THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

I finished Death of a Policeman by M.C. Beaton. Detective CI Blair is jealous of Sgt. Hamish Macbeth of the Lochdubh police and is constantly trying to get the Lochdubh police station closed. Thus Blair sends Officer Cyril Sessions to 'go undercover' and get evidence that Hamish and his partner Dick Fraser lollygag around. Cyril gets photos of Dick sleeping on duty and romances librarian Hetty Dunstable - who's happy to badmouth Hamish because he rebuffed her. Hamish catches on to Cyril's game and leads him astray. Soon afterwards Cyril is killed.

As Hamish searches for the killer he uncovers other local crimes, and these investigations constitute the mystery part of the book. As always with this series, though, much of the story concerns the personal lives of the folks in the Scottish Highlands.

Dick Fraser crushes on a pretty assistant librarian much younger than himself. Angela Brodie writes a mystery book and - to the chagrin of her husband - buys a 2,000 pound dress for an awards ceremony. Hamish hobnobs with girls and his pets - wild cat Sonsie and dog Lugs; in an amusing scene scientists want to study the rare wild cat and Hamish decides to dye her black to disguise her identity. My favorite 'comic' parts were recurring scenes of tipsy librarian Hetty trying to seduce one man after another - mistakenly deciding each one has a passion for her.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries, especially those familiar with the series. 3 stars.

Book Review of Backward Compatible: A Geek Love Story by Sara Daltry and Pete Clark
Reviewed by Raymond Mathiesen
4 out of 5 stars

Is there someone for everyone? Even me?

Time is passing and the Y Generation have now become young adults. During this social period computers and the Internet have become household items, at least in the Upper and Middle classes. Online gaming has now become a subculture complete with language, social activities and dress. The word 'geek' has become more a description of an alternate subculture than a derogatory term. Daltry and Clarke take us on a wacky trip into the world of computer geeks, as they follow the hectic lives of Katie Garretty and George Lindell. Will this young woman and man come together in a sweet romance, or will they be doomed to remain single forever? Does being a computer geek mean you can never have self-respect, or can these young people grow in self-confidence? Will the pair ever battle their way to the end of Fatal Destiny, the game which dominates their young lives? Backward Compatible is a romantic comedy that will entertain those who enjoy reading New Adult or Young Adult fiction.


http://goo.gl/tTgTVO\ Backward Compatible (Kindle ed.)


For the full review please click:
http://raymondmathiesenbookreviews.bl...

I have read and finished Black Wood - S.J.I. Holliday. Now reading/listening to The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson.

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "I have read and finished Black Wood - S.J.I. Holliday. Now reading/listening to The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson."

I like the Steig Larsson books (and the movies based on them).

Just finished The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson and now I am reading Birdman - Mo Hayder.

I finished The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. Thirty-something Rachel is depressed, divorced, and an alcoholic. Not wanting her roommate to know she lost her job Rachel takes the train into London each morning and home each evening. The train passes the street where Rachel once lived with her then husband Tom. Tom now lives there with his new wife Anna, the woman who caused the divorce.

Rachel checks out the people living on her old street and makes up stories about them. She's becomes very interested in a couple she dubs "Jess and Jason". Rachel thinks they're happy until she spots Jess kissing another man. Soon afterwards Jess disappears - and the mystery story takes off from there.

The couple's real names are Megan and Scott, and Scott becomes a suspect in Megan's disapperance. Rachel, knowing about the 'other man', inserts herself into the investigation but is deemed an unreliable witness because she has blackouts. Rachel has also never gotten over her divorce and harrasses Tom and Anna with phone calls and the occasional unwanted visit.

The story is told from three points of view - Rachel, Megan, and Anna - so the reader gets three perspectives on the events. To say much more would be a spoiler so I'll just say there are plenty of twists leading to a climax that's dramatic but too drawn out.

The story is compelling and the characters are interesting (but unlikable). I enjoyed the book and would probably read more from this author. 3.5 stars.

@Barbara, I just finished this too and gave it 4 stars but your 3.5 was probably more appropriate. I think Anna was the most unlikable as she wasn't an alchoholic or messed up from her past but just plain selfish. It's a sad book but it is compelling . I read it in two sittings.

Barbara wrote: "I finished The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. Thirty-something Rachel is depressed, divorced, and an alcoholic. Not wanting her roommate to know she lost her j..."

Sounds like a very fascinating novel

I'm now immersed in reading the memoir "A Freewheelin' Time: Greenwich Village in the Sixties, Bob Dylan and Me" by Suze Rotolo, who had been Bob Dylan's girlfriend in Greenwich Village during the early 1960s. Ever since I saw the Coen Brothers film last year that dealt with the folk music movement in the U.S. in 1961, I've developed an interest in folk music's impact on the culture and society in that era.

I've finished Birdman - Mo Hayder. Now reading 50 Shades of Pink - K.T. Grant.

I finished Doctor Death by Lene Kaaberbøl. Twenty-year-old Madeleine Karno, daughter of French pathologist Dr. Albert Karno (known as Dr. Death), assists her father with his cases. This is unusal, because it's 1894 and such pursuits are considered inappropriate for women.

When 17-year-old Cecile Montaine - a student at the school run by St. Bernardine Convent - is found dead Madeleine and her father cannot find a cause of death. They do, however, discover mites exiting Cecile's nostrils.

Madeleine consults Dr. August Dreyfuss, a leading Heidelberg parasitologist, about the mites and learns they're usually found in dogs. Turns out St. Bernardine Convent is home to a pack of wolves and Mother Filippa, the abbess, keeps an elderly male wolf as a pet. So dog mites...wolves...things start to gel.

As the story goes on more deaths occur, dead bodies are found to have human bite marks, the mites are associated with a bacterial disease, a young lady is hypersexual, a novice nun is at odds with her father, Dr. Dreyfuss takes a shine to Madeleine, and so on. There's a lot going on and the story gets confusing.

The book's finale, though thoroughly explained, is complex, hard to believe, and not totally satisfying. All in all, I thought the book was okay. It does address some interesting concepts and I like Madeleine, a spirited young woman determined to follow her dream against all odds.

KOMET wrote: "I'm now immersed in reading the memoir "A Freewheelin' Time: Greenwich Village in the Sixties, Bob Dylan and Me" by Suze Rotolo, who had been Bob Dylan's girlfriend i..."

Have you seen the documentary "Searching For Sugar Man"? It's interesting - about a singer from that era.

Finished 50 Shades of Pink - K.T. Grant. Now about to start Silent Scream - Angela Marsons.

I am reading Jane Eyre. I love the 1943 film with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine. So I wanted to immerse myself in this imagined world of Charlotte Bronte. It is an amazing read; one that I am taking my time with. If there was ever a book that could be described as classic literature of a bygone age, this is it.

Barbara wrote: Have you seen the documentary "Searching For Sugar Man"? It's interesting - about a singer from that era.

++++++++++++++++++++++++
I first learned about that documentary from the CBC Radio 1 cultural program "Q" sometime ago. The artist in that documentary is Rodriguez from Detroit, who was making a name for himself in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I was so impressed with him that I bought the documentary. Liked it very much.

Finished Silent Scream - Angela Marsons. Now off to read Evil Games - Angela Marsons.

I finished The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez:. This book reads like a John Grisham novel with a dash of Perry Mason.

Dallas lawyer A. Scott Fenney works at the elite Ford Stevens law firm where he uses less-than-ethical techniques to bring in huge fees. Thus Scott lives in a mansion, he and his wife Rebecca drive expensive cars, and Rebecca aspires to be hostess of the glamorous Cattle Barons Ball. To top it off Scott has a daughter he adores, 9-year-old Boo. Scott feels like he's living the perfect life.

Then Judge Buford appoints Scott to represent black prostitute Shawanda Jones, accused of killing Clark McCall. Clark is the bad-boy son of Senator Mack McCall, who's determined to become the next President.

Scott tries to get Shawanda to cop a plea but Shawanda says she's innocent and wants a trial. From here the book takes a predictable, but still entertaining, turn. The Senator is determined that his son's past as a druggie who hits and rapes women doesn't become public knowledge. Thus the Senator pulls a few strings and Scott's boss urges him to throw the case. When Scott refuses his life goes downhill fast.

Though the story plays out as expected I enjoyed the book, which has some interesting characters and the requisite courtroom scenes. I liked the book and recommend it to fans of legal mysteries. 3.5 stars.

I finished The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen. I read this standalone because I'm a fan of Jussi Adler-Olsen's 'Department Q' mysteries.

As the story opens World War II is raging and English flyboys Bryan and James are shot down over Germany. They sneak onto a German medical transport train and take the place of two Nazi officers. They soon find themselves in a mental hospital (Alphabet House) for shell-shocked SS officials. There Bryan and James endure endless electroshock and drug therapy. Their 'mental illness' allows the boys to remain silent but if they're exposed as Brits or fakes they'll be killed. Thus they live in a constant state of fear.

As it turns Alphabet House contains many Nazis faking mental illness. The most heinous malingerers are extremely suspicious of their fellow patients, fearing someone might discover their deception and expose them. Thus they watch everyone closely and harass or murder anyone they suspect is faking. Bryan and James come under intense scrutiny by these men and James especially suffers greatly at their hands. This part of the book is very long and disturbing.

Eventually Bryan escapes. Skip ahead to 1972 and Bryan is a wealthy physician. Bryan has never given up trying to find James and when circumstances align he returns to the town where Alphabet House was located. There he comes across some people he knew in the mental ward and things take a very dramatic turn. This section of the book is also long and disturbing.

It's hard for me to rate this story because - though it's well-written and compelling - the subject matter is distressing and many of the characters are sadistic and disgusting. Thus I settled on 3 stars. I'll probably stick to Jussi Adler Olsen's mysteries from now on.

The ragged Trouserered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell. I'm a political wonk and labor union member. So it's perfect for me.

Finished Evil Games - Angela Marsons. Now I am reading Dying For Christmas - Tammy Cohen.

I finished Gray Mountain by John Grisham. Samantha Kofer is an associate at a big New York law firm when she's 'furloughed' because of the economy. So Sam becomes a temporary intern at Mountain Aid Legal Clinic in Brady, Virginia. Coal mining companies provide many jobs in Brady, as well as plenty of work for the legal clinic. Samantha soon has cases dealing with spousal abuse, check garnishment, and black lung disease - an affliction associated with coal mining.

Samantha becomes friendly with a local attorney, Donovan Gray, whose family owns 'Gray Mountain', a site that's been destroyed by strip mining. As Samantha learns, strip mining - besides devastating the environment - produces cancer-causing sludge and leads to additional deaths from careless practices.

It's almost impossible to win lawsuits against the mining companies because they employ powerful law firms that fight dirty. Donovan, though, is also willing to fight dirty. As the story proceeds Donovan plans to file a couple of huge lawsuits against mining companies that would embarass them and potentially net millions of dollars in damages - and he wants Samantha to help him.

The book has a large array of interesting characters, including Samantha's parents (both lawyers), her co-workers, and her clients. There's even a spot of romance.

I enjoyed the story and learned a lot about corporate dirty tricks. My biggest criticism is that the book leaves a couple of story lines unresolved and seems unfinished. Still, it's a good story as far as it goes. 3.5 stars.

I'm now reading a HIGHLY FASCINATING book "An American Diplomat in Bolshevik Russia" by Dewitt Clinton Poole (1885-1952), who had come to work at the U.S. consular office in Moscow in September 1917. At various times, he worked with the Russian provisional government and its successor, the Bolsheviks, until it became too dangerous for him to remain in Moscow. Consequently, Poole moved -- via Petrograd -- to the port of Archangel in late 1918 (which was then occupied by Allied and American forces). Eventually, he left Russia in June 1919 for the United States.

This is Poole's story, largely told in his own words from oral recordings that were made a short time before his death.

I finished The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn. Bernie Little and his dog Chet run the 'Little Detective Agency'. The series is narrated by Chet, whose limited vocabulary, unfamiliarity with idioms, and doggie logic set the stage for plenty of smiles.

In this book Anya Vereen hires Bernie to pose as her boyfriend for parents' weekend at a wilderness camp where her son Devin is a camper. Anya is estranged from her husband Guy and wants protection. Soon after Bernie, Chet, and Anya arrive at the camp they learn that Devin is missing.

Bernie, Chet, and troop leader Turk return to the campsite where Devin disappeared but things don't go well and Devin can't be located. Things get worse when a death occurs and Bernie is arrested for murder. It soon becomes clear that something unsavory is going on in this mountain community and many of the locals just may be in on it.

By dint of good luck and clever moves Chet manages to help Bernie with the assistance of Bernie's girlfriend Suzy. In the interim Bernie is treated badly, Anya is intimidated, Guy gets into trouble, and Chet manages to scarf down biscuits, hamburgers, kibble, and half a BLT.

The plot doesn't quite gel but the book is entertaining and the bad guys get what they deserve - which is always fun. I'd recommend the book for fans of light, humorous mysteries. 3 stars.

Just finishing another 900 page Anthony Trollope novel. On a Trollope reading binge!!

I finished The Martian by Andy Weir. Mark Watney is part of a team that's scheduled to study Mars for 30 days. A dust storm forces the team to abandon the planet on Day 6 but - due to a freak accident - Mark is believed to be dead and left behind. The book is largely a series of log entries in which Mark records his activities, his goal being to survive until the next exploration team arrives in 4 years. Mark needs food, shelter, oxygen, water, power, and so on.
Mark has access to some equipment - and being a botanist, engineer, and clever guy - is able to jury rig a lot of stuff to help himself. There's a ton of technical jargon in the book and scientific explanations of how things work. The book includes what's going on at Mission Control in Houston as well as a peek at Mark's crewmates that are returning to Earth.
If I was in Mark's situation I'd probably sit down and cry, but Mark is an optimist with a great sense of humor and - even though everything that can go wrong does go wrong - he's never down for long. Luckily Mark has some entertainment (music, TV shows, books) brought along by his former crewmates and his comments about this stuff (Disco, 1970s television series) adds humor to the book.
The story is suspenseful and engaging, and the characters are relatable and interesting. I liked the book and recommend it - especially to people who enjoy science and like to know how things work. 3.5 stars.

I finished The Son by Jo Nesbø. Norwegian Sonny Lofthus, a 30-year-old heroin addict convicted of two murders, has been in Staten Prison for 12 years. Sonny lost his way after his cop father, Ab Lofthus, committed suicide amid a corruption scandal involving a police mole. Sonny - needing heroin - has been an 'official scapegoat' for years, taking the blame for crimes committed by other people. All this is engineered by ruthless criminals in cahoots with corrupt officials.

Then one day a fellow criminal - dying of cancer - admits to Sonny that his dad was murdered and framed. Sonny goes cold turkey and engineers a prison break. He then goes on a murderous rampage to get revenge against people who did wrong to his father and himself.

Sonny's crimes are investigated by Simon Kefas, a homicide cop who was close to Ab Lofthus. Simon is reputed to be an honest cop who detests police corruption. He has problems though; he's a recovering gambling addict with a vision-impaired wife who needs expensive surgery in the U.S. - a situation that makes criminals think Simon might be open to bribes.

For me the biggest problem with the book was my skepticism that Sonny - an impaired addict who barely knew what a cell phone was upon his escape from prison - was able to engineer the complex (genius-level) acts of revenge described in the story. Nevertheless, the well-written, fast-moving book grabs and holds your attention from the first page to the last. I'd highly recommend it to fans of mystery thrillers.

I'm reading 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" by Robert Tressel. It's a very long read! I'm reading it because of the socio-political commentary which is quite relevant today, and done with a charming humor. 112 pages in. I was just treading the hall here at work and realized the reason he gave measurements for the room was to make it clear the austere circumstances of the working poor. Being a sign maker by trade, I believe, measurements probably preoccupied his thinks my and was the best relational he felt would succeeded in communicating the plight.

Finished Accidentally in Love with...a God? - Mimi Jean Pamfiloff. Now I am reading The Doll's House - M.J. Arlidge.

I'm currently reading THE BLIND SIDE: EVOLUTION OF THE GAME by Michael Lewis. It ties into the movie version of THE BLIND SIDE, which starred Sandra Lee Bullock. My husband loves NFL football (go, Detroit Lions!) and I love reading and movies, so this book speaks a lot to me. Fascinating to read about the development (intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual) of Michael Oher, who was taken in by the Tuohy family as one of their own. If you like football and love movies, I'd recommend this book.

Just finished HOUSE OF DARKNESS HOUSE OF LIGHT by Andrea Perron. About to start on Walden tonight...

Barbara wrote: "I finished Gray Mountain by John Grisham. Samantha Kofer is an associate at a big New York law firm when she's 'furloughed' because of the economy. So Sam becomes a tem..."

Hi Barbara, I read GRAY MOUNTAIN when it first came out. Not the best of Grisham's works, but still, very enjoyable read.

Kathleen wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I finished Gray Mountain by John Grisham. Samantha Kofer is an associate at a big New York law firm when she's 'furloughed' because of the economy. So S..."

I agree Kathleen.

I finished I Can See in the Dark by Karin Fossum. Riktor works as a male nurse in a Norwegian facility for elderly and chronically ill patients. Riktor is a sadist who mistreats his charges, flushes their food and pills down the toilet, and injects their medicine into the mattress. He especially likes to torture an old woman named Nelly. When Riktor's alone with Nelly he pinches her and pulls out her hair.

In his off time Riktor sits in a local park observing the people on the benches nearby, including a mother and her disabled daughter, an old woman who crochets, a big, strong refugee who can't get work, and an elderly, stumbling alcoholic. In time Riktor forges an unlikely comradeship with the old alcoholic.

As events proceed Riktor commits a terrible crime, after which he's on tenterhooks - fearing the appearance of the police at his door. The police show up soon enough, but instead of charging him with the crime he committed they accuse Riktor of killing Nelly Friis, which he didn't do. Awaiting trial, Riktor frets and fumes over the injustice perpetrated on him.

The book has a fairly large array of characters but we get to know very little about each one. The story concentrates on Riktor, who's is a despicable man, hard to read about without cringing. I thought the story was interesting in it's depiction of a disturbed personality with a skewed view of reality but I can't say I really enjoyed the book. 2.5 stars.

Barbara wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "Barbara wrote: "I finished Gray Mountain by John Grisham. Samantha Kofer is an associate at a big New York law firm when she's 'furloughed' because of ..."

Hi Barbara, I love reading literary fiction, plus general fiction, women's fiction, and biographies as well. But sometimes, I really like to let my mind just wander... and during those times, that's when I turn to good old trusted authors like Grisham. You know what you're getting, and you know you'll enjoy it. Happy reading! ~ Kathleen

Just picked up An American Girl in Italy - Aubrie Dionne that I got off Netgalley.

I'm listening/reading Daddy's Home - A.K. Alexander as well.

Yesterday I finished Daddy's Home - A.K. Alexander. Now I am listening/reading to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson. Still reading An American Girl in Italy - Aubrie Dionne.

I finished Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead. The girl at the center of this story is Joan, a so-so ballet dancer who managed - by dint of many years of lessons, practice, and sacrifice - to become a member of an American ballet corps. During a visit to Paris teenage Joan met Arslan Rusakov, a superstar of the Russian ballet. Joan became enthralled with Arslan, helped him defect to the United States, and had a brief affair with him - but he broke her heart.

Meanwhile Joan's best friend since childhood, Jacob, has been pining for her forever. After the Arslan affair, and realizing she would never be a principal dancer, Joan married Jacob. They had a son, Harry. In time Harry developed a crush on his neighbor/playmate, a little girl named Chloe.

Joan became a ballet teacher, and when little Chloe became interested in dancing this seemed to galvanize Harry's interest as well.

The book spans a time period of about thirty years, starting in the 1970s and ending in the late 1990s. Rather than being chronological, however, the story jumps back and forth in time, eventually revealing important events in Joan's life as well as what goes on with Harry and Chloe as they grow up.

The plot coasts along to a climax that's inevitable, though it plays out in a fashion that's not very believable. I'd categorize the book as part expose of the world of professional ballet and part coming of age story. To me the book was mildly engaging, filled with characters that behaved badly and weren't particularly likable. Just an okay book for me. 3 stars.

I finished Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James. In this 'sequel' the characters of "Pride and Prejudice" find additional drama in their lives when a murder occurs at Pemberley.

As the book opens Elizabeth, who's been married to Darcy for 6 years, is preparing for Lady Anne's ball - an annual event at Pemberley. On the evening before the ball a carriage careens up to the Pemberley mansion and Elizabeth's sister Lydia emerges, screaming that her husband is dead. Turns out a hired carriage was carrying Lydia, her bad-boy husband George Wickham, and Wickham's friend Captain Penny to Pemberley when Penny demanded the driver stop. Penny got out, shouted at Wickham, and entered the woods. Wickham, trying to stop Penny, followed him. Then shots were heard, Lydia got hysterical, and the driver took off for Pemberley. Lydia's appearance was unexpected since she was not invited to the ball and Wickham was not welcome at Pemberly under any circumstances.

Darcy organizes a search and Captain Denny is found dead. Wickham, beside the body, is distraught - moaning that it's his fault that Denny is dead. The authorities are notified, witnesses are questioned, there's an inquest, and Wickham is put on trial for murder.

I found the plot slow-moving and tedious. The story moseys along to a climax after which there's a very long section of exposition explaining everything that happened.

In my opinion this is a rare case where the the TV adaptation (a three-part miniseries avaialble on Netflix) is much better than the book. In the TV series the important plot points are distributed throughout the story, a structure that's more compelling than having a couple of guys explain everything at the end. Plus there's more dramatic tension, which admittedly takes a little of licence with the story but makes it more engaging.

All in all, not a great book. 2 stars.

I finished Fatal Decree by H. Terrell Griffin. Disturbing things are happening on Longboat Key. Serial murders that happened in Miami 12 years ago seem to be happening on Longboat Key now. The first local victim is Nell Alexander, the wife of Gene Alexander, an agent with a secret government organization.

Moreover - is it just a coincidence that J.D. Duncan, a new detective with the Longboat Key police, once worked on the Miami cases? Could someone be sending her a message? J.D. and her friend, retired attorney Matt Royal, look into the crimes.

Before long there are several attempts to kill J.D. People also seem to be trying to kill Matt, the most likely suspects being suspicious Guatemalans. To cap it all off, Gene Alexander is soon found murdered, his death staged (incompetently) to look like suicide.

The main action of the story consists of Matt and J.D. trying to figure out what the heck is going on while their lives are in jeopardy and additional murders are occuring all over Longboat Key. The investigation jogs along slowly, however, with Matt and J.D going to a lot of restaurants, bringing each other sandwiches, and so on.

I don't want to reveal spoilers so I'll just say the plot doesn't hold together and the ending - where all is revealed --is complex and completely unbelievable. I don't recommend this book. There are plenty of better mystery/thrillers available. 2 stars.

I finished Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay. Tim Blake, a divorced car salesman, has his 17-year-old daughter Sydney living with him for the summer. Sydney has a summer job at a local motel called Just Inn Time. One morning Sydney goes off to work and doesn't come home. When Tim goes to Just Inn Time he's told Sydney never worked there. Confused and anguished, Tim reports his daughter missing and begins an obsessive search for her.

It soon becomes clear that Sydney was involved in something that put her on the radar of some bad guys and Tim runs into trouble everywhere he turns. To add to Tim's problems the police aren't very helpful. They seem to look at Tim as a suspect in both Sydney's disappearance and other crimes that are happening in Milford.

The story is suspenseful from beginning to end and the reader sympathizes with Tim's fear and anguish. He's clearly a nice guy in over his head. The other characters add interest to the story, which moves fast to a dramatic climax. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of mystery thrillers. 3.5 stars.

I finished Skios by Michael Frayn. This 'mistaken identity' farce takes place on the Greek island of Skios. Dr. Wilfred, a British scientist, is on his way to deliver a lecture to the annual meeting of the hoity-toity Toppler Foundation. Wilfred's been invited by the event organizer, Nikki. The plane to Skios is also carrying Oliver Fox, a good-looking playboy who's planned an illicit tryst in a borrowed villa with a woman he hardly knows.

When their plane reaches the Skios airport Dr. Wilfred is delayed and Oliver succumbs to an impulse: when Nikki asks if he's Dr. Wilfred he says yes. Thus Oliver is wafted off to the gorgeous Toppler compound and - by dint of the language barrier - Dr. Wilfred's taxi takes him to the villa meant for Oliver's lovers' tryst.

Nikki and the guests at the Toppler event are charmed by handsome Oliver, who's adept at making himself plausible. Meanwhile poor Dr. Wilfred is mistaken for a rapist by Oliver's date, who shows up at the villa before she's expected. True to the mistaken identity genre the complications escalate through the story, providing some fun scenes.

I found the main characters engaging (if a bit obtuse) and the book entertaining. However the story requires a huge suspension of disbelief. In this internet age, would Nikki (with access to Google) mistake young, handsome, blonde Oliver for middle-aged, chubby, balding Dr. Wilfred? And could Oliver - who knows nothing about science - convince intelligent people he's an expert? In any case the story races along to a finale that's explosive but not quite satisfactory.

Overall this is a fun easy read, good for a vacation or plane ride.

A few days ago, I began reading Force Benedict by Eric Carter, which touches upon a secret mission the author -- as a fighter pilot in Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) --- took part in during the Second World War.

As part of "Force Benedict", Carter was in a special RAF wing that was sent by sea to the USSR shortly after the German invasion to defend the port of Murmansk, the only port not under German control. Were Murmansk to fall, it would no longer have been possible for the Western Allies to send food and military supplies to help sustain the USSR against Hitler. (For more than 50 years, this mission was a closely guarded secret, mainly because the Soviets did not want to acknowledge this unique British contribution during the War that directly contributed to its survival. Carter himself, upon returning to Britain in 1942, was threatened with court martial if he said anything about Force Benedict. It was a secret that he maintained for more than 50 years.)

I havent not been feeling to good and i been staying in because its way to hot so i got these books read

All The Pretty Girls by J.T. Ellison I am going start rereading this series from First to last. Now on to this. A Great A debut book and also great debute in the series. I love Taylor and Baldwin they work well together with J.T. writing them. So cant wait to re read the whole series!

Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen Another reread reason i decide to read this again because I forgot what the book was about. Glad i read it again its a very good book and I love the whole idea of Night terrors since alot of us sefer from them. Also love the bond between the mother & Son in it.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Finally the library had the book in. I read it but I didnt really care for it all that much. It was a good mystery and all but I just didnt think it was all that.

Hush Hush by Laura Lippman This has gotta be Laura Lippman best every! But the mother was so damn nuts in it!

Now I be starting on
14 by J.T. Ellison
Close Case by Alafair Burke
The Dark of Day by Barbara Parker

I finished Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. Thirteen-year-old Jenna is consumed with the loss of her mother, Alice. Jenna's family lived on an elephant sanctuary in New Hampshire, where her scientist parents worked. A tragic occurrence on the compound 10 years ago resulted in the death of a woman and injury to Alice. Alice was taken to the hospital, from which she disappeared. At the same time Jenna's dad was confined to a mental institution and Jenna went to live with her grandmother.

Jenna has now decided to take action. She contacts Serenity, a psychic, and Virgil, the police detective who originally investigated the tragic incident at the sanctuary. They agree to help Jenna look for her mom. The book is told from rotating points of view, including Jenna, Alice, Serenity, and Virgil.

Also interspersed with the story are extensive passages about elephants: how they live, what they eat, how they behave, how they play, how they grieve for deceased loved ones, and so on. Also, sadly, how elephants are mistreated in captivity.

As the story unfolds the reader learns about events at the sanctuary that led to the tragedy all those years ago as well as the current search for Alice. The book has an unexpected denouement which I found bewildering, and this reduced my overall enjoyment of the story. Still, this is a good book with engaging characters, worth reading. It's also a compelling treatise about elephants and an advocate for their humane treatment. 3.5 stars.

I finished The Burning Room by Michael Connelly. Harry Bosch and his partner, Lucy Soto, work cold cases for the LAPD. Now they have an unusual one. Ten years ago mariachi band member Orlando Merced was shot. He survived, but the bullet wasn't removed, and the shooter was never caught. Now Merced has died and the bullet's been recovered giving Harry and Lucy new lines of investigation. Meanwhile Harry learns that Lucy survived a long-ago building fire that was thought to be gang-related, and Harry agrees to help her re-investigate that crime. The fire is linked to the robbery of a check cashing store, and Harry and Lucy work all three cases.

The investigation into Merced's death has political implications, and the check cashing robbery points to an inside job. Harry and Lucy make an excellent team - their witness interrogations making good use of Lucy's fluency in Spanish. Harry also uses other talents, like opening locked doors with paper clips and convincing a couple of old friends to get him needed information.

The book has a wide array of interesting characters, including mariachi players, a former mayor and his assistant, a beautiful socialite, a Mother Superior, and more. The story moves at a steady clip to a well-constructed conclusion. This is a good book, recommended for mystery lovers - especially for Harry Bosch fans. 4 stars.

I finished Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf. Ellen is a good mother and dedicated social worker. In the course of her job Ellen has removed children from abusive homes and sometimes reunited parents and children. Still, the system sometimes failed and some children suffered terrible deaths. Then one morning, Ellen and her husband - running late - fail to communicate. As a result Ellen leaves her baby daughter in a steaming car. This type of accident could happen to almost anybody but Ellen is dubbed a criminally neglectful parent.

A parallel story line involves ten-year-old Jenny, who lives with her alcoholic, petty thief father. Jenny's dad plans to move them from Nebraska to Iowa for new employment but gets arrested at the bus station, resulting in Jenny making the trip alone. Jenny ends up in the Iowa town where Ellen lives.

The book alternates between two narrators: Jenny and Ellen. Jenny manages well during her bus trip, a meal in a restaurant, and a detour to look for a relative. Luckily Jenny meets a kindly waitress named Maudene who helps her out. Meanwhile, Ellen is very anxious, in danger of losing her family and her job. Though Ellen's plight elicits sympathy I was annoyed with her constant complaining.

As the story proceeds Jenny's and Ellen's parallel story lines merge resulting in a learning experience for everyone.

I found the premise of the book - a social worker accused of mistreating a child - intriguing. Jenny's tale was also compelling but less believable. It seemed like Jenny always had a fairy godmother looking out for her, which felt unrealistic. Still, the book tackles a sensitive subject in a sympathetic fashion and is worth reading. 3 stars.

After finishing:
by Robert Tressell

I am moving onto:
by André Alexis

It's called a novel, but at under 200 pages, I sniff at that. It doesn't sound good, but my boss gave it to me to read, thinking I would love it. That short of a read, i can squeeze in the end of the week here, and move onto

I have been on an Anthony Trollope marathon!! Here are the Trollope novels I have read in the past few weeks