6 posts tagged “murder”

Cutter and Bone

Aug 1, 2009
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Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges) sees a man dumping a body of a teenage girl, but isn't able to positively identify him. When he tells his friend, disabled Vietnam veteran Alex Cutter, Cutter makes his own enquiries and believes than oil tycoon J.J. Cord is the man responsible. Bone is not convinced, but the out of control Cutter is determined that Cord should face justice....but that it will be Cutter's own type of justice. Events spiral out of control, and Alex and Richard find their lives threatened.... As always, Jeff Bridges turns in a superb performance, as the world weary, apathetic, commitment phobic Bone. John Heard and Lisa Eichhorn are also brilliant as the angry Cutter and his depressed and marginalised wife Mo. All three characters seem to be looking for something to give their life meaning (and in failing to find it, Cutter and Mo have turned to alcohol), and maybe the search for justice will give it to them. It's a shame that not more people seem to have heard of this film; it's well worth watching. Not brilliant - one character (the dead girl's sister) seems to almost disappear without explanation, and the ending is something of a surprise - but well worth a watch.

'Three Bags Full' - Leonie Swann

Jun 11, 2009
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Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story

Leonie Swann

In the rural village of Glennkill in Ireland, a flock of sheep are horrified to find their shepherd dead, with a spade stuck through him. The sheep decide that they must investigate the murder and work out who killed their beloved master, in order that justice can be done. Along the way, the encounter various obstacles, face their fears and learn a few lessons about life.

I thought this was an adorable book. The premise is unusual - a flock of sheep make for an unlikely detective squad. But these are no ordinary sheep! Their dead shepherd, George Glenn, had read to them every day of their lives and treated them as proper friends, holding conversations with them. As a result, they are able to think things through and make plans.

Each sheep has a distinct character. The main characters are Miss Maple, the cleverest sheep in all Glennkill and maybe the world; Othello, a black ram with a mysterious past; Mopple the Whale, a sheep with an amazing memory and a seemingly inexhaustible appetite; Sir Ritchfield, the elderly lead ram; and Zora, a sheep with a head for heights.

If the reader can accept the premises of this unusual murder hunt, the book is very enjoyable. The flocks literal interpretation of human conversations and interactions make for some laugh-out-loud moments, and the secret of who killed George Glenn is kept until almost the very end.

Definitely a book I would recommend - heartwarming and amusing. However, it's put me off eating lamb chops for a while!

'Death at Dawn' - Caro Peacock

Apr 25, 2009
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Death at Dawn: A Liberty Lane Thriller

Caro Peacock

At the time of King William's death, when Queen Victoria is about to become Queen of England, a young lady named Liberty Lane has her life torn apart, when she hears news of her father's death.

Liberty was told that her father had died in a duel, while in France. But although her father was unconventional, romantic man, she knows that there was no way he would have taken part in a duel. She decides to find out the truth about his death, and her endeavours take her across the channel to France, and back again. What Liberty discovers reveals corruption and deception at the highest levels of society...

I loved this book, as a terrific piece of escapism. Liberty is a spirited and heroine, who is extremely likeable, perhaps due to her obvious vulnerability. The story itself moves along quickly, with plenty of tension and atmosphere, and I really felt drawn into Liberty's world.

There are heroes and villains, and even a young Benjamin Disraeli pops up! I knew I would enjoy the book after reading just the first page, and with plenty of twists and turns, I was kept guessing until the end, which was just as satisfying as the rest of the book.

A terrific read, which I would definitely recommend.

'The Last Days of Newgate' - Andrew Pepper

Dec 7, 2008
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The Last Days of Newgate (Pyke Mystery)

Andrew Pepper

This book, set in London in 1829, is the first book in a series about Pyke, a Bow Street Runner, and sometime crook of questionable (to say the least) morals.

The book is set at a time for great change for the policing system: Home Secretary Peel had his plans to set up one ruling Police Force, and thus put Runners like Pike, out of work. His plans were opposed by many, and this conflict is very well illustrated in this book.

Pyke finds himself caught up in trying to solve a brutal triple murder, and his investigations uncover a web of deception which perhaps goes as high as the Government itself, and which threatens Pyke's livelihood and even his life.

Aided by an enigmatic society beauty (which comes across far less cliched than that sounds), Pyke has to stay one step ahead of the powers that be at all time, as he faces danger from known and unknown persons.

I really enjoyed this book. The action moves along at a fair old pace, and I never found myself getting bored. 1820s London is brought vividly to life, with detailed descriptions of the way of life. However, the historical references did not detract from the main storyline; they merely served to help set the scene.

Pyke is a terrific main character. He is a cruel and brutal man, who I felt I should dislike, but there was just enough goodness in him to make me want to root for him all the way. As a character who was very believable, his actions still took me by surprise on many occasions.

There is a lot of violence and bloodshed in this book, and I can certainly see that that in itself would turn a lot of readers off. I wouldn't recommend it to a squeamish friend! However, if you want a good crime mystery with plenty of twists and turns, and don't mind some blood and gore, this is a great read. I look forward to reading the next installment.

'Stained Souls' - Ferran O'Neill

Oct 22, 2008
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Stained Souls

Ferran O'Neill

How well do any of us really know the people we surround ourselves with? Sandra Reid is a Police Officer returning to work after the tragic death of her husband. Although a gentle start would have suited Sandra better, she finds herself landed right in the middle of a gruesome case, about someone with murderous intentions who is targeting women with a secret in their past. Sandra finds herself getting drawn further and further into a case, where the person they are after always seems to be one step ahead. As Sandra’s own family suddenly find themselves in danger, Sandra and her boss Jeff seem to come up against one dead end after another. Matters are not helped by several people who have good reasons to want to hide their own parts in past events, but sometimes you just can’t keep the truth hidden forever.

I really enjoyed this thriller. It rattles along at a fair old pace, and there are plenty of twists and turns - several of which I did not see coming - and I never could have guessed the twist at the end! There are several threads to the story, and throughout the book, we see them drawing together, and learn how they are intertwined. I did need to concentrate on the story - the whole direction of the story can change in just a few pages and a lack of concentration could really cause confusion - but that is not a complaint and it did not spoil it at all for me.

For those of a queasy nature, it’s worth mentioning that there are a few very descriptive gruesome moments!

If you like psychological thrillers, or good crime stories, I would recommend this book. I look forward to more from this author.

(This is the 49th book I have read this year.)

'The Voice of the Violin' - Andrea Camilleri

Aug 12, 2008
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Voice of the Violin (Montalbano 4)

Andrea Camilleri

This is the 36th book I have read this year, and the fourth one in the Inspector Montalbano series.

As with all of the others, I enjoyed it very much, although it does slightly feel like more of the same. The books are pretty formulaic, but that does not in any way detract from the pleasure of reading them.

In this book, Montalbano investigates the violent murder of a beautiful woman. There appear to be many possible suspects for the murder, and as always, Montalbano manages to upset his superiors, his colleagues and even his girlfriend, the long suffering Livia, during the course of his investigations. Things of course, are not what they initially seem, and it is up to Montalbano to find his way through the web of lies, and get to the truth of the matter. In the meantime, there are problems in his personal life, where events do not unfold as Montalbano and Livia had hoped.

All in all, a very good read.