Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to all!

The Christmas Mystery

The Christmas Mystery, by James Patterson with Richard Dilallo, is the second of the detective Luc Moncrief series. This novella was published by James Patterson own company out of Little, Brown and Company publishing house. Bookshots are mostly ebooks, although I have one in paperback. They are novellas, less than 150 pages and less than $5.00 and are just right for people who want to read a book in a day or two.

I skipped the first of the series because I thought, what better time to read about a Christmas mystery than the week before the beloved holiday.  The book is a delightful story about a French detective and his American partner, who stamp out crime in New York City. The Frenchman, Detective Moncrief, comes from a very rich family and thinks nothing of dropping $150,000 on a painting, which he just happens to see on his lunch hour. His counterpart, K. Burke, is quite the opposite.  While he loves to spent his time walking the streets looking for trouble, she is a ‘by the book’ cop, who is concerned with paperwork.  She wants to let the boss know their actions on a case, each step of the way and Moncrief plays it fast and loose.  When he gets in trouble, Burke is always there to back him up. 

In this story, they are called on a case in which a rich debutante is murdered. The partners noticed the theft of all of the artwork that she owned and, since that was right up Moncrief's alley, they go after the thieves as well as the killers. 

As I said before, this is a delightful story, full of dry humor, for which Patterson is known. I finished the book in two sittings, only because I could not keep my eyes open.  It was impossible to put down the next day. I can’t wait to read more about this incredible duo.  I give Mr. Patterson 5 stars.

The Gourmet Detective

The Gourmet Detective goes from place to place on behalf of restaurants to find uncommon ingredients for uncommon recipes. In this book he is asked by the police to use his knowledge of the restaurant business to help sniff out a killer.

The reason that I bought this book was because I had seen the movie and enjoyed it immensely. The characters were very different in the book and I didn't like them as much as in the movie. In the movie, there was delious tension between our gourmet detective and the female detective. The book fails to convey this tension, which only adds to the mystery. 
If you like reading about gourmet food and how it's prepared, this is your book.
While I give the movie four stars, the book receives only one.

Ashes to Ashes

Ashes to Ashes, by Tami Hoag, was published in 1999 by Bantam Books. Ms. Hoag has written over thirty books. She has taken her readers on different paths by writing several different series, including Kovac and Liska. This series is comprised of five, nail biting thrillers. Ashes to Ashes is the first of this series.

When the Cremator kills, he chops off the victim’s head. Then, he makes a fire, and throws her on it. Then, staring with delight at his prize, he says, “Ashes to ashes.” At first, he seemed to strike only prostitutes. But when he kills Jillian Bondurant, the daughter of a very important, very rich business man, Peter Bondurant, Kate Conlan and John Quill work around the clock to find this madman.  They both are strong characters and very much the same, so, in the past, when these two worked together, it did not go well. 

This book had me from the first page to the last. When we first meet Kate, we find out just how tough she can get, when she stops a mugging. And that is just the first page. From there on in, Ms. Hoag takes you further and further away from the safety of your home and into the depths of depravity. I give Ashes to Ashes and its’ star performers 5 stars. I would certainly suggest it to those who love a good mystery/thriller.

Hello Again!

I am very pleased to be back from the international writing event, NaNo.  You may notice that D's Bookshelves has a new look; one that I hope you will like.

NaNoWriMo

I am taking a break from everything, including reading.  I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month, in which I have 30 days to write 50,000 words toward writing my novel.

See you in December!

Dust to Dust by Tami Hoag

“Dust to Dust” is the second book of the Kovac and Liska series.  This series is a collection of fast-paced murder mysteries.  This book, as with all of Ms. Hoag’s work, is full of twists and turns.

Both Kovak and Liska are seasoned cops in the homicide department.  They have their own rules, but as they are consistent in bring the bad guy to justice, their superiors often look the other way instead of questioning their methods.

This time, they are working on a closed case against orders from Internal Affairs (IA).  The warnings and threats fell on deaf ears as they tear into this murder that was ruled a suicide.  Opening the case causes all kinds of havoc, including the suicide of the victim’s father.  Or was it another murder?

Each of the books in this series are able to stand alone, but I wouldn’t want to miss one of Kovak and Liska’s stories.  I give this story 5 stars, as it kept me going up to the very end.

The Case of the Discontented Soldier by Agatha Christie

Parker Pyne is at it again.  Ms. Christie’s “social worker of yesteryear” is answering the needs of a soldier who was bored with his life.  Major Wilbraham has just returned from East Africa and he is dissatisfied with his life in the slow lane.  He needs excitement.  As usual, Mr. Pyne provides what his customer needs.

The Major saves a damsel in distress, and fell head-over-heels for this gorgeous creature.  As the day goes on, they find themselves embroiled in a life or death situation.  Of course, the Major is a gentleman and not afraid of danger, so he is called upon again, to save the day. Unbeknownst to him, he was living out a plot that was written by another well-known character in Ms. Christie’s imagination: Miss Oliver, the apple eating writer. 

This was a fast read and very fun story.  I give it 4 stars.

The Case of the Middle-aged Wife

Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are old friends of mine.  This short story by Ms. Christie, features Parker Pyne as her new main character.  I found this story delightful and light, but definitely veering away from the normal Christie mystery.  I didn’t find the mystery or the murder in this book. 

Parker Pyne has a strange business; to make others who are unhappy, happy.  The unfulfilled wife, Mrs. Packington, answers an ad that Parker put in the newspaper; “Are you happy?  If not, contact Mr. Parker Pyne, 17 Richmond Street."  Our Mrs. Packington nervously goes to see Mr. Pyne and is immediately swept away on a fantasy affair set up just for her.

This story was an extra fast read and written in Agatha Christie’s style, though not in the same genre.  I give this story 4 stars and would suggest it to anyone over thirteen years old, as it is very “clean” and entertaining.  

The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

'The Apprentice', by Tess Gerritsen, is the second of the Rizzoli and Isles series. When Rizzoli finally puts Warren Hoyt, otherwise known as The Surgeon, in prison for life, she thought that she was through with him.  Just like 'The Surgeon', which was first of this series, 'The Apprentice' is a real page turner.  

Detective Rizzoli gets called into a string of murders because the MO is the same as her old nemesis, Warren Hoyt.  Hoyt, the man of her nightmares. 

Hoyt.  The man who pinned her to the floor with a scapel in both of her hands. Hoyt.  The devil incarnate.  

Even from his prison cell, it seems as though he was still killing.  A copycat? Doubtful.  Jane Rizzoli believed that Hoyt had somehow engineered these murders.  Every detail was there, from the teacup on the husband's knee to the folded nightgown in the bedroom.  It was Hoyt all over.  Jane gets the courage up to face Hoyt in prison.  She is looking for some answers to questions that would help her solve these murders.  Hoyt, who is obsessed with Jane, was pleased that she had come to him, but was no help, of course.  Maura Isles, the Medical Examiner, helps to keep her best friend, Jane, on an even keel, working tirelessly to find this maniacal killer.  Every murder that Jane worked in the case, brings more memories of Hoyt to her mind. 

We see the world through Rizzoli's eyes and feel the hate that she has for the one man that she cannot get out of her life, Hoyt.  Ms. Gerritsen has done it again.  I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Apprentice' and gave it 5 stars.  I am looking forward to more of Rizzoli and Isles books.

The Wedding Wipeout

The Wedding Wipeout

By Jacob M. Appel

“Wedding Wipeout”, by Jacob M. Appel, is a light hearted murder mystery with as its two main characters, Rabbi Kappelmacher and his assistant, Steinmetz.  The story starts when two elderly sisters, Florence and Lorraine, are left a substantial amount of money with one stipulation; that they should never marry. If one of them did, they would break the will and the entire estate would go to the unmarried sister.  They lived together as old spinsters for forty-three years, until Florence fell in love and decided to marry, breaking the trust.  On the wedding night, Florence mysteriously died.  When Rabbi Kappelmacher was made aware of the puzzle, he was immediately interested in solving it, and decided that he, along with his assistant, would crack the case.

Mr. Appel creates a list of characters ranging from a mischievous Rabbi and his sidekick, Steinmetz; to the nosy neighbor, who’s as bitter as she is nosy; to the playboy nephew, Fred.  “The Wedding Wipeout” kept me laughing from the beginning of this amusing story to its surprise ending.  I give this delightful book five stars and cannot wait to read Mr. Appel’s other works.

Givin' Up the Ghost by Gwen Gardner

Givin’ Up the Ghost, by Gwen Gardner, is a cozy mystery involving a sixteen year-old girl who moved in with her uncle and cousin. Indigo Eady, who has the ability to see ghosts, and her fifteen year-old cousin, Simon, are seemingly looking for something to do.  They, together with their friends Badger and Riley, start to investigate what happened to Badger and Riley’s father, who had mysteriously disappeared. Everyone thought that he had run away with his secretary; everyone except the four friends.  They are joined by Cappy, a chimney sweep that Indigo met, to prove that Bart didn’t just leave his family. 

The plot was good, and I liked the characters, although I had trouble remembering that they were in their teens.  Also, Ms. Gardner did not play fair with her readers.  She introduced certain characters in the beginning of the book and the reader would not see them again until the end.  By that time, the reader forgot who the character was and what role he played in the story.  What’s more, the characters were too many in numbers to keep straight.

I usually read a cozy mystery in a day or two, as I get involved in them. I lost interest in this book from the very beginning, and so it took me a few weeks to read.  I kept thinking it would get better, but it didn’t.  I am sad to say, that I only gave this book one star.

Ashes to Ashes by Tami Hoag

Ashes to Ashes by Tami Hoag

Ashes to Ashes, by Tami Hoag, was published in 1999 by Bantam Books.  Ms. Hoag has written over thirty books.  She has taken her readers on different paths by writing several different series, including Kovac and Liska.  This series is comprised of five, nail biting thrillers.  Ashes to Ashes is the first of this series.

When the Cremator kills, he chops off the victim’s head.  Then, he makes a fire, and throws her on it.  Then, staring with delight at his prize, he says, “Ashes to ashes.”  At first, he seemed to strike only prostitutes, but when he kills Jillian Bondurant, the daughter of a very important, very rich business man, Peter Bondurant, the police work around the clock to find this madman.  There are two main characters, Kate Conlan, and John Quill.  They both are strong characters and very much alike, so, in the past, when these two worked together, it did not go well.  

This book had me from the first page to the last.  When we first meet Kate, we find out just how tough she can get, when she stops a mugging.  And that is just the first page.  From there on in, Ms. Hoag takes you further and further away from the safety of your home and into the depths of depravity.   I give Ashes to Ashes and its’ star performers 5 stars.  I would certainly suggest it to those who love a good mystery/thriller.