In this book 15 year-old Jon Summers, unknown to himself, was adopted at birth in unusual circumstances. Jon has visions of the past and future and talks about them, so of course he's bullied at school.
The crux of the story revolves around Jon's birth grandfather trying to track him down and get him back so the family fortune can pass to him. Other familiy members - wanting the fortune themselves - aren't so keen on the idea. The story involves some not so savory family interactions ( a little incest anyone?). An average suspense thriller.
Rating: 3 stars
In this 8th book in the 'Kurt Wallander' series, the Swedish detective is dealing with personal problems while investigating two suspicious deaths. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Inspector Kurt Wallender and his detectives are looking into two incidents: the brutal murder of a cab driver by two teenage girls, Sonya Hokberg and Eva Persson;
and the death, seemingly from a heart attack, of computer expert Tynnes Falk near an ATM machine.
Events escalate when Sonya escapes police custody and is found dead in the works of a power station during a power blackout. Coincidentally, the blueprints of the power station are found on Falk's desk. Clearly, these cases are connected somehow.
Further police investigations reveal seriously encrypted files on Falk's computer that require the illicit skills of a young hacker.
As it turns out the police and the hacker have to race against time to try to avert a worldwide catastrophe. There's a lot going on in this story, including spies watching the cops, more deaths, a bullet aimed at Wallender, and an underhanded detective.
During all this Wallender is dealing with personal issues: he's charged with police brutality toward the teen suspect Eva Persson and he's lonesome and longing for female companionship. Unfortunately this clouds Wallender's judgement and he makes some serious mistakes.
I thought the terrorist conspiracy at the center of the story was a little far-fetched but I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
Rating: 4 stars
In this non-fiction book John Grisham tells the shocking and disheartening story of two men who were wrongfully convicted of rape and murder in Oklahoma.
Author John Grisham
*****
Ron Williamson, born in 1953, grew up in a loving Christian family in Ada, Oklahoma. He was a star on his high school baseball team and played for several professional minor league teams, hoping to make it to the majors.
Ron Williamson on his high school baseball team
Ron Williamson played minor league baseball
Injuries and health problems shattered these dreams however, and a short unsuccessful marriage added to Ron's woes. By his mid-20s Ron was back in Ada, carousing, drinking heavily, philandering, and starting to show signs of mental illness. At about this time he became friends with Dennis Fritz, who became his partying buddy.
Ron Williamson
Dennis Fritz
Then in 1982 a young woman named Debbie Carter was brutally raped and murdered in her apartment in Ada.
Debbie Carter
The police did a less than thorough investigation and - in a major instance of bungling - gave a pass to Glen Gore, who had been harassing Debbie and was known to be violent toward women. It turns out the police (more or less) ignored Glen as a suspect because a few cops were doing drug deals with Glen at the time.
Glen Gore
In any case the investigation dragged on and finally, in 1988, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were arrested and charged with the rape and murder of Debbie Carter. There was no credible physical evidence against the men but prosecutor Bill Peterson lined up (and coached) a series of mendacious jailhouse snitches - which resulted in convictions.
Mug shot of Ron Williamson
Prosecutor Bill Peterson
Law enforcement individuals manipulated evidence and witnesses to get convictions
Dennis was sentenced to life in prison and Ron was given the death penalty. Grisham gives a detailed account of the 'investigation' and a play by play description of the trials, and it's frightening to see the lengths Peterson and the police would go to to secure 'confessions' and convictions.
Grisham then details Ron's years on death row as his lawyers file appeal after appeal. By this time Ron was severely mentally ill as well as frustrated and depressed by his wrongful conviction. Moreover, death row was located in an old prison facility that was boiling in summer and freezing in winter, with nasty guards who delighted in tormenting disturbed Ron.
Oklahoma State Penitentiary
Death Row
Ron Williamson's mental health deteriorated in prison
Ron Williamson aged prematurely in prison
To cut to the chase: twelve years after Ron and Dennis's convictions DNA evidence showed that the imprisoned men were innocent and that Glen Gore was guilty. Ron and Dennis were released from prison but DA Peterson - in a major demonstration of stubborn hubris - refused to apologize. In fact, he indicated that he still thought of the two men as suspects and might even retry them if he found more evidence. Of course this preyed on Ron's already troubled mind. Nevertheless, six years later Gore was finally convicted of Pamela's murder.
Dennis Fritz was exonerated
Ron Williamson was freed
Glen Gore was convicted
The book is interesting and informative...but also sad and disheartening. I felt angry that the Ada police and DA Peterson were not held to account for their outrageous behavior. In fact a google search revealed that Peterson tried to sue Grisham and other people who wrote books about the case, claiming they libelled him (as if!) However, Peterson was routinely unsuccessful with these lawsuits.
On the negative side the book is overly long and goes into too much detail about every aspect of Ron's life. Grisham details all of Ron's childhood/teen sports (he played baseball and basketball); his antics to get his parents and sister to pay for nice clothes, a car, and expensive sports camps; Ron's many unsuccessful experiences with minor league baseball teams; his injuries and rehabilitations; Ron's bar-hopping and picking up women; his horrible years on death row; the round of talk shows and celebrations when Ron and Dennis are released from prison; and finally Ron's ongoing physical decline and eventual death in a nursing home. It's just a little too much.
Still, this cautionary tale about justice gone wrong is worth reading and instructive.
Rating: 3.5 stars
In this fifth book in the 'Dr. Quirke' series, the pathologist helps investigate the deaths of two businessmen. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Wealthy Dublin businessman Victor Delahaye invites Davey Clancy, the 25-year-old son of his business partner, out on his sailboat.
Victor then proceeds to shoot himself in the chest. Soon afterward Delahaye's business partner Jack Clancy, who was secretly maneuvering to take over the company, is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
Pathologist Dr. Quirke helps his friend, Detective Inspector Hackett, look into both cases.
Plenty of persons of interest turn up: Victor's beautiful, flirtatious, manipulative wife Mona;
His handsome, hard-partying, adult twin sons Jonas and James;
His quiet, self-effacing sister Maggie;
And Jack Clancy's wife Sylvia who has had to put up with her husband's constant womanizing.
The book is as much a character study as a mystery and at times I wanted the interactions among the characters to move along faster. The resolution of the mystery probably won't come as a total surprise but it's an entertaining book.
A shout-out to the evocative book cover also.
Rating: 3 stars
In this fourth book in the 'Cat in the Stacks' cozy mystery series, library archivist Charlie Harris investigates the murder of the town's most unpopular woman. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Charlie Harris, a middle-age southern gentleman living in Athena, Mississippi, is the archivist at the Athena College Library and a regular volunteer at the Athena Public Library.
Charlie is almost always accompanied by Diesel - his 36-pound Maine Coon cat - who strolls around with a harness and leash. Diesel is an amiable fellow who warbles to express his opinions and solicits pats and strokes from everyone around.
As the story opens the 'Friends of the Library' are meeting at Charlie's house to discuss the upcoming fundraiser. The octogenarian, 'old money', blueblood sisters Miss An'gel and Miss Dickce Ducote want to host a merry costume gala - with finger foods - at their mansion. By contrast, 75-year-old, 'new money', upstart Vera Cassity wants to hold an elegant sit-down-dinner at her estate.
The Ducotes win and gloat about their victory over Vera - who's a pushy and unpopular bully. In fact when Charlie's housekeeper, Azalea Berry, hears that Vera was in 'her house' she becomes enraged.....though she won't give details about her grievance.
A few days after the meeting, Vera pays a visit to Charlie at the Athena College Library. Vera says she's writing a pamphlet about the town's first families and needs to look at the Ducotes' papers in the archives. When Charlie tells Vera the Ducote collection isn't open to the public, Vera is infuriated.....and Charlie wonders about her ulterior motive.
The night of the fundraiser rolls around and the attendees show up dressed as their favorite literary characters, such as Hercule Poirot, Ariadne Oliver, Thomas Pitt, Mma Ramotswe, Amelia Peabody and more. Vera, who's dressed as Scarlet O'Hara, immediately gets into a ruckus with a fellow guest. Moreover, the Ducote siblings engineer a plan to frustrate Vera's ambitions.
Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver
Thomas Pitt
Mma Ramotswe
Amelia Peabody
Scarlet O'Hara
After the party's been rocking for a while, with plenty of eating and drinking, Vera's dead body is found at the bottom of a back staircase. Unfortunately, Charlie's housekeeper Azalea is nearby - trying to get out of a blocked door. The sheriff considers Azalea the prime suspect for Vera's murder, but Charlie's certain she's innocent and sets out to prove it.
The 'suspects' at the top of Charlie's list include the Ducote sisters; Vera's husband Monty; and Monty's (not so secret) extramarital girlfriend.....but anyone at the party could be the perp. To aid in his quest to find 'the real killer' Charlie talks to Azalea; interviews persons of interest; discusses the case with his girlfriend Helen Louise; and (secretly) liases with deputy sheriff Kanesha Berry - who's off the case because she's Azalea's daughter.
During his investigation Charlie receives a previously mailed letter from Vera containing a photograph of a woman.
This inspires the amateur sleuth to look into the library's archives, where he learns some very surprising things. Eventually Charlie puts all the clues together and solves the crime.
Much of the book's fun rests with Diesel, who's always angling to be petted by bumping his head against people's hands; climbing into people's laps; sitting beside people on the sofa; etc. Like all good pets Diesel also cadges food and treats, especially bits of bacon from the breakfast table. The humans in this story eat well also, especially because Charlie's lady friend is a professional baker and chef. 🙂
This is an entertaining cozy mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.
Rating: 3 stars
