In Robert Crais' latest Elvis Cole and Joe Pike thriller, A Dangerous Man (#858) when Joe Pike rescues a bank clerk from her abductors shortly after leaving that bank, he finds he has bitten off more than he can chew. Isabel Roland has been targeted, but the reason is a mystery, especially to Isabel herself. When she is snatched a second time, Pike calls in his partner Elvis Cole to find out who and what are behind the kidnappings, especially when the original kidnappers turn up dead, killed execution style.
In typical Crais fashion, the plot hums along, jumping from viewpoint to viewpoint to keep the reader up on the action. Run-ins with law enforcement and the criminal element abound as the body count mounts and Isabel is in constant danger. With some help from the right friends, the picture comes into focus, but at a definite cost to Pike.
It took me no time at all to read A Dangerous Man. I simply had to find out what happened next. In the end, justice was served and Cole and Pike both survive for further adventures. Robert Crais is a master of this genre.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Monday, October 21, 2019
Bark of Night
Ironically, the French bull dog who kicks off the action in David Rosenfelt's latest Andy Carpenter mystery Bark of Night (#857) doesn't bark here; he bites. Go figure.
When Andy is called into his vet's office after his beloved golden retriever Tara undergoes a biopsy for a lump, he is expecting the worst possible news. Instead, Dr. Dowling introduces him to Truman, a perfectly healthy French bull dog dropped off at the office to be euthanized. Dr. Dowling doesn't want to kill the dog, but he wonders why the owner didn't drop Truman off at someplace like Andy's rescue shelter, The Tara Foundation. So does Andy, but he is soon embroiled in defending a young man from a murder charge which the police think is a slam dunk. He's more interested in tracking down the man who left Truman with Dr. Dowling under a false name, but when his case begins to intersect with Truman's past history and he grows convinced of Joey Gamble's innocence it's evident that something very bad is behind the chain of events.
As usual, the gang is all here, and there's plenty of snappy dialog and dangerous twists and turns. Another satisfying read from David Rosenfelt. No wonder it's one of my favorite series!
When Andy is called into his vet's office after his beloved golden retriever Tara undergoes a biopsy for a lump, he is expecting the worst possible news. Instead, Dr. Dowling introduces him to Truman, a perfectly healthy French bull dog dropped off at the office to be euthanized. Dr. Dowling doesn't want to kill the dog, but he wonders why the owner didn't drop Truman off at someplace like Andy's rescue shelter, The Tara Foundation. So does Andy, but he is soon embroiled in defending a young man from a murder charge which the police think is a slam dunk. He's more interested in tracking down the man who left Truman with Dr. Dowling under a false name, but when his case begins to intersect with Truman's past history and he grows convinced of Joey Gamble's innocence it's evident that something very bad is behind the chain of events.
As usual, the gang is all here, and there's plenty of snappy dialog and dangerous twists and turns. Another satisfying read from David Rosenfelt. No wonder it's one of my favorite series!
Dog Is Love - Why and How Your Dog Loves You
Clive D. L. Wynne is an academic canine behaviorist, but don't let that scare you away from reading this work based on his research , but couched in everyday terms. If you've ever experienced the love of a furry friend, Dog Is Love - Why and How Your Dog Loves You (#856) goes about proving why dogs are genetically predisposed to love us.
Much of his work revolves around comparing dog and wolf - the dog's nearest relative - behaviors in regards to their interactions with humans. Dr. Wynne has traveled across the globe to meet with other scientists doing research in related fields. The results are laid out for the reader, even though most dog owners sense the truth of his findings instinctively through interactions with their own pets.
I found this book fascinating even though I've never owned a dog myself, and probably never will. But I still manage to get my canine fix on my morning walk around our neighborhood. It's a truism that in our largely isolated communities, much bridging of the gap between neighbors is achieved through our dogs. Most people if asked can tell you the name of the animals they regularly encounter, if not the names of their human owners!
Read this book for the insight it will bring to your own relationship with your dog, and find out what you can do to improve their lot in our own society. We owe them quite a debt.
Much of his work revolves around comparing dog and wolf - the dog's nearest relative - behaviors in regards to their interactions with humans. Dr. Wynne has traveled across the globe to meet with other scientists doing research in related fields. The results are laid out for the reader, even though most dog owners sense the truth of his findings instinctively through interactions with their own pets.
I found this book fascinating even though I've never owned a dog myself, and probably never will. But I still manage to get my canine fix on my morning walk around our neighborhood. It's a truism that in our largely isolated communities, much bridging of the gap between neighbors is achieved through our dogs. Most people if asked can tell you the name of the animals they regularly encounter, if not the names of their human owners!
Read this book for the insight it will bring to your own relationship with your dog, and find out what you can do to improve their lot in our own society. We owe them quite a debt.
Monday, October 7, 2019
Thereby Hangs a Tail
My local library is filling in the gaps in some of my favorite mystery series, including Spencer Quinn's amusing Chet and Bernie series, and Thereby Hangs a Tail (#855). This is an earlier book in the on-going series. Chet the Jet is on the case with his human PI partner Bernie to solve a dog napping.
Bernie has already been fired by Countess Adelina di Borghese as a bodyguard for herself and her prize-winning show dog Princess when the two are kidnapped in a remote mountain location. When Bernie's reporter girlfriend Suzie Sanchez alerts him to a story about the huge dog show about to take place in the city, Bernie belatedly admits to himself that there could be danger involved for his former clients. Unfortunately, his insight comes too late, and not only are the Countess and Princess missing, so is Suzie! Chet, of course, is key to solving the case at great personal risk to himself. Neither he nor Bernie escape without damage to themselves or the perps...
I just love the humor in these books. They make me laugh out loud at Chet's antics and Bernie's cluelessness when it comes to women. If you've ever lived with a dog, you're sure to recognize Chet's goofy behavior and profound loyalty to those he loves. This is one of the mystery series I always recommend to friends looking for a well-plotted and paced read. Haven't come across any of my friends yet who haven't responded to these engaging books.
Bernie has already been fired by Countess Adelina di Borghese as a bodyguard for herself and her prize-winning show dog Princess when the two are kidnapped in a remote mountain location. When Bernie's reporter girlfriend Suzie Sanchez alerts him to a story about the huge dog show about to take place in the city, Bernie belatedly admits to himself that there could be danger involved for his former clients. Unfortunately, his insight comes too late, and not only are the Countess and Princess missing, so is Suzie! Chet, of course, is key to solving the case at great personal risk to himself. Neither he nor Bernie escape without damage to themselves or the perps...
I just love the humor in these books. They make me laugh out loud at Chet's antics and Bernie's cluelessness when it comes to women. If you've ever lived with a dog, you're sure to recognize Chet's goofy behavior and profound loyalty to those he loves. This is one of the mystery series I always recommend to friends looking for a well-plotted and paced read. Haven't come across any of my friends yet who haven't responded to these engaging books.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
Deborah Heiligman's joint autobiography of Charles and Emma Darwin is written for a Young Adult audience. My book club decided to read it because it is the absolute favorite book of an older member. Though interesting, I am afraid Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith (#854) would never even make my top One Hundred Book List.
The main thrust of the book is how the Darwins managed to have a happy marriage despite Charles' loss of faith in God as Creator or organized religion in general as he voyaged on The Beagle and began to formulate his theory of evolution. Emma, on the other hand, who was deeply religious for most of her life, fretted over whether they would ever meet again in the next world (Always supposing that there was one!) if he was not a believer. The author never does satisfactorily resolve that issue here. They die fourteen years apart with no revelations on Emma's part as she breathes her last. Where does that leave Ms. Heiligman's target audience of teenagers? Believe or don't? I suppose that one could argue that Charles Darwin was given a hero's funeral and buried in Westminster Cathedral, with his books and journals never having been out of print since their publication, so perhaps one might come down on the side of the unbelievers here. Hmm...
I will leave this overly saccharine tome to those who prefer to leave critical thinking aside.
The main thrust of the book is how the Darwins managed to have a happy marriage despite Charles' loss of faith in God as Creator or organized religion in general as he voyaged on The Beagle and began to formulate his theory of evolution. Emma, on the other hand, who was deeply religious for most of her life, fretted over whether they would ever meet again in the next world (Always supposing that there was one!) if he was not a believer. The author never does satisfactorily resolve that issue here. They die fourteen years apart with no revelations on Emma's part as she breathes her last. Where does that leave Ms. Heiligman's target audience of teenagers? Believe or don't? I suppose that one could argue that Charles Darwin was given a hero's funeral and buried in Westminster Cathedral, with his books and journals never having been out of print since their publication, so perhaps one might come down on the side of the unbelievers here. Hmm...
I will leave this overly saccharine tome to those who prefer to leave critical thinking aside.
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