Book Review: Eight Perfect Murders

A series of unsolved murders with one thing in common: each of the deaths bears an eerie resemblance to the crimes depicted in classic mystery novels.

The deaths lead FBI Agent Gwen Mulvey to mystery bookshop Old Devils. Owner Malcolm Kershaw had once posted online an article titled 'My Eight Favourite Murders,' and there seems to be a deadly link between the deaths and his list - which includes Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders, Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train and Donna Tartt's The Secret History.

Can the killer be stopped before all eight of these perfect murders have been re-enacted?

Book Review: The Violin Conspiracy

Coming in February of 2022 is The Violin Conspiracy, the debut novel by Brendan Slocumb. I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the galley in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. If he’s lucky, he’ll get a job and earn more than minimum wage. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his family nor the racism inherent in the world of classical music. When he discovers that his great-great-grandfather’s beat-up old fiddle is actually so much more, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat competition, the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars in its place. Ray doesn’t know who he can trust—or whether he will ever see his beloved violin again.

Book Review: All Of The Marvels by Douglas Wolk

I had the opportunity to read an early galley of the upcoming book All Of The Marvels by Douglas Wolk. He took on the herculean task of reading more than 27,000 Marvel comics in order to present a "traveller's guide" to those looking to dove into the rich tapestry that is the Marvel narrative. 

 

Being a life-long comic reader myself, one who discovered Marvel in the early 70's, I have my own winding history with their output. However, mine was even spotty - preferring Spider-Man and team titles like the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to others like Thor, Daredevil or Iron Man. Having a Marvel Unlimited subscription has helped me in recent years to correct that, allowing me to devour runs of titles I never picked up back in the day. 

Wolk does a good job in this book giving an overview of certain issues to vist, also hitting some spotlights on specific favorite characters (as much as 320 pages will allow). There is a stronger focus on runs post-2000 as well as the early years from the 1960's. The 70's and 80's get some mention too, while the 90's - a very rough period for comics in general - gets a deserved glossing over. 

One particular thing I really liked is the Appendix which gives a nice overview of the Marvel universe history in just a few pages. I would recommend highly for folks who might only know Marvel from the movies or TV shows to read that first. 

This book is scheduled for an October release. I had already tagged it for my to-order list for the library. I think it contains some solid advice on tackling a deep dive into the Marvel continuity that will benefit my patrons.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/549063/all-of-the-marvels-by-douglas-wolk/

Book Review: Sweet Dreams - The Story of the New Romantics

Sweet Dreams: The Story of the New Romantics provides an in-depth look at a decade-long period of the music and cultural scenes of Britain. Author Dylan Jones zooms in on the period from 1975 to 1985 and the second invasion of British music. This study goes from the heyday of punk to the peak of new-wave, through the birth of MTV and the culmination of Live-Aid.

Written in a style reminiscent of a documentary script, Jones presents the reader with an eye-witness account of this period by those who were key to it. Through interviews, the reader hears from the likes of David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Adam Ant, Martin Fry, Malcolm McLaren, Sade, the members of bands like Culture Club, Duran Duran, the Eurythmics, Heaven 17, Spandau Ballet, and so many more.

For someone like me who is a music-nerd that came of age during this particular decade, this book is a fascinating read. Even if you think you know a lot about these artists and their albums, I can guarantee you will find a number of interesting nuggets of trivia within these pages. It might even inspire you to revisit some of your favorite music from this period.

Book Review: The Vinyl Detective - Low Action

This is the fifth and latest book in the Vinyl Detective mystery series. In this one, our record aficionado protagonist and his girlfriend Nevada are hired to find a rare pressing of the first album by the all-female punk rock band Blue Tits. However, that band's former lead singer Helene Hilditch also has been the target of several murder attempts.

Book Review: Bread Bags and Bullies

Everyone who knows me and knows this blog understands how big of an influence the 1980's were in my life. For a bulk of this decade, I was in high school and college. The music, the TV shows, the comics, and everything are touchstones for me. So, when I heard about my Twitter author-friend Steven Manchester's upcoming book, I was very excited to check it out.

Book Review: Ashes

Middle-aged brothers Jason and Tom Prendergast thought they were completely done with each other. Perceived betrayal had burned the bridge between them, tossing them into the icy river of estrangement. But life – and death – has a robust sense of irony. When they learn that their cruel father has died and made his final request that they travel together across the country to spread his ashes, they have no choice but to spend a long, long car trip in each other’s company. It’s either that or lose out on the contents of the envelope he’s left with his lawyer.

Star Wars and Me

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

It was the summer of 1977 and I was twelve years old living in a small town in western New York. On that fateful day, the much younger next door neighbor kid Teddy came up to the group of us who were hanging out playing and excitedly said, "I just saw the coolest movie! There were space ships, and robots, and this guy got his arm sliced off by a laser sword!"

Book Review: How Music Got Free

Now on sale at all your favorite book stores and online sources is How Music Got Free: the End of an Industry, the Turn of the Century, and the Patient Zero of Piracy. It is a non-fiction look at the music industry over the past few decades and how things have shifted from CDs to digital.
Its author is Stephen Witt, a math major turned journalist with a very strong interest in music.

Book Review: The Great Zoo of China

The Great Zoo of China, a novel by Australian author Matthew Reilly, was released in January of 2015 here in the US. I've had it sitting on my iPad for awhile now and finally got to a few weeks ago.

The premise of the story is that the Chinese government has built a massive new tourist attraction, appropriately called the Great Zoo of China. There goal is to create a tourist attraction that can rival that of any in the United States or the rest of the world. But a lot of secrecy surrounds the zoo until a group of dignitaries and press are brought to it prior to its grand opening. Among the group is Dr. Cassandra Jane "CJ" Cameron, an alligator export now working as a freelance journalist, and her photographer brother Hamish.

Book Review: 24/7

Previously I had read Jim Brown's novel Boom (click here for that review) and loved it. It has taken me awhile but I finally picked up a copy of his 2001 novel 24/7.

On a small Caribbean island a woman joins the newest reality TV show: 24/7. For Dana Kirsten, winning the $2 million prize could mean saving her child’s life. But while the country watches her every move, Dana is entering a fight for her own life–and a conflict that will shake the world. . . .

Book Review: Eeny Meeny

Eeny Meeny is the first book in a thriller series by British author M.J. Ardlidge. He has worked in television for the last fifteen years, specializing in high end drama production. Arlidge has produced a number of prime-time crime serials for ITV In the last five years, and is currently working on a major adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans for the BBC. This is the first in his series starring Detective Helen Grace.

The synopsis of the book from the dust-jacket intrigued me enough to request it from NetGalley.

Book Review: Off My Rocker

Published in late 2013, Off My Rocker: One Man's Tasty, Twisted, Star-Studded Quest for Everlasting Music hit the bookshelves and eReaders across the planet. This is the biography of Kenny Weissberg, a man who started from a childhood in Newark, NJ, in the early 1950's, and would go on to have a varied career in the world of music, a world he loves with a burning passion.

Book Review: What It Was Like

What It Was Like is the debut novel by Peter Seth, coming out by the Story Plant publisher in September of this year. I had the opportunity to read an early release gallery of the novel.

It tells the story of a soon-to-be college freshman (we are never given his name) who conveys a very detailed account of how an all-consuming love affair with a seventeen year old beauty named Rachel led to the ruination of his life.

Book Review: Cop Town

In Atlanta of 1975, a city police department is in turmoil when yet another officer is killed by a serial killer. This makes the first day for Officer Kate Murphy even more hectic. The beautiful young woman from Buckhead quickly learns that there is a "good old boy" system in place that is very sexist and protective of its turf. She finds that even her fellow female officers are not about to cut her any slack unless she earns it. Will she bond with fellow officer Maggie Lawson, who has her own reputation to prove - especially to her uncle and brother who are also officers?

Book Review: Pressed Pennies

As teenagers, Rick and Abby grew up as friends and eventually fell in love. Yet, fate caused their paths to part. Both eventually married others, but neither of those relationships worked out. Years later, the two are re-united but one thing stands in the way of their happiness - Abby's nine year old daughter Paige. Can Rick win over the young girl's heart as he has that of her mother?

Book Review: The Rockin' Chair

A broad painting of a family at a crossroad, The Rockin' Chair is the latest novel by Steven Manchester.

While this novel opens with the death of Grandpa John's wife, there is also much reflection (through the use of flashbacks) on the past events of three generations of the McCarthy family. The summoning of the flock home leads to facing past memories, some good and some bad, and how fences can be mended before it is too late.

Book Review: The Pursuit of Cool

For those of us who spent four plus years transitioning from our teens to our early twenties in college, it was indeed a time for discovery and growth. For those of us who did so during the 80’s, reading Robb Skidmore’s first novel The Pursuit of Cool can very much be like strolling down memory lane.

This fictional work is the story of Lance Rally, a student who finds that the college experience can be filled with pressures and often-confusing situations. His family has high expectations for his success. However, a lot of the time, distractions and aspirations get in the way of his academic pursuits. And even in the arena of relationships, an area which he had very little success during high school, he is often stumbling along.

Book Review: The Duchess of the Shallows

The life of an orphaned bread girl named Duchess changes when a mysterious mark comes into her possession and along with it a chance to be initiated into a secret society within the fog-shrouded city of Rodaas.

The Duchess of the Shallows is a fantasy novel written by Neil McGarry and Daniel Ravipinto. It includes the cover and interior illustrations by Amy Houser.

Book Review: Twelve Months

Twelve Months is a novel by Steven Manchester, published in August 2012 by the Story Plant.

Don DiMarco has a great life going for him. He is happily married, working hard to support his lifestyle. Then, one day, he is thrown a complete curve ball when he learns he has terminal cancer and is given the prognosis of only twelve months to live.