An open discussion on what everyone is currently reading. Make recommendations to others, discuss what is new, hot, bestsellers, anything and everything related to books and the authors.
Lee Child is fun. If you sit back after reading 100 pages of a Reacher story and do a quick summary, you get maybe 10 bullet points. It's amazing how Lee can expand a plot point and still keep the story moving at a quick, riveting pace.
Mortal Danger is a Crime files book. Excellent. The stranger Beside Me is about Ted Bundy, it's in my pile but I haven't read it. No doubt it will be as good as the others.
I read THE STRANGER BESIDE ME many years ago. Very interesting, not just a study of the crimes but of the criminal's psychology -- and Rule's relationship with Bundy. As I recall, she actually worked with him. It would have been a good start to her successful career as true crime writer. I have her GREEN RIVER, RUNNING RED. Haven't read it yet.
Today I finished two books that I've had going for a while.
First MY LORD DE BURGH - apologies to author Deborah Simmons, from whom I expected better. An unexciting romance with a thoroughly despisable "hero".
AUDITION, Barbara Walters's memoir. I came away with a great respect for her, in spite of her job of exposing people's private lives.
Back to work now on SAFETY FOR SAVVY SENIORS, a useful handbook for the retired.
Having seen the title written up a lot this past year or so, I sampled DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER, by someone called Lindsay. I sampled briefly. This is a serial killer novel (I don't have anything against good ones, though as a genre they're getting pretty old). This one is bad. It's juvenile. It's overwritten with an eye to sensational detail. It offers the victim's POV even when the story is 1st person from the killer's POV. It combines serial killings: not only is the protagonist a serial killer, but he works for the police and investigates other serial killings. I think you get it. There's plenty of the sick stuff that makes people run out and buy a book.
Now the show Dexter is incredible, while I agree the books leave quite a bit to be desired. The show, with a killer as the main character, and a good guy to boot, is pretty well written etc.
I have recently found Donald Westlake, who was recommended to me, and I cannot believe I have not heard of him before. I just read "Somebody Owes Me Money", and I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Since I have been having heart issues these last few months, this has been the perfect time to catch up on my reading, and I have put Westlake on my list. Cannot believe how much I really enjoyed his writing.
Stephen Greenleaf's THE TOLL CALL. Or I actually finished it last night. It's a very good thriller, but there's something to be desired in the end climax - or actually there are two. The book seems also a precursor of Sean Chercover's Ray Dudgeon books. This one sports Greenleaf's private eye hero John Marshall Tanner, but the book is pretty far away from the Ross Macdonald influences of Greenleaf's earlier novels. Which I like more, though, that must be said.