Tag Archives: fiction

Blood Money by Thomas Perry (1999) – BR00045 (2005) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
May 25 2005

Plot or Premise

Jane Whitefield is happy in her new life as a suburban housewife. But then someone shows up at her door on the reservation, knowing that she used to be the-woman-who-makes-people-disappear. And this one needs to disappear — a young woman who worked for the mob, taking care of the house for an old man who was the mob’s moneyman with a photographic memory, keeping it all in his head. When the man escapes, and then gets whacked, Rita knows she needs help to disappear before the mafia finds her and wants her to tell the moneyman’s secrets — secrets only he knew. Jane doesn’t want to help, having left that life behind, but she has no real choice — the girl has come to her door, her real door, in her new life.

What I Liked

The plot deals with the mafia’s money, and their search for Jane. There is a strong sub-plot about the money, and while it is initially a little far-fetched, it takes the premise and breaks it down into manageable chunks that make it seem almost plausible.

What I Didn’t Like

Some of the story is pretty predictable — Rita is flaky, and you know she’s going to flake out on the group long before Jane realizes it, or at least, long before she admits it to herself. As well, there is a trigger for the initial premise that I figured out in the first few pages, and yet no one else ever figures it out in the book, leading to a surprise for certain people for no real apparent reason. Finally, there is a long series of circumstances that are either Jane simply driving around the country or a series of near-misses for the mafia spotting her that never feel particularly tense.

The Bottom Line

Good book in a great series.

Let Loose the Dogs by Maureen Jennings (2003) – BR00044 (2004) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Detective Murdoch has family problems — his sister, a cloistered nun, is dying and he can’t even see her to really say goodbye, just through a screen. His drunk of a father is in jail convicted of murder and ready to hang, but proclaiming his innocence — so even though it’s been many years since they spoke, Murdoch tries to find out the truth of the death of his father’s acquaintance following a potentially rigged dog race.

What I Liked

This is the best one yet in the series, although perhaps the historical features are not as pronounced in favour of telling a good tale. The storyline takes place for the most part outside of Toronto, and that also helps as it gives the story a unique atmosphere with lots of good local characters to investigate, all with their own dirty little secrets that clog up the investigation — cats and dogs, flirts and pervs. They’re all there. The social life of Murdoch heats up, although after two years of introspection, it comes with a bang, hardly reminiscent of the slow methodical progress before.

What I Didn’t Like

Very little bothered me in the story, although there is a confusing sub-plot about another crime and another investigator who is in the way of Murdoch’s investigation.

The Bottom Line

Best one yet in the series.

Poor Tom is Cold by Maureen Jennings (2001) – BR00043 (2004) – 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Constable Oliver Wicken is dead — the result of an apparent suicide while on duty. But Murdoch doesn’t buy it, so he starts to investigate only to find a woman who claims to have just jilted him, hence the suicide. He still isn’t satisfied, but with nothing else to go on, what can he do? Then another woman comes forward to say SHE was his girlfriend — a second one and neither had ever been mentioned to his mother with whom he lived!

What I Liked

I liked the investigation trail and the confusing leads. As well, a little more development on the social side for Murdoch is well-written.

What I Didn’t Like

The social side is a little too introspective, not enough activity, and the links to a sub-story are poorly done, hence the death is explained but not well-justified by the storyline. The treatment of some mentally unbalanced people is not particularly well done, and not just in terms of being politically incorrect.

The Bottom Line

A good initial premise, but poorly executed.

Under the Dragon’s Tail by Maureen Jennings (1998) – BR00042 (2004) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

Murdoch gets to investigate the death of Dolly Merishaw, a drunkard, a midwife, and an abortionist. She lived with two boys whom she treated horribly, as well as a young woman who is also a little unbalanced. It doesn’t take much for Murdoch to realize there was blackmail involved, the question being of who?

What I Liked

Murdoch’s investigation is relatively straightforward, but the fun part is seeing him trying to figure out the morals of dating and ballroom dancing while he still grieves his fiancée’s death. He’s also training for a bicycle race. It’s a good introduction of some supporting characters too.

What I Didn’t Like

The view of the young woman being unbalanced is far too simplistic and poorly portrayed.

The Bottom Line

A good addition to the series but not the best.

Fresh Blood 3 by Mike Ripley and Maxim Jakubowski (Editors) with Lee Child (1999) – BR00041 (2004) – 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
October 28 2004

Plot or Premise

The collection includes a story by Lee Child called ‘James Penney’s New Identity’, which is the first Jack Reacher story. However, quite frankly, he only has a very small part to play. The story revolves around a guy named James Penny. He works in a small town, where the only industry is a factory that has just laid him off. He storms off, causes damage en route, and the police are after him for the problems he’s caused. It was accidental, but that isn’t going to matter much if they catch him. Enter Reacher to help him out.

What I Liked

I liked the idea of one bad thing getting out of hand and leading to a lot of other problems in Penney’s life.

What I Didn’t Like

Reacher enters the story at the end to save the day, but it’s basically a coincidence. There’s nothing tying the resolution to the rest of the story really, and you also don’t get a good feeling for why Reacher was there in the first place and his backstory.

The Bottom Line

Only read it for the one story.