Review of "The Widowmaker: A Novel" by Hannah Morrissey

Photographer Morgan Mori - who grew up in a rough area of Black Harbor, Michigan - had a hard life before she was adopted at the age of ten. Thus Morgan is reluctant to return to Black Harbor, but is drawn back when she's sent a mysterious key with a note reading MR. Morgan is determined to discover what the key opens, and tries it on various locks around Black Harbor.

Meanwhile, Morgan accepts a job taking pictures of the Christmas gala thrown by the wealthy Reynolds' family of Black Harbor.



The Reynolds' have been notorious for decades, ever since patriarch Clive Reynolds disappeared twenty years ago. Clive's wife Eleanor, who collected on an eleven-million-dollar life insurance policy, was suspected of murdering her husband, but Clive's body was never found and no one was ever arrested.



While Morgan is snapping photos at the Christmas bash she makes a connection with the Reynolds' son, Bennett, and they go for a drink after the party.



Later, when Morgan stops for gas and a candy bar at a convenience store.....



.....she witnesses an attempted robbery and the shooting of a cop named Brix Garrison.



Garrison's police partner and best friend, Investigator Ryan Hudson, is devastated by his pal's death.



However, since Hudson is too close to the victim, he's ordered to stay out of the investigation. Instead, Hudson is assigned to the cold case of Clive Reynolds. It seems Clive's car, a 1978 Porsche called 'The Widowmaker', was just recovered from a lake....with a body inside. Clive had reported the car stolen, and collected insurance money.


1978 Porsche Widowmaker

Hudson digs into the Clive Reynolds files, but can't stop himself from poking into Garrison's murder as well. Thus Hudson interviews Morgan Mori again and again, trying to glean information about the robbery and shooting. Eventually, Hudson concludes that Garrison's death is connected with Clive Reynolds' disappearance, and he tries to connect the dots.

While the police investigations are proceeding, Morgan is drawn into the lives of the Reynolds clan, who have taken a shine to her. The Reynolds' even give Morgan an expensive Christmas gift and invite her to join them for a few days at their vacation cabin.



The story is told from the alternating points of view of Morgan Mori and Ryan Hudson, and some shocking secrets are revealed.

I enjoyed the book but found the finale to be a little over-complicated and hard to believe. Still, this is a compelling thriller, recommended to fans of the genre.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by by Adam Verner and Xe Sands, who did a good job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Hannah Morrissey and Macmillan Audio for copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Fifty-Four Pigs: A Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery" by Philipp Schott

3.5 stars

This first 'Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery' is set in a frosty Canadian town in mid-winter. It features murder, theft, and a good sniffer dog.

*****

Dr. Peter Bannerman, a veterinarian in the lakeside town of New Selfoss, Manitoba.....



.....is appalled when he sees the pig barn of his friend and neighbor, Tom Pearson, go up in flames.



Hog farmer Tom kept his fifty-four pigs in the barn, and all are lost in the conflagration. When investigators examine the burnt structure, though, they find fifty-five bodies, one of them being a man. The human victim - whose identity is unknown - was shot before the fire started.....



.....and Tom becomes a suspect in the man's murder.



Veterinarian Peter, who has an analytical mind, likes to solve mysteries. Moreover, Peter is convinced his friend Tom is innocent, and he means to prove it. This puts Peter at odds with his brother-in-law Kevin, an RCMP officer in charge of the murder inquiry, who doesn't want Peter's 'help'.



Though Tom's property is a crime scene, and off-limits to civilians, Peter takes his dog Pippin - who's good at sniffing out clues - to examine the area.



Peter even finds a scrap of paper, with Korean writing, which he withholds from the police. Officer Kevin is furious when he learns about this, but - realizing Peter will stick his nose into the investigation no matter what - the RCMP detective agrees to share information.

Meanwhile, other crimes are occurring in New Selfoss. There's another murder and there are a series of burglaries in which meat is stolen from freezers around town. Peter thinks all the criminal activity is connected, and he racks his brain to figure out what's going on. This eventually leads to an exciting denouement.

As the story unfolds we learn about the Icelandic origin of many residents of New Selfoss, and we're told how Peter wooed and won his wife Laura.



Peter and Laura live with their dog Pippin and cat Merry, and Laura knits and sells sweaters and accessories inspired by movies and television shows likes Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, etc. Peter also goes about his veterinarian job, which ranges from dog and cat check-ups to a goat caesarian.

The book's characters are interesting and the ambiance of wintry New Selfoss is well-depicted, with a frozen lake, ice-fishing shacks, snow mounds, residents using skis to get around, and so on.





This is a fun cozy mystery that would probably appeal to fans of the genre.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Upgrade: A Novel" by Blake Crouch

Logan Ramsay is an agent for the Gene Protection Agency, an organization that hunts down scientists engaged in illegal genetic manipulation.



In a way Logan is just paying his dues. It was his mother, the brilliant geneticist Miriam Ramsay, who perfected a ground-breaking DNA modifier system called Scythe.



Using Scythe, Miriam attempted to enhance the blight resistance of indica rice plants, which are a staple food for over half the world's population.


Farmers harvesting rice

To make a long story short, things went wrong, there was a worldwide famine, and 200 million people died.



Miriam committed suicide and Logan - who was a college graduate working in his mother's lab - went to prison for three years. Legislation was passed to restrict gene tampering, and Logan now works to capture people who flout the law.

After Logan helps raid a suspected gene-tampering lab, an explosion lands him in the hospital.



Logan learns that the blast injected modified genes into his body.....genes bioengineered to enhance human abilities. Over the next several weeks Logan finds that he's getting smarter, his bones are getting denser, his muscles are becoming stronger, his reflexes are improving, he has a photographic memory of his entire life, he can recall the contents of every book and article he's ever read, etc. In brief, Logan has been 'upgraded.'



Logan determines that the lab explosion and upgrade weren't random events, but a plan engineered by his mother before she committed suicide. Irregardless, Logan is arrested and quarantined at a black site by the GPA, who accuse him of fiddling with his own genome.



Logan is sprung from the black site, and learns that his mother's long-term plan was to 'upgrade' all of humanity. Miriam believed that making people more intelligent would result in better stewardship of the Earth, with attention to environmental concerns like global warming, ocean pollution, and so on. Thus, Miriam planned for a cabal, led by Logan's 'upgraded' sister Kara, that would spread the 'enhancement' virus to every person on the globe.



Logan is strongly opposed to changing the genome of the entire human race, and takes steps to stop the cabal.



Thus much of the story is an action thriller, with Logan and his sister maneuvering to destroy each other.





There's plenty of shooting, fighting, death, and destruction, enhanced by the superior abilities of the combatants. It's fascinating to watch Logan's thinking processes, and the manner in which he tracks down and battles his enemies.



The story would make a good movie, and has been optioned for a Hollywood film.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Rising Tide: A Vera Stanhope Novel" by Ann Cleeves

Ann Cleeves is well known for her popular Shetland Island mystery series, featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and her Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope mystery series, set in northern England. In this 10th novel in the Vera Stanhope series, the intrepid sleuth investigates a suspicious death on Holy Island, a tourist destination off the west coast of Scotland. Holy Island has the distinction of being approachable only during certain hours, at low tide, when the causeway is accessible.


Holy Island


Causeway to Holy Island

Fifty years ago a group of teenage school friends participated in a retreat called 'Only Connect' on Holy Island. The event, led by a young teacher named Judith Marshall, resulted in all night drinking, deep discussions, and exploration of the students' feelings. The pupils - Philip Robson, Annie Laidler, Daniel Rede, Rick Kelsall, Isobel Hall, Kenneth Hampton and Charlotte Thomas - bonded with one another and agreed to have a reunion on Holy Island every five years.



By the time of the first reunion - when the participants were in their early twenties - Rick and Charlotte were married, and Annie and Daniel were married and mourning the recent loss of an infant. Sadly, tragedy struck the reunion event when Isobel's car was caught by a high tide and she drowned. From then on, Isobel's death has haunted many of the friends.



It's now fifty years since 'Only Connect' and the reunion participants are well into their sixties. Annie and Daniel are long since divorced, as are Charlotte and Rick....who has the reputation of being a playboy Don Juan. Philip is an Anglican priest; Annie is co-owner of a local deli; and Kenneth - now married to a woman named Louise - is succumbing to dementia.

The first night of the reunion consists of the usual eating, drinking and talking.....



......but things take a drastic turn the next morning when Annie finds Rick hanging in his room.



Rick's death is initially called a suicide, amid speculation that Rick was depressed about losing his broadcaster job because of sexual harassment charges. Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope suspects a wrongful death, however.....



.....and the medical examiner confirms the fact that Rick was murdered.



The obvious suspects are the reunion participants followed by Rick's supervisors, co-workers, acquaintances, and so on. Vera and her team interview and re-interview people who knew Rick and some surprising secrets are unearthed. Another murder occurs soon afterward, and Vera suspects the deaths - possibly including Isobel's demise 45 years ago - are connected. Thus Vera pokes and probes and eventually exposes the truth.

It's fun to see Vera interact with her team, especially Detective Sergeant Joe Ashworth......



.....and Detective Constable Holly Clarke, who vie for Vera's attention like contentious siblings.



Vera herself - a chunky woman with a hearty appetite who's totally unconcerned about fashion - is my favorite character. Ann Cleeve's Vera Stanhope books are the basis for the TV series 'Vera', in which the Detective Inspector is wonderfully played by Brenda Blethyn.


Brenda Blethyn plays Vera

This is an entertaining mystery that leads to a satisfying denouement.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ann Cleeves, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Per My Last Email: Witty, Wicked and Wonderfully Weird Workplace Words and Phrases" by Stephanie K. Wright

 

Are you tired of using the same old words week after week? Do you want to put some verve in your vocabulary? Are you itching to improve your emails? Then this is the book for you.

Stephanie Wright scoured dictionaries, dusty books, and hieroglyphic manuscripts (just kidding) to come up with this collection of alternative ways to express yourself. And in case you're wondering, the author asserts, "Any relation to words created from a secret language you made up as a kid is purely coincidental."

The book is aimed at corporate employees, but most folks could find uses for the innovative words and expressions. To provide a feel for the book I'll provide an aperçu (brief glimpse).

*****

Want to call a meeting. You can say:

We are pulling together a boodle (crowd) to discuss the next office party.
It is time to constellate (form a group) to choose the new corporate logo.



*****

Want to have a productive meeting? You can say:

This is a short meeting. Blatherskiting (talking at great length) will not be tolerated.
Please keep your comments brief to avoid the overwhelming abulomania (indecisiveness) surrounding the topic.



*****

Are you befuddled? You can say:

It seems there is a gallimaufry (confusing group) of choices for the new hire.
If the goal of that question was to metagrobolize (mystify) the team, it worked.



*****

Need a fresh greeting? You can say:

What's kicking, chickens?
How farest though?



*****

Having a rough day? You can say:

My whole family has the flu. I am utterly chapfallen (cast down in spirit).
I'm feeling querulous (in a bad mood), so I suggest you leave me alone.



*****

Do you have a lot going on? You can say:

With the release happening in three days, the entire team is full on negotious (very busy) right now.
I have a hundred things to do. I am completely snowed under (crushed with work) today.



*****

Are people annoying you? You can say:

Please don't put Beau on my team. I already have to work with two lurdans (incompetent persons).
Kravitz is the ultimate quidnunc (gossipy person). I wonder what he's saying about me.



*****

Want to blow off steam? You can say:

Zooterkins! (all purpose swear word). What did you just do to the copier?
Whoever left the paper tray empty again is a total jackwagon (worthless person).



*****

Hoping to hear from someone soon? You can say:

Methodically binge-eating candy while I await your reply.
Going to check out the latest Twitter drama while you consider my proposal.



*****

Want to shush someone? You can say:

Oh my freakin' stars! Can we just cut the cackle (stop talking nonsense) and get on with the meeting.
Please save it (stop talking) Fran! We've already heard about all the followers you have on Instagram.



*****

Feeling particularly nasty? You can say:

Stan, you've accomplished exactly nothing. I have never before met a scobberlotcher (lazy human) of your caliber.
I was having fun until our resident smellfungus (killjoy) showed up to kill the mood.



*****

Want to give someone a compliment? You can say:

Jane is a bosting (excellent) coder. She can finish a project in two days.
Sam's spiffing (splendid) commercial was perfect for the plush toy launch.



*****

Want to quit? You can say:

I've decided to demit (resign a job) my position as project manager to go to cosmetology school.
I have made the decision to scarper (leave a place) and head to San Francisco to open a bakery.



*****

There are TONS more words, expressions, and suggestions for effective (but fun) emails in the book. And there's an Index at the back for convenience. I'd recommend the book to people who want to gussy up their verbiage or just have a laugh.

Thanks to Netgalley, Stephanie K. Wright, and Andrews McMeel Publishing for a copy of the book.

Rating: 4 stars