In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson

This is a novel in the DCI Alan Banks series. I had never heard of the author before reading this for mystery book club but I'm glad that I found him as I will be reading more of his work. The plot, in a nutshell, is that a town that was flooded to build a resovoir has been uncovered by a severe drought. A body is discovered in an old outbuilding and DCI Banks is brought in to try to solve this very cold case.

It's an English series so some of the places are unfamiliar to me but that doesn't interfere with the story. Banks seems quite real and has problems, chief among them being that his marriage has failed and his son has decided that being in a rock band is a good career move. There are many books in this series, twenty-one I think, and it seems that Banks has evolved over the course of the series. This is always refreshing as you get to see how the characters change as they get older and deal with different issues.

The only quibble that I have is that the authors shifts POV mid-chapter, instead of at the chapter break like I am used to. However, you get used to this as the breaks are obvious since they go back in time and you're never confused as to whose head you're in.

If you like police procedurals and/or English mysteries then I encourage you to check this one out.

As always leave a comment if you agree or disagree or email me at jeffsemonis at yahoo.com.

Jeff

Fuzzy Navel by J.A. Konrath

Fuzzy Navel is the fifth book in the Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels series by J.A. Konrath. If you're new to the series, start with Whiskey Sour and work your way up. You could start with this one though and it would just through you into Jack's universe. Jack is a Lt. on the Chicago PD. Sicko freaks seem to always find her and I'm talking real sickos here, not just your garden variety human- kidney-in-the-freezer kind of people. Fuzzy Navel takes place over about eight hours of the worst day of Jack's life.

Now alot of Jacks days are horrible but this time Konrath has raised the bar. Three snipers and a freak with a grudge converge on Jack. When its over her world will never be the same again. There is also a cliffhanger that leaves you pissed off that you have to wait another year to find out what happened. Konrath's books are also unique that you will laugh out loud at the most inappropriate times and then do it again a few pages later. If you like your mystery/thrillers with a dash of humor then check out J.A. Konrath.

If you you would like to know more check out jakonrath.com and the blog "A Newbie's Guide to Publishing" at jakonrath.blogspot.com. There is a lot to check out and several free books for download. Also there is a great deal of advice for aspiring writers. As always let me know what you think of the book below or contact me a jeffsemonis at yahoo.com.

Rain Fall by Barry Eisler

This is the first book in Eisler's John Rain series. Rain is an assassin who specializes in making it look like an accident. He has rules and never comes off as sociopathic. He likes jazz and fine scotch but just happens to kill people for a living. In this way he is similar to Block's Kellar, who collects stamps but also kills people. The action is always up-tempo and the Tokyo setting is painted vividly. Apparently Eisler worked for the CIA and you can see it in his fiction. If you like hitman fiction or just thrillers in general, pick this up. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series which I think is Hard Rain.

Also, if you like hitman stories, as I do, check out These Guns for Hire edited by J.A. Konrath. It is a short story collection that has a little bit of everything. My personal favorite is the Jeff Strand story because it was hilarious, but they were all entertaining.

As always let me know what you think or email me at jeffsemonis at yahoo.com.

Dead Man's Hand edited by Otto Penzler

This is a collection of poker stories, edited by famed mystery maven Otto Penzler. There isn't really a bad one among them, although some authors are more well known than others. Jeffrey Deaver contributes a story, Bump, that could be ripped from the headlines of Hollywood. Alexander McCall Smith contributes a tale set at sea with a chilling ending. Christopher Coates offers up a tale that combines poker, death metal, and murder. I would have never thought of it but it's a helluva story.

My personal favorite is The Monks of the Abbey Victoria by Rupert Holmes. It is a period piece set in the mid-twentieth century at NBC. It combines poker with men and misdeeds and reminds me of an episode of Mad Men. It has period detail and a twist that you don't see coming, at least I didn't. I will be checking out Holmes' novel Swing, as well as works by the other authors in this anthology. If you like poker and crime fiction the check this one out.

As always comments are appreciated and you can reach me by email at jeffsemonis at yahoo.com.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

This is a historical mystery, set in late 1880's London. I read it for my mystery book club as it came highly regarded. It concerns Lady Julia Gray, a wealthy widow from an ancient English family whose husband has been murdered. With the help of an inquiry agent, which seems to be the Victorian equivalent of a gumshoe, she sets about to find his killer.

Now that I've got that out of the way, I can tell you why I liked this book. The author paints so convincing a picture of life in that time that you cannot doubt its accuracy. While I knew going in that all was not as proper as it seemed during that time period this book strips away the veneer of politeness and shows it how it very likely was.

The interplay between the different classes as well as those of Julia's family and the household staff is fascinating. While you can argue about the fairness of the English class system it certainly creates a great and layered setting for a novel, mystery or otherwise. I liked the movie Gosford Park for the same reason, although that is mostly from the point of view of the servants, rather than that of those they serve.

Be forewarned, this book may not be for everyone. I touches upon subjects that could offend some, though they are no wores than what one may find on CSI or other tv crime shows. If historical mysteries are your bent, or even if they're not, give this a try. You may be pleasantly suprised. As always, let me know what you think. you can also email me at jeffsemonis at yahoo.com.
P.S.
It also has one of the best openings that I've ever seen.

Coyotes by Ted Conover

Ted Conover writes differently than most nonfiction authors. Most observe, research, and then report back what they have found. Conover just becomes the subject and writes from the inside out. In Coyotes, about the world of illegal immigrants, he becomes one. He lives and works with them and even crosses the border illegally.

Even though this book was published over twenty years ago it is still relevant to the current debate on illegal immigration. While a lot has changed since this book was written, particularly after 9/11, it still gives an unabashed look at the personal side of these immigrants. You learn about the working conditions and home lives of these people, from someone who was there beside them. No matter which side of the debate you stand on you will come away from this book with a new understanding.

If you like this, try Conover's Rolling Nowhere, which is the story if his time riding the rails as a hobo. His latest book, Newjack, is about life as a prison guard, again, from the inside. He worked for a year as a prison guard at Sing Sing in New York state. It won the Pulitzer prize and I can see why.

If you've read them, let me know what you think below.

The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow

This is the first book that I'd like to bring to people's attention. This is the story of retired hitman Frank Machianno, known in mob circles as Frankie Machine. He is working hard at his post-hitman careers when someone tries to kill him and he is dragged back into his former life. This has been done before but Winslow does it with humor and a realistic grittiness that is sometimes lacking in crime fiction. I have read some reviews that said that the flashbacks were a negative but I found them to be interesting and they lay the foundation for the story happening in the present.

Fans of The Sopranos would enjoy this as well as people who like crime fiction in general. It is due to be a movie in 2009 starring Robert DeNiro and directed by Michael Mann. I am looking forward to this because DeNiro is a great actor and Michael Mann's Heat is one of my favorite movies.

Whether you like this one or not, leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you like it, spread the word. I can also recommend Winslow's California Fire and Life.

Jeff's Bookcase

My intention is to review books that I like and only books that I like. The web is already too full of crap to waste space complaining about books, especially if you haven't published one yourself. Since I haven't, yet, I'm going to focus on books that I enjoyed. If you agree with me, leave a comment. If you don't agree with me, leave a comment. I will try not to review anything that is out of print or insanely expensive. Otherwise, any book is fair game, although I am partial to crime novels and history so the selections may be slanted that direction. My hope is to introduce people to authors that they may not already know.