Book Journey

When a beautiful woman begs for Sam Spade’s help, well what’s a San Fransisco detective to do but risk his tough guy reputation to help her? 

Sam is a real man’s man and tough enough to bluff confessions out of the thugs.  When Sam’s partner is murdered on a stakeout the cops all but blame Sam… no wait, they actually do blame Sam for the death.  Sam knows people in low places and has the pull to get people working to assist him in solving the crime , as look for the payoff that everyone wants – a valuable gold statuette of a falcon.

Who has the falcon?

What will it take to get it back?

As a motley crew of characters gather in Sam’s hotel room, all searching for the same answers, you have to wonder – can Sam, Mr. Cool, Mr. Smooth Talker himself, solve this crime and mystery?

Ok…

Hee hee.

I picked this audio up from the amazing Tanya of Blackstone Audio (can I get a WOOT!) as well as the great blog, Dog eared copy.  I met Tanya at BEA this year and always interested in dipping my listening ear into different genres and mixes, I jumped at the chance to listen to this audio. 

I find that I am more experimental in my audio then I am in books.  Something about listening to an audio… I usually give it more of a chance to grab me then I will a book. 

In this case, The Maltese Falcon was a surprise in many ways.  For one, I didn’t pick up on the fact that this was Radio Theater.  Or if I did, I did not really think what that meant.  When the audio started with this dramatic  music, sound effects and voices… I was well, take a moment and listen for yourself:

Ok…. so now you see where I am at.  😛

So – I will admit I was surprised, not necessarily pleasantly so as I thought I was going to hear this book read by an assortment of narrators…

The second way this audio surprised me was…. it grew on me.  Suddenly, I got into the way this one played out and I would be in the kitchen laughing to Sam Spade’s over the top solving of the crime, and the search for the maltese falcon.

Que the scary music soundtrack….

Ok I jest…. it really turned out to be a unique experience – one that I really did enjoy.  I have never seen the movie, so I went into this knowing title alone and nothing else.  Both readers, Michael Madsen and Sandra Oh did a wonderful job.  This was actually quite fun.

I have updated the 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map to include Maltese Falcon

Thank you to Tanya and Blackstone Audio!

Mary Beth Latham really has it all.  A loving and devoted husband, three teenage children – the twin boys Alex and Max, and her sweet outgoing daughter Ruby.  Their home is filled with the joys of family and Mary Beth wouldn’t want it any other way.

When Ruby one day announces that she is breaking up with her long time friend and boyfriend Kirenen, Mary Beth feels sad for both her daughter and Kirenan who has really become like one of the family.  Yet, at the same time her son Max is sinking into a depression over his much more athletic and popular brother Alex. A popular daughter, a depressed son and an over-confident son.  In a way, this is what life with teens can be like…

And then one night after a New Years Eve party everything changes.  An incredible act of violence throws Mary Beth’s life into the blender and when she comes out the other side, she is nowhere near the same… nothing is… NOTHING is.

Left with almost nothing, Mary Beth struggles to make a life again for herself, grasping at anything that can be considered “normal” and wondering when the floor will  drop out from under her again.

Powerful read.  I actually have to take pause as I write that.  Having just finished this book I am now of an author who has astounded me  with this well written novel, and her profound knowledge of grief.  As I listened to this on audio, I had to nod my head as the level of despair is so correctly described that I have to believe if Anna Quindlin has not experienced this level of grief herself, then she did a lot of research to understand it well.  Just listening to it made my heart beat faster in a sense of my own grief of what I was hearing. 

The “happening: in this book is blind siding… when it hits it hits hard and only an experienced author could pull off such a plot and be able to maintain the story beyond that. 

The narration itself reminded me a bit of Elizabeth Berg novels, the narrator, Hope Davis is almost monotone, but in this case, as the story is told from Mary Beth’s perspective – it should be, as grief takes you to a level of going through the motions of life… one foot in front of the other, and no emotion is really safer.

Intriguing, passionate, thought provoking…I am left feeling a sense of loss now that the book is over.  I will be visiting author Anna Quindlin again.

Amazon Rating

Good Reads

I updated the 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map to include Every Last One

I borrowed this audio from my local library

which I ♥

Tessa Leoni is happy with her life.  Having raised her daughter Sophie as a single parent for the early years of her life, Tessa loves nothing more.  To better herself and give Sophie a good life, Tessa works as a state trooper.  The hours are not the best, but the money is good, and the benefits give both Tessa and Sophie security in their future. 

When Tessa is introduced to Brian Darby by a fellow officer, Tessa proceeds cautiously into a relationship.  She realizes soon enough that Brian loves Sophie as his own daughter and soon after Tessa and Brian are married and start a happy life together.

Yet why is it that Detective Bobby Dodge of the Massachusetts State Police Department, is now standing in Tessa Leoni’s home looking at a very battered and bloody Tessa, Brian’s dead body on the floor, and six-year-old Sophie nowhere to be found?  Tessa is taken to the hospital – but Tessa is not talking.

What has happened?  Was there a lovers quarrel?  Was Tessa an abused wife?  Was Brian killed in self-defense or cold-blooded murder?  And most importantly of all, where was Sophie?

Bobby Dodge looks at her partner D.D. Warren with a look of resignation.  It is going to be a long, long day.

I read Lisa Gardner a bazillion years ago when I read The Survivors Club (way…. pre blogging).  I loved it, loved the strong female characters, the story line, the quick never dull pace.  Which leaves me sitting here now in the after math of Love You More wondering what took me so long to get back to reading this author.

From my first reading of Lisa Gardner to this now recent one, I find nothing has changed.  Lisa still knows how to write a fast paced twisting and turning novel that leaves you out of breath with every turn of the page.

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I turn the page and discover that can’t be right, and off we go again in a completely different direction.  I feel like I am on the Tilt a Whirl at the fair, you are rapidly going one way – spinning, spinning, and then you stop and do an about-face and go just as fast int he other direction.

For the record – I can not do the Tilt A Whirl anymore, makes me sick – however I absolutely plan to read more of Lisa Gardner! 

Tessa Leoni is just the kind of character I enjoy.  She is strong-willed, tough, and is a quick thinker.  Love You More is told in some parts from the perspective of Detective D D Warren, and at other times from the point of Tessa.  This makes for an exciting read as D D tries to figure out what sort of person Tessa is – a  loving mother, or a heartless monster…. all the while I was also getting Tessa thoughts too, which lead for an exciting – EXCITING story line!

It wasn’t until the end of this read that I discovered that this is actually book 5 of the DD Warren Detective series, but readers, do not moan, as I did not notice this was a series and am willing to believe that each of the books while having familiar characters are written as stand alone reads.  Of course, now I want to read more about these characters…..  😉

Towards the end a couple of the “happenings” felt a bit too much to me and I admit being a bit disappointed as I was thinking the book was so fantastic.  Then… as I thought about it, I wondered if it really was over the top.  How far does a mothers love extend?  What extremes would I myself go to so my child was safe?

Over the top or not, Love You More is a book (audio) that I recommend highly to those of you who love a good thriller…. you will not be disappointed. 

Amazon Rating

Good Reads Review

The 2011 WHERE Are You Reading map has been updated to include Love You More

I listened to this on the audio I purchased through audible.com