IMMORAL (PolProc-Lt. Jonathan Stride-Daluth, MN-Contemp) – 1st in series – Brian Freeman For the second time in a year, a beautiful teenage girl has disappeared off the streets of Duluth, Minnesota—gone without a trace, like a bitter gust off Lake Superior. The two victims couldn’t be more different. First it was Kerry McGrath, bubbly, sweet sixteen. And now Rachel Deese, strange, sexually charged, a wild child. The media hounds Lt. Jonathan Stride to catch a serial killer, and as the search carries him from the icy stillness of the northern woods to the erotic heat of Las Vegas, he must decide which facts are real and which are illusions.
Don – VG – Liked a number of the twists. Was captivated by the author’s voice, the teenaged jailbait worked as did it being a story with a different, flawed character. Gabriel – DNS - It wasn't terrible, but I didn't get far. It was unoriginal, formulaic, with nothing to interest me. Joni – Good - I finished Immoral at 5:17am after staying up most the night reading it. It was one of the most engaging books I’ve read for awhile. Lots of twists, unexpected connections, and flawed people. My only quibbles were the dog being killed (I skipped over several pages because of that) and letting his soon to be ex wife get by with killing Rachel. I would have given it a Very Good, but the dog thing knocked it down to Good. I might read more of him. Marcy - Very Good - Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is suffering from an ugly case of déjà vu. For the second time in a year, a beautiful teenage girl has disappeared off the streets of Duluth, Minnesota—gone without a trace, like a bitter gust off Lake Superior. The two victims couldn’t be more different. First it was Kerry McGrath, bubbly, sweet sixteen. And now Rachel Deese, strange, sexually charged, a wild child. (Goodreads Intro). This book really kept me reading. The author did a great job at creating a very unsympathetic character in Rachel. Stride's rebound marriage to Andrea was disappointing. Overall, good read and I would be open to reading another. Nancy – Poor - I found the characters of Maggie and Stride to be fairly strong and particularly enjoyed their humorous back and forth dialogue that came from being long time professional partners. I actually wondered if Stride’s girlfriend Andrea might appear as a surprise and shocking witness for the prosecution, having continually pumped Stride for case information about Rachel. Though that plot twist didn’t come to pass, the book’s real ending involving Andrea, Robin and Rachel felt too drawn out to me, exacerbated by Stride’s overly moralistic diatribe about ghosts and the responsibility he felt for Rachel’s death. And on a final note, the detailed sex scenes between he and Serena were a bit much. While a few well written scenes of intimacy can certainly add to a story, the detailed scenes in ‘Immoral’ sometimes just felt like salacious substitutes for good writing.
Group’s Average Rating: Good
SMALL MERCIES (Thriller-Mary Pat Fennessy-Boston, MA (Southie)-1974) – Standalone – Dennis Lehane Mary Pat Fennessy is trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collectors. Mary Pat has lived her entire life in the housing projects of “Southie,” the Irish American enclave that stubbornly adheres to old tradition and stands proudly apart. One night Mary Pat’s teenage daughter Jules stays out late and doesn’t come home. That same evening, a young Black man is found dead, struck by a subway train under mysterious circumstances. The two events seem unconnected. But Mary Pat, propelled by a desperate search for her missing daughter, begins turning over stones best left untouched—asking questions that bother Marty Butler, chieftain of the Irish mob, and the men who work for him, men who don’t take kindly to any threat to their business.
Don – Ex – Because he grew up during that time, he appreciated that Lehane explores who these people were and their lives. He created a really good story with so many excellent elements. The character of Mary Pat was particularly excellent. Helen – VG+ - Very well written, very believable. Found it hard and frustrating to read, but that’s what made it so believable. Nancy – Ex - Dennis Lehane is an impressive writer and storyteller. His writing in “Little Mercies” is very clear and his detailed writing style is interesting, clear and amazingly almost always accurate. He is also a master of creating nuanced and interesting characters and Mary Pat is just one example. I moved to Boston at the beginning of busing, stayed for about 25 years and knew women like her. I didn’t live in Southie, but lived and worked in a similar working class city not so far away, in a project like Mary Pat’s ‘Colony’. But the bottom line for me in reading “Little Mercies” was that Lehane wrote about an important time in Boston’s history and did it in a real and straightforward way. The psychology of the period was intense and fascinating. Lehane, who grew up in Dorchester, managed to write that history in a fairly nonjudgmental manner while also painting a realistic picture of what Boston was like back then. For better or worse, reading this book really made me feel like I was going home again. Ron – Ex - Powerful and beautifully told story with an amazing lead character and well-drawn secondary characters. It stands out for its feel of place and time.
Group’s Average Rating: Ex
NO REST FOR THE DEAD (Mys-Jon Nunn-San Francisco, CA-Contemp) – Standalone – 25 writers/one mystery When Christopher Thomas, a ruthless curator at San Francisco’s McFall Art Museum, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in a Berlin museum, his wife, Rosemary, is the primary suspect, and she is tried, convicted, and executed. Ten years later, Jon Nunn, the detective who cracked the case, is convinced that the wrong person was put to death. In the years since the case was closed, he’s discovered a web of deceit and betrayal surrounding the Thomases that could implicate any number of people in the crime. With the help of the dead woman’s friend, he plans to gather everyone who was there the night Christopher died and finally uncover the truth, suspect by suspect. Solving this case may be Nunn’s last chance for redemption…but the shadowy forces behind Christopher’s death will stop at nothing to silence the past forever. In this innovative storytelling approach, each of these twenty-five bestselling writers brings their distinctive voice to a chapter of the narrative, building the tension to a shocking, explosive finale.
Don – Okay – Prefers short stories as a compilation. Not everything working here. Gabriel – Okay - It's the fourth mystery I've read by multiple authors. The others were all made up one author at a time, sometimes each author playing get-out-of-this-one with the next one. This book was carefully planned and organized by the editor-writers, which made it seem like an almost seamless novel. I might not have guessed it wasn't by one author. But it was mediocre and formulaic. I might not have finished it except for the novelty of being by 24 authors. Ginny – Okay – A bold venture that held her interest to a degree but it did reach a point where she was getting confused. Love that it was done for charity. Joni – Okay – Remarkable that 24 authors could come together, but there were way too many plot holes and the death scene seemed gratuitous. Marcy - VG - ** spoiler alert ** When Christopher Thomas, a curator at San Francisco's Museum of Fine Arts, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in Berlin, his wife Rosemary Thomas is the prime suspect. Long suffering under Christopher's unfaithful ways, Rosemary is tried, convicted and executed. (Goodreads Intro). When I first read in the intro to the book that it would be written alternately by 26 different and well-known writers, I couldn't imagine that it would be a smooth read, but it was impressive how the chapter glided from one chapter to another pretty seamlessly. It was an enjoyable read. My one "give me a break" moment was when they had Christopher still living in the Bay Area 10 years later -- I don't think so. Otherwise, fun to read. Nancy – Good – I enjoyed this book, even learning about how capital punishment gets carried out and all the inhumane problems that happen. I really enjoyed reading chapters written by authors who were new to me. The story began well, interesting throughout, but I did have to work a bit to keep each voice straight. Most of the characters, although not each one, were well developed, The ending was interesting but a bit over melodramatic and rushed in the end. Ron – Okay—Interesting concept with so many authors and well-written, but ultimately it doesn’t work, with too many plot holes and unbelievable scenes. Part of the problem is that with so many authors there is almost a complete lack of character development. I did feel the first part was pretty good, but the second half was bad. I also guessed the plot twist early on.
For the second time in a year, a beautiful teenage girl has disappeared off the streets of Duluth, Minnesota—gone without a trace, like a bitter gust off Lake Superior. The two victims couldn’t be more different. First it was Kerry McGrath, bubbly, sweet sixteen. And now Rachel Deese, strange, sexually charged, a wild child. The media hounds Lt. Jonathan Stride to catch a serial killer, and as the search carries him from the icy stillness of the northern woods to the erotic heat of Las Vegas, he must decide which facts are real and which are illusions.
Don – VG – Liked a number of the twists. Was captivated by the author’s voice, the teenaged jailbait worked as did it being a story with a different, flawed character.
Gabriel – DNS - It wasn't terrible, but I didn't get far. It was unoriginal, formulaic,
with nothing to interest me.
Joni – Good - I finished Immoral at 5:17am after staying up most the night reading it. It was one of the most engaging books I’ve read for awhile. Lots of twists, unexpected connections, and flawed people. My only quibbles were the dog being killed (I skipped over several pages because of that) and letting his soon to be ex wife get by with killing Rachel. I would have given it a Very Good, but the dog thing knocked it down to Good. I might read more of him.
Marcy - Very Good - Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is suffering from an ugly case of déjà vu. For the second time in a year, a beautiful teenage girl has disappeared off the streets of Duluth, Minnesota—gone without a trace, like a bitter gust off Lake Superior. The two victims couldn’t be more different. First it was Kerry McGrath, bubbly, sweet sixteen. And now Rachel Deese, strange, sexually charged, a wild child. (Goodreads Intro). This book really kept me reading. The author did a great job at creating a very unsympathetic character in Rachel. Stride's rebound marriage to Andrea was disappointing. Overall, good read and I would be open to reading another.
Nancy – Poor - I found the characters of Maggie and Stride to be fairly strong and particularly enjoyed their humorous back and forth dialogue that came from being long time professional partners. I actually wondered if Stride’s girlfriend Andrea might appear as a surprise and shocking witness for the prosecution, having continually pumped Stride for case information about Rachel. Though that plot twist didn’t come to pass, the book’s real ending involving Andrea, Robin and Rachel felt too drawn out to me, exacerbated by Stride’s overly moralistic diatribe about ghosts and the responsibility he felt for Rachel’s death. And on a final note, the detailed sex scenes between he and Serena were a bit much. While a few well written scenes of intimacy can certainly add to a story, the detailed scenes in ‘Immoral’ sometimes just felt like salacious substitutes for good writing.
Group’s Average Rating: Good
SMALL MERCIES (Thriller-Mary Pat Fennessy-Boston, MA (Southie)-1974) – Standalone – Dennis Lehane
Mary Pat Fennessy is trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collectors. Mary Pat has lived her entire life in the housing projects of “Southie,” the Irish American enclave that stubbornly adheres to old tradition and stands proudly apart. One night Mary Pat’s teenage daughter Jules stays out late and doesn’t come home. That same evening, a young Black man is found dead, struck by a subway train under mysterious circumstances. The two events seem unconnected. But Mary Pat, propelled by a desperate search for her missing daughter, begins turning over stones best left untouched—asking questions that bother Marty Butler, chieftain of the Irish mob, and the men who work for him, men who don’t take kindly to any threat to their business.
Don – Ex – Because he grew up during that time, he appreciated that Lehane explores who these people were and their lives. He created a really good story with so many excellent elements. The character of Mary Pat was particularly excellent.
Helen – VG+ - Very well written, very believable. Found it hard and frustrating to read, but that’s what made it so believable.
Nancy – Ex - Dennis Lehane is an impressive writer and storyteller. His writing in “Little Mercies” is very clear and his detailed writing style is interesting, clear and amazingly almost always accurate. He is also a master of creating nuanced and interesting characters and Mary Pat is just one example. I moved to Boston at the beginning of busing, stayed for about 25 years and knew women like her. I didn’t live in Southie, but lived and worked in a similar working class city not so far away, in a project like Mary Pat’s ‘Colony’. But the bottom line for me in reading “Little Mercies” was that Lehane wrote about an important time in Boston’s history and did it in a real and straightforward way. The psychology of the period was intense and fascinating. Lehane, who grew up in Dorchester, managed to write that history in a fairly nonjudgmental manner while also painting a realistic picture of what Boston was like back then. For better or worse, reading this book really made me feel like I was going home again.
Ron – Ex - Powerful and beautifully told story with an amazing lead character and well-drawn secondary characters. It stands out for its feel of place and time.
Group’s Average Rating: Ex
NO REST FOR THE DEAD (Mys-Jon Nunn-San Francisco, CA-Contemp) – Standalone – 25 writers/one mystery
When Christopher Thomas, a ruthless curator at San Francisco’s McFall Art Museum, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in a Berlin museum, his wife, Rosemary, is the primary suspect, and she is tried, convicted, and executed. Ten years later, Jon Nunn, the detective who cracked the case, is convinced that the wrong person was put to death. In the years since the case was closed, he’s discovered a web of deceit and betrayal surrounding the Thomases that could implicate any number of people in the crime. With the help of the dead woman’s friend, he plans to gather everyone who was there the night Christopher died and finally uncover the truth, suspect by suspect. Solving this case may be Nunn’s last chance for redemption…but the shadowy forces behind Christopher’s death will stop at nothing to silence the past forever. In this innovative storytelling approach, each of these twenty-five bestselling writers brings their distinctive voice to a chapter of the narrative, building the tension to a shocking, explosive finale.
Don – Okay – Prefers short stories as a compilation. Not everything working here.
Gabriel – Okay - It's the fourth mystery I've read by multiple authors. The others were all made up one author at a time, sometimes each author playing get-out-of-this-one with the next one. This book was carefully planned and organized by the editor-writers, which made it seem like an almost seamless novel. I might not have guessed it wasn't by one author. But it was mediocre and formulaic. I might not have finished it except for the novelty of being by 24 authors.
Ginny – Okay – A bold venture that held her interest to a degree but it did reach a point where she was getting confused. Love that it was done for charity.
Joni – Okay – Remarkable that 24 authors could come together, but there were way too many plot holes and the death scene seemed gratuitous.
Marcy - VG - ** spoiler alert ** When Christopher Thomas, a curator at San Francisco's Museum of Fine Arts, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in Berlin, his wife Rosemary Thomas is the prime suspect. Long suffering under Christopher's unfaithful ways, Rosemary is tried, convicted and executed. (Goodreads Intro). When I first read in the intro to the book that it would be written alternately by 26 different and well-known writers, I couldn't imagine that it would be a smooth read, but it was impressive how the chapter glided from one chapter to another pretty seamlessly. It was an enjoyable read. My one "give me a break" moment was when they had Christopher still living in the Bay Area 10 years later -- I don't think so. Otherwise, fun to read.
Nancy – Good – I enjoyed this book, even learning about how capital punishment gets carried out and all the inhumane problems that happen. I really enjoyed reading chapters written by authors who were new to me. The story began well, interesting throughout, but I did have to work a bit to keep each voice straight. Most of the characters, although not each one, were well developed, The ending was interesting but a bit over melodramatic and rushed in the end.
Ron – Okay—Interesting concept with so many authors and well-written, but ultimately it doesn’t work, with too many plot holes and unbelievable scenes. Part of the problem is that with so many authors there is almost a complete lack of character development. I did feel the first part was pretty good, but the second half was bad. I also guessed the plot twist early on.
Group’s Average Rating: Good