Category Archives: Popular fiction

Whom we love, what we see

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Linda

Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson WATCH ME DISAPPEAR. By Janelle Brown. Random House Audio. Read by Tavia Gilbert with Kaleo Griffith. 13 ½ hours; 11 CDs. $45. Also available in print from Spiegel & Grau. Billie Flanagan was a force … Continue reading →

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High (and sometimes deep) adventure

Posted on July 9, 2017 by Linda

Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson NIGHTHAWK. By Clive Cussler and Graham Brown. Penguin Audio. Read by Scott Brick. 11 ½ hours; 9 CDs. $45. Also available in hardcover from G.P. Putnam’s Sons. The United States’ most advanced aircraft/spacecraft has gone … Continue reading →

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The chase is on

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Linda

This new book by one of Bob Moyer’s (many) favorite authors came out late last year, but we’ll forgive him for not getting around to reviewing it until now. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer THE OLD MAN. By Thomas Perry. … Continue reading →

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Disaster, resilience and Grace

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Linda

Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson THE STARS ARE FIRE. By Anita Shreve. Random House Audio. Read by Suzanne Elise Freeman. 8 ½ hours; 7 CDs. $35. Also available in print from Knopf. In the long, hot summer of 1947, a … Continue reading →

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The art of death in Detroit

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Linda

Bob Moyer takes a look at paperback original novel from a prolific writer of mystery stories. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer SHOT IN DETROIT. By Patricia Abbott. Polis Books. 302 pages. $15, paperback. The 12 bodies in this book don’t … Continue reading →

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Murder in Atlanta

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Linda

Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson OLD BONES. By Trudy Nan Boyce. Read by Rebecca Lowman. Books on Tape. 10 ½ hours; 8 CDs. Atlanta is a powder keg after someone fires on a group of students from Spelman College who … Continue reading →

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A good thriller, laced with romance

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Linda

Bob Moyer’s not particularly into vampire romance fiction, but if a vampire writer wants to try writing a thriller, he’s willing to see what she can do. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer THE CHEMIST. By Stephenie Meyer. Little, Brown and … Continue reading →

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A fresh perspective: The cursed Harry Potter

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Linda

Again this year, students in Paul T. O’Connor’s opinion-writing class in the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have contributed book reviews to Briar Patch Books. We welcome these reviews, which offer … Continue reading →

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Stone Barrington’s latest is rich with plot, action and politics

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Linda

Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson BELOW THE BELT. By Stuart Woods. Read by Tony Roberts. Penguin Audio. 8 hours; 7 CDs. $35. Also available in hardcover from G.P. Putnam’s Sons. I haven’t read nearly all of the Stone Barrington books, … Continue reading →

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Frozen, a la Stephanie Plum

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Linda

Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson TURBO TWENTY-THREE. By Janet Evanovich. Read by Lorelei King. Random House Audio. 6 hours; 5 CDs. $32. Also available in print from Bantam Books. Janet Evanovich is one of those prolific writers with several series … Continue reading →

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