Bill ("Willie") Shoemaker, whose autobiography is modestly entitled "America's Greatest Jockey," followed in the hoof marks of England's Dick Francis Bill ("Willie") Shoemaker, whose autobiography is modestly entitled "America's Greatest Jockey," followed in the hoof marks of England's Dick Francis in 1994 by authoring a series of mystery novels featuring (involuntarily) retired jockey Cory Killebrew as the detective. As a jockey, Willie Shoemaker won 8833 flat races. Dick Francis, won 350 steeplechase (jump) races and was jockey to the Queen Mum, retiring from racing at age 36 after a mishap in the 1956 Grand National. Clearly Willie had the better racing record. As a novelist, Dick Francis authored over 40 novels and won the Poe Award three times. This is Shoemaker's debut novel, the first of three in the series. Clearly Francis has the better writing record. One of the strengths of the Francis novels in that they are permeated with horse racing even though the protagonists are not necessarily jockeys. While Shoemaker's Cory Killebrew is a former jockey, this novel strayed too far from the track for my taste. Too many human characters, not enough horses. ...more
In October 1946, Pete Clanton, prominent citizen of Clanton, Ms.and World War II veteran, has breakfast, discusses the cotton crop with his foreman, In October 1946, Pete Clanton, prominent citizen of Clanton, Ms.and World War II veteran, has breakfast, discusses the cotton crop with his foreman, and then gets his .45 and walks to town, enters the church, goes to the rectory and shoots the pastor dead. He sends a "Negro" (this is the South in the 1940s) to fetch the sheriff who takes him into custody. When the sheriff asks him why he killed the respected clergyman, Pete says, "I have nothing to say." When his sister asks him why he shot the pastor, he says, "I have nothing to say.' When anyone asks him why he shot the pastor, he says, "I have nothing to say." Page after page, he has nothing to say. OK, after 44 pages I am convinced. He has nothing to say. Therefore I am abandoning the book and looking for one about someone who does have something to say. ...more
It's not that the book is too long but that the trip was too short. I stuck this in my pocket for a plane trip home. It kept me entertained during theIt's not that the book is too long but that the trip was too short. I stuck this in my pocket for a plane trip home. It kept me entertained during the trip, but after I got home I put it aside in favor of more engrossing fare. I tried restarting it a few weeks later, but again put it aside. What led me to start this book in the first place, and I suspect the hook for most readers, is the fact that the senior author is Thomas Noguchi, formerly the chief medical examiner of Los Angeles County who was involved in the post mortems of many celebrities. The parts of the book I liked best are those in which the protagonist, Dr. Parker, who not coincidentally is an ME investigating the mysterious death of a noted celebrity, functions as a medical examiner. Unfortunately, Parker, perhaps fulfilling some fantasy of the author's, avails himself of every opportunity to get out of the morgue and act like an ordinary detective, chasing clues and interviewing witnesses. Those parts were not exactly a turn off, just not interesting enough for me to continue with better reads at hand....more
I am a fan of J. A. Jance's Joanna Brady and J. P. Beaumont series, so I thought I would try the first Ali Reynolds novel. It reminded me of Lemony S I am a fan of J. A. Jance's Joanna Brady and J. P. Beaumont series, so I thought I would try the first Ali Reynolds novel. It reminded me of Lemony Snicket's series of unfortunate events. In the matter of a day or so, Ali, a high powered early 40s newscaster in LA, is fired from her anchor position for being too old, and finds that her husband, a network exec, was complicit in the decision. Not only does he order not to sue, but her son tells her that hubby is cheating on her with not one but two younger women. Before she can even schedule an appointment with a divorce attorney, Ali learns that an old friend in Arizona has gone missing (actually been murdered) after being diagnosed with ALS. So Ali starts a blog and, with her adult son, heads for Sedona to assist. I did not like the blog format and chose not to follow her east. ...more
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