The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

Have you read something brilliant recently? Do you think your review will be useful to the other members? Please post the links to your reviews here.

(Any reviews posted by the author of the reviewed book *ahem* will be removed immediately. Author's Corner is for that sort of thing, please.)

I'll start: Holes

It's not a classic mystery, but it's very mysterious. It's not sci-fi or fantasy, but it's fantastic in all senses of the word. I loved it.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Hayes wrote: "I'll start: Holes

It's not a classic mystery, but it's very mysterious. It's not sci-fi or fantasy, but it's fantastic in all senses of the word. I loved it.

..."

i agree. it's a good story.

Amagansett. A whodunit and whydunit with novelistic depth and well drawn characters. The setting is a 1947 Long Island fishing community.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Lobstergirl wrote: "."

I really liked this one too. Nice review.

This came up elsewhere, so I'll post the review:

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I finished China Trade by S. J. Rozan the other evening and really enjoyed it. It had been on my TBR pile for awhile. After going to the Chinese New Year parade here in DC and with the cherry blossoms in full bloom I thought it was a most appropriate book to read.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Finally got around to writing my review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I just finished Death by Chocolate and really enjoyed it.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I loved The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths so will recommend it here.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I read In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming during one of our winter snowstorms - very appropriate.



http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Here's a review I wrote for CRIMESPREE CINEMA on the film of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Enjoy.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Film Review

For those of you who loved Steig Larson’s novel, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, you’re in for a treat. The film, directed by Danish director Niels Arden Oplev and released in the U.S. last week, is just as good. Maybe better.

The novel, for anyone who’s been on Jupiter for the past few years, is about the search for a wealthy Swedish businessman’s niece who disappeared 40 years ago. The first of a trilogy, DRAGON TATTOO introduces two unlikely allies: investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist, and Goth hacker extraordinaire Lisbeth Salander.

Although it became a mesmerizing read, the novel started off slowly, and, for me, was too long. Not the film. All the excessive bloat has been stripped away, and once the film starts, it doesn’t slow down. The pacing and suspense – and the sense of impending evil -- builds incrementally but relentlessly, until I was on the edge of my seat. And I already knew the ending.

At the same time, the film is remarkably faithful to the plot and its underlying themes. All the important plot points are in the film, and the gloom and chill of the Swedish winter (and its inhabitants) are nicely reinforced by the photography.
That’s not to say some of the characters don’t get short shrift. We barely see Erika Berger. Dragan Armanski, Lisbeth’s boss and staunchest ally prior to Blomquist, barely makes an appearance. Moreover, the final chapters of the book in which Lisbeth takes down Wennerstrom are also truncated.

Just like the book, which was hard to put down, it was difficult to turn away from the film, even for a moment. Watching Blomkvist and Salander unravel the truth piece by piece was just as satisfying as reading it in the book. Seeing the chilly Vanger family slowly come apart was, too. I could see the homage to Larson’s book in many scenes: for example, the cottage where Blomkvist stayed on the estate was perfect; so was Lisbeth’s apartment. I also enjoyed seeing what looked like genuine “screenshots” off Lisbeth’s computer, rather than something created in post with special effects. However the room in the basement was more high-tech than I remembered.

All the characters are sharply drawn, but the star of the film is clearly Lisbeth. Noomi Rapace, the Swedish actress who plays her is just as I’d imagined her in he book: small, dark , wiry, with plenty of piercings. She is silent during much of her onscreen time, but the intensity in her eyes speaks volumes. Her anti-social behavior led reviewer Roger Ebert to say she might have had a form of Asperger’s Syndrome. I hadn’t considered that when reading the book, but after seeing her on screen, it wasn’t a hard leap. Blomquist (played by Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist) plays off her ferocity with a calm I didn’t appreciate in the book; in fact, at times he appears almost naïve. The other characters underplay their roles quite well; the only character who might over act is Lisbeth’s sexually abusive guardian.

Speaking of which, the violence in the film is graphic and seemed more visceral than in the book. Whether it’s the translation from page to screen, or whether the director emphasized violence to make a point, I’m not sure. But even my 21 year old daughter, who usually is up for anything, had to turn away at times.

At two and a half hours, it’s a little long, but given the scope of the book, not excessive. The time passes quickly, and I was sucked in. In fact, it’s hard to imagine that Hollywood can do anything to top it. If you liked the book, I highly recommend the film. You won’t be disappointed.

Libby Hellmann
EASY INNOCENCE
DOUBLEBACK
Both on Kindle and Ipad

Read this recently and enjoyed it. I would have given it 3.5 stars if possible.

Veil of Lies: A Medieval Noir by Jeri Westerson.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

A so-so story, but a fun reading.

The 39 Steps




http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I've had The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley on my TBR forever. I keep hearing it mentioned by authors like Dennis Lehane as a noir genre-setter. I'm so glad I finally got to it.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52...

Hayes wrote: "Finally got around to writing my review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

"

Hayes, I took this one with me to Italy last month and read it during my long weekend there. I was completely absored by it! It is so good when a so much talked about book is not another blala book without a good strong story.

I really liked this:

The Savage Garden



http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I did not like The Fourth K. My review:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Libby wrote: "Here's a review I wrote for CRIMESPREE CINEMA on the film of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Enjoy.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Film Review

For those of you who loved Steig Larson’s nove..."

I agree that trimming the sub-plots made for a much better narrative. The mystery was complex enough. That's my only criticism of the trilogy as a whole-too many tangents,especially in the finale.

My review of The Calling:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Lobstergirl, that sounds like an awful lot for one book.
The final part of your review realy made me laugh, thanks for that. Maybe some good scenarist can write a nice Comedy Show from this.. As the book is probably best tossed around, I support your recommendation! ;)

I just completed BAD BLOOD by Goodreads author, Pat Whitaker, and subsequently wrote a quick review which can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Bad Blood

I just finished, Havana, by S. Hunter. I also noticed a few bad reviews of this book, but I don't think they're warranted. It's well-written and consistent. He uses Havana and the real history of Cuba in the forties and fifties as a humorous and intelligent backdrop to Earl's exploits. I admit Earl is not a very attractive character for a hero. He is a kind of dull and stubborn dolt. Perhaps this is what turns some readers off. But the book is told from multiple pov's, so Earl is just one of many.

Please check out my review of Barry Eisler's latest thriller.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3L8NQKF...
If you like the review, please indicate that it was helpful.

Just finished this. I couldn't love it, or like it much, even. A shame.

My Name Is Red



http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

It picked up in the middle, and then fizzled out again at the end.

Mystic River



http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Didn't thrill me.

I just reviewed MY GUN IS QUICK by Mickey Spillane. It's a top entry in the Mike Hammer series, and is a prime example of Spillane's hardboiled, high-voltage style.

http://mikedennisnoir.com/review-my-g...

I keep meaning to try the Mike Hammer series. My dad's name was George Hammer but back when these books starting coming out people started calling him Mike Hammer and eventually even my mother did too.

Once a long time ago when I was a teenager, I dated a guy named Mike Hammer......it made my Daddy laugh since he was a reader of Spillane books.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39...
Murder of a Dead Man


I hated this book, hated it, hated it. My review is short but you get the point.

Hi Guys
I have just finished Rain Gods by James Lee Burke the year is just beginning this was a classic read a materpiece

Karendenice--
Go ahead and try one of Spillane's Mike Hammer novels. You won't regret it.

Mike, I read ALL of Spillane's books when I was a teen. (Undoubtedly this explains a lot about me.) My favorite was I, the Jury, but hands down my favorite title was The Erection Set. They are indeed memorable!

I haven't read THE ERECTION SET, Steven. But I'm assuming it's worthwhile. I'll look for it.

I loved The Perfect Canvas by Kevin Adkisson. A fast paced thriller that delivers good reading!

Favorite thriller of all time is The Eight by Katherine Neville. Great writing, great characters, great plot, a historical puzzle, it's got it all.

Sounds interesting, Edward. Unfortunately, this doesn't have a Kindle edition.

Patricia - Ah good point. I read it from the library about 4 or 5 years ago. My experience is that the Random House imprints like Ballantine, which published The Eight, have been slow to move their older books to kindle. Probably related to the fact that they are the only major publisher that didn't move to the new pricing model when everything blew up with Amazon and Macmillan a while back.

Anyway probably more than you wanted to know :) It was indeed a good book.

The Eight was a fun read. So is its sequel, The Fire, for that matter.

Susanna -

about The Fire, I couldn't get into it. I really tried because I loved The Eight so much, but I never got past page 40 or so in either attempt.

I didn't think The Fire was quite as good as The Eight, but still a fun read.

I didn't know The Eight had a sequel. Read The Eight years ago and loved it. Now I think I'll have to try The Fire. I'm glad I decided to read through thread. Thanks.

MY GUN IS QUICK by Mickey Spillane (1950)

All the snide remarks and bad reviews that Mickey Spillane received during his sixty-year career couldn’t mask the passion that comes blasting through in his prose. The dark streets and back alleys spring to life on the page, as Mike Hammer slinks through them like a feral cat on the trail of his prey. The reader will feel Hammer’s hot desires as he strokes the naked skin of a beautiful woman. When he takes a wrong turn and is severely beaten by a few tough guys, the reader will feel the blows.

This was pretty strong stuff in 1950, when readers of “mystery novels” were being spoon-fed Miss Marple.

For my full review, check my website: http://mikedennisnoir.com/review-my-gun-

TRIPWIRE by Lee Child (1999)

Child writes these Reacher novels very well, keeping the reader pinned to the page with Reacher’s conflicts and wry observations on the immediate world around him.

The tension, which is the strong suit of a Child novel, builds continuously, but primarily in non-Reacher scenes. This technique enables Reacher to go about his business of piecing the puzzle together without having to shoot people every time he turns around.

Quick scene-to-scene cutting keeps the reader’s attention from straying as the plot unfolds in rapid fashion. Reacher pulls a girl by the hand through the book in his scenes, while the real conflict is mounting elsewhere, drawing Reacher and the reader toward the climax.

For my full review, check my website: http://mikedennisnoir.com/review-trip...

I enjoyed Thin Blood by Vicki Tyley and Soul Identity by Dennis Batchelder. You should be able to view my shelves for a full review.

Here's a review of The Woman Chaser by Charles Willeford (1960). This is a great noir novel by one of the very greatest noir authors. Willeford shows how it's done.

http://mikedennisnoir.com/?s=the+woma...

When We Were Orphans

This was a near miss for me:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I've read a couple of good books recently. Unleashed by Emily Kimelman is worth a read http://thetysonadams.blogspot.com/201...

I'm also enjoying Blood Work by Michael Connelly.

Lobstergirl wrote: "Amagansett. A whodunit and whydunit with novelistic depth and well drawn characters. The setting is a 1947 Long Island fishing community.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

Oh, yes!! this is well constructed, beautifully written tight mystery.
Thanks for the review.
Sean

Mike wrote: "MY GUN IS QUICK by Mickey Spillane (1950)

All the snide remarks and bad reviews that Mickey Spillane received during his sixty-year career couldn’t mask the passion that comes blasting through in ..."

Thanks for the review, Mike. I'm with you on Micky.
I'll opine - Micky is so freaking good he's a target for scores of critics. His popularity and his stinging prose are, simply, too much for many critics (professional and otherwise) to tolerate.
There are very few writes who can capture a city and it's inhabitants the way Spilane does. And fewer who can move a plot along as fast. And your word, passion, is perfect. His books are visceral energetic, powerful. I wish I could come close to Micky in my own writing.
Sean
Sean