ghost, who just happens to be Jack Shepard, a PI who was shot in the shop in the 1940's.
And once Penelope has convinced herself that ghosts do exist, Jack and her make a great investigating team
An easy and cozy read and a very well written mystery, with more than enough interesting characters to keep the reader interested. And the mystery really keeps you guessing.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
AUTHOR: ALICE KIMBERLY
Pages: 317
Date: 18/07/2007
Grade: 4.5
Details: #1. Haunted Bookshop Mystery
Library
After her husband commits suicide and leaves her a widow with a young son, Penelope Thornton-McClure has joined her aunt in running a mystery bookshop.
On the night that they hold their very first author signing, disaster strikes when the author drops dead, immediately after revealing the shops' link to an unsolved murder from the 1940's.
Things only get worse when his dead turns out to be murder, with Penelope as one of the prime suspects. She needs to find out the truth before she turns into the ultimate scapegoat.
But Penelope is not alone; the bookshop has a ghost, who just happens to be Jack Shepard, a PI who was shot in the shop in the 1940's.
And once Penelope has convinced herself that ghosts do exist, Jack and her make a great investigating team
An easy and cozy read and a very well written mystery, with more than enough interesting characters to keep the reader interested. And the mystery really keeps you guessing.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
SECOND BURIAL
TITLE: SECOND BURIAL
AUTHOR: ANDREW NUGENT
Pages: 275
Date: 16/07/2007
Grade: 4.5
Details #2 Dublin Murder Squad Mystery
Library
A young African Man, Shad, is dumped in the Dublin Mountains late one night. His foot has been amputated and badly stitched, after which he was abandoned to die. He manages to crawl to a house and raise the alarm, but later dies in hospital.
Molly Powers and Jim Quilligan of the Dublin Murder Squad are baffled. Are they dealing with African rituals? Or maybe with a racially motivated murder?
Shad's younger brother, Jude, meantime vows to find his brother's killer and is far more successful in this endeavour than the police which puts his own life in serious danger.
This book is very relevant in today's Ireland where we're only beginning to get to terms with the fact that we're now a country people want to come to to live and work and a lot of people have a problem with all the new and foreign cultures.
This clash in cultures isn't just difficult in this book though; it also gives rice to several laugh out loud moments, although I'm not sure how much sense they would make to someone unfamiliar with the situation and lay out of Dublin.
I did have the mystery solved fairly early on, but still enjoyed the read a lot.
AUTHOR: ANDREW NUGENT
Pages: 275
Date: 16/07/2007
Grade: 4.5
Details #2 Dublin Murder Squad Mystery
Library
A young African Man, Shad, is dumped in the Dublin Mountains late one night. His foot has been amputated and badly stitched, after which he was abandoned to die. He manages to crawl to a house and raise the alarm, but later dies in hospital.
Molly Powers and Jim Quilligan of the Dublin Murder Squad are baffled. Are they dealing with African rituals? Or maybe with a racially motivated murder?
Shad's younger brother, Jude, meantime vows to find his brother's killer and is far more successful in this endeavour than the police which puts his own life in serious danger.
This book is very relevant in today's Ireland where we're only beginning to get to terms with the fact that we're now a country people want to come to to live and work and a lot of people have a problem with all the new and foreign cultures.
This clash in cultures isn't just difficult in this book though; it also gives rice to several laugh out loud moments, although I'm not sure how much sense they would make to someone unfamiliar with the situation and lay out of Dublin.
I did have the mystery solved fairly early on, but still enjoyed the read a lot.
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