With his new book Canada, comedian/actor Mike Myers sets out to unload as much information about the country he grew up in while also detailing an abrWith his new book Canada, comedian/actor Mike Myers sets out to unload as much information about the country he grew up in while also detailing an abridged version of his life story. The result is an often entertaining yet interesting experiment.
At the outset, Myers is quick to explain that his book is not meant to be a definitive text on the country, but rather his own experiences coming of age in Canada. So don’t expect him to go into detail surrounding Canada’s role in residential schools and the mistreatment of its indigenous population or any other controversial subject; he’ll let other more qualified writers speak on that.
Instead, he speaks at length about the different accents, odd quirks and cultural milestones that form regional identities throughout the land. I found myself laughing out loud when he described the East Coast way of ingressive speaking, something my girlfriend pointed out when she moved to Halifax from Ontario a few years back.It also certainly doesn’t hurt that he is a die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan! Myers discusses the importance of hockey as a national pastime woven into the fabric of the country’s popular culture. It brings people together even if most of the time is spent chirping one another over their respective teams.
My biggest criticism involves the final chapters wherein he discussed the 2015 election and the arrival of Justin Trudeau as the country’s apparent saviour. I’m not one to really get into politics and while I can get behind Trudeau being a more socially progressive choice for our country, I feel it’s a little too early to heap the amount of praise on him that Myers did. It seemingly came across as a weird and strange end to a book about the nostalgic views of a transplanted Canadian.
That being said, Canada was an enjoyable read for the most part. It did its job in making me laugh in all the right spots and I learned quite a bit about Myers’ upbringing and some interesting trivia behind a few of his movies/SNL characters....more
After discovering her employer only hired her as a publicity stunt, Jennifer Walters (a.k.a. She-Hulk) leaves to open her own practice. Unfortunately,After discovering her employer only hired her as a publicity stunt, Jennifer Walters (a.k.a. She-Hulk) leaves to open her own practice. Unfortunately, her green skin kind of makes it impossible to hide that she’s a superhero and because of this, she begins racking up enemies quicker than a hiccup.
As with most collections, this volume deals with a few different stories. First up, we have She-Hulk taking a case for the immigration of Kristoff Vernard, the now estranged son of notorious bad guy and nefarious dictator Dr. Doom. Following that, She-Hulk teams up with Hell-Cat in an attempt to track down and discover the contents of a mysterious file that potentially holds damaging information to the Marvel universe.
The first story was the better of the two as it led to some pretty hilarious moments including a showdown with a giant mechanical Doom-Bot. The second was unfortunately saddled with some pretty atrocious artwork from Ron Wimberly that sort of killed the momentum of the book. It’s a real pity because I felt the story itself was decent. I mean, the writer of the series is an actual lawyer! You can’t get any more qualified than that.
Despite being a comic about immigration law, it was pretty fun! Looking forward to book two....more
Bleeding Blue is the story of the career of Wendel Clark.
Drafted first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1986, Clark went on to play in the NHL unBleeding Blue is the story of the career of Wendel Clark.
Drafted first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1986, Clark went on to play in the NHL until 2000 when he was forced to retire due to injuries. While he didn’t win a Stanley Cup, Clark was an absolute force during his tenure terrorizing opponents with crushing hits and clutch goals. He’s widely regarded as one of the most beloved Maple Leafs players in franchise history having three separate stints with the team in the 90s. Bleeding Blue takes you through the many ups and downs over his relatively short career.
While I thought Bleeding Blue was a decent read, I’m not sure there’s a whole lot here for non-Leafs fans. Clark, while loved by the Toronto faithful, didn’t play with flash, didn’t smash records, and didn’t leave a memorable mark on the sport. However, that isn’t to say he was a bad player by any means. He often left everything on the ice and when he wasn’t injured, he was a complete player that coaches and teammates alike could count on.
If you’re a die-hard Leafs fan who jumped on the bandwagon during their memorable 1992-1993 season, then there will be enough here to grab your attention. However, if you’re not, well, it’s likely a skippable read.
This is That is a weekly satirical public affairs program on CBC Radio. With the help of producer Chris Kelly and comedian/podcaster Dave Shumka, hostThis is That is a weekly satirical public affairs program on CBC Radio. With the help of producer Chris Kelly and comedian/podcaster Dave Shumka, hosts Pat Kelly and Chris Oldring ventured into the literary world and produced their first book - This is That: Travel Guide to Canada!
Here’s the thing; being Canadian myself, jokes about “Canadiana” can get old quick. Yes, we all live in igloos, we all drink maple syrup like water, we apologize profusely, we say “aboot”...
...sorry, that was rude, eh.
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While this book does play heavily on Canadian stereotypes, the jokes aren’t repetitive and they do not feel recycled. This is a hugely entertaining book that had me laughing out loud. It’s one of those few experiences I’ve had where I feel like something was written specifically with my own personal sense of humour in mind.
You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you pass on this one, ya hoser. With the holidays fast approaching, This is That: Travel Guide to Canada would make the perfect stocking stuffer for Canucks and Yankees alike! I’m sure that given the recent election, a lot of Americans will want to familiarize themselves with their neighbors to the north before packing up to escape the orange menace in the White House....more
Sam Meggs’ Wonder Women takes a look at many women throughout history that have had their accomplishments either long since buried or stolen by a membSam Meggs’ Wonder Women takes a look at many women throughout history that have had their accomplishments either long since buried or stolen by a member of the opposite sex. Twenty-five women are featured - with an additional forty-two in blurbs - in the categories of science, engineering, mathematics, adventuring, and inventions. Each mini-biography is written with equal parts snark and research and while Meggs tries to keep things light through her conversational tone, it’s disheartening to hear just how difficult it was for women to be viewed as equal to men throughout history. I’m not naive in saying that in 2016 we’ve solved that problem, but we’ve certainly come a long way from the days of barring women in America from getting an education. Given the talent, brilliance and perseverance of the women on display here, think how much further ahead our society would be if we just embraced equality.
Wonder Women is a fascinating read for men and women alike; an important look at some of the great women who quietly revolutionized our world....more
I have it pretty good here in ol’ 2016. I work nine to five, Monday to Friday. I have a decent health plan and my job consists of sitting on my ass inI have it pretty good here in ol’ 2016. I work nine to five, Monday to Friday. I have a decent health plan and my job consists of sitting on my ass in front of a computer all day. I get regular raises and if I get sick, I can rest up for a few days until I kick whatever ails me out of my system. The men of the Boston Police Department in the early 20th century didn’t have any of this. They’d be lucky if they were even given time off to sleep let alone enough money to feed their families.
For Dennis Lehane, it started with the Boston Police strike of 1919. The simple thought of an entire police force walking off the job had fascinated him, but as he began digging, The Given Day grew both in size and scope. Lehane included the infamous Spanish Flu outbreak, The Great Molasses Flood of early 1919, and Babe Ruth’s rise to the top of baseball - all of this occurring within a city already struggling to find its identity. As Boston formed into a melting pot of immigrants - both the Irish and Italians leading the forefront - to say that they were all at odds with one another would be a gross understatement. Considering the Irish were often connected to the police department and the Italians closely associated with communism and terrorism, events would occur that would poison the minds of Boston's residents resulting in widespread racism that would fuel many of the city's more memorable events.
The Given Day follows three main characters. Danny Coughlin, a young Boston police officer tasked with infiltrating and investigating the Boston Social Club - an unofficial union formed by his fellow officers looking to fight for workers rights; Luther Laurence, a black man who arrives in Boston fleeing from Oklahoma following a botched robbery attempt; and Babe Ruth (do I really need to explain who this is?).
As the plot progresses, all three become linked by the corruption and fear that gripped Beantown. Lehane’s clean, flowing prose is front and center making The Given Day a breezy, but brutal read. Character development is top-notch and I found myself digging in for long reading sessions, desperate to know what horrible thing would hit the city next. That said, the Babe Ruth stuff didn’t do a whole lot for me. Although he wasn’t featured as prominently as the other two characters, I found his story a little jarring and out of place by comparison. Both Danny and Luther’s stories were so gritty, unpredictable and at times unapologetically bleak that Ruth’s story felt like literary padding.
Like Lehane’s signature Kenzie & Gennaro series, The Given Day is about as readable as you can get. Aside from the bits about Ruth, you have a classic crime/historical fiction book that plays like a James Ellroy novel on Ritalin....more
Following the death of his wife, author Ben Mears returns to Jerusalem’s Lot, the town in which he spent his childhood, to continue work on a novel. HFollowing the death of his wife, author Ben Mears returns to Jerusalem’s Lot, the town in which he spent his childhood, to continue work on a novel. However, it wouldn’t be a Stephen King story if there wasn’t something sinister lurking in a small town. Did I mention this takes place in Maine?
King has noted that the idea for Salem’s Lot came from a thought he had while teaching Dracula to his high school class – what if the famous vampire landed in America and terrorized New York City? Luckily, Uncle Stevie’s wife Tabitha had a better idea – put the bloodsucker in a small town. Although the novel’s antagonist isn’t the contemptuous Count himself, King imagines a foe on the same grand scale – a centuries-old undead monster with an ego the size of Manhattan. He even monologues like a Bond villain!
Surprisingly, I didn’t find Salem’s Lot as scary as I expected. This might have something to do with the fact that I’ve seen the two-part mini-series from 1979 and seemed to remember most of the more frightening parts from the show, albeit that was at the very least a dozen years ago (that window scene really stuck with me). That being said, I managed to forget enough of the core plot that it ended up feeling pretty fresh overall. After the first vampire rears his ugly head, the facade of happy life in ‘The Lot’ comes tumbling down like a flimsy house of cards. From that point on, the book becomes extremely difficult to put down, firmly establishing itself as one of those page turners that you have to refrain from reading ahead – something I struggled with during many of the action scenes.
In the end I had a few small gripes, and although they didn’t keep me from enjoying the book as a whole, it left me feeling like some elements of the novel could have been cut out entirely along with a few of the characters’ actions looking suspect and oddly motivated. With this being only King’s second effort, it’s proof that he did not suffer from the fabled sophomoric slump that plagues a lot of successful authors. Salem’s Lot is a recommended read for those with limited exposure to vampires, mainly of the sparkly persuasion....more
Retired wrestler Dan “The Minotaur” Knossos receives a call from an ex-boyfriend in trouble. Flying back to the US from Japan, Dan soon learns that TeRetired wrestler Dan “The Minotaur” Knossos receives a call from an ex-boyfriend in trouble. Flying back to the US from Japan, Dan soon learns that Teddy is in deeper than expected and Knossos may have to sacrifice everything just to pull him out.
Ringside combines two of my favorite things: professional wrestling and crime fiction/noir. How could I not love this? Truth be told, while I feel like this series has a lot of potential going forward, I felt like the first volume could have been a lot better. I enjoyed the bits with the newcomer riding the road with the old-timer as the grizzled veteran dishes out wisdom to the rookie. Writer Joe Keatinge gets a lot right and nails how past-their-prime-performers deal with the fading spotlight but it came across a little like fluff when compared to the seriousness of the main story.
I’m hoping the series can find its legs by the time the second volume is released now that I have good sense of who these characters are. The art is a bit lacking - it looks like a sloppier version of David Aja’s work on Hawkeye - although some of the splash pages are pretty cool (watch for Dan’s first exposure to pro-wrestling in a flashback).
Kudos to Keatinge for putting out a comic book about professional wrestling - an industry that is dominated by macho men (pardon the pun) - and showcasing gay characters at its core. I believe this series has a lot to offer and although I was a little underwhelmed by “Kayfabe”, I’m interested to see what’s coming next....more
After being abducted and drugged, Jason Dessen wakes up to find himself in an unfamiliar world with some familiar faces..
That’s about as much informatAfter being abducted and drugged, Jason Dessen wakes up to find himself in an unfamiliar world with some familiar faces..
That’s about as much information as I’m comfortable telling any prospective reader as I don’t think you can really say a whole lot about the story without inadvertently spoiling something about it - or maybe I’m just unwilling to navigate the spoiler-minefield. DARK MATTER read like a Twilight Zone episode that completely captured my imagination from start to finish by putting my brain in a spin cycle. I honestly can’t recommend this enough and I would say it’s my favorite book I’ve read so far this year.
Drop everything you’re reading and grab this now....more
Resident information sponge Bill Bryson goes through his home, room-by-room, to present the history of private life and how many of the items we see aResident information sponge Bill Bryson goes through his home, room-by-room, to present the history of private life and how many of the items we see and interact with on a daily basis came to find their way into our everyday lives.
At Home feels like a handbook for making small talk at social gatherings. Let’s look at a few talking points:
Next time your friend tells you about her trip to Paris, you could mention that when the city had opened submissions for a monument that would eventually become the Eiffel Tower, a proposal was also given to erect a giant 900 foot guillotine. Not quite as romantic, right?
Is your friend remodeling their home? You could mention that early designs had a home consisting of one giant room dubbed “the hall”. Additional rooms and floors only became viable when the chimney was invented to funnel out smoke from the open hearth. Who wants to walk around in a haze of smoke? Well, smoke from a wood stove, I suppose.
This one took me a while to read. I found that as with most Bryson books, I can only take so much in a single sitting considering the wave of information his books unleash. While most of it is interesting, some of it was a bit of a slog to get through. Luckily, what I found to be boring was on the short end of the stick. After laying down this big ol’ book, I’ve now got three Bryson novels under my belt. Unfortunately, this is probably my least favorite. That isn’t to say it’s poorly written, I just found the subject matter of the other two (One Summer and A Walk in the Woods) more interesting as the book went on....more
Ben Winters’ Underground Airlines imagines a modern world where the U.S. Civil War never happened and without that war, slavery remained legal in SoutBen Winters’ Underground Airlines imagines a modern world where the U.S. Civil War never happened and without that war, slavery remained legal in South. The story follows a young black man named Victor (one of many aliases he uses), a former slave himself who had been given freedom in exchange for a position with the US Marshals capturing and returning escaped slaves to their owners. Victor’s latest case feels off; his handler is acting strange and the information contained in the file doesn’t add up. Is Victor being set up? Who can he trust?
I thought the world building in Underground Airlines was top-notch. Outside of mystery and crime novels, some of my favorite books to read have stories that deal with alternate timelines. Seeing as Winters throws the Civil War out the window, a lot of modern history ends up a bit skewed. As mentioned above, US states Alabama, Carolina (North/South do not exist), Mississippi and Louisiana permit slavery (commonly known as “The Hard Four”) enjoying record profits in many labor intensive industries. Historical figures’ origins become altered as well. For example, Jesse Owens still attended the 1936 Olympics, but shortly after became a vocal detractor of America’s tolerance of slavery and defected to Russia. Also, James Brown - a runaway slave - escaped into Canada and became a huge international recording star north of the border.
Ben Winters is a hell of a writer as evidenced by his Last Policeman trilogy - another high-concept story (a detective trying to solve a murder before an asteroid kills everything on Earth) - and while he continues to showcase his talents, I felt this one didn’t connect with me as much as his earlier work. It’s a dynamite idea but I felt the plot was a little lacking. I had a hard time really investing in Victor’s troubles, despite some well-placed flashbacks that help to flesh out his beginnings. Although he hit me with a hell of a twist at the end that I did not see coming, the journey to get there didn’t really blow me away.
Winters’ remains one of my favorite authors and I look forward to whatever he’s got coming down the pipe. If this is your first experience, you owe it to yourself to check out his Last Policeman trilogy....more
Following a terrorist attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, a man long believed to be dead appears in a viral video capturing the destruction. With the FBFollowing a terrorist attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, a man long believed to be dead appears in a viral video capturing the destruction. With the FBI unable to divert their focus from the attack, Special Agent Charlie Thompson approaches Michael Hendricks to track down and secure this mystery man. But Hendricks has his own problems. Still intent on infiltrating and destroying the massive crime syndicate, The Council, from within, Hendricks comes into contact with an unwelcome ally - the daughter of a former client Michael had worked for in the past - and must choose between her invaluable assistance and the guilt he feels for getting his former partner Lester killed.
Chris Holm’s Red Right Hand is a great book. Its plot, while wide in scope (a terrorist attack on US soil), is meticulously crafted. While the big attack acts as a catalyst for all the events that follow, you’ve got several subplots on the go including Hendricks' continued fight against The Council. With all that's going on, the story never feels muddled; a testament to Holm’s growing ability as a writer to produce pulse pounding prose.
If the first time around served as an introduction to Michael Hendricks, Red Right Hand is where he really lets loose. With the introduction of a new sidekick in Cameron, it sort of fools the reader into thinking that Hendricks is not quite as capable as a solo act. But when the story heats up and the violence takes centre stage, Hendricks is a hell of a character to watch do his thing. As the individual threads of plot begin to weave together, seeing Hendricks in action made it nearly impossible to put the book down, especially when you throw in a villain as despicable as the novel’s chief antagonist Chet Yancy (c’mon - isn’t that just the most punchable name?).
As many are probably aware, I’m a big fan of Holm. I think he’s doing some of the best work out there in the thriller/crime fiction genre and Red Right Hand (as well as his recent Anthony Award) further cements him as a solid writer you should be reading. I’m hoping there is a book three in the works as I can’t wait to get my hands on it....more
In 1997, three organizations battled for sports entertainment supremacy. You had the juggernaut WWF (World Wrestling Federation), who despite a massivIn 1997, three organizations battled for sports entertainment supremacy. You had the juggernaut WWF (World Wrestling Federation), who despite a massively successful 1980s, had entered a cooling off period as it struggled to find its footing amid a steady stream of superstar exits. You had Ted Turner’s WCW (World Championship Wrestling), a company filled with those same stars who helped the WWF rise to prominence as they left for fat, guaranteed paychecks and a lighter work schedule. Finally, you had Paul Heyman’s revolutionary ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling), a promotion built on not only original talent, but “misfits” from the WWF and WCW who came together to present a violent, reality-based style that thrived amongst an underground community of rabid fans.
Amid all the chaos on screen, backstage antics were just as compelling. There was the very real drama between Bret “The Hitman” Hart and his rival Shawn Michaels as they fought to be considered Vince McMahon’s “number one”, hoping to secure the spot at the top of the food chain. In WCW, there was Hulk Hogan’s dreaded “creative control” card built into his contract allowing him to nullify anything that was asked of him to perform on-screen. This effectively gave Hogan as secure a spot on top as possible leading to inner turmoil and contempt among “the boys”. In ECW, there was Heyman’s struggle to get onto pay-per-view, desperate to show his company was on equal footing with the “big boys”.
Given the wealth of information within, I would say where the book really shines is in detailing Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels’ journey to the 1997 Survivor Series – I would even go so far as to call it the definitive account of the “Montreal Screwjob”. While I’ve heard of the events that occurred that night over and over again, I still found myself riveted to the story, wondering if they really were going to “screw” Bret over, that’s how well paced it was. Learning more about Bret Hart’s contract negotiation with WCW, his refusal to drop the title to Michaels prior to leaving and reading about each person’s part in the double-cross led to me uncovering things I previously did not know.
Through documentaries, books, podcasts, Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer and original interviews with Jim Cornette, Vince Russo, Ken Shamrock, Tom Pritchard and several others, co-authors Justin Henry and James Dixon paint a vivid picture of all that occurred during that volatile year. Not only is it impeccably researched, the writing is also strong and easily digestible. I would find myself consuming large chunks of the book in a single sitting. Like many of my favorite wrestling podcasts that focus on a specific timeline (The New Generation Project Podcast, The Attitude Era Podcast), I didn’t want it to end. I could easily have read another hundred pages. In speaking with co-author Justin Henry, he alluded to me that additional books are being considered for the series, so I can only hope they show up sooner than later....more
“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you..”
A deadly plague dubbed “dragonscale” – a disease that causes its carriers to burst into flam“The world was on fire and no one could save me but you..”
A deadly plague dubbed “dragonscale” – a disease that causes its carriers to burst into flames shortly following the appearance of black and gold scale-like patterns on their skin – is sweeping the nation. Small town nurse Harper Grayson becomes infected following a long stint working in a Massachusetts area hospital. When she and her husband discover she’s pregnant, the decision whether to keep the baby leads to a pretty nasty split. With nowhere to go, and looking for a safe haven to bring her child to term, Harper hooks up with a group of similarly infected individuals hiding out in a backwoods summer camp named Camp Wynward. The residents there seem to have found a way to control the infection and Harper is hoping she can survive long enough to see her child arrive safe and sound.
After turning the final page last week, I noticed it took me nearly a month to read this sucker. Sure, it’s nearly 800 pages, but I’ve flown through any one of James S.A. Corey’s Expanse novels in nearly half the time – so why did it take me a few weeks to reach the end of Joe Hill’s barnburner of a novel?
Likely because it suffered from what I thought was a slow start. Although the tension does pick up about a quarter of the way into the story, those first hundred or so pages felt like a real slog to get through. Granted, while there was a lot of groundwork to be laid concerning the breakdown of society and the spread of dragonscale, I found that Hill lingered a little too long on Harper’s life before joining up with the Wynward crew.
Once Harper arrives at camp and we’re introduced to a whole slew of new characters, the novel seems to shift to a “Lord of the Flies” style story complete with backstabbing and power-struggles. A lot of the more integral characters strongly develop and evolve reasonably to suit the changing atmosphere of the camp. Those in power seem to be willing to do anything to maintain control and keep the camp off the radar of the “cremation crews”, groups of self-governed militarized killers who hunt down and burn those afflicted with the mysterious malady.
The mark of a good central conflict is when an author can make both pros and cons for those occupying either side of a fundamental disagreement. While I thought that Harper was correct to defy authority, the actions of those at the head of the camp – while extreme – were done for the right reasons. Harper was reckless on a few occasions and her actions did put the camp at risk. On the other side, Carol Story, the daughter of camp patriarch Tom, went a little nuts on the paranoia scale and while she could have done things a lot differently, she wasn’t exactly power hungry. I thought the dynamic between both the perceived “good” and “evil” sides went a long way in keeping things interesting and the tension at a ridiculously high level.
Joe Hill had me a little worried at the beginning of the story but I stuck with it and it paid off in a big, big way. The Fireman is a high-octane thriller that will leave you severely singed....more
Patrick Kenzie is approached by a woman named Karen Nichols who asks him to scare off a stalker. After Kenzie, along with the always terrifying Bubba Patrick Kenzie is approached by a woman named Karen Nichols who asks him to scare off a stalker. After Kenzie, along with the always terrifying Bubba Rowgowski, put the fear of God into the guy, Patrick considers the matter settled. About four months later, Karen leaves a vague message on Patrick’s phone asking for help with something. In a rush, Patrick deletes the voicemail and promptly forgets about it. Not long after, Karen is found dead after an apparent suicide. Kenzie’s guilt over ignoring Karen’s call begins to get the better of him as he sets out to discover why Karen killed herself – or if there is more to her death than meets the eye.
I initially thought the premise was a little thin and thankfully, so did the majority of the people Patrick talked to at first. Luckily, Patrick’s instincts are as sharp as a can-cutting Ginsu knife and the case turned out to be a worthwhile pursuit. So worthwhile that Patrick even managed to bring Angie back into the fold following the soul-crushing events of Gone, Baby, Gone. I was worried as the chemistry that Bubba, Angie and Patrick share could be the basis for countless novels and I had hoped Lehane wouldn’t screw around with it by taking Angie out of the equation. However, he knows these characters inside and out and together they form a rare ensemble that any crime fiction writer should aspire to create, so it would be foolish to mess with a good thing.
Patrick’s unwavering determination drives the story as he comes face-to-face with an absolute psychopath of a villain. The scenes they share together were the very definition of hostility with both men trying to show how little they were shaken by the other’s threats. I’d be lying if I didn’t have a goofy grin plastered on my face on more than one occasion – it was that kind of nervous/anxious laughter you get where you’re not sure just who was coming out of it alive.
While the Kenzie & Gennaro series is as strong a crime/detective/mystery series as you’re going to get, it isn’t a case where its sum is greater than its individual parts. Each novel can stand alone as an excellent work of fiction worthy of any reader’s time. I still have one more to go (Moonlight Mile) before I catch up to where Dennis Lehane left off. Hopefully he has more planned but with a ten-year gap between books five and six, I wouldn’t hold my breath....more
Patrick and Angie have led rough careers as private investigators and after the events in Sacred, they’ve decided to pull back a little. When we catchPatrick and Angie have led rough careers as private investigators and after the events in Sacred, they’ve decided to pull back a little. When we catch up with them in Gone Baby Gone, they’ve all but sworn off cases that could lead to violence, death and destruction. Unfortunately for them, when young Amanda McCready goes missing, Amanda’s grieving Aunt and Uncle are persistent in their requests for the detectives’ help.
Patrick and Angie aren’t sure they’ll be able to offer much up in the way of help. The Boston PD have been working around the clock trying to find Amanda and with her face plastered all over the city, every citizen will have their eyes peeled. There’s also the matter of the girl’s mother, Helene. To put it simply, she’s a burnout. She spends all her time glued to the TV, strung-out on drugs and alcohol. In fact, her negligence was the direct cause of Amanda’s disappearance. Patrick and Angie team up with Crimes Against Children (CAC) officials Remy Broussard and Nick Poole. The foursome work together to turn Boston upside down.
If you thought Darkness, Take My Hand was a tough read, Gone Baby Gone will rip your heart out. Patrick and Angie are put through the proverbial thresher, their lives and relationships come under unbelievable strain as they desperately try to recover the missing girl. While the body count isn’t on the level of the first few novels, the tension is tight and unrelenting.
If anything, Lehane can write a hell of a page-turner. Gone Baby Gone is a visceral read that I wouldn’t recommend for those with a weak stomach or who deal well with child abuse in fiction. But I would argue it’s an important read, if only that it questions morality and what it means to “do the right thing”....more
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