Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Bibliofile - March



So we're back with the second edition of Bibliofile - an update of the books I've read in the previous month. Can you believe I read 18 books in March? Do you think I need a life...or a library card? I'm really on a jag of Private Detective novels, sometimes referred to as the hard-boiled genre. Ross Macdonald writes a series based on main character Lew Archer. Robert Crais's main character is Elvis Cole. Ken Bruen writes about Jack Taylor and Dennis Lehane's main protagonists are the investigative team of Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro.

I love them all but my favourite series has to be the one about Jack Taylor, a former Irish Guard member and alcoholic. The series is quite dark. You see almost anyone that gets close to him dies, either by Taylor's own hand or somebody else's. When I read the the first book - The Guards - I thought it was a little over the top. But I've read 6 of them now and I'm addicted to these books as much as Taylor's addicted to a pint of Guinness and a whiskey chaser.

I think one of the aspects that attracts me to Taylor is his love of reading and of music. Like me! Bruen, the author, is always citing other author's works as chapter dividers. And his main character is always sharing with the reader the books that are currently on his bookshelf. He described one so well - Satan Wants Me by Robert Irwin - I downloaded and read it.

Among other highlights this month were Things Go Wrong For Me by Rodney Lacroix, otherwise known as the blogger moooooog35. What can one say about moooooog? Nothing much becaue he usually leaves you speechless.

And I enjoyed 419 by Canadian author Will Ferguson who uses Nigerian e-mail scams as the basis for his plot line.

On the biography front I really enjoyed Kicking and Dreaming, the story of and by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. I read the book then ordered their CD box set Strange Euphoria. I know, I know, I'm a real sucker. And Amazon.com and iTunes can see me coming.

So here' March's list:

Monkey's Raincoat - Robert Crais
The Guards - Ken Bruen
The Killing of the Tinkers - Ken Bruen
Satan Wants Me - Robert Irwin
Stalking the Angel - Robert Crais
The Magdalen Martyrs - Ken Bruen
The Way Some People Die - Ross Macdonald
Lullaby Town - Robert Crais
Things Go Wrong For Me - Rodney Lacroix
The Dramatist - Ken Bruen
The Fourth Estate - Jeffrey Archer
Priest - Ken Bruen
419 - Will Ferguson
Free Fall - Robert Crais
Cross - Ken Bruen
Kicking and Dreaming - Ann and Nancy Wilson
The Ivory Grin - Ross Macdonald
A Drink Before the War - Dennis Lehane

What about you? What are you reading? Have you read any of the books I've been reading? What would you recommend?

15 comments:

Boom Boom Larew said...

The only one I've read is Rodney's book. Unfinished Bryan also mentioned Crais a couple of weeks ago ... perhaps there's a trend going.

nonamedufus said...

The Crais series is good. I think Bryan actually turned me on to him. The guy started out as a screenwriter for such shows as Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey and Miami Vice.

Cheryl said...

Crais is excellent. I started reading him years ago. You and @nonamedufus:disqus have GOT to read his books where he features Joe Pike as the protagonist.

Cheryl said...

I can't seem to get focused enough to read much these days. Actually, that started about a year ago and I haven't been able to get back on track. I loved reading Lehane until he retired Kenzie & Gennaro for awhile. I'm glad he 'unretired' them but I've only gotten around to reading the first book since he brought them back.


Have you read Lee Child's Jack Reacher series? If not, you owe it to yourself to give him a try. Reacher isn't a traditional hard-boiled detective (my favorite genre), but WOW! Child's grabs my attention in the first paragraph and never lets go.

nonamedufus said...

Is there another series with just Pike? In the one I'm reading Pike co-owns Elvis Cole's agency.

nonamedufus said...

I find I've been blogging less and reading more it seems. I'll look into the Reacher series. Thanks for the recommendation. Always on the look out for something new and interesting.

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Nicky said...

Wow, and I was all proud of myself for reading 2 books this month. Pretty impressive list, Dufus. I read Happiness by Will Ferguson and loved it, so I think I'll give 419 a try. Also, I find myself mysteriously drawn to the title Satan Wants Me. I don't know why.

nonamedufus said...

I've gone completely nuts when it comes to reading lately and I have the VISA bill to prove it.

Cheryl said...

Yessir, there is. The first was published in 2007. Here's the Good Read's list of all 4 (I've only read the first 2. The other 2 may not be as Pike-centric since they're listed with Cole & Pike as protagonists). http://www.goodreads.com/series/59162-joe-pike

nonamedufus said...

Cool. I'll look into it. Pike's quite a character.

Cheryl said...

I've been blogging less, reading less, and working more. I'm teetering on the edge of a very slippery slope because I'm not enjoying any of it. We're heading down to Martinsville, VA for Sunday's NASCAR race then to Carolina Beach in southern NC for 5 days. I think I just need to get unplugged from the chaos of the internet and find some balance.


When you get around to giving Child's a go, I suggest you start with the first in the series. I think I read his 8th or 9th book first then went back and read them in order. While this isn't a traditional series and you won't miss much if you pick up any one of them, it's still a better ride if you start at the beginning.

nonamedufus said...

Sounds like it's time for a well deserved break, Cheryl. I hope you're able to re-energize.

meleahrebeccah said...

"Can you believe I read 18 books in March?" Holy crap! Wow.

"Among other highlights this month were Things Go Wrong For Me by Rodney Lacroix, otherwise known as the blogger moooooog35. What can one say about moooooog? Nothing much becaue he usually leaves you speechless." You got that right!!

Sadly, I haven't been reading very much at all.

meleahrebeccah said...

He is hilarious. And crazy!

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