Agatha Christie- Ten Little Indians (also known as: And Then There Were None) (Pocket Books 1966) 3.75 Stars
This is a timeless classic that I loved. I do not tend to enjoy a lot of the older books, but this is one that I did. Ten people receive mysterious invitations to come to Indian Island. When they arrive there is no host and they are informed of why they are there by record. One by one they start dying and they realize that they may not make it off the island alive.
Agatha Christie is infamous for her novels and it isn’t for lack of talent. She has written Ten Little Indians quite well. The characters are given enough background to help you understand the motivating drives behind their actions. The plot was pretty basic, but well done. It was interesting to see how each person was murdered and how it tied into the nursery rhyme. It was also interesting to see how the killer pulled it all off. The ending of course is meant to be predictable and yet I still found that there were a few surprises that I did not see coming. I was a little annoyed by the fact that it jumped from perspective to perspective constantly, although I understand why Christie did it, it just got irritating. I also would have liked to see a bit more depth in the plot, as it did not seem as filled out as it could have been.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves Agatha Christie and mysteries.
For more of my reviews check out my website. www.tonypeters.webs.com
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Book Review- Iris Johansen- No One To Trust
Iris Johansen- No One To Trust (Bantam Books 2002) 3.5 Stars
Elena Kyler wishes only to protect her son and Sean Galen has been hired to assist her. Rico Chavez wants his son, the son that he never knew existed, but more than that he wants Elena Kyler. She had escaped his grasp once. Can she escape his grasp forever?
Iris Johansen is a talented female author with a knack for writing thrillers. She created believable characters that you couldn’t help but like, although I would have liked to see a little bit more depth to them. The plot was put together well, although it could have been done a little bit better. I was sorely disappointed in the ending though, they spent the whole book building up to the dramatic fight at the end, only to have a short one page fight with very little action involved. It was like blowing up a balloon in the hopes of having a huge ball to play with, only to have it blow up in your face, leaving you empty and sad.
Overall No One To Trust is a pretty good thriller novel. I would recommend this novel to those who like thrillers with a little bit of romance, though the romance isn’t the overall theme.
For more of my reviews check out my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Elena Kyler wishes only to protect her son and Sean Galen has been hired to assist her. Rico Chavez wants his son, the son that he never knew existed, but more than that he wants Elena Kyler. She had escaped his grasp once. Can she escape his grasp forever?
Iris Johansen is a talented female author with a knack for writing thrillers. She created believable characters that you couldn’t help but like, although I would have liked to see a little bit more depth to them. The plot was put together well, although it could have been done a little bit better. I was sorely disappointed in the ending though, they spent the whole book building up to the dramatic fight at the end, only to have a short one page fight with very little action involved. It was like blowing up a balloon in the hopes of having a huge ball to play with, only to have it blow up in your face, leaving you empty and sad.
Overall No One To Trust is a pretty good thriller novel. I would recommend this novel to those who like thrillers with a little bit of romance, though the romance isn’t the overall theme.
For more of my reviews check out my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Book Review- Michael Connelly- The Black Echo
Michael Connelly- The Black Echo (Warner Books 2002) 4.25 Stars
The Black Echo is the first of the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly. In this great novel, Harry Bosch has just been demoted to Hollywood Homicide due to the previous doll maker case, that I don’t think we ever get to read about, feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Bosch gets called in for a possible homicide where the body is found in a tunnel known for the homeless sleeping in. Quickly he discovers that he knows the corpse from his Vietnam days. Quickly he discovers that it is so much more than a simple drug overdose as others suspect. Bosch must go up against enemies in his own department including Internal Affairs who wants to fry him.
I enjoyed The Black Echo novel greatly. I love Harry Bosch as a character. In this novel we get background on a few people to help us understand their motivations or reasons behind their actions, which is great for the reader. I loved the plot as it gripped your attention, although it did have a few slower sections. The dialogue as per usual for Connelly was strong. I did not like how in the end the one criminal involved in the crime explained the crime in detail, even though it could not be used against the culprit. This just doesn’t seem like it would be likely to happen, it was unnecessary information, it would have been better to leave the reader trying to think about how the crime could have been done, leave something for the imagination.
Overall I liked The Black Echo. Connelly is a great storyteller. I recommend this novel to thriller and mystery enthusiasts, or those who just like Michael Connelly.
For more of my reviews check out my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
The Black Echo is the first of the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly. In this great novel, Harry Bosch has just been demoted to Hollywood Homicide due to the previous doll maker case, that I don’t think we ever get to read about, feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Bosch gets called in for a possible homicide where the body is found in a tunnel known for the homeless sleeping in. Quickly he discovers that he knows the corpse from his Vietnam days. Quickly he discovers that it is so much more than a simple drug overdose as others suspect. Bosch must go up against enemies in his own department including Internal Affairs who wants to fry him.
I enjoyed The Black Echo novel greatly. I love Harry Bosch as a character. In this novel we get background on a few people to help us understand their motivations or reasons behind their actions, which is great for the reader. I loved the plot as it gripped your attention, although it did have a few slower sections. The dialogue as per usual for Connelly was strong. I did not like how in the end the one criminal involved in the crime explained the crime in detail, even though it could not be used against the culprit. This just doesn’t seem like it would be likely to happen, it was unnecessary information, it would have been better to leave the reader trying to think about how the crime could have been done, leave something for the imagination.
Overall I liked The Black Echo. Connelly is a great storyteller. I recommend this novel to thriller and mystery enthusiasts, or those who just like Michael Connelly.
For more of my reviews check out my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Book Review- Judy Blume- Fudge-A-Mania
Judy Blume- Fudge-A-Mania (Dell Publishing 1991) 4.5 Stars
This is another classic from my childhood. Fudge-A-Mania is part of the Fudge series, which I love. In this novel, Fudge plans to marry Sheila Tubman, Peter’s worst enemy. Just when he thinks that things couldn’t get any worse, his parents announce their plans to go on holidays with the Tubman’s for three weeks. How will Peter manage to live through the summer?
This book had me laughing in so many places, making it a very enjoyable read. The well-known characters were expertly created once again, coming to life on every page. The dialogue fit the age of the characters in most parts. The plot was not intriguing, but served its purpose, which was mainly meant to be humorous and amusing. There was not a lot of scenic description, but considering it was for middle-readers it wasn’t really needed.
Overall I really loved this book. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good laugh, or an easy read. Children will love this book and I think that most adults will too!
For more of my reviews visit my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
This is another classic from my childhood. Fudge-A-Mania is part of the Fudge series, which I love. In this novel, Fudge plans to marry Sheila Tubman, Peter’s worst enemy. Just when he thinks that things couldn’t get any worse, his parents announce their plans to go on holidays with the Tubman’s for three weeks. How will Peter manage to live through the summer?
This book had me laughing in so many places, making it a very enjoyable read. The well-known characters were expertly created once again, coming to life on every page. The dialogue fit the age of the characters in most parts. The plot was not intriguing, but served its purpose, which was mainly meant to be humorous and amusing. There was not a lot of scenic description, but considering it was for middle-readers it wasn’t really needed.
Overall I really loved this book. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good laugh, or an easy read. Children will love this book and I think that most adults will too!
For more of my reviews visit my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Friday, June 5, 2009
Book Review- Michael Phelps- The Execution of Justice
Michael Phelps- The Execution of Justice (Blue Line Publishing House 2008) 3.75 Stars
For a debut novel, Michael Phelps has outdone himself. The Execution of Justice gives a great in depth look at the life of a police officer. Mike Walsh must try to balance his work life and his home life, which I can only imagine must be extremely difficult for an officer of the law. Hardships hit and long hours at work take place as he goes through case after case, trying to catch the criminals who threaten his city. At the same time he must try to fight off and deal with the tensions that are slowly developing at home.
I found this book to be an insightful read and loved how much I learned about police life. It was very realistic, making it very clear that Michael Phelps has experience in the investigative field. The writing was well done and the characters were expertly developed. I was looking for more of a focused plot meaning that I would have liked to see one case take precedence, with the mention of other cases, but that may be just me.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I recommend The Execution of Justice to anyone who is looking for a good read, looking to learn more about police detectives, or enjoy crime drama.
Thank you Michael for the chance to read this book, I look forward to seeing more of your work!
For more of my reviews got to http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
For a debut novel, Michael Phelps has outdone himself. The Execution of Justice gives a great in depth look at the life of a police officer. Mike Walsh must try to balance his work life and his home life, which I can only imagine must be extremely difficult for an officer of the law. Hardships hit and long hours at work take place as he goes through case after case, trying to catch the criminals who threaten his city. At the same time he must try to fight off and deal with the tensions that are slowly developing at home.
I found this book to be an insightful read and loved how much I learned about police life. It was very realistic, making it very clear that Michael Phelps has experience in the investigative field. The writing was well done and the characters were expertly developed. I was looking for more of a focused plot meaning that I would have liked to see one case take precedence, with the mention of other cases, but that may be just me.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I recommend The Execution of Justice to anyone who is looking for a good read, looking to learn more about police detectives, or enjoy crime drama.
Thank you Michael for the chance to read this book, I look forward to seeing more of your work!
For more of my reviews got to http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Book Review- Ken Goddard- First Evidence
Ken Goddard- First Evidence (Bantam 2000) 2.75 Stars
Investigator Colin Cellars is hired to look into the disappearances of 24 people and several cops. In the area is an old friend of his whom he separated from because of a mutual flame. When he finds what he believes is his friend’s body, he quickly becomes a suspect. Nothing is as it seems though.
Generally I do not read science fiction and this book reminded me of why. The unrealistic situations are frustrating to say the least. Of course people who like sci-fi will likely disagree and enjoy this book more than I did. However they are not me and I definitely did not enjoy this novel. It had great and accurate police investigating and the main character was given a full and complete background, which is good, if only the other characters were given the same background, but the other characters were kind of weak. The plot was good for those who like science-fiction, and the dialogue was strong. The setting was given great descriptive paragraphs and I was able to get a good picture of the scenes.
Overall I did not enjoy this novel. I do recommend this book to science-fiction lovers as they will likely love it.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Investigator Colin Cellars is hired to look into the disappearances of 24 people and several cops. In the area is an old friend of his whom he separated from because of a mutual flame. When he finds what he believes is his friend’s body, he quickly becomes a suspect. Nothing is as it seems though.
Generally I do not read science fiction and this book reminded me of why. The unrealistic situations are frustrating to say the least. Of course people who like sci-fi will likely disagree and enjoy this book more than I did. However they are not me and I definitely did not enjoy this novel. It had great and accurate police investigating and the main character was given a full and complete background, which is good, if only the other characters were given the same background, but the other characters were kind of weak. The plot was good for those who like science-fiction, and the dialogue was strong. The setting was given great descriptive paragraphs and I was able to get a good picture of the scenes.
Overall I did not enjoy this novel. I do recommend this book to science-fiction lovers as they will likely love it.
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
Monday, June 1, 2009
Book Review- Paula Shene- Mandy the Alpha Dog
Paula Shene- Mandy the Alpha Dog (Publish America 2009) 3 Stars
This is good clean book for kids to read, that has an educational factor too. It raises awareness of the terrible way that animals are treated at times by careless owners, breeders, and sellers. Mandy, an older dog, explains to a much younger dog how she was raised and came to be in the home she is now in.
Mandy the Alpha Dog, is hard to place in any particular genre. It has color pictures, which I love because it is different from many other books, the drawings are done by a non-professional artist, which gives it a kind of personal feel. Although not really meant to be put into the picture book category, it also does not have chapters, meaning that it’s not a novel. It was well written, but at times it did sound a little bit too scripted, which kids likely would not notice. I would love to see a better cover though, as people judge books by their cover, (guilty!).
Overall I did enjoy this book. I found it both entertaining and educational. It is a good book for kids age six to ten. Parents would probably enjoy the fact that the book is educational, and may even learn something from it.
I recommend this book to parents looking for a good clean book for their children.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnappingwww.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
This is good clean book for kids to read, that has an educational factor too. It raises awareness of the terrible way that animals are treated at times by careless owners, breeders, and sellers. Mandy, an older dog, explains to a much younger dog how she was raised and came to be in the home she is now in.
Mandy the Alpha Dog, is hard to place in any particular genre. It has color pictures, which I love because it is different from many other books, the drawings are done by a non-professional artist, which gives it a kind of personal feel. Although not really meant to be put into the picture book category, it also does not have chapters, meaning that it’s not a novel. It was well written, but at times it did sound a little bit too scripted, which kids likely would not notice. I would love to see a better cover though, as people judge books by their cover, (guilty!).
Overall I did enjoy this book. I found it both entertaining and educational. It is a good book for kids age six to ten. Parents would probably enjoy the fact that the book is educational, and may even learn something from it.
I recommend this book to parents looking for a good clean book for their children.
For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com
Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnappingwww.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html
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