Lists based on various topics

Film Recs: Something Noir-ish

Introduction

One False Move (1991), a movie directed by Carl Franklin that stars Billy Bob Thornton (he co-wrote the screenplay), Cynda Williams and Bill Paxton, is one of my favorite movies. Have any of you seen it? This is a movie that doesn’t waste any time getting your attention for the first few minutes in. The premise: a drug deal goes bad and six people are murdered in the city of Los Angeles.

The film mostly follows the police officers as they track down the killers to a small rural town in Arkansas. Bill Paxton plays the small town sheriff there who enthusiastically welcomes the LA cops who fly down ahead to catch the dangerous trio who are making their way there. This is a major case for Dale Dixon (Bill Paxton’s character), who in his six years of being sheriff, has never had to use his gun. But Dale is star struck by the LA cops from the big bad city, often looking up to them as if they are heroes (and they are far from it). This film is well acted and directed and has a big secret towards the end. There is some humor within the story to lighten up the mood. Overall this film is one that I re-watch on a occasion and enjoy recommending to people.

I tapped Maili who offered to put together a list of other noir-like movies that would be of interest to fans like me who enjoyed One False Move. She knows everything about film (s). *g* Her list begins after the break. And please, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts or add recommendations. We would love to hear from you! [Read more...]

New Writers I’ve Discovered and Enjoyed in 2011

As the year draws to a close, I thought it would be neat to highlight some of the new writers I’ve discovered in 2011. For some writers on this list, it only took one book to make me a fan. This list mostly consists of Scandinavian writers which is fitting considering that this is my area of interest. All of these writers are good at writing about social commentary, excellent at characterizations, descriptive settings and giving the reader a good sense of time and place. While there are other writers I’ve read this year, this list is of writers who stood out to me in 2011:

Colin Cotterill – this author blew me away with his stories about a seventy year old coroner living in 1970′s Laos under the newly established socialist regime. The first book in the series is THE CORONER’S LUNCH (2004). The series has some paranormal elements in them because the lead protagonist, Dr. Siri Paiboun is housing the spirit of a thousand-year old shaman. He’s also able to see dead people even though he’s not able to speak to them. Often the dead consist of people who were murdered. As the series progresses though, those elements are not used very much. I got a chance to meet Mr. Cotterill at a book-signing this year and I’ve read all of his books with the exception of his latest, just released Dr. Siri novel, SLASH AND BURN (2011).

Patricia Melo – what can I say about this writer? I was fascinated with the story she wrote, set in Brazil, about a former contract killer who was in hiding for ten years and then he resurfaces to attend his aunt’s funeral. He discovers that his girlfriend has taken off with his daughter and he decides to track them down. That is the main plot of LOST WORLD (2009), the sequel to THE KILLER (1999). The story is very gritty and and very, very dark. He goes through many adventures and faces many obstacles until he reaches his destination point. The story is very atmospheric with an anti-hero who is rather complex. I have since went on to procure many of her earlier titles like THE KILLER and INFERNO (2003) that are in print only. LOST WORLD is digitized but is geo restricted for US customers at Amazon.

[Read more...]

Ten Best Spy Novels

The Independent shares their ten best spy novels…I love a good spy novel, how about you? I loved, loved, loved The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum when I read it oh, years ago. Has a very nice romantic subplot too. Too bad it’s still not digitized. Check out the list if you have an interest.

Update: Here is the list from the Independent (not my list and I copied/pasted for your convenience):

1. THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS BY JOHN BUCHAN
2. THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD BY JOHN LE CARRÉ
3. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM BY ROBERT LUDLUM
4. RESTLESS BY WILLIAM BOYD
5. THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS BY ERSKINE CHILDERS
6. THE SECRET AGENT BY JOSEPH CONRAD
7. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE BY IAN FLEMING
8. THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAY BY G.K. CHESTERTON
9. EPITAPH FOR A SPY BY ERIC AMBLER
10. CARTE BLANCHE BY JEFFERY DEAVER (interesting that this one made the list)

Five Great Writers You’re Probably Not Reading

Update: Seems I needed to preface this post with a comment of sorts: I did this list to inform readers of the great mystery writers out there. I got this idea from another reader. I do not mean to assume that you haven’t read any of these writers and if you do GREAT! Wonderful! If you haven’t then you really should. That is all. It is understood that this is my opinion and you have every right to agree or disagree. Thanks.

1. Colin Cotterill. You should have guessed he’d be first if you follow this blog at all. He’s a British writer residing in Southeast Asia. He writes a series of books set in 1970′s communist Laos that features Dr. Siri Paiboun who is the national coroner (and the only coroner for the country). He’s in his seventies and considers himself a disenchanted party member and a cynic. The first book is The Coroner’s Lunch and there are presently 7 books available as I write this with another title, Slash & Burn, due out this fall in the US / UK. I enjoy this series because they are brilliantly written, solidly plotted and feature quirky, cynical, well-developed characters and have plots that are full of political intrigue, suspense and satire with the added touch of the supernatural.

2. Johan Theorin – this author hails from Sweden and sets his books in and around the island of Öland, off the coast of The Baltic Sea. The first book in the planned quartet is Echoes From the Dead. I fell in love with his writing with The Darkest Room, a very atmospheric story with the hints of supernatural elements. The books are loosely connected but can stand alone. The third book, The Quarry, just released in the UK only at the time of this writing. My copy is on the way.

3. Christa Faust - loved Money Shot, which features an ex-porn star who runs her own adult modeling agency. In Money Shot, she gets wrung through hell that leaves her life a mess and she goes on the rampage for revenge. Many of us are anxiously waiting for the sequel, Choke Hold that is due out this fall. If you like strong characters – especially in a female role then check out this author. The porn industry serves as the backdrop and the story itself is a fast paced adrenaline rush to the end.

4. Ken Bruen – Irish writer with a devoted following (and I’m one of them). Mysteries are set in Galway and speak of social strife, the bad economy, the scandal of the church and religious zealotry among others. His endings are usually cliffhangers and are quite shocking. The series I’m reading follow Jack Taylor, an ex Guard with a drinking problem and the usual hang-ups that come with that: solitary lifestyle with few friends and days of binges and black-outs. The first book is The Guards. A quick word about his writing: it’s spare and poetic in style and prose. He loves to quote other writers and I’ve gotten most of my recommendations from him (like Ed McBain and James Sallis).

5. Indridason, Arnaldur – mysteries are set in Iceland and features the divorced, chain-smoking Reykjavi­k detective Erlendur. What makes this series great? Erlendur. Just Erlendur. He’s the main draw for me next to the writing of course. He has baggage and those are my favorite kind of characters. The first book in the series is Jar City (or Tainted Blood wherever you’re at).

Also, on my side-bar are writers who I think are exceptional that I left off this list. I’ve linked to their websites . Asa Larsson’s website is not in English and as far as I know she doesn’t have a US version of her website available. Looks like she needs to work on that though. I will admit to not liking Colin Cotterill’s website as it doesn’t seem to reflect the serious side of his writing which I must admit is very satirical of the communist government but it is very rather politically dense and informative.

On the personal side, I’m still reading Echoes From the Dead and that’s because I’ve been busy and this is a long ass book.

Twenty Mystery Titles for $2.99 or Less

Using the advanced search form at Amazon.com for digital books only, I found several titles by NYT bestselling mystery writers selling for $2.99 or less mainly by two publishers: HarperCollins and Minotaur Books. I’ve noted what titles are the start of a series and what titles are stand alone novels.

Disclaimer: prices and availability may vary depending on where you live and I have no idea how long these deals are in place. These are all unaffiliated links. Jane of Dear Author did a list like this for romance titles so I thought it’d be fun to do one for mystery and suspense. It’s not as voluminous but still this is more than I had anticipated and I had fun doing it. Update: Some of these titles & prices may be available for Sony, Kobo or B&N Nook readers. [Read more...]

Amazon Sunshine Deals, My Bought List

I’d been ignoring all the talk about Amazon Sunshine Deals (sale ends June 15th PDT and is U.S. only). I have enough books as it is but I took a look and well, went crazy and bought about 8 ebooks. I’m somewhat surprised at what titles are discounted so cheaply and seething inside at the titles I see that I paid the full price for that are now on sale. It pays to wait I see. Anyway, just for fun, I am listing what I bought. If you feel inclined please share what titles you bought. Alright, let’s roll. [Read more...]

What the U.S. is Reading in Mystery (May 2011)

U.S. titles for bestselling mystery novels [hardcover] for week ending May 7, 2011 at the time of this writing:

#1 Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Mystery)
#2 10th Anniversary by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (ugh)
#3 The Sixth Man by David Baldacci (never read him and don’t plan to)
#4 The Sixth Kill by Robert B. Parker (final Spencer novel)
#5 I’ll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark

The complete list is here (NYT) Read any of these? I’ll say that I don’t put much stock in these lists as they are politically generated. Obviously for me there’s a huge disconnect between me and the general reading public and always has been (and this is nothing new).

UK Titles of (Possible) Interest

The U.S. takes forever to get stuff over here. So, I browse the UK Amazon catalog for authors I already read to see what they have coming down the pike. I found the following titles of possible interest:

French crime fiction writer, Fred Vargas (trs by Sian Reynolds) – An Uncertain Place (digital available in UK only) – this is the sixth book in the Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg series. None of her books are available digitally in the U.S. yet. Just print. Let’s work on that okay?

Swedish writer, Johan Theorin has a new mystery coming out in the UK, The Quarry (June 23rd). I might have to break down and buy this in print if it’s not digitized. Enjoyed The Darkest Room very much. This author writes atmospheric stories with a hint of ghostly elements in them. [Read more...]

Short List of Future US Mystery Releases

It’s the weekend and this is a short list of all the US titles I am looking forward to reading. All are authors I’ve read and enjoyed in the past. Working on a UK crime fiction list for 2011 that I’m looking forward to reading as well.

Choke Hold by Christa Faust is due out Oct 2011. It will be available in digital as well as print. Woot! The prequel is Money Shot. An ex-Porn star strikes back at those who ruined her life. In Money Shot, the action is just about non-stop. The denouement was realistic, too. I’m curious to know what’s next on her agenda after the events in the last book


Misery Bay by Steven Hamilton – this title is apart of the Alex McKnight series, due out June 7th. The protagonist is a former cop turned sometime private investigator and is set near the border of Canada and Michigan. The series is more character driven and suspenseful which is what I like about it. Mystery is probably the weakest element in the series. My favorite: Blood Is the Sky. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. First book in the series is A Cold Day In Paradise.


Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot: A Novel by Jodi Compton due out July 19th. Sequel to Hailey’s War. Compton also wrote two books featuring Detective Sarah Pribek set in Minneapolis. The series has been abandoned but the two books are: The 37th Hour and Sympathy Between Humans. Wonderful writer, again, her mysteries tend to be character driven. Ignore the 2 or 3 star reviews, thanks.


The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly due out April 5th – I’m so behind in this series featuring Mickey Haller who was first introduced in The Lincoln Lawyer. I’m not a big legal thriller fan but I do enjoy Connelly’s brand of legal thrillers. There’s now a movie version. His Harry Bosch series is excellent as well. I recently read where the author stated that Billy Burke embodies the physical look of Harry Bosch


Other titles coming out that’s on my might read list: Lethal by Sandra Brown, due out September 20th. Can you say…sticker shock? The digital format for this book is set at $14.99. Can’t afford that, sorry. I just hope my library will be buying it. I’ll get it from there or go for a used copy. In fact, I still have two of hers to read anyway. Why do I like Sandra Brown? Her plots seem to challenge believability and her characters tend to be unlikable but dammit, her books are very readable. Entertaining.

I see Karen Rose has a new paperback coming out June 7th, You Belong To Me. If you haven’t read Karen Rose you should. She’s a solid romantic suspense writer. Readers do complain about the violence but she seems to be really good at balancing romance with mystery without shirking on either.

In the fall we have a new Laura Griffin set for August 30th release, titled Snapped. I’ve yet to read her work. I do own two titles and hope to read them this year. Then we have a new Julie Garwood romantic suspense, Her Ideal Man August 9th. I obtained a Netgalley e-ARC of this one and plan to read it.

Are there any titles you’re looking forward to reading?

Year 2010 Is Half Over, What Stood Out Thus Far?

Year 2010 is half over and I haven’t read much 2010 titles but these titles stood out thus far this year.

Met or Exceeded Reading Expectations

The Little Death (2010) by P.J. Parrish featuring private detective Louis Kincaid from Fort Meyers who’s having to solve a baffling murder that has the potential to cause a sex scandal involving a few of the affluent residents of Palm Beach. Suspenseful, tension filled mystery with a shocking ending. Plan to read more by this author.

The Three Evangelists (2007) by Fred Vargas that follows three amateur sleuths who are medieval historians trying to solve the mystery of a missing opera singer and the mysterious tree that appeared in her backyard prior to her disappearance. Paris setting, interesting protagonists, slow pacing though but otherwise, an impressive read.

The Darkest Room
by Johan Theorin (2009) by far the best of the bunch in discoveries this year. Johan Theorin is an author to watch. I’m very impressed with the author. To the point: The Darkest Room is a meaty, complex ghost story that is atmospheric and suspenseful.

The Ghosts of Belfast (2010) by Stuart Neville. Great debut post-Troubles, featuring an ex-IRA contract killer who’s haunted and being followed by the people he murdered. Edgy, suspenseful, political intrigue and tension building in the last fourth of the novel. Look forward to reading more by this author.

Disappointments Thus Far


Broken (Grant County No. 7) by Karin Slaughter
. Oh, I had problems with this book. Let me summarize them for you. Starting with dereliction of duty by a police officer, a weak suspense plot, a villain that just shows up out of nowhere and a diminishing interest in the series due to the actions of certain characters. All of that added up to a disappointing read. Yes, I posted this just to give the book another kick.

Upcoming Mystery Books

Most of these are U.S. titles. The article serves two purposes: 1) to remind me about these books when they come out and 2) this is an opportunity to share some of my favorite authors with you all. Let’s start with Julia Spencer-Fleming’s One Was A Soldier, due out April 2011 in hardcover (336 pages). This is the 8th book in the Rev. Clare Fergusson / Russ Van Alstyne series. The manuscript was late so the publisher pushed back the release date to spring. In all honesty, I can wait. I am afraid at what direction the author intends to go with Clare and Russ as the last book has them at a crossroads now. I don’t know what to make of that cover, however. It’s not what I was expecting.

Next is Suzanne Arruda’s The Crocodile’s Last Embrace: A Jade Del Cameron Novel. I read the first book in the series, Mark of the Lion and enjoyed it very much. Due to so many books, I just haven’t followed up but I plan to rectify that. The series is set during the 1920′s and follows larger than life Jade del Cameron who writes for a travel journal and lives in the British occupied Africa. She’s an ex-ambulance driver. She rescued soldiers from the front-line under enemy fire. I like Jade. She is smart and practical and the book itself reads like a travel diary. I really do need to catch up! The previous five books released in hardcover but the publisher is releasing her next book The Crocodile’s Last Embrace in trade paperback (win!). I wouldn’t read the product description of any of the books as it contains spoilers. [Read more...]

Jo Nesbo’s Top Five Crime Fiction Novels

I am currently reading, “The Snowman” that’s like the 5th book in the Harry Hole series. It’s only out in the UK for those of us looking for the English translation (if anyplace else I claim ignorance and laziness). I was curious to know what authors Jo Nesbo himself enjoyed and emailed and asked and got a response albeit via a third party but the truth is that many other readers have asked this same question so it’s nothing new. But anyway, here it is, Jo Nesbo’s top five favorite crime fiction novels. He seems to be a big Jim Thompson fan and look! He’s also a fan of Dennis Lehane (I must calm down now). I knew there was a reason why I loved Jo Nesbo’s books. He has great taste just like me (big smile)

Jim Thompson, The Killer Inside Me
Jim Thompson, Pop 1280
Frank Miller, Sin City, Hell Of A Woman
Dennis Lehane, Mystic River
Arthur Omre, The Smugglers (no link that I could find & it’s in Swedish, no English translation)

Lists of Women Crime Fiction Writers on my Radar or my Ebook Reader

I’m always looking for new crime fiction writers to try. In this article, I decided to focus just on the women crime fiction writers who seem to be getting some buzz or have managed to snag my interest and get me to buy their book. They seem to hold their own very well when compared to their male counterparts. Most of these authors are on my ebook reader.

Nordic crime fiction writer Karin Fossum grabbed my attention when she made the list at No.27 in Time’s list of The 50 Greatest Crime Writers [2008]. From what I can tell she just has the Inspector Konrad Sejer series going. I’ve bought two of her books to try: Black Seconds and Calling Out For You or The Indian Bride. Looks like all of her books are translated to English but digital availability for the entire series is spotty.

British crime fiction writer, Ann Granger was an Amazon recommended read. How could I resist. I bought Cold in the Earth [1992] in what seems like a long series featuring Mitchell & Markby. On her wiki page it says she used to write historical romances. I don’t recognize any of the titles and there aren’t very many. [Read more...]

Keishon’s Top Thriller Films

The Game (1997) is a film by David Fincher that stars Michael Douglas and Sean Penn. Michael Douglas stars as a cold, distant businessman who is divorced. See, Douglas takes life too seriously. His wayward kid brother, Conrad (Sean Penn) gifts him with a birthday present that is quite unusual. It’s a game. A life-changing game. Talk about a suspenseful movie with a surprise twist at the end. I enjoyed this film when it was first released and bought the DVD. I felt that Michael Douglas’s character’s transformation was quite believable. For a man who has everything, money, respect and a nice home. He soon finds himself without a car, his house vandalized and having to survive some dangerous scrapes. His paranoia is fed daily with lies about his company, the people he worked with and even his own family. His comfortable life is disrupted all thanks to The Game. It’s like everything he ever valued is stripped away from him. When he was told that the game would ‘change his life,” they weren’t kidding. Excellent movie. [Read more...]

Maili’s Favorite Thriller Films

Massive thanks to Keishon for letting me have a chance to share my list of recommended/favourite thriller films. To make it manageable, I will split the long-arse list into six major categories: Supernatural, Crime, Legal, Psychological, Political and Science Fiction.

1. Frailty (2001) (American)

A man named Fenton appears at a local FBI office and confesses to an FBI agent that his religious father’s visions, provided by God, led him and his brother to murder evil demons, who – their father claims – disguise themselves as human beings. Is Fenton telling the truth? It’s a truly thought-provoking and suspenseful film, with all-round good performances by the cast, especially child actors. It’s actor Bill Paxton’s debut feature directorial effort, too.

2. El Espinazo del Diablo (The Devil’s Backbone) (2001) (Spanish/Mexican)

During the Spanish Civil War, a young orphaned boy is sent to an isolated boarding school where he encounters the ghost of a murdered child who warns him of an impending disaster. It’s a sensitive, character-driven story of a lonely boy who struggles to make sense of life. One of my favourite Guillermo Del Toro films. There’s a Thai film with similar elements: Der Hok (Dorm, 2006), which revolves around a friendship between a lonely school boarder and the ghost of a dead boarder.

3. Janghwa, Hongryeon (Red Flower, Red Lotus a.k.a. A Tale of Two Sisters) (2003) (South Korean)

After spending unnamed years at a hospital, two sisters return to the home of their father and their much-hated step-mother. As they struggle to settle in, their stepmother’s increasingly disturbing behaviour begins to make the sisters afraid that their lives may be in danger. An updated version of a traditional South Korean folk tale. Remade as The Uninvited (2009). I’m still not sure what to make of The Uninvited as it’s structurally and thematically different. It’s also heavily simplified, which makes it somewhat a disappointment. Well, it’s a reasonably decent film if we pretend The Uninvited isn’t a remake of A Tale of Two Sisters. [Read more...]