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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Moonstone in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Of all the books I had to read at school, The Moonstone was probably the only novel I really enjoyed. It is one of the first 'whodunnit' type of books and, remarkably, it manages to hit virtually every requirement of the genre dead centre. If this book was written today, it would still be a classic.
The Moonstone of the title is a rare yellow diamond, stolen from an Indian shrine by colonialists. Thought to be unlucky it is left to the young Rachel Verinder. The night after her 18th birthday party the stone is stolen from her rooms, and the rest of the novel describes how the various players eventually manage to solve the crime.
The plot features twists and turns galore, false trails and red herrings enough for two detective stories. Although the crime involved is 'only' theft rather than the more usual murder it is no less engaging as a story. The characters are well drawn and - social reformer that Collins was - there are strong women and intelligent and interesting servants as well as the landed gentry and philanthropists that inhabit the world of country estates in the mid 19th century that the novel is set in.
One feature of the book is that the story is told from the viewpoint of a number of the players. Firstly (and for nearly half the book) we are introduced to the Verinders and the theft by Gabriel Betteredge, a long serving family retainer who is head of the staff and a sort of de facto butler. Betteredge's narrative is charming and witty, full of dry asides and observations. His habit of picking passages from Robinson Crusoe and applying them to daily life is a quirk that is completely in keeping with his character.
Once the story moves to London, the narrative is taken up by various other characters, sometimes just for a short journal entry, sometimes for extended periods of time. Collins imbues each of these parts with a different voice really skillfully, keeping each character very separate.
The solution to the mystery of who stole the diamond and why is convoluted but also very simple. The whole story is well crafted and fits together really well.
The only negative points really are those imposed on Collins by the time he was writing this. There is an overlong introduction about the diamond in India (it seems that in Victorian novels the long winded introduction is somehow expected by the reader) and the pace slows somewhat in London as there is a lot of description about the character's social standings and financial affairs that just aren't as relevant today.
Nevertheless this really is as good a book as I remember. I certainly rate Collins a lot higher than Charles Dickens as a writer. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes a detective mystery which will keep the reader guessing until the very end.
The Moonstone of the title is a rare yellow diamond, stolen from an Indian shrine by colonialists. Thought to be unlucky it is left to the young Rachel Verinder. The night after her 18th birthday party the stone is stolen from her rooms, and the rest of the novel describes how the various players eventually manage to solve the crime.
The plot features twists and turns galore, false trails and red herrings enough for two detective stories. Although the crime involved is 'only' theft rather than the more usual murder it is no less engaging as a story. The characters are well drawn and - social reformer that Collins was - there are strong women and intelligent and interesting servants as well as the landed gentry and philanthropists that inhabit the world of country estates in the mid 19th century that the novel is set in.
One feature of the book is that the story is told from the viewpoint of a number of the players. Firstly (and for nearly half the book) we are introduced to the Verinders and the theft by Gabriel Betteredge, a long serving family retainer who is head of the staff and a sort of de facto butler. Betteredge's narrative is charming and witty, full of dry asides and observations. His habit of picking passages from Robinson Crusoe and applying them to daily life is a quirk that is completely in keeping with his character.
Once the story moves to London, the narrative is taken up by various other characters, sometimes just for a short journal entry, sometimes for extended periods of time. Collins imbues each of these parts with a different voice really skillfully, keeping each character very separate.
The solution to the mystery of who stole the diamond and why is convoluted but also very simple. The whole story is well crafted and fits together really well.
The only negative points really are those imposed on Collins by the time he was writing this. There is an overlong introduction about the diamond in India (it seems that in Victorian novels the long winded introduction is somehow expected by the reader) and the pace slows somewhat in London as there is a lot of description about the character's social standings and financial affairs that just aren't as relevant today.
Nevertheless this really is as good a book as I remember. I certainly rate Collins a lot higher than Charles Dickens as a writer. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes a detective mystery which will keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated Mr Mercedes in Books
Nov 22, 2017
Stephen King at its best (3 more)
great characters
Insane Villian
Great Twists
A New Look into a Killers Eyes
I have been a Stephen King fan for a very very long time. But it has been a while since a book like this has come out and kept me wanting to keep reading it till it was done. I am not the biggest reader of book and it can take me awhile to finish them. I tend to spend more time watching tv and movies over reading. This book though kept me on the edge of my seat.
This book really went to a place most crime novels don't go to and that is a story about a retired detective on the verge of suicide. I feel like most retire cops go into something else and not just sit around all day. But he is pulled out by a case that got away, which is a good motivator. The one and done type of killer is very rare as well. Usually these types of psychos always go out for more. I don't know if it was lack of drive which most killers don't have or patience which he seemed to have a lot of. It was definitely different.
I can't wait to read the next 2 books in the series and watch the TV show to see how it compares. Until next time, enjoy the read.
This book really went to a place most crime novels don't go to and that is a story about a retired detective on the verge of suicide. I feel like most retire cops go into something else and not just sit around all day. But he is pulled out by a case that got away, which is a good motivator. The one and done type of killer is very rare as well. Usually these types of psychos always go out for more. I don't know if it was lack of drive which most killers don't have or patience which he seemed to have a lot of. It was definitely different.
I can't wait to read the next 2 books in the series and watch the TV show to see how it compares. Until next time, enjoy the read.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Sinner - Season 1 in TV
Nov 24, 2017 (Updated Nov 25, 2017)
Not as good as expected
I finished watching this series a couple of weeks ago and to be honest I have mixed feelings about it. It surrounds the story of an average housewife, played by Jessica Biel, who one day mysteriously snaps while on the beach with her husband and young son, and ends up stabbing a man to death. While investigating the case, Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) becomes increasingly obsessed with finding out why exactly she carried out such an unprovoked attack, probing further into her psyche and revealing very dark and tormented secrets.
The premise is engaging, and the first few episodes quickly begin uncovering bits of her past. But by the fourth episode, there seems to be a lull, as if the director may have exposed too much in the first three chapters, and it begins to dip in terms of interesting content.
By the end, it is explosive, with very little build-up - and to be fair it may have gone slightly too far, appearing hyperbolic to the extreme. The problem was that when it became unappealing in the middle of the series, it was difficult to stay completely captivated until the end. Pullman's character was quite lecherous, as if the only reason he cared was because he found Biel's docile persona attractive.
Would I watch it again? Probably not - there are far better psychological crime shows such @True Detective - Season 1, that seem more carefully and thoughtfully produced.
The premise is engaging, and the first few episodes quickly begin uncovering bits of her past. But by the fourth episode, there seems to be a lull, as if the director may have exposed too much in the first three chapters, and it begins to dip in terms of interesting content.
By the end, it is explosive, with very little build-up - and to be fair it may have gone slightly too far, appearing hyperbolic to the extreme. The problem was that when it became unappealing in the middle of the series, it was difficult to stay completely captivated until the end. Pullman's character was quite lecherous, as if the only reason he cared was because he found Biel's docile persona attractive.
Would I watch it again? Probably not - there are far better psychological crime shows such @True Detective - Season 1, that seem more carefully and thoughtfully produced.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity in Books
Dec 31, 2017
Outstanding insight, meticulous and moving
Other than historians and international lawyers you will not have heard of the lawyer Hersch Lauterpacht yet he is a very important figure in Philippe Sands' magnificent book.
East West Street is different and distinct in many meaningful ways, telling the fascinating story of the beginning of international human rights, but rather do so as dry legal history it focuses on two of the most significant individuals.
The author weaves the stories of Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin into Sands' own personal family story, which all tie into the 'city of lions' (Lviv/Lwow/Lemberg) in the first few decades of the 20th century. Both men and Sand's own family lived here, a place where East and West meet, hence the book's title.
It culminates into their assistance with the Nuremburg trials of ten senior Nazi figures, with Lauterpacht preparing the first drafts of the opening and closing speeches of the chief prosecution. Crucially he crafted the wording of Article 6 of the Nuremberg Charter, enshrining crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression into international law. Lemkin, in the same vein, constructed the concept of genocide, even coining the term.
And Sands discusses his detective work to find answers to numerous questions about his family. In the end his journey reveals tragedy, but a tragedy lightened by knowing the truth.
This is an outstanding book by a barrister, filmmaker and writer. It reeks of intellectual strength, and truly superb.
East West Street is different and distinct in many meaningful ways, telling the fascinating story of the beginning of international human rights, but rather do so as dry legal history it focuses on two of the most significant individuals.
The author weaves the stories of Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin into Sands' own personal family story, which all tie into the 'city of lions' (Lviv/Lwow/Lemberg) in the first few decades of the 20th century. Both men and Sand's own family lived here, a place where East and West meet, hence the book's title.
It culminates into their assistance with the Nuremburg trials of ten senior Nazi figures, with Lauterpacht preparing the first drafts of the opening and closing speeches of the chief prosecution. Crucially he crafted the wording of Article 6 of the Nuremberg Charter, enshrining crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression into international law. Lemkin, in the same vein, constructed the concept of genocide, even coining the term.
And Sands discusses his detective work to find answers to numerous questions about his family. In the end his journey reveals tragedy, but a tragedy lightened by knowing the truth.
This is an outstanding book by a barrister, filmmaker and writer. It reeks of intellectual strength, and truly superb.
David McK (3425 KP) rated Batman, Volume 3: Death of the Family in Books
Jan 30, 2019
With a title that references the famous Batman story 'A Death in the family' (in which the Joker bumps off Robin - or, at least, one of the characters to hold that mantle), this is third volume in 'The New 52' series of Batman comics (after [b:Batman, Volume 1: The Court of Owls|13223349|Batman, Volume 1 The Court of Owls|Scott Snyder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1342307351s/13223349.jpg|18412501] and [b:Batman, Volume 2: The City of Owls|15752115|Batman, Volume 2 The City of Owls|Scott Snyder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1342309403s/15752115.jpg|21446852]), and sees the return of who is commonly considered to be ol' Bat's arch-nemesis: that of the Joker.
And, boy, is the clown prince of crime scary in this.
With more in common, perhaps, to Heath Ledgers portrayal of that character in 'The Dark Knight' than to Cesar Romero's (Batman '66 TV series) or even Jack Nicholson (the 1989 Batman movie), this version is pretty much just a pure agent of chaos, and a formidable (and scary) foe indeed - this is definitely not a read for the kiddies, say.
Taking in a couple of plot-strands from other New 52 titles (including The Joker, Nightwing, Batgirl and Detective Comics, amongst others) this version of the Joker is out to re-create his early crimes; out to (effectively) 'reset' tgime back to when it was just Batman and him duking it out.
And, boy, is the clown prince of crime scary in this.
With more in common, perhaps, to Heath Ledgers portrayal of that character in 'The Dark Knight' than to Cesar Romero's (Batman '66 TV series) or even Jack Nicholson (the 1989 Batman movie), this version is pretty much just a pure agent of chaos, and a formidable (and scary) foe indeed - this is definitely not a read for the kiddies, say.
Taking in a couple of plot-strands from other New 52 titles (including The Joker, Nightwing, Batgirl and Detective Comics, amongst others) this version of the Joker is out to re-create his early crimes; out to (effectively) 'reset' tgime back to when it was just Batman and him duking it out.
Trauma: From Lockerbie to 7/7: How Trauma Affects Our Minds and How We Fight Back
Book
The Ancient Greeks called it 'trauma'. During the First World War it was known as 'shellshock'. Only...
Whitechapel's Sherlock Holmes: The Casebook of Fred Wensley OBE, KPM - Victorian Crime Buster
Book
The story of Fred Wensley, a Somerset gardener who joined the Metropolitan Police in 1888 and...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Stay Dead (Elise Sandburg #2) in Books
Aug 12, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
146 of 200
Kindle
Stay Dead ( Elise Savannah book 2)
By Anne Frasier
Frasier takes readers back to her dark, enchanting Savannah--a place as terrifying as it is mesmerizing.
Homicide detective Elise Sandburg is traumatized after her run-in with a madman the press has dubbed "The Organ Thief." As Elise takes refuge in her deceased aunt Anastasia's abandoned plantation to investigate and recover from her ordeal, she begins to question everything--from her dangerous line of work to her complex relationship with her handsome, tortured partner, David Gould. But with a madman on the loose, and her mother's claims to still hear from Aunt Anastasia, she may have more immediate problems on her hands. In Elise's world, where cold hard crime mixes with the local Gullah culture, nothing is ever what it seems, and no one is above suspicion--not even the dead.
This is book 2 in the series and it was brilliant! The story continues from book 1 with the mystery surrounding not only the murders but the so called murderer waking and walking away from a coma. Elise is not yet recovered before she’s back up and chasing the organ thief, as well as dealing with two major back from the dead family members, the growing feelings for Gould and the daughter that won’t do as she’s told!! The writing is just brilliant a thriller with a touch of possible voodoo witchcraft!
Kindle
Stay Dead ( Elise Savannah book 2)
By Anne Frasier
Frasier takes readers back to her dark, enchanting Savannah--a place as terrifying as it is mesmerizing.
Homicide detective Elise Sandburg is traumatized after her run-in with a madman the press has dubbed "The Organ Thief." As Elise takes refuge in her deceased aunt Anastasia's abandoned plantation to investigate and recover from her ordeal, she begins to question everything--from her dangerous line of work to her complex relationship with her handsome, tortured partner, David Gould. But with a madman on the loose, and her mother's claims to still hear from Aunt Anastasia, she may have more immediate problems on her hands. In Elise's world, where cold hard crime mixes with the local Gullah culture, nothing is ever what it seems, and no one is above suspicion--not even the dead.
This is book 2 in the series and it was brilliant! The story continues from book 1 with the mystery surrounding not only the murders but the so called murderer waking and walking away from a coma. Elise is not yet recovered before she’s back up and chasing the organ thief, as well as dealing with two major back from the dead family members, the growing feelings for Gould and the daughter that won’t do as she’s told!! The writing is just brilliant a thriller with a touch of possible voodoo witchcraft!
The Trespasser: Dublin Murder Squad
8.6
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In bestselling Tana French’s newest “tour de force” (The New York Times), being on the Murder...
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Tempting Trouble
5.0
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Tempting Trouble: two stories of erotic romance Story 1: Tempting Witness When Madison Dubois...