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Into Africa
Once his No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books became hits, Alexander McCall Smith came out with an impressive number of other series. McCall Smith was born in what is now Zimbabwe, taught law at the University of Botswana and medical law at the University of Edinburgh, and lives in Scotland. Either he’s extremely prolific, or…
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In the woods, April 8
This blog is mostly about the books, but then there is the briar patch – the thickets, fields, woods and creek bottoms that inspire the reading and writing. Here’s what we found in the briar patch on April 8.
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Bricks and bullets
Here’s Bob Moyer again, this time in D.C., taking a look at the second book in a new series. By Robert Moyer AGENT X. By Noah Boyd. William Morrow. 391 pages. $24.99 Take a deep breath before you begin this book. The Bricklayer, a cross between James Bond and Sherlock Holmes (with a touch of…
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A strange and haunting place
Mick Scott brings our attention to an intriguing book published in 2010 to considerable acclaim. By Mick Scott DOGTOWN: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town. By Elyssa East. Simon and Schuster. 304 pages. $15, paperback. SAVE. BE CLEAN. USE YOUR HEAD. GET A JOB. These are but a few of the 24…
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Much more than meets the eye
There he goes again. Not long back from the mean streets of L.A., and before that, the Perigord region of France, Bob Moyer is now on a fictional journey to Japan. By Robert Moyer THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X. By Keigo Higashino. Minotaur Books. 298 pages. $24.99 A Japanese police procedural centered around a lunch…
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Coffee and friendship in Kabul
This book was a delight to listen to on CD, except for one thing – the primary setting is a coffeehouse in Kabul, Afghanistan, and I kept craving a really good cup of coffee whenever driving and “reading.” So far, I listen to audio books only when driving by myself. I know some people listen…
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Old blue eyes and golden voice
Paul O’Connor has discovered that a new book about “The Voice” reveals a lot about Sinatra the man. By Paul T. O’Connor FRANK: THE VOICE. By James Kaplan. Doubleday. 718 pages. $35, hardcover. Siriously Sinatra, the satellite radio station dedicated to American standards, occasionally plays a live cut that contemporary listeners probably find offensive but…
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No. 2 in the spotlight
Bob Moyer is prowling the mean streets again. By Robert Moyer THE SENTRY. By Robert Crais. Putnam. 320 pages. $26.95. For most of his life between the pages, Robert Crais’ Joe Pike has played a terse Tonto to Elvis Coles’ loose-lipped Lone Ranger. Joe has a symbiotic albeit secondary relationship — Elvis detects, Joe protects.…
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Mrs. Hemingway (No. 1) has her say
This novel has already hit The New York Times best-seller list, and no wonder. By Linda Brinson THE PARIS WIFE. By Paula McLain. Ballantine Books. 320 pages. $25. You might wonder why Paula McLain would write a novel about a subject that has been so thoroughly covered by other writers, but I am delighted that…
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Victorian England as you’ve never seen it
If you’re looking for a fictional change of pace, and want a heroine who’s definitely not like the girl next door, Carol K. Carr’s debut novel may be just your cup of tea – or perhaps, more aptly, your glass of whiskey. By Linda C. Brinson INDIA BLACK: A Novel of Espionage Mystery. By Carol…