Monthly Archives: September 2017

To Speak for the Dead ~ by Paul Levine

Dr Roger Stanton is on trial for malpractice –  or was what he did murder?  It seems the good doctor’s hand might have slipped while performing a laminectomy on Philip Corrigan and cut an aorta instead.   Stanton went to … Continue reading

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Celine ~ by Peter Heller

I got 2/3 of the way through the book and realized I wasn’t picking up on everything basically because I had expected fast-paced suspense as was hyped in the ads as well as displayed in the Prologue   But alas, … Continue reading

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Crocodile on the Sandbank ~ by Elizabeth Peters

I read this long ago and enjoyed it, so when the 4-Mystery Addicts group chose it for discussion I thought I might reread (re-listen).   I’ve read the first 4 of  the series and I guess I must have tired … Continue reading

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The Moviegoer ~ by Walker Percy

There is a LOT going on in this novel – mostly the angst and alienation of mid-20th century men,  but there’s also the old South of New Orleans,  Christianity (Catholicism),  movies,  women,  fishing,  making money,  Mardi Gras,  families,  mental and … Continue reading

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Hold Tight ~ by Harlan Coben

I’ve read a number of Coban’s books (8 I think) and the ones narrated by Scott Brick are almost over-the-top with suspense what with Coban’s storytelling talents and Brick’s ability to make any string of words sound suspenseful, but they’re … Continue reading

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Beyond Belief ~ by Elaine Pagels

I’ve been meaning to get to this book for a long time.  I’ve read quite a lot of books which deal with the history of  Christianity because it’s so fascinating from an historical point of view – especially early Christianity … Continue reading

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American Nations ~ by Colin Woodward

I’d been seeing this around and put it on my wish list so I nominated it for the All-Nonfiction reading group and it got selected.   I was glad and looking forward to reading it.   As usual, though,  I … Continue reading

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St Urbain’s Horseman ~ by Mordecai Richler

I had mixed feelings about reading this book –  on the one hand I looked forward to reading it because I so enjoyed Richter’s Solomon Gursky Was Here a few years ago.  On the other hand,  St Urbain’s was first published … Continue reading

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The Traitor’s Story ~ by Kevin Wignall

It was really all because of Finn Harrington messy past life as a spy that Hailey Portman, a bright and well behaved 15-year old and Finn’s neighbor,  went missing.   She had been gone from her home in Geneva for … Continue reading

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In the Waning Light ~ by Loreth Anne White

I should never have even bothered.  Even if it was on sale.  Even if it was recommended by a friend (and got on my wish list).   Even if it did get good reviews.   The premise sounded good – … Continue reading

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Missing, Presumed ~ by Susie Steiner

I just chose this book because it was the type of book I read for fun,  it was on sale and it seemed to have a lot of good reviews.   Oh well –  you can’t win them all.   … Continue reading

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House of 8 Orchids ~ by James Thayer

Opening with a great Prologue –  it’s 1912 and two young boys,  the sons of the American council,  are  snatched in a move distinctly out of  Fagan’s bag of tricks,  off a street in Chungqing,  China never to see their … Continue reading

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The Shadow Land ~ by Elizabeth Kostova

Alexandra Boyd, a young American woman,  arrives in Sofia, Bulgaria to work as a teacher.   On her first day, after a brief friendly encounter with a family outside the wrong hotel,  she finds that the satchel belonging to the … Continue reading

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine ~ by Gail Honeyman

So I go from a fairly heavy and angst-filled satire (St. Germain’s Horseman) to a medium-weight family saga (Pachinko)  to now,  a really light-hearted book.   Or is it? –  there seems to be a dark side there with Eleanor’s … Continue reading

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Pachinko ~ by Min Jin Lee

Oh good –  I needed something lighter weight and this is turning out to be that.  Plus it concerns Korean cultural with a bit of history thrown in-   I’ve long been interested in Korea, both North and South,   … Continue reading

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Lab Girl ~  by Hope Jahren

I didn’t think I’d be all that interested in this book but once I started it I was fascinated – at least in parts.     It’s not the science of  The Hidden Life of Trees (Peter Wohlleben – 2016), … Continue reading

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Since I Fell ~ by Dennis Lehane

Oh I was ready for a good juicy page-turning crime novel and it looks like the choice of the 4-Mystery Addicts group is just the thing.   I read one book by Lehane,  Mystic River,   years ago and enjoyed it, … Continue reading

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