Kate’s 2¢: “The black dove” by Steve Hockensmith

“The black dove” by Steve Hockensmith

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   This was a cartridge that the NLS randomly sent to me. When I started to listen to it, I thought there was no way I wanted to finish the story. Robert Sams lazy speech really turned me off; then, I realized that I needed to speed up the speech to get it to sound right. Suddenly, the slow, but clear western drawl of Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer and his brother Big Red Amlingmeyer made a whole lot more sense. I finished the book.

   There was more strong language, violence, and nastiness than the NLS blurb let on; however, there was also a lot of humor as the two brothers interacted with each other, interjecting Sherlock Homes’ quotes,  and the weird events that happened to them. I ended up enjoying the story. I even liked the ending…sort of.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Steve Hockensmith (born August 17, 1968) is an American author. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He currently lives in California’s bay area with his wife, two children, and pet dog.[1]

Hockensmith is the author of the Holmes on the Range mystery series. The first book in the series, Holmes on the Range (published in 2006), was a finalist for the Edgar, Shamus[2] and Anthony Awards for Best First Novel.

Several of Hockensmith’s short stories have been nominated for awards in the mystery field. He won the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s Derringer Award for “Erie’s Last Day,” published in the May 2000 issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (AHMM). Two subsequent Larry Erie stories, “Tricks” (AHMM, August 2004) and “The Big Road” (AHMM, May 2005), were finalists for the Shamus Award for Best Short Story from the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA). “The Big Road” was also nominated for the Anthony and Barry Awards.[3] More recently, a Big Red/Old Red story, “Dear Dr. Watson” (published in the February 2007 EQMM), was a finalist for the Anthony Award.

Hockensmith authored the third book in the Quirk Classics series, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, in 2010, as well as its sequel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After in 2011[4]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The black dove DB67580

Hockensmith, Steve. Reading time: 10 hours, 23 minutes.

Read by Robert Sams. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Historical mystery fiction

Western Stories

San Francisco, 1890s. Following a brief but disastrous stint as railway police, unemployed detective Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer and his brother Big Red venture into the seedy underworld of Chinatown’s opium dens and brothels. The siblings seek a beautiful–and elusive–woman in connection with a murder. Strong language. 2008.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Disciple” by Stephen Coonts

“The  Disciple” by Stephen Coonts

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Coonts’s use of some facts blended into the fiction brings a possible scenario just that much closer to the probable. I sometimes wonder if stories like this fictional thriller aren’t putting ideas into the “enemy’s” head that they could use  against us. Now, if we could definitely identify the enemy.  

   Barry Bernson did a very good job of reading this story for the NLS.

From www.coonts.com:

   Stephen Coonts is the author of innumerable New York Times bestsellers, the first of which was the classic flying tale, Flight of the Intruder.

Born in 1946, Stephen Paul Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a coal-mining town of 6,000 population on the western slope of the Appalachian mountains. He majored in political science at West Virginia University, graduating in 1968 with an A.B. degree. Upon graduation he was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and began flight training in Pensacola, Florida.

   He received his Navy wings in August, 1969. After completion of fleet replacement training in the A-6 Intruder aircraft, Mr. Coonts reported to Attack Squadron 196 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. He made two combat cruises aboard USS Enterprise during the final years of the Vietnam War as a member of this squadron. After the war he served as a flight instructor on A-6 aircraft for two years, then did a tour as an assistant catapult and arresting gear officer aboard USS Nimitz. He left active duty in 1977 and moved to Colorado. After short stints as a taxi driver and police officer, he entered the University of Colorado School of Law in the fall of 1977.

   Mr. Coonts received his law degree in December, 1979, and moved to West Virginia to practice. He returned to Colorado in 1981 as a staff attorney specializing in oil and gas law for a large independent oil company.

   His first novel, Flight of the Intruder, published in September 1986 by the Naval Institute Press, spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in hardcover. A motion picture based on this novel, with the same title, was released nationwide in January 1991.

   The success of his first novel allowed Mr. Coonts to devote himself full time to writing; he has been at it ever since. He still enjoys flying and tries to do as much of it as possible.

   Mr. Coonts’ books have been widely translated and republished in the British Commonwealth, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, China, Japan, Czechoslovakia, Serbia, Latvia, and Israel.

   The U.S. Naval Institute honored Mr. Coonts with its Author of the Year Award for the year 1986 for his novel, Flight of the Intruder. He was a trustee of West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1990-1998. He was inducted into the West Virginia University Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 1992. In 2014 West Virginia University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The disciple DB70731

Coonts, Stephen. Reading time: 14 hours, 19 minutes.

Read by Barry Bernson. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Suspense Fiction

Spy Stories

CIA agents Tommy Carmellini and Jake Grafton, from The Assassin (RC 67908), frantically try to stop Iran’s zealot president from launching nuclear missiles and starting a devastating holy war. Carmellini funnels intelligence from dissidents in Tehran as they await the U.S. government’s response. Violence and strong language. 2009.

Kate’s 2¢: “Half Moon Bay” by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman

” by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I found this story to be confusing. There were so many characters connected with the two searches by the coroner, not to mention the people in his own family. I liked following the progress of his infant daughter’s development. One could see how he related to the other parents’s plight.

   While many of the loose ends were tied at the end of the story, the ending  didn’t feel like a good ending.

   I like the thought that father and son worked on this together. Dennis Boutsikaris did a good job of reading this book, even though the NLS listed MaryBeth as the reader.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jonathan Seth Kellerman (born August 9, 1949) is an American novelist, psychologist, and Edgar- and Anthony Award–winning author best known for his popular mystery novels featuring the character Alex Delaware, a child psychologist who consults for the Los Angeles Police Department.[1]

Born on the Lower East Side of New York City, his family relocated to Los Angeles when Jonathan was nine years old.[2]

Kellerman graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with a Ph.D in Psychology in 1974 and began working as a staff psychologist at the University of Southern California School of Medicine where he eventually became a full clinical professor of pediatrics.[2] He opened a private practice in the early 1980s while writing novels in his garage at night.[3]

His first published novel, When the Bough Breaks appeared in 1985, many years after writing and having works rejected. He then wrote five best selling novels while still a practicing psychologist. In 1990 he quit his private practice to write full-time. He has written more than 40 crime novels as well as non-fiction works and children’s

Jesse Oren Kellerman (b. September 1, 1978) is an American novelist and playwright.[1] He is the author of the novels Sunstroke (2006), Trouble (2007), The Genius (2008), The Executor (2010), Potboiler (2012), and has co-authored numerous books with his father Jonathan Kellerman, including The Golem of Hollywood (2014).

Kellerman was born in Los Angeles, California, the oldest child and only son of the bestselling mystery novelists Faye Kellerman and Jonathan Kellerman. His first published title coauthored with his father was their 1994 book of children’s poetry, Daddy, Daddy, Can You Touch the Sky?

Kellerman studied psychology at Harvard and playwriting at Brandeis University. For a time he served as lead guitarist for the L.A.-based indie rock band Don’t Shoot the Dog.

His 2004 play Things Beyond Our Control was honored with a Princess Grace Award, which recognizes emerging talent in theater, dance, and film in the US. Kellerman is also recipient of the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle.

His essay “Let My People Go to the Buffet” was chosen for Penguin’s annual anthology The Best American Spiritual Writing in 2011.[2]His 2012 book Potboiler was nominated for that year’s Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Kellerman is an Orthodox Jew, as are his parents, and resides in Berkeley, California, with his wife, Gabriella Sarah (Rosen),[1] and their three children.

Narrator: Dennis Boutsikaris (born December 21, 1952) is an American character actor who has won the Obie Award twice. He is also a narrator of audiobooks and for which he has won an Audie Award Early life and education.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Half Moon Bay DB100241

Kellerman, Jonathan; Kellerman, Jesse. Reading time not available.

Read by MaryBeth Wise.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Workers demolishing a local park have made a haunting discovery: the decades-old skeleton of a child. But whose? And how did it get there? No sooner has Clay Edison begun to investigate than he receives a call from a local businessman, wondering if the body could belong to his sister. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

Downloaded: November 29, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “The envoy” by Edward Wilson

“The envoy” by Edward  Wilson

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I’ve experienced the voting fraud of paper ballots, tampered algo Rhythms of the electronic ballot machine, and the out-right lies of politicians  during the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, so I’m sure a lot of what happens in this story probably did. I recognize many of the names the author drops in his story, so it draws one into the fictional narrative.

   I don’t doubt that there is double cross and triple cris-cross of allegiances, just as the author did in his own life.

   Gregory Maupin did a good job of narrating this story for NLS.

From the web:

Edward Wilson is a British writer of spy fiction. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, United States, he immigrated to the United Kingdom after serving in the Vietnam War, renounced his US citizenship to naturalise in his new country, and after three decades as a teacher chose to quit to devote himself full-time to his career as a novelist. He has written seven novels, all published by Arcadia Books.

   Arcadia Books is, apparently, a self-publisher and in 2018, Arcadia was acquired by Lezen, a new company owned by Lili and Michael Lynton. In March 2019, Walter Isaacson became the editor-at-large and senior adviser for Arcadia Publishing, where he will be promoting books for the company as well as editing, new strategy development, and partnerships.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The envoy DB84067

Wilson, Edward, (Novelist). Reading time: 10 hours, 20 minutes.

Read by Gregory Maupin. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Spy Stories

“The envoy” by Edward  Wilson

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I’ve experienced the voting fraud of paper ballots, tampered algo Rhythms of the electronic ballot machine, and the out-right lies of politicians  during the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, so I’m sure a lot of what happens in this story probably did. I recognize many of the names the author drops in his story, so it draws one into the fictional narrative.

   I don’t doubt that there is double cross and triple cris-cross of allegiances, just as the author did in his own life.

   Gregory Maupin did a good job of narrating this story for NLS.

From the web:

Edward Wilson is a British writer of spy fiction. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, United States, he immigrated to the United Kingdom after serving in the Vietnam War, renounced his US citizenship to naturalise in his new country, and after three decades as a teacher chose to quit to devote himself full-time to his career as a novelist. He has written seven novels, all published by Arcadia Books.

   Arcadia Books is, apparently, a self-publisher and in 2018, Arcadia was acquired by Lezen, a new company owned by Lili and Michael Lynton. In March 2019, Walter Isaacson became the editor-at-large and senior adviser for Arcadia Publishing, where he will be promoting books for the company as well as editing, new strategy development, and partnerships.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The envoy DB84067

Wilson, Edward, (Novelist). Reading time: 10 hours, 20 minutes.

Read by Gregory Maupin. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Spy Stories

London, 1956. Kit Fournier, a CIA agent under diplomatic cover at the US embassy, is troubled by the arms race and obsessed with a woman whose husband works at a secret nuclear research facility. Kit makes a series of catastrophic decisions. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2008.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult

“The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   There are a lot of time jumps throughout the story. I think it begins with Dawn, a.k.a. Olive, as a novice archeologist/Egyptologist working on a dig withan experienced Egyptologist, Wyatt, with whom she has a love-hate, competitive relationship. After she is called home to care for her dying mother, she becomes an end-of-life Doolah and marries Brian. From there the story narrative floats in and out of realities until the non-ending.  

   I don’t like the ending of this book. I think it called “open ended”, but, IMHO, perhaps the author can’t make up her mind as to which way her characters want to go. I have the perfect ending to this book, which would still allow a sequel to the story, but I’d rather not say what it is. I don’t want to prejudice your perfect ending. (How is that for an open end ending?!)

Jodi Linn Picoult was born on May 19, 1966 in Nesconset on Long Island in New York. Picoult’s family moved to New Hampshire when she was 13. Although she left New Hampshire for college and her early jobs, she settled there again as a married woman to Timothy Warren van Leer since November 18, 1989. She currently lives in Hanover, New Hampshire with her husband, Tim Van Leer, and their three children, Sammy, Kyle and Jake.

   Picoult is a writer, known for My Sister’s Keeper (2009), Change of Heart and Vanishing Acts.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The book of two ways DB100856

Picoult, Jodi. Reading time not available.

Read by MaryBeth Wise.

General

Bestsellers

Dawn Edelstein is on a plane when they are told to prepare for a crash landing. She braces herself as thoughts flash through her mind. The shocking thing is, the thoughts are not of her current life. After Dawn miraculously survives the crash, her two possible futures unspool side by side. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2020.

Downloaded: November 29, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “The lions mouth” by Anne Holt

“The lions mouth” by Anne  Holt

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   MaryBeth Wise  did a good job of reading this story. It usually takes me a while to start to recognize the foreign names, streets, towns, and landmarks, but, eventually, these fall into place.

   The narrative arc reminds me of the mystery of the locked room.  The author builds a house of cards, only to knock it down. It is pretty obvious “who dunnit”, but the motive came as a the real surprise.

Anne Holt Biography Anne Holt is Norway’s bestselling female crime writer. She was a journalist and news anchor and spent two years working for the Oslo Police Department before founding her own law firm and serving as Norway’s Minister for Justice in 1996 and 1997.

   She was born in Larvik, grew up in Lillestrøm and Tromsø, and moved to Oslo in 1978. Holt graduated with a law degree from the University of Bergen in 1986, and worked for The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) in the period 1984 to 1988.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The lion’s mouth DB100435

Holt, Anne.

Read by MaryBeth Wise.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Less than six months after taking office, the Norwegian prime minister is found dead–shot in the head. Was it a politically motivated assassination or personal revenge? Hanne Wilhelmsen, chief inspector of the Oslo police, returns from leave in California for the crucial investigation. Translated from the 1997 Norwegian. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2014.

Kate’s 2¢: “All the devils are here” by Louise Penny

“All the devils are here” by  Louise Penny

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   While I don’t understand it, I do like to hear French being spoken. Eventually, I can recognize certain words, e.g. street names, people’s names, and, of course, the slang words. You know, words that are repeated a lot.

   Robert Bathurst did da good job of reading this story for the NLS. Thank you.

   This murder mystery is full of intrigue, red herrings, and entanglements that kept me cogitating and back-tracking my own intuition. It was a great story.

Louise Penny (born 1958)  is a Canadian novelist of mystery novels, featuring Inspector Armand Gamache and set in Quebec. She is a multiple time Agatha Award winner. Her novels are British-styled whodunit mysteries inspired by authors such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers.

   Penny’s first career was as a radio broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). After she turned to writing, she won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha Award for best mystery novel of the year five times, including four consecutive years (2007–2010), and the Anthony Award for best novel of the year five times, including four consecutive years (2010–2013). Her novels have been published in 23 languages.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

All the devils are here DB100484

Penny, Louise. Reading time: 14 hours, 1 minute.

Read by Robert Bathurst.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Bestsellers

On their first night in Paris, the Gamache family gathers for a bistro dinner with Armand’s godfather, the billionaire Stephen Horowitz. Walking home together after the meal, they watch in horror as Stephen is knocked down and critically injured in what Gamache knows is a deliberate attempt on the elderly man’s life. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2020.

Downloaded: November 4, 2020

Cornucopia: ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas 2020

   This poem was posted by Mary Ellen on the American Council of the Blind’s List Serve. I don’t know Mary Ellen’s last name or if she wrote the poem or is she passed it along to the list, but, I like it. It made me smile and I hope it puts a bright spot in your day, too.

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas 2020

Passed along by  Mary Ellen

Twas the year 2020, and all through the house every creature was stirring, from Human to Mouse.

The stockings were tossed on the chimney, who cares, it’s been months since we entertained, would Saint Nick even dare?

The children were nestled all snug in their beds as visions of rubber gloves danced in their heads.

and Mama in her gaiter and me and my mask, had just settled our brains for a long cleaning task.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter.

I sprang from my mop to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash.

I peeked through the shutter, barely touching the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave me faith that someday we’d have somewhere to go.

When what do my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight spotless reindeer.

With a little old driver decked out in full gear, I knew in a moment we’d have Christmas this year!

More safely than Hazmat the reindeer they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

Now Clorox! Now Pine-Sol! Now Lysol and Purex!

On Comet! On Purell! On Top Job and Germ-X!

Wipe the top of the porch! Then the top of the wall!

Now wipe away! Wipe away! Wipe away all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they finished and then took a jump to the sky.

So up to the housetop the reindeer they flew.

With a sleigh full of masks, and Saint Nicholas too!

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof, the pawing of each little rubber gloved hoof.

As I pulled up my mask and was turning around, Down the chimney a big bucket came with a bound!

It was covered in plastic from bottom to top, and the contents were sterile, despite the long drop.

I missed seeing his eyes and his dimples so merry.

But this virus prevents that, these times are so scary.

I imagined his face and his little round belly, That shook when he laughed like hand sanitizer jelly.

but I saw him outside though, as he stood near his sleigh, and I laughed when I saw him, from six feet away..

With a wink of his eye and a wave of his hand, I felt warm inside, Santa too understands.

And without a word I went right to my work.

I filled all our stockings, then turned with a jerk

And laying a finger aside of his mask,

The reindeer rose up, they had finished their task.

He waved to me then, to his team gave a shout, and socially distancing, quickly flew out.

But I heard him proclaim as he drove out of sight, Merry Christmas to all, we will all be all right!