The PVRITAN - Birgitte Margen

Two stories, several hundred years apart. The setting and the setting. Religion ties everything together. Death and penance. Boston, priests and detectives.

A bible some 700 years old, scriptures found. Bodies staged.

 This was an off chance read, and it was well worth it. It was easy reading and flowed well. The historical parts were short, but gave insight to the main body of the story.

If your stuck for something to read, this should find its way onto your reading list.

 

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.7/5.0
 

Red / Black - Rachel Atherton-Charvat

A triple whammy, AA, GA and NA and that's just the doctors wife.

This could oh so easily fallen of the rails. Addiction, is at best a minefield to write about. Every person is different, as is each addiction. It does well to incorporate the drugs and alcohol along side the gambling. Yes people have multiple addictions.

Back to the story. For a debut novel, this is excellent. The characters and the plot are very strong. The casino's are well represented but  only due to the narrative of what's going through the characters mind for bet placements.

Army, a move to Germany, infidelity and a marriage breakdown.

I could give you more, but this is one story you are going to have to read for yourself.

Just remind yourself this one thing, "...the house always wins..."

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.4/5.0

One of Those Days - Andrés Leiva

This is a first for me in quite some time.

I have to admit, that I couldn't bring myself to finish this. It's not through lack of trying. It's not written badly, the artwork is good. I just  that I couldn't bring myself to pick it back up.

Sorry.

Status: Abandoned

Rating: 2.4/5.0

Trio - William Boyd

 

A collection of three's. Three parts to the book, three main characters. I know there's more, but I can't recall.

    1960's Brighton, Young Actress, wanna be pop star and a ladder to the moon. Backdrop using the area in and around the afore mentioned location. Filming is a constant, and rewriting the script is unavoidable.

    Full of the sixties favourites, sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Although not much of the latter.

    It is set at a modest pace, with a plot that throws a few twists in it.

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.0/5.0

The Secret of Rosalita Flats - Tim W Jackson

    I was initially drawn to this book with the 1920's style font used for the title.

    This is no slow burner, it draws you in makes you ponder and spits you out wondering what just happened. The main protagonist is a piece of property, with a past more blurred than most.

    A dead father, with more to hide than the rest of an island combined. A hunt for documents, and a truth that must come out. Add to that a phobia of sharks and scuba certification. 

    Small island mentality, a single police officer. The sum of the parts is greater than that of the whole.

    This book has left me reaching for it several times after finishing it.

    I don't think I have done this before, but the Blacktip Island Blog is a must to feed any hunger for more.

Status: Completed

Rating 4.9/5.0