WARNING: If you’re suffering from chest pain, shortness of breath, or stress put the book down and step away from the bookshelf. I repeat: STEP AWAY FROM THE BOOKSHELF.
But if you’re like me, and you like sharp turns, big hills, and free falling, get ready to sail out into the Bearing sea on the Polar Star and be enthralled by this stomach lurching, white-knuckle gripping, page turning, heart throbbing experience.
If you didn’t already come to love Arkady Renko in Gorky Park, you will in this novel. The author, mercilessly takes you along with Renko on a series of unpredictable and shocking twists and turns that are sure to keep your heart rate up and your stomach churning.
If you don’t already own it be sure to pick up this couldn’t put it down winner and let it sweep you away in its story telling magic.
Tags: masterpiece, renko, russia, Spy, Thriller
Hollywood station is a super funny Police procedural that is at once a satire and a pseudo thriller. Mr. Wambaugh hates what has happened to the once proud LAPD in the years after Rodney King and he’s not shy about letting his views show. In fact, his in your face criticisms of the current management of the LAPD is so ludicrous and unbelievable, that at times those who have never served in any police capacity in our politically correct atmosphere is forced to dismiss them as mere rantings and wild exaggerations from a disgruntled ex-cop. Not so.
This couldn’t put it down winner is littered with stereotypes so outrageously silly that in the hands of a lesser author they could easily be confused with the fumbling of an unimaginative hack. But in this highly entertaining read the use of clichéd characters and situations is used to great effect and it gives this novel, if seen for the satire is supposed to be, a feel of greatness.
Some of Mr. Wambaugh’s fans may be confused and disappointed. This is to be expected. This book has none of the serious feel and forceful character of some of his earlier works, for which he has won so much acclaim. It almost feels as if it had been written by a totally different person (uhm). But in my humble opinion, this is his best work yet. Get it now, but before you start it take a deep breath. You’ll find it hard to come up for air until the very last page.
Tags: hollywood, hollywood station, joseph wambaugh, LAPD, police
What a treat! I’d never heard of Jack Ketchum before yesterday, but oh boy am I a fan. I got through Old Flame in about two hours and now I wish I would have slowed down and taken my time. This is a remarkable work of fiction by a master storyteller. What’s this surprisingly good couldn’t put it down pager turner novel about? Think fatal attraction to the power of fifty, then add in some first rate suspense.
The only flaw I could find with this story was that it was way too short, more of a novella really. But seen in the right light, this is another plus for this highly skilled author, who seems to grasp the idea that a story ends only where it must and that to force it to continue is to ruin it. I can’t wait to delve into some of his other works. The plot was fresh and surprising, and the pace was slow and torturous building painfully to a hell of a climax. Jack Ketchum is the real deal.
Tags: antiques, Horror, jack ketchum, old flames, Thriller
The Appeal is the first Grisham book I have enjoyed reading in a long time. It wasn’t perfect. Far from it. But, at least for me, it was a couldn’t put it down page turner that kept me reading uninterrupted all the way to the end. After the very bad Bleachers, the even worse Skipping Christmas, and the downright awful Playing for Pizza, I found this novel to be a breath of fresh air.
It is light, fun, easy reading. If you overlook the lack of a strong central character, the cartoon-like stereotypes, the thinly veiled political bias, the one dimensional characterizations, and the nonstop almost Marxist sermonizing about evil corporations, this book is a good read. Grisham’s talent really lies in the legal thriller and any return to it, however shallow, it’s good news to me. If you’re a Grisham fan, and have missed his legal thrillers, you can get somewhat of a fix here.
Tags: grisham, Legal, politics, Thriller, toxic waste
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