“The Christmas Night Murder,” by Lee Harris

FM's ratings:

          1. Premise 7
          2. Prose 8
          3. Plot 8
          4. Characters 6
          5. Overall 7

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This is a good solid mystery.  Nothing particularly remarkable, but solid.  Some mysteries are like puzzles that give the reader enough clues that you can figure out the solution if you are clever enough.  This one, however, is more focused on how the “sleuth” (yes, another amateur sleuth investigating without the resources of a law enforcement agency) collects clues and eventually stumbles on the key to the puzzle, which is not given to the reader any more than it is the sleuth.  That’s okay, and it’s interesting to watch as the solution emerges, but there is nothing that sets this mystery apart from others besides the details.  The characters are very human, very realistic, but not very interesting; even Christine Bennett, the protagonist comes across as an ex-nun, without interesting flaws or strengths, other than tenacity.  If you’re just in the mood for a “whodunit” this fills the bill.  If you’re looking for something a little more than that, it’s not really here.

Here’s the January line-up! 

“Suffer Little Children,” by Peter Tremayne

“Shakespeare’s Trollop,” by Charlaine Harris

“Choke,” by Chuck Palahniuk

“Underdog,” by Laurien Berenson
“The Green Ripper,” by John D. MacDonald 

(As always, if there are any books you’d like to recommend for the next month, please do so.  Also, if you have already read one on our previous lists, you are invited you to give your ratings/comments for that book!)

“The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner,” by James Hogg

FM's ratings:

          1. Premise 5

          2. Prose 6

          3. Plot 7

          4. Characters 7

          5. Overall 6

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

I had this book recommended to me, primarily as a peek at historic Scotland, and especially Edinburgh.  When I rate a book at a “6” or lower it’s an indication that I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to someone else.   This is essentially a re-hash of the many versions of “man-makes-deal-with-devil” stories, albeit with some interesting twists.  Fortunately, the prose and pacing were NOT tedious!  [See various previous entries.]  There simply wasn’t anything special about them.  It’s a fairly short book, so it gets credit for that, too.  The characters were rather shallow, including the protagonist; who took almost the entire book to realize just who he was dealing with, while everyone else saw it very clearly.  Yes, this book is a “classic” – and classics are a VERY mixed bag – so I didn’t want to give it a miss.  But of all the classics available, there are many that you probably haven’t read that would be more worth your time.

Here’s the January line-up! 

“Suffer Little Children,” by Peter Tremayne

“Shakespeare’s Trollop,” by Charlaine Harris

“Choke,” by Chuck Palahniuk

“Underdog,” by Laurien Berenson
“The Green Ripper,” by John D. MacDonald 

(As always, if there are any books you’d like to recommend for the next month, please do so.  Also, if you have already read one on our previous lists, you are invited you to give your ratings/comments for that book!)

“Not a Creature Was Stirring,” by Jane Haddam

FM's ratings:

          1. Premise 9

          2. Prose 10

          3. Plot 8

          4. Characters 10

          5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

Another first time author for me; another brilliant novel.  I have decided that whenever this happens, I am going to immediately get another book by the same author to add to my to-be-read shelf, even if I don’t plan to read it right away.  Otherwise I’ll lose track of all of them!  Very intelligent prose here – I have come to realize that great writing is all I really need in a work of fiction.  A really good story with mediocre prose doesn’t do as much for me.  The plot here suffers from a too-abrupt ending; a problem I have with most mysteries, as if the authors are saying, “Now that you know whodunit, I’ll waste no more of your time.”  Yes, there is the Epilogue in which the mystery solver explains how he or she came to the right solution.  I suppose these things are what “mystery readers” expect, so maybe I’m not a bona fide “mystery reader.”  But I’ll always appreciate good writing, and that’s what Jane Haddam delivers!

“Saints of the Shadow Bible,” by Ian Rankin

FM's ratings:

          1. Premise 8

          2. Prose 9

          3. Plot 9

          4. Characters 10

          5. Overall 9

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

One of the most consistent novelists I’ve read, Ian Rankin continues to crank out these “John Rebus” stories, never allowing Rebus to go stale as a character.  I don’t think Michael Caine is Scottish, but I imagine him in this role displaying a seedier version of his normally urbane classiness.  Sean Connery could do it, but one hates to see him stoop that low.  Caine wouldn’t be stooping; he’s done seedy characters – and done them well – many times!  As for Siobhan Clarke: Sigourney Weaver comes close, but no cigar.  Siobhan is not as hard-edged or intense as that, though she is tough in different ways.  The supporting cast, especially Fox, is developed beautifully through the dialog, which is peppered with sly humor, and fascinating colloquialisms. This is Rankin’s real talent, though the plotting is deceptively simple.  Hearing him speak live one time, I remember him saying that he writes from beginning to end and only then goes back through and does the research along with fine adjustments of plot and development.  He said that he doesn’t necessarily recommend this as an effective way to write a novel, but it works for him.  I’ll say it does!