John Dunning's "Deadline"

To some ardent bibliophiles ebooks are an irreverent format that is somehow disrespectful of books and their history.   Nothing being so sacred as the written word on paper, the feel of a book in your hand etc.  And don’t misunderstand…. John Dunning is an ardent bibliophile.  That fact is obvious from his Cliff Janeway novels which I have had the pleasure to read over the last twenty years.   What we must realize however is that one of the merits of the ebook format is that we as readers get to discover books we had missed upon their first publication.  Such is the case with “Deadline” c1981 and now re-released in ebook format in 2013 by Open Road Integrated Media.  

NetGalley provided me with an ebook copy of “Deadline” for review and I wasn’t disappointed.  John Dunning says in his foreword that this novel took only six weeks to write from start to finish.  One of the fastest novels he has ever written and nominated for an Edgar Award.  He writes from what he knows… the life of a journalist. The novel’s plot was driven by his experiences working for the Denver Post in the late 1960s.

The traveling circus has come to town and there has been a devastating fire.  One of the victims is a small girl whose body is not claimed… What could possibly cause a family to not claim their little girl’s body?  Dalton Walker, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist wants to find out.  As is the case with any journalist this is not the only story he is working on.  As the stories connect, Walker becomes entangled in a decades old unsolved FBI case and the momentum of the novel is established…
Fast-paced action and intriguing characters propel this novel along.  Lovers of suspense fiction will enjoy the timeless themes of corruption and menace.  A short novel and a fast but very satisfying and entertaining read.

Note: this post was originally published on my review blog: "Fictionophile"

Whodunit Book Club Nov. 26, 2013

Our last book club gathering of 2013 took place on a dark and drizzly November night.  A relatively small group of thirteen attended this month's Whodunit meeting.

We discussed Edward Conlon's debut novel "Red on Red".

"In "Red on Red," Conlon's fictional detectives shift between investigating the suicide of a Mexican immigrant and defusing a drug war. A complicating factor is that Meehan has been planted by Internal Affairs to report on Esposito.  When Meehan comes to respect Esposito more than himself, he is faced with a moral dilemma.   Esposito attacks the day and the job enthusiastically, while Meehan drags himself to work."  The book described the alliances and loyalties, the emotional tolls, the temptations, the shades of gray inherent to police work.

Every month we canvass the members to rate the novel under discussion out of a possible ten points.  "Red on Red" earned a very low score of 4.1

Could this be because we are a predominantly female group and this was essentially a man's book?  Perhaps.

Those members who gave it the lowest rating described the novel as verbose and over-long.  They found the characters apathetic and they didn't engage with the narrative of the plot.

Members who gave it the highest ratings stated that the writing was intelligent and insightful.  Esposito was a favorite character despite his lack of moral fiber.  He was a colourful charmer who enthusiastically played the system and got results.  Nick Meehan on the other hand was a middle-aged burn out with little self-respect who was essentially alone in the world.  "Nick had equal aversions to going to work and coming home".  Some Whodunit members compared the novel to a Greek tragedy.

New York was an essential character in the novel.  Conlon writes of his city with unblinkered affection.  He writes "This city was the world".   A multicultural, bustling, impersonal, dirty, crime-ridden, artsy and yet beautiful metropolis which bears witness to millions of human dramas daily.

The novel was not a mystery as such. It was more a detailed expose on the drudgery and all-consuming nature of police work in a large metropolis.  The toll the work plays on their values and their family relationships.

The title "Red on Red" refers to the act of enemies killing enemies.  In this case 'perp on perp' murder.  Essentially when the garbage takes itself out.   Only police officers who are jaded by the crime and depravity they see constantly could identify with the phrase.

Edward Conlon is a NYPD police officer who comes from a family of police officers.  He speaks about his novel to David Goodwillie in this June 2011 online interview.

 This month's lucky winners of free books were:
1. Carolyn
2. Heather
3. Shawna
4. Nancy
5. Margaret

There will be no Whodunit meeting in December.
We reconvene on January 28th, 2014 when we will discuss the novel
"The tenderness of wolves" by Stef Penney.

Mystery Book Giveaway hosted by Open Road Media

As you may or may not know, I have begun reviewing books for Open Road Media via NetGalley.

They sent me an email with news of a mystery book giveaway and I just had to share it !

"Many aspects of the mystery novel have changed drastically over the past century—style, language, technology, and crimes—but the core of the genre has stood the test of time. As long as crooks persist, sleuths will be around to track them down.

– Looking for something from the Roaring Twenties? Try Grey Mask by British author Patricia Wentworth.

– How about the Fabulous Fifties? Maybe Charles Williams’ classic noir, The Hot Spot, is more your style.

– Check out mysteries from every decade, from favorites like Dorothy L. Sayers and Susan Isaacs, in this infographic.

And here’s the best part: Open Road Media are hosting a mystery book giveaway with a grand prize of eight mysteries and thrillers! To enter, simply click on the infographic link and scroll down the page.  You will find a place to enter your email address.

Good luck all!

Whodunit October 29, 2013

Twenty-one book lovers attended the October meeting of Whodunit.  It was great to see some familiar faces that we haven't seen in a while. 

Gaye entertained the group with tales and photos of her trip to Albany, N.Y. where she met many of our favourite authors at Bouchercon.

The novel under discussion this evening was "A Duty to the Dead" by Charles Todd.  Charles Todd is a pen name used by the American authors Caroline and Charles Todd, a mother-son writing team.  Some members of the club found this to be 'creepy', while others commented on the seamless narrative which made it difficult to discern the contributions of each author.

As is our usual custom, we went around the circle and rated the book out of a possible ten points.  With scores as low as 4 and as high as 10, this novel ended up with an average of 7.68 with fourteen members stating they would read another title in this series (which now numbers five titles with a sixth due to be published in early 2014).


Set during the first World War this historical mystery had a clear sense of time and place with descriptions that enabled the reader to 'see' and feel the setting.  It was obvious to the reader that the novel was well researched.  One member said it was like a modern version of a gothic mystery.
The protagonist Bess Crawford is a nurse who attends the war wounded.  Of an upper-middle-class upbringing, Bess was a gentlewomen and could have chosen an easier life, but her grit and determination made her an admirable character.  She befriends a dying British soldier while nursing and makes him a promise to deliver a message back to his family.  She is injured in the sinking of the hospital ship Britannic, and returns home to England to recover.  Whilst there, she makes good on her "Duty to the dead" and delivers his message.

The book spoke to the far-reaching effect that war has upon both the military and civilians.  

While some thought the mystery predictable, others enjoyed the characterization and setting so much that they thought this aspect was of less importance.
Members wondered at the ineptitude of the London police who would let a teenage murderer return home to Kent with his family...
Some found the narrative 'slow' while others did not.  Some found the ending to be a brilliant resolution while others thought it was all tied up to quickly at the very end of the novel.

Universal was the liking for the protagonist Bess, the empathy felt for the half-brother Peregrine and the animosity for the matriarch of the Graham family.

Lucky winners of the book giveaways this month were:
1. Jean
2. Marilyn
3. Heather
4. Cathy D.

At November's Whodunit meeting we will discuss the novel " Red on Red" by Edward Conlon.

Whodunit Book Club meeting Sept. 24, 2013

On this crisp early autumn evening eleven folks turned up at Chapter's Dartmouth for the Whodunit Book Club Meeting.  Many familiar faces were absent, (at Bouchercon perhaps?) and we welcomed a few new members.

The title we discussed this month was "Deceptions" by Rebecca Frayn.  The title in this instance was particularly apt as the plot dealt with deceptions of others as well as self-deceptions.  An online reading group guide is available from Simon & Schuster.

Members rated the novel 5.5 out of ten.  The book stimulated a great discussion which is often the case when the score is low.  Comments such as "weird" and "bizarre" were used to describe the book and many found the lack of character development off-putting.  The narrator/protagonist was a pompous, controlling character with whom few could warm up to.  The blurb on the cover "A compulsive thriller with echoes of Ruth Rendell" seemed high praise indeed for a book that seemed to drag and have an unsatisfying ending.

The plot centered around a British family.  The wife had only recently been widowed and is now in a new relationship with the narrator of the story.  She has a son and a daughter by her first marriage and strangely seems to let her new partner control the household and make many of the most important decisions.  One day her adolescent son goes off to school on his bicycle and never returns.  This life changing event devastates the family.  The mother has a near breakdown.  The daughter seemingly forgotten in the wake of her older brother's disappearance.  The relationship is strained.  After three long years of coming to terms with Daniel's absence, Annie, the mother, never gives up hope for her son's return.  Then miraculously... a phone call.  Daniel is coming home!  For reasons of her own she does not want to inform the police of his return and does not enroll him in school.  Julian is skeptical that the boy who claims to be Daniel is who he says he is.  He believes him to be an imposter but is hesitant to prove this to Annie fearing that the already strained relationship will sever permanently.

We discussed how the plot seemed implausible and that it would never have happened as depicted in the story.  However.... the author actually wrote the novel based on true events!  The case of Frédéric Bourdin, a serial imposter, impersonated at least three teenage missing persons!


The winners of this month's book giveaways:
1. Jennifer
2. Carmella
3. Heather
4. Marlene

Our next Whodunit meeting will be held on October 29th.  At that time we will discuss the historical mystery "A duty to the dead" by Charles Todd.

Frédéric Bourdi

Frédéric Bourdin. Discuss how Bourdin was so successful and what motivated him to deceive so many people. You can find a profile of Bourdin at: http:// www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/08/11/080811fa_ fact_grann. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Deceptions/Rebecca-Frayn/9781439196397/reading_group_guide#sthash.J0J8nBgO.dpuf

Frédéric Bourdin. Discuss how Bourdin was so successful and what motivated him to deceive so many people. You can find a profile of Bourdin at: http:// www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/08/11/080811fa_ fact_grann. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Deceptions/Rebecca-Frayn/9781439196397/reading_group_guide#sthash.J0J8nBgO.dpuf

Frédéric Bourdin. Discuss how Bourdin was so successful and what motivated him to deceive so many people. You can find a profile of Bourdin at: http:// www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/08/11/080811fa_ fact_grann. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Deceptions/Rebecca-Frayn/9781439196397/reading_group_guide#sthash.J0J8nBgO.dpuf

Whodunit Meeting August 27, 2013

After a summer break from club it was good to see our Whodunit friends again.  Sixteen members attended on this lovely evening with just a wee hint of autumn in the air. 

The novel we discussed this month was Amanda Eyre Ward's "Close your eyes".  Lauren Mahdian and her brother, Alex have grown up haunted by the murder of their mother. Their father was convicted of the crime and has spent over 20 years in prison. Lauren is convinced of his guilt; Alex of his innocence. Lauren allows this truth to run her life, most significantly her relationship with her long-time boyfriend, Gerry. She's refused his numerous marriage proposals, seeing first-hand what "love" can do. 

This book had a curious affect on the members.  It didn't 'feel' like a mystery novel yet there was a murder and it had a 'Whodunit' factor.  Many said they liked it - most said it was an 'easy read' - more than a few who read it soon after June's meeting reread it to re-familiarize themselves with the plot before the Aug. meeting - yet almost everyone said it was 'forgettable' and didn't live up to the reviews.  The novel had unrealized potential.  It wasn't good, it wasn't bad, it was kind of just...there...  The overall rating out of ten according to the members in attendance was 5.75

It was commented that the character development was lacking - so that the reader really had no sense of empathy with any of the characters.  The personality of the father's character seemed contradictory to many.  The plot came across as 'choppy', disjointed and at times confusing.  It was suggested that so many lives were fractured by the traumatic event that the plot had to be fractured as well...   The author introduced new characters without warning making the reader wonder what the connection to previous characters could be.  The ending seemed to be contrived with no big reveal.

We discussed what the meaning of the title could be.  We surmised that the protagonist chose to 'close her eyes' to the trauma she experienced upon the death of her mother.

September's Whodunit title is: "Deceptions" by Rebecca Frayn

The lucky book giveaway winners this evening were:
1. Margaret
2. Camilla
3. Shauna
4. Carolyn

Whodunit Meeting June 25, 2013

Another great evening of discussion, laughter and camaraderie!  Sixteen members attended book club this very warm and balmy June evening.  We welcomed a new member this month!

The novel under discussion this evening was "The dying light" by Henry Porter.  Henry Porter is a writer and journalist specializing in liberty and civil rights. He is also the British editor of  Vanity Fair.  He is a columnist for the 'Observer' and the book was written with a reporter's eye for detail, research and more than a little insider knowledge.  The members' rating of the novel varied greatly, but the average score out of ten was 6.65.

Pro votes cited the timeliness and relevance of the subject matter.  Some said it was thought provoking, realistic and terrifyingly plausible.  Many admired the protagonist, Kate Lockhart.
Con votes cited the novel as being over long, tedious and boring. Negative comments were made about the myriad characters and the complicated plot.

The novel was published in the United Kingdom under the title "The Bell Ringers". Most Whodunit members favoured the UK title over the American one.  Not a mystery, but a political thriller - and one of the lengthier novels read by the Whodunit Club, it was bound to provoke lively discussion and it did!
Members spoke of their own experiences with personal security, relaying travel anecdotes and general observations of how technology has impinged on our personal freedoms.

In "The dying light" Henry Porter made a near-future Britain sound like a totalitarian state.  "Many of the details of Porter's vision are naturally invented, but the threat posed by the state is all too real". The subject matter is dear to his heart.  After a two-year campaign to protect British freedoms, Henry Porter was called to give evidence to a panel of peers and MPs assessing whether a Bill of Rights is necessary for Britain today. Click here to read his impassioned submission.

The June book giveaway winners:
1. Carmella
2. Margaret
3. Lynne
4. Marlene
5. Brian

Whodunit will NOT be meeting in July!
The club will reconvene on August 27th when we will discuss the novel "Close your eyes" by Amanda Eyre Ward.

Also, Whodunit members are encouraged to bring reading suggestions to the August meeting.  Here is your chance to recommend a favourite author or title.

Whodunit Meeting May 28, 2013

Spring has sprung! Seventeen members attended Whodunit on a sunny 16 degree C. evening.

We gathered to discuss the novel "The Chalk Circle Man" by Fred Vargas.  Translated from the French, this is the first novel in a series which features Commissaire Adamsberg of the Parisian police.  With unorthodox but effective detecting methods, Adamsberg has an uncanny way of detecting the evil in others.  This novel was the winner of The Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie International Dagger in 2009. 

Despite its literary merits, the rating of the book by Whodunit members was very polarized. There were none who were ambivalent about the novel.  Sixteen of our readers either loved it or hated it.  One abstained from voting because they did not read the book. The average rating out of a possible 10 points was 6.7.

The novel was published in French in 1991 but it did not reach the English audience until 2009.  The reasons members gave for disliking the novel were very similar to the reasons given for really enjoying it.  The characters were eccentric.  Some deemed them unbelievable and farfetched.  Others made a conscious decision to like them and enjoy them, while still others admired the characterizations as an in-depth study of human nature.  One of the central characters was a people-watcher/voyeur who stalked people just to study their behaviour.  Another central character was a young, handsome blind man who was in denial of his disability and enraged by its limitations.

The chalk circles of the title either bored the readers or intrigued them.  Adamsberg recognized them as the portent of evil that the Chalk Circle Man wanted them to be.  He always labeled them with the phrase "Victor, woe's in store, what are you out here for?"

Adamsberg's second in command, Inspector Danglard is an alcoholic single father of five.  His logic and sound police practice are a perfect compliment to Adamsberg's more quirky methods of detection.  The fact that he drinks white wine incessantly turned off the books detractors, but made him more interesting to its champions.

Not a typical mystery novel, "The Chalk Circle Man" is a novel whose character development surpasses the crime element of the story.  That being said... the ending- with its delightful 'twist' was satisfying and had no loose ends

Fred Vargas is the pseudonym of the French historian, archaeologist and writer Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau.
If you want to read a 'Guardian' interview with Fred Vargas click here.

The seven books in this series to date:

1. The Chalk Circle Man
2. Have Mercy on Us All
3. Seeking Whom He May Devour
4. Wash This Blood Clean from My Hand
5. This Night's Foul Work
6. An Uncertain Place
7. The Ghost Riders of Ordebec

This month's lucky winners of the book giveaways were:

Carolyn, Brenda, Heather, Tracy and Shawna. 

On June 25th we will meet again to discuss "The Dying Light" by Henry Porter.

Whodunit Meeting April 30, 2013

Eleven members of the Whodunit Book Club met on April 30 to discuss the legal thriller, Defending Jacob by William Landay.    

In this book Andy Barber, an Assistant District Attorney, finds his world turned upside down and his family life threatened when his fourteen year old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student. Jacob insists he is innocent so Andy sets out to protect and defend his only son. In doing so he is forced to confront his own past and deal with some difficult family truths. 

All members agreed the book was well-written and told a compelling story with a satisfyingly shocking twist at the end. A number of people noted the similarities to We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver and the classic legal thriller, which was reviewed by the Club some years ago, Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow. A few people found the court procedural sections tended to drag as, indeed, they probably do in real life, and not everyone found the characters to be sympathetic but it was generally agreed that the novel stands up well in its genre. 

Whodunit members rated it 7/10.

Lucky winners of the book draw were: Jean, Shona, Marlene, and Tracey.

I was unable to attend this month's meeting.  Thanks once again to Marlene for this blog entry.

 

Next month we will discuss The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas.

new British police procedural series

Just had to share this new author! 

"Dark Winter" by David Mark, is a debut novel and the first in a series!  A British police procedural mystery set in Hull, a port city in North Eastern England, this series features a protagonist who has the character to see us through several books.... I only hope he does.  
Aector McAvoy (Hector) is a transplanted Scot, a family man with a pregnant wife and a young son.  He is larger than life, both in physical size and moral character. Blessed with a fine tuned acuity for noticing connections between events, he is excellent at his job.

The author, David Mark, though a debut novelist, is a seasoned journalist, so he is well versed in writing and does it superbly.  Highly recommended!

Whodunit Book Club meeting March 26, 2013

You can tell spring is almost here when you arrive at the monthly Whodunit meeting before sunset.  Though there is still snow on the ground, our thoughts have turned towards longer days and warmer temperatures.  A fairly small group attended this evening's meeting in which we were pleased to welcome some new members.

This evening we discussed the novel "The Walker on the Cape" by Mike Martin.  A Newfoundland native, Mike Martin now lives in Ottawa but returns to his home province annually.  The cover of the novel is very attractive with a photo of the Grand Bank lighthouse figured prominently.

As is our usual custom, we rated the novel out of a possible 10 points.  Of the sixteen voters present, the average vote was 6.5.   Opinions were very disparate with some votes as high as 9 and some as low as 3.  Detractors found the novel very simplistic and unsophisticated.  Many were critical of the way the dialogue did not flow naturally. Most agreed the novel could have done with some more editing and the use of a few vigilant proofreaders. Detractors found the few loose ends in the plot to be tied up too neatly with little effort or discomfort.  Even Windflower's corrupt boss was eliminated as a problem early on in the story.  If he had stayed longer, Windflower would have had someone to battle against, thus making the plot more interesting.  In short, the plot had potential but was under-developed. 

Detractors and fans alike all seemed to like the setting of the novel which was for the most part well described.  Most liked the RCMP Sgt. Winston Windflower.  They enjoyed his upstanding character and his morning ritual adherence to his native 'smudging' ceremony.

Fans of the novel found it to be a nice change of pace.  They relished the 'cosy' aspects of the novel.  There was no gratuitous violence, no tension or jeopardy,   The small community of Grand Bank was a prime example of small communities anywhere. Readers liked Windflower's love interest and appreciated their relationship enough that they would like to read about it in further novels. However, those looking for passion would not find it in this book as the two didn't so much as kiss.  It was joked that the mention of Windflower changing his sheets in preparation for her visit was about as steamy as it got...

All in all, "The Walker on the Cape" was considered a 'light' read with the crime coming secondary to the everyday life of the characters.

The winners of this month's book give-away were:
1. Carolyn
2. Lynne
3. Carmella
4. Nancy R.

Next month we will discuss the legal thriller "Defending Jacob" by William Landay.

Feb. 2013 Whodunit Meeting

Fourteen members of the Whodunit Book Club met on February 26 to discuss "The Cleaner" by New Zealand writer Paul Cleave. 

Two members sent evaluations in absentia. 

The cleaner of the title refers to a man, Joe, who cleans in a Christchurch, New Zealand police station by day and kills women at night, his “night work”. His position in the police station gives him access to the investigation of these killings, which have been attributed to a serial killer dubbed the Christchurch Carver. Joe discovers something disturbing, however, he discovers that seven killings have been blamed on the Carver but he knows he has killed only six times. He vows to take his revenge on the copycat killer and then frame him for all the murders.

This is a promising premise for a serial killer story and there were a host of glowing reviews and recommendations for The Cleaner, including one from Mark Billingham, last month’s featured author, so we looked forward to reading and enjoying this dark crime thriller. Alas, it proved to be a big disappointment. Most members gave it low marks; in fact, the average of 4/10 was one of our lowest scores ever. Many were put off by the gratuitous violence, the unlikeable and unsympathetic 

characters, especially the main character (one person said he was a boring psychopath). When asked if we had formed a mental picture of any of the characters, the answer was a resounding no. Some mentioned that it was painful to read because of the violence and two members chose not to finish it at all. There was some dark humour, which was clever but became tiresome towards the end of the book. The Cleaner did have its defenders who liked the darkness and the twists within the story but only one person would definitely read other books by Cleave and two said they might. 

Despite these negative comments we had a lively discussion about the book and about what is the acceptable (to us) level of violence in dark crime fiction and why psychological thrillers appeal to us as readers. One member concluded that the appeal it is in learning the “why” of a particular crime, something that was lacking in The Cleaner.

Winners of the book giveaways for February were:

1.     Cathy G. (welcome back, Cathy)

2.     Carolyn

3.     Nancy

4.     Liz

Next month we will discuss a “cozy”, set in Grand  Bank, Newfoundland, "The Walker on the Cape" by Mike Martin. 

Thanks to Marlene for writing this post as I missed the February meeting due to family illness.

Whodunit Bookclub January 29, 2013

Fifteen members attended the Whodunit bookclub this clear but chilly January evening.  A fitting number seeing as that this month marks the 15th anniversary of the club!

The book discussed was "Sleepyhead" by Mark Billingham.  "Sleephead" was first published in 2002 and is the first novel in his Detective Tom Thorne series which now numbers eleven titles!

As is our usual custom we went around the group giving the novel marks out of ten possible points.  There were sixteen voters as one member voted in absentia.  The mark was 7.6 with twelve members stating that they wanted to read more titles in the series.

Some members felt that the character of Tom Thorne needed to be more focused. He seemed to drift through his days and the investigation.  It was said that there was too much introspection and not enough detection.  Others really liked his character - flaws and all.  Some believed that since this is the first book in the series, Tom Thorn's character will improve over time.

Alison was a favoured character.  We really enjoyed her sense of humor and her reflections. While she was in an almost unimaginably horrible condition - her strong personality shone through.

It was mentioned that her humor is probably linked to the fact that the author, Mark Billingham is also a stand-up comedian.  On his website he states that women crime writers describe what a victim 'feels like' while men crime writers tend to describe what the crime scene 'looks like'.  It was said that he really empathized with the victim in 'Sleepyhead' probably because he was once the victim of a violent crime himself.

The chapter in which the policeman Tughan featured prominently proved that he was a particularly sleazy character.  Some were suspicious of him because of this.

The descriptions in the novel were very vivid and the reader could almost imagine the action and setting as if they were watching a movie.

Thorne's unwavering belief that Jeremy Bishop was the killer despite the evidence to the contrary led some to believe that he would end up being the perpetrator.  A few of our group deduced the correct killer far ahead of time.  I'm afraid I cannot count myself as one of them!

The fact that Tom inherited Margaret's cat 'Elvis' was appreciated by the many animal lovers in our group.

The majority of members felt that the ending of the novel was very satisfying and a fitting conclusion to the story.


The first few Thorne novels were adapted for television in the UK in a six-part mini-series. The part of Thorne was played by actor David Morrissey. 

The winners of this month's book giveaways were:
Tracey
Laird
Brian
Shauna
Betty

When the Whodunit Book Club meets again on February 26th we will discuss Paul Cleave's novel entitled "The Cleaner".