Sutton Place by Louise Gaylord

Little Moose Press

Julia Fairchild is from a wealthy New York family and is on the road to personal success.  After years of studying hard she has landed an internship in the Department of Psychology, at Payne Whitney in New York.  Her work is impressing everyone in the department and her attraction to a colleague, an older doctor, seems mutual.  Life is good.

The story begins on Julia's birthday.  She has a birthday lunch with her beloved sister Ariel, and then later, a dinner celebration with her parents.  The family is close and spends a lot of time together, except for Ariel, who has recently become secretive and distant.  At the root of her distance is a family secret.  A secret that is only one of many that have been hidden by the family to avoid scandal.  Secrets that in the end will be responsible for the pain and suffering of those they were meant to protect. Secrets that will be linked to murder and attempted murder. 

 

In an effort to save herself from the dark figure and secret from her past, Julia moves away to New Mexico to start a new life.  But there is no escaping the monster who will stop at nothing to possess and control her.  He has been patient for years, waiting and planning.  But now he is tired of waiting.  It's time - time to claim his treasure.  

This is the first book I have read by this author and when I first read the synopsis of this story I thought it sounded like a cozy mystery.  Well, I was wrong about that!  I have read other reviews of this novel that describe it as being about family (agree), scandal (agree) and obsession (disagree).  The behavior of the character this refers to is not obsessive; it is behavior that is pathological and perverted. The exploitation of the therapist patient relationship, as described in this story, is not just an inappropriate and disconcerting relationship; it is a nauseating abuse of power that will make you cringe.  Definitely not a cozy.

That being said the book is well written, well paced and the tension mounts as the plot twists keep you hooked and turning the pages.  Transitions between chapters, characters and perspective are very well executed.  There is some back and forth between past and present that it is seamless and natural, and essential to the plot.

Just be prepared to cringe.

Louise Gaylord looks like such a nice person - you have to wonder where those dark thoughts come from.

http://www.louisegaylordauthor.com/index.html

 

The Bleiberg Project by David Khara

Translated by Simon John

Le French Book

I’m not a big fan of books that relate to World War II, the Holocaust, and famous Nazis etc.;  but I do like a good thriller.  I also very much like the books I have read from Le French Book and that is why I decided to read The Bleiberg Project. 

 

The story centers on Jay Novacek, real name Jeremy Corbin, a trader who has made himself a small fortune on Wall Street, enough money to last him the rest of his life if he chooses.  Money however, can’t buy him happiness or the peace of mind he so desperately seeks. 

The news of his estranged father’s death is the first domino in the series to fall.  When he tells his mother the news, she gives him the locket she has always worn and asks him to leave her alone. Before he has the chance to ask his mother about the locket’s contents she is assassinated and he turns to the one person he knows he can trust, his boss, only to discover that he too has been keeping secrets.

Suddenly, men in black cars with Argentinian plates are after Jeremy and they mean business.  The first attack on his life ends with him being inexplicably saved by a giant of a man, Eytan Morg, a very dangerous Mossad agent.  At this point the CIA enters the picture and Jeremy finds himself on a plane to Zurich with Jackie, a very petite and attractive CIA agent.  Jeremy soon realizes he needs to discover what his father had been involved in if he stands any chance of staying alive long enough to enjoy the fortune he has amassed.

The story ricochets between past events and the present to gradually make sense of what is happening in the present. The WWII backdrop provides real monsters to interact with the fictional ones to reveal a consortium at work to gain the ultimate power to rule the world. This may sound a little like Austin Powers, especially when a scientific formula is included in the plot, but it is much, much better than that.

Khara has written a fast-paced race against time thriller with sympathetic characters.  Everyone has a secret it seems and it is this vulnerability of each of the main characters that serves as a stark contrast to the power seekers for whom life is cheap.  The pace is a bit slow at the very beginning but once it picks up it doesn’t let up. My one criticism is that the epilogue could have been fleshed out a bit more but that is really a small detail.

This is a thriller that fans of John Grisham, Robert Ludlum or Ian Fleming will enjoy.


http://www.lefrenchbook.com/

Edgar Allan Poe

164 years ago today, Edgar Allan Poe died, fittingly, under mysterious circumstances.  The stranger who routinely visited Poe’s grave on Poe’s birthday each year to place 3 roses and half a bottle of cognac on the grave, has also disappeared without any explanation.

 

 

Not very original, but like many others, my favorite Poe pieces are The Raven and The Murders in the Rue Morgue.  Much of his work has an underlying sense of loneliness and the feeling of being trapped, probably why it often appeals to teenage angst.

 

 

So pay tribute to a great writer by sitting back with a finger or two of cognac or brandy, and listening to Vincent Price, Christopher Walken or James Earl Jones read The Raven; they all can be found on You Tube along with The Simpsons episode, if that's more your style. 

I enjoy this rendition by the Alan Parsons Project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAE1XTvKLXA

 

Image from Morgan Library
& Museum site
http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?id=82

Or if you happen to be in New York, visit the Morgan Library and Museum to experience what sounds like an interesting and unusual exhibition “Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/books/edgar-allan-poe-exhibition-opens-at-the-morgan.html?_r=0

And from the Huffington Post - 11 Things you didn't know about Poe
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lynn-cullen/11-things-you-didnt-know-_1_b_4059140.html?ref=topbar

 

 

 

Letters From a Murderer by John Matthews

 

Angry Robot Ltd.



Exhibit A

 

                                            

Google Jack the Ripper and you will literally be presented with thousands of hits and just as many unanswered questions.  The Ripper’s identity has never been confirmed and there have been many theories, but  no proof.  One theory is that he was a German sailor, who was eventually executed for murder in New York City.  So, did the Ripper cross the ocean and continue his murder spree in NYC?  This is the angle Matthews uses in the tale of Letters From a Murderer.

The story begins with the murder of a prostitute in NYC.  Since the crime scene appears identical to the original Ripper murders, it is deemed a smart move to involve one of the pathologists who had worked on the original Whitechapel victims, Finley Jameson, currently living in New York.  This seems to please the Ripper and he starts addressing letters to Jameson by sending them directly to The Times.  Then as now, the Press plays a significant role as the Ripper uses the press to manipulate the police and the police use press conferences to communicate with the Ripper.

Paired with Jameson is Joseph Argenti, a hardworking and reliable Inspector, handpicked by the Mayor to replace Inspector McCluskey, who has fallen from the Mayor’s good graces due to the rampant corruption in his department.  This does not go over well with the city’s head gangster, Michael Tierney, who has McCluskey on his payroll.  Jameson and Argenti are exposed to a two-pronged attack, the Ripper on one front, the Irish mob on the other. 

 

Matthews is deft at creating atmosphere and painting a picture of the Victorian era.  You can almost hear the clicking of the horses’ hooves as the hansoms go by, the bustling of the crowds in the busy city by day, feel the danger lurking in the dark shadows at night on streets meekly lit by lamplight, if there is any light at all.  He also conveys the stark reality of the social/economic differences between the haves and the have nots – very Dickensian in mood and tone.  His strong characterizations bring out the flaws, as well as the strengths of the characters, creating empathy and sympathy for many, and a sense of appallment for the behaviors of others.

 

The plot keeps you guessing at every turn and is well thought out.  Fact, fiction and theory are seamlessly blended and the tension builds at an even pace. 

Think of this book as a New York Cocktail - 1 part Ripper, 1 part Holmes & Watson, 1 part Gangs of New York - definitely shaken not stirred.

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/24/jack-the-ripper-solved-investigation-german-sailor_n_3981837.html

 

 

 

 

Loula is Leaving for Africa by Anne Villeneuve

Kids Can Press

 

Most adults and children can relate to the feeling of wanting to run away because nobody is paying attention or seeming to care about them.  That is definitely how Loula feels.  Her three brothers are stinky and mean.  Her mother and father are too busy to take any notice that she is upset.  So she packs life's essentials into her suitcase, and along with her pink cat, her tea set and her best drawing she leaves for Africa - a.k.a. the tree in her front yard.

Sitting in the tree, she comes to the attention of the family chauffeur, Gilbert.  He explains to Loula that he thinks Africa is further away and that she needs to take a boat to get there.  So they set out together to look for Africa. Gilbert drives her to a park where they encounter "giraffes", "chimpanzees", cross a "desert", take a "plane" and a "boat" before they arrive at their destination and admire a beautiful "African" sunset.

 

This story is filled with imagination and the ability to turn the everyday into something special. Author Anne Villeneuve is also the illustrator and her drawings are whimsical and wispy, and convey mood and movement through the skillful use of simple line drawings and colour. 

This is a great book to read with a child who is feeling a little down or left out.  It is a reminder that we all need a form of escapism every now and then, even if we don't all have a caring, enlightened chauffeur to get us to our destination.  We just need someone who will take the time to care and share.

http://www.annevilleneuve.com/

Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan M. Boyer

Henry Press
(The 2nd Liz Talbot Mystery)

                               
Imagine the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe showing up on your doorstep and asking you to save her from the same fate as the real Marilyn.  Would you open the door and say “Sure – come on in and we’ll work this out.”?  Well apparently you would if you are local Stella Maris PI, Liz Talbot.

Calista McQueen (the Marilyn double) is one of many zany characters in the book that keep you amused, puzzled and engaged. The story moves along quickly with enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing.  A little romance between Liz and Nate, who is not only her business partner but also the brother of her ex, helps to turn up the heat for those who like it hot.   

My only complaint is that some of the details seem like filler to me.  The love scene between Liz and Nate is too long for this type of book and the story itself.  And knowing that Liz and Calista both order salad with grilled chicken and a glass of iced tea for lunch, does nothing to move the plot along or develop the characters.  Why bother to include such redundant details?  Beats me - you wouldn’t be missing anything if this information was left out.

 

That being said, Susan Boyer is a talented storyteller who moves the plot along at a quick pace maintaining a nice balance between tense atmosphere and lighter moments.   She also incorporates some interesting information about the real Marilyn into the story, a subject that is of particular interest to her.   Overall this is an entertaining light read well worth your time on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Click on Susan's name above to link to her blog or you can find her on Facebook.

Banned Books Week and The Diviners

Since this is Banned Books Week in many places, I thought I would bring up a book that was once 'removed' from the reading list of some Canadian schools and is now considered a Canadian classic - The Diviners, by Margaret Laurence. 

I read this book not long after it was first published (1974). I remember being enthralled by the book and drawn into Morag's world. Life in the prairies was so different from my experience in the big city that it truly was like travelling to another world.  I can remember being astounded when I first heard that there was a burning controversy over this book, that it was considered amoral, blasphemous and I don't remember what all else. Not appropriate for Grade 13 students (who were probably doing a lot worse things than Morag)! All this uproar for a (sordid ?!?!) sex scene and a few swear words?   

After reading the Diviners I wanted to read more Margaret Laurence books and proceeded to read the other books about the fictional town of Manawaka. Laurence's books gave me an appreciation of strong, not perfect female characters.  They also made me interested in other Canadian writers like Alice Munro, W. O. Mitchell, Margaret Atwood, and Gabrielle Roy to name a few.

Here are two links about The Diviners and Margaret Laurence :

The first is a clip from CBC about The Diviners and the controversy:
http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/arts-entertainment/literature/margaret-laurence-canadas-divine-writer/laurences-books-banned.html

The second is an article  titled "The Censorship of Margaret Laurence's  The Diviner's, 1976 - 1985,written by Sheila Turcon of McMaster University. 
Don't forget to read the comments after the article.

http://hpcanpub.mcmaster.ca/case-study/censorship-margaret-laurence-s-diviners-1976-1985

Lewis Carroll - One of my favorites

Because I'm feeling philosophical on this dark and grey Sunday morning, I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes from one of the greatest philosophers ever, Lewis Carroll.

“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”    

“Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle.”  

“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”

 

 

“What is the use of a book’, thought Alice, ‘without pictures or conversations?”

 

 

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”  

 

 

Yes I do, Alice, I do.

 

 

― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

A Darkness Descending by Christobel Kent

Open Road Integrated Media

Pegasus Books

 

There is a new political movement in Florence Italy, the Frazione Verde.  The party's young members are mostly intellectuals, die-hard greens, communists and war protesters.  At the party's helm is Niccolo Rosselli, a humble, unassuming individual,  who once he is on the podium becomes a charismatic speaker with the innate ability to ignite a crowd and create a following. One evening while addressing his followers he mysteriously collapses.  Following this, it becomes known that his wife, Flavia, has disappeared, deserting Niccolo and their newborn son.  Then the attacks on the party start.

Soon it is discovered that Flavia has committed suicide at a small beachside resort.  Sandro Cellini, a private investigator, becomes involved in the case and he can't believe that someone with so much to live for could commit suicide. And so the investigation begins.  The investigation examines some of the ideals that are the basis of the Frazione Verde as well as basic human emotions and desire.  Power, control, manipulation and the many facets of love, including altruistic love, are examined through the lives of Niccollo, Flavia, Sandro, Luisa (Sandro's wife), Giuli (Sandro's assistant) and Enzo (Giuli's boyfriend) and a number of other secondary characters.

This story is not a breathtaking race to find out whodunit.  This is a mystery about human nature that requires observation, compassion, intellect and common sense to solve. Christobel Kent very skillfully unveils the story by peeling through the layers of human emotions to get at the vulnerable core of the human psyche.  The darkness that descends is one that can easily be imagined in today's world and I think that makes it all the more tragic.

I received my copy of this book from NetGalley and did not realize that this is the fourth book featuring the character Sandro Cellini.  It seems like it stands alone, but I think if I had been familiar with the characters, the first few chapters would have gone by faster.  Once I got to know the characters, however, I liked them, especially Sandro and his wife Luisa. 

This is a well-written story by an author who pays attention to the small details that make a person an individual.  There are just enough details in the telling to create interesting and believable characters without being a cumbersome read.

This one should be on your "want to read it" list.

A link to an interesting interview with Christobel Kent:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Whats-on-leisure/Books/Some-people-write-for-therapy-but-I-always-wanted-an-audience-Christobel-Kent-20130402115749.htm

Ill-Gotten Gains by Ilsa Evans

A Nell Forrest Mystery

Momentum Books

In the second Nell Forrest mystery, the sleepy town of Majic is gearing up to celebrate its 150^th anniversary and preparations are in full swing to re-enact the sunset ride that led to the founding of the town.  Nell and her youngest daughter Quinn go to the local cemetery to do some research for Quinn’s school project related to the town founder, Petar Majic.  While examining the Majic crypt, Quinn inadvertently knocks down a plaque only to reveal another plaque that has lain hidden for years.  The two take the broken plaque to the historical society for repair and to report the newly discovered plaque.  This simple act of conscience sets into play a series of events that will question the town’s past, threaten its present and change the course for the future.  Two members of the historical society are murdered and a prominent family has its very roots questioned.

Nell is also looking at her own past, present and towards the future but not by choice.  Her ex is demanding his half of their house and Nell is having trouble letting go of the home and all the family memories it holds. Her personal life is complicated by her daughters trying to figure out their own futures, unwanted pregnancies, and the murder investigation, leaving Nell little time to contemplate her own future. Once Nell, her family and friends start asking questions pertaining to the murders and the town's past, her life is threatened and she is put under police protection and the ever watchful eye of the charming Detective Sergeant Ashley Armistead. 

Again each chapter begins with a funny note to Nell as the author of the Middle-Aged Spread column and Nell’s thoughts frequently appear as headlines.  Ilsa Evans’ witty Australian humour is a significant part of the pleasure of reading this book but so too is the well thought out and informative plot.

As an Aussie might say - a rip snorter of a read.

Valley of Vice by Steve Garcia

Diversion Books

 

Valley of Vice is a police procedural novel.  Two deaths are discovered - one is an apparent suicide the other a murder tied in with arson.  Detective Philippa Wallace and Detective Salvadore Reyes investigate both and start to believe the two deaths are connected.  They pursue the case gathering evidence and conducting numerous interrogations to prove their theory. To complicate matters, internal investigations gets in their way when it is suspected there is a bad cop in their midst. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect.

 

I found the story difficult to follow at times.  Like most police procedurals there is more than one plot thread that develops.  Each thread is interesting but they could have been developed in more detail. There are also so many characters involved and they just aren’t developed and distinct enough. I found myself frequently going back in the story to clarify who was who until I was about half way through the book. 

 

Another thing that irked me was the “locker room” humour that frequently surfaced.  Yes, it is most likely a reflection of the reality in a squad room or a bar, but I can live without sexist and homophobic jokes, albeit humour is a personal thing.

For me this was an - almost but not quite - read. 

Pray for Us Sinners by Peter S. Fischer

The Hollywood Murder Mysteries Book Seven

Grove Point Press
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Members' Titles

This is the first book I have read in the Hollywood Murder Mysteries series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Part of the pleasure for me was the locale, Quebec City in the 1950’s.  I live in the Province of Quebec and am familiar with the city.  The main stage for the story is the Chateau Frontenac, one of the grande dames of Canadian hotels.

The story revolves around the filming of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, “I Confess” which really was filmed in Quebec City in 1952. The main character is amicable Joe Bernardi who works for Warner Brothers Studios making sure all the press and publicity surrounding the film is positive. The story is written in the first person giving it a “film noir” atmosphere, very appropriate and true to the movie.  A beautiful “femme fatale”, Jeanne D’Arcy, the Quebec Film Commissioner, arrives to help Joe sort out a few things with the press and smooth some troubled waters.  But then Jeanne is arrested for the murder of her ex-lover and Joe is convinced she didn’t do it.

Is Joe being naïve and taken in by the lovely Jeanne? Is Jeanne being framed?  Who is following Joe around and why is he being shot at?  Will the Archbishop shut down the film because of the scandal?

The book is just great fun. I appreciated reading about a movie production in the 1950’s, Hitchcock and his wife, Montgromery Clift, Anne Baxter and references to other Hollywood stars of the era. I especially like Hitchcock and am partial to this period for movies when the emphasis was on great storytelling and character development, not special effects and shock value.  I also liked how Peter Fischer interlaces history, fact and fiction.   Some of the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more and there are a few inaccuracies (i.e. Montreal is not the capital of the Province of Quebec, even though it should be), but hey, a little artistic license doesn’t detract from the main event – a story that holds your attention.

 

So, despite the fact that this is book seven in the series, I found it a great initiation to the series and  a good read.

 

Here is a link to an interview with Peter S. Fischer.

 

http://jesmaine.tripod.com/mswpetersfischerinterview.html