Happy birthday, CJ

I miss you, doll. Oh, and Happy birthday, Dr. Dan!

Rex Stout: Not Quite Dead Enough and Booby Trap

Rex Stout: Not Quite Dead Enough and Booby Trap: Two Nero Wolfe Mysteries is, as the title suggests, two short mysteries under one cover. Both feature Archie Goodwin in uniform. ::flutter:: Neither tale was up to Wolfe's usual standards. Both were too short to get a real feel for, but there were some laugh-out-loud moments and I thought each was certainly worth the bit of time it took to read them. Recommended as a quick pick-me-up.

In an unrelated note, I had a customer name come across my desk today: Rex Wolfe. I do believe someone's parental units were fans...

DNF: E X Ferrars: Skeleton in Search of a Closet

I stumbled across this one and loved the title. I just didn't bother past chapter one, thus the DNF (Did Not Finish). I don't normally review my DNF's, but I just wanted to say that there was nothing wrong with this book really, it's just not my cuppa. About the fourth time I was having to read a description of how someone took off their coat and where it was put and what someone was dressed in -- in detail-- and it apparently had nothing to do with what was going on, I gave up. I mean, hey, I get up in the morning, take my shower, brush my teeth, put on undies, pants, top, my watch, brush my hair... but I don't think anyone should be bored to tears with that kind of detail. I got up and went to work. I assume you understand I did all the usual stuff it takes to get to that point. I have a peeve about that kind of writing. Can't help it. Won't change it. Sorry. If you've got a story to tell, get to it already. Life is short and my TBR (To Be Read) pile is endless.

Shirley Jackson: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

We Have Always Lived in the Castle has been on my TBR list since I was in my late teens, back when pterodactyl ruled the not-so-friendly skies. If you've not read it, I can only say: do so. It's not a mystery per-se but it sure feels like one. There's not much I can say about it which will not spoil it majorly other than the simple cover story: a family is wiped out by poison, leaving only two daughters, and an uncle who managed to survive the poisoning but only just. After saying that, it may sound strange to say it is a delightful book, but it is. Delightful and disturbing and certainly something that will linger in your head for a long, long time. I really like dear little Merricat when she decries the need to leave her home for "the simple need for books and food" -- in that order. I can so relate to that. WHALINC was worth the wait. I wish I'd gotten hold of it sooner.

Agatha Christie: By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Wow, another Christie detective duo I'd not been aware of: Tommy and Tuppance. Have I been living on the moon, or what? I like Tommy and Tuppance much better than Frankie and Freddie, but that could have something to do with my age. Tommy and Tuppance just felt as though they had more substance, and certainly they have more life experience. By the Pricking of My Thumbs is quite a bit darker than Why Didn't They Ask Evans? What starts as a suspected elder abduction twists into a cold case of child murder. A case someone wants very much to remain cold. Christie twists the plot into multiple layers and doesn't hold back on the wit or charm to temper the horror. It's quite a good read. I'm looking forward to reading more of Tommy and Tuppance.

Rex Stout: Fer-de-Lance

Fer-de-Lance marks the debut of Nero Wolfe, but there is no stumbling here. Like Athena, he seems to pop forth fully formed from the brain of Zeus. The scene where Wolfe tries to comprehend golf in 60 seconds or less was priceless. I love the humor and the spunk of the Wolfe mysteries. They've just got their own sensibility and you really feel like you've just walked into Stout's world and he's winking off-stage saying, enjoy, don't you wish you could live here? I do, indeed. I have a goal of reading/re-reading every Nero Wolfe story at least once before I die. And Kindle, eReader, Fictionwise, etc, need to get off their duffs and get these in e-format. I've been slurping up Stout's omnibuses (is that a word?) as fast as I can find them. My grandfather once upon a time had several Nero Wolfe novels way high up on his bookshelf, but I was way too young back then to appreciate them. ::attempting to kick self -- not a pretty sight:: Youth is wasted on the young.

Agatha Christie: Sad Cypress

This mystery, I think, was much better than Why Didn't They Ask Evans? Sad Cypress starts with what you would expect to be the ending: the suspect in the dock, accused of double homicide. As Poirot reluctantly begins his investigation, he finds that everything points to the accused being guilty. But Poirot decides it all fits too neatly. He turns contrarian and sets out to free his woman. So to speak. Christie's up to her usual misdirection and does it quite well. I'm surprised this isn't one of her more famous tales. It really is quite good.

Donald Harstad: The Big Thaw

As I noted, Harstad's Eleven Days was excellent, but The Big Thaw blew me away. I was reading out of order again, rushing to beat a library deadline, and there were some references to a previous book, but nothing I couldn't follow. Plenty of spoilers for the missed book, though. Oh, well. My bad. I like Harstad's world. It's a world in which forensics are costly and labs are backed up. You know: reality. Not like CSI Las Vegas or Miami or Whereverthehell, where you work in a glass-walled lab and have more high-tech equipment than NASA. And where the lab techs are all deputized to interrogate prisoners and take an active part in the investigations. Pu-leeze.

But I digress. This novel didn't have the gore of Eleven Days and felt a bit more action-oriented. Not like Bruce Willis action-oriented, but you get the gist. This time out, Harstad's crew was up against the FBI and a team of home grown terrorists. Good character development and good procedural. Did I mention I really like this author? OK. I'll stop gushing.

Agatha Christie: Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

This was my first Bobby and Frankie mystery. In fact, I didn't realize Christie wrote more than Poirot and Marple mysteries. Well, pardon my duh. As a couple, Bobby and Frankie were cute and the book was enjoyable but it all felt quite light. I wasn't expecting that from Christie but it was enjoyable. One thing I thought was a bit of a stretch, the victim falls over a cliff, but his last words are "Why didn't they ask Evans?" Talk about focused... A good read, but I'll stick to Poirot and Marple as my favorites.

UR by Stephen King

UR is a novelette, Stephen King's take on the Kindle. King's Kindle is, of course, special, but I think most of us who own one of these little marvels believes ours are special, so I can't fault him for that. My Kindle is named Earl, as in "My Name is..." and he came to replace Fred, who gave up the ghost far, far too young and is still deeply missed. Both Fred and Earl are Kindle 1's because, yes, I'm an early adopter: books of all kinds, all lengths, all genres, downloadable from the ethos in under a minute -- OMG move over and let me at that!

But I digress.

King's Kindle is special: for starters, it's pink. Everyone knows Kindles (so far) are white. All of them. Unless you buy one of those nice little skins and stick it on yourself. Amazon's taken a lot of flack for the white, but the idea is that the Kindle fades into the background as you read and then it's just you and the words. It's brilliant at that. Much better than books, as anyone who's ever tried to read a paperback in bed and had to fight with the blasted booklight can attest. I don't understand why when Apple comes out with their bright white device, it's called brilliant simplicity but when Amazon does it it's called lack of imagination. Well, considering Steve Jobs swears no one reads anymore, maybe it's just non-reader snobbery. I dunno. My first computer was an Apple, back when dinosaurs roamed. It was white. And it left me so broke, I've been "reduced" to PC's ever since. But I'm not bitter.

Back to King's special K: Besides being pink, this Kindle has a spectacular talent: it can transmit to it's lucky reader books by his favorite authors: books those authors never actually wrote. Books they would have written, however, had they lived longer.

Imagine, as King does, the output of a Hemingway who did not die in 1961, but who remained productive though to 1964. A world where Poe hung on for another 26 years and where Raymond Carver lived to be 70. Where Shakespeare died in 1620 and produced two additional, ever more brilliant plays. Now imagine a reality where all these glorious, unread treasures wait for you, dear reader, to simply press a button and within a minute hold them in your hands -- all for the nominal price of $9.99 or less.

My heart is actually beating faster just thinking about it. Go ahead, take a moment, catch your breath. I'll wait.

Back? Ok. UR, being King, dissolves into a kind of half-hearted attempt at horror and the perils of breaking Time Paradox laws. The rest is pretty much anti-climax after the idea of all those great books we'll never get to read (like seventeen -- seventeen! -- more John D MacDonald novels). Man. In the end, Wesley, the protagonist, looses his Kindle to the Paradox Police. But for a brief while, all those literary treasures were his for the reading.

"Do you understand how lucky you are?"
"Yes," Wesley whispered.
"Then say thank you."
"Thank you."

When You Are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris

This one has been on everyone's read list with high marks. And, of course, there is that remarkable title, so finally, I ordered the book just to see what all the fuss is about. Thankfully, the fuss was right this time. This guy is funny as homemade hell on a stick. And I mean that in a good way. He's got a great eye for people and the weirdness that passes for normalcy. The frightening part is, I think I've met some of these people.

My favorites in the collection are:

• "Buddy Can You Spare a Tie"
• "Momento Mori"
• "Ariel"
• "Man in the Hat"
• "The Smoking Section"

I think I would enjoy meeting Mr. Sedaris. I would enjoy meeting Hugh even more, I think. Pretty handy guy.

"That's Amore" had me wishing for someone of his caliber to be around to write MY obituary. Oh well. I can't die, anyway. My To Be Read stack is currently endless. Maybe later.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas - Agatha Christie

Apparently, I'm on an Agatha Christie kick this month, but wow, if I could plot like this, I'd never have time to read. I'd be too busy writing! All the clues were there and I still didn't see it coming. I admit that with all the whining family members, it was nice to find a couple of people with a spine. Too bad they were hell-bent on revenge. But still, with all the back-stabbing family members, who wouldn't feel right at home? Christie, not for the first time, borrows a page from Sherlock Holmes in this one, this time a page from The Hound of the Baskervilles with the family resemblance via an old family portrait. It was kind of fun realizing that, like a little inside joke between reader and author. I was reminded of the quote by Edith Wharton:

Another unsettling element in modern art is that common symptom of immaturity, the dread of doing what has been done before.

Dear Ms. Christie had no such difficulty and good for her. When it's this good, it's not plagiarism, it's homage.

Eleven Days - Donald Harstad

Eleven Days is my first Donald Harstad, which is fitting since it is also Donald Harstad's first novel. Reading this one, I tend to think the man is either a genius or he has a couple dozen more novels squirreled away he hasn't admitted to yet. Either way, he reads like a seasoned author, one who has learned to trust his characters and the intelligence of his readers. Harstad draws on his 26 years of service as a deputy sheriff in northeastern Iowa and he never stumbles. Most of the murders he details are particularly gruesome, but I get no sense that he has embellished anything just for the sake of gore. In fact, I get the distinct impression that he is deliberately down-playing the scenes, trying to avoid too realistic a presentation of the violence and that is in itself most unsettling. I own a copy of Practical Homicide Investigation and some of the pictures (even though, thankfully, in black and white) will make you hurl at first glance. I get the sense that it is that type of reaction Harstad is protecting us from. Still, the story reads with such reality that I read with a knot in my stomach, cringing at the violence we do in this world, and hoping for the safety of Harstad's characters.

It is, appropriately, the characters who drive the drama. I like that in a novel. There is nothing hokey here, no "gosh-blame-it" Opie hicks in sight. These read like real people with real concerns and hurts and good humor. Despite the violence, Harstad's small town Iowa sounds like a place I'd love to live. A place where the sheriff's department is just a phone call away and where I'll find someone who cares on the other end of the line. I'll be visiting Nation County again. I already have the rest of the series lined up on my desk, ready for the weekend.

The Devil in Bellminster: An Unlikely Mystery - David Holland

I read this one for the 4MA July challenge of reading books with place names in the titles. The story and characters were interesting, and held my attention straight off the bat, but I had gone into this one expecting the main character to be a Bow Street Runner. Instead, the lead was a Reverend Tuckworth, and I admit I floundered for a couple of chapters because of it, but that was my fault for not reading the blurb. I knew only that this was a historical mystery set in 19th century England and so had walked in with preconceived notions. I'd bought this novel as an ebook well over a year ago, and just pulled it up and started reading without investigating any reviews or such. I later found that The Devil in Bellminster is the start of a series featuring the intrepid Rev. Tuckworth. In this first book, the good reverend finds his crisis of faith interrupted by a serial killer making mayhem in his flock. The characters were well written and the atmosphere was sufficiently rendered to keep me reading straight though and I devoured the tale in one sitting. (The family units heading off for bed early probably didn't hurt, either... ) The story was well plotted. It wouldn't surprise me to see it made into a movie at some point. It certainly read like one. Recommended.

They Do It With Mirrors - Agatha Christie

I love Miss Marple. My first was the filmed version of Murder She Said and then somewhere I caught just a piece of one of Joan Hickson's versions. My ideal Miss M is a cross between Margaret Rutherford and Joan Hickson.

As appealing as Marple is, however, I don't know why anyone would invite her anywhere. People drop like flies when she's about. Of course, with Christie's usual flair for populating her novels with so many people you need a program to keep track, the body count -- and suspect count -- can get hip deep pretty easily. I had this one figured out way too early. Still, a decent read.