Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Believing Is Seeing by Errol Morris


Part Of Synopsis From Dust Jacket:

In Believing Is Seeing, Academy Award-winning director Errol Morris turns his eye to the nature of truth in photography.  In his inimitable style, Morris untangles the mysteries behind an eclectic range of documentary photographs, from the ambrotype of three children found clasped in the hands of an unknown soldier at Gettysburg to the indelible portraits of the WPA photography project.  Each essay in the book presents the reader with a conundrum, and investigates the relationship between photographs and the real world they supposedly record.  

It's rare that I can read a book of essays and not find one of them boring. In an ordinary collection, at least one will be about something Ihave absolutely dull and am forced to either finish reading it, or miss out on something I could learn from.  Thankfully with Believing Is Seeing, documentary film maker, Errol Morris, has managed to write 4 lively and interesting essays into an aspect of photography I've never really thought about before.

In these essays he examines the nature and history of documentary photography and the way it can be used to not only create a memorable image, but to create a flas image and a false reaction in the viewer as well.  Through an exhausting amount of time researching and interviewing, he takes on the enormous taks of not only looking at why a particular picture is taken, but how it was taken.  He delves into the minutae of whether or not a picture was staged and if it was, how it was achieved.  Thankfully, he doesn't stop his examination there.  He also chose to investigate the motivations behind and the fallout after the fact.  Does it really matter if a cow skull is moved around if it get the same point across?  Does a picture have to be staged to create a false impression?  Does the way a photographer frames and edits alter the image itself?

In "Abu Ghraib Essays (Photographs Reveal And Conceal)" he examines two photographs that I think we would all recognize.  The first is of a hooded man standing on a box, hooked up to what appears to be wires.  The man is being tortured and it's hard not to have an initial reaction to it.  What I did not know before reading this book was that the man has been positively identified, but also had a different man claiming to be him.  Morris examines the backround of the story and hwo the fact a man falesly came forward changed the dynamic of hte story and the photograph itself.  Does this false claim make the horrow of any less impactful?  Does he hurt the cause of justice for the other victims of Abu Ghraib?  Does the fact that he may have truly believed he was the man in the picture, matter at all?

The second photograph examined in this essay is the infamous one of MP Sabrina Harman posing with a dead prisoner, giving the thumbs up sign.  When I first saw the photograph, I was appalled by the image.  In my gut, I was horrified and embarrased that a fellow American, a soldier, was appearing to be so callous in the face of a horrific death.  I'm grateful that Morris chose this photograph to delve into.  He not only examined the motivations of Sabrina Harman, but he looked into the backstory of the events that lead up to the photograph.  I still have a visceral reaction when I look at the picture, but I'm no longer judging the young soldier pictured in it.  If this essay taught me anything, I learned that without knowing the context of a picture, there is no way to get the whole story.

I would like to thank Trish of TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to read/review this book.  Please visit the  tour page for additional reviews.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Sheila's Favorite Fictional Character --- Mia Devlin


The summer if finally winding down and most of the kids in the area have already started school.  Work is going to get a little less chaotic and my two month guest post extravaganza is coming to a an end.  Sheila from Book Journey will be the last of my Favorite Fictional guest posters and I'm not sure I could have ended with a better choice.  Sheila was really the first blogger, who I didn't already know preblogging days, that I got to know.  I met her on Book Blogs and I quickly, probably without her even knowing it, started to learn from her.  I found her to be an amazing, welcoming individual who didn't hesitate to show the new kid on the block a little kindness.  I will always appreciate and be thankful to her for that.  After two years, I still look up to her and all that she has accomplished.  I'm sure most of you know her, but if you don't, please go on over and say hi.  I'm sure she will quickly make you feel at home and will personally place the coffee cup into your hand.


A while back Ryan asked me if I would like to do a guest post on my favorite fictional character.  I quickly agreed and told him he would never guess who this character is.   Anyone who reads me over at Book Journey probably would make a guess of Harry Potter, or a character from the Potter series.  I would call that a valiant guess - but not the character I had in mind. 

My favorite fictional character was first introduced to me 10 years ago this month.  The reason I know exactly when it was is because the book was Dance Upon The Air by Nora Roberts.  This book was our first ever book club read and our book club was started in August 2001.


The character is Mia Devlin and we are introduced to Mia...
Mia Devlin ran Cafe Book the way she ran her life.  She had a mass of hair the color of autumn leaves.  Reds and golds spilled over the shoulders of a long blue dress that left her arms bare to the silver bracelets that winked bright on each wrist.  Her eyes were as gray as smoke and dominated a flawless face.  Slashing cheek bones, a full wide mouth that was painted siren red.  Skin like alabaster... she was tall, willow slim and perfect.
Now before you think "how shallow is Sheila?", there was much more to Mia.  Mia held my dream job as well.  She owned Cafe Book, and if is described as a two-story book store... books upon books on the main floor, a winding staircase to the top floor which holds a sandwich/ coffee shop.  I can almost smell the coffee as my mind opens the door to Cafe Book....
Mia is also a modern-day witch.  (Ok, ok, insert laugh here) but she uses her powers only for good.  All of this takes place on a little touristy island called Three Sisters Island. 

This book, and the two that followed in this trilogy, are still among my favorites and I recommend them to anyone who is looking for great reads.  This is not Nora's normal style of writing.... the magical aspect of these books is wonderful.

So in recap....

Mia has my dream job as a book store owner on a secluded island.

She is beautiful and wears long flowing dresses all the time.

She is smart and kind.  Always taking care of those she cares about.

She has powers!

Our book club is planning a comes as your favorite character party this fall.  I am going as Mia... I already have the perfect dress picked out.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Mailbox Monday for 8/29/11


Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books and is being hosted all this month by Staci at Life in the Thumb.


I received a trade paperback of Death of the Mantis by Michael Stanley for an upcoming TLC Book Tour.


I received a hardcover of State Vs. Defense by Stephen Glain for review from PTA.


I received a trade paperback of Unforeseen Fears by William Gruchow from the author for review.


I won an ARC of Down the Mysterly River by Bill Willingham from Cecelia of The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia.


I won a hardcover of Crime Fraiche by Alexander Campion from LibraryThing.


A hardcover of The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne was a surprise delivery from the wonderful Becke of The Mysterious Garden Muse.  She also happens to be the moderator of the Mystery forum on the Barnes & Noble book club site.



On my last trip to Borders, I picked up a trade paperback of The Town That Forgot How to Breathe by Kenneth J. Harvey and a paperback of Wielding a Red Sword by Piers Anthony.



From the Friends of the Library Book Store I picked up two hardcovers for $1 a piece.  I've read Murder at the Library of Congress by Margaret Truman before, but I haven't read Murder on the Potomac.


Last night I stopped into Target to get a few things and found Big Business on DVD for only $2.  


One of my birthday gifts was 4, Beyonce's new CD.  I've never been a big fan of her ballads in the past, but she really impressed me with this one. Of course, the dance songs are up to her usual standards.



Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Staci's Favorite Fictional Character --- Charles "Pa" Ingalls


What can I say about Staci of Life In The Thumb.... Well I can start with the fact that she is obsessed with Mr. Darcy, though I still can't quite figure out why.  The vlog she did, calling me out on the subject, gave me a little inkling but it wasn't enough.  Maybe I need a little more, I dont' know, but I have to respect anyone who likes a character as much as she does him.  I can also say she is a fabulous blogger, writer, and all around class act.  She has made me feel welcome from day one, and I can never tell her how much I have appreciated it.  She has been encouraging, even when she didn't realize.  She is a truly special person and I'm glad I've gotten to know her, even if just a little bit.  She has also added to my wish list on more than one (WAY more occasions, so hers is a blog I go back to on an almost daily basis.  If any of you don't know her please stop on by and say hi.  I'm sure you will be made to feel at home.


When Ryan asked me to write up a post for his Favorite Fictional Character Wednesdays I immediately thought of Mr. Darcy! One, because Ryan just can't get enough of my love for Darcy and two, because I seriously do love Darcy. But then I really sat down and thought about a fictional character that made an impact on my life and came up with Pa Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie

When I was in first grade, Mrs. Wilson read Little House in the Big Woods to our class. It was then and there that I fell in love with Pa and Little House on the Prairie. I loved that Pa would get out his fiddle and play music to entertain the family at night. I was also drawn into how safe he made his family feel. 

Then when Little House on the Prairie came to television my little heart swelled to ten times it size! Here was Pa, bigger than life, and with such an infectious laugh. I adored Michael Landon as Pa and felt that he belonged to me. Every week my family gathered together to see what would happen next in the Ingall's little house. Without fail, Pa always treated his children with love, patience and tenderness. I felt safe and secure when I was lost in their world. It was nice to see that my Pa was so much like Laura's Pa. Boy, did I feel special. 

I remember when Michael Landon passed away ...I felt as if a piece of my childhood had died and I wept. I honestly don't believe any fictional character has had such an impact on my childhood as Pa Ingalls. 

Note: I do understand that Mr. Ingalls was a real person, but there is a part of fiction wrapped up in those books and TV shows!!

Two For Sorrow by Nicola Upson


Synopsis From Back Cover:

They were the most horrific crimes of a new century:  the murders of newborn innocents for which to British women were hanged at Holloway Prison in 1903.  Decades later, mystery writer Josephine Tey has decided to write a novel based on Amelia Sachs and Annie Walters, the notorious "Finchley baby farmers," unaware that her research will entangle her in the desperate hunt of a modern-day killer.

A young seamstress - an ex-convict determined to reform - has been found brutally slain in the studio of Tey's friends, the Motley sisters, amid preparations for a star-studded charity gala.  Despite initial appearances, Inspector Archie Penrose is not convinced this murder is the result of a long-standing domestic feud - and a horrific accident involving a second young woman soon after supports his convictions.  Now he and his friend Josephine must unmake a sadistic killer before more blood flows - as the repercussions of unthinkable crimes of the past reach out to destroy those left behind long after justice has been served.

I'm always a little hesitant when an author takes a real life person and puts them into a work of fiction, especially a mystery.  I'm even more suspicious when that real life person is herself a mystery author.  I have never read anything that Josephine Tey has written, but a lot of my friends (who's opinions I trust) tell me she is absolutely fabulous.

I'm going to be honest now, despite my reservations, I agreed to review this based off of two things.  First, I fell in love with the synopsis.  Ever since I read 31 Bond Street, I've been looking for well written fiction that deals with an actual crime.  Second, I loved the cover.  It is one of the loveliest I've seen in a long time.  Once I got the book in the mail, the cover was an even bigger treat than I at first thought.  There is a texture to it, as if the real paint had been used to do the illustrations, book by book.  I can't tell you how many times I would just run my hand along the cover as I was reading.  I have never thanked a cover illustrator before, but I think Mick Wiggins did a wonderful job.

Much like with 31 Bond Street, I thought this author did a really wonderful job researching the actual crime involved and making the story come to life on the page.  I almost think it's harder to include a real case into a work of fiction than it is to make something up.  The author has to craft their story around something that they have no control of, instead of taking an event and being able to play with the details in order to tell the story they want to put out there for the reader.  Two For Sorrow is a perfect example of an author crafting a story around a real life event and doing it in such away that there are no seams or imperfections between what's real and imagined.  What was brilliant about it was that while Amelia and Annie play a role in the book, through reading excerpts of the novel that Josephine is writing, they only color what's going on in the present time, they are not the focus.

I also enjoyed the way Nicola Upson brought to life Josephine Tey and her world in London in the early part of the twentieth century.  Josephine Tey became a real person to me, not just a mystery author I've been meaning to read.  Her life and personality came off the page in such a way that if I find out that she wasn't like this in real life, I may be a bit disappointed.  What I did not know until this book, and I did confirm it through other sources, was that Josephine Tey was either gay or at the minimum bisexual.  The way the subject was treated was rather intriguing to me.  It seemed as if lesbianism (no real idea of how gay men were treated) was almost accepted, if not in general society, than in the world that Josephine Tey and her friends inhabited.  It was part of who she was and doesn't seem to have been an issue, at least not in the fictional side of her.  It's made me want to know, not only more about Josephine Tey, but about history of gay men and lesbians during that time in history.

The story itself was wonderfully engaging.  It didn't move at lightning speed the way I'm used to with most mysteries.  Instead it meandered along between the past and present, following it's own course.  It kept me wanting more.  I wanted to know who the person was that could perform such a viscous, violent act against the young seamstress as she was preparing to finish a cape late at night.  I wanted the guilty party to be punished for their extreme crimes.  But even more than that, I wanted to be there.  I wanted to be part of the story.  I wanted to help Josephine and Archie figure out what happened.  It's been a while since I've read a story that drew me in so much, that I wanted to be part of it.  I wanted to get to know the characters and live in their world.  I just hope it's an experience that keeps happening to me, just on a more regular basis.

I would like to thank Trish of TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book.  I would encourage you to visit the tour page to read other reviews.

Challenges: A-Z, GLBT, FF, M&S

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Mailbox Monday for 8/22/11


Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books and is being hosted all this month by Staci at Life in the Thumb.



I received a hardcover of Believing Is Seeing by Errol Morris and a trade paperback of The Oracle of Stamboul by Michael David Lukas for upcoming TLC Book Tours.


I got a trade paperback of Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters from the publisher for review.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Cecelia's Favorite Fictional Character --- Suzy Turquoise Blue


Cecelia of Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia has a great taste in books.  She is one of those bloggers that always seems to be reviewing a book that I have never heard of before.  After reading her reviews though, I tend to find myself really, really wanting to read them.  I don't think I have picked up a book she recommended without liking it.  That and I can never get enough of her baking posts.  I'm not much of a baker myself, so seeing her handiwork makes my salivary glands go into overdrive.  It doesn't help that I would never be able to replicate her accomplishments.  If you don't believe me, go over and see for yourself.  I can guarantee that after saying hi, you will stay for a while reading all about the great books and food.


If Suzy Turquoise Blue’s name is familiar to you, we just became instant friends.  No, you don’t have any say in the matter (aren’t I charmingly forceful?  ha!)  Any fan of author Garth Nix is automatically a friend of mine.  And if Suzy Turquoise Blue sounds like the grownup child of hippies somewhere in New Mexico (and you really have no idea who she is) – then goodness, you’ve got a whole wonderful world to discover, and I envy you the fun you’ll have!

Suzy Turquoise Blue is an ink-filler, sixth class, when the reader meets her in Garth Nix’s middle grade fantasy Mister Monday, the first of seven Keys to the Kingdom books. And her first words are “Hey! Idiot! Up here!”  Anyone with that tone is liable to make me laugh uproariously, and Suzy DOES.  She can’t help it – she’s irrepressible and direct and curious and altogether too much fun.

Suzy helps the hero of the Keys books, Arthur, to get out of a scrape, and that’s just the first of many adventures that she and Arthur land in.  Suzy leaps over rooftops, flies with a pair of wings, jimmies anything locked, closed, or generally meant to be NOT open, open.  She’s also loyal to the point of death, a wonderful friend, and the first person to pick to guard your back.

I was reading along innocently, quietly enjoying Mister Monday, and then BOOM!  I was hijacked by the force that is Suzy.  She is the reason I loved these books – truly.  I don’t know that I’ve ever met a character with such verve.  Or if I have, it’s very likely that I forgot them because they didn’t have something that every great character needs – an unforgettable name.  And you have to admit, Suzy Turquoise Blue as a name is a mouthful, descriptive, AND straight-up awesome. 

Oh, and I should mention something else – Suzy speaks in vernacular when she’s not paying attention.  As far as I can tell, it’s Cockney/Aussie/something-or-other, but I could be wrong.  It’s not hard to figure out, but it makes her bits of dialogue utterly delightful when read aloud.

And now that I’ve completely fangirled about Ms. Blue, might I interest you in Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series?  That’s where you’ll find out more about Suzy and all of her (and Arthur’s) adventures in this and other assorted worlds.  Thanks for having me, Ryan!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Do I Have To Turn 35?


All this year I've been fine with turning 35.  I had no problem turning 30, so why would I care so much about being 5 years older than that?  So why does it seem I'm hating the idea?  Right now, I'm going to blame it on the wedding I went to last night.  For some reason, they always make me feel older than I am.  Not sure why, but not going to think too hard about it either.  Introspection is good for you, right?

I'm going to go into work for a few hours, then come home and spend the rest of the day with my son.  He came home from MN on Friday, and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present.  Not sure what we will be doing, if anything, but spending time with him will be enough.

So please indulge in some cake and ice cream today and I hope you all have a great day.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Mailbox Monday for 8/15/11


Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books and is being hosted all this month by Staci at Life in the Thumb.



On a quick trip to Borders I picked up two trade paperbacks, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.  I'm thinking that I'll only get to go there one more time before they close, so we'll see what I end up with then.


I received a trade paperback of Ivan And Misha by Michael Alenyikov for an upcoming TLC Book Tour.


I received a hardcover of Fire Monks by Colleen Morton Busch.  The lovely Sheila of Book Journey forwarded this one along to me.


I won We've Seen Santa by Tiffany Higgins from Michelle of The Christmas Spirit.


I won a One Day by David Nicholls prize pack.  I'm not sure which site I won it from though.  If anyone knows, please let me know.


Friday, August 12, 2011

NPR's 100 Top Science Fiction/Fantasy Books


For this summer, NPR asked it's listeners to nominate & vote on their favorite science fiction and fantasy books.  They didn't do it alone, thank goodness, they had the assistance of a panel of experts.  

I've only read 15 of the top 100 books selected, though quite a few of them are made of multiple books.  So the actual book number would be much higher.  I do wish they would have made separate lists for science fiction and fantasy.  I think by combing the two genres, it does a disservice to both the readers and the authors.  I would have liked to see Guy Gavriel Kay & Mercedes Lackey make the list.  I also think a few names appear way too often, Neil Gaiman & Neal Stephenson being two of them.  Overall, I think it's a good list and includes some of my favorite books of all time.  It also includes a lot of books that have been on my radar for a while, now I just need to read them.  The one thing about this list I loved, no YA or horror.  So thankfully, Twilight did not make the list.

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
4. The Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert
5. A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
6. 1984 by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
9. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
12. The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
13. Animal Farm by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer by William Gibson
15. Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
16. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
32. Watership Down by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
35. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
36. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
38. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
39. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
40. The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad by David Eddings
42. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
46. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
47. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold
60.  Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote in Gods Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan the Barbarian Series by Robert E. Howard & Mark Schultz
69. The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way of the Kings by Brandon Sanderson
72. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
73. The Legend of Drizzt Series by R. A. Salvatore
74. Old Man's War by Jon Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
76. Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book of the Fallen Series by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series by Iain Banks
84. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series by Jim Butcher
87. The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
90. The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock
91. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
99. The Xanath Series by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

NPR's 100 Top Killer Thrillers (Last Summer's List)


Last summer the listeners of NPR, with some expert help, nominated and voted on their top 100 Thriller Killers.  I actually meant to post about this last summer, but totally forgot all about it.  I didn't think about it again until this year's list came out, Top 100 Science Fiction, Fantasy Books.  So before I shared the new list with you, I figured I better get the old one posted.  


What do you think about the choices made?  Myself, I'm pretty impressed that some of the books I voted for made the list.  It was nice to see Agatha Christie in the top 10, though I would have liked to see more of her books on it.  Dracula, coming in at 11 was a nice surprise.  I'm actually shocked by how many of these books I have never read, I've only read 12 of them (the red highlighted ones.)  I guess I have a lot of reading to do.




Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
  • 1. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
  • 2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
  • 3. Kiss the Girls, by James Patterson
  • 4. The Bourne Identity, by Robert Ludlum
  • 5. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
  • 6. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
  • 7. The Shining, by Stephen King
  • 8. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie
  • 9. The Hunt tor Red October, by Tom Clancy
  • 10. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle



    Jurassic Park
    • 11. Dracula, by Bram Stoker
    • 12. The Stand, by Stephen King
    • 13. The Bone Collector, by Jeffery Deaver
    • 14. Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton
    • 15. Angels & Demons, by Dan Brown
    • 16. A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
    • 17. The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton
    • 18. Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane
    • 19. The Day of the Jackal, by Frederick Forsyth
    • 20. Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier



      Girl Who Played With Fire
      • 21. Eye of the Needle, by Ken Follett
      • 22. It, by Stephen King
      • 23. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
      • 24. The Girl Who Played with Fire, by Stieg Larsson
      • 25. Jaws, by Peter Benchley
      • 26. The Alienist, by Caleb Carr
      • 27. Red Dragon, by Thomas Harris
      • 28. Presumed Innocent, by Scott Turow
      • 29. The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett
      • 30. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson



        Rosemary's Baby
        • 31. No Country For Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy
        • 32. Gone Baby Gone, by Dennis Lehane
        • 33. Gorky Park, by Martin Cruz Smith
        • 34. Rosemary's Baby, by Ira Levin
        • 35. Subterranean, by James Rollins
        • 36. Clear and Present Danger, by Tom Clancy
        • 37. Salem's Lot, by Stephen King
        • 38. Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane
        • 39. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, by John Le Carre
        • 40. The Poet, by Michael Connelly



          Pet Sematary
          • 41. The Boys from Brazil, by Ira Levin
          • 42. Cape Fear, by John MacDonald
          • 43. The Bride Collector, by Ted Dekker
          • 44. Pet Sematary, by Stephen King
          • 45. Dead Zone, by Stephen King
          • 46. The Manchurian Candidate, by Richard Condon
          • 47. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, by John Le Carre
          • 48. The Talented Mr. Ripley, by Patricia Highsmith
          • 49. Tell No One, by Harlan Coben
          • 50. Consent to Kill, by Vince Flynn



            61 Hours
            • 51. The 39 Steps, by John Buchan
            • 52. Blowback, by Brad Thor
            • 53. The Children of Men, by P.D. James
            • 54. 61 Hours, by Lee Child
            • 55. Marathon Man, by William Goldman
            • 56. The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
            • 57. 206 Bones, by Kathy Reichs
            • 58. Psycho, by Robert Bloch
            • 59. The Killing Floor, by Lee Child
            • 60. Rules of Prey, by John Sandford



              The Hunger Games
              • 61. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
              • 62. In the Woods, by Tana French
              • 63. Shogun, by James Clavell
              • 64. The Relic, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
              • 65. Intensity, by Dean Koontz
              • 66. Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming
              • 67. Metzger's Dog, by Thomas Perry
              • 68. Timeline, by Michael Crichton
              • 69. Contact, by Carl Sagan
              • 70. What the Dead Know, by Laura Lippman



                Secret History
                • 71. The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
                • 72. The Cabinet of Curiosities, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
                • 73. Charm School, by Nelson DeMille
                • 74. Feed, by Mira Grant
                • 75. Gone Tomorrow, by Lee Child
                • 76. Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay
                • 77. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
                • 78. The First Deadly Sin, by Lawrence Sanders
                • 79. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
                • 80. The Brotherhood of the Rose, by David Morrell



                  Goldfinger
                  • 81. Primal Fear, by William Diehl
                  • 82. The Templar Legacy, by Steve Berry
                  • 82. The Hard Way, by Lee Child [tie]
                  • 84. The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper
                  • 85. Six Days of the Condor, by James Grady
                  • 86. Fail-Safe, by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler
                  • 87. Strangers on a Train, by Patricia Highsmith
                  • 88. The Eight, by Katherine Neville
                  • 89. The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown
                  • 90. Goldfinger, by Ian Fleming



                    Bangkok 8
                    • 91. Bangkok 8, by John Burdett
                    • 92. The Kill Artist, by Daniel Silva
                    • 93. Hardball, by Sara Paretsky
                    • 94. The Club Dumas, by Arturo Perez-Reverte
                    • 95. The Deep Blue Good-by, by John MacDonald
                    • 96. The Monkey's Raincoat, by Robert Crais
                    • 96. Berlin Game, by Len Deighton [tie]
                    • 98. A Simple Plan, by Scott Smith
                    • 99. Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith
                    • 100. Heartsick, by Chelsea Cain