Memphis Reads Archive

Labels: Reviews by Alice Kendall

Fiction/Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN'S UNION by Michael Chabon (Harper Collins, 2007)

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union is the winner of the 2007 Nebula Award for best science fiction novel. It was also nominated for the 2008 Pulitzer award for literature and the 2008 Edgar award for best mystery novel. Intrigued, I had to read this book.

If you like space travel and aliens (as in ETs), this is not the book for you. It is an alternate history novel in which the United States offered part of the Alaskan Territory as a sanctuary for the Jews at the start of WWII and then again when the Nation of Israel was driven into the sea in 1948. Sixty years later, the United States is taking the land back and the Jews have two months to find somewhere else to go.

That’s the integral backdrop. The book starts with a murder in the hotel where our hero lives--our member of the Yiddish Policemen’s Union. Slowly, inexorably, we are drawn into Meyer Landsman’s life; his feelings of guilt and love, his desires, his fears; his angst. We are given a glimpse of the Jewish consciousness, warts and all. All the while, the murder investigation, which starts out turgidly, continues to gain momentum. The identity of the dead man is answered quickly which only makes the questions of "who" and "why" that much more important. Unfortunately, the powers that be have ruled that all criminal cases are to be closed by the time of "reversion." So Landsman’s dead neighbor is consigned to the "cold case file." Unable to except this, Landsman continues to investigate even after his suspension.

Caught up in a story that is loaded with Yiddish slang that I don’t understand, that seemed to progress the plot marginally faster than a snail, I started wondering if the book was the choice of literature snobs. But I just couldn’t believe that critics in three different genres could be wrong, so I kept going. And my reward was pure enjoyment. This book excels on so many levels. The writing is flawless, the characters are true, the premise is intriguing and the outcome is totally satisfying in its uncertainty. Now I have to read the winners of the Pulitzer and the Edgar to see why this one didn’t win.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall, Science Fiction

Fiction/Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews Elizabeth Peters' JACQUELINE KIRBY SERIES

Jacqueline (do NOT call her Jackie) Kirby is my kind of gal. The fact that she is a librarian probably has a lot to do with it. She is also an intelligent, no-nonsense free spirit.

From the moment I met her lying flat on her back in The Seventh Sinner until she achieves moderate success as an author in Naked Once More, I was constantly amused by her glasses, her antics and particularly her purse. Like something out of science fiction/fantasy, Kirby’s purse always seemed to produce exactly what she needed when she needed it. Of course, if you asked her, she’d tell you that it doesn’t take that much intelligence to be prepared. Oh, did I forget to mention that Jacqueline Kirby is not a cuddly, maternal character? She can be both prickly and sarcastic.

There are only four books in this series (The Seventh Sinner, The Murders of Richard III, Die for Love and Naked Once More), which is somewhat disappointing. On the other hand, it means the reader can get it all in a short amount of time. No waiting around for the next book, they’re all on the shelf. Elizabeth Peters has the ability to develop characters with whom readers can identify. They resonate like favorite aunts or cousins; people we envy while loving them completely.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall

Fiction/Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews MOTOR MOUTH by Janet Evanovich (HarperCollins, 2006)

Love Janet Evanovich? Can’t get enough of Stephanie Plum, her crazy family and oh-so-hunky love interests, Ranger and Morelli? Wonder what all the excitement is about, but don’t want to start a book series 12 books behind? Relax. Ms Evanovich has a new series out.

Metro Girl was our introduction to Alexandra Barnaby, aka Barney. Barney is a Baltimore girl and excellent mechanic with an engineering degree who finds herself in Miami trying to save her brother’s life. There she meets Sam Hooker, a race car driver and owner of the boat her brother has stolen. The two team up and the fun and action begin.

Motor Mouth is the second in the series. Barney is still in Florida (when she isn’t in another state acting as “spotter” for Sam while he’s racing) and still getting into riotous trouble. This time, she and Sam try to help an acquaintance and end up with a Saran-Wrapped dead body. Wishing to get rid of the body, but also wanting to make sure the police know who he is, they use a magic marker to write the man’s name on the wrap and leave him in Sam’s rival’s truck. By now you may be noticing some similarities to Stephanie when she’s out rounding up bail jumpers with Lula. The fun and danger only increase as Barney, Sam and an assortment of zany characters stumble through threats, kidnapping and being wanted by the police.

Barney and Sam will probably never replace Stephanie and Morelli (or Ranger), but they are a lot of fun and will satisfy that Evanovich itch until Lean Mean 13 comes out.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall

Fiction/Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews THE SHAPE SHIFTER by Tony Hillerman (Harper Collins, 2006)

Joe Leaphorn, retired from the Navajo Tribal Police, has no worries about how to spend his time. Given his years of solving crimes and his contacts in and out of law enforcement, people just naturally turn to him when they think something is not as it should be. Mel Bork, an old acquaintance who used to work with the FBI, contacts him about an old Navajo blanket that was supposed to have burned in a fire. The fire was memorable because the body of one of the FBI’s “most wanted” was found in the ashes. Now, the blanket is apparently part of a private collection and Mel Bork is missing. Enlisting Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito, who are (finally) married and back from their honeymoon, to do some research for him, Joe does the leg work to see if he can solve the mystery of the reappearing blanket and the missing investigator.

Tony Hillerman’s numerous awards include the Center for American Indian’s Ambassador Award and the Navajo Tribe’s Special Friend Award. One of the joys of reading his books is his understanding and portrayal of the Navajo beliefs. In The Shape Shifter we learn about people who can change in order to avoid pursuit or take advantage of the innocent. Joe knows he’s after a shape shifter, the questions are “What was he before?” and “Who is he now?” Starting this book at the end of the story just adds a little more mystery to an enjoyable read. It also puts the reader in the same position as Jim and Bernie; wondering what is going on. In the end, we are left with a deeply satisfying “Ahhhh” when all is revealed.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall

Fiction/Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews UNDER ORDERS by Dick Francis (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006):

This new book by Dick Francis is exactly what one has come to expect from the ex-champion jockey: fast paced, suspenseful, loads of fun. Sid Halley is back in a fourth novel featuring this ex-champion, one-armed ex-jockey turned private investigator. Francis has written 40 books of fiction including a book of short stories. Only the characters Kit Fielding and Sid Halley appeared more than once. Two of the Sid Halley books (Whip Hand, Come to Grief) received the Edgar (Allan Poe) Award from the Mystery Writers of America. So, it’s no wonder that after a lapse of 6 years, Francis’s favorite character is back.

The book starts with three deaths at the track on race day. One of the deaths is murder--three bullets in the chest usually indicates foul play. Since Sid had just been asked to check into the ethical practices of this dead jockey, he became involved. Shortly after the murder, he is asked to check into the possibility of corruption in online gambling. Are the two connected? Can online gambling sites profit from race fixing? Will Sid find the answers? Of course he will, but not before he has to face the horror of having those he loves endangered. Should I mention red herrings? Nah. All in all, this is a wonderful read with danger, affection and reconciliation all nicely handled with British reserve and aplomb. In short, this is a Dick Francis novel.

Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall

Fiction/ Genre: Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews DEFINITELY DEAD by Charlaine Harris (Ace Books, 2006):

Sookie Stackhouse is another great character from the fertile imagination of Charlaine Harris. She is a bar waitress, telepath, friend and helpmate of vampires, weres and other paranormals (as long as they aren’t trying to kill her or those she loves).

In this book, the sixth in the "Dead" series, Sookie is again drawn into vampire politics. At the same time, she needs to figure out who is trying to kill her, pack up her dead cousin’s belongings and find out why there is a dead body in the closet. She also learns things about her first love she’d rather not know and begins a relationship with a very exciting and interesting new acquaintance.

Ms. Harris manages to keep us on the edge of our seats with a wonderful sense of timing and delightful wit. Whether it is Aurora Teagarden or Lily Bard, her characters are never anything but true to themselves and to the reader. I would recommend starting with the first book in the series, Dead Until Dark, if you haven’t read any of this series. Or, you could pick up Grave Sight, the first in Ms. Harris’ new series. The next book, Grave Surprise is due out later this month, and is eagerly awaited by all of us who love her books.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall

Fiction / Genre: Mainstream

Alice Kendall reviews THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Mark Haddon (Doubleday, 2003):

Mark Haddon has written a very unique, award-winning story. The “curious incident” and its aftermath are seen through the eyes of an autistic young man. From the first few paragraphs, the reader is drawn into the world of those who do not function well in normal society. We not only see how they act, but understand why they act so inappropriately from a “normal” viewpoint.

It all starts with the murder of the neighbor’s dog. Young Christopher decides to find out who killed the dog and, along the way, discovers the truth about his family. While the reality of the story is very interesting to us, its effect (or lack, thereof) on Christopher is the real story. Haddon’s experience in working with autistic persons gives him the ability to show us what these people experience everyday. Christopher’s interaction with his teachers and neighbors, his reactions to those he doesn’t know, his courage in facing a world that is totally alien to him; all of this is treated both artistically and truthfully. It is a truly remarkable work that offers a real insight without becoming sentimental or preachy. It is straight forward, unemotional and altogether engrossing. (And, for the mathematically inclined, the solution to the math problem is given in the appendix.)


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews by Alice Kendall

FICTION/Genre: Horror

Alice Kendall reviews THE BOOK OF THE DEAD by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Warner Books, 2006):

For those of us who have followed Aloysius Pendergast’s career starting with his first appearance in Relic, this is a must read. For those who have not, do not read this book until you have read Dance of Death. All of the books by these two authors are stand-alone works of fiction, but these last two are so closely linked, they should be read in order.

Few authors have achieved what Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have; books of horror that fly off the shelf. Their characters are interesting, able and sympathetic. If the evil that needs to be fought is unbelievably powerful, the forces of good are equal to the task. In these last two novels, FBI Agent Pendergast is shown to be (slightly) human; not the unequalled intellect we have come to expect. This only heightens the delicious suspense and adrenalin rush as he and his companions seek first to discover the horrific threat and then to stop it. Along the way, we learn more about the Pendergast family and the people they touch in the course of their lives.

For years I avoided the horror genre. I avoided horror movies (except Hitchcock, of course) and horror books, until I had to read one. Relic was recommended by several friends as one of the best horror books they had read. Following their advice, I read it and have been reading horror ever since. If, like me, you avoid this genre, I recommend any of the books by Preston and Child. They are inventive, action-packed fast reads with nary a nightmare. Can’t ask for more than that.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch

Labels: Horror, Reviews by Alice Kendall

Alice Kendall reviews SECOND SIGHT: An Arcane Society Novel by Amanda Quick (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2006.)

Venetia Milton is a young unmarried woman in Victorian England trying to support her family in an England that is not very supportive of young unmarried women who have no male support. Fortunately, she has a talent. She is an excellent photographer. Her talent got her the job of photographing the artifacts of the Arcane Society; the money they paid her will launch her career in this fledgling profession. That is why she finds herself in a remote part of England on a very secluded estate trying to seduce the handsome and enigmatic Gabriel Jones, curator of the collection. For Venetia has secrets: secrets that prevent her from ever marrying. Thus, this looked like the perfect opportunity to experience intimacy without having to make a commitment or any explanations.

Everything was going well until intruders sent Venetia racing through secret tunnels dragged along by Gabriel, intent on getting her to safety. Safe at home, Venetia reads with dismay that the estate has burned and Gabriel’s body was discovered in the ruins. Ever resourceful, she assumes the persona of the “Widow Jones” and is gratified by the praise and awards she garners from her pictures and the first taste of security her family has enjoyed since the death of her parents. Things are going according to plan until Gabriel walks into her house, back from the dead. By becoming his widow, Venetia has put both herself and her family in danger. In the end, all secrets are revealed, the bad guys are thwarted and love conquers all.

Second Sight is everything one has come to expect from Jayne Ann Krentz, whether writing her present time romances in her own name or historical romances as Amanda Quick--likable characters with great personal strength, paranormal forces, and sizzling sexuality. There also are passages that remind one of Georgette Heyer at her best: witty repartee that keeps you turning pages with a smile and often a chuckle. It is a great romp with just a touch Victorian, some very hot romance and lots of laughs.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

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Labels: Reviews by Alice Kendall

Alice Kendall reviews THE HARD WAY: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child (Delacorte Press, 2006).

This is the latest in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child and is everything we aficionados have come to expect. Jack Reacher -- ex-Military Police officer; very large, very strong, very intelligent; defender of the victimized; righter of wrongs; no home, no wardrobe, no responsibilities -- finds himself in the middle of another puzzling situation and can’t walk away until he figures it out and makes things right.

Lee Child has developed a character that he can place in any setting. In The Hard Way, we find Reacher in New York City where he becomes involved in trying to rescue the kidnapped wife and step-daughter of the leader of a gang of mercenaries. We follow him as he travels from the West Village to Central Park and the Dakota (possible sighting of Yoko here), trying to find the kidnappers and their victims. When it becomes obvious that the two are probably dead, he is determined to avenge them. The plot twist, when it comes, is not that surprising, but still satisfying.

While this book is able to stand on its own, if you like it you may want to go back and read some of the earlier books in the series. The Enemy, in particular, gives the character more depth and the reader more insight. But if all you want is a well written action/suspense/mystery pageturner, you can’t go wrong with Lee Child.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library


Read a profile of Jack Reacher. Contains spoilers.

Labels: Reviews by Alice Kendall, Suspense