This book has been on bestseller lists for a long time so I finally decided to read it, and it is excellent. The story is a cold case mystery covering 70 years, involving a missing boy. The setting is mostly Cornwall with some London interludes, and the story telling switches between 1933 and 2003. The plot progresses in stages, so the slow reveal produces different stages of suspicion. The ending also includes some resolved sub-plots which are a bit predictable, but overall this is a very entertaining read.
Author: AJ
Crimes Against My Brother by David Adam Richards
Another is a series of DAR books about the Mirimachi River area of New Brunswick, and like the others, this latest book is angst-filled. Friendships are countered by rumour, lies and deceit to create a vicious and manipulative environment. One of the chief characteristics in this story is that key people make incredibly bad decisions. So overall, a nasty story but compelling.
The Children’s Return by Martin Walker
Benoit Coureges (aka Bruno) is Chief of Police in a small town in the Dordogne region of France. Much of the book details the region (wine-making) and Bruno’s cooking. The police procedural part is topical with the search for jihadist radicals, but the actual police action is limited in terms of violence and body count. So a refreshing addition to the list of mystery writers where context is key.
The Hesitation Cut by Giles Blunt
GB is a well-known Canadian mystery writer for the Detective John Cardinal series of books set in Algonquin Bay. The Hesitation Cut is entirely different, an extraordinary book from a psychological point-of-view: a story about obsession and an honest depiction of how prolonged despair can lead to suicide. Not a fun book but a worthwhile read.
I Take You by Eliza Kennedy
This is a fun and very contemporary book about love and (in)fidelity, and gender roles. The secret to enjoying this book is to read about Lily’s exploits with a complete lack of judgement.
Landing Gear by Kate Pullinger
This book was on the CBC Canada Reads Long List. It is a fascinating story of a man who literally falls out of the sky onto a car in a parking lot, and the aftermath on a family in a London suburb. This seems an unlikely premise for a story but suspend disbelief and you will enjoy this book. KP previously wrote the very satisfying Mistress of Nothing, and I enjoyed listening to her talk at the Calgary Writer’s Fest in October 2014.
Introduction to 2016
Reading resolution for 2016: to read FEWER books by being more discriminating, in part by abandoning books that do not engage me. Some of you know that my past habit has been to just read more quickly when I am unengaged in a book so essentially I descend to skim reading which is a waste of my time and makes my inclusion of such a book fraudulent in relation to my book totals. So far in January, I did abandon one book!
15 Dogs by Andre Alexis
An inventive and imaginative book that is deserving of recent accolades (Governor General’s Award, Giller). Apollo and Hermes make a wager on the consequences of granting human consciousness to 15 dogs. In most cases, there is not much consequence in short lives terminated by violence. But in a few instances, there are very interesting passages about love versus loyalty, the impact of language, and the role of dominance.
Amy note: As seen at the Vancouver Writers Festival, 2015
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling).
Cormoran Strike (what a perfect name for a PI) and his intrepid assistant Robin are targeted by a serial killer in this 3rd book in the CS series, which keep on improving. In addition to the serial killing, this book has some disturbing content about amputations. The Strike/Robin relationship is ever-complicated and a real treat to watch unfold.
What David Read 