“Terrorist,” by John Updike

FM's rating:

1.      Premise 10

2.      Prose 9

3.      Plot 9

4.      Characters 9

5.      Overall 9

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Updike is mostly known for his Rabbit books, “Rabbit Run” and its sequels, but this book is better than “Rabbit, Run.”  It probably should be, having been written much later in his career.  In the earlier book, his prose was rather poetic and rather quirky, seemingly an attempt to differentiate it from that of other writers.  Here, the writing is less self-conscious, more mature, and communicates more clearly.  He is relying on his other strengths, which are considerable.  Ahmad, the protagonist is superbly portrayed, his pure devotion to Islam sensitively depicted and his perspective on other religions and American culture penetrating.  The author is, perhaps, subtly attempting to open our minds toward the Muslim perspective, and for me, it works.  The overall sense, as in his other works, is decidedly anti-religion, but his presentation of Islam attempts to be fair.  Highly recommended. 

Here’s the March line-up!

“’I’ is for Innocence,” by Sue Grafton [3-5]

“A Thief of Time,” by Tony Hillerman [3-12]

“The Ritual Bath,” by Faye Kellerman [3-19]

“Deception,” by Jonathan Kellerman [3-26]

(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 to send your ratings and or comments for that book!)

“The Queen is Dead,” by Kate Locke

FM's ratings:

          1. Premise 10

          2. Prose 10

          3. Plot 9

          4. Characters 10

          5. Overall 10


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


A book of this type probably shouldn’t get a “10” – but it’s just that good.   It’s a horror story about vampires, werewolves, and goblins; fluff, right?  But it really is brilliantly executed and just an amazing load of fun.  This author is one of those who write completely different types of books under other pen names.  Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb comes to mind.  And like Roberts/Robb, one style of writing emerges as far superior to the others.  That baffles me.  It’s not so much that an author is capable of being virtually schizophrenic in his/her ability to write in completely different voices; though that’s impressive in its own right.  The baffling part is: if an author is capable of writing this well, why in the world would said author EVER write anything intentionally inferior to it??  Her other genres are Steampunk for Teens, and Steampunk Romance, and though they both have their up sides, neither can compare to this series.  This one rivals Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels, and coming from me, that is high praise indeed.  The premise that history remains “stuck” in the Victorian age to the present day because the aristocracy became vampires – therefore capable of living indefinitely if not forever – is pure gold, if it’s well-executed.  And it is.  Magical stuff, well worth the time to read the whole series!

Here’s the March line-up!

“’I’ is for Innocence,” by Sue Grafton [3-5]

“A Thief of Time,” by Tony Hillerman [3-12]

“The Ritual Bath,” by Faye Kellerman [3-19]

“Deception,” by Jonathan Kellerman [3-26]

(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 to send your ratings and or comments for that book!)

“Espresso Tales,” by Alexander McCall Smith

FM's ratings:


          1. Premise 8

          2. Prose 9

          3. Plot 7

          4. Characters 9

          5. Overall 8


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


As always with this author, a very satisfying read, despite the low-key levels of action, suspense, drama, and almost everything else people normally look for in an entertaining read.  It’s hard to point to exactly what the elements are that make McCall Smith’s writing so absorbing.  The plot is an almost soap-opera mishmash of parallel story lines having very little to do with one another, revolving around almost nothing more than a common sense of place – 44 Scotland Street in modern-day Edinburgh, Scotland, near the Castle.  Characters overlap a little as the separate strands alternate, but not in any essential way.  So why does it work so amazingly well?!  This is great writing; that’s my only clue.  The warmth, the humanity, the social commentary all flow generously throughout the book, and there are especially poignant moments toward the end.  I will continue to read this man’s books on a regular basis – two or three a year? – until I have read them all.  Love his work.

“They Came to Baghdad,” by Agatha Christie

FM's ratings:


          1. Premise 9

          2. Prose 8

          3. Plot 9

          4. Characters 7

          5. Overall 8


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


This is only the second book by Christie that I have read.  The first was “Murder on the Orient Express,” which I wanted to read first because I had been curious about it almost all my life.  It was okay, but not nearly the magnificent read that I had heard some people thought it was.  I had also been given the impression that there was a sameness to all her books, like so many so-called “Mystery Writers” good and bad, but this book is extremely different from “Orient.”  There are mystery elements here, to be sure, but it is really more of a “Spy Thriller” than a mystery, with a nice twist in that the protagonist becomes the heroine spy of the story quite by accident and without realizing what she’s getting into.  The characters could have been much more vividly fleshed out, making my overall rating a “9,” but it would have made for a completely different kind of book – perhaps too long and not as fast-paced.  As it is, I was pleasantly surprised, and am now more interested in reading more of Christie’s books than I was after “Orient.”  I hear that “And Then There Were None” is superb – maybe I’ll try it next time I read this important author.