Category: Books & Novels

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Agatha Christie-Related Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense Sherlock Holmes-Related

HOLMES, MARPLE & POE

Written by James Patterson & Brian Sitts

SUMMARY:

Released by Little, Brown and Company in 2023, this 339-page hardcover debuts an enigmatic New York City private investigation firm consisting of: Brendan Mark Holmes; Margaret Marple; and Auguste Poe, all brilliant detectives in their own distinctive ways. 

Each eerily resembling their familiar namesake: this Holmes, among other possibly dark secrets, possesses both a supernatural sense of smell and perhaps unmatched mastery of forensic science; the compassionate and insightful Marple is their best undercover tactician; and the suave Poe, who understands handheld weaponry seemingly better than anyone.  Sharing a massive library at the refurbished industrial factory serving as both office and home, the detective trio can recite their literary inspirations at will. 

Quickly solving a young attorney’s sensationalized disappearance/murder, the three sleuths launch their new firm to public acclaim and instantly earn the scorn of the city’s police commissioner.  Worse yet, the firm brings their first case’s ugly details literally to the doorstep of New York City’s mayor.  Unsurprisingly, a humiliated Mayor Felix Rollins becomes another formidable enemy they may think twice of crossing. 

NYPD homicide detective, Lt. Helene Gray, and FBI Special Agent Brita Stans both become involved in the team’s investigations of several ongoing mysteries.  Among them include: a socialite’s kidnapped daughter; a baffling theft of literary artifacts from a sleazy billionaire’s impregnable safe; a grisly discovery of multiple corpses linked to an unknown serial killer; and the death of a Texas model. 

Marple also becomes determined to end a tragically unsolved ghost story: the 1954 homicide of a teenage girl on the premises of their present-day headquarters, which was once a bread factory.  The team’s invaluable new secretary, Virginia, soon joins Marple in seeking to put this cold case at last to rest.    

Risking their lives multiple times, Poe, Marple, and a potentially self-destructive Holmes find danger lurking in unexpected corners.  Suffice to say, the team racks up fresh victories as often as they incur more threats drawing even closer to home.  Though naturally suspicious of her new rivals, Gray finds herself reluctantly attracted both to Poe’s sophisticated aura and to the trio’s unorthodox mastery of crime-solving.

Yet, the rules they keep bending and established law enforcement procedures the trio flagrantly ignore makes Gray both their best ally and now possibly their worst enemy.  The question becomes: given their shadowy pasts, who are Holmes, Marple, and Poe, really?  The answer may be a smoke-and-mirrors mystery that Gray can’t and perhaps shouldn’t solve.  

Note: This title is also available in large print, digitally, and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

With co-author Brian Sitts, James Patterson has concocted another potential TV or movie property just waiting to happen. Some readers might have preferred one singular murder-mystery vs. this hodgepodge, but the latter approach still engages the audience with equal depth to each of its rotating mysteries.

The less said about outlandish plot contrivances the better, as Patterson and Sitts focus far more on delivering a potent, hard-edged thriller. The intriguing cast of characters makes an ideal fit for the multiple plot threads coherently weaved throughout the novel.  Hence, it may take a few reads to absorb every detail lurking within this unique whodunnit. 

Overcoming its heavy doses of implausibility, Holmes, Marple & Poe makes for an entertaining, high-concept ride.      

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a biography page, with a paragraph allotted to each co-author.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                              8 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

LION & LAMB

Written by James Patterson & Duane Swierczynski

SUMMARY:

Released by Little, Brown & Company in 2023, James Patterson collaborated with co-author Duane Swierczynski on this murder-mystery pairing rival Philadelphia private detectives in the most dangerously high-profile case of their careers.  At its seedy core is the city’s premier power couple: Grammy-winning songstress Francine Pearl Hughes and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Archie Hughes.  To some degree, Francine’s glamorous talents overshadow her husband’s legendary gridiron exploits.      

Late in the night before the NFC Championship Game, Archie is found murdered inside his flashy Maserati near the city’s art museum.  All too conveniently, his brutal homicide is missing from all adjacent security camera footage.  Given the inevitable public outrage, Philadelphia’s best homicide cop, Mickey Bernstein, urges the city’s police commissioner to assemble a task force, so the unknown culprit (or culprits) can be quickly apprehended.  A world-weary Bernstein, per his own recommendation, is assigned this team’s command by the commissioner.

Meanwhile, with two young children at home, Francine isn’t exactly grieving.  With the murder weapon found partially buried in the garden of the posh Hughes estate, she becomes the instant prime suspect.  Scandalized in the media, her arrest for killing Archie is now imminent.  Francine’s defense counsel hires unorthodox private detective Cooper Lamb, Sr. to quickly confirm her client’s innocence.  Having successfully negotiated his list of demands (including access to Philadelphia Eagle autographs for his kids), Cooper immediately pivots towards Archie’s questionable choice in associates.     

The Philadelphia district attorney similarly hires Veena Lion – Cooper’s professional rival and friendly ex-lover, to investigate the case independently of Bernstein’s high-powered task force, which he is already leery of. Behind a pair of ever-present sunglasses, Veena (and her knack for secretly recording conversations) suspects that likely others, besides Archie’s widow, may have wanted the quarterback dead for reasons beyond the Super Bowl’s outcome.      

Cooper, a divorced dad with two young children, uses his military experience, wits, and, rather shamelessly, his cute canine sidekick, to compile a growing list of alternative suspects.  Courtesy of his assistant Victor’s computer hacking expertise, Cooper eyes the Eagles’ sleazy father-and-son owners; an assortment of jealous teammates; and possibly even Archie & Francine’s enigmatic nanny. 

Complicating Cooper’s probe is a resentful Bernstein, as they mutually despise one another.  Bernstein’s rival efforts include fast-tracking the search for Archie’s missing Super Bowl ring.  This stolen ring may be crucial to building airtight evidence against Francine and her possible accomplices.       

Veena and her own assistant, Janie, pursue additional leads, including the Hughes’ disgruntled ex-chef and rumors of shady dealings linked to Atlantic City gambling circles.  Probing parallel trajectories, Veena and Cooper regularly compare notes over drinks.  They both commit to exposing the sordid truth – no matter how ugly it is becoming. 

With two subsequent murders quickly hushing up witnesses, Cooper is repeatedly threatened by multiple sources to stop digging.  In only a few days, Veena and Cooper’s tenacity has their shadowy opposition desperate enough to make the Hughes murder case their last, no matter who must die next. 

Notes: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.  The story’s occasional profanities are blacked out.

REVIEW:

One can’t be too surprised that Lion & Lamb just marginally surpasses its eyerolling title.  Co-authors James Patterson and Duane Swierczynski’s slickly plotted thriller gladly follows a genre blueprint on how to best please readers with superficial effort.  Hence, the novel’s undemanding contents are a veritable cliché-fest from the get-go. 

For red flag starters, the notion of Philadelphia’ district attorney would regularly employ freelance private detectives to run shadow investigations exudes far more glaring implausibility than mere contrivance.  Analogy-wise: having Scotland Yard routinely consult either Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot makes sense because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and later Agatha Christie sold this premise well enough. 

Lion & Lamb, by comparison, opts to have its rival freelancers interchangeably taking gigs from the highest legal bidder – including a district attorney, who should logically have a staff of in-house investigators available.  In other words, the underlying motive for ultra-cool sleuths Veena Lion and Cooper Lamb tilts more towards opportunistic paydays and bragging rights than any supposed search for ‘truth’ they commit to share.     

One might say Lion & Lamb resembles Janet Evanovich’s Fox & O’Hare series, along with some elements of the 1991 Bruce Willis/Damon Wayans action thriller, The Last Boy Scout.  Throw in unsubtle allusions to NFL corruption and mob-affiliated gambling, and one gets the gist of the plot’s shallow contents.  With a complicated homicide investigation deftly wrapped up inside of two weeks, the storyline’s absurd lack of realism is only exacerbated by a feel-good, family-friendly finish.          

Lion & Lamb is obviously meant to spawn Hollywood-style thriller entertainment, presumably with hopes of snaring a potential TV or film adaptation.  One needn’t look further than the book cover to guess where these seemingly mismatched partners are inevitably going.  Hence, the unoriginal tag line’s wording is exactly what one might expect to see on a movie poster — for instance, perhaps pairing Ana de Armas and Chris Evans again.  More so, the novel’s hip substitution of ‘transcripts’ in lieu of building a chapter’s substance is seemingly lazy code for what this formulaic potboiler would look like in script form. 

Ironically, the underwritten Veena Lion and Cooper Lamb don’t stand out amidst a glut of competition in this genre, whether it’s in literature or Hollywood. Aside from Veena’s vivid green eyes, far too little describes what either of these sleuths even looks like. For that matter, only the presence of Cooper’s ex-wife and their young children (and a reference to his military stint) gives readers some idea of his backstory.

Veena’s past doesn’t even reach such minimal details – the authors convey her personality as stylish and high-maintenance, leaving it at that. Hence, Patterson and Swierczynski have imbued their title characters with supposedly catchy last names and virtually nothing else. It’s no wonder then that their storyline relies upon cruise control in peddling this unimaginative whodunnit’s allotment of plot twists.

For practicality’s sake, it’s probably best to catch Patterson & Duane Swierczynski’s Philadelphia private eye caper at the library.  Lion & Lamb is otherwise an easily forgettable diversion for readers.       

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

The co-authors provide an acknowledgements page, along with their paragraph-long biographies.  After its black-and-white cover image, included is a twelve-page preview of Patterson’s next collaboration.  With co-author Mike Lupica, the novel is entitled 12 Months To Live.  It’s the start of a new mystery-thriller series featuring defense attorney/ex-NYPD cop and ex-private detective Jane Smith.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  5 Stars

Categories
Anthologies Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Mystery & Suspense Sherlock Holmes-Related

THE IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

SUMMARY:

Released in 2009 by Night Shade Books, editor/journalist John Joseph Adams (with help from David Barr Kirtley) assembled this 454-page paperback. 

Specifically, Adams complied twenty-eight original Sherlock Holmes short stories borrowed from various other anthologies (between 1987 and 2009), each by a different author.  Usually conveyed through Dr. Watson’s traditional point-of-view, these tales explore the iconic British sleuth in an array of genres including science fiction, horror, swashbuckling adventure, and mind-bending fantasy. 

Familiar names, including Irene Adler, Professor Moriarty, Colonel Sebastian Moran, H.G. Wells, and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will resurface.  Two very different interpretations of Holmes’ unexplained Friesland steamship case are explored.  The same also applies to Jack the Ripper.  Some literary team-ups and/or unusual crossovers are also among this anthology’s features.  Adams introduces each author, with an additional brief transition alluding to the story’s particular mechanism or inspiration.    

Notes: These tales are not presented in any chronological order.  This title is also available digitally and in an audiobook format.

  • “The Doctor’s Case” by Stephen King.  With Holmes now long dead, a ninety-year-old Dr. Watson divulges the one instance he unraveled a seemingly perfect crime before his best friend could.  The flashback shifts to a rainy London afternoon in 1899.  Scotland Yard’s Inspector Lestrade retrieves Holmes and Watson from 221b Baker Street to decipher a locked room enigma.  Earlier in the day, decrepit shipping tycoon Albert Hull was found stabbed to death in his study.  The baffling homicide’s prime suspects consist of three resentful adult sons and the victim’s abused wife.  With Holmes largely distracted by his allergic reaction to cats, Watson must step up his deductive game. 

Mini-Review # 1: Stephen King’s impressive writing style can’t hide this tale’s glaring implausibility.  Aside from a ‘shock value’ finish, King contrives that Lestrade (and, by extension, Holmes & Watson) would merely accept the Hull family’s witness statements at face value.  King ought to have conveyed that Lestrade’s hurried investigation included outside corroboration (and, accordingly, allow sufficient transition time — say, push back Holmes & Watson’s entrance from early afternoon to nightfall).  Such peripheral details would have surely boosted his tale’s credibility.  6/10 Stars.   

  • “The Horror of the Many Faces” by Tim Lebbon.  Come one dark London night, Dr. Watson is chilled to witness Holmes gleefully eviscerate an unknown victim in a secluded Baker Street alleyway.  Multiple horrific homicides committed the same way plague London over two nights where eyewitnesses observe different culprits each time.  It’s up to Watson to confront this insidious adversary, who resembles Holmes.  Troubling Watson is near certainty that his best friend has succumbed to a bloodthirsty, psychotic madness. 

Mini-Review # 2: This gory 2003 science fiction/horror ‘what if’ succeeds in the sense that there is no clear-cut finish, let alone any sense of triumph.  Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s works, Tim Lebbon concocts a ghoulish read where Holmes and Watson are seemingly outmatched at their most desperate hour.  Not for the squeamish, but this dark alternate reality is worth a read.  7½/10 Stars.    

Note: For some ‘comparison shopping,’ Geoffrey A. Landis’ “The Singular Habits of Wasps” also explores ghastly sci-fi terrain later in this anthology.

  • “The Case of the Bloodless Sock” by Anne Perry.  During Dr. Watson’s visit to the English countryside, his prosperous friend’s daughter is abducted two consecutive days.  The little girl is then returned home both times at midnight.  Her kidnapper’s taunting note compels the doctor to summon Holmes from London for urgent help.  Holmes concurs with Watson that Professor Moriarty is playing an ominous new game.  

Mini-Review # 3: Anne Perry comes the closest to recapturing the conventional style of a Holmes mystery Conan Doyle might have devised for the Strand Magazine.  Yet, her ‘how-dunnit’ tale ironically rates among this anthology’s dullest and most forgettable stories.  Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot short story, “The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly” comes to mind, comparatively speaking. 

Perry’s plotting, suffice to say, comes off as almost too imitative of Conan Doyle to make her own unique impression.  That’s why “Bloodless Sock” becomes a blur shortly upon reading far more daring competition by other authors in this collection.  5½/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of The Other Detective” by Bradley H. Sinor.  Returning home one foggy London night, Dr. Watson inexplicably finds himself transported into an alternate reality where his own counterpart has been dead ten years.  Even more shocking is that Baker Street is home to England’s premier consulting detective: Professor James Moriarty. With Dr. Mary Morstan’s help, Watson and Moriarty must thwart a prison break scheme involving Jack the Ripper, Col. Sebastian Moran, and this world’s greatest criminal genius: Sherlock Holmes.  

Mini-Review # 4: Bradley H. Sinor concocts this anthology’s best and arguably most imaginative tale.  Though there are some violent sequences, Sinor doesn’t push actual gore simply because of Jack the Ripper’s presence.  Not only is every fantastic alternate world element well-played, but this story’s plot twists celebrate the unexpected.  Highly recommended!   9/10 Stars.       

Note: For an intriguing comparison, Neil Gaiman’s Lovecraft-influenced “A Study in Emerald” is another alternate reality re-imagining Holmes and Moriarty as perennial adversaries.

  • “A Scandal in Montreal” by Edward D. Hoch.  More than twenty years have elapsed since “A Scandal in Bohemia.”  With a visiting Dr. Watson back at his side, a retired Holmes is unexpectedly summoned from his Sussex bee farm to Montreal by an old acquaintance, now widowed.  Once in Canada, Holmes and Watson must seek out Irene Adler’s elusive college-age son, who has become the prime suspect in the homicide of a romantic rival. 

Mini-Review # 5: Edward D. Hoch’s contribution is among this anthology’s straightest arrows, in terms of storytelling.   Though a few surprises would have been appreciated, at least Hoch doesn’t resort to peddling the ‘long-lost son’ cliché one might expect.  Hoch’s down-to-earth Irene Adler enjoys a platonic friendship with Holmes that makes both of them come off as likably low-key in their middle age.  If anything, Hoch delivers a cozy whodunnit that Conan Doyle fans can appreciate for its faithful homage to the iconic characters.   6/10 Stars.   

  • “The Adventure of the Field Theorems” by Vonda N. McIntyre.  The latest celebrity client for Holmes and Dr. Watson is none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Though privately deriding Doyle’s gullibility for paranormal hoaxes, the Baker Street duo help the physician/author investigate unexplained crop circles found in the Surrey countryside.  Doyle, despite Holmes’ eye-rolling skepticism, is convinced that these otherworldly geometric patterns are the first step towards open communications with either ghosts or even possibly Martians.   

Mini-Review # 6: Loaded with trivial tidbits perusing Conan Doyle’s private interests in the paranormal, Vonda N. McIntyre’s caper has Holmes and his creator teaming up while matching wits.  With McIntyre’s take on Conan Doyle as essentially a naïve buffoon, it’s up to Holmes & Watson to surpass Robert Stack’s Unsolved Mysteries, as far as debunking bizarre crop circles and alien abductions.  One of the story’s best assets is playing up how, like Houdini, an indignant Holmes must defend his skills from ignorant public misassumptions that he is a supernatural phenomenon.     

As a loaded historical in-joke, “Field Theorems” is a delight to read.  Though this tale is hardly wacky, one practically wishes for a wink-wink cameo from Marvin the Martian.   8/10 Stars.   

  • “The Adventure of the Death-Fetch” by Darrell Schweitzer.  Confiding in a family friend’s college-age son, an elderly Dr. Watson reveals a secret case from decades ago that Holmes had vehemently demanded be suppressed from public knowledge.  Per Watson’s flashback, the daughter of a celebrated British explorer desperately seeks out Holmes for help. Hearing her father’s admission of his ominous Southern Asian jungle adventures, Holmes readily senses that evil is afoot.  Yet, the sleuth rejects the idea that a supernatural impersonator is stalking their client. With no time to lose, Holmes must contend with the reoccurrence of this sinister mirror image as the prelude to his client’s imminent and horrific death.   

Mini-Review # 7: While his story’s bookends to the flashback could have been better, Darrell Schweitzer is spot-on conveying a dose of grisly supernatural horror.  Including a gruesome nod to Indiana Jones, the “Death-Fetch” is one of this anthology’s nastiest yet best-devised entries.  8/10 Stars.   

  • “The Shocking Affair of the Dutch Steamship Friesland” by Mary Robinette Kowal.  As told in private correspondence written forty years later, Holmes and Dr. Watson fatefully meet a fellow steamship passenger: a distressed young bride prior to her arranged marriage.  She may be the key to unlocking the sinister truth behind an Italian political couple’s assassination.     

Mini-Review # 8: While Mary Robinette Kowal’s dark tale of political intrigue is kept short, her characters are effectively characterized.  This story is worthy of inclusion in this anthology.   6½/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of the Mummy’s Curse” by H. Paul Jeffers. Holmes, on Watson’s behalf, probes a supposed deadly curse on an Egyptian archaeological expedition that has recently impacted one of the doctor’s old Army buddies. 

Mini-Review # 9: Reminiscent of Hercule Poirot’s case, “The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb” (but not nearly as icky), H. Paul Jeffers teases a supernatural whodunnit.  Yet, its subsequent blandness gives way to a far more conventional and tidy Conan Doyle finish.  Though this tale is worth a read, it’s definitely middle-of-the-pack material.   6/10 Stars.   

  • “The Things That Shall Come Upon Them” by Barbara Roden.  Hired by one half of a married English couple to de-haunt their new home’s study, Holmes and Dr. Watson meet a more unconventional sleuth: Flaxman Low.  Far more experienced with psychic phenomenon, Low, as it turns out, was hired by the couple’s other half for the very same reason.  Despite contrasting viewpoints on the supernatural, these three detectives probe the ominous secret left behind by the estate’s wicked prior owner.  Note: According to the introduction, Conan Doyle was evidently real-life friends with Low’s co-creator: Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard.    

Mini-Review # 10: Pairing an ever-skeptical Holmes with the world’s first fictional occult detective, Low, is Barbara Roden’s ingenious stroke.  Leaving readers to make their own conclusions (still, it’s fairly obvious which way one is supposed to tilt), Roden concocts an effective team-up.  In particular, the British gentlemanly bond established between Low and the Baker Street duo makes for a satisfying read.   8/10 Stars.       

  • “Murder to Music” by Anthony Burgess.  Eyewitnesses Holmes and Dr. Watson probe two homicides amidst the startling assassination of a Spanish classical musician inside a London concert hall.  With high-profile Spanish royalty in London for a high-profile visit, Holmes senses there may be more mayhem in this case still to come.  Meanwhile, Watson repeatedly helps a baffled colleague by consulting on a case where the patient is shifting from one bizarre foreign disease to the next.   

Mini-Review # 11: Suffice to say, it’s a blah and unsatisfying read, including some undercurrents of racism.  Had this 1989 Anthony Burgess tale been penned fifty years before and sufficiently tweaked, its premise would have been ideal for one of Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce’s wartime Sherlock Holmes radio dramas.  Otherwise, this political whodunnit is skippable.   4/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of the Inertial Adjustor” by Stephen Baxter. A young H.G. Wells convinces Holmes and Dr. Watson to help him probe a scientist friend’s recent demise, as the journalist/author suspects foul play. Specifically, the controversial pioneer had been conducting experimental studies of gravity and electricity to accelerate his dream of space travel.  Investigating the grisly incident, Wells, Holmes, and Watson find that two suspects provide similarly tragic eyewitness accounts. Yet, the truth is hidden somewhere within their startlingly different conclusions.    

Mini-Review # 12: Though its scientific jargon is a bit cumbersome, Stephen Baxter’s whodunnit makes for a good historical fiction read.  Baxter’s story doesn’t overtly criticize the decedent’s animal cruelty, but some readers might cringe at the torturous outcome of his scientific research techniques on animal test subjects.  Still, had this 1997 tale existed a half-century before, it could have been an ideal mystery for a Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce radio drama.   7/10 Stars. 

  • “Mrs. Hudson’s Case” by Laurie R. King.  Would the ever-loyal Mrs. Hudson dare to pull a fast one on her most famous lodger?  With a retired Holmes away assisting international authorities search for two missing children, his college-age apprentice, Mary Russell, intends to find out what the landlady is hiding from them.

Mini-Review #13: Given its charm, Laurie R. King’s cozy caper effectively advertises her own Mary Russell mystery series.  Ms. King’s down-to-earth trifle makes a welcome respite from some of the utterly malevolent plots found elsewhere in this anthology.  6½/10 Stars.               

  • “The Singular Habits of Wasps” by Geoffrey A. Landis. Holmes’ series of unexplained nocturnal absences eerily coincide with Jack the Ripper’s sadistic murder spree in Whitechapel.  A horrified Dr. Watson suspects that Holmes is suffering a psychotic Jekyll-and-Hyde-like split-personality where his friend is both the detective and, unknowingly, the monstrous culprit.  Watson risks his life to find the truth, but an even more ghastly possibility awaits him after dark in Whitechapel.     

Mini-Review # 14: Given their morbid plot similarities, one might assume this sci-fi take on Jack the Ripper is a variation of Tim Lebbon’s “The Horror of Many Faces.”  Yet, Adams gives no indication that these alternate reality tales are deliberately connected.  Devised nearly a decade earlier, Geoffrey A. Landis’ 1994 tale goes even further probing certain horrific aspects that Lebbon’s thriller only alludes to.  As far as macabre storytelling is concerned, Landis imaginatively melds elements of John Carpenter’s The Thing, Men in Black, and Alien into a strange alternative explanation of Jack the Ripper. 

This Landis story, in spite of its shock value details, delivers a spine-tingling read.  Diminishing this story, however, is an instance of Holmes making a vastly condescending racist slur comparing native Africans to modern English civilization.  While Holmes’ context is meant to compare a primitive Earth to far more advanced alien worlds, having him resort to such derogatory phrasing is unnecessary and irrelevant to the plot. 7/10 Stars.   Note: H.G. Wells makes an off-screen cameo appearance.

  • “The Affair of the 46th Birthday” by Amy Myers.  Once more, in flashback, Dr. Watson reveals an international incident from a decade before.  In this instance, Holmes must thwart an ingeniously-devised assassination attempt on the King of Italy during a diplomatic dinner held in the English countryside. 

Mini-Review # 15: This Amy Myers thriller blends historical fiction and political intrigue unto a quick literary cocktail.  Reminiscent of Hercule Poirot-style short stories, there are some inevitable contrivances, but the mystery is still a good read.  “46th Birthday,” in that sense, is of near-equal caliber to Mary Robinette Kowal’s “The Shocking Affair of the Dutch Steamship Friesland” in this same anthology.    6/10 Stars.

  • “The Specter of Tullyfane Abbey” by Peter Tremayne.  Over drinks one night at their Baker Street lodgings, a melancholic Holmes entrusts Watson with a confession of his greatest failure.  In a flashback to Holmes’ college days, his ghost story involves a fateful love triangle, an unsolved disappearance, and the then-amateur detective’s first encounter with one Professor James Moriarty. 

Mini-Review # 16: Peter Tremayne’s retroactive alterations to Holmes’ origin might be condemned by Conan Doyle purists, if only for continuity’s sake.  Still, this gothic whodunnit explores the aloof shrewdness in the sleuth’s classic persona.  One might even consider the tale reminiscent of Casino Royale, as to that plot’s fateful impact on James Bond.  Though many of Tremayne’s plot twists are grimly predictable, he concocts a pitch-black mystery worthy of inclusion.  7/10 Stars.    

“The Vale of the White Horse” by Sharyn McCrumb.  A British aristocrat and his fiancée hire Holmes and Dr. Watson to investigate the murder of his physician brother in the rural English countryside.  The corpse had been found under a crimson cloak on a prehistoric chalked landmark dubbed ‘The White Horse’ atop a secluded hill.  Probing their clients’ family history, Holmes & Watson sense the vexing truth may be hidden closer to home.  Aided by an insightful eyewitness, the elderly Grisel Rountree, Holmes must decipher the decedent’s enigmatic last words to unmask the culprit.   

Mini-Review # 17: Though Sharyn McCrumb telegraphs the plot’s pivotal twist far too much, her story’s interpretation of transgenderism in Victorian England is intriguing. “White Horse” offers a gothic mystery with possibly supernatural undertones making it a solid read.   7/10 Stars. 

“The Adventure of the Dorset Street Lodger” by Michael Moorcock.  Due to necessary renovations to their Baker Street lodgings, Holmes and Dr. Watson must temporarily relocate to another boarding house. Once there, Holmes and Dr. Watson offer to help a visiting American businessman collect an unexpected family legacy.  Yet, the case soon becomes dangerously complicated.

Mini-Review # 18: As with Anne Perry’s “Bloodless Sock,” Michael Moorcock does justice to this homage to Conan Doyle’s style of storytelling.  Yet, there isn’t anything particularly remarkable about “Dorset Street Lodger,” as far as its blend of adventure and mystery. The lengthy plot also could have been tightened to make for a more efficient mystery. 6/10 Stars.

“The Adventure of the Lost World” by Dominic Green.  It’s a sequel of sorts to Conan Doyle’s 1912 science fiction novel, The Lost World.  In the autumn of 1918, Holmes and a skeptical Dr. Watson must pursue a horrific serial killer of London’s street trombonists.  What baffles Watson is that his best friend contends that their massive and evidently reptilian quarry belongs to a long-extinct breed of dinosaur.   

Mini-Review # 19: Undoubtedly, Dominic Green’s crossover between Conan Doyle’s two greatest literary accomplishments sounds like an intriguing sci-fi premise.  The end result of having senior citizens Holmes & Watson play amateur dinosaur hunters, however, is very much a wonky read (as one might imagine).  Even the opening segment of an undercover Holmes recruiting Watson’s help is too unbelievable for its own good.  Green at least offers some makeshift Jurassic Park-style fun, no matter how many eyes will be invariably rolling.   5½/10 Stars.              

  • “The Adventure of the Antiquarian’s Niece” by Barbara Hambly.  At the behest of a wealthy American suitor, Holmes and Dr. Watson agree to help extract his would-be fiancée from her evil British relatives.  The Baker Street duo must first enlist an ally: William Hope Hodgson’s British occult detective, Thomas Carnacki (simply called ‘Carnaki’ here) before they confront a centuries-old supernatural cult out of the works of H.P. Lovecraft.  Even Holmes and Carnaki’s formidable sleuthing might not come in time to save a captive Watson from a human monster specializing in ritual sacrifices.  

Mini-Review # 20: As strange as her plot’s supernatural hokum is, Barbara Hambly’s storytelling admirably sells it to readers.  A considerable grain of salt one must swallow, however, is accepting this Holmes’ lack of skepticism towards dark occult powers and what tactics must be subsequently deployed. 

For instance, the Holmes appearing in either Barbara Roden’s “The Thing That Shall Come Upon Them” or Peter Tremayne’s “The Specter of Tullyfane Abbey” is more aligned with Conan Doyle’s original Holmes, as to the sleuth’s disbelief in occult matters.  Still, for fantasy/horror fans, this Holmes & Watson/Carnacki team-up is hard to pass up.   8/10 Stars.        

  • “Dynamics of a Hanging” by Tony Pi.  Months after Holmes and Professor Moriarty had evidently perished at Reichenbach Falls, Dr. Watson is contacted by Reverend Charles Dodgson (aka author Lewis Carroll).  The two of them attempt to decode one of the late Moriarty’s notebooks to find definitive evidence of his criminal activities.  Mostly told by Dodgson in flashback, he and his then-academic associate, Moriarty, had teamed years ago to probe the suspicious death of the professor’s new protégé.  Carroll is now determined to finally verify the chilling truth behind what (or perhaps whom) killed a promising medical student by the name of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Mini-Review # 21: Though Holmes’ presence is confined to inspiring Watson’s deductive logic, this Tony Pi mystery is both a mathematical code-breaking puzzle and a nifty whodunnit.  Pi devises a neat idea to have Lewis Carroll (and, to a degree, Moriarty) fill in for Holmes, but Watson’s minor yet pivotal role is a boon to the iconic sidekick.   7/10 Stars.     

  • “Merridew of Abominable Memory” by Chris Roberson.  Residing in a sanitarium to seek treatment for his present-day memory loss, an elderly Dr. Watson relays a spine-chilling flashback to his therapist.  It involves a Jack the Ripper-like monster, a series of baffling financial thefts, and a man of utterly impeccable memory.  Hired by a businessman expecting to be the thief’s next target, Holmes & Watson must simultaneously hunt a bloodthirsty serial killer.     

Mini-Review # 22: While Chris Roberson devises a unique title character, his mystery’s plot twists become increasingly contrived to make all of its puzzle pieces fit together – too perfectly.  Further, among this anthology’s grisly mysteries, “Merridew” arguably packs the most stomach-churning imagery.  It overwhelms (and frankly squanders) the tale’s thoughtful bookends contemplating dementia vs. the sheer power of human memory. 

Roberson’s story, for the sake of good taste, unfortunately, isn’t one to recommend to others.    3/10 Stars.       

  • “Commonplaces” by Naomi Novik.  After receiving news of Holmes’ demise at Reichenbach Falls, a now-married Irene Adler Norton restlessly departs for Paris to find herself again.  Awaiting her is a forbidden love affair with a lonely man she instinctively knows is still alive in more than just her heart.

Mini-Review # 23: Naomi Novik’s speculation as to why an undercover Holmes chose not to tell Dr. Watson that he had faked his death will raise some eyebrows.  Further, her tale’s romantic poignancy echoes shades of the 1970 film, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, regarding what complex sexual undercurrents motivate Holmes. 

If anything, “Commonplaces” presents an instance of sophisticated Sherlockian storytelling where the lingering mystery doesn’t involve crime, except perhaps for adultery.  Standing out most in Novik’s romance (it’s the anthology’s shortest inclusion) is that this Holmes isn’t the only one who can make ingenious deductions anticipating another’s shadowy moves.  8/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of the Pirates of Devil’s Cape” by Rob Rogers.  Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Inspector Lestrade probe an ultra-grisly massacre by pirates aboard the Dutch steamship, Friesland.  Seeking the whereabouts of missing twin brothers, Holmes and Watson subsequently venture to New Orleans for a showdown with the world’s deadliest cutthroat and his mercenary crew of thugs.    

Mini-Review # 24: Crossing over from his Devil’s Cape saga, Rogers conjures up a mostly solid mystery-adventure caper highlighted by the action of an extensive shootout/swordfight.  Apart from excessively gory shipboard inferences, the other caveat is a ridiculous Lestrade plot twist.  Rogers deploys a similar contrivance to one of his own characters (that works fine), but to also supply Lestrade a convenient American cousin in the Louisiana Bayous pushes the ‘distant relative’ gimmick too far. 

Otherwise, Rogers delivers this anthology’s best combination of action-adventure, suspense, and originality.  8/10 Stars.          

  • “The Adventure of the Green Skull” by Mark Valentine.  The Baker Street duo’s new adversary is a hooded serial killer, who is purportedly a phantom with a glowing green skull stalking victims after nightfall.  Reminiscent of sensationalistic pulp stories, the villain’s calling card is leaving a match in each victim’s hand.  Yet, all isn’t what it seems.  

Mini-Review # 25: Adams’ introduction to Mark Valentine’s story frankly spoils the culprit’s motive.  Further, Valentine doesn’t elaborate enough as to how Holmes deduces where to conduct a fateful stakeout, either.  Despite this structural flaw, the “Green Skull” mystery makes for a relatively good read.   6/10 Stars.

  • “The Human Mystery” by Tanith Lee.  Holmes takes on the enigmatic case of a lonely heiress, who is desperate to break a family curse that may kill her during the Christmas holidays.  Yet, is there an ulterior motive in play that blindsides even Holmes?

Mini-Review # 26: Tanith Lee’s tale proving that an ever-gallant Holmes can be humiliated into a seething rage makes for an intriguing notion.  Even this story isn’t a must-read, it effectively explores whether Holmes’ misogynistic nature can be exploited, let alone be potentially seduced, by someone other than Irene Adler.   7/10 Stars.    

Notes: Lee dedicated this tale to actor Jeremy Brett’s memory.  Per artist David Palumbo, Brett’s Sherlock Holmes likeness appears on this anthology’s front cover.

  • “A Study in Emerald” by Neil Gaiman.  In an alternate universe where H.P. Lovecraft’s demonic creations have long ruled the world, “A Study in Scarlet” is darkly re-imagined. 

Mini-Review # 27: Though mostly retelling a familiar mystery, Neil Gaiman cleverly flips the script on readers.  There are sufficient hints to deduce Gaiman’s enigmatic sleuth before the end, but his best twist is saved for last.  It’s the equivalent of experiencing the story through the eyes of whom you assume the narrator is … that is, until a mirror (or, in this instance, a letter) reveals a twist finish.  Hence, Gaiman’s story could make for an intriguing live-action film.   8/10 Stars. 

Note: For some comparison shopping, one might read this one before or after Bradley H. Sinor’s “The Adventure of The Other Detective.” 

  • “You See But You Do Not Observe” by Robert J. Sawyer.  In 2096, an enigmatic scientist with an eerily familiar name abducts Holmes and Dr. Watson out of time from 1899 to join him in the late 21st Century.  He subsequently assigns the world’s greatest sleuth perhaps the ultimate mission: to determine why Earth hasn’t been contacted by aliens.  The elusive answer makes a fateful impact on Holmes and Watson: past, present, and future.       

Mini-Review # 28: It’s like reading a Sherlock Holmes mystery, as if were written by H.G. Wells.   In spite of this intriguing scenario, Robert J. Sawyer’s convoluted storytelling sabotages itself in order to set up a fitting conclusion.  Along with virtual reality technology far more akin to Star Trek: The Next Generation, this story’s time travel paradoxes will likely bewilder some readers.  And perhaps the less said about its preposterously thin line connecting reality to fiction (i.e. Watson as an unacknowledged Conan Doyle’s proxy) the better.         

Sawyer, in that sense, has concocted a sci-fi homage to Conan Doyle’s lasting resentment over reviving Holmes to merely placate immense public demand.  Though this story’s end packs a wistful tinge, the plot becomes too mind-bending (and self-serving) to make for a satisfying read.  5½/10 Stars.  

RECOMMENDATION:

For Conan Doyle afficionados, this anthology is either a mixed bag or a veritable treasure trove.  Regardless, in terms of its sheer quantity, readers most definitely get their money’s worth. 

Some tales supply innocuous sequels (i.e. “A Scandal in Montreal”) or offer speculations as to Sherlockian mysteries that Conan Doyle had merely teased.  Though most of these stories imitate his narrative style, the ones that may grab a reader’s imagination are ones taking worthwhile risks.  The flip side is an excess of déjà vu: certain themes (i.e. supernatural gore, international politics, etc.) reoccur making one inevitably compare authors, as to whom presents the better read.         

The pertinent question becomes: how far can one really stray from traditional Sherlockian storytelling before audiences hit their limit?  In several instances, shifting Holmes and Watson to different locales and sometimes far-off genres carries a timeless and strangely satisfying appeal.  Such results (at least, when taken in small doses) will make an intriguing experience for adult armchair sleuths. 

Among these twenty-eight tales, there are some dynamite must-reads (i.e. “The Adventure of The Other Detective”).  With thankfully few exceptions, the remainder aren’t anywhere close to dreadful.  However, two of them should be identified, if only as a heads-up.  Though several tales resort to potentially offensive gore, “Merridew of Abominable Memory,” presents an implausible flashback too flawed to justify its repulsively wicked details.  Artistically condescending, “Murder to Music” is another misadventure where readers will likely find themselves wishing they were somewhere else than with Holmes and Watson.   

Considering the impressive ratio of good-to-bad, credit must go to John Joseph Adams for assembling a welcome variety.  For casual readers, this literary experiment-by-committee is indeed worth perusing, though it’s not necessarily a keeper.  Perhaps a library rental makes the most practical sense.  If anything, one may be compelled to rediscover Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original literary magic.         

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

After the table of contents, Adams’ introduction is followed by another: Christopher Roden’s “A Sherlockiana Primer” to further whet readers’ appetites.  Afterwards, Adams provides his acknowledgements.  More insightful is the bibliography revealing each story’s original anthology source.  The last entry is Adams’ single-page biography.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                            7 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Humor (Books) Movies & Television (Books)

YES PLEASE

Written by Amy Poehler

SUMMARY:

First published as a 2014 hardcover, HarperCollins/Dey St. subsequently released Yes Please in paperback in 2015.  The book was then updated in 2018 for this 360-page mass market reprint.  Dedicated to her two young sons, actress/comedian/Saturday Night Live (SNL) alum Amy Poehler tries her hand as a humorist intermingling her self-analysis memoir with an assortment of anecdotes and self-help tips for grown-ups. 

Unleashing her distinctive brand of humor, Poehler begins with “Part One: Say Whatever You Want.”  With tales of her life starting out with childhood in suburban Boston, Poehler alternates with womanly advice segments, including her takes on giving birth, motherhood (as compared to Poehler’s more traditional mother), being a working mom, and touching upon her divorce from actor Will Arnett.  A supplemental chapter by her long-time SNL cohort and Late Night host, Seth Meyers, is also included.

Subsequent sections consist of “Part Two: Do What You Like;” and “Part Three: Be Whoever You Are.”  Including more tales of her pre-stardom improv background in Chicago and later New York City, Poehler provides advice regarding marriage, sex, and sleeping.  In the last section, she mostly concentrates on her professional life and life lessons she has learned over time as a celebrity.  Poehler also discusses her six-year stint as the lead actress on NBC-TV’s Parks and Recreation.  Her last entry describes her somewhat befuddled assessments of computerized technology, i.e. inadvertently sending a critical text to the wrong person.      

Note: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

Amy Poehler’s adult-friendly humor and off-the-wall spontaneity is imbued with an endearing charm, but a little tends to go a long way. Though hardly pretentious, her snarky, stream-of-consciousness writing style can make a reader’s eyes pop trying to follow along with an occasionally confusing narrative.  For the most part, Poehler at least presents a far more engaging and down-to-earth read than trying to absorb Jack Kerouac.  That is, if one doesn’t find her large quantities of musing hodgepodge filler to be increasingly tiresome.      

Per the industry standard, her publisher briefly collects critical quotes applauding Yes Please, but the general tone of these snippets are actually illuminating.  None of them claim that Poehler’s book is a modern humor masterpiece, but that she provides a welcome gift to her fans.  That’s really the most accurate assessment one can make of Yes Please. 

By no means merely a zippy self-philosophy lesson, Yes Please balances Poehler’s wit and mostly positive attitude with some relatable life lessons one can best learn from his/her own experiences.  Suffice to say, Amy Poehler’s vibrant personality drives Yes Please into a much better read than the actual content might have for somebody else.       

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A table of contents is provided.  Including her 1977 kindergarten report card, a preface presents Poehler’s insights regarding the obstacles she faced as a novice author.  She then includes ‘instructions’ on how to interpret Yes Please’s context.  An assortment of black-and-white photos and an eight-page color insert are provided.  The book concludes with Poehler’s acknowledgements.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    6½ Stars

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

HERCULE POIROT: THE PATRIOTIC MURDERS (aka ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE)

Written by Agatha Christie

SUMMARY:

Per its original title, One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, this Hercule Poirot murder-mystery by Agatha Christie was first published in the United Kingdom in 1940.  Retitled overseas for American audiences as The Patriotic Murders, it was subsequently released in the U.S. the following year.  This 228-page Berkley paperback reprint was distributed in 1984.

In London (the exact year is indeterminate), Hercule Poirot’s mid-morning dental appointment with the respectable Dr. Henry Morley occurs as expected.  Yet, within two hours, Morley is shockingly found dead by gunshot in his private office. 

Later that same day, one of Morley’s other patients is also discovered dead from an evidently accidental yet lethal injection of dental anesthetic.  Inspector Japp and Scotland Yard are left to conclude that Morley chose to rashly commit suicide out of intense guilt, but Poirot isn’t convinced.  Too many prospective witnesses were present, not to mention too few other indications, to corroborate Morley’s fatal mistake. 

Soon afterward, yet another of Morley’s patients from that day vanishes upon leaving her hotel without a trace.  Unable to locate the elusive Miss Sainsbury Seale, even Japp must begrudgingly acknowledge that all may not be what it seems.  The confounded Belgian sleuth, meanwhile, ponders how these ominous events are linked to multiple assassination attempts on a fourth Morley patient: the wealthy and illustrious Alistair Blunt.

As England’s most influential banker and the symbolic crux of its old-school economic system, Blunt has a whole slew of potential enemies lurking out there.  Including his own niece’s potential fiancé, few, if any, would likely have any qualms seeing the banker eliminated to herald the United Kingdom entering a new financial age. 

A curious Blunt also wants the truth behind Morley’s inexplicable death exposed.  Hence, he quietly recruits Poirot to navigate a shadowy conspiracy scheme against Blunt entangled by impersonation, espionage, extortion, and England’s increasingly quarrelsome conservative and liberal factions.  Treating a familiar nursery rhyme more like a riddle, the legendary Belgian sleuth must persevere, if he is to unravel one of the most baffling whodunnits of his career.   

Notes: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe is accessible in multiple formats, including digitally. Its second alternate title is An Overdose of Death. Regarding this book’s gimmickry, ten lengthy chapters are divided into and titled as verses of the traditional nursery rhyme.  For no apparent reason, this mystery is Inspector Japp’s final appearance in a Poirot novel.  The 1992 televised feature-length adaptation is Poirot: Season 4, Episode 3, including Doctor Who’s Christopher Eccleston among its guest stars.

REVIEW:

As compared to iconic Hercule Poirot mysteries in Agatha Christie’s formidable repertoire, The Patriotic Murders is a middling entry.  Unlike some other disappointing Poirot whodunnits (i.e. The Hollow; Elephants Can Remember; There is a Tide …, etc.), it isn’t necessarily boredom or even exceedingly bad taste (as in the instance of Hallowe’een Party) stalking readers in The Patriotic Murders.  Rather, it is Christie’s outlandish plotting that ruins the novel’s otherwise intriguing premise.   

Intermingling her political and economic commentaries with the plot, Christie’s storytelling (including tidbits of humor) holds up well at least pass the mystery’s halfway point.  Unfortunately, that’s when a series of sinister twists start converging at a rapid pace leaving Blunt to wryly assess that Poirot’s series of conjectures sound too far-fetched.  Such skepticism is all too ironic projection upon Christie’s audience. 

Despite some initially reliable entertainment value, this Poirot caper relies upon too much eye-rolling contrivance to finally link all of its ‘big reveal’ details together.  The Patriotic Murders makes for a decent read for those preferring tidy, cookie-cutter solutions, no matter the lack of plausible loose ends.  For all others, the novel is readily forgettable afterwards.   

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A table of contents is provided.  The nursey rhyme’s traditional lyrics are presented prior to the novel’s first chapter. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                         5 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels General Non-Fiction History & Biographies (Books) Movies & Television (Books)

THE GARNER FILES

Written by James Garner & Jon Winokur

SUMMARY:

First released as a hardcover in 2011 by Simon & Shuster, actor/producer (and self-described curmudgeon) James Garner co-wrote his 273-page memoir with professional scribe Jon Winokur. The book was published three years before Garner’s death in 2014 at the age of 86. 

Recounting his life’s journey, Garner (birth name: James Scott Bumgarner) starts with his turbulent youth growing up in Depression-era Oklahoma.  Though later chapters diverge on side topics, such as his passions for auto racing and golf, producing, his personal brand of politics, and a reluctant 1958 appearance on TV’s This Is Your Life, Garner’s account initially follows a linear path. 

With minimal parental supervision, Garner explains how he was essentially emancipated by age 14 and briefly joined the Merchant Marine just prior to the end of World War II.  Scrounging at various odd jobs before and after his Korean War stint, Garner wandered back and forth from his hometown in Oklahoma to Southern California. 

Sheer luck would land him his first Broadway role as a co-star to one of his big screen idols (and subsequent close friend), Henry Fonda, in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial.  As a struggling 28-year-old actor, Garner would soon marry Lois Clarke in 1956 beginning their 58-year union. 

Subsequent professional success ignited with his instant fame as the title character in the Maverick TV series followed by a series of memorable 1960’s films, including The Great Escape.  His impressive transition between films, television shows, and commercials would continue through the 1970’s, especially with his signature role as private detective ‘Jim Rockford’ on NBC’s The Rockford Files. 

Standing on principle, Garner describes his lawsuits against Warner Bros. over first escaping his Maverick contract and, years later, multiple lawsuits against Universal Studios over The Rockford Files. Meanwhile, Garner’s favorite hobbies, including golfing at various links worldwide, auto racing, and participating multiple times in the annual Baja 1000 race, are explored. 

Despite multiple lingering injuries impacting him throughout production of The Rockford Files, Garner’s workaholic attitude continued through the 1980’s, in films such as Victor/Victoria and Murphy’s Romance.  As the actor states, by now efficiently producing his own projects, he had become more selective of what scripts appealed to him and what projects he would decline (i.e. First Blood).     

Though not necessarily evasive, Garner discusses little of his family life as both husband and father.  Still, he acknowledges at least one marital separation and his battles with alcohol, smoking, and, briefly, a sampling of illicit drugs with John Belushi.  Garner also expresses his unpretentious feelings on the acting process, and by extension, his disgust with present-day Hollywood’s blend of condescension and shallowness. 

While well-regarded, both personally and professionally, he also relays his propensity for hot-tempered fits on the golf course, road rage, and multiple instances of fisticuffs.  For someone who claims to abhor violence and gunplay, the at-times ornery Garner conveys a complex personality, given his own experiences defending himself (or, at the very least, his sense of honor).    

In lieu of musing upon his lesser films and various projects late in his career (aside from 2004’s The Notebook), Garner supplies a filmography to briefly address his full body of credits.  For the most part, Garner, threads personal viewpoints on a variety of topics through his autobiography.  The experience is reminiscent of having a sit-down interview with him.  

Note: This title is available in these other formats: digital, audiobook, & paperback.

REVIEW:

Ironically, the front side jacket begins by describing Garner as one of Hollywood’s ‘all-time great leading men,’ which isn’t necessarily the actor’s own personal assessment.  Still, this bit of publisher’s gushing really isn’t that far off the truth. 

By Garner’s own admission, he headlined some classic Hollywood properties (i.e. The Rockford Files, Maverick, The Great Escape, etc.).  Garner also readily winces that, either by contractual obligation or merely later for the paycheck, he appeared in his share of awful films, too.  Hence, The Garner Files projects the actor’s candor and humility balancing his life’s successes, failures, and various obstacles in making his memoir a solid read.

Observations by Julie Andrews and Lauren Bacall, among others, are consistent describing Garner as a top-flight, old-school professional, with all the makings of a traditionally good-natured gentleman.  He is also someone that others foolishly crossed, and, by the actor’s account, Garner did not (and would not) back down, if provoked. 

While describing himself as an “average American,” tales of his glamorously expensive hobbies somewhat contradict that assessment.  Still, there is no mistaking that Garner’s perseverance and commitment to honest dealing readily merited his success, as well as a genuine legacy 21st Century Hollywood might only aspire to.         

For fans of Garner and/or Hollywood memoirs in general, The Garner Files is most likely a keeper.  For others, this memoir serves best as a standard, one-and-done library find.  Either way, The Garner Files offers welcome insights into one of the best Hollywood stars who evidently didn’t let iconic fame go to his head.  

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Following a table of contents, one of Garner’s favorite co-stars, Julie Andrews, provides the introduction.  Garner supplies a brief “Dear Reader,” which aptly summarizes his attitude towards penning this memoir.  

An unusual 31-page supplement (frankly, it’s a classy form of padding) entitled “Outtakes,” supplies anecdotes from his family, friends, colleagues, and even random acquaintances who recount meeting Garner. 

For instance, Garner’s wife, Lois, presents her own version of their first meeting and short courtship in August 1956 prior to their marriage.  Also included are entries from Garner’s two daughters; Lauren Bacall; Tom Selleck; James Woods; Doris Day; Carol Burnett; Dick Cavett; Stephen J. Cannell; and an amusing ‘confession’ from Steve McQueen’s widow, Neile McQueen Toffel.    

Saved for last is Garner’s candid take on his career filmography, along with his appearances in television shows and TV mini-series.  Of particular interest are his own star ratings of his big-screen films and side notes working on various productions.  His insights are occasionally surprising and refreshingly blunt.    

There are also two sections of black-and-white photographs (one is eight pages and the latter is sixteen pages).  From his personal collection and those of family and friends, the photos appear in chronological order, but they don’t necessarily correspond to that section of the book. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  7 Stars

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Books & Novels General Fiction Mystery & Suspense

THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB – BOOK # 1

Written by Richard Osman

SUMMARY:

In 2020-21, Penguin Books released this 374-page paperback in Great Britain and the United States.   As British game show host and comedy writer Richard Osman’s debut novel, this mystery caper’s success has precipitated at least three sequels and possibly a future film adaptation.

In the secluded, present-day English countryside, Coopers Chase Retirement Village is a posh, inclusive community developed on property previously owned by the Catholic Church.  Among its elderly British retirees are: Ibrahim – a mostly retired psychiatrist; Joyce – a doting ER nurse and mother, who is likely the friendliest neighbor any of them have; Ron Ritchie – an outspoken and hard-nosed, social activist; and their informal leader, ex-spy Elizabeth – a former MI-5 (or MI-6) operative.  Of them, Elizabeth is the only one who isn’t widowed, but she is caring for her husband’s evident dementia. 

Setting up a weekly meeting, the quartet selects and, as a matter of keeping their minds active, reviews cold case murders.  Inspired by her comatose friend, Penny, who had been a stalwart police detective, Elizabeth shifts the group’s attention to its next project: probing the brutal homicide of the village’s building contractor, whose shady past evidently dates back at least thiry years. 

Reluctantly helping the Club seek out likely suspects are the local police: new detective Donna De Freitas and her simmering boss, Chris Hudson.  Even before one homicide can be resolved, another occurs involving Cooper Chase’s scheming developer, who has a mile-long list of potentially seething enemies.

With one, if not possibly two or more killers, on the loose, the Club’s investigation is further complicated by a grisly discovery in the cemetery adjacent to the community.  It’s up to an ever-resourceful Elizabeth and her friends to now snare an elusive culprit, who may be far closer to home than they dare realize.      

Note: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

The low-key, tongue-in-cheek humor lurking in some of Agatha Christie’s lesser-known works (i.e. The Man in the Brown Suit; The Seven Dials Mystery, etc.) comes to mind reading The Thursday Murder Club.  Part of this resemblance comes from Richard Osman’s inclusion of Joyce’s ‘diary entries.’

These brief shifts of narrative from third-person to first-person makes an insightful change of pace.  Exploring easygoing Joyce’s point-of-view over, say, the more dominant Elizabeth (it’s easy to visualize Judi Dench playing this role) is a smart move, as Joyce is the Club’s most down-to-earth participant. 

More so, it contributes to a welcome creative vibe reminiscent of a percolating tea kettle.  If one stays patient, Osman’s creative steam subsequently delivers the necessary goods at the right moments.  Such compensation more than makes up for the first several pages introducing the Club, which are comparatively dry. 

There’s decent odds that some readers, at the get-go, might be turned off (or simply bored) by the quartet’s casual pleasure discussing a young woman’s unresolved homicide.  Still, after that juncture, Osman’s clever storytelling picks up momentum, as plot twists and additional mini-mysteries contribute to an intriguing read where not everyone is really whom they seem.      

Deploying an unusual third-person omniscient present-tense, Osman’s quirky debut novel is a triumph for the British cozy mystery genre.  Playing off the genre’s reliance upon contrivance and outright implausibility, Osman still concocts a whodunnit gem more sophisticated than most amateur sleuth cookie-cutter formulas.

Given this book’s cast, there is at least half-dozen ongoing plot threads to keep track of (Osman makes it easy enough), so readers will left guessing as to which ones are foreshadowing and what others may prove red herrings. A leisurely surplus of character depth, in that sense, co-mingles with witty humor and poignancy to convey Osman’s well-played nods to the 21st Century’s generational gaps. 

The mystery’s final stretch, accordingly, delivers a satisfying, multi-layered resolution where not all loose ends are tied up, but most everything now makes sense.  Suffice to say, The Thursday Murder Club conjures up an original assortment of sleuths that readers will enjoy solving multiple homicides with.       

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Osman’s paragraph-length bio is included, along with his acknowledgements section.  He also introduces an outtake scene, from Joyce’s point-of-view.  There’s a six-page sample of the franchise’s second installment: The Man Who Died Twice.  A brief interview with Osman reveals the real-life inspiration for the novel.  Lastly, “A Penguin Readers Guide” is a helpful reference for setting up book club discussions.

Note: “The Readers Guide” has one typo referencing Donna’s off-the-record contacts with the Club.  It’s Elizabeth (not Joyce) who regularly communicates back and forth with 26-year-old Donna – as if she’s her surrogate great-aunt.          

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       9 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Children's Books Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC-Related DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE JOKER AND HARLEY QUINN’S JUSTICE LEAGUE JAILHOUSE

Written by Louise Simonson.

Illustrated & Cover Art by Tim Levins.

SUMMARY:

Based off the Justice League Unlimited animated program’s continuity, Stone Arch Brooks released this 88-page paperback in 2018.  It’s among at least eight titles in this series. 

Hired by Lex Luthor, the Joker & Harley Quinn conspire to abduct the Justice League by holding them captive in a secret subterranean cavern below Arkham Asylum.  The big prize is Luthor’s ulterior motive: a defeated Superman at his mercy (or lack thereof).

With the Huntress and Flash as their first prisoners, the villains reveal that the Leaguers have been chained to an elaborate death trap where Gotham would be decimated by a bomb.  One catch is that the heroes’ vast powers have been conveniently neutralized.  The far more diabolical one is that the sole means to prevent detonation is steady (forced) laughter at video replays of the Joker’s favorite ‘greatest hits’ schemes. 

Despite already knowing the identities of their adversaries, the Man of Steel is lured into a kryptonite trap.  It’s up to Wonder Woman, Batman, Cyborg, and John Stewart’s Green Lantern to launch a counter-strike to save their teammates.  To make their strategy work, Wonder Woman risks her life to infiltrate the villainous duo’s lair by posing as their next prisoner. 

The question becomes: will this dangerous gamble save Gotham City and her teammates in time? 

Notes: Neither Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern nor Aquaman appear in this story.  The back cover reiterates the League roster, including its reserves.

REVIEW:

With excellent production values (including an easily readable font), this book doesn’t cheat its young target audience. 

Veteran comics writer Louise Simonson devises a fun little plot that seemingly evens the odds pitting two wacky Bat-villains vs. seven Justice Leaguers.  While ‘screen time’ is generally well-divided, Wonder Woman earns this story’s MVP award as Simonson’s best-written character.  As for the visuals, Tim Levins’ artwork nicely homages the look of Justice League Unlimited.  Suffice to say, this Justice League caper should be a fast read where kids will outgrow it sooner vs. later.   

Still, Justice League: The Joker and Harley Quinn’s Justice League Jailhouse is a welcome find for an elementary school library.      

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

There is a table of contents.  The League’s ‘roll call’ highlights its primary seven members: Wonder Woman; Batman; Superman; Cyborg; Flash; Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern; and Aquaman.  Another twenty League reserves are also depicted.  The League’s ‘database’ reviews a quick profile on the Joker and Harley Quinn, along with images of another thirty-four Legion of Doom villains.  An ad also identifies the covers for all eight (so far) titles in this series. 

While there is a single-page glossary, it ironically omits the climax’s biggest word: “doppelgänger.”  A few questions and some creative writing prompts are then provided for students.  Paragraph-length bios on Simonson and Levins are on the last page.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      7 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Children's Books Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC-Related DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

JUSTICE LEAGUE: GORILLA GRODD AND THE PRIMATE PROTOCOL

Written by Brandon T. Snider.

Illustrated & Cover Art by Tim Levins.

SUMMARY:

Based off the Justice League Unlimited animated program’s continuity, Stone Arch Brooks released this 88-page paperback in 2018.  It’s among at least eight titles in this series. 

With the League already short-handed due to various emergencies, Batman deploys a six-member squad under Wonder Woman & Vixen’s command to Gorilla City.  This contingent consists of John Stewart’s Green Lantern; Hawkman; Green Arrow; & Ronnie Raymond/Professor Martin Stein’s rookie Firestorm.  Their mission is to recapture a fugitive Gorilla Grodd.

A routine skirmish seemingly lands Grodd and his mind-controlling gold helmet in League custody.  Yet, aboard a mid-air League Javelin jet, the conniving Gorilla Grodd’s latest evil scheme is unleashed.  Transforming Firestorm, Green Arrow, Hawkman, and Wonder Woman into his rampaging gorilla minions, Grodd sends them against Vixen & Green Lantern in downtown New York City. 

It’s up to Professor Stein to reach Ronnie’s mind to save their League teammates while there’s still time.  

Notes: While Batman plays a supporting role in this plot, Superman, Cyborg, & Flash make cameo appearances.  Neither Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern nor Aquaman appear in this story.  The back cover reiterates the League roster, including its reserves. There are at least seven other titles in this particular Stone Arch Books series.

REVIEW:

Its production values are remarkably good, including an easily readable font.  Both its comic book-faithful plot (i.e. Hawkman & Green Arrow’s mutual disdain) and appealing visuals ensure a decent diversion for the intended elementary school audience.  As the team’s rookie powerhouse, Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond & Professor Martin Stein) is highlighted in a plot reminiscent of the mid-80’s Super-Friends TV incarnations as The Super Powers Team/Galactic Guardians animated series.

There’s nothing remarkable about the story itself, as kids will likely outgrow it fast.  Still, Justice League: Gorilla Grodd and The Primate Protocol makes a fun library read for ages 8 and up.        

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

There’s a table of contents.  The League’s ‘roll call’ highlights its primary seven members: Wonder Woman; Batman; Superman; Cyborg; Flash; Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern; and Aquaman.  Another twenty League reserves are also depicted.  The League’s ‘database’ reviews a quick profile on Gorilla Grodd, along with images of another thirty-five Legion of Doom villains. 

An ad identifies the covers for all eight (so far) titles in this series.  Following a single-page glossary, a few questions and some creative writing prompts are provided for students.  Paragraph-length bios on Snider and Levins are saved for last.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 7 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels General Fiction Romance

THE HAVILAND TOUCH

Written by Kay Hooper

SUMMARY:

As a partial sequel to 1989’s Enemy Mine, Kay Hooper penned this 294-page spin-off in 1991. 

For wealthy British American adventurer and amateur archaeologist Drew Haviland, it’s been several months (most likely, the year before) since the events of Enemy Mine.  In suburban Washington, D.C., a chance encounter with a familiar emerald necklace sets up Haviland for an awkward reunion with its prior owner.  She’s the demure ex-fiancée who had jilted him a decade before.  He hasn’t forgotten Spencer Wyatt, nor has he processed why she left him for another (and clearly lesser) man.   

Now a 28-year-old divorcée, an emotionally exhausted Spencer barely resists off Haviland’s aggressive romantic advances amidst coping with her family’s rapid financial decline.  To comfort her dying and increasingly senile father, Allan, Spencer (his only child) seeks to complete his lifelong obsession: discovering the legendary and priceless Hapsburg Cross in its secluded hiding place somewhere in Western Europe.

Following her father’s extensive notes and journals, Spencer stubbornly intends to go it alone on this dangerous journey.  Given Spencer’s knack for correlating historical knowledge with insights re: human nature, it may prove welcome compensation for an amateur treasure hunter. 

Scoffing at her utterly remote chances, a condescending Haviland soon realizes that he has misjudged the surprisingly resilient Ms. Wyatt.  Growing emotionally attached to Spencer, an overnight burglary convinces Haviland to join her overseas search, whether she likes it or not. 

Likely awaiting them in Austria is Haviland’s ruthless arch-nemesis, Lon Stanton, who won’t hesitate to kill first to claim the Cross.   Even with help from Enemy Mine’s Kane & Tyler Pendleton, not to mention Interpol’s Burke Corbett,  Haviland senses in horror that Stanton’s deadly ace is abducting Spencer. 

Haviland and Spencer gradually accept that their destinies have become intertwined, but will their future together be short-lived?

Notes: The Jove paperback reprint (as seen below) was issued in 2005.  This title is also available digitally and in hardcover.

REVIEW:

The Haviland Touch, in general terms, is a forgettable getaway Kay Hooper concocted early in her literary career.  From the start, Hooper devises an appealing heroine in Spencer Wyatt, though she is far too easily overwhelmed by the macho Haviland’s presence.  Initially depicted as a domineering bully, Hooper’s slick storytelling quickly reshapes Drew Haviland into a suave knight-in-shining armor with a sensitive side. 

It’s easy to visualize a blond Hugh Jackman twenty years ago inhabiting this kind of generic hero.  Opposite him, casting options might include Reese Witherspoon, Eliza Dushku, Jordana Brewster, or Scarlett Johannson, as the petite brunette, Spencer.  Then again, it’s just as plausible imagining Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin pairing up as Spencer & Drew.   

Regardless of any what-if film adaptation, there’s no subtlety delaying how Spencer Wyatt predictably becomes Haviland’s damsel in distress in this present-day fairy tale-meets-Indiana Jones.  Hence, the undemanding Haviland Touch, for the romantic adventure genre, isn’t remotely innovative, as far as playing anywhere outside the numbers.  Hooper, for instance, opts to pitch a few extended (and eye-rolling) sex scenes before briefly deploying her story’s suspenseful twists in its last fifty pages. 

Still, this formulaic tale offers a fast and relatively likable read before one moves on to bigger and better plots.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A brief supplemental note has Hooper acknowledge this storyline (including any Hapsburg Cross) is completely fictional.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   4½ Stars