Johnny L. Wilson (Author of High Score!)

Johnny rated a book really liked it A Fatal Lie (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #23) by Charles Todd (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It probably shows where my head is at when I read The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict (set just before WW2) and A Fatal Lie (set in 1921 where the UK was still reeling from WW1) back-to-back. I’m not English, though there is lowland Scot-“northern” ...more
Sep 09, 2026 08:04AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Fatal Lie by Charles Todd. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Fatal Lie by Charles Todd <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Johnny rated a book really liked it The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
As a teenager, I was staying with my Grandma (paternal) and had finished all of the library books I had out. Since Grandma wasn’t through with all of her books, I borrowed one that she had already finished (an Agatha Christie novel of which I’ve forg ...more
Sep 05, 2026 04:03PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Johnny made a comment on Doun.11_a’s review of She (Penguin Classics) " Wow! I must have read a bawdlerized version of She because I don't remember it being nearly as racy as that cover. ...more "
Sep 05, 2026 01:03PM · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it Old Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors by Douglas K. Stuart (2001-10-23) by Unknown Author	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Although a fifth edition is available, I recently read Old Testament Exegesis: A Primer for Students and Pastors: Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged as part of my preparation for teaching an exegesis course in an Old Testament book. I used this te ...more
Sep 05, 2026 12:27PM · 1 like · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis (Studies in Old Testament Interpretation, 3) by Gina Hens-Piazza	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis might be called an experimental work. It combines rhetorical criticism and social science criticism into what the author has developed as sociorhetorical interpretation. So, ...more
Sep 05, 2026 12:17PM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book liked it The Kill Artist (Gabriel Allon, #1) by Daniel Silva	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
As a person who tends to use puns in titles and subtitles rather too frequently, I have to admire the polyvalence inherent in The Kill Artist. As with the title, very little in the novel is what it seems. Double-agents, double-crosses, double-entendr ...more
Aug 25, 2026 01:28PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Johnny rated a book liked it The Dead Don't Lie (Abe Lieberman, #10) by Stuart M. Kaminsky	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I am a huge Toby Peters fan and have read several other novels by Stuart M. Kaminsky, but The Dead Don’t Lie is the first I can remember with Abe Lieberman. From the very beginning, my prejudice toward liking this novel (and the whole series, I suspe ...more
Aug 25, 2026 01:20PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Dead Don't Lie by Stuart M. Kaminsky. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Dead Don't Lie by Stuart M. Kaminsky <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Johnny rated a book liked it 007: Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Ian Fleming’s James Bond books were a vital part of my teen-aged reading. They were only reinforced by the early Bond movies which led to re-reading the novels (especially as the films drifted further and further from the text). As a young adult, I w ...more
Aug 25, 2026 01:18PM · like · see review
Johnny rated a book really liked it Out Law (The Dresden Files #18.75) by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Out Law was the sequel to a separate volume of a novella which appears according to the fictional chronology prior to Twelve Months. It is an attractively published specialty edition, though the copy I had was a trade paperback as opposed to the cust ...more
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Johnny rated a book liked it The Other Log of Phileas Fogg by Philip José Farmer	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Philip Jose Farmer offers alternate versions of classic pulp works throughout his career, not to mention innovative work of his own such as The Unreasoning Mask and The World of Tiers pentalogy. The Other Log of Phileas Fogg is an homage to Jules Ver ...more
Aug 12, 2026 12:09PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Other Log of Phileas Fogg by Philip José Farmer. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Other Log of Phileas Fogg by Philip José Farmer <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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A Fatal Lie (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #23)
by Charles Todd (Goodreads Author)

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It probably shows where my head is at when I read The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict (set just before WW2) and A Fatal Lie (set in 1921 where the UK was still reeling from WW1) back-to-back. I’m not English, though there is lowland Scot-“northern” It probably shows where my head is at when I read The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict (set just before WW2) and A Fatal Lie (set in 1921 where the UK was still reeling from WW1) back-to-back. I’m not English, though there is lowland Scot-“northern” Irish in my ancestry (Couldn’t make it in Scotland, Northern Ireland, nor where they initially landed in the US so I say Scot-Irish to “imply” Highland Scot and Republican Ireland without overtly appropriating culture.), but I find myself drawn to stories which take place in the “U.K.,” particularly in the Protectorate and Restoration, as well as between and inclusive of the World Wars.

A Fatal Lie is well-named. As I was reading it, the old line from the U.S. television show, House, M.D. (“Everybody lies.”), came to mind. There are so many lies being told in this story, so many layers of cover-up, that it is a wonder that Inspector Ian Rutledge can peel back the conundrumical onion. It begins with a body found downriver from the famous aqueduct now known as the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and designed by Thomas Telford (not the Romans) to carry narrowboats along the canal rather than drinking water. This investigation requires Inspector Rutledge to travel back and forth between England and Wales. It seems like a rather hopeless investigation from the beginning, but it quickly gets more complicated.

It is complicated by an apparent abduction. It is complicated by lack of cooperation, especially from those who should have known better. It is complicated by having more than one enabler to the villainous deeds. Yet, it is strangely not being complicated by Superintendent Markham’s eerie silence and Hamish (the most brilliant psychological quirk since Topper or Harvey, only those were done for comedy and this is a serious challenge for Rutledge) being unusually helpful.

I don’t think I’m risking a spoiler here, but there are at least two instances where Rutledge runs afoul of assumptions of guilt. There was certainly enough circumstantial evidence to provoke such an assumption, but the complication certainly risked possible fatal delays in the investigation. Indeed, despite often wondering exactly how Rutledge managed to carve out such lengthy investigations (part of it was apparently no one else from Scotland Yard actually wanting to go to these little villages in the rural and mountain areas and part that Markham wanted him out of the way, I guess), A Fatal Lie is the novel in the series that most feels like the clock is ticking (related to the apparent abduction and more).

In several of the Rutledge novels, it seems like someone nearly kills him. Of all of them, this one is the most interesting of all. Indeed, A Fatal Lie really caught and kept my interest in a number of ways. It seems the most well-rounded of the novels in the last few I’ve read. ...more

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The Queens of Crime
by Marie Benedict (Goodreads Author)

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As a teenager, I was staying with my Grandma (paternal) and had finished all of the library books I had out. Since Grandma wasn’t through with all of her books, I borrowed one that she had already finished (an Agatha Christie novel of which I’ve forg As a teenager, I was staying with my Grandma (paternal) and had finished all of the library books I had out. Since Grandma wasn’t through with all of her books, I borrowed one that she had already finished (an Agatha Christie novel of which I’ve forgotten the title) and read it while I was waiting for our next trip to the library. When I reached the end of the novel, I was so angry at what I perceived as a solution for which there was no foundation (as I recall, a character who had not been introduced or hinted at was the perpetrator). Even though I love mysteries, I have never been able to deal with Agatha Christie.

And yet, Agatha Christie is a major character in The Queens of Crime. She is part of an inner circle of female mystery writers within the Detection Club founded by Gilbert Keith Chesterton. The females call themselves the Queens of Crime and, despite my bias, I realize that this group of early 1930’s mystery writers based in Britain would have been deficient without Agatha Christie. I do not have the same problem with the other members of the society: Dorothy L. Sayers of Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane fame, Ngaio Marsh of Inspector Alleyn fame, Baroness Emma Orczy of Scarlet Pimpernel repute (my first experience with the Hungarian ex-pat’s work), and the lesser-known (but very prolific) Marjorie Allingham who created Albert Campion.

The thesis of the novel is that these five famous authors who compose The Queens of Crime have joined The Detection Club but face male privilege at an extreme, so they opt to solve a long-term unsolved murder to upstage the gents and prove irrefutably that they not only belong in the club but enhance its reputation. Although I could classify The Queens of Crime as either historical fiction or mystery, it is a solid example of both. It is the former because it demonstrates the type of prejudice between the wars (WW1 and WW2) directed at women in general and “surplus” women (unmarried women whose chances at matrimony have been significantly diminished by the casualties in WW1 reducing the population of available men) in particular.

The murder victim of the unsolved murder is one of these “surplus” women, a May Daniels. The author admits that the inspiration for the case came from the historical May Daniels who was murdered, but that she took liberties in shaping the fictional circumstances and solution for The Queens of Crime. To my delight, it is Dorothy L. Sayers in the novel who takes the lead among the other four. I love the way Benedict weaves the different personalities of the five authors together and find a strength, for purpose of the “team” and the plot, for each. Indeed, the sarcastic wit of Ngaio Marsh may grate on the members’ nerves, but her “directness” is vital in getting the group back on point from time-to-time. The class-based bravado of Countess Emma may annoy the group at times, but her sophistication is essential in some aspects of the investigation. Marjory Allingham is the youngest of the group. She is presented with sweetness and light, as well as a youthful beauty. Her pulchritude comes into play, but when it does, it also affirms her quick-thinking. Agatha Christie is a steadying influence and her upper class relations and connections certainly play a role in solving the case. So, Benedict does a fine job of blending the team together.

Almost half of the mystery takes place in two trips to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, the French port of debarkation for the cross-channel ferry and site of the unsolved murder. The five mystery writers make a modicum of progress while tiptoeing around protective police and male-centric journalists. The case has propitiously come to life when the poor nurse’s body is found well after the murder. Yet, it takes the sleuths who write professionally about sleuths a trip back to England to chase down connections and a return trip to France to begin closing the knot. Even so, it requires an elaborate ruse to close the loop.

The Queens of Crime is a delightful book. While it is not a biographical summary of the five novelists, there are insights that I didn’t know about them sprinkled through the story and it was clear that Benedict had done her homework. The authors are presented as human in a way we don’t usually think of authors unless we’ve had the privilege of meeting them. The mystery, unlike Christie’s novels, was fair and fascinating (though I identified the logical red herring right away). The depiction of the social atmosphere was quite spot on from what I’ve read. ...more

Johnny made a comment on Doun.11_a’s review of She (Penguin Classics)

" Wow! I must have read a bawdlerized version of She because I don't remember it being nearly as racy as that cover. ...more "

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Old Testament Exegesis by Unknown Author

Old Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors by Douglas K. Stuart (2001-10-23)
by Unknown Author

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Although a fifth edition is available, I recently read Old Testament Exegesis: A Primer for Students and Pastors: Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged as part of my preparation for teaching an exegesis course in an Old Testament book. I used this te Although a fifth edition is available, I recently read Old Testament Exegesis: A Primer for Students and Pastors: Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged as part of my preparation for teaching an exegesis course in an Old Testament book. I used this text as recommended reading (noting availability of 5th Edition) and adapted Douglas Stuart’s approach for busy pastors presented in the volume (most of my students have not completed their Hebrew requirement as of yet).

I was immediately pleased to see that the introduction included stylistics (an older name for part of what is now known as “rhetorical criticism”) and sociological consideration as part of the necessary methodology (p, 21) as well as prominent attention to a classic Old Testament Introduction by Otto Eissfeldt that I still find valuable. I cited this work in my class as I explained the need for everyone (and not just those who cannot read Hebrew or Aramaic) to compare translations: “A single Hebrew word rarely corresponds to a single English word but may range in meaning through all or parts of several English words.” (p. 25)

I found his methodology to be very standard through the start of his description of form criticism (text, historical background, date, author, literary type/form) but appreciated his cautionary words about not ignoring “broken” forms (p. 32) which I reiterated to students as “Don’t fall in love with ‘checklists!’” I definitely appreciated Stuart’s emphasis on patterns (major and minor) on p, 33, but I’m not sure how much of a concern it is to me to delineate the “original speech” from the finely redacted canonical version (p. 34). This distinction rarely seems useful and may be why canonical criticism seems ascendant in biblical studies.

The grammatical emphasis, including ellipsis, asyndeton, and anacoluthon (among others) was well-placed and gave appropriate resources for helping with this (p, 35). This emphasis and that of intertexuality (p. 37, as well as his concrete examples of Jeremiah 31’s new covenant in a broader perspective, pp. 64-65) is well-taken and weren’t well-emphasized when I was doing my basic pastoral degree (though a major part of my graduate work).

To my students, I underscored Stuart’s advice to compare the work of other scholars after one has done their own work, lest one be unduly influenced by others (p. 39). When I reached the section on application, I read aloud Stuart’s warning about interpreters who only accomplish part of the job—discovering what the text meant, but not what it means now because “It ignores the ultimate reason why the vast majority of people engage in exegesis or are interested in the results of exegesis: they desire to hear and obey God’s word as it is found in the passage.” (p. 40)

Although I use the textbook, I don’t agree with Stuart on everything. In the second verse of the Book of Jonah, God tells Jonah to stand up, go to Ninevah the great city and cry/proclaim either against her, concerning her, or to her. When God repeats the command in Jonah 3, the preposition changes to “to” her. Stuart reasons that, because Assyria was Israel’s enemy, Jonah would not have been upset and tried to run away from God if he had been told to cry against Ninevah. So, he opts for “concerning” Ninevah and not focusing on their evil. He makes it concerning their trouble (a possible translation of the same word as evil) which removes the idea of judgment (p. 51). Unfortunately, this ignores the fact that all we have of Jonah’s sermon is judgment, that chapter 4 has Jonah explain that he wasn’t upset about the message of judgment but God’s tendency to forgive, and chapter 3’s use of a different preposition to suggest Jonah may have actually misunderstood the initial command.

I also don’t agree with Stuart’s idea that the householder was the one in Judges 19 who threw the concubine out to be sexually abused and killed (p. 59). Stuart points out that “the man” could have been either the Levite or the householder but he ignores the postnominal suffix “his” after concubine. It wasn’t the householder’s concubine so it makes more sense to see the antecedent “the man” as the Levite than the householder.

But while I don’t agree with all his examples, I really enjoyed his treatment of the structure of Amos 5:1-17 as a chiasmic structure (pp. 57-58). I was pleased to see his example of studying key words out of 2 Chronicles 13 (pp. 62-64—particularly “covenant of salt.”).Then, he grounds his approach to studying intertextuality in the example of New Testament use of Jeremiah 31 (pp. 64-66). That was quite solid.

The rest of the book is comprised of guidance for using exegesis for sermon preparation (pp.71-87) that I shared with my students, and a plethora of annotated bibliographical references that I encouraged them to examine (pp. 88-136). Indeed, I was impressed enough with this Second Edition that I will be sure to familiarize myself with the Fifth Edition before my next class in the exegesis of a biblical book. Old Testament Exegesis: A Primer for Students and Pastors: Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged is a valuable book worth far more than its 136 pages plus indices would seem to suggest. ...more

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Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings by Gina Hens-Piazza

Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis (Studies in Old Testament Interpretation, 3)
by Gina Hens-Piazza

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Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis might be called an experimental work. It combines rhetorical criticism and social science criticism into what the author has developed as sociorhetorical interpretation. So, Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis might be called an experimental work. It combines rhetorical criticism and social science criticism into what the author has developed as sociorhetorical interpretation. So, the first portion of the book is spent in explaining how each of these disciplines would work alone and together. (pp. 1-36). These are succinct and useful summaries of method, but the book really comes into its own as author Gina Hens-Piazza walks the reader through summaries of passages studied using her methodology.

Since the title designates “Monarchs,” it is not surprising that the first study demonstrates what this approach can do to enlighten us as to what is happening toward the end of King Saul’s monarchy. 1 Samuel 14:36-46 is an intriguing demonstration of Saul’s incompetence as king (reminding me of someone I see in the news frequently). Hens-Piazza’s contribution is to analyze the text via its “artistry of transpositions.” When Saul fails to seek God’s guidance for his battle plan against the Philistines, he gets what appears at first glance to be full “buy-in,” a necessity in a period where the central monarch is trying to centralize the power from the loose organization of clan leaders. A close reading of the text, “All the good in your eyes, do!” suggests an unenthusiastic acquiescence with the emphasis. The people ratify Saul’s proposal with a “Do what you think is best” response. As a result, there is an unexpected interruption from a priest who says that they should consult God (via the casting of lots). This is something of a slap because Saul himself hasn’t consulted God regarding his plan.

First, there is silence from God (v. 37), and then there is silence from the people (v. 39). Saul’s support structure is demonstrated to be weakening as the narrative continues. With that forming part of the background, Saul’s adjudication of the case by separating himself and Jonathan from the rest of the population to determine the guilty party serves as a separation which undermines a sense of fairness, blurring clan designations to enhance would-be dynastic designations (p. 61). And in the third unit, we see the people totally rebel against Saul’s decision, reducing his claim to power and emphasizing that the people were saved: “Despite desperate measures to enhance his authority, a growing opposition resists Saul’s effort.” (p. 68). That’s just the first half of the passage and it greatly enriches the understanding of why Saul is rejected by God and foreshadows the further dilution of his royal legitimacy.

The second study deals with Joab’s deception using the woman from Tekoa to confront King David over Absalom’s self-deportation (2 Samuel 14:1-22). Hens-Piazza rightly places this passage within the framework of a juridical parable with the characteristic elements of: a) deception, b) parallel circumstances, and c) denied judgment (p. 81). I hadn’t noticed the use of aleph alliteration to suggest anguish, but trying to pronounce the five-fold glottal stop in reading the phrase makes a very solid point (p. 92). I also liked the argument that the particle, gam, revealed conflict of interest (p. 96) and that warrants further study for me. It was particularly interesting that her study of King David’s decision depended on wisdom which tied to the king’s dependence upon God (pp. 114-15) and led into the third study where Solomon’s decision depended upon God’s promise of wisdom from God.

The third study (1 King’s 3:16-28) offers a fascinating glimpse of the famous incident where Solomon orders the baby cut in half. It was a risky decision since it violated both the Exodus imperative not to murder and the forbidding of child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5), as well as going against the grain of the king’s duty to preserve/ensure life (p. 146). Hens-Piazza argues that Solomon would have been surrendering to a blind, binary sense of justice where strict equality (half for each woman) represents damnable inequity for the true mother (p. 147). Hens-Piazza thinks the woman essentially saved or built the king’s reputation for wisdom, but I’m not certain but what Solomon had a sense of what was going to happen. Regardless, she is right that the echoing of phrases in the text indicates that her intervention was pivotal, since her willingness to say, “Give her the child, do not slay him” in verse 26 is repeated verbatim by the king in verse 27 (p. 151).
She also pointed out some interesting rhetorical flourishes. I particularly liked how the testimony of one of the women uses the idea of lying down and laying down as a recurring theme (p. 138) and the use of giving birth (vv. 17, 21) as an inclusio or envelope structure for the opening speech (p. 139). The A-B-B’-A’ chiasmus in the guilty woman’s defense is an interesting Roy Cohn-style defense (famous alleged mob lawyer) where one attacks rather than defending (pp. 140-141).

In short, I believe Dr. Hens-Piazza accomplished her purpose in Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis. She demonstrated that the methodology: “…seeks to elucidate the whole text by a study of the social and rhetorical elements in relation to one another.” (p. 156) Her approach does not invalidate the rich and invigorating approach of rhetorical criticism but recognizes that any methodology used in isolation is prone to distortion. So, her approach allows how the exposition of the roles of characters, parameters of authority, or the features of a cultic ritual may anchor our understanding of the rhetoric (p. 158). Yet, there is an important interaction which occurs between the two formerly separate methodologies.

“Rhetoric shapes, illustrates, reinforces, undercuts, and dramatizes the social dimensions of the story world. Concurrently, the exposition of the social data corroborates the rhetoric and highlights the compositional artistry.” (p. 160) Certainly, the methodology utilized is not “one size fits all.” Not all texts show careful rhetorical artistry so not all texts benefit from intense rhetorical analysis (p. 161). Also, while all texts may exhibit some social clues, not all provide enough social indicators to warrant undue focus (p. 161). She laments the lack of “control groups” or “controlled studies” relevant to some texts (p. 162) and warns of the subjective danger of reader/interpreter selectivity (p. 162). Of course, the last warning is true of most any kind of critical approach.

While there are times I disagree with an assessment here or there, Of Methods, Monarchs, and Meanings: A Sociorhetorical Approach to Exegesis deserves to be on supplementary reading lists for any exegetical course. Unfortunately, its availability (coming from a small university press) may be too limited to make it a main textbook on the subject. ...more

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The Kill Artist (Gabriel Allon, #1)
by Daniel Silva

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As a person who tends to use puns in titles and subtitles rather too frequently, I have to admire the polyvalence inherent in The Kill Artist. As with the title, very little in the novel is what it seems. Double-agents, double-crosses, double-entendr As a person who tends to use puns in titles and subtitles rather too frequently, I have to admire the polyvalence inherent in The Kill Artist. As with the title, very little in the novel is what it seems. Double-agents, double-crosses, double-entendres, and both “doubling back” and “doubling down” play roles in this thriller.

To be honest, the tradecraft for espionage work was fascinating. What are some of the best “covers” for agents? What kinds of support personnel are needed to field an operation? What are the international repercussions of operating in even an ally’s territory? What happens when an intelligence officer’s ambition conflicts with her/his loyalty (or even common sense, for that matter)? How does one salvage an operation which has been blown? These are fascinating questions addressed (perhaps, not answered) in story form in The Kill Artist.

Even dealing with a controversial situation such as the Palestinian question versus the survival of the state of Israel while using a fictional story can be tricky. If one has a bias one direction or the other, it is likely to be evident. Yet, Daniel Silva does a remarkable job of touching on the emotional scars (and open wounds) on both sides. Indeed, considering the ambivalence in the novel’s denouement, one may not be entirely sure where the author stands on the two-state issue even at the conclusion. One thing is sure, though, The Kill Artist is more than simply a thriller about attempting to assassinate a terrorist; it is a perspective on one of the more complex issues of our time.

Still, The Kill Artist could be better as a thriller. It appears that TOR (especially the Forge imprint) has a preference for longer books. At 300 pages, The Kill Artist would have been a brisk and exciting read. At 400+, it has places that seem like the “vamp” of a song taking too long to get started. On the other hand, if the book was cut too much, the bookend story about Peel might have been cut and that was the most humanizing part of the protagonist’s character. You never know. I do know, however, that this novel is worth reading and that I will soon be reading The English Assassin by the same author. ...more

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The Dead Don't Lie by Stuart M. Kaminsky

The Dead Don't Lie (Abe Lieberman, #10)
by Stuart M. Kaminsky

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I am a huge Toby Peters fan and have read several other novels by Stuart M. Kaminsky, but The Dead Don’t Lie is the first I can remember with Abe Lieberman. From the very beginning, my prejudice toward liking this novel (and the whole series, I suspe I am a huge Toby Peters fan and have read several other novels by Stuart M. Kaminsky, but The Dead Don’t Lie is the first I can remember with Abe Lieberman. From the very beginning, my prejudice toward liking this novel (and the whole series, I suspect) kicked in. It is set in Chicago so the locations are vivid to me. It features an intimate picture of Jewish culture from the kaph used to graphically set off chapter enumeration to the internal synagogue politics in the background. I’m not Jewish, but I read the Hebrew Bible and visit our local synagogue for special performances (as well as the local Jewish delicatessens and bagel shops—grin). So, I have just enough awareness of Jewish culture to be dangerous (socially and intellectually, not physically). My friends include Jews of faith and Jews who intellectually resist their ancestral faith. So, Kaminsky’s depiction of an aging Jewish cop and his divided (extended) family rings true.

The Dead Don’t Lie becomes topical regarding the present, regardless of the fact that much of the integral parts of this mystery were set in motion in 1915. I never thought I’d see the attempted Armenian massacre provide a lever for a 21st century murder mystery, but I was impressed with what Kaminsky was able to do with this. Better yet, Kaminsky was able to put more than one type of “herring” into the tin. The result was not entirely what I expected and I was delighted with that.

Serial murders of prominent individuals of Turkish descent provides the necklace on which Kaminsky places his pearls of police procedure. For all of the psychological drama (and there is plenty), The Dead Don’t Lie is a procedural at its heart. Further, as with actual police work, Abe doesn’t get to simply focus on one case. There are constant demands for his attention and investigation. Occasionally, especially in fiction, these side-quests dovetail with the primary focus. Such is the case here, and it affords both humor and tragedy.

Although it does not bother me, potential readers of The Dead Don’t Lie should be aware of cultural stereotypes. Admittedly, this is mostly the case with the Jewish characters and Kaminsky is drawing from personal experience, but the Chinese “Tong” leader (though, mercifully, Kaminsky doesn’t really label him as such) and the radio talk-show host (of Turkish descent) exhibit definite stereotypes. To me, as an observer of people, this isn’t offensive because some stereotypes have a semblance of truth and any person of sense knows that they don’t hold true for everyone in that culture. Yet, some people are extremely sensitive on such points and they should stay away from this series of mysteries.

One could also quibble with the title, The Dead Don’t Lie. In real life, the physical evidence surrounding corpses is often contaminated enough that it forms a sort of life. And, though “death bed confessions” have a certain gravity to them, there have been documented cases of victims accusing those on whom they wanted to wreak vengeance when they were dying. Indeed, that seems to have influenced a Supreme Court decision in Carver v. United States, 164 U.S. 694 (1897). One supposes that could apply to memoirs, as well. For example, Churchill wasn’t dead when he wrote his multi-volume work on WW2, but his reported conversations with the Air Marshal prior to the Battle of Britain are not supported by his written communications to the Air Marshal. And since one aspect of The Dead Don’t Lie involves a diary, that might or might not be significant. ...more

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007: Carte Blanche
by Jeffery Deaver (Goodreads Author)

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Ian Fleming’s James Bond books were a vital part of my teen-aged reading. They were only reinforced by the early Bond movies which led to re-reading the novels (especially as the films drifted further and further from the text). As a young adult, I w Ian Fleming’s James Bond books were a vital part of my teen-aged reading. They were only reinforced by the early Bond movies which led to re-reading the novels (especially as the films drifted further and further from the text). As a young adult, I was pleasantly surprised with the John Gardner books (I guess the Kingsley Amis (Markham) books were just “too soon” for me) and later Raymond Benson approach. Yet, I felt the novels were of a different texture than Fleming’s and sometimes, could barely recognize the famous protagonist in the works of other authors.
For me, Jeffrey Deaver’s approach to Bond, as evidenced in 007: Carte Blanche is yet another texture, but the protagonist is clearly Bond. The texture, however, seems to be even deeper in spycraft (and its modern implications) than Fleming’s work and has the added (characteristic) Deaver touches of psychological aberrations and wicked little twists. For me, 007: Carte Blanche is like an exquisite Bordeaux where the Cabernet Franc of “Deaver” doesn’t overpower the Cabernet Sauvignon of the “Fleming” essence. It satisfied me immensely.

007: Carte Blanche earns its name from the old travel and expense card from the late ‘50s that was primarily used by business executives to defer their travel expenses until they were reimbursed. As far as I remember, it had no credit limit so it became something of a symbol for being able to pay for unquestioned purchases (at least, until one had to get their travel expenses approved, I assume). Later, it transformed into a more ordinary credit card and, eventually, Citicorp ended it in favor of credit cards such as are used today. So, the idea seems to be that “Carte Blanche” would have given agents unlimited freedom to operate (subject to eventual debriefing, of course). Yet, the irony in that title is that governmental restructuring (sometimes, as perversely inefficient as corporate restructuring) has given Bond a feeling of having, instead of a “white card,” more of a gray card (carte grise as per p. 54). So, one immediately knows that part of the tension in this adventure is agency bureaucracy. It is, and Deaver milks it for all it’s worth.

And although Bond would be entering (at best) his mid-life crisis if we were to apply strict timelines to these adventures, I find it refreshing that Deaver gives his protagonist more empathy than I remember in the Fleming stories and a bit of “sexual tension” (as opposed to primarily sexual conquest) as opposed to what we saw in the Fleming novels (though we definitely saw emotion in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. I really liked the fact that Bond felt empathy for characters with which he wasn’t sexually involved, as well as that the model of virility experiences an unrequited infatuation during this story.

Further, I liked the fact that we understood (at least by the conclusion) the motivations of the antagonists. These weren’t just cardboard villains. Indeed, though the initial scenes and the set-up seems to scream cliched terrorist, there is much more going on in than there seems at the start. And that only expresses part of the devious Deaver revelations unveiled in the novel.

Unlike most Fleming, Gardner, and Benson Bond novels, though, I felt like the pace crawled at points. I can deal with that in some novels, but I felt like Deaver and his editor had become inordinately enamored with certain details that didn’t really enhance the background or advance the plot. Still, when it worked, it produced like a supercomputer, and it generally worked. ...more

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Out Law (The Dresden Files #18.75)
by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)

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Out Law was the sequel to a separate volume of a novella which appears according to the fictional chronology prior to Twelve Months. It is an attractively published specialty edition, though the copy I had was a trade paperback as opposed to the cust ...more

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The Other Log of Phileas Fogg
by Philip José Farmer

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Philip Jose Farmer offers alternate versions of classic pulp works throughout his career, not to mention innovative work of his own such as The Unreasoning Mask and The World of Tiers pentalogy. The Other Log of Phileas Fogg is an homage to Jules Ver ...more

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	High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games by Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 255 ratings — published 2002 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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