Elegy For Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

Synopsis From Back Cove:r:

Early April, 1933.  To the costermongers of Covent Garden - peddlers selling fruits and vegetables on the streets of London - Eddie Pettit was kindness itself.  A little "slow," he was a gentle soul, more boy than man, with a gift for calming the most challenging horse.  His recent death in a violent accident has shocked his friends and neighbors.  They believe Eddie was the victim of foul play, but the police won't investigate.  Their only hope of finding the truth is Maisie Dobbs.

Maisie has known these men from childhood, when her father, Frankie, worked alongside them.  Determined to do right by Eddie, she plunges into the investigation.  They search for answers begins amid the working-class streets of Lambeth, where Eddie lived.  But before long, Maisie is following threads of intrigue to a powerful press baron, a "has-been" politician lingering in the hinterlands of power named Winston Churchill, and to the doorstep of a writer who is also the husband of her dearest friend, Priscilla.

In a series that is 9 books long so far, it's to be expected that at least one of them will in some way not be what you where wanting it to be.  Now granted this is only the 5th one that I've read so far, but I think it's safe to say that I finally reached that point with Elegy for Eddie.

I wish I could sit here and give you a point by point, detailed reason on why I was not able to connect with this one as much as the previous books, but I'm not sure I can.  On one hand, I found the mystery to be compelling.  I wanted to know why Eddie had to die and see those behind the killing punished for their crimes.  Sadly, both the reason for his death and the identity of his killer make both those things a bit harder to accomplish.  I understand why the author went this route with the book, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.  The mystery itself was used more as a vehicle to tell a story that is more about the lead up to World War II than anything else.  Most of the action and characters revolve around the idea that Adolf Hitler is not the good guy some want him to believe.  They are concerned about a second great war that hasn't even been announced yet.  I found all of this fascinating, but wish the mystery wouldn't have had to be a third victim to the plot.

I think the other issue I had was in the character of Maisie herself, and this is where skipping some of the middle books may be kicking me in the ass (though I read the two books that precede this one.)  I found her to be a little too angst filled this time around.  She just can't seem to make up her mind or be happy with anything that is going on with her personally.  She is unsure of her romantic relationship, doesn't know what to do about her father, and is having a hard time dealing with the fact that she now has a lot of money.  Too much of the story was taken up with how Maisie seemed to be feeling sorry for herself, stuck in a malaise, and just a tad bit too whiny.  Now I know that a lot of the issues have to do with her experience in the Great War, the death of her mentor and improved fortune that resulted from that, and the fear that her country is going to be pulled into another war.  This book is all about transitions in that regard.  I just wish it wouldn't have been so painful to read.

Now I'm not saying this is a bad book or even an okay book, because it's better than that.  The writing is as great as it has been throughout the series, the story lines are intriguing  and never bore, and the supporting characters keep the pace moving at a brisk pace.  I guess what I'm saying is that in every series there are going to be books that don't make me coo with pleasure the entire time I'm reading them.  That's not a bad or good thing, it's just the way things are.

I would like to thank Trish of TLC Book Tours for the wonderful opportunity to read and review these books.  Please visit the tour page to read reviews of this book and the rest of the books in the series since the entire month of March is being devoted to them.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Pepe Le Pew

I'm must admit to feeling a little sad at this point in time.  The month is about over as in my trip down memory lane with some of my favorite Looney Toons characters.  I almost broke down and featured Bugs Bunny this week, but there are so many characters in the pantheon that I stuck to my guns and went with another character that doesn't get as much respect as Bugs, Daffy, and Porky.  I considered Speedy Gonzales, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Marvin the Martian, Sylvester &Tweety, and even The Tasmanian Devil (a character that always seemed to get on my nerves.)  Instead of those deserving characters, some more than others, I decided to go with one of my favorite skunks.  I'm in love with those adorable little faces, and I do have more than one favorite skunk character.  So with no further ado let me present Pepe Le Pew, the skunk with nothing but love on the brain.

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of the French skunk named Pepe Le Pew, is his quest to find love in all the wrong places.  He has fallen in "love" with with a female black cat, a male cat, a female dog, a wild cat, and even Sylvester.  Now in poor Pepe's defense, they all disguised themselves as a skunk in order to trick somebody else.  It should also be pointed out that in most of those cases, once the truth comes out, Pepe doesn't care.  He's still in "love" and isn't going to take no for an answer.  He's an equal opportunity lover, though a bit on the needy side.

Now most of his affections are for Penelope Pussycat, the poor black cat who always manages to have a white stripe painted down her back.  I could never figure out how the poor creature could always find mishaps around white paint.  If I were her, I would have avoided the color white at all costs.  For the most part Penelope wanted nothing to do with Pepe.  She would run and run while he chased after her like a miniature stalker.  It wasn't until later that Penelope and Pepe showed their true colors.

After a bit of time, once Penelope started to return his feelings and became a bit more aggressive, Pepe started to flounder a bit.  He may want love, but he wants to be on the doing the pursuing.  He doesn't like being chased nor does he actually want the love given back.  Once Penelope starts to return the feelings, Pepe wants nothing to do with it.  It's an interesting dynamic to see the roles reversed.

Either way, pursuer or pursued, Pepe is one of those characters that will never go away.  He is a part of pop culture and he deserves to have the spotlight on him no matter what he does.

Silent Victims by Lynda La Plante

Synopsis From Back Cover: 

Chief Detective Inspector Jane Tennison has moved up the ranks, fighting every step of the way to break through the station house's glass ceiling.  Now, on her first day as the head of the Vice Squad, a case comes in that threatens to destroy everything she has worked for.

As Vera Reynolds, drag queen and night club star, swayed onstage singing "Falling in Love Again," a sixteen-year-old rent boy lay in the older man's apartment, engulfed in flames.  When Tennison's investigation reveals an influential public figure as her prime suspect, a man with connections to politicians, judges, and Scotland Yard, she's given a very clear message about the direction some very important people would like her investigation to take.  Suddenly, in a case defined by murky details, one fact becomes indisputably clear - that for Tennison, going after the truth will mean risking her happiness, her career, and even her life.

Every good journey must end.  I'm still not sure why, but that's what I've been told my entire life.  So needless to say, my time with Jane Tennison has sadly come to an end.  I'm still not sure why only three books were written or why the American version of the show had to come to a swift end.  Tennison is one of those characters that deserves to live a long and healthy life, one where she always comes up on top despite those rooting for her failure.

With Silent Victims, Lynda La Plante moves Jane from homicide to head the Vice Squad.  She knows she is going into the job with something to prove and she is bound and determined to do so.  When her investigation into the death of the 16 year old rent boy leads into murky waters, Jane is warned to keep a narrow focus.  It's only as she digs deeper into the lives of those who surrounded the young man does Jane begin to realize that their is something much bigger going on.  Why was an investigation into public figures and male prostitutes buried before she got to the department?  Why is a man who runs a teen shelter supposed to be so hands off?  Who is keeping secrets they would rather have stay buried?  It's by asking those questions that Jane will either destroy her career or finally prove that she deserves to be where she is at, maybe even something a little higher.

What I adored about Jane is this final installment is that she finally decides to play the game by the rules the "boys" established years before.  She gets down on there level and comes out on top.  She shows that she is not someone to be trifled with and isn't above playing dirty to get what she wants.  I love her. I want to go out and get drunk with her.  She is truly a character that will stay in my head for a very long time.

I will admit to having a few trepidations about the storyline itself though.  I'm always a little leery when authors start diving into the gay community, presumably one that they don't know much about.  Now granted, this is a side of the community I'm not all that familiar with either.  I know a few drag queens, but that's about the extent of it.  I will say the author played up to a few stereotypes, but I don't think it was done in any way that didn't push the plot along.  She did include a gay officer, and I'm not sure if this was meant to dampen the stereotypes down a bit, but he was a nice addition to the book.  He didn't get a lot of page time, but it did allow me to not see any bigotry behind the other characters.

Now I know this will be my last new foray into the field with Jane, but I'm looking forward to the day when I'm ready to pick up all three books and give her a chance to amaze me once again.

I would like to thank Trish of TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book.  Please visit the tour page to read other review on this and the previous two books.

Mailbox Monday for 3/26/12

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books and is being hosted all this month by Diary Of An Eccentric. 

I'm always surprised by the truly nice and genuine people that I have had the privilege of knowing through book blogging.  What I really love is when one of them, who clearly knows your taste in books, emails you and offers you a few books they are sure you will love.  That was the case when Beth of Beth's Book Reviews offered up a few vintage mysteries that she thought I would enjoy.  Needless to say I was a very happy boy when I got the package in the mail, opened it up, and saw what was inside.  She graciously sent a long paperbacks of The Red Lamp by Mary Roberts Rinehart, The Mountain Cat Murders by Rex Stout, and The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout.

 

I'm a very bad young man (okay, maybe not so young man) who has a nasty habit of walking into bookstores and walking out with more books than he should.  I innocently wandered into Barnes & Noble  and let that heady aroma get to into my head.  I did manage to leave the store with only one book in my hand, a trade paperback of Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie.  However, while I was in the store, I ordered three more books for home delivery.  I picked up trade paperbacks of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, and The Monk by Matthew Lewis.  

Favorite Fictional Character --- Witch Hazel

When I drew up plans for themes and what characters I wanted to use for the year, today's character was going to be featured in October as part of the Halloween characters.  The entire month was going to feature nothing but my favorite witches.  Since then though, I've decided to be a little more fluid in October and not pigeonhole the characters I want to use.  Since I'm featuring my favorite Looney Toons characters this month, I'm not sure how I could let Witch Hazel wait another 7 months to have her time in the sun.

Witch Hazel is another one of those characters that never got used as often as she should have been.  She was the antagonist in three different Bugs Bunny cartoons, and then only appeared in a few other cartoons throughout the years.  It's a shame really since Witch Hazel has to be one of the funniest characters in the entire pantheon of Looney Toons characters.

When we first meet her, she is a witch who enjoys eating children.  Not very funny or nice, but the trouble she gets into with Bugs Bunny is both those things.  Bugs rescues the children and once Witch Hazel discovers the hero is in face a rabbit, her taste in food changes.  She does everything she can to get Bugs into her cook pot instead of the youngsters.  What follows is a wonderful romp full of mishaps, broom crashes, and hilarity the likes of which doesn't happen often enough.

In each of her further encounters with Bus, Witch Hazel just can't get the upper hand on the rascally rabbit.  Thankfully she is able to keep a wonderful sense of humor and more often than not, laughs at her own foibles.  She is the classic witch in looks and in behavior but that doesn't stop her from transcending those themes and becoming one of my favorite Looney Toons characters of all time.

A Lesson In Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Synopsis From Goodreads:

In the summer of 1932, Maisie Dobbs’ career goes in an exciting new direction when she accepts an undercover assignment directed by Scotland Yard’s Special Branch and the Secret Service. Posing as a junior lecturer, she is sent to a private college in Cambridge to monitor any activities “not in the interests of His Majesty’s Government.” 

When the college’s controversial pacifist founder and principal, Greville Liddicote, is murdered, Maisie is directed to stand back as Detective Chief Superintendent Robert MacFarlane and Detective Chief Inspector Stratton spearhead the investigation. She soon discovers, however, that the circumstances of Liddicote’s death appear inextricably linked to the suspicious comings and goings of faculty and students under her surveillance. 

To unravel this web, Maisie must overcome a reluctant Secret Service, discover shameful hidden truths about Britain’s conduct during the war, and face off against the rising powers of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei—the Nazi Party—in Britain. 

Well here I am again, writing a review for a Maisie Dobbs book, the fourth one in about a year.  And once again, I'm not going to be able to say anything negative about the book.  So needless to say, this review is not going to be overly long.  I wish I had paragraphs and paragraphs to say.  I wish I was able to expound on the cleverness and themes being explored in this book, as well as the others.  The problem with that is I've never been one to read too much into any book.  I tend to read in order to enjoy the story, not to over think the issues the author is exploring.  I know that may seem a bit shallow to some, but I learned a long time ago that if I think about what I'm reading too much, I no longer enjoy the book for the story alone.

A Lesson in Secrets, moves Maisie into a new field of work.  Because of her previous work with various government agencies, Maisie is now finding herself working for the more clandestine branches.  She is approached to go undercover at a college and find the sources of the rumors spreading around like wildfire. She needs to figure out what elements in the college threaten the stability of her country.  She quickly enmeshes herself with her students and the other professors.  When the college president is found with a broken neck, Maisie takes it upon herself to find the killer and determine if the death has anything to do wither her assignment.

I loved the idea of Maisie branching out into a field of work that seems like a natural progression of her abilities and training.  Her old mentor, Maurice, was actively involved in clandestine work and it is only just that Maisie follows in her teacher's footprints.  I'm intrigued to see where the author takes this idea as the lead up to World War II gets even closer.

I would like to thank Trish of TLC Book Tours for the wonderful opportunity to read and review these books.  Please visit the tour page to read reviews of this book and the rest of the books in the series since the entire month of March is being devoted to them.

Mailbox Monday for 3/19/12

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme created by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books and is being hosted all this month by Diary Of An Eccentric.

The lovely Deb of The Reading Frenzy also moderates the Fiction General Discussion Board on the Barnes & Noble's book club site.  She had reviewed Bereft by Chris Womersley on her blog and it was a book I  thought I may really enjoy.  So when Deb emailed me and asked if I wanted to participate in a conversation about the book in May for the B&N board, I jumped at the chance.  When I got the ARC in the mail the other day, I was even more excited.

I received a trade paperback of Asgard Park by Ronald Simonar from the publicist for review.

I received a trade paperback of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon for an upcoming TLC Book Tour.

I need to learn to never go into Best Buy without an actual goal in mind.  Friday, when I decided to meander into the store, I really had no clue what I was looking for.  So when I ended up walking out with Underworld: Rise of the Lycans on DVD for $4, Celebration by Madonna (think The Immaculate Collection plus her newer hits), and a Triple Feature CD featuring 3 of Whitney Houston's albums for $9, I was lucky to get out without even more.

I guess I've been in a music centered mood lately.   I took a trip to the flea market today and walked out with 9 vinyl records for $1 each.  Only three of them were for me.  I picked up Winner In You by Patti Labelle, Whenever You Need Somebody by Rick Astley, and Magic by The Jets.