Tag: Fiction

Final Justice – W.E.B. Griffin

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Final Justice
by W.E.B. Griffin
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Apr 30, 2021  


I had to check other reviews for this one to find out if wasn’t just me that thought it sucked. Not even sure if it was deserving of one star, I was only able to trudge my way through fifty pages. The only thing I garnered from that read was who the protagonist was.


The book is just over 500 pages, with very small font, and could have easily been less than half that. Call me silly, but I really don’t need to know things like the history of a police car or every little detail of the police department, including ranks, numbers, descriptions, etc.


I’ve complained about fluff in other novels, and haven’t read this author before, but my best description is that it is a plethora of useless facts and information that totally distract from the story – if you can figure out what exactly that is.

Edge of Danger – Jack Higgins

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Edge of Danger (Sean Dillon, #9)
by Jack Higgins
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Apr 28, 2021 


I find it strange how Jack Higgins took a perfectly good thriller and turned it into a lack-luster story that was barely worth the three stars I gave it.
I struggled through the first half of the book, trying to figure out what was bothering me so much, and I came up with a few things.
The characters all seem to be rich, drink only champagne no matter the occasion, and lack any type of empathy or emotion throughout the story.
Those same characters lack description, thus giving the impression they all look the same and are cut from the same cloth.
Even the action scenes were dull.
I’ve read two other Higgins novels and have now been disappointed twice.

The Summons – John Grisham

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The Summons
by John Grisham (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Apr 23, 2021 


I was anxious to try some different Grisham novels after scoring a handful at a local store that’s going out of business. The story is not about any of the author’s usual characters, but the intro made it sound interesting.


It’s about an old judge who dies and leaves a secret behind, something to trouble his only surviving heirs, his two sons. The plot dragged from the beginning and was a much slower read than I am used to. I skimmed through the fluff, waiting for something useful to happen.


The main character is a law professor – his quirks bolstered my opinion of such academics, who may be smarter than the average bear, but have no street smarts and lack common sense.


But I forged ahead, hoping our protagonist would wizen up.
It never happened, making the ending predictable and in my opinion, a let down. I can’t call it a happy or sad ending and perhaps that’s exactly what it’s meant to be.

The Late Show – Michael Connelly

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The Late Show (Renée Ballard, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #29)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Mar 24, 2021  


I really like Michael Connelly and the unique characters he’s created over the years to carry the stories in his crime novels. I wasn’t sure about his latest, Renee Ballard, at first, but grew to understand and eventually like the new crimefighter more as the plot unfolded.


LAPD Detective Ballard is no Harry Bosch, but she is a good cop with her own style, perhaps more representative of the newer breed of crime investigator. In ‘The Late Show’ Ballard is not only challenged by the serious cases that come her way, but she has to stand up for herself and fight to regain her good reputation that was sullied by a former boss.


The story is a bit slow at first, but the intrigue and action build at a good pace. The twist thrown in near the end completely took me by surprise.
I think Renee Ballard is a good addition to Connelly’s cast of characters.

Suspect – Michael Robotham

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Suspect (Joseph O’Loughlin, #1)
by Michael Robotham (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Feb 17, 2021  
I had never heard of author Michael Robotham, perhaps it’s because he’s from Sydney Australia.
Regardless, I found his book, Suspect, a very good read. The protagonist is a Psychiatrist, but not a character like Alex Delaware in John Kellerman’s novels, who assists police in their investigations.

Joseph O’Loughlin may be trying to get into his patients heads, but it seems more like he needs to examine himself. By trying to get to the truth he only incriminates himself and goes from helping the police to being their number one suspect.

I found the backstory a bit heavy at times but the plot was well written and fast paced enough to keep my attention. I would definitely read this author again.

The Snowman – Jo Nesbo

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The Snowman (Harry Hole, #7)
by Jo Nesbø 
Edmond Gagnon‘s reviewFeb 07, 2021 


The Snowman is the first ‘Harry Hole’ Jo Nesbo novel that I’ve read. Although a Norwegian author, he can weave a crime fiction tale with the best of them.
I had some difficulty getting into this book, and keeping things straight as the story progressed, because of all the Norwegian names of places and characters. For me, it was hard to concentrate when I couldn’t pronounce or remember most of the proper nouns that were used.
Having said that, the plot was intricately pieced together, with enough twists and turns to keep any crime reader fully engrossed.
Nesbo’s police protagonist and sadistic antagonist were equally likable, especially once the latter was eventually discovered.

Cross – James Patterson

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13128Cross (Alex Cross, #12)
by

James Patterson (Goodreads Author)
15204490

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Jun 02, 2020


I love James Patterson’s Alex Cross character so it was hard not to like the book. I was a bit surprised at how fast I zipped through this and the last one I read, maybe it has something to do with the one and two page chapters.
The plot and overall story were good, as usual, but I was confused about the age of Alex’s kids and who their mother was. I had to Google the answers. It was also hard to keep track of his love interests and which job he was working, and when. Thank you Google, again.
I guess it’s my fault for not reading the series in order, I swap books with friends and read them on a whim, when I don’t feel like writing.
This book fell short of my fourth star because I thought the ending fell flat, and it was quickly laid out to tidy things up.

Four Blind Mice – James Patterson

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53625Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross, #8)
by James Patterson (Goodreads Author)

15204490

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

May 31, 2020


I usually like to rag about Patterson because of all the other writers who gain attention from using his name, but this story is his, and a good one.
What made the book more enjoyable for me is his protagonist, Dr. Alex Cross. I liked the character in other books he’s in, as well as a few movies based on his exploits.
The story moves well, and is a fast read with hardly any fluff. There’s just enough backstory to keep you in the loop, and the other characters added depth to the story.
The plot seemed predictable, but a couple twists kept me curious right until the end.
A truly enjoyable book.

Pegasus Descending – James Lee Burke

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234490Pegasus Descending (Dave Robicheaux, #15)
by James Lee Burke

15204490

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

May 24, 2020


Crack a Dr. Pepper and get ready for a good ole down south, back bayou country story with your favorite ex-alcoholic veteran cop, Dave Robicheaux. This one’s typical Dave, acting out against the bad guys and an arrogant District Attorney at the same time.
His sidekick, Cletus Purcel, adds action, drama, and suspense, keeping Dave on his toes while trying to look out for him and his own family, which includes a three-legged racoon called Tripod.
There’s enough murder, mayhem, and built-up suspense, with a couple plot twists to keep you flipping pages in this one.
I couldn’t even finish the last James Lee Burke novel I read, probably because it lacked Dave Robicheaux.

The Jealous Kind – James Lee Burke

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29326413._SY475_The Jealous Kind (Holland Family Saga, #2)
by James Lee Burke

15204490

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Apr 28, 2020


I am a fan of James Lee Burke, and have read more than a few books in his Dave Robicheaux series, but I just couldn’t get into The Jealous Kind. I started reading it a couple months ago, prior to the Covid pandemic, and found it hard to accept the new characters. The slower pace of life in the 1950’s showed through in the author’s writing and I easily lost interest in the story.
I was almost half-way through the book and made my third attempt today to finish it off. It was if I was always waiting for something to happen but nothing really did.
That’s where my opinion ends…half-way through the book. I chose not to finish it.