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Who’s dead, who’s missing?
By Linda C. Brinson I’ve read all Charles Todd’s books since that mother-son team’s first novel appeared in 1996. Now, we have the 15th in that first series (there’s now a Bess Crawford series as well). As with any series, some Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries are better than others. But even those that might not…
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Out of retirement, into a mystery
Old detectives, it seems, are a lot like old soldiers – except that in addition to never dying, they rarely fade away. Tom Dillon reviews a new Ian Rankin book (published in Great Britain last year) in which John Rebus is back at work, at least for a while. By Tom Dillon STANDING IN ANOTHER…
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Fearless (almost) Flavia tackles murder in the churchyard
How much do I like Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce novels? Here’s an indication: This is the second time I have read the latest novel straight through – and then listened to the audio book version. Having read the book, I know the solution to the mystery, but listening to the audio version lets me…
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This one’s a reach for Reacher
Bob Moyer has returned from points north just in time to see snow here in North Carolina – and to tell us about one of the books he read when he was traveling. By Robert Moyer A WANTED MAN. By Lee Child. Delacorte Press. 405 pages. $28. A bevy of federal agencies shows up to…
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Danger at Windsor Castle
As readers of this blog know my now, I love historical fiction, especially novels set in the early 20th century. World War I and its aftermath in England have long been a particular interest of mine, partly because that conflict wrought such profound changes on the world as the British knew it. Charles Todd’s novels…
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French food, light mystery – what’s not to like?
Tom Dillon was almost apologetic when he inquired about reviewing Peter Mayle’s latest mystery novel for Briar Patch Books. The book is “light stuff,” he acknowledged. Never fear, I replied. Light is good, too. And on this blog, the only rules are the ones I set. Besides, how can someone whose most recent review was…
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For your listening pleasure – Stephanie Plum
I listen to audio books for a lot of reasons. Listening to someone read a book is convenient and entertaining, because I spend a lot of time in the car, driving alone. I find that I’ll listen to serious nonfiction and other heavy-duty books that I might not tackle if I had to sit down…
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Ho, ho, ho, Merry Mystery!
This isn’t really a Christmas book, if by Christmas books you mean those novels – usually fairly slim and quickly read – with a holiday theme that appear in the fall, just in time to be read or given as gifts. But what else do you call a novel with a main character named Father…
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In time for the holidays, a fine new Grisham thriller
Given the season, I’ll note that it’s always an occasion for Thanksgiving when a new legal thriller by John Grisham arrives. By Linda Brinson THE RACKETEER. By John Grisham. Read by J.D. Jackson. Random House Audio. 10 CDs, 13 hours. $45. Also available in print from Doubleday. The Racketeer, with its ingenious plot twists and…
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Mortality in the bayous
In case anyone wonders about the high-tech and high-brow credentials of this blog, I am posting a picture of how books for review are exchanged. In this picture, you can see Bob Moyer and his Harley, which he recently rode to Walnut Cove, N.C., for an editorial meeting with me. After a delicious lunch of…