The Va Dinci Cod-Not the film tie in version

This hilarious parody by A R R R Roberts writing as Don Brine is a must read for all Da Vinci Code lovers. This book is so small and can be read within an hour and it makes so much fun of Da vinci code that even though you are a fan of Da Vinci Code you cannot help having a good laugh. Danglon Anagrammologist, I hope the spelling is right, is called to help with a muder investigation in the National Gallery in London. While Dan Brown describes Paris, Brine makes a good description of London. There is Nudivue and Teabag who join Danglon in this adventure to unravel the greatest conspiracy against mankind. There is also a small twist in the end. This is definitely for all those who have heard about Da Vinci code whether they have read it or not, whether they liked it or not, you can read this book and have a good laugh.

N for Noose

Kinsey Millhone, the PI from Santa Teresa who is twice divorced and at present single who still lives in 80’s and types her reports in typewriter rather than use computer and does not know what a cell phone looks like, on her way back to Santa Teresa after looking after her not so well boyfriend, Dietz. On her way Dietz puts her on a case. Tom Newquist’s widow Selma Newquist wants to know what was eating into her husband’s mind during the last few months of his life. Tom Newquist who works with the Law enforcement died of heart attack in his truck on the sided of the road. While there is no foul play about his death, there is the question what was bothering Tom Newquist? Kinsey starts asking questions and most of them feel it is better to leave as it is. Tom’s book of notes on his investigation is missing. Kinsey is brutally attacked and she moves to Santa Teresa to unravel the case from there. What was worrying Tom? Should Selma have left things as it is and not bothered to investigate? All the people in that place seem to be working for law enforcement. Sue Grafton leads us one way all along making us guess it is one person throwing clues to us and finally throws a surprise. Moral of the story “Don’t start digging you may unearth skeletons”.

London Bridges by James Patterson

I picked up the book at the airport shop on my way to London. While it does feature Patterson’s detective Alex Cross, it does not take long to realize that this is not Patterson’s typical police story. Alex Cross is promoted to FBI plays an important role in the anti-terrorist squad, do not ask me what role. This is a typical after 9/11 story. A former Russian Agent from the cold war era, who has moved over to NATO’s side, threatens to cause major devastation in various Capital Cities throughout the world. So how does Alex Cross stop it? That is the story. I don’t think he does much to stop it. And after the initial attack in US why doesn’t the FBI and whoever is in charge increase their vigilance on various important —- in other countries. You want to know what the dash is. It is the name of the book. Much of a surprise is it? And there is Weasel the serial killer who in one of the earlier books takes Cross’s girlfriend as victim, when Cross is not smart enough and keeps looking for him elsewhere. There are a few twist and turns in the ending. While not really bore, you can guess what is happening, it is more of a chase story than the typical Patterson. It reminds you of all the other writers in the genre than Patterson himself. While writing a totally different book why stick to the same characters, why Cross? Why not a new hero fit enough for the anti-terrorist, war over terror stuff?

Therapy by Jonathan Kellerman

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis join hands once again to solve a double murder. Gavin Quick and an unknown girl are found dead in a car in a lonely lover’s lane. Who is the girl? Why were they murdered? Is the girl the intended victim as she was impaled after being shot and Gavin Quick just an incidental victim? Or is it the otherway round? Delaware and Sturgis try to unravel the mystery. Quick’s background reveal that he became obsessive after a head injury and was undergoing “therapy.” Does Quick’s psychologist know the truth? If she knows will she speak up? Can you trust your Psychologist?

There are too many unnecessary complications that really really add nothing to the story. You can actually skip a few pages you wouldn’t miss much.

There are way too many obnoxious characters the alcoholic mother, philandering father, detestful aunt, and many others. Noboby is what they look. Everybody has a second life.
There seems to be too much therapy. Lots of people undergoing therapy. Well, that’s the key, isn’t it?

Echo Park by Michael Connelly

Detective Harry Bosch is obsessed with a missing person case for last 13 years. On and Off he looks into the records to look for a clue or a break of what happened to Marie Gesto. Thriteen years after Marie Gesto had gone missing, serial killer, Reynard Waits confesses to the murder of Marie Gesto. He even leads to the corpse of Marie Gesto.
Reynard Waits reminds us of Hannibal Lecter and Connelly himself points out that this guy is like Hannibal. It is not a typical whodunit and more or less we know who is the killer. But it is well written and has a fast narration. The chase sequences, final denouement and field trip sequences are nail biting and graphic. With the details given you can actually visualize the entire sequences. Probably Connelly had written this with an eye for the movie. Yes it would make a good movie.

M for Malice by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is contacted by her cousin Tahsa to find a missing person. Guy Malek, the prodigal son had been missing from scene for the past 20 years and Dad's death and his Will make his reluctant and hostile brothers to search for him. Kinsey finds him very quickly. So now we know that is not going to be the essence of the story there is going to be more. Yes there is more. Guy is killed. So who killed him is it one of his hostile brothers (there are three really obnoxious characters) or somebody with a grudge from past. I did guess the reason and also the killer. But how far would you go to have your revenge on somebody?

One False Move by Harlan Coben

Being a crime fiction fan and a choosy one I am running out of books to read. You would be thinking crime fiction and running out of books I should be crazy. Well, I am choosy about the books I read. I expect the author to respect the readers intelligence and also at the same time play the game. Give subtle hints and finally surprise. Most of all I love the surprise, "Oh! Why didn't I see it before?". The book should be a satisfying read and finally tie up all loose ends. My First favourite is ofcourse the Dame Agatha Christie, Never found her equal so for. And second is Ruth Rendell, though her writing is much different from the genre I usually I read. She is obssessed with obsesssions and I like the way she writes and the way she builds her character, how her story lies on one main character is marvelous. So when I have read all the books of these authors I moved on to Sue Graton, Val Mcdermid and PD James. Well, I have not read all the books of these authors but I am slowly exhausting these. I wasn't much impressed with Sue Grafton intially, I didn't like her A for Alibi at all. But I gave her a second chance and read B for Burlglar and quite liked it. I have a few more to read. I am not reading in order but just reading the books I could get my hands on. Sue Grafton's PI Millhone is funny sometimes and her fisr person narrative is impressive. Only thing I don't understand is why do so many people contact Millhone to find somebody lost 15 or 20 years before. Millhone seems to be running a lost and found home quite well. I wonder are there really so many people who need to be found by somebody else desperately that they hire a PI.

Now I am casting my net little further and trying a few new authors. (Of course I keep trying always, but only a few authors that I try again.) So here I am with Harlan Coben. There are all kinds of detectives in fictional world from a Priest to an eccentric lord. There are the PI's and there are the Psychologist. But here is a sports agent who is the detective. Well, sports agent as a detective. yes. yes. he has had some secret background with the feds. So would all the crimes he solves happen in the sports arena? I don't know. I have read One False Move and it does deal with a gorgeous Basket Ball player. Yes yes it is a woman. Brenda Slaughter gets threatining calls and her father goes missing. Myron Boltair is introduced as her new sports agent and he is our hero. Brenda wants him not only find her father but also her mother who went missing 20 years back (Why do people wait 20 years to find their loved ones? Are they stuck by lightning twenty years later that they suddenly recognise their loved one is missing and desperately want to find them. Well, that is the stuff of fiction. When I write fiction I will also make somebody look for something they lost twenty years before.) Myron is very funny most of the times and comes up with clever repartee. This book has lots of dialogue but the dialogue is interesting. Yes the end was a surprise. I liked the book and defenitely pick one more of his very soon.