Review of "Past Lying: A Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie Novel" by Val McDermid

This review was first posted on Mystery & Suspense Magazine. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/pa...


In this seventh book in the Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie series, the police investigate the disappearance of an aspiring writer. The book works fine as a standalone.



DCI Karen Pirie of Police Scotland's Historic Cases Unit (HCU) believes solving cold cases is just as important as solving new ones, to give bereaved people answers. In 2020, however, investigating any case is constrained by the Covid pandemic lockdown. Covid regulations in Scotland mandate that people remain inside except for one hour per day, when they're permitted to go out to take a walk, purchase necessities, and perform other errands.



Karen and her HCU team member, Detective Sergeant Daisy Mortimer, are in lockdown together.....



......staying in the luxurious apartment of Karen's boyfriend, Hamish Mackenzie, who's overseeing his working croft in the Highlands.



Karen's other assistant, Detective Constable Jason Murray, is residing with his fiancée, passing the time playing video games.



The HCU is called into action when DC Jason Murray gets a call from an acquaintance named Meera Reddy, who's an archivist at the National Library.



Meera has been cataloguing papers from the estate of deceased crime novelist Jake Stein, and Stein's unpublished manuscript, titled 'The Vanishing of Laurel Oliver,' has made Meera uneasy. It seems the victim in the Laurel Oliver story has the same rare seizure malady as a young woman called Lara Hardie, who REALLY disappeared a year ago.



Karen and Daisy get a copy of 'The Vanishing of Laurel Oliver,' which - in a nutshell - has the following plot: A crime writer named Jamie Cobain, whose career is on the skids, is resentful of his fellow scribe Rob Thomas, whose career is on the ascent. Moreover, Jamie's wife is having an affair with Rob. So Jamie decides to murder someone and frame Rob for the crime. Laurel Oliver, a shy, aspiring writer who goes to Jamie's book-signing, is a convenient victim, and Jamie carries out his plan.



Karen and Daisy suspect that fictional murderer Jamie Cobain is really author Jake Stein;



fictional rival Rob Thomas is a real-life novelist called Ross McEwen;



and Laurel Oliver is really Lara Hardie. The police have some leeway regarding the Covid restrictions, and the HCU gets on the job, using clues in Stein's manuscript to search for Lara Hardie's body. The investigation takes some unexpected turns, and the detectives need all their skills to find the truth.

Karen has to navigate around her difficult boss, Assistant Chief Constable Ann Markie (aka The Dog Biscuit), to pursue the Lara Hardie case, but Karen is determined to bring closure to Lara's heartsick family.



The Dog Biscuit has always been a thorn in Karen's side, and Karen fervently hopes Markie gets a Chief Constable job in England.

Meanwhile, the HCU detectives are dealing with issues in their own lives. Karen is helping a Syrian refugee who's the target of assassins for exposing abuse in a Syrian prison. Daisy is trying to sustain an online romance. And Jason's mother is ill with Covid and his petty criminal brother is causing trouble.

In addition to having a clever premise, the novel provides a realistic portrait of the paranoid atmosphere engendered by the Covid pandemic.



People are deathly afraid of getting sick, and the HCU detectives must maneuver around lockdown rules to search for clues, interview witnesses, and try to find out what really happened.

Val McDermid is an excellent mystery writer, and this novel is a fine addition to her oeuvre.

Thanks to Netgalley, Val McDermid, and Grove Atlantic for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Hello, Molly! A Memoir" by Molly Shannon

 

Molly Shannon


Molly Shannon, born in 1964, is an American actress and comedian who portrayed hilarious characters on Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 1995 to 2001. Shannon went on to appear in many films and television shows, and her career is still going strong. In this memoir, Molly shares anecdotes from her life and work, both of which had ups and downs.

When Molly was 4-years-old, her family drove from their house in Cleveland, Ohio to a cousin's graduation party two hours away. After the all-day festivities, Molly's 25-year-old cousin Fran grabbed a ride back with the Shannons. Molly's dad Jim was driving and apparently lost focus, sideswiped a car, then hit a light pole head-on. Molly's mother Peg, 3-year-old sister Katie, and cousin Fran died; Molly and her 6-year-old sister Mary were injured; and Molly's dad Jim was badly hurt and would always need a leg brace.


Molly Shannon's parents, Jim and Peg Shannon


Molly's mother Peg Shannon with her three daughters

The tragedy profoundly affected Molly, whose whole world collapsed. Molly felt her teachers couldn't see how hard she was struggling, and she tended to act out and misbehave. Molly writes, "Beginning in kindergarten, I sought out the worst-behaved boys and did what they were doing."


Young Molly Shannon

When Molly got a little older, she started playing creative games with her best friend Ann. Molly recalls, "The two of us lived in our own explosive, magical world of playing house and making up stories and doing characters and voices. We were always working on impersonations of people we knew, honing accents."

Molly's interest in performing stepped up when professional choreographers came to her Catholic school, St. Dominic, and taught the children an Irish musical number for St. Patrick's Day. Molly thought, "I love this. Wow."


St. Dominic School

Meanwhile, Molly's dad struggled with drinking and taking care of his daughters....but Molly loved him dearly. She observes, "I saw [my dad] as a real rebel and radical thinker who didn't want to play by the rules." Jim would make Molly and her friend Ann sneak into amusement parks; he would undress mannequins in the mall to make them laugh; he would encourage the girls to grab wigs from a wig store and wear them; and he was silly and mischievous. When Molly was 13 and Ann was 11, Jim even encouraged them to slip onto a commercial jet as a prank, and they did. The girls sneaked onto a plane to New York City (which was much easier to do in those days) and had fun being juvenile delinquents in New York stores and restaurants until they returned home.


Times Square in 1977

In addition to being a fun guy, Jim also had a flash temper, and could get nasty at the drop of a hat. Molly often didn't know what to expect, and writes, "I either adored my dad or was frustrated and at the end of my rope." In the end, though, Jim was a driving force for Molly's future career. She notes, "My dad was very much responsible for making me who I am. He gave me a lot of confidence. He was like the Mama Rose to my Gypsy Rose. He really believed in me, understood me, and gave me great advice."

Molly relates many tales about her childhood and her early experiences in 'show business', like the time she played Dorothy in the school play The Wizard of Oz at age eleven. Molly fell in love with acting and actors and the whole atmosphere.


Young Molly Shannon enjoyed playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz

In 1984 Molly began school at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, and this was a formative period in her life. Molly worked in restaurants to pay for school; met all sorts of people; and had all kinds of experiences. Before graduating from NYU, Molly spent a summer in Los Angeles, and relates a funny (but harrowing) story about almost being assaulted by diminutive actor Gary Coleman from “Diff’rent Strokes."


Gary Coleman

After college, Molly relocated to California and worked hard to get representation and break into the entertainment industry. Finally, after spending time honing her craft, Molly made it onto SNL. A good part of the book describes Molly's experiences on the program, where she worked with many talented people, and perfected characters like Mary Katherine Gallagher, Sally O'Malley, and others. (You can see clips of SNL on You Tube, and one where 50-year-old 'dancer' Sally O'Malley auditions for a job in Tony Soprano's strip club is hysterical.)


Molly Shannon as Mary Katherine Gallagher on SNL


Molly Shannon as Sally O'Malley on SNL


Molly Shannon (center) with Ana Gasteyer and Alec Baldwin on SNL

Molly remained close to her father, and writes, "Dad was so proud of me.....Since my dad always wanted to be an actor but said he didn't have the confidence, when I went and did that for him, it gave him access to a world that he'd always wanted to be a part of. Marci Klein. Lorne Michaels. Jim Downey. Conan O'Brien. Adam Sandler. I gave it to him.....and THEY loved him."


Molly Shannon with her father Jim Shannon

Molly also became a movie and television actress. She had roles in the films Never Been Kissed, Superstar, Shallow Hal, Evan Almighty, Bad Teacher, Other People, and more; Molly also appeared on the television shows Will and Grace, Sex and the City, The Middle, Raising Hope, The White Lotus, and others.


Molly Shannon in The White Lotus

Towards the end of Molly's stint on SNL, when she was 36-years-old, Molly met her future husband, artist Fritz Chestnut. Molly left SNL because she wanted to develop a personal life. Molly notes, "I had been so work-oriented for so long. I wanted to get coffee with friends and start a family. I wanted to enjoy my life and take a break from work. And I wanted to spend more time with my dad."


Molly Shannon and Fritz Chestnut

It was at about this time that Molly's manager, Steven Levy, told Molly that her dad Jim was gay. Steven told Molly, "We've been talking, and he's ready for you to know. He just doesn't know how to tell you." Molly was thrilled to learn the truth. She observes, "Suddenly everything made sense - the craziness, the drinking, the anger. I realized he hadn't gotten to be himself. Deep compassion, love, and understanding just flooded in." Sadly Jim died from cancer in 2002.

Towards the end of the book Molly includes remembrances about her mother, written by friends and family, and writes a little about her marriage and children, named Stella and Nolan. Molly tries to teach her children that life is an adventure and it's important to have fun.


Molly Shannon with her husband Fritz Chestnut and their children

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Molly Shannon, and Molly's lively personality and impish streak come across loud and clear.

I enjoyed the book. If you're a Molly Shannon fan, this is a must read.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Being Henry: The Fonz.....and Beyond" by Henry Winkler

To television fans of a certain generation, Henry Winkler will always be associated with Fonzie - the charismatic, motorcycle-riding, cool guy he played in the sitcom 'Happy Days.' Winkler has also been called the nicest man in Hollywood, and this memoir supports that impression.

Henry Winkler as Fonzie

Winkler, born in New York City in 1945, didn't have it easy as a youngster. Winkler's parents, Ilsa and Harry, were Jewish German immigrants who expected their son to make them proud. Unfortunately, Henry was severely dyslexic and couldn't learn to read or do math. This led to constant criticism from Ilsa and Harry, who thought punishing Henry would make him do better in school. So Ilsa and Harry grounded Henry, forbid him to watch television, called him names, shamed him, sent him to summer school year after year, and more.....all to no avail.


Young Henry Winkler

Moreover, Harry wanted his son to take over the family lumber business, and sent Henry to be a summer apprentice at a lumber mill in Germany. However, from a young age, Henry only wanted to act. Winkler writes, "I can't remember not feeling an intense need to perform. I recall putting on my sister's muumuu bathrobe, applying some makeup, and popping out into my parents' parties with little dramatic presentations."

Despite being in the bottom three percent of students in the country, Winkler managed to get into Emerson College and then the Yale School of Drama. Afterwards, Henry was invited to join the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1970, which he found to be "so much fun; so exhilarating."



In time Winkler got an agent named Joan Scott and started getting television commercials for things like American Airlines, Sanka coffee, and Talon zippers.


Henry Winkler in a Sanka commercial

Henry's first 'big' role was Butchey Weinstein in the movie 'The Lords of Flatbush', which was about "four leather-jacketed guys who were more interested in making it with girls than rumbling with other gangs."


Henry Winkler in The Lords of Flatbush. From left: Paul Mace, Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler, Perry King

Winkler repeatedly notes that he's "very careful" with money, but in 1973 he took his entire savings of $1000 and flew to Los Angeles, to try his luck in Hollywood. Henry never even considered paying for lodging, but couch-surfed and phone-surfed, trying to get work. Winkler was even too frugal to get headshots, and carried his resumes in a brown paper grocery bag instead of a leather portfolio like other actors.

Nevertheless, Winkler began to get roles, starting with a guest shot on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', and then the part of Arthur Fonzarelli (Fonzie) on 'Happy Days.


Henry Winkler on The Mary Tyler Moore Show

A good part of the book discusses 'Happy Days', including what happened when the Fonzie character became more popular than the Richie character, played by Ron Howard, who was supposed to be the star of the show.


Happy Days Cast. Front Row: Don Most, Erin Moran, Marion Ross, Ron Howard. Back Row: Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley, Anson Williams

Sadly, Winkler learned there's a downside to fame, because after playing Fonzie for eleven years Henry was SO typecast he had difficulty finding other acting roles, and had to work in other areas of show business for many years.

In 1976 Henry met Stacey Weitzman, the pretty, red-headed, single mother of a little boy named Jed.....and it was romance at first sight. The couple eventually wed, had two children called Zoe and Max, and have been married for 47 years. Winkler writes a good bit about his family, of whom he's very proud.


Henry Winkler and Stacey Weitzman


Henry Winkler and Stacey Weitzman get married in a Manhattan synagogue


Henry Winkler, Stacey Weitzman, and their children

Winkler includes many personal anecdotes in the book. For example, Henry writes: "My love of gardening started with spider plants, all of them descendants of a single plant that Tante Anna (Aunt Anna) had smuggled out of Nazi Germany along with herself in, believe it or not, a coffin."


Henry Winkler with one of his spider plants

The Winkler family also loved dogs, and after some of their brood succumbed to old age, Henry observes, "Our home clearly needed some puppy energy, and Waffles, a Wheaten Terrier, came along to fill the bill, or so it seemed at first. Because Waffles, it turned out, had just one goal in life. To run around the pool at top speed. [Our son] Jed was ten, and he needed a dog he could interact with. Enter Tootsie Anna Marie, a beautiful black lab. When Jed and I played catch, and as Waffles zoomed around the pool in the background, Tootsie played outfield. If Jed or I missed a catch, she brought the ball right back to me and politely dropped it in my mitt."




Henry Winkler loves dogs

Winkler also writes about himself and his wife Stacey working with challenged and troubled children; Stacey's battle with breast cancer; Henry's lifelong resentment of his parents; Henry and Stacey's son Max growing up to become a director; Henry and Stacey's daughter Zoe growing up to become a children's teacher; Henry's therapy; and much more.

Getting back to Winkler's career, after playing Fonzie, he produced 'McGyver' and other popular television shows; did voice acting in animated programs; took up directing; did some movies and plays; and eventually became a popular actor again in television shows like 'Arrested Development', 'Parks and Recreation', and 'Barry.'


Henry Winkler plays an incompetent lawyer in Arrested Development


Henry Winkler plays an obstetrician in Parks and Recreation


Henry Winkler plays an acting teacher in Barry

Winkler also used his experience with dyslexia to write a series of children's novels with author Lin Oliver, about a boy named Hank Zipzer who has learning difficulties. Henry began giving talks across the country about his struggles and notes, "I've now given hundreds of these talks.... and it is wonderful to see what a positive force the Fonz has been in so many people's lives.....it is about us, all the people who have felt less than because of something wired in their brain from birth, something that was not their fault."


Hank Zipzer books

Winkler speaks well of most people he met during his long career, and his book is a 'who's who' of show business folks, including acting teachers, agents, managers, writers, publicists, directors, producers, actors, actresses, etc. It feels like Henry has met every well-known person in the western entertainment industry. Lamentably, a few Hollywood bigwigs were not very congenial, such as producer/director John Rich, and they get a mention as well.


Henry Winkler with Ron Howard and John Ritter


Henry Winkler with Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving


Henry Winkler with Adam Sandler


Henry Winkler with Kathy Bates


Henry Winkler with Jean Smart

Try as Winkler might, he'll never get away from being the Fonz. Henry writes, "People come up to me all the time. I hold their hands, I look them in the eye. They say, My father and I watched you. I can't believe I'm meeting you.....Oh my God. My daughter and I watched you.....Oh my God. My grandmother and I watched you.....Or they're filming you with their phone".....and so on. Quite a legacy.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Henry Winkler, and it was great to hear Henry's story in his own voice.

Thanks to Netgalley, Henry Winkler, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

Rating: 4 stars