Thumbs up for Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris. Mystery.
After reading Alif the Unseen I’ve been in the mood to visit the Middle East, literarily at least. This interesting mystery takes place in Saudi Arabia and follows Nayir, a somewhat sheltered desert guide, and Katya Hijazi, a lab technician who works at the coroner’s office, as they try to discover what happened to Nouf, the sister of Nayir’s best friend (who is in turn Katya’s fiance).… >> Read more
Neither thumbs up nor thumbs down for The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault. Mystery.
I’d heard about this ages ago and was excited by the combination of the glowing review I read, plus the setting (a mystery set at a dictionary-making company, the clues being found in the word files). Sadly, when I finally acquired a copy, my expectations were disappointed.… >> Read more
Thumbs up for One Shot by Lee Child. Suspense.
Do you like suspense? Even just an eensy weensy bit? Then go freaking read a Lee Child book. He’s the best in the world.
… >> Read moreThere were five guys. Any five guys will have one ringleader, two enthusiastic followers, and two reluctant followers. Put the ringleader down, and both of the keen sidekicks, and it’s over.
Neither thumbs up nor thumbs down for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Mystery.
This book reads like it was written in a foreign language by a super-wonky reporter who had never written fiction before, and who died before it could be edited. (Oh – wait.) I’d been told that the initial tedium would die off around page 100; try page 400, maybe.… >> Read more
Thumbs up for The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. Mystery.
Flavia de Luce definitely gives off an Artemis Fowl vibe, though instead of explicitly desiring to take over the world her mission is to clear her father’s name for murder. The mentality is the same, though. An eleven-year-old genius of chemistry, our scathing narrator is fantastic company.… >> Read more
Thumbs up for Shock Waveby John Sandford. Mystery.
Oh what fun it is to follow along as surfer-dude, vintage-rock-n-roll-T-shirt-wearing, fishing-obsessed, lady-killing cop Virgil Flowers shmoozes his way around a small Minnesota town in search of the bomber who’s trying to put a stop to the incoming PyeMart (they’ve already got a Walmart, right, but PyeMart is a bit more upscale).… >> Read more
Thumbs up for The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie. Mystery.
Seeing a reference to Christie reminded me that I had never read any of the Miss Marples. In fact I realized I had done Christie a misservice, many years ago, by reading several of her mysteries (which I enjoyed well enough) and then following them by the horrible Passenger to Frankfurt, which left a bad taste in my mouth.… >> Read more
Thumbs up for Winter Prey by John Sandford. Mystery.
In the world of detective novels, my admiration for John Sandford knows no bounds. Do not pick one up in the evening, because you will still be clinging to it with cramped fingers at 2:00 in the morning, febrily muttering to yourself: Almost finished! Gotta finish! Not that I have ever done that myself.… >> Read more