I don’t know about you, but after I’ve read a few serious or “heavy” novels, I often look for a little murder to cheer me up and clear my mind. What, don’t you? Of course, I’m talking about murder mysteries. For me, a good murder mystery is a great palate cleanser — the language and…
So, you know how when you’re sick, you can almost always plant yourself on the couch and watch some Law & Order marathon on TNT or USA Network? Those shows almost always start with some bystander/passerby coming across some grisly crime scene. And other than maybe hotel maids, it seems that people out walking their…
Book series – they are both a boon and bane to readers. A boon because they can allow readers a richer connection to favorite characters and have the capacity to explore long, subtle plot arcs. A bane, perhaps, because sometimes when the well goes a little dry for the author, we tend to hang on…
I like a good mystery. In fact, the Beloved and I were just talking about mysteries this morning. I said that I use them as “palate cleansers” between other types of books. (Actually, it turns out that I’ve said that before while using the same title convention for a post. Ah well, so much for…
One of my favorite books from a couple of years ago was Kraken by China Mieville. I enjoyed that audiobook so much that there was a part of me that had some trepidation about reading more of Mieville’s books because I worried that maybe they wouldn’t be as good as that first one, right? Please…
No, not the UFOs* in your Aunt Gladys’s jello mold. And not the artisanal** foie gras, goat cheese, truffle, water chestnut, actual chestnut and quinoa stuffing from Saveur magazine, but mystery-thrillers. You see for me, mysteries are the palate cleansers of books. After I’ve read something deep, or gotten too genre-heavy, I usually turn to…
When you’re a scientist and you think of fictional personas that you might like to emulate, I think the easiest answer that pops to mind is Indiana Jones. I mean, come on: he’s a Professor, Archaeologist, Finder of Lost Things, and gun-totin’, whip-wielding, Nazi-beating collection of awesomeness. But you’ll probably be surprised to learn that…
So, today’s question on the 30 Days of Books list is: Day 03 – Your favorite series I thought about this question on and off over the weekend. Sometimes the “on” was when I awoke last night about 3 a.m. and it kept clogging my thoughts instead of getting my brain to shut back down so…
In his debut novel with the incredibly disturbing cover, Adam Ross explores the dark side of human nature especially with respect to marriage, interweaving three tales in which husbands contemplate (and possibly succeed at) killing their wives. In the predominant storyline, David Peppin is a successful video game designer that specializes is making games based…
Sometimes more isn’t better. I was thinking about this the other day because it seemed like a number of the television shows we enjoy are presented in a short season – 13 weeks or less. Without the broadcast network requirement for a September through May season, producers and writers have a chance to tell more-focused…
Stevil 