Books for May 1st, 2012 are: INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (His Mys-Gabriel Crowther/Harriet Westerman-England-1780) – 1st in series – Imogen Robertson In the year 1780, Harriet Westerman, the willful mistress of a country manor in Sussex, finds a dead man on her grounds with a ring bearing the crest of Thornleigh Hall in his pocket. Not one to be bound by convention or to shy away from adventure, she recruits a reclusive local anatomist named Gabriel Crowther to help her find the murderer, and historical suspense's newest investigative duo is born. For years, Mrs. Westerman has sensed the menace of neighboring Thornleigh Hall, seat of the Earl of Sussex. It is the home of a once- great family that has been reduced to an ailing invalid, his whorish wife, and his alcoholic second son, a man haunted by his years spent as a redcoat in the Revolutionary War. The same day, Alexander Adams is slain by an unknown killer in his London music shop, leaving his children orphaned. His death will lead back to Sussex, and to an explosive secret that has already destroyed one family and threatens many others.
LJ – G+ - Wonderful characters, but I occasionally found it difficult to keep track of who is whom. I was transported to Georgian England in sight, sound, dialogue appropriate to the period and historical fact. I had not known of the Gordon Riots until now. She also included a perspective of the American Revolution from the viewpoint of a British soldier. There is a lovely, Gothic feel to this book, but it was not perfect. Although I did identifying the villains fairly soon, the motive remained a secret until the end. The story did feel over-long, but I was completely involved and never found myself skipping through it. The book was engrossing and suspenseful, with interesting historical information with the different threads of the plot brought together well in a slightly overly dramatic fashion. I definitely would, and now have, read more by Robertson. Marcy G – VG – She both liked, and didn’t like it. It’s not usually the kind of book she’d read but thought the writing was wonderful and enjoyed the wry humor. She liked the three separate locations in which the book was set and how well it all came together. She really liked the main characters. Marcy really enjoyed the book and will read more by Robertson. Marcy S. – VG – She enjoyed the book very much. There were a lot of little things in the beginning. She felt it almost read like a play at times, that the narrative seemed like stage direction. A few things bugged her as she had read there were anachronisms in the book and an inconsistency. She also wondered why the characters trusted another character so easily, but she did still enjoy the book very much.
Note: I did a little research. Lemons were introduced to England in the 15th century. There were definitely glass-made glasses in the 1700s. It is unlikely that someone, during this time, would have asked for a glass of water to drink. A glass of sherry or wine would have been more common.
Group Rating Average: VG
SHATTER (Phys. Suspense-Joe O’Loughlin-England-Contemporary) – 4th in series – Michael Robotham Joe O'Loughlin is in familiar territory-standing on a bridge high above a flooded gorge, trying to stop a distraught woman from jumping. "You don't understand," she whispers, and lets go. Joe is haunted by his failure to save the woman, until her teenage daughter finds him and reveals that her mother would never have committed suicide-not like that. She was terrified of heights. What could have driven her to commit such a desperate act? Whose voice? What evil? Having devoted his career to repairing damaged minds, Joe must now confront an adversary who tears them apart.
Anne – VG – Liked it a lot. It caught her attention and she found she wanted to learn more about the protagonist. It was a very easy book to keep reading as it she was so engaged. She particularly liked that the author described people both physically and psychologically. Christine – VG+ - Loved the book until the end as she could see what was coming but the protagonist couldn’t. She did, however, really enjoy the book. Linda F – DNF – The creep factor was just too high for her so she didn’t finish it. LJ – VG - Robotham really delivers strong characters. Joe isn’t your standard character but has physical and emotional pressures that make him different. Robothan not only depicts Joe’s Parkinson in a realistic manner, but addresses the impacts of it both on the character and his marriage. Joe’s wife and daughter are integral characters as his friend Ruiz and DI Cray. These characters add to the veracity and suspense of the story. The author creates a very strong sense of place and has a great ear for dialogue. The book is very suspenseful; a definite page turner. I did, however, find it predictable, which took the edge off some of the suspense for me. I still really enjoyed it and Robotham’s perspective on family and fear did make me think. This was a very good psychological thriller and makes a perfect airplane book. Marcy S – VG – Engrossing. Really likeable character who has a complicated life. The subject matter is sort of creep, which did bother her, but she has already picked up another book by this author
Group Rating Average: G+
WINTER’S BONE (Novel-Ree Dolly- Ozarks, Missouri-Contemporary) – Standalone – Daniel Woodrell Ree Dolly's father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. With two young brothers depending on her, 16-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. Living in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, Ree learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But, as an unsettling revelation lurks, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost.
Christine – Ex - Loved the movie; adored the book. She thought it was beautifully written Linda F – Ex – Loved it; she liked it even better than “Tomato Red [a previous group read] mainly because of Ree. Ree broke the mold for strong, female protagonists. Linda S – Ex – Loved it. She loves Woodrell’s writing; it’s so beautiful. She liked the characters even more than in “Tomato Red”. She does with she’d not read it so close to having read the other book as it suffered a bit by comparison. Woodrell has a clear eye but is compassionate. This is a more hopeful book that “Tomato Red”. Marcy G – Ex – Woodrell’s writing is fantastic. It is tough to read about the conditions In which Ree lives, but the writing is so lyrical.
INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (His Mys-Gabriel Crowther/Harriet Westerman-England-1780) – 1st in series – Imogen Robertson
In the year 1780, Harriet Westerman, the willful mistress of a country manor in Sussex, finds a dead man on her grounds with a ring bearing the crest of Thornleigh Hall in his pocket. Not one to be bound by convention or to shy away from adventure, she recruits a reclusive local anatomist named Gabriel Crowther to help her find the murderer, and historical suspense's newest investigative duo is born. For years, Mrs. Westerman has sensed the menace of neighboring Thornleigh Hall, seat of the Earl of Sussex. It is the home of a once- great family that has been reduced to an ailing invalid, his whorish wife, and his alcoholic second son, a man haunted by his years spent as a redcoat in the Revolutionary War. The same day, Alexander Adams is slain by an unknown killer in his London music shop, leaving his children orphaned. His death will lead back to Sussex, and to an explosive secret that has already destroyed one family and threatens many others.
LJ – G+ - Wonderful characters, but I occasionally found it difficult to keep track of who is whom. I was transported to Georgian England in sight, sound, dialogue appropriate to the period and historical fact. I had not known of the Gordon Riots until now. She also included a perspective of the American Revolution from the viewpoint of a British soldier. There is a lovely, Gothic feel to this book, but it was not perfect. Although I did identifying the villains fairly soon, the motive remained a secret until the end. The story did feel over-long, but I was completely involved and never found myself skipping through it. The book was engrossing and suspenseful, with interesting historical information with the different threads of the plot brought together well in a slightly overly dramatic fashion. I definitely would, and now have, read more by Robertson.
Marcy G – VG – She both liked, and didn’t like it. It’s not usually the kind of book she’d read but thought the writing was wonderful and enjoyed the wry humor. She liked the three separate locations in which the book was set and how well it all came together. She really liked the main characters. Marcy really enjoyed the book and will read more by Robertson.
Marcy S. – VG – She enjoyed the book very much. There were a lot of little things in the beginning. She felt it almost read like a play at times, that the narrative seemed like stage direction. A few things bugged her as she had read there were anachronisms in the book and an inconsistency. She also wondered why the characters trusted another character so easily, but she did still enjoy the book very much.
Note: I did a little research. Lemons were introduced to England in the 15th century. There were definitely glass-made glasses in the 1700s. It is unlikely that someone, during this time, would have asked for a glass of water to drink. A glass of sherry or wine would have been more common.
Group Rating Average: VG
SHATTER (Phys. Suspense-Joe O’Loughlin-England-Contemporary) – 4th in series – Michael Robotham
Joe O'Loughlin is in familiar territory-standing on a bridge high above a flooded gorge, trying to stop a distraught woman from jumping. "You don't understand," she whispers, and lets go. Joe is haunted by his failure to save the woman, until her teenage daughter finds him and reveals that her mother would never have committed suicide-not like that. She was terrified of heights. What could have driven her to commit such a desperate act? Whose voice? What evil? Having devoted his career to repairing damaged minds, Joe must now confront an adversary who tears them apart.
Anne – VG – Liked it a lot. It caught her attention and she found she wanted to learn more about the protagonist. It was a very easy book to keep reading as it she was so engaged. She particularly liked that the author described people both physically and psychologically.
Christine – VG+ - Loved the book until the end as she could see what was coming but the protagonist couldn’t. She did, however, really enjoy the book.
Linda F – DNF – The creep factor was just too high for her so she didn’t finish it.
LJ – VG - Robotham really delivers strong characters. Joe isn’t your standard character but has physical and emotional pressures that make him different. Robothan not only depicts Joe’s Parkinson in a realistic manner, but addresses the impacts of it both on the character and his marriage. Joe’s wife and daughter are integral characters as his friend Ruiz and DI Cray. These characters add to the veracity and suspense of the story. The author creates a very strong sense of place and has a great ear for dialogue. The book is very suspenseful; a definite page turner. I did, however, find it predictable, which took the edge off some of the suspense for me. I still really enjoyed it and Robotham’s perspective on family and fear did make me think. This was a very good psychological thriller and makes a perfect airplane book.
Marcy S – VG – Engrossing. Really likeable character who has a complicated life. The subject matter is sort of creep, which did bother her, but she has already picked up another book by this author
Group Rating Average: G+
WINTER’S BONE (Novel-Ree Dolly- Ozarks, Missouri-Contemporary) – Standalone – Daniel Woodrell
Ree Dolly's father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. With two young brothers depending on her, 16-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. Living in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, Ree learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But, as an unsettling revelation lurks, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost.
Christine – Ex - Loved the movie; adored the book. She thought it was beautifully written
Linda F – Ex – Loved it; she liked it even better than “Tomato Red [a previous group read] mainly because of Ree. Ree broke the mold for strong, female protagonists.
Linda S – Ex – Loved it. She loves Woodrell’s writing; it’s so beautiful. She liked the characters even more than in “Tomato Red”. She does with she’d not read it so close to having read the other book as it suffered a bit by comparison. Woodrell has a clear eye but is compassionate. This is a more hopeful book that “Tomato Red”.
Marcy G – Ex – Woodrell’s writing is fantastic. It is tough to read about the conditions In which Ree lives, but the writing is so lyrical.
Group Rating Average: Ex