The House of Cross by James Patterson

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

With the new TV series launching 2024, there was more than usual interest in the 2024 release of 33rd book in the series.

I’d say this is one of the better books. Entertaining escapism.

It’s timely. Set around the inauguration of a new President.

Judges on the list of potential Supreme Court candidates are being murdered.

Why?

A body believed to be the vigilante serial killer called “M” is found after a car wreck in Nevada.

Bree believes that he was the mastermind behind the criminal organization Maestro. She and Sampson pursue to the lair in British Columbia. And disappear.

Alex Cross to the rescue.

Black Doves – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Entertaining. Quirky characters. Some funny dialogue.

Black Doves is a British spy thriller television— absurd black comedy.

Though popular, there’s much to criticize.

I ASSuME the blatant inexplicable scenes are deliberate. The hitman hanging around the murder scene, unworried by CCTV, for example.

So … let’s forget about lack of reality in many scenes.

I can’t admire the writing, either. It’s not particularly smart.

It’s always disappointing to see writers rely on flashbacks to be sure even the dumbest viewers can follow.

Certainly Slow Horses and The Diplomat are far superior.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Storm Prey by John Sandford

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Action packed.

Another great read in the Lucas Davenport series — this one featuring Virgil Flowers, as well.

Storm Prey (2010) is 20th in the series.

The bad guys in this one are really, really dumb.

Very early, 4:45 on a bitterly cold Minnesota morning, three big men burst through the door of a hospital pharmacy, duct-tape the hands, feet, mouth and eyes of two pharmacy workers, and clean the place out. But then things swiftly go bad, one of the workers dies, and the robbers hustle out to their truck — and find themselves for just one second face to face with a blond woman who’s driven into the garage.

Weather Karkinnen, surgeon, wife of an investigator named Lucas Davenport.

Did she see enough? Can she identify them? Gnawing it over later, it seems to them there is only one thing they can do: Find out who she is, and eliminate the only possible witness….

Shetland – season 1

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I finally watched Shetland (2013), the critically acclaimed Scottish crime drama.

Good. Not great.

The first series consists of two episodes, based on the novel Red Bones by Ann Cleeves.

It’s difficult to find anything to complain about. This is serious, well produced television.

Perhaps a little too dire. Not enough levity.

I do like Alison O’Donnell as DS Alison “Tosh” McIntosh. She’s down to earth compared with deadly serious Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson.

Of course I enjoy the remote islands location. And the annual Viking festival.

BUT season 1 was too complicated for me. And the REVEAL was not at all fascinating.

I assume subsequent series are better. Some say season 3 was best of all.

 Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

19th Christmas by Patterson & Paetro

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Another kinda dumb, non-stop action, entertaining read.

19th Christmas is the nineteenth novel in the Women’s Murder Club novel series  by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.

Better than average, I’d say.

Christmas is coming …

Detective Sgt. Lindsay Boxer, her family, and her friends of the Women’s Murder Club have much to celebrate. Crime is down. The courts are slow and the medical examiner’s office is quiet.

Journalist Cindy Thomas is working on a story about the true meaning of Christmas in San Francisco.

Then a series of crimes and threats of horrific crimes to come put the entire police force into nonstop action.

At first, all they have is a name, “Loman,” behind the threats. It takes until Christmas before enough pieces come together to find enough to hope to pinpoint where Loman can be caught.


What to do with OLD Glasses?

On By Rick McIn about Rick, ethics, gymnasticsLeave a comment

I hope donated OLD glasses are recycled or reused.

But I’m not sure.

I recall vividly the day in Grade 6 when a teacher told me I needed glasses. I did.

And I’ve worn them non-stop ever since, even doing Gymnastics.

Fortunately 😀 … AVIATORS were cool in my youth. Chicks dig them.

Heavy? Glass? YES !

I’ve had many different pairs over the years, including the most expensive ($500 !) available at Walmart Optical.

These days I get the cheapest 2 for 1 sale at Walmart. NO extra coatings or features.

Good enough for me.

Now … what do I do with all my OLD Glasses?

The Lost Coast by Jesse & Jonathan Kellerman

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Surprisingly, this is only the 3rd book I’ve read by Jonathan Kellerman and/or his son Jesse Kellerman.

I enjoyed it. This is the 5th book in the Clay Edison series.

Crime Scene (2017)
A Measure of Darkness (2018)
Half Moon Bay (2020)
The Burning (2021)
The Lost Coast (2024)

I only downloaded because The Lost Coast is a terrific hike in California. 😀 … Unfortunately, there’s only one short day hike in the novel.

It’s been almost a year since Clay Edison was forced out of his job at the coroner’s bureau.

Now he’s on his own, working as a private eye.

When a client brings him a fraud case, Clay dives into a decades-old scheme targeting the vulnerable.

His investigation leads him to a bizarre town buried in the remote California wilderness. The residents don’t care much for outsiders. They certainly don’t like Clay asking questions. And they’ll do just about anything to shut him up.

I liked the missing person plot — it kept me guessing.

And I was charmed by the refreshingly simplistic writing style. Unpretentious.

The first half of the book was all good. The second half dragged a bit. Could have been shorter.

The Lost Coast: The gripping new thriller from the international ...

In Praise of Street Musicians

On By Rick McIn music, travelLeave a comment

It’s a treat when happening upon a busker who can entertain.

Here are two musicians I enjoyed while traveling in Europe.

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Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Karen Pirie – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I visited St. Andrews, Scotland summer 2024 — and was keen to watch this drama after finding the body was found in the famed cathedral grounds.

What grabbed me first was the unlikely detective, Lauren Lyle as DS Karen Pirie.

So young and seemingly naive.

Karen Pirie is a British crime drama television series based on the Inspector Karen Pirie series of novels by Val McDermid. 

…  a young detective-sergeant, Karen Pirie, is put in charge of what appears to be a twenty-five year-old cold case. An influential podcast series focuses on the case, the unsolved murder of a barmaid, and Pirie is tasked with rexamining it.

Pay attention. The plot is quite complicated with a number of side stories.

The ending has been criticized. Fairly.

The other character I quite liked was Chris Jenks as DC Jason (Mint) Murray. Pirie’s assistant.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.