Lynda's Reading Tracker Part 2 - July - December, 2017
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2Olivermagnus
June Recap
Books Read - 29
Pages Read - 10,009
5 Stars - 3
4.5 Stars - 7
4 Stars - 6
3.5 Stars - 8
3 Stars - 5
Favorites
Fatherland by Robert Harris
Need You Dead by Peter James
Or the Bull Kills You by Jason Webster
ITD Books Read - 178
ITD Pages - 65,670
Books Read - 29
Pages Read - 10,009
5 Stars - 3
4.5 Stars - 7
4 Stars - 6
3.5 Stars - 8
3 Stars - 5
Favorites
Fatherland by Robert Harris
Need You Dead by Peter James
Or the Bull Kills You by Jason Webster
ITD Books Read - 178
ITD Pages - 65,670
3Olivermagnus
179. Girl in Disguise - Greer Macallister - 3.5 Stars
Girl in Disguise is the historical fiction story of Kate Warne who was hired by Allan Pinkerton and became the first female detective in America. When the story opens, Kate is a widow with no work experience. There aren't many options for women in that position in the 1850s, so she answers a Pinkerton Detective Agency advertisement in the local paper. Of course, Pinkerton refuses to hire her but she persuades him to give her a chance and goes on to have a long and successful career.
I'm not sure what I expected when I first started the book, probably more of a straightforward telling of her story. It turned out to be more of an episodic collection of several of her cases. Some of the cases are years apart so that was a bit disconcerting at first. I did feel like some of the characters were less developed than I would have liked, but by the time I was a third of the way through, I was really enjoying it.
The author's note at the end of the book was quite interesting and gave me a real appreciation for what an extraordinary woman Kate was. Even though it has some flaws, it's still a book I would recommend to fans of American historical fiction. Because many of the records that detailed her career at Pinkerton were lost in the Great Chicago fire, I did feel like the author created a believable story about Kate.
Girl in Disguise is the historical fiction story of Kate Warne who was hired by Allan Pinkerton and became the first female detective in America. When the story opens, Kate is a widow with no work experience. There aren't many options for women in that position in the 1850s, so she answers a Pinkerton Detective Agency advertisement in the local paper. Of course, Pinkerton refuses to hire her but she persuades him to give her a chance and goes on to have a long and successful career.
I'm not sure what I expected when I first started the book, probably more of a straightforward telling of her story. It turned out to be more of an episodic collection of several of her cases. Some of the cases are years apart so that was a bit disconcerting at first. I did feel like some of the characters were less developed than I would have liked, but by the time I was a third of the way through, I was really enjoying it.
The author's note at the end of the book was quite interesting and gave me a real appreciation for what an extraordinary woman Kate was. Even though it has some flaws, it's still a book I would recommend to fans of American historical fiction. Because many of the records that detailed her career at Pinkerton were lost in the Great Chicago fire, I did feel like the author created a believable story about Kate.
4Olivermagnus
180. Last Man Off - Matt Lewis - 3 Stars
This book describes what happened to Matt Lewis, who at the age of 23 was offered a job as a marine biologist observer on the Sudur Havid, a fishing boat making a routine trip from Cape Town into the Antarctic. He was very excited to be selected and looked at it as his first big opportunity to use his scientific background to chart the various birds and fish that he encountered on his journey.
It soon became clear that the Sudur Havid was less than seaworthy, thanks both to its owners' unwillingness to spend money on its maintenance and to the tensions between many of the crew members. Several weeks after he boarded, they became trapped by an enormous storm. The captain refused to stop fishing and making money, and in a very short time the boat was flooded. The thirty eight men on board scrambled for the rafts but their lack of preparation forced them into a desperate struggle to survive.
I often watch the Discovery Channel series, The Deadliest Catch and thought this book did a great job of relating how dangerous fishing in freezing seas can be. The actual sinking of the boat doesn't occur until about halfway through the book. The author kept me interested in the descriptions of the boat, the multicultural group of men who lived there, and the process of commercial fishing. It's a miracle any of these men survived to write the story. While not written with the same excitement level as a Jon Krakauer book, it still held my attention and I'm glad I read it.
This book describes what happened to Matt Lewis, who at the age of 23 was offered a job as a marine biologist observer on the Sudur Havid, a fishing boat making a routine trip from Cape Town into the Antarctic. He was very excited to be selected and looked at it as his first big opportunity to use his scientific background to chart the various birds and fish that he encountered on his journey.
It soon became clear that the Sudur Havid was less than seaworthy, thanks both to its owners' unwillingness to spend money on its maintenance and to the tensions between many of the crew members. Several weeks after he boarded, they became trapped by an enormous storm. The captain refused to stop fishing and making money, and in a very short time the boat was flooded. The thirty eight men on board scrambled for the rafts but their lack of preparation forced them into a desperate struggle to survive.
I often watch the Discovery Channel series, The Deadliest Catch and thought this book did a great job of relating how dangerous fishing in freezing seas can be. The actual sinking of the boat doesn't occur until about halfway through the book. The author kept me interested in the descriptions of the boat, the multicultural group of men who lived there, and the process of commercial fishing. It's a miracle any of these men survived to write the story. While not written with the same excitement level as a Jon Krakauer book, it still held my attention and I'm glad I read it.
5Olivermagnus
181. Cloak of Darkness - Helen MacInnes - 3.5 Stars
I can remember reading novels by Helen MacInnes as my very first introduction to spy thrillers, still one of my favorite genres. In Cloak of Darkness we again catch up with Robert Renwick, hero of Prelude to Terror and Hidden Target. He's married to Nina O'Connell and still working for Interintell, an organization supported by some of the NATO governments. He's contacted by an old acquaintance on his secure telephone number who reveals that Renwick's name is on a hit list that was developed by the owner of an international munitions firm. He must try to protect Nina, and at the same time, stop whatever global destruction the munitions executive has planned.
This book was written in 1982 and has a nostalgic feel for an espionage thriller. While many of the concerns she wrote about were unrealized at the time, there are a remarkable number that have actually happened. MacInnes fills her narrative with everything you need in a spy thriller, including double agents, triple agents, and innocent bystanders, all set in the famous capitals of Europe and Africa. Thirty five years later, I find her novels are still very readable. Not many women have made their mark as espionage storytellers, but Helen MacInnes is one one of my favorite authors of the international intrigue genre.
I can remember reading novels by Helen MacInnes as my very first introduction to spy thrillers, still one of my favorite genres. In Cloak of Darkness we again catch up with Robert Renwick, hero of Prelude to Terror and Hidden Target. He's married to Nina O'Connell and still working for Interintell, an organization supported by some of the NATO governments. He's contacted by an old acquaintance on his secure telephone number who reveals that Renwick's name is on a hit list that was developed by the owner of an international munitions firm. He must try to protect Nina, and at the same time, stop whatever global destruction the munitions executive has planned.
This book was written in 1982 and has a nostalgic feel for an espionage thriller. While many of the concerns she wrote about were unrealized at the time, there are a remarkable number that have actually happened. MacInnes fills her narrative with everything you need in a spy thriller, including double agents, triple agents, and innocent bystanders, all set in the famous capitals of Europe and Africa. Thirty five years later, I find her novels are still very readable. Not many women have made their mark as espionage storytellers, but Helen MacInnes is one one of my favorite authors of the international intrigue genre.
6Olivermagnus
182. Mercy Falls - William Kent Krueger - 4.5 Stars
Tamarack County Sheriff Cork O'Connor and his deputy, Marsha Dross, are answering a domestic disturbance call on the Ojibwe reservation. When they arrive, they find the occupants of the house gone, their dogs dead, and then Marsha is seriously wounded by an unknown sniper. The investigation seems to indicate that the bullet was actually meant for Cork.
At the same time, Eddie Jacoby, a Chicago businessman trying to negotiate a contract with the local Indian casino, is murdered. Now Cork, already a man down, has to deal with Jacoby's murder and find the person who shot Marsha. What makes it worse is that Jacoby is from a wealthy Chicago family reputed to be associated with organized crime and Jacoby's brother used to be Cork's wife, Jo's, college boyfriend. Add into the mix one more element.....a beautiful private investigator hired by the Jacoby family who seems to have an attraction to Cork.
I listed to the audio of this book, narrated by David Chandler, who did a phenomenal job. One of the things I love about this series is the rural Minnesota setting. The characters are very believable and the author does a good job of detailing Cork's relationship with the Ojibwe, as he himself is part Anishinaabeg. I have never read a bad Kruger book and I was completely hooked by this compelling story.
Mercy Falls is the fifth book in the Cork O'Connor series and it received the Anthony Award for Best Mystery Book of 2006. I usually prefer to read a series in order, but this can easily be read as a standalone. Actually, if you commit to reading this book, you will also have to read the next book in the series, Copper River, because several threads of the story are not cleared up until then.
Tamarack County Sheriff Cork O'Connor and his deputy, Marsha Dross, are answering a domestic disturbance call on the Ojibwe reservation. When they arrive, they find the occupants of the house gone, their dogs dead, and then Marsha is seriously wounded by an unknown sniper. The investigation seems to indicate that the bullet was actually meant for Cork.
At the same time, Eddie Jacoby, a Chicago businessman trying to negotiate a contract with the local Indian casino, is murdered. Now Cork, already a man down, has to deal with Jacoby's murder and find the person who shot Marsha. What makes it worse is that Jacoby is from a wealthy Chicago family reputed to be associated with organized crime and Jacoby's brother used to be Cork's wife, Jo's, college boyfriend. Add into the mix one more element.....a beautiful private investigator hired by the Jacoby family who seems to have an attraction to Cork.
I listed to the audio of this book, narrated by David Chandler, who did a phenomenal job. One of the things I love about this series is the rural Minnesota setting. The characters are very believable and the author does a good job of detailing Cork's relationship with the Ojibwe, as he himself is part Anishinaabeg. I have never read a bad Kruger book and I was completely hooked by this compelling story.
Mercy Falls is the fifth book in the Cork O'Connor series and it received the Anthony Award for Best Mystery Book of 2006. I usually prefer to read a series in order, but this can easily be read as a standalone. Actually, if you commit to reading this book, you will also have to read the next book in the series, Copper River, because several threads of the story are not cleared up until then.
