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The never-ending war
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson THE RECKONING. By John Grisham. Random House Audio. 18 hours; 15 CDs. Read by Michael Beck. $45. Also available in print from Doubleday. As John Grisham’s latest novel opens, Pete Banning, a highly decorated World War II hero, family man and scion of a respected cotton-farming family in northern Mississippi,…
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Crime, life and most of all, books
Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer THE MAN WHO CAME UPTOWN. By George Pelecanos. Little, Brown. 263 pages. $27. Have you read the collection of Appalachian short stories Kentucky Straight? How about westerns by Elmore Leonard, or The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien? Michael Hudson has. In fact, he has read everything Anna the prison librarian…
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A novel to savor
In many circles, Bob Moyer is better known for his haiku than for his book reviews. I offer him this lead-in to his latest review: Finest French cuisine Clever detective at work Bob is in heaven Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer A TASTE FOR VENGEANCE. A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel. By Martin Walker.…
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Death in the Catskills
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson AN UNWANTED GUEST. By Shari Lapena. Penguin Audio. Read by Hillary Huber. 8 ½ hours; 7 CDs. $35. Also available in print from Pamela Dorman Books. This latest suspense novel by best-selling author Shari Lapena is set in a remote, small hotel in the Catskills in winter. Various reasons bring…
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Mystery and history, with a nod to Agatha Christie
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson THE PRISONER IN THE CASTLE. By Susan Elia MacNeal. Books on Tape. Read by Susan Duerden. 10 hours; 8 CDs. Available in print from Bantam. 300 pages. Through eight novels now, Maggie Hope’s adventures have given readers a thoroughly enjoyable World War II history lesson wrapped up in lively mysteries…
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A tangled case, a lot of laughs
Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer Bob Moyer finds much to like in Jonathan Kellerman’s latest whodunit. NIGHT MOVES. By Jonathan Kellerman. Ballantine. 395 pages. $28.99 Psychologist Alex Delaware and LAPD Detective Milo Sturgis have been tackling tangled cases over a number of books, a number of years. The astute intuition of Alex, the steely procedure…
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Women to the rescue
While I’ve been on a bit of a vacation, Bob Moyer has been keeping the book reviews coming. Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer SAFE HOUSES. By Dan Fesperman. Knopf. 401 pages. $26.95. Spy novels too often teem with testosterone-driven heroes of all makes and models, particularly the male versions. It is refreshing, then, that Dan…
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When the dream becomes a nightmare
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson ALL WE EVER WANTED. By Emily Giffin. Random House Audio. 10½ hours; 9 CDs. Read by Dorothy Dillingham Blue, Milton Bagby and Catherine Taber. $45. Also available in print from Ballantine Books. First things first: Emily Giffin’s All We Ever Wanted is a great listen or read for summer or anytime.…
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To have and have not…
Reviewed by Linda C. Brinson LOVE AND RUIN. By Paula McLain. Random House Audio. Read by January LaVoy. 11 ½ hours; 9 CDs. $40. Also available in print from Ballantine Books. Paula McLain is brave, choosing to write historical fiction/memoir about well-known people about whom much has already been written and movies have been made.…