Finished August 9
Dark Horse by John Francome
Five years before the events taking place here, a young woman was left dead after a hit-and-run. The driver of the other vehicle was never found, and those involved have stayed silent about what happened. Mark Presley was one of them.
Now Mark's wife is killed in circumstances similiar to those of five years ago and Mark feels compelled to unburden himself. But others involved in that earlier accident have more to lose, and may not be so willing as he is to have the truth come out.
There is lots of intrigue and action here, as well as some romance. Plot-driven, the action keeps the novel interesting and those interested in the world of horse racing, but not as good as Dick Francis in my books.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Canadian Produce
Finished August 9
Apples to Oysters: A Food Lover's Tour of Canadian Farms by Margaret Webb
This informative, entertaining and often humorous look at Canadian food farming is a gem. Webb, inspired by a carrot, travelled across the country looking at farmers who are being inspired to put taste and nutrition into their crops, rather than submitting to the quantity is king mindset. Webb chooses a food from each of the ten provinces and one of the territories as her focus and finds a farmer to represent that food.
Her book includes not only interesting information about the food and how it is grown and harvested, but also information about the farmers and their struggles and their relationship with consumers, other farmers and the food industry. Each chapter includes recipes for the food focussed on. I found myself inspired to find more foods that were sourced from sustainable farms like these that recognize that taste and nutrition are so important to the foods we eat. (More so, since the last batch of carrots I bought, at the farmers' market no less, were tasteless lumps!)
Apples to Oysters: A Food Lover's Tour of Canadian Farms by Margaret Webb
This informative, entertaining and often humorous look at Canadian food farming is a gem. Webb, inspired by a carrot, travelled across the country looking at farmers who are being inspired to put taste and nutrition into their crops, rather than submitting to the quantity is king mindset. Webb chooses a food from each of the ten provinces and one of the territories as her focus and finds a farmer to represent that food.
Her book includes not only interesting information about the food and how it is grown and harvested, but also information about the farmers and their struggles and their relationship with consumers, other farmers and the food industry. Each chapter includes recipes for the food focussed on. I found myself inspired to find more foods that were sourced from sustainable farms like these that recognize that taste and nutrition are so important to the foods we eat. (More so, since the last batch of carrots I bought, at the farmers' market no less, were tasteless lumps!)
Thursday, 7 August 2008
British Mystery
Finished August 6
The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill
This is the latest in the series featuring Simon Serrailler. The series deals a lot with Simon's personal life as well as his police duties. Simon is the odd man out in a family of doctors.
In this book, his sister has just returned from a year in Australia with her family and Simon is thrilled to have them back. However a tragedy befalls the family and Simon must be supportive during this time, a role he doesn't normally play.
Also, a shooter is targeting young woman in Lafferton, although the police struggle to find any pattern to the shootings.
Simon is a quiet sort of man, a good police officer recently promoted to Detective Chief Superintendent. He is also with the Serious Incident Flying Taskforce. He is an ethical and sensitive man, who is an artist in his spare time. The novels in this series are very character-driven and yet there is also a lot going on.
The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill
This is the latest in the series featuring Simon Serrailler. The series deals a lot with Simon's personal life as well as his police duties. Simon is the odd man out in a family of doctors.
In this book, his sister has just returned from a year in Australia with her family and Simon is thrilled to have them back. However a tragedy befalls the family and Simon must be supportive during this time, a role he doesn't normally play.
Also, a shooter is targeting young woman in Lafferton, although the police struggle to find any pattern to the shootings.
Simon is a quiet sort of man, a good police officer recently promoted to Detective Chief Superintendent. He is also with the Serious Incident Flying Taskforce. He is an ethical and sensitive man, who is an artist in his spare time. The novels in this series are very character-driven and yet there is also a lot going on.
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Thriller
Finished August 4
Fidelity by Thomas Perry
Emily Kramer's world is falling out from under her. First, her husband, owner and principal of a detective agency, is shot dead on a residential street in the middle of the night. Then she finds that their bank accounts have been left practically empty. She feels she doesn't know who her husband was anymore.
Jerry Hobart was hired to kill Phil Kramer and did so. Now he's been hired to kill Emily, but he figures there must be an interesting reason behind the job and grows curious.
Emily is also struggling to find reasons for Phil's death and his actions and as they both struggle toward answers, they become entangled for a time in each others' lives. Emily gets assistance from the detectives working for her husband, and Jerry has the added knowledge of the identity of the man he works for.
This is an action-packed novel with both main characters questioning their lives up until this time and trying to figure out the best course of action and who to trust.
Fidelity by Thomas Perry
Emily Kramer's world is falling out from under her. First, her husband, owner and principal of a detective agency, is shot dead on a residential street in the middle of the night. Then she finds that their bank accounts have been left practically empty. She feels she doesn't know who her husband was anymore.
Jerry Hobart was hired to kill Phil Kramer and did so. Now he's been hired to kill Emily, but he figures there must be an interesting reason behind the job and grows curious.
Emily is also struggling to find reasons for Phil's death and his actions and as they both struggle toward answers, they become entangled for a time in each others' lives. Emily gets assistance from the detectives working for her husband, and Jerry has the added knowledge of the identity of the man he works for.
This is an action-packed novel with both main characters questioning their lives up until this time and trying to figure out the best course of action and who to trust.
New Novel
Finished August 3
Babylon Rolling by Amanda Boyden
This is a great vignette of five families who live on Orchid Street in the Uptown area of New Orleans. The novel takes place during a year beginning just before Hurrican Ivan, the year before Katrina.
Ed Flank, Ariel May and their two children, Miles and Ella, have recently moved to New Orleans from Minnesota. Ariel is the new general manager of a hotel in the French Quarter and Ed is a Buddhist stay-at-home dad.
Next door, the Guptas, Indira and Ganesh, with their two children, Elizabeth and William have just moved into the biggest house on the block.
Philmenie Beauregard de Bruges, a white uptown lady and her husband Joe have lived on the block since they were married decades ago. Joe is recovering from cancer.
Sharon and Nate Harris, a black family have also lived on the street for a long time. Living with them are their daughters Klameisha, Debutante and Angelique, along with Klameisha's and Debutante's children. The Harris's youngest son, Daniel aka Fearius, has just come home from juvvy. Their oldest son, Michael aka Muzzle they don't allow home because of his activites.
Cerise and Roy Brown have also lived on the street a long time. Roy has retired now and they are getting used to being grandparents after their only child had a baby.
The families interact and get to know each other in ways they didn't imagine they would over the course of the year the book covers. We see into many of their personal lives, and how they handle difficult circumstances. This is an interesting look at a changing neighbourhood in a diverse city. I liked how the author let you inside the heads of some of the characters, giving you a sense of what made them tick. She really captured the various characters, making them come alive and be individuals.
Babylon Rolling by Amanda Boyden
This is a great vignette of five families who live on Orchid Street in the Uptown area of New Orleans. The novel takes place during a year beginning just before Hurrican Ivan, the year before Katrina.
Ed Flank, Ariel May and their two children, Miles and Ella, have recently moved to New Orleans from Minnesota. Ariel is the new general manager of a hotel in the French Quarter and Ed is a Buddhist stay-at-home dad.
Next door, the Guptas, Indira and Ganesh, with their two children, Elizabeth and William have just moved into the biggest house on the block.
Philmenie Beauregard de Bruges, a white uptown lady and her husband Joe have lived on the block since they were married decades ago. Joe is recovering from cancer.
Sharon and Nate Harris, a black family have also lived on the street for a long time. Living with them are their daughters Klameisha, Debutante and Angelique, along with Klameisha's and Debutante's children. The Harris's youngest son, Daniel aka Fearius, has just come home from juvvy. Their oldest son, Michael aka Muzzle they don't allow home because of his activites.
Cerise and Roy Brown have also lived on the street a long time. Roy has retired now and they are getting used to being grandparents after their only child had a baby.
The families interact and get to know each other in ways they didn't imagine they would over the course of the year the book covers. We see into many of their personal lives, and how they handle difficult circumstances. This is an interesting look at a changing neighbourhood in a diverse city. I liked how the author let you inside the heads of some of the characters, giving you a sense of what made them tick. She really captured the various characters, making them come alive and be individuals.
Friday, 1 August 2008
Near Future Novel
Finished August 1
The Declaration by Gemma Malley
This teen novel is set in the mid-twenty-second century, in a world where they've managed to control disease and stop aging. Over-population has meant that people are not allowed to have children unless the Opt Out of the anti-aging drugs, but of course some people are involved in a movement against this and therefore institutions have been created to deal with the illegal children (Surplus) that are found.
In these institutions, children are indoctrinated to believe that the parents who created them are evil, and that there lives must be spent atoning for their parents sin.
Anna lives in a surplus institution and is almost finished her training to be useful. When a new child arrives, almost her age, he tries to change her outlook and save her from her fate.
This tale covers a lot of interesting ethical issues and would be an interesting choice for a book club. The teen characters are interesting, with Anna having some depth to her.
The Declaration by Gemma Malley
This teen novel is set in the mid-twenty-second century, in a world where they've managed to control disease and stop aging. Over-population has meant that people are not allowed to have children unless the Opt Out of the anti-aging drugs, but of course some people are involved in a movement against this and therefore institutions have been created to deal with the illegal children (Surplus) that are found.
In these institutions, children are indoctrinated to believe that the parents who created them are evil, and that there lives must be spent atoning for their parents sin.
Anna lives in a surplus institution and is almost finished her training to be useful. When a new child arrives, almost her age, he tries to change her outlook and save her from her fate.
This tale covers a lot of interesting ethical issues and would be an interesting choice for a book club. The teen characters are interesting, with Anna having some depth to her.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
London Mystery
Finished July 30
Die with Me by Elena Forbes
This mystery centres around the deaths of young girls in churches, at first glance suicides. DI Mark Tartaglia and DS Sam Donovan think there is more to it than that and find, after some investigation, that they are correct. As they begin the hunt for the killer, they come across other suspicious deaths that they think may be related to their case. Sometimes working without permission from their superiors, the two keep digging away at the case, trying to make connections between the victims.
We see things from the point of view of the murder occasionally, and also sometimes from the victim, which adds to the story.
Besides this main story, the squad's DCI is out of commission due to a motorcycle accident and the temporary replacement doesn't immediately fit in smoothly. The use of a profiler also ruffles some feathers and creates ill-feeling. As the dynamics of the team change, we see how that affects the main characters.
As with many British mysteries, I found the police characters multifaceted and interesting and with a life beyond their jobs. They have issues of their own, that sometimes get carried into their work, and that can work for and against them.
Die with Me by Elena Forbes
This mystery centres around the deaths of young girls in churches, at first glance suicides. DI Mark Tartaglia and DS Sam Donovan think there is more to it than that and find, after some investigation, that they are correct. As they begin the hunt for the killer, they come across other suspicious deaths that they think may be related to their case. Sometimes working without permission from their superiors, the two keep digging away at the case, trying to make connections between the victims.
We see things from the point of view of the murder occasionally, and also sometimes from the victim, which adds to the story.
Besides this main story, the squad's DCI is out of commission due to a motorcycle accident and the temporary replacement doesn't immediately fit in smoothly. The use of a profiler also ruffles some feathers and creates ill-feeling. As the dynamics of the team change, we see how that affects the main characters.
As with many British mysteries, I found the police characters multifaceted and interesting and with a life beyond their jobs. They have issues of their own, that sometimes get carried into their work, and that can work for and against them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)