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This rich history falls short as fiction
Bob Moyer thinks that Jerome Charyn takes on more history and weaves more tangled webs than he can handle in his latest novel. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer RAVAGE & SON. By Jerome Charyn. Bellevue Literary Press. 288 pages. $17.99. The lower east side of New York City has a heap of Jewish history, and…
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A taste of Hell, with a side of wry humor
Do you like crime/action/mystery novels but want something a little different? Let Bob Moyer tell you about the second book in a growing series about a Felonious Monk. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer BLOODY MARTINI. By William Kotzwinkle. Blackstone Publishing. 315 pages. $26.99. Tommy Martini grew up in Coalville, Pennsylvania, where he starred on his…
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Good guys few and far between
Bob Moyer takes a look at a novel with Reed Parrel Coleman’s latest hero – or is it antihero? Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer SLEEPLESS CITY. By Reed Farrel Coleman. Blackstone Publishing. 321 pages. $26.99. No one wears a white hat in the Sleepless City known as New York. Not even Nick Ryan, the latest…
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Every page a gem
Bob Moyer reads a lot and reviews a lot of books. If he had to name his favorite authors, I’m guessing Walter Moseley would be at or near the top of the list. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer EVERY MAN A KING. By Walter Mosley. 324 pages. $28. Joe King Oliver doesn’t really want to…
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A mystery within a mystery
Bob Moyer takes a look at a novel set in New Orleans and full of fire, murder, mystery, repentant nuns – and (no surprise) heat and humidity. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer SCORCHED GRACE. A Sister Holiday Mystery. By Margot Douaihy. Gillian Flynn Books 320 pages. $27.95. Before Sister Holiday joined the tiny New Orleans…
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Bad guys beware: This guy has perseverance and a bag of crafty tricks
Bob Moyer knows a good mystery/thriller when he reads it. He says Thomas Perry is in fine form with this new one. THE MURDER BOOK. By Thomas Perry. Mysterious Press. 394 pages. $27.95. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer If you’ve read a Thomas Perry novel before, or if you’ve seen the Netflix adaptation of The…
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Looking for love and a whole lot more
If you’re looking for a good detective novel, Bob Moyer is the man to ask. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer RACING THE LIGHT. By Robert Craig. Putnam. 355 pages. $29. In the pantheon of L.A. crime writers, Michael Connelly stands head and shoulders above a crowded field. His Hieronymous “Harry” Bosch manifests a modern-day version…
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ATTENTION: If you’ve missed Burke’s latest, don’t wait any longer
This book has been out awhile, but Bob Moyer just got around to reviewing it. He says it’s one of the best from one of our best novelists. EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD. By James Lee Burke. Simon and Schuster. 278 pages. $27. In this 13th novel of the Holland family series, novelist Aaron Holland…
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You may care…
One mark of a worthwhile, useful book review is whether it gives the reader a good idea of whether she or he would want to read the book. By that standard, Bob Moyer excels in this review. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer A DEATH IN DOOR COUNTY. By Annelise Ryan. Berkeley. 322 pages. $27. When…
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Fighting the invisible monster
Bob Moyer has produced a review in which he manages to use, correctly, the word “antepenultimate.” He even spelled it correctly. Impressive. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer. DESERT STAR. By Michael Connelly. Little, Brown. 388 pages $29. “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” A witness being interviewed by…