'Book Reviews' Category
The Good Thief
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti It only takes a few points to make a novel worth reading… characters you care about, a well-described setting, and some kind of interesting conflict. Unfortunately, “The Good Thief” has none of these. The characters are poorly developed and I assume we are supposed to develop sympathy for them [...]
Islam: The Religion and the People
Islam: The Religion and the People by Bernard Lewis and Buntzie Ellis Churchill Islam is one of the world’s most important religions. With more than a billion adherents in 56 sovereign nations and growing minorities in many other countries, it is important that those of us who are not followers of Islam at least understand [...]
Review – Sarah’s Key
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay It isn’t often that I find a book that I can recommend without reservation. This is one of those books. The story is fascinating, emotional, and pulls you in. You won’t want to put it down but you will so you can think about what you have just read. [...]
Review – American Lightning
American Lightning by Howard Blum In 1910 there were a series of explosions across the country. Some believed the bombings were the work of anarchists while others thought they were more likely caused by workers in the fight between the working class and capitalists. The bombings were destructive but bloodless until October 1, 1910 when [...]
Review – Our Lady of Pain
Our Lady of Pain by Elena Forbes There are several things that I look for in a mystery. The story should make me care about the characters. There should be plenty of clues. The solution should be an “of course” moment. It should be well-paced. “Our Lady of Pain” has all of these. The author [...]
Review – The Coasts of Bohemia
The Coasts of Bohemia by Derek Sayer If a book claims to be a history of a place, then it should at least give the reader decent coverage of the history of that place. But this book fails in that most basic requirement. The author is much more interested in discussing Alfons Mucha and how [...]
Review – Fault Lines
Fault Lines by Nancy Huston “Fault Lines” is an interesting book. Presented in four sections going back in time, each section is twenty years after the next section, the book creates puzzles about the characters and then slowly reveals the answers as their past is revealed. Each section is presented as written by the parent [...]
Review – Dexter in the Dark
Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay It’s sad to see such a good series descend to this level. This book was a real disappointment. It’s hard to know where to start but the overall premise of the book, that Dexter’s “Dark Passenger” is actually a supernatural possession by some kind of child of Moloch [...]
Review – The Turn of the Screw
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James This is the last time that I let Gil Grissom recommend a book for me. Yes, I let a fictional character from a TV show pick a book for me to read. The story is a fairly simple and uninspired Gothic “horror” story. There are some ghosts [...]
Review – The House At Riverton
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton It’s 1999 and Grace Bradley receives a note from a movie producer. A film is being made about a suicide that occurred in 1924 at an estate in England called Riverton where Grace worked as a servant. Grace is suddenly confronted with the memories of what happened that [...]
