Tag: Novel Reviews

The 6:20 Man – David Baldacci

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The 6:20 Man by 

David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Sep 19, 2022 

I’ve read Baldacci before but not with the protagonist Travis Devine. I liked the character, he was real and easy to relate to, not a super hero by any means, just a good guy trying to do the right thing.
The story was different; a murder in the financial district, obviously committed to cover up something illegal. But the plot is not that simple.
Baldacci keeps us guessing as to who done it, then adds in a few more murders to confuse us even more. A few twists and turns of events and late surprises keep you flipping pages right until the end.
The pace was quick and the story was interesting. A good read.

Hell From the Heavens – The U.S.S. Laffey

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Hell from the Heavens: The Epic Story of the USS Laffey and World War II’s Greatest Kamikaze Attack
by John F. Wukovits

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Sep 08, 2022  

An excellent read for any war buff or even those slightly interested in World War II and naval actions. Very few novels can evoke emotion from me as this book did, while the author describes the triumphs and horrors of war from the perspective of soldiers on the front lines.
Hell from the Heavens gives us a look at the every day life of sailors aboard the USS Laffey, a ship that saw action in all the major amphibious landings in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Not exactly knowing the difference between a destroyer, cruiser or battleship, I learned how powerful yet vulnerable ships like the Laffey were.
I learned just how destructive the Japanese Kamikaze pilots were on the navy and particularly to the Laffey when they were attacked by 22 of them in 80 minutes. Often wondering where I’d rather be in the military, whether in the air, sea, or on land, this story has me reconsidering my choices.
I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a local book show and he told me the book rights have been purchased and a movie is in the works with Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg. I can’t wait to see this story on the big screen.

Say Nothing

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Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
by Patrick Radden Keefe

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Aug 10, 2022  

I should say something about Say Nothing.
I began this book last winter and have picked it back up a few times after and in between other reads, but after getting half-way through it I’m giving up.
Not that it’s bad by any means, just way too thick and slow for me. Loaded with tons of real-life drama about the Irish Republican Army, the story jumps around between a mother of ten who goes missing from her home, and various leaders and participants in the on-going struggles in Ireland.
Say nothing is a true story of murder and memory in Ireland, according to the book’s cover.
Read it if you dare.

The Elusive Purple Gang

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The Elusive Purple Gang: Detroit’s Kosher Nostra
by Gregory A. Fournier (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Aug 06, 2022  

I’ve always heard about the Purple Gang and their criminal activities in Windsor during the rum-running days of the roaring 20’s, but wasn’t aware of their Detroit roots and exactly how bad-ass the group of thugs really was.
I gave the book 4 stars but feel it’s worth only a 3.5. Where it’s loaded with interesting facts and stories about long ago fabled Detroit mobsters, at times I found it too ‘statistical’ and a bit hard to follow with the numerous gang characters and their affiliates.
But for anyone who’s interested in the Detroit-Windsor booze prohibition connection, I recommend giving this book a read. It also delves into the gang’s connection to Al Capone and government corruption at all levels.

My Audiobooks

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My first sale of an audiobook on Google Play

Can you hear me now?

I just sold my first Audiobook on Google Play.

All of my titles are listed and someone purchased a copy of Trafficking Chen.

Don’t worry about the serious commission I raked in, it doesn’t even cover the cost of an air filter for the new furnace and air conditioner we just put in the house.

I’ve had previous requests for audiobooks of my titles so it’s nice to know someone bought one.

Thank you listener 🙂

Pop Goes The Weasel – M. J. Arlidge

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Pop Goes the Weasel (Helen Grace, #2)
by M.J. Arlidge

Edmond Gagnon‘s review

Feb 27, 2022  

First off, after reading this book, I have no idea where the title comes from. There’s also a book of the same title by James Patterson.
One of the reviews says that M.J. Arlidge is the the next Jo Nesbo. I disagree.
I found the book a choppy read with a bit too much touchy-feely stuff for my liking, where we were told how the characters ‘felt’ at each and every turn. Perhaps that comes from the voice of female authors, since I find it more often than not.
I also think the author went overboard on female characters…the protagonist, antagonist, and most other characters, with the exception of two males. In any policing organization that I am aware of, that is just not the norm.
Other than those quirks, the story is a good read.

The Vanished Man – Jeffrey Deaver

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The Vanished Man (Lincoln Rhyme, #5)
by Jeffery Deaver (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Feb 18, 2022  

I haven’t read much of Jeffrey Deaver but like his Lincoln Rhyme character. I’ve also see The Bone Collector movie. I wasn’t sure at first that I liked how the antagonist narrated his part in the story, but it was an important part of the plot and went to understanding the character’s motives.
The Vanished Man is the name of a particular illusion, performed by illusionists or magicians. And this story is all about magic and illusions – it has more surprises, twists an turns, than watching a motocross race on a dirt track.
The story is good and characters believable. I can promise that you’ll be fooled more than once reading this book and Deaver will keep you guessing right up until the end.

Two Kinds of Truth – Michael Connelly

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Two Kinds of Truth (Harry Bosch, #20; Harry Bosch Universe, #30)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 27, 2022  


This was one of three Bosch novels I traded for while in Sayulita, Mexico. All are out of order, something that happens when you pick up cheap second-hand books to read while you’re away. If that’s not confusing enough, I’ve made it worse by watching all seasons and episodes of the Bosch TV series.
So, where it was nice to read the more in-depth literary versions of certain stories, it also had me confused at times where certain characters, partners and cases have been changed or condensed for the theatrical version. Either way, it’s all Bosch and it’s all good.
This story is typical Harry, where he won’t rest until he brings a killer to justice. Throw in an old case that comes back to haunt him, worry about his daughter, the usual politics that comes with police work, and you have another good Bosch novel.

The Night Fire – Michael Connelly

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The Night Fire (Harry Bosch, #22; Renée Ballard, #3; Harry Bosch Universe, #32)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 25, 2022  

When will Harry Bosch be old enough to fully retire? It mentions in this book that he’s almost 70! That means he’s been chasing killers for over 40 years. That would be way more than enough for me to want something more out of life. But then who could we count on to fight for all those lost souls…the one’s that matter because they all matter.
Even though Harry is retired from policing it doesn’t stop him from teaming up with one of his old partners (Renee Ballard) to hunt down killers. And Bosch’s brother from a different mother (Mickey Haller) gets a bit of ink in this book, now that the two of them have found some common ground to get along.
I enjoyed The Night Fire but the Ballard character just doesn’t do it for me. As usual, Bosch is the anchor that holds Connelly’s ship fast.
Hopefully the author can get a few more stories out of our favorite cop character before he gets stuck in the mud at the bottom of the ocean.

The Footprints of God – Greg Iles

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The Footprints of God
by Greg Iles (Goodreads Author)
Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 20, 2022 


They say not to judge a book by it’s cover (and page count) but that’s exactly what I did with this novel, leaving it to linger on my ‘to read’ shelf at home for quite a while.
Now I’m glad I’ve read it and happily rate it five stars.
The intro had a bit puzzled as to plot and content but once I started flipping pages I was hooked. Greg Iles deserves kudos for keeping me interested for the whole 546 pages – the quick pace of the story never lagged throughout.
The story gets a bit complicated and deep at certain points but it was thought-provoking for me and I enjoyed the challenge.
Even the title was weird, I thought, but The Footprints of God is a good read that I highly recommend.