Review: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami

What I wanted from Haruki Murakami’s “Novelist as a Vocation” was something like Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.” But this is a much lighter, more affable affair — yet edifying nonetheless; its lessons on the craft of writing more nuanced, prismed through Murakami’s own experiences and peculiarities rather than providing practical … Continue reading Review: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami

Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

When I heard “Demon Copperhead” was inspired by “David Copperfield,” I thought — no thanks, not for me; until we meet again, Barbara Kingsolver.  I struggled through that particular Dickens novel in my late teens — probably more me than it, to be fair; this was a time when Patterson and Clancy were my bread … Continue reading Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Review: Taken by Dinuka McKenzie

The disappearance of an infant drives Dinuka McKenzie’s outstanding sophomore novel “Taken,” which sees the return of Detective Sergeant Kate Miles, back from maternity leave and the tumultuous events of “The Torrent.” McKenzie strikes me as an unrepentant classicist when it comes to crime fiction, and here, once again, she keeps the traditional police procedural … Continue reading Review: Taken by Dinuka McKenzie

Review: Fire With Fire by Candice Fox

[Note: “Fire With Fire” is published April 2023] Hot on the heels of “The Chase” (‘her most ambitious and byzantine novel’), Candice Fox returns with another cinematic blockbuster loaded with nail-biting suspense, bountiful twists, and a crackling narrative style. It’s the kind of thriller you can’t stop reading, but don’t want to end: you’ll enjoy … Continue reading Review: Fire With Fire by Candice Fox

Review: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry’s “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing” is antithetical to every celebrity memoir I’ve read. Which makes it one of the most extraordinary. This is no nostalgic trip down memory lane, replete with behind-the-scenes gossip and outrageous revelations about the cast of ‘Friends.’ There’s no swagger to Perry’s autobiography. Whatever hubris the man … Continue reading Review: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Review: Triple Cross by James Patterson

The Alex Cross novels were a staple of my teenage reading, and I still like to check in now and again, even though the patented James Patterson storytelling formula has somewhat lost its lustre.  In “Triple Cross,” the titular detective is investigating the brutal slayings of whole families around the D.C. area by ‘The Family … Continue reading Review: Triple Cross by James Patterson