The Empty Chair by Jeffery Deaver

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The Empty Chair is a crime novel by Jeffery Deaver, published 2000.

It is the 3rd novel in a series featuring Lincoln Rhyme; the first of which was made into a movie, The Bone Collector.

Lincoln Rhyme is in North Carolina with his aide Thom and his companion and partner Amelia Sachs in order to receive experimental spine surgery, which may improve or further worsen his C4 quadriplegic disability. 

Whilst there they are approached by a local police sheriff and asked to help in a local case of kidnap and possible rape. They believe the kidnapper to be a local orphaned boy ‘Garret’, the ‘insect boy’.

I have to admire Deaver for being able to write a successful crime scene investigator who is confined to a chair. How does he come up with these plots?

It is well written, interesting, and well researched. Many plot twists as I’ve come to expect from Deaver.

Strike season 5 – Troubled Blood

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, human rights, TVLeave a comment

Quite good. Better than I expected.

I’ve not yet cancelled J.K. Rowling though her legacy won’t be Harry Potter — it will be her weird transphobic attacks on transgender people.

I say weird because for most of her life Rowling has advanced philanthropic causes. The charity Lumos. She worked for Amnesty International documenting human rights issues.

In fact, 95% of her works have been for the greater good.

Why ruin that attacking transgender people?

Weird.

I’ve read some of Rowling’s complicated statements claiming she’s not attacking and harming trans people. Clearly she is ➙ Is J.K. Rowling transphobic? Let’s let her speak for herself.

I thought the book Troubled Blood was least good of the first five.

But the 6th book — Ink Black Heart — was dreadful. I didn’t finish it.

So … how is the TV adaptation of Troubled Blood?

Dark. But quite watchable, actually.

Strike is marginally less annoying. Robin is lovely, as always. Nobody can understand what she sees in Strike.

There is some good acting from the rest of the cast, many of them elderly.

Some touching moments.

The cold case murder mystery didn’t do much for me. Though the ending was well done.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Independent – Strike: Troubled Blood review – This drama should be cherished. It’s the BBC at its best

The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver

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The Bone Collector is a 1997 thriller novel by Jeffery Deaver introducing Lincoln Rhyme, a quadriplegic forensic criminalist.

HOW does a quadriplegic solve crimes?

He has to be a genius.

This is an excellent book. It was fun to see how Rhyme first meets his future partner, Amelia Sachs. She’s a bit of a disaster as a NYPD Patrol Officer — but Rhyme sees potential.

The killer is well written, as always with Deaver.

And there are plenty of twists and turns to the plot.

It was adapted for Hollywood in 1999, starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

NBC had a TV adaptation, as well, that I haven’t seen. It looks even better than the film though it got low ratings. They’ve changed the book to be more entertaining. But only lasted 1 season.

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Reality TV – The Climb

On By Rick McIn ethics, human rights, TV1 Comment

I’m not a fan of reality TV — but this show is good.

10 amateur climbers competing for a cash prize of $100,000 and $100,000 prAna sponsorship.

Less hype, more reality than similar shows. Plenty of respect. Not much faux outrage. No phoney drama.

No psychological warfare or sabotage.

The elimination round each episode is entertaining.

If you can only watch 1 episode, watch the last ➙ #10.

It’s upbeat and positive. I recommend it even for those who have no interest in rock climbing.

This show is presented for the non-climber. I learned a lot.

In fact, as I hiker my tendency is to dismiss climbers — especially mountain climbers — as egomaniac masochists. They get far more media attention than hikers.

Jason Mamoa is 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) — 250 pounds. Not really the right build. But the man loves climbing anyway. He makes celebrity appearances. And this show is Jason’s baby.

Host Chris Sharma is legend in the sport. And they brought in another legend, Meagan Martin, to assist him. Meagan’s famous for American Ninja Warrior, Pole Vault, and Climbing.

Cat Runner, one of the competitors, is small. Light is good. But short doesn’t help in climbing. Cat identifies as transgender, one reason he’s a climber — an activity where gender doesn’t matter.

I was cheering for him before finding out he was trans. I was cheering for Cat because he was shortest in a sport where it helps to have long limbs. Reach.

Cat’s from Kentucky, one of the many U.S. states where ReTrumplican politicians are proposing anti-LGBTQ and/or anti-trans legislation in an effort to prove they are more horrible human beings than their next GOP primary challenger. Intolerant A-holes all.

Cat organized the Queer Climber’s Network.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related:

The Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver

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Recruited to help the FBI and the Immigration and Naturalization Service perform the nearly impossible, Lincoln Rhyme and his partner, Amelia Sachs, manage to track down a cargo ship headed for New York City carrying two dozen illegal Chinese immigrants, as well as the notorious human smuggler and killer known as “the Ghost.”

But when the Ghost’s capture goes disastrously wrong, Lincoln and Amelia find themselves in a race against time: to stop the Ghost before he can track down and murder the two surviving families who have escaped from the ship and vanished deep into the labyrinthine world of New York City’s Chinese community.

jefferydeaver.com

Farewell Bermuda

On By Rick McIn gymnastics, hiking, travelLeave a comment

I escaped the Great White North winter for about 5 weeks. I’m a volunteer with the Gymnastics Federation and did some coaching at the two competitive clubs.

Population of Bermuda is only about 65,000.

I’ve been coming to Bermuda since 2016. But still treat every goodbye as my last. 😎

Theodore Boone: books 2-3-4

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Theodore Boone: The Abduction, written by John Grisham, is the second book in the Theodore Boone series. It is written for 11 to 13-year-olds.

It’s worth reading this series in order.

Grisham is such a good story teller, that I was convinced to stay with the plot. I was cheering for Theo.

His good friend, April, disappears from her bedroom in the middle of the night.

No one, not even Theo Boone – who knows April better than anyone – has answers.

As fear ripples through his small hometown and the police hit dead ends, it’s up to Theo to use his legal knowledge and investigative skills to chase down the truth and save April.


Children’s Books Wiki

Theodore Boone: The Accused #3 is just as good.

Theo’s home town anxiously awaits the new trial of infamous murder suspect Pete Duffy.

There’s been a robbery and Theo is the accused. His reputation is on the line, and with the evidence building against him — and dangerous threats looming —Theo will do whatever it takes to prove his innocence–even if it means breaking a few rules.

It’s a page turner.

Theodore Boone: The Activist #4 is a longer book. The case more complex.

Theo is still age-13, but starting to grow up.

Small town Strattenburg is divided over a hot political and environmental issue — whether or not to build a $200 million freeway bypass while schools, police, fire, and all other town budgets are being cut.

Theo finds himself right in the thick of it … strongly opposed to the plans.

But when he uncovers corruption beneath the surface, no one—not even Theo—is prepared for the risks—and potential harm—at stake.

Torn between his conscience and the law, Theo will do whatever it takes to stand up for what is right.

The end of this book is the best single scene in the series so far.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Final Twist by Jeffery Deaver

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The Final Twist (2021) is the 3rd book in the Colter Shaw series.

Just hours after the harrowing events of The Never Game and The Goodbye Man, Colter Shaw finds himself in San Francisco, where he has taken on the mission his father began years ago: finding a missing courier bag containing evidence that will bring down a corporate espionage firm responsible for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of deaths.

Well researched. Well written. Interesting premise.

Some fun Deaver plot twists.

But ultimately I was not all impressed with this book.

I wish Deaver was a better story teller.

I wish his characters were more real. I might care about them more.

The Last Ship – season 1

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It’s pretty bad. Bad. Toxic, macho, military American jingoism.

BUT I started watching season 1 (2014) because it’s based on a global viral pandemic that has wiped out over 80% of the world’s population.

Something I feared MIGHT happen March 2020.

There’s plenty of science in this otherwise dumbass ACTION show.

The Last Ship is a 218-person crew of an unaffected U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, that has been tasked with supporting a scientist trying to develop a vaccine.

It’s a typical Michael Bay project. Cliche dialogue. Predictable, sentimental story lines.

Most of the cast look like Hollywood actors, not people. How many pretty young females crew American destroyers in real life? 😀

I do like Rhona Mitra as Dr. Rachel Scott. She’s like Lara Croft trying to save the world by inventing a vaccine.

And Charles Parnell as the Master Chief Petty Officer is terrific. Later starring in Top Gun, I’m betting he’s in high demand right now.

The show is popular — despite low ratings with critics.

Tons of action. Especially explosions.

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Solitude Creek by Jeffery Deaver

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As usual with Deaver, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns.

And a terrific bad guy.

Solitude Creek is the fourth in the Kathryn Dance series …

Dance, an agent with the California Bureau of Investigation, finds herself suspended from duty when an interrogation goes bad in a horrific way.

She’s busted down to the Civil Division of CBI and given the boring assignment of checking permits after a stampede in a local roadhouse results in several deaths and a number of injuries.

Dance soon learns, however, that the panic was intentional—a classic case of someone yelling fire in a crowded venue—and unofficially begins to investigate. …

JefferyDeaver.com

The worst videos online are hilariously bad book trailers. This one is an exception — check it out.

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