Genre: Mystery
Setting: Coeur D'Alene, Idaho 1988
First sentence: The girl felt hope leave her as the road went dark.
There is no shortage of dysfunctional people in Ned Hayes's novel. It seems that everyone is hiding secrets. Everyone has a skeleton in the closet. And, no one wants to admit to the truth.
Matt Worthson, the main character of the novel, is no exception. He is a flawed hero. Matt is a lieutenant in the Bitterroot county sheriff''s office. He is a recovering alcoholic. He blames himself for the automobile accident which took the life of a young woman. Matt has relationship problems with his wife, his son, and his father. To make matters worse, he gets little respect from his fellow officers.
There has been a horrible murder. The victim was a popular local minister. His dismembered body was found in a restroom of an upscale resort hotel. The hotel is owned by the richest family in town. Matt wants to investigate the crime, but the political leaders of the town want him to give the case to the FBI.
As Matt investigates, he discovers that the murder is somehow connected to a mine accident which took the lives of ninety-one miners several years ago. Matt's father is considered a hero by many for saving so many miners' lives during that accident.
Intertwined with the main plot are the thoughts of a five year old girl.
Who is the girl, and what does she know?
Why was the minister's body found at the resort?
Who caused the mine disaster?
For me, this was a frustrating read. The story is told in a nonlinear fashion. Moving from character to character, and back and forth in time made the story difficult to follow.
Additionally, Matt is a frustrating character. Just when he was close to learning the truth, or discovering a clue he balked. Matt was so afraid of the emotional pain the truth would cause that he preferred living in denial.
In the end, when Matt finally faces his fears, he learns the truth, and solves the mystery.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: Spain, 1809
First Sentence: The prize was a strong box.
As of March 2014 there are 23 books in Cornwell's Sharpe series. By publication date, this is the ninth book of the series. In chronological order of Sharpe's life, this is the sixth novel. Each installment of the series is a stand-alone novel so they can be read in any order.
Lieutenant Richard Sharpe gets little respect. He earned his commission through an act of bravery. Unlike his fellow officers, who despise him, he was not born into wealth. The soldiers under him do not respect him because they know he was once a common soldier.
In this novel, Sharpe commands a detachment of the 95th Rifles. They are fighting the French in Spain. When the British troops are ambushed by the France, Sharpe and his men are cut off from the main body of the British. Sharpe must find a way to get his squad back to British held territory.
This is Sharpe's first command position. Previously, superior officers had placed Sharpe in non-command positions. Sharpe was a good sergeant, but now he needs to learn how to command men.
Sharpe finds an unexpected ally in Major Blas Vivar. Vivar is a Spanish officer. He and his soldiers are protecting a valuable Spanish treasure. Major Vivar enlists Sharpe's aid in delivering the treasure to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, Vivar helps Sharpe earn the respect of the soldiers in his command.
This novel is an action-packed military adventure. There are rousing scenes of battle. There are gritty descriptions of army life in the early nineteenth century. And , of course, there is the mighty Richard Sharpe.
For me, this novel was a great page turning adventure tale.
Some of the books in the Sharpe Series:
Setting: Spain, 1809
First Sentence: The prize was a strong box.
As of March 2014 there are 23 books in Cornwell's Sharpe series. By publication date, this is the ninth book of the series. In chronological order of Sharpe's life, this is the sixth novel. Each installment of the series is a stand-alone novel so they can be read in any order.
Lieutenant Richard Sharpe gets little respect. He earned his commission through an act of bravery. Unlike his fellow officers, who despise him, he was not born into wealth. The soldiers under him do not respect him because they know he was once a common soldier.
In this novel, Sharpe commands a detachment of the 95th Rifles. They are fighting the French in Spain. When the British troops are ambushed by the France, Sharpe and his men are cut off from the main body of the British. Sharpe must find a way to get his squad back to British held territory.
This is Sharpe's first command position. Previously, superior officers had placed Sharpe in non-command positions. Sharpe was a good sergeant, but now he needs to learn how to command men.
Sharpe finds an unexpected ally in Major Blas Vivar. Vivar is a Spanish officer. He and his soldiers are protecting a valuable Spanish treasure. Major Vivar enlists Sharpe's aid in delivering the treasure to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, Vivar helps Sharpe earn the respect of the soldiers in his command.
This novel is an action-packed military adventure. There are rousing scenes of battle. There are gritty descriptions of army life in the early nineteenth century. And , of course, there is the mighty Richard Sharpe.
For me, this novel was a great page turning adventure tale.
Some of the books in the Sharpe Series:
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Sinful Folk by Ned Hayes
Genre: Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction
Setting: England in the fourteenth century.
First Sentence: In the end, I listen to my fear.
Rarely does one come across a novel such as this. Most historical fiction novels, in my opinion, focus on the lives of knights and the nobility. This novel focuses on the poorest of the poor. It portrays the severe circumstances of their daily lives. For them each day was often a battle to stay alive.
It is the depths of winter. In the small village of Duns, people are slowly starving. There is a terrible disaster. The weaver's house burns down. Discovered in the smoldering ruins are the charred bodies of five of the village's young boys.
The people of Duns are uneducated and superstitious. They search for some reason to explain the deaths of there young sons. In their anger, they believe that the Jews must be to blame. They decide to bring the burned bodies to the king and demand justice.
Among the dead is old Mear's ten year old son. Mear is one of the villagers who decide to take the bodies to the king. Mear is a mute. In the ten years he has lived in Duns, no one has heard Mear utter more than a few grunts. But Mear harbors a secret. Mear is, in fact, a woman who has been living as a man ever since her arrival in Duns.
As Mear and the men leave the village, Mear learns another dark secret. One of the men who are taking the bodies to the king is the one who set the fire which killed the boys.
In fourteenth century England, peasants had no standing in law or in the church. If they are found on the high road with out their lord's permission, they they can be punished. If they are found with unburied bodies, they will be punished for not obeying ecclesiastical law.
The hardships and struggles the villagers endure form the main body of the novel. Along the way they suffer greatly. As they progress, the author reveals more of Mear's secret. Told from Mear's point of view we learn that much of her pain was caused by the sins of others.
Will the villagers get the justice they seek?
This is one of the best historical mystery novels I have read. From beginning to end it was a great read. I recommend it highly.
Sinful Folk
Setting: England in the fourteenth century.
First Sentence: In the end, I listen to my fear.
Rarely does one come across a novel such as this. Most historical fiction novels, in my opinion, focus on the lives of knights and the nobility. This novel focuses on the poorest of the poor. It portrays the severe circumstances of their daily lives. For them each day was often a battle to stay alive.
It is the depths of winter. In the small village of Duns, people are slowly starving. There is a terrible disaster. The weaver's house burns down. Discovered in the smoldering ruins are the charred bodies of five of the village's young boys.
The people of Duns are uneducated and superstitious. They search for some reason to explain the deaths of there young sons. In their anger, they believe that the Jews must be to blame. They decide to bring the burned bodies to the king and demand justice.
Among the dead is old Mear's ten year old son. Mear is one of the villagers who decide to take the bodies to the king. Mear is a mute. In the ten years he has lived in Duns, no one has heard Mear utter more than a few grunts. But Mear harbors a secret. Mear is, in fact, a woman who has been living as a man ever since her arrival in Duns.
As Mear and the men leave the village, Mear learns another dark secret. One of the men who are taking the bodies to the king is the one who set the fire which killed the boys.
In fourteenth century England, peasants had no standing in law or in the church. If they are found on the high road with out their lord's permission, they they can be punished. If they are found with unburied bodies, they will be punished for not obeying ecclesiastical law.
The hardships and struggles the villagers endure form the main body of the novel. Along the way they suffer greatly. As they progress, the author reveals more of Mear's secret. Told from Mear's point of view we learn that much of her pain was caused by the sins of others.
Will the villagers get the justice they seek?
This is one of the best historical mystery novels I have read. From beginning to end it was a great read. I recommend it highly.
Sinful Folk
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