Today, Hartford Books Examiner serves up a sixth installment of “bite-sized” book reviews.
Love You More by Lisa Gardner – Meticulously plotted and flawlessly executed, Gardner’s latest—the fifth novel to feature Boston Detective Sergeant D.D. Warren—is further proof that this is one author at the height of her storytelling powers. What appears to be an open-and-shut case is anything but in a riveting tale of murder and mayhem that dares to ask how far one mother will go to protect her child...
Jackie As Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by Greg Lawrence – Lawrence, who himself was edited by Jackie, offers a fascinating (and impressively researched) glimpse into the nearly twenty year period that JKO served as a book editor in New York City. Bibliophiles will rejoice in her passion for books—and admirers will find themselves introduced to a side of the woman that few people knew. A compelling, if oft ignored, chapter in an unforgettable life…
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz – This horrifying, and often hilarious, tale is a refreshing reimagining of Hansel and Gretel set against the backdrop of several lesser known fairytales collected by the Brothers Grimm. Gidwitz brilliantly balances familiar with fanciful—and his book is sure to please both children and parents, as it liberates the kid that lives within all of us…
Pandora’s Succession by Russell Brooks – This action-packed debut from Brooks is an ambitious undertaking that tackles the timely topic of biological warfare. CIA operative Ridley Fox is a compelling character, and his desire to avenge his fiancée’s murder adds emotional depth to a fast-paced story in which everyone is suspect and little is as it appears to be…
December 8, 1980: The Day John Lennon Died by Keith Elliot Greenberg – Released to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death, this book breathtakingly chronicles Lennon’s movements, and those of his assassin, Mark David Chapman, on that fateful day. Interspersed throughout is biographical information and musical trivia that serve to further place the event in historical, and cultural, context.
Pala Alto: Stories by James Franco – These eleven stories weigh in at just over 200 pages, and while short in totality, their impact is longer-lasting. Franco’s ruminations on the lives of troubled teens growing up in the suburbs of Cali are, in turn, frank, funny, and frightening. And while the brevity can occasionally leave something to be desired, the actor commendably captures the disillusionment of youth…
Phantom Spies, Phantom Justice by Miriam Moskowitz – Falsely convicted on charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, Moskowitz was a victim of McCarthyism, which swept the nation in the 1950’s. Following her release after a two-year imprisonment, she reclaimed her autonomy by meticulously researching the circumstances that allowed for such an injustice to occur. Her tale is a vindication of truth over trickery—and a cautionary warning that is timeless in its relevance…
A Funny Thing Happened by Lester Colodny with Susan Heller – Colodny, who now resides locally, is a natural born storyteller, and his memoir pays testament to that. A heartfelt and humorous journey through Hollywood’s Golden Age, its pages boast a revolving door of famous faces, from Frank Sinatra to Joan Rivers –but Colodny is indisputably this story’s leading man…
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Be sure to join Hartford Books Examiner in welcoming Lisa Gardner tomorrow to celebrate the release of Love You More…
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