The Howard Hughes Affair by Stuart M. Kaminsky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nice to return to a solidly written story, after another bout with a current author that was left alone by a good editor. Kaminsky does move this one very, very fast. The plot is very good, the mystery great and the characters very well done. As usual, Kaminsky nails the dialogue of the separate characters. Also, if you are a nostalgia nut like me, you’ll love the appearances of the well-known during this 1940s setting. To some, I’m guessing, this all appears way too old fashioned. Cynics of this day might say it isn’t realistic to what was really happening at the time, as if they knew what was realistic at the time (We sure have a weird view of “realism” today). These Toby Peters novels are just very good mysteries that are also much fun to read. With the 500 page tombs drowning in excess being produced today, I think some have forgotten what a good book is.



View all my reviews

The President’s Assassin by Brian Haig

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story had a promising start for me. I liked the beginning and the humor knitted in the text. However as the book wore on, the endless meetings depicted and the constant reports of action that had already occurred began to wear on me. It would have been a better story if the narration had been brought to the action than more than three quarters of the book reflecting on it. It was almost like a series of flashbacks. As much as I love humor and sarcasm, even Haig’s leaning on it became to much for me. I kinda figured from the start who the bad guy was, which made it even tougher to get through the 500 pages. Another recent book needing severe editing is what is the bottom line…again!

The sarcastic hero reminded me a lot of Stuart Kaminky’s Toby Peters and Kaminsky’s writing & plotting in general. I would guess Haig is a Kaminsky fan. So, Toby Peters is my next stop.



View all my reviews

Always Say Goodbye by Stuart M. Kaminsky

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first I’ve read of the Stuart Kaminsky series involving Lew Fonesca that otherwise takes place in Sarasota. This entry in the series, though, mostly takes place in Chicago as the main character looks for the murderer of his wife. The writing is well done. Especially in getting the Chicago dialogue to read true. There are a number of twists. One twist involving one character is especially well done. Also, this is not an overwritten novel as so many others are today.

View all my reviews

Mayday! by Clive Cussler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first Clive Cussler book and certainly I started with one of the shortest of the Dirk Pitt series. I understand ‘Mayday’ is second in the series and came out in 1973.

This is a fun reading experience with all sorts of things happening in a rather confined area of the world. The plot twists and turns were a surprise and very well crafted. There’s also a lot of history thrown in. The clever writing of the Pitt character is really well done. Especially when it comes to deducing who-did-what-to-whom. I’m usually pretty good at this, but I hardly saw more than one of the conclusions to wrap up the mystery. Since starting to read the Gardner Perry Mason series, i can tell Cussler is a fan in that he writes much of Pitt’s introduction to his conclusions in a similar manner.

The question for me is will I go from a 237 page novel to one of the Pitt 600 page books. Have to wonder if he’s stuffing all those extra pages with a lot more history, action…or what?



View all my reviews

Nice illustration on the cover of Agatha Christie’s Hickory Dickory Death.

No artistic credit given to this subtle piece used for a cover of Hickory Dickory Death by Agatha Christie. Like how the two are turned to each other and the abstract doorway look in the background.

Here’s a cover by Harvey Kidder from Murder in the Cardais Coach (later named Murder on the Orient Express).

The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was heavily recommended to me. As I started the book and read about a civilian in a mid-eastern country and then his high powered connections, I began to think the book was more science fiction/ fantasy than political thriller. I finished the book with the same feeling.

This book couldn’t be more disconnected from reality. The very idea that a president could attach himself to a civilian so easily (with the exception of a way, way, way over written challenge) is pure insanity.

The sick part, to me, is the complete disregard of the feelings and faith of the Palestinians/Muslims/Arabs. The idea that they could be paid off – bribed – and thus set aside their religious views for “Peace” is beyond poor plotting. It’s irresponsible. To write that the president of the United States would condone a bribe to such a degree as is proposed in the book has to have one wonder just what the writer really thinks of America. I kept thinking of Paul Douglas and his role in ‘The Americanization of Emily’ where he goes crazy and starts making insane orders. I guess that explains the smaller publisher. A big publisher would’ve kicked this back and have it severely edited.

Otherwise, the writing is sub-par and the conclusion is really not one, making the rest of the reading excursion feel like a wasted one. The idea is to force you to the next volume. Not sure if I will make that trek.



View all my reviews

This version of Agatha Christie’s Three Blind Mice has a Mike Ludlow cover. The wiping away of the film on the pane is amazing painting work.

Here’s a simple piece from Harold Robbins’ ’79 Park Avenue’. Love the rendering of the telephone. Very simple, yet dead on. That and the contrast of the mechanical phone and the feathery what-ever the girl is wearing.

I’ve acquired some great new paperback covers and thought I’d share them over the next few days. The one above is by Willaim Teasen.Love the use of black to frame the addition of a new element to a carafe of fluid.

I only did a minor digital check for background of Teasen and came up empty. Feel free to add thoughts below.  Click here for a collection of other covers I found.