Whodunit Book Club June 28, 2011

Eighteen members were present for the June meeting.
Pam posed the question: "Does a mystery have to contain a murder in order for it to be a good read?" With the exception of a few who like their stories to be a little gory and love a good murder, most thought that a novel could be considered a good read if the 'mystery' was something as mundane as a theft, a missing person, or the like as long as the characters and plot were interesting.

This month's novel was "Life sentences" by Laura Lippman.

The members present were asked to rate this month's book out of 10. Two members abstained from voting as they had not read the book. The remaining sixteen rated an average of 5/10. Not really a 'mystery' in the usual sense of the genre, this novel was more a study that explores the responsibility writers hold for the content of their work.

"Life Sentences" was inspired by a real-life story of a Baltimore woman whose young son disappeared, whereupon she refused to make any statement and spent seven years in prison for contempt of court. Lippman's protagonist in the novel, Cassandra Fallows, an author, knew a girl in grade school who, as an adult, had that same experience. Cassandra sets out to write a book about herself and her childhood friends and how this girl, Callie Jenkins, eventually went to jail under suspicion of murdering her son. Cassandra returns to her home town of Baltimore and seeks the memories of old friends who no longer feel terribly friendly toward her -- and whose memories often differ dramatically from her own.

The few members who rated this novel highly liked the concept dealing with memory. How the book raised the notion that everyone's 'truth' is different. How different people witnessing the same event can have completely different memories of that event. How, over time, we can reinvent the past to suit ourselves making it all about us.

Those who did not rate the novel highly found that the author did not invest in her characters which left the reader not really caring about them one way or another. The novel seemed comprised of several different story lines without any one being followed through before another started.

The lucky winners of three hardcover novels were: Betty, Kim and Marilyn. Congratulations!

The next meeting will be July 26th when we will discuss "Foul deeds" by Linda Moore.

Reminder: There will not be a meeting of the Whodunit Book Club in August.

Whodunit Book Club May 31, 2011

Sixteen Whodunit members attended our May meeting on one of the first lovely evenings after a spell of rain and fog. There's dedication for you!
Sadly, our fearless leader was absent due to a family bereavement.
Gaye took charge of the meeting in her absence and she did a fine job of chairing our unruly group.
The novel this month was unlike previous picks in that it was a spy novel. "At Risk" by Stella Rimington was recommended by one of our members. We were asked to rate the novel out of 10. The average rating was 6.9 with the following breakdown: 3x8.5 ; 5x8 ; 1x8.1 ;1x7.9 ; 3x6 ; 2x5 ; 1x1
Written by the head of Britain's MI5, Stella Rimington brings insider knowledge to the subject of her novels. Her protagonist, Liz Carlyle goes on to feature in 5 other books in the series the most recent of which is "Rip tide" which comes out this year. She writes of plausible situations in a fashion that was appreciated by many, but was too verbose and detail driven for some. It was generally agreed that the first third of the book was slow, but that the plot gained momentum and was a page-turner toward the end. Most members spoke of their dislike for the MI6 character, Bruno. The author seemed to fully develop the personalities of her women characters -- much more than her male characters. Her portrayal of the terrorists was sympathetic. No small feat when you think about it... The target of the terrorists was kept a secret from the protagonists AND the reader which was appreciated by most of us. We were suprised when the target was revealed. The physical descriptions of setting were well done. So much so that the reader could almost feel the cold and hear the explosion.

Stella Rimington's first book was a memoir, "Open Secret". This work tells of her career in the MI5, which she joined in 1969 and worked with for close to 30 years. In 1992 she was appointed as the first female Director General of MI5. In 1993, Stella Rimington became the first DG of MI5 to pose openly for cameras at the launch of a brochure outlining the organization's activities. She became a Dame Commander of Order of the Bath in 1996. She has been called the First Lady of Espionage and has been chosen to chair the 2011 Man-Booker Prize.

You can see a video clip of an interview with Stella Rimington online.

Members were asked the question: "Do you usually read the acknowledgements, dedication and thank-you in the book you are reading?" Most do citing that they want to learn a little bit about the author and are curious to ascertain from where they got their research and support. Some said that it depended upon whether they liked the book or not.

Lucky book winners this month were: Jody, Cathy, Betty and Tracey. Congratulations girls!

Next month's meeting on June 28th we will discuss the novel: "Life sentences" by Laura Lippman.

Whodunit Book Club April 26, 2011

With only 13 persons in attendance (all female) this was the smallest gathering at Whodunit for some time.
Pam's 'magical' question for this evening:
"If you could come up with your own mystery book award, what would it be for?"
Some great answers included:
Best surprise ending
Most realistic/authentic story
Most interesting protagonist
Most puzzling mystery
Best depicted setting
Best red-herring
Best dust-jacket cover art
Most riveting story (page-turner)
Best first line
Best mystery series
Most well researched novel
Best animal sidekick
Most dastardly villain
Best candidate for a series
Best title (fits plot)

The novel under discussion for this month was: "And on the surface die" by Lou Allin.
Born in Toronto and brought up in Cleveland, Ohio, Lou Allin then returned to Sudbury, Ontario where she held a teaching position at Cambrian College. She taught literature, writing and public speaking for more than twenty-five years. She has a PhD in English Renaissance literature and she wrote her thesis on Christopher Marlow. She retired to British Columbia where her Holly Martin mystery series is set.

Whodunit members did a little vote on the novel and it earned a 5/10. Two members said they would read another novel in the series, two members said maybe and the rest of us said that we wouldn't pursue the series further.
The general consensus was that the novel could have done with more characterization and less flowery description which relied heavily on adjectives. Some felt that so much emphasis was put on trivialities that it almost seemed like deliberate 'padding'. There seemed to be an overuse of quotation marks and it was generally agreed that the novel could have been much shorter.
The setting played a huge role in the novel and it was felt that the author did a good job of describing Vancouver Island.
It was said that some aspects of the novel could have been developed more. The mystery surrounding Holly's mother was intriguing. The policewoman, Ann (of the bad back) and Chipper, Holly's sidekick - were both quite likeable characters who could have been fleshed out more.
Holly Martin seemed a cold character who routinely disparaged others.
There were many unanswered questions about the novel. Why did the murderer choose the victim? Why murder her rather than just molest her?
We wondered what the title had to do with the plot as it seemed completely unrelated to the story.
For those who DO want to read a second novel in the series, the title is: "She felt no pain". Perhaps the series will improve...

Although this was not a favourite novel for Whodunit Book Club - it was a most enjoyable meeting.
There was talk of the mating habits of slugs... MUCH HILARITY ensued. O.K. so we do digress just a little....

This month's lucky book winners were:
Tracey
Shawna
Marilyn
Marlene

Next month's novel (as recommended by Betty) is:
"At Risk" by Stella Rimington

Whodunit Book Club March 29, 2011

A cozy gathering of 15 souls turned up for this month's Whodunit meeting. Some regular attendees were absent - and some we haven't seen for a while were warmly welcomed.
Pam's 'magical' question(s) for this meeting:
1. Rate this month's book from 1-10.
2. Do you prefer graphic/grisly mysteries or cozy/traditional mysteries?
I'm afraid the rating of this month's title was very low. According to my calculations, the average score was 2 out of 10.
On the whole, members enjoy both grisly and cozy mysteries depending upon their mood and of course the quality of the writing.

The title this month, "Red snow" by Michael Slade was for the most part a disappointment. The plot was referred to as 'flat' and poorly written with little in the way of character development. Members spoke of the gratuitous and very graphic gory scenes. (He calls his fans "Sladists"). Some believed that the author had a good premise for the novel, but did not follow through upon that premise. The characters were like cardboard cutouts, and some of the dialog was almost spoof-like.

The author, Michael Slade is actually a pseudonym for Vancouver based criminal lawyer, Jay Clarke. He specializes in the 'law of insanity' and he argued the last death penalty case in Canada.

Mr. Clarke works with writing partners. He has written with his wife, his law partners and now his daughter. He terms 'his' 14 novels to be 'isolation thrillers'.
His website, specialX.net is unique and worth a visit.

The lucky winners of free books this month were:
1. Carolyn
2. Gaye
3. Jodie
4. Myrtle

Next month's selection is "And on the surface die" by Lou Allin. It is the first in a series set on Vancouver Island.

Karin Alvtegen... Sweden has done it again!

The single most positive aspect of "Shadow" is the beautifully written prose. The words seem to speak directly to the reader in a heart-touching and sometimes heart-wrenching way.

I'll admit this is one of those novels where the cover art drew me in. Who can resist an adorable little boy?
Then I read the blurb at the back which told me that this little boy was abandoned and was somehow connected to the death thirty five years later of a 92 year old woman who had books in her freezer upon her death... That was enough to capture the attention of any bibliophile. Too old to be the boy's mother, how could this woman be connected to him?

The novel was a mystery, but not written in the traditional way. In fact the reader does not really know what the crime(s) were until close to the end of the book. When the circumstances are revealed it left me both disturbed and profoundly moved.

Set in Stockholm, the novel followed the life and family of Axel Ragnerfeldt, a famous and Nobel Prize winning novelist. (the author of the books in the freezer). The novel poses the question: How much is glory and fame really worth, when counted in the suffering of the people closest to you? His family were portrayed with such depth and empathy that the reader felt their hopelessness. The claustrophobic family ties, mysterious disappearances and dark secrets surrounding a man shrouded in myth were portrayed with an honesty and brutality that spoke of deep understanding. The theme of how the sins of the fathers are visited upon their children is not a new one, but Alvtegen's prose brought the theme home to me like no other book ever has. "No matter whether your action is evil or good, it spreads like rings on the water. Over vast expanses it will travel, finding ever new paths. That is why your influence is infinite, and also your guilt."

"Shadow" is the first novel I've read by Karin Alvtegen and I will read as many more as I can get hold of. That being said, this novel was not exactly uplifting. In fact I would go as far as to say that anyone suffering from seasonal affective disorder should not read this book in the winter. The overall tone was bleak and melancholy. To quote the novel's description on the author's website, "her darkest and most complex thriller to date, in which the disturbing truth of a sick family is gradually and mercilessly laid bare. " Highly recommended.

Whodunit Book Club February 22, 2011

Nineteen members braved the chilly temperatures to attend this month's meeting.
Pam's 'magical question' this evening:
"Do you prefer reading 'page turners' or books that savour language more and venture into description and characterization?"
The majority of members seemed to read both types with a marked preference toward the more literary type of novel, with a few preferring the page turner type of book. The discussion then digressed to a the query "What IS a page turner?" We deemed a page-turner could fall within two different catagories. The first category of page-turner is an action packed novel with short chapters and little characterization. The second category could be any book that you are so interested/immersed in that the pages seem to turn of their own volition. The dictionary definition of page turner: any book, esp. a novel, which is so interesting, exciting, suspenseful, etc. that it draws the reader along, though it may be of little or no literary worth.

The novel under discussion this month was "True Blue" by David Baldacci. A book that could be considered a page-turner, but one which fell into the first category. About 75% of the members in attendance did not enjoy the novel and a few of those did not read it to the end. The comment was made that to enjoy this type of novel fully one would have to "check their brains at the door" and have the ability to suspend belief. About a quarter of the members enjoyed it a lot and would read more books by this author.

David Baldacci is a best-selling novelist in the true sense of the term. He has over 100 million books in print and his books have been printed in over 45 languages!
He began writing in high school and claims that writing is his 'private passion'. A lawyer in real life, David Baldacci has worked as both a corporate and a trial attorney. He is a philanthropist who established the "Wish you Well Foundation" which promotes literacy.

"True blue" was a novel which told the story of 'black-ops' pertaining to national security. While suspenseful and action-packed its characters were one-dimensional and the plot was at times unbelievable. The protagonist Mace, was a larger-than-life character who recently released from prison, took more chances than any sane person should. Her sister, Washington D.C.'s police chief seemed to bend the rules to aid her wayward sister at every turn.

Break-neck paced, the novel was saturated with strong women. Two somewhat likeable (Mace and her sister Beth) and two that were villainous (the Russian assassin and the attorney who framed Mace). It portrayed the U.S. capital as having a dark and dank underbelly where no one would want to visit.

Congratulations to the lucky winners of the free book draw this month:
Laird
Mabel
Carmella
Marilyn

Whodunit's next meeting will be held on March 29th when we will discuss "Red snow" by Michael Slade.

Tote bags for mystery lovers

Just visited the CafePress website and found some great tote bags for those who enjoy mystery novels.
Some examples that you will appreciate...