Slough House: A Masterpost (so far)

I thought I'd do a masterpost on the Slough House series by Mick Herron (at least at the point I've gotten to which is to the 4th book). If you're a fan of the spy thriller genre then this is a real fun time. (Thanks to the patron who recommended it to me!) Full transparency: I read the first two books a couple of months ago so I'm copying over my reviews from other sites. 😁

Source: StoryGraph

In Slow Horses we are introduced to the characters of Slough House (basically MI5 rejects for a variety of reasons) who have been relegated to paperwork and other drudgery under the watchful eye of their supervisor Jackson Lamb (a unique character for sure). While all of the inhabitants of Slough House (called slow horses by their erstwhile colleagues in Regent's Park) are featured at different points in the story we mainly follow the newest arrival, Robin Cartwright, as he tries to come to terms with his new situation. [A/N: Because this is the first in a series, there's a lot of information about how The Service operates as well as introductions on all of the main characters (some more fleshed out than others to keep up the mystique).] Robin begins to suspect that something is afoot when he is sent on his first assignment outside since his transfer more than 6 months before. The story builds and builds upon itself adding layer upon layer of mystery with many moving parts. But because it's so compelling and fast-paced readers should be able to follow the threads easily (and finish super quickly). If you like fast-paced spy thrillers with a host of complicated characters (not all likable) then this book will definitely fit the bill.

Source: StoryGraph

Dead Lions finds us once again among the slow horses of Slough House as they complete their day-to-day meaningless tasks. But then a spy who has been out of the game for years turns up dead and Jackson Lamb is on the case...if there is one. While Lamb, Ho, Cartwright, and Standish try to unravel the mystery of this death Harper and Guy are tasked with babysitting a visiting Russian who could prove to be an asset. [A/N: I personally found the dead man's death much more interesting than the Russian diplomat (it felt forced).] It wasn't quite as electrifying as the first in the series but I really liked that it picks up right after the conclusion of the previous book (even if there are still loose threads).

Source: StoryGraph

The List is a novella length story which revisits our friends in Slough House but focuses primarily on some new recruits to the team as well as the fallout from the bombshell that occurred in the previous book (don't worry no spoilers here). The best bits were inevitably those revolving around Jackson Lamb, the fearless leader of this ragtag gang of misfits. When a spy/informant from the old days dies, it is discovered that he had been playing shadow games and keeping secrets from his handler. Can this mistake be hushed up and rectified or are they all in greater danger than they originally feared? Lots of talk about the 'craft' of being a spy in this one which was interesting but I think its short length hampered the storyline.

Source: StoryGraph

This book started out really strong with the kidnapping of maybe my favorite character (can you guess who this is?). All hands are on deck to try and recover their erstwhile colleague but it's Cartwright that really goes above and beyond by making his way through the defenses of Regent's Park to get classified information for the kidnappers. This one gave me the same feeling as the first in the series like a proper 'spy thriller' with all of the intrigue and suspense. Super high stakes that had me gritting my teeth at the ending so of course I immediately ordered Spook Street. 😬

What I'm currently reading: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (reread) and Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

That's a no

The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson started off feeling a bit like an episode of Criminal Minds as the main character is an FBI profiler who works for the BAU. However, as the story continued I started to realize that this woman was in no way capable of being a member of such a prestigious group. Her credibility is basically nil as she rants and raves at the office while dealing with a lot of drama in her personal life. To say the drama was overdone would be to put it mildly. (There isn't an area of her life where she isn't faltering in some way and the obvious course of action to fix said problem never seems to occur to her.) Our main character, Karen Vail, has been trying to find the Dead Eyes Killer for several weeks with virtually no leads. The killer's signature is gruesome and the bodies keep piling up but she's too wrapped up in her own life to really spend a lot of time working the case efficiently. (And then it's further complicated by her relationship with the members of her task force.) I don't want to spoil the ending but it was so ridiculous that it really sealed the lid on the coffin for me. I didn't like the main character, I didn't like the plot, and the killer reveal was dumb. 0/10 do not recommend

Adding insult to injury, this is the first in a series. That's a no for me.

Source: Amazon

What's Up Next: When Life Gives You Pears by Jeannie Gaffigan

What I'm Currently Reading: Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Contemporary fiction meets supernatural thriller

Continuing the trend of reading books selected for the Summer Reading program, I read Graveyard Shakes by Laura Terry. The reader follows two very different storylines that at the outset have no correlation to one another. The first revolves around two sisters who have newly arrived at a boarding school and are struggling to come to terms with their change of environment. The second focuses on a little ghost and his friend Modie (I don't know either) who as best as I can tell is a reanimated corpse. So on the one hand we are rooted in reality with a situation that seems very familiar: wanting to fit in yet also wanting to be recognized as the individual that you are. On the other hand, the supernatural elements of ghosts and zombies are compacted with horror because the only way that Modie can stay 'alive' is to absorb the soul of a dead (i.e. murdered) child. Yes, this is a middle grade graphic novel. (It is at this point that I have essentially 'sold' this book to the reluctant child reader standing in front of me while the parent stares at me open mouthed.) The good parts: The illustrative style was excellent and I really enjoyed the character journey of Victoria, the older sister. The not so good: It was way more disturbing and graphic than I expected plus the ending was entirely too predictable after all of the narrative build-up. While I did thoroughly enjoy the illustrations, I don't know that I'll be rushing out to read Terry's next work (unless the cover draws me in again). I didn't overwhelmingly dislike this book but I also didn't love it with all of my heart and soul (get outta here, Modie!). The little guys and ghouls in your life that love a good ghost story will probably fall head-over-heels for this one. 5/10

Source: Amazon.com

An example from the inside. [Source: A Kids Book A Day]

What's Up Next: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

What I'm Currently Reading: Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions by Russell Brand

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Honestly, I spent the entirety of this book fully convinced I was reading a nonfiction book about Alan Turing from the point of view of the policeman who found his body. Good job, David Lagercrantz! You totally fooled me! The book in question is Fall of Man in Wilmslow and it's the fictionalized story of Alan Turing's suicide and his contribution to the war effort and to numerous academic disciplines. Over the last year or more, I've been pretty much obsessed with all things A.I. and as a result I've learned a great deal about Alan Turing (and I've talked about him a few times here if you remember) who is considered the father of the modern computer AND Artificial Intelligence. What a guy! As a result, I'm pretty familiar with the biographical points of his life and his death. That's partially why I thought this was a work of nonfiction because all of those facts were laid out...which is the perfect way to build a fantastic piece of historical fiction. Lagercrantz used just enough of the truth to weave a convincing story about what might have happened had the policeman who found him been somewhat like Turing himself. Detective Constable Leonard Corell is the first officer on the scene and at first he is disgusted by not only the act of suicide itself but the man who committed it. This disgust turns into a kind of rage when he discovers that Turing was convicted of homosexuality. Even his initial aversion doesn't tamp down his horror at the punishment meted out by the government however. (He was chemically castrated which many believe was the main reason he chose to end his life as it led to severe depression.) Corell is an odd character. He flip flops between being overconfident in his abilities to allowing himself to be railroaded by his peers and bosses. He's also constantly daydreaming which I found tiring by the end of the novel. Speaking of the end of the novel, I didn't like it. It felt like the book was building and building and then the end was such a letdown. I can't say more about it without giving away huge spoilers but let's just say it was closely tied into Corell's daydreams. If you're completely unfamiliar with Turing and his work then this is an interesting way to get clued in because as I said much of the story is completely factual. Excepting the end, I really did enjoy this book. Lagercrantz is an excellent storyteller and he fooled me into thinking this was entirely plausible. 8/10 because that ending bummed me out.

Source: abebooks.com

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Stephen King: Master of Horror

I don't remember if I've ever talked about my fondness for Stephen King before on the blog. I know that I've mentioned that horror is a genre that from time to time I thoroughly enjoy. There was one summer in particular that I found myself binge reading some of King's works. I read through Carrie, The Tommyknockers, The Shining, and Needful Things that summer but that wasn't where my love affair started. It actually started with It: King's novel about a group of kids who face an unspeakable horror while growing up that comes back to haunt them as adults. I've actually re-read this one a few times simply because I find something new each time that I read it. There are all of the elements of horror as well as a healthy dosage of psychological thriller which King is known for. It's all set in Derry, Maine which I for one would love to visit as it seems to be the epicenter of King's works. It is not for those who suffer from Coulrophobia or the fear of clowns. The nexus of evil in this novel is a shape-shifting entity that primarily takes the shape of a clown so that it can lure children to its lair. (Not sure what kid would willingly follow a clown but these kids seem to be into it.) The main group of children that this book focuses on were outcasts who formed the 'Losers Club' and because of their combined strength they were able to provide a united, threatening front. The book flips between the present day (1984-85) and the past (1957-58) and tells each of the main characters stories. You get to know them and root for them all to various degrees. If you've never read any of Stephen King's books and you want a good place to start then I definitely recommend It. (Warning: There are adult themes and coarse language so keep that in mind.) If you'd like to delve into horror but you're a little overwhelmed with all of the choices then I recommend this one to you as well. :-D (Warning: Likely to induce nightmares for the faint of heart.)

Spoiler alert: It wasn't mannequins

Horrorstor was an incredibly quick, fast-paced read. I have to say that the story veered off in a direction that I was completely unprepared for (despite reading the blurb). It's somewhere between horror, thriller, and paranormal. I don't want to give anything away because I think you'd enjoy the journey a lot more with the mystery intact. I will say, however, that I enjoyed the visual aspect of the book which incorporated furniture ads like those you might see in an Ikea catalog. It was a unique approach to horror and I think you guys would get a kick out of it.

There's an author that's been on my radar for a while now (thanks to the many literary newsletters I subscribe to) and I'm happy to say that I've picked up both of his novels to review. The first one is his newest, The Rise & Fall of Great Powers. The author is Tom Rachman and he's being hailed as "one of the most exciting young writers we have". The story revolves around a woman with the odd sounding name of Tooly who is herself an odd sort of person. She owns a bookstore in a small town in Wales where she spends the majority of her days reading. However, it's her past that takes up a good chunk of the book and its mysteries are unraveled in pieces as the story progresses. At about a quarter through, I can already feel my excitement building for the astonishing conclusion (which I'm sure is going to be astonishing based on the nuggets already revealed). Review to be posted shortly!!

I hope you guys are enjoying your last few weeks of summer (or maybe you're like me and in denial that it's concluding at all) and you're reading HEAPS AND HEAPS of books. :-D

EDIT: I was just sent the link for Horrorstor's book trailer so I thought I'd share! :-D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfrwSkUQEQo

It ends with a BANG!

So it's finally finished. The saga of Detective Henry "Hank" Palace has reached its conclusion and it definitely didn't go out with a whimper. If you've been following this series then you know that the last book, World of Trouble, sees our protagonist in the final days before the asteroid hits the planet. There are still unanswered questions: Where is Nico? Where did Nico get that helicopter? Were she and her friends able to find the astronaut who could supposedly stop the asteroid? All of these questions are answered and MORE in the exciting culmination of The Last Policeman series. I can guarantee that if you liked the first two then you will really love this one and there are some crazy surprises that you don't want to miss!

For a while now, I've been wanting to delve into the world that P.L. Travers created with Mary Poppins at its center. Apparently I wasn't the only one with that same idea because I had to wait for months to get the first book in her series on my tablet: Mary Poppins. The story focuses on the children of Mr. & Mrs. Banks and their eccentric (but delightful) new nanny, Mary Poppins. I know already that it's going to be a bit different from the movie because 1. There are 4 children not two. and 2. Mr. Banks is not portrayed any kind of way like the movie version (he's imminently more likely than the mother at least at this point). I expect that I'll find it just as enjoyable (or more likely more so) than the film and I'll update you all just as soon as I've finished it. :-)

Triviatastic!

D is for Dahl is one of those fantastically quick and fun reads that I think every parent should read with their child (or in my case the adult with the heart of a child). This book is especially fun for those fans of the writer who may not know much about the man himself. He was such a unique, kind individual and that spirit shone through in his writings for both children and adults. To learn about the eccentricities of his private life is to have your estimation of the character of Dahl increase exponentially. For something delightfully funny with a fast pace, this is the perfect book to pick up.

For those fans of either Doctor Who or Sherlock, you'll be familiar with the name Mark Gatiss. He's known as both a writer (and actor) in each of these series but he's also written books...many of them quite naughty. This one isn't (I don't think). The title is Doctor Who: Nightshade and it's set during the time of the Seventh Doctor (played by Sylvester McCoy) and his companion Ace. The Doctor in his companion arrive in a small village which seems to be plagued by something sinister. A large number of deaths have occurred there throughout history and many people are starting to have visions/hallucinations. Is there something supernatural occurring here or is it more extraterrestrial in nature?

Gaiman is a master of fantasy

How do I even sum up how I felt after reading Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane? Firstly, I wouldn't read this one in the dead of the night with all of the lights out (I mean it's bad for your eyes for one thing) if I were you. Gaiman has a particular gift for rooting out those fears that seem to coalesce in our childhoods and which we bury deep within ourselves as we get older. We never learn the main character's name in this story and I think this was done so that as a reader you feel you are the main character. His world is turned upside down and inside out and for a 7 year old the world is already a scary place. The intensity is high from the very beginning and never lets up. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is ingenious, poignant, and captivating.

It's no secret to those of you who follow this blog on a regular basis that I'm a science nerd. What you might not have picked up on is that I'm also a huge fan of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes for those uninitiated to the skills of the deductive genius). So it probably won't come as a surprise that the next book on my reading list is The Remedy: Robert Koch, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Quest to Cure Tuberculosis by Thomas Goetz  which satisfies both of these interests. At the height of the tuberculosis epidemic, there was rumor that a cure had been created in Berlin. A part-time writer and full-time doctor went to discover if the cure was fact or fiction. This man was named Arthur Conan Doyle and he was extremely sceptical that Koch had indeed found a way to combat the disease that had already decimated millions of people. This book is their story.


Incidentally, this is my 100th post. I want to thank all of you who read this, comment, pass it on, and generally give me encouragement. I love this blog and it means so much to me that you're reading it. :-D Here's to a 100 more!!

It was a busy week...

I finished up Notes from Underground and loved it.  It had just the right amount of snarkiness and introspection to do it for me.  I enjoyed the narrator's voice throughout and his observations about humanity were both insightful, delightful sinful, and hilarious.  While he talks about himself constantly you never really know the real man behind the words.  He contradicts himself at every turn and keeps the reader wondering what he'll say next.

To continue with my classical reading I next read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.  I have to say straight up that I went into this with high expectations and Stevenson did not disappoint.  I turned the pages of this book so quickly I swear I got page burn.  The characters felt so real and I had to know what was going to happen next.  This book is both a thriller and an insightful look into the duality of man.  I definitely recommend it.

The next read is World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks (Mel's son) which was lent to me by my good friend, Eric.  It's a chronicle of the zombie apocalypse.  I think that might say it all.  I'm going to try to start it up tonight but I'm not sure I'll be awake long enough.  It's been a looooong week! :o)