Books
TX1 wrapup
Well, it is a few days late but here is the wrapup for TX1. By the numbers… 10 days, 9 nights, 2,551 miles of travel over 7 hops (about 365 miles per hop). I didn’t track expenses as this was mostly on Ooma’s dime. Highlights: The wedding of Peter and Ashley in Austin. This was … Continue reading
“ZOO” by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
Copyright 2014 by James Patterson. Published by Grand Central Publishing, New York. Yes, another book where James Patterson slapped his name on someone else’s work. This time the actual writer is Michael Ledwidge. You can tell that Patterson didn’t write this one because it is science fiction and Patterson doesn’t do science fiction. I won’t … Continue reading
The IBPA Ben Franklin Awards
Ooma and I traveled to Orlando this past weekend. It was partly just a weekend getaway, but the raison d’etre for the trip was the IBPA Ben Franklin Awards. I was, in effect, a “proxy finalist” as I was representing David Benjamin and Last Kid Books. Fat Vinny’s Forbidden Love was nominated in the “best … Continue reading
“Fat Vinny’s Forbidden Love” by David Benjamin
Copyright 2021 by David Benjamin. Published by Last Kid Books, Madison WI. First, the usual disclaimer: David Benjamin is one of my oldest and best friends. Also, this book is nominated for a “best comedy book” award by the Independent Book Publishers Association and, if it wins, I will be accepting the award in his … Continue reading
“Violets are Blue” by James Patterson
Copyright 2001 by James Patterson. Published by Warner Books, Inc., New York. This is not so much of a review as a rant. WTF is wrong with James Patterson? Why is he a popular author? If you recall I characterized his “Sunday at Tiffany’s” as “dreck.” This, too, is dreck. But this time he can’t … Continue reading
“The Promise” by Robert Crais
Copyright 2015 by Robert Crais. Published by G.P. Putnam & Sons, New York. Robert Crais spins some good yarns. His most popular books are those featuring Elvis Cole, the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest detective” and Joe Pike who defies a simple description. Maybe “mysterious mercenary?” He is an iconoclast, for sure, and has amazing skills at … Continue reading
“Make Me” by Lee Child
Copyright 2015 by Lee Child. Published by Dell, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. This is #20 in the series of books by Lee Child featuring Jack Reacher, the footloose one-man police force. I don’t think there is such a thing as a bad Reacher book; they range from Good to Great. … Continue reading
“Regrets Only” by Nancy Geary
Copyright 2004 by Nancy Whitman Geary. Published by Time Warner Book Group, New York. It is usually good when, in a mystery story, everything fits together. But sometimes everything fits together just a little too well to be realistic. I am thinking of some of the Agatha Christie books, like Ten Little Indians or Murder … Continue reading
“The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked” by David Benjamin
Copyright 2020 by David Benjamin. Published by Last Kid Books, Madison WI. The usual disclaimer: The author is one of my oldest and best friends. I am having a hard time reviewing this book, partly because I have read it before and I tend to rush a second reading. Also – and I hate to … Continue reading
“Tell No One” by Harlan Coben
Copyright 2001 by Harlan Coben. Published by Dell Publishing, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. I really like Coben’s books. He always keeps you guessing. His plots are deep, devious and very satisfying. And he has a way of revealing details that keep me turning the pages – like an archaeologist slowly uncovering … Continue reading