About the Book:

The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town’s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury’s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings’s devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya’s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.

The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya’s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.

In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

In a day and age when the murder of children is on the rise, and the pain and suffering that people go through — knowing that a child is out there, and we have no way to bring them home — provides a painful backdrop for this story, which is a timely reminder of how precarious childhood can be. From the opening scene, with the murder of a young girl, the reader is painfully aware of how difficult a story this could potentially become.  And, I must say that when I was first approached about reading, and reviewing this book — I was skeptical.  First off, I tend to have a very high standard of a good murder mystery, because they all start to sound the same after a while.  And I have read many that are similar to the story that this book presents.

However, from the beginning, with the introduction of the victim, the reader is aware of how accomplished Mr. Grandhi is in the area of character development.  And maybe that is because he has spent so long working with children, and has an understanding of their thought process, and their responses to the troubling world around them.  Both Janet, and Naya take a central roll in this story from the beginning, and I was impressed at Mr. Grandhi’s restraint when it came to refraining from making the children appear much older, and more capable of dealing with these difficult circumstances, than their age would imply.  I find that children, as the main characters are troublesome at best, because they frequently come out sounding, and responding like adults in miniature to all of the situations around them.  Naya provides us with a character that is in direct counterpoint to this tendency in many modern novels today.  Mr. Grandhi has not forgotten how important it is to present Naya as a child — and even though she is facing adult themes, and circumstances in this novel, she does not fail to always respond as a child.  This is what made this book so believable for me.

I also found that I was very relieved that Mr. Grandhi has avoided another frequent downfall of modern day crime novels, and has avoided the trite, cliche phrases that always sound more like Dirty Harry, than they do people living their lives in the real here, and now.  Yes, there was the occasional one.  And they didn’t go unnoticed.  However, there was nothing in this type of writing that detracted from the story at all.  I get frustrated when the investigating officers are always a down on their luck detective that knows everything, and no one else around them does; they always seem to be in trouble because of their powers of deduction, investigation, and pure courage in the face of overwhelming odds.  I never got that sense with Leia and Jose in this book.  They were simply people that had a job to do, and they gave their best to accomplish that job, before any more people had to die.  This only emphasized, once again, how talented Mr. Grandhi is at developing his characters as real people, and not the larger than life mythological entity that will always beat every odd.

Another strong point of this book is it never degenerated into explicit sex, violence, and language that I so frequently find distracting in many of the books that are being written.  Mr. Grandhi has allowed his ability to write, and his talent for description, and use of language to tell the story, without feeling the need to burden it down with junk that detracts so frequently from other novels.

Over all, I absolutely loved the book, and I am so glad that Mr. Grandhi contacted me, and asked me for a review.  This is a book that I would recommend to others, since it has many qualities that I fail to find in many books today.  For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

Preetham Grandhi Website

Confetti Antiques & Books Book Review

A Bookworm’s World Book Review

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

AbeBooks.com

Barnes and Noble

Originally posted 2010-12-06 21:37:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

“An ancient secret brotherhood.

A devastating new weapon of destruction.

An unthinkable target.

When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol — seared into the chest of a murdered physicist — he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati…the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy — the Catholic Church.

Langdon’s worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican’s holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.

Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair…a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.”

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

I first encountered Brown’s writing long before the books turned hype fiction — and way before Hollywood transformed the stories.  And, like many people, my first exposure to his writing was actually through the second book in the series — The Da Vinci Code — and as I look back on this series, I find that I am not sure why that is.  It may be the appeal of the carefree, eternal bachelor in the form of Langdon that appeals to women.  Or it could be the intrigue of the exploration of symbols that somehow appeals to readers on an almost elemental level.  But what ever it is — that appeal was certainly there when the second book came out.  However, when I was finished with the hype book, I turned my attention to other books that Brown had produced and found this one.  And to be honest — I found this one to be so much better than The Da Vinci Code!  This one just had more of a story with substance, and one that I found much more appealing. 

This book delves into an age old argument that has been raging since the first documented accounts of men’s existence.  The constant struggle between science and religion.  Combine that with being set amidst the Catholic faith’s primary headquarters — Vatican City — during Conclave of all times, and I just felt there was more of a story here right from the start.  I particularly like the tone and approach of the book.  The concept that science and religion can coexist is something that I have always believed.  I have never felt that there were differing opinions between the two — but I realize that I am among a minority in this thought process.  But this is the basic reason that this particular story reached me. 

The character of Langdon is much more of quandary to me, however.  In the first book I felt there was something off about him.  But it wasn’t until this book that I finally started to think through what I found so strange about him.  It is just bizarre to me that a man that has devoted his life to the study of symbology — many of who’s origins come from the cult/religious portion of our societies — who has no real beliefs of his own just seems a little strange to me.  To dedicate your life to the study of something, I would think would produce some form of belief one way or another.  But that doesn’t mean that this detracts from Langdon as a character.  In fact — this paradigm just seems to add to the mystery of this character, and keeps the reader reading, if for no other reason that to try to figure out what makes this character tick. 

Also, the interesting backdrop of Vatican City — a religious city unto itself — also proved to be much more captivating for this type of story.  Mainly because it is bringing the age old argument home, so to speak.  I live in a city, and state where its foundations go back to a religious origin — and a controversial one at that.  Because of all the mystique and animosity that once existed around that religion, you come to accept that there are a great many ideas out there that may, or may not be grounded in fact.  Many of them are so completely off the wall that you just have to shake your head and wonder where these ideas come from.  And others are just plausible enough that the entire church, as well as everyone living in the state tends to fall under its shadow, and it is almost impossible to correct these ideas.  People will come to that state looking to “see” these misconceptions in action — and frequently find that reality is very different from what they expect.  I suspect that many who visit Vatican City are much the same way.  They are looking to see evidence of the deep dark “secrets” that they feel must surly exist there — because legend says they do.  That is why this book proved to be so effective.  It capitalized on some of these misnomers, and turned them into a great statement on the difference between expectation and fact. 

These are just a couple of the reasons that I really consider this book a pretty good read.  It is certainly worth the time if you enjoy this type of mystery.  The characters are unusual, and the story line is fun.

For more information about this book and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

Dan Brown Website

New York Times Article

The Truth About Angels And Demons

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

AbeBooks.com

Originally posted 2011-08-17 06:48:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

“Masterfully blending true events with fiction, this blockbuster historical thriller delivers a page-turning murder mystery set on the sixteenth-century Oxford University campus.

Giordano Bruno was a monk, poet, scientist, and magician on the run from the Roman Inquisition on charges of heresy for his belief that the Earth orbits the sun and that the universe is infinite. This alone could have got him burned at the stake, but he was also a student of occult philosophies and magic.

In S. J. Parris’s gripping novel, Bruno’s pursuit of this rare knowledge brings him to London, where he is unexpectedly recruited by Queen Elizabeth I and is sent undercover to Oxford University on the pretext of a royal visitation. Officially Bruno is to take part in a debate on the Copernican theory of the universe; unofficially, he is to find out whatever he can about a Catholic plot to overthrow the queen.

His mission is dramatically thrown off course by a series of grisly murders and a spirited and beautiful young woman. As Bruno begins to discover a pattern in these killings, he realizes that no one at Oxford is who he seems to be. Bruno must attempt to outwit a killer who appears obsessed with the boundary between truth and heresy.

Like The Dante Club and The Alienist, this clever, sophisticated, exceptionally enjoyable novel is written with the unstoppable narrative propulsion and stylistic flair of the very best historical thrillers.”

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

This is the kind of murder mystery, suspense thriller that I love to read.  There is so much more than just the traditional detective novel going on here.  And since it is a historical fiction setting, this mystery provides a feel of reality that is hard to come by in the usual murder mysteries that there are so many of.  This book has so much going on besides just the mystery that the amount of suspense that this book offers is magnified through the background story, as well as the mystery Parris has developed.

Bruno, a Catholic monk, enlisted through the English crown of Queen Elizabeth I to investigate possible Catholic conspiracies to overthrow the throne, while working on defending uncovering murders in the very traditional Oxford University, is an impossible challenge in and of itself.  Combine with that the fact that Bruno can’t very easily leave England, since he is a wanted man throughout Europe, due to his heretical beliefs according to the Spanish Inquisition.  This is a character that beautifully defines the adage of being “caught between a rock and hard place.”  With the religious frictions between the Catholics, Protestants, and the Church of England and the overwhelming danger of having beliefs that are not considered appropriate, because they are in opposition to the teachings of “The Church,” there is danger on nearly every page of this book.

The entire premise of the story, not just the mystery, but also the setting is nothing but a conglomeration of frictional factions all struggling for power over the other.  This was not just a good use of plot in developing the mystery, but Parris truly capitalizes on the oppressive nature of this particular time period.  Parris does a wonderful job of demonstrating that she has an understanding of the history she is writing about, and she has used that knowledge to capitalize on the development of a fun fictional mystery novel.   Also, Bruno is not a traditional “police detective,” which makes this mystery simply a much more engrossing read in the genre of mysteries.

In addition to this, Parris had demonstrated a unique understanding of the human character.  Her characters all have vast, and very diverse personalities.  However, all of them have depth, and add a lot to the challenging controversies of this story.  Additionally, the main character, in addition to his love of the Copernican teachings, and his Catholic faith, tends to study more questionable topics such as alchemy, the occult, and even magic.  So, in a time of great political and religious upheaval, combined with a great deal of superstition and fear, on top of a homicidal renegade on the loose, and you have the makings of a book that is guaranteed to keep readers guessing.  I found that when I got to the end of the book, I had not figured out who the killer was until just before the very end. What more can you as for in a murder mystery?

For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following website:

Washington Post Book Review

Interview With The Author

About the Author

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

Abe Books

Barnes and Noble

Originally posted 2011-06-24 06:00:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

Arkady Renko, hero of the #1 bestsellers Gorky Park and Polar Star, returns in a masterly new thriller set in contemporary Moscow and Germany. The Communist party is dead, the ruble is worthless, and the Russian mafia is the only part of the country that works. After the brutal death of a black-market banker, Arkady butts heads with the ruling elite, the mob bosses.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

This book really seemed to lose something that was present in the two previous books of the series.  I just came away from this one feeling like a lot of the magic in the characters, as well as the political intensity that provided the backdrop of the story was somehow diminished, or missing completely.  A lot of the things that I fell in love with regarding this whole series was based on the difficulties of investigating crime in a country that purports that there can be no crime.  Combined with the political impossibility of constantly trying to work while being watched by every political organization in the country — both legitimate and not — and you simply have a setting inherently intense as far as criminal investigation.  So, I think going into this one was potentially a let down because of the fall of communism, and how it really relieved a lot of the suspense and intensity that are evident in the first three books. I just started feeling like this book was just one more static detective novel, degenerating to a carbon copy of so many of the other ones that are out there.

One part of this book that just really didn’t work for me was the romantic re-emergence of his lost love, Irina, following her defection in Gorky Park.  This was a strange relationship in the first book.  And somehow I never got the impression that it was a relationship of love, so much as one of availability.  They had been thrown together through circumstances — and in the end it culminated in a coming together of stress relief.  So it is really strange to now find Renko mooning over her radio shows, just to hear her voice.  And his sudden discovery that he loves her — it just somehow was a part of the book that irritated me more than drew me in.  I just felt like it wasn’t quite a part of the plot — as much as a secondary thought thrown in to fill the gaps.  Combine that with the stereotypical presentation of the development of the romance, and it just felt like a schmaltzy romance novel in the middle of a detective story. 

The story also seemed to fall victim to a lot of the stereo types of many of the other detective novels I have read.  I felt like I was reading Harry Bosch in Moscow.  The story was pretty shallow.  The crime was almost trite in the reasons behind it, and the people that were involved in committing it.  The only character that provided any interest was Renko’s criminalist.  And, unfortunately, her appearance is secondary to the story, and there isn’t enough to actually get to know her.  I felt like there was more to her character, and what drover her, and it never fully actualized.  Renko appeared to be pretty static in this book as well.  He is almost fatalistic, and jaded in his approach to his job.  Everyone around him seems to be ending up dead — and a lot of the leads he ends up following up on seem to be jumps in logic, and hard to follow in how he even got to them.   The only really redeeming part of this story is the resolution between Arkady and his father.  Not exactly a positive one — but it did bring that part of the story to a full conclusion. 

Considering how long I waited to actually have this one become available in audio book format, I was seriously disappointed.  However, I will say, I did love the narration in the audiobook.  That was worth the listen, if nothing else was.  But overall, I think I would have to give this one a pass. 

For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

Martin Cruz Smith Website

LA Times Book Review

EW.com Book Review

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

Originally posted 2012-01-16 18:32:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

For Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, life has not been a fairy tale. After the mysterious disappearance of their parents, the sisters are sent to live with their grandmother–a woman they believed was dead! Granny Relda reveals that the girls have two famous ancestors, the Brothers Grimm, whose classic book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files of magical mischief. Now the girls must take on the family responsibility of being fairy tale detectives.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

What a fun read — for children and adults alike! I try to keep as wide a variety of types of books as possible for this blog, because I know that there are as many different tastes in books, and there are books themselves.  And since I started, the area I have always been weak in is the books geared to younger generational audiences.  And yet, I consider these more than just important.  The world we live in is losing interest in reading.  With the advent of television, the internet, video games, movies, videos — it is simply information overload — and the real importance of reading is being lost.  And unfortunately — if it isn’t something that is introduced to children when they are young, they will rarely grow up loving books — since there is so much more in the world that is clamoring for their attention.  The unfortunate side effect is the lowering of people’s ability to read, think, and reason.  Books bring so much to our lives, and the less reading that is done, the less our cognitive abilities are.  The reason for this is that reading requires more than simple reading skills.  It also taps into the reasoning, as different ideas and beliefs are encountered.  It demands the engagement of the imagination, the thinking, and comprehension abilities of our minds.  This is why I am trying to put an emphasis on finding books that are great reading material for not simply adults — but children, and young adults as well.

This book is a great one to fit that bill.  A complete re-creation of the fairy tales, legends, and many of the fantasies that most adults grew up loving.  There are appearances from giants,  Jack and his infamous beanstalks, Prince Charming, Snow White, Glinda, The Three Little Pigs, The Big Bad Wolf, The Magic Mirror, The White Rabbit, and the Queen of Hearts.  The list goes on, and it is all based on the legend of the great Grimm legacy, handed down from the original Brother’s Grimm — and set in a modern setting, amongst a world that no longer believes in fairy tales and fantasy.

The writing in this book is spectacular, and the story line is very well done (even for adults!).  It has completely revived the fairy tales, and has allowed them  to live again, in another context that still remains true to their original settings.  The characters are not only fun — but there is more depth than you would expect to find, and dimension is added to even the old characters from the fairy tales.  Jumping from the old two dimensional world of the fairy tale page, even they are given life, and the reader is able to see them as real people, in a real world.

And the premise of the story — a modern day mystery, surrounded by fantasy characters is completely enjoyable.  As the sisters Sabrina, and Daphne Grimm discover their heritage, and learn to step into the life they don’t believe in, but are meant to inherit, as fairy tale detectives in their new home of Ferryport Landing — the old Grimm legends take on even more entertaining meanings.  And be prepared for some surprises in your preconceived ideas of who the original fairy tale characters were.  There are some great twists in the story.

This book is a must read that is fun, and enjoyable reading for all ages!

For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

The Sister’s Grimm Website

Michael Buckley Website

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

AbeBooks.com

Barnes and Noble

Originally posted 2010-12-09 15:00:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

While refurbishing an old ranch building in San Angelo, Texas, the author Preston Darby and his long time friend Ken Casper find the mummified human remains hidden between the walls of the structure. An autopsy reveals the memoirs of John Wilkes Booth secreted in the abdominal cavity. The memoirs disclose the scheme between Booth and his collaborators to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. But the story also reveals that their plans were discovered by a greater conspiracy of high-ranking Union officials whose plan was much more insidious…to assassinate the President. Reluctantly and in order to save himself, Booth agreed to be the one to pull the trigger, but foils the groups plan to silence him after the deed by escaping. The conspirators incorrectly identify a body as Booth, and promptly hang his accomplices before the true masterminds’ identities can be revealed. Thus, begins the tale of Booth’s years traveling the world, encountering a host of notable characters, and living a secret lie.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

This book provided an entertaining historical fiction tale, with a panorama view of American history, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, all the way up through 1903. There are many historical figures that make appearances in the book such as Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and the Earp brothers, the Prestons, General George Armstrong Custer, Samuel Clemens, and several others. The premise of the book is that following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his killer — John Wilkes Booth — actually survived his flight from the nations capitol, and managed to live the remainder of his life in hiding. The assassination itself, which actually plays a very minor role in this novel, was the product of many high up’s in the cabinet of Lincoln — and that Booth was merely doing what had to be done, to save his own life, since he was part of the conspiracy to kidnap Lincoln, and got caught.

The story is very well done. Entertaining, and fun to follow, the characters provide an interesting view of nearly 60 years worth of American West history. As Booth goes into hiding he makes his living as a hired gun, and gambler — that ends up meeting the most interesting people. The story is fun — but not a lot of depth.

What I didn’t like about the book is that it creates the whole Lincoln conspiracy — and then fails to explain who was actually behind the assassination, or who was involved. It is a book that seemed to leave me with more questions about the half finished story lines — more than one — that were started, and then never really finished. And I found the ending to be — while intriguing — also, somewhat of a let down. But it does provide an interesting look into some of the historical events that helped shape this nation, but they were only brief glimpses, as seen through Booth himself. It was as if the author started multiple different story lines, and then never really pulled any of them together. And realizing this used a cop out ending of an unfinished, unauthenticated diary.

For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

Preston Darby’s Obituary

Bookgasm Book Review

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

Abe Books

Barnes and Noble

Originally posted 2011-05-20 06:00:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

Mma  Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, and good humor—not to mention help from her loyal assistant, Grace Makutsi, and the occasional cup of tea. 

This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witch-doctors.

Book Review: ★★★★★★

This is another book that I debated reading for quite a while (obviously, since it has developed into quite a series), before finally breaking down and taking the plunge to read.  Mainly because I have issues with most detective stories.  I have read a lot of them, and frankly, I have found that it is difficult to find one that is truly unique.  I’ve just kind of gotten tired of the predictable nature of the construct of the stories.  So, in all honesty, I have to say that this book isn’t quite what I was expecting.  Yes — it is a detective novel.  Yes — there is a crime to be solved.  And that is about where the similarities end.

Precious Ramotswe is not your stereo-typical private investigator.  Big, damaged from an abusive marriage, independent, and with no training what so ever — she defines unique characters when it comes to the private detective genre of literature.  But that unique approach works.  Ramotswe approaches her job through the eyes of common sense.  She relies on her natural ability of observation of others, and up front, almost brutal honesty to flush out the solutions to her client’s needs.  Her approaches to private investigation are frequently unorthodox in the extreme.  However, her solution to many of the problems she encounters is refreshing — and at times even amusing.  

Also, being a fan of exploring other cultural differences through reading — I found this one thoroughly enjoyable.  In a rapidly developing world, we tend to forget that the myriad modernizations we live with every day have lasting influences on how we view the world.  We forget that there are different ways to view the world that do not entail the biggest, brightest, most advanced in all the world.  We also forget that there are simpler, and more enjoyable ways of life without all the bells and whistles of modern civilizations.  This book, set in Africa, provides a beautiful, and even enjoyable look into one of those lifestyles.  It also gives the reader an appreciation for the truly honest perception of the African cultures of the world around them.

 What didn’t appeal to me about this book is the way the story tended to move over the surface without delving very deep into the supporting characters.  We certainly have a great appreciation for Ramotswe, and her entertaining character is well worth the read.  We also develop a great appreciation for her father, and his influence in her life.  (Except that he is already dead when the story begins.)  But as for the driving elements of the other characters — they just weren’t quite as deep, and left the reader wondering about their interaction in the story overall.  I also found the primary crime being investigated to be a little frustrating.  The kidnapping of an eleven year old boy is almost presented as an afterthought of the story.  There is very little development to it — and in fact Ramotswe’s investigation into it is not even for an actual client.  So it tends to take a back seat to all the other cases she takes on during the course of the book.

  So — overall I found this book to be an interesting read.  It certainly has its good points and bad points.  However, it is one that is worth the time for a lighter read.  For more information about this book, and its author — be sure to visit the following websites:

Alexander McCall Smith’s Website

Reading Group Guide

The Books

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

Originally posted 2012-10-18 06:47:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

“Moscow, 1936, and Stalin’s Great Terror is beginning. In a deconsecrated church, a young woman is found dead, her mutilated body displayed on the altar for all to see. Captain Alexei Korolev, finally beginning to enjoy the benefits of his success with the Criminal Investigation Division of the Moscow Militia, is asked to investigate. But when he discovers that the victim is an American citizen, the NKVD: the most feared organization in Russia becomes involved. Soon, Korolev’s every step is under close scrutiny and one false move will mean exile to The Zone, where enemies of the Soviet State, both real and imagined, meet their fate in the frozen camps of the far north.

Committed to uncovering the truth behind the gruesome murder, Korolev enters the realm of the Thieves, rulers of Moscow’s underworld. As more bodies are discovered and pressure from above builds, Korolev begins to question who he can trust and who, in a Russia where fear, uncertainty and hunger prevail, are the real criminals. Soon, Korolev will find not only his moral and political ideals threatened, but also his life.

William Ryan’s remarkable debut will storm into ten countries in what is sure to be an international publishing event. With Captain Alexei Korolev, William Ryan has given us one of the most compelling detectives in modern literature, a man dogged and humble, a man who will lead us through a fear-choked Russia to find the only thing that can save him or any of us: the truth.”

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

Communist Russia is the ideal setting for murder mystery stories.  I mean, in a place and time when no one is sure who is on the myriad lists of people to be arrested — and the only thing anyone is sure about is that anyone can end up on those lists  — this type of setting simply provides a natural amount of suspense built in.  Combine that with the innumerable levels of State investigative agencies, and countless numbers of people that fall in and out of favor from moment to moment, and the story is already set to provide intense confusion and suspense.  The Soviet era of the Russian people is synonymous with oppression, unchecked political and investigative agency corruption, and a story within this setting can only become more entangled as it progresses.   For a first time novelist, Ryan has developed a story that, while not yet on the same level as Smith’s Gorky Park, and it doesn’t carry quite the intensity of Child 44 — this work is a great start from an author that has a lot of potential. 

The mystery portion of this book is a little predictable — but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the read.   Ryan has done a wonderful job of story development, and his characters are different from what is typically found in the Soviet character constructions.  Korolev, a simple militia investigator, also gives us a fascinating insight into one of the greatest realities of the communist influence.  Simply put, a government can no more successfully enforce atheism, than a government can enforce state religion without rebellion and conflict.  In a c0untry where God, and religious belief has been outlawed — the reality of this state is that the beliefs of the individuals have not been eradicated — they have simply gone underground.  Korolev, a socialist supporter, is also a closet believer — who like his Bible carefully hidden under the floor boards, hides his real beliefs from everyone around him.  And while he goes to great lengths to hide this religious conviction from the oppressive nature of the state — he cannot hide the effects of living a religious life produces — which is a man with moral convictions must always, first and foremost follow those convictions.  Korolev, like the proletariat people he protects, and represents is a great character for demonstrating the drive and conviction that have made the Russian culture so deep, and fascinating the read about. On the surface, a country of professed atheists, in fact has a long history with religious organization — and it is no small accident that this story surrounds the disappearance of one of Russia’s greatest religious icons. 

The other thing that I really liked about this book is the presentation of the demonstration of the challenges that led to the ultimate downfall of the Communist regime.  The combination of the corruption, oppression, uncontrolled legal system, and the total removal of all civil rights — added to the failure of the government to provide adequately for the people it professed to be sustaining — and this story gives a fascinating political insight into this intriguing culture.  Adding to these things, naturally found in communist Russia, a state that spends more time seeking out traitors to the State among the people, rather than the real threats to the community — and you have a wonderful summer read that is great for mystery lovers. 

For more information about this book, and its author — be sure to visit the following websites:

William Ryan on Goodreads

New York Times Book Review

William Ryan Website

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

Abe Books

Originally posted 2011-07-25 06:00:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

Known as The Moor Murders, the case of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley’s torture, sexual abuse, and murder of a child and two teenagers in the early 1960s is thought to be the most appalling series of crimes ever committed in England. To understand human character, one must first explore the depraved reaches of human consciousness. So believes novelist and true-crime writer Colin Wilson, who introduces Brady’s book. Brady first explores human impulse based on his readings, observations, and life story. He then analyzes a dozen other serial crimes and serial murderers.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

Sometimes the books I read are the result of school, research, or other study projects.  And while these are not usually the type of books that most people would choose to read — they are usually the ones that I find the most engrossing due to the information I am able to glean from them.  This book would be a great case in point.

Ian Brady, the author of this disturbing little piece, has a larger reputation.  As the perpetrator of a series of murders in England during the 1960′s, he has been know since that time as the Moors Murderer.  And to be honest, this is a book that is a great example of why the U.S. has made it illegal for any killer to profit from the crimes they committed through the selling of the rights to and publication about their crimes.  Not that Brady actually wrote anything about his criminal acts.  Rather — he turned his attention into the supposed hunting down of other serial killers around the world.

While the last half of this book is nothing but a running monologue of how Brady considers himself far superior to all detectives in the criminal investigation process, his suppositions are overshadowed by the fact that he is simply revisiting crimes that have already been solved.  Added to that is the fact that much of the last half of the book is dedicated to the profiling of some of the biggest names in serial killing, and he tends to lose credibility due to the fact that there is already so much that has been published on these particular men.

But it is the first half of the book that I found interesting.  I am a firm believer in the concept that if you want to understand what motivates someone, then you have to understand how they think about, and perceive the world around them.  The first part of this book is a gold mine in that respect.  A running diatribe against the world that created him, this book also gives us a fascinating insight of what it is like to truly live without a conscience.   If you ever wondered what a serial killer thinks about the world he lives in — this is an interesting source to read.  (Assuming you can get past the running rants about how no one can condemn any one individual for what they do so long as governments continue to kill people wholesale, and with a legal blessing in acts of war, mayhem, and outright vigilante justice.)

Everything from how Brady justifies his actions through his concept of subjective morality, through to his overwhelming sense of narcissistic psychopathy is all explored in this book.  Using many of these concepts just explain the actions of serial killers, Brady claims that their actions are on a par with Nazi war criminals in that the moral guidelines they submit themselves to are subjective — and can only be defined by either themselves — or the society they live within.  Simply put — if they are willing to submit themselves to the society they belong to, then they are forced to adopt the moral base of that society.  Since the serial killer — as an anarchistic individual, refuses to accept such demands — they become subject to their own concept of morality, and anything goes.

There is little graphic dismemberment and mayhem in this book.  Most of the explanations of the criminal acts are the basic outline of the crimes as we know them today.  But this book is valuable in the mental exercise it provides for those wanting to expand their understanding of the human mind, and how it perceives and interacts with the world as a whole.  But it is also disturbing on several levels.  And in the end I came away realizing that I will never understand why a serial killer thinks the way he does — because simply put, I am incapable of accepting the world as he defines it.

For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

New York Press Book Review

Internet Criminology Book Review

Time Magazine Book Review

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

AbeBooks.com

Barnes and Noble

Originally posted 2011-04-07 06:53:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

About the Book:

“Brilliant…One of the best books of the season.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A triple murder in a Moscow amusement center: three corpses found frozen in the snow, faces and fingers missing. Chief homicide investigator Arkady Renko is brilliant, sensitive, honest, and cynical about everything except his profession. To identify the victims and uncover the truth, he must battle the KGB, FBI, and New York police as he performs the impossible–and tries to stay alive doing it.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

This is a book that didn’t have much of a chance of making my list of great reads — mainly because I have become a little jaded about the detective mystery novels.  Murder mysteries and romance novels — somehow they all seem the same.  Once you have read one of them, you have read them all.  So when I started this one, I was more than a little surprised at how much I enjoyed the read!   While I became familiar with this book when it first came out as a movie — clear back in “the day,” I don’t remember it having the impact that reading the book did.

Arkady Renko is, in one way, the traditional overworked, under recognized detective that is confronted with the murder case that is destined to undo his career.  After all — how could there be a story otherwise, right?  But Renko is not just the average detective.  Confronted with a murder in a country that supposedly doesn’t even have crime leaves him at a distinct disadvantage from the beginning.  Working as an investigator in Red Russia, under the communist regime inherently sets this detective novel apart from others I have read.  The difficulty of creating the illusion that there isn’t any problems in a country the size of Russia would always prove to be a challenge.  But when crime occurred — aside from the treasonous activities of trying to live — it was difficult to maintain this carefully created image.

The challenges this type of crime presents to they Russian investigators are numerous.  Starting with a marked lack of practice of investigating crime — since it doesn’t exist — through to trying not to commit treason through an investigation into an act that supposedly doesn’t happen.  This naturally sets the stage for a suspenseful read.  The challenges that are inherently found in this type of mystery creates a suspense filled situation without the extensive work of a talented writer.  But Smith proved to have an ability to present a great detective character that didn’t seem to suffer from many of the downfalls that always exist in most of the detective novels I read.  The shallow character development based on a stereo type, a cookie cutter crime, and the same pattern for the investigation that follows — these are all the downfalls that didn’t overwhelm this book.

The setting, of course also added a great deal to this story.  I have always been fascinated with the various juxtapositions that made up the Communist Russian culture.  Smith demonstrates a gift for presenting the Russian culture, while maintaining the intense nature of the mystery plot.  The challenges of extreme paranoia, created by the oppressive Communist government.  The myriad layers of investigating agencies, all focused on identifying crimes against the state — almost always among the Soviet citizens.  The dangers of being identified as an insurgent against the state, and many other elements of the society — all of which have one common opinion.  Crime does not exist in Soviet Russia.  This is the image of a society that was ripe for the activities of a serial killer.  Free to kill — over and over — and never identified because no one is even looking for a criminal.  This book really challenges the reader to reflect on the danger that a serial killer can become in a world where they are left uncaught, and uncontrolled.  This book presents a community’s worst nightmare — one that they don’t even realize they have.  So while this book might be dated, it is a mystery book that continues to set itself apart as an excellent mystery novel.

For more information about this book, and its author be sure to visit the following websites:

Martin Cruz Smith Literati Website

Martin Cruz Smith Website

Author Interview

Publisher Website

When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, The Book Worm’s Library earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog by contributing to giveaways, postage, travel, and attending book industry related events. We appreciate all those that help to support our blog, and have provided links below for the direct links to this book.

Abe Books

Barnes and Noble

Originally posted 2011-06-03 06:00:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter