Aging Moe Prager Is Likeable, Professional in Standalone Series Novel
586093
Author Reed Coleman really knows how to tell a story in first person!  First-person narrative can signal a lazy writer, and a lazy writer's first-person narrator all too often comes across as a tiresome egotist.  But this doesn't happen with Moe Prager!  He may be an old, sick, retired PI, but he still has the skills he needs to conduct an intricate investigation that uncovers the killer of a disgraced NYFD EMT.

The emergency technician, the big sister of Moe's former wife Carmella, had inexplicably refused to render aid to a stroke victim in a restaurant kitchen.  After the victim died, the story made headlines.  Alta and her partner made the public's most-hated list, and lots of people wanted them dead.  So when Alta is stabbed to death, nobody besides Carmella seems to care.  Was the killer a fireman?  A friend of the stroke victim?  A stranger who saw an opportunity to see justice done?  Moe's task is made nearly impossible  by an NYC/NYFD cover-up, and by Alta's partner's total refusal to discuss the restaurant incident.

This was my first exposure to Moe Prager, and I liked his style.  On the second page, we learn that he's been diagnosed with stomach cancer.  At times I wished that Moe would share a little less about this situation, because cancer is depressing, even in a fictional character.  However, Moe isn't a complainer, and with a diagnosis like that, he's entitled to expound a bit on his philosophy of life.

During his investigation, Moe treats the reader to a lot of authentic-sounding Brooklyn atmosphere.  The plot includes a lot of interesting twists and turns, and a surprising conclusion--even though I guessed the identity of the killer about three quarters of the way through.  All the characters are well-drawn and some are memorable.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book (except for the frequent reminders about Moe's cancer diagnosis), and now want to read the earlier books in the Moe Prager series.  This latest entry, THE HURT MACHINE, works very well as a standalone novel.  I rate it at 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.
2996986
This second in the series permits the reader to learn more of Dr. Alan Gregory, a clinical psychologist practicing in Boulder, CO, as he navigates between nearly ex-wife Meredith and new squeeze assistant DA Lauren, advises some very troubled patients, expands his relationship with detective Sam Purdy, and puts his wellbeing at risk as he is drawn into a situation involving multiple deaths.

Little did Alan realize on the day that a husband shot his estranged wife and her lawyer and in turn was killed by police in Diane's, his partner, office that this situation would have ripples into the Boulder psychologist community. His seemingly unrelated treatment of a teenage boy, the sole survivor of a family in an airliner crash, leads to a small, old mining community with a few second-home cabins in the CO mountains that connects a lot of discordant facts that have been uncovered by Purdy and Alan.

This book is a worthy next book to Privileged Information, the author's first in this series. As some have noted, there is character creep, but the book is fairly fast paced and pretty much comes together in the end. Alan is an appealing character who shares rudiments of psychotherapy with the reader while demonstrating his own limitations in his personal life. He seems like the sort of character in an engaging setting who can support a long and interesting series.
321847
The first of the Dalziel and Pascoe novels is not as complex or thoughtful as some of the later books in the series, but it's still an entertaining mystery that lays the foundations of the relationship between two very different men who together form a formidable detective team. Even this first book displays Hill's witty style and elegant prose, if not to the same high level as later books.

The book is based around the goings-on at a rugby club that may or may not be connected with the murder of the wife of one of the players, but no knowledge of the game is required to enjoy the book -- it's a study of the social interactions in such a venue rather than the sport itself. The main problem readers are likely to face is that the book was first published in 1970, and as such is recent enough not to be immediately obviously a period work, while still being old enough for the culture and mores to feel somewhat odd to the modern reader. It's important to be aware of the period when reading the book, as many of the potential motivations for the characters revolve around sexual jealousy and flouting of mores. Hill draws a detailed picture of life in a relatively small Yorkshire town in the 1970s, with its web of social obligations and friendships that can be exploited by both the police and those they're pursuing.

Not my favourite of the series, and the characters aren't yet fully developed, but well worth reading both in its own right and as an introduction to the series.
697821
I don't consider this series "too young" for the adult reader.  Written as a memoir of his real life, Ralph Moody captures the essence of the hard times he grew up in, and diamond that was his father.  This is the first in the series, and it ends on a sad note, but happily you can then read the next and see that life goes on.
3714341
The plot moves along at a fairly good clip with almost zero angst. Yippee. Mark has a optimistic view of life and nothing keeps him down for long. Good friends and a wonderful dad but no one special. A few run-ins with a guy he's been flirting with for a while and suddenly the door is opened to a great relationship. Shepherd is dealing with some social anxiety and when he feels cornered he lashes out. I liked that he's quick to admit his short comings and explain, not just leave Mark wondering. Once the two of them are together it all falls into place. My favorite part is where Shep tells Mark he's not going anywhere that Mark isn't. The Heartsville Series is five books that can be read as stand alones and all with terrific characters and HEA connected together by their little community. There's very little angst, lots of sweet moments and a bit of spice.
Recommended series
Adult read
4375457
The Thornton Burgess series in general is quite an endearing series of children's books, which do a fine job of being readable by young readers and having interesting plots and introducing young people to a variety of animals in a semi-anthropomorphized way. This particular entry, "The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat" is far from the best of the lot, but it's still a fun read for a youngster, or for an older person who is willing to be a child again for the hour or so that it would take to read it.
1384187
The story line of this series is wonderful.  The main characters (rabbi and church secretary) are very likable.  While there are murders and investigations in the stories, there is no offensive violence that would cause you to cringe or lose sleep.  The friendship and attraction between Cindy and Jeremiah is rather charming.  I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
1873665
This second outing finds Benni setting up a new display at the museum, finding bodies, and maneuvering through her new relationship with Gabe Ortiz, the acting Chief of Police.  Benni is trying to negotiate dating after being widowed and finding it difficult, although Gabe is quite the interesting literary character.  She's vulnerable and sometimes naive, but always endearing as she tries to find her footing in her scuffed cowboy boots.  This adventure has an interesting subplot as she conducts oral history interviews with Japanese-Americans living in the area during WWII and learns some surprising facts.  There were several different plot lines running through and as the book neared the end I found myself wondering how they were all going to tie together, but they did and in a satisfying way.  Ready for volume 3.
4524922
Three childhood friends now adults from a small town recount the mystery behind why the jeweler, Harlan, was shot one day. For those searching for a book having a steady pace, likable characters, and lengthy descriptions surrounding themes of secrets, loyalty and friendship I thought this made for an engaging read. Some might not cater to the use of flashbacks and the somewhat abrupt ending but given the characters alone this makes for an admirable series to latch onto. Very good book!
667893
The humor style in this book reminds me of Keith Laumer's Retief series, but with more angles and a couple of fairly competent flawed main characters and some romance rather than one flawless main character with a sidekick.
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The whole series is a lot of fun to read--the characters are not perfect lending a sense of reality to the stories.  You find yourself wishing Chief Morrissey would do the right thing by his family; wanting him to get a break from his job so that he can set things right.  He is a hero, but not a perfect one, as are his colleagues and family.  Kay Mitchell also writes under Sarah Lacey--a light-hearted funny set of mysteries that are also worth the read!!!
3698587
In this lively series about two New York private investigators, the central characters take turns narrating the books. In this one, the "I" is Lydia Chin, and a revered Chinatown elder has asked her and her partner Bill Smith to go to Hong Kong perform a family errand. The plot, not unnaturally, thickens once Bill and Lydia reach HK -- both in terms of mysterious happenings, and in terms of their ever volatile relationship. Lydia is an appealing and upbeat character, the setting is interesting, and the plot moves briskly
1713613
Walt Longmire, sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, and his long-time best friend Henry Standing Bear embark on a trip to Philadelphia which they think will be fun but uneventful.  Henry has been invited to lecture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and to show his Mennonite photograph collection.  Walt tags along to visit his daughter, Cady, and meet the lawyer that is her latest heart throb.  Oh yes, Walts canine companion, Dog, tags along for companionship and thrills.  What Walt finds in the big city, is not at all what he would ever have wished for.

The storyline was a bit hard to follow at times, and the tale simply did not hold my attention from beginning to end like most narratives in this series that I have read.  However; there is lots of action, Walt meets some bewitching people, and Cadys health is greatly impaired.  Walt experiences some personal bodily damage, some cozy companionship, gets entangled in murder investigations and finds that he and Henry are not the only cowboy and Indian in the city of Brotherly Love.

The story is a bit far-fetched; however, it does make for an amusive, slightly suspenseful reading adventure.  This tale has humor, apprehension, mystery and absolutely no foregone conclusion about what will happen next.

This is indeed a good read for those who love mysteries with an old-fashioned Saturday afternoon western shoot-em-up flavor taking place in a big metropolis.
1529367
The sequel to the fantastic Walking Perfect Square is a great read.  Without giving away the tight plot it is enough to say that Coleman's intelligent references to pop culture as well as classical literature give a depth to the character of Moe Prager rarely seen in books today.  The steady build of tempo and logical, realistic moves by Prager make it difficult to put down.
Reed Coleman is a writer to watch!
2209095
I enjoy Mr Meyer's works and look forward to following his characters from one story to another. I like seeing their personal stories and how that affects their professional lives, showing their human flaws. The story line is quick moving yet provides enough detail of everyday tasks that you feel "involved" in the case. There were a couple references to Benny Griessel, a recurring character in other novels, that confused the timeline from past novels but did not affect this story as a whole.
368017
In the six months since his wife Nolas death, octogenarian Arthur Moses has kept busy. He enjoys doing the kinds of things Nola never let him do (like smoke a cigar at the dinner table and eat cookies in bed), he has grown friendly with his neighbor Lucille, and most days he packs a sandwich and takes the bus to the cemetery to have lunch at Nolas grave. He misses her desperately, but also has found a way to continue finding happiness in small things.

However, Arthur doesnt realize how lonely hes become until he begins interacting with Maddy Harris, a 17-year-old with dyed hair and a nose ring, of all things. Maddy, like Arthur, enjoys spending time at the cemetery, though in her case, she delights in finding small scenes to photograph. One day, their paths cross, and Arthur confesses to Maddy that he can hear the stories of those whose bodies lie beneath his feet, and that he enjoys imagining their lives lived, whether recently or long ago.

Maddy comes off as tough and independent, but she may need Arthurs help. Like Arthur, shes lost someone --- in her case, her mother --- and when she learns shes pregnant, she needs to find an adult whos more supportive than her grieving father. Arthur, who never had children of his own, finds himself warming to a paternal role with Maddy, and eventually he discovers that its never too late to find your purpose in life.

Elizabeth Berg, who has been a perennial book club favorite with novels like OPEN HOUSE and THE ART OF MENDING, pens another winner here. Calling THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV heartwarming doesnt do it justice; Berg satisfies readers hopes but also acknowledges the messy realities of lives and relationships. Her narrative, which easily could have traveled down paths of predictability or sentimentality, avoids both, with some surprising plot developments and earthy language that help keep the novel grounded in real life, relatable characterizations and plausible situations.

Its convenient that THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV is being published right before Thanksgiving; it would make a wonderful gift and, given its relatively slim length, could also offer the opportunity for informal family book discussions during the holidays. As generations of families come together for the holidays, its fitting to read and discuss a book that considers --- and celebrates --- what the old and the young have to learn from one another.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl
2541316
I wandered into this author via some Amazon or Goodreads recommendations.  I am a WWII buff and like detective stories so seemed worth a look.  This was a 3 pack of the first 3 books in the series.  March Violets, Pale Criminal and A German Requiem.  Our hero is former police detective Bernie Gunther, now a private investigator.  He is in the hard boiled, Sammy Spade, Philip Marlowe, Mike Hammer mode.  He is well drawn, doesn't like the Nazi's but doesn't want to get killed or put in a concentration camp.  These books really catch the vibe of pre-war and post-war Germany.  Bernie has to confront various moral dilemmas as he tries to survive these crazy and oppressive times. Historical characters like Goering and Heydrich are involved in the first 2 books, but in a way that I found believable.  Beautiful, but troubled women are in all three books true to this genre's form.  The secondary characters are interesting as well.  Bernie is a dogged investigator and it is a good read as he follows the evidence where it leads no matter how dangerous. March Violets takes place in 1936 around the time of the Berlin Olympics.  A disappearance, and double murder draw him to the highest levels of the Nazi government.  A Pale Criminal takes place in Berlin in 1938 and 1939 around Hitler's occupation of the Sudetenland.  Life in Berlin continues to deteriorate as Bernie is pressed back into the police department to head up a team that tracks down a serial killer.  A German Requiem takes place  in post war Berlin and Vienna in 1947.  Bernie is enlisted by the Russians to see if he can clear a colleague from the 2nd book of the murder of an American intelligence officer.  This one had the most twists and turns and we find out a little bit of how Bernie survives the war without getting involved in the atrocities.  These are dark, in the noir style, but there is plenty of humor as well.  There is a bit of graphic violence, not too much though.  I think that the first one, March Violets was my favorite, but I liked them all.