From the Archives: Crime Fiction in October 2005

I began keeping a reading journal several years before I began blogging. I find it interesting to sift through my thoughts of books that I read back then. My reviews were often brief and contained little substance, but I thought it'd be fun to document them here on my blog as well as share them with you. Here are three from October of 2005: 

Utterly Monkey by Nick Laird
Harper Perennial, 2006
Fiction; 368 pgs

Nick Laird’s debut novel is described as being a “searing, fiercely funny, and ultimately redemptive novel about surviving an office job, outwitting the bad guys, and, hopefully, getting the girl.“ Set in London and crossing the sea into Ireland, this is a novel about a corporate attorney whose life suddenly gets interesting when an old friend appears on his doorstep. So often today books set in the United Kingdom are Americanized, the language used adapted, however that was not the case in Utterly Monkey. I loved the descriptions and expressions used throughout this book. It made the story as well as the setting come to life. The characters were quirky and fun and the book was full of humorous moments mixed in with more serious issues. Although the book got off to a slow start, the ending took off at a record pace and had me racing to the last sentence.

 Got the Look by James Grippando
Harper Torch, 2006
Suspense/Thriller; 467 pgs

James Grippando has earned a place among my “must read” authors. Got the Look hooked me in from the very first page and kept me captivated until the very end. FBI Agent Andie Henning and Jack Swyteck are trying to track down a kidnapper/killer who has recently abducted Jack’s new girlfriend. Will the ransom paid be enough to keep her alive? Although this particular book is the latest in a series featuring attorney Jack Swyteck, I hardly noticed even though I had never read anything by this author before. The characters were well defined and I found the plot itself quite intriguing in its varying nuances. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Derailed by James Siegel
Grand Central Publishing, 2003
Suspense/Thriller; 368 pgs

James Siegel’s Derailed was just as suspenseful and exciting as everyone claimed it was. Although my guess from the beginning about the mystery turned out to be correct, I still enjoyed every page of Derailed. This is the story of Charles Schine, a successful executive who meets a beautiful woman on a train. An illicit affair turns into a nightmare and his life will never be the same. Mr. Siegel is a gifted storyteller, keeping the reader on the edge of his or her seat through the entire book. [Skip the movie based on the book.  It was awful.]

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