Sunday, November 02, 2014

From the Archives: From Murder to a Train Ride

I began keeping a reading journal several years before I began blogging. I find it interesting to sift through my thoughts of books that I read back then. My reviews were often brief and contained little substance, but I thought it'd be fun to document them here on my blog as well as share them with you. Here are three from December of 2005: 


S is for Silence by Sue Grafton
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005
Mystery; 374 pgs

My favorite P.I. is back in S is for Silence. This time around, she is asked to search for a woman who has been missing for 34 years. Ms. Grafton mixes up her usual first person narrative by adding in chapters devoted to the memories of some of the characters Kinsey meets in her investigation. It works well for the novel and brings depth to the characters and story. Kinsey’s own personal life is nearly nonexistent in this latest installment in the alphabet mystery. Although perhaps not my most favorite of her novels, I enjoyed Sue Grafton’s S is for Silence and think that many of her fans will too.


The Christmas Train by David Balducci
Jove, 2004
 Fiction; 296 pgs

The holiday season is not complete without a Christmas story, and with that excuse, I picked up a copy of David Balducci’s The Christmas Train to read. Journalist Tom Langdon sets out across the country by train in a journey of self-discovery to California from New York. Along the way he meets a myriad of colorful characters from all walks of life. This is a heart-warming story about love, faith and good will, making it a perfect Christmas tale.


The Hyde Park Headsman by Anne Perry
Harper Collins, 1994
 Mystery; 343 pgs

Thomas Pitt, newly promoted to Superintendent, must solve a complicated and fear inducing case. Someone is murdering people in Hyde Park by cutting off their heads. His new position is threatened by his inability to solve the crime as quickly as the public would like as well as the resentful underlings he was promoted over. unbeknownst to Superintendent Pitt, his wife Charlotte and her sister Emily are determined to help him solve the case and save his career. As usual, Ms. Perry has written a good mystery full of intrigue. She portrays the dark side of human nature while also capturing the heart that drives the motive.


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6 comments:

  1. I just finished H is for Homicide the other week and how I adore this mystery series! This actually wasn't my favorite one even though it had me laughing out loud at a couple different points. I hope to catch up with this series sooner rather than later although I will be VERY sad to see it end. I also have the first Anne Perry book on my shelves and this is yet another mystery series I would like to read. Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Samantha - I really like Grafton's series too. It's one of my favorite mystery series. I last read U. I feel like I have neglected quite a few of my favorites over the past few years. :-(

      I really enjoyed what I read of the Anne Perry series. The series became too political for me after awhile and my reading of them slowed down. It's been awhile since I last opened one of her books. I really want to give her World War I series a try. I hear its good.

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  2. I never got into the Grafton books. I think I read one in the series years ago, but for some reason never pursued the series in spite of the multitude of fans for Grafton. I have read many of Anne Perry's books both the Pitt and the Monk series. Sam of Book Chase recently read a biography of Perry that sounds good.

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    1. Jenclair - If you read the first Grafton book, you really should give it another try. The first wasn't the strongest.

      I haven't read any of the Monk books by Perry. The biography you mention sounds interesting. I know something of her checkered past, and know she refuses to talk about it. Someone brought up the murder during an author panel I attended one year and the temperature in the room went up exponentially from the tension. Perry was clearly uncomfortable with it.

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  3. I was never a huge Perry fan but I like the sounds of this one. I have read several of the Sue Grafton books but haven't picked any up for years. I don't really know why I stopped reading her as I always enjoyed them. Thanks for reminding me to pick the series back up!

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    1. Katherine - I enjoyed the early books in the Perry series. I love the author's attention to detail.

      It's been too long since I last read a Grafton book too. I need to get caught up with the series. I last read T, so I'm not terribly behind.

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