The Goodbye Man by Jeffery Deaver

The Goodbye Man is another well written, original story by a master craftsman.

It’s the second book in the series about Colter Shaw, a fascinating character.

Shaw is an itinerate “reward-seeker,” traveling the country to help police solve crimes and help private citizens locate missing persons.

He does this for the reward offered.

Shaw refuses to call himself a bounty hunter — he’s an expert tracker — and goes to great pains not to use firearms. I appreciate that.

In Goodbye Man, Shaw signs up for a 3 week course at a mysterious, remote cult retreat called The Foundation. Cost $7500.

It’s creepy. More creepy than Nicole Kidman’s in the TV series Nine Perfect Strangers which I was watching at the same time.

Colter Shaw is in the retreat investigating what happened to one of the young men he as tracking in a previous case, accused of defacing a church with neo-Nazi slogans.

Personally, I preferred book #1 – The Never Game.

This book is very good. But had fewer twists and surprises than the usual Deaver plots.

It was muddled in places, as well, with flashbacks at inappropriate times.

The plot was interesting, but some of the incidents highly unlikely.

David Byrne singing “Heroes”

Easily the best version of the Bowie classic I’ve ever heard.

Watch David Byrne sing David Bowie’s “Heroes” with beautiful, massive backup choir (video)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

The House of Silk is a Sherlock Holmes novel written by British author Anthony Horowitz, published in 2011.

I’d say it’s better than any of the original books by Conan Doyle.

In a new case, Sherlock turns to the Baker Street Irregulars, street kids who work for Holmes as intelligence agents. 

The newest Irregular, a boy named Ross, is killed while staking out a cheap hotel.

Investigating that murder leads Sherlock into the House of Silk case.

The book is full of surprising twists and turns. Watson is a few steps behind, as usual. 😀

Acapulco – season 1

Acapulco is a Spanish / English comedy hit. 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nothing amazing. But I do love the look of the 1980s Mexican resort.

And it’s charming. And silly.

A likeable poor kid from the neighbourhood gets his dream job as the  Las Colinas Resort as a pool boy.

His buddy Memo is entertaining, too.

Camila Perez as Julia Gonzalez, a receptionist, is the potential love interest. Gorgeous.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter specialising in mystery and suspense.

Super popular, I’ve only read one other of his books.

He’s well respected. The estate of Arthur Conan Doyle chose him to write two NEW Sherlock Holmes books: The House of Silk (2011) and Moriarty (2014).

He’s written for the Ian Fleming estate, as well.

The Word Is Murder is the first novel in a series. An intriguing plot.

Anthony, the narrator (a barely fictionalized version of the author), is approached by ex-Detective Inspector Hawthorne, with whom he worked on a television series.

Hawthorne, who is in need of money, proposes that Anthony write a book about him and one of the cases he is working on in exchange for a 50/50 split of the advance and royalties.

The case involves a woman who, six hours after planning her own funeral, is found murdered. Initially reluctant, Anthony agrees and proceeds to document Hawthorne’s solution of the case.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Whitechapel (TV series)

Whitechapel (TV series) detectives in London’s Whitechapel district deal with murders which replicated historical crimes.

The first series was broadcast in the UK on 2 February 2009 and depicted the search for a modern copycat killer replicating the murders of Jack the Ripper.

Phil Davis as D.S. Ray Miles (far left) is good.

But my favourite character is Steve Pemberton as Edward Buchan. He’s a student of famous London killers and consultant to the police.

There’s much to criticize. Especially the gawd awful video editing. Film students should study this show to see how NOT to do transitions from one scene to the next.

They should watch Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock Holmes to see that done well.

But there’s something entertaining about Whitechapel. … But I can’t explain what it is. 😀

Next in Line by Jeffrey Archer

Next in Line (2022) is the 5th and most recent book in the popular William Warwick series.

London, 1988. Royal fever sweeps the nation as Britain falls in love with the ‘people’s princess’.

Which means for Scotland Yard, the focus is on the elite Royalty Protection Command, and its commanding officer. Entrusted with protecting the most famous family on earth, they quite simply have to be the best. A weak link could spell disaster.

Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick and his Scotland Yard squad are sent in to investigate the team.

Maverick ex-undercover operative Ross Hogan is charged with a very sensitive – and unique – responsibility. But it soon becomes clear the problems in Royalty Protection are just the beginning. A renegade organisation has the security of the country – and the crown – in its sights. The only question is which target is next in line …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Nine Perfect Strangers – season 1

Nine Perfect Strangers is a  miniseries based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty

I couldn’t get into the book.

But the TV series appealed.

Nicole Kidman? Making fun of a health and wellness resort?

What’s not to like?

Melissa McCarthy as struggling romance novelist Frances Welty, is funny and interesting, as usual.

All of the cast is good. I didn’t particularly relate to any one more than the rest.

Turns out the secret of this resort is micro-dosing. And it just might work. … Or not.

For me it was 20% too weird. But I loved the ending. And it’s rare for a miniseries to have a terrific ending.

David E. Kelley pitched the series alongside Kidman. Hulu instantly gave it the green light.

It was actually filmed in Australia during the pandemic.

A second season is planned.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tear It Down by Nick Petrie

Tear It Down is the 4th book in the Peter Ash series. And the weakest, so far.

Lots of action. But the plot is simply too impossible, even for me.

Iraq war veteran Peter Ash is restless in the home he shares with June Cassidy in Washington State.

June knows Peter needs to be on the move, so she sends him to Memphis to help her friend Wanda Wyatt, a photographer and war correspondent who’s been receiving peculiar threats. When Peter arrives in Memphis, however, he finds the situation has gone downhill fast–someone has just driven a dump truck into Wanda’s living room. But neither Wanda nor Peter can figure out why.

At the same time, a young homeless street musician finds himself roped into a plan to rob a jewelry store. The heist doesn’t go as planned, and the young man finds himself holding a sack full of Rolexes and running for his life. When his getaway car breaks down, he steals a new one at gunpoint–Peter’s 1968 green Chevrolet pickup truck. 

Peter likes the skinny kid’s smarts and attitude, but he soon discovers that the desperate musician is in far worse trouble than he knows. And Wanda’s troubles are only beginning. Peter finds himself stuck between Memphis gangsters–looking for Rolexes and revenge–and a Mississippi ex-con and his hog-butcher brother looking for a valuable piece of family history that goes all the way back to the Civil War.

DREAM Bike = Priority 600x

UPDATE ➙ similar bike is Boreal Pinion.

My current touring bike is a Trek Checkpoint customized for my good self. And I love it.

IF I was to upgrade, it would be to the somewhat more expensive Priority 600x.

In fact, my guru — Ryan Duzer — switched from a Checkpoint to the Priority. That’s Ryan in the photo.

One of the designers, some call this bike the Duzer Cruiser.

I think I’d prefer the no maintenance belt drive pinion system. And the nearly unbreakable Gates Carbon Drive. AND the suspension looks pretty good on this tough bike.

The supply chain problems of pandemic is over. You can get a 600x stock in the USA, as I post, within 5 days.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.