Hell’s Corner by David Baldacci

Baldacci has the ability to grab your interest by the throat and hold on until you pass out. This is another Camel Club book with a complicated and convoluted conspiracy.
John Carr aka Oliver Stone is comfortable in his graveyard abode when conspiracy finds him again. The primrose path or the yellow brick road, neither leads in the direction that Carr expects. The usual suspects are here sans Milton Farb. The President invites John Carr’s involvement in the war on drugs which soon turns into so much more. Once again Baldacci touts personal relationships over bureaucratic authority.

The inter-agency friction posed by Baldacci is truly frightening in this age of global terrorism. If congress’s inability to develop any bi-partisan agreements is indicative of the state of Washington’s overall bureaucratic climate, it is a wonder any of us are still alive. Baldacci’s stories always entertain but in addition they make you think.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of David Baldacci

Web Site: http://www.davidbaldacci.com/web/

Drop Shot By Harlan Coben

Again Coben’s Mryon Bolitar reminds me a bit of Parker’s Spencer in this novel. Although Win, Myron’s border line psychopath best friend only resembles Hawk in his ferocity and lethalness not his unsurpassed cool. A classic whodunit focused on the tennis world even though it is a tad dated still holds your interest. There is plenty of action, violence and wise assery to satisfy the most demanding hard boiled detective fan, in spite of the fact that Myron is an attorney and a sports agent not a detective. The who and the why are very satisfactorily saved for the last few pages. All in all, a very good mystery and I recommend it.

Body of work of Harlan Coben

Web Site: http://www.harlancoben.com/static/novels/nsc.htm

Review: http://www.revish.com/reviews/0440220459/abvr/

Cool Nook Coming

Barnes and Noble’s Color Nook May Not Have A Niche

See my post at Money Saving Tech Tips.
Looks cool and may be cool but is it priced right?

Why YOU should read and why YOU should encourage reading!

In an email with Jim Jennewein, co-author of Rune Warriors, I mentioned the following experience. He strongly suggested I should post the experience.

I was on the board of VITA which is a local non-profit that promotes literacy. VITA also was the largest provider of literacy training in the Bucks County Prison system. We had a board meeting in the prison one time to discuss the program with some of the inmates. A very scary looking 30 something guy was so proud of the fact that our program had gotten him to the point that he could read at a 6th grade level. He said that just that week he had finished the first book he had ever read. He ascribes illiteracy as a major factor in crime. He said his inability to read made people think he was stupid and they treated him like he was stupid. He said that made him angry and made it easier to steal from them. Between the demeanor, tattoos and attitude this was a guy you would cross the street to avoid and yet he was so grateful for our program and his learning to read. He said he had a three year old daughter and when he got out he was going to make sure she learned to read because he didn’t want her ending up like him.

Being a life long, early reader and making sure my kids and grandkids love to read, I frankly was flabbergasted listening to this career criminal. It is just amazing that there are so many people out there who can’t read. VITA estimates there are 60,000 functionally illiterate people in Bucks County which is one of the most affluent counties in Pennsylvania. The stats are staggering.

Please read and encourage all the children you have contact with to read. If you teach a child to read recreationally, to really enjoy curling up with a book, you will positively impact that child’s entire life.

Vermillion Drift by William Kent Krueger

This is much more than a murder mystery. It is a murder mystery in both the past and the present but in addition it is an anthropological cultural exploration of conflict and enlightenment.

Cork is a troubled soul who discovers as much about himself as he does the murders in the book. Cork is a likeable character fraught with self doubt. Keeping one foot in his cultural roots and the other in “normal” society proves difficult.

Krueger posed an intricate mystery with implacable and in some case pathetic foes. The mysticism was well done and not overblown. His characters were painted with clarity and panache.

It is easy to see why Krueger's work sells well, it was an intriguing book that captured my interest and held it until the end.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of William Kent Krueger

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