The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley
Grosset & Dunlap, 1919
Mystery; 289 pgs

Completed: 12/22/2007
Rating: (Very Good)


First Sentence: If you are ever in Brooklyn, that borough of superb sunsets and magnificent vistas of husband-propelled baby-carriages, it is to be hoped you may chance upon a quiet by-street where there is a very remarkable bookshop.

Reason for Reading: This book came recommended by a friend several years ago. I have an ancient copy of the book, cover tattered and falling apart, which I found on E-Bay after having no luck finding a new copy online or in the stores.

This is my 1910’s selection for the Reading Through the Decades Challenge and my 5th Selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: If ever there was a book meant for booklovers, especially one who enjoys a mystery, a touch of romance and eccentric characters, this is it. Christopher Morley’s The Haunted Bookshop was a pleasure to read.

The Haunted Bookshop is actually the sequel to another of Christopher Morley’s novels, one called Parnassus on Wheels. I have yet to lay my hands on a copy of that particular book, sad to say. Having not read the previous book, I had no trouble following along or getting to know the characters. This is very much a stand-alone novel, however.

Roger Mifflin is an eccentric bookseller who owns and runs Parnassus At Home, otherwise known as the Haunted Bookshop. One day while Roger is running the shop alone, his wife off on an adventure in Boston, an advertising salesman wanders into the store and makes a pitch hoping to land a new account. Aubrey Gilbert is young and eager, but Roger is adamant that he does just fine with the word of mouth advertising his loyal customers provide him. Just the same, the two strike up a friendship.

The bookseller and his wife Helen had previously agreed to take in a nineteen-year-old girl at the request of her wealthy father. Mr. Chapman fears his daughter has taken in too many frivolous ideas, and he believes she is in need of a serious reality check. He thinks that working and living at the second hand bookshop is just what the young woman needs. Titania is a delightful and lovely young woman who turns many heads and yet is friendly and eager to begin this new enterprise.

Just before Titania’s arrival, a man comes to the shop looking for a particular book that Roger is sure he once had on his shelf. The book, however, is missing. When the book reappears later on, Roger couldn’t be more puzzled. Thus begins a mystery full of danger and intrigue. Aubrey is determined to uncover whatever nefarious plot there may be, fearing that the beautiful Titania may be at the greatest risk.

I was most taken in by Roger Mifflin and his obvious love for books as well as his job. While he is a bit of a book snob, it was hard to hold that against a man who understands the hold a book can have on a reader. Although not a prominent character, Helen is definitely a presence in the book. She is down to earth and sensible while Titania is sprightly in her youth. It is really Aubrey who carries the forward motion of the story, however, ever tenacious in his pursuits.

Christopher Morley has written a charming novel that is full of humor, while at the same time it is quite exciting. Set at the end of World War I, talk of peace and the politics of the war place this book more firmly in history as do the events that unfold with each turned page. I definitely plan to continue in my search for a copy of the prequel to this novel and perhaps venture onto some of the authors other writings. It was a pleasure to spend time with him and his characters.

Favorite Parts: I loved how Roger put together Bock’s kennel—a booklover’s haven for a dog.

The term librocubicularist, which refers to a person who is fond of reading in bed (a word completely made up by the author).

Cringe worthy quote: “He knew his disadvantages in literary conversation, for he had gone to an excellent college where glee clubs and theatricals had left him little time for reading. But still he was a lover of good books, though he knew them chiefly by hearsay.” [pg 16]

In response to the assumption that working in a bookstore is tranquil: “’Living in a bookshop is like living in a warehouse of explosives. Those shelves are ranked with the most furious combustibles in the world—the brains of men.’” [pg 19]

“’I tell you, books are the depositories of the human spirit, which is the only thing in the world that endures.’” [pg 50]

“’Did you ever notice how books track you down and hunt you out? They follow you like the hound in Francis Thompson’s poem. They know their quarry!’” [pg 132]
and
“’ It’s one of the uncanniest things I know to watch a real book on its career. It follows you and follows you and drives you into a corner and makes you read it.’” [pg 132]

Miscellaneous: We went to see The Kite Runner today, which was playing a little closer to home than expected. There are several other movies I am anxious still to see before the year is out. Atonement, Sweeney Todd, Juno, and Charlie Wilson's War are all on our list. I do not know if we will get to them all, but we will put in a good effort.

In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes

In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes
Femmes Fatales, 1947
Suspense/Thriller; 250 pgs

Completed: 12/21/2007
Rating: (Good +)

First Sentence: It was good standing there on the promontory overlooking the evening sea, the fog lifting itself like gauzy veils to touch his face.

Reason for Reading: I am sure this book was recommended by one of the author’s I heard speak at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in 2006, however, I forgot to write it down. I do know that I walked away from the festival that April with a copy of the book, both my husband and I interested in reading it.

This is my 11th selection for the TBR Challenge, my 1940’selection for the Reading Through the Decades Challenge and my 4th selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: In A Lonely Place is purported as author Dorothy B. Hughes best novel, a hardboiled noir set in postwar Los Angeles. Dix Steele is cocky and sure of himself as the novel begins. Although written in third person, the author never strays from the main character’s point of view as the world and the events in the novel filter solely through his viewpoint. He makes for an interesting protagonist, although never a likeable one. It is obvious from the first page he does not think much of women. Instead, sharp-eyed psychologist Sylvia Nicolai and the fiery Laurel Gray, who knows exactly what she wants and goes after it without hesitation, are the two characters who stand out and demand respect from readers. Dix falls hard for the beautiful Laurel Gray, a woman unlike any other he has come across before. She may just be his match and what follows is not at all what Dix could have anticipated.

Sylvia’s husband is none other than Detective Nicolai, Dix’s best friend. His latest case is tracking down a killer known as the Strangler who has left a string of female victims in his wake. Dix takes particular interest in the investigation.

For those who do not care for reading violent scenes, the novel is not at all graphic and instead is more psychological in its approach. Dorothy B. Hughes capably builds suspense and wonder throughout her novel. I cannot say that this particular novel stands out above some of the other serial killer novels of its kind I have read. Although cold and calculated, the killer was never really frightening as a character. Perhaps that in part was because the author did paint the killer as a somewhat sympathetic person. The murderer was smart, no doubt, but overconfidence and rationalization never failed to make the killer seem less so.

In A Lonely Place was an entertaining novel and also made for interesting reading as a period piece. Dorothy B. Hughes’ novel stepped outside of the lines during its day, offering up strong willed and intelligent women and challenging the societal notion that women shared the blame in their victimization. Dorothy B. Hughes certainly earned the high praise her book has received.

Favorite Part: Sylvia’s character most intrigued me, and I almost wish the author could have shone a light on her a little more. However, the novel would not have been quite so effective otherwise.

Miscellaneous: In A Lonely Place may be better known for the 1950 movie version starring Humphrey Bogart as Dix Steele. As often happens, movies are not exact reflections of the books they are based on, and, in this case, the movie definitely takes the story in a different direction than the novel takes the reader.

Pursuit by Thomas Perry

Pursuit by Thomas Perry
Random House, 2001
Suspense/Thriller; 370 pgs

Completed: 11/11/2007
Rating: (Good)


First Sentence: Daniel Millikan looked down at the thirteenth corpse.

Reason for Reading: Thomas Perry is a name I have seen around now and again. I have always been curious about him, but unsure of whether or not to give him a try. When I saw that this particular book was available for review on Curled Up With A Good Book, I decided the opportunity was too good to pass up. This is my third selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: Having retired to his hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky after a long day of lecturing, Professor Daniel Millikan, a criminologist and former homicide detective from Los Angeles, is called to the scene of a multiple murder investigation the night before he is due to return home. The murders took place at a restaurant, and Millikan is met with the sight of thirteen victims when he arrives. On the surface, the murders appear senseless and possibly the result of a killing frenzy, however, Millikan quickly deduces that it is anything but. The crime scene is too clean, there are no stray bullets, and the crime seems to be too clean cut. It feels and looks more like a professional hit, Millikan decides.

When the father of the intended target contacts him asking for help as the police investigation seems to be getting nowhere, Millikan reluctantly offers the angry and grieving father a name. Roy Prescott is a specialist who will track down and deal out his own special justice. He works outside the law and has a reputation of always getting his man. Prescott plans to draw the killer out using himself as bait, risking his own life in the process.

His nemesis, James Varney, spent his entire life knowing he was something special. He had a difficult childhood, but persevered and learned to survive, always coming out on top. He takes pleasure in the hunt and killing, and he has yet to meet a prey that can out run him.

In a game of cat and mouse, the two men take turns playing the hunter and the hunted. They are both cold blooded in their own ways, one a sociopath and the other a vigilante who will stop at nothing to get his man. The two men are nearly equal in cunning, agility and skill and the chase becomes more difficult than either anticipated. Both of the men are brought close to the edge in intense moments that will have the reader holding his or her breath. As the body count rises and the reader’s knuckles whiten, the two continue their dance.

Pursuit intensifies the heat and then cools things down several times throughout the novel. The changing perspectives offer glimpses into the minds of the major players. The author’s efforts to show a personal side to the two main characters through their relationships with others clarify their differences. Just the same, Prescott remains a bit of a mystery, his past and reasons for choosing his profession never quite coming to the forefront; however, as the story unfolds, his hard heart proves not to be so hard after all. On the flip side, readers are given a close look into the psyche of the killer, Varney, and why he chose the path in life that he did. He is a truly frightening man, and not one I would want to meet. Ever.

Pursuit is not a pretty book. It is hard, violent, and at times intense. Author Thomas Perry pulls no punches along the way. He has written a thrilling and entertaining novel that was at times impossible to put down. Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Wendy Runyon, 2007.

A Blast From the Past: As a child, I was quite the fan of the show The Equalizer. I had a little crush on Edward Woodward’s Robert McCall. Or more likely, I daydreamed he was my father—a role many protagonists in those days took on in my childhood fantasies. From the moment Prescott was introduced as a character in Pursuit, memories of The Equalizer show came flooding back. I had the opportunity to catch a rerun of the show not too long ago and was much less impressed—not with Robert McCall, but more so with the show itself. It did not hold the same magic it once held for me.

Be sure and visit the author's website for more information about the author and his books.

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson
William Morrow, 2008 (ARE)
Mystery; 372 pgs

Completed: 10/28/2007
Rating: (Very Good)

First Sentence: She might have been staring out to sea, at the blurred line where the gray water meets the gray sky.

Reason for Reading: I requested to preview this book through Harper Collins First Look Program. It sounded like something I would enjoy reading. This is my second selection for the Unread Authors Challenge.

Comments: I love it when I discover an author whose book I am reading makes me want to rush out and buy every single book the author has written. From the very beginning, I was swept up into Robinson’s world, feeling very much like I was in the thick of the investigations into two brutal murders. One being the murder of a paraplegic woman whose throat had been slit and was left to bleed to death out on a cliff overlooking the sea. The second murder involved the vicious rape and murder of a young college student who only that night had been out clubbing with her friends.

Detective Annie Cabbot and her team in Whitby must sift through the past to uncover a motive of why someone would want to kill Karen Drew, a woman confined to a wheelchair and unable to communicate. The victim herself is not at first who she appears to be. Meanwhile, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks back in Eastvale, North Yorkshire leads the investigation into the death of nineteen-year-old Hayley Daniels, digging deeper into her life and friendships. The two cases could not be more different, and yet, when another body is discovered not far from where Hayley Daniels had been raped and murdered, there are too many coincidences to ignore.

As the sort of series reader who prefers to read series books in order, I always feel like I am missing a little something by way of back story when I start a series in the middle, or in the case, with the most recent book published (or soon to be as the case may be). That isn’t to say that Peter Robinson did not fill in the blanks—he certainly did do that. I think anyone who starts with this book will feel no sense of loss in that regard, although if you are like me, you will want to go back and dig a little deeper.

I was quite charmed by the character of Alan Banks, and enjoyed reading about him in action. He always seemed to have a handle on the situation even when at loose ends. He was generally calm and obviously intelligent and skilled at his job. His need to relax to music was something I could relate to. More than once I have turned up the radio on my way home after an especially difficult day at work, letting the music wash over me. I quickly related to Annie Cabbot, obviously talented in her field, but also someone that was struggling with personal issues that were a result of her own insecurities and past hurts. I wished I could reach through the pages and give her a big hug on a couple of occasions. There were several other, more minor characters that were easy to like, and who I enjoyed getting to know. I look forward to going back and getting to know them even better in the earlier books of the series.

Friend of a Devil is riveting and suspenseful novel that only becomes more interesting with each turned page. Not only did I feel like I was along for the ride in the investigations, but Mr. Robinson also made me feel right at home both on the seaside in Whitby and in the town of Eastvale. His use of pop culture and ability to step into the psyche of his characters made it all the more alive in my mind. This is a very well written mystery novel, and I am definitely hooked.

Favorite Part: The author did an excellent job of balancing the main mystery story line with the personal side stories. I got to know many of the characters very well as I read the novel and came to care about them. The crime investigations themselves were fascinating to see unfold. I guessed one major piece of the puzzle about half way through, the final piece, but that did not hurt my enjoyment of the novel at all. It rarely does. How it all comes together is what I am drawn to the most.

Visit the author's website for more information about his books.

Miscellaneous: I hesitated before posting this review now. The book will not be released until after the first of the year, but two reasons compelled me to do so. The main one being that it’s been awhile since I last posted an actual book review and the other simply because I can’t keep mum about this great book. You may not be able to rush out and read this one, but you can perhaps try some of the earlier books in the series.

The cover above is not the same one one my copy. I actually like the cover I have better, but I could not find it online to share with you.

Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos

Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos
Grove Press, 2004
Fiction; 371 pgs

Completed: 09/10/2007
Rating: (Outstanding)


First Sentence: While the woman sleeps and dreams of all that breaks, come into the house of many rooms.

Reason for Reading: This is my 9th selection for the TBR Challenge, my third selection for the Saturday Review of Books Challenge (whose review by 3M encouraged me to read this one sooner than I might have otherwise), and 1st for the Unread Authors Challenge.

From the Publisher: Broken for You is the story of two women in self-imposed exile whose lives are transformed when their paths intersect. Stephanie Kallos' debut novel is a work of infinite charm, wit and heart. It is also a glorious homage to the beauty of broken things. When we meet septuagenarian Margaret Hughes, she is living alone in a mansion in Seattle with only a massive collection of valuable antiques for company. Enter Wanda Schultz, a young woman with a broken heart who has come west to search for her wayward boyfriend. Both women are guarding dark secrets and have spent many years building up protective armor against the outside world. As their tentative friendship evolves, the armor begins to fall away and Margaret opens her house to the younger woman. This launches a series of unanticipated events, leading Margaret to discover a way to redeem her cursed past, and Wanda to learn the true purpose of her cross-country journey. Both funny and heartbreaking, Broken for You is a testament to the saving graces of surrogate families and shows how far the tiniest repair jobs can go in righting the world's wrongs.

Comments: Settling in at the repair shop to wait for my husband’s car, I admit to not being too enthused about my choice of book for the day. I really was more in the mood for something with a quicker pace, perhaps something more edgy and suspenseful. And yet, from the very beginning, I was drawn into the novel, Broken for You, transported to Seattle, Washington and the home of the elderly Margaret Hughes and swept up in an unconventional and moving story about friendship, redemption, and love.

Stephanie Kallos has written a well-crafted novel that weaves multiple tales, bringing them together in the end in such a way as to make the story even more meaningful. Her cast of colorful characters is at the heart of the story. They are an unlikely bunch brought together by circumstance and chance, each one playing an important role in the life of the other. Margaret is an eccentric elderly woman who has isolated herself for years as a penance for her past. Margaret’s boarder, Wanda comes across as strong and capable and yet her emotional ups and downs reveal a more fragile side to her. Wanda is chasing her past in hopes of finding something that was lost to her so long ago.

Not only are readers introduced to Wanda and Margaret, but also to several other unforgettable characters. There is M.J. Striker, whose own trials mirror both Wanda’s and Margaret’s but in different ways. He has given up so much of actual living as a sort of penance for past sins as he seeks for the one thing that meant most to him all those years before. Then there is Troy who had once traveled a similar path as Wanda, only to find that sometimes the answers you seek are not the answers you most need to find. I cannot leave out Gus, the hotel valet at the Hotel Orléans, where Margaret had honeymooned many years before. His spirit and zest for life was a much-needed addition in Margaret’s life. There is also Susan, the registered nurse, and Bruce the chef, both of whom are healing from broken hearts. And then there is Irma Kosminsky who is perhaps my most favorite character next to Margaret herself. Irma is so full of life and hope. Despite all she’d suffered in her past, losing both her first husband and child during the Holocaust, she had been able to find happiness in the present and encouraged those around her to live life rather than stew in it and let it pass by.

Stephanie Kallos’ takes a risk in varying her narrative as she does, following both Wanda and Margaret and later M.J. Striker, and occasionally switching to the second person slightly reminiscent of Michael Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White only with a different twist. She also adds in dream sequences, which I think enhanced the story, adding more dimension to the characters and the overall effect of the novel.

Broken for You is a work of art all in it’s own. The characters, each of them broken in some way, are brought together the way the pieces used to create mosaic art might be joined together, the result being something of beauty and meaning.

Questions: I would be lying if I said I did not have questions upon finishing the book. There were a couple of characters that were not as fleshed out as the rest, whose story interested me and left me wondering in the end—not so much about their fate, but about the choices they had made. Despite this, I still came away from the book feeling awed and very much satisfied.

Favorite Parts: There are so many! This book was full of wonderful moments. I think perhaps my most favorite scene is near the beginning of the book when Margaret goes to the café and has a conversation with the waitress, otherwise known as the Nose Ring Girl. The reader in me let out a silent cry of glee (I didn’t want to scare the poor guy behind the counter at the shop!). I’m not sure I can adequately explain why—sometimes the “voice” the author uses to tell his or her story resonates inside my mind—it’s a perfect fit, so to speak. It was like this for me with Broken for You, nearly every step of the way.

Another of the scenes that stands out for me was when Margaret coaxes Wanda outside to smash Margaret’s wedding dinner set. It was an insane moment, but one that proved to be what the two women most needed to do in that moment. It was a new beginning for both women.

Near the end of the book, readers are drawn into a dream sequence as Margaret and her Thanksgiving guests go for a hot air balloon ride. The way the scene played out, the richness of the moment and the step back into reality once the dream was over was a very moving and poignant moment in the book.

For more information about the author, check out her website.

Unread Authors Challenge

Ariel from Sycorax Pine is hosting the Unread Authors Challenge. The challenge will extend from September to February and will involve the reading of six books, each by an author the reader has yet to read, a set of books by an author the participant has yet to read or a combination of the two. For the rules and details, please refer to Ariel's Unread Authors Challenge post on her blog.

Ariel writes, ". . . almost all of us have authors who we have long meant to read, but somehow never gotten around to. Perhaps you have always been intrigued but intimidated by their work. Perhaps "required reading" and your favorite authors have taken up most of your time. Perhaps they have been sitting on your shelves for years, continually trumped by new fascinations. Well, now is their time."

This was an especially difficult challenge for which to choose books. There are an unbelievable amount of books in my TBR collection by authors I have yet to read.

My Unread Authors Challenge List:
In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes [read]
Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos [read]
The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley [read]
Pursuit by Thomas Perry[read]
Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson[read]
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Alternates:
The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
What Was She Thinking? (Notes on a Scandal) by Zoe Heller
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Road by Cormac McCarty
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Digging to America by Anne Tyler
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut
Night Watch by Sarah Waters
In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner