Memory Man by
David Baldacci introduces Amos Decker, a former football star with perfect memory who can’t solve his own
family's murder. He leaves the police force, loses his home, and winds
up on the street, taking PI jobs as they come. After a school massacre, Decker
becomes a consultant for the local police and the FBI where he amazes everyone
with his keen observation and insight while connecting his own loss with the
school shooting.
The Murderer’s
Daughter, by Jonathan Kellerman,
“master of the psychological thriller,” introduces Grace Blade to his loyal
readers. Master psychologist by day,
seductive adrenaline junkie by night, Grace has a very dark past that
unfolds, along plenty of weird characters, violent action, and amazing coincidences
in a well-written, but predictable, manner.
Sit! Stay! Speak! by
Annie England Noblin is reminiscent of books by Mary Alice Monroe, Allie
Larkin, and Holly Robinson. This debut novel tells the modestly interesting
story of a Chicago refugee and the rescue dog that helps an outsider in the
Ozarks make peace with the past. Quaint southern colloquialisms, a couple
of good recipes and a competently written plot make for a pleasant airplane
read.
The Killing Lessons by
Saul Black was described as having “shockingly good writing.” I couldn’t disagree more…maybe the worst
book I’ve read this year. Two violent
serial killers had (very) bad childhoods and a self-destructive detective who
is obsessed with the case, along with victims, past and present, have endless
deep, dark internal soliloquies that pass for psychological insight. Black is a pseudonym for British writer, Glen
Duncan, who has every reason to be ashamed to put his real name on this
disaster. How did he get so many writers
to give it wonderful reviews?
*Fear of Dying by
Erica Jong is a “delightful look at what it really takes to be human and female
in the 21st century.” Jong deals with the “afternoon of life” by taking readers
through a romp with online hookups, female friendships, children grappling with
adulthood and parents negotiating with death. Not on a par with “Flying” but
still shows the talent of a major writer.
*Finale: A Novel of
the Reagan Years by Thomas Mallon captures the crusading ideologies,
blunders, and glamour of the still-hotly-debated Reagan years. Moving from the political gridiron of
Washington, the wealthiest enclaves of Southern California, and Iceland, where
the U.S. president engages in two almost apocalyptic days of negotiation with
Mikhail Gorbachev. Neither Republicans nor Democrats are spared Mallon’s
acerbic, insightful fictional conversations that seem utterly in character with
the key political players of the era.
Between You and Me:
Confession of a Comma Queen” by Mary Norris, long-time copy editor for the New Yorker is a clever, chatty review
of basic (and arcane) grammar. She addresses those vexing problems in spelling,
punctuation, and usage―comma faults, danglers, "who" vs.
"whom," "that" vs. "which," compound words,
gender-neutral language. Norris concludes, "The dictionary is a wonderful
thing, but you can't let it push you around."
The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson
takes on the myths and misconceptions along with the out-sized reality of the
man Johnson believes was Great Britain’s greatest leader. The current mayor of London portrays with
wit, passion, and a bit of hero worship “a man of contagious bravery,
breathtaking eloquence, matchless strategizing, and deep humanity.”
