Tag: 3 1/2 Stars Page 12 of 41

OCDaniel

by Wesley King, Ramón De Ocampo (Narrator)

Unabridged Audiobook, 7 hrs., 4 min.
Tantor Audio, 2018

Read: June 29-30, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s OCDaniel About?

I found myself saying way too much about this book—I’ve taken two attempts at this part of the post, and each gets too detailed. It’s hard to stop talking about this, apparently.

So let me fall back on the tried-but-true (albeit lazy) method of borrowing the description from the Publisher’s website:

Daniel is the back-up punter for the Erie Hills Elephants. Which really means he’s the water boy. He spends football practice perfectly arranging water cups—and hoping no one notices. Actually, he spends most of his time hoping no one notices his strange habits—he calls them Zaps: avoiding writing the number four, for example, or flipping a light switch on and off dozens of times over. He hopes no one notices that he’s crazy, especially his best friend Max, and Raya, the prettiest girl in school. His life gets weirder when another girl at school, who is unkindly nicknamed Psycho Sara, notices him for the first time. She doesn’t just notice him: she seems to peer through him.

Then Daniel gets a note: “I need your help,” it says, signed, Fellow Star Child—whatever that means. And suddenly Daniel, a total no one at school, is swept up in a mystery that might change everything for him.

OCD Portrayal

I didn’t note how far into the novel we are before someone uses either “OCD” or “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder,” but I’d be willing to guess it’s the latter third. Obviously, for anyone who even glanced at the title, they know what’s going on—but this novel isn’t about OCD per se.

It’s a novel about a kid who doesn’t understand himself, who doesn’t realize what’s going on with his brain, and who’s scared to talk to anyone about it. He loves his parents—and there’s no reason to think they wouldn’t be supportive and would help him to find the tools he needs. But he doesn’t want to be “weird,” he doesn’t really want to admit to it to anyone other than himself.

Sarah has her own struggles and isn’t afraid to let Daniel see them—and she sees his at least as clearly as Daniel’s. So he can open up to her.

This is based on King’s own experiences, his own OCD, practically ensuring that it’s a sensitive and sympathetic portrayal. At the same time, it does as good a job as any that I’ve come across in communicating what it’s like to those who’ve never experienced it. I’d recommend it to anyone in whatever age range just for that alone.

That doesn’t mean that King doesn’t have some fun with it, he takes opportunities for small and large comedic moments brought on by Daniel’s OCD. But it’s never mean-spirited, and the reader laughs while feeling sympathy (maybe even empathy).

A Few Thoughts on the Narration

De Ocampo is a pretty versatile narrator—I’ve previously listened to his work on Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tropper’s This is Where I Leave You. He’s able to hit all the right notes here—the comedy, the uncertainty, the tension—Daniel’s “zap”s—the whole kit and caboodle.

I was pretty impressed—moreso when I looked him up and saw that I’d heard his work before. He did a good job here and did so in a way that didn’t make me think of the others I’d heard.

So, what did I think about OCDaniel?

I thought the whole mystery thing was a bit far-fetched, especially the way it resolved. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t fun—and the rest of the novel more than made up for the bits of the story that induced a bit of eye-rolling.

It was an entertaining and enlightening novel—great for the upper MG/lower YA crowd, but a solid enough work for older audiences, too.

Give this a read, or a listen—you’ll be glad you did.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Psalms that Curse by Sean McGowan: A Primer on Controversial Prayers

By HCNewton

On December 5, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Psalms that Curse

by Sean McGowan

Kindle Edition, 90 pg.
Reformation Zion Publishing, 2021

Read: November 28, 2021

What’s Psalms that Curse About?

Simply put:

…in our modern day some psalms have seemed to not “make the cut.” To say it another way, some would argue that not all the psalms should be sung or prayed today, particularly the ones that speak out harshly against enemies. Some popular approaches would say that these psalms were for a different time, or only to be used by the old covenant people of God. But the burden of proof rests on them to demonstrate why some of these psalms cannot be sung or prayed today, while the others can. Should the psalms that present “harsh language” and make us uncomfortable at times still be considered relevant for the church today? Should we still be able to sing, and specifically pray, these kinds of prayers today?

McGowan first sketches out the role of the Psalms and then ends with the question above, then he spends a chapter focusing on the imprecatory psalms and various views about them floating around the Church. He then focuses his attention on Psalm 137 and uses the exegesis of the psalm to establish his view on the purpose of imprecatory psalms. Then he spends a chapter on the use of them in the New Testament—or are they even compatible with a New Testament ethic? (short answer: yes)

This is short work, and the depth of each chapter reflects that—but McGowan covers the essentials in each.

Comparing This to Others

I don’t typically do books on similar topics back-to-back like this, but I saw this talked about on a couple of podcasts I listen to after I read The Morality of God in the Old Testament, and was curious about another take on it.

McGowan’s take is different from similar works I’ve read here in the past—like The Morality of God in the Old Testament and War Psalms of the Prince of Peace—he quotes the latter, labeling it “inadequate” (along with other views, he didn’t single it out). McGowan’s thesis is more straightforward and less nuanced than Beale’s (not superior or inferior, just more direct).

This is a primer—as McGowan reminds the reader—so he doesn’t spend time analyzing or critiquing differing views, he mentions them briefly to distinguish his—but the focus of this short book is on his take.

Would I have preferred analysis and critique? Seeing how his views match up against others? Yes. But I’m not going to fault a guy for writing the book he wanted to rather than the one I wanted (at least until I’m wealthy enough to act as a patron).

Besides, this gives me a chance to chew on the ideas myself.

So, what did I think about Psalms that Curse?

We are not saying that the only way to respond to intense persecution is to call down God’s vengeance. In fact, the normative response should be to pray for God to convert them…what we are arguing for is a recovery of the prayer of imprecation. We are arguing for the category. We are arguing that the prayer of imprecation should have a seat at the table, not for it to be the only thing at the table.

Hard to argue against that.

I don’t know that McGowan convinced me with his position about the—but he impressed me with the argument. It’s a short work, but he does the work. First, he established his thesis from a noteworthy example of an imprecatory psalm, and then after showing his thesis at work he tactfully and pastorally lays out how the believer ought to apply it. Hard to ask for more.

I really appreciated the chapter exegeting Psalm 137 and the concluding chapter, focusing on the way the Christian ought to pray imprecatory prayers. It was an important chapter and one that I hope many encounter. I think there’s some good overlap there with some of what Adams suggested in his work, too.

Not a perfect book, but a good one, a helpful one, and a thought-provoking one. A work that should lead the reader back to the psalter for study and reflection.

3.5 Stars

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly: Ballard Tackles a Pair of Tough Cases in this Timely Novel

By HCNewton

On December 2, 2021

In Fiction, Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Renée Ballard

Finally…I’d hoped to get this posted no later than November 17th. But every time I started writing something, I ended up overthinking or was distracted. I’m not sure the end result is that coherent, but…it’s finished. I can live with that.

The Dark Hours

by Michael Connelly
Series: Harry Bosch, #24/Renée Ballard, #4

Hardcover, 388 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2021

Read: November 12-15, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

It was like a bag of popcorn cooking in a microwave. A few pops during the final countdown of the year and then the barrage as the frequency of gunfire made it impossible to separate it into individual discharges. A gunshot symphony. For a solid five minutes, there was an unbroken onslaught as revelers of the new year fired their weapons into the sky following a Los Angeles tradition of decades.

It didn’t matter that what goes up must come down. Every new year in the City of Angels began with risk.

The gunfire of course was joined by legitimate fireworks and firecrackers, creating a sound unique to the city and as reliable through the years as the changing of the calendar.

What’s The Dark Hours About?

It opens on December 31, 2020—Renée Ballard and a fellow detective are partnered up for the night—it’s a kind of all-hands-on-deck kind of night. These two are also part of a team on the trail of a pair of serial rapists that they’re calling the Midnight Men.

But on this night, they’re called out to a shooting death. Ballard’s role is to be the initial investigator and then pass off the case to the homicide detectives after the weekend—but she’s hoping she can keep it longer (their work on a different case could allow for that). There’s a match for the bullet—the same gun was used in an old unsolved case, investigated by Harry Bosch.*

Isn’t it always reassuring to see that no matter what kind of super cop he is, there are cases that Bosch couldn’t close?

The two put their heads together and quickly find a new angle for Bosch’s case as well as a promising line of investigation for Ballard’s.

Meanwhile, the Midnight Men strike again, and this time, there’s something a little different that Ballard picks up. A string she starts pulling that proves to be instrumental.

With Bosch to bounce her ideas off of, as well as a backup she can trust, Ballard gets her chance, once again, to bring a little light to the dark hours of the night.

Bosch

While this is by and large a Renée Ballard book, there’s enough about Harry Bosch to keep a fan satisfied. He’s doing okay with his medical condition, Maddie’s well (and is dating someone, so isn’t spending as much time with Bosch), he’s pretty much holed-up during COVID, studying old case files.

Not at all-surprisingly, when Renée’s path crosses with his, he’s ready to jump into action. Sure, he always is, but add in a lockdown-induced cabin fever? It’s a wonder that Harry wasn’t calling his mentee daily to see if she needed help with anything (although it’s clear that the two have kept in touch).

In the past, the pair have done a better job of keeping Harry’s involvement under the radar, but between Bosch’s Cabin Fever, Ballard’s need to make fast progress on the cases, and her lack of trust for any other detective at the moment they throw that out the window. Which does come back to bite Ballard (as it should).

The 2021-ness of It

… this was the new LAPD—officers stripped of the mandate of proactive enforcement and waiting to be reactive, to hit the streets only when it was requested and required, and only then doing the minimum so as not to engender a complaint or controversy.

To Ballard, much of the department had fallen into the pose of a citizen caught in the middle of a bank robbery. Head down, eyes averted, adhering to the warning: nobody move, and nobody gets hurt.

I don’t remember Connelly’s books being so obviously of the moment until last year’s The Law of Innocence which ended just as lockdowns were starting in California.

Connelly’s books have always felt contemporary—other mystery series might feel 5-10 years out of step, but not Connelly. Although, even the older books largely felt like they could’ve taken place a couple of years ago (except for the technology involved). But The Dark Hours has to be a 2021 novel—Ballard, Bosch, and the city are going through things that could only have happened after the protests of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

It makes things feel more immediate, but does it hurt readers in 5-10 years? Fair Warning, also published last year, could take place anytime after 2010 (maybe earlier). A lot of the other books felt timely to their context, but even now they don’t feel that dated. Will these?

I don’t know if this is a strength or a long-term weakness, but it is, as far as I can remember, a change.

However, seeing Renée having to adapt to COVID restrictions (no more living on the beach!) and struggling with the changes (temporary? long-lasting?) that the protests of Summer of 2020 about policing in America have brought to the LAPD is great to see. Connelly is able to show a department in flux, which can’t have been an easy tightrope to walk.

So, what did I think about The Dark Hours?

Ehhh…I’m not sure what to say here.

In the moment, while I was reading, it was typical Connelly—I was gripped, I was riveted, I couldn’t wait to see the murder solved. I was less invested in the rape case because once Ballard starts to get a little traction, once she starts to learn a little bit about these guys, I was repulsed. I really didn’t want to learn more—I just wanted them locked away—I even said something to a friend like “can’t we just get a quick, miraculous, resolution to this by page 180 and spend the rest of the book focusing on the murders?” Great job by Connelly creating some very horrible criminals, but I don’t want to spend time thinking about them.

But it’s not his best work—I’m not sure it’s not up to his par, even. The more I think about it, the more I’m bothered by parts of the story and storytelling. The Epilogue, by the way? It’s a scene from a TV show. Working on Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer, and Bosch: Legacy have impacted Connelly at least a little and it shows here.

I thought the stuff about the impact of COVID and the protests was fantastic—and you get no simple answers about the past/present/future of policing in LA. I’m just not sure the rest of the novel was as good as we’ve come to expect from Connelly (I’m open to being corrected by others who read it, though).

Good—but not good enough—I guess is my takeaway. Still, time with Bosch and Ballard? Always time well spent.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Morality of God in the Old Testament by G.K. Beale

By HCNewton

On November 28, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

This is a lot shorter of a work than I usually talk about, but I needed a short read to break up longer, heavier reads. So now I guess I get to talk briefly about it before I talked about longer, heavier reads. (not that this is lightweight by any means)

The Morality of God
in the Old Testament

by G.K. Beale
Series: Christian Answers to Hard Questions

Booklet, 43 pg.
P&R Publishing and Westminster Seminary Press, 2013

Read: November 21, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s The Morality of God in the Old Testament About?

Believers and unbelievers alike stumble over some of what seems immoral in the Old Testament. Particularly what seems to be evil on the part of God. For example: God’s commands to exterminate the Canaanites and the imprecatory (cursing) Psalms.

How ought the believer to respond to their own questions about this, much less the questions from those outside the faith?

Beale looks briefly at a couple of popular responses to this and finds them wanting. In their place, he suggests a “plausible fivefold approach.”

There seems to be a better way to look at this problem. We will explore it from five different angles, which will help us to understand it more thoroughly. First, how does the killing of the Canaanites demonstrate God’s justice and righteousness? Second, how could Israel’s unique commission as a “kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:6) shed light on the extermination of the Canaanites? Third, how does God’s sovereignty over all things help us to better understand that he can be considered blameless in all that he does, despite the problems just mentioned above? Fourth, how does the idea of God’s judgment of unbelieving humanity at the end of time shed light on this problem? Finally, how does the law of loving one’s neighbor now and at the end of time help us to better apprehend the issue about the Canaanites and the psalmist’s cursing of his enemies (though this last point has some overlap with the fourth point)?

Each question gets a couple of pages of explanation before moving on, so that the reader is given the complete fivefold approach along with some idea of how the ideas are worked out.

So, what did I think about The Morality of God in the Old Testament?

Not surprisingly, my main concern is length. I want to see each of these points better developed–I don’t think this has the makings of a 200+ page book or anything, but I think it could easily be twice as long to really flesh out some of the points.

The brevity works against itself primarily in that I don’t get to see the ideas examined thoroughly, or tested. The reader is given enough to understand the fivefold approach, enough to chew on it. But I’d like to see it worked out. I’d like to see Beale work through one of the difficult passages, or one of the Psalms in question and show “here’s where we see this and over there is where you see that aspect in action,” etc.

But the point of this series, the point of this being a booklet is for a short introduction to the idea. It’s supposed to be enough to show the reader that there are answers to the hard questions, just not enough to convince them. So I have to take it on its own terms–as such, it’s fine. Even more than fine. And I think there’s something to that fivefold approach, I just want to be convinced. I’m just going to need to look elsewhere for that.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan: An Overdue Sequel to Verne’s Nemo Stories

By HCNewton

On November 26, 2021

In Fiction, Rick Riordan, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Daughter of the Deep

by Rick Riordan

Hardcover, 336 pg.
Disney-Hyperion, 2021

Read: November 18-22, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Daughter of the Deep About?

So here’s the thing—the events and characters of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island are based on actual events and people—but Verne was given a few skewed details. One hundred-fifty years later, descendants of these people are running rival schools their ancestors founded, the Land Institute and the Harding-Pencroft Academy.

Students at HP are only told about their origins at a certain point, and their mission is to graduate future leaders in a variety of disciplines to guard the science that Nemo developed and slowly, carefully introduce it to the world.

Land Institute students are told their origins earlier and their mission is to rush that science out into the world—even if by doing so, it’ll unleash societal upheaval, economic trouble, and will upend established science for years.

The two schools are in sort of a cold war until the Land Institute launches an attack on HP, and the freshman class has to head to sea to try to survive. While on the run, the class is told about HP’s origins and our central character, Ana Dakkar, learns about her family history, forcing her to take a leadership position and more.

Can Ana and the rest of the freshman survive the Land Institute*? Can they utilize Nemo’s technology in ways no one else has? Who will control Nemo’s heritage?

* It is unfortunate that the ocean-going HP Academy is rivaled by the “Land Institute.” It feels a little too-on-the-nose, even though it’s named for Ned Land.

Plausibility

Because this is aimed at the MG crowd, I can buy the whole “a bunch of preteens/teens outsmart and outperform dangerous and super-smart older teens” nature of the plot—it’s pretty much a given in the genre.

Also, the whole Land Institute teachers/administrators allowing students to start killing people is a pretty hard pill to swallow. For some reason, I had an easier time buying competing mythological figures setting teens against teens.

But hey…if it’s in a universe where everything in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is based on reality, and that Nemo’s tech worked (and still does!)? Well, hey, I can buy a little less-than-plausible High School actions.

So, what did I think about Daughter of the Deep?

I had a lot of fun with this. A goofy premise, but well-executed. I dug the characters, the action was solid and the pacing was good—enough to keep the reader engaged and entertained, while giving enough breathing room for a little character development.

And there’s a giant cephalopod—every undersea adventure needs one of them.

If this is the beginning of a series (and it feels like it), there’s a good chance I’ll come back for more. But honestly? I think it’d be better as a stand-alone.

Either way, this is a fun ride—and one that’ll hopefully spur the target audience into giving Jules Verne himself a try.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Dead House by Harry Bingham: Fiona’s Latest Case Takes Her to the Darkest Places

By HCNewton

On November 23, 2021

In Fiction, Fiona Griffiths, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Dead House

by Harry Bingham
Series: Fiona Griffiths, #5

Kindle Edition, 391 pg.
2016

Read: August 11-13, 2021

What’s The Dead House About?

The big task force that Fiona’s in, trying to get at the group she’s been on the heels of since book 1, is about to be shut down—they’re just not getting results. Predictably, Fiona isn’t dealing well with it. She needs something else to do to remind her why she’s with the police.

Circumstances too elaborate to get into lead her into being a detective on-scene near a small village to oversee a found body until the local police with jurisdiction can take over—but in the end, we have Fiona alone in a room with a corpse for a few hours. Naturally, she develops a strong emotional connection with the body and becomes determined to find out what happened to this woman.

There are no obvious signs of violence—and even some signs of care—to the woman, but she’s dead and she’s been left in a remote location without anyone notifying the authorities. And, it turns out, she’s been missing for quite a while.

Fiona needles her way into the investigation, of course (because what else is she going to)—and the path that she and the DI she’s assisting leads far beyond the small town they start in and to some truly dark places. (yeah, that’s incredibly vague, but I’m faced with being vague or giving you a few thousand words almost spoiling the story beats on this one)

So, what did I think about The Dead House?

Yes, over the last couple of books particularly, Fiona’s doing a good job on socializing, on connecting with people, on acting “normal” (a goal she longs for and yet doesn’t want at all). I love seeing that kind of development, as much as we like to see damaged protagonists struggling to cope—it’s always great to see them making healthier choices.

But at the same time…you put Fiona in a room alone with a corpse for too long so she develops a bond with the person she starts calling “Carlotta” (and resists using Carlotta’s actual name when she’s eventually identified)? I’m in. Fiona as the creepy detective who’s way too interested in dead bodies is just fun to read about.

Bingham doesn’t throw out all the progress she’s made, Fiona just sidesteps it for a little bit. Her natural tenacity and the people skills that she’s developing aid her in this investigation (and her self-destructive tendencies hinder her, too). It’s really the best of both worlds as far as Fiona’s character goes.

I wasn’t as taken with this story as I wanted to be—as I expected to be. And when the final whodunit reveal was made, I’d been waiting for it for longer than I should have been—not because I’m all that clever, but who else could it have been? That said, when the motivation and methods behind the reveal are made clear? That blew me away and creeped me out.

I can see how this is going to help the overall arc of the series, it had some great moments—and any time spent in Wales with Fiona is a reward. But I wanted a bit more from this one. Don’t start with this one if you’re interested in the series, but if you’ve read the rest, you’ll enjoy this one.

3.5 Stars

All Together Now by Matthew Norman: Robbie Malcolm’s Living Wake

By HCNewton

On November 18, 2021

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

All Together Now

by Matthew Norman

Hardcover, 272 pg.
Ballantine Books, 2021

Read: July 28-30, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

The thing about old friends: they’re really more like siblings.

You can be pissed at your siblings. They can betray you in untold ways, hurt, offend, and infuriate you. You can briefly hate them to their damaged cores. But they’ll always be your brother or your sister, right? Whether you like it or not.

What’s All Together Now About?

It bugs me when this happens, but every attempt I’ve made at this part ended up convoluted, inadvertently snarky, or like a watered-down version of the publisher’s description. (which, I should add, is why this is so belated) So, let me just borrow theirs:

At just thirty-five, reclusive billionaire Robbie Malcolm is a renowned financial prognosticator, a celebrated philanthropist, and a mathematical genius. Also, he’s dying, which is a fact he’s carefully concealing from the world.

As he takes stock, Robbie realizes that his wealth means nothing if he can’t help the people who matter most. So he invites his oldest friends—Blair, Cat, and Wade—to their beloved Fenwick Island on the coast of Delaware to share his secret and to reveal plans for each of them that he believes will change their lives forever.

However, Robbie isn’t the only one with secrets. The bonds the friends formed as teenagers still exist, but adulthood has brought a whole new set of complications, like unrequited loves, marriages on the brink, and so much unfulfilled potential. Robbie’s plans may look good on paper, but are they any match for the utter disaster that is real life?

As everything comes to light over a wild weekend full of surprises, Robbie learns there are still some things money can’t buy, and a group of friends who thought their best years were behind them realize just how much they have to look forward to.

I’d considered spending time talking about the four primary characters, their circumstances, the pluses and minuses of the characters and plot, and so on—the stuff I typically talk about. But that’s really best experienced for yourself, you need to let the novel introduce them, or it’d ruin the whole thing. With this book, it’s not about spoiling the plot, it’s about spoiling the characters, and I don’t want to do that.

So, what did I think about All Together Now?

There’s a lot of funny and/or thoughtful material about writing, maturing, parenting and whatnot. There’s some great stuff—pro and con*—about The Beatles. But the heart of this novel is friendship—especially the kind that starts pre-adulthood and follows you all your life in one form or another. And when the focus is on friendship—the ups and downs, the betrayals (intentional or inadvertent), the forgiveness, the loyalty, the love—it’s great.

* Yes, con. Some people just want to watch the world burn.

When the focus is on the other stuff? It’s pretty good.

Overall, this felt like a fun daydream of a novel—what if I had a mega-rich friend who wanted to help me fix my life (whether I wanted them to or not)? But I wanted something more out of Norman, I expected something meatier, something more substantial—neither of those adjectives are adequate, but it felt like something was missing.

I enjoyed it and appreciated it, but not as much as I felt like I should. And then I read the penultimate chapter. I distinctly remember sitting in my car before work, trying to finish the book and hitting that chapter—and being on the verge of tears for most of it (maybe teetering over the edge). Slyly, sneakily, Norman had wormed these characters into my heart—whatever I thought I was missing was there without me noticing.

And then I had to go into work, leaving the last chapter for 8 hours and a commute home later. Then again, when I read the final chapter (which is sort of an epilogue), there I was again—on the verge. Had my timing been better and I’d read the two chapters together, I’d have been a real mess.

A fun, breezy read with an emotional ending—Norman delivered just what the premise promised. You’ll wish you had these people as friends, and you’ll be glad for the time you had with them.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Shots Fired by Ian Robinson: The Hunt for a Gun

By HCNewton

On November 18, 2021

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Shots Fired

by Ian Robinson
Series: DI Nash and DS Moretti, #3

Kindle Edition, 179 pg.
The Book Folks, 2021

Read: September 10-13, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Shots Fired About?

Oddly for a London-based series, we start with a murder in Glasgow. The gun used is quickly tied to a three-year-old murder case in London. This connection reinvigorates the investigation into the old case.

A theory or two comes up about the gun—the leading theory involves the idea that the gun is rented out, and if they can follow the gun back to the source they can solve both crimes—and maybe more.

Nash and Moretti look into shootings in Glasgow and Northern Ireland to look at the evidence around them to see if they led to the gun’s provenance and maybe shed some light on the London murder.

A Cultural Divide

I’m very, very carefully and intentionally not making an evaluation of any set of laws here, I’m simply describing the experience from the point of view of an American raised and living in one of the “reddest states” and a watcher/reader of a lot of US Crime Fiction.

But wow…it is so weird for an American to read about the police so focused on one gun as it is used in multiple crimes over a long period of time in different countries. This is the kind of thing that would be tossed in a river or a dumpster and easily replaced in a US-based police procedural. And the travel involved in tracing the gun’s whereabouts is mind-boggling to me, if only because it suggests that the gun did that at least that much traveling, too.

So, what did I think about Shots Fired?

I’m still mystified by the way that Nash treats Moretti—hot and cold at the same time, and with little to provoke a change (from my perspective). Pretty much everything I said about Cover Blown applies here*—although there’s at least one moment where she seems to notice that she’s not treating him quite the way he deserves. So maybe she’ll come around.

* I actually had a couple of paragraphs more to say on this point, but before I hit publish, I glanced at my Cover Blown post and realized it was largely the same.

Compared to the previous volumes in this series, the procedural nature of this novel seemed a bit light—as did the realism. But maybe that’s just me. Either way, it’s a fun read with a solid cast of characters. I’m hoping a fourth Nash and Moretti is arriving soon, and I’ll be jumping on it as soon as I can.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Audiobook) by Elle Cosimano, Angela Dawe: A Clever Idea, Well Executed

By HCNewton

On November 11, 2021

In Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

by Elle Cosimano, Angela Dawe (Narration)
Series: Finlay Donovan, #1

Unabridged Audiobook, 9 hrs., 59 min.
Macmillan Audio, 2021

Read: October 25-27, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Finlay Donovan Is Killing It About?

Finlay Donovan is a writer of romantic crime novels who is struggling to meet her deadline—that’s not true, she’s so late that her publisher is on the verge of demanding a return of her advance.

What’s caused her to get behind is turmoil and upheaval in her life—she’s in the middle of a messy divorce, she has almost no money for rent (paid to her soon-to-be-ex to live in their house), food, or gas. Her husband’s lawyer is gearing up to wrest custody of their kids from her. This has shot her confidence, her trust in herself, and her ability to focus on anything.

So, she’s in a Panara, meeting her long-suffering agent, trying to get a little more time for the overdue novel, and is overheard by someone at a nearby table. This woman is convinced that Finlay is describing a contract killing and offers her a good sum of money to kill her husband.

Finlay doesn’t want to take the job—because she’s not a monster—but is curious about the husband, does a little research on him, and then arranges to meet him. Shortly thereafter, he’s killed. Finlay and her kids’ nanny, Vero, dispose of the body (to keep from having to answer uncomfortable questions).

Finlay soon has a guilty conscience, a healthy dose of paranoia, a nice stack of money, a referral for another job, and (most importantly) a plot for her new novel. She and Vero form an alliance to deal with it all—and, well, things go nuts from there.

How was the Narration?

Angela Dawe’s narration was solid—she captured the comedic sense of the novel along with the tension and emotional moments. There were a few accents involved and she did a believable job with them, too. This book really was a balancing act between the various tones and characters, and Dawe dealt with it admirably.

So, what did I think about Finlay Donovan Is Killing It?

I really don’t have a lot to say about this one, as much as I’ve tried. It’s a clever idea and it was executed well. I think the pacing could’ve been a bit tighter—it seemed like there was a good amount of wheel spinning at the end of the second act/beginning of the third. Not enough to turn me off of the book, but enough to make me impatient.

This is a good mix of suspense, quirky humor, and a dash of romance. I enjoyed the characters and situations. I’m pretty curious about where the second book is going to take the characters and hopefully answer a couple of lingering questions I have. For example: why was Vero so willing to throw her lot in with Finlay and jump into this life of crime (or a life adjacent to crime)?

It’s a fun ride, you should give it a whirl.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Pug Actually by Matt Dunn: A Rescue Dog Tries to Return the Favor

By HCNewton

On November 5, 2021

In Dogs, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Pug Actually

by Matt Dunn

Paperback, 313 pg.
Mira Books, 2021

Read: October 5-6, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Pug Actually About?

Julie is in a bad relationship, for the last few years she’s been seeing a married man. You know the type—after a few months, he reveals that fact and keeps promising to leave his wife, but… Oh, he’s also her boss. Even if he wasn’t married, he doesn’t treat her well (and is definitely not a dog person). There’s just nothing good to say about Luke.

But Julie really doesn’t see that. Her dad. Jim, and her best friend, Pryia, do—but they can only say so much. But her other best friend, Doug, decides he’s going to do something about it. He starts looking for suitable matches—he doesn’t understand human attractiveness, so he knows he’s at a disadvantage. Early on, he tries to arrange a “meet cute” by knocking over someone’s coffee in the park, but has to abandon that method.

Then Julie is introduced to a recent divorce, Tom. Doug likes him right away (as does Julie’s dad)—even if he is a (gasp) veterinarian. Doug fakes a limp to get taken to Tom’s office, puts up with dog exercise classes in the part, and generally does everything he can to keep the two meeting up. He also steps up his antagonism toward Luke, to try to make it clear to Julie who he prefers.

Doug is a pug who was rescued by Julie and her dad after the death of Julie’s mom. He decides that rescuing can work both ways—and determines that he’s going to find Julie a better guy than Luke.

Without realizing that’s what they’re doing, Jim and Priya help out—discouraging time with Luke and playing up Tom (or anyone else), Jim even is partially responsible for introducing Tom to her.

Slowly something maybe starts between Julie and Tom, and things definitely (and largely independently from the Tom story) get worse between Julie and Luke. And Doug’s along all the while doing his best to help.

The Very Sweet Subplot

When Jim and Doug take their walks, Jim has a habit of stopping by a coffee shop run by a woman named Dot. Dot’s interest in Jim is about as obvious as Doug being a dog. But Jim’s not ready to see anyone after his wife, so is either oblivious or chooses to be. Tom is actually Dot’s son.

About the time that Tom meets Julie, Jim finally opens himself up to the idea of seeing someone. Watching Dot and Jim’s relationship start is possibly the best part of the book (it certainly comes with less drama and more fun).

Doug as Narrator

Going back to Debora and James Howe’s Harold and up through Spencer Quinn’s Chet, I’ve been a sucker for dog narrators. It’s a weakness, and not one I’m in any rush to lose. Doug is one more in a line of dog narrators that has charmed his way into my heart.

Doug’s rather erudite and educated for a canine writer. Sure, there are human things he doesn’t understand, and a few things that a small pug can’t see. But he’s not as easily distracted as Chet, for example. He’s capable of rattling off a Chinese proverb in Chinese—perhaps because he is a pug, because he doesn’t show an affinity for other languages.

He’s also like every dog I’ve ever met, but especially like the pug sitting next to me, and is always hungry—and a little pudgy (hence the need for the exercise class). And while everyone will talk about his need to lose weight, he’s really good at getting them to give him a treat (or finding some on his own).

I really enjoy everyone spelling V-E-T every time they mention Tom’s profession, although as Doug notes, he can spell. The reliable “Big Stretch!” said by everyone who isn’t Luke when Doug stretches brought a grin to my face (and has made me a bit self-conscious when I do the same to my canine companions).

So, what did I think about Pug Actually?

This is a sweet, cute book. Pug Actually is a pretty standard rom-com, you can see most of the story beats coming, but Dunn writes them in an effective way, so who cares? Adding Doug to the mix adds a layer of charm and humor that help make this more than standard.

There’s a moment near the end that really doesn’t seem necessary to add one last hurdle to the Tom and Julie romance. It soured my wife a bit on the book, but me less so. I see where it was necessary—or at least helpful—to give Doug a couple of more shining moments. But the ending was nice enough to make up for whatever stumble that plot point made.

When he was on the Author Stories podcast, Dunn suggested that there might be a sequel in the works. If one appears, I’ll jump on it.

If you’re in the mood for a pleasant, light read, I recommend this. Even better if you’re in the mood for a rom-com. If you’re a dog lover, it’ll help, but even cat people should find plenty to love here.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.