Title: The Book of Spies
Author: Gayle Lynds
Did I listen or read?: library audio book
When did I finish?: December 10, 2014
When was the book published: 2010
Main Characters: Eva Blake, Judd Ryder
What happens? Eva gets thrown in jail for the death of her husband in a bizarre car accident, and Judd's father is assassinated while talking to someone about the Library of Gold. Judd and Eva get thrown together chasing around Europe to find the mysterious cabal of influential and powerful men who have been part of a vast world wide conspiracy to protect the Library of Gold while having their own careers flourish through manipulated events.
How long was this? 12 hours
Did I like this? Barely. Far fetched. Like a Nicholas Cage novel, with mysterious powerful men spinning their web of influence and power without reasonable explanation. Good exciting spy mystery at some points.
Overall grade: C+
Saturday, January 10, 2015
SIlkworm by Robert Galbraith
Title: Silkworm
Author: Robert Galbraith
Did I listen or read?: Nook book
When did I finish?: Jan 9, 2015
When was the book published: June, 2014
Main Characters: Cormoran Strike for the 2nd time, his girl Robin and her fiance Matthew, author Owen Quine, wife Leonora and mentally handicapped daughter Orlando, plus a cast of writers, agents and publishers
What happens? Leonora hires Strike to find Owen, who has gone missing after making a stink about his book called Bombyx Mori (aka Silkworm.) Owen turns up dead (found by Strike murdered in brutal fashion), and the evidence points to Leonora, and Strike makes it his mission to clear her name. How long was this? 454 pages
Did I like this? Pretty good. Plot and the multiple characters swirling around Quine was a bit hard to follow, but I am very interested in the continued adventures of Strike and Robin.
Overall grade: B+
Author: Robert Galbraith
Did I listen or read?: Nook book
When did I finish?: Jan 9, 2015
When was the book published: June, 2014
Main Characters: Cormoran Strike for the 2nd time, his girl Robin and her fiance Matthew, author Owen Quine, wife Leonora and mentally handicapped daughter Orlando, plus a cast of writers, agents and publishers
What happens? Leonora hires Strike to find Owen, who has gone missing after making a stink about his book called Bombyx Mori (aka Silkworm.) Owen turns up dead (found by Strike murdered in brutal fashion), and the evidence points to Leonora, and Strike makes it his mission to clear her name. How long was this? 454 pages
Did I like this? Pretty good. Plot and the multiple characters swirling around Quine was a bit hard to follow, but I am very interested in the continued adventures of Strike and Robin.
Overall grade: B+
Damage by Keith Francis
Title: Damage
Author: Keith Francis
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: December 20, 2014
When was the book published: 2014
Main Characters: Jeff Hinkley, the British Horseracing Authority
What happens? Hinkley is an investigator and master of disguises for BHA. He sees Matthew Unwin murder someone at a track by cutting his throat. Someone starts committing acts of terror (poisoning jockeys, then the race course judges, after setting explosives in a jump fence at Cheltenham.) Hinkley has to figure it out, and it leads where you might expect - into the seat of power.
How long was this? 400 pages
Did I like this? Good stuff, in the Francis mold, as Hinkley wrestles with his relationship with his girlfriend, and his contentious co-workers. Not the best of, but very readable.
Overall grade: B+
Author: Keith Francis
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: December 20, 2014
When was the book published: 2014
Main Characters: Jeff Hinkley, the British Horseracing Authority
What happens? Hinkley is an investigator and master of disguises for BHA. He sees Matthew Unwin murder someone at a track by cutting his throat. Someone starts committing acts of terror (poisoning jockeys, then the race course judges, after setting explosives in a jump fence at Cheltenham.) Hinkley has to figure it out, and it leads where you might expect - into the seat of power.
How long was this? 400 pages
Did I like this? Good stuff, in the Francis mold, as Hinkley wrestles with his relationship with his girlfriend, and his contentious co-workers. Not the best of, but very readable.
Overall grade: B+
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro
Title: The Art Forger
Author: B.A. Shapiro
Did I listen or read?: library audio book
When did I finish?: Jan 10, 2015
When was the book published: 2013
Main Characters: Claire Roth, Isabelle Stewart Gardner, her friend Rick, lawyer Mike, gallery owner Aiden Markel, former boyfriend Isaac
What happens? Roth is a struggling artist haunted by events three years ago (who works for reproductions.com) when she helped her boyfriend Isaac create a work that he took credit for. Markel comes to her to get her to "do good" - to copy a stolen Dega (After the Bath,) and allow him to sell the forgery and then return the original to the Gardner museum.
How long was this? 9 hours
Did I like this? This was a really good story! I really liked the details about the process of creating a painting.
Overall grade: A-
Author: B.A. Shapiro
Did I listen or read?: library audio book
When did I finish?: Jan 10, 2015
When was the book published: 2013
Main Characters: Claire Roth, Isabelle Stewart Gardner, her friend Rick, lawyer Mike, gallery owner Aiden Markel, former boyfriend Isaac
What happens? Roth is a struggling artist haunted by events three years ago (who works for reproductions.com) when she helped her boyfriend Isaac create a work that he took credit for. Markel comes to her to get her to "do good" - to copy a stolen Dega (After the Bath,) and allow him to sell the forgery and then return the original to the Gardner museum.
How long was this? 9 hours
Did I like this? This was a really good story! I really liked the details about the process of creating a painting.
Overall grade: A-
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