Betsy Hetzel > Recent Status Updates

Never encountered a villain who could be called a "vampirist". They draw blood from victims, receiving sexual excitement in this brutal work. Newspapers finally got killer's name out to public. To Harry, he's unique, b/c the first this time that you enter a crime scene, you must let your brain take over, going over every detail and "see" what the killer sees. Harry thinks like the killer.

Jo Nesbo is one of my favorite Swedish authors but a tad difficult to get "into" with all the Swedish names, relationships, etc. until I figure it out but his stories are sharp and interesting.

Jo Nesbo is one of my favorite Swedish authors but a tad difficult to get "into" with all the Swedish names, relationships, etc. until I figure it out but his stories are sharp and interesting.

To Pete Barton, Lucy was famous; he had not seen her in 17 yrs. since their father died and she coming to visit. He asked sister Vicky to come too and Vicky asked Lucy ,"What brought you back?" "We're getting older." The 3 siblings talked about eating out of the garbage and one time, their mom cut up Vicky's clothes for crying. Lucy can't stand being back; it's just too hard.!

Spent time writing about Charlie Mcauley and his prostitutes.Then Angeline goes to Italy to see her mother Mary who left her marriage after 51 years and her 5 girls were grown. Mary's husband was having an affair with his secretary. Now, Mary feels comfortable with Paolo and she loves him. These little stories are nice to read - they provide additional information and background that we didn't know in 1st book..

We know that Lucy's mother was awful to her and her father too but Lucy loved them. I'm curious to see what all Lucy reveals in her memoir about her family. Then we have Linda and her 2 sisters = the Pretty Nicely Girls. Her husband Jay looked at porn on his p/c and Linda never says a thing. Life in a small town certainly isn't dull !

I like this book better than MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON. I love Stroudt's writing, and I'm enjoying learning the backstories of the original characters. Lucy ,who went to college and is now living in NYC, has published her book which is a memoir. When her sister Patty starts reading it, she says , " Holy moley.... oh my gosh ."

Picking potential jurors. White jurors come into trial w/ bias for a defendant who looks like them. Specialist explained that the baby had MCADD, missing a key enzyme, which is life-threatening. Prosecutor said defendant alone in room when baby went into distress and did nothing; she let baby die. But Ruth in impossible situation= obey supervisor's/parents' orders or try and save baby's life.

Kennedy wants Ruth's case, her 1st murder case. Unfortunately, they get Judge Thunder, the hanging judge. Ruth working @ Mc D's - Edison embarrassed!. Sister Adisa gets TV Rev. and rabble-rouser Wallace Mercy involved - "we will go to bat for you." Kennedy - this is not your job ! Ruth = I want jury to hear my side of the story. Kennedy = Then we'll put you on the stand.

Turk filed complaint w/ police against Ruth. R's license suspended/ no job. Ruth was sacrificed to save hospital Police take her to station to question. She finally wants a lawyer (count one= murder / count 2 negligent homicide) and gets Public Defender Kennedy. Will be a high profile murder case when Ruth was doing only what she was instructed to do.

Ruth Jefferson = high achieving black labor and delivery nurse, exceptional record. Turk Bauer = hates "niggers". Does not want Ruth touching his newborn son ever. Emergency w/ Bauer baby who has stopped breathing. Other 2 nurses in OR, only Ruth available but caught in dilemma , knows what she should do but can't. "That black nurse killed my son, beating on his chest."

Finished! An interesting but difficult book to read.... town of Hinckley completely destroyed by the fire, dead bodies everywhere, families separated with no knowledge of who survived and where they were, information at to what the body does when it experiences severe burning, PTSD, burn treatment wasn't even recognized for years later, etc. etc. This disaster certainly gets your attention !

Daniel James Brown is the author who wrote THE BOYS in the BOAT which our ret'd teachers' book club loved so we thought we would try another one of his books. This one is about the firestorm in Hinckley, Minnesota , 1894, which trapped more than 2,000 people and more than 400 people died horrible deaths; some parts were a tad too graphic for me to read. The survivors are telling their stories.

Not my favorite Thomas Cook book, but still love his writing.

Plot thickens. Marisol a "big fish", maybe a spy, maybe a torturer, maybe a double agent and discovering this wounded Julian's self-confidence. Julian met a bad man El Arabe who helped him find Marisol and Julian discovered a trick played upon her = Saturn Turn ????

Philip and Rene went through Julian's apt. = he lived like a monk. In filing cabinet, 6 folders, one just of photos of Marisol which looked like surveillance photos. A large gov't file = background check on Marisol; to them, she was a " person of interest". Was she a spy/operative ?

Marisol's foreignness appealed to Julian, her no non-sense quality. She was raised by a priest who also went missing Her body was never found. Julian's last note in notebook: "Life is, at last, a Saturn Turn." ?? which he took w/ him on boat and threw into pond. Now Philip is going to Paris w/ Julian's friend Rene to go through Julian's apartment.

Julian, the expatriate writer, committed suicide, slit wrists, on his boat. Friend Philip pondered "How might I have saved him?" Julian seemed hounded by Argentina, a trip they took 30 yrs. ago when their woman guide Marisol had disappeared. In his dedication to his book, Julian wrote, "For Philip;, sole witness to my crime." = haunting.

I love Thomas Cook's writing; I have read most of his books and liked them all. Looking forward to this one !

Quite an ending !!

Ella notices pane of broken glass in toilet stall. Tells John to meet her outside = free for the night, make love. Charles has thoughts about sterilizing John/Ella = prevention rather than cure. Clem not allowed any more books.

John is thinking of Ella more and more. He writes her a letter so she can "see" the outside, but she can't read so has friend Clem write back to John. Ella and John are growing close through their correspondence; he feels desire. Charles is still working on his paper. He read about The
Sterilization of Degenerates (vasectomy)

At the asylum there is this beautiful ballroom and every Friday the well-behaved inmates go there to dance. John was a good dancer; Ella not but they danced together. Dr. Fuller believed that dance contributed to the good health of the mentally ill. He decided on his topic for the Eugenics Congress presentation: a case study of John Mulligan's transformation.

A novel about the Sharston Mental Asylum and how patients were treated back in 1911 told from 3 POV's: Ella who claims and feels that she is not "mad". John one of the patient outside workers who keeps to himself. Dr. Charles Fuller who is more into his music than his medical rounds. He believes in eugenics and the "superior" man. An interesting combination.