Review: Blood Sport

Blood Sport by Dick Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one was a darker plot than a lot of Dick Francis's novels. It holds up very well for a book written in 1967. You could see it happening in today's world, with less smoking and better technology. This time, our everyman hero is Gene Hawkins, a "civil servant" with a very particular set of skills. He is very good at his job, but struggles with depression. To save him from himself, his boss dangles an irresistible case in front of him - three missing stud stallions have vanished without a trace over the past few years. Could they be related? And can they be found? Well, yes, friends, or we wouldn't have a mystery to solve.

Francis gives a pretty honest perspective of Gene's dark thoughts and how he grapples with life and what to do with the one he has. The supporting characters are well-developed, too. Especially Walt, the insurance investigator who joins Gene on his quest to solve the case and recover the funds to his company. This one takes us from England to all across America, and finally back home again. One of my favorites, and we didn't even really go racing. 4 stars.

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Review: First Lord's Fury

First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

And we come to the end of our epic journey with Tavi and the rest of Alera. It was a wild ride, and I'm sad once again that it is over. Don't worry, Tavi, I'll be back again in a few months to take the trip with you all over again.

If you are reading this review and you haven't read the other books in the series, stop here. Seriously. Go pick up a copy of Furies of Calderon and grow up with Tavi. If, however, you are done with the series, you can keep reading my thoughts. This book is long and full of details. You are going to learn more about the Canim, not enough about the Icemen, and way too much about the Vord Queen, who I find tedious. I mean, I get that she is the ultimate big bad, but I find her annoying.You get the ending you want for most of the characters, and are left wanting more for others. Just like life, I suppose.

Romance, action, survival, politics, and war. Jim Butcher, can we be best friends? My favorite series of all time. 4 stars for this book and the series overall.

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Review: Mrs. McGinty's Dead

Mrs. McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Poirot, my friend. Together we exercise our little gray cells and solve the case. Always a pleasure. And as usual, you get to the solution before me.

Another Christie mystery where I point the finger in my mind at all of the wrong people. I think I solve the crime over and over, only to be wrong at the end. But luckily for all of us, Poirot was there and saw what we did not.

Mrs. McGinty is dead. Her lodger is accused of the crime, but several other suspects seem to have the big three: motive, means, and opportunity. Can you guess the answer before Poirot? You can't, but don't feel bad, because he's the best. Three stars.

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Review: Career of Evil

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I adore this series! It's so good. Cormoran is smart and flawed. Love smart, flawed characters. Robin is also smart and flawed. And I desperately want her to leave Matthew and have lots of little PI babies with Cormoran, because I am secretly a marshmallow inside. Shut up.

JK continues to showcase her ability to write strong, complicated characters and she weaves a good mystery as well. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment, so get to writing, Jo. 4 stars.

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Review: Reflex

Reflex by Dick Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another winner by Dick Francis. This time Philip, our everyman hero, is an amateur jockey and amateur photographer. I'm giving the edge to his photography, because hey, you can't be a jockey forever. That job has a shelf life.

We've got revenge, blackmail, murder, romance, and horses, all things you expect from Francis. But he also wrote family complexities very well. This one has the added drama of a drug-addled mother who abandoned Philip and flitted from place to place. He's estranged from his grandmother and I found this side plot as interesting as the main one.

You can't go wrong with Dick Francis. 3 solid stars.

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Review: Hot Money

Hot Money by Dick Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fantastic everyman mystery by my boy Dick Francis. Man, I just loved him so much.

This one focuses of family, the heavy burden of being wealthy, and how your upbringing can mess you up, big time. Malcolm Pembroke collects wives and kids like he does money--that is to say he has a lot of all three. And they are dysfunctional, natch, like you would expect. Enter everyman good bloke and amateur jockey, Ian. Son number 3 (I think) out of nine. He's honest, and forthright, and saves the day like I expected him to, because that's what Francis wrote best.

This is a really good one for family dynamics, a twisted plot, and unexpected results. 4 stars and a thumbs up to old Dick.


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Review: Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels. I love Poirot. I love trains. I love books where I think I have figured out the mystery and I am wrong, wrong again, and then wrong a third time. This book is great.

First of all, we have the esteemed Hercule Poirot, so you know it will be good.  Second, the entire mystery is set on a train, adding to the intrigue.  Train travel is awesome.  And third, like all of Agatha Christie's novels, you can't guess the culprit, but once she lays it out in the end, you can't help but nod your head in agreement.  She really was the master of mystery.  I love her.  4 1/2 stars and a wink for Poirot, because he is awesome.


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Review: Plain Truth

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Jodi Picoult's novels. They always deal with motherhood and family, and always have an interesting setting or topic. This one explores the Amish, family, and relationships. Plus a bit of mystery, which is never a bad thing in my book.

Katie Fisher has a baby in her barn. She is 18, Amish, and unmarried. And she denies both having been pregnant and delivering the baby. Enter Elle Hathaway, high-powered defense attorney. Elle is led into the case by her aunt, former Amish and Katie's aunt. Making her Katie's cousin, but I guess conflict of interest doesn't play in for defense attorneys. The court orders Elle to live with Katie before and during the trial. Everyone learns each other's secrets, and by the end you will be shocked to discover you knew the answers all along.

The ending, which I saw coming because I had read this a million years ago when it was first released, upset me far more than it did on my first read through. It's funny how your view of a book changes with your life's circumstances. But I still enjoyed it and I still rate it 4 stars.

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Review: In the Frame

In the Frame by Dick Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

More everyman adventures, this time in Australia. We barely touch on horse racing for this one. As is typical with Francis, sometimes you get a little racing, and sometimes you get a lot. Always with the everyman hero and some very light romance.

Artist Charles Todd visits his cousin Donald, only to discover Donald's wife has been killed in a burglary. Driven to help his cousin and with no real help from the police, the clues lead him to Australia. Charles, with the help of his old college friend and his wife, are on the hunt. Danger abounds! And Charles cracks the case to the immense appreciation of the police on two continents. Hooray! Classic Francis. 3 1/2 stars.




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Review: Slay-Ride

Slay-Ride by Dick Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Classic Dick Francis. This time we travel to Norway. I'm cold just reading this book.

We get a great Francis "everyman" in David Cleveland. Jockey Club investigator and all-around smart, nice guy. He gets in danger (as you would expect), barely escapes with his life (naturally) and saves the day.

Plus, this book is as old as I am, and it is still a fun read. One of my favorite authors of all time.

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Cataloging Christie: A Life List

Cataloging Christie: A Life List

You know how certain authors just speak to you?  You just can't get enough of their work and you have to devour everything they've written?  Agatha Christie is one of those authors for me.  I love her variety, how prolific she was, and the interesting step back in time she allows me.  Plus, I'm a huge mystery fan.  She was simply amazing.  She wrote 66 mysteries, 6 romances (under Mary Westmacott), 150 short stories, and 19 plays.  That's quite a life list!

For 2016, I have selected the following stories.  I may read additional ones, but these are the ones by month.
January: Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10)
February: Secret of Chimneys (Superintendent Battle #1)
March: The Thirteen Problems (Miss Marple #2)
April: Cat Among the Pigeons (Hercule Poirot #32)
May: Murder on the Links (Hercule Poirot #2)
June: Why Didn't They Ask Evans (Stand-alone)
July: Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple #1)
August: Mrs. McGinty's Dead (Hercule Poirot #31)
September: Dumb Witness (Hercule Poirot #18)
October: The Seven Dials Mystery (Superintendent Battle #2)
November: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot #4)
December: Endless Night (Stand-alone)

For her complete list in publication order, visit Agatha Christie's official site HERE.

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