Books and other stuff I feel like discussing
By education and experience - Accountant with a specialty in taxation. Formerly a CPA (license has lapsed). Masters degree in law of taxation from University of Denver. Now retired. Part time work during baseball season as receptionist & switchboard operator for the Colorado Rockies. This gig feeds my soul in ways I have trouble articulating. One daughter, and four grandchildren. I share the house with two cats; a big goof of a cat called Grinch (named as a joke for his easy going "whatever" disposition); and Lady, a shelter adoptee with a regal bearing and sweet little soprano voice. I would be very bereft if it ever becomes necessary to keep house without a cat.
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Books update - Suspense
It's been awhile, but I have been reading!
A DROP OF THE HARD STUFF by Lawrence Block
Block is one of the first authors of suspense fiction I ever read, when I found a handful of his used paperbacks for almost no cash in a thrift store. I picked the books up primarily because of blurbs on the cover. Matt Scudder is a character straight out of the "wounded healer" tradition and I was intrigued and fully engrossed from the first chapter. One by one I tracked down all the Scudder titles and read them all. About six years ago, Block published ALL THE FLOWERS ARE DYING which wrapped up Scudder's career and life, and I thought perhaps we would never encounter him again in a new book.
Block gets himself out of this box by going back to the early days of Scudder's career, when he is coming to terms with his alcoholism and learning to "work the steps" He is approached by another AA member with help in resolving a long dormant issue.
Classic Block, classic Scudder. Block's way with dialogue is remarkable, the only word I have for it is "graceful."
THE LAST TALK WITH LOLA FAYE by Thomas H Cook
Cook is another favorite. His books are hard to classify, sometimes my library puts the little blue sticker on the spine indicating a mystery, and sometimes not.
He usually writes of atmospheric small southern towns, and tense family interactions.
A mediocre author of mediocre non fiction history is traveling on a book tour, and is approached by a woman from his small home town. She persuades him to spend some time talking with her over a cocktail and in that conversation he comes to terms with quite a few unanswered questions from his own past.
THE LAST LIE by Stephen White
Psychologist Alan Gregory has new neighbors, living the the house where his late friends Peter and Adrienne resided. Alan has custody of their son, and that alone would present all sorts of emotional problems. But when the police begin to investigate an incident which may or may not have been a sexual assault, and when one of Alan's patients may or not be involved, things become very complicated indeed.
THE COMPLAINTS by Ian Rankin
Rankin kicks off a new series featuring a new protagonist - this time a cop working in the much maligned internal affairs division. Reluctantly, he begins to understand that he is being set up by fellow cops.
ONE WAS A SOLDIER by Julia Spencer-Fleming
One of the pitfalls in writing about characters who may or may not fall in love with each other is how to maintain suspense once the relationship resolves itself. Fleming has skillfully begun to shift romantic suspense away from her two main protagonists Russ and Clare by creating a sub plot with romantic suspense between two supporting characters.
Meanwhile, in the foreground of the story, Russ and Clare plan their wedding; Clare deals with the emotional turmoil of returning to civilian life after a tour on active duty in Iraq; and a support group for returning military personnel provides the intrigue.
BURIED PREY by John Sandford
Lucas Davenport is at it again, working on a cold case and identifying a pedophile killer. For a police procedural, portraying all the techniques used by modern day cops, Sandford is one of the best.
RIPTIDE by John Lawton
I've had this book for several years, and looking for something I could read and leave behind me on my recent trip, I took it along. While it did pass some hours on the plane coming home, I could have left it on the shelf at no loss.
A German double agent flees the continent, when he perceives he will be exposed. His British contacts struggle to find him, since even after he has reached the relative safety of WWII England, he stays under cover. One or two red herrings confuse the officers and governmental agents looking for him - one of the red herrings is Rudolf Hess, who has landed in Scotland.
More on non suspense titles in the next entry
A DROP OF THE HARD STUFF by Lawrence Block
Block is one of the first authors of suspense fiction I ever read, when I found a handful of his used paperbacks for almost no cash in a thrift store. I picked the books up primarily because of blurbs on the cover. Matt Scudder is a character straight out of the "wounded healer" tradition and I was intrigued and fully engrossed from the first chapter. One by one I tracked down all the Scudder titles and read them all. About six years ago, Block published ALL THE FLOWERS ARE DYING which wrapped up Scudder's career and life, and I thought perhaps we would never encounter him again in a new book.
Block gets himself out of this box by going back to the early days of Scudder's career, when he is coming to terms with his alcoholism and learning to "work the steps" He is approached by another AA member with help in resolving a long dormant issue.
Classic Block, classic Scudder. Block's way with dialogue is remarkable, the only word I have for it is "graceful."
THE LAST TALK WITH LOLA FAYE by Thomas H Cook
Cook is another favorite. His books are hard to classify, sometimes my library puts the little blue sticker on the spine indicating a mystery, and sometimes not.
He usually writes of atmospheric small southern towns, and tense family interactions.
A mediocre author of mediocre non fiction history is traveling on a book tour, and is approached by a woman from his small home town. She persuades him to spend some time talking with her over a cocktail and in that conversation he comes to terms with quite a few unanswered questions from his own past.
THE LAST LIE by Stephen White
Psychologist Alan Gregory has new neighbors, living the the house where his late friends Peter and Adrienne resided. Alan has custody of their son, and that alone would present all sorts of emotional problems. But when the police begin to investigate an incident which may or may not have been a sexual assault, and when one of Alan's patients may or not be involved, things become very complicated indeed.
THE COMPLAINTS by Ian Rankin
Rankin kicks off a new series featuring a new protagonist - this time a cop working in the much maligned internal affairs division. Reluctantly, he begins to understand that he is being set up by fellow cops.
ONE WAS A SOLDIER by Julia Spencer-Fleming
One of the pitfalls in writing about characters who may or may not fall in love with each other is how to maintain suspense once the relationship resolves itself. Fleming has skillfully begun to shift romantic suspense away from her two main protagonists Russ and Clare by creating a sub plot with romantic suspense between two supporting characters.
Meanwhile, in the foreground of the story, Russ and Clare plan their wedding; Clare deals with the emotional turmoil of returning to civilian life after a tour on active duty in Iraq; and a support group for returning military personnel provides the intrigue.
BURIED PREY by John Sandford
Lucas Davenport is at it again, working on a cold case and identifying a pedophile killer. For a police procedural, portraying all the techniques used by modern day cops, Sandford is one of the best.
RIPTIDE by John Lawton
I've had this book for several years, and looking for something I could read and leave behind me on my recent trip, I took it along. While it did pass some hours on the plane coming home, I could have left it on the shelf at no loss.
A German double agent flees the continent, when he perceives he will be exposed. His British contacts struggle to find him, since even after he has reached the relative safety of WWII England, he stays under cover. One or two red herrings confuse the officers and governmental agents looking for him - one of the red herrings is Rudolf Hess, who has landed in Scotland.
More on non suspense titles in the next entry
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