7th Challenge Completed!

I just realized that I completed this challenge on April 9th! All my choices were books from other challenges - they fit the Cardathon Challenge, so I participated.

Thank you Becky from Becky's Book Reviews for hosting this challenge.


Cardathon Challenge Reads:

The Monkey's Raincoat (Crais)
The Appeal (Grisham)
Birds of a Feather (Winspear)
Morality for Beautiful Girls (Smith)
When the Bough Breaks (Kellerman)
And Then There Were None (Christie)

Here is my original list of books with links to my thoughts.


Favorite:
And Then There Were None (Christie)


Least Favorite:
Morality for Beautiful Girls (Smith)

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

Agatha Christie

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Published: 1939

Personal Rating: 4.5/5

Yearly Count: 47

Ten strangers have been invited by a mysterious host to stay for a visit in the host's luxurious house. This house resides on a private island. Once they all are settled in, they are confronted with the reason why they had been chosen for the occasion. The reason has each member in the house looking at each other with apprehension - and rightfully so. Unfortunately, their time together as a group is limited due to the one-by-one elimination of each house guest.

I really enjoyed this! Throughout the entire book, the level of suspense was kept high by all the twists and turns. It made me eager to get back to it as soon as I could; I was definitely hooked. However, I have to say that the very ending wasn't as exciting as the rest of the book. For some reason, I expected to be wowed and I wasn't, but it was still a very good read and I'm glad I finally made time for it.

WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS

Jonathan Kellerman
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published: 1985
Personal Rating: 3.75/5
Yearly Count: 46

This is Kellerman's first in the Alex Delaware series. Alex is a 33-year-old, retired, child psychologist and is recouping from burn-out. During this time, Milo Sturgis enters the scene as a LAPD detective who asks for Alex's help with a case that includes a 7-year-old girl who has possibly seen something relating to a double homicide. Once Alex gets involved, he doesn't let up until all questions are answered.

Boy, was this dated. There were turn-tables playing Linda Ronstadt albums, knit ties, Merv Griffin and other 80's sightings. They were fun - not distracting or prevalent.

While Alex came across as a mild-mannered individual (although he could be tough when needed), the subject matter (child abuse) was the opposite - cruel and despicable. While getting to the source of evil, there were some spots that were sluggish due to an abundance of unnecessary details, but overall it was interesting and kept my attention.

Alex ended up playing both psychologist and detective, which I felt was too much for this character; I would have liked to have seen more of Milo. The plethora of bad guys and, in general, the many, many characters lead to a slightly complicated, but . . . satisfying ending. For a first, it was good. I will continue with the series; the next up is titled Blood Test.

Question to those that are up-to-date with this series: Does Alex progress with the times and does Milo play more of a role in future books? Just "Yes" and "No" answers are sufficient. Thank you! :)

MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS

Alexander McCall Smith

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Published: 2002

Personal Rating: 3/5

Yearly Count: 40

In this 3rd book of the No. 1 Ladies' Dectective Agency series, Mma Ramotswe continues to run her business, but in a new locale, while Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni experiences an illness. Mma Ramotswe takes on a case with a government man regarding his concerns that his brother is being poisoned by his wife and Mma Makutsi steps it up by running the two businesses. She also brings in some cash with a beauty pageant assignment.

This one was a little slow for me, but I still thought there were some interesting little tidbits. I liked how the morality issue subtly came into play with the cases they were involved in and how they personally dealt with them. All in all, it was a comfortable, but just okay read.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Jacqueline Winspear

Genre: Historical Mystery

Published: 2005

Personal Rating: 4.25/5

Yearly Count: 25

Maisie Dobbs has been hired once again to solve a case. This time it involves a wealthy man, his missing daughter and three of her friends that happen to be deceased. As Maisie proceeds in her investigation, she discovers more about herself and her assistant Billy Beale.

This series has a lot to offer. I receive the greatest pleasure from the quiet, thought-filled process that Maisie demonstrates in her quest to solve mysteries. Also, the fact that she's intelligent, yet never arrogant or haughty; she continues to seek advice and listen to those around her.

Like the first, this second in the series contains some psychology, which I really enjoy. However, the moments of intuition and sensing the aura are not to my liking and I believe that it weakens the validity of her findings. Fortunately, it's not enough to dissuade me from meeting up with Maisie Dobbs again.

THE APPEAL

John Grisham
Genre: Legal/Political Thriller

Published: 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

Yearly Count: 21

The plot begins with a jury decision against a chemical company accused of contaminating a town's water supply, which caused cancer throughout its inhabitants. Knowing that the decision will be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court, the politics of filling a possible seat vacancy are in full force.

John Grisham's books are always a pleasurable read for me. As it goes, some are better than others for various reasons and this one was no different. The Appeal has an abundance of political influence in the plot, making it less appealing (no pun intended) to me, yet I found it to have great educational value. Other than that, it took me half the book to truly be interested, then to have my hopes dashed with the ending. Unfortunately, the conclusion may be reality. HOWEVER . . . I thought this was a work of fiction.

THE MONKEY'S RAINCOAT

Robert Crais

Genre: PI Mystery

Published: 1987

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

Yearly Count: 6

The Elvis Cole Detective Agency consists of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike with the office located in Los Angeles. A married woman enters the office and wants to hire them to find her missing husband and nine-year-old son. The investigation includes some hit or miss strategies, but then they get on the right path and find themselves immersed in the world of drugs and murder. Lots of murder.

I believe this makes my 7th Crais book. I have read 4 in the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series and several standalones. This one happens to be the first in the series. Being that I headed back to the beginning, my hope was to gain some insight on Elvis and Joe, but that didn't happen. I guess the later books give enough background that the earlier books aren't required reading to understand the characters.

I did find that this one was not quite as good as others, but I still enjoyed it. There were a few things I didn't care for, but if my memory serves me right, I think further into the series some of those wrinkles are ironed out. This was not bad writing by any means, but I can see and feel the difference in his writing today versus 1987.

COMPLETED: April, 2008

Hosted By: Becky's Book Reviews

(6 Card-related books/January - December, 2008)

1. The Monkey's Raincoat (Crais)

(Finished: January, 2008)

2. The Appeal (Grisham)

(Finished: February, 2008)

3. Birds of a Feather (Winspear)

(Finished: February, 2008)

4. Morality for Beautiful Girls (Smith)

(Finished: March, 2008)

5. When the Bough Breaks (Kellerman)

(Finished: April, 2008)

6. And Then There Were None (Christie)

(Finished: April, 2008)