Murder at the 42nd Street Library by Con Lehane

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

Synopsis

Murder at the 42nd Street Library opens with a murder in a second floor office of the iconic, beaux-arts flagship of the New York Public Library. Ray Ambler, the curator of the library’s crime fiction collection, joins forces with NYPD homicide detective Mike Cosgrove in hopes of bringing a murderer to justice.

In his search for the reasons behind the murder, Ambler uncovers hidden–and profoundly disturbing–relationships between visitors to the library. These include a celebrated mystery writer who has donated his papers to the library’s crime fiction collection, that writer’s missing daughter, a New York society woman with a hidden past, and one of Ambler’s colleagues at the world-famous library. Those shocking revelations lead inexorably to the tragic and violent events that follow.

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I have ambivalent feelings about this book, on the one hand I felt that some of the characters were unnecessary to the plot and could have been eliminated, without the plot suffering, also I felt that some of the plot twists became fairly obvious at certain points of the story, I am not sure if this was the intention of the Author and I won’t go into them here as I do not want to provide any spoilers.

I did find that the main characters were well written and beautifully define and the main character of Raymond Ambler is the type of person I would very much like to meet and discuss books over a drink with.

Although part of the ending, to me was obvious, I was still moved by it and it brought a smile to my face, if you like crime stories then this is a very good read, although you may get confused by the shear number of people coming and going (who knew a research library would be so busy with people who come and go with seemingly no reason)

This is the first book in a series and I am really looking forward to finding out what Ambler gets up to next. I will definitely be buying the next one when it comes out. I only hope I don’t have to wait too long.

Con Lehane – you have another fan.

Published on the 26th April 2016

Minotaur Books

I gave this 3 out of 5* on Goodreads, I hope the next one will be a 4 at least!

 

 

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Do you Goodreads Challenge?

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

I have attempted the Goodreads challenge since 2011 and I have only completed it once! I think I set my goal to high, but  after I completed the challenge I wanted to set I higher goal otherwise where was the challenge?

Anyway since then I have failed, but then sometimes I read really big books and sometimes really small – currently I am reading one of about 800 pages and it is not any easy read, so it is taking me longer than usual. I also read more than one book at a time because I read on my phone at work as I don’t want to carry the 800 page beast of a book with me.

I also tend to read more in winter when it is cold and dark, or when I am on holiday, but generally really do get distracted by one of my other hobbies, usually photography. I am still attempting the Goodreads challenge because I think it encourages me to read more, though if I don’t complete it, it is not the end of the world.

Currently I am only 7 books behind and with a holiday looming it is likely I will catch up when on holiday.

 

But really the only challenge should be to enjoy reading, whatever book you decide to read, whether it is A brief history of time or 50 Shades of grey, it really doesn’t matter as long as you keep on reading.

 

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Run Girl by Eva Hudson

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

Synopsis

In Europe to help broker a peace deal, Secretary of State Jayne Whitticker is in the middle of delicate negotiations when her wayward granddaughter goes missing in London.

Special Agent Ingrid Skyberg is hauled out of her FBI training session at Scotland Yard to lead the hunt for the 18-year-old. The problem is, Ingrid has only one lead, just a few hours and can’t call in the local cops for back-up.

Will Ingrid find the girl in time? Or will her failure lead to the collapse of crucial peace talks?

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My thoughts

This is the introductory story for a series of books featuring FBI Agent Ingrid Skyberg, I have actually read the next one in the series and when I read it I did wonder how and why she ended up working at the American Embassy in London and this explains it all.

The main characters are well written and believable and the story is a good read, although I did want to slap the spoiled girl who gives the book it’s title, but all the characters do come alive, and I can picture Agent Skyberg and her colleague in my head, which is always a goof indication of the quality of the writing. I will be looking out for other titles in the series as I am interested in what Skyberg will get up to next, some how I cannot see her settling down and giving up her career, which is going to cause some issues in future books, I feel.

 

If you want a nice easy read, then this is for you, I read this in one go, and gave it 4 out of 5* on Gooodreads

 

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A Star is Born: The making of the 1954 film and it’s 1983 restoration by Ronald Haver

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

Synopsis

There is no question that the 1954 version of A Star is Born holds a special place in the pantheon of classic movies. It was director George Cukor’s first foray into musicals, his first colour film, and it was without a doubt Judy Garland’s greatest screen performance. With incredible detail, Haver gives us the gripping story of its making and marketing, the myriad technical problems, the clashes of personalities, and the shocking ups and downs of the film’s star. And here, finally, is the author’s own mission to restore the film to its original length and glory in 1983.

 

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My thoughts

The 1954 version of A star is Born, is one of my favorite films. Judy Garland as Vicki Lester and James Mason as Norman Maine give amazingly moving performances as to movie starts, one on the way to the top, and one hurtling towards oblivion in a bottle.

This book chronicles the troubled making of the film, from finding the right leading man (both Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart were approached to play Norman Maine), the script and music issues and even what format and lenses to use (CinemaScope had just arrived and Warner Brothers did not want to pay to use the 20th Century-Fox equipment but there own version was considerably inferior), and of course the absences and delays caused by Judy Garland.

However, not all of the overspend on the film can be attributed to Garland, and Ronald Haver explains that large amounts were wasted after Warners decided to junk footage shot in the normal screen ratio and reshoot in CinemaScope. George Cukor spent thousands of printing as many shots as he could, he wanted the best picture possible, and when the film was finally complete it ran for 182 minutes, in order to recoup the cash and show the film as many times a s possible per day the film was cut to 154 minutes, and this was the version that was shown for many years. Sadly the cutting was done so badly and with little thought to character and plot development that once cut, the film didn’t work as well, had is been cut by Cukor (they wouldn’t let him) it would have been done more sensitively.

The book then goes on to explain how the missing footage was found and restored where possible and if not how photos were used to link the narrative.

It is a well written book and extremely interesting and demonstrates how little the film industry valued it’s product then. Of course in the 1950’s, television was the enemy and there were no home video players.

 

If you are interested in Hollywood history and film restoration or a fan of Mason, Garland and the film, then this book is worthy of a space on your bookshelf.

I gave this book 5 out of 5* on Goodreads

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Marilyn Monroe: The Quest For An Oscar by James Turiello

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

Synopsis

Once upon a time there was a girl with moonlight in her eyes, the breeze ruffled through her hair, but that was once upon a time, and once upon a time never comes again.” A few poignant words from a special song but if you let your imagination run wild that girl can only be Marilyn. A picture is worth a thousand words, but in the case of Marilyn Monroe it is even more so. Each and every photograph or piece of artwork depicting her image is truly unrivaled in its beauty. The movies Marilyn starred in are all unique, simply because she was part of the cast. From her first image on the big screen as a mere walk on extra, to the last image she gave us from her unreleased movie, Marilyn’s image radiated and glowed. This book will take you on a special journey along with Marilyn as she always gave 100% to her legions of fans, all the while without knowing how great a movie star she truly was. The journey is filled with facts and nuances that will help to convince you, if you are not already convinced, that Marilyn’s body of work in motion pictures must be recognized with an Oscar. The journey will uncover how Marilyn approached the challenges of her profession. In contrast, the sheer number of those actors and actresses that share her quest, but only to be denied, will surprise you. The journey is filled with hundreds of photographs, artwork and images from around the world, some which you will see for the very first time. There is a section of Marilyn on postage stamps from not only the United States, but from far away places that she never visited. Also included is a complete filmography which lists the entire cast, a synopsis and reviews. When the journey is over, hopefully you will be convinced that Marilyn most definitely deserves her Oscar. So get ready for the definitive book about everyone’s favorite actress, and how she approached her roles and perfected her trade.

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My Thoughts

 

James Turiello makes the case as to why Marilyn Monroe should have received an Oscar in her lifetime and why she should be honored now.

While, like most Monroe students I feel that Marilyn was overlooked for an Oscar especially for her portrayal of Cherie in Bus Stop, Mr Turiello argues why she should have been given one by comparing her films to the films that actually won, and after watching her performances in Bus Stop and the Misfits, you could right;u argue that she should have at least been nominated.

But Hollywood was and still is a place where you had to be in the right clique and play the game in order to be nominated and Marilyn did not play the game, instead she left to form her own production company, which probably raised the hackles of every studio boss in town.

Did she deserve an Oscar for one or more of her performances? Well that’s a matter of personal opinion.

Now as she was not honored in her lifetime Turiello calls for an honorary Oscar to be bestowed upon her, however the Academy does not give out Oscars posthumously, unless of course an Actor dies with in the same year (think Heath Ledger).

This is a nicely presented book and the author clearly would like to see Monroe given an Oscar, but the book does have flaws and he makes simple mistakes with some facts and quotes.

The problem with making errors with quotes is all to easy these days as there are so many fake ones floating around the internet, but I know for a fact that the author consulted with one of the World’s leading Monroe experts, who advised him on the quotes in the book and he still published one he had been advised were completely wrong and it is that lack of respect for both his subject and the person he consulted that will stop me from recommending this book to other Monroe fans.

 

I gave this book 2 out of 5* on Goodreads

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To Kill For – A J Carella

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

Synopsis

Families can be murder … do you trust yours?
Money and a handsome fiancé from a good family. What more could a girl want?
Jamie McKay appears to have the perfect life, but things suddenly start to go horribly wrong. A sudden death and a run-in with a would-be killer leave her alone, afraid and a long way from home.
Kat McKay, long estranged from her family, returns to the small town she hasn’t been back to since she walked away as a teenager. Determined to find out what happened to her niece, she must face the demons from her past and enlist the help of the man she left behind.
Can the McKays survive the explosive results?

 

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My Thoughts

To Kill For has a gripping story line, which lasts right through until the end. I read this in just one sitting, the book has many twists and turns and keeps you guessing until the big reveal.

The only problem I had was I felt that characters could have been more defined, as this book is the firs in a series hopefully the characters will become more and more real as the series progresses. However I really wanted to know why the character of Kat left town for Los Angeles and why she was so reluctant to return and finally stay, why would sge attend her Aunt and Uncle’s funeral, but not those of her own parents?

Why did her Aunt and Uncle push their adopted son the way they did and I am sure that many of these questions will be revealed in subsequent books.

The copy i read was a free Amazon Kindle download and while I enjoyed the book it didn’t make me want to rush back to Amazon and download the next in the series. Although if it ever popped up on the free list of downloads I probably would add it to my TBR.

 

I rated this 2 out of 5 * on Goodreads

 

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What? Not Another Book Blog!

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Andrea Pryke

Yes, I am afraid soo, but why? I hear you cry – why not?

Most of the book blogs I have read ,ailny seem to concentrate of YA and Sci-Fi/Fantasy, which is not a problem at all and maybe I am just looking in the wrong places.

So I thought I’d share my thoughts on the books I have read and own as well as other random nonsense about books and book related things.

There will be reviews on YA, Sci-Fi and Fantasy as I do read these, but also biographies, mainly cinema related, so classics and all kinds of genres as I will pretty much read anything!

I will be honest, I may not like a book – you might love, and your thoughts and opinions are welcomed, so please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

I will start posting reviews pretty shortly so stay tuned for Books Books Books

 

 

 

Andrea

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