The Second Amendment: A Biography, by Michael Waldman

Nine stars

Never one to shy away from controversial political and legal issues, I turned to Michael Waldman’s book about the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, dealing with the right to bear arms. A topic that has become extremely controversial and has, quite literally, torn segments of the population apart, Waldman looks to explore the history of the amendment, as well as some of the early thoughts on the provision. The book opens with a lengthy analysis of the Founding Fathers’ meetings and comings together to hash out a constitutional document for the new republic, before they entertained some key amendments to form a Bill of Rights. Waldman looks at these debates and some of the written notes, exploring some of James Madison’s work to decipher not only the wording of the amendment, but to put it into context. The wording is so out of sorts with the other amendments that it baffles the reader (both at the time and now) to understand some of the nuances and how poorly it was cobbled together. Waldman cannot tell why this was done, but does address that the concept was perhaps tied to England’s own Bill of Rights from a century before. Nevertheless, it was enshrined and society accepted the right for citizens to bear arms to form a militia for state protection. Even the courts glazed over it until challenges began in the late 19th century. Waldman explores that the courts, all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) saw the militia aspect for what it was and dismissed anyone seeking personal right to bear or possess arms of most any sort. Pressure began in the mid-20th century with the emergence of the National Rifle Association (NRA), which began the hard push to get personal gun ownership and carve out the part of the Second Amendment that suited their needs (conveniently forgetting the militia part when it inculcated its members). It was only when SCOTUS heard District of Columbia v. Heller that things really turned on its head in the legal community. In a 5-4 decision written by that most wily of Associate Justices, Antonin Scalia, the Court finally came down on the side of the constitutional right of individuals to bear arms. Waldman goes into detailed analysis of the decision, its immediate fallout, and how Scalia’s form of constitutional interpretation seems to be used when it suits him and left shelved when it does not. From there, Waldman looks to the US legal and social world post-Heller and how the mass shootings and push for more gun rights have turned America in a direction that many outside the fifty states (and lots within) would shudder to digest. In a stunning exploration of all things on the topic, Waldman does a wonderful job with this biographical piece. I can only hope that many will read this to better understand the situation, as well as the political influence and brainwashing of falsehoods that is being purported in this election year! Recommended to those who enjoy detailed constitutional analysis, as well as the reader who has a passion for political and legal history.

I actually came across Waldman’s book when it was referenced in another tome I was recently reading about the need to repeal the Second Amendment for its misuse and great misunderstanding. Many of the arguments Waldman presents were also present in there, though this piece explores some of the backstory in greater detail. Waldman tells the detailed story of all aspects of the Second Amendment, as any strong biographical piece should. He lays out not only the arguments, but substantiates things for the reader to better understand context. Without getting tied up in too many knots, he seeks to focus his attention on the cogent parts of history and offers gloss over of other parts, namely those long periods when Second Amendment talk was minimal. I am pleased to see that Waldman does not shy away from criticism, as it gives the reader something to consider while they read, absorbing as well as thinking with an open mind. The book is well-paced and divided into three parts, depicting the build-up to the amendment, how the interpretation became more jaded and eventually codified by a set of conservative justices who seemed to have had their heads in the sand and a certain human orifice, before looking at the subsequent way America turned with Heller on the books. While the book can get quite technical, it is not written solely for the academic, but surely for the reader with an interest in the topic at hand. I am so pleased to have found something readable dealing with the Second Amendment, particularly a tome that offers some thoroughness without drowning the reader in minutiae.

Kudos, Mr. Waldman, for another stunning exploration of a key political aspect in American legal and social history. I hope others will find this book and be as amazed as I have been.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The River Murders (Three Mitchum BookShots), by James Patterson and James O. Born

Eight stars

As I open this collection of three BookShots by James Patterson and James O. Born, I turned immediately to the third and most recent story. Having read the other two beforehand, I post my reviews of them below, as well as the new review for the final story. Enjoy the flashback and some new thoughts, if you please!

Hidden

James O. Born works alongside James Patterson in the first of this BookShot series that will have readers hooked and quite curious as they travel to upstate New York. Mitchum enjoys the quiet life in Marlboro, away from the fast-paced living of NYC, but still surrounded by a community that thrives on the daily bustle. When he learns that his niece, Bailey Mae, has gone missing, this unofficial P.I. takes matters into his own hands. Working with the local sheriff’s detachment and those around town, Mitchum learns that three shady individuals have been seen around town. Bailey Mae’s famous coffee cakes prove a useful trail, though when two elderly residents are found murdered in their home and a fresh cake sits on the counter, Mitchum becomes more concerned. His past training as a Navy SEAL allows him to forge headlong into the search, still trying to determine who these strangers might be and if they are involved in the kidnapping, or if Bailey Mae is somehow involved. Forced to turn to his drug-dealing brother, Mitchum uses whispers on the street to help him track down any evidence that might lead to Bailey Mae’s safe return. Time is running out, but family ties seem to be unbreakable for Mitchum, fuelling his determination to bring a happy ending to this small town. A quick and captivating story for BookShot fans and those who need a little thrill with their coffee. Patterson and Born have a recipe for success here!

I am on a roll with my current BookShots binge, having found some real winners out there. There is usually little time for character development, but the authors have been able to weave the story of Robert ‘call me Mitchum’ Mitchum into the fabric of this thriller. The small town feel to the story is not lost on the reader, as Mitchum combs through the residents to garner enough clues to help solve the case. Additionally, the vast array of characters on offer may prove useful if the series continues past the next-known published piece. The story itself is interesting and the short chapters keep the story propelling forward without the reader feeling too stuck in any single environ. Patterson and Born work well together and bring the story to life, just as I would expect with a BookShot, which leaves little time to catch one’s breath. I need to get my hands on the next story in the series, as I am still highly impressed with what I’ve read.

Malicious

James O. Born returns to work alongside James Patterson again in the follow-up BookShot of the Mitchum series. Readers will likely remain impressed with this piece, as it has all the impact of a great short story without losing any of the needed character and story development. Mitchum enjoys his quiet life in upstate New York, where he can deliver his daily newspapers and run an unofficial P.I. business on the side. When his brother, Natty, calls with a problem, Mitchum seems skeptical. However, when a homicide is involved, the brothers reunite, post haste. Mitchum learns that a high school friend has been slain, potentially by a fellow drug dealer. As one who ‘enhances recreational activities’ himself, Natty can attest to the fact that there are some out there who want nothing more than to bury Peter Stahl, but not before discovering the secret he has about a new and ‘hot’ commodity for the street. As Mitchum works to iron out all the details, he learns that Natty is deeply in love with the deceased’s wife, which could prove to be a problem. Before Mitchum can learn much more, Natty been hauled away to jail, the primary suspect in the murder. It is now a race to find the true killer and clear Natty’s name, forcing Mitchum to look under every rock, where corrupt figures wait for their slice of the pie. A wonderful follow-up piece that pushes the reader into the middle of the action as Mitchum forges ahead at top speed. BookShot fans will surely enjoy this piece, both for its excitement and quick pace.

This weekend of BookShot reading has proven to be highly useful and I have come across a number of wonderful pieces. James O. Born surely has a handle on this series, which continues to build, and avid readers can only hope that Patterson will turn to him many more times in the future. While short, the story allows more character development as it relates to Robert ‘call me Mitchum’ Mitchum, both from a familial perspective and with his own personal sentiments. The reader can enjoy a dash of sarcasm and some heartfelt emotion without missing out on what ends up being something worth the hour of reading time. The story is by no means unique, but it holds the attention of the read throughout, paced with short chapters and quick development. Anyone who needs a decent filler between major reading assignments can turn to this piece and not be disappointed. I can only hope that Mitchum will be back soon, rising to the top amidst the supersaturation of BookShots in the e-book domain. Readers ought to keep an eye out for these and will surely find something to appeal to their thriller side.

Malevolent

James Patterson and James O. Born return for a third short novel (BookShot) in this interesting series. Mitchum continues to work as an unofficial P.I., but the work is less than invigorating in the small community near Marlboro, in upstate New York. When his mother is hit by a vehicle, witness statements make it seem to have been intentional. Working with his reformed brother, Natty, Mitchum tries to determine who would be doing such a thing. Soon, a man from his past emerges to threaten Mitchum and tells him to stand down. During the confrontation, Natty’s shot and the man flees, protected by the feds for reasons unknown. Mitchum takes up a friend’s offer to work security in Afghanistan, which will allow him to keep tabs on this mystery man. However, things take a turn and Mitchum finds himself in trouble in a faraway land with no one aware of his situation. Will Mitchum be able to find the answers he needs and keep his family safe from any further fallout from all his impetuous actions? Another great addition to the Mitchum series, which has worked very well in all three pieces. Recommended for fans of Patterson’s BookShots, as well as those readers who enjoy a quick story to pass the time.

While I have never shied away from sharing my issues with James Patterson’s writing over the years, I have always enjoyed reading his BookShots, which give a full adventure in only half the time. I remember reading the other two books in this series back when I was on a BookShots binge and enjoyed them. This third piece was a wonderful return to what I remembered enjoying. Mitchum is still trying to mix tranquility of small town living with staying mentally sharp. He remains a strong family man, as protective as he can be, but still seeks to find his niche. This story provides him a new opportunity to find his way, which will hopefully work out for the best. Others in the story help propel things forward effectively, complementing Mitchum on occasion, or pushing him to his limits at other times. The story was well-crafted, showing the effectiveness of the Patterson-Born collaboration. I have found they work well together and keep the stories fresh, intense, and poignant as the reader follows the narrative path with ease. Patterson’s short chapter recipe is one display here and it keeps the story moving effectively forward. I hope there are more ideas, Mitchum and otherwise, from these two and will keep my eyes open.

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Born, for another wonderful collection of stories that entertain as well as educate the reader in short order.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Lost Hills (Eve Ronin #1), by Lee Goldberg

Eight stars

I was eager to get my hands on this latest novel by Lee Goldberg, hoping that it would be as exciting and full of twists as some of his other work. I was not disappointed with this crime thriller that kept me guessing as the story progressed. Eve Ronin had her fifteen minutes of fame when she took down a criminal and someone posted the entire event to YouTube. That notoriety has made her a household name in the Los Angeles environs and catapulted her into the highest ranks of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. A new detective in the Homicide Squad, Ronin is still trying to get her feet under her, made more difficult when no one will take her seriously. When Ronin and her partner are called to the home of a woman presumed missing, things take a turn for the worse. There are some signs of a skirmish on the outside of the house, but when Ronin enters, things are horrific, with blood covering many of the walls and floors, and slashes over much of the furniture. This dull day has turned into the search for a woman and her two young children, though the crime scene lends it to being a homicide investigation. While Ronin must work with the crime scene techs, careful not to step on any toes, she is also trying to hunt down a killer. Ronin tries to piece it all together when she is attacked at the crime scene. This only spurs her on to find new suspects that might help her solve this case. Could it be her ex-husband, who lives hours away? Perhaps the boyfriend who has made it clear he cannot stand the children? All the while, she has a bad feeling about this case, which seems to thrust her into the limelight when all she seeks is to find justice for the victims. Lee Goldberg has done it again as he keeps the story sharp and the narrative flowing. Recommended for those who enjoy a great police procedural, as well as the reader who needs a quick-read thriller to fill their reading list.

I have always enjoyed Lee Goldberg novels when I have a chance to read them, as they are both full of information and succinct at the same time. The crimes are realistic and there is just enough realism in the situations that I can almost picture myself with the story. This new series could have some great potential and Eve Ronin is a wonderful protagonist. Trying to step away from the limelight that was thrust upon her, she wants to do her job, but is constantly reminded of those fifteen minutes and one million clicks that her video amassed. Still, she is gritty and determined to find her place within the Los Angeles community, even as her mother nags her to ‘get found’. Her skills are such that she never stops working and looking for that piece of the crime that everyone missed. She is surrounded with many interesting characters, some of whom I hope make a return appearance in any forthcoming novels within the series. The story itself flows well and keeps the reader’s attention. There is still a period of trying to get a feel for the scenario, but the plot kept me wanting to learn more and the narrative flows with ease. Goldberg mixes chapter lengths to lure the reader in and keep their attention, which is effective in trying to make sense of this horrible crime. I’ll be back for more whenever new books are added to this or his other series I have come to enjoy. A perfect book for any reader looking to find a new author that might make a blip on their radar.

Kudos, Mr. Goldberg, for another wonderful piece. I am eager to see what you have in store for fans soon!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Fight to Vote, by Michael Waldman

Nine stars

As the next presidential election in the United States approaches, I was drawn to this book by Michael Waldman, which explores this history and importance of voting. Waldman takes the reader as far back as the Founding Fathers and the constitutional conventions to explore some of the earliest sentiments on voting and elections in the early republic. He tackles some of the sentiments about how the Fathers thought of constructing voting eligibility and how the threshold might make for a stronger country, which obviously disenfranchising large portions of the population. The Fathers did not feel that the federal government should take the lead in setting out a system of voting or elections, feeling that deferring to the states was the appropriate answer. It is essential to note at this early stage, there is nothing enshrined in the US Constitution about the right to vote, which serves as an interesting thread for the rest of this tome. As history progressed, other groups found themselves eager to have their voices heard, including the recently freed slave population, women, and eventually those in poorer parts of the country. It is most interesting to see how Waldman explores the continued expansion of suffrage, while also noting that with the power to set the rules in the states, there were also loopholes to keep groups out that did not defy anything constitutional. The latter portion of the book speaks specifically about these ‘tests’ laid out in the South for black voters, in a blatant attempt to keep their voices silent. To this day, there are state-based blockages that keep large segments of the population from having their voices heard, as Waldman explores in detail. On this point, Waldman spends the last bit of the book examining the US Supreme Court’s interpretation of First Amendment free speech and the removal of monetary limits for election contributions, while coming down hard onanistic group seeking special ‘sway’ to gain the upper hand in being permitted to vote. Fascinating to see how deliberately partisan things have become and how many people’s voices remain muted into 2020. An eye-opening piece if ever there was one on the history of voting and the importance that the fight towards true universal suffrage continue in the United States, particularly up to November 3, when there is a chance to return America (and the world) to greatness after four years of embarrassments!

Many will know that I love all things political, especially when history gets added to the mix. I find that in these uncertain times in the realm of geo-politics, it is essential to have a handle on things taking place in my own proverbial backyard. Waldman does a sensational job of laying out all the nuances of voting and elections in America, taking the reader slowly through the progress of events and how they impacted the Republic as a whole. There is so much to cover and yet Waldman lets the narrative flow smoothly and keeps the reader enthralled throughout the telling. From the foundational aspects of an electoral system to ensure a strong new country through to the means of interpreting the base rules to favour one party over the other, Waldman shows that politics is at the core of elections. With substantial chapters and many key examples, the reader will not feel shortchanged, but can easily use much of what is discussed here as a springboard to learn more, should the interest arise. Going so far as to offer a warning of what is to come in US electoral politics, Waldman makes it clear that voting is not being given to Americans on a silver platter, but it must be earned. Moreover, it will be a fight that should not be squandered or an issue dismissed until a later time. Just think what things might have been like in November 2016 had all eligible voters cast their ballots and not been blocked from doing so to tip the balance in one direction (not including the Russian collusion that we all know was rampant). Get out there, Americans and fight for what is yours. The world is watching and eagerly wants to see what your electoral voices have to say.

Kudos, Mr. Waldman, for this excellent examination of voting. I will be reading another of your books, recommended to me, and I hope it is as riveting.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

A Warning, by Anonymous

Eight stars

As the political circus in the United States continues to reach its five-ring splendour, many people look on and shake their heads. There is another incarnation soon to come in the form of a presidential election by the end of this year, which will surely be as intense and full of mud-slinging, as well as a peppering or racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic sentiments in the guise of ‘saying what everyone is thinking’. But, what can you expect when the purported leader of the Free World has no sense of decorum. I approached this book with the same trepidation I have many of the other tell-all Trump books over the past few years. Will something come to light that I can seriously credit to being useful to better understanding how things are being run into the ground as the world watches? Many other tomes have been attempted smears or sour grapes, which I do not deny, while also understanding that there are truths buried in the narratives. This book left me feeling differently and perhaps a little more worried. The author, who chooses not to reveal themselves for well-founded reasons discussed in the introduction, offers the reader insider views of the West Wing and Oval Office, particularly when it comes to the way Donald J. Trump runs his show. Much of it will not shock the reader—he does not read, he changes his mind hourly, his views are expressed in Tweets rather than formal policy announcements—though coming from the inside and not someone who has been scorned on the outside makes it a little more worrisome. Additionally, there are other areas the public is not privy to know about that have turned into major gaffes, saved only by aides and cabinet officials steering the train back on track with a moment’s notice. The author purports that much of the comments made in and by media outlets are true, well-grounded, and not jaded at all. The real Donald J. Trump, as his Twitter handle says, is the one we know so well. Coming into the election cycle, people need to know this and that it is not some mirage or #fakenews. There are solutions, the greatest of which rests in the hands of the electorate, which cannot be ignored. I can only hope enough people heed these warnings and think ahead of November 3, 2020. Told in a balanced manner with many examples, the author uses historical studies and research to substantiate some of these authoritarian traits, as well as the direction the country is headed should they not be nipped in the bud. A great read for those who want fact over smear, as well as a sobering look by someone inside the Storm who is trying desperately to hold things together.

I have never hidden my disdain for Donald J. Trump or his Administration. While some criticise me for speaking out, as I do not live in the United States, I simply remind them that this is a man whose stupidities cause waves all over, especially above the 45th Parallel. The shenanigans that come from the horrible things that are said and done cannot be a slip of the tongue or pen on occasion, this is the real deal. The author supports that and keeps the reader enthralled with examples and comparisons to historical rules as they relate to power, control, and democracy. This is not a study of the man, but of how one man and his sycophants have taken the Office of the President and turned it into their own plaything. Suckling at the teat of Mother Russia, finding new ways to divide the country, and distant the world from this country on the verge of social collapse seem to be on the checklist of this Administration for as long as they are permitted. The author uses these strong examples and a handful of well-crafted chapters to show that this is not a nightmare, but a full-on disaster scenario that cannot be ended with one election. Like a child on a full tantrum, the mess will take a long time to fix, but that kid needs OUT of the store right now. I marvel at how this tome was ‘rushed to be written’, as it is so well done and thought out. It substantiates where there is a need and dismisses some of the rhetoric that some will use to deflate it. The choice to not reveal themselves was brilliant and the reasoning, while it irks supporters and some reviewers who are entranced with Donald Jerk Trump, keeps the spotlight on the man who is banging pots. Americans have a choice this November and I hope they use it wisely. We, in the outside world, await to see what happens, but we are far from unaffected.

Kudos, Anonymous, whomever you may be! I hope your words reach the electorate in time and that much of what you say sinks in.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Passport to Death (Dotan Naor #2), by Yigal Zur

Seven stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to Yigal Zur and Oceanview Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When Yigal Zur approached me to read another of his novels, I was intrigued and interested yet again. His Dotan Naor series caught my attention before and with another adventure, there is sure to be a great deal more action. Dotan receives a call that his services are needed in Thailand to help find a missing woman, Sigal Bardon. Landing in Bangkok, Dotan is reminded of the many other times that he has come here over the years. While his initial search is to locate the body of Sigal, he soon discovers that things may not be that simple. In a country where people come to disappear or are made to vanish, answers are elusive. As he juggles the open drug and prostitution trades, Dotan trips upon a lead or two that lead him in a certain direction. Itching to know more about who sent him this mission, he speaks to his colleague, who is anything but forthcoming. However, with a decent sized Israeli population in the city, Dotan soon learns that this may be a game of cat and mouse he wished he never entered. There are some dangerous men around, any of whom might have taken Sigal for their own reasons. As more bodies pile up, Dotan wants to finish the investigation and flee back to the safety of Israel. Sigal Bardon had her reasons for coming to Bangkok, but is her disappearance entirely of her own doing as well? A worthwhile thriller read, though I was not entirely pulled in as much as I would have liked.

I try to keep an open mind when it comes to reading, as one never really knows when the next great book with cross your path. While I was not as drawn into Zur’s piece as I would have liked, there were some great aspects that cannot be discounted. The setting for much of the story is Thailand, that elusive country whose laws differ greatly from much of the Western World. Zur depicts it with such detail that I felt I was there at times, strolling the streets and never quite sure what I would find. The narrative is full of colourful language and off-hand comments that I cannot say enough about how well the story developed from this point of view. The story itself was decent, with a missing girl and am investigator set to find her. I found myself losing some interest with the meandering nature of the piece. I wanted to feel more connected and possessing more care for everyone involved. This is just an opinion, but I do remember relying the same way the first novel I tried by the author. With short chapters and a quick story overall, this was not a painful read, but left me feeling as though I needed more to satisfy my reading experience.

Kudos, Mr. Zur, for another decent book. I may opt out from further pieces, but I will let others enjoy your writing for themselves.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Quando Dormo (When I Sleep), by Edward Izzi

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Edward Izzi for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

After recently discovering the work of Edward Izzi, I cannot get enough of his thrillers, which pull the reader into the middle of many heart-thumping scenarios. Dr. David Fazio is an obstetrician in Chicago with quite the reputation. His strong, pro-life views have made his work somewhat controversial, as he refuses to perform any abortive procedures on expectant mothers. This has been made even more controversial with the recent passage of a partial-birth abortion bill by the Illinois legislature. Not only is Fazio known for his strong views, but he is quite the Casanova, having gone through and disposed of many nurses on the maternity ward. His sexual prowess cannot be denied, but he has amassed enough enemies to fill the entire ward. When he wakes from a horrible nightmare, Fazio discovers that his hands are burnt. Not long thereafter, news emerges that a family planning clinic on the other side of the street is up in flames, with people still inside. Fazio’s history of sleeping issues, paired with his arrival in various locales without his knowledge does him no good, as he wonders what might be going on. One of the fire battalion chiefs and a detective with the CPD also begin to wonder if he might have played a role. When a second family planning clinic goes up in flames and Fazio is in the area, unsure how he made it to his car, he heads the list of suspects being considered the Abortion Arsonist. He has all the trademark signs and refuses to back away from his staunch pro-life views. But, with so many who wish to see him come tumbling down, might someone be trying to point the finger at the doctor? In a story that does not allow the reader any chance to catch their breath, Izzi spins a tale like no other. Recommended for those who love high-velocity thrillers, as well as the reader who can handle the politics of the abortion debate.

I cannot say enough about Edward Izzi, particularly his writing skills. Izzi lays the groundwork for a sensational story and builds on it from there, never taking a moment to lull the reader into some form of calm. David Fazio serves as a wonderful protagonist, even if he may not be loved by all readers. His strong views on the abortion question are bluntly presented throughout, but seem overshadowed by his desire to conquer all women with his wiles. Fazio comes from a strong Italian family, but seems more interested in bedding whomever crosse his path. Add to that, his horrible sleeping patterns and dreams that leave him wondering what he might have done. Fazio is surely in a conflicted state and one the reader will want to explore more thoroughly in this piece. Other characters serve to prop up Fazio’s various life choices throughout, while also adding depth to some of the plot lines that Edward Izzi seeks to explore. As with all the novels, there are some returning characters, though they play background roles, not impeding the flow of the story or the strength of the core characters. While all novels are stand-alones, the reader can get a little glimpse of some character development for these returning individuals, should they wish. The premise of the story was quite masterful, serving to address the abortion topic, sleep issues, and one man’s attempt to rise above both. Izzi mentioned having some loose ties to the Fazio character, which makes the story even stronger. I cannot wait to see what else is to come, for Edward Izzi has surely made a fan out of me. Brilliant work and so poignant!

Kudos, Mr. Izzi, for addressing so many hot-topic issues, if you pardon the pun. I love how I can get lost in the story and yet learn so much!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip, by Jeff Guinn

Eight stars

It is always interesting to learn about people of some fame, particularly when one can trace and note interactions they had with other people of notoriety. Jeff Guinn has penned this quasi-biography about four such men during a decade in the early 20th century. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs—dubbed The Vagabonds—took annual trips together during the decade of 1913-23. During these trips, these men not only took time away from their chaotic business lives, but also spent time strengthening their personal and business friendships. Guinn explores how Ford and Edison, the closest of the group, forged strong friendship as they helped one another in their respective business ventures. These annual trips would garner much media and public attention, creating a caravan of notoriety wherever the group went. That being said, the Vagabonds sought some degree of isolation during their repose, keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Guinn explores how these men would, at times, invite other people of prominence to attend their annual sojourns, only twice allowing wives to attend. While John Burroughs was the odd man out, without a wife and who died before the end of these trips, the other three found themselves bantering a great deal. Guinn mixes in some much needed context and work-related commentary to provide the reader with any idea of what was taking place throughout. If ever there could be an event that encapsulated notoriety, camaraderie, and brotherly love, it would be the annual trips made by these men, who fame held up without the journeys, but was further strengthened when people read of their adventures. Guinn does a wonderful job at connecting the experience with the goings-on in the world at the time. Recommended for those who love American history, as well as the reader who enjoys something a little lighter about these historical heavyweights.

I recently completed a full-length biography of Thomas Edison, which helped me put some of what Guinn discusses in better context. While Ford did find himself mentioned throughout that tome, the extent to their friendship was never fully understood until I took the time to allow Guinn to present it here. Dividing each chapter into a year during this decade of adventures, Guinn tackles events of a single calendar year and contrasts some of the major events found therein. He is able to adequately explore the lives of all four men, including some of the lesser known parts of Edison and Ford’s banter over political goings-on in the country. The jovial nature in which Guinn presents the book keeps the reader wanting to know more. While there is surely a great deal to tackle, Guinn does not overload the reader with too much, choosing more of a superficial or scattered approach to give the reader context and encourage them to explore more on their own. All the same, Guinn, who has a wonderful knack of pulling me in with most anything he writes, is able to recount the needed information and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. This was a fraternity like no other found in history, though Guinn makes it seem more congenial than competitive. A wonderful complement to the aforementioned biography I read last week and now I will look for something on Ford, Firestone, and perhaps even Burroughs as well!

Kudos, Mr. Guinn for a masterful piece of work. I am glad I took the time to explore this one and cannot wait to see what I can uncover about the Vagabonds in the coming months.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Accident, by Gillian Jackson

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to Gillian Jackson and Sapere Publishers for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Gillian Jackson is back with another thriller that takes the readers into the middle of a horrible event, then tells of the fallout from a number of perspectives. Sure to pique the interested of the open-minded reader, the story tackles loss bereavement, and new hope all at once. They dubbed this storm the Beast from the East, but Hannah Graham was determined to get to work. When her vehicle lost control on one of England’s motorways, it began a series of events that caused a horrible accident. Vehicles piled-up and injuries to many, including three fatalities, but Hannah can remember none of it. Sitting in her hospital bed, she must focus on her recovery, though is tossed a major set-back as well. Joe Parker was not as lucky, involved in the crash and having his wife, Alison, die almost instantly. Alan and Cassie Jones also lost their son and must pick up the pieces as best they can. As the story progresses, Jackson takes the reader into the lives of all three families to show how the accident drastically changes them, at times for the worse but also provided new and exciting opportunities. Still, that February 2, 2018 will forever be etched on the minds of these three families, as they come to terms with how their lives will never be the same. An interesting perspective for a thriller in this short novel that keeps the reader wanting to learn more. Recommended for those who enjoy these multi-perspective stories, as well as the reader who needs a short book to bridge two reading experiences.

I have read a few Gillian Jackson novels in the past and enjoyed them. Their quick story and fast-paced narrative keeps the reader on top of things as the characters rush through a series of events. While the story does switch throughout, protagonist roles would have to go to Hannah Graham and Joe Parker, whose lives are front and centre throughout. Their losses and new approaches to life are highlighted and keep the reader wanting to know a little more. That they cross paths, first at the coroner’s inquest and then in public, allows for a personal connection between them, particular as they process the events of that day. Others make a lesser impact on the reader, but help to enrich the larger narrative and give the protagonists something towards which they strive. The story was not what I expected at the beginning, expecting the accident to be something entirely sinister and perhaps planned. However, it turned into something of a healing piece, as the fragments are picked up and families seek to pull themselves together. Jackson writes in such a way that the reader races through these chapters to get some answers, many of which remain unattainable. Well done for a short reading experience and I am pleased to have been handed a copy!

Kudos, Madam Jackson, for a great piece. I like how you bring things together and keep the reader wondering at the same time.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Edison, by Edmund Morris

Nine stars

History is full of people whose lives have impacted mine in some form or another. While I have always loved reading biographies, I find particular interest in people whose names I know but whose lives remain a mystery to me. While the name Thomas Edison has always been synonymous with the invention of the lightbulb, there is much more to the man’s life. Pulitzer-prize winning author, Edmund Morris, takes the reader through the life and times of this most complex man. While the lightbulb was surely one of his most well-known inventions, Edison was always thinking up new and exciting things to better the world. Averaging one US patent every 12 days of his adult life, Edison was passionate in his ventures, which seemed to change drastically every decade. By dividing the book into parts that loosely depict these scientific ventures, Morris explores the attention to detail that Edison undertook. He was keen to stay ahead of the trends and use his imagination to bring these ideas to life. With little formal scientific training, Edison baffled many around him with the detail and intricacy of his inventions. He proved to be not only an inventor, but also a businessman, manufacturer, family man, salesperson, and critique of others in the domain. What Morris explores is that Edison was also highly opinionated when it came to his interests, not caring who he upset or their notoriety in the world. Morris pairs this with Edison’s extreme deafness, which led to many interesting interactions with others, as well as curious steps taken throughout the experimental process. In a book that is full of Edison’s discoveries and advancements, the reader will discover just how much of an impact the man had on the world, and all because of his imagination paired with a determination to succeed. Recommended to those who love learning about all things scientific and innovation-related, as well as for the reader whose passion is in biographical tomes.

There is so much to learn about Thomas Edison, as shown in this thorough biography. Edmund Morris, award-winning author, does a fabulous job amassing a great deal of information in this singe tome, telling the wonderful aspects of Edison’s life, while constantly reminding the reader of his independence. Morris tackles the book in a series of parts, dividing Edison’s explorations in decade chunks. This is highly effective, as it gives the reader some context and allows the themes to effectively divide the book. Within each part, Morris explores the scores of inventions and plotting that Edison did, linking different decades together with ease. However, as if in a response to a quote by Edison’s daughter found in the introduction, Morris sheds a great deal of light on the man behind the inventions, offering up a great deal of raw truths about that man’s life and personal connections with other, rather than simply the inventor whose made ideas spilled out so readily. In an oddity that I have not seen in other biographies, Morris works in reverse chronology with these aforementioned parts of the book, beginning with the 1920s and working backwards. This proves to be somewhat confusing for the reader used to linear development of a person’s life, with children and grandchildren appearing in the beginning and turning to babies or non-existent throughout. I have not looked to see what others thought of this technique, but it seemed to work well for me. I picked up quickly on names and locales, looking to see when they entered the narrative later (earlier?) in the book. Each part stands as its own massive chapter, with smaller vignettes within them to keep the reader intrigued and not overwhelmed. Morris shows his superior writing style by presenting a great deal of technical information in an easy to digest format and keeping the story intriguing throughout. I have decided to read a little more about Edison and his life-long friendship with Henry Ford in another tome, but felt this was a wonderful start.

Kudos, Mr. Morris, for a wonderful biography of a sensational man.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Warsaw Protocol (Cotton Malone #15), by Steve Berry

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Steve Berry and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

I rushed to begin Steve Berry’s latest Cotton Malone thriller, sure to be filled with historical facts and a great deal of adventure. Berry did not disappoint, mixing some current geo-politics with Poland’s communist era, finding the perfect balance throughout. While Cotton Malone is in Belgium to acquire some rare books, he witnesses the theft of an ancient Christian relic. Unable to stop the thieves, he is detained by the local authorities and questioned. When Malone’s former boss—Stephanie Nelle—come upon him by happenstance, he is intrigued by what brings her to Europe. When Nelle introduces Malone to a member of the new US Administration, they butt heads from the start. Malone is told of a secret auction that is being held to release a cache of highly troubling information about the current Polish President. Entry for the auction comes in the form of one of the central Christian relics, one of which Malone saw lifted earlier. While Malone is not interested in the mission, or helping anyone within the new Administration, his mind changes when he encounters an old friend with whom he had strong ties. Malone agrees to help with the heist to help the Americans gain entry into this auction, but when he meets Janusz Czajkowski, Malone discovers the man is simply trying to protect his country’s sovereignty. At a time when Poland was the plaything of the Soviets, its autonomy was always threatened. Even when the Iron Curtain came down, Poland’s location in Europe made it a pawn in the American war to keep its enemies at bay. After the auction goes sideways, Malone must determine his next move, particularly when the US President tries to strong-arm his own agenda, clueless to international diplomacy. With the blackmail documents hidden somewhere in rural Poland, Malone soon learns about Czajkowski’s past and the Warsaw Protocol, a means of building up the Polish Resistance. Blood will be shed and the reader will learn much about the area, as Berry spins a tale that offers twists at every page turn. Recommended to those who have long enjoyed the Cotton Malone series, as well as the reader who enjoys some spin on some of the current political situation the world over.

I always enjoy when a new Steve Berry novel hits my radar, as I can be assured of a wonderful story and a great deal of history, some of which end up being well-padded fiction. Turning things to Poland, Berry is able to explore this key country in the Soviet Empire and how its independence came at a great cost. Cotton Malone is back for his fifteenth adventure, pushing him to his limits. While Malone is always on his toes in this piece, the reader learns much about some of his past, receiving fragments of a time when he was in the Navy and some of the people who crossed his path. Fully out of the secret Magellan Billet, Malone does not have any protection of the current US Administration, though he makes it clear that he cannot stand POTUS or those who choose to be his sycophants. Others appear throughout and push the narrative forward, while complementing Malone’s presence at every turn. The reader is able to learn much about Poland through certain key characters, as is common with Berry’s novels. The story worked well for me, educating me about a great deal of things, particularly Poland’s emergence from behind the Iron Curtain, as well as how America has continued to use it as a foothold in the region. Berry mixes some of the long-standing history of the country with new threads that play nicely into the modern geo-political situation. With a book comprised primary with short chapters, the reader is able to push through this piece with little issue, finding themselves in the middle of a highly exciting story. I can only hope that Malone and those closest to him will appear again soon in another exciting adventure.

Kudos, Mr. Berry, for another captivating piece. I always enjoy the mix of fact and fiction you present to the reader.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Holdout, by Graham Moore

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Graham Moore and Random House for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When this Graham Moore novel crossed my radar, I could not help but be interested to see how he’d spin this story about a jury faced with a murder trial. The book ended up being so much more, perfect for those who love a good legal drama with a mystery mixed into the plot. Maya Seale is a successful criminal defence attorney in Los Angeles, able to see things from the accused’s point of view with ease. However, she has not always had this wonderful job, having served on a highly-controversial jury a decade before. In 2009, Maya and fourteen others were gathered to hear the case of The People vs. Robert Nock, in which the defendant is accused of killing one of his high school students. Maya engages with the other jurors, none more so than Rick Leonard, as they listen to the evidence and form their own opinions about his guilt. The story depicts how this collection of everyday citizens made the baffling decision to find Nock not guilty, which created immediate vilification by the public. As the story progresses, Moore introduces a second narrative in which the jurors are brought together by a production company to revisit their decision a decade later. While Maya awkwardly encounters Rick Leonard again, the man who shared her bed during the trial and then stabbed her in the back during a tell-all book after the trial, she also gets the chance to remember a lot of what happened during the trial. When Leonard is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, all eyes turn to her as the most likely suspect. Maya, wanting to cleaner her name, collects a number of portfolios Leonard left behind and discovers new and scandalous information about their fellow jurors. As the story flips between 2009 and the present, the readers can fill in all the pieces, from the trial and the current investigation to find out who might have killed Rick Leonard. Additionally, there is the question of what really happened and how the jury’s deliberations turned on a dime. An intriguing legal drama that will leave the reader wondering how much they think they know about an apparent open and shut case, as well as the plight of those tasked with judging a man’s life with filtered evidence. Recommended to those who love all things courtroom, as well as the reader who likes a mystery that slowly unfolds.

I always enjoy something with a legal flavour, particularly when it strays from the cookie-cutter style of writing and leaves me wondering where things will go. Maya Seale takes up the role as the protagonist in this piece, whose role is important in both the 2009 and modern narrative streams. She went into the trial and was sure she could convince any of her fellow jurors of the truth she saw, thinking that Rick Leonard would be the least of her worries. However, she was wrong and spent much of the flashback sections trying to convince them, while seeking to stay one step ahead in the present day narrative as she is accused of killing her one-time lover who sought to hang her out to dry. As she discovers new truths about her fellow jurors, she also must piece together what happened leading up to the trial that split the country. Many other characters make their impact throughout, particularly through a narrative technique that Moore uses, allowing the reader to see things through a variety of perspectives. This, in turn, permits the reader to have a better handle on all aspects of the story and the trial at its core. Graham Moore does a masterful job at presenting a case to the reader, develops the courtroom arguments and pushes the reader into the deliberation room as well. By writing chapters that tell things from the perspective of all the jurors, the reader is given the opportunity to see the story in a new light. Adding the current time period narrative, the story’s plot thickens even more and everything that the reader (and jurors) thought they knew soon goes up in smoke. Powerful in its delivery and easily read in short order, Moore treats the reader to a wonderful legal tale that is anything but straightforward.

Kudos, Mr. Moore, for a lovely way to introduce me to your writing. I will surely be back to read more in the coming months.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Oboe (Cal Rogan #2), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Returning for more of Robert P. French’s crime thrillers, I was again treated to a well-paced novel that placed Cal Rogan in the driver’s seat, unsure where things would take him. Having been reinstates with the Vancouver Police Department, Rogan is called to work the scene of a missing boy, Terry Wright. While scouring in the woods, Terry is located, with many odd markings on his body and face. Rogan and his partner pass along the gruesome news to his parents, discovering that the boy is autistic. It’s now time to await the autopsy, hoping it might shed some light on the murderer. Rogan is sent to look into a hit and run, which turns out to be a targeted attack. Both the victim and the Terry’s mother attend a church with strong ties to spiritual symbolism. Rogan wonders if the markings on Terry Wright might be attributed to the church, though the idea is soon dismissed. However, something has him wondering even more when Terry’s fellow autistic friend begins talking about “oboe is blood”, a hex if Rogan has ever heard one. Working some leads, Rogan is making progress but is soon kidnapped and fed heroin against his will, sure to spoil his random drug tests. When Rogan is able to escape, he puts some pressure on those within the church, thinking that this might be his best lead. The hex is soon explained, though, and things take a turn in another direction. Might there be a business angle here, with a massive payout at the end? Rogan’s time with the Vancouver PD could be coming to an end when his urine test comes back dirty and no one is ready to listen to him. With two victims and no line on a killer, Rogan continues his work, which is only stymied more when his ex-wife goes missing and his daughter’s life is threatened. Rogan has nothing and everything to lose at the same time, in a case that has more twists with every passing hour. A wonderful follow-up novel that keeps the reader guessing until the very end, French shows that he was not a flash in the pan. Recommended to those who love a great crime thriller, as well as the reader who needs a dose of Canadiana.

I always love a book set in my native Canada, as it allows me to feel closer to the action. French begins in the opening chapter and does not let up throughout, keeping the narrative moving at a break-neck pace. Cal Rogan is back for another story, this time working on the right side of the law with goals of reuniting his family. While he will never be able to shake the ‘addict’ label, he has been trying to make a name for himself and stay on the straight and narrow. As French explores mid-way through the piece, while the desire for heroin never ceases, Rogan knows it is beast best left caged. Struggles ensued though Rogan is not yet prepared to toss it all away. His grit and determination help show that he is dedicated to the job, even if those around him are trying to push him out again. The handful of other central characters add both to Rogan’s own personality and the larger narrative. Some returning faces offer more flavour to Rogan and develop a backstory and character development series fans will surely enjoy. The story moves at such a pace that there is little time to take a breath and the mystery only gets better the more twists present themselves. The reader will likely binge the book in one day, as I did, or stay up late to try to find the clues that lead to the final reveal. This was one of those series that appeared out of nowhere for me and I am fully dedicated to finish it before moving onto much else.

Kudos, Mr. French, for keeping me enthralled. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for readers!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart, by John Guy

Eight stars

Turning my attention to a historical figure about whom I have heard much but know little, I chose John Guy’s tome on Mary, Queen of Scots. A woman of great interest whose short life made an impact, both in her native Scotland as well as England, Mary will long be remembered in the annals of history as a strong-willed woman with something to prove. Born the daughter—and only legitimate child—of James V of Scotland, Mary ascended to the throne six days later. While Scotland was ruled by regents, Mary spent much of her time in her mother’s native France, where she was betrothed to Francis, the Dauphin of France. This marriage would, as some at the time proclaimed, make Mary the queen of not only Scotland and France, but also permit her a claim to the English Throne, as she was the grand-niece of Henry VIII and had indisputable Tudor blood in her veins. This piqued the interest of the English, as shall be seen later. When Francis died soon after taking the French Throne, Mary was lost and left when those at Court did not seek to protect her or allow her role as Dowager Queen to hold much merit. When she returned to Scotland, Mary engaged in promoting the Scottish rights and soon married her half-cousin, Henry Stuart. Rightful Queen of Scotland, Mary engaged in what could be said to be tense relations with her distant cousin, Elizabeth I of England. ‘Sisters’, as they referred to one another, Mary and Elizabeth eyed each other with trepidation, as Guy depicts so well in his tome. Mary bore a son, James, ensuring an heir to the throne, but things went downhill from there. When Henry died in an explosion, Mary was again a widow, but she need not wait too long, as the man accused (and acquitted) of the act, James Hepburn, soon took her as his wife. Guy explores the role that Mary might have had in her second husband’s death, as well as how this could have advanced her control in Scotland. However, the people of Scotland could see this wily couple for what they seemed and a revolt saw Mary forced to abdicate and pave the way for her one-year-old son, James VI, to take the throne. Fleeing Scotland, Mary sought refuge in England with Elizabeth I, but the English monarch as too cunning to simply provide refuge. After keeping Mary captive for over eighteen years, Elizabeth I had her ‘sister’ executed after found guilting of plotting an assassination plot. Perhaps Mary ought never to have made a claim to the English Throne all those years ago. John Guy takes the reader through this tumultuous life with a great deal more detail than I expected, which thickens the plot and will keep readers astounded until the final page turn in a tome that has recently been made into a full-length movie. Recommended to history buffs like myself who seek something meaty about the goings-on in 16th century Europe, as well as the reader who loves all things regal and full of intrigue.

As with many of the biographies that I have read over the years, John Guy does a formidable job of laying down the groundwork for a strong story and builds on it from there. His attention to detail and formulation of a strong narrative helps keep the biography moving along. Guy is able to convey the highly varied and exciting life lived by Mary throughout, paying particular attention to some of the more dramatic aspects that led to her downfall. Some may wonder why my summary paragraph was much shorter than usual. I chose not to reveal much, as I wanted other readers to learn many of the nuggets I found throughout. The book paced itself nicely, allowing the story to develop and the reader to discover some of the nuances in Mary’s life, particularly her life as a monarch. Guy’s use of many documents not used for centuries helps to answer some questions past historians have left out while also challenging many of the norms history has attributed to this most controversial queen. Guy presents these documents in the text, at times explaining their significance to the reader and discussing how some of this is ‘new ground’ that will flavour his tome differently from what others have noticed. I found myself better acquainted with the key actors in this dramatic Europeans monarchical soap opera and would love to see the film based on this book, if only to discover if the clashes between Elizabeth and Mary were as subtle as they appear herein. Guy transports the reader back centuries, but brings the entire story to life in the present. His longer chapters are through and his easy to comprehend narrative makes for a wonderful learning experience that does not get too academic. I hope to find more of his work in the coming years to educate myself on more topics!

This book fulfils Topic #2: Time Traveller, in the Equinox #9 reading challenge.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

I Have a Dream, by Martin Luther King Jr. (illustrations by Kadir Nelson)

Nine stars

While we do not celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Canada, the sentiments that MLK evoked in many of his speeches and actions are at the heart of the Canadian spirit. I read this version of the famous “I have a dream…” speech because someone close to me ask if I would. I am so very pleased that I took the time to read and absorb everything that is in it. This book offers some powerfully illustrated pages with an abridged version of the speech, as well as a full text copy at the back, both of which are very important for the reader to digest. The illustrations alone are some of the most powerful I have seen in a book, but the text truly brings the sentiment home. King speaks about how things had not changed from 1863–when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation—through to the date of the speech, in 1963. I sit here, on January 20, 2020 and think that 157 years have not made much difference. While there have been advancements, the world populace is still in a rut of racism, hatred, and class system based on the colour of one’s skin and what they accept as a personal creed. The world turns to its leaders for guidance and action (as, perhaps, King turned to JFK and then LBJ), but America has locked itself into a leader whose bigotry, misogyny, and racism is as blunt as the intellect his puts forth when he opens his mouth. “But he speaks for the people of America, the grassroots people who cast votes for him, across the country,” some will say. That, in and of itself is enough to show that there are serious issues.

How can we sit here, one-fifth of the way into the 21st century and still have such hatred for someone based on their skin or religion? How can we continue to push along and think it is ok to allow others, leaders especially, to stand around and spout this garbage? It sickens me to think that this is acceptable in the world today. This is a domestic issue, an international one. It is at the heart of the laws and the constitutionality of the state. No one can brush this off and say, “but look at this aspect of the country”, for this interconnects with all things. On the eve of a sobering experience of constitutional rendering, America stands and calls it a political issue, yanking the blindfold off Lady Justice and choking her with it, pretending that there is anything forthright with these actions. Martin Luther King, Jr. sought equality and fairness, but I am sure he’d be even more embarrassed with today’s America, and the world. I venture to say George Wallace would be right there with him!

For those who can vote on November 3, 2020, do what you will. But, I would ask that each and every one of you read this speech—if not this book—ahead of time. The world is watching to see how you want to be seen, and what stain you wish to make or launder going into 2021.

I, too, have a dream… and hope Neo can live long enough to see it.

Kudos, Dr. King, for being so frank and honest. Your words resonate with me, as does your memory!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Note Man, by Andrew Pine

Seven stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Andrew Pine for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Drawn to the premise of Andrew Pine’s book, I settled in to see if the actual novel would be as exciting. There were certainly some moments, after a slow start to the narrative. Peter Jeffries is going through his mid-life crisis after being made redundant at his place of work. Unsure how he will tell his wife and teenage daughter, Peter begins to notice the world around him and is not impressed. He comes to realise just how poorly people in Boston drive, not using their signal lights and being much more erratic than needed. Peter wonders if there is something he can do, wanting to make a difference and leave the roads safer. When not looking for work, Peter devises a plan to leave notes on the windshields of offending drivers, in hopes of jarring them into following the rules. Using short messages on Post-It notes, Peter begins his crusade as “The Note Man”, watching from a distance. He notices mixes results and decides to deliver follow-up notes to those who do not heed the warning on their windshields. When one of his notes results in a reaction he did not expect, Peter is left in a quandary, having crossed one of the Irish Mob’s senior officials. While they cannot identify him directly, Peter is surely on their radar. Aware of a crime that has been committed while he was staking out one of his notes, Peter is determined to create new ways of letting the Irish know he is onto them. Flirting with danger, Peter cannot help himself, even if it means the safety of those around him might be in jeopardy. An interesting read that I was able to do in quick order. Those readers who can suffer through a little bit of a slow opening will likely enjoy this piece.

Road rage is nothing new in this day and age, so much so that Pine opens the novel with a fictionalised account of an incident he witnessed outside of Boston. Turning this issue into a full-length novel, with the protagonist serving as a vigilante who is trying to find his place in the world was surely a genius move. Peter Jeffries plays his literary role well as he finds himself looking at the wrong end of employment. Trying to connect with his wife and daughter proves easier some days than others, though he is determined not to get lost in the shuffle. When he takes up his vigilante role of trying to make the streets of Boston a little safer, the reader sees a different side to Peter, one in which he has shed the humble accountant and finds a new boldness. Other characters surely add to the story, particularly in the latter half of the book. The reader will find things pick up with the addition of these new and more nefarious cast of individuals. The story flowed rather well, once Pine got the initial lugubrious foundation out of the way. Once the narrative picked up, the reader could surely find themselves feeling things gaining momentum. Mid-length chapters do not deter the reader from flowing through, as I did in a single day. While I rarely become critical of aspects other than the literary nature of a book, I cannot end this review without bringing to light of literal gaffes that were highly bothersome. Spelling and grammatical errors peppered the book, basic things that should not have been overlooked. In addition, Pine seems to be fighting with how to express time, as in the actual hour of the day. At times it is 6:15pm, others 6.15, while 18h15 and 18h15pm also make appearances. This sloppiness should never have made it to print and I hope you take back any money you paid an editor, Mr. Pine. If you did not invest in one, do so. This sloppy display cheapens the novel and cost one star in the rating. Take pride in the work before rushing things to print.

Kudos, Mr. Pine, for a great concept. If only it had not been muddied with grammar school gaffes!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Perfect Kill (D.I. Callanach #6), by Helen (Sarah) Fields

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Helen Fields and Avon Books UK for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Returning to this stellar police procedural series, I was eager to discover how Helen Fields would tackle some of the major cliffhangers she left for readers. She’s surely spun things around and developed a multi-pronged storyline that will keep series fans talking and the reader enjoying this one until the final page. With DI Luc Callanach on the outs with his boss at MIT Police Scotland, he has agreed to make his way to France and help out an old INTERPOL colleague. When they discover the remains of a body—its internal organs removed—Callanach is baffled about who or what might be lurking in the shadows. Some preliminary DNA traces it back to a missing Scottish boy, forcing Callanach to get on the phone with DCI Ava Turner, this aforementioned boss and past love interest. Turner takes the call and agrees to make the notification, but is working some cases of her own. Someone has discovered the body of a man, shot in the head. Found in a seedy part of Edinburgh, there are some obvious signs of trying to clean up the scene. Add to that, a young man has gone missing out of thin air and no one can make sense of it. While both cases progress, Callanach learns of an underground organ transplant ring and tries to infiltrate it, but must be extremely delicate, while DCI Turner’s leads send her on a few wild chases, including to a pig farm. Both Turner and Callanach must also tackle feelings from their recent amorous tiff and news of a friend that leaves them broken. With two additional underlying plots related to people in captivity, this book leaves little time to breathe or process. Fields has done it again, with a stellar piece of writing. Recommended to those who love this series and need another reason, as well as the reader who loves a police procedural that leaves it all out on the field (pun intended).

I discovered this series a while back and cannot get enough of it. The mix of Scottish and French beliefs adds depth to the story and a layer of humour I have not found elsewhere. Luc Callanach remains a wonderful protagonist, still smarting from some of his choices, but eager to help back in France. His police work is balanced nicely with an air of compassion, both for Ava, as well as those around him on the case. We do not get much more back story, or even processing what happened, but Callanach does well keeping things professional as best he can. Contrasting nicely with this is DCI Ava Turner, whose supervisory role has been violated again, but she is still trying to shake off the feelings she has for Callanach. Compartmentalising these is difficult, but she as a few major cases on her plate, let alone the news of a friend’s illness. Juggling all this, as well as professional interactions with Callanach begin the wear her down to the nub. Others make recurring or new appearances and keep the story fresh, from all angles. Fields has done well to develop some characters who pull the reader in, while others are surely repulsive enough that no one wants near them. The plot was strong and worked well for me, balancing a Scotland and France angle, tying things together effectively without muddying the waters too much. There is that ongoing Callanach-Turner strain that has kept the series on edge for a while, which does not dissipate here. As series fans scream for some resolution, they also bask in the awkwardness that continues throughout. I am eager to see where things are headed, as this series never disappoints.

Kudos, Madam Fields, for another stellar instalment in the series. I hope you have many more ideas for your crew!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Trust: Twenty Ways to Build a Better Country, by David Johnston

Eight stars

A fan of all things political, I was eager to get my hands on this book by Canada’s former Governor-General David Johnston. Not a memoir or a biography, this tome is more a piece of inspirational academic writing in which Johnston explores how to strengthen a country’s connection to its citizens, and how said people can connect better with themselves. Johnston offers twenty ways in which the state and its people can come together to form a stronger and more cohesive country, through day to day activities and mindsets. Be it choosing to do the right thing over what one is tasked to do, helping others in their time of need, or even exploring how to better one’s self to positively impact the larger whole, the book promotes trust through these and other actions. Johnston uses concrete examples from his own life, as well as pieces ripped from the headlines of crises with whom many will have a recollection, to hammer home his points. This provides a less esoteric approach to his arguments and personalises the entire experience. While likely not for everyone, Johnston offers up his examples in such a way that anyone could relate and take on the challenge of bettering themselves for the benefit of the country as a whole. I liked it and did learn a great deal, but it does have a niche that I am not sure how others might enjoy these inspirational vignettes.

While I am used to the bloodier side of politics, it is nice to turn to something a little lighter from time to time. I can hear readers of this review now, “Isn’t everything Canadians ‘a little lighter and more upbeat’?” In all honesty, David Johnston’s piece here offers Canadians (and anyone else who chooses to read it) a little something to move them in the right direction. As the piece is drawn on his experiences, Johnston’s narrative is Canada heavy, though his position as Canada’s Governor-General makes it a little more worldly when he speaks of things he saw during his travels. The book is not necessarily written in an academic fashion, but there is no getting around that some of the themes lend themselves to a more mental bantering than simple chatter around the pub table. That being said, Johnston writes in such an open manner as to make it easy to understand and readers almost want to forge ahead to learn a little more. I was able to put this on audio and enjoy Johnston recount his experiences, learning while also not feeling as though I had to strain to pay attention to every nuance. These personal experiences have made me want to learn more about David Johnston and I know that I would read a memoir or biographical piece about his life. Then again, I am Canadian, so I need all the “lighter and more upbeat” that I can get!

Kudos, Rt. Hon. David Johnston (I admit, the proper title eludes me), for this great piece of writing. I felt inspired and more curious throughout this reading journey.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, by Deepa Anappara

Six Stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Deepa Anappara and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Delving into to the darker side of life in India, Deepa Anappara presents readers with this most impactful mystery. With close to two hundred children disappearing off Indian streets daily, this story about a missing child leaves the reader feeling a little less than comfortable. Jai may only be nine years old, but he seems to know just how life ought to be. When a boy goes missing in his school, Jai works with some of his friends to locate the young boy. Well-versed on police procedurals from his time watching television, Jai is sure hat he can lead a brigade just like on the screen. He’ll come across a great deal fo poverty, with people who will do and sell anything for their next meal, and travel late into the night to the far reaches of the city, all in hopes of capturing a killer, just like those on television. Refusing to back down, Jai encounters a number of stumbling blocks along the way, including incompetent police officers, members of gangs, and even the mysterious djinn, a spirit with a penchant for children. Forgetting the danger that creeps up regularly Jai will not return without answers, all in a place where another missing child is swept into the rubbish bin and forgotten. Jai refuses to ignore his intuition, even as those around him write him off as foolish. An interesting take with a strong backstory, surely of interest to some readers. That being said, I could not effectively connect with the story and it left me needing more to sustain my attention.

I am always fascinated to learn about new countries and cultures, particularly when the reader hails from that part of the world. Deepa Anappara not only spent her early life in India, but has written extensively about child disappearances and poverty on the streets. She brings much to the table in this piece, using a number of essential young characters to give the story a different perspective. The use of Jai and his friends helps to enrich the story for a reader who may know little about life on the streets or the horrible statistics about missing children. As this young boy looks for his classmate, he is fuelled by the sense that he, too, can locate someone in short order, as though he were closing a case before the credits scroll, like his favourite television personalities. The cast of characters seems to work well, different from one another and always trying to provide additional flavouring when it is useful. The story itself was well crafted and paces itself relatively well. I suppose I found myself lost in the shuffle from character depictions and how things developed. There is a strong story and the narrative keeps the reader intrigued, but I could not find a place on which to latch myself. Like many of the faceless people who see and hear nothing, I felt as though the essential aspects of the book passed me by. To see that others enjoyed it is pleasing, though I am surely going to sit in the minority outside the tent and say that this book was not one I found stellar.

Kudos, Madam Anappara, for shedding some light on the horrors of missing children. I trust many will find the pieces I could not in this novel and give you the praise you seek.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination, by Brian Jay Jones

Nine stars

Always keen to learn a little something about others, I eagerly reached out for Brian Jay Jones’ biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, to see what I could learn about this most inspirational man. Geisel, who was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, was from strong German stock and born in the early years of the 20th century. Accepting an anglicized version of his name, ‘Ted’ spent much of his youth as a dedicated young boy with a handful of friends, but was also keenly aware that his heritage would see him ridiculed and mocked, particularly during the Great War. Always ready with a joke, Geisel found a spot at post-secondary with ease and began writing for his college publication, using his imagination to liven up the stories and articles with some of his early ‘Seussian’ comments on life around him. It was only when he attended Oxford for a year of post-graduate studies—earning a spot through his father’s money, rather than academic prowess—that someone noticed his ability to sketch out drawings that could catch the eye. Geisel used this to his advantage, though he had little else on which to rely, as his academics were anything but stellar. Geisel used quirky drawings and punchy lines to get into the advertising business, landing a national campaign for an insecticide that lasted for years. All the while, he worked on a children’s book, with limited success until an old college chum pulled some strings. The gamble paid off, though not as successfully as Geisel might have hoped. Geisel had an idea about how to make things work for the intended audience and not just the publisher.

Working as an editorial cartoonist allowed Geisel to stretch his wings and dabble into the world of political satire. Geisel excelled here, but found that some of his opinions rubbed readers the wrong way. He used these strong opinions to pave the way into the US Army for the Second World War, serving to educate the troops on a number of topics. Brian Jay Jones offers a lengthy discussion of this time, which proved highly important in his overall success.

It was in a post-war era that Geisel found some success as he continued to espouse the importance of writing for and not at children. He was becoming a name in the publishing industry and his work was begin circulated as he taught up and comers how to secure their audience. Geisel’s successes began to appear at this time, including The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Jones describes the ongoing successes from there, including how Geisel created a type of early reader genre that would allow young readers to find their footing before progressing. Geisel was a tyrant when it came to this and his cut-throat antics are depicted repeatedly throughout the tome. However, his successes continued, as Geisel was able to find new and exciting ways to interest his readers, as well as their families. Juggling personal tragedy throughout, this childless man proved to be the father of modern children’s books and his successes continued, taking simply concepts and imbuing themes that spoke to all ages to promote some of his ideas.

Towards the latter portion of the book, Jay explores an older Geisel, whose successes continued as he refused to give up. Health concerns slowed him down, but Geisel wanted to keep working to appease the children. His books began to offer up some persona sentiments, layered in a children’s story, which left some to wonder if Geisel might be using his fame to peddle a specific agenda. As Geisel’s health deteriorated, he had to accept ahis limitations and was recognized for many of his key accomplishments. Jones explores how all this weighed on Geisel, as well as the decades of fans he acquired. By the final stages, Geisel’s legacy was firmly rooted in children’s literature, as well as his passion to ensure children loved to read. Even after his death, the Seuss legacy is strong and his impact resonates with generations, even today!

I cannot say enough about this piece, other than to admit that Dr. Seuss was much more complex than I first imagined. His life was full of the ups and downs one would expect from a man with such talent, something that Brian Jay Jones captured with great talent throughout. Geisel seemed to meander around, trying to find his niche, with a supportive wife there to keep him pointing forward, though even that did not always work to his advantage. While he always appeared to have wonderfully addictive story ideas and drawings, Jones depicts Geisel as being a man who was his own harshest critic and who could, at times, stumble as he fell into an abyss of his own making. Most astounding of all, Geisel had no formal training in writing for children and no little ones of his own, so this self-developed skill is even more astounding, as Jones depicts all his successes. Geisel could be harsh to those around him, though he always saw the benefit of the child and cherished their desire to learn. Geisel would never lose this passion, wanting perfection to advance the learning ability of children as they discovered books. Jones does not shy away from the darker side to Ted Geisel, showing that he was simply human and suffered defeat, loss, and even weaknesses, but the man also had boundless amounts of humour that helped him get through the valleys on his way to new peaks. The book paces itself so well, with a strong narrative that is full of information. I could not go more than a page or two without learning something that stuck with me. Jones uses detailed chapters, without drowning the reader in minutiae, to project a strong set of characteristics that made Ted Geisel the man he became. Extensive research surely went into this piece and anyone who takes the time to read it will bask in Geisel’s accomplishments. The world lost a legend when he passed on, but the Seuss legacy remains strong for children—and adults—of all ages!

Kudos, Mr. Jones, for this stunning biography. I will be looking into some of your other work in short order.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

A Cold Trail (Tracy Crosswhite #7), by Robert Dugoni

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Dugoni and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Returning for another instalment of this series, I turn to Robert Dugoni and hope that the quality remains high and the plot twists plentiful. I was not disappointed with this novel, which returns to some roots and provides a core storyline that many series fans will surely enjoy. Tracy Crosswhite is on the mend, with a newborn and an energetic husband. As they renovate the home Dan’s parents once owned, Tracy is back in Cedar Grove, alongside all the memories of her youth. When a house fire kills a local journalist, the town is abuzz with the news, though it is something she was working on that has Tracy more than interested. New revelations about a case from two decades before have come to life, casting doubt that a young woman’s death was at the hands of the same serial killer who murdered Tracy’s sister. The local police are happy to let Tracy use her Seattle skills to help uncover the truth, though she remains uncertain if she wants to thrust herself into the path of danger yet again. When Tracy sees the ME’s report, she is left to wonder if a new batch of suspects might have had motive to kill. Now, all those who have seen the report are dying, likely not from the natural causes to which things have been attributed. Meanwhile, Dan has been doing some legal work in town, helping a store owner negotiate with the town council about buying his property. The council lawyer seems to be pushing hard to offer a settlement, but Dan cannot be entirely sure if there is more to the story. When someone targets Tracy at the house while Dan is away, everything becomes a little more real and the fragile balance of work and home life come crashing together. Might both Tracy and Dan have taken on more than they can chew in Cedar Grove? Another great piece in the series that has me devouring the story and hoping for more. Recommended to series fans who need a little Tracy Crosswhite fix, as well as the reader who loves a small-town mystery with big-city thrills.

I have loved this series since I first got my hands on it and this book has not disappointed whatsoever. Dugoni has a great handle on the characters, plot, and development, even as he juggles a few writing commitments at this time. Returning to Cedar Grove is surely tough for Tracy Crosswhite, where the memories of her childhood linger and knowledge that her sister’s murder two decade before remains on the minds of everyone she sees. Tracy is forced to face many of these fears and the people she knew growing up, though she sees many of them in a new light. Her struggles with that are balanced with the unknowns around being a new mother and trying to do what is best for her daughter. Throughout, the reader can see the pull of both worlds, as well as Tracy trying to define how her life as a detective might be permanently changed, what with a little one who depends on her. This is nicely offset with her husband, Dan, who has some of the same issues, but more that Tracy is thrusting herself into danger. He struggles to determine if he should and can be that protector for his family, while also keeping up a legal practice. Introspection for both characters enriches the story immensely. There are a handful of others who grace the pages and add depth to an already jam-packed story, keeping the reader attentive to all the clues and possible motives that lurk behind every corner. Dugoni does well to bring the story ‘home’ in a sense, allowing Crosswhite and the others to focus on the small picture, which is actually part of the larger one (if that makes sense). With a mix of short chapters that propel the reader forward and longer ones that set the stage for more excitement, this novel is one that can be tackled in short order, as the pages melt away. A legal thriller and police procedural rolled into one, this is one of Dugoni’s best in the series.

Kudos, Mr. Dugoni, for another stellar piece of work. I am so very excited to see how well things are going and cannot wait to see where you take your readers next.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The World As It Is: Inside the Obama White House, by Ben Rhodes

Nine stars

Having a keen interest in most things political, I was drawn to this workplace memoir by Ben Rhodes, one of the senior staffers in the Obama White House. Working in the policy and speechwriting areas, Rhodes offers some insight into the work done over the eight years President Obama served as Commander in Chief, as well as offering some bookend comments about the Administrations on either side of those two terms in office. Rhodes had long be a political junkie and used some of his early skills at writing major political documents surrounding the War in Iraq. However, he sought a spark and passion to propel him forwards, latching onto the up and coming Barrack Obama. Working to create a persona that many have come to know well, Rhodes offered up strong speaking points and policy announcements while being “in the room” for key decisions and events. Rhodes discusses at length some of the key decisions in tackling the two wars in which America found itself at the start of 2009, while also discussing the shift as the dominoes began to far in the Arab world in the years that followed. While Obama may not always have agreed wholeheartedly with the approach, Rhodes appeared able to push things in a forward direction as countries like Egypt and Libya began to fall away from autocratic rule. Rhodes mentions the meticulous work that Obama took to hone his speeches, trying not only to lecture the listener, but also shape policy and international sentiment. Carefully parsed words and quotes permitted strong sentiments to shine through, without the need for a iron fist. Even into the second administration, when Obama began looking for some legacy events, Rhodes made sure to guide his boss in the direction of always leaving an impact and not working strictly to appease the masses. The rise of Syrian issues and the ongoing struggle to keep Israel and the Palestinians from shedding blood, Obama sought to find new ways to quell the fighting, with Rhodes right there with him to offer strongly worded statements and policy directives. Forging key policy to bring America in line to an open dialogue with Cuba and into a nuclear agreement with the Iranians, Rhodes depicts the difficulties that had to be overcome and the silence essential to ensure nothing went sideways. The latter potion of the book explores that ’swan song’ time in a two-term president’s life, when it is time to tie things off for the next office holder, although no one seemed ready to admit it would be the glitzy and politically clueless Donald J. Trump, whose racist views and smear tactics were sure to dismantle much of the work that had been accomplished—not far off from the truth in 2020– as quickly as the inauguration could be completed. In a book that seeks to shed some light and praise on a many he greatly respected, Ben Rhodes shows what it was like to work for a great political figure who sought to use his intelligence rather than the shattered glass ceiling that came in November 2008. A well-documented piece for the politically curious. Recommended to those who enjoy political biographies that take the reader behind the curtain to explore the inner workings.

I will be the first to admit that I have much distain for the current US Administration and the way they are handling things. However, after a number of smear books about the foibles in that circus, I wanted something a little more substantive and turned to Ben Rhodes to teach me more about the political landscape, when America was still great. While some would say that Obama did not do enough, Rhodes effectively argues that much was accomplished and the moves were paced and thoroughly discussed before being acted upon. The world looks to America to be a leader, or at least a strong player in international relations. Rhodes shows how he helped move Obama and the country in the direction of positive outcomes, while many parts of the world teetered on the brink. To see many of the initiatives done to forge peace and lasting stability, I was happy to discover the extent of bi- or multi-lateral negotiations to find solutions. It is disheartening to see years of work dismantled in short order by a man who likely takes orders from a Moscow dacha, but that is what Rhodes may be hinting at, with the focus of his book, building up the greatnesses and letting that linger on the air, as news reports highlight quick negations with each new cycle of information. This cannot and surely does not lessen the work Obama and Rhodes—as well as a handful of others—did to build a great America. The reader must understand that this is not a glimpse into much of the domestic work done during the Administration, though there are some general hints at its progress and the hurdles Congress placed at times as well. A heartfelt piece with long and thorough chapters will help the reader see into the thoughts of Obama and those closest to him, throughout the ups and downs of pulling America from the brink and ensuring its greatness. With an election under a year away, perhaps the American electorate can think on some of the international advancements made by the past administration and seek to stop the dismantling, led by a foreign government’s insistence, that has left America a farce by segments of the world population. We shall see what comes of all the in-fighting as I grab for some popcorn and watch the circus unfold!

Kudos, Mr. Rhodes, for showing how impactful Obama could be over those eight years in office and how you were able to help shape some of the great decisions made during that time.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Wake the Devil, by Ryan Adam

Six stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Ryan Adam for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Having never read anything by Ryan Adam beforehand, I was drawn in solely by the blurb on the dust jacket. That short summary promised a mix of mystery and some historical fiction, peppered with a touch of reality to leave the reader to parse through what they might like to believe. Truman Newirth arrives in New Orleans to take possession of a piece of property left to him by his family. Newirth has come from San Francisco and certainly senses the great difference. her in the Big Easy. When he discovers that the building of which he is about to take possession has ties to the Axeman Murders of the early 20th century, he is both disgusted and intrigued, hoping to learn more. The story then travels back to 1917, to a time in New Orleans when the city is being haunted by a killer, the Axeman. This character has targeted Italians, beginning by sneaking into their house though the kitchen door. After making their way to the bedroom, the Axeman hacked them to bits, leaving a bloody mess in his wake. Both the police and the local newspaper are baffled, unsure how to make sense of it all. Could it be a crude new means of Mafioso vengeance? Reporter Johnathan Newirth—great-grandfather to Truman—works diligently on the greatest story of his young career, unable to crack the code. When the Axeman publishes an ultimatum, everyone waits to see who might be next to die by the axe, and whether the authorities have the gumption to make an arrest that will save the city from future worry. The tale spans both time periods and it is only revelations at the end that ensure the reader better understands the Axeman and the crimes that shook New Orleans a century ago. Interesting in its premise, though I found myself drowning in the narrative. Hopefully others will be able to extract the spark of intrigue that I could not locate throughout my reading experience.

While the book appeared to have all the ingredients for success, I could not follow the direction that Ryan Adam sought to take the reader in this publication. Working in two time periods, one would have thought the mystery would have added depth and interest, but the opening section, set in 2004, seemed like an extended prologue that would not end. I kept looking to see why the reader needed to learn so much about Truman and this house he had enter his possession, learning only that Adam seemed to want to build up some curiosity that is sated only when the story flashes back in time. The bulk of the story, set in 1917-19, has some potential, as the city is reeling from these blood-filled murders. Why are Italians being targeted and who might be next? What motive might someone have to do this horrible killings and how are they able to stay off the radar of an accomplished police force and a witty journalist. I cannot pinpoint where things went wrong for me, but I can garner the sense that Adam’s writing did not stand off the page for me. It seemed to flow with ease and the story did move forward, but I could not find myself drawn to want to read thoroughly and intensely to discover how things would resolve themselves. It is a pity, for I was looking forward to a gripping story and gritty murder investigation—both from the angles of the police and a journalist—but was left feeling as though someone was sawing my neck with an old butter knife. Perhaps the brilliance is embedded in there for others, but I surely missed it in my reading experience. A mix of chapter lengths and the two time periods leave the reader wanting to learn a little more, as well as using what looks to be time-appropriate language and headline-grabbing sentences. Adam may simply have missed the mark for me, but I encourage others to see if this book is as riveting as the blurb makes it seem to be.

Kudos, Mr. Adam, for a good effort. I think you may have just lost me in this one. I’d be willing to try another of your books, or return to this one, down toe road.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Cabal (Cal Rogan #5), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Robert P. French for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Having binge-read all four previous books by Robert P. French in as many days, I was eager to get my hands on this latest novel in the Cal Rogan series. When a terrorist bomb explodes in Ottawa, the reverberations can be felt as far away as Vancouver. Cal Rogan is approached by one of his friends from his life on the streets, asking that he look into finding the next of kin for a fellow homeless man who was recently killed. Rogan agrees, knowing that this will be a pro bono case, something he will have to sell to his partner. At Stammo Rogan Investigations, Nick Stammo is meeting with a man whose wife has a habit of disappearing weekly for unknown reasons. After meeting together, Stammo and Rogan pursue their cases, only to discover a connection between the dead homeless man and the terrorist attack in Ottawa. Further documents on the man’s possession show that there may have been illegal goings-on at the top of the Canadian Government. While Stammo follows his own leads, he discovers something equally disturbing and a woman roped into staying quiet. As Rogan and Stammo work to reveal just how sinister things are within the Canadian Government, their lives are thrust into danger, alongside an intelligence officer and a journalist who knows how to press just the right buttons. The safety of all involved hang in the balance in this stunning crime thriller that exemplifies how some use power to pursue nefarious actions. French continues to impress with this series, sure to pull any curious reader into the middle of something exciting. Recommended to those who love crime thrillers with a political twist, as well as those who enjoy something with a little more Canadian flavour.

Any good series deserves some binge reading and Robert P. French’s novels surely rank above some of the best I have read for a long time. Over the past few days, I have learned a great deal about Cal Rogan and his rise back to a degree of normalcy, but also the constant blips on the screen when it comes to his family and the heroin habit that haunts him. Rogan seems to have accepted that he will never be able to find solace with his ex-wife and daughter, as he thrusts them into constant danger no matter what happens. He keep in touch as best he can, but is also willing to move forward and find new sparks in his life. Those sparks are tempered with a return to heroin, something that can be attributed to the loss of his family. However, Rogan will not set aside his passion to help others, pursuing mysteries wherever they lead him. This was the most harrowing story in the series to date, seeing Rogan head to the nation’s capital to track down a killer and collection of villains whose entire purpose is the cause havoc. Nick Stammo remains a strong secondary characters as well, coming out of his shell but also putting himself at risk to the extreme. There are other key characters who place writhing the book could surely enhance the series, should they stick around. That being said, any solo character appearance in this piece enriches the narrative and adds depth to the various plots. The story remained as strong as any other French novel and kept moving at a break-neck pace, only adding to the reader’s enjoyment. With a mix of perspectives woven into the different chapters, I am eager to see what else French has to come, keeping the reader on the edge of their seats while injecting some harrowing plots throughout. This is definitely strong thriller writing with a Canadian flavour, something I thoroughly enjoy. I hope others will take the time to enjoy this series as well.

Kudos, Mr. French, for another explosive thriller. I am eager to see what else Cal Rogan and Nick Stammo might face, allowing me to further my interest in this series.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving

Nine stars

To begin the year, I tackled one of John Irving’s classic novels that found me laughing throughout, while also extracting some of the serious themes. Owen Meany is a small child, much tinier than those his age. With this, he has the most grating voice one could imagine. Some attribute this to the family granite company, while others prefer to keep the mystery alive. Owen is unlike many other children his age, as his best friend, John Wheelwright, has come to discover. One summer day in 1953, Owen hits a foul ball on the baseball field and ends up killing John’s mother. Owen attributes this as an act of God, one in which he is a vessel for the Almighty. The rest of the novel is set in a number of vignettes involving John and Owen, surrounding by a number of other characters who cross their paths throughout this complex friendship. From a number of interactions with the Wheelwright family through to stunning decisions that could significantly shape his adult life, Owen Meany finds a way to make his impact felt by all those around him, sometimes in a saviour-like manner. This storyline is contrasted nicely with the adult John Wheelwright who has left his native New Hampshire and settled in Toronto, exploring some of the goings-on in modern (1987) America. Having been a resident of Canada for over twenty years, it would seem Wheelwright is unable to accept his new home and struggles significantly with the political foibles in the US, things he superimposes his own Owen Meany perspective upon. Stunning in its delivery and slow momentum build, the story is a lot more than it seems on the surface. Recommended to those readers who love tales that take their time but leave literary breadcrumbs throughout, as well as the reader who enjoys a meandering tale full of messages.

While he has penned a number of great pieces, I have never read John Irving. Even this book was not familiar to me when placed on my reading challenge list. I was not entirely sure how I would feel about it when I read the dust jacket blurb, but I cannot say enough now. Layered between a religious undertone and preachy child who seems to know it all, the story developed in a meandering fashion, but always seemed able to push forward. I found Owen to be as annoying as ever from the opening pages, but I stuck with him and noticed that he has some redeeming moments, even though he seems too pompous and pious for his own good. His prophetic ways and odd obsession with older women—both in admiration and an odd sexual manner—leaves the reader wondering about him, yet also transfixed by his oddities. Even with John as the narrator, Owen seems almost takes centre stage and does not defer at any time. I did enjoy John’s character, as he comes of age alongside his best friend and seems never to hold animosity for the accidental death of his mother. Inseparable for most of the book, John and Owen seem to grow together and experience life through many of same experiences, though their lenses differ greatly. The flash-forwards to John’s 1987 life show that he remains committed to being Owen’s narrative protector and seems unable to divorce himself from his American roots, refusing the conform to the Canada he accepted as his new home. With strong religious ties to his Episcopalian (Anglican) upbringing, John Wheelwright sheds some of that on the reader as well. With a full cast of wonderfully diverse characters, the story moves forward and is flavoured repeatedly as things take many a tangential turn. Irving is a master at this type of colourful depiction, never losing the reader, no matter how far off the beaten path things get. The story appears to be a quilted collection of memories and vignettes, but soon finds its groove and the reader is able to see the themes that Irving embeds within the narrative. These gems slowly come to create a larger masterpiece that the patient reader is able to see for themselves by the final few pages. I am happy that I was able to last this lengthy piece, as its rewards surely outweigh the non-linear nature of the story at times.

Kudos, Mr. Irving, for a stunning piece well worthy of a nine-star rating!

This book fulfils the January requirement of the Mind the Bookshelf Gap reading challenge.

This book also fulfils Topic #3: Children Matter, in the Equinox #9 reading challenge.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Three (Cal Rogan #4), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Robert P. French uses this Cal Rogan novel to immediately follow the last, where the protagonist is in a heap of trouble for three murders he’s committed, one of which is the son of his own partner. While Rogan gets all that sorted, Nick Stammo opens a new case in which a wealthy woman is trying to locate her husband. It would seem he has been dodging her, which forces Stammo to wonder if there might be something he is not being told. When Rogan is able to return to the office, he sets out to locate Dale Summers, only to discover his body with a set of numbers carved into it. When the case seems open and shut, new evidence blows it wide open and Rogan is tasked with trying to find the murderer, working in tandem with his old partners in the Vancouver Homicide Squad. At the same time, Rogan is trying to bring his family closer together, though his ex-wife and daughter seem to have fallen off the radar. Could it be his past and the nature of his current work make them no longer interested in all the drama? As the homicide investigation heat up, Rogan takes on a case to help an elderly couple who were swindled. Thinking that this will be a simple bullying of a con man, Rogan rushes to a fundamentalist church to tighten some thumb screws, but soon discovers there is more to the story. Meanwhile, lurking in the background, the son of a powerful drug dealer that Rogan killed is plotting his revenge. He’s decided to strike at Rogan’s weakest point, in hopes of sustaining the most pain. Powerfully written and keeping the reader alert to developments from all perspectives, Robert P. French knows how to tell a marvellous tale. Recommended to those who love a high-impact crime thriller, as well as the reader who cannot get enough of Canadian settings for their mysteries.

I have been waiting for French’s novels to link together so closely and it has been worth the delay. Picking up a week or so after the last novel, the story runs together nicely and pits Rogan against the VPD and a man seeking revenge. All the while, he must locate his family before he loses them forever. Cal Rogan remains a great protagonist in this piece, pushing the limits with his detective abilities, as well as keen sense of danger. He is committed to the cause of the cases brought before him, able to pick up on some of the nuances effectively. However, there is the need to protect his family, even if they are not on the same page, as these are the women who matter most to him. Rogan juggles work, family, and a spark of love interest in this piece, balancing them as best he can. Nick Stammo leads a strong cast of supporting characters, offering up the right colouring for the narrative to flow with ease, while finding new ways to surprise the reader with personal revelations. I am eager to see where this partnership will keep going, as I have seen some great development between these two men, even with the obvious strains that have come to the surface. The story is strong and picks up effectively from the end of the last novel. There is so much going on and so little time that the reader must dive right in. With a mix of perspectives throughout the varied length chapters, the reader gets a full view of the cases as they come to life. French uses his stellar skills to keep the reader wondering until the very end, and the action continues even there. I cannot wait to get to the latest book in the series—especially with the cliffhanger French left—as this binge keeps getting better with each added novel.

Kudos, Mr. French, for another fast-pace novel that kept me fully committed.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Lockstep (Cal Rogan #3), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Another wonderful Robert P. French crime novel takes the reader into the core of Vancouver’s darker side. It is here that Cal Rogan tries to help a family whose daughter has gone missing, the second such case in the last few months. After leaving the Vancouver PD, Rogan teams up with his former partner, Nick Stammo, to open an investigation firm. While much of the work at Stammo Rogan Investigations will be word of mouth, things are picking up slowly. Rogan agrees to meet with a woman who has recently reported her daughter missing, but feels VPD is not taking things as quickly as she would like. Ariel Bradbury has disappeared days ago and there has been no ransom demand. The Bradburys, while in the middle of a separation, have money and cannot surmise why no one has sought it. Rogan has a bad feeling about this and agrees to look into the case, working in tandem with his former colleagues. When Rogan uncovers that Ariel was involved in a children’s beauty pageant type reality show, he can only wonder who might have been lurking around, seeking her out. Rogan uncovers some issues within the show, red flags that the Bradburys ought to have realised, but cannot dwell too much on that. He also learns of a ‘grooming’ that Ariel undertook by a certain young man, all through social media. Meanwhile, Nick Stammo has been contacted by a friend in Toronto to check on his son who has made his way to the West Coast. It would seem the young man is tied-up with one of Canada’s most notorious drug dealers, which cannot bode well. Now stuck in a wheelchair, Stammo can only do so much and must come face to face with some of the people he spent his police career putting away. When Rogan discovers that his own daughter, Ellie, is being groomed online as well, he takes a proactive approach and it lights a fire under him to solve this case. All the while, a local politician has been pressured to bow out of an upcoming federal election because of a secret in his past. Might all these cases connect in some odd fashion? Rogan and Stammo will have to work quickly to save themselves and they newly-forged alliance. Another winner in the series that has me begging to know more, particularly after that great cliffhanger. French is a masterful writer and this series came out of nowhere for me. Recommended to those who have read and loved past French novels in the series, as well as anyone wanting a Canadian crime thriller to enjoy!

French opens his book with a bang and hooks the reader before too long. The story, like its characters, connect from the opening pages and the reader cannot help but push through to learn everything there is to know. Cal Rogan returns, away from the VPD, but still with some loose ties. His investigative work shines through yet again, as he continues to battle The Beast in the form of a past heroin addiction. French pulls in more personal story for Rogan, whose ex-wife and daughter play a more prominent role in this piece, leaving questions about whether they will ever reunite formally. Other characters make an impact, including Nick Stammo, whose presence in the second novel surely whetted the appetite of the series fan. Stammo gets a little of his own personal life backstory and development, though the results will surely resonate into the next novel. The list of others is long but they impact the plot so definitively and keep the reader wondering who might make another appearance down the road. With a story again set in and around Vancouver, French keeps things Canadian and yet does not go for docile. There is much grit in these pages, with a mix of chapters and narrative perspectives. The reader is pulled in and must try to keep pace, as the momentum of this tale has no room for lagging. I loved it and binged yet again to finish it in a single day. I cannot wait to see what else Robert P. French has in store for fans, but I am reaching for the next book now!

Kudos, Mr. French, for another winner. I love your writing and how smoothly things seem to flow.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Oboe (Cal Rogan #2), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Returning for more of Robert P. French’s crime thrillers, I was again treated to a well-paced novel that placed Cal Rogan in the driver’s seat, unsure where things would take him. Having been reinstates with the Vancouver Police Department, Rogan is called to work the scene of a missing boy, Terry Wright. While scouring in the woods, Terry is located, with many odd markings on his body and face. Rogan and his partner pass along the gruesome news to his parents, discovering that the boy is autistic. It’s now time to await the autopsy, hoping it might shed some light on the murderer. Rogan is sent to look into a hit and run, which turns out to be a targeted attack. Both the victim and the Terry’s mother attend a church with strong ties to spiritual symbolism. Rogan wonders if the markings on Terry Wright might be attributed to the church, though the idea is soon dismissed. However, something has him wondering even more when Terry’s fellow autistic friend begins talking about “oboe is blood”, a hex if Rogan has ever heard one. Working some leads, Rogan is making progress but is soon kidnapped and fed heroin against his will, sure to spoil his random drug tests. When Rogan is able to escape, he puts some pressure on those within the church, thinking that this might be his best lead. The hex is soon explained, though, and things take a turn in another direction. Might there be a business angle here, with a massive payout at the end? Rogan’s time with the Vancouver PD could be coming to an end when his urine test comes back dirty and no one is ready to listen to him. With two victims and no line on a killer, Rogan continues his work, which is only stymied more when his ex-wife goes missing and his daughter’s life is threatened. Rogan has nothing and everything to lose at the same time, in a case that has more twists with every passing hour. A wonderful follow-up novel that keeps the reader guessing until the very end, French shows that he was not a flash in the pan. Recommended to those who love a great crime thriller, as well as the reader who needs a dose of Canadiana.

I always love a book set in my native Canada, as it allows me to feel closer to the action. French begins in the opening chapter and does not let up throughout, keeping the narrative moving at a break-neck pace. Cal Rogan is back for another story, this time working on the right side of the law with goals of reuniting his family. While he will never be able to shake the ‘addict’ label, he has been trying to make a name for himself and stay on the straight and narrow. As French explores mid-way through the piece, while the desire for heroin never ceases, Rogan knows it is beast best left caged. Struggles ensued though Rogan is not yet prepared to toss it all away. His grit and determination help show that he is dedicated to the job, even if those around him are trying to push him out again. The handful of other central characters add both to Rogan’s own personality and the larger narrative. Some returning faces offer more flavour to Rogan and develop a backstory and character development series fans will surely enjoy. The story moves at such a pace that there is little time to take a breath and the mystery only gets better the more twists present themselves. The reader will likely binge the book in one day, as I did, or stay up late to try to find the clues that lead to the final reveal. This was one of those series that appeared out of nowhere for me and I am fully dedicated to finish it before moving onto much else.

Kudos, Mr. French, for keeping me enthralled. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for readers!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Oboe (Cal Rogan #2), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Returning for more of Robert P. French’s crime thrillers, I was again treated to a well-paced novel that placed Cal Rogan in the driver’s seat, unsure where things would take him. Having been reinstates with the Vancouver Police Department, Rogan is called to work the scene of a missing boy, Terry Wright. While scouring in the woods, Terry is located, with many odd markings on his body and face. Rogan and his partner pass along the gruesome news to his parents, discovering that the boy is autistic. It’s now time to await the autopsy, hoping it might shed some light on the murderer. Rogan is sent to look into a hit and run, which turns out to be a targeted attack. Both the victim and the Terry’s mother attend a church with strong ties to spiritual symbolism. Rogan wonders if the markings on Terry Wright might be attributed to the church, though the idea is soon dismissed. However, something has him wondering even more when Terry’s fellow autistic friend begins talking about “oboe is blood”, a hex if Rogan has ever heard one. Working some leads, Rogan is making progress but is soon kidnapped and fed heroin against his will, sure to spoil his random drug tests. When Rogan is able to escape, he puts some pressure on those within the church, thinking that this might be his best lead. The hex is soon explained, though, and things take a turn in another direction. Might there be a business angle here, with a massive payout at the end? Rogan’s time with the Vancouver PD could be coming to an end when his urine test comes back dirty and no one is ready to listen to him. With two victims and no line on a killer, Rogan continues his work, which is only stymied more when his ex-wife goes missing and his daughter’s life is threatened. Rogan has nothing and everything to lose at the same time, in a case that has more twists with every passing hour. A wonderful follow-up novel that keeps the reader guessing until the very end, French shows that he was not a flash in the pan. Recommended to those who love a great crime thriller, as well as the reader who needs a dose of Canadiana.

I always love a book set in my native Canada, as it allows me to feel closer to the action. French begins in the opening chapter and does not let up throughout, keeping the narrative moving at a break-neck pace. Cal Rogan is back for another story, this time working on the right side of the law with goals of reuniting his family. While he will never be able to shake the ‘addict’ label, he has been trying to make a name for himself and stay on the straight and narrow. As French explores mid-way through the piece, while the desire for heroin never ceases, Rogan knows it is beast best left caged. Struggles ensued though Rogan is not yet prepared to toss it all away. His grit and determination help show that he is dedicated to the job, even if those around him are trying to push him out again. The handful of other central characters add both to Rogan’s own personality and the larger narrative. Some returning faces offer more flavour to Rogan and develop a backstory and character development series fans will surely enjoy. The story moves at such a pace that there is little time to take a breath and the mystery only gets better the more twists present themselves. The reader will likely binge the book in one day, as I did, or stay up late to try to find the clues that lead to the final reveal. This was one of those series that appeared out of nowhere for me and I am fully dedicated to finish it before moving onto much else.

Kudos, Mr. French, for keeping me enthralled. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for readers!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Oboe (Cal Rogan #2), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Returning for more of Robert P. French’s crime thrillers, I was again treated to a well-paced novel that placed Cal Rogan in the driver’s seat, unsure where things would take him. Having been reinstates with the Vancouver Police Department, Rogan is called to work the scene of a missing boy, Terry Wright. While scouring in the woods, Terry is located, with many odd markings on his body and face. Rogan and his partner pass along the gruesome news to his parents, discovering that the boy is autistic. It’s now time to await the autopsy, hoping it might shed some light on the murderer. Rogan is sent to look into a hit and run, which turns out to be a targeted attack. Both the victim and the Terry’s mother attend a church with strong ties to spiritual symbolism. Rogan wonders if the markings on Terry Wright might be attributed to the church, though the idea is soon dismissed. However, something has him wondering even more when Terry’s fellow autistic friend begins talking about “oboe is blood”, a hex if Rogan has ever heard one. Working some leads, Rogan is making progress but is soon kidnapped and fed heroin against his will, sure to spoil his random drug tests. When Rogan is able to escape, he puts some pressure on those within the church, thinking that this might be his best lead. The hex is soon explained, though, and things take a turn in another direction. Might there be a business angle here, with a massive payout at the end? Rogan’s time with the Vancouver PD could be coming to an end when his urine test comes back dirty and no one is ready to listen to him. With two victims and no line on a killer, Rogan continues his work, which is only stymied more when his ex-wife goes missing and his daughter’s life is threatened. Rogan has nothing and everything to lose at the same time, in a case that has more twists with every passing hour. A wonderful follow-up novel that keeps the reader guessing until the very end, French shows that he was not a flash in the pan. Recommended to those who love a great crime thriller, as well as the reader who needs a dose of Canadiana.

I always love a book set in my native Canada, as it allows me to feel closer to the action. French begins in the opening chapter and does not let up throughout, keeping the narrative moving at a break-neck pace. Cal Rogan is back for another story, this time working on the right side of the law with goals of reuniting his family. While he will never be able to shake the ‘addict’ label, he has been trying to make a name for himself and stay on the straight and narrow. As French explores mid-way through the piece, while the desire for heroin never ceases, Rogan knows it is beast best left caged. Struggles ensued though Rogan is not yet prepared to toss it all away. His grit and determination help show that he is dedicated to the job, even if those around him are trying to push him out again. The handful of other central characters add both to Rogan’s own personality and the larger narrative. Some returning faces offer more flavour to Rogan and develop a backstory and character development series fans will surely enjoy. The story moves at such a pace that there is little time to take a breath and the mystery only gets better the more twists present themselves. The reader will likely binge the book in one day, as I did, or stay up late to try to find the clues that lead to the final reveal. This was one of those series that appeared out of nowhere for me and I am fully dedicated to finish it before moving onto much else.

Kudos, Mr. French, for keeping me enthralled. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for readers!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Junkie (Cal Rogan #1), by Robert P. French

Eight stars

Having come across Robert P. French and his Cal Rogan mysteries, I could not help but pick up the series debut to see if it might be something I would enjoy. I surely did and found myself pulled into a case from the opening pages, not wanting things to end. Cal Rogan is a former detective with the Vancouver Police Department who has fallen into a deep hole. A heroin addict, Rogan lost everything, including his work and family, and is now living on the streets. During his moments of clarity, he cannot help but think of his daughter, who makes him want to shake the drugs, as difficult as that might be. When Rogan returns from a visit with his daughter, he discovers his best friend dead of a knife wound to the stomach. When he calls the authorities, Rogan learns from his former colleagues that it is likely a suicide. However, Rogan refuses to believe that a man doing so well in the pharmaceutical industry would toss it all away. Rogan begins his own investigation and discovers some interesting things, which might help build a case for something more than suicide. Rogan will not back down and finds himself enmeshed with big business and very powerful men who will do whatever it takes to silence those wishing to open too many doors. With Rogan refusing to back down, something has to give, but it will take more than a junkie’s word to sway the police to take any formal action. A stunning debut that presents the reader with a handful of very emotional scenes throughout. Recommended to those who love deep and thought-provoking thrillers, as well as the reader who loves some good Canadian fiction.

I always love a good book (or series) set in Canada, in which the story comes off the page. It is almost as though I am there, roaming the streets and seeing what makes the city tick. While the book started off a little slow and scattered for me, French found his rhythm and soon I could not wait to learn more about the characters and how things progressed in the alleys of Vancouver. Cal Rogan finds himself in the middle of the narrative from the start and his character develops effectively from there. A man who threw it all away and let his addiction subsume him, Rogan knows he will not be able to do it alone, yet he still tries to hold onto some of his dignity. He values his daughter more than anything and has tried to shield her from his lifestyle, while juggling parenting as best he can with his ex-wife. He loves them both, but knows that he is not in a position to be around with any regularity. While the heroin may cloud it, Rogan still has the cop running through his veins and when he feels his friend has been murdered, he will stop at nothing to find out if there is any truth to this. Gritty and determined, I cannot wait to see what comes of Cal Rogan in subsequent novels. Robert P. French has created a powerful collection of supporting characters in his novel that depict Vancouver’s seedier side with some grace, while also showing the span of socio-economic situations. Each character does well to define their role in the larger story and rides the twists in the narrative to flavour the plot. The story was great, pulling Cal Rogan from the ashes of his life and showing that he can still play an effective role in helping crack this case wide open. Many emotions will run through the reader as the story takes many twists and leaps. I can only hope there is more of this, as French delivers so effectively with his writing. Propelling the story forward with easy to comprehend writing and strong dialogue, French keeps the reader guessing and wanting more with every page flip.

Kudos, Mr. French, for a stunning debut novel. I am pleased to have an entire series here to enjoy!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Thirteen (Eddie Flynn #4), by Steve Cavanagh

Eight stars

With another Steve Cavanagh legal thriller completed, I remain in awe at the writing and strong story presented. The reader is swept up into the tale, with a plot that thickens constantly and a narrative that rushes ahead with no sign of losing momentum. Still trying to create a safe place for his wife and daughter’s return back into his life, Eddie Flynn is working on the right side of the law. He’s approached to sit as second chair in the celebrity murder trial of Robert Solomon, who is accused of the brutal murder of his wife. As Flynn parses through some of the NYPD evidence, he discovers an anomaly that could lead somewhere, though no one is really giving Solomon much of a chance. On a hunch, Flynn uses some of his resources to probe into an oddly folded and marked dollar bill found at the scene, only to discover that it has been found a few times before. While each previous murder scene has a convicted killer tied to it, Flynn begins to wonder if a serial killer is on the loose, using these dollar bills as a marker. Meanwhile, the elusive Joshua Kane has been working his magic and killing discreetly. He has a targeted group and does his work with an underlying motive in mind, ensuring others pay for the crimes he has so intricately orchestrated. Finding himself in the courtroom for the Solomon trial, Kane decides to make a few ‘adjustments’ to suit his fancy. While Flynn is laying out the case, Kane sits stoically and takes it all in. The case gains some needed momentum and Flynn sees what might be light at the end of the tunnel, but only if he can fit all the pieces together. Kane revels in how things are going and hopes to be able to influence the outcome, for he is not a mere spectator, but a member of the jury. A stunning piece that keeps the reader on edge until the final page, as Eddie Flynn tries to see justice met, even when the odds are stacked against him. Recommended to those who have come to enjoy Eddie Flynn’s legal adventures, as well as the reader who needs a stellar legal thriller to up their game this year.

Finding and devouring this series may have been one of my great accomplishments of 2019 and early 2020. Steve Cavanagh knows how to pen a wonderful legal thriller and uses the ingredients effectively to tell a sensational story. Eddie Flynn continues to grow in this series, trying to stay on the right side of the law in order to win back his family. However, as the reader discovers, it might be too little too late, with threats by criminals and safety issues piling up. Still, Flynn will not turn to his mistress, the bottle, to heal his wounds, as he tries to stay one step ahead in a case that has no room for error. There are a few wonderful repeat supporting characters, who enrich the larger story, alongside some newbies that keep the reader guessing as to how things will go. The story is brilliantly woven together, with a killer in plain sight whose work is not only missed, but who is able to tip the scales of justice effectively. Cavanagh has done well with this and kept me guessing with his intricate details throughout. A mix of chapter lengths and some ‘jury backgrounder memos’ left me wanting to know more as the case progresses. Might a murderer be able to hand out a verdict and send an innocent man way? As with any binge, when one reaches the most recent publication, there is a sense of angst. I will be eager to get my hands on the next novel, due sometime this year!

Kudos, Mr. Cavanagh, as you push the limits and do so well at challenging all I thought I knew about legal thrillers.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

Repeal the Second Amendment: The Case for a Safer America, by Allan J. Lichtman

Nine stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Allan J. Lichtman and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

As I sit north of the 45th Parallel, I look down and notice that there is an issue with gun violence in the United States. No matter where one gets their news, it is plastered all over the place and has been for decades. Guns killing innocent people for no reason. Yet, as the blood flows and creates rivers of red across floors and asphalt, politicians have done little but ask for prayers directed to the families of victims, while gun manufacturers and the National Rifle Association (NRA) spouts that it is people killing people, not guns. Other countries have been able to notice the gun violence and legislate strong measures against it—take, for example, New Zealand in 2019–but America chooses to do nothing, citing something called the Second Amendment to the US Constitution. Known as the ‘right to bear arms’, this has been the battle cry of the NRA and the hardcore right in America, but there’s something that’s missing here; something that Allan J. Lichtman professes throughout this book and I have said all along. It was never an individual right in that amendment, nor should it be. But, that’s the controversy behind Lichtman’s desire to see the Second Amendment repealed a new measures put in place.

The premise of the book is quite simple, people do not understand the amendment and spew inane falsehoods spoon-fed to them. Lichtman opens the book with a chilling discussion of some recent episodes of gun violence and how everyone was quick to point blame at a deranged killer, rather that discuss the issue of gun availability. From there, he takes the reader back to look at how guns were introduced into the region, brought from Europe, and how the firearm found a home in the Thirteen Colonies. After the play towards independence, the political figures sought to enshrine when and how guns should be made available, presenting the Second Amendment to the US Constitution. Lichtman discusses how the constitutional conventions and speeches by the Founding Fathers shaped the intention of this amendment, laid out as being the right of the collective to bear arms in the form of a militia, particularly at a time when invasion was still possible. Moving forward, Lichtman explores how guns were of little issue in America for decades after that. Politicians began seeking to regulate guns in the early 20th century, which led to some questions about how to define the Second Amendment in contrast to this. The early NRA had no issue with the collective idea of gun ownership for the greater good, fixated on its role of promoting gun ownership for sport and education. However, with the rise of assassinations in the 1960s, there was a greater push to legislate gun control, keeping firearms out of the hands of just anyone. This was met with a newly politicized and fiery NRA, who turned their views towards the individual right to possess firearms. With massive amounts of money used to influence politicians, any meaningful change seemed paralyzed. Lichtman discusses these issues at length, culminating in challenges wth legislation violating the Second Amendment in the courts, some reaching the Supreme Court of the United States. Shockingly, when things reached that point, one of the Court’s great intellectuals and originalist thinkers, Antonio Scalia, completely forgot his long-held views of accepting laws through original meaning of the Founding Fathers. Instead, Scalia sided with this view of individual rights and the ongoing accessibility of people to possess firearms, in the pocket of the NRA.

As Lichtman scans the horizon to see where things have come in America, seeing an NRA bound and determined to use the Second Amendment’s bastardized interpretation to fill their coffers and hand guns over to anyone and everyone, the need for change seems dire. Citing former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, John Paul Stevens, Lichtman explores how Congress might go about dismantling this thorn and repeal the Second Amendment. It will not be pretty or easy (with threats of money and slander by the NRA), but will rid the country of a horribly misconstrued constitutional crutch that has helped fuel the bloodshed. Paralleling the repeal with that of Prohibition in the 20th century, Lichtman shows how it would work and which actors would need to stand tall. He ends with a post-repeal America and the need to tighten or create laws to keep America from falling into the hands of the NRA or their apparent abyss of money. Whether it will work is another question, but it is always nice to speculate.

When I was asked to read this book by the publisher, I could not wait to sink my teeth into it. These were the arguments I had long made in my own discussions of the Second Amendment and I found myself agreeing with a lot of what Lichtman had to say. The tome is full of wonderful facts embedded into an easy to comprehend narrative. While there are aspects that have academic explorations, Lichtman keeps the arguments simple enough that anyone could understand. He does not hide his bias, though I cannot see how one could remain entirely neutral on this topic, offering up some fiery criticisms of those who stand idly by and spout vapid sentiments when people—children especially—are dying in senseless ways. While the chapters are not massive, the information encapsulated within them makes for an impactful read and kept me nodding throughout. I was especially interested in Lichtman’s proposal to repeal the Second Amendment, knowing how difficult a process it is (as any constitutional change should be) and where the pitfalls lie with enemies waiting. This is a sobering read for anyone looking to stir up a little controversy at the dinner table or amongst those with strong opinions. If only a discussion could be had where both sides agree on the wording of the topic at hand, leaving well-rounded and firmly grounded ideas to sway opinions.

Kudos, Mr. Lichtman, for not shying away from the controversy. This will take longer than November 3, 2020 to make America great again, but if we can oust the clown, surely this circus can be quelled.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Other People, by C.J. Tudor

Seven stars

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, CJ Tudor, Ballantine Books, and Random House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

I enjoyed the first two books offered up by CJ Tudor and hoped that the same could be said for this third book. While it has received high praise on Goodreads from a variety of people whose views I hold in high regard, I could not find myself as drawn to this piece as I stumbled my way through it. While driving home from work one day, Gabe sees his daughter in the back of a vehicle. He cannot see the driver and has no idea what Izzy might be doing on there. When he calls home to check-in, he learns that his wife and daughter have been murdered. Holding true to what he saw, Gabe has spent the past three years trying to find Izzy and those who may have taken her. Kate is a waitress at one of the late-night diners that Gabe frequents while searching for his daughter. She seems to be living a quiet life, but there is something in her background that could raise some real issues. Fran and her daughter, Alice, are on the run and must steer clear of mirrors. All three of these storylines progress throughout the novel and yet they are inextricably intertwined. As Gabe learns about the ‘other people’ and their purpose, he begins to understand a little more about why he saw Izzy that night. There are additional revelations to come, allowing Gabe, Kate, and Fran to come together in the oddest manner, all part of the larger ‘other people’ plan. There are mysteries and plot twists piling up on top of one another here, which the reader may enjoy as the story gains momentum. Those who have an open mind to the supernatural and can fathom some of the reaches that Tudor tends to make will enjoy this one, though I found that it did not pull me in as much as I would have liked.

While I tend to like stories that are grounded in reality—realism, I suppose, is a better word—I have always found CJ Tudor was able to mix it up a bit by peppering some great mystery into her pieces as well. Her previous two novels sent chills down my spine and left me wanting more, but this third standalone left me shrugging my shoulders as I prepare to duck from all the rotten tomatoes fellow reviewers are likely to lob in my direction. The premise was strong and the opening portion of the book had some potential, but I felt the momentum lagged in the middle and tried to find itself moving into the resolution portion of the book. With three loose—sometimes weak—storylines progressing throughout, the reader is left to wonder how it all fits tougher. Gabe has the most prominent storyline, though his search for a daughter he is sure is not dead ends up being a meandering rather than a passion-fuelled need to know by a father demanding answers. The introduction of the ‘other people’ had great potential as well, but I was left wanting more grit and added scare factor. Maybe I wanted too much, but, as a reader, I should be able to hold those authors I hold in high regard with such expectations. Tudor has not yet attained the abilities of her idol, Stephen King, but I will not give up on her anytime soon. We all have off days and perhaps it is I who is wrong here, based on the sentiments of many others!

Kudos, Madam Tudor, for a great attempt. I may be the one who is off when it comes to this book, but I suppose you cannot please everyone all of the time.

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons

The Liar (Eddie Flynn #3), by Steve Cavanagh

Eight stars

In this third legal thriller by Steve Cavanagh, Eddie Flynn faces one of the most daunting cases he’s ever faced, while being stuck in a web of deceit and lies that gets even more tangled with every plot twist. Having all but lost a connection to his family, Eddie Flynn has vowed to keep his legal practice quiet and above board. When Flynn receives a late night call from an old family friend, he is intrigued enough to make his way over to potentially sign-up a new client. On his way out the door, Flynn is served with a subpoena on a file he does not remember. When he arrives to help Leonard ‘Lennie’ Howell, Flynn learns that the case involves a kidnapping, specifically of Caroline Howell, a seventeen year-old girl. Howell intends to get the money from the insurance company and skim off the top, while forcing the kidnappers to release his daughter. Meanwhile, news of the Julie Rosen subpoena gains momentum, when Judge Harry Ford—someone to whom Flynn owes everything—is also implicated. It would seem that Rosen was a client of Ford’s, on trial for murdering her infant daughter and setting the house on fire. How can Flynn be involved in this case with the defendant long-dead and her insanity of no active consequence? While the authorities seek to locate Caroline Howell, they discover a large amount of her blood in the family basement, implicating Lennie as the likely killer. An explosion seeks to destroy all the evidence from the house, but Lennie Howell is still seen as the guilty party and Eddie Flynn now has a murder case on his hands. Howell insists that he is innocent and is being set-up, though the case seems fairly straightforward. When a prosecution witness takes the stand, the case implodes before the jury and everyone is scrambling to see if the witness is to be believed and whether Caroline might still be alive. Lies abound as Flynn is reminded of the horrors surrounding his own daughter’s abduction, but he must remain clear headed to serve his client well, and follow the progress of this mysterious Julie Rosen subpoena. A wonderfully constructed novel that keeps the reader hooked until the final reveal. This third book proves to be Cavanagh’s best, leaving the reader wanting more. Recommended to those who have come to love the Eddie Flynn series, as well as the reader who has a penchant for twisted legal thrillers.

I have been on a wonderful binge of these Steve Cavanagh novels over the past week or so. Their legal aspects are strong, mixed with a wonderful set of thrill-based plots that propels the novel forward. Eddie Flynn remains a gritty protagonist, still trying to keep himself above board when it comes to the practice of law. A former con artist, Flynn knows how to play dirty, though it would seem his clients have capitalised on this. Flynn uses his quick wit to astonish those who encounter him in court, finding the smallest nuance to blow a case wide open. Flynn is also fiercely loyal to those who have done him well, including Judge Harry Ford, who has appeared a few times in past novels. The handful of key characters in this story move the story forward in wonderful ways, building on their individual personalities to create a powerful narrative. The story itself mixes a child kidnapping with a case from years ago, keeping the reader busy as they juggle the multiple timelines in order to piece everything together. With a mix of short chapters and those of a heartier length, Cavanagh tells this shocking story that gets more tangled the further the narrative goes. A fabulous story that will keep readers wanting more while also appeasing series fans.

Kudos, Mr. Cavanagh, for another winner that has me rushing to get to the fourth novel soon. I cannot wait to see what awaits me!!

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons