AUGUST 2020 - ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY - 6 OF THE BEST!

 Another dirty half dozen into the collection......

                            

                                       Mike Monson - Ride Sharing (2020) - purchased copy

I've enjoyed a couple of Mike Monson's books before and there's more on the pile. I quite like the sound of this, fact and fiction and somwthing in-between. Interesting and entertaining reading ahead, methinks.

Criminal Love and Other Stories, What Happens in Reno - thoughts.

Synopsis/blurb.....

Ride Sharing is 37 stories, vignettes, and sketches based on Mike Monson's two years working as an Uber and Lyft driver in Northern California. Some of the material is verbatim accounts of events, some of it is completely made up, and some a combination of fact and fiction. At this point, the author can't quite remember what parts are true and what is a lie.

Mike Monson is the author of the noir/crime novellas The Scent of New Death, What Happens in Reno, and A Killer's Love, as well as the crime novel Tussinland. He has written feature scripts based on his novellas What Happens in Reno, and The Scent of New Death (retitled for the screen as Revenge Plot). He is currently working on a crime novel.

                                   Stephen Dobyns - A Boat Off the Coast (1987) - purchased copy

Not an author I've tried yet, though there's a few on the pile. Recently recommended to me and it does sound good.

Synopsis/blurb....

In high school Brian had always thought Tucker a hero, a little wild, great at football, always fun. Fifteen years later Brian is married, a supervisor at a chicken factory, and a daily lobster fisherman off the coast of Maine. Tucker, back from Vietnam, has also married; but his ''heroism'' is seen through by Brian's wife, Margaret. The two young men get involved in cocaine smuggling, Margaret's sister is conquered by Tucker, and all hell breaks loose when Tucker tries to cheat the suppliers. While the characters don't always ring true, there is plenty of action here and enough suspense to hook the reader. An above-average adventure story that is very readable. 

                                     Michael Gruber - The Return (2012) - purchased copy

Another new-to-me author and another buy off the back of a Twitter friend's chat.

Synopsis/blurb....

Lauded as his number-one favorite book of the year, Stephen King advised President Obama, in the pages of Entertainment Weekly, to pick up Michael Gruber's previous book, The Good Son. With an unforgettable hero, The Return is as exciting and provocative as Gruber's best work.

The real Richard Marder would shock his acquaintances, if they ever met him. Even his wife, long dead, didn't know the real man behind the calm, cultured mask he presents to the world. Only an old army buddy from Vietnam, Patrick Skelly, knows what Marder is capable of. Then, a shattering piece of news awakens Marder's buried desire for vengeance. With nothing left to lose, he sets off to punish the people whose actions changed his life years earlier. Skelly shows up uninvited, and the two of them together raise the stakes far beyond anything Marder could have envisioned.

As Marder and Skelly head toward an apocalypse of their own making, Marder learns that good motives and a sense of justice can't always protect the people a man loves. With a range of fearsomely real characters, from a brutally violent crime lord to a daringly courageous young woman, a roller coaster of twists and turns, and a shattering exploration of what constitutes morality in the face of evil, Michael Gruber has once more proven that he is "a gifted and natural storyteller" (Chicago Tribune), and shows why he has been called "the Stephen King of crime writing" (Denver Post).

                                   William Bayer - Peregrine (1981) - Audible purchase

And another from some Twitter chat....

Synopsis/blurb....

Circling high over Rockefeller Center is a peregrine falcon, the most awesome of the flying predators. She awaits a signal from her falconer. It is given: the bird attacks, plummeting from the sky at nearly 200 miles an hour, striking a young woman and killing her instantly.

So begins Peregrine, a chilling tale of obsession.

By chance, newscaster Pamela Barrett witnesses the slaying. Her impassioned account of it on television that evening thrills the falconer, a brilliant madman who identifies with his deadly bird. He becomes fascinated with Pam and enmeshes her in a bizarre and deadly scheme even as she finds herself drawn to him by an erotic need she doesn't understand.

As killing follows killing, the police and the media engage in cutthroat competition to find the murderer. Two falcons fight to the death above Central Park. Call girls, rich eccentrics, dealers in the black market for rare birds--all play their roles in this study of secret passion, desire, fulfillment, and ecstasy.

                             

                                       J.A. Konrath - Chaser (2019) - Author COVID Giveaway

I've a few from J.A. Konrath on the pile, but shamefully haven't read him yet. It might take a while to get to this one as it's a few book into his Jack Daniels series.

Synopsis/blurb....

Retired cop Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels and her ex-criminal husband Phineas Troutt have made a lot of enemies over the years. But none worse than The Cowboy, a gunslinging nutcase who wants to slaughter them both, and Hugo Troutt, a gang leader who has been plotting revenge against his younger brother for over a decade.

Separately, these baddies are formidable. Together, they are unstoppable.

But Jack has even more hell to deal with. She and her former partner, private eye Harry McGlade, are in L.A. chasing an insane plastic surgeon who specializes in disfiguring his victims. And Jack's colleague Tom Mankowski has problems of his own with a snuff film auteur named Erinyes.

With four psychopaths on the prowl, Jack, Phin, Harry, and Tom will need to call on some old friends if they hope to get out of LaLa Land alive...

This thirteenth Jack Daniels novel brings together villains from Konrath's thrillers WHITE RUSSIAN, EVERYBODY DIES, and WEBCAM, along with heroes from SHOT OF TEQUILA, THE LIST, WHAT HAPPENED TO LORI, and FLEE, for the ultimate West Coast showdown.

       Tod Goldberg - The Low Desert (2021) - Edelweiss - Above the Treeline reviewer site

Gangsterland and Gangster Nation sit on the pile, but I'll probably go with this one first.

Synopsis/blurb...

Raymond Carver meets Elmore Leonard in this extraordinary collection of contemporary crime writing set in the critically acclaimed Gangsterland universe, a series called "gloriously original" by The New York Times Book Review.

With gimlet-eyed cool and razor-sharp wit, these spare, stylish stories from a master of modern crime fiction assemble a world of gangsters and con men, of do-gooders breaking bad and those caught in the crossfire. The uncle of an FBI agent spends his life as sheriff in different cities, living too close to the violent acts of men; a cocktail waitress moves through several desert towns trying to escape the unexplainable loss of an adopted daughter; a drug dealer with a penchant for karaoke meets a talkative lawyer and a silent clown in a Palm Springs bar.

Witty, brutal, and fast-paced, these stories expand upon the saga of Chicago hitman-turned-Vegas-rabbi Sal Cupertine--first introduced in Gangsterland and continued in Gangster Nation--while revealing how the line between good and bad is often a mirage.

ED GORMAN - NIGHTMARE CHILD (1990)

 

Synopsis/blurb.....

Jeff and Mindy McKay are young, attractive, and willing to stop at nothing to have it all - even if it means murdering Mindy's little sister, Jenny.

With Jenny out of the way, after they collect Jenny's part of an enormous inheritance, Jeff and Mindy can begin to enjoy luxury beyond their wildest dreams.

Then one day, months after Mindy and Jeff have buried the little girl, they answer a knock at the door. Standing there, staring at them with frightening blank eyes, is Jenny. She has returned - to their house, to their lives - to exact a revenge that goes beyond death.

My second time with Ed Gorman in as many months and another so-so book, this one in the horror genre.

I liked the initial set-up, insofar as you can like a story where a young girl is done away with by family members for money. The body is undiscovered and the community thinks Jenny is missing. Seems like a decent thriller/crime novel at this stage. Several months later the girl returns much to the surprise of her sister and conniving husband.

Neighbourly concern from the women next door, a cop gently woo-ing her, strangeness from the married couple, bizarre incidents, a lack of Jenny from everyday life, some poking and prodding from the neighbour and cop as their friendship/romance develops albeit at a pace slower than that of a dead snail, a surveillance operation, answers, a seemingly benign spirit morphing into something more terrifying, and one relationship swapped out for something less healthy.

I enjoyed the return of the girl and the twist that gave to the plot and it was an enjoyable passer of time. Gorman writes decent characters that interest me, but I've yet to find one where the plot clicks for me. There are graphic horror elements on display here ....... carnage and the odd gross out, but you kind of have to buy into events totally for them to have an affect, or at least I would and I couldn't.

3 from 5

Murder on the Aisle was enjoyed last month. There's more from him on the pile.
    

Read - (listened to) September, 2020

Published - 1990

Page count - 114 (3 hrs 33 mins)

Source - Audible purchase

Format - Audible

MARK SAFRANKO - NO STRINGS (2012)

Synopsis/blurb....

Richard Marzten thinks he’s getting away with the perfect affair—his wife will never suspect, and he’ll continue his luxurious lifestyle with the addition of afternoon trysts.

But cheaters never prosper, and, in Richard’s case, they may not even live. His lies begin to unravel, and his fling with Gretchen turns from a dream to a nightmare. The man who had it all soon realizes that his foolish foray could cost him everything, and a desperate man is a dangerous man.

Lust, murder, panic, anger…Where will it end?

A trip to the wild side in the great company of a dissatisfied, ad-man with a case of entitlement syndrome. Richard was born poor and raised humble and marries rich. His wife is a bit older than him. He doesn't need to work, but chooses to. There's no real sense of family coming from the triangle of husband, wife and teenage daughter. 

Richard is bored and slightly jealous, always hearing about his best friend's liaisons. With consumate skill and art he plots his intended infidelity very carefully. An advert, a careful vetting process (not careful enough) and bingo - the beautiful Gretchen, who apparently wants the same thing he does - "No Strings" sex - is in a hotel bed with him and it's mind-blowing. And it's addictive.

All goes well, until it doesn't. A disturbing phone call and the wheels start to fall off big time.

Richard is not a particularly despicable guy. Yes he's a cheater and more as the novel develops and his safe life unravels, but he kind of had my sympathy to a degree. He's a bit of a chancer, he skates at work until he need to put the effort in and he does. He harbours ambitions to be a writer, but doesn't apply himself. His relationship with his wife has drifted into apathy and complacency, but not quite total indifference. Neither of them make much of an effort with each other. His relationship with his daughter is less.  

I liked the risk-taking Richard as he comes alive once he has committed to his venture. When things threaten to fall apart, I liked the ride SaFranko took us on as Richard tries to steer back towards terra firma, making more and more irrational and impulsive decisions along the road. Each one actually taking him further and further from safe shores.

Great fun, exciting and tense, a bit like rubber necking at a car crash, with a cracking ending. 

Not that I've ever needed reminding, but if there's a message to take from No Strings - it's Don't be a Dick!

4.5 from 5      

No Strings is my second Mark SaFranko book after enjoying the amazing The Favor back in 2015 - one of my books of the year. Scratching my head as to why it has taken me five years to try something else by him.

Read - September, 2020

Published - 2012

Page count - 201

Source - owned purchased copy

Format - Kindle

    

DENNIS N. GRIFFIN and MORGAN ST. JAMES - BUMPING OFF FAT VINNY (2015)

 

Synopsis/blurb....

Why can't they bump off Fat Vinny?

He's the guy you love to hate and he deserves to be whacked. There's only one problem-he's still alive when he's supposed to be dead.

Definitely a funny crime caper that will keep you turning the pages.

Laugh out loud when Mob wife Maria Mancuso, and best-selling coauthors Danny Garrett, a former FBI agent, and Margaret Stanton, a wealthy divorcee, decide their only choice is to murder the publisher from Hell--"Fat Vinny." Vitali,who tops the scales at 400 pounds. They were under contract for Maria's memoir--the one she came out of hiding to write--but Vitali really wanted (and thought he was getting) an investigative Mob book that named the killer of Maria’s late husband, Tony "The Nose," head of the notorious Mancuso crime family. The hit on "The Nose" is still unsolved , and entrepreneur Vitali, new to the publishing business, pictures himself becoming King of True Crime books. However, never once in the year-and-a-half it took to write the book did he tell them he expected a different book than the one the contract called for.

Now the only way they can get their book published is if Vinny has a one-way ticket to the Happy Hunting Ground. When their perfect murder plots turn out to be not so perfect, this crime fiction book will keep you on your toes trying to figure out what comes next..

Attempts to bump off Fat Vinny are becoming like hiring the "Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" .

Scroll up and grab a copy today. Be prepared for a real surprise at the end.

The mob, a hit, a widow, a true crime memoir, a publisher, a falling out and some drastic measures taken.

Not the best book I've ever read, but one I did find amusing. Two co-writers and their client, a mob widow try to bump off Fat Vinny after an insurmountable disagreement finds him standing in the way of riches in the form of a film deal, for the book they've written but which he won't agree to publish or relinquish the rights to.

I quite liked the frustrated attempts to hasten Vinny's departure to the afterlife, and it wasn't like he didn't deserve it. That said, further down the road, Vinny does something out of character which has me slightly reassessing his douche bag credentials. 

There's a slight suspension of disbelief required to stay on-board with the scheming. At one time, one plan involves the assistance of two individuals Danny crossed paths with during his time in law enforcement. The next plan involves interviewing three hitmen for the job, and during subsequent discussions the conspirators worry about keeping their plans on the down low and maintaining secrecy. Duh... you've involved outsiders and now you're worried about exposure.

I liked the three main conspirators though and the way they backed each other and got along. I quite liked the idea of Danny and the glamourous widow, Maria getting together, but that never transpired. I liked the mounting frustration as the efforts to outsmart Vinny failed, before the pursuit of a more permanent resolution.

There's a decent clip to the prose and a not entirely unpredictable twist near the end of the book. You could kind of see it coming from quite early on. There's a second twist which wasn't exactly telegraphed but wasn't a shocker either. In my view the book would have been better either ending after the first non-shocking shock, or with another alternative outcome.  

More to like than dislike and I wouldn't be averse to checking out anything else the co-authors may write either singly or collaboratively in the future.

3.5 from 5

Read - (listened to) September, 2020

Published - 2015

Page count - 227 (5 hrs 36 mins)

Source - Audible purchase. (I did have another copy of the book somewhere after a Librarything Giveaway win a few years ago.)

Format - Audible

AUGUST 2020 - FILMS + TV

A bit less watched in August than July, but on the up-side we did manage to get to the cinema again after it re-opened in the month. 

We had....... 4 films, 3 at home and 1 out and a couple of seasons of a UK crime drama I missed first time around as well as some nostalgia viewing 

                                   Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) - Film - Netflix

My son recommended this and we really liked it. I do enjoy Will Ferrell films for the most part and this one is no exception. Funny stupid and just what's needed to lift the mood at the minute. Rachel McAdams and Pierce Brosnan also star. 

From Wikipedia....

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a 2020 American musical comedy film directed by David Dobkin and written by Will Ferrell and Andrew Steele. The film follows Icelandic singers Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) as they are given the chance to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato also star.

The Story of Fire Saga was initially scheduled for a May 2020 release to coincide with the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. However, after the 2020 Eurovision contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was released a month later, on June 26, on Netflix. It received mixed reviews from critics.

                                                 Columbo (1968 - 2003) - US TV Drama

My dad, long gone bless him didn't really like a lot of television, but one exception for him was Columbo. I think I've always enjoyed it myself - because of him or because it's brilliant entertainment , who knows. Whenever I do catch an old episode or two, it reminds me of him and that never fails to make me smile.

While away for a few nights with my wife, our host's TV service offered up some obscure satellite channel which aired Columbo amongst other classic shows. We caught a couple, undoubtedly seen before and you know what, I don't think I could ever tire of watching them.

Peter Falk is fantastic. I must dig out his autobiography which I have on the pile somewhere.

From Wikipedia.....

Columbo is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originally aired on NBC from 1971 to 1978 as one of the rotating programs of The NBC Mystery Movie. Columbo then aired less frequently on ABC from 1989 to 2003.

The character and show, created by Richard Levinson and William Link, popularized the inverted detective story format, which begins by showing the commission of the crime and its perpetrator; the plot therefore usually has no "whodunit" element, and instead revolves around how a perpetrator known to the audience will finally be caught and exposed (sometimes referred to as a "howcatchem").

Columbo is a shrewd but inelegant blue-collar homicide detective whose trademarks include his rumpled beige raincoat, unassuming demeanor, cigar smoking, old Peugeot 403, unseen wife (whom he mentions regularly), and catchphrase "Just one more thing." His suspects are often affluent members of high society who try to carefully cover their tracks. Initially dismissive of Columbo's circumstantial speech and apparent ineptitude, they become increasingly unsettled as his pestering behavior teases out incriminating evidence. His relentless approach often leads to self-incrimination or outright confession.

Episodes of Columbo are between 70 and 98 minutes long, and have been broadcast in 44 countries. The 1971 episode "Murder by the Book", directed by Steven Spielberg, was ranked No. 16 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time and in 1999, the magazine ranked Lt. Columbo No. 7 on its 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time list. In 2012, the program was ranked the third-best cop or legal show on Best in TV: The Greatest TV Shows of Our Time. In 2013, TV Guide included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time and ranked it 33rd on its list of the 60 Best Series. Also in 2013, the Writers Guild of America ranked it 57th on its list of 101 Best Written TV Series.

                                                     Unhinged (2020) - Film - Cinema

First outing to the cinema for a few months and a cracker to get us going again. Unhinged...... tense, violent and edge of the seat stuff. I think Russell Crowe is MENACE personified, threat and danger oozing from every pore. One I'd happily watch again.

From Wikipedia....

Unhinged is a 2020 American thriller film directed by Derrick Borte, from a screenplay by Carl Ellsworth. The film stars Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson and Austin P. McKenzie. It tells the story of a young woman who is terrorized by a seemingly unstable stranger following a road rage incident.

Unhinged was theatrically released by Solstice Studios in Germany on July 16, 2020, and in the United States on August 21, 2020. The film was notable for being the first wide theatrical release in several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has grossed $32 million worldwide. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Crowe's performance but felt the film did not take full advantage of its premise.

                                                      Sweet Country (2017) Film - TV

One I spotted on late at night so recorded it for a watch at a more convenient time. Dark, unsettling, disturbing. Great performances throughout. I do abhor racism. A very powerful film. 

From Wikipedia...

Sweet Country is a 2017 Australian meat pie Western drama film, directed by Warwick Thornton. Set in 1929 in the sparsely populated outback of the Northern Territory and based on a series of true events, it tells a harsh story against the backdrop of a divided society (between the European settlers and Aboriginal Australians) in the interwar period in Australia.

It was first screened in the main competition section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival in September 2017 and after winning the Special Jury Prize award there, went on to win several awards internationally.

                                  Law and Order UK Season 2 (2010) - ITV Drama (TV)

A continued viewing of cracking UK copycat series. Great storylines, some upsetting and difficult to watch, decent acting, what's not to like?

From IMDB.....

Samaritan - S2, Ep1

 

A police officer is killed in a shoot out with a drug dealer. Based on the testimony of another dealer, Brooks and Devlin must determine whether back up was slow to arrive and left the officer to die because he was gay.

Hidden - S2, Ep2

A young girl goes missing on the way to her guitar lesson. A week later, she is found murdered, and CCTV footage leads detectives to a viable suspect for the kidnapping.

 

 

Community Service - S2, Ep3

A bipolar homeless man is found beaten unconscious. An angry resident of the neighborhood is charged with the premeditated attack.

 

 

Sacrifice - S2, Ep4

When a man is found lying on the ground with a kidney surgically removed, Brooks and Devlin have a case that they believed fell more into the category of urban myth than real-life crime. They quickly focus on finding the intended recipient of the stolen organ. Transplantation is highly controlled and centralized to prevent queue jumping but they soon find a recent transplantation that was completed from outside the system. They soon uncover a tale of a sick woman, a concerned parent and a greedy, disgruntled surgeon. For James Steel, the question becomes one of which ...

 

Love and Loss - S2, Ep5

A teen-aged girl returning from vacation with her friends dies from a heroin overdose. Devlin and Brooks must find the man who hired her to smuggle the drugs.

 

Honour Bound - S2, Ep6

Following the DPS investigation of the shooting of an informant by a detective, Devlin looks into the detective's past which leads to an investigation of Brooks for stealing drugs six years earlier.

                                         Law and Order Season 3 (2010) - ITV Drama (TV)

Ditto, season 2!

From IMDB.....

Broken - S3, Ep1

Five-year-old Connor Reid is strangled and security cameras show the two little girls who baby-sit him, Paige and prostitute's daughter Rose, take him into the empty flat where his corpse was found. In interview Paige breaks down and names Rose as the killer, though, in court, Rose's brief Kim Sharkey invites the court to accept Paige as the guilty party and forensics seem to implicate her as the murderess. Then Alesha finds evidence to nail Rose as the killer and the prosecution, pleading the girl's abusive upbringing as grounds for diminished responsibility, seek sychiatric care for her. However Sharkey, after professional glory, wants an all-or-nothing verdict. James puts Rose's vile mother in the witness box to prove the prosecution point and save Rose from a murder charge.

 

Hounded - S3, Ep2

Convicted serial rapist Paul Darnell is released on parole and,three months later, young Ashanti Walker, who lives in the same area as Darnell, is killed after sex. He is the perfect parolee with a loyal girlfriend but he has no alibi and Steel is convinced he is the murderer. He is arrested but his barrister claims persecution and, at his trial, is credible and sympathetic whilst Steel does himself no favors with his bigotry and zeal, with obvious results. However, that is not the end of the matter.

 

Defence - S3, Ep3

Two workers and a customer in a vintage clothes shop are brutally murdered with a bayonet. The fourth,surviving,victim identifies the killer as John Smith,an educated but homeless ex-military man,who is arrested with the weapon on him. It is found out that he was previously charged with stalking a young woman but sloppy prosecution led to the case's collapse. He is also a law graduate and defends himself,despite a history of mental instability vouched for by his sister,Patricia. In court he claims that he was not himself that day and therefore not the killer. Steel brings in Patricia and uses Smith's paranoia to get his conviction.

 

Confession - S3, Ep4

Matt Devlin takes it badly when his old friend and fellow cop,Pete Garvey is found dead,an apparent suicide. Garvey's widow says that he had recently been plagued by nightmares and was seeing Jonathan Nugent,a former priest and pillar of the community but in reality an undetected paedophile,who had molested Garvey and others when they were boys. The prosecution build their case on the fact that Nugent's abuse so unbalanced Garvey that he killed himself as a result but Nugent's claim that Garvey was blackmailing him tips the jury on his side and Steel must do a deal  with the Catholic church if he is to get a conviction.

Survivor- S3, Ep5

Prison officer Charlie Tyner is found, shot dead, on a Hackney council estate. Prime suspect, recently released pedophile Ellis Bevan, has an alibi and the police later learn that Tyner dealt in heroin. A connection is made with Tamika Vincent, a drugs mule serving time in the prison where Tyner last worked who ran drugs for scary gangster Jackson Marshall, a man the Police and Prosecutors have long sought to bring down. The prosecution believe Tamika put Marshall up to killing Tyner and Alesha plays on her own rape and roots in Hackney to get Tamika to confirm this.

 

 

Masquerade - S3, Ep6

After a student is found stabbed, the police have to deal with counter-allegations of murder and rape. Facing angry parents, lurid media headlines, and mixed feelings among police and prosecutors, this case proves a hard one to handle.

 

 

Anonymous - S3, Ep7

For two years Stephanie Blake has been pestered by a cyber-stalker who knows every detail of her private life. Conceited ladies' man Russell Lowry tried to contact her from prison but,after being pushed downstairs, Stephanie fails to recognize him - and then she is murdered. Lowry slowly moves into the frame on the discovery that Stephanie subscribed by standing order to an animal charity for which he worked,so he knows her purchasing details. A cell-mate also reveals that Lowry used a computer in prison. The prosecution case is, however, flimsy as Ronnie recorded his view that Stephanie faked the fall downstairs as a cry for help. He determines not to let her down again, bringing his evidence at Lowry's trial into conflict with Matt's view. Up against fearsome defending brief Evelyn Wyndham,James must discredit Matt for a result. 

 

    

                                          Murder Mystery (2019) - Film - Netflix

A bit of comedy fun. Aniston and Sandler I've enjoyed together previously in the hilarious Just Go With It. Not quite as funny this time around but it was enjoyable enough for a night in family film.

From Wikipedia......

Murder Mystery is a 2019 American comedy mystery film directed by Kyle Newacheck and written by James Vanderbilt. The film stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and Luke Evans, and follows a married couple who is caught up in a murder investigation on a billionaire's yacht. It was released on June 14, 2019, by Netflix.

Plot - WITH SPOILERS!!!

Nick Spitz is a New York police officer, and his wife Audrey is a hairdresser. Audrey wants to visit Europe, as Nick had promised at their wedding, but thinks they never will. After their 15th-anniversary dinner, Audrey confronts Nick, who lies that he has in fact booked the trip, and they set off to Europe. On the plane, Audrey meets billionaire Charles Cavendish, who invites the couple to join him on his family yacht for a party celebrating his elderly uncle's upcoming wedding to Charles's former fiancée. After seeing how crowded their previously planned bus tour would be, Nick agrees.

Aboard the yacht, Nick and Audrey meet Cavendish's ex-fiancée Suzi Nakamura, his cousin Tobey, actress Grace Ballard, Colonel Ulenga, his bodyguard Sergei, Maharajah, race car driver Juan Carlos, and their host Malcolm Quince, Cavendish's uncle. Quince announces that his new wife Suzi will be the only one to receive his inheritance, believing the others only feign interest in him because of his money. Before he can sign his new will, the lights go out and come back on to reveal Quince dead, stabbed with his own dagger.

Nick, who has lied to Audrey about recently becoming an NYPD detective, orders the room locked, and the guests return to their rooms. Later that night, the guests find Tobey, Quince's only son, dead from an apparent suicide. Upon arriving in Monte Carlo, the guests are questioned by Inspector de la Croix, who believes that Nick and Audrey, "the Americans", are guilty of the murders.

At the Monaco Grand Prix, Nick and Audrey question the guests. That night, Sergei summons them to his room, where he reveals Quince had married the Colonel's fiancée while the Colonel was in a coma, which ended with her death and a child who was allegedly stillborn. The couple hide when someone knocks on the door, and come out to find Sergei has been murdered. Bravely, they climb out the window and edge along the ledge, high above the ground. In the process, they see the Colonel flossing his teeth vigorously and Maharajah and Grace kissing, ruling out the chances of any of them being the murderer and killing Sergei. While fleeing, they see on the news that de la Croix has issued a warrant for their arrest. Audrey is furious to learn Nick is not actually a detective and lied about booking the trip in advance, and she leaves with Cavendish.

Nick follows Suzi to a library where he finds Audrey, who reveals Cavendish is in the building as well. They realize Cavendish and Suzi are still in love and, presumably, the murderers. The couple are forced to flee from a hidden gunman and run into Carlos. They soon are confronted by Suzi, who is killed by a masked person. Nick and Carlos try to chase the killer but fail. Nick and Audrey go to Quince's mansion to confront Cavendish, but find him dead by poisoning.

The couple summons de la Croix and the remaining guests, Colonel, Grace, Maharajah, and Juan Carlos, who all have alibis. Nick and Audrey deduce that Grace is the murderer; she was helped by Tobey, then killed him. Grace reveals that she is Quince's child that “died” and that his money truly belongs to her, though she denies being the killer. However, Audrey proves her guilt (she was hiding a cut Nick gave her as the masked killer under a conspicuous hat) and she is arrested.

While celebrating, Nick and Audrey learn that Grace's alibi still stands and there must be another conspirator who could've killed Sergei. They realize Carlos is the second murderer, who blamed Quince for an accident his father had where he had lost both of his legs. Carlos holds de la Croix hostage and leads Nick and Audrey in a car chase, but they force his car to crash and rescue de la Croix. Rivera holds them all at gunpoint, but is killed by the chaotic tour bus, which Nick and Audrey would have initially boarded at the start of their trip.

De la Croix thanks the couple and offers to help get Nick promoted to detective back home. The movie ends with Nick and Audrey continuing their vacation aboard the fabled Orient Express courtesy of Interpol.

JULY 2020 - FILMS + TV (HOME VIEWING)

A decent month's viewing with 6 and a half films watched. I'll get back to the other half at some point and some TV dramas - new and old watched.

Films - 3 war related, 1 a Western, 1 a heist, 1 a comedy, 1 a tense con and fit up

TV - police, police, and police. I do like reading and watching crime related stuff.

                                                            Henry's Crime (2010) - Film (DVD)

Half watched before tiredness took over. I wasn't totally gripped by it, but am interested enough to see how things work themselves out. I'm partial to a bank robbery on the screen and in my reading. I do like Keanu Reeves and James Caan is always entertaining. Vera Farmiga, I know better as Norma Bates in Bates Motel. 

From Wikipedia.......

Henry's Crime is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Malcolm Venville and starring Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga, and James Caan. The film follows Henry (Reeves), who goes to jail for a bank robbery he did not commit. Once released, he plans to rob the same bank with his former cellmate Max (Caan). The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2010, and was given a limited release in the United States on April 8, 2011.

                                             Sinner Season 3 (2020) - TV Drama - Netflix

Eight episodes in all and smashed out in the month. I do like Bill Pullman and I've enjoyed the first couple of series which features him as the lead detective. This series bored me. Too slow and I didn't quite buy Pullman's behaviour towards the protagonist. I'm hoping there isn't a 4th one in the offing as I'd be ambivalent about seeing it.

From Rotten Tomatoes....

The Sinner's third installment follows Detective Harry Ambrose (Pullman) as he begins a routine investigation of a tragic car accident on the outskirts of Dorchester, in upstate New York. Ambrose uncovers a hidden crime that pulls him into the most dangerous and disturbing case of his career.

                                                          Whisky Galore (2016) - Film (TV)

 

An enjoyable re-make of a 40s film. One I've heard of but never seen in full. Eddy Izzard is the main character and is the authority figure getting the run-around. Good fun.

From Wikipedia....

Whisky Galore! is a 2016 British film, a remake of the 1949 Ealing Comedy of the same name, itself based on the novel by Compton MacKenzie. It was directed by Gillies MacKinnon and stars Gregor Fisher, Eddie Izzard, Sean Biggerstaff and Naomi Battrick. The film premiered at the 2016 Edinburgh Film Festival and went on general release in Scotland from 5 May 2017 and the rest of the UK, Ireland and the US from 19 May 2017. The principal film location was Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Plot

Set in the Second World War when whisky rationing is in effect, Scottish islanders on the fictional Isle of Todday try to plunder cases of whisky from a ship that is stranded on rocks just offshore. The SS Cabinet Minister was carrying 50,000 cases of Scotch whisky to the United States when she ran aground, affording the islanders the opportunity to get their hands on the "water of life". There are problems, though; the local minister (a strict Sabbatarian who will not allow work to take place on a Sunday); Captain Waggett, the Home Guard officer who wants to stop any looting; and Farquharson the customs officer who also searches for the whisky in the islanders' homes afterwards.

                                                         American Sniper (2014) - Film (TV)

Another one which I saw was airing on TV and recorded it for a watch with the wife. I probably enjoyed it a bit more than her. Bradley Cooper is pretty intense as Chris Kyle. Based on the true story of a legendary US military sniper, it's quite uncomfortable viewing....... war, service, duty, sacrifice, the effect on self and family.

From Wikipedia....

American Sniper is a 2014 American biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It is loosely based on the memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History (2012) by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The film follows the life of Kyle, who became the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history with 255 kills from four tours in the Iraq War, 160 of which were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. While Kyle was celebrated for his military successes, his tours of duty took a heavy toll on his personal and family life. The film was produced by Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper, and Peter Morgan. It stars Cooper as Kyle and Sienna Miller as his wife Taya, with Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, Cory Hardrict, Kevin Lacz, Navid Negahban, and Keir O'Donnell in supporting roles.

                             

                                 Cracker - To Be a Somebody (2003) - ITV Drama (DVD Boxset)

Slowly trundling through this series with the wife while other family members are elsewhere. Most of the cast are very familiar and they all seem so very young. Not easy viewing. Fitz, the psychologist is a clever bollocks except when it comes to his own behaviour. Addiction - gambling and alcohol - makes for some car crash television, let alone without the introduction of a young man seriously affected by bereavement and massive trauma leading to PTSD.

From Amazon.....

Another case for hard-drinking criminal psychologist Fitz (Robbie Coltrane). Albie (Robert Carlyle) is a young man who, psychologically disturbed by the events of Hillsborough and the death of his father, attacks and kills an Asian newsagent. The police believe it to be a racist attack but draw a blank in their investigations into right-wing groups, and so call in Fitz to help with their enquiries.

                                                      Tigerland (2000) - Film (DVD)

Years ago when Colin Farrell rocked up in Ballykissangel I quite liked him. He went to Hollywood, turned into a bit of a dick and I avoided his films. Now he's done some growing up, I quite like him again. He's impressive here in this US army tale concerning young recruits in training, prior to being shipped to Vietnam. Funny enough this would have been during his dick-phase.

 

From Wikipedia....

Tigerland is a 2000 American war drama film directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Colin Farrell as Private Roland Bozz. It takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War.

Tigerland was the name of a U.S. Army training camp during the mid-1960s to early 1970s located at Fort Polk, Louisiana as part of the U.S. Army Advanced Infantry Training Center. As often the last stop for new infantrymen on their way to Vietnam, Tigerland was established in humid and muggy Fort Polk in order to closely mimic the environmental conditions of South Vietnam. While the film's setting is loosely based on Fort Polk, the film was actually filmed at Camp Blanding in Florida.[citation needed] The film premiered at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. 

Plot - WITH SPOILERS!!!!!!

In September 1971, the US is losing the Vietnam War. Roland Bozz, a draftee opposed to the war, is an unruly soldier with no respect for authority. He befriends another Army recruit, Jim Paxton, an aspiring writer who records his experiences in a journal. Unlike Bozz, Paxton volunteered. Upon reaching their post, company commanding officer Captain Saunders makes clear that every soldier who passes through Fort Polk will be sent to Vietnam. He also states that any political views on the war are irrelevant.

Having "X-ray vision for loopholes", Bozz finds ways for soldiers to get out of the army — one because he not only has children but also a handicapped wife; another, Miter, had joined to prove his manhood but finds himself in over his head. Eventually Bozz's natural leadership and ability earn him the title of squad leader. Another private, Wilson, a racial bigot and instigator, continuously demeans Miter and Bozz. Bozz fights Wilson, earning Wilson's hatred.

Later, while doing live fire exercises, Wilson threatens Bozz with a pistol. Bozz tries to disarm Wilson, and the two wrestle each other to the ground, Wilson getting the upper hand and putting the gun to the back of Bozz's head and pulling the trigger. Miraculously, the gun misfires, saving Bozz's life. Saunders lets Bozz choose the punishment: have Wilson court-martialed or "let me deal with him", strongly suggesting the latter. Bozz says he wants Wilson "out of the Army", because he recognizes Wilson has taken an emotional beating ever since his inability to command became obvious.

The platoon is sent to "Tigerland", a forested training area designed as a replica of Vietnam. During an exercise, Bozz's squad acts as villagers in a mock Vietnamese village, with one squad member designated as a Viet Cong sympathizer. They compete with another squad charged with rooting out the sympathizer. This other squad is led by Wilson, who was not kicked out after all. As the exercise ends with Bozz's squad "winning", Wilson tells Bozz he will kill him no matter what it takes. Soon thereafter, Bozz plans to escape to Mexico with the aid of some civilians he has paid. Platoon member Johnson tells him if he runs away, Wilson will kill Paxton instead. Bozz remains.

During the last training exercise, the two squads are pitted against each other on patrolling missions. As Wilson's squad prepares for an attack, he replaces his blank cartridges with live ammunition and removes his blank-firing adaptor. As Bozz's squad nears, he opens fire. Though he does not hit anyone, it is obvious he is using live ammunition, and the trainer for the exercise tries to intervene. As he does, Bozz is standing above Paxton and deliberately fires a blank round with his rifle muzzle near Paxton's face, the flash wounding Paxton's eye. The trainer aims a pistol at Wilson's head to get him to hold his weapon up and surrender, telling him he will be court-martialed.

The platoon gets ready to head to Vietnam, except for Paxton, whose eye injury, though not permanent, has earned him a medical discharge. Bozz and Paxton exchange farewells. Paxton tells Bozz he is going to write about him, but Bozz says he will not. He has stolen Paxton's journal and rips out pages as the platoon's bus drives off, leaving Paxton scrambling to recover them. Bozz tosses the journal as the bus speeds away.

In the closing narration, Paxton says he never saw Bozz again. Over time, he heard from various sources that Bozz either died in Vietnam or disappeared over there. One acquaintance told Paxton he thought he'd seen Bozz, years after the war, in Mexico with a beautiful woman.

                                             

                                                 Behind Enemy Lines (2001) - Film (DVD)

A second viewing of a film I watched and enjoyed years ago. Troubling back-drop, the Bosnian War, with the fall out still reverberating today....... genocide and war crime trials in The Hague. Owen Wilson, gets serious here as a US pilot shot down and trying to make his way back to safety. Usually I see him in comedies, but he does serious quite well. Gene Hackman is solid as ever. 

From Wikipedia.....

Behind Enemy Lines is a 2001 American war film directed by John Moore in his directorial debut, and starring Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman. The film tells the story of Lieutenant Chris Burnett, an American naval flight officer who is shot down over Bosnia and uncovers genocide during the Bosnian War. Meanwhile, his commanding officer is struggling to gain approval to launch a combat search and rescue mission to save Burnett. The plot is loosely based on the 1995 Mrkonjić Grad incident that occurred during the war.

Released on November 30, 2001, Behind Enemy Lines received generally negative reviews from critics. However, it was a considerable box office success, taking in nearly $92 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. The film was followed by three direct-to-video sequels, Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil, Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia, and SEAL Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines, with the third film being co-produced by WWE Studios. None of these sequels feature the cast and crew of the original.

                                     Law and Order UK Season 1 (2009) - ITV Drama (TV)

I was a big fan of the US Law and Order when it was on TV over here. I missed out on the UK version when it ran from 2009 - 2014 because I think my son disliked the main character actor - Bradley Walsh. Walsh is a presenter, actor, comedian, he probably sings as well for all I know and I quite like him.

One of the more obscure TV channels in our package decided to recently air the show on week nights. I've set the series record button and we're working our way through. All the episodes I think are derived from an equivalent which showed in the US. I like the set-up and the premise of the show, though on occasions the story can feel a little rushed.

From Google......

In a rare switch for programming usually adapted from one side of the Atlantic to the other, the U.K. is the recipient this time around. Dick Wolf's long-running U.S. police procedural drama gets a British tweak, as the action shifts from New York to London. Despite the change of scenery, the show's fundamental setup remains comfortably the same: the police investigate a crime in the first half, and the prosecutors go after the offenders in the second half. The only major differences are the accents and white wigs.

From Radio Times....

Episode 1 - Care

SUMMARY

The evacuation of a central London hospital leads to the discovery of a tragic death. When Brooks and Devlin investigate, a suspect is arrested but the prosecutors (Ben Daniels and Freema Agyeman) face an uphill struggle building a case - so they team up with the detectives in a bid to gather more evidence. Patrick Malahide and Bill Paterson co-star.

Episode 2 - Unloved

SUMMARY

Brooks and Devlin fail to find a lead when a 13-year-old is kicked to death at Euston Station, so they turn to Chandler, who holds a press conference. As the detectives are led through a tangled web of family loyalties, the suspect's barrister, an old flame of Steel's, gathers evidence for an audacious defence strategy that could change the nature of the British legal system. Dervla Kirwan guest stars, with Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber and Ben Daniels.

Episode 3 - Vice

SUMMARY

A former vice cop is found beaten to death, setting Brooks and Devlin off on an investigation through London's seedy underbelly. The victim's widow and his former boss both seem to know more about the murder than they are letting on - but the trail eventually leads to a respectable children's clothes shop. Crime drama, with guest appearances by Sean Pertwee (Cold Feet), Lesley Manville (Cranford) and Juliet Aubrey (Primeval).

Episode 4 - Unsafe

SUMMARY

The discovery of a body in a shallow grave by the Thames prompts Brooks and Devlin to reopen an eight-year-old murder case, casting doubt on a conviction made by Steel at the time. When the imprisoned man, Luke Slade, is given leave to appeal, he represents himself in court - but what starts as a legal battle soon develops into a personal vendetta. Crime drama, guest starring Iain Glen.

Episode 5 - Buried

SUMMARY

Brooks and Devlin reopen a 25-year-old case when the bones of a young boy are found buried inside the wall of a communal basement. The victim's former best friend takes part in therapy to revisit her memory of the night he disappeared and reveals a shocking secret, but Phillips and Steel worry her claims will not convince a jury. Guest starring Keith Barron and Colin Salmon, with Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Freema Agyeman and Ben Daniels.

Episode 6 - Paradise

SUMMARY

An arson attack on a Turkish social club leaves 17 people dead and Brooks, Devlin and Chandler fearing the crime was racially motivated. They uncover a trail of false identities, but face opposition from a respected barrister when they need to remove a key piece of evidence from a suspect's leg. Meanwhile, Steel is forced to confront one of his oldest friends. Guest starring Charles Kay, with Bradley Walsh and Jamie Bamber.

Episode 7 - Alesha

SUMMARY

A respected gynaecologist is accused of sexually assaulting a patient during a routine examination, but Brooks, Devlin and Chandler struggle to find any firm evidence and the team becomes divided. Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips refuses to accept defeat and takes on formidable defence barrister Phyllis Gladstone. Crime drama, guest starring Derek Riddell and Lesley Manville, with Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Harriet Walter and Freema Agyeman.

                                              The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) - Film (TV)

A Clint Eastwood film I've heard of but never seen before. I really enjoyed it.

From Wikipedia....

The Outlaw Josey Wales is a 1976 American revisionist Western DeLuxe Color and Panavision film set during and after the American Civil War. It was directed by and starred Clint Eastwood (as the eponymous Josey Wales), with Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Sam Bottoms, and Geraldine Keams. The film tells the story of Josey Wales, a Missouri farmer whose family is murdered by Union militants during the Civil War. Driven to revenge, Wales joins a Confederate guerrilla band and makes a name for himself as a feared gunfighter. After the war, all the fighters in Wales' group except for him surrender to Union officers, but they end up being massacred. Wales becomes an outlaw and is pursued by bounty hunters and Union soldiers as he tries to make a new life for himself.

The film was adapted by Sonia Chernus and Philip Kaufman from author Forrest Carter's 1972 novel The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (republished, as shown in the movie's opening credits, as Gone to Texas). The film was a commercial success, earning $31.8 million against a $3.7 million budget. In 1996, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

                                          A Fall From Grace (2020) - Film (Netflix)

One my daughter watched and enjoyed and then recommended to the rest of the family. Very good, very tense, maybe a bit predictable, but I've seen a helluva lot worse.

From IMDB.....

Disheartened since her ex-husband's affair, Grace Waters feels restored by a new romance. But when secrets erode her short-lived joy, Grace's vulnerable side turns violent.

BLAIR HOWARD - HARRY STARKE (2015)

Synopsis/blurb....

For an ex-cop turned private investigator, I’ve carved out a pretty nice life for myself. Yeah, life is good, but that doesn’t stop me from seeking closure and justice for victims of the darker side of Chattanooga. Some would call me reckless. But I’m just doing it my way. These then are my stories.

Book 1: On a wild December night, I found myself on the Walnut Street Bridge. Moments later I was staring down into the terrified eyes of a young woman—just seconds before she slipped through my fingers and fell to her death. Who was she? Why did she kill herself? The look on that girl’s face will haunt me for the rest of my days. I had to find the answers…

"I read a lot of what I consider to be well written mysteries. Sue Grafton, Martha Grimes, Margret Truman, etc. This one is every bit as good and I really could not put it down.”

The Harry Starke series of mystery thrillers is recommended for fans of David Baldacci, James Patterson’s Alex Cross, Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar, Robert B. Parker’s Spenser, John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport, and Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon.

Another new-to-me author and another entertaining Audible outing which helped pass some otherwise mundane work hours. Blair Howard's Harry Starke is the first in a long series featuring the title character as a well connected Chattanooga PI. I enjoyed the book and it's a series I'll definitely re-visit in the future, without being blown away by what Howard served up. 

As an aside, I don't especially buy into the..... for the fans of Patterson, Baldacci, Silva etc etc. Hell why not name 50 popular authors in the hope that the lustre sticks by association and you grab some readers? Far better to be your own man and your own voice. But then I'm not pitching books only reading them.

Here Starke is in close proximity to a woman who commits suicide and fears his presence contributed to the woman's death. Ergo an investigation into her death, somewhat assisted by the fact that Starke's long-term girlfriend is a cop who catches the case. An introduction to the woman's grieving father sees Starke retained in an official capacity and justifies his personal involvement in the investigation.

I think I had to hold my nose at the way a cop manages to include a private investigator, one she's sleeping with into official interviews with witnesses and also entrusts a key piece of evidence found on the deceased's body to her beau. Convenient, oh yes.

Apart from that I quite enjoyed the tale........ an investigation, more deaths, a secret private member's club, a local gangster going up in the world and fronting a decidely suspicious development, a dodgy politician, possible corruption and blackmail opportunities and our main character proving himself to be a bit of a rogue with a wandering trouser snake. Harry, you dirty dog.

Fisticuffs, humor, action and a decent enough storyline which was resolved satisfactorily albeit with a measure of convenience, along the way. There's far worse ways of spending your time.

3.5 from 5

Howard has written 14 books in his Harry Starke series so far, as well as numerous other works. I look forward to reading (listening to) more from him in the future.

Read - (listened to) September, 2020

Published - 2015

Page count -  320 (7 hrs 30 mins)

Source - Audible purchase

Format - Audible