Reviews

‘I opened this book with high expectations. They have been admirably fulfilled.  Here we have a stand alone thriller about two lonely people who pursue a relationship of monthly weekends together in remote spots.  Suddenly one of these two fails to get to the rendezvous-vous and the other realises how very limited her knowledge of her  companion is . . . Gradually the reader pieces together some of the facts as an atmosphere of rising tension envelops everything. The intelligent way Jay, Lisa and others plan their actions is enjoyable and the suspense of the tale is palpable.’

- MYSTERY PEOPLE

Favourite books on how to write

Posted on Nov 17, 2020 in Antony Johnston, Brenda Ueland, Dorothea Brande, Howdunit, Lawrence Block, Martin Edwards, The Detection Club, The Organised Writer | 6 Comments

I’ve got far more books on writing than I can care to admit to. There’s some justification. Some of them have been essential tools in learning how to write. And then too writing is a solitary occupation and it’s good to have a few old friends to turn to when I grind to a halt. […]

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I didn’t see that coming!

Posted on Nov 3, 2018 in Fingersmith, Fredric Brown, Golden Age Detection, Lawrence Block | 8 Comments

‘I’ve read so many crime novels that I’m rarely surprised by plot twists or startling solutions. So I was pretty sure that I knew where things were heading when I recently read Fredric Brown’s The Far Cry – but he totally pulled the wool over my eyes. What an ending! So, fellow fans of GA […]

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Ten books that have stayed with me

Posted on Sep 13, 2014 in Joyce Dennys, Lawrence Block, Sarah Waters, Susan Coolidge. What Katy Did, Tolstoy, Uncategorized, Vasily Grossman | 2 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, my friend, Daniella, tagged me on Facebook. “List 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take more than a few minutes, and don’t think too hard. It is not about the ‘right’ book or great work of literature, just ones that have affected you in some […]

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Three Chinese Poets

Posted on Apr 10, 2007 in Chinese poetry, Lawrence Block | No Comments

There couldn’t be a much greater contrast between two of the books I read this week: THREE CHINESE POETS: TRANSLATIONS OF POEMS BY WANG WEI, LAI BI AND DU FU by Vikram Seth and WINTER PREY by John Sandford. Seth’s three poets were writing at the time of the Tang Dynasty in the 8th century. […]

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