Night Moves, the 20th in the Doc Ford series, is scheduled for publication in March and I know anyone who has read Randy Wayne White's books will want to snap it up.
White is prominent on my list of favorite authors because he creates unique and memorable characters to populate intriguing stories set around Sanibel Island, Florida. Doc Ford is a marine biologist, who readers will know has a second, secret life, and he gets involved in all kinds of dangerous investigations in and around the Everglades.
I love Ford's friend and neighbor Tomlinson who is hilarious no matter what kind of trip he's on. He has taken almost every drug in existence and sort of levels out at a degree of highness in which he can function but is unpredictable. In this one he has a bumbling but dangerous drug dealer from Haiti on his trail.
We also have two mysterious, very expensive boats newly docked at the marina where Ford and Tomlinson live on their boats, Tomlinson's new married mistress and her crazy in-laws, and a lively survivor of a dog Ford saves that has part of a boa constrictor in his mouth and fangs buried in his hide. Additionally, there is a rich, sophisticated hit man. Who is the hit man's target? Hopefully it isn't Ford. As well, we have another of Ford's friends, a pilot who thinks he may have found the remains of WW II planes that disappeared in the 1940s. All of these characters have a definite place in the story and White makes discovering how the tale comes together entertaining.
Part of the book is frightening because Ford is in real danger, but I have to admit laughing my way through the rest. In this 20th adventure I even see a hint of a midlife crisis for Doc Ford. I do hope he won't go soft on us.
Source: Amazon Vine
Recommended reading, a must for Randy Wayne White fans.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Book Finished - Review Postponed
In my last post I wrote about the long, long nonfiction book I was reading and enjoying. It was the kind of book I read slowly to make sure I understand and get the most out of it. Well, I finished that book yesterday. Then I looked at the cover and realized I can't review it yet. Oops!
The publication date for it is March 19th so the publisher would, of course, prefer that reviews appear no sooner than that date. Okay, I will wait to tell you all about the book but at least I've finished reading it and now I have some time to mull it over before I start the review. Works out better anyway.
Now I will proceed to read shorter fiction so I can get back to more regular reviews.
Fiction is easier for me anyway because my husband has the television on loud from the time he gets up in the morning until he goes to bed at night. To get away from the sound, I would have to go upstairs to my study and close the door. Maybe I should move a comfortable chair and good lamp up here. Nah, Dave wouldn't be happy if I spent so much time away from him. He wants me to be in the family room with him. Earplugs? Maybe. Meanwhile, I've been learning to concentrate with all that background noise. I like it when he watches golf or NHRA racing in particular because I'm not interested and therefore can ignore it easier.
Thankfully Spring is coming. Then he'll be outside more and I can read on the patio or the front porch. Can hardly wait!
The publication date for it is March 19th so the publisher would, of course, prefer that reviews appear no sooner than that date. Okay, I will wait to tell you all about the book but at least I've finished reading it and now I have some time to mull it over before I start the review. Works out better anyway.
Now I will proceed to read shorter fiction so I can get back to more regular reviews.
Fiction is easier for me anyway because my husband has the television on loud from the time he gets up in the morning until he goes to bed at night. To get away from the sound, I would have to go upstairs to my study and close the door. Maybe I should move a comfortable chair and good lamp up here. Nah, Dave wouldn't be happy if I spent so much time away from him. He wants me to be in the family room with him. Earplugs? Maybe. Meanwhile, I've been learning to concentrate with all that background noise. I like it when he watches golf or NHRA racing in particular because I'm not interested and therefore can ignore it easier.
Thankfully Spring is coming. Then he'll be outside more and I can read on the patio or the front porch. Can hardly wait!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Sorry for the Delay
You must think I dropped off the face of the earth. Actually I've been reading a lengthy book that I simply can't put down. Called Tom's River, it's about the polluting of the area around Tom's River, New Jersey by several chemical companies but particularly Ciba-Geigy which had a huge plant, and dumping ground, in a wooded area of Tom's River. Companies such as Union Carbide and Dupont were also involved.
Just one shocking fact is that they were dumping toxic chemicals into pits on their property. The pits were typical of surrounding soil, sandy and porous, so the chemicals just filtered down through to the aquifer below and soon plumes of the stuff invaded water wells, adjoining properties, etc.
I'm at around page 300 of a 450+ page book so I'm not ready to review yet, but when I tell you we were living in New Jersey, northeast of Tom's River, at the time, you'll understand perhaps why I'm so fascinated. It's such a complicated story but very well told by author Dan Fagin, and I'm sure I'll be recommending it for your reading list.
Just one shocking fact is that they were dumping toxic chemicals into pits on their property. The pits were typical of surrounding soil, sandy and porous, so the chemicals just filtered down through to the aquifer below and soon plumes of the stuff invaded water wells, adjoining properties, etc.
I'm at around page 300 of a 450+ page book so I'm not ready to review yet, but when I tell you we were living in New Jersey, northeast of Tom's River, at the time, you'll understand perhaps why I'm so fascinated. It's such a complicated story but very well told by author Dan Fagin, and I'm sure I'll be recommending it for your reading list.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
THE BIG EXIT by David Carnoy
I really loved this book. This is Carnoy's second thriller but the first I've read and I'm hooked. He is an executive editor at CNET and regularly interviewed on television as a tech expert. With that background you might think his novels would appeal only to techies but you would be wrong. This is a complex plot, masterfully told, that pulled me in and held me firmly until the end. I'm sort of the opposite of a techie but I understood and followed everything.
The characters either just get to you, like hero Richie Forman, or you are fascinated because you can't figure out which side they're on, like for instance his ex-fiance and sudden widow Beth McGregor. Forman is an ex-con and the reason he served time is the necessary background to the whole story. It involves a traffic accident in which a woman was killed. At the time Forman was engaged to Beth but when he went to prison on the basis of Mark McGregor's testimony that Forman was driving, Beth married McGregor. You can see there are all kinds of emotions involved here, and a mystery. Just who was actually driving?
Now Forman is out and understandably having a tough time finding a job. He is a great Frank Sinatra impersonator so he's eking out a living in a night club. Then he scores a job at an organization that works pro bono for people who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. He's on a trial basis when McGregor is found beaten to death and Forman is arrested for murder.
That's all I can tell you without giving away too much but I wanted to get you into the story enough that you would want to find out what happens because I don't want you to miss this book. Sorry for the gushing. I'm just impressed with this author and his writing style and his characters.
Highly recommended reading
Source: The Overlook Press through Partners in Crime Tours
The characters either just get to you, like hero Richie Forman, or you are fascinated because you can't figure out which side they're on, like for instance his ex-fiance and sudden widow Beth McGregor. Forman is an ex-con and the reason he served time is the necessary background to the whole story. It involves a traffic accident in which a woman was killed. At the time Forman was engaged to Beth but when he went to prison on the basis of Mark McGregor's testimony that Forman was driving, Beth married McGregor. You can see there are all kinds of emotions involved here, and a mystery. Just who was actually driving?
Now Forman is out and understandably having a tough time finding a job. He is a great Frank Sinatra impersonator so he's eking out a living in a night club. Then he scores a job at an organization that works pro bono for people who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. He's on a trial basis when McGregor is found beaten to death and Forman is arrested for murder.
That's all I can tell you without giving away too much but I wanted to get you into the story enough that you would want to find out what happens because I don't want you to miss this book. Sorry for the gushing. I'm just impressed with this author and his writing style and his characters.
Highly recommended reading
Source: The Overlook Press through Partners in Crime Tours
Thursday, January 31, 2013
CROSS THE LINE by Jack Patterson
Cross the Line is the second in the Cal Murphy series of thrillers. I haven't read the first one but that posed no problem in my enjoyment of this novel which would have had me chewing my nails, if I had any, worrying about the characters involved particularly a boy and his family.
The reason for this Partners in Crime blog tour is that the story is set during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. Quarterback Noah Larson of the Seattle Seahawks will, according to most people, lead his team to Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins and their decidedly second-rate quarterback. That quarterback is a blowhard who would never admit it was their defense that got them to the Super Bowl. He thinks it's all his doing. Larson is of course thrilled that his career will end this way; he has promised his wife that he will retire after the game. His six-year-old son Jake will finally have his dad home. Dad can watch him play the game he loves - soccer.
Then Jake is kidnapped on his way to the school bus and Larson is told that unless he loses the game, Jake will be killed. He is warned not to tell the police, etc. and tries to keep it quiet, only telling his wife. Another aspect is that the FBI is informed by Las Vegas casinos about wild bets being placed on the Dolphins.
Will Jake be treated well or killed? Can Larson save his son? Will he throw the biggest game in his career? Cal Murphy, sportswriter for the The Times in Seattle knows Larson well enough to see something is very wrong. Murphy's former college roommate, an FBI agent, gets in touch with him, and suddenly Murphy is right in the middle of this dangerous hostage situation.
I really like Cal Murphy and I will certainly find the first in the series, Cross Hairs, and then settle in to wait for the third book. It helps if you're a football fan like me, but if you aren't, no worries. It's just a heck of a good thriller that just happens to be about football's biggest game. There are also issues that will be very interesting to journalists. Ethical issues that will give a journalist pause.
Highly recommended reading.
Source: Author through Partners in Crime Tours
The reason for this Partners in Crime blog tour is that the story is set during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. Quarterback Noah Larson of the Seattle Seahawks will, according to most people, lead his team to Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins and their decidedly second-rate quarterback. That quarterback is a blowhard who would never admit it was their defense that got them to the Super Bowl. He thinks it's all his doing. Larson is of course thrilled that his career will end this way; he has promised his wife that he will retire after the game. His six-year-old son Jake will finally have his dad home. Dad can watch him play the game he loves - soccer.
Then Jake is kidnapped on his way to the school bus and Larson is told that unless he loses the game, Jake will be killed. He is warned not to tell the police, etc. and tries to keep it quiet, only telling his wife. Another aspect is that the FBI is informed by Las Vegas casinos about wild bets being placed on the Dolphins.
Will Jake be treated well or killed? Can Larson save his son? Will he throw the biggest game in his career? Cal Murphy, sportswriter for the The Times in Seattle knows Larson well enough to see something is very wrong. Murphy's former college roommate, an FBI agent, gets in touch with him, and suddenly Murphy is right in the middle of this dangerous hostage situation.
I really like Cal Murphy and I will certainly find the first in the series, Cross Hairs, and then settle in to wait for the third book. It helps if you're a football fan like me, but if you aren't, no worries. It's just a heck of a good thriller that just happens to be about football's biggest game. There are also issues that will be very interesting to journalists. Ethical issues that will give a journalist pause.
Highly recommended reading.
Source: Author through Partners in Crime Tours
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
EIGHTY DAYS by Matthew Goodman
In the 1890s Jules Vernes' novel Around the World in Eight Days was popular. An ambitious young woman reporter for The World newspaper in New York suddenly thought she could possibly beat that record in real life, alone. She studied timetables and planned before approaching her boss and talking him into the journey. She would set out by ship from Hoboken, NJ and finish there in less than 80 days.
News of her race against time spread quickly. It inspired the editor of Cosmopolitan (which was a totally different publication pre-Helen Gurley Brown) to send one of his columnists in the opposite direction in hopes of beating the World reporter.
So Nelly Bly, reporter extraordinaire, and Elizabeth Bisland, beautiful, sophisticated literary type set out on their race. Nelly Bly was a pseudonym taken from a popular song of the day. She didn't know about Bisland's attempt until they practically crossed paths in the Far East.
This is a long book of nearly 400 pages but my interest in it never flagged. One ad I saw compared Goodman's handling of the story to Erik Larson and I agree. There are pictures of the people and places and modes of transport to help the reader feel part of the exciting trip. Complications abounded for both women as weather, miscommunications, and mechanical problems with ships and steamers conspired to slow them down.
One funny part of Nelly Bly's story is that she was suddenly approached by several young men, one at a time, who seemed eager to marry her. Rumor had it that she was an heiress who was traveling to mend a broken heart. Her sudden suitors were looking for someone wealthy to support them, and at least one didn't mind saying so. Finally she told one young man that it was all an act; actually she was quite poor and a friend had paid for her trip. That was the end of the suitors.
I won't ruin the story by telling you who won the race but even afterward the story of the two women and the rest of their life is fascinating. In retrospect, I suppose I could have predicted their fate, but then again maybe not.
Highly recommended reading
Source: Amazon Vine
News of her race against time spread quickly. It inspired the editor of Cosmopolitan (which was a totally different publication pre-Helen Gurley Brown) to send one of his columnists in the opposite direction in hopes of beating the World reporter.
So Nelly Bly, reporter extraordinaire, and Elizabeth Bisland, beautiful, sophisticated literary type set out on their race. Nelly Bly was a pseudonym taken from a popular song of the day. She didn't know about Bisland's attempt until they practically crossed paths in the Far East.
This is a long book of nearly 400 pages but my interest in it never flagged. One ad I saw compared Goodman's handling of the story to Erik Larson and I agree. There are pictures of the people and places and modes of transport to help the reader feel part of the exciting trip. Complications abounded for both women as weather, miscommunications, and mechanical problems with ships and steamers conspired to slow them down.
One funny part of Nelly Bly's story is that she was suddenly approached by several young men, one at a time, who seemed eager to marry her. Rumor had it that she was an heiress who was traveling to mend a broken heart. Her sudden suitors were looking for someone wealthy to support them, and at least one didn't mind saying so. Finally she told one young man that it was all an act; actually she was quite poor and a friend had paid for her trip. That was the end of the suitors.
I won't ruin the story by telling you who won the race but even afterward the story of the two women and the rest of their life is fascinating. In retrospect, I suppose I could have predicted their fate, but then again maybe not.
Highly recommended reading
Source: Amazon Vine
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Final Update on My Health - Probably
I think everyone can stop worrying about my health now. I have just three radiation treatments left, meaning next Wednesday will be my last one. I feel great now that all my chemo side effects have disappeared except for my fingernails. They are growing out healthy but it will take a long time. I also tire easily and I don't have my normal energy and stamina yet, but it'll be months before I don't have any signs of the beating my system took from the drugs.
I've lost 13 pounds and my primary doctor would be thrilled since he's been on my case for years about losing weight. However, my oncologist and the radiation oncologist are horrified and want me to gain. The problem is merely that I don't have much appetite so I don't eat as much, and I'm much more active now. Since I overate before and was overweight, I'm not thinking this is much of a problem. I'm going to have fun getting into a smaller size of jeans.
I have tons of housework and other things to catch up on but I'll do that stuff in small increments as I have the energy. Dave says I'm milking this excuse as long as I can, but then he turns around and tells me not to overdo. Since his Parkinson's symptoms are progressing and he's able to do less, I figure it's high time I get back to housework, etc.
We're learning patience this year as our Binghamton University basketball teams are losing much more than they're winning. The men have a new coach and a young "phenom" they're counting on but he's a freshman. As for the women, I don't know what the problem is but we regular attendees at the games are gluttons for punishment I think. I'm glad we get season tickets since it gives us something else to stew about besides our own problems. Not that I wouldn't prefer a winning season, but as a long-time Cubs fan I'm used to looking on the bright side of a losing season. :-D
I am more grateful than you can possibly understand for the messages of concern from my blogger friends, your prayers, and your thoughts. Together with the help of neighbors and friends here, I've felt surrounded by love as I fought to get and stay well. It hasn't been an easy road this past year but I've come through just fine. I'll know a bit more after I have CT scans next month, but as of now everything looks really good for me to be a cancer survivor for many, many years. Thank you very much, my friends.
I've lost 13 pounds and my primary doctor would be thrilled since he's been on my case for years about losing weight. However, my oncologist and the radiation oncologist are horrified and want me to gain. The problem is merely that I don't have much appetite so I don't eat as much, and I'm much more active now. Since I overate before and was overweight, I'm not thinking this is much of a problem. I'm going to have fun getting into a smaller size of jeans.
I have tons of housework and other things to catch up on but I'll do that stuff in small increments as I have the energy. Dave says I'm milking this excuse as long as I can, but then he turns around and tells me not to overdo. Since his Parkinson's symptoms are progressing and he's able to do less, I figure it's high time I get back to housework, etc.
We're learning patience this year as our Binghamton University basketball teams are losing much more than they're winning. The men have a new coach and a young "phenom" they're counting on but he's a freshman. As for the women, I don't know what the problem is but we regular attendees at the games are gluttons for punishment I think. I'm glad we get season tickets since it gives us something else to stew about besides our own problems. Not that I wouldn't prefer a winning season, but as a long-time Cubs fan I'm used to looking on the bright side of a losing season. :-D
I am more grateful than you can possibly understand for the messages of concern from my blogger friends, your prayers, and your thoughts. Together with the help of neighbors and friends here, I've felt surrounded by love as I fought to get and stay well. It hasn't been an easy road this past year but I've come through just fine. I'll know a bit more after I have CT scans next month, but as of now everything looks really good for me to be a cancer survivor for many, many years. Thank you very much, my friends.
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