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Category Archives: Book Reviews

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The Lacey Confession by Richard Greener (2006) – BR00224 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธโšช

The PolyBlog
May 22 2023

Plot or Premise

When a rich and powerful man dies, leaving behind a lengthy and vengeful document of his life, many powerful forces move to capture the document before the document can be revealed to the public.

What I Liked

Whereas the first book read almost like a John Grisham novel, this second one seems like more of a Jeffrey Archer saga across the ages. The Lacey Confession is a document best kept hidden, or so many think. But the terms of his will are quite specific. On the fourth day after his death, it is to be released. Including details about major events of the 20th Century, including the assassination of JFK. While the story could be historical, or more like the Da Vinci Code, Greener roots the story in a young Foreign Service Officer who is the one who receives the document. Some want to protect him, and one hires Walter Sherman, aka The Locator aka The Finder, to hunt him down and find a safe place to keep him hidden. An assassin with pluck and a mysterious powerful CIA fixer are great main characters in the story.

What I Didn’t Like

There are two giant plot holes in the storyline and chronology of events. In the first instance, a lawyer representing Lacey reveals to the Foreign Service Officer that he has the document and gives it to him. Except he wouldn’t. He needed it in order to honour his client’s wishes, as he has for many years. He expects to be “thwarted” in his plans, and that he won’t be allowed to release the Confession, but it makes no sense he gives up the only copy to the random US FSO who shows at his office. Equally, at the end, the person who ends up with the document has it for six to eight weeks while Walter is otherwise engaged. Yet he apparently does NOTHING with the document. He doesn’t act on its contents, he doesn’t tell his partner for whom he is doing all of it, nada. Everything stands still and waits for Walter to be back in the game. The first is a mere plot device, not egregious, while the second is ridiculous and makes no sense whatsoever. It detracts enough from the story to knock it down a star.

The Bottom Line

The best in the series, but alas, there are no more

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged Amazon.ca, book review, Good Reads, PolyWogg | Leave a reply

The Knowland Retribution by Richard Greener (2004) – BR00223 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธโšช

The PolyBlog
May 14 2023

Plot or Premise Walter Sherman has one unique skill. He can find anything that someone is searching for, which, most of the time, is a person. His nickname is the Locator, which he earned in Vietnam. Now he earns a living doing 5-10 jobs a year when people come to him asking him to find someone. In this first book in the series, a bunch of suits want him to find whoever is killing off the business people who were involved in a tainted meat scandal. What I Liked The premise is unique. While lots of series have private investigators … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged book review, Good Reads, Locator, prose, series | Leave a reply

McNally’s Luck by Lawrence Sanders (1992) – BR00222 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธโšชโšช

The PolyBlog
May 8 2023

Plot or Premise What starts as a cat-napping morphs into poison letters, threats and murder. What I Liked There are some decent psychological elements, albeit not well-developed, and a wide cast of characters โ€ฆ a grieving husband vs. a trophy wife who doesn’t care about the cat; a poor poet with a rich wife; and a gang of bunko artists ripping people off through astrology. The police partner has a larger role, including saving Archy’s life near the end. What I Didn’t Like The trophy wife and rich husband are complete caricatures with virtually no role in the case(s). They … Continue reading →

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McNally’s Secret by Lawrence Sanders (1992) – BR00221 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธโšช

The PolyBlog
May 7 2023

Plot or Premise The book is the first in the Archy McNally series. Archy is the one-man investigations unit in his father’s law firm, handling discreet investigations for Palm Beach’s wealthy locals. One of their clients has been robbed, but she doesn’t want everyone to know. She just wants her stamps back. What I Liked Archy is a great character, and I love his interactions with the various members of high society or their associated entourages. Many people COULD have stolen the stamps, we see a red herring or two plus lots of little sub-stories to confuse the narrative. Most … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged book review | Leave a reply

Continuing Crime and Punishment (10-15%)

The PolyBlog
April 29 2023

I mentioned that I restarted C&P for the fourth time (third time from the absolute beginning, hmm, that means it was likely my fifth time reading, depending on how I count, but I digress). I just pressed my way through two really interesting scenes, one where he gets a letter from his mother, and a second while he is out walking while thinking about the letter. Needless to say, since I’m talking about the plot…spoiler alert! For the letter, it is fascinating to see the stream of consciousness of another person (the mother) trying to explain what has happened in … Continue reading →

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My Latest Posts

  • The Lacey Confession by Richard Greener (2006) – BR00224 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐ŸธโšชMay 22, 2023
    Plot or Premise When a rich and powerful man dies, leaving behind a lengthy and vengeful document of his life, many powerful forces move to capture the document before the document can be revealed to the public. What I Liked Whereas the first book read almost like a John Grisham novel, this second one seems … Continue reading →
  • The Knowland Retribution by Richard Greener (2004) – BR00223 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐ŸธโšชMay 14, 2023
    Plot or Premise Walter Sherman has one unique skill. He can find anything that someone is searching for, which, most of the time, is a person. His nickname is the Locator, which he earned in Vietnam. Now he earns a living doing 5-10 jobs a year when people come to him asking him to find … Continue reading →
  • McNally’s Luck by Lawrence Sanders (1992) – BR00222 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐ŸธโšชโšชMay 8, 2023
    Plot or Premise What starts as a cat-napping morphs into poison letters, threats and murder. What I Liked There are some decent psychological elements, albeit not well-developed, and a wide cast of characters โ€ฆ a grieving husband vs. a trophy wife who doesn’t care about the cat; a poor poet with a rich wife; and … Continue reading →
  • McNally’s Secret by Lawrence Sanders (1992) – BR00221 (R2023) – ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐Ÿธ๐ŸธโšชMay 7, 2023
    Plot or Premise The book is the first in the Archy McNally series. Archy is the one-man investigations unit in his father’s law firm, handling discreet investigations for Palm Beach’s wealthy locals. One of their clients has been robbed, but she doesn’t want everyone to know. She just wants her stamps back. What I Liked … Continue reading →
  • Taking a day offMay 1, 2023
    I need a mental health day tomorrow (Tuesday). I got overwhelmed today, and I’m really tired. I just don’t have the energy to adult tomorrow. I posted earlier about the progress I thought I was making on the basement. I was ready to spend a bit of time this week testing different setups to finalize … Continue reading →

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