Re: Book Thread number ?
My recent reads
The Gangster (Isaac Bell #9) by Clive Cussler, Justin Scott This Isaac Bell novel finds him tracking down the Black Hand who are terrorizing immigrants in NYC. He helps set up the Van Dorn Agency’s Black Hand squad he then finds a more sinister plot at work as it appears as if President Roosevelt has been targeted can he crack the case?
Sharpe's Gold (Richard Sharpe (chronological order) #9) by Bernard Cornwell This book follows the typical Sharpe plot, he is recruited by someone, in this case the Duke of Wellington, to do a dangerous job that may lead to his death. Along the way he meets and seduces a beautiful woman which usually does fare well for her. In this case he and his company are sent behind the lines to get/steal Spanish gold and bring it back to help the British defeat Napoleon. Along the way he battles the French, Spanish Partisans and even some members of his own Army. Good read
The Killing Hour (Quincy & Rainie #4) by Lisa Gardner Not the best in the Quincy Rainie series. This finds Kimberly at the FBI Academy where she runs across the body of a woman on the Marine Base. A Georgia detective on a training assignment there believes that this is connected to a serial killer from Georgia and Quincy and Rainie come to consult. Kimberly is drawn into the case at the risk of ruining her own career as they proceed to step all over the FBI’s toes.
Independence Day (Dewey Andreas #5) by Ben Coes Dewey Andreas is back at home recovering from the death of his fiancé when he is drawn back into the CIA after a nuclear bomb is stolen and on its way from Russia to the United States. After several teams in Russia are ambushed and wiped out by the terrorists he finds himself alone on the ground with some unlikely allies to try and stop the weapon.
Back Spin (Myron Bolitar #4) by Harlan Coben This Myron Bolitar book finds him at the US Open trolling for clients when he is drawn into a kidnapping of the golfer in the lead. Is this a plot to get him to lose the tournament? He is drawn into the past of his friend Win as the golfer is married to Win’s cousin and is asked to look into it by Win’s estranged mother. Typical Bolitar book
The Gold Ring: Jim Fisk, Jay Gould, and Black Friday, 1869 by Kenneth D. Ackerman A good book that tells the story of Jim Fisk and Jay Gould’s attempt to corner the Gold market in 1869. He sets the table by having a brief overview of how Fisk and Gould came to control the Erie Railroad in their battle with Cornelius Vanderbilt and how they came to be connected to Boss Tweed. The rest of the book details how Gould meticulously planned to corner the Gold market thru the influence of politicians and the media and the aftermath of the corner. Good read
Hear No Evil (Jack Swyteck #4) by James Grippando The 4th Swyteck novel finds him defending the adoptive mother of his son, which he found out about in the 3rd book, she is accused of killing her husband a Marine at Guantanamo. The case unfolds in Miami with tons of political drama as the Marine’s father is an active anti-Castro man in Miami and Jack’s main witness is a Cuban soldier who was watching the base. More and more plot twists unfold as the case get more difficult for Jack and the politically hungry US attorney prosecuting his client.
A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. The first thing about this book, I read the unabridged version wish I knew there was an abridged one, is that it is written by a Kennedy confidant and insider so you’re going to hear nothing negative about JFK. In addition it is painfully detailed some items which probably could be covered in a couple of pages are drawn out for 10,15,25 pages. Right in the beginning of the book, the large amount of pages taken to describe how they decided on LBJ as Vice President could have been edited. It’s okay for what it is, a very pro account of the Kennedy Presidency.
Eisenhower's Guerrillas: The Jedburghs, the Maquis, and the Liberation of France by Benjamin F Jones I really wanted to like this book. I expected it to be stories of the French Resistance, OSS and Soe sabotaging the Nazis in France, staging raids disrupting the Nazi attempts to throw the allies back after they land in Normandy. Unfortunately the book has not enough of that. It spends a lot more time immersed in the political picture that both Churchill and FDR, especially FDR were reluctant to involve or trust Charles De Gaulle and the Free French to any real degree and how this hampered the teams being sent into France in advance of D-Day and their supply and effectiveness after D-Day.
Wards of Faerie by Terry Brooks The first book in another trilogy by Terry Brooks finds the Druids of Paranor in search of the lost Elfstones that have been missing for generations. Mistrusted by the Elves and stalked by a new leader in the Southland they must gather their allies, including some normal characters Ohmsford’s, Leah’s and Rovers, and go into danger to try to save the lost magic from falling into the wrong hands. Didn’t like it quite as much as his first novels but this shows a little more promise than the “prequel” novels that I just finished reading.
(still a great movie though!)