Category: Book Reviews

Gran Turismo – The Movie

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It seems that movie makers have finally gotten back to putting good films back into movie theatres and Gran Turismo is exactly that. But is it a movie about a video game or car racing? Turns out it’s a movie about both. Cathryn and I were skeptical when we heard about this one, both being clueless about simulated racing video games. Our fears were short-lived.

In a nutshell, Gran Turismo is something played by ‘gamers’. But in this case, Nissan runs a contest to see who the best ‘sim-racer’ is, in the hopes of putting him or her behind the wheel of one of their real life race cars. The challenge seems impossible to all but the promoter, played by Orlando Bloom, the only big name actor in the movie.

Based on a true story, Nissan selects contest winners from around the world and sends them to race car training camp. From that point on this flick is a Cinderella story. There are some suspected pitfalls and other pleasant surprises that easily keep the audience interested.

If you’re a gamer or racing enthusiast, this movie is for you. The special effects in both worlds is high octane action, where you can almost feel the excitement and g-forces the young drivers experience. It’s hard to believe this story really happened and you should see it for yourself. Cathryn and I both loved it and each give it a 10 out of 10.

The Bat – Jo Nesbo

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The Bat by Jo Nesbo (June 04,2013)
by Jo Nesbø (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review, Aug 01, 2023 it

I just couldn’t finish this one and struggled to give it 3 stars. The cover says it’s the first Harry Hole thriller but it’s more like a chiller. I gave up on page 200, about half-way through the book.

Having read Nesbo’s Snowman and also seeing the movie, maybe I expected too much. It was the author’s first time out so maybe he was only beginning to polish his act.

There is way too much useless fluff and character backstory – one part in particular where a whole chapter is wasted on useless information about an inconsequential person. At least twice, I had to flip back to the beginning to remember what the opening murder scene was all about.

Perhaps the story gets better in the end. Guess I’ll never know.

Border City Chronicles – Four More

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BORDER CITY CHRONICLES – BOOK 2 – 4 stars out of 5 – Editorial Review:

Detective Norm Strom is back, along with several detectives we already know. Our favorite detective relates four more stories of local crime in the Windsor area. Although more detailed in police procedures, each story relates a varied and interesting case file.

1. GONE FISHING – A fishing story that involves catching brutal attackers rather than fish and explains the failings of the judicial system in caring for victims.

2. THE HATFIELDS AND MCKAYS – A tale of a family feud that ends in murder.

3. VICTIMLESS CRIME – a narrative explaining the flaws in the system that is supposed to protect people from scams and frauds.

4. 30 YEARS COLD – A body of a man is discovered. Missing 30 years ago, the discovery shakes his family. This story of his death echoes your mind.

This book held my interest as Norm worked the various cases. The suspense and intrigue ran through the narrative and each story held different perspectives of police work. This book is a well-written story and its social and political implications gave a realistic feel to the plot-definitely a book worth reading.

Official Release Date: August 1st, 2023 – Pre-orders now available

The Accident – Linwood Barclay

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The Accident
by Linwood Barclay (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Jun 10, 2023 

Reading the intro on the back of this book, I was leery, thinking it would be a yawner with a ho-hum plot. But thankfully, I was wrong. I guess what put me off was that the story was about Joe Citizen investigating a car accident that caused the death of his wife.
As I tread cautiously into the first few chapters, Linwood Barclay’s mastery as a story teller quickly grabbed my attention. What appeared to be a common tale told by a common man, slowly evolved into a good whodunnit mystery thriller.
Our protagonist in this story is not a super hero or even a dogged police detective. He is the guy next door who has a natural curiosity about his wife’s death. He has questions. And in seeking answers to the ones that keep him up at night, he starts to unravel a complex and complicated plot that keeps readers guessing throughout the whole book.
Kudos to fellow Canadian author Linwood Barclay for a very good read.

The Eye of God – James Rollins

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The Eye of God (Sigma Force, #9)
by 

James Rollins (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Jun 01, 2023  ·  edit

really liked it

The Eye of God (Sigma Force, #9)
by James Rollins (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Jun 01, 2023  

An entertaining read, action-packed and fast paced, but all too predictable.
The familiar story…an elite special force sets out to save the world, getting hunted, shot and or stabbed along the way. Count on at least one or two of the secondary characters getting bumped off but the mai characters save the world at the very last minute (not really a spoiler alert) and live happily until the next mission comes along.
Rollins is a good author but he’s relied on the tried and true method of telling the same old story to secure readers. Personally, I prefer something out of the ordinary to pique my interest.
Having said that, I did enjoy the material about matter from outer space and the many things we really don’t know about our own universe.

Greenwood

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Greenwood
by 

Michael Christie (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Apr 27, 2023  

This book has received great reviews from other readers, and it’s probably worthy of 4 or 5 stars, but I just couldn’t do it. Granted, I only read the first 115 pages so maybe I’m being unfair.
Regardless, this book moves slower than watching a tree grow. Starting in the future, the story covers several decades, revealing more as time reverses itself. Kind of a cool concept I thought, but it only led to confusion as I tried to wrap my head around new characters introduced and the piles of back story for each and every one of them.
In my opinion the book could have been easily reduced by 100 pages, but that’s just me.
Please read other reviews posted for this yawner since it has appealed to many other readers.

Skim – by Steve Byrne

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Skim: Milk, Money & Murder
by Steve Byrne

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Apr 04, 2023 

What a great novel for author Steve Byrne’s first time out.
Skim is a prohibition era yarn, set in the City of Windsor during it’s nefarious rum-running days.
The story is about one man, a war hero, who wants to do better by his family and chooses to get involved with local gangsters who are tied into the renowned Purple Gang, and their illegal whiskey business.
Maurice “Moose” Ducharme uses his milk route to deliver black market Canadian Club whiskey to his booze-thirsty clients, taking a big risk by getting in deep with the local crime syndicate.
Being a bit of a Winsor history buff, the story kept me turning pages and routing for the underdog.
For anyone interested in local history, prohibition, and Windsor’s dark past, this book is must read.

85 Grams – Art Williams: Drug Czar

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85 Grams: Art Williams: Drug Czar
by Daryl Ashby

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Jan 04, 2023 

Being a retired police officer who spent five years in narcotics, some of that time working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, I found this book interesting and somewhat comical at times. The story takes place a few years before I was a Narc, but the good guys vs the bad guys scenario that played out in the plot rang very true to me.
Granted, most of the drug dealers I had contact with where nowhere near as smart and cunning as Art Williams, the Mounties main target. I was blown awaybyt the lengths he went to stay under the radar, yet taunt the police at the same time. It was like he was always one step ahead of them.
The story contains personal accounts from various people who knew Art Williams before he ‘disappeared’ under mysterious circumstances.
I don’t want to give away the whole story but can easily recommend this book as and entertaining read.

Camino Winds – John Grisham

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Camino Winds (Camino Island, #2)

John Grisham (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Nov 08, 2022  

As far as I’m concerned, this novel doesn’t live up to Grisham standards. It was a slow starter and not what I’d call a page turner. But if you’re looking for a book that you can pick up and put down every other day or so, Camino Winds is a decent story.


The plot tries to accelerate and get you to the conclusion quickly but falls short and is more of a police procedural, with average citizens taking on investigative rolls, while trying to solve their friend’s murder.


The story combines the fury of a level 4 hurricane with the curiosity of a local group of authors and a book store owner. Use your imagination to fill in the blanks.

A Measure of Darkness – John & Jesse Kellerman

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A Measure of Darkness (Clay Edison, #2)
by Jonathan Kellerman, Jesse Kellerman

Edmond Gagnon‘s review, Oct 03, 2022  

I gave up reading this novel after 220 pages but I should’ve stopped way earlier. Nothing was happening and I didn’t see a satisfactory ending in sight.
I’ve read Jonathan Kellerman before and like his Alex Delaware character, who gets a phone cameo in this yarn. Maybe it’s just this story but I found the Clay Edison character a bore. Even his job as a Deputy Sheriff who’s main job was to discover the identity of murder victims. Boring.
The story started with a bang and several murders which seemed like plot would blast off from there, but then it fell flat as Edison spends hours searching the internet and making phone calls to track down a murder victim’s identity. I didn’t quite get all that and I’m a retired cop.
Maybe it all comes together at the end and he actually helps solve the murder case. Guess I’ll never know. I can live with that.