Pyramid and and four other Kurt Wallander mysteries by Henning Mankell
Includes:
Wallander’s First Case
Man with the Mask
Man on the Beach
Death of the Photography
Pyramid
The five stories feature early versions of Kurt Wallander's early life as a policeman as well as paint evocative portraits of contemporary Swedish society. We get the background of how Wallander becomes a homicide detective when his neighbour is found dead in Wallander's First Case. In Man with the Mask, Wallander checks on an store on Christmas eve disrupting an attempted burglary. An unremarkable businessman is poisoned in The Man on the Beach but—in typical Mankell fashion—the case is larger, more complex and more interesting than it first appears. In, The Death of the Photographer, Simon Lamberg takes studio portraits of weddings and children, but a couple of nights each week, he uses his darkroom to distort published photographs of politicians and newsworthy people for a macabre personal scrapbook. It's a bizarre hobby, but the cause of Lamberg's brutal, apparently senseless death is an even stranger puzzle. We also see development between Wallander and his father in the Pyramid, more of a novella and the final part of the collection. All of these story help establish the melancholy Wallander seems to suffer from.
This was my first exposure to the series but I did watch some of the PBS Masterpiece Theater starring Kenneth Branagh. These are not light mysteries but I definitely enjoyed getting a taste of this series and look forward to reading more.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
Book 4 in the Scott Pilgrim Graphic novel series.
It's summertime, but who can relax? Scott and Ramona continue to evolve as they wrestle with the L word (Love not lesbian - though Scott keeps hoping). Plus Ramona starts invading his dreams. Scott's band gets a chance to record their music but Scott isn't even really aware or even involved with it. Scott does notice that he is being stalked by a mysterious swordsman but he seems a bit old to be one of the Evil Exes. Plus their is Ramona's mysterious college roommate.
In typical Scott confusion, he comes home to discover that he doesn't have a place to live so if he crashes with Ramona will that change their relationship? The main complication in Scott's life is Julie, a high school might-have-been-girlfriend. Cute Julie keeps showering him with attention, forcing him to deal with his feelings for Ramona. Typical slacker humor, though it is certainly fun to see Scott get a job and become responsible.
It makes for a fun, casual read.
Book 4 in the Scott Pilgrim Graphic novel series.
It's summertime, but who can relax? Scott and Ramona continue to evolve as they wrestle with the L word (Love not lesbian - though Scott keeps hoping). Plus Ramona starts invading his dreams. Scott's band gets a chance to record their music but Scott isn't even really aware or even involved with it. Scott does notice that he is being stalked by a mysterious swordsman but he seems a bit old to be one of the Evil Exes. Plus their is Ramona's mysterious college roommate.
In typical Scott confusion, he comes home to discover that he doesn't have a place to live so if he crashes with Ramona will that change their relationship? The main complication in Scott's life is Julie, a high school might-have-been-girlfriend. Cute Julie keeps showering him with attention, forcing him to deal with his feelings for Ramona. Typical slacker humor, though it is certainly fun to see Scott get a job and become responsible.
It makes for a fun, casual read.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Paper Marriage by Susan Kay Law
Twelve years ago, John McCrary was in a terrible car accident that left him comatose. His wife Ann had him placed in Cedar Ridge where he has lived ever since in a vegetative state. Ann believes in her wedding vows, for better and for worse. Since John's life has been placed on pause so has hers. But she still visits him every evening bringing her therapy dog Cleo and homemade goodies for the staff to insure he receives proper care at the nursing home. Her mother-in-law Mary is there diligently everyday waiting for a miracle to occur. While Ann has this constant reminder of her life that might have been she still lives in their house and keeps their business going. Cooking is what keeps her going as she suffers from insomnia and often cooking is the only way she can feel like she has a place in the world. Her world is on hold while everyone keeps living.
Meanwhile Ann's neighbor Mrs. Hillerman is moved into assisted living, and overnight her house was sold to former baseball star Tom Nash. He moves in almost immediately to get ready for his angry purple haired sixteen years old daughter Mer to come live with him. He's hired an interior decorator to create the perfect suburban home. He is clueless about life in the suburban jungle and what to do with a teen girl, whose has basically raised herself. Tom never married Mer's mother and has never really spent any time with her. So he has some years to make up for. He wants to do the right thing but is at a loss as to how to develop a relationship with his daughter.
Tom decides to get Mer a dog who promptly digs under the fence and gets Ann's dog pregnant. Ann befriends Mer and starts teaching her how to cook. Ann is definitely attracted to Tom but takes her vows to her husband seriously. Maybe too seriously if she listens to her mom or not seriously enough if she listens to her mother-in-law. But circumstances force Ann to look inside herself to find the right path.
I read about this on an email update I receive from Phoenix PL, this book was one of the 2008's best romances of the year. I can see why as the storyline is unique and not your typical romance. Yes there is sex but it is not graphically described and there are serious consequences because of it. This is a very believable story and offers a fun storyline to make this a good book for a vacation or something to read over a long weekend.
Twelve years ago, John McCrary was in a terrible car accident that left him comatose. His wife Ann had him placed in Cedar Ridge where he has lived ever since in a vegetative state. Ann believes in her wedding vows, for better and for worse. Since John's life has been placed on pause so has hers. But she still visits him every evening bringing her therapy dog Cleo and homemade goodies for the staff to insure he receives proper care at the nursing home. Her mother-in-law Mary is there diligently everyday waiting for a miracle to occur. While Ann has this constant reminder of her life that might have been she still lives in their house and keeps their business going. Cooking is what keeps her going as she suffers from insomnia and often cooking is the only way she can feel like she has a place in the world. Her world is on hold while everyone keeps living.
Meanwhile Ann's neighbor Mrs. Hillerman is moved into assisted living, and overnight her house was sold to former baseball star Tom Nash. He moves in almost immediately to get ready for his angry purple haired sixteen years old daughter Mer to come live with him. He's hired an interior decorator to create the perfect suburban home. He is clueless about life in the suburban jungle and what to do with a teen girl, whose has basically raised herself. Tom never married Mer's mother and has never really spent any time with her. So he has some years to make up for. He wants to do the right thing but is at a loss as to how to develop a relationship with his daughter.
Tom decides to get Mer a dog who promptly digs under the fence and gets Ann's dog pregnant. Ann befriends Mer and starts teaching her how to cook. Ann is definitely attracted to Tom but takes her vows to her husband seriously. Maybe too seriously if she listens to her mom or not seriously enough if she listens to her mother-in-law. But circumstances force Ann to look inside herself to find the right path.
I read about this on an email update I receive from Phoenix PL, this book was one of the 2008's best romances of the year. I can see why as the storyline is unique and not your typical romance. Yes there is sex but it is not graphically described and there are serious consequences because of it. This is a very believable story and offers a fun storyline to make this a good book for a vacation or something to read over a long weekend.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben
Introduces Myron Bolitar.
Myron Bolitar is a former basketball player who worked briefly (in an undefined capacity) for the FBI before becoming a sports agent. He is also a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. His secretary/ assistant Esperanza is an ex-pro wrestler. Partner and best friend is Win (short for Windsor Horne Lockwood III) who is hard to figure out as Myron keeps refering to Win as the accountant yet he is also a cold-blooded killer who uses dimdims bullets in his gun. He shoots first before even thinking of asking questions. So it was a bit disconcerting when that part of his character was introduced.
Myron has just landed his first big client, top rookie prospect quarterback Christian Steele. Everything is going fine until Kathy, Christian's assumed-to-be-murdered ex-girlfriend, calls him on the phone. It's all downhill from there, as Myron and his associates are thrust into the dark world of the sports business. We see lots of mafia influence and while Myron seems to be in the thick of it himself he is in it for the players.
I enjoyed aspects of this book but other parts were kind of convenient and crazy and I kept saying "What?". I will try the next one to see if we get a bit more depth to the characters as so far all are pretty flat. So at this point I'm pretty ambiviant about this series so far but am willing to read another before I say I like or dislike it.
Introduces Myron Bolitar.
Myron Bolitar is a former basketball player who worked briefly (in an undefined capacity) for the FBI before becoming a sports agent. He is also a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. His secretary/ assistant Esperanza is an ex-pro wrestler. Partner and best friend is Win (short for Windsor Horne Lockwood III) who is hard to figure out as Myron keeps refering to Win as the accountant yet he is also a cold-blooded killer who uses dimdims bullets in his gun. He shoots first before even thinking of asking questions. So it was a bit disconcerting when that part of his character was introduced.
Myron has just landed his first big client, top rookie prospect quarterback Christian Steele. Everything is going fine until Kathy, Christian's assumed-to-be-murdered ex-girlfriend, calls him on the phone. It's all downhill from there, as Myron and his associates are thrust into the dark world of the sports business. We see lots of mafia influence and while Myron seems to be in the thick of it himself he is in it for the players.
I enjoyed aspects of this book but other parts were kind of convenient and crazy and I kept saying "What?". I will try the next one to see if we get a bit more depth to the characters as so far all are pretty flat. So at this point I'm pretty ambiviant about this series so far but am willing to read another before I say I like or dislike it.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
Milo Weaver used to be a tourist, one of the CIA's special field agents without a home or a name. Six years after leaving that career, Milo has found a certain amount of satisfaction as a husband and a father and with a desk job at the CIA's New York headquarters. The arrest of an international hit man and a meeting with a former colleague yank Milo back into his old role, from which retirement is never really possible.
We see a man who has been driven by paranoia, and secrecy his entire life. There are numerous flashbacks which help explain his current delimmas as he learns to keep secrets from his mother as a young child to only telling some of the truth to get by. It was a really facinating read as I love spy novels and enjoyed experiencing this other side to it.
Looking at the author's website it appears that this will be 1st in a trilogy and George Clooney has purchased the movie rights to make and star in the movie based on this book. Hmmm....
Milo Weaver used to be a tourist, one of the CIA's special field agents without a home or a name. Six years after leaving that career, Milo has found a certain amount of satisfaction as a husband and a father and with a desk job at the CIA's New York headquarters. The arrest of an international hit man and a meeting with a former colleague yank Milo back into his old role, from which retirement is never really possible.
We see a man who has been driven by paranoia, and secrecy his entire life. There are numerous flashbacks which help explain his current delimmas as he learns to keep secrets from his mother as a young child to only telling some of the truth to get by. It was a really facinating read as I love spy novels and enjoyed experiencing this other side to it.
Looking at the author's website it appears that this will be 1st in a trilogy and George Clooney has purchased the movie rights to make and star in the movie based on this book. Hmmm....
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