This is my first foray into the works of Swedish crime-novelist Kepler, and it was –umm — mesmerizing. The horrible slaughter of nearly an entire family leaves Detective Joona Linna determined to solve the mystery, and as readers learn right away, the highly-respected detective is always right and is famous for his “told you so”s. The problem is that no one has any idea why someone butchered the father across town, then went to the home and murdered the wife, the little girl and […]
A superbly evocative and suspenseful debut that looks at old age, loneliness and dementia.
The Night Guest is hard to categorise – it’s both a taut thriller and an altogether close-to-home examination of dementia and loneliness, written with a wonderful sense of pacing and language. Although the main plot deals with an elderly lady accepting a stranger into her home and life, the most resonant parts for me come from a beautifully muddled blending of memories and reality. Like last year’s Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller, The Night Guest offers a compelling glimpse into the slow grip […]
Impuse Buys Aren’t Always a Bad Idea
If nothing else, this book is a strong indication as to why I am pretty much constantly broke.
Once upon a looking for Donna time….
Oh DONNA! First you blew my mind, then you broke my heart. And now, with only your third novel in 21 years, you have managed to do both. An intriguing plot and a promising start give way to bloated navel gazing for nigh on 800 pages. Full review is on my blog here.
Perfect Spy Thriller
A Cold-War spy thriller, written to perfection by the master of spy thrillers. Rocket scientist Claude Lucas wakes up in a Union Station men’s room with no clue as to who he is or how he got there. He is hung over and dressed like a bum, and a fellow bum reassures him that he was on a total bender. As he tries to figure out his identity, he discovers multiple skills that suggest he is no ordinary derelict. People start following him, and little […]
Never get involved in a land war with Jack Reacher
How did I discover the Jack Reacher series? I can’t even remember how it came into my life. The airport? A bus station? A friend? Perhaps a Cannonball Read recommendation? However it happened, I’m glad it did. These books are like crack to me. A couple months ago I recommended the series to my dad when he was going on a business trip. The next time we talked he expressed his very strong opinions about Mr. Reacher, something along the lines of “What a piece […]