Stephanie is the bounty hunter creation of Janet Evanovich. These novels are just great light hearted reading. Stephanie seems to get herself into all sorts of dilemmas, some created by her incompetence, others by her friends, relatives and lovers and you gotta love her, because of her personal vanities and quirks. Along the way Evanovich finds the humour in way out yet believable situations. She is one definite funny author, I've not laughed so much while reading for a long time.
Set in violent Trenton, New Jersey where everybody young and old carries a gun. Stephanie herself is not much good with guns despite her profession and leaves it mostly at home. Trenton has the highest homicide rate in the US and probably not the best place for a pacifist bounty hunter.
Although she lives alone, she seems close to her family, her grandma Mazur is too old to care what society thinks and thinks that Stephanie has the coolest job in the world. Grandma wants to rock, shoot, date like her granddaughter. Stephanie's mother is the foil for all this insanity "why me?"
And as fiction has it, she has 2 men in her life, the mysterious Ranger and Joe Morelli the cop. Of course it's great for Stephanie's ego that she has two love interests to flirt and have sex with. And there ain't nothing much wrong with either of them, except if it was real life Ranger would have found a chick more available for his needs and Morelli would have had a couple of one night stands. What Italian stallion would endure the kind of competition that he has?!
I have read just about all the Stephanie Plum books and the last two's plots were getting a bit tired. Evanovich started a between the numbers series with a new character Diesel but their plots seem too fantastic and sank new lows. I think she is showing signs of fatigue although it gives me hope that Twelve was a roaring good read and written not too long ago.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Andrea Camilleri
Inspector Salvo Montalbano is the creation of Camilleri who wrote the series in his later years. The inspector is a delight. Although grumpy and foul with his faithful staff, he is the honest cop with a conscience in a Sicily where the Mafia rules and graft is common place.
His honesty does not go untested. In one story he wrestles with a young seductress who ultimately gets and uses him. He is cunning with Livia his long distance lover, telling her what she would like to hear just so he stays on her right side. Alas for him, Livia sees through most things. Sometimes he acts outside the law but always to achieve justice.
The stories are full of Sicilian life and colour. It feels like a holiday to just read a story. Montalbano loves his food and his gastronomic adventures are described lovingly. Fortunately Camilleri's translator does a fabulous job of notes to aid English readers to understand the slang and food.
Camilleri also writes with humour. His characters such as Caterella who is simple and takes things literally, his deputy Mimi who is loyal but seen by Montalbano as a rival and Fazio his assistant and side kick provide scope for comical situations.
Sometimes violent but always entertaining, this is a gem of a series that I'd recommend anyday.
His honesty does not go untested. In one story he wrestles with a young seductress who ultimately gets and uses him. He is cunning with Livia his long distance lover, telling her what she would like to hear just so he stays on her right side. Alas for him, Livia sees through most things. Sometimes he acts outside the law but always to achieve justice.
The stories are full of Sicilian life and colour. It feels like a holiday to just read a story. Montalbano loves his food and his gastronomic adventures are described lovingly. Fortunately Camilleri's translator does a fabulous job of notes to aid English readers to understand the slang and food.
Camilleri also writes with humour. His characters such as Caterella who is simple and takes things literally, his deputy Mimi who is loyal but seen by Montalbano as a rival and Fazio his assistant and side kick provide scope for comical situations.
Sometimes violent but always entertaining, this is a gem of a series that I'd recommend anyday.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Phryne Fisher
Kerry Greenwood is a Melbourne based author who has created a glamorous and liberated private eye in Phryne Fisher. Her stories are set in the 1920s with the swinging set popularized by Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby in the background.
Phryne is beautiful and rich with a strong sense of justice. The earlier books are much better than her later efforts where the plots become much more implausible and Phryne's efforts seem too much like Superhero setting the world right. Greenwood would have made it more plausible if she didn't have a happy ending for every character, the world is not perfect and the imperfections could become subplots for future books. It is of course much easier to criticize than to write!
Phryne is essentially a modern heroine ; she takes on lovers without regrets and her wealth makes her independent of men and the trappings of family. She has a menagerie consisting of Dot her companion, two adopted daughters who were poor and abused, a sister who does good works and her lesbian lover Alice.
Domestically she is presided over by Mr and Mrs Butler (a joke of a name) Her lovers are many but her favourite is Lin Chang who marries with Phryne's approval and blessings. For roughwork she has Bert and Cec, wharvies, taxi drivers and ockers.
I applaud Greenwood writing such entertaining adventures with a local flavour. But I often wonder how Phryne's character could be realistically developed as she ages in an era where women marry and have children. Could she continue her carefree existence withstanding the pressures of society and her own biological clock? Or would she succumb?
Phryne is beautiful and rich with a strong sense of justice. The earlier books are much better than her later efforts where the plots become much more implausible and Phryne's efforts seem too much like Superhero setting the world right. Greenwood would have made it more plausible if she didn't have a happy ending for every character, the world is not perfect and the imperfections could become subplots for future books. It is of course much easier to criticize than to write!
Phryne is essentially a modern heroine ; she takes on lovers without regrets and her wealth makes her independent of men and the trappings of family. She has a menagerie consisting of Dot her companion, two adopted daughters who were poor and abused, a sister who does good works and her lesbian lover Alice.
Domestically she is presided over by Mr and Mrs Butler (a joke of a name) Her lovers are many but her favourite is Lin Chang who marries with Phryne's approval and blessings. For roughwork she has Bert and Cec, wharvies, taxi drivers and ockers.
I applaud Greenwood writing such entertaining adventures with a local flavour. But I often wonder how Phryne's character could be realistically developed as she ages in an era where women marry and have children. Could she continue her carefree existence withstanding the pressures of society and her own biological clock? Or would she succumb?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Colin Dexter and Inspector Morse
Colin Dexter's Oxford is populated with adulterous characters, puzzling crimes and the vain glorious Morse. Sex it seems, is the most common motive and everybody indulges in it in and out of marriage. And I thought the English were prudes!
Morse himself considers that he is above the rest of the police. He has Lewis as sidekick to abuse and carry out his routine work. Like Watson, Lewis frequently provides the clue that solves the case unwittingly. But he gets neither credit nor gratitude.
Dexter's stories are in the puzzle solving genre with multiple red herrings. Morse lives out Dexter's fantasies in that despite his age, he is 'strangely attractive' to ladies young and old who are dying to hop into bed with him. Many succeed. I can't work out why they would want to!
The cases themselves sometimes resemble a fevered dream with multiple hypothesis proposed only to be ruled out in quick succession. As I read crime novels for entertainment and not to attempt solving it, this aspect is not so frustrating.
Morse himself considers that he is above the rest of the police. He has Lewis as sidekick to abuse and carry out his routine work. Like Watson, Lewis frequently provides the clue that solves the case unwittingly. But he gets neither credit nor gratitude.
Dexter's stories are in the puzzle solving genre with multiple red herrings. Morse lives out Dexter's fantasies in that despite his age, he is 'strangely attractive' to ladies young and old who are dying to hop into bed with him. Many succeed. I can't work out why they would want to!
The cases themselves sometimes resemble a fevered dream with multiple hypothesis proposed only to be ruled out in quick succession. As I read crime novels for entertainment and not to attempt solving it, this aspect is not so frustrating.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Rumpole of Old Bailey
Sadly, there will be no more Rumpoles now that John Mortimer has passed away. He lived to a ripe old age, however, and there was the joy of finding a new Rumpole every few years in the shop or library.
Rumpole is a 'great defender', he never prosecutes and believes that even crooks should get a chance. However, in one story, he defends a person whom he later discovers is a murderer and is most disconcerted.
More than just a defence barrister, Rumpole is a complete character, with his habit of smoking small cigars, calling Hilda his wife "she who must be obeyed", drinking Pommeroy's Vin Ordinaire on legal aid cheques. It is a wonder that Hilda doesn't leave him, with all the snide references he makes of her. Several false retirements later, Rumpole continues to appear at Equity Court and make appearances on behalf of the Timson family before Judge Bullingham, or the Mad Bull.
Rumpole appears to always get at the truth of a case, mainly because he is an excellent judge of character and understands human foibles. Whether it is a real crime or merely a etiquette breach, he predictably advocates for the underdog.
First written in the early 80's, Rumpole has moved accordingly with the times. The later novels make sly commentary on political correctness gone mad, anti-social behaviour orders, modernisation and corporatisation of barrister offices. John Mortimer's appeal lies more in his wit and the depth of his characters than the crime itself. Rumpole is a great entertaining read.
Rumpole is a 'great defender', he never prosecutes and believes that even crooks should get a chance. However, in one story, he defends a person whom he later discovers is a murderer and is most disconcerted.
More than just a defence barrister, Rumpole is a complete character, with his habit of smoking small cigars, calling Hilda his wife "she who must be obeyed", drinking Pommeroy's Vin Ordinaire on legal aid cheques. It is a wonder that Hilda doesn't leave him, with all the snide references he makes of her. Several false retirements later, Rumpole continues to appear at Equity Court and make appearances on behalf of the Timson family before Judge Bullingham, or the Mad Bull.
Rumpole appears to always get at the truth of a case, mainly because he is an excellent judge of character and understands human foibles. Whether it is a real crime or merely a etiquette breach, he predictably advocates for the underdog.
First written in the early 80's, Rumpole has moved accordingly with the times. The later novels make sly commentary on political correctness gone mad, anti-social behaviour orders, modernisation and corporatisation of barrister offices. John Mortimer's appeal lies more in his wit and the depth of his characters than the crime itself. Rumpole is a great entertaining read.
Agatha Christie
I started reading crime novels with Agatha Christie. Agatha is a prolific writer with several protaganists most famous of whom were Poirot and Miss Marple.
However, the novels I enjoyed best featured the young Tommy and Tuppence, set at the end of WW1. Although poor, they were intrepid and the novels were imbued with youthful enthusiasm. I also enjoyed 'The man with the brown suit' which was in a similar vein. These stories were more adventures than mysteries.
Poirot usually solved 'closed room' puzzles where only a limited number of persons could have 'dunnit', usually the murderer was revealed at some denouncement scene where every actor was present. I didn't enjoy Marple as much as I did Poirot, Marple was usually set in English countryside or little villages and the pace was unbearably slow.
Of course both Marple and Poirot were made into TV dramas recently. Poirot was a visual feast as the settings were so magnificent. The Art Deco period architecture, clothes and hair styles - even the cars were period. The TV series were none too faithful to Agatha's plots and there were many twists that seemed too fantastic, even for Agatha!
Agatha Christie also wrote screenplays the most famous of these being 'The Mousetrap', almost a permanent fixture and a great tourist attraction when visiting London. I didn't get to see 'The Mousetrap' when I was last in London but I've read a compilation of her plays. She was not only prolific but proved to be very successful as a playwright.
The most shocking mystery I ever read was 'The murder of Roger Ackroyd', which I read when I was in my early 20's. It was very slow to begin with and I got tired by about 10pm of the pace and decided to do what I have seldom repeated ever since - I flipped to the last chapter to work out who the murderer was. And what I shock I received! Of course there was no sleep for the wicked that night.
Agatha was also married (her second marriage) to Max Mallowan, an archeologist. He took her on his digs to the middle east and I thoroughly enjoyed her accounts of roughing it 'Come, Tell Me How You Live" in these remote locations. She was humorous and down-to-earth, I particularly remember her account of the toilet seat she had made and moved from dig to dig.
However, the novels I enjoyed best featured the young Tommy and Tuppence, set at the end of WW1. Although poor, they were intrepid and the novels were imbued with youthful enthusiasm. I also enjoyed 'The man with the brown suit' which was in a similar vein. These stories were more adventures than mysteries.
Poirot usually solved 'closed room' puzzles where only a limited number of persons could have 'dunnit', usually the murderer was revealed at some denouncement scene where every actor was present. I didn't enjoy Marple as much as I did Poirot, Marple was usually set in English countryside or little villages and the pace was unbearably slow.
Of course both Marple and Poirot were made into TV dramas recently. Poirot was a visual feast as the settings were so magnificent. The Art Deco period architecture, clothes and hair styles - even the cars were period. The TV series were none too faithful to Agatha's plots and there were many twists that seemed too fantastic, even for Agatha!
Agatha Christie also wrote screenplays the most famous of these being 'The Mousetrap', almost a permanent fixture and a great tourist attraction when visiting London. I didn't get to see 'The Mousetrap' when I was last in London but I've read a compilation of her plays. She was not only prolific but proved to be very successful as a playwright.
The most shocking mystery I ever read was 'The murder of Roger Ackroyd', which I read when I was in my early 20's. It was very slow to begin with and I got tired by about 10pm of the pace and decided to do what I have seldom repeated ever since - I flipped to the last chapter to work out who the murderer was. And what I shock I received! Of course there was no sleep for the wicked that night.
Agatha was also married (her second marriage) to Max Mallowan, an archeologist. He took her on his digs to the middle east and I thoroughly enjoyed her accounts of roughing it 'Come, Tell Me How You Live" in these remote locations. She was humorous and down-to-earth, I particularly remember her account of the toilet seat she had made and moved from dig to dig.
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