End in Tears - Ruth Rendell Andrea - G+ - Andrea recommended the book to the group. In looking at it now, it wasn't as good as she remembered. Charlotte - G - The characters in the book are more likable than the TV series. Charlotte thought it was good, but she has enjoyed other Rendell books more. There were twists, but the ending was sad and the characters' age references seemed off. She won't watch it if it comes on television. Corona - Poor - I thought the story meandered unnecessarily. The characters seemed to be caricatures, made for the story instead of a story about them. The woman cop, Hannah, in particular, was a caricature and was annoying. It was irritating, the author, in the woman cop’s character made a lot of politically correct statements which only filled stereotypes. I kept expecting there to be a moral revelation of her attitude judgmental attitude but it never came. (Just as well, I wouldn’t have liked that either but I would have had a better impression of the author.) Linda - Okay - The plot kept her going but she figured out the motive very early. She didn't particularly like any of the characters and felt Rendell used the character of Hannah to pillory feminists. Linda probably won't read any more by Rendell. LJ - Okay - I found this a bit of a slow-go. I liked C.I. Wexford but really didn’t care much for any of the other characters, of which there were many with very little dimension. DS Hannah Goldsmith is interesting in her compulsive PC-ness, but annoying for the very same reason. Way too much time was spent on her relationship with another officer for the narrative result. The story was over plotted; I identified the instigator of the deaths quite early. Most annoying to me was the number of women who became pregnant after one encounter. In my life, I’ve only known one person for whom that was true and certainly not several within a short period of time. It was much too contrived. So much of the book was involved in dealing with the various relationships and following red herrings in the investigation, the ending, when it finally came, was very abrupt with only a modicum of suspense. I found it a very slow read; not bad enough to make me want to quit, but not good enough to race through the pages. The best I can say is, “I read it.”
Dead Heat - Dick Francis & Felix Francis Andrea - Good - Likes Dick Francis. It was lightweight; she read it straight through. the mystery was better than the romance. It was a good read or an excellent airplane book. Charlotte - n/a - She didn't read it but does like that most of his books are standalones. Corona - Ex - I thought this book was a lot of fun. A great yarn! – People falling in love without angst – an engaging story. But most of the way through it I kept waiting for the two old detectives to show up. LJ - VG - I don’t cook, but have become a fan of many cooking shows and was delighted to find that the occupation of our current protagonist. The story still had enough of the trademark theme of horses to make the book work as well and the connection between the two elements was well-explained and logically handled. One of the many things I enjoy about Francis’ books is that I always learn something. Who knew that improperly red beans could poison or that you could make a horse think it is pregnant? Another hallmark of Francis is that his protagonist is, in a sense, an average person, successful in their field, thrown into extraordinary circumstances and forced to overcome it, and survive. Yes, Max gets injured and keeps going, but he also knows when to cut-and-run. Some may find the love-at-first-sight relationship a bit much, but it worked for me and I was delighted that, finally, one of Francis’ protagonists gets a relationship that works. Was it a perfect book? No, not quite. I’d still like to take a blue pencil to every portent in this, and every author’s, book, and it did lack development of the secondary characters. But it was darned good read and one Francis’ best in awhile.
Friends in High Places - Donna Leon Corona - Poor - (Audio version) It was nice being in Italy but I didn’t see a point to the story. I found the Brunetti’s, Mrs. in particular, a bit full of themselves. I never got interested in this tale. LJ - VG+ - Brunetti is a wonderful character and very much alive for the reader. He is different from the normal protagonist in that his home life and strong relationship to his family is as much a part of the story as the crime. Leon’s writing is wonderfully poignant and descriptive whether it be to convey Brunetti’s love of his city or his frustration with the corruption on which it runs. There is a wonderful line where Brunetti’s points out the irony of how Italy being part of the EU is forcing Venice to be less corrupt. Her dialogue is true and audible. Leon has created a wonderfully twisty plot with lots of different threads, although some of them where a bit hard to put together. As an American, it’s not always easy to understand how things work, but the conclusion is a very satisfactory one. What I find most fascinating is the machinations Brunetti must employ to achieve justice that have nothing to do with the law. It’s another great book in an excellent series.
Andrea - G+ - Andrea recommended the book to the group. In looking at it now, it wasn't as good as she remembered.
Charlotte - G - The characters in the book are more likable than the TV series. Charlotte thought it was good, but she has enjoyed other Rendell books more. There were twists, but the ending was sad and the characters' age references seemed off. She won't watch it if it comes on television.
Corona - Poor - I thought the story meandered unnecessarily. The characters seemed to be caricatures, made for the story instead of a story about them. The woman cop, Hannah, in particular, was a caricature and was annoying. It was irritating, the author, in the woman cop’s character made a lot of politically correct statements which only filled stereotypes. I kept expecting there to be a moral revelation of her attitude judgmental attitude but it never came. (Just as well, I wouldn’t have liked that either but I would have had a better impression of the author.)
Linda - Okay - The plot kept her going but she figured out the motive very early. She didn't particularly like any of the characters and felt Rendell used the character of Hannah to pillory feminists. Linda probably won't read any more by Rendell.
LJ - Okay - I found this a bit of a slow-go. I liked C.I. Wexford but really didn’t care much for any of the other characters, of which there were many with very little dimension. DS Hannah Goldsmith is interesting in her compulsive PC-ness, but annoying for the very same reason. Way too much time was spent on her relationship with another officer for the narrative result. The story was over plotted; I identified the instigator of the deaths quite early. Most annoying to me was the number of women who became pregnant after one encounter. In my life, I’ve only known one person for whom that was true and certainly not several within a short period of time. It was much too contrived. So much of the book was involved in dealing with the various relationships and following red herrings in the investigation, the ending, when it finally came, was very abrupt with only a modicum of suspense. I found it a very slow read; not bad enough to make me want to quit, but not good enough to race through the pages. The best I can say is, “I read it.”
Dead Heat - Dick Francis & Felix Francis
Andrea - Good - Likes Dick Francis. It was lightweight; she read it straight through. the mystery was better than the romance. It was a good read or an excellent airplane book.
Charlotte - n/a - She didn't read it but does like that most of his books are standalones.
Corona - Ex - I thought this book was a lot of fun. A great yarn! – People falling in love without angst – an engaging story. But most of the way through it I kept waiting for the two old detectives to show up.
LJ - VG - I don’t cook, but have become a fan of many cooking shows and was delighted to find that the occupation of our current protagonist. The story still had enough of the trademark theme of horses to make the book work as well and the connection between the two elements was well-explained and logically handled. One of the many things I enjoy about Francis’ books is that I always learn something. Who knew that improperly red beans could poison or that you could make a horse think it is pregnant? Another hallmark of Francis is that his protagonist is, in a sense, an average person, successful in their field, thrown into extraordinary circumstances and forced to overcome it, and survive. Yes, Max gets injured and keeps going, but he also knows when to cut-and-run. Some may find the love-at-first-sight relationship a bit much, but it worked for me and I was delighted that, finally, one of Francis’ protagonists gets a relationship that works. Was it a perfect book? No, not quite. I’d still like to take a blue pencil to every portent in this, and every author’s, book, and it did lack development of the secondary characters. But it was darned good read and one Francis’ best in awhile.
Friends in High Places - Donna Leon
Corona - Poor - (Audio version) It was nice being in Italy but I didn’t see a point to the story. I found the Brunetti’s, Mrs. in particular, a bit full of themselves. I never got interested in this tale.
LJ - VG+ - Brunetti is a wonderful character and very much alive for the reader. He is different from the normal protagonist in that his home life and strong relationship to his family is as much a part of the story as the crime. Leon’s writing is wonderfully poignant and descriptive whether it be to convey Brunetti’s love of his city or his frustration with the corruption on which it runs. There is a wonderful line where Brunetti’s points out the irony of how Italy being part of the EU is forcing Venice to be less corrupt. Her dialogue is true and audible. Leon has created a wonderfully twisty plot with lots of different threads, although some of them where a bit hard to put together. As an American, it’s not always easy to understand how things work, but the conclusion is a very satisfactory one. What I find most fascinating is the machinations Brunetti must employ to achieve justice that have nothing to do with the law. It’s another great book in an excellent series.