Picks of the Week

ESCAPE CLAUSE, by James O. Born

(originally posted on January 25, 2006)

What I love about Born's books so far is that absolutely everyone has something to hide and is usually pretty cavalier about the fact. The only one who's allowed to be vaguely wide-eyed about the whole thing is FDLE agent Bill Tasker, and how innocent can you be when you hold a gun in your hand? Mixing a fast-paced plot with some quietly affecting moments (mostly involving Tasker and his young daughters) Born spins a tale of deception, murder and mayhem in the breezy, almost cheerful voice that's become very much his after only three books.

FOUL LINES, by Jack McCallum & Jon Wertheim

(originally posted on January 25, 2006)

If you're a fan of inside-sports novels like Dan Jenkins' SEMI-TOUGH (football) and Jane Leavy's SQUEEZE PLAY (baseball) then this is the book to get if you're at all interested in how the NBA works, but even if you're not, this is a hugely entertaining and dishy read with plenty of backstabbing, dirty secrets and thinly veiled characters that make you guess who's supposed to be who. I'll also cop to being such a gigantic fan of Wertheim's work in SI that I'll read pretty much anything he writes, but that's only what got me to start the book -- not to finish it.

THE DEAD YARD, by Adrian McKinty

(originally posted on January 18, 2006)

McKinty writes thrillers that are unlike almost any other, because as the stakes are being raised, his protagonist's fortunes keep spiralling down a nasty, bloody and ever-violent path until the kind of resolution where everyone is pretty much screwed. And that's pretty much how it goes for Michael Forsythe (first introduced in the fantastic DEAD I WELL MAY BE) as fate sends him out of hiding to face old demons and make some new ones. Essentially, it's my kind of book turned up several notches. Look for it in March.

MANSTEALING FOR FAT GIRLS, by Michelle Embree

(originally posted on January 18, 2006)

Oh my lord I loved this book. The sexual confusion, dialogue and mannerisms of teenage boys and girls just rang absolutely true, and at a time where young protagonists who sound like adults are the in thing, it's so refreshing to hear teens actually talk, think and behave like teens, no matter how messy, ambiguous and even tragic it might seem. Think of it like DEGRASSI HIGH on serious acid.

AN UNACCEPTABLE DEATH, by Barbara Seranella

(originally posted on January 5, 2006)

There's been plenty of ink spilled about how awesome Munch Mancini is and this series, but hey, one can always add a bit more, right? But she is, hands down, one of the best heroines in crime fiction, and it would be an absolute shame if she didn't appear in print anymore. Just when I think Seranella can't get any more mileage out of her, along she goes and messes up Munch's life believably, and gives her a credible reason to go after those who did her and her family wrong. So buy this book and tell everyone else to as well.

PLAY IT AS IT LAYS, by Joan Didion

(originally posted on January 5, 2006)

Since I'm not quite ready to tackle THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING yet, I thought I'd "compromise" by reading the novel that inspired the tremendous early 70s film. And guess what? This book is tremendous, too. Astonishing, even, in that a novel so spare and seemingly about not very much is actually about absolutely everything, especially the utter alienation of successful types living the so-called American dream in the 1960s. I can only begin to vaguely try to dream about writing so well...

THE SUMMER SNOW, by Rebecca Pawel

(originally posted on January 5, 2006)

When a series starts out as strongly as this one -- fantastic writing, Edgar win, all that -- it's easy to think the next installments can't be as good, but Pawel really goes to a new level with this fourth entry featuring appealing-in-spite-of-himself Inspector Tejada. The mystery - who killed his wealthy great-aunt Dora Rosalia - is well spun, but I could read page after page of animated discussion between Tejada and his wife, his parents, really, between anyone. So I'm a bit sad he won't be back for a while, but then again, I'm even more excited for where Pawel's writing career will take her next.

THE GUTTER AND THE GRAVE, by Ed McBain

(originally posted on January 2, 2006)

Want a masterclass in writing a crime novel? Then this early McBain, reissued late last year by Hard Case Crime, pretty much fits the bill on all counts. Dialogue that reveals character and plot and isn't heavy on backstory; a tortured ex-PI who's definitely Matthew Scudder's ancestor; and plenty of nasty surprises and twists that lead Matt Cordell further down a treacherous path. McBain was just so, so good at what he did, almost every time.

SUNSTROKE, by Jesse Kellerman

(originally posted on January 2, 2006)

A long time ago I imposed a moratorium on reading any future Kellerman novels, but I couldn't resist reading the debut by Faye and Jonathan's eldest -- who writes plays primarily -- and I'm glad I did. It isn't quite the big thriller that Putnam wants it to be, because Kellerman's style is nicely understated and the writing and character development is more interesting than the action, but that bodes really well for his future, to be frank.