Review: The Marlowe Murder Club

 by Robert Thorogood

Three, or really four, very interesting, different and well-drawn women characters collude to solve a very complex series of murders. I kept reading because I really wanted to see how it ended and how the characters developed and whether or not their budding friendship would survive the stresses of trying to work together despite their differences. And their oddities, too. One has a secret past; one a severe case in inadequacy and OCD; the third is scarily strong-willed and outspoken.

So as I say, I kept reading and enjoyed the way they all came out. But the murder mystery itself was just kind of stupid, IMHO. Complicated (overly so), and stupid.

I don't think I'll read another but that doesn't mean I don't recommend this book if it seems to be your cup-of-tea. It's fast-moving and has a pretty intense ending.

 

Review: A Walk in the Park

The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

by Kevin Fedarko

I was expecting a fun hiking adventure and I got it--and a lot more. Although I confess to a near-fatal disbelief in the beginning--how could two guys be so naive and clueless as to set out on a trip so stunningly unprepared?  I wanted to quit reading but only slightly less than I wanted to see how he could have gotten such a long book out of such a fatal disaster.

I was glad that I persisted, and them too. Because the adventure turned out better than it started--with a lot of near-disaster along the way--and the book ended up being about much ore than just a hiking adventure. It was the story of the canyon from many perspectives--the hikers and boaters who explored it early on; the native tribes that lost it and recovered it and are in the process (possibly) of losing it again; and the companions and helpers of the author and his colleague who live to explore it nowadays.

There's a lot in this book and it's still a greatly enjoyable adventure. Highly recommended.

 

Review: Iron Lake

Cork O'Connor, #1

by William Kent Krueger

I listened to this audiobook because I'd just finished This Tender Land and I didn't want to let the author (and the time and the place) go so soon. But my reaction is very, very mixed.  This book exhibits the same complex character development and the same sense of place, mysterious and awesome, as the other book. But this was clearly written by a much younger man.

Why do I think that? Because...it seems immature, somehow. More violent (is that possible?) A frequent reliance on coincidences in the plot--not once but twice does a photo negative manage to fall out of the bag and stick in a dark corner to provide a clue to continue the action. And so many people are so obsessed with sex and call it love. I was especially irritated at the woman "Jo", his ex-wife, who is made out to be so stinking irritating and immature that I don't see how she was ever expected to get a law degree. She's alternately sharp, spineless, whiny, and stupid.

But I see this book was written in 1998 and he's written quite a few others since then, possibly as many as 19. So I will try another one soon and see if I like it better.

Review: Holiday SOS

Holiday SOS: The life-saving adventures of a travelling doctor

Ben MacFarlane

 All the wild and crazy stuff that can happen, does. To a doctor traveling to repatriate citizens of Great Britain when their vacations have gone horribly wrong. From the folks who stressed too much and suffered heart attacks--mundane in this context--to the people involved in horrid accidents with their body parts sewed up and oozing goo. And that's just the beginning.

He knows how to tell a great story, too, with enough personal info, travel adventures, medical gruesomeness, and friends back home to keep us entertained. I was hooked from page one to the end...and now I've found out that there's a sequel. Here I go again!

Gardening, yeah. End of February and not spring yet.

 Here's what an asparagus patch looks like in February

  

And here's the sad state of overwintering sage. I probably should have trimmed it back some last fall, but not I'm scared to hurt it.

 

 

 

 

At least the garlic looks great!

Review: The Little Book of Aliens

The Little Book of Aliens

by Adam Frank

I've just had my mind blown away in many different dimensions. Let me take a few questions: Why does the search for alien life make sense? Have we ever found any? Are UFO real at all? If we find "life", what will it look like?  Is evolution likely to produce the same results over and over? We have a partial answer to that, based on E.coli studies--No.

 And what about the formula

   N = R* x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc x L 

also known as the Frank Drake equation? How far are we in making good estimates for the values needed to use it?  Answer: closer than we used to be.

So much to think about here, you could read this small book ten times and come up with a hundred different insights. And mind-boggling questions.

 Wow. Oh, wow.

By the way, Mr. Frank and his editor and publisher are a fantastic writing team. The book flows like a bottle of rich soy sauce, creamy and savory and delicious.  Almost like a novel, but real!

Review: Gathering Mist

Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #9

by Margaret Mizushima

If you can suspend disbelief long enough, you can enjoy this book as much as I did. My disbelief has to do with a dog who can do everything--air scent, ground scent, backtrack a scent trail, locate humans simply by the fear and anger in their aroma; and of course, do attack, take-down, and guard.  And of course sense when humans need comforting and provide said comfort, but I suspect most dogs can do that.

So yeah, well, she'll really in love with her dog. But she writes some awfully good action scenes.  So I enjoyed that.  But as to mystery/suspense, I was very disappointed in the 'reveal' and what did, or didn't, lead up to it. But I can't explain that without spoilers.

I've enjoyed all of the series so far and will carry on if there are more. But expect a solid 4-star or possibly a 4.5-star if you're not too picky about the mystery in your thriller.