The Mark + The Guilty - Jason Pinter

I read both of Jason Pinter's books back to back. The Mark was released last June. The Guilty just a few weeks ago, and believe or not his third is due for August. Three books in 13/14 months. Woah!

I read The Mark to notch another 2007 book in my belt before I moved on to Michael Simon's Body Scissors. This obviously did not happen. This was a great first book and a terrific read. The Mark hits you right away and never really lets go of you until the final words. Compelling characters and a very nice Wrong Man plot are deftly handled here. I am also a sucker for journalism stories, and if I had a minor complaint I would have liked to have seen more of that aspect of the story. However, given that our lead, Henry Parker, is only on the job for a hot month before things head south and therefore spends the majority of his time on the run I can forgive the book. Both the Mob and Johnny Law want our dear Henry dead before he can wrangle out of killing a dirty cop. Pinter does himself a huge favor by playing Henry more than just a little scared thus endearing him to at least this reader. Macho bravado wears quickly and I usually don't find it realistic for a second. I am totally excited for his next book!

So........

The Guilty is Jason Pinter's second book. My intention was certainly to give some time in between the two books, but The Mark really was the most fun I had reading in a long time. The Guilty is another breathlessly paced thriller. People are getting killed in NYC and the answer lies 150 years in the past. Our able young journalist, Henry Parker, is not quite so central to the overall plot this time and quite frankly two Wrong Man stories would have been a bit unbelievable. Pinter's writing style is again enthralling as he and Henry lead us from NYC to the American Southwest. I will say that the larger motivation that is driving our villain is going to be a large pill for some readers to swallow. Certainly I felt that the story structure was happening at Pinter's insistence rather than organically, but it is all so well written that it only provided me with a minor after thought of contrivance. Read both these books, now!

Spring Preview 2008

Spring is here in name only. It snowed at THD's World Headquarters early today. Spring should mean consistently warmer temperatures of about 55-70 degrees. That does not happen around here until mid-May.

Let me extend my thanks to ClueLass and Fantastic Fiction. Most of the books featured here were drawn from their authoritative lists.

Empty Ever After - Reed Farrell Coleman - April 1
The latest in the Moe Prager series. The previous entry was nominated for an Edgar and I am going on record and calling that book the favorite to win. Don't be left out in the cold on who many feel is the best writer you are not reading.

A Carrion of Death - Michael Stanley- April 1
Botswana is a hot bed. First Alexander McCall Smith. Now Michael Stanley. The axiom of never trusting someone with two first names will be put to the test with this author as Mr. Stanley is actually Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. My attraction is the exotic locale and the promise of a slightly more gritty story style than the Smith books.

Wicked City - Ace Atkins - April 14th
Ace is an author I have been reading since his first book, Crossroad Blues. He has gone non-series the last two, including this one. Both have also been historical. I enjoy Ace even if he has never really written anything that has knocked my socks off. His work is always a dependable, solid read.

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith - April 29
I can't help thinking that the author has shortened his name from Thomas Robert Smith to Tom Rob Smith. The 'Tom Rob' aspect gives me an uncertain feeling. This in spite of the fact that according to all reports this is the book that reinvigorates the 'Serial Killer' genre. Based in part on Andrei Chikatilo, this book is very high on my want list... even with my lingering concerns over the author's name.

The Demon of Dakar - Kjell Eriksson - April 29
More Nordic be-devilery. I have been working up to reading this author for the last year. And for one reason or another I have been putting it off. I will say the Nordic Crime Fiction I did read last year, while very good, was... heavy. This is probably not the right moment for this author either as your humble editor suffers from terrible seasonal depression. The DJ is evocative but not necessarily inviting right now. I will definitely line this author up for July/August.

Scared to Live - Stephen Booth - May 20
Cooper and Fry in their 7th book. US audiences are still one behind our UK brethren who have seen the eight in the series, Dying to Sin. Stephen is usually the first UK based author I recommend to family and friends. The series straddles the police procedural and the hard boiled quite well.

The Spies of Warsaw - Alan Furst - June 3rd
Each Alan Furst novel is a perfect creation. Hands down, flat out the best WWII spy novelist ever. I hate to ghettoize Furst into that tiny genre so let me further write that he is a fantastic writer regardless of genre. Gorgeous books!

Mind's Eye - Hakan Nessar - June 10
See two books above. I dug his first US release, Borkkmann's Point... even if I saw the ending coming several miles away. Strangely it only served to heighten the haunting quality of the villain's crime.

Blood's a Rover - James Ellroy - Spring/Summer 2008
This is probably more a summer/fall, but hope springs eternal. The reigning King of the American Epic. Seriously no author has written better about post WWII America than this guy. Although secretly I thought his last release, The Cold 6K was a bit of a let down. His writing style, which most take issue with, clearly got the better of him in that one.

So there it is. Another preview down. I am seriously sorry about the lack of female involvement with this list. Most of the female authors I follow have all had books published earlier this year. Maureen Jennings, Denise Mina, Minette Walters (Heck, Ms. Walters even has a newer UK release.) I encourage all to read these ladies truly fine canon.

Spring Preview 2008 Announcement

Spring is just around the corner. Sadly, in name only. Everyone here at THD has been gathering the latest information on upcoming releases. This preview will cover the time period to mid June. Right now the list is heavily on male perspectives... when I say heavily... I mean exclusively. We will have to work on that.

Anyway look for the list on Monday. Cheers!

Operation Syracuse

This week brought me to the eastern most outpost in Western New York's Rust Belt. Syracuse has the effect of reminding that I happy to be living in Rochester. A work related assignment meant that some of my down time would be spent in a few used bookstores.

After many years of insisting in only the finest quality of book condition I have dropped my standards to allow books of lesser vintage to rest on my shelf. That and the fact that the mylar book cover hides a multitude of sins. Buying used just makes financial sense.

The Horse Latitudes and Cheshire Moon - Robert Ferrigno
I have slowly been collecting all of this authors output. To date the only book of his I have read is the first in his assassin trilogy, Prayers for the Assassin. Glad to close out the first two from highly regarded author.

The Crime Trade - Simon Kernick
Maybe you have noticed by now but I am a sucker for British Crime Fiction, British anything really. I watch Premier League Football for goodness sake. I have this author's first, but have not managed to read it. For shame.....

The Redbreast - Review

I can not confirm if I am just making this up in my own head or not, but a poll conducted in Norway ranked this the best crime novel of all time! Now a quick search on the Googler should confirm or repudiate this story. I like the idea of living under this illusion, so I have not gone back to check the accuracy of this statement. The idea that I have read the best that Norwegian Crime Fiction has to offer sets up a tantalizing criteria.

Collaboration is a an ugly word in the history of WWII, particularly if the you sided with the Germans. I am not capable of providing the dear readers of this humble blog with a lucid history of Norway in WWII, but I think it is enough to say that Norway has a troubling history in regards to their Nazi occupation.

Jo Nesbo both embraces and keeps this history at an arms length. Our villain is a soldier of that war who fought with the Germans, but he is also a pitiably character who could not control many of the events he played apart in. He is a marionette of the German machine and in the end his own fractured mind.

Harry Hole is Nesbo's gruff and grumpy hero. A well drawn character that certainly is able to pull you into his world. There is a particular passage in the book that plays out exclusively through phone messages left on an answer machine. It is devastating way to expose Harry's guilt and sorrow.

The central mystery is Hole's discovery that a black market rifle has been purchased. But this is no ordinary rifle as Hole instructs the reader, this weapon is favored by hunters for exclusively human targets. The story plays out well even though the opening passages are compromised by a few too many capricious flashbacks and flash forwards. The ending is undermined as well by interspersing the assassin's diary into the climatic action of the book. There is fascinating detail in these parts. However, the reader does little to earn this information, and because of it the impact of the assassins story is lessened.

I think the good outweighs the bad in this book, primarily because the good is really terrific. I would have no trouble recommending this book to anyone as an effective blend of historical and police procedural crime fiction.

At the City's Edge - Review

I read At the City's Edge, Marcus Sakey's second crime novel, while I was home on vacation. His first book, The Blade Itself, garnered a heck of a lot of attention. I think I have written on a few occasions that while I like the book, I didn't love the book (... sorry Marcus!). However, this is not the forum to regurgitate my minor qualms w/ Blade (the book not the hysterically trashy Wesley Snipes Vampire movies).

At the City's Edge is a fantastic book, one that I devoured in three or four gulps. I certainly felt the stakes were a lot high in this book than the last. In Blade, Danny Carter, is trying to protect his family from the evil deeds of his past life. And in the end Danny is successful.... depending on your definition of success. With EDGE, the Evil strikes, killing our hero's brother. Jason Palmer loses his brother, but gains a nephew. It all just seemed a lot more immediate to me. There is a devastating quality to the story of a good person who loses their life and about a soldier who becomes a man not just for himself, but for the young nephew he protects. Where Blade just misses, City's Edge just clicks into place. Book Three, please!

Awesome Cover by the way.........

The Accident Man - Review

Well, I think I have alluded in a previous post that Lee Child blurbing your crime related thriller had reach epidemic proportions. The L.C. blurb that accompanies The Accident Man is "Audacious, authentic, full of tension and tradecraft... a great thriller read." Audacious, I guess, because of the too soon aspect of Diana, and possibly for the fact in the context of the book the author is asking you to root for the murderer of the most famous person ever.

So I approached this book with great trepidation, and early on I felt the sinking sensation of a thriller that starts with... at least a very interesting idea... and has absolutely no follow though. But once we are in the clear of the act the book turns into a very surprising read. I enjoyed the hell out of this book from about the 100 page mark. Cynically, I could say why even use the salaciousness of Diana being murdered, but it is a great hook.

Our Accident Man, Carver, and his Russian accomplice, Alix, are well developed characters with back stories that are teased out during the routine action of the book. As a fan of series characters I hope Mr. Cain brings them back (he is), but given how the book ends that is in some doubt. Indeed how he leaves our leads is the most surprising aspect of the book. One minor grip is the by now over used cliche of the vile Russian Mobster. This book is lousy with them and after while their generic menace just gets in the way.

I look forward his next book The House of War.

(New) Addtions to the Shelf

Where has THD been? Why bother asking.

Body Scissors - Micheal Simon
I read this author's first book, Dirty Sally, a few years ago and dug the he-hi-heck out of it. But for one reason or another his second and third books never made it into my shopping cart. I found this in the overstock and was excited. I will probably knock this book off after The Redbreast and The Mark.

The Bookman's Last Fling - John Dunning
Booked to Die, the first in this series, was so much fun that I have always come back to the series, even if it has been mostly about diminishing returns. The lead is a former cop named Cliff Janeway. His current occupation is as a used and rare bookstore owner. As a collector of almost anything this spells doom to the pocket book.

Down River - John Hart
This book has been nominated for an Edgar this year. His first book King of Lies did the same last year. I am on the bandwagon to see what all the fuss is about.

The Shotgun Rule - Charlie Huston
Other than the Pitt Vampire books I own all of Mr. Huston's output. Sadly I have yet to read any of them. What is the matter with me?!

The Tin Roof Blowdown - James Lee Burke
I have not climbed Mount JL Burke in a couple years, and for that I feel only shame. This book showed up a ton of 'Best of' lists. This is his Katrina book.

The Guilty - Jason Pinter
As I mentioned above, this author's first book, The Mark, is next on my to be read pile.

Mercy Falls - William Kent Krueger
I read this author's first book late last year, and really enjoyed it. I will have to figure out a way to catch up with all of this authors work.