Memory in Death (J. D. Robb) Chapters 12-16

Too many of the books I’ve read recently have been overly long, stretched out with what I think of as “filler.”  Usually this becomes an issue in the third quarter of the book, sometimes the second as well.  You hear about people reading the first 100 pages and the last 100 pages of a book, not having the patience for the entire thing, and I can see that perspective, but I could never be comfortable with it.  This doesn’t come across as something that writers do on purpose.  Rather, it seems they have a certain length of book in mind, a certain number of words or pages to shoot for, leading to a compulsion to make the story fit into that mold.  The idea of creating a story-board or some such visual aid in order to construct  the plot of the story and have it all mapped out ahead of time is supposed to eliminate the awkwardness of using “filler” to flesh out the book.  This approach is sometimes nothing more than a device to disperse the ‘”filler” more evenly throughout the book in smaller pieces; arguably an improvement over the alternative.

The real solutions are simple.  The author either shortens the book to the length that the nature of the story calls for – duh – or creates “filler” that is so interesting and compelling that the reader doesn’t mind if the action gets derailed from time to time.  This takes a very good writer.  Okay, maybe anyone who is not a “very good writer” shouldn’t write.  I could name a few highly successful ones.  “Memory in Death” utilizes this second option, and it works.  When the reader is thoroughly enjoying the banter between characters we care about, or the antics of the characters are sufficiently amusing, the “filler” doesn’t seem like “filler” at all.  What’s a better word for it?  In a newspaper, “filler” stories are often “human interest” stories, and in a novel, “human interest” is pretty much what it’s about as well.  Maybe it’s just “development.”  Close enough.

J. D. Robb is really Nora Roberts, very well-known as a “Romance” writer.  So we shouldn’t be too surprised if some of the “filler” in this book is sex scenes.  The fact that these sex scenes always involve a married couple might appear to make them more palatable to some people, but they still seem jarringly out of place, like sips of wine with your chocolate chip cookies.  Do we grow closer to the characters by watching them get it on?  Possibly some of us do, but to me it’s like watching someone in the next car pick their nose.  I feel like I’ve invaded their privacy.  Is this prudishness on my part?  The people who know me would laugh at that notion.  If I wanted porn, I know where to find it.

Ironically, it seems that Eve, our heroine, shares my sentiments:  ‘Straight in her line of vision, Peabody and McNab were locked in a big, sloppy kiss, hips grinding together as they used the music as an excuse for vertical humping.  “Stop!  Cease and desist, or I’m locking you both in separate cells for public lewdness.”  She kept walking.  When Peabody caught up, she was huffing.  Eve didn’t think it was the quick trot that had her breathing heavy.  “We were just -”  “Say nothing,” Eve warned.  “Do not speak.  We’re heading to the hotel.  I’m going to get those wires planted…”’  The relationship between these two women has been a sheer joy to behold throughout the book!

The case that Eve is working takes her and her co-workers through a confusing forest of details, clues and suspects.  Watching Eve’s approach to sifting through the evidence is all part of the fun of reading a book like this, and we feel the frustration right along with her of not being able to put our finger on the key that will suddenly have everything falling into place.  This might eventually lead to that feeling that we should have seen it all along, but somehow, in this case, I don’t think so.  One of the possibilities that Eve has considered is that one of the other foster children Trudy abused has come back to haunt her and is responsible for the murder.  That’s my favored theory at this point, but I wouldn’t bet a lot of money on it!

 

 

 

Next week:  Chapters 17-21 (Conclusion)

Join us next month for Junes’s book of the month; “The Real Frank Zappa Book,” by Frank Zappa and Peter Occhiogrosso!

This is the second-best way to expose yourself to the particular genius of Frank Zappa (music is the best, after all)--through his own words. In addition to being an idiosyncratic American composer of some degree of controversy, Zappa was an orator of no small ability or scope. He was known for his ability to expound at great length (and to hilarious effect) on any number of topics. The Real Frank Zappa Book faithfully captures this side of its author, composed of essays on everything from his background and upbringing, to politics, capitalism, and raising children. Zappa takes the opportunity to dispel some of the most pervasive rumors that surrounded him right up to (and even persist after) his death in 1993 (no he didn't do drugs, or sleep with all those groupies). If you're familiar with the man, you will be able to hear his distinctive enunciations (aided by the bold-facing of certain words and Zappaisms) as you read the assorted road stories, his views on making music for a living, and scenes from two--count them, two--organized hearings on obscenity in music. Of course, the chapter titles speak for themselves and include such Zappa winners as "All About Schmucks," "Marriage (As a Dada Concept)," and "America Drinks and Goes Marching." – Amazon.com review (4.5 stars).

Determined to write a book that had " real stuff in it," the outspoken Zappa, one of the most inventive and controversial artists of the past 20 years, is frank, often disgusting, and always entertaining in describing his life ("How weird am I, anyway?"), his philosophy of music ("Take it or leave it, I now will this to be music "), and art in general ("The most important thing in art is The Frame "). Zappa also relates his opinions about the music performing and recording industries, but then rattles on about a myriad of things: church, drugs, yuppies, politics. The book would have benefited from a discography and a bibliography. Recommended for libraries with large pop culture collections. - Donald W. Maxwell, Carmel Clay P.L., In, from Library Journal.

Week 1:  Chapters 1-4
Week 2:  Chapters 5-8
Week 3:  Chapters 9-14
Week 4:  Chapters 15-19