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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2177 KP) rated Death by Dumpling in Books
Jul 18, 2018
Lana Finds Herself Delivering Death
Lana Lee has landed back at her parents’ Chinese restaurant as a waitress in an effort to get her life back together. She thinks she’s hit rock bottom, but she’s wrong. Not too long after delivering Mr. Feng his usual order of dumplings, the man is found dead. Somehow, he got shellfish dumplings instead of the pork he ordered. With the police looking at everyone at the restaurant, Lana starts poking around to clear herself and the rest of the employees. But is one of them really guilty?
This was a very fun debut. The mystery is good, although the pacing does lag a bit in the middle. It does pick up again in the final third, giving us some great twists and turns before we reach the logical climax. The characters are mostly strong, which some room to grow as the series progresses. I did feel that Lana’s mother was the weakest characters, and I hope she is fleshed out more as the series progresses. I will definitely be back for seconds.
This was a very fun debut. The mystery is good, although the pacing does lag a bit in the middle. It does pick up again in the final third, giving us some great twists and turns before we reach the logical climax. The characters are mostly strong, which some room to grow as the series progresses. I did feel that Lana’s mother was the weakest characters, and I hope she is fleshed out more as the series progresses. I will definitely be back for seconds.
Debbie (52 KP) rated A Stranger in the House in Books
Jul 27, 2018
A Stranger In The House By: Shari Lapena
Adult Thriller 305 Pages
I enjoyed this book; I couldn't put it down. I gave it 5 stars.
It is about a woman who leaves her home in a rush after a phone call. She gets into a car accident and temporarily loses her memory.
During her absents a murder has occurred and the police don't believe that she doesn't remember anything. They keep questioning her to try to get her to remember.
Her husband and best friend are there to support her and help her.
Who was murder? Did she do it? What happened that night?
These questions will be answered when you read the book. This is a thriller and though I want to go in great detail I won't. I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong. This is the best kind of thriller where you can't figure it out because there are twists.
I greatly recommend that you read this book.
Adult Thriller 305 Pages
I enjoyed this book; I couldn't put it down. I gave it 5 stars.
It is about a woman who leaves her home in a rush after a phone call. She gets into a car accident and temporarily loses her memory.
During her absents a murder has occurred and the police don't believe that she doesn't remember anything. They keep questioning her to try to get her to remember.
Her husband and best friend are there to support her and help her.
Who was murder? Did she do it? What happened that night?
These questions will be answered when you read the book. This is a thriller and though I want to go in great detail I won't. I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong. This is the best kind of thriller where you can't figure it out because there are twists.
I greatly recommend that you read this book.
Sue (5 KP) rated The Pajama Frame in Books
Aug 13, 2018
The Pajama Frame is book #5 in the Madison Night Mystery series. While the books can be read as stand-alone, each preceding book builds on the characters and their relationships.
When her octogenarian friend dies and leaves interior decorator Madison Night a pajama factory, Madison is faced with a decades-old tragedy and a more recent murder. All Madison wants to do is hide from the drama, but when estranged family members and special interest groups want to get into the sealed factory, Madison realizes she is caught having to solve a mystery before she becomes the next victim.
As with previous Madison Night books, I found the character of Madison delightful and refreshing. She is no-nonsense, quirky, snarky, and a throwback to Doris Day. Who wouldn’t enjoy an independent woman that dresses and enjoys decorations from the era of the fifties and sixties? Add to the mix a love/hate relationship with the chief of police Tex and a few witty friends & neighbors; you have the perfect chemistry for a delightful cozy mystery series.
When her octogenarian friend dies and leaves interior decorator Madison Night a pajama factory, Madison is faced with a decades-old tragedy and a more recent murder. All Madison wants to do is hide from the drama, but when estranged family members and special interest groups want to get into the sealed factory, Madison realizes she is caught having to solve a mystery before she becomes the next victim.
As with previous Madison Night books, I found the character of Madison delightful and refreshing. She is no-nonsense, quirky, snarky, and a throwback to Doris Day. Who wouldn’t enjoy an independent woman that dresses and enjoys decorations from the era of the fifties and sixties? Add to the mix a love/hate relationship with the chief of police Tex and a few witty friends & neighbors; you have the perfect chemistry for a delightful cozy mystery series.
Sue (5 KP) rated Murder at the Art Gallery (Pet Portraits Mystery, #1) in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Having kicked cancer to the curb, 60 something year old Georgie is ready to pursue her dream career of painting pet portraits. An opportunity opens up at an art gallery that expressed interest in doing a show of her artwork and Georgie takes twin Aleta along for the ride. What they didn’t expect was a murder taken placing and dashing Georgie’s hopes of having a gallery opening. Can Georgie and Aleta find the murderer before they become the next victims?
Georgie is the flirty, bold, and living life to the fullest twin. In contrast, accountant Aleta is more reserved and tries to keep Georgie balanced. It is the combination of their relationship and the hijinks they get themselves into that will keep you reading until the very last page.
This is a cozy mystery at its finest! With fun-loving amateur sleuths, a cast of characters including an ex-husband who is a police detective, and loads of mystery & some comic relief, like me you will want to immediately get the next book in the series.
Georgie is the flirty, bold, and living life to the fullest twin. In contrast, accountant Aleta is more reserved and tries to keep Georgie balanced. It is the combination of their relationship and the hijinks they get themselves into that will keep you reading until the very last page.
This is a cozy mystery at its finest! With fun-loving amateur sleuths, a cast of characters including an ex-husband who is a police detective, and loads of mystery & some comic relief, like me you will want to immediately get the next book in the series.
David McK (3377 KP) rated X-Men: Days of Future Past in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The inspiration behind the X-Men film of the same name, in which a member of the team (or rather, therir consciousness) is sent back in time from the dystiopian future of 2013(!) to the early 198os to stop the assissination of a US Senator: an assiassination that directly leads to fear and mistrust of mutant-kind, and the creation of the robotic Sentinels who police their society.
What is interesting is just how much of this is similar to the events of the movie - often times, the movie bears the barest resemblance to the source material - even if the particulars are different.
For instance, in the movie it's Wolverine who is sent back in time; here it's Kitty Pryde (is she even in any of the movies?). Magneto plays a much larger role in the movie than here; where he's in the future but not so much in the past. Finally, Mystique's role is much enlarged in the movie - perhaps as a direct result of Jennifer Lawrence's star power?
But in either case, the main beats are the same.
What is interesting is just how much of this is similar to the events of the movie - often times, the movie bears the barest resemblance to the source material - even if the particulars are different.
For instance, in the movie it's Wolverine who is sent back in time; here it's Kitty Pryde (is she even in any of the movies?). Magneto plays a much larger role in the movie than here; where he's in the future but not so much in the past. Finally, Mystique's role is much enlarged in the movie - perhaps as a direct result of Jennifer Lawrence's star power?
But in either case, the main beats are the same.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated It's Murder, My Son (Mac Faraday Mystery #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2019
We meet Mac Faraday for the first time. He does from a divorcee to being rich in a matter of a few days or weeks. He is caught to be told he had inherent the Spencer manor at Spencer point. What a change from living in middle class.
Once he arrives, there been a murder for him to solve and he meets his neighbors and half brother. What a mystery of a neighbor and he end up with owning the dog. The author does a wonderful job of introducing us to the main characters.
This case seem to be break open once Mac shows up and what up with the police chief? He seem like he trying to keep the murders a secrets and what ever happen to him? There seems to be quite a few murders on the lose?
It seems his mother, Robyn try to help by giving her son a journal. Want to guess who comes with the house? I think this is planned by his mother a bit. Who to know for sure.
Once he arrives, there been a murder for him to solve and he meets his neighbors and half brother. What a mystery of a neighbor and he end up with owning the dog. The author does a wonderful job of introducing us to the main characters.
This case seem to be break open once Mac shows up and what up with the police chief? He seem like he trying to keep the murders a secrets and what ever happen to him? There seems to be quite a few murders on the lose?
It seems his mother, Robyn try to help by giving her son a journal. Want to guess who comes with the house? I think this is planned by his mother a bit. Who to know for sure.
Kate (493 KP) rated The Unravel in Books
Oct 27, 2019
Loved this book
I loved this book. It was such a good read. It kept me gripped from page 1. There was a few stories going on but they were all connected. There wasn't really anything I didn't like except it took me a few lines of each chapter to realise which person that chapter related to.
It sounded like a book I would normally read and enjoy and it exceeded the blurb.
I really got to understand the characters and their different traits and personalities. I really started to feel for Soul and the book made me really feel.
The book explained why Soul did these things and I really understood but at the same time I wanted to say to her that she is all these people.
If there a sequel I would definitely read this but I don't see how there could be another book with Soul as the genre would have to change. There are more books in regards to the 2nd main character. The police lady.
It sounded like a book I would normally read and enjoy and it exceeded the blurb.
I really got to understand the characters and their different traits and personalities. I really started to feel for Soul and the book made me really feel.
The book explained why Soul did these things and I really understood but at the same time I wanted to say to her that she is all these people.
If there a sequel I would definitely read this but I don't see how there could be another book with Soul as the genre would have to change. There are more books in regards to the 2nd main character. The police lady.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Day Shall Come (2019) in Movies
Oct 15, 2019
Offbeat comedy-thriller from Chris Morris never quite coheres when it comes to raising a laugh or making a serious point. It feels like the story would have been more topical ten years ago: essentially it's a critique of the FBI for entrapping relatively harmless individuals on spurious terrorism charges, simply for the kudos and publicity involved - offering to give people guns and then arresting them for possession of firearms, for instance. In this case an unhinged Miami cult leader's need for cash results in him getting mixed up with the police and FBI.
Well, there is potential here, I suppose, but on this occasion Morris never quite shakes off the lingering traces of his background in TV comedy to make something that feels like an extended cinematic narrative, and too often the story is silly rather than funny. The story feels contrived and a bit manipulative, too. Anna Kendrick works incredibly hard to lift the material she's given, but in the end the film is wildly uneven and seldom more than mildly amusing.
Well, there is potential here, I suppose, but on this occasion Morris never quite shakes off the lingering traces of his background in TV comedy to make something that feels like an extended cinematic narrative, and too often the story is silly rather than funny. The story feels contrived and a bit manipulative, too. Anna Kendrick works incredibly hard to lift the material she's given, but in the end the film is wildly uneven and seldom more than mildly amusing.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated An Advancement of Learning in Books
Nov 8, 2019
When a body is discovered under a statue at college, gruff old hand Andy Dalziel and idealistic, learned Peter Pascoe arrive to investigate. Whereas Pascoe is very much at home in the surroundings of an institute of learning (and indeed bumps into an old acquaintance), Dalziel is highly dismissive of the students, if not downright abusive. This doesn't help the tensions during the socially active early 70s when this was written.
What follows is in some ways a standard police procedural and in others another step in the road of the development of the characters of the two policemen. This novel is really the one where it becomes clear that the mismatched duo don't fit the standard templates, with Hill clearly creating something special with the two of them.
The result is very much the prototype of the rest of the series: their characters develop, they solve a seemingly baffling crime and Dalziel provides a dash of humour with his acerbic and often old-fashioned outlook on life and those around him.
What follows is in some ways a standard police procedural and in others another step in the road of the development of the characters of the two policemen. This novel is really the one where it becomes clear that the mismatched duo don't fit the standard templates, with Hill clearly creating something special with the two of them.
The result is very much the prototype of the rest of the series: their characters develop, they solve a seemingly baffling crime and Dalziel provides a dash of humour with his acerbic and often old-fashioned outlook on life and those around him.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14) in Books
Nov 25, 2019 (Updated Nov 25, 2019)
This is one of those books that perfectly demonstrates the skill of Reginald Hill as a crime writer. In the sleepy village of Enscombe the local policeman disappears. Sensing foul play, Dalziel, Pascoe and Wield begin to investigate, turning up a number of suspicious characters and long buried secrets.
We have the usual Dalziel blunt language and Pascoe's schooled intuition but it is here that Wield finally gets a chance to step forward and form the 'holy trinity' of Mid Yorkshire CID. Hill has cultured his characters very carefully and writes them with great affection and this story shows how much chemistry they have.
The plot in this novel is outstanding and perfectly shows off Hill's willingness to play with the police procedural genre and the reader's expectations. There are some terrific rug pulls here and Hill could almost be said to get away with murder when everything falls into place at the end.
A brilliant tour de force for one of the greatest crime fiction writers. I can't fault it. It is in itself a picture of perfection
We have the usual Dalziel blunt language and Pascoe's schooled intuition but it is here that Wield finally gets a chance to step forward and form the 'holy trinity' of Mid Yorkshire CID. Hill has cultured his characters very carefully and writes them with great affection and this story shows how much chemistry they have.
The plot in this novel is outstanding and perfectly shows off Hill's willingness to play with the police procedural genre and the reader's expectations. There are some terrific rug pulls here and Hill could almost be said to get away with murder when everything falls into place at the end.
A brilliant tour de force for one of the greatest crime fiction writers. I can't fault it. It is in itself a picture of perfection