‘A Simple Plan’ (1993, 1998) chillingly shows how easily things can spiral
Book club book report (and movie review): Smith’s book and Raimi’s film show good people’s disturbingly mundane descent into evil.
Books
‘A Simple Plan’ (1993, 1998) chillingly shows how easily things can spiral
Rowling’s stark ‘Casual Vacancy’ (2012) bridges Potter and Strike
Throwback Thursday (Book review): The “Harry Potter” scribe doesn’t have answers for folks in a non-magical world, but she does show observant compassion.
‘QualityLand’ (2017) hits uncomfortably close to reality
Book club book report: Steady doses of humor make this a fun read, although the author understands the problems more than the solution.
So what I did was, I re-read ‘Catcher in the Rye’ (1951)
Throwback Thursday (Book review): I wish you could’ve been there when I read it, but I’ll analyze this Salinger classic like a madman.
Green and his prankish teens seek meaning in ‘Looking for Alaska’ (2005)
Throwback Thursday (Book review): Green’s debut novel pulls off the neat trick of making its title character both ephemeral and believable.
‘Trust Exercise’ (2019) a masterful triptych about broken adult-child trust
Book club book report: Via traumatized, reflective victims, Choi pens a sharp back-door analysis of how abusers maintain industry power.
‘Ink Black Heart’ (2022) explores seediest corners of social media
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): J.K. Rowling’s sixth Cormoran Strike mystery shows the disturbing influence of anonymous internet trolls.
Rowling warms up a cold case in fifth Strike novel, ‘Troubled Blood’ (2020)
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Rowling’s prose is so good that she’s able to keep a mystery fascinating at quadruple the page count of a typical genre piece.
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ (2019) introduces young readers to the genre
Book club book report: Despite its basic nature, Holly Jackson’s debut novel is a page-turning whodunit for adults, too.
‘Lethal White’ (2018) another killer entry in Rowling’s Strike saga
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): The author digs into the absurdities and intrigues of mid-level British politicians in the fourth Cormoran Strike entry.