4 stars out of 5
Way back in the mid-1960s - when I was a fairly young bride - one of our favorite shows was The Man from U.N.C.L.E. starring Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo and a young David McCallum as cohort Illya Kuryakin. Fast-forward to today, when one of our favorite shows is NCIS - and one of the stars is a slightly older McCallum (now 82, I believe), who plays medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard. So when I discovered that he's written a book - in my favorite genre, no less - dipping my toes in the water was just too tempting.
And I wanted so much to love it. But if I'm honest in my review, I have to say that although it's well written, my enjoyment comes closer to like than totally smitten. I'm not entirely sure why; but I do know that while the characters are well developed, I just never quite warmed up to any of them including the New York aspiring actor "hero" Harry Murphy (and certainly not the off-the-wall female agent he encounters along the way). That said, the plot is interesting - if a little complex - and there's a sprinkling of subtle humor throughout that's always a plus for me.
At the beginning, Harry overhears a conversation among the three Bruschetti brothers - Sal, Max and Enzo - during which the aging Max announces plans for the family to retire their unlawful, but profitable, activities. When Harry learns that the disbanding plans include the murder of a man in London, though, he decides to make an impromptu trip across the Pond to prevent it from happening. Harry has, after all, just been paid for a mayonnaise commercial (conjuring up memories of Robert Klein's side-splitting routine about a marching band's tribute to the popular condiment), so money is not an object at the moment.
He manages to save the day, but in the process he ends up with a ton of illicit cash and, thought to be a mob enforcer by both the British police and the bad guys, squarely in the crosshairs of a very dangerous man. From that point on, it becomes an ongoing and relatively entertaining case of who's chasing whom right up to the end.
All in all, this is a solid, easy-to-read book, and should you decide to give it a go, that would be just ducky with me.
Once a Crooked Man by David McCallum (Thomas Dunne Books, January 2016); 352 pp.
5 stars out of 5
When my request for an advance review copy of this book from the publisher was granted, I was very excited even though I knew it's the second in a trilogy. Then, I had second thoughts about starting in the middle, got my hands on the first, Broken Promise, and gave it a 5-star rating. I knew I wouldn't be at a disadvantage when I opened this one, but I also tried to attack it with fresh eyes. Would it do well on its own?
The short answer is yes; the author does a more than respectable job of presenting enough background that everything in this one makes sense - especially important given the large number of characters in both books. The longer answer, though, is that I do recommend reading first things first; I have no doubt whatsoever that my enjoyment of this one was enhanced by knowing the people and events in that first book. The same will be true, I expect, with the third. And, in case anyone is interested, an 82-page novella titled Final Assignment was released Jan. 12 that also deals with the upstate New York town of Promise Falls. I'm passing on that, as I did with the first few chapters of the final book, The Twenty Three, which takes up the last 5% or so of this one (in the ebook version).
Cliffhangers, however, are a totally different animal. The first two books in the trilogy end with at least one biggie, so unless you plan to read the follow-up ((or just don't give a hoot whether you find out what happens after the one you just read), my advice is to be prepared to tackle them all.
This one begins as a set-for-demolition drive-in theater screen blows up a week early, crashing down on cars and the occupants. When the daughter of one of those killed asks local private eye Cal Weaver to investigate a break-in at her father's house, they are astounded to find a secret room that seems to have been the scene of, shall we say, adult activities. Also apparently, some of those activities were recorded, as evidenced by signs that DVDs are missing - presumably the object of the break-in.
At the same time, local Detective Barry Duckworth is continuing his work that began in Book One of solving the similar murders of two women (one recent and the other three years old) as well as the possible relevance of the number 23 that turns up in various crimes. When yet another murder happens, the investigations intensify - putting the lives of both Weaver and Duckworth in danger and, if they manage to escape that fate, leading them down paths that may twist together in a sinister fashion.
Call it another one well done - and if anyone is wondering, there's no question that I plan to read the last installment. There are just too many issues left to be resolved!
Far From True by Linwood Barclay (NAL/Penguin Group USA, March 2016); 480 pp.
5 stars out of 5
For quite some time, I've been meaning to read something by this author, whose books tend to get rave reviews. So when I had the chance to request an advance copy of Barclay's Far From True from the publisher, I jumped at it and, to my delight, was approved. But then, I realized that book is the second in the Promise Falls Trilogy (at this writing, it's scheduled for release on March 8, 2016. Not wanting to be at a disadvantage by reading them out of order, I quickly got my hands on a copy of this, the first.
And now that I've finished it, all I can say is, Wow! It's one of the best books I've read in a while - very hard to put down.
I should point out, though, that the book got very mixed reviews from die-hard Barclay fans; among other things, some noted that there are a number of characters and subplots that can be a little hard to keep track of. But in my mind, everything serves as a foundation for the next book. To that end, not all the stories are resolved here - the ending is a real cliffhanger - and in that sense, this one probably should be read with an eye to continuing with the trilogy. I knew that going in, and - since there's no question that I loved this one - the next installment already is loaded on my Kindle and I'm itching to get started.
The story begins as David Harwood and his young son have moved back to his childhood home of Promise Falls, New York, mostly so David can get a more laid-back job with the local newspaper and have more time to spend with his son. Within days, the newspaper folds - and David is forced to move in with his aging parents with no hope of getting a decent paying job in the foreseeable future. Then, he discovers his cousin Marla - who hasn't recovered from losing a daughter in childbirth - taking care of a baby boy she believes is hers. He was, she insists, delivered to her porch by an "angel" - and she's not about to give him up.
Shortly thereafter, the real mother is found murdered in her home, and former reporter David begins to investigate. Meanwhile, other strange things are happening in the town: dead squirrels are lined up on a fence, an abandoned amusement park Ferris wheel gets three unusual riders and a rapist is wreaking havoc on the local college campus. Are all these things connected, and if so, how? Could David's cousin have murdered the baby's mother? And what possible message could those strung-out rodents be sending?
If you want to find out, don't hesitate to tackle this one. Did I mention it's really, really good?
Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay (NAL/Penguin Group USA, July 2015); 512 pp.
3.5 stars out of 5
Reading about the adventures of FBI Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast and his ward, Constance Greene, always is a treat. This latest installment, though, doesn't quite measure up to its predecessors. The first two-thirds of the book is outstanding; thinking it was finished at that point, I said to myself, "Well done," only to discover that the plot veers off in another direction. That final part is where I lost interest; the whole scenario, which ended in a major cliffhanger that more than anything else smacked of future sales enticement somehow seemed disjointed and implausible even by Pendergast standards.
The adventure begins as the duo come to Exmouth, Massachusetts, to investigate the theft of a very expensive wine collection (Pendergast agrees to take the case only because he insisted that the client give him a bottle of extremely rare wine from a case that was left behind for a fee). Early on, they discover that the wine cellar has a much darker secret; a chamber hidden behind the wine racks in which a man was chained and most likely tortured many years ago (with a nod to Edgar Allen Poe). That discovery leads to another secret: That the fishing village harbors an even darker history that includes pillaging, covens of witches who escaped the 1692 trials in Salem and, of course, murder.
All that history might have remained the subject of conjecture, but then a newly murdered body - carved with demonic symbols, no less - is found in the salt marshes that leads Pendergast and Greene - a la Holmes and Watson - to start connecting dots to the past. That's followed by another body that's unearthed under similar circumstances, and the links to history turn even more sinister.
Along the way, readers get in-depth looks at the personalities of the main characters; and although much of their appeal is that they're quirky to say the least, they seem to veer off the deep end here. Tossing perfectly good lobster rolls in the trash simply because they couldn't figure out how to get them to their mouths? Prim, proper and disdainful of "modern" ways I understand, but for gosh sake, if they're intelligent enough to solve complex murders (and, presumably, are hungry), surely one of them could have dredged up the intestinal fortitude to ask for a fork.
Make no mistake, though, I'm still a fan of this series (and of the authors, both individually and as a team); Pendergast and Greene's eccentricities and peccadilloes in and of themselves are enough to keep the books on my must-read list.
Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, November 2015); 337 pp.
4 stars out of 5
I've never met a cat of any size or type I didn't like (well, except maybe for those pitiful little hairless things) - so one of the annual joys of my life came at the release of a new book in the Cat who series by the late Lilian Jackson Braun. Ah, how I loved reading about the antics of Koko and Yum Yum, the Siamese buddies belonging to journalist "Qwill" Qwilleran. With around 30 in all, they provided a good run.
Until, of course, they came to an end. And since then, I've been hoping to find a mystery series (heck, I'd even settle for a single book) with a feline focus. And by George, I think I've got it. This book, which I received free in exchange for a review from the publisher (via NetGalley), is the seventh in the author's Cat in the Stacks series; now that I've finished it, it looks as if I've got some backtracking to do.
The location is Athena College in Mississippi, where the very likable Charlie Harris is a part-time librarian. One of the conditions of his taking the job - which he doesn't need for financial reasons - is that he be allowed to bring Diesel, his larger-than-usual Maine Coon cat, to work with him every day. That's fine with just about everyone except the new library director, a numbers-cruncher type who was brought in after his predecessor, thought to have been involved in some financial hanky-panky, abruptly disappeared.
Nobody much likes the new guy, in fact - certainly not Charlie nor his long-time friend and co-worker, Melba. So when the director's body turns up churned up in a library storage room, no one sheds a tear. Because of that, though, the list of suspects is fairly lengthy. When Melba moves to the top of the list, Charlie and his attorney son Sean get involved, helping the police with the investigation. Tension builds when other bad things begin to happen, including threats to Charlie's own life.
Not having had the benefit of reading previous books in the series, I confess to being a little disappointed that although Diesel is a loving monster of a cat with a sweet personality, he's much more of a schmoozer than a sleuth (put another way, he's no Koko or Yum Yum). That said, this is an easy-breezy story that I thoroughly enjoyed - and for sure I'll be watching for the next installment.
No Cats Allowed by Miranda James (Berkley, February 2016); 288 pp.
4 stars out of 5
This very dark psychological thriller, written by a former police officer and child protection social worker, generated positive buzz at Goodreads.com - enough so that I decided to give it a go. And now that I've finished, I know I'll be moving on to the sequel (When Evil Calls Your Name).
It's a bit different in that readers know from the start who the bad guy is - Dr. David Galbraith, a much liked child psychiatrist with an affinity for molestation (some chapters are told from his perspective). He lives in South Wales with his wife and two young daughters, who cater to his every whim unaware of the soundproof cellar under their kitchen that's his secret "playground."
As local police are trying to corral a child molestation ring that's been operating for years - with evidence pointing toward Galbraith's involvement - seven-year-old Anthony Mailer goes missing. The boy, it seems, had been referred to Galbraith to help with behavioral issues presumed to result from the separation of his parents. The police, then, waste little time connecting the dots leading to Galbraith's door.
Proving his involvement, though, is another matter entirely. If the boy is in Galbraith's clutches, where is he? Will they find him in time? Meantime, Galbraith, who's totally obsessed with the boy, is doing everything he can to avoid detection and continue his evil ways.
It's impossible to call any book about child molestation "enjoyable," and readers who are squeamish about such matters may find it disturbing. But I found it to be a well-written thriller that held my attention to the end.
White is the Coldest Colour by John Nicholl (Amazon Digital Services Inc., May 2015); 286 pp.
5 stars out of 5
So-called Millennials (a.k.a. Gen Yers) - those born between 1980 and 2000 - generally have been characterized as demanding as employees; if what they're doing isn't interesting, they aren't interested in doing it. A work-life balance isn't a right that's earned through years of employment - it should be theirs from the get-go. And since much work can be done anywhere, anytime, who cares about nine to five?
But there's much more to their behavior than that; and this book lays it out in detail, based on research on Millennials from 22 countries including the United States. Knowing the subtleties of their behavior gives organization leaders an in-depth understanding of what's really going on - and thus become better at improving their places of work by knowing how to more effectively engage Millennials with their work, as players on company teams and as individuals more committed to the organization overall.
Basically, what Millennials want isn't all that different from the older folks in the working world: An interesting, well-paying job among workers they like and trust, the opportunity to advance and have their work acknowledged. But consider these points:
63% of Millennials agree the demands of work interfere with their home and personal lives, in part because today's technology means they're reachable pretty much 24/7. And, only one in 20 believes that the number of hours employees spend at work is an indication of how productive they are.
Millennials believe in commitment to work, but that doesn't mean they won't leave if they believe the grass is greener elsewhere - meaning a better chance for promotions, advancement and appreciation, among other things.
Of course, factoids like these don't tell the whole story - not by a long shot (hence the need for this book to be read by any employer who wants to get the best from this generation of workers). Each explanation of what Millennials want is followed by "The Point," a brief discussion of what organizations can do to get more bang for the buck. An example: Millennials want to know how they're doing. Managers should take heed, then, and provide Millennials with some sort of frequent feedback - even if it's just an acknowledgement that they've done the work. Chapters also include "Points to Remember" such as, "Millennials want to control their lives and work as much as possible," "Millennials don't want to be told precisely how to do everything" and "Millennials' technology knowledge can help keep the organization current."
Chapter 6, titled "How to Give Millennials What They Want...Without Going Bankrupt or Angering Older Workers," gets right down to the nitty gritty; it is, IMHO, worth the price of the book in and of itself. Laid out here are the specifics of how to attract, retain and engage Millennials through the three dimensions of people, work and opportunities (the latter includes feedback and communication, development and pay) complete with action plans for each. Follow this with numerous pages of references and suggested reading, and the result is gestalt (the whole is greater than the sum of its parts). I thank the publisher, via NetGalley), for providing me with an advance copy for review. Good stuff!
What Millennials Want from Work by Jennifer J. Deal and Alec Levenson (McGraw-Hill Education, January 2016); 272 pp.
Way back in the mid-1960s - when I was a fairly young bride - one of our favorite shows was The Man from U.N.C.L.E. starring Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo and a young David McCallum as cohort Illya Kuryakin. Fast-forward to today, when one of our favorite shows is NCIS - and one of the stars is a slightly older McCallum (now 82, I believe), who plays medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard. So when I discovered that he's written a book - in my favorite genre, no less - dipping my toes in the water was just too tempting.
