Just as some information which might be useful to you, this book was previously published in 2002 with the title, THAT SLEEP OF DEATH.
A career policemJust as some information which might be useful to you, this book was previously published in 2002 with the title, THAT SLEEP OF DEATH.
A career policeman allowing a totally untrained "civilian" to help him solve a murder case only works if the civilian has a legitimate reason for being allowed inside the inner circle and I, as the reader, fully accept this intruder into that privileged circle. In this case bookstore owner Sam Wiseman was allowed to follow Detective Sergeant Gaston Lemieux throughout the investigation of every situation and every witness or suspect without convincing me that he had any right to be there. Where were the other police? The amount of latitude given to both Lemieux and Wiseman will surely make any Canadian attorney cringe if they ever read this novel. Believability is the major obstacle for an author when setting up a co-investigative team, both members must bring an invaluable asset to the amalgamation of talent and I don't mean just being able to read Hamlet. This one was a miss all the way for me.
Sam Wiseman is given the task of going to the campus of McGill University in Montreal to collect the money several professors owe for books ordered through his bookstore. When he opens the door of the office of one of the Professors he finds the man dead, murdered with the proverbial blunt instrument. Naturally the policeman who comes to investigate is the same officer Sam has struck up a friendship with over coffee and discussions of Charles Dickens novels. Now these two battle wits with a killer to bring him or her to justice.
The novel holds up only moderately well from 2002 to 2016 with the computer technology issues, but I couldn't help but compare today's policing forensic computer technologies with zilch exhibited in this novel. Once again, proper investigative procedures leading to a legitimate arrest and conviction just did not exist in this novel and it was a huge sticking point for me. Wiseman and Lemieux stood in a group of people and discussed the pros and cons of named suspects and why they might or might not be guilty. I did yet another eye-roll. If this book is leading to a series, I can assure you I will not be reading any future novels.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Bonnier Publishing/Twenty7.
Merged review:
Just as some information which might be useful to you, this book was previously published in 2002 with the title, THAT SLEEP OF DEATH.
A career policeman allowing a totally untrained "civilian" to help him solve a murder case only works if the civilian has a legitimate reason for being allowed inside the inner circle and I, as the reader, fully accept this intruder into that privileged circle. In this case bookstore owner Sam Wiseman was allowed to follow Detective Sergeant Gaston Lemieux throughout the investigation of every situation and every witness or suspect without convincing me that he had any right to be there. Where were the other police? The amount of latitude given to both Lemieux and Wiseman will surely make any Canadian attorney cringe if they ever read this novel. Believability is the major obstacle for an author when setting up a co-investigative team, both members must bring an invaluable asset to the amalgamation of talent and I don't mean just being able to read Hamlet. This one was a miss all the way for me.
Sam Wiseman is given the task of going to the campus of McGill University in Montreal to collect the money several professors owe for books ordered through his bookstore. When he opens the door of the office of one of the Professors he finds the man dead, murdered with the proverbial blunt instrument. Naturally the policeman who comes to investigate is the same officer Sam has struck up a friendship with over coffee and discussions of Charles Dickens novels. Now these two battle wits with a killer to bring him or her to justice.
The novel holds up only moderately well from 2002 to 2016 with the computer technology issues, but I couldn't help but compare today's policing forensic computer technologies with zilch exhibited in this novel. Once again, proper investigative procedures leading to a legitimate arrest and conviction just did not exist in this novel and it was a huge sticking point for me. Wiseman and Lemieux stood in a group of people and discussed the pros and cons of named suspects and why they might or might not be guilty. I did yet another eye-roll. If this book is leading to a series, I can assure you I will not be reading any future novels.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Bonnier Publishing/Twenty7....more
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books, Citadel for an e-galley of this book.
I think most people are not good at telling lies. Either their faciaThank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books, Citadel for an e-galley of this book.
I think most people are not good at telling lies. Either their facial expression or their voice gives them away and the truth, in some form, is revealed. There is a character in this book who seems to get away with lies every time they open their mouth; and the police were evidently willing to believe all the lies or just found it easier not to challenge the information. I suppose it happens pretty often that lies are accepted as fact if the fact makes your own life easier. Untangling the Betsy Faria Murder Case is what this book is all about and the tangle was quite a mess. However, the telling of this story is written in a wonderfully easy style, so the pages seemed to flow from one police interview; one attorney/client conversation; one description of the crime scene to another with a smoothness and urgency that kept me focused on this book for hours at a time.
The law enforcement officials and the attorneys investigating and prosecuting this case certainly did an awful job. I also think the defense attorney missed asking some pretty obvious questions that just might have helped provide some positive evidence regarding Russ Faria, husband of Betsy and charged in her death. But then I've never been involved in anything even coming close to all the legal quagmire this case was. I'm sure most criminal cases are full of missed opportunities for one side or the other to get their point across. What I do know for sure is that I found this a fascinating book to read and I was able to read it almost as if it was a fictional murder mystery because I had never heard of the case. True crime stories are always fascinating to me because of the opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes in real criminal cases. Sometimes, as was true in this criminal investigation and trial, things go terribly wrong. At least in this case the untangling resulted in the right person being charged with murder. ...more
I think everyone who considers themselves a fan of mystery novels should read at least one by Ellery Queen. If you've already tried yours and didn't lI think everyone who considers themselves a fan of mystery novels should read at least one by Ellery Queen. If you've already tried yours and didn't like it, you probably will not like this one either. I keep going back, about once every ten years, to try to find what I'm missing. These stories were very popular in their day with fans who were every bit as devoted as I am to my favorite authors and series. So what was such a draw that people looked forward to the latest publication? After all this time, I honestly still don't know.
Once again, not a favorite book and I almost got tired of my own mental criticism of it. There is just so much there to criticize. But....I have never read another mystery novel that was so audacious as to present a "locked arena" setting. Attempting to keep the entire audience of a rodeo performance in their seats until the police could search and interview them, twenty thousand people, simply shows the conceit of this team of authors. I'll tell you what, though, I never guessed who committed the crime. Ellery Queen gives a complete breakdown of the clues which the reader is supposed to pick up (along with Ellery) as the story progresses so reader and detective reach the same conclusion at the same time. Phooey! You can only come to the same conclusions if you think only along the same lines as Ellery did. No, still not a fan of the Ellery Queen mysteries but the twist at the end was deserving of three stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for an e-galley of this novel....more
I liked this book but not as wholeheartedly as all the other Chet and Bernie books. This one feels different to me and I can't exactly put my finger oI liked this book but not as wholeheartedly as all the other Chet and Bernie books. This one feels different to me and I can't exactly put my finger on why. It's as if the author and I can't connect in this book. Lots of little things are different that will not even be noticed unless you are like me and find this series a *must read*. Bernie is the lead Little, as in the Little Detective Agency; in fact he is the only Little. Chet is a wonderful 100 pound dog who flunked out of K-9 school on the last part of the obstacle course; there was a cat involved but that doesn't matter because it meant that Chet was up for adoption. This story has Bernie turning down a case but recommending another private detective who needs a hand getting started in the business. Then the PI disappears and his Mom asks Bernie for help. Setting the story in the days leading up to Christmas feels like more of a marketing strategy than any real necessity to help the story.
The ending for this book can only be described by me as strange. Strange in how Bernie acted and strange in how the ending made me wonder if something unexpected had or is going to happen with the series. I've always been perfectly happy to accept the conclusion for all the books that have come before but this one leaves me unsettled. Partly I'm unsettled because what happened was so much the opposite from any kind of action Bernie portrayed in all the previous books. And also, please Spencer Quinn, why did you make something happen that could never, ever have happened in real life?
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for an e-galley of this novel. ...more
Mercy Carr and her dog Elvis are both military vets who have a talent for solving mysteries since they returned to Vermont at the end of their duty. NMercy Carr and her dog Elvis are both military vets who have a talent for solving mysteries since they returned to Vermont at the end of their duty. Now Mercy is looking into a cold case and someone is trying to take Elvis away from her.
The environs of Vermont in winter are well described and it was easy to become involved in the location of this story. There is a death in the first part of the story that seems to be almost forgotten for a long period of time because of all the effort Mercy is putting into trying to get answers for the cold case. I had a hard time maintaining my interest in this novel and feel that I had to push myself into continuing. For whatever reason the main characters just didn't click with me. Even Elvis couldn't help and I'm usually all about the dog in a mystery. This is the third book in this series and I don't feel any compulsion to read the first two books.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for an e-galley of this novel....more
The Poison Apple group of Court, Zoya and Zach are back working together whether Matthew Hanley of the CIA wanted it that way or not. Berlin is the maThe Poison Apple group of Court, Zoya and Zach are back working together whether Matthew Hanley of the CIA wanted it that way or not. Berlin is the main location where so much could go wrong and eventually it does. This book #10 in the Gray Man series is a thriller where almost everybody has two very different agendas they are running simultaneously. It's just one crisis, one assassins job, one political agenda and one international incident after another. By the end of this story it's hard to tell who the winners and who the losers are. Another page turning thriller of a thriller from author Mark Greaney.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an e-galley of this novel. ...more
This is book nine in the series of stories about the Carpenter (Sabina) and Quincannon (John), Professional Detective Services out of San Francisco inThis is book nine in the series of stories about the Carpenter (Sabina) and Quincannon (John), Professional Detective Services out of San Francisco in the 1890s. This was my first reading in this series. Quincannon has been working a case where the client has been robbed of cash, stocks and bonds by a team of confidence men and he is determined to recover the property of his client and see the two men in prison. His investigation leads him to a steamship line where he discovers his quarry has set sail for Hawaii. Sabina convinces their client to pay for John to book passage on a steamer for Hawaii and she goes along with him on a sort of vacation/second honeymoon. So the "paradise" in the title is Hawaii, but it doesn't completely live up to that name.
I don't know if it is common with this series but for a very long time not much happened with regard to John and the swindlers. There is a lot of "telling" because there really isn't much to "show" unless you are really interested in the mundane actions of preparing for a week long ocean voyage and the circumstances of the sailing and arrival. Toward the end of the book all the physical action takes place so if you are liking what you are reading just hang on, a resolution is coming.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge Books for an e-galley of this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for an e-galley of this collection of short stories.
Elmer Kelton was a new Western author for me and Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge for an e-galley of this collection of short stories.
Elmer Kelton was a new Western author for me and I sincerely enjoyed reading these short stories as an introduction to his longer fiction. I learn a lot about an author by starting out with this type of collection including style of writing and keeping my interest focused. I will say that Mr. Kelton was successful in both of those instances.
There are 16 short stories included in this collection with publication dating from 1951 to 2010; 12 of the stories are set in the Old West and 4 in modern times. I definitely enjoyed the Old West stories because their subjects were so varied. The stories from modern times had their focus on essentially the same subject which were interestingly written, but not favorites. These stories all follow along with the "code of the West" feeling where there is a specific cowboy way of thinking and living your life. Pride, resourcefulness, determination; all are traits exhibited by the lead characters in these stories. There were no lawman stories so also no outlaws which made each of these short stories highlight the everyday life in the harshness of the west.
Kelton was a very prolific writer so there is much more for me to explore. This would also be a good jumping-off place for anybody who wanted to sample the works of this author with a view to reading his full length novels. I can certainly see myself headed down that trail....more
John Hawk is an independent man who knows his job of scouting for the Army backwards and forwards but when his personality clashes with Lieutenant MeaJohn Hawk is an independent man who knows his job of scouting for the Army backwards and forwards but when his personality clashes with Lieutenant Meade who is in charge of the scouts at Fort Ellis the result is Hawk being fired. Well, that's okay because he can go to his cabin and get it all snugged in ready for winter with the supplies and food he will need. That stage of events doesn't last long when Lieutenant Matthew Conner comes to the cabin to convince Hawk to go with him on a search for a wagon train that has disappeared. A church group was on their way to Helena to settle there and build a church. Hawk knows he will be irritating Lieutenant Meade if he takes this scouting job but somebody needs to find where that group went so Hawk agrees.
This is the third book in this series featuring John Hawk. I enjoyed this story of the old West and spent long pauses from reading to try to visualize just how intimidating that vast territory must have been for town people who took the chance to travel through it to, hopefully, make their dreams come true. Charles West doesn't spend much time on descriptions of the weather or even the physical landscape but I could picture the difficulties Hawk was having with no trouble. Hawk is a very likeable character if you are fond of upright, honest, independent people who want to do what's right. If they can help somebody along the way, well that's just fine. Even Hawk's horse, Rascal, has dimension as he is written by Mr. West and I enjoyed the interactions between man and horse.
In these days of isolation due to the coronavirus it's great to know there is a genre of books I can count on to give me pleasure and let me hold reality at bay for a time. This was an enjoyable reading experience and I am looking forward to reading more about John Hawk and Rascal. Two chapters from Massacre at Crow Creek Crossing: A Cole Bonner Western are included at the end of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books, Pinnacle for an e-galley of this novel. ...more
When I open to the first page in a Liz Talbot series book I know author Susan M. Boyer will have given me that comfortable feeling for the location (SWhen I open to the first page in a Liz Talbot series book I know author Susan M. Boyer will have given me that comfortable feeling for the location (Stella Maris and Charleston, South Carolina) and the family dynamics that surround Liz and her husband Nate as they tackle another case as private investigators. This one concerns the death of a local college professor who has been killed and later his home was destroyed. Liz and Nate need to find evidence of what happened and who was involved.
This one has just as many descriptions as always of the classic Southern food Mrs. Talbot cooks and puts on the table when her family comes for Wednesday night dinner. Liz can't help but sense lots of undercurrents within the family members and she is determined to find out what is going on. Her father is up to something and her mother wants Liz to find out what it is. As usual, these portions of the Boyer novels make me look over my shoulder to see if she's been following me around and taking notes!
Another solid story filled with Southern charm and atmosphere as well as good investigative practices that eventually lead to the resolution of the murder. There is a big change that happens in this book so it will be quite interesting to see how the story continues in book ten. Only a year to go until we find out....more
If you've ever looked over at a dog only to see him with his head cocked to the side watching you, you have probably wondered what that dog is thinkinIf you've ever looked over at a dog only to see him with his head cocked to the side watching you, you have probably wondered what that dog is thinking. If you read the books in this series you will probably be convinced that Spencer Quinn has figured it out and is willing to let you in on the secret. If you love dogs and you love mystery novels, combine both those things in the nicest possible way and you have a crime solving duo of Bernie Little and his dog Chet. Any book of this type has the possibility of being painfully bad. Thank goodness Chet and Bernie spare us that. Chet is the narrator and his eccentricity is a joy to lose yourself in. If Chet could count past two he would be the perfect dog; since two is his limit he has to be only the best canine investigator I know.
Bernie and Chet do their investigating, usually, in the Southwestern United States where water is becoming a problem. Bernie is very concerned about the aquifer, not just in this book but in each book. Here Bernie meets a scientist specializing in hydrology who wants him to do some work for him. Unfortunately by the time Bernie and Chet make it out to Wendell's office the next day the job turns into something entirely different.
This story has some seriously bad criminals and that aspect is balanced very nicely by the gently - or chaotic - musings of Chet. These two characters are combined so that the dark side of crime never takes center stage for very long. I find these books a relaxing, enjoyable, comfortable reading experience and I always put the book down feeling as if I've just been visiting with friends I value highly. I hope you give the series a try, start with any book in the series but there are some plot threads that continue throughout the series. Nothing to get you too confused, just to make you curious to read what had happened in a previous book. Authors must love that.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for an e-galley of this novel. ...more
This one was probably closer to a 4.5 rating for me but I definitely enjoyed it enough to round it up to five stars. Number 21 in the series was the fThis one was probably closer to a 4.5 rating for me but I definitely enjoyed it enough to round it up to five stars. Number 21 in the series was the first one I've read and David Rosenfelt did such a great job of bringing in all the historical significance of the lives of the characters that I found my footing in the series quickly and easily. From general skimming of the descriptions of some of the series books I had expected that the dogs would have had more role to play in this story. So, just so I'm clear, the dogs play a large part in the lives of characters in the book, but this isn't a series about working dogs.
Andy Carpenter is trying very hard to retire from his legal practice but finds himself defending a man accused of double murder. The team Andy has surrounding himself with is substantial; some are employees of Carpenter's law firm, some are colleagues from his dog rescue organization as well as his wife, an ex-police officer, and her associates. The activities involve investigating the crime as well as courtroom scenes when Carpenter presents evidence for the defense.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and find I am thankful there are so many previous books I can read. I would have liked for Carpenter to have been a little bit less inclined to think so poorly of himself but I know that isn't going to happen because his persona is too fully established now.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an e-galley of this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the e-galley of this novel.
There is a special place in my heart for dogs who are traThank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the e-galley of this novel.
There is a special place in my heart for dogs who are trained to help humans with a wide variety of tasks. This story concerns a female golden retriever puppy, just over nine weeks old when she is rescued, and the adventures she had when she was adopted and trained as a cadaver dog. Mace Reid gives his dogs names which are also song titles so this puppy is given the name Elvira. Unfortunately for me the author chose to shorten that name to Vira which my brain saw as Vera and I had to do the whole Statler Brothers Elvira memory switch throughout the whole book. Sigh. Mace, of course, works with many police agencies in the suburbs of Chicago so there isn't a shortage of cases for dog and handler to hone their skills on. It soon becomes obvious there is a serial killer in the area but nothing is completely straight forward in this investigation.
Jeffrey Burton came close to losing me as a reader because I feared he was going to try to give Vira some supernatural power. It came close, almost too close. I enjoyed the book overall and would read a second book in the series. I do hope that one will not include the point of view of the criminal because that person in this story was seriously creepy....more
Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an e-galley of this novel.
The introduction to this book, written by Otto Penzler, provides usefuThank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an e-galley of this novel.
The introduction to this book, written by Otto Penzler, provides useful information about Mary Roberts Rinehart's writing career as well as information relating to this specific book, first published in 1942. I'm sure I must have read at least one Rinehart mystery over the course of my reading lifetime but I have never read this specific book. I was grateful for the information Penzler provided because his information regarding foreshadowing came to my attention in this story pretty quickly and very often. Learning that element was a part of her writing style helped to keep me from becoming quite so irritated by the frequency with which it was employed.
Nurse Hilda Adams is asked by the police to accept a nursing job in the Fairbanks household. Hilda has a rather unconventional relationship with the police which makes for an unusual dynamic. The family matriarch, Eliza Fairbanks, has told the police about strange happenings over the last few weeks which lead her to think someone is trying to frighten her into having a heart attack resulting in her death. Adams agrees to go to 10 Grove Avenue to keep an eye on the family, servants, and anyone else who might have a reason for wanting old Mrs. Fairbanks to die.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, maybe even more than I had expected. The uncovering of the clues about how the strange happenings are being done is handled satisfactorily and kept my attention focused on this book the whole time I was reading it. The Nurse Hilda Adams character is well thought out and she carries out her job as an observer well. I never did suspect who was pulling all the strings in the background. Overall an interestingly plotted and written novel that kept me entertained throughout. I will certainly be on the lookout for other Mary Roberts Rinehart novels. ...more
It's always a treat to go along with Court Gentry, aka The Gray Man, on an adventure. It doesn't seem possible that this is book nine in this excellenIt's always a treat to go along with Court Gentry, aka The Gray Man, on an adventure. It doesn't seem possible that this is book nine in this excellent series. You do not have to be familiar with the previous books in the series to enjoy this one but seeking out the previous books will give you lots of reading pleasure to look forward to. The plot for this book deals with human trafficking, specifically women for the sex slave trade. This subject made me very uncomfortable because I feel so helpless in doing anything to help stop this horrible criminal activity. Court just moves right in to do all he can to help one group of women in the process of being smuggled to their final destination.
Gentry is still in an on the books/off the books relationship with the CIA. Even he is surprised when that agency begins to show they also have an interest in this criminal organization. What possible reason can the CIA have for wanting Court to back off from his goal of tracking down the head of this terrible criminal group? That answer came as a real surprise to me.
Once again a Gray Man adventure is packed with impossibly dangerous situations that have to be negotiated by this shadowy, lone wolf figure. I can't honestly say I'm satisfied with how this one ended but then neither was Gentry so I'll just have to live with it. As I've said before when reading a book in this series, get your seatbelt buckled tight because this story will take you on a whirlwind ride.
Thank you to Penguin Random House, Berkley for an ARC of this novel....more
Goodness me! This novel fairly drips with suspense and tension. Part of that comes about because the author used a plotting element I usually don't liGoodness me! This novel fairly drips with suspense and tension. Part of that comes about because the author used a plotting element I usually don't like at all - we know who committed the crimes almost from the start of the story. In this case there is a depth of character building that made me accept that person and learn who they are and care in spite of myself.
A website is devoted to helping match up missing people with the remains of unidentified bodies. This is not an official website, but one that has had some small success with solving old missing person cases. The story is told through texts, webcam conversations and emails as well as standard narrative to keep the story from bogging down. Those short conversations help convey what the members of the online group are doing and shows what progress, or lack of progress, they have made without having to go into so much detail that it would slow the story down too much. A man in Ireland is using the internet to search for information about his brother, very much against the wishes of his family members. A member of this web search group sees his request for information on a different site and the decision is made to try to help Shaun find out what has happened to Teddy. What follows is a compelling story that emphasizes how easy it is to lose perspective concerning who you are really talking to on the internet.
Missing Person is a strong psychological thriller that allowed me to connect with the characters and even made the killer multi-dimensional. The ending was a little too pat for me, but otherwise I enjoyed this one quite a lot and simply barreled through it. I'm definitely going to have to check out other books by Sarah Lotz.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company for an e-galley of this novel. ...more
I read the first book in this series, Little Comfort, and really liked Hester Thursby, the main character. That book ended with Hester recovering fromI read the first book in this series, Little Comfort, and really liked Hester Thursby, the main character. That book ended with Hester recovering from some pretty awful things she suffered through so I was interested in finding out where the author would take Hester in her next case. He took her in a direction I don't like and it colored my entire thought process regarding this book. I don't like to read stories where adults put children in jeopardy or step away from their responsibility to their child and that's exactly what three women in this book did.
Hester's best friend Daphne simply walked out of the house one night and left her daughter Kate behind. It's been a year without communication from Daphne so when Hester gets an SOS text message she bundles up four year old Kate and takes off - without telling anyone where she is going and not answering any messages or phone calls. On purpose; it's not like she lost her phone or anything. Once Hester and Kate get to Finisterre Island, Maine, she becomes involved in murder, kidnapping, illegal drugs, arson; pretty much you name it and little girl Kate gets exposed to it. There is also the drug addict woman who has her four year old son with her in a drug house while she uses and sells drugs. There is another under five boy who is kidnapped but found, and later in the story his mother simply asks a stranger (Hester) to take care of him and disappears for an entire night.
This wasn't the right kind of mystery novel for me and there wasn't much chance I would enjoy it. I think Hester and I have parted ways for good.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an e-Galley of this novel. ...more
I consider myself a Robert Crais fan, but even I have to admit this is a pretty lightweight addition to the series. This book is shown under the publiI consider myself a Robert Crais fan, but even I have to admit this is a pretty lightweight addition to the series. This book is shown under the publication details as 352 pages and yet I read it in less than 12 hours with all kinds of interruptions from workmen in my house for about four hours. And I'm a very slow reader. There just isn't a lot of story here to latch on to. Not when compared to other, older books in the series.
Joe Pike is one of my favorite fictional characters but I don't think Isabel Roland was a good pairing for Joe to be dealing with. I kept expecting him to just walk off the case and leave her to her giggling, squealing, texting self. The contrast between the two of them was too great for me to accept. The criminals were a little bit summer stock, but the US Marshalls were an interesting group. So I enjoyed the book overall, but mainly because I'm so invested in these characters, not because this one will ever be considered a favorite read. ...more
It is really hard to chose my favorite Nero Wolfe story because every one of them has something that makes me glad I read it. This one, though, has soIt is really hard to chose my favorite Nero Wolfe story because every one of them has something that makes me glad I read it. This one, though, has some of my favorite things: Wolfe leaving the old brownstone, Wolfe playing "chicken" with one of his oldest acquaintances; women on the premises - office, kitchen, dining room, bedroom. Holy Cow, how did Wolfe survive?
It began with Archie appreciating the view of a woman's very fine legs. First published in 1942, this story has Wolfe sending Archie to a flower show to look at some black orchids on display - naturally, according to Wolfe, they couldn't possibly really be black. While he's there Archie is only one of many people who stop by a display from a nursery which features a sunny glade with a man and woman enjoying the plants and the water feature. At a specific time each day the crowd builds as the woman removes her shoes and dips her toes into the bubbling stream while the man naps in the background. Archie is smitten and declares he will marry the fair damsel. As the story unfolds Wolfe finds a way to solve a case and reap his idea of the perfect reward.
This whole series is highly recommended. Start anywhere you like because Rex Stout wrote the books so there is no chronological order. This one is rather sweet with the exposure of naked toes being swirled in the water enough to cause a stir....more
I recently came across an article that mentioned Lieutenant Joe Gunther as the protagonist in a long running series and I was interested enough to go I recently came across an article that mentioned Lieutenant Joe Gunther as the protagonist in a long running series and I was interested enough to go check the books out. Liking what I saw led me to putting the first book on my Paperwhite. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story.
I read quite a number of thriller novels and this one made me feel intrigued and interested immediately. Joe Gunther is a likeable character and I appreciate the way he worked with his colleagues in the small Vermont town to figure out what was happening and then how to capture the person causing the trouble. Someone behind the scenes is manipulating a series of incidences with each one being so different from the previous one. Unfortunately the first incident resulted in a person being killed. The connection between the victims came to light slowly so the story was suspenseful with tension building up slowly over the process of investigation.
Open Season is a book that made me feel right at home in Vermont watching Joe look into an old case and working to solve an active, current case. I like the writing style of Archer Mayor and have already put the next two books on my e-reader and look forward to reading them soon. ...more
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