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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated Talking God in Books
Aug 4, 2026
Weak Plot Didn’t Quite Work for Me
Joe Leaphorn has been asked to help with a dead body that was found near the train tracks just outside the Navajo reservation. While he is only asked to help find any evidence around the body, he can’t help but work more on the case when no one can come up with the identity of the victim. Meanwhile, Jim Chee is asked to arrest Henry Highhawk for desecration of a grave and then fleeing across state lines. It should have been as simple as arresting Henry at the ceremony where he shows up. But Chee feels something else is going on. Is he right?
This book didn’t completely work for me. Leaphorn and Chee spent too long on parallel paths when we knew their stories were going to intersect. Additionally, the action moves from the Navajo reservation to Washington DC, but the reservation location is a big factor in what works well for these stories. Finally, I’m really hoping we’ve put this particular part of Chee’s romantic life to bed once and for all. Don’t get me wrong, I do still like Leaphorn and Chee here, and when the stories combine, we get a great climax. But this is a book strictly for fans of the series.
This book didn’t completely work for me. Leaphorn and Chee spent too long on parallel paths when we knew their stories were going to intersect. Additionally, the action moves from the Navajo reservation to Washington DC, but the reservation location is a big factor in what works well for these stories. Finally, I’m really hoping we’ve put this particular part of Chee’s romantic life to bed once and for all. Don’t get me wrong, I do still like Leaphorn and Chee here, and when the stories combine, we get a great climax. But this is a book strictly for fans of the series.
Andy K (10826 KP) created a post
Jan 1, 2018
Dean (6927 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
May 20, 2019
The technology on show (1 more)
Good SFX for the budget
A great Upgrade
I saw this the other night after seeing good reviews for it. I'm not sure if it got a cinema release in the UK? It's a great Australian made film. A bit like a sci-fi Deathwish mixing humans with advanced Ai technology and body enhancements. The technology shown in the film, set in the near future, is really good and not far from what is available. This made the film more interesting. Throw in some good action and SFX and you have a great film that went under the radar.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated Pipsqueak in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When Garth Carson finds a squirrel puppet from a favorite childhood show, he thinks he's found a nostalgic goldmine. Instead, he soon finds a body and a conspiracy that seems too hard to believe. In fact, that was one problem I had with the book, I just couldn't believe it. The characters were also too thin. And the "comic" part of the comic caper? Not really that funny. I did find the climax over the top yet fun, however.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-pipsqueak-by-brian-m-wiprud.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-pipsqueak-by-brian-m-wiprud.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated Cockatiels at Seven (Meg Langslow, #9) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When Meg agrees to babysit a toddler, she just thinks it will be for a few hours. So when the mother hasn't returned by that night, she begins to try to track her down. Naturally, the trail leads to scandal, and dead body, and laughs. I thought this book was stronger than the last couple in the series. The humor was sharper since it focused on the antics of the toddler, and the mystery was better.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-cockatiels-at-seven-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-cockatiels-at-seven-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated 12th of Never (Women's Murder Club, #12) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
The Womens Murder Club is back and investigating a psychic who dreams about murders before they happen, a sleazy lawyer who might have murdered his wife, and a murder where the body was stolen from the morgue. You'd think these cases would be interesting by themselves, but the authors throw in a few more storylines for good measure. The result winds up being more jumbled mess than enjoyable. And very little detecting actually happens. Most of the solutions just fall in their laps.
My full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-12th-of-never-by-james.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
My full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-12th-of-never-by-james.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated The Mournful Teddy (A Bear Collector's Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Brad and his wife Ashleigh are enjoying his retirement by indulging their hobby of teddy bear collecting and creating. But then Brad finds a body on their property and a local show featuring a rare bear is robbed. Will this ex-cop be able to figure out what is happening? I loved this debut. The characters were great, there was some good humor, and the mystery was well plotted. The only issue was that the first chapter was a data dump.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-mournful-teddy-by-john-j.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-mournful-teddy-by-john-j.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated Death Runs Adrift (Gray Whale Inn Mystery #6) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Natalie is out picking wild blueberries when she finds a body floating in a boat. Since the boat belongs to her niece's boyfriend, he is naturally a suspect. Can Natalie clear him?
I love the characters in this series, and it's always wonderful to spend more time with them. The plot started out a bit slowly, but it soon gained speed and kept me intrigued until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/05/book-review-death-runs-adrift-by-karen.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I love the characters in this series, and it's always wonderful to spend more time with them. The plot started out a bit slowly, but it soon gained speed and kept me intrigued until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/05/book-review-death-runs-adrift-by-karen.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated The Cat Who Talked Turkey (Cat Who... #26) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
It's the beginning of summer, and things are hoping in Pickax County. They are breaking ground for a new bookstore and the town of Brrr is celebrating 200 years. Oh yeah, and a body is found on Qwill's property. But since none of the characters seem to care about that, the mystery kind of whimpers along. If you love the characters, you'll enjoy the book, but there's hardly any plot. Par for the course for the later books of the series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-cat-who-talked-turkey-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-cat-who-talked-turkey-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2621 KP) rated A Clue for the Puzzle Lady (Puzzle Lady #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
A dead body has been found in the cemetery, but there's a weird note attached to it. Is it a crossword puzzle clue? If so, what does it mean? And can Cora, who doesn't actually write the crossword puzzle column that bears her name, figure it out? I enjoyed this series debut despite Cora's drinking, a vice she gives up a few books down the road. The word play more than made up for it to me.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-clue-for-puzzle-lady-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-clue-for-puzzle-lady-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.