Tag Archives: mystery

The Whiskey Rebels

Posted on July 4, 2015 by smellincoffee

The Whiskey Rebels© 2008 David Liss544 pages “You have my word as a gentleman.”“You are no gentleman!”“Then you have my word as a scoundrel, which, I know, opens up a rather confusing paradox that I have neither the time nor … Continue reading →

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Hanging Curve

Posted on May 12, 2015 by smellincoffee

Hanging Curve © 1999 Troy Soos272 pages St. Louis, 1922. Babe Ruth reigns as the king of baseball. Mickey Rawlings is no king, not even a prince, but he is at least in the peerage: a utility infielder for the … Continue reading →

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This week: saints of war

Posted on December 2, 2014 by smellincoffee

Dear readers: What a week passed these last few days! In the United States, we celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday, and therein followed three days of bedlam as people acted like chimpanzees descending on a pile of fruit for Black Friday … Continue reading →

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The Maltese Falcon

Posted on August 23, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Maltese Falcon© 1929 Dashiell Hammeett217 pages “You have always, I must say, a smooth explanation ready.” “What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?”  A beautiful woman whose life is in danger; a streetwise and world-worn private … Continue reading →

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This week: TBR progress

Posted on August 18, 2014 by smellincoffee

This past week I was positively underwhelmed by The Bishop in the West Wing, a mystery novel by Andrew Greeley, a Catholic priest.  I’d hoped the novelty of a priest writing about a priest solving mysteries could make for an … Continue reading →

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No Time Like the Past

Posted on June 24, 2014 by smellincoffee

No Time Like the Past© 2014 Greg Cox 400 pages Question: why is the heroic, resolute-looking face of James T. Kirk carved Rushmore-like into a mountainside in the middle of the Delta Quadrant?  In search of an answer, Seven of … Continue reading →

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Sycamore Row

Posted on March 20, 2014 by smellincoffee

Sycamore Row© 2013 John Grisham 464 pages  I have been less than impressed with John Grisham’s books in recent years; The Racketeer made me suspect Grisham or his publishers were merely milking the success of his name.  Sycamore Row, however, … Continue reading →

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Hitler’s Peace

Posted on November 6, 2013 by smellincoffee

Hitler’s Peace© 2006 Phillip Kerr464 pages Willard Mayer has the strangest luck. How many people get to dine with FDR, talk about the worries of life with Winston Churchill, annoy Joseph Stalin, and shake hands with Adolf Hitler? And this … Continue reading →

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Shift

Posted on March 23, 2013 by smellincoffee

Shift© 2008 Jennifer Bradbury245 pages Chris and his best friend Win decided to cycle across the United States in the summer between high school and their freshman year of college — but only Chris came back, and now his first … Continue reading →

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The Seven Wonders

Posted on February 14, 2013 by smellincoffee

The Seven Wonders© 2012 Steven Saylor332 pages A few years ago, I read through the Roma sub Rosa series in which a first-century Sherlock Holmes named Gordianus the Finder made his living investigating murders and other sundry mysteries which were … Continue reading →

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