Picks of the Week

HAPPY ENDINGS ARE ALL ALIKE, by Sandra Scoppettone

(originally posted on November 15, 2007)

I cannot even say how much I adore this book because it wouldn't do proper justice. That Jaret and Peggy's relationship can be so fresh, so matter of fact and so full of pent-up teenage emotions in light of the darkness that threatens to overtake them is a real marvel - and a testament to Scoppettone's acute understanding of the characters she writes about. HAPPY ENDINGS is also a snapshot of late 70s fears, legitimate or otherwise, and can and should be read by any young person confused about interpersonal relationships.

SLIP OF THE KNIFE, by Denise Mina

(originally posted on November 15, 2007)

Paddy Meehan returns in a new guise as a hyper-opinionated, much-read columnist, but her nose for trouble is still on high alert with the murder of someone close. The suspense is high and the twists come every so often but just as with the first two books, Paddy and her foibles, her fears and her ever-changing reaction to life and the concerns of her family prove to be the main attraction. She continues to be one of crime fiction's most unforgettable recent creations.

THE KEPT MAN, by Jami Attenberg

(originally posted on November 15, 2007)

The layers run deep in Attenberg's assured debut novel, what with a title referring equally to the three men befriended by heroine Jarvis Miller to her long-comatose artist husband Martin to the rapid gentrification of a vividly rendered Williamsburg. Every word counts here, every emotion measured out in just the exact amount.

THE WHITE BONE, by Barbara Gowdy

(originally posted on November 15, 2007)

A novel from the point of view of elephants? Sounds like a gimmick, doesn't it, but it's anything but. Gowdy creates a community of emotive animals struggling for survival when their habitat is decimated, and so THE WHITE BONE isn't just about their respective journeys, but also a clear allegory to human oppression and triumph.

THE BLACK DOVE, by Steve Hockensmith

(originally posted on November 15, 2007)

Big Red and Old Red continue to spin their remarkable yarns in this fast-paced and surprisingly dark installment in Steve Hockensmith's series. This time they find themselves amidst San Francisco's city slickness, investigating murder, dodging blind alleys and hoping against hope their stories finally make it into one of the dime magazines. Three times out of three I've gotten my perfect entertainment fix, and can't wait to make it a fourth time in 2009.