Book Recommendation – Close to Death – Anthony Horowitz

I finally got my hands on a new release by an author I have come to really enjoy – Anthony Horowitz. I stumbled on him because of a couple Sherlock Holmes themed books he wrote. From there, I stumbled on his Hawthorne and Horowitz series. You can read about those a bit here:

Reading Recommendations

Here is the link to another Horowitz book:

Book Recommendation: Moonflower Murders

For those keeping track, the Hawthorne/Horowitz book series is now up to five.

The Word is Murder (Book 1), The Sentence is Death (Book 2), A Line to Kill (Book 3), The Twist of a Knife (Book 4) and now the latest in the series:

I have said before that I sometimes got bored with a series featuring the same character because the books tend to recap the previous books I had read. While Horowitz will elude briefly to bits from past books, it isn’t so bad that it takes away from the one you are reading.

I really do enjoy this series a lot and this book was a bit different then the previous ones. In the first four books, Horowitz is following Hawthorne and writing a book about a case he is on. This time around, he is writing about a case from the past. Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

In New York Times–bestselling author Anthony Horowitz’s ingenious fifth literary whodunit in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series, Detective Hawthorne is once again called upon to solve an unsolvable case—a gruesome murder in an idyllic gated community in which suspects abound.

Riverside Close is a picture-perfect community. The six exclusive and attractive houses are tucked far away from the noise and grime of city life, allowing the residents to enjoy beautiful gardens, pleasant birdsong and tranquility from behind the security of a locked gate.

It is the perfect idyll until the Kentworthy family arrives, with their four giant, gas-guzzling cars, a gaggle of shrieking children and plans for a garish swimming pool in the backyard. Obvious outsiders, the Kentworthys do not belong in Riverside Close, and they quickly offend every last one of their neighbours.

When Giles Kentworthy is found dead on his own doorstep, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, Detective Hawthorne is the only investigator that can be called on to solve the case.

Because how do you solve a murder when everyone is a suspect?

It has characters that make you wonder just what they are up to, the atmosphere of a “locked room mystery” except its in a gated community, deep dark secrets, and a lot of twists and turns!

Highly recommend! 5 stars!

Book Recommendation: Mother-Daughter Murder Night

I’ve been waiting on this book for sometime and it finally became available. It’s another murder mystery and while it was not as good as the last one I posted about, it is good just the same. The book has plenty of suspects who have the motive to murder, and surprisingly, I guessed the killer about half way through (which didn’t ruin it because I wasn’t 100 percent sure).

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door.

A lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths. Gilmore Girls , but with murder.

High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud her keen intelligence, impeccable taste, and the L.A. real estate empire she’s built. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city, convalescing in a sleepy coastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana is stuck counting otters instead of square footage—and hoping that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does.

Then Jack—tiny in stature but fiercely independent—happens upon a dead body while kayaking. She quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation, and the Rubicon women are thrown into chaos. Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea. She’ll pull on her wig, find the true murderer, protect her family, and prove she still has power. With Jack and Beth’s help, Lana uncovers a web of lies, family vendettas, and land disputes lurking beneath the surface of a community populated by folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers. But as their amateur snooping advances into ever-more dangerous territory, the headstrong Rubicon women must learn to do the one thing they’ve always done – depend on each other.

“Gilmore Girls, but with murder,” is enough to make you want to pick it up, right? As I listened to the audiobook, I could see this being a great movie.

4 out of 5 stars.

Book Recommendation: How to Solve Your Own Murder

Back in the day, there was an old radio show called I Love a Mystery. It’s no secret that I do, too. A mystery can take many forms – the cozy mystery, the whodunnit, the locked room mystery, courtroom mystery, etc …

I just finished a book that has many of the things I love in a good mystery. First, there are plenty of suspects. There’s an earlier murder that may or may not be connected to the first one. There are characters you like and dislike right from the get go. There are twists and turns, and some great suspenseful moments.

I added this book to my “to read” list simply because of the title – How to Solve Your Own Murder. I was hooked right from the beginning and loved every minute of it.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate… Now it’s up to her great-niece to catch the killer.

It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.

This was such a great read. If you love a good mystery that is a mix of Agatha Christie and Perry Mason, you will love this one!

Book Recommendation: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I’ve had this book on my “To read” list for some time. I added it for a couple of reasons. First, I have always loved hearing stories about “old Hollywood” and hoped that this would kind of fall into that category. Second, everyone kept talking about it. When my wife read it recently she said she thought I would enjoy it.

Side note: I had no idea that the author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, had also wrote Daisy Jones and the Six. That’s another one that everyone seemed to be talking about, but I’m not sure I want to read it. My wife said it was “just ok.”

Before I offer up my thoughts on this book, let me share the Goodreads synopsis:

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

To quote my wife, the book to me was “just ok.” Don’t get my wrong, it wasn’t bad. As a matter of fact, there were quite a few surprises in the story. As the synopsis implies, Monique and Evelyn’s life have some sort of connection and I never put it together. This was a big surprise to me. Actually, the connection really made the book worth reading for me. Especially since there were a few times I was ready to put it down.

As you might expect in a story of old Hollywood, there is plenty of scandal, secrets, jealousy, lying, manipulation and deception. I have often used this description, but it read like an episode of Desperate Housewives or a bad soap opera. “Who’s sleeping with who?” kind of thing at times.

Again, it wasn’t a bad book, it is just not really my kind of book. Not to sound chauvinistic, that is not my intention at all, but I felt like the book might appeal more to female readers.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Book Recommendation: The Day Tripper

Slowly, but surely, I am working through my “Want to read” list. I just finished one that I almost stopped reading after the first chapter. It begins with a couple in their 20’s who are in the early stages of their relationship. Their cheesy “lovey dovey” exchanges were a bit over the top for me. However, once the story gets going, I was hooked.

The book is by James Goodhand and it is called The Day Tripper.

“Another time-travel book, Keith?! Really?!” Well, yes, but it has a very unique spin on it. Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

The right guy, the right place, the wrong time.

It’s 1995, and Alex Dean has it all: a spot at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames.

He wakes the next day to find he’s in a messy, derelict room he’s never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn’t recognize, with no idea of how he got there. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he’s older—much older—and has been living a hard life, his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. He snatches a newspaper and finds it’s 2010—fifteen years since the fight.

After finally drifting off to sleep, Alex wakes the following morning to find it’s now 2019, another nine years later. But the next day, it’s 1999. Never knowing which day is coming, he begins to piece together what happens in his life after that fateful night by the river.

But what exactly is going on? Why does his life look nothing like he thought it would? What about Cambridge, and Holly? In this thrilling adventure, Alex must navigate his way through the years to learn that small actions have untold impact. And that might be all he needs to save the people he loves and, equally importantly, himself.

This reminded me a bit of Gillian McAllister’s Wrong Place, Wrong Time in the sense that it was not your typical time travel story. In Wrong Place, Wrong Time, the main character just keeps going backwards in time. With The Day Tripper, the main character has no idea where or when he is going to be when he wakes up. He is living the days of his life – just not in chronological order.

One of my favorite quotes in the book was “The worst our enemies can do is turn us into them.” This quote really struck me and plays into the plot of the story. Reviews I read before picking it up compared the story to the Twilight Zone and Quantum Leap. I think you will enjoy it.

Book Recommendation: The Final Witness – Paul Landis

It seems that I have been reading a lot of non-fiction lately. It isn’t anything deliberate, it just happens to be the way the books I have “on hold” have become available. The latest is on a topic that has fascinated me for years – The JFK Assassination.

The assassination happened seven years before I was born. My grandmother had saved newspapers from the week after he was killed. She had some books on the events as well. In school, I remember the first research report I ever wrote was on the assassination.

I have read many of the books surrounding the event and have heard almost every conspiracy theory involved with it. When I saw this book come up on Goodreads, I naturally had to read it. Believe it or not, there was one thing in this book that I had never heard before.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

Dallas, Texas. November 22, 1963. Shots ring out at Dealey Plaza. The president is struck in the head by a rifle bullet. Confusion reigns.

Special Agent Paul Landis is in the follow-up car directly behind JFK’s and is at the president’s limo as soon as it stops at Parkland Memorial Hospital. He is inside Trauma Room #1, where the president is pronounced dead. He is on Air Force One with the president’s casket on the flight back to Washington, DC; an eyewitness to Lyndon Johnson taking the oath of office.

What he saw is indelibly imprinted upon his psyche. He writes and files his report. And yet . . . Agent Landis is never called to testify to the Warren Commission. The one person who could have supplied key answers is never asked questions.

By mid-1964, the nightmares from Dallas remain, and he resigns. It isn’t until the fiftieth anniversary that he begins to talk about it, and he reads his first books on the assassination.
Landis learns about the raging conspiracy theories—and realizes where they all go wrong.

Admittedly, I had hoped for a lot more about the events of that day. The author doesn’t really get into November 22, 1963 until a little over halfway through the book. He spends time explaining how he came to be a Secret Service agent and how he eventually was assigned to the White House and Mrs. Kennedy. There were some really enlightening stories about her and the reader gets a glimpse into what she was like behind the scenes.

Once he gets to the events that lead up to the trip to Dallas, things get really interesting. For months after the assassination, he would keep seeing it over and over again. I cannot imagine the trauma that the Secret Service men experienced that day and the days afterward. Eventually, it became to much and he resigns.

The most interesting thing to me was that he distanced himself from that day in Dallas for years! He never read any of the books (including the Warren Commission Report), watched any of the TV coverage and TV specials, he avoided it all. It wasn’t until recently that he began to discuss it and that led to this book.

Does the book add to the many conspiracy theories? Maybe a little. Does the book clear up questions about the assassination? Well, it cleared up one for me.

If you like historical non-fiction, or are interested in the JFK assassination, I think you will enjoy this one.

Book Recommendation: Zenith Man

My wife suggested this one to me. “It’s a courtroom book, so I figured you’d like it.” She was right.

I will say up front that this isn’t like a Perry Mason whodunnit. It’s a true story about an odd man accused of killing his wife. There were times I would read something he said or did and think, “Man, this guy is weird!”

The Goodreads synopsis has spoilers, but even with them, the book was worth the read. If you don’t want to know whether or not he did it, or why he is such an oddball, grab it at your library or the book store and stop reading this now. Otherwise, here is the synopsis:

Like a nonfiction John Grisham thriller with echoes of Rainman, Just Mercy, and a captivating smalltown Southern setting, this is the fascinating true story—sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking—of an idealistic young lawyer determined to free an innocent neurodivergent man accused of murdering the wife no one knew he had.

An inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice for readers of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Just Mercy.

Was this small-town TV repair man “a harmless eccentric or a bizarre killer” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). For the first time, Alvin Ridley’s own defense attorney reveals the inside story of his case and trial in an extraordinary tale of friendship and an idealistic young attorney’s quest to clear his client’s name—and, in the process, rebuild his own life.

In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley’s house—and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had.

McCracken Poston had been a state representative before he lost his bid for U.S. Congress and returned to his law career. Alvin Ridley was a local character who once sold and serviced Zenith televisions. Though reclusive and an outsider, the “Zenith Man,” as Poston knew him, hardly seemed capable of murder.

Alvin was a difficult client, storing evidence in a cockroach-infested suitcase, unwilling to reveal key facts to his defender. Gradually, Poston pieced together the full story behind Virginia and Alvin’s curious marriage and her cause of death—which was completely overlooked by law enforcement. Calling on medical experts, testimony from Alvin himself, and a wealth of surprising evidence gleaned from Alvin’s junk-strewn house, Poston presented a groundbreaking defense that allowed Alvin to return to his peculiar lifestyle, a free man.

Years after his trial, Alvin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a revelation that sheds light on much of his lifelong personal battle—and shows how easily those who don’t fit societal norms can be castigated and misunderstood. Part true crime, part courtroom drama, and full of local color, Zenith Man is also the moving story of an unexpected friendship between two very different men that changed—and perhaps saved—the lives of both.

The book’s ending brought smiles and tears. It hit home on a few levels. I’m glad that I read it and think if you like true crime, courtroom dramas, or a story about friendship – you will enjoy it

Book Recommendation: The Book Thief

I suppose I am behind as far as this one is concerned. It’s a book that I have heard talked about for some time now. I also recently found out there is a movie based on the book, too.

I’m not sure why it took so long to get to it, other than my “to read” list seems to grow daily. It has been on my list for awhile and within the last month or so, something pulled me to it.

I had been in a Barnes and Noble recently getting a gift card for a friend’s birthday and saw the book front and center when I walked in. There were a couple people there talking about it, saying good things. Then, on a Walmart trip a week ago, I saw someone with it in her hands by the book shelves. I figured it was time to read it.

Depending on who you talk to it is either a Young Adult book or it isn’t. I never felt like it was. At the same time, reviews were either really good or really bad (I saw more good than bad). It’s not a fast read, but I never felt like it was too slow.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

The book is narrated by Death. He tells the story and gives many of the details. There are likeable characters and some not so much.

What I found interesting about this particular book was that it is not written from the perspective of a Jewish person as most World War 2 books are. The main characters are almost all German. It was interesting to read it this way.

There were a few things in the book that I didn’t care for, but nothing that takes away from a good story. I hope to be able to watch the movie version in the coming week, but am hesitant because I know what Hollywood tends to do to books.

If you do choose to read this, I’d love to know your thoughts!

Book Recommendation: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

Perhaps I should have thought twice about using the title “Book Recommendation” to blog about books I’ve read. Why? Because every so often I’ll read a book that I’m not sure whether I’d call my post a “recommendation.” That’s the case with this book. Many of the reviews I read praised this book. I am not sure it lived up to the praise. It’s not that it was bad … I just was left disappointed. I’ll explain more in a minute.

So before I get into it, let me share the Goodreads synopsis:

Some stories cannot be told in just one lifetime. Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes. Until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. “I nearly missed you, Doctor August,” she says. “I need to send a message.” This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.

Interesting concept, right? It peaked my interest. I have had great success in the past with books that have a neat premise. This book had a lot of potential, but it never really did much. The book tells the story of Harry, who is a man who never really dies. Well, ok, he does, however after he dies, continues to relive his life over and over again. One Goodreads review described it to be like “Groundhog Day,” but instead of reliving the same day over and over, Harry is reborn after death in the same time and place every time.

So basically, he repeatedly has to start his life over as a child even though he has the memories and knowledge of many years and lifetimes. Toward the beginning of the book, Harry is given a message that the “world is ending” and that is happening faster than it should. It seems that he is the one who can stop it from happening. To me, this sets up an exciting read, but instead I thought it was a slow read.

Perhaps it was slow because Harry and the rest of the characters are kind of bland. You’d think that if this guy had fifteen lives, there would be a bit more character development. At the same time, the main character is usually someone you like or are rooting for (unless the main character is evil and then it is sort of the opposite). In this story, I really never felt like there was any character I liked.

I am not sure why I was under the impression that this would be sort of a time-travel type story, and it technically isn’t. There are, however, many time-travel-related plot holes that would come up as I read (Maybe I’ve watched Back to the Future too many times and these things bugged me) that left me with questions.

There were so many good reviews about this book. Maybe I am missing something. I listened to the audio book and found myself re-listening to segments. That’s not odd, because every now and then I will reread a passage in a book to make sure I get what is going on. I really wanted to like it more than I did. I say that because this is simply my opinion. Maybe you will read it and say, “Keith has no idea what he is talking about! This book is great!” If that is the case, please let me know! To me, the book has an very interesting but poorly executed premise that could have been something so much more.

Book Recommendation: Being Henry – Henry Winkler

I have rarely heard anyone say a bad thing about Henry Winkler. This book was a joy to listen to. It was, of course, read by the author. This in itself is quite a task, because Henry has been very open about his dyslexia in recent years. You’d never know it, though, as you listen.

As I listened to this book, I felt like he was just sitting next to me telling great stories and sharing some very deep stuff about his life. You hear his excitement and his fears as he tells his stories. It was quite a journey for him and worth a read or listen.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

From Emmy-award winning actor, author, comedian, producer, and director Henry Winkler, a deeply thoughtful memoir of the lifelong effects of stardom and the struggle to become whole.

Henry Winkler, launched into prominence by his role as “The Fonz” in the beloved Happy Days, has transcended the role that made him who he is. Brilliant, funny, and widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it’s simply not the case, he’s really just grateful to be here), Henry shares in this achingly vulnerable memoir the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia, the pressures of a role that takes on a life of its own, and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.

Since the glorious era of Happy Days fame, Henry has endeared himself to a new generation with roles in such adored shows as Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and Barry, where he’s revealed himself as an actor with immense depth and pathos, a departure from the period of his life when he was so distinctly typecast as The Fonz, he could hardly find work.

Filled with profound heart, charm, and self-deprecating humor, Being Henry is a memoir about so much more than a life in Hollywood and the curse of stardom. It is a meaningful testament to the power of sharing truth and kindness and of finding fulfillment within yourself.

I loved listening to this book. My love and respect for Winkler doubled after reading this book. Did you know that they wanted to change the name of Happy Days to “Fonzie’s Happy Days” and he flat out refused because he knew it was an ensemble show and he didn’t feel it would be fair? Did you know he and the late John Ritter were really close friends? Did you know that Henry played a key role in MacGyver getting on the air? Did you know that he is the author of the critically-acclaimed Hank Zipzer series, which follows the everyday adventures of a bright boy with learning challenges? These are just a few of the things I learned from the book.

In speaking about children with challenges in the book, he said something that really hit me square in the eye:

“It has always struck me that our emphasis on the top 10 percent of a class says they are more valuable than the bottom 3 percent. If this country is going to remain strong, we need every child to be great at what it is they can do.”

Amen, Henry! Amen!

Let me know what you think if/when you read this one.